#it's already making me insane. I've listened to it 10 times

[tragedy-for-sale]

Okay, first off, if you haven't listen to the jukebox/club music sprinkled throughout The Bad Batch season soundtracks, you definitely should. (They're usually the last few tracks) Second off, I need you to listen at 2:34 until 2:50 and tell me where it is sampled from because it's going to drive me insane

[wishmemel]

so high school, ft. fushiguro megumi

synopsis: you’ve known megumi, nobara, and yuuji since freshman year of high school, but it's only recently that you and megumi have started realizing that your feelings might run deeper than friendship (that is, if either of you have the courage to make the first move...) tags: megumi x f! reader, non-curse au, this might be from megumi's pov idk, friends to lovers, all fluff, all characters are about 17, reader is an older sibling, megumi being his usual reserved self, reader is more bubbly, definitely self-indulgent (reader is a sanrio lover), probably ooc but this is just for fun, no beta reader so let me know if there’s any errors cw: i don't think there are any? please let me know if you spot anything, i'll add it! wc. 5.9k posted: 22/10/23 a/n: i've been working on this fic forever and i didn't think i was going to post it at first tbh... most of my fics stay in the drafts but i spent a little more than 2 weeks on this so i thought why not. also, yes, i know you can't legally drive a car in japan at 17, but we will ignore that for the sake of the fic!

Megumi chewed his lower lip, feeling the weight of the necklace stored in the lower pocket of his black backpack.

He and Yuuji had stopped by a comic book store before school started at the latter’s insistence—Megumi had already stopped by yesterday and picked up the copy he’d wanted in secret, stashed underneath his pillow—so he’d split from Yuuji and made his way to the Hello Kitty Shibuya store a few feet down. He didn’t want his friend to see the romance mangas that he was interested in, and he’d already spent most of his allowance on the two copies he’d bought yesterday. He didn’t want to be tempted any more.

Stepping into the store, dressed in all black, heavy eye bags present, his hair unkempt and spiky, he must have frightened the employees, but they’d done their best to greet him with a cheery smile and welcomed him inside. Megumi had pulled down his snapback and wandered around, wondering what he was doing flipping through a rack of cinnamoroll earrings.

By the time he was at the front counter, ears red, using the last of his allowance to buy a pink heart-shaped necklace of My Melody, he was convinced that he was insane. It was the last one on the shelf and it was… expensive, to say the least. He almost put it back on the shelf after seeing the price, but he hesitated, your sweet smile flashing in his mind. To see you rave and gush about him buying this necklace for you, which was supposedly out of stock everywhere online… Well, he really wanted to see your smile.

The employees at the register giggled over his flushed expression and prodded him about who he was buying it for, when he would give it to you, if you were already his girlfriend or if you were just a friend. They wrapped it in a pink box with a white satin ribbon and he left the store with the tiny amount of dignity he had remaining, his ears brick red from dodging all their suggestive questions. 

He hardly remembers stuffing the box deep in his backpack, underneath a spare sweater he keeps in his bag, and rushing over to the manga store with his hands in his pockets, nonchalantly waiting for Yuuji outside as if he’d never left.

They’d walked to school together, chattering away: well, it was mostly just Yuuji talking. Megumi listened, but that was the way he preferred it. 

He couldn’t remember a time when he’d ever been labelled talkative. Even as a child, Gojo, his guardian, had complained about Megumi’s blunt and silent nature. Yuuji didn’t mind the silence—it just meant that he had a chance to talk. Nobara despised it—she was always rolling her eyes or pressing him about one thing or the other. When it came to you, you liked the comfortable silence. You didn’t feel the need to fill it with conversation, and even when you did, it was because you wanted to, not because of some awkwardness that you felt between the two of you. 

The two boys met up with you and Nobara, both of you bleary-eyed and early at school for once. 

The two of you had this awful habit of staying up late and talking on the phone to get your homework done and then waking up hours after school had started, practically missing your first period classes. 

Megumi and Yuuji used to wait outside the gate for you two in the beginning, but now they knew you too well and usually headed inside, talking at Megumi’s locker. On the off chance that one of you arrived on time, you knew exactly where to find them. 

“Where were you two?” you asked, tilting your head to the side with a confused scrunch of your brows. ��We looked for you at your locker, but you weren’t there. Nobara and I actually got to school on time! Aren’t you proud?”

Despite your weariness, your makeup was always done to perfection, uniform ironed and straightened, hair silky and shining underneath the scorching sun, so Megumi always thought you looked good.

It was just recently that you had started looking beautiful instead of nice and seemed more funny than even his best friend, Yuuji.

“Megumi and I ran to the comic book store,” Yuuji said, eyes lighting up with excitement. “I got the one-hundred-fifteenth edition of Human Earthworm. Basically, in this edition, Worm Man falls in love with this woman, but there’s a catch! She’s also half-worm, but she’s a worm from the top half of her body and the bottom half—“

“Itadori,” Nobara barks. “It’s too early in the morning for your SuperWorm stories.”

Nobara glares at him, looking like she hadn’t even had time to do her makeup.

Yuuji peers at her. “You look kind of… sick.”

Nobara’s eyes flare with uncontrolled rage and she leaps on Yuuji’s back, wrapping her legs around his waist as she pulls at his pink hair. “Do you want me to kill you?”

Megumi sighs while Yuuji laughs and dodges Nobara’s advances. You just giggle, your arm brushing against Megumi’s, though he wonders if he’s the only one who notices the warmth of your skin on his.

The bell rings, startling them, and Nobara slowly unlatches herself from Yuuji. You bound over to her and fix her hair and she allows you patiently.

“Good?” she asks, checking her phone’s reflection.

“Good?” Yuuji mocks, patting down his own hair. 

“You both look hot,” you affirm, giggling at Nobara’s murderous look. You tuck a strand of hair behind her ear and check your phone. Your expression brightens as you glance over at Megumi. “Megs and I have Chem together first. We have a lab today, remember?”

He doesn’t return your smile, mostly because he’s starstruck at the sight, but nods slowly to let you know he’s heard.

Nobara groans. “Yuuji and I have Gym first,” she gripes.

You snort, flicking her cheek. “I don’t want to know why you would ever decide to take that class.”

“It’s not bad or hard,” she defends, but then she puts her fist up and grits her teeth. “But there’s this really stupid teacher who always picks on me for being a woman. He thinks I’m slower ‘cause I have a vagina and that makes me want to pull out his hair.”

“And he hates me because he always says I’m cheating during our run,” Yuuji complains. “It’s not my fault I’ve trained a lot!”

You laugh again before bouncing over to Megumi and wrapping a hand around his bicep. “Let’s go,” you insist. “We have to get the seat at the back before Miwa gets there again! Last time, she took my spot and she knows it’s my spot. I always sit there!”

You drag him with you, calling your goodbyes to a stunned Yuuji and Nobara, the two aware of how much Megumi hates physical touch. They wait, watching for their friend to remove your hand, but he never does. The two exchange nervous looks as they follow you through the front doors.

You’re sitting on a large boulder, your back to him, as you listen to Yuuji and Nobara’s insistent speech. He can almost imagine your confused look: your eyebrows scrunched, lips pouty.

The three of you haven’t spotted him yet, nonchalantly strolling towards you, hands tucked in his pocket, but even at this distance he can hear what the pair are telling you.

“You cannot touch Megumi,” Nobara insists. “He hates being touched.”

“The last time I tried to hug him, he squeezed my wrist so hard I thought it’d break,” Yuuji points out, cradling his arm. “He hates physical touch.”

Megumi sighs and rolls his eyes. 

Just when he’d started getting close to someone, his cursed friends had to interfere. Even if their intentions are in the right place, can’t they mind their own business? He isn’t exactly the people-pleasing type: if he’s letting you touch him, it’s on purpose. 

Both Nobara and Yuuji share exactly one brain cell, he thinks. 

“Oh… really?” Is he imagining the hint of disappointment in your tone? “Ah, I didn’t know. Okay… I’ll try to keep my distance from now on. Thanks for telling me.”

“What are you three talking about?” he asks, stopping at your back.

You still as his leg brushes against your back. You tilt your head back, meeting his eyes with a tentative smile. He’s awestruck all over again, like every time you flash him that smile. 

“You,” Nobara answers truthfully, taking his attention off of you. 

Yuuji elbows her and laughs awkwardly. “She’s kidding. W-we were talking about Human Earthworm 5! Yeah, Human Earthworm. Obviously. I told them we should go see the fifth—“

You roll your eyes, watching him take a large step over the boulder to stand next to Yuuji. “I don’t know why they’re lying. We were just talking about where to go for lunch. Yesterday, Nobara and I got to pick and we went out for sushi, remember? We thought you guys might have a preference today.”

“That’s what we were talking about,” Yuuji affirms quickly with a painfully bright smile. Megumi isn’t so awestruck at the sight. 

There’s a collective moment of silence; they’re all holding their breath, waiting for his answer. 

He looks at you. You give him an innocent smile, blinking, and he finds it slightly frightening how easily you can lie to his face like that.

“Okay.” Megumi shrugs, accepting your words. “I’m in the mood for tteokbokki,” he says, despite his lack of allowance, if only to change the topic. He remembers Yuuji salivating over the thought of the street food yesterday in Math class, even after lunch. 

“There’s a place near here that has corn dogs and tteokbokki,” Nobara mentions, checking the Maps app on her phone. “It’s a five minute walk.”

“I want tteokbokki with a boiled egg,” Yuuji announces eagerly. 

“Tteokbokki is best with egg,” Nobara agrees. “Wanna share?”

“I want the whole egg,” Yuuji warns.

“You can spare me half,” she insists. “I want it too!”

“If we want to go, then we should go now,” you interrupt. “We only have thirty minutes left.”

Both Nobara and Yuuji start bickering over their order and you take that chance to sneak a quick glance at your phone, frowning at the recurring texts you’ve been receiving. 

Megumi looks to you, eyes catching onto the worried crease between your eyebrows. You put away your phone at his watchful gaze.

“Sorry,” you say, feigning a smile. “Let’s go.”

He nods, wondering if he should ask you why you had that concerned look in your eyes. But Megumi isn’t good at words; he always stumbles and trips over them and can never quite get his thoughts out properly, unlike you. He’s always admired the eloquent and seemingly veritable way you speak, even when you lie. You’re always able to put on a mask. 

He’s not so good with words, so in a rare display of bravery, he resorts to offering you his hand, as if extending his heart to you. His ears turn red as he looks away from you, realizing that Yuuji and Nobara have stopped arguing long enough to watch. 

You blink uncertainly, then beam up at him and take his hand. 

Your hand is warm in his and much much softer than the callouses that roughen his. Often, you offer him hand lotion in Chemistry and he hasn’t the heart to refuse you. You squeeze a dollop of the rose-scented cream in his hand before doing the same on your own. He gets the pleasure of watching you beam as the two of you rub the lotion into your palms. As a result of your generosity, his hands have been feeling softer than usual.

You thank him for the gesture and he just shrugs, bumping shoulders with you as you enter the address into your Maps app, trying to avoid the awkward atmosphere in the air. 

“We can get two eggs,” Nobara attempts, to break the tension. 

Yuuji agrees immediately with no argument. 

The jewelry box feels especially heavy in Megumi’s bag.

When the three of you reach the restaurant, Yuuji and Nobara immediately fight over who’s paying for the extra eggs. Nobara insists that it should be Yuuji who pays because he should be the one paying penance, while Yuuji wants to split the cost in half. The two of them bicker a little more, embarrassing you and Megumi in front of the cashier before they place their order, and then continue to do so while taking a seat at a table for four.

You just sigh and muster your brightest smile to make up your friends. Megumi hovers closely behind you as you place your order, feeling slightly protective of you in front of the handsome male noting your order. 

The man is tall, maybe taller than Megumi himself, and he has this air of easiness that Megumi instantly dislikes. What, with his eager grins and frequent winks sent your way, it’s clear that he just can’t—won’t—take a hint. His name tag reads Haru, which has many many meanings, but the one Megumi decides on is sun. He’s overwhelmingly sunny, much like Yuuji. But while Yuuji’s is a natural sunniness, a disposition that comes easily to him, Haru has this overbearing nature, like when he leans over the register to take your cash and purposely lets your fingers brush his. He has these charming chocolate-coloured curls and he keeps brushing them out of his big, dark eyes. Even through his instant dislike, Megumi can’t help comparing himself to the man.

He keeps wondering: Is this your type? Would you be interested in someone like this, so sunny and bright, almost as much as you are?

“A mozzarella corn dog with cinnamon sugar and the small tteokbokki, no egg,” you’re confirming, cutting through the jealous haze that is his thoughts. You glance back at him, finally taking his attention off of Haru. “Want anything?”

“Naah, I ate earlier,” he says with a shake of his head, sidling closer so that your back brushes against his chest. You startle slightly, but don’t move away. Haru’s smile falters a little. Megumi wants to stick his tongue out at him petulantly like a little kid who’s just won a game of rock, paper, scissors. 

Somehow, Megumi can tell you see through his lie, likely because you’ve been with him for almost the entire day, but you don’t argue and he quickly pulls out his phone and distracts himself with the Weather app so that you won’t suspect him further. 

A forecast of rain, he notices, startling. 

He usually stores an umbrella or two in his bag because he knows you never bring one—it doesn’t rain as often as you’d like, but even when it does, you enjoy the water soaking you to the bone. Megumi usually watches you, Nobara, and Yuuji splash in puddles, his black umbrella already opened up to keep him dry. When the three of you get tired or cold, you can count on him to lend you one, and you often plaster yourself to his side, getting his clothes wet as your teeth chatter underneath the umbrella. 

His fond expression breaks when you nudge his shoulder and the two of you make your way to the table where your friends are already seated, Nobara sitting cross-legged on the seat to face Yuuji, hands waving about animatedly. 

“You know, you were checking that guy out for an awfully long time,” you tease with a cheeky smile.

Megumi’s mind doesn’t put two and two together. In fact, he feels like it might be short-circuiting. “What?”

None of what you’re saying makes sense to him—isn’t it so obvious that he’s interested in you? 

“You know, Megs, if you’re gay, you just have to tell me,” you say solemnly, trying not to let your face crack. “I’m sure Nobara and Yuuji will also support you. Nobara likes girls, and, besides, that’s what friends are for. We’re here for you, even if you’re into the douchey cashier.”

“You thought he was douchey?” he blurts, the only thing that his brain seems to process. 

“So, you are gay!” you exclaim, slapping your receipt onto the table where Nobara and Yuuji are sitting. They jump at the thump sound the receipt makes on the table, their conversation interrupted. 

“Fushigoru’s gay?” Nobara asks skeptically with a raised brow as she turns around to face the two of you. An amused smile plays on her mouth. “I knew it. I called it first!”

“I said it first!” Yuuji protests. “Remember when he punched Kai in the face and I said that he did it because he thought his was was just too pretty to—“

“I’m not gay,” Megumi snaps, cheeks on fire. “And I don’t like Kai!”

You stifle a giggle, sliding your receipt in Nobara’s direction. “I got a corndog and tteokbokki. We can share.”

Nobara scans the receipt with a raised brow, letting Yuuji read off her shoulder. “Another phone number?” she teases slyly. 

“What?” you and Megumi blurt at the same time. 

