#i spent a good hour formatting it nooo

[rosewhispers]

ahh… first real post was a flop ( ´ཀ` ) was so proud of it too. wish me luck guys

[zu-is-here]

ZUUUUU!!!

So sorry for the late reply heh, like I said, was working tonight, it was perfect timing really.

Still snowy? Ahh so jelly, we've been having the most boring weather, wind, clouds and rain. Basically the most British weather possible.

Oh! Even if you didn't wanna change, it was nice of them to give you the option! Just remember zu, even if the deal is off, please return everyone's lockets to the correct owners.

My work is going good, as I've said before it's not alot of hours rn, but what I do have is going nicely. Tonight was a 90s theme, which I was actually not told until 40 mins before I left!! Ahhg had to run around trying to find something to wear.

It was fun though, played a bunch of classic music, so spent the night cleaning tables and dancingggg.

You know.i searched up the song CPR cuz of that and bloody hell, a song has never made me blush so much, can't believe Sdream was dancing to that XD

I love the way you draw rain!!

Oh thank you!! I'm happy with how it turned out, was just in a lineless mood I guess. Loved drawing them all.

Ooo I'm sure it will be great! I'll miss you while you're away though, I can't wait to hear all about jt!

Heheh...the 'good' boy peed in my room in the door way -_- that's how he's doing. How's the good girl?

I'm actually doing great!! Being super productive on thr next part of my comic!! I'm so so so so soooo happy how it's coming along I'm so hyped! I took some inspiration from your lay outs and I've been moving around pannels for the normal format I use

Alsoooo the boyy

I'm.very happy with my work rn basically!! How's it going with yours?

Hii again! :'D

The 90s!! \(//∇//)\ Awww this sounds wonderful in every way, so nice to hear you had a good time mixing business with pleasure! ٩( ᐛ )و♪

The weather may be not the best, but it's good that the things are as right as rain ♪(๑˃̵ᴗ˂̵)

Heheh fair enough! ;)

Guess he just doesn't know the lyrics while Cross does XD This is def not the safest thing to enjoy but the remix is awwwsome and I just couldn't resist cause the contrast between songs fits theim so well ♪ I liked how many recognized the meme without any words tho xp

Thanks again! (〃ω〃) The way you draw lineless art is so smooth and clean *^*

Knowing myself, no trip would be complete without drawing xp Hope so! Thank youuu <3

He didn't mean to! (ówò) The good girl's watching the snowfall through the window while sitting by the radiator <3

OHHH I'm so hyped! \(//∇//)\ I'm really glad to hear it inspired you, and the bois looks ssso good ☆ Keep up the great work! (๑˃̵ᴗ˂̵) I'm looking forward to the next part ♪

I finished the comic over the weekend, aaand there's not much left for the Dark Cream week announcement ;)

How are you doing lately? ♡

UPD:

Oh that was an experience as well! You wouldn't know it without trying xp

Indeed XD

Awww yay! That's so sweet of you, Gayfish, I do appreciate it a lot (〃ω〃)

OMG— it's not here yet but I'm already curious about those deleted Nightkiller scenes :'D

Nooo but this looks quite sansational! :D We usually do it with cheese only (yummy!) but hmmm ♪

Awww that's so sweet! (ówò) Sooo many years later, childhood toys evoke special feelings <3 I do but in my parents' house, some of them are older than me omg *^*

Yep, today was a very productive day! ᕦ(òwó)ᕤ We had a staff meeting (a new year tradition) and it turned out to be much more fun (no diagrams/reports/suits XD)

Heheh (人 •͈ᴗ•͈)

Ohhh sounds delicious! *^* Gotta try—

I do heheh! Hope you're having a nice time too <3

[blushie14]

Sleepy Muffin [Skephalo]

Bad needs more sleep nuff said >:v

It is now eleven o’clock at night. Darryl stares at his computer screen for a while until he sighs a bit in frustration. He's got a lot of work done, except for a video that he's been planning to upload today. 

Hours of editing was spent, but unfortunately Darryl has been unlucky lately. The editing software has been acting up and he would sometimes lose a little bit of progress. He was truly exhausted and it was getting harder to focus, but he wanted to get this video out asap. 

Maybe he should take another coffee break. 

He got up and walked out of his room. As he went into the kitchen, Zak was also there eating leftover take out and scrolling through twitter. "Oh hey! How's the video coming along?" 

Darryl grabbed a mug while waiting for the coffee to brew. "Ah, well… it's coming along. Hopefully, I won't lose my progress again though." 

Zak nodded but also had a look of slight concern. "Uhhh dude? Isn't that like your third cup of coffee?"

Darryl stayed silent holding the empty coffee mug, staring blankly at the wall.

"Darryl?... Darryl… Darryl!" 

"H-Huh? Sorry what? I-I blanked out for a moment!" He poured the coffee in his mug and started to drink.

"Jesus Christ, how tired are you?!" 

Darryl's mug was already almost empty as he put it down. "I'm really tired, but I'll go to sleep once I'm done. Promise." He yawned out.

Zak stared at him as he finished his coffee and walked back to his room. He has lived with Darryl for a while. He already knows that he pushes himself to work for hours on end until he gets it done. 

He also knows all too well that a sleep deprived Darryl has unpredictable results. Zak ponders for a moment before he eventually decided to go into Darryl's room. It is probably a good idea to check up on him. 

Zak opens the door and sees Darryl at his desk. He walked over and hugged Darryl from behind while resting his head on top of his head.

Darryl whined a little bit. "Geppyyy I'm still editing. What do you want?" 

Zak chuckled. "Just wanna watch you edit Darry. Something wrong with that?" 

"N-No I guess not.." Darryl blushed a bit before continuing to edit. 

Zak observed him while silently taking note of a few things. Darryl's eyes could barely stay up and he was barely making any progress editing this video. A little time passed by before Zak asked a question. "Soooo how many cups of coffee did you drink?" 

Darryl massaged his temples and yawned as he tried to think about his answer. "Uh… let's see…"

"Oh my god, it shouldn't take you this long to remember how many cups you drank."

"No! No, it's not that. I-It's just that.." Darryl nervously giggled, starting to feel loopy. "Are you talking about how much I had today or?" 

"...What do you mean?" Zak had a bad feeling in his stomach.

"I've been awake for like.. I think it's been 38 hours?"

"Wh- … Ah-..." Zak stood up in shock while Darryl laughed a little more and hid his face. 

"Oh no, I should've kept my mouth shut. Zak, just pretend you didn't hear that okay?"

"NO! Are you- you've been up more than 24 hours?! Are you crazy?!

"Nooo just leave me aloneeee don't worry about it!"

"Darryl I'm- I'm not leaving until you go to bed." 

"I am gonna go to bed, just give me five more minutes to edit this clip.."

"No, you need to go to bed! You've been replaying that snippet for like ten years and still didn't change anything."

Zak refused to let him stay up any longer than he had to. He kept insisting that he should go to bed now while Darryl was still being too stubborn to give in. Eventually, Darryl closed the editing software after saving his progress.

"Okay fine, I'll go to bed now. Are you happy you muffin head?" Darryl pouted, making Zak giggle a bit.

"Yes, now go to your bed."

"I will! Just say goodnight and go!"

"Ah ah ah! I said I'm not leaving until you go to bed."

Darryl groaned "Seriously?… Oh my goodness, fine!" He walked over and sat on his bed. "Better?" 

Zak smiled. "Yup! Now get some rest, okay?" Darryl nodded while Zak left his room. He closed the door and was about to walk away before he stopped himself.

He had a strong feeling in his stomach. He had a hunch that he needed to check if Darryl was actually going to bed. Lo and behold, the moment he opened the door, he saw him back in his chair staring at his monitor.

"Darryl, I swear to god." He facepalmed and laughed while the other let out a small scream before quickly standing up. 

"Wait, Zak it's not what it looks like! Look, I'm going to bed for real." He walked over, sitting on his bed again. "Okay, you can leave now." 

Zak rolled his eyes before sitting right next to him. "Nah, I think I'll stay right here." He smiled while Darryl started to protest.

"Wait you're not leaving? No, come on I promised I'd go to bed."

Zak crossed his arms. "I know, but you didn't promise you would go to sleep. So I'll just wait here until you fall asleep." He smirked, not falling for this again. 

Darryl went quiet for a moment. "...Nooo why would you do that, you're being ridiculous." 

