#lmk if i should tho

[lettuceish]

wouldn't it be funny

[ne-cocoa]

Shark teeth part 1 •v•

(if you go to my tiktok you’ll see a sneak peak of part 2!) •v•

[choccy-milky]

congrats on baby #2!🥰👍 part 2 to this post bc seb is a smug ass bitch when it comes to getting clora pregnant. and ty @rednite-dork for sending me the original pic ages ago LMFAO... i knew as soon as i saw it that i had to redraw it eventually 👼

[beannoss]

Something I think about a lot and wonder if maybe gets overlooked in Twilight’s story and as vitally indicative of his character is actually in the very first chapter:

Anya isn’t needed for Strix. Twilight decides to adopt her anyway.

[Spoiler warning: Mostly this post deals with early chapters already in the anime but there is reference to chapter 62, which has not yet been animated and will be in season 3]

Twilight decides it — “I’m going to rework the mission so it doesn’t involve a child because that’s too dangerous” and he’s 100% right! Donovan Desmond is canonically a far right warmonger with fascistic authoritarian aims. His government made liberal use of the SSS — a group to mirror the Stasi — who continue to operate in morally dubious ways (much more likely they’re actively morally reprehensible, though we’ve mostly only had rumours of that so far). From what we can tell, Desmond is at best an absent father and likely actually worse than that: if that's how he treats his own children, imagine how he might treat others. And the timeline seems to indicate that the experimentation performed on Anya was done under Desmond's government — even if Twilight isn't aware of experimentation on children, he is aware of both human and animal experimentation under Desmond's government. Taking all that and also the complexity of Strix's aims, undoubtedly there were other things that could be done, more straightforward if not necessarily easier.

So. Why? Why entertain the change at all? And then, having entertained it, why go back when the reasoning is indisputable?

On the Doylist level, I think Endo wanted to ensure that Anya had some agency within the set up — Endo also does this with Yor. It would be much harder to be on Twilight’s side fully, or to trust him on an ethical level/take him as any sort of moral authority, if he were just straightforwardly using these two people. To have them be active and consenting participants (arguably to actually be affirming the arrangement: Twilight sets it up, but Anya and Yor actually make it happen) even if the audience only knows the depth of their knowledge/motivations/etc currently, shifts the power dynamic in important ways.

But it also the set up tells us important things about Twilight. He is largely impatient, cold, detached in chapter one. His overarching feelings towards Anya are, I think, real annoyance, real confusion, and real impatience. He just doesn’t understand this damn kid and it turns out she’s a person which is frankly unacceptable — he’d needed and anticipated an automaton, ideally of himself in miniature form. (Though I think one could ponder whether Twilight was, in many ways, an automaton himself at this point, but that's maybe for another meta 🙃)

He’s not entirely unmoved of course — we're given to understand he’s affected when Franky tells him how many times Anya’s been adopted and returned, and isn't amused by Franky's joke about names. Franky's comment — "Just don't get attached" — reinforces this. The prospect of “the future” perturbs Twilight when he’s reading the parenting books. His initial reaction to Anya’s kidnap is horror. All these are true too.

Then there’s also this, from earlier in the chapter:

It’s exposition, yeah, and it’s also exposing. "Hopes" and "joys" are very specific words to describe those events. It could simply have been "A marriage? An ordinary life?" but describing them as such — hope for marriage; joy in ordinary life — expose something of what Twilight feels about those two experiences and, on the flipside, they expose what he deems he's lacking. No hopes of intimacy; no joy in (an ordinary) life. There's an argument as well, of course, that he's being ironic but I don't think that actually invalidates the above analysis. Drawing attention to 'hope' and 'joy' at all are revealing, regardless of Twilight's tone in thinking of them. I think it's also interesting this panel, taken in conjunction with a pair of panels in chapter 62, Twilight's backstory. The above is almost a pulled out version of this below panel of Twilight's recollection of his childhood, and of course the returning image of not just a rubbish bin but a rubbish bin on fire when it comes to disposing of his identity:

Back to Strix. Both his final interaction with Karen and the whole everything of the framing of Strix is making Twilight think (and feel, ahem) things that he hasn't for some time. Twilight decides, I’m reworking this. It can’t proceed this way. Not because Anya is a pain in his ass, not because she’s not as (apparently) intellectually advanced as he’d originally thought, not even because he thinks he can find another child who would better be exactly what mission parameters called for. No:

And what changes his mind is Anya asking to come home.

One of the important parts of this to me is this:

He seeks consent.

This moment is a keystone, I think, to understanding Twilight. It’s also more telling than he maybe realises. Twilight is decisive — we all laugh because he spirals at the drop of a hat when his daughter or wife look even mildly upset but outside those (also very telling) scenarios, he makes decisions and he pursues them. Often he makes decisions quickly. He’s a dab hand at it; it’s a large part of why he’s as good a spy as he is.

He’d decided to change Strix.

Anya asks him, in essence, not to.

So, he doesn't.

