#i might not make sense so ask away if needed

[captain-huggy-bear]

The Collection

Pairing: Quinn Hughes x Fem!Reader

Warnings: N/A

Summary: You keep every single puck that Quinn has ever given you, he finds your collection that you've been shyly hiding away. It might just be the thing that makes him realise you're the girl he's going to marry.

Notes: I just want a boyfriend who'll give me a puck from every one of his games, is that too much to ask?

Totally happy to take requests/ideas/prompts at the moment in my ask box :)

Writing Masterlist

It starts quite simply enough with an ice hockey game, like most things did with Quinn Hughes. The two of you had known each other for a while, acquaintances through Kiefer, acquaintances who then had become somewhat friends, but by no means were you close. That had changed one afternoon when Quinn had asked if you'd come to watch him play, not watch the team, not watch Kiefer, but watch him. This had seemed quite the clear hint that he was interested, or at least Quinn had considered this a neon flashing sign telling you he was interested. He considered this him shooting his shot.

It later transpired that Quinn considered this your first date, despite the fact he was on the ice and you were beside the penalty box, and that he'd not mentioned once the word date to you, but that's a story for another time.

The important part of this first-date-that-didn't-seem-like-a-first-date was not just that it set in motion your changing relationship status from somewhat friends to boyfriend and girlfriend, but that it was the first time Quinn Hughes ever gave you a puck. Something which to many would seem inconsequential. People got hockey pucks every day, every game. Thousands of fans owned pucks from hockey games, in that sense you were not particularly special.

It had felt so silly, and so girlish at the time, to be excited over an ice hockey puck of all things just because Quinn had tipped it over the glass to you specifically. And it had been for you, the glare he'd sent to those around you who even looked like they might snatch it had been lethal. It had felt even sillier to take that puck, cradle it the entire game, squirrel it all the way home only to write the date and a simple sentence on it in metallic gold pen, 'Quinn asked me to his game'. You're not entirely sure what had possessed you to do it, why it felt like something you needed to record. It had felt so...silly to do but you'd been unable to resist.

You'd squirrelled the puck away in a box in the back of your closet, out of sight of prying eyes, but it hadn't been forgotten by you. In fact, it was seen every single time you went to one of Quinn's games. After each game you'd inevitably come back with a new puck, another one to add to the collection of pucks that you were growing. At first the number was relatively slow to grow, you didn't go to every game, not during the weird stage where Quinn had yet to outright ask you out and you, oblivious as ever didn't realise he'd been trying for weeks.

As Quinn and you began officially dating you found yourself constantly receiving pucks, every game you went to he had a puck for you and at the end of the night you'd write the date and a simple sentence on it of something that had happened that night, something significant in your relationship or simply something significant to you even if it didn't seem significant to anyone else.

Still, the box remained hidden in the back of your closet, something you almost felt too shy to share. Even now that Quinn and you were in a relationship, even now 2 years down the line when he'd asked you to move in with him once your lease was up, it still felt scary to share it. Realistically you knew Quinn wouldn't be put off by it, the sort of sentimental person he was, he'd likely love it. That didn't stop the irrational fear. Especially given how personal some of the pucks were to you. It just felt embarrassing like showing him your blog from when you were thirteen or sharing a sketchbook from when you were twelve.

Moving apartments had been as simple as moving apartments could get, which is to say not simple in the slightest. Moving your things into Quinn's place had felt a little like playing Tetris, trying to find spaces for all your books and knickknacks without completely taking over his space. Trying to find a balance between his things and yours. In that chaos you'd managed to sneak your box of pucks in and to the back of your section of closet, a, in your opinion, perfect hiding spot.

It was not in fact a perfect hiding spot. Perhaps you were naive to think that Quinn wouldn't ever find them even when you shared such close quarters? Or perhaps you'd simply been avoiding the reality, trying to forget about it except in those few moments when you got home from a game before him and rushed to write on your puck and throw it into the box along with its brethren.

Either way, whether naivety or a desire to avoid the issue, it didn't stop you from finding him in that moment sat on the floor of your shared bedroom, looking incredibly cozy in a big hoodie and sweatpants, but pawing through your box that lay in front of him. The cardboard worn and battered from years of use.

"What are doing?" You knew exactly what he was doing, you could see two years worth of pucks piled high in front of him, one currently being turned over in his hands, but the panic seemingly made your brain stop working. Processing the scene felt impossible, you could see what was happening but couldn't quite comprehend it. Quinn was careful with the pucks, almost reverent as he put the one he was currently holding off to the side and reached for another, reading whatever you'd written on it.

"You kept them?" Quinn's voice is quiet, soft, an almost whisper that has you stepping further into the room even as you twist your fingers together nervous of his reaction.

"How...how did you find them?" Perhaps it was silly to think you could keep them hidden, after all you couldn't exactly claim you'd hidden them in some elaborate or overly complicated fashion. They were simply in a ratty old cardboard box in the very back of your half of the closet. It's not like you'd hidden them in some secret compartment.

"I was looking for my ugly Christmas jumper for the party on Sunday...didn't realise you'd kept them all. Why'd you hide them?" He smiles up and over at you from his spot, looking boyish and sweet even as you internally panic about the discovery he's made.

"I...I just...it's embarrassing." You shuffle nearer even as you say it, seeking his reassurance without quite truly realising it. When you're within reach of him, Quinn tugs on your hand to pull you closer from his position on the floor, cross legged and leaning back against the side of the bed.

"Baby, it's not embarrassing, it's sweet...you kept every puck I've ever given you. That's...I love that. C'mere." He tugs you down to the ground, until you're sitting side by the side with him and he can wrap an arm around you. He's warm and smells like the laundry detergent you use, it's calming, reassuring even as you still feel that rush of embarrassment at being found out.

Quinn reaches for a puck he'd put off to the side, it's worn and tarnished, dents from being hit across the ice during warm ups marring it, the logos of Seattle and Vancouver hidden underneath your writing in gold metallic pen.

"See, look, this is the puck I gave you on the day we had our first kiss." You'd written across the front 'Quinn kissed me today!!!!!!!!!' followed by more exclamation marks than was reasonable for anyone to use. You could remember the game clearly, Quinn had asked you to come along, you'd still not quite realised that he was trying to date you and your obliviousness had set a fire underneath him. He'd been so fed up that he'd forgotten what subtlety was. After a hard fought win, he'd rushed towards you in the corridor by the locker room and kissed you in front of half his teammates, all of whom had decided that was a great time to cheer and whistle like they were at a football game. You'd been surprised by it, taken aback, needing a few moments to process before returning the kiss, but you hadn't been unhappy with the sudden turn of events that had you practically unable to form words afterwards.

Quinn's careful as he puts it back before reaching for another puck, rooting around in the box before he pulls out one with the Canuck's orca emblazoned across it. Quinn takes a moment to read it before practically beaming over at you, eyes bright and excited.

"This one is from the game where I took you on the ice after and taught you how to skate," The puck had a creative attempt at drawing yourself and Quinn in ice skates, stick figure form of course, 'Quinn tried to teach me to skate after the game.'

"You mean you tried to teach me how to skate...last I remember I'm still not great..." You tap a nail against the 'tried' in your handwriting and Quinn just grins at you, any lasting embarrassment has started to disappear, and instead you're left with a sense of warmth. That you have all these memories to look back on, moments you might have forgotten about otherwise.

"You're just a work in progress, baby, you can stay upright...most of the time..." You shake your head at him, rolling your eyes as he teases you. It was a well known fact that you were nowhere near as graceful as Quinn was on the ice, having never really ice skated as a child.

You reach into the pile and pick another puck out, a pride night one, reading the caption quickly and very much deciding that this is one Quinn doesn't need to see, "Oh, not, you're not reading this one!"

"Give it here!" You reach away from him, arm as straight as you can get it to hold the puck as far from him as possible. Naturally, it does very little, Quinn and his long arms simply lean over you and pluck the puck from your grip with ridiculous ease.

You groan, pressing your face into his shoulder to hide away from whatever judgement might pass across his face as he reads off the puck, one of the early ones, from before you even realised he wanted you. From the days when you were pining, crushing hard on a man you thought you'd never have.

"Quinn smiled at me during warm ups'...Oh, baby, that's cute," Quinn grasps the nape of your neck in his hand, pulling until you turn to look at him, your cheek still smushed against his shoulder.

"We weren't dating then...and you were always so locked in..." You try to justify it, that back then his smiles were rarer, he was always so focused on the game that a smile was special, that any little interaction felt special because he wasn't yours yet, but it doesn't stop you feeling silly and embarrassed that you'd felt a smile during warm ups was important enough to put on a puck. At the time it had felt like the only thing that mattered, that Quinn had smiled at you, that his focus had been on you.

"I always have a smile for you...even back then, I was always excited when you agreed to come to a game...it made me want to play ten times harder, baby, still does." Quinn can't remember a time when he wasn't excited to see you at a game, to know you were there to support him, even in the early days. If anything the early days were even more exciting, simple because it didn't feel like a given that you'd be there. You weren't his girlfriend back then, you didn't have to be there, he couldn't complain if you weren't. So seeing you had always felt like he'd won a prize because you'd given up your time to watch him play in a freezing cold arena even knowing you'd barely get to talk to him.

"They're silly..." You gesture to the array of pucks, the number feeling ridiculous. How had you managed to collect over 100 pucks? Why had you decided to keep them all?

You stop your self-doubt and wallowing at the feeling of Quinn pressing a kiss to your hair, tugging you into his lap until you're as close as he can get you. Quinn is gentle when he runs his palm from the nape of your neck down to the base of your spine and back again, a soothing rhythm that makes you feel more confident when you look him in the eye.

"They're sweet...this is our entire story in pucks, can't get better than that..." The way he smiles at you is so soft and sweet that you wonder why you were ever scared of him finding them, "Don't stop doing it, baby...Promise me."

"I'll run out of space in my box though..." You look down at the almost full, falling apart cardboard box from one of your deliveries 2 years prior, the corners starting to tear, the free space inside almost non-existent.

"Then I'll get you a bigger box. I want to be 90 years old and have a thousand pucks in a giant box, each with something you thought was special enough to write on it... even if it is..." He picks up a puck squinting at it, "'I made Quinn laugh.' or," Quinn finds another from the pile, "'Quinn said my hair looked pretty', although maybe I need to be setting the bar higher, baby" He teases you, flipping the puck between his fingers with ease.

"I was pining after you, okay, and I wasn't sure you liked me back then!"

"Yeah, I forget, me asking you to come watch me play wasn't clear enough!" Quinn has been adamant for years that it was obvious he was asking you on a date, that you were just oblivious. He was, of course, wrong. Asking someone to come watch them play hockey was not in any way an obvious invite to a date and you refused to take responsibility for the earlier miscommunication which was clearly all his fault.

"It's not clear at all, honey! People ask people to watch them play all the time, it doesn't make it a date!"

"It was so a date!" a date in which you spent near 3 hours in the freezing cold and barely spoke to Quinn...definitely what a date is supposed to be. No wonder he was single for so long when you met him.

"Honestly, I'm starting to think you're lucky I liked you enough to put up with you..."

"...I am lucky...I'm lucky you gave me a chance and that you liked me enough to keep all these pucks and I'm lucky you agreed to move in with me even if you hide pucks in the closet like some weirdo." Quinn grips your hips, squeezing gently, smiling up at you sweetly even as he calls you a weirdo like he's not the one who thought watching him play hockey would be a good first date idea.

"You'll be lucky to sleep in the bed tonight if you keep that up,"

"You'd kick me out of our bed, baby? Really?" Quinn pouts at you as you grin down at him from your perch on his lap, arms wrapping over his shoulders and crossing behind his neck.

"...I'm joking, I can't sleep without your snores." If you could call his barely there noises snores, the lightest of snores, the sort of snores that were almost perfectly rhythmic rather than annoyingly inconsistent. Before Quinn you'd been adamant you couldn't date someone who snored, that it would make it too hard to sleep, now? Now, you genuinely missed them when he was gone. The noise a comforting backing track.

"You should put that on the next puck, 'I can't sleep without Quinn's snores in my ear and his manly arms around me'."

"'Manly arms'?" You pull back from him slightly, brows raised in question and an amused twist to your lips.

"You don't think my arms are manly, baby?" You laugh as Quinn raises one arm, flexing his bicep. You can't even see his muscles underneath his baggy hoodie, too well hidden within his cocoon of comfy cotton and polyester.

"I think you're ridiculous...." You shake your head at him, settling back in against him as he peers down at you with eyes that can only be described as loving, soft around the edges and almost hazy.

"Well, I think I'm in love with you."

You sigh happily as you reach for the box of pucks just behind you. You find a puck you know from sight alone, plucking it from the box and handing it to Quinn in response. You watch him read it, the way his smile turns to a full grin that beams at you like you've given him the moon. When in reality its just a ratty puck that says, 'I think I'm in love with Quinn Hughes'.

[urno1luv]

squid game (s1) aespa x reader🫣?? ningning is the only sane member + gets a happy ending tho😭

(as for the asks, don't worry!! i saw them all and i'm working on posting them!!)

tags: saebyeok's murder mentioned (😔), yandere behaviour, drugging, noncon, sadism, suicide mentioned once (reader), audiz are written together

🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪

KARINA and GISELLE, the VIPs

- flew over with giselle from japan just to watch this event, her perversion evident on her sharp features. she's definitely gonna have the time of her life

- her bets were placed on player 101, seeing how he was one of the most brutal players in the games, but giselle advised her to chose number 067 instead, citing her agility and her supposedly "callous" behaviour as a force to be reckoned with. aeri, after all, is one to listen to🙂‍↕️

- however, when both players have died and the only ones left are 456, 218, and you, 457, karina becomes pretty annoyed with giselle's guesses. "yah, uchinaga. we lost a million already, so choose a better player, don't make me lose more."

