#just occurred to me to wonder what other people do and i couldn't wait to know. i must post this immediately

[natsukishinomiyaswife]

The Viper Club (or, The Jamil Viper Support Group)

Hello ♡ This is a silly fic I thought of at work, featuring some of my mutual's OCs ♡ The premise is that their OCs end up in Lydia's universe (so my Yuu's Twisted Wonderland) and stay at their "partner's" dorm while there (due to Ramshackle not existing). This fic mainly features Jamil (and his many partners) with cameos from other OCs and pairings as well! ♡

OCs featured/mentioned (along with their OC x Canon) include: Yuusha (@crystallizsch) x Jamil, Mayu (@anbaisai) x Jamil, Rebecca (@0honeybones0) x Jamil, Astrid (@cheerleaderman) x Jamil, Damali (@midnightmah07) x Jamil

Silas (@theolivetree123) x Jamil, Fayrouz (@fell-fell) x Jamil, Dranav (@justm3di0cr3) x Jamil, Jeanne (@midnightmah07) x Kalim, Copper (@cyanide-latte) x Kalim

Shuu (@oya-oya-okay) x Azul, Lysander (@offorestsongs) x Rook, Kiyuu (@skriblee-ksk) x Jack, Daisy (@midnightmah07) x Ruggie, Jewel (@jewelulu) x Floyd

Enjoy! ♡

Jamil wasn't sure how to describe it, unable to shake this feeling he had. All day he felt as if something was off, taking notice of strange things occurring around him.

It started in the morning, with Lydia running around campus in a panic. She would always have someone with her, with Jamil being unfamiliar with each one. There shouldn't be any new students at the moment, and while people were able to visit, it was usually reserved for special occasions. He knew the school wasn't having any events, and their wasn't any games going on.

Yet everywhere he turned, a new face popped up, catching his eye. A blonde haired girl walking to class with Ruggie, a man with long pink hair sitting next to Rook in the courtyard. Even at practice, there was someone in the stands, watching them play.

Did I miss something? He couldn't help but wonder, wiping his face with a towel. Their club activities were over for the day, the girl sitting in the stands leaving with Floyd. He was tempted to ask Ace once they were gone, noticing he didn't have anyone with him. Perhaps he would know what was going on...

"Oh, Jewel? I don't really know her, but Lyds said she'd be staying at Octavinelle for a bit." Ace replied, pulling a sweatshirt over his head. He tugs it down to cover his uniform, putting the rest of his things in a duffel bag, throwing it over his shoulder. His eyes widen after a moment, seeming to remember something.

"She was looking for you by the way! I told her we had practice, so she said she'd be waiting for you back at Scarabia." Ace says, slapping his hand on Jamil's shoulder. Jamil's eyebrow raises as Ace walks away, lifting his arm in a makeshift wave.

"Good luck~" Ace teases, a smirk on his face as he glances over his shoulder. Oh, he knew something alright... Jamil crossing his arms as he watches him go. The question was... what?

He entered Scarabia cautiously, looking around for anyone. He was dressed in casual clothes now, having changed out of his uniform back at the gym. He hears Kalim's voice down the hall, turning to find two people standing next to him. He hid behind the corner, watching them with suspicion as they talked.

"Hopefully Lyddie can get you guys home soon... I just know the other me's miss you two!" Kalim states, causing smiles to come to his companion's faces. Their eyes seem a bit sad though, probably thinking the same thing Kalim was.

"Ah, there you are!" A voice calls out, causing Jamil to turn. Lydia rushes towards him, looking worse for wear. Her hair is a mess, anxiety written on her face. Jamil takes one final look at the strangers next to Kalim before focusing on her, eyebrows raising in concern.

"Is everything alright? Ace said you were looking for me earlier..."

"Yes, yes! Everything's fine!" She responds immediately, forcing a smile on her. "Even better now that you're here, actually!" She grabs his arm, dragging him away. He glances back towards the hall as they leave, unable to shake his suspicions.

"... Do you know who those people with Kalim are?"

"Oh, that's Jeanne and Copper! They'll be staying at Scarabia for a bit." His eyebrows raise at this, wondering when this decision was made.

"I've never seen them around campus before..."

"Oh, um... they're not from here." She says hesitantly, making him even more suspicious.

"They were wearing uniforms though, so they must go here." He states, as if it were obvious. The girl with the hook was wearing an Octavinelle uniform, while the man wore a Pomefiore one. Clearly they were students of Night Raven College... right?

She stops walking, causing Jamil to almost run into her. She turns to him, speaking as if she's answered this question multiple times.

"So they do attend Night Raven, just not our Night Raven. They attend the one back in their world, and somehow... they ended up in ours."

"...What?"

She goes on to explain that on her way to work at Sam's shop, she passed by the abandoned building filled with ghosts and noticed people inside. Anxious, she walked up to the building, wondering who was there. It was way more people than she expected, all of them unaware how they got there in the first place.

After talking with them and discussing the issue with the Headmage, she was tasked with finding them a place to stay, and someone to look after each of them. In the meantime, Crowley would look for a way to send them home (like how he did with the tsums).

"I see... So I'm guessing I'll be looking after someone too?" He asks, taking it all in. It seemed hard to believe, but Lydia was from another world, and stranger things have happened.

She directed his attention to a door, leading to one of the spare rooms they had. "Actually..." She starts, opening the door. His eyes widen as he takes in all the people, sitting around a table with drinks in their hands. They look at the doorway as he stands there, Lydia gesturing towards the group.

"... You'll be looking after this group here. The Viper club, as I like to call them." She walks past him to enter the room, continuing to speak. "Or you could call them the Jamil Viper support group. They all have one thing in common."

"And that is...?" He asks, already knowing what the answer will be.

"They all have a relationship with you. Well, the you from their universe, that is..." She starts walking around the table, standing behind each person as she introduces them.

"This is Yuusha..."

"... Mayu..."

"... Rebecca..."

"... Astrid..."

"... Damali..."

"... Silas..."

"... Fayrouz..."

"... and Dranav."

She allows each person to add anything they'd like to their introductions, approaching him once everyone was finished.

"They'll be in your care from now on, so I hope you can get along." She claps her hands together, doing her best to stay positive. She knows how much responsibility Jamil already has, and adding eight people on top of that doesn't help. She hopes that since they're close with the Jamil's back in their worlds, that they will be understanding, and not give him a hard time.

"I still need to make dinner." He says as a response, feeling tired already.

"Oh! Why don't you let them help you? It'll be a great way for you to get to know each other, plus it'll help take some work off of you." She suggests, a smile coming to her face. Jamil notices how exhausted she is, spending the day running around doing Crowley's job. He couldn't help but offer...

"Why don't you join us for dinner too, Lydia? You look like you could use a break." A small smile comes to her face at his offer, pushing some hair out of her face.

"I appreciate it, but I can't. I still gotta meet with Jack at Savanaclaw, as he'll be watching Kiyuu. And I wanna get back to Octavinelle as soon as possible, cause who knows what Azul has Shuu doing..." She sighs, shaking her head. "He better not be using her for free labor in the Lounge..." She mutters to herself.

"I'll be off, then! You guys have fun!" She says, making her way towards the door. "Oh, before I forget!" She turns, walking to Jamil. She leans in close to him, her voice low so the others wouldn't hear.

"Some of them have asked about a 'Ramshackle dorm', or a 'Grim', and I don't know what they're talking about... Do you know?" She asks, watching as Jamil shakes his head. She nods her head in understanding before waving goodbye to everyone, walking out the door.

Once she was gone, Jamil focused his attention on them, looking around as he asked, "So... who here knows how to cook?" ♡

Ahhhh I hope you guys liked it! ♡ I tried to keep things vague, so that way you can insert your own dialogue/thoughts for your OCs! ♡

Thank you! ♡

[apocalypseornaw]

Jealousy Jealousy

Sam Winchester x reader

You're not sure if Sam wants to be with you or not until a night out makes a green streak pop up in him

Warnings: cursing, slight mention of sex

You weren't sure what it was between you and the youngest Winchester. There was a pull neither of you could deny, even if you wanted to. The way his lips felt on your skin, how his touch made you melt... you hated and loved it.

You hated it because there was never a label put on it, he'd have you in his arms for hours one night then the next it would seem as if he'd forgotten you existed outside of being someone he hunted with and someone who took up residence in the bunker as well. It was driving you insane because even though when it had started you were clear that no feelings beyond friendship were supposed to come into the equation somewhere along the way you'd fallen head over heels for Sam and hated yourself for it because he couldn't do something as simple as refer to himself as your boyfriend.

The thought had occurred to you about mentioning it to Dean but how pathetic would it look to go whining to his big brother? No matter if he was also one of your closest friends.

You let it go for weeks until one day Alicia and Max called to see if you wanted to go out with them. They were going to be a few towns over and Max's boyfriend was going out with them too so you figured with two men there it would be safe enough to enjoy a night out, especially since one of the men was an extremely strong witch and the other was a hunter as well.

Sam was gone, something about meeting a hunter Garth had sent towards Lebanon for some supplies so you just left a note telling the boys where you were going and assuring them who you would be with so they wouldn't worry. You didn't think anything about it as you walked up the steps to Alicia's waiting car.

Dean and Sam walked into the bunker not quite two hours after you left "Y/N!" Dean called the moment his boots hit the bottom step but when you didn't pop around a corner his eyebrows furrowed slightly "She call you about a hunt coming up?" He asked Sam who shook his head as he checked his phone to see there were no missed calls or texts from you.

The three of you had an assigned area for notes to be left to each other in the library so Sam headed that way and found a note sitting atop his and Dean's initials that were carved into the table. "She went out with Alicia, Max and Marcus" he told Dean who'd followed him into the library. Dean looked at the letter then nodded "Wanna go meet up with them? Been a while since we saw the Banes"

Sam nodded slowly, wondering why you hadn't texted or called him to say you were heading out. "Cmon then" Dean told him nudging his shoulder slightly.

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

You listened as Alicia told you about Max bitching the entire time they hunted an arachne. "In his defense they give me the ick too" you laughed.

Marcus grinned at you across his glass "The ick Y/N? Really?" You tossed a balled up napkin at his head "Shush you" Max laughed before cutting his eyes at you "So has Sam put a label on things?" You looked towards Marcus who shrugged "Yeah he told me"

You groaned dramatically before laying your head over on the table "No, he hasn't. The man is killing me cause one minute he's doing unspeakable things to me then the next he'll barely touch me around other people, even around Dean!"

Alicia patted your back soothingly "Wanna dance?" You nodded "Yes" Max and Marcus cracked up at your tone before Max looked between the two of you "Stay close enough I can keep an eye" you knew what he meant and loved him for being protective. You nodded then grabbed Alicia's hand "Cmon ma'am"

---------

Dean was the first into the bar, glancing around for Max. He waved when he spotted him and headed for the table him and Marcus were sitting at. Sam followed behind Dean and felt his stomach drop when he didn't see you at the table with the other men but then he followed where Max was pointing to and saw you were dancing with Alicia.

It amazed him after how long he'd known you that you could still stop him dead in his tracks but damn could you. Jeans and a simple black top looked nothing less then perfect on you. He watched for a second with a smile as you twirled Alicia around then pulled her back closer to you, both of you laughing.

---------

He headed for the table and was met with Marcus half way "Cmon Sam. We got bar duty" he laughed and fell in step with Marcus, the two of you them chatting about the last few months of their lives.

He had just paid when he heard a guy make a comment about the two women dancing. Out of the entire bar you and Alicia were the only two women dancing together. He listened in to see if it was a situation where he needed to intervene, some men were simply creeps and he wasn't letting anything happen to you or Alicia. "They're both gorgeous but that one in the black top? She's something else"

He felt a bit of jealousy but pushed it down, neither men were being outright inappropriate about you. He didn't notice the way Marcus was also listening and gauging his response. They grabbed the drinks then headed back to the table.

----------

You and Alicia had just sat back down and you smiled when you saw him and Marcus "Did either of you grab us a drink?" Sam held up your usual and Marcus held up Alicia's. Both of you smiled broadly as you took your drinks.

A few more minutes passed and Sam had forgotten the men at the bar but Marcus had kept an eye on them and not so subtly got Dean and Max's attention when the one who'd been eyeing you headed towards the table where all of you sat.

You were talking to Dean when you heard a throat clear so you looked up to see a man standing next to the table. He was cleaner cut, nice looking and was looking directly at you "I don't mean to interrupt or overstep but if you aren't here with either of these fellas can I buy you a drink?"

You smiled and opened your mouth to gently reject him but before you could Sam was wrapping his arms around you "Sorry man, you're a little too late. I'm her boyfriend" you knew your eyes had widened but the man was considerate enough to simply tell Sam "You're a lucky man" before wishing you all a goodnight.