Zak giggled, and the other being loopy couldn't help but giggle along. "You and I both know that the minute I walk out that door, you're just going to go back to your computer desk!"

"Nooooo! I wouldn't! Skeppy, leave my roooooom!" 

"Maybe, and this is just a thought, just maybe I'll leave once you go to sleep." 

"You go to sleep, you dunderhead!" 

"No! You first!" 

They bickered back and forth for a few more minutes until Zak had an idea to make up a "deal" for the both of them. 

"Okay, okay look. How about this. Let's say if I fall asleep before you do, you can get back on your computer and do whatever you want for as long as you want. And I'll never bother you about sleeping ever again."

Darryl's eyes lit up for a bit. "Wait really? So I don't have to sleep right now? And I can finish editing my video."

"That is only if you can stay up longer than me." He chuckled. There was no way he's going to fall asleep before he does.

"Hmm… you sure you wanna do this?" Darryl was confident he could stay up a little longer. He's made it this long, there's no way he was gonna fall asleep now.

"I mean, either way there's no way I'd be able to stop you if I fell asleep before you do. So yeah."

"Okay then, deal!" Darryl laughed. "You made a huge mistake, you muffin. I've had a few cups of coffee and I'm going to stay up so that I can finally finish editing!"

Zak giggled, "Whatever you say Darry. Whatever you say." 

Time went by as Darryl rambled on about random topics as a way to keep himself awake. Darryl was yawning every now and then while Zak stayed silent, wide awake.

"Dude, stop yawning. You're going to make me tired."

Darryl let out a devious laugh. "Hmmm maybe this is my plan all along Zak!" 

Zak covered his mouth with his sleeves as he had a mini giggle fit. 

More time went by and Darryl resorted to making up a story in song format. 

"🎶 Ohhhh there once was a little ducky boy, who was planning something for his ducklings. He wanted to make his little ducklings happy cuz he loves each and every single one! Buuuut then his own ducky, who he loves very much, wanted to be a big meanie pants. He forced the little ducky to stop and nowww, the little ducky is sad! 🎶"

Zak couldn't help but laugh at how adorable that was. He decided to go along with the analogies. 

"The ducky loves his little ducky too, which is why the ducky wants his one and only to take a break." He cupped Darryl's red face in his hands. "The ducklings will be patient and understand that the little ducky is tired." 

Darryl let out a flustered whine. "But I promised them a new videoooo!" Zak only sighed in response.

Even MORE time goes by. Darryl was laying on Zak's shoulder, struggling to keep his eyes open. Zak was also a little tired, but he was definitely wide awake compared to Darryl. 

"Hey… Zak? Have you- have you ever noticed that the word 'fridge' has the letter 'd' in it, yet the word refrigerator doesn't have a 'd' in it?" 

At that moment, Zak wheezed and lost it at this point, covering his face as he laughed head off. Darryl was giggling as he continued to talk.

"Whahat? It doesn't mahake any sehehense!" 

"BAHAHAD PLEHEAHEASE GO TO SLEHEEHEEP!" 

"Nooooooo!" 

It took a while, but Zak finally calmed down. He put one arm around Darryl and gently started playing with his hair, just because he felt like it. 

Darryl had his eyes shut for a moment before jolting awake again. "Zak noo…. quit making me tired, you.. you muffin…"

Zak smiled and wrapped both his arms around him, snuggling against him now, still playing with his hair. 

Darryl could feel himself drifting to sleep. "Gep..py..no.." Zak could barely hear him mutter his words. Despite his mumbling protests, Darryl started to hug Zak on instinct.

"You were saying Darryl?" Zak giggled as he heard him mumbling more words. Darryl's mumbling started to get slower and slower, until it eventually came to a stop.

"Are youuu finally asleep?" Zak heard nothing in response. He lightly gasped when he heard light snoring. 

"Awww.." He giggled as he hugged him a little tighter. Zak didn't want to leave his side. "It took you long enough.." He slowly closes his eyes.

"Good night, I love you.." 

[End] 

[histeetharenotsoft]

honestly i have no idea how i’m supposed to make it to ep 165

because 162 killed me, like 3 times

spoilers below the cut!

ITS GERRY!!!!!! MR KEAY I MISS YOU

but this is the first time we’ve actually Heard him, not secondhand or with spooky ghost echo, just as a normal voice on a tape. and i just want to hug him so much because ohhhh boy he has no idea what’s going to happen and also i am love him

“do i get to hear them?” “perhaps. if you live long enough.” shut up gertrude shut the fuck up don’t just mention gerry dying so casually its Rude

hmmm i might write a fic where jon, sasha and gerry are somehow all the archivist because I Can Do What I Want

ooo here we have more fire in the archives foreshadowing

did. did gerry’s chair scrape when gertrude raised her voice. like he flinched. someone hug this man

and then his voice goes all quiet when gertrude is lecturing him and Mary Keay Can Catch These Hands

“you are occasionally useful despite your foolishness” wowwww gertrude. what glowing praise. don’t just say that to his face come onnnn

but “useful” though. “useful”. i know we already know gertrude is an ‘ends justify means’ type character but goddamn if that isn’t just a perfect description of her relationships with people: categorised by their use to her plans and nothing more

“the network of sinister tunnels that snake beneath the archive” gertrude definitely knows about the tunnels lets be real. she’s just protecting jurgen leitner stupid idiot motherfucking jurgen leitner goddamn fool book collecting dust eating rat old bastard shithead idiot avatar of the whore

what i wouldn’t give for gerry to have canonically beaten up jurgen leitner more than once. that’s going in my triple archivist fic

“what happens if we fail” oh. oh no. oh no whats gertrude going to say

“i suspect death puts us beyond their power” hmmm. seems like a fair point but i feel like the end would come up with some fuckery because this universe is a bastard and doesn’t let anyone get the rest they deserve. this isn’t really important to the plot (at least I Hope Not) but the thought of eldritch fear gods being able to reach us after death... chills

“[actual death] is preferable to lingering in a world they control” oh no that’s not good for jon to hear

“they might even stop death entirely.” hmmm. HMMMMMM

“and taxes?” “taxes i imagine will continue” hell yeah jonny get his ass (’him’ being capitalism). also i know the coronavirus lockdown isnt exactly an apocalypse caused by eldritch fear gods forcing themselves through into our world, but considering the shit thats been going on? yeah i imagine taxes would continue

“could it be undone?” “no, i don’t think so” oh no. oh no jon. jon nooo. he’s just playing it over and over and god he must be feeling so guilty and helpless. he also gets a hug. and another. and then three more. then one more but it lasts for like an hour before i have to phase back into my own dimension

TIM AND SASHA i’m still not prepared to hear their voices i love they

sasha is so competent she’s incredible and i am in awe of her

hell yeah tim is drinking his respect woman juice

“jimmy magma. joany magnum? jack magnet” asjdfhakjfhakjhfk tim you’re the best

“what if we kill him” Fuck Off Jonny You Can’t Do That

SADHJA WAS GOIJNG YO QUIKT I AM SJDFHKJLASLKFDJGKSDJHF

holy fuck we got canon timsasha. also “you’re not the love interest”??? sasha was a lesbian. source: me, also a lesbian. who can Do What She Wants

“you might be the character they drop after the pilot” sasha no dont say that!!!! as the character who was dropped after the pilot (ok season not episode but still) i have determined that is Illegal. and yes i know sasha was killed off for entirely valid reasons and not just dropped but shhhh i am hurting

“i dont have anything keeping me here” oh sasha. oh you sweet summer child. i wish that was the case. i really do

oh hey sasha knew about tim’s brother? martin told tim about his CV? THE S1 ARCHIVE STAFF WERE FRIENDS AND I MISS THEM A LOT BECAUSE GODDAMMIT THE S3/4 STAFF DIDN’T FOUND-FAMILY LIKE THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO

“no such thing as the real you”? “it’s all just masks”??? jonny stop stop im already dead you dont need to kill me again

(god i fucking hate that i get the stanislavsky bit. i only did drama gcse but the exam was terrible because none of the exam board’s practice questions were even anywhere close so no one was prepared and i spent so long revising all these pointless notes on how to answer the difficult questions and i regret it So Much and any reminder of that fucking bullshit exam i had to do Fills Me With Rage

“if you get eaten alive by improperly filed statements, me and martin will avenge you... we’ll burn this place to the ground.” god i am in pain. not only do we have more archives arson foreshadowing but we also have this line that hits like a punch in the gut because they didn’t avenge sasha, did they?

