#mirror’s writing

[evening-in-a-reflection]

Cross posted on Ao3

A Bitty Drabble Series

- || Chapter V -

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- || Summary -

A series about you and your bitties.

Redoul was your first bitty. He was an unknown kind of Fell bitty that ended up being sold to a bitty fighting ring when he was still young. He was able to escape with the help from his cellmate and his cell’s neighbor, who helped him sneak out and run away.

Redoul, who’s life was saved by you, ended up falling in love with you... and you accepted those feelings and returned them.

...But as the story goes on, you eventually find and meet those old friends of his, and they become just as important to you as Redoul is.

Of course, you don’t stop at just your three LV ridden bitties, and take in more as time goes on.

...Although, none of your more recent bitties have quite the same amount of LV as your first three do, and they might just be a little scared of the trio at first, but with time they do get along and eventually do find comfort in one another.

     You spent most of your shopping trip in the clothing aisles, as you already had mostly everything else you would need at your house. You had asked them if they wanted anything like beds, but they had both declined the offer when Redoul instead suggested that they just sleep with you and him in your bed (you of course had no issues with that). Although Nebul did end up getting a random pillow he found in one of the aisles out of place. Apparently he liked the texture of it.

     You all looked around for a while longer for anything else you might need, but nothing stood out to any of you. When you all decided that you didn’t need anything else, you started to head for the register.

     Finally arriving at one of the lines for checkout, you begin to wait. Nebul and Redoul had at some point moved into the cart to sit next to Ichor, looking through the things they picked out—par Redoul, who didn’t get anything, but made suggestions throughout your shopping trip.

     Although…

     You couldn’t help but notice that the employee behind the register kept subtly trying to steal glances at your bitties. You couldn’t really blame him, since they were all pretty unique. Ichor was a Shattered Dream—one of the rarest bitties out there, Redoul was an unspecified Fell type—another rare occurrence, and Nebul was an Outertale bitty—one of the more passive AUs—with only one eyelight and a massive crack going down his face. Not exactly subtle.

     Poor guy was probably having a hard time processing the fact that there were three very unusual bitties in front of him.

     Like you said before, it’s not like the staring was unexpected when you were coming in here, but it’s still annoying. Nonetheless, you remained polite when it was your turn to have your things get checked out.

     He did his best to stare at his hands while he worked, trying not to look up.

     Now you kind of want to laugh. The poor kid was just too awkward to ask a question, or make eye contact.

     In the end, it was Redoul who spoke up first. “Oh For The Love Of—If You Have A Question You Want To Ask, ASK!! We Won’t Be Mad At You For Being Curious!”

     The guy flinched, seeming to have been taken out of his train of thought. “Ah, uh, sorry. I just… have no idea what to say, or ask… I don’t want to sound rude…” He admitted.

      “We will not be mad at you for being curious, and we will not be offended. I promise.” Ichor said.

     Nebul nodded. “mhmm, don’t worry about us and ask away. you’ll never learn anything if you don’t ask any questions.”

     The man stuttered. “A-ah, r-right. Um, well, if you say so. Ahem, so, what… what kind of bitties are you? I’m pretty sure you,” he pointed to Nebul, “are a Comet, and you,” he then pointed to Ichor, “are a Shattered Dream. But I don’t know what you are…” he said as his eyes landed on Redoul.

     Redoul nodded. “Unsurprising, But Before I Answer Your Question You Should Keep Scanning Those Items.” He said, pointing to your things.

     “Ah—right!” He continued to scan as he waited for Redoul to continue.

     “Good. Now Then, I’m A Fell Type Obviously, But I’m Not One Of The Known Ones,” he pauses, and looks to you. “Actually, Are We Ever Going To Get That Checked Out? Because We Still Haven’t Had That Looked At As A New Fell Type.”

     You blink, and think for a moment, before answering. “Hm, well if you want to then we can. Perhaps we can go and see that vet that Rynell told us about—the one next to the center.”

     “Good, We’ll Do That Then. Not today though” You nod, and Redoul looks back to the employee, who looked a little stunned.

     “A new Fell type and a Shattered Dream…? Wow, I never thought I’d ever meet even one of those things, let alone both .” He looked at Nebul. “What about you? Don’t tell me all three of you have something crazy going on.”

     Nebul only laughed and shook his head. “nah, i’m the only normal one here.”

     Redoul scoffed, and even Ichor gave him an amused side eye.

     “No You’re Not.”

      “No normal Comet can do what you can do, Nebul.”

     “…good to know you think so highly of me…” He pouted.

     The rest of the time spent at the checkout was filled with light conversation with the cashier. He stuck to asking simple questions, probably not wanting to overstep, and your boys were happy to answer.

     Eventually everything was scanned and paid for. You place your bags into the cart and wave the man goodbye.

     “Well he was nice. A little shy, but once you got him talking he seemed to have been enjoying himself.”

     Nebul nodded, agreeing with you. “mhmm, a real curious guy. seemed like a good kid that one.”

      “I wonder if he has any bitties of his own. He seemed quite used to talking to us as individuals, rather than items or pets.”

     “Maybe, Or He Could Be One Of The Employees That Works With The Bitties More Often, And Just Happened To Be Behind The Register Today.”

     “Maybe.” You say.

     You continue to chat with the three of them as you load your bags into your car, and eventually take the boys with you to put the cart away.

     With that done you head back to your car and get in, letting your bitties get comfortable.

     You look at them and smile with anticipation.

     “Ready to go home?”

     They smiled back, just as big.

     The drive back wasn’t necessarily eventful, but the four of you had continued to talk nearly the whole way there. Eventually, during your conversation, you got on the topic of how you met Redoul.

     “wait, you almost drove over him???”

     “No! …Well… okay yeah I almost did, but I didn’t actually hit him! He ran out in front of me and I ended up swerving to avoid him. No damage done.” You hear Nebul laughing at your words.

     “I Don’t Ever Remember Running Out Into The Road, But Considering I Was Obviously On The Verge Of Passing Out, It’s Not Surprising That I Don’t.”

     “Mhmm, you were in terrible condition when I found you.” You glance over at Ichor and Nebul and continue to tell them your story. “I was originally going to stock up on various different things for the winter, like food and wood, and I eventually did, but I got a little sidetracked when Redoul practically fell into my lap. I took him to a vet nearby—not a very good one, by the way. They didn’t even realize he wasn’t a normal Fell bitty; it’s closed now, thankfully. They checked him out and treated him, among other things. I don’t remember all the details, but in the end, after they were finished, they ended up handing him back to me to take home. Which seemed like a mess up on their part, since Redoul didn’t wake up for another week after that.”

     Ichor blinked in surprise. “A week? I knew he was in bad condition when we snuck him out, but I didn’t know it was bad enough to warrant such a long period of rest.” He said.

     You nod. “Yeah, that was a misstep on the vet’s part, but again, that vet wasn’t very good. Two days later I worked up the courage to leave him alone at the house to finally go stock up on supplies in town. I was able to get everything I needed, thankfully, since nobody seemed to be too worried about the upcoming winter at the time. Their mistake, I suppose, since the winter was about as bad as I had expected it to be.”

     “how were you able to tell that the winter was gonna be bad? how come nobody else was expecting it? I thought humans had that whole weather thing figured out.” Nebul asked.

     You hum and answer. “Kinda. Weather forecasts are a thing, and they are usually pretty accurate, but sometimes things can slip under the radar. Everyone was expecting it to be cold, yeah, but they also all lived in town, where help was just around the corner in the form of neighbors. I, on the other hand, live too far away from town to get any help if I need it. I needed to stock up on more than they did, because I would have nobody to help if I needed it.”

     It’s silent for a moment, and you briefly glance at your bitties, wondering why they were so quiet.

     Nebul and Ichor looked almost solemn at your words, clearly not expecting them. Redoul just looked proud, already familiar with how you lived your life, let alone being a part of it.

      “So you… survive your winters, essentially?” Ichor finally asked.

     You pause to think a moment, before answering. “Not really—or not usually , at least. That winter was a bit of an exception. I had just moved into my new home and wasn’t expecting the winter to come so early. It wasn’t necessarily trying to survive , I—or we, since Redoul was there, weren’t in mortal danger or anything, I had already gotten everything we would need to winter through the cold.” You pause again, before continuing. “Last winter wasn’t like that one at all. The first snow came when it was expected, there wasn’t so much snow that we were stuck inside, it wasn’t even as cold, and we had way more time to prepare than last time—I will admit, I kind of over prepared, but I much rather be over prepared than under prepared. But that’s not the point! We’re getting off track!”

     The boys laugh, and Ichor and Nebul seem to have been put at ease, so you continue.

     “A day before Redoul woke up, it had snowed so much so suddenly that we ended up being snowed in. The snow piled up so high I couldn’t even see out my windows. We were completely stuck. Which, to be honest, ended up being a good thing. When Redoul woke up the next day, he lashed out—understandably. He was in a completely new environment with no recollection as to how he got there, along with coming from a more than unpleasant situation, I can’t blame him for reacting the way he did,” you look down when you feel something on your legs, only to find Redoul climbing into your lap, making himself comfortable. Looking back to the road, you continue. “Due to the snow he wasn’t able to leave, and thus kinda forced him to stay and rest. I’ll skip over the details for now, but we ended up being stuck together for nearly two months. In the beginning we agreed that once the snow melted enough for us to actually go outside, I would let him leave—if he still wanted to. I think we can all guess what happened after the snow melted.” You said cheekily.

