#it think u just have to make sure u limit the amount of characters or have the resources to balance many characters

[gifti3]

i take back my hate for single route otome games

it is possible

[glamourscat]

Hi)

Saw your analysis on Kaiser, why can't you write about him and what he can be like in a relationship. You mentioned trauma, and I have a question for Shidou...

Yes, many in the fandom agree that Shidou most likely had a shitty (and even abusive) past, but in your opinion, what makes you think that Shidou (unlike Kaiser) wouldn't go down the path of manipulation/abuse in a relationship with someone, i.e. not projecting his possible traumas?

Thank you for your question, I hope I answered what u were wondering. Feel free to discuss it in the replies :)

Both Kaiser, and potentially Shidou, carry the weight of difficult pasts. However, their approaches to human connection couldn't be more different. Which is why a relationship with Kaiser would be destructive while with Shidou would be chaotic but not necessarily toxic.

In Shidou’s case we have a limited amount of infos. What we know is that he sees the world in this very artistic, peculiar way. And despite his strong presence on the field, off it, he doesn’t seem to hold the same characteristics (or at least not to the same degree.)

He is loud, anti conformist but most of all he has the most “sane” ego between the players. He plays for himself. He knows his strengths and weaknesses. Not only that, but it’s shown more than once that he compliments people who show real talent.

Unlike Kaiser, who feels threatened immediately when someone is better than him or sees it as a tool for dominance. Like I have said, Shidou recognizes and compliments others' unique strengths. He's not looking to break people down, he's actively acknowledging what makes them special while pushing himself to leave “a mark in this world”. This appreciation for individuality (which is the core of shidou’s character) suggests someone who'd be more likely to build up a partner rather than tear them down.

We also know he seeks physical touch and connection. From attaching to Sae immediately when, for the first time, he found someone who understood his way of playing. In a way it’s like a desperate reach of someone who’s trying to heal something deep within by physical touch, which in his case, could be the struggle in being different and misunderstood. His need for physical touch speaks to someone who's trying to reclaim what was taken from him rather than perpetuate a cycle of harm.

Kaiser weaponizes his past trauma, turning it into a shield and sword. He sees vulnerability as a weakness to use against you. Let’s look what happened with Ness for example. He knew from moment one that he was going to use him. Outside and inside the field. He made Ness codependent, using his vulnerability and naivety against him. A guy who wanted nothing but love and a sense of belonging, is turned into a puppet, because Kaiser knows despite his harsh words or actions, Ness will never leave.

Shidou wears his heart on his sleeve in the most beautifully chaotic way. He is honest, maybe to a brutal extent. But he doesn’t do that in a manipulative way, he does that because he is a honest person. When asked what made him cry recently, he gave that raw, honest answer about becoming nothing. That's not manipulation, that's pure, unfiltered emotional authenticity.

The projection of past trauma? Sure, it might happen. But, who doesn't carry some scars into relationships? But there's a huge difference between unconsciously working through your issues with a partner and deliberately manipulating them.

Would Shidou be a perfect partner? No. But he wouldn’t be a toxic, manipulative individual like Kaiser either. Shidou just... exists, in all his chaotic, genuine glory. His explosive side is confined to the field, showing the ability to compartmentalise rather than let his (possible) traumas bleed into every aspect of his life.

In the end, it comes down to this: while Kaiser isolates himself and pushes people away, Shidou actively tries to connect with others. His ways of connecting might not be conventional (they might be rough around the edges, maybe even a bit chaotic) but he's still trying to reach out and form genuine bonds with people. That's what makes him fundamentally different from Kaiser, who only seeks relationships to his benefit. That’s what would keep Shidou away from going down the same manipulative path as Kaiser.

[lauriegraham01]

i'll never smile again

pairings: 40s!bucky barnes x reader, nurse!reader

summary: with you and bucky away to fight in the war, you both can't wait to come back home and begin the rest of your lives together. what's left of your plans when a mission goes sideway? could you and bucky have been born so unlucky?

w/c: 1,423

c/w: takes place in CATFA, ANGST, major character death, themes of grief

a/n: this has taken me the longest to edit, not sure if im completely satisfied with the ending but it's enough. hope u enjoy, lmk if you like :)

Time of death: 14:37

You hang your head low in defeat, the death of another soldier baring on your soul. There truly was only so much that you could do. He had come in completely mutilated from barbed wire and eyes blinded form tear gas. With limited options, you and your team of fellow nurses ensured that he could be comfortable for his passing. One of the other nurses raises the white sheet to cover his face, and you gather yourself to move on to the next patient.

You had joined the army nurse corps a little over a year ago. There was news that we were loosing soldiers faster than we could kill enemies and you decided to join the war effort, believing you could do some good for your country. Nothing prepared you for the horrors you faced daily, the chaos and death that surrounded your every breath.

However you weren't alone in your pain. Your two best friends, Steve and Bucky had too joined the war. They along with the rest of the Howling Commandos were going on missions targeting Hydra bases. There was only so much they could tell you, but the little they did still left you uneasy. It just seemed so dangerous and you worried about the both of them- especially Bucky.

Bucky and you had only been dating for two years when news of the U.S. joining the war broke out. Yet after a lifetime of friendship you felt like he knew you better than anyone else in this world. You two had agreed that when the war was over, you would finally get married. These days it was your future plans with Bucky that gave you the strength to survive the war. That, along with the letters that he sent. Writing in detail about what missions he and Steve were on and how things were looking on his side of the war.

The rest of the day had passed by in a haze. By the time you returned to the nurses quarter on base, you feel the full weight of the day in the way that your back aches. Upon looking in the mirror you wince at the amount of blood that's caked into your face and hands. A shower lifts your spirits as you feel the stress from the day drain along with the water. Stepping back into the sleeping barracks, you squeeze past the crowd of nurses until you reached your cot. As you tuck your uniform away you see a letter placed on the pillow. Lifting it up with curiosity, you flip the envelope and a smile tugs at your lips.

Bucky.

You tear open the letter eagerly, it had only been a week since you had last heard from him but it felt like eternity waiting between letters. Unfolding the pages within your hand you read each line carefully, hearing his voice with each word, imagining as though he were reading it to you. As he told you about his latest mission, fear threatened to creep its way into your heart. Yet as you got to the last page, you inhaled a sharp breath- the world around you seeming to go quiet in that moment.

“Doll, I’ve done enough thinking, and I know what I want. I’ve loved you for a lifetime. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me and I know that there's no one else for me but you, y/n. I wish I could ask this in person but I cannot go another day without you knowing how much you mean to me. When the war is over we’ll get married and I’ll grow flowers like you, and your womb will carry the most beautiful girl in the universe. Make me the happiest man alive - will you marry me?”

You fell backwards onto your bed and closed your eyes, Bucky's words burned into your mind. Tears began to well up at your eyes as your heart soared at Bucky's proposal. Bucky wanted to build a life with you. You began to imagine your wedding day. The familiar faces that would gather to celebrate your love, what it would be like to become the mother to his children, and to be able to grow old with him. As you thought about this, you couldn't contain your excitement anymore. Hastily rising from bed, you make your way to the center of the room before grabbing the attention of your fellow nurses.

"I'm getting married!" You shouted, all the nurses turned to look at you before ensuing in cheerful screams. They all congratulated you and gave you and Bucky well wishes for the future.

As you and the nurses were still caught in the excitement of the news, you were suddenly interrupted when a knock rang on the barracks front door.

As everyone scurried to stand in formation, you felt relieved when you saw that it was Steve and Peggy who had walked through the door.

"Officer y/n, would you please come with us for just a moment?" Peggy speaks up.

Stepping out of formation, you grab your coat as you follow behind the two, stepping out in the cold winter air.

"Steve!"

"Angel." He coos as he brings you in for a hug. It had been about 8 months since you'd last seen him. While you were happy to see him, you were slightly taken aback to see him here.

"What on earth are you two doing here?" You breath out as you go to pull away from his embrace. When Steve's grip on you suddenly tightens, you're slightly confused. Looking up at Peggy and seeing the solemn look on her face you know that something was wrong.

