#not my best writing

[aboredneet]

I had a dream last night that a younger me and some friends found a sea shell on the beach. We quickly realized that this was no normal shell for if you put anything in it you would be sent though time, the amount was in correlation with the value of the item. We play with it and use it for fun stuff as kids do, and of course we didn't tell any adults crossing our hearts to never tell anyone.

A year or two after we discovered it a kid we don't know appears, he is from the future and used the shell because his mother had it and uses it for evil and is an evil dictator.

We probably should have questioned why she knew we had the old shell sooner. Or why her mother had the shell in the first place. We should have asked so much sooner but we were kids at the time, what did we know...

[dogydayz]

I stare out at chrome and glass that made up the strange world in-between, curious as to where such a place even comes from. Is there molten metal somewhere that helped form the oddly organic shapes? Was this odd universe designed this way from the start? Was there any real proper life here to begin with, or has it always been this way?

Heavy steps reverberate on the crystalline ground, followed by the light ping of heels against glass.

"Good Gaia, this place is STUNNING!!" blueish-green eyes sparkle as they peer out upon the glittering chromescape. A world seemingly made of shining metal and crystal... Of course she'd be enamored.

"Listen, Rouge, we need to stay on task. Maybe we can visit this place again after, but right now we need to be looking for any sign of the Doctor. Who knows what he's got planned, opening strange rifts into worlds like this..." my voice trails into the seemingly infinite air of the realm around us.

"Oh of course Little Red, don't you worry, I won't get TOO distracted~" she replies to me, giving a wink. God damn her and those stupid nicknames.

"SCANNING ENVIRONMENT FOR HEAT SIGNATURES." our other friend, Omega, "spoke" before his body began to move like a camera taking a panoramic shot, laser light shining from his eyes as we watched him do his robot thing. Despite being an "Ultimate Lifeform", I've always been admittedly kinda jealous of some of his abilities... Though, I'm honestly glad I'm not a robot. Having a mech suit could be cool though.... Maybe I should ask Tails about that when we get back...

Suddenly, Omega stopped, his eyes flashing red. "UNKNOWN HEAT SIGNATURE DETECTED. NON-HUMAN LIFEFORM. INITIATING LOADING SEQUENCE." His arms locked into firing position as a multitude of clicks and buzzing noises could be heard, preparing to unleash a fury of bullets onto whatever the hell he'd found.

Our eyes widened, and Rouge managed to speak up first.

"OMEGA! HALT! DON'T FIRE!"

We're fortunate that he listens to us, as that was enough on it's own to make the noises stop, his arms lowering. Now, he simply pointed in the direction that he'd detected the unknown lifeform in.

I speed over to get a better vantage point, having to look around large, metallic structures to see whatever Omega had found....

And...

Of fucking course.

A blue shine flashes in my vision as the form suddenly speeds off across some of the glass structures that made up this strange world.

The mission no longer mattered to me, in that moment.

I became a hypocrite within only a few seconds.

My shoes propelled me onto the glistening path as I took off, my friends calling out from behind me, and I heard the spark of annoyance in Rouge's voice as I left them behind.

Following bright blue light, leaving an amber trail of my own behind, the race was on.

And nothing else mattered.

It's idiotic, it's reckless, absolutely ignoring the mission for something so menial. I should've tried asking how he even got here, I should've questioned his motives, I should've been suspicious, and yet I simply couldn't get my mind out of the rush of exhilaration. What a pathetic agent I am, huh?

He hadn't even realized I was there until I passed by him, to which he let out a sudden laugh before speeding up.

"Should've known you'd be here too! Got hired to scout the place I'm guessing?"

"Wouldn't you like to know, blue hedgehog."

"I mean, yeah I'd like to know, 'specially since you're not doing too great a job at the whole 'scouting' thing right now"

"Gah!- You- You shut your damn mouth!"

"Says the one who just can't handle not getting the last word in!"

"Oh it's ON."

And we blazed across gleaming trails of glass, the materials beneath his feet making chiming noises with every step, the sounds of whooshing air from my shoes blotting out whatever other thoughts I'd had prior.

Our streams of light began to mix, fading together as we leapt and dashed over and around each other, creating lines of pale purple that chased after us.

Nothing else mattered.

Until it did.

Until the blue light faded, until no one was beside me, until I drifted to a halt on smooth crystalline glass and spun around, looking about, expecting to find that he'd taken some other path, or that he'd just stopped to fuck with me.

But it was much more. Something much, much more than that.

I saw him on the ground, as if he'd simply crumpled beneath himself, the way a body looks when the life has been stripped from it, when all that's left is watery blood and cold skin.

Words caught in my throat, my legs feeling solid, my whole body frozen in the moment. My eyes darted around, falling on a figure standing in the distance, something seemingly just as chrome as the world it stood in, yet somehow... Like one of us. Pale, glossy eyes met my own as it's head turned in my direction, and it pointed it's arm at me. I could see the odd appendage it wielded, something like a gun at the end of it's own finger.

I would've cracked a sneer at it, if I weren't so terrified.

I had no moment to react before a blinding light clouded my vision...

And everything went dark.

The last thing I'd heard were the sounds of mechanical gunfire, and an enraged and frightened cry.

"SHADOW?! SONIC?!?!"

And then... Nothing, but darkness... A void...

Surrounding me.... Pitch black air, with the slightest bits of what seemed like pale dust particles floating around....

The echoes of our names rang through my mind, my mind which felt so empty in the moment... Was it even there anymore??

This wasn't death. I'd felt death before, death is... Different, than whatever this was...

I felt like my being existed, yet not my body. Like I was there, yet not at all, all of it at once.

And... Suddenly...

A strange world fizzled into view around me...

Could I... Even call it a "world"?

It was a vast nothingness, a blue "sky" above with a bright "sun" shining down... Yet the ground seemed more like it was merely light itself, rather than a solid thing. Barren trees were scattered about here and there, pale and seemingly abiotic. The world itself was.... Devoid of life in general.

It was beautiful, yet eerie... So lost and desolate, so empty...

The light made me shield my eyes. I tried to bring myself to explore it, but I couldn't handle the glare, I couldn't handle how it shined into my face. The world was so open, yet the light made me feel as though everything was closing in around me...

