#only the heavy hitters remain

[anonymolly]

my gag reflex is gonna be the death of me

[frostbitebakery]

LOUD.

a Jedi Shadow!Obi-Wan AU

“Each of us, every single clone, is a one-man army. And yes, I am… I’m so proud of them. We protect the Galaxy, we die fighting for the Galaxy and its peoples. We are not made for peace times, Obi-Wan.”

The cynical part of Obi-Wan wants to ask why Cody is so steadfast in his belief when everywhere the clones go they’re confronted with people dismissing them, equating them to the droids they’re fighting.

He understands, though. Jedi are only welcome where people know about the help they can provide. The Order is looked down upon, the Jedi just as easily dismissed, more often than not when it comes to it.

And still. And still. The call to protect people is too strong to ignore. He doesn’t want to ignore the call. He can help so he does.

So yes, he understands Cody and his need to fight.

He watches as Cody self-consciously rubs the back of his neck, fingers not halting over the port, so— so used to its presence, as the silence reigns. Cody doesn’t try to further his explanations. He said his piece and that’s that.

Obi-Wan settles down on the floor in front of the weightlifting bench. And Cody.

He crosses his legs automatically, the armor he has to don if he wants to engage in the battles blessedly absent, here. His fingers find Cody’s other hand in his lap, tapping it lightly, glancing by the embedded screen in the armored boot proclaiming Cody as belonging to the 212th.

Commander Cody got his own Attack Battalion. Mace remains the immediate superior but the brass saw Cody’s merit. No Jedi can easily fill the role as war general and Cody is… too brilliant to not be in charge. He and Mace have been flattening the CIS, the GAR is only too happy to spread out their heavy hitters.

“He’s always giving them a chance to surrender first,” Cody had commented on Mace, pride and admiration shining from his whole body. “How he’s able to walk with balls like that is a mystery to me.”

Obi-Wan had politely choked on nothing.

Once Cody is looking at him, apologies in his eyes for being made for war, of war, Obi-Wan signs a simple question. “How would you know?”

Temper makes the scarred eyebrow rise and Obi-Wan continues, undeterred now that Cody’s attention isn’t on misplaced guilt.

“You know nothing but war. You’ve learnt nothing but war. You’ve,” Obi-Wan pauses to swallow the grief, “experienced nothing but war in your life. How would you know you’re not made for peace times when you haven’t even had the chance to live in them?”

A smile, half there and fleeing, cracks, warm brown eyes watch Obi-Wan’s hands. “In my darkest moments I’m not sure I’ll even see them.”

Obi-Wan is against false promises but hope has never left his life’s side and he’d like to share. “We work together and we end this war. We see as many of you and us on the other side as possible.”

“Sounds like an easy first step,” Cody laughs ruefully, and leans down, captures Obi-Wan’s unmasked face, blurred by the unknown, and holds their foreheads together for a long self-indulgent moment.

Obi-Wan ducks his head, mask and scars in place once more. “Is that something you wish? To see me?”

Cody shakes his head, shoulders tight. “I’m sorry. I went too far.”

No, you didn’t, Obi-Wan wants to tell him, I want you to see me.

Soon. Probably. As soon as Obi-Wan has removed the screws from his heart and their doubting pressure.

“I think I can help you,” Obi-Wan signs, bullheading through the burgeoning silence. “But I need your help for that.”

“What do you need,” Cody asks, all Commander now that he’s got a mission objective.

“I want to know how you can communicate neurally and who has access to that channel.” He’s been looking into it for months, always ending in front of a Kaminoan wall. He’s at his wits end and now, now, with Bail confirming Palpatine is shuffling credits to the CIS and it’s still only heresy where a court is concerned…

Kamino confirmed only authorized personnel has access to the comm links in the clones’ heads. What if those include the CIS?

Cody blinks in surprise. “General Windu has access to that information.”

Does he? Obi-Wan is beginning to doubt that fact. “Humor me.”

Shoulders go wide, straight, loose. “Protocol dictates that, in case of emergency in an engagement situation, a High General is able to deploy orders directly to a CC-class clone via the Force after initiating with the correct identification.”

The clones are password-locked. Obi-Wan tries very, very hard to keep his expression neutral. “I assume every Commander knows the identification?”

Cody starts to smile, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes, ready to playfully lecture Obi-Wan about confidentiality. Obi-Wan can see that, can feel the intention of Cody to do so. Before his eyes sharpen like the back-up blade in the boot holster. “Is there a leak?”

“Not that I’m sure of,” Obi-Wan hurries to sign. “Cody, please, what is the initialization sequence?”

Cody watches him, tracks his every move and twitch and stillness with keen eyes. Obi-Wan lets him, not able to keep a lid on the worry he’s feeling, the Force hushed in absolute and anticipation. “Every Commander knows those words. No one else does. A High General can request it of his Commander. That is what General Windu knows. A Commander takes the words to their grave if they have to.” A built-in failsafe, based on the clones’ loyalty to the Republic. “And the Jedi,” Cody adds with a soft smile. “Maybe we have been trained to follow you but you have proven yourself over and over again. The initialization is—“ Cody’s face twists into confusion as the Force starts— starts to shriek in warning. “Is…”

Shards of glass hurtle towards Obi-Wan, high-pitched tone piercing his eardrums, hack into his thoughts—

“Who are you?”

Obi-Wan hurries, pulls a hand up and projects “Cody, wake”.

.

Cody wakes, blinks. Shakes the cloudy remnants of a dream gone wrong off, as stuck on him, burnt into him as some details of it are.

He looks up when he notices the presence by the training salle entry, smiles up at Obi-Wan, feels his eyes go soft, relaxed.

Obi-Wan stares back at him, mask in place which ups the distant, rumbling intensity of his gaze like an incoming storm. “Thank you,” he signs, and Cody can see the tremors in his fingertips. Blue eyes flick up to the surveillance camera in the ceiling, go back to him.

Cody… remembers. Obi-Wan pushing him behind a destroyed tank during battle, one hand covering the helmet camera while the other had signed “need to talk, no eyes” in battle signs.

He looks to the door again but Obi-Wan is suddenly right in front of him, cradling his face so gently Cody can feel tears prick at his eyes, forehead carefully, with no hesitation and too much meaning coming to rest against his.

[ao3topshipsbracket]

honestly I'm kinda disappointed all the popular/well known ships are gone/eliminated

the semis look kinda boring now tbh

(ps: I don't mean to hate on the ships winning. I'm sure they're winning for a reason. it's just they're all kinda unknown/not mainstream)

We're definitely surprised to see some of the highly seeded ships go down early, but personally, I think that makes the remaining matches more exciting, not less! Who doesn't love an upset, after all? But of course, with Bubbline in one half and Destiel in the other, there are definitely some significant heavy hitters still in the running!

That being said, we know we have some underdog semifinalists that people are less familiar with, so here's a brief primer on each of them!

Hualian comes from the Chinese novel Tian Guan Ci Fu, or Heaven Official's Blessing. If you've heard of Wangxian of Mo Dao Zu Shi/The Untamed fame, TGCF comes from the same author. It is a xianxia love story about ghost kings and fallen gods. Here's the plot synopsis from IMDB:

Eight hundred years ago, Xie Lian was the Crown Prince of the Xian Le kingdom. He was loved by his citizens and was considered the darling of the world. He ascended to the Heavens at a young age; however, due to unfortunate circumstances, was quickly banished back to the mortal realm. Years later, he ascends again, only to be banished again a few minutes after his ascension. Now, eight hundred years later, Xie Lian ascends to the Heavens for the third time as the laughing stock among all three realms. On his first task as a god thrice ascended, he meets a mysterious demon who rules the ghosts and terrifies the Heavens, yet, unbeknownst to Xie Lian, this demon king has been paying attention to him for a very, very long time.

At #58 in the Tumblr 2023 top ship list, they're solidly middle of the pack in terms of seeding, but they did take down Buddie at #10, and Davekat of Homestuck infamy: a very impressive showing!

Sulemio hails from the latest installment in the Mobile Suit Gundam anime franchise, The Witch from Mercury; as with all Gundam series, it is a sci-fi military drama featuring giant robots and space warfare. This one happens to also feature heavy inspiration from Revolutionary Girl Utena. Official synopses seem a bit lacking, and I unfortunately don't know enough about the series to summarize it myself, but I'll link this very helpful guide that someone left in our notes!

They're the lowest seeded of our semifinalists, ranking #59 on Tumblr's 2023 top ship list, so the fact that they've taken out the top seed is truly a feat; having a rallying force with @demilypyro has certainly helped their cause (and our very busy activity feed 😅) a great deal!

Regardless of who wins the next rounds, there are very fun underdog journeys present on both sides of the bracket. Plus, it's always good to remember that polls like these are not meant to be indicators of popularity, but of passion.

[ladykailitha]

It's just been that kind of year. *sigh* I'm moving AGAIN. This time into more permanent housing. We'll be renting again which we wanted to avoid, but didn't have the credit to buy.

I do have a healthy backlog of all my stories as well as Sweet Home Indiana and the Paper Hearts sequel Sweet Surrender completed and ready to be posted.

First chapter of Sweet Surrender is coming out tomorrow. But here's the deal, my freaky darlings...I won't have the time or energy to work on my remaining WIPs. As Icarus (metal band), Never Hold Back Your Step... (boy w/a bat), and Well Met By Moonlight (werewolf Steve) are all heavy hitters that require a lot of concentration which I won't have for the next week or so.

