#personal stuff I felt like spouting I guess

[ruby2stardust]

This post. One year ago, I watched Bocchi the Rock. And I still stand by every single word, now even more strongly than I did then. I have watched and rewatched this show so many times in one year. Maybe 13 times? Probably more. Read the whole manga three times. Read a frankly unhealthy amount of fanfiction. I have sung its praises to my family and friends, I have written multiple essays even if I haven't shared a single one. I have a Google drive folder where I personally made my own take on the translated lyrics of each song. Somehow, some way, I still have more to say. I'll get quite personal and a little dark. I have to explain how much this series has meant to me. To do that, I have to give a good picture of where I was.

365 days ago, I was tired. College classes will do that. Especially when you have Autism and ADHD and anxiety and probably a few other things too. I was awful in school. I have been since 1st grade, and I don't know why I pressured myself into taking college classes. So yeah I was failing every class because I didn't know I had ADHD and I would stare at math problems for hours on end doing absolutely nothing trying to psyche myself up before curling into a ball to cry.

But that was just school. I had done school before. For years. The worst of it was something else. I was lonely. My family was distant. Always distant. Worse, the friends I made in high school turned out to be real jerks at times. Between blatant and open homophobia/transphobia to peer pressuring others into saying racial slurs as if it were an initiation ritual. I was always uncomfortable with it, but I had finally worked up the courage to get out of that group. At first, it was freeing. But every passing day, I didn't have people to talk to. I felt worse. I missed them. I had a hard time making friends, but those people had wanted me. I hated that I missed them.

Now, if you've watched the show, you understand what that loneliness looks like. At least a little bit. The first scene of the first episode in all its melancholy. I felt like that, but all the time and way worse. Social anxiety is a trap. The snake eating its own tail. I am alone, I do not want to be alone, but what if I ruin it? What if I mess it up? What if I do something dumb? I'll just wait for others to come to me. And so, I am still alone. It is a hard cycle to break, and even when people do try to talk to you, it's easy to miss the chance to make something of it.

I never blamed myself. My old "friends" were keeping me in an uncomfortable place, so I left. But I hated myself for missing them. I would sit by the train track each day, waiting to go to class. I would wonder, should I just walk down it? It would only lead to one place. In retrospect, I knew I didn't want that. But I felt trapped by my own emotions.

December 19th, 2022. Enter silly anime about teenage girls playing guitar. I watched eleven episodes in one day. And I was bawling my eyes out by the end. There are so many jokes about how relatable the show is. Yes. That's what drew so many in. From the first few seconds, I could relate to Hitori. But that wasn't what made it special. It was how she was portrayed, walking the empty hallways, the hunched posture, the panic attacks, and the self depreciating thoughts. All of it seeming sort of ridiculous, but it was very real to her. She was lonely. She couldn't speak up. And she always seemed to miss her chance. So she just retreated to what she knew.

I remember laughing. I remember smiling honestly for the first time in months. I remember connecting with these simple characters. I remember feeling understood by this show. I remember waiting for the final episode. And the emptiness I felt as soon as the credits rolled. But that feeling. The song filling my ears. That music, it made me want to try.

Music is powerful. The music in this series is intensely emotional. At least it is for me. I've listened to each song in repeat. Seeing those lyrics, the heavy pounding on drums, the wild strumming of guitar through the 14-song album that whirled through all sorts of emotions. I felt heard by this show. I knew that someone out there, heck tons of people all watching at the same time as me, all knew, and we all understood. The music couldn't have done it on its own. But the show wouldn't be what it is without the music.

It was a simple story. A girl played guitar alone. But by taking a risk and sticking to it, she changed. She didn't magically become an extrovert or cure her anxiety, but she began to learn to love herself. She began to learn new things. She began to gain more confidence in who she was, if only a little.

And I could too.

I need to gush about this series it's so good I have never gone from not knowing what something is to being hyperfixated so incredibly fast.

So Bocchi the Rock right? Yesterday I had no clue this series even existed. By the end of yesterday I had seen a few clips and heard a few people talking before watching one episode of it. Today I binged the other ten episodes and I am OBSESSED. This show had me rolling on the ground with laughter while simultaneously getting me invested in a story that normally I wouldn't find myself enjoying that much. So I'll just start from the beginning I guess this is a slice of life comedy show about social anxiety. I don't think I have to say much on that we all get it but the way it's portrayed here is just beyond words good. The presentation of this show is out of this world. It follows Hitori Gotoh a socially inept girl with a passion for playing guitar. She wants to start a band and get popular but just can't get herself out there. One day she brings her guitar into school hoping to get some attention to little success. However she is noticed by Nijika Ijichi who is just starting the Kessoku band and had her guitarist flake out on her five hours before a concert. Desoerate she drags Hitori along with her to join her band. It's a huge step for Hitori that she is not at all ready for and various shenanigans ensue from there. I could go on but this show is fantastic and I want people to watch it. I personally love how the show ties its drama and comedy together seamlessly. Whenever Hitori is stressed out about something the show goes wild changing up the animation style completely to represent her sudden panic attack which both puts you in her frame of mind and gets you to laugh.