But it's wild that he entertains keeping her request at all — why? Why even entertain it? It’s dangerous; it’s impractical; there are too many moving parts outside his direct control; Anya isn’t the sort of child he’d wanted for the mission if he’d spent any time thinking about what a child might actually be like; Strix is in many ways an extremely long shot anyway, Desmond could just stop attending for reasons unknown and unrelated; etc.

So, yeah, why? Maybe because of this —

In conjunction, I often think of this moment in the cruise arc:

Twilight first naming the feeling as lonesome, and secondly tacitly conceding that he perceives Yor as a companion and that that relationship is important to him, something to be missed. What makes this for me though is that Anya calls this out "Papa's you're so sappy" and Twilight's reaction is that of someone caught-out. He doesn’t say “nuh-uh!” but he may as well have. Essentially, something landed a bit close to home, hm? Maybe some of that hope for marriage? A soupçon of joy of an ordinary life?

Twilight’s loneliness underpins many of his decisions with his family — probably without him being fully conscious of it. I think he is at least somewhat conscious of it, but also if he looks too closely... Well, best not to. I could fill this post, I think, with images that demonstrate his loneliness throughout the series; that sorrowful/pensive close-up of his eye(s) is one of the abiding motifs for Twilight throughout. I'd probably start with this one from Twilight's backstory arc:

Anya's request plays directly off his loneliness. Still though, he doesn’t immediately capitulate — he emphasises Anya’s choice. Is she sure? The last day has been scary for a child (and for him, but he's ignoring that part) and Twilight, in his increasing recognition that Anya is a person, is probably aware in the back of his mind that he hasn’t exactly been warm or welcoming or at all patient with her. Things that people respond to — he's otherwise excellent at manipulating people, so of course he understands this. So. Given she'd just had this scary experience, given he hasn't exactly been great with her: Is she sure? She wants to come home — with him?

I think the moment may get a little lost because Anya says something riffing off his own earlier thoughts and self-revelation (featuring that shadowed, lonely eye motif again!)

Were this a post about Anya, I’d talk about how it’s an important character moment for her as well by way both of demonstrating her agency/choice and also that she isn’t nearly as dumb as Twilight thinks (and the audience, maybe, also thinks).

But in my view, she didn’t actually need to say anything about it making her cry. I think she could simply have said yes in that moment and Twilight would have agreed.

Twilight’s an unreliable narrator; he’s disconnected from his heart and that shrouds his own motivations from himself — something he actually also concedes in this chapter!

And it shrouds from us just how much he actually understands himself. He’s also a master of deflection. Easy to assume or say that bringing Anya home is just to align with Strix. Nothing more to see here; nothing else going on. But also that ripping off of the mask in the panel above — and the literal 'riiip' sound effects — also indicate to us that this is an unveiling to himself.

In my view, Twilight agreeing to Anya's request, deciding to go back to original mission parameters, actually shifts his motivations, subtly. Now he’s committed not only to the original mission goals, but also to Anya. He needs Anya to succeed at Strix, not only for Strix's sake, but also because otherwise the mission will end and she’ll have to go back to the orphanage, and he’s just agreed with her not to do that (not right away, in any case). I don’t think at this point he’s thinking it’s forever — his thoughts throughout the manga indicate he still expects the Forgers to be temporary. I don't think the shift in motivation is necessarily even conscious, but given the set up, I think something inside Twilight recognises that agreeing to bring Anya home is a compact, jointly engaged. Mostly all this has become subsumed into Strix: he makes decisions. He pursues them. He deflects, even from himself. Of course it's just for the mission; this saved him the trouble of reworking it, of figuring out something else. Nothing more to see; no need to think any more on it. And to be fair to him, Strix is very high stakes, resting pretty solely on his shoulders, so of course that is, objectively, motivation enough. Why even consider beyond that?

But I personally think that to the extent he's aware of it at all, there is something else going on, that he wants to have Anya for as long as it takes him to work something else out for her. If that's the case, then of course, we have Occam’s razor: the simplest solution may be the best one.

Maybe Twilight should just keep Anya himself, eh?

[Image description: gif from Spy x Family season 1, episode 1. Twilight and Anya have just found out Anya passed her entrance exam and are overjoyed. Celebratory, Twilight picks Anya up and swoops her into the air as they smile at one another. End image description]

[amazingdeadfish]

A collection of the remaining LMK Highschool Teacher AU asks I have in my inbox

A good thought! I considered it for a moment, whether or not those two should be teachers, but unfortunately I came to the conclusion that they're better off as parents who are most certainly not bribing the school in order to turn it into a worthwhile investment.

Oh alright, but be mindful of their knee, their poor joints are getting a little rusty as Mr Smiles has aged.

It's probably exactly what you'd expect it to be.

And for your second question, it would be Wukong.

Ahhh maybe! But that would be on an extremely rare occasion. He would still have math classes to teach.

Oh for sure. It would be like this.

And also this

Yes absolutely!!! Just please tag me if you do, I'd love to see it :DDD. Here's a reference for the student uniforms using the Traffic Light Trio as models:

I'll be developing this AU a little more as time goes on. Feel free to have your own interpretations, but I've got a little something for Baihe (LBD Hostess) in this AU as well as having been meaning to employ the spiders (specifically Syntax and Spider Queen) into the teaching staff coming soon (when it comes it comes I guess haha).

