#looking rad > functionality

[aesnawan]

The Arc-170 pilot helmet is really cool isn’t it

[wickedhawtwexler]

this is the 8th quilt top i've finished during my ~*~ unemployed era ~*~, and is probably the last, unless i go into some kind of frenzy this weekend lmao

[last-flight-of-fancy]

xion 🤝 zero

being the goth gf

[yourwakingnightmares]

not you getting absolutely demolished on that kink post and then saying through tears and clenched teeth that it’s amusing anons can’t argue a point 💀 like babe the point has already been argued and and you’ve got your fingers in your ears yelling LALALALALALALA

Right, their response -much like yours -was to say 'eww you're stupid and gross and icky' -and then go away, but sure! 'get demolished' lol. Like, sweetheart, she made zero good points, her sources were ass, and I proved it using her own articles, and she had to resort to 'well, it's just common sense and you're dumb', and you resorted to 'well, you pedo'.

But yeah! Demolished lol.

[cheeeeep]

Almost a year ago I got my "dream job" of working at Sephora. I had already began reading a lot of rad fem literature by the time I got there.

10 years ago I would have loved it but by the time I was working there I was already aware of the dystopian nightmare it really is.

It was one thing to help someone find a basic skin care routine to calm their skin but when we had to push certain products.

To make the sales goals you had to look at a woman's face and slowly ask and press them on their flaws and suggest the magic product that would help them.

I did it for one day, I killed it on the sales floor. I could not sleep that night and had already began drafting my resignation letter.

When I grew up, drag full face glam was popular but now it was the "no makeup, clean girl" look and I had to help girl find foundations that would hide their flaws.

Their flaws were either

1. Natural human function of the largest organ we have

2. Cover up the damage they were continuing to do with all the latest products.

I pleaded with parents to not buy little girls skin care than I knew would destroy their skin barriers. But isn't that the point? So when they grow up they need products to help cover up or heal the damage they have caused.

They paid so little I couldn't even afford most of the products in the store even with my discount.

We would have to clap when told we made the company billions of dollars in profits.

It really pushed home the oppressive costume that is "femininity".

I have a lot more to say but I'm droning now.

But I have to say I understand now why people do not want to engage with radical feminism because it "ruins" everything. Everywhere you look you realize the psyops being ran to keep woman consuming and enjoying their bonds.

[higuchisora]

Seeing as they clearly didn't know what the hell to do with Jinx/the political repercussions of her bombing the council in season 2, I'd like to explore the possibilities of how Zaun would've reacted to this that would've made way more sense than what we saw.

1. Jinx becomes an extremely controversial figure.

Few are neutral to her. This would be largely because, outside of knowing she blew up the council, no one actually knows WHY. What were her motives? Were they politically charged? Was she trying to start a war? What exactly was her goal? It was never really stated that she was infamous prior to this, but I recall in season 1 act 2 that when Vi went looking for her, people knew OF Jinx, and that she worked for Silco, but weren't really aware of any further details. So those that are aware of her connection to Silco- who objectively did make many of their lives worse with Shimmer- wouldn't be happy. They'd be scared of what will come next.

Those who don't know/don't care might fill in the blanks with their own guesses, maybe that she's some kind of activist- which would split them further into the subgroups of "Oh fuck the enforcers are gonna kill us and it's her fault" and "Finally, a war!" The second of which I'd argue would actually be a very small group. I could imagine the Jinxers being seen by the rest of Zaun as crazy radicals who don't know what they're getting themselves into/are gonna drag the rest of Zaun into danger. I think it would cause a LOT of infighting. Like a civil war inside another civil war.

How Jinx would handle this would be.... interesting. Especially if the Jinxers start making moves on their own. She never really shows much interest in activism- she works for Silco because he's her new dad, and while she doesn't seem to DISAGREE with his opinions, it doesn't seem she's all that invested in actually working to make it happen beyond just wanting to help her dad. His death seemed to take her interest with it.

Now, they could either lean into this, and make people question her motives/actions because of her clear disinterest, maybe increasing some of the controversy around her (no follow through on her action, letting Zaunites suffer the consequences, etc.), or they could make her actually take a genuine personal interest in it. But that, I think, would take a bigger arc that might be more work for arguably less payoff when considering you'd probably have to change a great deal of her character to do it, especially when you could probably achieve similar plot points/outcomes even without her intentionally becoming a political figurehead.

2. Zaun becomes fractured politically/other "symbols" of Zaun

This can be in tandem with idea 1, actually, but can still be it's own idea. Basically, after the fall of the council, and Silco's death, Zaunites are terrified. They've been run so far by Vander, Silco, and then some vague council-like oligarchy of Chem-Barons, who could be interpreted as functioning like very large gangs. The Chem-Barons have always been around, but with Silco's sudden death (and no one who was primed/expecting to replace him), this leaves a massive power vacuum that the Chem-Barons and smaller gangs are scrambling to come out on top of.

The fear of the unknown and the extreme instability would lead to people desperately throwing their lot in with whoever they think would be a better/less dangerous leader, and by extension, political symbol. Season 2 shows a bunch of new people joining the Firelights. In that case, I can imagine that before long, several new potential leaders surface, even if they didn't expect it. Namely, Ekko, Jinx, and Sevika.

Ekko because as I said, people were apparently coming to his base in droves. They don't tell us Jack shit about the Firelights besides the fact that A) Ekko leads them B) they don't fuck with Silco OR Piltover C) Piltover thinks they're terrorists and D) they look rad as fuck. That being said, considering Ekko's Everything, I think we can all gather a general picture of what the Firelights are about. Plus his cool tree would be a great symbol (@srslylini for the idea) of growth, healing, etc.

Sevika, because those that knew her as Silco's second might be hoping for some kind of stability with her. Even if they didn't like Silco, it's better the enemy you know and all that jazz. They'd feel safer with someone who at least seems to know what they're doing, even if Sevika herself has no interest in becoming a leader. I think some would just naturally gravitate towards who they see as "second in line". This could also be in connection to Jinx, as she could possibly been seen as someone who could "rein" Jinx in (again, most people don't actually KNOW Jinx, they just know OF her and that she worked for Silco and was volatile. Think how Finn referred to her as Silco's "attack dog").

Speaking of Jinx, she'd probably be treated similarly to idea 1. Extremely polarizing. Her followers would be seen as crazy, like she is. They'd be seen as warmongers and/or people who have no idea what they're getting themselves into. They'd basically be seen as the stereotypical "young rebels". The average Zaunite would see the average Jinxer as a young, angry, maybe idealistic radical who doesn't understand the cost of war. I'd argue that, again, they'd probably be the smallest and most controversial group just because most people don't necessarily WANT a war, even if they're willing to fight for it. And the suddenness of the bombing would've scared even some of the rebels who DO want war, because they weren't prepared. It wasn't a PLANNED attack, so both Zaun AND Piltover are basically caught with their pants down, which would also bring some ire from the other Zaunites.

There's another option for a faction I'd like to explore, also thanks to srslylini (thank you icon), but it takes a bit of setting up.

In a hypothetical situation in which Vi did NOT become an enforcer, I think it would happen like this: Vi hangs around in Piltover at first out of guilt/feeling like she has nowhere else to go. She's still not on board with being an enforcer, but she attends the memorial out of a sense of obligation. Her and Caitlyn have a falling out over Caitlyn calling Zaunites "animals", and here is where she storms off and goes back to Zaun, with the final words to Caitlyn that "You Pilties are all the fucking same" (or something to that effect). She's still feeling lost, and so maybe this is where she stumbles around, having maybe a similar pitfighting arc (just not as distraught, more like she's broke and angry and has to pay rent somehow so she might as well get paid to punch someone's face in). Because she's not in a massive spiral, there's unfortunately no emo arc (sad), but the bright side of this is that she's recognizable. I don't think she's FAMOUS, per say, but Babette and Ekko recognized her right off the bat in season 1 (yes you can say Ekko was really close to her, but Babette? C'mon), and considering she was older than Powder when she went off to prison, I don't think it's a stretch to assume her face was a little better-known than her sister's (especially considering she was already going on jobs, and in act 1 she gets into a fight with Deckard who I'm pretty sure knew her name, but not Powder's).

This is to say, I think a lot of the "old heads" knew who she was, especially those who liked Vander. It helps that she tattooed her name on her face LMAO. So I'd imagine she'd show up in the ring, no hair dye no makeup, and eventually after consistently knocking her opponents around and winning every time, she'd become a bit locally famous again- to the point that those same "old heads" who remember her make the connection and come looking. Maybe rumors start swirling, especially once they learn she was gone because she'd been in prison- not unheard of, and probably the first conclusion they drew when they realized she wasn't dead.

So eventually Vander's old followers/younger people who idolized him from their childhood start seeking her out. Sensationalizing her. Asking her what she's planning on doing. Is she taking back the Lanes? Will she get those Chem-Barons under control? What about Jinx? Could she hunt her down, rein her in? Hell, maybe even put her to use? Will you give us our relative safety, our security back?

And Vi, who just wanted to knock some heads around and maybe take a nap in her apartment and cry, is suddenly faced with being "Vander 2.0" and Jinx is the new "Silco 2.0" and all the weight of expectations and legacy and history and literal war and politics are being shoved in her face. She, like Jinx, is now faced with becoming a figurehead when she never wanted to be, which could lead into option 3:

3. A joint approach to Zaun

This would primarily be driven by Sevika even if she wasn't one of the possible leaders, because SOMEONE has to be the responsible adult here and it's certainly not any of these traumatized losers (affectionate). She'd be the glue to keep it all together, the reluctant team mom who WILL make this work because she WILL have Zaun even if she has to die to get it.

This could work with either Jinx and Vi, or Jinx, Vi, and Ekko (I genuinely can't imagine season 2 act 1 Ekko willingly teaming up with season 2 act 1 Jinx AND Sevika without some kind of buffer). Basically, once the other "leader candidates"/political symbols have been established, Sevika would round them up with the intention to use their influence to unite Zaun against Piltover. This would take a LOT of arguing, but ultimately I think she'd be able to get them to shut up and hear her out for a moment. Regardless of how different their beliefs are about what the "ideal Zaun" looks like, they can all agree that Piltover isn't in any of those pictures. She could convince them to set aside their own squabbling for the time being, for the greater good: aka, the independence of Zaun.

At the very least, I think she'd be able to get them to agree that Piltover coming down and hurting Zaunites in revenge shouldn't be ignored, and that they're currently a bigger threat than their fellow Zaunite. So eventually they'd reach some kind of truce: behave like a united front against Piltover, push them out of Zaun, stabilize Zaun, and then worry about tearing each other apart later. And because all of these characters- ALL of them- have shown (prior to season 2) anti-Piltover sentiments, they'd at least be able to agree that enforcers shouldn't be allowed to beat down on their people (especially in this version where Vi has better, more consistent writing lmao).

Of course, Rome wasn't built in a day, so maybe they don't reach a total agreement immediately- maybe they just agree to a ceasefire at first, but still refuse to work together. But once Caitlyn becomes a dictator? Once enforcers start gassing the streets, rounding people up, implementing martial law?

That's when the gloves would come off.

I'd imagine this could also be part of how Vi and Jinx slowly start to repair their relationship. They've got bigger fish to fry, but also, this time their enemy is connected to their own personal conflict with each other. Jinx might ask, "what happened to your enforcer girl? What happened to being a Piltie lapdog?" And Vi would essentially, in perhaps more emotionally constipated words, explain that it wasn't really about Caitlyn, it was about being needed. It was about trying to find Jinx, about trying to stop Silco, about trying to "fix" things, only realize that she couldn't. It was about trying to make things better, but that she realized the person she was trying to do that with didn't actually care. That all she wanted was to make sense of the destruction of her old life, and find meaning in a new one. And I think Jinx, too, in her own emotional constipation, would resonate with that, would understand that. It wouldn't fix things between them, but I think it'd be a start.