You sat there for a moment because Sam hadn't moved. He was still holding you against him, damn near pulling you in his lap. "Boyfriend?" Dean spoke first causing the rest of the occupants around the table to barely bite back laughs. You glanced up at Sam whose jaw was clenched tightly "Sam?"

He half smiled and you could see a bit of nerves peeking out of his demeanor "I mean, I think I am? Aren't I?" You laughed lightly before pulling him into a quick kiss. When you pulled away you nodded "Yeah you're the boyfriend and I got to admit, that was kind of hot" he grinned at your words as Dean groaned "Jesus you two I hear enough. Don't make me suffer more" which made Alicia, Max and Marcus crack up laughing.

[flowerandblood]

The Prince and The Fox (5)

[ modern! • Aemond x friend! • female ]

[ warnings: angst, violence, swearing ]

[ description: After the events of her childhood, despite her best efforts, her neighbor and the younger brother of her friend Helaena, Aemond, does not want to know her. This state lasts until a house party organized by his older brother, Aegon, during which an incident occurs that will change their relationship forever. Slow burn, angst, toxic ex-Alys, rough Aemond. This is several anon requests combined into one fic. ]

WARNING: The main plot between the characters takes place in high school. Yes, in high school. The belief that teenagers wait with an intimacy when they are in love in high school is ridiculous to me. Aemond and the character here are the same age. Don't ask me how old they are, in my country you are of the age of consent in your first year of high school and an adult in the last year of high school, so if it is more convenient for you, think about it that way and decide for yourself. In this story, I am not following the trail that they are magically friends right away, but how they become friends and what that even means. I'm writing this fic to give the perspective of young, lost people, not adult women who want to see exactly themselves in everything they read. If that's all you expect, this isn't the fic for you.

I don't want whining about this in my comments or asks. I will delete these and block you. You have been warned.

Aemond + Evans Series Moodboard

This is my first story that has its own playlist, but yes! Get in the mood! Story Music Playlist Song used in this chapter: Ooh to be ah (Kajagoogoo)

* English is not my first language. Please, do not repost. Enjoy! *

Next chapters: Masterlist

_____

In the morning, she was woken from a deep sleep by Helaena saying that breakfast was ready and that if she felt like it, she could take a shower afterwards. She rubbed her eyes, not knowing for a moment where she was or what had happened.

She thanked her and swallowed loudly, remembering the scenes from the night before, wondering for a moment if it was real or if she had just dreamt it. She quickly unlocked her phone to see her message history and froze.

Oh fuck.

She pressed her lips together thinking only of how embarrassingly pleasurable what she had experienced with him was, a closeness that probably surprised both her and him.

He enjoyed it.

He wouldn't have done it if it had been any other way.

She thought she couldn't screw it up.

She felt something for him.

She was surprised to see that in the kitchen, besides their mother, was also their father, whom she saw extremely rarely, from what Helaena told her he was often away on long business trips.

"Good morning." She said softly, and he nodded with a smile, swallowing loudly a piece of bread roll he had just taken a bite of.

"Good morning."

She decided to eat something light and settled for cornflakes with milk. She almost choked on them when Aemond appeared out of the blue, apparently he had just taken a shower because his hair was still damp.

He sat down opposite her and gave her a meaningful glance that made her hot, then reached his hand for the pancakes, involuntarily running his tongue over his lower lip.

She remembered the touch of his lips on hers, how soft and firm they were, how well he kissed, and lowered her gaze, swallowing loudly as she continued eating, listening to the exchange between Aegon and his mother.

"Your tutor says you can't concentrate and you're constantly looking through your phone instead of listening to what the teachers are saying." She said lowly, apparently hoping her husband would pick up on the subject as well. Mr Targaryen looked at her surprised and grunted, glancing at his son.

"Is that true, Aegon?"

Aegon rolled his eyes, combing through his hair with an impatient hand gesture, and snorted.

"It's Sunday for goodness sake, can I have at least one day of peace?"

After breakfast she thanked their parents for their hospitality, grabbed her things and decided she would go home, not wanting to take up any more of their time, she had to study for a test on Monday anyway.

Helaena hugged her and thanked her again for the lovely time, she glanced out of the corner of her eye at her brother who was sitting at the table looking at her with an impenetrable gaze.

They had not written to each other.

She wanted to, was even dying over not having contact with him, but on the other hand she thought that she couldn't keep nagging him now, that she had promised herself that she would let it all go at a leisurely pace, that hurrying might only discourage him.

She wondered if he was also thinking about her and what had happened between them.

The next day she got up very early and ran to take a shower, excited to see him again at the bus stop, to talk again. She was afraid that it would be awkward and weird, but at the same time she couldn't get the smile off her face. She decided to wear her favourite black short-sleeved dress with a collar, fastened with big white buttons and topped it off with black trainers.

She showed up well ahead of schedule, however, she couldn't stand to be home anymore out of excitement. She could feel her legs bouncing with excitement as she sat on the bench.

She swallowed loudly when she saw him walking with his backpack thrown over his shoulder from across the street, earphones in his ears as usual. Not knowing why, she got up from her seat as he walked closer, looking at him with big eyes.

For a moment they stared at each other, not knowing how to act, she could feel her heart pounding hard.

He pressed his lips together and looked away, swallowing loudly, without even taking his earphones out of his ears.

Something was wrong.

She didn't know why she felt such a tight squeeze of disappointment when he didn't sit next to her on the bus, but somewhere in the back, sitting with his hood pulled over his head, his forehead pressed against the glass.

He took a few steps back for some reason.

She swallowed loudly, feeling tears under her eyelids, turning the other way, wondering what she had done wrong.

She wiped her cheek with a trembling hand, ashamed that he had broken her heart with such ease.

She didn't seek his gaze or his attention, subconsciously sensing that he didn't want it, trying to focus on the class but feeling only a tightness in her throat and discomfort in her stomach. She thought she wanted to maintain her dignity, that she wouldn't run after him and beg on her knees for an explanation.

If he wanted to move away and changed his mind, so be it.

She tried not to look at him while he and a few other people stood at the bus stop waiting for their bus to arrive. She shuddered, however, when she heard someone say his name, a low, feminine voice.

She turned over her shoulder and noticed how a college-looking girl, much older than them threw her arms around him, she had long, beautiful raven-black hair, she was dressed in a smart, light-coloured coat and long, black heeled boots.

She looked so mature.

"Why aren't you answering my messages? Are you angry with me?" She asked, touching his arm in a way that suggested she knew him very well.

She saw him give her a quick, frightened look, as if he was uncomfortable that she was watching the scene, and then swallowed loudly, tense.

"Not here, Alys." He replied so quietly that she barely heard it.

"Are you ashamed of me?" She giggled, a genuine smile on her lips, her eyes bright, intense green, beautiful.

She felt tears under her eyelids again and turned her back to them, quickly putting her earphones in her ears, not wanting to hear this discussion, turning on 'Ooh to Be Ah' by Kajagoogoo on her phone, feeling the tears run down her face.

She stared dully ahead, wondering if they were together, if she had miscalculated in thinking that he was inexperienced and lost just like her.

She imagined him the way she wanted to see him.

She boarded the bus first, not caring if he was still talking to her or not. She sat down in the first better available seat, and when she saw that he immediately sat next to her she pressed her lips together and stood up, wanting to change.

She felt him grab her arm, felt him say something to her, but she pulled away from him.

"Now do you want to talk?" She growled, not even taking her earphones out of her ears, not even caring what he had to say, walking to the other end of the bus, tired and frustrated by his behaviour, by the fact that he didn't know what he wanted, by deciding for himself when they were supposed to talk and when they weren't.

She wasn't a toy but a human being who felt.

She figured real friends didn't behave like that.

She waited until everyone had left before heading for the exit and saw through the window that he hadn't gone home but was waiting, his earphones hanging by his neck from under his sweatshirt. She squeezed her eyes shut, sighing heavily.

Fuck.

She stepped off the bus, pretending not to see him, but he immediately followed her, grabbing her by her arm, turning her violently in his direction, ripping her earphones from her ears.

"− what −"

"− can you fucking wait? ��� I'm talking to you −" He growled, and she pulled away from him, frowning her eyebrows, furious.

"Just an hour ago you were pretending you didn't know me, my friend." She said with a sneer, turning away from him again, his hand again on her arm, this time clenched much tighter.

"That hurts." She muttered as he turned her again violently, holding her wrist, his jaw clenched, fury in his eyes.

"− just − just stop for fucking second and listen − okay? −" He asked, and she sighed heavily, looking away, standing still, feeling like her heart was in her throat.

She didn't know if she wanted to hear what he had to say.

"My ex-girlfriend texted me last night saying she wanted to meet me. That she misses me. I couldn't recover from her for a long time. I didn't know anymore what or if I felt for her after everything that happened between us… you know. Fuck. I just wanted to think it all through. Alone. And instead of giving me time, like you did, she came to our school nagging me. Okay?" He asked lowly, leaning over her, and she looked at him with a pained expression.

"Whenever you have to think about something are you going to pretend you don't know me? Don't worry, from me you will never experience nagging. I don't want a friend who cares only about his comfort. I will not be your secondary solace. I regret everything that has happened between us." She said with pain and disappointment, pulling away from him and moving towards her house without looking at him.

It took me a long time to recover from her.

I didn't know how I felt.

He still loved her.

He still loved her, and yet he himself proposed that she stay with him, that she kiss him.

He wanted to see if it would feel good with another girl?

To feel better?

She threw herself down on her bed as soon as she got back into her room and burst into loud sobs.

She felt used.

She believed him.

She believed him to have pure, sincere intentions.

She pressed her lips together as she saw her display light up in the evening, the screen showing that she had received a new message from him.

She shook her head and went back to reading her textbook, not wanting to talk to him, not wanting to listen to his explanations, not wanting to be his friend or anyone else.

After half an hour, however, she got another message and then another and sighed heavily, heartbroken, wondering why he suddenly cared. She figured he wanted her now because she didn't need him, but if she just got his interest back then he would pretend not to know her again.

She reached for her phone and unlocked it, going into her messages with a pounding heart.

She pressed her lips together reading his last two messages and swallowed loudly, feeling hot in her stomach.

I told Alys I'm sorry, but for now I want to focus on a relationship with someone else and by that someone I mean you.

Oh shit.

What was she going to say to that?

She sat and looked at the display, panicked.

She herself no longer knew what she felt, what she wanted.

She shuddered when suddenly a new message appeared below previous ones.

She closed her eyes and tilted her head back.

She decided she would do just that.

That she wouldn't answer him, she would just think about it.

Let him know what it was like.

The next day it was he who was already waiting at the bus stop when she left the house, as soon as he saw her he immediately pulled his earphones out of his ears, looking at her with wide eyes. She walked up to him and they stood like that for a while in silence.

"…did you get my messages?" He asked lowly, uncertainly, and she nodded. He swallowed loudly and hummed, as if he was thinking about something.

"Shall we go truant?"

____

Aemond Taglist:

(bold means I couldn't tag you)

@its-actually-minicika @notnormalthings-blog @nikstrange @zenka69 @bellaisasleep @k-y-r-a-1 @g-cf2020 @melsunshine @opheliaas-stuff @chainsawsangel @iiamthehybrid @tinykryptonitewerewolf @namoreno @malfoytargaryen @qyburnsghost @aemondsdelight @persephonerinyes @fan-goddess @sweethoneyblossom1 @watercolorskyy @randomdragonfires @apollonshootafar @padfooteyes

[firegirl888101]

Insatiable Madness (2)

|Sagau Yandere Fatui Harbingers x Reader|

People really liked the first entry😲

I don't know what to say, thank you all for liking the first one so much?? I can only thank you by getting down to business!

I wasn't too sure on the majority of the rankings so I won't be mentioning them unless it's Dottore, Scara, Childe and Signora as theirs are already in the game/confirmed!

Reader is Gender Neutral!

"Unbelievable, this is utterly risible!" Sandrone shouted, fuming while pacing the pavement back and forth.

"I see... Because the nature of this world is not directly controlled by another existing entity, the co-ordinates weren't inputted correctly and polluted the portal. I wonder, are the co-ordinates still viable? I need materials."

"Dottore, shut your damned mouth and get us out of here!"

"Sandrone, dearie, calm down. I'm sure the Doctor has a plan. If he didn't, he'll be facing the wrath of 10 other harbingers." Pulcinella remained calm, sitting on the park bench he found behind him while leaning on his wooden walking stick.

"I knew I should have continued with collecting the Gnoses instead of agreeing on a side mission." Signora sighed to herself, staring at a different park bench covered in bird shit.

"Even in this world, pigeons continue to be a nuisance."

The harbingers watched as Dottore quietly picked a circular gadget from his pocket and began to pick at it with a screwdriver.

"Dottore, what would that device be?" Capitano questioned the shorter man, admiring the green trees surrounding the group.

"A solution." He continued to tinker, earning questionable glances his way.

