#if this snippet inspires you

[unproduciblesmackdown]

Lackadaisy Enrichment

[hisui-dreamer]

jamil, who loves showing affection by cooking food for his loved ones, making sure the curry is seasoned to perfection and your favourite dessert to go along with the meal.

and you, with zero spice tolerance but so incredibly overwhelmed with gratitude and affection for how hard jamil's worked. and with your favourite dessert right there enticing you, you're determined to finish every drop of curry on your plate.

...

it doesn't go too well.

indeed, you have finished every drop of curry. but you've also downed around 12 cups of water, and the burning in your mouth is still unrelenting. jamil visibly looks concerned with how much water you're drinking and it's unavoidable you address your non-existent spice tolerance.

jamil sighs, and his eyes show a hint of exasperation you often see when he's following kailm's whims. you avert your gaze to the floor, upset at yourself that you've disappointed him and maybe he hates you now how could you not like his fo-

flick!

ouch! your hands reach up to shield your forehead, and your eyes meet his. not exasperated, maybe slightly, but amused and... loving??

"dummy, don't go forcing yourself to eat what you don't like," he sighs

you timidly explain you could never do that with how much time and effort he puts into his cooking

his smile widens slightly.

"for now, i guess i'll be making more desserts for you then,"

he chuckles at the way your eyes light up.

"here," he feeds you a spoonful of the chilled dessert. "is your mouth still burning?"

oh. you don't think it is anymore.

but your heart sure is.

[questionable-idea]

hey past me who wrote this late at night, what the fuck

[wikiangela]

wip wednesday

thanks for all the tags for sunday and tuesday! <3

started yet another wip 🙈 I was watching oth and heard one line and got inspired lol so here's some bucktommy morning cuddles, and istg this one will be short and fluffy and hopefully done soon 🤞 haha

___

“Where are you going?” Tommy mumbles sleepily, eyes still closed, a small frown creasing his forehead. Buck chuckles quietly and can’t resist leaving another kiss on Tommy’s lips. It’s honestly adorable how his big, strong, hot firefighter boyfriend, who’s always so cool and collected, can get so grumpy in the morning without cuddles. He’s sure no one would believe him if he told them, but he likes that – he’s the only person who gets Tommy like this, who knows him like this. The thought makes his heart race and stomach flip, feeling as excited as at the very beginning of their relationship.

“Well, I was gonna go make you breakfast and then wake you up.” Buck says, fingers running through Tommy’s tangled curls. “You can go back to sleep, baby, and I’ll be right back.” he whispers, one of his hands starts drawing mindless shapes on Tommy’s back.

“Mm, no.” Tommy just responds, burying his face in Buck’s neck.

“You don’t want breakfast in bed?”

“I want you in bed.” Tommy says stubbornly, punctuated by a soft kiss to Buck’s neck and his arm around Buck’s waist tightening.

___

no pressure tags: @elvensorceress @shortsighted-owl @eddiebabygirldiaz @watchyourbuck @eowon @loserdiaz @evanbegins @ladydorian05 @wildlife4life @diazpatcher @lover-of-mine @monsterrae1 @weewootruck @spagheddiediaz @rainbow-nerdss @epicbuddieficrecs @pirrusstuff @alliaskisthepossibilityoflove @nmcggg @rogerzsteven @bidisasterevankinard @giddyupbuck @sunshinediaz @honestlydarkprincess @911-on-abc @jesuisici33 @steadfastsaturnsrings @buddieswhvre @fortheloveofbuddie @daffi-990 @hoodie-buck @aroeddiediaz @thewolvesof1998 @theotherbuckley @tizniz @exhuastedpigeon @underwaterninja13 @spotsandsocks @hippolotamus @your-catfish-friend @diazsdimples @dangerpronebuddie @loveyouanyway @neverevan

[massivementalitynut]

My Broadway Comm of Nanami Kento from @iwanttobeaseme

[toohottohoot]

Quick prompt!

Villain shifted, and embraced Hero. But it wasn’t a hug, was it? It was too empty, too loose, too wrong to be called something so nice as a hug. “I’m sorry for your loss,” Villain cooed, and Hero tried not to punch villain in their face then and there.

[the-broken-pen]

“I don’t need you.”

It sounded less grounded than the villain had wanted it to. It sounded like something someone had told them to say, and they were just repeating it with half hearted determination. They said it again, “I don’t need you.”

“No,” the hero agreed. They were grinning. “You don’t.”

The villain floundered. They, in all honesty, wanted a fight. To prove something, they supposed. That they really didn’t need the hero. That they weren’t in the wrong, here. “What?”