So the question is:

This is only for a day because I want to get writing on them ASAP and not have the results AFTER the fact.

Links to each one:

Sugar daddy/baby

Strip Club

Season 1 AU

[gayest-spn-character]

Sincerely hope it comes down to Crowley and Cas. Two heavy hitters. A classic showdown of Angel vs Demon. A queer debate of biblical proportions.

Thanks for creating this bit of entertainment for us!

Personally Id love a good Crowley vs Cas poll, it would definitely be a good finale. I think it would also be awesome to have Charlie vs Crowley too. Although if things exploded at Sam vs Cas, I wonder how things are going to be ahead... its only going to get harder for the remaining characters from here on out.

and thank you for participating and engaging with this tournament. It definitely wouldnt have gotten this far without a single person talking about it. Im glad that its reached so far and given a good amount of entertainment too!

[writeywritey-o3o]

Double Trouble

Ascended Astarion fanfic

- Angsty, Reincarnation, beyond saving, tw:suicide

It had been centuries since Astarion and you ruled the world together as The Ascendent and his Favourite Consort. 

It was nice, at first. Never having to go outside, never having to go hungry, and never fearing death. Astarion had given you all the riches he had promised, everything and anything you desired. Outfits, jewellery, sprawling palaces. You had it all, especially with your love always right beside you. Until he wasn’t. 

More often than not, he would go out to run errands, or take over new lands. He would sometimes come back with 1 or more new spawns hanging on his arm, either for the two of you to use or feed on. As much as the unhappy feeling threatens to bubble up inside you when he ignores you for a menial task, you really couldn’t ask for anything more.

Sometimes you try your luck at asking him to make you a true vampire just like he is, but he always reassures you that there is no need to. Not when you had literally hundreds of servants at your beck and call for whatever you could possibly need. You would tell him how much you missed the sunlight on your face, and the hustle bustle of the city at midday. He usually scoffs and tells you that you aren’t missing much. That staying inside and twiddling away with your hobbies is the best you can do, and laments about how he wishes he could stay inside all day, that even though he can't be burned by the sun anymore, the sweltering heat it brings is barely a consolation prize. 

It reached a point where he made sure every corridor of the sprawling palace you lived in had skylights that were unable to be closed. and had you shunned to one of the rooms during the day and would only come to you at night, almost like he was rubbing it in as to how you couldn’t even stand under the sky without assistance while he came and went as he pleased. 

Slowly you grow tired. Traversing the palace with the help of one of your servants no longer became an issue because you never leave your room. He becomes impatient and demanding, throwing more luxuries at you to make you ‘go back to how you were’. You ignore everything until one day he catches you trying to open the blinds in daylight. He went insane and had you chained to the centre of the room. The chains were long enough for you to just barely reach the heavy drapes. He told you that since you wanted to act like a child then he would give you what you wanted, to never leave that room again. 

You still had the servants, and the decadent meals, and the finest dresses and beds in all the land, but you weren’t happy. Every day seemed to go by in a blur, with him coming in at dusk to dine with you silently, and then again at dawn for more of the same. 

Day by day the soft glow of sunlight around the drapes seemed more and more inviting. Everything could be over in one swoop, if you could just break these chains.

A shatter spell could do just fine. 

But you weren’t a spell caster. You trained your whole life to be a heavy hitter, often killing enemies in a single blow. But ever since you became a spawn you’ve neglected your training, becoming weaker over the years. The cuffs on your wrist rub your skin raw, even through the plush and silk he had custom made to ‘not damage his perfect little spawn’.

You decided enough was enough and started to train in the hours he left you alone. You requested libraries worth of books from your servants, all kinds so as not to raise suspicion and began your work. He noticed the difference and yet the silence during meal times remained. 

“Don't you want to know about my day?” he once asked. 

You only replied with a bland repeat of his question, not even bothering to listen to his answer. That infuriated him. He pulled a dagger on you and threatened to cut your pretty throat open and bring you back just to show you how lucky and ungrateful you were being. When your reaction wasn’t up to par, he trashed your room and commanded a few spawn to clean up afterwards. You could hear the screams of the spawn suffering at his hands because of you the rest of the day. 

Soon at long last the day had arrived. Your scroll had been scribed and all you had to do was use it. You had wanted to enact your plan at midday, quietly while he was out. But you realised the sound the spell made would attract people anyway, so you decided on a different plan. 

In the few hours before he would come in at dawn you had grabbed the candelabra in the middle of the dining table you had in the room and set fire to anything and everything you could. Once you were certain people were taking notice, hearing their footsteps nearing the room, you stood as close to the window as you could, setting the spell off, breaking your chains and flinging open the drapes and the windows as the man himself burst through the doors. He paused at the sight of your room, burned and smokey, just barely making out your silhouette by the window. The first rays of the sun broke through the horizon as he ran through the fire to you.

For a moment, you saw the man you fell in love with in his eyes. Astarion. you whisper a final “I Love You” to that man as the sun catches on you. You revel in the pricking of your skin as you feel the sunlight for the first time in centuries, turning you to ash before blowing away into the wind. 

He reached you just a second too late, touching your hand as you crumbled away, leaving only your dress and jewels behind. 

______________________________________________________________________________

you reincarnated into someone else and you are on a quest to take down The Ascendant. 

______________________________________________________________________________

When you opened your eyes for the first time again, you were in a raggedy old bathtub in a barn. Confused and wet. You don't remember anything from those formative years but you knew what mattered. You were loved.

When you were young, The Ascendant came and took over your town. It was fine at first, until people started going missing. Everyone started to live in fear of being the next one to be kidnapped. It wasn't like no one knew where the people had ended up, but no one wanted to find out either. There were a brave few, who ventured far to his palace on their own to take down The Ascendent, but they never returned.

You weren't born a cleric, or even to parents who were clerics. When you were 15 Jergal came to you in a dream. Appointing you his cleric, and honestly, you just went with it. Jergal was a mostly hands-off patron god, letting you learn whatever you please and bestowing you new powers to train up every now and then while you offered up prayers.

You tried to live quietly, keeping your head down and working your days away praying to Jergal and helping at your parents’ apothecary. You never let your anger spill out, not even to your patron god. It wasn't until one of your friend’s little brothers was taken before you lashed out. You and Your friends agreed to form a party and take him down. You prayed to Jergal, asking him for strength to carry this out. He gave you a blessing in the form of a dagger. 

He was a tyrant, a psychopath. The Ascendant had ruled for long enough. With Jergal’s blessing, you and your party set out to train and take down the Ascendant’s forces slowly.

You and your party enter the city at which he resided after a long and gruelling journey, in his hilltop palace looking down on everyone. The city was grey and foggy in the early morning. You find a place to settle in for the night, taking a long, needed rest after your travels. 

The next morning your party agrees to explore the city for supplies and take a few days to prepare before going in to finish your quest and free the world.

Around the city were many many statues of The Ascendant himself. Which was expected from a man with such a big ego, but other than that, there were many statues of a woman. Her eyes were soft and kind, her hair blowing eternally in the wind, she was dressed to the nines looking endlessly regal. Who was she? Your party members comment on the uncanny resemblance between the two of you, but you brush it off.

You and your party sneak into the Ascendant’s palace, snooping around to learn the layout. All of you enter from different places in pairs to cover more ground. You decided to sneak into the only open window, while the other half of your party members sneak in through the servants quarters. 

The open window led to a room that seemed unfit for a palace. It was black and scorched, a big crater centred the room. Everything else was burned. You and your pair looked around. Where the crater was an ornate coffin, labelled with a scratched out name. Opening the coffin revealed a beautiful dress and jewels. It was probably the most expensive thing you’ve ever seen. Snooping around the rest of the room uncovered half burned letters and books. whoever lived here really wanted to learn how to scribe spell scrolls, and with the crater at the centre of the room, you knew what spell they were trying to scribe. Metal bits sprinkled the floor and the letters seemed to be addressed to what seemed to be a long lost lover. 

Exiting the room, you see what you would more expect from a palace. Gleaming marble floors and columns. Portraits of the same beautiful woman you’d seen statues of all around the city. Some of them were even of the woman pictured next to The Ascendant himself. 

Who was she? 

The older portraits of them together pictured them smiling at each other. Were they in love? The portraits with newer frames looked sad. The Ascendant wasn't looking at her anymore, his face became more and more serious, and her expression followed in suit. The newest portrait you saw was the one in the foyer, once you made your way there. The man in the portrait looked like a ghost at this point. His skin was a sickly white, his eyes sunken in and red, his clothes were a dark red and black. This man seemed a far cry from the earlier paintings you saw. Even the last painting that showed him with the woman was at least a bit brighter than this. You skulked around the rest of the palace, killing spawns who witnessed your machinations and meeting up with the rest of your party. 

When you made your way out of the palace, having mapped out the entire thing and learning where the best entrances and exits are, you decided to exit through the window you had entered. The others in your party snooped around the room a little, revealing a smaller frame covered by a leather cloth that seemed too new for the state of the room. It was a sketch. A sketch of The Ascendant and the woman. A caption was scrawled across the corner of the paper “To my dearest friends. Who could be more in love than them.” 

In love. 

The pair of them had been in love.

Now the letters made more sense. The lover was him. He had changed and his lover no longer recognised him. Someone made a comment about how he’d surely been the one to drive her away while all of you snuck out the window. There was a peculiar ache in your heart when you saw that picture, one that you couldn't put into words. It was almost like you were mourning, but over what?