Continuation from here

[purble-turble]

Not sure if requests are open still or not so this can just be treated more like an ask if not

Nezha talking/comforting Mk after the fact of s5.

When you think about it both have "sacrificed" themselves for the sake of there loved ones, not to mention both are prophesied beings of Chaos. I feel like nezha would have a deeper understanding of mk's feeling on that particular topic. And it might be easier to for mk to talk to him about some of the doubts and thoughts connected to that event.

What do you think?

Im also just interested in hearing if you have any nezha related hc or thoughts on him in general.

Dang, this is such a great prompt that I went a little overboard with it :U

[hauntingofhouses]

Mizu smiling compilation

It's already 2025 but I'm still stuck thinking about Mizu. Specifically thinking about how Mizu does not smile very much throughout the series.

Most (like I'd say 90%) of adult Mizu's smiles are actually not from present day but from her Episode 5 flashback, which is of course unsurprising. This is during a time when she was comfortable being herself and letting her hair down. She was vulnerable, in love, and happy.

In present day though, most of her smiles are smirks she makes while showboating. She is arrogant, sarcastic, biting, intimidating.

"Do I duel the mystic Tengu themselves?"

"Maybe I've been following you. The famous Hachi with the famous gun."

"Your [Akemi] father probably lined up a nice, young replacement lord to marry."

"I see why he [Taigen] likes you [Akemi]. You're just like Taigen when we were children. A fucking brat."

But underneath her bitterness and bravado, Mizu has a soft heart. We see this side of Mizu most often when she's alone.

Like when she smiles proudly at her own achievements the same way she used to as a child.

She smiles while fondly sending a prayer for Master Eiji, whom she has given the affectionate nickname/title of Swordfather.

"Please protect Swordfather from time and harm."

She smiles at the sound of the drums during the Hadaka Matsuri. She secretly yearns for fun, and genuinely wanted to go to the festival.

"Huh. The drums. Maybe I'll just go look at the fun."

It's not only while alone that she smiles however.

She also smiles when Akemi compliments her eyes, taken aback for a moment and seemingly impressed by Akemi's ability to flatter her.

"Huh. I see."

Then right after, we get this dialogue:

MIZU: Your madam explained how it is some essential part of the soul that draws men to brothels, when it's only naked flattery. Do men usually fall for this? AKEMI: The ones I've known, yes.

And then Mizu smiles again:

There are a few ways you can interpret this. Maybe she's just smirking like "lmao those dudes are suckers," or maybe she herself feels flattered because Akemi could be alluding to how Mizu is not like other men, or maybe she's remembering that Taigen is one of the men Akemi has known, who, consequently, is one of those suckers to always fall for Akemi's flattery.

Oh, and speaking of Taigen. Funnily enough, Taigen is the leading cause of present-day Mizu's smiles.

First is when they first meet again in episode 1.

"You're from Kohama Village. […] You've climbed some heights... to be the prize of a miserable lot."

This is, of course, not a genuine smile, but one of those cocky smirks mentioned earlier that she often makes. But while we're here, I just find it notable to point out because, despite the fact that he was her childhood bully, she is not afraid of seeing him again. Instead her first reaction upon realising who she's facing is to insult him to his face while smirking at him! I just find this interesting because it really sheds light on how she views Taigen in the present day. She doesn't see herself as his helpless victim. She's proud to show off that she, too, has made it out of Kohama, and that, in fact, she's better than him.

She smiles at him again later, just before they start their proper duel in the snow. She unsheathes her sword (which is the first time for both Taigen and the audience), and Taigen is shocked as he says this:

"You have a sword made by Master Eiji."

And then we have this:

Another smirk, playful and confident. Because joke's on him; little does he know that Master Eiji is her adoptive father, and not only that, the sword was in fact made by her own hand, and not Eiji's. Taigen is ever the fool and she finds it amusing.

The next time she smiles at him it's actually a genuine smile. It's in Episode 3, right after they work together to fend off the archers. Both of them are giddy and sheepish and awkward as they compliment each other's skills. Mizu smiles and looks at him with the same sort of hesitant admiration he gives her:

"Your timing… You're deeply skilled. The broken blade fits well in your hand."

The next time she smiles because of him doesn't involve him directly. Instead it's during the conversation with Akemi we talked about earlier. Right before she drinks from the cup Akemi gives her, she decides to bring up Taigen. We know this is because Mizu already recognised Akemi as Taigen's fiance and wants to mess with her. So she purposely alludes to him, boasting about how she'd defeated him in battle and smiling as she remembers fighting him. This is again one of those showboaty smiles, directed at Akemi, whom she is trying to deceive, but it ends up tying back to Taigen. She's smiling because he's an idiot, practically laughing at him.

But we do see her smile genuinely because of Taigen again. Later in Episode 6, Mizu finds Taigen in the dungeon of Fowler's fortress and her first reaction upon realising it's him is to gasp, before getting a hallucination of Mikio and Mama which unnerves her. It's when Taigen says her name that she snaps back to reality. This is when she smiles, glad to see an ally and a familiar face during such a painful time.