“I said,” the hero said slowly, and the beginnings of a grin curled at the edges of their mouth. “You don’t need me.”

“I don’t need you,” the villain repeated, and the hero nodded encouragingly. It just made the villain want to hit them.

The hero lounged against the doorframe, halfway in and halfway out of their apartment. And truly, that was the worst bit of it all—the hero wasn’t showing up outside the villain’s house, or driving by the villain’s work to see if they truly looked happier without them. But the villain was.

They wanted to scream, and kick, and throw plates onto the ground.

‘Leave me alone.’

But they couldn’t say that, because the hero had. They had cut contact and blocked numbers and ignored the villain’s car as it went by. Still, the villain felt haunted. As if they would never be clean of the hero, parts of their soul forever dirtied by it all.

The hero’s smile, and the way their voice sounded when they knew the villain would cave to their wishes.

They just wanted the hero to—

“Leave me alone.” It slipped out against their better judgement. From the way the hero’s grin widened, they knew it had been the worst thing they could have said.

“Darling, I have,” the hero said, their tone saccharine. Pitying. “You’re the one outside of my apartment.”

It felt like being burned alive, the frustration of it. The way it rose in their chest but had nowhere to go, leaving them shaking with nothing and everything trapped under their tongue.

“That’s not what I meant and you know that—“

“What, you miss me that bad? I thought you—“

“Shut up,” the villain snapped. The hero raised an eyebrow.

“It’s eating you alive, isn’t it?” They sounded pleased.

“It’s not,” the villain protested.

“I told you, you don’t need me.”

“I know,” the villain grit out.

“But you want me.”

Something in the villain’s brain stalled.

“Excuse me?”

“You don’t need me. You never have,” the hero said it like it was a fact. “You want me, though. Even as the sound of my name burns you, and the memory of me rots in your mouth, you’re going to want me.”

“You’re wrong.”

“Am I?” The hero’s voice dropped to a whisper. “You can go out to every bar in this city, kiss a hundred people who look like me and get just drunk enough to forget you’re not mine anymore—but you’re never going to stop missing me.”

The hero knew, of course they did, how hard the villain had tried to forget it entirely. The disaster they had become trying to be clean again.

“No matter how many shots you take to block out the memory of me, you’ll always be mine.”

“You’re insane,” the villain finally managed. The hero simply tipped their head to the side in acknowledgement. “That’s not-what’s wrong with you—“

“You’re the one who misses me.”

It stung, deep in the villain’s stomach. It took them too long to remember how to breathe—too long after that to think of what to say.

“If I’m lucky, I won’t ever have to see you again,” their voice quivered, slightly. “But knowing us, the next time we meet it will be in hell.”

The hero laughed and closed the door in their face.

The villain blocked them. Avoided the side of town the worked in. Moved three cities over.

It didn’t matter.

The villain could still feel the hero under their skin.

Later, whenever someone would ask, “Have you ever been haunted?”

The villain would think back to the hero.

And say, “Yes.”

[lucabyte]

i am looking at nohats au 👀 please share more

So! NoHats! I'm going to grab you and use this to ramble. A Lot.

The NoHats AU is @samhainian's it's just that I'm the strange little freak who takes the words said unto me and executes on them. But I can still do a little explainer on what our overall thoughts and vibes are. (And, that we are in fact propping up a little box with some cheese under it here. 🪤 Please (PLEASE) feel free to pick up what we're putting down.)

We're far from the only ones exploring a "what if siffrin fucking died" AU, though the main difference with NoHats is the placement of the death in the timeline. Instead of being 'Mal Du Pays Wins' or 'Act 6 encounter goes horribly wrong', the death is… Just after the (literal) falling action.

(This placement is because Sam is a comic book fan who thus has become used to characters being ripped away at the cruelest times by shitty writers. THANK FUCKING GOD adrienne is not that and isat is delightful yippieee, but, back on topic.)

Giving the party the full understanding of What Happened that you get by putting the death after black hole siffrin, but before the A6 encounter leaves an interesting gap to be filled. See, making Siffrin's death very much not Loop's fault means that… this once again reads (when not read as simply a tragedy...) as the universe doing what it sees fit to fulfull Loop's wish… Thus making Siffrin's death Loop's fault again, but only in their eyes. And only in a way they could express if they were honest about who they were…

And this is where having had excuse to waffle about my general Postcanon Loop thoughts the other day comes in handy, because Sam and I have that as our canon-compliant reading to begin with, NoHats plays off of a lot of the same readings of Loop's character. Namely: Uh Oh Somebody's Lying By Fucking Omission Again. (BECAUSE TO BE FAIR THIS TIME… HOW THE FUCK WOULD YOU HANDLE THAT?)