     Everyone, even Redoul, laughed a little.

     “But yeah, that’s what happened.” You concluded.

     It was quiet for a moment longer, and you let them think, not wanting to disturb them.

      “…so,” Ichor started hesitantly. “If that is how you met, how did you fall in love?”

     You draw a blank.

     “What?” You and Redoul both say, surprised.

      “How did you fall in love?” He asked again.

     You blink, feeling slightly flustered and caught off guard, taking a moment to think. “Um, well, to be honest, I didn’t really fall in love with Redoul until after I agreed to let him court me. I don’t really fall in love easily; I have to let myself fall in love.” You say honestly.

     “…what?”— “…I’m sorry?” You hear Nebul and Ichor say.

     You go to answer, but Redoul beats you to it. “Ma Chère Does Not Love Passively. Once She Starts, She Won’t Stop. Ever. And Because Of That, She Has To Guard Her Heart Closely. If She Doesn’t, She Could—And Has—End Up Getting Hurt. As For How Or When I Fell In Love, I Can’t Say. It Happened Over Time, And When I Realized I Had, There Simply Was No Turning Back.”

     …

     “what did you mean… when you said she had been hurt?” Nebul eventually asked.

     “Ah,” You couldn’t help but sigh, thinking back on it, but you answered nonetheless. “I’ll keep it short; years back, long before I was even living in this town, I had some friends that I loved very dearly. However, apparently, one of the girls there didn’t like me at all, and spread rumors about me behind my back to the others. No matter what I said or what I did to try and defend myself nobody would listen to me—not even my best friends. I was outcasted from everyone. I don’t even know what I did to get that girl to hate me so much, but she did. It feels embarrassing, knowing that I had trusted them so much, but I had been completely heartbroken. I’m over it now, but even when I think back on them, I can’t bring myself to hate them, or even be mad. I still love them, but I’d never want them back in my life, as contradictory as that sounds, but I know they would only hurt me again if I did. So, hopefully, we’ll all never see each other again—for everyone’s benefit.”

     You glance down at Redoul and the absolutely stormy look on his face. “…and probably for their safety.”

     …Redoul only growled.

     Ichor and Nebul didn’t look all too pleased either. “…I’m sorry you had to go through that. …I think I would need to join Redoul in whatever he had in mind should we ever meet them.” Nebul nodded in agreement.

     “Please don’t. That would only get you taken away from me.”

     “…not if nobody finds out.”

     Ichor and Redoul perk up at Nebul’s words.

     “Oh shining stars, you three…”

     Finally, the long awaited moment is here.

     You’re home, with your boys.

     With your bitties in your arms, you step out of your car and stand in front of your house.

     “…Welcome home boys.” You say softly.

     You look at Redoul. “Do you want me to drop you off inside while I get the groceries? That way you can show them around.” You look at the other two. “Or do you want me to stick around?”

     They all glance at each other before Redoul looks back at you. “Go Get The Groceries, And Then All Four Of Us Can Go Inside To Show Them Around.”

     You smile and nod. “Okay, let me set you down so I can go get everything.”

     With that, you set them down on the hood of the car and move to the back to get your groceries. There weren’t too many bags so you were able to carry everything easily enough. You go to close the trunk, only to see your boys standing on top of its door.

     You huff out a laugh, “Well hello, boys.” You say.

     You feel a sudden weight on your right shoulder, and look over to see Nebul. “hello~” He says.

     You make eye contact with Redoul, readying yourself for what you know he’s going to do. As expected, he jumps and lands on your left shoulder in a well practiced movement. “Hello, Ma Chère.”

     You look at the final bitty on the door, and wait for what he’ll do. With a hum, he reaches over with his tendrils and carefully grabs onto the base of your neck, right where it meets your shoulders. He pulls himself over and settles himself next to Redoul, wrapping a tendril around him to keep him from falling off—just in case.

     You couldn’t help but tilt your head and lift your shoulder—the one Nebul was on—at the sensation while giggling. “Hahaha, that tickles.”

     Ichor smiles somewhat bashfully and apologizes. “Ah, my apologies…” He said.

     …he can’t help but be glad that you weren’t bothered by his tendrils around your neck, most humans would have been… uncomfortable, even by the thought alone.

      The last human to have them there certainly was.

     As you closed the trunk, Ichor felt an elbow in his side, breaking him from his thoughts. He looks over to see Redoul already staring at him. “Stop that.” He says quietly.

      “…” Ichor smiles, thankful to Redoul for breaking him out of his thoughts. “Right, of course.”

     You walk towards the front door, locking your car as you pass it, and unlock the front door of your home… of their new home.

     With a click, you open the door and walk into the living room. “Here we are, welcome home.”

     You look around your living room. It hasn’t changed much from when you first moved in, the most that has changed was the few houseplants that now decorated it and the kitchen. There were also two or three blankets thrown across the arms of the couch, too, but that wasn’t surprising. Most bitties absolutely loved soft things like blankets and pillows for things like making nests. Redoul was no exception, and he only fed your love for things like bedding and soft clothes.

     …You’re brought out of your thoughts by Nebul, who was starting to… shake?

     You look over at him, only to see him with magic tears pooling at the edges of his sockets.

     He lifts his arm and rubs at his face with his sleeve, partly hiding his expression. “i… i don’t remember the last time i got to call a place home. sorry.” He apologized meekly.

     You lift your hand—letting the bag you’re holding slide to rest at your elbow—and go to hold him, only to stop short, not wanting to overstep.

     Ichor takes one of the tendrils resting on that side of your neck and wraps it around Nebul gently, cradling him as he begins to cry.

      “You can cry, Nebul. This place is safe, you can cry.”

     Nebul only curls in on himself and tucks his body into your neck, under your chin. Taking that as a sign, you cup your hand against his back and pull him closer, along with Ichor’s tendrils, one of which wrapped around your forearm.

     “i‘m sorry… ‘m just so happy… sorry… sorry…”

     Your heart and soul clenched at his words, and you couldn’t stop yourself from speaking. “Shhhh… you can cry, you don’t need to say sorry. No one will be mad at you for being happy. Not here, not ever.” You run your thumb across his skull as he sobbed into your neck.

     “You’re home, and home will always be safe.”

     Before you know it, you find yourself sitting down on the couch, grocery bags discarded on the coffee table. You cuddled your three bitties to your chest, cradling each of them gently. Ichor and Redoul took to holding Nebul between the both of them in your arms, comforting him as he cried.

     Minutes passed—you’re not quite sure how many—before Nebul’s sobs finally died down. He pulled away from your chest and sat there, still between his packmates and in your arms.

     “well, that was embarrassing.” He said, whipping at his sockets for any stray tears. His cheekbones were covered in one of the cutest blushes you’ve ever seen. It was like a little galaxy; covered in blues and teals and purples, and speckled with white dots like little stars— it was adorable.

     But, nonetheless, you decided to keep that opinion to yourself.

     “No, It Was Not. You Have Nothing To Be Ashamed Of.”

      “Crying is to be no embarrassment, Nebul. There is nothing to apologize for.”

     “haha, right, right. thanks, guys.”

     You look at the three of them with a soft expression, before addressing Nebul. “Are you alright now? That was pretty sudden.”

     Nebul looked sheepish as he rubbed his neck. “yeah, i’m good. i just… this is probably gonna sound a little weird to you, since you’re a human, but this placed just smelled so much like you and redoul, and your presence was everywhere, and you called it our home… i just couldn’t help but feel like it was just… ugh, i don’t know how to say it. it just felt like i was finally home .”

     You smiled as you spoke. “That’s because you are home, Nebul.”

     He froze, seeming to not know what to say. His blush grew brighter, taking on deeper, richer colors, and the stars (or were they freckles?) only grew brighter.

     He looked away flustered, and a soft, soft , smile stretched across his skull.

     “yeah, i am… we are.”

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- || Note -

Not my best chapter, not my worst, but I don’t hate it, and that’s all that really matters.

I’m not a hundred percent sure where to take the story from here… do I want to write more scenes with our main three, do I want to do a timeskip and explore the universe I’ve set up more, do I want to finally introduce Allira (reader’s best friend (not the old ones)), or do I want to introduce more bitties with or without a time skip? Idk.

Any suggestions on what bitties you want to see the boys interact with? Either now or in the future. I’m still drawing a blank on who I want to integrate into the story first and how.

Thank you for reading!

[novakiart]

spideypool but it's a comedy of errors

[mournfulroses]

Margaret Atwood, from a poem titled "Tricks With Mirrors," featured in You Are Happy

[corkinavoid]

DPxDC My Brother in the Mirror

Damian doesn't like mirrors.

He never mentioned the fact to other members of the family, but they are detectives and vigilantes, it's their job to be observant. Which, after so many years, becomes a habit.

Damian doesn't actively avoid the mirrors - he has a mirror in his bathroom, he didn't express any discomfort over going into a mirror labyrinth at some carnival they've attended (he expressed disgust over taking part in something so stupid, in his words, but that's a whole another story), and he actually spent a few minutes in front of the funhouse mirrors when no one was looking, watching his own reflection distort in various ways. He also has no problems with his self-image - he doesn't mind pictures of him taken at any time (unless it's Tim, but that's, again, a whole another story), he's drawn a few self-portraits that were rather accurate and he liked them.