Megumi snatches the receipt from her freshly-manicured nails and his eyes widen in horror at the series of numbers that are, indeed, printed at the bottom in black pen next to a winky emoji. Beside him, you cringe and Megumi crushes it up in his palm and shoves it into his pocket. 

He raises a brow, sliding into the booth, and asks, “Did you want that?”

You shake your head almost immediately and follow after him, sitting across from Nobara. She taps the side of your sneaker with her own and you look her way long enough to see a mischievous glint enter her eyes. 

“You’ve just been collecting phone numbers left and right, haven’t you?” Nobara sings, wiggling her brows at you to break the silence. “Quite the player, aren’t you?”

“This is the first number I’ve gotten all year,” you protest, cheeks flushing with embarrassment. “You know that—you guys are always with me!”

“What about the guy at the vending machine yesterday?” Yuuji asks.

“Kai?” you ask in disbelief. “He’s not—We aren’t—”

Megumi blurts, “Kai asked you out yesterday?”

You groan aloud, burying your face in your hands. “No, he didn’t! He just expressed his interest. I told him I didn’t like him and we left it at that.”

And here Megumi was thinking that the guy had learned his lesson—It was true that Megumi had punched him in the face, but not for the reasons that Yuuji predicted. If Yuuji had truly heard what Kai had said about you, he wouldn’t be nearly as lax with his teasing remarks. And, fine, it was true—Kai did have somewhat of a pretty face and Megumi did have this tiny inkling that Kai had feelings for you, but he’d done his best to ignore that small, jealous whisper and tuck it aside. He never imagined that Kai would act on his feelings.

Maybe Megumi hadn’t punched him hard enough. 

Megumi removes his snapback and places it on the table, rubbing the material between his fingertips to soothe the burning in his chest. 

Yuuji raises an eyebrow, a mischievous smile playing on his mouth. He looks like he’s about to make another unnecessary comment, but he’s interrupted by Haru, the cashier, serving them their lunch on a long, silver tray. 

You make eye contact with him and suddenly regret your decision to sit on the outside of the booth when he smiles at you for long moments while serving, explaining each and every dish with precise detail to you and only you. He flatly ignores your friends and keeps his eyes locked onto you, even while serving—you’re half afraid he might drop something that way. On the positive side, he knows exactly what he’s talking about—each dish, each flavour, each part is explained down to a T. 

You know more about canned Coca-Cola now than you ever have in your entire life. Who knew that the drink used to contain cocaine before 1929? Not you. But you’re thinking you could use some right now to get out of this awkward situation.

On the negative side—Yuuji is stifling his laugh, Nobara looks like she might explode any moment now, and Megumi… Megumi is glaring daggers at the man who ignores the icy look and continues his long-winded speech. 

You break eye contact and try not to roll your eyes as you lock gazes with Yuuji across the table. He gives you a knowing look, pressing his trembling lips together to hold in the laughter that dances in his eyes. 

He seems to be saying this is all your fault. 

You just sigh, a smile tugging at your lips. “I’ll pay for your eggs," is what you mouth back at him. 

Yuuji’s smile widens and he makes out, “Deal!”, right back at you. 

Haru has only just moved on to explaining how tteokbokki is made in their kitchen when Megumi tucks his black snapback onto your head, bringing it down to cover your view. He opens his mouth to argue but is interrupted by Nobara who snaps, “I think we know what we ordered. And Chef doesn’t seem like it’s part of your job description.”

The silence that befalls the restaurant makes your face burn hot with embarrassment. You sigh and cover your face with your hands, wishing a hole would appear in the floor so you could crawl into it, roll around, and just die. 

Megumi is not sure whether to feel grateful to Nobara for speaking up or annoyed because he was going to say something first. 

Haru mumbles, “It’s not. I’m a server.”

“I think we can handle it from here,” Yuuji coughs awkwardly. 

“Thank you,” you mutter under your breath, nudging Megumi with your knee. 

“Thanks,” Megumi repeats tersely, unpleasantly reminded of the existence of social etiquette. 

“Men take a hint,” Nobara mutters, glaring at Haru’s retreating back. “Level: impossible.”

You snort under a breath and point a set of packaged chopsticks at her. “And you made fun of me for rejecting Kai. He also wouldn’t take a hint and was incredibly insistent—I mean, what kind of guy waits outside of class for you every. single. day. after you reject him?”

Nobara slides her tteokbokki in her direction, seeing as how all of the dishes are placed in a spot advantageous to you. You give both her and Yuuji a pair of chopsticks, then push Megumi’s smaller tteokbokki dish towards him. 

“Megumi and I wait outside your classes for you,” Yuuji points out, breaking apart his chopsticks with a skeptical eyebrow raised. 

Indeed, Megumi is frozen, awaiting your response with bated breath. 

Do you find him creepy or weird when he waits for you? He’d always thought you might appreciate having someone to walk to your classes and chatter with, especially when Nobara isn’t around. He hadn’t considered the fact that you might think of him as a creep…

“You and Megumi don’t count,” you insist, glancing at him with your brows furrowed. “We’re friends. It’s different. Kai would bring me a different flavoured chocolate each day and deliberately hand it out in front of a group of guys that are known to gossip. He’d make these stupid comments, put his hand on my shoulder, and act like we were dating.”

You unwrap a set of chopsticks, snap them in half and offer them to Megumi who takes them with a troubled look. 

“Stop it,” you argue, nudging his leg with yours. “I already told you: I’m uncomfortable when Kai does it. You guys are my friends—it’s not any different than when Nobara waits for me.”

“Preach,” Nobara says solemnly, shoving another rice cake in her mouth. Yuuji startles and protests at the fact that he’s been too busy conversing with you to even have a bite, but Nobara just sticks her tongue out at him petulantly. 

So now he’s being compared to Nobara, Megumi sulks. He’s not sure which is worse—being likened to a creep or to Nobara. 

You nudge him with your elbow this time, shooting him an effortless smile. “Come on, cut out the whole protective older brother thing. I can see it in your face. Nothing happened, Megs.”

Megumi starts, then just nods, though he hadn’t been thinking of Haru. Unfortunately, your words do nothing to ease his mind. 

Now you’re referring to him as your older brother… He can’t say he’s not used to it, but… he doesn’t want to be your older brother, nor does he want to act like one.

Nobara smirks. “Yeah, Megs, listen to your—”

He kicks her shin from across the table and her eyes blow wide. “Hey! You didn’t do anything when…” Nobara’s train of thought is cut off when Yuuji elbows her. She settles for glaring at Megumi with a look that says I’ll get you back. 

Megumi looks indifferent to her nonverbal threat as he takes the first bite from his meal. Seeing him eat spurs you into action and you open up the container with your mozzarella corn dog.

He knows you see Nobara as a fun, sister-like figure: someone you can laugh with, go shopping with, and call whenever you need advice, gossip, or a pick-me-up. With Nobara, your time flies by in seconds, the two of you always busy giggling and laughing on FaceTime. 

You see Yuuji as a younger brother: someone to indulge and take care of, especially because Megumi doesn’t humour him and Nobara bickers with him day and night, much like a sibling would. You ruffle his hair when you’re pleased with him, making him beam, and you graciously tag along to the movie theater with him when a new Human Earthworm movie is released, since he and Nobara staunchly refuse whenever Yuuji pleads. 

So, maybe Megumi’s role has been predetermined from the start. He’s always been overprotective of his friends and he nags like a mother hen, especially when it comes to you. Whenever you text him that you’re going out, accompanied with a few pictures, asking him what to wear, he always makes sure that you have your location on, your ringer on, that you aren’t on silent mode, or you haven’t muted his texts. He makes sure he knows exactly where you’re going, when you’ll be back; he makes sure his phone is always nearby so he never misses a text from you, in the rare case that you might message him to pick you up. After all, he is your group’s designated driver. He figures you might need him once in a while. 

He chews his rice cakes slowly, trying to ignore the burn in his chest. He glances over at you, busy in conversation. The three of you are used to his frequent silence; you don’t take it as odd anymore, nor do you press for him to join the conversation. You all know he’ll speak up when he wants to. 

Is he overbearing? 

Actually… he’s not unlike you, in that sense. 

You’re the first to remind Yuuji, as always, that he’s left his phone in Megumi’s car, or his books in the classroom, or that his hoodie is in his locker, as always, but you’d picked it up for him because you knew he’d forget. Before he can even tell you that he’s lost his pencil for the third time this week, you’re pressing one into his hands with a skeptical eyebrow raise that asks, anything else? He’s like a little puppy that you look after when no one else will. 

With Nobara, he’s seen you often calling her when she’s alone in a taxi and she texts you that the driver is being weird. You stay on call with her, purposely raising your voice loud enough for the driver to hear you ask repeatedly, “Where are you? When are you getting here? We’re all waiting for you.” You always wait on her text that tells you she’s reached home safe before your shoulders loosen and you feel some of the tension leave you. 

Before Megumi goes out, you’re over at his house, fussing over his clothes (the same ones he wore a day ago), his hair (that never seems to settle, no matter how much gel or hairspray you use), his face. You pinch his cheeks, tell him to go wash his face again because he still looks half-asleep, toss him a rose-scented lotion tube, straight from your bag, and insist that he keep it. You completely baby him. 

And when the four of you go out for lunch, more often than not, it’s you who orders for the rest of them, Megumi tagging along sometimes, if only to insist on paying. You half-listen to their conversation, half-wonder when the food will arrive. And when it finally does, you’re the first to urge them to start: handing them their utensils, breaking apart their chopsticks, and reminding them to eat well. 

You’re used to looking after others and putting their needs before your own, as the eldest daughter of your family. Megumi is overprotective as well, but he’s also hyper-independent, used to caring for himself without anyone else. Around you, he always finds his demeanor molding, softening—he acts more spoiled, more sulky, almost as if he’s trying to catch your attention, to make you fuss over him. And you do. You always indulge him, though he’s sure you can see right through his act. 

You’re laughing at something Yuuji says when you notice him looking at you, as if he’s seeing you in a new light. You hold your corn dog up to him, a sweet smile on your face.

Megumi blinks, ears reddening, as he shakes his head. “N-no, I wasn’t—“

“Have some. It’s good,” you insist, and he can’t refuse you.

So he leans forward in his seat, his thigh brushing against yours—he shouldn’t feel so flustered by that action, right? But you’re still wearing his snapback on your head and it looks ridiculous on you, oversized and just barely hanging onto your head. 

Sharing clothes or accessories isn’t new between the two of you either, nor are brief touches like his leg against yours. For some reason, he’s starting to feel hyper-aware of his every movement around you in a way that he doesn’t feel around Nobara, or even Yuuji. 

Often, when the four of you have sleepovers or movie nights, typically held at Megumi’s house (he’s always playing host, but he’s grateful that you help out by always arriving an hour earlier with bags of snacks. Gojo adores you for that reason alone), you don’t shy away from physical touch. You’ve fallen asleep on his arm more times than he can count, laid your legs in Yuuji’s lap while the four of you argue over which movie to watch, and squeezed Nobara’s hand throughout countless horror movies. 

And yet… Your thighs brushing through your jeans as he leans close is somehow the most intimate feeling he’s had since his kindergarten crush had hugged him tight on the playground in front of his friends. 

You hold your corn dog up to his mouth and he takes a bite, relishing in the stretch of mozzarella as you pull the snack away from him with a laugh. He keeps his eyes locked on your lit smile, unaware of Yuuji and Nobara’s troubled gaze trained on him.

You’re like the sun; wherever you go, you shine so bright, making him want to reflect you: he can’t help smiling back. 

Sharing food has never been a big deal between the four of you—well, three of you. Before you had found them and became involved in their little friend group, Megumi used to firmly refuse to drink from the same bottle as Nobara or eat from the same spoon as Yuuji, on account of “hygiene”, he claimed. Then you’d stumbled and tripped right into their world and the easy way you’d steal Yuuji’s gatorade from right under his nose and take a sip or share a bite of the cake pop you’d brought for lunch with Nobara had been enough to make him loosen up too, just enough. Eventually, he’d forgotten about that little rule, all because of you, with no shortage of teasing from Yuuji and Nobara.

He drinks from the same glass as you when you’re over at his house, and when you find yourself parched at school, he’s the first to offer to run to the convenience store and back in time for your first period class, Chemistry, which you share with him. The two of you often pass the drink back and forth in class and he tosses it out afterwards when you walk out together, complaining about the homework or the in-class lesson. 

Although, he wonders absentmindedly, if you’re eating from the same spoon as him or sipping from the same can from him, can that be counted as… an indirect kiss?

His eyes are inexplicably drawn to your glossy lips as you beam at him and put together a string of words that flies right over his head. What if he leaned forward, just a little? The sparkles on your lips are illuminated by the warm lighting of the restaurant and he finds himself musing about the flavour of your gloss. 

Cherry, perhaps? He’d like cherry. Or even strawberry might be nice, sweet and sugary, he thinks. Anything would do, if it was you. 

You call his name again, snapping him out of his daze, and he stammers, “W-what?”

You giggle, tucking his snapback onto his head and covering his face. Why doesn’t he have a voice recording of that precious laugh of yours? “Idiot. I was asking if it was good!”

“Oh. Yeah. Yeah, it’s great,” he mumbles dazedly with no idea of what you’re talking about as he adjusts his hat.

He blinks, trying to clear the fog in his head as you wait expectantly, ignoring Yuuji and Nobara’s snickers in the background. 

“I-it was really good. The corn dog, I mean,” he clarifies, gaze dipping to your lips again. “I liked it. But… Lunch is on me next time.”

You snort, looking satisfied with his answer. “Lunch is always on you. Pigs won’t start flying if you let me pay for your meal once.”

Megumi has what you call textbook manners when it comes to things like this; he’s overly stiff, overly formal. He can’t remember the last time he’d let any of you pay for him without returning the favour. It’s more than just a matter of his pride and ego (though that certainly plays a hand.) It’s the fact that he can’t fathom depending on any of you like that. He can’t accept this level of warmth or care without his mind whispering that it’s only a matter of time before you’ll all leave, just like his father, just like his mother. 

He exhales deeply and pops open the can of Coca-Cola that you bought him. The bubbles hiss and fizzle before settling down. As soon as they do, he slides the can towards you with a jerk of his head: an order to take the first sip. 

You give him an indulgent smile and follow his instructions, leaving behind a mauve stain on the can. Then, you push the can towards him with the same head jerk motion that he gave you. He resists the temptation of giving in to your antics and smiling as a result. 

You’re messing with his head, he groans silently. He’s never going to be the same after this. More than that, he thinks, glancing towards Nobara and Yuuji who observe him with matching knowing looks, the two of them are never going to let him live this down. 

Maybe you don't know it yet, but Megumi is yours.

comments and reblogs are appreciated!