“Steve?”

"I'll give you two a minute." Peggy excuses herself, making her way toward the field to give us some privacy.

“Steve, hey, hey, what's going on?" As he finally lets you go you look up into his eyes to see that they were glossy with tears threatening to spill over.

“Hey,” you hook a finger underneath his chin fixing his gaze from the ground onto you, "talk to me. I'm here, what's wrong?"

“It’s Bucky, he’s… he’s gone.”

A dreadful weight settles deep in the pit of your stomach as Steve looks at you in a way he's never before. So full of regret and heartache. You search his face for any type of deceit, any indication that what he said had been a terrible lie and that Bucky was alright- but to your avail you could find none.

Steve went on about the mission leading up to Bucky's final moments but it fell on deaf ears as your mind was anything but tethered to this reality.

"No, no." You mumble underneath your breath as you stumble backwards a bit.

"Woah-hey," Steve grabs a hold onto you, steadying your grounding. "I'm so sorry y/n."

“He can’t be gone," your voice comes out strained in a high pitch, "he just can’t be.” Your vision blurred as the crushing weight of reality settled within your head and within your heart.

Bucky was gone- for real this time. There was no rescuing him, there was no saving him.

You felt Steve wrap his arms around you as you buried your head into his chest. That seemed to be the tipping edge as before you knew it a sob began to wrack out of your lips. You cried for all the plans you've made. For the memories and time now stolen from you.

"We were supposed to get married." You manage to choke out between ragged breaths.

"I know, angel," he said softly. "I know."

When you returned to the barracks, it was lights out and you wanted nothing more than to go to sleep and wake up from this terrible nightmare. You found it cruel how the last time you were within these walls you were an engaged woman, and now you return a widow. Memories of Bucky plagued your every thought as your own grief made you restless, sleep evading you.

Bucky and you had shared a lifetime of memories. Growing into the versions of yourselves that both of you had come to love. Now they'll forever be a hole left where the rest of the story should have been written. When you return home, you'll return a widow. You'll never be able to hold him, to touch him, to marry him, have a family with him-

"I'll never love again", you thought to yourself. "There's no getting over you."

[inventors-fair]

Trigger Happy Casters: Winners! ~

Congratulations to @corporalotherbear, @izzet-always-r-versus-u and @wildcardgamez for winning this week's contest!

@corporalotherbear — Keranos's Conduit

I was really hoping for weird cards like this, and boy howdy is this card weird without actually being weird. I think that because I get exactly how the name, setting and ability come together, this is one of those cards where the mood presupposes the vibe even without a visual. Kinda funny because you're using stormless storm with the God of Storms, right? Heh. Anyway, though, this card can swing games like nobody's business. Limited means your Auras and "heroic" triggers—and also Constellation triggers!—become that much more radical. It makes having a lot of bodies and limited Auras so much better.

In terms of random constructed thoughts, can you imagine this with something like Etali's Favor? Because it's a cast trigger, you'll discover so much that you can hit and cast all the smaller Auras, which will get all of those other triggers if they got 'em, and so on and so forth. Sage of Mysteries, major mill? Wicked Visitor end step triggers? There are lots of ways to make this card fun and brewable and I'm really impressed by how much this card can be fun at the helm of its own deck. What a rockin' card and what a cool idea.

@izzet-always-r-versus-u — The Cozen, Syndicate Enforcer

PUNISHMENT. I love punishment! I love punishing people for their crimes of free-casting! Being symmetrical is kinda funny but at the same time reasonable for the colors. I'm thinking of cost reductions, Omniscience punishing, Force punishing, Elemental punishing—hm. I do actually wish this wasn't fully symmetrical but it don't matter because hnnnnng. Having this be so situational probably means that it's not going to have a massive effect on the various limited formats. Are there any common ways to reduce costs? Hm... Affinity, Convoke, Cascade and Discover, Cipher, Delve... Heh heh heh. Okay, it's environment-dependent, but still. Oh gosh, and Plot too.

I was also shocked that this specific flavor text hasn't been used because I could have SWORN that I've read it before. But you know, taking a character from flavor text and turning them into an actual card is one of my personal favorite things that people pull out from time to time—if done properly—and a debt collector punishing people for not paying their costs is pretty perfect. I honestly think this card is missing flash, though, and I don't know if that's negligible. It would make such a massive difference, and yeah, the body or cost would have to change, but having that kind of interaction almost feels necessary for the environment in which this card needs to be. Almost. I'm willing to hear arguments against it, though, so you know—invitation to discussion and all that.

@wildcardgamez — Galazeth's Whelp

You know, what I like about this card is that functionally you can pay the mana and get a Treasure regardless of whether or not the spell resolves, and that works similarly to the pitch cards from Prismari that would help you get to those massive spells eventually. People...definitely cast those. For sure. Anyway. I'm curious about if the dragons on Arcavios actually could have offspring, but I guess this card is the answer to that, right? Or maybe this is just a manifestation, or a dragon in the same clan, or whatever. Doesn't matter—this card is a functional card that does a LOT of work. I absolutely love how well this card functions in a spellslinging deck.

My Magical Christmas Land scenario would be to chain together spells like Sudden Breakthrough and Ancestor's Aid, deal an insane amount of damage, draw cards if you have cards like Flick a Coin, etc. I think it might be too slow for prowess-style decks but in terms of just Izzet Spells, this card's a limited bomb and a constructed possibility. Magecraft to damage is an awesome combo and this card does all those little pieces right. Sometimes the right combination can make some wonderful work happen. Flavorfully, too, it's all the best parts of artifacts and spellslinging together. Great job overall, I'd say! ... Just capitalize "Treasure" in the future, comrade.

Runners comin' up soon. @abelzumi

[heros-shade-fanclub]

hello my lovelyyy :3 👑🙊💃🐳 for u 💃 in general tho not limited to botw . looks at u with my autistic eyes

<3 islandlobster

Hello my lovely pea!!!!!!!! <333333333 Yippeeeeeee!!

👑 Favorite version of princess Zelda

Botw/totk for sure!! I think I answered this one already? whatever I LOVE HER and she's under absolutely monstrous amounts of pressure and her character was probably my favorite thing about botw/totk's writing

🙊 Unpopular Zelda opinions

ooooohhhh i've never fully agreed when ppl make botw/totk link "the feral one" in their aus....like I get WHY that particular hc is so popular (just due to the way those games are meant to be played, the amnesia thing, etc.) but also. Have we considered that he essentially grew up in a castle? meaning he was exposed to High Society on a near-daily basis, therefore needing to be taught a very specific set of manners and social rules? And he's one of the few Links who actually was a knight prior to his adventure? Like YES he is capital w Weird but. I'm just saying that on the scale of "versions of Link who know what a fork is" he likely ranks pretty high (^THIS IS NOT TARGETED BTW this is just me throwing out my thoughts abt him. godspeed everyone with this hc)

I also dislike the idea that the Hero of Twilight was chosen because he had "the blood of the hero". like whatttttever girl he was chosen because he's an excellent big brother and loves all of the earth's creatures. and can wrangle giant goats

💃Favorite botw outfit

oh god there are so many good outfits....in botw specifically i like the climber set?? idk love me a good muscle tank. if we include other games i'm really really fond of the twilight princess zora armor :3 so pretty

🐳 If you were a Zelda character, what race would you be?