TAIGEN: [weakly] Mizu? MIZU: [relieved] Taigen.

The next episode is the penultimate episode of the season, and it finds Mizu at her lowest point. In a typical three-act dramatic structure, Episode 7 is essentially the "All is Lost" and "Dark Night of the Soul" portion. Mizu lost her sword, she failed to defeat Fowler at his fortress, and all attempts at reforging her sword has failed. Yet, it's during this time that Taigen begins to treat her as more than a reluctant ally, but also as a friend. It's here when he makes her smile the most.

First is when he reluctantly compliments her fighting skills.

"You're good. Maybe... even better than me. And no one is better than me."

She chuckles and seems genuinely amused.

This isn't just a cocky smirk but also a heartfelt smile. She recognises he's trying to cheer her up in his own way, backhanded as it might be.

And then he challenges her to spar, only to pretend right after that that he doesn't have the energy for it. She drops her hammer while smiling. The thought of a friendly spar already made her happy.

Then, of course, right after that, he charges at her and they have their playful little wrestling bout. And Mizu is laughing the entire time! Despite being at such a low point, this is still the happiest we see present-day Mizu.

We then see her smile because of Taigen again in Episode 8, but it's not while talking to Taigen, but about him. She is talking to Akemi, and her last words aren't even about Akemi or Mizu herself, but about Taigen. She smiles while thinking of him, talking of him almost fondly:

"Stubborn enough, [Taigen] will find you. He believes he loves you very much. He's not a good man. He could be a great one."

And that's it! I couldn't compile every single screenshot of her smiling because of the Tumblr photo limit, but this is roughly most of them. My wishlist for future seasons is for more Mizu smiles because my poor babygirl deserves to be happy.

[ibblescribbles]

TRASH 🚮 Speedpaint | Alt under cut:

[foxqueen211]

Am I obsessed?

Maybe.

Anyway, redraw of 6 panel of this part

(sorry @kyri45 for also adding this on ask- you can ignore this ask from me XDD)

[mika-you-nerd]

Duality of man

Trust me I am super normal about this guy

[seiwas]

SEL MY SEL …….. crawling over here for the ask game …………… you already know . who i’m going to ask for phdkdjdkdb IN MY DEFENSE I WILL NEVER GET OVER YOUR VERSION OF HIM !!!!!!!

….. sugu ….. with ’sun’ ……. maybe 👉👈

(🍵 <- a little matcha for your troubles … good luck with the writing exercises my loveee <33 i’m cheering you on!!!)

ARI 🥹🥹🥹🥹 hehe ofc i shall write sugu for u! writing him is always so fun 🥹 thank you for the prompt, and for the matcha!! i will be sipping it as i write this 🥹 it is not a trouble at alllll!! esp if it's for youuuuu 🫶

contains: beautiful, gorgeous, sexy neighbor suguru, mood can be a bit unsettling... honestly a little stockholm syndrome-y (does this count as dark? idk 😭), skewed concept of reality and time

suguru + sun

you move into a new neighborhood on your 24th birthday.

it's a quaint house, fully furnished with wooden panels lining its contemporary build. you consider yourself lucky for finding a place this well-kept at the price point you offered. you're honestly surprised that suguru, your now landlord, accepted your application.

the area sits a few kilometers on the outskirts of the city, but it feels neither too quiet nor too busy; a perfect balance with an impressive view of the rising sun this early in the morning. that, and the people seem friendly, greeting you as they pass by. they even offer to help you haul things out of your car and into the house.

to the right of your house is one that holds the same design elements at yours, although a bit darker in its tones. it's sleek and modern, befitting of a bachelor.

"you must be the new tenant," a voice speaks from behind you, syrupy and smooth. you didn't even hear his footsteps.

when you turn around, you're met with a tall man who greets you with his arms held behind his back as he tilts his head low. there's a calmness that radiates off him, a sort of gentleness that signals he’s someone you can trust.

you nod, introducing yourself with your hand outstretched towards him.

"suguru," he replies as his fingers grab yours delicately. your eyes widen in surprise, recognizing the name, and he merely chuckles in return, a soft laugh that brings out kindness in his eyes.

"i should greet you properly," he lets go of your hand, placing it back behind him. "hello, new neighbor."

.

over shared breakfasts by your porch and impromptu dinners over at his, you grow a liking to suguru. he's polite and thoughtful, often knocking at your door in the mornings to offer you a cup of tea to watch the sunrise.