[kneelingshadowsalome]

i love your works and your toxic könig so much 😭 for some reason in my head könig was always like a puppy in love even outside of aus but i like to imagine him like this sometimes.

basically if he feels abandoned bc you were busy with something else (literally taking a shower for like 10 minutes or not looking at him while he was talking) he will start crying and needs you to kiss him a bunch of times and tell him he's your favourite boy baby husband man boyfriend sweetheart for like an hour lol. he literally can't stand it if he can't touch you or talk to you for long periods of time (let's say the reader is a civilian and könig often has missions he has to leave for). he literally goes insane and keeps rereading those screenshots of loving messages from you he has an entire folder on his phone for, literally he convinced himself that you've already left him for someone else and is now going to be crying himself to sleep.

when he does return he's literally scared, so it feels like you attached him to yourself physically and that's why he never leaves your side. always holding hands, könig always being there even if your have to move around the house a lot or do the most mundane tasks even if he himself has chores or things he needs to do. kind of creepy bc he's just silent but feels like he'll die if you disappear from his line of sight for more than two seconds.

even aside from that listening to you talk fondly of someone, anyone really: a friend (if he lets you have them), a random cashier (if he wasn't there with you to talk to them instead of you), a relative (if he even allows you to talk to your family) he's so!!! like hurt and upset and goes quiet for long periods of time.

like eyes red from crying, nose stuffed and he's like "i'm fine nothing is wrong" then goes back to crying somewhere more private.

and this kind of behaviour makes sex kind of uncomfortable Sometimes. he often needs you to repeat that you're his, only his, you can't look away from him, you HAVE to be holding his hand when he fucks you but somehow it's a 50/50 when it comes to power dynamics.

either he manhandles you and shows you that he's the only man, the only person you could ever need or love and that he won't ever let you leave him; or he's completely subby, like "please hold my face and kiss me while you're riding me for as long as you want, i'm only yours and i wanna show that" kind of way.

i am insane basically thank you for coming to my ted talk.

This was one of the best Ted talks I've ever been to! I loved every word, every second of it!! 🥳🥹 My god, I want more... I need me some encore now.

I love subby König, holy Christ. And tbh... what's beneath the toxic, crazy killing machine König is someone who is horribly, and I mean HORRIBLY love-deprived and touch-starved and super duper insecure. Which means there's bound to be some subby behavior leaking through toxic König too!

König would so need to have you on his sights at all times. And when he's working, it's annoying because... he loves his work but now he's just thinking about you. What are you doing at this very moment..? Have you talked to someone today? A friend, a colleague, a family member? A stranger??

Do you sleep ok without him (because he doesn't, he just tosses and turns in his bunk/cot/the ground all night when you're not there), and why haven't you sent a text today? He's gonna call you as soon as he gets somewhere more private.

The longer the mission lasts, the more sullen and broody he gets. After a few days, he kills his enemies with a thousand yard stare only because they're basically what's between him and his squeeze.

And yes he has to touch you like a thousand times a day or just watch your every move when he finally gets home. If you're in the bathroom too long he comes to knock on the door and ask if everything's alright (you ran there to have a moment's peace from this big cuddly behemoth who looks at you with that creepy batless obsessive stare... frankly it's disturbing)

And oh my god stop – holding hands during sex? Oh my god. Imagine him bordering on being rough (because he's *missed* you goddammit 👿) while wanting to entwine your fingers together✨️. Toxic König is a huge romantic, even if the "romantic" things he does are a bit... questionable. And he wouldn't shut up during the first round after he got home!

"Say that you missed me,"

"Tell me you're mine... Say it. Now,"

"You're always teasing me,"

would be some of the things he'd say during pounding you to his heart's content. (And you wouldn't even know how you've "teased" him this time... Like... He's the one who left for a week long mission...? 🤨)

After sex he would be so much gentler, but no less demanding and whiny. He needs so much validation and gets odd and grumpy if you don't give him some. If you'd try to domme him though, he would become even more unbearable (being a sub is this man's secret fantasy but he doesn't even know it himself).

[petrssecrethideout]

"Alright everyone, we are back. Now, for this episode I had to leave for work, so for the video I'm currently recording in the hotel I'm staying at, and hopefully Dale has his set up like I told him to so that.... Dale."

"What?"

"What's that?"

"Oh my mug? That's empty I need to put it in the sink."

"That's not-- What's with the oil drum?"

"Oh, so you haven't been following my tiktok? Wooooow."

"Hey, listen I- I deleted Tiktok off my phone years ago I can't go back now. And honestly, all I've heard is that you've been causing trouble."

"Hey that wasn't me. The guy that I was talking about a month ago made a 'response video' to me where he- really all he did was call me a 'beta low-test cuck' ,whatever the fuck that all means, and then he went through my videos and said that I was getting smaller because of my 'masturbation addiction'."

"... I can't believe we're doing another cum episode."

"You better believe it brother! So, in response I've created a personal challenge for myself: Throughout the month of November, I'm going to cum so much, that I can fill a 55-gallon Oil Drum by the end of the month with my cum alone."

"...No fucking way."

"I'm calling it the Cum Drum Challenge."

"The Cum Drum Challenge?"

"Listen I couldn't thin of a good name in time I only had a week to think about it before the challenge started shut up stop laughing."

"Ok ok sorry it- it got me. And you're doing this shit on Tiktok? How are you not banned already?"

"Well, I'm not showing myself filling the drum dude, I'm just like explaining it, and alluding to it. The filling sessions will be on my Onlyfans link in the descriptioooon~"

"Ok sure, whatever, fuck it. People are watching you do this? and liking it? unironically?"

"The first video people thought was just a joke, but by day 4 they were like 'oh this guys serious'. So right now its like 75% people saying I'm crazy and making jokes and like 25% pure awe. Oh but like dude, you know who did comment? Fucking Current Mr. Olympia and my favorite bodybuilder Andrew Nelson! And his comment wasn't ironic either. He was legit like 'I hope this works because it sounds way better than the alternative'. He's on my side!"

"Bet you got quick load after you saw that."

"Fuck off you can't say that now. He knows of me! He might be listening to this now."

"Ok, ok i won't. So, god, this challenge. How are you gonna do this, like 55 gallons isn't a small number dude."

"Yeah, but my buddy mapped it out with my 'average load volume' and I have to cum at least 10 times a day."

"10!?"

"Yeah, I know that's a lot for some guys, so if you wanna just try to fill a milk carton this month and then you can work your way up, no shame in that my friend. This is not for the faint of heart."

"Only 10!? What the fuck dude you're insane!"

"I know, these balls can fucking produce! Actually, side note to listeners we're recording this on November 7th, so I'm a week in. My balls are huge now dude. Like I had some big balls before but these babies are HUGE. And, oh god my beard's gotten all thick too? like I'm giving up on shaving this month it will not be tamed. And the muscles ugh fuck dude I can feel myself growing, like the more i pump this beastly cock It feels like liquid fire in my veins. And ...mmhh gruuh, dudeI get this full body pump every time I CUUM--ugh, fuck yeah man. So huge."

"Have you been jerking off this whole time?"

"...Maybe."

"Dude, again!?"

"I HAVE A QUOTA TO MEET! I'VE ONLY CUM 8 TIMES TODAY!"

"EIGHT!? ITS FUCKING 1PM YOU COULD'VE WAITED."

"WELL SORRY FOR TRYING TO OVERACHIEVE."

[martini-garnish]

Sorry not sorry for this one

Told y'all I might make the Vox girlies mad. CW for Valentino being there lmao.

18+ Minors DN fucking I. I already had to block 2 of you for following me I'm serious about this.

So many Vox fics the MC hates Valentino which is like very fair he's very hateable but there's also this pattern of Vox not wanting him anywhere near them and I'm gonna be real with you guys. I don't think he'd be protecting anyone for shit.

If he cared enough about a second situationship to want them to stick around then yea, he would probably try and make sure Val didn't get them under contract, but that's because he wants that position lbr. He would strongly discourage ripping them to pieces like one of Velvette's models, but if they're dumb enough to put themself in the line of fire it really can't be helped. And as I've said he certainly isn't above using either of them to manipulate the other into doing what he wants.

That's not to say he isn't conflicted about anything going on here. On one hand he does want to keep them to himself, Val has dozens of playthings so he should be able to keep this one just for him. But....

More than he'd be willing to admit he also wants them to get along. Probably a little too well. He has never wanted to watch two people fuck this bad in his life or afterlife.

Let's face it the man is an absolute voyeur, watching the people he's usually fucking go at it with eachother would run a close second place to watching Alastor getting his shit kicked in in terms of turning him on.

From another room or, preferably, with a front row seat. Somewhere he can run commentary. About how hot this is, about how he's so hard it hurts, how good this looks, how he wants it burned into his fucking brain and it is because there's no way he's not saving it.

Whether it's rough and violent or painfully, torturously slow depends on if he can convince Val to listen to him, because there's no way he's bottoming for some rando just because they're Vox's second favorite cocksleeve he is still calling some of the shots here- besides, he does want to see exactly what Vox sees in them, who can blame a man for being curious?

It's not a cuck thing as much as Vox can get a little riled up from humiliation this is different, he doesn't know who to focus on and just starts giving demands instructions to both of them about what the other likes. Though, that gets incoherent pretty fast given he's fucking his hand like stopping would kill him.

He also happens to have the restraint of a spoiled child and as much as watching this is driving him insane he very quickly comes to the conclusion that he needs to be in the middle of it. Right The Fuck Now Actually. Preferably inside of one of them with the other inside him (and 9/10 times that turns out in the orderyou would expect, sorry tops). He will Be the fucking get along shirt.

Also Low-key hoping but would never, ever admit that he wants them to get along so they can tag team praising and degrading him. You couldn't torture that info out of him though. Valentino has already tried.

[raeedioheadd]

IN RAINBOWS, CHAPTER TWO

summary: you hang out with your two mew friends.

warnings: mention of death

word count: 3.76k

a/n: none

sadly, monday has rolled back around and it was time for me to get ready for school. on the down side, i had tests this week. on the upside, dad came back this week. you win some, you lose some.

i did my usual morning routine: showering, feeding the animals and making sure everything was locked before leaving the house and starting my walk to school. by no means was i an active person, but the walk to and from school was nice– rejuvenating, even. i put my headphones on as i walked in the surprisingly cool air to school, listening to the only band ever which would be radiohead, and will only ever be radiohead. (listen to radiohead)

upon walking into the courtyard, i was pleasantly surprised to see jon and damian. it then dawned on me that i did in fact forget to ask them what school they went to. jon's gaze landed on me scarily fast and he was quick to wave me over and call my name.

"hey!" i said, offering the blue eyed boy a smile. i gave damian a small wave just to be nice. surprisingly, he gave me a nod. "i didn't know you guys went here," i said sitting down next to them. "oh, uh, we just uh.." jon trailed off, giving damian time to interject. "i just transferred here." he spoke, jon sighing in relief. weird. whatever, he was probably just a fidgety guy. jon quickly smiled again, leaning back and crossing his arms. "so," he said, tilting his head and making his glasses slide down his nose. "have you always gone here?" he asked, his full attention at me. "maybe i should ask if you've lived in metropolis all your life.." he murmured, making me laugh slightly. "yes, and no." i said, watching him perk up ever so slightly. "i've been going to metropolis for a few years now, but when i was younger my dad and i moved around a lot." i shrugged, leaning against the wall behind me.

"where were you born?" jon asks, leaning forward once more. "oh, uh, i think somewhere in star city? i don't actually know. i think i was norn there, then i moved to gotham, then here and back to gotham before coming back and settling down in metropolis." i explained, making eye contact with damian for a breif moment. "anyway," i pause, setting my bag in my lap and hugging it. "what about you, speks?" i quip, causing the black haired boy to let out a huff.

"i was born and raised in smallville on a cozy farm, thank you very much." he said, looking over at damian. "your turn!" he beamed, poking his side and causing damian to scowl. "I was born in iran before moving to gotham when i was around 10 or 11 years old. is that to your standards?" he asks, glaring at the both of us. "do you speak any other languages?" i hum, standing up as the passing period bell rings. damian stands up after i do and jon soon follows, stretching his body out. "i speak arabic, so yes." he answers as i look over at jon and realize how actually tall he is. i stood at just about 5'5, so if i had to guess, they were both a bit over six feet.

"so you're tall, and big, and he's rich and can speak two languages? i feel a bit unaccomplished now." i joke, popping my neck as we begin walking. "it's just genetics! you should see my dad, he's bigger than i am!" jon exclaims, fixing his glasses. before i could say anything in response, jon stopped me. "i'm surprised you haven't like.. recognized him yet." he spoke, looking between me and damian. i looked over at him and narrowed my eyes for a moment before realizing. this is bruce wayne's blood son. "okay?" i asked, shrugging slightly. "he's rich, cool." i say, brushing the topic off before returning to the previous one. "i don't need to see your dad," i chuckle, glancing at the boy for a moment, "i've seen bruce wayne already, and his kid is walking right next to us. i'm just insanely unathletic." i shrug, giving damian a grin as he rolls his eyes. jon pouts.

"i dunno! i think if you were a guy you'd still be the same-- not that it's a bad thing!" he blurts out, waving his arms around to get his point across. "i think what this idiot is trying to say is that your current demeanor fits you." damian interjects, sighing to himself. i laugh and take out my phone, checking the time. "okay, i'm gonna head this way before i'm late to my class," i say, giving them both a wobbly smile, "see you guys later?" i ask, watching both boys nod as they walk off towards their classes. for a moment, a bit of relief flashed on damian's face. maybe he was glad i didn't freak out over him being rich. i'll definitely be abusing the rich friend privelage later.

i send my dad a few texts before i walk into my classroom and put my phone up, not ready to sit through the class period. the late bell rang a few moments later, and my teacher was quick to begin his lecture. as the class went on, i couldn't help but let my mind wander to sundown as i doodled in my notebook. back when i was in elementary school, he'd gone on his first spree. at the time, that was unusual for him, and it took the police a while to link the spree to the scattered murders that happened around the country. he'd hit jump city and star city, and apparently he tried to hit gotham as well, but he was ultimately scared off by the bat. so why was he back? what could he gain? was he egotistical? did he think that if he started killing again, it would be the same? that the police wouldn't be able to track him down and fail like they did the first time? these were questions i was sure i'd never get answers to. if he was egotistical, he definitely got a reality check if he saw the news the past few days.

sundown has a unique way of killing; each victim has a slit on the side of their cheek. think jigsaw; always cutting out a puzzle piece from his victims. like a signature. the rest was still classified information by the police, but a part of me feels like thats as far as they've gotten. clearly though, he was an idiot. why would he stay in metropolis? that just slims down the amount of people it could be. it could be someone from gotham, or strictly metropolis. i sighed to myself quietly, deciding to forget about it for now. in our day in age, sundown would be lucky if he got another year without being caught. we literally have a group of birds working under a bat the next city over; anything's possible.

class ended soon after and my next two classes were just reviewing for tests. walking into my english class, i saw mr. graham helping some cheerleader with her essay. i wasn't one for stereotypes, but God were some of these girls struggling. how do you manage to stay on the cheer team with a sixty-nine in every class? i spent the entire class on my phone texting laila, who was raving about damian wayne going to our school. lunch rolled around and i once again met her in the library, and she was high. again. who would've thought?

