#it still feels clunky

[tulipe-rose]

My contribution to the Dazai week 2024→ Day 1

"A good night's sleep isn't so bad sometimes..."

TW: Dazai typical suicide mentions, and sleep deprivation

This will include hcs, a little theory, and a little bit of platonic KuniZai. I deviated a little from the main point for the majority of the fic, but I tried ig TvT

Prologue

Dazai, and sleep.

Their relationship has been strained for as long as he could remember, and while it might not be saying much due to his usually awful memory, it was one of the things he had absolute certainty over when it came to himself.

He had always been a light sleeper, his body refusing to sleep anywhere with a fraction of light, feeling too vulnerable, and exposed, which prompted him to take an abandoned shipping container stationed at the Yokohama docks as a sleeping quarters. His Boss, Mōri Ōgai, tried to offer him a befitting apartment on numerous occasions, but Dazai always turned him down bluntly. Dazai preferred loathed the solitary atmosphere of the container, and found himself leaning towards not owning many material possessions; his suicidal tendancies came hand in hand with a minimalistic nature, since he believed his life would end up falling short in the end. This mindset carried over with him to later years, his current apartment, and over all lifestyle as proof.

Dazai's sleep schedule was mostly controlled by his mood, and assigned missions back in the day, usually dropping himself face first into his pillow after a mission that dragged out for too long, and he was absolutely beat; his naps never exceeded four hours because of either discomfort, or notice of another mission.

During the two year gap between his defection, and employment at the agency, Dazai's paranoia demon haunted him for days on end which prevented him from resting well, further worsening his mentality, and physical health; he ended up collapsing on the spot one day, so he started forcing himself into a sleeping state for just about long enough to keep himself alive.

Finally out of hiding he is, which leads us to now, where Dazai is a new hire at the armed detective agency, a very annoying loveable one to a dear co-worker amongst others at that, bringing his terrible relationship with this body necessity along with him as it presists.

____________________________________

It's been a few weeks since Dazai was hired at the armed detective agency, and since the azure apostle case was resolved. It is another tedious day on the job, or as tedious as it could get in their line of work, and as per usual Dazai is lounging about, doing anything but his job. He is humming tunes to his favorite song, he is reading his suicide hand book, and serving as an ever torturous pain to his co-worker, Kunikida Doppo, and his schedule.

Kunikida, and Dazai have fallen into a routinely set of arguments over the past few weeks that mostly entailed Kunikida punching sense into Dazai that didn't seem to ever reach into him, and the latter throwing back teasing remarks at the bespectacled man, laughing away at his partner's reaction.

Today the agency doesn't have any investigations sent it's way this far, so Dazai, and Kunikida were instead assigned to run a few errands that were pushed aside in favour of more urgent matters this week. The president entrusted them to get them done by the end of today, and Kunikida decided that he isn't going to disappoint, taking it upon himself to whip Dazai into not being a flaming disapointment for once by extension.

Dazai on the other hand was feeling exceptionally drowsy, not really caring much for the task, sleep was too hard these past few days; it was terrible to the point where he couldn't even force it– the blinds weren't enough to block out that detestable bright sign set up by their neighbors across the street. His eyes are droopier than usual, and his eye bags are slightly heavier, which went unnoticed by his colleague, for now. Dazai being himself managed to put up his usual playful, and teasing demeanor despite himself, already plotting ways to take down that wretched banner. Until then, he'll keep himself composed enough around his co-workers until office hours are over, won't be that hard.

After a verbal match between the two, Kunikida managed to get Dazai to finally leave the office.

“Kunikidaaa-kuuun!! I want to stop by the Cafeeee I heard they hired a beautiful waitress there! I need to ask her to a double suicide before someone beats me to it! I have a feeling she's the one~~”

“Have some decency, and stop harassing people!”

“But Kunikidaaa-kuun! It's not harassment!”

“Your definition of harassment is definitely distorted then!”

Dazai continued to give out a series of exaggerated complaints as they walked down the street, loudly crying about how unfair his partner is to him before pausing for a moment to let out a long yawn, much to Kunikida's already peaking irritation.

“Stop causing such noise pollution to your surroundings!! Your complaining is slowing us down, we're already a whole minute off schedule. We need to focus on our next destination–”

“The Cafe?”

“The post office." He gritted out “The president needed us to compose a letter to one of our clients, but she refuses to use technological means, so we'll have it sent the traditional way.”

They got through this errand fairly quickly, even with Dazai's background chatter being headache inducing. Kunikida's veins were a small shot away from popping.

Speaking of, Kunikida noticed something strange about his coworker, how overly chatty he was throughout the day, how back at the office, he'd been spacing out a little longer than usual before they left for their errand run. Kunikida wouldn't have paid it much mind if it weren't for those little moments when Dazai shut up, he was slightly swaying in his steps. Kunikida started observing him closely, noticing a slight change in his complexion, with it written all over his face I didn't sleep for over a week with his eyes being puffier than usual, and other obvious signs of lack of sleep.

Dazai shot him a teasing comment, something about his captivating face, which came out a little lower, and groggier than what he wished for; he exhausted too much energy into keeping himself awake, and it's backfiring on him now. He'd been pressing down the screams of fatigue that were killing him, begging him to just sit down somewhere, and maybe drop dead then, and there. With every step Dazai took, his brain threatened to shut down at any second. He pushed himself to keep it together since they were almost done, and didn't realize that he was falling moments later until it happened.

