#i wish i could draw even remotely as nice as this

[tworoadsandapenny]

I am so excited to see where this leads. Such beautiful art. I love this style so much.

@kathaynesart your storytelling is wonderful, as always. Can't wait for the next update.

The circle has begun to turn, whether by design or mistake has yet to be seen.

BEGINNING || PREVIOUS || NEXT (SOON) MASTER POST

If you're looking for an extra bit of flavor, a song that has kind of become Mikey's Theme for me helped inspire this sequence (specifically 3:15-3:55).

Just one more update and we'll be finished with this chapter finally! I was originally going to post the whole finale here, but decided it was just getting too long. Will post the last bit soon!

[airborneice]

“What’s this one supposed to mean?”

“Hmm..beauty or strength, sometimes.”

“Perfect.”

@sketchbookweek Day 2 - Wilderness / Witchcraft

going back to my roots of drawing sketchbook being gay in a field

[bookerwrites]

Returning

Cross posted on AO3!

Pairing: Solas/Reader

Summery: Varric brings the reader in on his plan to redeem Solas.

Word Count: 571

Content: Angst, vague allusions to a panic attack, confronting your ex-lover who's apparently an ancient god hellbent on blowing up the world.

———

"All right. We'll take it from here." Varric turns to your small group, jaw set - he's determined. You wish you felt the same.

"This isn't going to work, Varric! He's not going to listen to me!" Panic is rising in your chest, a bleak feeling that accompanies the frantic pounding of your heart.

Harding's eyes lock on Varric as she loads another crossbow bolt. "I agree! Solas isn't going to stop just because an old friend asks nicely!" She looks across to where you're lent against the wall, appearing very much like your legs might give out from under you at any moment. Her gaze softens as she regards you. "No matter who they might be."

"Look- Solas needs someone to sell him a better option, to help him justify changing his mind." Varric turns to you, reaches a hand out to steady you. His touch draws you from your mind, his confidence in you only of slight comfort. "I'll be right behind you the whole time." The dwarf says softly.

"We did not come all this way just to talk to him." Rook levels you both with a warning glare - like your association with the elf means that you, specifically, aren't to be trusted. You doubt you'd feel any different in his place.

Varric moves to stand between you - not by much, but it's enough to tell everyone present where he stands on both fronts.

"He was our friend, Rook. We've got to try and reach him." He leaves the word 'friend' to hang in the air - everyone already knows why you're here. "And if he won't listen to me...then he will hear from Bianca."

You squeeze your eyes shut at his words, swallowing around the knot in your throat as a hollow feeling stirs in your chest - pre-emptive heartbreak at what's to come.

"Ready?" Varric asks, his voice dragging you back to reality.

"Not even remotely." There's a small, half crazed smile threatening to break across your face. This could well be a suicide mission - you might die before you even make it to Solas - but some mad little part of you whispers that he would never hurt you.

Varric nods at your shaky confirmation and rolls his shoulders. "Rook, take care of the team for me."

---

Your legs feel like lead as you drag yourself up the staircase towards Solas, and although Varric is only a pace behind you, crossbow raised, you've never felt more alone. You falter in your approach, each step forcing you closer to confronting everything you'd tried desperately to bury for the past ten years.

"Hey, Chuckles. Hope we're not interrupting!" Varric calls out, and you watch as the elf's shoulders tense almost imperceptibly. You can tell he's steeling himself as he begins to turn, like any show of weakness might be used against him. I still know you, you think.

It's clear he's not expecting you, of all people, to be standing before him. Despite the din around you, you catch the way his breath hitches; catch the way his eyes widen as they alight on your face. Your own breath feels like it's been stolen from you as you stare up into those icy eyes - all the waiting in the world couldn't have prepared you to see him again after so long.

"Vehnan?" He calls, voice weak - unsteady as you feel tears prick at your eyes.

[mylordshesacactus]

The Barrissoka Fusion You Never Knew You Wanted

So in celebration of FINALLY rounding out the originally-planned slate of barrissoka Disney AU/fusion challenge fics, I thought I'd put together a masterlist for those of you who are new, returning, or just never got around to them when they were first posted!

By sheer good luck, there are an even split of AU types--three fusions (ie, Star Wars characters adapted to a non-GFFA setting), and three alternate timelines (where the core setting is the same, but events developed differently--in this case, in a way analogous to the core plot of the movie the challenge was based on.).

Fusions

Through The Darkness And The Shadows

Setting: Fantasy-Medieval AU: Beauty and the Beast

Once upon a time, in a faraway land, a young princess lived in a shining castle…

It'll Sound Like A Promise

Setting: Fantasy-Medieval (Scotland Redux) AU: Brave

A clan leader’s heir had to strive for perfection. That was why Ahsoka was currently hiding in a tree.

Look To The Sky With Hope

Setting: Pirates/Fantasy Age of Sail AU: Pirates of the Caribbean (62k, 5 chapters)

Anakin Skywalker. Every sailor knows that name. Captain of the ghost ship Twilight, ferryman of the dead. Some say he preys on merchantmen, out of vengeance for the loss of his ship and crew; others that he and the charred black phantom are an honest sailor's friend, a protector in the dark and the mist. According to Ahsoka, the truth is both and neither. But the Twilight is...well, it's not real. Barriss Offee may be new to this whole pirate thing, but she knows that. It's a legend, a story, a sailor's superstition; like mermaids and Fridays and the Kraken. The ship of the dead and its captain, they're just a myth. Aren't they?

Alternate Universes

Going My Way?

AU: Aristocats Podfic: By Writers_Block, available here.

Shipwrecked and stranded on a remote agricultural planet, Barriss Offee doesn't dare reveal her identity as a Jedi for fear of drawing unwanted attention that might endanger the younglings in her care. Enter the charming, compassionate young spacer Ashla, who drops everything to take the group under her protection and asks nothing in return, as Barriss grows more and more unhappy with the necessity of lying to a young woman who's been nothing but honest with them. Meanwhile, Ahsoka Tano and her master are on an undercover mission. She really wishes she could tell the scared young mother she's taken in that she's a Jedi, but, well. The mission has to come first.

Back To The Wind

AU: Cars. (I cannot emphasize enough that this is an AU and not a fusion. They are not cars. They are people. For the love of god. It's just a plot adaptation. Please stop asking me if they're supposed to be cars.)

A hyperdrive malfunction strands Ahsoka in a nearly-abandoned trading settlement in the Outer Rim. That's not the problem. While she works off her community service sentence, she ends up in the unofficial custody of a weirdly hostile Mirialan who won't stop giving her these long, searching looks and talking about the failures of the Jedi Order like she knows something Ahsoka doesn't. That's not the problem either. The problem is...Ahsoka's starting to wonder if she really wants to go back.

When These Moments Have Passed

AU: The Fox and the Hound

Jedi Master Plo Koon was sent to Shili to retrieve a Force-sensitive youngling...and arrived just a few hours too late. Years later, a Jedi padawan and an indentured bounty hunter find themselves in the same spaceport. They shouldn't be friends, not really, but...they're more alike than they are different, straining under the weight of roles they can't escape. That bond is stronger than the galaxy's expectations. Until it isn't.

Bonus

While these are NOT part of the very specific "I can turn any classic Disney movie into a barrissoka AU, fucking try me" original challenge that spawned all this, they're some very nice AUs and if you're into AUs in general, you'll probably appreciate:

Iced Offee, Caramel Twist

AU: Coffeeshop AU

(What? Someone had to write it.)

Mirror, Mirror

AU: Sith AU

(Series/Duology)

[thedragonchilde]

Going back and making notes for the first dozen episodes, since I downloaded the series! Here I have 1-6

"Gundam Fight Begins! The Gundam That Fell to Earth"

-some prime worldbuilding opportunities already!

-Domon’s first smile of the series is toward a child :)

-I wish we'd gotten more of Rain’s gadgets

-if these kids lost their parents in the last Gundam Fight, Sophia would've had to be just a baby. These boys raised a baby!

-we never get more on how the KoH title (and by extension the rest of the Shuffle Alliance) is actually known to belong to an elite fighter

-it's a shame that Michelo is such a hate sink because he's regrettably quite fashionable

"Roar of the Winning Punch"

-second episode, second instance of Domon in a bar. Is that whiskey?

-when the hell did he have time for 100 bouts? Even if you fudged his age, that doesn't make sense. They have to be counting practice or something

-Chibodee does NOT take embarrassment well

-and this is why they're rivals - that was a solid punch!

-ah, the shady government officials, who assassinate rival fighters and… hypnotize/brainwash people?

-little Chibodee!

-why is Mount Rushmore on the colony?

-the phallic sword positioning makes its debut

-”we'll eliminate you as well!” Damn, okay

-how can she know what Domon's suit-up sequence looks like and call Chibodee the showoff

-“Oh yeah”

-”why don't you just finish me off/I bet you pity me/my dream is now over” shit, the “Star of Hope” isn't very optimistic, though I guess that appellation was given to him to live up to rather than him choosing it

-he doesn't get why the crowd is encouraging him, let alone Domon. Oh honey

-”you're one of the good guys” hee :)

"Beat the Dragon Gundam"

-Sai, why are you sleeping in the road

-you little shit

-lol Chinese Gundams and water

-there's a lot of moving parts in this plot so I feel like I don't have much to say

-besides various versions of “you little shit”

-a draw! Nice to see Domon not winning handily

"Challenge! The Red Rose Knight!"

-They actually designed a Sand family crest

-ah, early installment weirdness, Raymond (or his lookalike) is with the princess

-DAMMIT DOMON

-is George psychically interfacing with his Gundam? Like, he's not in it, and he doesn't have a remote. Voice activation? And he's able to stand on it while it's moving, that's some A+ balance

-what is that bottle? Booze again?