"you'll only find sunrises like this here," he leans back on the wooden chair you set out as outdoor furniture. his head tilts towards you slightly, impossibly close as you notice the corner of his lips curl up into a small grin.

hues of pinks, purples, and orange blend to illuminate his face perfectly. the sun is beautiful in front you, peeking between clouds as it inches away from the horizon, but something about him is infinitely more magnetic. your stare is immediately drawn to his lips, smooth and supple, before it meets his gaze.

you don't know what's worse―wanting to lean in or be pulled by the look in his eyes.

he fixes things that break in your home, always somehow knowing just when to show up. at first, it was your windows, the one by the attic, too high and dangerous for you to climb; then, it was your kitchen sink, its pipes regurgitating the water going down the drain. he's begun to bring you your groceries too, often asking for a list of what you need when he makes trips out of town.

your days blur easily when you're with suguru, and time passes almost fleetingly as you find your hours filled with soft laughs and touches so delicate you sometimes wonder whether they're real.

it should be noted, you think, how much time has passed since you first met him―an anniversary of some sort.

.

you learn that he owns both houses―his and the one you're currently renting. it once belonged to a friend who had to move for bigger, greater responsibilities elsewhere, he'd said.

"why did you decide on renting?" you ask him one night, over wine and candlelight.

your fingers fiddle with his as he sits you on his lap, this thing between you growing more intimate lately. he rubs his thumb along your thigh, resting his chin by your shoulder.

"you could have sold it or something."

he presses his lips gently on your collarbone.

"i could've," his fingers trail up to your waist, crossing your chest before landing on your chin, cupping it lightly to face him. your heart is hammering in your chest, senses on fire as his nose kisses yours. you think you can count every mole that dots his face beautiful. then, he inches closer, lips grazing yours as he whispers, "but i was waiting for you."

.

you mark each day at sunrise.

your digital clocks and calendars stopped working after some time, but you don't mind. suguru always tells you what date it is when you ask.

this morning, you wake up in his bed, and the sun is still as breathtaking as you remember it, the same pink, purple, and orange hues streaming through his window. when you look closely, the clouds―

"good morning," he brings you tea in bed, his hair topped off with a bun, a half-up-half-down.

your stomach fills itself with something warm and fuzzy as you smile at him, "morning."

"slept well?" his hand reaches for your waist under the duvet, and you giggle, ticklish.

"very," you crane your neck to land a soft kiss on his lips. "what date is it today?"

"october 28," he supplies.

your eyebrows shoot up as you realize, "i have to bring my car to the mechanic."

it's been 6 months now since your last check, right before you moved, and though you barely use your car anyway, it's best to be safe.

you quickly move to get up but suguru's hand keeps you in place, firmly pressed on your waist.

"i'll do it," he says with a smile on his face, "you rest here."

.

you barely see your other neighbors except for the girl who smokes a pack of cigarettes a day and the twins down the street.

when you ask suguru about it, he dismisses the question quickly, saying, "must have moved," as he urges you to take another sip of your tea.

you dream of them that night, on bare streets; it wakes you in a cold sweat, the image of your neighborhood reduced to just your house and suguru's.

.

this is the 200th sunrise since you started counting, which means this is the 200th day since you and suguru officially got together. kind of.

your gift for him is a painting of the sunrise, because it reminds you of him; and because it's become your favorite thing to look forward to, too.

the pinks and purples blend together beautifully as it contrasts with the orange hues, and the sun continues to peak above the horizon as it settles between clouds.

suguru kisses you when you give it to him, the taste of tea right on his tongue.

he frames it on his bedside, and when you wake in his room the next morning, it greets you along with the back of his head, fast asleep.

your eyes flit to the view outside his window, the same pinks, purples, and orange hues. you tilt your head curiously, brows furrowing. the sun stays at the same spot above the horizon, and when you look at the painting again, the clouds hold the same position and shape.

a chill washes over you, your hearbeat pounding.

.

"what date is it today?" you ask suguru as you wash the potatoes in the sink.

another bag of groceries from suguru. now that you think about it, you don't think you've ever gone to the grocery store since moving.

"is it important?" he responds, slightly snappy. you've begun to notice that he hates it when you ask lately.

you eye him from the side.

"i was thinking of preparing a menu of what we'll eat during the holidays, if it's near."

the furrow on his brows smooths out as you give your answer, and so he says, "december 5."

and you know something is wrong, because that can't be it. it doesn't make sense with the sunrises you've counted.

.

you dream again, more and more as the days go by―dirt roads and your house and suguru's, run-down and empty. more things start breaking in your apartment, and suguru always knows when they need to be fixed.

there's a deep, twisting feeling in your stomach that intensifies, festering under your skin; it worsens in the mornings, when you sit with suguru at your porch and you think you see a crack in the sunrise.

.

sunrise valley the place where the sun never sets! ─── beautiful, bright, and destined for people who live just like you! find your new home here.

[DISCONTINUED] — FOR DEMOLITION ON DECEMBER 7. under investigation for suspicious spiritual activity and missing persons.

[capeta]

NINJAGO BUT IN LEGO MONKIE KID

Morro still has his ghost form, the necklace just allows him to have a mortal body

[wikiangela]

tease tidbit tuesday

tagged by @bidisasterevankinard @tizniz 💖

more bucktommy the will talk (they're getting there, the conversation went a bit off track lol) - it might be done this week, and then I can focus on the smut, and the buddie fics, and I have a new bucktommy idea inspired by that video of lou barbecuing with his shirt off that I sooo wanna write🙈

prev snippet

___

“Well, yeah, of course.” Buck answers easily, his heartbeat speeding up. He’s a little anxious about putting too much pressure, too many expectations out there, but he also knows that even if he did, they’d get back on track, they’d be fine. And besides, Tommy’s smiling, he doesn’t seem freaked out at all. And that’s after Buck brought up children. But if they’re moving forward with their relationship, they need to know what they want out of life. It seems reasonable to have this conversation this early on.