“i find it highly unlikely this sasha ever even existed at all” “i’m unforgettable” shut up shut the fuck up is this allowed? IS THIS ALLOWED???? because it fucking shouldnt be. it’s murder jonny time lads!!!

is. is jon crying. oh no

and then he gets fucking posessed by the cabin?? i love how the format of the statements has changed its very interesting

The One You Love The One You Love The One You Love

jonmartin are so in love that even eldritch fear cabins can’t not see it. jonny really said “you can read their relationship as platonic... but i am going to do my goddamn best to make that hard for you” huh

and fuck, this statement. it’s so creepy and i love how we cant distinguish which entity it is, because does it even matter any more? the list of 14 was a human creation anywhere, i think the ‘different parts of a body’ metaphor l*itner used is makes more sense now. it doesn’t matter which part of the body is attacking you, it matters that you’re being attacked in the first place so figuring out which part it is isn’t really a priority any more

but i think it’s mostly stranger and spiral? i also get very vague corruption vibes from the description of the planks because “they are warmer, softer and more yielding than the timber they present”? ugghhhh. corruption has often been associated with this kind of ‘wrong’ warmth (think jon amherst) and it also brings to mind that episode where the guy nails meat all over his walls and the rot makes the statement giver’s ceiling collapse. but then there’s the lonely there too, because yes jonmartin have each other but jon says it himself: “it will not let you feel the warmth of joy this love may claim to gift”. just try tell me the concept of being unable to find happiness in love isn’t Lonely, even if it’s not entirely true

but yeah basically i love the merging of entities present in this creepy statement

“our tomb” huh. the pov changes here, it’s gone from talking about jon in second person, to talking as jon in first person. so if jon wasn’t possessed by SpOoKy CaBiN like i thought (because if he was, why would he suddenly switch like this? it doesnt make sense)... then what was making that statement? my instinct is to say it was The Archivist or rather, The Archives talking about jon but like a separate personality, which... yikes

“[this will be] my chrysalis. it is time that i emerge.” monster jon? monster jon. this line gave me chills because damnnnn i love me some good eldritch!jon

“i wanted to leave and hunt down elias” hell yeah jon go and brutal pipe murder that bastard its what you deserve

martin has packed bags already and he brought tea and i love him so muchhhhh

and jon’s smile is AUDIBLE he loves martin so much my tiny heart can’t handle it

“we got this.” “apparently so 😍 “ just tell me you can’t hear the heart eyes in jon’s voice. oh wait. you cant

LET MARTIN BURN SOMETHING ITS WHAT HE DESERVES

“we can’t fight the world, martin” “says you” afkjhasfkjhadkjghdakjghakdgf

to summarise:

get ready for me to type out the same summary for all 40 episodes because jesus fucking christ. jonny’s writing never fails to make me Feel All The Emotions at once. i give this one a spooky sentient cabin out of 10

[lovemesomesurveys]

Let’s start off on a high note, who was the last person to make you smile? It was my doggo. How many people have you had real strong feelings for since school started this year? I graduated college 5 years ago. I’m done with school.  you’re getting ready to go to bed and the last person that you kissed shows up, what do you say? It’s been 4 years since I’ve seen or talked to him. Him showing up now would be completely random and out of the blue. And really bad timing cause we’re supposed to be quarantining, like go home. Do you think that it’s cute when someone kisses your forehead? If it’s a guy I’m interested in, yes. What does the last text in your inbox say? “How are you feeling?”

What do you think the last person that you kissed is doing right now? Don’t know, don’t care. Do you think that someone has feelings for you? Not the romantic kind. Do you still talk to the person that you last kissed? No. Like I said earlier, it’s been 4 years since I last talked to him. Will you be in a relationship one month from now? No. Was your last text message from a girl or boy? Girl. Are you easy to get along with? I think so.  Is there a song that, every time you hear it, you think of someone? Yeah, there’s several songs like that. Does it bother you when you text someone and they take forever to respond? Nah, unless I need an answer right away.  Have you ever had a pet goldfish? Yeah. I had a big fish tank with a lot of fish as a kid. Where was your default picture taken? In my room. Can you play guitar hero? Yeah. I rock out on easy mode. haha. Aww, I haven’t played that in yearssss. I’ve actually been really wanting to play lately. Has anyone ever told you that you have pretty eyes? Yes.  Are you short? Yeah. Who was the first person that you texted in 2013? Uh, that was 7 years ago I have no idea. Can you honestly say that you’re happy right now? No. Is there anything stressing you out currently? The current pandemic and everything that has happened, is happening, and will happen because of it. What’s something that you cannot wait for? When we finally get this thing managed and under control and there’s medicine and a vaccine for it. What was your favorite grade? All of elementary school. Do you miss someone? My loved ones who have passed away. Would you ever get a tattoo? I’ve wanted one for several years, but I doubt I’ll ever get it done. Do you like to sit in the sun and tan when it’s hot out? The only time you’ll catch me sitting outside, especially for a long period of time, is if I’m at the beach. How many people with the name Taylor do you know? I don’t know any Taylors. Are you currently looking forward to tomorrow? No. Favorite color? Pastels, rose gold, yellow, mint green, and coral. Favorite number? 8. did anything bad happen to you in September? The only thing that really stands out about this past September is my aunt staying with us for a few days and one of those days we spent the whole day at the beach. It was a really good time. When you’re at the beach, do you swim or lay out? I just sit out and watch/listen to the ocean waves crash in and out. I get lost in that. It’s so relaxing. I love the feeling the cool ocean breeze, too. How’s your day been? It’s only 3 in the morning. We’ll see how the rest of the day goes. What were you doing at eight this morning? I plan to be asleep. This time last year, what was your relationship status? Single. How old will you be in three years? 34. What were you doing at four am? Much of the same, that’s only an hour away. What holiday is closest to your birthday? 4th of July. Are you afraid of shots? Ugh, yes. Me and needles, noooo thanks. Do you wear the hood on your hoodies? Sometimes. Ever liked someone who treated you like crap? Yes. :/ What color shirt do you have on right now? White. How’s your hair looking? It’s in a messy ponytail.  What are you thinking about right now? My mind is a jumbled mess. When was the last time that someone of the opposite sex gave you a hug? I don’t remember.  Has anyone ever called you a bitch? Yeah, friends and I would call each other that all the time in a joking manner. What was the last non-alcoholic beverage that you had? Starbucks Doubleshot energy drink. Have you consumed alcohol in the last thirty-six hours? No. I haven’t consumed alcohol in 7 years. Did anything brighten up your day? Not much has happened. Would you rather write in pen or pencil? Pen. Do you have an older sister? No. I don’t have any sisters. Are you going to go to college? I already went and graduated. Could you date someone who can’t make you laugh? Nooo. Are you wearing your favorite color right now? One of them. Has anyone upset you today? Not so far. I haven’t read any news stories, yet... Where did you stay three nights ago? Right here at home in my bed. Describe how you feel right now in one word? Tired. Do you find it hard to trust others? It’s not really trust that I struggle with, I just have a hard time expressing and opening up to people. I don’t like talking about myself and my problems, despite what you see in these surveys. It’s easier for me to do that in a writing format just venting to no one than actually talking to someone about it. I don’t like the focus and attention on me. I keep a lot to myself. In conversations I keep it on the other person or other things. What are you listening to? An ASMR video. Would you say that you’re emotionally strong? No. are you ready for kids right now? I don’t want kids. And now most definitely wouldn’t be the time even if I did. Who will you never forget? My loved ones. Were you an adorable baby? I think so. Then I grew up and ew. Are you attracted to someone right now? No.

