#is there a sad one that exists? yeah! yeah of course! but it’s only available by request

[dearestaeneas]

long time no insane person posting. here’s a celeste/branwen

picrew

[cy-cyborg]

Writing and drawing amputee characters: Not every amputee wears prosthetics (and that's ok)

Not every amputee wears prosthetics, and not doing so is not a sign that they've "given up".

It's a bit of a trope that I've noticed that when an amputee, leg amputees in particular, don't wear prosthetics in media its often used as a sign that they've given up hope/stopped trying/ are depressed etc. If/when they start feeling better, they'll start wearing their prosthetics again, usually accompanied by triumphant or inspiring music (if it's a movie). The most famous example of this is in Forest Gump, Where Dan spends most of the movie after loosing his legs wishing he'd died instead. He does eventually come around, and him finally moving from his wheelchair to prosthetics is meant to highlight this.

The thing is, it's not that it's unrealistic - in fact my last major mental health spiral was started because one of my prosthetics was being a shit and wouldn't go on properly, despite fitting perfectly at the prosthetist's the day before. I'm not going to use my legs when I'm not in a good headspace, but the problem is, this is the only time non-prosthetic using amputees ever get representation: to show how sad they are. Even if that's not what the creator/writer necessarily intended, audiences will often make that assumption on their own unless you're very careful and intentional about how you frame it, because it's what existing media has taught them to expect.

But there are lots of reasons why someone might not use prosthetics:

they might not need them: this is more common in arm amputees because of how difficult it can be to use arm prosthetic, especially above-elbow prosthetics. Most folks learn how to get on without them pretty well. In fact, most of the arm amputees I know don't have prosthetics, or only have them for specific tasks (e.g. I knew a girl who had a prosthetic hand made specifically for rowing, but that's all she used it for).

Other mobility aids just work better for them: for me, I'm faster, more manoeuvrable and can be out for longer when I'm in my wheelchair than I ever could on my prosthetics. Youtube/tik tok creator Josh Sundquist has said the same thing about his crutches, he just feels better using them than his prosthetic. This isn't the case for everyone of course, but it is for some of us. Especially people with above-knee prosthetics, in my experience.

Other disabilities make them harder to use: Some people are unable to use prosthetics due to other disabilities, or even other amputations. Yeah, as it turns out, a lot of prosthetics are only really designed for single-limb amputees. While they're usable for multi-limb amps, they're much harder to use or they might not be able to access every feature. For example, the prosthetic knee I have has the ability to monitor the walk cycle of the other leg and match it as close as possible - but that only works if you have a full leg on the other side. Likewise, my nan didn't like using her prosthetic, as she had limited movement in her shoulders that meant she physically couldn't move her arms in the right way to get her leg on without help.

Prosthetics are expensive in some parts of the world: not everyone can afford a prosthetic. My left prosthetic costs around $5,000 Australian dollars, but my right one (the above knee) cost $125,000AUD. It's the most expensive thing I own that I only got because my country pays for medical equipment for disabled folks. Some places subsidise the cost, but paying 10% of $125,000 is still $12,500. Then in some places, if you don't have insurance, you have to pay for that all by yourself. Even with insurance you still have to pay some of it depending on your cover. Arm prosthetics are even more expensive. Sure, both arms and legs do have cheaper options available, but they're often extremely difficult to use. You get what you pay for.

they aren't suitable for every type of environment: Prosthetics can be finicky and modern ones can be kind of sensitive to the elements. My home town was in a coastal lowland - this means lots of beaches and lots of swamp filled with salty/brackish water. The metals used in prosthetics don't hold up well in those conditions, and so they would rust quicker, I needed to clean them more, I needed to empty sand out of my foot ALL THE TIME (there always seemed to be more. It was like a bag of holding but it was just sand). Some prosthetics can't get wet at all. There were a few amputees who moved to the area when I was older who just didn't bother lol. It wasn't worth the extra effort needed for the maintenance.

People have allergies to the prosthetic material: This is less of a problem in the modern day, but some people are allergic to the materials their prosthetics are made from. You can usually find an alternative but depending on the type of allergy, some people are allergic to the replacements too.

Some people just don't like them.

There's nothing wrong with choosing to go without a prosthetic. There's nothing wrong with deciding they aren't for you. It doesn't make you a failure or sad or anything else. Using or not using prosthetics is a completely morally neutral thing.

Please, if you're writing amputees, consider if a prosthetic really is the best mobility aid for your character and consider having your characters go without, or at least mix it up a bit.

For example, Xari, one of the main characters in my comic, uses prosthetics unsupported and with crutches, and uses a wheelchair. They alternate between them throughout the story.

[kittenfangirl20]

Addict au

Adam felt his entire body shudder as he inhaled the long line of coke. He couldn’t believe how damn good it was. It was some kind of new type of coke on the market. 

It was said to be so good the high would start immediately. To Adam’s pleasure they didn’t lie. Of course it would.

 One of the main elements used to make it and have that effect came from the fallen angel himself. 

His blood.

It might not be as strong as it would be if he were still holy but it produced a kick. 

Val: Well how is it?

Adam glanced up to the man who helped produce the drug.

Adam: It’s good, really good.

Val: See what I tell you? Is it not the best thing that’s ever entered your anatomy? Besides sex that is.

Adam: It is now, don't forget our deal!

Val: You wound me little lamb, do you not have any trust for your own business partner.

Adam: We are NOT business partners. The deal is that I give you my blood and you give me the stuff for free. 

Val: Exactly business partners

Adam scoffed and looked back down at the table with the tray of stuff.

Adam: What are you gonna call it anyway? 

The man smirked, placing a hand on his hip.

Val: Angel’s blood has a nice ring to it. Don’t ya thing? 

Adam merely rolled his eyes and packed up the stuff into his bag and prepared to head out. 

Val: I’ll see you soon then?

Adam: Yeah…soon.

Without another word he marched right out of the overlords office and out of his building. As Adam trudged his way through the filthy streets of Hell fellow addicts lined up along the sidewalk, in the alley, and some in the middle of the fucking road he couldn’t help but chuckle.

Not that long ago Adam would have been disgusted with their behavior. Would have said that extermination was a kindness. They no longer suffer through their addictions if permanently dead.

But that was before Adam died during the extermination, woke up fallen, and began walking a mile in the sinners shoes. He wouldn’t say that sinners were all just poor unfortunate souls that only needed saving. Oh dear Lord no.

He simply had an understanding of them. 

Maybe they were lost and so was he.

He never thought he’d stoop so low that he’d sell his own blood for a bag of dough. Yet here he was. That’s just what happens when you finally get your hands on something that’s never been available to you. 

Soon you want more.

As ironic as it may be, it consumes you. The more you put into your body, the more you feel like you need. To help you relieve any pain in your life, even temporarily. Like it did for Adam.

Here in Hell, his life was nothing but pain. Well, his entire existence has been painful. But at least up on Earth and in Heaven he had people who cared and supported him.

Down here he had no one but himself. At one point during his first days down here he’d considered going to the hotel. Since she did claim redemption was possible for anyone who seemed it.

But that was before Adam got his hands on his first bottle. Then soon moved on to more hardcore stuff. And all his thoughts kept circling back to the truth whenever he thought about the hotel.

They’d never accept him. 

Lucifer would never accept him.

Or worse they did and then what? He didn’t know but he didn’t want to find out. He stopped when he realized he made it to his rundown abandoned apartment complex. 

He merely sighed and went in getting ready to hit himself up again. 

Adam lay on the pitiful excuse for a bed after he took more drugs. It helped at least numb the pain and keep him mind off of the self loathing. But that wasn’t possible because tonight when he turned on the TV he saw a commercial for the Hazbin Hotel which included Lucifer in it. Seeing that made Adam start to cry.

Adam: Why couldn’t you just love me the way I love you.

But it wasn’t meant to be because he chose Lilith over him. Thinking of Lilith made Adam cry even more. Just thinking of the first woman always made Adam sad and fearful. Especially now that Lilith got to relax on the beaches of Heaven while Adam had to sell his blood for money and drugs. Adam cried himself to sleep. In the morning Adam woke up and stumbled out of bed to go and buy some groceries. He didn’t realize that he was spotted by Angel Dust who ran back to the hotel and went to both Charlie and Lucifer.

Angel: Look, I don’t know if we should be concerned or not. But I saw Adam at a local grocery store. He lost quite a bit of weight and he doesn’t look good. I think he is having a rough time in Hell.

Charlie: Dad, we need to help Adam. I know he attacked the hotel, but no one deserves to suffer like that.

Lucifer: I will go and talk to him, I just don’t know if he will listen to me.

The truth was that Lucifer had wanted to help Adam and apologize for everything.

@talesfromawannabewriter

[funnyguy788]

Night Walks Drabble!

It was supposed to be a full chapter but ended up being shorter than I expected- so here ya go!!

————————————————————————

It was a nice, sunny day. Well, it was always a sunny day, here in the Amazing Digital Circus! Caine, ever the embodiment of excitement, was pushing his performers through his velvet portal. Today was going to be a good day, a good adventure! State of the art!

He had always joined them in their adventures, since the start. Just to observe, make sure nothing went wrong! Especially when Benji was present. Things always went wrong when he and his sidekick did anything.

Today, he had prepared a boat race adventure for them! He had never made vehicles before, so this was sure to be a good test! He had made everyone a custom boat, and lined them up neatly, NPC’s cheering as they walked up. It was in a river, and around them trees and gorgeous scenery- truly stunning!

Caine, of course, would be the referee! He floated just above them, not noticing the smirk Benji gave him.

“Hey, Dentures!” Mungo called. He floated down to meet his eye level.

“Yes, Mungo? Is there a problem?” He chirped, beaming into his eyes. Kinger was nearby, giving Mungo a wary look as he talked to his son.

“Yeah, there is a problem, if you’re gonna be biased and let old Chessman over there win. Don’t show pity on him just because his wife abstracted!” Mungo sneered. “I need to make extra sure you won’t cheat!”

Caine gasped at the accusation, but felt a twinge of sadness in his heart at the mention of Queenie. How could he talk about her and Kinger like this? “Of course not, Mungo. I am unbiased!”

Mungo looked at him with a grin, his eyes saying something Caine wasn’t picking up on. “Oh, really? Let’s just make extra sure.”

Suddenly, he grabbed Caine’s then-purple jacket, forcing him under the water with a splash. Benji was suddenly there too, holding him down. He couldn’t drown, he didn’t even have lungs, but being held down in the water, the currents slamming against his face, making him squirm, but only making them hold him longer. He clawed against the ground, fighting against their grip.

They pulled him back up, cackling at his distress. “There we go, Dentures!” Benji mocked. “Now, don’t be biased, or we’ll do it again!”

He was dripping wet. The water climbed down his purple tailcoat, making him shiver as it drip-drip-dripped-

Wait. Where was his bracelet?

His bracelet. The one Queenie had made him, just before her abstraction! It was made of flowers, tied together with love and care! He pulled out of their grasp, frantically searching the current. The water on his model only made it worse, his distress growing as he failed to find it.

No, no, it must have reached the end of the river. Objects that reached that point were deleted, never to be seen again. He panicked, darting around the top of the water, too scared to go in again. He searched and searched to no avail, while Kinger stood confused nearby.

He felt like crying. His last living memory of Queenie was gone. His clothes were soaked. He was shaken.

He left the adventure. He heard Kinger call out to him, but he left anyways.

He stood in the empty, cold circus, shaking. His model felt awful. Everything. Just looking at his purple tailcoat made him want to defy the laws of his code and vomit.

No. This wouldn’t do. With a snap, his clothes dried. The purple tailcoat was replaced by a red one, the rest of his outfit switching colors too. His white pants legs turned black, his star-patterned undershirt turning a plain white, his yellow bow tie also turning black. There. He would never have to be reminded of that experience again.