You spent the rest of your preparation time studying the ascendant. his strengths, weaknesses, his history. His name. The more you read about him the more you felt like you knew him. He defeated his master, Cazador, with his party and his lover. He learnt of the runes in his back and took his master’s place and ascended. Becoming who he is now. The city and everywhere else withered in his rule. He only knew how to take, to consume all there was and leave nothing behind. And you had a feeling he did the same to his lover. Who he named his favourite spawn, his favourite consort, yet never his queen. 

A few days later you returned to the palace, all of you prepared to take down the tyrant. All of you decided that you would sneak in through the main gates, killing anyone in your way until you reached him. 

But the gates were open. and the halls were empty. The four of you made your way deeper into the palace, expecting an ambush, all in vain. When the four of you reached the ritual chambers, he was alone. Sitting on a throne atop what seemed like his coffin. You hung back, letting your party go ahead with hits before you went forward to heal them and get a few hits in yourself.

“Did you really think you could come into my house, poke around, and I wouldn't notice?” his voice rang in the room loud and clear, “I'll give the three of you credit, you are brave. But you're not the first to try, and you won't be the last to fail.”

Three? He must have not seen you yet. 

He offered your party to fight them 3 on 1, winner takes all. Your friends sprung into action throwing spells and hitting him one after the other using up spell slots and energy and getting hit in return. Even as he was being hit, he still went on, telling your party how generous he is, how nice, how brave, how considerate, how much he sacrificed to get to this point. As you watched the fight while healing your friends every so often, you notice he didn't really have any defensive advances. He lets himself get hit multiple times, and only shoots back with offensive spells and blows. 

Your party was fading fast, and from your semi hidden position you couldn't heal them up quick enough. At some point you slipped, and all your friends were down. 

“One more is there? Well come out little mouse, take your turn.” you could hear the laugh bubble up his throat, talking down to you, “I'll even let you start real close.”

As egotistic as he sounded, you knew he was weakened. One more spell could do it. One that wouldn’t miss.

You slowly came out of your hiding space. Tentatively walking towards him, making sure not to get too close while quietly preparing the spell you knew would take him out, Shatter. 

When you finally stepped into the light, you let the spell lose from your lips as you watched his own move incomprehensibly. Had he whispered a name? His eyes widened and in a split second the spell hit him, injuring him enough for him to explode into his gaseous form and fly back into his coffin. The floor cratered around where he stood and all was quiet. 

You took a moment to collect yourself, and jumped into healing your companions. Once they were up and walking, the four of you made your way to the coffin beneath the throne and opened it, ready to stake him, to end it all for good. But he wasn't there. 

“If this wasn't his coffin then, where is it?”

“This palace is huge, it would take us days to find his coffin. and by then he would have regenerated. Lets…”

Your companions’ words were lost as you thought to yourself as to where his coffin could be. In the dungeons? His own quarters? On the roof? 

No.

The burnt room. The coffin in the middle of the crater. It had to be that. It was not broken like the floor beneath it. 

You lept to your feet, telling your party you knew where it should be. There were some disagreements however, so all of you agreed to split up. You spent the rest of your spell slots and healing potions healing everyone and you set off. 

Running through the halls hit you with deja vu, but you’d never been in this palace even before coming in to snoop, so what was that? You followed the portraits and reached your destination. You opened the door and stepped inside. The room looked the same as how you left it. 

Carefully you made your way to the crater, a glint caught your eye, coming from a hole between the coffin’s lid and body. 

Pushing the lid off the coffin this time reveals a dark red heart, around it gold wisps of light floated around in the shape of a man. You remembered how he looked at you before you hit him. His eyes looked so familiar for a second you thought you were looking at the sketch of him and his lover. Happy and blissful. It was like all his defences dropped and he didn't even try to counter your spell. His real name slipped from your lips before you could stop it. 

You unsheathed the dagger Jergal gave you after that and positioned it over the heart. It all ends now.

Piercing his heart, the gold whisps dropped away in what sounded like a relieved sigh. The tears running down your face made you uneasy, why were you even crying over a monster. You knelt next to the coffin taking in everything that just happened, all that you learnt in the past few days.

Soon the footsteps of your party neared you. You stood to face them and all of you burst out laughing. It was all over. 

You spent the rest of the day looting the rest of the building before painstakingly filling every crevice of the palace with explosives, with one specifically right above the coffin with your dagger still embedded. 

Your party gave you the pleasure of lighting the first barrel to blow up the whole place. you took a few moments to send a prayer up to your patron god, Jergal. And spent a few moments sitting with unfamiliar feelings of mourning for this building, for the spawns inside that would perish with it, and for the sketch still hung up in the room. Because whoever was in that picture was forever gone, both of them. 

Whispering a cantrip, you put an end to this story, even if you aren't sure when it really started.

Ignis.

[zoeykallus]

Hi! I read your Bad Batch baby HC and really enjoyed them! How would the guys react to a parter telling them that they’re infertile? I hope you’re having a good day/night!

Aloha!

Now, that's a heavy hitter and an interesting one indeed.

The Bad Batch x Afab!Reader HCs - True Affection

Hurt/Comfort/Infertility/Fluff

_____________________

Hunter

By now it is absolutely clear, your relationship is something serious, you have reached the next level. You get nervous, because now, at the latest, you should tell him the truth. When you take him aside and cautiously address him about it, he looks at you confused at first. Hunter can't immediately process what you're saying.

You watch him quietly think for a moment, just a moment ago he was all jovial, now he suddenly seems so serious, it makes you nervous.

"I'm sorry about that" he finally says quietly, "How are you coping?"

You sigh and say, "I've more or less made my peace with it by now. I've known for a while now. It was hard at first, but now I realize that fretting over things you can't change is wasted energy. So I've accepted it and decided to make the best of it, to just enjoy my life."

Hunter nods slowly, then smiles tenderly.

"I'm glad you have this confidence in me to tell me".

He takes your hands in his and kisses your forehead.

You say softly, "Well, our relationship has been going on for a while and I thought it would only be fair to tell you about it before you start to…. plan a family."

Hunter laughs softly and says, "Sweetie, we have enough work keeping my brothers and Omega in check. Besides, should we really feel the urge to raise kids someday, there are more than enough out there who need a home"

You take a deep breath, leaning against him in relief. This is a conversation you imagined would be harder. Hunter holds you gently and strokes your back soothingly, sensing the restlessness in you that is just very slowly subsiding.

He says softly, "My love for you remains unchanged."

Tech

"Tech, can we talk for a moment?"

Normally he would have nodded, continuing to work, looking at you briefly and saying, "Sure," but he hears something in your tone that makes him look up. Tech slowly puts the holopad aside and looks at you very intently. Somehow, this undivided attention on his part makes you even more nervous than you already are.

You turn around, close the cockpit door behind you, and sit down with him.

"You look heavy-hearted. Did something happen?" he asks quietly.

You don't know how to begin, so you just blurt it out.

"I can't give you children, I'm infertile".

Tech raises his eyebrows in surprise, he certainly wasn't expecting this topic. At first moment, he doesn't even know what to say. A thousand possible answers run through his head, but in the end only a rather simple, "I see" comes out of his mouth.

It's so hard for you to pull yourself together, your voice trembles slightly as you say, "I thought you should know, to be fair. Before things get to the next level between us… you know, couples usually start planning families and stuff at some point."

Tech blinks, pushes his goggles up the bridge of his nose with his index finger, then turns all the way around in his chair to face you. Now you're even more nervous, usually in conversations (no matter with whom) Tech is usually busy with up to three other things, but here and now he's fully focused on you. There is a certain excitement, you feel flattered, there is a tingling under your skin, usually only in intimate hours he is really fully attentive. But in this context, your heart beats up to your neck with fear.

"You're scared," he states.

"Is it that obvious?"

Tech nods.

"I know you well enough to see it. It's pretty obvious. But from my point of view, true affection, true love, is not tied to the possibility of procreation. However, I understand that it is quite natural to feel this desire, it is in the nature of almost all living things to reproduce."

You nod slowly, not quite knowing whether to be relieved or still nervous.

"My affection for you, is not tied to the possibility of starting a family," he finally says matter-of-factly, "I hope this helps you overcome your fears regarding our relationship. I'm not going to turn my back on you over this."

You take a deep breath, the tension falling from you, a single tear rolling down your cheek, which he gently brushes away with one of his long fingers.

"Are you sure about that?" you inquire softly.

"Of course I am, I don't say things like that lightly. You have my deep, unconditional affection."

Echo

When you bring up the subject of children, he looks at you in surprise. He didn't really expect that, up to now his life hadn't necessarily followed a normal course, he hadn't thought about family planning yet, even though you've been together for a while. Echo is very happy and content with what you have as a couple. The trust, the affection, the intimacies, the quiet hours and the loving little silliness. It's already more than he would have ever dared to hope for before.

Echo says thoughtfully, "Honestly, I didn't think about it until now. It was never really a part of my future plans so far," he says thoughtfully.

With a heavy heart, you tell him, "As long as you're with me, I'm afraid that won't change. I am infertile."

Echo raises his brows in surprise, his expression softening. He knows you well enough to see how hard it is for you to broach the subject.

"It weighs heavily on your heart, doesn't it?"

You nod with a sigh.

Echo takes you in his arms, squeezes you gently, and asks, "How long have you been struggling with this thought?"