My personal favorite is this one where the animation just rapidly devolves into simple 3d models for all of 4ish seconds while Hitori is hurled through a wall to represent her fear of an upcoming performance. It's something that I think a lot of people can relate to having to present to a ton of people is nerve wracking while also just being incredibly fun to watch and there's a different style change every single time this happens I never know what to expect next and it always catches me off guard and makes me laugh! The show also has an actual plot going for it it isn't all just jokes with no substance these characters develop throughout and they do it quickly enough for a character's growth in the season to be clear. It doesn't take Hitori 20 episodes to overcome every issue she faces. She's just honest and works on herself bit by bit with things coming full circle from the start to the end. It's the small details that really bring everything together here. Little things that keep popping up as the show goes on that develop Hitori and her relationship with her bandmates.

Also the opening song is super good I've been listening to it on repeat for literally like 6 hours.

[deadghosy]

can i have a headcanon for lucifer morningstar with elder sister! reader? I am just in desperate need for family stuff. Like elder sister! reader is nto weak and as powerful as lucifer (maybe a tiny bit stronger since th eboth of them are archangel).

Like elder sister!reader decided to follow her younger brother lucifer to hell by becoming a fallen angel too because she is very worried for him. (even knowing the punishment are brutal and harsh but she does not care) I would love if you make the dynamic between the two where reader is the more sterner, fiercer and scary one (like maybe she used to be a commander of an angel army before) and then lucifer is just a little guy who loves ducks (he can beat ass too lol) thanks for reading and i will appreciate a lot if you start writing my ideas! take care!

ELDER SISTER! READER X PLATONIC HAZBIN HOTEL

Prompt: You are the elder sister of Lucifer Morningstar who couldn’t help but fall down for your young brother.

Warning:: Episode 8 mentions

Your brother, Lucifer Morningstar fell because of his “differences” being called a “trouble maker.” And simply having different ideas. You were different from your former younger brother as you were stern and serious at all times. But when Lucifer went to court and got sent to his own creation. Your eyes widen with fear and shocked.

You didn’t want to question things at the moment. But as hours, days, weeks, months, and then a few years pass. You couldn’t help but had enough as you started to question Sera and her rules. You didn’t believe in this type of punishment your younger brother had. But you guessed it was enough to the point you fell too.

YEARS LATER

You live with Lucifer as he was happy to see you were alive and well. Immediately when you came by his palace with your wings spout out that looked like his. He was ecstatic. He jumped into your arms with silly smile. He always loved being in your arms as he was scared how you would think of him when he fell. But you?! He was confused.

He asked you as you told him what happened and Lucifer felt his heart melt seeing his older sister care for him that much. And he started to cry while you sigh with a smile not surprised at this. You gave him a napkin which he gladly took letting you in his home which is now your home.

After he calmed down he told you how he has a daughter but an ex wife. You raised a brow as he explains his relationship with Lilith. You guess it must brought him to depression as his eye were having bags. So you cheered him up with a few fireworks which made his eyes light up as if he was a child again.

You became the 2nd ruler of hell as you were the commander back in heaven. But not any more.

Lucifer tried to tell you how he tried to give “his” people freedom and they ruined it, but you didn’t care as you put a hand out signaling him to stop. Lucifer listened looking down.

“I do not care. They shall not use freedom this way. But don’t worry young brother.” You patted his shoulder. “I won’t be harsh.”

And indeed you weren’t harsh but you were strict around some of pentagram city. Sinners understand the assignment immediately and there were less crimes around.

HEADCANNONS:

You know that meme where a person and standing there calmly and the other person is going crazy and bouncing around?

Yeah that’s you and Lucifer…cause he was being hyper fixated about his ducks to you as you just stood there and smile softly.

That soft mother like smile of yours made Lucifer feel like home as he explains more to you.

Hell, when he would miss you he would make a small opera where you had joined him in hell and how you would fix him dinner or breakfast when he came home. Just like a normal human family.

If you were getting messed with, Lucifer is full on demon mode as you held him back by his white coat with a sigh. He knows you can protect yourself but damn. He sure can throw a mean punch at assholes.

You guys do hobbies together, like he would make ducks and you would do [hobby]. It was always a calm day

I headcannon Lucifer to follow behind you like a lost duckling while you walk around the palace doing your job. You’re taller than him obviously cause you are powerful. It’s an adorable sight though.

When Charlie heard that she had an aunt, and you were in hell too! She was amazed with stars in her eyes as she wanted to meet you immediately.

And so you did. You showed up at the hotel with an angelic smile as Alastor narrowed his eyes at you but still kept a smile. You hug Charlie as she hugged you back while jumping. Charlie starts to rant about her dreams and it made you realized how much she is Lucifer’s daughter as you smile down at her.

But then she tells you how the angels are going to attack the hotel and that made you sigh as you held a dark gaze.

You have just met your niece and no one shall harm her and her dreams.

It was basically giving, “I have just met Charlie and I would kill someone for her!”😭

So when the battle started unnoticed by you. Lucifer notified you about what’s happening as your eyes widen quickly with a flash. A red mist makes Lucifer coughs covering his nose. He had forgotten how quick you were at times.

As you fly down with heavy wings, Adam and lute over a force field. You let out a breath happy to see that the hotel was fine. Until Adam broke it as your eyes widen. You swoop in killing the Exorcists left and right.

As you kill Lucifer pops up seeing Adam tormenting his daughter, bringing out his protectiveness. He saved Charlie only for Adam to get up and berate them. You fly down gracefully holding a cold look.

“Woah, didn’t know sweet tits had fallen like her loser bro-”

Before he could say anything, a heavenly glowing light beams through him as Adam gasps on the floor holding his chest. Everything went silent as people were shocked at the one shot.

