RealAgeAU Drabble - Meet Up
We are so close you all! So so so close :3 @spotaus get in here friend :D
It is so nice to just uplaod the first drafts of these drabbles! :D Makes them so easy to make and finish <3
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Killer runs straight home and doesn’t bother to act as if he has a normal monsters stamina. He needs to get home now and warn the others.
He is so lucky that Ellie kept him out of sight from Dream and Blue.
Because apparently those two are here now!
How did they even find them?! Especially as Ellie told him that she thinks they are looking for them.
Yeah no kidding! Killer didn’t even bother to deny it as he muttered he just needed to get home. Ellie advised him to go behind the buildings as that is mostly out of sight and should keep him hidden and out of sight.
Killer quickly set off to get home.
He is by now just running through the forest and going full speed. The LOVE in him making it easy to keep running for long times and boosting both his speed and his stamina.
He gets out of the forest in their area and rushes into the house.
Killer searches and relaxes as he sees Nightmare right in the nest where he should be. Nightmare seems to be scribbling in his little journal.
Horror walks out of the kitchen and he looks around worried himself “Crop just called.”
Killer nods as he pants “Dream and Blue are in town.”
Nightmare freezes and looks between them panicked.
Killer goes to Nightmare’s side and looks at Horror “Cross and Dust?”
Horror speaks “should be in the garden. I will get them.” and he goes outside.
Nightmare whines softly and Killer quickly pulls Nightmare close “It is okay tiny boss. No one is going to get you.” No one. Killer is going to allow anyone to touch their baby. Nightmare is their just as much as they all are Nightmare’s.
Horror returns with Cross and Dust and they all sit in the nest as they discuss what just happened.
As expected Dust immediately went around to close all the curtains and check the locks while Cross looks anxious “What if they find this place? I know we are hidden but everyone in town knows where we live. What if someone believes them and sends them our way?”
Horror shakes his skull “They won’t. Crop and Straw are going to make sure people don’t say stuff and they know not to talk about other people’s personal stuff.” Horror has yet to stop rubbing Nightmare’s tiny skull to reassure him.
Nightmare just stays plastered against Killer’s front. His souls is getting slightly squished between them but Killer doesn’t mind and it feels nice to feel Nightmare that close.
Dust nods “We stay inside. Stay quiet and lay low. Keep an eye out. We already did the big harvest and sale anyway. We can afford to hide before we need to prepare the farm for winter.”
Killer nods and grins at Nightmare “That sound okay baby? Just relax and cuddle in the nest together?”
Nightmare looks a bit unsure still but nods as she nuzzles closer to Killer and a part of Killer melts at the sight. Killer holds him close and purrs softly “That is it baby. Just let us worry about these type of things okay?”
Their phone rings in the kitchen and Dust stalks over to it before picking it up but not saying a single word. He listens for a moment before speaking “Crop.” He listens again and gives a small nod “You two can come by.” And he hangs up quickly afterwards.
They remain near each other as they talk about possible ideas on how to keep an eye out but not run the risk of being spotted. They quickly settle on that Cross can go around to check things while invisible but that he shouldn’t engage any combat. They are just discussing if Cross can keep someone else with himself invisible for long times when they hear a knock on the door.
A quick check later and they invite Straw and Crop in.
The two brothers tell them what happened with Blue and Dream in town and confirm that they are very obviously looking for them.
Straw slowly holds up a package of papers “I do think you may want to read these.”
Dust frowns and takes them to read through quickly together with Cross.
Straw nods “For what we could see. They seemed honest about it all! Even if they are rather pushy in the way they go about it.”
Crop walks out of the kitchen where he cleaned up some groceries “The others in town all agreed the two are shifty and not to be trusted.” Then a bit more amused “Heads up. They also kinda assumed that either or both of them are Nightmare’s other parent.”
Dust freezes and makes gagging noises at the very idea while Horror chuckles and pats his back.
Cross pouts as he crosses his arms and mutters about Dust being way out of their league and Killer snorts as he nuzzles Nightmare “Better for us. Makes everyone want to keep the two away from us with all the ground work we laid concerning the ‘other parent’ and how they were messed up.”
Nightmare just shrugs as he stays close with Killer.
Dust focusses back on the papers and frowns “Are they for real with this?”
Crop shrugs “We aren’t sure. They seemed honest but we can’t check the multiverse stuff easily.”
Killer frowns as he takes the paper to read through it with Nightmare as the others discuss ways to check if they really are truthful about it.
