#it took me forever to try to understand and get something decent

[highlordofkrypton]

TAMLIN'S FANCY HAIR mathi + millie's artfight ROUND 2: SPRING FLOWERS IN HAIR

GUESS WHO MISREAD THE PROMPT BEFORE DRAWING SORRY COPY THESE ARE NOT SPRING FLOWERS @copypastus can it count for dark spring????? 😭 I spent so long on this I will come back at a later date... with actual spring flowers...

r u ready for round 3 @geniemillies 🥊

[parkitrighthere]

⛈️🤒❤️‍🩹😚 + Jimin pretty please

TITLE: Almost Romantic

PAIRING: jimin x reader

GENRE: rom-com, slice of life(?), Slow burn, Drama

WORD COUNT: 6k

TRIGGER WARNING: none (this is the first time i'm writing something with no trigger warning! hehe)

SUMMARY: After an awkward car ride in the rain, you end up at Park Jimin's fancy place, sneezing and fighting off both a cold and your long-time crush on him.

a/n: This story is entirely a work of fiction and is the sole property of @kookiewithluv. The characters, events, and scenarios depicted are products of the imagination and are not intended to represent or reflect real-life situations, nor do I wish for anything portrayed here to occur in reality. I kindly ask that my work not be copied, translated, or reposted as your own on this or any other platform, including YouTube. Please respect the effort and originality behind this piece. Thank you for your understanding and support.

a/n: Hey Anon! First off, let me apologize for taking forever to get back to you. I mean, wow, it took me so long you'd think I was trying to cure world hunger or something. Honestly, I have no idea what I ended up doing, and after all this time, I can only hope it's halfway decent. If you like it, please tell me so I can stop questioning all my life choices. And thank you for sending a Jimin request because OMG, I am dangerously obsessed with this man. Seriously. Anyway, hope you enjoy it. Luv ya!

The rain hammered down in relentless sheets, drumming against the tin roof of the bus stop above you. The cold air howled through the deserted street, wrapping itself around you like an unwelcome guest. The flickering streetlight cast a pale, ghostly glow, its harsh light accentuating the emptiness around you. You hugged yourself tightly, your arms gripping your sides as if you could hold yourself together.

You shivered, your breath coming out in quick, visible puffs. The dampness seeped through your clothes, clinging to your skin and chilling you to the bone. Drops of water slid down your face, some from the rain, others threatening to spill from your eyes. You blinked them away furiously, biting down on the inside of your cheek to keep from breaking down. Mina had warned you about staying late at the office, but as always, you thought you knew better. Now you stood here, stranded and freezing, your phone a useless piece of metal in your bag.

A gust of wind tore through the street, whipping your hair into your face and dragging the rain sideways. You turned your head away, teeth chattering. The cold felt like it was pressing in, squeezing the air from your lungs. You couldn’t even hear your own shaky breathing over the roar of the storm.

The faint glow of headlights pierced through the rain, growing brighter as the car approached. Your heart surged with a flicker of hope, and you stumbled forward, arm jerking up to wave frantically. “Please,” you whispered, though your voice was swallowed by the storm. “Please stop.”

The car’s tires splashed through a puddle, sending icy water spraying onto your shoes. Its headlights illuminated you for a split second before sweeping past, leaving you in the dark once more. You stood frozen, your arm still raised as you stared after the fading taillights.

Your chest tightened, and you swallowed hard, trying to choke back the lump rising in your throat. Your hand dropped slowly to your side, trembling as you clenched it into a fist. The ache in your chest grew heavier, a suffocating weight that pressed against your ribs. A tear slipped free, quickly hidden by the rain streaking down your face. You swiped at your cheeks angrily.

The wind howled again, and you crumpled onto the cold bench behind you, wrapping your arms around you, tightly. Your nails dug into your damp sleeves as your shoulders began to shake. You couldn’t cry—what good would it do? No one was coming. No one ever did. The darkness pressed in closer, whispering that you were alone, as you rocked yourself gently.

Your heart jolted as you caught sight of the same car stopped just a few feet away. Its brake lights glowed faintly in the rain before it suddenly began reversing. The tires splashed through puddles, the sound sharp against the muffled roar of the storm. Before you could process what was happening, the car screeched to a halt right in front of you.

Were you happy? No.

Relieved? Not even close.

Scared? Absolutely.

Your legs locked in place as you stared at the car, your mind racing. Why would someone stop now after ignoring you the first time? The question sent a shiver down your spine. The pounding rain felt distant compared to the thunderous beating of your heart. Every nerve screamed at you to run, but your feet refused to move. You tried to steady your breathing, silently chanting, Stay calm, stay calm, but your chest tightened like a coiled spring, ready to snap.

The car door opposite you creaked open, the noise slicing through the storm like a warning bell. Your body tensed, muscles coiling as if preparing to bolt. But just as quickly, the door slammed shut again. What? Your brows furrowed, and for a fleeting moment, confusion overpowered fear. Is this person okay? Or are they just messing with me?

The passenger window began to lower, gliding down with a soft whoosh. Your breath hitched as a familiar face emerged, half-shrouded in the shadows of the car's interior. Park Jimin. Your boss. Your obnoxiously attractive, arrogant, self-absorbed boss. Relief washed over you like a bucket of icy water, though it was short-lived.

“Get in,” he commanded, his voice low and clipped as he motioned impatiently with his hand. You hesitated, frozen under his sharp gaze, but another gust of wind pushed you forward, your feet dragging against the puddled pavement. The rain soaked you even more as you opened the car door and slid in, trembling from the cold. The interior smelled faintly of leather and expensive cologne, but any sense of comfort was destroyed by his sharp voice cutting through the space.

“Are you out of your fucking mind? What the hell are you doing here at this time of night? And why were you walking so damn slow?”

Your head snapped toward him, your eyes narrowing despite the exhaustion clawing at you. Of course, his first instinct wasn’t to ask if you were okay but to criticize. Typical Jimin—never concerned, always annoyed. You forced a tight-lipped smile, your fingers curling into the damp fabric of your skirt.

“Yes, Mr. Park. I’m perfectly fine,” you bit out, the words dripping with sarcasm you tried to mask behind a strained politeness. Your fake smile wavered as you glanced at him, silently debating whether strangling him would be worth losing your ride home.

Jimin scoffed, shaking his head slightly, as though reading your thoughts. His eyes trailed over your face, lingering for a moment before they dropped lower. You noticed the shift in his expression too late. His gaze flicked to your collarbone, then downward. His eyes widened briefly before he snapped his head forward, clearing his throat with a harsh sound.

Confused, you frowned and followed his gaze. Your stomach sank as your eyes landed on the problem. Your white blouse, drenched from the rain, clung to your body like a second skin, and the bright red lace of your bra was clearly visible underneath.

A gasp escaped your lips as your arms flew up instinctively to cover your chest. “Oh my god,” you muttered, turning your body away from him, your face heating despite the cold. You shot him a glare over your shoulder, clutching your arms tightly around yourself.

Jimin rubbed the back of his neck, avoiding your gaze entirely. He shook his head, exhaling sharply through his nose as he shrugged off his blazer. Without a word, he leaned over and held it out to you. You snatched it from his hand, your lips twisting into a scowl.

“You could’ve stopped the car near me,” you muttered under your breath, slipping the warm fabric over your shoulders. The faint scent of his cologne clung to it. So... manly.

His head snapped toward you, brows furrowed. “So, it’s my fault now?”

“Duh!” you shot back, pulling the blazer tighter around yourself as if it could shield you from his attitude.

“And what about the fact that you were walking so maddeningly slow? Like you were planning to camp out there all night?”

Your jaw clenched, your hands balling into fists at your sides. “Shut up,” you hissed, your voice low but dripping with frustration.

Jimin’s eyes widened slightly, his lips parting in mock disbelief. “Did you just—”

“Yes, yes, yes! I just told you to shut uuuupppp!” you yelled, throwing your hands in the air. Your voice echoed sharply inside the car, silencing him completely. The weight of your outburst hit you like a tidal wave, embarrassment creeping up your neck. You turned your face away, heat flooding your cheeks. Great. Now I look like a lunatic.

He stared at you, stunned, his lips slightly parted as though he couldn’t quite process what had just happened. His wide eyes and slack jaw only made you angrier. You could practically feel his judgment radiating off him, and it made you want to crawl under a rock—or strangle him slowly and thoroughly.

“Stop staring and start the damn car,” you snapped, your voice cracking slightly.

His gaze lingered for a moment longer before he blinked, shaking his head. His cheeks flushed a soft pink, and he hurriedly looked away, gripping the steering wheel tightly. “Fine,” he muttered, starting the engine with a low rumble.

The car began to move, the rain now a blurred sheet outside the windows. Silence settled between you, heavy and awkward, broken only by the rhythmic swish of the windshield wipers. You sank back into the seat, pressing your hand to your forehead as a dull ache throbbed at your temples. A cold shiver raced down your spine, and you took a shaky breath, hoping it would settle your nerves.

“How long, Mr. Park?” you asked, your voice quieter now, the fight in you momentarily drained.

“Not far,” he replied, glancing at you briefly before returning his eyes to the road. “My house is just a few blocks away. We’ll be there soon.”

Your heart stopped. You sat up straighter, your hands clutching the blazer tightly. “What the hell do you mean, your house?”

He spared you another glance, his brows knitting together in mild confusion. “I’m taking you home,” he said, his tone matter-of-fact.

“Whose home?” you nearly screeched, pulling the blazer tighter around you as though it could somehow protect you from this insanity.

“Mine,” he said simply, his eyes darting back to the road.

"Home. Your home," you repeated, your tone sharp as you gestured toward him. "I wanted to go to my home."

Jimin’s knuckles tightened on the steering wheel, his jaw ticking in irritation. “I didn’t know the address,” he said flatly, avoiding your gaze.

“You could’ve just asked!”

“I wanted to, but you yelled at me to shut up.”

“And so your brilliant solution was to bring me here?” you retorted, throwing your hands up in disbelief.

His eyes snapped to yours, narrowing as he pulled the car to a jerky stop. “Excuse me? I live here. What the hell do you mean by here?” he asked, his voice low and offended, his brows drawing together.

You glared at him, your lips curling into a bitter scowl. “Then why have you stopped in the middle of nowhere?”

Jimin’s lips parted, a humourless laugh escaping him as he ran a hand through his damp hair. “I think you’ve been out in the rain too long. Maybe some water leaked into your brain because it’s clearly not working. We are not in the middle of nowhere, you deranged woman.”

Before you could retort, he pushed his door open with a sharp motion and stepped out, slamming it shut behind him. You stared after him in disbelief, his broad back retreating into the rain. Grumbling under your breath, you wrestled with your seatbelt, finally kicking the door open and following him.

The rain hit you like icy needles, soaking through your clothes as you stumbled out of the car. The moment you stepped onto the pavement, you froze, your jaw slack. In front of you stood a towering, modern building, its glass facade gleaming despite the downpour. “Wow,” you muttered under your breath, momentarily forgetting your anger. But then you caught sight of Jimin’s retreating figure, and you cursed under your breath, hiking up your heels to chase after him.

“Of course, you’d leave me behind,” you muttered as your heels clicked against the wet pavement.

Jimin turned his head slightly, flashing you a grin that made you want to slap it off his face. “Oh, you’re here! I thought you’d decided to spend the night in the car,” he teased, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

You narrowed your eyes at him, shivering as you wrapped his blazer tighter around yourself. “Do you have a knife at home?” you asked, your tone casual as you both inside the elevator.

He paused mid-step, his shoulders stiffening slightly. “Yeah… why?”

“Just so I know where to find one,” you replied, tilting your head innocently. “For when you start talking too much rubbish.”

Jimin turned to face you fully, his brows lifting as his mouth parted in shock. For a brief moment, he looked genuinely alarmed. Then, as you burst into laughter at his expression, he sighed in relief, shaking his head.

“You think you’re funny?” he asked, his voice low as he stepped closer to you, his eyes narrowing slightly.

You smirked, lifting your chin. “I think I’m adorable.”

His lips twitched into a smirk of his own as he leaned in, his face now dangerously close to yours. You wanted to step back, but the cold glass of the elevator doors pressed against your back, trapping you. His dark eyes glinted with amusement as he opened his mouth to respond—

And then you sneezed.

Hard.

Right into his face.

The moment froze, your eyes widening in horror as he flinched, wiping at his face with his sleeve. “What the actual hell?!” he yelled, his voice a mixture of disbelief and rage. He stepped back, his face scrunching up in disgust as he muttered a string of curses, switching languages with every expletive. English, Japanese, Chinese, and then a barrage of rapid Korean filled the small elevator.

You stared down at your feet, heat crawling up your neck. “Sorry…” you mumbled, barely audible, too mortified to meet his eyes.

He glared at you, his nostrils flaring. “Sorry? Sorry?!” He stepped forward, looking like he had a whole speech prepared—

But the elevator dinged, its doors sliding open.

For the first time that night, you silently thanked every god you could think of as Jimin stomped out, muttering under his breath. You hurried after him, sneezing again as the cold air hit you.

“Sit,” he barked, pointing to the plush couch in his spacious living room. His voice was sharp, but his eyes softened for a moment as they flicked to your shivering form.

You sat without a word, clutching his blazer tightly around you. Jimin disappeared into hallway, still muttering under his breath. As you sneezed again, you couldn’t help but laugh softly at the ridiculousness of it all, even if he was plotting your demise in the next room.

He came back, dressed in a plain sweatshirt and gray sweatpants, his hair sticking up in messy tufts, like he’d been running his hands through it. Barefoot and casual, he should’ve looked harmless, but instead, he looked annoyingly good. His sharp gaze locked on you as he walked closer, his lips pressed into a tight line, like he had something serious to say. Your throat dried up when he stopped right in front of you, the scent of his and something uniquely him filling the air between you. He leaned in, his face inches from yours, and just as his lips parted to speak—

You sneezed.

Right on his face.

“Women, seriously?” he muttered, his lips curling into a smirk as he wiped the back of his hand against his face.

You scowled, tugging his oversized blazer tighter around yourself. “What? I can’t help it!”

“You can’t help anything. The only thing you can help at is being mean and senseless.”

“Excuse me?” you snapped, leaning toward him, ready to unleash your fury—but another sneeze erupted before you could get the words out.

“Eww!” he exclaimed, jerking back like you’d just sprayed him with acid.

He pointed toward the hallway, his expression torn between disgust and resignation. “You, come with me. Before you drown my house with your sneezes.”

You rolled your eyes, trudging after him as he led you through the sleek, modern interior of his house.

“I didn’t ask you to bring me here,” you grumbled, your damp hair sticking to your neck. “You could’ve just dropped me off at my place.”

He turned his head slightly, his brow furrowing in exasperation. “Did you see how hard it was raining? You wanted me to take you home and then drive back through that storm? I could’ve gotten stuck—or worse. You should be grateful!”

You glared at his back, muttering under your breath, “Grateful, my ass.”

Jimin stopped in front of a door and pushed it open, revealing a spacious, minimalist bedroom. He disappeared into the walk-in closet without a word, emerging moments later with a hoodie and a pair of sweatpants.

“Here,” he said, shoving the clothes into your arms. “Change into this.” His voice softened, just for a second, before he added, “Bathroom’s on the right. Don’t take forever.”

You raised a brow as he turned and left without waiting for a response. Rude.

But as you glanced around his room—simple yet elegant with muted tones and clean lines—you couldn’t deny the faint flutter in your chest. It was surreal, standing here, surrounded by the essence of him. Once upon a time, when you’d first started working at the company, you’d harboured the most ridiculous crush on him. Obsessive, even. But you’d gotten over it. Or at least you thought you had.

Quickly peeling off your wet clothes, you slipped into the hoodie and sweatpants. They were far too big, the sleeves swallowing your hands, but they were warm and soft. And they smelled… like him. Clean, woodsy, with the faintest hint of something sharp and intoxicating. You hated how comforting it felt.

Or maybe you didn’t.

When you returned to the living room, he was sprawled on the couch, one arm draped over the backrest. His eyes flicked to you, scanning you briefly before he gestured toward the coffee table. “Soup,” he said simply.

Your gaze shifted to the large bowl sitting on the table, steam rising from the golden liquid. Your heart softened a fraction as you sat beside him, the warmth of the soup drawing you in. Without a second thought, you grabbed the bowl and scooped up a spoonful.

The second it touched your tongue, the heat seared your mouth, and you yelped, dropping the spoon back into the bowl. Jimin’s eyes widened, as he shot forward. “What the hell?!” he exclaimed, snatching the bowl out of your hands and placing it back on the table.

Before you could respond, he was in front of you, crouching slightly, his face a mixture of panic and concern. leaning closer. He started fanning your mouth with his hand, his brows furrowed as he muttered under his breath. Then, without warning, he leaned in further and blew.

The cool air hit your lips, and your breath hitched. His face was inches from yours now, his dark eyes focused intently on your mouth. You froze, acutely aware of the way his hand hovered just beneath your chin, steadying you. The moment stretched, the air between you thick with unspoken tension. His gaze flicked to yours, and for a heartbeat, neither of you moved. His lips parted slightly, his breath warm against your cheek.

“Are you blind? C-Can’t you see it’s hot?” he scolded, his voice breaking slightly as he cleared his throat and shifted awkwardly on the couch. His eyes darted away from yours, and for a fleeting moment, you caught the faintest hint of colour creeping up his neck.

You nodded, the sting of embarrassment silencing any snarky retort. Any other day, you’d have torn into him for bossing you around, but now? You couldn’t even muster a glare. Instead, you pressed your palms to your cheeks, only to realize they were burning.

What the hell was wrong with you?

Your mind raced as you sat frozen in place. You’re over him. You’re over him, you chanted silently, willing the blush to disappear. But deep down, you knew the truth—your heart was still as stupid as ever.

And then, just as you thought you could gather yourself, you sneezed again.

His head whipped toward you, eyes narrowing slightly. You braced for the scolding that was surely coming, shoulders tensing as you sucked in a breath.

But instead, he shifted closer.

Your breath hitched.

His gaze softened, his brows knitting together with concern as he leaned in. “Are you really sick?” he asked, his voice quieter this time, almost gentle.

Before you could answer, his hand moved toward your face. You froze as his fingertips brushed your forehead, testing your temperature. His touch was warm—too warm—and your heart thudded violently in your chest.

He frowned, his hand lingering for a moment longer before sliding down to the side of your neck, his thumb grazing your jaw.

That was it. You were doomed.

Your pulse quickened beneath his touch, and you swore he could feel it. His brows furrowed deeper, his expression shifting from mild concern to genuine worry. “You’re turning red,” he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. His thumb moved slightly, tracing an invisible line along your skin. “Do… Do I need to call a doctor?”

The tenderness in his tone almost shattered you. Why did he have to be like this? Why now?

You shook your head quickly, snapping out of your daze and leaning back, desperate to put some distance between you. “No,” you managed to croak, your voice embarrassingly hoarse.