-is he gently shooting her down or is he just oblivious? Probably the latter, since he's confused that she didn't want to listen to him wax poetic about his Gundam

-Marie-Louise how did you come up with this

-okay Domon going along with the plan is actually pretty funny

-who makes a toilet with an outside lock

-”I see nothing before me with the exception of this man” das gay

-he's not going to finish you, George, because that would mean you'd let go of the tower

-the French in that letter actually kind of sucked. And with @amplexadversary's headcanon that Domon is a polyglot, I wonder if he theoretically could have written it

"Great Escape! A Captive Gundam Fighter"

-“Why are there names of countries on this?” How do you know how to read Japanese?

-oh, this will be a huge scandal when it gets out

-for someone his size, Argo is quick as hell, being able to knock Domon out of the sniper's way

-okay, is Nastasha military or law enforcement?

-the eternal question: are suit-ups usually like this and just truncated for time, or is it only that difficult for Domon?

-Nastasha is a little turned on by being talked back to

-is it an asylum or a prison??

"Fight, Domon! Earth is the Ring"

-Kyoji shows more outright attraction to Rain than Domon does :P

-Domon gushing about Master is adorable

-saved by the mom! I'm guessing Domon didn't want to talk about the science stuff he could never get into

-so the finger snap activation is a Kasshu trait

-more early installment weirdness, with evil!Karato and an alternate explanation for Ulube’s mask

[marreddream]

Housamo Fic - Two Dog Warriors Walk Into A Cafe

Ding-a ling~

Shinya Tennoji is picking up empty cups and plates from the tables when he sees a small pink and a large brown Therian enter his cafe. Hazelnut strawberry and matcha dark chocolate. They make a rather charming pair, he thinks.

“Oh my, Tanetomo and Yasuyori! It’s so nice to see the two of you again!”

Yasuyori beams. Tanetomo scoffs. 

“We’re just here to use the coupons you gave us. We happened to be close by, so we figured we’d scope your place out.” 

Shinya’s glad to see them, and glad they hadn’t shown up until a good amount of time after the Valentine’s Snowball Fight Shinya had met the two at had passed. Days after an absence of his at the cafe were always busier than normal, to speak nothing of a missed Valentine’s Day shift. 

“Aw, I’m happy to hear that! Yes, see what on the menu you’d like, and order at the front when you’re ready.”

“Shinya Tennoji. I hope for your sake that what you just said was a simple case of you automatically rattling off whatever generic customer greeting phrases first popped into your brain when you saw us, and not you assuming me to be so moronic I never learned how to order from a cafe.”

“Ahaha, it was most definitely a case of the former, Tanetomo.”

“Well, perhaps Yasuyori might have needed the assistance, so good on you for being such a diligent and attentive employee.”

“Counselor! You have seen me function perfectly well at the plenty of other establishments we have been to together before!”

There are some minimally subdued rumblings from the regulars about the fresh faces who have entered the cafe. 

“At least...not fawning…Shinya, but…” “Treat… more respect…holes…” “...think they’re …type?” “… are pretty cute…”

Tanetomo’s ears twitch at the last comment. He does a hair flip and a whimsical 360 degree twirl for the crowd as naturally as he draws breath, which is to say: effortlessly yet with intention, before returning to scanning the menu. 

Taromaiti is at the cash register. She observes this action without judgment or reaction. Hermes isn’t here today, but it’s what you could call a slow day, so Shinya doesn’t particularly mind. Kalki is busy preparing food and cleaning dishes in the back, so he does not get to witness this 10s-across-the-board maneuver.

Cafe Asterism’s patrons tend to get upset when Shinya isn’t the server or cashier, but he wishes he could be on cooking duty during cafe hours more often sometimes. Oh well. He wishes for a lot of things that can’t come true. He returns to what he was doing before hand, and Tanetomo and Yasuyori make their order.

“Iced coffee. Grande. And a bread pudding.”

“Could I have… a venti sized matcha frappuccino? Five Monte Cristos, and two shortbreads, please.”

Yasuyori pays for them both, and they take a seat. 

“Oh, 1 hour seating?” “Well, we won’t be staying long. Anybody who could find something in here even remotely interesting enough to justify spending over an hour in this place (aside from the presence of yours truly, of course) would have to be quite the simple minded kook.”

It’s a subtle dig at Shinya, and the corners of his lips curl up a little. But, for somebody whose goal was to win over Shinya’s “adoring throng of fans to show them who was truly worthy of their love”, as Tanetomo had put it, Shinya wasn’t quite sure if…ah, what was it called? If, “negging”, was the right direction to take.

The people seated nearby Tanetomo and Yasuyori smile upside down. There are definitely some unsavory feelings to be felt in the air, but romantic rival nor direct threat to Shinya’s life/ego (it’s the same thing to them really) Tanetomo does not yet appear to be, so they keep to themselves.

Shinya drops off crockery in the sink, and Kalki has already completed the preceding order for Shinya to serve. Kalki’s insane multi-tasking skills are one thing, but that combined with his four, rugged, heat-resistant arms puts him on a whole nother level when it comes to cafe work. Shinya could sing his praises about Kalki all day long, but not out loud. Kalki would explode the world from embarrassment before any of Shinya’s fans could do it for him in a fit of an envious rage. So Shinya settles for a simple ‘thank you Kalki’ and serves Moe-chan her order, who smiles and says thanks.

When Tanetomo and Yasuyori’s orders are completed, Shinya brings their food over.

“Wow! It looks so good! Thank you, Tenn-”

“Taste test for poison.” Tanetomo spoons a scoop of pudding into Yasuyori’s mouth, and then a strawful of iced coffee. 

“Gulp. Delicious! No poisons identified, Counselor.” 

Shinya wonders if this is Tanetomo’s roundabout way of sharing his food with Yasuyori, some sort of twisted display of dominance, or if poisoning attempts really are frequent enough to be something they actually needed to watch out for. Regardless, it’s a somewhat endearing scene, in a darkly comedic sort of way. 

They are in dangerous territory too after all, Shinya acknowledges. He smiles at the two and leaves them to go attend to the other customers.

Yasuyori takes a small sip of his frappe before setting it down on a coaster. The drink is now already half empty. 

“Give me some of your drink.”

Tanetomo has already snatched it before his sentence is even finished and tries some. He drinks a quarter of it, and Yasuyori nibbles on one of his cookies before giving it to Tanetomo.

The two of them efficiently dine and chat. As Tanetomo consumes the bread pudding and his drink at a surprisingly fast yet visually refined pace, Yasuyori piles three Monte Cristos on top of one another to impressively bite down on all at once, and then hands the remaining two to Tanetomo who proceeds to do the same.  

Wow. Shinya can already feel his jaw locking from just looking at them, but it also kind of makes him want to try it out as well.

Yasuyori finishes his sandwiches and cookie first, and then stares at the one he had given to Tanetomo. Tanetomo purses his lips and tells him to go buy some more for the both of them to-go. Yasuyori complies.

To Shinya’s surprise, Tanetomo calls out to him.

“Don’t think I haven't been seeing you side-eye us the entire time, Shinya Tennoji.” 

Oopsies. Looks like Shinya Tennoji got caught. He wasn’t bombastically ‘side-eyeing’, as Tanetomo had verbally interpreted it as, but he really thought he was doing good about not being that obvious observing them. He hopes the other customers haven’t been as perceptive and paranoid today as Tanetomo is in general, but he’s been pretty good about personably interacting with everybody so he thinks it’ll be okay. 

“So was the entertainment of our dining in your establishment to your satisfaction?”

“Aha, sorry, sorry. It’s not like I wasn’t looking, but the two of you seemed like you were having a lot of fun. I always want to see my customers having a good time at Cafe Asterism.”

“Hmph. Is that so.”

Well, yes. That is so, Shinya thinks. He most certainly does not like to see people having a bad time at Cafe Asterism, when the reasoning for most everybody gathering here tending to be because of him.

“Ahhh… could it be that... that wasn’t the case for you two today?” 

His hands come up to his chin. It’s an endearing pose that he finds tends to quell agitated customers, but it only serves to scrunch up Tanetomo’s expression even more. Shinya holds back a smile.

“The atmosphere here is not to my standards. The interior design doesn’t help either.” 

Shinya’s proud of his quaint little cafe, but he knows it’s just that. A quaint little cafe. That also attracted a lot of… rather strong-willed habitué . So he can acquiesce to that opinion. And besides, Tanetomo was not saying Shinya’s decorating was making the atmosphere worse! He can take that part as a compliment.

Anyways, the only opinion on his cafe that truly mattered was Retail Food Health and Safety Code’s opinion, and Cafe Asterism was up to snuff.

“Aww…. Tanetomo, I’m so sorry to hear that. I’d love for you and Yasuyori to come again sometime… but if you’ve lost all interest in returning to Cafe Asterism, then I completely understand.”

He doesn’t want them to never return again. But it’s not a bad thing to let people run while they still can either.

“I’d be significantly more incentivized to return if I had some more coupons to use at a next visit. The food is up to par, I can at least say.”

“Hehee. At least that can be arranged.” He pulls some from out of his apron pocket. “Here you go, Tanetomo.” 

He smoothly plucks them from Shinya’s fingers and looks them over. 

“You just give these out to whoever asks?” “When I feel like…I have extra, I guess.”

Shinya feels a presence behind him and turns around. Oh, it’s Moko.

“Sh…Shinya… sorry, cuz’ I overheard…but could…. I have a coupon, too…?” 

Moko gets the words out just audibly enough for only Shinya to hear, but Shinya knows it’s only a matter of time before people will begin to gather round, and Tanetomo seems to sense this looming phenomenon as well.

“My, one’s heart can't help but be tugged at by such pitiful displays of desperation…”

Yasuyori returns with a paper bag of confections in hand, and Tanetomo gets up to leave.

“I’m off.” He spins, his hair elegantly following in a curve, and heads to the exit.

“Farewell Shinya!” Yasuyori gives a friendly wave goodbye, and Shinya turns around to reciprocate.  

When he turns back to respond to Moko, and Sumael, Amon, and Rue who have also begun to crowd around Shinya, he hears the bell of the exit door ring as it is opened and Tanetomo calls out from behind.