[fallingin-like]

november 12

peu à peu by @zombiesolace​ [requested by @jsteneil]

see which other fics i’m reviewing this month! / my review request post!

this is a really interesting character study on post-canon kevin and how he finds his place within the foxes and deals with the aftermath of the events within the series. this fic has a lot of introspection and does a really great job of unpacking everything.

this is such an intriguing fic to me, i don’t see that many that really delve into kevin and his thoughts. i can’t imagine how difficult of a time he must have, both throughout the series and during post-canon events. this fic really made me better appreciate the struggles that he goes through because it’s really common to have his actions portrayed without any of this explanation or why he acts in certain ways. we always see his single-mindedness with respect to exy and just kind of write it off as kevin being kevin. i think you effectively explored his character and inner thoughts.

some parts that stood out to me:

“it goes like this: they lose.” uhm somehow you were able to break my heart in the first two lines of the fic? i love the simplicity of the way you worded this, it contrasts really well with the significance of what it means, for the foxes, but especially for kevin.

kevin yelling at the team after the loss feels very in character. it reminds me of what he was apparently like when coaching the foxes prior to playing, and we see a little bit of it in the books themselves. it really comes down to the fact that kevin is desperate. for a lot of the foxes, the loss stings, but at the end of the day it’s just a loss. the criticism is harsh and they don’t understand why kevin is so hard on them. to kevin, it’s his life. not just because of the fact that he’s definitely trying to go pro and have exy as his career and not just because the moriyamas are definitely watching over him, but because that’s how he was raised as a child. kevin’s terrible childhood is somewhat overshadowed by the rest of the foxes, but he likely still has trauma from how he was raised in the nest, under the master and riko. so much pressure that it feels natural that he wants to try and regain control in some way.

”they’re a team, they fall together. and yet after each game this year, kevin has found himself falling apart alone. biting shame and swallowing frustration as he tears into each overanalyzed mistake” i find in life it’s so easy to isolate yourself from the people around you. the foxes probably find it hard to be sympathetic towards kevin, but they probably don’t realise that as harsh as he is to them, he is exponentially more critical of himself. in your own head, mistakes can be an unending loop, constant and distracting. this fic is really opening my eyes to what kevin is dealing with and appreciating him so much more.

”their win last year was a fluke. a gift given to them by virtue of the trojans. a simply byproduct of the hardiness of the foxes and the instability of riko’s collapsing domain.” ohmygoodness nooo it’s always so hard for me as an outsider to see kevin (and really anyone) struggle with the imposter syndrome. so many people (including many talented fanfic authors!!) write off their talent, skill, and hard work as fluke or luck as opposed to the many hours spent bettering themselves and practicing.

”it is with an overwhelming sense of dread that kevin thinks of his death. with each day the reality of riko’s loss feels more sure… kevin wishes riko’s ghost had followed. he wishes riko were still alive. he wishes he were alone, he wishes he weren’t.” wow i love the way you wrote this, with his conflicting thoughts. since we experienced the series through neil’s pov, riko’s death feels more like victory and less like a loss. it’s something to be celebrated. but i think it can almost be seen as similar to mary’s death, which neil mourned. both characters were abusive and did things that were wrong. and yet, they were loved. whether we like it or not, riko was kevin’s family and though their relationship was twisted and manipulated, especially as they grew older, riko was the person that kevin was closest to. emotions are so complicated and i bet kevin feels like he can’t discuss this with the other foxes, who don’t quite understand.

”he knows that his commentary is far more nuanced by virtue of being a fox. kevin takes the out and opens the folder he has on the roadrunners.” this is kind of small, but i find it has some significance. it can be so easy to do the thing that you know is self destructive and get caught in a rabbit hole of pages and articles of bad. good on kevin for not doing that.

”the name wymack clings to his tongue. coach sits temptingly at the back of his palette. my dad, his mind whispers, the words clear and intrusive.” ugH it must be so so hard for kevin to work through this. i love these lines.

”andrew pokes his head out of the bedroom. he stares blankly at kevin, his hair mussed… he leaves the door partially ajar. kevin feels something in his chest loosen.” oo i really really liked this part. andrew has his own unique way of showing that he cares and i love seeing the small things that he does.

the whole conversation between dan and kevin is so interesting. the actual information that you’re sharing about exy and the way that they interact. i think you did a great job of showing a realistic back and forth.

”riko was always right there. kevin never had to call him.” these two sentences, and actually that whole section is really just so heartbreaking. you do a great job of making me understand kevin, something i haven’t really done so before.

”that’s not true. he does know. he enjoys having the ability to express his opinion. it’s a novelty he’s still getting used to.” oh, kevin.

”kevin can’t see any of the foxes. they disappeared into the store moments upon arrival and three out of the four are too short to be seen over the aisles.” lol what a mood (i am short)

kevin’s interaction with the fans is so interesting. i wonder if he often dealt with actually meeting fans during his time as a raven. it’s also really interesting to see neil from this point of view, he almost seems… unfamiliar? but not in a bad way. it kind of really brings us into the perspective of kevin.

abby-kevin relationship is so nice. i think it’s great that kevin has a maternal figure that he can find comfort in

the section on kayleigh is just so so sad. it makes me feel grief for someone i never knew. it aches knowing that she was such a wonderful woman, that kevin had her and now he doesn’t.

”’wooo!’ nicky shouts, ‘now that was a wake up call i didn’t need.’” ohmygoodness i love the way that you write nicky! it really lightens the fic a bit more.

honestly the bit about jean being waterboarded is horrifying to me. 

i like that wymack took kevin to riko’s funeral. there’s a sense of closure that has to do with it, kevin being with his real family while saying goodbye to what used to be his family

”he doesn’t recall riko breaking his had. he remembers before, and he remembers after but he doesn’t remember the moment his life changed.” i really appreciate the formatting you used with this, the line separating the first sentence, the way that you broke up the second sentence into two lines. it feels more impactful, more significant.

”he can see nicky and aaron showing off their most ridiculous dance moves in the corner for one another” oh my goodness this is amazing

“he wonders if they’ll call him an ex-fox when he graduates or if he’ll always be labeled an ex-raven. the nest had a quiet energy that fox tower doesn’t.” oh oh i like this a lot

also i like how you broke up the texts with paragraphs of kevin’s thoughts. it shows the gaps between his texts more and i feel his loneliness more keenly. the double-texting with the periods between reminds me of when i am at my loneliest

i love kevin’s conversation with jeremy. he’s known as one of the nicest, brightest characters in the series, but we really see why. how he is able to relax kevin and just speak to him.

your explanation of kevin choosing history as his major is so insightful, i’ve never really considered it, but now i wish i had

”i want andrew to enjoy himself. he does it rarely, kevin, you’re aware of that” renne is just so great.

the part about kevin using twitter, especially as a way to try and connect with thea is so interesting to me.

”’does he know you’re better than he is?’ she’d whispered in his ear” I LOVE THIS LINE what a turning point in kevin’s journey

ahh the part about nicky telling andrew about the conspiracy station, it’s so nice to see the way they are bonding like his

andrew is such a complicated character, i absolutely adore the way that you write him. a lot of the time i read a softer side of him, through the perspective of neil. kevin and andrew have a fascinating relationship, i love seeing it from kevin. “he gives kevin a thumbs up”, “i hear you, andrew says” these are so perfect

wymack giving kevin an extra jacket is peak dad behaviour.

recently i’ve been so fond of seeing authors incorporate the title of their fic into the writing. this is no different, it makes the title have that much more meaning “little by little, the bird builds his nest” i love this. how did you come across this quote? it’s so fitting for this fic

the dynamic between dan, wymack, and kevin is so so interesting. wymack and kevin are so similar that sometimes i guess it causes a distance because they’re not the best at communication. and it must be hard. they’re related, but still have so much to learn about each other. i guess i’ve never though much of how close dan and wymack are. you do a really good job at capturing the tension that exists, the interactions.

”he thinks a lot of people would rather he never spoke again” oh no this hit me hard

the little part where kevin and dan are talking about neil’s shot, i like this little bonding that we see. exy is the thing that has brought them together

”’you’ll make a good wymack,’ he says. dan jerks back, her mouth open, and her eyes stunned.” oh this is so nice

”he wants to say he’s my dad, but he’s hers too; hers more so and that’s dan’s point. what would he know? ‘he saved me too,’ he says instead” oh my goodness i love this so much

sorry but neil and kevin teaming up and nicky and aaron teaming up so that andrew loses is the best part of this fic and anyone that believes otherwise can fight me!!! “when they arrive in columbia andrew makes an aborted move like he will shut neil out of their room and it’s the first time kevin hears something like a laugh from neil.” this is so soft i needed this

go thea!!! thank you for making her so amazing in this fic!!! i like how you write their relationship, it’s refreshing and really interesting, we don’t know that much about thea

THEA TAKING OFF HER NECKLACE WHEN KEVIN CHANGES HIS TATTOO THIS IS THE BEST

there’s so much that you covered in this fic. kevin’s relationship with exy, riko, the rest of the foxes, wymack. i love the way that you worked through everything. the gradual improvement of the foxes following with kevin’s mental health improving. but we can really see how far he has come when they lose and he’s okay with it. you made me feel so close to kevin. your writing is wonderful, so many little details that just build to make this fic amazing. thank you so much for writing this!

