#it is cause of die hard right? otherwise I don't get it

[awesomejustgotawesome]

S02E03's title sounded so dumb for a second, I was like do they mean school is hard or something, but then I quickly realized it must be that they do a Die Hard! But it's still a dumb title like why is it the location? The movie isn't called Tower Hard. Wouldn't "Slay Hard" have been better? Hahaha.

Just thinking if the series was actually named like that. Airport Hard. City Hard with a Vengeance. Live Free or Washington, D.C. Hard.

[bloggerspam]

Fic of a Fic: Caroline meets Ellie

This is a direct homage to @clockwayswrites Caroline from their fic A Hill to Die on.

Ya'll can blame @deathlysilent13 for this.

Disclaimer: I am not super familiar with alters or systems, and in this AU Tim isn't thinking about it/stumbled into it--please do not take this an accurate experience in any way! It's just for fun :)

===

"You're pretty. Do you like boys?"

Caroline blinks. looking to her left and right, trying to find the source of the chipper voice.

It's 3am in the morning, she's just spent the last 5 hours dancing in heels—she can be forgiven for taking a little long to realize that the voice is coming from slightly below her sight line.

When she finally (blearily) looks down, a girl of maybe 7 or 8 is looking up at her with wide, bright blue eyes.

"Thank you." Caroline huffs a confused laugh, smiling as she leans down and braces on her knees to be a little closer and meet the little girls height. "You're quite the darling yourself you know."

"Thank you, I got it from my brother." The little girl blushes, apples of her cheeks truly working hard to turn the same shade as its namesake, but her wide-eyed curiosity is still not abated. "Do you like boys?"

"Yes, I do." Caroline tilts her head, biting her lip against a laugh. "But most boys don't like me."

"Well most boys are stupid." The little girl scrunches up her face in distaste, which is honestly too much cuteness for Caroline to handle right now. The Tim part of her is starting to wake up, albeit sluggishly, in the face of a possible lost child. "But my big brother isn't stupid! He's the best, actually."

"Oh?" Caroline looks around exaggeratedly, though she does scan the area the way Tim would. Nothing in particular to note. Weirdly empty for Gotham, but otherwise… "And where is this so-called best big brother? Little girl like you shouldn't be out and about so early."

The little girl looks shifty then, fiddling with her fingers and kicking up dust, mumbling. "He's still sleeping at his desk."

"His desk?" Caroline is a little worried now, truly. How far can a little kid walk? Caroline searches through her memories, but realizes that Tim's knowledge on such things would be heavily skewed and probably incorrect. Damian isn't the best example, and Tim used to stalk Batman. So.

"He fell asleep working." The little girl explains, before the beans truly spill out. "I'm supposed to be sleeping, but I wanted some milk, but Danny didn't have a blanket so I got him a blanket, and then I figured maybe he'd like some hot chocolate when he woke up, 'cause he always makes me hot chocolate when I can't sleep, or had a nightmare, but we didn't have any hot chocolate at home so I thought maybe I could get some hot chocolate, but the bodega's closed."

Caroline watches bemusedly as the little girl gesticulates her story, walking back and forth and presenting her case as if Caroline is the one who has the issue.

"And then I saw you, and you're like, really pretty, and I definitely think my brother would like you," The little girl beams up at her, as if she's done something great. "Jazzy said that Danny's been lonely, taking care of me all by himself. So I thought, if I can't give him hot chocolate, I can at least let him meet a pretty lady!"

Caroline laughs, she can't help it anymore, trying her best to stifle it in the echoes of the night. "Well now, that's very sweet of you!"

"Thank you!" The little girl wiggles in her happiness. "If you want to meet my brother, I think he'll be happy. We don't have to go if you don't want to though, Danny said consent is important."

"He's right." Caroline wipes a tear and smiles widely down at the little girl. "I'm also pretty sure he's going to be worried out of his mind when he wakes up and finds you gone, so how about we get you home, okay?"

"So you'll meet him???" The little girl jumps up and down in excitement, cheering, "He'll be soooo happy to meet a pretty lady like you!"

"That's very nice of you to say, darling." Caroline's eyes go half lidded in exhaustion, yawning as her smile quirks a little differently, Tim blinking a little more in the forefront. "But I'm afraid I'm not a lady most of the time. Most times, I'm a boy."

The little girl doesn't even hesitate. "Danny likes pretty boys too!" She reaches up a hand, as if waiting for Caroline, no, Tim? to take her hand and lead her home. "He'll be extra happy that you can be both!"

Tim doesn't know what to say to that—his skirt is starting to feel a little too tight, and his feet are killing him. Heels were a mistake, but at least his tights and sweater keeps him warm, even if it's off the shoulder and cropped. The sweater paws are appreciated at least.

"That's very equal opportunity of him." Tim decides to say, drawing it out as if unsure. It's very typical of Caroline to leaving Tim to clean up her messes. "But I'm not sure Danny wouldn't like a random stranger showing up on his doorstep with his little sister."

"Oh!" The little girl jolts, straightening up and putting her hand out for a handshake instead. "My name is Ellie Nightingale, I'm 8 years old, and I love my brothers and sister very much!"

"Hello, Ellie." Tim shakes her hand, deliberating before deciding fuck it. "My name is usually Caroline in this outfit."

Ellie eyes him up and down, scrutinizing him as she twists their clasped hands into a different hold and leading them seemingly towards her home. "But you're not Caroline now."

"I am not." Tim agrees, adjusting his gait into an awkward walk. His feet still hurt, but he's had worse as Red Robin. "Well, I am. But not. She went to…bed, I guess. So now I'm awake."

"What's your name now that you've woken up?" Ellie asks, stopping them at a crosswalk and looking both ways even though it's as empty as Gotham could ever get. Tim thinks on this for a moment, before again, deciding fuck it.

"It's Tim." He replies. "Caroline had a long night, and she thinks I'm better with children."

Ellie gives him a look for that. "I liked Caroline better."

Tim honks out a laugh, quickly covering it up with his free hand. "Sometimes I like Caroline better too."

"That's kind of sad." Ellie reaches up to pat Tim on his hip, the easiest place she can reach. "It's okay, Danny can like Tim better."

Tim feels his face hurt with how wide he's smiling. Kids are a riot. "Sometimes, when I'm a boy-boy, my name is Alvin."

Ellie shrugs. "Is he mean? If he's mean Dante might like him."

Tim, with a wobbly voice from holding in laughter, tries his best to answer. "He's sometimes a little mean."

"Dante can be mean with him. He's not as nice as Danny, but he's just as good of a brother." Ellie chirps, swinging their arms back and forth as she skips. "Do you have another name that Jazzy can like?"

"…I guess I was Todd Richards, once." Tim hums, swinging his arm with her and using his free hand to rub at his chin in thought. "Though he didn't stay long."

"Jazz doesn't like deadbeat men who leave." Ellie primly states, sticking her nose up. "Jazz deserves better."

"…Are you setting me up with all of your siblings?" Tim hesitantly asks, unsure how to explain that they're all monogamous, but like to share? He's never figured it out.

"No, just Danny." Ellie slants an offended look. "You have lotsa names but you're one person right?"

Tim feels lighter than a feather, and he's not sure how to explain that, so he settles for a nervous smile and nod. He's never actually sat down and thought through this whole identity thing in the first place—method acting gone wrong? Right?

Doesn't matter. Ellie's chill with it, so Tim's chill with it. Logic.

Take that, Dick. And Bruce. And Jason. And—

"It's okay to have a buncha names. I used to have a different name." Ellie continues over Tim's righteous thoughts, this time leading the way through a side alley. Tim is actually surprised how empty it is. "My creator was a dickbag though, and Jazzy said it's important for my i-den-ti-ty to have a proper one."

"Language." Tim bites his lip from snorting, noting the peculiar wording Ellie uses. "Creator?"

"Dante said it's okay if it's true." Ellie bites her lip, side-eyeing Tim as she pinches the fabric of her jeans. "And Danny says it's okay as long as Jazzy doesn't hear."

"Is that so?" Tim chuckles, subtly eyeing her fingers.

"It is so." Ellie sniffs, pinching the fabric of her jeans again. "Danny's the best like that." No pinching this time.

A tell. Tim hides his grin with a little cough. "Of course." Ellie seems to be pleased with Tim's agreeable actions.

They're just exiting the alley, coming around the bend, when the door to an apartment complex across the road swings forcefully open. A man, shirtless and NASA patterned pajama pants at barely cling to his hips shoots out, grabbing the before it slams against the wall, forcing it closed as gently as he can so that the security system locks engage. He's handsome even though his hair is a mess, with crease lines Tim can still see from all the way over here that indicate he was just asleep on possible pencil, maybe a screwdriver.

There are. Abs. And arms. Holy shit, those sure are arms.

Ellie perks up, zooming towards the man and dragging Tim with him. "Danny!"

"Ellie!" Danny's head whips up in their direction, the man running towards them with zero hesitation to scoop Ellie up into a hug. "Bug, you worried me, I woke up and you weren't there!"

Oh, shit, even his voice is nice, deep and raspy from sleep even through the sheer relief. Tim tries to focus on the conversation as Ellie recounts her obviously genius and completely founded (to her) reasoning on why she just had to leave the apartment, but ultimately fails.

Did he mention abs? And arms??

The man is taller than Tim by a good couple inches, and bulkier in the shoulders. He's robust, even with that shoulder to waist ratio that Tim (and Caroline) kind of want to aggressively bite at. Deliciously hunky, as Steph would say. He has a unique undercut that's all white, though the stop part of his hair is black as night.

His eyes almost glow green in the dinky streetlights, and Tim's kind of losing it at the soft helpless look the other man's giving his little sister once she's finished her explanation. He's got her sitting on one arm, holding her up so that their faces are level, with Ellie bracing her tiny hands on his shoulder and chest.

Tim kind of wants to cry.

"I know that—" Danny sighs, pinching his brow in a way only exasperated older brothers can. Tim knows, because Dick does it all the time. "I know that you're used to going out alone, but I thought we established that once you started living with me you'd tell me?"

Ellie purses her lips in what seems to be both guilt and indignation. "I did okay before. Nothing happened and I can take care of any bad guys!"

Danny's face crumples a bit for a flash of a moment, stabbing Tim in the heart like thirty million times. "Ellie, it's not that I don't trust you, it's that I care. What happened before…" Danny sighs looking a little distressed and at a loss for words.

Ellie reaches over, smooths a tiny hand over Danny's furrowed brow. "Ok. M'sorry Danny. I love you."

Danny smiles then, once more helpless, "I love you too squirt." Then, as if finally noticing Tim, Danny coughs and turns abruptly red. Like, super concernedly red, actually. Tim's worried he might feint.

"Oh, Ancients, sorry," Danny adjusts Ellie to put her down, but she clings to him, still a little upset. Danny smoothly straightens back up, patting her on the back as she nuzzles into his neck.

Seriously, Tim might die.

"Thanks for bringing her back to me." Danny reaches a hand out, "My name's Danny. Is there any way I can repay you for finding her?"

Tim almost says please date me but thankfully, Bat-training has him calm, collected, and in total control of his mouth.

"It's no problem," Tim smiles his best smile—a little awkward in Caroline's fit, but Tim's no stranger to women's clothing. "And I didn't exactly find her." Tim chuckles as he darts a glance at a now perked up Ellie.

"I found them Danny!" Ellie proudly pronounces, wiggling in place in her excitement again before scrunching her face. "Well. I found Caroline. For you!"

"For me?" Danny confusedly tilts his head, even pointing a finger at himself. "Why would you—"

"Jazzy said you're lonely." Ellie whispers loudly into his ear, Tim trying to stifle his laughter as he bites his lips. "And Dante said that you need to find a friend to have sleepovers with."

Danny's face goes alarmingly red again, slapping a hand to cover his eyes as he groans in embarrassment.

"I'm going to kill them—nosey older—" Danny grumbles, before huffing and smiling apologetically at Tim. "I'm really sorry about this Miss Caroline—"

"He's Tim right now!" Ellie interrupts, yanking at Danny's ear and causing him to yelp. "Caroline went to bed. I like Caroline more, 'cause she's so pretty, see?"

Ellie points at all of Tim, which causes him to smile shyly. He notices that Danny follows where Ellie points, gulping when he meets Tim's eyes again. "Y-yeah, I see that squirt but—"

"But Tim's been really nice, he treats me like a proper person! Most people just think I'm a dumb kid."

"You're not dumb." Tim and Danny say in unison, which makes both of them squeak embarrassingly. So much for Bat-training.

"See! So I thought Tim could be for you, and I could play with Caroline sometimes, and Dante could play with Alvin—"

"Alvin?" Danny asks quietly, to which Tim flashes three fingers, before pointing to his head. Danny nods understandingly before focusing back on Ellie. The quick understanding and no reaction makes all sorts of butterflies bloom in Tim's gut. Like a little mosh pit of bugs. Maybe he needs coffee.

"—and so I said that Jazz deserves better than that, right Danny?" Ellie smooshes Danny's cheeks, making him look all sorts of ridiculous and cute. "Maybe we can even share Caroline!"

"-at's right squirt. S-he does." Danny says through his squished face. He scrunches his nose up—which makes their relation seem so very clear, Ellie's the spitting image of him—before bopping his forehead onto hers and making her giggle as she lets go of his face.

"So, uh. this is all very nice of you, Ellie. I, uhm." Danny glances at Tim, wincing a little, "I love that you did something so nice for me, but you can't gift people, so we're gonna let uh, Tim get on their way okay?"

Ellie pouts, wriggling out of Danny's grip to hide behind Tim and grab at his skirt. "But, but you like pretty ladies! And pretty boys!"

"Where did you even get this information?" Danny's voice cracks, frantically looking back and forth between Tim and Ellie as if he's not sure whether to be embarrassed or indignant.

"Sam said you like pretty ladies that look like they can beat you up." Ellie ticks a finger up, looking up as she recalls this info, "and Tucker said you like guys who look like they need to be taked care of."

Danny groans, head in his hands and hunching his shoulders up to scrunch up as small as he can even as Ellie steamrolls over the noise, "And Jazzy and Dante said that you need somebody that can be weird with you."

Danny jolts up, straightening as if he's found some kind of salvation. "Hey, that's right, and I'm sure Tim is a perfectly awesome guy, uh, girl?" Danny looks at Tim in distress, making Tim chuckle.

"Right now I'm a guy." Tim tries to keep his voice soft and low, smiling a little shyly. Distantly, he wonders if he's smudged Caroline's lipstick.

"Right!" Danny coughs, red again, "Right, so he's a perfectly normal guy and totally not weird, Okay, Ellie? C'mon, let's not take up more of Tim's night, okay?"

"I like weird." Tim nonchalantly says, innocent as he lays a hand on Ellie's back. "I mean, I've got at least three people sharing space in my noggin. Sort of." She beams up at him and snuggles closer to his leg, a warm line of comfort and affection. "We can be weird together, I think."

Danny flaps his mouth open and closed, at a loss for words. Tim's not about to explain this whole method acting turned stress relief gender euphoria turned alternate identity thing, so he plows on.

"I'm sometimes a lady—" Ellie interrupts him with an adamant pretty! "—a pretty lady that can definitely put you in your place." Tim does a slow up and down, Caroline peeking through in body memory even if she's not fully forefront.

It makes Danny do that cute little squeak again—-That's three times now, and Tim wants to know if he can manage a fourth. It also makes Danny remember how shirtless he is, making the other man twitch as if he might cover his chest but doesn't want to bring more attention to this fact so he restrains himself.

Tim licks his lips, staring at his pecs and��there's that fourth squeak and arms crossing over that delicious chest.

"And y'know," Tim goes a little shy now, scratching at the back of his neck, "I sometimes forget to sleep and eat." He shrugs with a little moue of distaste as the words he's about to say, "My family says I'm kind of a workaholic and need taking care of."

"Oh!" Ellie bounces up and down, tugging at Tim's skirt again, flashing a little hip that makes Danny eep and slap his hands over his eyes. Big guy like him should not be this freaking cute, seriously. "Oh! Jazzy says Danny's a work-a-ho-lic too!"

"Yeah?" Tim says to Ellie, even as he keeps eye contact with Danny as he's peeking through his fingers, "Guess that means I gotta at least give it a shot, right?"

Tim's not sure where this confidence is coming from: remnants of Caroline, being so free with his other…roommates, Ellie, or Danny's reactions, but it's bolstering him up.

It makes him bold, and kinda reckless. Mr. Sarcastic would approve.

"Yeah!" Ellie agrees, tugging Tim's hand into hers. She pulls him towards Danny, who obliging gives her his hand when she asks for it wordlessly with her own. "You gotta at least try. Jazzy said you give up too much for me!" Ellie makes the saddest, most pathetic looking pout Tim's ever seen. "I don't wanna be the reason you're sad and alone Danny!"

Danny bites his lip, looking at Tim for a long moment. Tim tries to smile reassuredly, to convey that he's totally on board for at least one date. (For maybe many many dates?) His shoulders slump, but his blush is still rampant. It's crawling down his neck, up his cheeks and bleeding into his ears.

He's the cutest thing Tim's ever seen at 4am in the morning.

"O-okay, uhm." Danny fumbles with his phone, "I-I could give you my number?"

"Sounds great." Tim shyly smiles as they exchange numbers, Ellie keeping both their hands hostage as if they might run away the second she lets go. Good thing Tim's ambidextrous. "I'll call you, maybe set something up this weekend?"