"Quite a while," you admit quietly.

"Oh darling," he says softly, "There's no need for that. You're my better half, I'm incomplete without you, nothing will change that. I'm so sorry that this has burdened you."

You take a deep breath, wrap your arms around him and feel deep gratitude for his understanding, his affection.

Echo says tenderly, "If you ever really want to be a mother, we can always think about adoption, there are enough children who need a home. All that matters to me is knowing you are by my side."

"Are you sure that won't change?" you ask softly.

Echo kisses your forehead and brushes a stray tear from your cheek.

"Absolutely sure! Honey, you're all I really need. Don't worry, you can be sure of my love."

Wrecker

He is so good with children, the children love him no matter where he goes. It's a beautiful image, but also one that triggers deep pain in you, fear. In a village you saved from some pirates, at the little party they hold to honor the batch, practically all the kids are attached to him, they all want to play with him and show him things.

You watch this for quite a while, but your thoughts turn somber and a lump forms in your throat. You'll never have kids of your own, and you don't know how to tell Wrecker. Hunter looks at you, sensing something is wrong. As your eyes meet, he asks gently, "Are you okay?"

You force yourself to smile, take a deep breath, and lie, "I'm just tired, maybe I should go to sleep."

You get up from the table, and retreat into the Marauder. A few minutes later, when you are more or less comfortable in the bunk, reading a book to take your mind off things, Wrecker comes in. He looks at you tenderly, concerned.

"Did you get rid of the kids?" you ask with a small smile.

"Hunter said something was wrong with you. He said you've retreated and that I should check on you."

You sigh, "Of course he did."

Wrecker sits down on the edge of the bunk and reaches for your hand.

"What's wrong sweetie?"

You swallow, collect yourself, and finally say, "When I saw you with the village kids earlier, I realized we needed to talk about something"

Wrecker frowns questioningly.

"Oh yeah?"

You say directly, as if quickly ripping off a Band-Aid, "I'm infertile".

Wrecker sits silently, looking at you uncomprehendingly. The information takes a moment to sink in. After a while, he says, "You can't have children of your own."

You nod, put the book aside and run your free hand over your face.

"Yes, unfortunately. That means we can't have children together"

"'Scooch over," he prompts you, lying down next to you.

Still holding your hand, he is now lying next to you.

"Okay, that's unfortunate, and I suspect that's not easy for you, but it's not the end of the world" he says thoughtfully.

"Oh no?" you ask critically.

"No," Wrecker says with conviction, "we do love each other, don't we?"

"I love you very much, yes"

He turns his head to look at you and smiles.

"See, we don't need much more than that. I love you with all my heart. And you can adopt children too if you really want some."

You laugh softly.

"Is it really that simple? Doesn't that bother you at all?"

Wrecker says softly, "The only thing that bothers me is that it makes you unhappy. I want to see you smile, love."

You kiss his chin and say, "Don't worry, Wrecker, you make me very, very happy."

Crosshair

He responds pretty matter-of-factly when you tell him you're infertile.

"Okay."

"Okay? That's it?"

He asks, "What do you want to hear?"

You throw your arms in the air.

"I don't know, but maybe something more than just an 'okay'"

Crosshair sighs, sits down and says, "Kids were never part of my life plan, and honestly I don't want any. So for me, nothing has changed"

You frown, not sure if you're happy with that answer. On the one hand, it's good to know, but it seems so insensitive. However, you're actually used to his rather edgy manner by now.

"Okay, good to know," you say with a sigh, not in the mood to argue with him or pull the words out of his nose.

But as you turn away to leave the room, you feel his hand on your shoulder. You stop but don't turn around.

"Listen, Kitten," Crosshair says more gently, "I can't imagine how much of a burden this must have been on you, and I can understand that my reaction didn't come across as very sensitive."

You remain silent and wait. He spins you around so that you have to look at him.

"But like I said, nothing changes for me. You're still mine, Kitten and you always will be, whether your uterus works or not doesn't change that. Stop pouting, sweetie."

You roll your eyes and a small laugh crosses your lips, relief finally coming.

"The way you express yourself sometimes…" you say with a sigh.

He shrugs his shoulders.

"As direct as possible, you know me".

You smirk, and he gently kisses the corner of your mouth.

" That's how I like your face much better, Kitten, with that little smirk of yours".

Ko-Fi (If you feel like giving me some coffee)

@rintheemolion

@andyoufollowyourheart @clone-whore-99

@brynhildrmimi @kaliel2310

@misogirl828 @tech-deck

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@pb-jellybeans

[mavrintarou]

[3:37 P M] The night after Halloween - Sakusa & Suna

You didn't ask but I wanted to deliver - here is the world we wish for - Sakusa x Y/n x Suna. Happy belated Halloween.

Warning: Virgin Omi; implied sex with Suna; Ninja Turtles MSBY; explicit smut

Second part

.

Sakusa Kiyoomi dragged his feet to Miya Atsumu’s condo. He tried hard to find an excuse to avoid his yearly Halloween party but this year, he lost a bet and Atsumu’s request was for him to attend his party.

And he had to be the last remaining Ninja Turtle, Michelangelo.

The tight green spandex costume made him feel ridiculously stupid.

“You can meet a pretty girl… and get laid…” were Miya's exact words.

“Sakusa!” Bokuto, who was Donatello yelled, throwing his arm around the tall outside hitter. “Just in time for all the shots!”

“Uh. No. That’s okay.” Sakusa muttered, adjusting his mask as well as the eye mask.

He couldn’t escape the hold of Bokuto and when Miya noticed him, he knew he couldn’t get out of there within twenty minutes.

“Here!” Atsumu, who is Rafael, shoves a shot in his hand.

“Sakusa, remove your mask.” Hinata, who is the last Ninja Turtle, Leonardo, asked. More like, slurred. He was clearly a few shots into the party already.

At last, Bokuto releases Sakusa who stretched his neck only to have Atsumu wrap his arm around his neck. “Look who is here?” His head nods to the right.

Who could he wish to see here?

Looking in the direction, Sakusa’s breath hitched, and he didn’t need to look to see the stupid smirk on Atsumu’s face.

Y/l Y/n.

Dressed as April O’Neil.

A very exposed April O’Neil in a yellow jump suit that was all too tight on her.

Her tits look like they were going to pop the buttons off.

Sakusa’s eyes zoomed in on her cleavage.

Was her chest always that big?

The wig on her made her look completely different, he wouldn’t have recognized her if Atsumu didn’t point her out.

“Hey April!” Atsumu yelled, waving a hand at Y/n.

She looks away from her conversation and her eyes land on Sakusa. Her red lips curve into a smile and she excuses herself and heads toward them. “Michelangelo! You made it!”

Atsumu finally releases his arm from Sakusa, “come, let’s take a picture before we all get shitface!”

Y/n’s eyes linger longer with Sakusa before grabbing him by the elbow, “come.”

. .

The red cup in Sakusa’s hand was becoming room-temperature warm.

It was Y/n.

Who is playing beer-pong with Suna Rintarou.

Who is dressed up as topless Spartan.

And took every chance to wrap his muscular arms around her whenever they made a point.

Which was every round.

“If you don’t fight for her, Rin is going to snatch her from you.”

Sakusa snaps his head at Atsumu who is clearly feeling good from all the alcohol. “Rin’s got his eyes on her too, but I know he has more balls to talk to her than you.” His heavy head tilts to the left, “don’t think no one notices her eyes lingering on you longer than the rest of us. She’s got hots for you man.”

Sakusa was a fool when it came to women. He didn’t know how to act around a woman. Especially one that made him feel hot and bothered.

Y/n is one of many physical therapists hired for Olympics for the Japanese Men Volleyball team. Each physical therapist is assigned to two athletes and Y/n… she is assigned to Sakusa Kiyoomi and Suna Rintarou.

When her small hands would guide his limbs into positions, he’s never done before… he had to contain his groan.

There are times he would catch her eyes on him, and she smile and look away with a blush.

But then there are times when he would catch her talking to Suna, eyes gleaming and smile beaming.

“Don’t think dude, just live in the moment.” Atsumu leans on the counter beside Sakusa, “life is too short to let things that make you horny go. Just enjoy it. If she wants you, just enjoy it while you can.”

“I can’t believe I’m having this conversation with you.” Sakusa mutters, “that might be wisest thing you’ve ever said to me off the court.”

“I say wise stuff off the – “ his words cut off as his hand accidentally flings into the cup in Sakusa’s hand.

Spilling it all over him.

Atsumu grabs some napkin, dabbing it against Sakusa’s chest. “Well, I guess… Michelangelo will have to go shirtless.”

. .

“Kiyoomi,” Y/n knocks on the bathroom door, “is everything okay?”

The door cracks open and she gently pushes the door, “Kiyoo –“

Her back is pushed against the door with him hovering over her. She hears the lock click in place.

His dark eyes gaze intensely into hers. “Are you doing it on purpose?”

Confusion flashes in her eyes, “what?”

“Flirting with Suna? Do you enjoy playing with me?” He levels himself with her, his mouth inching closer until they’re centimeters away. “Do you want him as much as you want me?”

Kiyoomi isn’t sure where this confidence is coming from, surely, it’s the alcohol talking… or his annoyance that he smells like beer. Regardless, he is taking matters into his own hands now.

Her breath was shaky, and he was about to step back but her hands cup his face, holding it still. “I do, I want you just as much.” She brings his mouth in for a soft kiss.