[awfully-sadistic]

Prompt #11: January 11, 2019

America loves me

Implemented with the theme, Familiar Friday.

The theme is to write anything I feel comfortable with, but it’s tough when I don’t feel like writing at all. It’s been hard this week trying to get motivated to write, not going to lie. But I’m going to push through this in order to update today’s prompt and theme. I already missed #9 (through a much needed break, though) and I was pretty disappointed by yesterday’s prompt. Today, I can probably redeem this by writing in a format and way I’m comfortable with. So I’m going to try to do something more dialogue centered.

“There isn’t anything more patriotic than this!”

Dot laughed at Ripley’s comment, watching as her Mommy put up a decorative banner with all the colors of a rainbow. It read HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AMERICA! done by Gianna’s own hand. The Rockettes were currently decorating Gia’s garage mainly because it was where America Chavez spent most of her time at the Haus. That’s if she wasn’t hanging around her own Mommy, Dot.

Ripley continued, “America’s birthday and America’s birthday both being on the fourth of July. That’s more patriotic than Steve. Someone should tell him. I wonder if he’ll get upset about it.”

Dot shook her head with a faint laugh, wondering why Ripley’s goal for the year seemed to be getting Steve upset. Then she heard Mack laughing into a balloon and turned her head, watching as her muscled Mommy tied it off easily, then sent it flying into the air to give it a firm swat so it could go sailing across the room to gently float down with all the other balloons she had blown up in the same manner.

Gia paused from stenciling another banner, giving Mack a strange look.

“Aren’t you supposed to fill those up with helium?”

Mack paused mid-blow, pinching the balloon so the air wouldn’t get released. She held it out at arm’s length and then stared at the other balloons (there must have been at least fifty) she had done. “...Maybe.”

“How else are they going to float?” Gia pointed out, no-nonsense.

“You don’t know what I plan on doing with them!” Mack argued. She wiggled the balloon she held in her hand; it was smaller than the rest because she hadn’t finished blowing it up. “I’m going to tie string around them and hang them from places. They don’t need to be floating if they’re going to be hanging.”

Gia pursed her lips knowing damn well Mack came up with that plan a second ago. But her shoulders relaxed as she relented. “Fine. Just do the rest with helium so America won’t have sad, soggy Dwight balloons hanging on the walls.”

Dot laughed. She got that reference! Hearing Dot’s laughter, Gia sent a wink over her way and ducked her head, going back to work on the second banner. Then she paused again.

“Why do we need two banners?”

That was when Kamala and Doreen entered the room, bringing in paper plates and plastic cups and utensils stacked in their arms.

“Because one banner is good but two banners are great!” Doreen said, enthusiastically. She was beaming ear to ear. Kamala’s expression matched as she placed the party equipment down on the long table they were going to be using to place food and the birthday cake on.

“There’s a Bruce joke in there,” Dot said, pointing her wand at the two girls. “I feel it.” She had been in the middle of decorating the birthday wand--something America would be holding while they celebrated her special day.

Doreen laughed again before bounding over to her Mommy, coming to stand near her seated form. Dot sat on a stool, having a good vantage point of her three Mommies but also the rest of the garage so she could see it coming along great. Decorations were mainly in place--they were pretty much waiting on the balloons and Gia’s second sign, but other than that, the garage looked festive enough for someone’s birthday; Ms. America’s birthday landing on the 4th of July was awesome because a lot of the decorations were America-themed. It went great with the theme of America’s birthday. Dot knew it also wasn’t going to be a huge celebration because the main celebration for both the 4th and (mainly) America’s birthday was going to be in the main part of the Haus where main celebrations are held anyway. But both Doreen and Kamala had wanted to do something a little more personal for America. 

“How’s the wand coming along?” Doreen asked, looking downward and tilting her head.

“It’s coming along great, love.” Dot reassured, showing off her progress. It was a star-shaped wand with glitter and colorful string tassels she had attached with a hot glue gun. Right in the middle of the star, she had glittered America’s name as well as she could. Doreen cooed openly, gushing about how well she had did.

“This is so adorable! I hope we can all get wands like these for our birthdays, too!” she further gushed with Kamala soon joining in on the thought. Both girls were so excited about this secret celebration. They knew America had no clue what they were planning and the look on her face was going to be great!

“Of course, I’ll make your wands special for your big days, too.” Dot smiled, giving each of them a light boop on the nose with American’s starry wand.

Kamala laughed about to say something before her phone chirped and interrupted her train of thought. She fished it out of her pocket and squealed as soon as she saw the screen. “America is on her way!”

“Already?!” Ripley nearly fell off the ladder from her spot where she had been waiting on standby for Gia’s second banner. Gia also looked up, a little surprised. 

“I don’t think we’re even ready.”

“I told her to meet me at the garage around this time,” Kamala sheepishly admitted. “I thought we’d be done by now.”

Doreen looked at the balloons Mack was tacking onto the walls. “Hey, how come they’re so droopy?”

“I don’t have helium lungs.” Mack grinned. “And apparently, I’m running out of time to hang these anywhere so I’m doing the best I can before America walks into the room.”

“At least the wand is finished!” Dot waved said finished product in her hand. “What about the cake and food?”

Doreen slapped her forehead, “Crap, we were supposed to get that as soon as we dropped the plates and cups off. But we got sidetracked.” she finished, bashfully.

Dot shooed the girls with a gesture, “You can probably make it to the kitchen and back if you hurry!” She supposed there wasn’t going to be a huge food and cake spread since they still had to eat with everyone else later.

Doreen and Kamala nodded dutifully with determined looks on their faces. Then, they were gone. Ripley climbed down the ladder, coming to stand near Dot and started to shake her heads.

“Man, if I were that motivated to do half the things in my life, I’d be running the Family business. But nooo thank you, their energy levels are something else.”

Dot smiled fondly, having watched the girls retreat before turning her gaze up to her Mommy. “Yeah, but aren’t they adorable?”

Ripley laughed, “Yeah. Cute li’l kids. But not as cute as you.” She said, leaning down to smack her lips right over Dot’s. She straightened up when Gia held up the banner.

“Okay, R. You’re up again.” A pause before Gia gave a faint smirk. “Get it?”

Ripley was not as amused, “BECAUSE I HAVE TO GO ON THE LADDER? THAT’S LAME, G.” But she did it all the while complaining about how Gia’s joke was going to make her fall off the ladder. 

Now it was a semi-rush to help Mack hang up her limp balloons in a way that didn’t look as sorry as the episode Gia was referencing on The Office. Tying the blown up balloons together in threes and then stapling the balloons to the walls gave it the illusion that they were upright as long as the strings fell towards the ground. Add in some paper crafts Dot had cut that resembled stars (and mainly hearts because hearts were easier to make), they had successfully decorated the walls.

The four women stepped back towards the door to appreciate their handiwork. Even the plates and cups that had been dropped on the table by Doreen and Kamala had been set up and organized. The garage was looking like a festive birthday room sprinkled with a confetti of red, white, and blue colors with stars and stripes to accompany the whole look.

“Is this... too America?” Dot asked, tilting her head one way and then another. “It’s supposed to be America’s birthday but not... America’s birthday, you know?”

“I think she’ll love it,” Mack said from behind Dot. Dot lifted her head giving Mack a grateful smile before clapping her hands together.

“Okay! Kamala and Doreen should have been back by now. And I thought America was on her way...”

“Maybe something happened,” Gia stated. “did you want us to go look for them? Maybe they got more food than they can carry...”

“And they’re trying to carry it all in one go, oh my god, please help them.” Dot finished the thought because that was exactly what the girls would be trying to do. Ripley, Mack, and Gia nodded before exiting the garage with reassurances that everything will be fine and they’ll be back lickity-split.

Dot looked relieved as they left and allowed herself to relax. As long as her Mommies were there to lend a hand, things will work out fine. She swept her gaze along the room one more time, proud of all the work they did to put this together in three hours.

“Whoa, you guys really did put something together.”