"It's a date." Danny smiles, Ellie squealing in excitement and cheering as she finally lets go to jump around.

Just as they get ready to part ways, Ellie tugs at Tim's skirt again, cupping her hands in a bid for Tim to crouch down and lend an ear. He does so obligingly.

"Can Caroline wake up for a second so I can say goodbye?" She whispers loudly. Tim smirks a little, rummaging up the vestiges of Caroline and sort of—blinks.

"Goodnight darling." Caroline does a sly little smile, kissing Ellie on the cheek and winking up at Danny. "And you were right! Your brother is the best."

Ellie beams, giving her a kiss on the cheek back. "Good night, Caroline!"

[notafunkiller]

Bucky Barnes is the best super soldier

How it was subtly emphasized in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier:

He always holds back

With the Flag Smashers and even with John Walker. We could see the difference in the last 3 episodes. Sebastian Stan did an incredible job making it clear in a subtle way.

I want to mention that famous "Stay there" scene, and how it was visible Bucky was not punching as hard as he can in the fight with John.)

This is the thing about Bucky, he isn't after the kill, he just does his part. He doesn't try to show off his skills or that he is a good guy. He doesn't try to play the victim role, either. In the scene where Zemo fake-activates the Winter Soldier in Madripoor, he just makes a point. He's obviously not even trying hard.

If he wanted those in the club dead, they would be. But his self control was wow. Sebastian acted so well, his exes said everything.

*And to be honest, even when he was TWS, he could have killed everyone, but he didn't. He could have killed all of the Avengers in Civil War is they were his mission, but they weren't. This is how Natasha survived when she met him, too. It depended on what kind of mission he had (if he wasn't allowed to be seen, then the witnesses would die too, but otherwise? He didn't bother).

2. His skills

People tend to forget how smart and good at making strategies Bucky is. He's been fighting (even though he hates fighting and never wanted to be in the army) for years before he was even captured by Hydra. And this is the reason why government still want him, after all. They can use his strategies as a leader (*cough* Thunderbolts *cough*).

In the last episodes of TFATWS, we could see how he outsmarted everyone. Karli was so terrified of him.

3. Karli Morgenthau

And talking about Karli, the phone call was interesting:

She asked him if he's not tired of fighting for the wrong side, and then told him she's fighting for something bigger than herself.

"And with all the bodies you've collected, have you ever been able to say the same?"

The first thing I wanna point out is how everyone talks about the deaths Bucky caused when he was controlled by Hydra, but everyone ignores the fact that all the Avengers killed far more, but since we consider them the good side, we just don't care.

Clint, Tony, Steve, Wanda etc. They all cause(d) far more deaths than "two dozen" (known assassinations - to quote Natasha), and neither was controlled. The double standards are something else, especially for Clint. (One of the reasons why Tony was on the other side in CW was because of his guilt, after all.)

The second point is how Bucky's answer says a lot more than we might realize at first:

"You don't think I ever fought for something bigger than myself? That's all I ever tried to do, and I failed twice."

Even as TWS, Bucky had to be convinced he is on the right side, that what they do is to save the world, to give "the world the freedom it deserves".

Even brainwashed and put to sleep all the time, he had to be lied to. Bucky as TWS was a victim too. He is not a victim only because he didn't have memories or control, but also because they lied to him and used him as a toy. That milk scene is so loud. (And I am gonna talk about it in a different post). He had no rights, no choices. He was used to being tortured.

[And I wish they explored it more. We deserved and deserve a WS film - maybe with him in Romania getting back his memories, writing in his journal etc.]

"You think your cause justifies all this death, but in the end, the nightmares won't go away. You're gonna remember all the ones you killed. Trust me. Don't do this. Don't go down this path."

Despite being on opposite sides, Bucky still said this to Karli, trying to help her, to make her see the big picture, sharing how he felt and feels.

He is on "the right side". He is a hero, and Bucky being thanked by that man for saving everyone's life was touching.

4. Baron Zemo

You can see how smart, strong, and rational Bucky is when he decides to break Zemo out of jail (his plan was amazing too), risking so much (his relationship with Wakanda people and his own freedom) to get his help for the mess. He puts the cause above his own (huge) trauma. And this makes that moment in Madripoor even more disgusting (he is treated as an object, as a toy):

Zemo: Tell us what you know about the super-soldier serum. And I give you him, along with the code words to control him, of course. He will do anything you want.

The way he keeps his composure, reacts and manages the situation... absolutely incredible!

This conversation also says a lot:

Zemo: The desire to become a superhuman cannot be separated from supremacist ideals. Anyone with that serum is inherently on that path.

Bucky: Maybe you're wrong, Zemo. The serum never corrupted Steve.

Zemo: Touché. But there has never been another Steve Rogers, has there?

Bucky positions himself below Steve, who's considered a good hero, a good person... like no other. But Steve never had to go through what Bucky did: from being kidnapped like that, to being tested on, to falling off the train, to being tortured, and used, and brainwashed for decades, and put to sleep when he was not needed and having n "keepers".

Also, interesting how all Steve wanted was to fight (for a good cause, but still)... and fighting still means violence, meanwhile Bucky never wanted to fight, not even before becoming TWS, in the army (and yet he is still great at fighting. And he is deadly, even when he holds back.). All he wanted was peace.

Despite not getting the "perfect serum", despite being brainwashed, put to sleep, and forced to fight for decades, he is still himself. He never gave in to the dark side for real. He fought in his own way. The first thing he did when he woke up was to choke the Hydra guy with a whole new arm!

Bucky is so underrated: from his intelligence and fighting skills, to how human he is. Being flawed, keeping his sassiness and charm from the 40s, but getting more mature and carrying his past on his shoulders... he's so relatable and real. And every day, he shows Zemo he is wrong.

The show he makes in his final scene with Zemo is absolutely fantastic. He doesn't just prove the point he isn't defined by the serum and Hydra (AND not even by Steve, thanks to Sam. His speech made him realize the important thing about himself: that he decides who he is, not others - even those who know him before becoming TWS- "And this might be a surprise, but it doesn't matter what Steve thought. You gotta stop looking to other people to tell you who you are." parallel to "Steve believed in you. He trusted you. He gave you that shield for a reason. That shield, that is… that is everything he stood for. That is his legacy. He gave you that shield, and you threw it away like it was nothing. [...] So maybe he was wrong about you. And if he was wrong about you, then he was wrong about me."), but also that he is superior.

When Zemo tells him that he decided to let him alive (probably so he can kill Karli) and basically calls him a killing machine: "programmed to kill", Bucky plays the role, lets Zemo talk him into killing Karli, and then Bucky watches him waiting for his own death.

[Also, Bucky's line: Imagine my relief is hilarious.]

The acting was incredible: the shock on Zemo's face and the amusement and somehow relief on Bucky's after he pulls the trigger and lets the bullets fall... He proved him he's THE standard of the super soldier. Because despite everything he went through, he is the best.

Zemo telling him to cross his name off felt like a fresh start (+ telling Nakajima the truth).

5. John Walker

John, on the other hand, is lucky Bucky is an understanding person. He gets what is like... the pressure, the environment, the loss, and even tries to help.

Bucky: Don't go down that road. Believe me, it doesn't end well.

John: I'm not like you!

Of course he is not like Bucky, because Bucky has control. He is not killing to get revenge in a cynical way.

"That serum doesn't exactly have a great track record."

John kept judging Bucky every time they spoke, somehow placing himself above this "broken" man.

"This is all really easy for you, isn't it? All that serum runnin' through your veins. Barnes, your partner needs backup in there. Do you really want his blood on your hands?"

This is so wrong on every single level, especially because Bucky didn't choose to take the serum, and he always had his friends' back. He's loyal and ready to sacrifice himself.

The "funny" part about this is John ending up taking the last super soldier serum vial. All the judgement, the disgust, the patronizing tone, just to do that. Plus, of course, to kill someone with the shield.

(John proves Zemo's point about super soldiers, and Bucky does the opposite.)

And what is it easy for Bucky anyway?

He's under government conditions (so CACW coded), he has a vibranium arm that I bet the government would try to take after he dies (HOPEFULLY WHEN HE'S 200 YEARS OLD IN HIS BED, as Sebastian wants too) if he isn't in Wakanda, he is haunted by nightmares (which also can mean he is still Hydra's TWS in another universe as we found out from Strange), and he has to learn how to live for real. He's smart, charismatic, has values and principles, and he's incredible.

We need to see his version of TWS going after everyone Hydra helped. TWS is him, a part of him, and doing that on his terms, having control over it would help him heal.

[darlingdaisyfarm]

haii! i hope that you're feeling the bestest today :D cause that's how i feel when i read ur fics ! your style really resonates with me bc you articulate my feelings about stan & ford like no other writer can. plus your dedication to building up scenes and ending them with a great payoff :}

speaking of, how do you think the grunks would give their partner hickies? or receiving them? >.< i'd die to read a fic or drabble of your take on it, but you dont have to make it, ofc! enjoy the rest of your dayyyy ❤️‍🩹

⋆.˚ how Stan & Ford give (and react to) hickeys .ᐟ

a/n: HII and OMG thank you so much!!! anon, you are a gift to this world, that's so sweet from ur side <333 you have blessed me today especially the fact that you like my writing style ahgghhgg :'))) i hope it's ok that i made some parts nsfw here tho especially with Ford sorry i just really loved that idea and i wanted to write smth intimate with kisses & marking for a while

tags: nsfw (for Ford's part), suggestive, lots of kissing, hickeys

STANLEY / YOU RECEIVING

Stan’s logic is simple. you can’t just walk away without leaving a mark on someone you care about. otherwise, who’s even gonna know that this person belongs to you?

he’s always been a greedy man. greedy for money, for booze, for a good card game. but lately, he’s started realizing that none of that compares to the greed he feels for you

it’s the same every evening now, because every day, Stan and you spend time together. and every day, Stan hates one thing. dropping you off at home. you’re already about to leave his car, stretching sleepily in the passenger seat, yawning loudly and mumbling about how tired you are.

car radio crackles softly with the evening news, but that doesn’t matter anymore. at least, not to Stan.

“c'mon, don't just leave like that, baby.” in the quiet summer air, his rough voice sounds especially low. you smirk, but you don’t even get the chance to say anything before his heavy hand lands on your thigh. “come on, sugar, just one little kiss.”

his breath brushes your cheek, and that’s all it takes for you to give in. your lips meet in a soft touch, but only for a second. because Stanley Pines doesn’t kiss soft or gentle.

he leans in deeper, firmer, catches your breath and pulls you in greedily. his dry lips are insistent, rough, but hot, warm, too impatient. his tongue slides past your lips, finds yours, demands more, demands you meet him with the same hunger. you sink into the kiss like into warm bathwater, the one you’d planned to take after this long day, you drown in this man who holds you like he's never letting go.

suddenly, he grabs you and before you know it, you’re on his lap, wrapping legs wrap around him. Stan grins, keeping you exactly where he loves you best. right in his hands. the car seat creaks under your weight, but neither of you care.

“you taste so good, fuck, i don’t wanna let you go.” his tongue teases yours again, and you can’t help the whimper that escapes you. his hands are fully on your body now, squeezing, pulling you tighter against him. “sweetheart, don’t go home. stay with me.”

oh, here we go again, you think. you love when he starts begging you to stay.

you smile into the kiss, biting his bottom lip gently, making him groan, and Stan grips your thighs tighter in response.

“i don’t wanna let you go.”

you try to pull back, placing your hands against his chest, but he only grips you harder, pressing you down against him until you nearly gasp. “Stan—“

“no, listen,” he bites your lip but doesn’t pull away as he speaks right against your mouth, slipping into a whisper. “stay with me. move in with me, baby.”

“but i’ll be back soon, Stan.”

“not soon enough.” he catches your lips again, but this time, it’s deeper and desperate. it’s hard to breathe and your head spins, but you don’t want him to stop, because fuck, nobody kisses like Stan does. his lips trail downward, leaving hot kisses against your neck, tongue sliding slowly over that one sensitive spot, and you feel your tired body melt.

“you could stay, you know?”

you smile again but don’t say anything.

and Stan can’t stand the silence so he bites your neck, kisses over the mark his teeth leave behind, then finds your lips again.

“tell me you’ll stay with me, baby,”

you stroke his cheek, tracing your thumb over his lower lip, then pull him in again.

“i will. someday. probably.”

Stan growls and kisses you senseless again until your head spins, until it really feels like you’ll stay with him forever.

he doesn’t want to be alone.

he doesn’t want to end up in an empty shack again, where the walls still echo your laughter and the pillow still holds the warmth of your body.

he doesn’t want to fall asleep by himself, knowing you’re not there.

he doesn’t want to smoke at night alone without you by his side.

he wants you.

every night. every day. Stan wants you beside him, wants you waking up in his bed, wants to watch you before he falls asleep, wants to kiss you every morning without letting you leave his arms.

his teeth sink into your skin as he sucks your flesh between his lips until you’re gripping his shoulders. the hot, wet sensation leaves you gasping and breathless until he finally pulls back to admire his work.

a dark mark blooms on your skin, his mark. Stan smirks, running his fingers over the bruise, then looks at you all proud of himself.

“now everyone will know ya belong to me.”

you chuckle.

“dummy, they already know.”

he laughs, kissing you again. and if he didn’t have to let you go, he never would

YOU GIVING:

Stan stands slouched, as always. leaning against the counter, one hand gripping a can of soda, the other pressing his phone to his ear, muttering something, clearly irritated and not particularly attentive. you hear him sigh, stretching out his words with lazy annoyance.

“whaddya mean a whole damn bus?”

oh, looks like your lovely grumpy man isn’t in the mood today. normally, a whole bus packed with walking wallets would make his whole day.

Stan rolls his eyes, taking a long swig of his soda, obviously trying not to lose it because of a dumb person talking to him. youre beside him, leaning against his shoulder, tracing your fingers over his arm, but he just presses his lips together a little tighter.

his attention isn’t on you.

unacceptable.

at first, you just brush your lips against his cheek. a light kiss that’s barely even there. Stan doesn’t even flinch, just waves you off slightly with his hand, signaling you to quit distracting him.

you hum

fine then

you kiss him again, this time closer to his ear

“mhm?”

Stan doesn’t even turn.

he thinks he can ignore you. how cute. guess it’s time to step up your game.

you lean in a little more, trailing your lips toward his neck, first just barely ghosting over his skin, inhaling the sharp scent of his favourite cigars.

and then you latch onto his neck. deep. maybe too deep.

“the hell?”

he nearly chokes on his soda. no, seriously. he full-on sputters, gasps sharply, coughs, and you hear his caller immediately start asking

“mr. Pines? hello? you alright, sir?”

no. he is not alright. he is losing his goddamn mind.

“shit, hold on.”

he tries to say something, but you don’t let him, sucking harder, teasing him just a little with your tongue, and you feel his whole body tenses.

“sweetheart, baby, c’mon,”

Stan exhales roughly, but he doesn’t pull away. in fact, his fingers suddenly tangle in your hair, gripping the back of your head, forcing you even closer.

“mr. Pines? are you still there?”

Stan instantly hangs up. fuck the tourist crowds, fuck the tours, fuck the money, he already has a treasure right in front of him, demanding his attention.

you hear the dull thud of his phone hitting the counter, and a second later, Stan is already gripping your chin, tilting your face up, forcing you to look at him.

“you tryna kill me, sweetie?”

his brows furrowed, lips parted. you see his chest rise and fall in quick breaths as he licks his lips nervously.

“you just— you just gave me a fuckin’ hickey while i was on the damn phone.”

he stares at you, completely dumbfounded. but not even a minute goes by as you see the slow curl of a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth.

“god, you’re a naughty little thing, huh.” before you can even think of a response, his mouth is on yours.

it's more like an attack than a kiss honestly. Stan’s huge hands grab at your waist, yanking you against him, while his tongue immediately slides into your mouth, and you drown in this, tasting your man, soda, cigarette smoke. he kisses you like he’s starving, insistent, until your toes curl from the intensity.

“that was mean,” he licks your lips before diving back in. “real fuckin’ mean.”

you smile into the kiss, letting your hands wander over his chest, feeling the way his muscles tense under his clothes.

“didn’t hear you complain.”

“oh, i ain’t complainin’, sweetheart. just sayin’ now you’re in trouble.” you don’t even get the chance to reply, because he’s kissing you again

STANFORD / YOU GIVING

Ford Pines has one very dangerous trait, he endures. he endures when you look at him too closely, endures when you accidentally run your hand over his chest, endures when you bite your lip teasingly.

he endures until he’s on the edge. and today, it looks like you’ve pushed him right to it.

from the feeling of you sitting on his lap, Ford trembles beneath you. he’s sprawled in the chair, legs spread wide and awkward, as if trying to somehow hide what’s going on in his pants.

and it definitely doesn’t help that you’re leaning closer, pressing your thighs against him, cupping his face in your hands while his mouth is slightly open, while he, poor thing, is trying to keep up with you but just can’t. he’s pathetic, so pathetic that he can’t even kiss you back. his lips just part under yours, his tongue only follows your lead. such a good boy. so submissive, obedient. Ford can’t give, he can only receive for now

and you take full advantage of that.