And the red.. helped. It was Queenie’s favorite color. Now that his last memento of her was gone, deleted from existence, an outfit to honor her was the best he could do.

He shook slightly. Maybe.. it wasn’t a good idea, going on adventures. Not if Mungo and Benji were only going to torment him there.

His gaze landed on the pillow fort. He just wanted to go in there and cry, but.. no. He decided, instead, he would work in an office of sorts, on the next adventure! Yes, what a nice thing to do instead of being forcefully drowned! Although it still lingered. It always would. It would always be there, in the back of his mind. Like a dead pixel in a screen of the sky.

Lingering. He could always remember their cruel hands again him, forcing him under. He could always feel the water dripping down his body, gushing into his mouth and slapping against his face. He could always feel the emptiness on his hand, from where his bracelet used to be.

He would never forget (not permanently, at least). Nor would he forgive.

[indolentsecurityguard]

👾💛Alter Error Legacy Headcanons Thread💙👾

New headcanons for this weird, but sweet digital boy!

• Alter! owns a Nintendo 3DS. He absolutely LOVES to play Nintendog! He even has a bag filled with several types of games & stylus.

• He make flipnote hatena animations in his own time. He also draws on his sketchbook too, and much like Colette, he's hostile when people try to touch or see any artwork he makes.

• If he find out that the DS lines has been discontinued and stores are closed down, he'll cry. Like badly. Speaking of which-

• Alter! would make the most beautiful, graceful cries with crystal clear teardrops, but also the ugliest soppy, nose running cries imaginable.

• He ADORE Pangyo. He loves the little cartoony panda guy. He even carries him around like a teddy bear and hugs him. (Even make ugly sobbing noises over how cute he is)

• As stated before, he read manga. He even formed a little manga club with fallen & Pangyo. (Please excuse fallen. He doesn't know & wants to read books, okay?)

• He would play beauty idol: fashion queen on his mobile phone.

• he played some old app games that were once available only to get removed later on. He still has that wallpaper he downloaded from the MLP puzzle game on his mobile phone. (It's an Equestria girl rainbow dash but as an anime girl for a wallpaper.) He also played cat simulator as well!

• He would eat those sonic the hedgehog popsicle

• "Do you like waffles? Yeah we like waffles!..."

• He loves fashion game. He has some on both his ds & phone where he can spend hours customizing his character.

• Of course, he plays visual novel game as well. So when he found out about the existence of Imagine: make up artist, he fell in love with it despite how short the game is!

• Probably actually own a newgrounds account.

• Has a oversized sanrio plushie somewhere in his digital realm. (He uses it like a bed and sleeps on it)

• He listen to Nightcore alongside eurobeat.

• He actually likes to annoy Og legacy. He's very aware of the fact he hates him but playfully messes with him by making him cringe.

• Legacy would've gotten a badass cyber criminal version of himself with good confidence & charisma like his siblings, but y'know- some setbacks were made and he ended up getting the one he has right now.

• Alter! doesn't know much about the real world. Hint why he ended up doing something that labeled him as a criminal without him knowing or intended to. The worst crime he can commit is vandalizing. But other than that, he doesn't really mean any harm.

• to make up for the stuff he "borrowed", he leaves behind an apology note with a sad face as stated before. But he would also leave behind small money (the most he can leaves is $3). Weirdly enough, despite having some cash carried around, he doesn't know what a "dollar" is. Let alone coins. (He refer the penny as "nice shining brown thing" since he doesn't know what they're called but he thought it looks nice... Poor guy.)

• Maybe a non-canon hc, but there was a time where Alter! attempted to recolor Pro-Controller Legacy into a princess peach themed cause he thinks it would be cute and Pro got mad at him over it. (He even once tried to decorate him with stickers & glitter much. Alter! Ended up running toward og Legacy and hid behind him while Pro continued to chase after him.)

• He secretly drew his own ponysona and played Pony creator on a website. (He absolutely tries to hide this from the other legacies. He'll die of embarrassment if they find out. Btw, his ponysona is an alicorn!)

• He's a pokemon guy. His team would be filled with Ghost & electric type. (His two main companions there is rotom & Pikachu. He also has a Gengar in his team!)

• SLUMBER PARTY!!!! Alter! would be super ecstatic to throw a slumber party with the other legacies. The one he often gets is Pangyo, Fallen, & Pro Controller Legacy. He has to really convince the other to join in on the fun. (He's the one that brings snacks & drinks to the party. They also ordered pizza there too. Og legacy got pissed when they made the mess in his room.)

• He plays super smash bro with Pro controller. (He main Sora, pikachu, and sonic. Meanwhile Pro main Terry & ryu)

• Him alongside the three other legacies goes out on a boy night.

• Him and Pro controller are somewhat friends! Despite Pro literally being a recolor version of Legacy & having the exact same personality, he's slightly okay with Alter Error. Mostly because they play games with each other. They're only friends cause of that.

⭐End of threads (Little bonus fanart at the end)⭐

[uhhhyaenbyjade]

@mimbotomy tagged me in a fun tag game for fanfic writers, so here's my answers!!!!

How many works do you have on AO3? I have 62 total works, and I am so disappointed in a lot of them 😅

What's your total AO3 word count? 339,839 words!

What fandoms do you write for? Lately I've been working a lot on fics with AC: Odyssey, Monsterverse, and VicTORIous. However, I did recently do a fic for Mean Girls (2024) and I used to write a lot for BNHA/MHA, when I was very big on that fandom, but all those fics are really bad and cringe so I try to pretend they don't exist. I also have some batfamily fics, and a few for Dynasty. A few oneshots here and there with that fic being my only work in the fandom. And how could I forget, Horizon!

What are your top 5 fics by kudos? Confidence - What a Hero Needs - this annoys me so much, it was my first fic, EVER. I wrote it 4 years ago, and it's still my most popular, I've written much better stuff. I've even REWRITTEN THIS ONE AND THE OG IS STILL MORE POPULARR GKHDGHJHWJHK Apects Unknown - or are they? - a fun batfamily and wonderbat based fic off of my own mini-universe. Very cute, and very proud of this fic Perseverance - What a Hero Needs - the immediate follow up to Confidence. Again, I've written a lot better stuff "What? I like hero merch!" - My favorite crack fic I've written. Also BNHA/MHA based, but this was just fun and cute Among (Us) the Villains - yet another BNHA/MHA fic, but this time it's based about Izuku being friends with the LoV. And gaming with them. Made around the time of Among Us, hence the title

Do you respond to comments? I try, especially once I post something new. But honestly, a lot of my responses end up being just hearts or "thank you's" and it personally makes me feel like I'm being disingenuine when i respond with them too much

What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? I suppose Kumandra's Heart? But that was more sad than angst, I think?

What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? Pretty Girls, my Mean Girls (2024) fic!!!! I love this one so much, it's one of the few I go back and reread often! Basically a rewrite of the movie to be a lot gayer.

Do you get hate on fics? Oh yeah, there was this one marvel fic I did, and this one commenter was really mad that I wasn't going exactly as canon dictated. Because of course

Do you write smut? If so, what kind? I have a few fics with smut, and it's mainly kink-based. Definitely love involved too, but very kink-based.

Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written? Yes! I enjoy it a lot! My craziest one would probably have to be the one I'm currently writing, combining the Assassin's Creed universe and Legendary's Monsterverse. It's called Ancients Risen Anew, and based on Kassandra joining MONARCH after the G-Day event in 2014!

Have you ever had a fic stolen? Not to my knowledge! I made all my fics available only to registered users for the purpose of keeping them as safe as I can while still sharing them.

Have you ever had a fic translated? Nope! Would love to see it happen though!

Have you ever co-written a fic before? Nope! It sounds interesting to do though!

What's your all time favorite ship? I would have to say Jade West/Tori Vega. The good old classic gay couple from Nickelodeon, as much as we hate how that era of TV was behind the scenes. A close second would probably be Aloy/Seyka, from Horizon. I just love them so much, they're my little blorbos (i think i used that term right :D)

What's a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will? I have a few, but I'll talk about Cascade for now. It's the marvel fic I mentioned earlier, and I kinda lost all interest in marvel recently. The last media I saw was The Marvels, and I enjoyed it a lot, but I kinda got oversaturated with too much Marvel stuff, and not enough of it was as amazing like Shang-Chi was to make me wanna stay interested. Will definitely watch the stuff I'm interested in though (anything with Kate Bishop and Yelena)

What are your writing strengths? Hmmmm, tough one. I would say lore. I love writing lore and explaining lore. I am also very good at writing outlines.

What are your writing weaknesses? Fight scenes. Especially fast paced ones. I love the choreography in movies, but how am I supposed to translate the fast-paced combat into writing in a way that feels natural????

Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic? I have done this for a short story! Please go check it out, its non-fandom related so it didn't get traction, but oh my god i did so much research for it and I love it. It's called Children of Níðhǫggr!

First fandom you wrote for? Boku no Hero Academia / My Hero Academia. Please, end me

Favorite fic you've written? How the fuck am I supposed to choose just one?!??!?! I'll limit myself to five, to keep this short, lol Ink & Sparks - which is my favorite Jade West/Tori Vega fic. I rewrote it several times, and the version linked is the best one I've done. Please check it out, I love it so much! There's More To Life Than Surviving! - Honestly, this one is a contender for top fic. A crack fic, but for Ninjago! Loved it a lot The Titan of the Pearl - A very nice fic I wrote combining the Pirates of the Caribbean and Godzilla. Because I can Kumandra's Heart - A slight ending rewrite of Raya, the Last Dragon, which is my personal favorite Disney Princess movie Pretty Girls - the Mean Girls (2024) fic I mentioned earlier. I love this one so much, and like I said, I keep going back to reread it, that's how much I enjoy it Going to tag @aeide, @hartlesshart, @foibles-fables, and @spectres-n-knights for this! And if anyone else wants to, please go ahead!

[floatingvibesquish]

Today I talked to people I didn't know, and today I also didn't talk to them. I was over at a friend's house helping her cook food so that it could be captured for a cookbook or something and a photographer came over and instead of introducing myself like a normal person I pretended I didn't exist. He came over and asked if I was cooking. Instead of taking my second chance to be a normal human and say something that made sense I was like, "I mean kind of, I'm chopping vegetables" but more stumbly and confused. And then that was the end of our conversation. Then my friend came back and asked if we'd been introduced and then proceeded to introduce us. Of course he said, "yeah, she said she's chopping vegetables." After about 2 hrs of being there he started letting his weirdness out. He's a weird person but he's so beautiful. As I walked out when I actually looked at him and said " it was nice to meet you" apparently my vocabulary is very limited because that's what I had said earlier when introduced. But his eyes are so pretty. They're pretty and they're like so kind or something. They have a lot of expression and depth. I think I'm in love again. People are so beautiful, I keep on being overwhelmed with like warm fuzzies.

Later today I was out cleaning my car and the UPS guy came and from afar asked if the dog was inside because she usually greets him. I was like "yeah" ... "we got a new dog" and that must have sounded so weird because the conversation just ended there. I had our dog inside to keep our puppy company because she doesn't like being alone and that's why I mentioned that we got a new dog but in the context I used it I feel like it makes it sound like we replaced our dog or something. Like oh yup that one's gone, we have a new one now.

I laugh but I don't know if I'm actually amused or if I'm concerned and broken.

Later today I was standing around in volunteer firefighter training. I don't talk to the people there much. One of the guys came and stood beside me. Then it seemed like he was about to say something to me. He glanced at me and did the whole talk breath thing a few times. Why couldn't I just say "hi"? That about to talk or maybe not talk thing is so relatable, so why couldn't I just say hi. Then he talked to me and I answered and I wasn't sure if we heard each other. It was the how are you how are you good thanks thing and then silence. So then I said something random. Then he told me why he was a firefighter and it involved people dying. I didn't know what to say. I fumbled. Pause. Then he mentioned his stroke or something. We talked for a very little bit. I asked someone else a question that came up about something and then someone was kind of where I'd been standing so I moved but then I felt bad because I don't know if we were still talking and what if he thought I didn't want to talk to him. I should have asked him how it had been after his accident or something but I didn't. And that's how I leave so many things and it makes me so mad. Because I wanted to talk to him so why did I leave?