THIS IS HARD. ummmm if not a Hylian, maybe a zora?? I always love their designs and I'd love to be an Indigo-Go :] or a Stable Trotter maybe

[coredrill]

can u convince me to watch bravern? gurren lagann is the only mecha anime I've ever seen. should I watch it even? thank you.

i can do my darndest!!! 🫡 i definitely think it's worth a watch even if you've only seen ttgl - i've watched bravern with a few friends whose mecha experience starts and ends with evangelion, and they had a fun time!!! it's also standalone and only 12 episodes, so it's a pretty quick and easy watch!

anyways in terms of convincing you the first thing i will include is the OP, because from the moment i saw this i was like. i must watch this immediately. and i have been hooked ever since!!! and also it is sung by bravern (the main mecha) himself and it RULES. it does kinda spoil the gimmick of the first episode (the first 15 minutes or so try to sell the show as like. a serious war drama fslkdjfh) but it matches the tone of the rest of the show much better so i don't think you really lose much:

and i'm also gonna include the ED because everything about the show that ISN'T captured by the OP is shown in the ED…………i swear they made it this to give their audience a chance to wind down from how homoerotic the actual show itself is, LMAO.

in terms of things that might appeal to you as a ttgl fan - katsuyuki konishi (kamina's jp va) has a small but very funny role, LMAO. on the whole, bravern is also very much about characters surpassing their own limitations, and also the show surpassing its own limitations at the same time! i wouldn't say that the plot/stakes are exponential in the way that ttgl's is, what with them going to space and making universe-sized mechs, but it does give a very similar feeling of "surely this is as far as they'll go, right?………..OH NOPE NEVER MIND" imo!!! it's also so very much about the power of love that it got my hater ass rooting for the earnest yet bizarre romance that occurs, LMAO. i'd say that while ttgl's theme of "love conservative" isn't quite as explicit in bravern, it still applies!! overall bravern knows exactly what it's doing and loves every moment of it, just like ttgl does, which i think is a huge part of why i personally got sucked into it so hard LMAO.

also, the show is just fucking hilarious imo. the dialogue has so many funny out-of-pocket moments that made me genuinely laugh aloud and the situations that the characters get into feel like every time the crew behind the show was presented with the chance to make a decision, they chose the most unhinged option available in the best way possible. a non-spoiler example of this is that for some reason, the suez canal is still blocked in the bravern universe????????? like, this took me out when i saw it, because. WHAT IS THE REASON

honestly the one thing that really comes nowheres near ttgl is in its animation (of course), though i will say that bravern's 3d mechs look really good and are some of the best i've seen outside of studio trigger et al's recent work with promare/griduni!! also akira amemiya (who did a good amount of key animation in ttgl) did this cut in the OP which imo rules

i hope you enjoy it if you do check it out!!!! it's such a wild ride on the whole but it's really a special show and it brings me so much joy!!

[snailsgoingdowntown]

i loved your latest bsd work! also its v realistic (at least for me) bc i keep seeing these works of like, staying with them through thick and thin and while it is cute! kinda unrealistic 😭 i hope u have a good day 🫶

Gdhd thank you!!!

It really is unrealistic. A lot of people, myself included, would make the argument that everything would turn out alright if you would just stay. But that's neither healthy nor possible (majority of the time). Obviously yes, in some cases that works, but in many more it just won't.

I would know, because once upon a time I tried to stay with someone who was just... Toxic. It was not good for my mental health and I stayed up all night barely getting three hours of sleep in talking them out of well... Yeah.

The amount of times I cried and had mental breakdowns on the daily was not. Ideal. But it was exactly the memories of that, that made me think: "a relationship with these characters is impossible."

They have may issues that many people are just not equipped to handle, either because they were never told how or because they simply can't, regardless if they're in the same situation/have the same thoughts/feelings as these characters.

Like, realistically, ik many people would not be able to deal with Dazai. I wouldn't be able to, that man would make me fall down into a pit of despair where I return to my old habits and thoughts I don't want to go through again.

Kunikida would be horrible to deal with, at least Dazai would make a person laugh. He's way too strict and I have a fear of people like that, not only that, he tends to speak with his chest out in a loud voice. That's not a bad thing, but for him specifically, it makes him feel unapproachable, to me at least. If you're caught up with the manga, then you know how Aya's dad is, and I am afraid of him becoming like that if he were to ever find a lover or have a kid. Sure, it wouldn't be on purpose, but realistically, there is a decent sized chance that MIGHT happen.

I wouldn't be able to deal with Ranpo, we'd get into fights 24/7. He would make me cry and I would punch his face.

Chuuya... Haha, I honestly can't see him with anyone. Dazai and the sheep probably ruined that for him, along with that one guy in stormbringer who's name I forgot. They're lucky he still has trust in him for them.

Aku and higuchi are a very toxic dual, and keep in mind she likes him the way he is. So imagine if her affections were to shift to someone new, and based on how obsessive she is with him, it would probably be the same story, and remember, in one side story, she literally used her off day to stalk him. Not only that but she wanted to kill Gin simply because she THOUGHT she was romantically involved with Aku. And she did a total 180 when she found out she was his sister.

Tbh I think Gin would make a better choice for Higuchi cuz at least she doesn't slap her around.

But yeah, a relationship with any of these characters would probably be impossible for most, not all, but most. It's always good to be there for people, but please set boundaries, know your limits.

But yea, that's the joy of fan fiction, you can make anything work in fiction. But in reality it probably wouldn't. But fiction is nice. Idek what I'm saying anymore, it's 3am, but thank you for the ask and remember to take care of yourself too!!

[auspex]

Multiples of nine for Mark!!!

WHEW this took me 4ever im sorry. some good ones in here! :D Thank you

-

9. when in their life were they most scared?

I struggled with this one because there are a lot of contenders and it somewhat depends on the type of fear. The most horror they felt was probably standing over Sampson’s unconscious injured body after almost having drank from him (which would have killed them) and entering hunger frenzy. The most fear he felt in a more visceral way, for his life, was early on in his embrace, during the coup where the then-prince was ousted and the coterie was caught in the crossfire- since he was just turned I imagine that even though he’s been in other (un)life threatening situations that one was the scariest. And finally the most dread he probably felt was when entering Gaius’s lab, he confronted a large troll who was blocking the exit.. Thankfully that worked out cause it was Kyle. But Mark thought he was SO screwed.  -

18. what dish brings back the best memories for them? Mark got cookies from the neighbors one day and in his memory, its the best food he’s ever had. But I’m not sure if that brings up the best memories necessarily. Hm. 

I’ll say that he had some sort of celebration dinner after defending his PhD with Dr. Armatto and, whatever he had then, would be the dish that brings back the best memories for him. Not that he could eat it now in the same way :( I will decide what that is later… maybe some expensive steak that he wouldn’t normally buy for himself. -

27. how do they usually dress? why do they dress the way they do?

Answered!

-

36. how do they fidget?

Answered!

-

45. what lies do they tell themselves?

A few right now! Mark loves telling himself lies. I’ll go with the two most delicious ones. One that is VERY important for him to keep up: “I am trying to kill Julius but I don’t have to tell him that because it could never succeed because of how all-powerful he is. I should in fact NOT tell him I am trying to do this because then he would have to limit me, and I am useful to him right now. Limiting me would only hurt him and he should not do that because it is good to help him. Ergo, it is fine to hide that I am trying to kill him, from him, as he is in no actual danger.” 

He is intentionally keeping that one up so he can try to break free of Julius without dying YAYYY his skills in Repression have helped him. 

As well: “I enjoy hanging out with Cassidy because of our shared interests only and because there isn’t anyone else I could do that with right now. I am keeping an appropriate amount of caution and distance with a kindred far older than me. I am only wondering why he is gay because of recent comments he made and I have no investment in the outcome. I only gave him a whole TV because it was a very simple thing for me to do to make someone else very happy and also perhaps he manipulated me. But if he did it was only a small thing that doesn’t matter. It is ok. He cannot manipulate me further because I have normal, platonic, feelings for him, and can keep an emotional distance.” 

I love u Mark my god… u fool. 

-

54. how important is money in their life? do they save up for ages, or spend quickly?

Well, Julius gives him a monthly income of thousands of dollars because money is nothing to Julius and he doesn’t want Mark to have to worry about mundane things. However, Mark can’t save money this way - Julius just basically replaces whatever Mark spent that month. 

He will get income from his territory once that is finally set up as well which he could actually keep month to month I think!

Mark has good discipline about saving money so if he needed to he could. Right now he just considers it one less thing to worry about, thank god. 

-

63. what’s a meme or tiktok or vine (or whatever) that you associate with them?

Answered! 

[nebulacollege]

About your original story line

I was wondering if u would ever create like… side characters or would there be faceless mobs which just help with the storyline in your game ?

