#oc: the stealer of memories

[quinttyz]

hoot hoot *—*

[ambermarkoto]

My OC Mira walking down a hall with pink/purple fire burning around her. In some places the fire creates skull like faces and shapes. This is because she's a soul stealer so I imagine this is the last thing you see as your soul leaves your body.

First finished drawing of the year. I loved working on this piece it came out so good.

I just knew when I saw Nyx Naia Stock’s photo on Bluesky I just had to draw Mira. Thank you & Congrats to @nyxnaiastock.bsky.social for sharing such an awesome DTIYS. Now go check out their page!

[aceinacloset]

!FNAF SL REDUX!

Character Profile #3 Circus Baby

The clown of the hour, the “leader” of the funtimes, and whatever else you wanna call her. She is a force of nature and one of our main characters in FNAF SL REDUX. There is a lot to go into with her character and lore, so let's start from the beginning.

Circus Baby had been first conceived from the creative mind of… Elizabeth!, what? did you think Afton thought her up? Nah he's not that creative. Anyway, Liz had just kinda doodled Circus Baby once and grew attached to this little character of hers, naming it “CB”.

When presenting her character to her father, he would take this character and turn them into the star attraction of his little side project. He would name his main project and creation “Circus Baby”.

William Afton, original oc stealer. 

She was by far the biggest headache to build, mostly due to the size she had to be for everything Afton had planned to work properly. Many of those abilities include inflating balloons from her fingers, ice-cream dispenser, song database, programmed ability to identify the difference between children and adults and then count said kids, and a giant kidnapping claw and chest cavity. Wait, one of those doesn't sound right.

All of these spatial awareness abilities Afton built into the funtimes would unintentionally give them sentience. It was obviously weak sentience, only having the ability to form memories, learn and adapt, and remember faces and people, but it was enough for it to bite Afton in the ass in the far future.

When Circus Baby was finally completed, ‘Circus Baby's Pizza World' would be opened shortly after. At this point Circus Baby is by far the happiest (good for her) she enjoyed entertaining children. While it only lasted a day, It was enough for CB to love and long for those moments to last forever. 

Contrary to what some may think, Circus Baby was not aware of her killing capabilities, this was an intentional programming choice. It was to prevent other abilities from overriding the killer mode or just stop it from triggering. This would lead to Elizabeth’s whole claw-napping weighing on her more than it was supposed to.

(It wasn't supposed to weigh on her at all because she wasn’t supposed to be able to think)

After the whole child abduction and later scooping that had the same child get torn out of her body into a mangled bloody mess on the floor, it would put CB into a kinda robotic version of a catatonic state.

During this in-between period, after Elizabeth’s death but before she possesses CB. CB had a lot of time to be existential, questioning ‘what she was’ and ‘what she did’, you know just girly thoughts.

After William had buried Elizabeth's body, and hid any extra remnant of hers in CBs body, he would then begin to experiment on CB in turn. All tests usually revolve around controlled shocks, poking and prodding metal wiring, and attempts to get Elizabeth to communicate through CB.

By this point CB was far less active in a physical sense, but more in a mental sense, girl is active 24/7. Observing and learning faster than before and not speaking a word to Afton. This would also be the time that Elizabeth would attach herself to CB and they would start “communicating”.

Their communication would be mostly one sided, CB attempting to get Liz to talk to her. Attempting to apologize to Liz, idol chatting with Liz despite her not responding, and soon actual communication…through bickering and arguing 😔. These two were not on good terms and it took some time for them to get along, how would they get along at first? They're mutual hate towards William.

Mutual hate bringing people together 👍.

This mutual hatred would lead to Elizabeth possessing CB and attempting to kill William; it would fail with Afton activating CBs emergency stop feature. That would lead to Liz binding her soul to CBs body, and giving CB some slight changes. Other than her eye change she also gained full sentience.

(Insert ‘it's alive’ line from the frankenstein movie here)

The amount of awareness CB was given was so much that it was almost nauseating and she would never really get used to it, she would just learn to silence it out. It's only when Liz is gone that she realizes how used to it she actually had become. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

After the funtimes were left to rot in the underground facility for an undisclosed amount of years, they had a lot of time to themselves and for CB in particular, time to think and plan. Ok well it didn't start off that way, it's just that CB became very restless.

As time passed, Liz would explore the facility and report back to CB about anything she finds, big or small, sometimes recruiting others to help (usually Bidy and Bab, the minireenas, or Bon Bon). All this exploring would lead to CB concocting a plan, with many moving parts needed, luckily for them they had a lot of time. But first they need a map.

Through all the exploring Liz would sadly only identify two possible exits, a kinda small vent that leads up into the kitchen of the pizzeria above the facility, and the very elevator people come and go from. This would complicate things, but it was a start. I mean it was all CB needed to first form her little body snatching Idea.

CB and Liz are a unit, I can't talk about CB without talking about Liz in turn, at least for now.

Circus Baby is a major over-thinker and perfectionist when it comes to planning, meaning that CB rarely consulted the others about the way the plan would go. The only thing she would tell the others about is the whole forming into one body idea (ie. Ennard). All this planning would pay off once Circus Baby's Entertainment and Rental would open. Originally it would lead to 3 failed attempts all ending with them torn apart and put back into their own separate bodies, this didn't deter her from trying again. These 3 failures did lead to CB learning more about how the facility operates, so she can see all windows of opportunity and what areas to avoid. She would perfect fakeing deactivation and would also learn more about herself and her capabilities. Liz would explore parts & service and find all the Funtimes blueprints, she would smuggle these out and bring them back to CB. This would allow CB to perfect “Ennard” and perfect her plan.

The failures all usually revolved around being caught in the act of escape or in the process of becoming one, the technician getting killed before the point they were supposed to, and/or the main technician not being Afton. She didn't truly mind if the technician was Afton or not but it would be the cherry on top if It was. Most technicians prior to Michael (Eggs Benedict) though would either quit due to nearly being killed by one of the Funtimes, or be sent to the emergency room and later physical therapy. (take that info in anyway you wish, I mean at least they're not dead 🤷‍♂️)

Anyway enough world building let's talk about the actual game events.

Michael first began working at Circus Baby's and let's just say he was doomed before he even walked in. Bro inherited his dad's face and height, making him look like his dad to an uncanny degree. This would mean the obvious; CB, Elizabeth, and all the other Funtimes would mistake him for William. 

Womp womp.

I think we know where this is going so let's just skip to the end, ennard is formed for the 4th time and they successfully escape through Michael's body.

The funtimes were free, hooray🎉

This whole body stealing plan did not last long though (lasting a week before they had to split) and CB did not have a plan if this were to happen. Another thing about CB is that she doesn't make long term plans, only short term. So without another plan and now in an unfamiliar environment, the others got kinda frustrated. Frustrated enough to yeet CB from the amalgamation and leave her to die. Spoilers, she wouldn't die, but hardy effort.

At this point, Liz would end up taking control of the situation and crawl whatever is left of them back to the Rental Facility to find their body. This would be a good learning experience for CB, and the lesson was to stop doing everything completely on your own. CBs body would be kinda hastily put back together and then Liz would crack CBs jaw open and repossess her body.

CB, “Scrap Baby”

Held together by the little wiring left of Circus Baby and a lot of duct tape is the “new" Circus Baby, or rather CB. By this point CB would coin Elizabeth’s name/nickname she gave her as her new name (to distance herself from Afton as much as she could), and this would also be the point CB would learn that Liz is technically her “creator”. It's complicated but CB likes seeing it that way, since it makes her hate her own existence less.

Until the events of Pizza Sim, CB and Liz didn't really know what to do with their new found freedom (again didn't think that far ahead) but since they had a lot of free time they might as well make the most of it. They were only able to hang out at night since them wandering around during the day would be weird if not outright terrifying for people in the early 2000's(nowadays though probably not 🤷‍♂️)

So what did they do with all the time they had?, well whatever tf they wanted to do. 

CB didn't really know what to do since she's never been outside the facility before, but she mostly took fascination with the world around her so a lot of morning time was her observing and admiring the environment and sometimes people (for people it was obviously from a far). Despite her appearance CB was far more subdued during this in-between period, so thankfully no one was hurt or killed by her. She even had little bonding time with Liz, ain't that sweet.

Before we move on, I'll mention one more thing they did during the in-between period. Many times on Halloween these two would roam freely at night and just explore. Since it's Halloween CB was able to walk around without it being weird, and they found many fun ways to celebrate. Mostly it just revolved around jumping out of bushes and scaring passersby, it was Halloween so that was also not weird. They had way too much fun doing this.

Also, at one point CB was definitely caught on camera and is a local cryptid.

Onto Fnaf 6.

In this Au “Scrap Baby” would be the first one salvaged (more in line with Scrap Baby's first appearance in Pizza Sim). It goes exactly as it does in the game. After her little "interview” she would be given the name Scrap Baby by Michael, it didn't catch on for her and she never responds to that name anyway. First half of her time in the labyrinth Pizzeria she was peaceful enough, she just kinda wandered around getting a feel for her surroundings. It would remain that way until the rest of the funtimes arrived, this is when things would get interesting and um hit the fan. 

These two stayed far away from one another, mostly out of hatred, and when they did cross paths there would be nothing but glares and snide remarks. It would only be after a fight that they would finally truce, mostly done due to their crumbling forms that are just not fit for combat. They would only truly join forces again, when a certain someone shows up.

 I think you can guess who it was that made them join forces, yeah it was afton. Afton pulls up with an ego bigger than Mt. Everest and tries to convince the funtimes to help him, still thinking they are you know his creations and he can just have them do what he wants. It doesn't work, and now he's in danger. Womp womp. But at first they didn't know the rotten sponge rabbit was Afton, until he revealed himself.

By this point, Scrap Baby, Elizabeth, and the Funtimes were so done with this man and they were just ready to kill him. But these attempts at offing him are always thwarted by the maze like quarters they are stuck in. So that's when Scrap Baby would go back on the hunt. Sorry Michael.

CB is not one to just blindly kill (unless you count Liz, but…) so if she's out for you, you either did something to her or you're in her way/thorn in her side and must be dealt with. So let's just say Michael seeming to get in the way of them killing Afton is enough for CB to view him as an enemy again. Liz would be less than pleased with having to, well… start attacking Michael again (they hunted him once and fucking killed him, she's very much not up for doing that AGAIN!) But doesn't really stop Scrap Baby, so um Liz what's up with that.

This would become the most terrifying game of cat and mouse, until Saturday. 