It could also help their relationship with Ekko. Since Vi isn't an enforcer this time, and season 1 (the One True Season) showed their sibling relationship, I think her and Ekko's bonding would be more like "reconnecting with an old friend", whereas Jinx and Ekko would have a lot of work to do, too. There'd probably be a bit of a cold war between them for a while, once Ekko agrees to help, because he knows actually talking to her would piss him off. But eventually, through Sevika's manhandling of these three, and being forced to make nice with reluctant-figurehead-Jinx, they'd connect again.

Perhaps part of a plan is for them to develop new technology for Zaun. Whether that's weapons against Piltover (unlikely on Ekko's part I think), or just safety gear/ safer city infrastructure ideas for the betterment of their people, I think eventually they'd figure themselves out, too. He'd see the Powder in her, the part he saw on that bridge, and maybe it would give him the ability to try and understand Jinx. And Jinx would realize that maybe these people in her life DO love her, DO care about her, more than just for what she used to be but for who she is now. And somewhere along the way, they'd be friends again (or they can date IDK or care man I just want them to stop trying to kill each other).

Whatever happens next is so wide in possibility that I can't possibly cover it here so this is where it ends, lol.

[mochatsin]

MC as a Dating Sim Character

An AU in which the seven brothers knew you as a dating sim character from a game they love to play so much. Has nearly the same functions as the Obey Me app. 

It started off as a trend in Devildom, a new app that a lot of citizens and RAD students play with recently. Great reviews when it came to the storyline and the characters. The brothers gave it a shot and surprisingly became attached to it. The reason? You.

Levi is the first to fall down that rabbit hole because he’s been waiting for this game’s release for a while now. He saw the roster of dating sim candidates and he fell for you first. Something about your design was alluring to him and when he finally had the app downloaded, he spent the first night playing the storyline to understand you. Learning your lore is what made him fall even harder to the point he has a shelf dedicated to your merch. He grinded so hard to upgrade all your cards (he definitely got those UR and UR+ ones)

Asmo started playing when he saw the trends about it and he wanted to jump on that bandwagon. Play the game and talk about the characters, which ones he like and whatnot right? It was easy, but when it came to your character he found himself playing on the game longer than he wants to admit. His fans can immediately tell whose Asmo’s favorite character is with how much he talked about you in his videos. He makes sure to get all the pretty skins that get released because in his opinion, there’s not a single outfit that doesn’t look good on you. 

Mammon plays the game as well when he attempted to sneak into Levi's room to sell something and ended up finding his brother’s merch of you. Mammon doesn’t want to admit how many hours he’s spent on the game trying to max out the affection level with you. Definitely spent so much money to get the UR cards since he can’t grind as much as Levi does, and he’ll buy those limited gifts to hear those special voice lines from you.

Satan gets curious and downloads it because he’s wondering how good was this game to even make Mammon lessen his casino gambling habits. The storyline is great, but the writing for your character was what made Satan stay in the game. He doesn’t hesitate in approaching Levi to ask about the game mechanics and tips, and Satan has it covered from there. He focuses on the story to get as much lore he could out of you. He wants to learn about every single fact about his favorite character. 

The twins played at the same time, and it’s funny how they both ended up liking the same character. They found out when they were playing the game together and saw you were their home screen character. Beel loves listening to your voice lines while he works out to motivate himself, while Belphie always has your voice lines wishing him goodnight that he uses to fall asleep with. 

Lucifer will never tell anyone that he plays the game. Not as much as his brothers though, this is something he wants to do in his free time or when he’s alone in his private study, he’s more casual about this than others. Your character is honestly pleasant company, it’s nice to hear you cheer him on while he works. Though he’s sure that if his brothers knew he found comfort in a dating sim character, they would mock him for sure (even if they’re all the same).

Though something weird happens one day when all users log in the app. Levi is practically screaming when he runs out of the room with distraught in his face. You’re his home screen character, but for some odd reason you’re not where you’re supposed to be. He thought maybe it’s the game being laggy, but you don’t reappear no matter how many times he refreshes the app. 

The brothers are just in shock, phones on the table during breakfast to check what was going on exactly. Your cards are all glitched out and corrupted, though everyone else’s was fine. People are wondering if this was all part of the game, if there’s some sort of event or what but there’s nothing. It’s like the game actively tried to erase you.

The devs eventually released a statement that due to some complications and unforeseen circumstances, the game will be deleted. Of course a lot of people are outraged, why would the devs suddenly discontinue the game in the middle of its peak? It was gaining a lot of attention and some people have already spent so much money for it. Everything was just unfair when there’s no answers.

Despite any attempts to keep the game, it was somehow deleted from everyone’s phone. Levi only has some of his screenshots and recordings to keep, whining from time to time as he looks longingly on his merch line. Some brothers sulk more than others, though they’re all upset regardless. Why you? Why did it have to be you specifically? You suddenly disappeared from the game, and they never knew why. With the game gone, there doesn’t seem to be a way for them to get their answers. 

Satan wanted to use his connections to figure out the truth, try to find the devs to get the answers everyone is looking for. The truth seemed much more disappointing for Satan though, learning that the devs actually didn’t know either where your character went. They thought it was a virus at first, but all your data was just missing. No matter how hard they tried to fix it, there was nothing they could do. They can’t handle running a faulty game, so they chose to discontinue and start fresh. 

Some fans would probably be thrilled to hear a new game already in the works, but it doesn’t feel the same. You’re the character that these brothers were invested in. There’s just something about you and your charms that had them drawn in the game, so the brothers weren’t exactly excited hearing about the new set of characters. Clearly it upsets the demons.

That’s until Lucifer called the brothers to Diavolo’s castle, as there’s some sort of emergency that requires their attention. Lucifer drags each and every one of their brothers out of their rooms, they can pout and whine about you later. 

Diavolo called in all of them, talking about that dating game that took Devildom by storm once. No matter how hard they tried to hide it, the young prince knew that each and everyone of them were playing it. They’re all embarrassed at being caught, but surely they’re not here just to be exposed by Diavolo right? He says that an unexpected guest has been found in Devildom recently, bringing the boys to a room in a castle.

There you are, standing in the room in front of the seven demons that are staring at you with awe. You’re here… in Devildom? At first they thought you were just some cosplayer, but the way you introduced yourself and your name was the same as the one in the game. There’s no way you’re real, but all the evidence is standing right in front of them. 

Diavolo says that he’s entrusting you in the care of the seven demon brothers. Barbatos somehow knew that you were all of their favorites, so they probably know what you like and how to take care of you. Maybe it would be a good idea. 

To be continued… i think?

[another-lost-mc]

Thinking about his demon form horns.

Barbatos x gn!Reader

NSFW // Content: Fluff and kissing, slightly suggestive at the end. 0.6k words.

You’re fascinated by the winged horns that sprout between dark green hair when Barbatos shifts into his demon form. You’re intrigued. They look so pretty and delicate, but non-functional—or so you think.

When you get to know Barbatos better, it’s easier to read the emotions he masks with bland smiles that don’t reach the sharp glint in his eyes. Sometimes it looks like his horns twitch as the bony ends curl ever so slightly as his eyes flash with disapproval or annoyance. No one else seems to notice them but you. If he catches you staring, you shake your head and look away. He doesn’t talk about them, and you don’t ask about them either.

Maybe you were just seeing things?

Over time, you’re convinced that his little horns do move on their own at times. Your theory is proven the first time he kisses you, and you learn they can do more than twitch. He’s wearing his RAD uniform, his horns and tail nowhere to be seen. His eyes dart down to your lips as his face draws closer. His lips are a little dry, but they’re still soft and so warm when they touch yours. A small whimper escapes you, and he hums in response.

It only takes a few moments for you to notice a noise that you don’t recognize. It's just loud enough to hear over the sound of your heart beating wildly in your chest and the slick sounds of his lips gliding against yours. His gloved fingers dig into your waist to keep you from moving away when you reluctantly break the kiss and look around curiously. Your eyes widen when you realize the little wings sprouted from the crown of his head are fluttering.

A pink blush dusts his cheeks because he knows what you’re staring at; surely you must understand the significance of that little quirk of his by now.

Later on, he'll think about the implications that he was so distracted by you that he shifted forms without realizing it—have you always affected him this much? 

You suspect he’s embarrassed that he can’t seem to control their actions, but your heart beats a little faster for him too—he's so precious. You slide your hands into his hair—gently, to avoid touching the base of his horns because you know he doesn’t like that—and you curl your fingers along the back of his scalp.

There’s a soft rumble in his chest and he leans forward, kissing you more passionately than before. His tongue teases the seam of your lips, begging silently for entrance. He deepens the kiss, his tongue plundering your mouth and seeking out your exquisite taste. His little wings continue to flutter excitedly—they disperse the delicate scent of his shampoo into the air.

It feels like he unknowingly shared an intimate secret with you. You seem to like his little oddities, and even though he still finds them annoying at times, he learns to appreciate them more because you do.

If you notice his horns twitch slightly as his voice grows sharp with disapproval, you know he’s desperately trying to contain anger or frustration he normally conceals from the world—you make a note to talk to him about it later in the privacy of his bedroom.

They still flutter sometimes when you have sweet moments with him too: eating lunch together during a rare break from his duties; when you dance together at one of Diavolo’s parties, the overwhelming fondness in his gaze making his eyes shimmer like molten emeralds; or when he slides down the bed and pries your legs apart, eyes darker now with desire when he flicks out his tongue to taste you.

He hides his devilish smile when your fingers slide into his hair. You’re still careful not to disturb the base of his delicate horns—the ones tickling you as they flutter wildly between your thighs.

Read more: Barbatos Masterlist | Obey Me Masterlist

[vintagerpg]

Barlowe's Guide to Extraterrestrials (1979) is a fun little book that looks at aliens from a variety of science fiction stories through the (slightly) in-universe framing of a field guide, complete with notes on ecology and biological functions.

Artist Wayne Barlowe’s selections are an interesting cross-section of the genre (I don’t recognize a lot of them, honestly) and his interpretations (of the ones I do recognize) always walk the fine line between capturing something essential that I pictured in my mind’s eye while also being surprising or unexpected in many ways. Among the beasties I did not photograph are the Overlords from Childhood’s End, the Puppeteers from Ringworld, the Izchel from Wrinkle in Time, the Masters from the Tripod books and Ursula Le Guin’s Athshean.

In a way, the Guide feels like an extension of the larger interest in fantastic art in the ‘70s, embodied most in the Gnomes, Fairies and Giants books. It, and its Fantasy companion (see tomorrow) certainly wouldn’t come out today, but for me, they’re just amazing. They gave Barlowe a whole book to draw monsters and aliens; monster and alien enthusiasts like me got a pile of rad illustrations to look at; and a stack of sci fi writers got low-key advertising for their works. Wins down the line.

Worth mentioning that this is likely a direct inspiration for Call of Cthulhu’s pair of Petersen’s Field Guides (Cthulhu Monsters and Dreamlands), right down to little nuances of layout formatting. I would bet that they were also on someone’s mind when the Ecology articles began to appear in Dragon Magazine (those started in ’83 with the Piercer).