Kunikida reacted quickly, dropping the documents in his hands to catch Dazai's collapsing figure; his concerns were well placed after all. He pulled him onto his back adjusting the documents under his armpit, walking in a steady pace towards the agency, formulating an explanation in his head, along with plans to postpone the remaining work to tomorrow.

The sun has officially set on arriving at the agency dorms, with Kunikida passing by Dazai's apartment, and realizing he didn't have the key, in favour of not waking him up, the man of ideals headed towards his own home, planning to tend to his colleague, possibily letting him stay the night if he slept in, nothing but concern behind his actions.

Dazai woke up hours later, two hours before midnight, in a dark room, finding himself laying in an unfamiliar futon, an unfamiliar pillow below his head, and an unfamiliar blanket on top of him. He sat up feeling quite stiff, and dizzy, yet miles better from his condition prior to his collapse. His coat was neatly folded at his side, which prompted a small smile on his face. He went to the door, and found it unlocked as expected. He stepped out, and headed towards the living room to find his idealist colleague sitting at the sofa with a small book in his hands.

Kunikida acknowledged Dazai's presence, and looked up at him with a seriously concerned look on his face.

“If you hadn't been feeling well, you could've said something, you idiot. I got sensei to look at you, and she said you'll be fine after some good sleep.”

Dazai smiled sheepishly, and it felt near genuine.

“Would my dear colleague mind hosting me for the night then?”

“Is there something wrong with your apartment? You don't seem to have slept for a good while.”

Dazai was silent for a moment, contemplating his next words, ultimately deciding that the truth wouldn't hurt. He'd be honest this one time because the man in front of him, with his manner of speech right now reminded him far too much of an old friend, but he wouldn't admit it.

“The sign across the street was pretty irritating, I couldn't sleep well because the light kept getting in my eyes.”

“Then I'll see what we can do, you can stay until then I suppose. Don't do anything stupid.”

“Yessir! No promises though.” With a soldier-like salute, and a robotic march to the room.

Kunikida sighed as he watched the man retreat to the bedroom, then picking up his notebook to add discuss the sign situation with the store across the street to his schedule for tomorrow, praying that Dazai would be cooperative since it concerned him.

Dazai meanwhile rested his head onto the comfortable pillow, the darkness surrounding him, the strangely reassuring presence of his colleague, and the comforting quiet lulled him to sleep like a lullaby sung to a baby. The next morning rolled around like nothing, and for the first time in years, Dazai felt refreshed.

“A good night's sleep isn't so bad sometimes...”

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

Sjjdjwdjwb it's finally doneeeee I would've written a mini epilogue/bonus part if it weren't for how freaking late I am. I've never written Kunikida, and I'm bad at writing Dazai, but this mackerel deserves his bday presents. I'm excited to write the romance prompt 🤭.

[ultravioletbrit]

“share” - Jegulus microfic - @into-the-jeggyverse - 376 words

James is just about to leave Regulus’ flat, but Regulus stops him just as he reaches the front door. “Wait. What’s in that bag?” Regulus asks when James picks up a duffle bag that Regulus hadn’t noticed sitting by the door.   

“Nothing.” James answers awkwardly as he tries, and fails, to hide the large duffel bag behind his back.

“James...?” Regulus says slowly as he walks over to him. Regulus takes the bag from James and gasps when he opens it. “My sweatshirts!” He yelps. “Why are you stealing all my sweatshirts?”

“Your sweatshirts?”

“Fine, our sweatshirts.” Regulus corrects himself and James raises an eyebrow. “They’re not our sweatshirts?” Regulus asks with a little pout. “We share them so doesn’t that make them ours?”  

James takes the bag from Regulus and puts it on the floor so he can wrap his arms around Regulus’ waist. “Sharing implies that we both get to wear them, love. You steal them, and I don’t see them again until I run out and I have to sneak in here and take them all back. Then we start the whole process over again.”

Regulus blinks at James a few times. “You…? But I…?” Regulus fumble the huffs. “How long have you been doing that?”  

“How long have we been dating?” James smiles sweetly.

Regulus gives James another small huff with a little pout but after a moment something flashes across Regulus’ eyes and he narrows them at James.

“Do you wear them when you take them back?” Regulus asks.

“Yeah…?”

“So, we both wear them. Doesn’t that imply that we share them?” Regulus asks with a little smirk.

“I… But you…” James fumbles his words then huffs. “I guess we share the sweatshirts.” He says with a resigned sigh.

“Our sweatshirts.” Regulus corrects him.

“Our sweatshirts.” James agrees with a fond eye roll. He leans in to give Regulus a quick kiss before he picks up the bag.     

“Wait.” Regulus puts his hand on James’ to stop him. “Can I just keep one of them?” He asks in a shy voice as his cheeks turn a lovely shade of pink. “I like to umm… sometimes I…”

James smiles and leans in for another kiss. “I always leave you the one you keep under your pillow.” James whispers.

