#if you give a tango a game idea

[applepixls]

etho upon learning pots can be smashed by flying into them: "wait............. minigame!!!"

its like that one childrens book "if you give a mouse a cookie" except its "if you give a redstoner a new game mechanic"

[alicenotalice]

Something fun to consider about Tango (and his character) is that he’s 100% capable of and comfortable with commanding authority

You mostly see it on streams, with the firm yet easy grip he has on his chat; but it’s also clear from how his servermates talk to and about him. When selling the hermit permit concept to his audience, Grian specifically invoked Tango (alongside Etho and Cub) as someone whose approval should set the audience at ease. Heck, this year Joe Hills told Tango in an episode that he’s respected “as an authority” on the server (therefore Tango can totally issue Scar a search warrant)

And yet in the life series, Tango has a reputation for letting people walk all over him!

I suppose a simple way of putting it would be that cc!Tango is able to command the respect and attention of his peers; but c!Tango (and especially traffic!Tango) lacks the confidence required. He’ll let the Crastle and BEST pressure him out of his lives one way or another; he’ll let Skizz and Jimmy talk him down from his righteous fury

And that’s a fine, clear reading! But lately I’ve been trying to see if I can reconcile the idea of a life series Tango who can take a position of power, who knows that he can, but for some reason refrains. Because there are moments where traffic!Tango flexes his authority, and they fascinate me

A favorite of mine occurs in Secret Life, during the game of tag. Tango loses the first round and drops out, leaving Scott, Bdubs, and Impulse to chase each other down. Bdubs, currently “it” and struggling, runs past Tango and Skizz. His distress is obvious. Then Tango, calmly and firmly, instructs Skizz to get off the horse he’s riding and give it to Bdubs. Skizz protests—Tango insists. Skizz dismounts.

Traffic!Tango wielded that authority for Bdubs of all people. Fascinating

[laddertek]

cut to in-person at about 2h33 in tango's current twitch vod 06Jan25:

Etho: "I got an idea, Tango!" Tango: "Did you log in to give me ideas?!" Etho: "I logged in just for you. You distracted me from my fishing."

That's saying something! ^^

not even mcci fishing could keep etho from brainstorming game design with tango :D

[euphoria-looney]

Credits to the idea:

Batfam X Neglected Reader ( Squid Games)

Creds to the dividers: (?)

The Winner Takes It All by ABBA

When do humans get so desperate they give up their own lives for that small chance of money?

Money is a category in your history class dedicated to why money is the basis of your life. Economy.

I first witnessed someone leave everything had for money, my mother. When I was 5, I didn't know why my mother was leaving the manor with a huge suitcase, filled with cash.

My mother engaged to Bruce Wayne who only allowed her in as they procreated me. In her words, both sides should take responsibility, it takes two to tango, and why should she be the only one to deal with the consequences.

Which now is very hypocritical as she ran away taking everything but me.

I didn't want sympathy, but I didn't want to be treated like dirt for a mistake I didn't make.

For the next 13 years of my life, I tried to stay on the down low, no matter how many dirty looks, and the insults, not even when Damian would hurt me.

I just hoped they wouldn't mind if I stayed with them a little longer until I could find a stable way to leave.

That hope burst when Alfred came to my room and told me “Master Bruce has decided to kick you out and disown you, I'm so sorry, [name].”

I tried to somehow make it, promising myself, it was going to be okay.

I got into college, and the debt collected from that was massive, so I had to go get loans at the bank, and then get into a part-time job, but every day seemed like we were always getting robbed. My manager had no choice but to let me go.

“I'm sorry, sugar, but we aren't pulling in enough customers and I can't afford to keep too many employees, there's no easy way to say this but, you have to quit. I don't want to fire you, it'd look bad for any job you'd apply for next.”

I held onto her hand like a lifeline I begged and pleaded with no avail.

I tucked my tail in and went to the Wayne manor.

"Um, It's [name], could I... um..." I swallowed my words, afraid to say them, I mean, this was humiliating, 13 years since I'd seen them and the first thing I asked for was cash? "... borrow some money."

No surprise I was rejected, but that didn't hurt me it was the comments, how I was so much like my mother.

I waddled to the train station, if I was lucky, the train wouldn't be hijack or filled with gas tonight.

"Hey, you want to earn some money?" A guy next to me.

"No, thank you."

"10,000 dollars. Just a child's game"

I lifted my head to stare at him. I couldn't see his face, hidden behind a mask.

"It's a Korean game, visited it a few days ago, so would you mind playing it with me?" He gave an authoritative vibe, it made me want to back away, his aura was sinister.

I had already hit rock bottom, what could be lower? I hesitantly nodded my head.

I don't know how many times I lost, but I finally did it!

Handing me the cash and then handing me this weird card.

"If you ever need more, contact us." with that he walked away.

Third POV

“B, are you sure this is the right spot?”

‘Positive. Are you sure you want to join on this mission, Dick.”

Despite what anyone might think Batman, otherwise known as Bruce Wayne cares and loves his kids.

Changing into suits and golden animal masks, they went to the VIP room, make some bets on random numbers.

Oracle was doing the background work, hacking into everything, it wasn't like the movies and the stress was on.

The court of Owls was not just one villain working but a cult that was not only wealthy but influential, with their own members, called Talons who were armed and ready.

On the screen 456 players appeared.

“Today, we have prepared the game red light, green light. A child game.” The frontman introduced the V.I.P’s at the start of the first round.

[name]’s POV:

Waking up, the clothes I was originally wearing changed into the tracksuit outfit with a number on it.

A person caught my eye, it’s Astro! From the law department, I couldn’t help but approach him.

“What are you doing here?” Word got around that he was an academic genius, and many had hope for his bright future.

I could only remember how fond his mother was when talking about him, I thought I saw her the other day working.

“Oh, [name]. It’s been a while hasn’t it? What are you doing here?” He dodged the question.

“I… couldn’t afford college and took out a loan, eventually I got a lot of debt.” Our conversation got cut short as we headed to this random room.

Going to this machine it said ‘smile’

I gave a gummy like smile before making my way to the field

Playing red light, green light.

After explaining the rules everyone started running, nothing was wrong until a person got spotted moving during the red light, poor guy, going home penniless after making it here-

Spat

Oh.

There’s blood on my shoes.

It was like a stampede of people running to the door, stacking on top of each other. I was frozen out of fear.

Wha-

What do I do?

I’m afraid.

Someone tell me, what do I do?!

Before I knew it, I made it to the end.

Third POV:

Thankfully no one found the bat family suspicious or they would’ve noticed how they tensed up seeing as their daughter/sibling had the first contestant’s blood splattered not only on her shoes but also on her clothes.

A break had ensued as the game was over and everyone made their way to their individual rooms.

“What are they doing there?!”

“Should we stop it now?!”

“How?!”

“Quiet down!” Bruce had stopped the panic, but in reality he, himself didn’t know what to do either.

[name]’s POV:

Going back to the room, I felt like a doll and everyone sat on the floor.

The sickening feeling of seeing the gold lighting illuminating the clear pig, with money dropping down into it.

I could feel my stomach drop just thinking about it.

I didn't know what was happening until Astro got up and rebutted the guards.

“Clause three, The games may be terminated upon a majority vote, right?”

Thankfully, ending this sick and twisted game.

That didn’t last long though as a day had passed and I was back in this building. I think everyone who left was.

I talked to new people, especially this one old man who reminded me of Alfred.

“I could say the same to you. You’re young, and your debt is lower than most people here, so why continue risking your life for this money?” I shook my head, my face holding a sad smile.

“No matter how hard I try I just keep gaining then losing debt. But it’s different for you sir. Doesn’t the government give insurance and medicare for the elderly?” I held his hands in mine.

“The government isn’t as nice as you think, corrupt up in their high-paying jobs, but still greedy for more.”

As the games ensued I could feel myself deteriorate.

Third POV

Gripping onto the couch arms, and bouncing off one's feet could symbolize when someone is... anxious.

Or it could be showing anticipation.

So let's pretend that's what Bruce Wayne is feeling right now.

And if we asked his opinion on number ###, [name] [lastname]...

Most people would think, "Yes, he must be anticipating her death, how the blood would splatter, whether it be from losing a game or betrayal from another contestant." That's what most people would think of that entire family.

How could you not?

They shamed her, bullied her, and scorned her away from their home.

Wouldn't even provide financial aid much less.

Isn't that why she's here in the first place?

It was like they wanted her to grovel and die, die a death that would have no meaning, not even to this unforgiving world.

However, you'd be shocked that's not correct.

Anxiety is a scary thing it makes you make rash decisions. Good or bad.

It was nothing new to these vigilantes.

But oh. seeing her tired eyes, sweat dripping down everywhere, from her head to her legs. Her trembling form.

If you didn't know the context you'd already think she was a corpse.

No! That's wouldn't couldn't be true.

They couldn't allow it to be, she was going to be safe.

She had to be.

She was forgotten, but now, everyone's eyes were on her.

Anxiety is a scary thing, and with the current event, situation, there was nothing they could do but hope for the best, bounce their legs, and grip the couch.

-

It’s time for the next game.

“For this game we’ll be playing the marble game.”

—

There will be 2 endings choose which one. (I'll be making both.)

-> Thank you… for playing with me.

-> Astro!

Also, I love the idea and from fic from both @jellyfishmoon97 and @not-weirdoshrek

@holysoulsweets @sh4rk-k1d @sillysealsies @loomspuddle @cantfindmelol @alwaysholymilkshake @leitor-sonolento (I think these are all the ones that wanted to get tagged idk though 😍)

[ethosiab]

we've been here before, 5 or 6 times

Etho and Tango hang out. A new game is soon to begin, so they talk.

They find it’s not exactly a matter of if they’ll join, but how soon.

beta read by @silliest-sideblog and partially inspired by these fics by @oh-snapperss

(read on ao3)

----------------

When they receive the message, Etho and Tango are hanging out in their corner of the shopping district, in the bowels of Ravager Rush. Sheets of paper are scattered about everywhere at Etho’s feet where he’s sat sifting through them.

They could have chosen a better spot to be doing this, but hey! If Etho gets an epiphany about one of the numerous bugs he’s been dealing with since deciding to rework the scoring system, the game is right there. It wouldn’t be the first time one of them has abandoned the other on one of their so-called ‘dates’ to fix a redstone issue.

(Pearl likes to call it that- a date. Even though neither of them are really interested in that sort of thing, and they spend the whole time barely saying a few words to each other, content to work on their own projects as long as the other is nearby. They don’t really mind it though, so maybe Pearl’s onto something when she says it.)