“Good.” he responds, grinning widely. “Now I won't have to stress about your answer when I ask.” he adds, and Buck feels himself blush, butterflies in his stomach going wild. Oh. Oh. This is- this is real. They’re talking about it, and maybe someday soon- he might marry this man. He will marry this man. Tommy wants him forever. Tommy wants him. Tommy wants to marry him and have children with him, and just be with him. Sometimes it’s still so shocking to Buck that someone as great and amazing as Tommy wants him, but he does. Buck’s not sure he remembers the last time he felt this wanted.

“How- how do you know I won’t ask first?” Buck asks, moving his head slightly closer to Tommy, just enough to look into his beautiful blue eyes. It feels surreal, talking about this, when they only dated for a few months, but it also feels… right. It feels like they’re on the right track to get there one day.

___

no pressure tags: @elvensorceress @thebravebitch @shortsighted-owl @eddiebabygirldiaz @watchyourbuck @eowon @loserdiaz @evanbegins @ladydorian05 @wildlife4life @diazpatcher @lover-of-mine @monsterrae1 @thewolvesof1998 @weewootruck @loveyouanyway @spagheddiediaz @rainbow-nerdss @epicbuddieficrecs @pirrusstuff @spotsandsocks @alliaskisthepossibilityoflove @nmcggg @rogerzsteven @hippolotamus @giddyupbuck @sunshinediaz @honestlydarkprincess @underwaterninja13 @exhuastedpigeon @911-on-abc @jesuisici33 @steadfastsaturnsrings @buddieswhvre @fortheloveofbuddie @your-catfish-friend @theotherbuckley @daffi-990 @dangerpronebuddie @hoodie-buck @aroeddiediaz @diazsdimples

[sad-leon]

Welcome to the Shadow Leo au :D

It's a lotta text, but I don't know if I'll make a fic for this au. It'll probably be a lotta fics and doodles. Asks are encouraged :D

When Splinter explodes Draxum's lab, a crystal Draxum wanted to experiment that held a bunch of shadow power, dropped on Leo, fusing him into shadows. He can only appear where there is shadow, so he can't go outside alone or in really bright rooms.

He can choose whether to be visible or not in a shadow he occupies, so if he's around strangers, he stays hidden.

Because of all the light from the explosions, he hides in Donnie's shadow as Splinter leaves. He doesn't show himself to anyone outside of Donnie for a long time. It's only when they're toddlers that they speak. Leo's speaks first and scares the hell outta Donnie. His voice has a bit of an echo-reverb tone, but otherwise normal.

Donnie tries to show everyone, but eventually let's Leo explain that he's scared of meeting everyone. He grew up with Donnie, they know all about each other and their triggers and such. Leo doesn't have that familiarity with the others and he's scared of breaking down in front of them.

When Donnie brings April to the lair, Leo is excited at the prospect of meeting someone who is also an outsider. When she and Donnie hang out in the lab, Leo shows himself to her. She tries to punch him, she just bruises her knuckled on the wall. Over the years, April, Donnie, and Leo become an indestructible trio.

The fam still doesnt know about Leo when they break into Draxum's lab. Draxum immediatly notices Leo in the shadows and gathers all his mystic crystals to try and break his shadow powers. On of the crystals he hits Leo with grants him the ability to emerge from the walls, though his still looks all shadowy.

Leo still chooses to hide in Donnie's shadow, though he ventures out on his own a bit more now that he can hold swords and stuff. Leo still steals the odachi from Draxum, but his use of it is limited to only slicing, though if Donnie swings it, Leo can influence the portals if he's connected to Donnie's shadow.

[Sidenote: when the brother unlock their Ninpo, Leo unlocks his as well, granting him ability to use his portals himself. He can also do the funky teleportation thing.]

---

Leo's out on his own one night when he see's Usagi hanging around the turtle fam's lair. He appears to the rabbit and surprisingly, the rabbit doesnt freak out. Usagi and Leo are quick friends. Leo tells Donnie about Usagi and convinces Donnie to meat the rabbit and eventually, Usagi becomes an honorary turtle, just like April.

---

(Leo is still Casey's future sensei, but by then they had found something, a charm or a potion, that made him physical. When Casey asks about him, Donnie avoids eye contact, but everyone else is confused.)

(The key is snatched by the foot clan because Raph couldn't get to it fast enough. Leo tries to blame himself because if he wasn't so scared he could have used his portals to get it. Donnie won't let him blame himself, and neither will anyone else when they finally meet him.)

During the movie events, Leo connects to Raph's shadow when Mikey and Donnie get flung off. He makes himself physical and pushes Raph toward his brothers. He also snatches Raph's wrist comm. Raph is too panicked to consider what just happened and jumps off to catch his brothers.