"Hey Scara, I think he has no idea what he's doing." Childe whispered to the puppet, leaning down to his ear.

"For once I agree with you." He nodded, grabbing the rim of his hat and hitting the ginger in the face with it.

"You two aren't very discreet." Dottore shook his head, showing the gadget to the other harbingers.

"I created this Compass just in case a situation like this would occur. Once I input the code Her Majesty helped me discover, it will point the way towards our Descender." He explained, pressing the button on the back of the gadget.

A small, glowing, white line soon emerged from the north point and followed a trail.

"Found you."

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

"Fuck me!" You cursed, jumping back-first onto your bed when seeing a familiar death screen.

You were stuck. Despite spending all your extra-savings, you still couldn't defeat floor 12.

Not to mention you couldn't use one of your strongest characters, Childe. He was fine yesterday, but when you tried to use him today he was very glitchy and even froze your game!

At first, you didn't really mind since who would want to use the crit-less bastard anyway?

Now you were regretting that mindset because you forgot he was your strongest hydro character.

"Y/N, get your arse down here! It's restaurant day." You heard a voice from downstairs.

Ah, the family-favourite tradition. It's no lie nobody in your family can't cook for shit.

To balance our unique curse, we go to a restaurant together every now and then.

"I'm coming down. Just let me finish studying this page!" You shouted back, lying smoothly. Great, now you can attempt this pesky floor one more ti-

"Y/N, NOW."

"Fine, fine! I'll leave my page blank."

When you came face to face with your parents at the bottom of the stairs, you saw your mum aggressively tapping her phone.

"Darling, you're aware that you don't need to press the screen so hard, right?" Your father asked, putting his hand on your mother's shoulder.

"I am not in the mood for your jokes. My sister said 10 minutes ago she was outside waiting in the car, she's still not here and is sending me stupid animoji's!"

Yikes.

"Mum, you're not you when you're hungry. You can have this cereal bar, it'll probably be awhile before Aunt 'Never-Show' turns up." You said, handing her a Granola bar.

"I don't see how this helps, we're going for lunch soon anyway." She muttered, taking it from your hands.

Works like a charm every time.

Sorry for taking so long! So much for 'getting down to business :/ (I have written down solid plans though)

Pierro will be PLATONIC, I tried writing a couple scenes for him and I only see him as an oppressive grandpa rather than a romantic yandere...

Please don't expect too many happy, nice and generally fluffy scenes.

This is Yandere, a genre which should never, under any circumstance be considered normal. It's abusive, unhealthy and leads to a lot of victims facing awful conditions which they never should or ever have to endure no matter who they are.

This is fiction that I'm writing, meaning it's all taken light-heartedly IN A FICTIONAL SENSE.

If anyone, by chance, is currently in conditions where a loved-one or yourself has suddenly become distant and/or being hurt when away from eyes please get help. Talk to them, or if it's you, talk to someone you know you can trust.

If you can't talk to anyone, find authorities who can help you. Call 999, as it is in the U.K, or your local emergency service. They will always help you, and will never deny your rights or freedom.

Thanks for reading this, I hope all who's reading knows this information already, but I thought I'd include it since who knows when it comes to where you are in the world and whether your education programs taught critical information like this.

Some people asked to be tagged! Never done this before so sorry if I get this wrong:

@valeriele3 @pale-value @pix-stuff

Thank you for supporting me thus far!

[lumi-lightner]

Okokok so I just finished watching the video on the hidden website. And. Holy Shit. I am very much looking forward to any possible Eddie and Frank things!!

It seems that whatever the narrator is saying in the last section directly contradicts what Eddie is thinking/feeling, at least from what I can tell.

The switching from puppets and irl props to drawn images is incredible to me, and it is very well executed!! Makes me wonder if it has any plot relevance at all?

We are really digging into horror now, I am clawing at the walls here

I'll likely rewatch tomorrow during the day when my mind is less tired, but I couldn't wait for this.

It seems there was speaking, or just voices in the background during the final section several times, behind the static. I personally do not have the knowledge of how to remove the static, but if anyone does I highly encourage attempting to decipher what is being said!!

It seems that Home is closely connected with whatever happened to Eddie. And what happened to him *heavily* reminded me of "As above, so below"

I believe that Home is meant to keep our beloved characters 'in line' so to speak. With Eddie's clear frustration, I believe that the Playfellow people (I think that is who they are?) do not wish for frustration and anger to be expressed by their characters, much less so raw as was shown earlier.

I do not know if this was implied/confirmed earlier on, but I do believe that Frank at least knows a little bit of information, if not will know.

And I personally believe that for this video, the events shown probably occurred a long time ago. So we still likely do not truly know what is really happening with Eddie, Frank, and the others now.

I may add more once I wake up if I have more ideas ^-^ Byebye!

[reareaotaku]

what would miles do if you were sick???????????

HAHA! Oh wait- It's cute you think he'd care

"You're sick?"

You glare up at the male, annoyed. His uniform looked stupid on him- Well, that wasn't true, but he was annoying you so every thought of him was bad. "What does it look like, genius?"

"You look fine to me."

"Fine?" Thanks to your fever, you were paler/ lighter and your face flushed dark red/purple. Not to mention you, couldn't breathe out of your nose and your throat was drier than the savanna. "I feel like shit."

"Well, you don't look any different than usual."

"Wow, thanks Miles."

"Anything for you." He looked round your dorm room, which you thankfully had alone, because there was an uneven amount of girls- Pretty much making you a loner. Which is probably why you and Mies stuck together. "God, your room is like a hospital room."

"Thanks for noticing." You get out before coughing hard.

Miles stared at you as you had a cough attack. Possibly the most painful cough you've ever had. It was like they were coming from your chest with how rough they were.

"Well, don't die on me now, Y/n."

"Wouldn't plan on it." You lay down, covering yourself with your blanket; Thankfully snuggled up.

Miles watches you closely, still suspicious- Not believing you were truly sick. He frowns, disappointed, before he too lays on your bed across your legs. "What am I supposed to do?"

You yawn, closing your eyes, "Maybe if you were nicer this wouldn't be an issue."

You hear him scuff, but you ignore him, because you were tired. So very tired.

---

Miles groans, watching you drift off to peacefully slumber. What was he supposed to do now? The thought made him frown. You weren't his only friend [Not that he'd ever tell you you're his friend]- No, he had other people he could stand... Well, okay maybe not.

He couldn't depend on you forever... I mean he could, but that dream is for later. The last thing he needed was for you to know he likes you- or even worse, a crush. The thought made a shiver run down his spine.

He left your room, walking around the dormitory. God, he hated this school and everyone in it. Thankfully it was spring break, so most of the students were off with their families. The thought brought an ick to his stomach. Families. All he had was his sister... and you.

He liked that. He liked it being just you and him. It made you more connected with each other. But now, he was alone. What was he supposed to do? Sure, maybe he was coming off a little co-dependent, but he didn't care. You were perfect for each other, so it doesn't matter if he was toxic.

He looked up to the sky, his eyes scrunching when the glaring sun hit him. Maybe he should do something productive since you were sick. He laughed and shook his head. Yeah, no. He's not doing that. His mind went to a memory of when his mother would take care of him when he was sick and how much he loved being pampered.

Then a thought occurred to Miles. If he took care of you while you were sick, you would become dependent on him and realize how much you need and love him. It was genius and Miles wondered how he didn't think about it sooner. Now... How does one take care of a sick person?

---

You awoke not feeling much better than before you went to sleep. You groaned, rubbing your head before stretching out your hands. You clicked your tongue, sitting up. You looked towards the door when hearing it open.

"Miles."

He doesn't respond but sits at the chair next to your bed.

You smirk, "Couldn't find anything to do?"

"Would you rather me sit and watch you sleep?"

"Maybe. Who wouldn't like a cute guy at their bed side?"

"Oh, god, you must be running a bad fever and it's getting to your head, because you would never say that."

"What? No, I'm not reading any fevers. How can you read a fever?"

"Run, not read Y/n."

"Huh? Flavor? What about flavor?"

Miles rolls his eyes before groaning annoyed with you. He pulls up a bad, which you hadn't noticed before, and pulled out a pill bottle. He pops open the lid and hands you a pill.

"What's this?"

"Tylenol. To help with your fever."

"Oh, yeah, I could use that. But I don't have a drink-"

He pulls out a Sprite and hands it to you. "I was going to get an orange drink, but they're kind of bitter and I've heard Sprite is good for the throat."

"Aren't you a sweetheart?" You tease, making him grimace.

"You keep going and I won't give you this." He pulls a container out of his bag and hands it to you.

"Chicken noodle soup?"

"Yeah. My mom used to make it when me or my sister were sick. Doesn't mean I like you or anything." Miles huffs, looking away from you.

"Of course not."

[lucy90712]

Bad luck charm- Pedri

February 16th 2023 

41' Pedri replaced by sergi Roberto.

Pedri picks up an injury, he is out and his recovery will determine his return.

May 14th 2023 

Pedri ruled out for the rest of the season with discomfort.

August 23rd 2023

Pedri picks up an injury in training, he is out and his recovery will determine his return.

December 17th 2023 

Pedri picks up an injury, he is out and his recovery will determine his return.

March 3rd 2024

It's happened again. I can't believe it. Seeing him laying on the floor clearly in pain just broke me. He's not long come back from his last injury and it looks like he's injured again. What makes it all so much worse is that I'm here again it just seems that every time I can make it to a match Pedri gets hurt. I can't watch many matches because I'm either in classes or working and Pedri gets that in fact he says it makes it more exciting when I can make it to a game. As much as he gets excited I've come to fear going to matches as I'm sure I bring the team bad luck if it's not a injury for Pedri then it's a big loss for the team it just seems that something always goes wrong when I'm there. 

Watching Pedri limp off the pitch tears in his eyes made me wonder if this is all worth it. I love watching him play in person instead of on a screen but maybe that's the best way forward especially if it means he stays fit and the team does well. At this point I'm just hurting everyone I'm hurting Pedri and myself because I suffer too when he's out injured for weeks because he just isn't himself in that time. The more times this injury occurs the more upset Pedri is each time which in turn makes me feel awful because I just want him to be happy and do what he loves so maybe it's time that I finally admit to myself that I'm the problem to save us both more unnecessary pain.

I had to sit in my seat for the rest of the match which felt so cruel but eventually the match ended and I was able to get up from my seat and head down the tunnel to find Pedri. To start with security were hesitant to let me in but eventually they accepted that my pass was real when I was able to get Gavi to FaceTime me to prove we knew each other. I've never had such a struggle getting past security before but I guess that really just sums up today and probably my luck at matches in general. Finally I made it through but by the time I did all the players had already gone in the locker room so I just had to stand outside and wait but I did send a text to Pedri first telling him I was there whenever he was ready. 

It wasn't long before a red and puffy eyed Pedri limped his way out of the locker room looking at the floor refusing to meet my eyes. Still he came straight over to me and wrapped his arms around my waist burying his head in my shoulder. Of course I've seen Pedri upset before but this is the most upset I've seen him about football; he goes silent and doesn't like to let go of me when he's really sad and thats exactly how he is now. It hurts so much seeing him so distraught at being injured again, he's been working so hard to not only recover but stop himself from getting injured and and clearly he feels like none of it was worth it. As much as I want to tell him it's not his fault and that I'm just bad luck now isn't the time he needs my support and that's what I'll give him. 

Originally the plan was for me to get on the last flight back to Barcelona this evening and land when Pedri would be able to pick me up after leaving the training centre but plans have changed. Pedri didn't want me to leave so he asked maybe begged to bring me on the flight back with the team and the people with the club couldn't say no especially seeing how distraught he was. As much as I wanted to I couldn't be by his side the entire time as I had to board the flight first with all the team staff but luckily they allowed me to sit with Pedri so I took my seat and just had to wait. Realistically it wasn't that long before he arrived but it sure felt like forever until I saw him coming down the aisle of the plane looking mostly at the ground. 

He sat down next to me and rested his head on my shoulder as he began crying again. I moved so that his head rested on my chest which allowed me to hold him closer while running my hand through his hair as that usually calms him down a bit. After we took off some of the boys tried coming over to comfort Pedri or just see how he was doing but he didn't want to talk he just made a few noises or made me talk for him. Eventually everyone left us alone but that didn't really make things any better Pedri was still upset and I was left alone with my own thoughts. 