"why is he going here? i mean, this isn't a bad school, but you know. he's like, really rich. like really really rich." she says, twirling her fading purple hair between her fingers. "i dunno, don't ask me." i say, skimming through a book. "you never know anything," she pouts, sinking back in her chair, "i could've sworn i saw you talking to him and some other guy earlier!" she huffs, kicking her foot against the floor like a child. "i know one thing, actually." i say, giving her a pointed look. "your boyfriend is that way," i point, watching her turn around, "and you are going to go that way and leave me alone so i can go home." i finish, pushing her slightly as she drags her feet over to her boyfriend. what an odd girl.

just as i was going to put up my book and leave, my two new friends waltzed into the library. jon whispered my name before speed walking over to me, damian following suit. "what are you doing?" jon asks, his fluffy hair slightly falling over his glasses. "oh, i was just about to leave." i say, zipping up my bag. "is it your lunch period?" i ask, watching the blue eyed boy's brows furrow as damian finds a seat at the table we were at. "um, yeah, but what do you mean leave? do you go get lunch somewhere else?" he questions, almost reminding me of a baby puppy. i quietly laugh and shake my head, deciding to sit back down and humor the boy before i go home and nap for the rest of the morning. "i only take four classes. i already finished most of my core classes and credit requirements, so i get to go home and snooze all i want." i grin, watching his jaw drop in faux astonishment. "lucky! i mean, i'm doing good in my classes, but i waited too long to do the hard ones." he sighed, sitting down and pressing his cheek against the table. "i told you that you'd regret it. now look at you." damian spoke up, a glint of amusement in his eyes.

i tilt my head, shifting my attention to the ever so stoic boy. "have you guys known each other for a while?" i ask, tucking my hands under my thighs and kicking my feet. "something like that. our dads have known each other for a while and introduced us when we were like, i dunno, eight?" jon says, looking towards damian for confirmation. the boy nods, and i cant help but notice how easily they flow off one another. even earlier on in the day while we were talking, they talked to one another like they had seen the inner depths of the other's soul. shaking my head, i pulled myself back to reality. "that's nice. my friend can't ever come to school sober." i grumble, causing jon to give me a confused look. he brushes the comment off nonetheless. "you should hang out with us today! i need to go clothes shopping anyway." jon says, sitting up and looking at me with a big smile. "okay, fine. what time?" i ask, grabbing my phone. "also, put in your phone number. i doubt i'll be awake if it's before three." i say, sliding my phone over so jon can put it in. he mumbles something about not remembering it so damian snatches the phone and puts his in instead. we end up making plans for five, and then the bell rings.

walking home after that felt oddly lonely. and the feeling of being alone in itself was odd enough. i was used to being alone in the sense that i had all i needed-- my dad, my pets, and laila. even though she was a handful, i loved her. but now i had new people in my life, and i didn't know if they would stay. i had a hard time keeping friends since i was, well, a bit of a recluse and more than a bit boring, but with jon and damain, it seemed like it didn't really matter, and it was nice.

upon walking into my house, i was bombarded by buddy who was happy to see me. i give him a few pets before sending him off with a treat to distract him. i made my way upstairs and changed into a tshirt and pajama shorts and put my outfit for later on my desk before flopping on my bed. kiwi, being jostled by the bounce of the bed, meows in disdain before marching over to me and curling up. "night, kiwi." i murmur, pulling the blankets over me and falling asleep.

----------

it's three o'clock when i wake up next. i groan, opening my eyes to see kiwi peering right down at me. she lets out a small meow and i sit up, rubbing the sleep from my face. "what? you hungry?" i ask, taking the feline into my hands and walking out into the hall. i didn't take a long time to get ready, so i could laze around for a bit longer before having to get ready.

after making my way downstairs with kiwi in my arms, i set the little ball of fluff on the counter before going to rummage through the fridge. god, my dad ate some of the nastiest food sometimes. hummus, hummus, and..more hummus. luckily foe me though, i found a lunchable in the back of the fridge. take it or leave it, i guess.

the lunchable was nothing but delectable– i'd have to make a mental note to tell dad to get some more the next time he went grocery shopping. checking the time, i decided it was time for me to get ready. kiwi followed close behind me as i went back up to my room only to see buddy laid across my bed. i gave him a few pets before changing into a simple pair of shorts and a tshirt; i wasn't gonna dress up for two random guys i just met. well, they're not random, but you know what i mean. by the time i was done putting hairspray and heat protectant in my hair, jon was blowing up my phone telling me they were here.

"okay, kiwi, buddy," i spoke, setting kiwi next to the doberman that was currently laying on my bed, "be good, okay? i'll be back later." i coo, backing out of my room and leaving the door open. i leave my house and see an unsurprisingly expensive car sitting on the roadside, presumably damian's. this didn't surprise me– of course his dad bought him a porsche. jon peeked his head out the window, beaming at me. he reminded me yet again of a puppy. "hi! hi!" he exclaimed, watching as i got in. "where are we going?" i ask, watching jon look at damian and the green eyed boy respond with a shrug. "oh..i thought you knew." jon said, looking at damian without a thought behind his eyes. "uh, well, we can always just watch movies in my house and go to the mall or something later." i suggest, looking between the two. damian looks over at jon for confirmation who nods in agreement. damian pulls the key out of the ignition and we all get out and walk to my door. "oh, i have a dog and a cat by the way. buddy won't bite; he's police trained. he may bark though," i say, humming at the last bit. damian seems a bit intrigued, his eyes scanning my home as they both follow me inside.

"cozy," damian says, his gaze following every corner the house has. "thanks." i reply, leading them upstairs. buddy perks up upon seeing the two new guests, while kiwi continues to flick her tail. "okay, guys. i want my bed back." i say, gently ushering both animals off the bed. kiwi opts for jumping into my arms while buddy retreats to his bed next to my desk.

"your room is so cozy!" jon smiles, flopping onto my bed with a small 'oof'. i smile and lay next to him while damian decides to take a seat on the leftmost side of the bed. i grab my remote and turn on the tv, switching to the streaming services we have. "someone else take the remote, i'm not good at choosing movies." i say, tossing the remote behind me so one of the boys can take it. kiwi trots over as we adjust our positions so we're all actually sitting against the headboard normally. the feline crawls into my lap and leans over to damian, sniffing him curiously. jon looks over, smiling softly. "aww, a kitty! what's her name? or his, oops." he asked, putting on a movie i didn't get to see the title to. "kiwi: she's a stupid maine coon who only knows how to eat and sleep. and take up people's space." i joked, watching damian pet kiwi behind her ears. she leaned into his touch and left my lap to go crawl into his. "what movie did you choose?" i ask, standing up and turning off the lights. "uhh, alien. the new one! i heard it's super good." jon says, getting comfy. i have to crawl over him to get back in my spot, so once im where i needed to be i was partially snuggled up into damian's side. awkward, but jon was practically using me as a human pillow, so it's okay.

throughout the movie, damian continued to pet kiwi and jon was making disgusted noises at some parts. "ew, ew ew ew ew ew?" i blurted out, seeing one of the more nasty scenes. i felt jon's hand cover my face, hearing his giggles from behind me. "stop! that's not funny!" i laughed, pulling his hand from my eyes and turning to look at him. "it's scarryy! the alien is gonna get you!" he joked, poking my sides and causing me to curl in on myself. "noo!" i squealed as damian watched in silence. "you can't think this is actually gruesome." damian sighs while kiwi hops away. "it's fucking nasty! were you not watching the movie?" i asked, looking over at him as jon stops poking me. "it's mediocre." he grumbles, shaking his head ever so slightly. "whatever! the movie's over, so what are we gonna do now?" i huff, brushing his comment off and sitting up. "uhh, uhh.." jon hums, sitting up as well. "we could go to the mall!" he says, smiling and fixing his glasses and hair. "okay, i'm down." i say, looking over at damian who nods in agreement. i stand up and stretch, a small yawn escaping my lips. i give kiwi a few scratchies before we make our way downstairs and leave. "what are we even gonna do? frolick?" i ask, climbing in the backseat as everyone settles and damian begins to drive. "don't even think about asking me to buy you anything." damian states, glaring at jon from his peripheral. jon pouts and looks back at me, grinning happily. "yeah! we'll do whatever until we get bored and go home." he says, turning back around.

the drive is mostly silent with the exception of the radio playing in the background. i respond to a few texts from my dad and laila, with my dad asking me why bruce wayne's kid just walked in and out of our house. i smile and tell him that we were just hanging out and prepare to wait another 8 hours for a response. after a bit, we come to a stop. "are we here?" i ask, peeking at jon and damian who seem to be looking at something infront of the car. "no," damian says, his face hardening, "the entire block is cut off by police tape." he says, craning his head up to look around. "police tape?" i ask, moving to the middle seat to get a better look. "was it sundown?" i question, looking between the two. they make eyecontact with one another before looking at me at the same time. talk about uncanny valley.

"sundown?" jon asks, his usual sunny demeanor deflated. "uh..yeah? do you not watch the news? he just killed someone a few days ago. he went on a spree around the country a couple of years back too." i explain, looking between the two boys with raised brows. damian sighs, facing forward once more. "i'm taking you home." he says, his voice hard with authority. "what? why?" i ask, frowning slightly. "because there's a murderer on the loose and your safety is at risk. stay home, and lock all of your doors and windows." damian says, looking at me from the rearview mirror. i groan and fall back in the backseat as he does a u-turn and starts driving me home. "i know, it sucks," the blue eyed boy says, looking at me with a small smile, "but we just want you to be safe until this whole thing blows over." he explains, poking my knee slightly. "if you don't lock your doors the alien will get you!" he grins, making me laugh slightly. we eventually make it back to my house and exchange goodbyes with damian telling me to stay safe. "i won't drive off until you check all of your windows." he huffs, glaring at me. i groan and walk inside and check all of my doors and windows before sending him a thumbs up and watching the two drive off.

not too long after they left i decided to hop in the bath and watch a news snippet on the latest murder. odd way to put it, yeah, but still. it was so close. too close. a teenage girl who used to bully other kids in her grade. sighing, i leaned back and shot my dad a text telling him i was okay. though, i couldn't get my mind off the fact that damian and jon didn't know about sundown. with jon, he's lived in metropolis all his life-- there's no way he hasn't heard of him since a majority of the victims were metropolis citizens. damian on the other hand...maybe his father would have mentioned him? or maybe, y'know, batman would have told gothamites to watch out? though i could see why he wouldn't; he wasn't in gotham when the murders took place and batman managed to scare sundown off. strange.

i ultimately ended up brushing the thought off and got out of the bath before changing and crawling in bed. buddy was still sleeping in his bed and kiwi was probably downstairs eating her food. i pulled the covers over my body and shut my lamp off before closing my eyes and letting my mind wander, hoping my friends would stay safe.

[the-fabled-void]

Headcanons I've written in my discord server over the span of ~10 months 

Warnings: Lust mentioned at the very end, will be under a cut, The last part of Horror's section is also under the cut for an implied ED, and emetophobia

Misc/AU instead of Sans related, multiple at once: 

All actual Sanses have the same birthday, but they celebrate their creation days as one too, if they know it most Sanses talk in sans-serif type fonts  Only Classic talks in Comic Sans  Dream, Nightmare, and Fresh don't talk in a sans serif font at all Error's* font is also different Outertale: When you're in a quiet spot, you can actually hear the stars twinkle (hc inspired by a part of my comfort MLP fan animation Snowdrop) AUs have cultural differences, and I'm not talking about stuff that's obvious like Underfell You know how some creators speak more than just english? What if it's because their underground is located under a mountain in a different part of the world Not only do AUs have different languages sometimes but also different accents

Classic

Classic doesn't have inside or outside clothes, he sleeps with the clothes he wears outside He'd love Weird Al's music Would absolutely wear crocs  Smells faintly like books and chemicals even if he hasn't been in a library or lab recently Do you think he washes that jacket if it's not stained? Absolutely not  Sci: smells like plastic wrapped books that have just been opened

Killer

is really good at pretending to be sober when drunk (In the more fanon bad sanses dynamic) forces the rest of the bad sanses do take stupid BuzzFeed quizzes Smells like handwritten books Stage 1/2 has a lot of quiet moments where he just analyses listens to Set It Off

Cross

listens to Nightcore music & Set It Off

hogs blankets

Cross, I love you...you use axe body spray

Absolutely illegal that people think Cross is taller than Dream, he's shorter

Any time Cross and Epic are in a room together, they're glued to each others side even if theyre currently arguing

Nightmare

has a high alcohol tolerance, you can't tell me those apples weren't rotten enough to be alcoholic would talk in the Money Penny font

Ink

The star sanses go to cafes and judge people's outfits jokingly, as if Ink with his toeless socks can judge anyone

Their  alcohol tolerance is highly dependand on what vials he drinks before 

sends either an insane amount of small voice notes or one really long one, no in between

They're strong enough to pick people up but it looks so funny because they're so short

Ink, as a parent, would be the exact opposite of those 'Beige moms' 

He refuses to deprive his kids of sensory input like that Would be fascinated by Killer's soul

They sneeze like a dad

Coffee has no effect on them

We all agree his vials are like mental illness medication right? 

Error: 

Can hear Undertale's soundtrack sometimes and it drives him wild 

*His font is partially comic sans, partially other sans serif fonts

Gets headaches very easily

Smells like comic books, especially those that smell more like printer ink

We already know Error's eyesight is shit, but it's especially horrible and close to nonexistent on his smaller eye

Geno 

Soul beats very unevenly

gets drunk really easily bc he's constantly bleeding, so there's less alcohol-free blood in his system for it to filter out (cough cough CPAU)

I feel like he would die from a sip of energy drink

Once he gets to the surface, he'll suffer from chronic headaches and other pains 

He would would drop his backstory exactly the way dads drop Dad Lore (if you know, you know) 

Geno looks like a coffee drinker but drinks tea

Smells like old books, specifically dry basement ones

Reaper

has haphephobia that stems from his death touch

At the same time, touch starved af

He drinks coffee despite having tea drinker vibes to people

Fell

Sometimes he just imagines random shit happening that would make him angry, and then gets angry over that

His summer outfit is the exact same but a sleeveless sweater under his jacket instead of a normal one

can only make 3 recipes and burns those sometimes too

giggles after getting kissed (he will deny this) 

Uses Old Spice deo 

Short king short king

has shoplifted before

Swap/Blue

gets hungry really fucking quickly

(I have a huge hc list specifically for him)

Dream

is a coffee drinker

He gives me the vibes of old people trying to use modern slang, but doing so incorrectly

sucks at modern technology

Once he finds out about emojis, it's over for everyone

is into astrology

the opposite of a Disney princess. Animals don't like him

Dream's insults hit harder than Nightmare's, he just knows what hurts you 

High alcohol tolerance

Ccino 

exhausted

has a Morning Special he makes himself before working at his cafe. It has way too much caffeine in it

One day Dream walked into his cafe, Ccino took a good look at him and gave him his Morning Special™

Only certain people can drink it though - this means both that only some tolerate it, but also that Ccino only gives it to some

Dust/Murder

Soul beats faster than others' souls

has absolutely horrible posture

jumps to conclusions easily 

Dust hated Swap as soon as he first met him 

I mean, Dust doesn't like himself much for he did, ESPECIALLY to his brother

So a Sans who acts kinda like a Papyrus? Nuh uh 

Is this the basis of Dustberry? 