He just doesn't like mirrors. For some reason.

His family, both close and extended, never questioned it. They did some gentle research to see if the dislike was caused by some kind of problem Damian was experiencing without telling anyone, but when they found no proof of that, they've just decided it was some quirk of his. Everyone has quirks. Dick doesn't like eating cereal like a normal person, Tim despises sleep, Steph is at war with any color other than purple.

That is, until one day, Tim witnesses Damian sitting in front of a mirror.

He is not even aware of it - the whole family is having a game night, and through some arguments and rearrangements on the couch, Damian ends up sitting on the left side of it, where his back is turned to one of the three mirrors in the room. Tim, who's lost the last round, is slumping in an armchair nearby, pointedly looking away from the screen where Damian and Jason are enthusiastically competing over the first place in Mario Cart. Of course, Tim can't just not watch it since he needs to know their strategies. But turning back around would also be admitting defeat.

The solution? Easy, watch the screen through the mirror.

Which is when he notices it.

Damian in the mirror doesn't act the same as Damian in the room. Out of the corner of his eye, Tim can see the real Damian moving around, shoving Jason with his elbow, fully concentrated on the game, and yelling something. Damian-in-the-mirror is sitting unnaturally still, the back of his head over the couch unmoving.

Tim forgets all about the game when Damian's reflection starts to turn around. Slowly and carefully, eerie in the way the horror movies are, the boy in the mirror turns his head around like an owl, his neck twisting inhumanely.

His eyes are green. Green like the toxic waste, like Jason's madness, like acid in cartoons, like the Waters of Lazarus.

Damian in the mirror smiles, his unblinking, gliwing eyes fixed on Tim, and his teeth are sharp and pointy, and there are too many of them, humans can't smile this wide.

"-im? Tim!" A hand nudges him in the shoulder, and Tim looks away from the mirror, finding Dick standing over him. The noise of the game room returns all at once, and, wait, when did it become quiet for Tim?.. He must have a strange expression on his face because Dick's easy smile falls slightly, and he frowns, "Is everything okay?"

Tim looks back to the mirror, but the green-eyed boy in the mirror is gone, and the mirror only reflects Damian as he is: sitting on the couch.

"Yeah," Tim shakes his head and forces a smile on his lips, "I just zoned out."

"Okay," Dick pats him on the shoulder and gives him the controller, "It's your turn now."

Tim takes the controller and turns around, facing the screen. Tim throws a quick glance at Damian, who had slid down on the couch so his head would not be in the reflection anymore. Tim sees the cold, warning hint to his eye, a clear do not speak of it message.

Tim doesn't like that the mirror is now behind him.

[a-scary-lack-of-common-sense]

More of Stanley's sketchbook because he makes me sick /pos

(Just imagine he was looking in a mirror at the subway to draw this anshfhwj. The london bus ticket is unrelated, it's just a random knick knack he had lying around<3)

People weren't the only ones Stan met on the streets.

------

+ this is an absolute fucking batshit WILD oneshot I initially wrote for these drawings that got WAY out of hand, if you feel like reading that.

The oneshot below is a stand-alone now, and in no way is related to the drawings above, but I just wanted to show you guys because Jesus Christ

------

Winter of 1981, at a subway station Stan doesn't remember the name of-

The sorry excuse of a transport system that this hellhole of a city called a functioning subway was hardly anyone's first choice of a warm place to stay the night. And yet, here Stanley was; standing like an idiot in the middle of a small bustling stairwell that led down to the full screeching chaos of a train stop on a Tuesday evening. A rowdy crowd of exhausted office workers streamed out like a tidal wave from the entrance of the station, the bustle of their footsteps all too eager to go home and relax after a long day of work.

The faint, stuffy stench of old piss and sweat followed the crowd to the surface from the deep depths of a less than sanitary and overcrowded train station. The pungent smell intermingled with the crisp stinging winter air in a cocktail of shitty city gloom often associated with this time of the year; when the holidays were too far away and the sun seemed to come and go with practically the same 9 to 5 schedule as the workers had, leaving them going to work in the pitch dark and coming back out in the inky black as well.

He might have looked like he belonged there, depending on how one would want to look at it. He stuck out like a sore thumb amongst the sea of prim, pressed suits and neart uniforms. His ratty old jacket and generally unwashed appearance certainly didn’t help his case, but he also knew that stations like these also tended to shelter quite a number of homeless wanderers like him, especially during the winter. So, it wasn't exactly uncommon to see other sore thumbs seeking reprieve from the biting cold and the dangerous likelihood of frostbite from within the enclosed walls of the subway station.

Heck, if most of these underground kingdoms didn't also happen to be a breeding ground for several illicit activities, he might even have followed their lead. But, believe it or not, Stanley's already had enough experience with illegal activities to last him a last time, and he isn't looking for a new fill. He was satisfied with what meager shelter his trusty car offered him, as little a difference it might make in terms of safety.

Stanley's obstruction of the already narrow stairs with his loitering went unappreciated, as shoulders roughly shoved past him and swinging briefcases repeatedly bumped into his sides, usually coupled with a nasty glare and a snide comment or two. He paid them no mind, however. He wasn't here to start a fight with some random bum with a dead end job, as much as he thought it would probably do them both some good to duke their stresses out on one another.

The hours ticked by with wave after wave of new crowds being dropped off by a train and left to pour out of the station into the streets. By the time the streetlights turned on and the pale pink in the sky slowly faded to make way for the stark glittery black of the night sky, the tide of people had slowed to a trickle and rush hour was long since over. He was now the stairs’ sole occupier, with a few occasional stragglers stumbling up the steps and hurrying past him without a second glance.

Stanley did not move from his spot, however. He stood resolutely in the middle of the stairway, fervently rubbing his arms and stamping his feet in a futile attempt to try and regain feeling in his extremities as he waited. Rocking on his heels, he titled his head backwards to let his eyes roam the constellations that carpeted the endless expanse of the sky stretched out above his head, almost losing himself in the scintillating canvas of stars.

It reminded him of old times; of the sparkling beach sand twinkling in the dim moonlight, and the soft sound of lilting waves hovering in the background as he lay back on the cold wooden deck of his ship and watched the stars dance.

He still remembered every name his brother had once recited to him time and time again as he pointed out each star and galaxy from the night sky.

Then, like clockwork, he was broken out of his reveries by a telltale meow coming from below. The sound was a familiar blanket that immediately melted away the tension that had begun to build in his chest as he practically sagged with relief.

His body moved almost automatically as he leaned down to detach the frail tabby cat that was attempting to literally fuse with his legs, purring up a storm and rubbing her head against his pants as though her life depended on it. The cat gave a soft chirrup of dissatisfaction at being manhandled, which Stanley absentmindedly replied with a chiding click of his tongue as he lifted her up his chest and gently tucked her into his jacket in a practiced motion.

She thankfully remained blissfully limp in his grasp as he shifted around some more so that she was nestled comfortably inside the dark pocket of warmth inside his ratty jacket. The tiny warm lump that rumbled contently against his front radiated with heat, and his fingers finally began to feel like actual fingers rather than useless stiff frigid lumps of meat and bone attached to his palms.

A pointed cough startled him from his clumsy wriggling to get the cat to settle down. An oddly familiar security guard stood at the entrance of the station at the bottom of the stairs, leveling Stanley an unimpressed look with the metal gate in his grip already halfway closed, ready to seal the subway for the night. He must have been a comical sight; caught awkwardly bent over while trying to get his newly acquired cat to stop kneading biscuits on his stomach, with said cat peeking out from the gap between his collars.

Stanley faintly recognized the guard. He was a much older man, with a shock of thinning white hair neatly tucked underneath a dark blue cap and a strange depth in his eyes that reminded Stanley of the sea; with countless unspoken truths lurking far beneath the surface, but no less grand and knowing of all that the universe had to offer, as though he had already lived a thousand lives before this one.

He had seen the man around before, at another station, doing the opposite of his job by ushering stray buskers and homeless stragglers from the streets and into the (relatively) safe walls of the subway, instead of doing what any other law-abiding security guard would do and kick them out into the elements. He wasn't sure what the older man was doing here, of all places, since all the previous stations he'd seen the man at had been several states over, practically on the other side of the country.

A brief spark of panic shot through his spine at the thought that this man could be following him, but he quickly discarded the ridiculous notion as soon as it entered his mind. He had never even seen him before, and hardly ever even interacted with him; there was no reason for there to be any sort of bad blood between them. Unless he happened to be related to one of Stanley's many, many enemies, then perhaps his fear was a little warranted.

However, the old guard made no move to attack or do anything other than stare judgmentally, almost expectantly. For the first time in a long time, Stanley felt like a child being caught doing something he wasn't supposed to do. He tried his best to keep his uncomfortable squirming to a minimum under the unrelenting gaze, stubbornly returning the man's gaze with his own wary glare. His cat’s muffled whining came from inside his jacket. The traitor, she was leaving him to deal with the old man on his own.