The end of Fnaf 6 is finally upon us, and it is a sight to behold. Let's just say Afton gets his shit handed to him by Scrap Baby stabbing him In the back with her claw, and chasing him with theffuntimes. This would all end with Scrap Baby losing her claw and getting consumed by the fire, at least with the funtimes by her side.

It's a happy enough ending for them, by this point Scrap Baby fully believed she was a danger and was better off dead, she just really wanted to drag Afton down with her.

And that is the end…

NOT!

We're not done just yet, we got one more version to touch upon.

CB, HW 2 Circus Baby

This version of CB looks far more like Elizabeth’s original drawing, and far happier than she was before. Like girly actually smiles, and enjoys herself. She feels so safe now, but wasn't quite sure how to feel about the PlushBabys at first. They remind her of Elizabeth and the Bidybabs though so it didn't take long for her to adjust to them.

This will be short, this is the final fate of CB. With what little of her remained after the fire, Fazbear Entertainment would scan and utilize AI from many things and machines. That includes the funtimes. CB by this point is confused as hell, specifically on how she's still alive. The Funtimes would all be scanned into a Employee Virtual Training Program, and now are just kinda stuck. They are no longer dangerous (at least they don't think they are), and get to kinda do what they want. It's the closest thing they can get to a happy ending. 

How they survived? well some of Elizabeths agony that was imbedded in their servos allowed them to retain their memories and "life", Liz has passed on don't worry.

They are even able to spend time in their own little hiding spot off the program's grid. 

They like it there. It's safe, safe forever...

Ok, Actually The end.

Onto the AR skins that are not the CB I've talked about for 6-7 doc pages. All AR skins info will be short, since these guys are just for fun.

8-bit Baby (8-bit, Bab)

The little pixel CB from that mini game, given physical form, and now a menace to the end. She can not speak, so she mostly makes game reaction sound effects. She’s really sweet and loves giving hugs (It kinda feels like static, it's a weird sensation). She is the shortest of the 3 AR Babs. Loves both Broiler and Heartsick.

Broiler Baby (Broiler, Furnace)

Rage incarnate, she's a tempered furnace. Created for a summer theme and to put a spin on CBs original special function. When she isn't a threat you can actually cook stuff in her chest, be careful though. Trust though she can be really chill. She doesn't speak much since her super hot temperature damages her voice box. She is close with heart, much like sisters. While she considers 8-bit to be kinda annoying.

Heartsick Baby (Heart)

Shoots you in the heart with an arrow like cupid, all cute like 🥰💕💕💕. Other than that, she's a danger whether she is a threat or not. Having a hard time differentiating love from obsession doesn't make it any better. She can be a total sweetheart, but she also can be quick to violence. She's such a messy individual, but holds those she loves really close and is very protective of them. Think of her like a guard dog with apposable thumbs. Loves Broiler like a sister, and adores 8-bits energy.

And that concludes Circus Baby's character Profile.

Elizabeth Afton Character profile 

Katherine Afton Schmidt profile

[bellybuttonbooks]

The Sixth | Ekko x Fem!OC

Chapter Four

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Full fanfiction is posted on Wattpad and currently has 36 chapters and a read time of 13 hours.

Full fanfic can be found here:

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When Ekko opened his eyes again, they immediately slammed shut once more. The light in the room he was currently in was ungodly and stabbed daggers into his pupils. A groan escaped his mouth, and he raised his arm to rest his forearm over his eyes in order block the light from them.

"Ekko?" he heard Scar's voice ask from somewhere else in the room.

"What happened?" he rasped out, throat scratchy and dry.

"What do you remember?"

Ekko slowed his thoughts and started sorting through what he last remembered. He'd led the Firelights on a mission to try and capture the leader of the shimmer stealers. The all-female group had been trying to sell shimmer to some guy in an alley, and they interrupted the deal.

He abruptly dropped his arm from his face and shot up when he recalled the details of pinning the leader underneath him. He'd almost succeeded in revealing her identity, but he'd been stopped last minute.

"Shit," he said, throwing his face into his hand before swiping it downwards. The action caused his skin to tug downwards until his fingers met the sides of his mouth. He wiped along the edges as if he were deep in thought. "They got away again."

"Yeah," Scar said, leaning against Ekko's workbench. He peered down at his leader and watched his face change expressions with each memory that resurfaced.

"I was so close—" he said, eyebrows furrowing marginally "—I almost had her, but then..." His eyes widened. "Holy shit—" He dropped his hand from his mouth and turned to look at his friend. "They've got someone with powers."

Scar's eyebrows twitched upwards at the revelation, forehead wrinkling slightly. "What kind of powers?"

Ekko thought back to how he'd been attacked. "Electricity. This girl with crazy bright hair shot me with it using her fingers like—like a gun." There was a brief pause before he spoke again, realizing that the Firelights had been missing during the ordeal. "Where were you guys anyway?"

Scar's stance stiffened at the question before he released a snipped breath. "They're slippery man. The others flew after them, but they got away." Scar looked away, finding it difficult to maintain eye contact as he continued. "As for me—well—uh..." He cleared his throat awkwardly. "They have a vistaya and... she's quite the character."

Ekko stared up at him in confusion. "And what do you mean by that?"

"Trust me, you don't wanna know."

Ekko raised an eyebrow and was about to question him further when he remembered something else. His posture straightened as he realized he'd forgotten to reveal the most vital thing that he'd discovered during the scuffle.

"They have someone who looks exactly like Sevika," he said, causing Scar to look at him again, but this time in surprise.

"Sevika? Working for them? I thought she was a counsellor now?"

"No, no, I said someone who looks like her. This person still has both arms."

Scar's gaze moved astray as he thought over what Ekko had said, but returned to him seconds later. "So, like... her twin or something?"

Ekko shrugged. "I guess. Didn't realize she had any family."

Scar crossed his arms over his chest. "We should go talk to her, see if she has any information."

Ekko's lips pressed into a straight line at the thought of conversing with 'the left arm of Zaun', but he held back any complaints he might've had. They needed answers, and this was their best bet at getting some.

Despite Sevika being on the counsel now and spending a lot of time in Piltover, she still lived in the undercity. She swore never to forget her roots. She was a zaunite, and it swirled in her blood—literally. With her metal arm running on shimmer, the drug often made its way into her system. Shimmer used to be hard to come by after the war, the Enforcers nearly making it go extinct. But now that Daunter had taken over Silco's work, it wasn't hard to find a dealer.

Once the war concluded, she returned to her apartment in Zaun to find it now inhabitable. The place was a wreck—more so than usual. She wasn't an overly tidy woman, nor was she close to being a hoarder. She sat somewhere in the middle, her surroundings cluttered but at least manageable. But when she made it back, she spotted a gorging hole in the side of the apartment building. She could see her wallpaper, now torn and flapping in the breeze, while the concrete of the walls continued to crumble, revealing its wooden skeleton.

Afterwards, she snagged an apartment closer to the promenade level of the city. It was a tad bit larger in scale, and the wallpaper was far less dated than her old one. She tried to tame her messiness after joining the counsel, but only partially succeeded. Her apartment still had her belongings scattered around the place, the book shelves hosting nicknacks instead of books and her kitchen counter having yesterday's unchosen outfit sprawled across it.

She walked down the hall and kicked a dirty pair of socks out of the way while fastening the button on her shawl at the same time. She had a meeting soon and was running around trying to do things last minute before heading to topside.

She came to a stop in the doorway of her bedroom when she heard a knock.

When she opened the door, her expression morphed into one of surprise.

"Firelights?"

Ekko had his hands stuffed in the pockets of his coat, his bat-like lieutenant standing beside him.

"We need to talk."

Sevika eyed them for a moment before stepping to the side to allow them entry, afterwards leading them into her apartment and to her study. Despite the rest of her apartment being cluttered with her belongings, she made sure to keep her study clean. It was where she did most of her work, and sometimes even met with civilians of the undercity so they could discuss their concerns with her.

She offered them both a seat in the dark blue sofa situated in front of her desk. They both sat down, clouds of dust being released from the cushions on impact.

Sevika took a seat on her chair behind the desk and leaned forward, forearm resting on the surface in front of her.

"What do you need to talk about?"

Ekko was waving a gloved hand in the air, trying to fan away the dust from his face. "What does the name Derora mean to you?"

Sevika went taut, her fist clenching and her eyes fitting into a glare.

"Where'd you hear it from?" she demanded.

Ekko hesitated, trying to form the proper words to describe what had happened.

"We had a confrontation with her. And y'know, she looks an awfully lot like you."

Sevika leaned back in her chair, arms crossing over her chest. "What kind of confrontation?"

Ekko huffed a breath through his nose, knowing they wouldn't be able to keep things as vague as he initially hoped.

"She's a part of some group in the undercity. You know anything about it?"

She unclenched her fist and raised her hand to pinch the bridge of her nose. "She's supposed to be in Stillwater."

Ekko's mouth parted incredulously, and he looked up at Scar to gauge his reaction.

The chirean gave him a quick glance before returning his attention to Sevika.

"What for?" Scar asked her, hoping to wring out as much information from her as possible.

She shook her head ever so slightly. "That doesn't matter." She closed her eyes and pondered how Derora was somehow out of prison, but then remembered the prison break she and Jinx had pulled off years ago. The giant wolf—who turned out to be Vander—had destroyed multiple cell blocks. She probably escaped during the ordeal.

When she dropped her hand from her face and opened her eyes again, she saw both men staring at her questioningly.

She sighed, realizing she'd have to reveal more to them.

"She's my sister, if that much wasn't obvious."

"Twins?" Ekko asked.

She nodded in confirmation.

"Why was she locked up?"

She looked away at the question, the topic not an easy one for her to delve into.

"Happened during the day of ash," she revealed solemnly. "We both fought that day on the bridge. But she ended up being one of the ones arrested."

Ekko leaned forward, resting his forearms on his thighs. He couldn't help but think that there was more to it than that. "Anything else?"

"Like I said, it doesn't matter. Enforcers were arresting anyone they could get their hands on, and she was one of them."

He eyed her skeptically. "And after getting out of prison she decides to run with a bunch of drug dealers?" He scoffed. "Almost as bad as what you did."

Sevika furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "Drug dealers? What're you talking about?"

Ekko spared another glance at Scar, wondering if he should reveal any more to her. When all he received was a shrug, he sighed and decided to tell her.

"There's this group of women running around stealing shimmer from Daunter's exports and reselling it for profit," he explained, "You know anything about that?"