Anyway

Smells like an old, slightly burnt book

Concept: Phantom Papyrus but he used to be a hallucination that turned into an actual ghost somehow -> Phantom and XChara can see each other

Horror

doesn't like horror movies much

he's seen enough shit

Likes chickens 

Hc for fanon horror: cooking for the bad sanses, at first didn't trust anyone else

Canon Horror probably can't cook very well 

Faint smell of damp books

TW ED, TW Lust

Horror has moments where he binge eats and then regrets it later

Lust

Is like the only Sans who enjoys warm weather

Infertile, compromises by being a cool ass babysitter

Loves flowers

A tea drinker

Transatlantic accent

Listens to Mitski 

When he's looking at something he likes/loves, his eye lights turn monster soul shaped instead of heart shaped

[rosanna-writer]

we said hello and your eyes look like coming home (23/?)

Summary: A canon-divergent AU where the bond snaps for Rhys on Calanmai, Feyre unwittingly accepts it, and Fire Night magic proves to be more transformative than anyone bargained for. Feyre drags a mate she hardly knows out from Under the Mountain, then puts him back together as war with Hybern approaches. Warnings: dubious consent, canon-typical sexual violence, canon-typical violence Rating: Explicit Chapter Word Count: ~4k

ch. 1 - 10 | ch. 11-20 | ch. 21 - i wouldn't marry me either | ch. 22 - burn all the files, desert all your past lives | ch. 23 - i've still got love for you

Some text in this chapter is lifted directly from ACOTAR book one.

I am also over the moon and insanely honored to share that there is now ART OF THE FIRST CHAPTER OF THIS FIC!!!!! It's by the love of my life Amnevitah, and you can go make heart eyes at it and tell her she's wonderful over here on her tumblr (warning that it's mildly NSFW).

Read on AO3 or you can find the twenty-third chapter below the readmore.

It was nearly midnight when I made my way to Nesta's bedroom in a borrowed nightgown, late enough that the servants were gone and Elain was sound asleep. I knocked on the door once, and she ushered me inside without a word.

Like the rest of the manor, Nesta's bedroom was full of furniture fit for a palace and utterly devoid of personal touches. It might as well have been a guest room.

I hovered near the door and watched Nesta open a hidden compartment in the writing desk near the window. She pulled something out and placed it on a side table. I stepped closer to get a better look.

A chunk of wood. The edges were rough, as if it had been ripped from something. I started to ask her where it had come from, but when I spotted the tangle of vines I'd painted on it, I understood.

"I had to watch as Father and Elain went from sobbing hysterics into nothing. I had to listen to them talk about how lucky it was for you to be taken to some made-up aunt’s house, how some winter wind had shattered our door. And I thought I’d gone mad—but every time I did, I would look at that painted part of the table, then at the claw marks farther down, and know it wasn’t in my head. So tell me everything and leave none of it out," Nesta said quietly, sinking down into the chair by the desk.

My heart broke to think what she'd gone through—what Tamlin had put her through. His lies to me might have been in service of saving his people, but there was no reason for my sister's sanity to be collateral damage. Tamlin had paid my father off, then washed his hands of the matter without bothering to ensure that his glamour had worked.

It was sloppy and thoughtless, and not for the first time, I wondered how many people ultimately would have died if I'd stayed in the Spring Court a moment longer.

I sat on the bed, tucking my feet under me, and started at the beginning. The very beginning, fifty years ago when Rhys had gone to that damned party and Amarantha had taken over.

I'd barely gotten a few words out when Nesta was already interrupting. "Is your High Lord too stupid to employ poison-testers?"

"I…I don't think any of them do, actually."

"It seems Prythian is ruled by idiots, then. Perhaps that explains why this Rhysand married you."

"You know nothing about what Rhys has been though," I hissed, clenching my teeth so I didn't yell the words and wake up Elain.

Nesta waved a hand, an elegant, dismissive gesture. "Then continue."

So I did. And to Nesta's credit, she listened intently, her lips pressed together in a thin line, as I described the curse, my arrival in Prythian, and those early days in the Spring Court.

Somehow, it calmed something within me to tell the whole tale again now that I knew everything. I wasn't used to having a confidant, and I couldn't remember a time before this that speaking to Nesta had felt like a lightening a burden.

It was strange, but not unwelcome.

I braced myself when I started to describe my first meeting with Rhys on Calanmai. Nesta had once sneered at me for rutting in the barn with Isaac Hale—I was sure she'd have some choice words about a mating frenzy that had taken place in a cave.

But she merely furrowed her brow and said, "Your marriage was….arranged, then? By the stag?"

I nearly snapped and told her no—I'd specifically told Rhys not to marry me, after all. And Nesta knew he wasn't my husband. But…she'd never feel the pull of a mating bond for herself, and the concept was completely foreign to her. Perhaps this was the way to make her understand.

"By the Mother herself. The stag merely…cleared our path to each other. I'm not sure what would have happened if it didn't, but I think it probably saved us quite a lot of heartbreak, in the end."

"That's such an odd way to speak about a man you've been shackled to against your will," she said, shaking her head.

The Inner Circle had also been horrified when they'd realized I'd accepted the bond without knowing what I was doing. If even Nesta was worried about it…perhaps there was something wrong with me for not being more distressed. But even though I'd had to go Under the Mountain for Rhys, I still felt profoundly lucky that everything I could possibly want had just been dropped into my lap on Calanmai.

I shrugged. "There's no reason to be upset when I would have chosen him for myself anyway." That was the truth at the center of everything.

There was a flicker of understanding, and—if I wasn't mistaken—relief in Nesta's eyes. "And I take it he feels the same?"

"Yes."

"Good." There was an edge to her voice, and I wondered what she would have said if my answer had been no.

There was still so much to tell her, so I continued, describing my arrival at the Night Court—though I didn't mention Velaris, merely said that Rhys had directed me to a warded home. Nesta didn't ask about the tattoo the magic had given me, just scowled at my left hand. She said nothing about my immortality either, instead interrogating me about the Inner Circle and their ranks and roles and relations to Rhys.

They were, perhaps, the sort of questions I should have asked on that first day. But unlike me, Nesta knew how to get the lay of a land in a noble court and assess her place in it.

If my eldest sister were dropped in the Court of Nightmares, I had no doubt she'd be running it within a day.

I hadn't spoken about Under the Mountain at length with anyone but Rhys before that night, and getting the words out under Nesta's uncompromising steel glare was difficult. My sister and I weren't linked through mating bond and shared experience. My voice shook, and at points I felt faintly sick, but I managed to tell her everything.

Even with Rhys…I'd needed to hold back. My own few weeks Under the Mountain paled in comparison to his decades there alone, and I knew on some level, even though I'd never voiced it aloud, that he'd had it worse than me. Without even realizing it, I'd been carrying around a prickly sort of guilt over that.

Once, I would have spent several days with a paintbrush in hand until I'd gotten those feelings out, but since I could barely stand to look at a canvas anymore, it all had been festering inside of me.

So to my immense embarrassment, I cried in front of Nesta.

For once, she didn't say anything harsh, just wordlessly handed me a handkerchief. I didn't mind—it would be strange for her to coddle me. Instead, she pretended nothing was amiss as I wiped at my eyes and finished the rest of the story, all the way through my trip to Illyria and the Weaver's cottage and the attacks on the temples.

At the end of it, Nesta merely said, "This is all the more reason you shouldn't come back here again."

I could see her logic, but that didn't make it any less a kick in the teeth. "Elain and Father deserve proper goodbyes."

"It's too much of a risk," she said, eyes flashing dangerously. It would be ugly if I tried to fight her on this; Nesta, who had once put herself in front of Elain and left me to the beast that broke into our cabin, would always protect our middle sister, even if that meant casting me aside.

I should have been used to that by now, but it still hurt.

"Then at least allow the sentries around the manor to stay. There are far too many fae who would wish us harm, and their numbers will only increase if war breaks out like we fear."

"As long as the sentries keep their distance."

They would, but of course Nesta had no reason to be sure of that. A thought struck me. "They answer to Cassian, Rhys's general. I could send him to meet with you and discuss the specifics, if that would ease your mind."

I expected Nesta to balk at interacting with any more faeries, but she asked, "Does he listen to orders?"

"He will if you give them. My position as Lady of Night makes you and Elain something akin to princesses in Prythian." Mor had explained it to me once, though I wasn't interested enough to remember the details about ranks and noble titles. It would matter to Nesta, though.

She nodded once, then stared down at her hands, which were folded in her lap. "Thank you," she said, a bit more softly, "and for what it's worth, this is easier, knowing you've gotten everything you deserve. After that beast took you away, it's a relief, truly, to know that Rhysand loves you and is keeping you safe."

I stilled. It was beyond a doubt the kindest thing Nesta had ever said to me. I hadn't thought she'd cared at all what had become of me in Prythian.

"Elain said—said that you tried to visit me," I said, my throat so tight I barely got the words out.

"I got to the Wall. I couldn't find a way through."

“You trekked two days there and two days back—through the winter woods?”

“I hired that mercenary from town to bring me a week after you were taken. With the money from your pelt. She was the only one who seemed like she would believe me.”

“You did that—for me?” Rhys was the only person in the world that I'd truly believed would bother, and no matter how much he loved me, a mating bond made everything different. Mor had tried to soften the truth on my first day in the Night Court, but even she had admitted the Inner Circle was duty-bound to protect their High Lord's mate, and I'd only become their friend later.

"What Tamlin did to you—it wasn't right. None of it was right."

Nesta finally met my gaze, and for once, the fire in her blue-grey eyes wasn't intended to burn me. We weren't drowning anymore—the lifeline of her anger was unnecessary now, and she knew it. In her darkened bedroom in a too-clean manor, we'd found just enough safety that she'd let me know she cared.

Underneath it all, Nesta cared, more deeply and loyally than I'd been able to comprehend.

There were no words for that. I launched myself at her, and Nesta went stiff in my arms as I embraced her. She didn't hug me back, just…patted my upper back awkwardly after a moment. I didn't mind—that was downright affectionate from her.

I pulled away and said, "If I'm unable to return here, will— will I at least be able to write?"

"Is there a way to ensure your correspondence stays private?"

I caught the meaning behind that—Nesta was confident in her own ability to keep a secret, but she knew too little about my own situation to be sure I could do the same. It wouldn't have crossed my mind—after all, I hadn't even learned to read until Rhys ensured I was taught—but my sister had been expected to marry a prince one day. She'd been trained for a life where sensitive letters falling into the wrong hands could cause a reputation-ruining scandal.

She was right to ask, though, so I explained how paper spelled to vanish was used to pass messages across Prythian. And by some miracle…she agreed to let me leave some with her.

"Rhys can deliver it tonight, if that's alright," I said; I'd feel better knowing it was in her hands when I left. Nesta nodded her assent. "Give me a moment to ask him, then."

Ignoring the grimace Nesta made as my gaze went distant, I gave the gentlest tug on the bond I could. I was still met with a wave of blind protectbitemaimkill panic the moment Rhys's shields dropped. He hadn't expected to hear from me until morning.

All is well, I said, reaching for the beast. I could feel its hackles rising in the back of my mind.

With a mental hand, I scratched a sensitive spot on its chin, right under the maw with its rows and rows of razor-sharp teeth, the thing that threatened to gobble up sleeping fae in their nightmares. Its eyes closed at my touch, and it purred like an affectionate cat.

Nothing's amiss. I just have a favor to ask, I added.

Anything. You know that, he said. I was dimly aware of a spiral of anxiety—some sort of fear that I didn't know that. Stroking the beast's flank like it was a nervous horse, I kicked the worry away.

If it's not too much trouble, could you please bring us some of the enchanted paper you use for correspondence? I'd like to make sure Nesta has a way to contact me directly.

Talons shifted into fingers that gently tucked an errant strand of my hair behind my ear. There's no such thing as too much trouble where you're concerned. Call for me again when you want me there.

Thank you. Just as I'd kicked away his concern, I felt his claw shred my lingering discomfort at asking him to do something on my behalf.

His mind began to pull away from mine, but he stopped halfway. Are you sure you're alright? The emotions on your side of the bond seem to be…churning.

I hesitated. There was no point in lying, but I was tempted to say we'd talk about it later. I didn't want him to worry any further, either. For now, I could give Rhys the bare minimum. I learned that Nesta tried to go to the Wall and bring me back after I was taken. She wasn't able to get through, though.

An image flashed across the bond before Rhys could stop it—a female with his pointed ears, violet eyes, and massive wingspan. She was standing on one of the footbridges that spanned the Sidra, her head thrown back in raucous laughter and the lights of the Rainbow sparkling behind her. A happy memory, but at the same time, it felt like looking at a painful, howling void.

Another younger sister whose elder sibling hadn't been able to save her. But unlike me, she didn't have a mate who'd eventually swooped in and brought her to safety.

I'll see you soon, Rhys said, then dropped his shields before I had a chance to respond.

Nesta quickly pinned her hair up and changed into a gown, but I didn't bother. Regardless, it gave Rhys time to pass through the Wall again. When she assured me she was ready, I gave another light tug on the bond.

Rhys appeared with nothing more than a gust of night-kissed wind so gentle it barely made the curtains flutter. He held a small, black-and-silver box in one hand, identical to one I'd seen holding blank paper on his desk in the House of Wind. He'd had the good sense to hide his wings, and the leash on his power was tighter than I'd ever felt it.

Even when he subdued himself, Rhys still felt too enormous and otherworldly for this side of the Wall. Between the night still clinging to him and the width of his obnoxiously broad shoulders, he seemed to take up the whole room.

And yet, as if he were an entirely normal person and none of the current circumstances were bizarre, he pressed a chaste kiss to my cheek and said, "Hello, Feyre darling."

To her credit, Nesta didn't flinch. Or hiss at him. Which already meant this was going better than I'd anticipated.

Before either of them could make this worse, I said, "This is my sister, Nesta Archeron. Nesta, this is my mate, Rhysand."

To my shock Rhys bent at the waist and bowed—actually bowed—to my sister. Polite and graceful, his upbringing as a crown prince on full display and all signs of the Illyrian warrior hidden.

Nesta's face was frozen in a mask of cold indifference. "No surname?" she said, and those two words were enough to let a nasty implication hang in the air—that Rhys wasn't pedigreed, despite being a High Lord.

His mother had been a seamstress, after all. If I didn't know better, I would have thought Nesta could smell that on him.

Rhys didn't blink. "Archeron. Or at least, it will be when we're ready to make the mating bond public knowledge."

It was a small miracle I caught myself before my mouth gaped open in surprise; he hadn't told me he'd intended to take my name. A glimmer of wicked amusement and a twinge of pride floated down the bond towards me.

Nesta, however, just cocked her head like she was sizing up an opponent, almost exactly the way Cassian did in the training ring. "I won't be mocked in my own home. You can leave."

"I'd rather be known as Feyre's mate than my father's son," Rhys said, picking invisible lint off his tunic in a gesture that was clearly calculated to look as nonchalant as possible. "I'm not mocking you. Feyre is an infinitely better person than he ever was."

Nesta went quiet. I wondered if it was as strange for her as it was for me to hear someone call me good and mean it. Rhys glanced at me, his expression melting into something soft for a moment, and Nesta tracked his movement like a hawk.

Before the silence stretched long enough to become awkward, Rhys held the box of stationery out to her and added, "This is for you."

Nesta flicked her hand towards the writing desk, an imperiousness gesture of a queen directing a servant. "Top drawer on the left," she said. An order, not a request.