- luckily for rina, giselle already had her eyes on the cutest thing ever!!! your beautiful doe eyes glistening and filled with fear from player 218's sudden killing of your friend saebyeok. "hmm.... how about you bet on 456 and I bet on 457?" aeri suggests, smirking. "i feel like they might team up against 218, and the other VIPs are betting on him to win. let's divide our chances?" through a lot of coaxing, jimin agrees, her eyes following your every move.

- giselle and karina are pleasantly shocked once you suddenly use that brain of yours and successfully kill player 456 while he's occupied with the other player. with tears in your eyes, your knife enters his throat, giving him a quick death. though you cared about him very much, you couldn't afford to go against him in the next game when you were the finalists. rina tuts once you kill her pick, but it doesn't matter, bc the other VIPs now owe the girls their money since you won!!

- the guards escort you out of the arena, your legs weak with fatigue and guilt. aeri, however, has other plans for you ♡ "unnie, why don't we have some fun before we leave? think of it as a final parting gift!" jimin scoffs, but after thinking about it, why not?

- after being knocked out by gas during the ride in the lift, you wake up rather painfully, two slender but long fingers rammed into your cunt, pounding deep. you can't move your head to see who it is, but you feel woman's chest pressed against your back, her hot tongue on your neck, lips acting like a suction. your fingers twitch weakly, whimpering softly. your brain is too fried to realise that there's another woman sat beside you, smoking a cigarette, her deep voice ringing in your ears. "aeri, you made a good decision. she'll be pretty fun to play with," and she ended with small chuckle, hand snaking around your thigh. seems like you won't rest well tonight...

WINTER, the frontman

- she's by far the most evil, depraved, person out of all. her love for violence stems from an incident that happened when she was younger, in which her father got murdered before her eyes, and that changed her. it seemed as if her prayers were answered, bc he was not a good person to her at all. from then on, she grew up to believe violence was the answer, and violence was needed in order to get what she wanted

- she first saw you while watching players get their id photos taken, and your anxious and hesitant manner got her attention. what is this feeling she's experiencing right now...?

- her eyes gravitate towards you, even in a crowded room. minjeong feels a strange sense of protectiveness over you as you find a bed to sleep on, away from the others. her eyes gloss over with want as she obsessively watches you sleeping, chest rising up and down in your deep slumber. you must've cursed her because she stood in the security room all night, rooted to her spot. she's come to a conclusion, she has to have you.

- during the game where you had to take the marbles away from another player, using no force, you find yourself feeling sorry for the old man you were playing against. i mean, you only joined these games as a final resort, so if you die, it's what you would have wanted anyway. winter, on the other hand, was NOT going to let that happen.

- she orders the guard to not kill you, but after the game finished, bring you to her instead. her heart is pounding quickly, and her breathing has quickened. she would finally get what she wanted. a taste of you, your touch, your beautiful voice and your compassion for others, minjeong was ecstatic that she would have it ALL to herself..

NINGNING, □

- the detective who snuck in when she found out that her sister went missing. she killed a guard and took his clothing so she can investigate the place

- her plans quickly go to waste when she sees you while watching the cameras, your purity shining bright amongst the other players. she finds out that you came here to find the money to pay for your brother's university and for the massive debt you had, and ning makes it her mission to protect you <3

- quickly becomes hooked onto you, cooing as she sees you cowering from the guards whose guns point to your heads as you try to carve the designated shapes in the honeycomb cookies. she totally forgot her original mission, now she's here just for you

- once the night comes, she watches, in pain, as you scream and run from the mob who tries to kill as many players as they could, her fist shaking, fingernails drawing blood from her palm. she wishes she could help, but has to wait for orders from the head

- she decides that it's time for her to leave, but not without you. when the right time comes, she slips you a note, saying that she could help you escape, with the money, if you wanted. the two of you make a quick plan during your trips to the toilet, and you can't help but feel an immense gratitude for ningning. whatever would you do without her?

- once ning murders all the VIPs in cold blood, disgusting etched into her soft features, she quickly secures a suitcase containing millions of won. though it might not be the billions that were promised, it's better than nothing. she throws in some expensive items that the VIPs owned, and knocks twice on the room where the players stayed. successful in your joint mission, you both go through a secret pathway, and hop onto a boat that harboured nearby.

- fast forward to 2 years from now, ningning has won your love as well. after escaping to jeju island, she was surprised to see that you seemed to reciprocate her feelings, your plump lips landing on hers. not only has she secured a generation of money, but she also earned your affections <33

in case anyone wants the pictures, here they are!!!

ning is so baby here.. she cannot look intimidating for the life of her

[baepsays]

Domesticity is a privilege, and privilege is attracted to Gojo Satoru.

Wait we might need to reiterate that. Because if privilege is attracted to Satoru, and being domestic with the love your life is a privilege — how come he hasn't attracted that wishful life yet!?

I mean he's already privileged (in capitalistic and aesthetic sense), he is hopelessly in love with you, so by default next outcome in this equation must be—you, him, and your cats, chilling in your bed. Just watching the rerun of your overwatched favourite show while the cats cuddle up to you two.

Now the only problem is despite being capitally and aesthetically blessed by default, the whole wooing the love of your life thing doesn't happen by staring at them from a distance while making up little scenarios in your head —how your first date would go, your first kiss, what if you met back in high school, meeting the parents, getting their blessings, getting married, and adopting two cats.

You might call him pathetic, but do not worry his friends do not shy away from voicing that fact out every two seconds. Because every two seconds he's letting out a big sigh and going "y/n would like that." or,

"y/n should try this."

"y/n"-

You get the gist of it. Really- thoughtful of him.

So this brings us here, THE Gojo Satoru sitting on the curb of the sidewalk infront of your building. With a bouquet in his hands, decked up in a three piece (probably Italian) custom suit, tie is tied rather not how a tie should be tied. But it works for him. Everything works for him.

Now do not take him for a creep! He's a gentleman of the highest stature. Gojo is actually waiting here for you for that date he secured with you after graciously asking you (practically begging you and with the help of Geto Suguru who made the dire mistake of introducing you to him in the first place).

"Satoru? What are you doing here?"

That is a valid question to have, to walk up to your building, exhausted after work and to see your date sitting outside your building, on the sidewalk nonetheless. Isn't he loaded? Where is his car even?

"Oh I was waiting for you! What are you doing out so late?" At this point he got up to stand face to face with you (took a lot of courage for him to do that!).

"I had to do overtime and, no, wait. Why are you waiting for me at 2 AM?

"Oh you know to pick you up for our date!"

"Satoru. That is tomorrow. I am supposed to see you at 4 PM tomorrow. Were you planning on to camp out here all night? where is your car??" (my concern as well)

"First of all- I got too excited and I couldn't sleep. sooooo-" he stretches it on, what's about to come next couldn't possibly be any better.

"So I thought I'd put on the suit I bought for our date! Then I thought hmm well now if I sleep in this it'll get creases and I won't have much time to get it ironed. Then I saw the flowers, I was growing to give you, sort of wilting away. And I couldn't possibly give you dead flowers for our first date! And I was waiting in my car, then it got towed away, and-"

"STOP."

What do you even do in this situation? Tell him to go home? How is he going to do that with practically no public transport working at this hour and his car gone. Even you barely caught the last train home. I mean any other individual would get weirded out, get angry, and upset. But you, well,

"How about instant ramen and a movie for a first date, on my couch?"

I suppose you are attracted to Gojo Satoru just as much as privilege is attracted to him. And oh what a privilege it is to be loved and to be wanted like that one soft blanket you just want to snuggle up into at the end of the day.

[lesbianherald]

Hi! Just curious. What exactly is that you didn't like about Viktor's arc? I've seen a few people saying the same thing and idk if I'm missing something or I'm just too over the moon about him that my brain has gone smooth haha.

oh no oh no i'm probably going to write like a whole dissertation about this I am so sorry I'm literally cracking my knuckles I have so many thoughts and not all of them I'll even get to articulate here.

Saying this upfront: you aren't smooth-brained for disagreeing with me or liking it. I want to say that outright as I'm a very opinionated person and I am going to state my very strong opinions very plainly.

That being said : I genuinely feel like season 2 needed like... character writing 101 for a lot of these characters, especially the two characters whose names start with a 'V'. I'm so serious if one of my students brought in a story like this, I would (gently) take it apart.

If you don't want to read the whole thing I'm about to unleash, the crux of it is this for me:

Throughout the course of the season, it's very hard to discern how many of Viktor's decisions are his own. He lacks the baseline autonomy that's necessary for satisfying development. The magic of the hexcore becomes a shiny distraction that makes meaningful development impossible. Additionally, season 2 forgets so many of the themes and threads they explored with Viktor in season one explicitly in terms of class and his position on war and weapons manufacturing.

And, like almost everything in season 2, these issues are compounded because his story is done at a pace that's completely lightning-fast and prioritizes the wrong things.

Here's my thesis:

How Does a Man Like Viktor Become the Machine Herald? Arcane's Answer: Magic orb or vague sadness or something idk.

Harry Lloyd said in a season 1 commentary somewhere that one of the main appeals for Viktor is knowing who he is in the game and wondering how you take a man like him, who is so kind and has people's best interests at heart, and see him slowly become the machine herald.

I agree 100% that this is part of the story's appeal for players. And it would be a delight and surprise for non-players.

We... get that very juicy premise ripped from us. We don't see him making decisions grounded in the character they set up in season 1 at all, really. And its very unsatisfying seeing him be rendered a mere victim of circumstance with vague attachments to his past self.

This is not necessarily a complaint about arcane herald vs machine herald (I did not play league and am not attached to the lore) but a complaint that a lot of what happens with Viktor in season 2 seems very unattached to his psychology.

Christian Linke himself said (and I forget where, so I am sorry if I'm paraphrasing terribly) that part of the question he wanted the audience to ask with Viktor is how much of this is really him? Bluntly. That is incredibly silly. It's such an important question that it makes all other interesting questions one might have about him really hard to parse.

That's not compelling. That's a mistake. That's not rooted in character anymore but a vague magical orb.

Here are some questions that would have been more interesting for us to ask, Christian.

How does his desire to tamper out human emotion prompt him to do the unspeakable? What leads him there?

How far is he willing to go to take away human pain and suffering?

Is his version of pacifism really, in actuality, a form of violence?

Will his connection with others be enough to bring him back to his humanity? (this is a question we were not prompted to ask, and if we were, it would have made the final scene (which I love regardless) a lot more satisfying.

What is the root of his hunger for power? How much of his quest is a hunger for power and control over others (rooted in a fractured and tragic sense of self)? and how much is it rooted in his desire to help? Where is that line?

Any of these questions or any other questions we could enjoy exploring with Viktor become tampered with and weakened by the fact that a vague magical entity is controlling him in a vague and unrelatable way.

In short, 'How much of Viktor is still Viktor?' is a far less interesting question than. 'how is Viktor going to act, change, and learn? ' We are forced to ask the first at the cost of the second. He clearly is not fully himself this season.

The Dropping of Themes and Traits

Season 1's exploration of Viktor was multi-layered and fascinating. I feel like we got to see the establishment of a kind-hearted, sometimes awkward yet quite funny, passionate scientist.

I don't feel we see much of any of this in season 2. The stupid fucking orb overrides a lot of the traits we've come to know and love. This would have been cool if done with an ounce of care, understanding, or autonomy.

In season 1, we see Viktor in a position of powerlessness over and over. We see Viktor ignored and looked down upon by those in power both for his disability and, crucially, for his status as a Zaunite.

We're introduced to him as someone who is desperate to prove himself and carve a place for himself. He knows he's brilliant. And he knows he can help people with that big brain of his. That's all he wants. And he wants to make his mark (something I theorize is rooted in his loneliness as well as his ambition)

(Side note: I find a lot of the debate on whether or not Viktor is insecure a little silly because you can be both confident and insecure. He's incredibly secure in his abilities as a scientist, but I fully do believe he places all his worth on his work because he's not as confident in other places - represented visually by him trying to point out his boat when Sky is looking at him in the flashback. A 'don't look at me look at what I've made' type thing.)

Anyways. Viktor is willing to risk his position as an assistant and, honestly, his position at the academy and in Piltover as a whole to help Jayce. This is not just because he's 'lol so chaotic' or whatever. This is actually quite calculated. He knows he will get nowhere in Piltovian society without bending rules, because Piltover was not built for people like him.

"Do you think it was my life's ambition to be an assistant?"

But even in taking that huge step for himself, his new role is complicated.

We see him sit through meetings where his people are talked about like burdens. We see his closest (and honestly only) ally and partner speak over him in meetings and overrule his desires and wants when it comes to the future of hextech in massive ways. We see Jayce call all Zaunites 'dangerous' (I love jayce... don't shoot me please. But we do often forget that this does canonically happen and what makes Jayce so incredible is that he grows from this point)

The moment on the bridge directly causes him not to tell Jayce about what he's doing to himself. Jayce apologizing right after doesn't matter so much as it reinforces one of Viktor's fears: he is alone.

We see his illness, !!!!caused by Piltover's oppression!!!!, take over. We see him and Jayce grow apart. We see the way his loneliness impacts his desperation and the way his desperation impacts his loneliness and we see the way he's so damn afraid and just wants to live. We see how much he wants to help people, and how even though he's tried so hard he never got to achieve that because the limits of this society just don't allow for it.

Season 1 Act one is Viktor taking action for himself. season 1 Acts 2 and 3 are a brutal reminder that no matter how hard he works. No matter how hard he claws. He will always be who he is. And that makes him Powerless in this society. I honestly find it a really compelling storyline in terms of the 'bootstrap theory' and debunking that - but a different topic for a different time!

At the end of the season, he's able to gain a huge amount of power - speaking at the council about freeing his city - through Jayce's platforming and allyship. But at the end of the day it doesn't matter, because what the council is doing is too little too late - people in Zaun are too tired and too hurt - and he gets caught in the crossfire.

Despite all this, Season 2 does not engage with Viktor's being a Zaunite outside of the fact that he returns to Zaun first. But the themes explored related to class and power are gone - as they are with everyone else really.

