#no spoilers here lol just a stray thought

[kalpalatas]

what i love about how kagi loves hirano is that he thinks the sun shines out of his ass but also that he's the weirdest most impossible man alive

[myrkulitescourge]

the way that one line from the new epilogue in an astarion romance is going to HAUNT me

just. what a profoundly intense thing to confess to someone.

like, just these six months of newfound happiness with you exerts a force on his heart equal and in direct opposition to two centuries of endless torment, the gnawing hunger and exploitation. this flashbulb-bright fraction of his long life holds the same gravity to him as years upon years of darkness and suffering.

in all likelihood, he hasn’t even known his lover for as long as his worst memory lasted, that year sealed away to go mad from starvation and sensory deprivation, yet he still tells them this brief time has been so fundamentally and powerfully important that the weight of even that unimaginable hell is vanishingly small compared to this present he has now and the future ahead of them both.

how am i supposed to act normal about this.

[lucabyte]

screenshotting my own tags since i probably shouldn't have left them trapped in there tbf but. making an addendum since im remembering that the *first half* of the sisyphus myth is like... less well known. And also there's a couple variations on it as always with greek myth so i feel like i should point out a bonus vis a vis "he's just like me fr"

[^ wikipedia screenshot]

Something about not only cheating death but in doing so, making everyone else unable to die for the duration. Sounds familiar.

Veering even further into unbased-speculation here but mmm. viewing the universe as a prescriptive and punishing of free will (at least in Sif's eyes). I wonder if they would view this as brought unto themselves. A form of nominative determinism-- Careful what you wish for.

Hmmm just gonna spit this headcanon out in text post form since A. I don't think I could exposit it well enough in image form and B. It's not actually textually/thematically substantiated and I don't like actually staking my stuff on just vibes alone*

But anyway. I'd say it's pretty evident that all the islanders forgot their names, right? King obviously. Because why the hell else would he do that, but also Siffrin No Middle Names No Last Name.

They're 'pretty sure' they've 'always' been 'Just Siffrin' 'as long as they can remember'. It's a pretty cruel twist of the knife to say that they don't even get to keep their birth name as a memento, which is why I'm saying as such.

My utterly unsubstantiated claim is I think it'd be cute to say that Sisyphus *is* the name Siffrin initially picked, assuming the myth of King Sisyphus is recontextualised as idk, just a play or something in the setting. But I like the idea of Siffrin going 'oh shit 🫵 he's just like me fr' at a tortured fictional character long before the irony kicks in.

As for how Sisyphus -> Siffrin. I think that chronic mumbler and emotional doormat Sif just did not correct people who misheard the name during their time travelling, and went through enough places with incompatible phonologies (pronounceable sounds in the language) without ever really writing it down that it just got kinda. Changed until it was unrecognisable, and Siffrin just went with it until the earlier pronunciations slipped out of their swiss-cheese brain. And they just kinda don't remember any of that.

Also, something something the horrid realisation that Siffrin also named themselves after a King. Just not as blatantly.

*(though I think there's something here about Siffrin, a guy from a belief system that seems to thoroughly disincentivise autonomy and self-motivated choice continuously having their hand forced to make changes/choices they don't want but have no choice but to... It's not solid enough to really back this up tbh, but it informs it.)

Anyway.

[mistiell]

Ok so, maybe you knew this already or maybe not, but... In the game, if you hover over Astarion's original outfit it says that it looks rather old and mended over several times. The running theory is that he's been reparing his own clothes (explains the cheeky embroidery in his underwear) , since we damn well know that Cazador would not give two hoots about it, and that poor baby has been running around in a 200 year old shirt and probably doesn't have much clothes with him. I just want something fluffy... maybe the reader always let's him have first dibs on whatever they find or even gets him new clothes. I just imagine him finding a brand new shirt on his tent that is soft and comfortable and I just want to weep in a corner 🥺

Can you help a sister out?

Here you are <33 (also, I'm so sorry this took so long lol) WC: 1.3k Also CW for potential spoilers

---

Astarion is slow to wake this morning, fully intending to lay with you in his tent as long as you’ll allow. Rolling over with his eyes still closed, he reaches to hook his arm around your waist only to grasp at nothing but air.

He’s certainly awake now.

It’s unusual to find you missing given he’s usually the first to wake between the two of you; two hundred years of living in The Underdark and only ever surfacing at night having apparently made him a little sensitive to light.

Sitting up and shifting onto his knees, he reaches to pull the tent flap back and peer out at the campfire. A small gust of the cool morning air sweeps over his bare torso, raising goosebumps over the skin of his arms despite the fact that he’s not really bothered by the cold. That little spike of anxiety dulls when he finds you haven’t strayed far; standing maybe fifteen feet away in conversation with Karlach.

As if you can sense him, you glance over and light up when you spot him peeking out of the tent, excusing yourself from the tiefling. He expects you to come straight over, but instead, you turn to grab a basket he hadn’t seen first.

He shuffles back to let you come inside, flushing a bit when you brush a few rogue curls from his face and bend to peck his hairline, “Good morning, handsome.���

“I- Good morning.” Is all he manages, still tired and a little stunned. Shifting off of his knees to sit cross-legged, he peers into the basket as you set it down in front of him and cocks a brow, “What’s this?”

“Clothes.”

“Well yes, I can see that, darling.” He sasses and you chortle, “But why have you brought me a basket of clothes?”

“I found it the last time we left camp.” He remembers that. You’d gone out with Karlach, Gale and Lae’zel and came back bloodied and bruised. He’d been so focused on getting you patched up that he hadn’t even thought of asking about what you might have found.

You clear your throat and glance away, smiling sheepishly, “I picked out some things I thought you’d like, but then I thought you might prefer to have a look through yourself, so,” You shrug and jerk your nose at the basket, “I brought you all of it.”

His heart would be stuttering in his chest if it could. Reaching into the pile, he thumbs over a few of the garments, feeling the different fabrics and looking over all the different colours. It’s been centuries since he’s had a choice in what to wear. Sure, he’s picked up some things throughout your travels but never so much all at once. It’s a little overwhelming, having all this to pick through after so long.

Taking hold of the basket, he pushes it closer to you, “Show me what you picked out first.”

“Oh,” Your heart rate spikes, and he smiles as you stutter out, “Are- Are you sure? I’m not sure you’d actually like what I picked out. That’s one of the reasons I brought you the whole basket.”

He scoffs and waves off the thought, “Nonsense. You could hand me the most distasteful outfit in all of Faerûn and I’d at least try it on for you.”

“Really?” “Of course I would.” He realises the implications of what he’s just said and tries to play off the sentiment with a puckish grin, gesturing towards himself, “It’s hard to not look good in something when you’re this beautiful.”

You laugh, eyes squinting shut with the force of your smile. “Yes, you truly are dashing, my love.”

“Stating the obvious, but I can’t complain,” You roll your eyes at him as he taps the sides of the basket, “Now, are you going to show me what you picked out? Or are you just going to sit here sing my praises? Personally, I’d be fine either way.”

“Alright, alright, I’ll get on with it,” Reaching into the clothes, your laughter tapers off as you glance back up at him timidly one last time, “But if you don’t like something, tell me, okay?”

He lays his palm flat against his sternum, all dramatics as he grins, “Cross my heart and hope to,” He pauses, before chuckling, “Well, die again, I suppose.”

He laughs when you shoot him a glare with no real malice behind it and tut disapprovingly.

He watches in quiet curiosity as you pull out a few items, explaining why you thought he’d like them as you go. Your reasons range from colours and patterns to embroidery and necklines, all of which are shockingly on par with his tastes. It appears you know him better than he thought you did.

“That’s about it, I think.” Your brows furrow in a way that is entirely too cute – especially for someone he’s watched eviscerate hoards of goblins – before you perk up with an excited gasp, “Oh! I almost forgot!”

Turning to look this way and that, you make a little sound of satisfaction when your gaze lands on your pack. Your shirt rides up a bit when you twist onto your knees to reach for it, and he stifles the urge to run his hand over the sliver skin it exposes. You rummage through a few pockets before finding what you’re looking for, returning to kneel in front of him with something hidden in your hand.

“Close your eyes.” You urge, and he does as you’ve asked.

“Ooh, saved the best for last, have you?” He grins, holding out his hands before you even ask.

You chuckle, sounding a little nervous, “Hopefully.”

He hears the tinkling of metal and nearly jumps when your hand makes contact with his, one cradling the backs of his while the other presses something small and rough into his palm.

“Open.” He can hear the smile in your voice as you say it.

On your command, he opens his eyes to find you’ve given him a necklace. The pendent is a little piece of a raw, orange crystal encircled by dainty gold rods that are bent to resemble branches.

“This is... beautiful.” He breathes, turning it over in his hand to admire the jagged edges, “What kind of crystal is it?”

“Sunstone.” He looks up at you then, finding a shy smile hung on your lips, “I know it’s a little on the nose but...,” You worry your bottom lip for a moment, clearly a little hesitant to continue, “I know you’re worried about... what’ll happen once the tadpoles are removed. So, I wanted to get you something just in case. It’s not the same thing, obviously, but I thought this way you can still figuratively have a little piece of the sun if,” Cutting yourself off, you glance away for a moment, “Well, if things don’t go the way we hope.”

He stares at you for a long moment, entirely unsure of what to say. He doesn’t think there’s anything he could say to convey just how much the gesture means to him.

Setting the necklace on his pillow, he draws you into his arms and weaves them tight around your waist. He pulls you to him so suddenly that your knees bump his shins, but you don’t seem to mind as you hook your arms around the back of his neck. His eyes burn as he murmurs against the side of your neck, “I love you.”

You card your fingers through his hair and he shudders, leaning further into you as you dot a few sweet kisses along the length of his shoulder.

“I love you too.” Your words are muddled as they’re mumbled into his skin, “More than you know.”

Maybe he didn’t before, but he thinks he has an idea now. You love him enough that you gave him his own little chunk of the sun. Even if things don’t pan out they way he hopes they will, he doesn’t think he’ll need the necklace – however pretty it may be.

He’s already got his bit of the sun wrapped up tight in his arms.