She was testing him, I realized. Or had thrown down a gauntlet. Maybe both. Whatever was happening between Nesta and Rhys was some sort of courtier bullshit I was too feral to understand. Rhys did as she said, and I wasn't sure if that meant he'd lost or conceded something.

Regardless, there was no reason for Rhys to linger—and I suspected my sister would bite his head off if he tried. He said something blandly polite to Nesta about it being a pleasure to finally meet her, kissed my cheek again, and winnowed away.

When he was gone, I looked at Nesta expectantly and braced myself for whatever cutting remark was coming. She was already grimacing as if he'd tracked mud all over the floor.

My chest squeezed. Not that I needed anyone's approval, but as mates, Rhys's and my coupling had been had been quite literally blessed by the Mother herself. And I'd spent years shrugging off Nesta's scornful comments about damn near every choice I made.

I shouldn't have cared what she thought. But…for whatever reason, in this matter, I did.

"You two are so besotted with each other, it's disgusting," Nesta spat. It was congratulations enough.

I smiled. "You aren't the first person to say that about us."

There wasn't much else to discuss after that. Nesta and I sat in silence together as we burned the chunk of wood from the table in the fireplace in her bedroom. I felt something settle between us as the last piece of the cabin that she'd been holding onto was reduced to ash.

I returned to my room and managed a few hours of sleep before slipping out of the manor before dawn without saying goodbye. Before bed, Elain had said to bring the paints that she'd bought for me back to Aunt Ripleigh's, so I took them with and left her the first thank you note I'd ever managed to write by myself.

It was easier to go without facing either of my sisters again.

When I met Rhys in the woods, I threw myself at him so forcefully that he stumbled back a few steps and nearly hit a tree. "I missed you too," he said, hooking an arm under my knees as he scooped me up to fly.

Something about being in the mortal lands again—or if I was truly honest, being around my family again—had reawakened that stupid, childish part of me that wanted to cry out until I was fussed over. A bit embarrassed, I pressed my face to his chest and wished I could scent him like a faerie. But instead, all I could smell was the laundry soap we both used. Maybe that was better than nothing.

"It was a long night," I said, and he pressed a kiss to my temple.

The world faded to smoke and shadow, and then I felt that peculiar sense of being torn in two for the space of a heartbeat as we passed through the Wall. Rhys could have winnowed us again, but he continued flying above the sea for a while, probably to get the practice in to strengthen his wings.

Being cradled, his warmth and nearness, the rhythm of wingbeats, the salt air…it soothed me. Dawn was breaking, turning the sky and the sea golden. Rhys, painfully beautiful as always, was positively glowing in the light; his skin was returning to a healthy brown, the unnatural paleness from years underground almost gone. I wanted to paint it.

"With Nesta, why were you so…" I said, then trailed off, unsure of the right word. Rhys's whole demeanor had been subdued, but there had been more to it than just that. Now that I thought about it… "You didn't smirk once. That's not like you."

His face was solemn. "If my sister had inadvertently accepted a mating bond, I'd expect her mate to have his tail between his legs when she brought him home to meet me."

Once, I would have scoffed at the idea Nesta cared at all about how a man or male treated me. But she'd tried to save me. If Rhys had seemed at all like a threat, then…Nesta would have faced down the Lord of Nightmares to get me back.

I still didn't quite know what to make of that.

"Would you have tried to get my father's blessing if he'd been there?"

"Cauldron, no. You're your own person and make your own choices." He sounded affronted I'd even suggest it.

"Then why be so restrained around Nesta?"

"I don't like being thought of as an ill-mannered brute."

I could imagine how often insults like that had been flung at him for being Illyrian, probably from people just as adept as sneering down their noses as Nesta was. And yet, even though I knew Rhys well, it was still a bit strange to hear from a faerie when so many of his kind considered humans to be half-wild beasts below their notice.

Strange, but…not unwelcome.

"For what it's worth, you're not all ill-mannered brute at all," I said, smiling, "but you are a prick, though."

Rhys's wicked grin was the only warning before he gripped me tighter and tilted us into a barrel roll so swift and dizzying that I would have emptied the contents of my stomach if I'd eaten. I screamed, but the wind tore the words away.

He laughed, and it was impossible to snap an irritated response when the joy was so plain on his face. We settled into a smooth glide.

"We need to winnow the rest of the way back soon," he said once the roaring wind died down. "Cassian wants to spar, and if you're late for training, Az will ensure you pay for it."

I wouldn't expect anything less. We faded into the morning mist, and when the Night Court materialized around us, I'd never been happier to be home again.

[rimanne]

well this recent stuff messed me up a bit, even if i'm not a akatsukiP. i normally wouldn't do this kind of thing but enstars is a really beloved series to me and i wanted to share my experience with it and vent a little

so yeah corny stuff after read more

I've always loved rhythm games, since my childhood playing rhythm heaven. In fact, it's the only type of game, besides visual novels, i can say i'm sort of good at lol

And some years ago i used to play love live and utapri-shining live a lot. If i remember correctly both of them had gacha elements and story modes but i didn't really care about it, because my english was really bad at the time AND all i cared about was to play silly anime songs on my phone.

I wasn't really sad after both of these games ended their services. I was left bittersweet, yes, but nothing that impacted me that much. So i was left wondering if there were other games similar to those i've played.

I tried bandori, project sekai, d4dj, but none of them really stuck with me, maybe because i'm a thumb player and the layout was really hard for me to adapt to. And then, almost 4 years ago, i saw enstars in pre-registration. It apparently had a similar layout to what i was used to, so i figured "i might like this! i'm gonna give it a try!"

And it didn't take me long to fall head over heels for this series. I love absurdism, so the crazy lore behind the silly idol game really pulled me in. And i did get used to the gameplay style, i felt nostalgic of the games i used to play before and i felt like i struck gold for finding enstars.

I can't exactly point out what makes enstars special to me, compared to the other games i've played, i never felt such a deep connection to a game before.

Regarding the story, as i said before, it really left me interested to learn more about the world and the characters. The way the plot point was over the top and insane, along with the characters who are crazy too, it was as if it was built in for me to obsess over lol

But of course, the problem was always there. Honestly the way aira treated hiiro left me so uncomfortable at times, especially within the story, where it makes it seen hiiro as a stupid kid who knows nothing about anything.

Adonis' case is really complicated for me, because, as a black woman who grew up watching cartoons and anime with little to no black characters, i just got used to, in lack of better words, "be grateful for what i have".

And adonis being the only foreigner in a cast of yamato japanese people made me sympathize with him. "Oh, so he is viewed as a violent foreigner who's obsessed with meat, but he is just a softie? Well, i'll take what i can get".

And i genuinely thought that "maybe they're making a criticism on racist views or something". But really, adonis has existed for 10 years, i've been a fan for almost 4, and to this day we don't know what country he is from.

Not to mention what they've been doing with their neurodivergent characters lately! Sora lost his synesthesia somehow, and apparently shu got "cured"?? Mademoiselle doesn't appear anymore??

This new stuff with ibuki was my last straw, because it felt like happyele spent years punching us, then suddenly they switch to hitting us with bazookas with their blatant disrespect for their characters, their fans, everything!!!

I really can't bring myself to enjoy playing it anymore, but i'll still be in the fandom, i'll still have so much care for the characters, i'll still listen to the songs i already like, because they're mine now. And happyele can try to pry them away from my cold dead hands!!!

Anyway

[kerubimcrepin]

Live-Read: The Remington Comic [PART 1]

(but only the bits with Joris)

While I usually try to go about this blog in an in-universe chronological way, I have to jump forward to Wakfu era here — because the next stop in this blog's plan is the actual, released games of the franchise. Which will take around... a million years, I assume?

TOME 10

Worlds most mentally stable demigod. This excerpt from Otakia is included for my Ush-loving readers, and also to give some context: this guy is keeping some of Remington's besties captive, besides turning his brother into a cat.

"Wait… you're taking me to a… bazaar? am I dreaming?" "Pff… wait till you see what's inside."

In the past tome of this comic, Remington and Grany received a tip, that there exists a magical item that can help them, and an address to a shop, as well as the name "Beating Heart".

ALSO. The store has door chimes. Cute.

"Anyone?" "Yeah, I've seen enough." "They have potions, at least." "Grrr..." "What is that thing?" "??"

They don't seem to really like the place, lol.

"Let's see… "The Treasures of Kerubim"… O.K… We're looking for someone called "Beating Heart."" "Is he the owner of this store?" "Anyone home?" "If we can't find this clown, we could compensate ourselves for the trip." "Hello, sir."

SDGJSAHGUISREHGVDSFHGHHAFGSDFKJGDKSFGSDFGSFDHJS

If you think this is awkward, don't worry. It gets worse from here. Also — apparently, the name of the series is officially the name of the store. The more you know!

Well done little fella… You managed to surprise us.

AND YES. They use tu/toi for the., the 600yo ambassador of Bonta. who is also the owner of the store. who also just overheard them discussing shoplifting.

We're looking for a guy named… sir Beating Heart. Y'know him? Maybe that's your father? It is not my father… It is an object. And… the owner of this store, then? Where is he? In front of you. ... So… uh… you say "beating heart" is an object. Sure. And... could we perhaps see it, that beating heart?

HE'S SO FUCKING DONE ALREADY. he HATES them. also him saying he is the owner is so funny, even if it ISN'T a lie. Like. The store is named and themed after a whole different guy.

Insane.

Beating heart... beating heart... Listen to the rhythm of the heart, replace the rhythm of the body. Beating heart, beating heart... Out of sight… Out of mind… Will you give your soul the time?

Very cool poetry, Joris. I do wonder if this is him talking to himself to remember where it is, him liking this rhythm, or him fucking with Remington for his own amusement.

Please wait here. Careful, Mr. Curious. Small chests can contain big trouble Let's have a closer look. Yeah, bring it quick. Here it is, Beating Heart.

He's so used to shitty rude customers. The fact that he keeps vous/vous'ing them is funny. The fact he only calls Remi "mr. curious" is pretty emblematic of his saintly patience.

Say hello to Beating Heart first. Huh? Say hello to a watch? You have to be kind to objects… each one has its own story to tell. Say hello to Beating Heart… you too, funny talking bow meow. Hello? Hello, Beating Heart… delighted to meet your needle. And how does it work? No idea… Objects do whatever they want. I already have a hard time putting them away. One day, a set of table knives wouldn't stand next to an old sword… a real headache, those two.

I refuse to believe that this scene is not Joris deciding to simply fuck with Remington and Grany, by saying insane things for his own amusement, and making them talk to a clock.

That or he's more mentally ill than I thought. Oh well.

You talk to objects and they talk back! better and better… I know how to listen to them, but that doesn't mean they talk to me. But how can this watch help me? Listen, little guy, my brother suffered a kind of curse. An ecaflip named Ush cast a spell on him that turned him into a bow meow. Ush? The bontarian nobleman?

Either Joris sensed he was being taken way too seriously and backed down, or he decided to go "nah they don't talk to me i just listen to them" route because he knew it'd be a way to confuse the two further and he finds that amusing, or he didn't want to come across as crazy.

But in the end, his reign of making them confused as fuck ends with their mention of Ush — with whom Joris has history, and yet, all Joris says is "bontarian nobleman"... He's hiding that history. Because now he's interested.

And it seems that this Beating Heart could help me become a rogue again. Beating Heart has the ability to give its wearer what they desire most. But to use Beating heart, you need the proficiency in magic that you don't have. It's not for sale, sorry. But for your time, I've got a magic hat that curls your hair. Do you know where you can stick that hat? You little piece of…. brat! Come on, come on… excuse him… he's having a bit of a bad hair day right now.

Notice how fast Joris switches gears: he brought these two this amulet, and was showing it off, before, immediately after Ush's mention, rapidly going "you won't be able to use it, I will not sell it, also your hair sucks ass".

As we will see later, you don't need deep magical skill to use it — you need some self-control, so I really doubt Joris was genuine here.

I have multiple theories:

Joris doesn't want beating heart, a powerful magic item, anywhere near Ush's schemes.

Joris wants them to steal it so that he has an excuse to involve himself in Ush's schemes like the noisy curtain twitcher he is. If this transaction is legitimate, he has no excuse like "UMMM YOUR VICTIMS BROKE INTO MY STORE REPLY TO ME IMMEDIATELY ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING???"

Considering the fact that he puts it away under a glass dome, as Remington and Grany, rogues, watch (and they HAVE talked about robbing him) — I am leaning more strongly towards theory #2.

Thank you for everything, dear friend. No, no, you're not going to tip him on top of it! Hey bro? what's not for sale is up for grabs… As we rogues say. That's right… tonight, beating heart will be mine… he he he.

If my theory of this being a honeypot by Joris is right — then hook, line, and sinker.

On one hand, he doesn't exactly look like he's scheming, on other — he doesn't look too worried.

I think at this moment, his main concern is Ush.

(side note, he's drawn really well in this panel...)

[lonelyroommp3]

25, 26, 28!

25. name a song that makes you think about someone you love

i got FAR too deep on that last set of answers so i feel like if i continue by bringing out a proper earnest serious lovey dovey answer about very nice love songs i actually associate with my beautiful wonderful girlfriend i will magically explode into a pile of goo or something. so i will keep those secrets for myself and instead say that when we were in ireland together we spent half the time crafting an increasingly incomprehensible parody of guess by charli xcx based entirely on our various (already inscrutable to anybody but us) injokes & the assortment of tumblr posts we were obsessed with quoting that week until the entire song was reduced to pure nonsensical gibberish. now we can easily drive each other to instant insanity by just texting each other the words "you wanna THIS"

26. name a song that makes you think about someone you don't like

picture this, it's the final project of my masters degree, i'm paired with one other musical direction student to assist on the MA musical theatre showcases (format: everybody picks two songs - either 2 musical theatre songs or one MT and one pop song - and a monologue and gets those taped; the accompaniment was split between us and the professional MD leading the project). the professional MD in question is a guy i already have beef with because i found him really hard to read and i also found his teaching & mentorship style deeply patronising. i had a panic attack halfway through the process and went and cried to the course leader about how much i hated this guy & he literally emailed him telling him to be nicer to me. it didn't work because literally the day we were due to film he randomly reassigned two of my pop songs to the other student MD, with no explanation other than the implication that i wasn't playing them well enough for whatever reason. and now to this day i cannot listen to "since u been gone" or "havana" without flying off the fucking handle thinking about this injustice

28. name a song (or a few songs) that would need to be included in a movie about your life

following on from the previous ask's chat about me and my veritable fetish for Big Starting Over Moments, i think practically every era of my life has had at least one Big Starting Over Moment Song that i've taken on as my personal theme tune. of course, the combination of massive ambition and even more massive insecurity just means a lot of this is going to be family jewels era marina and the diamonds, and hand on heart, i think it's probably been about 10 years on the trot that i have viewed are you satisfied? as the overarching theme song of my life. you can really tell how much i'm going through it based on where this falls in my spotify wrapped each year (the higher the better, bc that means i'm at least daydreaming in earnest about getting out of a rut. it uh, did not feature last year.)

during my masters degree i discovered another song that fits this brief, and which i still absolutely adore, new mood by LPX. those opening guitars get me so instantly hyped every time

and FINALLY, a new entry, and a particularly brutal callout from the spotify algorithm - as mentioned i was listening to fires by nerina pallot for the first time the other day, and it was just slightly too short to cover my entire commute to work. which meant that as i was walking the final three minutes between the station and the church, the album radio threw this little gem at me, and i really felt right there and then like maddy euphoria realising this fucking play is about us

[jelzorz]

The Crack Quartet Timeline BC I'm sleep deprived and obsessed. Some housekeeping before we get into it:

For those unaware, the canon crack quartet, is rayllum and the following insane trio of ships: claudiez, sorpeli, and corterry

You read that correctly

I got dragged onto this boat unwillingly so now all of you have to suffer too.