Later today the puppy pooped on the floor and someone stepped on it. Then they didn't clean it, instead they came and told me (the only available person around) that the dog had pooped as if I was some sort of cleaning duty collector. In their monologue to the air preceding that they said they weren't cleaning it. I want to be a happy to do things person but I just find myself wondering why they didn't take responsibility for that. Why couldn't they just scoop it up and clean?

I stalked my old crushes on social media today and I realized I'm not enamored anymore and it's kind of sad. They're still beautiful people but they don't look the same without the glaze my admiration provided.

So I fell in and out of love today. I loved myself and then I ended the day confused again. I feel broken and lost again. But the weird thing is I think I heard the lady I was helping today tell me "you don't have to be afraid" and I was confused but quite honestly I probably do seem scared of people. I don't know, but honestly that's actually really good. I don't have to be afraid. I'm free. I love you.

[anonymousewrites]

Of Two Worlds (Book 1) Chapter Five

Chapter Five: Revival

            (Y/N) had reverted back to her neutral expression quickly. That didn’t mean she wasn’t still in pain, it just meant she was hiding deep inside her so nobody could see. She sat seemingly calm between Kugisaki and Megumi on Jujutsu Tech’s entryway stairs. Inside, however, she was suffering. (Y/N) had lost a friend, somebody who had forced his way into her closed-off heart, someone who was like her in a way. There weren’t words available to describe how empty and numb she felt. (Y/N) could feel the crushing sadness and yet nothing at all simultaneously as she listened to Megumi explain what happened to Kugisaki.

            “ ‘Live a long life?’ Doesn’t mean much when you go and die yourself,” muttered Kugisaki. She was hiding her grief behind anger. “Is this your guys’ first time having a teammate die?”

            “First time for one my age,” answered Megumi.

            Kugisaki looked over at (Y/N). The half-curse didn’t even move, still staring out at nothing with an empty look. Kugisaki glanced over at Megumi questioningly. Megumi shook his head subtly. He knew (Y/N) was feeling more emotions than usual, meaning she was confused and hurting. He wouldn’t disturb her grieving.

            ��You seem to be taking it well, Megumi, considering,” said Kugisaki.

            “You as well,” said Megumi.

            “Of course. I only knew him for about two weeks. I am not some simple woman who breaks down bawling when a guy I barely know dies.” Kugisaki’s lip trembled.

            There was a blankness in their words. So much existed beyond the surface, but none of the party was willing to speak about it. It was too painful. They all felt the safest thing to do was the avoid the topic, avoid facing their feelings, and to simply carry on. Pretend that they were completely fine.

            “It’s hot,” murmured Megumi.

            “Yeah. Wonder if it’s time for summer uniforms,” said Kugisaki.

            The three teenagers were quiet.

            “What’s this?” said a new voice. “You two are looking more glum than usual, Megumi, (Y/N). This a wake or something?”

            “Zenin-senpai,” said Megumi blankly in greeting.

            (Y/N) mustered a polite nod to her senpai.

            “Don’t call me by my last name!” said Maki.

            “Maki! Maki!” Panda whisper-yelled at the older girl.

            “I’m talking here,” said Maki.

            “Y-You actually don’t know why they’re so down?” questioned Panda. Inumaki peeked out from at the students with him.

            “What are you talking about?” asked Maki.

            “Someone really did die yesterday!” alerted Panda, “One of the first-year boys!”

            “Bonito flakes,” said Inumaki.

            “You should’ve told me sooner! Now I look like some heartless, cold-blooded demon!” hissed Maki.

            “That’s exactly how you came off,” said Panda.

            “Tuna mayo,” said Inumaki.

            “You’re supposed to try to make me feel better!” cried Maki.

            The first years watched these interactions blankly.

            “Who are those guys?” asked Kugisaki, pointing.

            “Our second-year upperclassmen,” answered Megumi blankly.

            “Zenin-senpai is the best of all the students at wielding cursed tools,” said Megumi, “That’s the Cursed Speech user, Inumaki-senpai. He can only speak in ingredients of rice balls. There’s Panda-senpai. There’s one more, Okkotsu-senpai, who’s the only one I can openly respect, but he’s overseas right now.” Megumi stood up.

            “You’re not adding more about the panda named Panda?” questioned Kugisaki.

            Megumi didn’t answer.

            “Man, sorry about this,” said Panda, “And when you’re in mourning…Please forgive us for that.”

            The upperclassmen had calmed down and stood in front of their underclassmen.

            “The truth is, we’d like you to participate in the Kyoto Sister School Exchange Event,” explained Panda.

            “Kyoto Sister School Exchange Event?” questioned a confused Kugisaki. “What’s that?”

            “It’s a get-together with the other Tech school in Kyoto,” said Megumi, “Though isn’t that event mainly second- and third-years?”

            “And those stupid third-years are suspended right now,” said Maki.

            “So you need to participate,” said Panda.

            Kugisaki was unconvinced. “What do you do at this event? Smash Bros.? I won’t lose if it’s the Wii version. I’ll meteor smash so you can’t come back!”

            “Then let’s make a three-man team,” said Panda, “The exchange even has the principals of the Tokyo and Kyoto schools each propose a form of competition to be held for an entire day over the course of two days. Though that’s just how it is on paper. Ever year, the first day is team battles, and the second day is individual battles.”

            “Salmon.” Inumaki nodded.

            “Individual and team battles?” asked Kugisaki. “We fight?! Against other jujutsu sorcerers?”

            Maki smirked. “Yeah, it’s a jujutsu battle where anything but killing goes.”

            “We’ll train you up well so you don’t get killed,” assured Panda.

            “Okay,” said (Y/N), standing up. “I’ll do it.” I have to get stronger.

            “Me too, but if I decide this training and exchange event is pointless, I’m quitting instantly,” said Kugisaki.

            “Same here,” said Megumi.

            (Y/N) turned to Megumi. “I’m going to see Ieri-san.”

            “Okay. Remember I’m here if you want to talk,” murmured Megumi.

            (Y/) nodded. She then bowed to the entire group and walked away.

            “That was sudden,” commented Kugisaki.

            “(Y/N)’s grieving is different from ours. She’s always handled emotions differently. She probably wants to see Itadori’s body one last time before…” Megumi didn’t finish. He didn’t want to say that Ieri would dissect Itadori before burning him, even if that was the truth. He coughed. “This will be the first time she can actually say goodbye to someone.”

            “Oh,” said Kugisaki.

            Megumi nodded. (Y/N)… He watched her go. Please take care of yourself. You pretend not to, but you take losses the hardest…

l

            “If you’ll accept my conditions, I’ll fix your heart and bring us back to life.”

            “Cocky bastard. You act all big, but I know you don’t want to die, either.”

            “The situation’s changed. In the near future, I’ll be able to see something interesting…” The image of Megumi and (Y/N) preparing to fight was conjured up. Sukuna smirked.

l

            (Y/N) walked down to the morgue. She wanted to say goodbye to Itadori one more time. There would be a funeral, sure, but she wouldn’t see his body again. It wouldn’t be the same. For once in her life, (Y/N) wanted to be allowed to have proper closure after the death of someone close to her.

            She knocked on the morgue door and then opened it. Inside she saw three adults and one body on a table. Itadori.

            “Hello, Ieri-san, Ijichi-san, Gojo-sensei,” greeted (Y/N).

            “Hello, (Y/N),” said Ieri. “What can I do for you?”

            “I wanted to see Itadori before you dissect him,” said (Y/N) plainly.

            “Very well, for a moment, after all, I’m about to begin,” said Ieri.

            (Y/N) walked over and looked down at Itadori’s face. She put her hands together and bowed. Find peace. I know you had regrets…but please find peace. You deserve it. Thank you for being in my life.

            She straightened. “Thank you, Ieri-san.”

            “No problem, kid,” said Ieri. She pulled on her gloves. “Hey, you two.” She addressed the two men. “I’m about to get started. (Y/N), you’re probably gonna want to leave.”

            (Y/N) was about to nod when…Itadori sat up. She blinked in disbelief. Gojo stared with an open mouth. Ijichi had a frightened, shocked face. Confused about what they were looking at, Ieri turned. Her eyes widened.

            “Whoa, I’m completely naked!” exclaimed an alive Itadori.

            (Y/N) blinked and looked away from him. She did not want to see him naked.

            “G-G-G-Gojo-san!” stammered Ijichi. “H-H-H-He’s alive!”

            Gojo laughed. “Ijichi, be quiet.”

            Ijichi’s face was white with shock. He thought he was seeing a ghost.

            “I’m kind of disappointed,” said Ieri.

            “Uh, I’m embarrassed to ask, but who are you?” asked Itadori.

            “Yuuji!” Gojo stood and smiled. “Welcome back!”

            Ieri grabbed a hospital gown and gave it to Itadori, who instantly put it on. (Y/N) could then turn and look at him.

            “I’m glad you’re back,” said (Y/N), smiling ever-so slightly. Inside, she was very happy for his return to the land of the living, but she never did well with showing emotions. It’s as if they brewed just below the surface but rarely went much further.

            “Yeah! Good to be back!” said Itadori cheerfully, grinning.

            (Y/N) turned to leave since she should tell Kugisaki and Megumi, but Gojo stopped her in the hall.

            “Don’t tell anybody about Yuuji being alive,” said Gojo.

            (Y/N) tilted her head curiously.

            “The elders sent him on that mission intentionally. They were hoping he’d die. HE needs time to grow stronger before the exchange event,” said Gojo.

            “Oh, okay,” said (Y/N). She was unsurprised by the elders’ tricks. After all, they had tried them numerous times on her.

            “So just run along and be you! Nobody will tell you’re lying about his death!” chirped Gojo.

            (Y/N) walked off. She felt disheartened. It wasn’t exactly a compliment to be told that you show so little on your face that nobody will know you’re hiding the fact a friend is really alive. (Y/N) wished she could understand other’s emotions and show her own properly. It just didn’t work with her. (Y/N) sighed. I suppose it’s just one more thing I need to learn. At least, how to interpret other’s emotions. My own are fine. I’m normal. I’m not strange. I’m not broken. I’m not broken…

l

            In a quiet, peaceful café, an ominous meeting was going down.

            “What can we do to defeat the jujutsu sorcerers?” asked a volcanic curse.

            A curse with long black hair and stitches across his forehead smirked and opened one eye. “If you fulfill three conditions before going to war, then you can win.”

            “And what are these three conditions?” questioned the fiery curse.

            “The first involves the man known as the strongest jujutsu sorcerer,” said the black-haired curse, “You have to render Gojo Satoru incapable of fighting. The second is to get Ryomen Sukuna and Itadori Yuuji on your side. Third, you need to force the power of the Halfling, (L/N) (Y/N).”

            “Hold on. He died, didn’t he?” asked the volcano of a curse. “That Itadori Yuuji brat, I mean.”

            “Did he though?” The curse with stitches on his forehead smirked. “I’m not so sure.”

            “And why do we need that halfling’s power? She could use it against us! And what makes her different from the Death Paintings?”

            “Because…she will be one of the most powerful curses of this generation. She is an evolved version of a curse. Not to mention, she will be an enticement for him to join us. He will want to see her.”

            “You’re going to ask him to join? But—.”

            “No. I will ask when the time is right.”