“That’s my sister, AND your aunt!” Lucifer says elbowing Charlie gently with a smug smile as Charlie is jaw dropped at how you can one shot someone.

Hopefully you liked it <33

[jjkamochoso]

Hey Jealousy

Angst, Fluff

Gen Narumi x gn!reader

Request from Wattpad: Gen gets jealous when Soshiro flirts with his crush!; takes place during Chapter 57 :)

Warnings: none

“What’s the big deal? It’s just Third Division.”

You didn’t realize how much of an impact your words had made on your comrades in the First Division until you noticed it had gone completely quiet around you as everyone stared at you in shock.

“Huh? Just Third Division? Don’t ya know they’re our biggest enemies?” Gen Narumi asked you in disbelief.

“Shouldn’t our biggest enemies be the kaiju? If we’re all working to eliminate them, should we really have a rivalry?” you wondered. Your soldiers couldn’t speak a word; they weren’t expecting to hear their beloved platoon leader spout such nonsense!

“It’s because you haven’t met them yet,” Gen told you, slapping a hand to your back. “Once you have the displeasure of talking to the Third Division, you’ll understand why we hate them.”

Well, here you were, standing before some members of the Third Division, and you still couldn’t grasp the hatred between the two Tokyo factions. Gen had invited you along to “greet” (confront) them as they entered your base and as you eyed them from your spot next to Gen, you waited to see what the fuss was all about.

“Hoshina!” Gen yelled, stepping up to the Third Division’s vice captain. “Who the hell gave you permission to step into my territory, ay?”

Soshiro looked completely unfazed. “My oh my, what a grand welcome for Captain Narumi to personally greet us.”

The vice captain turned his attention to you, his eyes looking you up and down before smiling coyly.

“And who might you be?” he asked. “I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting you before. I certainly would’ve remembered a stunning face like yours.”

You felt your whole body warm at his obvious flirtation. Gen immediately tensed up beside you, stepping forward once more and slightly shielding your body from Soshiro’s view.

“Who they are is none of your business,” Gen growled, pointing an accusatory finger at a smirking Soshiro. “I suggest you get out of here or I won’t hesitate to throw you out. Personally.”

“I have received permission from the higher ups in the main branch, so don’t mind us,” Soshiro explained.

“Nope, no go. This base is off limits for folks with bowl cuts or fox eyes and you fit under both of those.”

“Oh? Could it be that you’re still holdin’ a grudge?” Soshiro suggested, a playful tone in his voice. “You’re still angry that I beat you in the subjugation exercise ranking for the small monster category?”

Gen fell to his knees in dismay at the reminder of his failure. As you went to comfort him, Soshiro took note of your ranking plastered on your jacket and the worry that was present in your expression as you helped Gen back to his feet. You were treating the captain with more tenderness than expected from a platoon leader to their superior, and vice versa with Gen protecting you with a fervor Soshiro had never witnessed from the childish First Division member, all of which strongly suggested you two harbored some sort of romantic feelings for one another. The violet haired man giggled to himself, knowing his latest way of getting under Gen’s skin was sure to work.

“So, my lovely platoon leader,” Soshiro said, capturing your attention, “what else do you do in your free time besides being this good looking?”

Not used to being so brazenly hit on, you cleared your throat as you struggled to maintain your composure and release the words that were stuck on your tongue.

“Uh, you know, a little bit of this and that. Watch movies, walk around town. That sort of thing.”

“I see. Real date night stuff, yeah?”

“I guess so,” you squeaked, your voice barely heard over the quarreling between the division members next to you.

“Do you have any plans later? Maybe you could give me the grand tour of the base?” Soshiro asked you, flashing his signature fanged grin as he leaned in closer to you. Your heart began racing, unsure of what to say. Vice Captain Hoshina was smiling at you like the Cheshire Cat while Gen was glaring daggers at him.

“I-well, I… don’t know what I’m doing later but-”

“Keep at it, you guys!” Gen interrupted you loudly as he encouraged your comrades to continue their bickering with the other division. “The only record Hoshina broke was the small monsters! Aside from that, I hold the rest of the titles!”

“Gen, wait! I don’t think that’s true!” you warned, but it was too late. Soshiro had already heard him clearly and was gearing up to release the final blow to Gen’s ego.

“Doesn’t Captain Ashiro hold the title for the sniper category?”

Down Gen went, hitting the ground with a thump and splaying out in his defeat. You were about to help him up again when someone gently tapped their finger on your shoulder.

Soshiro was practically batting his eyelashes at you. “Will I ever get a name to go along with such a lovely person?”

“L/n. Y/n L/n,” you answered, looking away shyly. Gen had finally stood back up, fueled by his distaste for Soshiro that was only increasing the more he heard him speak to you. When he spied Soshiro’s hand gripping yours, about to bring it to his lips, that’s when any shred of respect for the man permanently left his body. Seeing red, he marched over to you and forcibly removed Soshiro’s grip on your fingers and then swatted his hand away, leaving Soshiro unsuccessfully hiding his rambunctious laughter.

“I’ve really struck a nerve there!” Soshiro exclaimed, wiping tears from his eyes as he fought to catch his breath between cackles. “I’ve never seen you this worked up! Is someone jealous?”

Gen bared his teeth in anger. “Shut up! I don’t like you! Get out of here imme-”

You were about to ask Gen what the hell his problem was, but you never got the chance, seeing as Vice Captain Hasegawa had shown up and hit Gen over the head with a fan, telling him to be quiet. Hasegawa led Soshiro away to the meeting, the cheeky vice captain not leaving without shooting you a wink. Gen quickly followed suit and you had to wait until their meeting was over to try to get to the bottom of what was going on.