Etho flips through a stack of pages, each scribbled with notes, ideas, and small diagrams that he’s jotted down quickly in between doing other tasks around Frogger and his base. Generally, he’s able to keep his notes more organised than this, but between fixing all the bugs as they came up after the game’s opening, and redesigning the scoring system after the other hermit’s competitive insanity, he hasn’t had much time to sit down and simply sort through them.

Tango, meanwhile, sits a couple metres away from him, lying on his stomach. He’s propped himself up on his elbows and is currently staring very intently at a document open on his communicator with a sour look on his face.

“I can’t believe I missed some of these. What sorta redstoner am I?” Tango says, lifting a hand to flick through the list. “I mean, surely if I’d been less lazy when I got into this I wouldn’t have half of these bugs.”

Etho looks up from the papers. “If it makes you feel better, I spent hours trying to figure out why the game wasn’t turning on last night,” He says, “It turned out a silverfish had burrowed into a stone block and broke the redstone on top of it when it came out.” That was a new one. The kind of bug you only get when you’re placing redstone while half asleep. Bdubs had been around, and even then phantoms can’t get to him underground, so there hadn’t been much reason for Etho to actually sleep. Unfortunately, he doesn’t function well when tired, and acknowledgement of that fact has not magically fixed his sleep schedule.

Tango makes a variety of exasperated and unbelieving noises at the confession. “Wh- Yeah that does make me feel better!” He pushes himself up from the floor, and leans back onto his knees. “What are you doing building on natural stone for, man! That’s disgusting!”

“Look, I was−”

Tango interrupts him. “Gah! Can’t believe we gave Joel all that flack about not using smooth stone or wool, when you Mr Hopper Clock himself, can’t even be bothered to-”

He stops when the holographic display of the bug list he had open in front of him fizzles out, and the touchscreen of his comm stares up brightly at him in its place.  In the same moment, Etho’s own comm materializes at his hip.

The devices chime with an incessant and annoying note, designed to grab the players’ attention—and keep it—until they do what it wants.Etho hasn’t heard that sound in almost a year. He silently wishes that year had lasted longer.

He doesn’t need to unlatch it from his belt and open it to know what it says. He does so anyway.

<████> Join the Game?

He can’t read the IGN of the player who sent it. They gave up trying to figure that out a few games back.

Etho swallows back a lump in his throat. “It really couldn’t give us a rest for a little longer, could it?” He says, chuckling a little. It wasn’t funny.

Tango gives a frustrated huff from where he’s stood up. He half looks prepared to chuck his communicator along with its stupid join prompt into the nearest wall.

“I’m going outside,” he says, “Getting some fresh air.” His tail flicks side to side with obvious pent up anxiety. The fire in his hair has come to life, and Etho would fear for his low hanging redstone if he didn’t know for a fact that Tango’s flames are practically harmless, not like a real blaze’s fire.

Etho has grown to understand Tango’s large emotive reactions to things like these. He can’t see his own hair, but given the growing ball of static he feels in his chest from the prospect of a new game, he can imagine the clouds are more unruly than normal.

He keeps a hand on the stack of papers he was sorting through, worried the cold breeze would scatter them, and ruin the last half hour of work he’s done. It often followed him, the breeze, especially when he was feeling like this. It’s almost starting to become normal.

“Don’t leave without me,” Etho says, looking up at his friend. The words surprised even him.  He doesn’t know why he thinks the possibility would ruin him.

Tango’s smile is small, but it’s there. “Never.”

------------------

They sit at the edge of Tango’s factory base, legs hanging off the ledge and looking out on the horizon—on the rest of the server. There’s redstone under Etho’s nails, from his work last night. He should really clean it out before he burns himself by accidentally activating it. Doc’s always pestered him about wearing gloves, especially ever since he lost his eye. He does agree, he’d like to never experience pain like that again. Redstone reacting with his blood, infecting an already corrupted wound. Etho’s not a smart guy when it comes to this sort of thing, though. He likes his fingerless gloves. He likes the itch of redstone dust under his fingernails. He finds it grounding.

Tango’s head rests on his shoulder, a similar grounding force. His tail is partially wrapped around Etho, swishing side to side and knocking into Etho’s shoe every now and then. Etho’s not even sure Tango knows he’s doing it.

“Are you going to join?” Tango asks.

Etho huffs a bit in response. Is he? Every game so far has only served to drive him further to the edge. He’s almost reached a tipping point many times. And yet, every time his comm chimes with that unignorable message, he can’t help but consider it. He’s played in death games before, holds the scars of those days gone by, but he’s older now. He should be more level headed about joining a hardcore server designed specifically to drive him to murder and kill his friends. Is he a bad person for considering this?

“I mean, I haven’t missed one yet.”

Tango pauses. “Didn’t they have another one?” He questions, half speaking into the fluff on the hood of Etho’s vest. “Earlier this season? A lot of the guys disappeared on April fools. Something about an ‘out of body experience’. I know you weren’t there for that.”

That makes Etho freeze a little. Of course, Cleo won that one. He missed the join notification because he specifically put his comm as far from himself as possible so he could avoid distractions while sorting through the junk all over his single player world. Did he really forget something like that? “Hm. Yeah you’re right. Had a lot of stuff at home to clean up, I guess. Cleo did mention it though. Said it was fun.”

“Heh, I don’t know if the others all really agreed with her,” Tango chuckles. “Apparently Joel couldn’t stop throwing up for at least a day or two after. Really fucked with his code, that one.”

Etho could relate. He got sick towards the end of the last game and was almost relieved when Scar drew his sword through his stomach for the 3rd time. The rough respawn meant he was stuck curled up in his bed in his Decked Out 2 cubby until Tango found him. He did get up, after a regen potion or two. No death game would stop him from running the dungeon, after all.

(Tango wasn’t happy with him for that. He wanted to force Etho to be on bedrest for a bit. He was convinced in the end though, probably recognizing how late in the season they were, and how disrupting it would be for Etho to miss out on the final phases.)

Etho doesn’t voice his thoughts though. “Maybe this one will be similar. Fun, I mean.”

He doesn’t really believe himself when he says it. Cleo’s game was short, probably didn’t last long enough for anything to really hurt. Something tells him he won’t be as lucky this time.

Tango apparently doesn’t believe him either. He scoffs. “Yeah, right. And I’ll win! We’re saying things that won’t happen now, is that what we’re doing?”

Etho leans back. He puts his comm to the side for now, but doesn’t power it off or tuck it back into his inventory. Tango shuffles to the side slightly, lifting his head to give him space.

Etho turns to look at him. He shifts the subject slightly. “You gonna team up with me?” He asks, once again saying the first thing to come to mind. What the hell is Tango doing to him? “We could uh- really show them what 37th and 39th place could do.”

He adds the second part, almost as an afterthought. A joke, just to keep it- It can’t get too real. 

Tango does him the service of ignoring the crack in his voice, and lightly whacks him. “HEY! 34th place actually!”, he exclaims, “I’ll have you know I’ve moved up in the world since I had you lot draggin’ me down.”

Which does hurt a little, Etho admits to himself. But it’s a joke, he knows, so he ignores the ache in his heart. He just chuckles.

Tango lets his hand drop, actually considering the question now. He’s still smiling, but it’s faltering and he can’t quite seem to look Etho in the eye. The horizon looks mighty fine, about now. They can see a lot of the server from here. Tango’s unfurnished and frankly abandoned steampunk cottage, Gem’s research facility and mountain skull, Skizzle’s pyramid, Pearl’s beautiful orchard. The fact that they’re both so close to abandoning it all for weeks, on purpose, for something that’s only ever hurt them—it sits wrong with him.

Tango continues, “But uh, yeah. I’m not giving those sorts of promises man. We can’t- I can’t control what happens in there. You know that.”

Tango’s voice is quiet as he says the last bit. He looks troubled. Upset at the words he’s saying, maybe. Etho knows they can control what happens in the games, to a degree. They’re not compelled to do wrong by some outside force. He supposes that’s what makes it so scary. It’s easier to think of their betrayal and implosion as inevitable, than to face the prospect of having the choice but choosing wrong every time.

So Etho doesn’t verbalise his disagreement. He nods. “Mhm. I know.”

The message on his comm still sits there, glaring at him harshly in the low light.

Join the Game?

[tetzoro]

WAVES OF PASSION — ༉‧₊˚.

ft. zoro roronoa !

꒰ SYNOPSIS ꒱ : after teasing each other all day, you and zoro finally come to a point. question is, who will cave first ?

꒰ CONTENTS ꒱ : MDNI. f!reader, alcohol consumption, alcohol play, zoro and reader are a little tipsy (dubcon?), use pet names (baby, good girl), dry humping, fingering, handjob, pussyjob, unprotected sex, light impact play (slaps your ass once), light praise, creampie, lot of teasing, yall are both stubborn — WC : 3.7k

꒰ NOTES ꒱ : a big thank u to nesi for listening to me scream about this for the last 3 days . and for coming up with the name :3 couldn’t have channeled my insanity for this man without her !! please enjoy !! dividers by @/cafekitsune ᰔ

reblogs and interactions are always appreciated ! (*ᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈)ᰔ*.ﾟ

the infamous game of cat and mouse. a push and pull. a tango you and zoro often take part in, dancing until your bodies flush together only to be torn away with a smug look, challenge simmering in the others eyes. 

both of you are too stubborn to give in to the other, leaving nothing but fleeting touches upon each other's skin and sinful words curling around your ears, dizzying your minds and driving you both up the wall. 

the tension drawing so thin it was bound to snap, it was only a matter of when.

“come lay your head in my lap, zo.” you call out to your lover who was mindlessly nursing a bottle of sake. the fact he hadn’t finished it yet floored you, but you can only assume that wasn’t his first.

“what? no.” zoro blushes a little, cheeks turning red from the booze and the way you coo’d at him. he looks around, watching everyone still partying on the sunny, paying you both no mind as you’re tucked further away from them now. 

the party started hours ago, luffy insisting that it was time to celebrate their latest victory. everyone was having a good time but as time chipped away, all you could do was reach for the love of your life, yearning for his attention. 

“c’mon.” you whine, still tasting the alcohol you had earlier on your tongue. an idea pops into your head and you can’t help but smirk, moving your body so you were sitting up straight. “baby, let’s drink together.”

it never failed to make you smile whenever you called zoro ‘baby’. the way his ears would perk up before the tips dusted pink, his attention fully on you even if he wasn’t directly looking.

“thought you’d never ask.” he gives a half smile, bringing his sake bottle towards you. you pat your lap, insinuating what you had asked of him earlier. “i’m not gonna do that.”

“please?” you bat your eyelashes at him. a cruel act on your part. zoro would like to believe that he wouldn’t fall for your little vixen tricks, but the alcohol swirled in his mind, body already aching to touch you. 