With an exasperated jerk of his head, the security guard gestured towards the inside of the station. For a moment, Stanley stared dumbly, uncomprehending of what the old man could possibly want from him. Rolling his eyes, this time the man gestured more insistently at the small gap that still remained between the metal gate and the entrance, his arm sweeping the air in a low arc as he dramatically urged Stanley inside. Suddenly, it clicked, and Stanley shook his head.

“I have a car,” he said plainly, his voice echoing loudly in the desolate silence of the winter night that surrounded the unlikely pair.

He wasn't sure why he was so nervous, it wasn't as though he was lying. He did have a car, his trusty Stanley-mobile was parked safely away in the corner of an unassuming alley that wasn't often frequented by anyone. There was no way he was reaching it tonight, though; it was practically on the other side of the city, much too far away for him to arrive at a reasonable time. His nightly excursions to meet his small friend unfortunately left him with no other choice than to leave his car behind, the hunk of metal far too unwieldy and noticeable to drive around openly on the streets. He never knew who could be watching, after all.

He had simply been hoping to find himself a dark corner to tuck himself into with his cat, just for the night, but it seemed as though the universe had other plans. Or rather, this strange old man had other plans.

Although, if Stanley thought about it, the subway wasn't such a bad suggestion. This was one of the safer stations in the city; and with the rich neighborhoods being so close by, no rogue criminal or dealers dared to come near this area unless they wanted to be slapped with a hefty fine or face a higher potential to be arrested. And of course, there was the obvious shelter from the unrelenting cold that now seemed to permeate his bones, even with the purring warmth that was nestled inside his jacket.

So, that was how he found himself hunkering down for the night inside a shabby old subway station, with a satisfied cat still rumbling away against his chest and a strange old security guard locking down the gates behind him. The man said nothing as he hooked his keys back onto his belt and gave a firm pat on Stanley's shoulders as he walked past him, pausing to scratch his cat behind her ears before moving away. His footsteps bounced off of the grimy tiled walls with an odd reverb as he turned a corner.

“You'll be safe in here,” the man said, voice sage and gravelly. The words had a weight to them, and seemed to hang in the air with such a presence it was as though the old man had never even left his side.

The subway was empty, quiet. It was such a stark contrast to the loud rowdiness of the rush hour crowd these halls once held. Stanley hadn't yet registered the utter silence of the station as he aimlessly made his way down the winding, deserted halls of the ancient station. He mindlessly walked past the aged and peeling advertising posters plastered on the walls, his nose becoming accustomed to the stinging stench of the subway. The quiet seemed to swallow the sound of his steps as he explored the branching paths and endless tunnels. They were almost kaleidoscopic, dizzying, nonsensical. There were doors where there shouldn't be, and deadends where it didn't make sense.

The silence only began to truly settle in his bones the more he walked. He suddenly wished that he would head the telltale footsteps of the old security guard again, just to hear another sign of life in this underground hellscape other than himself. The ghostly memories of screeching trains and bustling crowds haunted the halls; now, only nothingness reigned supreme. He glanced down at his small feline companion, who slumbered away against his chest, blissfully unaware of his jackrabbiting heartbeat threatening to burst out of his ribs. The silence seemed to permeate every inch of space and crush the air out of his lungs. He couldn't breathe.

Stanley’s steps grew faster, more frantic as the walls and ceilings seemed to close in on him. They grew smaller, tighter; squeezing, trapping. He hardly even registered his cat's complaints as she was jostled around in his grasp, breaking into a full out run. His breathing sounded loud, too loud, and the world was collapsing around him.

When he finally broke out into a large, open platform, he could finally breathe again. He had arrived at the tracks, the empty tunnel where the trains would pass an empty, gaping maw in the wall that seemed to swallow all light around it and beckon him closer. He felt his cat wriggle out from within his jacket and hop out with a displeasured yowl, scampering away and disappearing behind a corner much like the old man had. True silence pierced his ears and thrummed like a deafening pressure in his temples. He was alone.

Stanley was stuck in that subway station for years.

[tryingonametaphor]

Why Will Byers?

An analysis and theory on why Henry/Vecna targeted Will first in season 1 and his plans for Will in season 5

‼️Contains The First Shadow (TFS) spoilers so please proceed with caution.‼️

This is going to be a little long but I’ve tried to give as much context as I can without actually being able to show snippets from the stage play. This is my interpretation of everything that went down as a member of the audience and not as someone who has read up any theories about TFS before. To understand why Henry took Will first in 1983, we have to start with -

Henry and Joyce

From all the times I’ve watched TFS, the one thing that has stuck with me is the final conversation Henry has with Joyce. It’s just before his last confrontation with Patty Newby and before he joins Brenner for good. Joyce is the last person (who doesn’t know about Henry’s powers) that he canonically talks to.

Throughout the entire play Joyce, Hopper, and Bob are investigating the animals dying at the hands of Henry and come to the conclusion that Victor Creel has been the one doing the killing. They get so close to solving the case. In her last conversation with Henry, Joyce tries to comfort him by saying that Victor will pay for his crimes - which makes Henry laugh because she’s so close yet so far from the truth. He gets a little frustrated and says something along the lines of “You don’t get it. But someday you will.” (edit 28/9: the exact dialogue is [Henry: you’re too nice. that is how they’ll get you. you have to learn to do anything you can to protect the ones you love] [Joyce: I don’t understand.] [Henry: You will.]) The next time we see Henry make a reappearance in Joyce’s life is during -

The Vanishing of Will Byers

Will is taken into the Upside Down (UD) by Henry. It’s not even a question anymore. All of the context clues from 1x1 lead us to believe that Will’s kidnapping was not by a demogorgon. Will - a 12 year old - miraculously survives a week in the upside down with no food or water. Will is even around the demogorgon a few times in the Upside Down. (Joyce communicating with Will through the lights and then the demogorgon coming after her immediately).

Barb dies the night she is taken but Will stays alive and also somehow manages to talk to Joyce through the wall. Joyce is led exactly to where Will was held at the end of s1 and he makes it out alive. It’s almost as if Henry knew all along that Joyce was the most capable of never giving up on finding her son. Like Henry took Will Byers because he was Joyce’s son. And like he was giving her just enough to know that Will was alive. Even when Joyce and Hopper find him at the end in a state of near death, he’s not injured by a creature. He was being prepared for the next stage of Vecna’s plan -

The Possession of Will Byers

The origins of Henry’s powers happen as such - As a kid, he is transported into the UD (originally coined Dimension X by the government) for a few hours because he touched something he wasn’t meant to touch. During his time in there, he came in contact with the Mind Flayer (MF). According to TFS this is the point in his life when he started getting “corrupted”. Brenner’s dad - who was one of the first people to enter dimension X - had mutated blood after but no powers. Henry was the first person to come in contact with the MF and it’s highly likely he got his powers because of this (This would also track considering how most of the party has been in the UD now but show no signs of having powers). The MF controls Henry for the rest of TFS and Henry grows more power hungry the more he kills.

In S2, Henry presumably sends the MF after Will - who has now had a year to heal from the events of 1983. Will is the only other person in all of ST to have had direct contact with the MF and survived it. Henry didn’t hesitate to kill Billy in S3, but he always gives everyone just enough to keep Will safe. Will himself tells Owens in S2 that the MF wants to kill everyone except him. Will once again survives the entire ordeal and is given a “break” for the next 2 seasons. Except I don’t believe he’s been just given a break. I think Will is -

Henry’s Sleeper Agent.

Ready to awaken in s5. I undoubtedly think that Will is going to have powers. And I don’t think they’re going to be the same as Henry and El. El and the other lab kids get their powers directly from Henry. Will’s powers will be directly from the MF like Henry. I believe this has been Henry’s plan all along and it’s further affirmed by what he tells Will in the recent VR game. That Will will be the key to Henry being able to infiltrate his friends’ minds. Jamie Campbell-Bower also mentioned during the S4 press that to get in character, he set up a display with all of Henry’s victims and targets’ faces on his wall(?), and Will was in the center.

Henry is going to use his connection with Will sneakily and midway through S5 he’s going to awaken Will’s powers (maybe in ep4 - which is said to be titled ‘Sorcerer’ and has young Will in it). Henry is going to try and manipulate his way into making an ally out of Will, and it’s not going to work because -

Will is the Perfect Character Foil.

Will is everything Henry could have been if he had a better support system. He is the perfect character foil. Unlike Henry, Will has a mother who loves him unconditionally and more importantly, believes him. Unlike Henry, the person who Will loves the most (the Patty to Will’s Henry: Mike) is going to love him back and stay by his side all season. No one is going to force them to be apart the way Henry was told to stay away from Patty. Will is not going to be easily swayed even though Henry has spent years crafting him into the perfect soldier. Sure, Henry has seen him heartbroken and sad, but that comes nowhere near to the amount of love and support Will is going to get from his people next season. And they’re going to quite literally defeat Vecna with the power of love and friendship. After that, Will Byers is getting the happy ending that Henry could have gotten.

[choccy-milky]

seb always has time for clora 🥰💕 ((from the newest chap of my fic! ao3 / wattpad))

[bluerosefox]

You know what.

ANOTHER DPxDC idea (as if I write prompts for anything else lol ✍(◔◡◔)

And once again, I think I might have a hyperfixation rn, another deaged Dani (Ellie) and Dan (Dante)! and Dad!Danny.

