#is this something? idk lemme know i might give it a chance and come back to it if inspiration strikes

[martybaker]

4 - figure skater Dream/ hockey player Hob please? 👀

Ask me about my wips

Thank you for the ask! Sorry it took me so long to answer it, but I actually managed to finish the one scene (or rather two consecutive scenes) I had drafted for this au back when the idea was first conceived, so thank you for the inspiration ❤️

I am posting all that now, because why the hell not 🙃

Fair warning, this story has a very romcom logic, which is to say, don’t think about it too hard 😅

Hob and Dream attend the same university and the school’s doing some cuts and only one sport will continue to get financial support - either hockey or figure skating. Dream and Hob have a challenge to win a major competition by the end of the semester, whoever manages to do that will secure the financial support for their sport. In the meantime they of course fall in love.

The following scene features a fun dynamic that I enjoyed exploring - Dream and Corinthian as ex boyfriends :) There’s also a lil scene with Hob at the end. Enjoy :)

————————————-

There’s a slow clapping sound from the bleachers and Dream skids to a stop.

“Hello, beautiful.”

Dream sighs. This is the last person he would want to deal with right now. “What do you want, Cori,” he asks, resuming his routine practice, trying to focus on the movements rather than on the unwelcome presence of his ex.

“Why, I just came to enjoy the view.”

“I don’t have time for your bullshit.”

“Don’t you? I don’t see any company. Where’s your new puppy?”

So that’s what this is about. Dream shakes his head in disbelief. They broke up five months ago and Cori would still come back with obnoxious propositions. It was over, there was nothing else to say on the topic. There was no reason for him to explain himself to Cori, it wasn’t his business who Dream keeps company with.

“He’s not my puppy.”

“Ain’t he? He follows you around everywhere, salivating at your feet.”

Dream feels the irritation rising in him with every word Cori says, even though he knows that’s exactly what the guy’s aiming for - trying to provoke him.

“Leave Hob alone, Cori,” he hisses through clenched teeth.

“Ah, so you do care about him. Thought he was just a plaything.”

“He’s nobody’s plaything. Leave. Him. Alone.”

Cori sneers. “I really don’t understand what you can possibly see in him. What’s he have that I don’t?”

Dream snorts. “He’s not a self-centered prick, for starters.”

“That’s rich coming from you. We’re birds of a feather, remember?”

Dream doesn’t offer any response to that, which just makes Cori push harder.

“I’ve been making my way through the lacrosse team, but hockey players sure have their appeal, maybe I should mix things up a bit.”

Dream stops the routine and skates towards Cori, stopping by the boards which create a border between them.

“Can’t you find another pass-time than messing with people?”he hisses. “It’s an embarrassment that I ever believed you to be worth anything.”

Cori’s brow twitches, breaking his mask of nonchalance.

“You’re a nightmare, Cori. You play with your victims until they start to bore you and then you leave them to bleed out on the sidewalk.”

Cori snorts. “Please. They know exactly what they’re getting into with me. Everybody knows I don’t linger.”

Dream raises his eyebrows at that.

Cori frowns. “You were different. You were special.”

Dream snorts.

Cori frowns deeper, jaw clenching. He steps forward, up to the boards. “You were. I thought we had something.”

Dream shakes his head and turns his back on Cori, skating back to the middle of the ice rink.

“I bet he can’t make you scream like I can!” Cori shouts.

Dream snorts. Nothing can piss Cori off more than being ignored. “Maybe I am just good at pretending, have you thought about that?”

“Liar. You used to love our games.”

“Everything’s a game to you, Cori. That’s the problem. You don’t know when to stop. You love watching people suffer, you’re a cruel sadist, but not just in bed. You exploit every weakness. And you make everything about you. On my birthday, you took me to a goddamn shooting range!”

“You said you’d like to try.”

Dream huffs in disbelief, turning back around to face Cori.

“From a bow! I wanted to try shooting from a bow! You were only half-listening, as always. I despise guns!”

“It ain’t my fault you don’t have the guts for it.”

Dream laughs bitterly, shaking his head.

“See, this is exactly what I mean. You’re doing it again. Absolving yourself from guilt. Making it my fault. I’ve had enough of your mindgames. I’ve had enough of your sadistic universe.”

Cori shrugs. “That’s how I was made. I thought you could understand. I thought you could take it.”

Dream sighs tiredly. “That’s not a relationship, Cori. When one side is in charge and the other just takes it.”

Cori rises an eyebrow, his tone mocking. “If you wanted to switch, you could have just asked.”

Dream stares at him, unimpressed.

“This is pointless. Conversations with you never lead anywhere.”

He turns his back on Cori once again and resumes practicing his routine.

“He can’t give you what I can give you.”

“Whatever it is you think you’re giving, I don’t want it,” Dream says with finality. He doesn’t react to anymore taunts and insults Cori throws his way, until the man gives up on trying to get a reaction out of him and leaves.

The moment the door shuts behind Cori, Dream drops to his knees, exhausted mentally rather than physically. He lies on his back on the ice, staring at the ceiling.

He doesn’t know how many minutes pass like that.

When he hears the door open again, his hackles rise immediately. “Which part of ‘fuck off’ did you not understand,” he growls.

There’s a silent pause. Then he hears Hob’s voice say: “Er, sorry, I will leave if you want me to.”

Dream quickly sits up. “No. I…you can stay. I thought you were someone else.”

“Oh. Okay.”

Hob joins him on the ice rink. He’s not wearing skates, slide-stepping on the ice towards Dream. Dream cannot help but compare it to Cori’s approach. Cori would never risk his own dignity by trying to get to him on the slippery surface. Hob doesn’t hesitate to join Dream on his playground, letting Dream have the advantage of being on skates - Dream could leave in an instant if he wanted to, and Hob wouldn’t be able to catch up with him.

But then again, Hob must feel at home on the ice just as much as Dream does.

When Hob gets to him, he frowns at Dream who’s still sitting on the ice, making no attempt to get up. “Are you alright? Did you fall? Are you hurt?”

He kneels down by Dream’s side.

Dream sighs, flopping back onto his back. “No, no and no.”

“Ah. Well, may I join you?”

Dream shrugs.

Hob lies down next to him and they stare at the ceiling in companionable silence.

“I’m picturing the ceiling painted like a night sky speckled with stars, Van Gogh style, maybe? Wouldn’t it be beautiful?” Hob says.

Dream looks at the man’s profile, baffled and amused. “This is a sport’s rink, not an art gallery.”

Hob shrugs. “I just think it would look cool.”

Dream sighs. “I don’t know how you do it.”

“Do what?” Hob asks, turning his head to face Dream.

“Keep your unwavering optimism.”

Hob smiles. “Ah, well. I get up in the morning and I decide it’s going to be a lovely day, I am going to meet lovely people and experience something new. I feel very lucky that I get to do things that I love. And there’s so much beauty in the world, waiting to be seen.”

Dream frowns at the ceiling. His voice is but a whisper when he says: “I have to try. So hard. To see it.”

Hob looks at him with concern. “You find skating beautiful, don’t you?”

“Of course.”

“Then, doesn’t that make you happy? Don’t you feel lucky you get to do something you love everyday? That you have something to look forward to?”

“….I suppose.”

“And isn’t that beautiful?”

Dream looks at Hob, he looks into his big brown eyes that whisper promises of warmth and shelter and succor, promises of a bright happy future.

He lets himself believe in it if just for a moment.

“Perhaps. Perhaps it is beautiful.”

They don’t address the elephant in the room - the knowledge that by the end of the semester, only one of them will get to continue pursuing his dreams, surrounded by friends and family - by the community they found here. Building on the foundations they’ve laid down in this town.

The other one will have to give up on those dreams.

Or leave.

[gege-wondering-around]

guys, i was thinking and i think someone needs to hear this.

talk to the people you wanna talk to.

if you're curious about them or wanna know them better or start to know them from nothing -> hit them up in their dm. i promise you it's worth giving it a try or you'll never know if they are who you're searching for.

and maybe it could unveil something you thought was lost within you...

and lemme give ya an example:

for those who don't know me from the start, my first posts were theories/analysis/interpretation etc. and i haven't done one of those in a very long time cause nothing came to my mind, i just stick to reblogs.

then someone came knocking at my door and i started to get to know @dontcallpanic a bit more, ask after ask. then, yesterday (i think it was yesterday) i got a dm from this sweet soul and we were chatting a bit and it came out something that really woke up that part in me again, of doing those kind of posts. (i'll post it when it's ready)

so, this is a silly, simply example of how a stranger (whom i plan to get to know better🩵) can wake you up from hibernation without even knowing it. of how a pretty soul can light back up that spark you thought was gone.

you can be the lighter and the spark. you can be the new comer or the old veteran, and both are good. both need each other cause it's just happier that way. you pour your passion which lighten up their spark, and your passions and feeling gets read by someone who understands them and you'll be happy.

and this is how the people you are curious about might be the best that could happen to you today, so go and talk to them, even if you're awkward or dont know how to start, just hit them up with...

idk, maybe why you follow them? maybe your intention to know them better if they'd be down to it too? maybe sending them one of their own post and sharing your opinion with them as a private convo?

there are many ways you can do this and i believe you can do this.

if you are curious, talk to people.

you'll find the right one for ya, but you gotta swim in the wild, vast ocean to find your species, cause there isn't any community or friendship without the hardship of building them.

I want you to meet your people, i want you to find someone who gets your feeling for your passions and hobbies and i want you to swim in the ocean to find them. you'll hit some rocks, maybe hook yourself to false baits but it'll be worth it when you'll find your buddies, i promise you.

it'd be my wildest dream to do those posts once again and get the community to hit them up with their opinions and ideas and everything in between (cause im genuinenly a curious person), it'd be my wild wild dream to be part of something and you can be part of it too.

you can find your people, you can find your freaks and beans. they are out there, you just gotta take a chance with people and i know it might be scary cause the internet is scary, the amount of cruelty and hate people have nowadays is bewildering, the way fandoms, communities etc got so weak (as someone rightfully said but i don't remember who) it's sad to see cause the new comers just see... that.

the dying light of a fandom, the hateful reblogs someone does under other's posts, the seemengly lost spark when you search your fav ship, or your new obsession, or your fav artist of the moment, or your fav actor or anything else and all you see are old posts (that makes you feel you're too late to join in) and hateful discussion that were meant to be nothing more than a chitchat within a part of the fandom (and you feel like you're wrong supporting your passion for that one thing)

but lemme tell you something.

lemme let you in on somethng, come here. come closer...

it's not dead. what you're searching for it's not dead, it just got weak and you can be one of the many little sparks that can bring back the joy of chatting and reblogging posts, of leaving playful and happy comments under other's posts about their passions.

you aren't late, you aren't in the wrong for liking it, you aren't walking in a cementary. it's more like everyone is in hibernation and you kinda have to shake'em up a bit with care, showing them your passion about that little ship, that character analysis, that little poem you wrote about your ex or about your boss being the worst. you woke'em up a bit and you keep being kind and respectfull and polite and you'll see how the fandom isn't dead, it just needed to hear the starting bell.

"hey guys, weird but true, here's my thoughts" and you pour everything down and i bet, i BET someone is gonna love it, you'll wake'em up and they'll be like 'finally someone with that pretty spark and those deep dives into ---' and i promise you, i swear on my name, you'll get yourself a small audience and you'll feel happy about sharing your thoughts while other will he eager to read them. then maybe they'll reblog it and comment on it, and you'll build a small connection with them, then maybe, one day a few months later, you'll wake up to a dm. or you'll the one sending it.

'hey, i think you're pretty cool and i like what you write, wanna chat a bit?'

and you'll find your people.

you will find them.

be kind, polite, respectfull in sharing your thoughts and you'll slowly build something with your strangers, then mutuals, then dm buddies, and maybe you'll end up with a friend sending you pic of their home made bread cause they care for you to the point they make bread for ya even if you cant eat it, but they know you'll love it and they'll eat for you.

nothing is dead, kiddo. you gotta dig up the fish from the bottom of the ocean but i promise you, they just need a little light to follow to come back and show you how to build a comfy aquarium with'em.

you'll find your people kiddo, you just gotta be curious about them.

and if you are one of those who just like to read and are eager to know more, you'll still be part of it. people will notice you, i promise you i notice those few beans of mine that likes many of my reblogs and i treasure them dearly. you'll be welcome too buddy, everyone is.

search for you freaks and beans, kiddo, you'll find them in the wild, vast and scary ocean. you'll wake up that feeling of belonging into a community and your spark will be treasured while you'll wake back up theirs. (which was never gone to begin with, they just needed to feel at home between a bunch of strangers calling each other darling and sweetheart while talking about two gay dudes)

find them kiddo, find them...

i believe you can.

[yoichichi]

Modern!au Connie Headcannons

Modern!Connie Springer x reader

a/n: I just love best boy Connie and whenever I think of something about him I jot it down in my notes and the list was getting a little extensive so I figured I’d share! These are just some random Connie HC, can be platonic or romantic reader insert! Please feel free to come in my inbox and talk about Connie I love him :(🖤 I hope you enjoy!

gif not mine, credit to owner

His snapchat is literally so chaotic, half of his memories he just doesn’t remember

And it’s usually a cursed video involving Sasha

WILL FaceTime you just so he can see your reaction to a TikTok he sent that you have to see now

Don’t ask me why but he will give you wet willys any chance he gets he finds it so funny

BRUNO MARS STAN I DON’T MAKE THE RULES

He’s just always bumping Bruno so loud when you’re in the car together to the point where all you had stuck in your head was Bruno - he gets limited access to the aux now

His favorites are That’s What I like, Young Girls, Treasure and Gorilla 😐

An actual good driver but is always a few above the speed limit

Got pulled over once and when the police came to the window he stuck his hand out the window and went “what man you’re not gonna dap me up?” - they made him take a sobriety test

Makes you shave his head and clean up his edges for him - has tried to convince you more than once to shave your head so you guys can match

Idc he’s a god tier kisser like king of make out sessions

He’s never too rough or fast with it, and he’s always making sure to give your lips a break and kiss your neck for a bit before he comes back up

His right hand is always holding you by the back of your neck to keep you in place ugh

Moving on

Collection of beanies 😌

Ok but if you’re sad he has a whole change of demeanor like

intently listening and humming to show he’s invested and if you’re really torn up he has one of your hands in his and he’s rubbing it softly - and if you need to cry he’s literally so good at makin you cry LOL

Like he’d just squeeze your hand and go “hey it’s ok babe, you’re allowed to feel that way” whether your relationship is platonic or not he’s calling you babe

And he’s so good at knowing when to switch up the mood and make you laugh and happy again ugh

He has a list of movies in his notes app that he wants to watch with you and half of them are really awful horror movies that he thinks “might actually be worth it cmon, what’s it gonna hurt?”

Him, he’s a baby and no matter how awful it is he’ll be a little jumpy after LMAO

I just, he’s a chronic sock stealer

He just loses his so easily?? And he has no qualms about strutting into your room to steal a pair of socks and soon you’re like??? Where the HELL are my socks?? And he’s like yeah jeez you gotta get some more.... cause what’s he supposed to do when YOU run out

Ok but more on him being a good driver, he only got pulled over before because his taillight was out and he actually isn’t an angry driver either, like he gets cut off and just kinda sighs or completely ignores it he just doesn’t care, unbothered king

One time someone pulled a random u-turn in front of him so he had to slam on his brakes but his first instinct was to swing his arm over you and then ask if you’re ok 😕

HE WAS SO SILENT TOO no honking, no gasp, and when he asked if you were ok he literally just went “you good?” In a super soft voice

He is ALWAYS humming something to himself and if you ask what he’s humming he doesn’t get embarrassed just excited to tell you :) but you’re obligated to listen to the song after too

And he always has a favorite part and he’ll go omg it’s coming up it’s it’s right here ugh omg did you hear that? And play it for you one more time

He just can’t get rid of anything electronic it scares him

He has all his old phones, game systems and an old laptop stored away somewhere

“Where the hell do I even throw them away??! There’s no way they go in the regular trash cause, like, there’s acid in them or some shit. And all my personal info is on there! And they say you should shred any paper with your info before you recycle it, and I can’t shred my mf PHONE!”

Sometimes he thinks he wants a nose piercing but he has a fear of it getting ripped out in his sleep or something (I’ve had it happen, it was god awful, I have so many nose piercing horror stories...)

He does have his ears pierced though

He had those little diamond studs when he was younger, too

He just thinks they’re stylish :)

Looks the best in sweatpants idc

Isn’t actually that bad at flirting like he’s just goofy and nice so like ~swoon (idk maybe I’m projecting here 🙄)

His favorite place to eat out is L&L, he’s a regular customer and his fav is just some simple spam musubi or the kalua pork and cabbage 🤤

Ok he’s loud but also a little shy like the kind of guy where if it was his birthday and you were singing happy birthday he’d get a little bashful and be all like omg,,, ok y’all I get it thanks jeez

Sometimes when he laughs to hard he snorts and covers his face with his hands cause he’s just dying and can’t help it

I feel like he has a habit of having to keep his hands busy and fidget with stuff so when he’s doing something mindless like watching TV he’s pulling on his bottom lip or pulling at the skin around his nails, but one time your head was in his lap and so he started just running his fingers along your skin or playing with your hair if he could and now he prefers doing that instead 🥺

He just pats his lap and looks at you with a lil smile expecting you to cuddle up

TL;DR: Connie is best boy and I love him

—————————

That’s all my most recent thoughts on Connie y’all ☺️ I might make a pt 2 in the future but lemme know if y’all liked it and would be interested in that! ily 😽 and if you’d like to be added to my taglist just lemme know! I write for aot and hq so you can specify for both or one!

-🐇out

taglist: @plutowrites

[janiedean]

if you ever wrote that rant about grrm making jon his chosen one deconstruction i'd be very happy to read it 👀

hello anon sorry for the lateness but here we go *deep breath*

sssooo, I had once ranted about it though not mentioning the thing I mentioned in those tags so lemme see if I can find the op and like... cp the main argument and amend it bc it was long, but okay so I found it, original anon asked me: why is Jon considered to be one of the most special characters grrm created? Why is he not the typical hero of fantasy books?, my original answer was here if anyone wants to go there but basically lemme just cp the first part making it shorter and then I'm adding:

first thing, the Typical Post-Tolkien Chosen One With A Shitty Life Before He Finds Out He Is Chosen™ character (I’m saying post-tolkien because every fantasy writer in existence who copies tolkien thinks that lotr went like that and instead it didn’t) usually goes through the following steps: his life sucks up until the beginning of the series, his family generally hates him/her or doesn’t appreciate them or abuses them or anyway doesn’t make their life easier and they’ve never known any different, but *something* never quite worked right and they always knew something was missing in their life, they just didn’t know why. suddenly someone who knows they were Chosen™ shows up and tells them that they’re actually Special because of this this and that and they have a quest to go on to save the world or something. our hero/heroine obviously is finally validated and while their quest is hard and full of hardships and maybe they lose a few friends along the way, finding out that they were Chosen gives their life meaning, they usually find love/friends/everything they didn’t have before until they fulfill the Prophecy™ and live more or less happily ever after, possibly after hooking up with the Person Of Their Dreams with whom they had UST up until the last twenty pages of the book. basically: being Chosen™ in regular fantasy novels is a good thing because suddenly you’re special and all the crap you suffered acquires a new meaning and in the end it made your life better.

jon snow is a complete overhaul of about everything in this sense because

instead of having a family who hates him he has a family who actually mostly loves him, and with ned it’s arguably so much that he risks royal treason by keeping him hidden from his *best friend* - sure, there’s cat and peripherally sansa, but his issues stem from the fact that he feels lesser because he’s a bastard (as far as he knows) and it’s a *class* issue, not a *my family hates me* issue not counting catelyn obv but that's what gives him freudian issues more on that in the emended part later

no one actually knows that he’s Chosen™ - like mel could get there and probably will and someone will put two and two together when his parentage comes out in the open, but he doesn’t have a gandalf or mentor who shows him The Way Towards His Quest

so instead of going from ‘my life sucks but I’m going on a quest which is gonna be a+’ he actively chooses to leave a fairly decent situation (a household he knows, siblings who love him - ned actually hoped he’d become robb’s counselor or right hand man or something from what we can gather) because he feels like he has to prove he’s better than his name and goes to the Crappiest Place In Westeros. like idk if people grasp it, but the wall is basically a prison and at the ripe age of fourteen he decides that it’s totally a good and honorable choice (his only choice actually) to go defend the realm in the freezing cold along with a bunch of criminals/derelicts/rejects of society

at which point he makes friends among said rejects and let’s remember that it’s the point where he actually has to do his first an only privilege when donal noye made him go like hey you were brought up with nobles these ppl are here because they stole bread, and that helps making him more into the person he is rn but like your tyopical fantasy hero who has had a shitty life doesn’t usually have to acknowledge that other people might have had it worse

then he goes on the Quest where he finds his first One True Love, and that’s where it turns even worse because usually the quest is where things start to go right for the Hero™, instead for jon they start to go wronger, because first he has to go undercover which pretty much tests most of his belief/code system, he falls in love with a girl he has to betray, half of his friends and his lord commander die along the way, while he’s off doing his thing winterfell gets taken/burned and robb dies when jon openly stated that he also was going to the wall to defend his family and keep them safe (yeaaah worked out real well), when he goes back to the wall he has to fight the people he lived with for months, the woman he loves dies in his arms and he can’t do anything about it and he’s aware it couldn’t have gone any other way, people put defending the wall on him and then put his loyalty in question, when stannis shows up with a legitimization (which is everything he ever wanted) he refuses because he doesn’t want to accidentally steal his siblings’s inheritance (which was what cat was so worried about hahaha) and actively chooses the crappy defending the realm life all over again. also in all this time his being Chosen™ hasn’t manifested or helped him in any way whatsoever - actually all his honor-moral code related baggage is what  moral dilemmas come from that. like, your usual chosen hero™ would always take the right decision and it all turns out good eventually, jon takes the morally right decision and it all turns SOUR eventually

at this point he finally gets elected LC, thanks to his friends also pitching in, which is about the one fantasy hero™ thing that’s happened for now. should be good, yes?

lol no, because he ends up with THAT hellish responsibility at sixteen, since he thinks that he has absolutely to be even better than that now and he has very specific notions about how you should lead and he knows he has to take unpopular decisions/decisions that he doesn’t necessarily like, he ends up either having to send his friends away forreal (sam) or detaching from them (pyp/grenn/the likes) and when as far as he knows he learns that his sister is married to ramsay he can’t do anything about it

never mind that it’s the same situation as when he had to pick the watch or robb in book one - he went there to defend his family and now being there actually prevents him from helping them in person. ops. meanwhile he’s trying to implement a new vision of things which is modern and smart and actually makes sense because why fighting the wildlings when you have ZOMBIES coming. your usual Chosen One™ would get people to approve just because he’s the Chosen One

instead jon gets stabbed to death - okay, that was also because he wanted to go get arya but it was the last straw, people were pissed over the wildlings plan first and foremost

so basically he’s gone through all the Chosen One™ steps but in reverse - he loses his family which did love him instead of finding another one that makes the first pale in comparison, he does find a new one who loves him but has to alienate most of its members for responsibility reasons as a consequence of what should have been the crowning achievement of his life choices (which eventually is NOT one), he falls in love and they don’t drag the UST forever but they never get a chance to be together without small print in between, he chooses the admittedly most masochistic life he could for his family as well and half of them die and he can’t do a thing for the other half, every other mentor-like figure he runs into after ned dies, instead of finding validation he ends up having to isolate himself and on top of everything HE STILL DOESN’T FUCKING KNOW HE’S THE CHOSEN ONE™

so instead of his life going better the more he learns stuff and matures as a person, he gets murdered. by the people he trusts and who were supposed to be his new family. haha?

never mind that when he finds out he’s the Chosen One™ it won’t bring him closure because all he ever wanted was being full stark like his father/siblings and then bam he’s going to find out his father’s actually targaryen and what does that even mean to him?

on top of that being AA will just be a pain because I don’t believe for a second he’s not going to get leftover ptsd and who the hell is gonna help him deal with it? or how is he ever getting over his *brothers* murdering him? and people are going to ask stuff of him all over again and he’s gonna have to go slay a mythical monster and if I know grrm it’s not gonna be fun, pretty or cathartic FOR HIM

on top of that, Chosen Hero™ fulfills the prophecy and gets a realm to rule and everyone lives happily ever after. money is that if jon does get that realm (and I think he is because he has the best claim if he's legitimate and most likely it'll turn out he was on the targ side but ROBB also legitimized him so he has double the legitimization), he’s going to hate every second of it and he’ll take it because a) duty, b) literally no one else is available, and like this guy didn’t want to rule a realm or be a king or anything he just wanted to be a stark, and instead he’s going to have to after all that shit thanks to Magical And Noble Heritage he hadn’t even known he had and probably didn’t even want up to that point because since when jon wanted to be a targ? yeah since never

obviously I hope he manages to be somewhat happy regardless because the alternative is too miserable, but basically being a Chosen Hero™ is what makes jon’s life worse rather than better and the fact that hew went through all the regular self-discovery journey for the fantasy hero list doesn’t mean he’s not flipping that over in his sl. the fact that he stayed a decent person more or less throughout it and that he hasn’t turned into a bitter asshole also doesn’t change the main point XD

tldr: jon snow is not a typical fantasy hero because he deconstructs that trope into tiny little bits same as robb deconstructed the arthurian flawless king hero trope

now ^^^^^ THAT was what I originally wrote for that meta but adding on to what I said in those tags

okay so... there is a certain tendency to also make the chosen one™ special in the sense that he's kind of goals - good looking, rich or set to inherit, gallant, takes the initiative, he's like.. social or anyway immediately makes friends etc and all that jazz which jon... doesn't really fit

like jon is an introvert who immediately makes friends just with outcasts and his siblings also bc he feels like one but he's hardly a social butterfly and charms everyone wherever he walks by

I mean ffs says all that the only person he charmed in that sense is stannis who is the literal only person in charge in the books who is more introvert than him and has worse communication issues and appreciates ppl going straight to the point

on top of that in the book he looks like ned.... and arya looks like ned and ned isn't described as being particularly handsome that was brandon so he's not even like... I mean kit h. is v. pretty and I think he was a good choice for the role and I'll die on the hill that he was born to play that character and he did it well but book!jon doesn't have that kinda pretty face so the concept that he's the HOT alternative to anyone to me is kind of iffy bc he's not

he's shit at social interactions and at PR which is why robb and him would have been a key winning ticket like he has a better idea of the larger picture but robb would have actually made sure ppl didn't turn against them bc he actually was good at that but like he doesn't go around rallying armies in his name does he

the one time he's been with a girl it was ygritte and like he courted her without realizing it and then she had to pursue him and he barely knew wtf to do on top of the fact that they slept with ghost in the middle of them like a sword which..... is.... I mean sleeping with the sword in the middle was a thing to make sure the maiden stayed a maiden and he's the one who is like i CAN'T HAVE SEX WITH HER EVEN IF I WANT TO BECAUSE I'M TECHNICALLY SPYING ON THEM like... he's not... gallant-knight coded

never mind that the moment they do the do she basically does everything until he decides to try the oral which I mean... isn't exactly alphadominatingmale out of jon which is not a given with the trope he's supposed to represent like he's not smooth he's not suave he's like WHAT THE FUCK when ygritte tells him he has a pretty face bc most likely no one else told him that and he like... doesn't pursue people like that in general which is also not exactly 100% what that trope usually goes for

we can add that he has a lot of passive-aggressive little shit sarcasm in him that they didn't let him go for in the show but like... usually chosen heroes™ don't think what he thinks about selyse in general

we can also add that he's not automatically above being better than his position like... he doesn't take winterfell bc ygritte is dead but he did think he'd have taken the deal sansa or not if stannis had said he could marry her and not val and if she wasn't dead, he basically went off the rails at the dude he was fighting with thinking about robb telling him that he couldn't be lord of wf because he was a bastard and he's absolutely not in the frame of mind of 'well I was born a bastard who cares it doesn't define me'

he's obsessed to the point of unhealthy with actually being defined by it which is why he was better off with the wildlings aka the only idiots in the realm who don't gaf about that

and that's like... I mean usually if chosen ones™ have parental issues it's like 'you were an orphan and raised by asses who weren't your parents but your parents loved you and you'll find out at some point and you'll be happier for it and make your own family', jon is like... he has the mommy freudian issues of the century bc of how cat treated him, on the other side he's obsessed with living up to ned's/his father's name and he hates that it makes him not-belonging or that he feels like he doesn't even if he does with his siblings, and at the same time when the truth about it comes out he's going to get the cold shower of the century bc like - he's spent all that time thinking BUT DID MY MOTHER WANT ME WHO WAS MY MOTHER and he's going to find out of who it was and how he was born and honestly considering that lyanna most likely did regret running with rhaegar the moment he finds that out and that she died birthing him how is he going to feel? - also he spends his life wanting to live up to his 'father's' name aka ned aka someone known to be honorable to a fault and then it turns out his bio father is... the dude who started that entire rebellion not doing a very honorable thing? - also if jon*erys is a thing idt that he'd take 'I fell in love with my aunt' so nonchalantly as he did in the show tldr: he's never gonna get over his parental issues in a short time and when that particular brick hits him in the face it won't be pretty

like the entire point of jon is that he goes through all the chosenone™ cursus honorum as we'd call it in high school when studying latin but each step that means smth good for the usual chosenone™ to him is something bad, being one is not going to make his life better and throughout the entire thing he does not fit that stereotype when it comes to look, personality, basic traits and familial history and like hell he's going to have the happy ending tied up with the bow - like I think he gets a bittersweet one and eventually goes off with the wildlings bc he belongs there after being jon snow first of his name (bc like hell he's not reclaiming his bastard background at the end of this entire mess I'm eating my hat if he doesn't) after splitting the seven realms and fixing things but that's hardly the neat happy ending the chosenone™ usually gets so that's my two cents

... christ this was long *raises hands*

[catzula]

A bite out of the apple

Synopsis: there was Lilith before Eve came to the picture, and how she told Lilith's story is much different than the way it actually happened.