You raced to Gen’s room later that night, itching to find out what had gotten into him earlier that morning. You knocked on the door but heard no answer, prompting you to knock louder and incessantly.

“I know you’re in there.”

“I’m not here.”

You rolled your eyes. “Let me in, Narumi.”

You heard footsteps near the door and he barely opened it, peeking his head out and scowling at you.

“Oh, it’s just Narumi now? Ouch.”

“Mind explaining to me what you were doing this morning?” you asked, crossing your arms.

“I don’t know what you mean,” he said, faking ignorance.

“The whole thing with Hoshina! He was just being nice.”

Gen’s jaw dropped and his eyes widened. “Being nice. Being nice? That’s what you call that?! That guy is… is… he’s a menace! A loser! You wanted me to stand by and do nothing?”

“Yes!” you scoffed. “God forbid someone flirts with me. Is it so bad that he thought I was cute? Is it wrong that I liked the attention that I’ve been missing for so long?”

“You like him?” Gen asked incredulously, his hair flopping around.

“I never said I liked him! I said I liked the attention.”

“You know what, I’m sure Hoshina’s still on base somewhere,” he grumbled. “You can go find him and live your happy little lives together. Just leave me out of it.”

Gen shut the door in your face, leaving you alone in the hallway with your racing thoughts. What was wrong with him? He had always been someone you could count on in any situation and was the person you trusted the most. You had always been his confidant, being able to talk to you about anything—why was he shutting you out completely right now? Why was recieving a tiny amount of affection from another man bothering him so much?

“Gen, please talk to me,” you pleaded through the door. “I don’t want you to be upset with me when I don’t even know what I did.”

No response.

“We’re having this conversation eventually so it’s best if we get it over with now.”

Silence.

“I thought we were friends,” you started to say, but stopped when the door flew open.

“I don’t want to be friends with you, y/n!” he blurted, his face contorted with distress. “I can’t! I can’t do it anymore!”

You were absolutely taken aback. “What? Why?”

“What happens when another guy comes around and you do like him, huh? What am I supposed to do then?”

Gen was running his fingers through his hair nervously and you still had no clue what he was talking about.

“You’re not making any sense-”

“I like you, okay?” he confessed. “I have for so long now. I hate the thought of you being with someone else other than me. It’s pathetic, I know.”

You were at a complete loss for words, not at all expecting that to be the reason for his odd behavior.

“It’s not pathetic at all,” you said quietly. “That whole time Hoshina was saying those things… I was wishing it was you instead.”

Now it was Gen’s turn to be stunned. “Wait, then why did you get mad at me for pulling you away from him?”

“Because I thought I’d never have a chance with you. I figured maybe I could get over my feelings for you if I found someone else. Convinced myself I liked them.” You inhaled deeply. “But I know there’s no one else for me and there never will be. You’re the only person I could possibly want.”

Gen breathed out a sigh of relief. “I feel the same about you.”

You couldn’t help your giddy smile that arose as you studied the handsome man in front of you.

“Now that we got our first fight out of the way, how about we try the whole kiss-and-make-up thing?” you asked, biting your lower lip in anticipation. Gen took you by the waist and pulled you inside his room, closing the door with his foot.

“We can definitely do that,” he murmured with a grin, leaning into you.

[teriri-sayes]

Reactions to Cale Snow's Chapter 237

TL;DR - Cute Raon and Rasheel interaction. Rasheel happy from being praised by Cale. Cale worried about Clopeh acting like a normal person. Cale meets the chief of the wolf tribe. White snake says Witira smells like mommy.

Cute Dragons Unfortunately, my expectations for DHB naming scene today was shattered. 🥲 But we got a lot of cute and funny moments today! 🥰In fact, half of it came from our tsundere dragon, Rasheel.

Rasheel ate the walnut pie and muttered that he only tasted blood. Hearing that, Raon was shocked and panicked at the thought of Rasheel dying. 😂 Rasheel was confused on how to deal with the panicking young dragon, and insisted that he was not dying.

And when Raon called him a kind dragon despite being rude, Rasheel vehemently denied that. Archie, who was watching them, wondered why Rasheel was more offended by being called kind than rude. 🤣🤣🤣 Rasheel turned to Cale, insisting again that he was not kind. But Cale praised him for doing a good job, making Rasheel feel good.

What followed was another moment of embarrassed Rasheel. He didn't want Cale and Raon to see his current condition, so he tried to make excuses when he stumbled on the ground. Clopeh offered to support him, but Rasheel rejected it, thinking that Clopeh's craziness made him uncomfortable. 😂

Then some more Rasheel and Archie scenes. Rasheel wanted to return quickly because he didn't want to be seen this badly hurt, but Cale instructed Archie to go with Rasheel. Both Rasheel and Archie frowned but obeyed Cale nonetheless. 🤣🤣🤣

There was also Rasheel analyzing his fight and feeling troubled about how powerful their future enemies were.