These are my hcs and I've already written some of it into fic (linked for convenience).

It's important to note that the crack quartet can only ever take place 10-15 years from the end of canon. Everyone involved by this point is a fully consenting adult. Please keep this disclaimer in mind before you all start coming at me.

Now that that's out of the way

Some of you may have read the seed, so you may know already that I hc Soren and Corvus to be pretty steady at least until the end of the war, where the trauma is too heavy for both of them to be healthy about it. Soren ends the relationship and Corvus informally leaves the council. He's always preferred the serenity of the forest to the hustle and bustle of the castle anyway, and he returns every now and then to give Ezran reports about how things are going among the surrounding towns. It's on one of these journeys that he meets Terry, and their passing knowledge of each other is what gets them talking over a drink in a tavern. Corvus is doing his job and listening for gossip. Terry wants know if he's heard anything about Claudia. All the drama aside, it's nice to see a familiar face and to talk about old times.

In Katolis, Ez and Rayla bully Opeli into taking self defence lessons with Soren after she insists Ez keeps up his swordfighting lessons when she herself has never touched a weapon in her life. If you haven't already read the seed, this is how sorpeli starts. Soren and Opeli have been p good friends for years now, and he has never considered her a mother figure the same way Callum and Ezran might have. He was essentially an adult when everything started so he hasn't ever really needed that guidance, but he's always had a ton of respect for her too. He is 24/25ish when he realises he's caught feelings. He asks her to dance at Callum and Rayla's wedding. He starts having tea with her in the mornings and walking with her to Temple Hill (ia163a)

The month before Callum and Rayla's wedding, the kids are called away to a skirmish in a little town near the border. Ez goes for a wander through town to assess damage and how much they'll need in funds to repair everything when he finds a small clinic that desperately needs financial support. This is where he finds Claudia. She is tending to the medicinal herbs in the garden when he rides past. She's been going from town to town trying to make up for all the trouble she caused by assisting in their clinics and apothecaries under the name Lissa. Ez recognises her immediately. He knows he should tell the others. He does not. He is 14/15.

Claudia tries to leave but the other medics beg her not to. They need her help and her knowledge of medicinal herbs and potions. There's no one to replace her. She stays for a little longer, intending to leave the following week when a cart arrives bearing equipment and support and the king's seal. There is also a letter addressed to Lissa. In it, Ez promises her that her secret is safe, and that she will always have a home in the castle if she wants it.

For a while, everything is fine. Callum and Rayla get married, and castle life is pretty stable in amongst the political squabbles and the trips to quell conflicts in the surrounding towns. Soren hangs out with Opeli pretty regularly. Ez is writing letters to Claudia and personally funding the clinic she works at. Callum and Rayla start trying for a baby. Rayla falls pregnant three years after their wedding. She is 20ish weeks along when Claudia comes home.

Callum, snake boi that he is, is Not Having It. Claudia is thrown into a cell on arrival and he insists on exiling her as a minimum but Ezran, who's been in contact this whole time, knows she's been trying to make amends for her mistakes. He demands a trial on her behalf. Soren agrees. Opeli, as a stand in for Justice, argues that a trial is the fair thing to do. Rayla looks at Ezran, realises something else is going on, and agrees that a trial is the better way to go. The sentence her to service within the castle. Callum is Not Happy about it. (ia165)

This is one of the biggest disagreements Ez and Callum ever have. Rayla does her best to placate them both but she is also pregnant and doesn't want to deal with it. Frustrated that his brother won't trust his decision making and keeps treating him like a child, Ez spends more and more time with Claudia, who trusts him and treats him like an adult, until they're courting in all but name. Callum HATES this but reigns it in for Rayla's sake who's stressed enough. She goes into labour at the end of that summer and suffers a post partum haemorrhage so bad that the only thing that can fix it is Claudia's knowledge of Xadian herbs. The midwives kick Callum out of the room to let Claudia in and Ezran lets them. Rayla and the baby are both fine thanks to Claudia but Callum is FURIOUS with Ezran for allowing it to happen.

They're so caught up in the drama that no one notices Soren and Opeli having drama of their own. They are now having secret, hurried meetings in each other's quarters, knowing how absolutely Forbidden it is, especially for Opeli, both because of her age and her position as High Cleric, but they can't stay away from each other until Opeli starts throwing up in the mornings and she breaks it off in her panic. Rayla is the only one who notices and goes investigating. She is the only one Opeli allows to know of the situation. Rayla goes to Claudia to find the appropriate herbs to help Opeli with her Dilemma, and Claudia figures it out on her own 1) because she knows her brother, and 2) she's not an idiot. Rayla takes the opportunity to thank her properly for saving her life and their friendship begins here, while the boys are still at odds with each other. Opeli does not take the herbs in the end. (the fruit)

Opeli miscarries. She collapses during a council meeting, and it all comes out while the castle doctor and Claudia are attending to her. Callum and Ezran realise how stupid they've been because of the way they hadn't even noticed and they are speaking to each other again by the time Opeli is in recovery. Callum accepts Ezran and Claudia's courtship and does his best to process both this and Soren and Opeli (ia164) and things settle down again for a little while. Opeli resigns from her post as High Cleric and attempts to do the same from the council but Ez refuses her resignation and keeps her on informally. Soren and Opeli are married in a quiet ceremony. Opeli finds herself pregnant again six months later.

Viren returns to the castle that same year. It's Claudia's return all over again: Callum demands he be executed on the spot. Ezran wants to give him a trial. Claudia begs them not to kill him through her courtship with Ezran, her relationship with Soren, and her friendship with Rayla. Soren votes no, for himself and for Claudia. Rayla votes yes because, tentative friendship with Claudia aside, she can't trust Viren, especially not with her and Callum's little one running around. Ezran votes no because he wants to be a better king. Clio, the new High Cleric, Opeli's old 2IC, votes yes as the stand in for LJ. Barius, too soft hearted, votes no. Opeli is the deciding vote. She also votes no and all hell breaks loose all over again. (the snake).

Anyway, this is where we're up to. Obviously there will be more as I update the snake but I don't wanna give anything away BC hooo boy that drama is a doozy. I know, okay, these ships are Insane but the extrapolation you can do is just so Delicious and the drama is absolutely *chef kiss*

Now with part 2: electric boogaloo

[llondonfog]

Out of curiosity, what's your favorite moment with Lilia and Silver? (Don't worry about spoilers, I've already jumped on them all.)

oh oh oh how could you ask me to choose!! 😭

i have to say it's a tie between silver's outburst about lilia's enabling behavior of malleus' crazy plan/their ensuing conversation at the end of endless halloween where lilia apologizes for his disregard of silver's emotions, and the flashback scenes we're treated to in ch7.5 (IDC IF IT'S BEEN TALKED ABOUT A THOUSAND TIMES, THE ACORN SCENE??? THE ACORN SCENEEEEEE.)

i love the endless halloween outburst because it's the first time that we see silver actively scold his father (and malleus too) for what he believes (rightfully so) to be rather selfish behavior that put the nrc students all in unnecessary risk of danger without considering the consequences of their actions. of course the set up here is to foreshadow the events of ch7 and demonstrate silver's willingness to step up for what he believes in and firmly defend those beliefs against people he loves and respects so dearly, even if one of those figures is both a prince and a mage who could flatten them all with a snap of his fingers. but it also demonstrates the gulf that exists between silver and lilia, a gulf firmly of lilia's own inability to accept his worthiness of love, as we see his surprise to how earnestly silver professes about how much he cares for his father— lilia is his only family, and silver worries for him more than he tends to reveal.

delicious, 10/10 event for family angst, and i'm still harboring bitter feelings towards silver's stupid papa for deliberately screaming as if he was in trouble in front of his son's door and trying to laugh it off as a joke (SIDE NOTE; the way i still roll around thinking about how silver, our notoriously difficult to wake up resident sleeping beauty, woke up INSTANTLY upon hearing lilia's scream— the way that this foreshadows how he'll wake up from his four hundred year cursed sleep at lilia's presence is making me want to eat my heart UGH.)

and then all of the flashbacks that yana fed us with for 7.5, i was WEEPING!!! and it's not just the acorn scene lmao although that audio will bring me to tears each and every time. i adore the precious snippets that we got into silver's early years, how soft lilia became for him— reading him stories, fussing over how best to ensure that he grew up healthy and strong, singing him lullabies when he cried. this is the same fae who scoffed at the notion of children, and considered killing the boy who adores him as his true father, it honestly makes me go a little insane when i think about it. like please go back and listen to how fucking soft that man's voice is when he reads that fox story to baby silver, how he instantly brightens up to accept his new title as "toto". the sheer pride when he's cooing over silver's first steps!! AND THEN THE ACORN BRACELET SCENE,,,,,

those little glimpses of their domestic bliss just made me love the two of them all the more. a fae all but exiled by his own people, fated to be the true love of his enemy's child? to be the boy's father, to be cherished and adored by a human who would dare to battle the most powerful magic user in all of their land just to ensure lilia's happiness? even if that happiness was breaking silver's own heart? i'm sorry but they are THE father and son duo for me, silver vanrouge end game always

(HONORABLE MENTION: lilia protecting silver in the dream world— WHEN HE DIVED IN TO TAKE THE SHOT FOR HIS BOY I SCREAMED AND PLAYED IT A HUNDRED TIMES)

[raeedioheadd]

IN RAINBOWS - CHAPTER 3

summary: fun hang out day gone WRONG!! (NOT CLICKBAIT..)

warnings: mentions of death

word count: 3.4k

sadly, the week has reset and monday has rolled back around. the universe has odd ways of punishing us, and also giving us gifts.

punishment: two tests this week– both math.

gifts: dad comes back this week!

i could get through the week before dad got home, but my main issue hadn’t even rolled around yet. i’d deal with that later, i thought, starting the first stage of procrastination.

i did my usual morning routine: showering, feeding the animals and making sure everything was locked before leaving the house and starting my walk to school. by no means was i an active person, but the walk to and from school was nice– rejuvenating, even. i put my headphones on as i walked in the surprisingly cool air to school, listening to my favorite music.

upon walking into the courtyard, i was pleasantly surprised to see jon and damian. it then dawned on me that i did in fact forget to ask them what school they went to. jon's gaze landed on me scarily fast and he was quick to wave me over and call my name.

"hey!" i said, offering the blue eyed boy a smile. i gave damian a small wave just to be nice. surprisingly, he gave me a nod. "i didn't know you guys went here," i said sitting down next to them. "oh, uh, we just uh.." jon trailed off, giving damian time to interject. "i just transferred here." he spoke, jon sighing in relief. weird. whatever, he was probably just a fidgety guy. jon quickly smiled again, leaning back and crossing his arms. "so," he said, tilting his head and making his glasses slide down his nose. "have you always gone here?" he asked, his full attention at me. "maybe i should ask if you've lived in metropolis all your life.." he murmured, making me laugh slightly. "yes, and no." i said, watching him perk up ever so slightly. "i've been going to metropolis for a few years now, but when i was younger my dad and i moved around a lot." i shrugged, leaning against the wall behind me.

"where were you born?" jon asks, leaning forward once more. "oh, uh, i think somewhere in star city? i don't actually know. i think i was norn there, then i moved to gotham, then here and back to gotham before coming back and settling down in metropolis." i explained, making eye contact with damian for a breif moment. "anyway," i pause, setting my bag in my lap and hugging it. "what about you, speks?" i quip, causing the black haired boy to let out a huff.

"i was born and raised in smallville on a cozy farm, thank you very much." he said, looking over at damian. "your turn!" he beamed, poking his side and causing damian to scowl. "I was born in iran before moving to gotham when i was around 10 or 11 years old. is that to your standards?" he asks, glaring at the both of us. "do you speak any other languages?" i hum, standing up as the passing period bell rings. damian stands up after i do and jon soon follows, stretching his body out. "i speak arabic, so yes." he answers as i look over at jon and realize how actually tall he is. i stood at just about 5'5, so if i had to guess, they were both a bit over six feet.

"so you're tall, and big, and he's rich and can speak two languages? i feel a bit unaccomplished now." i joke, popping my neck as we begin walking. "it's just genetics! you should see my dad, he's bigger than i am!" jon exclaims, fixing his glasses. before i could say anything in response, jon stopped me. "i'm surprised you haven't like.. recognized him yet." he spoke, looking between me and damian. i looked over at him and narrowed my eyes for a moment before realizing. this is bruce wayne's blood son. "okay?" i asked, shrugging slightly. "he's rich, cool." i say, brushing the topic off before returning to the previous one. "i don't need to see your dad," i chuckle, glancing at the boy for a moment, "i've seen bruce wayne already, and his kid is walking right next to us. i'm just insanely unathletic." i shrug, giving damian a grin as he rolls his eyes. jon pouts.

"i dunno! i think if you were a guy you'd still be the same-- not that it's a bad thing!" he blurts out, waving his arms around to get his point across. "i think what this idiot is trying to say is that your current demeanor fits you." damian interjects, sighing to himself. i laugh and take out my phone, checking the time. "okay, i'm gonna head this way before i'm late to my class," i say, giving them both a wobbly smile, "see you guys later?" i ask, watching both boys nod as they walk off towards their classes. for a moment, a bit of relief flashed on damian's face. maybe he was glad i didn't freak out over him being rich. i'll definitely be abusing the rich friend privelage later.

i send my dad a few texts before i walk into my classroom and put my phone up, not ready to sit through the class period. the late bell rang a few moments later, and my teacher was quick to begin his lecture. as the class went on, i couldn't help but let my mind wander to sundown as i doodled in my notebook. back when i was in elementary school, he'd gone on his first spree. at the time, that was unusual for him, and it took the police a while to link the spree to the scattered murders that happened around the country. he'd hit jump city and star city, and apparently he tried to hit gotham as well, but he was ultimately scared off by the bat. so why was he back? what could he gain? was he egotistical? did he think that if he started killing again, it would be the same? that the police wouldn't be able to track him down and fail like they did the first time? these were questions i was sure i'd never get answers to. if he was egotistical, he definitely got a reality check if he saw the news the past few days.

sundown has a unique way of killing; each victim has a slit on the side of their cheek. think jigsaw; always cutting out a puzzle piece from his victims. like a signature. the rest was still classified information by the police, but a part of me feels like thats as far as they've gotten. clearly though, he was an idiot. why would he stay in metropolis? that just slims down the amount of people it could be. it could be someone from gotham, or strictly metropolis. i sighed to myself quietly, deciding to forget about it for now. in our day in age, sundown would be lucky if he got another year without being caught. we literally have a group of birds working under a bat the next city over; anything's possible.

class ended soon after and my next two classes were just reviewing for tests. walking into my english class, i saw mr. graham helping some cheerleader with her essay. i wasn't one for stereotypes, but God were some of these girls struggling. how do you manage to stay on the cheer team with a sixty-nine in every class? i spent the entire class on my phone texting laila, who was raving about damian wayne going to our school. lunch rolled around and i once again met her in the library, and she was high. again. who would've thought?