“mmmh, wait,” his voice betrays him, trembling, but you don’t give him a chance to finish. your lips greedily cover his, kissing him demandingly. you press closer, catching that shaky breath when your tongue slides inside his mouth.

your fingers tangle in his hair, teasingly scratching his skin with your nails, feeling how he shudders. poor, poor Fordsy. his hands weakly clench on your back, trying to hold onto you, but even that he fails at.

but the worst thing is that hes already at his limit. this pressure, this hunger, your weight on him, your breath, your voice, your desire, all directed at him, is more than enough.

“you like this, huh?” your voice seeps straight into his already non-functioning brain. and he shivers when your lips trail down to his neck. “you like when i treat you like this. when i use you.”

Ford wants to beg to you to slow down, because his pants are so tight that just a little more and. . . fuck, he doesn’t want to cum like this. a scientist who fought for his life in other dimensions for thirty years shouldn’t cum from just kissing. but instead, he just whimpers, because your body rocks against him in gentle movements, just a little, just a bit of friction, but for Ford, it’s enough.

he won’t last.

“wait, darling, wait,” his fingers clutch at your clothes, and he literally whines when you catch his sensitive skin with your lips, finding that sweet spot and latching on, tormenting him.

and Ford can’t fight his own body, so with a long, drawn-out moan, he cums. he fucking cums in his pants just from a hickey.

his thighs twitch, and his limp body involuntarily presses into you. he literally surrenders to you, spilling right into his clothes.

and at first, he doesn’t even understand how it happened. Ford thinks this is fucking humiliating, a goddamn disgrace. he didn’t even need you to touch him, you were just on him, just breathing on his neck, and that was enough to make him cum like some desperate teenager. Ford lets out a pitiful whine, feeling the wetness slowly seep through the fabric as the stickiness clings to his skin down here.

and in turn, you feel it too, how it’s gotten warmer between you.

he’s ashamed. so fucking ashamed. but you only laugh.

“awwwh, Ford, you really are pathetic, huh?” you say it so affectionately, kissing his cheek as he turns away in shame. his cheeks and ears are flushed red, breath still heavy. six fingered hands, which had just been holding onto you, now hang limply at his sides.

Ford agrees with you. he knows you're right

YOU RECEIVING

this man is not okay.

he endured. endured for a long time. bit his fingers, looked away, pretended he had strong moral principles. pretended your jokes didn't get to him, your touches, the way you fix your hair, the way your lips are just a little wet after drinking from his flask.

but his patience ran out. and he was the first to snap.

Ford grabbed your wrist when you laughed again, saying something about his indecisiveness. he yanked you toward him and you didn’t expect it, so you stumbled, but didn’t fall, because his hands were already holding you.

your back hit the trunk of a tree, and you almost gasped, because the ground beneath your feet was damp, too slick, the morning rain had made the forest's ground soft, muddy, sticky. Ford’s boots sank into the soil, and you accidentally stepped on his foot so hard that you could hear the wet squelch of his soaked pants.

“oh, sorry,” you exhaled, trying to pull away, but he didn’t even let you say another word.

Ford wasn’t mad. he just didn’t give a fuck that’s why he leaned in and kissed you deeply, immediately, no words needed.

and that made you lean back a little. the damp spring air in your lungs instantly turned hot, sending waves of fluttering butterflies straight to your stomach.

Ford always kept himself in check. always tried to be rational, serious, careful. but now, with your lips finally pressed together and his body finally flush against yours, he didn’t want to hold back anymore

“mmh, Ford,” you pull away just slightly, trying to catch your breath, but he grabs your waist instantly

“you're not going anywhere,” he murmurs against your lips, and you let out a breathy laugh.

“yep, not if you hold me like this.”

he's gentle, but greedy and you're pliant, but still sharp.

“we’re alone, finally, we’re alone, sweetheart,” he breathes into your lips. six fingers press into your back trying to pull you even closer. “no one can see us. no one can stop me.” you try to squeeze your legs together from the sweetness pooling low in your stomach, but Ford has his knee right between them.

“Ford. . .”

“say my name again.”

six-fingered hands glide down your sides, and his lips are already moving lower, grazing your chin and your neck. you don’t even notice when your fingers bury themselves in his hair, when they run through damp, graying strands. you stroke him like he’s your obedient little pet and he groans at that.

“Forddd, mhmm,”

“you drive me insane," his lips find the spot just behind your ear

“really?” you tease again. “and here i thought we came here for anomalies.”

Ford almost growls. “we did.” his tongue drags over your skin. “and i found one.”

then happens something you never expected from your always shy and nerdy man. your eyes widen when you feel him gently tug at your skin. the first mark is left right by your collarbone. second is lower, near your shoulder and third is somewhere behind your ear, where you’re especially sensitive.

you shudder. “mh, Ford, wow, you really—“

“you wanted to tease me,” his voice is muffled, but you can feel his smirk against your skin. “now, my love, suffer the consequences.”

he holds you so tight you almost forget where you are. the forest, the mud, the interrupted anomaly hunt, none of it matters anymore

[andreawritesit]

Law taking care of Sick!reader. Like he got scared cuz he starts remembering if Flevance incident and afraid of losing his girlfriend

Fandom: One Piece

Pairing: Trafalgar Law x Reader

Word Count: 804

Warnings: Mentions of: death, sickness, and violence.

Another cough jolted Law out of his sleep. He rubbed his eyes and sat up in the couch. His eyes directly turned toward you, lying on the bed, covered in blankets. He ran up to you and sat down on the edge of the bed, feeling your forehead for any signs of the fever returning.

You and Law had been happy for a long time. So much so that he began wondering when things would go downhill. Trafalgar Law's life was many things but happy wasn't one of them. But ever since he had met you, he had found himself smiling more. You had become the one source of light in his otherwise abyss of a life. He closed his eyes and let out a deep breath. Of course his happiness hadn't lasted. A few days ago, you had suddenly started shivering out of nowhere, you cheeks turning red. His devil fruit had helped with your fever and your coughs but for some reason, he couldn't decipher the nature of your illness. And without knowing the cause, he couldn't cure you. So here you lied, in his bed, sick and exhausted.

He pressed a feather light kiss to your forehead which stirred you out of your sleep.

"Law? Are you awake?"

"Of course I am. If I sleep, who will take care of you?"

A small laugh escaped your lips and you gazed at him with love in your eyes. You truly were lucky to have him by your side. Law wasn't an easy person to get along with. He was very closed off and rarely spoke to others. But you had finally managed to unravel the walls he had so meticulously built around himself and you found the most beautiful, most gentle heart at the center of it all. He let you see his heart, he gave it to you and you also vowed to take care of it with your life. The relationship you two had built over the course of last two years was one of utmost trust and love.

"You know, I wouldn't mind dying right now, by your side."

His eye twitched at your words and gave you a stern glare.

"Don't you dare. Don't you dare say that again. You will not die. I won't let you."

How could he? How could he let her fade away like this? No. He had already lost way too much. What would Corazon think if he couldn't protect her? He would be disappointed. Surely. You coughed again and for the first time in years, Law's mind flashed with images of people he had thought he had forgotten. His sick sister, lying in the bed. Lami. How she had suffered! His parents-taken from him so ruthlessly. Suddenly, his mind began replaying the scenes from this distant memory. He could see people coughing and crying...

Flavence was a nightmare he had repressed deep into his mind. Or so he had thought. The sound of your coughs were pushing him back into the endless pit of despair he had so mercilessly crawled out of, atop the dead bodies of his friends. How could he think he had escaped that hell? No. The hell lived. Inside him. Sweat began forming on his forehead as he tried so hard to erase the images from his mind.

Cough.

Shot.

Death.

Fire.

"Law"

Cough.

Death.

"Law!"

White.

Dead.

Shot dead.

"LAW!"

Your scream dragged him out of his memories and his head whipped toward you. You were leaning over the bed, trying to reach for the glass of water on the side table, tears running down your eyes.

He quickly handed you the glass and rubbed your back slowly as you drank it.

"I'm so sorry. I don't know what happened to me..." he said, wiping your tears.

"You were trembling. Are you alright, Law?"

"I am. I'm fine. It's just... Forget it. I'll bring you a draught to help with the coughs." He got up to leave but you dragged him back down.

"No. Tell me. What happened?"

"Nightmares. I thought I left them behind."

"Flavence?"

He nodded and leaned his head onto your shoulder. You ran your fingers through his hair. You knew how much his past terrified him still. He tried so hard to seem unbothered but you knew, you knew he was still the scared little boy, running for his life.

"Law, listen to me. You're ok. And I will be too. I will get better. I won't die."

"I won't let you. I can't..."

You leaned your head on top of his, holding his hand tightly. He squeezed your hand and closed his eyes. He was going to save you. He wouldn't let you become a part of his nightmare. You were his sweet dream, his beautiful reality. He wouldn't let you go...

[rogerbarel]

I'm extremely emotional all the time about how Roger and Alfons are such easy, excellent foils for each other that only become more thematically intertwined the more you learn about them.

long post, unedited so it's probably disjointed and my observations may be totally banal OR pretentious and reaching idk, spoilers for both their routes (and a brief mention of late into Liam’s and Elbert’s) and possibly some events

They're a pair of insufferable, teasing, hedonistic, hard-drinking men with... questionable consent practices. That's how I'm gonna word that for the sake of not getting derailed. Anyway. They both couch their care for others in self-serving language (although that's not exclusive to them--Jude and Harry do it, too) and overall present themselves as selfish people. They're opposed in taste--beer vs whiskey, dogs vs cat, "refined" vs "rough" (although neither term encompasses them so well). They piss each other off but can't seem to totally detach from each other.

The contrast is immediate but gets emphasized even further in how they value their lives and whether or not they believe they can change their fates.

Alfons is resigned to tragedy and values nothing (or at least tries not to). He is ephemeral and meaningless, only temporarily holding whatever value others see in him, which really says more about them than him. It doesn't feel quite right to say that Alfons's life should neither add nor detract anything from this world--more, it's like any impact that Alfons makes needs to be easily attributable to someone else. Or maybe not? He's so quick to tell the robin to place responsibility for all their encounters on him... And a person you'll eventually forget makes a perfect scapegoat because the grudge and the pain can die with him.

Perhaps as a mirror, he aims to show you the happiest parts of yourself while letting your woes vanish in the mirror with him. And things get wonky when he finds himself with desires, wanting to reach out and mark you rather than finding amusement in just reflecting you.

(I'd like to see him paired in an event with Will and Ellis. Someone who pushes you to be the fullest "you" and someone who places your happiness above all else [or at least attempts to], who all fight with how their own desires conflict with what they otherwise want for you, and how that causes them Emotional Problems. But I'm not a Will or Ellis expert so don't ask me to elaborate on that. Hell, I'm not even an Alfons expert. I'm not an expert on anything! I make Harrison Greyglogabgalab memes and draw Roger’s giant tits!!)

Then there's Roger on his quest to best fate. He can't stop, he can't die. He has to value his life because he's the one doing all this important work! His life is what keeps it going! Nothing is hopeless--it's bleak, but never hopeless--unless he gives up. He is not going out of his way to please, he is here to get what he wants. It might align with what you want, and maybe making you happy is what'll make him happy in this moment, but he can't lose sight of his own priorities. He pisses Al off so much partly because he’s so stubbornly dedicated to finding a way to preserve Al’s personhood/history when Al has long decided to live his days as if he will ultimately be unpersoned. It doesn’t matter what Alfons says, Roger has decided that this is happening anyway. (Although tbf, if he did find a way to eliminate curses, he probably wouldn’t force Al to take it. So he’s not entirely disrespecting his agency. Neither man is 100% consistent in being other-oriented or self-oriented, which I like, because humans are the same way. And I like my characters especially selfish and messy.)

Where Alfons has to learn to figure out a life that centers him-as-person and not him-as-mirror, Roger has to decide where love/another person fits into a life and self that he thought he had very definitively shaped around himself and his pursuits. (That being said, I don't think he was particularly averse to the idea of it changing since he egged the robin on so much in her quest to prove to him that love is real. He also admits in one of his epilogues that he suppressed a desire for companionship. Iirc, it was because he felt he needed to be strong on his own, but it's been a while, so I could totally be wrong on that one.)

I think it's very cool that the hedonist's life is built around everybody else (I would not call this agape or selfless love, or even pathological people pleasing... just an absence of an idea of what to do with himself) while the doctor is always thinking about his own priorities. A little irony!

I also want to chew a little bit eventually on how they both come onto the robin at the end of other routes and how other characters receive that. Elbert specifies lategame (can’t remember which of his endings) that he doesn’t think Alfons would steal the robin away from him because Alfons is typically someone who gives others what they want, not takes what he wants. Whereas he wants her to stay several steps away from Roger at all times. He knows that Roger won’t fuck with his bodily autonomy like past doctors, but he does NAWT trust him with his girl. Idk if I’d say Roger has the least regard for other members of Crown’s wants vs his own, but he at least presents himself as Mr. Steal Yo Girl in at least Liam and Alfons’s endings (I think both blind love epilogues). I’m still deciding how sincere he was either of those times or if he had some ulterior motive. It’s not that I don’t think he could be a total dick, I’m just not totally convinced he’d fuck over Liam or Alfons that brazenly when he seems to care about them in his own “I will never say it” way. And he must have known that Liam was in earshot, that he’d hear Roger hitting on the robin and her rejecting him without hesitation/reaffirming her love for Liam… Still sitting on the stuff with Alfons because it’s possible he thinks that Alfons is too flawed to be her lover, but… idk, he’s been searching for a way to break the boy’s curse for twenty goddamn years, it feels forced for him to talk about Al so callously. Idk! I could be delusional! But it’s fishy to meeee!1

But yeah. Especially with their shared history, it's hard not to view them as a pair. They’re also a lot of fun together; they had me rooooolling in Harry’s aphrodisiac event. Try to distance yourselves from each other all you want, you are on the same! Bullshit!

I've also noticed that a couple people, myself included, seem to have really strong opposing reactions to the two of them (although Alfons has really grown on me), and I'm always curious what the reason for it is because imo they're two sides of the same coin, two peas in a sleazy pod.

Idk what to make of this, I just wanted to ramble about how the parallels between the two run deeper than surface level and how exciting I find that. I love them. Thanks for reading. Please feel free to add to any of this or refute anything I’ve said, I’m really just thinking out loud. Gotta use the ol’ brain every once in a while to make sure it still runs.

[dent-de-leon]

How much did Caleb Widogast’s heart ache for Mollymauk? How much did he truly love Tealeaf, that he was the person to both bury him and get on his hands and knees to dig up his grave with his bare hands all these months later??

Caleb Widogast dug Molly’s grave. He was the one who dug him back up. With his bare hands, on his knees. Having no qualms about disturbing Molly's grave because, "I'm already going to hell anyway"--the implication that Caleb believes he's already damned, beyond salvation. But Mollymauk was still worth saving.

Caleb buried him with a letter, telling Molly to come find them if he wakes, daring to dream of the impossible, "The man dug his way out of a grave once, if he is to be believed...He's done it once, maybe he will do it again. Do we stay here, do we try to find...? I don't, I--I have read of miracles..." How much it tormented Caleb to have to leave Molly behind.

Several months pass. Jester offers to resurrect Caleb's own parents--the one thing he's always wanted--and he still asks her if she could bring back Mollymauk instead. Dreaming of the possibility of reunion, being the most vocal of all the Nein to push for a resurrection, "[This] could be a conversation, or a reunion." And Jester--always so earnest and full of hope--still tries to temper his expectations, to make sure he doesn't get his heart broken if Mollymauk doesn't return to them.

The Nein feeling entirely at a loss, directionless. Hopeless and heartbroken in Aeor. Jester drawing a card from Molly's tarot deck for guidance, for some bit of comfort after Lucien's coldness. It's pure luck, just chance, but the card she draws is the Magician. "The Magician. So, Molly drew this card for you, Caleb. It looks like you." Caleb seeing that, seeing himself drawn in Molly's hand, and everything falls into place.

He knows where he needs to be. "I have been trying to make sense of everything that's happened in the last few weeks--every day--and I am not seeing it. But...I know that we're supposed to go where Molly is. Otherwise, we would not have seen the things we've seen. We wouldn't be the Mighty Nein."

He dreamed of “reunion,” went all the way to Cognouza because saving Mollymauk was worth it. Always knew where this road was going to lead. "Why did we come this far, if not for this?" "But what if...? Why did we go so far, and fight so hard?" Caleb pleading with Mollymauk's caged soul again and again, begging for him to hold on, to keep fighting. He wasn't beyond hope, they could still save him. "Please don't give up. You can find your own life again. There will be time for that later."

"That wasn't me," Lucien vehemently insists, his will still trying to dominate Caleb's in this world of sheer dreams and manifestation, endless possibilities. "He's gone, and you will all die and join me." "Bullshit," Caleb says, and keeps resisting him again and again, keeps shattering his control. And he pays dearly for it. Lucien kills Caleb for his endless loyalty to Molly, for daring to still try and save him. Caleb, who breaks through Lucien's control again and again, who has the most profound effect on him and Molly when it all comes crashing down.

"He's gone. Let him go. Let it all go..." The last Eye Lucien branded him with--it appears right over Caleb's heart. Did Lucien do that just to spite him, as a way to try and shut out Molly's feelings--

Essek never knew Mollymauk in life, didn't have to grieve him after all the pain Lucien caused. But when he sees Caleb say goodbye, watches Caleb return that forehead kiss from so long ago--sees how much Caleb loves him--that's what makes Essek break down. "Essek gets up in a huff, walks about twenty feet away," storms off and cries over the unfairness of it all, over seeing Caleb and the rest of the Nein lose someone so dear to them.