I had to get out.

"ROUGE?? OMEGAAAA?? SONIIIC????"

I called into the nothingness, and found no reply.

Nothing was here... What even WAS here?? I had more questions than ever, and none could even possibly be answered, not anytime soon at least...

So I covered my eyes, and I began to walk...

Aimlessly...

Wandering...

....And I hear... A distant voice...

A familiar one...

And I begin to follow the sound, where I'd heard it come from....

Covering my eyes, letting my ears guide me...

And suddenly....

I heard the sounds of gentle water.

And my shoes made a slight splash as I stepped into a shallow pool.

I uncovered my eyes, and the brightness was gone.... All that was left being a similarly empty space, this time the infinite void realm simply having shallow water all across it, out into the vast nothingness surrounding me....

And... in the distance.... tall, far-off pillars of similarly greenish, oceanic liquid, defying all laws of gravity and climbing high into the sky.

My eyes adjusted to what I was seeing, slowly... And soon, they focused on the towering obelisks of liquid, jutting into the endless atmosphere.

Nothing in this world made sense, nothing in any of these worlds did...

But before I could be truly wrought with confusion, I heard a familiar voice, the one I'd been following blindly before ending up here.

"Shadow!!! Hey!! You're... Here?"

I turned around, the water rippling around me. A splash hit my face as he ran over, making me take a step back in surprise before finally focusing on what the hell was happening here.

"Sorry about that- Hey, you feel... Mostly okay, right?"

I took a second to try and shake myself off before replying.

"You're... NOT dead. Thank Chaos."

"Uhhh... Nnnno? I'm not? I mean, thanks for the concern and all but what are you talking about??"

"That...." the image of the being remained blurry in my mind, despite how well I'd seen them prior, "THING. It... Shot me. Shot YOU too, I think-"

"...Huh."

He went oddly silent, looking around.

"Welllll anyway, lets find a way outta here. I'm just glad this isn't an ACTUAL ocean... I woulda been doomed!"

"...How do YOU feel, Sonic?"

"Huh?"

"How... Do you feel? Right now?"

"...Oh-... Well, a tad dizzy, super confused, and uh... A little bit terrified, I gotta admit."

"..."

We were both silent for a moment longer....

"....You're not alone there. Come on, let's... Try to find a place to at least sit down for a bit..."

"Uuuugh, come oooonn we can't just get the whole 'going back home' thing on the road already?"

"...Sonic..."

I looked around, up at the foggy "sky" above us, then at the distance aquatic pillars.

"...We aren't getting out of this place for a while. It's best we regain some energy before continuing to... wherever the hell we're headed."

He went quiet again, for seemingly the first time in his life really, before taking a deep breath and nodding.

But he didn't speak, he just.... Began following beside me...

And together, we began on our way toward the far-off pillars.

Unknowing of what was observing us, watching our every move, studying us for our weaknesses, what broke us, what would be usable against us...

[total-fandom-tr45h]

Ghosti's Plexverse

Aria: Enter stage left

"Starting tomorrow, your duties will be to man the register in the gift shop, restock the shop, and whenever the daycare attendant requests help, you are to temporarily close the gift shop and go help, unless it's drop-off or pick-up time, that's when parent buy things from the shop the most. Got it?" The employee told the new hire, who was looking around in awe. 

"O-oh, yes, got it! Mainly run the gift shop, restock the shop, and help the daycare attendant when requested except during drop-off and pick-up." The girl said, looking at the employee showing her around. 

The employee nodded in satisfaction, then handed the girl a slip of paper. "Now, before you leave, go get your personal security badge so you can get into the storage rooms and such. You'll need to go to the main security office to get one made, and this paper will help you get there, just show it to a security guard and they'll help you. That's all I've got for you, so see ya." With that, the employee walked away, leaving the girl on her own. 

Looking at the slip of paper, she used her open hand to twist some hair around her finger, holding it there as she left the daycare to find the security office. After a while of wandering and asking around, she finally made it, breathing a sigh of relief as she showed the security guard the slip of paper. 

The guard let her into the office, where another employee was waiting. "Name?" They asked without looking up. 

"Aria." The employee typed the girl's response into the computer, then hit a few more buttons. After a few moments, a security pass plopped out of the machine onto the desk, which the employee grabbed and handed to Aria. 

"There ya go. Buy yourself a lanyard, you'll need it." And with that, they returned to what they had been previously doing, gesturing for the girl to leave the office. 

Aria looked down at the security badge with her name on it, and smiled. "Alright, it's time for a new start! Let's just hope it goes well..." 

The next day Aria arrived to work early, eager to begin her new job. She smoothed out the wrinkles in her dress and fixed the star hairpin she decided to wear after seeing the posters around the daycare of a sun and moon character. She started to single out a strand of hair when she heard someone approach from behind, startling her. Turning around, it turned out to be a security guard, who looked at her quizzically. 

"Aren't you going in?" They asked, gesturing towards the daycare. 

"Oh um, This is my first day, I didn't know if I had to wait or..." Aria replied awkwardly, and the guard laughed. 

"You've got a badge, don't you? You're allowed to go in whenever, as long as you're not late for your shift." The guard laughed warmly. The girl nodded and smiled in embarrassment. 

"Oh, right... thanks. I guess I'll go in then." She said before quickly heading into the daycare, fighting the strong urge to slide down the slide.

 She opened the gate of the gift shop, the lights inside the small room turning on as she entered. Clutching onto her star pendant, she walked behind the counter and checked out the register, making mental notes on where things were. Aria checked the time, surprised to see it was almost time to open. Stuffing her bag under the counter, she headed out to the displays and checked everything over, glad to see someone had stocked for her. 

Soon she heard the tell-tale sounds of excited children as the daycare opened, and she stood behind the register with a smile. A few parents bought stuffies and other toys for their kids before they left, and once there were no more parents coming in, Aria went about her other duties, restocking the shelves. 

After about an hour of trying to keep herself busy, Aria heard a new voice call out from the children's play area. "Excuse me, new friend! Could I ask for some help?" She dropped the hair she had in her hand, her eyes lighting up in excitement. 