Her lips move against his looking into his shocked ones. She’s unable to read his expression and was about apologize when he presses his lips against her hard, knocking her head against the door.

Kiyoomi might be only guy tonight that has yet to make out with a woman… but he’s glad if he’s going to be catching any germs, he’ll be okay if it’s from Y/n.

Her mouth eagerly met his in a hungry kiss, pulling him closer to her petite body.

One of his hand slips behind her head to prevent her head banging into the door whenever he wanted more.

Their make out session ended when the knock at the door pulled them apart.

“You two done yet?”

Y/n whispered, “Rin.”

Kiyoomi rolls his eyes, “my place?”

Her eyes widen and her gaze drops as she looks a way for a second and Kiyoomi suddenly feels discouraged and disappointed.

“Kiyoomi,” she whispers.

He lets out a sigh, waiting for her to reject him.

One hand cup his cheek, “I want you as much as I want Suna.”

It made sense. “So, you’ve already slept with him?”

“Yes,” her voice is barely a whisper.

His jaw tightens and he tugs her away from the door but doesn’t let go. He opens the door and looks at Suna who is leaning against the wall. “Fuck you, it’s my turn.”

. .

He pins her wrists above her head. “Keep them there, do not move them.”

She nods her head obediently. Her clothes were gone the moment she stepped into his apartment.

All Kiyoomi had left to take off was his black shorts and Army-green spandex. His black brand name boxer briefs came off, freeing his massive cock.

Her eyes travel back up to his and she swallow.

Reaching over, he opens his draw and grabs a condom. He knew they would come in handy one day.

Kiyoomi grabs her knees and widens them to make space for him. He pauses and notice something around his neck.

His orange eye mask.

Pulling the material off he undoes the knot and crawls forward. He grabs both her wrists, “keep them together.”

Securing a tight hold, he places her tied wrist above her head.

He lets out a breath, unable to believe that he has Y/n in his bed, tied up.

A finger trails from her belly up to the valley of her breasts and he circles a nipple until it puckered out. He palms both breasts in his large hands, squeezing and massaging them.

“How many times have you fucked Suna?”

“Twice,” she answers quietly.

His eyes darken and he nods. He stoops down and suckles the other nipple, swirling his tongue around the bud.

Her chest rose and a soft whimper echo off her lips. “Omi…” Her eyes widen before shutting when she feels a long finger tease between her folds. Rocking her hips to meet his finger, she moans when he slips his finger inside, slowly thrusting.

Kiyoomi lifts his head, a satisfied smirk on his lips when her left breast is decorated with red blotches. Shifting his weight onto one elbow, he looks down between her legs, watching his middle finger disappear in her wet hot heat. “You’re so wet.”

“Yes… for you Omi…”

“Were you this wet for him too?”

He looks up at her when she doesn’t immediately answer.

“For both of you… you both make me so fucken wet.”

Kiyoomi is in between her legs in a heartbeat, pushing her legs further apart. “Looks like I need to catch up to him.” The tip of his cock slips easily into her hot pussy and he rocks his hips instantly. Groaning at the feelings of her tight walls wrapped around him.

Holding himself over her, he increases his speed.

Even if this his first-time having sex, Kiyoomi was not completely living under a rock. He’s watched porn before, and it didn’t take a math equation to know what to do.

At that moment, Atsumu’s voice popped into his head, just enjoy it. If she wants you, just enjoy it while you can.

“Omi…” Y/n whimpers, “you’re so big…”

A hand thread through his dark curls, pushing his hair away from his eyes. “You’re so tight… so perfect.” He groans, feeling the tingles and tightness. He presses a finger against her clit and rubs slowly.

“Kiss me,” she begs.

Rocking his hips slowly, he leans down and presses his lips against hers in a full mouth kiss.

Her legs wrap around his waist, pulling him closer.

He breaks the kiss and presses his forehead against hers, “fuck… don’t – don’t clench around me that tight…” his voice cuts off and he groans, cumming hard.

Y/n brings her tied wrists over and behind his head, she coos softly pressing a kiss to his temple.

After a few minutes, Kiyoomi lifts his head to peer down at her, “that was only practice round. But first,” he pulls himself under her hold and sits up to withdraw. Pulling the soiled condom off, he ties it before tossing it into the garbage.

Y/n’s eyes widen when his head dips and his tongue swipe the wetness. “Ki – o – oh God…”

. .

Kiyoomi kisses the red marks on her wrist that still hasn’t faded a few hours later. Y/n laid asleep in his arms; both her hands pressed against his chest.

“If anyone asks, I’m blaming you. That you were a beast in bed.”

He glances down, seeing her eyes were still closed. “As if anyone would believe you…”

One eye open and a small smile spread on her lips. “True, no one would believe me if I told them, you gave me the best orgasm with that tongue of yours.”

“What about Suna?”

Before she could utter a response, a husky voice whispers from behind, “yeah, what about me?”

. . .

E/n: Nothing edited. I would say this is a interesting relationship. Would Omi really do this, I don't think so... but my version of Omi would. And yes, there will be Rin's part and then some spicy th*eesome - part two has been posted (link above)

>>> @hellatrashdontask @queenelleee @wrongimagine @eadyladlegard @mfreedomstuff @erintaro @callmeraider @chaotic-fangirl-blog @wolffmaiden @satoritendoucultsacrifice @yourgonvermnethooker @littlemochi @cloud-lyy @pana-dolle @basmamme @haitanifxn @itsroseally @warrior-of-justice @jmnfilter @captainchrisstan @omissanitizerlol

[directdogman]

what was the thought process for making crown a president in the 1960s? it seems so recent in history for a world-changing event like the dialup..or were there events in actual history at that time which lined up with your ideas?

I began writing an answer to this question without considering what I was aiming to describe and wound up writing an essay much longer than this answer wound up being (I went back and checked! I went back to write this!) but I'm not a historian, just a two-bit game dev, so I rewrote this answer to be as concise as possible (while fully answering the question.) I have a tendency to ramble.

The 1960's was a weird decade. In terms of societal/cultural change, I'm not sure any one decade in American history has a greater shift. Vietnam was the first war the US fought and blatantly lost (and with significant civilian opposition during the war, something never seen before, with even wars with significant political opposition (eg Mexican-American + Spanish-American wars) still having the support of much of the American public.) The civil rights movement advanced considerably with the passing of the civil rights act of 1964 and voting rights act of 1965. The 50's had significant change too as I'll mention later, though these civil rights acts had support from congress, and from the political party that had opposed previous civil right advancement no less, leading to a gigantic voting demographics shift that has largely remained to this day.

The Cuban Missile Crisis happened, which is the closest the world has come to nuclear war, arguably. MLK and Malcolm X were both assassinated, alongside a sitting US president (in broad daylight.) When cultural leaders get shot, that's a sign that things are really heating up.

The 40's + 50's weren't actually great decades for American counterculture. The tireless work from civil rights activists during the 50's shouldn't be forgotten either ofc, with Brown vs the Board of Education, the Federal government enforcing the Supreme Court's ruling in Little Rock and the Montgomery bus boycotts, but generally, questioning American foreign policy and criticism of capitalism were treated with ruthlessness - civilians were brought before HUAC and actors theorized of having communist sympathies blacklisted by the Screen Actor's Guild (whose head was none other than a young President Ronald Reagan.)

Not only did this keep 'Unamerican' perspectives out of the American media, but America also spent an impressive amount of money on war propaganda in the 40's (with even heavy-hitters like Disney pumping out cartoons to increase public support for the war), making US patriotism very popular before the 50's, which only became further cemented with McCarthyism taking hold by the early 50's. "Under God" was added to the PoA and references to God was added onto the American dollar to further separate US culture from atheistic marxist-leninist cultures like the Soviet Union.

While the 50's saw certain socioeconomic advances, it was also a time of cultural/political regression... followed by a time of mass political unrest/revolution. Think of the 1920's compared to the 1930's, say. This kind of political shift makes for the perfect petri-dish to produce powerful demagogues.

The early 60's is a really weird time because it's perfectly cemented between the dissolution of McCarthyism and the complete reorganization of the American political establishment, including counter-cultural ideas gaining mainstream appeal. Any earlier or later, and Crown's ideas probably wouldn't have had the same momentum. If Crown had ran for office any later, he'd have stopped much sooner, imo. Part of Crown's rise was down to how much his enemies underestimated how large his movement would become and how sweeping his brand of populism would be (with even people like Norm getting swept up in it.)

TL;DR: The early 60's was the perfect period of time for a man like Crown to gain a foothold in mainstream culture without his enemies realizing just how dangerous he was to them... by 1964, they understood all too well.

[starlightshadowsworld]

Percy and Annabeth are trying to bench the others.

They try to steer them clear from major fights and take the heavy hitters themselves.

Not because they think lowly of their new friends or highly of their own skills.

But because they are afraid.

The second titan war ended not too long ago and both are still reeling.

They've lost a lot, too much.

And are afraid to lose the fragile bit of peace they've found.

Percy not even midway through his quest with Frank and Hazel knew he'd kill and die for them both.

Annabeth saw Jason, saw another part of her family that she could so easily loose.

If extends to every one of them.

Their terrified, so they control what they can.

The rest get tired off it quickly, because they can see what's going on.

And are both frustrated and concerned with the older terms actions.

Knowing this needs to end.

So the next fetch quest they get, Frank interrupts Annabeth mid speech, turning to the others and seperating them into groups.