“fine.” he huffs, sitting down on the floor and pressing his back against your legs, head hesitantly resting on your lap. “now what?”

“give me your sake bottle.” you hold out your hand, the other weaving through his soft green locks, lightly scratching his head in a way that had him fluttering his eye shut.

“no way.” he clutched onto the damned thing more, leaning his head up for a moment to take a swig. but you’re quick, snatching it from his hands. “OI!”

“lay back down.” you say, almost amused by the irritation in his gaze. whatever he was thinking he decided to bite it back down, muttering under his breath before resting his head back on your lap. “now, open your mouth.”

“the hell do you want from me, woman?” zoro huffed, but ultimately obliged. no matter how hard he tried, he could never say no to you.

“keep it open, i’m gonna pour some in.” after a moment, he felt sake pour onto his tongue. on instinct, he started swallowing it down while you waterfalled it into his mouth, your other hand still woven in his hair.

you pull back, knowing he could take more — and probably wanted to — but you needed to see his reaction, see how much he enjoyed it.

and you weren’t disappointed.

“why’d you stop?” his head lays firmly in your lap now, only moving it slightly so he can look up at you. 

“oh, so you liked it?” you tease, trying to draw the confession out of him.

“a weird way to drink but sake is sake.” he shrugs.

“oh come on.” you roll your eyes, moving to rest the bottle on the bench beside you. but zoro’s hand snaps up, lightly wrapping around your wrist before you can set it down.

“i didn’t say stop.” zoro says before expectedly opening his mouth. 

“only if you say you like it.” you push, bottle hovering, the liquid almost slipping out of the top and into his awaiting mouth — he can almost taste it. frustration glosses over him for a moment but he knew what he had to do to get what he wanted.

“fine, i like it.” you hum knowingly at him, the sake fell from the bottle and into his mouth, drinking another gulp of it. this time, you don’t stop.

the liquid flows from the sides of his mouth, running down his neck and along his bare, heaving chest. you watch it weave and pool between his taut muscles, licking your lips as it streams down over his perked nipple.

it’s distracting, the way his body looks paired with the soft grunts he was making as he chugs has your already altered mind spinning. he looked good.

“damn woman, you trying to kill me?” zoro asks. you didn’t realize he swiped the bottle back, breathing heavily, lustful gaze set onto you. he rises up, towering over where you were still seated.

“oh, suddenly you can’t handle your liquor?” you poke, trying to gulp down your own desires. but it was impossible with the way he was looking down at you, prey set in the predators eyes. he just scoffs, small smirk taking up his face. 

“you’re always running that mouth of yours.” he grins, pulling you up off your feet. “better find a better use for it.”

in the little area you and zoro had taken residence, it was tucked away enough for you to steal some of his affection. normally, he wasn’t big on PDA but nights like these he was a little more lenient with a little bit of alcohol running through his veins, coated in the lust he held for you.

so you take a leap, stepping closer so your bodies pressed up against each other, tongue poking out as you lick up the sake still running along his throat. he all but gasps, your boldness taking him off guard. you stop at his collarbone, pressing a light kiss onto it.

“like that?” you purr, looking up at him again, mischief swimming in your eyes. a look he loved to extinguish before morphing them into stars as he has his way with you.

“little minx.” he breathes out, his voice so deep you feel it buzz against your skin. “let’s go.”

“go where?” you tilt your head, trying to play coy. he wasn’t having any of that, not now. he quickly tosses you over his shoulder, ignoring the way you squeaked at him, opting to give your ass a light tap instead.

“somewhere where you can finish cleaning the mess you made.” he starts walking, grabbing another sake bottle as he passes one. “and then i’d like to try that little game on you next.”

the two of you ended up in the crows nest, far removed from everyone else. zoro liked it up here anyway, one of his favorite spots on the ship. 

the moonlight filters through the windows and pools into the room, casting its soft glow over everything in sight. you watch as it trails along the surface of the benches, illuminating off of the workout equipment zoro left behind from earlier. you couldn’t help but walk towards the window, hoping to get a peek at the moon itself, but a voice cuts through the air interrupting your little plan.

“come here.” he demands, putting the bottle of sake down with a thump. you whirl around, amusement dancing in your irises. you don’t make any movement to obey, opting to stay put instead. 

with a sigh, zoro stalks towards you, a dangerous look in his eye before he crashes his lips against yours. the ferocity behind it causes a moan to slip past, only making it worse — zoro’s fingers digging into your hips. 

he doesn’t let up, air be damned as he continues to kiss you.

“you drive me crazy.” zoro groans loudly into the kiss, sitting back onto the bench, trying to pull you with him. you pull apart, teasing smirk on your lips as his mouth chases yours.

“quiet, zoro. don’t want anyone to hear you.” you graze your thumb over his tender, swollen lips, watching him with half-lidded eyes – an expression he easily mirrors back. lust filled eyes share a moment before something snaps in him – the fog clearing in his mind as he processes the tone of your voice. but you just kept running that sweet mouth of yours. “unless you want everyone to hear how much you like when i —.”

“enough.” his lips are on yours again, kissing you with a bruising force as his hands freely roam around your body, squeezing along it as he goes. you drown under the ministrations, his demanding aura easily overtaking yours as an aching need starts to settle in between your thighs.

the kiss only grows more heated with each passing moment – the tension long since dissolving into the room making everything sticky with desire. zoro effortlessly pulls you down into his lap now, not missing a beat as his lips continue to glide over yours, tongues swirling together as he gets drunk on your touch.

the strap from your dress falls to your shoulders, zoro taking the opportunity to smother the area with his lips, exaggerated kisses along the bare skin, licking his way back up your neck.

“taste s’good.” his voice is rough, coarse – similar to the way the seas would get when they’re trying to pull the sunny into their tide. but you weren't as resilient as your beloved ship, surrendering into the whims of the man before you, letting him have his way with you as long as he kept talking to you like you were the most treasured thing in his world.

need pulses through his length as it presses up against your core, begging to be free from its confines. his hips stutter up, chasing the sensation, craving it in ways he can only feel when he’s under your spell. it’s not enough, he needs more. as if you could read his mind, you start to slowly grind against his length, the thin underwear you had on left nothing to his imagination, he could feel how wet you were for him already.

large palms slide up over your chest, fingers trailing over the flimsy fabric that covered them, easily yanking down your dress, letting it pool around your waist. he continues onward, kissing back down your neck and over your collarbones – making sure to coat you in his sake infused saliva.

it only gave him an idea when he finally reached your breasts, wrapping his mouth around your nipple, groaning with satisfaction as he satiated his oral fixation for a moment. eye flashing over to the sake bottle he had put down earlier. one hand pushes down on your hip so you can control your pace, the other reaches for it, clasping around it and bringing it towards you.

“you made a mess earlier.” he says lowly, tongue poking out to trace along the edges your perked bud. “told you i was going to return the favor.”

the chill of sake runs over your skin, trailing down your neck to your chest, following the heated trail that zoro had set before it. his tongue easily chases upward, lapping up every drop before it could splash down to your waist and stain your pretty dress. 

“zoro!” you gasp out, fingers quickly finding purchase in his hair as his mouth returns to your breasts. “it’s cold.”

“yeah?” he takes a swig from the bottle before bringing it up to your lips so you can steal a sip. the liquid runs down your throat, his eye trained on the way it constricts when you swallow. “what do you want me to do about it?”

the question was a statement in disguise, another way for him to challenge you. but your resolve was weak, need bubbling up and spilling over your whole body in a tremor. zoro only grows impatient, missing the friction of you moving along his body. his hands grip your waist again, encouraging you to keep going.

“c’mon.” you tug on his shoulders, trying to bring him even closer. but it wasn’t enough – wasn’t going to be enough until he was deep inside of you, giving you exactly what you needed right now. he knew by the whine in your voice what you wanted, but he had enough of your teasing for the night. it was time for you to grovel, to play the fool begging for his touch, prey caught in the claws of its predator.

“what?” zoro asks, hands running up behind your back. he was too good at playing stupid sometimes, coming off as a brute who didn't know how to read people when in fact it was the exact opposite. weeks of getting to know you intimately burned into his mind, studying your reactions when he’d touch you in a certain way, kiss you a certain way. all of it stored behind the steely gaze he sets on the world. “you didn’t answer my question.”

everything in you screams not to fall into his trap, to feed into the game you’ve been playing all day. but your resolve was cracking down the middle with each passing moment, and you knew his had to be too.

zoro slips off his bottoms as you eagerly brush his opened robe off his shoulders, palms gliding over his taut muscles that ripple under your touch, shuddering at the soothing sensation. the dress remains pooled at your hips but zoro easily rids you of your panties, fingers pressing against your slick folds.

but two can play that game. you reach for his cock, watching droplets of precum pool at the top before rubbing it along his tip. he jerks into your hand with a strangled moan of your name, finger slipping into you in the process. you gasp out at the welcomed intrusion, hips moving on their own accord as you seek more friction.

slowly pumping your fist over his cock, you don’t break eye contact with him. he adds another finger, the sound of your sopping cunt filling the room. zoro presses his lips against yours before you twist your wrist the way he likes it — mouth hanging open as he lets out a guttural groan.

you push him back so he’s flush against the wall, sliding yourself so you're seated over his cock, arousal coating his length. you both groan at the contact, so close to what you both desire but still not close enough – neither ready to fully cave in yet, secretly begging the other to make the first move.

but you know his weakness, pressing a kiss along his jaw, moving up until your nose lightly brushes against his earrings, working your hips back and forth to make sure his cock was fully saturated in your essence.

zoro was squirming beneath you, his grip on your hips so tight you're sure it’ll bruise tomorrow, but it’s all worth it if you get him to crack. groans dripping from his lips sweeter than anything you’ve ever heard before.

“that all you got?” he rasps out, not knowing how much he’ll come to regret those words. you just give him one of your saccharine smiles. the man may have never been a fan of sweets but he’d fall for that grin anytime, absolutely mystified at how easy it is for him to fall under your spell.

“see that?” you tease, rubbing your slick folds over his cock head. he couldn’t help but thrust a bit, the sensation too overwhelming. “watch closely, watch your cock disappear.”

“you a magician now or —.” zoro starts, cutting himself off with a loud groan as you slowly slid down into him and sure enough, his cock started to disappear in you. 

“feel good?” your palms spread across his chests, fingers barely brushing along his nipple that has him arching his back slightly — the sensitivity rippling through him.

he ignores you, trying to thrust his hips up, gain friction, do something to chase the feeling that was currently simmering just beyond his grasp.

“no, if you want this then we’re gonna do it my way.” zoro's cock is fully seated in you, but you haven’t let him move yet. you weren’t planning on it either. “you don’t get to make the rules.”