He blinked, his hand falling back to his side as he sat upright. “Oh,” he said, his tone clipped. His shoulders stiffened as if he suddenly realized how close he’d been.

You caught his slight grimace as he scooted away, the small gap between you growing wider.

Your chest tightened, and before you knew it, you were pouting.

His gaze flicked to you, one brow arching in confusion. “What?” he asked, his voice tinged with suspicion.

You shook your head quickly, too flustered to explain.

“Seriously, what’s wrong now?” he pressed, his brows drawing together again.

But you just shook your head once more, biting your lip to keep from saying something stupid—like how much you’d missed this, how much you wished he’d never pulled away.

And yet, even as he leaned back into his corner of the couch, his gaze lingered on you for a second longer than necessary, his expression unreadable. And that tiny, almost imperceptible pause was enough to make your heart ache with hope.

“You hungry?” he asked, his voice low and casual as he glanced over at you.

“No,” you said quickly, your tone sharper than intended.

His lips quirked up, clearly not believing you. “You sure? I can cook,” he offered, his brows lifting in that way that made his face unbearably soft, like he was trying to coax the truth out of you.

You shook your head firmly. “I’m sure,” you mumbled, shifting your gaze back to the soup in your hands. You’d already eaten, and you knew he had too.

A comfortable silence fell between you. He leaned back on the couch, his head resting against the cushions, eyes fluttering closed. His chest rose and fell evenly, and for the first time since you’d met him, he looked utterly at peace.

And absolutely stunning.

You tried not to stare, but your eyes betrayed you, taking in every detail. The way his jawline looked sharper under the dim light, the soft curve of his lashes resting against his cheeks, and his lips—God, his lips—full and slightly parted, as if he was moments away from whispering something that would undo you.

Your gaze trailed down to his clothes, his sweatshirt slightly rumpled but hugging his shoulders perfectly. His loose, comfy sweatpants sat just right on his hips, and even in such an unassuming outfit, he looked... ethereal.

It wasn’t fair. How could someone look like that just sitting there?

You pulled your eyes away, forcing yourself to look out the glass wall instead. The rain pounded relentlessly against it, streaks of water catching the faint glow of the city lights outside. The storm showed no signs of stopping, and you couldn’t help but regret staying late at the office.

I could’ve finished it all tomorrow, you thought bitterly, tightening your grip on the warm bowl in your hands. Your eyes drifted back to him, unable to help yourself. The question burned at the back of your mind: why had he stayed late? You knew he often worked late, but on busy nights like this, he typically stayed at the office rather than going home. Tonight, though, he’d changed that.

You frowned slightly. What was different this time?

You didn’t know—and couldn’t have known—that the difference was you.

He had seen the storm warning on the news and had sent everyone home early, but you had stayed behind, stubbornly working. He had been about to leave, but seeing you there, so focused, so unaware of the weather worsening, had stopped him in his tracks. Jimin was nothing if not professional, but he had always harboured an unspoken interest in you—a quiet, persistent fondness he never let show.

And now, here you both were.

The silence stretched on, the sound of the rain filling the space between you. You weren’t sure how much time had passed, but when you finally opened your mouth to speak, the words were out before you could stop them. And you almost regretted it. Almost.

"Do you have a girlfriend?" The question slipped out before you could stop yourself, your eyes widening in surprise at your own words.

Jimin’s eyes flicked open, locking with yours instantly. There was a quiet amusement in his gaze, and his lips tugged up into that soft, teasing smile that made your heart do something you tried to ignore. He didn’t speak right away, just studied you as if he could read everything you weren’t saying.

“No,” he replied, his voice quiet and surprisingly soft. “Why do you ask?”

You swallowed, suddenly feeling silly, and looked everywhere but at him—out the window, at your hands, the bowl of soup on the table. Anywhere but him.

He leaned back into the couch, clearly amused, a playful edge to his tone. “Why are you behaving like this?” His smile was still there, small but knowing.

“Like what?” you blurted out, but even as the words left your mouth, you knew it was a bit of a dumb question.

“I don’t know. You tell me.” He raised an eyebrow, watching you like you were a puzzle he was determined to figure out.

You stared at him, blinking a few times like he’d just sprouted another head, making his laughter bubble up, soft but genuine.

“Why are you staring at me like that?” he teased.

“Because you’re talking weird,” you said, voice a bit sharper than you intended, but your words faltered under his gaze.

He chuckled again, the sound warm and disarming, sending a flutter through your chest. “You’re behaving weird,” he countered.

You let out a frustrated huff and turned away from him, crossing your arms tightly over your chest, hoping the action would somehow shield you from whatever was happening between the two of you.

He chuckled again, and it was like a spark igniting inside you, frustrating and electrifying all at once. You glared at him, but even that seemed pointless when he was looking at you like that—like he could read the thoughts swirling in your head.

The silence that fell was oddly peaceful, but it didn’t sit well with you. You always needed something more. Chaos, noise, anything but stillness. Fidgeting in your seat, you couldn’t stand it anymore. You broke the silence, your voice sounding louder than you intended.

“Mr. Park—”

He cut you off with a soft smile, sitting up slightly. “You can call me Jimin,” he said, the words coming out like an invitation, a subtle challenge in his eyes.

You raised an eyebrow, hesitant. You glanced away quickly, feeling the heat creep up your neck as you crossed your arms defensively. “Are you sure?”

His gaze didn’t waver, locking onto yours with an intensity that made you feel suddenly exposed, vulnerable in a way you couldn’t explain. “Why do you look so unsure?” he asked, his voice gentle but with a teasing edge.

You stiffened, trying to find something—anything—to say. “You were perfectly okay threatening me and cursing at me. What happened now?”

His face twisted into a playful look of disbelief. “When did I—”

You were about to cut him off, but the teasing glint in his eyes silenced you.

“Huh?” His head tilted, and his smile grew, mischievous and daring.

“Okay! But I don’t mean any of it,” you blurted out, the words tumbling over each other as you sat up straighter, hoping it would make you look less flustered.

“Of course you don’t,” he said, his laugh escaping just beneath his words. The playful glint in his eyes only deepened as he relaxed back into the couch, arms spread wide like he was claiming the space between you. A soft smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, and you couldn’t help but feel that same pull in your chest, though you tried to ignore it.

You crossed your arms tighter over your chest, trying to regain some control over yourself. “You really think you’re so charming, don’t you?”

He leaned in slightly, his smile widening, and your stomach fluttered despite your best attempts to stay unaffected.

“I don’t just think... I know.” His voice was full of that confidence that made your heart race, that impossible assurance that had you questioning everything.

You rolled your eyes, but even you knew it was more for show than anything. Your lips wanted to curl up, but you kept them pressed tight, the heat in your cheeks betraying the hard facade you tried to maintain.

“Yeah, right. Your just full of yourself,” you shot back, trying to sound unaffected, but the playful tone that slipped into your voice gave you away.

“Maybe,” he said with a shrug, his grin widening. “But I’ve got goods to back it up. Just look at how you're blushing.”

Your cheeks burned at his words, and you immediately shifted in your seat, trying to hide the heat spreading across your face. Your heart was racing now, and you could barely keep your breath steady.

“Am not!” you protested, but it came out weak, a poor defence against the blush that was clearly visible.

He raised an eyebrow, clearly amused, before standing up. “Sure, let’s go.”

Confused, you followed him, your feet moving almost mechanically. You barely registered his words at first, still caught in the strange feeling his teasing had left in your chest. “It’s getting late. We should go to bed.”

Something about the way he said "we" made your stomach twist, or was it flutter? You weren’t sure. All you could hear now was the odd ringing in your ears, a soft buzz that drowned out everything else.

“We?” The word slipped from your mouth before you could stop it, confusion knitting your brows together as you watched him.

He gave you a small, almost reassuring smile as he stepped into his bedroom, holding the door open for you. His eyes never left you as he waited, his gaze warm, not at all like you had imagined it would be.

You stepped in hesitantly, your heart pounding with every step you took closer to him. Your mind was swirling, but you couldn’t place what was happening. You trusted him, you did, but something about this moment felt different—felt new.

“What happened?” he asked softly, his hands reaching out to gently pull you toward him, his touch grounding you in a way that made everything else fade into the background.

You blinked, confused. “Huh?”

His eyes searched your face with concern, his brows furrowing as his fingers grazed your cheek. “You’re so... pale.”

“Am I?” you whispered, suddenly aware of how unsteady you felt.

He didn’t seem satisfied with the answer. His touch moved from your face to your forehead, gently pressing as though checking for something. His fingers trailed down to your neck, the soft touch sending shivers down your spine.

You felt lightheaded, almost as if his hand was the only thing keeping you grounded. Your knees wobbled, your breath catching in your throat as your vision blurred.

“What happened to you?” His voice was barely a whisper now, a trace of worry creeping in that made your heart thud painfully in your chest.

The softness in his tone made your legs feel even weaker, like they could give out at any moment. Your body trembled slightly under his touch, your mind too foggy to make sense of anything.

Before you could even respond, he scooped you up effortlessly, his strength surprising you. He laid you down gently on the bed, the sudden movement making everything feel even more surreal.

You felt lighter than you ever had, almost weightless, like you could just float away. But your head—your head felt impossibly heavy, as if you couldn’t hold it up anymore. The dizziness washed over you in waves, your senses fading. You barely registered the way his face hovered above you, worry etched deep in his expression as he watched you. His hand was still on your forehead, his touch warm against your cool skin.

You barely registered the way his face hovered above you, worry etched deep in his expression as he watched you. His hand was still on your forehead, his touch warm against your cool skin.

“God, what... hap-happened?” he murmured again, but you couldn’t find the strength to answer. Your vision blurred even further, the world around you spinning uncontrollably. You felt yourself slip away, your body growing heavier.

And then, without warning, everything went black.

You blinked your eyes open, still disoriented, only to find Jimin staring down at you. His face was inches away, concern etched across his features. His hand was gently placed on your arm, and his eyes were wide, scanning your face for any sign of distress. The dim light in the room made the worried expression on his face all the more intense.

"You okay?" His voice was soft, almost hesitant, as he helped you sit up, his hand guiding you gently. He reached for the glass of water from the bedside table, offering it to you with a quiet determination. Without thinking, you drank it in one go, the cool liquid helping to clear the fog in your mind. You nodded weakly, still feeling lightheaded, but trying to reassure him.

"You fainted," he said, his voice unsteady as he watched you closely, his brows furrowed in disbelief. You nodded again, still not fully processing what had just happened.

He looked at you, his eyes wide with surprise, lips parted in a mixture of concern and confusion. His expression was so pure, so real, it made something twist in your chest. You couldn’t help but chuckle, though it was soft, a little breathless.

"I’m fine, Jimin," you reassured him, the words coming out far less convincing than you hoped.

"No, you're not," he said firmly, his voice almost pleading, his tone so filled with worry it made your heart clench. "You fainted. Let’s go to doctor."

"I’m fine," you repeated, though the words felt weak. His eyes never left yours, searching for any sign that you were telling the truth. His hand reached up, rubbing his face in frustration, his worry only growing.

"And I’m worried," he said, the words hanging heavy in the air between you. His gaze softened, and you could see it in his eyes—the deep concern, the care that he couldn’t hide.

You felt a strange warmth spread through your chest, something raw and unspoken. But you also didn’t want him to act like this, not with you. Not now, not after everything.

“Why?” Your voice came out softer than you intended, almost a whisper, and you couldn’t look him in the eyes. It was the question you’d been asking yourself for so long, and now it slipped out before you could stop it. Your heart raced, your chest tightening as you waited for him to answer.

For a moment, he was silent. His eyes flickered with something unreadable, his gaze softening, and you could feel the tension between you grow thicker, thicker still. Then, as if to break the tension, he slowly reached up and tucked a strand of hair behind your ear, his touch so gentle it sent a shiver down your spine. His hand lingered, resting on your skin, as if he wasn’t ready to pull away.

“Sleep,” he murmured, the word leaving his lips like a tender command. But the last thing you wanted to do was sleep. The night was still young, the rain pouring outside, the sound of it filling the room. The cold breeze from the open window brushed against your skin, but it was nothing compared to the warmth in your chest.

“I’ll sleep on the couch in the living room,” he said, as if it was the most natural thing to do. You stared at him, confused, unsure why he was saying that. You hadn’t asked him to, hadn’t even thought of it.

“Why?” you asked, your voice cracking just slightly.

“Because you’re sleeping on my bed,” he said, his voice firm but kind, as if it was obvious. He made you lie back down, covering you with the duvet, the soft fabric comforting against your skin. As he stepped back, you couldn’t stop the aching feeling in your chest, that unbearable pull that made your heart beat faster.

He moved toward the door, slow and deliberate, like he didn’t want to leave but had to. Every step he took felt like an eternity, and you wanted to call out to him, tell him to stop. But you couldn’t. You didn’t have the words.

When he reached the door, he paused and turned around to face you. His gaze softened, and he smiled—a small, almost shy smile, but one that made your chest ache. "Sleep tight, love. We have something important to talk about tomorrow." And with that, he closed the door softly behind him.

You lay there in the quiet room, your heart still racing, your mind spinning. You stared at the door, your thoughts scattered, your breath shaky. Did he just…? Did he just call you love?

The word echoed in your head, a faint warmth spreading through your veins. It was too much, and yet, you couldn’t stop the flutter in your chest. The night had shifted, everything had shifted, but you didn’t know what it meant. You didn’t know what tomorrow would bring, but for the first time in a long while, you felt a flicker of hope.

And as the rain continued to pour outside, the sound somehow soothing your frayed nerves, you let your eyes flutter shut, your heart still thumping, your thoughts tangled in him.

I don’t know if you liked it or not, but please, leave some feedback. Like, tell me how much you loved it or absolutely hated it. I’m all ears... honestly, I’m mostly just here for the drama either way.

[redsrooftopprincess]

Sunglasses

Mid-Teen Turtles, Bro fic

Warnings: Autistic Character, Emotional Overwhelm, Guns, Eyes

Headcanons: Autistic Donnie, Donnie and Raph are twins (You can thank @the-cauldron-witch for this one. She said it and now it's forever in my brain)

"Just give them to me!"

"No! Hell no! I found em!"

"I know you f-" Donatello sighs, removes his glasses, and rubs his eyes, losing patience with his twin. "I know you found them, I just want to modify them a little."

It's not like he doesn't get it. The sunglasses are a big deal. But with Raph deciding he's going to be the one to punch first and not really bother with questions, his eyes need more protection than anyone's. Even outside of combat. More than once, he's found himself on the wrong end of some scared human's can of mace.

"Raph, they're plastic, if they shatter, that plastic is going in your eyes." Donnie insists.

"And if you're the one that shatters em, ain't gonna be no 'if' about it. No Donnie. I'll take my chances." Raphael storms off to his room, taking the glasses with him.

Three hours later, while his brother is sleeping, Don takes them anyway.

It's an act of sacrilege in this home, to take something like this. Something important. Practical and that fits them perfectly. He understands what this means. They don't have much, to put it very gently, so what little they have, what little they can find, and scavenge, and build themselves, is sacred.

But he hates it. Every time Raph throws himself into the meat grinder. Raph's eyesight is decent, and Donnie has a vested interest in making sure it stays that way. They've had so many talks about defensive equipment for his eyes that just end in Raph storming off. But he keeps trying. He has to.

The last attempt, involved trying to convince Raphael to let him build him goggles, but even for someone with a total of three other creatures on the planet to compare himself to, Raphael is vain. They all are, in a way, about certain things. Donnie gets it. They have no control over the fact that they aren't human, so what they *can* control about their bodies is important.

They had found them last night, attached to a discarded sporting goods mascot. They were scuffed and had a crack in them, but holy shit they fit! A pair of glasses that fits that Raphael is willing to wear. Donnie was excited! Finally!

He works through the day, and as expected, Donatello is informed the moment his brother wakes up by way of his name thundering through the lair in a rage. The glasses are not on the nightstand where Raph had left them.

Don winces, thankful to whatever power ensured he finished the project by nightfall, and tenses as he hears his brother storming towards the lab. If Raph had woken up half an hour before, he would have come in to see them in pieces, and would have *properly* freaked out. At least Donnie has a chance of talking him down now that they're finished and functional.

Don takes a deep breath and stands, preparing for the onslaught. When his brother comes into the room, his open hands are up in a placating gesture, "Okay, I know what you're gonna say and-"

"What the fuck Donnie?" He roars, backing his brother into one of the steel tables in the lab. "Where the fuck are they?"

"I promise, they're fine, I just wanted to-"

A soft, familiar sound rings through the air like a gunshot, freezing both of them, as their father clears his throat. He waits patiently for an explanation.

"I found some glasses yesterday, Dad. Ones that actually fit, and he took em for some fu-" Raphael chokes on the almost swear when his father raises an eyebrow, and clears his throat before continuing, "some science experiment."

Their father narrows his eyes at Donatello, who has the good sense to look ashamed. "Dad, if Raph is gonna be wearing them out on the street, I don't want them to break and hurt his eyes. I just wanted to make them stronger. That's all." He says, resisting the urge to shoot an annoyed look at his thick headed brother.

"Did you ask your brother if he would allow this?"

"Yes, Father."

"Did he offer them to you?"

Don hesitates and his father waits, "Well... No... but-"

"I told him no. I specifically told him no," Raphael cuts in. Splinter shoots him a look and he shuts up.

"But I just wanted them to actually protect his eyes! They were a time bomb! If he got hit in the face, he was gonna go blind!"

"Were?! Where the fuck are they, Donnie?" He demands, not even registering the swear word. He looks around and spots them on the work bench. Walking over, he snatches them up.

They look... exactly the same. Only they're heavier.

"I gave them a steel core and shatter proofed the lenses," Donnie snaps, only a little bitterness coming through, "you're welcome."

Raphael wants to be grateful, he really does. They're fine. Better than fine. In addition to the practical changes, his brother had gone so far as to buff out some of the scratches and they looked almost new. But the adrenaline from potentially losing something precious is still coursing through his veins and he's still angry at the violation. He doesn't look up.

"Was there a chance, Donatello," their father asks after a moment, "that in an effort to improve these glasses, you could have broken them beyond repair?"

"Well, I mean, there's always a chance of that happening," he admits, "...but I was careful!" he almost whines.

"Then you will spend the next hour in the hashi while you think of a way to apologize to your brother," Splinter looks at Raphael, "is this acceptable to you?"

Raph glares at him, silent, and nods.

They avoid the topic of the glasses altogether over the next week. Tempers wane, and Donnie serves his punishment, spending 20 hours of his lab time helping Raph with the Motorcycle he's been trying to build. The incident isn't mentioned again.

It's Wednesday night and they're downtown shutting down a gang fight. Pretty normal for this part of town. They thought they'd disarmed all of them first thing, standard protocol. They must have missed one.

The shot rings out, and Raph goes down, hands over his eyes.

Donnie takes out the last three, including the shooter, and sprints to his brother's side. Removing Raphael's hands from his face, they find the bullet stuck in one of the lenses. The glass is broken, but the shatterproof coating kept the shards together and out of Raph's eye.