[darealsaltysam]

okay but why is this season of the boys such a mess. like. episodes 1 - 5 were actually pretty good (especially 4 and 5, specifically the homelander + hughie and his dad plotlines respectively in those were SO good), then ep 6 was a clusterfuck outside of butcher's stuff, and i kinda thought we were on track for something pretty okay when annie took hughie's assault seriously at the end of the episode only for it to just be brushed off this episode AND hughie gets SA'd AGAIN?????? HELLO?????

[lyss-sketchbox]

WHY DID THEY PUT ALOT OF BABY DINOSAURS IN THE ABYSS???? THIS IS SO EVIL AHSKDJHDASKDASDA

WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS TO ME............... THEYRE JUST BABIES :(((((

[ganondoodle]

(idk if anyone wants to keep hearing my opinions on totk book stuff but-)

apparently it says that rauru DID have kids, multiple even, which yeah... is kinda necessary for zelda to even be connected to them so much so that sonia can SENSE a blood connection (which, even with all the excuses with magic, is just a little too far for me to suspend my disbelief bc its over, OVER, ten thousand years worth of generations that seperate her from them that one lil touch of the hand can sense that (feels more like an attempt to make you care about them or .. see them as zeldas "better" parents just bc they exchange a few nice words, i never got the feeling they were 'better' parents and its also kinda disrespectful to her actual parents, like sure rhoam wasnt the best but i wouldnt call rauru better just bc he was polite)- i could see maybe the light power of hylia or sth but since its the coolest dude that ever lived rauru now that had it which still doesnt make sense and makes me unreasonably annoyed and she can sense BOTH of their powers in her? nah) the fact theres NOTHING about them in the game itself is just so ... no way they planned any of this

i dont think theres anything they can do or say that wont make be believe they either

are making it up alla 'fix it in post' mentality trying to hastily explain stuff the game never bothers to do to try and appease fans or let it appear as if they thought about it at all

something went really REALLY wrong during development, which kinda seems likely given how the game turned out (im sorry i cannot let go, its not just the writing, the game design too and how little was changed in the map while being so damn expensive, i dont know how people dont feel scammed q_q)

given that they (allegedly) spent the last entire year of development on polish (where??? where????? huh??? like it would make it more understandable (EXCEPT for the price) if there was alot of trouble, which was also bc it got delayed and ... turned out like this, but they dont want to say it, especially given their reputation, with that quote i have heard way too many times 'a delayed game blah blah') i just??

are they just gonna go and do it like they did with kashiwa (kass)? "they uuuh where flying around the whole time ony cool sonau tech maschines, you just dont see or hear from them ooooorrr they were uuuuh out of the country at the time" (sending invitations to other continents to join their glorious kingdom ;) )

(bet they are also gonna say they did all the stuff like ... moving the shrines around (lol?) and lifting the islands up into the sky- which is still weird bc ... didnt they also say they were living in the sky before coming to the surface?? so where?? did they park all their islands on the surface and the mystery kids had the keys so they had to repark them back into the sky after they returned off camera?? xD also why are the islands so different as an environment if they where from the surface? like even the STONE up there is different- and if they were first in the sky then on the surface and the nback in the sky .. why is there not a single yellow tree or grass in the past- you cant really argue that it changed bc they were up there so long bc .. nothing else changed, the suddendly and totally always there sonau buildings are largely in prime condition, only some slightly moldy, and what we see of the glorious past looks barely any different from the present, aside from like ... some standard trees shuffled, no castle yet and that glowy uwu filter DESPITE that stupidly long time frame between it)

[good-beanswrites]

My thoughts on how the Milgram mv machine works based on the evidence we have:

(I know there’s been discussion about where exactly the interrogations take place, but wherever they are,) the prisoners are made to sit in a specific chair near the wall that houses the machine.

It’s ordinarily hidden, but the wall panels shift aside to reveal it when the mechanical sounds play in the dramas. As well as the walls moving, the chair transforms to restrain the prisoner and attach whatever it takes to access their brain. The fact that none of the more frightened prisoners try to run or break it makes it seem like they physically cannot. This is why Fuuta sounds so panicked, and why Amane is suddenly helpless in front of Es in their T1 vds.

(My mind conjures very classic sci-fi mad scientist machines with wires, pipes, lights, nodes, needles, etc, but I’d love to hear how other people visualize it.)

In some vds (maybe all? I’d need to check,) you can hear Es take some steps right before their iconic line -- it would make sense that for safety reasons, the power mechanism is placed across the room. Once again it could be anything, but the sound effect makes me think of one of those giant wall-mounted levers you have to pull down.

The voice dramas don’t really provide the type of crime details that an actual interrogation would reveal, and it’s odd that they’re placed before the extraction rather than after Es gets to see the new details. This leads me to believe the machine functions with priming. All Es needs to do is get them talking about their murder, so it’s on their mind.

The video produced is much like a (non-lucid) dream. Even if the prisoners figure out that this is how it works, they can’t control it just by thinking really hard about something else. The murders produce the strongest emotional affect, and that’s what it picks up on. If someone else used the machine, it would default to whatever gave them the strongest emotional reaction in the ~15 minutes beforehand, hence why Es’ video focuses on their daunting task ahead. (The Undercover theory is still a bit loose, though, given the private shots that Es wouldn't have known about). It’s why the videos are usually closely linked to the vd topics/beats. I also like to think that the reason their prisoner colors appear so much is because they’re looking at those colors on their uniform 24/7.