If you don’t wanna create more characters that’s fine- I was just wondering if you’ll create like… non-main people into blank silhouettes or just random sounds or voices in the background that indicate that someone is there ? ( I’ve seen these type whenever a character that’s not important talks or shows that it’s in a conversation ).

Your question is something that I’ve been thinking about myself! I’ve put off replying to your for a couple of days, and for some reason during that time I came up with a bunch of stuff for the story and, accordingly, for the game.

There definitely will be side characters apart from the main ones, and we will even get to see them, although maybe not all of them –I’m not sure, but I think all prefects for the houses will make an appearance, at least. There are also a couple of random students I have ideas for, but if I don’t need them for the story at least somehow, they probably won’t be used at all – so their overall amount is going to be limited.

And about the second part of your question – yeah, these types of mob-crowd characters will come in handy, but it’ll also depend on the scene where I might need those – they’re great for making it look like there’s actually a big number of students in the college. About the level of their... “silhouetteness” I’m still not sure, whatever is going to look good and is going to be easy enough to make.

Coming up with the sound design is going to be awful though 😔 as well as with the music. No idea how to do that apart from looking for royalty free stuff, but these problems are better to be left for later, when they actually arise

[venusianducklingcharlatan]

Before the insects have made their claim

a/n. wrote this as an exercise to get me back into writing. i just recently watched Edens Zero and i was intrigued by the robots’ internal conflict of their “humanity” so here’s an attempt to flesh out chapter 1 and michael’s character from the manga. im not gonna include every scene (esp the fight scene i suck at it) but im adding on the gaps of the manga chapter. hope u enjoy <3

~

“Ah, my arm broke again.” 

Michael had just woken up from his slumber and began to survey his surroundings. He wonders if the screws might have been too loose after its last tinkering before dismissively sighing it off.

Michael is no stranger to this kind of incident that he does not bother to pick up his arm to attach back this time. It comes to harass the inhabitants of planet Granbell one to five times a week, the occurrence growing more frequent as time pass by. It is a constant unwanted reminder that they had long overstayed their welcome, now free to lay their bodies to rest.

The right arm lies in his bed, as if mocking his life degrading each day of old age. Old age?  No, that’s too humanistic of a condition to apply to a mere robot. 

One can count the time a robot has been conscious from its launching until it’s disabled, but robots don’t age. Not in a traditional sense. Their consciousness is saved through data, transferable to another host if needed be. Death doesn’t come easily to them. But to battery-reliant ones nearing their expiry end, dwelling on a human-abandoned planet—its visit is undeniably inevitable. 

Nevertheless, Michael prefers to think of it that way. It is a concept his dear friend would find easier to comprehend. He finds the greatest joys in life revolving around making a certain human on their planet happy. And that involves anything human-related. This complicity of an excuse allows him to wish more freely for a human heart. 

Thus, it was not a slumber he had woken up from, but a pretense of a human sleep. A desperate effort to save whatever little energy is left to last the machines more days to welcome.

He grabs the stool beside his bed, his left arm supporting his weight, trying to get up while struggling to balance his body like he had just woken up from a coma. He moved his one foot right after the other, slowly pacing towards a mirror. It was not vanity that humans obsess over that he’s concerned with—not the absence of his right arm, nor the rust and dents displaying on his frame.

Small cogs spin slowly inside his head to form an inverted arch on his mouth, imitating a human muscle forming a smile. It was one of the few visible things that permitted him to show a human expressiveness within the limits of his being. A treasure that further fuels his drive to persevere. 

Michael thought himself indifferent to owing favors. As a robot, his program instructs him to abide by a “give and take” principle. But when Shiki gives him a reason to live, what could possibly amount such worth to match what is received?

A loud voice called from outside, demanding attention from his perturbing pondering. “Michael!” shouted a young man, knocking rhythmically on his door. “Let’s hang out!”

One could never have a peaceful amble when accompanied by Shiki, so Michael quietly pleads his body to function well today. 

▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️

Luck smiled today at Michael’s surreptitious attempt of hiding his slight predicament. Shiki hadn’t noticed, but his gait required more lifting and dragging than yesterday. Satisfied, Michael (tries to) merrily skips his way towards the town, leaving Shiki to his own devices.

He is so sure the ensuing days would be orchestrated based on Shiki’s whims. Smiling, his mind wanders off all things happy that come along with the young boy’s presence—all the laughter, all the adventures, all his dreams. But all the mind’s a labyrinth and his was a narrow path, the finish line always ending with the uncertainty afflicting Shiki’s future.

The quandary from this morning filled him once again with much apprehension. His forefinger anxiously tapping his thigh he once mimicked a human to calm his nerve did not help one bit. As luck would have it, his line of thought suddenly came to a halt when the growing loud chatter from a curious large crowd gathering at the entrance to the town diverts his attention. What’s going on?

“A guest!” Michael hears some bot exclaimed. Standing on his tiptoes behind the horde, he sees what could only be described as the unimaginable—a human girl and a talking cat.

Every machine present frenzy over the sight of their new guests after a long century of isolation—briskly lining up to greet them in a chorus. “Welcome! To Granbell, the Kingdom of Dreams!”

Michael, still astounded, watches from afar as his peers scramble their way to entertain the visitors, showcasing everything at their disposal: from venturing on quests and princess roleplaying, to a full-on festival invigorated with fireworks and cheers. He couldn’t hear when the guests began to talk, but he assumes they requested a repeat of the whole act as the robots reposition themselves at their designated starting points of the act.

The guests decided to replenish their energy at a nearby bar, introducing themselves as Rebecca and her companion cat, Happy. Unsuspecting of the many sneaky glances casting at the two, their lively conversation and earnest intentions reassures the machines of their nature. But still, the robots were no fools, they know better than to be quick at fully trusting humans.

The robots gazes at the pair exiting the bar, headed straight to the forest. They could only hope that they will get along with Shiki.

▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️

“Hello, traveler. I see that you have failed in your quest.” Mitra, the barmaid, says. She stands behind the counter, taking notice of the guests tromping back to the bar.

“Never mind that—I found a human! A human boy!” Rebecca exclaims. She slams her hands on the counter and adds, “I thought this place was all machines!”

“Ah, you mean Shiki,” Mitra replies kindly and as if on cue, the said boy appears behind her. Shiki ignores the shock Rebecca and Happy displayed and introduces them to all robots present at the bar. “…and this is my friend, Michael.”

“Oh, so you all know each other?” Rebecca asks. 

“We’re all friends here.” Shiki enthusiastically replies, pulling Annie and Michael to give a side hug. “Friends!”

As if letting nature takes it course, they held a party once again to celebrate the guests’ arrival. Everyone feasted on Annie’s best dishes; Rebecca dressed up in a lovely dress of boysenberry color. While drunk in beer, everyone dances and sings songs in merriment.

Not too far from the celebration, in a castle that stood proudly tall of all the buildings in the planet, the ruler sits in his throne of gas leaking from the pipes attached to his body. A messenger robot kneels in front of him, delivering news of the guests’ arrival.

“I know,” the Lord Castellan grimly said. “That time has come.”

▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️

The party from before has long since mellowed down and night has finally come for Granbell. Shiki, Rebecca, Happy, and Michael, all find themselves eating dinner together. The humans on table dominates the conversation, easily warming up to each another. 

Not long after, Shiki lets out a yawn, announcing his intentions to sleep before his head falls on the table unconsciously, breaking the table in half. Rebecca and Happy shrieks, expressing their concerns for the table.

“‘Why is a human living in a place like this’ is written all over your expression,” says Michael bluntly. Rebecca, mouth gaped open, thought out loud if he was a mind reader. Letting out a chuckle, he states that to be untrue. He continues on telling her about Shiki’s bizarre circumstances. About the demon king, and their attachment to him.

Mitra shows the guests where they will be staying but it would seem that Rebecca has another plan before going to bed. Crouched down, Rebecca stares intently at Shiki.

“What’s the matter Ms. Rebecca?” Michael asks from behind.