Now, neither Sam nor I are fanfic writers, so this has been a little bit trapped in our heads and DMs (and my unfinished art but,)

But our thoughts on how NoHats like… Goes.

Siffrin's death is peaceful, but that does not mean the aftermath of it is. I can't imagine the party takes it well, especially after understanding the circumstances of the Loops. (And, of note, in A5 where nobody had the discussion on what to do with each other's bodies should something happen…) But I'd imagine it traumabonds them somewhat (understatement of the century) and now knowing how the rest of the party feels, they resolve to travel together for the forseeable future.

The party track down Loop to deliver the terrible news, since they were clearly Siffrin's friend too, and invite Loop along to travel at least long enough to (let them grieve) get the burial over with. Loop, here, can be helpful in knowing what Siffrin would've wanted where the party would be at a loss. Loop, I think, takes a bit of a lead on the funerary aspects of it all, because, um. (Performing rites on your own body, huh?)

Then, as things are after a death, life just… Kind of has to continue on as normal. The party travel, pick up Nille, and get to know Loop as this mysterious new person. Maybe in this situation they might stay in Bambouche for a while to give Bonnie more stability since. They are probably taking it the worst. It would've come out of absolutely nowhere for everyone in the party obviously but god, for a kid? For A Kid?

It should be stated NoHats is not intended to be grimdark, just y'know. An exploration of grief. This is also why it's got a bit of a lopsided focus on Bonnie vs the rest of the party because hhrrhghghhghghhhghhghhh <- incoherent

Now, a crossroads.

How does the party discover Loop to be Siffrin? How long does it take. How much have the party embraced them as part of the family (especially with something as intense to bond over as this)?

There's the Odile option. Have her put it together and have to bring it up somehow. This could also be done by Isabeau, perhaps. He's smart. (which. God. If anything's the real Isabeau Torment Nexus it's this)

Then there's the other option batted around by Sam and I. The: The Universe Dislikes Duplicates option.

The items in the house that fzzt away when inspected. The Universe doesn't like there to be two of something, at least not when they're acknowledged. But one of something is just fine…?

Which is to say. I'm not a personal proponent of 'Loop getting their body back'. EXCEPT …… except this one time.

There's only one Siffrin now, so they don't need to be obfuscated to exist.

Consider, if you will. Loop swallowing their guilt for long enough to be comfortable. Falling back into old habits. Without another Siffrin around to compete for the niche of, they actually begin to act like Siffrin again. Not intentionally, it's just… The party is as welcoming as they've always been. And the party swears they keep catching glimpses of a face under all the light.

Then, one day, while still not fully human again, the resemblence becomes undeniable. Loop having not even noticed until everyone looks at them like they've seen a ghost.

Has it been months? How long have they kept up this lie? Is it even a lie, to them? They're Loop. But they were, once, Siffrin.

Even after explaining it, does that make it better or worse?

Bonnie cuts through the betrayed, struck-nerve reactions with a sobering "I missed you."

… Anyway !

Yeah so that's the vibe for NoHats. As for LoopLoops? That's more nebulous. I think it can go anywhere really in the NoHats timeline. I err personally toward the "Loop continuously replays the last 10 minutes before Siffrin's death almost immediately after they find out and have to parkour their ass up the House in the most distressing situation possible to try and get them to hold on, just please hold on." (Remember! Siffrin can remember the contents of Loop's loop backs in the A6 fight!)

But there is the possibility that this happens months, or worse years down the road. One last Loop back. Throw it all away for the chance to just get that one thing you didn't know you even wanted but now know you NEED.

Misc:

Okay miscellaneous time.

This is where I admit that I have a bunch of unfinished NoHats art that I haven't gotten around to yet because I feel like a right tool being so obviously Loop-Centric with my fancontent (I AM . . I REALISE I AM NOT DOING MUCH TO BEAT THE ALLEGATIONS.) So like if people want to see that please say because euaghghghhfh <- the nervous.

this is like the most fucked up place to do isaloop fr. anyway.

one of Sam's mid-game observations that I'm just going to share for no particular reason is that Bonnie's hair shares a bunch of shapes with Siffrin's. The flick up at the top, the 3 pronged shape of the fringe… just something to think about.

Without 2 Siffrins around to compare each other to it'd likely be a lot harder to notice Loop's similarities. Doesn't mean that those similarities don't sting more in this context though.