It makes sense to me that one of the first things Viktor would do when granted a new body and new power would be to go and try to help people in Zaun, but the ambiguous mechanisms of the magic inside him, the immediate divorce with Jayce, and the bizarre way he goes about it don't make this land.

And even the return is rendered sort of meaningless. Where is the personal connection to this place? Why are we given no details related to his past here? Why doesn't he return to somewhere more personal for him?

He speaks in this cold, unaffected monotone. This healing ability seems to be the 'recursive impulse' - so him finally getting to help people just like he wanted feels rooted so much in the arcane influence it becomes murky and strange.

This is more nitpicky, and I'd be okay with it being ignored in the right context - but another aspect of his character that gets dropped is his work as a scientist. His desire to help people not through magic, but through invention. This would have been fascinating. (They try to keep this alive through vague allusions to 'look at what I've created' blah blah but again, so much of it is all ORB)

What inventions would a fully autonomous Viktor who decided to leave Jayce and return to Zaun of his own fruition create? Would they toe the line between inventions of progress and inventions of destruction?

Guess we'll never know!

Speaking of weapons. Let's talk about weapons. Let's talk about Viktor's vehement opposition to weapons not being explored within the context of his relationship with Jayce or outside of the rule that there are none allowed in the commune - which becomes quite meaningless when he agrees to work with Ambessa. Yes - he saw those blueprints on the table. But that's all we get.

Also, the fact that Jayce just unquestionably builds hextech weapons in the finale, and they're used as a good thing and a way to fight off Noxus, makes me want to claw my own hair out. Like - my themes ! Not my precious themes !

Let's also talk about him working with Ambessa. There's no build-up to that decision, not near enough character work to make that believable and considering the way the plot is written elsewhere, I fully believe this is a huge part of the problem of the writer's room dropping the issue of class. The idea that Viktor, the character that they set up, would ever willingly work with Ambessa is laughable. There are so many other ways he could have gotten to the hexcore in his fully evolved form, easily bested Jayce, and evolved. And they did absolutely nothing in the writing of season 2 to make that an interesting or satisfying choice.

An arc is only an arc if there is substance between point a and b. There's no substance here. There's vague orb. There are little glimpses of the pain he's in because of his separation from Jayce. Teeny tiny allusions to him trying to shut down his emotions. That's simply not enough.

You cannot bring a character who values choice and autonomy, whose been made to feel so powerless and is empathetic, to "choice is meaningless" without a deep study of his psychology and pain. Viktor taking away the autonomy of others, inhabiting their bodies. Being super chill with it. Okay. Coo.

Where does his desire for evolution even come from? For real? Because they seem to mistake Viktor's ambition with his desire for perfection, which is something that was never really... brought up? It could be believable that he felt this way. But where were the signs of this? Not just in season 1 but in season 2. He always wanted to help, not make humanity perfect. Because this is grounded in so little emotional logic I assume we're supposed to be satisfied with the idea that magic orb + machine herald form = ??? this ??? like ??? why???

If he wants to create a world where nobody can feel pain or complex emotions of any sort anymore, which is not psychologically where he was at the end of season 1 at all despite all he went through, you have to give us an event (ideally multiple) in season 2 that could break his mind this badly. Jayce killing him could have been this, but it happened so fast and was executed so impersonally that it doesn't work. He doesn't really acknowledge it happened the next time they see each other. Which... would probably be important to do... again emotional logic where?

His entire speech about humanity at the end of episode 6 feels like it's trying to be a catalyst. But it also feels... incredibly generic and impersonal. It felt written to play over a flashy montage of all the other characters fighting. Not for Viktor. If this was Viktor's moment where he finally snaps, we should probably focus on Viktor. And, of course, it doesn't help that he has this odd monotone this whole time, as if he's not fully in control of himself (this is not a rip on Harry Lloyd at all. He did what he was told and did it very, very well.)

Because remember. They wanted us to ask this. They wanted us to ask how much of this was orb. I think because they knew on some level they could not create a compelling enough story to get viktor where they wanted him to be for some reason without orb. That none of this would make sense without the vague spice of the arcane. And guess what it still doesn't.

Becuase people will not relate to a vague arcane influence. Connect to it. We would want to see what actually in his life made him become this. What in his psychology outside of magic orb made him do this? They provide vague tastes of this in the same way La Croix flavors its drinks.

Brought Back Wrong Can Work: Here's Why This One Didn't

I also really hate the trope of killing off characters only to bring them back. And back again. And... again. Because guess what. It takes one of the core elements of the human experience - death- and cheapens it. This for sure happens with Viktor the second time he dies.

But what i do like about bringing someone back from the dead is when you consider how doing so can bring someone back wrong. Or changed.

But because the orb is so impersonal. So bland. Such a vague sinister force that has very little to do with character, it doesn't... work. It doesn't hit. Viktor doesn't really grapple with being brought back from the dead against his will in a meaningful way.

Timing

You can see concepts of a plan, if you will, within this story. I can see how Viktor would naturally go to the undercity after waking up changed with new healing powers. But it happens way to fast. So bizarrely. I can see how he would build a society like this (of course, the power of that is dulled because orb and by the fact that we don't see it happen). I can see how the pain of being rejected and left behind by the only person who made him feel like he wasn't alone (Jayce) could have lead to a category 5 'make me evil' sort of meltdown.

Becoming the Herald, asking Singed to begin the transformation, is the only true time in this show in act 2 (before his final moments) where it feels like he's making a choice for himself. But again, we get so little time with him. To see his emotions. To elegantly point from that moment with Jayce to Viktor's need to transform and in doing so rid himself of emotion (something that they did not expand on enough ) Like oh my god, how much more satisfying would it have been to see Viktor torn apart by his own emotions - in his own viktor way - and to have singed offer him a way out of his pain - and then have viktor take it. There are certain things that should be obvious.

But It's both the timing of and the structure of the story - how quickly we cut between plotlines - that makes this really hard to follow. That makes moments that could be something feel rushed and sloppy.

Let's Talk about Sky

Viktor's guilt over sky was absolutely reasonable to explore, but it was not.... all that haunted him. To make Sky the sole guide/companion to him in the astral/arcane headspace I found to be a bizarre and honestly kind of offensive choice.

Amanda overton said she was used as a "Jayce substitute" essentially. And... why? Literally why. Why would you write a character whose sole deal is having an unrequited crush on a man only to bring her back to be 'the embodiment of his guilt and loneliness' as well as a 'substitute' - it feels... icky to me? Just in a writing women and especially women of color point of view? And it didn't feel true to Viktor's character either.

I think if we actually got to know sky better in season 1, this would have worked because it would have been obvious how different she was, how she was a product of his mind or the hexcore or whatever (the lore being vague here doesn't help...)

Plot Twist because I keep hating on Orb: They Could Have Made The Orb Really Cool

Here's the thing. Magic influence on its own can be used to write extremely compelling plots. Walk with me.

Imagine Viktor wakes up. Immediately knows something's wrong with him. That something inside him is toying with him. Making him see things (visions of not only sky, but maybe his parents, Jayce, Heimer). He wakes up earlier in act 1. Despite his anger, he stays with jayce in order to better understand himself and his powers. All the while, he is haunted by whispers and visions of the hexcore. What if it whispers to him of his own insecurities and failures?

What if Things with Jayce are tense. Jayce has to admit to making weapons again, in an argument leading to more haunting visions from the hexcore offering him an out: emotional numbness. You would never have to feel again Viktor. If you let me in fully, you would never have to be alone again. You'd be more powerful, Viktor.

Imagine Viktor is there during that attack ambessa orchestrated. That he has the horror of witnessing Jayce wield his hammer in a genuine attempt to defend himself and the people he loves. He sees first hand how hextech is being used for destruction in a way that horrifies him.

Imagine him being accused of being a part of it because he's a Zaunite - humiliated in some way. Publicly. Imagine the emotional trauma of this resulting in a falling out so devastating he embraces his visions of the hexcore - gives into the numbness. And only then leaves. With the hexcore... he feels better than he has in years. He hopes he can give the gift of this to others. Now he is under orb influence, but now the way he's gotten there is more satisfying to me at least.

Now imagine him fighting the orb influence in key moments. Imagine the color in his eyes coming back. Imagine Viktor's relationship with the arcane being more of a dance than a vague entanglement. Imagine its influence haunting him in the same way Jinx's visions haunt her. Imagine it being personal rooted in his character.

Old Man Viktor

Listen. I am the old man Viktor connoisseur. I love him. I love the idea of him. I wrote a whole fic about him, during which I had to spend a lot of time with the story. It's sort of... very much impossible to make much sense of?

I'm not mad at the fact that it's an obvious retcon. Honestly, because I think from a storytelling perspective, it worked a lot better than most of the decisions they made this season.

But I'm not a fan of (shocking) how little time we spend with him. How little chance we get to understand his motivatons. And also. What the fuck he said to Jayce to make Jayce's first line of action killing him? In my fic, I made it that Jayce needed to shoot Viktor to get the hexcore out, so he could communicate to viktor without influence. But that felt like heavy lifting I shouldn't necessarily have to do for something so important. It also doesn't feel like a compelling or satisfying question to make your audience have to wrestle with.

The Final Scene

Want to say upfront I am not one of the people who did not like Jayce's speech.

I was quite moved by it. And aside from the perhaps out of place mention of the illness brought on by Piltover which I can understand the criticism for, I felt it was beautiful. (I am disabled btw)

That being said. I think i'd be a sobbing mess on the floor if the themes Jayce is presenting in his speech were more present throughout season 2. Because we really don't see this enough - the desire for perfection.

I'm also not one of those people who thinks Viktor's insecurities weren't present in season 1. To me, they were and were obvious, but not enough in his motivations and actions in season 2 to make Jayce's speech land like it could.

I really loved Jayce's arc in season 2. Him immediately embracing Viktor after he woke from the goo was surprising but felt right. But I wish they had more genuine conflict rooted in their conflict in season 1 that would allow their final moment to land even harder.

I really liked the final scene, and it made me an emotional mess. But weirdly, I'd almost like it as a short film removed from the context of the season two, which says just how little Viktor's arc this season contributed to the moment.

Final Thoughts

I'm so sorry I went so in-depth. I just love him as a character and feel he was very much not done justice.

We can attribute some of this to the lack of time. But when you know you have a lack of time, you need to write with that in mind instead of trying to do it all. And ultimately, I found a lot of scenes this season a waste of precious time. They had so many characters alone contemplating something intangible or alone and trapped for episodes. They didn't plan this with the care and precision needed to pull it off.

I also want to note that I know I say here a lot that there's a lot they needed to make "more obvious". This is not because I'm stupid. But when you're a writer, you need to know what to highlight and what you can leave vague so you leave your audience exploring the right nuances and asking the satisfying questions.

Anyways umm. The end. Holy shit, I'm so sorry I wrote so much.

[runninriot]

You're So New (never had this taste in my mouth)

written for @steddiesongfics

inspiration: 'New' by NoDoubt | rated: E | wc: 4.982 | tags: sexual content, pre steddie, love confessions, friends to lovers | read on ao3

Eddie is caught in a free fall. That, at least, is what it feels like.

Down it goes, fast but somehow too slow at the same time. Down, down, no end in sight. Feels like he should’ve crashed minutes ago, but still, he keeps drifting, floating, falling. Swiftly swaying like a feather in the wind, violently twirling like he’s caught in a hurricane.

Lost in contrasts – no sense for where is up and where is down, caught somewhere in the middle of a blissful nightmare. His insides churning, heartbeat out of rhythm – he feels cold and hot and it’s all too much.

But then why can he hear himself begging for more?

There’s a gentle beast eating away at his insides while angels sing a song of damnation, underlining this heavenly torture that makes him giddy; giggles and cries fighting for freedom in his throat.

This is fucking crazy, Eddie is going fucking crazy.

It shouldn’t mess him up the way it does; he’s had sex before, this isn’t new. He knows the way deft fingers map out his skin, searching for the spots that make him wince and whine and wiggle. He knows the feeling of cool air and hot breath mingling on his spit covered nipples, sending sparks of pleasure into his nerve endings. He knows what it’s like to have need coiling in his gut, desire expanding into desperation that makes his body feel too small for all the sensations it houses.

And yet, everything about this is new. New and different and so much better than anything he’s ever felt before because it is their first time together like this. The first time he has Steve’s fingers digging into his sides so deep, his nails might break skin if he keeps going. Might leave bruises if Eddie wishes for it hard enough.

It’s not the first time they’re both shirtless but it’s the first time they’re shirtless on Steve’s bed. And while they’ve been kissing for some time now, it still feels new to open his mouth to let Steve’s tongue inside, summoning Eddie’s inner demons who oh-so-willingly accept this dirty dance request, blindly following his moves.

Maybe it’s the fact that, after all this time starving, Eddie’s suddenly served up the perfect dish to satiate his hunger, despite him being the one presented on the silver platter, waiting to be devoured.

Undecided if he’s hunter or prey, Eddie is helplessly chasing himself, trying to catch a breath while he’s grasping for hold, fumbling, flailing. Tumbling down a rabbit hole, where it’s warm and bright and the world is alight with invisible sunbeams setting him ablaze from the inside out.

Maybe he’s dying. Maybe this is what being reborn feels like.

And maybe he’s said that out loud because Steve chuckles, the smile on his lips leaving a ghostly imprint on the side of Eddie’s neck where they linger, placing barely-there-kisses on this soft shell of his body that does fuck all to keep his soul from oozing through the cracks he didn’t even know were there.

   “Steve, I-“

There are words trapped somewhere in the back of his mind but they’re written in a foreign language Eddie doesn’t know how to read, let alone speak, so he breathes instead, lets out this pitiful noise, this fragile little half-whimper, half-moan that doesn’t sound like him at all. Or maybe it does now because-

Because the old Eddie Munson is dead. Long live Eddie Munson – the new one, the reborn one, the one who gets to touch Steve in ways he never thought possible.

The one whose hands don’t burn in shame but rather tingle in excitement when they trace the curve of Steve’s perfect ass. Whose fingers don’t need to ask for permission to grab and play.