“Customer service wasn’t bad either. Give my regards to Miss Taromaiti and the chefs.”

The door closes shut. 

“I was still right here to give regards to, you know,” Taromaiti remarks amusedly from the front register. 

Shinya proceeds in the distribution of coupons to his patrons who have circled around him.

[msookyspooky]

OMG YOU WATCHED LISA FRANKENSTIEN AND LOVED IT?! <33

I've been waiting for that especially since you've posted Gomez and Morticia (The goal of all goals) on your blog! It's an odd request but I still read and love your Set Up series so can we get a crossover with YN as Lisa Swallow's and the boys as The Creature? ( Cole Sprouse lowkey reminds me of young Skeet Ulrich which considering Riverdale it's no wonder)

Wait cause no this is such a good idea I cannot pass it up I got so much work to do but I REALLY wanna write for this! (I got so many request I'm trying to do in my inbox but uh...This is my current hyperfixation srry)

I wish I could draw better to make zombies of them fhjaafg ♡♡♡ If anyone wants to add onto this or request other characters please do (And anyone seeing this; watch Lisa Frankenstein I loved it)

🔪 Scream / Lisa Frankenstein Crossover 🧟‍♂️

Iⁿᶜˡᵘᵈᵉᵈ﹕ ʳᵃⁿᵈʸ ᵐᵉᵉᵏˢ, ˢᵗᵘ ᵐᵃᶜʰᵉʳ, ᵇⁱˡˡʸ ˡᵒᵒᵐⁱˢ, ᵐⁱᶜᵏᵉʸ ᵃˡᵗᵉʳⁱ

(Everyone is buried in this despite canon and set in the present. Fem!Reader TW: Corpse/Dead Body, Talk of Rot and Decay, Zombie BF)

🪦 Randy Meeks: Died 1998

♡ You loved his character in Stab. After you did some deep diving studying who the actual Randy was outside of the movie; you found his tombstone. (who would do this? Me and @f1nalboys Might do what Lisa did and write your name over his etched name *Meeks* on a piece of paper. Bc of course YN Meeks just has a nice ring to it)

♡ Heard you venting about life and fell in love in his restless but lucid slumber 6ft underground. Someone actually likes his character for more than comic relief? Someone understood him? They didn't think he was just the geek?

♡ After a terrible lightning storm...Guess who fumbled and broke through your window drenched in mud and decay?

♡ Is a little hurt you aren't head over heels for him in his current state. He accidentally cried even if his pride hates that he quite literally cried his own eyes out. He's used to not getting who he wants and...Well, he may not smell himself with his nostrils rotted out but considering his eye popped out; still attached to the retina and had to be pushed back in while you're covering your nose gagging; he understands even if it hurts.

♡ Takes a shower (I'd use Dawn. Bar soap or Dove ain't gonna cut it.) and wears your clothes or robe. He still smells like a dead body and has worms but he's trying. He's got a LOT of old stab wounds from dying in that van at Windsor...Holes...Things seep out so you might wanna get tape or something idk.

♡ Do not stress this undead man out if you mischaracterize a film; he cannot talk with a missing tongue to argue; it decayed decades ago.

♡ His dead, dull eyes actually have some spark of life to them when he sees streaming for the first time. So many movies he's missed out on! Give him the remote and you never gotta worry about him leaving your room while you're gone.

♡ He accidentally kills someone you definitely did not want killed after they smelled something awful in your room, went up there, screamed, Randy went to knock them out in a panic and accidentally kills them

♡ He feels awful about it and you both decide to hide the body and use their hand to replace his missing one (Fell off lol just dead things) and shock him back to circulation somehow

♡ If you do what Lisa did and let him do...Other things with a 'back massager'. He's so madly in love and yearning for you it's insane. But if you got a crush you're yearning for; he is rolling his eyes with a grunt at this being Sid and Billy or Sid and Derek allllll over again.

♡ Less corpsey he gets with each shock session; more he can't help his feelings for you. YOU have to be the one to admit your feelings to him though because what would you want with an undead geek like him? At least in his mind.

♡ Would cry his eyes out (Not literally this time) if you were killed and 100% would resurrect your body and take care of you like you did him

♡ Is as loyal as they come. Will worship you accepting him at his geekiest, dead, grossest versions of himself and you're still here

🪦 Stu Macher: Died 1996

♡ You found his tombstone as a dare to 'bring him back' like bloody mary....No duh, it didn't work. But Stu was still aware of it in a dream like state sorta way. You didn't believe in that stuff rolling your eyes at people badgering you on where you lived.

♡ A car hits a power line and the line of electricity zaps his grave and he goes home just to see...Holy shit, you own his house!

♡ He thinks he's still the playboy man slut he was in life that can get anyone he wants so he's really offended you aren't wanting him to kiss you. Why!? Cause he has worms and his lips are a little dry from sinking into rot, he's a little bit dirty with body fluid stained clothes and he smells like a dead body? Picky!

♡ Is even more offended you're gagging and covering your nose demanding he bathe. Begrudgingly takes your dumb shower and your entire tub smells like dead bird and covered in dirt.

♡ When he comes out you see his face is very scarred under all that mud he had on him. Maybe the rumor he died via a tv crashing on his head and shocking him was true?

♡ If you piss him off...Well he can't kill you cause he needs you. But he WILL hack up a worm like a hairball just to gross you out out of pure pettiness.

♡ Just steals your clothes without asking. Lounging in your best clothes that can fit while he's leaking fluids. If not, he's stealing some guys clothes in your home. Catch him lounging in your Dad/Step Dad/Brothers/Friends best fit.

♡ Tries to steal your bed till you yell at him to get in the closet before someone sees. He guards your clothes and forces you to wear the sluttiest sexiest clothes you have...What? He's helping!

♡ He is soooooooo elated they made Stab! A whole movie with him portrayed in it by a good looking actor? He is over the moon watching it on repeat.

♡ Gets lonely easily...And bored! He's sighing to himself when you're gone and thinking how Billy is dead now and all the people he once knew, knew him as a murderer and were in their 40's. In fact, don't leave him alone long; its disastrous.

♡ Not able to yap HURTS HIM. Expect a lot of hand gestures and getting him a note pad to write on because he can't handle this

♡ Kills someone after you have an issue with them not even second guessing it. What? Problem solved! AND he gets a new body part to replace the one that rotted. Win win.

♡ He is very aware and depressed his manhood rotted off decades ago and that's probably the first body part he's going for. Especially a crush/boyfriend of yours. He can handle no ear or hand or even a tongue but his dick!? No.

♡ Sits in bed painting your nails while you rant about boys. He nods at everything when it comes to guys having their mind on one thing because well...Yeah. Especially in his case

♡ HE is the one smirking if he finds any massager and even if you want a back rub that thing is going lower. Just cause he doesn't have a peen rn doesn't mean his mind isn't in the gutter still

♡ He thinks your a girlfriend of his right away so casually without even asking you so; of course any guy coming near you is dead. Of course he's resurrecting you if you die because...Well he's starting to realize you're the only girl that doesn't scream when you see him so he's gonna hang up his player towel.

♡ Even fully restored he still has scars on his face and feels indebted to you that you don't care about his murderous ways or his face now. He takes care of you if you're dead and the roles reverse...Hell, he finds it hot you need him now.

Billy Loomis: Died 1996

♡ You were a bit odd yourself and found yourself studying the murders. Feeling conflicted about Billy because yeah he was an awful incel but researching his background you felt a bit bad he felt so alone and abandoned even with people around him. You clean off vandalism on his grave and talk to him for hours.

♡ A storm occurs after you have an awful day and cry to his grave 'I wish I was with you'...You meant dead. But well...

♡ That night lightning hits the grave and you wake up in bed to the god awful smell and his dead dirty face looking down at you. You go to scream and he covers your mouth with a cold clammy hand. Going to talk to you and a centipede falls out his mouth making you scream even louder.

♡ You almost knock his head off before he points to a picture on your desk you took of his grave surrounded by newspaper articles of his death.

♡ He thinks he finally has a person that's not a 'whore, bitch, or poser' in his eyes. A bit in love with you and is bitter you don't exactly want an ex serial killer from the 90's like that...

♡ He almost wants to kill you thinking of the betrayal till he sees his reflection and is completely defeated. Sunken dead eyes, matted dirty hair missing in places, longer haggered dirty nails, skin looking ready to fall off.

♡ He sits in your bathroom and you try to comfort him till you smell what smells like...Sewage and death and embalming fluid and your trying not to throw up.

♡ He takes a shower without being told to. Disgusted by his own rot and grime. His gun shot wound in the middle of his forehead a reminder of his failure almost 3 decades ago...Might have scrambled his brain a bit.

♡ He's a manipulator and user but he's not as...Tactless and spoiled as Stu. He feels grateful you offered him to stay despite the smell and the misunderstanding even if he's not happy sleeping on the floor or closet.

♡ He feels even more defeated when you tell him his Mom died in 1998 at Windsor College trying to avenge his death. He's beside himself over it and honestly just wants to crawl back in his icky coffin and die again.

♡ He wanders your home despite being told not to. Goes through all of your things. The lack of speaking doesn't bother him. Especially when it means he can hear you spill your guts more. He wants to observe everything.

♡ Like Randy he's pleased by the movies on streaming but not as obsessed as he was. Whether that bullet was like a lobotomy or just laying in the ground so long to 'think' in the afterlife; he's not the same guy he was in 96...Not completely. Is annoyed at his portrayal in Stab. His hair never looked like that! (Yes it did)

♡ He does kill someone when they bully or mistreat you. He feels possessive of you already and he just doesn't like assholes. He's the one that decides to steal a body part while you're staring in horror.

♡ He gets shocked and you see him a little less dead and a working body part now. So it becomes a thing for you both but you tell him 'Only those that deserve it' and he shrugs. He ain't following that but okay.