“shut up.” he barks, trying to wiggle free so he can pound into you like his instincts are begging him to. you can tell he’s frustrated, his pride nipping at him. he doesn’t lack the strength to flip you but he still hasn’t made his move yet.

“what do you want zoro?” you tease, digging your nails into his torso and lightly dragging them all the way down before pressing them into his hip. he hissed at the sting, hips stuttering as it chases friction. “you need to learn how to use your words.”

zoro doesn’t like that, finally lifting you off of him and pivoting you around so your knees are on the bench, hands gripping the back of them as you’re finally able to look out the window. 

the moon was hung up just where you thought it would be, but the moment was short lived, a small but stern tap on your ass brought you back to what was at stake.

“fuck that,” he growls in your ear, biting against the lobe before standing up straight and pulling his hips back so his tip is prodding your entrance once again. the loss was monumental and now you were the one squirming for more. “now look at who the desperate one is.”

“so you admit you were desperate for me?” your breathless laugh turns into a moan as his cock runs along your folds, collecting more of your essence, dragging it all out even more than before.

“never said that.” he grumbled, lining himself up at your entrance once again, ready to sink back into you and give into his carnal desires. he just needs to hear you ask for it first.

zoro holds his breath as he watches your body shiver in anticipation before pushing in, not giving you anymore that just a taste.

he pulls back out, watching as his tip glistens with your essence.

“zoro.” you clench your jaw, nails digging into the bench. the world stops for a moment as it waits for your call, the one that will finally give you what you want. one word, six letters. “please.”

he lets out a breathy chuckle, sinks all the way inside of you, bottoming out even deeper than before, moaning in unison. the swordsman doesn’t waste another second before slamming back into you, setting a steady pace as all inhibitions cast away.

“you’re so fucking stubborn.” he grits out, each word paired with a deep thrust. “you know that?”

“me?” you gasp out, walls fluttering around him, clenching against him so tightly. “you’re the stubborn one.”

zoro just grunts out, gripping onto your hips as he chases his end. all day you’ve been teasing him — the lingering touches on his shoulders, the soft, breathy giggles you’d let out by his ear, chills coating his skin.

and now he finally has you where he wants you, under him and taking him like the good girl you are.

his fingers dance along your clit, electricity rushing throughout your body, running along each of your nerves before bursting at the ends. 

zoro couldn’t stop pounding into you, his cock pulsing with desire, anchoring his hands on your hips and using it to guide you back to him.  

“yeah, just like that.” zoro groaned out, his fingertips digging deeper into your hips as he watches you begin to take over, fucking yourself back onto his cock. the sight of your cunt enveloping his cock will never fail to make his head spin. 

“close—“ it’s the only word you can spit out right now, letting him know you’re almost there, right at the edge. the side of your face is firmly pressed onto the bench while zoro's pace never lets up. in fact, you think you can feel him go faster — deeper.

“go ahead and let go for me then.” one of his arms snakes around your waist, pulling you up so your back is flush against his back. the shift brought you over the edge, throwing your head back against him as you let out a moan of his name. “good girl, good fucking girl.”

as you come down, he speeds up, chasing the release he’s been staving off. after a few more precise strokes, he shoves himself as deeply as possible, filling you up with a low grunt of your name.

you fall limp against him, head resting on his shoulder as you try to catch your breath. zoro wasn’t fairing much better, you could feel the unsteady rise and fall of his chest, heart hammering against your back. 

he slowly sets you down, legs shaking as soon as you touch down, leaning onto him to keep you steady — a job he’d do time after time, pride swelling in his chest everytime.

zoro wasn’t always the best with words after the two of you finished, instead he found unspoken reassurance easier. his large hand cradles your face, a soft expression coating his features as he searches your eyes.

he could read you fairly easily, know when something was amiss. his shoulders sag as he finds only adoration in your eyes, pressing a gentle kiss to your forehead.

“pretty baby.” the words so hushed you almost miss it, heat flushing to your cheeks at the soft praise. the two of you stand in each other's arms for awhile, your head opting to rest on his chest while you simmer down.

“we should probably head back down.” you sigh, breaking the silence, knowing it’s only a matter of time before luffy starts looking for you guys. you quickly slip the straps to your dress back over your shoulders.

zoro nods, but his gaze was set on your thighs, watching your mixed cum slowly drip down between them, the substance glistening in the moonlight. his cheeks were dusted red, mouth hanging open as he takes in the sight.

“or.” he says, fingers catching the mixture before sliding it back up into its proper place. you gasp as he shoves it back in, attention now set on you. “we could stay up here a little longer. we still have that bottle to finish and i’m definitely not done with you yet.”

thank you for reading :3

tags : @honeybleed @heart-of-trafalgar @astroelbow @eelnoise @kakashineedstotouchgrass @teffyx @latinokokonoi @sleepymarimo @lovethecoffeemom-blog @marimogf @kkittycries @oonlykooii @satorena @stuckinthewrongworld @kentopedia @agentofkrypton @7smexy7diva @bijuu-naginata @deluluforcarlos55 @zorosprincess ᰔ

[directdogman]

Hey I wanted to ask out of all of the side cast who do you wish got some more love than they do now, since you have such a huge cast and stuff!

Also who was your favorite side character to make and create? ^^

Hard to say in terms of more love, since I do see a lot of great fanart of my favourite side characters! In terms of in-game stuff (love as in attention in-game), Tango, Stabby/Shooty and Mr Dickens are certainly contenders. Gabby's always a joy to write for too, was really glad I found a natural way to give her a whole scene in Roger's route.

Tango + Mr Dickens are probably my answer since they're so important to Mingus/Oliver, who each have a lot of screentime, but you don't see them interacting with their respective characters too much (or in Tango's case, not at all) which is obviously a missed opportunity on my part! Got a few ideas to fit them into more scenes once I get around to em though and I've gotten strong feedback from collaborators on the ideas!

[tunastime]

UM UM UM “staying up until midnight to talk” with SEN or DBHC ethubs or docsuma

Or “pull me closer,” with dbhc docsuma :floshed:

Okay skitters away

staying up until midnight to talk (919 words) (x) (:3c)

Etho’s hands follow a practiced rhythm. He isn’t sure how they wouldn’t, with every wire and mechanism and gear in his body perfectly calibrated to move with precision and within expectation. He certainly fails, and jerks, and stutters, and falls, but base programming, movements that fell perfectly into subroutines he couldn’t even begin to trace, even if Xisuma showed him the exact steps? Of course they were perfect. And of course he never faltered.

The sand beneath him offers a much needed cushioning from the hard, winter dirt, despite the fact that the sun provides little warmth to the air around them in the snow fort. The sky is so blue it makes his eyes strain to look at—and maybe it would hurt, if he knew how it was supposed to feel.

Instead, Etho watches patches of sky blue in the silver-warped reflection of his sword, faint flickers of enchantment pulsing out from the hilt where the hastily carved runes sit. He runs the sharpening stone against the blade’s flat edge, careful not to nick the silicon of his fingers as he scrapes it across, again, and again. Practiced, careful, calculated rhythm. So much so that he doesn’t even register the sounds of shuffling a few paces away until Bdubs’ voice cuts through the silence.

“Etho,” he says, voice all rough around the edges like he were hungry for something more than just company. Etho keeps sharpening, just for a moment, before he chances a glance over.

Bdubs leans at the wooden fence, leaning his weight into the flimsily-set posts. He grins like nothing in the world could bother him. The characteristic dark brown of his eyes flickers with red, with that same hunger. Etho hates it. Which is odd. Because he really doesn’t feel strongly about much of anything, and disgust is an emotion very foreign to him, and he’s beginning to think the slight grinding in his chest is a problem Xisuma might need to diagnose when he gets back. It feels wrong. Because he knows he likes Bdubs just fine. He trusts him just enough. But that look.

Bdubs is still watching him, eyeing the sword in his hand with a gaze he can’t place, let alone read. Better give him an answer.

“Bdubs,” he says calmly, tilting his head to the side.

“You thought anymore about my offer?”

Etho makes a sound like a hum, mimicking the sound of turning the idea over in his head. He stands, setting his whetstone next to the cold embers of last night’s fire. The pot and cups still rest in the dirt, as cold as the rest of their surroundings. The sword stays in his hand.

(In the back of his mind, a memory surfaces. In it, Etho lies in the night-damp grass in clothes that still smell a bit like gunpowder, but not enough to notice unless you got real close. Bdubs is somewhere to his immediate left, still speaking, haloed in the glow of lanterns and lights of a shop. One of them at least. Within the clarity of memory, Etho can pinpoint that it’s Tango’s shop. Bdubs doesn’t live far from here. He isn’t sure when waiting for Tango to restock candles turned into tell Etho all about the extra additions to your base and your journey to find all the perfect horses for the Horse Course that you both just wrapped up, or into tell Bdubs all about how empty the mountain is, and how interesting this new game sounds, and how you hope you both find somewhere cool to base. Because you’ve already told him that you’re teaming up. But it does, and in this same space, the sky is full of bright white stars and a sliver of a moon that's starting to peek into the sky. Bdubs yawns.)

“The one from last night?” Etho asks, coming to with the sword heavy in his hand. He pushes the point into the soft sand until it hits hard earth and starts to give.

“You don’t gotta keep this fence, Etho…” Bdubs sighs, leaning his head into his palm. Etho folds his arms across his chest, splays one hand as he shrugs.

“Seems like the best way to settle this, ‘Dubs.”

“You could join me. Could always still join me,” Bdubs tries. “Just a quick one-two stab! Easy!”

“I can’t do that,” Etho says, shaking his head. “You know that.”

Bdubs sighs again, dramatic, deflating over the fence as Etho’s rejection stands firm. The thirium in his chest feels like it’s been flash frozen and has only started to dethaw, cold in his hands and feet, up his shins and to his elbows. He rolls his shoulders in, cupping each hand around each opposite elbow. There’s a little warmth to be found in the action with no fans kicking on to compensate.

“Well,” Bdubs says, drumming on the wooden beam between the two fence posts. “If you ever change your mind.”

He watches Etho for a moment, that familiar look coming to his eyes, as if it were trying to eclipse the haze of red Bdubs looks at him through, as if it were trying to expand his tunnel vision by just a fraction of an inch. Just as Etho notices, it’s snuffed, and the easy, careful look is replaced by an indifference Etho doesn’t think he enjoys. He still isn’t sure how much he knows for certain. He shrugs, barely a movement at all. Better say something.

“I won’t,” he says.

Bdubs huffs and turns away.