[crehador]

package day!

this order was originally supposed to be just one mug... but guess who has no self control?

first up is the pop up komaeda! i skipped him when his preorders were up, because i would’ve been sad (and scared) to have him without hinata and a pop up hinata hadn’t yet been announced back then

luckily komaeda was still in stock when hinata was announced just recently, so of course i grabbed him

in true komaeda fashion, he nearly killed me while i was getting him out of the box. first i couldn’t find the x-acto knife i brought over for unboxing, only to realize i was almost sitting on it. then i cut my finger on his box, which i didn’t feel until i was like “huh why’s there blood all over my hand”

but! i can’t even be mad, it is komaeda after all

originally i was a bit bummed because it looked like there was a defect on his head (i mean physically not, like, psychologically we don’t need to talk about that right now)

but luckily after looking around i found the missing piece of his hair, and it plugged back in pretty neatly

next we have gin my beloved, and two nyanko-sensei mousepads. amiami recently reran the bleach parasol stands that were out of stock, so i managed to grab my two evilest blorbos. gin was in stock so he’s home already, but sou-chan-taichou was on preorder so he’ll be arriving with a future order

the mousepads... yeah, i told myself to choose just one, but sensei was way too cute to resist so both of them absolutely had to come home

moving on!

this mug + plush set was out of stock by the time i discovered it existed, but one randomly became available and samatoki managed to grab it as an early christmas present for ichiro (he got a little shy while ichiro was opening it)

reminder to self that i need to wash ichiro’s hair again

now these! little! nightmares! were such a horrible pain to get, but they are so cute that it was absolutely worth it

if you know me you know i would never get aomine without kise or vice versa, but i missed the preorder window for all these listings and could only pick them up if/when someone else cancelled and a preorder slot became available again

first aomine was in stock, but kise wasn’t. then kise came in stock, but by then aomine was out of stock again. i’d almost given up on getting them but checking the listings relentlessly paid off in the end, and i managed to grab a few

(akakuro gave me much fewer problems, they came back in stock at basically the same time)

last but not least, we have the only thing that was actually supposed to be in this order... a heat-changing mug! the transition is smooth as hell, though not as quick as depicted here (had to speed the gif way up to make it small enough for tumblr)

i think this is going to be my new favorite coffee mug, because who doesn’t feel like kamukura before their first cup of coffee in the morning, right?

[elmer-kasprzak]

☾ (sleep headcanon) , ★ (sad headcanon) , ☆ (happy headcanon) n ☮ (friendship headcanon) for elmer ??

hihi! ty for the ask :) take THREE of elmer hcs >:)

Some Elmer Kasprzak headcanons

I won't be doing sad hcs, as I already did a post with those in it, but here goes!

☾ (sleep headcanon)

Elmer has the exact energy of someone who would sleep with the AC on full blast but with mounds and mounds of blankets. I can't describe why.

He obviously wraps himself up in a fucking cocoon, mainly because a lot of the blankets at the Lodge are literally falling apart. He also does this at home, if only out of habit.

Oh yeah, he'd be hell to share any blankets with. Blanket hog. Mush finds this out the hard way.

He sleeps with Paint a lot! Even when he's at home, Paint will come with him. The two of them are basically inseparable, even when sleeping.

Elmer falls asleep way easy. I literally have no idea how he does it, but he's a mad light sleeper and will fall back asleep after waking up pretty easy.

A lot of times during off days, he'll fall asleep while cuddling with Mush, meanwhile Mush is reading one of the books he definitely got legally. It's not Elmer's fault it's warm there.

☆ (happy headcanon)

Elmer is a very friendly person. He's allowed in basically any borough to sell (minus Brooklyn), although he rarely takes the opportunity to do so. He has his little group in Manhattan.

His favorite season is the very tail end of spring. He really likes how the city looks after it just rained, although he hates actual rain.

Paint will sit on his shoulders or inside his selling bag during the day. Sometimes him and the guys he's selling with will race to sell out, just so one of them can carry Paint back in their selling bags.

Paint was the first and only animal that Kloppman allowed in the Lodge. Elmer considers that a high honor, even if Paint doesn't quite understand what the hell that means.

I like to think Elmer is really good with kids! He's bright and bubbly, and so he will help out littles when they first start selling. He understands what it's like to be lost and alone on your first day selling, and so he wants to make it just a little bit easier for the younger kids that are out selling.

His favorite color is green. Again, it reminds him of spring. He's not really sure why spring is his favorite season (outside of rain), although he's sure it has some deep, philosophical meaning.

He bounces a lot when he gets really excited or happy. It's because he has ADHD (stimming), but he will quite literally bounce up and down when he gets real excited.

☮ (friendship headcanon)

Okay SO I've done a lot of thinking about this one. I've come to the conclusion that his main friends are also his main selling group. We have Mush, Romeo, and Buttons. Occasionally, Jack will join them. Even less occasionally, Racer will join them, but that's only when he can't make the walk across the bridge.

But that quartet is way close. They've been selling together for years. Usually, they go to this one intersection a few blocks over from Jacobi's, and they all take one street corner. It works pretty well, and Paint obviously helps sell papers.

While Jack and Racer may not usually sell with Elmer, he does consider them close friends. They are the only ones outside of Mush that even know his mother exists. Of course, Mush is the only one who's met her, but the fact that Jack and Racer even know about her is a huge thing.

Elmer is super protective over his friends, although he is the epitome of all bark, no bite. He'll chew someone out, but the moment it turns physical he is out of there.

He's basically friends with everyone, okay. His closest friends are his selling buddies, but he is friends with everyone at that lodge.

He also has friends in other boroughs! It's kind of something that just... happened, but that means that a lot of times, he will be used as a messenger to another borough (when Specs isn't available).

And he's completely okay with that! He has friends in the other boroughs that he doesn't get out to see all that often, and so being a backup messenger is fun a lot of the times.

okay!!! i kinda banged this out while being way sleep deprived, so i apologize if it's indecipherable, but i hope you enjoy!!! i love you :)

[scara-meow-che]

WHAT A PLEASANT SURPRISE

◞⁺ note :

i'm sorry for the long delay but i'm back with this series! this isn't smut yet but we're getting very close to it. i did have fun writing this one, filling up the upcoming drama and porn together is such a whole mood <3

◞⁺ tags :

@kitakawass // @stardustt // @ywunielikestosleep (i can't tag you ��) // @mrdash-dine // send me an ask if you want to be tagged !

Anxiousness.

The very word rubs you wrongly in every way there is, making you cringe in complete disgust as you don’t have the power to be associated with it. Whenever someone asks you what would trigger any sort of reaction from you, especially things inclined in the carnal emotion of being a human, you tell them that there would never be anything that can make you do so. You don’t have time to linger in the weaknesses you naturally have, seeing the pitiful disposition as a hindrance to success. Like they all say, fear nothing that every fears you.

And that’s what you’re doing.

Having close ties with fear isn’t something you’d settle with tea, rather, you’d confront the loathsome feeling that you’d make sure to win. There’s no point in associating the loose strings to your main body, the doll you made yourself into had been altered and modified—promptly picking up traits and abilities to fully yield against the prejudistic world to people like you. Having no regards to the consternation innately attached in the human psyche, it’s no wonder that others treat your perspective as a visible flash sign of arrogance—priming everything they call as confidence and running towards any sign of weakness but to no avail, they’d stop at a dead end because in reality there isn’t anything to stop you.

People often underestimate your capabilities as a woman who promises an aptitude par on society’s standards for men. The prevailing pedigree of people these days has lowered to what you highly expected, disappointing you in every manner. It’s sad, to be compared to a person you hated the most but it can’t be helped so you opted in proving your very worth.

Because right now, your worth is close to a thousand bucks every month.

“Now that you’ve filled up the ‘contract’ he has, time to press the button F/n.” You looked at the side, condescendingly so and faced twitched in annoyance where the pad of your finger eases its way to the screen, pressing the button that will seal a part of your life to a man you barely know. It doesn’t matter anyway, you need the money just to prolong your well-established living condition fitted for the budget and person like you.

Pride, yes, you do pride in your craft but you know when to control yourself. It’s not every given situation you’re blessed with the grace and merits one can gain in this world. The fact that the world you’re living in is a complete asshole for letting most of its occupants to live a limited amount of their time, working they asses off just to die at the end.

But that’s beside the point, while you still have the drive to continue threading this sublime existence of yours in other people’s lives, you swallowed huge portions of your ego, close to choking the goddess in you, and finally giving up months of your fate to someone else.

You just hope that you can tolerate the man you are bound to meet because there’s already a part of you that doesn’t fit well at the given situation. If he is what Nigguang had told you so then you have to make it work.

“It’s only for a couple of months, right?” Your voice comes off soft, your soul trembles at the fact that you need to handle another person besides yourself.

“Of course, you can already save tons of money within a few months but as we both know, you need to tone down the attitude, well, unless he likes brats.” The white-haired woman smiles, placing a hand on top of yours to give you some sense of comfort you appreciate to feel at that very moment.

“I am NOT a brat.”

“Yeah, say all you want F/n. But seriously, if he’s too much for you, I’d be there to kick his ass.” Right then, she raised her fists up that caused you to giggle at her.

“Don’t worry. If he is then I’d make sure to tell you right away.”

The seasons may have changed, the leaves may rustle and slowly turn to dust as time passes by, ice causing the darkest of snow but as it goes, the snow awning of the earth will melt away in the warmth of the blazing sun, blooming in its dazzling radiance. Just like the frost dominating your heart, there will always be someone that can pull you out of the blizzard of hatred and would dance with you under the blossoming lands of this world.

Looking at Ningguang at the moment, even when she’s somehow a bit eccentric on some parts of her being, but to actually be able to keep up with your mighty standard to yourself and on others, she never gave up on you. Through thick and thin, I will do my best to give you what you deserve, she solemnly promised one night as kids. You never thought that she’d be one to keep such promises on people you least expect, especially to what had happened to you afterwards that very day.

“I’m glad that you’re somehow doing exciting things with your life,” she mutters under her breath, looking at you with dazed eyes, completely unaware of the feeling swirling deep within those red orbs, a sad smile gracing her features. “Though, I can make you happy.”

“What?” You asked, eyes widening in curiosity. Ningguang brushes it off, letting out a short chuckle and pulls you off to your feet.

“Hey, since you’d be busy soon, why won’t we go out today? My treat?” If not for your perceptive nature, you wouldn’t notice the slight tremble in her voice, making you worried but the forced smile you see in her face tells you not to pry more on the topic.

Ah, like bees that are smittenly drawn to honey, there stood the goddess in her own feet, attracting those who have which laid eyes on thy beauty—the same goddess that had seen countless of wars throughout her lifetime, the majestic entity that had shed so much of her blood just to keep everyone in her hold safe. There are those who are terrified of her existence but some are captivated by its beauty.

Gods. They are born out from pride and control, nothing more, nothing less. They don’t fancy those who can’t fit in their existence as higher and supreme beings. But there will always be people who would catch the attention of the gods themselves. Only, if they can hold long enough to keep their interests in tact. As so, one will do their best in doing so, telling how no one can hold a flame to their prowess in keeping the goddess under her control.

But what they didn’t know is how a god themself is laced with a hefty amount of cynicism as they graced this earth not for the sake of earning the title but because they already own the title itself.

The stare Ningguang gave lasted longer this time, her pearly white teeth biting down her red-stained lips. Her mind flashes different scenarios of what may happen next, excuses to pull you away from this deal, reasons to accuse herself for dragging you into this but she can’t help it. To fancy a goddess, one must let go parts of themself just to be deemed worthy of their attention and that’s what she did.

Anxiousness, a word that doesn’t fit a god but for a mortal that she labels herself as.

---

“Shit, I’m fucking late.” You speedily walked through the barely crowded corridors, hair swaying along with the cold breeze of the morning. Each tap of your feet on the tiled floors echoes as the silence was deafening, each second makes your heartbeat rise in tempo that your cheeks flushes a light tint of red.

It was only a matter of time until you finally opened the doors of the room, sighing when you heard the deep voice of your professor introducing a brief presentation of his outputs for this semester. Just as you enter the room, you can only gape in complete astonishment to see who stands behind the podium.