♡ Is pinning over you but hides it well. Enjoying just listening to you or watching you. HATES with a passion when you talk about guys but hides it with grunts and subtle glares.

♡ Is your ride or die when he hears police are investigating you for murder after he was the one killing them. I mean...What will they do? Re-kill him? He will do anything he can especially the more 'alive' he becomes to protect you.

♡ Once he's...Fully equipped he actually refuses to sleep with you. Still thinking 'virgins live, sluts die' like he use to. You have to tell him 'You know Sidney is still alive, right? That rule is dumb and not true.' he may get over it and sleep with you or it might still take time.

♡ He wants to go after Sid but also what's the point now? He's not exactly in tip top shape...Don't even tell him about Sam being rumored to possibly being his daughter by mega Stab fans. His undead brain will stop working.

♡ If you die he will resurrect you not out of convenience and want like Stu or devotion like Randy but more possessive ownership. You're his. Whether that's love or to control you (Both). Not even death will seperate you from him.

♡ Once he's fully recovered he has a migraine till that bullet eventually is pushed out by that one last shock and his body starts bleeding again.

♡ More than happy to be together away from everyone just you and him.

Mickey Alteri: Died 1998

♡ Everyone knows Mickey as the freak that was so obsessed with Stab and the original killers he imitated them. But what they don't realize is he killed even before Nancy found him. He was just wired different and it made him feel alive...How ironic now.

♡ You accidentally stumbled upon his grave after trying to find a different one. And...Why is it empty? Well, you had nothing to do with his resurrection just wrong place wrong time as a corpse is lumbering towards you from behind a tombstone with bullet wounds all over him.

♡ He wanted to snap your neck just to fell something again till his own leg fell off and he face planted on the ground.

♡ You of course didn't know he was trying to kill you. You still tried to get away before you saw him just sitting there and...Sighing? It wasn't a mindless zombie after you? Even worse; he grabbed your keys when you ran.

♡ Ask for them back and like a damn child he shakes his head with grunts. You swear to God you heard 'nuh uh' in his grunt. (Keep his leg away give me the keys or I'm yeeting your leg)

♡ Takes a shower at your house and like Randy all those holes are leaking...Icky stuff. He had more muscle before he died so his body mass shockingly is thinner but not as much as it should be? You're talking to a corpse it doesn't have to make sense. All you know is he just walked around naked and you saw disgusting things on the human body you never wanna know after death. You gotta make him wear clothes!

♡ You're in this awkward situation where...The dead guy has feelings and thoughts and is urging he wants to go home with you. Whether you say yes or no he knows your car and will find you.

♡ Sew his leg back on or give him a funny replacement like a peg leg and tell him deal with it. What are you? A surgeon?

♡ Little did you know the second you came for your keys and talked to him he claimed you as his just for being different than most victims. More eager than Stu, falling even faster than Randy, more obsessive than Billy and POSSIBLY crazier than the og Ghostface's...You're having a corpse that is already planning to make you his (Might even kill you so you have to be with him when he resurrects you like he was.)

♡ Other than killing and movies you're the first thing to make him feel something and he is not letting that go.

♡ Wears your clothes, watches your tv, listens to you talk, plans to kill anyone that fucks with you, watches you when you sleep, dresses you up.

♡ The first kill is a guy interested in you. You are his now! He doesn't hesitate to take a few body parts to have you sew on him. Finds the whole process endearing. He's nuts guys idk. You just gotta drill it in his head not to kill a family member, close friend or pet or you won't forgive him because he cannot have that. He wants your affection and attention so he'll be good when it comes to that.

♡ With each shock he gets more lively and bolder. Dancing with you and ignoring the worm that you don't know where it fell out of. Trying to cuddle you even if you gotta start smearing vicks under your nose. Won't hesitate to kiss all over you once he's not as rotten and tries to think of your pleasure before his.

♡ He never hides his obsession and will let you know with a hand on your throat not to talk about guys around him before lovingly caressing your cheek afterwards as an apology.

♡ If you die, not by him, he is furious and will kill anyone in his path before resurrecting you. He'll take care of you in the most yanadere way. You're his forever now.

[missveryvery]

FengQing dynamics, book vs fan interpretation, General Thoughts about Clown Generals:

Mostly me trying to stare at canon and figure out what these dumbasses think about each other and what their actual relationship is, what's actually written instead of my hopes and dreams for clown love.

we all keep writing/drawing Mu Qing being the mean one and Feng Xin as the nice one but....Feng Xin is the one that relentlessly says horrible things to him, usually unprovoked.

Feng Xin's insults:

That he hates him, that he never wants to see him again, that he's lying, that whenever he sees him doing something it absolutely must be for personal/nefarious reasons, that he's happy when xl does crimes, he's untrustworthy, that he's always scheming, that he thinks he's better than he is, that he wouldn't be where he is without Xie Lian.

Mu Qing's insults are:

that Feng Xin is just as "disloyal" as him for leaving. Basically, his usual argument is "you are just as bad as me." This is his big thing, arguably his only thing.

He maybe thinks the bathhouse is Feng Xin's fault, like he took them somewhere perverted on purpose

His statues? whack.

Says Feng Xin made a big deal about nothing about Xie Lian stealing.

I'm wracking my brain here because a lot of them aren't personal insults so much as making fun of him for something rather than saying he's a bad person. Like he tells Xie Lian about the Ju Yang thing. That's not something Feng Xin did wrong, it's something embarrassing that happened to Feng Xin.

Here's one:

Actually, rereading this, I wonder if he meant Xie Lian...? Since that's the person who they felt like couldn't tell who was a ghost. And Feng Xin has always been able to discern ghostness so far so that seems weirdly specific. Which is nuts because I think we all feel like Mu Qing should insult his intelligence all the time (Feng Xin isn't as dumb as I wish he was, though so...)

I'm extremely guilty of all of this, to be clear. And I don't know why. Sometimes I carefully have Feng Xin realize he was awful and be apologetic, sometimes deal with it.

But probably most of the time, offhandedly, I'm like "Ah yes mq wouldn't catch him in a trust fall", which is something I just saw on my dash. when it's demonstrably, literally untrue, right?

They would both catch each other without hesitation. They literally do! Even when it's at a great risk to themselves!

I think the difference is what they think will happen:

Mu Qing, idk I could go either way. He might know that Feng Xin will catch him because Feng Xin is Like That. Or he might think it's a big question mark.

By Tong'lu he says something to the effect that he's running from them because they'll just kill him if they get ahold of him. But by then things have been escalating. Feng Xin hit him during the avalanche thing off screen and Mu Qing was surprised by it and asked why he'd hit him. We saw Feng Xin punch him before (after ghost city arc), but Mu Qing wasn't confused as to why that time. In other words, normally he might completely trust him but the events of the book threw everything out the window.

But I can't say for sure what Mu Qing would think would happen.

Weirdly, Feng Xin's response is the more complicated one.

Feng Xin does NOT think Mu Qing will or has serious doubts. Except...that's just what he'll verbalize. Literally what happens in the book, he gives no visible indication that he even remotely believes Mu Qing's explanations at Tong'lu.

It's only after Mu Qing suddenly disappears that the narrator tells us that he wasn't as convinced of Mu Qing 's guilt as he acted. He was just pissed and being an asshole. Mu Qing's disappearance is what actually shakes Feng Xin's belief in Mu Qing.

They have another argument earlier about JL:

-Feng Xin assumes the worst

-Mu Qing explains

-Feng Xin backs down for the moment (and goes to have a nervous breakdown)

-but when he sees him again he starts attacking him (avalanche scene), and this fight is bad enough that they've actually pulled weapons on each other

-This fight/argument continues until Hua Cheng shows up and they have bigger things to worry about

Then we have this:

Feng Xin's pattern might be:

Get mad, assume the worst, say things he doesn't mean, eventually calms down about it/acts like it's fine.

There are a couple times where he's argued into shutting up. It's just that he will bring that thing out, that he has been acting like he calmed down about and accepted, when he's mad.

I think he actually does at least subconsciously believe an Mu Qing Explanation PowerPoint. Why? Because that's what his overall behavior reflects. Or, even if, let's say he doesn't believe anything Mu Qing says ever, thinks he's the fucking worst: he still goes on little adventures with him and hangs out with him.

He doesn't suffer people he dislikes very much, does he? He doesn't even want Xie Lian to hang out with Hua Cheng! He's very "don't associate with those kinds of people." Actually, basically everything you "know" about Feng Xin, is not quite accurate by the end of the book, just like it is with Mu Qing.

Anyway, he still happily puts Xie Lian in a dress with Mu Qing. That's basically the definition of a sworn brother.

But at the end of the day, even though I think this is all very shitty behavior on Feng Xin's part and jail for Feng Xin, jail for Feng Xin for One Thousand Years, their relationship is something Mu Qing likes. He cares what he thinks about him. He doesn't want Feng Xin to think badly of him. Despite Feng Xin being the least generous person with benefit of the doubt, he still defends himself with him and the only other person he does that with is Xie Lian. Everyone else he's accepted he can't do anything about.

Like they must be having good times together that they both find worthwhile or they wouldn't be together. He must find things about him that he values.

Best guess is: he admires Feng Xin's selflessness and devotion to "what's right", the same way he thinks Xie Lian is cool. He wants to be around these two people. These are also the aspects he fucking hates the most and says are stupid and pointless and will get you killed. He hates this behavior, he rants about it, he is horrified by it, and yet he is someone who does it over and over and over again. And it always comes back to bite him in the ass.

As for what Feng Xin likes about Mu Qing...I don't know. Like I can't even guess. He likes the Queen a lot who is gentle and kind hearted and he likes the bravery and toughness of JL. He idolizes Xie Lian. But at no point does he assert Mu Qing is anything but the opposite of those people. Even when he has evidence to the contrary he forgets it or dismisses it. So I really have no idea what a canon reason is for him to like Mu Qing.

Maybe he thinks "I'll go with him because it seems fun or interesting" and "I have to protect him" and doesn't consciously attribute any part of that to Mu Qing.