[project-sekai-facts]

do u think prsk writing is good?

it's inconsistent. sometimes it's pretty good, sometimes it's not so good. this is something i would like to go way more indepth on but i don't think i'll have the time for a while, but i'll outline a few things here.

honestly early events are much stronger than some more recent ones. partially this is preference on my part due to preferring more character driven stuff which most early events were, but also in general the writing was much higher quality.

most year one events had a very strong sense of flow between them that has been lost over time. while events usually revolved around one character's issues, they would introduce aspects of the other characters and their issues which would be focused on later. if you read wonder halloween you'll notice there's foreshadowing for emu's arc across smile of dreamer and wonder magical showtime. this is partially because of the fact the events were so early on. we weren't as familiar with the characters as we are now and we were also new to the plots. you can also see how much more cohesive stories were back then as well because of there being way more mixed events marked as key story, like twilight parade and sakura for ln and picnic for n25. while most events still pick up from where the previous left off the sense of flow for most units just isn't felt as strongly as it was going through, say, l/n arc 1.

it also in some ways feels like the writers had a much stronger vision for early events than they do now, though distribution meta may come into play a bit. first arcs were the ones planned from the getgo. this is what they had already planned ahead for by launch. pretty much everything past year 1 was written after the game launched. we know they have a clear end, and it's evident they also had a clear start. we're currently filling in the middle and some events really feel like there's a slight lack of vision for the middle. vbs is a good aversion what with rad weekend having happened (aside from arata and souma's arcs lmfao), but other units and characters feel shafted.

to add to that last point as well as distribution meta. tsukasa5 is arguably one of the hardest hit. what seems to have happened is that they needed a second wxs event to focus on daigo's troupe, and tsukasa is the character who is most fitting for that troupe's speciality. unfortunately in order to come up with the actual plot, they had to retcon elements of tsukasa's character. tsukasa5 overall is probably one of the worst written of the recent events. it's really rough and doesn't make sense in some parts. it truly just exists bc they needed a wxs event with daigo and a wxs event in that slot.

kanade is another character who got hit hard. while she had the white day event in 2024, she was heavily shafted in terms of n25's story due to the focus being on mizuki and ena for half the year. mafuyu and ena's events were also very focused on them as individuals, leading to kanade getting like no character development for a year.

for non-2024 examples the 2nd arc enders were a mixed bag. step by step is very clearly a shoe-in because they needed to pad for time. retie functions perfectly well as an arc ender and reads like one in a few places, especially near the end. while minori had some good moments in this event it honestly feels like a mixed event. hell look at the banner card. shizuku and airi are also only in this event for a few lines of dialogue it's really rough.

oyf is incredibly rushed and tries to wrap up way too many loose ends from lutf. it feels like this arc was cut short, and you can really feel it in arc 3 when all the loose ends that still existed after oyf get their proper conclusion. side characters barring kotaro excluded, tatsuya and gurney flap had the shittest resolutions ever (tatsuya is also. barely a character lol). kohane had some good moments here, but other than that it was a really weak event.

same can be said for ohe they really needed more time and it's painfully obvious considering how much foreshadowing they did with rui only for... him to get one chapter in an emu event. there's some other things that really make this feel like it was meant to be rui or be two events one rui one emu, like the travelling troupe show. remember when rui wrote that show about his life and wxs rewrote it to show him he had a place with them. clpl doesn't. obviously it's always been important to all of them but it's significance to rui specifically has always been highlighted for obvious reasons. hell it was even mentioned in wxs first live like a couple weeks before this event dropped. while again this has good emu moments and good wxs moments it's painfully obvious at points that this was either a rui focus at one point or they combined two events. i wonder if part of the reason for that is because they realised that rui graduates at the end of the next arc so "wxs disbandment arc 2" (tentative name) will probably be more centered around him, especially with asahi's return looming over the story, and they didn't wanna make it seem like they did the same character arc with him twice.

sayonara persona and starry song are fine.

clpl really fucked themselves over with wles and the event schedule lol.

another issue with the writing from a technical standpoint is that recent events have really obnoxious exposition. listen i know we all make fun of people who only read chapter 1 and 8 of an event but did you know that actually works. you can sometimes even just read chapter 8. there's this need to constantly remind the player of stuff that happened earlier on in the event, sometimes in gratuitous detail, and i can understand why this might be necessary for the really long events like lutf or curtain call, but most events since 3rd anni have been under 1hr 30, in most cases just over an hour. the player can retain significant events that happened in the previous chapter. we don't need it constantly explained and it can actually make the audience less engaged if you constantly treat them like they don't understand what's going on. even for a game aimed at the tween/teen demographic you don't need to handhold them through the story. while yes younger audiences won't have the same literacy as an adult you should also trust that they can follow the basic story and read into basic subtext (honestly prsk is usually fine with subtext this is just an example).

"outline a few things" my ass this is pretty much everything i wanted to say. i do games writing next year and i think we cover VNs so maybe i can provide more insight then if the blog isn't dead.

(obligatory i'm not saying you can't like the events i outlined here i'm just saying that from an objective standpoint they're not the best. doesn't mean you can't find enjoyment in them. like whatever you want i'm not here to dictate your opinions)

[ghoulfuckersincorporated]

If you get pregnant from a ghoul, what would the kid be like? Human? Ghoul? Some weird freakish third thing? Even Gulpers are just mutated humans so anything is possible.

(I'll put a trigger warning here for "mild discussion of pregnancy loss/premature birth", in case that upsets anyone.)

My official answer to this is: "looks human, but closer to a freakish third thing when you get down to the details".

The pregnancy certainly wouldn't be a cakewalk. Frankly, I think you'd have to have a pretty preternatural resistance to radiation to successfully conceive with a ghoul to begin with (which we see is achievable for some people; otherwise I think there would just straight up be no successful fertilization/implantation). If you were able to make it happen, I think the fetus would be quite radioactive itself early on, and you'd struggle a lot. You might be able to get away with the occasional dose of Radaway if you're incredibly sick, like too sick to function, but too much of it and I think you'd be risking unfavorable outcomes. With luck (and maybe a higher-than-average endurance), things might taper off the further along you get. I imagine the birth would be unremarkable, all other regular health factors considered, unless you found yourself so ill from the baseline radiation that you were unable to continue carrying to full term and were forced to deliver prematurely. The odds of that certainly aren't zero. Your breast milk would make a Geiger counter go nuts.

It's hard to imagine the 50% genetic spawn of a ghoul wouldn't be significantly more radiation resistant, right? Like, at minimum? Personally, I think if you had a baby with a ghoul, that kid would be constantly drawn to play in puddles of nuclear fallout, to drink from dirty sources, to want to go outside during rad storms. Radiation is healing and refreshing for ghouls, so I would imagine at least some of that would transfer, no matter how much it makes you worry. You'd probably find the kid sucking on a power core if you turned your back for too long.

I, personally, would think that a kid like that would age normally, but since we know ghouls have that super-regenerative ability, maybe there's a chance that they'd shoot through the puberty phase really quickly? I mean, that "growing" phase in adolescence is basically just a bunch of cells dying off and being regenerated/high rates of cell generation to build muscle and bone mass. Again, I'd like to think they'd grow pretty typically, all things considered, but it's certainly something to think about.

That regenerative ability could certainly prove quite...tricky at times. We've seen how quickly it can heal wounds, which is great for something like a puncture or a stab wound...but what about a broken bone? I can't help but be reminded of an audio diary you can find in Bioshock 2 that talks about the Little Sisters' insane regenerative ability and its disadvantages. At one point, one of the girls escapes from the researchers studying them and throws herself over a balcony (trying to escape or end her life, though which is unclear), shattering both of her legs. But by the time they've made it to the bottom where she's lying, her legs have already healed at a bunch of fucked up and unnatural angles, so they have to break her legs over and over again until they can set them correctly. With as quickly as we see ghouls heal in the show (and in the games), it's hard to imagine you wouldn't run into the same issue, as horrific as it is.

Can you imagine your child having to go through that because they fell playing (or fleeing, god forbid) and broke their arm, or their collarbone or something? Can you imagine having to be the person doing the breaking? What if there's no one else to do it?

I'd also assume that, as they age into their teen years/early adulthood, their aging would slow, though I think exactly how much it would slow would depend on the individual child and their circumstances. I do think half-ghoul children would be able to be turned fully ghoul through some conventional means, just maybe over a longer period of time and with much higher doses of radiation.

[genderqueerdykes]

So like, I see a lot of trans men/masculine people complain about there erasure within queer spaces, particularly in queer analysis and I wanted to know how that relates to cis men. Like I know how that sentence reads, but like a friend of mine were talking about masculinity and they said something like “do you think that like Jeff bezos experiences friction from the patriarchy” and it’s like “yes nobody is immune from the patriarchy”.

I don’t really know how to talk about the things I experience under the patriarchy because it’s either “your not oppressed for being a man” or it’s like “you can’t singularly be oppressed for your manhood” when I bring up my queerness or something. It’s frustrating when people reduce something like homophobia down to misogyny.

But even more than that I struggle to convince people that men are specifically isolated because they are men. Even as we know that men are vulnerable to cults because they target socially isolated people. Or how comedy points out that male friendship is like barely functional. When comedians point out how little men know about the other people in their click. And trans masculine experiences on the topic have only solidified my position.

And there are a few posts circulating about gendered violence and when they focus on men specifically people would be like that’s just men experiencing misogyny and I don’t really know how to feel about it, because they aren’t wrong, but like I don’t think you can look at toxic or fragile masculinity and be like yeah that’s just internalized misogyny. Like you can do it that way, but it feels wrong?

it's column A, column B.

transandrophobia is a real thing that is independent of misogyny.

trans men can experience misogyny, including transmisogyny.

it's both, but people just outright refuse to acknowledge that queer men can suffer under patriarchy. especially trans men. it's exhausting.

it comes from the rad fem ideal that trans men are just transitioning to benefit from patriarchy and "Escape" womanhood and misogyny. these arguments are touched upon lightly several times in Alison Bechdel's Dykes to Watch Out For comics. so many man hating lesbians love to say that trans men are transitioning to benefit from patriarchy, not because they actually identify as men. some say you just *can't* identify as a trans men and that this is always an appeal to patriarchy.

there are many men who suffer under patriarchy. patriarchy benefits white, abled, cis, heterosexual, privileged men. there are many men who are absolutely crushed up by patriarchy. men of color. all queer men. trans men. gay men. bisexual men. pansexual men. genderfluid men. bigender men. two-spirit men. agender men. asexual men. aromantic men. feminine men. men who do drag. men who crossdress. men who refuse to conform to gender roles in any fashion. disabled men. neurodivergent men. mentally ill men. chronically ill men. the list goes on. it benefits fewer men than it helps. only very few specific kinds of men can ever benefit from patriarchy. it's not all of us. it's not even most of us

people can treat men with misogyny, it just depends on the context. however it's not right to say that trans men don't experience specific transphobia in the form of transandrophobia. it's not always misogyny we're being faced with. sometimes it is specifically because we are men, not because we are what's being perceived as a woman. sometimes the hatred comes from when we actually are being seen as men.

[koolades-world]

Your Umbrella (solomon x reader)

It'd been a long day. The rain poured down like the heavens weeping. He had forgotten to bring his umbrella from home. Resolved to the only good part of his day being getting to get to bed, he set off to Purgatory Hall through the onslaught of rain.

As he walked, he contemplated his life, staring down at the sidewalk. Simeon and Luke had headed back at the end of the school day, but he had to stay behind to help out with setting up for tomorrow's lesson in potions since he'd agreed to help since he knew a thing or two. At the time, he was all for it, but now that he was actually there, he couldn't be dreading it more. The last thing he wanted was to help teach a lesson.

Maybe his social battery was just finally drained, after all these years. Maybe RAD had finally been the thing to wear him down. Or, maybe he just needed to power through it. He had no clue what he needed. But, he had to figure it out, or it he wouldn't find the answer he was searching for. That's that way it'd always been.

Despite always seeming chipper, he wasn't sure how much of that he had left in him. He'd honestly lost track of how old he was at this point. He vaguely remembered his birthday, but for a while, it stopped mattering to him because despite the passage of time, his physical body showed no signs of aging. Most of the demons around him knew this, and it felt like common knowledge. But something none of them had considered was the state of his psyche. The human brain wasn't meant to function for an indefinite amount of time like his. He wasn't sure what it felt like to be normal anymore. Was he even human anymore? Even if he was, he wasn't sure he really enjoyed it anymore. Anything that was joyful about being human he felt like he lost long ago.