Rasheel: *feeling troubled as he thought of how strong the future enemies would be* Cale: You're cool. Still, take care of yourself. Rasheel: Hehe. Archie: *feeling very confused* He's cool? Rasheel: Heh. Of course. Who am I? The indomitable dragon himself. I will continue to be cool in the future. Archie: *frowns*

AAAAAAHHHH! Rasheel is so cute! He's so cute the entire chapter! 🥰

Clopeh Acting Like a Normal Person is Abnormal The title says it all. Cale felt it strange when Clopeh was responding to him normally instead of showering him with praises or expressing a desire to be with Cale. But when Clopeh giggled strangely, Cale was relieved that the crazy Clopeh was back. 😂

Clopeh began to spout nonsense that he found his way, and stuff like "The stronger the light, the more visible the shadows are. But the light hidden by the bright light can't be seen by anyone." He thought that Cale was the bright light, Choi Han the shadow, and him the hidden light. Of course, Raon and Cale was confused what he was mumbling about, and gave up understanding him. 🤣🤣🤣

The Wolves are Scared of Lock? We got a brief explanation of what happened to Lock's group. The chief of the Aipotu wolf beastkin heard about the subjugation force and tried to use her berserk transformation, thinking that she could use it to protect her tribe.

But she ended up losing her reason. Fortunately, Lock's group arrived at that time, and subdued her. So when Cale's group finally met her, she was chained tightly. However, she had not returned to her senses yet.

I liked how confident Lock was when he dealt with the Aipotu wolf beastkin. The chief almost broke her chains, but Lock approached and hushed her, telling her to be nice. She immediately cowered and obeyed Lock out of fear. The other beastkin were also in awe and fear, calling Lock as the Blue Wolf himself.

Ending Remarks Today was full of cuteness and funny moments. There was also some info in the end about how the collapsed world was rejecting the dragons, or that Witira smelled like the white snake's mommy because of some spiritual creature stuff. Anyway, I guess Cale's group would finally be returning to the castle now. They will, right? DHB naming scene please, author-nim?

[grifff17]

Audiodrama Sunday 5/5/2023

Most of what I listened to this week was binging season 2 of Mockery Manor, but there was some new stuff too. I decided to get on the boat I missed the first time around and listen to the Re: Dracula rerelease.

I spent a lot of time listening to season 2 of @longcatmedia's Mockery Manor. I finished the season, and I really liked it. I love Margot, she is such a good character. This show does a great job distinguishing character voices, especially with so few VAs. There is a very large cast but it's still always clear who is talking. This show also has great music, you can tell that this team also made a musical (Check out The Ballad of Anne and Mary if you like gay pirates!). Give Us a Smile Love has been stuck in my head for the last week.

The first episode of @midnightburgr miniseries Welcome To The Horizon came out! I can tell that I'm going to love this show. I'm curious how it's going to tie in to the main show. Young Leif became relevant in the finale of the last season, so we'll see where this goes. Related to that, what is Verge doing here?

This week's @midstpodcast was a lot. The narrators just fully losing control of the narrative was very funny. The visceral descriptions of Weep as Imelda fawned over him were so dissonant. Highly recommend checking out this week's bonus content, it's very entertaining.

Spout Lore this week was really funny. I laughed out loud at the Swamp Heron and Morgan Freeman jokes. I also can't wait to see Billie's hometown, we're so far into the show to have never gone there. I guess we've kinda seen spirit Billie's home, but this is the other half of Billie's home.

We're nearly at the end of the Dear Liisphyra season. This was a fun episode, making fun of online personality quizzes. I'm excited for the callback episode, it's going to be changing up the format of the show which is interesting.

I decided to listen to @re-dracula this year! Last year I didn't hear about it until it was half over, and it felt too late to start. I know very little about Dracula, so it will be an interesting experience.

New SCP: Find Us Alive this week too. I liked Love and Harley improvising silly party guests, which also made me realize that this show has not referenced pretty much any other SCPs, including the well-known ones. I think that this was a cool decision, to intentionally focus on a small aspect of the world and not acknowledge the rest.

That's all for this week. Next week I'm probably going to catch up on Breaker Whiskey, listen to some Skyjacks: Courier's Call, and maybe listen to the Mockery Manor miniseries.

[doodlegraveyard]

I also wanted to know how you felt about the pixies and if you were going to use them in your au

@seth-the-whalelord you are two for two on 'asking very simple questions that send me into a brain spiral' lol thank you this is. actually very useful for getting me to figure this stuff out. This is what i've gotten to write thru on my lunch break.

So! Pixies.

Once again I have no idea if I’m about to spout an Unpopular Opinion or not but…..I don’t like…..little, ‘Mascot’ characters. And I tend not to like the Pixies. Theyre trying Too Hard to be Beloved and it CAN be pulled off..........but I’m sorry I can’t stand their shrill little voices………………

I GET that it’s a kids show and you want little critters to appeal to little kids and sell toys of but like… the cast of Winx is HUGE and bloated at a baseline?? Like the Winx and Specialists by themselves are already so much to deal with. I will say upon rewatch, the Pixies are definitely better than like, any of the other little critters they add in later seasons. There are definitely episodes where the pixies Work and aren't completely overwhelming, and they're liked enough to be worth keeping, conceptually.

I like the idea of the pixies being plot relevant to the fairies development, and I actually have been thinking about explicitly tying them to charmix (or, idk if I’m keeping the concept of Charmix entirely intact because its BARELY a form. But i guess it can remain as a concept, and as a stepping stone to leveling up a fairy has to get her pixie/charmix (so its a standard step not just something the Winx girls have)

I really like how Amore and Chatta specifically contrast Stella/Flora’s respective personalities, because it brings to mind to me that charmix is supposed to be about overcoming some personal fear or weakness/character flaw, it makes sense to me to tie them together.