Dot jumped as soon as she heard America’s voice behind her. That wasn’t a normal reaction, she realized. It felt more along the lines of getting caught when she wasn’t supposed to be doing something. In this case, America caught Dot unawares for her own surprise birthday celebration.

Dot spun around, arms held out and said, “Surprise!” With the hope that the girls would return really quickly, like, right now, and say the same thing to save all of this. 

But no. It was only Dot who still had her arms held out.

She soon dropped them as America laughed. “I knew it,” she said, shaking her head. She looked amused as she took in the sight before her. “did you guys do all of this today? This wasn’t here yesterday.”

“Wait, you knew the girls planned a surprise party for you?” Dot asked, frowning slightly. America finally turned her sights on her Mother, noting the frown. She sought to correct that right away.

“I knew... only because the girls can’t seem to keep a poker face. It doesn’t mean I’m not happy about it.” America explained. “Every time I asked if they had anything planned for my birthday, they would give each other this look--” America cut herself off and proceeded to mimic the expression. Dot burst out laughing. It was the goddamn ‘peterparkerface’ as it has been pegged around the Haus.

America continued, “I didn’t know what they were planning but it was something.” She finally broke off in a smile, perhaps a little too shy for her taste, while shoving her hands into her pockets.”I just didn’t know you were involved in it.”

Dot���s expression warmed as did her insides as she held her arms out, “Happy birthday, baby.” she cooed. “I love you.” 

America immediately moved into them, engulfing her Mother with her much taller stature in a tight hug. The kind where she buried her face in her neck and took in her Mother’s scent.

“I love you, too, Mama.”

“Aww man! Did we miss it!?” Doreen whined from the doorway. Dot and America pulled away, but America didn’t let Dot out of her arms.

“No, it’s just getting started.” she grinned before her eyes widened, “Whoa, how much food did you guys bring?”

[ellay-gee]

The Important Things

Ayy check it out, I’m figuring Tumblr out.  What a way to spend a sick day.  It was weirdly ominous that i got very ill the night I posted a sickfic. o.O

also, apologies to mobile readers, as the ‘keep reading’ thing apparently does not transfer over, and I just don’t have the energy to mess with it at this time.  damn fever.

Prompto should probably not be left on his own ever, but especially not when he's running a fever and can barely form coherent speech.

Ignis sighed in frustration as he pinched the bridge of his nose, nudging his glasses up a little as he did.  “Prompto, ginger ale is not medication.”

The voice on the other end of the line was closer to gravel than sunshine, and Ignis winced in sympathy for how painful it must’ve been for the blond to speak.  “Sure id is, Ig.  S’tha cure-all fer what ails you.”

Ignis tapped his foot on the marble floor as he checked his watch. It was difficult to tell if Prompto was just laying it on thick, or if he’d actually somehow gotten worse in the two hours since Ignis left that morning.  “I’ll be home in about six hours.  Do you think you’ll be alright till then?  I can probably send Gladio or Iris over—“

A harsh cough interrupted him before his boyfriend’s voice came back, weaker and a little wheezier.  “Dodo, s’ok.  I probbiss. I got…gidger ale. Add oj with the pulp, so, y’dow…healthy.  And that coddedsed soup; also healthy. I’m juss gonda sleep, Ig.  Just.  I’ll be ok, kay?”

“Condensed soup.” Ignis scoffed, but couldn’t keep the soft smile from his voice. “How you ever made it to nineteen is a mystery.”

“I’b tellig you, s’tha gidger ale. Goddds, Iggy. Feels like I’b swallowig glass.  This is not gonda be good for our sex life.”

Ignis clucked his tongue affectionately. “As if I’d touch you in your current state.”

Prompto let out something between a hack and a laugh.  “Y’dow you cad’t resist me. Lubb you, hab a good daaaay.”

Ignis returned the sentiment and hung up.  He had a feeling that he’d have his work cut out for him when he got home.

Somehow, he couldn’t bring himself to mind.

When Ignis next found himself with an extra moment, it was two hours and eleven texts later.

Prompto →  hey wheres canpoter?

Prompto →  canopner*

Prompto →  the thing that opens cans

Prompto →  im hungry and everything is working abaingst me.

Prompto →  nm its a poptop

Prompto →  stove hates me. Everything hates me. All but you ig. U r bust.

Prompto →  best*

Prompto →  fuck it going back to bed.

Prompto →  shit ur at ur meetings. Sorry.  Gods hope ur shit is on slient.

Prompto →  forvige me?

Prompto →  fuuuck. FORGIVE* me???

Me  → Always

Me  → Please do get some rest.  I will be home as soon as I am able

Me  → And the can opener is in the drawer to the left of the sink

Me  → Where it always is

Noctis groaned next to him, rolling his eyes as he read the messages over his adviser’s shoulder.  “Prom’s sick, huh? He’s the living worst when he’s sick.”

Ignis frowned down his charge. “Yes, he can be a bit much.”

Noctis laughed at that, “Yeah, that’s how you know he’s really ok.  It’s when he starts lying and getting quiet that you have to be worried.

“One time he got the flu and refused to admit he was feeling bad. Kept himself going with energy drinks and cough syrup.  He was loopy as hell and fucking bit it on the track during gym; completely blacked out while running pretty fast and basically ended up with road-rash and a concussion.”

Ignis winced in sympathy. “Hmm, yes. I thought I was successfully keeping him under wraps, but yesterday he slipped out before I woke and went to training.  Cor had to call me to come collect him from the men’s room floor.  Apparently he didn’t make formation and the marshal found him ‘vomiting up everything he’d ever eaten’.  He’s been mewling in bed ever since.”

Noctis gave Ignis a sympathetic expression.  “Poor dude.  Just make sure you don’t get it and give it to me.”

“Of course, Highness.  I wouldn’t dream of getting you ill.  You’re a thousand times worse than Prompto.”

The adviser chuckled as the prince seemed to consider this, finally nodding in agreement. “You’re right. I’m definitely worse.”

The second time Ignis was able to pull away from the meeting long enough to glance at his phone, another hour had gone by. In that time, Prompto had managed to send him seven links to songs he’d apparently listened to and wished to share, a rambling text about how much he ‘lurvd’ the adviser, and an article about how ginger ale could, in fact, settle one’s stomach.

Rolling his eyes, Ignis sent off a sweet text, wishing his boyfriend well and promising he’d be home as soon as possible. With real medicine.

By the time Ignis was finally able to go home, it was three hours and zero texts later.  This was a little disconcerting, so he placed a call to Prompto’s phone as he headed for the garage.  Receiving no answer, he waited for the cheery greeting to end and left a message.

“Darling, I am on my way home.  I need to stop by the pharmacy to collect your medications.  I’ll be there soon, though.  Love you.”

He slipped his phone back in his pocket and hurried his step. He didn’t like being away from Prompto for this long when the freckled youth was sick or otherwise incapacitated.  Ignis learned early on in their relationship that Prompto never wanted to ‘be a bother’, and would instead try to soldier on as if nothing were wrong. He could have a high fever and a sprained ankle, and he’d still insist on going on his morning run and completing his chores around their small house.

Ignis loved him endlessly, but there were times in which he would like to throttle the boy. Prompto’s self-deprecating/self-destructive streak could be rather irksome at times.

He stopped at the usual pharmacy and picked up cold medicine and a few other necessities, doing his best not to tap his foot impatiently as he stood in line. It would still be at least thirty minutes before he’d actually get home.

Though he’d been the one to insist that they get a place near the outskirts of the city, he did find himself regretting it from time to time, if only in instances such as this. But, he’d wanted to give Prompto something beautiful. The boy had been raised in the city, and though they could not move outside the Wall due to Ignis’ duties, the adviser could give him new scenery to explore. So, he’d found a small rental property situated on its own acre of land, nestled in among the rolling hills near the wall. Sure, it was a longer commute, but they spent it together most days which made it bearable.

He enjoyed their late afternoons in their little home; Prompto would wander the hills and the thicket of woods at the back of the property, taking photos while Ignis prepared dinner. They were even considering getting a dog, though Ignis himself would prefer a cat.

He was not going for Prompto’s ‘compromise’ of getting both.

As he turned onto the three mile stretch of gravel road that led to their little home, Ignis pressed the button on his dash to connect the Bluetooth, hoping Prompto would pick up this time. He had several bags and was hoping the other man could unlock the door for him.