The bell rings to inform Es that it’s the optimal time to use the machine -- the prisoner has been thinking about things for long enough that the video will be about their crime, and if the conversation lasts much longer they’ll start thinking of other things. It’s at a different time for each prisoner because it’s based on the specific conversation. I guess Jackalope is listening in to the interrogation, timing it perfectly. (The only one that kind of messes with this theory is Yonah, because they just keep talking afterwards lol, but it could just show that the interrogation is still in Es’ control.)

Their “Sing your sins” is the final priming nudge to get them to think of their actions as a sin, revealing their guilt.

Once activated, the prisoner enters a sort of trance/sleeping state. It’s very much like REM sleep, with the machine forcibly activating neurons and recording the output. The prisoners have asked Es what they saw, meaning they don’t remember the mvs. I like to think the prisoners do experience the mv in real time, acting as the major version of themself that appears, but can’t remember it afterwards. It’s when you experience a dream, but as soon as you wake up you’re just left with fleeting emotions and memories right on the tip of your tongue.

The video plays immediately upon extraction -- whether on a huge projection or little screen depends on which room it’s in. It simultaneously saves the memory so that Es can rewatch it later (on those old TVs in the jailbreak mix). The machine downloads the song and video together, but requires special parts to retrieve them. The technology is pretty new and fragile, so if one is broken, there might be a delay between when Es can hear the extracted song and see it with the video. (That’s my justification for Kotoko’s delays -- after 9 prisoners the parts wear out, or maybe Mikoto himself overheats it with his complex situation.)

Based on the lack of conversation we get afterwards, I picture Es leaving before the prisoner wakes from the trance. The machine adjusts their brain back to normal before they awaken, restraints freed and able to return to the rest of the prison.

It’s very much like a dream, so it’s not harmful despite the amnesia/head injuries the prisoners have. It does, however, exhaust them. Brain activity alone takes a lot of energy, so forced brain activity with added emotional strain would cause them to feel pretty drained the rest of the day.

[marimeeko]

Post 431 fic:: Angst, Mutual pining, hurt/eventual comfort

So, horikoshi came in and said 431 wasn't necessarily his doing, and so I of course don't take it as canon, BUUUT I already had this baby in progress and the angst is honestly peak. So going with it for now and doing a Fix-it, hurt/eventual comfort!

**Hey, funny story wasn't QUITE ready to post this but it ended up accidentally posting as I put my phone in my pocket after reviewing/editing it again(I am on my break at work)

BUT ANYWAY I can't really take it back rn so HERE YOU GO??

I need to come back with a few edits later when I have time, but it's Bakugou's side first bc that was the CATHARSIS of this whole thing. Next will be Izuku's side.

//Chapter 1//Chapter 2//

----

The weekend after the 1A class reunion, DynaMight didn't walk the streets in his usual patrol routines.

Masaru Bakugou hitched up his hiking backpack as he stepped in time after his son. His gaze fixed on the blonde head of hair in front of him as Katsuki led the course, picking up one of their favorite hiking trails.

Broad shoulders that were trained and rigid from nearly 8 years of constant hero work hung just low enough that Masaru could notice a change. Many wouldn't have been able to spot the change, but Masaru's years of careful observation of his son's moods and mannerisms told him exactly what he needed to know.

And yet, nothing at all.

Katsuki hadn't said much. Only called one day during the week, out of the blue.

"Can we...go to the mountains? Soon?" His voice over the phone had sounded...so different. The earnest request was punctuated by something Masaru could only place as a silent plea for something...at the time, and even still, Masaru couldn't discern what.

So, he and his wife had ultimately settled on it being a plea for support. They would figure out the what and the why when Katsuki was ready to share. Masaru, who had hiked and climbed with his son many times in Katsukis youth, obliged to Katsuki's request gladly.

The sun climbed the mountain with them, and the sounds of nature surrounded them, a peaceful change from the sounds of Musutafu and the city streets where Katsuki would patrol.

Only occasionally did they pass another person or group, and every time, Katsuki ducked his head to hide under his hat. He didn't want to be waylaid by any potential recognition from civilians.

Conversation was sparse and casual on the way up, but Masaru was used to that. As Katsuki had grown, his fiery attitude had tempered, and the little kid who had too much energy pent up inside of him became more measured, and could more appropriately direct that energy. His father didn't challenge Katsuki's ego as much as his mother did, so Katsuki even reflected a lot more of his father when out in the trails and forests.

Midway through the morning, just over an hour in, they were approaching the summit of their trail. Breathing heavier as they scaled the last stretches, the father and son came upon a familiar sight. A vast clearing, vivid and green, that sloped down to a long beach, bordering a sparkling lake.

Katsuki looked out onto the lake and breathed in the freshest air he'd tasted in quite a while.

"Ah, finally." Masaru chuckled, "Your dear old dad is a bit out of shape after so many years!" He clapped a hand on Katsuki's shoulder as he took the first steps to descend towards the lake.

Katsuki smiled weakly after his father.

"Shut up, you're not even that old," Katsuki grumbled with a cocked grin, and followed after.