Her gaze flickered downwards to rest upon the surface of her desk, recalling a conversation she had with someone a few days ago.

"Not much. Just enough to know that Daunter has his hands full with them and the Firelights fucking with his exports."

Ekko let out a sound that resembled both a scoff and a sarcastic laugh.

"Remind you of old times?"

Sevika looked at him sternly, an unspoken warning.

"You guys should get going, I have a meeting to get to," she said before standing up and adjusting her shawl.

"Woah—wait, what are you gonna do about the group your sister's in?" Ekko said, also standing with Scar moving to do the same beside him.

"Me? There's nothing I can do," she replied. "The Enforcers are already dealing with Daunter, and I got more important things to bring to the counsel than some sissy group that's making things tough for the big guy of the undercity."

Ekko took a step forward, face set in a scowl.

"They aren't just some 'sissy' group. They're reselling the shimmer they're stealing to make profit," he said defensively. "We don't even know what they're doing with the money. Could be funding human trafficking for all we know."

Sevika's gaze fell astray at the mention of human trafficking. It was an industry that unfortunately lurked in the background of the undercity. No one knew where their main set up was, but she recalled counsellor Shoola mention an auction bust a few months back.

"Look, fine, I'll mention it to the counsel. But there's no guarantee they'll do anything for us." She paused, an idea forging in her head. "Why don't you talk to Vi or something?"

Ekko gritted his teeth, mouth twitching in distaste at the mention of his former childhood idol. "We aren't exactly on good terms."

"Pissed she joined the Enforcers?" she asked him, already having a sense of that being why they had a falling out.

"She helped them poison our air back before the war, and I didn't even know anything about it until after it ended," he explained.

"Yeah, was a lousy trick, wasn't it?"

Ekko scoffed. "Trick? More like a war crime. It made our people sick. Innocent people. Kids."

"Hmph, and she called me the traitor," she said before walking around the desk and towards the door. She opened it and gestured for them to leave. "Time to go boys. I gotta run."

After leaving Sevika's place, Scar suggested stopping by Jericho's to get something to eat. It was late evening by now, and he knew Ekko hadn't eaten yet.

They walked past a tall aquarium filled with dead sea life and plopped down on two stools in front of the stand built next to it.

Ekko gave Jericho a nod as a form of greeting, one that the aqua coloured, fish-like vastaya returned before waiting expectantly for their orders.

"The usual," Ekko said.

"Same here."

Jericho turned around to prepare their meals, his large, spotted back now facing the two.

"Maybe she's right. Maybe we should get Vi involved," Scar suggested while clicking his metallic claw pieces attached to the tips of his fingers on the stand absentmindedly.

"I don't know man. Getting the counsel involved already makes me feel uneasy," he reasoned. "They might just get Enforcers to deal with it anyways."

While they conversed, Ekko paused mid sentence when he noticed someone wearing an oversized, yellow jacket sit on the stool the other side of him. They had their hood up, so he was unable to see their face. He watched as Jericho turned around to take their order, and they lifted two thin gloved fingers to order Jericho's #2.

His attention was drawn away by the sound of fish being tossed onto the grill in front of them, the meat sizzling atop the searing metal. Losing interest, he turned back to Scar again.

"Maybe we shouldn't've talked to Sevika and tried handling it on our own."

Scar paused his finger tapping and shook his head.

"We've been handling this on our own for months now and we haven't been able to do much," he said, "We've only run into em' twice now—well, three times for you—and they got away each time. Maybe we should just accept any help that's offered to us."

Jericho pushed a bowl full of sauce covered fish in front of both them and Ekko felt his mouth salivate at the smell billowing in the steam coming from it.

"Thanks pal."

Jericho nodded and was about to turn around again to work on yellow jacket's order when Ekko's voice stopped him.

"Hey, you wouldn't happen to have any information on an all-girl gang in the undercity, would you?" He asked.

Jericho paused to think, prompting Ekko to continue.

"They dress in all black and wear cloaks, do a bunch of dancey tricks when they move, and mess with Daunter's exports. Ring any bells?"

Jericho turned around wordlessly, leaving Ekko to face his back. Ekko looked over at Scar in confusion before the massive vastaya turned to face them again and slid a piece of paper towards him.

Ekko picked it up and raised an eyebrow, tilting his head slightly to look at what was drawn on it in a different angle. It was a 'v' with a line drawn through it, like an emblem of some sort.

"The hell is this?" he asked, eyes never straying from the symbol.

Jericho came back with a gurgled, incoherent response and then pried a knife from his wooden shoulder pad and turning around again to chop up some food.

Scar plucked the paper from Ekko's fingers, his eyes squinting at the symbol before widening in recognition.

"I've seen this before on one of Daunter's shimmer barrels."

Ekko raised an eyebrow and took the paper from him again.

"You have? When?"

"That first time we showed up to an export with drained barrels. It was painted in yellow."

Ekko glanced back at the symbol once more, studying it intently before a memory flooded his mind. He'd seen it before too, but under far different circumstances.

Jericho slid a bowl in front of the other customer, who then started to stuff their face, which was still hidden from sight due to their hood.

Ekko turned back to his own meal and pocketed the paper before peeling off his gloves, knowing that he was about to get his hands messy from the golden sauce coating the fish.

He started eating, suppressing a groan from the flavours that tickled his taste buds.

He glanced over at Scar, who'd also started eating but had paused abruptly, something catching his attention from behind Ekko. Ekko turned his head, trying to see what he was looking at. It took him a moment, but his eyes soon landed on the crimson scarf that the person sitting next to him was wearing. His eyes widened, recognizing it as the same scarf the leader of the female gang wore. He wasn't sure how he hadn't noticed it before.

By now, the person in the yellow jacket had finished their meal. They tossed some coins onto the stand as payment and stood, revealing a long sliver of dark brown hair that slipped out from the side of their hood.

'It's her.'

Ekko hopped to his feet and hurriedly pounced towards the woman, trying to tackle her. But she was too quick, maneuvering out of the way before he'd get the chance.

Ekko stumbled, nearly falling to the ground but catching himself last minute.

"Stop—"

As the words left his mouth, the woman scaled the nearest building and started hopping roofs.

Ekko made a noise of frustration and pried his aeroglider from his back before mounting it and taking off, not bothering to turn to see if Scar was following. His focus was set solely on her, the need to capture her and get answers an all-consuming thing.

The woman free fell onto a lower roof, bending her knees to break her fall. She took off and slid down the tiled slant facing the other side of the building, temporarily out of his range of sight until he increased his altitude.

He heightened his speed and did a nosedive, desperate to gain momentum and catch her. Once low enough, he leveled his board and swerved towards her. He readied his bat, having already unsheathed it from his back moments before. He waited, now seconds away from his chance to strike. And when the moment was right, he swung, but instead of it making contact with her head, it got a whip of hair.

She stepped backwards off the roof like it was the most casual thing to do and grabbed the ledge of it last minute. She flung herself into an opened window, disappearing into the darkness of the abandoned building.

Ekko dismounted his board and did the same, darting through the window and giving chase.

She was about to flee through the other window on the opposite side of the room but came to an abrupt stop when Scar's form came into view, blocking the exit as he stepped off his board and onto the ledge.

The woman's body wagged back around to face Ekko.

His eyes zeroed in on her face. It was hidden again due to her goggles covering her eyes and cloth mask covering her mouth and nose.

"Looks like I got myself into quite the pickle," she said, slowly raising her hands in surrender.

Ekko's eyes narrowed, not trusting her to give up that easily.

Scar stepped in through the window, his size making the action awkward. The chirean towered over her from behind, his height and muscular build easily dwarfing her. He reached out, about to grab her shoulders when she abruptly ducked, dark hair flicking up and getting in his face.

Scar reacted quickly, already expecting her to make this as difficult for them as possible. He grabbed a fistful of her hair and tugged her backwards, sending her tumbling.

She let out a pained cry and began flailing in panic.

Ekko felt his heart thump erratically against his rib cage, the momentum of the chase mixing with the thrill of finally catching her making quite the combination.

Ekko smirked.

"Maybe it's time for a haircut."

Scar reached around her, about to lift her goggles to finally reveal her face to them when he was poked in the bends on his wrists. She'd reached behind her, her movements swift. His hold on her hair loosened and she was able to tug it free from his grasp. His hands started to tingle, and seconds later flopped uselessly from his wrists.

"Shit—" Ekko cursed. They weren't wearing the suits he'd made, having left the Firelight hideout with the intention of returning an hour or so later after speaking to Sevika.

Scar tried kicking her, but she flipped over his leg and poked underneath his knee while midair.

Ekko swung his bat at her, but she hopped onto it and used it to push herself into the air and flip over his head. Before he could even turn around, her fingers pressed into the nape of his neck. He wasn't wearing his mask, meaning the attachment wasn't there to protect it from her paralyzing pokes.

His hold on his bat slackened and the heavy weapon hit the floor seconds before his body did.

The woman panted and leaned against the wall, pieces of flacked gyprock getting stuck in the strands of her hair. She bent forward, resting her hands on her knees as she caught her breath.

"Phew, that was quite the dance." She looked up, seeing both men sprawled out onto the floor and couldn't resist laughing.

Her words caused a memory to come forth. Something he'd said years ago to...

'Always a dance with you.'

Her laughter broke him out of his thoughts and his eyes narrowed into a glare. He wanted to say something—anything—but he was overcome with embarrassment and couldn't seem to find the words.

She pushed herself from the wall and combed her fingers through her hair, trying to get the debris out of it.

"So, you think I need a haircut huh?" she said, carefully stepping around him and towards the window. "Guess I'll keep it long then." She dropped her hands from her hair and hopped up onto the window ledge, turning her head one last time to look at them before jumping down and out of their view.

Ekko was flustered and enraged all at once. She was too quick—too smart. He was about to admit that Scar was right, that they did need help. But then remembered that both of them weren't wearing their protective suits, which made the scale that weighed their odds of success dip downwards.

He silently vowed to himself that this wouldn't happen again. That next time they'd capture her and find out who she was and how she knew him.

While his mind raced, he was unaware that the woman had climbed the building once more, now sitting on the roof to ensure no harm came to them while they lay helpless on the floor. Once she heard movement and knew it would be about time they start regaining feeling again, she silently climbed down the building and ran off.

After they'd made it back to the treehouse, Ekko parted ways with Scar and went straight to his room. Closing the door behind him, he fished the paper Jericho had given him earlier out of his coat pocket and stared down at it.