[fathomlessgaze]

perfect: zayne takes solace in hearing the heartbeats of those he loves deeply, which now includes one more little one

all fluff dw, husband!zayne/reader, ~.9k

warnings: reader is pregnant + called a mother, maybe not canon compliant but spoilers about mc's lore and allusions to zayne's lore (mainly myths story + maybe that dawnbreaker anecdote), zayne being a doctor + lots of heartbeat ments but i didnt research so maybe medically inaccurate, i believe in (future) girldad!zayne

an: i haven't written ff in 5ever + didn't edit on top of this so my apologies LOL im just really downbad for this ice man n wanted to write smthn rq

the soft, muffled clinking of keys and the creaking of the front door ruffle your slumber, your eyes slowly fluttering and flickering to the entryway where, sure enough, your husband steps inside. as he catches a glimpse of your, supposedly, sleeping form, a soft grin takes over his features and you think, maybe, you’d like to see where this goes. 

he puts his bag down by the console table and takes off his shoes and you steady your breath, hoping he hasn’t noticed your lingering gaze under your lowered lids. fishing out his stethoscope, he hangs it around his neck as he takes cautious steps towards you, tip toeing to avoid all the creaky spots of the hardwood floors. he’s slow as he lowers himself on the couch, taking a moment to admire your curve of your jaw and the pout of your lips before putting in the earpieces.

zayne really was trying to be careful. he’d taken the metal between the fabric of his jacket, an attempt to reduce the jarring difference between its chill and your warmth, and moved as slowly and quietly as he could as he sat next to your snoozing figure on the sofa.

he watches carefully before his stethoscope finds your heart and its rhythmic beating fills his head. while it isn’t new news, the reminder that the organ that keeps you alive is perfectly well and healthy always brings ease to his own, this time given a physical form through a quiet exhale falling from his lips. clear and strong, not a single hint or vibration of the fragments that used to plague your being, your heart beats in time with his, he’d like to think. he allows his eyes to get misty, a faint smile and chuckle escaping as he tries to wipe the tear that threatens to fall with his free hand. 

he stays like that for a minute more, simply relishing in how far you’ve both come. he remembers that surgery like it was yesterday, with how demanding and long it was, the aches settling in his muscles and bones by the end of it, only to jump head first into the delicate, intensive recovery you needed and he helped you through. and he would do it again and again, if that’s what it would take. 

oh, how your fingers itch to brush the side of his face, cup his cheek in your palm and brush the stray hairs behind his ear. you can always tell when he starts reminiscing, how a moist sheen covers his beautiful eyes, furthering just how precious they are. but before you can move your arm from where it rests on your leg, he’s taking back the chest piece into his palms, holding it gingerly.

with one hand, he gently runs his fingers along your stomach until he finds a spot that causes his eyebrows to raise for the slightest moment, before the stoic expression returns to his face. the now cool metal in his other hand replaces his other hand, and, if it weren’t for the quirk of his lips, the soft smile and endeared look in his eyes, you would’ve been none the wiser to what had happened. he takes in the rhythmic beating in his ears. that’s…your baby, well and healthy and all he could ask for. a small sigh escapes his lips. he could stay here and listen to it for forever. 

maybe you should cut the act.

fluttering your eyes open fully, you meet his tinted cheeks with a coy grin. “what’re you doing?” you ask, feigning innocence. 

he brings his hand to his neck, scratching slightly at the pink-tinged skin before clearing his throat. “i–uh–i thought it would just be nice to see if we could hear her heartbeat yet.” 

you lean forward, biting your lip to stop the knowing smile from escaping as you rest a hand on his shoulder and rub his cheek with your knuckles. “and do you?”

he nods, his rare beam coming to the surface before he kisses your forehead, letting his lips linger. “it’s beautiful and strong, just like her mother.”

before you can reply, he’s removing the ear pieces and fitting the stethoscope around your head, the quiet rhythm now taking over your senses. it’s gentle, delicate, but definitely there and determined. 

“that’s our baby,” you murmur. suddenly emotion washes over you and you rub your eyes with your sleeves. “oh, zayne, it’s lovely.”

he bobs his head, taking one of your hands in his to hold the metal still against you so he can now use his free hands to brush the droplets from your cheeks and wrap you in his arms, snug in his embrace. with a gentle kiss to your temple, he lets out a shuddering breath, not daring to speak before he can stabilize the shakiness in his throat. “it’s perfect.”  

“y’know,” you start, a small laugh escaping as you try to not cry into zayne’s button-up, “this is all i could’ve ever wanted, i think. if you told me when we met as kids this would be my life, i don’t think i would’ve believed you, but this is perfect, just as it is, you, me and her.”

he nuzzles his head against your neck, a quiet agreement taking form as a faint kiss on your shoulder. “this is the life i’ve waited years, forever, for.” he squeezes your frame slightly, holding your closer. “it’s so perfect.”

[anundyingfidelity]

I'M A RUIN — Soldier Boy/Ben (Part IX)

Summary: After the events of the Seven Tower, you present Grace Mallory a new secret project you're working on already to develop a cure to Compound V. The only problem? You need Soldier Boy for that.

Pairing: Soldier Boy/Ben x female reader

Word count: 2.3k.

Warnings for series: set after S3 (spoilers), some OOC!Ben, some depressed!Ben, angst, hurt/comfort, eventual smut, slow-burn, language, PTSD, reader has Compound V (she's no Vought supe tho), Soldier Boy being an usual asshole, reader is a fucking liar.

Warnings for this chapter: some spoilers and references to S4 and Gen V, mentions of sex, mentions of kindaping, so much lying from these fuckers!!

Notes: idk who's still interested on this crap because my original drafts went to hell once S4 dropped (but also my fault i was waiting for that lol), anyway I'll try to be consistent with this is giving me nightmares i swear. thank you if you're still here 😭

<<< Previous Part

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GEN MASTERLIST! — SERIES MASTERLIST

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And if it wasn’t much worse, there he was still, lying down on the other side of the mattress, sleeping and snoring like a stray dog you just took in to protect him from the dangers of the night. Who would have thought? But you wanted this. You fell for it eventually. And you didn’t give a single shit about it, not yet. It was great, you had to admit that. In the end, Ben was right, he could fuck pretty good and could bark about that with good reasons.

Part IX: Nobody’s Business

Rolling on your side of the bed, your eyes fluttered open. There was a warmth coming from the mattress, one that you were not used to every time you woke up. That side always came up empty, but then your mind replayed the memories of last night's events. The small and soft light emanating from the window forced you to sit up abruptly, covering your breasts with the bed sheets. The clock told you it was almost 9 a.m.

But duties are duties, you told yourself, sitting down and reaching your phone on the nightstand. There were six missed calls from an unknown number; you were pretty sure who that was. With a scoff, you got on your feet and full in your naked glory, stepped out of the room, just taking your dress from the floor to put it on as best as you could while you heard the line from the other side.

“Oi, I’ve been calling you, answer the damn phone,” the British voice on the other side spit.

You grimaced, pulling the phone away as he yelled at you before speaking. “I had important things last night. Sorry for having a life,” you lied gracefully, making your way to the kitchen to boil some water for a tea. “Besides, since do you care? I barely fucking know you, so tell me what is it before I hung up.”

Butcher sighed from the other side of the line. “I need the kid back.”

“Ryan?”

“Yeah, and I need something for it. I don’t wanna force him, but tough times require even tougher methods…”

There was a silence coming from you, trying to process his words. Soldier Boy wanted the kid, Butcher wanted the kid, and Homelander of course wanted his fucking kid. You didn’t know who was the best for Ryan. Homelander was out of the league immediately, but maybe Butcher was the only sane motherfucker between them to take care of him. After all, he was his dead wife’s son.

“What do you want me to do? You’re not gonna kidnap him, right?” you asked, unsure of what would happen if you agreed to help Butcher on it.

“No, but don’t play innocent. Can imagine you have plenty of analgesics to take down an army, doctor.”

You pictured that fucked up smirk on his face at his words, and followed his game to see if you could get somewhere.

“And what do I get in exchange? I’m not giving anything for free.”

“Novichok. Put him to deep slumber and can test the strongest drug you have on Soldier Boy without getting killed,” he whispered over the phone, as if someone was hearing his words.

“Alright, deal,” you accepted, taking off a cup to pour your tea. “Send me the address and we can meet today. Just don’t mess with me, I don’t have enough arguments to trust you right now.”

“And I can respect that. Should be receiving it soon, darling.”

With those final words, Butcher hung up the call.

Your head felt spinning, as if something had crushed you so bad. Your body hurted, and you were sore. Probably you regretted it. Not because it wasn’t good, it was something else. What had happened between Ben and you wasn’t supposed to be. It just simply couldn’t. He was a killing machine you were just reaping, eventually discarding him when you took what you needed. However, the right time to test the Anti V prototype had yet to come. Sipping from your hot tea, you heard hard steps from the stairs, and for some reason, you were not prepared to face him the morning after.

“Ah, preparing my breakfast already, doll,” Ben said cheerfully, much to your liking, and approaching you as you faced your back to him.

His arms wrapped around your waist, and as much as you wanted to enjoy his touch, you pushed him away and turned on your feet to see his confused grin.

“First of all, good morning. And second, no. You can make yourself a sandwich,” you replied.

A smile appeared on your lips as his own slowly faded away.

“So, nothing for me, even if I made you feel so good with my cock?”

“God, you’re so gross…”

Ben snorted, leaning to give soft kisses on the skin of your neck as he whispered. “I don’t remember you complaining about it last night.”

As an impulse, you shut your eyes. His touch and lips over your sensitive skin were too intoxicated for you to react quickly and stop him. Ben took the cup of tea from your hand, putting it on the countertop; the place he fucked you so good the night before. He would kill to go again, with you beneath him, yearning and crying for his dick. Or maybe he’d fuck you in the couch before taking you to your bed, exactly like he did after you did it in the kitchen…

“Stop,” you said, pushing him away softly.

He did as you asked rapidly, licking his lips, and watching your lustful gaze intently. You wanted it as much as he did, but it wasn’t the right time.

“I’m still sore,” you continued. “And I have some stuff to do right now. I have to go.”

He nodded. “Right.”

To your surprise, Ben gave you some space and you stepped up, not before taking the cup and your phone between your hands again. You stopped, standing by his side for a moment.

“Maybe later?” you said, watching his face attentively.

That sleazy smirk curved on his lips. “Later.”

You walked away then, feeling his eyes over your figure. God, you were so fucking regretting offering yourself to him already for some reason.

You sat down on the dining table as he settled down a saucer and two cups of tea with a bowl of biscuits.

“It’s not necessary–”

“Nonsense, take it,” Butcher said, taking a seat in front of you.

He served you and him the tea with an elegance only a British man could ever have, not that you expected him to have that inside. Butcher was a soldier once, now an undercover agent whom you had no idea what to expect, besides the few things Grace had told you about him, but she wasn’t there. This meeting was hidden from everyone. Butcher crossed his arms on his chest, looking at you with an expression you could not decode. You were barely knowing him after all.

“I’m not trying to poison you,” he joked, taking his own cup to taste the tea.

“Well, thanks for your kindness,” you took the cup and sipped the warm drink. It was surprisingly good. “So, weren’t you after Victoria?” you asked, following the previous conversation you had with him before sitting down.

“Yeah, cunt’s indestructible,” he remarks. “Can’t do anything now, planning on just retiring and just leaving it all...”

“There’s a fucking outburst right now between Homelander’s cult and Starlight fanatics, Victoria is almost there along with Robert Singer at the White House. Why you wanna give up on that?”

“I’m not part of the team anymore,” Butcher confessed, taking you aback.

“Is that the reason you want Ryan back?”

He nodded and you sensed vulnerability coming from him. The tough facade, the immoral plans, the thirst for revenge for the fucker who screw up his life and made his wife’s a living hell… Even your own thirst for payback and burning Vought to the ground wasn’t as big as his own grief. After all, you were just another piece on the chessboard. Butcher saw you as one, and you did the same with him and Ben. You were just taking in things that would help you to reach your own, selfish goals. One can’t compete with that.

He coughed in the middle of the silence you shared, and you noticed there was a black liquid coming off one of his ears you have never seen.

“Are you okay?” you worriedly asked.

Butcher looked like he noticed your eyes staring at the side of his face and wiped up the substance with his finger, cleaning it up with a napkin.

“You stopped taking the temp V?” you insisted on his silence.

“Yeah, I fucking did, and then had it again. The true V this time, didn’t help. Just accelerated my own death,” Butcher seemed like he didn’t give a shit as he told you.

“Fuck, are you crazy?!” you exclaimed.

“Thought it’d save me, alright?!” he ranted. “Thought it could. So I could say I had more time with Ryan, but I don’t. That’s why you’re here. Do you have what I asked or not?”

Grumbling, with your jaw tight, you took from your jacket a small packet of white powder and tossed it on top of the table.

“A sedative. Will keep him asleep for days if you’re not careful,” you announced. “Give me the gas now.”

Butcher stood up abruptly, and searched for something in one of the kitchen cabinets. He took out a grey cylindrical vessel, similar to a fire extinguisher, and left it on the floor by your feet.