The Eddie, who is allowed to let himself go, to shut off his mind and let his body develop one of its own under Steve's guidance. Losing himself in the lovely, teasing way Steve moves on top of him – feline and snakelike, somehow both at the same time – curling around him, face buried deep in the crook of his neck, nosing at his skin, licking his way down the long line of it just to make Eddie squirm. Leaving dampness behind that causes him to break out in goosebumps with each exhale that tickles his skin.

   “Steve, baby-”

    Baby.

How easy they’ve been sharing this name. As if they had never called each other anything else.

   “Can you-“

Breathless, he waits for the other man's eyes to find his, hands coming up to cup Steve’s face on either side. He isn't sure what he wants to say, not sure what he's about to do, only that he needed a break, needed Steve to stop the trail of his mouth for just a moment, or else he was going to break, combust, fly too far away to find his way back down.

   “Everything okay?” Steve asks, voice ridden with concern that reflects in his eyes, too. Suddenly looking so soft  despite how hard he still is where their bodies absently grind and move, seemingly unwilling to stop what they've started.

   “Y-yeah, sorry just-“

Head empty, brain malfunctioning, heart racing so fast it must be unhealthy, Eddie struggles to find the right words to say – what is he even sorry for?

It's not his fault that he’s so fucking high on adrenaline right now, that the can barely keep himself from vibrating out of his skin. He feels itchy, wants to shed all of these outworn layers that cover his flesh and bones, wants Steve to slice him open and rearrange his insides to make space for all the new, divine things he makes him feel.

Throw out all the old and banish the dark, paint him with light and decorate him with roses – bright-pink and with heart shaped petals. Something soft to contradict the surge raging where he feels too much at once, for too little room.

   “I just... needed a moment,” he offers, smiling shyly at the beautiful man in his lap.

His beating muscle can't keep up pumping blood through his veins, down to where it’s demanded. Where Steve’s straining against him. Where they are mirror versions of each other, unable to hide what their bodies are longing for. Heat and arousal pooling in his lower half when he welcomes Steve's downward grind as he leans in for another kiss, a slower one, almost chaste compared to the ones before.

The taste of shared cigarettes and soda is still clinging to both of their tongues, and Eddie wonders if he'll ever be able to smoke or have a coke again without getting a hard-on, because that flavour will forever remind him of Steve now.

   “Sorry, am I going too fast?” Steve asks and before he even finishes the question, Eddie’s already vehemently shaking his head.

   “Want you,” -so much it scares me.

Eddie keeps the second half to himself, would rather choke on the words than say them out loud because he doesn’t know if this is too much to admit. If they’re at the point yet, where they can just drop truths of the heart so easily. They’ve barley even-

No. They haven’t made any real confessions at all. Not the wordy kinds, at least. Didn’t have time for that kind of conversation because it all happened so unexpected and fast. Words haven’t really been much of an option since then so they let their bodies do all the talking.

    “Want you too, Eddie. God, I want you.”

With his lips back on Eddie’s, Steve doesn’t give him the chance to say more, and maybe that’s good. Maybe they don’t need to speak right now.

If Eddie is really lucky, and this is not just a glitch in the matrix, they’ll have time to talk later. After. When Eddie’s brain is back online and his thoughts stop revolving solely around the pulse in his cock, still trapped inside his boxers and jeans, yearning to break free.

-----

continue reading here

[doumadono]

I voted for Nsfw alphabet - and I would love to request Shinso 🙈🩵

Also, congratulations on your milestone 🎈

Warnings: post-timeskip Shinso

MY HERO ACADEMIA MASTERLIST - PART II ⊹ Doumadono's 6k followers event

A - Aftercare Shinso is incredibly attentive after intercourse, even if he doesn’t show it in overly dramatic ways. He’ll brush damp hair away from your face, murmur low reassurances, and carefully clean you up, his touch unhurried and soothing. If he senses you need something — be it water, a warm towel, or simply silence — he’ll provide it without you needing to ask. His favorite way to end the night is holding you close, his breath soft against your temple as you both drift off.

B - Body Part On you, he’s obsessed with your neck. Maybe it’s the irony of his Quirk, but he loves watching the way it reacts — how you tilt it for him, the marks he leaves behind, and the shivers he can draw out with a single touch or kiss. On himself, he’s a little self-conscious about his hands but secretly loves it when you kiss or hold them.

C - Cum Shinso is versatile — cumming inside, on you, in a condom, or on himself — it’s all fine by him, as long as it’s what you want. But the longer you’re together, the more he craves the raw intimacy of cumming inside you — he finds it super hot. His clean diet leaves a subtle sweetness to his cum taste.

D - Dirty Secret Shinso has toyed with the idea of using his Quirk during sex — not strictly to control you, but to strip away inhibitions and hear your raw, unfiltered thoughts about him.

E - Experience Shinso isn’t a playboy, but he’s had a couple of past experiences. He’s a fast learner with a natural talent for observation. His natural curiosity drives him to explore what makes you tick, and he takes pride in the way he can unravel you, piece by piece.

F - Favorite Position He loves positions where he can see your face, like a missionary or a cowgirl. There’s something deeply grounding about feeling your breath mingle with his, your hands clutching at his shoulders as you lose yourself in the moment.

G - Goofy While he’s typically calm and collected, Shinso does have a dry sense of humor that slips out occasionally. He might throw in a teasing comment like “What? Not so brave anymore, hmmm, baby?” or smirk if he catches you flustered, but it’s always good-natured and meant to make you laugh.

H - Hair He keeps himself neatly groomed, more for practicality than vanity. Shinso doesn’t mind a little maintenance but doesn’t obsess over it either. He appreciates you however you’re comfortable, often making a point to tell you so.

I - Intimacy Every moment with Shinso feels personal. His focus is always on you — your needs, your desires, your pleasure. When he’s with you, he’s completely present, making each moment feel deeply personal and uniquely yours.

J - Jack Off Before he met you, Hitoshi found the idea of pleasuring himself too embarrassing to entertain, shoving the thought aside as quickly as it came. After you entered his life — but before the two of you became a thing — he gave in to the temptation more than once, only to be consumed by guilt afterward — because he thought of you in a sinful way while he shouldn’t. But once the two of you became a couple, that shame melted away. With your love and reassurance, he finally understood there was nothing wrong with his desires. Now, when he needs to take care of himself, he does so without hesitation.

K - Kink He has a soft spot for subtle power dynamics. Nothing extreme, but he likes knowing he has some control — whether it’s holding your wrists gently above your head or pinning you with his weight. He’s also intrigued by light bondage, though he’s always cautious to ensure you’re comfortable. Shinso has a curiosity for sensory play as well — blindfolds, silk restraints, etc.

L - Location Shinso prefers the comfort of the bedroom, where he can focus entirely on you without distractions. However, he isn’t opposed to sneaking into more adventurous territory, like the shower or even a quiet corner of his agency late at night.

M - Motivation Seeing you wear his clothes, hearing you laugh, or catching you stealing glances his way are small but powerful sparks that ignite his desire.

N - No Shinso is firm about keeping things safe and consensual. Anything that risks harm to you, physically or emotionally, is off the table in an instant. He’s especially cautious about introducing his Quirk into your intimate life, fearing it could create a dynamic that feels manipulative, even unintentionally.

O - Oral Hitoshi is skilled, patient, and attentive when it comes to oral. He enjoys the reactions he can pull from you, taking his time to learn exactly what makes you come undone. Receiving is less of a priority for him, but when he lets you take the lead, his flushed cheeks and uneven breaths reveal just how much he enjoys the attention.

P - Pace His pace is usually steady. He loves a slow build, watching your tension rise until you’re utterly desperate for him. However, if the mood strikes, he can surprise you with a rougher, more primal side.

Q - Quickie Quickies aren’t his preference — he values the depth of connection in slower, more intentional moments. However, he’s not fully opposed to them — the idea of sneaking out for a moment of passion during a busy day has its own appeal.

R - Risk Hitoshi is cautious by nature and doesn’t take unnecessary risks. However, he’s open to trying new things as long as you discuss them beforehand. He’s more adventurous in private though.

S - Stamina Shinso has excellent stamina, honed through years of hero training. He can go multiple rounds if you’re up for it, though he prefers focusing on quality over quantity. 

T - Toys He’s curious but cautious. Shinso appreciates how toys can enhance your common experience, and he’s more than willing to incorporate them into your sex life. 

U - Unfair Shinso can be a terrible tease when he wants to be. He’ll hold you just on the edge, whisper husky compliments in your ear or pull out just before you reach your peak. He thrives on the way you plead for more, though he always makes sure to let you come undone in the end.

V - Volume Shinso isn’t loud, but the sounds he does make �� low, husky groans and breathy murmurs of your name — are utterly sinful. 

W - Wild Card Shinso rarely succumbs to jealousy, but when it does creep in, it’s impossible not to notice. He’ll pull you closer, his arm curling around you like a protective barrier, his touch lingering longer than necessary. Sometimes, he buries his face in the curve of your neck, his lips grazing your skin in open-mouthed kisses.

X - X-Ray Shinso’s cock is around six inches, uncut, with a slight upward curve at the tip and a few prominent veins that add to its appeal. He leans more toward length than girth.

Y - Yearning Hitoshi’s sex drive is above average. Yet, he’s never ruled by desire — self-control comes naturally to him, and he can abstain when needed without complaint.

Z - Zzz Afterward, Shinso is the type to stay awake for a while, holding you close and basking in the quiet intimacy of the moment. Once you’ve fallen asleep in his arms, he lets himself relax, his head resting against yours as he drifts off. Those moments are something he treasures, a reminder that he’s exactly where he belongs.

@pixelcafe-network

[lucygraysboy]

“of course, i will, lucy gray.” there’s something so childlike and heartbreaking about her constant disbelief, this need for reassurance that he just wants to do something for her out of the goodness of his heart and not because he’s trying to gain her trust and lure her into a trap. “and i’ll be as gentle as i can be. i won’t tear a single ruffle. promise.” his hands might be calloused and rough most of the time, but around her and her possessions, he turns soft. delicate. even now, he’s touching her as though she was made of glass and could break if he as much as breathed near her. “think we got most of the tangles out. let me just grab that brush.” he gets up, wiping his hands on his pants and gathering the sticks that are still laying on the bed near reva blue. he hopes to make her laugh and throws his forearm over his eyes on his way back to her, walking funny and pretending to stumble a few times before plopping down in the chair. “i ain’t lookin’. i wasn’t lookin’,” he announces, not that he could see anything even if he was some creep and wanted to take a peek. “some unique covey we are. a birdie, a giant and miss reva blue the amputee.” he loves the sound of her laugh so very much. he just wants her to keep laughing like this. “feels all wrong, like i’ll be pryin’ into your private thoughts and all that. i’d rather you show ‘em to me when you feel like it.” feels less illegal that way. 

“he wasn’t an awful child, you know? back when our ma was alive, before the war… we had our differences, coriolanus and i, but he wasn’t evil. he didn’t go ‘round settin’ houses on fire or torturin’ other people’s pets. he wasn’t even a bad big brother, believe it or not. yeah, he always corrected and lectured me when i’d call our grandmother ‘granny’ or ‘nan’, and rolled his eyes when i said ‘ma’, but… when we had nothin’ to eat, he always shared with me what little he scavenged. that’s why i don’t think he was born evil. that’s why it’s so hard for me to understand why he first gave you our mother’s scarf, it must have been so precious to him, and then pointed a gun at you. the person you’re describin’, killin’ people and lyin’… that’s our father. not coriolanus.” but it’s been a while since the last time he spoke to his brother. things have changed. clearly. analyzing his words, billy quickly adds, “i’m not sayin’ that i don’t believe you, lucy gray. i believe your every word. but he really wasn’t a terrible child, that’s all i’m sayin’. annoyin’? yeah. evil? i don’t think so.” for a moment, the same exact thoughts come to billy, making him wonder what he would do if he had to choose between his brother and this girl. he’s never shot a man, let alone his own blood. but he would stop at nothing to protect her so… god, it’s making him nauseous. “three people?” he won’t ask for names, but it sends shivers down his spine. would their father murder their mother if she became a threat to his success? probably… “i once read a poem and there was this line, something like, it does no good to speak of roads not taken. how you shouldn’t dwell on things that didn’t happen,” he pauses, gently brushing her hair with the makeshift brush, “but could have been. but how can we not, right? maybe he’ll come to his senses one day.” though, there’s a part of billy that sincerely doubts that.

“it’s crazy how similar he is to our father. once you got on our father’s bad side, there was no goin’ back to bein’ friends with him.” but coriolanus didn’t just inherit their father’s genes. what about the parts that he got from their mother? he doesn’t know how to feel about any of this. all he knows is that he feels sorry for lucy gray. she’s been through hell and back. “i think it’s too late for that. i’m already involved. i don’t want to look away or hide under the bed if something bad happens.” she told him that he could be part of her covey. it’s not like he’ll just walk out the door and pretend not to know her if someone finds them. “i won’t leave your side. i’ll always keep you safe.” as she turns to look at him, he uses the back of his fingers to gently stroke her cheek, a sweet smile dancing on his lips. “the unknown is the worst thing, but we have to hope for the best and prepare for the worst. that’s how we outsmart anyone. we need a plan for every situation. and we need to trust each other. but if i’m being honest… i don’t see him comin’ back here to try and find you. i mean, can you picture that? coriolanus willingly wandering out into the wilderness to look for the girl he most likely shot dead months ago?”  