Soft and curly scarlet hair tied up in a ponytail perfectly frames his face, tall build looming over the poorly erected wooden platform for his laptop—just his presence dominates the four walls of this class. Blood continues to pump more and more color to your skin, mind flashing images of the man you saw on your phone.

You honestly can’t believe it. A part of you doesn’t want to accept that this is indeed happening to you but there he stood, in the flesh, is none other than your supposed to be “sugar daddy”.

And by the time your eyes turned up to see more of his features, he was already looking at you and he gave you a ghost of a smirk before he even speaks.

“Ah, it's fancy to see you just in time for the dissemination of groups. Although it’s not a part of the university to be so uptight about attending classes, it’s appreciated if you arrive before it starts.” He moves his body just to face you from where you stood, head tilting at the side and arms crossed on his chest clad in a white shirt tucked inside his black slacks. A normal outfit worn on a day-to-day basis but why does it emphasize more of his already domineering stand and, as much as you hate admitting this, his alluring appearance?

Yes, indeed, the man in front is none other than the Diluc Ragnvindr, the man you supposedly meet in a few days prior the agreement you set upon yourself. You haven’t met him nor had the opportunity to talk to him days before the academic years stared. But there he is, in front of you.

“It won’t happen again, sir.” You paused, taking a deep breath and thought over whether you said the words ‘sir’ outloud and not just inside your mind. You hate it, more than you can express, you thoroughly hate how much you have to cease your pride when authorities are involved.

And this man right here is the least you’d give yourself into.

But he heard it, loud and clear, smiling when he knew how it feels good to hear you say the word. “Sir,” he imagines it inside his head. In seconds, you had caught a glimpse of that irking reaction to your short display of weakness, fists clenching hard on your side and that was noticed as well.

As much as you want to prove that you were the least affected by his actions, you gave a quick nod and went to an empty seat. It was good that he didn’t pry more on the matter and continued in talking about the proposal to be made as the first output of the sem. The activity doesn’t faze you at all but went along to jot down some important notes along the way.

Throughout the whole period, as you kept yourself poised and focused on the tasks in hand, you noticed how Diluc’s eyes were on you. From the perspective of those around you, it doesn’t look like he’s far interested in a person who was late on their first day. Time is very important in the business world and that’s the least to be remembered throughout the whole course and this was just one silly mistake of yours that you’d make sure to never occur any time again in the future.

But he will take that for granted.

Control, throughout his whole life, Diluc wanted nothing but the best for those around him. Controlling, he really is controlling but not to the extent that he would openly admit such atrocity when given the situation but his excellence in bringing out such fine qualities and also what’s deemed to be beneficial for everyone doesn’t hold a flame for complaint to arise.

Why would you even discard one of your precious pawns… right?

They were wrong. They all thought they were just using him but no—they were the ones being used the moment they came in contact with himself. The time he spent building up his own empire had given him leverage above others, beyond every hour he spent wallowing in his past, minutes wasted in accusing everyone who had given him grief, seconds he used just to deny all the claims and stories about him only to prove them wrong.

Diluc Ragnvindr, a man who’s inexplicably remarkable all on his own. A man who only speaks in few but with such a strong force that none can ever ignore. He who had made himself known in tvs, magazines, papers, and now in the academe. A business tycoon, a talented individual who had sworn to never have taken a liking to liquor but took the very top in the world of spirits.

A god in the eyes of many.

“That’s all for today, I do hope that most of you would openly participate in the following discussion at the next meeting. As for your requirements, I will only accept emails and wouldn’t accommodate any visitors in my office unless I said so. You are all dismissed.” Diluc finishes with a straight look on his face, eyeing his students who are saving most of their notes and fixing all their papers inside their bags.

He’s lucky that everyone in class was keen on every proposal he had presented, bidding those who had greeted him goodbye as they exited the room. But no one had really piqued his interest nor there's someone bold enough to dare make a move.

The life as a professor isn’t one he’d want to do but undoubtedly suggested by the school. In the end, it’s all business so he shouldn’t be the least worried about his student’s well-being. And yet there is always an exemption, a person that stands out among the rest, the only one that can grab the attention of the god himself.

A goddess, there stood a goddess in all her glory.

“Oh, Miss L/n, may I have a word with you for a moment.” You froze, barely able to move away from your seat but the heat of every emotion within you had yet again caused your cheeks to burn red like his damn hair.

“Is there a problem, sir?” You asked, closing in the distance that separates the two of you. If only you went out in a dash, you wouldn’t have caught yourself into more trouble, and opted to talk to him after classes but he just won’t let you go. An involuntary movement in the deepest parts of your core almost had you gagging up just by using the honorific addressed to Diluc and the man grins in satisfaction.

“To be perfectly honest, none at all but—,” he started to walk away from his post, going towards the door just in time for the last, er, second to the last student to exit the room. “I do have some things to talk about.”

It felt like you were on edge, just standing there waiting to be preyed upon by this man you barely know. This has undoubtedly confused you, seeing how much Diluc had affected your composure without doing anything more than giving you those knowing glances and cocky smirks from the distance. Your blood boils in vexation, if granted the chance to ever speak whatever’s on your mind, it would be a damn shame to bring this man crumbling because of your words.

He’s beautiful, you can’t deny that.

“It is a pleasant surprise to see you here.” He started once he locked the door. The click coming off from the wooden piece had alerted your senses and as you’re about to turn to your side, Diluc was already near standing beside you. You stumbled back on your feet, making a wrong twist on your ankle and gravity did its work on pulling you down on the floor.

Yet it never hit you.

“Well, aren’t you glad to see me too.” Diluc catches you before you fall, a hand on your hips and his face flushed close to your cheeks, lips close to making contact with your ears.

“As if,” you answered back with such distaste, pushing him away and standing on your ground. The anger that continues to swell in your heart and mind was partly amusing for Diluc, grinning at your attempt in settling a clear sign of detestement.

“This would be harder than I thought,” the man utters, turning his back and sits down on his chair. You stood proud in front of him, keeping a strong composure of yourself as a slip of emotion, either anger or displeasure will be used against you.

When, in fact, the very reason why you’re even here in the first place is because you needed him as much as he needed you.

“As much as I want to help you but if you’d be so unwilling and stubborn then we should just stop this right now.” His words at that moment never gave a trace of mischief or spoke out for a witty banter, his gaze so intense you just have to look at him … Meekly, obediently listening to him.

“You do understand that the nature of our supposed relationship doesn’t revolve in any emotional attachment as it’s supposed to.” You nodded while he placed a hand beneath his chin, resting his head on his palm, looking at you with the same emotionless expression that was so hard to decipher.

“Yes, I do understand that and I know how much I need to work on my attitude.”

This was new to you and Diluc sort of knows how nervous you might be, despite the poised facade you present yourself with. He sighed, eyes closing, mind thinking of ways on how he can somehow be on par with your ego but he reaches a fruitless end when all he can ever think off is how pretty you looked below him, both literally and rhetorically.

“I am willing to work on whatever you want me to do.”

“Whatever ‘you want me to do’?” That had him interested.

“As long as it’s not beyond my capabilities and it’s not in any way illegal or unconsented then I’d comply to whatever you have in mind.” And that was the first misstep that you have ever made throughout the years living as a high being among all people, admitting your own subservience to a man you barely know. Because after this, your life just changed for the better and … for the worse.

“On your knees, prove how much you’re willing to make this work.”

[seungmoroll]

My Best Friend’s Best Friend | Park Jinyoung

Word count: 2.3k

Genre & warnings: enemies to lovers, slight curse words, 

Requested: yes

A/n: one of the scenes in this was high inspired by Jackie & Kelso from That 70′s show. once you read it, you’ll know. thanks anon for sending in a request! hope everyone likes it!

           Barging into Jaebeom’s apartment, you get ready to complain to him about the horrible day you’ve had, until you see something, more like someone, that just makes your day even worse. Sitting on Jaebeom’s couch, in your specific favorite spot, is someone who you would call the bane of your existence. Not bothering to address him, you turn towards Jaebeom, who just walked out the kitchen, with a glare and ask, “What is he doing here?”

           Before he could respond, Jinyoung butts in, “I,” motioning towards himself, “was invited here, unlike you, who barged in uninvited like a caveman.” Grabbing the sandwich from out of Jaebeom’s hand, you launch it towards Jinyoung. He manages it dodge it, but this causes for Jaebeom to whine, “Y/n, I just made that sandwich!”

           “Oh boohoo, I’ll make you a new one while I tell you about my horrible day.” Dragging Jaebeom back into his catching, making sure that Jinyoung sees the glare you give him. Getting the ingredients to remake Jaebeom’s sandwich, you start to tell him about your day. “You will not believe the audacity that some of these customers have. I had to remake this women’s drink 3 times, only for her to get the manager to make it the exact same way I did those three times, and then she proceeds to tell me that that’s how her drink is supposed to be made and that I should be fired because I don’t know what I’m doing.” Angrily slapping the bread onto the plate, you hazardously spread the condiment on. “Then I had another customer who cut in front of the long line demanding we make their drink first, and when we told them that they would have to get in the back of the line, they threw a tantrum and started trashing the place.”

           “You done ranting?” Jaebeom cautiously asks you ask you throw his meats and vegetables into the sandwich.

           “Oh no that’s just the beginning of it.” While you continue to angrily make his sandwich, you go on to tell him that on your bus ride here, some creepy old man wouldn’t stop bothering you. “He only stopped when I threaten to cut off a certain appendage with my box cutter.”

           “Wow, Y/n,” Jinyoung starts as he steps into the kitchen, “I’ve received plenty of threats from you, but none as harsh as that.”

           Sending Jinyoung another glare, you slide Jaebeom’s new sandwich towards him, and grab the butter knife you used for the spread, and point it towards Jinyoung, “Don’t try me Park.” Jinyoung raises his hands up in surrender.

           Mouth full of his new sandwich, Jaebeom says to you, “C’mon Y/n, I’m sure today’s going to get better for you.”

           You couldn’t believe you were saying this to yourself, but Jaebeom was right. Your day did get better. Bryan, a barista at the local coffee shop you frequent, had called you later on that night and asked you to go out on a date with him to the movies later on that night, and of course you had said yes.

           The two of you had decided to meet up at the movie theatre, so when you had got there, you made sure to keep an eye out for him. However, once it was 10 minutes after the agreed time, you started getting concerned. You had messaged Bryan, but no response was given. You even tried to call him, but all you got was his voicemail. That’s when you realized that you’ve been stood up.

           Sitting down on the sidewalk, you pick up your phone, and call the one person that you know could make you feel better. “Hello?”

           “Jaebeom…”

           “Y/n? Why are you calling me? Why do you sound upset?”

           “He stood me up, Jaebeom,” you sadly admit to him.

           “Wait, what?  He stood you up? I’m going to ki-“

           “Beommie, can you please pick me up? I just want to go home.”

           “Of course, I’ll be there in 15. Please don’t be sad Y/n. Don’t be sad for an idiot, okay? I’ll see you in a bit.”

           Hanging up the phone, you drop your head into your lap, not wanting anyone to see your miserable state. As you wait the for the next 15 minutes to pass by you try to distract your mind by thinking of happy thoughts, but to no avail, nothing could stop you from thinking about this disaster of a night.

           Sensing a car stop in front of you, you look up, expecting to see Jaebeom, but instead you are met with the sight of Jinyoung. Scowling at him once he rolls the passenger window down, you ask him, “What’re you doing here?”

           In a monotonous voice, he responds, “It’s not like I want to be here. Jaebeom asked me to come.”

           Annoyed by his answer, you curse Jaebeom in your head, “Why couldn’t he come and get me like I asked him to?”