“There you have it,” he said, before taking his seat back.

You didn’t say ‘thank you’, neither did he, but Butcher dared to speak out again.

“Can you come when Ryan is here?”

“Excuse me? I don’t know the kid, I don’t see why I should be here.”

“Another secret is good enough for ya,” he insisted. His face was just as plain as yours.

You didn’t know what else to expect from him at this point, but you followed him up.

“And?”

“There’s something down Godolkin. A virus, created to exterminate supes,” he explained, leaning forward and whispering as if someone else could hear outside the walls. “If your cure ain’t working, maybe you could use some help from there.”

Ben emptied the last drawer in your room. There was fucking nothing. The only pleasure he took in from sniffing into your stuff was checking your underwear, from the most comfy cotton panties to the lingerie he’d love to see on you while he fucked your brains out. And then, nothing. Emptiness. No secrets, no files. Nothing.

Not caring of putting your stuff in place, he just tossed them into the drawer. If you were to indulge back there, you would certainly notice the mess. But he didn’t care if you did. He fucked you good, but that didn’t mean he trusted you. That’s why he spent the last hours of the day checking the whole place after you left him all alone and by himself. The past few days, he had spent checking everywhere to find a clue or something that could give you away easily.

Tired, Ben went down to the living room and checked between the bookshelves, only to find dust and old books he didn’t give a shit about. He scoffed to himself, and walked to the back of the room, where the aisle ended. The carpet felt different, as if another floor was down there. He knocked on the floor with his fist. He was right; there was another floor down the living room.

“What are you fucking hiding in here?” he mumbled to himself, his mind pulling the tricks of any stuff you could probably have down there.

He pulled the carpet away and found a small metal knob, unlocked. He opened it just to reveal stairs and he went down carefully. A heavy metal door stood in front of him, an electronic panel with numbers by the side. The walls were also made of the same material, and he tensed. It wasn’t a good sign. Before, he noticed you would sneak out of your room some nights. There was no other place you should be visiting but here.

He thought of breaking the door, but it wasn’t that subtle. There was a code to get inside, probably he could get it. It had to be something important for you, right? Shouldn’t be so difficult.

But he knew better than to continue playing this fucking game of hiding the thruth from him. Anger seized him in a second, thinking of endless possibilities this could be a hidden lab. You were a doctor after all, he knew what those cocksuckers were capable of. You were no exception.

He clenched his fists tightly, and heard in the distance the sound of your car. Ben quickly climbed the stairs and covered the door to the basement. The click of the door announced you were home and he made his way to the kitchen to take out a bottle of whiskey and two glasses.

Once you stepped up, he poured the liquor. You left a couple of bags full with groceries on the kitchen counter as Ben gave you a dirty smile and offered the whiskey to you. It was his way of disguising what he really felt.

A quick fuck should do, he thought.

“So, later, right?” he said, taking a sip from his glass.

Immediately, you knew what those words meant.

“You’ve been waiting so long I see,” you smirked.

He pulled you closer with a single hand before claiming your lips in a harsh kiss. He smiled when you moaned against his tongue and he pulled away, this time his lips claiming the sensitive spot on your neck.

“And can’t wait any longer, sugar.”

this fic tags:

@k-slla @syrma-sensei @mostlymarvelgirl @cheynovak @drasticemotions @thesilmarillionblog @deans-spinster-witch @girlsforpjm @delaynew

[misc-obeyme]

Simeon's Invitation

I'm on a roll lately, so here's another installment of the daily chat scene series. Satan is next.

Okay, this takes place in or after OG season 4 so there are Simeon related spoilers. I think most people know what happened to him by now, but just in case, please be aware.

I love Simeon, he doesn't get enough attention, and what they did to him in season four filled me with inexplicable rage. Er that is to say it gives me a lot to work with when it comes to his relationship with MC lol.

GN!MC x Simeon

Warnings: SPOILERS for OG Season 4, but otherwise nothing because fluff is my thing.

SIMEON MC, if I recall correctly, today is your turn to collect everyone's notebooks in class. Carrying them all to the staffroom all by your lonesome can't be easy. Would you like me to help?

MC I can handle it.

SIMEON Are you sure? I'd like to help, you know. Even if it's just a little. Can I make a request as well? I'd like to walk you part of the way home. So, let's leave together once the notebooks are safely delivered to the staffroom. Promise?

Despite the fact that you had initially told Simeon you could handle bringing the notebooks to the staffroom, you let him help you out anyway. It had been clear from his message that he wanted to and really, you didn't mind the company. You could certainly do it on your own, but why not indulge him and yourself a little, too?

Now you walked down the hallway of RAD, a stack of notebooks in your arms. Simeon walked beside you with the other half of the notebooks stacked in his. You had to admit it was easier to carry them this way.

When you reached the staffroom door, Simeon expertly balanced his stack in a way that allowed him to open it without dropping everything. He did this with a school bag also slung over his shoulder and you were truly impressed.

"After you," he said.

"Thanks," you said with a little laugh, going inside the room.

Simeon set his pile down on the table, then turned to you and took your pile from your arms. He set his arms against yours in order to allow you to transfer them, standing close but not too close, a soft smile on his face. As soon as the notebooks were in his keeping, Simeon pulled away, turning to place them on the table next to the others.

Simeon turned back to you, brushing back a stray strand of his soft hair. "There," he said. "Isn't it better to have someone help out? Now I can walk you home, if you don't mind."

"Of course I don't mind," you said. "I promised, didn't I?"

When Simeon had texted you that single "Promise?" you had responded almost instantly with your own "Promise." Mostly because you couldn't imagine saying no to him. You didn't really want to anyway.

"Let's go then," Simeon said, leading the way out of the room and down the hall.

The day outside was calm. No stormy weather, but no sunshine, either. Just the usual Devildom darkness. But there always seemed to be a subtle glow around Simeon that followed him wherever he went, even after he was no longer technically an angel. So you didn't feel like you were in complete darkness.

You weren't sure why he wanted to walk you part of the way home. It was something the two of you had done before. At a certain point in the road, the way to Purgatory Hall split off from the way to the House of Lamentation, so that was where you always parted. It wasn't as though this walk was very far, but maybe he just wanted to be with you, even for a short time?

For a little while, you and Simeon walked together in a comfortable silence, occasionally brushing against each other as you made your way down the street.

Eventually, though, you had to ask, "So why did you want to walk me home?"

"Hmm?" Simeon looked over at you. "Oh, can't I just want to be with you?"

You bumped into him slightly. "Sure, but you made me promise and everything. So I thought there must be another reason."

Simeon's smile was as serene as it usually was, but you could see the sparkle in his eyes. "I just didn't want to miss out on an opportunity to be with you."

You gave him a suspicious look, but you didn't question him further. Instead, you began talking about recent school events. Simeon told you all about Luke's latest pastry creation. You talked a little about Lucifer doing too much paperwork again.

By the time you had reached the split in the road that meant you had to part, you hadn't even realized how long it had been that you'd been in conversation with him. You felt a little stab of disappointment at the thought of leaving him, but you knew you had to go home. And likely Simeon had things to do as well.

"Hang on, MC," Simeon said as you were about to say goodbye. "You were right. There was a reason I wanted to walk home with you today. Will you come with me just a little further?"

You threw up your hands. "I knew it. All right, lead on!"

Simeon smiled and took your hand, pulling you off the road and into a small group of trees. You were a little confused, but you let him lead the way.

When he stopped, you found yourself standing on the edge of a little pond. It was lined with brightly luminescent blooming flowers in blues, purples, and yellows. You could see the shiny silver of fish swimming just beneath the surface.

You looked around with wide eyes because the little pond was so beautiful. You turned to Simeon. "I had no idea this was back here," you said.

Simeon smiled brightly. "I thought you probably didn't," he said. "I accidentally stumbled upon it a few days ago."

You moved closer to the pond, watching as a little fish jumped out of the water for a moment.

"I also brought some snacks, if you'd like to take a break here," Simeon said.

You turned back to him. "I think I can take a break before going home."

Simeon was indeed prepared. In his bag, he had a blanket as well as a box of cookies and even a flask of iced tea. He spread the blanket on a flat area next to the pond, just at the edge of the flowers.

It was just like him to plan an impromptu picnic like this. You settled on the blanket beside him, eyes still on the pond and the softly glowing flowers.

"I'm so happy to share this moment with you, MC," Simeon said. He was about to open the box of cookies, but you reached out and took his hand.

Since he stopped wearing his angel outfit, there was no glove to separate your skin from his. You felt the softness of his touch, the slight clamminess of his hand, as though he was just a little nervous.

You leaned closer to him, letting your head rest on his shoulder. "You're such an angel. Being near you is a blessing."

Simeon's breath hitched. You knew what your words meant to him. You felt his arm wrap around your shoulder. "I'm not an angel anymore, MC."

You sat up to look into his eyes. "You are to me. I think you always will be."

A blush spread across Simeon's cheeks and there was something in his eyes that looked both moved and desperate. A mix of pleasure and pain, like you were healing him and tearing him apart all at the same time.

Simeon leaned forward and pressed his lips to yours so sweetly it almost made you want to cry. He was about to pull away, but you reached out, holding onto him to keep him close. You deepened the kiss, thrilled at the way he responded so easily, opening up for you.

Perhaps you spent a little more time on the blanket beside the pond than you had initially meant to. But everything felt brighter and better the longer you were in Simeon's arms.

others in this series:

Mammon | Barbatos | Solomon | Lucifer | Leviathan

Asmodeus | Diavolo | Beelzebub | Belphegor | Satan

masterlist | Thank you for reading!

[themundanedumpling]

i forgot to liveblog while watching the episode so here's some stray thoughts

major spoilers

- so there IS a timeline where tonkla kills his brother

- win coming out of the room with his dick out after korn left made me laugh for some reason (you were there for a while buddy you could have atleast put your pants on lmaoo)

- CONGRATULATIONS TO TONKLA FOR GETTING THAT DICK RAW

- ooh backstory of korn and tonkla seems sweet?!? i mean it seems they did love each other at one point.

- that dead cat was the one that tonkla saw glimpse of in episode 1 (which could mean nothing)

- how exactly did great's parents lead the demise of tyme's parents?

- i still don't understand how easily great chose tyme even if he did see 4 minutes into the future..he could have asked more questions?!?! idk

- great my sweet summer child don't go to old warehouses alone without even a weapon?!?! and wearing all white?!?!?

- i am surprised how easily those goons let great, tyme and nan leave...they had the numbers they could have easily overpowered them especially considering nan was injured

- omg tyme and great are finally have a great time 👀

-i feel like tonkla is a more important character than great and tyme at this point

- so the place they go to when their heart stops beating is a kind of limbo place

- is it just lukwa and great? why just them? what connects them to the same place?