They look up at each other, shocked at the close call, and Donnie tries *really* hard not to look smug. They make their way home soon after.

After showering and getting ready to sleep for the day, Raph wanders down to the lab.

"Hey, can I talk to you?"

Donnie looks up from the graphics card he's repairing and turns around in his chair. He nods.

"Sorry I gave you such a hard time about... you know. I know you were just trying to help."

"Dude, no," Donnie says, "You and Dad were right, what I did wasn't okay. It's just..." He sighs, "You're always the first one in, you know, and- I mean, you're right in the middle of everything... If you suddenly can't see... It's just, not being able to see sucks..." Donnie tries really hard to fight the overwhelm. Tapping the desk to keep himself grounded. This is important, damn it. If he loses it, this conversation is going nowhere

He's tried, he's tried before, but the thought of losing his twin terrifies him. His brother is reckless, and it's Donnie's job to make sure that doesn't get him killed.

He clenches his fists, his voice shutting down. Fuck. His jaw tightens and tears of worry and frustration prickle behind pleading eyes that meet Raphael's. He hopes his brother understands. He usually does. Emotions are hard for Donnie, expressing them, doubley so.

"Okay, how 'bout this," Raph offers, letting him off the hook. He tosses Donnie one of the small, metal brain teaser puzzles on his desk, "I'll agree to hear you out when it comes to my shit, as long as you don't just take it to play with. Deal?"

"Cool. Now," Raph says, pulling the glasses out of his pocket. He'd left the bullet in. It looked cool. "There something we can do about this?"

Don nods emphatically, eyes on the puzzle.

Donnie looks up as the metal rings fall apart in his hands and nods, smiling, "I have a few ideas..."

....

Tag list

@thelaundrybitch @the-cauldron-witch @fyreball66 @ninnosaurus @tmntngl @thegirlwiththeninjaturtletattoos @zagreustomb @ramielll @silverwatergalaxy @gornackeaterofworlds @daedric-sorceress @sophiacloud28 @iridescentflamingo @milykins

[imabeautifulbutterfly]

Congrats on the followers, Mimi! You deserve every single one for being such a sweetheart and a great storyteller! 🧡

Time to spin the wheel for Echo... Looks like it's landed on 21 and 34! 😀

Hello love @eclec-tech

Thank you for spinning the wheel.

I hope you enjoy this Echo fic, I wrote with a F!reader. Love oo.

Misunderstanding

Warnings: Anxiety, not understanding feelings, pushing someone away, confrontation, confessions of feelings (somewhat), clueless Echo, I think that's it. Let me know if I missing any.

Main Master List   |  Star Wars Fic Roulette

Echo laid against his bunk as his mind drifted back to the briefing they had; they were going to be leaving for the Citadel in a day and a half. It bothered him that you’d be coming. Not that he didn’t think you could handle yourself. He’d seen you plenty of times on the battlefield able to handle some pretty narrow escapes. No, what bothered him was the high chance of either of you dying and you still thinking he hated you. 

He’s not even sure when that notion first popped into your head, if it was something he said or did; or maybe a rumour you heard? 

Fives always told him that he was being too critical of you, could that be what made you think he didn’t like you? He rubbed his forehead as he let out another sigh. 

“UGH! Just go talk to her already,” Fives leaned over his bunk and berated Echo, “if you keep sighing like that you’ll have to deal with me, and my irritation.”

“It’s not like I don’t want to talk to her…”

“Then what’s the problem. Walk up to her and say, ‘Baby, I don’t hate you. I love you.’ Then pull her into a tight hug and kiss her. End of discussion, moving onwards.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, I don’t love her.”

“Right, and I’m not the best looking vod in the GAR.” Fives rolled his eyes, focusing back on his brother and narrowing his eyes at him, “Either go talk to her now or I’ll make sure it take forever for you to fall asleep and stay that way.”

Echo closed his eyes and let out another sigh, “Okay, okay. I’ll go.” He stood from his bunk and stepped out into the hallway only to feel the cool breeze against his legs. He looked down shaking his head, walking back in to put on some pants over his boxers. Now that he was somewhat decent, he headed back out and made it to your room. 

He took a breath and knocked on the door. The moment you opened it, you stole his breath away. You were in a long sleeve shirt and shorts, somehow with the messy hair you had an almost ethereal look, like you were floating in zero gravity. He shook his head, “Um, sorry to disturb you.”

“What do you want, Echo? It’s late and we have to get up early to train for the mission.”

“I couldn’t stop thinking about you.”

You looked taken aback by that statement, your head even shifted further away from him, “Excuse me?”

“What I mean is…” he let out a sigh rubbing his forehead, Maker! Why was it always so difficult to talk to you? “Could I come in?” He looked at you with pleading eyes.

“I don’t …” your voice trailed off as you looked at him.

As you took in his expression, you couldn’t help wonder why he was at your door. You simply nodded and moved out of his way, as he walked in keeping his hands behind his back. He turned to look at you, trying to ignore how cozy and comfortable your quarters felt compared to the barracks he had been used to living in. 

“You know, for being someone you hate, I’m sure on your mind a lot.” 

You stated, annoyed that your sleep was being stolen away by Echo. After all, it had been no secret to you, how Echo disliked you. He always avoided talking to you or being around you. The times he did talk, it was less of a conversation and more of blunted statements thrown at you, like he couldn’t wait to get away from you. You never knew exactly what it was you did to cause him to dislike you so vehemently, and frankly you learned to deal with it, because regardless of how he felt about you, you respected and admired him. He was good at his job, and if he wasn’t so prickly, you could’ve even imagined you two being friends. 

At least according to Fives, he believed you two could be the best of friends, as he felt compelled to tell you over and over again. 

Echo let out a sigh as he rubbed his forehead again, “That’s actually why I came to talk to you.”

“Because I’m on your mind a lot?” You asked confused.

“No … yes … well, somewhat. What I mean is…” he cleared his throat, “I … I haven’t exactly been the nicest to you, and I know I’ve been pushing your buttons and your patience.” He stood a little taller, he was proud he’d been able to say this much. “I guess what I’m trying to say is sorry. I wanted to clear the air before we headed to the Citadel. General Skywalker was pretty adamant about how dangerous this mission could be, and I don’t want to go in knowing there’s issues between us.”

You rubbed your eyes as you slowly moved your hands through your hair, “Why do you dislike me?”

“Well, it’s not that I dislike you… really. It’s just …” he let out a sigh as he rubbed the back of his neck, “I just don’t know how to act around you. Every time I’m near you, my heart feels like it’s going to jump out of my chest, my stomach feels queasy and nervous, like I’m about to enter a battle. My hands feel like there’s ice running through them, and I can’t help but pay attention to everything you do. It’s overwhelming.”

You tried to fight the smile that wanted to fight through, “I see. Then maybe we should get to know each other better.”

Echo looked shocked, “Are you sure that’s wise? I mean after what I put you through?”

“Echo, are you sorry about that?”

“Of course.”

“Do you want us to be friends?”

His cheeks tinted, “Yes”

“Then, I don’t care. I’m not leaving you to wallow, especially since as you said you find it overwhelming to be around me, the best thing to do then is to spend more time with me. Wouldn’t you agree?”

He nodded smiling, “I guess you have a point.”

“I do. Now seeing as I’m more awake feel like joining me in the caf for a late night caf or tea?”

“Sure, I’d like that.”

Main Master List   |  Star Wars Fic Roulette

Tag list:

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[sunshineting]

Donquixote Doflamingo x f!reader

word count- 2.6k

summary- Doffy hears you talking shit and offers you a solution to keep your job 🤍

minors do not interact pls THIS IS SMUT 

author’s note- this took me forever to finish haha hope ya like it :)

“Fuck my stupid boss. Fuck this job. And fuck this giant ass mansion! Ughh!”

You have a love-hate relationship with your job. You love how much it pays you and hate everything else. You were hired as a… well you didn’t exactly have a name for it, but housekeeper/ assistant was the closest you could think of. Dishes, laundry, tidying, and general upkeep were the main components of your job. Occasionally, you were tasked with personally aiding the young master in setting up appointments and picking up dry cleaning. It wasn’t just you, thankfully, there was a small team you worked with to achieve all the household tasks. You were, however, the only one the young master seemed to torment the most. He treated you like his personal puppy, as if you worked only for him and not the whole house. Of course, Donquixote Doflamingo is your official employer, but taking care of the whole house is in your job description.

Stupid, handsome, arrogant Doflamingo. Just thinking of him brings a scowl to your face.

“Do My LaUnDrY, wAsH mY bEd LiNeN, cAnCeL tHiS aPpOiNtMeNt” you mock him with an exaggeratedly deep dumb voice. “As if there’s not a million other people that live here, too.”

The young master always wanted your attention first. He always makes sure you wash his clothes first, make his bed first, make that one snack from your culture just for him. Before you’d even had a chance to eat this morning, you were already reminded of the plethora of things you had to do today. Doffy was “nice” enough to leave a sticky note of everything you were to do for him, so you wouldn’t forget. You don’t even know what the guy does all day, but you do know that he has a lot of fucking requests.

“Y’know, that impression of me wasn’t half bad,” your boss says with an ominous chuckle. A chill runs down your spine. You straighten yourself up and turn around. You were in his room, finishing his laundry with your back facing the door.

“M-Mister Donquixote, hello, how are you?” You greet, trying (and failing) to be normal.

“Oh, I’m Mister Donquixote now? A moment ago I was your stupid boss. And something about fucking me?” He takes a domineering step toward you. You try your best to avoid looking up at him and avoid eye contact. Well, sunglass contact, in his case. Something about those winged, reflective sunglasses of his intimidated you. It’s like you were forced to look at yourself. He’s so tall, he towers over most people, so combining that with his overbearing personality made you feel so incredibly small.

“I’m so so sorry, sir. My words are inexcusable and I’ll accept any disciplinary action you see fit,” you rush out. Even though the work itself kinda sucked, you really had a good set up. You lived on the estate, got paid a bunch, and even got decent vacation time. You definitely couldn’t afford to lose this job.

“Any disciplinary action? So if I told you to get on your knees and follow me like a puppy, you’d do it?”

Your brain short circuits for a moment. What did he say? Get on your knees and what? You’d thought of being on your knees for the man, but not like this. It’d be a lie if you said he wasn’t attractive, but you’d imagined hate fucking him; not whatever this is.

“I-um I’m sorry, I don’t think I understand, sir.”

“You heard me. If I ask you to get on the floor on your hands and knees… will you obey? It’s more of a rhetorical question, of course, because I know you will. I know you’ll do anything to keep this job,” Doflamingo smirks. You don’t know where to look, so you settle your eyes on the floor as you bend down into a kneeling position. Your eyes eventually trail up. On your knees with your legs tucked under you, Doflamingo looks even more gigantic than usual. The sound of laughter fills your ears. Your boss’ lips are stretched into an open-mouthed smile as he cackles.

“Maybe you’re dumber than I gave you credit for. Use that little brain; you do have one right? I didn’t tell you to kneel, I asked you a question,” he sneers. Feeling stupid, tears prickle your eyes. Your mouth forms a pout as you try to stand. However, a hand on your head keeps you from doing so.

“Aht aht, I didn’t say stand up. Turn that pathetic frown upside down, little girl. I’m about to give you the chance to redeem yourself.”

This is so embarrassing. The bastard blond has you following him around the mansion like a puppy. Your task is to crawl next to him on your hands and knees until he orders you not to.

“Uhahahahaha! I see you’re having some fun today, Doffy.” A grimace displays on your features. This is one of the last people you want to see right now.

“Diamante! You know I had to train my little pet here,” your boss guffaws. You roll your eyes.

“Speak, bitch,” Doflamingo commands.

“Hello Mr Diamante,” you grit out. You resist the urge to bite them both on the ankles. Next, Doffy walks you back to his room. Oh thank God, this is almost over. Your knees and hands are sore and all you want is your dignity back.

“Strip.”

“Alright, you’ve had your–” you start to protest. Doflamingo grabs your face in one hand, squishing your cheeks together. His unexpected contact sends a slight throb to your core.

“You do what I say when I say it. Understood?” He bites. The faintest whimper escapes your throat. You didn’t even want to admit it to yourself, but him touching you like this was turning you on.

“Oh? No, don’t tell me,” he chuckles, “are you getting horny right now?” Wetness pools in between your legs.

“D-Doffy please…” The humiliation is too much, your cunt is throbbing and weeping for attention. You’d never thought of it before, but having someone be so in control of you was kinda hot. You don’t have to think for yourself; all you have to do is be pretty and follow instructions.

“Mmmm I knew there was a reason I liked you,” his hand trails down to your neck, “Stand.” With his huge hand gripping almost your whole neck, you manage to pull yourself up off your knees.

Doflamingo continues, “No matter how much work I give you, you always complete it to perfection. I do ask more of you than the other workers here, but it’s because you’re reliable and I like that. There’s very few people in this world that I trust and you’re becoming one of them. I’ll let you keep your job and you just have to trust me and trust that I’ll give you the best time of your life.”

He applies slight pressure to your neck and a faint smile graces your lips. “Thank you, Doflamingo,” you breathe out. He commands you to strip again and you obey, leaving yourself only in a matching black bra and panty set. Your boss removes his signature pink fluffy coat and unbuttons his shirt, revealing his sculpted abs. His skin is so smooth, nary a blemish to be seen. On your knees yet again, your mouth begins to water as you hungrily go to undo his pants next. You hear a chuckle, “Quite the eager one.”

When you at last free him from the constraints of his pants, you’re in awe. The biggest, angriest looking cock you’d ever seen stood before you. The thing is massive; probably ten inches long and incredibly thick. It’s about two shades darker than the rest of him, with a pink tip. The vein that appears on his forehead when he’s mad doesn’t even hold a candle to the thick veins running along his shaft. You feel the salivation pooling in your mouth; you need him in your throat immediately.

“Can I suck it, sir?”

“Go ahead.”

You take him in your hand, fingers barely able to wrap fully around. Kissing his tip, you stroke him. You lick swirls around the head and make your way down his shaft. Doflamingo sucks in a hiss. Your lips are stretched open as far as they can go as you maintain suction. He feels so good in your hot mouth. The head you’re giving him is so sloppy, so wet all because you’re so eager to please him. Doffy weaves a hand through your hair and pulls you back. You gasp for air, having forgotten to breathe in your desperation.

“Keep sucking me like that, and I might give you a raise,” he smirks. He pushes your head back down on his cock. As you bob your head, you pump him with one hand and massage his heavy balls with the other. A groan escapes your boss’ throat and it gives you all the encouragement you need to keep going. Yes, your jaw is tired. Yes, you’re holding your breath longer than you probably should. And yes, your pussy is absolutely dripping. But you persist. You want to make him cum so bad, you’re so needy for it. You also kinda want that raise. Sneakily, you try to squeeze your thighs together to relieve some of the ache coming from your cunt. However, nothing escapes the attentiveness of your boss.

“Needy like a bitch in heat. Did I tell you you could pleasure yourself?” The last thing you wanted now was to be denied any relief. With him still in your mouth, you look up to his glasses with pleading eyes. You look an absolute mess like this. Drool dripping down your chin, mouth full, and tears welling in your eyes. Doffy pulls you back from him once more.

“You know what? I’ll allow it. I want you to touch yourself while I watch,” he says. He pulls you onto his massive bed, the cushy mattress sucking you in. The bed linen is so soft and inviting, it takes nothing for you to get comfortable. On your back, you slowly spread your legs for him to see. Every cell in your body is alight. You take a deep breath to calm your nerves before stroking your slit through your panties. They were fucking soaked, you just couldn’t help it. You swirl a finger over your clothed clit and release a whimper. You wish it was Doffy’s long thick fingers instead of your own. As you pinch your nipple with your other hand, your back arches.

“Take them off.”

Eagerly, you remove your thin panties and bra. Just like that you’re completely exposed. You look towards the large blond man in front of you, his sunglasses reflecting your naked body. A wave of embarrassment floods you, so you close your eyes. With your eyes closed and head back, you run your ring and middle fingers from your hole to your clit. Your little cunny is dripping, weeping, begging for more. The two fingers enter your achy hole, but they don’t provide the stretch you desire. You want to be stretched out, filled, and used. With your digits now fully soaked, you bring them back to your puffy clit. You circle the nerve bundle over and over until you feel an orgasm rapidly approaching. Your muscles begin to tense, your back arches further, and your pussy tightens. Doflamingo can tell you’re close.

“Enough,” he speaks. You make the mistake of ignoring him while trying to chase your high. A rough hand grips your wrist, pulling it away from your cunt. Your eyes snap open.

“I said enough,” Doflamingo states.

“But I was so close,” you whine. He chuckles.

“You cum when I say you cum. Besides, I want you to finish from my doing, not your own.”

With that, he slides his middle finger into you. His fingers are so much bigger than yours, both in thickness and length. You suck in a breath.

“Absolutely soaked,” Doffy mutters to himself. He feels his cock jump, needing to feel your slick. He adds his ring finger and the two digits work in tandem to send you over the edge. Curling them, spreading them, jutting them deep inside you, he brings you closer and closer to your bliss. You’re trying to hold it together, but the whimpers and moans keep escaping you. You definitely didn’t want anyone passing his door to hear you. It was bad enough that the wet squelching sounds of your pussy filled the room. When Doffy brings his thumb to your clit is when all hope is lost. A loud mewl releases from you at the overstimulation. It’s all so much, you just want to cum.

“D-doffy, pleasepleaseplease lemme cum fuck ‘m right there please!” you plead.

“Give it to me,” the man grits out. His dick feels like it’s going to explode, he’s never been so achingly hard before. Watching your orgasm wash over you, Doffy feels precum leak from his tip. Your pussy sucks his fingers in, squeezing them tightly. Your legs tremble and all the muscles in your body release their tension at long last. The most guttural moan flows out of you. A stream of curses and thank yous comes from you as you come down from your high. Without missing a beat, the large man flips you over on your tummy. He needed to be inside you immediately. You feel the bulbous head press against your entrance. Not wasting any time, you push yourself onto him. The stretch he gives you is sinfully sweet. A tight groan seeps from Doflamingo’s throat. He knew you’d be tight, but not this much. He takes his time pushing into you further, wanting to savor the feeling of your squishy walls surrounding each inch of him until bottoming out.

“Fuck yourself on my cock. Make me cum. I know you can do it,” Doflamingo encourages. This was all you needed to start slapping your ass against him. He hits the deepest part of you, his tip kissing your cervix with every movement. The blond smacks your asscheek harshly. The sting sends goosebumps across your flesh. You glide yourself along his length, back and forth until you feel a second orgasm approach you. Doffy decides you aren’t moving fast enough for his liking, grasping your hips and pounding into you. His rough grip is bound to leave bruises, but it feels oh so heavenly. As your pussy flutters around him, Doffy feels himself approaching his orgasm. Your tight walls surround him, hot and inviting, he debates on pulling out.