The announcement that Dream hadn’t done his job right. How Nightmare had been right. That Nightmare had never been a danger to the multiverse. How Dream had made things more complicated and how he should never have involved others into the mess.
How Dream never was a god of positivity and that he misunderstood his job. How the balance has been restored and so Dream won’t interfere with it anymore as it also is no longer his actual job.
Just lists upon lists of him going around and making sure everyone who knew about them knew the new truth.
It is so much.
Killer frowns as he sneaks a look at Nightmare. Nightmare just stares at the reports. His face blank.
Oh no.
Killer frowns and pulls him close “Nighty?”
Nightmare just stares at the reports “I told him this so many times… So long ago… why… why didn’t he believe me?” and he just looks at Killer sadly “Why did he never believe me?”
Killer frowns and holds their babybones close “I don’t know Nighty. I really don’t know.” He doesn’t have an answer. He doesn’t know what Dream was thinking or why he did what he did. All Killer knows is that their baby needs support and love and he can give that.
Dust joins their side and holds Nightmare’s hand silently. Just being there.
Cross looks at Horror “So how do we keep them away?”
Horror frowns as he clearly thinks before answering “We can’t. If they are still doing this after all this time? There is no dodging this. We will need to at least meet up to get them to stop.”
Cross looks deeply unhappy and Killer agrees.
Cross sighs and nods “How do we want to do that?”
Horror thinks before getting a small smile “I have an idea. We will also need to contact Error.”
--
Killer watches the empty road a few cities further along. He checks his phone for any new messages. It is still just the message he send the two Stars with this location and them sending back they are on their way.
Killer looks back at the street and quickly hides further behind the tree.
Dream is rushing up the road as he looks from side to side. Blue close behind him.
Killer mutters softly “They are here. You ready?”
Cross answers from wherever he is hidden “Ready.”
Killer would do the talking and Cross will be his backup in case he needs it. While they confront the Stars Dust and Horror will talk with Error about hiding this universe.
Easy does it. Blue and Dream walk by his hiding spot and Killer goes to the other side of the tree and just leans against it. His knife out. “what do you two want?”
Dream turns quickly and smiles “Killer! I am so happy to see you!” he takes a few steps but Killer holds his knife out aimed at him.
“Yeah. I can’t say I feel the same. What the fuck do you two want with us? I thought we made it clear that we didn’t want to see either of you the last time we met up?” Killer twirls his knife around as he makes sure to look unimpressed.
Dream frowns but takes a deep breath and steels himself “I want to see Nightmare. I want to see my brother. And I know if anyone knows where he is it is you four.”
Killer laughs and shakes his skull “Nah. You can go back to sniffing and shitting out good deeds. You are not going near boss.” Like hell Killer is going to allow Dream to come near Nightmare.
Dream glares at him and takes a step closer. Killer can hear Cross get his knife out somewhere near him. Dream clearly can’t see him as he glares at Killer “I know things have been rough. And I know I made mistakes. But I have been fixing those and actually making things right. I want to make things right with Nightmare. But for that I need to see him.”
Killer snorts “Just because you are selfish we should just lay over and let you get whatever you want? No.”
Dream glares at Killer “Really? What if Nightmare actually wants to see me? What if he actually also wants to talk about what happened? He wanted before. I am late and I know I was blind and acting stupid. But I want to listen. I want to hear what he has to say.” Dream takes a deep breath to calm down again as he keeps looking determined “I need to see him.”
Killer glares and hisses out his answer “No. You are not going near him.”
Dream glares right back “Like it or not but we are brothers. We are twins. We are both gods. We are always going to be connected in some way. Keeping us separate may just cause more trouble.”
Killer glares as he holds out his knife “Are you seriously trying to threaten me?”
Dream shakes his skull “No! I am not trying to do that! I just…” he holds hugs himself close “Don’t you sometimes wish you got a second chance? To make up for what you did wrong? For the pain you caused?”
Killer feels himself freeze. He has no doubt that Cross isn’t doing much better.
Dream just keeps talking “I know I messed up. I messed up badly. I just… I just want a chance to make things right. And I have done that for the multiverse… but I haven’t apologised yet to Nightmare. That is all I want Killer. I just want to see my brother and tell him I am sorry. That I am sorry for everything.” He looks desperate “please… You guys have to understand that feeling.”
Killer doesn’t like this. This still seems like such a bad idea… Cross holds his hand and squeezes it. Full trust in his decision.
Killer groans as he looks to the side “We can discuss stuff… See if he even wants to see you or prefers to just keep you as a thing of the past.”