- we predicted that dome might be tonkla's brother but IT STILL SHOOK ME LOL

- mio calling fuaiz "phi" is hilarious to me

- i think the last scene proves that we're watching two timelines happen past and present happening simultaneously

- how does great's heart stop beating though? did he get in an accident? or was he killed ? i have so many questions

[arc-archernar]

Milgram: Deep Cover Thoughts (Spoilers)

(some of the post written a few hours after, mainly bc deep cover released in between 2 of my mocks)

(all of this is personal opinion and interpretations, take this with a grain of salt or pepper or your choice of powdery food flavouring)

AHJDHR JUST FINISHED WATCHING DEEP COVER

its so good i thoroughly applaud the animators for their work. the colours and the design and ajdhkdhrr

i love staring at how they draw eyes like wtf??? that animation budget must be really high like the transformation and the BLOOD-

okay onto more lore-y thoughts:

(this part is me rambling at my screen trying to form a coherent theory of what happened, there are a lot of random stray thoughts here)

kotoko seems to be the 'punish > solve the systemic issue' type of person. we see that in the way she interacts with the brown-haired girl that she saved. when the girl grabbed onto her we see her conflicted eyes. to me it seemed partially out of desperation??(could just be the adrenaline high of her murder, we also see her sweaty so theres that. murder takes a lot of energy guys), or like she doesnt know what to do with herself. like she wants to push the girl away but felt like she could not (maybe knew that if she pushed her away she might harm the girl even more psychologically...). after that we see her barely acknowledging the brown haired girl in the park, seemingly more interested in the article on her phone than the girl she saved...

also, i found a post where someone translated the article!

to paraphrase, the son of a newspaper company's CEO was found dead (shocker, probably Kotoko's victim). The article goes on to talk about how a female university student had killed him in self defence due to getting into a scuffle as she caught him kidnapping a minor (so. definitely kotoko. probably). The minor agreed with the student that it was self-defence. The company's CEO then came out with an independent report all the injuries that they found on his son, which indicated that more than proportional violence was used, and then announced that the victim retracted her statement. The article then mentions all the rumors that exist about this murder...

interesting.

then that scene. that face of absolute fear on the girl and the uncaring apathy on kotoko's face. we clearly see the young girl trying to wear the cap, we see her basically modelling herself after kotoko. who can blame her? that's the person who saved her from... a life of suffering, probably. So to see kotoko ignoring her like that would absolutely destroy her.

so is kotoko just that heartless? no. or at least, i don't think so. remember the article? 'the victim retracted her statement'. this can happen for many reasons, such as being coerced, forced, bribed, etc. no matter why she did it, this would cast a lot of questions to the credibility of this case. maybe kotoko was legit mad? like 'if you don't want to be saved, i can't save you'. or she thought distancing herself from the victim would be the best thing to do, cuz otherwise people would argue that the two of them conspired together to murder a person and pass it off as a 'heroic deed'. by distancing herself, more of the 'blame' if it ever comes would fall on her. maybe she thought this was the best course of action in this scenario, so at least the girl would seem less 'co-conspirator' and more 'young child who was coerced'. either way, even without counting kotoko's bloodlust in the background, this is a fucked situation.

and yes, the prison seems to be composed of 5 direct and 5 indirect killers, kotoko being an indirect one. we know that she has actually, physically killed a person. the fact that she's in the prison for an indirect murder means that she didn't even consider that guy as a person (lol) or a being worth caring about.

so my running theory of what happened is:

(this part is just consolidation of the theory, above is rambling)

kotoko went after a the newspaper CEO's son, and found him kidnapping the child in that warehouse. then, she beat him up and possibly killed him with excessive force (i.e. the force she used was 'not proportional to the violence about to be inflicted onto her' or smth, im paraphrasing here but that's the gist. and i really mean 'possibly', ill elaborate later). after that, she reported the case to... probably the police? and claimed in court that she found CEO's son kidnapping a minor, then the interaction got violent and she had no choice but to kill him, with the help of the child's testimony. after that, she was released with no charges. (assuming that when the translation says 'the verdict...' it means that the trial has concluded, the judging body(japan doesn't have a jury. for serious criminal cases, they have a 'saiban-in'. look it up for more info abt this) has deemed kotoko free of all charges or smth, and now she walks free.)

but after THAT, the CEO got an independent investigation that reported those injuries, and they believe them to be inflicted not in self-defence but with intent to harm. this is where the idea that she might have killed him to sate her bloodlust comes from. while i do agree on some aspects, remember this is an 'independent investigation', and this is a CEO whose money speaks. also, what you're telling me is that the forensics who looked into the body did not believe the wounds were due to 'excessive force' (bc if that was the case the trial should have gone very very differently), but the group that you independently hired did. i mean, a little bit suspect about the level of validity of that claim, don't you think? (this is assuming that everyone in the trial was competent at their job and no foul play was present. if not, ignore this section.)

the CEO also claimed that the child retracted her testimony (that would be perjury, since that would be admitting that you were lying to the court. japan seems to have laws against perjury, but im not very sure how enforceable it really is, or if people actually get charged with it.). this casts doubt on the verdict and both kotoko's and the victim's credibility in the eyes of the public, you know how the public is. and in a case like this, where the one trying to get someone in jail is someone with money and influence to do private investigations and press conferences, the impact it can have on the life of the other party can get insanely negative. they could have their lives absolutely ruined by this, being publicly shamed this way, while the CEO walks away looking like a caring father 'just looking to avenge his child'. i think the following are plausible:

1st case scenario: im not a legal expert, so REALLY don't blindly believe this, but if this means the child is legally retracting her testimony that she made in front of the court, during a trial, this would require the child to reach out to the law enforcement entities to get it passed, and that might warrant a re-trial of the original trial. in other words, in this scenario kotoko is seriously fucked (probably). so kotoko avoiding the child and/or being pissed is.. personally i think there are better ways to handle this situation, one of which is get yourself a damn good lawyer and hope for the best, kotoko- but not unordinary.

2nd case scenario(more likely in my personal opinion): of course, there's always the case that all this is made up. in which case, kotoko would still have a reason to avoid the child, in that it's the most logical course of action to avoid unnecessary harm to the child. if she acts friendly to the child in public, there's a chance that the child will be seen as a co-conspirator to the 'murder'. also since its a guy with money who's speaking out, it's likely that public opinion would wholy turn against her. and the child, who helped defend kotoko in court, well... even more harrassment, probably. death threats, likely.

in both cases, her and the child would probably receive harrassment, which i think is a possible motive for the child getting killed. (i'm assuming that the child was the one who kotoko feels like she's killed, because she was put in milgram for indirect murder to complete the 5:5 ratio)

And then she becomes a furry.

yay? well, i think the wolf is supposed to be a symbolic of the monster that she now sees herself as. remember, if the version of events i described above is true then she probably faced a lot of social isolation. she has to distance herself from the victim that she helped and got close(? somewhat attached? like cmon she may be distracted with the very important life changing article but she doesn't outright ignore her, and that the chlid showed up to meet her implies that the child had an expectation that kotoko would be accepting of her company... right?) to, and many of her peers probably isolated themselves away from her (being a victim of a crime in japan can often be just as hard on a person's social life as being the perpetrator of said crime, so im not surprised if she was socially isolated by others AND herself). the lack of social support is the start of a mental downward spiral.

also, she keeps referring to herself as a tool and that she needs a next 'target'. so somewhere along the line, she stopped viewing herself as a person but merely a tool to enact justice with. because that's all she is now, she's caused the death of someone she swore to protect, the emotions are too overwhelming, please just give me something - anything - else to focus on; she's a monster, but if that's the case then so be it, she will be a monster with a purpose: eliminating the dregs of society, because that way at least she's of some use to society, otherwise-

otherwise, she's just a regular old monster.

[beautifulbows924]

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Poly!Kaz Brekker & Inej Ghafa x Gender Neutral!Reader

Masterlist

AFG Bingo Masterlist

A/N: This feels like a successful attempt at transferring my sudden inspiration to paper (lol). Honestly, I’m really enjoying learning the nuances to writing these new characters! And I hope it was worth the wait for those of you who saw the sneak peak! As always, I hope you enjoy. Feel free to leave any feedback you have in the comments and if you like my work consider leaving a tip! Thanks:)

Rating: Teen

Word Count: 1K+

Created for: @lgbtqbingo / Square Filled O3: Polyamorous Relationship.

Warnings: Violence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff, religious undertones, vague spoilers for the books & show. (Paragraphs solely in italics are set in the past).

Loyalty may be seldom found among bastards and vagabonds, but Kaz Brekker had discovered suffering at the end of a gloved hand or the hilt of a cane served him just as well.

Dirtyhands became the stories, spoken late into the night by parents to regale the children of Ketterdam with, in case they thought it wise to stray into the tangled mess of filth the barrel had to offer. He became the whispers of an alley filled with shadows and the tight-lipped fears of those who would dare to cross him.

Rumors were as good as currency in Ketterdam, and he had heard them all. He had no eagerness to dispel them, they were all true enough.

Modesty was a commodity those without their freedom could only ever dream of, but Inej Ghafa had learned to use the nightfall of Ketterdam like a second skin.

A talent some swore must have been gifted to her by the Saints themselves.

Their rumors served her just as well. The Wraith became the whispered prayer among indentures and the grave reveal of words unspoken.

Secrets were as good as currency in Ketterdam, and she knew them all. Even his.

The rhythmic tap of your foot had become almost expected to him, comforting even. He always feigned annoyance at the action. Only internally allowing himself to wonder if you felt similarly about the sudden additional pressure of a cane against the tip of your boot.

Kaz Brekker had never believed in miracles. In luck, or Saints, or fate. But even a faithless man like him could recognize there was something of importance this moment had to offer him, and he’d never been one to turn down a deal.

He didn’t dare reach for your hand. Not here, not near the water. Not out in the open where anyone could catch sight of his failures.

Instead, he shifted his grip on his cane and poked your hand with the hilt until your fingers lightly wrapped around the crow's head, allowing him to feel the slightest pressure of added weight through his own hold.

Trying was easier than he thought it would be, especially with the sight of your half quirked smile as a lovely reward. It was a smile he had seen solely reserved for him.

He attempted to earn it as often as you’d allow.

Inej’s prayers sat heavy on her tongue.

She knew brutality. She knew the Saints would counsel mercy in a moment like this.

Yet not a word of opposition graced her lips as Kaz laid claim to the blood debt he felt he was owed.

She felt she was owed it too.

There was a past her that might have feared him once, but this was the same man that had worried if his tie was straight before he met her parents for the first time, so instead she asked, “Was this what it was like?”

The prolonged silence that came after wasn’t from the lack of context held in those six words. He was fairly certain they could retain the ability to read each other with a handkerchief stuffed in their mouths and their backs turned. He was simply attempting to discern which answer would be worse, the truth, or the lie he knew she’d see through regardless.

She slightly inclined her head toward him, the heavy scent of iron lingering around them like a stain. She watched how his gloved hands shook with boiled over rage, emotions poorly contained even in the dim light. To her, his silence had always been a response in it of itself. She wouldn’t pressure him, not now. She knew he didn’t want her to know, or perhaps—he didn’t want to relive those days for himself.

Maybe, she thought, he already was.

And as a former member of the Dregs stumbled down the alley, palm pressing hopelessly into the empty space where his crow and cup tattoo had formerly resided, searching for a sense of relief that would never follow, she wondered if that’s what Kaz Brekker’s mercy looked like.

He did spare him, after all.

Her lips bore the semblance of a smile, the only tell she provided in her knowledge of your quiet presence.

Your eyes remained steady to the horizon, face kissed with the last orange rays the sunset had to offer, patiently waiting until Ketterdam was once again cloaked in familiar darkness.

She couldn’t recall how the sun had looked that day. She was too captured by the sight of you.

The waves threatened to pull him under, a war of salt and foam just beneath his chin. He forced a pale hand to rest on the blood covered sheets, searching for reassurance, needing to communicate to himself that you were still there with them. Warm. Alive.

His other hand, gloved, loosely gripped hers. A reminder that she was there too.

Kaz Brekker had never believed in miracles. In luck, or Saints, or fate. But he believed in you, he believed in Inej, and for the first time, he prayed that was enough.

His expression shifted, lingering somewhere between exasperated and fond, a bit soft at the edges in the shared presence of those his heart had betrayed him for.

You looked similarly effected, eyes trained on Inej, committing her every feature to memory.

He did the same to you. For once, allowing himself to hope.