It's possible he doesn't actually like him, as much as I hate to admit it, this would be mind-numbingly realistic for a guy that doesn't like thinking deeply about things. I think a lot of people don't think too deeply about friendship, because most of the time it's about familiarity and proximity and availability. We both like this activity, you're the person I know, we do it together. I'm sure you've met people, even married couples, that when it comes down to it don't actually like each other, they're just together out of familiarity and habit.

I do wonder what it would have been like if Mu Qing had died, that's kind of the usual outcome for a character like this, I feel like I rarely see in an adult book where a character like this has a suicide mission and then is ok or not, idk, very fucked up by it at least.

I do think they're friends, canonically, but I think their relationship is very unlike what we're used to seeing. But I also think mirrors closely a lot of relationships you see in real life, especially with dudes who hang out but don't figure out a Very Important Subject Ever.

Mostly this was just me making notes to myself and then I thought I'd share.

[password-door-lock]

Mystictober Day 30-- Role Swap

Ray would love to spend his life with you, if only you weren’t fictional (732 words).

Ray knows he has better things he could be doing than playing games. The Savior, in her infinite wisdom, has blessed him with several very involved tasks at once: he needs to get into that redhead’s messenger app and figure out how to plant somebody in the chatroom remotely. He needs to keep Magenta and the Mint Eye server both secure. He needs to keep Saeran at bay, not to mention the believers. He also has to pick someone to use for the Savior’s plan— but learning about games is important too, right? Even if he’s not actually going to be developing a game, knowing more about them will surely help him to ensnare somebody, right? 

Not that any of the candidates so far are to his liking. Nothing is particularly wrong with any of them; they all seem like good people, though easily led and excessively trusting. Dutiful, but not the type to overachieve and try to stand out. In other words, they’re exactly what Ray is looking for… but, inexplicably, he can’t get his mind off of you. Despite his better judgment, he glances down at his phone for the fourth time in three hours.

y/n: I love you so much, Ray. y/n: I can’t wait for the day when you come to stay by my side y/n: I’ll take really good care of you y/n: You’ll never have to worry about a thing

Ray runs his finger gently over the image of your hair, though he knows it’s only pixels on a screen. “I wish that were possible, my y/n,” he mutters aloud. Not for the first time, he imagines how you might take care of him. Would you feed him a nice meal and send him to bed? Would you hold him in your arms? Would you… kiss him? Would you even want to do those things, knowing who he is and what he’s capable of?

Ray has played your route upwards of a hundred times. He knows exactly what you like— he thinks that if he got the opportunity, he could be just like your MC. He could follow you around quietly like a little lost puppy, speaking only to tell you the things you need to hear for your character development. He could do it easily— but would you like that? 

Ray knows it’s risky, but he’s been logging into a website called tumblr to talk about you with strangers online. Nobody could find Magenta just from that, could they? User (y/n)s--love has assured their followers that you’d love them all so much, as have sweet(y/n) and (y/n)sbf, as well as dozens of other accounts. Ray has found stories and drawings online of you with all different MCs… but none that look like him. None that are disgusting, horrible, and vile, as his Savior has assured him that he is— so maybe Ray would be the exception to that rule. 

Still, he can’t help but write his own little stories about you. He’s too scared of the Savior finding whatever he puts on his computer, so he writes them out by hand in his diary. Ray writes about you holding him, communicating exactly what you want from him so that he can make you happy. He writes about leaving Magenta to live in your world instead, about starting again, building a brand-new life with you in a universe where it’s safe for him to do so. He writes stories where he tells you about Saeran, and instead of getting upset or asking Ray to go away in favor of the stronger one, you assure him that as much as you look forward to meeting Saeran, you’re still pleased to be here with Ray right now. Is that too much to ask for? 

Ray isn’t the smartest person in the world, but he’s beginning to think that he’s not as stupid as others have claimed. He knows you’re never going to come through the screen and allow him to bask in the warm glow of your sweet love. Sooner or later, he has to resign himself to his inevitable fate— helping the Savior however he can for as long as he can until she gets sick of him and replaces him with Saeran forever. For now, though, Ray is happy just to play your route again.

[ceiling-karasu]

Update on AU World-building

Like how the concept of Jollin means I have to restructure my plans with Cherry Valley and the Flower Hill Command Center, the idea of Rana Roja means that I need to do some restructuring of some of my countries in the AU.

This is a lot of work that is coming from a reporter background OC that I might plan on using for one or two scenes later down the line.

I was talking to both kosmicpowers and 32girassoisdevangogh about some of the countries in my AUs, and I realized that I have been seeing the Equatorial Allegiance (Africa)

As one 'country,' per say, with the color separations representing a flag, while in South America I have been seeing this

As two entirely separate countries divided down the middle, with the one on the right being the República de Cultivos Oleaginosos (mostly Venezuela, and I know the name is awkward in Spanish, but I did not expect to ever have to say it more than a few times).

I'm not sure why my brain decided on that? Possibly because this screenshot suggests that many countries just have one color on the flag, and I attributed that to South America but not Africa somehow.

Assuming those are the flags of other nations and not symbolizing something else, or even just not showing detail here.

So now the problem is more or less this area.

I kind of want Rana Rosa to be pink like the figurine I found, but not unnaturally so.

She would need to be a natural color found in nature. The closest to pink a frog (for the most part) can get in a variant of the Strawberry Poison Dart Frog found around Red Frog Beach of Isla Bastimentos, Panama.

Naming the entirety of Panama in the AU as Red Frog Beach, a peaceful fishing, tourist, and agricultural nation, sounds nice. It also sets a precedent for the entirety of China to just be called 'Rabbit Village.'

The problem is, why would that area not already be a region the United States Alliance had taken over in order to be used as a base or foothold to get the oil down below? It could be protected by the República de Cultivos Oleaginosos, but it is next to the green country.

UNLESS the green and yellow there are also a flag, and this was one country all along. Kind of big though, but I guess it did the same thing as the Equatorial Allegiance, with a group of countries banding together to protect from occupiers wishing to steal their oil and lives.

I DO NOT PLAN to just retcon my own stories and AU once they have been already published, though. I skimmed back through The Rod that Blocks the Lightning, and I do not appear to have mentioned a separate country next to the oil producing one, so I should be good to go in making it one country.

Red Frog Beach, however, was not allowed to join the República. It is too distant and remote for the army to move into the areas if they were invaded. They would also need offices and collections of important documents, which could be used against the rest of the country if occupied by the United States Alliance that wants the oil.

As per a treaty, both the República de Cultivos Oleaginosos and the United States Alliance leave Red Frog Beach as a neutral territory, although both may have secret bases of operations within the country. Something like this may have happened in real life? I'll have to look it up.

Perhaps The Hague also have an office there, in order to keep the peace as much as they can, which is how Rana Roja joins after she accidentally stumbles upon a secret wolf base one day and successfully manages to gather evidence and report on it.

Anyway, here is a basic Picrew of how I would expect she dresses as a court reporter (since I can’t draw frogs yet).

[baby-xemnas]

to me your art is amazing, the fact that you can just pull these images from your mind and make them into something, thats beautiful and i am so fucking jealous of you plus everyone else who is able to draw people (and bears) so nicely hahahaha. i spend so much time thinking about how badly i wish i could just draw what i want to, but it never turns out the way i wanted or even just remotely imagined. so pls know there is a 22 y/o girl in buttfuck usa jealous of your skills

awwwww ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

actually its funny its such a common problem where your expectations are so much higher than your skills, but for me, the satisfaction from drawing my idea at all have always trampled that thought - i can brag that i have a lot of ideas and the itch to let them out have always been way stronger than the thought that i did a bad job

anyway good luck and thank you for your message and always remember

[84reedsy]

Prompt #2 from previous ask

“you never look better than you do when you’re underneath me.” with Roddy Piper please and maybe fem reader?

Nights on the road were lonely, even though you were constantly surrounded by people. You craved anything remotely intimate after the endless day of playing pretend for the camera and the crowd. How you managed to find yourself in the recurring company of the rowdy one, Roddy Piper, you couldn’t explain.

You couldn’t explain it, and you definitely wouldn’t complain.

Behind the curtain of kayfabe, Roddy was often surprisingly soft spoken, but it only made you lean in closer, hanging off every word. He knew this, using his gravelly resonance to draw you in. You didn’t care who saw you climb into his car, or follow him into his hotel room. Not with the way you knew his hands would hold you, touch you.

In the car, his hand would find your knee, resting for a few moments before gradually moving up your thigh. The sensation would always quicken your pulse, but you knew it was a tease, he never let his hand slip towards your inner thigh. It was only ever a gentle tease and he talked through the entire ride, so much so that you weren’t even sure how aware he was that he was even touching you.

His hotel room was a different story.

You wished he wore the kilt outside of the arena, but he filled out his jeans nicely, too. What he wore wouldn’t matter much once the door closed and he’d ceremoniously secure the extra locks behind you.

“Now that we’re all alone, what shall we do my dear?” He took your suitcase, set it down and stepped up behind you. His hands slid along your waistline and you could feel his lips grazing along your neck making your skin prickle and your pulse race again.

“As if you haven’t been thinking about exactly what you want to do to me all day,” You quip back, your hand reaching behind you to feel his shaggy mane just as his teeth lightly press against your neck.

“I’ve been thinking of a lot of different things,” He slides a hand under the hem of your shirt and glides slowly across your ribs, knowing the slowness of his touch is like torture to you, “If only you knew the dirty things that cross my mind when I see you in that ring….you’d run for your life,”

“Fuck…” you whispered to yourself, but you knew he heard it, “but I know you’d end up catching me, putting me in my place,” You felt his other hand lace through your hair, gripping to tilt your head back to his shoulder.

“Because, like a good girl, you know where your place is, don’t you,” He growled in your ear, his tongue tracing the edge of it.

“God…yes…I do…” You can’t help but agree with his carnal attentions.