Pairing: adam!Touya x Lilith!reader

Genre: angst with a bad ending

Warnings: toxic relationship, cursing, mentions of hell, mentions of death, mentions of cheating, one sided love, boi is this hella angsty idk if I missed anything, please lemme know

Some things were hard to forget. 

You still remembered the deafening screams of the man you loved, ringing in your ear, sending chills down your spine with a fear you never tasted. You couldn't forget the smell of burnt flesh, never failing at making you nauseous with how disgusting it smelled. Constantly reminded of the agonizing memory, the way his turquoise eyes burned with pain, silently begging you to save him.

But it was a little too late for that. 

He wasn't the man you had grown to love anymore, not since she had come into your life, but ironically, your love for him never lessened.

Your arms shaking with the fear of death, you stared to the ground that was at least 5 meters beneath you. 'Come on, Lilith. Jump, it's easy, a step forward, and you'll be mine.' The shadow whispered in your ear, and you felt the slight hesitation your body did, almost taking a step forward before you heard Touya's voice that pulled you out of your trance.

"Come on, just do it, already." You heard the boy muttering from the ground. "I can't!" You protested, your heart beating so loud, you were afraid you were going to go deaf. "Come do it yourself if you're so confident!"

Even though you weren't able to see his face, you could feel the grin that appeared on his lips when you told him that. "I'm not the one who climbed there, am I?"

"You were the one who told me to climb and give you an apple!" You cried out, angry at his betrayal. You didn't even like apples, in fact, you hated them, but he still somehow convinced you to pick one for him. And now you were stuck in the tree. 

"I couldn't have guessed you would chicken out." He told you with a chuckle, aware how much he was annoying you. "Shut up before I hit you in the head with one of these." You frowned, biting your lip as you thought of a way of climbing back down without breaking a bone.

"You'll be doing a favor for me if you do." He snickered. "I'll just take the apple and leave you here, free from your constant nagging."

"Touya!" You protested, slightly hurt by his words, and he sensed that too. "Okay, okay, you know I could never leave you." Those words, which anyone else would’ve thought were a gesture of love, weren’t like that at all, and was true. He he couldn't leave you, but you sometimes wondered if he would, given the chance. "Look, place your leg on that branch right there," He guided you, and you did as he said without even thinking. "Place the other one there, good girl, now hold that branch, no- idiot, the other one," Touya kept giving you orders until you had climbed halfway down, and you noticed how he stood right beneath you. 

"Now, let go." Let go, let go, let go, something whispered in your ear.

"What, I can't!" You gasped at his words, noticing how he steadied his legs on the ground, opening his arms to catch you when you did, knowing well you would eventually, you always did. 

"I'll catch you, you know that."

"But what if you can't?"

"I will." He answered, looking at you with unfazed, almost bored eyes, but you knew him too well to miss how alert he was. "You know I can never hurt you, Lilith."

"Don't call me that!" You exclaimed, the name making you flinch in your place. Everyone called you Lilith, it was your name after all, but the shadows did, too. The shadows that were around you since the day you were born, loved hissing your name like a snake. So you were happy when Touya chose to call you your second name, and you always liked the name (Y/N) better, anyway.

"Then jump, (Y/N)!" 

And you did, letting go of the branch you were holding so hard, you felt your hand bleeding slightly. It was mere seconds before strong arms caught you, instantly wrapping and pulling you into his embrace. "Caught you." He whispered, lips touching the shell of your ear, making you shiver from tip to toe. 

You were still trying to get the shock wash off of you, glad he didn't put you down immediately but was still holding you close to him.

"I told you I would catch you, didn't I?" He leaned in slightly, taking a bite out of the bright red apple you were holding in your hand, the motion making it impossible to take your eyes off of him. 

"Huh," he watched the way your lips parted with want. "Did you want a bite? I thought you didn't like apples." He leaned even closer, now face mere inches away from yours. 

"Or is it something else you wanted?" He teased, making you pout. "Stop it, Touya, you know I don't like it when you tease me."

"Oh? But I love to tease you." He chuckled, "I love the face you make whenever I tease you, love the way you try to hide it but can't, and the way you always look at me." He sighed, the motion causing your lips to touch for a second. "I can't seem to give it up, can't you make a compromise for me?"

And even though you always made compromises for him, you agreed. Maybe your agreement wasn't a verbal response, but he knew it by the way your eyes looked back at him, by how you didn't pull back but let go when he kissed you. 

Apples didn't taste as bad when it was him, giving you the taste, you thought. 

But it still troubled you for some reason.

~~~

"I like your hair a lot." You muttered without thinking, running your fingers through his soft locks.

"I don't." He shrugged, but you could see how he relaxed under your touch, an odd feeling of pride filling you at the realization. "It reminds me of father." He went on, surprising you since he never talked more than necessary, especially not when it was about him. "Reminds me of... fire." He finished. 

"It never reminded me of fire." You shrugged. His eyes did remind you of fire sometimes, but his hair, never. "Maybe of apples."

"You know, father never liked you." He suddenly spoke, "I think I like that about you." 

"I never knew why he hated me so." You shrugged. 

"He thinks you're bad for me." He chuckled. "Dear old dad is worried, you see." He turned to you, freeing his crimson locks from your hand, his eyes bright with... madness. "He thinks you're bad, that you lure me to the dark, that you distract me from him." He looked so happy despite the words he was uttering.

"I never lured you to the dark." You always told the shadows to stay away from him, instead. He would’ve burned if you hadn’t stopped them all these years, he would’ve died if you hadn’t stopped him, either, from defying his father, from doing the one forbidden.

"No, but you weren't obedient, either." He told you. "He might be hating you for that, you know."

"I don't obey." You told him. "I know," he answered. "You never did. You always had a mind of your own, always thinking for yourself, never letting anyone else do it for you. Father never liked that for you."

"I don't want his liking, not if I have you by my side."

"You'll get burned if you defy him, Lilith." He told you, but he was smirking, pleased with your answer. It was ironic, you noticed, how you always stopped the man you loved from defying his father, and here he was warning you for the same reason.

"My name is (Y/N)." You answered. "I'm not afraid of the fire, either." You were terrified of it, but not if he was there with you. He stood quiet for a while, just staring at you with a thoughtful smile on his lips. "You're like water, you know."

"What does that even mean?" You giggled. "I don't know." He shrugged. "I guess I'm trying to tell you you're pretty."

You smiled back, but there was an odd urge to cry, hiding behind the smile as your eyes wandered over his beautiful figure. You looked at the purple, blue, green, and yellow bruises littering his arms that were now around you, you always felt like crying when you saw them.

"What is it?" He asked, of course, he had noticed. "Do you think they look ugly?"

You shook your head from side to side. "I never thought you were ugly." You answered, it was true Touya had many ugly things, like his selfishness, his anger, and sometimes how uncompassionate he was, but you could never see him as ugly. "I like seeing them, too. Reminds me of the revenge I want."

You stood silent at that, but he was aware of the tear that slid down your cheek as you traced his bruises, and his hand was wiping the tear off your cheek. "Will you hate me if I kill someone?"

"You know I can never hate you." You answered, and he smiled darkly. "I think you're underestimating me."

"I hope not." You told him, but your words fell onto deaf ears, he was already lost in his thoughts, forgot about you. 

"Dabi." He suddenly muttered. 

"What?"

"Someone told me the name Dabi suits me better." You cringed at his answer. Why did it bother you this much, you weren't sure, but this was more than just a bother, the name scared you, and something in you told you he should never call himself Dabi. 

"I don't like it." You muttered. "Who told you that?"

"No one you should worry about, Lil. You wouldn't like her, anyway." He sighed, but you found yourself gulping at the fond smile on his lips. Her? "How do you know? I should be the one deciding that." 

He shrugged. "You don't like apples, do you? She always reminds me of apples."

You wondered how someone could even remind anyone of apples.

Touya was never in love with you, you knew, he was always beside you because he had to be, and he had grown accustomed to that. It was a deal neither of you chose to make, a promise you didn't give but had to hold. It was decided for you (it was the only promise you’ll let anyone else swear for you), that you were meant for each other, and it was true he was the one for you, but you always knew deep down, you weren't the one for him. 

You wondered if he would leave you if he had the chance. 

So you asked him that. It was a routine between you two, you would always ask him, and he would answer with a grin, telling you he couldn't even if you wanted to. But this time, he wasn't smiling. 

"Don't worry yourself about things like that." He told you, but he wasn't looking at you.

~~~

It wasn't long before you figured why you despised apples so much. 

You were wondering why Touya felt a bit distant lately when you had first crossed paths with her.

"Hey, Tou!" She started running towards you, the basket in her arms full with apples you were afraid were going to fall. You noticed the slight shift in Touya's movements as he noticed the pretty girl that was coming towards him. 

She never stopped running, even when she arrived, jumping at him and making him wrap his arms around her to steady them both. "Hey, Eve." He muttered as he dropped her back on the ground. "Want an apple?" She asked with a smile on her red lips, a smile that looked like they were sharing a joke of some sorts, and it disturbed you more than you could bear, making you look away. 

"Love to." Touya answered, taking one out of the basket, but he didn't bite it. 

"Hey, you must be the infamous Lilith." She turned to you, chuckling at her words. You forced a smile despite the stinging of her words. "Hi, yes, that's me." 

"Huh, I heard you were as pretty as the night, but I thought they were exaggerating! It's obviously true." She chuckled, she had a cute smile, you realized, but there was still something that bothered you about her. The night was an odd word choice, too.

"Thank you, but it's really not true. If there's anyone as pretty, it must be you." You returned the compliment, and you weren't lying, either, since she was too pretty to be true. 

"By the way, Da- Tou?" She muttered sweetly, a blush appearing on her cheeks with her mistake and making her look so innocent despite the mischievous glint in her eyes. "I'm making apple pie with these, visit me later today, maybe?"

Touya shrugged as he started to walk away, but you could feel her smile growing as you walked away. "She seemed... nice." You told him when you were away. 

Touya shrugged. His lips tasted like apples, once again, but it was too late when you noticed he hadn't taken a bite of the apple.

It was all downhill, after that day, though. 

You had noticed an odd shift in other people's feelings towards you. You were loved and cherished by your town, you had always been, but lately, they were all growing distant towards you for some unknown reason. Touya was one of them, too, he had started looking at you with doubt in his eyes, you realized. Whenever you hugged or kissed him, there was always some hesitance, you had started to see him lesser and lesser every day, and you hadn't even talked once this past week.

"Lilith's coming," people of the town whispered before you stepped foot in any place, whispers moving faster than you were. "Be careful," they warned. "Don't look at her eyes."

It took you a while to understand what all this was about. It came in the form of a curious boy. 

"Are you really a demon, like they say?" He had asked as you were walking down the hill. He looked afraid but had a brave face on, and it was obvious his curiosity had outweighed his fear.

"A demon?" You repeated, and he shook his head. You noticed how he refused to look you in the eyes. "Where did that come from?" You asked a little hurt, too. 

He shrugged. "Ma told me to stay away, she said you were the mistress of the satan, and you were dangerous, you were bad." He finally dared to look you in the eyes. "But you're too pretty to be a demon."

You shook your head. "Demons can be pretty, too. You shouldn't decide if someone's bad or not by their appereance." Your answer caused his brows to knit together. "Are you, then?" He asked. "A demon?"

"I'm not."

"You don't eat cats?"

"No."

"Don't make people stray from their path?"

"I don't."

"Don't serve satan?"

"No."

"Don't talk to shadows?"

"W-what?" You gasped, suddenly, your heart was beating twice as fast. His eyes narrowed, widening right after that with fear. "You do! You are a demon!" He shouted, causing the people around you to look and come towards you.

"I told you to stay away from her, boy!" One of the townsfolk shouted, running to the boy and pulling him away from you. "No, I'm not-"

"Shut up, demon! Eve already told us who you are, don't you dare lie." One of them spat, the guy from the bakery, you noticed. He always liked you, always giving you an extra tart with a playful wink when you visited him. 

"Eve?" You repeated, and they all gasped.

"Don't you dare say her name, you'll curse her! Make Satan take her! She told us how jealous you were! How revengeful and how deceitful."

"Jealous? W-why would I be jealous of her?" You asked voice strained with tears. Something told you the answer was going to be something-

"Because Touya chose her over you."

"What? No-" You couldn't even finish your sentence before you felt a sharp sting in your cheek, your head forced to the side. When you looked back at the man in front of you, you saw how his eyes burned with a fire that could only be from hell. 

Calling you the demon, but they were the demons, weren't they?

Look how they're treating you, Lilith. I can make them all burn, make music out of their screams, just for you. All you have to do is choose me over that foolish boy.

He whispered in your ear, the soft touch of the shadow on your arm, the wink of a black snake that hung from the tree. 

"S-stay away from me." You whispered, feeling the fire growing and growing, and you were so afraid.

"Stay away from me before I curse you all to hell!" You screamed in despair, knowing you could only be free if they were afraid of you now. "Before I take all your newborns, before I eat them, stay away!" You screamed, tears streaming down your face, knowing you just guaranteed your death. 

Touya visited you that night.

"You broke your promise." Was the first thing you told him since weeks.

"I don't regret it." He answered, and it somehow hurt more than the fact that he had broken his promise. You looked at him, noticing the exhausted look on his face despite the big smile on his lips, blood covering his body, and the smell of alcohol reeking from him. 

He noticed your gaze."Nothing to worry about." He sighed. "It isn't my blood... most of it, at least."

"This is bad, what even happened?" You asked, tears already lacing your voice at seeing him like this. "No, actually, don't talk, just wait till I bring some bandages." You told him, running back to your room and back to him.

"Hey, don't fall asleep." You spoke when you were back, saw him leaning on the wall, his brows knitted together, crimson locks glowing under the night. 

"Just let me be." He muttered, but he knew you wouldn't.

You cleaned his wounds in silence, he was watching you the whole time. 

"Are you done?" Touya's harsh voice woke you up from your daze, making you realize you had been staring and crying. You clenched your jaw. "I am."

You stood up to leave, but the soft-spoken way your name fell from his lips stooped you. "(Y/N)? Are you leaving?"

You didn't answer him, feeling your heart clenching. "Your shadows won't leave me alone, you know. They've been haunting me every night."

"Why did you do it?" You whispered, broken at remembering he had told your deepest secret to the town, he had caused all this happening to you. 

But instead of a response he just shrugged with a smile. "Eve will help me take revenge from Father."

Your blood froze in your veins.

"We're going to do it tonight." He added, the feeling of somewhat pride filling him when he saw you were afraid.

He was going to steal an angel.

Father gave Touya almost everything he ever wished for, but it was forbidden for him to even see an angel, just as it was for anyone else. Touya grew an odd obsession for them though, he tried to sneak in and take one all his life, but you always stopped him before he had succeeded. And he listened to you, whatever happened, Touya trusted you, after all, but not anymore. 

"Touya, don't- don't do it." You gasped, a feeling in you telling you this was not going to end well. "You can't stop me, I've waited all my life to do this, but you never wanted to, did you? Now there's someone else who is willing to help."

"Touya, please, listen to me-"

"No, you listen to me! You know this is everything I ever wanted, to see Father in agony, and I finally have a chance, and you say no? You know, I never believed it, but Eve was right about you." He chuckled darkly, shaking his head side to side in what seemed like disappointment. 

"What do you mean?" You whispered.

"You're not as good as you show yourself to be, are you?" He chuckled, but it was evident he wasn't amused. His eyes looked at something behind you, smiling wickedly. "Well, that's my cue to leave. I have a life to take, you see."

Life to take? He was going to... kill the angel?!

"No, no- please Touya, please don't do this!"

Your pleas fell on deaf ears as he started walking down the hill to the girl that hid in the dark.

You followed them, you had to, so you could jump in and save him if you could. Whatever he said and did, you could never leave him alone. You were uneasy because of the silence, though. Why were his shadows not following you that night? Why wasn't he there, telling and whispering you to stop and come to him instead? Why was he silent, secretly chuckling from behind you? 

You figured why, soon enough. You hadn't even arrived, Touya was always so fast, but you heard the voices before you were there.

"It was Lilith!" You heard someone scream, a familiar voice now strained with terror. "She was the one who convinced him to steal, father!"

Gasps filled the void that sentence had left. 

"Lilith?" The voice boomed, a deep, scary voice, always so powerful. "Yes! She was the one who gave him the idea and convinced him! I tried to stop them but-"

"Even if it was Lilith who convinced you, you shouldn't have taken advice from a girl like her." Father spoke. "You know the punishment for touching an angel?" He turned to Touya, ignoring the weeping girl. 

"I do." Touya answered, and even though he hid it well, you could see how afraid he was. "It wasn't him!" Eve cried out. "It was Lilith who convinced him, Father, spare him!" 

"Silence!" Father told the girl, and she was running the opposite way almost immediately.

"It was Lilith." People whispered. "She doomed us all, she doomed us all!" People cried, one of them spotted you in the place you were hiding, screaming your name, pulling and pushing you towards the scared people who started to pull your hair, your clothes, some clawing your face as they pushed you towards the man you loved and his father. But it wasn't you who doomed them all, was it? Why couldn't people see it was Touya who did this, but not you?

So what if you weren't born from the earth, but fire as they were? So what if shadows were a little darker when you were around? What if the night was a bit creepier when you were there? Why did that make them hate you so?

"(Y/N)?" Touya whispered, and for the first time in your life, you saw worry towards you in his eyes. "What did you do?" You asked, a sob freeing itself from your lips. 

"Tell me, Lilith, was it you who convinced my son to attempt the forbidden?" Father asked, but you had a feeling he knew the truth, so you didn't answer. 

And then came the screams. 

That awful smell.

The fire felt almost cold. 

It was the blue flames of hell, you realized, it was the same color of his eyes. 

The eyes that were looking at you with despair, fear, and terror, with pain but you couldn't help, could you? He was the one who broke his promise, after all. He was the one who refused your help in the first place. But you tried, despite knowing there was no way you could help him in any way, you still leaned towards him, reaching out to him, despite the pain, despite the way his fire burned you to, you wanted to hold him so he could never let you go.

But he pulled you, instead. 

His touch hotter than the fire burning you, Touya's hand grasped yours, a hold that caused you to cry out in pain, cry out in fear and betrayal when you realized he was pulling you to burn with him, and it hurt, even more, to see him smiling.

Touya was always selfish, after all. You loved him even though he was selfish. Or maybe because he was selfish? You weren't sure, but it felt good to be between his arms, even with the fire swallowing you both up, you still found comfort between the arms that had pulled you in.

He was still Father's son, he was never afraid of burning, father would never kill him. But he would kill you. Touya's Father, as he had previously told you, had never liked you, he wanted you dead. So he was chuckling as you sobbed between your lover's arms, knowing you were going to die there, knowing the shadows were going to swallow you up and take you back to the devil.

You sobbed as Touya smiled, as his Father laughed, as the devil chuckled and the crowd cheered. 

Why were there so many people who wanted you dead? You would never understand. 

[pomegranates-and-blood]

νοσταλγία (Chapter 21)

νοσταλγία Masterlist

Pairing: Ivar/Reader

Summary: This is a retelling/romantization of the Greek myth of Persephone’s abduction with Ivar as Hades and you as Persephone. The Reader character is a Byzantine woman, follower of the Greek Pantheon/Religion, and a devoted follower of Persephone. This takes place after 5A, but the universe of this is a little changed in relation with the series, of course. Thank you for giving it a chance, hope you enjoy!

Word Count: 3.8k

Warnings: The usual

A/N: Kay, so, idk. I hope you like this, and I would love to hear your thoughts on this! Thank you for reading, I love you all! <3

Taglist: @youbloodymadgenius @heavenly1927 @toe-vind-ek-jou @xbellaxcarolinax @pieces-by-me @angelofthorr @samsationalwilson @peachyboneless 

@1950schick​ (Idk if you wanna be tagged in this story, you said everything Vikings but idk if this counts. Lemme know if I shouldn’t add you to this list, thank you! <3)

You lay on the bed alone, covered in warm furs and unable to get your eyes off the chains that dangle over your head.

Why on earth are there chains hanging over the bed?

You shake those thoughts off, and turn on your side and, burrowed under the furs and trying to find warmth, you close your eyes and let yourself relax into sleep.

Gods, this land is cold. That is your first thought as you wake after what seems like a blink of your eyes but the now quiet main hall merely a couple of walls away says were at least a couple of hours.

Before letting your thoughts wander into the horrifying realization that it isn’t even winter yet and you feel like setting yourself on fire again might as well be an alternative to consider, you cautiously turn around and face the other side of the bed.

Empty.

With a frown, you sit up -and immediately regret it as the furs slip from your shoulders-, looking around the room.

“Ivar?” Once your eyes adjust to the dimmed fires around the room, you find him sitting in that same chair that he was in when you retired for bed. “Ivar, why didn’t you come to bed?”

In an almost immediate reaction to your words, Ivar shakes his head and frowns, what is sure to be a mix of disgust and anger written in his features.

“Don’t-…” He stops himself, not looking at you and choosing to refill his cup with mead as he asks instead, “What you said before. That you would have said yes.”

“What of it?”

He turns to look at you, to meet your eyes, for the first time since you woke up. You cannot make out much of him in the dim light, but through his voice alone you’d know he is serious, uncertain.

“What did you mean?”

Swallowing past a dry throat, you offer the truth,

“If you had asked me to come with you when you were to leave Aneridge, I would have said yes. I would have asked for you to guarantee the Greeks’ safety, but…I would have said yes,” You take a deep breath, and rush to continue even if he is only passively looking at you, not intending to interrupt or speak it seems, “When you brought me here at first, before anyone knew you planned on making me your wife, if you had let me be free and asked me to stay in Kattegat…I would have said yes. Even after everything, if you had asked me to be your wife, I-…

Your words die in a choked intake of breath, and you shake your head.

“I suppose it doesn’t matter anymore. You didn’t ask. You didn’t give me a choice.”

It doesn’t matter what the Völva said, because even if you now know that making a choice is, like she said, easy, and what is hard is facing what that choice we made says about us; none of it makes any difference now.

Because you didn’t make any choices, you didn’t choose anything. He didn’t let you.

Ivar breathes deeply, and you are startled to see his gaze fall from yours, his eyes that lower and focus on some far away spot on the ground before him.

But before long his nose curls in anger, his hand raises and he lifts a finger to you.

“This isn’t my fault, it’s yours.”

“I’m sorry?”

“I wanted you with me, and that Christian gave you up, I had every right to bring you here as a slave,” His hand drops to the armrest of the chair again, where he curls it into a fist. “But you-…you arrogant, insufferable woman, you hated me, you looked at me like-…”

“Did you think I’d thank you, Ivar?”

“I didn’t think you’d hate me,” He offers honestly, and the breath leaving your lungs in a stutter breath is all the answer you can give to the unevenness in his voice, to the vulnerability that shines in his eyes. “If I made you a free woman, I knew you’d run away.

For once you actually have no words, no idea on what to say. A part of you is still stubbornly and pridefully clinging to the outrageous idea that all of this is somehow your fault.

“But if I didn’t free you, you’d…what was it you said? You could never look at my with anything other than hate as long as I had you prisoner?” He turns his head to the side as his face twitches in anger. You don’t fail to notice even in his accented and foreign voice he still speaks differently, and a glance at the horn of mead still in his hand gives you an answer. You would have thought he’d be more explosive, not as…sulking. He returns his eyes to you, and insists, “It is your fault. If you hadn’t been so insufferable, I wouldn’t have had to make you my wife.”