“Do you mind if I cut his hair?” Rebecca answers, her eyes glowing a sinister glint. “It has been bugging me.”

Rebecca and Happy retires to their quarters after giving Shiki a more polished haircut. Their conversation trails off in a distance, satisfied of the video contents they amassed, still unaware of the purposive stares they have been receiving all day.

The robots shared a knowing look, shuddering in excitement, agitation, and perhaps, fear. Lord Castellan had already informed the robots of the plan, the instructions passed off orally. A few robots carefully and quietly tuck Shiki in his bedroom, away from the clamorous group of robots ready to set their plan into motion.

Unbeknownst to everyone, Michael began harboring doubts of the human ethics their methods might entail. He isn’t keen on aggrieving a lady and her companion they would entrust Shiki on. But he swallows those doubts with a knowing sigh that nothing else can be done. He turns his head towards the direction of the young boy’s bedroom, probably drooling in his sleep. There’s no way Shiki would leave the town unattended. Not when everyone’s breaking each day.

Still, he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Michael stands still; his back pressing against the wall, softly wishing that it would swallow his figure in the background. To his relief, several robots volunteered to do the arduous task. They walk with stealthy footsteps, mindful of their metallic feet creaking loudly on the floor.

Some robots leave to the storage room to fetch a rope, while the others go outside to set up the wooden logs. Everyone looks shamefully excited to tie up innocent travelers despite their best intentions. And as much as Michael would like to reprimand them for showing no remorse, he keeps his lips sealed. After all, he was rowing the same boat as those robots do.

The residents of Granbell all love Shiki, but this love comes with many sacrifices. A sacrifice he knew some bots could no longer endure after a beaming hope had finally shed its light. He is in no place to judge when just this morning, he finds his will to live slowly but surely waning. 

▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️

Everyone gathers patiently around the erected wooden platform where Rebecca and Happy were tied up. Guards stand behind them, holding a torch in their hands as if ready to burn a witch at the stake. Rebecca is the first to wake up, immediately asking what’s going on.

“I’ve waited a long time for this day… human.” Lord Castellan walks in front of Rebecca just as he sensed Shiki’s presence pushing his way through the crowd. Michael isn’t prepared for Shiki's imminent anger once he saw what they had done. Even more so when Shiki had declared that she is his friend. Lord Castellan continues his speech, raising the tension with each word he utters.

“We robots are not tools to serve humankind. Our race is not inferior to you humans.” He coldly says. Shiki turns to the other robots only to find their words aligning with the ruler.

“I am not a tool.” Michael says his tone in a timbre Shiki has never heard before. If Shiki wasn’t looking, he would have never thought those words were uttered from the mouth of the robot he considers his best friend.

“It can’t be,” Rebecca cries. “Have they been all infected with a virus?”

Lord Castellan confirms her supposition and claims that it gave them the freedom to think. To no longer be at the hands of vile humans, existing only at their convenience. Shiki, frustrated at the ridiculous assertions they have been spouting, turns to seek out his tools.

His march came to an abrupt stop when a torch nears Rebecca, threatening her life if he continues to take another step. Lord Castellan mocks his attempts to be pointless; invalidating all the time Shiki patched them up when it was actually Granbell’s Castle Auto-Repair System. And that they were only playing a role. Shiki was assigned to be the mechanic.

“No! I’m going to fix you” Shiki cries out, his eyebrows scrunching up in vexation.

“Impossible,” interrupted Lord Castellan.

“I will fix you! Please trust me. We’re friends, aren’t we?”

“You’re human. We’re machine. We cannot be friends.” the ruler says as he throws his cloak away, revealing a body resembling that of a medieval knight’s armor. He tells them of a time when humans and machines lived harmoniously in Granbell, the kingdom of fantasy and dreams. How when guests stopped coming, the humans abandoned the planet. Not even bothering to dispose what is left.

“But I’m a human!” Shiki shouts. “I never left you alone!”

His pleas went unheard. Accusations and condemnations continue to layer on top of each other, as if to shatter the friendship made fragile by the situation. Everyone goes to rile up Shiki: pinning him down and beating him up.

“I thought we were friends!” Shiki’s voice starts quivering. Daylight has never seemed much grimmer than the night. He is hopeless on the ground, every blow as painful as the words that betrayed him today.

Humans and machines are not friends. It tore Michael inside to lie, but he mustered a blistering coldness of hatred pointed at his friend. Shiki’s cries gradually fade in his ears, drowned by a resolute conviction to see through their promise with Ziggy.

And Rebecca, helplessly forced to witness such tragedy wails her words in despair.

“He said you were his friends! How can you be so cruel? You can be friends with anyone! It doesn’t matter whether you’re human or machine!”

At the sight of tears flowing from Rebecca’s eyes, Shiki finds himself getting up. If you have a friend who will shed tears for you, you better treasure them forever, he remembers.  

Shiki throws a decisive punch, dispersing the robots in the area.

“Guess we’re not friends anymore.”

▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️

The sun had begun to set and the robots, resigned to the floor, indulged themselves with the luxury of dying beneath its beauty. Michael imagines Shiki’s face, probably scrunched up in despair and muscles contorted in ways his own wouldn’t allow. He reminisces about the first time Shiki declared he would make a hundred friends. The adventures they shared all throughout the planet, every nook and cranny memorized. All ponds fished on, and the mountains explored. How they made each corner of their confined world, a home. 

He tilted his head towards the direction of the place, witness to all his merriment and ugliness. His house that was supposed to outlive him, disintegrated into dust and rubble. He feels–or rather–thinks he feels strangely melancholic about it. But there was no use overthinking things when the end is nearing. He just feels what he thinks.

All his life, like many other bots, Michael wished for a human heart. As mawkish as it sounds, this longing stems from something akin to an inferiority complex remaining suppressed in him like an unspoken secret almost all robots relate and are privy to. 

And yet for the first time, he believed himself fortunate to just be. If only he knew it was going to make goodbyes impossibly painful… If only he knew it would engulf him with an insurmountable loneliness...

Then he would have never wished for a heart.

▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️

𝔞𝔩𝔩 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔩𝔬𝔳𝔢 ♥

[queenimmadolla]

Hello ! I’m a new writer, well actually I’ve been writing for a while but I was just wondering if u have any tips on writing ! If not don’t worry that is totally fine ! I love your work and I can’t wait for part 3 of Wayne’s world <3 have an amazing rest of your day, or night !

I’d be happy to give some tips!

Tip #1: Unless you’re getting paid for it, write for you first. Ain’t nothing wrong with fulfilling requests, i LOVE to, but make sure it’s something you want to write. Or else writing can start to feel like a chore and no longer something that brings you joy.

Tip #2: If it’s not something you can finish in one go with a keyboard, plot it out. It’ll limit the amount of times you get writer’s block.

Tip #3: Don’t be afraid to ask for help. I get stuck in plots all the time and I ask my friends or followers for feedback, nothing wrong with that!

Tip #4: Don’t overwhelm yourself.

Tip #5: Be kind when it comes to giving yourself timeframes and deadlines. Some people can meet them, some can’t regardless of how short or long what you’re working on is. I am one of the latter. I like to be busy all the time, I’m always working on a fic and I have tons of WIPs and ideas. I don’t have a whole lot of time available to me to write, but the reason I’m not overwhelmed is because I don’t give myself a timeframe. I’ve got a section on my masterlist where can see the list of what I’m working on (and its not even the complete list) but no posting schedule. I post when I post, even if it’s a year or two later because I want be happy with what I write and rushing would do me no good.

Tip #6: You will see a STAGGERING amount of people commenting for a “part two” eventually, just know that you do not ever have to write one. A lot of the times, they don’t even follow you/reblog what it is they want a part two to or interact with you often, unless you mention you’re going on a hiatus, to which they will mention how it will effect them. I only do it when I want to, when I know it can be followed up with something good and when people I enjoy interacting with/getting feed back from suggest it can be expanded upon. SOMETIMES, I’ll give into popular demand, but it’ll take a while for me to flesh out the rest of the story and interactions as a result.