He released you, but only to busy his hands with removing your clothes, leaving them heap on the floor. He nudged you towards the bed.

“You know how I like you…” taking off his own shirt, he watched you slowly make your way to the bed and crawl across it with a calculated sensuality. You heard him hum as you bent over in front of him before settling to sit on the bed, your knees teasingly closed.

Watching him work his belt open, a part of you wondered if he’d ever agree to use it on you. You could think of a few ways he could please you with it. He was aggressive in the way his disrobed, it made your sex tingle and your thighs shift as you felt desire pulsing through you.

You watched him kneel on the bed, feeling the way the mattress gave as he got closer. His hand slid up your calf to your knees, slipping it between them. They parted without much resistance and you bit your lip as his eyes traveled downward quickly.

Roddy licked his lips slowly and as his eyes met yours, they were deep, black pools of want. He leaned over you, one hand slipping between your thighs and teasing your clit with a tender massage. He could see the impatient desire in your body language as you subtly squirmed. His smirk was a sign that he knew exactly what he was doing.

“Roddy….please,” you begged, your hips pinned to stillness by the weight of his thighs against yours. Before you could plead again, his fingers slid farther down now teasing your aching cunt.

But the tease was a divine pleasure, you knew soon he wouldn't resist sinking his heavy, throbbing shaft inside of you next. You felt it twitch against your backside as you whimpered his name.

“Fuck me, Roddy…God PLEASE fuck me!” Your begging became more incensed as he teased letting you cum, but didn't allow it. His wicked chuckle that rumbled in his tanned, toned chest told you he was pleased with himself.

But he lowered himself, his shaggy hair dragging along your face as he tempted your lips with his. Distracting you with his taunting kiss, he replaced his fingers with his rigid cock, deepening the kiss as you gasped at the fullness of your sex.

As he moved his hips, you lay back on the bed, your legs gripping his waist.He didn't waste time being gentle. He earned his rowdy nickname well. It was all you could do to hold on for the ride. You came easily with his invading manhood, each one an exquisite relief.

“You never look better than you do when you’re underneath me.” He groaned with a deep resonance as you arched against him, your sex trembling around him.

You grinned with a sensual amusement at his praise.

“Well….let's do this more often then,”

You'd take any opportunity to be underneath him.

[palizinhas]

Namixi 34?

Found out randomly that there were prompt asks I never answered and you know what? Why not. I missed writing KH.

...to pretend

Xion wasn’t an idiot.

She was well aware that there was more going on, more behind Riku - his best friend - going after her, telling her that everything would be fine soon.

Xion was a mistake, Riku knew that, and there was a reason she was stuck in this white house that he claimed would be the perfect place to hide from the Organization.

And in the middle of all that, there was also Naminé.

She felt… different. Xion was sure she was Kairi’s Nobody (though no one had told her that) but obviously she wasn’t Kairi, just like Roxas didn’t in any way resemble the boy in her memories.

The entire time she was there, Naminé was next to her. Drawing memories Xion knew, memories that later she went over to the drawing of them and realized she couldn’t recognize the scene anymore.

Naminé was taking Sora’s memories from her, bit by bit. It was obvious, even if no one said so, even if DiZ and Riku seemed to buy that Xion didn’t know that.

And Xion was made of memories. It wasn’t difficult to figure out what would happen to her once Naminé was done - perhaps the doll she started out as would be left, but Xion was Xion in her entirety, so she doubted even that would remain.

Maybe the most complicated part of all of it was how much she liked Naminé. How she laughed at Xion’s poorly done jokes, seemed to enjoy being next to her. There wasn’t anyone else in all the worlds that could understand Naminé like Xion did, which meant she could understand that what was happening hurt her too.

“If you could go anywhere, in all the worlds, where would it be?” Xion felt more and more tired as the days passed, her energy never fully coming back even when she slept a lot more hours than she would be allowed to in the Organization. She had her head against Naminé’s shoulder while she watched her draw when Naminé’s question registered to her.

It took a moment to answer, feeling like the place she wanted to say didn’t exist in her memories anymore. Naminé noticed her confusion, but didn’t say anything.

“I think I’d like to stay here, kinda. Twilight Town is beautiful, and it’s been over a month since I’ve been outside,” Xion eventually settled on, the memories of being underwater with a mermaid at her grasp, but she couldn’t remember enough about the place to actually say it.

“Maybe we could go soon,” Naminé offered, making Xion have to bite back what she wanted to ask. If it would be the last wish she’d get granted before Naminé fully erased her from existence.

“The sunset is beautiful from the clocktower, I want to show you,” Xion said. If it was a last wish… she knew how she wanted it to be. “Promise me, Naminé.”

“Ok,” Naminé agreed, and the smile that appeared in Xion’s face wasn’t remotely fake. “I’ll go with you, as soon as we can.”

That promise made, Xion decided to go a bit further.

“I think it would be nice… to do more with you,” it was almost a confession, because it didn’t make sense for her to like a girl that was destroying her as much as she did. But Naminé was a bird in a cage, much like Xion. They were the same, and that was why…

“I could be with you forever,” Naminé whispered back, in the same tone, the same feeling.

Xion looked around to make sure DiZ and Riku wouldn’t show up any time soon, and stole a kiss from Naminé.

The first of many, at least in her mind.

(she knew that wasn’t true, but in the middle of everything, it was nice to tell herself a lie)

[kinetic-elaboration]

October 20: Annabelle

Today, watched Annabelle yet again proving to myself that the Conjuring 'verse is not worth anything outside of the original Conjuring.

I was not impressed. I’m a little bitter because I’ve been feeling somewhat down this weekend and especially today and I wanted this movie to distract me and pull me out of that feeling and it did not do that; it didn’t even ward off my evening anxiety, so there’s that. But also it just wasn’t very good.

First, and I was hoping I’d get over this while watching but I did not, that doll design is bad. It’s ugly as hell, and it’s simultaneously too obviously cursed (who would look at this dirty-ass doll with all the cracks in it and its utterly evil aspect and go, ah yes, a nice gift? TWICE) and not remotely scary enough. The real Annabelle is scary. There’s something not right with that doll. Probably the demon in it. This doll—boring.

Second, I don’t think this movie knew what it was about. Yeah, it had a theme of motherly love and sacrifice or some such (not interesting to me but I did see it, and it all came together in a depressing manner in the end, sure), but as a horror, it was scattered. Is it about demons? Technically, but there wasn’t that much explanation of the demonic or focus on it. On cults? In passing. Is the husband a selfish loser who will make his wife feel like she’s going insane or ultimately supportive? Six of one, half dozen of the other. The friend is important but only after showing up over halfway through. The movie is certainly long enough to do a better job explaining the connections among the cultists, the demon, and the doll—but it doesn’t. Presumably the cultists put the demon in the doll. Why? Eh. It seems like they accomplished their task in killing the neighbors but then they just kept going because…. uh, mumble mumble mumble. Again, there is time for exposition on this. Relatedly, the doll seems incredibly random. There’s obviously some sort of connection between the lost daughter cultist and the doll but like what that connection is and why it exists I could not say.

Third, the horror was very off and on, and when the movie did feel like a horror, it very rarely hit, at least for me. I have been hard to scare lately, I’ll admit that. But I felt like the horror here was either zero or a hundred. There was some, but not much, in the way of spooky build up—like the static on the TV and phone. Generally it was either normal life for the couple or ah demon chasing Mia through the basement, no in between. I thought the scene where she finds the kids’ violent drawings on the stairs was disturbing. But then also like—what was that about lol? And I thought the priest driving the car scene was scary, too—a little bit of a fake out, not in a bad way, for anyone who knows about the real Annabelle, and I appreciated that.

I wish it had had the courage of its convictions more, honestly. Play more into the time period and the anxieties of the day, for example: yeah, the cultists, the Mansons, that stuff’s scary. Or the claustrophobia of being a young mother whose husband works all day and thinks he has the hardest life in the world and only half-sorta-kinda believes you when you say you’re being haunted by demons. I’m not a fan of body horror, especially pregnancy-related body horror, but there’s room for that in here! Make the doll do more stuff, perhaps.

Or hell just make a movie about the actual Annabelle story with the nursing students, which would probably be better. I assume they didn’t do that because that story’s too well known but I don’t care.

Overall, I found it more sad than scary. That ending? That was sad!! People attacked in a random home invasion, a pregnant woman worrying about her child, the long shadow of the aftermath of violence on a young family—these are depressing things, not scary things, and I feel bummed out about them.

Oh well. As Above So Below is actually staying with me pretty well, and I liked Candyman 2021 and I think The Conjuring holds up so I guess this season hasn’t been a total bust.

[your-divine-ribs]

Forbidden Part 24

Words: 3.2k

Prof Bond tries to resist Y/N… we know he doesn’t stand a chance 🤭

Forbidden Masterlist Main Masterlist

Small, light touches, drawing tiny patterns on the flesh of your upper thighs, trailing higher as you go until you catch the hem of your dress and inch it upwards. You keep your eyes ahead on the winding road, too nervous to glance over to see if you've got Johnny's attention. There's no reaction from him so you ease your legs open slightly, hitching the dress higher still. Surely he'll be able to see a hint of the black lace of your panties if he looks across at you now?

The silence in the car is deafening and your nerves increase but so does your excitement, the heat building quickly. You press a fingertip lightly over your covered clit, letting out a small sigh, tipping your head back against the head-rest. If he didn't know what you were up to before then there's no mistaking it now.

"What the hell d'ya think ya doing?"

His voice is quiet, cautious-sounding, and when you turn your head to look at him you can see tension in his face and his arms, every part of him braced. He's still looking ahead at the road but his eyes are flicking down to your legs every few seconds.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" You reply boldly, your confidence increasing as you see his cheeks taking on a rosy hue. You're pretty sure if you were looking directly at him now you'd see the telltale glaze of lust in his eyes. "If you must know you're turning me on talking about that day in your office... I can't help myself."