“You chose that.” You remind him quietly.

“No, you made me!” He snaps, standing up with more difficulty than usual. He takes measured but wobbly steps towards you, but you hold your ground and meet his furious gaze. “I wanted you, but you weren’t you if I had you chained; and you would have left if I let you be free.”

“So you made me your wife.”

“You didn’t leave me any choice!” He snarls, and sits -falls- on the bed. He discards the crutch on the floor and with his free hand he reaches up and grabs at the back of your neck, but it is with surprising gentleness that he does. You could swear his eyes travel down to your lips as he whispers your name, making a thrill go down your spine. With the same hoarseness in his voice, he continues, “You forget you’ve chained me as much as you say I’ve chained you.”

Your eyes search his, and all you can offer him is a whisper, “What are we to do now, then?”

It seems he considers your question, but either doesn’t find an answer or isn’t willing to share it with you, for he lets go of you and with a grunt lets himself collapse on the bed on his back.

You carefully return to your previous position lying down on your side, and let time go by with you eyes slowly growing more and more heavy as the fire crackling and Ivar’s breathing lull you to safety.

Before you let yourself sleep, you whisper his name. A hum is his only answer, but at least you know he is still awake.

“I thought…you said you believed the Gods would reward you. That they fated me to be your wife.”

He shakes his head, but doesn’t look at you.

“The Gods are not cruel. They wouldn’t reward me with a wife that can’t love me.”

Because you are nothing if not foolish and mad and hopeful, you whisper,

“You don’t believe I could love you?”

Ivar only huffs a bitter chuckle, and the defeat in the way he shrugs makes dread churn at your stomach.

“Who could?”

He settles against the pillow and closes his eyes once again, still on the armor-looking clothes from today, still with the braces -that you know by now are painful, not only looking the part- still on his legs.

But he seems to be willing to sleep that way, and you are not willing to risk your head being cut off for trying to get those contraptions off when he has snapped in anger for you merely looking at them.

So, you turn to lay back on your stomach, hugging the pillow underneath you, and you ask in a whisper,

“What is your Gods’ reward, then?”

He doesn’t open his eyes, and you can understand his answer because your foolish eyes are intent on his lips, and can read the words that leave them so quietly you can barely hear them,

“It’s still you.”

____

You wake when stray rays of sunlight start peeking into the room, and though you frown at whatever it is that woke you up, you soon realize it is the sound of metal hitting the ground, dull little thuds as Ivar takes off the braces in his legs.

He moves back the furs on the side he was occupying when you last fell asleep, and you groan at the frigid air that enters the warm cocoon you had for yourself under the covers.

You only groan, and hold on tight to the furs over your shoulders, sending him a glare when he turns to look at you in question as to why he can’t freely move the covers.

“I. Am. Cold.” You bite out, and even though you see the tiredness in his expression, more than one kind of exhaustion making not only his face but his whole body be coiled with a strange tension; Ivar smiles.

Faintly, almost against his own will, in a manner someone that didn’t know him would say is soft, gentle.

You offer a small smile in return, because your own lips betray you.

You notice he’s chewing on something as he settles on the bed, and with a strange warmth taking a hold of you it is that you realize is the piece of willow bark you left on his chest when -stubbornly, infuriatingly- he chose to sulk over the covers and with those painful contraptions still on his legs instead of going to sleep normally.

A foolish, stupid, part of you wants to know what he thinks, what his thoughts were when he woke up and found the same remedy for the pain you offered him once in Aneridge, when you were just a Priestess, and he was just this strange and fascinating Viking you would have followed to the end of the world, if only the two of you could find a way to remain just a Priestess and just a Viking.

But you don’t listen to that part of you, you don’t voice any questions. You just hum an agreement when Ivar murmurs that it is late -early- and you should continue sleeping.

When you wake up next, he is awake but still on his back, looking up at the ceiling. You turn and do the same, only to be faced once again with the chains that hang over his side of the bed.

You have half a mind to ask him what they are for, but the faint sounds of Kattegat waking up, of the world demanding you return your feet to the ground, make you realize what happened last night, yesterday as a whole.

You are married. You are now Queen of Kattegat.

A part of you mourns for a wedding that couldn’t be anymore, a wedding of happiness and free will and love; mourns for the life that could have been, mourns for the childish part of you that always thought marrying the one you want means the fight is over.

“We reached what was supposed to be the end, didn’t we?” You ask, hands folded over your stomach and looking up at the ceiling. He hums an affirmation, and you sigh, “Doesn’t feel like it, does it?”

“We can’t exactly start over, wife.”

You shake your head, and with the same amount of planning that took running towards that stream and jumping over it, with the same impulsivity and foolishness; you sit up and, folding your legs underneath you, you turn to him.

“I want to offer an arrangement.”

Ivar only considers you in silence before closing his eyes with a sigh, “You think you have the answers to everything, don’t you?”

You ignore his taunt, choosing instead to go ahead with your explanation.

“I made a promise. Not only to you, I made a promise before that,” He knows you mean your promise to have Stithulf die before you allow yourself to rest, you see it shining in his pale eyes. He says nothing, gives away nothing, yet you still continue, “That promise isn’t fulfilled. While he still lives, I have reasons to stay here.”

Ivar considers you in silence, a barely-there narrowing of his eyes the only tell before he asks,

“And when we kill him?”

Even when Stithulf is defeated, you know you’ll still have reasons to wish to stay. You know, but you cannot say it. You know the choices you would have made, but those choices don’t matter -and they don’t say anything about you, you tell yourself- for you didn’t make them.

What matters is the choice you would make once you are able to. Once Stithulf paid with his blood for the Greek blood he spilled, once your promises are fulfilled, you will, like Prince Ubbe said, have to make a choice.

You don’t know what the choice will be, because you don’t know who you’ll be once the Christian is dead at your feet, you don’t know how long it will be, how foolish and soft you’ll have allowed yourself to become, or how relentless on your pursuit of Attica you’ll be. Bu you need to know you’ll be able to make that choice.

That way, you’ll allow yourself to feel free here and now, you’ll allow yourself to be -if only for the time while the Saxon is hunted down and killed- as you were in Aneridge. Like you allowed yourself to pretend there was not a world past the door of that hut, you’ll allow yourself to pretend there’s not one past the walls of Kattegat.

They say power is not the same thing to everyone, and you find yourself agreeing. You feel powerful when you are free, when you can choose, when you have no binds. And you know, because you’ve come to know him in these past months, that Ivar feels powerful when he is control, in control over the kingdom and its wars, over himself, over what people say and think of him, control over you.

So you look into his eyes and continue, “I want you to make a promise. To honor the promise that you made in Dublin. Let me be free to choose. When Stithulf is defeated, when I have no promises to keep, let me choose.”

“Choose to leave me.”

“Choose to stay with you,” You retort as easily as he bitterly pointed out the other alternative. With your eyes searching his, you insist, “You don’t want a prisoner out of me, but I can’t be a wife if I can’t have it be my choice.”

And that is the question, is it not? Whether he is willing to rescind power to you in allowing you this freedom, the same way you rescind power to him in allowing him this control over you.

Whether whatever desire he has for you can surpass his desire for power.

Your mother’s words echo in your head, a painful reminder and the advice that makes a knot of dread clog your throat and a pit of grief -for the could be’s, the could have been’s, the hopes that can be crushed with but a word from Ivar’s lips- to form on your heart; “Never trust a man to choose you over anything, much less a man in power to choose you over the illusion of holding onto said power.”

Ivar’s jaw clenches, his eyes leave yours as his lips curve into a snarl.

“I don’t have a choice, you know that,” He sentences, and your lips part to let a shaky breath leave your lungs as you wait for him to continue. Looking back into your eyes, searching in the for something you don’t know if he can find, Ivar looks…uncertain, as if he stands as conflicted, as overwhelmed, as scared, as you. Finally, with but a twitch of anger in the angular face you’ve come to know so well, he states, “I agree.”

Your eyes fall closed as you breathe out a sigh, as your shoulders drop and a strange peace sets over you.

Sincerely, you offer, “Thank you.”

“One more thing,” Ivar calls out as you move to get out of bed, and you stop, bare feet on freezing ground. His eyes narrow slightly, his head tilts to the side, as if he is awaiting the chance to call you out on a lie as soon as the words leave his lips, “If Stithulf were to die today, what would you choose?”

You open your mouth, but close it again when no sound leaves your lips. Swallowing hard, you attempt,

“It is of no use to disc-…”

“I asked you a question. Answer me.” He demands, expression hardened as he raises his chin and squares his shoulders.

You meet his demanding gaze with your own, taking a deep breath.

“I would leave.”

He accepts your words with a hard nod, a moment where his eyes seem to want to lower from yours that tells you maybe, deep down, he expected a different answer.

But you know he tries to not give anything away, even if the underlying rage that simmers under the surface as he speaks next does,

“Tonight we’ll discuss what the scouts found on Stithulf’s movements. It is in your best interest to be there.”

The King dismisses you with a gesture of his hand, and you bow your head and take your leave.

____

So, that night you do as you were told and follow familiar paths to the room where his brothers await. You curl yourself into a ball in one of the softer chairs and watch the Vikings debate. Night is close to being over and the brothers still argue of battle. A thought of the rams in your homeland bashing their heads together for hours on end is brought forth in your mind, and you have to stifle a laugh behind the goblet you take a drink from.

“The warriors are tired and we lost too many, Ivar. Going after them now is a stalemate at best. Both your people and mine will resist.” Prince Ubbe insists, eyes firm and yet beseeching as they search his brother’s.

But the Viking King doesn’t give an inch, arguing with the tone of a man that refuses to even offer the possibility of losing a semblance of anything he deems his. In this case, power, his city, his army, whatever it is that seems to drive such a hard division between the two brothers.

“I don’t care if they resist, I am King, they are to follow my commands!”

Hvitserk stands up, standing next to Ubbe and narrowing his eyes, “You talk like a tyrant, brother.”

You watch from your seat as the King’s shoulders rise swiftly with a quick intake of breath born of anger, of fury.

“As King,” The Viking starts, and now it is, without a doubt, a jab at his brothers to recognize his authority, even if his next words carry responsibility, truth, “It is my duty to keep our people safe. They will not be safe while we have a nearby city willing to support the Saxon army that threatens our borders!”

You have a feeling the more they argue with him, the more stubborn he will remain on his stance.

Before he can speak, though, you try your best to avoid unnecessary death.

“If I may.” You try, keeping your eyes on King Ivar. He motions with his hand, impatient.

“Speak, wife. That’s what I want you here for.”

“Right now the Saxons are more than vulnerable.” You quip. Your stomach turns into knots when so many pairs of eyes settle on you.

“Exactly.” The King grits out, but you shake your head.

“I am not agreeing with you,” You are quick to retort, feigning courage when you walk up to the table, “What I told you, it proved to be right when you reached Dublin, did it not? Stithulf doesn’t care about the numbers in your army, he cares about revenge on you and your brothers. He will not move if he’s being scouted, because he does not care about hurting your army, he cares about returning with enough strength to get close to the sons of Ragnar and avenge his King.”

“If we can lure him into moving, we intercept them when there’s little chance an ambush awaits us.” Hvitserk agrees, his eyes on yours for a second longer than normal, you think relaying a silent message you cannot understand.

But Ivar doesn’t acknowledge his brother, keeping pale eyes on you. You offer him a small smile, even as his lips press into a thin line in annoyance.

“You wanted me here, Viking.”

Ivar shakes his head, “I’m not regretting it,” He promises, before turning to his brother and stating, “We dim their numbers while they are on the move, and we can buy ourselves time to take that fucking town before they can set foot on it. I will find a way to smoke him out of hiding.”

Conversation regarding Prince Ubbe’s desire to send settlers somewhere further North soon starts, and the revenge, both yours and Ivar’s it seems, for very different reasons, against Stithulf and his men is forgotten for a while.

After a while, you lay a hand on Ivar’s shoulder to call for his attention, and whisper that you’ll be retiring for bed. He considers you in silence for a moment or two, his pale eyes searching yours, before he nods and returns tired eyes to the men before him.

You say your goodbyes to the people in the table to then stand up from your seat and motion for Whitehair that you are retiring to your quarters.

As you walk away, a figure by the doorway stops you with a murmur of your name, and you turn to find Prince Hvitserk offering you a smile. He dismisses the white-haired man with firm words, and although the older man hesitates, he returns inside and lets the Prince escort you to your rooms instead.

The Prince offers you his arm with a flourish that makes you laugh, and you take it, walking slowly in the late night.

“So, turns out you are no guileless prisoner, witch.” Hvitserk says with a chuckle, and you answer with a shrug.

You clean the blood off your hands and arms on the ceramic pot offered by one of the slaves, and tell him quietly that he is dismissed to go rest. After all, they have spent as many countless hours as you and the other healers trying to keep as many men alive as possible.

“How are you feeling, little one?” Sieghild asks as she motions for the place by the entrance of the tent where you agree to take a seat.

“Tired,” You mutter, rolling your neck to relieve the tension and feeling your skin tacky where a soldier grabbed onto the back of your neck with a bloodied hand as he sought relief from the pain. With a grimace, you add, “Sticky.”

The Varangian chuckles, and passes you a wet rag to clean yourself further. You do so, feeling her always-probing green eyes on you.

“Why did they lose?”

“What?”

“You heard me. Why did the Abbasids lose today?” She grabs a small stick from a pile by the fire, and tosses it to you. The gesture is so familiar and so much of a routine by now that you only laugh and start mapping out the battlefield on the sand.

“I was taught well.” You offer in response. He answers with an affirmative hum.

It is only after a while of silence that you hear him speak again, “I told you Ivar listened to you.”

“What I know is useful,” You answer simply, “I know how Stithulf acts. He is also allied with Arabs, whose ways of war I know. Your brother is not blind enough to ignore my advice.”

A chuckle answers to your words, but you don’t think Hvitserk means it as an offense, so you say nothing as you approach your door. When you reach it, you let go of his arm and murmur your goodnight to the Prince. He leans closer, towering over you as he says lowly, just for you to hear,

“Ivar is very blind when it comes to you, just not in this matter.” Hvitserk promises, granting you a smile of goodbye as he leaves you at your door.

____

So, Ivar refuses to take responsibility for the shit he did, I hope that doesn’t surprise you lol. Between you and me, I headcanon (tho this is my story, so it is basically canon) that a part of him, however irrational or small, believed to some degree what the reader talks about here: that once you marry the one you wanted/loved, the story was done, the war was won. That didn’t work out how he expected it to tho, did it?

Anyhow, thank you so much for reading, I truly appreciate all of you, you have no idea how important you are to keeping me inspired and writing and motivated. Thank you. <3

[darkpoisonouslove]

Sparks of Life Opera Edition

I am still not over Singing a New Tune so I am going to recap for you the experience of writing that fic because there were many interesting moments over the course of those three days. Lemme start from the beginning.

- So I’m writing a fic that mostly focuses on sexual stuff but it is also mainly happening in an opera so my first order of business is to figure out what that opera is. Both the building itself and the show they’ll be watching. Because that is of utmost importance.

- I have already mentioned that SoL is located in New York so I looked up New York operas. I do not vibe with research most of the time but I vibe even less with having to come up with names for any kind of thing so research was definitely the choice here.

- I somehow get results about operas that are in the other end of the USA. That was not great. I get to the Metropolitan Opera House at last (which I might have known existed if I cared about opera in any way, shape or form) which is great! I am so close to starting the fic! Just need to figure out what opera they’re watching. Because I need that for reasons.

- I end up downloading a PDF with the seatings inside the Met Opera so that I can figure out where the hell they will be seating. But I leave that for later. I look through the actual plays that they’re having while absolutely failing with the navigation of their site. I find a show that catches my eye. It’s called The Magic Flute. I have zero idea what it’s about so I read the Wikipedia summary just to be aware. It mentions that a character has a moment when he’s singing about his search for a wife and I think “Perfect! Foreshadowing!” (since this is set pretty early on in Griffin and Valtor’s relationship).

- I decide to look up the opera and see if I can find a part of it on youtube to figure out how it will sound. I am pretty sold on it already because of the summary I read and also because it implies there is magic as a subject in it which would call back to canon. Still, I look it up. I find a full version of it on the internet with English subtitles... It is 2 hours and 35 minutes:

- “Wow, okay... that’s a bit much. But hey, it has got subtitles in English. Maybe I’d actually watch that... once I’m done with the fic. I’m just gonna listen to a little bit while I finish my research, though, so I can have an idea of what it sounds like.”

- Now it’s time to open the engagement fic - Enough to Be Yours - because I don’t remember what year they got engaged in and I need that to reverse engineer the year in which this fic is taking place so that I can make sure that The Magic Flute was being performed back then. I don’t have an year stated in the engagement fic, though. I have a date - 9th October which is Friday and that means the year is 2015. Great! So I need to figure out if they were performing The Magic Flute back in 2010. Great.

- That takes a shit ton of time and nerves as it turns out. I spent over 4 hours just researching the logistics for this fic and a lot of that was unnecessary but I’m getting ahead of myself.

- I cannot find out whether they were performing the Magic Flute in 2010. I get results of it being broadcast in English (for the first time, I believe) in 2012 but that is way too late for this fic to be happening. Also, they are speaking of a broadcast which just doesn’t work for me. So I am having a hard time over here.

- I find a list of the new titles in 2011 but nothing mentions The Magic Flute as far as I can see.

- I am now considering switching to another opera. I see an opera that is based on events from The Song of the Nibelungs (I cannot be assed to go back and check what the actual title was). That catches my eye because I have read a book that was titled The Ring of the Nibelungs, I believe, and I kinda remember stuff from it... which is what makes me hesitate because that was a big tragedy.

- Meanwhile, I have stumbled upon a trailer for The Magic Flute:

MY GOD IS THAT BEAUTIFUL! THOSE PROPS ARE FUCKING GORGEOUS! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN THAT YOU GET TO GO AND SEE THAT LIVE? THAT IS NUTS! (Also, when I mentioned paper birds (I think they are) in the fic, I meant the ones shown in 0:13, not the big one in the beginning but HOLY SHIT, DID YOU SEE THAT THING????? HOW IS THAT REAL?!?!?!?! IT IS SO FUCKING AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I CAN’T. I AM DYING. THIS IS JUST TOO BEAUTIFUL.)

- I somehow happen upon an old archive of the opera (idk how I did that but I bookmarked it in case I’ll need it again) that has information about plays going back as far as the year 1900. This is nuts! I am in too deep but I can’t pull myself away. I’ve gotten this far, I will see it through.

- I search for keyword “flute” and I get results. Some of them are pretty old but I finally find what I need. Performances of the Magic Flute in 2010! Bingo!

-  ...Oh, wait, they’re all around Christmas and New Year’s Eve. Hmm... when will it be okay for them to go? I mean, Valtor has been established to have zero free time around that time of the year and I can’t see them going on the 24th or the 31st... Oh, those are matinees. Definitely no! I need them to go in the evening. And some of these are broadcasts which doesn’t work for me either.

- I looked up earlier years as well. I considered another opera again. I decided to switch up the timeline a little. It makes sense if it’s in 2009. I think they had spring performances of The Magic Flute then. Or was it 2008? Anyway, I finally settle on an early April date in 2009 (I think). Now that that’s settled, let’s go back to the seats.

- First I need to figure out what floor (let’s say) of the opera they’re on. I was thinking of the last one first (family circle) but the boxes (I figure those seats will be safest for their activities) look like this:

which isn’t vibing with me because they would be in the front row and it seems more visible. So I relocate to the previous floor (balcony) that looks like this:

That works a little better although there’s the danger of having more people in their box. But they’re sitting in box 14, seats 5 (Griffin) and 6 (Valtor) (where the arrow is pointing) and there’s only one man in seat 4 in front of them. So that is the best I can do.

- Wow, all that’s finally figured out. I decide to do all the rest of the research up front in order to be able to just write after that and not stop for another 4 hours. More on those other things later BUT I get to the part where I need to pick a vibrator and... well, I done fucked up.

- First thing that comes up for a remote controlled vibrator is Lush, of course. And I am immediately sold because it has a sound activated setting which Valtor will definitely love to utilize while in the opera.

BUT

Lush 2 (which is the first one to have the sound activated setting, I believe) came out in 2018. Even if we accept that Lush also has it, that came out in 2015. My fic is set in 2009. Searching for 2009 vibrators literally went no where so in the end I decided that the SoL verse is actually set in a parallel universe where time is a little warped so the Lush 2 is out in 2009. Plus, that way there isn’t going to be a pandemic in future installments. Overall, that works. Except that I needn’t have been so thorough with my opera research beforehand. Oh, well. It’s finally time to start writing.

- How do you write? How do you start a fic? One word in front of the other? Oh, okay, never mind. Lipstick is a girl’s best friend. Let’s start from there. And a kiss that leads to the discussion of lipstick... Damn, I forgot to spend one more hour on researching what kind of lipstick Griffin would have worn. Shame! You don’t get that detail now. I believe I didn’t even mention a shade.

- Oh, wait. Need for his breath to taste like something. Hmm, let’s see. Tonic water? Yeah, that sounds about right. Never mind that he should have probably drunk it right before getting out of the car to kiss her if it was still lingering on his breath. I mean, that’s not impossible. Just improbable.

- He’s also wearing cologne, right? Gotta research that too. How else would I get this:

and zero idea what it actually smells like despite the description. Also, did not check if that was a thing in 2009 but the story now exists in a vacuum so who cares.

- Apparently, Griffin doesn’t own any golden bracelets even though she does have a golden necklace? Or she could have a golden bracelet, just not one she likes for the current situation? Anyway, I wanted to mention Ediltrude as well because the twins always go together and that was the best I came up with. (That said, I didn’t need to put the mentions of them one sentence apart.)

- My god, I used a semicolon! That feels illegal. I sure hope I used that bitch correctly.

- Okay, I absolutely love all the banter and just flow in the car. Idk how I did that since it’s such a constricted space but I am really proud of it. However, the logistics were sometimes hard to logic my way through. I mean, Valtor doesn’t get to look at her a lot and I had to employ a red traffic light to give him the chance to do so.

- I hit a wall about three paragraphs later. Things started going in a weird direction. I was considering even deleting the last two lines but then I managed to get back on track thanks to having figured out how they met and I decided to write a little bit about that without spoiling it (that will be a fic of its own some day). Suffice it to say it was a meet-very-ugly. But it bailed me out. Also, they got over it so it’s all good.

- And now... that paragraph. You know which one I’m talking about. It stands out with the locations I’ve given. That paragraph required 30 minutes of looking at Google Earth to figure it out and I still nearly got it wrong. At that point it occurred to me that they’ll need a place to park. I mean, idk how parking is in NYC but it’s probably not the way it is in Bulgaria especially on small neighborhood streets where it’s just... park wherever (even in front of a garage if you’re brazen enough and don’t fear having your tires slashed). So first, I was going to have them coming down Tenth Avenue and passing by the backside of the Opera which is not ideal for me because I needed Griffin to figure out they’re going to the opera so that they can have the following dialogue. But there is the New York Public Library of the Performing Arts right next door so I figure Griffin will recognize the area if it’s next to a library. And I have them almost at the garage but... that’s not looking right. This garage is on 65th Street and mine is on 62nd... I have been looking at the wrong garage for the past hour. Now that I have caught that mistake, things get easier. They just drive right past the facade of the opera, take a right turn and then enter the garage. Easy peasy. For whoever’s actually paying attention to the map.

- They’re in the garage now and I have to write another kiss. Shoot! I do not vibe with writing kisses. Writing sex scenes is much easier. But I’ll try my best because this is a little bit necessary if we’re dealing with an insertion of a vibrator in a public bathroom one minute from now. (Again, logistics!) I actually went back to add in a little discomfort during the kiss (but not too much because they’re consumed with each other anyway and probably missed something) just to make it more realistic. They can’t be comfortable in the car. Also, you have got to love how I never even thought of what make the car is. But I did stop to research the tinting of the car windows.

- Now this is extremely funny but I would have had zero idea that there are different laws about how tinted your car windows can be in the USA if I hadn’t read a very extensive critique of Fifty Shades (whichever part it was that had that info). So I look up the VLT for New York and it says 70%. Great! Then it won’t be that visible through the windows what they’re doing inside. Oh, wait! VLT means Visible Light Transmission aka 70% of the light should be passing through the window. Aka it is only tinted on 30%. This much:

That’s practically nothing. You can see everything through it. Welp, then someone’s gonna see, I guess.

- Can’t believe I didn’t stop to look up clutches either. (Lmao, I was calling it a purse instead of a clutch at first even though I definitely meant a clutch. And then I remembered that clutch existed as a word. Who would’ve thought?) It’s baffling trying to figure out why my brain was prioritizing some details over others and I just genuinely have no idea what was going on.

- Griffin is blushing a lot in this. Can you tell I have no idea how else to convey Valtor giving her feelings through body language?

- I first envisioned the box being opened by the hair pin by turning it like a key. Only later did I realize that that wouldn’t be possible because the pin has two parts (whatever they’re called) and that would make turning it impossible unless all of the base fits into one hole in the lid of the box. So I had to adapt my vision to using the extensions at the ends of the hair pin like a hook that pulls the lid up once it’s clicked free. I have zero idea how that would be done but I’m sure it can be done. So yeah, anyway, the pin looks like this but with attachments at the ends to open the box:

- I might have gone a little overboard with Griffin’s reaction to having the vibrator inside her. I might have made her a bit too embarrassed but I still think that she simply wouldn’t appreciate someone knowing about what she considers a private experience (despite the very public setting).

- And I am being overly specific again with the seats but I worked for that information so you’re getting it against your will!

- Speaking of, that man in their box was pretty ignored throughout the fic. But then again Griffin wasn’t overflowing with lucidity. She is sure to have missed... A Lot, actually.

- My apologies (once again) to @her-majesty-wears-jeans​ for not letting Griffin punch Valtor in the face for the terrible pun he was about to make but I thought that that would ruin the mood so I had to skip it.

- I might have imagined things a little differently but then consent factored in and I had to change things up so that Griffin is clearly on board with everything. I hope it came through that way at least. She is on board even if she is very, very frustrated. She would never throw the bet just because it’s difficult for her. Though, I’m taking note for future fics of maybe being a little bit more explicit about the enjoyment of all parties involved. I just couldn’t really think of a way to convey it better back then and I am coming up with several ideas now and I will try to keep them in mind for future fics.

- I keep going back and forth on just how far into their relationship this is. Sometimes it feels like it’s not enough time for them to get this familiar with each other and sometimes it feels like too much for them to still be skirting their feelings for each other like that. Will update when I make up my mind about how long exactly it has been.