THAT SAID some of the pixie/fairy relationships are stronger than others.

Lockette’s theming as Pixie of Portals/a wayfinder can be styled as helping Bloom who is currently feeling ‘lost’ in an unfamiliar world, help her navigate both herself learning about and her newly discovered backstory/identity. I think that pretty much works: Lockette encourages Bloom to find the truth even if she’s kind of afraid to/ has been avoiding it. Amore’s calm peacekeeper demeanor definitely helps to temper Stella, and I feel like she could help deal with issues of not just romantic love but her relationships with her friends and her parents. I think Stella is full of love and affection, but doesn’t always show it / in the most considerate way.

Chatta forcing Flora to talk to Helia about her feelings is a pretty good example of what she brings to the table there, though I never want it to be just flattened to Flora’s romantic subplot - Flora could do with speaking up more in general! Have her forced to intercede in a friend conflict or assert herself when previously she was just letting the group overrule her!

Piff. I am conflicted about. Because like… she’s just a fuckin’ baby. there's a limited amount of personality there. She's sleepy. She's baby. I guess I think it’s cute that she helps Aisha with her bad dreams. I knee-jerk wondered if it was in bad taste to ‘mom-ify’ Aisha by giving her effectively a baby to care for but it really doesn’t read like that too much because Aisha is arguably one of the best-written and most complex of the girls. Piff could play a dual role - as someone Aisha has to stand up for and be brave for, but also a manifestation of childish wonder, to push Aisha to enjoy things she maybe didn’t have the opportunity to experience as a kid.

Tune is where it starts to lose me. I get it, Musa is tomboyish and brash and Tune is about manners but that really doesn’t feel as…important a problem to deal with? I feel like it may be a thing where Musa has to like… repair difficult relationships she has that are made rockier by how quick she is to argue, or maybe take responsibility for mistakes - like a formal apology and maturely talking about things rather than being avoidant? I’m not sure it’s best styled as ‘Etiquette’ if that’s the case. I’m taking suggestions on this one idk.

Aaaaaand they didn’t even try with Digit. She’s just a Flanderized version of Tecna. It doesn’t feel like she contrasts or challenges Tecna’s personality in any interesting way...Idk I kind of feel like she has to be changed whole cloth?

I know they replaced Tune and Digit but I’m not as familiar with Cherie or Caramel. I might look into whether their concepts work better for Musa and Tecna character arcs as they are currently swirling around in my head. What's the general consensus on those two?

My design thoughts are. I want to make the pixies much more…. Abstract I guess? What if they’re not their own species as much as concentrated sparks of magic - Fairies generate a lot of excess magic, hence ‘their pixie’ is actually a part of them - a little external manifestation of their magic fissured off my whatever internal conflicts or unaddressed needs they have, and resolving that allows them to re fuse with the Fairy? (Bonus: pixies are only around when relevant and I can poof them away when I don’t want them in a scene lol)

[blurrypetals]

Powerless by Lauren Roberts - blurrypetals review

originally posted jul. 14, 2024 - ★★☆☆☆

If somebody put The Hunger Games, From Blood and Ash, Red Queen, a dash of The Darkest Minds, or some other combination of other romantasy, death game, and superpower stories popular within the last 5 to 10 years in a blender, they would get this book.

Typically, being derivative of something is not always a death sentence for me. In fact, sometimes it's a good thing, so long as I like the thing its derivative of and it also has its own personality.

Powerless...doesn't have personality, and even if it did have one, it wouldn't have a personality all its own. This book is the person you know who collects other people's character traits to get you to like it but has no way of making those character traits a part of its identity. It is, ultimately, hollow.

You needn't look any further than Kai when it comes to this Frankenstein's monster of a YA novel. He is every single YA novel protagonist all at once. I have met him at least a dozen times, but all those other times were surely better than this. His dialogue is forced, like an experiment grown in a lab and trained to spout snarky comebacks, nothing organic or fresh about him. He is utterly unoriginal and uninteresting, completely predictable in his every emotion and action.

The lack of surprise stretches to the rest of the book, too. It held my attention well enough to avoid hitting the DNF pile, but only barely. When telling my husband about the premise of this book just after I started it, I predicted there would be a revolution, that Paeydn's ordinariness would be revealed, and once it was revealed later in this book (as I was that certain it would be), that Kai would love her too much to kill her like he's supposed to. Guess who has two thumbs and hit the nail on the head? This disappointed reviewer!

And I really am just disappointed. This book was extremely hyped up all over the internet, I felt so sure there would be something here for me to enjoy. I was so sure, I even had my husband buy it for me for my birthday! While I didn't hate it, I was severely let down. In that same conversation with my husband I mentioned in the previous paragraph, I told him I'd read this book before, even though I hadn't read this book before, and it wasn't a book I was particularly excited to be reading again.

I don't think I'll be continuing this series, unless I really get the urge for a good hate-read, but I don't even think I hate this book enough for a hate-read. I'm honestly just tired of books like this, ones that don't bring anything new to the table and aren't even fun. If this is the kind of stuff people on TikTok are losing their shit over, I can't wait for them to find books that are actually original, then they'll really lose their minds.

[clacing]

Do you think Harrow would ever hit Homura levels of "girl who is just fine, everyone else is the problem"? Or do you think she's surpassed Homura in that area?

From what I've seen of the TLT fandom, Harrow seems to be almost universally loved, so I wonder if she'll do something that ppl will say is too messed up and start writing posts about how she's actually the devil. I think if that happened it would make me like her more than, or at least as much as, Homura.

THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION 'cause I've said repeatedly that Homura and Harrow are the same character but I never considered that Harrow doesn't really have an equivalent to Homura's "becoming the devil". She might still get one since she's literally going to be in hell for the first part of ATN but I honestly think it's too late in the game for her to do something that's actually unforgivable. The rift between Gideon and Harrow is already as large as you could make it because of Harrow choosing to forget about Gideon and even that is only a Wraith Arc Homura level of offense. With only one book left I don't think there's time for the rift to grow even deeper and for it to have a satisfactory resolution. She might do something terrible against John at the very end I guess but that'll be far from shocking unless she like, blows up a planet in the process or something (as I am writing this I just realized Harrow actually already blew up several planets so actually that won't cut it)

Even if Harrow were to pull an actual Rebellion, it would be framed and received differently, if only because I trust a target audience of mostly sapphics won't jump to "She's a horrible person and literally the devil" the moment she makes a morally ambiguous decision. I mean, look at Ianthe. She's absolutely awful and everyone loves her for it. Gay people are starved for complex characters like that and I'm sure if Harrow just went fucking apeshit everyone would love her even more.

Homura on the other hand is in a show targeted to adult men who have no idea what it's like to be a teen lesbian and can only spout misogyny and homophobia out of their ass. I also think a lot of the criticism coming from queer people is simply due to Rebellion coming out at a time when everyone still criticized morally ambiguous queer representation because of how few gay characters were actually around back then, and so everyone was understandably up in arms at Homura becoming the devil because of her feelings for Madoka. I love Rebellion to death and think it's the best movie ever made but I know if I'd watched it back then I also would have hated it, and people who first watched it in 2013 probably still can't shake off their first impression of it even though times have changed. But queer representation is definitely at a point where we can want something more than perfectly sanitized stories and it says a lot that people will usually be much more receptive to Homura if they watch Rebellion now

So yeah I honestly don't think Harrow will ever beat Homura on that front. Maybe she'll do something bad but in a series where everyone does bad stuff and in the context of what Harrow has already done I honestly think barely anyone will even blink. The reason Homura's actions are still debated today is that no one saw it coming and so everything felt so much more shocking because of how abrupt it was

[rattlyglitch]

The Secret's to Tell

Epel walked out of the mirror to the Pomefiore dorm wearing a dark teal suit with a white undershirt and a black tie. He couldn’t express how happy he was when the clothes on his bed were a suit and not some more wavy outfit like the one Vil had chosen to wear. Vil followed close behind Epel in a dark purple long-sleeved shirt with ruffled cuffs, black pants, flats, and a black shoulder cape. “Are you trying to look like a king or something?”

Vil simply shook his head no. “That is not the point of this outfit. Anyways baby potato are you ready to go? Our ride is waiting outside one of the school mirrors in the mirror chamber and Headmaster Crowley permitted us to leave.” Epel took a deep breath in before releasing it slowly and gave a nod. “I’m ready, let's get this started.” Vil gave Epel a soft smile before the two began their walk towards the mirror chamber. During the walk, Vil and Epel were silent not speaking a word to the other but once they entered the limo Vil looked at Epel with a calm expression.

“I can see that your nerves are getting the best of you, Epel. If you would like it may be possible for me to change your outlook on this event. Epel looked at Vil desperately. “Please do. I don’t know why but I really can’t see this whole thing different from the first day the class met Professor Crewel.” Epel knew he would be of interest to whoever was at the event. If he had to guess from what Rook said Vil wasn’t usually seen at athletic events and he had brought a guest with him to it.

“Think about everyone you might see as a customer that you're selling apple juice to. You have to be kind and proper in your responses but remember to not lose face. I will do most of the talking for you but there will be questions I am not able to divert from you.” Epel gave an understanding nod. “Will I have to answer any odd questions? I prefer tha I didn’. I don’ like a thinkin about all tha personal stuff.” Epel nervously twiddled his thumbs around each other waiting for an answer. Vil shook his head.

“You shouldn’t have to. Your name and the school we go to should suffice for personal questions. Just make sure you don’t slip back into your accent in a spout of nervousness. That will just make you of more interest and gain you more questions.” Epel felt the limo come to a stop after Vil had finished talking. Vil was helped out of the limo and Epel soon followed after. “Now Epel make sure to smile,” Vil said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Epel smiled confused but understood what Vil met when he was met with several people who had flashing cameras. He kept smiling as the two entered a building that was called “The Spelldrive Museum”. Most questions were directed towards Vil who managed to answer them with ease. “Who is the guest you brought with you?” one of the female reporters asked. “My guest's name is Epel Felmier.” ANother reporter looked at Epel.

“Are you a student at Night Raven College Mr.Felmier?” Epel smiled nervously. “ I’m from Night Raven College and in my second year. I’m also on the spelldrive team.” Vil moved to stand in front of Epel, his hand still on his shoulder though. “That is all the questions available to be answered from him. Thank you.” Vil waved to the reporters and Epel did the same as the two walked into the museum. “Wait Mr.Vil we have more questions please-” The doors to the museum closed and Epel sighed in relief. “Those reporters were so loud I couldn’t even hear my own thoughts.”