[blacktofade]

not sure if you're still taking gemtho prompts but something with secret relationship/relationship reveal 👀 that isn't much to go off of so it could definitely be paired with another prompt too, i just love that trope (my brain goes to rpf since i love the idea of them trying and failing to hide a relationship from the viewers, but could be in game too)

I'm back to fill more gemtho prompts from earlier this year! I'm not setting a schedule though. You guys will get them as I find time and/or motivation. Enjoy!!

--

Impulse first notices him when Gem steps through the front door of the hotel in Detroit. She’s laughing, glancing over her shoulder at him, and he’s smiling, one hand tucked against the small of her back, the touch clearly familiar. He’s tall with dark hair, and sticks close as Gem pauses just inside the entrance way, dropping her backpack on the ground and crouching to dig through it.

For just a moment, the man looks over, maybe sensing Impulse’s stare, but he doesn’t react, just glances back down at Gem, offering his hand on her elbow when she stands up again. She’s holding something that might be her wallet, but she passes it over, saying something that Impulse can’t hear from across the other side of the lobby.

The man dips down, kissing Gem — quick and chaste — and she smiles, watching him walk away toward the check-in desk.

Impulse almost startles when she turns, catching his gaze, like she’s known he was there the whole time.

Her smile widens and she pulls her backpack on, jogging toward him, as though she can’t contain her excitement.

“Impy!” she says, dragging him into a hug once she’s close enough, and it’s effortless to fold around her, quickly forgetting about everything apart from how much he’s missed her.

“Hey, Gem,” he murmurs into her hair, giving her an extra squeeze, just so she knows how happy he is to see her.

“Is that Gemstone?” a voice says behind them and Gem laughs, finally letting Impulse go as Skizz moves in to sweep her up, lifting her straight off the ground.

“Careful,” Impulse warns, stepping back, but neither of them seem to hear and Tango laughs as he sidles up beside him.

“You think they’re listening?”

“About as well as my kids,” Impulse scoffs and Tango laughs again.

“Are you surprised?”

Impulse isn’t. At all. What he is surprised by is the guy Gem’s with, who’s now edging past them, carry-on bag in tow. But he doesn’t stop to check in with Gem, doesn’t even glance in their direction, just heads toward the elevators, a keycard held in one hand.

“Did you know Gem was bringing her boyfriend?” Impulse asks without thinking, and Tango offers him a look, like he’s lost his entire mind.

“Why would she tell me?”

Which he supposes is his issue, because why would she tell him either? They’re close, but he’s far from being Gem’s confidant.

Impulse tries to shrug as casually as he can. “Was just wondering.”

In front of him, Gem finally untangles herself from Skizz’s grasp before noticing Tango’s there.

Their hug isn’t as enthusiastic — probably much to Tango’s relief — but Gem pulls away, grinning.

“It feels good to be back together,” she tells them. “Where are the others?”

Impulse is pretty sure Grian’s napping in his room, and Pearl isn’t due in until later that night, but he thinks False and Zed are in the hotel’s bar already.

“They’re around,” Skizz promises. “C’mon, let’s get you a drink. You look like you could use one.”

Gem blows out a breath. “I look that bad, huh?”

“The worst I’ve ever seen,” Skizz jokes, nudging her with his elbow as though to make sure she knows he’s only messing about.

“Not surprising,” Gem starts, already walking with Skizz, heading toward the back of the hotel. “The airline lost my bag.”

Impulse finds himself following, automatically glancing over at the elevators as they pass. But the mystery guy isn’t there and Gem doesn’t seem concerned about wandering off without him.

“Man, that sucks,” Skizz says and Impulse belatedly makes a noise of agreement.

“Might need a couple of drinks,” he adds and Gem laughs, nodding in agreement.

“Please.”

-

Gem shows up for breakfast in a flannel shirt that definitely isn’t hers. She makes it look good — the bottom of it tied at her waist, the sleeves rolled up to her elbows — but the collar hangs open, the shoulders too broad.

It’s a man’s shirt.

“Heard anything about your luggage?” he tries, digging into the scrambled egg whites that he’d paid extra for.

Gem shakes her head, sipping at a mug of tea, a picked-apart pastry in front of her. “Nothing yet. Think I’m gonna have to do a clothes-run before the event today.”

Gem doesn’t seem like the kind of person who’d enjoy a last minute shopping spree, but maybe she’ll drag Pearl with her to make it fun. Or maybe her secret boyfriend.

“What’s wrong with that?” he asks, tipping his head toward the shirt she’s in, and she smiles like they both know damn well what.

“Did you sleep well?” she asks, cleanly changing the subject completely, and Impulse shouldn’t be surprised.

He sighs and shakes his head. “I’m so nervous, I think I’m gonna have to take a second shower later.”

She laughs, not unkindly. “You’ll have a good time once it starts,” she promises, and Impulse knows that, but that doesn’t mean the jitters will go away.

“What about you?” he asks. “How’d you sleep after everything?”

She takes another mouthful of tea, swallowing before answering. “We woke up early. I guess even just a little time difference can mess me up.”

We. Not I. She means herself and whoever’s up in her room right now.

“You’ll both have to go to bed earlier tonight,” he says, wanting to push, to make sure she knows he heard the slip-up, and Gem grins, clearly enjoying this game they’re playing.

“Guess so,” she agrees, but Impulse already knows that with the group they have, there’s no way anyone is bailing early.

Impulse takes a drink of his coffee, watching her silently, and under the table, her foot gently knocks into his own, once and then again — not an accident.

“This’ll be a fun weekend,” she says and something uncurls in Impulse’s stomach.

He’s getting too caught up in his own thoughts and she’s right. They’re there to have a good time.

Gem keeping part of her life private isn’t something he should take personally. If he did, he’d need to have beef with everyone else on the server. Except maybe Skizz. He almost knows too much about that guy.

He offers her a smile and finds himself nodding. “Yeah,” he agrees. “It will.”

-

He might be less upset about the situation, but that doesn’t mean he’s not going to push.

“Snacks for later?” he asks when they’re riding the elevator back upstairs together, watching as she tries to carry a cup of coffee, a banana, a chocolate muffin, and a bowl of fresh fruit.

She glances over at him, the corner of her mouth curled up, before she holds out the bowl.

“Can you hold that for me?”

She doesn’t answer the question, but Impulse still finds himself doing as she asks. He’s a sucker like that.

“Didn’t know you liked coffee,” he tries instead, and her eyes are bright, like she knows what he’s doing.

The elevator slows, the doors opening with a quiet groan.

“C’mon,” Gem says, tipping her head. “There’s someone I want you to meet.”

Impulse’s room is two floors above and he knows he should probably go back so he can brush his teeth and get ready for the rest of their day, but he hesitates, watching Gem hold the door with her elbow.

He waits a beat, then another, and then nods, his curiosity getting the better of him.

She’s silent as she leads the way down the hallway, but eventually she stops by a room near the fire exit, knocking on the door in a familiar rhythm.

Apparently, she didn’t bring her key. But it doesn’t matter, because after a moment, the door swings open to reveal the man Impulse had seen the day before.

His expression is gentle when he looks at Gem, but shifts into something cooler — maybe a little uncertain — when he notices Impulse is there with her.

“I wanted you two to finally meet,” Gem says, glancing between them, and for some reason Impulse feels the need to vet the guy. Like Gem is his daughter and he wants to make sure she’s not picking up some random lowlife, someone Impulse deems unworthy.

He squares his shoulders and holds out his hand.

“Hey,” he says, “I’m Scott.”

The guy in the doorway shifts, smiling as he takes Impulse’s hand and shakes it firmly.

“Hi, Scott, I’ve heard so much about you,” the man says, and Impulse’s eyes widen as he recognizes the voice.

Gem laughs, delighted, stepping closer to fit herself against the man’s side, grinning at Impulse, clearly pleased with herself.

Impulse finally drops his hand back down, but there’s no doubt in his mind.

“Etho?” he asks, earning a laugh — the same he’s heard in-game so many times before.

“Hey, Impulse,” Etho replies easily, and Impulse’s mind goes a little blank.

“What are you doing here?”

“It’s kind of a half-way point for both of us,” Gem tells him. “We figured it would be an easy way to meet up again.”

Again.

“Again?” he echoes and Gem nods, like it’s not a big deal. “How long have you been meeting up?”

It feels easier to ask than whether or not they’re actually dating. Ironically, after everything, he’s suddenly almost certain it’s none of his business.

Gem shrugs with one shoulder. “First time was just before season ten began? We wanted to wait a bit before we told anyone. Y’know, in case.”

They obviously hadn’t needed to worry about that — the proof being they’re both there together, Gem tucked comfortably under Etho’s arm, like it’s exactly where she belongs.

“He’s gonna join us for the roadtrip,” Gem continues. “I thought maybe we could grab dinner together?”

Impulse is nodding before his brain can catch up. “Of course,” he agrees. “Anytime. I’d love that.”

He stares between them a little longer before laughing, perhaps from the adrenaline of the surprise.

“Skizz isn’t going to shut up about this when you tell him,” he says. “Do you know how many questions I made him cut from the podcast?”

“Part three?” Etho jokes with a laugh and Impulse shakes his head.

“Don’t let him hear you say that,” he warns. “The first thing out of his mouth is gonna be ‘I told you so.’”

“We weren’t being subtle,” Gem agrees. “We’ll let him have that one.”

“I can’t believe — ” Impulse starts before laughing again. “As if my nerves weren’t frayed enough today.”

“We’re about to really find out how good you are at keeping secrets,” Gem jokes and Impulse snorts.

“Hope you guys are ready to go public then.”

Gem shifts, grinning up at Etho, who smiles back, and Impulse can see it — the affection, the respect between them.

“I think we could be,” she says, and when Etho nods, Impulse can tell they’re not lying.

Out of everyone — anyone Gem could’ve picked — he knows she’s made the right choice.

“I’m happy for you both,” he says, and as Gem smiles at him, brighter than he’s ever seen, he finds that he means it.

[thewitchblue]

"Who are you?"

Spiderman asked as you appeared beside Captain America. You question back,

"Who are you?"

You were a new hero that Captain stumbled upon accidentally. You were helping the beavers construct their dam by cutting down the tree with your water abilities (you recently watched Avatar: The Last Airbender, and it gave you ideas on ways to use your abilities in combat). You promised you'd plant a new tree in its place. They ran into the woods you were in to lose the people trailing them.

"That's a neat trick you have."

You jump in surprise at the voice behind you. You turned quickly with a water whip ready to lash out. Who sneaks up on someone in the woods?

You take in the scene in front of you. Steve Rogers, fugitive and wanted by the government, was casually standing in front of you with the Winter Soldier by his side awkwardly and a man with wings on the other side.

"What the hell do you think you're doing standing around? Aren't we supposed to be running?"