Of course Caleb is the one who limps to Molly’s side in the end and casts the ritual to resurrect him. Tealeaf reeling from Greater Restoration, wakes in a daze and goes, "Oh...I was having the nicest dream..." And it's Caleb who reaches out to him--asks his name, tries to help him stay grounded. Caleb being the one to assure Kingsley that, "Well, first of all, you are among friends." The way King replies, with absolute certainty, "I know."

Caleb continually holding out a hand to Kingsley, asking him to stay. "Well, let's take him at his word. Perhaps this is your first time meeting us. It's our second time--third time--meeting you. Stick with us." Assuring him that he'll always have a place with the Nein, that Caleb is happy to have him back--whoever he comes to be. That Tealeaf will still always be theirs. "We have a habit of taking in strays." Kingsley being so easily charmed by Caleb and flirting with his Magician immediately, falling so quickly for this person who gave everything to bring him home.

It was always going to be Caleb. He didn’t stop dreaming of getting Molly back from the moment he put him in the ground. He was never going to let him go—

[lvlyghost]

Heyyy 🤗🤗 I just discovered your blog but after binge reading almost all your writings I just have to request something cause I love your writing style so much

How bout a ghost x reader where he has a nightmare about losing the reader could be angst to fluff to smut

Midnight Rain

Pairings: Simon "Ghost" Riley x F!Reader

Summary: Bad dreams were not strange to Simon, but ever since you came into his life there's one thing he feared the most: losing you.

Word Count: 1.0k

Tw: smut! But nothing too explicit. self-doubt, angst, comfort. Poorly edited. you know the drill.

A/N:I'm so sorry this took so long to get out but life happened 🥲 I wish it was longer and far better i hope you like it.💛🩵 also since i got two similar requests decided to make one for both🥰✨

Masterlist✨

He doesn't scream when he jolts awake from his bed. It's always like that. The dreams. The nightmares. Simon was cursed, tragedies seemed to plague his life on a daily basis that's why he was so adamant about letting you in at first.

Slipping off the bed he fights the way his heart is racing nearly beating out of his chest. The clock marks the time.

5:31 A.M

The sky is gray outside the soft morning rain tapping against the window reminds him that he's supposed to be at Price's office by six.

Yet his mind is purely set on you. On that horrific imagery of his nightmare. He knew that the possibilities of it happening were high, and it didn't help to stop his growing anxiety. To think of someone so small and fragile, dead and without possibilities... fucking hell he knew you were capable of many things. He knew about your strength, resilience. Yet he had a strong sense of protection when it came to you. Death was something he couldn't keep you safe from, thought he'd die trying. Simon would happily trade your life for his if it were in his power.

'Just let it be me not her. Never her.'

Needless to say he didn't get any proper rest. He was thankful for the mask and face paint covering his face, otherwise anyone could see the tiredness in his features.

But you knew better.

You always knew better.

Always seeing through him.

You're laughing at something Johnny's saying, he couldn't attend training this morning so he hadn't had the time to talk to you. And then the sight of you getting shot appears in the back of his mind agains, your body falling limply to the ground next to him.

Dead.

On his watch.

He shifts his weight from one foot to another, swallowing down the lump in his throat.

All the bloody morning his head has been spinning. Unable to get a grip on reality, Simon forces himself to turn away.

You watch from the other side, smile faltering. Why hadn't he joined you? You were about to wave at him. Maybe he didn't want Johnny to be there... Simon was a private man and he wanted to keep a low profile regarding your relationship so you decide to follow him, saying a quick good-bye to your teammate and trotting after Simon.

The door to his office is closed, knocking twice then waiting a second and you knock again.

He doesn't respond to you but you open the door nonetheless. You poke your head enough for him to see you.

"Hey..." you greet him with a warm smile. Simon breathes deeply. "Didn't come to say hello today." You point out, closing the door behind you. He looks down where he's signing a stack of papers.

"Didn't want to interrupt." He gruffly answers.

"Come on..." you reply. "It was just Johnny and I... everything alright?" You question him. The grip on his pen is painfully hard to the point his knuckles turn white.

"Jus' busy, that's all."

Something's not right. You take a deep breathe and walk towards him until you're standing next to his chair. Simon doesn't look up nor acknowledges your presence.

"Simon..." you try again.

Suddenly in a swift movement he's standing up, grabbing you by the arm and leading the two of you out of the office and to his room. You don't say anything you just let him guide you. Whatever it was you'd work it out. He locks the door once you're both inside, his big calloused hands grabbing you by your cheeks. His eyes are frantic, bouncing from your lips and back to your orbs. As if trying to remember the sight of you before him, the sight of you in his room.

"Talk to me. Please...." it's a soft plea. You know him, you recognize the sadness in his honeyed eyes. You know despair when you see it.

"I can't lose you." His voice shakes, as does he. His hands are trembling, buzzing with worry.

"You're not gonna lose me, Simon..." your own hands, much smaller than his come to rest above them. "I'm right here." A brief moment of silence passes by, until he releases a shaky breath, he retreats enough to slip the fabric of his mask off. It was getting hard to breathe for him. "Come with me... please."

You drag him to the bed, motioning for him to sit down you help him unlace his boots then you do the same with yours.

He lays back as do you, Simon brings you closer to his body wrapping one arm around you. Hand tracing soft circles on his chest, hearing the rhythmic beat of his heart underneath you.

"You were dead." He begins. "Right in front of me and I couldn't stop it," your motions stop. Brows knitting together. "I...-" he trails off. "I'm nothing if I can't keep you safe."

"Simon don't ever say that again." You scold him. Tears gather in the corner of your eyes. "Don't you dare think such things."

Standing you're quick to straddle his lap, strong arms hold you close to his body. You slam your lips to his, Simon welcomes the warmth of your mouth against him. Your hands caress the back of his head, fingers threading through his blond locks. He hardens under your body and murmur something into your ear. Something that sends you over the edge. Soon, your pants are discarded on the white floor, he lets you ride him, merely looking at your eyes never leaving your face. If he could capture this moment he'd do it. He'll save it for the rest of his life. Treasure it. Wrapping your arms around his shoulder you kiss him hard. You're so close your mind is in a haze, and when he grits his teeth you know he's close too. The pure adoration in his eyes is enough. There'll never be anyone after him.

"You're stuck with me."

His lips curve into a barely-there-smile.

"Yeah..." he gasped. "Jus' keep looking at me, love. And stay with me."

As if you could ever say no to him.

[chosos-mascara]

first time

𝙩𝙤𝙟𝙞 𝙛𝙪𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙜𝙪𝙧𝙤 𝙭 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧

𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆 - after toji finds out you're a virgin, you find yourself in an ultimatum.

𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 - virginity loss, fingering, condom use, toji refuses at first, pet names (good girl, pretty), rough sex, age gap (reader is mid 20s, toji is mid 40s)

2k words

Lips on lips, skin on skin. Toji's hands roamed over your body with haste, tugging at the hem of your shirt, palms running the length of stomach to cup bare chest. He'd worked with experience and ease, finally ready to fuck you. Sure, he hadn't understood why you'd want to fuck your friend's father, but he wouldn't question you now. Only after he would feel that tight cunt wrap around him would he call you out on the odd situation. He was almost fifty, after-all. 

"Gonna fuck you good." Deep breaths against neck, member hard against your inner leg. You'd whimpered under him as his grip finally found ghosted panties, waiting and slick with arousal. But, when he pulled them to the side to get look over more of you, your thighs had anxiously pressed together.  "What, you gettin' all shy now?" He laughed, a rough hand grabbing the fat of your leg to push to the side, though with a hand over your face, you shrugged. Brow raised, he retracted his grip. 

"Don't tell me you're a virgin or some shit?" His accusatory tone would have caused you to blow up, he'd known that. If he was wrong, you'd be quick to correct him, to tell him otherwise. Your silence spoke volumes. 

"I-" You began, heart racing. "I'm not..." Trailing off, your eyes darted to his gaze. Narrow, green. He stared at you in confusion, the previous lust filled stare fading into his usual stoic gaze.  "Oh, no." Just like that, Toji stood from the bed. "Are you serious?" His annoyance had been written clearly, not only on the irked expression, but in the timbre of voice. 

"It's fine, I want to." You spoke, pushing yourself upward, an attempt to persuade him from walking away. There was embarrassment in your words, a twist in stomach at the action of being pushed away. You'd liked Toji for a long time, you'd fantasized about him fucking you - how could you ruin it now? After years of friendly flirting, lighthearted teasing and some tension, you'd die before giving this up. 

You met Megumi in your freshman year of college, his father shortly after. The younger male hadn't wanted his 20th to be a big deal, though with Yuuji and Nobara as his close friends, it had been inevitable. You'd met Toji that evening, the looming figure leaning over kitchen counter, words spoken upon your arrival to "have fun." The first sentence he'd spoken to you while waving his kid off had you reeled in. From then on, every and any excuse to visit Megumi's home had been executed. Of course, you'd valued him as a friend, a close bond within your group, and due to this you'd felt the burden of guilt when attempting to woo his own blood, but in your defense, you couldn't help it. 

Only, now you'd been close to fulfilling a desire, it had been ripped from your hands. A virgin. You'd known it was unusual at your age, when most people had lost it before they'd even started college - twenty-five and pure hadn't been where you'd wanted to be. 

"Shit, why'd you lie? I ain't takin' your virginity." 

Your chest tightened. 

"What?" The confidence you'd had before had sank within the depths of your hollow body, fights clenching against the comforter. Though, when realizing the nakedness of upper half, your arms had flown to hide the bare chest that had been exposed so readily. 

"Look-" He sighed, shifting. A sudden uneasiness from within him, a sigh after separating pursed lips. "Your first time shouldn't be with someone like me. Just," Toji couldn't look at you as he'd spoken. The disheveled state, the heartbreak written clearly in your eye. What was he thinking, anyway? Someone his son's age, when he'd been bordering fifty. There had to be a power imbalance there, right? "Just, save it for someone else." 

"I'm not a child!" A shout from your lips, glassy eyes glaring at him. "You don't get to dictate what I can and cannot do - who I can and cannot fuck!" A pillow was thrown his way through anger, hot tears finally falling over heated cheeks - though you hadn't been sure if this had been due to embarrassment or disappointment. 

"I know you're not a fucking child." Toji leaned against the door as you'd scrambled to pick up your shirt from the floor, discarded in haste. "But you don't know me. You don't wanna go givin' that shit to me."  "Fuck," You sighed, pulling cotton back over chest. "Stop acting like it's a disease." 

Standing, you faced the male before you, awaiting his movement from the door to allow your departure. He looked over you, once, and then once more, before pushing himself from the wood. There'd been some reluctance in his movements, a hesitance in allowing you to leave, but he did so in silence. Only when your shoes had hugged your feet and bag slung on your shoulder had he opened his mouth to allow an excuse to his behavior. 

"Look," You'd reached a hand over the lock, turning it. His hand came over you, palm pushing over the door to prevent you opening it. The action had forced you against the door, his chest pressing to yours when you'd turned. Toji's arms caged you to the exit. 

"There's things you don't know about me. Things I've done. I didn't think you were stupid enough to like me that much - I thought you were just horny." Just like that, your body had reacted to the proximity you'd found yourself within. So desperately, you'd wanted to hate him, to never see him again, yet with his face inches from your own and his chest plush to yours, it had felt impossible. 

"Spare me your sob story. I don't care." The bitter statements had been from a place of misery; he'd understood that.  "Alright. I'll see you around." 

Two weeks. 

After that point, you'd figured you wouldn't see Toji again. He'd been your first crush, and although you'd felt pained by his rejection, you knew you'd learn to accept it. Though, there had been one thing you'd felt plagued with. Something had been playing on your mind as of late - a burden that you'd been ready to cut loose. A label you'd wished you'd had the confidence to rid yourself of years ago. Sure, a stranger in a bar hadn't been ideal, but you'd just have to get it over with. 

A glass of wine placed before you on the bar. Not your favorite by all means, but it had been enough.  "From the guy on table four." 

She'd pointed to your right, and your head had anxiously turned, though when your gaze had set on a black head of hair, a pink scar over lips, the nervousness had turned into something else. An unreadable mix of emotions too tangled to read. Had you felt relieved, or angered? 

"Are you following me?" The first question from your lips, glass setting opposite Toji as his un-amused expression bore into your own.  "Are you trying to get fucked by some shithead?"  "None of your business."   "Do ya think that'll change my mind or somethin'? Cause I think you're just being fucking stupid right now." 

You laughed in anger. 

"Thanks for the wine. I'm gonna get going." 

Tilting head, the red liquid had been gulped back with swiftness, a readiness to leave acting as motivation. Though, a warm grip over your wrist had stopped you once again, head snapping toward Toji's unreadable glare. 

"I'll do it." 

You furrowed a brow, scowl contorting into confusion. "What?" 

"I'll fuck you."  "I don't need your charity." You'd been quick to bite back, a bratty trait he'd realized he'd admired.  "I ain't offering charity. I'm offering to fuck your pretty brains out." Toji pushed himself from the chair, a tug on your wrist to bring you closer. "Only thing is, I ain't going soft. You want me to fuck you, I'll do it my way." 

Megumi had moved out after graduating, one detail you hadn't been overly thankful for until now. His new home had resulted in less visits to Toji, though as of a recent exchange in numbers and an influx of flirtatious messages, it hadn't mattered much anymore. 

Pushing through Toji's door, a slam followed by smacking of lips and a tug of your jacket. In this moment, you'd been relieved you hadn't had to worry about another occupant finding you. At first, he'd had you up against the wall, a fiery kiss similar to that of weeks before, hands roaming the dress you'd had on, the curve of your figure, a rough lift of the skirt to encourage the removal of the garment. 

You'd followed along eagerly, shoes kicked off, dress thrown to the floor, Toji's shirt unbuttoned with shaking hand. He'd tasted like cigarettes and mint against your tongue when he'd pulled you toward his room, fingers wrapping to unclasp the bra you'd picked out earlier in the evening, the matching panties to follow. 

He'd been stripped to boxers, hardness exceedingly evident in the stretch of cotton, though he hadn't focused too much on his own ache before pleasing yours. Toji pulled the last item of clothing from you, drawing back to both admire the woman before him, and to spit over his fingers. They ghosted over your folds, pad of fingertip grazing over your clit. Hips bucking to his touch, you'd suppressed a moan. 

"Gotta warm you up." He'd been kneeling between your legs, thick fingers rubbing circles over your core as he watched you through lust-filled eyes. Back arching, teeth caught over lips. You looked pretty. 

One finger inside, then another. He pushed into you with ease, fingers slick with spit and wetness to create lewd sounds from between your legs. If you had been more focused, you'd have died of embarrassment, but with his thumb rubbing circles over your clit and his fingers pumping in and out of you, you'd lost your mind. Moans had left your lips with your hips rolling, legs spreading wider. He knew you were close, and so fast, too. 

"Toji, feels so good-" Drawn out words, eyes rolling back, "I'm gonna-" Interrupted by your own body's spasms, an orgasm washed over your twitching muscles and skin. He'd smirked while watching your face contort and stomach suck inward, a breathy laugh of amusement.  "Thaaat's it. Cum on my fingers." The gruff voice caressing your ear had you whining for more, a request he'd felt his duty to fulfill. 

You'd come down, and in that time Toji had rolled the condom over his length, pressing head to entrance.  "You sure 'bout this, pretty thing?" You'd nodded frantically, eyes opening to meet his.  "Fuck me, Toji. Please."  He exhaled through his grin. "Since you asked so nicely." 

You watched as his cock disappeared into you, a hiss through his teeth when feeling your warm cunt finally wrap around his dick. The sensation had been better than the one from his fingers, the fullness of his cock deep inside causing groans of pleasure. He drew back, hands gripping over your hips as he pushed in once more, a few languid strokes before he'd found a rhythm. 

Toji hadn't lied about going at it his way. He'd made sure to stuff you to hilt before drawing back, a bruising grip on your body. You'd been a mess under him, back pressed into the mattress when he'd leaned forward, suddenly placing an arm beside your heated cheek, moving to tilt your hips upward further and fuck at a deeper angle than before. There had been some pain to begin with, but it had subsided within a short few seconds, thrusts reaching cervix. 

"So fuckin' tight." He'd grunted while bullying into you, ragged breaths accompanying the slaps of his hips into your thighs. "Spread 'em wider." You'd done as he'd asked, the stretch of your muscles burning slightly, though with blurred vision and whines, Toji knew the deeper angle had pleased you even more. 

"Good girl." His hand tightened over your skin, air knocking from chest as he rolled his hips. "Jus' like that." Toji was growing closer, his thrusts sloppier as he fought back his high until he'd been unable to stop himself any longer. Thick ropes had filled the rubber, grunts leaving parted lips as he threw his head back. 