"Of course, I'll be right there!" She replied as she stood up from where she had been sitting, then headed over to the large set of doors leading into the play area. 

She stood there for a moment, trying to figure out how she was going to open such heavy doors, when one of them opened a little. "Quickly, before any of the little ones try to leave!" The strange voice said, to which Aria complied and squeezed inside as the door closed behind her. There were children running around the large play area, laughing and screaming wildly. "Alright! First, what's your name, new friend?" The voice asked from next to Aria, and she looked to see who it was that had called her. 

To her surprise, she had to look up, as the figure next to her was taller than the average human. In fact, it wasn't human at all, but in fact an animatronic. This animatronic looked like a caricature of a sun, but dressed in a jester-like outfit, complete with frills and even bells on the wrists. 

"Aria. I-I'm Aria." She stuttered, feeling a bit intimidated by the height of the animatronic. It noticed, because it crouched down slightly as it grinned, and Aria could finally see its features better. It had a state-of-the-art face system, allowing it to make different expressions. 

"Well, Aria, it's great to meet you! I'm the daycare attendant here, but you can just call me Sun!" It said joyfully, bells jingling as it held out a hand. Aria shook Sun's hand, enthused by the bells like a child. 

"It's nice to meet you too, Sun... So, what did you need my help with?" She asked as they let go of each other's hands, Aria bringing hers to her head to fiddle with her hair. 

"Oh! It's time for arts and crafts, but I'm out of a few things and the young ones are being very rambunctious, as you can see." Sun said, gesturing around the daycare. "Would you mind helping and getting me a few things so I can settle them down?" Aria smiled, shaking her head as she knew all too well the struggle of taking care of rowdy little kids all too well. 

"I don’t mind one bit! What do you need? I'll go grab it from the storage room, I know I saw tons of art supplies there." Sun beamed, clapping their hands together. 

"Oh goody! Well, we're going to need a new box of crayons, a glue stick, more red and pink glitter glue, and some popsicle sticks." They rattled off, and Aria scribbled the items on her hand with the pen she had pulled out of the waistband of her apron. 

"Alright, I'll be right back!" She said with an excited smile before struggling to go through the door. 

A short while later she returned to the play area, a box of the requested art supplies in tow. Aria noticed that it was a bit quieter as she squeezed through the door. Sun suddenly appeared next to her, causing her to let out a small shriek and clutch her chest, dropping the box of art supplies. "Oh Jesus, you scared me." She panted, trying to calm her heart rate as Sun frowned. 

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you! Please, follow me with the art supplies, the kids are waiting!" They said as they gestured for Aria to follow. She picked up the box and followed the animatronic, who led her to some tables that had been set up where all the children were gathered. 

"Kids, this is Miss Aria, and she's going to do some arts and crafts with us today!" Sun said cheerfully, opening his arms like a person presenting a piece of artwork would, causing a few kids to giggle. "You need to listen to her, and can ask her for help if you need it. Now, let's get to it!" They said as they took the box from Aria, setting the supplies on the table in front of them as kids rushed forward to grab stuff. 

Like a child herself, Aria grabbed a sheet of paper and went to one of the tables with the kids, sitting next to them.

She grabbed a crayon and began coloring, making sure to keep an eye on the kids at the same time. After a while, Aria felt a tap on her shoulder, and she looked up to see a little kid holding a pair of safety scissors and construction paper.

 "Miss Aria, can you help me? I can't cut this out..." The child held out the paper, which had a drawing of what seemed to be a cat.

"Of course I can. But first, what's the magic word?" She asked, smiling softly. The kid looked puzzled for a moment before realizing what she meant. 

"Please?" Aria nodded and patted the child on the head with a proud smile. 

"Good job! Now let me have the paper and scissors and I'll cut it out." They handed the things to Aria, and she carefully cut out the cat, handing the cut out drawing, scissors, and scrap of paper back to the child. "There you go. Let me know if you need more help!" With a smile, the child nodded before walking back to the table they came from. 

Not long after, Aria heard a frustrated yell from somewhere near her, and she looked over to see a little girl getting angry at something. Aria got up and walked over, kneeling down next to the girl. "What's the matter?" She asked, and the girl grumbled. 

"The crayons keep breaking- see?!" The crayon the girl had in her hand snapped, and she threw it onto the table angrily.

"Woah, calm down, it happens, okay? It's no big deal." Aria said, making sure the crayon didn't go towards another kid. The girl picked up a new crayon, gripping it tightly in her fist. Noticing this, Aria reached her hand over to gently touch the girl's hand. 

"Don't hold it so tight, that's why they keep breaking." The little girl looked up at Aria then back down at her drawing, loosening the grip on the crayon before starting to color. After a few moments, the girl looked at Aria again and smiled. 

"Thank you!" She said before going back to coloring. 

After arts and crafts was over, Aria helped get the kids cleaned up and ready for snack time. Some of the children weren't cooperating with Sun, so Aria went over to help. When her kinder attempt at getting their attention didn't work, she sighed, then straightened herself up and cleared her throat. 

"Kids, it's time to get cleaned up, not play around. You will not get a snack if you don't wash your hands." She said in a firm tone of voice but not yelling, which got the kid's attention and they quickly went and washed their hands. 

"Wow, how'd you do that?" Sun asked Aria as she checked their hands when they were done, making sure they actually washed them. Aria laughed softly, looking up at them. 

"Oh, I work with kids quite often. That was what I like to call my 'Mom voice.' It always gets the kiddo's attention." She replied, smiling proudly before checking over the group of kids, whom were all waiting for their snack. 

Aria quickly went and grabbed the snacks, making sure the allergy friendly snacks were apart from the regular ones. Once all the kids got their snacks and started eating, Aria sat down. She was genuinely happy, as she loved working with kids, and it showed on her face as she smiled lovingly at the little ones. She began to fiddle with her hair, pulling out a strand every so often as she watched, making sure nobody choked or anything. 

A dozen pulled hairs later snack time was over, and Aria made sure the kids picked up the trash after themselves. The messy kids had to wash their hands again before going to play, and Sun came up next to Aria as she made sure the last few kids took care of their trash. "Usually they just run off and I have to clean up the trash." They commented, causing Aria to look up at them and cross her arms, seemingly disappointed. 