- In retrospect, probably should have picked up an opera that people would be less likely to bring their children to (as brought to my attention by @her-majesty-wears-jeans​). I apologize for this. Did not consider it at all.

- A wild tangent about Griffin’s sexual experiences before Valtor popped up (for the second time now). This is giving me thoughts and I am not even sure if I’ll manage to get them all out in the bachelorette party fic. Oh, no, I am getting ideas again.

- God, I had to mention those paper birds because I adore them. Also, needed to do a time skip somehow (sure hope they don’t show up at the very end or the very beginning).

- So there are some things about the whole thing with the suit jacket that if you squint, you’ll miss the very far-fetched and convoluted ways in which I could make them make sense but again, it isn’t impossible to make them operate according to logic so good enough.

- And now for the dress:

I thought it would be reasonable for Griffin to own something like that. It doesn’t look overly expensive or dramatic.

- I swear that most of the 2% angst was an accident. Griffin was supposed to say the “You paid how much for tickets exactly just so you could fool around?” line but the following few paragraphs sprang on me out of nowhere. That was where I left it off the first day I was working on it and I wasn’t sure how to continue it. Then the angst happened.

- I do not believe the retaliation part was planned but would it really be a Griffin x Valtor story if something like that hadn’t happened? XD

- “reverberated”, “multitudinous” and “unobtainable” are probably not words that Griffin’s muddled mind would go to in that precise moment but everything else I came up with for them just did not sound right.

- I completely forgot the word for neckline and was so mad at myself for that but, luckily, I managed to remember it before posting the fic. I believe the original read “he slipped a finger under the fabric of her dress, running it over the top of her breast” which is not incorrect but just not precise enough for my liking.

- Sure hope the shortened version of the opera did not cut out the ending musical sequence. But that seems unlikely.

- The idea was running overly long in my head by having them going back to the penthouse so that I could have the scene where he picked her up so I decided to move things around and have him carry her bridal style on their way from the opera to the car. It’s not like she didn’t earn it.

- Pretty sure I had planned something a little different for the last several lines of dialogue but I couldn’t remember what so we get this. Which isn’t a disadvantage. I mean, Griffin is already thinking of marrying him. XD (That’s probably a bit of a stretch at the current status of their relationship but then again, she was thinking of a wedding, not necessarily of their wedding even though I’m clearly a little romance gargoyle that meant exactly that.)

- Originally, Valtor was supposed to floor the brakes while they were out in the NYC traffic but then I decided that doing it while still in the garage with only one car behind them and both vehicles driving at a very slow speed was a lot safer so I switched to that. It also saved me writing more words which was appreciated. I thought this fic would be a bit shorter.

- I was at a loss for how many orgasms Griffin should want from him but then the commitment line happened and that was all avoided.

[mystech-master]

My FGO Servant ideas/Servants I'd expect

These are some Servant ideas that I have had since I've already asked what you guys want.

I know that the Servant has to be someone that people know for the most part, since almost every Servant is someone that everyone knows with a few exceptions.

Some spoilers for other Fate works bellow

Saber

Yagyu Jubei, the One-Eyed Samurai. I feel like his NP will be some kind of Mystic Eye under his eyepatch or something. But if they want to go super Bullshut, I could imagine him being a Pseudo-Servant of Yvette L Lehrman.

Archer

Tchaikovsky, composer of 1812 Overture. The Orchestral song featuring CANNONS! I have already made a Reddit post about it here. I am trying not to just shove people in Caster

Angelica Ainsworth, holder of the Gilgamesh Class Card in Prisma Illya. I wonder how Archer/Caster Gil would react to her, or even Enkidu. I mean we know Kid Gil isn't fond of her.

Lancer

Arachne, the Spider-Woman Weaver. Her Lance would simply be an enlarged sewing needle. She'd either be a sort of Spider- Centaur, or the Spider-Legs would be coming out of her legs. For some extra shit, she might be merged with the Japanese Spider-Yokai Jorogumo, or just reference it similar to how Galatea referenced the tsukumogami. Also, her being a woman made into a monster by Athena, Medusa might gain a new friend.

Sigma,>! Maiya Hisau's son from Fate/Strange Fake. Apparently the True Lancer of the True and False Holy Grail War!<. I really just want him in to see how he'd interact with the EMIYA family. ~~Someone give Shirou/EMIYA some guy friends!~~ Of course, we'll need to wait a long time for strange fate to finish to get him since the author doesn't like using f/sf characters for anything else atm.

Loki, god of mischief. Maybe being half-Jotunn can be a good enough justification to keep him as himself and not need to be a Pseudo. I like OSP's interpretation of a "genderfluid benevolent but mischievous Hearth Spirit who protects the home and family". Genderfluid would open up for one of Fate's many genderbends they love doing, but if they kept him male and make his character about all the kids he has, then imagine...Loki, who is a god of mischief and a dad.........Loki making dad jokes. Although I feel like they might go with the female Loki one since Fate loves Genderbends and IDk if Japan has an equivalent to dad jokes. The reason he'd be a Lancer is the spear of Mistletoe he gave to Höðr which then resulted in Baldr's death which is treated as the precursor to Ragnarok.

Rider

Jiraiya, the Gallant Ninja. It was either this, with him riding his summonable Toad (I mostly think of this video), Assassin b/c Ninja, Caster b/c of reasons covered in the video linked before and some similar videos by the same guy, and Saber with the Nakirimaru, or "wave cutting sword," used to exorcise the Snake Spirit from Orochimaru. I went with Rider so the Rock-Paper-Scissors match of Frog-Slug-Snake matches the classes of Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru respectively.

Caster

Tsunade, the Slug Maiden. The reason is mentioned above in Jiraiya's segment.

TOHSAKA, Rin as a Counter Guardian. The closest we'll get to actual Rin on her own with no other god(dess) inhabiting her body as a servant. NP would be the Jeweled Sword Zelretch. Also, imagine Ishtar seeing the older Rin (her vessel)'s more developed body and getting pissed.

Orpheus, the musical son of Apollo. Considering one big part of his story was being so bummed about his wife dying that his music just depressed everyone, even the gods, with his bad vibes, I could imagine them making him into sort of an emo guitar player or some shit. But if that is too lame then giving his Lyre some Siren Song-esque powers might be something since during his adventures with the Argonauts, since when the sirens began to sing he "played music that was louder and more beautiful, drowning out the Sirens' bewitching songs."

Assassin

Not too sure on the spirit, hopefully a Death God, but I want a Pseudo-Servant of Kairi Sisigou. I mean a Necromancer Mercenary, TELL ME that doesn't fit. Also the possible fun interactions he can have with Mordred again, and her family and new friends.

I mentioned above, Orochimaru, with him being a Pseudo-Servant in Souichirou Kuzuki. I just needed a snake-themed servant to put him in because I know everyone wants him as a pesudo so Medea can have her husband.

Berserker

Kriemhild, wife of Siegfried. Either this or Avenger. Berserker would be the most fitting for my idea, but Avenger would also fit and most likely have cooler animations I bet. As the wiki says about her personality: "Kriemhild held a "deep‐rooted and blind love" for Siegfried, such that it's described as "passionate love that repays the murder of one’s loved one with twice the payback." Siegfried's death, rather than assuage the feud with Brunhild, caused Kriemhild to "burn with the flames of revenge."' NP being a more demonic/dark version of Balmung. I wanted her to be a sort of obsessive wife and mother to Siegfried and Sieg (I like to imagine them having a mentor-student to father-son dynamic), the family dynamics between the three would be fun to imagine.

Lycaon, the wolf king. He once tested Zeus' omniscience by serving him the roasted flesh of Lycaon's own son Nyctimus, in order to see whether Zeus was truly all-knowing. In return for these gruesome deeds, Zeus transformed Lycaon into a wolf. He'd be a pseudo for Svin Glascheit. I just needed a wolf spirit to put Svin in. I mean everyone already is imagining Berserker-Jack the Ripper using Flat as a vessel.

Magni, son of Thor. Do I even need to explain who I am using as a vessel for this Spirit?

Avenger

Pandora, the all-endowed first woman. At first, I was unsure about her class. Yes, the whole thing of Pandora's Box was made as a punishment for Prometheus stealing fire (I wonder how Fate would interpret this with the whole Age of Gods vs Age of Man thing), but as the wiki says "She was given knowledge by the gods that she had to wait until humanity perished so that she can finally open the box and release the world's true potential. Because of her immortality, Pandora suffered greatly as people unreasonably tried to kill the undying mud doll whenever they discovered she wasn't human. After so many years of suffering, Pandora began questioning on why she had to go through this for humans."

Captain Ahab, Captain of the Pequod. >!Implied to be one of Watcher's Shadows in fate/strange fake, so the reason he'd be unavailable is stated above!<. His NP would be his prosthetic leg made out of whalebone, which may give him some aquatic abilities. Or it might be the harpoon that he got tangled in which resulted in his death.

MoonCancer

Tsukuyomi, the Shinto Moon God. Using Hakuno Kishinami as a vessel. I mean combining the Admin authority from the EXTELLA's Regalia which grants him kingship of the Moon Cell with Tsukuyomi's moon god authority would be pretty cool. I know a lot of people want a Dioscuri situation where we get both male and female Hakunos but I feel like it'd be one or the other. Of course, this is only if Hakuno NEEDS a god in him. I partially Headcanon that the reason BB made Jinako a MoonCancer was as a test run for when she does it to Hakuno.

Alter Ego

Ergo, The Man Who Devoured God. From The Adventures of Lord El-Melloi. " Because of the method of creation he has several gods within him after devouring their flesh. All three gods within him, one of which is Sun Wukong, have the shared themes of "water gods" and "hands"." Having 3 gods fits man other Alter Egos haveing 3 gods in them (Sakura Five, Ashiya Douman, and Sitonai).

>!U-Olga Marie, the Alien God. The Best chance we get of having Olga back. Similar reason for being summoned as Kiara.!<

Lemme know what you guys think of my ideas and if you'd add anything to them.

[sebs-anxiety-and-insanity]

You're human?!

Zombie apocalypse au

I have a request in one of the comments and to that person I respond: your request is being done as fast as possible, I had it done but then I reread it and realized it was crap so I am rewriting it again :] the outfit above is Virgil's current outfit he is not genderbent it's just one of my favorites also this is a long one so yeah

Entry number 604:

I don't consistently write unless something big has happened. That said, I have realized something big. I haven't seen another human in roughly three years. THREE. All that remains is undead. This isn't even meant for humans anymore... Haha maybe I'm just starting to lose it... The isolation is getting to me...

Rotten, molded flesh was everywhere around him. He had forgotten the turn again! Ugh, how could he be so stupid!? He  could hear their staggering footsteps closing in, hear their groaning get louder and immersed Virgil in the pain soaked groans coming from behind. It's bizzare to think that they could be in pain while they're chasing you. Well, not really chasing you, but, eh- you get the point. Virgil looked around the alleyway (classic, right?) Looking for a place for him to escape. He looked to his left. Brick. He turned his head to the right. Stone. In front was a back of an apartment building, he could try his luck climbing? Yeah, that might work.

Virgil didn't realize how much time he actually spent thinking of a way to escape the group of Z's behind him until he heard a call from someone- a walker? No. Maybe some disembodied voice- "You're gonna let them eat you?" Virgil looked around to see a disgusting hand reach for him, and succeeding in grabbing his backpack, tugging him backwards. He could hear the voice in the back of his head? Maybe? "Shame." After his fight or flight kicked in he quickly pulled forward, making his way to the building, hearing the sound of something hitting the ground he assumed to be a Z. He quickly reached down pulling the knife he had in his boot out and started to climb the building. He got on the dumpster, struggling to stay up right with the dumpster moving beneath him. He reached up for the window sill, pulling himself up with the help of a push. The push off of the dumpster caused it to roll backwards and to the side hitting a wall. "Shit." He looks up to find the next place to grab. Taking a deep breath Virgil reached for the next window sill using a near by air conditioner as a step stool of sorts. A few seconds after his foot put it's weight on it he heard a creak. Uh oh. The air conditioner quickly fell out of the window, crushing a Z at the bottom and almost sending Virgil down with it. He managed to keep a semi good hold on the window. Virgil closed his eyes resting his forehead on the building. "C'mon, c'mon.. Whew okay Virgil you got this." He whispered before continuing his journey up.

At the second window from the roof Virgil decided to rest a moment, taking advantage of the open window. He took deep breathes, trying his best to hold on as he was reluctantly losing his grip. As he caught his breath Virgil felt chills run down his spine as he heard the most inhumane groan. He looked up, scared at what he might find. There stood a HUGE Z. No this one goes into walker. More dangerous than a Z (they are all zombies just he names them in categories-)when stuck in place. It began to walk toward him dragging his leg behind him. Virgils breath hitched. He was screwed didn't have enough time to climb past the window without the walker getting his legs, but he also couldn't get a weapon to defend himself with. He could try climbing in and then grab a weapon but that didn't seem like he could win that. No,, his best bet was to keep climbing. He grabbed the next window sill, the cuts and scrapes from the brick building he was on, burning his hand. Clenching his his eyes shut he continued to go for the roof. "Open your eyes!" A different disembodied voice said it this time. Virgil obliged and looked up to see a man. Wait, a man? As in, HUman?! "C'mon kiddo grab my hand!" Virgil stared at the out reached hand. Is he even real? Or is this man a figment of his imagination? Something made for his spiralling mind. He felt a finger glide against his boot. He wouldn't have long if he just stared. Real or not he'd rather take a chance with the guy. Virgil quickly stopped staring and grabbed the hand. The stranger Began to pull him up, and Virgil let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding, until the walker grabbed his boot. Shitshitshit nonono. Gasping Virgil began to try and pull himself up more with the help of the man of course. "A little help Rem?" The man struggled to get out between grunts, obviously using all his strength to get Virgil up on the roof. "Ugh, fine!" The first disembodied voice spoke- did he say 'Rem'? Virgil was felt himself be pulled up a bit but the walker wasn't giving up and wouldnt let go. Virgil went wide eyed upon feeling the breath of the walker. "NO!" Virgil began kicking in spastic movements, kicking and flailing harder then before. Was this how he died? Delusional and alone?

One kick seemed to land or something cause Virgil felt himself being lifted with ease and sat down on the roof. "I have saved the damsel in distress again!" Virgil didn't realize he'd closed his eyes, but when he opened them he was pleasantly surprised. Three people stood before him. REAL PEOPLE! In a moment of  euphoria, and a lot of mixed feelings Virgil

Lept onto the closet person to him, clutching onto him tightly, muttering things the taller male couldn't hear. "Sweetie? Are-are you okay?" Rem, as the other male called him lightly touched Virgil's back, tapping him in a questioning manner. Virgil's heart fluttered at the nickname, and his skin buzzed and hued at the touch. Virgil coming to his senses sat up Apologizing, of course not fully to his senses as he continued to straddle Rem. "Apologies- it's just.." Virgil looks down at Rem, staring into his eyes for what felt like forever (five seconds) and then looked over to the other two, who looked as if they didn't know what to do about the situation, before looking back at Rem. "You're human?" Virgil leaned forward a tiny bit,, his hands holding him up on Rem's chest. Rem chuckled and Virgil could just explode in happiness by just feeling the vibrations of coming from his chest. Rem was real. That's all he knew. Rem wasn't from some twisted part of his head making him believe he wasn't alone. "I-i Mean- like, you're real?" Virgil looked away blushing, "As real as that pretty little face of yours sweetheart." Virgil was sure he was a tomato by now and- wait. Is he..? OHMYGODIMSTRADDLINGAREALLYHOTGUY.  Virgil quickly got up, looking over at the two strangers. "Aww." The one with glasses and curly blonde hair said. The other looked as if he would be the definition of perfection if he were a prince.

Hell most of the people here could be on most sexy guy alive or whatever that magazine was. "I'm Patton, and this is Roman!" The man-Patton enthusiasticly pointed at the main with red tipped hair. "He's super strong." Patton whispered. "And that's Remy!" Patton pointed to the hot guy getting up from the ground. "And you are?" Patton displayed a puppy face that could get someone out of death row after there wasn't a response. Virgil contemplated telling them his name, after all Virgil isn't a very good name.. "Well, sheesh! You look like my anxiety and depression demon from like 8th grade." Virgil shrunk in on himself at the remark from Roman. "Roman that's enough." Remy spoke up as he stood beside Virgil. "What? I mean this.. Look" He gestured at Virgil. "Looks to be a lot of effort! Does he try to make himself look like this in the APOCALYPSE-" Before he could stop himself Virgil hissed at Roman. Virgil slapped his hands across his mouth, shocked that he did that to a stranger. Virgil carefully looked back up to see Roman in shock, Patton whispering things like "woahhhhhhh my new son". Virgil didn't wanna look at Remy's reaction though, afraid of the look he might be given. If there is one thing to know, even when seperated from the rest of humanity, it to know that Remy gave off a different vibe then the rest. Roman gave off a 'more bark then his bite' (although he definitely could put you down) Patton  a dad vibe. And Remy the bad bitch of the apocalypse vibe, one that could end you with words. Or even just a glare. "Fuck you princey." Virgil crossed his arms. Roman looked to be glowing and Patton covered his ears. "Why thank you anxiety." Virgil glared at him. But decided not to tell his name. At least, not to Roman. "I'm good enough for Royalty! Even in the end of the world." Remy sighed. "So, what now?" He looked over to Patton, dusting his leather jacket. "Hmm, I suppose we take him with us! Maybe Lo will lemme keep him." He didn't like being compared to a pet or a piece of property but when these are the first human contact you can let it go... Once.

Okay, when hearing he might get to go to a camp with other humans- people, he didn't expect to be carried, but, Remy insisted, saying something about Patton not wanting precious cargo damaged. Virgil let himself doze on Remys back listening to the light conversation taking place between Patton and Roman. The breeze hitting Virgil was delightful and helped lure him closer to sleep. Virgil remained on that edge of sleep to where you're asleep, but you knew you were asleep and was partially awake. (Make sense? Idk it happens me-) he heard the conversation take more serious tone, "So.... Now that anxiety is asleep, what are we gonna do with him? I mean we don't know for sure if he is safe. Maybe he has been bitten.. You know somewhere hidden by those clothes." He heard a sigh presumably from Patton, "I'm sure he would've shown symptoms by now. Besides, he's adorable, right, Remy?" "He is definitely adorable-" "See!? Let's just wait and see what Logan says." Virgil tightened his grip on Remy and finally drifted off fully to sleep.

Remy nudged Virgil's head with his own, effectively waking Virgil up. "Huh? Smguhthmbi.." Remy chuckled, "before turning the corner into an abandoned looking apartment. "We're back, bitches!" A man dressed in a duster and jeans with a tie wrapped around a jar that hung from his belt, looked over at the two, eyes narrowing at Virgil, making him very aware of his position. Virgil immediately got out of Remys hold, Remy taking his arms away from Virgil so he didn't trip him. "Out, everyone, please." The man took off his glasses gesturing in his and Remys general direction. "Not you two." Virgil felt a lump in his throat, anxiety creep up his spine. Ah, how he missed this. He didn't. This was actually the only thing he didn't miss about humanity. "Now, tell me," The door shut with a soft click as everyone else had left. Leaving behind all types of supplies filling up the kitchen and various other rooms. "Why are you here?" The man walked in front of the table he was behind, leaning on it as he crossed his arms. Virgil was starting to feel panic as he didn't actually know  why he was here. "We saw him in an alley way, cornered by Zombos." Remy lifted his sun glasses letting them rest on his head. Moving over to the old kitchen counter. "He climbed up the side of a building and we just kinda keep him-" "I do not believe I was talking to you." Virgil flinched at the amount of venom oozing from  his words. "Can he even help us in some way? We have enough people to house! If he cannot pull his own weight then he can leave. Of course he would have to prove himself, he does seem weak. Having to have been carried seems strange.." His eyes squing through the glasses placed on his nose. "I-" "Has he been bitten?" Virgil had to swallow irritation from being cut off and the amount of questions coming from this stranger. To be frank, he was actually missing being alone and isolated already. "N-" "I wasn't talking to you." The man shot back, okay, now Virgil was getting really irritated. "Any sane person knows that one would lie to save their own skin. I mean, you had to be running from something to have carried that much stuff." The man gestured to his things. "Jesus, calm down! He hasn't been bit!" The man raised his brow, as if begging the question 'and you know this how?' Remy rolled his eyes. "Bitch, he would've shown symptoms by now, Einstein! Sweating, really fucking hungry, etc. Fucking hell! Leave it to Logan to make things overly dramatic." "I am merely being protective." He seethed. The man who Remy called Logan, pinched his nose sighing. "Fine! We can keep him-" "Can everyone stop fucking saying that!?" Remy and Logan stared at him in suprise. "I'm not some fucking THING you can keep! I was doing just fine without this place- yes this means, I. Don't. Need. You. Damnit I'm not something you can claim as property and I sure as HELL ain't no fucking-" Virgil threw his hands up in the air before taking a breath. "No, I don't need to prove myself to you and I won't. You don't want me here then I'll go." Virgil began to turn around to leave. "I'll gladly take another three years without people." He muttered. "Hey, I saved you." Remy reminded. "You are my responsibility and if I say you stay you stay." Remy took a step forward. "... I owe you and the other two but I don't owe him." Virgil stopped moving and stared between Logan and Remy. "He is staying with me Logan. And really how much pain can he cause I mean we have Remus." Logan paused thinking a moment. "*sigh* fine. I'll get him an outfit. But he is pulling his weight around here." "Alright!" Remy turned and started to guide Virgil towards the door. "Feels nice to have two bad bitches here." Remy smirked at Virgil as the walked. His hand floating around the small of Virgil's back as he showed him the place. Maybe having found a group of survivors wasn't so bad after all.

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

Woah that's a long one 😅

Anyways I'll work on a part 2 soon

Hope you enjoyed💜

Not proof read

Tag list {you can ask to be added or removed}:

@reiney-weather @helloidkwhatimdoing-0 @love-lemons @emo-sunshine42 @autumnpleaves @hedgiehoggles @radicalskatervirgil

[loniereads]

cr: Sufficiently Advanced Magic

*spoiler warning*

Chapter 1 - 5

Chapter one

“I was prepared in a thousand different ways that didn’t matter” - Me for every test I’ve ever taken ☺️✨✨

Omg is he gonna go look for his brother 🥺 This book said found family but make it literal - side note, love the name Tristan.

I hope it’s explained as to WHY hundreds of 17 year olds are enduring a judgment to their possible death????

Imagine you’re brother going basically missing, your mom leaving, and then your dad pulling you out of school so you can prepare to possibly ✨die✨

“It could take years to grow strong enough-” 🥺 He’s going to sacrifice years of his life and risk certain death just for a chance to reunite his family is this book gonna make me cry?

I don’t like his name as much as I like his brothers but yanno whatever- how do you even say Corin

I already hate the dad??? Hello? Your first son is gone and your second could follow in his fate and you don’t even see him off?? Fuck you buddy why are book dads such assholes

“I loathed hurting people. I always had.” so i have decided that if anything happens to Corin I will kill everyone in the room and then myself. WHAT A CUTIE SWEET SOUL

If this book forces him to hurt someone I’ll riot-

Oh my gosh he hates fighting but he’s willing to fight for his brother I LOVE HEALTHY BROTHER RELATIONSHIPS they’re so pure

Corin is so nice to try to explain all of this weapon stuff and rune stuff to me like I have any idea wtf he’s talking about- he’s talking and I’m like I’m just happy to be here ☺️

I feel like the fact that he’s paying for everything he takes is important- like maybe other people just take and don’t leave anything? But he’s like here’s a coin for you scary tower~

“It was too cute to die” why do I love Corin so

What a cute ass sweet ass cinnamon roll, my god🥺

HE FELT GUILTY FOR KILLING A SHADOW SNDKDNSK I love him sm what a king

Chapter two

Why does everything he say sound so intelligent

ldmoaha not Corin having a convo with a book

It’s been too long since I read a normal romance book why did my brain just decide to ship Corin and a BOOK

Ok but him taking time to ask about his brother has me so soft

What the flip chapter 2 was so short??? ):

Chapter three

“You shouldn’t have done that” how ominous and amazing and I love it

He so casually was like OH LOOK A DEAD BODY OH LOOKIE PEOPLE

Omg is he gonna find his brother in here- OH MY

OMG HE DID AHHHHH

just... kidding. He did infact not find him.

Oh wait someone younger than him though- so is going into the tower a choice? That would make it a little better. Like you decide when you go in or? I NEED MORE INFO PLS

The word resh is growing on me

He risked his gold key on her 🥺

I love this little merry band of criminals- also just hoping the kid doesn’t yanno....die

omg Keras is out here crushing stones with his bare hands 😏 hellooooo

Wait I’m so conflicted??? I want to trust Keras and Vera but I also want to trust the book alsnsish

Vera is a whole mood I really hope she’s not like evil or just a weird thing in the tower or idk whatever I want her to stay

AWWAIT ☹️☹️☹️ They left Keras behind- that can’t be it. He’s gotta come back right? Like book person is gonna save him? Right!!??

Chapter four

VERA SUCH A BADDDDIE

This ‘kid’ they’re carrying is just making out like a bandit, he’s just getting carried through the tower 😂

WOW FUCK YOU VERA??? UH I HOPE SOMETHING KILLS HER-but not rhe kid 😔

Okay this might be a weird jump- but WHAT IF THE BOOK ENTITY ISSSSS HIS BROTHER??????????? Like the book person seems to really care if Corin lives? so it’s either just like a really caring person, OR HIS BROTHER

Pls let me be right

That would be so cool

The book entity helped him to finish the rest completely? Is this allowed? This feels not allowed

Corin: fighting monsters with criminals in a magical tower, very time sensitive needs to escape quickly

Also Corin: lemme just wrote a little diary entry ✨☺️

So obviously he’s going to get to keep his memories

Also like he got out of the tower so easily? What?

“And don’t let anyone hassle you about your attunement.” HOW VERY OMONIOUS OF YOU TO SAY

Honestly- Fuck Magnus Cadence

REPLACEMENT? What?

His childhood bestfriend is his half sister? I love that???? Instead of making them love interests they’re half siblings that’s cool as hell. We love childhood friends to siblings trope

I will reiterate, FUCK MAGNUS CADENCE

I hope we get to see their friendship bc I’m here for this trope

Chapter five

🥺 he sent the boys glove to his parents I’m so soft

Their relationship makes me so happy?? Like I love this. So they better reunite or I’ll riot

BROTHERLY RELATIONSHIPS ARE THE BESTTT

I miss Keras 🥺

I am so unsure of Sera. I do love the sudden sibling, and I really really hope they end up having a cool relationship and like she helps him find his(their) brother and hdjsjdjs

If anyone gives Corin a hard time for his attunement I’ll throw hands-

Not them earning points at their schools- All I can think about how is “10 points to gryffindor”

I love the word behooves

Can they go back into the tower already 💀 This down time is killing me. I want book entity, Keras and that boy who was unconscious the entire time back.