THIS POSTED BEFORE I HAD EDITED IT OOPS

[kit-screams-into-the-future]

a couple of guys have been throwing around doc being ace in the tags of my recent post so naturally. i have thoughts. allow me to subject you to them:

i agree. that man is asexual. clara is also asexual. i would think both of them are a little bit bi as well!

not that either of them think too hard about it though. if you ask them they would say they are 100% attracted to the opposite sex and for the most part that's true. but doc totally had some sort of vaguely homosexual rivalry with another scientist while working on the manhattan project and clara probably had a crush on another girl when she was little. also the 1980s has a lot more Gender than the century previous so once the shock of women wearing pants wears off she's going to be like hold on a sec.... they're kinda cooking in this century

(clara would not use those words in that order fs but that's the only way i can convey that lmao)

none of them would look into those experiences. they'd just assume oh every girl thought this one specific other girl was like super pretty and smart and cool growing up. every scientist has an infuriatingly stubborn yet brilliant and objectively good-looking rival in the same department. that's just how it is!

bisexual tangent over. back to asexualism

doc and clara are more the "enjoy each other's company" couple than anything like sure they'll kiss or whatever and that's nice but they'll have infinitely more fun talking about their interests

they'd probably only get schnasty because they know that's just what couples are meant to do. like they'll try it once and they'll agree it was a solid 7/10 experience but do you know what's a guaranteed 10/10 every time? 49th reread of journey to the centre of the earth!! woohoo!!

which brings me. to the real point of this post. where did jules and verne come from.

as an ace doclara truther i initially subscribed to the "they travelled in time to adopt a couple of orphans who were otherwise going to die and be lost to time" bc it's cute and it's like how doc saved clara so now they're in love. but the more i thought about it i was like hold on. something's up here

because doc spent 10 years building that train so the first thing he'd want to do with it (besides going into the future to get parts for it to fly) is return to let marty know he's alright right. like in the movie sure he picked up einie first but that's bc that's einie

so unless those boys are freshly picked up off the great depression streets logically i do not think that can be the case. as nice as this headcanon is

so my next thought was like ok. we can still make this adoption thing work. maybe these orphans have naturally occurred in the 1880s (<- certainly one of the string of words i have made)

but we know doc. sure he's had his moments of flipping the bird to the space-time continuum but in general he tries his best to keep it intact i think

taking up a blacksmithing job? minor improvements to the lives of the citizens of hill valley. probably not going to cause anything major. also he needs money. marrying a schoolteacher? she was going to fall off a cliff and die originally so it's not like that's going to make anything worse. (although now a lot more kids are literate in this timeline so something is definitely different. but also what is she gonna do, not teach?)

but adopting two kids without knowing their fates beforehand.... risky business. who knows who those two are supposed to be. and it's not like they can pick up two kids who they know for sure would probably pass without their intervention bc doc is a doc from the future but he's not THAT kind of doc from the future.

so with that said. begrudgingly. i think jules and verne are biologically theirs. unfortunate for the adoption headcanons but that's the only logical way i can see it

not to say the adoption headcanons are wrong and bad i just don't know how they could obtain two children without worrying about messing things up. so if anyone has any ideas how please enlighten me

[danaduchy]

all texts from Kerry

Found Henry Holy shit, Henry's on board. Way to go! Check outta rehab of his own free will… thru the window, hehe. Some nurse tried to stop us - at first I thought she wanted an autograph, but she didnt even recognize me. Tell you the rest later How's it going with Nancy? S'all under control That's what I like to hear

Samurai's back together What about Johnny? He amped for this gig or meh? * As amped as he's ever been. Must be important to him cuz otherwise I wouldnt be forced to take this stupid pseudoendotrizine * Hard to say. You know how he is Well I'm amped as fuck, if anyone's wonderin. It'll be fuckin shimra - just gotta remember not to get too wasted before. Old habits die hard, haha

Waiting for you Kerry? Where are you? On the way. Chill. Gotta change

What's up, V? Too bad you split so quick after the concert - we didn't even get a chance to chat I barely know anything about you, except you've got a shit-ton goin on inside You're the one who left early That so? Hm, maybe. Anyway, it was fuckin nova, wasn't it? Shoulda recorded it for you cause you didn't catch anything thru Johnny

Hey! Heey. So I cant stop thinkin about our little adventure. FUCKIN AWESOME. Thats how you live life. ON THE EDGE :> * Who doesnt like explosions and races right? :) Lemme know if the rest of your plan worked out Sure, I'll text or call ;) If I can't convince you to blow up anythin else, then at least we can go for a drink. Take care! * Egh, day just like any other. Hope it helped you tho Pff, sound more nonchalant than a karaoke star from kabuki ;) I'll be in touch

Coffee at Caliente Know what? I'm glad we got a chance to talk over coffee. You're a straight shooter, V. Nothing like the ass-kissers I'm usually surrounded by. It's good we did what we did, right? Blowing that van to bits? Cuz I been thinking… * To be honest, got no clue if anything good will come of it. I agreed cuz you paid me. Honest as ever, huh? Means I was right about you. Appreciate that, V. I really do. Don't ever change. * It was the right thing to do. And you've got nitro running through your veins. Don't you ever let yourself think otherwise! Nitro in my veins? Yeah, and a fuse sticking out of my ass. Least that's what I felt back then. Was worth it, though - slept like a fucking baby for the first time in ages. Talk to you later. Thanks again!

Reward Hey, forgot to send the eddies before, but should hit your account any sec. PREEM WORK :>

Where are you? Well, where are you? At this rate I'm gonna be a fuckin skeleton by the time you get here.. Move your ass or forget about this whole thing Dunno where you are or what you're up to, but I'm a busy fuckin man. Forget about it - don't have time for this shit Srsly, V? Ditched me with the badges and split? Shitty move. We're fuckin THROUGH Where the fuck are you? Grrr doesnt matter. I'm checkin out, goin home. Call ya if somethin comes up

answer yr phone!!! Hey, V. Got a job for you. Corner of Grey and Mallagra. Be there first thing in the morning, we'll talk it over. I'm fucking livid, V! Those Us Cracks bitches clearly didn't get the hint. Instead of cancelling after we blew up their truck, they just moved their show to another date! Meet me at Riot ASAP. We'll deal with them differently this time. The Us Skanks still wanna fuck me over and record the cover, V! On top of that, their lawyers won't stop yappin'. We really need to talk. I'm at Dark Matter right now. Come 'round the back, the bouncers will let you in. It's easier to reach my dead grandma than you, V! Anyway, Us Cracks are done, for real this time. We should celebrate! Stop by Dark Matter. Use the back entrance.

What's up? Hey, hows it going? Ownin the streets of NC? * More like tryna survive. Let's just say the city and I are even Sweet. What's that? What's up with me? Nice of you to ask. Hammerin out some sick tunes. Ok, more like trying to hammer out. Keep your fingers crossed * Hey hey, you could say that. Lotta stuffs been happenin - even without you! :O Yeah yeah, whatever! I'm stringin together some fresh tunes… OK, more like thinking about some fresh tunes. Keep your fingers crossed

Missed holocall! V! Whatever you're doing right now - drop it and come see me at the Marina. Pier four.

Scratch that! Spoke too soon Slight change of plans - waitin on an important delivery and the fuckin gonk's late. Be at the marina at 7pm!

Kova-chek this out :D Kovachek went ballistic when he found out the yacht went up in smoke! Even went back on those pills that turn him into you know, whatever the opposite of a cyberpsycho is. More goo than a man haha this is greaaaaat! * Ouch. Musta sunk a lotta eddies into that float! :P Speakin of dickheads tho - turns out he stashed a ton of drugs on board! Like, two yachts' worth. And we sent aaaall of that to the bottom of the sea :D Bay's full of fish high off their fins now! * Literally zero living organisms in that bay, Ker. Yeah duh they they took their happy fishy asses down to the spaceport and went to la la land. Anyway tellin ya whenever I'm down, I think about our seaventure and it's like insta good feels :* * Wow. What now? Feel like blowing more of his shit up. Think he's got a luxury crib somewhere in the Rockies… Something to think about… :P FUCK NO! I GOT IT! We make a Kovachek voodoo doll! Can't wait to stab that prick right in the dick :D * I really don't care about that dick, Kerry. Fine OK. As long as you care about MY dick, that is :P

Hey :* Heeey, how's it hanging? Everything all right? I'll just come right out and say it - I miss you. Just a little bit though ;) You coming by anytime soon? * Miss you too, if you can believe that. See? We're tuned to the same frequency. I'll try to swing by sometime. Preem. I'll be waiting! * Hey! Well well, look who's suddenly spilling their guts out :P Dunno when I can drop by though :/ Sad face :( But fine - I know the world doesn't revolve around me. It sucks, but that's the way it is. Take care! * Been thinking about you… Thinking about you too. You're like some chorus to this incredible song that's been stuck in my head lately. On loop :) * What's new? Still conquering the world with music? Planning to! :) don't really know if there's anything left to conquer though. You're already mine, right? (I know, I knooooow, it's cringe. But I couldn't hold myself back!) Latest song I wrote - read it and weep. Wrote it while thinking of you: "Where you whisper, open up your heart / Reveal the place where I once had a heart" Whaddaya think? * I like it. It's gentle, but still has a bite. And knowing you, probably has multiple meanings ;) Exactly! I knew you'd get it :*** * Hmm, you were thinking about me when you wrote that? Dunno if that's good or bad :< it's up to you - that's the whole point! :* * Got a bunch of things on my plate right now. Times are tough. Oh, OK, cool. Do what you gotta do. We'll talk later, no prob.

Serious business Check it out, V. Got this email from a lifelong fan. It's serious. Gotta write her back. Dear Mr. Eurodyne, the day we both have been waiting for is finally upon us! I got rid of my husband, my house and all the other remnants of my former life. Now, I'm truly ready to give you my heart and all my other organs, should you desire them. You are the Sun and I am the Moon - I live to bask in your radiant brilliance. I love you, Mr. Eurodyne, and eagerly anticipate the time we'll finally be together. We will meet soon - I'm sure you know exactly where." She also sent me a gift card to a junk shop in Providence, wherever the fuck that is. It's clear she's nuts, just not sure if it's the murder-suicide variety. She writes me same day every year, like clockwork. What if she dissolved her man in a vat of acid, burned down her house and now she's sharpening her sickle cuz I'm next!? What are we gonna do, V??? * You really worried about her? More importantly: Kerry Eurodyne actually reads fan mail? Adorable. Yeah, yeah, Kovachek usually deals with all that shit. Even signs photos and sends them to the fans. But the fucker always forwards stuff from this crazy broad. Gets his rocks off fuckin with my blood pressure. Anyway, thought you might get a kick out if it. Seriously though, I should probably do something. Don't want her to knock on my bedroom door a year from now. * What, your first psycho groupie? Unbelievable :D Don't worry about it. We'll deal with her. Fuckin preem. What should I do, V? Ideas?? * Call the Providence PD. Let them scare her off? Or better yet, put her in a straitjacket? Boooring! 'Sides, cops mean lawyers and I hate dealing with them even more than I hate Kovachek's guts. No worries, I'll think of something else.You're in charge here. * Why not have a bit of fun? Write her back, give her Kovachek's address and say you'll be waiting for her there exactly one year from now :P Hahahaha you beautiful fucking GENIUS! Think I'll do exactly that. He'll shit himself when he sees her! We'll set up a camera and film it, too. Can't wait!Not worth your time. * She probably thinks she's pregnant with Lizzy Wizzy's love child, too. Check if the store has a netpage, see if they ship to NC and get yourself something nice! Smart! I'll see if they have anything worth my while. Get myself a studded choker. Or one of them Russian stacky doll-in-a-doll-in-a-doll things. Thanks, V! Later

Truth or Dare! I'm boooooooored, V. Let's play Truth or Dare! :D * Really don't have time for this, Ker. Cmon, don't be like that. TRUTH or DARE??? * Fuck it. Dare. OK, here it goes. Hope I got your full attention! OKOK here's your dare: "Survive one year with a rockstar" :D * Cheeky ;) Guess I can give it a try ;) * Don't know if I have time for that, Kerry. * Truth! Got nothing to hide. Here it goes: "After a little good morning sex, what I really want is…" * Coffee and cigarettes. Glass of whiskey if I need a little hair of the dog…

* Scrambled eggs. Clearly.

Puzzle by yrs truly V! Made one of them picture riddles for you, V! Wanna see it? :D Fuck yeah you do! Heeeere goes! …69 <3 * Not right now, Kerry. Got some other things on my mind… No worries. Listen, we all have days like this. Thinking of you here with my little puzzle, hope that helps :* * Really, Ker? Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that one out. Yeah, yeah, just warming up! Okay, get ready for round two! |$| >< #o.O# ;( * Kerry slapped the shit out of Kovachek! * Rockstars are the best spankers! Sorry, all you get is a kiss :* * My man is shit at puzzles :* You got it, you shrewd beast :D Congrats! Your reward - a Kerry Eurodyne sextape! Now all that's left is to shoot it :P I'll send you something sweet <3

Personality test You're not gonna believe this, V. I took one of those personality tests and apparently, I'm a NARCISSIST! Can you believe that shit?? * You, a narcissist? That can't be right. I know, right? Good thing you're smart about these things. You're so sweet, babe :* * Might be some truth to it if I'm REAL honest :) You do… tend to be an arrogant snob. Not to mention your ego's the size of a small planet :* Haha took the test again and now it says I'm a sociopath! Told you it's all bullshit! Told you I'm not a narcissist! Honestly you should listen to me, I'm smarter than whatever "scientist" came up with this shit!

Ah V fuuuck worlds biggest hangover, shakes and willies. Need a kind soul to tell me I'll come out the other side OK :-/ my age be damned ;-| * Textin ya from Dtown, 'hood's the very embodiment of shakes and willies * Got a gig, mebbe not worlds biggest but mondo anyway. This is me needin assurance I'll come out the other end in 1 piece Ever in the thick of shit, eh? It's where your&Johnny's minds meet, both uber vibe on it. JS better be fuckin happy - is he? * Need better candy to pop at raves, physio venting helps, mutes nerves, you'll stride strong, won't bother us workin peeps! Srsly V - soundin like you need time off, ad hoc vacay. U know, throw the monkey off your back, dunno, air your skull sponge. * Could be, just not now Handlin ginormous gig in Dogtown. Elbow deep in it, serious as a heart attack. * That an invite….? ;> Dunno, maybe…? My door's wiiiiiiide open, always ;> * Got this biz I gotta tend to first, one way or another… Oh ok mystery man - you do you. gotta say, findin this diss kinda titillating. Is it the masochist in me? tension's… ooooh, got my mouth watering. * Right, I know. One of these days - surprise! You'll see, be at your front door. Only if I'm home, obvi. You're textin a raucous, go-get-'em busy man… * OOO-K. So get lost, find a release. * Hmm, you're temptin me to call. Will do, given time. Do do do, plz. I'll be waitin <3

OK then I'll play support - we're all gonna all right, better'n all right - golden Which is DEF NOT me now - after a fuckin weird-ass 48 hrs, and this is me talkin…! just straaange… like unbelievably so Ahem, got stories to tell, solid gold * well, yeah, might find it a lil hard to believe… welp, hope you're whole and fine and happy. If you are, suck it. Dissin somebody like this - not nova, choom, supra unpreem * OK spill So dig this - meet-up w the enemy, competing publishing bitchez. Top dogz, bubbly flowin, rails vanishing up noses - all in back of a stretch cuz they out to impress my ass with their asses. Kinda sad, really. Gotta give 'em an e for effort, tho - they say: choom, got a mountain o' eddies for ya. N I say, really - where from? N they say, our mountain's a volcano, it'll spew scratch like lava… Hm i say, how's that? N they say, Zetatech product placement - next tour, choom so I says let's go - Zetatech now! they practically jizz. Zetatech HQ I get out, drop my pants and moon eveybody lookin out the windows of the building while I give the bitchez in the limo the finger at the same time. N i called Delamain.\nDel and me, we rollin, talkin anti-iperialism - any sense in it given the state of the world? Know what? we actually come to a conclusion - that nuthin makes sense anymore. So we go on rollin, and go on talkin and drinnk myself into grief. 18 hours later Del dropped me by my crib. He wished me GOOD LUCK IN THIS WORLD. choom was deep depressed, so much so he gave me a discount * Could've happened to Kerry and Kerry alone, that Plain to see, admit it, I just might be the king of NC's nightlife * vive le roi! and may the consort bask in his light ;> xoxo * hm, yeah, no titles more important than that… BETTER FUCKIN BELIEVE IT. * Oooh could go for a convo about life's futility. But DT takes no prisoners forgives no mistakes - need to focus. salty! somebody's in a m0000d * well, just don't see your parties and hangovers as overly important to me just now, if ever * yeah, sorry, just this gig, shitstorm, tense, lots to handle OK I get it, all crystal. Need a lil cheerin up or just leave you the fuck alone? * may be better off just leavin me alone, I'll ping you later, OK? say no more, luv ya and dreamin daily about your sweet tush <3 Eurodyne out * cheerin up, plz :) OK catch: How ya get a bass player to have that gleam in his eye? Shine a flashlight in his ear. That help any? * yup, did wonders :D thx raise you on the holo later, 'kay? * hm, not great, but I won't hold it against you. cute of you to try ok, so here's somethin to keep you warm at night in the meantime, you sweet precious thing <3

You doing anything? Yo, why haven't you shot me a message or nothin? I'm sitting over here like a dumbass waitin for my phone to start buzzin… * Sorry, Ker! You know how it is, life and shit… I know I know, didn't mean to be a total prick * I was just about to text you! Uh huh… suuuure… * You coulda shot me one too, y'know :P The fuck do you think I'm doin right now?!? So listen, how busy are ya? Gotta admit, I'm gettin the itch real bad. Like, a good itch, to see you I mean. * Sounds great! My megabuilding pad maybe? A megabuilding, huh? I mean, sure, guess that'll work… * Then I'll be waitin for ya at my Northside apartment :) Preem. Then I'll get there when I get there. * Let's meet up in Japantown. Just a hop and a skip for you ;) Perfect! * Can you drive over to the Glen? Love to see you too <3 I can do whatever the fuck I want. * Whaddaya say to a little date downtown? My Corpo Plaza place? Ohhh baby, my ass is already out the door! * I'm free! Wanna swing by Dogtown? You outta your mind? No fucking way! Either we meet in NC proper or I ain't goin out. Don't forget to tidy up a bit, yeah? ;)

Goooood morning, Night City! And you, V! Listen, I'm bored outta my mind. Wanna be bored together at least? You asleep? :P Oh, what's that? You want me to come over? Sure! You're one hot piece of ass, you know that right? You were in my dream last night. A good one. Don't worry, I ain't mad at dream V or nothin - in fact I wanna meet up! I hit a creative block, need some inspiration. I need you. I'm coming over. * Sounds good :) Megabuilding apartment then. Hope you remember which one's mine! On my way! * Genius idea from a genius himself. I'll be waitin for ya in Northside <3 Guess this means I have to change outta my bathrobe. The sacrifices we make! * Japantown. Now. :P Preem! Callin a Delamain right now! * Missed you too. Come to the Glen :) * Sounds like it's time for a trip downtown. My Corpo Plaza pad to be exact * Swing by Dogtown, I'll show you my fixer-upper :P Over my cold, dead, bullet-riddled body! The fuck you even doing there?! Get back to civilization, V! * haha XD so, right now's not good, but don't worry - I'll be thinkin of ya ;) Oh so that's how you wanna play this… nah, just messin, V. wink, wink. I'll catch ya another time!