"Everything will be ok you know that right" I said to help comfort Pedri and quieten down my own thoughts in my head 

"Will it though I'm injured again what if it's another relapse then everything I've done to prevent it has been a waste of time" Pedri sniffled 

"Don't say that for one we don't know what is wrong yet it may not be a relapse and two all of the changes you have made will benefit you in years to come when you are still playing at 35" I said 

"I'm not going to be playing then" he said 

"Why not if you keep doing what your doing the injuries will get better and you can play for many more years" I said 

"I know it's tough right now but you need to stay positive feeling sorry for yourself isn't going to make you any better I want to see the extremely motivated Pedri I saw during your last injury" I added 

"You're right but it is really difficult especially after I've had so many injuries" he said 

"I know how about you get out all your emotions tonight then tomorrows a new day so we can both be extra positive" I said 

He offered me a small smile before burying his head again. I can see that he's broken inside which only makes me feel worse. How can I possibly bring such suffering to the person I love the most. Once Pedri fell asleep in my arms I let out a few tears of my own because I just feel so bad that he has to go through this all again just because I actually attended a match.

~~~~~~~~~~

After yesterday I decided to work from home today so I could be there when Pedri came back from getting his medical tests done. Even if the prognosis is better than we first thought I still want to be here for him to either comfort him or celebrate the little win. Working from home is supposed to involve working but I've done very few productive tasks as I've only been thinking about Pedri. I can't get the image of his face with his red eyes from crying out my head I've never seen him so broken and fragile and I don't think I could handle seeing it again so I definitely need to tell him that I can't come to games anymore. 

3 long agonising hours later I got a text from Pedri telling me he was on his way back home. I tried focusing on work but quickly gave up and decided I'd prepare a snack for both of us, it was nothing complicated but it kept my mind occupied. Luckily it all took me long enough that by the time I was done I heard Pedri's car pulling into the driveway. I didn't want to seem too eager so I stayed in the kitchen and made myself look busy until Pedri announced his presence and came to join me. He had a smile on his face which was such a relief but I still wanted to hear exactly what had gone on.

"Come on tell me what happened" I said 

"The injury isn't as bad as we first thought and it's not a relapse it's a new injury so I shouldn't be out for as long" he said 

"Thats great I'm so happy for you" I said giving him a hug 

"It's such a relief it's not good being out again but it doesn't feel quite as bad knowing that it's not the same injury again" he said 

"Yeah that is a relief" I said 

"Is everything ok with you?" He asked 

"Yeah yeah I'm fine I do need to get back to work though" I said giving him a quick kiss 

It's not often I work from home as I never get as much done and it's harder to manage my team from home but sometimes it's nice to be a bit more comfortable. Whenever I do work from home Pedri always leaves me be only coming into my office to bring me water or food but today he came in just a few minutes after I had got settled and sat on the little armchair I have in the corner of the room. As I worked he gradually pulled the chair closer until he was sat right next to my desk watching me as I worked. Don't get me wrong it was nice to have his company but he never does this so I was a bit confused as to why he was being so clingy all of a sudden. I kept trying to focus but whenever I did anything Pedri would lean in to press a kiss to my cheek which took away all my concentration. 

I tried to hard to keep working but I was just so distracted that I stopped what I was doing and turned to face Pedri to see if he would tell me why he was being so clingy. Instead of doing that he grabbed my face and gave me a kiss which I thought might be what he wanted but then he gave me another one and then another until I stopped him. 

"What has got into you" I laughed 

"I just want to spend time with my girlfriend and give her lots of love" he said 

"That's not the only reason is it, what's on your mind?" I asked

"I want to know what's on your mind I know there's something you aren't telling me and you know I can't help unless you tell me" he said 

"It's sounds stupid but I think I'm a bad luck charm every time I go to watch you play in person something bad happens either you get injured or the team loses and every time it's so upsetting so I just think I shouldn't go to matches anymore" I explained 

"Do you really blame yourself?" He asked 

"Well yeah bad things only happen when I'm there I know you guys lose when I'm not but things always seem worse when I go" I said 

"That's just a coincidence there's games you've been to that we won like when we won the league you were there that day and you came to watch when we won the super copa it's not you it's just been a rough time recently but I promise it's not you" he said 

"Maybe until things are better I shouldn't go to matches I don't want everyone to start resenting me because I'm making things worse" I said 

"No one is going to hate you we aren't having the best season but that's not your fault ok and I need you there having you at matches motivates me to play even better" he said 

"Are you sure?" I questioned

"Of course even if you are a bad luck charm which you aren't you are my bad luck charm and I'd bring you everywhere if I could because I just like having you with me" he said giving me a kiss which made me feel so much better

[catreginae]

A Shot for the Future

Sky discovers that poly relationships are an option he never thought of and talks to Warriors about it. Fits the prompts for @queering-the-chain's poly and coming out. Posting this here first so see if people like it before posting it on AO3.

Where was he?

Warriors knew it was a little silly to be worried about Sky when they were in Skyloft. He was the expert of his own era and even if he wasn't, Skyloft was small. There wasn't a lot of room for something to happen to Sky, at least without somebody knowing. He probably just had some non-hero things to catch up on.

He couldn't help but to feel restless though.

Warriors always had a hard time resting when he knew there were people unaccounted for. With Sky being somewhere other than the knight academy where the rest of them were, Warriors found himself near the kitchen waiting for him instead of sleeping in his assigned room for the night. Sky being unaccounted for was a little odd for their group but staying up late near the kitchen wasn’t the worst way to spend an evening. During the war, he would spend several nights looking for his soldiers and fretting over the amount of people still in missing in action. Sometimes, it took days to finally account for everybody if a battle was particularly rough.

Suddenly, he could hear footsteps. Warriors' hand twitched but he left his sword in his assigned room.

"Oh. I didn't know anyone was waiting," Sky mumbled as he rounded the corner. "Can't sleep?"

"Not really," he answered simply. There was no reason to tell Sky that he was awake because his nerves couldn't calm down until he knew where Sky was. It was his own problem to deal with, not Sky's. "Same thing for you?"

"I just... needed to have a long talk with Groose and Sun. I've had something on my mind and I needed their opinions."

Groose... that sounded familiar but he couldn't place why. Warriors filed that away in his mind to figure out later. The more interesting part was the airy, longing look on Sky's face. It was usually reserved for Sun only but he mentioned Groose first and that longing look was there from the start. Sky also had a tremble in his hands, which didn’t seem to entirely match the look on his face. Sky’s body and his face were telling Warriors two different things.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked, glancing at Sky's shaking hands again. Sky noticed where he was looking and curled them together.

"Don't say anything to anyone yet, okay?" Sky started, then took a deep breath. His eyes looked up to the ceiling for a moment like he was looking for the words he needed there. "So, one thing I've learned from you guys and your eras is that um... there's a lot of things we haven't thought to try yet."

Warriors nodded, waiting for Sky to go on.

"Like, relationship things. In your eras, it isn't always just two people in a relationship."

Oh, Warriors had a feeling he knew where this was going. He still couldn't figure it if Sky had good news or bad news though.

"For a long time, Groose was mean to me. He was jealous that Sun spent a lot of her time with me and bullied me over it. Even when Sun told him off for it, he didn’t stop. He changedthough. He really stepped up and I couldn't have saved Sun or made it to the end without him. We became really good friends and we stayed friends when I started dating Sun but... I sometimes wondered what it would have been like if I started dating him instead. I don't know when I fell in love with him too but I always thought I just had to swallow those feelings if I wanted to keep dating Sun."

Warriors hummed. "Until you started travelling with us and saw strangers out with their partners."

Sky nodded. "Basically. I can't believe I didn't even think of it! I just didn't know it was an option. I could have asked Groose and Sun about all three of us dating each other if it occurred to me earlier! I just never saw a relationship like that before."

That was the kicker, wasn't it? Sky was just working with what he knew, despite being among the first to change Skyloft and The Surface into the Hyrule that Warriors would eventually call home. Maybe chasing the shadow through time gave Sky the perspective he needed to start making those changes.

"So... did your talk go well, then? Is this Groose fellow joining you and Sun?"

"Oh!" Sky jumped slightly like he was shocked by static before he relaxed and started to rub the back of his neck. "We all acknowledged that we have some feelings for each other so we’re giving it a try to see if works for us. There's still a lot of talking to do about boundaries and the fact that I'm not home for good yet, so we’re trying to keep it kind of quiet for now. It's still exciting though! I can't wait to see them again tomorrow."

Warrior grinned at the blush forming on the other hero's face.

"I think I have have some scotch in my bag. Let's do a shot. There's probably a time paradox involved somewhere here but I’m proud of you! You took a chance and it worked out for you!"

"Time paradox?" Sky asked with a frown.

"You saw people in a poly relationship way into the future for you and then you started a poly relationship in your present where, as far as you know, nobody thought of dating more than one person before. You used future knowledge you wouldn’t normally have if it wasn’t for the shadow to do something in our past," Warriors answered, his hand waving back in forth to follow the timeline in his head. Sky’s face scrunched up.

"You know what? A shot sounds good. Let's go," Sky said.

As they both headed back to his room for the bottle, Sky tapped him on the shoulder. "Poly? That's what it's called?" he whispered.

"Oh, I made the maybe-paradox worse."

[evolutionsvoid]

I broached the subject before on the unflattering things associated with dragons. Mainly because they are often buried underneath horror stories and grand legends that make people forget they are living beings like us. Don't be mistaken in thinking this is me trying to cast shade on these representations, that I want to "knock them down a peg" as humans may say. No, what I aim to do here is just remind folk that dragons are mortal (until you get into the crazy magic stuff that isn't my specialty) and help crack away at the notion that they are some godly alien beasts that we can never relate to. Because they do have the same wants and needs as us, and they suffer like we do too. The Dragon Leech was an example of a parasite that feeds exclusively on them, showing that they too befall icky things. So here we are with another example, but this time it is internal!

The subject of this entry is the Dragonspawn Fungus, a fungi I am sure not a lot of folk have ever witnessed. I don't blame them, because the place they are found isn't typically visited by humans or dryads. Where they grow isn't any specific ecosystem, like a forest or jungle. Instead, Dragonspawn Fungus emerges where dragon flame has scorched the earth. From the ashen remains of a dragon's breath weapon, a pale pod will eventually rise. Its body will swell and bulge until it rips open into a cluster of crimson stalks. Their strange cap shape with its split head gives the impression of a reptilian maw, creating a sort of "hydra" look. On top of that, the burst pod sort of looks like "wings," thus people creating the name "Dragonspawn" for this fungus.

Now, supposedly, legends claim that people originally believed that these strange growths were indeed the young of dragons, who are birthed from the earth their parents destroyed. From devastation and flame, the dragons are born! However, I think these tales were more for folklore and imaginative stories, and not so much that people believed this was entirely true as how dragons are born. I feel those cultures way back when weaved these legends more so in wonder and flights of fancy, rather than not knowing how dragons actually reproduce. I mean, folks knew about dragon eggs! But of course, I already can hear others say "people back then didn't know what we know now! So thus they had to craft stories to explain things they couldn't understand!" Which, yes, that does happen and can be found in any culture in the world. But at the same time, there is a fine line between what these ancient folk believed in their folklore was actually true and what was more story telling and their own imagination. There are some cases where that argument works, and other cases where saying that is you essentially calling these ancient people idiots.

But back to the actual fungus! Now you will see that they grow where the earth has been scorched, rising from the ashes. A pretty good place, since all your competition has been reduced to dust! But how do they do it? Originally, it was believed that Dragonspawn Fungus lay dormant in the soil, waiting for intense heat to "awaken" them. The theory was that they were designed to grow from forest fires, but dragons wound up being coincidental catalysts. However, this fungus has been found in places where fires don't normally occur. Plus, banking your entire future on the hope that a random fire will burn your patch of earth seems a bit odd. It was until further research and communication with the dragons themselves that we learned the incredible truth! Dragonspawn Fungus isn't waiting for dragon fire, it is the dragon fire!

This species isn't a random pyrophyte fungus that just happens to thrive from the presence of dragons, it is actually a parasite! It actually infects the dragons themselves! Their spores are inhaled and will develop inside the reptilian host, but they are looking for a specific spot! They will travel through the airways until they reach the organ that produces the fire breath of certain dragons. There they will grow into a different type of fruiting body, one to develop another set of spores. While the original spores were meant to be airborne, floating upon the wind til finding a host, these ones are meant for intense heat and one fiery journey! They can survive dragon flame, and are shaped in a way that they cut through the air like arrows. This is because they are meant to ride the dragon's breath and plant themselves the same time the flames are cleansing the earth for them! Incredible!