If you do NoHats without LoopLoops. The concept of this all fading into memory years down the line while they just have slightly-glowy but otherwise regular Siffrin hanging out is fucked up to think about. Just like real grief. Augh

6. a peek into the original dms as a treat from us

[daffi-990]

Fuck it Friday

Tagged by @diazsdimples who posted a whole ass fic! Go and give it a read, it’s a fun one 😁

Have some more from when your heart releases, you won’t fall to pieces aka the Eddie breakdown fic. The writing beans aren’t beaning for this wip, even though I’d really like them to be. Still .. thought I’d share something I wrote for it a little ways back (this is just after the scene from canon where Eddie says he’s scared he’ll never feel normal again.)

“What if I can’t find normal again? What if this is my new normal, Buck?”

“I’ll still be here. I promised to have your back and I meant it. Nothing is going to scare me away from you.”

Away from loving you.

Eddie’s eyes widen slightly, his mouth going a bit slack as he stares at Buck in a way that looks an awful lot like awe. Buck’s starting to think maybe he said that last part out loud. It doesn’t matter though, because it’s true. Nothing he learns about Eddie will scare him away. Every bruised and scarred piece of Eddie that he’s ever been shown has been carefully gathered up and placed with the others, all held within the safety of Buck’s heart, their edges slotting in perfectly beside his own.

Buck clears his throat to break the moment, now is not the time for Buck to cut himself open and pour his love and devotion for Eddie out at his feet. Not when Eddie is so fragile and Buck has a girlfriend.

Girlfriend.

He has to keep reminding himself of that, which is probably not a good sign about the vitality of their relationship. But now is not the time to think about that either. Right now he needs to focus on Eddie and making sure he’s okay. Hopefully convince him to get some sleep, because he looks like shit. Buck thinks there may be bags under the bags under his eyes.

“Right. You’re going to shower and then you’re going to sleep. Everything else can wait until the morning, okay?”

“And you’ll be here? In the morning?” Eddie’s voice sounds so small. Buck’s heart cracks at the sound of it.

“I told you,” Buck reaches across the table and squeeze his hands, “m’not going anywhere.”

No pressure tagging: @steadfastsaturnsrings @hippolotamus @wildlife4life @nmcggg @puppyboybuckley @wikiangela @watchyourbuck @rainbow-nerdss @exhuastedpigeon @elvensorceress @eddiebabygirldiaz @evanbegins @spotsandsocks @thewolvesof1998 @theotherbuckley @try-set-me-on-fire @tizniz @rewritetheending @athenagranted @alliaskisthepossibilityoflove @monsterrae1 @malewifediaz @spagheddiediaz @devirnis @disasterbuckdiaz @fiona-fififi @giddyupbuck @fortheloveofbuddie @hoodie-buck @homerforsure @honestlydarkprincess @jeeyuns @jesuisici33 @bekkachaos @lover-of-mine @loserdiaz @ladydorian05 @captain-hen and anyone else I may have missed or who wants to share something!

[azol-otl]

a random prompt for you—perhaps something with a vampire keeping their human lover well fed, w/ maybe jaydick? jaytim? i am not actually picky about the ship shskjdk

the reverse of this would be interesting too!

Not gonna lie I have two ideas on where this can go and both are way different tones lol. The first one though, that's gonna be vampire Jason and human Dick, involving eternal Jaybin playing Dick like a fiddle.

"Diiiickie," echoes the sing song tone. Dick swallows heavily, lunch still sitting like a rock in his stomach. Jason had found out about him skipping meals while on a case, and just like every time before he took it upon himself to make sure that Dick fed sufficiently. That wasn't the problem. Dick actually thought it was really cute how bent out of shape Jason would get about Dick's abysmal track record in keeping himself fed when he was focused on a case. His cheeks would puff up and he'd give a scowl that he knows was meant to be threatening but came off as adorable instead. He'd break into Dick's place and by the time Dick woke up there'd be a delicious smelling spread on the table and a smug Jason trying his best at hiding how eager he was to see how Dick would react to the food. Like he really needed to worry, it was always delicious. It wasn't even the fact that Jason got all intense about Dick eating because he's like that with everyone. Like the...incident had shifted some wires in his brain and food kicked it's way to the top. And as someone who couldn't eat anymore...well that left other avenues. "There you are!" Dick turned sharply and he knew he was a goner, Jason had his scent and there was no way Dick would be outrunning him in his state. With a literal pep in his step Jason walked over to Dick, black curls bouncing in youthful joy and a sharp grin on his face. He had with him a tray with donuts that must be fresh out of the fryer, smothered in chocolate and hazelnut the way Dick loves. Dick's stomach and brain war with each other about how he absolutely shouldn't eat them but they smell too good not to eat. "I thought you left already and had to give these to you before you were gone," Jason explains, and before there would be a flush across Jason's face and the tips of his ears, now there's just a widening of his pupils and sharp canines instead. On a pale face stuck forever at fifteen instead of twenty three like it should be. "After all, I can't let you go hungry?" he said with a smirk.