“once we’re done here, i’ll wash it and it’ll be as good as new,” he promises, knowing how much sentimental value the dress has. fingertips absently stroking her hair, not even trying to brush it anymore, just trying to make her feel good and help her relax. “i haven’t, by the way. gone through your songbook, i mean.” in case she’s wondering. she gave him permission to do so last night, but it seemed too personal, too invasive. “thank you, lucy gray.” it’s been a while since someone complimented his heart. people often admire what’s on the outside — his blue eyes and dark curls, his nose or cheekbones. she’s one of a very few who seem to care more about what’s underneath. “it means the world to me. i won’t let you down, i swear it.” scooping up a handful of water, he carefully pours it over her back to ensure she stays warm. “so are you, little bird. you’re very smart, too. way smarter than me.” she wouldn’t be here with him if she wasn’t highly intelligent. she wouldn’t have escaped coriolanus. which is still such a strange thought… “oh, yeah?” thankful for the distraction, he lets out another laugh. “never noticed you were also bird-sized and i was horse-sized,” he counters, getting to see her sense of humor for the first time and letting it bewitch him. he adores this side of her, but it has him wondering if this is the girl that she used to be — full of sassy remarks and giggles and sweetness. maybe she’ll be that girl again one day.

“i see…” billy hums, nodding his head even if she can’t really see him. he quickly picks up on what she’s implying, putting two and two together. the stories that she told him last night… “you don’t think my brother was born with a good heart, is that what you’re sayin’?” as children, they were like daylight and dark. polar opposites. but can he call that little boy evil? sure, they’d had their differences, but he wasn’t bad to the bone. he didn’t chase stray cats around the neighborhood or rip the wings off flies. “i’m not sure if i agree. maybe the capitol and our grandmother did that to him.” or maybe he was born with evil already inside him and it just came to light later in life. who knows? “i’m not defendin’ him, just thinkin’ out loud,” he says quickly when lucy gray’s head snaps around, looking at him with something that he can’t quite name or understand. it has him wondering if he’s said something wrong. a small, uncertain smile remains plastered to his visage, his own heart picking up pace. “did i —” say something wrong? but before he can get the words out, she’s speaking up again and he’s falling silent. gesturing for her to carry on.

“you planted a snake to scare him away and slow him down?” dark brows lifting, impressed and wary in equal measure. what if she still thinks he’s coriolanus? will he wake up with a snake under his pillow one morning? and lucy gray nowhere to be found? the idea has his heart missing a beat, chest constricting. but if she wanted to run, she would have done that while he was out by the creek. “i didn’t know ‘bout that. i’m sorry. i didn’t mean to bring back any bad memories with that story.” features softening, understanding her reaction better now. amusement fills his eyes, and he can’t help but think it’s such a badass move, setting a snake trap. “oh, i bet he thought it was venomous. what does he know ‘bout snakes? nothin’. i think that was a smart move. risky but smart. and it served its purpose, right?” it’s scary to think that his own twin brother was trying to hunt her down, shot at her, but then he thinks about their father, the kind of person he was… and it’s not so surprising anymore. “you think he would have hurt you anyway? if you came back to him instead of runnin’ away and plantin’ that snake?” is his brother truly as ruthless and heartless as their father? his heart aches for lucy gray, but for coriolanus, too. it must be awful, living that way, filled with hatred. “mhm, yeah. it’s just a silly story, but the moral is very accurate, i think. if you go through life with hatred festering in your heart, you’ll never be happy. but if you learn how to forgive and focus on healing from the bad experiences, you’ll be alright.” as if reading her thoughts, he adds, “he won’t ever find you, lucy gray. reva blue and i won’t allow it. we will always protect you. i will protect you.” 

[rintarosluvr]

𝐌𝐎𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐂𝐊

• Sylus × Reader

Topics: Y/n being dense, unresolved romantic tension and flirting, Y/n teasing sylus, Zayne, Xavier and Rafayel mentioned!

Note: Probably slow updates because classes started again

Word count: 3k

Chap.2

Chap.3

"I've been thinking a lot lately" you say

"About what?" Davina asks, glancing up from her phone as she scrolls through details about the trip your class and some other classes were going on for a project

"You guys might be right" you admit, sighing as you close the suitcase

"Finally!" Leanne exclaims "Took you long enough. So when are you going to confess?"

"What? No!" you shake your head "I'm not even sure he has feelings for me. I'm just going to figure it out during the trip"

"And if he does have feelings, you'll confess?" Leanne presses

"I never said I have feelings for him" you point out, raising an eyebrow

"Is she making sense to you guys?" Leanne asks turning to your friends

"She does" Vanessa says, nodding in agreement

"Yeah, totally" Kaori chuckles, leaning back

"So how are we gonna room?" Davina asks, reading out loud from the trip details "It says four people per apartment but there's ten of us"

"I'm not rooming with Amari, I still remember his snores" Kaori says dramatically, clearly haunted by the memory

"Yeah, I'll pass on rooming with Eydis or him. Knowing them, they'll be out all night and come back drunk" you add

"Fair point" Vanessa agrees with a nod "Maybe we should call them in case they've already picked their roommates"

"Smart" Leanne says

"Y/n, call Sylus" Davina says, suddenly

You raise an eyebrow "Why him specifically?"

"He always picks up when you call. The other guys have their phones on do not disturb all the time" Kaori explains

"Fine" You roll your eyes picking up your phone and call Sylus, within a second, he answers

"You called?"

You immediately frown "Why are you acting like I'm interrupting something?"

He chuckles "What's your question?"

"Do any of you already have roommates for the trip? We're trying to figure out who's with who" you explain

"From what we know, Mar and Roy paired up with Xavier and Zayne" Eydis says, leaning over the back of the couch next to Sylus

"So, who are you guys rooming with?" you ask, already sensing trouble

"The two of us are obviously a duo" Eydis replies casually

"Continue" Leanne prompts

"Also" Eydis says, grinning mischievously "I already submitted who we wanted to room with"

"You did what?!" Davina exclaims

"Uh yeah" Eydis continues "Y/n and Vanessa are rooming with us"

"What the fuck?" Vanessa mutters under her breath as you abruptly hang up

"That just pissed me off" you groan, tossing your phone aside

"I was really hoping we'd all room together" Leanne sighs, clearly just as annoyed

"That probably wouldn't have worked anyway since there's five of us" Davina points out

"Doesn't make it less frustrating" Vanessa says, crossing her arms

"Right" you mumble

Kaori sighs "Well, at least we're in the same building. We'll just have to spend most of the time hanging out in one place"

"So are you excited about rooming with Sylus?" Davina asks

"Please don't remind me" you groan, sinking back into the couch "Wait, if he has a crush on me, why hasn't he confessed? He's such a direct guy?"

"Maybe he's waiting to see if it's mutual?" Vanessa suggests, shrugging

"That would make sense" you mumble, the idea settling uncomfortably in your mind

"Or maybe he's just enjoying messing with you" Kaori teases

"Very helpful Ri, I already know that" you deadpan

"Hey, I'm just saying. Sylus is definitely not the type to make a move without knowing he has a shot" she adds with a knowing look

You sigh grabbing a pillow and tossing it at her "I don't need this kind of analysis right now"

"Too late" Leanne chimes in "You brought this on yourself the moment you started overthinking"

[The Next Day]

"You really not speaking to us?" Eydis asks, leaning over to catch your gaze as you turn your face away, arms crossed, you don't respond still pointedly ignoring him as everyone lounges at the airport, killing time before the flight

"You guys really fucked us up" Vanessa says glaring at Eydis and Sylus "Why us tho?"

"Yeah" Davina chimes in, equally annoyed "You could've added Kazu and asked Rafayel to join you or something"

Sylus shrugs, unbothered "Wouldn't one of you still be forced to room with three random people? There are five of you?"

"We would've figured something out" Kaori says "But now Kazu is stuck rooming with us"

Kazuo shrugs "I've done it before. Don't mind it"

"Yeah, because last time we didn't want to room with strangers" Leanne points out

"You should be mad at them" you mumble, still refusing to look at Sylus or Eydis

Kazuo laughs and casually throws an arm over your shoulder, squeezing your cheek affectionately "We'll both survive. Don't worry"

You groan "You wanna switch? Please say yes"

He chuckles shaking his head. "Nah, I'm good. Rooming with them is hell"

You let out a dramatic sigh, tilting your head to the side until it rests against his chest "You could save me, but instead, you're just letting me drown"

"It's all love" he teases, patting your you head

"Liar" you mutter, tossing Kazuo's arm off of you as you make your way over to Amari and Leroy

"So when we get there, we're gonna find something to smoke" Amari says, grinning as you take a seat next to him

"For sure" Leroy nods, turning to you."You joining us?"

"Why not" you shrug

"You smoke?" Sylus's voice cuts in as he sits down nearby

"Yeah" you say, like it's common knowledge "Here and there"

"Since when?" he asks, his brows furrowed

You shrug again "Don't know, like a few years now"

Before Sylus can respond, Leroy stands up "We're gonna hit the store. You guys want anything?"

"Yeah, grab me a drink, whichever is fine" you say

"I'm good, thanks" Sylus adds

Both guys nod before heading off, leaving you and Sylus alone

"So why'd you agree with Eydis's stupid plan?" you ask, turning to Sylus even though there's a seat between you two, eyeing him suspiciously

"I didn't really have a choice" he shrugs "He went ahead and did it himself"

"But you didn't stop him" you point out, narrowing your eyes

He smirks leaning back in the seat "Why would I? I don't mind rooming with you"

"Oh, how generous of you" you say, rolling your eyes "Did you ever think that maybe I mind?"

"Nope" he replied "You get to spend quality time with me. Sounds like a win"

"Quality time?" you scoff "Please, I'd rather room with Mar and Roy"

"Sure you do" he teases "You wouldn't last five minutes before begging to switch back"

"You wish" you fire back, narrowing your eyes at him "You'll be the one regretting it when I cockblock you whenever I can"

Sylus raises an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at his lips "Oh, really? You're that dedicated?"

"Absolutely" you say with confidence

Sylus leans forward, practically daring you to keep going "You'll just end up cockblocking yourself"

You blink in confusion, still processing his words "Wait, what? You can't just say stuff like that and walk away"

Sylus flashes a grin, clearly amused by the reaction he's gotten "Sure I can" He picks up his phone and steps a few feet away, clearly intent on ignoring you now but you can still feel your body heat up from his teasing

"You're so annoying" you mutter under your breath

But it doesn't stop you from wondering what he meant and part of you hated how easily he managed to get under your skin

"What did he say?" Davina asks siting down, her eyes narrowed in curiosity as she watches you

"What?" you ask still processing the conversation you just had

"You were shocked, why?" She presses

You let out a deep breath "I told him l'd cockblock him for rooming with me and he said that l'd end up cockblocking myself"

Davina's eyes widen and she leans in, lowering her voice "He wants to fuck you" "I thought he meant he-"

"Nope, you thought wrong" she interrupts, You roll your eyes, clearly not in the mood for her teasing "Why do you look so happy about it?"

She places her hand on your shoulder, giving you a knowing smile "Because he wants you, Y/n. Stop acting so dense and accept it"

You scoff, shaking your head "Never"

Davina leans in closer "You lowkey want him too"

“Believe what you want”

"You've been staring" Vanessa says, glancing at you with a small smile

"I'm not" you reply quickly, not wanting to admit it

"So you haven't been staring at his thighs?" she adds, raising an eyebrow

You let out a dramatic sigh throwing your head back in frustration "I hate Davina"

Vanessa chuckles "She was right" "Yeah, I figured" you mumble, feeling your body heat up

"We're ready! You guys ready to explore the city?" You hear Eydis call from across the room, snapping you out of your flustered state

"We've been ready for the past thirty minutes" Vanessa says, crossing her arms and looking at the guys "But guess you pretty boys have to take all the time to get ready, huh?"

You chuckle standing up and grab your small bag "Right"

"So you're admitting I'm good looking?" Sylus says, joining you as you walk toward the door

"You're sounding delusional. Never said that" you say, pulling out your lip gloss and knocking on the door next door

"You did agree with Vanessa, so you do think we're pretty boys" Eydis states, throwing an arm over Sylus's shoulder as you apply your lip gloss

You roll your eyes "Living in a world with delusional men is exhausting"

Eydis grins while Sylus just watches you, his gaze lingering on your lips as you finish applying the gloss and put it back in your bag

"Get out!" Kaori mutters as she opens the door, trying to push Leroy out of their room

"I didn't do anything!" Leroy protests

"Farting is something" she snaps, glaring at him

You frown "You guys ready?"

They both stop, mid action. Kaori was still pushing Leroy out while he clung to the door knob

"Your first mistake was letting them in" Vanessa says, glancing at the three other girls approaching you.

"We came to ask if we're going to the karaoke building we saw" Amari says, giving you a hopeful look.

"Should be fun. Why not?" Eydis grins

"Be aware, there are some people that are tone deaf, so your ears might start bleeding" you warn, glancing at Sylus

"That was aimed at Sylus" Leanne adds with a chuckle

"It's that bad?" Davina asks

"Terrible, actually" you mumble meeting Sylus's eyes

He gives you a small smile, clearly enjoying your teasing "Glad you're paying attention" he says

"Sure you do" you reply and follow Vanessa, who's already being pulled along by Davina

You feel an arm slip over your shoulder "This trip is gonna be funny, isn't it?" Eydis says, pulling you closer as he wraps his other arm around Sylus's shoulder

"Don't forget about the project we have to make while we're here" you remind him

"Such a buzzkill you are" Sylus mutters, You roll your eyes at him

[5:54PM]

"I'm honestly disappointed. I wanted to hear Sylus sing" Davina says, finally putting her phone down

Amari shakes his head "You guys didn't even give us a chance to sing. Mic hogs, the lot of you"

"I thought they were great" Leroy cuts in as he leans forward "You girls should seriously consider being a girl group. You've got the vocals and the moves"

"Yeah, I agree" Kazuo adds, finishing off his drink "Especially considering how you all used to dance back in the day. You've got the talent, it wouldn't be bad at all"

Vanessa shrugs, sipping her soda "Doesn't sound like a terrible idea"

"If you're serious, I know some people who could help you out" Sylus says casually

Kaori nods "We'll keep that in mind. Could be worth exploring"

You reach across the table to snag a few of Sylus's fries without asking, a habit you've had since high school

He doesn't even flinch, letting you grab as many as you want

Leanne, catching your quiet amusement, turns to you "What about you? What do you think?"