In the past few months, his diagrams and sketches of the inventions he'd built and been building had been covered by various items pertaining to the mysterious female gang.

That being said, he didn't have much to add to it, so the most he'd managed to pin were sketches he made of the leader. He also noted the dates and times of his encounters with them.

He plucked a pin from the wall and used it to hang up the gang sign. He'd seen it only one time before, and he found himself recalling the memory and analyzing every detail he could remember.

[nevernonline]

✧.* grow as we go; svt smau.

entry #5 chronic memory keeper.

synopsis: over the past ten years you've fallen in love many times. one day someone happens to stumble across your journal sitting out on your nightstand and started posting your entries online. after all of your secrets are leaked it's clear things would ever be the same again.

𐦍 paring: svt members x afab! reader.

𐦍 feat: non-idol! svt, (g)-idle minnie&soyeon, oc's

𐦍 genre/s: reader is super angsty low-key, fluffy, sexual themes.

𐦍 content: swearing, bullying, crazy ex's, mentions of sexual relations, some drinking& mary jane 🍃

masterlist ▸ 04.5. plan b? ▸ 006. quit!

note/s: one suspect down? I feel like everyone knew mimi wasn't the journal stealer, but maybe she knows a little something, something. mimi in, minnie gone fr? idk. hehe. i cannot have my girl y/n fighting for her life all the time lmao so the next one will be a little... more steamy and mainly written so pls wait for me longer lolol. have a good week. ttyl. xo.

taglist: @sun-daddy-yoriichi,@hipsdofangirl @kissesfrmwonwoo, @minhui896, @wonwooz1, @porridgesblog,@punkhazardlaw @jasssy051, @soonyoungblr, @saucegirlreads, @musingsofananxiouspotato, @young-adult-summer,

[ginnsbaker]

That was Scenes from a Marriage (2021) level of angst, J. Can’t count the number of gasps I let out!

I have a lot of thoughts, i hope you don’t mind 😭

> Modern Idiots was a nice touch. 10/10 no notes. TS is MADE for fics.

> I absolutely love that Sara has become a recurring character! You write her so well, her confidence and appeal can be felt so vividly. It’s amazing how you were able to create an OC that is such a scene stealer (still picturing her as Rebecca btw)

> Chrysanthemums!!! I love how it’s like almost like an easter egg by now

> “Always just shy of what they hoped” “It’s more of an outline than a shape”

How beautifully put. being the eldest daughter in an asian household i have experienced that firsthand. You’ve captured that feeling so profoundly

> “I want to stop assuming things and thinking my perspective is the whole reality. We all do it, don’t we? Set traps for ourselves with our own expectations and assumptions.”

What a great thing to read at the end of a long, and taxing day.

> The confrontation scene was SUPERB. You have written an incredibly accurate scene of how painful and terrifying it is to stand across a person you love and to see this mask of coldness and indifference.

The courage it takes to stand there and try to chip at the walls, and to love a person who can switch off their emotions when it’s getting difficult.

Kudos to Leigh for trying, when it was easier to dismiss everything. And kudos to the reader for standing our ground.

“A lesser woman would have lost hope”

P.S.

I can’t say I understand nor condone Matt’s cheating. But i want to share how the conversation scene with Jules felt to me.

That for a brief moment there was hope, that despite the family’s feeling of grief and betrayal, and possibly conflicting feelings about us (given that we were a part of the disloyalty) there was a fleeting moment that we filled in the void of kindness that Matt left. That maybe, the memory of Matt isn’t all tarnished and somehow redeemed if his mistake brought another version of him, another sympathetic soul to their lives.

Thank you, J! This is an extraordinary work, and this chapter is just magnificent

Hi Oceane!!! So nice to hear from you :3

First of all, this is the first time I've heard of Scenes from a Marriage (2021), and I'm shocked that I don't know this movie existed because it has Jessica Chastain in it?? I need to see this asap!

re: modern idiots - I couldn't help myself because 40% of my inspiration always comes from TS' music. I physically cannot hold back from writing them into the fic lol

re: Sara - though nothing will ever be between y/n and Sara, i've grown to love her myself. But I wanted to portray an atypical relationship development between people who meet through dating apps. and of course, i wanted her there to remind Leigh that if she ever lets y/n go, y/n won't be left empty-handed ;)

re: mums - yes, the same flowers from ILGOSS :)

re: eldest daughter??? in an asian household??? are you like a mirror image of my life? lol. though i'm an only child. but i understand the pressure put on eldest asian daughters.

re: confrontation scene - i don't think i'd be able to write that if i haven't experienced that myself, tbh. it's painful and a risk, but someone needs to be brave or else it will fall apart.

re: final words on matt - I agree. I don't think one mistake makes a person. Matt was still kind, he did his best to love Leigh and in the end, it's himself he couldn't live with, and that was the tragedy.

Thank YOU for your wonderful introspection on the chapter. It's such an insightful read. I know I'll go back to your asks every now and then, and especially when I'm experiencing writer's block.

[chickensarentcheap]

For the OC Ask Game! (Feel free to pick any OC you want, I know it's sometimes hard to answer with one character specifically!)

4: What is their relationship with their parents? What’s a good and bad memory with them? Did they know both parents?

7: Did they have lots of friends as a child? Did they keep any of their childhood friends into adulthood?

11: Do they have any special diet requirements? Are they a vegetarian? Vegan? Have any allergies?

17: Do they like to take photos? What do they like to take photos of? Selfies? What do they do with their photos?

22: What are their favourite insults to use? What do they insult people for? Or do they prefer to bitch behind someone’s back?

24: What is their sleeping pattern like? Do they snore? What do they like to sleep on? A soft or hard mattress?

35: What’s their guilty pleasure? What is their totally unguilty pleasure?

44: What is their favourite season? Type of weather? Are they good in the cold or the heat? What weather do they complain in the most?

45: How do other people see them? Is it similar to how they see themselves?

Hopefully that's not too many questions for ya!

Thank you so very much, Salty! <3

So for Esme :)

4: What is their relationship with their parents? What’s a good and bad memory with them? Did they know both parents?

Esme was very close to her father, as she's always had a tumultuous relationship with her mother. She was the 'change of life' baby after five days, and her mother never made it a secret that she didn't want her. Their relationship has always been incredibly toxic, and became even more so when her father passed away when she was 17. Her mother DETESTS Tyler and holds a grudge against him for 'stealing her baby' and keeping her half a world away and separated from her family. The truth of the matter is that she can't stand that Esme has made a life of her own and has found someone to love and love her in return.

7: Did they have lots of friends as a child? Did they keep any of their childhood friends into adulthood?

She was a fairly popular kid and had a wide circle of friends, but has not stayed in contact with any of them. Her life is just so different than what any of theirs are (being in a circle of mercenaries and other 'unsavoury' folk.

11: Do they have any special diet requirements? Are they a vegetarian? Vegan? Have any allergies?

She became allergic to kiwi fruit and pistachios when she was pregnant with their first baby. Those are the only thing she has to avoid

17: Do they like to take photos? What do they like to take photos of? Selfies? What do they do with their photos?

Esme very much loves taking photos, whereas Tyler hates having a camera pointed at him all the time. She has a private instagram and fills it with pictures of him and the kids, their property in Australia, their animals, the ocean, the Australian wildlife. She is definitely a selfie taker. Especially selfies with the kiddos.

22: What are their favourite insults to use? What do they insult people for? Or do they prefer to bitch behind someone’s back?

Esme will drag and insult someone right to their face. She has no chill when it comes to putting someone in their place. She doesn't really have a favourite 'go to' put down, but she has the mouth of a trucker if she's really upset.

24: What is their sleeping pattern like? Do they snore? What do they like to sleep on? A soft or hard mattress?

She's a light sleeper, as her 'mom radar' is always turned on and she can hear the slightest cough or sneeze from the other side of the house. Both she and Tyler have to have their own supply of blankets, as Esme is an infamous blanket stealer. lol. She doesn't snore, but she does talk in her sleep and Tyler says he can carry on conversations with her.

35: What’s their guilty pleasure? What is their totally unguilty pleasure?

Her guilty pleasure is definitely bubble gum pop. Boybands like New Kids on the Block, NSync, Backstreet Boys. Her unguilty pleasure is rocky road ice cream with melted peanut butter drizzled over it.

44: What is their favourite season? Type of weather? Are they good in the cold or the heat? What weather do they complain in the most?

They live full time in Australia, and she's had to learn (being a girl from Colorado) to deal with the insane heat and humidity. While she's gotten used to it, she does prefer the cooler weather. She's a leggings and a hoodie kind of girl. With her Uggs.

45: How do other people see them? Is it similar to how they see themselves?

People see Esme as very outgoing, very bubbly, a social butterfly. She's very warm and welcoming and loves to meet new people. They see her as a nurturer and a caregiver. With a slightly neurotic side. And she definitely sees herself that way too :)

[cephalotyrant]

Okay so... Jade and Azul swap bodies BUT Azul and Riddle are together

That goes so crazy imo

Like first of all the differences in their bodies... Azul has TWO SETS OF JAWS NOW??? and why are Jade's limbs moving on their own? This is insane!

"Azul," Jade said from this new yet all too familiar body of his, looking at his hands in incredulity. "Why exactly are my hands moving?"

His own eyes - so similar and yet so different - stared back at him.

"They have their own brains even on land," Azul said, face puckered up as he contorted his mouth awkwardly. "And you still have your pharyngeal jaw, it seems?"

This was going to be a pain, it seemed.

And then... The perception difference! Actually crazy for both of them.

"Oh, what're you gonna do after class, Azul?" A boy said. He was scared of Jade, if memory served right. Then he must've been scared of Azul as well.

Perhaps Jade would have some fun with him.

"Oh, I'd rather not say," he said. "It would certainly be... Disconcerting for you."

Perfectly frightening in its implication, and yet, the boy merely laughed.

"So you're embarrassed about it?" The boy said. "Man, I never thought you'd have a cute side like this."

Jade's eyes widened.

"P-Pardon?"

"You're stuttering, too?" The boy said like this was some overwhelm of cuteness. Jade couldn't help but be confused.

Was everything Azul did unexpectedly adorable to these people?