Closer to the lake, just yards from the sands, lay a circle of large logs flanking a dormant fire pit. The shade of well-aged trees cast a welcoming, dancing pattern of light filtering through the leaves. A veritable paradise, one that had seen the Bakugou family through many visits in the past.

Masaru basked in the nostalgia of it as Katsuki dropped his backpack against a log, and flung his hat down as well. After the men stretched, Masaru and Katsuki took seats on opposite ends of the large log.

Masaru, who had spent the long haul of the hike up behind his son, finally took the opportunity to observe the 25 year old for real.

As Katsuki peered out over the lake, leaned forward with elbows braced on his knees, his crimson eyes held a certain tiredness. There were thin shadows underneath, but Masaru had seen this before; Katsuki had been working a lot, even for a Pro. What he noticed, was his brows...knitted together, not in anger, but in some form of melancholy, that he hadn't seen before. The corners of his mouth, slack, and void of any telling emotion.

Masaru observed him for a few breaths, and then cleared his throat.

"Katsuki, how are things? Are you doing alright?" Masaru asked softly.

Katsuki's brows pressed together even more. His gaze fell from the lake, to his hands.

"I...I don't know." Katsuki forced it out of himself, and his hands balled up in front of him. Masaru leaned gently towards him, ready to listen.

Katsuki knew that his father wasn't a threat. But the pressure, the idea of becoming vulnerable once again made him feel so oversensitive, his palms prickled. Unable to quell the feeling by willpower, he grabbed a rock by his side, and surged to his feet.

Masaru watched as Katsuki strode some distance forward, to the edge of the sand. He saw and heard the small pops of Katsuki's quirk warming up his hand and the rock within it.

Silently, Katsuki wound his arm backwards, and pitched the rock over the water, a small explosion sending it hurtling faster and farther.

Masaru had seen this before as well. When Katsuki was young, the Bakugous had deemed it as a safe way for the kid to use his quirk and the pressurized energy that came with it. There was times, similar to now, where Katsuki would want to come just to blow off some steam, process some emotions, and hurl rocks out into the lake.

It seemed it was still being used as a coping mechanism, and this was indeed one of those times, as Masaru had guessed on their way out. Katsuki knelt to grab another rock. This time, he paused, feeling the worn stone in his hand.

"Izuku's suit is finished." Katsuki said simply, not facing away from the lake. "All Might and I gave it to him last month."

"That's wonderful!" Masaru exclaimed, but realized that the statement didn't match his sons mood. "How is it, does he like it?"

Katsukis thumb paused.

Pop-pop-BOOM

The rock was thrown across the lake, the same way as the last.

"...Yeah. It's perfect. It fits him." Katsuki wanted to smile, but couldn't.

He picked up another rock.

"He can do Hero Work again." Katsuki grunted, and swung his arm again, another explosion puncuating his statement. "He just needs to get his liscense...and he'll be a hero again. Just like that. Hawks said so."

Masaru leaned towards his son.

"Katsuki, that's great news," Katsuki picked up another rock. "Why are you... feeling so stressed then? It's what you have been working so hard for..."

The palms of his hands still prickled as he glanced back at his father. The rock in his hand felt so cold, fresh from the shade and the breeze. He looked away again, feeling the look from his father to be so full of concern he couldn't bear it.

He swallowed hard. His heart ached in his chest.

BOOM!

He fired the rock further and with a more impressive explosion this time, and breathed heavier as his arm returned to him. Squeezing his eyes closed, he hoped he could keep the tears at bay for longer.

"I told him I wanted him to work at my agency. I wanted him to partner with me..." Katsuki's voice was beginning to shake, and he grabbed a rock more urgently this time. "Like when we were young...we always wanted...."

Pop-pop BOOM

Another explosion, and a grunt of effort sent the rock flying. Katsuki scrubbed at his face with the back of a sweaty hand.

"I asked him, and he said no." Katsuki could barely keep his voice from betraying him with a quiver. "He said no, so easily...he didn't even think about it!"

He sucked in some air and dropped his hands to his side.

"It wasn't even..." Katsuki grit his teeth. "It's like it wasn't even a thought in his head anymore."

"Katsuki...it's his right to say no, if he wants," Masaru gently reminded Katsuki.

"Fuck, I know that!" Katsuki snapped, though the desperation in his voice wasn't that of anger, but of quiet guilt. "I know he doesn't owe me shit, I don't want him to owe me a damn thing, especially after all the stupid shit that I've...." he trailed off with a harsh growl.

In one swift movement, he picked up and exploded another rock out over the lake, a choked sob escaping him.

"I didn't do it for me! It was all for him!" He cried out over the lake. "I wanted to give him back his dream, I wanted him to do what makes him happy, choose himself instead of others! For once, in his frigging life!"

Another rock, another explosion.

"I dont deserve to be pissed off! Or disappointed! I don't have any right!" His vision blurred with unshed tears, and the light shining off the surface of the water became too bright.

"If it's what he wants...if he wants to stay a teacher..." He looked away, his strong shoulders heaving. "He's a good teacher...he's so good at it...Really..."

There were pops and flashes igniting in his palms again, but he smothered them into clenched fists.

"...But...Then... Why does it fucking hurt so much??" Katsuki's voice finally broke, a smoking hand clutched at his chest.