Dream smiles and moves closer “Thank you! thank you so much-”
“I am not promising anything.” Killer glares “I will ask everyone. However. If he says no. If he says he prefers to keep you as a thing of the past. We will respect that. And you will have to respect that as well.”
Dream looks pained and shakes his skull “But… But I want…”
Killer glares “I don’t give a flying fuck about what you want or how you feel. You abandoned him. You betrayed him. You hurt him. You never listened to him. Just because you now finally got your head out of your own ass doesn’t mean he owns you anything. Least of all a second chance.” Killer keeps glaring at the god. “Am. I. Clear?”
Dream looks pained but he nods.
Killer nods himself “Good. Now leave. You are causing more problems for this universe than you are worth.” He turns and starts to walk away “When we made a decision I know how to contact you.”
A moment of silence until “At least tell him I am sorry… please… I need him to know that I am sorry and I want to do better…”
Killer stops but nods “Fine.” And he keeps walking.
This meeting could have gone better… Now to get home and let Nightmare decide what he wants.
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i always sing the praises of having a beta reader if you want that sort of thing, but actually there are two separate fic-editor types:
alpha reader: just fucking uncritically loves your work. #1 fan. fully obsessed with the pairing you're writing to the exclusion of all good sense. might correct a comma or two but they are there to tell you that you are amazing and that you have never done anything wrong in your life and you should post that shit immediately. you ask them "does this part work?" and they say yes before the question is fully out of your mouth. the golden retriever of writing friends. every writer 100% needs one of these in their back pocket.
pros: THE best preemptive defense against the gaping chasm of self-doubt between "post work" and the first kudos.
cons: this is the reason why sometimes you see a fic that has eight beta readers thanked in the author's notes and the main character's name spelled wrong.
beta reader™️: these friends also fucking love your work, but the way they want to love it is to stick their fingers in your fic like a fruit bin at the grocery store and gently squeeze your characters (and commas) to see if they're ripe.
a good beta reader will copy edit your fic, notice if you've used the same sentence three times, and let you know if your sex scenes seem to contain the intended number of dicks per person.
a great one will highlight for you what's unique and wonderful about your writing, will help you problem-solve and plot through long fic, and will lovingly bug the shit out of you with how did she get here? and would he really say that? and is this what you meant? and when you say "oh shit no it isn't" their eyes light up and they go OKAY! let's figure this out!!!
more of a border collie kind of situation.
pros: the best way to polish your fic and grow as a fic writer. in my experience, it's also an incredible way to work through impostor syndrome. knowing someone you respect has been all up in your fic's junk and still says "it's great and you're great, now post it!" is a game-changer.
cons: if they show you what's not working, you're probably going to have to take time to fix it :/
caveats: not everyone who wants to give constructive feedback can deliver it in a way that works for everyone, so if the experience ends up making you feel bad, this is not a good match! it's also VERY helpful to tell your beta reader what level of editing you're looking for. if someone asks "can you give this a quick once-over before i post?" i know they want me to look for obvious mistakes and reassure them that it's post-worthy. if you ask me to "rip it apart" i'm going in there with a fine tooth comb.
(the primary motivation of both of these editor breeds is, of course, that they want you to write more and they want to read it before everyone else.)
bonus mode:
specialty reader: sensitivity readers and subject matter experts! if you are lucky enough to find and motivated enough to use one of these, their job is not to look at commas or to tell you that you're great, but to give advice on something specific in your fic.
edit: check the reblogs for a correction! turns out “alpha reader” is a pre-existing term in some circles for someone who helps you during the process, a lot like the great beta-reader i described above. taking suggestions for renaming my version of the alpha reader above. i’m thinking “hype man.”
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Do you think they should have made Colt a good father to Felix? Or are you fine with him being a bad father?
I don't think that Colt should have been anything. He died off screen before we even met Felix and Felix is a minor character. Why is he getting more backstory development than Kagami when Tomoe is alive and actively involved in the plot? Wouldn't it have been far more interesting if the play was her story?
But if we must include the mustachioed cowboy man, then I would make him a good father or, at the very least, a mediocre one. I'd do this for reasons that have nothing to do with me wanting Felix to have a happy childhood. I'm fine with him having a tragic past! The problem is that this is a story and, in terms of story telling, there is no reason to give him a tragic past. It adds nothing to the story. In fact, I'd even go so far as to say that it detracts from the story, but we'll get to that in a minute. First let's go over why it's a pointless addition.