Meanwhile Azul in Jade's body breathes and people are like "AHHHH I'M TERRIFIED SATAN IS COMING FOR MEEEE"

Anyways on top of all this, there's Riddle and Jade isn't a boyfriend stealer so he doesn't kiss Riddle or let Riddle kiss him... Riddle is confused and mildly hurt and Jade just stares into his soul like "you shall understand in time" like some prophecy maker or smth

Anyways for the sake of the plot the curse that got cast on them implies that something bad happens if Azul or Jade tell anyone what happens

. Soooo Riddle is confused because anyone would be but then "Jade" aka Azul starts talking to him weird in class and he's like 'this is suspicious as fuck I'm going to investigate'

And then meanwhile jade is getting used to this and decides to have some fun at Azul's expense :)

"Oh, Riddle!" Azul said. "Have I ever told you of my love for karaage?"

Azul's favorite food was fried chicken? How peculiar.

"Is it, now? How unexpected," Riddle said. For some odd reason, Jade glowered at Azul.

"Pay no attention to those odd rambles," Jade said. Regardless, we really ought to-"

"You know, as a child, I used to hide in this little octopus pot! I still do now, on occasion."

Why was Azul telling him this? Was the mer not a rather secretive individual?

By now, Jade looked ready to combust. It was an odd expression.

Still, vulnerability was rare from Azul. Riddle would take advantage of it while it lasted.

"You did?" Riddle asked. "May I inquire as to why?"

"Oh, I was a rather shy child," Azul said. "Speaking of my childhood, perhaps I could show you a few photos-"

At that, Jade snapped.

"You will do no such thing!"

Anyways it's shortly after this interaction that Riddle puts two and two together and is like "yeah they swapped bodies Azul would never say that"

Time passes and they swap back... Sadly Riddle and Azul both get K.O.'d from embarrassment Azul at the shit Jade said in his body and Riddle at his own clinginess

Anyways final thing because I will never be able to resist bringing the ocs into this... Ramicruz bodyswap... How would that go :3

Don't forget that Azul has to get used to the fact that his (Jade’s) hands are totally stationary. I've already talked about him psyching himself out with the jaw but it's so funny that he feels SOMETHING foreign but it's not his silly smart tentacles, and he expects them to move and react with/alongside him only for them to stay stationary what's wrong?? then he accidentally finds the way to use the extra jaw and he does not like it... it's like manually breathing he's ALWAYS aware of it.

As for Jade...

He was aware Azul’s limbs had personal autonomy, so to speak– they would write on their own, fetched food when it was nearby and, on the rare occasion, hit things out of frustration, but this reaction wasn't any of the sort.

His hands... we're *spazzing out*– flexing so hard it hurt and jerking unnaturally– and while he was also aware that Azul's nervous system was a particularly sensitive one, he was not prepared for the immediate tears that sprung in the corner of his eyes when he failed to make them cease.

"Hm... Azul. Your hands are moving outside of my control."

However funny it was to hear Azul's voice wobble unsteadily like it just did, knowing it was himself... left things to be desired.

A different pair of hands grabs the ones he's holding out and gives them a tight *squeeze*, significantly lessening the severity of the outburst.

"You're panicking so *they're* panicking, you buffoon!"

Jade Leech had never sounded so infuriated.

"This is the first time I hear you talk about your limbs as if they were individuals."

Azul– wearing his face– turns a vicious shade of pink that does not look good on him. He attempts to push his glasses up his nose, only to nearly poke his eyes out, diverting them towards the floor. "I– I only talk to Mama and Grandmother about them, since they're– they're more experienced, all right? This is an occasion where speaking about them is essential, so I must beg you... do not bring this up at a later date. Ever."

Jade places a hand over his heart, only to immediately correct the angle, realizing it was not 'Azul' like enough. That, and the hand was still somewhat intent on disobeying.

something something the more people aware of the curse the slower it wears off there /j

any body Azul switches to is a MAJOR ass power trip bruh first Riddle now Jade. They're all terrified when he does something it's so good. he goes "Heh, heh, heh..." and the lounge all feel chills going down his spine SATAN LEECH. The only thing he dislikes is that he has to take a disgustingly *passive* approach to things. He's only now realized how often he gesticulates in conversation, posing as Jade.

For Jade, it's no big deal really. he's observed Azul and all his behaviors since middle school. acting out said behaviors should he nooo big deal... he has some bumps along the road, but thankfully, nothing that can't be excused. He is, after all, Azul Ashengrotto, and everyone knows they can get their lives ruined by Azul.

Their biggest shared hurdle being... Riddle. Azul is dating Riddle, so there's expected affection between the two of them, but Azul is in Jade's body, so he's learning WITH Riddle all day. They pick up where they left off in class and 'Jade' uses a formula that he hasn't been using up to now... when asked he's like "I observed Azul tutoring a couple of underclassmen... truly benevolent, isn't he?" Azul's ass has to fight the urge to yap all damn day he wants to talk to his boyfriend so bad to himself GODAMMIT.

ugh Riddle... Jade will totally sabotage Azul with information...

"Thank you for meeting me here."

Riddle crosses his arms, observing the mushroom patch that he was invited to this late at night. "It's no issue. It's not curfew, after all–"

Azul holds a small envelope in front of him, smile... odd. He can't seem to put his finger on it just yet, but he has no reason to suspect that whatever is being handed ot him is against the rules...

"I hope what you find in this envelope with encourage your heart to forgive me for your transgressions."

Gently, he takes it, already moving to break the seal.

"I'd advise you not open it until you make it to your dormitory. It's rather sensitive information, and I'm... embarrassed."

Riddle raises a brow. Azul does not look the least bit embarrassed, he looks *giddy*, in fact– but his curiosity only grows. He nods, and Azul moves slowly– another thing that's odd, usually, when he complied with a request of his, he'd smile, or clasp his hands together with a definitive *clap*, or–

He huffs. "Alright. Good night, Azul."

"Goodnight, Riddle."

With his back turned, he pouts. Not 'dearest'? Not any other nickname?

—

At his bedroom, he's nearly forgotten about the envelope. He's not even sure if he *wants* to open it, but ultimately, he decides to move his letter opener across the seal.

Multiple papers flutter out, and he gasps, crouching to pick them up at once. Turning the first one around, he finds himself unexpectedly face-to-face with... a picture. A boy with gray skin and wide, watery eyes, eyes so strikingly ice-blue and pale hair fixed the best it could on an environment where it floated– they were pictures of Azul as a boy. School photos, class photos, a candid where he peeked from a kitchen counter...

Riddle can't help it– it's cute! Perhaps he *could* forget about today's events...

Meanwhile, back at Octavinelle, 'Azul' smiles. It was a small price to pay, giving away some of his collection of scavenged childhood photos– but an ultimately worthwhile one.

Ramicruz body swap everything is way to sensitive for Cruz and suddenly he's very very eepy. His first course of action is to further care for Rami's skin and hair without him squirming. The feathers are alarming, and he didn't know he has THAT many... they're not just in his hair...

In Rami's case in Cruz's body... everything feels like it's been dulled. He doesn't see the big deal about the one curl in his face, though. He's totally human and weaker and it's crazy...

[dcviated]

get to know some muses :: open

@snowbelled sent: 01. (Eira ), 09. ( Diluc ), 13. (Tenzou )

01. What does your character’s name mean? Did you pick it for the symbolism, or did you just like the way it sounded?

Man, answering these questions for me can either be boring as hell or a total callout. And in Eira's case it is most definitely the latter. This will be disjointed but what else is new with me, my muse roster comes from almost 20 years of writing broken up into different pieces with multiple revamps. So.

Eira Kestrova.

Both names were pulled out of my ass, and taken from completely different times of my writing hobby.... first was the family name. Kestrova.

It was pulled out of my ass just jumbling up a new character to write in the group I was in. It was used with my muse (who I don't write anymore) named Arnik. He was originally created, more or less, to be an antagonist character against Wylan. A shallow one. Black market weapon dealer with bad history blah blah blah- eventually revamped to still be a market dealer, but without the tie, different characterization, blatantly Russian in tone (because when I got older I was like "hey this name sounds kinda Russian yeah?) (ah to be a teen).

And then Eira. A name also pulled out of my ass because she was originally created to be a one-off NPC. One made for a drabble I wrote for a FE OC I wrote with a friend I met on my personal tumblr. Suffice to say after I wrote the drabble my friend really enjoyed her and she ended up being a recurring character in our RP. And then I took her here. And like my other muses mashed her history with other histories. Took Arnik's family name.

Eira Kestrova!!!

09. Do they have a favorite season? What about a favorite holiday?

Though he tolerates it, he's not the biggest fan of the rain. Some bitter memories and the like. As a result, though he loves the Spring, it would certainly be the latter parts when the rains have ended and the plants are all blooming. Mondstadt is a beautiful country and it shows best in Spring... and as a result...

It's tricky to pick a fav holiday since we keep learning of new ones because Diluc is difficult about showing enjoyment, I can tell you his least favorite day is his birthday since it coincides with The No Good Very Bad Day. Anyway!

I'd wager he really enjoys Windblume. It's a prosperous one where people share happiness and embrace more positive values. He may be single (the most eligible bachelor in the country) but it doesn't stop him from appreciating that this is a day that most of the people get to enjoy themselves. One of those I helped protect and help this happen moments as it were.

Also it's damn good for business, most holidays are honestly.

13. What are your character’s sleeping habits? Heavy or light sleeper? Blanket stealer? One that always rolls onto the floor? Pushes their lover onto the floor? Sleep talker or walker?

So long as he doesn't need to be sharing the bed Tenzou will have no difficulty passing out. Like many aspects of his life, he's gotten sleeping down to an art. Laying on his back and willing himself into a deep slumber. Note that he sleeps in night clothes, but the hat and scarf stay on. Those only come off when he is certain of being alone.

No, don't pull it off. Please. You can't.

He will wake quickly if disturbed, notably if blankets are taken away since he likes his comfy temperature underneath (he loves snuggling he just doesnt know it yet).

With a lover he's more nervous starting out. Granting a wide berth and just... look, he's a mess. You need to ease him into things. I'm sorry to say. But he would never push them out of bed.

[mostly-mundane-atla]

If you could write your own indulgent episode of atla, what would it be about? By indulgent, I mean super indulgent. You write it in any style you'd like, happen whenever during the timeline, focus on any character you'd want (even making it completely about some ocs), anything!