"Every child has to learn to clean up after themselves, otherwise they'll become lazy bums." She said as though it was obvious. 

Before Aria could say another word her eyes went wide when she looked at the play structures. "No, get down from there, that's not safe!" She shouted, running over to one of the slides where a child was climbing on top of it. 

Sun chased after her, reaching over her head to pluck the child off the slide and set them on the ground. Aria put her hands on her hips, frowning. "That was incredibly dangerous, you could have fallen off and gotten hurt! Don't ever do that again, got it?" She scolded, and the child dropped their head in shame and nodded. 

"Yes Miss Aria." They muttered, and Aria patted them on the head. 

"Alright. If you've learned your lesson, you may go play again." She said, and the child ran off to another part of the play area. She let out a sigh of relief, putting a hand on her chest before looking up at Sun. "Thanks for getting them down, there's no way my short as- butt could've gotten them down. Sun simply nodded, waving their hand dismissively. 

"I deal with that all the time, I'm used to it." Aria shook her head before laughing. 

"You almost NEED a team of a human and an animatronic to take care of kids. That or a really tall human." She snorted then covered her nose and mouth, holding in her laughter, embarrassed. Sun cocked their head. 

"Did you snort?" Before Aria could answer, a kid piped in from inside the play structure. 

"Miss Aria snorted!! She snorted like a piggy!!" A bunch of other kids started making snorting noises, giggling like madmen as Aria's face turned bright red and she hid it in her hands. 

"Don't make fun of Miss Aria, it's not nice!" Sun said as they put a hand on Aria's shoulder causing her to look up at them, her face as red as a tomato from embarrassment. "Are you okay?" They asked, and she nodded in response, taking a few deep breaths.

Soon it was lunch time, and Aria had to run and open the gift shop as some parents came to pick their children up, leaving Sun alone with the kids. "Where'd Miss Aria go?" One of the children asked Sun while eating lunch. 

"Miss Aria had something to do, she'll come back after lunch." The kid pouted, frowning at their pizza. 

"Okay..." Sun chuckled. 

"You really like her, don't you?" The kid looked up at Sun and nodded. 

"Yeah! She's really nice, and she helped me today!" The kid said before taking a bite of their pizza. 

Once lunch was over, Sun convinced the kids to clean up after themselves by promising that Miss Aria would read them a story for naptime, which got most of the kids to listen. The few who didn't want to listen were told that Aria would be mad if they didn't clean up before nap time, and that got them to hustle and clean up. 

Sun began getting out the blankets for naptime when Aria returned, squeezing through the doors. She hurried over and took some of the blankets from Sun, helping to distribute them to the kids. Once all the kids were settled in, one of them looked up at Aria excitedly. 

"Now will you tell us a story?" Puzzled, Aria looked at Sun, who shrugged with a chuckle. 

"I told them you'd read them a story if they cleaned up after themselves, that's it." With a sigh, Aria found herself a cushion and sat down, then began telling the children a story from memory, the last child falling asleep about halfway through the story. 

Sun had almost drifted off to sleep themself, but startled awake as they spotted Aria by the light switch. They scrambled to stand up, hoping to stop her, but it was too late. Aria flipped the light switch, turning off the lights in the daycare as she hummed softly to herself. Sun backed out of her view as she returned to the children, looking around to try and find them. 

"Sun? Where are you?" She whisper-yelled before being grabbed by the waist and hoisted into the air, causing her to let out a squeak of surprise and fright. She looked down to see a pair of arms that looked almost identical to Sun's, aside from the fact they had different colors on them. She squirmed and whoever was holding her laughed in an unfamiliar voice. 

"Don't squirm unless you want to fall." They said, causing Aria to stop moving. "Good girl." The voice cooed, and Aria tried to see who it was holding her. 

"Who are you? Wh-why am I in the air?" She stuttered, gripping onto the arms holding her. The voice chuckled again, and they began to move in the air. 

"The name's Moon, and I've been dying to meet you." They said, flipping Aria around to face them. She had squeezed her eyes shut as she was turned, and as soon as she could she wrapped her arms around this 'Moon', holding on for dear life. "I'm not going to drop you, calm down." They said, using the cable to make a sort of hanging chair thing.

They sat there with Aria clung onto them, finding it funny that she was so scared. "Hey, c'mon. Open your eyes." They said, and Aria slowly lifted her head and opened her eyes. The face she was met with looked similar to Sun, but grey and black, with red eyes and a blue nightcap with stars on their head instead of rays like Sun. 

Moon gestured outwards, grinning. "Look out." Aria slowly shifted, still holding tightly to Moon as she looked out. From where they were, the two could see the whole daycare, including all the kids that were asleep. 

"O-Okay, this is cool, but could you please put me down now?? This is freaking me out." Aria said, shaking slightly. 

"Aww, alright. But I'll be up here if you need me." Moon said before undoing their seat, lowering down and setting Aria down before rising toward the ceiling again. 

Aria breathed a sigh of relief and smoothed her dress, fixing her hairpin before going to sit next to the children. Once naptime was over, Aria turned on the lights and woke up the kids, still wondering about that curious Moon character when Sun approached her from behind, tapping her on the shoulder and causing her to startle, letting out a squeak. 

"Oh, it's you Sun. I've got a question for you." She said as she folded a blanket neatly, setting it on the growing pile. "Who is Moon?" 

Sun froze when she asked the question, and they hesitated before responding. "You... weren't supposed to meet Moon. I forgot to tell you the number one rule here; Keep the lights on." Aria blinked in confusion before frowning, hanging her head. 

"Sorry, I had no idea... I mean, it is my first day after all..." Sun grabbed the blanket Aria had stalled on, folding it the rest of the way. 

"It's alright, just keep that in mind from now on, alright?" Aria nodded silently and she and Sun finished folding the blankets. She went and put them away as Sun got the kids together for their afternoon lesson. 

The rest of the day went by without anything else interesting going on, a couple of the kids didn't want Aria to leave when she had to go get the shop ready for pick-up time. "Noooo, don't goooooo!!" One child said, holding onto Aria's hand as she tried to leave. She chuckled and patted the kid on the head. 