It’ll take time, she told herself, taking in a steadying breath as she walked to join the two of you at the bar.

“Inej”, Nina called from behind her, reminiscent of a time much different than the one they currently shared, voice low and intended for only their ears, “I once wished you could see what I did, hear each and every sound so you could understand what you were missing. But now”, she let out a light laugh, “When the three of you are together. It’s like home.”

It seemed as if a lifetime had passed since then, but Inej could still recall the words she had responded with, the confusion she had felt.

She smiled. She wasn’t that person anymore, and Nina was right.

She had found her home.

Thanks for reading! Let me know if you want to be tagged or un-tagged down below. <3

Shadow & Bone Taglist: @mxtokko

[heart-of-the-morningstar]

I HAVE RETURNED FROM THE FNAF MOVIE AND I HAVE SOME THOUGHTS

✨ Non-spoiler section ✨

I had such a fun time with this movie! There were a ton of Easter eggs I caught and I’m sure there’s a few that I missed! My best advice for anyone wanting to see this movie is don’t take it super seriously, you’ll enjoy it more! The makers of this film weren’t lying when they said that they made this movie for the fans, I do feel like fans will enjoy this movie way more than a general audience and that’s perfectly fine! It’s campy at some parts and funnier than I thought it would be, but that’s what made it so fun! Now for the nitty-gritty…

❌ SPOILERS BELOW ❌

What I liked…

• First off, Matthew Patrick is a fucking LIAR! He does have a cameo in the movie, he says his iconic “That’s just a theory” line which was great! He’s a waiter at a diner, which leads me to my next point

• The diner was named “Sparky’s”, which I feel like only OG fans will get the reference. But for those of you who don’t know, back when FNAF 1 came out, there was a rumor of a secret/rare animatronic in the game called Sparky the Dog. There was a fake image floating around showing him standing in the door to parts and service. This was later confirmed to be fake. BUT! In the movie they also have a dog-looking animatronic in the parts and service room which absolutely took me out lol

• Acting was great! Everyone was fun to watch, Josh Hutcherson was a great lead as Mike and Piper Rubio was so sweet as Abby but I gotta give my props to Matthew Lillard towards the end of the movie, he looked like he was having so much fun being this unhinged monster! Speaking of…

• There is a spring lock scene!! It is real!! And God was it cathartic to watch! Obviously being PG-13, they couldn’t do blood and guts galore, but I think they managed to pull it off pretty well! Afton’s scene was definitely my favorite in the film hands down! And yes, he gets his “I always come back” line which put 5 years back on my life if I’m being honest lmao

• There is blood in this movie! Not a gratuitous amount, but it was enough for what they were going for I think! The kills of the people breaking to Freddy’s were more entertaining to watch than I thought! Especially Freddy’s kill…that caught me completely off guard lmao

• There aren’t too many jumpscares but that was fine with me! They do this repeat jumpscare with a little figurine of Balloon Boy like 3 times and I thought it was funny every time! They do a really good job with tension in this movie!

• The animatronics!!!! LOVED THEM!!!! They were so detailed and well designed, they were so fun to watch!! The Jim Henson company did an absolutely stellar job with the designs, I want to hug them 🥺

• So the story…I thought it was fine! They do stray from canon by making Vanessa Afton’s daughter in the movie instead of Mike being his son. They do confirm Afton was the one who kidnapped and killed Mike’s brother Garrett. The story is kind of left open ended as if they could continue the story (which I hope they do), but I think it leaves a more or less satisfying ending!

• There’s a minor mid-credit scene with Cory Kenshin and a secret message at the very end of the credits. I couldn’t hear it well but it’s spelled-out letters exactly like the ones from the death minigames in FNAF 2

• Yes, The Living Tombstone’s FNAF song is in the end credits, I felt my soul leave my body 😭

Minor Negatives…

• The story is slow at the beginning, it takes a little bit for anything super interesting to take place

• There are some plot points that don’t get explained or resolved (which is par for the course for FNAF) but that leads me to believe that they want to make sequels which I am all here for

• The Aunt Jane character wasn’t super important, she was fine, but she was there just to serve as an antagonist to Mike for a whole 5 minutes of the movie, if that

• I wanted so much more Afton/Spring Bonnie time, it was too short for me but I am happy with what I got. Also, he didn’t wear any purple in the movie which I think is a crime 😂

• Kind of wish there was an R rated version of this movie even though FNAF isn’t known for being bloody and gory, but some parts felt a little tame

• Also please correct me if I’m wrong but, they didn’t use the Toreador March music at all?? If I missed it, please tell me but I was waiting to hear it and it never came from what I remember

Speculation…

• So the biggest plot issue for me was that they never explained Afton’s intentions for killing. I think fans of the games know why he’s killing, but the general audience won’t. I’m sure it has something to do with the saw blade machine that tries to stuff your head into Freddy’s head. But it wasn’t clear. Vanessa never gave us a straight answer either even though she was in on it from the beginning.

• Towards the beginning of the movie, Abby is shown to be talking to her “invisible friend”, this is before Mike is hired as Freddy’s security guard. Turns out that friend is the ghost kid who possess Golden Freddy/Fredbear (again, isn’t clear lol). I wanna know why that kid showed up before Mike and Abby even went to the location??

• I may be reading too much into this, but when Mike goes in to get a new job after being fired from his mall security guard job, he’s talking to “Steve” and Steve does something interesting. He’s berating him for his inability to hold down a job, the he looks at his name on the file and just goes “…Mike S…” and just, doesn’t finish saying his name. He looks at Mike really weird like he’s trying to find something, and then just completely changes the subject. IDK, I’ll probably have to watch it again, and I think it would be a stretch to go the “Mike Afton” route especially since they established Vanessa was his kid. But ya never know with FNAF 😂

• Also the secret message that was spelled out at the end of the credits. If any of y’all know what they spelled, please tell me because I could not figure it out! I would love to know what it said!

Conclusion…

I just had a blast with this movie! I wasn’t sure what to expect with this movie but I think Blumhouse and everyone who worked on this movie did an amazing job, you can tell they put so much heart and soul into this! I will patiently be awaiting the announcement of the next movie until then!

Rating - 8.5/10

[fallloverfic]

TGCF donghua Season 2, Episode 10 thoughts

This episode T-T T-T T-T T-T. Spoilers for the show and the book below. CW reference to suicide.

The dude being racist to An Le looks vaguely like a love child of Feng Xin and Nie Mingjue (the donghua version) roflmao. Animators have made little references to The Scum Villain's Self Saving System this season so I would not be surprised if someone snuck in a reference to the Mo Dao Zu Shi donghua, too lol And this is similar enough to at least one Meng Yao + Nie Mingjue scene that I can see why they'd do it here.

So the Xianle goons licking their lips is because, I imagine, whatever was in that pouch Qi Rong brought An Le infected them or maybe it was these actual soldiers or something. Makes it less mmm... Strange. Having seen recordings of an attempted assault on a principal government building with government officials inside and what bloodthirsty folks bent on literal murder of said officials get up to around that, I mean I guess it's not that..... strange......

Someone here let me know that the servant/friend is the same official from S02E01 who ran past Xie Lian to help Lang Qianqiu, which makes sense! I totally forgot he showed up then and wondered after S02E07 if he was An Le acting funny (though by the end of S02E09 he is clearly not). He does show up in the novel in that S02E01 scene, but he's not named so far as I can tell, and I don't think we see him in Yong'an flashbacks like we do here. It's neat to see the development of this side character, and how some officials reward people who support them in life (besides Xie Lian and Yin Yu).

Xie Lian seeing the guy nervously looking for Lang Qianqiu and then being like: -sigh- young love is such a trial. You should spend more time studying the blade!

Oh shit, we get a preview of Xie Lian's parents' suicide. Wow. Will we get the donghua that far please T-T

I'm just in love with Fangxin's cape. It's so beautiful trailing behind him.

I'm sorry but An Le screaming in the same way Nakahara Chuuya does whenever he's mid-Corruption in Bungo Stray Dogs made me laugh so hard roflmao Unexpected (and likely unintentional) cameo lol

Imma keep saying it, the animation in this episode is really good. The fight scene is wonderful. When they go back to Qi Rong cackling is good. The show is just pretty.

Qi Rong: "Why is everyone here so fond of crying!"

This man is tired. Can't you do a little mass murder and gloating in peace? Honestly. Hard times.

Qi Rong: "You want your parents? I haven't gone asking for mine yet!"

Aw Qi Rong, babe...

Qi Rong got anime slashed. Who could have foreseen??? /end sarcasm

Xie Lian having a sad moment about Qi Rong, thinking he died. I'm wondering what the crying scene is from, or if that's something new. Qi Rong did cry I think in one flashback (I think where he's complaining about something) but this looked sadder? And less "spoiled".

Xie Lian sadly reaching out for Lang Qianqiu T-T

Xie Lian: "Is the truth so important? . . . What's the use of him knowing that? If I killed a few less people, would that make my reasons more justified?"

I really do love this so much. Just... sometimes the truth isn't important. Sometimes the truth is more painful/results in a worse outcome. Being bluntly honest isn't always the answer. You could argue that Xie Lian sacrificing himself isn't the answer either, and it's better overall that Lang Qianqiu knows things, but I love how this story brings up this idea, that maybe ignorance was better. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, and Xie Lian did still intentionally murder two people, as part of a cover-up.

Also, "You'd rather be right than be loved," is something I think about a lot from personal experience. It's not Hua Cheng's intention, but this kind of thinking can lead down that path so easily.

Hua Cheng really feeling that "fucked around and found out" part of this whole thing. Like I don't necessarily disagree with his goal here, and Xie Lian's plan is kind of well... imperfect (to put it lightly). But I do think this is a nice moment of Hua Cheng realizing that yes, he is Xie Lian's #1 fan, he is Xie Lian's strongest believer, and Xie Lian clearly cares deeply for him in return, but this does not mean that Hua Cheng understands Xie Lian perfectly, or knows all his thoughts (does Hua Cheng know a lot about him? Yes. But Xie Lian hides a lot of what he thinks, and has done so throughout his life). When thinking about Hua Cheng, I often think of Sosuke Aizen's line in Bleach chapter 170: "Admiration is the state furthest from understanding."

Unlike other people, Hua Cheng sets himself apart by not forcing his views on Xie Lian or trying to get Xie Lian to change to suit him, and he's realizing, "Oh shit, I fucked up with that here, didn't I," because in his quest for justice, to protect Xie Lian, he did just what he hates other people doing (to an extent, it's not nearly as bad as other folks). One thing I love so much about their relationship is how much they listen to each other, and learn from each other, and how Hua Cheng tries to see Xie Lian in ways other people don't. Even here, he's seeing Xie Lian (I really love that they focused so much on Hua Cheng's expressions here, even if he's not visually doing as much as Xie Lian, it's the little clear signs of upset that mean so much). He's not interrupting Xie Lian, he's not arguing his case (though to be fair, he already mostly has). He's trying to learn and be better. They recover from this because of that. And I love that about them.

Xie Lian: "I deserve whatever punishment I get and I can't die anyway. So why not put all the blame on me?"

T-T Crying in the club, folks. This man...

Xie Lian realizing he's being mean to Hua Cheng and apologizing got me T-T He's so scared of himself and what he's capable of - and incapable of, given all his work to try and save lives and mend old anger has come to naught, and he can't fix it. He always doubts himself before others. The scars of Bai Wuxiang are all over this episode, and Xie Lian himself, figuratively and literally. All this episode I cry T-T

Xie Lian's Chinese voice actor has done such a good job. Everyone is amazing (Qi Rong's VA doing amazing), but dang, he is phenomenal this episode. You can really feel Xie Lian's desperation and sorrow.