Being surrounded by demons who were hundreds of thousands of years older than him was troubling at times like this. Sure he was young by comparison, but that thought didn’t comfort him. He should've died a long time ago. Yet he was still here, and it felt as if he was rotting away from the inside out. They didn't stop to consider the toll of spending so much time with them was taking on. And, it wasn't even like it was anything they did on purpose. He wasn't trying to discredit their efforts of course, but they just didn't know what it was like to be human. If he didn't understand himself, how could they?

At this point, it just felt like he was dragging himself through the days. He honestly wasn't sure how he'd made it this far, or how he'd done this in the past. He felt like a dead man walking. He felt like he was wasting away.

But that's when he met you.

Mc made him feel young again, like he finally had a place to belong. Someone that kind of understood him and the struggles of being human. He didn't know what he'd do without you. You breathed the life back into his daily routine, by doing all sorts of little things you probably didn't even think twice about. You actually understood his struggles, and he felt as if turning to you was embracing the sun's rays. He smiled to himself as he continued to shuffle through the rain. He found himself thinking of you more and more as of late. You were nothing but the sparkle of joy in his day.

Behind him, he heard someone splashing through puddles through the din of rain. As he turned around, with the echo of the smile still on his face, he saw the very person he was thinking about. You had a cute pink umbrella in hand that was proabaly a gift from Asmo, blocking the rain from directly hitting you. However, you were still pretty soaked and water was practically dripping from your RAD uniform.

"Ah! You caught me. I was hoping I could sneak up on you and jump on your back." You walked over to him and immediately pulled him under your umbrella.

"You're so interesting." Solomon found himself laughing a little at your antics.

"What're you doing out here all by yourself? I went looking for you and was told you left in this awful weather." You immediately reached up and brushed his bangs out of his face so you could see his eyes. He reeled for a second, his heart thumping, before remembering he had to respond.

"Oh, I just wanted to get back to Purgatory Hall. Simeon took my bag home with him when he left at normal dismissal, and the rain didn't seem too bad when I left. Clearly, I was wrong." He tried to smile and brush it off, but you saw through him.

"Are you upset again? You don't have to tell me why, but let me just be with you and try to cheer you up, if you'll let me." The smile faded from your face a little, and he saw the concern shine through.

He didn't have it in him to speak, so he just nodded. You grabbed one of his hands with one of yours unoccupied with the umbrella. The way you quickly pulled him close and covered him with your umbrella felt oddly fitting to him. You were quick to grow close to him, for whatever reason, and he felt as if when he was around you, it was alright to feel how he was feeling. "Let's go do something crazy! We're both already wet, so what'd you say to dancing in the rain somewhere, then heading to Purgatory Hall to enjoy a movie together? Your favorite, of course. We might get sick, and while magic could solve that, that just means we could take a few sick days together." You leant into his side, placing your chin on his shoulder.

"I'm following you, Mc." He felt himself begin to smile again. He couldn't lie about how enamored he was with you. He couldn't say no to you. You made him happier, like he didn't just have to let the days bleed together. Not everything was going to go his way, but that's alright. At least he knew you'd be by his side.

Maybe being human wasn't so bad after all.

[dionewrites]

𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐀𝐕𝐀𝐓𝐀𝐑 𝐎𝐅 𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐄. ˚₊ HEADCANONS // ft. Lucifer 1.1k words · GN!Reader · SFW · Feel-good & Fluff ♛ Masterlist | Request Guidelines

⚠ Content Warning: Mention of his demon form, implicit threat and possible death, and reader being sick, stressed, unhappy, experiencing insomnia, and gaining haters. ✎ Note: This is the first work I wrote and posted here on my blog. I’ll be writing for all the demon brothers with this scenerio as well, so please look forward to it!

Lucifer is an ideal partner that certainly comes with a host of benefits. However, this demon is pretty private and keeps some of his cards close to his chest, so it’ll take time for him to fully open up. More so, showing his affection for you shamelessly.

He prefers to keep things on the down-low, so it’s not distinctly apparent that the two of you are dating, but as he falls more deeply and intensely in love with you, he becomes more comfortable and bolder in displaying his affection and declaring you’re his. Still, if one does not have eyes like a hawk, one will likely not notice those subtle cues, such as the shared pecks on the cheeks or lips when no one’s looking, the three love taps on the back of your hand to express “I love you,” his frequent stroke on your arm, hand, or shoulder blade, and how his hand is always resting on your thigh whenever you’re sitting beside him.

His most blatant public display of affection is when he spreads his wings in his demon form and wraps them around you on one side. When he’s in an excellent or sunny disposition, he’ll hold your hand and gently squeeze it from time to time, which he cutely does unconsciously, all the while entwining his fingers with yours.

He calls you “honey” or “my dear” as an endearment, but only in private. He still sticks to your name in front of others, excluding his brothers, Diavolo, Barbatos, and the occupants of the Purgatory Hall. After all, aside from gloating a bit that he’s the one you chose over them, he doesn’t really see the need to restrain himself to that extent around them.

He takes care and prioritizes your well-being around the clock. When you feel unwell or tuckered out to function for the day, he excuses you from your classes and requests a work from home for him to Diavolo to look after you. If given permission, he spends most of his time in your room and usually settles himself down, presumably working, on an armchair positioned slightly distant from your bed, just enough not to disturb your rest. This demon might seem to give off an air of calm and relaxed composure, but you bet he’s been a bundle of nerves throughout your bedridden hours. The heaps of glances he casts on you every minute are enough to reveal his uneasiness about your condition.

However, if there are very crucial matters he needs to personally manage immediately and, unfortunately, can’t be granted approval for work from home, he finishes his work as early and quickly as he can or goes back and forth between RAD and the House of Lamentation to check on you and make sure you are eating and take your medications at the right time.

Once you feel better, he teaches all the lessons while assisting you with the assignments and activities you’ve missed. He takes additional precautions to ensure you’ll not get sick again by closely monitoring your daily habits, food intake, and health condition. It may sound annoying and constant nagging, but taking extra care of your body and health is the top priority.

He can give succor and handle most of your concerns and worries. When someone wrongs or attempts to hurt you, if it requires immediate action or you want him to lift a finger, they’ll be dealt with straight away and make sure they’ll never trouble you again, though it’s a mystery whether they’re still alive…

When you feel overwhelmed and stressed, he does his utmost to reduce the task and burden placed on you, which he usually does without your knowledge. After those long days, he’ll take you on a date or short vacation (with or without his brothers) to unwind.

When you feel distressed and down in the dumps, he instantly drops whatever he’s doing, regardless of how swamped he is with work, to let you vent on him, listen to you (plus offer advice if you ask for it), and takes you into his arms while giving you slow and soft kisses or caressing your back to soothe and reassure you that you always have him and everything will be okay before long.

When you experience insomnia, he plays the musical pieces he composes for and about you on the piano. This demon has several irons in the fire, so there’s no doubt it’s surprising he has the time to spare—but little do you know, he only spends a short time composing the majority of them because, for some reason, everything easily falls into place just by thinking about you. His works are brimming with emotions, much of which focus on his deep affection, admiration, and devotion toward you.

He makes time for you. Despite having a lot on his plate, it’ll not become a serious issue because he consistently makes a special effort to be around you and involved in your every day, no matter how exhausted he is. On some days, you can see him pushing himself too hard that you’re the one who ends up canceling your plans and dates to force him to rest because he’ll never will.

He’s honest with you and won’t hide anything from you unless necessary and has a good reason for it. Even though you’re not asking or prying, he informs you about every demon, incubus, witch, or other species he meets and has a business with. Many take pleasure in spreading rumors and gossip about him, so he tells you about them to prevent misunderstandings.

His love languages are physical touch and quality time. His favorite time of the day is when he finally gets the opportunity and leisure to stick to you like glue. This demon can’t keep his hands to himself but will never verbally admit how touch-starved he is every day (unless he imbibes demonus). He always wants you to be physically close to him and enter your physical spaces. He loves how it feels to hold and be held by you. He longs for your presence and to simply spends meaningful time together.

Dating Lucifer makes others hold you in even higher regard and esteem. This is the avatar of pride we’re talking about, who’s immaculate and excellent in almost all aspects. Naturally, their respect for him is significantly extended to you. However, it’s also inevitable for many to feel envious and resentful of you, gaining numerous rivals and haters who are wishing and waiting for your breakup. Still, it’s best to feel and embrace that great pride for having him, just as much as he does for being with you as well.

[kanencrow]

I love the way you write Lucy!!!!! Can I please request a fluff (with slight angst) found family platonic fic with Lucy where they meet in the wasteland and build a sibling-like bond?

Bond Over Blood - Lucy Maclean | Headcanon

Summary: What would a sibling-like relationship with Lucy Maclean look like after the two of you find each other on the surface?

Warnings: Swearing, Blood, Descriptions of Violence, Suturing Wounds, Talks of Death, Reader is Lowkey Kinda Awkward (same bro).

A/N: Awe hey, thanks Jamie! Sorry this one took so long to come out, but I hope you enjoy it! Definitely wrote this one following the original plot of the show, so spoilers incoming!

Word Count: 10000+

You met Lucy after getting into a physical altercation with a few Brotherhood of Steel soldiers, who seemed like they wanted nothing more than to lay their hands on anyone they could find. You just so happened to be one of those people, unfortunately, after you got nosy and fixed a loose wire in one of those suits of armor that they hid within for the sake of making themselves feel more powerful. You dabbled a bit in electronics, so you knew your way around anything that sparked or required some sort of technology in order for it to run, but instead of them being appreciative of what you did, they pummeled you, which left you unconscious and carrying some long-standing wounds.

Maybe you also killed one of them, and that was why they knocked you out, but that’s besides the point – you were just defending yourself. Really, the fact of the matter was that they hurt you, and you woke up in a world of pain that you had no choice but to live with until it decided to dissipate into nothing. So, your first few days of your road to recovery were spent wandering the barren wasteland that you grew up in, and by the time you were starting to develop an irreversible hatred towards the Brotherhood of Steel and everything they stood for, you simultaneously found a Super-Duper Mart in the middle of the desert. 

It made you feel like you were hallucinating, almost.

Like you were seeing a mirage. 

But, low and behold, the building was there, caked in sand and looking as dilapidated as every other landmark or point of interest you saw on the surface. And within that grocery store, you found Lucy, but not before stepping over – what you thought was – a dead body of a ghoul who clearly wanted to be a cowboy, considering the hat that laid beside him, and the fact that he was wearing a trench coat that had seen better days. But honestly, with the way he was wheezing and on the ground, unmoving, you thought he was turning feral, so you just stepped over him and continued forth. 

Traversing through the seemingly abandoned building proved to be pretty… eventful.

The thumping of your boots against the floor added on as an ambient resonation, and the way they echoed throughout the air only seemed to signify the lack of life that resided within. You continued walking, even then, intent on finding something that you could stuff into the backpack that hung over your shoulders. All it carried inside was a box of medical supplies, a large bottle of purified water that you bought off of a merchant, a bag of Rad-Away, and five stimpacks that you – thankfully – hadn’t used yet. 

Obviously, you were packed a little light. 

After a while of walking, you eventually turned a corner and ambled down an aisle that consisted of freezers. Surprisingly, the lights were on, as though power still existed due to the function of a generator, and your curiosity only seemed to increase in response. At the same time, you felt a hint of trepidation hit you like a needle, and you tightened your grip on the pistol in your hands, as you lifted it up slightly, raring to shoot something if you needed to. 

You had enough experience to know that anything could have been lurking in the shadows, waiting to pounce when you least expected it to. There had been countless close calls that scraped by in your time of life, and so you knew better than to assume that places were completely empty of life. And, by the time you made it to the end of the hallway that was lined with the cold boxes, you were happy to have made the mental note, when you looked to your left, and abruptly slowed down to a halt, as you spotted the form of a woman in blue, who didn’t notice your presence while she tugged off a dead person's boot with a quiet grunt that managed to echo throughout the vicinity. 