-side note, I absolutely love how all three of them(Keras, Corin, and Vera) were all so concerned with this unconscious boy and they literally carried him to complete safety. Who is this boy?? Will he come back? I miss him he better not be be dead. Vera can die but not unconscious boy.

I don’t know if I’m supposed to like Sera... but she’s giving me “I’m better than you because I have a better attunement” vibes and I do not like that at all so if Icneed to I will pretend to doesn’t exist.

Aw the schools has like animal representatives decisions?? CUTE UM. - there’s way too many for my brain to keep up with but I love them anyway

Not them assigning kids to basically play pranks on everyone else and tell them if they don’t find the prankster kids they lose points- what a weird ass school

“You and Patrick were practically brothers” GIRL YOU CANT SAY THINGS LIKE THAT TO SOMEONE WHO HAS AN ACTUAL BROTHER WHO IS MISSING AND/OR DEAD

-Also I know Tristen isn’t dead because like then what would be the point huh? HUH? So he’s got to be alive

Or I’ll riot.

“A walking rainstorm” idk why but that is so fucking adorable. I love my new comfort raintorm, Corin.

I can’t wait for them(Corin and Sera) to meet up with their friends and they have to explain that they’re now half siblings.

Them reminding him to not lose his little sigil pin makes me feel like he’s going to lose or forget it ummmm

Imagine getting fucking EXPELLED because you forgot your pin on your other uniform.

I feel like that would be me honestly. Are people not just...forgetful in this universe??

Ngl i would hate to be in the tortoise division

Corins attunement is lamer but his division is called the Phoenix? Like that’s so much cooler than tortoise

The fact that sera is trying to convince me the Spider division isn’t real makes me feel like she’s in it???

I know my babey Corin didn’t mean this as snarky as I would have liked him to but I love this line so much.

SARCASTIC BOYS WITH DADDY ISSUES OWN ME AND IM NOT ASHAMED TO ADMIT IT

Ngl I was hoping they would have roommates- I love a good school roommate dynamic

For the third time I would like to make my opinion to be known; FUCK MAGNUS CADENCE

Why has no one made a playlist for this book on Spotify? I am throughly disappointed

Not Corin being ghosted by his book-

I wish I had half the motivation Corin has? Like it’s my boys first day of school and as soon as he gets into his room he starts studying. I would have taken a nap

Oop jk as soon as he couldn’t find the rune he was looking for he went to lay in bed.

I’m sorry what in the hell is Wyddsday??? Did I miss them explaining to hat this universe has different names for it’s days of the week?? How am I supposed to know when this is Corin? Or what day it even is currently

World building is so intricate and interesting and I absolutely live for it- but it’s literally so frustrating sometimes learning and remembering everything

Okay Sera being less irritated about her studies being interrupted because it’s Corin is cute

Fuck

I still don’t know if I’m supposed to like Sera

Tashday, Fersday, Kyrsday, Tensday, Vasday, and Wyddsday- either I can’t count or they’re missing a day. And what order do they go in? I need a calendar insert pls and thanks

Wait wait did he just run into an ex? What is this sndlsnsin “long-buried emotions”??

Oooo we get a name. Cecily Lambert

I didn’t possibly think I could relate to Corin anymore than I already do but here I am

The dorm chiefs introduce themselves to everyone? How cute and Curtis didn’t seem at all annoyed by Corin asking so many questions I love when upperclassman in books aren’t rude for no reason. It’s such a tiring trait they often have smh

I need his exams to hurry up because I would very much like to get back to the fast paced tower scenes-

I know absolutely nothing about Jin but I love him immensely

[bladekindeyewear]

Bloggin’ thru new Homestuck^2 bonus, The Influencers part 2.  Kinda got my gears ground during part 1, but that largely wasn’t this sideplot’s fault, so I should still be able to enjoy it.

Reminder, bonus update blogging is always light on detail because I don’t wanna spoil all the paid content, but I’ll give the gist of my reactions and go into anything plot or character related that helps understand the main story, as well as giving you a real top-down view of “what happens” so you know what it’s about and whether or not to invest in looking yourself.  (And I don’t necessarily have to give you anything that isn’t main-plot-relevant.)

So where are they going to follow the main party?  They shouldn’t need to record the funeral I’d assume, because that already would have been televised (and awful for Jane’s PR)...  *click*

9/28/2020 - The Influencers, Part 2

TEACHER: Time’s a-ticking. TEACHER: The next plot point is yours to change, if you want it. Don’t you feel it calling to you?

Yeah, just hanging a lampshade on this whole parallel sideplot I guess.

> (==>)

Whatever it is, Imode feels it. A tiny string of relevance spooling out from their belly. They want to follow it.

That’s pretty Lighty and/or Seery.  I’ve used that terminology to describe the pull of Light and its “relevance” connotations even since the only fanfic I’ve ever written, back in 2011 during Homestuck’s run, and it’s obvious enough terminology that I think Rose later mentioned it somewhere like in the Epilogues.  Are these three kids perhaps going to get a fourth, and become their own session by the end of this like Harry, Vrissy, Tavros and Yiffy might?

They can’t stop picturing their friend, Harry Anderson, arrested or tortured or worse. They’re not sure what there is to be done to stop this chain of events, but they’re sure as shit gonna find out.

(”They” is almost certainly referring to Imode here, not all three, since Imode uses they/them.)

Alright, self-aggrandizing used for good.  Show off the sort of thing that Vriska could have accomplished if she actually used her talents for her team for once.  (Besides, like, the similar thing she did just recently by making a scene.)

> (==>)

Imode is the first to choose pursuing this path over bootlicking, and the others are sure to follow.

> (==>)

Yup, Avril and Silas follow.  (Had to be reminded of ALL of their names, it’s been months since their single named appearance.)

> (==>)

Crockercopters overhead but none taking note yet, just ominous setdressing

> (==>)

IMODE: lemme take a ⏱️ to 😮‍💨 before we figure out where to go next. AVRIL: wait don't you know? IMODE: Huh? AVRIL: we were following YOU this whole time.

Oh, that answers the first question I asked.  They have NO clue where they’re going.  Let’s see if they luck out and find the clock tower.

IMODE: You 👂 what he said about the next step 📞 to us, same as i did. Don't you feel it pulling at you?

Literal pull? Powers? Future player?  --All baseless speculation of course.

SILAS: Woah are you seein’ this.

Vriska’s probably putting on her very public display now.  (This is a bonus so I’m skipping lots of banter and arguing.)

> (==>)

Oh, they just saw John flying up to the clock tower in his outfit.  And catching sight of him fly is rare celebrity gossip stuff so of course it’d stand out to them, apparently.  (Only one of them is athletic apparently, the other two are groaning at the prospect of more running.)

> (==>)

Avril always enjoys running, but there’s something else thumping along to the rhythm of the thuds of his feet and beat of his heart. He’d thought Imode was nuts for feeling it just a minute prior, but now he’s realized he isn’t deadweight, that he hasn’t fucked up someone’s life irrevocably, and it pushes him faster and faster as he tears ass toward the belltower.

(Did we know Avril was he/him before this?  Probably but if so I forgot.)

Okay, since we’re getting glimpses into each of their headspaces narratively that BOTH have had some oblique aspect references, I have to at least OPERATE on a guessy assumption that there’s a sort of classpect-for-each-of-them thing going here.

I’ve quoted both those whole paragraphs here... so what do I see?  This is going to be a bit tougher because I don’t care as much to remember these characters...

Imode had some Lighty-or-Seery language, and then could not stop picturing bad things happening to Harry, wanting to avert that chain of events.  So something of a Seer or Mage would make sense.  But given how easily Lighty stuff and the Understanding classes (or at least what we think those are) can be conflated, Mage of Light seems a bit of a premature jump.  Heck, I’m only saying Mage because a Seer of Light already occupies a starring role, and because her first act on that feeling was to jump after it herself and tell the others:

IMODE: Stay here and 👢👅 your way into fame if that's what you really want. IMODE: I’m ✈️. Follow me if you’re not 🐔💩.

--leading by example rather than directing the others into battle.  Only half-caring if they followed, willing to pursue it herself if necessary.  So, potentially more “Active”.

As for Avril... the word “heart” is mentioned there, sure, but the full context is “there’s something else thumping along to the rhythm of the thuds of his feet and beat of his heart”.  I’m inclined to think that the rhythm/beat references, especially the even footsteps and heartbeats hitting like a metronome, might be more tied to Time?  But if so, I don’t see anything class-related.  (Could also be Blood, and him thinking of what he owes in the last sentences could be reinforcing that?  Big question marks for now.)

> (==>)

Door to the belltower’s locked.  The kids figure John’s forgotten that his son can’t fly.

AVRIL: this is it, this is the thing we can help with! #feelinit #vibes IMODE: OK I'm excited that you believe me now, but what are you gonna even do? IMODE: use your big all-star 💪 to break down the 🚪?

--so they think they can “resolve a missing plot point” by getting the way into the clock tower open?  Is this going to be a theme or running joke of the Influencers sideplot, showing plotholes resolved in bonus content like how we finally saw how Gamzee’s body was relocated last time?  When I was explicitly mad about that?  (This seems like a much smaller one though.)

Apparently in HS^2 proper they remarked that the door SHOULD be locked, but Vriska just opened it anyway and wasn’t surprised it was unlocked, which she would’ve ascribed to her luck -- how the universe just makes way for her.  (And we’re literally seeing HOW the “universe” “made way” for her this way, through these Influencer kids.  Even though Vriska could have broken down the door in a second and it’s practically meaningless.)

> (==>)

Avril just has the key!

AVRIL: so like my photoshoots are like, #modernfashion #myworkout #urbexp IMODE: Yea, your 📸 are why we’re all in this mess. We know. Get to it. AVRIL: fair. ok well this is the urban exploration part. AVRIL: a lot of the public infrastructure buildings in the kingdom have the same weird, shitty deadbolts on them. AVRIL: its like they were mass-produced for ease of access or something. AVRIL: none of the deep crockergov stuff, but a lot of the kingdom maintenance buildings. AVRIL: so once you swipe one key, you got access to it all. AVRIL: that’s how i get a lot of my hard-to-get shots #tradesecrets #tellnoone

Hhhmmmmm.  So what does this tell us about his potential role?  Getting places you’re not supposed to is associated with the Thief, Rogue, Bard, and sometimes Knight classes... as well as the Time/Space aspects, or the Void and Breath aspects.  A Thief or Rogue of Time could do the trick, and fit with the rhythm paragraph earlier... whereas Space doesn’t have the same rhythm associations even if it is “places” he’s getting into for these shots.  And photography, snapshots still in time, is something Dave was also explicitly into.  Plus, this exploit he’s showcasing is specifically for older buildings, playing into history/archaeology from an urban perspective.

So, Time is looking like a safer and safer bet for him.

> (==>)

lock click

> (==>)

long-hair swoop, cheer

SILAS: Yeah, I’m tickled a near-disproportionate amount by the unlockin’ of a door, so I’m inclined to believe you were onto somethin’.

Still no real hints about Silas, yet.

AVRIL: ok so. we did it, right? #missioncomplete AVRIL: feels a little anticlimactic #tbh IMODE: idk, I think so? whatever I was feeling doesn't seem so immediate anymore. IMODE: I wonder if-

Okay, that’s some near-confirmation that Imode was LITERALLY FEELING the plot or some such.  We’ll probably end the Influencers sidestory eventually with at least solid GUESSES blatantly obvious for their potential Hero Roles or the like.

> (==>)

Ah, Vriska and the kids are coming-- and we get the Silas paragraph(s)!  Silas is green-themed with green text, and a session with a Time player has a good chance of having a Space player too, so let’s see if...

Silas doesn’t know what being spotted by the other kids might mean, metaphysically or logistically or legally. She’s not particularly pressed by that sort of thing. But this is a day that’s come with more introspecting than she’s used to having to endure in a year, so she's ready to get moving before it becomes an issue.

As Harry Anderson, Vrissy, Vriska, and Tavros proceed to have this conversation, Silas pushes to catch up with Avril’s pace. She’s not sure where they’re headed, and has no clue what all this means for her. She knows the step she’s taken isn’t one she’ll be able to backtrack from, but she’ll figure that out tomorrow. For now, one foot in front of the other.

That...

I mean there’s a lot of talk of time-FRAMES, from a lazy perspective, but just-pushing-forward-in-the-here-and-now is reasonably Spacey? ...hm.  I was excited for the Silas paragraph(s) but I don’t see any immediately-apparent pattern meant for us to discern classpect info here.  Maybe a female Page example (since we could use one), propelled along by events without knowing what’s going on at first, too early in her journey to have taken more than her first step up the gradual incline of her long-term potential?

I really don’t know I guess.

Anyway, that’s the end of the bonus upd8!  See ya in a while.

[dr-gloom]

Some thoughts/analysis on the new episode, because the video itself and people's reactions were bugging me

Disclaimers: I don't hate Patton or Roman, I'm not calling Patton abusive or manipulative, as those terms insinuate knowing what you're doing and I don't think Patton does know how he's coming across

- First I wanna just point out, as a few others have, that Thomas is once again wearing black and white while discussing a grey-area issue. I love the attention to detail

- The recap only really highlights that Thomas admitted to wanting something that contradicted Patton's statement of why he's a good person (or more specifically "perfect", which, as nice and friendly and lovely as that sounds, is a toxic mindset and I like that Thomas touched on that at the end), which is an interesting point to cover honestly, especially since later Thomas challenges Patton to call him a good person

- "Now kiddo, if you're gonna dish out Fs, why don't we make them friendly hugs?" I understand Patton was trying to lighten the mood and joke a little and all that, but he's not letting Thomas just... Be angry/upset. He's trying to control how he feels and steer away from negative emotions, which I thought he learned not to do??

- I love that Patton heard what he was saying and stopped. Good on him. But what he replaced it with is called guilt tripping and that's not much better. "I'm surprised you would say something like that about your friends. I always thought that when it came to your pals, that sort of language would be... Ineffable?" It may sound gentle and sweet, but he's still saying "you can't talk about your friends like that" (and I get it, we all know that's not how Thomas really feels, but again he needs to be allowed to express himself). You can tell from Thomas's face while Patton's talking that the guilt tripping worked, at least for a moment.

- Anyone else notice a little Logan shining through in Thomas's words/actions the first portion of the video?

- "If our goals aligned with his what would that say?" Uhmmm gee lemme think Roman... Maybe that you care about Thomas's mental health and desires???

- I think it's very telling that during the rap Thomas cuts Patton off right before he's about to say something that, judging from the graphics, was going to make him sound heroic and said "I made this choice", while looking very... Upset.

- Okay so when Thomas was all "why didn't I just talk to them???" I felt hella vindicated but the second time I watched I finally heard Roman say "I mean I kinda brought that up before but it got shut down faster than an Antarctic icepop shop". Like... Fuck, they seriously do not appreciate or listen to Roman at all

- Patton brushing them off with "Eh well hindsight is 20/20" pissed me off so much. No empathy whatsoever. Jesus Christ.

- Roman's reaction when Thomas said no to the whole future vision thing made me laugh and no one is talking about it

- But yeah Thomas talking about using foresight has a total Logan Vibe

- Patton's reaction when Thomas says "I made a decision with a blindfold on" is... Interesting...

- Seriously that cat analogy was so specific.....

- One should never base their decisions on "well they've helped me before so I owe them" like. No. Patton, Roman, stop. He should have decided to go because he wanted to, not because he owed it to them or you made him feel like shit

- "Those baby-making Catholics" lmfaooooo

- "You, thinking about giving their wedding a pass all because of a callback that, really, might not work out". That bugged me too, because it can just as easily be argued he gave up his big break for a wedding he barely participated during. If we're being completely logical here (and borrowing from a later concept of how our time is better used), his time would have been better-spent at the callback since he wasn't even mentally present at the wedding

- "Maybe they understand, and maybe they still want you to go to the wedding but feel too guilty to say so. Or, maybe you end up going to the wedding, and they feel guilty seeing you there because they feel like they took a big opportunity away from you". First off, they did (or would have, had the conversation taken place and they insisted he come). Secondly I personally feel like he owed it to them (and yes, I'm aware how that sounds but I can't think of better phrasing) to talk about it with 100% honesty on both sides, because now he's angry that he went to their wedding and they have no idea. Sure, the vid ends with them coming over to catch up, but if it hadn't? That's the kind of shit that festers very easily. I feel like he'd have been more satisfied if he had still decided to go after talking with them. I think Thomas realizes this too when he responds to Roman's question with a very sure, very adamant "No."

- "This was our chance to be there for them when it counted". I know this is me reading into things but it felt like he was saying anything else he may have done for them doesn't matter or isn't good enough

- "Why does their complexion matter" LMFAOOOOOO omg roman

- "... We can all agree that you're a good fellow-" "Can we? All agree on that?" Like fuck, Thomas still isn't sure what Patton thinks of him? That cuts deep. And... Patton still hasn't apologized. He conceeded that he's "been a bit much", which is far from the same thing

- pfffft what the fuck was Roman trying to do???

- "Well that's a relief... I think". Meaning Thomas still isn't fucking sure where Patton stands. I have to admit his dialogue did sound a bit circuitous

- he almost said GameStop lmfao

- why is he fixating so much on frogger

- "At least 16 graphics!" I died laughing

- "By the liquid lipstick of William Shakespeare" wut the fue? Lmao

- "just like you don't have to get him a hotdog" "I feel like you kinda do... Maybe". I know Janus says it later on but he was right when he said peppering in a few "I don't know"s and "maybe"s does not a conversationally-conscious person make. Like, he didn't even add the maybe until Roman reacted negatively to what he was saying

- I'm surprised Logan said it'd be wrong for Thomas to keep his money to himself tbh

- Roman mouthing "behoove". Like, c'mon dude, stop being such a dick to Logan when he's just trying to help

- Logan's so done he's not even trying to hide it. Like you can see the annoyance clear on his little pixelated face

- Also did anyone notice that Logan kept getting cut off so the next time he "spoke" he made them read it aloud so they'd actually fucking listen

- "Yeah! As long as that's not the main reason you're doing it!" Honestly though, most people do good things for their own benefit; tax benefits, That Good Feeling, compliments from others etc. It doesn't diminish the effect of the good act, so who cares?????

- "You shouldn't do a good thing just because it makes you feel good... I-I think." He's trying so hard but he's just not understanding how this works is he. Also it's interesting that he preaches holding to your values and not nitpicking situations yet he's literally doing it right now because last time he just... Needed to counter Janus and couldn't admit he'd had a fair point

- "Deceit said you'd be doing the right thing for a selfish reason if you did it for your own emotional gain". You can tell by his tone he's trying to make Thomas see Deceit as wrong and bad but like literally two seconds later he audibly confirms he feels the same way

"Definitely! Maybe... I think so... What do you think?" Tbh I'm proud of him for asking someone else's opinion, esp cause he's screwing this up so horrendously

- man if Roman being scared to share his opinion after Patton visibly disagrees isn't a huge red flag idk what is

- the world of the video game is called AU I'm screaming

- I'll always be salty that Roman once again shoved a "dark side" into the villain roll without asking

- I don't agree with Patton automatically assuming that just because the hero wants a reward, it means he doesn't care about the people he saves getting it. People can have multiple motives and wanting recognition isn't bad or evil or selfish

- I'm so fucking glad Thomas snapped and asked "am I not allowed to feel good if I do something good" because that's basically what Patton's saying and no one was addressing it. And Patton saying that can't be a valid motive is honestly fucked up

- during the trolley problem the options toggle the most between morality, anxiety, and denial. Idk, it's just interesting

- it's also interesting that Patton views moving the trolley as worse than letting it stay, meaning he thinks small active murder is worse than larger, passive murder. Not bad or good or anything, just interesting

- I hate hate hate that Patton silences Logan when he's the one who asked him to say something, especially since he follows that with "oh you can't really learn good morality from a book hahahaha". Like dude just acknowledge that you don't agree but there are other valid points of view, my god

- also you can tell from the color that Janus totally put that skip button in, meaning Logan really, really wanted to continue but Janus could see it wasn't going to get them where they needed to go

- "stu-ooper dooper unique mustache" lmfaooooo

- Thomas keeps coming back with something along the lines of "I need the answer to X so I can meet your expectations". He even says "I don't understand what I need to change so I can meet your standard". Last time I did a post like this, back when SvS came out, I said Patton has too much sway/control over Thomas, and he still does. Thomas doesn't try nearly as hard to "meet the standards" of his other sides, but in this instance he's desperate to know how he can appease Patton. I don't think that's necessarily a good thing, given that it's likely because he wants Patton to say without hesitation that he's a good person

- Roman thinks he's the problem I wanna cry

- "And I'm an awful driver" I laughed so hard

- "I only mean well when I say that that is the stupidest thing you have ever said" I can't stop laughing XD

- "You're just blowing smoke" seriously someone help me

- Roman's reaction when Thomas says he feels guilty just killed me. They all just acknowledged that Roman is his motivator and Thomas comes out and says his motives make him feel guilty? Ouch

- "Doing nothing is even worse!" Patton honey I'm begging you to please stop talking omg this is going so poorly

- "doing nothing is worse than doing a good thing for the wrong reasons" first off, who's to say what a wrong reason is, and secondly, that's an interesting take from the man who refused to move the trolley 👀

- oooof Thomas's relief when Logan cuts in though

- "Huuuuuhhhh I do need help" fuck, I wanna cry, poor Thomas

- "Logan, like you said this isn't your area of expertise" ITS NOT YOURS EITHER ROMAN OMG

- "Every point you've made in today's discussion has contradicted that sentiment" YES LOGAN JANUS SLAY. Also anyone else notice Patton looking to the others for validation because I Sure Did

- oh man though I thought Logan was finally getting the chance to lay into Patton and take him down a peg and it turned out to be Janus

- "Oh, is it not? Please, correct me if I'm wrong." yeah paTTON CORRECT HIM IF HES WRONG (notice how he doesn't even have an argument to that, all he can say is "you're wrong!")

- honestly the way he goes from 0 to 60 should've tipped us off that that was Janus

- I wanna know if Patton turned into a muscular frog irl

- idk Patton feels like a villain when he's all "Thomas you choose!"

- "What have you done with Logan?!" "Nothing at all and I resent the question" weeeeeelp there goes loceit

- even Janus admits Patton is misleading unintentionally can we all calm down now

- I find it interesting that Thomas willingly stays behind Janus

- "Sure if he's in that kind of situation then of course he should focus on himself. But does he deserve it? I don't know." *Record scratch* excuse me wHAT?????? And like, you can't ignore the obvious symbolism behind that attack missing Janus and hitting Thomas. Thomas is knocked out and Patton just ... Keeps talking? Jesus fucking christ

- and Roman so adamantly attacking Janus has a very pre-AA vibe to it

- "Not that any of you care, but I am unharmed, and I don't want to talk about it." Thomas looks like the only one genuinely concerned when he says this and that hurts

- Janus looks so happy that Logan's backing him I wanna cry my baby aaaaaaa

- SOMEONE FINALLY ACKNOWLEDGED THE CHOICE ROMAN MADE AAAAAAA THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU can we stop acting like Janus is evil now please

- "Well when is it enough?!" ".... Trees?" I'm STILL LAUGHING SOMEONE HELP ME

- I'm so fucking happy Thomas doesn't agree with Roman about trusting Janus

- Roman laughing and saying Janus's name is stupid and Janus's jab about him and Remus just... Gutted me y'all. Thems some hurt boys. And he looks to Thomas and Patton and they just... Can't side with him, cause they know that was hella fucking rude of Roman.

- I genuinely believe that Janus's nod meant Thomas was telling the truth. Based on his facial expression (which was slight but idk I notice more stuff than most people apparently???) He was trying to reassure Roman. And Roman just... Took it the completely wrong way, because he still thinks all Janus does is lie. When Roman says "wow, I can't believe this" you can actually see Janus's smile disappearing, because he realizes Roman took the nod the wrong way

- aaaaand then he immediately goes into attacking Janus. *Sigh*

- "Everything's gonna be okay, kiddo. We love you." "*Scoff* Right." I truly believe the next video is gonna be about Roman, because there's no way in hell they could ignore the obvious hurt and self-deprecation coming off of Roman

- "Janus? Is there a limit to how many times a person can say sorry before you have to admit that they're just bad for you?" Patton was talking about himself. Whether Janus was trying too hard to be witty and missed that or what, his reply hurt Patton, and you can see that Janus realizes his mistake with Patton's reaction. We have to remember that this isn't a side who's used to how the others communicate, though. He doesn't spend time with them outside of the few videos he's shown up in because of how they treat him. It's gonna take him time to get the little things like this and until then there's gonna be a lot of hurt feelings and (hopefully) apologies

- Janus immediately backtracks once he realizes what the real question was and says "... it depends... How many things have they had to apologize for? How frequently do they have to apologize for things? How terrible were the things that they did? One of the biggest factors in my very humble opinion is whether or not they seem to be making an honest effort to do better" this is Janus trying to tell Patton "you aren't bad for Thomas. I see how hard you're trying. It's okay"

- you can totally see Janus realizing why Patton fights him so hard while Patton is explaining how hard shit's gotten as Thomas grows up

- "Janus?" "I'll take care of him" y'all I need the tissues

- Janus trying to lighten the mood with the whole push-someone-down-the-stairs thing just... Made me die laughing. Y'all know he's hella good at April fool's pranks okay? Okay

- "You're not stuck with an evil snake boy, you're just stuck with a snake boy" HES SUCH A DORK I LOVE HIM

- I reacted the exact same way to Thomas saying Janus was right omg

Again, I'm not saying I hate any of the characters, this is just a stream-of-consciousness analysis-and-commentary-type post on the new episode

[mark-absolutelyfullycapable-lee]

Bad Boy in Love | Lee Donghyuck [1/2]

Summary: Lee Donghyuck is kind of a douche—old news—but will he change his ways when the one girl he wants (you) rejects him—or even worse, likes someone else?

Pairing: Donghyuck x Reader

Genre: angst, fluff, comedy, Bad boy!Donghyuck (i guess lmao), lowkey enemies-to-lovers

Warnings: some swearing

Word Count: 7.3k

A/N: hey guys! i’m back again!!!!! lemme start with saying i’m so sorry i was gone for like forever! life gets in the way sometimes, but i’m back. anyways, I named this “Bad Boy in Love” because i was listening to Man in Love by infinite while i wrote this lmaoooo. anyways i thank you all for your support and i hope you enjoy this Donghyuck scenario<3 idk about you guys but i think i’m pretty funny ahahhhaa

☯︎

“I swear, she better not try to talk to me again. Like, do I seriously look like I’d date someone like her?” You hear Donghyuck’s friends laugh as he tells them a story of how he rejected a poor girl’s confession.