You pause, mid reach for another fry, blinking as all eyes turn to you "Uh... sounds fun" you say, shrugging "I mean, younger me always wanted to be famous. Maybe it's something I've always lowkey dreamed of"

"Same" Davina agrees "It's giving childhood dreams, for sure"

"Us all being in a girl group? Absolute chaos. But honestly, it'd be amazing. You can't tell me we wouldn't crush it" Vanessa says

You feel the brush of Sylus's legs against yours, making you stop mid motion, narrowing your eyes as you glance up at him

Without saying a word, you pull the tray in front of him toward you, raising an eyebrow in question

His expression doesn't falter, unreadable as ever "What?" he asks, his voice calm but there's a flicker of amusement in his eyes

You don't respond, instead slowly sliding the tray closer to yourself as if daring him to make a move, His legs stay where they are, practically caging yours under the table

He leans back in his seat, resting an arm lazily on the chair next to him "Don't look at me like that. You're the one stealing my fries"

"And you're the one being invasive" you shoot back, though you don't move your legs either

He smirks "You're not moving them, though"

You roll your eyes grabbing another fry off the tray to avoid addressing his comment. Sylus just chuckles, leaning forward to steal a fry from the tray you just claimed

"Touché" he murmurs, his smirk widening when you glare at him

You slide your feet out of your sandals under the table, brushing them lightly against Sylus's bare legs

The sudden contact makes him pause, his eyebrow arches, an amused challenge flickering in his eyes

In response, you flash him a sweet almost innocent fake smile, as if daring him to call you out

"Oh, so we're doing that now?" he asks, his tone low enough that the others at the table don't notice

"Doing what?" you reply, feigning ignorance as your foot trails higher against his calf

His smirk deepens, but he doesn't move away "You've got some nerve, stealing my fries and starting something you can't finish"

"Who says I can't finish?" you counter, still maintaining your mock innocent demeanor as you grab another fry from his tray

Sylus leans forward, lowering his voice so only you can hear "Careful, Y/n. I might just call your bluff"

The heat rising to your face betrays you "Try me"

The tension lingers for a beat too long before Sylus shifts slightly, his hand brushing under the table

Without warning, he stops your foot from going even higher on his thighs, his fingers wrapping lightly around your ankle

You tilt your head, a sly smile spreading across your lips "I win" you say simply, your tone dripping with confidence

He raises an eyebrow, his thumb grazing your ankle in a way that sends a chill up your spine "You think so?" he asks

"I know so" you counter, leaning back, satisfied with your small victory

Sylus smirks, leaning closer across the table as if to close the distance between you "Games like this can backfire" he says, his grip loosening just enough to let your foot slip free

You shrug slipping your foot back into your sandal with deliberate slowness "Only if you're not good at them"

Taking a long sip of your drink, you try to ignore the flutter in your stomach, the way the tension still hangs between you like a taut wire

Sylus eyes never leave yours. The corner of his mouth quirks up in that maddeningly smug expression that makes your heart race and your irritation flare in equal measure

This wasn't over and you both knew it

"Alright, let's head back. We gotta start with the project" Kazuo says, standing up and stretching

"Yeah, I agree" you say, your tone breezy as you finally break eye contact with Sylus, sliding your bag onto your shoulder

"I still haven't read the email the professor sent" Amari admits, rubbing the back of his neck

"Which isn't shocking" Davina chimes in, You chuckle shaking your head "You're always unprepared"

"Hey, I like to keep things exciting" Amari grins

Chap.4>

[maybenotjaybe]

HAIRCUT

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PAIRING : caitlyn x vi

SUMMARY : while the couple gets ready for bed, caitlyn realizes that she’s in need of a haircut and vi gladly offers her one, in which caitlyn accepts

REQUESTED : @d0ldrum

CW & TW : fluff, takes place after the war, zaunite & piltovan dynamic, slight angst? idk

A / N : requests are open !!

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as the night falls over the city of piltover, it is quite peaceful and calm from earlier hours of the day. with barely anyone in sight, from the contrast between the moon illuminating the streets to the buildings and the streetlights giving piltover a sense of stillness from the silence.

caitlyn was in the middle of brushing her hair, staring in the mirror of her bathroom while she combed her soft navy locks, the colour matching the eye patch on her left eye. once in a while, she would run her fingers through her hair out of habit.

after a while, she noticed that the length of her hair was way too long for her liking, making her sigh in annoyance. "god, i really need to get my hair cut soon." she mumbled to herself, placing the brush on the bathroom counter and taking the hair tie on her wrist, ready to put her hair in a ponytail. but what stopped her was a familiar voice from behind her.

"why would you need a haircut?" the voice belonged to vi, with her body leaning against the door frame of the bathroom with a small but curious smile on her face. she was in her usual sleepwear, the thin and loose tank top fitted on her body with the pajama shorts she always wears to sleep.

caitlyn glanced behind her to make eye contact with vi, her eyes wide from the sudden appearance, but her gaze then softened when she realized it was vi. "my hair is getting too long, that's all." she said to her girlfriend, giving her a small smile.

vi stared at caitlyn for a moment, the silence filling the bathroom for a moment before her voice cut through it. "I think it looks fine, honestly." she said to her, lightly pushing herself off of the door frame and taking a step towards her, leaning her hip into the wide bathroom counter.

caitlyn then let out a small sigh, nodding at vi's words before staring down at the sink. "I know, but I still might go to the hair salon to get it-" she was cut off by a small chuckle from vi, glancing over at her to see that she was looking away while she was trying not to burst into laughter. "cut.. what's so funny?"

vi continued to chuckle for a short moment, covering her mouth with her hand before glancing back at caitlyn, her arm falling to her side. "do you actually go to the hair salon here?" vi asked caitlyn, a bit of mockery showing in her voice.

caitlyn furrowed her eyebrows out of offense, turning her body to fully facing her now as she cocked her head to the side a bit. "what's wrong with the salon?" she asked vi, her tone a bit harsh but also soft.

vi shook her head with a small chuckle, crossing her arms against her chest as she kept staring at caitlyn. "nothing, it's just that i think that going to a hair salon is a waste of money when you have me here." she said, pointing finger at her own chest.

her words made caitlyn confused, her eyebrows still being furrowed but it wasn't out of offense anymore. "since when can you do hair?" she asked her, trying to figure out how and where she got the experience on how to cut hair.

vi shrugged her shoulders, continuing to stare at caitlyn before speaking again. “well i can’t really do hair, but i can do the occasional trim and all. i can even do bangs.” she said to her, letting her hands fall to her sides once more.

caitlyn just stared at her for a moment, a bit bewildered as the girl in front of her is able to cut and trim hair. yes, it may be a simple thing, but she wasnt expecting vi out of all people to be able to do such a thing.

after a moment of silence, caitlyn finally spoke up, her voice wavering the slightest bit. “i dont know, vi..” she mumbled, glancing between her reflection in the mirror and her girlfriend.

“oh come on, cait!” vi said to her, taking a few steps towards caitlyn before she stood in front of the women, her hands going to hold hers while she stared into her eyes. “just trust me on this alright? and if you dont like it, you can go to that salon you were rambling about.”

caitlyn felt vi’s hands in hers, glancing down to see them loosely intertwined. she let out a soft but shaky breath, her gaze going back up to meet vi’s eyes. “alright, fine.”

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after a few moments of preparation, caitlyn was now sat on the bathroom counter with vi standing between her legs. there was a small pair of scissors in her hands, carefully trimming the ends of caitlyn’s navy hair.

meanwhile, caitlyn just watched as vi worked on trimming her hair with adoration, her hands going to hold her waist as she patiently waited for her to finish.

“how did you learn to do this?” caitlyn suddenly asks, staring down at vi with a mix between curiosity and gentleness.

vi glanced up at her from the scissors with an expression thats rarely seen on her nowadays; misery and regret. caitlyn watched as vi let out a shaky breath, her gaze going back down to the scissors and continued to trim her hair.

“i used to cut my siblings hair all the time when i was younger, with the help from my mom of course.” she mumbled to her quietly, a small but sad smile tugging at her lips while her mind went back to the memories when she was with her family who has now passed on. “i would mainly cut powder.. or jinx’s hair, since she liked to have her hair so short back then.”

caitlyn can feel her heart shatter in pieces from her words, remembering the fact that she didnt have any blood family left. she couldnt imagine losing her family, and losing her mother was enough for her.

“do you miss them?” she asked vi, her voice soft and filled with sorrow for the girl in front of her.

vi went still for a moment, the scissors on her hand stopping mid-cut as her mind went back in time. being reminded of her family being gone tugged at her heart strings, making her let out a shaky breath. “very.”

caitlyn couldn’t help but frown at her words, feeling sorrow for her loss. she wasn’t sure what else to say, so what she did was that she let her hands rub her waist gently out of comfort.

the silence took over the both of them, the only thing that can be heard is the scissors trimming the ends of caitlyn’s hair. she noticed how in-the-zone vi was while cutting her, admiring her silently while she was concentrating.

“y’know, it was common in zaun that family or friends would take care of your hair. we would never go to a hair salon or anything like that since we could only trust each other.” vi said all of a sudden, continuing to trim her girlfriend's hair gently.

caitlyn’s eyes bulged out a bit, staring at vi while she spoke about her homelands. “really?” she asked, her voice soft but filled with slight shock. she never would have thought that zaunites could only trust family and friends to take care of their hair, but knowing what happens down in zaun, is a reasonable decision.

vi nodded at caitlyn's words, a small smile showing on her face while she handled the ends of her hair with the scissors. "yeah, it was really nice actually. sometimes I like to imagine my dad cutting my hair like in the old days."

caitlyn nodded slightly at her words, being aware that vi was cutting her hair so she had to be careful. "was it ever awkward?" she asked, staring into vi's eyes with curiosity.

vi shook her head lightly, glancing up at caitlyn quickly before going back to trimming her hair. "it was never awkward," she started, her voice gentle. "we would always talk casually to each other as if someone wasn't getting their hair cut by one of us."

caitlyn listen as vi rambled on, smiling softly while her hands were still holding her waist. she could heart the small and quiet snips of the scissors while vi trimmed her ends.

after a while, vi placed the scissors down on the counter next to caitlyn and started to lightly run her fingers through her hair, making sure that the ends are even. “alright, im all done.” she told caitlyn, taking a step back so she can get off the counter.

caitlyn let out a soft sigh and let her body slip off the counter and onto the floor, landing on her feet. she turned around and looked in the mirror to see her now shorter hair done by vi. her eyes widened slightly, a hand of hers going to touch the ends of her hair. “this is..”

“do you like it?” vi asked, a smile on her face as she took a step forward so that she stood next to caitlyn. she couldn’t help but stare at caitlyn’s reflection through the mirror, noticing how pretty she was with her hair cut short now.

caitlyn couldn’t help but smile widely at her words, nodding as she twirled one of the strands around her fingers. “yeah, i love it.” she said to her, staring back at vi through the mirror.

vi smiled widely, taking a step closer a wrapping an arm around caitlyn’s waist. “i knew you would.” she muttered to her, a wide grin on her face.

caitlyn couldnt help but chuckle softly, leaning her head into hers while both of her hands wrapped around vi’s waist, holding her close. she then pressed a light kiss to the top of vi’s head, which caused a smile to form on her face.

“im happy that you like it, cupcake.” vi mumbled, her free hand going to play with the strands of caitlyn’s hair.

her words made caitlyn’s smile soften, letting out a small sigh while she let her eyes flutter shut. “im happy too.” she whispered back, holding her close.

☆ ✧ ☆ ✧ ☆ ✧ ☆ ✧ ☆ ✧ ☆ ✧ ☆ ✧ ☆ ✧ ☆ ✧ ☆ ✧ ☆ ✧ ☆ ✧ ☆

[antinousletmehit]

hey pretty person!

may I please, please, please, PLEASE, request some writing for Hephaestus? it doesn't have to be epic, just some Hephaestus writing. it doesn't even have to be romantic, just some chill platonic thing. i'll take ANYTHING. Hephaestus is SOOO underrated. it can be something like him taking in an apprentice at his forge or something, please, he's so cool.

please feel free to ignore!

୨୧┇Hephaestus x reader (platonic)

୨୧┇bro MIGHT like Hephaestus

────୨ৎ──── ────୨ৎ──── ───

Hephaestus wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand, the heat of the forge licking at his face. The clang of metal echoed through his cavernous workshop as he hammered away at a bronze chestplate, its surface glinting in the firelight. It was a good day for creating, as they all were.

The sound of hurried footsteps broke his focus, followed by an eager voice calling out.

“Master Hephaestus! Master Hephaestus! You’ve got to see this!”

He sighed, though a small smile tugged at his lips as he turned to face his apprentice. You stood in the doorway, grinning ear to ear, your arms cradling what appeared to be a mess of gears, wires, and springs. “What is it this time, little one?” he asked, setting his hammer aside and folding his arms. “It’s an automatic bellows system!” you exclaimed, holding up the contraption as though it were the greatest invention in the world. “See? You wind this crank, and it’ll keep pumping air into the forge without anyone needing to work it manually!”

Hephaestus raised an eyebrow. “And you’re sure it works?”

You hesitated, your grin faltering just slightly. “Well… no. Not yet. But it will!”

He let out a deep chuckle and gestured for you to bring it over. “Let’s have a look, then.”

You practically skipped to his side, setting the device down on a nearby workbench. As you began explaining its mechanics in rapid detail, your hands gestured wildly, your enthusiasm bubbling over. Hephaestus listened patiently, nodding along and occasionally interjecting with suggestions. “See this gear here?” he said, pointing to a small, poorly aligned cog. “That’s going to jam the whole thing if you don’t adjust it.”

“Oh! Right, right,” you said, scribbling notes furiously on a scrap of parchment. “I’ll fix that! Thanks, Master Hephaestus!” He smirked. “You’re getting better, you know. Not quite there yet, but you’ve got the spark.”