Basically Jason turned into a vampire instead of being killed by the Joker. Dick, after coming back from the space, had offered himself up as a food source for Jason who, while not having trouble with drinking blood per say, did have trouble with the fact that he can't eat anymore. The relationship is weird to others because despite both of them being adults, Jason still looks like he's fifteen (which really truly does it for Dick and it was not a very smooth discovery), and there is still a six to seven year difference between them. Not only that but they both get off on the food aspect. With Dick eating and Jason providing food, but also with Jason feeding off of Dick directly. Really Dick's only issue is that he's starting to get soft in the middle but y'know, Jason finds it pretty hot so win-win to him.

[priincebutt]

🖤 for firstprince please and thank you 🤭🤭🤭🤭

🖤 kissing while crying / goodbye kiss / desperation -- send a heart get a snip

“They’re sending me to Earth.”

The words sit between Alex and Henry, heavy and present, like there’s another person at the table with them. Alex’s mind tries to catch up with what Henry’s just said, but his expression is one of pure bewilderment. He reaches for Henry before remembering the guard monitoring their meeting, and thinks better of it. Last time he’d tried to touch his boyfriend he’d been physically escorted out and given a warning: if he did it again, he wouldn’t be able to continue visiting.

“I’m sorry, what?” Alex asks, his voice thick with the confusion that forms his brow into a little v of worry. He leans forward and clasps his hands in his lap, determined to keep his cool. “Earth is uninhabitable. That’s what they’ve always told us. They can’t just… Just because you’re a prisoner doesn’t mean you deserve to be sent to die!”

His last word rings out and Henry flinches away from it. The guard shoots Alex a furtive look but goes back to reading on his tablet, probably the latest news ping that held the report on the oxygen levels lowering, on how they’re running out of time and if the station can’t figure something out soon, there won’t be any hope. A whole civilization, snuffed out in space, another dying star in their own right.

“Research shows that after 100 years the Earth’s atmosphere should have corrected itself. They’re hoping this is the answer to the… the crisis.” Henry swallows thickly and looks away, then finally meets Alex’s gaze again. “My dad discovered the oxygen crisis. He wanted to tell the whole ship and that’s why they floated him. Now everyone knows anyway, and they’re trying to remediate it by sending us down as the test dummies. See if we can survive, if all of the radioactivity and poison is gone from the air.” Henry’s words are brittle with anger. He’d been arrested for being in alliance with his father, helping him crunch the numbers and uncover the ugly underbelly of secrets the Chancellor had been keeping from everyone. Henry’s father, an adult, was immediately killed, sent into space with no gear or oxygen to become a part of the universe again. Henry, being under 18 and still a child in the law’s eyes, became a prisoner to be re-evaluated on his 18th birthday.

It’s only days away, and he won’t even be on this ship to see it. He’ll spend his eighteenth birthday on Earth. And while he’s terrified to leave Alex and his mother and family behind, the thought of this new adventure… well. It kind of thrills him.

“Henry, you can’t go. What am I going to do? You’re going to die down there and I’m just going to have to sit here and live with that? You can’t go.”

“I don’t really have a choice, Alex,” Henry points out calmly. He understands why Alex is upset, but there’s nothing they can do now. The deed has been done. He’s going to Earth.

The guard stands from his chair and looks down at his watch. “Time’s up, you two. Out you go, Claremont-Diaz.” “Just like, five more minutes? Please?” Alex asks hopefully, and finally his hand reaches for Henry’s. When their fingers interlock he squeezes, and Henry feels tears prick at his eyes. He feels guilt for excitement for the upcoming journey to Earth, and a deep sadness over what he’s leaving behind. This has all happened so suddenly, they’d only told him he was going this morning.

“Sorry, no can do. You’re lucky your Ma is who she is and you even get to be here,” he points out. Most prisoners aren’t given any kind of visitation rights, but since Henry’s dad was one of the top scientists who kept this whole space ship up and running, and Alex’s mom’s position as a higher up in their shoddy government system, they’d gotten around it.

Henry can see the panic flickering across Alex’s face, and he squeezes his hand again, pulling Alex’s attention back to him. “Hey. Hey, Alex? It’s going to be ok. Look at me.” Alex’s dark eyes meet Henry’s, and Henry’s free hand comes to rest on his stubbled cheek. Alex’s chest rises and falls on his heavy breathing, and Henry knows he’s on the verge of a panic attack by how far off his gaze is. “It’s all going to be ok,” Henry says with a weak smile.