You scoff and turn to your friend, Renjun. “He’s such a douche. Why would any girl like him? Or any of his stupid friends?” You question why the girls at your school go for guys like Donghyuck and his friends Jeno and Mark. Donghyuck is a jerk--no--he’s the jerk.

Next to you, Chenle, your best friend, chuckles, stealing one of your fries. “It’s because they have hidden charms, Y/N.”

“Hidden charms my ass.” You whisper, rolling your eyes. You seriously wonder why all guys can’t be like Renjun or Chenle or Jisung. They’re all so sweet and they’re gentlemen. Even your friend Xuxi, who is the King of Dumb Decisions, is more mannered that that trio.

But Na Jaemin definitely takes the cake for the King of Perfection. He’s got it all. From his looks, to his grades, to his personality. You’d be lying if you said you didn’t have a crush on him. Who wouldn’t? You and Jaemin have only known each other since the beginning of the school year, but you’ve both taken a liking to one another. You keep your feelings for Jaemin to yourself because he’s a great kid and you wouldn’t want to ruin the friendship you both are building together.

Speaking of Jaemin, he shows up with an English textbook. “I’m so tired from studying. I feel like my brain’s fried.” He says sadly as he takes a seat next to you, putting his head on your shoulder.

“I’ll take your mind off of it.” You assure him. Jaemin lifts his head off your shoulder and smiles at you before putting his arm around your shoulder. You feel the butterflies go crazy, but you ignore them.

As Jaemin puts his arm around you, you don’t feel Donghyuck’s gaze on you. He’s very annoyed with this kid who transferred from God knows where and is already making more progress with you than him.

“Dude, just talk to her already.” Mark says, resulting in Donghyuck shaking his head, taking his eyes off of you.

“I don’t like her, why would I talk to her?” That’s a lie, and Donghyuck knows it. But how could the Lee Donghyuck, proclaimed Bad Boy like a nobody girl like you?

“Yeah, like any of us believe that. We know you like her.” Jeno chuckles, earning a punch on the arm from Donghyuck. He brushes it off. “You better confess before someone else does.”

“Oh yeah, aren’t her and that transfer kid dating?” Mark asks, pointing towards Jaemin.

Donghyuck rolls his eyes before standing up to throw his lunch tray away. “They’re not dating. She doesn’t like him.”

“He definitely likes her. I don’t get why he doesn’t just tell her. Who would turn Donghyuck down?” Jeno shrugs at Mark’s statement and question.

Meanwhile, Donghyuck’s brain is somewhere else. There’s only one thing on his mind: Is Y/N dating that stupid transfer student, Jaemin? He keeps telling himself that he shouldn’t be worried about you, but he is. That kid has no right to come in and steal you away from him.

“She will be my girlfriend.” Donghyuck whispers to himself.

“Dude, that’s seriously creepy.” Mark says to his friend as the bell signaling the end of lunch rings. Donghyuck ignore’s him and the trio gets up, along with their followers, and begins to exit the cafeteria.

Donghyuck’s eyes travel over to where you and Jaemin are walking. He’s officially in a bad mood because you and Jaemin as a ‘thing’ is taking over his brain. “I hate him.”

“Who? Jaemin?” Jeno jokes, making both him and Mark laugh.

Mark slings his arm around Donghyuck’s shoulder. “There’s no reason to hate him. You’re the Lee Donghyuck. You can get any girl you want.” He reassures him.

Donghyuck nods. Mark’s right, he thinks to himself. I am the Lee Donghyuck. I’m the school’s most notorious bad boy. All girls have had a crush on him at one point, so why is he so worried about you not liking him back?

“Hyuck, homecoming’s coming up soon. Why don’t you ask her with like a sign, and shit. She’ll definitely say yes.” Jeno suggests as the three walk down the hall towards their seventh period classes.

Mark suddenly claps and cheers loudly at Jeno’s idea, causing you and Jaemin to look back. For a slight second, you and Donghyuck make eye contact. It doesn’t last long because Jaemin quickly says something, taking away your attention from Donghyuck.

Whatever Jaemin said is making Y/N laugh way too much. For a minute, Donghyuck swears he hears his name, and then the sound of yours and Jaemin’s laughter.

This will not do. Donghyuck sends daggers to the back of Jaemin’s head. He’s going to take what’s his—you—and he will destroy Na Jaemin along the way.

Jeno taps Donghyuck’s shoulder, bringing him back to reality. “Why are you staring at the wall like that? Come on, we’re already here, might as well actually go to class.” Instead of following Jeno into the classroom, Donghyuck makes his way towards the bathroom. Homecoming is two weeks away, so if he wants to make this plan happen, he has to move quick.

As he gets to the bathroom, he hears humming coming from inside. He walks in to see Na Jaemin washing his hands.

“Na Jaemin.” Donghyuck says loudly, catching Jaemin off guard.

Jaemin turns around to dry his hands with a smile. “That’s me. What can I do for you?”

Donghyuck rolls his eyes. This guy. “I need you to stay away from Y/N. You have no business with her.”

“Y/N? She’s one of my close friends. We’re always together, I can’t stay away.” Jaemin smiles sweetly at him.

Donghyuck puts his hand on his head, trying to calm himself down. Is this kid really that stupid? “Are you dumb? Just don’t question it! Stay away from Y/N.” He shouts.

As he finishes his sentence, the two boys hear a gasp come from the door. They turn to see Y/N’s number one, all time, ultimate best friend: Zhong Chenle.

“What about my Y/N? Why does Jaemin need to stay away from her? Why is Lee Donghyuck worried about her?” Chenle steps closer to Donghyuck with every question. If anyone knows Chenle, they know he’s pretty much scared of nothing (except haunted houses and spiders).

“H-hey, don’t come closer or you’ll regret it.” Donghyuck says, his voice unsure. He’s not scared of this kid hurting him—he’s afraid of him telling Y/N he likes her.

Chenle snickers, crossing his arms and giving Donghyuck a mean glare. He takes a brave step towards the older boy. “Excuse me? Did I just overhear you talking about my best friend?” He raises his hand in a fist, preparing to hit Donghyuck if he has to. “Now tell me what you were talking about before I beat it out of you.”

Donghyuck involuntarily flinches violently away from Chenle as Jaemin watches on in amused fascination.

“F-fine.” Donghyuck shouts. He stands up and straightens his jacket up as he looks at Y/N’s best friend. He clears his throat. “I-i—he...J-Jaemin’s threatening my chances with Y/N.” He says defensively.

Chenle sighs, clicking his tongue in disapproval. “Silly Donghyuck. Jaemin has nothing to do with that. It’s all you.”

“What?”

Chenle walks up next to Donghyuck and slings his arm casually around the older male’s shoulders. “I need to make sure you actually like her and see if you’re just trying to play with her emotions or not.” Chenle explains. He turns to look right at Donghyuck. “And if you’re just trying to mess with her, you will feel my wrath.”

Donghyuck gulps at the malicious smile on the younger boys face. For such an innocent looking kid, he sure can be scary.

“Chenle, lay off of the poor guy. You’re scaring him.” Jaemin gently pulls Chenle off of Donghyuck. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t find this amusing though.

“H-he is not scaring me.” Donghyuck scoffs defensively.

“Sure...” Jaemin chuckles.

“I’m Lee Donghyuck. I’m not scared of anything, okay?”

Ignoring that, Chenle speaks up. “So tell me. Do you really like her or are you just trying to make her another one of your conquests?”

“I-I think I like her.” Donghyuck admits. “She makes me feel weird, nervous and tingly.” Chenle looks at him for a moment before sighing.

“You’re such a pervert. I’ll answer your questions about her. Don’t think I’m gonna help you though. You’re on your own for that part, buddy.”

“What? Really?” Donghyuck asks, pleasantly surprised. Chenle nods, looking at his nails. “What’s her favorite color?” He asks.

Chenle stares at Donghyuck for a moment. He can’t be serious, right? “What the—I literally said I would answer any questions you have about her and this is what you ask? What her favorite color is?” Chenle yells exasperatedly, beginning to walk out of the restroom. “I give up. You’re on your own.”

“No! Wait!” Donghyuck whines, pulling Chenle’s arm desperately. “D-does she like him?” He gestures towards Jaemin, who waves as he exits the bathroom.

Chenle sighs before patting Donghyuck’s shoulder. “She’s definitely waiting in line for the love rollercoaster. He just might like her too, so if you’re going to do something, act quickly.” He explains before beginning to walk out. “I got out of class to get a drink from the water fountain and I’ve been missing for like seven minutes. If I get in trouble, I’m blaming you, Donghyuck.”

“Y-you better not tell anyone about this.” Donghyuck stutters out. 

As Chenle leaves, Donghyuck runs into the last stall and sits on the floor. He pulls out his phone and immediately starts writing his plan.

This has to work or else Donghyuck will be devastated.

☯︎

It’s been two days since Donghyuck’s bathroom encounter with Jaemin and Chenle. Donghyuck has had lots of time to think about how he should ask Y/N to homecoming. He’s prepared everything and as soon as the bell signaling lunch rings, it’s go time.

“Dude, stop being nervous. It’ll be fine.” Mark chuckles, hitting Donghyuck upside his head. 

Donghyuck smacks Mark’s hand away and tries to fix his hair. “I am not nervous, I’m Donghyuck. Now leave me alone.” 

“Just remember, confidence is the key to success.” Mark declares firmly, with his fist in the air.

Suddenly, the three of them hear a scoff coming from the left of them and then Chenle passing them. “The key to success? Who are you? DJ Khaled?” He rolls his eyes. “Let me see your sign.” He demands, pointing to the rolled up poster board in Donghyuck’s hands. 

Donghyuck slowly unrolls it before holding it up for Chenle to see. Chenle’s eyes scan the paper before he throws his head back in laughter. 

Donghyuck looks at the sign and furrows his brows. Now, he’s worried.”What? What’s wrong with it?”

“What do you mean what’s wrong with it?” Donghyuck looks at his poster. I guess it is a little plain. His poster read ‘Y/N, Come to HOCO w/ Me!’ He signs before throwing the paper on the ground. “She’s never gonna like me back!” 

Chenle rolls his eyes and reaches into his bookbag. “I made a backup, because for some reason, I new you were going to mess up!” He flashes an annoyed, but pleased with himself smile at the older boy. 

“Hey, who are you? He’s the Lee Donghyuck! Don’t talk to him like--” Mark stands up and steps towards Chenle. Chenle stares at Mark with an unamused expression. 

Donghyuck pushes Mark away from Chenle, quicker than you can stay absolutelyfullycapable. “Dude, stop! He’s like, scary.” He whispers. Jeno and Mark look at each other, both highly confused, but they just shrug.

Chenle glares at Mark and Jeno before handing Donghyuck the poster. “Here.” As he passes the posterboard over, the trio sees visible trails of glitter falling from it. The poster unrolls, and Lee Donghyuck is more than amazed. The poster reads:

‘I’m Lee Donghyuck and I really like you, if you come to hoco with me, I’ll stop being a douche!’

“This is,” Donghyuck breathes out. “The best thing I’ve ever laid my eyes on--I mean, besides Y/N--but this is great! How long did it take you to come up with this?” 

“Like two minutes.” Chenle says, casually going through his phone as they approach the cafeteria. The bell rings, and the students begin pouring out of the classrooms, ready to chill with their friends.

Usually, Donghyuck is not nervous in front of crowds. But today is different. He’s actually afraid of being rejected by you. 

Meanwhile, you’re clueless as to what’s about to happen--and so is Jaemin. So when you hear the cafeteria errupt into cheers and screams, you’re confused. But when you feel a tap on your shoulder, you turn to see a very nervous looking Lee Donghyuck holding a poster. Confused you ask if it’s for you, to which he nods, shyly. 

This is bad. You think to yourself. He looks way too serious to be playing a prank on you.

Donghyuck takes a deep breath before walking closer to you. “Y/N! I like you and I want to go to homecoming with you! Would you please go with me?” Even though you don’t necessarily like Donghyuck, you’re not heartless. He took time out of his life to do all of this and ask you to homecoming. You’re not going to harshly decline his request in front of a good chunk of the student body.

Beside you, Jaemin turns to Donghyuck as well. “I already asked her. We’re going together. Sorry, man.” He sends an apologetic smile to Donghyuck.

The look on Donghyuck’s face is enough to bring the cafeteria to silence. “I-I’m sorry, Donghyuck.” You apologize, embarrassed at all the attention on you. From how you perceive him, you expect him to get angry and start a fight with Jaemin. Normally, he might, but since you’re here and you already hate his guts, Donghyuck decides against it.

“I-I, Y/N-it’s,” He stutters out, ears red as ever. “It’s okay.” Flustered out of his mind, Donghyuck sets the sign by Chenle, who’s sat next to you, and hastily walks out of the cafeteria.

Why do I feel this way? Did I just get rejected? His mind is all over the place. As he exits the cafeteria, he can feel his heart racing—it’s loud and beating quite fast. Donghyuck stops right as he enters the bathroom. He places his hands on his knees and tries to catch his breath and slow down his heart rate. Donghyuck is starting to feel even weirder—if that’s even possible. His palms are becoming even more clamy than before, his heart is still beating faster than the average rate, and he feels a lump forming in his throat.

Lee Donghyuck doesn’t cry! He tells himself. Why would he cry over you when he could get any other girl?

Because he really does like you—more than he originally thought.

Donghyuck clears his throat and stands up with his back facing the mirror. There’s no way he could look at himself in this state.

“You’re so stupid, Donghyuck!” He yells at himself, punching the wall. First off—mistake. His tears threaten to fall, but Lee Donghyuck has been trained over the years to not show when he’s feeling emotionally overwhelmed because ‘men aren’t supposed to display how they feel’. He’s been through worse and he’s kept it together. Why is it so hard for him to stay put together now?

Donghyuck is forced to pull it together when he hears someone enter the bathroom behind him. He turns away and wipes his eyes, so even if he had tears, they weren’t noticeable.

“Are you okay?” It was Chenle. He feels bad, because he feels like it’s partially his fault for te situation. If he had known that Jaemin asked Y/N, he would have never let Donghyuck embarrass himself like that. But not even Chenle knew Jaemin asked her.

Donghyuck coughs loudly to clear his throat. “Of course I’m okay, I’m Lee Donghyuck. I don’t get my feelings hurt by pretty boys who are smart, nice, have great personalities, and steal the one thing I actually want, away from me.” He shakes his head, keeping his face out of Chenle’s view. “Why did you let me go out there and embarrass myself?” Donghyuck questions in a hushed voice.

Chenle feels really bad right now, but at the same time, he thinks that maybe Donghyuck has learned a lesson. “To be fair, I had no idea that Jaemin asked her.” He puts his hand on Donghyuck’s shoulder. “But I think you needed a taste of your own medicine for once. This is how you make so many girls feel all the time. At least Y/N wasn’t rude to you like you are to the people who confess to you.”

Donghyuck hates it, but Chenle’s right. He knows he’s a jerk, but he never really stopped and thought about how others felt from his actions. “I don’t want to feel like this again.”

“If you’re still serious about Y/N, I have an idea. The least I can do is help you guys become friends.” Chenle says to him. Donghyuck spins to face the younger boy, nodding, signaling him to continue.

Chenle explains his plan, and halfway through their last period, they’ve finished planning. “I don’t know how to thank you.” Donghyuck sends a genuine smile to Chenle, who chuckles softly.

“Just be good to Y/N. Seeing her happy is enough for me.”

Soon enough, the end of the school day approaches, the weekend is officially here, and Operation Take-What’s-Mine begins.

☯︎

“So when were you going to tell me that Jaemin asked you to homecoming?” Chenle questions, slamming him lemon water on the table. Every Friday after school, you and Chenle go to the same cafe and get food, since the cafeteria food isn’t that good. You knew something was wrong with Chenle when he ordered the lemon water instead of his usual chocolate milk. He only orders a water when he’s feeling mature, but a water with lemon? You knew something was on his mind.

You sigh. “Chenle, I didn’t even know we were going together until he said that to Donghyuck.” You explain to your best friend. 

“What do you mean you didn’t know?” 

“He never asked me. When I said something to him after the whole lunch situation, he just said that he knew I didn’t like Donghyuck and he didn’t want me to go with him out of guilt.” You tell him. Chenle is shocked, but quickly grins widely.

“This is great news!” He cheers. “Excuse me, can I get a chocolate milk?” He shouts to a waiter passing by. 

You squint at him. Why is this good news? “Why are you so happy? He’s not even going with me because he likes me.” 

Chenle laughs at your sad expression. You’re seriously getting annoyed with him laughing in your face about a boy not liking you. “Y/N, I’m about to say something to you I never thought I’d say in a million years,” He begins. “I think you should get to know Donghyuck as well. See who’s better for you, Jaemin or Donghyuck.”

You scoff at him. “Chenle!”

“Y/N!” Chenle shouts back. “Don’t tell him I told you, but this kid has a serious crush on you! I went to talk to him after he walked out of the cafeteria today. I think he almost cried.” You’re honestly speechless. “He’s changed recently. He’s a lot nicer now than he was before.”

You sigh. “It’s not like I’ll be mean to him. Of course I’ll be decent to him.”

“Okay, great. Let’s go to that party tonight then.” Chenle smiles, clapping happily like a seal.

“Party? You?” You ask, shocked. “You at a party? Chenle, you don’t even know what the word party means.”

“Actually, I threw the littest party in the history of the 6th grade so... check your facts, honey.” Chenle sasses back. “We’re going tonight and there’s nothing you can do to change that.”

You sigh again. Once Chenle gets like this, there’s no changing his mind. “Fine. I’ll go to the stupid party will you, but you owe me.”

Chenle claps, happily. The waiter brings his chocolate milk and the two of you continue talking, but about other topics.

Meanwhile, Donghyuck is flipping out. Chenle texted him saying that you agreed to go to Jeno’s party and now Donghyuck is rummaging through his closet trying to find some presentable clothes.

“If I’m being honest--” Mark begins, but Donghyuck cuts him off.

“If you’re being honest, you think she won’t care about what I’m wearing. Yeah, yeah. Well I care about it. I have to look good.” 

He states. Mark raises his hands in defense. “I was just trying to help. Chill.”

Donghyuck sighs. “I-I know.” he runs his hand through his hair. “This is an actual chance to impress her, and I don’t want to screw it up.”

“I know, man. I think she’ll really like the real you.” He tells his younger friend. Donghyuck and Mark bro hug before he pulls out a random shirt from Donghyuck’s dresser. “This looks nice.” And that’s what Donghyuck goes with. A lavender button up, to show Y/N his classy yet casual side. 

Donghyuck is ready to prove to Y/N just how much he actually likes her. His and Chenle’s plan should work out perfectly. 

- 

Jeno’s family isn’t necessarily ‘loaded’, but they do have a nice sized house. You’re stunned as you and Chenle pull up to the house. “There’s already so many people here.” You say as you and Chenle step out of the uber you guys took to the party. Chenle gives the driver money and gets out as well.

“Yeah, it’s Lee Jeno’s party we’re talking about. Of course there’s a lot of people.” Chenle links his arm with yours. “No doing illegal things under any circumstances!” He demands.

“That’s not what’s on my mind anyways.” You mumble as you guys walk through the back.

“Hey, Y/N--OH MY GOD! Is that Zhong Chenle at a party?” Xuxi yells across the yard. He’s standing at the back door to the house, and waves you guys over. But before you can follow Chenle over to Xuxi, you feel a tug on your arm. 

As Chenle leaves your side, you turn to see the one and only Donghyuck standing in front of you. 

“H-hey.” He stutters out with a small, nervous smile on his face. 

“Hey, Donghyuck.” You respond. It feels kind of awkward at first, but that’s expected. 

“Do you wanna go inside? It’s kind of chilly out here.” He suggests, gesturing for you to go in front. You nod and walk towards the door. “You look really pretty, by the way.” He compliments you, quietly.

You feel your cheeks become heated. “Thanks. You too.” You say, before realizing your mistake. “I mean, you look handsome!” 

Donghyuck chuckles as he pushes the door open for you. “It’s okay, I know what you meant.” As you two enter the house, you immediately see Chenle on the table with a red solo cup in his hand. 

“That better be non-alcoholic!” You point at him. 

He looks at you incredulously. “Y/N, I’m a junior in high school! Let me live and mind your own business!” 

You roll your eyes before you see Xuxi waving his arms, trying to grab your attention. He mouths the words ‘it’s water’ and you laugh at your dumb best friend. You smile a little to yourself before Donghyuck grabs your attention again.

“Hey, uh, wanna go down to the basement?” He asks you a little awkwardly, pointing his thumb over his shoulder.

You eye him incredulously. “The basement? What the hell? No.”

Donghyuck panics a little. “N-no, I didn’t mean for it to sound weird like that. The basement is quieter and we’d probably be able to talk down there.” He explains in a rush. You nod.

“Alright, I guess we can.” You shrug, beginning to follow him towards the stairs.

“You know, it’s good that we’re going down here.” Donghyuck starts telling you over his shoulder. “Nobody will disturb us. We kind of have this little pact where if we’re seen taking a girl into the basement, nobody will come down and bother us.” He smiles as a feeling of dread begins washing over you.

The two of you reach the door leading to the basement stairs only to see a very sketchy, dark stairway. “Um, Donghyuck? I don’t know if I want to come down here anymore...”

“Don’t be silly, Y/N, it’ll be fine.” He grabs your wrist, forcing you down the stairs along with him. You prepare to run and scream when you notice that the basement isn’t, in fact, creepy. It’s actually really nice. “Oh, awesome. Mario Kart’s up! Do you like Mario Kart?”

You look at Donghyuck with a strange expression on your face. “U-uh, yeah. I like Mario Kart.” You nod slowly.

“Awesome. Wanna play? I call Baby Mario.” Donghyuck races to the plush-looking couch and quickly grabs one of the two controllers laying on it. You carefully walk over and sit next to him, grabbing the last controller and watching as he sets up a 2-player game for the both of you.

You each select your characters--him going with Baby Mario and you going with Baby Peach--and the game begins. “Y/N, I like you and I want you to have an actual good impression of me but...” Donghyuck turns to face you, giving you a sympathetic look. “But you're about to get destroyed right now.”

You scoff, tightening your grip on your controller. “Fine. Let’s battle, DongYUCK.” You glare at him.

Donghyuck frowns at that. “Am I really that disgusting?”

You roll your eyes. “Let’s just play.” And you do. The two of you race through all three laps of the chosen level and, to your dismay, you’re left in twelfth place spinning out of control across the finish line due to one of Donghyuck’s sneaky bananas.

“Aren’t you supposed to, I don’t know, let your date win in these types of games?” You ask him, a little irked that he hadn’t let you win.

“Yeah.” Donghyuck nods. “You let me win.” He grins happily at you. You roll your eyes, wanting to be mad, but it’s hard to pretend to be angry when he’s giving you such a sweet look.

“Whatever.” You snicker.

Donghyuck sets his controller down and moves closer to you on the couch, a slight blush appearing on his face. “Wait, you said this was a date.” 

“I mean, isn’t that what it is?” You ask, placing your controller next to his. 

“If you want it to be.” Donghyuck looks anywhere but you.

“You’re acting like this is a date.” You chuckle. 

Donghyuck clears his throat. “Uh, yeah. This is a date, Y/N.” He readjusts his jacket and turns to face you. “You want to get some food? Jeno ordered like, thirty pizzas.” You nod, with a small smile. The two of you get up and begin to walk up the basement stairs. He pushes the door open and the both of you exit. 

“I don’t wanna lose you in the crowd, stay close.” Donghyuck tells you. You decide to grab his hand so you don’t get lost. When you feel Donghyuck’s hand tense up and see him look back at you with wide eyes, you avert your gaze. This is just so you don’t get lost. It’s not like you want to hold his hand or anything.

The two of you make it to the kitchen where Donghyuck goes to fetch you guys some water while you get both of you some pizza. You stand there, staring at the make-your-own-pizza setup, which you think is weird because who sets up something like this at a house party? You dismiss that thought and begin putting ingredients on the pizzas when Donghyuck sneaks up to your side.

“What are you doing?” He asks you, making you jump a little.

“What does it look like? I’m making your food.” You roll your eyes a little, but Donghyuck takes the plate form your hands and throws it in the trash. “What the hell?”

“Never take ingredients from the bowls.” Donghyuck shakes his head.

“Then where am I supposed to get the ingredients from, huh?”

“You have to look under the table for the fresh stuff.” He says, lifting the table cloth to reveal better looking food.

“How would I have possibly known that? It’s not like I’ve ever been here before.” You say as you reach for another plate. You put the (safe) ingredients on both yours and Donghyuck’s pizzas and follow him to what looks to be the dining room, but it has a couch?

“Jeno pulls the couch in here because he doesn’t like people sitting at his dining room table.” Donghyuck explains as he leads you over to it. It doesn’t make a lot of sense, because who’s going to follow that rule at a house party? 

The couch is pretty crowded, but he is the Lee Donghyuck, so it doesn’t take that long for people to leave when they seem him approaching. You two take a seat and begin to eat your pizzas. 

 “Wow, you put together some decent tasting pizzas.” Donghyuck says, astonished. “I’m shocked, to say the least.”

You roll your eyes. That’s not even a compliment. You watch as Donghyuck takes another bite. “Wow, you’re a messy eater.” 

“What?” You can just barely understand what he’s saying as he speaks with a mouth full of food. 

“I said,” You grab a napkin from underneath your plate. “You’re eating so carelessly. There’s food all around your mouth.” Before you can even think, you’re reaching over to wipe the pizza sauce off of Donghyuck’s face.

Donghyuck is obviously taken by surprise as you clean him up. And he’s not the only one.

“Y-Y/N? What are you doing?” Both you and Donghyuck turn to see Na Jaemin staring at you with wide eyes. “Why’re you with him?” He takes a step closer to you guys.

“Jaemin?” You quickly move your hand away from Donghyuck’s face. “What are you doing here?” You question.

“No, Y/N, answer my question. What are you doing here with Donghyuck?” The look in Jaemin’s eyes are sharp and menacing as he glares at Donghyuck before looking back to you.

You scoff a little. “Why are you being so rude? I’m not obligated to tell you anything.” 

Jaemin takes a deep breath. “I-I just wanna know why you’re here with him. I thought we had something.” 

“What?” You stand up. “Jaemin, two people can’t be together if it’s not discussed.” 