"I'll be here tomorrow, I promise. Okay?" She said as the kid looked up at her and nodded, letting go of her leg. 

"Okay... but you better keep your promise!" They said and stomped their feet, and Aria laughed. 

"I will keep my promise. Now, see you tomorrow, alright?" The child nodded and Aria left the play area, heading to the gift shop and restocking the shelves before the parents came in to pick up their children. 

A few parents stopped in the gift shop with kids in tow, and all of the kids smiled at Aria and waved before leaving the shop. Once all the kids had been picked up and parents had all left, Aria restocked the shelves again before closing the shop, yawning as she looked at the time. She stuck her head into the play area, looking around for Sun before just calling out. 

"See you tomorrow, Sun!" Aria said before clocking out and leaving, completing her first day of work.

[theoldaeroplane]

worried that thing you put in your art or writing or game or music is too self-indulgent, too self-referential, too niche for anyone but yourself? fear not! you can do whatever you want forever. and you should.

[suguruverse]

your personal space has never really truly been yours since you’ve started dating him. his muscled arm around your waist when you wake up in the morning, has become as familiar as the sunrise itself. it used to be cute, his warmth a cozy start to the day. but now, it's suffocating, like he can't bear to let you go, even in his sleep.

you shift carefully under his weight, not wanting to disturb his sleep. his breath keeping its steady rhythm against your neck, and you wonder if he dreams of you as you lean in to kiss his forehead gently. he smiles in his sleep, a small, contented expression that almost makes you want to slip right back into his arms.

the sheets rustle softly as you slip out from his grip. you slowly tiptoe across your shared bedroom, craving the simple pleasure of being able to enjoy making coffee alone. the smell of freshly ground beans fills the kitchen, and you lean against the counter, enjoying the quiet morning.

but as your coffee brews, a twinge of guilt creeps in and you can almost imagine when he'll wake up and wonder where you've gone. despite enjoying the well needed alone time, you knew the longing to be close to him will pull you back into his embrace sooner than you'd planned. almost as if in complete sync with your thoughts, you hear a mumble approaching the kitchen, and then his voice, thick with sleep, calling out softly,

"angel cmon back to bed with me, you know i don’t like sleeping without you"

ੈ✩‧₊˚ gojo, nanami, bakugou, iwaizumi hajime (27) althetic trainer, oikawa, kuroo, geto, choso, yuji, midoriya

[tofixtheshadows]

I've been thinking a lot lately about how Kabru deprives himself.

Kabru as a character is intertwined with the idea that sometimes we have to sacrifice the needs of the few for the good of the many. He ultimately subverts this first by sabotaging the Canaries and then by letting Laios go, but in practice he's already been living a life of self-sacrifice.

Saving people, and learning the secrets of the dungeons to seal them, are what's important. Not his own comforts. Not his own desires. He forces them down until he doesn't know they're there, until one of them has to come spilling out during the confession in chapter 76.

Specifically, I think it's very significant, in a story about food and all that it entails, that Kabru is rarely shown eating. He's the deuteragonist of Dungeon Meshi, the cooking manga, but while meals are the anchoring points of Laios's journey, given loving focus, for Kabru, they're ... not.

I'm sure he eats during dungeon expeditions, in the routine way that adventurers must when they sit down to camp. But on the surface, you get the idea that Kabru spends most of his time doing his self-assigned dungeon-related tasks: meeting with people, studying them, putting together that evidence board, researching the dungeon, god knows what else. Feeding himself is secondary.

He's introduced during a meal, eating at a restaurant, just to set up the contrast between his party and Laios's. And it's the last normal meal we see him eating until the communal ending feast (if you consider Falin's dragon parts normal).

First, we get this:

Kabru's response here is such a non-answer, it strongly implies to me that he wasn't thinking about it until Rin brought it up. That he might not even be feeling the hunger signals that he logically knew he should.

They sit down to eat, but Kabru is never drawn reaching for food or eating it like the rest of his party. He only drinks.

It's possible this means nothing, that we can just assume he's putting food in his mouth off-panel, but again, this entire manga is about food. Cooking it, eating it, appreciating it, taking pleasure in it, grounding yourself in the necessary routine of it and affirming your right to live by consuming it. It's given such a huge focus.

We don't see him eat again until the harpy egg.

What a significant question for the protagonist to ask his foil in this story about eating! Aren't you hungry? Aren't you, Kabru?

He was revived only minutes ago after a violent encounter. And then he chokes down food that causes him further harm by triggering him, all because he's so determined to stay in Laios's good graces.

In his flashback, we see Milsiril trying to spoon-feed young Kabru cake that we know he doesn't like. He doesn't want to eat: he wants to be training.

Then with Mithrun, we see him eating the least-monstery monster food he can get his hands on, for the sake of survival- walking mushroom, barometz, an egg. The barometz is his first chance to make something like an a real meal, and he actually seems excited about it because he wants to replicate a lamb dish his mother used to make him!

...but he doesn't get to enjoy it like he wanted to.

Then, when all the Canaries are eating field rations ... Kabru still isn't shown eating. He's only shown giving food to Mithrun.

And of course the next time he eats is the bavarois, which for his sake is at least plant based ... but he still has to use a coping mechanism to get through it.

I don't think Kabru does this all on purpose. I think Kui does this all on purpose. Kabru's Post Traumatic Stress Disorder should be understood as informing his character just as much as Laios's autism informs his. It's another way that Kabru and Laios act as foils: where Laios takes pleasure in meals and approaches food with the excitement of discovery, Kabru's experiences with eating are tainted by his trauma. Laios indulges; Kabru denies himself. Laios is shown enjoying food, Kabru is shown struggling with it.

And I can very easily imagine a reason why Kabru might have a subconscious aversion towards eating.

Meals are the privilege of the living.