I like you, V. Thought I owed you a little reminder of that. And hey, not to impose or nothin, but if you wanna spend some more time together, don't be such a coward about it, y'know? Hit me up!! * I like you too, Kerry. I'll let ya know :) Ain't we an adorable fuckin pair of sweethearts! Ha! * No imposing. I'd love to see you again soon too ;) Careful with those boundaries now, V. Let em down too far and I might just move right in! * Course! Soon as I find some time, you'll be the first to know! You honor me, sir! Hang tough out there, V. And remember - don't do anything I wouldn't do!

Hey, Ker! Life's been feelin a lil empty without ya… wanna meet up? So, wanna see me again? Fuck yeah! Your place ok? Heeey! I do, I do! Just… can't right now. Schedule's crammed. But I'll be in touch real soon!

I fucking love surprises! Yo, V, this is a nice ride! Seems like whenever you're on my mind all I can think about is rides ;) * Yeah I know ;) * I love surprising you :) As crazy as my life is, without you it'd be boring as hell <3 Thanks for the flowers! Thank christ they're artificial cuz I'm allergic to pollen. Sneezing, goopy eyes, the whole fuckin thing. Also… "Feedback"? What? Did we hook up at one of my concerts? Honestly I can't remember. * Totally. Speaker feedback fused our audio systems somehow. Made the sex interesting at least. Whaaa, well whatever, I don't need the whole sciency mumbo jumbo :D * You kiddin? How could you forget! Man, what the fuck was I on that night…

Won't see me for a while Gonna need to vanish for a while maybe a month or so. Hope you didn't have any romantic escapades planned and all set up :P Nooo :( Who'm I gonna take to the N54 rave then? :((( * Shiiiit mean to say I'm gonna miss an N54 party? Wanted to surprise you… Real fucking shame :/ I know ;( We'll crash multiple raves when I'm back in town tho :) Promise! * Take someone else feel free but just this once. Long as you promise - no hand holdin' no indecent stuff no INTIMACY mental neither :P Oh please faithful's my middle name :* Fuck really wish you could make it Make it up to you 100%

Long time no see :] There's this merc I know and haven't seen for a while… oh yeah it's you! :D C'mon pick up gotta tell you how wasted me and Slavoy McAllister got at this N54 rave xD Think we might've burnt down half the studio… by accident ofc XDD Hey, V? Pick up, choom Still can't top you 'n' me as a wrecking crew ;) Fuck, you ok? Pick up dammit not funny V 13 missed calls from: Kerry Eurodyne

You ghosting me? Fuck, pick up! Really?! Can't even bother to send ONE word?! Just gonna pretend like nothin happened, huh? COWARD

[n3ptoonz]

mk1 dialogues with the outworld guys!

a/n: only some characters will have flirtatious lines, while others i can't stand so they WILL get made fun of (i'm looking at you shao.)

i get reiko has fans, so i pander A LIL BIT🙄i can't with havik tho im sorry i didn't grow up w his character so 🧍🏾‍♀️

for syzoth reader is a demon that can shapeshift cause he clearly got a type (ashrah is so freaking pretty)

enjoy ;p

Rain

you: i like wizards

rain: i don't like being called a "wizard"

rain: you couldn't handle the son of a god.

you: if you mean in a fight, probably not, otherwise, absolutely

you: i don't mind getting a little wet from rain

rain: you earthrealmers sure are painstakingly persistent.

rain: i would never court a commoner.

you: you won't be saying that after this match, i guarantee it (wink sound effect).

Reptile

syzoth: if you're from the netherrealm...do you work for quan chi?

you: when i was brain washed yes, now i am reformed and seek redemption

you: do not be afraid, i am kin to ashrah and share her ideologies

syzoth: never thought i would meet so many demons in this life

syzoth: you see what you like? i mean like you- see-

you: demon got your tongue?

you: i find you adorable in both forms, syzoth

syzoth: hey, that's my line!

Shang Tsung

shang tsung: how could I bring harm to such a fine specimen?

you: the same way i'm about to

you: stop flirting with me, sorcerer

shang tsung: not until you consider my offer of ruling the realms by my side

shang tsung: i wouldn't fight me if i were you, i could split your body into eighths

you: tough talk from a man with a silk press

you: you wanna kiss me so bad

shang tsung: kiss, kill, life is all about wonder

Reiko

reiko: you dare poke fun at the ways of an Outworld warrior?

you: uh, you should've seen how you looked shadow boxing at Raiden, I had to laugh

you: come here often?

reiko: wha- you came to my house!

reiko: you just won't quit, will you?

you: there's just something about meatheads that do the trick

you: kiss me, k-k-kiss me, infe-

reiko: it was ONE drunk night!

General Shao

you: just big and greedy

shao: careful, kung lao might overhear you.

shao: ha! you think your puny little self could win against me?

you: you were bested by a farm boy with a sleeper build. nothing about you scares me

you: reiko did not get his looks from his father

shao: soon you won't live long enough to compare!

shao: if i win, you serve as my consort

you: you actually have to have power first to have such imagination

Baraka

baraka: your flesh smells amazing.

you: thanks, new fragrance I made mys- oh you meant as food.

you: so like, does your mouth ever get dry?

baraka: that is the stupidest question i've ever been asked since my affliction

baraka: every day i wake up in aguish.

you: i asked you what time it was...

you: i would ask you to dinner, but you'd run straight for the civilians

baraka: i cannot help what i've become- wait, ask me to dinner?!

Havik

you: what in the actual fu-

havik: continue and you won't be having a mouth either!

havik: why are you looking at me like that?!

you: i'm trying to figure out just how the hell you and baraka pronounce your M's and P's

you: impressive you didn't die from getting a face full of lava

havik: it's probably the only thing liu kang did right!

havik: don't tell me to relax! i lost half my face!

you: hey, you could chill on the whole realm domination and killing a god thing, just saying

--

a/n: this was so hard to write omfg i don't even like half this list😭let me know if y'all want kameo dialogues either in comments or ask box

[dr-spectre]

WE DID IT!!!!!!!

THANK YOU SO MUCH EVERYONE!!!!! This is such a big milestone. Halfway until 1000 followers... that's absolutely insane!!

This will be the last follower update until we reach 1000. But, I wanna share something special with you all and get rather personal...

So, about a year ago, I wanted to learn how to draw because I was feeling depressed about "not being productive enough." Basically I got sucked into the bullshit productivity self help stuff that wants to turn your life into a cold calculated work obsessed nightmare, rather than living in the moment due to fear mongering about the future and how "if you don't grind now you WILL be a failure and die alone and get no pussy." (No wonder I picked Team Present for the Grand Fest...)

Plus I dropped out of uni at the time and welp, to put it lightly, I was feeling fucking god awful and I was scared into basically "putting in the hard work" by all these self help channels and other bullshit online. Whatever the FUCK that vague shit means, my autistic brain still doesn't get it.

It was BY FAR the worst period of my life, but, at least I tried to do SOMETHING. And I wanna show you all some of the things that I drew last year....

This was between October 2023 to February 2024. I stopped drawing due to it causing me much frustration and anger.

So yeah! Uh... enjoy?

So.... not the best work you've seen, right? HAHAHAHAHA!

Would you freak out if I told you that I got upset and damaged a book and a fan because I got so mad at myself over not being able to draw or do anything right?...

I feel like this ain't for me, and you know what? That's okay! I've learnt that it's okay to try new things, it's okay to experiment and if shit doesn't work then it doesn't work. Plain and simple. It's perfectly fine to give up and try something else.

You are not a robot, you are a human being. Don't feel like you "gotta do something everyday otherwise you'll die alone and you'll be broke and you'll never be successful and you'll be forgotten!!"

Do feel pressured to feel like you have to "find your thing" or "be productive" or whatever kind of... heh.... BRAINWASHING you hear online.

I wanted to draw because I was jealous of others, including my friends who are skilled artists... and I did it for the wrong reasons which is why I stopped in February.

I am very happy that I've decided to actually focus on what i like doing and what gives me energy. A quote that has stuck with me for years now is a quote by Jordan Peele from an interview, and it's basically this-

"Follow the fun." And you know what? He's right. Following what gives you that good good boost of dopamine while also feeling like you're accomplishing something is one of the best feelings EVER!!!! Whether it's art, writing, modelling, sculpting, architecture, making music, acting, clay sculptures, etc. FOLLOW THE FUN!! FOLLOW THE SHIT THAT EXCITES YOU!!! I literally always have multiple projects spiralling around in my head all the time and cycling between them at every given moment.

I'm not even saying do only what makes you comfortable or be lazy either, do shit that makes you go "BRING IT ON!!!! I WANNA DO THIS!!!" Get that blood pumping!!! Challenge yourself fairly!!!! There's healthy and unhealthy stress. Healthy stress should make you feel like a fucking PREDATOR!!! AN ANIMAL ON THE HUNT!!! While unhealthy stress makes you feels like you're the prey, the one who's being chased by an unknown force that's out to get you!!

I feel like I'm kinda rambling... anyways!!! ENOUGH WITH THE INSPIRATIONAL BULLSHIT!!! THANK YOU ALL!!!!!! 99% of you have been awesome and incredible!!!

It's also been an honor to get to know so many people who feel the same way as I do about a certain squid lady and her best friends.... before I went onto tumblr I genuinely felt so alone and so insane. I felt isolated, I felt like no one saw these characters the way that I do... I thought my perspective of a certain squid lady and her rebel phase was invalided and false... But now I know that I have people who have my back and understand what I'm trying to express...

One final time, thank you. I'll keep going.

STAY FRESH!!!!!!!!!!

[kaibutsushidousha]

The Hundred Line gameplay footage from Tokyo Game Show

The original plan was to properly subtitle the video, but since the MTL plague seems to be already spreading, I guess I'll just post it as a script for a quicker release.

Takumi Sumino: Hm... Hmm...? W-where am I? (I woke up on a hard desk. My head is kinda hazy and slow...) A classroom? (Why am I here? Why was I sleeping on a desk? ...I can't remember much.) What was it... What happened before? (I moved my hazy head to check the classroom... and what I found were boys and girls hunching on their desks just like me.)

Eito Aozuki: Uh... Wh-what...?

Boy with penguin shirt: W-what the heck!? What's goin' on!?

--Tan girl: Who are you!? Where am I!?

Smallest boy: H-how... did I get here?

Takumi Sumino: (I've never seen any of these people before. The same seemed to apply to everyone. They exchanged wary gazes.)

Takemaru Yakushiji: Is this really a classroom? If it is, it's a really weird one.

Eito Aozuki: Does anyone know the name of this school?

Kako Tsukumo's brother: Hm, never seen it before.

Kako Tsukumo: Likewise.

Boy with penguin shirt: H-hey... Does anyone here know anything?

Takumi Sumino: (All in the classroom looked around and found no one willing to answer anything... That means none of us knows.)

Darumi Amemiya: Oh... Is this what I think it is? ...Oh, it is. Absolutely.

Tan girl: Oh... Do you have an idea?

Darumi Amemiya: I've been waiting for this! Hell! Kyohoho!

Tan girl: What are you laughing about!? I'm scared!

Boy with penguin shirt: I'll check the hallway...

Takumi Sumino: (One person made it to the classroom and tried to go to the hallway.)

Boy with penguin shirt: Huh? W-what the hell... The door won't move...

Takemaru Yakushiji: Huh!? Say what!?

Takumi Sumino: (Now another one made it to the window and tried to force the shutters open.)

Takemaru Yakushiji: Fuck! Why won't you open? Die!

Hiruko Shizuhara: Seems like we were locked in here.

Boy with penguin shirt: Uh... Locked... Aaaaaaah!? WHY!?

Takumi Sumino: W-what's going on? Why would anyone trap us? What caused... (Oh, right! I remembered it...)

Eito Aozuki: After fighting those monsters in the Tokyo Residential Complex, I was engulfed in a mysterious light...

Takumi Sumino: Ah...

Darumi Amemiya: True... I remember that. I transformed and fought the monsters.

Takemaru Yakushiji: Oh!? You lot fought'em too?

Takumi Sumino: Did everyone?

Smallest boy: Wait... So they were real? I assumed it was just me having a childish dream like the immature idiot I am.

Hiruko Shizuhara: I see. Everyone had the same experience. Which must mean... You all met that very cute mascot.

--Takumi Sumino: A cute mascot... (She means... him?) I wouldn't call him cute, but otherwise, yeah... that matches the description.

Eito Aozuki: Then would it be also him who brought us here?

Hiruko Shizuhara: Yes, it must have been the breathtakingly adorable mascot.

Tan girl: Huh? He's the one trapping us here!? What for!?

Darumi Amemiya: Kyohoho! Y'know, the obvious... Students of the same age waking up together in an unknown classroom they can't leave can only mean one thing: we're in for a death game! THE Killing Game is about to start in this school~!

Takumi Sumino: T-the Killing Game!?

Boy with penguin shirt: Why'd we have to kill each other!? I ain't killing anyone!

Darumi Amemiya: Yeaaah, found the first victim! That's totally a thing the first guy dead says!

Boy with penguin shirt: Stoooooooop!

Takumi Sumino: (And that's when it happened.)

[School chime]

Tan girl: Huh? W-what now?

Board screen: Self-introduction period. Introduce yourself to your future comrade-in-arms.

[Kodaka chooses Darumi]

Darumi Amemiya: Name's Darumi Amemiya... nice to meet you... Say, just between the two of us... Do you already know who you're after?

Takumi Sumino: What do you mean by "after"?

Darumi Amemiya: Your initial target in the Killing Game, duh. Just so you know, I don't mind if it's me. I mean, don't I look dumb? Like I'd fall for cheap bait? I sure as heck look like an easy kill!

Takumi Sumino: Hey... Do you seriously believe we're getting into a death game?

Darumi Amemiya: Uh, I do. Well, more hoping than believing. See... I always dreamed of being in a killing game. I've been a huge fan of the death game genre since I was really little...

Takumi Sumino: Yeah, but those are fictional. No one'd want to put their actual lives on the line.

--Darumi Amemiya: Eh? No, the real stakes make it all the better! I have no problems with dying. It'd be nice to take myself out of this depressing trash reality... I see nothing wrong with that...

Takumi Sumino: Huh?

Darumi Amemiya: Tell me... which side are you from? The side of who find only depression and disappointment in normal days? No, you'd understand me if you were. I'm so thankful that painful and suffocating normality, that sturdy as hell normally I thought would haunt me 'til the day I died, finally broke. Can't this death game start any sooner... Kyohohoho.

Takumi Sumino: (I was already expecting an eccentric mindset from her, but wow, she didn't say a thing I can come even close to relating to.)--

[Kodaka chooses Yakushiji]

Takemaru Yakushiji: I'm called Takemaru Yakushiji. Just a warning before anything. Stay away from me when I snap. I tend to punch the closest thing nearby before I look at what it is. I try to stop it, but I can't.

Takumi Sumino: (What the hell... That's messed up...)

Takemaru Yakushiji: So, you also fought those monsters, right? Meaning you also got your transformation?

Takumi Sumino: Transformation...? Oh... yeah, I did. Nothing I remember about it makes any sense, though...

Takemaru Yakushiji: That was some badass stuff! Did ya feel the same way?

Takumi Sumino: Huh?

Takemaru Yakushiji: I feel like I became the superhero I wanted to be as a kid! The power felt AWESOME!

Takumi Sumino: I see... That's one way to look at it.

Takemaru Yakushiji: Though... I'm still worried about the Tokyo Residential Complex. You saw the size of the damage?