All in all the subs were also better this episode! They still call Qi Rong the "Green Immor" for some reason, but outside maybe one slightly awkward sentence, I think it was okay! But that doesn't necessarily mean anything cause they've been good and then got worse again lol

An excellent episode. Truly phenomenal. I think one of my favorites, particularly for this ending bit with Xie Lian and Hua Cheng talking to each other.

Other episode thoughts for season 2 (didn't start till episode 3):

S02E03

S02E04

S02E05

S02E06

S02E07

S02E08

S02E09

S02E10 (you are here)

S02E11

S02E12

[miammey]

Bungou Stray Dogs Season 5 Trailer 2 Screaming!!

Warning: I’m a manga reader so there will be spoilers!!!

Starting off strong with Fukuchi’s speech, seriously he looks so cool here

We’re gonna go so far this season, if we’re gonna get this far then we’re gonna get Tecchou vs Kenji fight

Not much to say here, I just think he looks really good in this panel

Sigma, I choose you!!

But seriously, we’re gonna get the prison break game!! Tho the season will probably end as it starts (to be fair the game isn’t even over yet in the manga)

Tachihara vs Fukuchi let’s go!!!! I can’t wait for this fight, it’s one of my favorites!!

Bram!!! Bram!!!!! Heck yeah Bram!!!!

The sword’s freaking purple!!!! I thought they said it was blue. But it could also be because of the lighting (BSD really likes their sunsets, and honestly I can’t blame them)

Jouno’s Ability looks so cool animated!!!! Thwy took “afterglow” a bit literally lol, but I guess all Abilities glow.

But oh my god they cut his hair (I’m sure it’s fine but still)

Sobbing

ADA Family reunion!!!!

Final thoughts: best way to start off Pride Month

[xenia-cenia]

Burnout - Idia x Fem!Reader

A/N - I wanna get back into writing again so here’s a pretty easy one :) Haven’t played book 6 so I’m just rolling the die about in character or not lol also shoutout to @merakiui for helping me realize how to improve 

Word count - 2,757

TW - Burnout, real bad panic attacks, swearing, bullying, slight spoilers, possibly OOC?

The sun peered through the windows of Ramshackle, illuminating your dismal bedroom and burning your eyes. You slowly blinked at the window, silently cursing it out for waking you up. With a frustrated groan, you slipped out of bed and walked to your bathroom, shutting the door behind you and flicking on the lights. Your eyes rose to the mirror, and you instantly regretted it.

You had heavy eyebags, your face looked sunken in, and you lacked the previous happiness you were accustomed to back home. You ran a hand down your face, pausing as it covered your mouth, and sighed - wincing at how warm your breath felt on your skin. 

You had to admit it - you looked awful. It wasn’t like the dorm itself was any better, either. Grim had been leaving tuna cans scattered throughout the kitchen, and now the scent of moldy tuna had ingrained itself in the walls. The dust and grime you had spent so long cleaning on your first night came back with a vengeance, causing anyone who stepped foot in Ramshackle to not so discreetly cough into their arms for several minutes. 

But you couldn’t find the effort to care. All you seemed to do nowadays was sit in your bed and stare out the window - some of your friends would stop by to check in on you, or leave food, but they’d find your bedroom door locked and Grim sleeping on the couch. 

Water splashed against your face, the cold startling you from your thoughts, despite it being you who’d thrown it. 

“Damn.” You groaned, “Heat went out again.” You wiped some of the excess water off with an unwashed towel sat next to the sink, and walked back to your bed. 

As you lay down, you stared at the ceiling and tried to force yourself to sleep. All you wanted was to go home. Not deal with the bullshit of a world you don’t belong in.

Overblots, magic, and other worlds? That should be a fantasy novel. Not your life. If Crowley cared, maybe you’d be back home, petting the stray cat that liked to meow outside your apartment at 2am. Or going on the date with the cute barista you met at your favorite cafe. He’d always draw on the napkins that came with your orders, and you loved watching how good he was getting. His favorite was cats, doodling the stray you’d describe to him with a goofy smile on his face.

You could see him perfectly in your mind - tall, soft brown eyes, hair always tucked into a dark green beanie, and calloused hands that lingered over yours - but you could hardly remember his name. Did it start with a J? Or was it A? 

Tears began filling your eyes, and you turned over in bed to clutch a pillow against your chest. Your nails dug into the fabric, picking at the start of a tear, your eyes boring a hole into the wooden floorboards. 

Right as you began to drift your eyes shut, a pitiful attempt to stop the tears from flowing, someone knocked at the door. You groaned, not sparing the intruder the energy to sit up in bed, “Go away.”

You heard soft, frantic, mumbling on the door's other side, the sound reminding you of a mouse skirting through its enclosure. The person on the other side knocked again, this time somewhat quieter.

“Piss off.” You spat, feeling the anger rising in your chest from your incessant visitor, “I don’t wanna talk.”

“I-I’m not here to talk.” The meek voice piped up. You blinked and slowly sat up, staring at the door and trying to remember where you’d heard that voice before.

“Ace?” You asked incredulously, “I don’t want whatever is it you got Trey to cook, stop offering.”

“It... it’s Idia.” 

“Idia?” You got out of bed and walked to the door, holding your hand over the lock, “What are you doing here?”

“They’re... your friends won’t stop bothering me. They’re a bunch of normies, and they keep telling me to come.”

“Why?”

“Don’t ask me to understand normie thought processes. Interrupted me right before my guild was gonna raid a dungeon, too...”

You rolled your eyes, glad for the layer of separation the door gave you, “Sorry that they bothered you. You can just finish your raid or whatever.”

“Really? You just gave me an extra life!” 

“Sure. Whatever.”

You were about to head back to bed, but he rapped his fingers against the door, “Oh, wait, I forgot. Ortho had said you might want these.”

“Want what?”

“Headphones, like the kind I wear. Made them myself, so you know they’re good.”

“Headphones?” You cracked open the door and peered out through the sliver. 

“More like SSR headphones, if you ask me. Noise-canceling, no static, comfortable.” Idia held a pair of black headphones, proudly enthusing over the dark blue padding around the ears and the sleek buttons hidden in the design. 

“...no static means I can play music, right?”

“Precipice Moirai is pre-loaded already, but if you can download it you can play it.”

You opened the door and grabbed the headphones, running your hand against the surprisingly soft outer rim. “Thank you, Idia.”

“NBD.”

“You know, Idia, you’re really nice.”

“Eek!” He curled into himself. “A rare mob spawned! Don’t have enough mana for this!”

You smiled, “I’ll talk to you later, alright?” He nodded in response and scurried off down the hall before you can even shut the door. “Idia...” You whispered to yourself as you slumped against your door. 

The headphones felt strangely light considering how much tech must be inside, you turned them on and placed your head against the door as unfamiliar pop music filled your ears. 

The next day, Grim was surprised to see you sitting outside Ramshackle. You were wearing headphones and drawing something on a piece of paper, unbothered by the grass and rocks biting into your skin. Grim had tried to get your attention but gave up after 5 minutes of yelling. 

He figured there were better things to do than yell at someone who wasn’t even listening, so he set off for more interesting things. 

For hours, you sat outside Ramshackle, furiously drawing something and occasionally staring at the sky. Eventually, the moon rose, twinkling and urging you to go on a walk.

You sat your drawing down and walked through Ramshackle’s gate, the cool metal stinging your hand. Wind blew through the trees in a soft melody, almost alluring enough to take off your headphones, but you opted to see instead of hear. 

Soft fireflies began to take flight, illuminating your path through the campus. You walked until you found yourself in front of the door to the hall of mirrors, its awe-inspiring splendor leaving you stuck in place. You shakily rose a hand, hesitating, before throwing the door open. You stepped inside, the smell of roses, sea spray, and perfume overwhelming your senses. 

You rose your arm to cover your nose, coughing at the sudden stimulation and forced your way inside. The mirrors had labeled pendants engraved in marble, but you barely spared them a glance before pressing your hand against the nearest surface in an attempt to balance yourself. However, you felt your heart skip a beat as your hand gave way and you fell through a mirror.

Blue fog seeped through the air, thick enough that you could barely see in front of you. You forced your way up a winding staircase, trying to ignore the overwhelming feeling of being watched as you went. 

You walked through a well-kept lounge and took a moment to marvel at the technology displayed in the center, and continued until you saw a familiar face.

“Idia!” You called down the hall, jogging up to the surprised boy as you pulled your headphones to your neck, “Am I in Ignihyde? I was trying to look at the hall of mirrors, and now I’m here...”

He dropped the snacks he was holding, staring at you with a mixture of horror and shock on his face, “AH, surprise encounter!”

“No, I...” You took the headphones off your neck, “I didn’t mean to startle you. Just a bit lost. And, since I’m here, wanted to thank you for letting me borrow these.” 

Idia looked between the headphones you were offering back to him and your face, “Th-there yours.”

“Huh? No, I-” you blinked. “You sure?”

“Yeah, and I got a raid so... um... bye?” He grabbed the snacks off the floor and scurried back down the hall.

“But I’m still lost.” You sighed and resolved yourself to a long night back home.

It took two weeks before you finally started going to classes again, much to Ace and Deuce’s delight. You were pleasantly surprised at how lenient the professors were with you. You were more surprised at just how carefully every person you saw treated you as if you were a glass sculpture placed on the edge of a ledge. 

Ace, Deuce, and Grim hadn’t made a single joke at your expense, Trey kept inviting you to ‘taste test’ the things he cooked (which you knew was just a lame excuse for him to give you free food), and even Azul gave you no-strings-attached discounts at the Mostro Lounge. 

Part of you was happy for the kindness, but you knew better than to think it’d last. 

In fact, it took two weeks and three days for it to just crumble in on itself. You’d been sitting idly by yourself between classes, adding on small details to your drawing, when two pairs of sneakers entered your view.

“Thought maybe you’d gone.” The first person spoke.

“Like we’d get that lucky.” The second person snorted in laughter. 

“You’re right - people like her, just can’t seem to go away, can they?”

“I don’t want any trouble.” You mumbled, your eyes staring blankly at your drawing.

“Then why do you keep bringing it? Ever since you came here, you have just brought problem after problem.”

“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to.”

“You act so high and mighty like you’re some kind of god. All you do is bitch, and everybody bends over backward to make you quiet.”

You gripped the edges of your drawing, “I’m really sorry- I... I just...”

“You just get in the way. You can’t even use magic - why are you here?”

One of them ripped the paper from your hands, and the other held you against the tree you were sitting against when you tried to stand. 

“What is this?” The one holding the drawing turned it sideways, “Looks like shit.”

“It’s-”

The second one hit you in the stomach, “Your voice is so annoying.”

The first one showed your drawing to the second, snickered, and tore it in half.

“NO!” You cried out, reaching for the remains of your hard work.

“Shut up!” The second one slapped you, letting you fall to the ground before they kicked you in the side. After several minutes of beating, they laughed and took off for something new.

You lay on the ground, your nose was almost certainly broken and in terrible pain, but forcing yourself to sit up and grab the scraps. With teary eyes, you tried to put the pieces together. Sniveling and trying to keep the tears at bay, you unsuccessfully sat and felt yourself begin to hyperventilate. 

Nausea began to build in your stomach, the world blurring and fading away as you stared at the effort gone to waste. Shakily, you stood and began to walk back to Ramshackle. The second you saw the familiar gate, you broke into a sprint and dove into your bed, holding the blanket around your head.

You scratched at your face, banged your hands against your head, and kicked the sheets on your bed until they were bunched up at the foot of your bed. When your eyes opened again, you caught sight of your headphones sitting on your nightstand, you growled in anger and threw them at the ground, the black plastic shell falling off and splintering.