Masaru finally came to his feet, and almost approached Katsuki, but thought to hold off for just a moment. The choked sobs that shook Katsuki signaled that he was in a state where any touch would likely be rebuffed.

Instead, Masaru calmly came towards the same sand that Katsuki stood at. He knelt with a grunt, and picked up his own rock.

"Sometimes," Masaru quietly started, turning the rock once over in his hand. "We grow apart from those we love. Sometimes, goals change as you grow up."

Katsukis breath was hot as he tried to regulate it. Crimson eyes, still wet, followed the rock as his father threw it out over the lake, it landed with a dull splash where the lake was still shallow.

"And it hurts, realizing one day that what you expected, isn't what actually happens..." Masaru told him gently. "You're allowed to feel bad about it, and for a while, it will feel bad. Rejection does hurt."

"But that doesn't mean you won't find different ways to be happy. You and Izuku have so much between you, and you will still have each other. You'll still find him in the field, I'm sure. You can make time for each other."

Katsuki huffed a deep and shaky sigh.

"What did I miss?"Katsuki asked, weakly, as if he was asking himself. "All these years and I thought he was as invested as I was. I thought we wanted the same thing....How did I not know...he had changed his mind...he lost interest??"

He looked down at his palms; they still buzzed with warmth.

"Why is he still in my dreams but...I'm not in his?"

"You can't beat yourself up, Katsuki," Masaru insisted, observing Katsuki's glowering confusion. "You did everything right. And... I'm so proud of what you've accomplished, and what you chose to do for that boy."

"Yeah, well, it wasn't enough." Katsuki cringed under the praise. Crimson eyes still strayed from his father, darting around, searching the sands for the answers to his questions.

"...I wasn't enough."

Masaru, trying to smile at his avoidant son, faltered, a realization striking him.

"This is about more than just a hero partnership...isn't it....?" Masaru urged.

Katsuki felt like crawling into a hole and dying for being so exposed. He tensed, bitter and glaring away.

"I told him he should figure out what's special to him. Who's special to him...and go after what he wants, for once, take himself into consideration." Katsuki murmured. He stooped to pick up another rock, looked over the lake again, and threw it. This time, there was no explosion, only the lowly Plunk of a splash and the quiet that consumed it after.

"And he left after the reunion to see a girl from our class."

Masaru finally closed the distance between them, a large hand settling firmly on Katsuki's shoulder. Katsuki could hardly react.

"I see...I'm sorry, kid," Masaru consoled. "...A broken heart is never easy."

Tears spilled over flushed cheeks and landed in the sand before Katsuki could stop them. But he sucked in air, and wiped the rest away before they could escape. With a curse, he turned away from his father and trudged back to the log, and sat heavily, burying his face in his hands. Just breathing was all he could do for now, and he was beginning to feel dizzy with emotions that he'd rather not have.

He heard his father retreat to their log as well, but felt relief when the man started digging out their lunches and preparing them instead of continuing the conversation.

A fresh lunch was set in his hands silently, and the quiet overcame them as they ate. Katsuki didn't feel much like eating, but knew they had a hike down the mountain coming soon. So he very slowly made his way through the meal.

Masaru began packing empty containers away, and preparing to head back, when Katsuki spoke up again.

"Dad, I..." he sounded short and gruff, but the blonde standing above him, pack already equipped and hat already back on, looked contrastingly pleading. Masaru nodded expectantly.

"...Thanks. For coming out here with me." Katsuki sighed, "I needed to get away. Clear my head. Get some of this shit out."

"Whenever you need, Katsuki." Masaru smiled warmly. Katsuki nodded with a subdued expression, and started heading towards the trail marker. Masaru considered something for a moment, and then called out to his son.

"You know, about Izuku..." Katsuki froze. "I dont think he would mean to hurt you."

Katsuki was silent, gaze pointed downwards.

"I dont think he would either," Katsuki agreed, voice scratchy from the earlier strain. "But I dont think that's better."

"Katsuki...Does he know how you feel?" Masaru pressed.

Katsuki tensed his jaw. He couldn't bear the thought of ruining what he had remaining with Izuku if his feelings were ill-recieved. Izuku was a kind soul and Katsuki had no reason to think he would hate him for having developed feelings...but the risk now was too high, the potential loss, too devastating. He wasn't looking for a pity date either.

"I'm not telling him now. It's too late for that. It would just fuck everything up even more." Katsuki asserted, feeling the lump in his throat again. "I've had enough of things getting fucked up for one week."

Masaru's heart sank for his son.

But Katsuki was the one going through the growing pains, and he would have to be the one to confront them and come out on the other side....with or without Izuku.

Without another word or moment to spare to harsh realities, Katsuki started off on the hike down, and Masaru followed once more. The silence was heavy, but both men were careful to maintain it.

The long drive home allowed for some conversation of lighter topics like plans for the rest of the week, and ultimately, an invite from Masaru to join him and Mitsuki for dinner.

Katsuki got out of the car at the end of the journey, but declined.

"I have to get back, I promised Kirishima I would be back for my evening shift..." Red Riot had taken his day shift, sympathetic to Katsuki's need for some time off. Even if Katsuki's pride was a bit wounded to have asked, he was grateful for the Redhead's willingness to cover for him.