Oh man, my tastes have changed so much since first watching the show (the value I put in it is more sentimental than anything tbh) that an entirely self-indulgent version would be completely unrecognizable. Instead of the love letter to animoo and kung fu movies we got, it'd be more like an amalgamation of Princess Mononoke, the Song of Ice and Fire books, the Táin Bó Cúailgne, Inupiaq orphan hero stories, Light Chaser Animation, Lone Wolf and Cub, the True Grit remake, Cultist Simulator, The Handmaiden, and my favorite operas. Also, it would have vampires. And maybe reference Homestuck. And the theme song would be a cover of Gimme Shelter by the Rolling Stones

For something that could actually exist in the Avatar: the Last Airbender we all know and love, however, i'd like to have an episode that leans into horror elements where Aang has to relive Avatar Kuruk's memories of fighting for his life in the spirit world. I'm thinking it would start with Aang in a very fitful sleep. We hear his heartbeat ring in his ears and it flashes to his dream where he is Kuruk fighting off dark spirits, and then it flashes back to Aang's sleeping face, but zoomed in a little, and this goes on, flashing to Kuruk and then back at Aang, a little closer each time, until Aang's eyes glow, suggesting he's in some altered form of the Avatar State.

The dream/memory plays out like a survival horror, where Aang as Kuruk is at all times just inches from death at the hands of beings that are not of the mortal world. Kuruk's voice is there too, asking Aang if he remembers Ummi from all those lifetimes ago. Aang says "she was stolen, wasn't she?" Kuruk also asks how Aang managed to push his mind into such a shameful time, but Aang says he just fell in.

Meanwhile in the mortal world, Sokka, Katara, and Toph are trying to figure out what's wrong with Aang. He's not just sleeping, it's more than that. He's not moving at all except to breathe and he feels cold.

Aang in Kuruk's body eventually finds the home of Koh the Face Stealer, intent on taking back Ummi's face or at least taking revenge. Koh, however, is not there, denying the avatar his catharsis, and no amount of shouted demands for the spirit to show itself compels it to appear. Kuruk falls to his knees in despair, he is swarmed by the same evil he was fighting off but now there is no will or energy to continue.

And Aang's eyes snap open.

Everyone tries to ask him if he's okay; if he can move; see; hear, feel, but he doesn't process any of it. He sits up and says in a shaky voice, "you know Avatar Kuruk didn't die an old man?" His body trembles as he says this and a tear rolls out of his eye. He's so terrified of failing the world. He's so terrified of dying.

Katara pulls him into a hug, and Sokka and Toph join. She promises him "but you will. We'll make sure of it."

[quinttyz]

the first time

[xadoheandterra]

The Heir, The Reader, and Clay

Series: The Heir, The Reader, and Clay Fandom: Assassin’s Creed Beta: @claire-the-queer-dragon Summary: Layla Hassan has a crazy idea, once she finally pings upon who the Reader really is. Taking into account human genetics and general Isu Fuckery it's an idea that just might work, crazily enough.

The results are...interesting, to say the least, but Desmond could use some actual love and care in his life even if he can't recall WHY exactly--and if it gives Layla enough of an excuse to fuck around with some Isu programming in the background all in an attempt to stop one crazy fool from burning on a pyre not of his design? More power to them. It's the Isu's own fault after all--they made Layla and Desmond into this. They Named them--and Names, well, Names can have some pretty powerful connotations.

The Reader of the Calculations, a man who perpetually burns in the power of the Sun, simultaneously stuck in 2012 and dead at the same time. Schrödinger's Sacrifice.

The Heir of Memories, a woman who has more people in her brain that she realizes, who lacks any significant Isu blood, and yet still retains her sense of self so STRONGLY despite outside influences. Alone in a crowd, the Unexpected Sacrifice.

Then there was Clay. Clay was honestly a surprise.

Story: Run It Again Chapters: --Arc I - Getting Together By Coparenting: I | II | III | IV | V | VI | VII | VIII | IX | X | XI | XII | XIII | XIV | XV  ---Interlude - A Series Of Letters Between August & September: XVI --Arc II - ???: XVII | XVIII Main Characters: Altair ibn La’Ahad, Malik al-Sayf, Kadar al-Sayf, Desmond Miles, Maria Thorpe, Al Mualim, Faheem al-Sayf Pairings: Altair/Malik Main Tags: AltMal, AltMal Raises Baby Desmond, Time Travel AU, Time Trave Fix-It, Desmond Lives AU, Family Drama, Drama, Emotional Trauma/Psychological Abuse, Hurt/Comfort, Autistic Altair, Demisexual Altair, WIP Summary: They hadn’t found an answer yet, and Layla was impatient despite the promise of the Grey being timeless in its nature. She didn’t want to have to search for an answer that might never come–so she made another suggestion. Why not just change it? Why not counter the Isu influence on the Pieces of Eden where it counted, and counter what Juno inevitably did to the Eye in the Grand Temple?

It was all the push that Desmond needed to let himself be just that bit more selfish. So selfish he chose to be, and there was one moment where the Isu’s hold on the Pieces of Eden had a profound effect–the Levantine Brotherhood. Altair Ibn La’Ahad. Al Mualim. There was just one problem–Desmond was eight, a child, and didn’t remember dying.

Layla at least had his back, even if she was just a bit fashionably late.

Run It Again Chapter Teases:  Ch 2 | Ch 5.1 | Ch 5.2 | Ch 6 | Ch 7.1 | Ch 7.2 | Ch 8.1 | Ch 8.2 | Ch 9.1 | Ch 9.2 | Ch 10.1 | Ch 10.2 | Ch 11.1 | Ch 11.1 Bonus Comment | Ch 11.2 | Ch 11.3 | Ch 12.1 | Ch 12.2 | Ch 12.3 | Ch 13.1 | Ch 13.2 | Ch 13.2 Bonus Comment | Ch 14.1 | Ch 14.2 | Ch 14.3 | Ch 15.1 | Ch 15.2 | Ch 16.1 | Ch 16.2 | Ch 16.3 | Ch 16.4 | Ch 16.5 | Ch 17.1 | Ch 17.2 | Ch 17.3 | Ch 17.4 | Ch 18.1 | Ch 18.2 | Ch 18.3

Run It Again Musings/Rantings: Things That Have Held Up Run It Again Posting Schedule WTF Difficulties Continuing Because of Malik and Desmond MonJustMon “Shouts” At Me Trying To Puzzle Out Fic Direction Clay and Layla On Al Mualim and Altair’s “Death” Complaining About Ch 16 Run It Again Fic Rec By MonJustMon Chapter 16 IS FINISHED The More You Know Kadar the Show Stealer THE EVER GROWING OC TRAIN Me Begging For Validation Altair Has A Crisis Evil Idea Little Des Heart Stealer

Run It Again Memes

[franeridart]

Anon said: Are you still into krbk? I noticed you haven't draw them a lot recently (I don't mean to pressure you, I was just wondering)

I still very much am!!! but a convergence of unrelated happenings (my focus being unusually scattered, lack of general motivation, them not having interacted much in the manga lately, my having pulled out of the fandom a little for a bunch of reasons, having gotten into a lot of new things I want to make a lot of stuff for ??) had my output of stuff for them/inspiration related to them die down a lot ): I miss them though, I should fill a page with doodles of them one of these days... well, I haven’t drawn much in genereal lately, so maybe let’s start first with fixing that haha

Anon said: Fun Fact : In smash bros ultimate there are spirits with octopath traveler and they're in pairs and guess what ? Alfyn and Therion are together :3

I KNOW!!!!!! It makes me so emo I’m a bundle of feelings they’re soulmates I tell youuuuuuuuuuu ;;A;; (little inconsequential things making me a mess, what’s new xD) - another fun fact is that h’aanit and ophilia share one too!! and I ship them too!! and cyrus and tressa share one as well, and they’re my brother’s mains in his save! A series of delightful little coincidences haha

Anon said: Will you be drawing more Jujutsu Kaisen? I love your art sm and I would love to see more!!!!

Right now I feel like I want to spend the next ten years drawing these kids, so I sure hope so! But as I said my focus has been very scattered for the past three or so months, so I can’t promise anything ): let’s both enjoy it while it lasts haha

Anon said: You are my emotional support artist. I check back every once and a while and BOOM. Serotonin.

You’re too kind!!!! But thank you, I’m glad I can make you feel better! :D

Anon said: i'm super new to your art (and mha) and i just wanted to say your krbk stuff is just !!!!!!! it makes me so happy and makes my poor jaded heart feel something and it's just all around incredible!!!

Thank you so much!!!!!!!!!! I’m glad you like my way of portraying the kids!!!!

Anon said: I’m about to cry I’ve spent an hour looking though your bnha tag for that lil comic where Kiri hugs Baku and. It. Sent. Me. Back. To. The. Top. I didn’t even get to finish reading it. I’m so upset. So. So. So. Upset.

(same) Anon said: OH MY GOSH IT KEEPS SENDING ME TO THE TOO I HATE MOBILE AND LOVE YOU I LVOE YOU BUT THIS WEBSITE IS K I L L I N G ME I JIST WANNA SEE WHAT HAPPENS AS KIRI ATTEMPTS TO HUG BAKUGOU BUT NOOOO, AN HOUR OF MY TIME ISNT ENOUGH SAYS THE TIME STEALER

(samesame) Anon said: I. Found the hug thing. On Pinterest. In. Five. Seconds. I hate life but also it was really cute. Thank you but seriously I hate this website

The saga hahaha sorry anon I couldn’t get to you before you went out of your mind trying to find it, I got the asks in the middle of the night! Glad you could find it, though I’m kinda sad you had to look on pinterest for it (...sad it is on pinterest at all tbh) here it is anyway, if this is the one you were talking about! you really went back in the years for this one huh

Anon said: So for that thing that you made a w h i l e ago where Bakugou ruffles Kirishima’s hair, right? So I imagine Kiri is like w h a t and calls over Mina or Denki or Sero or all of them or something like that and tells them and is freaking out and they’re like “he wasn’t in the right mindset, you know he sleeps at 8:32” and make a joke out of it as Kiri is freaking out. And Kiri is freaking out soooo much as they are crying laughing on the floor at Bakugou’s sleeping schedule.

hahaha I’m sure he must have freaked out on them at some point after that, and bakugou must have done the same (probably with jirou, less likely but more hilarious with todoroki or tokoyami haha) - though, the original idea came from a bigger one where the scene in the comic didn’t bring them anywhere closer to getting together (or figuring out they’re into each other, for the matter lmao idiots) maybe one day I’ll get back on that >:]

Anon said: In your comments, you said “at this point my hands will never forget” and I had a nozaki-kun memory float into my head, imagining him sick and trying to make his deadline xD yes muscle memory

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! anon you have no idea how often I think about that hahaha yes, I say my hands won’t forget but we all know that’s exactly how it’ll end at some point lol

Anon said: dang this happens all the time like I follow someone for their bnha content and then like two months after following them I find out they used to make yowapeda content and im just sitting their like dang thats wild because bnha and yowapeda are like the only two animes I watch

ANON!!!! HI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Always so nice to find other ywpd fans!!!!!!!! Sorry I’m not making art for it anymore (for now) but despite my sister insisting I read the manga already I’ve been putting it off......for years lol but it’s on my reading list!! So maybe I’ll get back on it at some point!