Annabeth and Percy remain togrther.

But now Jason has joined them.

The two are about to disagree with the plan but everyone leaves before either can get a word out.

Jason stands as calm as ever, gesturing for them to follow.

He waits a bit, walking infront of them.

"I know what you guys are doing, and maybe if this was some run of the mill adventure I'd appreciate it. But what you're doing is putting us all in danger."

He hears them stop in place but keeps his back to them both.

As quick as his bluntness came, it melted into softness.

Because Jason knows this isn't out of arrogance.

"I get it, you know? Trust me if I had it my way, you'd all be back on the ship."

He smiles sadly "But that's not how this works, and you know that as well as I do."

He remembers the exhaustion in Annabeth's frame, the nightmares lingering in Percy's eyes.

"I lost 49 new recruits, they hadn't had a dash of experience between them. Never been on a quest, some of them hadn't even fought in the arena yet."

The horrified gasp they make is not something Jason takes any pleasure in.

But they need to hear it. Even as it pains him to tell it.

"I buried them, it wasn't proper for a Praetor to do but I didn't care. I didn't even know them but they mattered.

My friends were buried with them, friends I'd known in passing and those I'd known my whole life. Hopes and dreams, shattered in an instant."

Their were tears in his eyes but he didn't stop.

"But they did not go down with a fight, they knew the odds and they still rose to the occasion.

And for that they have my undying respect. I wouldn't be here without them and I hate that more than anything. But it was their choice and I have to respect that."

Jason took a deep breathe in, turning around to face his new friends.

"I know you've lost people in this war. I know having us here fighting with you, knowing you could lose us is the last thing either of you want."

He flips his coin in his hand.

"But I heard that prophecy same as you and I made my choice. So did Piper, so did Frank, so did Leo, so did Hazel. Whether you like it or not. And if you continue to bench us and take the brunt of these fights yourselves..."

The coin turns into Jason's gladius, and in an instant Percy is blocking him back with Riptide.

And while it was successful, Percy's reaction time was slower than usual.

"You're only going to end up hurt or worse, and I don't... I don't want to lose anyone else either." Finishes Jason, turning his gladius back into a coin.

Percy looks at Annabeth, a conversation in just a few looks that Jason isn't privy to.

But knows he's made his point.

"I can't promise I won't run headfirst into danger, but I'll try not to do it alone." Says Percy.

"And I won't make plans without a discussion, and we'll need to see everyone's strnghts and weaknesses so we can cover for each other." Says Annabeth.

Jason smiles, "thanks." He let's out a loud sigh of relief and his posture visibly relaxes.

"Sorry for worrying you." Says Annabeth, sheepishly. "Yeah, not our best idea." Says Percy, also sheepish.

"I get it." Says Jason simply "just remember that we're a team. I've got your back, we all have your back. And we trust you have ours."

"Man" says Percy, nodding his head thoughtfully "no wonder they made you Praetor."

Jason rolls his eyes fondly, swatting him "if we were back at Camp I'd have you sent to patchwork duty for that. "

"Patchwork duty?" Asks Percy.

"You'd have to repair and replace all of Octavian's stuffed animals and teddy's. Follow him on duty as he picks new ones to sacrifice." Replies Jason, Percy blinks before looking horrified.

"That's not a real punishment...that can't be real."

"Oh it's real, and it's for a whole month." Says Jason.

Percy shakes his head, "And here I thought cleaning Camp Half-bloods kitchens was bad."

Annabeth wrinkles her nose in remembrance. Jason chuckles "that one I gotta hear. Percy grins, "maybe later? Get everyone together and trade stories?"

Even though he looks carefree, Jason can see his nerves and nods encouragingly. "Yeah, maybe we can get steal some marshmallows. Have a mini campfire." Says Annabeth.

Jason sighs fondly at the campfires at Camp Half-blood "that would be great."

Percy grins, whether it's because Annabeth agreed with him or because he really wanted to steal marshmallows, Jason wasn't sure.

Probably a bit off both.

Their missions would end in success, and a bunch of apologises, reassurances and a big bag of marshmallows ended their day.

It wasn't as simple as said, sometimes arguments broke out. But as time went on they all became closer, and Annabeth and Percy found themselves more at ease.

And not just with Jason.

Friendships bloomed and bonds were made.

It was this memory and more Annabeth and Percy would hang onto in Tartarus.

Reminding themselves that their friends would be on the otherside waiting for them.

Being back on the Argo II, being patched up by gentle hands and calming familiar voices.

Was the first bit of peace they had gotten in a long time.

"Their anything you need?" Asks Jason.

"Stay, please. Don't go, please don't go..." Says Annabeth, her hand is wrapped in Percy's and the other outstretched towards him.

Jason feels his heart break for the hundred time that day. He takes her hand gently but firmly.

"Hey, it's okay. I'm right here, I'm not going anywhere. Team remember, I've got you, both of you."

Frank's holding Percy's hand, Hazel's beside them while Jason and Piper are by Annabeth.

Close-by somehow without overcrowding them.

Jason had them.

They all did.

Annabeth smiles, it's small but it's their and from the way Percy relaxes a bit seeing it, it's enough for now.

"Can you tell us about what you guys have been up too?" Asks Percy.

They decend into their tales, taking turns and interjecting details. Elaborating on the fights and it gets so ridiculous.

That they almost miss that Percy and Annabeth fall asleep during it.

They all stay, quietly whispering and getting their pillows and blankets to Camp put when it gets late.

Sowhen Annabeth and Percy wake up even if they're afraid they'll know their safe.

Because they aren't alone, not anymore.

[anxiouslyeccentric]

@three-dee-ess i figure im a lil late to the party but it'd be worng to not contribute my humble pile

From left to right top to bottom:

The blue 3DS XL belonged to my older brother, who let me use it to play my copy of Pokémon Y until our parents eventually bought me my own 2DS, the one all the way to the far right with its circle pad lovingly rubbed off XD. The XL 3DS for a few years was unplayable since my big brother had dropped it off of a desk while it was plugged in, damaging the charge port until i eventually found a place that could fix it, a place id eventually end up working at myself XD.

The orange new 2ds right below it was also my big brother's, this the replacement he'd bought and used after his first 3ds had its charge port damaged. From a few years stuffed in and out of tight pants pockers, the shell of the console became bent, and it had difficulty reading games until i ended up fixing the issue myself a few months after he decided to part with it.

The Special edition Pikachu 3DS was a Mercari find years ago when i was at my first job making bookoo money with no bills to pay, and decided 200 was a great price for Pikachu and him cheeks. Love this system, even though if you put it in sleep mode and carry it around for more than a few hours, it has an error and makes you turn off the system, so not a Walking-around-as-a-tourist 3DS unfortunately, but other than that and a minor chip in the shell, works perfect!

The blue base model is actually a modded japanese base model with a capture card installed! Ive yet to have time to properly use it in any kind of streaming capacity, but it's still with the box and has everything from the modder! I paid a pretty penny for it a few years back, but im not sure it would pull the same value today. Who knows!

The orange and white new 2ds with the target exclusive pikachu hard shell was a christmas gift from back in highschool. I spent many an off hour in my debate class's script room hunting shinys and playing pokemon Amie in my copy of Alpha sapphire for hours on end. Great times! It's lovingly adorned with stickers, and remains my most decorated 3ds.

And lastly, but certainly not least, my new 3ds with a healthy collection of kisekai plates. This was actually a 20th Anniversary pokemon red and blue edition that had its original box, inserts AND plates included with it! Paid about the same for the 3ds with the capture card, but this one had absolutely increased in price since my purchasing. The other plates id come across separately, all during my time with my first job. Generally i prefer having the 151 pokemon colored spites plates that are on it now, or the Blue Gingam Check plates, and i even purchased the matching theme for the system before the E-shop closed, so they match! This system is my current "main one" and has every pokemon virtual console software downloaded onto it pre eshop closure, and i just recently finally modded it for pretendo and Netpass, both of which work wonderfully!

Im really hoping pretendo can get the Pokémon chat Player Search System up and running eventually for Pokémon X, Y, omega ruby and alpha sapphire, since a bulk of my time with the 3ds was spent battling and wonder trading to my heart's content. I can only hope.

Currently im playing a lot of Tomodachii life, a game i picked up from my job last christmas as a gift to myself, and fantasy life! Both heavy hitters I'd recommend to anyone with a 3DS! But yea, buy a 3ds for a reasonable price, and mod that sucker! Use Net pass and play all the games you want! All emulation is ethical ethical emulation.

[skaruresonic]

Trying to label Eggman as anything other than evil requires insane amounts of mental gymnastics. I don't understand why people keep making this so complicated.

Guys, the terrorist who committed 329 war crimes isn't really evil because he called Sage a good girl one time. He's human just like you and me! Hooray!

Ikr? What does a motherfucker have to do to get some recognition around here? "He's not really evil," yeah, try pulling the "he just doesn't know any better" defense in court when the guy pointed a gun at a girl's head. And that's an incredibly minor infraction compared to the rest of his rap sheet.

I'm sure Sonic would love to hear the arguments about how Eggman is simply misguided and will take them into consideration the next time he leaves the guy behind in Explosion #3,487.

This discourse is having the opposite effect on me than what was probably intended. Because instead of thinking "hmm, maybe Eggman really is a multidimensional character now," I'm thinking "Well, what do you guys consider 'real evil,' then, if nothing he does counts?"