Waving his father off and screaming a greeting at his mother at the front door, Katsuki locked himself in the car and headed off.

"So what's wrong with our kid?" Mitsuki asked as the Sportscar peeled off, and Masaru approached the house steps.

"Broken heart and professional rejection, all in one night, I'm afraid." Masaru sighed. "And from the same person."

Mitsuki's eyes widened.

"Inko's boy??" Mitsuki asked incredulously. As if it could be any other person, she knew what Katsuki had been working at for the past 8 years. Masaru nodded with a sympathetic hum. Mitsukis eyes narrowed and she put her index finger to her lip. "I should give her a call."

"Dear, don't meddle," Masaru warned gently as they went back into the house, "You know Katsuki won't--"

"I'm not going to meddle," Mitsuki barked. "I just haven't talked to her in a while, is all."

"Please, dear," Masaru sighed.

---

(To be continued)

[arthur-lesters-spinal-cord]

w-would you draw sadie asking arthur if he's ever thought about being a woman and him being like why, do you wanna be a man, not just a lady in trousers and chaps? and then they look at each other like hmmmm but before anyone can realize anything john interrupts by being john

Im super sorry anon but i have no idea who Sadie is. As payment for my lack of knowledge have a trans fem Arthur comic that this ask inspired.

[ghastigiggles]

Omg omg omg "Here comes the tickle monster" with ler!Jing Yuan and lee!Yanqing! If that's okay ofc💕

Mischievious Prompts [Still Open]

“My lord, please, you should still be resting…”

“A little rest is good for the soul,” Jing Yuan smiled back, gazing out the window; “But too much, and one risks becoming lethargic.”

Yanqing sighed softly, his brow furrowing with worry as he gazed at the general’s back. While it was true that Jing Yuan was bouncing back well, a part of him – the part that was still attached to his mentor – still stressed over the depth of his wounds. Jing Yuan could be like a cat at the best of times, concealing facets of his health to avoid worrying those he cared for – and giving his enemies an advantage, all the same.

“... I understand,” The young warrior managed after a moment, knowing better than to push his luck too far; “In that case, if there’s anything I can do to help, please, let me be of service.”

“Hm.”

Jing Yuan turned to look down upon Yanqing, a soft smile upon his lips as he took in the boy’s worried state – and with a soft chuckle, he nodded, turning to face him fully as Yanqing perked to attention.

“There is one thing…”

Something about the general’s tone struck a memory for Yanqing, who promptly tensed – suddenly overwhelmingly glad that there were no other members of staff present in Jing Yuan’s office. As the older warrior stepped forward, he stepped back, swallowing as he realized where this was going.

“My lord…! You can’t be serious – your condition is –”

“Not severe enough to stop the tickle monster!”

In a split moment, Jing Yuan grinned and started closer, earning a yelp of alarm from Yanqing as he darted away in turn, quickly moving to stay out of reach – though he couldn’t stop the anticipatory, equally entertained smile from seizing his features, nor the squeal that escaped him when the general finally seized his target. 

“Here it comes!”

“Eeyah! Nohohoo, my - my lohord…!”

Ultimately, a little laughter was a soothing balm for both of their souls – and for those who passed by the office’s doors, pausing to smile at the muffled sounds of play within. All would be well within the Divination Commission.

[ninyard]

went to work on the bee fic and then had a lightbulb for connecting up the second chapter of the jeremy fic and now im sitting here with 13k words of a chapter wondering if i should find a beta reader but can't do it because im scared of criticism and i know this draft is Messy

[itsnicsalad]

i just realised the link to my commission form was broken :") my bad, it should be fixed now🤙

[voidimp]

aril

oc: jules (he/him)

[ganonfan1995]

DSAU: Companion

Turmali was the largest coastal city and the westernmost settlement of Gerudo. Originally built as a port, it served as a gateway for countries that lay far beyond the sea. The kingdoms of Ikana and Labrynna were the most frequent visitors, bringing with them pottery, gold, wines, and oil. Along with these goods, they also brought cats—not through intentional means, but as incidental passengers. The cats had been highly valued aboard the large ships for pest control and cherished for their companionship during the long voyages. It wasn’t long before one or more of those cats found their way off the ships and into the homes of Turmali locals. Eventually, few became many, and many became lots. Before anyone even noticed, the cats became a novelty of the docks.

Gan adored the cats, dedicating a large portion of his time to caring for them—feeding them, performing health checks on a select few that required extra attention, and ensuring their overall well-being. The cats, in turn, adored Gan, gathering in small groups around his feet the moment they spotted him.

But one cat, in particular, held a special place in his heart: a small ticked tabby the color of amber and rust. Her coat was long but thin, and she had two wide eyes greener than all the rest.

“This—” Gan had said, scooping the cat into his arms. “—is Kotta.” Kotta nuzzled against Gan’s chin, purring loudly and playfully tugging at his robe with delighted little claws. “My mother is sensitive to her hair, so Kotta isn’t usually allowed in the villa. But sometimes, when she’s not home, I sneak her into my room for the night.” He leaned forward to introduce the little cat to Zelda.

Zelda’s eyes widened as she cautiously reached out a hand, and Kotta responded with enthusiastic head-butting against her palm.

“She’s so soft!” Zelda exclaimed, her gentle, unpracticed hands petting Kotta affectionately between the ears.