“Stay alive. Wait for me. I’ll be on the first ship out of this hell hole,” Alex mumbles softly. He lets out a sigh and presses their foreheads together, and the guard starts to say something, but Alex ignores him. If this is the last time he’s going to see Henry, he’s going to make it worth it.

The tears that welled in Henry’s eyes fall as Alex presses their lips together. It’s been months since he’s been kissed, and Henry melts into Alex, lets himself forget that this is maybe (probably) the last time they’ll touch like this. His fingers tangle in Alex’s hair as Alex’s hand rests on his waist, and for a moment they just exist, just the two of them, with nothing to split them apart.

But then Henry’s being wrenched back by his shoulder, and he curses as the guard fastens restraints around his wrists and forcefully pushes him back towards his cell.

“Wait for me!” Alex calls as another guard escorts him out. Henry loathes the desperation, the wetness on his face, this whole situation. It’s all shit. And now he’s got to go to Earth and fucking survive for Alex. He just has to make it long enough for them to be together again.

[defectivehero]

unrelenting

warnings: self-harm, attempted amputation, gore, kidnapping/captivity

Please heed the warnings!!!

The hero has been trapped in this bleak cell for months. They haven't been able to keep a true sense of time, but they've placed weak scratches into the wall each time they've woken. The scratches now cover the corner of the room. Perhaps it's even been years. They can't be sure.

All the hero knows is that they have a weapon, a means of escape. They found it while in a fit of frustration. They had angrily ripped at the thin, rigid mattress on the wire bed frame. And under the mattress, in the very center of the frame, was a dull knife.

The hero spends what they can only assume to be days sharpening it to a fine point. As they devote more attention to restoring the weapon, they realize it isn't just a regular knife—it's a Liston knife. The same kind of knife used by Robert Liston in his surgical amputations in the 18th century.

They've tried fruitlessly to cut through the chain around their ankle—the one keeping them tethered to this room. They've had no luck in that regard. As the hero stares down at the knife, they begin to realize that there's perhaps something... else... they can cut through.

After all, the Liston knife was designed for amputations. If the hero cut their foot off at the ankle, they would be free from their bonds and could escape. It's not a pleasant idea. But the hero feels as if they have no other choice. They've been trapped here for an immeasurable amount of time. No one has bothered to rescue them. They could very well be confined here for the rest of their life. If this sacrifice is what it takes for them to acquire freedom, well...

The hero takes a shuddering breath in, before sitting down on the ground with their back to the cell's iron bars. They take their shoe and sock off, before tugging experimentally at the chain. Indeed, it is expertly tightened to prevent them from escaping. There's no tangible keyhole on the cuff, and the knife hadn't managed to even dent the steel.

Their heart is racing as they trace the knife along the skin of their upper ankle, just barely grazing the top of the cuff. The hero pulls at the collar of their shirt and places it in their mouth. For a long moment, their hand shakes as the knife rests against their skin. It's horribly cold, sending goosebumps prickling along their arms.

Somehow, they manage to begin the incision. It hurts—more than the hero could have possibly fathomed. At some point, they begin to scream. Yet they can't stop themselves from pushing the knife in further, deeper. They need to escape. They can't stay here forever. They need to escape. They need to-

There's a harsh grip on their wrist, forcing the knife out of their grasp. The weapon clatters to the floor. The hero's blood-slicked hands are trembling as they look up into the eyes of their captor, the villain. The villain looks enraged—a stark contrast to the unfeeling mask they always seem to wear. There is no trace of that cruelty in the expression the villain has on their face.

"What the fuck are you doing?" They spit.

The hero can't find the words to answer. They can't seem to focus on anything except for the strangely warm, slippery feeling of their own blood coating their hands. The villain is still lurking, looming, towering over them. The hero waits to be shoved to the ground, waits for the villain to punch them into unconsciousness.

The blows never come. Instead, the villain shakes their head and walks away with the knife in hand. When they return moments later—in what feels like the blink of an eye to the hero—they have medical supplies in hand. The villain then crouches down until they're sitting on the floor with the hero.

"I knew you had it," they remark, tearing the hero from their frantic thoughts. The hero stares at them. "The knife." They nod at the corner of the ceiling, to a strange glint that must be the lens of a security camera. The hero's stomach turns. They hadn't realized. All this time... the villain was watching. They feel sick, all of a sudden. "I thought, 'Why the hell not?' I figured you'd try to stab me with it. I wouldn't let you, of course." The villain continues. The hero tries to bend their knee, move away from their enemy, but the villain quickly stops them with a hand on their knee.