[bishy437]

he won

bonus:

[bioethicists]

it's very important to understand how a personality disorder diagnosis functions in the psychiatric system, even if you identify with the diagnosis or find it useful.

personality disorders on your medical record will be used to discredit anything you say or do. they indicate "don't bother listening to this person; apply treatment regardless of their wishes but also they're probably manipulating/attention-seeking so maybe don't bother treating them". needing support becomes attention-seeking. behaviors that would be treated + supported in someone without this diagnosis are ignored or treated as manipulative. providers are instructed to "withdraw warmth" (a real thing in the DBT provider's manual, btw) in response to self-injury or suicidal ideation.

if you have been dx'd with a personality disorder professionally, you likely understand this.

now, here's the important part: this is not an issue of 'stigma' against a politically neutral, pre-discursive True Disease which is being Unfairly Maligned. these diagnoses were formulated based on the idea that some patients cannot be trusted, that some patients seek care too much. they are applied to patient charts as a justification for withdrawing care or as a dismissal of someone "not getting better" fast enough. in the uk, they are often employed by the nhs to shame or problematize people who use large amounts of nhs resources, arguing that receiving a lot of care through the nhs is a negative behavior stemming from a disordered personality.

there are elements of personality disorders which resonate strongly with many people, including myself, but you need to be clear-eyed about the origins + functions of this diagnosis. as a whole, they were created + function as ways to discredit + mistreat noncompliant or "difficult" patients. 'reclaiming' them is not going to change how they function systematically- it is going to make it easier to engage in this systematic neglect by evoking 'ableism' or 'stigma!' when people question the utility or application of the diagnosis.

[fairydrowning]

"Days will pass, and you'll abandon things you were addicted to, and leave someone, and cancel a dream, and finally, accept a reality."

– Nizar Qabbani

[q1ngqve]

ᝰ VIP ROOM !

✶ 𓏲ּ ꩜ 𓂅 the penacony grand theater cordially invites you to V.I.P. room 2 this friday evening for a musical!

CW; fem! reader x penacony men (separated), vaginal penetration, fingering, slight degradation & voyeurism, vibrator, bondage, ‘daddy’ (only for gallagher)

𐙚 AVENTURINE

your gasps ring in his ears as he slides one of your leg onto his lap, spreading you apart effortlessly. his grip on your thigh is tight and steady, clearly having no intention of letting you go anytime soon.

snuggled next to him on the sofa, you feel his arm draped around you, holding both your wrists together, and smirking when you squirm to reach for your dress.

your eyes dart to his face, observing his furrowed brows and the angry smirk as he stares back into your eyes, clear jealousy written in those colourful irises. he leans in close, lips just inches apart from yours, and you feel his breathing turn erratic as his eyes darken, "you love teasing me, don't you?"

"I was just saying hi to an old friend..."

"did you not see the way he looked at you?"

your head shakes cautiously, nails digging softly into your own skin, "m' sorry." aventurine pecks you on your lips, the glossy lipstick staining his own in the process.

another whimper sounds as his gloved fingers slide under your thighs, the soft pads of his black gloves resting snugly against your clothed, pulsing nub. his smirk reappears when the wetness soaks through your panties and onto his gloves, soft squelching sounds reverberate in the VIP room.

your head falls against his shoulder, wrists still bound by his hand, legs spread and trembling on his lap. your boyfriend teases at your earlobes, nipping at the tender skin, sending shivers down your spine with each bite.

his deft fingers slides under your panties, and you hear him chuckle into your ear at how drenched you are for him, making it so easy for his two fingers to slip right into your warm hole.

"who do you belong to, hmm?"

he releases your wrists, the now free hand reaching up to your throat, pulling you closer to his face again.

"—you."

"good girl."

the air gets knocked out of your chest as he pushes you onto the sofa, his fingers still pumping and curling in your pussy harshly, his pace only increasing with each cry of his name you let out.

an embarrassing squelch sounds as he removes them, and you whine at the empty feeling inside you, the ring of muscle clenching at nothing as your hands reach for his nape.

"please— need you so bad..." a satisfied hum leaves him as he leans down to kiss your forehead, pushing his fingers in again without warning at the same time. your legs tense, and your toes curl, a loud moan escaping you, only to get muffled by him stuffing your dress into your mouth.

"all of this," his lips latch onto your neck as they suckle on the sensitive spots, "is for me," littering them with beautiful hickeys that he'll admire later on, "and me only." the musical on stage turning into background noise.

𐙚 BOOTHILL

boothill grunts into your dripping pussy as your fingers pull on the roots of his hair, tugging both away and towards your core, uncertain if you want more or to escape this torment.

"stay still, sweetheart."

a soft "can't—" escapes you, making him cock an eyebrow, his mouth never stopping, licking and sucking at your puffy clit. the silent command from his eyes has you tensing your thighs as his grip tightens, and you're sure his metal fingers will leave marks there tomorrow.

moans of his name fill the room as he frees on hand to slide under your dress and up to your chest, the cool metal wrapping around your boob comfortably. your body shrinks as he plays with the soft bundle of nerves, thumb and pointer finger pinching at your nipple occasionally, making your pussy clench.

his eyes roll to the back of his head the moment his tongue dips into your warm core, your juices and gummy walls sending his engine into overdrive. you swear if he were in a cartoon, there'd be smoke coming out of his back right now.

"pretty girl tastes so (fucking) good." hums when your legs clench around his head, "all this, just for me."

your eyes water as you come undone on his tongue. the sound of fans whirring before you drags you back to reality as he stands, flipping you around so that you're kneeling on the sofa with your hands on the backrest.

whines leave you as he flips your dress up and tears your panties easily. the familiar feeling of cool metal dick has you lying limp on the backrest, your hips involuntarily grinding back against him.

"eager, aren't we?"

muffled whimpers sound from you as you bury your face into the cushions, knowing that you'll be making extremely embarrassing sounds the moment he enters you.

a loud groan escapes boothill as he slides into you, the cool, hard metal of his dick a clear contrast to your soft, warm, and inviting walls, wrapping around him like a vice.

his hand slips around your mouth to cover up your obscene sounds as he pounds into you, unable to contain his hunger any longer. you're now locked in a position that allows him to manhandle and control you easily, body fully limp and putty in his arms, just the way he likes.

𐙚 DR. RATIO

a small smile adorns your lips as you stare straight ahead, looking out at the balcony and onto the stage where the musical is happening, clearly avoiding eye contact with your boyfriend who's burning holes through your head.

your hand inches up his thigh, nails scraping slightly with each movement, your own legs clench whenever you feel his muscles tense beneath the pads of your fingers.

an audible sigh could be heard from him when you palm him through his pants, a clear bulge forming under your hand, making your smile bigger. "someone's excited."