Takumi Sumino: Yeah... Lots of people getting attacked...

Takemaru Yakushiji: Maybe... There's still people under the rubble... Lost kids searchin' for their families... Geezers who can't move too well... Fuck! I need to go save 'em! I can't afford to be stuck here!

Takumi Sumino: I can't really tell if he's a savage or a nice guy...

[Kodaka chooses Hiruko]

Hiruko Shizuhara: I'm Hiruko Shizuhara. ...

Takumi Sumino: (That's it? I feel like I need to talk to her more. She's calmer than anyone else here, so maybe she knows something.) Hey, I have a question.

Hiruko Shizuhara: I already told you my name is Hiruko Shizuhara.

Takumi Sumino: I got that part. It's not about that. I think we should talk some more.

Hiruko Shizuhara: Talk...?

Takumi Sumino: Didn't you... also fight those monsters? What do you think they are? Do you think there's more of them?

Hiruko Shizuhara: Don't know. ...

Takumi Sumino: Huh!? Done already?

Hiruko Shizuhara: Discussing what we don't understand is a waste of everyone's time. Where's your common sense?

Takumi Sumino: Yeah, but...

Hiruko Shizuhara: You're wasting time. Our conversation is over. ...

Takumi Sumino: (She turned 180 to face away from me... Guess she doesn't want to say anything more.)

[Kodaka chooses Eito]

Eito Aozuki: Well, ain't we in for a pickle. My bladder fills up when things go south. If things get worse, I might leak myself.

[School chime]

Board screen: All troops, line up and salute SIREI!

Takemaru Yakushiji: There you are, you freakin' toy!

Darumi Amemiya: Yahoo! I've been waiting for this trope! The eccentric mascot you find in every death game!

SIREI: C'mon... Toy? Trope? Can we cut short this train of slander? You people are going to get me depressed... And I can't blame you, my entrance was wholly plagiarized... Still, a respectable commander needs to prove his worth at the critical moments. And you got a respectable commander here, called SIREI! Nice to meet you!

[Cut to the operation room]

Darumi Amemiya: Here's Takumi! Takumi is here!

Takemaru Yakushiji: So you joinin' the fight?

Takumi Sumino: Yeah, that's what I decided. The more people, the better, right?

Hiruko Shizuhara: Only if you can prove yourself an asset.

SIREI: Great! I knew you'd come! Your commander had faith in you!

Takumi Sumino: Don't give me that "faith" shit... I'm only here because you threatened me...

SIREI: Threat... What threat? That was just a warning. Fighting is your only option if you want to protect what matters to you.

Takumi Sumino: Tell me what you mean by that already...

SIREI: I'll tell you when the battle is over! First, we must defend this academy! I'll give everyone a Hemoanima Blade, permanently this time. You use it the same way you did back in the Tokyo Residential Complex. Just one stab to the heart will fill you with divine power! This should let you bring a glorious victory to our prestigious Last Defense Academy! Activate your Hemoanima and hop on this launching platform. It'll dump all of you on the schoolyard.

Hiruko Shizuhara: Where we'll slaughter the enemies. Get it moving already.

Takemaru Yakushiji: Fine by me...! Bring it on...!

Darumi Amemiya: Kyohohoho! Let's give it everything we got!

Takumi Sumino: ... (It'll be fine. We can do it. I just have to do it the same way I did it in the Tokyo Residential Complex. Even I can handle that much.)

Karua Aimiya: It's fine, Takkun! I know you can do it! You can do anything!

Takumi Sumino: (Right...! I can do it...! I can do anything!)

SIREI: Now we move to the defensive battle! Bring all you have! If you lack power, bring also all you don't have! Kill them brutally, callously, tormentingly, thoroughly, and viscerally! Show time, it's a genocide party!

Takumi Sumino's tutorial screen

Takumi Sumino has an excellent balance between ATK and range. Also, Sumino's power enables Retries. Press the + button to restart a battle from the open menu.

Hiruko Shizuhara's tutorial screen

Hiruko Shizuhara has excellent ATK and gains additional ATK for the rest of the turn every time she kills an enemy. Try unleashing a powerful attack after you killed tons of lesser enemies!

Hiruko Shizuhara's first kill dialogue

Hiruko Shizuhara: These monsters are as ugly as the ones before, but their innards have a pretty color... I could get something beautiful out of splattering their guts and brains...

Takumi Sumino: Do you realize how freaky you sound?

Takemaru Yakushiji's tutorial screen

Takemaru Yakushiji has excellent mobility and DEF, and gains more Armor (temporary DEF) the further he moves. Try walking all over the battlefield and scatter lesser enemies along the way!

Darumi Amemiya's tutorial screen

Darumi Amemiya has excellent mid-ranged attacks. She swaps Skills between Normal and Fatigued moves, so try learning her more complex gimmicks!

Eito Aozuki's tutorial screen

Eito Aozuki gains a random buff (ATK+1, Armor+1, or Recover from Fatigue) after every action. Try prioritizing using him to let luck decide your fate!

[princess-glassred]

⚡️STOZIER FREAKY FRIDAY AU ⚡️

Freaky Friday is one of my fav movies and bodyswaps in general are one of my fav story tropes ever, so I decided why not make a Stozier bodyswap since I'd already done one for Eddie and Henry. :>

I was going to make this a fic but i don't have the energy for this so here's just the entire plot of this au told through bullet points. *shrug*

This au is dedicated to @cwcthzl because they are literally the god of stozier and the only reason i'm into this ship at all. I hope you like it :).

•This AU starts with the Losers as teenagers just living their lives, they've all got big things going on and it's made the losers feel a little strained lately, but no two losers are more at odds than Stan and Richie.

•Richie and Stan have been at each others throats a lot lately, with Stan being so high strung from recent events that he's found Richie usual annoyingly endearing demeanor just plain annoying and Richie finding Stan's straight laced no funness like a roadblock.

•It's hard to say that Richie and Stan dislike each other now, they are still very much friends, but it's more like... they don't understand each other. Stan knows Richie can be so bright and insightful but for some reason he prefers to come off as a lazy dumbass, while Richie knows Stan can be so fun but he's oddly deadset on coming off as Mr. Perfect all the time. It's not ideal.

•As said before everyone is very busy with their personal lives, Richie is not only dating Connor Bowers and very intent on making the relationship as perfect as possible, but he's also scheduled to have his first real comedy act televised on tv as a line up of other comics. Stan's got a scholarship interview that he HAS to get or else he'll be fucked cause his parents are broke. He also absolutely needs this jamboree to go off with out a hitch because his poor troop has literally never won a jamboree before and if he doesn't win this year his parents are going to make him quit and start focusing on other stuff. Of course Stan would rather die than let that happen, especially since he's the oldest in the troop and the newbies are relying on him to teach them everything.

•These events, however, cause a major divide between Stanley, Richie, and the rest of the losers club when they turn out to be happening at the same exact time. It wouldn't be so bad if Stan and Rich could just be adults about this but they insist they need their friends support for their big day and refuse ro cooperate otherwise. Stan thinks he needs the lucky seven to give him the extra boosts to win while Richie thinks he needs the lucky seven to ease his anxiety while he's on stage. When the rest of the club outright refuse to pick sides in this petty arguement it makes both Stan and Rich unbelievably pissed with each other. They argue in circles over who's event is more important, who has a better chance of actually succeeding, and most importantly of all- who's fault it is that now none of their friends are going to show up.

•The losers try to have a little celebratory dinner for Richie at the jade of the orient but it goes south very quickly. Stanley cannot stand how richie drools over his boyfriend connor and richie can't stan stanley's passive agressive nature. That's when one of the hostesses takes notice of them and swaps out their fortune cookies on the table for two special ones.

•The conversation gets so heated that Stanley awkwardly shuffles off to the bathroom and Richie follows to continue their argument.

•"Seriously Stanley!? What's wrong with you? You're whining about a boy scout jamboree?" "It's not about that! It's the fact you're being selfish!" "I'm being selfish!?" "You're always seflish Richie! All day every day is always about you and what you want! You don't even do anything to deserve it!" "You're right Stanley, i'm sorry i'm so lazy and annoying that i'm the one thing about your life that isn't perfect!" "Perfect? You think my life is perfect!? Oh buddy you need a serious reality check!" "Well It's not my fault whatever i have going on is always more interesting." "You know what richie? I wish you could spend just ONE DAY in my shoes and see how "interesting" it was. Maybe then you could learn a thing or two about responsibilty!" "I'd love to be you Stanley, all i'd have to do is just sit around and complain about everything 24/7. Lord knows I could use a break." "A break? From what? Making goo goo eyes at connor and shouting unfunny quips into a microphone! I'd love it if that was my biggest problem!" "I wish you'd change!" "I wish YOU'D change!".

•Richie and Stan march out of the restaurant and on their seperate ways, only making the rest of the losers even more concerned. On their respective walks home they realize they still have their unopened fortune cookies and crack them open. It simply says "It'd pay you well to walk a mile in someone else's shoes". Suddenly Richie and stan both feel a little tingle, but they don't notice it enough to freak out over it. They stuff their fortunes into their pockets and keep walking.

•The next morning Richie wakes up in Stan's bedroom. He doesn't fully understand why he's there yet but when he looks in the mirror he shrieks. Staring back at him is Stan plain as day, which could only mean he is Stan now.

•It's fairly early in the morning, so he has time to go check on Stan at his house before the day gets really started. He politely knocks on the front door.

•"Oh hi Stanley." Maggie says with a smile. Her look of vague recognition and pleasantness deeply hurts richie. She's  looking at him the same way you'd look at a friendly stranger, not her son.

•"Hello mo- Mrs. Tozier. Is Richie up?" "He should be, I heard him banging around up stairs like he always does. Why do you ask?". "Well we had a fight at the Jade of the orient last night and I was worried." "That's sweet of you, i'll let you two talk it out.".

•Richie, or rather Stanley, walks upstairs to his bedroom and politely enters. Poor Stan is curled up in the corner of the room covered in bruises and crying. He couldn't see when he woke up, and what little he could see in his blurry vision was unfamiliar in color and size. He kept running into things all around the room and accidentally hurting himself, he's very clearly upset and confused.

•Richie picks up his glasses from his bed side table, briefly considering that it's lucky stan didn't accidentally break them when he was fumbling around, and carefully puts them on Stan so he can see.

•Stan shrieks when he sees himself standing in front of him and immediately scrambles to the other side of the room.

•"Stan it's me, Richie-" "-No-" "i'm richie!" "-NO! You're some freaky demon thing that's come to steal my face" "pffft. You just said cum." "Holy fuck you are Richie."

•Stan and Rich run over to Richie's mirror and begin to mess around with it.

•"Jeez stan, why is your hair so curly and floppy- if i were you- i mean like, if every day i were you, i'd wear hair net 24/7" "Richie your tongue is so long, my tongue isn't that long!" "Heh, that's what she said." "....who's "she"?".

•They start freaking out and wondering how this even happened, and it's only until Stan points out they both have really important things going on that they understand just how fucked they are.

•Just then, Maggie knocks on the door. "Stan?"

•"Yes?" They both ask.

•"Your parents are here to take you to the synagogue."

•Fuuuuuuuuuuckkk.

•"Richie, we have to open the door." "Actually I think we can just live in here-" "Richie, open the door." "We can hide under the bed-" "I'm opening the door." "STAN WAIT NO I HAVE NAIL POLISH WE CAN PAINT EACH OTHERS NAILS- Hiiii.... mom and dad.".

•Donald and Andrea are not very happy to see their son flee their house early in the morning, and when they ask for an explanation richie is frozen still, so stan has to explain for him.

•Stan nudges Richie so he'll have to say something, but the best richie can come up with is "Can you guys let us chill for a sec?", which makes Stan cringe so fuckin hard.

•They're allowed some privacy which is when Richie finally realizes he and Stan are in a freaky friday situation, at which point stan points out that it's actually Sunday and he's never seen that movie. Richie has the very natural reaction of almost screaming his head off when he finds out Stan's never seen freaky friday.

•They realize they have to pretend to be each other because they have too much important shit going on, Richie has to practice for the show tonight, Stan has to speak at the synagogue, Richie's got a date with Connor he CAN'T cancel (connor gets really mad when richie cancels), Stan has to have lunch with a college admissions guy to get his scholarship, Richie has to do his stand up on tv, and Stan's got the jamboree at sundown. They only have a few hours when they're not busy so they have to commit or they're both screwed.

•Richie brags that this will be a breeze since acting like Stan can't be that hard. Just act like you have a stick up your ass 24/7 and nitpick your surroundings. Stan in turn says that acting like richie will be totally easy because "at least i don't have to worry about being funny".

•The day is, unsurprisingly, a total nightmare.

•Richie's speech at the synagogue is total shit, he gets so flustered he just takes the plot of The Goonies and retells it as if that's some inspirational story he thought up and everyone miraculously buys it.

•Stan nervously waits outside the synagogue for his parents and Richie. He asks him how he did and richies all "great!... i think i accidentally said you had a weed addiction at some point but the congregation thought you were stronger for it so it all worked out.".

•Connor swings by to pick up Richie for their date. Richie had to act like he's not into it at all and poor stan has to act like he's very into it. It does not go well.

•Stan also hates the outfit he has to wear to the date, who the fuck wears a hawaiin shirt and jorts to a restaurant? Also holding onto richie's stupid coke bottle glasses is way harder than he though, no wonder he always breaks them.

•The actual date is surprisingly easy to navigate because Connor doesn't ask stan a lot of questions about richie. In fact... he doesn't ask any questions about Richie. Almost like he'd be happy asking questions to anything and it didn't matter if richie was here or not.

•"Uhm, excuse me- Connor darling- you've been talking for a while." "Yes? And?" "Well it's just that I figured you'd wanna hear about what i've got going on." "Later Rich." "You say later, but i fear that's just a fancy way of saying never." "Well it's not my fault whatever i've got going on is a lot more interesting than what you do".

•Stanley winces. Was that why Richie said what he did at the restaurant? He was internalizing was this asshole said to him? That's horrible.

•"My life is interesting, I work hard and I have a big gig coming up, don't you care about that?" "Yeah yeah yeah, it's cute." "Cute? It's a major milestone for me and that's all you can say?" "Jesus Richie, you sound so insufferable today. You've got a real mouth on you, what happened to the guy who hung on my every word and worshipped my feet? You used to he so easy and now you're pulling out these big words." "I'm actually kind of smart connor, i'm not stupid just because i listen to you. I'm a straight A student!" "Yeah but... that's not the same as being ACTUALLY smart." "But I am smart" "Yeah, you sure dress and act like it.".

•Stan bites his tongue and clenches his fists, seething.

•He never knew someone could feel so dismissed just based on how they dressed and behaved. It felt deeply wrong to sit here and have every smart thing you say be dismisses because you were wearing a hawaiian shirt and dared to do silly voiced every once in a while. Why didn't anyone wanna take Stan seriously like this, not even his supposed boyfriend? Is this how Richie feels every day?

•Connor moves into kiss him.

•Stan punches him square in the jaw.

•Meanwhile Richie gets ready for a fancy pants lunch to discuss his potential scholarship, a lunch he is late for because he cannot figure out how to tie a bowtie.

•The dinner is obscenely awkward, the college admissions guy is asking Richie all these questions about finance and he doesn't know how to actually answer him which is crazy because his school record shows he's very good at all of this. His parents insists it's just nerves though, their little Stanley is perfect.

•Richie does his usual of trying to use humor to deflect from his pain, but it just kinda annoys his parents who can't stand it.

•Richie feels absolutely heart broken that there's all this serious adult talk going on around him that he's just supposed to accept and understand. His parents don't pause to explain anything to him, they just accept that he's a mini adult that doesn't require any extra attention, even though he's clearly terrified and struggling. Dear god, does Stan feel like this every day?

•He ends up acting kind of crazy, it's not really Richie's fault though. It's more Stan's parents fault for insisting he tell stories he was never there for, basically forcing him to make up stuff on the fly. Richie's natural mannerisms also don't help things at all, he talks totally different to Stan- a lot of accidental curse words and rambles and nervous laughs in between words. Stan talks with purpose, like every word he says counts and if he doesn't have a reason to talk he'll stay in his own head. Richie talks without thinking a lot, so unfortunately the lunch consists of a lot of word vomit.

•Ultimately, Richie walks away from the lunch with his "parents" feeling like he failed Stan and embarrassed both of them.

•When Stan head's off for rehearsal he's extremely early to the building, as per Richie's request. Maggie and Wentworth are there to help him rehearse but that proves to be less than helpful for poor Stan. Richie is very dedicated to being a comedian, to the point he practices for much longer than your average stand up act, and he takes way less breaks. Maggie and Went have been told multiple times by Richie that they have to push him to the limit so in their vye to be supportive they accidentally don't allow Stanley breaks or time outs between sets.

•Stan also finds saying Richie's material very humiliating, he has to try to do voices he's never attempted before, recite cringey dialouge, and pretend like he finds hid own really stupid jokes comedy gold. Stan knows he has a strange sense of humor no one else understands, and that seems to have leaked into his delivery of richie's monolouges. He appearently lacks the ability to just deliver words like they're funnt.

•Maggie and Went lie though and say he's doing great, which makes Stan with his own parents, despite his love for them, would have the same unconditional support for him.

•Richie and Stan meet up at around 2 o' clock to discuss how everything went and their conversation doesn't go great.