In his titular episode, Felix is a brat who tries to destroy Adrien's life. Those actions actually made more sense when we thought that Felix loved Colt and was acting out over Adrien not coming to Colt's funeral. Now that we know the full story, we're left asking, "Okay, so, why did Felix do any of that?" And don't say that it was to help him get the ring because it didn't help him get the ring. He got it from hugging his uncle and there were far simpler ways to get a hug.
And why did Felix even want the ring? That has yet to be explained because, in Strikeback, he was planning to go out of the country as "Adrien" without ever offering to exchange the ring. He simply stole the fake peacock and got out of dodge. He had no possible way to know that Ladybug would come to him for help, allowing him to offer up the miraculous and use the ring to sweeten the pot. I also don't believe for one second that he needed to sweeten the pot. He could have offered up the miraculous and nothing else and Gabriel would have gone for it. So once again, what was the plan with the ring, Felix? What was the plan?
While we're on the topic of Felix getting the peacock, Colt being abusive adds nothing to that plot either. Whoever has the peacock can snap any sentimonster out of existence. Felix could have the best damn childhood on the planet and it would still make perfect sense for him to want the peacock!
The only reason to make Colt abusive is if you want to explore that and use it to develop Felix's character, but I have absolutely no faith that they're going to do that. Colt is the Jagged Stone nonsense all over again. They're introducing a very serious issue that would dramatically affect the psyche of most people and then acting like it's no big deal. I think I saw someone say that Colt was only introduced to shut up the people calling Gabriel and Emilie abusive by showing us "real" child abuse as if abuse was an Olympic sport and you need to qualify for the team. I'd buy that theory, but I wouldn't bet money on it.
Even if I'm wrong and they are going to explore Felix's trauma, I still think it's a bad move. There's a thing called compassion fatigue. It's commonly experienced by health care workers who deal with traumatic cases day in and day out, resulting in thing like the inability to feel compassion for your patients because your compassion meter has been rung dry. You can experience a lesser form of this just from watching the news. Story after story of people in need to the point that you're desensitization to these events evoking horror or sorrow.
When you're telling a story, you need to keep this phenomena in mind and be very careful when introducing multiple sources of trauma. The more trauma you introduce and the quicker you introduce it, the less impactful that trauma will be for your readers. If you're a good writer, then it will also be less impactful for your characters. Allow me to explain with a quick example.
I had a brief Marvel phase and, while I never wrote anything for that fandom, I made up a few stories in my head. A lot of them revolved around my favorite character, Tony Stark (aka Iron Man). Tony becomes Iron Man after being kidnapped by terrorists and I love confessions of traumatic backstories, so I was working out how to do one for him and the Avengers to help bond the team. Then I realized that his teammates are all orphans and that the majority of them were raised in poverty. Most of them have also gone through scientific experimentation of some sort and not all of it was voluntary. In other words, in the world of the Avengers, Tony's trauma isn't really special. His team might sympathize with him, but they wouldn't be deeply impacted by his story the way I wanted them to be because most of them have gone through equal or worse trauma.
Circling back to Miraculous: they keep heaping trauma on these kids and it's a terrible move. When Adrien was the only character with a messed up home life, things were interesting.
Now? Well, this is the current list of characters with a messed up home life: Kagami, Zoe, Chloe, Adrien, Felix, Luka, Juleka, and probably Lila. Add in Rose's serious illness, Mylene's mother abandoning her, and Marinette's traumatic past dealing with a straight up hate campaign on top of all the trauma introduced over the course of canon and I just don't care anymore. I am drained dry. They have introduced way too many serious elements without exploring any of them in depth and that is a massive writing faux pas.
Generally speaking, when telling stories, you should default your characters to whatever a happy home life is in their universe unless you're going to do something with the non-happy home life. Non-happy home lives complicate stories and you don't want to introduce a complication if you're never going to explore it. This is why I think that Colt should have been at least a decent parent. It's also why you'll see me say that Emilie should be at least a semi decent parent even though canon has made that option impossible unless you ignore a lot of the unpleasant implications found in Adrien's backstory.
While I love evil villain couples, Emilie is in a coma, so she can't be Gabriel's co-conspirator and I personally have no interest in her waking up to start a new villain arc. When she wakes up (or finally dies), the Agreste's story is over and so she basically has to be nonthreatening for that ending to work. It also circles back to the issue of keeping the trauma tight and focused so that the trauma you do include really pops!
Reminder that the above is a discussion of story telling, not a commentary on what makes real people interesting or the commonality of home life issues. There's also nuance I didn't get into because this was already really long. Writing trauma well is a really fascinating and complex topic.
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