"why is he going here? i mean, this isn't a bad school, but you know. he's like, really rich. like really really rich." she says, twirling her fading purple hair between her fingers. "i dunno, don't ask me." i say, skimming through a book. "you never know anything," she pouts, sinking back in her chair, "i could've sworn i saw you talking to him and some other guy earlier!" she huffs, kicking her foot against the floor like a child. "i know one thing, actually." i say, giving her a pointed look. "your boyfriend is that way," i point, watching her turn around, "and you are going to go that way and leave me alone so i can go home." i finish, pushing her slightly as she drags her feet over to her boyfriend. what an odd girl.

just as i was going to put up my book and leave, my two new friends waltzed into the library. jon whispered my name before speed walking over to me, damian following suit. "what are you doing?" jon asks, his fluffy hair slightly falling over his glasses. "oh, i was just about to leave." i say, zipping up my bag. "is it your lunch period?" i ask, watching the blue eyed boy's brows furrow as damian finds a seat at the table we were at. "um, yeah, but what do you mean leave? do you go get lunch somewhere else?" he questions, almost reminding me of a baby puppy. i quietly laugh and shake my head, deciding to sit back down and humor the boy before i go home and nap for the rest of the morning. "i only take four classes. i already finished most of my core classes and credit requirements, so i get to go home and snooze all i want." i grin, watching his jaw drop in faux astonishment. "lucky! i mean, i'm doing good in my classes, but i waited too long to do the hard ones." he sighed, sitting down and pressing his cheek against the table. "i told you that you'd regret it. now look at you." damian spoke up, a glint of amusement in his eyes.

i tilt my head, shifting my attention to the ever so stoic boy. "have you guys known each other for a while?" i ask, tucking my hands under my thighs and kicking my feet. "something like that. our dads have known each other for a while and introduced us when we were like, i dunno, eight?" jon says, looking towards damian for confirmation. the boy nods, and i cant help but notice how easily they flow off one another. even earlier on in the day while we were talking, they talked to one another like they had seen the inner depths of the other's soul. shaking my head, i pulled myself back to reality. "that's nice. my friend can't ever come to school sober." i grumble, causing jon to give me a confused look. he brushes the comment off nonetheless. "you should hang out with us today! i need to go clothes shopping anyway." jon says, sitting up and looking at me with a big smile. "okay, fine. what time?" i ask, grabbing my phone. "also, put in your phone number. i doubt i'll be awake if it's before three." i say, sliding my phone over so jon can put it in. he mumbles something about not remembering it so damian snatches the phone and puts his in instead. we end up making plans for five, and then the bell rings.

walking home after that felt oddly lonely. and the feeling of being alone in itself was odd enough. i was used to being alone in the sense that i had all i needed-- my dad, my pets, and laila. even though she was a handful, i loved her. but now i had new people in my life, and i didn't know if they would stay. i had a hard time keeping friends since i was, well, a bit of a recluse and more than a bit boring, but with jon and damain, it seemed like it didn't really matter, and it was nice.

upon walking into my house, i was bombarded by buddy who was happy to see me. i give him a few pets before sending him off with a treat to distract him. i made my way upstairs and changed into a tshirt and pajama shorts and put my outfit for later on my desk before flopping on my bed. kiwi, being jostled by the bounce of the bed, meows in disdain before marching over to me and curling up. "night, kiwi." i murmur, pulling the blankets over me and falling asleep.

****

it's three o'clock when i wake up next. i groan, opening my eyes to see kiwi peering right down at me. she lets out a small meow and i sit up, rubbing the sleep from my face. "what? you hungry?" i ask, taking the feline into my hands and walking out into the hall. i didn't take a long time to get ready, so i could laze around for a bit longer before having to get ready.

after making my way downstairs with kiwi in my arms, i set the little ball of fluff on the counter before going to rummage through the fridge. god, my dad ate some of the nastiest food sometimes. hummus, hummus, and..more hummus. luckily foe me though, i found a lunchable in the back of the fridge. take it or leave it, i guess.

the lunchable was nothing but delectable– i'd have to make a mental note to tell dad to get some more the next time he went grocery shopping. checking the time, i decided it was time for me to get ready. kiwi followed close behind me as i went back up to my room only to see buddy laid across my bed. i gave him a few pets before changing into a simple pair of shorts and a tshirt; i wasn't gonna dress up for two random guys i just met. well, they're not random, but you know what i mean. by the time i was done putting hairspray and heat protectant in my hair, jon was blowing up my phone telling me they were here.

"okay, kiwi, buddy," i spoke, setting kiwi next to the doberman that was currently laying on my bed, "be good, okay? i'll be back later." i coo, backing out of my room and leaving the door open. i leave my house and see an unsurprisingly expensive car sitting on the roadside, presumably damian's. this didn't surprise me– of course his dad bought him a porsche. jon peeked his head out the window, beaming at me. he reminded me yet again of a puppy. "hi! hi!" he exclaimed, watching as i got in. "where are we going?" i ask, watching jon look at damian and the green eyed boy respond with a shrug. "oh..i thought you knew." jon said, looking at damian without a thought behind his eyes. "uh, well, we can always just watch movies in my house and go to the mall or something later." i suggest, looking between the two. damian looks over at jon for confirmation who nods in agreement. damian pulls the key out of the ignition and we all get out and walk to my door. "oh, i have a dog and a cat by the way. buddy won't bite; he's police trained. he may bark though," i say, humming at the last bit. damian seems a bit intrigued, his eyes scanning my home as they both follow me inside.

"cozy," damian says, his gaze following every corner the house has. "thanks." i reply, leading them upstairs. buddy perks up upon seeing the two new guests, while kiwi continues to flick her tail. "okay, guys. i want my bed back." i say, gently ushering both animals off the bed. kiwi opts for jumping into my arms while buddy retreats to his bed next to my desk.

"your room is so cozy!" jon smiles, flopping onto my bed with a small 'oof'. i smile and lay next to him while damian decides to take a seat on the leftmost side of the bed. i grab my remote and turn on the tv, switching to the streaming services we have. "someone else take the remote, i'm not good at choosing movies." i say, tossing the remote behind me so one of the boys can take it. kiwi trots over as we adjust our positions so we're all actually sitting against the headboard normally. the feline crawls into my lap and leans over to damian, sniffing him curiously. jon looks over, smiling softly. "aww, a kitty! what's her name? or his, oops." he asked, putting on a movie i didn't get to see the title to. "kiwi: she's a stupid maine coon who only knows how to eat and sleep. and take up people's space." i joked, watching damian pet kiwi behind her ears. she leaned into his touch and left my lap to go crawl into his. "what movie did you choose?" i ask, standing up and turning off the lights. "uhh, alien. the new one! i heard it's super good." jon says, getting comfy. i have to crawl over him to get back in my spot, so once im where i needed to be i was partially snuggled up into damian's side. awkward, but jon was practically using me as a human pillow, so it's okay.

throughout the movie, damian continued to pet kiwi and jon was making disgusted noises at some parts. "ew, ew ew ew ew ew?" i blurted out, seeing one of the more nasty scenes. i felt jon's hand cover my face, hearing his giggles from behind me. "stop! that's not funny!" i laughed,  pulling his hand from my eyes and turning to look at him. "it's scarryy! the alien is gonna get you!" he joked, poking my sides and causing me to curl in on myself. "noo!" i squealed as damian watched in silence. "you can't think this is actually gruesome." damian sighs while kiwi hops away. "it's fucking nasty! were you not watching the movie?" i asked, looking over at him as jon stops poking me. "it's mediocre." he grumbles, shaking his head ever so slightly. "whatever! the movie's over, so what are we gonna do now?" i huff, brushing his comment off and sitting up. "uhh, uhh.." jon hums, sitting up as well. "we could go to the mall!" he says, smiling and fixing his glasses and hair. "okay, i'm down." i say, looking over at damian who nods in agreement. i stand up and stretch, a small yawn escaping my lips. i give kiwi a few scratchies before we make our way downstairs and leave. "what are we even gonna do? frolick?" i ask, climbing in the backseat as everyone settles and damian begins to drive. "don't even think about asking me to buy you anything." damian states, glaring at jon from his peripheral. jon pouts and looks back at me, grinning happily. "yeah! we'll do whatever until we get bored and go home." he says, turning back around.

the drive is mostly silent with the exception of the radio playing in the background. i respond to a few texts from my dad and laila, with my dad asking me why bruce wayne's kid just walked in and out of our house. i smile and tell him that we were just hanging out and prepare to wait another 8 hours for a response. after a bit, we come to a stop. "are we here?" i ask, peeking at jon and damian who seem to be looking at something infront of the car. "no," damian says, his face hardening, "the entire block is cut off by police tape." he says, craning his head up to look around. "police tape?" i ask, moving to the middle seat to get a better look. "was it sundown?" i question, looking between the two. they make eyecontact with one another before looking at me at the same time. talk about uncanny valley.

"sundown?" jon asks, his usual sunny demeanor deflated. "uh..yeah? do you not watch the news? he just killed someone a few days ago. he went on a spree around the country a couple of years back too." i explain, looking between the two boys with raised brows. damian sighs, facing forward once more. "i'm taking you home." he says, his voice hard with authority. "what? why?" i ask, frowning slightly. "because there's a murderer on the loose and your safety is at risk. stay home, and lock all of your doors and windows." damian says, looking at me from the rearview mirror. i groan and fall back in the backseat as he does a u-turn and starts driving me home. "i know, it sucks," the blue eyed boy says, looking at me with a small smile, "but we just want you to be safe until this whole thing blows over." he explains, poking my knee slightly. "if you don't lock your doors the alien will get you!" he grins, making me laugh slightly. we eventually make it back to my house and exchange goodbyes with damian telling me to stay safe. "i won't drive off until you check all of your windows." he huffs, glaring at me. i groan and walk inside and check all of my doors and windows before sending him a thumbs up and watching the two drive off.

not too long after they left i decided to hop in the bath and watch a news snippet on the latest murder. odd way to put it, yeah, but still. it was so close. too close. a teenage girl who used to bully other kids in her grade. sighing, i leaned back and shot my dad a text telling him i was okay. though, i couldn't get my mind off the fact that damian and jon didn't know about sundown. with jon, he's lived in metropolis all his life-- there's no way he hasn't heard of him since a majority of the victims were metropolis citizens. damian on the other hand...maybe his father would have mentioned him? or maybe, y'know, batman would have told gothamites to watch out? though i could see why he wouldn't; he wasn't in gotham when the murders took place and batman managed to scare sundown off. strange.

i ultimately ended up brushing the thought off and got out of the bath before changing and crawling in bed. buddy was still sleeping in his bed and kiwi was probably downstairs eating her food. i pulled the covers over my body and shut my lamp off before closing my eyes and letting my mind wander, hoping my friends would stay safe.

[cctinsleybaxter]

ed, what did you think of this years death blart?? the 10yr mark is great, but every ep i feel like it becomes more apparent how much more committed to it all tim & guy are compared to the rest :’/

I think the mcelroys are committed but Guy and Tim have a way of engaging with movies that is so impossible to grasp in the short term it genuinely caught them off guard lol.* I also have some hope there will be future recommitment because their fluctuating more than g&t from year to year (especially griffin) cuts both ways!

More thoughts:

Much like Griffin pointing out 10 years "finally feels like something" it is officially insanely funny that I've listened to 15+ hours of people talking about and recapping the plot of a 90-minute(?) movie that not only have I not seen, I have no idea what a single character besides paul blart looks like

In the midst of relearning the same information every year they are also still casually mentioning scenes and set pieces I had 0 idea existed and it makes me feel crazy <3 Lots of new ideas being thrown around this time too; better than many of the eps where they've tried gimmicks to spice things up

Thought Travis had some funny and insightful things to say!, which was then completely neutralized by him watching the movie as a twitch stream with his fans. poor sportsmanship imo, especially since they've already agreed they want to do a group watch-along at some point

I absentmindedly said the marbles line out loud in pitch-perfect sync with Justin and scared myself so much I yelled

*for anyone who doesn't listen, last year they briefly floated the idea of going to las vegas for the 10yr mark and tim immediately bought plane tickets from aotearoa and excitedly emailed everyone that it was happening while the u.s.-based brothers finished recording the ep and forgot about it. extremely funny

[prongsfish]

thank you @fandom-trash-goblin for the tag!!

1. Are you named after anyone? nope :)

2. When was the last time you cried? i'm not sure actually, but definitely within the last 24h. i cry very easily

3. Do you have kids? noooo. i'd say i'm too young but actually i'm not all that far off from how old my mum was jeez... i don't exactly plan on following her lead in that though, she was quite young and atm i don't ever plan on having kids. i don't think i'd be a very good parent and i don't think i'll ever be ready to make a commitment that big.

4. Do you use sarcasm a lot? i do sometimes but i'm not a very dry type of sarcastic, i usually over-exaggerate to extremes

5. What sports do you play/have you played? i played netball as a kid but i'm not very sporty... i also played a bit of volleyball in hs

6. What’s the first thing you notice about other people? i'm not sure honestly. just, their appearance i guess? i have a bad habit of judging people very quickly based on their appearance and other similarly shallow factors, so i guess the first thing i "notice" is just whatever category i put them in inside of my head

7. Scary movies or happy endings? these are two entirely seperate things, but in general my favourite movies have ambiguous or bittersweet endings so probably scary movies? i don't watch a lot of horror because i prioritise an impactful story over anything else and i don't like realistic scary stories, but i like general scary atmospheres and some of my favourite pieces of media are horror (donnie darko, the haunting of hill house)

8. Any special talents? not really? idk, there are things i'm good at, but not any interesting talents that come to mind

9. Where were you born? australia. that's the most specific you're getting sorry

10. What are your hobbies? doomscrolling, listening to pretentious music, consuming + talking about media, reading/writing fanfic, drawing, and... not much else really lol. i don't do much, and there are more things i'd like to do but i barely have time to do the hobbies i already have lmao. maybe someday i'll finally learn guitar...

11. Do you have any pets? none of my own but sue me i still think of the family pets as my pets, so two dogs and three cats :)

12. All-time fave piece of media? this is an insane question but okay uhh. i seriously don't know if i can choose... i think i have to say the social network, it's my favourite movie. normal people by sally rooney is close behind (the book, i haven't seen the show yet)

13. Fave subject in school? i pretty much hated everything until i understood what was going on and then i loved it until i didn't again, rinse and repeat. but probably economics or english lit!

14. Dream job? realistically, i'm on track to becoming something in finance, probably a financial advisor or an accountant of some kind. that's kind of my "dream" field because i've been set on it since i was like 13/14, and i enjoy it! but it's definitely a compromise between enjoyment and money. for a real dream job? if i had my way i'd be a uhh professional analytical thought haver. thesis statement writer, perhaps. unfortunately it seems like there is no demand for that kind of career so i will just stick with finance LMAO

15. Eye colour? brown

no pressure tags: @crackeds0b @xeme-starx @sapphos-queer-kid