He breathed a quiet relieved sigh when the phone was answered.  Prompto sounded awful, not even able to make intelligible sounds on his end.

“I’m almost home, darling.” He said when Prompto gave up talking in favor of hacking up a lung.  “I know you’re not feeling well, but could you—“

Prompto gasped into the phone, his voice ragged. “Iggy.  Ig. S’hot.  I dunno—“

Ignis swallowed hard. It sounded like Prompto had only gotten worse in their hours apart. “I know, darling, I know. It’s probably just because of your fever—“’

Prompto hissed through the line, whining little when he couldn’t stop another string of coughs.  “Nooo Iggyyy.  S’hot. I…the sto..the soup…” he trailed off as he wheezed desperately. “S..ss..smoke.”

With that last sibilant word, Ignis pressed his foot firmly on the gas pedal, his tires spinning in the gravel before gaining purchase, spitting rocks as he sped down the road. “Are you saying there’s a fire, Prompto?  Prom? Can you get out of the house?”

But there’s only coughing and a small thump quickly followed by a larger one from the other end, and Ignis’ stomach tightens considerably.  He brakes only slightly when their driveway comes into sight, the end of his town car fishtailing as he swerved into it. He shut the engine off and snatched the keys from the ignition before stumbling from the car and bounding up the porch stairs.

Smoke was indeed beginning to rise from the small building, and his hands shook as he shoved his key into the door, unlocking it and rushing inside.

Luckily for him, the living room was mostly clear of smoke, though it was heavy in the hall leading to the kitchen. Ignis called Prompto’s name before covering his mouth with his shirt and plunging into the haze.

He tried calling Prompto’s name, but quickly gave up as the smoke penetrated his lungs. His first stop was the kitchen, where he could barely make out the fire was licking up the cabinets above the stove and across the counter for all the smoke. Luckily he was able to spot a flash of Prompto’s bright blue pajama pants on the floor behind the dining table before he moved on in his search.  

Of course he would be as close to the fire as he could possibly get. He would not be Prompto, otherwise.

Ignis shoved this thought aside as he lept into action, kicking a flaming chair out of his way as he rushed towards Prompto. He crouched down, gripped Prompto under his arms and dragged him from the room.

Once far enough from the flames, Ignis scooped the boy up in his trembling arms and strode back out into the early evening air.  He laid Prompto in the grass and crouched down again, this time checking his breathing and pulse.

Thankfully, both were there and at near-normal levels, all things considered. He quickly checked the blond over for more injuries, finding some small burns on his arms and hands and a growing lump on his head where it had presumably struck the floor when he fell. The adviser fished his phone from his pocket and quickly dialed for emergency services before planting himself down on the ground next to his lover, pulling the other’s small frame into his lap.

His throat tightened as he gazed up at their perfect little house while it spat flames into the darkening sky. Ignis swallowed down his panic as he pressed gentle kisses to Prompto’s slack brow, running his free hand in circles on the smaller man’s chest as he rocked them both.

“Just stay out of the kitchen, Prompto.” Ignis said from the doorway as the freckled youth headed inside.  It had been three days since the fire, and they were just now being allowed to come back in and collect anything that may be salvageable.

“I know, I know.” Prompto’s voice was still rough; not only from the cold, but also from the smoke inhalation. He stepped lightly through the living room, heading for the hall.

Ignis followed, taking the same path; both men giving the kitchen a wide berth. Prompto was heading towards their bedroom, finding it mostly intact; just light soot stains covering everything. The adviser pulled out a notebook and began making a list of everything they would need to have packed up and delivered to their storage unit while Prompto began gathering the things they needed right then.

It was a short trip; they collected a few bags of clothing and some of Ignis’ important files. Most of the trunk was filled with Prompto’s camera equipment and various other electronics. While the blond carried the last of their things out to the car, Ignis found himself wandering towards the kitchen, though he was careful to remain outside the room.

He couldn’t help the sadness that swept over him. They’d spent so many mornings in this room, talking softly over breakfast. This was actually the first room they’d made love in when they had moved in. Now, the room was riddled with half-burnt debris and there was a clear spot outlined in soot where Prompto had been laying while fire raged all around him.

What remained of the interior was mostly black, but great chunks of the outside wall were missing and daylight shone through in cheerful juxtaposition to the destruction it illuminated. The fire had began due to a faulty light on the stove; it had not come on to indicate that it was heating when Prompto had put the soup on, and in his sickly stupor, he simply gave up--leaving it on as he went back to bed, believing the stove to be broken. After a few hours, the soup had cooked down and began to burn; the inspector reasoned that the curtains above the stove had probably been the first thing to actually catch fire and it had quickly spread from there.

He supposed he’d been lost in his melancholy longer than necessary, for he was startled out of his thoughts by a hesitant arm encircling his waist.

He wrapped his own arm around Prompto’s shoulders, pulling him closer, smiling a little at the warmth that rose in his chest when the smaller man leaned bodily into him.  

“I’m so sorry, Iggy.” Prompto ground out, rubbing his face into Ignis’ side. “Looks like all your stuff is ruined. Kinda unfair that my stuff’s ok, but you couldn’t save anything of yours.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that.” Ignis squeezed Prompto’s shoulder and dropped a kiss into his hair.  “I saved you, didn’t I? You’re all the ‘stuff’ I need.”

Prompto chuckled, poking Ignis in the side playfully. “The only kind of ‘stuff’ I am is hot stuff.” He waggled his eyebrows suggestively at the adviser, who groaned and rolled his eyes in response.

“I love you dearly, but please save the puns for me.” He laughed a little louder, a little more freely, as Prompto pulled him towards the door.

“Nuh-uh, you don’t own puns, Igs.” Prompto quelled any further argument by pulling Ignis down into a passionate kiss.

It was a cheap way to win the impending playful exchange, but Ignis couldn’t bring himself to mind.

[soras-noodle-arms]

the Winners™ Chapter 2

im sorry i dont feel like formatting this it took like half an hour to get the first chapter ready to post

there is no plot to this story

smakatrima-holes

tartar: hey guys the game room is open tartar: what the heck why are maronia and marco in here tartar: oh they were finishing some hw never mind tartar: u wanna have another smash bros tournament final: hell yeah i’ll be right there kartel: wait kartel: maronia and marco??? kartel: you don’t think…? virus: don’t be an idiot, karel virus: sometimes you’re so dense virus: tarulli i’m afraid i’m going to have to turn down that offer virus: i do not need to be there the next time a controller smashes through a window kartel: i hate to agree with this guy but same salt: omg yeah that administrator was terrifying dolly: … i was gonna say yes until you guys brought that up tartar: awwwww…. guys…….... :’( tartar: *puppy dog eyes* error: yeah no tarulli i’m not gonna get scarred for life and/or in trouble error: i’m gonna leave that to you and fina tartar: *sighs* and once again erral is the voice of reason tartar: man you guys suck tartar: WELL AT LEAST FINA’S HERE tartar: and maronia says she’s bringing the idea up to the others sooo final: this is gonna be fun

the unshakeables™

macaronia: heyyyyy rikando aven super smash tournament in the game room u up for it rikatoni: !!!!!!!!!!!!! rikatoni: I’M ON MY WAY farfaven: ooh yeah i’m coming macaronia: … farfaven: MARONIA DON’T YOU DARE macaronia: that’s what she said rikatoni: oh my goddd maronia farfaven: i hate you rikatoni: i’m so proud of you farfaven: rikando i swear sometimes we’re best friends with a living joke macaronia: says a living joke farfaven: sshhhhhhh you can’t expose me like this macaronia: hang on i’m gonna ask jontein and norandina if they want in

macaronia to jontellini

macaronia: tournament in the game room macaronia: you in? jontellini: oh hell no macaronia: well gee okay then mr grumpy

macaronia to noravioli

macaronia: tournament in the game room macaronia: you in? noravioli: no macaronia: ugggh fine

the unshakeables™

macaronia: yeah no they’re being hard headed rikatoni: guess it’s just us then rikatoni: i’m gonna destroy you guys farfaven: NOT IF I DESTROY YOU FIRST macaronia: THAT’S WHAT SHE SAID farfaven: UGGHGHGHGHGHG I HATE YOUUUU THAT DIDN’T EVEN MAKE SENSE