Without another thought, you tore through your room, not leaving anything untouched. By the time you were finished and breathless, a knock at your door, your room was a mess of thrown-about clothes, torn papers, and broken technology. 

You collapsed against the side of your bed, holding your head in your hands as you sobbed. A creak from your hallway caused your head to shoot up, and you saw Idia staring at you, one hand on your door, and the other cautiously held in the air.

“I... uh... the headphones tell me when they’re broken.” He looked at the plastic on the ground, and he nervously stepped into the room, shutting the door behind him. Idia stood just in front of you like he was on the verge of crying himself and eventually sat next to you, taking off his own headphones and playing with the settings, before putting them on your head. You recoiled at the sudden contact but took a deep breath and the soft music playing.

Idia exhaled and watched as you visibly relax, eventually letting yourself lean on his shoulder. He awkwardly tapped his fingers against his knees, unsure of himself, and waited for you to be ready. 

After 20 minutes, you slid the headphones off and exhaled shakily. “They ripped my drawing.” You spoke hoarsely.

“I’m sorry.”

“It... back home, I had this cat. Or, I didn’t have him, he just showed up. Called him Sparkler. He was a stray, lit up my house with his dumb little walk. He wasn’t that smart, but I loved him. I think he liked me. Or, if anything, he liked the tuna I’d buy him. Nobody else in my apartment complex tolerated him, said he was dirty. But I made sure he was bathed. He liked baths, y’know. Not many cats do, but he did. His dumb little eyes would light up when I turned on the sink, and he’d start meowing like crazy. I was saving up to buy him a litterbox. To really mark the occasion in my head. Like, you are my cat. And then I came here. I don’t- it’s been so long-” you sighed and fought another wave of sobs, “I was drawing him, making sure it was perfect. Didn’t wanna forget. And these guys - I don’t even know who they are- but they hate me. They keep saying things about how a girl shouldn’t be at NRC. Not like I wanna be here either. They ripped it. I’ve been working so hard, and they ripped it to shreds.”

Idia patiently held you as you started to cry again, his expression blank as he listened. 

“I... I’m sorry. I shouldn’t put this on you. I broke your gift, too. And you’ve been so nice to me, I-I...”

He didn’t say anything, just carefully stood and dragged you out of your room. The two of you walked in silence until you were sitting on his bed, nervously looking around. He sat at his computer and started typing faster than you could even see. Eventually, Ortho came in and kept you company.

After two hours of idly talking to Ortho, who was just a sweetheart, Idia sighed loudly and collapsed back in his chair.

“What is it, Big Bro?” Ortho looked at Idia.

“Just an EZ-level hack. NRC security is a common mob without me.”

“NRC security? What are you doing?” You stared at him owlishly. 

“Finding the noobs that aggrod you, obviously.” 

“What?” You jumped off his bed and to his side, looking at the blurry ID pictures of the two people who’d torn your drawing. “That’s them!”

“Whee hee hee, told you it was easy.” He grinned toothily, “RIP to their electricity!” He pressed a final button on his keyboard.

“But... Idia... why?” You turned towards him.

He kept his eyes on his screen, playing with the end of his hair, “Simple protect the NPC quest, that’s all.”

You smiled and sat down, “Thank you, Idia.”

“NBD.”

“Maybe, but I appreciate it anyway.”

Idia hesitated, looking between the keyboard and you, “There’s a cat that hangs around the grounds at night. I got space in my party for one more, if you’d want to come with someday.”

“I’d love that, Idia.” 

He turned away from you again, but if you’d look closer you’d of seen a huge blush and wider grin on his face. 

[deepspacedukat]

The Baker's Baker - Part One

So, this is the fic I made the poll about. 75% of you said you were at least open to other David Birney characters depending on the character, so here it is. I honestly have no excuse. David Birney played a hot character in "Murder, She Wrote" and I have caught the brainrot. Spoilers for S10E3 "The Legacy of Borbey House." I know I changed part of the story, but it doesn't stray too far from the original, hence the spoiler warning. I'm not tagging anyone for this fic, because, even though some Letant Enjoyers might like this, I don't think anyone came to my blog for MSW fanfiction lol. To those who choose to give this little brainworm a read, I hope you enjoy.

Cross-posted to AO3 here.

~*~

Lawrence Baker (MSW) x Reader

[A/N: Future chapters will contain smut/smut adjacent content, so 18+ ONLY, MINORS DNI!!!]

Warnings: Mild rudeness, flirtation, mention of a missing person per the episode plot, vampire rumors, utilizing cupcakes for flirtation, readers owns and works in a bakery, reader has history with Borbey House but that'll be expounded upon in a later chapter.

~*~

Cabot Cove was rife with rumors surrounding the property across the street from my front door. Borbey House had stood empty for a year and a half - some residents wondered if anyone would ever buy the place until a couple of weeks ago. I only caught a glimpse of my new neighbor as I was getting home one night. Dark hair, a darker suit, and the jaunty strut of a man who was utterly confident in himself - whoever he was, the new owner of the Borbey Estate was much flashier than the usual Cabot Cove crowd.

I only saw him once, though, along with a couple of curtain twitches from one of the upper windows. Any other time a person emerged from the house, it was without fail a harsh looking man with a square jaw. He and his employer both seemed rather ominous to anyone who believed in superstition, and the Borbey legacy was already saturated with those. All the mysterious deaths years ago...it was a wonder that anyone was interested in buying the place when it went on the market.

Legend had it that the original owner, William Borbey, had been a vampire, and given the new owner's tendency to avoid going out in the daylight coupled with how quickly gossip of any sort traveled through Cabot Cove, rumors about his condition spread rather rapidly. I couldn't really blame the man for not wanting to immerse himself in the insanity that was a small town like this. I had hoped I'd catch another glimpse of him eventually, but after that first sighting, all I saw was his - was the man with a square jaw a butler or a chauffeur? Both, perhaps?

This morning, however, my luck changed - for better or worse, I couldn't definitively say. It wasn't often that our postman switched mail around, but today I'd opened my mailbox to find a letter addressed to one 'Mr. Lawrence Baker.' Glancing at the address confirmed my suspicions: this belonged across the street.

With barely a moment's thought, I hurried back into my house and dropped off my own mail, scooping up a box of assorted cookies I'd packaged in advance for the bakery in the process. There were plenty more where that came from, so I figured it couldn't hurt to give Cabot Cove's newest resident a warm welcome.

Straightening myself up a bit, I grabbed the misdelivered letter and the box of cookies and walked across the street. Before I even got the chance to knock on the door, however, it was practically flung open. Mr. Baker's butler scowled silently, expectantly down at me with cold, hard eyes.

"Uh, hi! I–"

"Do you have an appointment?" His question was clipped and rough. Was that a German accent? Interesting.

"No, but–"

"Then begone." With that, the door was slammed in my face.

Oh, hell no. Tall and scary that man might be, but I wasn't about to just let someone treat me like that.

I was secretly quite proud of the firm, confident sound of my knuckles rapping on the aged wooden door. Once more, it was thrown open, but before Mr. Scary got the chance to do something more drastic than slamming the door in my face, I held up the letter so he could see the typeface on the envelope.

"This was delivered to me by mistake this morning. I was just coming over here to give it to its proper owner." After a tense moment of silence, the letter was snatched from my hand. "And these are from me. I run the bakery on Main Street and I wanted to officially welcome Mr. Baker to the neighborhood."

Shoving the box into the stunned butler's grasp, I turned on my heel and started back to my house, standing as straight as possible to cling to my remaining dignity. Well, that had been slightly more humiliating than I'd expected. So much for being neighborly–

"Excuse me, miss?" A smooth, sophisticated voice called out from behind me before I was more than a few feet down the front walkway. Looking back, I saw a familiar dark-haired figure stepping around the gruff-mannered butler to stand in the doorway. Red-lensed sunglasses rested atop the bridge of his nose, but it was still undeniably the same man I'd seen that first night. Lawrence Baker, in the flesh. Up close, he looked...well, extremely handsome. "I'm sorry for the rough reception. Peter is used to dealing with less pleasant visitors. I'm afraid most people don't like an outsider invading your peaceful community."

Taking a few small steps toward the door, I gave my elusive new neighbor a tentative smile and attempted to ignore the way his pale blue button-down shirt clung to his figure so perfectly.

"It's alright, but I promise not all of us are quite so prickly. I'm sorry if you've been on the receiving end of any sort of intolerance," I said, and he leaned jauntily on the door frame as a grin stretched his lips. The lines on either side of his mouth spoke of the many smiles he'd worn over the years. "Anyway, I should really let you get back to your day. I just wanted to officially welcome you to the neighborhood. If you need anything, I live just across the street."

"I'll be sure and keep that in mind, Miss...?"

I introduced myself, keeping a respectable distance between myself and the front door. The longer I looked at Mr. Baker, the more I wanted to do something ridiculous, like take up sketching just so I could capture the shape of his lips when he smiled.

"I couldn't help but hear what you said a moment ago. You run the local bakery?"

"Yes, I do. If there's something you'd like that I don't normally offer, I take custom orders." My brain went somewhere it definitely shouldn't have, and I fought to keep myself from blushing.

Instead, though, I had some restraint. Excusing myself, I retreated quickly back to my own home. I took a seat in the kitchen and glanced at the timer I'd set for the cake in the oven. There was still a while until I needed to check it.

I had no idea how long I'd been sitting at my kitchen table lost in thought when a knock sounded at the door, jolting me back to reality. A brief flash of fear zipped through me at the prospect of Mr. Baker or his butler - somehow the name 'Peter' didn't fully encompass that man's personality - coming to throw my cookies back in my face and threaten legal action if I ever set foot on their side of the street again.

"Why, you look as pale as a ghost, child!" Seth exclaimed when I opened the door. I'd almost forgotten that he and Jessica were coming over for lunch today. Inviting them in gratefully, I stole a quick glance across the street and was just in time to see a curtain twitch in one of the upper windows of the Borbey House.

There was nothing I could do but close the door as if to block out the storm that was my neighbor's red-tinted gaze.

"Are you alright?" Jessica's hand rested gently on my shoulder, and I gave her a grateful smile.

"Oh, yes! I'm fine. I just had a very odd encounter with the new owner of the Borbey place," I told her as we all made our way into the kitchen. A couple of hours passed, and with lunch consumed and my new cake recipe freshly sampled by the three of us, I'd heard several bits of gossip about Mr. Baker and his butler.

"You say he had red lenses in his glasses?" Seth asked as he cut himself another slice of cake. When I nodded my head, he hummed thoughtfully. "Those have a few uses medicinally, dependin' on the shade. He could be sensitive to light. Until he comes into my office, though, I'm afraid that's all I can say."

With a wry smile, Mrs. Fletcher leaned back in her seat.

"I doubt that will do anything to dispel those ridiculous vampire stories that have been making the rounds, lately." She was right, of course. "Be careful, dear, you might find him knocking on your door one night in search of something more than just cookies."

A laugh bubbled out of me, and I felt suddenly better than I had all morning. Trust Jessica and Seth to know how to lift my spirits.

"I'll be sure to wear a garlic necklace and keep a stake handy," I joked. Allowing my smile to fall in favor of something more serious, I switched topics. "Any news about...?"

Jessica and Seth glanced at each other and shook their heads.

"You'd be one of the first to know. The last tip-off the Sheriff had was a dud. Lady was in her fifties. Definitely not Laurel Perrin," Seth murmured setting his fork down. Had he already eaten his second piece of cake? Mentally, I marked that recipe down as a success. I'd have to make one or two for the bakery this week to see how people reacted to it. "I...I know you were her friend, and I don't mean to sound disheartenin', but the chances of Laurel turnin' up after all this time..."