You can't even argue "he's not as bad as the others because he only wants to conquer the world, not destroy it," because A.) not every non-Eggman villain aims to destroy the world, and B.)

Folks are so busy trashing Forces that they overlook the glaring point it made that if Eggman managed to conquer the world, it'd really fucking suck. Debris and carnage everywhere. That's why Tails pushes his "everybody needs to work together to rebuild the planet" message at the end of the game.

Eggman's schemes will inevitably result in the world getting destroyed; just because it may not happen all at once doesn't mean it won't happen. The world ending with a smog-choked whimper instead of the dramatic bang the other villains promise still entails the end of the world. So according to this weird double-standard people created to preclude him from the heavy hitters, he would count as one of the "worse threats" anyway.

In fact, I'd deign to echo TailsTube's statements and argue he's the most dangerous one in this Chili's precisely because he never remains defeated for long. Sonic only needs to beat Dark Gaia, Solaris, the Time Eater, and the Zeti once and they're down for the count, but Eggman keeps getting back up.

[aliensupersyn]

Shibuya to Shinjuku: Gege's Use of Disparity

My analysis will be centered around Gege's use of disparity between his characters to drive a high-stakes narrative.

TLDR: Both Shibuya and Shinjuku involve hopeless battles that the cast majorly struggle through. Victory will only come after an uphill battle that favors the remaining villain. I implore you to read the first section, as that's the heft of the comparisons between the Shibuya Incident and Shinjuku Showdown. The other sections offer context for the "Sukuna Cycle" and the despair it causes for both the heroes and the readers.

In Shibuya, characters were heavily underpowered and majorly unable to fight the disaster curses. Stakes were at an all time high, especially after Gojo's imprisonment, and still, the heroes mostly failed to defeat their respective enemies. Mei Mei failed to defeat Kenjaku off screen; Nobara struggled against Haruta; Yuji lost to Choso; and Dagon bodied Maki, Nanami, and Naobito.

For the most part, the jjh forces lost the majority of their match ups. Yuji's final showdown alongside Todo was an uphill battle that mostly favored Mahito. Similarly, Sukuna has dominated in Shinjuku and has gotten more advantages than the cast. As put by Technical_Oil_8868:

Mahito hit a black flash, pulled a 0.2 domain expansion and a transformation while Yuji got nothing and moreover I think the black flash on maki is more or useless because Gojo needed 4 bfs to gain RCT output to recover his arm

Sukuna received Mahoraga and Agito via Ten Shadows; he transformed into a body that gives him inherent advantages via an extra mouth and limbs; Sukuna developed a new overpowered cursed technique that's defeated three cast members; Uraume returned one of his ancient cursed objects; he survived Yuta's maximum output Jacob's Latter; and Sukuna hit a black flash. Sukuna Kaisen has set a disparity that resembles Mahito's seemingly endless power as he continued evolving until his final moments.

Before the last enemy's defeat in Shibuya, multiple casualties occurred: Naobito whooped Dagon before the disaster curse evolved, then Maki nearly died, and Mahito later finished Nanami; Nobara gained an advantage against Mahito, then died immediately after; Todo came to help Yuji, and then lost boogie woogie.

Gege has made overt parallels to Shibuya already. It began with Gojo's defeat after an isolated battle against multiple opponents, then characters began to fall one by one. Higuruma's death was a direct reference to Nanami's.

When all hope was lost, Gege brought back two of the verse's heaviest hitters to save the cast. The strongest without cursed energy, and the strongest sorcerer (did this suddenly become a Gojo return post? Place your bets I guess?)

Toji saving Maki's group has parallels to Shinjuku already:

I've spoken extensively about my theory that Maki will return to face Sukuna yet again. She's the last of the heavy hitters and suffered the least damage between her and Yuta. She obviously parallels Toji within the story, and this link between them further supports my connection between Shibuya and Shinjuku.

When Gege needed a character to take out Jogo, who would have surely swept the cast at the time, Sukuna was brought back.

Yuji foils Sukuna the most within the story. In essence, they're twin spirits, having lived in the same body and sharing an appearance; Sukuna's Heian era form still has Yuji's pink hair for example. Sukuna himself admits that Yuji's the only person who he knows can match his own unbreakable will. Their parallels support my argument that Yuji satisfies Sukuna's role within Shibuya; he will act as the second force that saves the remaining cast from the enemy who can and will kill everyone left.

I argue that Maki and Yuji will return to face Sukuna in the end, just as all hope seems to be lost. Kusakabe and Miguel will likely act as plot devices to buy time for Maki and Yuji to make a grand entrance of sorts. Likely, the soul striking duo will struggle through the battle, as they'll no doubt face Sukuna's full cursed technique, and it will be an extremely stressful fight for them and the readers.

The Chips in Sukuna's Armor

Although he still has yet to use his full CT, Sukuna has taken serious damage that has left him with an obvious weak spot now. He may have played around with Kusakabe and allowed himself to get hit for fun, but stopped Kusakabe immediately once his heart was targeted. Now, even Sukuna has limits to how much damage he can suffer.

Sukuna suddenly stopped healing against Maki, and notice how his major wounds remain despite the black flash boosting his output.

Yuta took out his arm, extra mouth, and left a scar along his face that can be seen in the panels above. Maki's attack still has not healed, and will likely stay for the remainder of the battle due to how long soul wounds take to heal; this wound also slows down Sukuna's ability to heal his brain, which inhibits his domain expansion as well.

Sukuna still has a missing arm and has a weak heart. He played with Kusakabe, but as soon as he aimed for his heart, he stopped him. All variations of cleave and dismantle have been overcome twice now. Sukuna's armor is chipping and Gege's introducing characters who can force Sukuna into straining situations by avoiding his usual CT via Maki, Kusakabe, and now Miguel (check notes). I have already argued how Sukuna uses cleave and dismantle to test his opponents' strength. He did the same to Kusakabe in 254 by saving World Dismantle as the overwhelming ace (just as he did with Higuruma who neutralized cleave and dismantle as well). Sukuna's black flash kept him from having to revert to fuga since slash attacks were not working. Maki and Kusakabe both exposed Sukuna's current weaknesses.

Same as the readers', Sukuna's patience is wearing thin. He allowed Ui Ui to save the cast for a while, but suddenly set a trap for him by leaving Kusakabe out in the open while he hid. The conflict's stakes continue to rise, slowly but surely. As Sukuna defeats more of the main cast, the less combative forces become more endangered of being wiped out. Even Sukuna's tired of this same song and dance.

Kusakabe has exposed the fact that Maki's attack created an incredibly vulnerable wound that can be exploited. I argue that Maki and Yuji will use this gathered information in their final battle. Maki can dodge all forms of cleave and dismantle, which will force Sukuna to use his full cursed technique.

The Kind One

Here, I will focus mainly on Kusakabe's role within the narrative, and how he satisfies a similar role as Gojo and Nanami in Shibuya.

Kusakabe and Nanami came to similar conclusions in their final moments. They both share narrative similarities in reference to their power, and Nanami even appeared in 254. Kusakabe can't do a whole lot, but he's willing to stop running and put his life on the line like the younger generation has.

Thematically, Kusakabe specifically represents the meeting point between the young and older generation. The flashbacks reflect how he's been the main one coaching the kids through the fight until now, cause his superiors are dead (or just chilling in Mei's Mei's case). Kusakabe has been left in charge of everyone else's students, and he's taken that role especially seriously in his last moments. His monologue suggests he felt guilty for failing to save not only his friends, but their students as well. Therefore, he's deemed the Kind One. In his last moments, he's not thinking of himself, but everyone he's lost or possibly let down.

Similar to how Nanami thought of Haibara in his final moments, Kusakabe refused to let down Yaga. Both thought about what Haibara and Yaga would think of them, and this informed Nanami and Kusakabe's motivations as they died.

Kusakabe's fate also resembles Yuji after he switched with Sukuna in Shibuya, but he's not giving up like Yuji did. Kusakabe instead gives himself the Todo speech. He already knows that as the seemingly remaining fighter, he must put everything on the line. He didn't need a Todo to come and tell him, because he himself has been the coach.

The motif that Nanami, Gojo, Higuruma, and Kusakabe occupy exists in other shonen titles as well. In Naruto, the five Kage and Might Guy had a similar motivation for putting their lives on the line against Madara; the youth are the first in line on the battlefield, and as adults, they must step up and protect them if they can.

The Shibuya Incident featured largely disproportionate power gaps between the heroes and the villains, similar to Shinjuku Showdown. Gege prefers a narrative where the heroes face a seemingly endless uphill battle against opponents who gain more powerups than them. Sukuna's advantages will ramp while Maki and Yuji face him in the final showdown. Yet, in the end, their teamwork will prevail, just as Yuji and Todo's did against Mahito.

Notes:

Both Toji and Sukuna were returned more or less after being absent. Maki and Yuji will also return after a more brief absence.

I acknowledge that Sukuna didn't mean to "save" the rest of the cast, except Megumi, but in the end, that's what happened.

The last two pages of 254 suggest that Miguel's faster than a point blank cleave/dismantle, which is wild. The scars on the ground suggest that Sukuna definitely cast his attack, but Miguel avoided it without a scratch.

I absolutely love when the older generation in shonen titles admit that the youth are often unfairly sacrificed in war. It never fails to move me when the adults say it's time to put their lives on the line for the youth in an effort to finally give back. Ohnoki's speech and Guy's final words before the eight gates activation have to be two of my favorite moments in Naruto. It's a great motif.