"shut up."

you giggle softly as your fingers wrap around the bulge, while your pointer finger draws slow circles on his clothed tip, a dark spot forming slowly on his pants from his arousal.

you yelp suddenly when you feel yourself stand and be placed into a forceful position. your elbows scrape on the table beneath you as you trying your best to stand steady on your legs all the while looking over your shoulder, a teasing smile on your face.

"what? can't take it already?"

ratio's eyes narrow at your comment before pushing down on the small of your back, making your body press harder onto the cold table surface.

something changes in the air when he huffs a laugh, his hands now gripping at your hips, holding you in place as he starts dry humping against you. he leans down, caging you beneath him as he slides one knee between your legs, and you know, you're in danger.

you squirm in his hold, hips inching forward, digging into the edge of the table, trying your best to run away, your fight or flight kicking in, knowing he isn't going to go easy on you for teasing him.

he pulls you back harshly, so hard you stumble back into his chest. "where do you think you're going?" this wipes the smirk off your face.

you shudder when he kisses down your nape to your shoulder blades, and all you could do was hold your breath, praying that he's not going to be too rough on you as punishment.

you could feel the smugness from the man behind you as he pulls himself out and slides into your panties, coating himself with your wetness, the tip sliding against your clit with each thrust.

now you're the one biting back moans, hands reaching backward to claw at his wrists, an indication that you want him to fuck you. ratio chuckles at your feeble attempt to command him, and he leans down again, this time nearer to your ear, never stopping his movements, sliding against your folds harshly.

"this is for fucking with me when you know you can't handle my teasing."

𐙚 GALLAGHER

as the curtains shut behind the two of you, you trip down the steps, pulling gallagher by his tie. your heels coming off with each step towards the display shelf at the side of the VIP room.

your grip on him strong, like a leash, leading the man before you to collide against your soft body as you lean on the shelf. one strap of your dress slips down your shoulder, a testament to your impatience to feel him against you.

gallagher's hands land on either side of your head, trapping you between the shelf and his body. the sheer size of this man completely envelops you, providing cover if anyone were to look for you behind him.

a giggle escapes you as he kisses your jaw and down to your collarbone. "couldn't wait till we got home?"

your head shakes as you bit your lower lip softly, head tilting upwards, silently inviting him to kiss you. he ignores your request, choosing instead to plant a sweet kiss on your forehead as he runs his hands along the curves of your body, eventually resting on your waist and hip.

you whine when he doesn't kiss you where you want him too, "just wanna feel you, daddy. please?" his smug smile widens at your plea before he pulls your lower body against his own, his bulge resting comfortably on your lower stomach.

"keep it down, okay? they're still out there."

you nod, and a soft " good girl" from him weakens your knees as you relax against his hold, allowing his hands to bunch your dress upwards, freeing himself from his restraints.

your gasps are swallowed by his hot mouth against yours, his thrusts slow and deliberate. your toes dig into the carpeted floor beneath you at the stretch. everything feels heightened knowing that the attendants outside the room could intrude any second and see this filthy scene adds to the pleasure.

gallagher pulls back, panting softly as he angles himself to your g-spot, only to kiss you harshly again, muffling your moans with his tongue. the mind-numbing sensations has you cumming around him almost instantly. you fall limp against him, but he doesn't give you a chance to rest, before propping you up and wrapping your legs around his waist, pounding into you roughly, chasing his own high this time.

"filthy little girl, moaning my name like that. you want them to catch us, don't you?"

𐙚 SUNDAY

a clear look of fear appears in your eyes as your back hits the wall next to the balcony, knowing you have nowhere else to run from the man standing before you.

sunday smiles as he approaches you, his hands reaching for the rope that controls the curtains' movements. "what're you planning to do with that?" the shakiness in your voice betrays you as you try to feign confidence, tilting your chin up slightly as your last resort to prove that you're not scared.

with a flourish, sunday twirls the golden rope in his gloved hands before yanking on it sharply, swiftly closing the balcony curtain. the dimly lit room takes on a more intimate aura as he reaches for your wrists, brushing his lips against them softly like a gentleman, although his eyes betray a predatory gleam that sends your knees weak.

"tug on it, and the whole grand theater will see you."

confusion flickers across your face at his warning, until you feel the bind of your wrists by the very rope he held.

drawing you closer by your waist, sunday twirls you around to face the deep red curtains as he slips his hand under your dress, inserting something cool into your heated core. a soft buzz sounds between your legs, causing you to instinctively lurch forward.

"sunday—!"

he silences your protest with a soft shush, his hands teasing your chest and clit while his hot mouth leaves hickeys on your neck. your arms remained raised slightly, fighting the urge to tug on the rope, knowing the consequences if the curtains do part.

soft cries leave your trembling lips as he increases the speed with a click of the remote in his pocket. leaning back against him, your body surrender fully, giving him full access to your body.

[unlimited-nobu-works]

my group chats on private MMO servers

[ohposhers]

This started as a shitpost and then I just kept going anyway AU where Floyd eventually forgives Veneer and they end up becoming besties a few years down the line and have girls nights ugh [NOT SHIP ART!!!] aaand Bonus doodle of when they take the curlers out or some shit dont look at me man

[bunicate]

⋆⁺₊❅⋆ 𐙚 ₊˚ warnings ꒱ྀི minor pregnancy and daddy kink. breeding. sasuke being kinda mean :p ﾉ wc ꒱ 1.1k ﾉ 18+

“noisy woman .”

he’s grumbling and muttering under his breath in annoyance. other than the meeting of sweat-slicken skin, there’s your pitiful cries that make his cock twitch regrettably. you’re pretty — far too cute of a shinobi even at your sloppiest.

a sibilant sound gets wrangled from his mouth at the subtle squeeze of your wet cunt, disrupting the steady momentum of his hips.

“shit.”

sasuke breathes out huffs of hot air, goosebumps rising on your heated skin. your mind is hazy, full of the thought of his thighs pressing stickily against your ass.

his strong hands plant themselves behind your knees, pushing them on either sides of your head.