Said the winged man as his eyes scanned the area. He deploys a bird-like drone to help get an aerial view on their situation. Bucky looked uncertain at Steve's side. He knew what Steve was thinking; he wanted to bring you with them. It's a dangerous game. It's a gamble if you can even help them.

Well, it turned out you could help him not only escape but throw off the others entirely by making them swim. You made a pocket of air to allow them to breathe. They waited for your signal before popping out. Sam even managed to hide his wings under the dam the beavers you helped make.

Peter awkwardly said,

"I'm, uh, I'm Spiderman. Wh-who are you?"

You can't stop a smile from crossing your face. He was awkward, but he was charming. He was obviously your age and equally out of his league.

"Well, Spiderman, you'll have to give me some ideas on what to name myself."

Both teams eyed the other wearily. None of them want to fight each other, but they will if they have to. Tony looked annoyed as he scolded,

"You two can flirt later. The adults are fighting now."

With that being said, everyone charged at each other. You were different. You casually walked to the jet. You felt you weren't threatened in the slightest. You can control anything liquid. There is nothing they can realistically do to you.

Well, that went smoothly until Spiderman threw a web at you. You look at the web briefly before snapping it with a water whip.

"There are better ways to ask me to dance, Spidey."

His eyes were so expressive despite the mask. They widened and then narrowed in suspicion. As if he remembered he's in a fight, he webs your hands together at the wrist. You smile as you use water to whip the webs off you again. You hated doing this, but you use his blood to make him cocoon himself with his webs. The fighting seemed to stop as he fell in his place, squirming. You say smoothly,

"I'm not someone to tango with."

Peter struggled against his webs. Now he knows how the common criminals feel when he catches them. You can't help but chuckle at his struggles. His voice cracks as he says,

"That is so not cool!"

You laugh and wave,

"Bye, bug boy!"

You saunter away only for Tony to fly in the way. He thinks he's immune in the suit, but you can feel that the suit has fire extinguisher fluid inside. He seemed unamused by your antics, but you continue your way. He seemed hesitant about laser blasting you, so he hits a nearby building to drop on you. Unfortunately for him, you were quicker.

You pop the suit like a bubble by increasing the pressure in the fire extinguisher until it explodes. That gave Rhodey some pause, but he flies to catch Tony. You seem completely unbothered as both Wanda and you combine to slowly lower the building to the ground. Bucky and Steve were closing the distance, which caught Rhodey's attention as he flied off at top speed.

With a groan, you notice Peter managed to escape his webs and that Tony summoned another suit, which you also destroy. You let massive Scott whack Rhodey from the air while you deal with Peter.

Peter was smart, however. He knew better and threw his web fluid away before you could use the webs against him again. Round two, then.

You rush to him with a smile. You've grown fond already of the superhero. It's quite expected as you were inside his veins to control his blood. You felt a connection to him.

Peter eyed you warily. He had no idea what you would pull on him. He doesn't know how he'll fight you. Would you control his body again?

He yelped as you whip him with water. You flinched with him. You didn't want to traumatise him with water, but a fight is a fight.

"I'm sorry, love bug!"

He winced as he ran towards you. He had no idea why his tingle didn't go off for that. Did it not consider you a threat after you hijacked his body?

"Let's dance then."

He tried to sound intimidating, he really did. Unfortunately, it came out more like he was asking you to prom than like he was about to fight you. You almost giggle at how not scary he was.

You leaped into battle with water blades in your hands. He seemed to just now realise he's not armed. He threw his web fluid. Now he has to rely on his tingle and his strength.

He took a deep breath and he met you halfway. He was admittedly a little anxious judging by how the fight went last time.

You twirl your watery daggers with a smile as you start your own personal hurricane. You didn't want to hurt him, so the slashes of your blades were superficial, but you froze the blood and expanded it to cause more damage.

Peter hissed in pain and rubbed his chest where the majority of the cuts landed.

You frowned as you fought, much to his confusion. He didn't understand why you were so...disappointed? Disinterested? He didn't know the word. It's almost like you were bored of the fight.

You fought like you barely cared. There was no punch to your attacks. You didn't want to traumatise Peter with your water abilities. Instead, you decide to use mainly ice.

You hummed as you fought. His webs were useless against your ice and your water, so all he had was his strength and intelligence. You kept him at a distance as a result. You can always hijack him again if you get into actual trouble, but it seemed like neither of you really wanted to fight each other. You were just staying busy.

You know you shouldn't be playing with him so much. You should be taking the fight more seriously. Yet, you can't find it in you to care about it. Maybe that's the side effect of controlling his body. A superhuman had to have a stronger effect on you than any other human you've tested this on in the past. He said with no small amount of horror as he also realised,

"You became part of me?"

He seemed to only now understand why his tingle didn't work. You gained his spidey sense and hijacked it as a result. You weren't a threat to the tingle because you are part of it. It considers you part of itself.

"Bug boy, I am you."

You catch his kick and tug him closer, which makes him stumble. With a smirk, you wrap the leg around your waist and catch his body to stop him from falling entirely. He hops awkwardly on one leg. He was too flustered to pull away.

You know you're playing a dangerous game, but the gamble paid off as he stuttered. He was equal parts flustered and flabbergasted. How does he fight you when you do nothing but flirt with him? You're distracting. In the corner of your eye, you see Steve and Bucky make it to their destination. Good. Now he has your undivided attention.

"Oh, bug, you have no idea what beast you just woke up."

Your smile worried him. His leg was still wrapped around your waist when Tony walks up,

"Are you two done flirting?"

You drop his leg and step to face Tony properly,

"He was going easy on me."

Your eyes begged him to accept the excuse. You really didn't feel like putting him through any trouble. Tony pinched the bridge of his nose with a heavy sigh. He was disappointed beyond belief.

"Kid, if you're that distracted by a pretty girl, maybe you can't handle a real fight."

Peter panicked. He scrambled to Tony and stuttered as he spoke,

"I'm not going to be fighting pretty girls often!"

You quirked an eyebrow at Tony. It's different when someone is aggressively flirting with you.

"You can always send the pretty ones to me."

You suggested. Tony looked like he was going to pop a blood vessel. You almost laughed at the expression.

"You've done enough. My suit costed millions and you imploded it."

You bite your lip. You were a tad proud of yourself for that move, but you expected him to explode like a grenade over it.

"For what it's worth, it was a fight and you were a huge threat."

Tony rolled his eyes and hovered into the air.

"You are so lucky I have to catch Rogers."

With that said, he flew off, leaving the two alone. You turn back to Peter with a grin.

"Do you want to go out some time?"

His eyes widened. He looked conflicted between work and whatever you two have. You can tell he's trying not to assume anything. You casually say,

"To be very clear: yes, I am asking you on a date."

Peter stuttered,

"A-as Spiderman?"

You laugh and shake your head. He's so endearing. You take off your mask to make him feel better about the situation, but that only seemed to distract him as he takes in every detail. You step closer so you're chest-to-chest and run your hand along his arm.

"No. I want you as you, not Spiderman."

Peter looked away. He was shy now that he knew how attractive you were. What if you don't find him as attractive as he finds you? He takes off his mask as well with an anxious smile. You smile back at him and kiss his cheek.

"Until next time, bug boy. I'll see you at Joe's Pizza. 5pm (1700) tonight."

With that, you leave as the rest of your team got arrested. Because you didn't do anything but defend yourself, you weren't arrested. You weren't even forced into a contract as you explained that you are hanging up the suit until you are needed upon request.

[fountainpenguin]

Tango POV Session 3 highlights (My first POV this session, jumping in with no spoilers)-

Skizz: "I want a giant blinking heart in the sky" Tango: "Cool idea :) You're doing the redstone, right?" Skizz: ... Tango: "YOU'RE doing the redstone for that, right?"

Skizz: "While editing I was like... 'Am I a loser?' Tango: "No, no, no! It was well before editing that I realized that."

I do love the server dynamics that give us gems like Mumbo sprinting across the ground yelling about how he has a quick, urgent thing he needs to do... Just an average day in the death game.

slkdjf Tango and Skizz finally found someone just as desperate and needy as them... Enter the man who has been shunned for 3 seasons because of his boogeyman kill. We love a BigB!!

BigB: "Skizz, this might be time to point out my weak building skills-" Skizzleman: "Oh no, don't worry. That's why we've got ourselves a Tango!" Tango: /incoherent shrieking and denials

Tango assigned homemaker by the narrative.

So just to be clear, we've got Tango "I will teach you redstone and cheer you on" (Mansplain), we've got BigB "There is no hole in the mesa" (Manipulate), and Skizz "I built the base" (Malewife). Good for them.

Skizz: "At my IRL job when I had to create blinking lights, I literally had someone go back to the breaker and flip it."

Tango, to Cleo: "That's all we are! Cringe 'R' Us!"

sdlkfj Tango hugging and comforting Torchy over how scary Etho's water bucket attack was. "If he comes back, I will take care of this."

BigB: "I have an anvil." Tango and Skizz losing their minds: "BEST TEAMMATE EVER!"

Heart Foundation: "We will join forces and gift our hearts to a randomly selected person. Everyone will like and protect us; we are creating our own plot armor." Etho, immediately after receiving his hearts: "I am a huge fan. Sign me up. Whatever I need to do to stay on. I will let you use the enchanting table. I would be dead if it were not for the Heart Foundation."

Gem and Scott riding up on their zombie and skeleton horses would be SO terrifying. Can't wait to see the fanart of that sdfklj

Tango killed it this session, he did not cut corners in babbling to Torchy.

Gem: "I think your task is to remove light sources from the server." Tango: "That would be very incorrect." Tango as he sprints away, muttering to Torchy: "I know?? They were standing right by us and they didn't even notice??"

Torchy has such boogeyman tendencies, geez. Is this Leven Thumps; did we confine the spirit of the boogeyman to a piece of wood??

Tango, raiding someone's base: "You want to? We could."

I enjoy the new rule about Yellows having one chance to call people out on their task. I think this is a good move to up the tension and also encourage people to do it because you only get one shot per episode. Don't wanna waste it!

slkdjf @ Tango chatting with Etho, Etho susses out his task, so Tango immediately runs to Grian to confirm the rules. Grian tells him no problem, Etho's green so he's in the clear. Tango runs off crowing in laughter.

Lizzie: "I've heard some weird things about you." Tango: "We are excellent today." Lizzie: "That's the weird stuff I've been hearing."

?? Is Tango's official canon that redstone exposure turned his eyes red? Neat.

lksdjf Skizz seething about Impulse.

Tango: "What did he do?" Skizz: "His task was to find somebody who's got greater than 25 hearts and find a way to - air quotes - "accidentally" get them to lose 5 hearts. So he made sure I lost 20."

Yeah, that tracks.