Your chest swelled with pride at his words, and you beamed up at him. “You really think so?”

“I wouldn’t have taken you on if I didn’t,” he replied. “Now, let’s see about getting this thing working before you burn the place down.”

The two of you spent the rest of the afternoon tinkering with the device, laughing and joking as you worked. You couldn’t help but make silly remarks to lighten the mood, even when things went wrong. “Do you think I could attach this to a chariot?” you asked at one point, holding up a part of the bellows system. Hephaestus raised an eyebrow. “Do you want the chariot to explode?”

You burst out giggling. “Maybe! That’d be kind of cool, wouldn’t it?” He shook his head, chuckling despite himself. “You’re going to be the death of me, child.” By the end of the day, the bellows system was far from perfect, but it was functional enough to give you a sense of accomplishment. As you packed up your tools, you turned to Hephaestus with a bright smile.

“Thanks for helping me, Master Hephaestus,” you said earnestly. “You’re the best teacher ever.”

He grunted, though there was a warmth in his eyes. “Don’t thank me yet. You’ve still got a long way to go. But…you’re doing good work.”

Your smile widened, and with a playful salute, you skipped out of the forge, already planning your next invention.

Hephaestus watched you go, shaking his head with a fond smile. The forge had been a quiet place before you arrived, and while he sometimes missed the silence, he couldn’t deny that your energy brought a new kind of life to his workshop.

[cripplecharacters]

one of my fanfictions contains a family where the father is hard of hearing and the son is Deaf. I haven’t written about these characters before, and I’ve already done some reading on Deaf/HoH households, and I’ve seen presentations on ASL by native signers, but I just wanted to ask the internet if my presentation is this is okay, because I’m not personally Deaf/HoH and I don’t want to be insensitive. Is there anything objectionable or that needs elaborating in these bullet points?

-The family mainly communicates with sign language, including the mom, who is hearing. -It’s implied that being HoH runs in the family, but I don’t outright day it so that could be removed if it seems questionable for this particular story. -Later on in the story, the son goes missing, and the parents are especially worried that it will be harder to find him because he is Deaf/if he was found, the authorities might not know how to keep him safe right away. -The mother decides to go out and look for him herself. Not really objectionable, but I just wanted to check and see if it seemed weird that the hard of hearing parent didn’t immediately search for him. -There’s a part where the son is with his friend before going missing, and he’s lip-reading for most of the conversation. I didn’t think it would make sense if his friend was a fluent signer, but I’m not sure. This fic is still being written so I’m changing stuff all the time to make it more accurate. Thanks for any help anyone here can give!

Hi!

Communicating in sign at home sounds great. That will be most accessible for the family. And running in the family is also fine.

About getting lost, it makes sense they would worry that authorities might accidentally hurt him--that's something that happens. As long as they're not worried about his capability. I think it's fine if mom decides to search rather than dad; if you're really worried about giving the wrong message, maybe mom is more worried than dad or some other reason that makes sense in-character.

It makes more sense for the son's friends who are fluent signers to sign with him rather than force him to lip read. Lip reading is hard, especially for someone born deaf in a signing family.

Mod Rock

[papyriasks]

Heya, wanted to send in an ask about UF,US,SF and FS Papyruses (Papyri?) about how they show affection? Maybe how they pine after their crush? Whatever you wanna include just go wild with it! ☕🙏

The Papyri when they have a crush

(Underfell, underswap,swapfell, fellswap & fellswap Gold edition)

(Thank you for the ask too, I hope I answered it correctly :] )

UF (Boss): You will know this man likes you when you can start to get away with little things you couldn't before, instead of threats of violence when you sneakily "taste test" dinner he'll shoot you a side eye with a tap of his heel, or a pinch of the bridge bone when you've done something dumb. He has absolutely zero clue on how to initiate affection, but will subtly position himself in ways in which require you to brush past him or interact with him in some manner, craving your touch. When he gets bashful it often manifests as silent glaring, but you know him well enough that he isn't really angry. He is very cat like when pining over someone, in the sense that he pretends not to care for your presence at all but conveniently always ends up in the same room as you, and oh, he brought you food but not because he thought of you but just because it would go to waste otherwise definitely not any other reason..

US (Slim): Slim is a bit of a romantic, which surprises a lot of people as he isn't often very open about it, but he's the type to rock up to your work with a coffee and a baked good just to chill with you on your lunch break. He'll find out your star sign so he can read your zodiac love compatibility analysis online and looks for your initials on those "your initials your cats" tiktok slides. That being said he's still a bit of a hard one to get to know, sometimes you may catch him staring but if you go to say anything about it he'll just a quickly go to give you a quick ruffle on the head, call you pal and make a quick escape almost like he's shutting down any attempts to return affection. Secretly he's nervous to fuck things up, everyone expects him to be the laid back, no worries guy but letting someone in is letting them know he's got some baggage to him, and feels as though it will drive them away.

SF(Cash): If Cash has caught feelings for you, the first sign will be the fact you will be his new favourite person to annoy the fuck out of. Oh? You thought you were going to be able to quietly wash those dishes with nothing but your thoughts? Think again cause he's already leaning his full body weight against your shoulder pestering you. Cash hates sharing things but for you? You want it, it's yours now. Oh, you really like the bracelet he's got on? No sooner has he pulled you by the hand and transferred it from his wrist to yours. He always has an excuse to drag you along to some shenanigan or midnight adventure, but really he just loves having you around. He's a teaser, will tease you to no end, play the right card and tease him back and you might actually be able to fluster him. He's already a bit of a 'no idea what personal space is' kind of guy but if he's caught feelings he's always looking for opportunities to touch you, whether that's throwing his arm over your shoulder as you're walking or outright sitting right on top of you.

FS (Mutt): very protective, prefers to walk slightly behind you, always watching for any kind of threat and will challenge any stare with a twice as chilling one in return. is the kind of guy to silently notice that you're cold walking at night and without even asking he's draped his coat right over you. He's a little bit more bold in terms of how he behaves when he likes you, if you go to tease him he'll pull you in by the collar until you're a breath away and tease you right back. he's not the type to fall for someone easily , or even actively search in the first place, so if he ends up catching feelings know that he's set on you. The patient type, you don't need to return his feelings or like him back right away, but he'll wait, until it's the right time to have you. If you smoke he's always inviting you outside to share a late night smoke where the two of you will chat all night. Reliable and immensely loyal, will drop everything at any time of day or night to come help you with whatever you need if you so much as shoot him a text asking, though often times you won't even have to ask as he's often already lingering around uninvited.

FS Gold (Coffee): a nervous mess, and the definition of handsy. He is naturally very touchy with his friends so you might not pick up on his little crush immediately and you best believe he will fully well take advantage of that to constantly be all over you. He loves art and you will quickly become a big subject of his works, little squiggles in his notepad to full pieces of digital art. Can become a little jealous if he feels like you don't dedicate enough time to him despite not even being in a relationship with him. He will try to hide his crush from his brother as long as possible but once it comes out you better hope you're in his brothers good books.. that being said he won't stop gushing about you to Wine, you're always on his thoughts, and you're always his favourite thing to talk about. He's a lot more mischievous when he feels comfortable with someone and uses his more innocent and unseeming persona to drop subtle little compliments or semi-flirtatious lines to rile you up and then pretend like he had no idea what he said could be conveyed any other way.. if you do the same back he will 100% blush until his skull is another colour and will probably need 10-15mins to do a full reboot though.

[lavandulawrites]

Yan!genshin thoughts? Bet.

Tighnari's darling likes being loud just to annoy him since he has sensitive years. His darling probablu also likes using strong smells to make sure he stays away for a while, at least till they fade away.

Yan! Diluc definetly baby proofs every single corner from the manor. Also, against popular belif, I dont think he would baby trap his darling. Like, yeah, he does realise it could keep her with him forever, but at the same time, he is probably too scared she is going to die during child birth(I see teyvat as at least a few centuries in the past. A period when women dying during childbirth was the norm).

Yan! Capitano is scared to hurt his darling more than he'd like to admit. Probably had a nightmare about it one time and left his bedroom faster than my last braincell during the math test, to check on his darling...possible that due to the comotion she woke up and threw the pillow at him....well, at least she is alright.

If Xiao'd darling compliments some hybrid's animal features, he 100% will scoff and let her see his wings(jealousy jealousy?). Also, if she is being held in the abode, he most likely lets her out during lantern rite. Under his strict supervision ofc.

If Kazuha's darling is wearing a hat, Kazuha definetly stole it so "people wont recognize her"(what a load of bs). Also, I hc that Kazuha accepted the smth's offer and went back to represent the Kaedehara clan...just so he can trap his darling more.

Yan Neuvillette secretly reads the novels he gifts his darling (totally doesn't enjoy them himself more than her). If his darling asks for some fish an aquarium, he might complain that fish need to be free(ironic, isnt it?). Also, he daydreams about taking a bath with his prisoner lover.

Wriothesley 100% gets his darling a cat and gets jealous of it if(rather when) his darling shows more attention to the cat...or when the cat is making biscuits on his darling's chest(this is way more common than one might think)

Unpopular opinion, Dottore is absolutely touch-starved and loves cuddles. After a long day of torture testing in the lab, he just wants to lay down with his darling. Probably also got his lover a pet, just to make sure she gets attached to it and use it as blackmail.

Ajaw and Kinich's darling are great friends.Ajaw likes his darling because she does anything in her power to annoy Kinich after well, being abducted. The difference however is that when his lover does it, it feels more personal. Ajaw and Kinich's darling often times advise each other on how to be the biggest pests alive.

Also, googletranslate is hot.

Goddamn you cooked🫶🏻Also, I haven’t forgotten your Kazuha request🤫

Poor Tighnari, he is really gonna suffer😭 Though I believe he manages to turn the table one way or another…

I 100% agree with you. Diluc would definitely baby-proof absolutely everything. He is so extremely overprotective (I ain’t complaining🤭). I also agree with the baby trapping. I think he has considered it, but he chooses not to, as it would do more damage than good.

Yeah, Capitano is definitely very paranoid. It does make sense after all the things he has experienced, paranoia is only to be expected. I think he would make his darling sleep in the same bed as him in order to watch over her.

Hahah Xiao is so petty (kinda cute). He definitely would want her to see the beautiful lanterns with him. It would be like a date that the humans talk so much about.

Awww he definitely would. If he did go back to restore his clan, Kazuha would definitely have enough power to keep his darling close to him at all times. It would be a wise move. Thigh his longing for freedom would make it difficult, so he would have to sacrifice something.

Hehhe that’s definitely something he would do. He really is a hypocrite🙄 Though he would definitely argue that he is only doing so in order to”to protect you”. Oh yeah, Neuvillette definitely daydreams a lot about taking a bath with his darling.

Wriothesley getting jealous of a cat is something I never knew I needed😭 It’s kinda cute tho tbh. Though I don’t think he would dislike the cat, he would definitely compete with it to see who gets your attention first. The cats wins every single time (as it should).

I agree with you. People forget that Dottore has been abandoned and hated through all his life (not to say that some of it is without reason) and it’s only natural that he would crave affection when he has gotten his hands on his darling. Ooof he is really sly with that pet thing😬

Ajaw and Kinich’s darling would definitely be besties. I really pity Kinich. Both Ajaw and darling would give him grey hairs rather fast😭

All in all, you really cooked with your headcanons😌 they’re all on point in my opinion🤭

Give me your yandere thoughts

[weliveinapokemonworld]

Brainstorming parallels between the older group, and Carol + Hop + Naomi is fascinating because of parallels. Legacies. Similar issues while also not. Unresolved, haunting the present, like the strained friendship between Sonia + Raihan, Sonia + Leon, Raihan + Leon, and all three together. That's not even accounting for Nessa and Piers, or Bede and Marnie for the younger ones.

Sonia sees herself in Hop, then realizes later that it's not only the insecurity and friends pulling further ahead. She witnesses how he withdraws without telling anybody why and making assumptions because of his anxiety, not asking for Help. Naomi is afraid that he'll run in the opposite direction away from her. It knocks the breath out of Sonia because. Was that her? Were that Raihan and Leon?

For an example of the bigger circle, Leon has a lot of parallels + contrasts with Carol reg. adult men who are not in their lives: dead or otherwise absent. (This might also apply to Piers, if he's the one who had to raise Marnie.) The two + Bede share a tumultous relationship with Rose, tinted with familial issues, power he has over them, seeking his approval / help, being abandoned by, and / or used by him at some point. They had to raise themselves a lot. They want an adult that cares about them. (Again, Piers maybe, too.) Not even going into how each of the three feel about each other.

--

The hot potato goes around. XDD Leon and Sonia have to be responsible one when Raihan underestimates potential trouble. There are times he and Leon have to hold the Responsible Braincell when Sonia goes off, then others when Sonia and Raihan have to do it for Leon. Sometimes it's impossible, like when the two get into a history spat for the bit, and / or annoy their friends with that.

Raihan wants to outdo Nessa and looks online for terrifying ghost stories. He might stumble about things about Dynamaxing as well as of massive dragon. The last one is his favorite because dragon. The ghost stories feel very ironic with the knowledge that they'll become part, sort of, of a ghost story a few years later!

--

A gym trainer would be a good track to keep in practice. Knowledge, facilities, methods - all there for improvement. Her work ethic and results impress the gym leader. She researches and applies things that she will need for the application. Swimming to keep fit, figuring out her theme, her public persona. Although it's often daunting.

The image of Nessa wrangling down water pokemon and animal fish that are as big as her torso delights me. Leon isn't as good as Milo at it, but he knows how to tackle and wrangle Wooloo. The two of them argue which is more difficult.

I cackled at the dialogue. I can imagine that exchange so well between her and him, and their tones. Just two roughly ten-years-old competing who's going to find Kyoge first and kick its ass. Their friends stare in worry.

On the other hand, I feel Leon would admire that she knows so much about the ocean and the wider world? It's one thing to learn these things in school, but I believe Leon and his family never left Galar? Nessa through her family's trade could meet a lot of people from other regions because Hulbury is a harbor. She appreciates that Leon strives to learn so much. He takes her seriously, he is grounded, he can relate to her through.