"But I can't do this with you anymore... I told you..."

"But you're not actually doing anything." You cut him off, increasing the pressure and letting out another sigh. "Damn... that feels good... wish it was you touching me instead though. Your fingers feel so much better."

"Y/N..." His voice is stern but you detect the waver in it, you can practically hear the lewd thoughts firing around in his brain. He's imagining pulling over right now, finding a remote little country lane away from prying eyes, undoing his fly and pushing your head down into his lap... or maybe both of you tumbling on to the back seat, tearing at clothing as you go. "Didn't you listen to anything I said?"

"Of course I did... you said how much you loved me sucking your cock."

His tongue darts out to swipe across his lower lip and you see his Adam's apple bob as he swallows thickly. "I did like it, of course I did, but it's wrong... it's so wrong."

"Felt good though huh?" You tease, fingers sliding firmer against the damp lace, your breathing hitching with how good it feels.

"Look... I know what you're trying to do and it's not gonna work... not this time."

His warning falls on deaf ears. If he was so adamant that things were over between the two of you he'd be heading back into town right now, not driving further into the heart of the countryside. Tall trees line each side of the narrow road like sentry, their branches obscuring the bright azure of the spring sky. It's the perfect setting for a clandestine hook-up. You could get up to absolutely anything out here and no one would ever have to know anything about it. Not even Van.

"I'm not trying to do anything apart from get myself off," you say, injecting a coy innocence into your voice which couldn't be more misplaced. "A girl can't help it if she's turned on can she? And it's not like there's anyone around to see what I'm up to... mmm that feels so nice..."

You spread your legs wider still, your free hand gliding down over your breasts, catching your nipples which have pebbled under the thin fabric. You pinch at them in turn, moaning in appreciation. You're feeling wicked. There's something so erotic about seducing a man like this, letting him watch whilst you put on a show for him.

"Christ's sake... I'll crash the bloody car if you carry on like that," he mutters, shifting in his seat, one hand dropping down to pull at the crotch of his jeans, uncomfortable as his arousal grows in the confines of the denim.

You just smile to yourself, fingers dipping under the waistband of your panties. You gasp as you come into contact with your slick, sensitive flesh, sliding a fingertip through your folds before moving upwards to rub your clit.

"Fucking hell Sir, I'm so wet right now," you murmur breathily. "Can't stop thinking about how I got down on my knees for you, the taste of your cock... it was so good. Mmm..." You pause to let out a moan, letting your words reach him, your voice low and sultry when you continue, saturated with need. "The way you filled my mouth... god... I can't stop thinking about it. How big you are... how thick... how good you'd feel inside me."

"Y/N... please," he groans, his voice strained and tight, tortured. His self-control's stretched so thin it's in danger of shattering at any moment. His eyes are darting between you and the road and then frantically scanning the area, and you wonder whether he's looking for somewhere to pull over. All you need to do now is give him a little nudge, tip him over the edge and past the point of no return.

"Do you really want me to stop?" You ask, fingers nimble in the pursuit of your pleasure, one circling the stiffened peak of a nipple, the other flicking over your sweet spot with increasing slipperiness. "I'm so close..."

"No!" He says quickly. "Don't stop. Tell me... tell me what you've been thinking of. Keep talking. And take off your panties. I'm gonna find somewhere to stop. Fuck... I can't believe I'm doing this."

But you can, it was inevitable really. He never really stood a chance.

You don't stop and you don't slow down, even when Johnny pulls off the main road on to a narrow dirt track that leads further into woodland, the car jolting as it traverses the rough ground.

"Really want you to fuck me Sir... I've been dreaming about it... imagining you pinning me down on your desk and teasing me until I'm begging for your cock..."

In one deft movement you've pushed your hips up and tugged your panties down your legs like you can't shed them fast enough, kicking them off into the footwell. You're just about to resume your actions when the car lurches to a stop and Johnny's unbuckling both of your seatbelts before leaning over and reaching for you. His large hands curl around your thighs, sliding you off your seat and straight into his lap. Your ass hits the steering wheel, the car horn blaring loudly, causing you both to laugh.

"Ahh shit!" He chuckles, pushing his seat back to give you more room, then he's fixing you with that desire-filled, dark-eyed gaze that makes your heart race. "You know you don't have to beg love... you never have to beg for me."

"But you said..." you begin, falling quiet when one of his fingers presses gently against your lips.

"I know what I said, but I think we both know that I can't help myself. I'm weak around you... and you know exactly what buttons to push." His eyes dart between yours and your lips, his yearning clear. "And right now I just want you... I don't care about anything else."

With your dress bunched up around your hips you can feel his hardness pressing against your core and you begin to grind on him. "I want you too," you murmur, pressing your lips hard against his and kissing him deeply. "So much... I've wanted you since that very first day."

Your hand dives straight between his legs, caressing his cock firmly through the denim and the throaty groan of need he lets out is almost enough to make you come on the spot. You fumble with the buttons at his fly, desperate now, tearing them open in haste. Johnny takes over, pushing them down his hips, his thick cock springing free. You need him so badly.

"Want you to ride me," he growls, pulling your dress down roughly to expose your breasts, thumbing your stiffened nipples. "Want you to ride the fuck out of me."

You can't help but throb at his words.

There's no time for tender kisses and gentle caresses, you're both too far gone for that. He needs you as much as you need him. You want to feel his thickness stretching you out as you impale yourself on his cock, the hot, wet slide of your bodies colliding as you thrust and buck on his lap.

"Just look at you... you're amazing," he marvels, one hand wrapped around his dick and the other on your hips as you hover over him, aligning yourself with him.

You close your eyes as you feel the head of his cock slide against your wet centre, your mouth falling open as he pulls you down firmly and slides tight and slick into your heat which clenches around him hungrily.

"Christ... feels so good... you're so fucking tight," he groans, hips bucking up into your wetness, forcing a choked whimper from your lips. His hands drop down to your ass, grabbing and kneading at the flesh as you sink down on to him. You hiss out a ragged breath at the welcome burn of the stretch.

You still for a moment to adjust to the overwhelming feeling of sudden fullness, hands like claws on his shoulders, fingernails digging crescents through the material of his shirt. You know this won't last long, you know it's going to be one of those clothes half on, hard and fast fucks that leaves you panting and gasping and breathless but so alive.

When you start moving there's no stopping you. Johnny's hands are tight on your hips as he helps you to rock against him, pulling you down time and time again as he meets you thrust for thrust. It's hot and it's dirty and you can't help moaning in desperation into his mouth.

"Need you... need more... ahhh..." you gasp, your body spasming as one of his hands slips between your two bodies, a fingertip rolling over your swollen clit in slick circles to match the rhythm of your bodies crashing together.

Johnny lets out a choked groan, his hips lifting to sink even deeper inside you. He feels so big like this, the drag of his cock against your walls making you gasp and keen for him.

"Feels so good... oh god..." you utter shakily, grinding down on him harder, the muscles in your thighs burning from the exertion.

Everything is perfect, the angle of your bodies, the slippery friction, the harsh sounds of skin slapping on skin as you pound against him, repeatedly lifting yourself up to slam back down on his cock. The air in the car is thick and heady with the scent of sex and filled with your eager whimpers and sighs, charged beyond belief with the urgency you both feel, the desperate desire to reach your highs overtaking every fibre of your beings.

"That's it," he grunts, pulling back to hungrily watch the point where your bodies connect, captivated by the sight of you taking him so well, your tits bouncing with every thrust. "Keep going... please... fuck I'm so close. You gotta tell me right now if you don't want me to come inside you."

You feel his body tense beneath you, your own movements sloppy now as he increases the pressure on your clit, writhing as he flicks it in concentrated strokes, trying with all his might to hold on.

"I want you to come inside me," you confirm without hesitation. Everything feels tight and warm and so divine you can't bear the thought of him slipping out of you. "Wanna feel you filling me up."

"Oh Y/N," he breathes, his head dropping forward as he buries his face in your neck, pressing rough, bruising kisses to your flesh before his head lulls back so he can watch you again.

His cap's long slipped off, his dark curls stuck to his forehead with perspiration, his mouth agape as he pants and curses under his breath. It's so satisfying seeing him like this, completely under your spell, every ounce of determination he had at doing the right thing obliterated as he succumbs to your temptations. It makes you feel powerful and desired and even though you feel your eyes rolling back in your head as your climax swells inside you can't look away, fascinated by watching him fall apart, the way his face scrunches in ecstasy, the guttural groans that tear from his throat as he hurtles towards his climax, out of control. It's the catalyst that tips you over the crest of your peak, swells of pleasure radiating through you as your body starts to shudder wildly, obscene moans bursting from you as you clench uncontrollably around him, triggering his own release.

You cling to each other as you ride out your highs, panting breathlessly, bodies spent and slick with sweat. You slump forward to bury your head in the crook of his neck, breathing him in, the euphoric high of your orgasm gradually receding to leave a blissed out thrum in your aching muscles.

"You're going to be the end of me... I just know it," you hear him murmur, but it's not said with disdain or regret. It's huffed out with a gentle chuckle, a happy kind of resignation that he gave into temptation, the reward you were offering too good to resist. His hands slide around your waist, flexing against your bare skin, smoothing tender touches.

"I'm sorry," you say, fixing the sweetest of smiles as you raise up your head to meet his beatific expression, his own smile warm and a little lopsided, relaxed and intimate. It's a far cry from the anxious determination he was displaying when you first got into his car. "I swear I'm not trying to get you into trouble you know. I didn't plan this..."

"Don't apologise, it's certainly not all you. I'm just as much to blame. You're just too bloody hard to resist." He glances down as you shift in his lap, your bodies sticking together as you tense your thighs and begin to rise up slowly. "Crap... this is gonna be messy if we're not careful."

You brace yourself on your knees and this proves to be true, his cum immediately dripping out of you and trickling down to stain his jeans as you inelegantly try to manoeuvre yourself back over to the passenger seat. You blurt out another apology which he quickly rebuffs. It's one of those messy and often inevitable by-products of sex that's usually embarrassing with a new partner, but Johnny's good-natured teasing and muttered joking comments put you at ease.