So inside the flame sac is where the spores are developed, and once they are ready, they need flame! Now you figure they would just wait fro the dragon to use its flame breath, but why leave it up to chance? Instead, this version of the fungus will grow to infest the flame sac and cause irritation. Veins of fungus induce swelling and pressure, digging in so the organ becomes uncomfortable. When this happens, the dragon themself will be quite irate, not enjoying this annoying feeling. The one way to relieve themselves of this irritation is to spew fire and empty their flame sac, which will eject large portions of the responsible fungus. And so the released spores will ride the fire and embed themselves into the burning soil, where they will grow into the recognizable form of Dragonspawn. With the land now cleansed, they can grow will little issue, feeding on the ash. And when they do, their hydra-like stalks will spew the airborne spores that will go on to infest more dragons. As for the individual host, the remaining tendrils of fungus in their organ will slowly begin to regrow, building up to start the process over again.

While this species is indeed parasitic, it is by no means dangerous to a dragon's health. It certainly doesn't want to kill its host, as it needs them to spread. Instead, it acts more like an irritating infection. Dragonkind certainly doesn't like the feeling of their flame sac swelling and itching! It typically drives their host to burn things to soothe this ache, which some believe it may be the reason why some dragons go on "rampages." The irritation and discomfort makes them angry, and if something else triggers their aggression, they may find it the perfect target for their pain relieving fire purge. Thankfully, dragonkind is aware of this infection and the culprit for their pain. They have found certain plants can be ingested to kill the fungus within, though it takes weeks of frequent consumption to fully eradicate it. If the availability of these plants is low, then the regional dragons may be far more irritable than usual. Thus, some dryad settlements near heavy dragon routes and territories will grow gardens of these plants to provide as medicine. On one hand, it is a sign of kindness and giving, while also serving as an incentive for dragons to not burn down their village.

One final note I want to throw in is that some folk get the strange idea that this fungus can parasitize other beings. Humans mainly have made this thought, seeing the infectious nature and the arrow shape of the fire spore. If it can infest one animal, surely it can infect all? Well no. Parasites and diseases are not always capable of hopping between different species, especially ones so finely tuned to a specific biology. A human huffing those airborne spores would not be in danger, as their body temperature and general makeup would not allow it to grow. But then they point to the fire spores, and how they are like tiny arrows that embed and feed on their surroundings. Surely they could pierce flesh and find the nutritious meat to be a good growing medium? I mean, maybe? But here is the thing: how does the fire spore spread again? Now stick your meaty body in the middle of that "dispersal method," and then tell me what is left to infect. Remember, the spores are not the part you have to worry about!

Chlora Myron

Dryad Natural Historian

[yusume-the-writer]

Hi can you write somthing fluffy for Doom from mashle with fem!reader or gn!reader. He diserves more love🙏.

A picnic that neither of them will betray

Doom x Fem!Reader

Request made by Anon, I hope you like it and I have to agree that he deserves more love, but there are people who know this and have already done things for him like @fellow-anime-weeb927 and @rainee-da, they have already done things related to Doom , but I hope you like it, don't forget to drink water and eat something

Did you know that June 18th is International Picnic Day? I was meaning to post this on June 18th but I'm posting it today so let's all pretend today is June 18th and celebrate Picnic Day (⁠•⁠ ⁠▽⁠ ⁠•⁠;⁠)

Summary: (Name) wanted to celebrate picnic day with a picnic and her boyfriend Doom would join her picnic and as they spent time enjoying the picnic he couldn't help but think of something

Genre: Fluff

WARNING: Manga spoilers!!!,Mention of wanting to kill someone, mention of blood

It was a beautiful day

The sky was clear blue with fluffy white cotton clouds that sometimes hid the big sun, relieving the people passing by, but even without the clouds the gentle but strong winds refreshed the people.

A great day for a picnic, something many thought about and so there were many people in the parks to picnic, exercise, play and many other things

But meanwhile, inside a forest where death always stalked, there were also people having a picnic.

"Open your little mouth wide~" A (h/c) woman says while holding a fork full of caramelized pancake in front of a 2 meter tall man

This 7-foot man with a frightening presence could be none other than Doom, the first son of Innocent Zero and the first Devil Quintuplet, was being fed by a smaller woman as if he were her own son.

"...Are you really sure (Name)?" Doom says with a curious tone, wondering how the hell he got into this situation.

.

.

.

.

.

A sigh leaves (Name)'s lips once again as she rests her head in her hands while staring at the view outside the window.

Doom was by her side the entire moment, and he knows something is wrong since it was the twentieth breath she took

"Did something happen?" Doom finally decided to ask out of concern for his loved one

"Do you know what day it is?" She says as her eyes move to see Doom's expression of confusion.

"June 18th... As far as I know there's nothing important for both of us" Doom answers the question quickly, and there really isn't anything important for both of us

"Yes, it's important!" (Name) exclaims without shouting so as not to disturb Doom's sensitive ears as she turns to face him, while he becomes even more confused about the situation

'Did I forget something?' Doom think while trying to remember some important event that happened on June 18th, nothing came into his mind...

'Maybe it's some random event she's talking about, but which one?' He thinks while trying to remember if she mentioned any event that occurred on June 18th, nothing came to mind...

"Today is international picnic day" (Name) decides to help Doom, "Ah..." That was the only thing Doom said

...Silence fell around the two...

"...Want to have a picnic...?" Doom asks, already waiting for the answer, "You know me so well! That's why I love you~" (Name) replies Doom while jumping to wrap her arms around his neck while kissing his cheek, causing a light shade of red appeared on the cheeks

.

.

.

.

.

'Ah right.... It was like that' Doom thinks while eating the piece that (Name) just gave him while she herself happily ate (favorite fruit)

Now that Doom realizes it's been a while since the two of them went out together to spend time

And of course neither of them could blame each other, as Doom was busy with the missions his father was sending him on and as (Name)'s life was busy with day to day work.

'You should get rid of the girl as soon as possible' Those were exactly the words his father said to him when he quoted (Name) to himself

It was a perfect moment... He just needs to grab Caleborg, who was by his side, and in just one blow she will be lying on the towel being swallowed by her own blood

"Are you thinking about killing me?" (Name) says out of nowhere while eating a sandwich and taking Doom out of his thoughts

"Sometimes I wonder how you can read me so well" Doom replies as he decides to pick a blueberry from the plate that (Name) took out specifically for him

"I don't even know, when I realize what I said, you agree with me, I think it's a sixth sense~" (Name) says proudly as he takes another bite of the sandwich

Doom stays silent as he listens to (Name) hum and praise herself for making you such a good sandwich, he could attack you now but...

He can't, no... he doesn't want to...

Doom lost count of how many times there were opportunities to exterminate her and at every moment she knew and instead of running away, or asking for mercy, or trying to fight back, she just shrugs her shoulders and goes back to doing what she was doing like that exact moment. time

She knows that under no circumstances would he ever kill or betray her, and he knew that she would never kill or betray him, but even so it seems that the one who fell further down the rabbit hole was Doom and now he has his little finger wrapped around him. of this woman without magic

"Heh~" Doom laughs making (Name) look at him with slight confusion

Sensing her gaze, Doom then asks "What spell have you placed on me that even my father can't undo?"

"...Who knows? Maybe I'll keep it a secret and take it to my grave~" (Name) replies smiling making her eyes shine like precious stones

"Then take this to the grave..." Doom says as he brings one of his large hands to (Name's) cheek, which he couldn't help but notice was warm and there were small crumbs and instinctively he moves his thumb to removing the crumbs, making pupilless eyes that couldn't see be watched by (e/c) eyes that saw the soft side of Innocent Zero's first son

"Because you are the only one who can put this spell on me"

"And of course I know that, besides no one would put up with someone like you" (Name) responds laughing while observing Doom's perplexed reaction

"What do you mean someone like me?!?" Doom asks with confusion and indignation that his own girlfriend said that about him.

"You know, with all your talk about power, your disappointments when your opponents don't perform as you expected and so on, I wouldn't be surprised if someone told you to vent these problems to your girlfriend, aka me" She explains while pointing with her hand who held the sandwich

"...I regret what I said" Doom says as he cuts a piece of the half-cut pancake and puts it in his mouth

"Too late! I've already recorded it in my memory and I will disturb you with it until I forget and when someone says something that reminds me of this I will continue to disturb you into forgetting and the cycle starts again" (Name) responds while sticking out her tongue jokingly

Doom couldn't help but snort at her words

It was a beautiful day for both of them

[hahaifolded]

The Siren, the Cook, and the Sister (7)

Sanji x PirateHunter!FemReader (Masterlist) Chapter 7: Love and Envy (Previous) (Next) Summary: Wanting to move forward, you try to make peace with Sanji. Warning: None

"Dinner's ready!" Sanji called out from the kitchen door.

Despite such an eventful day, the Strawhats seemed unfazed by what had occurred. As they went on with their tasks, you sat under the main mast and just watched them. You found that the crew's dynamic was unlike any other you've had seen. It was endearing how they interacted like a family with no strict hierarchy. That must be nice... a big family.

A hoof gripped your hand, interrupting your thoughts. "Hurry! Before Luffy eats everything!" Chopper cried. He pulled you upstairs into the kitchen. He rushed in, leaving you at the doorway.

In front of you sat the entire crew, conversing, laughing, just existing among one another. You felt very out of place. However, before you had a chance to self-wallow, the friendly cyborg invited you over.

"Don't just stand there! Take a seat," he patted right next to him. I absolutely love this man. You took him up on his offer and sat between him and Robin who nudged you, humming.

"And dinner is served," announced Sanji as he set the last plate on the table. Your mouth watered by what laid in front of you. Hands immediately lunged towards the center as everyone tried to fill their plate. You stayed still, taking in the sight before you.

"Yo, aren't you going to eat?" asked Zoro. Everyone, but Luffy, looked at you. Even Sanji was surprised to see that you had made no effort to eat. Despite his distaste towards you, you still had to eat. Everyone has to eat.

You paused, unsure on how to respond. Thankfully, Robin came to your rescue. She shared your hesitancy in taking off your mask in front of everyone.

"Oh, don't fret. Not everyone is blessed with such clear skin as mine... wait I don't have any skin" assumed Brook with a mouthful of food. You couldn't help but laugh at his assumption.

You shook your head and then explained your mask and the fallacies of your devil fruit. "The Marines made me this mask to help me communicate since I don't have the best control of the volume of my voice. If I'm not careful, I can accidentally blow out someone's ear drums... or worse That's why I try not to eat with others so I'm not tempted to talk. But it's okay. I'll just eat later."

"What about when you're with your sister then?" asked Jimbei.

"She eats my cooking while I recount my adventures out on the sea. I'll eat once she goes to sleep," you shared, "it's better that way though because when we're together, we are talking up a storm. You really wouldn't want to be locked in a room with us, we'll never shut up." You couldn't help but smile under your mask as you thought about your sister.

Despite your robotic voice, Sanji could hear the clear adoration in your voice when you spoke about your sister. It stirred something in his chest. He always felt a little envious to see people get along with their siblings and here you were. He wondered if that could have been him and his siblings in another life.

"You should cook with Sanji!" mentioned Luffy. Sanji immediately choked on his food as his captain kept eating like he hadn't said something outrageous.

"Ummm... I'll think about it," you quickly replied. Still affected by his outburst from earlier, you didn't want to further get on the cook's bad side. You had to sail with him for a week so the least you can do it keep the peace.

As dinner continued, you couldn't help but feel excited for these next few days.

-- -- --

Three days have passed and you couldn't be happier. You quickly connected with Robin and Nami whose room you stayed in at night. It was nice being among other women.

And when you were not with them, the boys of the ship made sure to drag you into their own interests whether that was games, music, steering, tinkering, or training, you did it all.

After being alone for so long, it felt nice to be surrounded by so many characters and personalities.

However, there seemed to be only one thorn on this rose, and that was Sanji. Despite constantly cycling between one crew member to another, the cook never looked your way.

But, while he may have ignored you, you didn't ignore him.

When you first met the cook, you thought he was a machista cruel brute. But you came to realize that he was just a passionate, loyal caretaker. You noticed how he took care of each of his crew mates in his own way. Whether it was by reminding them to take a break or fueling them with a quick snack, the cook was always keeping an eye on his crew.

It was obvious that all he wanted to do was protect them from any danger, which understandably, included you. You gave him no reason to like you in the beginning and your subsequent actions only made things worse.