Well, okay, you weren’t expecting that.

Your lips faintly parted, and you made the executive decision to slowly walk towards her. You noticed the number ‘33’ on the back of her blue suit, and it wasn’t difficult to figure out that she was a vault dweller… unless she stole the outfit off of one. She rose up to her full height and clumsily shoved the boot onto her foot, and you continued to sneak towards her, as you tilted your head to the side and watched her curiously. You wondered how she had lost her original shoe in the first place, but you mainly wondered why someone from a vault would be roaming the upper world. 

From what you knew, they had everything down underground, to the point where you were envious of their lifestyle. To willfully roam around the wasteland seemed like a stupid idea, but you digressed. You were far too focused on the array of dead bodies that lined the floor to truly ponder it, anyway. Ghouls and two humans, with only one standing. It was an odd sight, and one that made you intentionally clear your throat, with the intention of catching the mysterious woman’s attention. 

You weren’t surprised when she jumped in reaction to the sound you made, and when she turned around, you were met with wide eyes and a face that had been kissed by the sun. You couldn’t see perfectly, with how far she was from you and how your optic nerve had been damaged from your previous incident, but from what you could gather, she seemed no worse for wear. You paused for a moment, as if to gauge what she was wanting to do in response to your presence, and you were immensely surprised, when she let out a seemingly relieved exhale at the sight of you. 

“Oh, thank goodness,” she muttered, as you continued to hold your pistol tightly between your palms. You stared at her oddly, like she had two heads, but she was ignorant to your apprehension, when she stepped forward to try and lessen the distance. However, before she could get very far, you lifted your gun up and pointed it at her, which forced her to come to halt, as she raised her hands up quickly and parted her lips to yell out, “Please, don’t shoot!” 

The intention you portrayed wasn’t one you were genuinely going to go through with, but only you knew that. You couldn’t have been too sure about people’s intentions, and so you slowly walked towards her, as your eyes watched her, like that of a hawk. You were silent, not feeling the need to speak, and a part of you wanted to keep it that way, just to add onto the mysterium, as you flickered your pupils across her body to scrutinize her. Her black hair was in a ponytail, with her shorter bangs framing her face – she was pretty, you couldn’t deny it, even with the remnants of crimson that dotted across her features like violent stars.

The white tank top that peeked out from the unzipped part of her blue suit had splatters of blood on it, too, and the left bicep of her outfit was torn, as if she had been cut there… or shot. Clearly, she had been through it – you weren’t an idiot. But still, you felt the need to take the precaution, before you eventually faltered in your hesitancy, and lowered your weapon to holster it back into the waistband of your pants. 

At your sudden change in demeanor, the vault dweller visibly relaxed, and her arms dropped down from their raised position. In that moment, you noticed the discolored index finger that she had, and you mindlessly eyed it with curiosity, before she was speaking up, and forcing you to look back towards her again. “U-Uh, hi,” she greeted you, as though she were being interviewed, and you were the one who decided if she was going to be hired or not. “Thank you… for not shooting me.” 

She slowly walked towards you when you didn’t respond immediately after her words, and you shifted in your stance uncomfortably, as her eyes studied you, instead of the other way around. Of course, her focus lingered on your face, more than anything, and your jaw clenched tightly in turn when her expression softened. You half-expected her to point it out, but she didn’t, and only shifted her subtle frown into a small smile, as she tried to portray warmth and friendliness, which felt entirely unwarranted and unfamiliar. “I’m Lucy.” 

You stared at the woman named Lucy for a long, silent moment, with nothing other than your bruised features to showcase your emotions. You were certain you looked absolutely dreadful, with the way her eyes continued to flit across your face, and although you wanted to snap at her, there was a hint of genuine concern behind the action, while you gazed at her mutely. And honestly, that was all you could do, because you weren’t sure what to say, if you were being honest with yourself. 

Should you have introduced yourself back? Reached a hand out for her to shake, with a smile to truly butter her up? What were formalities nowadays that didn’t consist of not shooting someone? All you were able to do in the end of your mental battle was swallow the lump of dryness in your throat, before you nodded at her gently and pressed your lips together, giving her the simplest greeting you could muster. “Hi.” 

Her expression immediately shifted into one of brightness, when she grinned softly at you, showing off her teeth, which were whiter than most dwellers of the surface. They cared more about survival than basic hygiene, which wasn’t something you could have related to, ever. “Hi,” she suddenly cooed out, as if she were talking to a scared animal. It wasn’t far off from how you had been feeling the past few days, but you shockingly weren’t as fearful now, in comparison to moments earlier. Maybe it was her natural charm, or the fact that she didn’t want to beat the shit out of you. 

Either way, her behavior was welcomed, and you felt the corners of your lips quirk up in reaction to her kindness, which caused her to step closer to you, the moment she spotted your comfortability. “I take it you’re not a part of this… whatever this is?” she questioned you, as she glanced away from you to look around the vicinity of the grocery mart. You shook your head in reply when her attention fell back onto you, and she relaxed even more – if that was possible – as she nodded. “Okay… good.” 

When you didn’t reply, and instead moved your eyes down to the ripped hole on Lucy’s left bicep, you faintly quirked your lip, before you lifted your hand up and lazily gestured towards her arm. “You’re hurt,” you uttered, as if she herself hadn’t known of her own injury, and in response, she immediately glanced down to her arm and clicked her tongue, nodding her head in agreement to your statement. You knew it was obvious – that she probably was already aware, but you didn’t know what else to say other than that, which seemed to work more in your favor than anything else, when you shifted in your spot once more and fidgeted with your fingers. “I can help… with your arm,” you stated simply, with a quiet voice that she wouldn’t have heard, if the grocery store wasn’t so quiet. 

“Oh,” Lucy hummed softly, as her lips parted in subtle shock towards your bluntness. She looked at you thoughtfully for a moment, before she glanced down at her wound again and lifted a palm up to set it over the hole in her suit, wincing faintly, “I mean – can you?” she asked, as if the question was one that was going to inconvenience you. However, you immediately nodded your head, holding back from creasing your brow, due to the painful wounds that sat across your face. 

Even then, she appreciated your willingness, not caring about your micro-expressions like you did, and when she chuckled softly in relief, you stepped past her and walked towards the sofas, which caused her to immediately turn around and follow you, as she quickened her pace slightly, just to make it to your side again. “T-Thank you, by the way,” she called gently, “it’s… been a rough week.” 

That was something you could relate with her on. 

“You and me both,” you mumbled, as you let out a humorless scoff and shrugged off your backpack. You swung it around and tossed it onto the sofa with a lack of care, as Lucy came up beside you and slowly settled down on the cushion. It didn’t take long for her to lift her chin and stare up at you shortly after, but you were none the wiser, as you continued standing and unzipped your bag. 

You sifted through the confines of the practically empty sack, which allowed you to easily find your purified water bottle, as well as the medical kit that you – luckily – hadn’t had stolen from you yet. You set the two items off to the side without much more than a simple glance, and the vault dweller continued to gaze at you with internalized curiosity, as you gripped the top strap of your carryall and dropped it on the floor, in front of the couch. It made a quiet thump in turn, but you ignored the sound entirely, while you sat down on the plush surface and pulled your supplies into your lap. 

There was a particular coordination to how you moved, Lucy noticed. You were precise and careful – and quiet – and it only urged her on to try and make conversation. “So… what’s your name?” You reminded her of her brother Norm: silent and observant. Though, you didn’t really look anything like him, she thought. You carried an aura of distrust and aloofness that made her want to pick you apart – in a good way, but she had no idea on how she could have done that without making it seem as though she were interrogating you. 

Especially in regards to the question that she wanted to ask, after you introduced yourself. She wasn’t ignorant to your face and the way it looked. How around your right eye was swollen and the whites of it were red due to popped blood vessels that were entirely benign. The rest of your face was just as bruised, and you carried a small gash, as well as numerous cuts on it, which only furthered her wonder on what you had been up to, before you encountered her. 

Still, even with her heavy curiosity, she gave you all the time in the world to answer, as you unclipped the medical box and opened it up to expose the numerous supplies within it. “Y/n,” you eventually replied, keeping your verbiage simple and short, while you kept your eyes entirely focused on the assortment of items that sat on your thighs. 

You immediately spotted what you were looking for – a needle and a thread, as well as peroxide to help disinfect the cut, and when you grabbed them, you set the white kit to the side and scooted closer to her, as you lifted your head and turned it towards her to finally meet her irises. “My name is Y/n,” you repeated quietly, assuming that she hadn’t heard you the first time, when she immediately lifted her brow and shifted her features into an expression of sudden understanding. 

“Oh,” Lucy stated, “Y/n” She nodded her head, as her eyebrows furrowed in thought, and she stared at you as though you were something immensely interesting. “That’s a nice name,” she admitted, before giving you a small smile. “I like it… it suits you.” The softness in her green eyes was apparent, and you found yourself unconsciously shying away from her kindness, when you flickered your pupils down to stare at her bicep and blindly uncapped the hydrogen peroxide that you had mindlessly pulled into your lap. 

She was awfully earnest, with the way you could feel her staring at you, even after you sheepishly avoided her gaze and focused on sewing up the wound on her arm. Her personality was a complete one-eighty from what you had dealt with when it came to the people you met throughout your time on the surface. You didn’t know how to react to her genuineness, and she seemed to gather that, while you poured the transparent liquid onto a cotton ball and tensed your jaw awkwardly, not knowing how to continue the conversation. 

Naturally, she took the reins, as she allowed you to slip your hand underneath her arm and angle it up slightly, just so that you had a better view of her gash. Your touch was gentle – overly careful, and she couldn’t help the small smile that creeped up onto her lips, as she watched you tentatively dab away the blood that surrounded it. You treated her delicately. It was a welcomed contrast to how she had been treated for the past week, and with the way your features were bruised and battered, it wasn’t difficult to understand that you might have needed some much desired tenderness and care. 

Though the fact that you were more focused on her, rather than the wellbeing of yourself, said a lot. A part of her wanted to pipe up and ask you to accompany her on the journey she had set herself on, but she had a feeling that would have been too abrupt, too soon. Especially for someone like you. Someone who seemed easily dissuaded, like that of a wounded, scared wolf. Your demeanor only encouraged her to speak up, but she made an intentional effort to keep her voice soft, so as to not mess up your precise movements. 

“So, what brings you around here?” Lucy asked, as she tilted her head to the side and glanced down to gaze at your fingers. They worked to dab more of the peroxide into the actual wound, and with how gentle you were being, it didn’t hurt. It made her heart swell, and all that did was put into perspective how much she missed the helpful souls that didn’t want to kidnap her or kill her... or torture her. 

“Do you… live close?” Her additional question seemed to snap you out of your concentrated state, which forced you to lift your eyes away from her injury and meet her own gaze. The blood-red white of your right iris really made you look terrible, and as much as she wanted to do the same for you as you were doing for her, she resisted from reaching out and checking you over, knowing that would have been weird or unwelcome. Especially from a stranger. 

“I don’t live anywhere,” you admitted quietly, keeping your eyes connected with her own for a moment longer, before you eventually shifted your focus back down to your lap, and grabbed a threaded needle to suture her gash. While you raised your hand back up and lined up the first point you were going to stick the slim metal piece into, you parted your lips slightly and added on, just to try and keep her attention away from what you were about to do. You had a feeling it wasn’t going to work as well as you hoped, but you made the effort anyway, as you pushed into her skin and spoke at the same time. 

“I came from Filly after an… encounter… and just so happened to stumble across this place,” you explained, while she grunted softly and winced at your action. The pin-prick pain that seemed to bloom throughout her gash was enough to make her squirm, but she tried to stay as still as possible, while she listened to your words with genuine interest. “I didn’t expect to find anyone inside, though.” 