"But this," they break off, seemingly entirely lost for words. "What the hell were you thinking? You've been acting weirdly lately, I should've fucking known you'd pull something like this." The villain shakes their head and then, to the hero's complete surprise, grabs the cloth and begins exerting pressure. For a while, there is nothing but quiet as their leg continues to bleed.

"Do you have any idea how dangerous that was?" The villain hisses, beginning to bandage their ankle once the bleeding is more manageable. Their hands are surprisingly warm, a welcome change from the chill of the cement floor. "You could've easily contracted an infection and died... You're damn lucky you didn't lose your leg." The villain punctuates their last statement by finishing their bandaging. For a moment, the hero swears their touch lingers, but they put it down to their pain-addled mind.

"I'll be back soon enough," the villain declares as they get to their feet. They look over at the security camera, before staring at the hero once more. "Don't take those off." They order, their gaze briefly flitting to the bandages around the hero's ankle.

With that closing remark, the villain is gone. The hero is left to their own confusion and dismay, as they come to terms with the unshakeable fact that their enemy just patched them up. They're beginning to realize something: the longer they spend with the villain, the less the hero understands them. Their enemy is like a mirage—get close enough and they simply... fade. The villain is entirely contradictory at worst and utterly perplexing at best. The hero brings a hand down to the edge of their carefully-placed bandages, feeling a shiver roll down their spine.

They're not sure what they're supposed to do anymore. Should they try to escape? Should they accept their fate? And what of their enemy? Does the villain truly care about their wellbeing? Surely not. But what can explain the bandages, the furrow to their brows as they took in the scene before them? Is there a reasonable explanation for the minute flicker of their emotionless mask, the brief slip where the hero could see concern drawing their lips tight into a frown?

The hero inhales slowly. Their weapon was confiscated by the villain. Their enemy's previous admission is sticking in their mind. I knew you had it. The hero underestimated the villain's desire for entertainment. Then again, if they sought entertainment... what could be more entertaining than the hero bleeding out in their cell, from a wound of their own infliction?

The hero feels painfully aware of every minute movement they make, knowing that the villain is watching from somewhere. Yet they find their gaze drifting to the security camera anyway, almost daring for the villain to explain themselves. Unsurprisingly, the hero receives no elaboration. Taking a deep breath, they let their head fall back to the wall behind them as they close their eyes.

©2024, @defectivehero | @defectivevillain All Rights Reserved.

here's the inspo for this. it was first just a quick thing I was gonna post:

just thinking about the hero, kidnapped by the villain, chained up and left to rot in a cell. thinking about the hero somehow acquiring a weapon—maybe they filched it from the villain when they weren't looking, maybe they came in with it, maybe it was hidden in the wall—and attempting to cut their chains. they can hardly make a scratch on the chains, so they pivot to something else: their own limbs. thinking about the villain bursting in, seeing them hurt themselves to escape... thinking about the aftermath, the tense silence in the air as the villain carefully bandages the hero's wounds... thinking about the confusion, frustration, shame, guilt, rage, and vengeance all fighting for prominence in the hero's mind...

I love the idea of the villain just being so utterly contradictory and confusing to the hero. one moment, they're playful, flirty, almost caring... the next, they're cruel, vindictive, and spiteful. I equally love the idea of the villain just leaving the hero to their confusion. Sometimes, this would be an avenue for a writer to have the villain say something like "only I can kill you," but that feels both overplayed and also not as significant? I ended up keeping the villain's mystery, because it's fun to try to puzzle out their motivations.

not tagging the taglist for this one, just because it has some topics that can be pretty triggering.

[wikiangela]

wip wednesday

tagged by @steadfastsaturnsrings @theotherbuckley @tizniz @diazsdimples @buddieswhvre @disasterbuckdiaz @dangerpronebuddie 💖💖💖

more of the cheating fic bc I said this is my main focus rn and it is haha (I might have something different for friday tho 🙈) I hope I'll finish this scene before I post all of it in snippets lol the convo just keeps going and going istg haha

prev snippet

___

 “What are you doing here so early? After last night, I thought you two would be dead to the world the whole day.” she teases, then goes to get a cup of coffee.

“Hey, Karen.” Buck responds quietly, not answering the question. Hen does it for him.

“Buck’s having a crisis. He slept with Eddie.” Hen says, and Karen turns towards them, eyes wide, but then the surprise turns into a smile.

“Well, finally.” she chuckles, reaching into the cupboard for a mug. “I thought it’d take them decades to figure it out.” she pauses, then frowns, turning towards Buck again. And he chooses to ignore that comment, because what the hell did she even mean? “Wait, what happened with you and Taylor? When did you guys break up? Did I miss some 118 gossip?” she asks, shooting her wife a questioning look.