•Richie feels awful for screwing up Stan's future and Stan feels tired and drained from the endless practice. When Stanley reveals that he punched Connor in the face Richie loses it. "You punched him!? And he dumped me!? Stanley are you crazy!?" "Really Richie!? You're mad right now abour losing your boyfriend!? I might not get to go to college at all because of you now!" "Don't you think I know that!? Oh what am I saying? Of course you don't! You think i'm stupid just like everyone else!".

•Richie defeatedly sits down on the side of the robe and unties his shittily done tie with tears in his eyes. He pulls his legs up to his chest.

•"I'm sorry Stanley. I tried my best. I really tried. I guess even when i'm you i'm a total mess..."

•Stanley sits down beside him and sighs. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to blame you for that. This is is a scary time for both of us...".

•"...Connor didn't really care about me, did he?" "no, Richie, he didn't".

•"I guess that's one little silver lining to all of this. Lord knows i wouldn't have been able to stand up to him myself..." "Why were you even with him at all?" "Because- I liked knowing somebody loved me, even if it was all fake." "Oh Richie, you deserve a lot better than that.".

•Stan and Richie wanna sulk on the side of the road some more but then they see Bill run down the street after them like it was urgent and they have to see what his deal is.

•"Stan! Rich! B-boy, am i glad I found you. There's s-something happening at school! You have to sssseee it!"

•They race to the school but when they get there everything's fine.

•"What gives you guys? What's the problem?"

•all of the losers point at a sign in front of the school that usually says "CURFEW 7 PM" but now says "OPEN GUIDANCE COUNSELING SUN 1 PM-4 PM".

•"YOU SAID THERE WAS A CRISIS!" "YOUR FRIENDSHIP IS IN CRISIS!"

•Richie and Stan plead with their friends that they're fine but their insistance is not heard, so they are practically shoved into the guidance counselors office.

•It might have been a decent idea if the guidance counselor didn't allow a bunch of their teachers to sit in on their conversation.

•Stan and Richie start out by jokingly insulting each other and making it so like they're confessing. Richie even said he's got ultra violent tendencies then whispered "I punched my friends boyfriend in the face" to the counselor.

•The counselor suggests they try roleplaying as one another to work out their issues and ofc Stan and Richie just look at him like -_- "no.".

•Slowly the talk gets more and more serious though, and when the teachers start psychoanalyzing the boys they quickly swap from insulting each other to standing up for one another. When the teachers say that Richie is unfocused and brash and idiotic, Stan stands up for ""himself"" and says he's just got a different way of communicating his feelings. And when the teachers say Stan is a worrisome sad sack in class Richie stands up and says "I have a lot going on to be upset about! I'm sorry I'm not happy all the time! Some people don't feel the need to lie when they're unhappy, and I think that's a wonderful quality!"

•Stan and Richie leave the counselors office arm and arm, feeling confident and happy with one another, happier with each othe

•Rich assumes the boyscout jamboree will probably be a cake walk for him and Stan's dedication to it is more of Stan just being Stan. He is very wrong.

•Stan's troop are a lot like the losers club themselves, a bunch of rejects that nobody wants to look out for and somehow manage to make straightlaced Stan look like the cool badass leader. They can't accomplish a god damn thing, and Richie nearly tears stan's hair out over it.

•The Jamboree judge and organizer is literally insane. He is a grown ass man who absolutely peaked in high school and has decided to take out all his roid rage on unsuspecting scouts. He makes Bev's dad look tame and Henry's father look sane. He's a fucker, plain and simple.

•The jamboree is also not what Richie expected at all. When he heard the words "jamboree" he expected people sitting around a campfire singing songs and having a good time. Not VIOLENTLY INTENSE ATHLETIC COMPETITION. Maybe it would be like the latter if it wasn't ran by a a fucking crazy person, but evidently it isn't. So suck it up, play the impossible trivia, make a mona lisa out of macaroni and glue, and run a military grade obstacle course in five minutes, bitch.

•Eventually, Richie is tasked with doing a bird call and he can't even whistle in his normal body so.... yeah.

•He is also asked to tie a scoutmans knot. Richie didn't even learn how to tie his shoes until he was 10, so again... yeah.

•He's absolutely exhausted from the obstacle course, his legs straight up feel like they are going to combust and when Richie dares to stop running for a second he gets a scream through megaphone into his ear.

•He does not end up winning the jamboree for Stan BUT he does end up getting the event cancelled when he does the unthinkable and stands up to that jerkwad judge. He goes full trashmouth and roasts the crap out of him, igniting a chain reaction of kids and troop leaders stand up and realizing this shit is not normal and leaving midway through the event.

•Richie rushes through town to get to the location he's supposed to be preforming at and manages to sneak in by pretending to be a tech guy. He runs into the backstage area and sees Stan utterly paralyzed by cameras and audience members, terrified to even make a noise.

•He notices Richie standing off to the side and bolts off stage to talk to him, prompting the audience to laugh like it was an elaborate bit.

•"Richie I can't do this! That was horrifying!" "No no no! What about practice!?" "I think I blocked that out due to trauma" "Fuck- oh! I know!". Richie takes a spare ear piece off the table and puts it on stan.

•"I've been practicing that stand up for weeks, i can feed it through to you and you can just repeat it in a funny way!" "No no! I can't even do that!" "Oh my god stan, don't tell me you've never seen a stand up special before!" "Uhhh I saw Eddie Murphey on tv once?" "Great! Just go out there and act like Eddie!" "Right... Murphy, not Kaspbrak right?" "Oh my god yes! Now go before the audience thinks there's something wrong with you!".

•Stan does it and it surprisngly gets easier and easier the more jokes he tells. It helps that the crowd is fairly drunk, but he's got the cadence down pat. When the set is over he proudly takes a bow and runs back to Richie for a high five.

•"That was awesome Stan!" "And a cool inverse of tropes cause... ya know, most comedy writers are jewish." "Was that an attempt at an original joke?" "...yeah." "...i love it, no notes.".

•after a little while stan and richie determine that this all started from those fuckin fortune cookies and they rush home to get their fortunes they didn't throw away yet. They stand in the exact spots they were in when they wished the other would change, holding onto their fortunes.

•but... nothing happens.

•They don't understand. They did everything right, they saw the world through one anothers eyes. They walked a mile in their shoes. They learned important stuff. Why aren't they changing back.

•"Oh god. Stanley... what if this means.. we CAN'T switch back. What if one day is now every day, and we're stuck like this forever?" "Please no..." "Stanley if I had known that I swear i would have never wished for this." "We both wished for this Richie, it's not just your fault. We both fucked up. We both ruined each other's lives." "Stanley I'm scared." "I know... I'm scared to.".

•They determine that if they're really stuck like this then they have to tell the losers, which is going to be extremely hard but at least they can comfort each other while it happens.

•Richie prefaces what he's about to say by saying he's been an over dramatic asshole, mostly because he had his own issues he wasn't properly dealing with. He just wants to say that he's sorry and that he loves all of them no matter what.

•Suddenly, Stanley and Richie both feel a tingle, oddly similar to what they felt when they first opened their fortune cookies.

•"Richie, can you say that again?" "I love you and I'm sorry?"

•Another tingle

•Stanley knows what they have to do now, they had learned but they'd never apologized. They never admitted how they felt, and that was what this was all about, so of course they didn't switch back.

•"Richie, listen to me. I love you more than anything, I love your messy hair, I love your stupid glasses, i love your ugly shirts and silly jokes and every dumb thing that comes out of your mouth. You're one of my bestfriends and I treated you like you weren't. I'm saying this now though, I love you no matter what and whatever makes you happy is what I want for you. You're worth more than I could ever properly say, and I'm sorry I lost sight of that.".

•Richie starts crying.

•"I'm sorry I didn't listen Stanley, i'm sorry i projected onto you and tried to make your problems seem insignificant. I was such an asshole and you don't deserve that, you're fun and wonderful and interesting in your own way. I know because I think you're fun and interesting. I love you, and I wished I never hurt you".

•TINGLE TINGLE TINGLE

•BOOM

•Stan looks down at his hands, Richie looks down at his legs. Yep. They're back.

•They hug each other tightly, tears in their eyes.

•"Stanley, i'm so sorry." "You should never, don't be sorry" "if you thought I didn't care about you-" "Don't say that. I know you do. I know you do and I love it.".

•The losers watch this unfold in confusion. When bill asks if they missed anything stan and richie just tell them not to worry about it.

•Funnily enough, everything turned out just fine in the end, and it was ironically because of the body swap fiasco. The crowd LOVED Stanley's awkwardly relatable stand up, and the beginning gag where he ran off the stage was simply divine. And the college admissions? Richie's curt attitude and spontaneity made him stand out in a good way! He got a full ride, appearently they thought he was one of those mad genius types. Woohoo! And Connor? Richie dumped his ass all thanks to Stan's encouragement. And the boy scouts? They held another jamboree a week later that was fair and actually fun, and guess what? All the losers showed up to support him! And he won! Fuck yeah!

•And they all lived happily ever after... or at least until Bill and Eddie got into an argument at jade of the orient in their 20's, but that's a story for another time ;).

•The end.

[piinksdoll]

→[WHY CAN'T I SAY THAT IM IN LOVE?]

Pairing~ Sarah Cameron x Kook!Fem!Reader

Genre~ angst, fluff

Word Count~ 1.7k

Warnings~ homophobia, hate speech, a little suggestive

a/n~ no one should ever have to hide who they truly are and I hope that everyone knows and understands that they deserve happiness no matter what, love is love and if anyone thinks otherwise you should educate yourself. also not proofread!

We keep behind closed doors

Every time I see you I die a little more

(Narrators POV)

Y/n was raised to be perfect. Always having perfect grades, perfect appearance, perfect life. If only it were that easy. Sarah and Y/n have been friends for as long as they can remember. The two have never been apart for a long period of time, they were inseparable. As they got older, they grew even closer till the feeling they both had was no longer avoidable. They loved each other. But they knew the storm that would unfold if they revealed it to their families. When the two made it official, it was fine but it got unbearable to keep their love hidden. It was tearing them both apart. 

(Sarah's POV)

I kissed Y/n quickly before getting ready to go home, she looked at me with a longing glance. "I know what you're thinking." I smiled sadly at her "and trust me, as soon as we go to university, we'll tell them and they'll have to like it." Y/n nodded at my words. "I know but having to wait that long makes my heart ache." My heart broke for her. I hate that we have to hide who we are. I cupped her face "Don't worry hon, soon, it'll all be over soon." I hugged her once before getting my things. I glanced at her sad frame before leaving. 

Stolen moments that we steal as the curtain falls

It'll never be enough

(Y/N POV)

Tonight we are having dinner with the Cameron's, a monthly tradition, we host interchangeably. I put on a little black dress that Sarah had bought me for my birthday. "Are you ready?" I turned to my father's voice. "Uh yeah, I'm ready. Let's go.”  He walked away and I followed behind. We arrived and Sarah immediately caught my eye. She looked stunning, I couldn't take my eyes off of her. She hugged me and led me to a seat beside her. She took my hand under the table squeezing it slightly. I look up at her nodding my head. A part of my heart aches to know we can't be free and happy. Knowing that we have to keep our true selves a secret makes my heart hurt. Sarah looks at me with sympathetic eyes knowing exactly what I'm thinking. We've had this conversation out loud before yet it's still as hard as the first time. 

(Narrator POV)

“May we be excused?” Sarah asked. Their parents nodded, Sarahlet go of Y/n’s hand and the girls hurried up to their room. “Kiss me” Y/n looked at her shockingly. “What? Babe, no, everyone's right down stairs, are you crazy?” Sarah just smirked at the girl in response before smashing her lips onto Y/n’s. Y/n moaned into the kiss, loving the feeling of Sarah's soft lips on her own. Y/n felt Sarah’s hands fiddling with the zipper of her dress in haste. Y/n moaned into the kiss while helping her. Suddenly they heard a knock on her door. The two girls immediately pulled apart. Y/n ran into the bathroom to fix herself while Sarah opened the door. “Yeah who is it?” she questioned, “It's Weezie, Y/n’s parents asked for her to come downstairs. They're leaving.” “K thanks Weez, we'll be down in a sec.” Sarah calmed down just then Y/n came outside of the bathroom. “I have to go?” Sarah nodded sadly. Y/n kissed her before they made their way downstairs. They said goodbye, Sarah watched Y/n drive away silently. She went upstairs to her room, and locked the door. Everything took over her all at once and Sarah started sobbing wishing things could be different.

Why can't I kiss you on the dance floor?

I wish that it could be like that

Why can't it be like that?

'Cause I'm yours

(Sarah POV)

We’re at a party down by the cut with the pogues they invited us to. "Hey, you guys wanna go, I'm kind of tired." I looked at the others awaiting their response. Truth be told I wasn't tired from lack of sleep, but I was tired of watching all those couples be happy and dancing together without being judged. Y/n turned to me and whispered so no one would hear "Are you, ok sweetie? You ate today right?" I looked up at her from my lap and nodded with a fake smile, she didn't look convinced. She can always see through me. JJ was the first to speak up "Yeah sure, it's kinda dead anyways." Everyone nodded in agreement and decided to leave. It didn't stop the longing in my heart. The pogues all knew about me and Y/n and they knew how badly we wanted to be open about our relationship. As we made our way back to the Chateau, Y/n grabbed my hand stopping me in my tracks. “Sarah, baby tell me what's wrong. Please, I hate to see you like this.” she looked at me with concern in her eyes. I felt my heartbreak as my tears welled up. “I just, I saw all those couples tonight. Dancing, carefree, holding each other. I want that. I hate not being able to hold you in public.”  She looked down not knowing what to say. “I know. It was killing me inside, not being able to hold you.” I hugged her tightly. Knowing this is how it had to be. We continued walking behind the group, Y/n’s hand in mine. When we made it to the Chateau, we all sat around the fire. Kie was the first to speak, “I hate this. Sarah, Y/n you guys deserve better than having to hide. I don't know any other two people who are as in love with each other as you two are. It's not fair.” I saw Y/n tear up. The look in her eyes broke me.

(Narrator POV)

Sarah began to cry into her hands. Y/n held her as she sobbed. It made her heart break at the sound of her cries. “I know Kie, but how do we even begin to approach this topic with our parents? It's literally impossible.” Y/n choked out looking at Kiara. “It's fine. Just a few more months right?” Sarah looked over at her girlfriend. Y/n nodded at her comment, while they got up to leave. “You guys are the only people we can be ourselves with. Thank you guys so much.” Y/n smiled at the group. Each of them got up and hugged the girls goodbye. While Y/n drove Sarah home she saw her curled up on the passenger seat. A tear fell down her cheek watching her girlfriend be so heartbroken. Sarah took her hand for comfort. “Soon baby. Soon.” Her words came out barely above a whisper. 

I don’t wanna live love this way 

I don’t wanna hide us away

I wonder if it ever will change

I’m living for that day, someday

(Narrator POV)

The day came for Sarah and Y/n to tell their parents about their relationship. The girls set up dinner and put their stuff in bags just in case, to be ready. The tensions were high as they sat for dinner, their parents on one side of the table, the girls on the other. Sarah took Y/n’s hand as she spoke. “So we called you guys here to tell you something important. Since we're leaving for college next week, we thought it was an appropriate time to tell you all.” She paused and looked towards Y/n to continue. “This may not have been what you wanted but, me and Sarah are dating. Were in love, we have been forever. Nothing you say will change the way we feel about each other or our relationship so please dont even try.” Y/n and Sarah’s hearts raced awaiting the response. Y/n's mother smiled at the girls while Sarah’s parents and Y/n’s father had scowls on their faces. “Sarah, I cannot believe you. This is not how I raised you!” Sarah’s dad shouted in her face while getting up. Rose stood up gathering her things to leave, “Oh my lord I can't even look at you.” right then, Y/n’s father spoke up getting the girls’ attention. “Is this what you've been doing behind our backs?! Messing with each other, taking advantage of our trust? I can't believe you Y/n.” Y/n looked at her father angrily, “Why do you hate it so much? I found love, someone that makes me genuinely happy. Shouldn't you be happy for me?” Y/n’s mother spoke up “Don't you dare yell at her. At least she knows how to love without being ashamed.” her mother yelled at her father. At that point Sarah was a mess she’d sat back down after her father and Rose stormed out. “If you're not going to love our daughter, then you can get the hell out of my house.” her dad shook his head as he left the house. Y/n’s mother took her attention to the crying girls. “I'm so sorry they reacted that way, girls. You both deserve better. You were so brave to tell us. Thank you. I love you both. Sarah, please stay here as long as you want.” Sarah nodded at her “Thank you so much Ms.L/n.” Y/n took the girl up to her room to get cleaned up.

(Y/n POV)

I led Sarah into my bathroom to freshen up. “So now what?” I  asked her as she cleaned herself up “I guess we have your mom supporting us so that's good.” I shook my head, “Yeah but babe you dad doesn't, he's so important to you. What are you going to do?” I looked at her confused while she shook her head. “I don't need him. He literally lost all love for me as soon as he found out I'm not his perfect little puppet anymore. He hates the woman I love so honestly I don't care anymore. I've waited long enough to love you openly, I'm not going to let him ruin this for us.” 

(Narrator POV)

Y/n smiled at her words. Sarah smashed her lips onto Y/n’s feeling of freedom for the first time. The girls went to sleep with smiles on their faces, intertwined like their hearts.