By now, an audience was starting to form. “I thought it was obvious, Y/N! I thought you understood the signs I was giving you!” Jaemin raises his voice, frustrated. “And the homecoming thing? Wasn’t that enough for you?” 

“That’s not how any of that works. You can’t just assume, Jaemin.” You respond, quietly. You feel guilty, but upset at the same time, and that’s evident to Jaemin, Donghyuck and everyone else watching. “I think I wanna leave.” You say to Donghyuck. You begin to walk out of the house, Donghyuck following close behind. 

“Y/N, wait.” Jaemin calls after you. He attempts to grab onto your wrist, but he’s forcibly pushed away by Donghyuck.

“Dude, hands off.” Donghyuck warns. Jaemin glares at him before looking to you again.

“Y/N... are we at least still going to homecoming together?” The sadness in Jaemin’s voice makes you turn around to face him, only to see Donghyuck attempting to manhandle him.

“She doesn’t want to talk to you. Just go away.”

“Donghyuck, it’s fine.” You sigh, turning to Jaemin. “At this point... I don’t think it would be a good idea for us to go together.”

With that, you walk away, Donghyuck by your side as you walk down the street and away from Jeno’s party. It’s silent until Donghyuck elbows you not-so-gently. “I know I should have said something earlier, but my car’s in the opposite direction.” He chuckles awkwardly.

You sigh, shaking your head. “You’re an idiot.” The two of you turn around and walk to his car. 

You and Donghyuck reach his car. He opens the passenger side door for you before jogging to the drivers seat and starting the car. “Where do you want to go?” 

-

“What are we doing here?” You ask in confusion as Donghyuck parks on the side of the street. What the hell are you guys doing in this rich ass neighborhood? Homeboy ignores you. He walks up to a very nice looking house. Nicer than Jeno’s. “Donghyuck! Are you trying to break in?” You question panickedly. You seriously do not want to catch a case, especially before you finish high school.

“We have to sneak to the back and climb up the lattice.” Donghyuck says calmy, ignoring you once again. He leads you towards a bush, covering part of the fence. He squats and holds back part of the bush, revealing a hole leading to the backyard. “Ladies first.” He smiles.

“What the hell, Donghyuck! I’m not helping you break into a house!” You shout.

Donghyuck stands up hastily and shushes you. “I’m not breaking into any houses!” He whisper yells. “We have to sneak in because if my brother wakes up, I’m dead.” He explains.

You freeze. “Wait... you live here?” You ask in disbelief. Donghyuck nods, slightly embarrassed. “Wow, that makes no sense.”

Donghyuck gestures for you to crawl through the hole--which you do--and quickly comes in behind you. He then pushes past you and begins climbing up the back of the house, only to open a window and scurry back down. “You go in first. Just in case you fall, I’ll be here to catch you.”

You scoff. “What makes you think I’d fall? I actually won the Rock Climbing Relays in fourth grade.” You inform him, a matter-of-factly.

“Uh, whatever. Just climb.” He rolls his eyes. You start your journey up the lattice, and to be honest, it’s kind of scary. “Don’t worry, I’m right behind you.”

“Wow, that makes me feel so much better.” You say, sarcasm dripping from your voice. 

After what seems like forever, you reach the window and pull yourself through. You glance outside to see Donghyuck almost to the top. You reach your arms out and he gladly takes a hold of them. You help him through, and once you’re both finally in, you take a look around. It’s a long, dark corridor with pictures lining the walls. In the majority of the pictures, you see Donghyuck, an older boy, who you assume is his brother, and a lady, who you can definitely tell is his mother. 

“Follow me, my room’s this way.” Donghyuck takes your hand and gently pulls you down the hall. His room is at the end of the hall, and when you enter, you’re shocked, to say the least. “So, this is the crib.” He chuckles, awkwardly. 

Donghyuck has polaroids all over his room and fairy lights. It’s definitely not what you though Lee Donghyuck’s bedroom would look like. “Can I look at these?” You ask as you pick up a photo album. 

“Oh, uh, I guess. It’s from, like a long time ago. It’s embarrassing.” Donghyuck’s face becomes red. You open the photos and you can kind of understand why he would be embarrassed--because half the pictures aren’t old, and look to be from the past school year. 

“You were so cute!” You gasp as you point to a baby picture of him. 

“I still am.” Donghyuck jokes. You laugh, but silently agree with him. The kid is pretty cute and the both of you know it.

After looking through the pictures, conversation flows naturally between the two of you. You talk about everything, answer questions about yourselves, but there’s one thing on your mind that you want to ask him about. “Donghyuck?” You say his name.

“Y/N?” He smiles at you. 

“I like this side of you,” You begin. “Why don’t you show this side at school? Why do you act like such a jerk?” 

Donghyuck knew this was coming. And to be honest, he doesn’t really have an excuse for his disrespectful behavior. “I... I don’t know.” He admits. You tilt your head in confusion, but allow him to continue. “I guess I like the attention I get.”

“From the girls?”

“I guess.” Donghyuck blushes, but begins to ask you another question, but this time he’s completely serious. “What do you see in Na Jaemin?”

“W-what?” You’re taken off guard. Is it really that obvious that you take some interest in Jaemin?

Donghyuck chuckles, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “I’m serious, Y/N. What does he have that I don’t?” He gazes up at you. “What’s so good about him?” 

You ponder on his questions for a few seconds. “Jaemin is just... You’re a little...” You shift at the tension. “You guys are too different to compare.” 

“Just say what you want Y/N. I won’t get offended, if that’s what you’re thinking.” 

You sigh. “Well, to be honest,” You clear your throat. “Jaemin is like every little girl’s dream boy. He’s smart, athletic, tall, and--boy--is he handsome.” 

Donghyuck rolls his eyes, but lets you continue.

“But you, Donghyuck--you’re an interesting character. At first, I thought you were just a douche bag, but you seem to be so much more than that!” You laugh at the thought. It’s only been one night, but you feel like you could definitely get used to the real Donghyuck.

“I hope that’s a good thing,” Donghyuck chuckles, leaning against his headboard. “Because I really like you, Y/N.” You blush, once again and stay quiet, unsure of what to say.

You feel the bed move and you soon see Donghyuck’s smiling face. “It’s getting pretty late. Let’s get you home.” With that, he gets up and walks out of his bedroom, leaving you flustered. You quickly follow him out and exit his house the same way you came in. Your night with Donghyuck definitely went better than expected.

☯︎

The day of homecoming actually came very quickly. But, surprisingly, the only people you have spoken with were Chenle, Jisung, and Donghyuck. After the party at Jeno’s, you and Donghyuck formed a good friendship. Your relationship with Jaemin on the other hand, is still in shambles. 

“I’m sure he’s sorry. I mean, it’s just not like him to have no remorse.” Chenle says to you as the two of you walk to the drugstore. You needed to get a few last minute things to prepare for homecoming, and Chenle decided to tag along.

You sigh. “I know, I just--I don’t want this to ruin our friendship for good.” You enter the store and head straight to the makeup section, because you were definitely not forgetting fake eyelashes for the second year in a row. 

“Y/N, this is Na Jaemin we’re talking about. Trust me when when I say that everything will turn out okay.” Chenle pats your shoulder, reassuringly. “Now, why did you need these things again?” He points to the eyelashes.

“Because I want them. Now please, can you help me pick the best ones?” You ask your best friend. Chenle chuckles and nods. 

As you and Chenle get the last minute things you need from the drugstore, you hear a very familiar voice come from the aisle over.

“I think a mask with charcoal would be the best to use before homecoming. Don’t you agree?” 

You glance at Chenle, but you see him already walking around the corner. “Jaemin! What’s up? I haven’t seen you in a while.” Jaemin? You internally panic. Chenle won’t bring you into the conversation, right?

As Chenle disappears from your view, you try to quietly tiptoe in the opposite direction. Honestly, you could have been successful if it wasn’t for your best friend’s big mouth.

“Actually, I came here with Y/N. She’s right over here.” You cringe as you hear Chenle’s words. What a friend.

You slowly turn back around to see the person you’ve been avoiding: Na Jaemin.

“H-hey, Jaemin. What’s crackalackin’?” You chuckle awkwardly.

Jaemin sends a soft smile your way. “Long time no see, Y/N. How’ve you been?” 

“I’m good, and you?” You keep up the basic, yet awkward conversation, hoping it will end soon.

“I’m great.” Jaemin’s smile never leaves his face. “How’s Donghyuck? Are you guys dating?”

Your eyes dart around at anything but Jaemin’s face. Luckily for you though, Chenle chimes in. “Her and Donghyuck definitely are not dating.” He says sassily. “They’re just talk--” You hurriedly slap a hand over Chenle’s mouth, laughing nervously.

“We’re just friends.” You tell Jaemin, feeling a bit bashful as he looks at you with an expression that tells you he doesn’t believe you.

“So, um... are you still mad at me?” Jaemin asks, changing the subject.

“Of course I’m not.” You feel the tension in your shoulders disappear. “I’m just as much in the wrong as you are.”

“Still, I feel like I caused all this.” Jaemin frowns slightly. “I’m really sorry, Y/N. I just want to go back to normal.”

You smile at that. “Then let’s go back to how things were before. It sucks not being able to hang out with you like we used to.” Jaemin’s expression lights up. “Friends?”

“Friends.” Jaemin takes your extended hand and shakes it.

“I’m so happy that I have someone to hang out with besides Chenle now.” You chuckle. Jaemin shares your sudden happiness.

“Jaems? Jaems, where are you?” A very familiar voice calls out.

“Jaems?”  Chenle scoffs. “Don’t tell me whoever that is is looking for you.” He crosses his arms as Jaemin’s face suddenly reddens. Suddenly, Lee Jeno’s head pops out from around the corner.

“Jeno?” You ask, confused. Jeno’s expression looks just about as shocked as your voice. 

“Oh, Y/N, hey.” Jeno greets, awkwardly. “Jaems--I mean, Jaemin, I’m ready to leave when you are.” He coughs out in a quiet voice. 

You glance over at Chenle who is already looking at you in disbelief. Na Jaemin and Lee Jeno? Together? Strange.

“When did you two become friends?” Chenle raises an eyebrow at the pair in front of you two.

“Funny story actually,” Jaemin chuckles, slinging an arm around an uncomfortable Jeno. “After mine and Y/N’s fight, I got really upset and kind of made a scene, but Jeno calmed me down and helped me get home safely.” He explains.

You nod, still surprised at the match. Although the duo is quite strange, your mind continues to wander back to your argument with Jaemin. He looks at you with an apologetic expression. “Y/N, I really want to say sorry for what happened at the party,” He says. “I just didn’t want Donghyuck to hurt you. But I see that he’s been pretty good to you and if you’re happy, I’m happy.”

You hug Jaemin. “Jae, I’m sorry too. Can we just forget everything that happened and be best friends again?” You ask.

Chenle coughs. “Close friends. I’m the best friend, don’t forget.”

Jaemin ignores him as he hugs you back. “Of course, Y/N. I missed you.”

You feel so much better. You honestly thought you would spend your homecoming night upset about your broken friendship, but luckily you made up with Jaemin.

“Thank god you guys fixed that, I was getting stressed.” Chenle flips his hair. You chuckle before exchanging goodbyes. 

“See you guys tonight.” You waves to Jeno and Jaemin. 

“Yeah, see you guys.” Jaemin waves back. “Save me a dance, Y/N.” He smiles before turning to leave the store with his friend.  

[buckyshattergirl]

A (Not So) Good Boy

Pairing: Roman Sionis x Reader A/N: Well... I did it. After almost three years of writing nothing that was good enough to post, IM BACK. This took me almost a week to write after finally coming up with a plot I liked. The idea itself had been bothering me for almost a month. I hope you like this! Words: 2.5k Warnings: Porn with maybe too much plot, smut, mommy kink, oral sex, handjob, out of character Roman (idk man...)

Summary: Roman finds himself in some trouble after his family disowns him. Through the kindness of a very nice baker he might find a way to get back on his feet. He did not plan on the things she would make him feel though.

Roman got into the bakery close to closing time, hoping they had some leftovers for him. The person doing the front hadn't noticed him yet and the baker came out. A young woman, early to mid twenties. She noticed him right away, and seemed to recognise him. "Hi, welcome to Book & Bake," she smiled. It wasn't a fake customer service smile, it was real, oozing with friendliness and he didn't know what to make of it. "Can I help you?"

"Yeah… I was wondering if you had any leftovers I could take home? I got two dollars, I'll take anything." He said. Boy he really was desperate, he didn't even bother speaking softly. She looked him up and down and took two sausage rolls out of the counter. 

"Come on back with me," she smiled. "I'll warm these up… You seem like you could use a chat." She opened the saloon doors and waited for him, she wasn't kidding. He followed her into a big room which had just been cleaned. The ovens were just hot enough to warm up the sausage rolls. She opened one up and put them in, leaving the door open. 

He looked at her, feeling very confused. "I-I'm Roman…" he told her. He figured if she was kind enough to welcome him into her working space he could at least introduce himself. 

"I know…" the woman smiled. "I remember you from the papers… My name is Y/N." She introduced herself. "And I think it's incredibly unfair what your family did to you…" That made Roman smile. He hadn't smiled in a long time. He watched her as she carefully got the pastries out and handed him one. 

"Thank you…" he mumbled, letting it warm his cold hands. "I really appreciate this…"  He hadn’t experienced this kind of kindness ever since his parents kicked him out. Y/N stood next to him, patting his shoulder. 

“If you’re ever hungry, or need a place to stay, you’re welcome here.” she smiled. 

A few weeks after their first meeting he once again found himself in Book & Bake right before closing. This time only Y/N was there. “Are you okay?” she asked. He looked awful. His face was all bruised and bloody and he was shivering. 

“I couldn’t pay them…” he whispered. He still had to get used to the fact that he had to work for his money now and that he couldn’t spend everything on menial stuff.

“Lemme take you upstairs, sweetie, get you all cleaned up.” she said, taking his arm. There was a staircase hidden behind a bookcase that opened. Y/N was still pretty proud of that idea. It led up to a very nice and luxurious flat. “I’m gonna run you a nice warm bath, you’re freezing.” she said, getting him into the bathroom. “And clean off your face, see if you need any patching up. Is that okay?” 

Poor man couldn’t do anything but nod. He didn’t even realise he was cold. He watched as she got out the first aid kit and turned on the hot water. Soon the bathroom was filled with warmth as the tub filled up. 

Y/N took a washcloth and wetted it. “This might sting a little,” she softly said as she brought the fabric to his face. Slowly all the blood disappeared and revealed that the wounds it had come from had already dried. “Damn… They fucked you up real bad, didn’t they…” she whispered, carefully inspecting all the bruises.

He didn’t know what to say. It had been years since anyone had treated him with such kindness. “Can I stay here?” he whispered, almost ashamed to have to ask for help. The young woman nodded, cupping his face. 

“For however long you need.” she offered, turning the water off and adding nice smelling bubbles to it. The bottle seemed expensive, he was pretty sure his mother had the same one. “Enjoy your bath,” she smiled, standing up to leave. As she turned around Roman grabbed her wrist. 

“Please stay…” he whispered. “I don’t want to be alone…” 

She nodded, getting back to her knees in front of him. “Alright,” she nodded. “Would you like some help?” That earned her a small nod. She reached up to slowly unbutton his shirt, being careful in case they hurt his torso too. But he didn’t have any bruising there. “I’ll turn around so you can take your pants off and get into the tub, alright?” she smiled, standing up and turning around. 

When Y/N heard the water move she turned around again, finding him in the tub, hugging his knees.  She sat down on the ottoman which held all her bath products and sighed. “Could… Could you please wash my hair?” Roman asked, looking up at her. Y/N nodded,

She found a lavender scented shampoo that would calm him a little. God knows he needed it. She used her hands to wet his hair. It felt like it hadn’t been washed  in weeks. “Is this okay?” she asked, running her hands through the greasy locks. She got another nod. She took the shampoo and rubbed it between her hands before massaging it into his scalp and hair. 

The scent did wonders to his anxious thoughts. His paranoia disappeared. They wouldn’t find him here. He relaxed into her touch and sighed contently. “Thank you, ma…’am” he whispered. 

Y/N smiled, glad she still had that top energy after years of being too busy to have any sex. She rinsed out all the shampoo, making sure he didn’t get any into his eyes. Once his hair was clean she ran her hands through it one last time. “Do you think you can manage the rest?” she asked. “I’ll find you some pyjamas and make your bed.” Once again she got a nod in confirmation. She couldn’t help but kiss his head softly before leaving the bathroom, leaving out a towel on the ottoman.

The moment the door closed Roman let out a sigh. He bit his lip and wrapped his hand around his hardening cock. “Fuck…” he whispered. She was so beautiful and kind to him. He didn’t know how to handle himself. He slowly stroked himself, imagining it was Y/N’s hand taking care of him. Soft moans escaped his lips as he kept that slow pace. “Y/N…" he whimpered, bucking his hips up. 

Meanwhile she was holding the doorknob, definitely hearing what he was doing so instead of just walking in she softly knocked on the door so he seized his actions. She waited for permission to come in and put the silk pyjamas on the sink. 

"Dinner will be ready in ten minutes," she announced, looking over at him. She saw how his face was flushed and he was biting his lip. "Have fun," she winked. 

He knew it was so wrong, but he couldn't help saying it. He didn't even know if he said it to tease her or because it turned him on. "Yes mommy," he called out, grinning. It did turn him on, and he hoped she didn't think it was weird. 

Y/N just chuckled as she walked to the kitchen. She'd never been called mommy before but she thought it was pretty funny. She quickly whipped up some spaghetti, making sure there was enough. He seemed hungry. 

10 minutes later Roman appeared in the kitchen. "These pyjamas are really comfy, thank you." He smiled, sitting down. She handed him a plate and a set of cutlery before sitting across from him. She was worried for him. The people that beat him up could still be after him. 

“Who fucked you up that bad?” she asked, reaching over the table to take his hand. “Do they need to be paid off?” Another nod. “How much?” 

“5000…” he sighed. “But please don’t feel obligated to pay… I’ll find a job, pay it off myself.” he rambled. But Y/N shook her head. 

“I’ll pay them… See it as a chance to get back on your feet.” she said. “Would you like some cheese?” 

After dinner Y/N put on the tv as she did the dishes, giving Roman some distraction. She had no idea that he couldn’t keep his eyes off of her backside. “Will you stay with me tonight?” he asked as she sat down with him. 

“Of course,” she nodded, getting underneath a blanket. Over the next few minutes Roman got closer to her, needing affection. She was too focussed on the movie on the television to notice his neediness. Finally he got the courage to put his head in her lap. Her hand immediately found its way into his hair softly. He nuzzled into her stomach, enjoying the touches. “You tired?” she asked. He grinned up at her and shook his head. 

“But I do wanna go to bed.” he smirked, getting up. Mischief lit up his eyes as he walked to the open bedroom. Y/N chuckled, getting up to follow him.

“Don’t start something you can’t finish, Sionis…” she laughed, walking into the bedroom with him. “You should know I have a very peculiar taste in the bedroom.”

“As long as I can call you mommy I’m fine with everything…” he smirked, biting down onto his lip. 

“Usually I go by Mistress or ma’am… But suit yourself I guess, Sionis…” Y/N chuckled, pushing him softly towards the bed. “Be nice, darling…” She climbed onto the bed and sat down against the headboard, looking at him with a kind smile. 

“Yes, of course…” Roman grinned, crawling closer to her. His dick was already rock hard, clearly visible through the silk of his pants. “I can’t wait to fuck you…” he whispered under his breath. That made Y/N chuckle.

“No no no, sweetie… You’re going to make mommy feel good first…” she said, gripping his chin and kissing him. It started out slow and soft but soon turned into a show of dominance. “Now be a good boy for me…” she whispered into his ear once she pulled away. 

He nodded and unbuttoned Y/N’s shirt, kissing every inch of newly exposed skin on his way. “Fuck you’re so beautiful…” he whispered, pushing away the fabric from her shoulders so her torso was bared to him. His lips found the skin of her collarbone as he pushed her skirt up. He couldn’t get her panties off fast enough. 

“I bet that tongue of yours is very talented,” she whispered, kissing his cheek. He nodded, kissing down her chest and never breaking eye contact. He smirked, winking as he gave a shy lick at her clit, making her sigh. He took his sweet time before diving in and eating her out like a man starved. Y/N moaned out his name, it sounded like music, as he lapped at her clit and his fingers teased at her opening. 

She reached down, pulling at his hair softly to talk to him. “You’re so good at this...” she whispered. He moved his fingers to her clit before diving back in, pressing his tongue against her entrance and finally penetrating her. 

He moaned at the taste of her pussy, extracting more moans from her. He used his fingers to flick at her bundle of nerves, making her whimper until she was close. Roman groaned, pulling away. “Please mommy…” he whimpered. “Please… I’m so hard… Please touch me…” Y/N groned at her ruined orgasm, but smirked at him as she sat up straighter.

“Get on your back, sweetie,” she ordered. Roman complied, holding onto her hand. “I’m gonna sit on your face. Because you will make me cum before I even consider letting you cum.” She said, waiting for him to nod before straddling his face. “Tap my thigh three times if you need me to get off.”

He wrapped his arms around her thighs to get her closer. He wanted to eat her out real good. Meanwhile she reached over and got his cock out of it’s silk confines. “Oh baby…” she smirked, kissing it. “So hard for me…” She spit in her hand before wrapping her hand around his dick, slowly stroking him. It felt so good he buried his tongue deeper inside to stifle his moans. 

Y/N rocked her hips, giving Roman’s cock teasing licks but never taking him in her mouth. That only made him work even harder. Soon she was moaning out his name “God Roman, I’m so close…” she moaned, “make me cum…” . He reached down and teased her clit with his finger, applying just the right amount of pressure. She cried out and arched her back, finally reaching that high. She got off of him, sitting down next to him instead and smiled, softly pecking his lips. 

“You’ve been such a good boy,” she whispered, wrapping her hand around his cock again. “You can touch if you want to…”

He whimpered, letting his hands run up her body. “You’re so beautiful,” he whispered, squeezing the supple flesh of her tits. She sped up her hand, making him moan. He dove in and started kissing down her boobs to hide the sounds he was making.  Soon his hips bucked to meet her hand and he was moaning and whimpering into her skin. “Fuck… Mommy I’m so close…” he whispered. 

“Do you want to cum, baby?” she asked, stroking his hair with her free hand. He nodded, looking up at her with big eyes. “Ask me nicely then…”

“Please mommy… Please can I cum?” he whined, rutting into her hand like an animal. She seemed to think it over a little, but to him it took too long. “Please…” he whimpered. She leaned down and kissed his cheek before finally whispering what he wanted to hear.

“Cum for me, sweetie…” With that he moaned out her name, his hips stuttering as white spurts of cum shot out of his dick. “So pretty when you cum…” Y/N commented, a smirk on her face. 

“Thank you,” he sighed, putting his head against her shoulder. “That was amazing…”

“I noticed,” she chuckled, wrapping her arm around his shoulder. “We should definitely take a shower now…” That made Roman whine. 

“I don’t wanna…” he sighed. “I wanna stay here comfy with you…” 

“Alright, but I am gonna take a quick shower. I’ll be right back.” she said, kissing his face. Five minutes later she emerged with a washcloth and a water bottle. “Here…” she said, making him drink as she wiped down his body, getting most of the filth off. 

“You were really good for me…” she smiled, kissing his head. 

“I’d like to be your good boy,” Roman grinned, winking before kissing her cheek. “If you’ll have me of course.” Y/N chuckled.

“Alright, but then you really have to be good, okay?” she smiled, holding him close. 

“I promise…” he nodded. 

Tags(I’m tagging people I think will like this. If you don’t want to be tagged please tell me. That also goes if you want to be tagged.): @fantastic-fantasy-fanfics​ @darling-i-read-it​ @queenofgotham800​ @romyxsiomy​ 

[survivormetaverse]

Episode 1 - "I know the game will pick up eventually" ~Shaad

chile lemme not get thrown out for making all these stan twitter bitch references I'M LICHERALLY HARMLESS I DON'T MEAN MOST OF WHAT I SAY DKJFHASJKLDG

~

ngl tho i'm kinda shitting myself over these challenges bc i don't wanna get tossed on the first round JKAHFSJKDGHJ my ant eye et tea is through the ROOF

~

oh girl, first impressions? ngl, the gays and girls here seem quite lovely, hopefully they won't have to carry me the entire time LMAO

Okay like the only person I like/talked to is Jodi but she seems like a smart cookie so ima sleep with one eye open. But idk I'm ready to put on my fake ass smile and my fake ass kind words and get through this part. It's interesting with 6 people per tribe like if we lose I don't have that solid "core" yet but theres a chance that it would be me, jodi, amy because we were the first three on and active so idk. the immunity challenge is cool, the hunt challenge is cool too. im not good at timed puzzles, so I don't think I'm gonna go for it but a part of me feels like everyone across the tribes isnt gonna do it becsuse theyre scared so thats a good opportunity to sneak in and play with less people against me? idk idk idk ahhh

🎶Oh my god we're back again🎶 Hey peeps!! :DDD Here I am againnnn, how fun! Tbh I forgot this was today lowkey and Dylan reminded me and I was like oop 😳 also I am so sorry to everyone that I cannot help but sprinkle the fact that we are now dating in all of my first convos bc IM VERY GAY apologies✨ for how often I'm mentioning it I mean 😂 My tribemates seems so cool, Jennifer and Babs are newbies but seem up to the challenge, Jay A and Colin already giving off immaculate vibes✨ Me and Dyl are hosting Ingary in a month and I do have like work and everything so I don't know exaclty how active I'll be in this game/ how far I'll make it but we'll see won't we!!

not me being a leader of whateva

~

it's the lack of reading comprehension for me (that was shade directed towards myself)

In the fools tribe !!! Moth is in my tribe which is good because we have played together before. The immunity challenge is divide and conquer! So I believe I will be doing the endurance one. I think I’ll be okay... and the hunt announcement is a good twist !!! I’m not sure if I’ll participate in the first one.. but I’ll probably change my mind. ANYWAYS, I’m ready to kick some ass 

Hey guys it's me Brayden and I am so here. I'm so excited to be playing again and stuff and I have already predicted the future that I'll be the winner. Anyways I was at an award ceremony for like the first 3 hours of the game which is kind of scary bc I feel like I missed alot but I'm trying to talk to people and stuff and see what's going on. I've briefly talked to Jodi, Amy, and Ginnifer (who is so hard to talk to btw I like send her messages trying to start a real conversation and she will just respond being like same or something). Anyways the other 2 people on my tribe are offline rn so ig I missed my chance to talk to them tonight so I'll do that tomorrow. Anyways I signed up to do counting and I'm so excited bc I literally KILLED the counting challenge on Kyoshi Islands so I'm so excited to hopefully kill it again. I also decided to play the hunt challenge even though I only have 3 chances bc I'm hoping alot of people will be scared to use one of their three chances to play in the first round and I can have a better chance of winning it. But I think I'm bad at puzzles. I didn't think it through that hard I think I got excited to play a challenge but whatever I'll probably win the advantage then in a few weeks win the whole game anyways see u later.