Fuck it.

“I’m about to cum, you joining me or what?” he grunts out. At that, he spills his seed inside you, filling you to the brim and leaking out of you. The permission to cum added with the feeling of Doflamingo’s heavy load leaves you crumbling around him. Your muscles shake, your cunt has Doffy’s softening cock in a chokehold, almost squeezing him out. As you still tremble, he eases out of you gently and caresses your hips.

“Hey. You did good. Just uh, take it easy for a while,” your boss murmurs. You’re barely conscious at this point, so you don’t really register his words. Too worn out to move, you lay there on his oh so comfortable bed, dozing off to sleep.

“I hope you don’t think this was a one time thing, young lady. You’re part of the family now, I’m not letting you go.”

[theodorecanaryhood]

The coffee shop guy

Red Hood x Male! Reader (Arkhamverse)

Jason goes to a coffee shop after a long night of patrol, which is where he keeps running into a handsome stranger.

Seemed only yesterday that Jason was determined to get revenge on the big, bad Batman. Seemed only yesterday he failed miserably, regretting his choices and making a decision to help Bruce.

Jason hadn’t slept decently for a good few years as nightmares always crept up, 2am or 3am and then that was it, he’d be awake the rest of the night.

Jason couldn’t stand it anymore and decided to start pulling all nighters, patrolling the streets until the sun came up.

Of course, Jason knew he couldn’t go in like this forever, he knew exhaustion would win. Until then, Jason would power through.

It was around 7am and Jason needed a pick me up for the drive home, he didn’t exactly want to fall asleep at the wheel.

‘Clover coffee? Seems cute’ Jason mumbled to himself, he walked inside trying his hardest to look as awake as possible.

He stared at the menu in the wall for a good minute or so, settling for his usual choice.

Jason always found it funny about how when people order the same thing, they go to a coffee shop or a restaurant and look at the menu, only to order the same thing again.

‘Hi, what can I get you?’ The young girl behind the counter asked with a smile, Jason smiled as best he could, his tired face not being able to show much expression.

‘Hey, can I just get a black Americano please?’ He asked, not paying attention to his surroundings as the girl took his order.

‘Can I take the name please?’ She asked in return.

‘Jason’

A few minutes of standing waiting for his order, Jason heard his name called out.

Sit inside or walk to the car? Well, Jason could’ve still fallen asleep at the wheel if he hadn’t allowed the caffeine to hit yet.

Jason settled for sitting inside, only till he got more than halfway, then he’d head home.

Still not paying any attention to his surroundings Jason didn’t even take in that there was other people inside, Jason looked around a bit. That’s when he noticed him, you.

Your h/c hair slightly messy as if you’d been ruffling it, your black framed glasses sitting perfectly on your face. Not dressed to stand out, but at the same time, dressed to be noticed in some form.

Jason couldn’t understand why all of a sudden he was so engrossed with the male figure sitting opposite him.

You stared at the screen of your laptop as you slightly smiled at something on the screen. Fiddling the pen in your hand.

Jason kicked himself for not having the courage to at least try and get your attention, but then he wasn’t in a state to chat some cute guy up, Jason looked as tired as he felt.

What Jason really needed was a day and night in bed, sleep, rest. It took Jason a good 48 hours to somewhat recover, sleeping so many hours he’d lost track of if it was day, night, morning, Wednesday. Jason really had no idea.

Jason didn’t patrol for about a week by this point, he couldn’t keep forcing himself to stay awake.

Some more time went by and Jason was allowing himself to sleep more, get more comfortable with staying still and allowing himself nights off.

He went out with Roy after so long of not seeing his best friend, Jason even started to look like he was dead…again.

Jason had actually forgotten about the cute guy in the coffee shop, until he went back again to get another dose of caffeine. This time not from staying up all day and night for weeks on end, but from simply having to wake up early.

Like most people, Jason couldn’t face getting up at shits o’clock so needed a hit of caffeine.

‘Americano for Jason’ the male barista called out, Jason took his coffee with a smile and a small thank you.

Sitting down in the same spot he sat last time, noticing you again.

It was like you didn’t move from the last time he was here, except you had, because you were wearing a different outfit, but still.

Jason tried to see what your name was on your cup, but he couldn’t spot it. Jason thought he might come off creepy if he sits and stares at you, but then you weren’t looking near his direction.

‘He’s not into you Jason, he’s probably straight, or married’ Jason whispered to himself quietly.

Luckily no one was close enough to hear Jason arguing with himself. They might lock him up in Arkham for thinking he’s crazy.

Still there was no denying, Jason was into you and couldn’t help but to look at you. He watched as you took a sip of your coffee, adjusting yourself in your seat a little.

‘No wedding ring, ok good start’ Jason thought to himself as he saw your left hand.

You pushed your glasses up your face as you typed something, Jason sat and wondered what your job was. A reporter? A journalist? An author?

Either way, Jason found himself creepy right now, staring at this man who for all he knew was really just minding his own business.

Days went by and Jason kept coming back, the same coffee shop, the same seat. Checking out the same guy.

By this time Jason was trying to see what name fits you more. Were you a Blake? A Jordan? A Cameron? No, none of those names fit you.

Maybe a more sophisticated male like Nicholas? Tristan? Sebastian?

Jason was also thinking about how soft your skin is, what it would be like to touch, how it would be to kiss you. Ok, now Jason really felt he had to stop. Even he was finding this super creepy now.

Jason threw himself into a good book to distract himself, in the back of his head thinking wouldn’t it be hilarious if after all this time of checking you out, you had the same name as him.

‘Stop Todd’ Jason thought to himself, losing his page.

Today was different, Jason was at his usual coffee shop in his usual spot. But, his eye candy wasn’t there today.

Jason was going to bring a book anyway as a distraction. But now he really has no choice, he couldn’t sit and look up at his coffee shop crush every now and then.

Just as Jason got halfway down his coffee he saw you walk in, he smiled a little to himself. Watching as you walked over to the counter.

There was only one other person in the whole coffee shop today, as it is a weekday and most people are on the school run or heading to work already.

‘I need sugar’ Jason said out loud in case anyone thought he was just being weird.

The stand with all the sugar and stuff was next to the counter where you order, this seemed a perfect opportunity for Jason to catch the first glimpse into your life, your name.

‘Hey, can I get an Almond latte please?’ You said, your voice soft yet had a gravelly tone too.

Heavenly, was all Jason could think as he heard you speak for the first time.

‘What size would you like?’ The barista asked.

‘Medium please’ you replied, Jason thought it was cute how polite you were.

‘The name in the order?’ The barista asked again.

‘Y/n’

Jason grabbed a fistful of sugar sachets as he smiled to himself, he finally knew your name. And it was very fitting.

‘Oh, sorry’ you said as you nearly walked into Jason, looking him in the eyes.

‘No problem, I should watch where I’m walking’ Jason chuckled, he was caught off a little by your eyes.

They were the most beautiful e/c eyes he’d ever seen, and your smile was even more amazing.

Jason tried to catch his breath a little as he walked back to his table, watching slyly as you walked to your usual spot.

Driving home with a little smile on his face as he finally knew, as sad as it seemed to admit to people. He finally knew his crushes name, what he sounded like.

Jason never went everyday but went regular as not to look desperate. But by this point, Jason was getting a little eager to know more about you.

Jason was here before you again as he’d come a little earlier today, simply coming for needing the caffeine hit. Jason had a rough night, last night he’d taken out Black Mask, and it was brutal.

Jason hadn’t slept much for the first time in a while, Jason was a little grumpy and not in the mood for people.

Jason saw you walk in but this time was different as you came in with someone, you were both laughing as you walked in.

Jason smiled as he heard your laugh for the first time, it was magical.

Though, Jason couldn’t help the little tug at his heart as you came in with a woman. The two of you stood at the counter while you both spoke.

‘Fuck’ Jason mumbled to himself, feeling like an idiot as he watched his months long crush with someone else.

Jason dove himself back into his book as he sipped his coffee, not noticing the figure coming towards him.

‘Hey, sorry to bother you, is it ok if I borrow this chair?’ You asked Jason, hand on the backrest of the seat.

Jason nodded, smiling a little as not to seem rude, you smiled as you took the chair and placed it opposite yourself, your usual place of course.

Jason cursed to himself again as he mentally kicked and punched, thinking he was a total loser. Once again, not noticing you coming over.

‘Hey, sorry to bother you, again. I always see you here alone. Was just wondering if you’d like some company?’ You asked, really out of the blue which caught Jason off guard.

‘Sure’ Jason kind of hesitated with the answer, walking over to your table with you.

‘Got you an iced latte, as it’s getting warmer now’ your friend said, she spotted Jason, who was seated next to you.

‘Hi, I’m Terri’ she said, Jason smiled and waved a little.

‘She’s a work friend’ you said, Jason then mentally apologised to himself for all the mean things he’d called himself.

‘Awesome, I’m Jason’ Jason livened up all of a sudden.

‘Y/n’ you finished.

The three of you sat for a good hour as you spoke, Terri suddenly looking at her phone screen.

‘Shoot, I got a run. You boys stay and enjoy the chat’ Terri rose to her feet, giving you a quick kiss on the cheek and shaking Jason’s hand again. Heading for the door.

Now is your moment Jason, don’t be an asshole, you’ve had a crush on this guy for months. Talk to him. Jason mentally challenged himself to jump in a ask you out.

‘So, you’re here a lot’ Jason cringed at his words as soon as they came out.

You laughed heartily as you sipped on your coffee, pushing your glasses up your nose. Placing your hand close to Jason’s.

‘Yeah, it’s my favourite place to just come and forget about the outside. You’re also here a lot’ you pointed out.

Jason smiled, thinking back to the first time he came here. What kept him coming here straight after.

‘Yeah, truth be told I came in the first time because I was extremely and unhealthily tired, but I kept coming after because of, a different reason’ Jason explained, you raised an eyebrow. Nodding your head slightly.

‘Mhm, and I’ll guess the reason isn’t the $7 coffee?’ You chuckled, smiling so bright Jason’s day just lit up more.

‘My coffee shop crush’ Jason blurted without thinking, he covered his mouth as he realised he’d said it out loud. Though, you laughed.

‘I figured, I saw you checking me out’ you admitted, Jason instantly regretting the long distracting thoughts while staring directly at you for weeks on end.

‘You did’

‘Yeah, but it’s cool, I checked you out too’ you admitted once again, Jason blushing.

‘What?’ Jason looked genuinely shocked, as he didn’t think you’d be interested in him. Jason Todd of all the guys in Gotham, what made him special.

‘What can I say? I like them mysterious’ you chuckled, brushing Jason’s hand.

Another question answered as Jason discovered your skin really was soft. As soft as anything.

He still had two more things to find out, one being your job and the other what it felt like to kiss you.

After a bit more talking you looked at your watch, standing up.

‘Well, time is getting away, I have a thing but this really should happen more often’ you said, Jason smiled.

‘Yeah, it really should’

‘I finish work at 4’ you smiled as you wrote your number down on a napkin for Jason.

‘What do you work as?’ Jason asked you as you winked.

‘School teacher’

Another question answered as Jason walked with you outside, feeling the softness of your hands once again as you touched his as you said goodbye.

Jason was humming to himself in the shower as he was really, for the first time in a while, happy and excited about something.

Jason put on his best shirt and pants as he sprayed some nice cologne, putting on his signature leather jacket and heading for his apartment door.

It was his first date with you tonight, for the first time Jason didn’t have to sit and imagine what it was like to do something with you, he could just do it.

A bar for a few drinks, then dinner, then a nice walk through the city as you both talked about life, childhood, family, funny stories. Jason could listen to you talk for hours. In fact, he could listen to you talk all night.

The final part of the date was approaching really fast, now Jason started to panic.

‘So, what’s a big No for you on a first date?’ You asked curiously, Jason thinking for a bit.

‘I guess I don’t have limits, maybe just be nice to me’ Jason answered, wondering if he should hold your hand or not.

‘Mine is about to break’

Jason looked at you confused, turning to you fully as he saw you looking into his eyes. Jason finally got the answer to his final question.

The kiss was amazing, it started as a light peck as you teased a little. Then you pulled Jason in fully and stayed there. Your lips were soft, the softest Jason had ever been blessed to kiss.

You took Jason’s hand as you both continued walking. Jason not talking much as he finally got to know what it was like, kissing you was the best feeling.

However, Jason had a bonus question. What would it be like to have you in his bed, sleeping next to him.

Ok, now Jason was going insane because all he wanted was to have every inch of you. Clothed or not.

Jason couldn’t remember the last time he’d had this much fun, well that’s a lie, he can it was with Roy a few nights ago in a bar. But, date wise, Jason could not remember.

It has been a few dates by now and Jason was getting quite impatient, he wanted to have you in his bed. Of course, he would never rush or force you. Yet, he was still itching for you.

‘This is the man magnet’ you chuckled as you walked into Jason’s apartment.

It was definitely a bachelor pad and had probably seen some action. Truth be told, Jason lived on one nights, he never let himself get attached.

Yet since meeting you, properly anyway, he never had interest for other men. When he saw you the first few times, Jason pictured your face when he was with other men, or alone and needed a release.

‘Not for a while’ Jason remarked, you gave a face enough to reply without speaking.

‘Ok hot stuff’ you responded sarcastically, Jason grabbing your arm as he pulled you in for a kiss.

The small kisses turned into making out, which turned into you tugging at Jason’s shirt, as he did the same to yours.

Jason’s bonus question got answered as he finally got to know, the feeling of you in his bed. The sounds you make, the way your body moves, his name being called, your body, your smell, your lips on various parts of his body, and his on yours, the noise you make when you’ve reached the ultimate level of pleasure.

Jason was in a dream as he lay on his back in his bed, you fast asleep on his chest.

How lucky that Jason didn’t sleep for so long, how lucky he stumbled on a random coffee shop. How lucky, Jason had the most precious thing in his arms.

[makoredeyes]

Getting to know your moots

Tagged by @tarakanpaintedpurple :3

•What's the origin of your blogs title?

My tag makoredeyes is a Final Fantasy 7 reference (see Vincent Valentine <3) ... "Feralwinter" came from a joke about me comparing Felwinter from Destiny to a stray cat about a year ago.

•Favorite fandoms

Presently ears-deep in Destiny/D2 but I am also a big Titanfall2 fan, LOVE Trigun, and Final Fantasy 7 and its derivatives will forever live in my heart. I also have a marriage and over 25 year relationship built on Star Wars and I've seen The Nightmare Before Christmas 109 times.

•OTPs+Ship name

I am a filthy multishipper <3

FFVII it's Cid Highwind x Vincent Valentine and I'm pretty confident I'm actually the one that got people using the Valenwind shipname waaaay back in the day.

Titanfall it's BTxJack or Jack xBlisk or if I'm feeling spicy I'll try to make all three of them work. :3

Destiny I think ya'll know but my favorites are Felwinter x Timur and/or Osiris in just about any permutation of the three, adding or subtracting a handful of wildcards for giggles, plot, or kink depending on the setting and timing. (I see you pervs choosing that Saint X Osiris X Felwinter XXX oneshot I did as my most popular fic alaksjd;fksdkf)

•Favourite colours Love deep amethyst purple, or red. or somewhere in between like a mauve.

•Favourite game

Presently Destiny 2 and/or ARK Evolution Evolved

•Weirdest habit/trait

Took me a minute but I reckon my tendency to impulsively collect bits of broken glass is probably pretty fucking weird.

•Hobbies

Obviously I write, and draw, but I also enjoy painting resin figures (I can't really call my preference for larger scale models 'minifgures' but like that). I'm a actively practicing and learning lapidary (I carve rocks) and rockhound (I go out and search for and collect rocks) and rock collector lol. I love rocks. XD I'm also big into plants and have a huge indoor houseplant collection, and a pretty robust garden, and start a lot of stuff by seed most years. Removing myself from the earth, I'm also a license pilot although I haven't flown in years due to both medical and financial restrictions. (renting an airplane is fucking expensive RIP lol) Flying isn't something I actively practice anymore but the knowledge, culture, and fascination and love of flying and airplanes is burned into my bones and I don't think it's ever going to go away. <3

•Something you're good at

I think I'm a pretty decent writer. I'd like to think I generally am pretty good at understanding people too. Like, seeing things from their perspectives and understanding their needs and wants and intentions and all that. It's what I like to write about too, fundamentally so they go hand in hand I guess.

•Something you're bad at

pffff most things. Adulting. My home is a constant mess. But I do my best.

•Something you excel at

I can't resist laughing and pointing out Microsoft Excel. I'm so autistic I actually like spreadsheets and am very good at them al;ksdjfshdfh. IDK. I think I'm getting pretty awesome at these model paintings. I don't think of myself like this.

•Something you love

Gentle rain. A good scented candle. Pretty lights. A mossy forest, the ocean, my damn cats even though one of them is bullying me right now. cozy things.

•Something you could talk about for hours without off the cuff

Truly, Destiny Lore. Character analysis and picking apart text, words used, context, setting, tracing threads. Swapping headcanons and worldbuilding based on what we already have. Conjecture. Let's ramble for the next 6 hours about why he would totally say that, or did say it, or could have because I think this lore card implies he did. I live for those meals and eat so grandly off of just...sharing the stories.

•Something you hate

I don't think this is what this question meant when someone first listed it but this is the only think rolling around in my head right now so Imma say it and you'll know some of the shadows and worries in my heart today: I fucking hate Nazis.

•Something you collect

Cobalt glass. I have a lot of vintage (and some not) cobalt things. I love that color.

•Something you forget

I always have a glass of water but 80% of the time I've forgotten it in another room. Husband teases me relentlessly. We're both very excited because I remembered to rescue it from his office tonight.

•What's your love language

Acts of service/gifts. I love writing ficlets or doing little drawings for my friends especially on request. Special little things I won't share otherwise unless you ask me to. Just for you. I am hugging you this way because I am not close enough to do it the conventional way.

•Favorite movie/show

Oh I forgot Transformers for fandoms. Transformers Prime is kind of old now but I just adored that show.

•Favorite food

Pho. 10/10 comfort food. Actually I just really love Vietnamese food in general but Pho is a gift from heaven.

•Favorite animal

Magpies

•Favorite subject in school

Yanno I'm not entirely sure because I'm struggling between my favorite teacher who taught my worst subject, art which was just fun but not challenging, English which I was GOOD at but not fun in any way, and Spanish which was engaging but too challenging to be fun.

I'm going to just go back and point at some of my aviation classes I took in college lol.

•Least favourite subject

Chemistry because we had a teacher who couldn't stay on topic and I already really struggled with the math of it.

•What's your best character trait?

I'd like to think I'm pretty open-minded usually. And generally friendly. I can be a little bit of an asshole sometimes but I'm really working on that so hopefully nobody has the opportunity to notice lol.

•If you could change any detail of your day right now, what would it be?

Well I had to go to work and I would have much rather been home all day doing creative stuff so that would have been a nice change.

•If you could travel in time, who would you like to meet?