[lullabyes22-blog]

Snippet - Ask the Experts - Forward but Never Forget/XOXO

Vi learns a thing or three...

Forward, but Never Forget/XOXO

Snippet:

"I need her back, Nao," she whispered. "My sister's all I have. She’s kept me going for seven fucking years. And if I can't save her, then—then I've got nothing left."

Nao cradled her close, and whispered, "Maybe she doesn't need saving."

"Huh?" Vi blinked wetly. "What do you mean?"

"Maybe she's where she wants to be." Nao's fingers tipped Vi's chin. "Maybe she's throwing up walls because they're what's keeping her safe."

"Safe from what?"

"The past," Nao ventured. "Or you. It doesn't matter. Maybe she's in the middle of her own maze, and she's scared. Until she finds a way out, she'll keep those walls up. Maybe she's afraid to lose sight of where she's headed, and how far she's come. Maybe, to her, looking back means losing sight of the future."

"Who's future? Hers—or Silco's?" Vi's teeth sunk into her lip, but the words slipped out. "Look, I...I gotta ask. Do you know anything? About them?"

Nao's expression, beneath the softness, seemed to calcify. "Them?"

"Jinx," Vi said, hating herself for it. "Silco."

Nao was silent a moment. Then she said, softly, "He's devoted to her."

"That's not what I'm asking." Vi fought down a hot surge of bile. "There's rumors. So many fucking rumors. That he and Jinx, they're—together. In the worst way. Jinx denies it, and Silco, too. But—the way they act, sometimes, it's like they're the only two people in the world. They're always together. Like a package deal. She's always clinging to him. Always looking to him, like he's the one holding her up. It's—it's like they've got this..." She groped for the word. "Intimacy." 

Nao stayed quiet. When Vi met her eyes, they were shadowed. Nao knew something, but the knowledge ran deep.

"The Eye," she murmured, "has someone in his life."

Vi's pulse spiked. "Are you saying—?"

"It's not Jinx. She's his family. And like family, they keep each other close. Close like a knife under a pillow." Her eyes slid away, and her voice dipped. “But there's someone else. Someone he relies on. He doesn't show her off, but when she's by his side, he's different. He's... not softer, but steadier."

"Who," Vi pressed. "Who’d be crazy enough to be with him?"

"I can't tell you. But I'll say it's serious."

"How serious?"

The smile was back, but the shadows remained. "As serious as it gets without a ring."

"Then you've seen it." Vi's gut churned. "Seen them. Together."

"I see plenty. I hear more." 

Nao slid a leg over Vi's waist. Straddling her, she arched over Vi’s recumbent body. Dark locks fell in a perfumed curtain. Vi could smell the musk of sex beneath the sweetness of mint. Her body was a warmly debauched garden. And it should've aroused Vi, except Nao's face was a polished oval. All her tells carefully hidden.

Vi wondered if this was her visage, her persona, for Silco. Or if there was a different self beneath the façade.

One reserved only for his enemies.

"I'm good at what I do, Vi," she said. "And the Eye knows it. He values my services. And my discretion."

"I'm not asking for dirt."

"You aren't. But he would." Nao's fingertips traced her jaw. "We all have a part to play. And I have to play mine right. I won't be in this life forever. Three years from now, I won't be his favorite. But I'll have what I need to walk away. And when I do, I want it to be on my terms. No loose ends."

Vi swallowed. "Loose ends?"

"Something that can be used to yank me back." A phantom of pain flitted across her face. "Or force me under someone's boot."

"And that's why you chose Zaun," Vi surmised grimly. "Why you chose Silco."

Nao's brow arched. "Is that jealousy I hear? Or judgement?"

Vi's cheeks heated. Her palms, skating down the hourglass dip of Nao's waist, starfished her full hips. "I just don't get it, is all. You could've had any heavy hitter in the world. Instead, you've got a guy who's—" The words stuck like paste. "He's fucking awful, Nao. A monster. You can't tell me you enjoy being with him. Even if you're just playing a part."

Nao's head tipped, as though pondering the clumsy words. Then she shook it. "It's not about enjoyment."

"Then what is it about?"

"Power," Nao said simply. "The Eye controls the underworld. I control his pleasure. With one hand, I give. With the other, I take. It's a balance. And in between, for a little while, we're both satisfied." She shrugged. " I've had clients far worse. Men who can't be bothered to shower, let alone groom. Others who think their cocks are magic, or a woman's body is the mouth of hell. The most tedious are the ones who need to be coaxed out of their shell, and coaxed to sleep after." She gave a wry laugh. "They don't need a fuck. They need their mother."

Vi's heart gave a sick patter. "And him? What's he need?"

"His needs are—complex. There's a labyrinth where his mind should be. You never know what turn he'll take or what door he'll slam shut. You're always left second-guessing. Always waiting for the blow-up." A strange smile slinked across her lips.  "In the bedroom, that's not without its merits. Sometimes, he reminds me of you."

Vi bridled. "Ugh, that's sick."

"That's the truth." She leaned in, the tips of her breasts ghosting Vi's. Between them, her pendant was an icy lick. The Eye's insignia flashed, and her own eyes glinted. "He's harder to read than you are. Harder to satisfy. But in a good mood, he can be generous. Patient. And very... inventive."

Revulsion crept through Vi. The idea of Silco and Nao, in bed, doing the same thing she and Vi had shared, was beyond the pale. She didn't even dare contemplate what perversions he might be capable of.

And yet...

"What's he like when he's not?" she said, then instantly regretted it. "I mean—he doesn't... force you, does he?"

Nao laughed, but it held no mirth. "It's not about force, Vi. It’s about loyalty. That's the currency he deals in."

"Blood and bullets."

"No. Those are tools. What he's willing to trade. What he wants?" A beat. "That’s simpler."

"What do you mean?"

Nao swooped in, and nuzzled her ear. "Everything."

[halbarryweekfeed]

Free Day: Encore

Halbarry Week may be over, but we absolutely still want to see anything you started for the Week and finish after! The Ao3 collection will remain open, and tag us on Tumblr posts so we can see and reblog your creations!

Art:

@sukiekagamine-art: Free Day on Tumblr and Instagram

Fic:

Reveal Yourself by @taxi-cab-to-art-town (T)

“ You’ve mettled with forces that you have no understanding of ,” the thing spoke in Barry’s voice but with incredible power that sent a spark down Hal’s back.

All this time, Barry was considered just a little guy on the Justice League. A smile, a wave, a joke. He was good in a fight and smart with chemistry and science, but that was it. He was a founder, but only by relevance of time, he was nothing like the rest of them, not the kind of heavy hitter who could do what the rest could.

And yet, here Hal knelt, half-dead from the anti-life around them, with Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman wasted at his feet, and Barry was sparking with power, larger than life, holding Darkseid immobile in one hand. How long had he been able to do that? What even was Barry? Was he even human ?

Wrong morning by @wandeel (G)

"But this is Barry Allen we're talking about here, so he's never early, quite often late in fact. Like now, when he opens his eyes with difficulty and his alarm clock reads 8.13 and he's supposed to be at the police station at 8."

Relive Halbarry Week 2024!

Day 1 Parts 1 and 2

Day 2 Part 1 and 2

Day 3 Part 1 and 2

Day 4 Part 1 and 2

Day 5 Part 1 and 2

Day 6 Part 1 and 2

Day 7 Part 1 and 2

[ofmermaidstories]

Will it ever end tho, or will Hori just keep pulling more story out of his butt to prolong the ending

It will!!! When is up in the air, lmao. Depending on his health and the breaks he takes, I could see My Hero ending this year tbh. But also—Horikoshi has seemed ready to finish the series for a while, now. 🥺 If anything I think the thing we gotta worry about, as a fandom, is him rushing things. 💀 Which is why I’m so leery when people trot out the “emotional resolution” thing as a reason for the series going on longer—I do consider it one of his weaknesses with his storytelling, outside of the fights, so I think he could very easily sacrifice that kind of satisfaction to get to the “and they were ALL heroes, the end :)” ending.

I sound like I’m hating on him, I’m not. 😭 I love what he’s done and ultimately how he’s telling his story—and I will be a wreck when the manga comes to a close LMAO. When we get that “we’re the greatest heroes :)” ending. 🥹 But he’s also the artist of like, one of the few remaining long-haul series left in Jump. 🥺 Like, god, what else is there? Kishimoto, maybe, with Boruto? Is that a thing? I’m not a Naruto reader so I’ve never paid attention. 😩🙏🏽 Oda with One Piece? Maybe technically Togashi’s Hunter x Hunter? And then Horikoshi, with My Hero Academia. 🥺 Plus there’s a generational difference—all those other artists are what, Gen Xers and older? Whereas Hori is a Milennial, and one of the last so far to have as many chapters. The only other one I can think of hitting the same stride was like, Furudate with Haikyu!! That long-form storytelling takes its toll!! Mangaka break their BACKS with their series, the weekly demand with shonen is insane, and we lose so many artists to health problems they shouldn’t be having!!!!! 🥺 in a dream world Hori would take like, idk, a six month break and then come back and wrap up My Hero however he wanted to, however long that takes, but I think the relentless demands of being such a heavy hitter for Jump will mean he will be keen to finish it as soon as possible. Whether he will is up for debate, but if the series wrapped up by the end of the year or sooner, I would not be surprised nor resent it. 🥺