Freaking goodness, Tango put his entire heart and soul into this invisible friend task.

Bdubs' globe is looking amazing <3

?? Etho running up to Joel and saying "I love you?" What is the context; looking forward to figuring that out.

Etho: "I love you." Joel: "Okay, I know you're obsessed with me, I saw you made me your thumbnail of your first episode, but come on..."

Called out at the end!!! Devastating!!!

That is the end, but what a great session. So much death...

[lostinthe-void-666]

Fic recommendations!

Before we start I would like to say that all the summaries I post here are pulled directly from my own brain, also may contain spoilers (if so I apologize.) Please check the fics themselves for the tags/actual summaries, and just generally more information. Also let me know if any of the fic links are wrong and I’ll replace them! Thank you :)

Also give the authors all the love. They’ve made us all some amazing fanworks <3

Starbound: Scavenge for Survivors - a humans are space orcs fic in the form of Xisuma picks up some aliens and goes running through the cosmos. Also in this series is Starbound: Savage (Forgotten Conquest) although if you plan to read the first, I would recommend not reading it until you get to a certain point in the other fic!

TAXI! [Totally and Xisumally Insane] - college dropout Xisuma runs a taxi service to stay afloat, but some odd people inadvertently become regulars of his.

Well, Well, Look Who’s Inside Again - Ex is unbanned from the Void in a really bad state. Oh and can’t remember anything. A lot of angst ensues :)

Love Me Like I’m Dead - Xisuma whump. There’s more to it and it’s extremely good I love it so much, but that’s the most basic summary.

Skin and Bones - febwhump from the same author as love me like I’m dead! Have to have an acc to view but a lot of the same themes and it’s really good ^^

proverbs uttered by utter fools (i’ll do anything it takes!) - I’m awful at a summary for this one. Ai Xisuma is a mascot for the company that Grian works for. A lot of stuff ensues.

Curiosity and their Consequences. - Cub realizes that the admin has never shared things about his own past. So what happens when he goes digging?

Potion of Forget This - After Tango bans the saturated soups and honey bottles from the lobby of his decked out game, a few of the Hermits start mixing soups and potions! Xisuma mixes a soup for one of his experiments. This time, it wasn’t just some funny effect.

cosmology - a series! Really love their world building and admin headcannons! The first one is post season 8, the second is set in season 10

i of the storm // salvation - Wels puts himself in a dangerous situation, to follow the call of salvation

quality entertainment - The Watchers are the audience, and they have to be satisfied.

Detecting and Other Gerunds - Xisuma finds something in the woods. Little does he know, that sort of creates a person.

The Devil’s Casino (and it’s not-so-devilish people) - Ex runs a casino in the city, Xisuma lives in a town near the city, and they’re forced to move out and go to work at the casino for a little while

get 360ed, bitch (EX + Xisuma) - a lot of really great fics, I can’t list them all out, but the devil’s casino is part of it and it’s so cool :)

Gates of Evolution - Xisuma is transported back in time to Evo. An elaboration on something that happens in another of the authors fics, Hermitcraft Chaotic Group Chat

stumbling in the dark (please come find me) - GIGS and ghostie Mumbo!!

The Orb Factory - Servers are orbs manufactured by the watchers and each admin gets one when they reach 18 yes, new addition, shh. I think it’s a really cool concept ^-^

The Major is walking on general ice - I haven’t personally finished this one yet, unfortunately, but it’s super good. Xisuma angst and the writing is so good

Well I Would Give You My Whole World - 5+ 1, Xisuma keeps getting so absorbed with helping others he keeps forgetting about himself

The art of taking care of others (and the unconventional methods that come with it) - (taken directly from the fic summary) 5 times Xisuma was a hypocrite while also being a worried dad, and one where people finally caught up on what was happening.

The Cloned Series - not much of it is out yet but is seems angsty. Very fun.

Hermitcraft brainrot (mainly Xisuma or EX) - self explanatory

Secret admins are a really bad idea - series! The first is an 8 +1 of the hermits not knowing who their admin is, the second is a pre-fic oneshot explaining something in the other fic

i can be the one you call - THE hurt/comfort Hermitcraft series.

I Can Be the One You Call AU Stories - self-explanatory. A series :)

Ex’s Quest to get a Single Night of Rest - Ex gets brought back onto the Hermitcraft server. The Hermits are annoying.

Iron Bleeds Green - a Hermitcraft/bionicle crossover, no idea what bionicle is but this fic is great, Xisuma and Ex find a demon of their past is following them.

the fracture - …just yeah. Xisuma and ex are pitted against each other, they were never meant to be close. Xisuma tries anyway.

Parasites aren’t the only thing you need to heal from. - (taken from the series summary) This is an Au where E.X was a parasite that practically used Xisuma's body to hurt the hermits then framed him till the point that the hermits did something that they will continue to regret.

Nobody will notice. - the hermits are inadvertently awful to xisuma and he finally ends up breaking down. I need more xisuma whump like this.

Void Medic EX - series, first one is an explanation kinda, the second, ex keeps finding their own sibling in the void..

it gets a little lonely here - series!! About an experiment facility, first one is Xisuma-centric

Void Siblings AU - trans ex, a rocky sibling relationship, and also their awful parents.

From the Archives - MAGNUS ARCHIVES BUT MAKE IT HERMITCRAFT!!! Hard to explain. Spooky and silly :)

your destiny is yours to write (or play) - xisuma-centric band au!!

AniMCYT - I understand that this one is really niche, but if you were ever a fan of animorphs, ever, that’s what this is :)

Oneshots/shorter 2/3 chapter fics:

xisuma and the void - a snapshot of what it’s like to be an admin

A Creaking Heart - Shapeshifter EX and Xisuma!! Creaking!EX!!! Angst!

Xisuma Oneshots - a series of random Xisuma oneshots.

When You’re Down Let Me Run To Your Aid - post season 8, and Xisuma isn’t responding to any of the Hermits. They’re worried.

Dragon’s Whumptober 2024 - a bunch of really fun oneshots, I could never list them all separately

Never Make a Contingency Plan Based on an Assumption - Xisuma gets caught in a death loop :D

Mis-take - (this summary taken directly out of the summary of the fic itself) The Watchers’s declaration of war against mortals, among all the grandstanding, also boasted the capture of Xisumavoid, the Admin Voidwalker.

Shouldn’t you know better? You opened the door for an apex predator - VAMPIRE MUMBO GOING FERAL YES!!!

The Workers Have Left Their Stations - Joe and Xisuma have a chat

Don’t let X and his friends cook - Xisuma and some off-server friends engage in shenanigans

Make a mercy out of me - MORE VAMPIRE MUMBO GOING FERAL!

Not Ready? - Xisuma leans something about EX

Worldeater - an admin headcannon, very cool :)

A knock at the window - Xisuma’s locked outside late at night again.

Rouge’s Gallery - an explanation of the hermits (and why they’re terrifying-)

Flowers. - Xisuma angst

i am a phony - what if xisuma and ex were in third life?

Lean On Me, Let It Out - only Doc knows about Xisuma’s previous server and what horrible things happened there

Honeycomb - Voidwalkers have some weird instincts… love this one :D

Withering Pains - (actual fic summary) Xisuma was just heading out to the nether to fix a glitch. He did not sign up to traumatically die to the almost extinct Wither effect.

Just a Day - Ex doesn’t have a good birthday.

Violet Mistique - Ex’s blindfold gets ripped off…

it’s a hollow play - Inspo of quality entertainment!!! Mumbo breaks something, and Xisuma really doesn’t want to punish him.

I’ve Seen Your Face Before - shapeshifting SCP Ex

The Tale of Suma - Xisuma and Ex are kept by the listeners while they’re growing up I can’t do this justice it’s so amazing

Ancient Secrets, Come To Light - …just yeah. Read the summary. Different timeline and watcher Wels

squishy or not, we all still love you - JEVIN FLUFF RAHHHH

Breaking and Entering - Ex tries to escape the void

bee - (actual fic summary) Xisuma gets a little more than he originally wished for with his 'Beesuma' persona.

Soulmarks AU “Hermitcraft” - everyone has a mark representing friendships they form, Xisuma reveals his

naps and high places don’t mix - Xisuma falls asleep in a high place. Instant regret.

Night Night Little God - about the sleeping glitch from the beginning of season 7

Flesh & Diamond - what if Xisuma actually used to be the doomslayer before he came to Hermitcraft?

Doppelgänger - (taken from fic summary) Xisuma confronts his double

when you were flyin’ your white flag, who never gave up on you? - Wels and Xisuma at the end of the world, in the End

You can’t Heal if you Hide - (taken from fic summary) Keralis helps Xisuma after the aftermath of a respawn

Welsknight’s Hoarding Problem - Wels hoards things :)

It’s Inadvisable to Attempt to Fight God as Any Mortal - paladin X!! His god starts to say things, though, and he starts to slip

And the World Stops Turning Just for Me - Xisuma’s tired. So tired, but he can’t give up just yet.

Exhels oneshots!

i love you like the ashes in my cigarette box

If you want a hyphen last name, I guess I don’t mind the cadence

Patterns in Petals

your honor, he’s a cornball

why the fuck are you using tilt controls

[project-lumen]

Project LUMEN: We are so back

Welcome folks! Welcome! And so sorry for the inactivity. Be assured we have been working hard behind the scenes to bring this thing one step closer to completion :]

It has not even been a month, and it's been a hell of a ride, but hey, we are sure progressing!

Anyway, to revive the blog, some of our newest recruits have asked to join in! So give em all a warm welcome! :3

Plus, as a treat, we are doing an AUAATG (Ask Us Anything About The Game), you guys ask, we answer (as long as it is not too spoiler-heavy ofc)

Cheetah, any pronouns (@cheetah-roll).- "Hellooo!! My name is Cheetah, or Chi for short. I use any pronouns :) I’m a character artist for Project Lumen and will be drawing Jimmy! I’m a cat lover, emoticon abuser (I use them way too often lol), and a big fan of cartoons, Minecraft, and the Crane Wives! :D"

tay, she/her (@quackethh) - writer and traditional artist, crane wives and musical enthusiast, resident aussie, smol bean man lover, stuck in language learning hell

👾🍀 Yuru, she/her (@yuruink) — gamer/music enthusiast at heart, artist at night, and procrastinator at any moment in time :D “Hello there o/!! My name's Yuru and I will be Tango’s artist for Project LUMEN. Very excited to be here on this video game making journey and I'm always open for art ideas or just to chat about character design/games <3!!!”