And you know what, lets make it another DannyxConner idea.

Danny is on a field trip with his class (NOT in Gotham though, LOVE Gotham but lets go with a different city) in like Central City or Metropolis (If Metropolis, Danny is SUPER excited to see the space sections they have at the museum they no doubt have, because well SUPERMAN is an alien and based in their city. If in Central City Conner is visiting Bart.)

During the trip he bumps into Conner and the two just hit it off. Conner enjoys listening to Danny rant about space and the stars and finds watching Danny's eyes light up in joy kinda cute. And if he got his new hero name Supernova from listening to Danny's rants about the stars well... no one needs to know how he got it.

Danny likes how chill Conner is and how the guy stood against Dash and the other jocks when Dash decided he wanted to mess with Danny during the trip, a rare thing nowadays but sometimes Dash does try, and how he respects/likes Danny's friends.

He didn't even say anything negative or hurtful when he found out Danny has two kids back home.

In the end the two exchange numbers, flirt hard, and maybe set up a date in the future. And then more dates. Becoming boyfriends. AND meeting the family. Conner is smitten with just out of toddlerhood Ellie and toddler Dante and adores them. And he loves how the Fentons just love him the moment he stepped into their house and was introduced as Danny's boyfriend, he made sure to bring over a pie Ma should him how to make.

Things get a bit complicated when Conner, Supernova, is at a reunion of YJ members and his phone lights up with a text message from Danny.

He's smiling with a goofy/soft look when he opens the text and see's its a picture of Danny holding a pouting toddler Dante and Ellie on his lap smiling with a notable gap in her teeth at the camera. The message he got was 'Ellie wanted you to know she finally lost her first baby tooth. Dan's been grumpier, I think he misses you.'

He is pulled out of his happy thoughts and musings when he hears Bart gasp hard and drop a bowl of snacks onto the floor. Conner turns to from the future Speedster and see's him about to have a panic attack.

Bart, Impulse, is having a freak out after catching a glimpse of the text picture Conner had gotten and being nosy wanted to know what got his friend to smile so smitten. He knew of Conner's current boyfriend and the kids Conner adores but haven't had time to be introduced to them or even see a pic.

He wasn't expecting to see the very MONSTER of his NIGHTMARES that basically destroyed the world in the FUTURE as a toddler pouting at a camera and surrounded by two smiling identical looking people either. People he never saw in the future or with HIM AND-

Oh.... OH!

Was that why he turned evil? Did something happen to his family?

[ineffablejaymee]

sure steddie dating pre-season 4 is great and all, steve rushing to eddie to check up on him instead of eddie attack him in the werehouse is nice

BUT

steddie hooking up pre season 4, then sorta-almost-dating but they have a big falling out and they dont see eachother until the werehouse IS JUST SO JUICY

even better if they had the argument bcs steve wasnt telling eddie something to protect him from the upside down fuckery. and in the werehouse they lock eyes as eddie realizes what steve has been lying about, and steve (who just realized he was in love with eddie) realizes he failed and eddie is now in the middle of this crazy dangerous shit and he blames himself ofc

and give me robin who knew steve had someone, but he didnt tell her it was eddie. and she connects the dots and looks at steve and they have a little silent conversation bcs holy shit i knew u were a boy kisser but an eddie kisser?!?!

[evening-in-a-reflection]

Cross posted on Ao3

A Bitty Drabble Series

- || Chapter II -

< Previous || Masterlist || Next >

- || Summary -

A series about you and your bitties.

Redoul was your first bitty. He was an unknown kind of Fell bitty that ended up being sold to a bitty fighting ring when he was still young. He was able to escape with the help from his cellmate and his cell’s neighbor, who helped him sneak out and run away.

Redoul, who’s life was saved by you, ended up falling in love with you... and you accepted those feelings and returned them.

...But as the story goes on, you eventually find and meet those old friends of his, and they become just as important to you as Redoul is.

Of course, you don’t stop at just your three LV ridden bitties, and take in more as time goes on.

...Although, none of your more recent bitties have quite the same amount of LV as your first three do, and they might just be a little scared of the trio at first, but with time they do get along and eventually do find comfort in one another.

     You stand hesitantly in front of the rescue center’s doors, staring absentmindedly at the sign above it. Redoul wasn’t doing much better, sitting on your shoulder with a blank face, looking lost. You knew this was hitting him hard; he was afraid to hope. Afraid to hope to see his friends, the people he had walked through hell together with, and the people who set him free from it.

     What if they weren’t there? What if it wasn’t the ring he was in? What if—

      What if they didn’t make it?

     You never met them. You never knew them. But what you did know was that these people were so, so important to your mate, and you couldn’t help but be afraid of what it would do to him if they weren’t there. You loved him so much, and you didn’t want him to hurt any more than he already had, but you couldn’t avoid this. You had to do this.

     Clenching your teeth, you take in a breath and pull the door open.

      You're scared. He is too. More so than you.

     The atmosphere you’re greeted with is warm and welcoming—it soothes you, even if only slightly.

     The walls are colored with a dark, warm maroon. It wasn’t the color you were expecting, but it somehow fit. At the front desk sat a woman with curly brown hair and thin gold wire frame glasses. A small red jewel hangs down from a chain next to her left lens. The woman’s hair was held up with a hair clip, with her bangs out framing her face. Resting on her face was a small, relaxed smile.

     She looked up at the sound of the door, and her smile widened as her eyes landed on you and your mate.

     “Hello and welcome to the Great Lake Black Rescue Center. My name’s Rynell, is there something I can help you with?” Her words were obviously practiced and repeated often, but something about her posture, or perhaps her smile, eased some of the tension out of your shoulders.

     “Yes, um,” you clear your throat, trying to find your words. “I saw a news article about a bitty ring being broken up… and I’m wondering if you received any of the rescues from there. I’m—well, we are looking for… well, my bitty—Redoul’s—old friends.” You gesture to Redoul on your shoulder with your hand. At your movement he looks up from the floor and at the woman—Rynell—behind the desk. He doesn’t speak. His silence concerns you slightly, but you can understand his lack of words.

     You couldn’t help but notice the tremble in his hands.

     Rynell’s smile drops into a pitying look as she hears your words, before smiling again and nodding.

     “We have actually received most of the recuses from the ring just two days ago. We didn’t have enough room for all of them, so the ones that we couldn’t take in were sent to one of the other nearby centers; if your friends aren’t here, they would likely be there. Could you tell me who you’re looking for?” She moves her hands to her mouse and keyboard, quickly clicking through something before looking back to you and Redoul.

     You glance at Redoul, seeing if he wanted to speak, but he made no move to do so. Instead he looked back to the floor.

      ‘This is really getting to him…’ you thought worriedly.

     You take in another breath and look back to the woman behind the counter, nodding. “Yes. We’re looking for two bitties in particular; one is an Outertale Sans bitty called Cos. Redoul says that he had a rather large gash over his left—wait no—his right socket, and that socket’s eyelight was extinguished. The other is… well, a Shattered Dream bitty. I don’t think you need much of a description for him. They called him Umbra.”

     You saw a brief look of surprise pass over her face at your descriptions of them, before it settled as she nodded. “I know exactly who you’re talking about. They’re both here and in about as good of health as they could be at this point in time.”

     Redoul’s head shot up at her words.

     “THEY’RE HERE!?” He exclaimed loudly. You flinch slightly at the volume in your ear, but make no comment.

     Rynell smiled at the bitty, before looking away with a compliment look. “Yes, they are. Um, hmmm… well, usually, when someone comes in to see a rescue bitty they need to file an appointment before getting the chance to see them—not to mention the fact that rescue bitties aren’t supposed to have any visitors until either a week to a month has passed, to give them time to recuperate and settle from the change in environment. But…” she glanced at Redoul. “There can be exceptions, like in the case of a missing bitty reuniting with an owner or family member… excuse me for asking—this is very unprofessional of me—but would you have happened to have been from the same ring?”

     Redoul straightened slightly, looking her in the eyes. “…I Am. Back Then, I Was Called Roi. I Decided To Leave That Name With The Ring When I Got Away.”

     Rynell stared at him for a moment, her expression vague, before she huffed a laugh and straightened herself, smiling once again. “Alright, I’ve made up my mind. The rescues have only been here for two days now, and usually you would have to wait at least a week before you could meet anyone, but I can make it to where you can see them tomorrow; I would let you in today, but unfortunately there are certain paperwork I need to fill out for a rescue to have a visitor before anything else—least someone get arrested—and the soonest that I can get that paperwork and then fill it out is tonight. Anything you would need to sign can wait until tomorrow. Does that work for you, or do you need more time? Either for work or other personal reasons.”

     You and Redoul stare shocked at her.

      ‘She—she’s an angel!!!’

     You step forward. “That would be perfect! Thank you so, so much! What time should we be here tomorrow?”

     “The earliest I can get you in is 9:30 in the morning—although I recommend getting here by 9 o’clock , so that you have some time to read through and sign the paperwork.” She reached over and pulled out a business card from her desk, before flipping it over and scrawling a phone number across an open space. She then hands it to you. “On the front is the number to the front desk, and the one I just wrote down was my personal number. What I’m doing with getting you an early meeting isn’t necessarily illegal, but it is certainly bending the rules, so it’s best to just keep this between us for now, okay? And don’t worry about me, I’ll be letting my boss know about this—where do you think I need to get the papers from?”