My great-grandad who I apparently have a LOT in common with but I never really met.

•Recommend one of your favorite fanfics

Nah nah, we're not doing just ONE haha.

Please see all my husband's wonderfully lyrical Destiny fanfics but especially The Storm That Stalks featuring a look at the harder side to my favorite Stormtrancer

Besty Crafty Cooper aka @slavetomyheadcanon has some fantastic (and delightfully filthy) Overwatch and Titanfall fic as well as Destiny but PLEASE sample this entirely unexpectedly titillating experimental crackpair from a randomizer featuring Cayde-6 x Timur. Seriously trust me on this one. FPM: Cayde-6 + Timur + Shock Collar (*AO3 sign-in required. If anyone needs an invite DM me I have lots)

OK it's Timur hours apparently. @zalia wrote Subornation for me last spring and I just adore it. It's sweet and quirky and has some fantastic character insights. Then go and browse the other uhh... 145 Destiny fics in Zalia's portfolio if you haven't already because they're all bangers.

I usually don't tag people for this kind of stuff, but today I'm putting the squad on blast. @slavetomyheadcanon , @zalia , @vallaragna , @nearfromfar, @wendysketches , @heckin-sleeby & @sylenth-l if you do this kind of thing have at it.

[crooked-wasteland]

How would you rank every HB episode from worst to best?

This took me some time to think on, but thank you for the ask.

So all the Helluva Boss episodes ranked worst to best (in my opinion):

The Circus

I have to place the season 2 premiere as the worst episode of the entire series, simply because it cemented the direction the story was going to go with all of the worst ideas floating to the top. The relationship mystery between Stolas and Blitz gets watered down to a childhood crush based on nothing. It is love at first sight, but then the writing performs gymnastics in order to justify Stolas’ attraction after the fact. It’s so painful in Seeing Stars and Oops how the writers really want us to believe that Stolas liked him as a person first and that is supposed to be shown in how Stolas thinks Blitz is funny when no one else does, but the series of events in the Circus will forever undermine that narrative. He finds Blitz funny because he is attracted to him. Not the other way around.

Aside from the issues with the overarching story, the entire structure of the episode fails. The idea of Chekhov’s Gun is one I believe holds merit as a fundamental tool. If you are going to introduce something like theft, acknowledge the danger of the event, repeatedly draw attention to the theft, and then just never mention any sort of natural conclusion to that plot point. If anything, Blitz returning to Stolas’ home 25 years later to do the exact same thing, necessitated a coming full circle moment of that particular plot point. The failure to identify even the most basic of narrative principles that was a solid through line of character, story and themes told me everything I needed to know about how the series was going to be handled.

Stolas’ song is a poorly-performed nonsensical word salad that I found lacked any cohesion to the character in the previous episode or the next. It’s an ugly song with maybe 2 decent verses where Stolas acknowledges that this was all playing pretend, but that eventually goes nowhere.

Additionally, Stella was officially ruined as a character, which ultimately ruined Stolas as a character. By not giving Stella depth, Stolas was also stripped of any depth or complexity. His reason for staying is dumbed down to “for the child”, and Stella’s motivation is thrown out the window in favor of “she’s awful and please don’t try to make her understandable, because then what if Stolas is held accountable for anything?” Stella is too important a character in Stolas’ story, to make her one dimensional is to make Stolas less interesting. Everything is interwoven in a story, pulling a thread in one place unravels the garment elsewhere.

In a single episode, it encompasses everything that is wrong with the series, past and future.

0/10

Seeing Stars

To be honest, I feel Seeing Stars is most people’s worst episode due to some sense of denial when the season premiered and expected the show to at least continue with some kind of coherent story/timeline. I don’t think it would be as hated if Medrano had tightened up the narrative and made Seeing Stars connect to Ozzie’s more.

However, I would still put it at number 2, even if it had. Mainly because Seeing Stars is the worst sense of characterization and dynamics I have ever seen. And when you are trying to sell a character-driven story, some kind of consistency is required. This episode cemented Loona as being an abusive, manipulative, and entitled “bitch” of a person. Octavia is written like she is 13, not 17. Blitz and Stolas have the darkest timeline where Stolas continues to sexualize Blitz after being told off in the last episode and seemingly acknowledging that he defined the dynamic without any input from Blitz. Then forces him on stage despite Blitz being on the verge of a panic attack. But most of all, it has Stolas and Blitz both completely forget why they are even in this situation, because they are supposed to be looking for Octavia.

There was no lesson Blitz needed to learn, if anything he needed to be instilled with more self esteem where possible. And Stolas already had this story arc done much better in Loo Loo Land. His character actively regresses to redo the exact plot thread, but worse. Much like The Circus, Seeing Stars set the stage for what we could look forward to in regards to the series from here on out, and the utter disrespect leveled at the original 6 episodes.

That’s not even counting how the episode is the exact same plot and story beats as Loo Loo Land, highlighting the extent of how creatively bankrupt the series is.

.5/10

Exes and Ohs

If it comes to personal most hated episode, it would be Exes and Ohs for me. The only reason it is number 3 and not number 1 is because it is a narrative cul-de-sac where the larger story is not affected by it at all.

However, it is still an objectively awful episode. Starting with the premise. The whole plot is a stolen South Park joke. It’s the Steal underpants episode, stretched out into something longer, and not nearly as funny. If you are wholesale ripping off another show, that’s plagiarism. This episode is creatively bankrupt, shouldn’t exist, has no purpose and serves no benefit. People try to argue that it has value due to Moxxie’s backstory, but what does it even serve? Sure, I know it now, but not a single character does. Millie doesn’t even find out. Even moreso, Millie’s entire connection to Chaz goes nowhere and is for nothing. We never know how, when or why she dated Chaz, it's shown she hates him, but she doesn’t even kill him. The whole episode would have ended exactly the same with Crim killing Chaz once he realized the shark demon was lying about having money.

It’s not good when the major complaints of the episode are actually what is saving it from being the worst episode.

2/10

Musical Special

The retconning of this episode, changing who Fizz was as a child to try and justify his uselessness in Oops retroactively is beyond frustrating. There is so much I could go on about in terms of character, but just focusing on this episode.

Mainly, the mildly perturbing extent Medrano goes to hetero-normalize her queer relationships. Every single relationship in the series is stereotypically designed as “Protector” and “Protected”. Stolas, Fizzarolli, and Moxxie are all characters who require constant support and protection from other factors in the plot.

Stolas needed to be protected from Striker. Moxxie needs to be protected from most things in his plots. Season 1 it was the fish monster, Striker, the agents, and finally Ozzie and Fizz. Season 2 we have him needing to be defended from his father and Chaz.

This episode it's all about Fizzarolli and him needing to be defended from his crippling low self-esteem that is only relevant to have him needing to be saved from something. The flashback serves to further retcon Fizz’s personality because a strong and confident performer doesn’t need to be saved from anyone, and in order to have the codependent romance where Fizz needs Ozzie, we need to fundamentally weaken him as a person. It’s a special episode, so the argument that it doesn’t need to exist is rather moot. Regardless, the characters and story are worse off for its addition to the narrative.

2/10

Queen Bee

Another special episode, so the argument of narrative value is once again disregarded. I dislike this episode for how one dimensional every female character is in this story. It highlights all the ongoing issues with misogynistic writing. Loona’s character is a wildly swinging pendulum from being antagonistic towards Blitz to being endeared with little motivation and ultimately being reduced to the caretaker of men. When she and Bee get into an argument, she only deescalates when she sees Tex be uncomfortable. The initial hostility itself is founded on nothing, Loona is immediately resentful of Bee because she’s attractive and people like her, specifically Tex. And her being sweet towards Blitz is entirely based on the fact that her relationship to him makes her look good due to his accomplishment of beating Beelzebub in a drink-off. It doesn’t read sincere, but rather she would look bad if she didn’t take care of him after identifying him as her “dad” when it suited her.

This entire episode works to assassinate Loona’s character and any hope of her being likable and growing. Everything about her motivation is purely selfish and consistently reinforced in big ways, so moving forward it will be very hard to realistically prove she does anything for not her own benefit.

The song was nice for about one minute, then it became unbearably repetitive.

1.5/10

Western Energy

This episode was altered and rewritten, which doesn’t inherently make it bad. It’s just that it was changed due to fans pointing out the glaring plot hole that is why Stella would want to kill Stolas when a divorce would benefit her more. Instead of critically assessing that question and focusing more on world building to create a logical justification for Stella’s actions, the writers shrug their shoulders and just can’t think of anything. It’s a special form of fridge horror as a writer to realize the major plot that was intended to push Blitz and Stolas closer together was so underdeveloped that when at all questioned resulted in the entire plot being unwritten. It’s transparently bad writing, but worse yet is that it is lazy.

This episode is what I use to show an example of how fans inject headcannon and plot into the series that the creators have no interest in spending the energy on. This isn’t James Cameron’s Avatar where there is a massively rich world around a lackluster story that has been crafted with such detail that it feels alive. Helluva Boss, and in extension Hazbin Hotel, have no world building and resort to the most superficial answers to any narrative roadblock at the expense of the characters and understanding their motivations. It shows resentment for not just the audience, but writing as an artform.

3/10

Ozzie's (with season 2 context)

I had to put Ozzie’s on the list twice due to this episode in specific having vastly different reads and reception before and after season 2 premiered. After The Circus, the episode loses all continuity with the original season. Stolas is pining and lovesick over Blitz, he doesn’t actually care about his wife and daughter leaving him. He just wishes more than anything to have his rugged peasant return his affections.

It is a plummet of quality and character in this episode that only comes to fruition with the understanding that Stolas has had an unreciprocated crush for two and a half decades.

With the context of season 2, Stolas doesn’t actually care about his daughter and how his affair, the marriage falling apart, their status, etc. affected her and his family. He only cares about the little boy he got a crush on, who his father rented out like a Lexus and then 25 years later Stolas demanded sex from. Stolas has a complete personality change and isn’t at all who he was the entire series to this point. Everything you thought mattered to him doesn’t, the ways we have come to expect this character to react to things is suddenly entirely different. His expectations are unexplainable and so far out to left field than what we previously established. This is one of the worst written episodes based on the major retconning of a keystone character and no effort being made to connect these changes in the narrative.

This was the warning shot we didn’t know we were given.

1/10

Spring Broken

Spring Broken to Unhappy Campers are the range of utterly ambivalence I have.

The song is poorly incorporated into the episode. Verosika isn’t ever fleshed out. Tex and Loona start off cute, and you can see a starting point of a dynamic between Loona and Blitz and you want her to treat him better while also recognizing that he infantalizes her constantly and doesn’t ever treat her like the adult she is. Could have been really good writing if it went anywhere. This episode establishes Loona abuses Blitz and does so intentionally because it gets her her way. It isn’t malicious, but immature and incredibly cruel, and there is a desire to see her become a better person and grow from this point.

Too bad.

4/10

C.H.E.R.U.B

I know this episode gets a ton of criticism for being a joke/filler episode that goes too long. And that is absolutely correct. However it is still better in that being filler, it is not seeking to be anything more than it is. It is just some dumb fun with a few jokes that come anywhere close to landing. But it doesn’t harm the characters or their stories, unlike the rest of the list up to this point

3/10

Oops

This episode is a hard one to place because I consider the first 7 of this list to be bad episodes. Then 8-12 are those that aren’t good with varying scales of enjoyment on my part. However I think Oops is neither good nor enjoyable. But it has some good story ideas that deserve some credit, regardless of how the writing and pacing consistently tries to undermine them.

The scene of Blitz and Fizzarolli in the alleyway is contrived and feels confused, but it does manage to land some points such as Fizz’s insecurity of being owned by his partner (too bad that goes nowhere and is immediately ignored in favor of Fizz NEEDS Ozzie, so essentially ownership is good actually) and Fizz hanging Blitz’s insecurity and guilt over his head.

The forced engagement, rapid fire pacing, and immediate resolution thoroughly dismantles any good points the episode started to set up. I have to admit the animation is pretty solid, people worked very hard on this for less pay than this quality deserves. But this episode struggles to find a place it belongs on my list because. It almost sees the light only to bury its head in the sand writing-wise.

2/10

Unhappy Campers

Unhappy Campers sits in the same pool with Oops and how it is objectively a terrible episode, but the portions involving Blitz and Barbie are genuinely interesting and I think relatively well done when compared to the rest of the season. Millie has some fun moments herself, though the whole portion of the episode surrounding her and Moxxie could have been cut and it would only serve to elevate the material overall. So even if she is the best part of the worst portion of the story, it still isn’t something I deem worth salvaging.

It would have been an excellent 5 minute episode.

2/10

Murder Family

It’s the first episode. It did well reintroducing the characters from the pilot. It had enough intrigue to see where it would go and how it would expand the world and characters. It. Was genuinely fun and impressive for a YouTube animation, with horror notes and black comedy. There was a sense of character that we could maybe get to know over time and see them struggle and change. It started off very superficial, which was fine.

The blank canvas of what could have been.

5/10

Ozzie's (Before season 2)

Having to remember Ozzie’s premiere after an entire season of thinking we were getting to know the characters, their dynamics, personality, wants, etc. So the personality change in Stolas is given more leeway as LooLooLand set up that he really wished he could find love and his wife and daughter leaving has changed his routine to the point he is in a depression. It even seems Stella took the staff with her in the separation and he’s genuinely all alone.

So him sitting in front of a television asking why nobody will love him makes sense and doesn’t feel out of character when given the room to rationalize and try to piece together the character from past instances. Additionally, him becoming overjoyed at Blitz calling him out is just as easy to rationalize away. I recall watching the episode and interpreting that Stolas was needy, desperate and earnest, not for Blitz, but just in general. And Blitz making himself available to Stolas is why Stolas tries so hard to make this pretend date legitimate. It also explains Blitz’s own utter disinterest in the scenario.

Ironically, looking back, Blitz feels like an Audience insert with how utterly confused and dismissive he is of Stolas’ targeted affection. He sees their relationship like the audience does: one of convenience and mutual benefit. Blitz calling Stolas out is him cashin in on this messed up coercive sex deal they have. Him calling Stolas out and using him for his own gains is only seen as fair in his eyes. And Stolas’ attempts to legitimize the date is a continuation of his own hedonistic selfishness. So when Stolas tries to leave Blitz or otherwise removes himself by covering his face, Blitz’s anger and resentment is valid. Because there’s a lot of confusion taking place at the moment, but Stolas is responsible for all of it and instead runs away.

The exact same escapist behavior that ended up with him in bed with Blitz in the first place.

This is all really compelling drama and without the codependent neediness of the second season, it ties together in what feels like a real season finale for the characters. Everything up to now was a prologue, an introduction of the world, characters and conflicts. Ozzie actually took the characters and faced them off against each other directly. Showing all of their worst traits and building more intrigue to Blitz’s past and his relationships. This was an episode of great potential when it was first released.

7/10

Loo Loo Land

I’ll be honest, the more I think on this episode the more I believe its placement is more out of pettiness than actual quality. While a song that made me invested at the time, You Will Be Okay is a poorly written musical song. Specifically in how it fails to actually build on the themes we were having presented. Because if you really listen to it, the song foreshadows how little Stolas actually cares about Octavia.

The only part of the song that builds character is the one when he speaks of how his marriage is cold and loveless and how “all [his] stories have been told, except for one.” Which one would think that untold story has something to do with Octavia. He’s singing the song for her, to her. He’s presumably alluding to the fact that she’s his only joy in life.

But the very next line is talking about Armageddon. Like the end of everything, the death of the universe, some heavenly judgement. That’s why everyone and their off brand YouTube clone was talking about Stolas dying at some point in the series. Because the song fails to adequately communicate the character and his feelings and how that wraps into the plot. It’s a pretty song to the ears, but fails as a musical.

Additionally, I feel I may still have such a soft spot for this episode in how it often contradicts the current direction the story has attempted to go. Details, dialogue, timeline discrepancies, all of that has continued to hinder the second season in trying to retcon the entire story to this lesser version of itself and Loo Loo land as an episode is just so tightly written that it has become a thorn.

All the portions with Blitz and RoboFizz are great. Great character, great foreshadowing (to nothing unfortunately), great pacing. Those scenes have some legitimately funny jokes. Stolas stole the show it seems, much to the series detriment, but the real stellar parts of the episode were for once the actual main character.

6/10

Truth Seekers

This episode would have been my favorite due to Blitz’s bad trip and the animation involved throughout. However, the fact that the show has entirely dropped the relevant and interesting portions of the episode, overused and abused Stolas’ demon design since this episode, and the animators have since been confirmed to not be paid fairly for the work they do, this gets to be number 2.

Like Loo Loo Land, Truth Seekers is a primary source of contradiction in the new direction the story has gone and a constant reminder of how little work has been put into the narrative. It’s one of the strongest episodes of the series as a whole, but it has been almost entirely retconned.

I have seen some mention of the agents returning to the story and if that does come to pass, this will be hilarious in trying to reconcile what parts of Truth Seekers is canon and what isn’t any longer. And the realization that all the best parts are the ones ending up on the cutting room floor.

7/10

Harvest Moon

Striker was an intimidating figure. Genuinely. There was a real sense of weight to this episode in the animation and visual storytelling. It’s a solid episode for what it is and far and above better than even Truth Seekers because it required Medrano and her staff to actually address the episode and make obvious efforts to retcon it. That is how solid an episode this is.

Stolas is not too creepy and dominating, but nor is he seen as the delicate princess who is always crying over some guy who doesn’t return his feelings. He is fun, and it starts the nudge towards maybe something a bit more amicable on Blitz’s end.

Millie absolutely deserved more time for her character seeing as they were staying with her family and she having an episode of standing by her husband and defending her choices in who she loves would have been far more engaging than Murder Family pt. 2, Moxxie lacks confidence and self esteem forever and always.

The song was so inconsequential. It was a funny segue with Striker basically upstaging Moxxie at every turn, but that doesn’t actually go anywhere when in regards to the plot overall.

And Stella putting a hit on her husband, to his face, was hilarious and would have been so interesting to have seen it played more than a joke. Like Stolas knows she wants to kill him, and he is just vaguely fine with that. Maybe thinking his letting her try to kill him would have her stay and not file for divorce. Have it been this macabre comedic sitcom where she’s always trying to kill him and hates his guts for being a subpar husband, but he takes it as some kind of tit-for-tat and plays along with it. She gets to send assassins after him, he gets to have sex with his rugged assassin imp. It’s a ridiculous level of absurdity that still allows for all the characters to be dimensional.

That got a little away from me there. Basically, this episode was the strongest overall. Animation wise, writing wise, story potential wise. This episode is the most solid Helluva Boss episode.

7.8/10

[weirdestbooks]

Wrong Reflection Chapter 14

Not Forgiveness, But Understanding (Wattpad | Ao3)

Table of Contents | Prev | Next

Alfred was furious with Sam. 

He hadn’t answered the question, but his response after Alfred asked whether he had killed a personification with his bare hands had been an answer enough.