Now wanting to make peace, you made your way to the cook's domain, seeing if he wanted any help in preparing dinner.

As you walked in the kitchen, you found Sanji deep in the pantry, grabbing ingredients. Hearing the door open, he turned around and gasped as he saw a dark figure by the entrance.

"Sorry, sorry, just me," you excused yourself. Maybe I should borrow some clothes from the girls or something... this cloak keeps scaring people.

Standing up straight, he asked if you needed something. The cook felt awkward being alone with you. He noticed how easily you got along with the crew. Despite him wanting to apologize for his outburst, it just felt wrong to bring it up as you proved to be nothing but a good person. Bringing it up would just be a reminder of his unfounded distaste towards you.

"Not really...umm... just wondering if you'd like some help in cooking dinner tonight?"

Sanji couldn't believe it. Despite everything, you wanted to help him. Realizing this was his chance, he accepted your offer. Something now you weren't expecting.

After grabbing the necessary ingredients, Sanji and you got to work. He asked you to dice up the vegetables while he prepped the meat.

As you cut, the cook couldn't help but notice how sloppy your technique was. However, despite it being void of any professional training, it looked practiced, almost like you've done this for years. He wondered if your mother taught you that. And without even realizing it, the cook accidentally said some of his thoughts out loud.

Your mask let out a deep laugh as you heard his observations. "I know it's not the prettiest but it's gotten the job done. If you wanted to see real beauty in the kitchen, you should have seen my mom. She was a natural."

Seeing an opening, Sanji asked, "did she teach you how to cook?"

"Ha... no. I just watched her from afar as I wasn't allowed in her kitchen," you giggled, "she said just to watch her for now and once I got my own kitchen, she would teach me, but...," you paused. Sanji noticed how your shoulders sagged. "...she never got a chance too." Silence filled the kitchen.

I just had to ask a stupid question, thought Sanji as he thought he ruined the mood. But to his surprise, you started up again.

"So since then," you continued while chopping, "I've been trying to remember her moves and recipes. I haven't gotten there yet, but it's kept my sister fed so I can't complain too much, right?" It's been awhile since you thought about your mother. You tried not to bring her up to your sister as it pained her that she didn't have much of a memory of her. It was nice talking about your mother again, even if just to a stranger.

"I get that," began the cook. And to your surprise, Sanji shared his cooking journey. How his late mother inspired him to cook and how his 'dad' Chef Zeff taught him everything he knew. As you listened to his story, your chopping got slower and slower until it stopped completely.

Worried that he messed again, Sanji asked if he you were okay. You assured him everything was fine.

"It's just... a touching story," you said. He just hummed in agreement.

Letting curiosity get the best of you, you asked him where his dad was today.

"The old man is probably yelling up a storm in the East Blue." He laughed as he recalled the fiery personality that was Chef Zeff. So caught up on his own thoughts, Sanji asked, "And how about your dad?" He lightly gasped as soon as he finished asking.

"No, it's okay. Don't worry," you chuckled. You found it endearing how the cook was trying not to offend you. "My island was destroyed by some brutes when I was a kid. My sister and I managed to escape but my parents weren't so lucky," you said as you finished cutting up the last vegetables.

"I'm sorry for your loss."

"It's okay... it's not like you did it."

A comfortable silence fell between the two of you as you both continued cooking. With the help of an extra pair of hands, dinner was done in no time.

As you set up the table, Sanji spoke up, “thank you for your help today. Honestly you didn’t have any reason to as I haven’t been the kindest to you. And for that I'm sorry." Wanting to makes things right, he decided to tell the you the one thing that couldn't be denied. "For what it’s worth, your sister is really lucky to have a brother like you.”

After days of tension, it seemed like you and the cook finally found peace with one another. Maybe this could be the start of a nice friendsh-- WAIT did he just say brother?

Word Count: 1668

Previous - Masterlist - Next

Author's Note: Y'all, I read my earlier chapters to see how far I come and y'all I ate... lol. Obviously I don't think it's like Pulitzer award winning but like it's a decent. It makes me proud. Makes me very excited for these next chapters.

Edit (08/05) - I edited this chapter as there were WAY TOO MANY grammar mistakes. So sorry for those who read this when I first posted it. Embarrassing that I was literally hyping myself up at the end and I gave yall that. Oof - lesson learned: Triple read before posting!

[flanaganfilm]

Hi Mike!

I am loving the LONG posts you’ve been making about your career and films. I wonder if there is any such one for ‘Ouija: Origin of Evil’?

‘Doctor Sleep’ was the first film of yours I had seen where I went “What else has this guy made?” And I was so surprised to learn Ouija was yours as well, it took me back to that college date! When I bought it on blu-ray and showed it to my friend, she saw Alice and Doris and went “It’s Shirley!”

Id love to know what your thoughts and feelings are on the film, 7 years later. Cheers!

Sure thing! This will be a fun one... I had such a great time making that movie.

Back in the spring of 2015, we were shooting Hush. Blumhouse was coproducing the movie with Intrepid Pictures. This was my second outing with Blumhouse after they came aboard Oculus at tiff in 2013, and they'd even hired me do a little uncredited consulting on another movie they'd made - a teen horror flick called Ouija. The first Ouija movie was... well... not great, but it made a lot of money. And I mean a LOT of money. A sequel was inevitable.

Jason Blum started calling me about the project while we were working on Hush. Initially I passed on it, I wasn't interested - I wasn't sure how to make a movie about a Ouija board interesting, and I didn't see myself as a sequel filmmaker. It just wasn't a movie for me.

If you know Jason at all, you know he is one of the most persistent and persuasive people in the business.

He wouldn't take "no" for an answer, and the phone kept ringing. The bar was low, he argued. The first movie performed very well, and because the franchise was just hung on a board game, there was kind of a blank canvas. "What movie do you want to make, buddy? Because I promise you'll wait your whole career for someone to make you this kind of offer again. You are a fool if you don't say yes."

He finally made me an offer that I couldn't refuse: I could approach the film from any viable creative direction I wanted, just as long as it connected somehow to the first movie and involved a Ouija board, and if I did that (and brought in the scares the kids wanted), I'd have a guaranteed worldwide theatrical release through Universal Pictures.

It's hard to understate how appealing that prospect was at the time. Oculus had been released theatrically but only performed moderately well. Before I Wake had been caught up in Relativity's bankruptcy, so the promised theatrical release never occurred (at this time, the movie was tied up in bankruptcy court without any release on the horizon), and Hush had been scooped up by Netflix, which meant it would never see the inside of a movie theater.

This offered me substantial creative freedom and a guaranteed wide theatrical release with the full weight of Universal Pictures behind it... I finally agreed.

How could I not?

The first film was a contemporary elimination horror film about a group of teenagers who awaken a scary little girl ghost with a stitched-up mouth. She kills them one by one. I wasn't really drawn to that, and I pitched Jason instead on a prequel that focused on a single mother in the late 1960s. To my astonishment, he agreed.

They had their conditions - it had to be PG-13, it had to directly connect to the first film, and I had to deliver the movie on their budget. And I had my conditions - I wanted my crew (including my producer Trevor Macy and my DP Michael Fimognari), I wanted my period setting, and I wanted the movie to look like it was made in the late sixties, down to the zooms, the film grain, and all the other aesthetic bells and whistles. This wouldn't look like a contemporary movie.

Again, to my astonishment, they agreed.

They had one more stipulation, this one from Universal Pictures - no one could smoke cigarettes. And not just that, there couldn't be evidence of smoking in the movie; not even ash trays.

"But this takes place in the sixties," I argued. The NO that came in was emphatic and resounding. There was to be no evidence of cigarettes in our 1960's, and this was non-negotiable. This was a priority for Universal Pictures, and they were far more interested in eliminating cigarettes from the eyes of their young viewers than they were interested in historical accuracy.

Frankly, they were right.

We all agreed on the terms, and to my own admitted surprise, I went off to write and direct Ouija 2.

There was an immediate skepticism in the press when the project was announced, and a fair amount of mocking online. I was determined to ignore it. I really thought this could be fun. I felt like I had been given a gift; I had a huge canvas and precious few rules, and a guaranteed theatrical audience.

I wasn't just going to make Ouija 2; I was going to make Ouija 2 as well as it could possibly be made.

Sitting to write the script was a unique process. The only thing I knew for certain was the very, very end. Our connection to the first movie was that we were telling the origin story of Doris Zander, the ghost from the first film.

She came with some backstory that we were married to: the first movie told us her mother Alice was a professional medium. When Doris had been possessed after using an Ouija board, her mother had sewn her mouth shut and killed her. And we knew her older sister, Lina, had spent the rest of her life in a mental institution (where she grew up to be Lin Shaye), and was absolutely not to be trusted.

So no matter what I did, we had to land there. Everything else was fair game.

I was very interested in the idea of a family who worked as mediums, but most interested in them if they were not authentic psychics. I'd researched a lot about fake mediumship, and the tricks that were used in those performative seances to separate willing marks from their money. What if that was the family's business? What if her mother was something of a con artist, and her kids were part of the act? And what if they ran afoul of a real haunting?

And further, what if it wasn't that they were con artists - what if they were good people, behind it all? What if they had experienced loss themselves, and had rationalized their behavior by saying they were offering people comfort? This was interesting to me. It was cool, it was fun, and I hadn't seen that movie before.

The story was a lot of fun to write. I really enjoyed the characters, I really enjoyed the world, and I kept thinking about the kinds of movies that I loved growing up. Yeah, this was a movie for a younger audience, but maybe they'd sit in that theater and have an experience that would stay with them, the way the movies of my youth had stayed with me.

I thought about those movies: Poltergeist, The Omen, The Changeling, Watcher in the Woods... and I thought about the theatrical experience of them. Their music (I particularly honed in on Jerry Goldsmith's score from Poltergeist), their aesthetics, even the little markers in the upper corner that signal the reel changes - "cigarette burns", as they're called in the business.

All of those things were ornaments of my earliest theatrical experiences, and I wanted to recreate that for the young viewers who might seek out Ouija 2.

One thing that set Ouija 2 apart right away was that we were going to shoot in Los Angeles. I'd lived in LA since 2003, but I had never actually filmed a movie here (and haven't ever again, sadly). This was a really exciting factor - I could spend the day in prep at Blumhouse, and then go home and sleep in my bed.

This was also great for my home life. Kate and I were engaged by then, and Blum was very happy with Hush, so she ended up playing a small role at the top of the movie. Having just spent the Spring living in a hotel in Fairhope Alabama and only working nights, it felt very novel that I'd get up in the morning and go to the office, and be home for dinner. We absolutely loved it.

Casting was also fun. Terry Taylor at Blumhouse did the casting, and for the first time in a long time I could be in the room when actors came in to audition. This was all in-person, because we were in LA. For Before I Wake, we'd had to run the whole thing through the lens of foreign sales value and over choppy, pixelated FaceTime meetings that did not give us much understanding of who we were casting. Compared to that, this process was a real delight.

For Lina, I really wanted to bring back Annalise Basso, the young actress from Oculus. She'd done a terrific job on that movie, and this was a great chance to work together again.

Henry Thomas signed on as Father Tom, and we hit it off immediately. I had been a fan of his since... well, forever I suppose, but I was really excited that he'd be in our movie.

The big revelation, though, was Lulu Wilson. We auditioned a lot of girls for Doris, and we used a particularly upsetting monologue as the audition piece - a 60 second speech about what happens when someone is strangled to death. Lulu's audition knocked me over, and we cast her immediately.

(Fun note: in the film itself, Lulu performs the monologue almost exactly as she did in her audition. And she did it so well, we never cut away. Don't know many 10 year-olds who can hold an entire monologue like that... in fact, I know a lot of 40 year-olds who can't. Lulu Wilson kicks ass.)

Production began in September 2015.

From the jump, this movie was FUN to make.

We were using an antique zoom lens package to achieve the look, and after spending much of prep obsessively watching The Changeling and The Exorcist for inspiration, we were really excited to do something fun. Every day was like a trip to an amusement park.

Michael Fimognari and I enjoy one of the vintage cars

One set, it was a family reunion. I had a lot of my crew from Oculus, Before I Wake and Hush, and a few familiar faces in the cast as well. It even reunited me with Dougie Jones, who had worked for one day in my debut feature Absentia, and agreed to let us bury him in gross demon makeup.

I really can't overstate how fun this was. The movie had more genre set pieces than most of my other work combined, which meant every day we were dealign with ghosts, ghouls, and some wild stunt work. Annalise and Lulu were just delightful, and spent their days pulling escalating pranks on the crew. I would find myself tagged with dozens of C47's (clothespins) whenever Basso was on set, and Lulu was doing all of her own stunts and making us laugh like hyenas.

I was also really enjoying Henry. Toward the end of the shoot, I told him I wanted to put him in everything I did. He laughed and said "whatever, sure man, sign me up." He's been in everything I've made since.