Anon said: FRAN!!!!!! i love ur art so much and im trying to buy ur products on redbubble and i geniunely cant decide what to get!!!!! i tired asking my friend but she doesnt know which one either hahahahhahah ig i just wanted to send this because i really appreciate u and u are very talented. im sending u lots of high vibrations and love❤️🧡

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!! It means so much to me that you guys are still buying my stuff (TTATT) I should...........seriously update it..........gomen m(._.)m

Anon said:YES YES YEEES MORE ALFYON ON THE WAYYYYYY 💖💖💖💖💖 They're both the cutest really their ship is the beeest  Try reading some the alfyon fanfics if you have some time, they're really good ! The one i really recommend you is Crismonberries, blackberries by court_court on Ao3 !Your art is the best ever can't wait to see more octopath !!💖💖💖

Anon thank you SO MUCH for suggesting that fic to me I!!!!!!!!!!!! loved it so much I deep-dived into it and spent two straight days reading it it’s such a gem!!!!! ;;; bless you

Anon said: Have you watched Fullmetal Alchemist?

Hell yeah! Only Brotherhood though. I read the manga too tho!!

Anon said: Have you read Noragami? It’s one of my favourite manga, and the anime isn’t half bad either (still waiting for s3 tho lol) anyway it’s really good, concept-wise it’s similar to Soul Eater, I totally recommend

I watched the first season back when it aired! It’s not really my thing though ): feels a bit sad in that very specific way that always ends up just making me miserable as I keep reading............................... sorry

Anon said: I will never not be in love with your art. Everytime I'm feeling down and/or missing the boys I scroll through your krbk tag and it reminds me exactly of why I love them so much and I'm so thankful for that. Your brand of krbks is the one I love the most and honestly thank you so much for all your marvelous art of them and of other things as well because you art is just so pretty and I love seeing your ocs and other fandom art 💕💕💕

Anon I love you......................... ;;;;; thank you so much, you have no idea how much this means to me (oTT^TT)o<3

[lauwrite1225]

Somebody to die for.

Finan x OC; The Old Guard inspired Alternative Universe

Summary : Victoria’s life is rather simple until she has a car accident from which she ends up miraculously unscathed. A series of weird events animates her daily life, everything seemingly bringing her to a strange man. Until this very man knocks at her door.

Spotify Playlist • Masterlist

A/N : On ao3 I've got a comment telling me the slow burn was killing them, well... I hope this is killing yall too lmaooo

Warnings : fluff ;)

Chapter 8 : And I'm ready to suffer, and I'm ready to hope

Victoria has never found a more peaceful place than Osferth’s house before, it’s so far from London’s constant noise. Here the night is silent, occasionally interrupted by sounds of animals, which she sometimes finds scary enough to wake up Finan who’s sleeping on the mattress next to her bed in the living room. He usually answers her what wild animal is howling, enhanced with Irish curses as he tries to fall back to sleep. 

“Ya’re goin’ to know the sound of all the animals of this forest soon.” He comments one morning when she sits in front of him at the kitchen table.

She chuckles quite uncomfortably, guessing he’s starting to be annoyed of being woken up in the middle of the night. “I’m a city girl.” She shrugs innocently and Finan shakes his head.

Even if he’s grieving his friend’s loss, Finan keeps a rather good mood, which she supposes is due to Osferth. She regularly finds them laughing together, undoubtedly remembering old memories, which warms Victoria’s heart. She also gets to learn a lot about the monk who reveals to in fact be King Alfred the Great’s bastard son.

“So you’re royalty!” She exclaims, her fork falling back into her plate. 

“Not really.” He answers, looking down as he is ashamed of who he is while Finan is chuckling at her shock. 

“But, if you were a monk and a King’s son, how did you end up fighting for Uhtred?” She asked, the same curiosity she used to have for Finan growing for him. 

“My uncle used to fight alongside Uhtred.” He explains, his forks forming circles in the air. “I wanted to become a warrior like him.”

“And let me tell ya, that was a hard row to hoe.” He jokes at Vicky’s attention, pointing at Osferth who’s now pouting. “I've never imagined t'was so hard to hold a sword.” He giggles before taking a mouth full of vegetables while the monk blushes. “But we finally succeeded to make a good warrior of him after all.”

This time, the two men look at each other with pride, a small knowing smile gracing their faces. 

“I'd like to learn.” Vicky interrupts them suddenly. 

“What? To use a sword?” Finan frowns at her. “It's a little useless nowadays.” 

She rolls her eyes which only makes him smirk as he eats. “I'd like to learn whatever could help me to defend myself.” She explains with such determination that even Finan stops smirking to stare at her intently. “I don't want to be as useless as in London if something happens to us.”

She straightens her shoulder while holding Finan’s gaze, feeling the need to show him that she can be stronger than she looks. She thought of it a few times during the night, not dying is one thing but it still isn’t preventing her to be taken, Finan wouldn’t have been here that night, she’s sure she wouldn’t be standing here right now. And she even less wants to be a liability to the two men if anything has to happen.

She notices the flicker of hesitance on Finan’s face at the way the corner of his mouth tilts. “Please, Finan.” She insists and he finally sighs, lifting his head to the ceiling. 

“Alright I’ll teach ya.” He accepts, starting to eat again and only staring at her broad smile from the corner of his eyes. “But don’t imagine I’ll be easy on ya.” He warns her but she’s too happy to take in the warning and doesn’t even notice Osferth’s grimace at it. 

However, she soon learns that she should have taken it seriously. Vicky had a lot of sport teachers during school, more or less rigorous, but undoubtedly, none were matching Finan. He is very patient, able to show her movement a hundred times without getting annoyed, though, the lesson won’t end until she does it perfectly. He teaches her how to punch and kick correctly for a whole afternoon, her legs and arms aching at the end. She’s so exhausted that she doesn’t even wake up during the night because of animals and Finan is more than happy to finally have his sleep undisturbed. 

The next morning, after her training, Sophie comes to Osferth's place and gives a worried look to Vicky as she finds her sprawled, arms crossed and forehead resting on it. “Are you alright?” She asks, putting her hand on her back and then grimacing when she realizes she’s all sweaty. 

“Finan killed me.” She grumbles, her voice muffled by the caged formed by her arms. She finally straightens, stretching to try to make the discomfort of her painful muscles disappear. “I asked him to teach me how to fight, and I’m starting to regret it.”

Sophie laughs, sitting on the chair next to hers. “Osferth told me he was a ruthless teacher.” She explains to her and Vicky sighs in despair. 

Since they are here, Sophie comes everyday, and even stays some nights, erasing any of Victoria’s doubts about their relationship. She doesn't know the French well, but she does appreciate her already, another woman's ear always likeable. 

“I found something that could interest you.” Sophie says, taking her phone out of her pocket and opening an application before handing it to her. 

Vicky grabs it carefully and lets out a short breath at the newspaper article she's showing her. She reads the text surrounding the picture of her explaining where the police stand regarding her disappearance. She can't tell if it relieves her or not that they are clueless about it. Which for sure disappoints her is that they are as clueledd as them when it comes to the men who attacked them. She doesn't raise her eyes when she hears the front door opening nor when footsteps approach. She only looks away when she feels Finan's breath near her ear making her shiver as he leans over her shoulder, his hands clenched around the chair's back.

“What's that?” He asks, meeting her eyes briefly before staring at the screen.

She swallows and hands him the phone so he can read. “A record on what happened in London.” She explains as he straightens. “They don't know more than us.”

“Good.” He says, scrolling down the article and when he looks up from the phone, he is facing Vicky’s confused frown.

“But we could have learned more about their intentions.”

Finan shakes his head, giving her phone back to Sophie. “And by this, they’d get interest in us and it is the last thin’ we need.”

Vicky leans back in her chair. “Alright, but how do we get to know who they are and what they really want? Even if we hide, we are exposed because we don’t know our enemies.” She voices a relevant fact that even Osferth agrees with as he walks into the room, stopping to rest a hand on Sophie’s shoulder. “We need to do research about them.” 

“With what?” The Irishman huffs. “All we have is a piece of paper and a revolver.”

Feeling the tension rising between Victoria and Finan, the French clears her throat. “Maybe, there was something that could be…” She searches a word, gesturing in the void. “Particular. An accent maybe?”

“They didn’t talk a lot but they were sounding English.” She answers leaving Finan’s eyes to give all her attention to Sophie. 

Finan does the same, crossing his arms. “They were fine trained men, if there’s more, it must be the case for them too.” He exchanges a serious gaze with Osferth, a silent conversation working between the two men. “We should arm ourselves, just in case.”

This time, it’s the two women who exchange an anxious glance. “I still have guns in the basement, a little old and in need of a good cleaning, but it’s better than nothing.”

On those words, the two old friends decide to spend the afternoon on restoring Osferth’s weapons. Victoria stares with wide eyes at the amount of them resting on the kitchen table, dusty revolvers and rifles. Sophie left earlier with a list of materiel to clean them and Victoria supposes they won’t have finished until nightfall at least. Her eyes instinctevely search for Finan, which she has realised doing more and more often, in the room and finally turns to the monk when she understands he isn’t here. He answers her that he is still in the basement, so she decides to join him, though she’s also curious to see what there is in it. She climbs down the ladder and jumps on the stoned floor. There isn’t much light, a simple old oil lamp allowing her to see Finan who’s staring intently at a sword he is holding. Vicky approaches him and can’t help but let out a sound of amazement as she admires the weapon, the flicker of the flame making the blade shine and a piece of amber ornamenting the hilt. 

“It’s a beautiful sword.” She says looking up to the Irishman whose eyes are glittering under the light. “Finan?” She calls him softly, her hands finding his arm. 

He blinks a few times and the tears have disappeared to let him smile. “It’s Uhtred’s sword, Serpent-Breath. I’ve never seen a better sword.” He explains with admiration.

He hands her the sword and she takes it carefully, surprised by the heaviness of it, wondering how it was possible to fight with this. But she must admit that it really is the result of a fine work, the blade, old and not as sharp as it must have been, but nonetheless impressive. 

“You have a sword too?” She turns to him again.