smakatrima-holes

tartar: guysssss come onnnnnn rikando and aven are coming to the tournament salt: good for them kartel: i hope they have fun virus: not a chance tarulli error: i don’t want to play in the game tournament dolly: sorry tarulli but no thanks tartar: GAH you guys are the WORST

travaga-holes

elder: guys apparently aven and fina plagiarized my chat name elder: i demand compensation meow: why are you coming to us for compensation we are not named aven or fina onurmarco: actually there’s something i’ve been wanting to tell you guys onurmarco: i AM aven onurmarco: marco doesn’t exist getseth: oh i wish but unfortunately i’ve had to deal with your hyperactive ass for far too long don’t even pretend elder: DAAAAMN SETH ritzy: savage meow: marco u may need some water for that burn onurmarco: i’m hurt onurmarco: no really i’m cryign why the HELL AM I CRYING getseth: oh my god nonono i was just joking where the hell are you i’ll be right there getseth: aaghh marco i’m so sorry onurmarco: and there u have it, folks, seth’s a total softie meow: OHHHHHHHHHHHH elder: daaamn marco that was cold man ritzy: holy frick that was so calculated getseth: what the hell i hate you onurmarco: nahh >:3 elder: seth get that nasty lie out of my face getseth: marco that was just cruel getseth: seriously though where are u i thought i hurt your feelings a few seconds ago i still need to hug you onurmarco: i’m in the game room with rikando, maronia, aven, fina, and tarulli X3 onurmarco: we’re gonna be having a tournament getseth: cool i’ll be right there getseth: what are you guys playing onurmarco: guess u’ll have to find outtt getseth: rude

linicha-holes

rikatoni: hey jontein norandina get in here i’m about to whup aven and maronia’s asses farfaven: he’s lying macaronia: yeah we’re gonna crush him rikatoni: IGNORE THEM FOR THEY KNOW NOT OF WHAT THEY SPEAK noravioli: i’m just trying to live my life in peace rikando noravioli: i have no wish to see your poor attempt at world domination or whatever the hell you guys are playing this time farfaven: excuse you we are playing super smash brothers brawl fight me norandina rikatoni: JONTEIN WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU THESE PEOPLE ARE SOILING MY GOOD NAME noravioli: he and fina are probably making out in a closet somewhere rikatoni: ummmmm??? you’re dead wrong fina is sitting on the other couch silently judging me jontellini: that’s my girl rikatoni: oh yeah NOW you show up macaronia: jontein is the definition of the guy that shows up 15 minutes late with starbucks tbh jontellini: wow you guys have my entire existence figured out jontellini: i can barely believe it macaronia: sometimes i wonder why rikando is the way he is and then i realize he’s just a younger carbon copy of you rikatoni: ummmmm??? what the hell does that mean should i be offended farfaven: it means you’re irritatingly snarky and yes macaronia: oh wowwww rikatoni: aven why the hell are we friends if you’re just gonna insult me farfaven: because rikatoni: … rikatoni: that is almost disturbingly vague noravioli: oh my god you guys are so weird rikatoni: JONTEIN NORANDINA GET DOWN HERE jontellini: fineeee i want to see my girlfriend anyway macaronia: wow you don’t even care about me and aven? macaronia: rude rikatoni: NORANDINAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA noravioli: okay okay all right u dumbo noravioli: i’ll be there in five

smakatrima-holes

tartar: ohhhh yess jontein and norandina just showed up to the game room final: we’re going to pulverize these nerds kartel: oh god rest in pieces the pasta group virus: pasta group kartel: shut up asshole they’re all named after pasta virus: really? i had no idea kartel: i hate you so much dolly: i have photographic proof that you really don’t kartel: dallona i stg ur supposed to be the quiet one virus: what could you possibly have photographic evidence of virus: wait virus: dallona no virus: that was an extenuating circumstance tartar: *deep, dramatic gasp* oh my god dallona show me kartel: dallona please do not dolly: i won���t

dolly to tartar

dolly: sent a photo tartar: oh tartar: my tartar: godddd!!!!

smakatrima-holes

tartar: YOU GUYS ARE THE CUTEST kartel: DALLONA WHAT THE ACTUAL HELL MAN virus: whatever she sent you is photoshopped tartar: sure it is viran tartar: sure it is kartel: dallona for the love of god delete that photo tartar: nooo don’t listen to them kartel: TARULLI DELETE THAT PHOTO tartar: oh hell no tartar: i’m showing everyone here that photo tartar: you guys look so innocent and adorable virus: tarulli i was exhausted you can’t prove our friendship through this picture kartel: how was i supposed to move with his bigass head on my shoulder kartel: it’s not my fault he fell asleep on me the total DICK virus: it takes one to know one, karel kartel: god viran would you just shut the hell up for five seconds tartar: i showed fina and she said and i quote: “oh my god that is the cutest fricking thing i have ever seen” kartel: yeah, tarulli? tartar: what kartel: give ur sister the finger for me tartar: wow

tartar to elder

tartar: sent a photo elder: OHOHOHO YESSSS elder: !!!!!!!!

travaga-holes

onurmarco: dude karel and viran just burst in here and they look pissed as hell getseth: i wonder why elder: guys big news i just got the BEST blackmail material ritzy: do i want to know elder: sent a photo ritzy: oh my god i knew they didn't hate each other meow: oh wow that’s hilarious onurmarco: *facepalm* onurmarco: why are we like this onurmarco: wait viran just left but karel’s still here onurmarco: apparently he’s here for revenge getseth: wow we’re gonna die

kartel to virus

kartel: hey, viran, we’re good, right? virus: yeah of course, don’t be ridiculous kartel: okay good kartel: i was just kind of worried, cause u left… kartel: and i mean it's kind of our m.o. to insult each other kartel: just wanted to make sure i didn’t go too far or something virus: yeah, sorry i just remembered some hw i have to crank out real quick then i’ll be down there again virus: and nah dw that was actually a pretty good one virus: kick their asses for me kartel: oh heck yeah they're gonna regret all that virus: don’t die hun i don’t want to have to avenge you kartel: ha ha you’re hilarious kartel: yeah okay sure babe kartel: i’ve got this virus: i know

travaga-holes

getseth: wow they’re demolishing us ritzy: rip getseth: thanks for your support brittany ritzy: no problem elder: i love how brittany is like super quiet outside the chat but like elder: a freaking snarkmaster inside meow: … elder: kat oh my god onurmarco: i still can’t figure out if you’re actually mute or if you just really don’t like talking onurmarco: why won’t you tell usssss meow: >:3 onurmarco: kaaaat why r u like thisss meow: because i love watching u people squirm onurmarco: wow onurmarco: OHHHHHH YOU GUYS SHOULD HAVE BEEN HERE WE JUST TOTALLY TURNED THE TABLES ON THESE PEOPLE onurmarco: AHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA getseth: marco omg chill getseth: this is the hyperactiveness i was referring to earlier getseth: oh my god getseth: that is so unfair he just turned around and hit me with the most pitiful puppy dog eyes i have ever seen getseth:  how do u do that onurmarco: X3 ritzy: how the turntables elder: wow seth you are hopeless getseth: don’t even be acting all high and mighty mandy you would be a pile of complete mush too if you were here getseth: his puppy dog eyes are on another level onurmarco: they are i have spent years perfecting them getseth: he even spontaneously formed tears??? getseth: like wtf how do you even??? onurmarco: it’s called talent onurmarco: something i inherently have oodles of getseth: omg you just used the words “inherently” and “oodles” in the same sentence i cannot bREATHE you’re such a DORK onurmarco: all right seth let’s quit talking AND LEAVE THESE LOSERS IN THE DUST

ritzy to getseth

ritzy: oh seth you are so far gone getseth: guuhhhh shut up i knoww

elder to onurmarco

elder: have you accepted it yet onurmarco: shut up mandy elder: oh come on marco it’s so obvious onurmarco: mandy i don’t want to mess things up with him he’s my best friend elder: so you HAVE accepted it elder: excellent onurmarco: leave me alone elder: marco come on i’m only trying to help onurmarco: please i don’t want to talk about this now elder: *sigh* okay fine elder: i’m here to talk when ur ready, all right? onurmarco: okay elder: hey, i’ve got your back, marco, all right? elder: i just want you to be happy. elder: you’re like the brother i never had onurmarco: yeah, i know onurmarco: thanks onurmarco: love ya elder: i love you too, you stubborn dork <3

i lied there’s a bit of plot >:3