Alfred quickly left after that, unwilling—he didn’t want to think about it, about agreeing to kill Gilbert, about killing another personification. 

He didn’t want to think about why his counterpart could have done something like that.

Alfred knew that he and his counterpart had both done terrible things, but that—that was a line that Alfred never thought he would cross.

How many times did his counterpart cross it?

It was a nauseating thought; one Alfred hated lingering on. He had…he had liked Sam. Sam was funny, kind, even with all the stress and confusion.

The other were nice as well. Lydia was sweet, James was protective, and had decided that Alfred would be another person he protected. Alfred hadn’t (knowingly) met any of the others, but from what he had heard, they were nice people.

But how nice could they be if they let Sam kill other personifications?

Alfred wasn’t innocent. He had blood on his hands, but killing personifications had always been a taboo amongst him and the personifications here. At the end of the day, they were the only ones of their kind that any of them had, and very few of them were eager to lose each other, no matter how brightly hatred burned.

So Alfred was mad at Sam and refused to be in the same room as the other man. Sam didn’t push it, something that Alfred was grateful for. At least he could do something decent. 

Alfred was even more eager for Arthur and the others to find Sam a way home because then Sam could go back to his stupid personification-killing dimension, and Alfred wouldn’t have to talk to him ever again. 

“Al, can I talk to you?” 

Alfred’s eyes snapped to the door to see his brother standing there, looking nervous. Alfred nodded, handing Matthew the other controller to the game, inviting him to join. Matthew took the controller but didn’t join the game.

“You need to talk to Sam.”

“No,” Alfred said quickly, angrily mashing the buttons on his controller and trying to keep himself from smashing it.

“You can’t be mad at him forever,” Matthew said, his voice gentle.

“Try me,” Alfred said, voice angry, angrier than he had been in a long time. 

“Al, he…Sam was having a panic attack when you left,” Matthew said. Alfred was still angry, but he kept his mouth shut, eager to know where this was going. “And then James took control. He said that the question had been a trigger for Sam. Even if Sam did do that, he clearly feels bad about it.”

“But he still did it,” Alfred said, hating how his voice cracked a little. “I can’t…Mattie, how am I supposed to forgive that.”

“You don’t have to forgive him. I think you should hear him out. James said that he would explain things if you wanted to know,” Matthew suggested. 

“Fine. I’ll listen to him. But that doesn’t mean I have to talk to him after this,” Alfred said. Matthew sighed.

“Well, at least it’s something,” Matthew said. Alfred frowned.

“Why do you want to defend him?” he asked. 

“Because from everything I have learned, things are really, really different there. And I…I don’t think it’s fair to judge Sam by the standards of our world when things are different. And the panic attack…he feels strongly about it, and not in a good way. Plus, we’re the only people he has here. We can’t just abandon him based on something that he didn’t get to explain,” Matthew said. Alfred squeezed his controller a bit tighter, shattering it, before sighing.

“You’re right,” Alfred said, “Let’s get this over with.”

Alfred threw the broken controller away before walking down to the living room where Sam was. Sam had a book in his hands, but he wasn’t reading it, instead staring forward and whispering to hi—to the others.

“Hey, Sam,” Alfred said. Sam smiled sadly. 

“It’s James. America didn’t want to risk being triggered if you asked about it again,” James said. Alfred crossed his arms. He wanted to know why Sam had done it, why he had made those choices, not what another thought of it.

But at the same time, Alfred knew he couldn't force Sam to talk to him and decided to extend the same courtesy to Sam that had been extended to him. 

“Did he actually—”

“Yes. He has. He hates it just as much as you do, not like some others from our world who gladly kill those they see as beneath them. But…”

“But what? He did it, but he feels bad, so is it all okay?” Alfred asked, unable to stop his voice from growing snappy.

“He was coerced into it—forced to do it both times. I know you have every right to be upset, but I have spent a long time trying to show America that it wasn’t his fault, and I won't have you undo it because you’re too stubborn to listen!” James snapped, sounding angry, as he stood up, letting the book fall to the floor.

“Forced?” Matthew asked, horror in his voice. Alfred’s anger calmed some at that as well.

Who would force Sam to do that?

“One of them was his daughter. New England Confederation. Sam loved her more than life itself. It broke him when…when he was forced to execute her. He’s never been the same. Your question brings back those memories,” James said, sounding so—so mournful.

Alfred began to feel angry again but for a different reason now.

“Someone made Sam kill his own daughter? But—the New England Confederation would have dissolved and died on her own, right?” Alfred asked. James nodded.

“She would’ve. She—if she had been allowed to live, she would have died a few days later. But he didn’t care about that. He wanted to teach America a lesson. So…” James trailed off, tears in his eyes. Alfred felt sick now. No wonder that was a trigger. No wonder Sam had a panic attack. 

Alfred felt guilty. He had been a massive jerk about everything.

“I’m sorry,” he said, but James shook his head.

“You’re within your right to be angry. I just…you needed to know that America has been living with that regret haunting him for years. I couldn’t let you blame him for that. You don’t have to be happy about it, but you should know,” James said, a heavy weight to his voice before he sighed. “There is a profound difference between taking their life with your own hands and letting the government do it for you. America has threatened the lives of others; he has been involved in the political dissolutions of even more, but he had never taken a life by his own hands willingly.” 

“Who made him?” Matthew asked. James scoffed.

“The same person who hurt us our entire lives,” he said, bitter amusement in his voice. Alfred felt a creeping dread grow in his stomach, the suspicion that he knew who that person was.

“Was it…” he began before trailing off, not wanting to say the words. James’ expression turned bitter.

“I don’t want to talk about it anymore. Who it is doesn’t matter. He can’t hurt us anymore,” James said before hugging himself as if he were trying to hug everyone he shared a body with. Alfred was suddenly stricken by how tired he looked, how bags hung under his eyes.

“You should get some sleep,” Alfred said, voice softer. James smiled.

“I will, thank you. For being willing to listen. It means more to us than you know.”

Alfred did his best to smile back, still feeling guilt and horror dance within him. 

Dear God, why did Sam want to go back to his world if it was that terrible?

Alfred knew why, the states, the other children Sam had there, but…it sounded miserable.

Alfred had never been more grateful that his dimension was the way it was. He didn’t think he could survive there.

[fiestylittlebeetle]

Joule and Ohm

so about Joule

Joule is an old Gimlinopithecus, he's grouchy, and lives nomadically on his ship, the original Pylon (Ohm's current ship as an adult is the Pylon-III) He's not cruel, but he can be a bit harsh in his old age, and will give you the hard facts of life. He also adopted and raised Ohm until she was a teenager.

I subscribe to the WoG that conductoids are anti-social, and so to me they don't rear their own young, it's kind of a cowbird situations, sometimes they get ditch with another species, but it's also not uncommon for them to just be abandoned outright.

Ohm survived alone for about 4-5 years, and was a feral child. She gets caught by Joule when she snuck onto his ship either out of curiosity, or looking for something to drain the energy from.

when he catches her he has her scruffed and she tries to zap and bite him and swat him away like a little beast. but she's like, a couple of grapes to him even as an old man. He was initially gonna toss her out the airlock when he caught her, but ended up not doing it cause she's just a kid, and clearly not a civilized child at that.

He ends up keeping her around to take care of her knowing what she is. She is about as happy about it as a feral kitten being forced to be socialized, a very spicy baby. When he gets her a little jumpsuit so shes not just running around naked she HATES it. and tries desperately to rip it off but eventually gives up, its very funny to see.

gradually she does end up trusting him cause he feeds her and mostly leaves her alone. She can't really speak yet but does try to copy the sounds he makes (she learns how to swear early). it takes a while but she does follow him and stick around him like static when they're out at alien markets or on other worlds restocking supply. It doesn't take her but a year to be speaking in full sentences, and learning how to read.

Ohm was not particularly interested in other people as a kid and was more interested in the things around her. Joule does raise her to understand that it's normal for her to not wanna deal with other people being a conductoid and all, but she still has to learn to tolerate them and be around and talk to them to survive in the world these days. I think if Ohm had to learn to be a person around others while still subscribing to her natural desire for solitude, its a crotchety old hermit.

He does a pretty decent job raising her, to protect herself, and take care of herself, well, at least he tried to do his damnedest.

Unfortunately Joule wasn't just Ohm's only family, but also her first real experience with close death. Joule passes away when Ohm is around 16/17, so she's old enough to take care of herself and protect herself but now she's a kid alone again. He did try to prepare her for this outcome, cause he knew he wasn't gonna survive to her adulthood he was already getting up there in age when he took her in. When he first tries to have the death talk with her she interpreted it as him abandoning her, and even though she liked being alone she didn't want him to leave her behind, she had gotten attached to him, and was angry at him for implying it (think how littlefoot was blaming his mom for "leaving" him when she died in land before time). He had to explain to her that he wasn't leaving, but he certainly wasn't gonna be around forever weather either of them liked it or not so it was gonna happen.

Ohm had to be the one who took care of his body, he left her instructions on what to do with him. It takes her a while to get around to it.

Ohm lives alone for a while on his ship, and tries to keep going with the regular daily that the two had before. But unfortunately what really ends her mourning period and kicks her into "time to survive" is the loss of the Pylon.

The original Pylon is like her Rustbucket. and She looses it. She gets over powered by some thugs and she looses it all. all she has left is whatever clothes are on her back and whatever stuff got ditched by the thieves. and she's gotta start from scratch on a new planet (nowhere in specific is set)

She does do pretty good survivng, gets better at fighting, makes some money doing some light merc work, and "henching" as it were. Gets weapons, and tools, and eventually, a new ship. life happens, she grows, gets better at what she does, finds enjoyment in specific peoples company, you know, lives life. Looses the Pylon-II, gets the Pylon-III, takes in the Fulgur, meets spark, yadda yadda.

one of Ohm's ambitions in life is to find the original Pylon again, even after so long she wants to find that ship again. ever since she got her second ship she looked everytime she stopped at a new world, in a new ship yard, in junk yards, on marketplaces, if there's a place with ships, or that deals in ships she looks. She doesn't know if it's even still intact or was scrapped. But she looks, it's the closest she'll ever be able to get to Joule again. So she looks and she hopes that one day she'll even get to see the Pylon even if she can't have it.

I haven't decided if she gets to find it.

[the-mirage-forest]

Short Story Time!

Wrote a short story last week about Shi and some of his backstory + the aftermath, here's a link: Google Doc

I'm not sure if I'll publish future ones also in google doc, making one long post with it is probably unviable for them, archiving them on Ao3 feels like a decent option but I don't know how tagging would work.

Anyway, because I haven't posted the bios for some of these characters in a VERY long time-some bios getting edits and the almanac unintentionally being hard to access (oops)-Bios and context below the cut! I'd highly recommend at least reading Shi and Saturn's at least.

CONTEXT CUT

SHI & DEATH WELLS

         One of the 11 Wielders of The Mirage, Shi is the Wielder of Death. Wielding death itself both metaphorically and literally. Unlike other Wielders, Shi’s scythe is sapient.

        On one hand, Shi is a clean freak,  judgemental, but intelligent and greatly caring of his family. Usually keeping Death in line and keeping the house where he and his siblings live clean, sometimes babysitting the rest if Saturn is out in public. Spending the rest of his time with Scuro, tends to flub up his english, though Scuro will always be there to correct him.

         On the other hand, his scythe is also judgemental, bossy, mocking, and just the (literal) tool embodiment of an a-hole. He can talk and communicate both regularly and telepathically to Shi, usually giving snarky comments and insults towards his siblings.

       Shi’s story begins in Mexico around the 1940’s-1960’s, living in poverty and by himself. Shi sees an odd creature, mouselike but not quite. And chases it into a Mirage portal. However, this particular portal was unstable, sending him back thousands of years into the Mirage. as much as Shi wanted to leave. There was a pull that was keeping him there, something was calling him.

          So he followed that pull to an old, crumbling crypt. There was where Shi would meet his soon-to-be best friend, Scuro. The Wielder of Shadows, was guarding the crypt. Despite the goo monster at the crypt speaking English (Which Shi didn’t understand), Shi continued on almost robotically. With Scuro threatening to use their powers to throw him back where he came from, but never actually doing so because they don't have the heart to. Quote:“Hey! Go away! I’ll kick you right out of here! I will! I’m not kidding! I will!” 

         Reaching the crypt, there’s a looming ominous scythe standing by itself upon a pile of rubble. Scuro, quite tired of seeing things die from this scythe. Tackles Shi as he grabs it. Sending off an explosion threatening to collapse the crypt and sending Scuro into a wall. This was Death itself, the Last Trial Scythe. Though accomplishing the impossible of not being turned to bones the moment he touched the scythe unlike those who came before him. It was coming up on Shi, upon being called reckless by this angry scythe. Shi becomes something of a verbal dagger and starts sassing an ancient object until the object asks him to “Take responsibility”. To which Shi, not understanding what this actually meant, said yes. So, Shi got up from this whole ordeal. Becoming the Wielder of death, accomplishing what even The Overseer thought was to be a fruitless waste of time.

SATURN WELLS

I’m not sure why it took me so long to write about the Overseer himself, but it did. This is Saturn Wells, the only Overseer of The Mirage. Very old, very anti-social full-time Overseer and parent. Doesn’t really sleep much, but it’s usually only a few hours long when he does.

          5’, birthday unknown, weighing 186 lbs. Saturn’s extremely wise and intelligent at his job. But also a very caring stay-at-home parent, we’re not sure why he cares so much about his own kids. They’re adopted, and he knows they might die and he’ll have to start all over, so why does he even try? According to him “I don’t care if I’ll have to take care of them forever throughout every life. I still want them to live happy lives, every time.”.

     His care for the Wielders and the two Starborn are still odd by an Overseer’s standards, though. Most of the time they’re left in someone else’s hands.

      It’s worth noting that he didn’t create the Xiilunes, while only he knows of their origins he simply gains a mortified look and never speaks. Although in the few cases we’ve seen him with the goo(s), he’s unable to control them, much less make them spread.

     As said before Saturn’s extremely wise and intelligent. However his knee jerk reactions definitely aren’t the best in the world, often leaving him with large problems. Such as when he took the starborn in without realizing he would have to parent them, though he doesn’t particularly regret that one. He does however, have a tendency to become anxious and reacts very poorly to stress. Even small things tend to put him on edge, while very soft and caring for his family. He hates having to interact with the public otherwise, social anxiety and all that.

     Lives in a house out in a secluded area, like a hermit and opposed to going out in public. The house has a special spell on it, whoever walks near it in a three-mile radius is unable to leave without his permission. Instead just walking right back to it.

Has pretty bad stress-eating habits and feather-picking habits, and a fear of abandonment, which has gotten bigger in the last few years. Compared to most Overseers, his poor health has led to his magic being a bit weaker than it should be…

SCURO WELLS

WATAWNA WELLS

The “younger” of the two Mirage starborn, Watawna Wells is technically the 2nd-to-eldest sister to the Wielders despite not being one herself. Despite this, they still treat her more like an aunt figure. As she seems to have picked up on her father’s (Metaphorical) softer side.

7’2”, born a few milliseconds after her sister (Something that’s frequently fought about), Watawna spends her days as a pediatrician (focused on the magic side of things). She seems to have her interests drift from place to place and then loop right back around, unbeknownst to anyone. She was a poisoner for a short time, but quit because unlike her sister, she has a better moral code.

Watawna’s something of a kooky aunt figure, the type of person who collects shiny rocks, the type of person who’d get distracted by all the lost stuff they found while cleaning their room. Yes, she’s those types of people with a side of care and bubbliness. Probably intelligent, but really doesn’t act like it. Personally I think she’s a bit oblivious sometimes…but I’ve heard that if she does get mad she crawls along the walls/roof chasing people like a demon in an 80s earth horror movie. Sadly, I can’t say if this is true because it’s literally impossible to annoy her at all that it's annoying in itself

Being a starborn, she’s extremely powerful in her abilities. Most of her abilities makeup what we all know as Hollowlantern Magic. Just like regular Hollowlanterns, she also needs leaves to power said magic. 

The relationship between her and Tempest certainly isn’t tense, they may not act like it but they stick together through and through no matter what. It’s impossible to see one without the other nearby, although fights have certainly happened. Some leaving lots of damage and in some cases, casualties. Both are also of equal strength, although neither really show it. In fact at first glance it may seem more like Watawna is the weaker of the two siblings, but no matter how you cut it. They’re the same in their abilities.

Lives in a house with Tempest that’s nearby Saturn’s house, roughly 4 miles away.

TEMPEST WELLS

This is Tempest Wells, one of the Mirage Starborn.  Being 0.00000561 milliseconds older (And more responsible in general, but how petty do you have to be to figure that specific number out?)than her sister, she’s considered the older of the two. Standing at 14’1, Tempest’s just an inch above the average Hollowlantern height.

Born sometime around October 22-24th alongside her sister Watawna. She’s one of the few starborn to still exist in this universe, starborn are beings born from magical forces getting caught in a supernova. Resulting in one or more beings of various forms to be born, however, they’re often highly deformed and weak at birth. Tempest and Watawna were extremely lucky, only being born without faces. Something easily fixed from Saturn’s knee jerk reaction of carving their faces, which (somehow?) didn’t kill them. Out of the two, Tempest is considered to be the unfriendly one. Unlike Watawna, Tempest really doesn’t care about others, not that she can’t. She just doesn’t like to. While definitely brash, gruff, and a bit quiet. She has shown to be much calmer and sometimes has a heart. A much better listener than speaker for someone who needs to vent, as opposed to Watawna, who’s version of comfort is…all over the place.

While not extremely aggressive of everyone around her, she most certainly doesn’t like them, letting her pessimism and lack of tone control. Well, control how she speaks. As you can tell, Tempest has a very pessimistic outlook on life. With Watawna there to “remind” her. 

       Moving on from her personality, no one really knows what’s underneath Tempest’s hood. It’s so old, and well kept, still holds together pretty well from what I’ve seen. Supposedly she got it as a birthday gift and hasn’t been seen without it since, hell even Watawna’s curious. We’ll probably never find out, because even if it goes down to her ankles it’d still be impossible to sneak up on her much less yank it off. 

(I’m not sure if I’ll be in trouble for saying this, but while Tempest is a surgeon at O’Ghost General Hospital, I’ve found some evidence she may be a hitwoman on the side…so if you never hear from me again randomly, that might be why…)

[meetmypointlessaddiction]

So It's Gonna Be Forever

Summary: Joel Miller and Emily Harper have been best friends since 2nd grade and at the end of freshman year become something more. Will they last or will their new label ruin it all. OR Joel Miller gets some lovin' because god knows he deserves it.

Chapter 5

Warnings: Mentions of rough childhood and some violence between father and son. Mentions and allusions to smut but never actually turns into smut.

I understand that this might not be everyone's cup of tea so if it's not for you, just don't read.

If there's anything that is possibly triggering that I haven't mentioned in the warnings please let me know as this is not beta'd and it is very possible that I've missed something.