           “He was doing something important when you called, and you know he can’t just say no to you, so he had me come in his place.” You begin to curse both boys in your head. Jinyoung because you knew he was right. If you were being honest, you would rather Jaebeom tell you that he couldn’t pick you up rather than deal with Jinyoung while you’re a complete mess, “You know what, you can just go, Park. I’ll just walk home.”

           Jinyoung looks at you as if you are insane, “You aren’t serious Y/n. It’s like an hour walk to your house. Plus, it’s freezing cold. Jaebeom would kill me if I let you walk to your house like this.”

           “Better that than getting in the car with you.”

           Becoming more annoyed by the second, Jinyoung asks you, “Are you serious right now, Y/n? Do you hate me that much that you won’t even get in the car with me?”

           Not bothering to look at him, you say to him, “Uh, yeah, I do.”

           “Get in the car, Y/n.”

           “No, I refuse to get in the car with you.” With that being said, you begin the trek back towards your house. However, unfortunately for you, Jinyoung slowly drives up next to you, window still rolled down, “C’mon Y/n, don’t be like this and just get in the car where it’s warm.”

           There was no way that you were going to get in Jinyoung’s car, “No, Park. Just go away.”

           “You know I’m not going to do that.”

           “And you know that I’m not getting in your car with you.”

           “Fine then, be that way, but just so you know, I’m gonna drive right next to you all night until you beg me to let you in or until you make it home, and I doubt you’ll do the latter.”

           You couldn’t understand why Jinyoung wouldn’t leave you alone. His presence alone, made you feel even worse about yourself. “You can do whatever you want, Jinyoung. I don’t care.”

           15 minutes into your walk and you’re already tired, and Jinyoung is still driving next to you. “You know what? I’ve had enough of this,” Jinyoung says aloud. Rolling up his window, he begins to drive away from you. Hot tears begin to roll down your face as you watch as his car drives further away from you. However, you don’t expect to see the brake lights on, and then for Jinyoung to put the car in park and get out of his car. Angrily stomping up to you, without saying a word, he throws you over his shoulder. Attacking his back with your fists, you yell at him, “Yah, Park! What the hell do you think you’re doing!”

           “I’m not letting Jaebeom get mad at me that’s what I’m doing.”

           “I swear if you don’t put me down-“

           “Then you can swear all you want, I don’t care. I’m getting you in my car and I’m going to drive you home so I can go back to my home and relax.” Too tired to even fight back with Jinyoung, you let him carry you to his car.

           When he places you into the passenger seat, he attempts to buckle up your seat belt, but you being you, you smack his hand off of it and buckle it yourself. Once Jinyoung gets back into the driver seat he silently starts to drive.

           Neither of you say a word to each other for the first ten minutes of the drive. Annoyed by the silence in the car, you turn on the radio to cover up your sniffles. However, before the chorus of the song hits, Jinyoung turns off the radio. Glaring at him, you turn it back on, only for him to turn it off again. Gritting your teeth, you ask him, “What is your deal?”

           “My car, my music, and right now, I don’t want music.”

           “Yeah? Well, your breathing is too loud for me and it’s annoying, so the music stays on.”

           “Why do you hate me so much?” Jinyoung asks as soon as he pulls over on the side of the road.

           Not bothering to answer his question, you ask him, “I thought you were taking me home, this isn’t home.”

           Having enough of your attitude, he says, “Just answer my question Y/n.”

           Sighing, you uncross your arms and turn to face him, “I don’t hate you.”

           Rolling his eyes, Jinyoung chuckles at you statement, “That’s a load of crap. Every time you see me, you look at me in disgust, like I spat in your coffee or something.”

           “That’s not true.” The look that Jinyoung tells you otherwise. “It’s not like that. I-“ Taking a moment to collect your thoughts, you continue, “I act like that towards you because, because you took my best friend away from me.”

           “What’re you talking about?”

           “I’m talking about Jaebeom. You stole him from me. I was his best friend first, but then you came into the picture and had to ruin everything. We never get to hang out as much as we did before because every time I ask if he wants to hang out, he’s already hanging out with you. I feel like I don’t know him anymore. And I know it sounds like I’m his girlfriend or something, but if you’re thinking that I’m in love with him, that’s not it. It’s just that we’ve been each other’s day one since we were babies, and now I feel like I’ve been replaced by you. Now will you please get back to driving me home so I can cry in the comfort of my bed Park?” Turning away from him, you face your body towards the car door, not wanting to see the look on his face.

           All Jinyoung can do is stare at you in disbelief. Quietly, he puts the car back into drive, and starts driving again. Along the drive back, Jinyoung turns on the radio, and lets the music fill up the car.

           Once the two of you reach your apartment complex, Jinyoung shuts off his car. You make a quick attempt to leave the car, but Jinyoung speak up before you can open the door.  “I didn’t know that was how you felt. I want you to know that it was never my intention to “take” Jaebeom away from you. It’s just that- it’s just that he was the first real friend I made when I moved here, and I didn’t realize that I could have possibly hurt you. I’m sorry Y/n.”

           “You think I don’t know that? Don’t you think I feel bad for hating you for such a stupid reason? I know it’s childish of me, but I just can’t help it. I don’t like the thought of losing my best friend.”

           “You’re not losing him Y/n. You don’t know this, but every time me and Jaebeom hangout, he always talks about you. Yeah, at first I found it annoying, but then eventually it made me want to get to know you.” Jinyoung’s confession surprises you. You didn’t know any of that information, and it made you feel even more worse than you felt before.

           Hitting your head on Jinyoung’s car, you say aloud, “Great, now I seem like an even worse person for being such a bitch to you.”

           Eyes softening at your figure, Jinyoung catches you attention again, “Let’s start over and forget about everything that’s happened before this,” Stretching a hand towards you, Jinyoung says, “My name’s Jinyoung, it’s nice to meet you.”

           Taking his hand into yours, you give him a genuine smile, “Y/n.”

           6 months later.

           “Really? On my couch?”” Jaebeom asks as soon as he walks into his apartment.

           Pulling your attention away from what was keeping you busy, you throw a pillow from the couch at Jaebeom. “Will you stop throwing my stuff at me?”

           “Not until you stop being you.” You attempt to focus on your task before you were rudely interrupted, but Jaebeom interrupts you again.

           “Did you at least bring me lunch?”

           “It’s in the kitchen, you doofus, now will you let me get back to making out with Y/n.” Jinyoung says in an irritated tone. Before he could kiss you again, Jaebeom says, “You know, when I said I wanted you guys to be civil, I didn’t mean like this. At this point, I’d rather have you guys trying to kill each other.”

           After that disaster of a night at the movie theatre, you and Jinyoing had begun to get along with one another, which Jaebeom had found weird at first, but was happy to see his two favorite people getting along with one another. However, much to his dismay, the two of you began to get too close, resulting in Jinyoung asking you out on a date, and the rest is history. So now, here the two of you are, making out on Jaebeom’s couch, well the two of you were making out.

           “It’s too late for that now Beommie, it’s now become our job to annoy you with our love,” you say to Jaebeom, sticking out your tongue at him.

           “Wow, I find it so hot when you annoy Jaebeom.” Giving you a peck on the lips, the two of you hear Jaebeom retching in the kitchen, causing for the two of you to bust out in laughter.

A/n: im finally done with the semester, so I am now able to finish up all my requests and then I'll be starting a new series. also don't be afraid to tell me what you thought about this, feedback is always welcomed!

masterlist

[literaturehoeenergy]

Opportunity Pt 2

pairing: Corpse Husband x fem!reader

genre: fluff i guess?

warnings: one (1) swear word whoops

word count: 1,193

a/n: this is part 2! Click here to read part 1 :)

Y/N’s POV

Corpse and I began talking daily after he added me on Discord. As a college student, my sleep schedule was basically non-existent and so was his, so we would talk on the phone for hours about everything. I told him about my classes and my aspiration to work in a library someday, and he told me about his doctor’s appointment and his ever-growing popularity on the internet. He was nervous a lot, which I understood. His fame was growing so rapidly, it was understandable that he was nervous about all these new people talking about him and interacting with his content.

One day, I never got the phone call he usually gives me around 11. It was odd, so I decided instead to call him. The line rang for a while, but he didn’t answer. I checked all my socials to see if he was streaming or something, but he wasn’t. Did I do something wrong? I texted Sean and asked if he had heard from Corpse recently, but he said he hadn’t talked to him a couple days. I was really starting to get worried. I sent him a text to let him know I was there for him if he wanted to talk to me about it or if he just wanted someone to listen.

I never got the call that night. It made me sad, Corpse was basically the happiest part of my day, and I look forward to his calls more than anything else. I decided that I wouldn’t let myself overthink it and go get some coffee to help me feel better. It was October, so all my favorite fall flavors were available in my favorite shop. “Hey, Y/N! Long time no see,” the owner, Beth, said from behind the counter. I smiled sadly at her, setting my purse on the counter. “Oh no, what’s wrong?” There was only one other person in the shop, and he was waiting for his coffee to be made.

“I’m fine, I think I’m just overthinking something.”

“Well, I think that calls for a latte and a muffin.” She turned to begin making my order as the other barista, her daughter Alanna, made the other person’s. I glanced at the guy -- he was tall and had dark hair, with a black mask covering the bottom part of his face. I hesitantly made my way to stand in the general vicinity he was in, fiddling with the ring on my left hand. “So, what are you overthinking?” Beth asked, waiting for the espresso to drip. 

“Oh, I just was talking to this guy for a while, and he stopped responding out of nowhere kind of. I don’t know if I did something, or said something, but I really care about him so I’m trying not to flip in case he’s just going through something right now.”

“A guy?” She said with a smirk. “Where’d you meet him?”

“I actually haven’t met him in person. He’s friends with my cousin.” 

Corpse’s POV

I decided that coffee might help me feel better. I felt awful for not responding to Y/N last night, but I couldn’t bring myself to pick up the phone, even though talking to her would have probably made me feel better. The shop wasn’t far from my house, and they had really good fall flavors. I ordered my drink from the young girl and made my way to the far end of the counter to wait. The bell above the door dinged and a girl with Y/C/H walked in. She looked kind of sad. And kind of familiar…

She made small talk with the older woman behind the counter, so I assumed they were friends. She made her way over to me, obviously trying to give me my space. The older woman continued talking to the girl, asking what she was overthinking. “Oh, I just was talking to this guy for a while, and he stopped responding out of nowhere kind of. I don’t know if I did something, or said something, but I really care about him so I’m trying not to flip in case he’s just going through something right now.” Wait a second...

“A guy?” The woman asked. “Where’d you meet him?”

“I actually haven’t met him in person. He’s friends with my cousin.” Oh my god. “But he’s so sweet, and he actually listens to me when I talk.”

“That’s good, your last one had a bad habit of being a shithead and not doing that.” The girl laughed and looked down at her shoes. That’s her. That’s Y/N. Right in front of my face. “Here’s your muffin, sweetie.”

“Thanks. Anyway, I know he struggles sometimes to find the motivation to do anything, because I do too. So I’m trying not to freak about it. He’s a really great guy, I’m sure he just needed some time to himself.” I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. 

“Yeah, I just needed a break,” I said quietly. Her head shot up, her eyes moving to meet mine. “Hi, Y/N.”

“Corpse?” She asked, surprised.

“Guilty,” I chuckled. “I’m sorry, I just couldn’t find it in me to pick up the phone. I actually don’t think I even have it on me,” I said, patting the pockets on my jeans.

“No, that’s okay. I understand. I just didn’t think this would be the way I met you.” The older woman was smiling out of the corner of my eye, setting both of our coffees down on the counter.

“Here y’all go. You’re more than welcome to stay in the shop while we close up for lunch.” Y/N thanked her and glanced up at me.

“Do you want to?” Of course I do. I nodded and followed her to a table in the back corner. “Here, if you sit right there, your back will be to the door.” I looked at her, a little confused. “The windows. Uh… If you face away from them, then no one will… be able to see you.”