We didn't have a lot of money, but had a lot more money than I'd ever had before, and because Universal was committed to a theatrical release, they wanted the movie to work. I felt supported at every turn. Trevor handled the production the way we'd always done, and this was now our fourth collaboration - I knew I had a producer for life.

Blum was also a delightful collaborator, popping up frequently to check in but always just to see if there was something we needed. I felt an enormous amount of trust from Blumhouse, Hasbro, Platinum Dunes and Universal. That's a lot of cooks for one kitchen, and believe when I tell you it can easily go south... but it didn't. In this case, it just clicked.

We got to do a lot of fun things that had nothing to do with horror, too. There's a lovely little scene in the movie where Lina has her first kiss. We modeled the entire shot sequence after the best kiss in the history of movies: Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly's smooch in Rear Window.

We were even able to perfectly mimic a slower frame rate just as their lips meet, exactly as Hitchcock had done in that movie. If you look in the background, the Rear Window poster is hanging on her wall. We were always careful to cite our sources (and there were a lot of them).

My favorite scene of the whole movie was a dinner date between Elizabeth Reaser and Henry that we filmed at the Cicada Club in downtown LA. This was a restaurant that I loved, as once a month it transformed into a full-blown time machine, putting a brass band on the stage and functioning like a 20's-era speakeasy.

The scene where Alice and Father Tom spend an evening out together was among my favorites in the script. It was two adults who were clearly attracted to each other, and who acknowledge it, but recognize the reality of their situation. As we were filming, I remarked to Fimognari that - for a movie about a haunted Ouija board - we were really getting away with murder. This was lovely, sweet, subtle character development, and no one was stopping me. After what we'd gone through on Before I Wake, I had to pinch myself.

My favorite scene of the film

It was set in a restaurant in the late 1960s - almost everyone in that room would realistically be smoking. Universal had been clear that there was to be absolutely no suggestion that cigarettes even existed in this world. But for the restaurant, I had to haze up the air. It was the only time I was questioned creatively, as there was immediate pushback.

"It's a restaurant," I said. "What if there's a fire in the kitchen, an entree got burned and that's why it's smokey?"

No one bought that for even a second. But they let me go ahead anyway. Man, I love that scene. And later, when it was all said and done, Jason Blum shocked me by telling me it was his favorite as well.

We wrapped the movie just before Halloween, and off we went into post. The holidays came and went, and Kate and I got married in February 2016. There was gentle pressure in the cutting room to make the film as tight as possible, and keep things short, but as with everything else, the pressure was decidedly gentle.

The movie's test screenings were very positive. People were very engaged by the story of the family, and the only issue people took seemed to be with the ending. It was a real downer to get so attached to everyone, only to have to kill Doris so brutally. The ending was, to put it mildly, very depressing - Father Tom was dead, Alice was dead, Doris was dead (and her mouth stitched up to stop the demonic voices), and Lina was condemned to the asylum. It was exactly what was required of us, and what was dictated by the first movie. But it hurt people's feelings.

My original ending had Lina in the asylum, crafting a handmade Ouija board out of her own blood, and trying to contact her dead sister. She tries and tries, but there is no answer. It is just silence. And we leave her saying "are you there? Are you there?" over and over again, as tears fall down her face. Doris wouldn't answer - in fact, Doris wouldn't answer for decades, when the first movie finally caught up to us. It was a haunting and sad ending, and I kind of loved it.

But test audiences are a fickle thing, and so we came back to tweak the ending, as the studio wanted one last scare to send us out on - not an unreasonable position, though it was a cliched one. We shot the film's current ending, with Doris' ghost on the ceiling of the asylum. It's as rote and impersonal a horror movie ending as I can imagine, but... well, it was Ouija 2, for crying out loud.

The movie we'd made up until that point had no business being as much fun as it was.

I remember the phone call I got from Blum after the movie was done. Universal had decided that they wouldn't call the movie Ouija 2 after all, they were worried about the number 2 making it feel less interesting.

Instead, they'd taken a big swing: the movie would be called Ouija: Origin of Evil.

I laughed out loud. I thought he was kidding. When it became obvious that he wasn't, I filed a protest. "It's not very good," I said. "It's cheesy. And not to put too fine a point on it, but the movie depicts neither the origin of the Ouija board, or of - um - Evil."

"Buddy, the title tested well. That's the way the cookie crumbles. Trust us, if the studio says it's Origin of Evil, it's Origin of Evil."

With a big theatrical release comes a lot of pomp and circumstance. There was a huge premiere for Ouija: Origin of Evil that October, and whatever nerves I had about the critical reception to the movie proved to be short-lived. People really enjoyed it. The overwhelming sentiment was that a sequel to a movie like Ouija frankly had no business being this interesting.

For all the pomp and circumstance, I missed it all. I didn't get to go to a premiere or walk the red carpet, as I was already in Alabama shooting Gerald's Game. On opening weekend, I took the cast and crew to a local theater in Daphne Alabama to see Ouija: Origin of Evil on the big screen.

The projection in this little backwoods theater was NOT good. The lamp was too dim (a common cost-saving strategy in some theater chains), and it was out of focus. I ran up to complain to the manager.

"The movie's soft focus on purpose," he said. "That's what the filmmakers wanted."

"No, it really isn't," I said.

The movie ultimately was not the runaway hit that the first Ouija was. Not even close, in fact.

To everyone's surprise, the teenagers just... didn't really show up. The first movie had grossed 103 MILLION dollars worldwide, but our little prequel only managed to do about 80. It was considered a modest success, not a hit by any means, but no failure. In the end, Universal decided maybe there wasn't a franchise to be had here after all.

So in the end, I had single-handedly revitalized and destroyed the Ouija franchise.

But man, believe when I tell you I've got no regrets whatsoever. I had the time of my life making that movie. Sure, some people groan about the ending, but that was kind of our only job - those were the cards we knew we had to turn over. Did you see everything that led up to that, though??? Did you see what we got away with?!

Since this movie, I've worked with a lot of people again. True to my word, I've put Henry Thomas in every single thing I've made since. Elizabeth Reaser came back to play Shirley in The Haunting of Hill House, and little Lulu Wilson - who was so wonderful as Reaser's daughter Doris - played the younger version of Shirley on that show. Lulu is also in The Fall of the House of Usher (and if you look closely, her original Ouija board and planchette are in frame with her.)

Kate sported a fun blonde hairdo for her small role in Ouija: Origin of Evil, and it was a really fun stepping stone between Hush and Hill House for her as an actor. There's a fun deleted scene where she goes home and murders her father, played by the great Sam Anderson. I really dug that scene, and I wish it was in there. You can see it on the blu-ray and DVD though, because even in a world where Netflix is trying to erase such things, Universal Pictures actually takes care of their movies with proper physical media releases.

I haven't yet found the next project to do with my friends at Blumhouse, but it's not for lack of trying, and my dance card has been booked solid since we wrapped this movie. It was an important step for my career, and their support was amazing. I know that we'll work together again, as soon as the timing is right.

Also, get this...

Ouija: Origin of Evil is my most successful movie.

Ever. Of all of them.

It did 82 million worldwide. That's better than Doctor Sleep, which did 72 million. It's better than Oculus, which did 44 million. The rest were all dumped to Netflix.

So yeah, Ouija: Origin of Evil is my most successful movie. Ain't that a trip?

We weren't trying to change the world, or reinvent the genre. I was making the second entry in a PG-13 franchise about an evil board game, and dammit if I didn't get to do everything I set out to do. There's an exuberance to the camera movement, the staging, the set design, and the lighting. There's an unbridled joy in this movie, and I smile whenever I think about it.

Up until this point in my career, every movie I had was hard-fought. Oculus was a trial by fire whose distribution deal was detonated days before it premiered. Before I Wake was a brutal experience both creatively and logistically. Hush was a labor of love and determination against all odds. But this one... man, this one reminded me why I wanted to make movies in the first place.

Because it can be really, really fucking fun.

[vastill]

Lay All Your Love On Me

Rebecca Welton/fem!reader

warnings: fluff, curse words

words: 1500+

My requests are open!!

English is not my first language!!

A/N: after watching Hannah and Sam's duet the idea of her doing a karaoke duet couldn't leave my mind so here it is. i hope you guys will enjoy it. let me know what you think about this format for fics!💚

and a big thank you to @neuroprincess for motivating me to write this!!💚

AFC Richmond was on a streak of wins. Everyone couldn't be more happy with how everything was turning out. The team has done a wonderful job throughout all season. And with the upcoming break, they needed to relax. Keeley insisted on a group outing to the newly opened karaoke bar. Despite the team's initial hesitation, nobody could turn down Keeley’s puppy eyes.

And on the weekend everyone from the team met up in the bar. Keeley reserved a private room for all of you. The club was nice, not a lot of people were there so it was a plus. No one from the team wanted the attention on them tonight. They only wanted to get drunk and sing their hearts out.

You stood with them as Rebecca made her way to the bar for drinks. The bartender quickly took her order, she looked in your direction smiling softly when she noticed you laughing with Keeley and Sassy about something. At first, she was afraid that you won’t make friends on the team, but she was quickly proven wrong. You matched perfectly with them, and Rebecca couldn’t be happier. As she was waiting for the drinks she kept admiring you from afar.

“Hey, gorgeous.” Someone next to her said, but Rebecca didn't pay attention, it would never have occurred to her that this person was talking to her. “Hey, beautiful I’m talking to you.” The man said again, now touching Rebecca’s arm.

“Sorry, not interested.” She said looking over her shoulder. The man was in his thirties in a suit and clearly drunk, she noticed some other guys at the table behind him watching the two interact.

“That’s a shame, I could buy you a drink, and then we would see how everything turns out.” He slurred coming closer to her his hand inching to grab her by the waist. He was so close she could smell the alcohol in his breath. She took a quick step back and bumped into someone. She felt the hand of someone behind her sneaking around her waist and tugging her closer to them. She looked down and noticed the rings you always wore on your fingers, relaxing immediately.

“No worries, she has a drink. You can go back where you came from.” You said sternly, gaining his attention.

“Let the lady decide. Maybe she wants to have a good time.” He said winking at Rebecca, completely ignoring your tone.

“Oh, piss off. No one would have wanted any time with you.” You said now standing between Rebecca and the man. “Leave her the fuck alone.” He backed off and cursed you out, going back to his friends.

“I could handle him on my own.” Rebecca said to you when you finally got your drinks.

You sighed, “I know darling, but I couldn’t watch him get close to you, I had to do something. I didn’t want him touching you.” Rebecca let out a chuckle, noticing a hint of jealousy and maybe possessiveness in your voice.

“Well, thank you my knight in shining armor.” She said, giving you a kiss on the cheek, “And for the record, you look hot when you are jealous.” She whispered in your ear.

“I wasn’t-” You wanted to defend yourself but Rebecca was no longer there. You stood dumbfounded at the bar, watching her go to the private room that the rest of the team was in.

When you walked in Ted was finishing singing some country song, that you didn’t really know. But from the team's reaction, it had to be good, all of them cheering loudly and applauding Ted. Or maybe they were just drunk. Next in the line was Beard, he chose a song from ARTPOP. You noticed Rebecca looking over the songs and you couldn't wait to hear her sing.

Beard gave a hell out of a performance, everyone singing with him. As he was stepping from the stage Rebecca came to you, “Come on baby, now is our turn.” She said with a mischievous smile.

“What? But I don’t know what we are singing!” You exclaimed confused as Rebecca was guiding you to the stage.

“Believe me, you know it. I choose this song just for you.” She smiled handing you a microphone. You heard everyone cheer as they saw you both on the stage. “You are starting!” She told you as the music started to play.

And then you heard it. Lay All Your Love On Me by ABBA. You turned to glare at Rebecca but you couldn’t stop your smile as you noticed her joyous expression. She was so proud of herself.

Don't go wasting your emotion

Lay all your love on me

Rebecca sang as she was walking around the stage, swaying her hips. You couldn't take your eyes off of her. She looked perfect in her baby blue dress, she matched ideally with the song.

I wasn't jealous before we met

Now every man I see is a potential threat

You started singing looking directly at Rebecca as she smiled sweetly. You couldn’t help but shake your head, she really did pick a perfect song. You came to stand beside her, your hand sneaking around her waist as you sang the verse looking at the team, your finger pointing at all of them.

And I'm possessive, it isn't nice

You've heard me saying that smoking was my only vice

You glued yourself from Rebecca and walked over to Sassy, who handed you a cigarette. You jokingly took it and pretended to smoke with Sass. Rebecca laughed at you from the stage, shaking her head at your theatrics.

But now it isn't true

Now everything is new

And all I've learned has overturned

I beg of you...

You came back to the stage, kneeling before Rebecca as you sang the last verse. Now was Rebecca’s turn to start singing. She bent down to be at your height and looked you straight in the eyes.

Don't go wasting your emotion

Lay all your love on me

It was like shooting a sitting duck

As she gracefully stepped down from the stage, she walked towards Keeley. Her eyes never left you, as if she was trying to convey something through her gaze. As the next verses of the song began, she leaned on Keeley, who caught her with open arms. It was as if she was pretending to faint.