     “I really can’t thank you enough,” you take the card from her. “I’ll make sure to call you if we need anything. Um, should I give you my number just in case you need to let us know of anything?” You ask as you look at her.

     She hums slightly, before grabbing a sticky note and a pen from her desk. “Probably a good idea, do you want to tell me or do you just want to write it down yourself?”

     The two of you talk for a bit longer, with Redoul chiming in every once in a while, much to your joy. After a few minutes of conversation you eventually finalize the rest of the details that needed to be discussed in the moment.

     Before you knew it, you found yourself making your way back to your car, ready to drive home and rest for tomorrow.

     You take your place in the driver's seat and simply sit there for a moment, processing everything that had just happened. Redoul had a pile of blankets in the passenger’s seat he would stay in whenever you were driving.

     He sat there looking as dazed as you felt—if not more so.

     “They’re alive…” Redoul muttered, his usual volume and strength absent from his voice. He began to shake, and buried his face in his hands. “They’re Alive…!”

     You felt your eyes water as you looked at your trembling mate, feeling a cacophony of both your and his emotions from across your bond with him. With a shaky breath, you reach over and pick him up, cradling him gently against your chest. He continued to tremble in your hold, clinging to your shirt and pressing himself into you.

     “Ma Chère… I’m—I’m So Happy. They’re Alive, And I’ll Get To See Them Tomorrow! I… I’m Just So…” he buried his face into your neck, not bothering to finish his words.

     “I know, my love, I know. I couldn’t tell you how relieved I was when she said they were there and alive . I’m so happy for you, Redoul.” You covered his back with your hand as he clung to you.

     You can’t wait for tomorrow.

     You felt giddy as you drove to the rescue center the next day. Redoul was in his spot in the passenger seat, looking about ready to vibrate right out of it with how jittery he looked.

     He clasped his hands together and wrung his phalanges—a nervous habit he’s had for a while now.

     “Ma Chère… Do You Think They Will Be Glad To See Me?” He asked quietly.

     You weren’t sure how to answer. “Well,” you start. “I can’t say for certain. I haven’t met them personally, so I’m not completely sure, but I’d like to think so. From what you’ve told me, it sounds like they really cared about you—or as much as they could afford to, given the environment you were in. They risked their own safety, and likely their lives, to get you out despite the dangers. If I were to take a guess, then I’d say they will be very glad to see you.”

     He didn’t respond, but you could tell he relaxed a little at your words. After a few seconds he hummed and nodded. “Hm. Thank you, Ma Chère.” He said.

     “Of course.”

     You park in an empty spot in the parking lot of the rescue center. 8:58. Perfect.

     With a breath, you unbuckle and step out of your car with Redoul now in his usual spot on your shoulder. You walk towards the doors and pull one open, stepping inside.

     At the desk sat Rynell. She seemed to be filtering through some papers when she heard the door open. She looked up and saw you, glanced at the clock, and smiled.

     “Right on time, and welcome back. Since I already know what you’re here for, we'll skip over the rest of the pleasantries,” she pulled some papers off of her desk along with a pen and presented them to you. “Here are the papers you need to sign. You can take them over to that table over there and fill them out. Let me know if you need anything, alright?”

     “I literally think you are the best person in the world right now, thank you.” You say with a hint of playfulness in your tone. She laughed goodnaturedly and thanked you before you went and sat down to fill out the paperwork.

      *Bonk*

     Rynell looked up from her desk at the sound. You were laying face first on the table.

     “My wrist hurts.”

     “Ma Chère, Get Up. You Need To Finish Filling Out The Paperwork.”

     You grone and sit up, looking back at the papers. “Why is there so much??”

     You hear Rynell laugh. “That's so that no one has to get arrested. Bitties aren’t your average… pet,” you couldn't help but notice how she hesitated to use the word ‘pet’. “and need the extra work to get to so that no one can try anything unsavory with these already abused individuals. The paperwork is just there so that neither you nor I have to get arrested for something unfounded.”

     “I understand that, I really do, but it’s still a lot of work.”

     “Tell me about it.”

     “Oh yeah. You probably do this a lot, don’t you?”

     “Kind of,” as if to prove her point, she shuffles through more papers. “It’s not like it’s every day we receive the survivors of a fighting ring—this is only the second time we’ve received them from a bitty ring, actually—but when it does happen, the load of paperwork feels ridiculous, even if it is necessary.”

     You hum thoughtfully as you continue to fill out more papers. “I can imagine. It really is unfortunate that things like fighting rings are even a thing.”

     “True is that.”

     “Okay, I think I’m done.” You say as you hand the papers over to Rynell. “Hopefully I didn’t miss anything…?”

     A minute or two passes as she looks through the papers in her hands.

     “Everything seems to be good!” She smiles and stands up, walking around to the front of the desk. 

      Wow she’s really tall—

     “Now, usually after someone fills out the paperwork they aren’t due for their meeting with the bitty or bitties until the next day—due to more legal reasons—but we can skip over that step since I already have the green light from my boss, so we can either head back there now or you can schedule for another time—”

     “We Would Like To Head Back There Now, Thank You.” Redoul interrupted.

     You glanced at Redoul, and placed a hand on him. “Calm down Redoul, we’ll go see them. I promise.” You look back to Rynell. “Sorry about that… Yes, we would like to go see them.”

     She seemed to take the interruption in stride, and continued on with her explanation. “Alright then. I’ll head back first and get everything ready, along with letting the other two know that you’ll be heading back there soon.” She filed the papers away in one of her drawers and started to walk towards the hall on the right hand of the room, before pausing and looking back to Redoul.

     “By the way, the other two seemed very happy to know that you’re doing okay, and looked pretty excited when I said that you’d be coming to visit yesterday. Just wait a bit longer and I’ll come back to get you when I have everything ready.” With that, she turned and walked down the hall.

     You blinked at her words, before smiling.

      ‘Yeah, she’s a pretty damn good person.’

     Redoul looked surprised for a moment, before straightening up and laughing. “I Like Her.”

     You laugh with him. “I was just thinking the same thing.”

     A few moments of silence passed between the two of you before you spoke up.

     “…You’ve seemed to have relaxed.”

     He sighed, leaning into the side of your head. “I Suppose. I Am… Unsure Of What To Feel At The Moment.” He confessed.

     You gently took his hand in yours and brought it to your lips, kissing it softly. “I can understand, but if I may say; you’ve been handling all of this remarkably well. I’m proud of you.”

     He flushed scarlet red—redder than his own scarf—and turned away from you. “Of Course You’re Proud! I Would Do Nothing Less Than The Best!”

     …You couldn’t help but notice his eyelights. You always did love them, and they looked especially striking when he was blushing. Instead of just one color that most bitties had, Redoul had blue eyelights ringed in purple.

     He huffed and smiled a little. He muttered “Thank you… for being here with me.”

     You felt your own smile widen. “Of course. Where else would I be, if not with you?” You nuzzled him gently.

     “Obviously! The Best Place For Anyone To Be Is At My Side, Then They Would Get To Bask In My Marvelous Presence!” He nuzzled you back. “But… I Do Believe The Only One I Want By My Side Is You.”

     You hum. “I love you.” You whisper quietly.

     You don’t think his expression could get any softer. “And I You, Ma Chère.”

     “Alright. Everything is ready and the two are waiting in the meeting room for you. If you’ll please follow me I will take you back there now.” Rynell said as she emerged from the hall once again.

     You look too Redoul, searching his expression. He took in a deep breath and sighed, before straightening up and nodding. “Yes, Let’s Go.”

     “Just follow me.” She turned back and started to walk down the hall again, this time with you behind her.

     Soon enough, you stop in front of a door made of a dark colored wood.

     “They’re right in here. Would you like me to stay with you, or would you prefer it if I stayed out here?” She asked, looking not to you, but to Redoul.

     He blinked, thinking for a moment, before answering. “Stay Out Here Please, I’d Like To See Them Without An Audience.”

     You looked at him again. “Should I…?”

     “No. You Go With Me.”

     “Okay, shall we?”

     “Yes.”

     Rynell smiled, and stepped forward. “Allow me.” She pushed the door open and stepped to the side, making room for you. “Let me know if you need anything, alright? I’ll be right outside the door.”

     “Thank you.” You say.

     “Of course.” With that, she closed the door behind you.

     You look around the room. It was rather spacious, with four chairs lined across one of the walls, and across them being some sort of structure that looked similar to an elaborate cat tree. Just more bitty friendly. Below the structure was a table at about waist height with smaller chairs, beanbags, and other furniture made for various bitty sizes. There were also normal sized cushions and one or two beanbags for people to sit on on the floor.

     …And on the table sat two bitties; one was an Outertale bitty lounging in one of the bitty sized beanbags, and the other was a Shattered Dream bitty sitting in one of the many bitty chairs at a miniature coffee table.

     …

     They looked relaxed at first glance, but you knew better. Redoul would take that kind of posture when he was stressed, or having a bad day… it was how he stood when you first met him. Guarded and tense, but disguised as relaxed and confident.