He shouts for CJ to close the portal. Casey immediatly follows the command shouted by his sensei's voice before he can process it. Leo stays physical long enough to keep Kraang distracted, then ducks into the shadows.

With the whole Prison Dimension being basically one big shadow, Leo is able to stay hidden after the portal closes. He doesnt heal in the shadows, but his inuries don't worsen. It takes about a year until Leo finds his sword and portals himself home.

-

Donnie, April, and Usagi are all a fucking wreck in a way no one understands, no matter how much they explain Leo and his predicament. Raph explains that he was pushed by a shadow and Donnie breaks down on the spot. Because even though Leo would never meet the fam, he'd still sacrifice himself for them.

For months, Donnie begs Casey Jr to tell him how Future Mikey opened a portal, but CJ won't say anything past explaining how it killed Future Mikey.

Donnie doesn't stop looking for any sign of Leo, but after months he has no choice but to move on. Leo's sword was put in a glass, guarded case after Donnie tried to use it to portal to Leo.

Sometimes Donnie sits in a dark corner and talks to himself.

Then one day, the alarm attached to Leo's sword goes off. Everyone thinks it's Donnie trying to portal again, but they all rush in to see a shadowy Leo injured, on the ground. Donnie breaks down on the spot, but tries to pull himself together enough to help with bandaging what they can see of Leo's wounds.

Leo wakes up to his family around him and finally lets himself meet the rest of his brothers.

[emelinstriker]

Macaque ♡ Private Play

I can't help but imagine Macaque using his Shadow Play skills to get money- now imagine the reader, his lovely spouse, being a regular of his shows and boom :D

Pre-Shadow Play episode btw cuz he do kinda be needing that lamp still

The pain of having to write this level of wholesome fluff when you've never been in an actual romantic relationship yourself- So I had a lot more fun telling the tale at the end and making it all more dramatic- omegalul

♡ ~ Fluff ~ ♡

It was yet another night at the theater, and a certain shadow monkey was doing his usual routine of retelling tales that he knew of from his own perspective and memories. Nothing out of the ordinary happened of course. He didn't get many people to see his performance, as usual, due to his plays' times and because of people not usually being interested in the concept of shadow plays as they preferred movies.

Such a shame, really, they were missing out on a great show! At least that's what you thought everytime you would see only a portion of the audience seats having been filled. Your husband did such an amazing show and you would be awestruck each and every time at the visuals he was able to create. Not to mention, his soothing voice was a nice bonus no matter which tale he told. He even used his powers to spice up your private wedding a few years back, using his shadows to calm you down from your nervous high, as well as putting on a shadow play for the few guests you had.

Once the play you were currently watching was over, you and the other people in the audience clapped, delighted at the performance. Some even stood up while the demon man on the stage bowed at the applause.

It didn't take long for the last people to leave the room while you simply sat in your reserved VIP seat as usual. And it didn't take long for your shadow to become a portal for the hooded monkey either as he emerged from it, wrapping his arms around you from behind.

"Hey there, sugarplum, how was work?", he said while nuzzling the crook of your neck. He was still in his human disguise, so unfortunately you were unable to appreciate his fluffy fur. But that didn't make you appreciate him any less as you leaned back into his hold.

You actually showed him your workplace before, which is a rather small thrift shop. Macaque needed some human clothing because the red and black cloak he's using during his plays would not suffice in certain areas of the city. Him in a hooded cloak, being all dark and mysterious, would most certainly garner unwanted attention from demons and humans alike. That's when you showed him some stylization options. Everything you showed him was extremely casual and he loved it.

"It was alright. Not much happened today, besides one customer who didn't understand how a warranty works", you muttered. The monkey let out a low chuckle as you could feel his chest's vibration on your back, leaning further into you. "Anyway, once you're free we can go take a stroll. There's this new 24-hour shop we haven't been to yet." Finally, you decided to turn a bit to give him a quick peck on the lips, making him smirk.

"Well, you're in luck. This one just so happened to be my last play for the night. Just gotta clockout at the counter and we're off", he said as he removed his disguise with his ability, revealing his demon form. He was still wearing his hooded cloak however, nuzzling you with his fur now.

And as he said, he clocked out at the counter... Or rather a shadow clone did while he himself carried you bridal-style outside the theater and onto the dark streets. He didn't let go of you until you were in the darkness of an alleyway, embraced by the shadows. You knew he specifically did this to make you feel safer. Because something he told you early on into your relationship: 'You're a lot safer in the shadows. So don't be afraid of them, especially when I'm here.'

The two of you walked hand-in-hand down the alley, talking about whatever else happened at each of your respective workplaces. Apparently the theater had a major fangirl come in who couldn't stop squealing at Macaque's voice, overall mysterious demeanor, as well as shadow abilities.

You laughed a bit at the image of a random girl in the back of the audience having a fangirl meltdown. "She did stay behind after the play to ask me for my number. Of course I said no and showed her my ring, but can you believe that?" He rolled his eyes at the memory.