Lucy bit her lower lips as the thin thread attached to the needle dragged through the small hole it created, slowly closing up the bottom of the wound. All the while, the memory of the man that brought her to the grocery store filled her mind, and she couldn’t help but spring onto your earlier statement, even while she winced at your tendful actions to her injury. “Did you see a… someone, before you walked in?” she questioned, wondering if that ghoul still lingered around the store, mindlessly waiting for whatever it was he requested in exchange for her. 

The same feeling of bitterness filled her chest at the reminder of him, and when she turned her head to gauge your reaction, you nodded in reply to her inquiry, which forced a disgruntled scoff to slip from her mouth, while you pushed the needle back into her skin, causing her to flinch subtly. “You know, that… that creature… he brought me here,” she clarified, providing you with information that managed to allow you to mentally put two and two together. “He did not treat me very courteously.” 

“Really?” you replied, attempting to flit your attention towards two things at once, as you progressed higher up the length of her gash. You glanced up momentarily to meet her eyes, and when she nodded her head, you faintly furrowed your brow and quirked your lip thoughtfully, “He was on the ground when I walked inside of the mart,” you admitted softly, before you flickered your focus back down towards your task at hand. In the back of your mind, you couldn’t help but feel a little guilty for not having done anything in that moment, but he was a ghoul, you thought. 

You were never able to tell when they were shifting into a feral one or not, and you definitely didn’t want to be on the receiving end of their aggression, if the former possibility actually came true. “He was still alive… just struggling to breathe, it seemed.” Maybe it was a good thing you didn’t do anything to aid him, however, considering what you were being told by the vault dweller. You trusted her, far more than a decaying, tough-skinned, radiated human. 

“He was not nice,” Lucy stated, nodding her head, as if she agreed with your decision, “when I pointed out that he wasn’t following the Golden Rule, he put a leash around my neck and he made me drink from puddle water that I’m pretty sure was just some kind of animal pee.” Your features flinched without you even realizing, and you winced when a subtle throb coursed through your nose in turn. You immediately stopped your movements on her arm, and she seemed to take notice of your action, when she looked at you and met your eyes. 

You internally took a moment to let the pain you felt pass, and she eventually continued when you only portrayed that you were fully listening to what she had to say. “And I thought I was here to be a sex slave, but – turns out – this-this robot wanted to harvest my organs instead, and I-I don’t know which one is worse!” Her exclamation caused her voice to raise in pitch, still underlined with the raspiness that it naturally exuded, and as much as you didn’t want to, you found yourself growing concerned in response to all of the information she gave you. 

“You drank radiated water,” you stated, as you gazed at her intently, “that’s not good.” You glanced back down towards her halfway sewn gash, and when you continued threading the needle through her skin, she let out a quiet groan, as she stared at you quizzically in response to your words. You could feel her eyes burning into your head, and without much convincing, you expounded, as you licked your lips and parted them to speak transparently. “Up in the wasteland, it’s purified water, or nothing,” you told her, as you nodded towards the large bottle of liquid that sat between the two of you. 

“If you drink anything that isn’t purified, then you’ll need Rad-Away, or Rad-X, which allows you to become somewhat immune to the radiation of the surface.” You lifted the thin, curved metal pin and pushed it through her flesh again, making her hiss, while you continued. “Are you feeling okay? Usually when you drink radiated water, you start to feel lightheaded and nauseous,” you clarified, “they’re the two most common symptoms.” 

Lucy stared at you as though you might have been the smartest human being she had ever met, with parted lips and a subtle look of shock that lined her features. You inevitably finished sewing her gash closed shortly after your entire rundown, and as you leaned back slightly to grab a cotton roll of thin bandaging, you lifted your eyes up to meet her hazel ones, which forced her to snap out of her surprised stupor. “Oh, um… no,” she eventually replied, before she blinked and sent you a small smile, “I… I think I’m fine. I don’t feel any of the side effects you’re telling me.” 

You nodded in acknowledgement, and you ended the topic of conversation at that, as you wrapped the start of the cloth underneath her bicep, which caused your fingers to graze against her skin with a softness that made goosebumps form on her arms. You were none the wiser to the effects your touch had on her, but she was, as she swallowed the thick lump that had suddenly formed in her throat, and promptly spoke up, with the intention of ignoring whatever it was that she was feeling. “So, um… what do you have planned after all of this?” 

You coiled the bandaging around Lucy’s arm without much difficulty, and as you taped the tail end of the cloth to stay wrapped around her bicep, you let go of her entirely, before you lifted your eyes up to meet her own and shrugged. “I don’t have anything planned,” you admitted, not feeling the need to lie, as you reached down and grabbed a small rag from the medical kit, as well as the bottle of purified water that pressed against your leg. 

“Not when it comes to a destination, at least,” you added on, as you silently handed her the two items and gestured towards your face with the silent statement of ‘clean yourself up.’ With a thankful smile, she grabbed the supplies out of your grasp, while you watched her studiously and brought your hands back to your lap to fidget with your fingers. “What about you?” you questioned her, as you tilted your head to the side quizzically, “What’s a vault dweller like you doing out here in the wasteland?” 

“Oh,” Lucy uttered, as she wetted the rag you had given her with the water, and brought it up to her face to blindly wipe away the splattered dots of blood that riddled her sun-kissed features. “I’m actually looking for my dad,” she explained, which caused a glint of surprise to shine in your eyes, as they widened slightly in confusion. “A group of raiders, well, raided our vault, you see,” she told you softly, as she dabbed at her upper lip, “this woman named Lee Moldaver kidnapped my father, and I couldn’t just stand by and let her steal my dad away from me.” She shrugged her shoulders and dropped the damp cloth down to her lap, as she turned her head to look at you, “Someone had to do something, so… here I am.” 

You slowly nodded your head and pressed your lips together thoughtfully, “That’s… really admirable.” Lucy grinned at you in reply, and you felt your cheeks heat up, now that your full attention was on her. You couldn’t deny that she had a certain charm to the way she carried herself. Maybe that was natural for a vault dweller, but it was something you greatly lacked, when you shied away from her gaze again and promptly pushed yourself up to your feet. 

Immediately, her curiosity grew, and she creased her brow while she watched you close your medical box and shove it back into the confines of your bag. She still held the damp – now slightly bloody – rag in her hand, and when you reached down to grab the water bottle and dropped it back into the emptiness that was your backpack, you spoke up. “Good luck to you, Lucy.” You zipped your rucksack up, as you sent her a suppressed nod, “Stay safe out there.” 

When you gripped the strap and hoisted it onto your shoulder, you winced painfully, while Lucy internally panicked and shot up from her spot on the couch to stop you. “Well, wait!” She reached her hand out and grasped your left wrist, halting you from going anywhere, and with the way her fingers twined around your joint with a tightness that felt familiar, you immediately tensed in response, as you snapped your head towards her and stared at her warily, almost like you were afraid she was going to attack you. 

The events of what happened not even a full week ago still weighed heavily on your conscience, and although she wasn’t aware of it, she gathered your uncomfortability immediately, and suddenly let go of you, as she parted her lips and stammered to say something. “Listen, I… I know we just met and all, but… why don’t you come with me?” she asked, looking at you hopefully, as her eyebrows rose, “I could use someone who knows their way around this wasteland and… I think you’d be good company, Y/n.” 

That was the last thing you were expecting her to say, but you couldn’t ignore the way it made your stomach flutter, especially with the way she stared at you, with that same genuine softness she gave you earlier. You didn’t have anywhere you intended to go, and it wasn’t as though you had anything better to do, but nonetheless, you still hesitated to say yes, even if you wanted to deep down. You mindlessly grasped your wrist that she had grabbed, and you glanced down in thought at her proposal, while your thumb rubbed over the bone of your joint, and you bit the inside of your cheek. “I… don’t know…” you trailed off, and at your verbal uncertainty, she slowly stepped closer to you, and rested her palm on your upper arm, giving it a gentle squeeze. 

“Come on,” she uttered, looking at you pleadingly, “there’s no catch here.” Her own thumb rubbed the fabric that sat over your bicep, and although you weren’t sure, her physical touch still managed to somehow slightly sway you. It shouldn’t have, you thought, but it felt nice to experience a gentleness that you hadn’t felt in a long while. So, maybe you wanted to agree, just so you could gain more of the tender expressions she sent your way. 

Maybe you also liked the idea of being around her, because she acted as a breath of fresh air, in comparison to all of the other companions you had journeyed with in the past. Maybe it was her eyes, too, and the way she gazed into your own with a silent promise that she wasn’t going to betray your trust, or hurt you for no reason. It was as though she were looking through a window that allowed her to see your soul for what it was. It was like she just knew what had happened with you, just from a vague explanation and the apparent bruises and wounds that sat on your face. 

It was difficult, battling with your mind and attempting to decide on whether or not you should have accompanied her, but all she had done throughout the time you patched her up and spoke to her was prove to you that she was trustworthy, and didn’t have an evil bone in her body. She wasn’t a Brotherhood of Steel soldier, but a simple vault dweller, who clearly carried more morality than any of the survivors on the surface who labeled themselves a saint. And you had met a lot who did, which only managed to showcase whose brain had been consumed by radiation, and those who hadn’t. 

“Okay,” you eventually muttered, as you rubbed your thumb over the bone of your wrist again, still somewhat nervous. And when her hopeful expression shifted into one of relief at your simple agreement, you felt a weight slip off of your shoulders, while the corners of your lips quirked up faintly, and you smiled small. “I’ll come with you.”

You didn’t regret your choice to follow her, that was for sure. 

And sure, at first, you couldn’t lie and say that you weren’t somewhat distrusting, even if she had made herself seem like a decent individual who didn’t want to do you any harm. But you couldn’t really help it. Especially when you and her stumbled across a Brotherhood of Steel soldier named Maximus, who you did not like at all whatsoever. He was stuck in a power armor suit, and you tried your damndest to get her to leave him, but she said something about the Golden Rule to you, before ultimately helping the guy out.

You definitely didn’t appreciate that. 

But you lived with it, even if you loathed the Brotherhood of Steel with every fiber of your being. At least you were with Lucy, and at least you knew she wasn’t going to hurt you. You couldn’t be so sure about Maximus, so you kept your distance as much as humanly possible, even after he mentioned that he wasn’t going to harm you. However, that only went so far. Because all your past experiences made the process of instilling your trust into new people immensely difficult, so it made total sense for you to act overly uncertain towards everyone you met. 

But after traveling with Lucy for some time, you certainly started to come around. 

You still weren’t so sure about Maximus, though.

Surprisingly, he kind of understood. 

Lucy’s kind-hearted nature and big-sister mentality in the way she addressed you was something you found comfort in, so of course it became easy to trust her. Like in how she tended to your lingering wounds, not even a week after you first started roaming the surface with her. Or how she let you stay with her in her personally picked room when that whole… cult in a vault thing happened. That was after you all encountered a duo of Fiends who used rotting teeth as bullets, which – granted – you knew already, but you had never been shot by one, so that… that was pretty interesting.

Naturally, it forced you to stay at that vault for a day or so, before you, Lucy, and Maximus hightailed it out of there. Cults were certainly not your thing, or anyone’s for that matter. Definitely not when the person they worshipped was the same woman your newfound friend had been searching for. And by the time the three of you left the place, she told you about her secondary search for a severed head, which also didn’t really surprise you, considering you had taken a job once upon a time that consisted of transferring someone’s hand from point A to point B. 

Unsurprisingly, Maximus was also looking for the head.

Either way, Lucy was shocked when you simply nodded along and agreed to tag along with her on her mission. It only made her more curious about you, wanting to know all the things you’ve gotten up to on the surface, and considering the long journey the two of you had ahead of you, you didn’t find yourself hesitating to talk. For the first time, you were the one who carried the conversation, while she listened intently and with a small, interested smile on her face. Maximus was too busy scouting ahead to listen in at the time, but honestly, you preferred it like that.