“No, you didn’t, they’re still together..” Hen responds, scrutinizing gaze not leaving Buck. “He cheated on her.”

___

no pressure tags: @elvensorceress @gaydiaz @thebravebitch @silentxxsoul @shortsighted-owl @eddiebabygirldiaz @housewifebuck @watchyourbuck @eowon @loserdiaz @evanbegins @ladydorian05 @wildlife4life @diazpatcher @lover-of-mine @monsterrae1 @thewolvesof1998 @puppyboybuckley @weewootruck @loveyouanyway @spagheddiediaz @rainbow-nerdss @epicbuddieficrecs @pirrusstuff @spotsandsocks @alliaskisthepossibilityoflove @hoodie-buck @nmcggg @rogerzsteven @hippolotamus @giddyupbuck @sunshinediaz @honestlydarkprincess @underwater-ninja-13 @exhuastedpigeon @fortheloveofbuddie @911-on-abc @daffi-990 @jesuisici33

[gothsuguru]

first draft of “premonition of love” has officially begun <3

[patchwork-crow-writes]

85 - Neverending Reverie

(Inspired by Catroic's work on AO3, Beautiful Reverie. Thanks for the inspiration and giving me permission to riff on your ideas!) (Warnings for mild gore and suggestive themes)

"Pacify."

The command arrived to him as little more than a whisper, as though spoken through gritted teeth and strained throat. It was a nonsense; the enemy was not tired, and such a spell would have no effect.

"Pacify."

The word fell softer upon his ears this time, quicksilver laced with a mercurial edge that set his heart ashiver. The strings of his scarf seemed to tighten around his throat. He wanted to do as they asked, he wanted to trust in them that this was the right thing to do. He wanted them to be proud of him.

But...

His hesitation emboldened the enemy, and they launched their assault at his unprotected form. A blur of blue and black leapt out in front of him - his beloved knight, rushing selfishly to his defence, took the full brunt of the attack and slumped to the ground, akin to a marionette whose strings had just been sundered.

Despair turned his blood to ice. Heal them... he had to-

But the voice stopped him short. 'Pacify.'

An invisible hand squeezed the air from his lungs.

'Pacify.'

The enemy advanced again. There was no time, there was no time-

'Pacify.'

This wasn't-

'Pacify.'

He couldn't-

'Pacify.'

The enemy reached their prone body, poised to deliver the killing blow-

'Pacify.'

'NO!'

Magic welled up from deep within his core, galvanised by a tension he had never experienced before - the anguished ecstasy of coming to know the true extent of his devotion to their Knight, colliding with the terror of realising he was about to lose them forever.

To protect his precious lightner from harm, there were no lengths to which he would not go; no depths to which he would not sink.

With both hands thrust out before him, the prince unleashed his spell - silence and stillness condensed into a physical force that slammed into its target. Its expression turning glassy-eyed, the colour draining from its form, the enemy fell into a slumber deeper than the darkness itself - a reverie from which there would be no awakening.

He could not bear to look upon his sublime work. Breathless, sick with dread, he gathered up his knight in his arms, hoping to find absolution for his impiety and unbelief. Still did his heart beat frantic in his ribcage, and still did his limbs quake, his adrenaline refusing to release its death-grip upon him.

Their body was so cold, and the smile on their lips was bright and sharp as a razor.

'D-did I do well?' he babbled, stroking their face with his trembling paw. 'Did I... please you, my light...?'

Their lips moved, and his own moved to meet them. And in the icy throes of his desperate passion, the lonely prince found his answer.

______________________________

The Dark Menagerie No. 85

<-<-First || <-Prev || Next-> || Index

[alwaysurvalentine]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Stranger Things (TV 2016) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson Characters: Steve Harrington, Eddie Munson, The Party (Stranger Things), Robin Buckley, Dustin Henderson Additional Tags: the whole party is here but just mentioned, Fluff, Steve Harrington's Pool, come get your cavities here bc its so sweet Summary:

Steve’s hazel eyes cut to Eddie’s, a slight blush rises from his cheeks to his ears. “Jealous, are we? Not all of us can pull off an apron.” “Oh I could definitely pull it off. Just figured you’d want to keep it on while you cook.” There it is, a full Steve Harrington blush, red spreading from his cheeks down his neck. If it wasn’t so hot, Eddie would already have his arms around his boy, head tucked into his neck while he cooked. “Flatterer.” Eddie can’t keep his attention for long, the burgers sizzling and popping in front of them drawing Steve away from flirty words. “Who’s winning?”

(TLDR; fluff at Steve's house for a pool party)