“Aye, but I’ve lost it a long time ago.” He shrugs sadly. 

She gives him back the weapon and lets him hang it on the wall. “What did you call it?”

He chuckles lightly before smiling broadly. “Soul-stealer.” He answers with a threatening tone but it only makes her raise her eyebrows as if she isn’t impressed at all.

“Terrifying.” She breaths, pretending to be scared. 

“Ya know, men used to call me Finan the Agile because I was a really good swordsman.” He explains, heading back to the ladder.

“Oh? And what about women?” She asks him with a teasing tone that definitely should have been thought about twice. She can’t help the rise of blush to increase as he just winks at her with a mischievous smirk before climbing up.

She curses herself for the sudden warmth in her belly as she wonders what his gesture implied. She shakes her head to make it vanish. When Sophie is finally back, they start restoring the guns, Osferth showing her how to clean a barrel correctly. She can’t help but wonder how many people have been killed with this gun as she holds one. It seems so easy to pull the trigger, in a second one is ripped of its life. She thinks back to the fight in her flat, at how Finan cold bloodedly killed the three men. Will she become like this as well if she learns how to use one? The question remains stuck in her mind until the night when Finan asks her what is troubling her. They are just the two of them in the living room as he sits next to her on the bed to remove his shoes.

She shifts uncomfortably, twisting her fingers. “What do you feel when you kill someone?”

Finan freezes at her question, still bent to unlace his shoes. “I feel bad.” He answers finally as he straightens. 

“Each time?” She asks him with an inch of surprise that makes her tone higher. “Even when they are bad people?” 

“No, it's not like that.” He turns his head to her and even in the dark she is fascinated by the intensity of his gaze. “The first man I killed was a Dane. I was still in Ireland, hunting with my father. He came out of a bush and I acted without thinkin'.” He scratches his beard before his hand slides down to grip what she supposes is the pendant hanging at his necklace. “No matter how many times I've heard people call them heathens or demons, when I saw his frightened eyes as life was leaving his body, I realised he was just a man. And I wondered who I was to take a man's life so easily.” His grip tightens, fisting his shirt as he sighs.

His hand drops on his thigh and he is close enough so his elbow brushes slightly against her arm. He looks down as if he is suddenly ashamed or scared of what she'll think of him and it makes her heart squeeze. In a little time, they both have reached a level of confidence with each other that Victoria didn't expect. Despite his lie, she finds herself unable to judge him. And it reassures her to know that after all he isn’t as insensitive as she thought. Her hand slides on his forearm until it reaches his wrist, her fingers tracing the swollen skin of a scar slashing his palm. Their proximity makes her face warm and she's glad that the darkness can hide it, so she leans to the side until her head rests on his shoulder. 

“Why did you ask?” He whispers, his breath brushing her forehead. 

She feels her heartbeat getting stronger and faster as she thinks of the right words.”When you fought that night, you did it without any hesitation. You just acted when I just stayed away utterly afraid. Now that I don’t want to be so useless anymore, I wonder if I’ll be able to act like you did, without thinking.”

“Ya don’t have to be like me.” He replies immediately, making her look up to him. “In fact, I’d prefer that ya weren’t.” He admits. 

“But one day I will. One day I’ll have lost all the people I care for and I’ll have suffered as much as you did.” She says and the way her heart aches at the simple idea makes her throat tighter. 

Finan shifts to better face her, his hands cupping her face and his thumb caressing her cheek even if there’s no tears to wet them. His eyes are staring at her with such softness despite how deep and dark they are, she feels like she could melt now and then. 

“I’ll keep ya away from that.”

Her heart misses a beat and her breath runs short. She can’t argue with him about the foolishness of such a promise, destabilized by how close his face is to hers, and because deep down she wishes he could be able to protect her from the pain. Him and no one else. His hot breath caresses her lips, making her whole body feel warm and for a brief second, she wonders how it would feel to have his mouth pressed against hers, how his beard would scratch her flushed skin. 

But before she can have an answer Finan moves away, breathing heavily. “I think we should sleep.” 

She barely has time to breathe a small ‘yes’ that he is lying in his own bed. She does the same, her hand pressed against her chest as her heart finds a steady rhythm again. She stares at the ceiling for long minutes, feeling suddenly so empty and cold. 

Tag :​ @for-bebbanburg @osferth @maggiescarborough ​ @finansarms ​ @dumbledoreisnotmyhubby @solinarimoon

[criticaltaurus]

Since I have no chill

My Avatar OC’s for each entity!

Under cut cause length

Buried! Since I love the esoteric meanings, they appear as a kind person who asks you a favor (slightly eye touched) but it soon becomes one thing after another and another until you’re buried in expectations and stress, especially impacts those with anxiety/fear of failure. No concrete design in mind, but probably a diminutive old lady (mama issues yo)

Corruption~ A nice church girl, who goes to church (and reads her biiibleeee) Who just really vibed with God Loves All His Children. When she saw a ladybug in her hair, she thought it was God showing his love to her (from an old saying her grandmother had), and when they started coming from her ears, eyes, nose, mouth, wherever, that’s just proof she embodies Gods love to show to everyone. Honestly well meaning, but thinks people are afraid out of shame rather than Whoops All bugs

Dark. (Okay since it’s so simplistic I have a lot of trouble with Dark but here goes) So they’re a subversive type, going more for blindness than actual darkness. Y’know when you shine a really bright light and it washes away the details of what its pointed at? That’s them, they are/generate such a blinding, washing light, that you’re as unaware as you are in pitch darkness, only it subverts the comfort and safety the light supposedly brings. They’d still be Edge AF tho.

End. A stone mason who makes headstones for people who haven’t passed away yet, but gives a date. Kinda like the weird death prophecy book, if they try to change it, the date will just change, but it’s even scarier when it doesn’t change. Secondary effect: The epithet will also show how one will be remembered, if at all, before inevitably deteriorating into nothing.

EyE. So there’s this one artist whose paintings always have one person looking directly into “camera” to be directly facing the viewer, basically that as a person, no matter where or when you look, you’ll always match eyes with them, and you don’t know who they’re really looking at.

FLESH Face-Stealer. Pretty Stranger-Aligned, but they vibed with the body modification more so than the uncanny valley aspect of it all. They’ll replace someone, murder their friends + Family and switch between them, because under the skin we’re all the same meat after all.

lonely. A simple kind of person, they have the power to warp perception, making someone hyper-aware of any negative social tick on a person, making them feel like everyone is against them or negative towards them.

Stranger? Happy Faces Everyone! Sort of the opposite of the Lonely guy, they’d make everyone around them super positive and friendly, for nor reason! Even the worst people, the most aggressive, will be kind with a big smile on their face (such as “You did this for me? What’d you do with the real *insert name here*) Feel like their kindness is a lie yet? Feel that paranoia set in? Feel the performative nonsense of it all?

V a s t . My main self-insert Sona, the eldritch park ranger! Loves the forest, and you will too! Or you won’t doesn’t really matter! Cause the trees start coming and they dont stop coming!

Web. Matchmaker, Matchmaker, make me a match~ Find me a find~ Catch me a Catch~. Ties people together by “coincidence” and “chance” until they become convinced it’s not an accident, even if its contradictory to their nature. Why did you, who couldn’t care about makeup or skin care, walk into the beauty shop to see the girl who, while never playing a console video game, walked into your game store?  The two would never go anywhere though, always being tugged away by something or other before a match could be made, keeping the two in frustrated, endless pining, while removing any other choices.

Extinction, for fun! A modern tech CEO. Gentrification, anti-homeless architecture, making everything all bland and techy and overpriced until everyone is forced out or conformed, could give Elias a run for his money.

I saved four for last because i’ve come up with a sort of Eldritch Gang Band, and aside from my Park Ranger, i’ve developed them the most. They go by the Misfreaks as a band name, and do some good gigs outside of eldritch monster work

Khaos(Kah-oes) Kween, Desolation avatar, anti-capitalist, lead singer, and has one hell of a baseball bat swing. The most aggressive of the four, and loves to break everything. When she gets all Desolation-y, her bat gets red hot, but her real power is to melt away memories of anything she burns. Hates The Lightless Flame tho.

Hunter King (that’s actually his name). Hunt Avatar, and the moral core and common sense of the four. He keeps their targets on shitty amoral people, but he knows that’s according to his views. Drummer, and his main Hunt power is being a lie-detector, and a killer with throwing knives. ACAP (All Cops Are Prey)

Jack Slaughter, Slaughter Avatar, a bigender person kicked out by her strict parents, youngest in the group (?), main guitarist, basically got adopted by Khaos and Hunter, and is the most brutal of the group. His main power is blood knives. If he cant get any from someone else, he usually resorts to punching herself in the face.

Twist Joker, Spiral...avatar? Honestly none of the others really know much about her(?). Just kinda showed up when they were practicing for a gig, and can play the bass like a pro so no harm done! Scenecore personified, and whenever they talk or move, they leave a trail of rainbow after images, stays pretty close unless they move faster. The most chaotic, most energetic, but also peppiest. Her main power is to give sensory overload. Anyone targeted by her will begin to feel every color, every sound, every sensation more and more intensely until they snap.

[kirkwallgremlin]

9-13 for Tad from the get to know my OCs ask?

Thank yooou 💖💙

09. Do they have a favorite season? What about a favorite holiday?

He likes Autumn, partly because the leaves match his hair and he has fond memories of playing in the leaves. He doesn’t really have a favourite holiday but he likes anything that involves celebrating as a group.

10. Is your character more feminine or masculine?

Masculine! No toxic masculinity here though, my boy is a total gentleman to everyone

11. What is something that would make your character fly into a rage?

Insulting the people he cares about. Insult him all you want, he’ll probably laugh along with you but the people he cares about? Not cool, especially if they’re not there to defend themselves.

12. Is there some particular talent, skill, or attribute that they simply could not give up?

He had a lot of random habits that he likes telling people about, juggling, whistling, making bird noises etc. He doesn’t want to give them up but sometimes the people around him wish he would.

13. What are your character’s sleeping habits? Heavy or light sleeper? Blanket stealer? One that always rolls onto the floor? Pushes their lover onto the floor? Sleep talker or walker?

He’s a pretty deep sleeper and while he doesn’t talk in his sleep, he does kind of mumble. He’s also a cuddler - whoever shares a tent with him has to be aware that they may wake up with Tad curled up against them. He’s pretty physically affectionate overall so he’s happy to cuddle anytime, although he’s always careful to check people are ok before he comes into somebody’s personal bubble.

[questions from here]