Tip #7: Find your writing style! There’s so many different ways to write, to describe, for dialogue, etc. While i LOVE reading that beautiful, poetic, romanticized imagery and dialogue that so many authors are talented enough to write, it’s not something I can write naturally or even easily. I’ve tried and sometimes they’re decent, but it doesn’t really feel like something that’s mine. I write how I believe a character thinks and talks with the canon material or if it’s based on an AU, entirely how I think they would. And not like the deep inner workings of their mind, I’m talking blunt ol’ realism (as in crude, compare it to those ‘expectations vs real life’ thing and the real life is always less romantic but amusing and relatable because it’s real) and very rom-comish. I wish i was poetic and maybe one day I’ll get there but i am very happy with my style for now. And it doesn’t necessarily matter to readers, they’ll read your stuff, everyone is pretty diverse and open-minded. I get a lot of comments about how my works aren’t usually what they go for but they enjoyed it nonetheless!

Tip #8: Have FUN with it. Never forget that. Oh, and never use a tumblr draft to write on, always use like google docs, pages, Microsoft word, etc.

Happy writing and I’m rooting for you!

[zeltqz]

yeah and when they make girl 18/19 to be legal as if eighteen and nineteen is not still TEENS, also there is an aspect media plus ofcourse men trying to tell us "u like old men" but it is a deeper topic I dont wanna talk here, plus innocence fetish is really messed up and disgusting. I also dont like reading porn without chemistry just yk nasty porn with lots of woman hating and same "u like it" shit goes there too

Bro if I see the reader is eighteen/nineteen and the man is like 26+ I’m calling the police because WHAT THE FUCK. WHY R U TURNING THESE CHARACTERS INTO PREDATORS BRO??

Since I’m still a teenager it’s so irritating how people don’t think of eighteen and nineteen as teenagers, sure we are more developed maturity wise than minors, but we aren’t ADULTS yet. We still have TEEN in the name. That’s why it’s so weird when I see people using 18 and 19 as the limit to how young they can make the reader because we all know damn well if 18 wasn’t the appropriate limit they would go lower,

Just stop it man, make the reader an appropriate age and stop making her young just to have ur filthy character be all gross and predatory to her

Fucking hate how teenagers get so sexualised these days, irl and in fiction

Porn doesn’t help either, the amount of searches with “teen” in them. Ppl think “oh it must be 18/19” but we all know damn well it’s not, those sickos just use 18-19 as a scapegoat to browse through the teen category freely

Which is why I’ll never ever read age difference fics, theyre so icky

[possessionisamyth]

oh no, i don't wanna talk shit about random re users or bloggers on this site because they're randoms to me, they don't matter and aren't a word of god like they like to pretend they are but play sly, i've been a subject to that game many years now so i know exactly how it works but, i'm not gonna go out of my way and call names people that act like they have something to prove and obsessively argue in favor of what they like but shit talk about something they hate and beat around the bush, again, like a sly weasel

the amount of self righteous assholes i've come across is too much to count but it is to be expected right? some people just love tying their entire personality or fictional characters and how and why they should fuck, how they should look like, how attractive they should be and how they should exist as a male eye candy but hey, what do i know?

if you want something specific, sure i'll be glad to share: it's the double standards and by that i mean in the case of re, one boring example, who should leon bang and where, anything outside of that don't matter much apparently. the whole act of disagreeing with someone's interpretation means you owe them your counter argument for why you don't agree with said interpretation because shipping is all that matters to some re fans. it's basically the weird prevalence of elitist mindset that keeps flowing through within this fanbase for some reason and u would think that it's something grand and masterfully written like i dunno, GoW or TLOU or even RDR but no, it's making a meal out of the omelette over something that might aswell just be a convenience.

basically the whole "i see ur point and it's interesting but i just don't see it as so myself therefore i disagree" no longer counts, u need to provide a deep dive lmao

Ooohhh!!! Okay, I understand.

I'll be honest in that I don't think there's any insight to be given on this concept. Had these same people chosen to dedicate their time into literature or film or any other art medium instead of video games, the arguments would be much the same except there would be written papers with actual sources used to back up their rhetoric. Look up the people still arguing about whether or not Shakespeare actually wrote all his own works, and guess what? You'll see the same style of preaching their word as gospel from a bunch of academics with multiple degrees.

You know what? I can't even limit this mindset to art! Scientists have argumentative essays too! People whose job it is to determine facts from theories do the same shit! Sometimes good things come out of it, and sometimes it doesn't.

It definitely feels more irritating when this behavior is prevalent around something you're simply trying to find enjoyment in. However, many times I have already fallen into the trap of wanting to "be the most correct person in the room", which has definitely made me act like a self righteous asshole. Sometimes it really is just about knowing when to stop engaging in a conversation. They can talk to themselves for forever. You can save yourself some anger and frustration by cutting off the conversation that fuels them to keep spouting garbage.

Also, Leon and Carlos should be together and everyone else is wrong but me~.

[nenekobasu]

it does make sense for hiori to be ness, for isagi to get his very own ness, since if kaiser is isagi and isagi is kaiser then just as kaiser becomes an isagi-like player isagi follows kaiser's development— all of kaiser's development. that is, he gains a ness a player who acts as his arms and legs but stifles his potential to grow, he loses "rationality" using the ideal for his own desires instead of embodying it and in the process loses noa's blessing, and finally he gets owned in the end when everything comes crashing down. isagi this game speedrunning kaiser's rise and fall

that being said i can’t help but feel the reason ness was able to so easily attach his ego to kaiser is because kaiser had the legitimate strength to underpin a team by himself. I’m not sure isagi has this strength yet, or at least he has yet to prove it to the world (unlike kaiser, who did it on the u-20 team of one of germany’s strongest clubs). that’s the thing about kaiser the reason he was such an adversary is because he was still able to prove his existence and make himself the main character on basmün despite being narratively wrong, that takes a scary amount of strength

(if noa disapproves of isagi-hiori, and i think he does, he should similarly disapprove of kaiser-ness? i think given the fact that noa and ness don’t ever interact they exist in separate spheres and so logically this translates to noa disapproval, but despite this kaiser-ness has very real strength (able to underpin a team as its philosophy, sword and shield) under noa’s very own “rationality”. that’s the curse of kaiser, the more you think about him specifically the more you consider how he was framed as wrong by the series yet still succeeded on a world stage, the more cracked you realize he is. and, because kaiser is suggested to be so cracked, isagi-hiori trying to be kaiser-ness (or just kaiser) becomes really unstable…)

besides, and v.italy made a point about this, ness (i.e. having a system) debuffs kaiser; ness seemingly made kaiser strong by giving him a partner who understood him, but ultimately it put a cap on his ideal and thus on his potential. kaiser is isagi and isagi is kaiser, so there’s no reason to think hiori won’t debuff isagi too. It may seem strong at first because partners who share intellect and vision will of course be strong, i’ve no doubt hiori-isagi will be a great and compatible team, but just as it was with kaiser and ness, “the presence of someone that does exactly what isagi wants, that does isagi’s work for him” can serve to limit isagi’s upper potential, put a cap on his growth. for someone like isagi, this is practically a death sentence

the more i write about this the more i try to follow through with my ideas the rougher it gets for isagi. i’m not afraid of this match anymore i just feel bad for him

[withloveajaxx]

so baby let's keep this secret

𓂅 genre: modern! childe, scara, al haitham, xiao x gn! reader

𓂅 warnings: hints of making out in scara's part + childe's part is a hint of suggestive teasing

𓂅 summary: secret relationship with the genshin boys

𓂅 note: this is my first time writing for scara and haitham so,,, apologies if i mischaracterize them or they seem out of character :"D comments on their characterization are greatly appreciated ^^ but yea, that's it hehe, hope u enjoy this fic n have a wonderful day!!