“hnn— sasukeeeeeee.”

your eyes cross and your vision blurs. the sight sends blood straight to his throbbing sac, throwing the shinobi off. he staggers, causing his to cock slip out of your wet cunt and you cry at the emptiness. 

“n-nooo.”

your sharp pink nails dig into his skin, desperate to feel more of him.

he sucks his teeth. “would you calm down ?”

he pulls your hand away, and you let it fall against your forehead. your chest raises in anticipation, sweat dripping down the slopes of your breasts. he lines his fat head with your pussy, but god, your folds . . . they’re thick and fat, covering the very hole that he needs to bury himself in.

a trail of spit splats against your center. he couldn’t help it. your pussy is already doused in his cream and your sparkly arousal, but watching the spit drip down your opening ignited a fire in him.

sasuke’s left thumb pulls your lips apart, and his other hand firmly grips his cock. he rubs his heated member against your center before promptly sheathing himself inside.

“ s-sasukeee, y’r gnna hnnh—break me !”

he groans, doubling over from the intrusion.

“shut it.”

it feels like hours has passed the way he’s been mounting you. his cock is digging out your insides, his body caging you against the bed when his spend shoots out, but he’s not done — far from it.

“m’sorry . . . but you’re so big.”

and you’re fucking cute.

you were carefully done up so prettily. ribbons woven in your pigtails, konoha headband around the cinch of your waist, but those were long gone. one pigtail loosened, your makeup smeared, and clothes exposing your tits and cunt.

sasuke isn’t one to fawn over things like looks, he’s much more practical than that, but your beauty itself is a weapon. if he wasn’t careful, you’d puncture him.

you admire his lithe build, and it amazes you that despite being so slender, his cock was able to stretch your cunt until it burned. he re-adjusts the hand behind your knee. the other grabs the side of your ass, lifting you up and down his fat cock.

his strength still takes you aback. the thrusts were too much. your pussy was thoroughly ruined. you slowly begin to use your elbows to clamor away from the uchiha, but he grabs you tighter.

“don’t run from it.”

he’s never particularly talkative. only when he gets competitive and even then, he’d rather let his actions speak for themselves. but now, he can’t stop himself from provoking you. you were easy to rile up.

his hands on your hips slide down to grip the softness of your ass again to tug you back on his cock. your pussy makes an audible squelch when it collides against the base of his pelvis.

“what happened to all that talk earlier, hm ?” he eyes your lewd body, and god , maybe he can understand why jiraiya started waxing poetics about pretty girls.

pretty girls with pretty mouths and pretty holes to breed. he tugs at a puffy nipple, eager to put it in his mouth.

“‘I'm a big girl I can take it.’ that’s what you said, right? so show me. show me how big girls take it.”

you sniffle at the snark in his tone and condescension, but the trail of his warm tongue tracing the lines of your neck softens you.

“y’r mean sasuke.”

“and you’re a brat.”

he kisses you square on the lips, stuffing his tongue in your mouth. his thumb twirls around your clit, drawing precise patterns.

“am I still mean?”

you mewl from the redundant stroke on your achy bud .

“ a buh-big fat meanie.”

he gives one of his charming smirks that borders on a sly smile.

“but you like it. . . and you love me, which is why you said you help me, right ?”

he grabs his cock by the thickest part to pull out. he wipes his meaty tip on your sloppy mound before forcing himself back in. your walls squeeze around his girth, desperate to be full once more.

“'said you’d help me restore my clan.”

his palms pressed down on your belly, right where his cock reached. he’s stimulating all your sensitive spots, and you can barely put words together.

“god — you-you’re so . .”

he spanks your cunt and a pathetic stream of arousal escapes audibly.

he chuckles. “noisy mouth and an even noisier pussy . how cute.”

your knees want to close and push him away from you, but he doesn’t move . like an animal, he keeps you pinned down, and like prey, you can't break free from his grasp. only instead of sinking his claws into you, he sinks his cock deeper, pressing up against your womb.

“squeezing me so tightly. you must want it so bad.” he’s flushed against you, resting all his weight to keep you in place.

“want me to make you a uchiha ? my little wife ?"

“hiccup—p-please.”

“please what ?”

you whine, “make me yours.”

your legs connect at hips, pushing him further into you. he grunts, “so shameless . . . a filthy woman.”

you’re embarrassed. tears wells up in your eyes, and you look at him with adoration, even as he talks so recklessly.

“keep staring at me like that. m’ gonna breed this fat cunt all night.”

he gives you another messy kiss and there’s a surge of happiness when he matches your eagerness. he poured everything into it, tongue lapping at your lips and swallowing your precious moans.

“wan’ to make you a daddy , sasuke,” you whisper.

and he nearly bottoms out. “f-fuck.”

you reach down to grab your breast that jumps with every thrust, pulling on a pert nipple.

“gonna fuck you until my seed takes. until your tits get fat with milk.”

sasuke's on the brink of a rush . though he pursued a life of darkness and revenge, he buried that angst long ago. still, he never thought he’d live to think about things like women and starting families of his own, and now he was here making it a reality.

his mind is plagued with the images of children, a fruitful clan and the swell of your stomach.

he delivers more plunges, fat balls slapping against your seam until they throb. he expels with a sudden start, releasing inside you for the umpteenth that night.

he presses you flushed against him, determined to have nothing escape, not even a drop. he wanted to be sure that you’d be true to your word. you’d be his little wife, free to use and knock up.

sasuke rubs your belly, eyes gleaming red from the numbing intensity. he takes greedy gulps of air watching as you’re stricken with complete lust.

his name falls from your lips like a spell and there’s the familiar burn of desire swirling in his abdomen.

“one more time.”

[pigeonstab]

@somegrumpynerd :3c Cross getting his first toy ever

I think it's the kind of thing he brings everywhere cuz it's his comfort item.. and he's never had a comfort item before

[mischievous-thunder]

Is it gay to address your roommate by her full name while introducing the worst best version of your crush with whom you saved the world and decided to bring home?

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

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

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

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

------

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

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

------

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Stanley was stuck in that subway station for years.