SO its the morning after the premiere!! Everyone's settled in!! and I kinda don't know how to feel?? Overall the premiere was kinda quiet, nothing happened worth noting tbh. Everyone on the tribe showed up, so thats good, but i think we're all just feeling each other out at the moment as for the people on my tribe! everyone seems chill but also i can't put my finger on it but SOMEHOW this tribe radiates chaotic energy. I don't know HOW or WHY but I just know it DOES. The way we're interacting in the tribe chat it seems like there's a very wide range of personalities and vibes. They're either gonna complement each other or clash, and I guess we're just gonna have to wait to find out which one!!! here are my quick night 1 first impressions that no one asked for :) Anastasia - she showed up kinda late bc she had life happening, understandable. BUT she kinda just jumped right in and started vibing with everyone!! so I think she's gonna be a strong social player. I talked to her and she seems really funny, I think I might really get close with her if I'm able to talk to her more Babs - IF our tribe does end up being chaotic, it's going to be because of Babs. They're definitely the most talkative and prominent person on the tribe, but I think they might come off as messy to others. they're really funny though!! so again I can see myself wanting to work with them if I can get to know them more. They are the biggest question mark on the tribe for me currently Elle - AH. I LOVE THEM ALREADY. Within minutes of us talking they mentioned Dylan and then I found out that they're DATING and I was SCREECHING. cutest shit i've ever heard. I'm so excited to meet and play with them. Dylan is one of my fave people in the org community so ofc I wanna get to know Elle and connect with them as well!! Jay - I think Jay seems like just a very genuine open person?? Like we talked for quite a while yesterday just about games and he was asking me questions about my experience with them and all that. idk if it's because he sees me as a threat or if its because he just actually wanted to get to know me. He lowkey gives me heterosexual vibes and idk if thats true or not but idk how to bring it up. but I def wanna keep talking to him and getting to know him!! I think he might be someone I can form a genuine friendship with Jennifer - kinda have no opinion so far. I think shes the quietest on the tribe. at least for me I didn't get the chance to hear from her much. kinda gives catfish vibes. kinda gives early boot vibes. idk. we'll see what happens!

Not too much yet tbh. Just finding my footing. People are loving my energy so hopefully they’ll keep me around

So i realized Amy is runner up from the season before mine in another org and so we connected over that... of course we are not going to tell anyone else but we did have that going for us to get started. brayden is only 16 but he told me he loves magic and wanted to learn more about it so i told him id teach him some stuff! dennis and i called and connected well BUT hes kinda playing SUPER hard and wanting to throw challenges already to vote people out.. this has never worked out for anybody!! josh is cool, he works at a grocery store so he's gonna kill the "b" challenge. ginnifer has been the most MIA but i have faith that we'll work together well for the popularity contest. yall know i cant play the reverse flirt game i so badly want to coin, but i do have romance tea for yall tomorrow. stay tuned........

Jay and I talked last night so i guess we're best friends. We decided to make an alliance and try to get Elle in it. But everyone has been pretty inactive besides Jay and Collin. I've only slightly talked to Jessica this whole game and Babs hasn't even said one thing to me and I texted them hi. And apperently Babs has left Jay on opened too so they might just suck at talking right now. Hopefully Babs will talk to me they seem so funny and cool D:

I won endurance 👑!!!! Hopefully the fools tribe wins this!!!! I played against Jennifer and Dennis. I could see myself playing with Dennis down the line if we merge. I haven’t talked to anyone but Moth. So I messaged my whole tribe Introducing myself. Hopefully things work out for me! 

Thoughts after the first 24hrs: https://youtu.be/I62bDSzgf68

You hear something ??? Same. Why is my tribe so quiet 😂😂😂😂 I’m trying to read off the vibes but I see nothing. 

I really love my tribe and the fact that they don’t know I played last season is a good strategy to play on my end

tbh i wish we lost i wanted to go to tribal and vote one of these people out :(

Welp we got second place in the first challenge :| which isn't bad!! But it's not first place 😂😂. But I had a fun day taking pictures so whateverssss. I said I would be chaotic in this game but the opportunity hasn't presented itself yet... Guess we'll have to wait and see✨

I think at this point, my team is shady and won't say anything to me so I am nervous.

The challenges were way harder than I thought. I didn't do well at all and let my tribe down. I feel like I will be the first to get voted out if we have a tribal hearing.

We lost yay. I had a feeling. Hopefully the tribe will keep me around for now since I won endurance.... lhsisowjshwowpwpwheowowhfiwpqpqpjw. Jared thinks we can vote Bri out. Which I’m fine with, I haven’t really talked to her at all. Jared and I are going to message the others and see where everyone’s head is at. Honestly I don’t care who goes home as long as I’m safe. Everyone is quiet which is so annoying. Blahhhhhhhhhh 

Well it’s my 3rd time playing and it’s not off to the best start, no one seems to be talking to anyone. And we lost meaning we are going to tribal council. So fuck- I have no idea what about to happen. I’m just hoping it’s not me or Jess

if i must confess, my strategy is to have a 4-3-2 alliance. i need a 4 to have a majority, but i dont have a 4 yet. within the 4, theres a three person alliance w me jodi and amy, but within that three i believe that the core 2 is myself and jodi. i really dont care who the 4th is. i like having jodi and amy as an alliance because theyre both doing wayy too much which is great for me :) i dont think any of these people have idols but who knows. i would love to throw the next immunity i wanna go to tribal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Looks like we’ve got something good. We’ve got an alliance that’s set to (hopefully) vote out bri due to inactivity. Let’s just pray it works

~

Trying to talk in this tribe is so difficult In both my other seasons I was pretty quiet all the time It is like that x10000 I was hoping to stay under the radar but that doesn’t work if no one talks at all I suppose it depends on if I’m being played or if everyone just doesn’t talk. I think there’s a plan. Let’s hope it goes well 

OKAY SO. Moth, Jared and I have a little alliance going on. We are set on voting out Bri. I just talked to Danny and Shaad and they are down with voting Bri out. I have high hopes that I’ll be safe at tribal. 

Better communication.. in sticking with that fact, our communication in my team could be better and we need to put more effort into what we do, I believe in us!

https://youtu.be/595h7hmL6VY

The start to this game has been a freaking snails pace...it’s unbelievable to me that these people do not want to talk that much, especially when it’s a tribe of 6. Colin and I talk the most, I’ve gotten a decent amount out of Anastasia, and to me it feels like those 2 wants to work with me and I am fine with working with them. Usually in a larger group you want to figure out who you can work with long term and use the first few tribals to establish trust, I may throw that out the window since there’s only 5 other people on this tribe. My strategy needs to be who the hell can get me past these first few votes before a swap happens, and I feel like I can rely on Colin and Anastasia for that. I’d like to pull in Elle, because she’s the one who’s talked to me the most out of her, Babs, and Jennifer. Everyone seems nice, but it would be lovely if people would be more active. 

I’m enjoying the fact our tribe won the first challenge everyone is very nice I love it :)

This round has been pretty smooth sailing. I know the game will pick up eventually but for now, we are just going with the flow as a tribe

https://youtu.be/UZVzZ6d6GRU

~

ok so apparently ginnifer isn't famous. she's just a bit quiet and mysterious. ok with me, just gonna take a while because I'm a loud and outspoken person (and player). amy, dennis and I have an alliance called "fang gang" (it's really just 3 emojis of vampires) and we're going to run the premerge hopefully. I do like brayden a lot, and maybe I'll propose a 3 with him, amy and myself to have a solid 4 control the votes until a swap. round 1 not bad so far!

~~~

Edgics:

Power Rankings:

Phantom

Jodi: I believe Jodi is thriving on this tribe. She is very obviously a social player who picks up on the littlest details. I’m sure she can sniff out a plot if it comes down to it. However, Jodi is the plot. She is the leader of her tribe and is easily the most active person in the game at the moment. So long as she keeps a smile on her face and doesn’t overextend to do something messy, she will find that she will make it safely to merge. Allying with Amy could be dangerous however since Amy has stated she needs to be voted out before a certain date. This means that Jodi needs to socialize with other members of her tribe and get new allies before hers will inevitably be voted out of the game.

Amy: Even though she wants to get voted out, Amy has set herself up perfectly at Jodi’s side. She can take the heat off of herself using Jodi and is able to hide better than others. As always, her UTR game has come out to shine. She hasn’t had anyone call her out and even though Jodi has seen her play she is still able to gain her trust.

Josh: Doing so well in the challenge has earned Josh’s place here. He makes his worth known early and has a great personality as well. This makes him very safe for any early tribal councils as no one is going to want to take him out; they want him on their side. Similar to Amy, he just seems to be using an under the radar social game which he is executing well at the present moment. And, as the star of the challenge, he makes himself safe for future tribals before the swap. However, I do fear that this early impression of competition prowess will come back to haunt him if he makes it to the merge.

Dennis: I would put Dennis higher, but Jodi, his ally, already is suspicious of him. She seems to think of him as a bit of a sneak and, as the tribe leader, her opinions matter the most. It is good that he is able to be Jodi’s ally so she might stray away from voting him out. However, his desire to go to tribal and play the game so early may bite him in the butt later down the line. I can definitely see him being called out for trying to play too hard too fast. At the moment, he remains high because he seems to be decently social and no one except Jodi has sniffed him out.

Brayden: There’s not much to say on Brayden’s game. He doesn’t seem to have any allies, his challenge performance wasn’t as good as others on his tribe, and he is not in any alliances yet. This spells disaster for Brayden if his tribe goes to consecutive tribal councils. Additionally, even though he was one of the few to play in the Hunt, he didn’t win and wasn’t even close to doing so. He even gave up part way through to do the immunity challenge. I would be saving them if I were Brayden, but hindsight is 20/20. If Brayden can squeeze into being the fourth of the Jodi, Amy, Dennis alliance instead of Josh then maybe his game forecast will be better.

Ginnifer: The thing that lands Ginnifer on the bottom is that she said that her tribe could vote her out if they lost the challenge. This primes people to already be willing to get rid of her in this game. Additionally, some people have expressed difficulty with talking to Ginny such as Jodi and Amy. The former still wants to give Ginny a try at being an ally while the latter was ready to vote her out if necessary. Ginny just needs to pick up social steam and outperform in the next comp if she’s going to have longevity in this game.

Fools

Jessica: In lieu of a clear leader, Jessica has stepped up as she started the first alliance on her tribe with Moth and Jared. No doubt, Jessica’s prior relationship with Moth helped facilitate. Additionally, this seems to paint them as the “active” members of this not active tribe. Therefore, it will be very easy for Jessica to dictate votes without getting labelled as a threat since her tribe is not active enough to do so. I can definitely see her leaning on Moth as a crutch, but for now she is the topdog of her tribe. Especially so since she was the only member of her tribe to win a challenge in Divide and Conquer.

Moth: As Jessica’s right-hand person, Moth is a secure spot. It also helped that they have played this game before and is on a not active tribe. This vibes well with Moth’s gameplay style since they aren’t a social powerhouse like Jodi or Colin. Instead, she keeps it more lowkey which makes this tribe in particular a great tribe for her to thrive in.

Jared: While he hasn’t provided a confessional yet, it’s clear he’s positioned himself well with Moth and Jessica. As the topdogs of the tribe, they are key people to get in with. Besides that, he seems to be a little more active than some others, but there’s not much else to say as of right now.

Danny/Shaad: Him and Shaad can trade spots on this ranking because they are playing similar games at the moment. They are both quiet and inactive, yet are not part of the core alliance of this tribe. This could spell danger for them in upcoming tribal councils if they don’t start working on people now. They seem to be safe for now based solely on Bri’s inactivity, but, otherwise, they need to pick up their socio-strategic game before it is too late.

Bri: She seems to be the most likely person to get voted out. She was not online at all for the first two days of the game and has since remained inactive. She is easy pickings for the top 3 of this tribe which really hurts my heart. I know her in real life and she is very sociable and easy to get along with. I have no doubt that in a real life game of Survivor or Big Brother, she would kill the social game.

S.E.E.S.

Colin: Similar to Jodi, Colin is the most social person on his tribe at the moment. However, unlike Jodi, he has not taken a leader position which works to his benefit. Despite being social, Colin has been able to slip under the radar of most people with a lot of them wanting to work with him. Colin is easily going to survive until the swap, but I will caution him from getting too many allies too quickly. This tribe in particular has a wildcard willing to blow things like that up so he needs to be careful.

Elle: Similar to her previous games, Elle plays an extraordinary social game and becomes very well-liked very easily. They have no problem fitting into any situation and I foresee them making it far if they gain the right allies. What puts her at number 2 as opposed to number 1 is that she hasn’t made any strategic comments yet. Instead, she is focusing on a social game which is not a bad thing. Colin has just shown more of his gameplay in these rounds.

Anastasia: Anastasia, despite being late to the premiere, has been able to socialize with key people such as Colin and Jay. Her prior connection with Elle has also sparked an interest in Colin in working with the two of them as an alliance. Overall, her and Elle sort of share the 2 and 3 spot since they are both well-liked, did well in the challenge, and are prime allies for Colin whose word will feel like law if this tribe ever goes to tribal.

Jay: Jay is neither here nor there. He isn’t in the bottom, but he is not calling the shots either. It is good that Colin wants him as his number 1 and that Anastasia likes him. Out of the three outside of this potential Elle, Colin, Anastasia alliance, he seems like he will be most likely to be saved until a swap occurs. His calls with people have certainly been helping with that as people are able to bond more with him through there. His activity could use work, but he doesn’t need to be active if he’s liked.

Babs: With another Jodi comparison, Babs has taken the leadership position of their tribe. However, they are not as social and, in fact, considered a big threat since they are so willing to talk freely and openly in the tribe chat. Their gameplay is going to be Messy, and people have already pointed that out, making them a clear target if this tribe goes to tribal council. Despite that, they aren’t at the bottom since some people, like Colin, have expressed interest in working with that kind of player as a sort of shield. If Babs were to tone it down and be more social with people (another problem with their game), they may be able to crawl up these rankings.

Jennifer: Sadly I have to put another phonetic Jennifer at the bottom. She did the worst in the challenge across her tribe and isn’t active either. For this round, it seems she would be the easy vote if this tribe had gone to tribal. She needs to start being more social and be more of a presence in people’s minds.

[imaginedisish]

Happy Together (Five Hargreeves x Reader) (The Umbrella Academy)

A/N: OOOOHHH MY GOOODNESS HELLO EVERYONE!!! So before y’all read...lemme say that Five is not 13/14/15 in this imagine!!!! He is a normal 20 something year old human...and so is the reader!!! This is kinda like an alternative universe sorta thing...idk...it was a request. (also my 17 year old self has a huge crush on Aidan Gallagher now uwu...he’s turning 16 this year...and we’re like a year apart so ITS OKAY YALL CHILLLLLLLL) I love The Umbrella Academy...and more imagines will be coming. ALSO THANK YOU FOR 900 FOLLOWERS AHHHHH!!!! Okay...now enjoy :)

Summary: After altering the timeline to save your life, Number Five gets in some trouble with The Commission...which prompts a not-so-welcomed visit from The Handler.

Warnings: LANGUAGE, angst, blood, fighting, implied violence/murder, FLUFFFFFFFFF 

Word Count: 2,413 holy shit i went IN LADIES AND GENTS

Rays of sun reach their fingertips through the ancient curtains above you. The dust particles that had accumulated upon the books surrounding you glow as each individual spec basks in the light. To your right, sitting properly next to you on the plush couch, was a well-read copy of The Great Gatsby, your favorite novel. 

You look down at the coffee that rested between your hands, the steam radiating off of it slowly dissipating, cueing you to finally take a sip of the bitter liquid. Grace hums a tune as she passes through the dark library, duster in hand. 

“Grace,” You call out, and Grace immediately stops to face you, “Do you know where Five is?” Just as Grace opens her mouth to answer your question, a loud clanging sound erupts from above you. 

“Goddamn it!” A familiar voice shouts, followed by the violent thumping of footsteps down the stairs. 

The footsteps continue, the sound of the dress shoes against the cold tile echoes throughout the academy, until finally Five appears in front of you. He looks disheveled, exhausted, and incredibly angry. You hadn’t seen him like this since you saved the world together. He looked so distraught, something was clearly wrong. 

Five begins to pace back and forth, his hands traveling to rub his eyes every now and then. You want to say something, but you know he’s far too lost in thought to answer. Finally, Five stops, and walks towards the bar at the end of the library. 

You hear Five rummaging through the bottles of liquor. You turn around to see an expensive bottle of whiskey in his right hand. With his left, he grabs a short, crystal glass, and he begins to pour away.  

“F-five, is everything okay?” You ask quietly. Five stops his pouring, and slams the bottle of whiskey on the counter. 

He looks up at you, a vulnerable haze of fear presents itself across Five’s face before once again masking itself in an angry and distant gaze. “Everything is just golden,” Five remarks sarcastically, taking a generous swig of alcohol from his glass. 

You decide to ignore his tone as to not start a fight with him, and instead stand up from the couch and walk over to him. You pull out a stool, and sit down. Five remains where he is, on the other side. 

“Are you going to tell me what happened, or am I going to make it come out of you?” You ask, jokingly. That was your power, you had the ability to make people tell the truth. You could also read minds and freeze time, which made you a perfect foil to Five, who could move through it. 

“It’s The Commission…” Five trails off, taking another sip of his whiskey. “They know what we did.” Your jaw drops. How the hell did they find out so quickly? You think to yourself. 

A month ago, you and Five had altered the timeline. To be more specific, Five had altered the timeline in order to save your life. While searching for Five, who had saved the world from the apocalypse once and for all, the Commission came across you. They knew that you were important to Five, and decided to kidnap and torture you. 

When Five had found you, it was far too late. But, that was a thing of a past. It was a memory that you were never able to experience, since Five took it upon himself to change the timeline and save your life. 

You two had grown close since Five had met you, since he had helped you learn to use your powers. But, you didn’t realize how much you meant to him. He risked so much by altering the timeline, and that was becoming increasingly evident. 

“Look, things can’t be that bad,” You say reassuringly. “There has to be some sort of way to fix th-,” 

Five cuts you off. “No, things aren’t bad, they’re terrible. They’re going to kill me,” Five’s voice is firm and filled with anger. “Or worse…” His voice is soft as he trails off, his eyes drifting down to the glass of whiskey on the counter. 

“Or worse, what?” You ask as you search Five’s dark brown eyes for some sort of an answer. 

But he gives you none, shaking his head in contempt, refusing to say a thing. He picks his drink up, and begins to walk towards the other side of the room. Just as you think he’s about to stop, the pacing begins again. You roll your eyes. 

“Five, stop, let’s talk about-,”

Five cuts you off a second time. “There’s nothing to talk about, (Y/N)!” Five shouts, his eyes widening. “Things are going to absolute shit!” He knocks back a final, generous swig of whiskey before violently slamming the empty glass on the end table to his left. Five darts back towards you. “We lost! Don’t you get it? They’ve won! They’re going to find me, or you, a-and, a-and…”

You shake your head. “You’re being ridiculous, Five,” You pause for a second, collecting your thoughts before continuing. “You just need to calm down, we haven’t lost just yet, we haven’t even started fighting.” 

“And there’s no point in fighting back to begin with. They know you’re here, they know everything, (Y/N),” Five says, swallowing harshly as he closes his eyes tightly. “And don’t tell me to calm down.” 

You scoff. “I’m just trying to help. We can fix this-,”

“Stop! No we can’t! I’m going to lose you. Don’t you understand that?” Five yells, his voice booming throughout the library. Silence looms over the room. You don’t know what to say. “I can’t lose you…not again. I just can’t,” Five finally croaks. 

Your heart flutters in your chest at his words. “Five you aren’t going to lose me,” You say, your voice is soft and sweet as a smile stretches across your face. 

“On the contrary, darling, I think he just might!” A sarcastic, shrill voice rings from the opposite end of the room. You look to where the voice came from. A tall, gray haired woman stands near the fireplace, holding a gun in her hand. “Hello, Number Five. Long time no see.” Her smile is wide, almost reminiscent of the Cheshire Cat. 

“I swear to god if you touch her,” Five points a finger in the woman’s direction, “I won’t hesitate to take you down, for real. In fact I thought Hazel already did that for me,” Five taunts.  

The woman cackles loudly. “Oh Five!” She slaps her knee. “God you crack me up! You know silly stuff like bullets, or grenades,” She raises an eyebrow, “can’t kill me. But it can kill you, or her.” The woman nods her head towards you, aiming her gun at your chest. 

A shot rings out, and a flash of light appears in front of you as Five pops in front of the woman, pulling his arm back to punch her in the face. But, before anything happens, you close your eyes tightly, clutching both hands into fists. Suddenly, time freezes. You walk forward towards Five. The bullet is inches away from his chest, suspended in thin air. You push it to the right, making sure that when time starts up again, it won’t even have the chance to hit him. 

The woman scoffs, surprised at your abilities. “Who the hell are you?” She asks, staring you down. 

“(Y/N), Number 8, also known as Eon, and you’re about to be so fucked,” You stare deeply into her eyes as you begin to search the woman’s mind. Her alias is The Handler, she’s killed thousands of people, and she isn’t one bit scared of you in this moment. 

Well, that’s about to change completely, You think to yourself. You tighten your hold on her mind, and you watch as the Handler winces in pain. 

Part of your mind reading ability was to allow the person you were reading to relive the memories you came across as you searched his or her mind. In this case, you went for the traumatic experiences; for instance, murders, attacks, and other crimes The Handler committed, watched, or experienced. You had found through previous ventures that making someone relive the past was overwhelming and draining, to the point of death.  

God I hope this works, You think to yourself, taking a deep breath as you swallow harshly. You had one shot, one chance to make this work. You begin to search through her mind, picking out memories that seemed horrendous, even to you.

“Wh-what the hell are you d-doing?” She stutters, her fingertips reaching up to either side of her head. You force her to see each and every person she’s ever killed, which slowly but surely begins to have an impact on her. “S-stop,” The Handler pleads. “I-It h-hurts.” 

But regardless of her pleas, you don’t let go. The gun in The Handler’s hand falls to the ground as she begins to tremble. You don’t know how much longer you can stay where you are. Your grasp on time begins to weaken, and things slowly start to move again. You’re losing energy. 

“F-fuck,” You whimper, trying your best to stay strong. You search deeper into The Handler’s mind, seeing even more murders, more traumatic experiences, forcing her to relive each and every one. 

The Handler screams out in pain. “Shit!” She screeches, collapsing down to the ground. She wheezes, and coughs roughly. Her breathing weakens, just as you thought it would. 

“How does it feel?” You manage to shout, regardless of the fact that it feels as though every ounce of energy has been drained from your body. You continue on nonetheless. 

“I-I c-can’t b-breathe,” The Handler chokes, grabbing her throat. “S-stop…” Her eyes flutter shut. “I-I’ll l-let y-you l-live…” She struggles to speak as her eyes open up again.

“Bullshit,” You say firmly, walking closer to her. “Any last words?” You question, going deeper into The Handler’s mind one final time. Her body seems to tense up, and she writhes in pain one last time. 

“I-I’ll b-be b-back, k-kid…t-trust m-me….I always e-end up c-coming b-back…” She trails off, her eyes shutting tightly. Then, the writhing stops. The tension in The Handler’s body seemingly disappears. Her body goes completely limp. You did it. It was all over. She was gone. 

You let go of your hold on The Handler, since there was no longer anything to see or do in her mind. It was blank, a black hole if you will. You let go of time, and things begin to move yet again. You collapse to your knees, absolutely exhausted. 

“(Y/N)?” Five calls out, and you hear the bullet you had directed away from Five hit into the wall. “What the hell happened?” Five chuckles a bit. You feel his hand rub up and down against your back. 

“I-I took care of things…” You say, breathing heavily. “You don’t have to worry about her anymore, or at least I don’t think you will.” You look up at Five, a confused expression spread across his face.

“How did you…” Five doesn’t know what to say as his eyes frantically search yours for some sort of an answer. 

“I made her relive every shitty thing she ever did, or experienced. It wasn’t a silly thing, that did the bitch in,” You explain nonchalantly. “It was natural causes, in a sense. She did it herself.” 

Five smiles widely, his brown eyes catching rays of light. Just as quickly as his smile appeared, it slips away. “They could still come after us…” Five trails off nervously, standing up and walking towards the bar. 

You shake your head, gathering your strength and following behind him. “Don’t worry about that, okay? With The Handler gone, things will be easier. We can take down whoever stands in our way.” Your voice is calm and reassuring. 

Five stops in his tracks, his eyes studying your face thoroughly. “All I can do is worry. Just because she’s gone doesn’t mean I won’t lose you,” Five says, his voice firm, yet still laced with fear. “I care about you too much to lose you again. Last time, my heart…it…” Five can’t seem to finish his sentence as his voice becomes shaky. His eyes become glossy, and he turns around so you can’t see his face. 

“You can talk to me Five. Please, just tell me what happened,” You beg, walking closer to him, extending a hand out towards his, your fingers colliding with Five’s. 

He turns around to face you. “Fuck I hate feelings…” Five complains before continuing on. He takes a deep breath. “My heart felt like it stopped beating. I-I sobbed over y-you…” Five tightly closes his eyes shut, a single tear falling down is cheek. He wipes it away with his free hand. “I can’t go through that again. I won’t, I refuse to. I care far too much about you…I-I…” Five looks down at the ground and back up towards you. He steps closer to you, the gap between you and he closing. His eyes drift back and forth between your eyes and your lips. 

Suddenly, a pair of soft, warm lips come crashing down on yours. The kiss is slow and languid. You can’t help but smile against Five’s lips. This was something you had wanted for such a long time. 

You’re left wanting more as Five’s lips part from yours. He smiles widely as he steps back from you. You’re almost a bit shocked, as Five rarely ever shows affection to anyone. 

“I didn’t know how to say how I’ve been feeling,” Five explains. “You know I’m terrible at emotional shit, but (Y/N), you make things seems so natural. I’m happy when I’m with you.” 

A smile stretches across your face. “So let’s be happy together, then. You don’t have to hide things. We can be a team.” 

Five nods, grinning as he closes the gap between you two once more. “Happy…together…two words that I’d never thought I’d use to describe my life.” 

“Well I suppose you’ll just have to expand your vocabulary, then Five,” You say sarcastically, giggling lightly. 

“I suppose so, (Y/N).”