CHILDE

tbf a secret relationship with childe isn't a secret to anyone at all because mans is whipped for you, but we gotta give him some credit for holding himself back from kissing you 24/7.

a "secret" relationship with this man is basically minimalized pda with a huge amount of teasing.

he absolutely loves to be the sole reason why your cheeks get red and you get all flustered in public.

when people ask you what's wrong and you can barely get out a blatant lie, childe already has a smug, yet somehow charming smirk on his face.

he's not good at hiding how whipped he is, but he does surprisingly well hiding his touches from the general eye of the public.

like whenever he's in a restaurant with you, he always makes it a point to sit beside you. he is never sitting anywhere else.

secondly, his hand is always on your thigh or fiddling with your fingers beneath the table. he simply cannot resist touching you in any way.

and finally, if he's being a little bitch… he'll slyly sneak an arm around your waist, squeezing it gently. i can bet my life he's lifting your shirt up slightly to rub your exposed skin to get you all bothered.

he's absolutely ravishing you when you get home though. spoiling you with kisses, cuddles, and anything you ask from him <3

ngl, with how touchy feely he is, i don't think people are gonna take that long to figure out what's going on between you two. the "secret" relationship is unfortunately a 5/10 in terms of success.

SCARAMOUCHE

you cannot tell me this man wouldn't take your relationship to his grave. 10/10 in this secret relationship 💀

unlike childe, he can keep his eyes and his hands off of you in public. he has a lot of self control and no amount of your teasing is going to get him to expose you guys (unless you pull out the tears or some begging then maybe). but like childe… he is absolutely obsessed with you when yall have a little private time.

this is where it gets spicy but i can just imagine scaramouche just reaching his limit from holding himself back from you after a long day, and he's just ready to break when you two are behind closed doors.

after all, he is a man of little patience isn't he? when you two get to his place after a long day, he doesn't even wait for a split second until his lips are slotting themselves against yours for a heated kiss.

he has you pinned against the wall beside the door, one elbow beside your head while the other slides down to rest on your hips.

when he parts the fairly passionate kiss his lips are still hovering dangerously close to yours. he doesn't even take that long to catch his breath, diving in for another kiss until he hears abrupt knocks at his door, and a voice he knows distinctly belonging to childe.

cursing under his breath, he holds a hand over your mouth, making sure you're hidden from the direct line of sight of the door before opening it to reveal the ginger headed man.

"make it quick, dimwit. i was in the middle of doing something," scara hisses venemously, eyes narrowing at childe. poor childe chuckles in nervouseness, scratching the back of his neck. "is that so? sorry, didn't know, maybe i'll come back later."

"yeah, whatever. just scram." and with that, the door is slammed closed and sacra's undivided attention is back on you again.

"c'mon," is all he says, taking your hand in his before leading you to a more secluded space in his apartment where no one and nothing can interrupt him from having his time with you.

ALHAITHAM

i think he'd be pretty good at keeping things lowkey. he acts the same towards everyone with some exceptions to you, so i'd say 10/10.

definitely not touchy in public (nor in private to be honest), but he's definitely into the little moments.

little moments like making eye contact from across the room and sending you the slightest hints of a smile.

or even grazing your pinkies together when your walking side-by-side in thr middle of the campus hallways.

there are bits of physical affection here and there, but the main thing that gives this man away is the quality time and acts of services that he does towards you.

hatiham doesn't spend nearly as much time with others as he does with you. you're always with him whether it be in the library studying, in a coffee shop while he reads a book, or in museums looking around and scuptures and paintings.

it's especially in crowded places like museums and coffee shops where he does small actions of adoration and affection.

like when you guys go on study or book dates, you'll feel his eyes on you when you're trying to write something down or read something.

when you look at him to ask you what's wrong, he's simply staring at you with a soft expression that screams nothing but admiration and love. it's quite endearing really, to see his ears turn the lightest shade of pink afterwards.

"do you need something, haitham?" you ask, the smile he loves so much gracing your features. he gently shakes his head, reaching his hand out on the table to take yours, "no. nothing. i was just admiring you, is all."

XIAO

there's a constant redness of his usually pale cheeks is a dead giveaway to your relationship, and he's pretty protective too so i'd say a 6/10.

whenever you catch xiao staring at you, his cheeks and the tips of his ears immediately burn red, and he whips his head around so fast.

people always notice and his friends always tease him for it, but he can't help such a reaction when what he thinks is the most stunning person is looking right at him.

or whenever he looks around the room to search for you only to find that you're already looking at him… his cheeks are literally on fire.

the adorable glow on his cheeks isn't the only sign he gives though. mind you, this man is very protective over you.

he wants to make sure that absolutely no harm comes in your way, and he'll do anything to make sure of that. he doesn't care if your relationship would be exposed that way, all he cares about is your overall safety and wellbeing.

he's the type of man who pulls you closer to him while you're crossing the street or walking by the road, having his hand on you in some way in case anything happens.

the type of guy who brings random stuff like bandaids, hair ties, and sweets for you just in case you need anything.

he's also constantly asking how you are through text, just in case you need him to do something or in case you need him by your side for whatever reason.

my favourite part about secret relationships with xiao is the kind of dates you'd have. he's definitely the type of man to do homey, indoor dates. he'd build lego bouquets for and with you, he's sit for hours bingeing movies or series you like, relax and read a book with you, or even just nap and cuddle. even though your dates are mostly at home to keep away from the prying eyes of others, he's sure to make it something you'll always love and never regret.

© withloveajaxx 2022. please do not copy, plagarize, or translate in any way.

[munsster]

i’m so glad u want to start writing for keys i feel like he’s pretty underrated on here </3 maybe something where him and reader have interacted a lot in the game and one recognizes the other’s voice in real life in public? idk i think that would be really cute! x

free life on earth

A/N: listennnn i consumed every tumblr fic i could find of him in one night and decided there was not enough nor will there ever be.

Pairing: Walter “Keys” McKey x GN!Reader

Summary: He thought he was just out getting coffee. But then he bumped into his cyber crush. 2.1k words.

Warnings: fluff, meet (?) cute, you know i had to put this in a coffeeshop, shamelessly awkward flirting, mutual pining, a teensy little accident kiss (unless…), cursing

He was fascinated. From the very beginning, despite how cliché and theatrical it sounds; he swore up and down he'd never go all puppy-dog-eyed again. And then you let out a whip of deafening expletives, and he swan dove right into a new obsession.

But saying obsession seemed too intense and creepy, so he's been calling it his online thing like it's a business meeting. Like he's not lovesick and doting and you have no idea he's worming himself around your little finger.

"You've gotta be—Keys! Don't fucking throw that while I'm standing right here."

The laugh rips out of him and jolts him back in his chair. To think that the limited amount of time he spends not working on this godforsaken game he happens to spend playing the game. He must have something wrong with him. He drops the flashbang back into his inventory and scuttles over to your crouched avatar.

"Sometimes I wonder why they let you graduate," you poke, swiveling in circles in the wavering shade of a big tree, blank eyes staring up at the sky.

"Hey, if I didn't graduate, we never would've met."

You chuckle. "Oh, Keys, life would be so horrible without you"—you click your tongue and your avatar's knees straighten, and his heart shouldn't skip a beat the way it does with your digital face this close to his—"because I have nothing better to do than sit at my desk all day and talk to a stranger on the internet."

"A handsome stranger," he teases.

"I'm logging off."

"Wait—"

"Nope!"

"Come on," he whines, "you know you love me."

Curse him with that sometimes confidence and all-the-time charm. And maybe that's the one thing you don't know. He smoked you out just to get at you while unassuming and lovely. You blink hard just to realize you've gone a little blurry, and the sun slices through your blinds and glares against your monitor.

"Is it light where you are?" you mumble, a songbird cooing and flapping away outside your window. His character goes still, no longer shuffling across the grass, just still. Strands of his hair animated to flow. It makes you smirk every time you think of it.

"Yeah, think so. Geez—"

"What if I was a stalker? Now I know the sun is up for you. That eliminates like... a lot of places," you say, very proudly and kind of worried. You don't rest well as it is, and now this boy might be giving out his address to random users.

"Okay, but is the sun rising or setting?"

"...Maybe it's neither," you hum.

"Maybe it's both."

It takes a second for him to laugh, and he's crazy but it's contagious. You shake your head and press your face into your palms to muffle a soft laugh. Hoping he doesn't hear you humor him. But you do, and he does.