     Nobody moved at first, but after a moment you moved to the table and leaned into it with the side of your body that Redoul was on. He hesitated for a moment more, before jumping off and landing on the table. Once he was on the table you moved away to go sit in one of the chairs on the other side of the room—in the one the farthest away from them.

     Nobody spoke, nobody moved.

     Until—

     “—roi! you’re okay!” A smaller body rammed into Redoul’s, knocking him back far enough to where he almost fell over.

     Redoul caught the other bitty easily enough and righted himself, before shouting back. “I Should Be Saying That, You Fool!!! How The Hell Are You Still Alive!?”

     The last bitty got up and joined the other two in a hug, wrapping the four black tendrils on his back around them. He nuzzled . “It’s good to see that you are in good health, Roi.” He lifted his head and locked eyes—er… eye? with you, making you blink in mild surprise. “I assume that would be in thanks to the lady who you came in with?”

     Redoul huffed and pulled back slightly, although not enough to break his hold of the other two bitties. “First Of All, My Name Is No Longer Roi; It’s Redoul. I Left That Name With The Ring. Second Of All,” He looks at you flatly. “Ma Chère, Come Here, Would You?”

     With a small laugh, you stand and approach the reunited trio slowly, making sure your hands are visible to the still-skittish newcomers. You stop a few feet away from them and lean against the table, making sure they’re still out of your reach.

     The shorter one—Cos—finally pulled his head away from where it was tucked into Redoul’s chest and regarded you with an analytical expression; just as Umbra—the Shattered Dream—has been.

     You introduce yourself softly, but before you get to say any more than that, Redoul interrupts you.

     “She Is My Mate.”

     …

     “…what?”—“What?”

     “…I feel you could have broken that to them more gently.” You say, bemused.

     “That Was Simply The Most Efficient Way To Do It, What Were You Expecting Me To Do?”

     “I don’t know, but it wasn’t that. Maybe talk to them more before introducing me? We’re not here for me, Love.”

     “Why Wouldn’t I Want To Introduce My Marvelous Mate? Clearly You Do Not Know Me.”

     “Oh yes, because we’re complete strangers. Totally. Mhmm.”

      “Clearly.”

     …

     “*snirk…* pfft…haha… hahahahahaha!! what the hell? i didn’t know you had it in you, roi—no, sorry, redoul —but seriously, a human? wow. good job landing a pretty one, too.” Cos snarked with a sly smile; his sarcasm didn’t seem to be directed at you, thankfully, but more at Redoul to tease him.

     …Umbra’s expression changed from analytical to something more… content? Satisfied?

     “So that’s what I was feeling. It was your bond with her.” He looked back to Redoul with a firm nod and a smirk. “…You made a good choice.” …something told you that he was also teasing your mate.

     Redoul’s eye socket twitched, and his face was steadily getting redder. “…You Bastards.”

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Thank you for reading!

[vaguely-concerned]

you ever think about how the horrific thing dorian almost had done to him... is exactly the thing iron bull went to the reeducators to beg them to do to him. yeah. me either. for ten years straight now. what the fuck. wanna be my narrative foil dude. we could fuck about it if you're game and single

[wordedarchive]

We lose June. We lose July. In August, we look in mirrors and want to die.

Kim Addonizio via wordedarchive

[lilisettean]

Hot Steam | Xavier/Reader

About: What started as a nice soak in the hot springs with Xavier turned into something more...

Pairing: Xavier/Reader

Notes: I don't have the memory Kind Words for Xavier itself so idk what goes on in that scene but the art itself made me go . I need him I need to write him and mc in the hot springs.

AO3: Read here!

Warnings: Age 18+ only please. Enjoy :)

“This was not what I had in mind when you told me to come sit closer.”

You said, doing your best to look him in the eye and not let your eyes wander down further. But he did not extend the same courtesy to you.

“Then what did you have in mind?” Xavier asked as he toyed with the towel that was stubbornly wrapped around your body. He had complained about you sitting too far away from him while in the hot spring beforehand and caught you off guard when you scooted closer, grabbing and lifting you by the waist and then plopping you down onto his lap. While you didn’t mind the closeness of it all, something about being skin to skin and almost naked made you feel… exposed.

It didn’t help that his hand was still on your waist, resting at the small of your back. How easy would it for him to slide his hand down further and slip it under the flimsy towel–

A sudden kiss to your bare shoulder pulled you out of your thoughts. He was staring up at you, his eyes dark and intense. He didn’t care your breasts were pressed against him, the towel shielding your form from him barely holding on. 

Or maybe he did care, since you could suddenly feel something poking at your thigh.

“What’s on your mind?” He asked, his expression unchanging despite knowing you could feel his growing problem under you.

“What do you think?” You retorted as calmly as possible. You thought it was impossible to feel yourself grow even hotter, being in a hot spring and all. But you did, his touch planting seeds of desire under your skin. Especially when he hooked his fingers onto the hem of your towel.

You nodded when he looked toward you for permission. And with one smooth motion, the fabric that protected you from the world, from his dark, predatory gaze, fell around you and sunk into the hot spring. 

The soft sigh he let out then broke the peaceful silence of the hot spring, his hot breath fanning your exposed breast. Lifting his hand out of the water, he dragged a finger against the round of your right breast, as though committing the sight before him to memory.

“You’re so beautiful.” Xavier breathed out, before pulling you down to a kiss. It felt tender at first, gentle like he was to you. But as seconds ticked by, the kiss grew more intense, headier, with him palming your breast and thumbing over your pert nipple as his other hand drew you closer to him. 

And then, you felt it. You gasped as he pulled you flush against his hardness. The soft cotton fabric brushed past your clit and his clothed tip pushed insistently against your entrance. Taking advantage of your surprise, he slipped his tongue past your lips and deepened the kiss, slowly grinding himself up and down your heat.

“I don’t— I don’t think we should do this here.” You said, breathless after parting from his lips. His hands were incredibly distracting, wandering about and teasing you. But that was nothing compared to his hardened cock resting between your folds, throbbing every now and then to remind you of your shared predicament.

“You’re right. Shall we head back inside?” 

Before you could climb off his lap however, he slipped an arm under you and lifted you, hauling you up to his shoulder with one arm. 

Like a prize won by a successful hunter.

“Wait– I can walk–”

“No.” Xavier said, carrying up and into the room you booked, suddenly glad that you opted for a private hot spring instead. He gently laid you down on the bed before climbing on top of you, his piercing gaze never leaving you once. 

“What kind of hunter would I be if I let my prize go?”

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

suspicious detail

I was rereading the prologue to collect some information for a response and came across this interesting tidbit from Crowley:

“The student selection process has not erred once in its century of existence!” So the Mirror of Darkness has been the one selecting and sorting students for 100ish years. This aligns with what we knew about NRC’s nearing 100 loss streak against RSA.

BUT THAT’S REALLY WEIRD???? Because we now know that NRC has been around for MUCH longer than 100ish years. Lilia first got his invitation to the school 500 years ago:

Meaning that NRC was still a thing 500 years ago?? But if we take what Crowley said in the prologue into consideration, that means that the Mirror of Darkness was a recent change in the selection and sorting process. For those 400 other years, some other method was used.

Well, TWST???? Care to elaborate??? To explain????? 😭

At this point, we still do not know how long Crowley has been headmaster for. He seems to have been the one in charge when Lilia decided to enroll in NRC 3 years ago, as Lilia thanks Crowley specifically for allowing him to be a student:

Crowley’s beef with Ambrose the 63rd in book 5 seems to indicate a long-standing rivalry. According to Crowley’s Raven Jacket vignettes, he was around as headmaster when Trein was tenured and Crewel was a student. Crowley also questions his own age, wondering how many decades ago he encountered and recruited the cafeteria’s skilled ghost chefs.

Therefore, I believe it’s entirely possible that he has been headmaster for at least the 100ish years of NRC’s losing streak. The question now is how long has Crowley been headmaster for??

If it was more than 500 years ago, then it debunks the “Crowley is Raverne/Malleus’s dad” theory, since it was Raverne who told Lilia it may be valuable to go to that school even after Lilia had tossed the acceptance letter away. How could Raverne be headmaster of NRC and be an ambassador for another country? Why wouldn’t Lilia be aware of this other occupation?

If it was less than 500 years, then it throws suspicion upon Crowley’s identity because WOW, why’s this new headmaster suddenly taking up the reins at this school that he told his friend several hundred years ago to reconsider?? And seeing how it was Crowley who let Lilia in, that’s even more shady. This would also explain the mask he wears at all times, perhaps to keep Lilia from noticing who he really is? (Though the only way this would work is if Crowley was also purposefully faking his voice, as Lilia implies that Raverne’s voice sounds like Malleus’s.)

But then thinking about how the Mirror of Darkness only started picking students 100 years ago… That means whoever was headmaster 500 prior used a different selection method??? And how does that fit into Crowley’s unknown length of tenure as NRC’s headmaster?? 💀

I don’t know if I really ended up reaching a conclusion with this post but I’d figure I’d still put it out there in case anyone found this interesting or wanted to expand on these ideas ^^

[kisakis-boyfriend]

Oh, To Be A Harbinger

Pairings: Various Fatui grunts x reader

Warnings: Male!reader, dom/top!reader, harbinger!reader, sub/bottom characters, power play, free use, groping, blowjob (Mirror Maiden), choking (Agent), fingering, rough sex, eating out, use of the terms 'whore, slut, good boy/girl, sir'

Genre/Format: Smut; Scenarios

Author's Note: Please tell me that I'm not the only person who's insanely horny for the Fatui enemies...? They're all so incredibly gorgeous and submissive and breedable 😳

Please check my blog title to verify whether requests are closed or not! Thank you!