“She’s the friendliest one out of them all,” Gan said, a smile lighting up his face. His tone held a warmth that Zelda found comforting. “I raised her from a kitten, so she likes me more than the other cats. She’s the only one who lets me pick her up.”

Zelda tilted her head curiously. “Oh, do cats not like to be held very much?”

“Some do, if they live in homes. Most that live by the docks prefer to stay on the ground. But since Kotta knows me, she feels safe being held and handled.”

Kotta melted against Gan’s chest, purring and nuzzling against him, clearly content in her role as his companion.

“I’m not sure I’ve ever pet a cat before…”

“Really?”

“My father preferred hounds, and they didn’t always get along with cats.”

Gan raised an eyebrow. “Really? I don’t think I’ve ever seen a hound and a cat that didn’t get along before.” He motioned to a corner of the docks with a tilt of his chin. There, basking in the sun, lay a slender dog—more leg than anything else—stretched out and soaking up every ray of warmth. In its shadow, a cluster of kittens snuggled against its back. Zelda’s eyes widened in astonishment.

“They’re friends!” she exclaimed, delight lighting up her face.

“If they grow up together, they’ll form close bonds,” Gan explained. “Most of the dogs here work alongside the cats, sharing their lives and meals, which helps them become friends.”

Gan smiled softly as he gently passed the drooling, purring Kotta to Zelda. “Here, she’ll let you hold her if you’d like. She’s a really big suck.”

“Oh! Ah—sure!” Zelda cradled her arms as if receiving a newborn, and Kotta nestled comfortably between them. The small cat with the big green eyes looked up at Zelda, blinking softly as her paws kneaded the air.

“She likes you!” Gan observed, scritching Kotta under her chin.

“Really?”

“Yeah, when they close their eyes like that, it means they trust you.”

“I like you too, Kotta!” Zelda said, matching Gan’s softness in her voice and blinking slowly in return.

[curi0uscreature]

* Childhood horrors memories

[breebirds]

I’m sorry, with all his fucking monologuing, Dean could have gotten off that damn thumb tack and lived. Like my god, shut up already, you’ll be fine!

[fortune-maiden]

TGCF Revised Ver: QuanYin Flashback

Oh interesting, looks like the QuanYin backstory in the revised ver plays out similarly to Ling Wen's where Hualian actually enter the flashback rather than just observe

(other differences under the cut. i've never seen these documented (though granted I never looked that hard) so may as well xD)

The events leading up to the flashback are a bit different. Originally the party gets separated in the mountains, the red string scene happens, and then Hualian observe the very uncomfortable QuanYin reunion before HC starts the flashback

Revised ver: party gets separated, red string scene, ....then suddenly we're in the Mental Scape ^^"

XL's is given the role of the Sect Martial Uncle. Hua Cheng is the sect leader. Since they're now active participants in the flashback, there's an added scene of YY trying to convince 'Uncle' to talk to the Sect Master about taking QYZ in.

Additional scene of the Butterfly Dream being necessary to keep YY from getting swallowed by the Mountain.

(hey mxtx, there was opportunity to do this for pm here too!!!)

Name change: Jian Yu's name was changed to Jian Shi (鉴玉 -> 鉴石) (this was confirmed by the person behind the smooth reader mtl)

Some of the Hualian dialogue from the beginning of the flashback was moved to after the QuanYin window scene

For the ascension part, Xie Lian is assigned the role of a Flower God (which is a cute reference to early drafts haha) HC doesn't have as assigned role (because YY knows he hates the upper court and won't give him one lol)

Ling Wen is not present for Yin Yu's ascension party so all of her lines are given to SQX. We also see a little more of the aftermath of QYZ starting a fight during the party

Cute Hualian moment where they go sightseeing in the Heavenly Capital afterwards and XL says he prefers Ghost City to the Capital awww

Original: After Jian Yu gives QYZ the brocade he goes on a rant about him. YY finds out about the present swap three days later Revision: YY cuts Jian Shi off not letting him rant this time. He finds out about the present swap immediately (the dialogue in the mtl is kind of weird here though)

(I am so confused about the timeline here. in both versions it feels like the mid-autumn banquet and qyz's bday are the same day, but after yy finds out about the swap, he immediately rushes off to get the brocade back and at this point the martial gods are having a meeting....did they start this meeting immediately after a banquet? ^^")

Mu Qing may have broken YY's arm in the original during The Incident. Doesn't seem to be the case in the revision (though he still subdues him)

one of LQQ's lines is given to FX instead. some background chatter is also cut.

both here and earlier the bit about Ling Wen calling Yin Yu's actions 'a prank' when she explained it to XL was cut

Not sure if this is a translation difference or an actual change but Jian Shi is more upset than angry with Yin Yu for giving the 'go die' order, insisting that he'd done nothing wrong but this one mistake

Flashback ends and I guess the biggest change in this whole thing... it doesn't seem like Quan Yizhen shows up in the Mt Tonglu arc at all? o_o

(Also no explanation of how PM avoided getting swallowed by the mountain since YY was swallowed trying to save him... I guess when LW escaped, the brocade took its chance to beat him up and that was that?) (In the original he got out by using the poisoned femur bone he picked up as a shovel lol)