"You're delirious, go have caffeine," you huff, definitely smiling, even with your jaw aching from wearing a headset for much too long. But you're sure the tightness in your neck is worth it when he hums softly and rustles with something on his desk.

"No," he whines, spamming the space bar, sending his character hopping down the grassy slope of the park's small hill. He sighs. "Alright, fine. Didn't feel like staying online anyway."

"Oh, hush, it'll be good for you. Plus, I gotta head out, and I don't want you missing me too much."

"Yeah, yeah," he mumbles, "but you better be on tonight."

"C'mon, baby, you know me," you say, head lulling to the side as he sprints back up the hill just to slip down once he's halfway there. He must be too tired to think about it. Because you've called him that once before, and it sent him reeling. He's glad the game wasn't designed for webcam gameplay. Not only would that be nightmarish, but you would immediately catch him beet red and fidgety.

He yawns.

"Alright, see ya."

You chirp something nice into his ear. Like a goodbye, but you'd never say it. He powers his desktop down and throws on a crewneck before heading a couple blocks north, hands shoved in his pockets the whole way. Head incessant with the thought of you. Even if he could stop it, he wouldn't. If you'd stay holed up in his noggin until the next supernova, he'd be satisfied. And the coffee shop is sticky and warm when he steps in from the chill.

But something makes him smile. Only a few tables have anybody seated there: mostly couples. Except, there's one person sitting alone. Occupying the table closest to the register, scarf draped over the back of the oaky chair, fingertips patting along a dim phone screen.

"Morning, two sugars," the barista chirps, "the usual?"

Keys hisses in a deep breath, eyes flicking over the extensive, swirly-lettered menu.

"You know what—?"

"Aw, break my heart, man—don't tell me you're switching it up on me now."

Keys chuckles with a shrug, "what can I say? I'm a sucker for a limited time offer. Gimme one of those seasonal drinks.”

"That's it, no more discounts for you," he huffs, already scribbling 'Keys' and a pouty face across the side of a bright orange cup.

"You were giving me a discount?"

"Keys," a soft voice chirps. And it's not something he could've imagined if he tried, because it sounds like you, and maybe this is some wishful thinking hat trick, but he turns to the side. And there you are. Arm perched on the back of the chair, torso twisted around to peer up at him. And he peers back. It's you. Wide-eyed and grinning.

"Hi," he pants, "it's you."

Your chair scrapes across the wood flooring, and you get real close to him like you're still not sure this is real life and not a simulator. Or you accidentally signed up for a drug-induced sleep study, and this is the desired, coma-adjacent lucid dream.

"In the flesh." You scoff, hands on your hips. He wonders if you're letting him look at you. It's a little perverted, but he's in denial, watching your mouth and the way it's so different from your in-game avatar. "I was hoping... I mean, I wanted it to be you. You sound like you."

He nods. And his hair flops into his face. Hides his soft pink forehead and the line between his furrowed brows.

"You're... taller than I thought you'd be. And you wear glasses," you say, lifting your hand like you're about to touch him. It makes him happy. He knows you—he's known you exclusively by your code and the sound of your voice, and yet your first instinct was to reach for him. And even though you drop your hand and glance away, he smiles.

"Disappointed?" he teases like he's expecting the rejection. Like you'll laugh and tell him to scram because yes, he's not what you had imagined. Maybe you had imagined him to perfection and doomed him in the process.

But you shake your head.

Decisively, a serious conclusion, borderline frowning at the sentiment. How could you be disappointed after spending days upon days doing absolutely nothing and everything with him. Just him.

You sigh, "You techies are always a wild card. To be honest, I'm just glad you're not a serial killer."

He chuckles and takes a deep breath. Letting it buzz through him because by some miracle, you're glad.

"I take it my dashing looks are just an added bonus," he huffs, raising his brows, but out of the corner of his eye, you smile. You don't laugh, but you smile. Brightly, too, sincere in the creases by your tired eyes.

"Toffee latte for... Keys?"

He scratches the back of his neck when you look away, feeling like he's sweating buckets all over the polished floor. Then you look back at him, lips only parted for a breath, mouth quirked. You look cute. Like he couldn't have imagined you sweeter. He just knows you're gonna leave him all syrupy and stuck on you after this.

"So... d'you—"

"Keys! Latte for Keys?"

"I think that might be you," you tease, nodding over to the pick up window with a grin.

"Oh. Oh, right!"

He hurries over to the disgruntled employee, grabbing his coffee and a couple of napkins and a stopper between his teeth before popping it into the lid. When he turns back around, you're not there. And his heart sinks. Frantic, he cranes his neck, spinning dizzily before catching your wave and the bell above the door. And you duck outside.

The cold smacks him into reality. It’s terrifying the way you look back at him with a smile because he’s been thinking about it since the day he first heard your voice. And now you’re letting him catch up to you, walking backwards with your arms crossed over your chest.

"Sorry for ditching. It was kinda stuffy in there—"

He chuckles, suddenly shy with the way you look right through him. And you’re right. Everything’s clearer. Crisp and frosty, but it’ll melt away with the sun.

"No, yeah, it's totally..." he huffs, "I know."

"Good, 'cause I was hoping you'd walk me home."

He shudders, not knowing whether it's the cold or the way you're so sure of him. Even with sweat rolling down his back. He doesn’t think he’ll make it as far as you plan on taking him. Not after you've flattered him enough to lay him bare on the sidewalk.

“You live around here?”

“‘Course I do. I’m not about to drive fifteen minutes for a cup of coffee,” you grumble, skipping over the cracked pavement where weeds sprout up into teensy yellow flowers. Then the toe of your show catches a jilted and offset curb, sending you teetering forward.

“Woah”—Keys catches you by the hand, too focused on the way your fingertips find their way to his, slotting down hard and curling. “I gotcha.”

“Pssh,” you scoff, tugging him close as an excuse to catch you breath. Only, you’re in the middle of the sidewalk and a biker wheels by with a groan. “White knight.”

“I prefer the term gentleman, but whatever floats your boat.”

You stick your tongue out at him when he takes a swig of his coffee and flinches away from it, fingers clenching around your knuckles.

“Hot?”

“Burning.”

“Thanks,” you say with a wink. And his tongue isn’t the only thing burning when it settles into his ears and nose.

“So, are you nearby, or…?”

“Oh! Yeah, this is my building.” You thrust a thumb over your shoulder and yeah, he’s hooked. So hooked he doesn’t realize you’re less than a block up the road from his building. He doesn’t realize he could have been yours. He could be yours, but he’s too hooked.

“Shit. Then I guess this is goodbye.” He leers up at the art deco apartment complex with a squint. Kind of disappointed before he realizes his palm is damp pressed to yours. Suffocating into the space you give him when he scuffs against the rough concrete.

“Guess so.” The sunlight beams from between the strands of his mussed hair, catching the rim of his lenses, and rendering you in awe. “At least we have the game.”

He scoffs. “We’ll always have the game.”

You shrug and tap the bottom edge of his cup. “And you’ll always have this.” Your finger traces the digits and dashes along until they’re dotted off with a heart. “Definitely didn’t slip him ten bucks for that.”

“You’re pretty desperate, huh?”

You smile. “Yup.” You squeeze his hand and tug him close to kiss the supple place his cheek dimples just slightly when he smiles. And he shifts a little. On accident. But suddenly, your mouth is pressed to the corner of his, and he’s short-circuiting when you pull away. “Sorry!”

“It’s… it’s okay, I’m not—I don’t mind,” he sputters and you laugh despite yourself, “Really, don’t worry about it, I mean, I’m not worried, it’s not a big deal, I just—”

You kiss him again. In front of the steps of your apartment building, holding his hand, and boiling him up inside. He can’t help but smile when you tongue at his bottom lip and drop his hand in favor of his waist. He thinks only you’d be so delicate with him. After all, it’s you. And when you pull away, his mouth is a little pink and a little slobbery, and you swipe your thumb across his chin.

“You better call that number,” you warn. He smirks.

“Beats talking to strangers on the internet.”

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