Most harbingers were known for something; some niche or expertise that they so proudly flaunt as if it were a trophy. You were a bit different, however. On the surface, you appeared to be 'the sweet one.' All of the others saw their subordinates as just that; subordinates. Pawns to do their menial work, at their beck and call 24/7

But not you. No, no, no, you were the harbinger that cared. You were the one to learn all of your subordinates' names and memorize them, casually chatting with all of them and helping them at times. People were always begging to be transferred to work under you, pleading with the Tsaritsa on their hands and knees. She never understood what got into them. Was being treated with kindness really all it took to gain complete submission from a person?

On the outside, everything was innocent. Your subordinates were called into your office and left ten minutes to several hours later with a smile. But those that were under your command knew the truth. Their hushed whispers reached the ears of harbingers and their subordinates alike

The truth is...

The truth is, your subordinates signed contracts to become your free use sluts. Not every single one, necessarily, but once the word spread about how good the sex was (and the aftercare), more contracts were eventually signed as you amassed a harem

-

The tiny electro cicin mage yelped when you harshly yanked her panties to the side, pushing your fingers into her wet hole immediately. She didn't expect to run into her boss on this particular patrol...and she was super embarrassed when you caught her stroking a finger over the panties of her uniform, gasping her boss's name as a dark spot grew on the clothing

Mewls of shame and pleasure slipped from her mouth while you sunk in deeper, knuckle deep in her pussy and scissoring your digits. The contrast of your slow fingering and the way you furiously rubbed her clit caused her to cum so fast. Her knees buckled as the slick ran down her plush thighs, apologizing for cumming without permission. “I-I'm so sorry, s-sir...I didn't mean to...just felt so good...”

Without a word, you grabbed the eager lady's ass and pulled her forward, causing her to stumble a bit. An even deeper blush spread across her cheeks when she noticed that your lips were brushing against her little pussy, as it was hovering just above your face. She opened her mouth to question you but immediately moaned instead, rolling her hips and scrambling to grab your shoulders or hair, anything to support herself while your mouth latched onto her heat

A shrill cry pierced your ears as you ripped a second orgasm from the poor girl. Her cry transitioned into panting and broken begging when you didn't stop after she came, licking her cunt just as vigorously as before while her juices flowed out

You reached an arm up to grab one of her cute tits and squeezed while your tongue worked even deeper inside of her pussy. The overstimulation caused the little thing to actually cry, staining the inside of her mask with salty tears

-

Dragonspine was known to be a harsh environment to traverse, though not quite as harsh as you were going to be with the beautiful Fatui agent that was on patrol just to the right of the snowy peak

A knife pressed against the fragile flesh of your throat as you accidentally startled your grunt, who was extremely quick to stammer out a profuse apology. “Please forgive me, sir! I-I thought– I thought you were one of those annoying adventurers f-from the Guild...” The man explained, “They've been all over me as of late...”

A single scoff was the only sound that came from you as you pushed the agent up against a rather large tree trunk. He was caged in by your larger form, a realization that caused him to tremble. The next thing that the agent knew, your firm grip wrapped around his windpipe, squeezing all of the air out of his lungs while you used his own knife to cut the man's trousers open

The sounds of the grunt's wheezing and the sloppy wet sounds of your dick fucking into his ass were loudly echoing around the area. You had lifted the agent off of the ground a bit by his neck, pinning him to the tree while you took out your frustrations (mild annoyance) on him

Multiple loads were emptied within the man's walls and promptly fucked deeper inside of him until you were satisfied with your work. Releasing your grip and letting the fucked out slut fall onto the grass, coughing and sucking in sharp breaths

Crouching down to his level, you tilted your subordinate's head up until he met your eyes. Two simple words elicited a pitiful whimper from him: “Good boy~”

-

Pacing along the soft sands of Nazuchi beach, a mirror maiden was enjoying the serene sounds of the salt water and gentle breeze when her acute sense of hearing caught something else—

“I heard you”

You let out a soft chuckle before putting your hands in the air jokingly, “Ya got me. I hope I didn't startle you too much, darling.” Immediately, the maiden's posture straightened up at the sound of your voice. She apologized for acting hostile as she had no clue who had approached her, erring on the side of caution since there had been quite a few attacks around the beach as of late

“No, no– It's my bad. I should have remembered your crazy good ears. I just–” You began, pausing for a second. Then suddenly your voice went from being several feet in front of the maiden to being directly in her sensitive ear

“–Wanted to see you for a bit, baby. I knew you'd be alone today and I um...I need a little something from you~ ” You purred, pulling the slender woman against your chest while trailing wet kisses all along her neck

The unprepared maiden spent the next hour or two bracing herself against a nearby rock while you pulled her white dress up and penetrated her fat ass. Her pussy dripped with desire while you used her ass as a personal fleshlight, groping her big tits and grunting in her delicate ears because you knew how much she loved it when you took advantage of her impressive sense of hearing

Every thrust inside of her tight hole caused the fat of her cheeks and breasts to bounce and jiggle. The maiden futilely begged for you to use her pussy too, but you had already decided that you were going to deny her that privilege today. Opting for violating her other holes and fucking her breasts if you so desired

Once you had pumped a load into her ass, you spun the woman around and pushed her onto her knees, smacking your wet cock against her cheek. The whore's mouth was the next thing to get pounded as you forced your entire length down her warm throat until it pushed you over the edge again. Your second load poured directly into her stomach since your dick was so far down her throat; poor thing didn't even get a taste of your seed this time...

-

One time, a fellow harbinger caught you railing one of your subordinates inside of your office

A cute cryo cicin mage was bent over your desk, clutching scattered papers in her nimble hands as your fat cock drilled into her sopping cunt. Wet plap plap sounds were the only thing that the other harbinger could hear — besides the mage's shrill moaning and you groaning — as your fingers curled in her hair and pulled the little thing's head up to meet their shocked face

“Soooo...”

“Either get in here and lock the door or get the fuck out.” You spat, not once slowing down or interrupting your rhythm. The harbinger stepped in somewhat reluctantly. This isn't exactly something that they expected to see...and yet, they found themselves growing hard/wet by the second. Instinctually cupping their groin as a choked moan tried to slip through

“Take that fucking cock, babygirl. Yeah, riiiiight there~ ” You drawled, angling your thrusts so that you were pounding against her sweet spot, pulling all sorts of adorable noises from the sweet mage

Your fellow harbinger couldn't stop their hips from rocking into their touch while they stroked their dick/rubbed their pussy. Not wanting to admit that the sight of their coworker fucking some grunt was actually turning them on. Though it was extremely obvious to you

Speeding up your hips, your thrusts became a bit sloppy as your climax drew closer– Railing the mage harder and causing her ass to turn pink from how hard you were slamming against her until–

“Gooood girl~ ” You growled while spilling inside of your little subordinate. Staring directly into the other harbinger's eyes while your cum painted the mage's walls white

Your coworker couldn't prevent the breathless noise that escaped from their parted lips, flitting their gaze down to your creamy cock when you pulled out of the small lady

Reblogs are extremely appreciated <3

[i-like-forcefem]

When browsing through the wares of a newly opened magic shop you passed by an item that caught your interest, a massive mirror

You peaked inside expecting to see yourself, but instead you saw, a girl? About your height, quite pretty, good taste in fashion… Maybe your mom when she was younger?

It feels weird, in a good way, to see this girl follow all your movements, you couldn’t help but smile, and her smile is radiant

You felt an odd sense of relief… until you looked down to see that, you’re you, of course you are

Why do you feel so sad?

…

“Quite the item isn’t it?”, the Witch tending the shop noticed your interest and started talking to you “a magic mirror that shows you what you’d look like if you were born the opposite sex”

You stare into it

Why do you feel this deep dread?

“But that’s not all it does!” The witch continues “want to see a magic trick?” The witch asks laying a hand on your back

You’re curious to see where this is going, so you nod your head

In one swoop the witch pushes you against the mirror and as you brace yourself to slam into it, stumbling on your feet across the floor, you find yourself slamming into the witch face first

She laughs “I probably didn’t need to push that hard”

As you lay on the ground you feel different, you look as you prepare to push yourself up from the ground you notice your hands… are they smaller?

As you get it up and oriented yourself you glance at the mirror, still the same showing girl you, but how did you get turned around did… did you get

“Sorry” the witch says as her laughter days down “that’s the first time I’ve pushed someone through a mirror, should’ve seen that coming”

You look down and see the dress you’re wearing

“Now cutie” the witch claps her hands, and jumps up! She has a grin you don’t trust “I hoped you enjoyed the trick! If you ever want to become a guy again And I hope you have some savings! Gender-bending magic is quite expensive!”

You stumble back, you can’t turn back? The mirror is showing yo- Girl You, not the real Guy You, so… that’s a no go? You’re way to poor for anything

“But don’t worry cutie, we pay quite well here and just so happen have an opening for a maid and I can assure you, you’ll look just adorable in the uniform”