--

Thank you for explaining. If Soul appears in their nightmares, or only Leon's, it's because he's deeply worried about him because of his rapidly declining health and how hope's dwindling / gone? So his brain included him. Throwing this idea like spaghetti at a wall: Could Eternatus's soul sense something about him because of Soul / Soul being chosen by Zacian / the curse / any combination of that plus the Weald? Or Leon felt drawn because of these things, able to sense them maybe? It's compelling.

Oleana and Rose could've sent Bede there...

What was the young adults (Nessa, Raihan, Sonia, Leon, etc.) gym challenge like in Legendsverse when they were younger?

And any foreshadowing or hints to Eternatus?

I'm stilllllll figuring that out, especially bc it's been a while since I exactly expressed my ideas of what they were like back then. I'm gonna focus on Leon, Sonia, Raihan and Nessa. Maaaaaybe Piers. We'll see. This will be long so buckle up!

Leon and Sonia are gonna get grouped together for now bc man. The parallels. I haven't fully decided who endorsed them. I wasn't sure if I wanted Leon to be endorsed by Rose and Sonia by someone else, or if Rose endorsed Sonia ( like in the manga) and Mustard endorsed Leon ( old friend of Gerardo, mayhaps?). The point being that these two went on their gym challenge together.

Sonia was the better trainer.

....At first. Sonia was someone who Leon could not beat when they were younger, and in the earlier part of their journey she really was the better trainer, and favorite of the media. Of course, among the favorites, there were plenty of people who called her a nepo baby and thought she was ruining the sport. Leon wasn't that shabby of a battler. But in terms of skill,back then, he wasn't as good as Sonia. But what he did have was passion and determination. Leon knew from the jump what his goals are. He wants to become champion and he wants Galar to become stronger for it. So even if he wasn't as skilled as Sonia ( yet) he was going to claw his way to that top just everyone. And people noticed that. That fiery passion, that light that he had. It was a much more gradual buildup compared to the success of Sonia who was kinda hit with everything from the jump ( can't imagine that really helped with her enjoyment of the gym challenge),and once Leon started going he could not be stopped. And when you just keep going, someone has to get left behind right?

Personality wise, again something I haven't fully thought of. I used to like the idea that Leon was shy, but I think it fits him more that he was always this full of energy and ....I dunno expressive? But also hard to read. Someone who's determined, who's passionate, who has a good laugh, but you always don't know what he's thinking. That. Sonia....I feel she used to be rather confident in herself. Dare I say, she might have been a smart alek back then,willing to "um actually" someone ( Raihan. It was Raihan). But she was still Sonia. She was still awkward, and kinda uncertain of herself at times. She has a tendency to get in her head that just keeps her stuck - oh hey Hop, what are you doing here? ( This kid and his many parallels).

Where Leon gradually became a force that could not stop, Sonia....well. The gym challenge was wearing her down. Like I said, she has a tendency to get stuck in her head. She would make battle plans, said plans fell apart, and she was left floundering her way through a battle. Everyone's eyes were on her and....and all her friends were so bright. Leon was so bright. They all were bright. They all knew what they wanted....did she know what she wanted? When was the last time she enjoyed a pokemon battle? ......

I'm of the mind that Sonia dropped out of the league around the 7th gym, so at Melony's gym. She had won, said gym, but at that point she could have sent herself that she wasn't having fun and just felt. Lost. Her friends were also so far ahead too so. No way she can make a comeback now, huh? I think this is when her and Leon's friendship breaks bc just like Hop and Naomi, it's been them. Sonia and Leon, against the world. I can't imagine what it's like watching your best friend give up ( even if in the long run, it was literally the best option for her mentally), having that friend just. Close herself in. And there's already a big gap between Sonia and Leon by this point, so when Leon turns around to check on her, not only is she far away, but she's most likely walking in the opposite direction. Or at the very least, too far away for him to reach. It's been awkward after that. But this is about the gym challenge so. Story for another time.

Raihan....oh Raihan. It's been years and I still haven't figured out a solid backstory for him. It's driving me insane. So for simplicity sake, I'm gonna say he was endorsed by the old gym leader of Hammerlocke gym. What's their relationship exactly? No clue, and we're not gonna talk about it right now. Kid Raihan....well tbh, I've always seen him as a little chill, but have a very mean mischievous streak. A pure agent of chaos that one. He was a bit more.... rambunctious (?) back then. Kiiiinda wore his heart on his sleeve more and reacted as such- but overall, really chill. Sometimes had to be the voice of reason for Sonia and Leon ( which is incredibly funny since he is most likely the one that put bad ideas in their head/ goad them into trouble. The duality of this kid). Sonia and him would get on each other's nerves and bicker a lot bc their both smart ass kids, and depending on the subject one is more chill than the other. But it gradually just became custom for them and a form of affection! They both ended up becoming the others impulse control. Raihan and Leon.....Leon kept beating him. And despite how chill he is, Raihan has pride, so each loss just makes him more frustrated. Fortunately, Leon being Leon smoothed things over - he honestly couldn't bring himself to be so mad. Plus, their rivalry was fun! They kept each other on their toes, each move being done with great intensity and vigor. Raihan had a goal to one up Leon one day and Leon would embrace it fully. ( Leon being Champion kinda. Sullied that notion. It still exists, but with lots of outside factors going into it, specifically that their rivalry is now treated as something for others to consume and watch, not just two friends who wanted to see each other grow stronger and try and best each other). In the end Raihan was the one that faced off Leon for the champion title....and lost. And honestly, I think. He reacted pretty badly. I can't blame him, he's a kid, his loss was in public for everyone to see, and he worked so hard- I do not blame him for reacting badly. But man did it make things tense between him and Leon. Even when things settled down, and the initial issue was gone, that tenseness never fully went away, but that's getting way ahead of the gym challenge. Overall, Raihan was that chill but very mischievous friend that loved to bicker with Sonia about history and battle Leon to be the best.

Nessa....I don't have much for her outside of this very specific thing: she was competitive as fuck and a bit of a hot head. I see her carrying herself with so much dignity that the other three could not help but move aside when she was walked by. Leon and Raihan found her intimidating/scary. Sonia found her criminally pretty. I actually think it was Sonia that had Nessa integrated into their little group. Not that Leon and Raihan didn't interact with her, but Sonia was the one that couldn't help but want to get to know her. I mean, she was so confident! How on earth can she be able to walk by like she owned the place. She had to figure it out. ( Raihan: Or you just folded at the first pretty face you saw. Leon: Pfft- Sonia: SHUT UP!!!). They actually became fast friends! Nessa was friendly, if not a bit more stern about the gym challenge ( "quite fooling around and take this seriously!" <- something I can see her saying). Leon and her actually ended up getting along REALLY well! I think it's the market kids bonding over their families respective trade - humble beginnings I suppose. Raihan pissed her off a lot though. One minute they could be having a normal friendly conversation and the next, Raihan is laughing his ass off while Nessa is shaking him by his shirt. And yeah! I'm not sure when she got eliminated - yes eliminated, Nessa is not someone to quit imo. Maybe during the champion cup, maybe somewhere else. But I think she had a really good run! I can actually see her being the one to encourage Sonia to quit her gym challenge, since she saw how unhappy it was making her. I think the promise that they'll still be friends and Nessa cares more about Sonia's happiness kinda just cemented the feelings Sonia had, both platonically and romantically. Nessa is a good good friend to Sonia,even past the gym challenge and years to come.

Yeaaaaah, I'm not doing Piers I don't have much for him. I do think it was Raihan that befriended him first! I feel like he was very much that friend of a friend that didn't reallllly hang out with the others as often but would still get dragged into their shenanigans and was genuinely part of the group. He was the closest to Raihan, but still gave every one cute lil nicknames :3

And finally: Eternatus is weird timeline wise. I don't think Rose got it around the time Leon became champion. I feel that happens some years into Leon's career? Maybe in his teens. So during the gym challenge, Eternatus was still very much a fossil.....but here's an idea. Leon gets lost. Like he usually does. But it's worse here, because he's lost within the deeper levels of the Galar mines. Charmeleon is with him, so he can see, and he's fairly confident in his ability to handle the wild pokemon....but it still sucks. ( It's moments like these that makes him wish that the Galar Rangers are still a thing. Wish that his dad was there to guide him). So he's still wandering around, trying to get himself out of this strange situation....and then he sees it. On the wall,a giant fossil. Or at least, a piece of a fossil? He can't really say but it's there. Right before him. Has anyone ever seen it before? He is rather deep into the mine- he's pretty sure he's not supposed to even be there. Sonia would love to get a look at it.....he can't seem to turn his eyes away. There's something about the fossil. Something.... daunting. Something heavy. It makes his stomach sink, and he feels himself shutter a little but he can't look away. It wouldn't be until Charmeleon takes a hold of Leon's hand , looking at it's trainer with concern. Leon smiles, even if it's clearly nervous, thanks Charmeleon and turns away from the fossil. He eventually does get out of the caves, gets scolded by Sonia and Raihan and goes among his merry way. He forgets about the fossil by then. Though maybe it's still there, at the back of his mind. Maybe that's why, when he sees it again, it feels so familiar.

Just a lil plot bunny for ya :)

[jjkyaoi]

i feel like chloe and max having relationship problems makes a LOT of sense considering everything the two of them went through, and max sacrificing arcadia bay would 100% be a huge one of them. especially considering chloe lost her mother to that. it’s a decision max made to save her, but regardless. all of their troubles r incredibly realistic but you lost me at chloe dumping her for VICTORIA CHASE. like?????? it’s like they completely forgot every single aspect of what makes chloe chloe. yes they would be rocky but she would fight for her, just like how she fought for her hope and love of rachel still being out there. like. she is incredibly loyal and not once in the original games did she even fuck with victoria. i’m less mad about them breaking up and more mad abt the character assassination of chloe

[mishy-mashy]

Do you think Banjo is the type of person who hides his problems behind a clown mask?

The guy acts like a bit of comedy relief, but I think he's the kind of person to face his problems head-on. I don't think he uses humor as a coping mechanism. We never see him do that for himself. He's just a loud guy

Look at how he first appears to Midoriya

He's loud, and it steals Midoriya's attention. But he's calling him out on why he's messing up

But as a character's debut, the first things he does are:

Call out Midoriya for trying to do things alone, when Yoichi's first message to him was that he wasn't

Tell him that if he can compose himself, things typically work out

Understands Midoriya's side of things, and tells him he knows (like lacking a mouth)

And once he says those two previous things, he exhales, and his eyes show their pupils properly

The parting advice he gives Midoriya is a reiteration of the second point: It's okay to be mad. What's important is controlling your heart.

Blackwhip is a Quirk that responds to the holder's emotions. Like other Quirks, but Blackwhip goes out of control when the user isn't able to get a grip on themselves

Banjo used his Quirk effectively. He'd have to live that advice to pass it on to Midoriya, back when Abilities were starting to become normal, but Japan was still wrecked. And we know that Quirks are influenced by, and influence, the holder's personality.

Banjo would have to be able to be honest with himself, understand his emotions, and has the maturity to say it's okay to be mad. Just control it.

When he said that for the first time, it actually surprised me. Everyone in fiction or reality says "Don't be mad", but a character on his debut and says it's okay to be that. I never heard anyone say that controlling your emotions and outputting them in a healthy manner is what matters. People just say not to he negative or annoying, because it's inconvenient; but Banjo went past that.

And when he fades, he tells Midoriya he's got this. He reminds him that they're all behind him.

Whenever he speaks, he doesn't make the receiver feel bad, or speak down to them. He understands them, and gives the next step in a familiar, friendly way.

On his debut, he told Midoriya to control his heart, and to remember he wasn't alone. Here, he tells him he should try understanding their Quirks better.

He's actually got a mature way of seeing things. He's an adult, and being the holder between Shinomori and En, he wouldn't be able to deal with either of them if he wasn't mature about himself. Shinomori probably wouldn't choose someone who can't be honest with himself upfront, after spending almost half his life for OFA. And En is young, prone to panic, and a guy who acts like his problems aren't there or funny wouldn't help that.

I can visualize Banjo sitting at a small fire with Shinomori, having an honest, calm talk about life (until Shinomori says the wrong thing and Banjo yells something about it). But not Banjo trying to push his problems down with a hearty laugh, and Shinomori being okay with that.

When Midoriya used his Quirk for the first time, Banjo did get loud at the start, but he did lecture him in a way that was kinda teacher-mentor-ish.

I actually like the way Banjo talks about his observances. He's got the demeanor of a good teacher, he's clear, and direct. He's light-hearted about serious things, but doesn't diminish them. He just approaches it in a way that you aren't feeling the pressure, and can feel like it's possible.

He seems to have this habit of being loud to get people's attention, and simmers down once he has it. He's never indirect or leaving the addressed to figure out the answer on their own, he gives it outright.

When Midoriya used Blackwhip for the first time, Banjo was all "You got it all wrong!" and then explained things. Since he felt himself fading, he could've been talking louder to compensate himself past the daze he felt. To make sure he was talking, heard, and to keep himself awake

When the first Three made the void silent because Kudo and Bruce didn't want to help, Banjo broke it with what Midoriya should do next

When Shinomori got yoinked, the first thing Banjo did was report it in a panic to Midoriya. This just tells Midoriya he really has to be careful now, because OFA can really be stolen. Even if Banjo just panics and doesn't say that aloud

Every time Banjo is facing some kind of problem, he doesn't let others panic too hard. He's not pressuring about problems, and steps back to let Midoriya figure things out.

When Midoriya was running himself into the ground, Banjo was one of the vestiges that didn't show up to tell him to rest. He already understood how Midoriya saw things, and was doing them his own way

Rather than trying to be a clown, I think Banjo is just a friendly person. He's honest with others and with himself, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to utilize Blackwhip right, or be the holder between a sagey hermit and young, scared adult.