The doctor laid his hand over mine where it rested on the table, and I looked pointedly down at the wood grain beside my fingers.

"I know, Doc. I just...I can't give up hope. Neither can Dave or Charlie. Not until we know for sure, one way or the other. You can understand that, right?"

"Of course, we can. Closure is a somewhat universal longing, especially for those closely involved in situations like this," Jessica murmured wrapping her arm around my shoulders in a reassuring hug. "Now, why don't you tell us how the new space for the bakery is working out?"

Never had I been more grateful for a change of subject.

--

Six days later, I was in the middle of serving who I thought would be my last customer of the night when the bell over the bakery door jingled.

"I'll be with you in just a moment," I called over my shoulder as I boxed up a dozen brownies.

"No problem, take your time." I blinked a couple of times as I finished up. I knew that voice. Forcing myself to stay focused on my current task, I served my regular customer and handed him his change.

"Thanks, Jim. Have a safe drive home, okay?"

"'Course, ma'am, and I'll be sure and tell the wife you asked after her," he said tipping his hat as he turned to leave. My heart thudded rapidly in my chest as I turned to the new arrival.

"How can I help you tonight, Mr. Baker?" The man in question was clad in a crisp, black suit that was probably worth more than my entire inventory, but the smile on his face softened his visage into something more personable.

And his eyes! I hadn't been able to see them properly when they were hidden behind his tinted glasses, but they were the clearest blue I'd ever seen.

"Would you prefer the socially acceptable answer, or the truth?"

Oh, color me intrigued! Clasping my hands and resting them on the counter, I narrowed my eyes at him playfully.

"Hm. Let's have the truth first, then the respectable excuse," I murmured, and he stepped up to the counter, tracing his fingertips over the refrigerated cases as he moved closer.

"Alright. I was fascinated by you the moment I saw you walking up the drive. The way you handled Peter's abrupt dismissal made me realize I'd made a mistake in avoiding contact with my neighbors," he said leaning one forearm on the counter. "I wanted a chance to see you again...to talk to you longer than just a few seconds, and this seemed like my best bet. In my defense, I had no idea that I'd have such a gorgeous neighbor."

I forced the muscles in my face to remain neutral. No smiling, not yet. I had to be casual. If I let myself smile now, I might explode.

"And the respectable excuse?"

"Ah, that. Well, I heard about the special you were having on cupcake orders and thought I'd come take advantage of the discount," Mr. Baker said with a smile, and I bit my lower lip to stifle a laugh. "What?"

Crooking my finger at him, I coaxed him into leaning close enough to whisper in his ear, trying to add to his anticipation.

"The special is on brownies today, not cupcakes."

A warm, velvety laugh spilled from his lips as he leaned back again.

"Oh, damn, there goes my airtight alibi," he mused when his eyes met mine once more. "I guess that blows my chances of you accepting my invitation to dinner..."

I couldn't hide my surprise.

"Dinner?"

"Yes, but I doubt you'd be interested in socializing with a man who can't even get his excuses in order beforehand," he teased. Giving me a shrug and turning to a cloche-covered tray of brightly-iced cupcakes, he pretended to study them as I forced my brain into gear.

"...What day did you have in mind?"

The wide grin he gave me lit up the whole shop.

"How about tomorrow night? From what I understand, your shop is closed on Sundays, isn't it?"

"That's right. Sure, why not? Tomorrow sounds great," I answered lifting the cloche off the cupcake tray. "In the meantime, if we're going to sell that poorly-constructed cupcake excuse, you can't leave here empty-handed."

"Ah, thank you. We wouldn't want the rest of the town to think you were in danger from a reclusive vampire," he muttered with a gleam in his eye as I boxed up an assorted half dozen cupcakes. "How much do I owe you?"

"Nothing at all. These are on the house."

His eyes went wide, and he placed one of his large hands gently on my arm.

"I didn't come here to swindle you out of your merchandise. I don't want you to think I can't afford a few baked goods."

"This has nothing to do with your ability to pay, Mr. Baker. Haven't you ever had someone do something nice for you before, just because they could?"

Something like comprehension flickered across his face.

"Not...in a very long time, no," he said just above a whisper, looking at me as though I'd transformed right before his eyes. Placing one of my hands over his where it still rested on my arm, I spoke just as quietly.

"Then it's about time someone did." A moment's weighted silence passed between us before I got back to the cupcakes, closing the box and sealing it with one of my labels. "There you are. And if you really want to do something to repay me, tell me this: what's your favorite dessert?"

He was silent for a moment while he considered his answer, but ultimately he shook his head.

"I'll have to think that over. It's serious business deciding something like this," Lawrence said with a faux stern expression plastered on his face.

"Oh, naturally. You can tell me over dinner, assuming you've selected by then," I said with an equally stern expression, but when a bright smile broke across Mr. Baker's lips, I cracked and let out a quick laugh.

"I look forward to your charming company tomorrow night, my dear," he said, and without a moment's hesitation, he caught one of my hands in his grasp and brought it to his lips. My heart fluttered in my chest, the traitorous bastard, and before I knew it, Mr. Baker had taken his box of cupcakes and left.

Resisting the urge to squeal or smile so hard that my face broke, I went to the door and flipped the sign from 'Open' to 'Closed.'

When I got home that night and exited my car, I glanced across the street. Instead of the usual twitching curtain, I was just in time to see both Peter and Mr. Baker in the latter's sitting room, nibbling on what were unmistakably a pair of my cupcakes.

If I'd been any happier, I might have floated away like a balloon.

--

"You're having dinner with the man? But neither you nor anyone else in town knows him very well," Doc Hazlitt protested the next morning as I chatted with him over the phone. He'd called to ask what day that new cake would be added to the bakery's menu so he could give me some extra patronage. Once I assured him it would be a Tuesday addition, he moved on to a rumor he'd heard about Lawrence Baker kissing my hand during business hours and leaving my shop with a box of desserts. I hadn't disabused him of the notion, hence his current state of agitation.

"Doc, I am perfectly capable of handling a simple dinner. I'm not a little girl anymore," I said, and a sigh crackled down the line.

"I know, I know, but I don't want you to get hurt. I was the doc in the ward when you were born, and I've known you all your life. Is it any wonder that I feel a little nervous about you gettin' involved with a man who's only been in Cabot Cove for a handful of weeks?"

"Y'know, that's another thing, Seth," I started as I cradled the phone to my shoulder and slipped a tray of scones into the oven. "People around here act as though every new arrival or outsider is here to pillage the town. Why can't someone move in and be given the benefit of the doubt for once? Mr. Baker is perfectly friendly–"

"–And rich, to boot, meanin' he is used to gettin' exactly what he wants–"

"That's enough, Doctor. You haven't even met the man. You have no right to judge him until you've at least tried to get to know him." I didn't even try to keep the reproachful edge out of my voice. "Please, at least try to be open minded. If not for his sake, then for mine."

"I'd still be grateful if you gave me a call tomorrow morning so that I know you survived the ordeal," he requested, and after a quick agreement, he finally let me go.

Seth was right to an extent. I barely knew him, and Borbey house, despite my personal history, was still surrounded by gruesome stories and the ghosts of its past. It wouldn't hurt to be a little cautious.

Although, a benefit of spending time across the street was that I'd have a chance to change that surly butler's opinion of me. That was something I definitely needed to do, especially if I was going to be acquainted with his employer. Maybe with the right dessert, I could lower his defenses enough to show him I wasn't just a pest to be swept out onto the street.

~*~*~

[deltastra]

Tower of God Season 2 (New Trailer with OP Theme) Thoughts

Hello everyone! I haven't done a pre-written post in a while (Did I ever?), so let me yap about the new Tower of God trailer! I wanna tell you guys my honest thoughts and initial reaction to certain scenes.

I waited so long for them to show literally anything else other than the same 12(?) scenes and even a sneak peak to the OP theme performed by NiziU. FINALLY! I will be yapping a lot so SPOILER ALERT FOR ANIME ONLIES

(Also if you guys like posts like this from me, I'll try my best to do this more often as opposed to pre-written reviews!)

Ok so first off I want to say, I was overwhelmed with emotions. I read this arc back in 2016...to see it finally animated, man. Not to mention, it has been like 4 YEARS since season 1. Time flies and a lot happened in my life in between that. I remember how I felt when the OP of the first season played and it hit me that the very first WEBTOON I have ever read, finally got an anime adaptation, which was something that felt impossible back then.

I AM HOPING THIS SCENE WITH ANDROSSI MEANS THAT THE NEW STUDIO WILL FOLLOW THE WEBTOON PROPERLY. Don't get me wrong, besides its flaws, I did love Season 1. However, I was upset with the needless changes they made and important scenes they removed. So I hope the new studio follows the webtoon. They should definitely re-establish how much Bam meant to Androssi.

Seeing Khun in season 2 artstyle is nice. Regarding the artstyle, this may sound weird but I liked season 1's a bit more. Season 1's artsyle felt more "unique" along with its vibrant colours. But, I'll admit, season 2's artsyle is definately more suitable for the long-run when considering how serious the story gets later down the road.

Okay, I'll admit. This scene felt a bit...stiff?? But that's not a big deal.

I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THEM AND THEIR FRIENDSHIP GROW ALL OVER AGAIN AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH.

AND THE OP THEME FINALLY PLAYS! Now here's the thing. I listened to a few songs by NiziU and I won't lie, as nice as the songs were, I was unsure whether they fit the Tower of God tone. But I kept an open mind as I knew nothing about STRAY KIDS back in season 1 and now I listen to TOP and SLUMP so often and associate it with Tower of God due to the lyrics.

As for the sneak peak of RISE UP by NiziU, I like the song. I'm not obsessed over it, maybe I need more of it to form a solid opinion. However, I think it's fine overall! (Hopefully the song isn't wasted in the OP by the use of black screens and credits lol)

I LOVE THIS SHOT SO MUCH. THE DETAIL ON THE SHINSU IS SO GOOD. The lighting as well!

I like how they drew Viole's eyes here. He looks tired which honestly fits well given what he faced during his time with FUG. I don't remember if he looked like that in the WEBTOON whenever his eyes were shown but if it's an anime-original detail, I love it!

(I hope we see his bright eyes during the scene with Wagnan and Viole on the rooftop! Can't wait to see that animated!)

OH I CANNOT WAIT TO SEE THIS FIGHT ANIMATED OMGGGG

Okay, this shot was kinda cool sorry guys I just wanted to say that.

AAAAND THATS ABOUT IT.

First of all, WAY BETTER TRAILER THAN WHATEVER THEY WERE SHOWING US BEFORE! Second, I feel a little more confident about season 2 now. It's alright. I feel like nowadays everyone expects MAPPA or UFOTABLE quality for every anime but this is fine. While I'll miss the season 1 artsyle that I grew to love, I look forward to see what the new studio has to offer.

ALSO KEVIN PENKIN RETURNING LETS GOOOOOO

I want to end things off by saying that when I first read this arc. I ADORED TEAM SWEET AND SOUR. I believe it was because they reminded me of Quinx Squad from Tokyo Ghoul :re...

I just love this team's dynamic and how well they play off eachother. It felt more like a found family. I understand people liked season 1's cast more but I have always been more partial to this team <3

I look forward to seeing them again in the anime cause I miss their early days so much. NOTHING BAD HAPPENS TO ANY OF THEM OKAY? HELL TRAIN ISN'T REAL </3 (SIU please bring back the active members please I beg of you. SHOW ME THEIR SEASON 3 LOOKS)