“Fought a deathclaw once…” 

A sudden gasp escaped Lucy at your words, and you felt the corner of your lip curling up into an amused smirk, as you turned your head towards her and met her hazel eyes, which shined with shock and awe. “What? No way,” she disagreed, stuck in a bout of disbelief, but you could only nod, silently telling her that you were – in fact – telling the truth. It only made her let out a baffled scoff, before she creased a brow in confusion, “How are you still alive? I’ve read about deathclaws,” she stated, “and nine times out of ten, when you find one, they’re the last thing you see.” 

“Guess I’m the lucky one, then,” you replied, your tone conveying a subtle smugness to it, as you shrugged your shoulders and mindlessly lifted your hand to rest it against the handle of your gun that sat in your holster. “I can thank the fragmentation mines that I had in my pack for getting me out of that situation,” you added on, chuckling quietly, “because if I didn’t have those, that thing would’ve torn me apart.” 

“Uh, yeah,” Lucy replied, as if she were saying ‘duh’ with the tone she used. “When you said you had ‘many stories’ about your time on the surface, I was not expecting you to bring up a time you almost got mauled by a deathclaw.” 

Your close calls with deathclaws, mirelurks, or any of the other dangerous creatures that lurked on the surface weren’t the only stories you told to Lucy, either. One night, at a fire, while Maximus slept soundly on the ground, you were stuck having to recall the time you almost died due to your own gullible nature, when you were younger. At the age of fifteen, you found yourself getting into ties with a group of bandits that lacked a moral compass, much to the vault dwellers dismay. Explaining to her that you had to kill innocent people when you were nothing but a kid was a harder feat than you thought.

“Wasn’t like I wanted to do it,” you quietly admitted, as you stared down at the purified water that sat in a beer bottle that you cut in half to act as a cup. You held it tightly in your hand, twisting your wrist slightly to force the liquid to swirl around smoothly within the clear glass. You made sure to completely avoid Lucy’s stare from across the fire, and she could easily gather that, when her features faintly scrunched up in sympathy. “I was just a kid.”

“That’s…” Lucy’s voice trailed off the moment she tried to speak, and you immediately breathed in deeply, as if to brace yourself, while you lifted your chin and looked up to finally meet her eyes from across the way, “you were a kid.” That was all she could say, in the end. And then she nodded her head, before she glanced down towards her own glass of water and creased her brow. “It’s not right, but you regret it now, don’t you?” 

“Of course I do,” you mumbled, only to let out a scoff, before you snapped your focus away from her face to look away, at nothing in particular, “still can’t take it back, though.” You didn’t mean for your tone to come off as sharply as it did, but you couldn’t help your own frustration. Especially because you wanted to be seen as good, or at least, somewhat moral in the eyes of the woman you’ve been traveling with. “But I thought you should know. It’s not a pretty part of my life, but at least I’m telling you something.” 

“And the scar?” Lucy suddenly questioned, her tone careful.

You swallowed, before your eyes flickered down to the jagged scar that sat on the back of your left palm. Shaped like an ‘X’, and healing poorly in just how visible it was to the naked eye. “Well, I mean…” you paused to shrug your shoulders, “obviously, it got to a point where I didn’t want to kill innocent people anymore,” you uttered, “or be a part of their group, for that matter.” You flickered your attention back up to look at Lucy again. “They didn’t like that.” 

Lucy’s expression shifted into one of pained shock, “So they…?” You nodded your head, the action slow and precise, and when your newfound friend caught your silent response, she felt her chest tighten, while her body started moving without a second thought. Standing up from the desert floor the two of you had found yourselves resting on, her boots scuffed against the grain, and she quickly rounded around the makeshift campfire. 

“What are you–?”

You were cut off when Lucy plummeted to her knees and engulfed you in a hug that felt like an umbrella of warmth and comfort. Arms wrapped around your right shoulder, pulling your left into the middle of her chest, while her chin plopped atop the crown of your head, and she squeezed you tightly. It made you feel like you were being suffocated, but the feeling of claustrophobia and discomfort didn’t come to you, even if your face didn’t necessarily look as though you were appreciative of the sudden affection.

As the silence engulfed the two of you, you swallowed, feeling your cheeks heat up out of embarrassment at the vulnerability that seemed to take up the atmosphere, and after a few too many minutes passed, you finally cleared your throat. It was the way to convey that she could pull away, and you were thankful when she did. Although, you were expecting her to step away and walk back to where she was originally sitting, but instead, she maneuvered to linger beside you instead, as her shoulder brushed up against yours, and she nudged you lightly with her knee.

“I know you probably hated every second of that hug, but I felt like you might’ve needed one,” she mumbled, while your eyes flickered back down towards your cup of water, and you slowly lifted it up to allow yourself to take a measly sip of the fluid. “I’m sorry that happened to you, Y/n,” she added on, as you quietly listened to her, still thrown off from what had just happened, “no fifteen year old should have to go through something like that.” 

It didn’t take long for you to eventually swallow down the small sip you took, and when you dropped the cup down onto your thigh, still holding it tightly, you slowly nodded your head, before you turned your face towards her and sent her a small smile. “Thanks for that,” you softly replied, “I can’t remember the last time I got a hug from someone, so… yeah.” You let out a slightly embarrassed huff, and your focus on her was swift to avert, when you set your attention onto the fire, “You’re a good person, Lucy.” 

Lucy smiled at you gently, “So are you, Y/n.” 

That conversation in itself was the thing that defined your relationship with Lucy. It was one full of silent understanding and loyalty that neither of you intended to lose for one another. It only made navigating your journey towards Moldaver easier, and it allowed you to open up a bit more, considering you had always been a little closed off in your affections and communication. In a way, you started to become her own personal guard dog. With knowing the surface and the things that lurked throughout it, you designated yourself as the expendable one, even if she herself hated that particular label. 

So, of course, you made sure to never outwardly call yourself that.

Especially not when she was around.

Eventually, your journey with Lucy came to an end when the two of you finally managed to intercept Lee. After jumping through hoops to get a weird head from a Brotherhood of Steel soldier that had turned into a ghoul – much to your appreciation, considering your dislike towards the entire group, you and her continued on, but not before Maximus parted ways with the two of you to try and confuse his faction, considering they had been called in. It was admirable, in a way. To see him take on the responsibility of diverting his groups course for the sake of helping you and the vault dweller in completing your quest.

It made you start to hate him a little less.

Only a little, though.

Inevitably, you and Lucy found a decently fortified community, after you retreated from Maximus and the ghoul soldier who was internally freaking out about his predicament. Two old, clearly non-working cars lined the sheet-metal doors that led into Moldaver’s home, and with the catwalk sitting above the entrance, you weren’t ignorant to the people carrying weapons, waiting to strike at any given moment.

It was obvious that the head Lucy carried was the thing that kept you and her from getting a bullet to the skull. Surprisingly enough, they didn’t decide to take your weapons when they let you through the doors and escorted you and the vault dweller through a path lined by crops and towards a large, rundown building. And while you both progressed closer and closer to the point of interest, you saw children laughing and jogging around the vicinity, supposedly happy in their element, which only confused you further.  

You heard things about Lee Moldaver. How everyone was terrified of her, and that she was feared. So to say you were confused when you and Lucy finally made it into the building she resided in, and found her having breakfast with a feral ghoul across a long table, would have been a major understatement. 

But then you saw Lucy’s dad stuck in a cage, looking like he’d been sitting out in the sun for far too long, and it brought you back to the reality of the situation. 

You were on a mission to help get him back.

But everything ended up falling through, like ice breaking off from a wall and falling into water, when Lee outed the man as one of the reasons why the world is the way that it is. One of the big figures behind Vault-Tec, striving to change things but in a fucked up, non-moralistic way. And although you didn’t know the man personally, that first impression certainly didn’t encourage you to like him, and even Lucy found herself questioning things, too. Like her childhood, that she had told you all about, and who her mother was, because Moldaver had been deeply interconnected, unbeknownst to her. 

And you.

But of course you didn’t know.

“He never told you where he’s really from,” Lee stated, standing up from the seat that she had been sitting in, and taking the vial she had previously pulled out of the doctors’ head with her, “when he’s from.” She emphasized the first word to her ending explanation, and as Lucy stepped forward to slightly follow the woman, you lingered back and watched on, as you folded your arms over your chest and creased your brow curiously. “He never told your mother, either.” 

“What do you know about my mother?” Lucy questioned suddenly.

Moldaver stepped up to a whirring bench of electronics and – in your eyes – confusion. Though, you did see her set the vial into some sort of square-like container, as it emitted a blue hue onto her skin and whatever else the light could touch. “She was like you,” the woman inevitably stated, “she was kind, loving.” She paused, “Curious.” She suddenly shook her head, before she turned around to look at Lucy, “Isn’t that why you came to the surface really?” she asked, “Partly to rescue your father, but… to know why I took him?” 

Your confusion only intensified, and you found your arms slowly dropping back to your sides, just so you could settle your fingers onto the handle of the pistol nestled into your holster. “Rose was so clever. Like you,” Lee continued, all the while, as you stepped up beside Lucy and watched the older woman carefully, “Lucy, your mother discovered that something was siphoning the vault’s water away. From that one clue…” she raised a hand up to pinch her fingers together, as if to signify just how small it was, “she deduced that, maybe… civilization had returned to the surface.” 

You could already tell where the story was going, and you found yourself swallowing the thick lump that formed in your throat, before you turned your focus over to Lucy, gauging her reaction. All the while, Lee stepped away from the console she had been fiddling with, and while the vault dweller’s expression shifted into a subtle look of disconcerted understanding, Moldaver continued. “When she told her husband, he said it was a ridiculous idea, and that she should tell no one.” 

“Lucy, let’s go,” Lucy’s father suddenly started, gripping the bars of the cage, as he shook his head dismissively and glanced between both you and his daughter. “Let’s–” 

But Lee cut him off before he could try and finish convincing Lucy, who seemed far too stunned to even listen to his reason, anyway. “And that’s when she realized that her husband, the Overseer, was hiding things.” 

“Lucy, let’s go,” the supposed Overseer started up once again, and that was when Lucy’s eyes shifted away from Moldaver’s to look at him instead, “let’s get out of here.” 

“So she ran away.” It felt like whiplash, having to hear the two older individuals fighting to take control of the conversation. Lee Moldaver had spoken up again, and you found yourself breathing in deeply, as your grip tightened on your gun, and you glanced at Lucy once more. “Like you did, Lucy.” When the woman spoke again, though, you forced yourself to take your attention away from the vault dweller, settling your pupils onto the older woman once more. “And took her children. And she found this wonderful city that was everything the vaults had promised to be.” 

“She is lying!” 

All three of you found yourselves ignoring the man’s words. He tried to maintain a steadiness in his tone, and although he succeeded well enough, with a simple glance towards him, you could see the internalized panic shining in his eyes. “But then, her husband came after her.” Moldaver only continued on, recalling the memory, “And when she decided not to return home, he took the children…” her voice trailed, and while you stared at her intently, you could see the way her lips shook, as an emotion of what you could only assume was pain overtook her weathered features, “and he burned that city to the ground.” 

“Shady Sands,” you mumbled suddenly, your voice almost a whisper. However, Lee heard you, and as your lips parted faintly to showcase your shocked recollection, she nodded her head, while you consciously thought back onto the giant crater you and Lucy had come across, just before entering Vault 4. 

“She’s lying, Lucy,” the Overseer suddenly said, ignoring your realization, as his eyes focused entirely on his daughter. But Lucy kept her gaze away from the man, unshed tears shining in her eyes, as she mindlessly shuffled closer to you and swallowed thickly. 