Warnings🏷: Still mentions of child abuse and things like that but not as prominent as other chapters.

Series Masterlist

Wordcount: 3524

Settling into their grandparent’s house was easy. They weren’t expected to cook anything or put towards the rent and all that was asked of them was that they tried to keep the mess down to a minimum. The terms were easy to agree to and Emily was allowed to visit whenever she wanted which is how they resulted in alternate weekends, one at Emily’s house and then one at Joel’s new home. 

When Joel came home from school on Friday, the week before his graduation, Joel was met with an unfamiliar face in the living room. “Joel, this is the lawyer we were telling you about, to get the house signed over.” 

“So this is the young Mr Miller, nice to meet you, sir. James Hernandez.” The man held his hand out and Joel shook it firmly, nodding politely. “So, it’s quite easy actually. All you have to do is sign a few things and then I’ll handle everything else. That sound good?” Joel nodded and took a seat at the dining table with Louise and James. “You have a read through those and sign where I’ve marked out and then we’ll talk about what will happen in the coming months.” 

After their impromptu meeting, Joel saw the man out and hugged Louise tightly, thanking her and smiling as he saw Emily’s dad pull up outside the house, running out to go tell her the news. “Joel, that’s great, kid.” Jerry smiled and Joel nodded. 

“Yeah, yeah it is. I can���t wait to be honest. It’ll be good.” Joel smiled and Emily squeezed his hand as they both watched Jerry’s car pull off of the curb. He dragged Emily into the house and she laughed prodding him in the sides as he took her bag from her and hung it up at the bottom of the stairs. 

“Emily, glad to have you back, darling.” Louise said, hugging Emily tightly before turning back to the table. “I’m off out this evening and Tommy is out for the night with a friend so try not to leave the house in too much of a state. There’s some leftover pasta in the fridge if you get hungry and I’ll be back a little later.” She commented, hugging Joel and kissing his cheek before heading out of the door. 

Joel turned on the TV for some background noise as he and Emily sat down at the table, determined to revise as much as possible for their finals. “You know, I think we have a decent shot at this.” Emily commented as Joel lifted his head up from the table. 

“Speak for yourself but science is kicking my ass.” He grumbled and Emily laughed, reaching across the table and cupping his jaw. 

“You’re gonna do fine, baby. ‘Sides, what’s it matter if you fail one thing? What builder needs to know science anyway?” She asked and Joel shrugged. “You’ve got this, Joel. You remember what your ma always used to tell us before an exam?” She remembered and Joel smiled sadly. 

“Trust yourself. You know more than you think you do.” Joel recited and Emily smiled. “Ok, I get it, I get it. No more lectures, thank you very much.” He sighed and turned back to the pages in front of him, scanning them to find some sense. 

“Come on, we’ve been at this for hours. How about I warm up the pasta and then we’ll watch a movie.” Emily suggested and Joel smiled. 

“Keep revising if you want, don’t let me stop you.” He replied and she shook her head. 

“I’m tired of these equations and, at this point, we’re either gonna pass or we’re gonna fail. Doesn’t make a difference to me and there’s not much else we can do about it.” She pointed out and Joel nodded, standing. “Nope, you go sit down. It’s about time you got to relax, go pick a movie.” She scolded and Joel sighed, walking over to the TV.

As she pulled the pasta out of the fridge, she felt Joel’s arms wrap around her stomach and his head rest on her shoulder. “Thought I told you to sit down.” He just hummed in reply and she chuckled, heating the pasta up in the microwave, reaching up to grab two bowls from the cupboard. “Joel, you’re gonna have to let go of me eventually.” She pointed out but she only got another hum in reply, giggling to herself as she walked around the kitchen with Joel attached to her. Once she’d put the bowls on the dining table, she turned in Joel’s arms and settled against his chest. “What’s gotten into you, huh?” She asked and he just shrugged, pressing another kiss to her temple. She pushed him gently onto the couch and handed him his bowl of food, sitting next to him and looking towards the TV to see what movie he had picked. 

When Louise returned home, the lights had been switched off and the TV was displaying a static screen, the movie had ended a long time ago. She assumed that both kids would have headed to bed but then she saw the two of them entangled on the couch and chuckled to herself. Emily was laid on her back while Joel laid in between her legs, his head rested on her stomach and her hands interlaced behind his neck. Louise knew that her daughter had suspected that there had been something going on between Joel and Emily but didn’t want to bring it up. After seeing them together in person, Louise knew that it would take the world literally falling apart for the two of them to be separated. She walked into Joel’s room and grabbed the comforter off of Joel’s bed and threw it over the pair of them, watching as Joel shifted his head slightly and held her breath, hoping she didn’t wake him. 

The sun peeking through the windows was what woke Joel up. He felt Emily’s fingers rubbing a gentle pattern on the back of his neck and looked up to find her smiling at him. “G’morning. ” He mumbled and watched her smile widen, brushing back the strands of hair that had made themselves home on his forehead. 

“Mornin’ sleepyhead. Louise headed out somewhere and said Laura would be over at about 3 to pick up something she left the other night but apart from that, just us again.” Joel nodded, kissing her stomach before leaning up and kissing her lips, morning breath be damned. 

“C’mon, get dressed, I wanna show you somethin’.” Joel said, pushing himself up off of the couch and then pulling Emily up after him. The pair worked around each other to get themselves dressed and ready for the day, Emily jumping in the shower while Joel brushed his teeth and washed his face. “Baby?” Joel called out and Emily peeped around the bathroom door. 

“Yeah?” She asked innocently and Joel frowned. 

“Did you move my shirt?” 

“What shirt?” 

“The one that you saw me put on the bed five minutes ago before I went to turn off Tommy’s alarm. I could have sworn I put it on the bed.” He muttered looking around the room. 

“Think you’re goin’ crazy, cowboy. I’ll be five minutes, just need to get dressed, ok?” She asked and Joel nodded, going back to his closet to pull out a different shirt, picking out a white one instead of the black one he swore he had put on the bed. 

When Emily stepped out of the bathroom, dressed in a black shirt that was tucked slightly into her jeans, Joel had to do a double take, looking her over a few times. “You thief. Made me think I was going crazy.” He exclaimed, pinching her sides and grinning at the squeaks that escaped her. 

“Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry. Look, it was there for the takin’. ‘Sides, you’re gonna have to get used to this when I move in with you. How am I supposed to resist a closet filled to the brim with your clothes when it’ll stare me in the face every morning?” She teased and he shook his head, holding her close to him and peppering kisses across her face. 

Joel had passed his driving test and, thanks to the savings he had from working at the garage, he managed to buy himself a decent truck and it was like his baby. He opened the passenger door for Emily and then walked round to the other side, taking her hand and resting it on her thigh, pulling off of the curb and heading towards their surprise destination. 

The pair were driving for around twenty minutes until Joel pulled off of the road and down a narrow path, stopping the car. “Is this where you tell me that you’ve been murdering people for years and that now you’re going to murder me?” She asked and Joel shook his head. 

“Nope, need you, sweet cheeks. There’s something I want to show you.” He held his hand out for her and she took it, following him into a clearing in the trees and sitting down on the grass. 

The trees created a frame for the view in front of them. A lake with ducks and swans floating across it and kids swimming in it, beach balls and floaties strewn across the water’s surface. The opening provided them with a view of the small hill that they sat on, flowers and bees beneath their feet. “Joel, how’d you find this?” She whispered, in awe of the scenery. 

“When I was thirteen, ma was visiting my grandparents and dad was at home, Tommy was out with a friend. He’d been grinding my gears all day and then he said something and I snapped. Left a note in my room and climbed out of my window and ran and ran until I was scared I’d never be found. But I was wrong because no matter how far away I was, she would always find me. From then, she made it tradition that, whenever Tommy was out, after we visited my grandparents, we’d come back here, sometimes with some snacks or a book, other times with nothing but her car. When she first died, I used to come here a lot, leave Tommy with you and come here before or after work, just to talk to her because no one else knew about this place. Meant it was something that me and her had.” He looked at her with nothing but love in his eyes and she leant into him. 

“You didn’t have to-.” 

“I brought you here because no matter what I was going through, you were always the one that put your life on hold to make sure I was ok. You were the one that researched all these little calming tips and learned what it was that made me tick and figured out how to make sure I got over it. I was so certain that, in the middle of me grieving my mom, I was gonna lose you too. I was so scared that you wouldn’t be able to put up with all my bullshit and my insistence that Tommy follow me everywhere and never be at home alone. Truth is Emily, it’s always been you and I don’t know why I was ever scared. Before you freak, this isn’t some fucking long winded proposal speech because, one, I ain’t got the money to buy you the nicest ring this place has to offer but two, we still got the rest of our lives together. I just wanted you to know that I appreciate you, I love you and I want you with me, wherever it is I go. Maybe one day Tommy won’t be right behind us.” Joel ended and wiped the tears from her cheeks, kissing the tear tracks away and holding her close. 

“I don’t know how the proposal speech is gonna go down because that was pretty fucking incredible.” She murmured into his shirt and he chuckled. 

“I’ll figure something out.” He whispered in her ear and she smiled, lifting her head from his chest and grimacing at the wet patches on his shirt. “It’s fine, don’t worry about it.” He assured her and laid back on the grass, pulling her back with him and looking up at the patch of sky that was visible. 

“Never realised how much of a romantic you are Joel Miller.” 

“Would I increase my romantic rating if I told you there were snacks in the back of the car because I had imagined this as some kind of cheesy date?” He asked sheepishly and she gasped, turning to look at him. 

“Are you serious? Of course it would? Do the snacks involve Doritos?” She asked and he smirked. 

“Doritos and those fruit snack things you love.” He added and she grinned jumping up and running back to the truck, grabbing the bag full of snacks he had hidden under his jacket. 

“Joel Miller I have never wanted to suck your dick more.” She commented and he let out a low chuckle, content as she sat between his legs and rested her back against his chest, feeding him Doritos every so often. “Hey Joel?” She muttered and Joel hummed, Emily feeling the vibrations through his shirt. “What’d you name your kids?” She whispered and he smiled. 

“Sarah for a girl. If it was good enough for ma, it’s good enough for me. But, your opinions matter more than mine, you’d be carrying the bean round for nine months.” He replied, his voice low and steady and Emily’s heart warmed. 

“You think about kids with me?” She asked and Joel just huffed. 

“Did my long winded speech not get anythin’ into that skull of yours? I want everythin’ with you. Kids, marriage, house and a car with a dog that’ll protect you when I’m not there. Want to be there for everything. What about you? What’s your ideal kids name?” Joel asked and Emily shrugged. 

“I like Sarah. It not too far fetched but you don’t bump into one every day, know what I mean. Plus, it has meaning behind it. I love Ellie. I’ve always loved Ellie.” She answered and he chuckled. 

“Well if we ever have a boy, we’re screwed.” Joel said and she nodded. 

“Well you took your grandpa’s middle name as your name, right? And Tommy just got a shortened version of his first name.” Joel nodded and looked at the watch on his left arm. 

“It’s been a tradition for a while. The oldest boy takes the parents middle name as their first name but my mom and Aunt Laura were the only kids my grandma had so that tradition restarted with me.” 

“Little Matthew Miller. I don’t know, Joel. I think it fits.” She said and Joel rolled his eyes. 

“Hate my middle name. Tommy’s isn’t much better to be honest.” Joel grumbled. “Tommy Brandon Miller.” Joel laughed and Emily shook her head. “Yeah, they don’t exactly go together, huh?” 

For the next few hours, Joel and Emily relaxed, taking a well earned break from all their studying and basking in the quiet that the little hideaway provided them with. When they finally returned home, the sun was beginning to set and the pair walked into the house, the smile being wiped from their faces at the sight of Richard sitting at the dining table, the lawyer that Joel had spoken to stood there too. 

“What the hell is he doing here?” Joel growled and Emily noticed her mother and father sat on the couch with Louise, presumably there as a precaution in case things turned heated. 

“I ain’t lettin’ you take Tommy with you. He’s my son and you ain’t just runnin’ away with him.” 

“Where is Tommy?” Joel asked, directing the question towards Louise. 

“In his room, dear. Don’t worry, we aren’t going to leave him out of it, he gets a say too.” She assured but Joel shook his head and went to retrieve his younger brother before sitting across from his father. 

“Go on, explain why you want him to stay with you.” Joel leaned back, arms crossed and Richard stuttered, clearing his throat. 

“I ain’t never done anythin’ to hurt him and I don’t think you’re responsible enough to look after him. Once you’ve left, he’s all I’ve got so I don’t wanna lose him.” Richard said and then turned to Tommy. “You don’t mind stayin’ with your old man a little longer do you, Tommy boy?” Tommy just ignored him and Joel smirked slightly. “What the hell have I done to him?” 

“I didn’t tell him about all the shit you did because I didn’t want him to lose you like I did. I made sure that all your anger came to me so that he still saw his dad as his hero, just like I wish I could have. All the beating I took just so that you were level headed when you spoke to him and mom. I ain’t lettin’ you take him away after I’ve spent the last three years steppin’ up for him. No way.” Joel finished, trying his best to stay calm, watching Richard and Carol give him a reassuring smile while Emily simply sat between them, watching on in anticipation. 

“Well, I’m gonna be the bigger man and let my son have a choice.” Richard said and Joel looked at Tommy, noticing how he avoided his father’s gaze and looked straight at Joel. 

“Hey, you don’t gotta go with him if you don’t want. You know I’m more than happy to keep you as close as possible and that grandma has been more than happy to have you here. Don’t expect me to give all that up just because he’s suddenly decided to step up. It’s in your hands ok? You say the word and I’ll sort it.” Joel promised and Tommy frowned. 

“I don’t wanna go with him Joel. I don’t want him to stop me seeing everyone again. I just got grandma back but you’ve been so happy now that you ain’t gotta worry about me. You and Em are gonna move in together, get married and I don’t wanna get in your way and-.” 

“Tommy Miller I promise you that you are never in my way. You always have and always will be my top priority, for as long as you need to be. How many times have I told you that, huh? Ma raised us to be close and that ain’t never gonna change no matter where you live. He tries to stop you talkin’ to me and I find a way around it. Do you understand me?” Tommy nodded and glanced at Richard, shaking his head. 

“I don’t wanna stay with him. I really don’t wanna say with him.” He whispered and Joel nodded. 

“It’s okay, little brother. I’ll figure somethin’ out, ok?” Joel said softly and Tommy nodded while Richard scoffed. 

“I’m his father, I’ve got custody of him and he ain’t livin’ under anyone else's house.” He exclaimed but Mr Hernandez raised a hand and stood. 

“Tommy is in the right frame of mind to chose where he lives and a court would allow-.” 

“He’s an abuser, an alcoholic and a fucking bastard right down to his core. He used to hit my ma, he’s hit me and I swore I’d never let him hit Tommy. I’ll take custody of Tommy, I’ll be his legal guardian and-.” 

“Woah woah. Joel, calm down. Honey, you can’t go sayin’ all this. You’re 18, you haven’t finished school-.” Carol tried but Joel just shook his head, looking at Tommy.

“I promised ma and I promised myself that you’d never go through what we did. You’re my little brother and I ain’t about to let you get hurt by him because that’s what’ll happen. He’ll go back to the bars and he’ll expect you to take over and I know how that feels Tommy.” Joel then turned to Richard and shrugged. 

“Joel, let me take custody. I’ve got more chance of winning a case than you, more experience that they’ll take into consideration. I’m not going to stop Tommy from seeing you whenever he wants and I can promise that you’ll still be as close as you are now. You’ve got so much responsibility on your shoulders, let me take this ok?” Louise spoke and Joel sighed, looking at Tommy who nodded with a small smile. 

“Fine.” Richard stood from his chair with a huff. “I’m not wasting my time with this shit or the money that a court case will cost. You want to keep them then be my guest.” He said to Louise and then left the house, Joel feeling his shoulders relax, standing to see James out before Tommy threw himself at Joel’s chest, wrapping his arms around him. 

“Thank you. Thank you for fightin’ for me.” Tommy muttered and Joel smiled, wrapping his arms around Tommy in return.

“I’ll always look out for you, baby brother. Even when no one else is.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Don't forget to like and reblog if you enjoyed!

[anarkhebringer]

Holds out hands

Stardew Valley Null Lore Please :]

Of course my friend, just for you I'll give you a lot to read. Spoilers for some heart event stuff with Shane and Mayor Lewis.

Okay so to start I guess I'll say what's the same with his official portrayal. He's still got hardcore trauma from humans capturing his family and killing them all except for him and experimenting on him because he's a fairy, but his emotions are slightly more present since Grandpa adopted him after he escaped, instead of him being kidnapped and smuggled a lot in his childhood like in his official portrayal.

He and Demetrius start off EXTREMELY rough because of it, when Demetrius got a bit too eager in expressing his interest in studying Null's magic and triggered a PTSD attack for him. He doesn't stay openly angry and suspicious of Demetrius forever, but it's still pretty obvious that he never forgives him or truly lowers his guard around him.

For less angsty lore, his cat Carl is always following him around, no matter if he's on the farm or talking to folks in town. It's an endearing quirk to the townsfolk, especially when Null openly converses with Carl since he can both understand and talk to all animals. If folks are lucky, occasionally they'll spot him talking to Carl and getting really sassy after Carl says (meows) something to him. "Oh, so I'm suddenly your waterboy, huh? I'll catch you a stinky bug to eat instead if you lip at me again, boy."

In terms of relationships, he eventually marries Elliott. He's also best friends with Sebastian, Shane, Penny, and Leah. He's got a decent relationship with everyone in town except for Pam, Demetrius, and Haley, and after he finds out about Mayor Lewis' secret involving Marnie and realizing that he's funneling most of the town's funds to his own pockets, he becomes a bit distant. He started off thinking something was off about the guy but he couldn't put his finger on why, but that assured him he wasn't being overly suspicious out of anti-human bias. He also is distant from Pierre for the same reason, though he doesn't hate the guy as much as he hates Joja. This section is subject to change as I play more.

A little thing I wanted to incorporate into his storyline is him getting close enough to Penny that she gifts him a bouquet to confess to him after trying her best to save up, and as a way to both gently decline and honor her efforts, he makes the flowers into two flower crowns for them both to wear. It was a tearful hug on Penny's part when he did that, but she still left that hangout with Null with a smile because of his kindness to her.

Shane also develops feelings for him, and gets an equally kind and patient rejection. After Shane ends up kissing his cheek in excitement during the gridball game, and he freaks out and backs up, Null just pulls him into a one-armed hug and says they can talk about it after they get back to town. They do so, and yet again a friend leaves with a smile and a huge weight off their shoulders. It also helped that Shane knew about Null's culture being polyamorous and having a general lack of jealousy after being told one day, so there was no bridge created in their friendship since confessions don't affect Null like that and he values friendships equally.