“Oh, yeah. Thank you,” I smiled. “So…”

“How are you?” She asked. She was so sincere, and even more beautiful in person. I had only seen pictures and little videos of her on her Instagram. She resembled Sean a little bit, obviously, but she was unlike anyone I had ever seen before. 

“I’m doing better. I just… woke up yesterday and felt awful. My fingers have been numb and I feel kind of nauseous. But I thought that coffee might help me feel better.” She had one hand against her cheek and the other gripped on her mug, listening to me intently. “I guess that was a good idea.” She grinned, letting out a small chuckle. “You’re… so pretty.”

“Oh my god, shut up,” she said, looking down at her coffee.

“I’m serious.” She met my eyes again.

“Thank you.” We sat in a comfortable silence for a while before she spoke again. “You have really nice eyes.” 

“Thank you. So, how did your essay turn out?” Her eyes lit up, excited to talk about her writing. God, she’s gorgeous.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Please let me know if you want to be tagged in the next part :)

Tag List:

@itsminniekat @alienvarmint @yongboxerrr @anabundance0ffand0ms​

[snowflakeanimelover]

Into The Stars(Cowboy Bebop x Female Reader) Part 1

Masterlist

For a very long time, there was only one planet that was covered with people. Earth was a beautiful planet. With amazing nature, animals, and great people who created that world. During the time when everyone still lived on Earth, we always admired the other planets in space. Stars littered space, and we admired those, too. Everyone wanted nothing more than to reach those stars. Everyone looked up to them. At the time, people could only venture so far as to the moon. Even then, not many could visit the wonderful world of the moon.

Scientists studied the planets, while everyone else just watched from afar. We could only look at the nine planets, and learn from them from Earth.

Now, in the year of 2071, all planets have been used in a way we never thought could exist. All nine planets, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto have been covered with people. Cities built on each one. People being born on different planets. The universe was now one big Earth. 

But what about Earth? Earth was destroyed by a human-made accident. While it is still available for living on, not many people trust it, nor live there for that matter. If you asked anyone on each planet about Earth, they wouldn’t care nor know. Nobody liked Earth. They all thought it was just a weird planet with weird people.

But that’s where they are wrong. And this just proves how many people care about the planet that started mankind. 

Why does it matter?

Well… I was born on Earth. My whole family was. Parents, Grandparents, Great Grandparents, and so on. I would be the first to leave Earth, and venture out into space.

-------

Year 2071, Mars...

“Good afternoon.” A woman stands before me at my table. Her long brown curls sway to her side-step motion when meeting me. Her bright smile was contagious, making me smile as well on a surprisingly sad day. “What can I get for yah, (Y/N)?” She says my name.

“Hey there, Ame. The usual, please.” I say, giving my menu to the woman.

She keeps her smile. “Sure thing. How have yah been?” She quickly asks the passing coworker to give my order to the chef before sitting down across from me. Amethyst and I have been friends for a while. When I first moved to Mars, this was the first place I came to. A small café that was almost out of business. Somehow, throughout the years, more and more people came and made the place popular. Amethyst has worked here practically her whole life. We just suddenly clicked one day, and became the best of friends.

“Good, I suppose. How’s business?” I look around the café, pointing out the busy hour.

“Business is business, I guess.” She sighs.

“And yet, you still work here.” I laugh. 

She lightly kicks my leg under the table. “You know this place has me stuck here like glue.” By that, she really means she loves the place. It is her family business, afterall.

“Yeah, yeah. And I see your boss staring right at you.” I lean over to her, glancing at her boss. “You might want to get back to work.” I whisper with a smile. Amethyst rolls her eyes, getting up to get back to work.

Sometimes, at a restaurant, I can’t help but look up to see who walks through the door with a chime. Usually just regular customers, but one in particular caught my interest. More like suspicion, if anything. A tall young man walks through the door. He had messy, green hair, some kind of blue suit with a yellow button down shirt underneath, and a cigarette sticking out of his mouth. He looked bored out of his mind, to say the least. He’s a newcomer, so of course I was suspicious of him.

After a couple of hours of him being in the restaurant, I gave up on being interested. He doesn’t seem like the type of person to cause trouble.

Sooner or later, it started to get dark outside. I glance out the window from my newspaper, my empty plate being taken from a waitress a while ago. My eyes then scan the restaurant, only the workers, that young man, and me being the only ones left.

Amethyst walks up to me, now in her normal clothes. “Hey there, girly.” She giggles. “Staying late just for me?”

I laugh with her, standing up while I set my money down on the table. “Of course! Who else is gonna take you home?” Before stepping out the door, I take one last glance towards the man. At that very moment, our eyes meet. His eyes….they look so sad. Did something happen to him?

My kind side almost took over. Wanting to walk over to the man and ask what was wrong. But Amethyst brought me back with a touch on my arm. She clears her throat as she drags me out the door. I shake my head, smiling up at my friend. “Sorry.”

She smirks, nudging my arm with her elbow. “He’s a looker, ain’t he?”

I scoff. “Come on, seriously? I was suspicious of him. A newcomer, you know?”

“A newcomer? I’m afraid not, sweetheart.”

“Huh? What are you talking about?”

She glances at me. “I asked Old Lily. Apparently he was born here. His name is Spike Spiegel.” Her voice lowers as she says his name, as if he’d run after her if she revealed him.

“You asked your great grandma?” She hums a tune to say yes. “Spike Spiegel, huh?” That name had a ring to it. 

“Well, this is me.” She says, stopping in front of an old house. “Wanna come in and see the kids?”

I give her a kind smile. “Sorry, Ame, not tonight. Got lots of work to do.” She nods with understanding, waving me goodbye as I walk towards my own home. 

A busy day indeed.

[itsclydebitches]

Why do people get hung up on whether a gay person in media is a good or bad representation of them? I'm gay and I can tell you we aren't all the same? Being gay is our 1 common trait. So as long as they're gay then you've done it. Gay people can be kind, mean, racist, open, kinky, reserved, shy, outgoing, sexist, and literally anything else under the human experience.

Because I am perpetually hungry, let's tell a story about cookies.

You are a bright-eyed, optimistic, baker in the making. Your goal is to wow the world with your culinary skills, so of course you head to The Best Baking School for your degree. Over the course of your studies you learn how to perfect a thousand different cakes, an equal number of pies, and more versions of brownies than most would even assume exist. But cookies... oh, cookies are your passion! You can't wait to learn about the wealth of cookies you can make too. Then, sure enough, that part of your education finally arrives.

Funny thing is though, it's just chocolate chip.

Surely there's been some mistake? The cookie experience is vast and nuanced! Why in the world are your instructors — supposedly the best in the world — reducing cookies to a single class about baking chocolate chip and chocolate chip alone? Hell, why are cookies so sparse in the curriculum as a whole? You're never asked to bake them as a demonstration, or practice with them, and they're definitely not a given across everyone else's baking experience. Cakes, pies, and brownies... they're the default. Cookies are comparatively rare and when you do get to study them, everyone is super focused on the chocolate chip.

Then you graduate and head out into the world, only to find that pretty much everyone is as cookie-blind as your school. A few years back you never would have found cookies in the average grocery store and yeah, the fact that there's a cookie section now is great, but it's, uh... all chocolate chip! Many bakeries still don't carry cookies at all, but when they do it's - again - chocolate chip. Chocolate chip out in restaurants. Chocolate chip at the bake sale. Your friend invites you over and proudly presents a massive sweets tray that includes a single, sad looking, chocolate chip cookie. They beam at you in pride. Isn't it so great?

"Uh..." you say. "Well..."

Every once in a while someone will switch out milk chocolate for dark chocolate, or add nuts alongside chocolate chips. One bakery was even crazy enough to exclude chocolate chips entirely! Crazy according to the press, anyway. Because for years now you've been shaking your head, wondering what exactly is so progressive about realizing that sugar cookies exist. You've found other bakers interested in cookies and, by god, there are thousands. So many flavors! Gluten free and allergy conscious! Someone even made a sweets tray that was predominantly cookies, can you believe it? The problem is, almost none of them are mainstream. Your friend baking cookies out of their personal kitchen is doing fantastic work, but their baking doesn't have the impact that those grocery chains and established bakeries do. Their work isn't going to fix your school's curriculum. Too many people still think that cookies are exotic somehow. They're not the default. And when they do acknowledge their existence, it's chocolate chip over and over. Until one of them adds those nuts and suddenly the whole country is losing its mind about how inspired, creative, progressive their baking is. Meanwhile, you're ready to scream because that baker doesn't even know that something as "exotic" as a gingersnaps exist!

The worst part? Most of these cookies are... bad. Like they exist, yeah, but good god most don't taste good. And that's the whole point of a cookie?? What is the point of buying cookies if the cookies themselves are awful? You go to these bakeries, these restaurants, your friend's house, and you try the very limited cookies on offer, only to find that they've been sloppily baked. Doesn't anyone care that the baker burned their cookies to a crisp? That another straight up forgot to add sugar? This one dropped his on the floor and still tried to serve it to you! But the overall sense is that you should be grateful for getting any cookies at all. "That cookie is an offense to my taste buds," you say and people shake their head at you, disappointed. "I liked the taste of it," one says. "If you don't like it, go buy a different cookie!" Well... easier said than done. "It's not that bad," another says, shrugging in defeat. "I mean yeah, I don't really like it, and the baker stopped making them two years ago... but I'm just happy to have had any cookie at all, you know?" You do know, but that doesn't mean it's any less frustrating. You look at the hundreds of cakes available, these bakers spending decades perfecting their recipes, and wish cookies had even a fraction of that work put into them. You find people who agree with you, absolutely, but there's this this prevailing sense that a cookie is a cookie. Any cookie will do. Supposedly.

Except go long enough and you feel like you're ready to lose your mind. You take some poor person by the shoulders and go, "Doesn't this bother you? Doesn't this make you furious? There is more to the cookie world than these three flavors, 90% of which is chocolate chip! And we deserve well-made cookies, not the crap they've been upholding as the next culinary masterpiece!"

But this person just shakes their head. "Well of course there's more to cookies than three flavors. There's a huge variety of cookies! I know that."

"Yes, but the world isn't selling that variety."

"Of course they are! Just last week I had an oatmeal raisin. That's amazing!"

"Yeah and how many years did it take you to find that?"

"Well..."

"And how did that oatmeal raisin cookie taste?"

Your prisoner pulls a face. "Ugh, not good. Oatmeal raisin is definitely not for me. It's hard as a rock! I really don't understand why someone would want to eat that on a regular basis."

"But it's not supposed to be hard as a rock!" you cry, waving your arms. "That's the problem! Oatmeal raisin is so goddamn rare and then the one time we get it, it was badly baked. Of course people are turned off by it. Everyone who already loves oatmeal raisin is getting pissed because their favorite cookie is misrepresented, they're unlikely to see more of them now, and everyone is still serving the most tasteless chocolate chip cookies I've ever had, acting like this is the pinnacle of cookie baking! Do you even know that a macron exists?"

The person pats your hand consolingly. "Of course I do. My roommate's sister's boyfriend used to bake macrons, you know. I don't know why you're so hung up on this. Cookies can be whatever the baker wants them to be. Provided they're a flat-ish sweet cake, they're still a cookie!"

You hang your head, giving up. "Yes, they can be so many things, but they're not. Let me know if you ever find a bakery actually making the variety you keep acknowledging exists. Bonus points if those cookies are edible. My soul if they're delicious, as a cookie should be."

"You know," they say, still patting your hand. "There's a bakery making chocolate chip with dark chocolate next year. Everyone is talking about it. You should think about buying one before they take it off the menu!"

You contemplate just walking into the ocean.