Bradgle, she/her (@bradgle) --- Writer

North, she/her (@farther-north) --- Background artist: 'Ello! I'm North, and I'm a background artist for Project LUMEN!! I do traditional works using acrylics, colored pencils and watercolor paints :D I'm also an instrumentalist [General Precussion, acoustic guitar, and vocals], Crane Child (Crane wives my beloved <3 ) Desert Duo enthusiast, horror podcast fan, and speak English & Polish. Feel free to yap to me about random things, and hope to see everyone around :3'

Charlotte, she/her (@featheredcatsquared) --- Writer

Blue, she/her (@bluejay-flies) --- Artist and writer for life, big lover of books and stories, obsessed with her cats, and master procrastinator. I’m so excited to be doing the backgrounds for this project! I’m a huge nerd so I will geek out over random things. You cannot stop me.

Charly, any pronouns (@charlybvnny) --- Writer

Teri, he/him (@/nuggeteri) --- Our Scott-obsessed writer in the Watcher Realm

[izelthewashbear]

Good news: we finally know why c!Martyn fell off between his win in Limited life, and then his recent placements in Secret life and Wild life!

Bad news: Not angsty enough.

Worry not, for I have already thought of three (3) alternative reasons for why Martyn fell off the way he did!

(disclaimer: this post is NOT meant to signify that Eyes and Ears is a bad AU by any means. I respect the decisions that Martyn makes (as much as I wanna toss this man into a wall sometimes), but I decided to give this one thing my own little spin, since I've already been thinking about it for a while. Enjoy!)

These headcanons are placed in a particular order: 1 fits pretty well into EaE AU and technically could be canon if Martyn likes it ig?, 2 is a pretty neutral one that could fit into any AU or interpretation (+ is the closest one to what Martyn said on his lore stream, but a little different) and 3 is one I personally use in my own AU, called Preservers AU, or The ones who watch, the ones who listen, the ones who kill AU (WLK for short).

1. Martyn got fucked up the same way Cleo and Pearl did in Double life.

While doing research into EaE and watching Limited Life lore stream a while back, one particular thing caught my attention. As you may remember, in session 6, Cleo and Pearl were absent and Gem and Lizzie came to fill in for them. I really liked what Martyn lored there - the idea that Double Life messed up with them so much (especially Pearl, but Cleo too) that even after "resting" in the eternal fuckass void that the Watchers throw them into (the void has no name, so may I propose the name I use in my own AU - The Midway, as in the middle of the way between different worlds) they weren't quite in the right mindset to enter the games again - hence, for example, Pearl talking about Tilly in ep 1 of LimL. So, their souls got snached by the Watchers, threw into the void like into a microwave when you need to heat up your food for just a minute longer, and their conciousnesses were replaced with Gem and Lizze's.

And what if the same should've happened to Martyn?

Let's be honest, winning this series messes everyone up, especially if it ends by you backstabbing the only person who was nice to you the whole season (+ some random guy who just happened to be too close to your sword). Especially if we take into account the interpretation that Martyn got briefly possessed by the Watchers as he killed them ("time is delicious" yada yada yada, we know what you are sir). I can totally believe that this win messed with him enough that at the beginning of Secret life, he was still a bit woozy, a bit disjointed. That would explain him being the first yellow, first red, as well as ending up in the bottom half of the leaderboard for the first time. Funny how he was still the only person to never fail a task, I guess even when fucked up by the Watchers he still has his 300 IQ.

But why didn't the Watchers snatch him during Secret life and put him back into the aforementioned void? Cuz they like torturing him too much and they were like "naaaaaah he'll be fineeee" (he wasn't). Or, they wanted to, but they accidentally snatched the wrong blond guy (aka Tango) (just like in Wild life, they mixed up their blondes again and got Martyn killed before Jimmy).

2. The nihilism route

Martyn's explanation during the lore stream was that c!Martyn, after he won, stopped caring about his performance and decided to chill out a bit, hence him doing worse and worse each subsequent season. But c'mon dude, where's the angst? So I propose a slightly changed version.

You go through four painful, draining, exhausting death games. Each time you die too early to reach your goal. You see your friends die, and you die painfully as well. Until one day, it happens. You win, you kill everyone. You're ecstatic, now you can fix everything, free everyone, change everyone's fate and be free-

And then you're tossed into a new game. All your happy murder time didn't matter. You're right back where you started. Not to mention, the one you were fighting for isn't around, still. So what do you do? Wallow in sorrow, of course! You're all stuck and you're all fucked! There is no escape! Nothing matters! (/neg)

So yeah what Martyn said but make it sadder

3. The Watchers hate you, personally (spoilers for my AU! + if it sounds stupid out of context I'm sorry)

(TW for body horror, oops)

So I'm no stranger to writing horrible fates to characters I really like (and unfortunately that includes c!Martyn, this guy is just too fun to mangle repeatedly). In my AU, after a win, each player is granted a singular wish from the Watchers - and that wish is twisted into a sick version, making up the new game. WLK!Martyn, the nosey bastard he is, asked to know everything about the Watchers - all their secrets, all their knowledge, how to defeat them. Watchers said "bet" and in return, gouged out his eye and replaced it with their own, "lending" him some of their powers (with the side effects being migraines, insomnia, being flashed with horrifying visions, throbbing pains in half of his skull and falling off in general). So uh yeah, guy that loses an eye in such a fashion and doesn't have any time to recover will probably have a hard time placing high again.

It could also be made into a non-WLK version where the Watchers mangled him in some other way. Sorry Listeners but you can't save your boy from that, he too far gone

So I hope you liked my little ramble! If you have any of your own ideas, interpretations or even questions lemme know, I love loring and I wanna outlore the lore guy one day :3

[pixiemage]

I legitimately think a lot of people get too hung up on how other people write or draw characters (both in MCYT and outside of it). I sometimes feel like there's so much bitterness towards fellow fandom members just because they've chosen to enjoy a character or corner of the fandom in a different way. Do you picture the characters the same way the creators are IRL? Fun! Do you have a much more fanonized interpretation because you want to separate the characters from creators? Great! Do you tend to lean toward one kind of design overall in your art because that's just how you enjoy the act of creation? Fantastic!

Short, tall, thin, fat, human, hybrid, something entirely undefinable - every single option is correct. Every single option is right. That's the point of creativity and creative liberty. That's the point of fandom and the whole reason why fan art and fan fiction exist - to take what canon gives you and make something, whether that something clings to canon's every note, or if that something turns canon on its head. Especially if it turns canon on its head.

This is a vast fanbase built upon a sandbox game, and any creations we make should be treated the same. It doesn't matter if it doesn't fit the bill for what someone else thinks, and it doesn't matter if it doesn't fit some standard mold. If everyone else views Grian as a parrot avian, but you love writing him as a cod? Do it! If a lot of folks depict Tango as a blazeborn, but you fucking love the idea of him being an android? Well, for god's sake, what's stopping you? Make him an android! Does everyone else write Bdubs as short, but you think it'd be really funny if he was taller than half the hermits, so the short jokes are even more ridiculous? Then, holy shit, I wanna see that!

But to roll back to the point, fan creations is meant to be fun. And all of you out there being picky? As a viewer of other peoples' art and writing, don't go telling people they're "doing it wrong". Don't be critical. Don't tell someone they need to "do better" if their portrayal doesn't line up with what's in your head. There's no rules here. And similarly, there's no quota we need to meet on variety. There's no law someone is breaking if they're not following your expectations. If you're a viewer of art and fics, and you're pissed at someone because you believe they don't draw or write someone tall enough or short enough or thin enough or fat enough or young enough or old enough - make it yourself. Don't detract from someone else's joy just because their version of having fun in the fandom doesn't line up with yours.

People are going to create what they love. People write and draw from a place of inspiration and enjoyment and fun. If they choose to share it, they're doing that for free and of their own free will. They didn't share it for you. Fan artists and fan writers aren't here to be your dancing monkeys, we're here to just have fun. If you aren't seeing enough of whatever you're expecting to see, then don't demand it from other people who were proud enough of a piece of art to share it with the world. Make it yourself.

[yoirfavpainl0ver]

Hello people of tumblr, I'm working on this g/t life series au, and have been struggling about team ups for weeks. I've thought about many interactions between them and have some specific alliances in mind, but I am at a loss for the rest.(Yes I'm asking for help again) I've got a plan layout here-

Here's a lil base thing I've been using. I've put them in rows of their sizes, I've officially made up my mind on them and would like these ones to stick.

The first row, Cleo, Etho, Ren, Grian, Lizzie, Impulse, and BigB are all just normal sized players.

Pearl, Scott, Scar, Martyn, and Tango are size shifters. I've decided on 3 types for this au. Their ability to shift is all different from their bodies' capability(?) Having said, Martyn shifts uncontrollably(only norm and small), Tango can shift norm and small he's just really bad at it and needs concentration, Scar can shift all sizes with ease, Scott can shift all sizes but needs concentration, and Pearl can shift norm and small easily.

Lastly, Joel, Bdubs, Gem, Skizz, Mumbo, and Jimmy are small. They just give the vibes, yk?

I also think ima add a boogeyman so people will die easier, new death messages? Tiny people break 1 pixel in minecraft terms at a time, a mix of realism and the game, some vore, and we can allow blood, yeah? Like actual need for bandages and passing out. Cool stuff!

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Now for alliances.. (Don't forget their sizes)

Grian and Scar. I wanna have desertduo(pt3?) Except it's really toxic. I'm pretty on with this one.

I kinda wanted Martyn and Ren again, and I'd imagine Ren would take care of Martyn. Not sure yet tho.

Joel and Tango. My thoughts for this is that I think Joel would be smart about his allies and wanna befriend people bigger than him to stay out of trouble. Not necessarily shifters, but I feel like Tango would lie and just say he's a normal player, and then I think you can imagine how the rest would play out. So, I like this option. (Could also include some others too)

Etho and Lizzie. I'm not entirely sure, but other suggestions are definitely welcome.

I had some thoughts. Joel, Etho, and Bdubs. Etho would be taking care of em. I'm not exactly fond of this one.

Martyn and Jimmy. Yes, they did already have some team ups, but it's an option.

Maybe Skizz and Gem. Lil tiny duo.

Potential girl team up? Gem, Lizzie, Cleo, and Pearl.

There was this dumb idea for team PBJ (Pearl BigB or Bdubs and Jimmy) I don't really wanna have anyone alone, soo.. But I'm not sure about this one.

I can also say that I imagined some Lizzie and Joel drama, Etho and Tango drama aswell, oh and Scar has problems with everyone.

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If you have any suggestions it'd be great. Alliances, enemies, scene ideas, how the world would look, what are some jokes that could go around, main things prioritized, their builds or whatever, should some be roleplaying? And in general, anything else important that I have missed or doesn't quite make sense that needs sensifying.

If you've read the whole thing, thank you. It must've been sufferable.

Farewell :>