"Yes, I can believe that would've happened eventually. After all," you started as you made your shoulder bump into his in an affectionate manner, "you do have an irresistible charm on the character you're putting up while in disguise."

You could've sworn his tail wagged underneath his cloak from the faint movement of fabric your eyes were able to catch behind him, giving you an amused smile. He pouted at your word choice.

"Just while in disguise? Damn, guess I'll need to step up my game as amazing husband to top that character", he chuckled before pulling down his hood. "How about I top the 'mysterious storyteller' right now with a tale I know you'll love?"

You simply stared at him in awe before excitedly nodding your head to give him the 'go'. In response, he let go of your hand and pulled out his lantern from underneath his cloak, twirling it in a fluent motion before it abruptly stopped and lit up in all its purple glory. He then winked as he handed it to you for safekeeping before taking a few steps back towards the opposing wall.

Macaque used both his hands and body to make the shadows behind him move in the usual shadow play fashion you knew from his public plays. Despite being fully aware of his abilities, knowing he doesn't need to do such thing to create those visuals, you appreciated his need to be a bit more dramatic than necessary. It simply added a bit more flare to the experience and made it a lot more enjoyable. But this time he actually incorporated his tail into the play too.

He started out with his eyes closed and his hands behind his back, using his smooth voice to his advantage, "Welcome my loveliest viewer, to a shadow play. The likes of which have never been seen." The simian's eyes opened as he threw a loving glance at you before raising his hand to the night sky. His arm's shadow formed a monkey man behind him. You knew that was him from his previous plays.

"The tale follows up on a warrior's story told not so long ago... There was a lonely warrior, wandering the most darkest corners of an unknown town. Cast aside by his former source of light, the hero, he sought out to find another source to feel whole once more", he started as his shadow now depicted himself and Sun Wukong. The Monkey King seemed to vanish as if turned to dust before being blown away by the wind. Macaque's expression held a sliver of hatred, but was quickly replaced with a gentle smile as another memory resurfaced.

"One day while roaming the town in the dead of night, a thunderstorm approached. Desperate to find shelter, he came across a different kind of light. A light so powerful, its source did not seem to mind sharing it with everyone they met." His eyes dilated a bit as he turned to face you, seeing you hold onto his lantern with extra care, making sure not to block its light. You didn't even notice your own lovestruck smile until he smiled back. "That light was a generous and kind mortal human, who offered him their home to shield him from the cold and damp. They even offered him silent comfort from the sounds outside as lightning continued to strike."

The shadows now depicted a human holding their hands over the warrior's ears, making both gaze at one another in close proximity. Then it switched to a scene with both holding hands while looking at what could only be described as sunrise.

"As the storm faded into the night, so did the moon. The sun started to awaken as its rays made the warrior realize that this human was his new source of light. And yet he told himself he had to leave, for he did not feel worthy of their compassion." The shadow of the warrior let go of the light's hands, but then was quickly stopped by the light refusing to let go of one hand, lightly tugging him back towards them.

"However, the light proved him otherwise. They did not agree with his mindset and instead asked him to stay longer." The human now pulled the warrior closer to them before giving him a hug. Macaque couldn't help but let out a little chuckle as he recalled the memory. "And eventually, the warrior seemed to have been put under a spell so strong it sent him into a spiraling trance. One that would bind him to the light for the future to come." Your husband then slightly leaned closer in your direction with his signature grin. "It was a spell of love."

The scene shifted once more to show both of them kissing while sitting on a bench under a tree, one familiar one you recognized with ease. "Over the coming months, their love for one another grew, and so did the shadow's courage to propose marriage to his beloved light. He came up with a plan to meet up under the tree's branches once again, and he expressed his devotion to the loving light of his life..."

Suddenly, the lantern became dimmer by the second as he approached your now blushing form with his arms crossed, clearly hearing your heartbeat. "I believe you already know how this story ends."

And as the lantern's light faded away, you launched yourself forward to capture him in your embrace, giving him a passionate kiss on the lips. You were still holding onto the lantern with one hand behind his back. He wrapped his arms around you in return and leaned more into you. Once you pulled away for air, you gave him a bright smile as a few tears formed in your eyes from the joy you felt. Despite the dark that surrounded you two, the simian was able to see your happy response to his small, private play. Macaque knew how to pick his words far too well.

"You dork... I love you, Mac", your mumbled voice said as you nuzzled your face into his chest. His lips made contact with the top of your head as he pulled you closer to him, letting out what sounded like a low purr.

"I love you too, sugarplum."

> Link to Masterlist <

[fluffypotatey]

I don't really believe this, cause to me shadowpeach are soulmates no matter what; but I like the idea of macaque's true love being past wukong, and wukong's true love being present macaque (not the hatred of wukong, but the added confidence, extra snarkiness, showmanship, and the lack of idealizing wukong and trying to hide in the background). But present macaque can't exist without past wukong killing past mac and thus killing "himself". So they are always doomed cause past wukong can't love past macaque, and present macaque can't love present wukong.

yes yes the tragedy of right person wrong time 😭