"Ahh shit... look at the bloody state of me," he groans. "Got tutorials this afternoon, turning up covered in cum's probably not such a good idea!"

You giggle as he tucks his rapidly softening cock away and pulls up his jeans, then he's leaning over you to open the glove compartment and reaching inside to grab a handful of paper napkins.

"Here ya go love, sorry but it's the best I can do. Wasn't exactly counting on this happening today." He tosses a few to you before dabbing at the stain on his jeans, then he clears his throat, obviously awkward as he looks away, reaching for the door handle. "Here... I'll... err... give you a little bit of privacy like... if you wanna... errr... clean yourself up."

You smile to yourself, mumbling a thank you as he exits the car to straighten his clothes. You're actually touched that he's considerate enough to give you some space to conduct a quick and cursory clean-up, imagining Van in the same situation. He'd be more likely to berate and degrade you, leaving you sitting there with a sticky mess between your legs, a reminder of your slutty endeavours. It gets you to thinking how he'd react if he knew what you'd just been up to with Johnny and that familiar dark thrill ripples through you as you imagine him finding out. You're positive he'd take it on himself to discipline you for your behaviour and he'd certainly make sure the punishment fit the crime.

You know it's wicked to even be thinking about Van whilst you've still got Johnny's cum leaking out of you but you just can't help yourself. No matter how much pleasure you derive elsewhere you still crave him. He's an addiction you can't kick and you don't even want to try.

"Think we should... errr... keep this just between you and me, eh?" Johnny says as he slides back into the driver's seat. "I mean that goes without saying obviously, but I mean Van as well. He doesn't need to know."

This is interesting. His comment takes you by surprise and you decide to probe him. "But I thought you two did everything together? I didn't think you had secrets? He seemed pretty up for sharing the other day."

Johnny grins at you like it should be so obvious. "Oh he doesn't mind sharing... as long as it's on his terms." He reaches down into the footwell for his discarded cap which he brushes off before placing back on his head. "And it won't be me he's pissed off with."

"His terms?" You echo, feeling bold and hugely intrigued and ready for a challenge. "Oh, that's rich. He's fucking around with me behind his fiancée's back and he wants to call the shots? I don't think so! I can do whatever I like and see whoever I like. I'm the single one."

Johnny sighs on a shrug, a definite 'don't say I didn't warn you' gesture. "Well... it's up to you love, I just know how he gets sometimes. He's just a little... uhhh... possessive I guess you could say... don't tell him I told you that though."

What?

You fold your arms across your chest, huffing like you're outraged when in reality you're anything but. Conversely you're actually insanely turned on by Johnny's revelation. You're already thinking of ways you can use this knowledge to your advantage, rile Van up until he snaps and makes you his in the most primal way.

"Possessive? Over me?" You exclaim. "As if he has the right to be!"

"I know it sounds crazy but you don't know him like I do. I'm just trying to make life a little easier for you... ya know... to keep the peace." Johnny glances over with a knowing expression which warms your cheeks. He knows you too well. "But if I know you... Little Miss Trouble... it's not peace that you're looking for..."

"I don't know what you're trying to say... I'm perfectly innocent in all this you know..."

You allow a devilish smile to paint your lips, hear Johnny chuckle in amusement.

"Oh aye," he smirks back at you, tipping you a cheeky wink as he fires up the ignition. "Purer than the driven snow I suppose..."

[celestialholz]

Oooo TM098 with either pair, but I’m leaning towards Vanillacupcakes—

... Oh jesus fucking christ lmao THANKS LITTLE BRO T_T You know, honestly... why not both? Cross-posted to AO3 here as chapter two, this is the madness that is:

TM98: Skill Swap

"... Sir?"

His own baffled student faced him on the Artazon court, brilliant grin liquid sunshine upon her.

"Ah, hello Miss Daisy!"

This was quite mad. He could see his own house from here.

The teenager wore an expression of utter horror.

"Sir, aren't you in the Elite Four?"

"Why yes, every other day, but, well..."

Geeta's latest 'innovation' flashed behind his eyes, a sermon on 'walking a mile in another's shoes' giving them greater perspective for battle - the League conference had collectively rolled their eyes and paired up, largely without any argument that wasn't harsh mutterings. It was only for the day, and disagreeing with the immovable force that was La Primera was never worthwhile. She had quite the streak of ruthlessness to her if questioned too much.

His own pairing was deeply obvious - he and his husband had reflexively grabbed one another's hands nevertheless, just on the remote chance that someone had tried to split them.

"... It wasn't our idea, my dear."

"I've got one gym badge!"

“Oh, you’ll be fine, I’m absolutely sure! Are you ready, Miss Daisy?”

“No! Hell no!”

“Language, dear girl,” he chastised, smiling as he released Noivern. The bat dragon glanced around at her whereabouts, took in the challenger, and glanced back at her father.

“Mm, yes,” Hassel told her, “your darling Papa and I have swapped roles my friend, just for today. Now, I’m going to need you to go nice and easy on our young companion here…”

“… Vern.” The dragon turned to her opponent with a steely gaze, and the teenager swallowed glass, mouth agape, hand quivering on her own Poke Ball.

“… Arceus,” she whispered. “I am so screwed.”

*-*-*-*-*-*

“Now, who can tell me about Kalosian movements in postmodern sculpture?”

Eighteen blank faces stared back at Brassius, who rose a brow as he glanced between them all.

“… No? Galarian art nouveau, perhaps?”

The youths exchanged glances.

“… Cubism?” Brassius asked in disbelief, before theatrically sighing at their continued confusion. “Good heavens, what does my husband teach you…”

“Mostly about creative freedom, Sir,” piped up an older boy at the back, who the sculptor automatically snapped to. “Professor Hassel says it’s important to create authentic work, even if it’s not the most skilled.”

“Yeah, he says you can get more skilled later!” Said another child.

“And one day, we can be as ‘aventguard’ as you!”

“Professor Hassel says you’re the best artist in the world, Sir!”

Soft, shocked silence reigned for a moment.

“… Yes, well – if I am, it’s because of him,” Brassius murmured tearfully, sunshine brushing against his heart, facing the class with a warm smile. “We shall forego the theory, therefore – everyone find some paper, I wish to see your best Sunfloras.”

There were grins, and a flurry of activity as art supplies were grabbed from numerous parts of the room.

Brassius glanced fondly around the classroom; he’d been expecting a call for the Elite Test by now, but this… he could deal with this, if this was as far as his day went.

“Mister Brassius Sir, can I draw a Sunflora in purple?”

“Oh yes,” he told the questioning girl, grinning. “I encourage it, in fact.”

*-*-*-*-*-*

Unbeknown to the artist just down the way, there was a very good reason indeed why he hadn’t yet been summoned to the League.

The reason was known as ‘Katy’, and she was having the time of her life.

“Heracross, Close Combat, there’s a dear!”

“Ursaring, Play Rough that dragon, won’t you?”

“Stone Edge, Forretress! Burning things is for Soapberry!”

She’d seen off three challengers solo, commanding excitedly and with utter precision as she did, all of whom had stared at her with open mouths.

“But, but you were easy before –”

“Yes well, child, we learn from our mistakes!” She trilled happily at her third victim, a cocky teenager whose ace had just been smashed to unconsciousness by shattering boulders. “Especially when our mistakes are not being allowed to cut loose…”

“Uncle Grushie,” Poppy murmured, tugging at his scarf, “is Aunt Katy okay?”

Grusha, who had swapped today with Rika, was looking at his fellow gym leader as though she’d grown an extra head.

“I, er… think so, kid? I mean, she can borrow my therapist, if she really needs to –”

“Oh Grusha dear, this is the therapy,” Katy answered, beaming a mile wide, peering towards the door. “Do we have anyone else lined up? Do I have to give my husband his job back? This is amazing!”

Safely ensconced in her office, the usually unshakeable La Primera, watching via CCTV, winced.

… Perhaps this hadn’t been her finest idea.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*

“Larry,” asked his wife’s sous chef, halting in her pastry-making mid-fold as she cast him an amused glance, “did you just pop salt in that?”

He cast a bland gaze between his cake mix, shifting his eyes slowly to the bag of salt he’d just poured from.

“… Fuck.”

She laughed aloud. “Did you want to go and help serve, maybe…?”

“Who, me and my face for radio?”

“Hey, stop it,” she scolded lightly. “You’re lovely.”

He offered her a vague smile, standing in the doorway to the kitchen for a moment. He noted the busyness of the bakery, the squealing infants, the harried parents, how much the staff could do with a hand, and tracked a path around the space, as though building the perfect spreadsheet.

“Sally,” he said with determination, setting a route in his analytical mind, “pass me an apron.”

The sous chef grinned. “Yes sir…”

He would succeed at something today, even if it was only for Katy’s sake.

*-*-*-*-*-*

“How was it, dear?”

“… Curious. Lovely class you have, but no Elite Four matches, querido.”

“… Oh, truly? I know we had some scheduled for today, too…”

“Ah, well. How was the gym?”

“Everyone found me very intimidating, even though I told the darlings to go easy on the students.”

“… Mmm, imagine that. I’m sorry, dearest.”

“Oh, it’s no bother. It was nice to be involved in their journeys earlier! I… apologise in advance for the amount of challengers you’ll likely be receiving tomorrow…”

*-*-*-*-*-*

“Did you enjoy the Elite –”

“Yes. Darling, may I have your job?”

“Dear, I love you with all my heart, but absolutely not.”

“… Damn. Still, very entertaining day! I hope the bakery wasn’t too challenging…”

“I added salt to cake batter.”

“… Oh. Do you need a massage?”

“… That would be wonderful, thank you…”

Got a request for The Technical Festival, which celebrates Ephemeralart and Vanillacupcakes through the medium of TMs? Take a look here; my askbox is open!