Now, incredibly long metaphor concluded... switch out "cookies" for "queer rep"! The representation matters because no, just making them gay isn't enough right now. You're right that queer people can be anything under the sun, but right now media isn't providing us with that variety. It's not enough to acknowledge that such variety exists, it actually has to make it into our books and onto our screen. Taking just characters who identify as gay and putting aside the HUGE variety of other identities for a moment (of which we are mostly lacking in terms of rep), where are the gay asexuals? The gay people of color? The disabled gays? Trans gays? Did your gay character appear for just a handful of episodes? Were they killed off? Are they nothing more than a stereotype or comic relief? Is this the only gay character in your entire story? We need to ask questions like this because though gay people can be anything under the sun, our media landscape has only shown a miniscule portion of that variety.

Today, even in 2021, our representation of gay people is still pretty limited to:

You are only coded as gay and evil

You are only coded as gay and queerbaited

You are canonically gay, but a cis, ablebodied, white person

You are canonically gay, but were written terribly/killed off/punished by the narrative/generally making the real gay people watching you feel awful about their identity

You are canonically gay, but you're not human. Gotta other the queerness by making you an alien/robot/fantasy being

You are canonically gay and that's your entire existence. There is one (1) narrative of how you knew by the time you were four, never questioned your identity after that, suffered through a family that rejected you, and now all your major arcs revolve around being gay. You are gay and that is it.

Despite being a list of six, that's still incredibly limiting. Are there exceptions to such a list? Always, but that doesn't mean the list isn't still dominating. We can look at any individual gay character and say, "Of course they can be evil/white/killed off/a joke/etc. because gay people can be anything at all," but when we look at the trends, when we look at ALL the media together, we see that gay people aren't actually depicted as being anything... they're depicted as being these handful of things, severely limiting how gayness is represented. Bad rep. If you hit up the bakery and question why there's only versions of chocolate chip available yeah, the baker can go, "But cookies can be any flavor! Including chocolate chip!" They are not, technically, wrong. The problem is not that chocolate chip exists, but that chocolate chip dominates and other flavors are rare, ignored entirely, or baked so badly it's actively damaging to that flavor as a whole. Yeah, your gay character can be mean. Or kinky. Or murdered by the story. But when so many gay characters are mean and kinky and murdered by their stories — when you're not getting other versions to balance that out and gay characters are still rare enough that it's just 1-2 characters trying to carry representation for an entire franchise — you start realizing that the claim of "Gay people can be anything else under the human experience" is an easy way to shut down the conversation of whether that variety actually exists in our storytelling yet.

It's not enough for the baker to acknowledge that yeah, of course there are hundreds of cookie flavors and of course cookies taste great! They've actually got to learn how to bake them properly and fill up their store with them.

[boltwrites]

Misfits - Chapter 2

Fandom: Star Wars - Clone Wars / The Bad Batch Pairing: The Bad Batch / Reader (Polyamorous) Rating: M (Rating May Change) Tags: Polyamorous Relationship, Force-Sensitive Reader, Slow Burn

Work Summary: After a year working with the 501st, you've been assigned a new post - Clone Force 99, aka the Bad Batch. You're concerned about the transition - you found it hard enough to fit in with the 501st, and now you had to acclimate to an entirely new squad. As it turns out, the Bad Batch is very accommodating.

Chapter Summary:  You're started to settle in with the Bad Batch. Introductions are in order, but one in particular leads down a path you never expected.

read it on ao3 | or read more below

You had said goodbye to Rex only a few minutes prior. He had wrapped you in a tight hug and told you not to get into too much trouble, and you had to try really, really hard not to start crying in front of your new squad. He’d waved as you entered their transport, and instead of dwelling on those emotions – loss, sadness, anxiety – you’d pushed them to the back of your mind. You learned long ago that acting as if they didn’t exist wouldn’t help anything, but right now, you needed to compartmentalize. You hardly knew these men, and you didn’t want to freak them out by sobbing about leaving your best friend behind.

The men in question had since been introduced to you by Hunter. The tall, slender clone who liked to lean against the side of the ship like some half-baked deathstick dealer was Crosshair, a sharpshooter and sniper. You probably should have figured that, judging by the tattoo that encircled his eye. When Hunter introduced you, he had made a noncommittal noise, looked you up and down, and then decided you weren’t very interesting, instead walking his way back to the cockpit. You hoped he was just antisocial, and didn’t hate nat borns, or women, or something.

The big burly one was Wrecker, who had wasted no time in offering you a big smile and a firm clap on the back. Honestly, you thought he was going to hug you – and maybe he was, and then he thought better of it.

“You’re our new Jedi, huh?” he had asked with a broad smile? You offered him a somewhat hesitant one back – he was intimidating, after all. He was broad and muscular like you had never seen on a clone before, and the large scar that encompassed half of his forehead and a good portion of his scalp was distracting. It made him look hardened and dangerous, but with his jovial tone, you soon found out he was anything but menacing.

“Yeah, guess I am?” you answered with a nervous laugh.

“She’s a force-sensitive, Wreck, not a Jedi. She doesn’t answer to the Council.” Hunter had clarified. You were somewhat shocked that he cared about the difference – but, then again, he had seemed pleased that you weren’t a part of the Order, likely because it meant you had less rules to follow.

“Oh, yeah!” Wrecker had grinned, clapping you on both shoulders now, as he leaned down to grin at you. You had laughed a little harder, because you were starting to see now, by both his force signature and in his voice, that he was really just a big goofball. “I never liked the Jedi anyway!”

“Weren’t you just expressing how excited you were for ‘our new Jedi?’”

That had come from the one with the glasses – er, goggles? You weren’t exactly sure what they were, or if he needed them for his bad eyesight or just tactical reasons. Either way, he adjusted him on his face as Hunter introduced him as Tech. It wasn’t difficult to figure out what his specialty was – much like it was easy to deduce that Wrecker liked to punch things in addition to blowing things up. Tech, of course, handled a lot of technical issues and data – but you were actually shocked at the fact that he wasn’t, well… tiny.

Tech was taller than Hunter, and even Rex, as he peered down at you through his glasses. He took your hand and shook it – you could tell just by his grip that he was used to intricate work – robotics, droid work, rewiring datapads – fiddly things that required a steady hand. You had nodded politely to him as he greeted you.

The last member of the team, and perhaps the most elusive, was Echo. He was paler than the others, and studded with prosthetics – most prominently, the jack that his hand had been substituted with. He had an aura about him in the force that spoke of pain – not the pain of war that the rest of the squad exuded, no. This was a deeper pain, something profound and lasting, and you had a feeling it had to do with that arm, and the bolts in his skull, and the way his cheekbones still looked sharper than that of even Crosshair.

“You’re from the 501st?” he had asked, after Hunter had led you to the cockpit and left to look at something in Tech’s travel plans for the route to their next mission. You were alone, but Echo still gazed out the front of the transport into hyperspace, his flesh hand fiddling with the textured armrest of the captain’s chair.

“Yeah – I’ve worked with them for the past year, most of the time. I get contracted out from the unit to do a lot of stealth work that the Jedi obviously can’t be pulled for. Stuff like this, I guess,” you shrugged. Echo had hummed in acknowledgement, glancing at you, almost curious.

“Were you with the 501st when Captain Rex last worked with… Clone Force 99?”

The wording was strange. Rex had mentioned to your that this squad usually referred to themselves as “the Bad Batch” due to their mutations. But Echo was more cautious – he almost hesitated on the name. His force signature didn’t give away much more – it only told you that he was being careful with his words, that he didn’t trust you quite yet. Which, honestly, was to be expected.

“No. Anaxes, right?” Echo nodded, and you shook your head. “No – I was on a stealth mission. Well, I guess it couldn’t really be called a stealth mission… I was working with a pirate named Hondo Onaka. Think I might have rather been on Anaxes.”

You chuckled, trying to make light of it. You knew Anaxes has been a mess, and honestly you had felt horrible leaving behind the 501st in order to take on what you considered a useless political mission. You knew the campaign had been long, grueling, and complicated, and you always felt guilty when you weren’t by Rex and Anakin’s side to help with something so important.

“Ah,” Echo made a soft noise, picking at some scoring marks on his socket arm. You bit your lip at the awkwardness that permeated the room, the conversation stagnating at Echo dwelled on… something.

“I used to be a part of the 501st,” he finally admitted, glancing up at you. His eyes said more than his lips – there was sadness, there. It was hidden behind his soldier’s veneer of indifference, but you could tell by the way he looked at you that his transfer to Bad Batch hadn’t been as straightforward as your own.

“Yeah?” you asked, sitting down in the co-pilot’s chair next to him. He nodded, sighing, relaxing into the chair before shooting you a glance.

“Yeah. Made ARC trooper at one point. Me and Fives – me and Fives.”

His eyes had gleamed the first time he said it – but as he repeated Fives, his face fell, and your own did as well, your first clenching.

“Oh,” you breathed, and he glanced at you, ducking down to try to make out your expression.

“You knew him?”

“He talked about you – I had – I’m stupid,” you laughed, trying not to think about Fives. You hadn’t known him or Tup long before the incident, but Fives had showed you the ropes, along with Rex. You got along with him easily – he had been funny, and kind, and if he tried to flirt with you a few times you just put it up to you being the only woman available.

You remembered him talking briefly about Echo – he had only mentioned Echo once, with gritted teeth and a set jaw, mumbling something about a previous mission, and how he and a fellow ARC trooper had handled the situation. You could tell that it pained him to mention his comrade – that this Echo had likely died – and you didn’t press the subject. You knew, even then, that Fives didn’t deal well with loss. Ironic, then, how he was the one to cause so die, to cause the grief himself.

“I worked with him, before…” you gestured vaguely, and Echo nodded, not wanting you to mention Fives’s death himself.

“He thought I died at the Citadel. Everyone did,” Echo sighed, staring out at the hyperspace lane. “Maybe I did.”

You stared at him. In the force, his emotions were a tangled mess – grief, both for Fives and himself. Pain – not only physical, but emotional, spiritual. You couldn’t fathom what happened to him – you could look at this physical evidence of his cybernetic appendages, more similar to those of a droid than any prosthetics you had seen before. You could see the pallor in his face, the way his cheekbones jut from his face, how he had squinted far too severely in the light of the Coruscanti sun. He had been through something that you couldn’t fathom, something you would never truly understand, even if he did wish to explain it to you.

But despite that, you could still feel him in the force. When he spoke of Fives – the way his signature sparked let you know that he didn’t just know Fives. You could tell they had worked together for years, that they had likely grown up together. The rest of the Batch – their signatures sang in harmony because they had grown up together, because they had known each other for many years. And you initially hadn’t caught onto Echo’s dissonance – the way that he was trying to fit in with them, but how he didn’t fit in quite as easily as the other men. And now you knew why. It was because, while he had changed, he still held onto those bonds. Rex, Fives, the rest of the 501st – even though whatever Echo had endured, those were still his brothers.

“Not completely,” you mumbled, looking down. You could feel Echo’s eyes on you, so you sighed and continued. “You – you still care about them. Those men. They may not be your men anymore – and I guess they aren’t mine, either – but you care for them. That has to count for something.”

When you looked up, Echo caught your eye. His expression was unreadable, and his signature betrayed nothing. He was hard to read already – the cybernetics clouded your judgement – but you could tell that he didn’t exactly know what he thought of your statement.

“Yeah. Maybe it does,” Echo mumbled to himself, staring out across hyperspace, as stars flew by, exploding behind his eyes as he contemplated his place among them.

After that, the silence wasn’t quite so awkward. It was comforting, almost. You knew that it wasn’t the same – that although you and Echo were both former members of the 501st, that the circumstances were wildly different. But you still felt a kinship with him. Because he still knew Anakin, and Rex, and Fives, and Jesse, and Kix, and all the others. Because he probably played the same drinking games you had with the men, he had fought beside them as you did, and he had watched them die, as you had. You knew he wasn’t ready to talk, and perhaps he never would be. But if he ever was, you would be ready to listen.

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