A little small talk, a smile, and baby I was stuck

I still don't know what you've done with me

A grown-up woman should never fall so easily - Rebecca and Keeley sang together.

Rebecca walked among the team towards you, her hips swaying more than usual. Everyone was in awe of her, and the way she moved with such fluidity was nothing short of mesmerizing.

I feel a kind of fear

When I don't have you near

You watched her like a hawk, admiring how relaxed and confident she looked. When she was nearing the stage, you pointed your finger at her and motioned for her to come closer.

Unsatisfied, I skip my pride

I beg you, dear

As you both were on stage, you started circling around Rebecca. Singing every verse directly to her. You grabbed her hand and spun her around, she landed in your arms and you both swayed, singing together the chorus.

Don't go wasting your emotion

Lay all your love on me

Don't go sharing your devotion

Lay all your love on me

As you waited for the next verse, you couldn't help but glance over at Rebecca. She looked so beautiful up on that stage, completely in her element. You felt so lucky to be here with her that you couldn't resist the urge to show her how much you cared. You grabbed her face and gently pressed your lips against hers, savoring the softness of her mouth and the warmth of her embrace. It was a quick kiss but seeing her blushed cheeks and hearing the team applauding you was enough for you.

I've had a few little love affairs

They didn't last very long and they've been pretty scarce

You jokingly scoffed as she sang, and turned to walk away from her. But before you could get too far, Rebecca quickly grabbed your hand and tugged you into her embrace. Your back hit her chest and you felt her warmth behind you as she enveloped you in her arms.

I used to think I was sensible

It makes the truth even more incomprehensible

You turned around in her embrace wanting to see her face as you sang this verse together.

'Cause everything is new

And everything is you

And all I've learned has overturned

What can I do?

Rebecca hit the highest note in the last verse, causing a surge of excitement throughout the team. As the last chorus began, you both sang together in perfect harmony. The rest of the team joined in, jumping and screaming the lyrics from the top of their lungs. Their enthusiasm was contagious that you and Rebecca couldn’t stop smiling as you watched them getting lost in the song.

As the song ended, the team erupted into howls and applause, showing their appreciation for your performance. You and Rebecca held each other tightly, your foreheads touching, despite the noise, you only had eyes for Rebecca, admiring the way her eyes shined and the big smile on her face. You couldn't resist any longer and grabbed her face, pulling her in for a deep, passionate kiss. The team's reaction was wild, adding to the excitement of the moment. You felt a rush of adrenaline as you broke the kiss, and smiled at her.

“I think I'm falling in love with you,” you said, your voice barely above a whisper.

Rebecca's eyes widened, and for a moment, you thought you'd made a mistake. But then she leaned in, her lips meeting yours in another kiss. When she pulled away, she was grinning from ear to ear.

“I think I'm falling in love with you too,” she said, her eyes shining with emotion.

[contentloadingandstuff]

Hu Tao x Doctor!Reader

CW: Swearing, Male!Reader. I wonder who will catch all 4 references? Tips: One book, one comic book, one animation, one real life case. If someone does, they'll get a gold star from me! :D

I'M SORRY I COULDN'T HELP MYSELF-

What a pairing. The bright and sunny funeral director, Hu Tao, and the cynical but still good doctor Y/N. 

One benefits from ended lives, the other from saving them… This poses a fair amount of questions, doesn't it? 

No wonder, then, that you're not as popular as doctor Baizhu, especially with kids. Though honesty is usually considered a virtue, well… Let's say that it's not the case here. 

Though some call you a quack, Baizhu and Changsheng see the truth. You have good intentions, you have the necessary skill and knowledge, but all the years of not-so-casual field work desensitized you quite a bit. 

Y/N: Let me tie this, and we can begin.  Milelith soldier: Gods it hurts… Just… Just hurry, doctor. Please… I don't know if I can take it…  Y/N: Don't worry, my friend. You will manage, worst case you pass out. A leg is still better than your life, right?  Milelith soldier: I suppose…  Y/N: I learned from the best. My professor in Fontaine could make an amputation in just about 153 seconds, can you believe that? Truly impressive.  Milelith soldier: Oh… I see… How so?  Y/N: Impressive in the sense that it allowed the only case of 300% mortality rate to occur.  Milelith soldier: W-what does that mean?  Y/N: It's a funny story, let me tell you! A bystander died of a heart attack while witnessing the procedure, the patient later died of gangrene, and the saw cut off the fingers of the doctor's assistant, who later died of gangrene as well. That's skill, isn't it? Three for the price of one!  Milelith soldier: ...  Y/N: Well, not that funny. But don't fret, he saved more lives than he ended. Anyway, we'll take our time. Can't have any of you dying, can I?  Soldiers: *nervous laugh* Y/N: Here, bite down on this. And you two - hold him, just in case. 

Due to your skill in general medicine and surgery, especially the emergency variety, Ningguang deemed you to be a most valuable asset to Liyue. Putting up with your unsettling remarks and dark jokes is nothing when compared to all the lives you save regularly, especially among the Milelith and miners. 

Just… Why do you seem to actively try to undermine your fairly good public image? It's Hu Tao's influence, no doubt about that. 

Hu Tao: Buy a coffin, and the second will cost you nothing!  Y/N: But wait! Before you pass, take those pills to help with gas! 

The two of you are probably the most well-known couple in Liyue. Some find your complementary quirkiness adorable, while others keep a safe distance. Your demeanor may be unusual, to say the least, but the statistics speak for themselves - the essentially non-existent mortality rate of your procedures earns you respect amongst those you've helped. 

Some think of your sense of humor as harmful, but you'll hear the opposite if you ask your patients. A joke, even if it's gallows humor, can help immensely.

Hu Tao likes your sense of humor, though she can't help but worry a little. The stories are told in a funny way, but the topics are rarely such. 

Y/N: I have your test results, sir.  Old man: Please make haste, doctor. I don't have all day.  Y/N: Aw shucks, who told you? 

She understands how exhausting your profession is, how mentally challenging it may be. There are people you can't save, no matter how hard you try. There are those that can be, but they disobey your orders. If you make mistakes, you're always the one to blame. They rarely recognise your effort. More - some treat you as a fraud, a killer in disguise. 

Y/N: Have you heard of the surgeon's regularity, Hu?  Hu Tao: Aiya, do tell!  Y/N: If the patient dies, it's your fault. If they live, it's a miracle. 

Hu Tao loves listening to the many stories you've gathered over the years! 

The skill you hold in the field of medicine earned you the respect of many throughout the nations - commoners, aristocrats, generals, and even the Raiden Shogun herself. Due to your priceless service in the Shogunate's army, your Hydro Vision was never taken away, and you, even as an outlander, got the full freedom of movement and social rights in Inazuma. 

With your actions, you showed the Inazumans that a doctor isn't a coward. You attended the battles sometimes, standing alongside the other soldiers. They say it's bravery, but… Truly, the battlefield is the biggest test compound there is! 

Kujou Sara: Doctor! Are you sure this will work?  Y/N, firing up a Hydro beam: Hahaha, I have no idea! 

You finished med school in Fontaine, your homeland. You earned your license and started your career there, but you weren't very popular amongst the public and the officials. The reason? Well… 

Y/N: Ladies and gentlemen, have you wondered how you can serve science? Serve medicine? Serve mankind? Well, do I have an offer for you! In fact, we doctors are not sure how some things inside us humans work, and what we use can, at times, look like black magic, but rest assured - it's just ignorance. How can you assist us in making progress then, you ask? Sign this waver today! With a flick of your wrist you can donate your body to science and be the stepping stone for ground breaking progress! We'll crack you open after you kick the bucket, see what makes you tick, stitch you back up nice and tidy and give you back. Your family will get a compensation of 100 000 Mora. More - sign it now, ladies and gentlemen, and get a free wine voucher! Tell me, isn't that the offer of a lifetime? 

Anyway, that's how you lost your medical license. You were 'unprofessional', they said. 

After that you went to Inazuma, spending a year there before moving on to the land of wisdom. The researchers of Sumeru quickly recognised your experience, and looked into granting you an official license in an alternative procedure. Amurta professors were impressed by your ability to do your job with even the most bare-bones of tools, in harsh conditions, and succeed at treatment at the same time. 

Y/N, cooking up a rudimentary antidote: Don't stress, Y/N. It's just a tiny scorpion sting. Just a little life-and-death scenario. No reason to panic.  Eremite, choking: Doc… tor, that's n-not my name…  Y/N: Yeah, I know. 

While the paperwork was in progress, you visited Natlan for some time. It was the true unofficial test of your skills. Tropical diseases, the immense heat, the endless flood of combat wounds… But you just rolled up your sleeves and got to work, just like in Inazuma. 

Y/N: ... and I tell her: sorry, I can't treat you - I'm a family doctor, and you're an orphan!  Both: *laughter* Y/N: Whew… Anyway, that's why they kicked me out of the Teyvatian Association for Children's Medicine. Gladiator: Some folk can't take a joke huh… Um, doctor? Should I be awake for this?  Y/N: Haha, well… No. But since you already are, can you help me open up your chest cavity? I can't… seem… to…  Gladiator: *scream* Y/N: Oh, don't be such a Treasure Hoarder. Ribs grow back!  Gladiator: I don't think so… You sure, doctor?  Y/N: Yeah, if trimmed. You don't need it to survive. But that'll be another 75k.  Gladiator: Eh, do it doc. My insurance will cover it.  Y/N: I hope so! Else… *cracks knuckles*

The Akademiya offered you the place of the leader of an exchange project with The Fatui of Snezhnaya, due to your extensive experience in the field. You agreed, of course. In the land of Cryo you learned about gunshot wounds, frostbite and radiation poisoning (stemming from equipement factories), adding their treatment to your already long list of capabilities. The competition was possibly the biggest in Teyvat, since Fatui doctors and medics are the best money can buy. 

Electrohammer Vanguard: Job twoju mat’... Fuck… It hurts like a bitch… Y/N: Yeah, yeah, I know. A little quieter, please? A mistake now would be fatal. Electrohammer Vanguard: S-sorry… ugh… That’s my first gunshot, d-doctor… Y/N: Oh, don’t worry. Mine as well :) Electrohammer Vanguard: … Y/N: Now, can I get my hydrogen peroxide back? I hope you left some for the wound…

Mondstadt was pretty dull and boring. There weren’t nearly as many traumatic injuries as in the other nations, and the diseases weren’t even half as lethal as malaria, cholera and typhus you faced in Sumeru and Natlan. That moment of peace allowed you to reflect on your life and experiences, as well as finally enjoy your hard earned fortune. 

Y/N: Take two of those throughout the week. If the symptoms don’t let up, come back and I’ll give you stronger ones. Kaeya: Thank you, doctor. May I ask something? Y/N: Sure. Kaeya: How did you become a doctor in the first place? Was it the salary, or perhaps a moral reason? Y/N: Hm. Duty, I think. I do what needs to be done. I didn’t have much time to reflect on it before. There’s always something to do. But even if I complete what is necessary, I still think back to what I did. Long days of waiting usually follow. It will come out if the treatment works, or if the surgery was a success. And just then, when the tension and joy leave my body - just then I realize what are the odds. 1: 400 000. It’s laughable. But for everyone their life is everything they have, so perhaps trying makes sense. 

And so you ended up in Liyue, the last nation on your list. It wouldn’t be your final destination if not for her. In Hu Tao you found a soulmate, someone who shared your sense of humor, someone who understood you. 

Painfully aware of how limited your time among the living is, you and her make the most out of it. 

Thanks for reading!

[pikahlua]

I was wondering your thoughts on my misgivings with the reveal that AFO meddled in Tenko’s life from birth. I’ve been struggling to understand this direction for the story for a long time because it implicates AFO too much. He made Kotarou abuse Tenko, he made Nao give birth to Tenko, he goaded Tenko’s friends to play heroes with him, he put Tenko in the perfect spot to kill those thugs…at this point you can’t even blame anyone else but AFO for how Tenko turned out. I’m really bothered by this because it dampens the whole bystander effect of Tenko’s arc for me. The only way I can see this making sense is if AFO is somehow exaggerating or acting as an unreliable narrator somehow, but I’m not banking on that happening. Please can you help me? Is there some Japanese context I’m missing or something?

Okay well first of all I think you're thinking about this a little too black-and-white. AFO didn't *make* Kotarou abuse Tenko, he encouraged Kotarou's strict mentality indirectly. He certainly didn't MAKE Nao birth Tenko XD The whole point of that reveal was that he said he couldn't do anything too obvious, it all had to be subtle nudges. It was manipulation, but it wasn't coercion. Those characters still had some agency in what occurred, even though all people are influenced by others, they just didn't realize one of the people influencing them had ulterior, nefarious motives.

"at this point you can’t even blame anyone else but AFO for how Tenko turned out" see the thing about this is, Tenko himself BELIEVED he was born this way, not that anyone else was to blame for how he turned out. THAT'S the thing that just got turned on its head. AFO is saying "You weren't born this way, this is how *I* made you. This wasn't random chance at all. You don't have free will, you never made a choice to begin with. I just let you think that."

As far as Japanese context goes, the Japanese are much more communalistic. People have some pretty heavy social pressures. AFO used that social pressure dynamic to influence Tenko's family. There is this concept in Japan called giri which is a social obligation. What sort of giri you owe to others plays a big role in how you behave and whose advice you take and such. It's all predicated on the idea that everyone in this system has good intentions, and AFO as someone who has BAD intentions could exploit that system.

There's only so much we can take away from this right now. Tenko will surely show up with a new conclusion about all this once he's had time to contemplate this revelation. Or maybe Izuku will have an answer to AFO ("Tenko isn't you!") We just have to wait and see.