“That’s how Vault-Tec deals with competition,” Lee stated, “just like they did two-hundred years ago.” Her fleeting words were enough to send you into a bout of shock, too. You felt your breath quietly hitch, and unconsciously, your fingers tightened around the handle of your pistol, as your eyes shot towards the ground, glaring a hole into the floor below you. The silence that overcame the four of you was enough to suffocate the atmosphere, and only after a minute, did Moldaver eventually speak up, but she was entirely focused on the vault dweller beside you.

“Lucy?” she called, which successfully gathered Lucy’s attention, when she snapped out of her internal thoughts and blankly lifted her hazel eyes up to meet Lee’s. “What you and your friend brought me is cold fusion,” she explained, “it’s limitless energy.” The Overseer shook his head and parted his lips to call his daughter’s name.

“Lucy…” 

“And we can build–” 

“She’s a murderer.” 

“Our own world.” 

The Overseer’s grip on the bars he held tightened. “Lucy, look at me.” 

“It could be a better world.” Moldaver ignored him, though, while you lifted your head to look at Lucy, who blankly stared down at her boots, “it has clean water and medicine and power–” 

The Overseer interrupted. “She invaded our home!” 

“But for everyone!” 

“Lucy!” 

“Because when Vault-Tec bought my research…”

“She killed our people…” 

“They made it proprietary, so only a trusted Vault-Tec minion can activate cold fusion.” 

“Do not listen to her.” 

You slowly reached up to graze your fingers over her bicep, and your touch was hesitant. You could tell she was slowly but surely pulling herself out of her stupor, but with the continual back and forth between Lee Moldaver and her father, you were almost positive they weren’t helping her. Not with the way her brow was creased, showcasing bafflement and discontent throughout her face. You found yourself eventually biting the bullet and reaching further out to fully wrap your hand around her arm, and when you gave it a squeeze, it seemed to jolt her out of her bout of thought. 

“All I need… is for him to give me the code.” 

Lucy’s eyes flickered to look at you, all while she turned her head in the slightest. She acted like a robot, still shocked and coming to terms with everything she heard. And it only seemed to make her dad impatient, when you heard him let out a deep groan, before he yelled.

“Lucy, look at me!” 

The sound of a metal stool being thrown against the bars of the cage he was in was enough to fully snap Lucy out of her daze, when she flinched at the sudden action and snapped her head up to look at the Overseer. There was a sudden desire of protection that came over you the moment her father reacted, and when you yourself darted your focus to him, you held her arm tighter, as if to keep her rooted in her spot, away from the man.

“Look at me.” You could see the look of desperation in her dad’s eyes, as he gripped the bars of his enclosure and panted quietly, “Lucy,” he called her name once again, but nothing else came out of his mouth. He didn’t bother trying to explain himself. Nor did he refute Moldaver’s statements. He just… stared, and it was enough to lessen Lucy’s attention span when it came to gazing at him, when she fluttered her eyes away from him to address Lee instead.

“My mother,” she said shakily, “what happened to her?” 

Lee stared at Lucy somberly, “I think you know.” 

There was a moment of contemplation, and you slowly let go of Lucy’s arm, before you dropped your hand back onto the handle of your weapon. Unfortunately, you and the vault dweller were quick to put two and two together, and while your eyes widened in realization, she found herself turning around slowly, and settling her gaze onto the feral ghoul that sat at the table filled with food. 

It was her mom.

The entire situation in that dilapidated building sent you in for a loop. From finding out that Lucy’s father was one of the men who worked for Vault-Tec, which was the organization that turned the world the way that it was, to realizing that Lee Moldaver wasn’t as bad as either of you thought. She was a part of the New California Republic, and although you’ve only ever heard stories about them, you didn’t hate them nearly as much as you did the Brotherhood of Steel. That faction of which only ended up attacking the community you found yourselves in, shortly after the Overseer was pressured into giving the code for the cold fusion vial.

All the while, Lucy’s dad attempted to convince her to let him out, manipulating her into believing that he was right for doing what he did, but you found yourself shaking your head and muttering for her to go. And she herself was far too frozen to listen to you, or her father for that matter. So, you found yourself in a predicament. Hearing explosions and gunshots outside, which only got closer and closer to where you and her were, made you start to panic, not entirely knowing what to do. 

But then Maximus came back into the fold, with a headless phantom suit of power armor leading the way into the room, while he himself held up a gun. Unfortunately, one thing led to another in the process. With Lucy’s dad urging the soldier to let him out, he did so without a second thought, which only ended in shit going awry. Because when Lucy finally snapped into reality and told the Brotherhood of Steel knight to not trust the man, you attempted to tug your weapon out of your holster to hold her father at bay, which only ended in you getting knocked out when he snuck inside of the contraption of BOS gear and whacked you in the face with his metal fist. 

You eventually woke up to a dog licking your face, though.

“You know, for a supposed ‘wasteland-born dweller,’ you do not know how to take a hit, kid.” 

Your features scrunched up in reaction to the wet feeling of a dog lapping at your cheek, and with a lazy raise of your hand, you gently swatted the animal away, which earned a soft whine from it in turn. Nonetheless, the pup trotted away, and with the sun having disappeared from the sky to allow the moon to reign down on the world, you didn’t have to squint much when you fluttered your eyes open and pushed yourself up into a sitting position. 

Your jaw was undeniably sore, and you found yourself rolling it around, as you reached a hand up to rub at it. “What the hell are you talking about?” you tiredly questioned, scrunching your eyebrows in confusion, while you eventually lifted your chin up to look at the figure that stood in front of the fire, the cowboy hat he wore shadowing his weathered features, as he gripped the leather of his belt. “Who are you?” 

“The guy you didn’t help.” 

There was a short moment of silence as you recollected everything that had happened within the past two months. And only after a minute or two, did you remember the grocery store and meeting Lucy, as well as the ghoul you had stepped over and passed by, because you thought he was going to turn feral. Naturally, your expression shifted into a look of realization, and when the man turned his head slightly to gaze down at you, you slowly nodded your head, only to completely change the subject. “Where’s Lucy?” 

Looking around, you were in the woods, probably closer to Hollywood than the desert you knew far too well. More importantly, you couldn’t find Lucy, and you felt your heart leap to your throat, as you snapped your focus back up to the man, who let out a scoff and turned his head away from you to stare at the fire again. “She’s just takin’ a bathroom break. Relax.” 

You wanted to flip him off for being so crass, but you lacked the energy to respond, when you simply glanced down in thought and swallowed down the dryness in your throat. It wasn’t long before you pressed your palm against the floor of the forest and pushed yourself up to your feet, and as your boots crunched the leaves below you, you raised to your full height and stretched your back, which caused your muscles to pop and crack from the forced movement. 

The longer you kept your eyes open, the more awake you became, which allowed you to simultaneously take in even more of your surroundings. Particularly the Belgian Malinois that sat on her hind legs and stared up at you with her deep brown eyes. It had been a while since you’d seen a dog that didn’t look mutated, and you couldn’t help the way the corners of your lips curled up into a faint smile at the sight, before you moved your attention away from the animal and scanned the rest of the forest around the three of you.

In that same moment, your eyes found themselves settling onto Lucy, when twigs and leaves crunched beneath her own boots, as she walked back towards the fire you and the ghoul man were at. “Lucy?” you suddenly called, your voice cracking, due to its lack of use. You cleared your throat immediately after, and as you stepped away from the fire to walk towards her, she snapped her head up and immediately met your gaze. 

You didn’t give her the chance to speak. Nor did you gauge her reaction, as you quickened your pace and suddenly pulled her into a tight hug, the moment you were close enough. The quiet gasp she let out was expected, but you focused more on cocooning her in an embrace full of warmth and comfort, just like she did to you all those weeks ago. 

It didn’t take long for Lucy to slowly wrap her arms around you, too, reciprocating the hug, as she buried her face into your shoulder and gripped the fabric of your shirt. “This feels familiar,” she mumbled, her voice muffled, which caused you to let out a quiet huff of amusement, as you rubbed at her back. “Thanks for this, Y/n,” she added on, and you immediately nodded your head, as you squeezed her tighter. 

“Of course,” you replied quietly, “it seemed like you needed a hug.” 

Lucy sighed heavily into your shoulder, and you could tell she was still bearing the weight of what had happened back at Moldaver’s community. “I do,” she murmured, “I really do.” 

And because of that, you decided to hold her for a little longer in turn.

[leviathans-watching]

Do you have any random headcanons about any of the Obey me characters that no one's asked the right question for you to share / don't fit with any headcanon post you've made?

misc hcs of the brothers

includes: the brothers

wc: .7k | rated g | m.list | pt. 2

a/n: omg?? this was so fun to write i'm def going to have to do one of these for the dateables at some point. thanks for requesting!! my inbox is open to that, req, or leave feedback, so come say hi!

please reblog :))

➳ lucifer wears makeup. after someone (mammon, most likely) not-so-kindly pointed out the bags and dark circles under his eyes, lucifer went to asmo for help and learned the basics of concealing, which eventually grew into a whole bag of products he applies most mornings, unbeknownst to everyone but asmo. he does a light coverage foundation, concealer, pencils in and shapes his eyebrows, some light contour on his nose and jawline, and some hardly-noticeable eyeliner. his whole goal is for it to look as natural as possible and he’s gotten really, really skilled over the years.

➳ mammon not only knows how to sew, but makes many of his own clothes himself. nothing on the market was eclectic or unique enough for him so he took matters into his own hands and not has a closet full of custom-made and designed pieces. he doesn’t tend to show off his talent (for once) preferring to let others think they’re obscure designer clothes or made by difficult-to-book designers. every once in a while he can be convinced to make his brothers something, but not unless they agree to an exorbitant price.

➳ levi is an adobe girly. not only does he use almost all of their services, but he’s really really good at them too. mammon and asmo will have him photoshop pictures for him, lucifer will go to him for help with document creation, and even belphie had him teach him the basics of premiere pro. the reason he has such high-powered computers and machinery isn’t for gaming, as most assume, but so they can handle adobe optimally without lagging or overloading. additionally, upon hearing adobe flash was being retired, levi scalped the mechanics of it and created a knockoff that functions just as well, something he shares liberally at rad.

➳ satan has a prodigal-like talent for instruments, able to pick them up and teach himself how to play decently in very little time. he also has perfect pitch, can sightread excellently, and composes music in his free time. his favorite instruments to play are the violin, the piano, and the harp. though his not in any music-based classes (as those are all too basic for him of course) he offers help to students in the classes that are struggling with theory, composition, or playing. he’s also the reason the music wing is rumored to be haunted, as he often plays at weird hours.

➳ asmo is the most independently wealthy of all of his brothers, thanks to all of his economic ventures. not only does he model and act, but he also has shares in many major companies in all three realms that show large profits even if they aren’t super successful when he first invests. he works with barbatos to manage his money and has several bank accounts, and though he lives lavishly, is careful not to show the extent of his wealth, leading people to believe it’s family money he’s spending. although this was done, in part, intuitively, he’s also taken several finance and business classes over the years to help him learn and improve.

➳ beel really really enjoys all of the booktok books, and even discusses them at length with solomon and thirteen, when the two can be civil enough to speak to one another. his favorite genres is dark fantasy and belphie makes fun of beel to no end when he catches him reading. beel keeps his kindle on him at all times, and for his personal favorites, buys a hard copy and annotates it with sticky notes–the whole nine yards. for his birthday, satan gives him a book cover so that he doesn’t keep walking around with those embarrassing overs on display. beel doesn’t use it.

➳ belphie is notorious for stealing his brothers’ clothing. for some reason, he finds them more comfortable than his own and every few weeks the others force him to empty out his drawers and give them everything back. his personal favorites to steal are beel’s shirts and asmo’s sweats, but he’s not picky. he wears them to sleep, around the house, while running errands, and would wear them to rad were there not a uniform. at the beginning, it was out of laziness; him grabbing whatever was close. but over time he developed favorites, and, well, there was no going back from that.

leviathans-watching's work - please do not copy, repost, or claim as your own