For hobbies, Null is another tortured artist to add to the pile, and he's a masterful painter and musician. He frequently listens to music and/or sings to pass the time when he's farming or doing some foraging. A way he sometimes bonds with Elliott and his friends is by singing to them as he sits with them and they do their own thing, with him usually braiding flowers into Elliott's hair or making a flower crown/other accessories for Penny and the others. He also is a pretty dedicated nerdy gamer when he has a bit of free time.

Alright, this is enough for now, I took forever to write this. If anyone wants more details feel free to ask. Thanks for the ask, Floops!

[deeply-unserious-fellow]

OMG WE'RE RANKING HAZBIN SONGS!?!?!?!? MY TURN MY TURN MY TURN!!!

Respectless: Carmilla and Velvette both have such satisfying voices omfg. Also the beat goes sO HARD- it catches your attention and DOESN'T LET IT GO! Also it moves the plot forward very effectively which is actually really important for songs in musicals to do so. That's nice. Tbh it's only flaw is being too short-

Stayed Gone: VOX MY BELOVED- this song is so fucking catchy. It also kinda gives me Will Wood vibes, and I love Will Wood so ofc I'm gonna love the Will Wood ass song. Love how petty Al and Vox are, like it's so fucking funny. The lore drops are also really interesting. Aaaaaaaand Alastor's bit at the end reminded me of the Nowhere King and I love Centaurworld so :)

Loser, Baby: Pretty obvious why this one's so high up; Huskerdust, Keith David, cute bonding, has a message I needed to hear tbh, and its catchy as FUCK

Hell Is Forever: God I love all the different genres they play around with in this show- like I was NOT expecting a straight up ROCK BALLAD in the FIRST FUCKIN EPISODE but god Im so happy we got it. This song goes so fucking hard. Alex Brightman should be allowed to sing more Rock n' Roll.

Poison: Once again, this song is catchy as hell! Blake Roman's vocal preformance is also phenomenal, like that man can fuckin SING!!! Of course he can he's been on broadway and releases his own music bUt you get it. Also that final verse... man. In the context of the episode this song is emotionally devastating, out of context it's uh. Still really sad tbh but it's easier to bop along to it cause you don't have the visuals- Idk it's just a fuckin banger man. Though speaking of the visuals VOX WHAT WAS THAT FUCKING LOOK WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO CONVEY HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT ANGE- *gets shot dead*

Happy Day In Hell: Honestly? Pretty neutral on this song. Love Erika Henningsen's voice, I think it's catchy(no duh), and the Disney Princess vibes are IMMACULATE. Not a huge fan of the random shift in the music I wanna say half way through? But otherwise it's a good song I think, conveys Charlie's motives really well.

Whatever It Takes: Okay okay look. It's a good song. Does it's job in the episode. It's just not for me. I think it goes on a little too long, and I think that, while Daphne Ruben-Vega's voice fits the song PERFECTLY, Stephanie Beatriz was singing too high in her range to a distracting degree. Like I think there was something wonky going on because that shit gave me the same whiplash I got when Marinette started singing in the Miraculous movie, and it just. Doesn't fit the style of the song. Like Vaggie's part should've been more belty or something. Idk man I might be too out of my lane w/ this for my critique to be valid, because I have literally never written a song before, and music is VERY subjective so I don't think I can even be objectively right here, but still. Oppinions.

It Starts With Sorry: Look, I know this song is supposed to be a joke, but the first time I saw the episode that did n o t click with me, and without the understanding that it isn't entirely serious this song just feels so fucking out of place and really falls flat. Like it feels like somebody took a song from My Little Pony: FiM, made an AMV with Hazbin characters, and then threw it in the episode, y'know? And like don't get me wrong MLP has some FUCKIN bangers(Say Goodbye to the Holiday, This Day Aria, etc), but a lot of the musical numbers are still really bland and samey, y'know? So uh yeah it's a decent song and a funny joke but def my least favorite so far.

[twoidiotwriters1]

Copycat: Genesis —(Marvel Fem!Oc)

A/N: As usual I suck at writing actions sequences but I think this one’s decent -Danny

Words: 2,231

Phase Six Masterlist

Previous Chapter // Next Chapter

Listen to: ‘It's On Again’ -by Alicia Keys

xxxv: The Young Avengers

They were on the road. Kate had gotten a van and now they were driving upstate. Kurt and the archer were in the front. Peter and Cat were at the back. The young man was dressed as Spider-Man so the others couldn't see his face.

"Cat!"

She gave a start. "I'm listening."

"No, you're not, I wasn't even talking," he tilted his head. "You've been staring into space for ages. You know you—"

"Well, I'm anxious, Harley was kidnapped!" Cat interrupts him.

"I still don't understand how that happened, it's not like him to try and fix things himself, right?"

"No, obviously not," she said in distress. "Maybe he got taken, but how? He's always so careful!"

"Kraven's specialty, right?" The hero responded.

"I should've been cautious..."

"What we won't do is blame ourselves for something we did not do," Peter reprimanded her.

"What about things I did do?" She asked, staring at her feet. "Parker's not coming back. He just left my apartment without saying anything..."

She couldn't tell what Peter was thinking behind the mask. "What happened?"

Cat looked embarrassed. "The curtain of his reality's gonna rip apart if he continues to visit... He explained it better. The point is, he's not coming back..." She groaned and threw her head back. "I just wished things didn't suck so hard! There are so many things happening, I'm relearning why I even wanted to be an Avenger, then Parker comes and tells me he's in love—"

"Woah!" Peter intervened. "He said that?"

"I mean, dude's been coming and going just to see me, I think that's as clear as it gets," she raised a brow.

"I thought he just liked not being Spider-Man... and you know... the sex," Peter replied in disbelief.

Cat made a face. "Yeah well, for a while, but I never believed that phase would last..."

"Why?"

"Because he's you," she said matter-of-factly. "You'd say anything to keep me happy, wouldn't you? I have a soft spot for Parkers, but you guys can't say no to me either."

He sighed, nodding a little. "You told me to kiss you and I kissed you. You said 'Come to Germany', I went to Germany."

"Allowances," she said defeatedly. "That's how Parker called them. You do that when you're in love, you find a middle ground. "

Peter nodded. "We've all done that for each other, C. But I know it's always been hard for you to let us do it when it comes to our relationships with you. It's like you're afraid we'll give you more than you can handle."

"Well, he fought hard to get his point across," she raised a brow. "He would not shut up until I sat and listened... but I still think it's not fair."

He laughed dryly, like he could tell what she was about to say. "What's not fair?"

"Having to choose."

"No... it's not," he agreed, reaching for her hand. "But it's also not fair that something like the blip happened. It's not fair that you've been alone most of your life. But sometimes, we have to accept that those things can and will happen, we can't put our life on pause forever just to try and keep them away."

"Yeah, I know... That's exactly why I don't even dare to dream about anything anymore," she laughed.

"What about the new Avengers?"

"That's different. It's not a fantasy, it's my job."

He took off his mask. "Is there nothing you'd like to do as Cat Maxwell after this?"

"Did Cat Maxwell even exist?" She shrugged. "All those names... and none of them were used on a day-to-day basis."

"A couple did. C.C., Cat, and Jane."

"Stop advocating for your other self," she scolded him.

"I'm trying to advocate for you! You don't see it?"

"See what?

"You're following the rules from when we were kids," Peter rolled his eyes. "Your identity doesn't have to serve your powers. All heroes are shapeshifters, Cat, you just happened to have that as your major." She stared at him like she'd never considered that. Peter smiled a little. "You're so sure we're going to call you out, but we all want you to be happy, and those who don't, don't deserve a second of your time. If we're paying attention to Kraven, is only because of you and Kurt... and Harley."

He squeezed her hand, the suit stopped her from feeling his warmth, but the gesture was comforting. Cat's voice came out a little shaky. "I just need you to be safe."

"I know. We'll take care... you should think about what's best for you, instead of the whole world."

"I live in this world, though," she stared down at their hands. "I want this world to be good for everyone no matter what."

"Me too. But I also want Peter Parker to have a place in my life again. You should give your other versions the same treatment you give to Copycat. They've all kept you going in different ways... and maybe," he looked uncomfortable, but he finished anyway. "Maybe one world is not enough for someone with so many lives."

Her gaze softened. "You know... I really wanted it to be with you. My one life."

He nodded smiling. "I also wanted it to be you. But it never happened."

She sniffed. "God, if I could go back and get a hold of Thanos..."

Peter let go of her hand. "Gotta hate those 'ifs'..."

She stared at him, as though her mind was somewhere else. "How do I know that's not what's drawing me to him, Pete? Our 'if'."

He shrugged. "When you look at him, do you see me?"

Cat laughed shortly. "The more I hang out with him the less I think of anyone, which makes no sense. And that's part of what scares me. I don't want him to erase you, I don't want him to take someone else's place."

"Someone has to," Peter's eyes turned a thousand years old. "I told you to let go long ago so you could hold onto something better... Something that didn't hurt to keep."

Back then he'd been her safe haven. She realized that was what Parker was feeling now. Cat remembered the way it'd hit her, not only because of what it entailed, but she'd also been trying to keep Parker out of his own world at some point, safely tucked in the bubble of her apartment.

Kate parked the van fifteen minutes away from the mansion, hidden on the edge of the forest. They got out and fetched what they needed: weapons, tech, and suits.

"So you still don't know how to drive, huh?" Cat was quite carsick after the trip. "You should've let Kurt take the wheel..."

"My van, no one touches it," Kate said, then she looked up and frowned. "Where's Kurt?"

"He's taking a call," Cat said. "I'll get him."

She didn't have to walk long, Kurt was still on the call when she found him, he was talking to Rocket, trying his best to sound calm. "I gotta hang up, boss—"

"Tell Cat—"

"Yeah, you forbid her from dying," Kurt brushed it off. "See ya, Captain!"

When he spotted her, he froze. Cat noticed his heart picked up its pace too. "We need to get moving."

"Yeah, sorry. Rocket... he knows this is the guy that hurt us as kids, so..."

Cat nodded. "Is he okay?"

"Yeah, just wanted to hear from me, that's all," Kurt walked past her. "He says you're not allowed to die."

"Oh man, that's a bummer."

Kate took a deep breath, placing her hands on both hips and nodding. "Good luck."

Cat smiled, finally the girl had learned not to ask heroes to be careful. "You too, Princess."

"Send the flea," Kurt tapped something on the tablet he was holding.

"Mouse, activate drones."

"Activating pest control protocol."

Small fleas left her and went away flying. Cat seized her spear, and Kurt his blaster. "Signal's up and running," he looked at Cat, and for a moment he seemed terrified. "You better stay out of our way."

"I'll try my best. And thank you..."

"You've done the same for us," Kate brushed it off. "It's what friends do."

"Risk their lives trying to catch a killer?" Cat teased her.

"Make lives easier to handle. You do it all the time, let us do this one."

"You don't have to pay me back."

"This isn't paying, we're making sure we don't lose you and Harley in a stupid way," Kate raised a brow. "Quit whining, there's a man out there who wants to kill you and we don't want to keep him waiting."

"Okay," the mutant pushed her shoulders back. "Let's kill Dad and save our boyfriend."

"He's not my dad," Kurt loaded his blaster. "My dad's a raccoon."

She noticed Kurt didn't correct the part about Harley being their boyfriend. "Yeah, I'll give my real dad a call once this is over, been a while since I helped him carry groceries..."

"This is his new place? I would've continued to work for Russo too if he'd paid me enough to buy a place like this!"

"Looks like a school, though," Kurt squinted. "Wouldn't be surprised if he bought an old orphanage and turned it into his mancave."

"Time's ticking," she looked at Kurt. "What do we do when people don't respect us, Smurf?"

He smirked. "We make them."

"Go invade private property, then."

Kurt teleported away. She faced the mansion, counted to twenty, and heard Kate speaking through the coms. "I'm in position."

Copycat threw her spear through a big window from the second floor. It crashed lousily. Cat pressed a button on her mask and the spear flew back, she repeated this process about two more times until Kraven jumped out from one of the broken windows, landing on one knee.

"Hi, sir!" She shouted. "Do you have a minute to talk about our lord and savior?"

A spear —her old spear— came flying at her, but she rolled out of the way. Kraven then shot with a harpoon in her direction, Cat used her cape to stop the arrow. "You've pestered me for long enough!" Kraven roared in Russian.

"This time we'll play by my rules, Sergei," she replied, standing up straight and glaring at him.

A growl came from behind her, and Kraven smiled. "I don't think so."

A tiger jumped at her from behind. However, before the creature could touch her, a red and blue whirlwind tackled the animal and rolled away with the feline. Kraven's face turned red. "Him!"

"You didn't think I'd come alone?" Cat grinned.

"Two more coming from the west!" Kate announced through the comms.

Spider-man webbed the tiger and swung out of sight. "I got it!"

Kraven pointed his harpoon at her with a frustrated scream, but an arrow came down flying and stuck in the mechanism of his weapon, spilling purple Play-Doh on it and turning the harpoon useless. Kate was standing on the rooftop of the mansion, pointing a second arrow in Kraven's direction with steady hands.

"Hi, Tarzan!" She shouted. "Having fun?"

Kraven looked at Cat with wild, enraged eyes. "Coward!" He threw the harpoon away and pulled a machete from his belt, charging toward her.

Cat split her spear in half and turned on the taser. "I wouldn't get any closer if I were you, this coward has taken precautions."

"Have honor, Mimic!" He jumped at her anyway, clashing his machete against her batons.

"I don't have honor!" She stopped him from cutting off her leg. "And my name isn't Mimic!"

Kraven kicked her, he pressed something on his belt... but nothing happened. He tried again. "Tell Tarzan I blocked the cages," Peter informs her. "It's just you and him now, I'm on my way to help Kurt."

Cat got up laughing. "I think your system's been hacked."

"Make him stay put, Cat!" Kate asked her. "I need him to stand still!"

"You know, Sergei..." She attached together her weapon and stuck it on the grass, next to her old spear. Cat raised her hands, but the gesture wasn't for him. "You represent 0.0001% of my worst days in this world, so why don't we calm down, have a nice chat to smooth things out..."

Kraven jumped at her with the machete. Cat caught the man's wrist as he attacked her. She twisted his hand piercing the skin with her claws. "Alright, no truce!" She kicked him back. "There's someone who is much more eager to see you," she panted, struggling to keep him under control.

Just in time, Kurt circled the mansion driving Kraven's giant bike at full speed, with Harley's unconscious figure in front of him. Spider-man swung around the building's left flank, right behind them.

Cat pushed the hunter in front of the bike as it run past them, Kurt drifted at the same time and flung a net made of thin wire over the man's body. She'd seen it before, in Sergei's memories. His favorite toy.

Kate took her shot and the arrow clung to the net letting out a powerful electrical discharge. The man squirmed and shrieked in pain. Kurt stepped on the brakes a few feet ahead leaving Harley on the seat and teleporting to bring Kate to solid ground next to Cat.

The archer drew out another arrow and pointed it at the man's face, peering through the net holes that were slowly getting smaller and smaller the more he tried to set himself free. Nightcrawler charged his blaster and aimed at Kraven. 

Spider-man landed in his classic pose next to Nightcrawler, and Copycat pulled out both spears from the grass, one in each hand, and twirled them just to show off before shrinking the new one and using the other for support as she bent down on one knee in front of Kraven.

The Young Avengers stood before him, not even breaking a sweat.

Next Chapter—>

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[muwitch]

5 and 6 for Teth??

it took me forever bc of work, gdi BUT THANK YOU FOR ASKING ily

How does your Dark Urge react to their urges in general? Are there specific urges that they have a strong reaction to?

Teth is not happy with things she cannot understand. Is it something her tadpole does? Is it specific to her? Why? The lack of knowledge and hence the lack of control is unsettling her more than the acts themselves. There’s always a wave of almost ecstatic relief after Teth taps into a few, but then the euphoria abates and she’s once again left with a void in her stomach and silence for an answer. She tries to rationalise, as always, and kicks unknowingly in the same methods as she used pre-tadpole. 

She is more wary of them initially but then treats it like a chronic disease: it’s there, it’s not going away, it’s part of her and she has to familiarise herself with the symptoms to have a grasp of it. She tries to form a pattern to the victims, to see if something specific triggers it, how long is the interval before she’s waking up covered in blood and guts. There’s a certain disappointment that there’s no real logic to it (so she can wipe out countless lives at the goblin camp and yet the same night the urge will demand some poor sod’s blood like a cat in heat?), nor does it really “sate” anything inside. However, up until her control over her urges is reestablished in a more or less decent manner, she taps into it just to keep herself in check.

She would’ve reacted strongly around Isobel, if she chose to see her before following Nightsong, but then again it depends on what is meant by strong. She reacted negatively to some of the first urges aka hacking out Gale’s hand or dooming a child out of pure surprise of it happening and clouding her judgement.

Most emotions or the strongest urges usually have to do with Teth’s past or people from it more or less so. Quil (I gonna elaborate in a second), Isobel, Gortash (bc THE urge sent down by dad was immense once she stepped into the coronation hall but she was too pissed and too intrigued to listen to it).

The one urge you cannot avoid in the game is killing Alfira. Does that event have a particular impact on your character or do they take it in stride?

I will stick to the in-game thing of killing Quil instead of Alfira, but Alfira was a breath away from being gutted, I won’t lie.They meet kind of late into the quests, when Teth has the actual time or wish to explore the grove, and despite some repulse from the girl’s naivete it’s fine. Alfira seems genuinely smitten from the exchange and is more than a little enthusiastic like a little puppy. Teth was already itching to smash something and not in a sexual way, trying to get hold of her urges, and the last thing she really wanted was a nuisance. She ended up smacking her head instinctively really good against a crate at one point and knocked her unconscious. Would Teth not get hold of herself halfway, she’d crack her skull, but hey, just a concussion.

And probably not realising her urge completely makes her lash out the very same night on Quil. But really it’s just that she had to be the same species as Teth’s late brother. And she's the same as Alfira, she speaks about love and longing and makes Teth’s head throb with something unexplainable. She bears scales that shine with a cold winter’s blue, and the areas that will make her life flow out are so exposed, so unprotected. And she doesn’t heed the warning when said no for the first time.

Then it’s blooded hands and guts and a symbol on the ground, and sense of almost serenity, of familiarity, and while her mind comes back in pulses, her breathing evens out, she takes her work with almost technical sight. The killing makes her high like nothing else did, and she barely registers why, familiar shadows and blurred pictures at the back of her eyelids. Would her heart taste as sweet as she remembers it to be? Why is she even remembering?

She cleans up as if ditching a body was something she was made for, sloppier than she would in her prime, and she sleeps like a baby for the first time in a long time, curling on the bedroll. It only dawns at her properly in the morning, and it’s a sense of mortification that lack of control leaves, a hunger in her gut. I think it comes as sort of an ice water bucket: she can’t trust her body, which is an act of betrayal in itself, she can’t fully trust anyone by default (as they’ve been dismissive of her concerns) and now she’s to lie to them outright.

It sets multiple things in motion: Teth finally embracing her subclass of sorts, it sets her on self-discipline even harder and works as a mental barrier between her and the companions till they get to Moonrise.