Vil shrugged in response and took his hand off Epel’s shoulder. “I thought they were rather tame actually. They could have prevented us from entering the museum by blocking the way. They were more civil though. The guards at the door did help though and seemed to be able to comprehend instructions on their job possibly more than those in the past. Now you can lead the way. I’ll follow you to make sure you make it to your intended destination. You are free to look around though. I am not forcing you to remain here. We must go see the spelldrive teams in an hour though to meet them.”

Epel hurried off after he heard what Vil said, not waiting for him. The exhibits were all amazing. Epel was able to marvel at all the different brooms that had been used over the years and even see tactics that had been used by different team members throughout the years. Night Raven College even had an exhibit at the museum. Epel was quick to answer any questions Vil had to ask. Whenever he asked “What does that broom do?” or “Which player used that move?” Epel was able to answer them without fail happily.

Spelldrive was a game Epel had learned from the moment he was born. Vil only interrupted Epel when it was time for them to head over to the teams. You do want to meet them right?” Epel quickly responded with a “Yes!” before the two of them headed over to the teams. Immediately as they walked into the room they were met with reporters. “Mr.Vil, Mr.Felmier did you intend to come here together?” Vil raised a brow. “Of course we did, why wouldn’t we?” A beast woman was next to ask Vil a question. “Mr.Schoenheit, how did you get to know the son of Estelle Fumino?” Vil raised a brow. “My father's ex-fiance never had a son?”

A bear beastman reporter raised his hand. “Does that mean you lied about Epel Felmier’s name?” Vil shook his head no. “That is truly his name, why would I lie about that?” A female reporter spoke up. “Estelle Fumino’s true last name was Felmier. She was responsible for almost ending your father’s career. Could this boy be your half-brother?” Epel felt himself begin to panic.

He always knew that somehow his mother's past would come back to get him. It was hard though to even hear Vil speaking to the reporters over his own thoughts. “There is no possible way that she is related to Epel and he can clarify these misconceptions.” Vil looked down at Epel who only looked up at Vil with terror in his eyes. Epel could see as his housewardens face changed to shock at the realization. “Are they telling the truth, Epel?” Epel gave a small nod.

“I-I’m going to leave.” Epel took off running, not stopping until he reached the limo which still remained in front of the museum, and had closed the door making sure it was locked. Once he was safely inside the limo Epel screamed.

Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7

[a-sexy-asexual-658]

The Twin Sister (Part 12)

Dex had refused to be around the Vacker's so me and Sophie switched between him and the Vacker house throughout the break, although I most of the time just wanted to lay down and sleep in or explode stuff. . . . . . or commit arson but we don't talk about those thoughts, shh!

Anyway, we, unfortunately, are back at school with Alina like usual spouting some greeting crap. Ugh, I just want to go back to sleep, you bitch. (I randomly remembered her abilities and now realized except for empathy forgot all of the abilities she's supposed to have, great)

Anyway, the week was boring so let's skip to the next one. We were eating lunch when a sweaty Dex Marella and Jensi sat with us. We spoke about random stuff with me ignoring the universe until prokinetics were mentioned. And Marella's comment just pissed me the fuck off.

"Oh, relax. There's only been like twelve—ever—so it's not exactly a huge problem."

"What if you had it?" I said staring her down with an icy glare. Everyone at the table froze. They looked at me shocked that I even take interest in such a topic.

"What?" Marella asked and my glare turned harder.

"What if you had it? Don't just dismiss the ability and ignore another person's pain just because you don't have it. Put yourself in their situations, have empathy and I don't mean the ability I mean real empathy." I said shocking everyone, yes I have real empathy is that such a surprise?! "How would you feel, constantly hiding how you feel, being marked a disgrace for something you can't control. How would you feel for being blamed and shamed like you were the one who killed those people? How would you feel if you had to hide your true self, forever live in sadness and emptiness, and even more! How would you fucking feel!" I ended up yelling and the room was dead silent, I took a deep breath to calm myself down before I finished. "My point is, just because there are only a few of them doesn't mean the pain and discrimination isn't there. Don't disgrace them and undermine them when you don't even know what they're going threw." I said and sat back down. I hadn't even noticed I had stood and slammed my hands on the table. I then grinned getting my goofy self back. "Anyway, for all we know they could be plotting to kill us."

~ Across the World~

A slim long blonde haired man felt a shiver go down his spine as he conversed with a man whose face was covered in scars. He reached up and rubbed the back of his neck while narrowing his eyes.

"What's wrong Fintan?" The scarred man asked seeing the change in the man with pointed ears in front of him.

"I don't know, just feels like someone's on to us," Fintan said smoothing the smoke of the flame he hadn't known sparked in his hand when the feeling crossed over him.

"That's impossible."

"It is, but it's smarter not to ignore it."

~Back to (Y/N)~

After that school was boring again except for work, it was actually fun. (I kinda forgot about her job honestly) Well, it was fun until that creepy lady walked in.

We were brewing something in the back when it happened. The thing we were brewing wasn't very interesting but what made it fun was that it kept exploding. EXPLOSIONS!!! Anyway we heard someone walk in and I fully intended to ignore them, not in the mood for another Karen but Kesler told me to assist them.

I walked into the front although annoyed and found a woman that looked like a female version of Asswhole, ah right the other asswhole not Alden. What was his name again, bitch-ass, crankyass, sassyass, oh Cassius. Anyway, his female look-alike had walked in and was waiting for me. When I stood in front of her I looked her up and down.

"Keefe's mother I assume," I said and her lips tightened.

"Lady Gisela and unfortunately yes." She practically sneered, ew what's her deal. " How might you know him?"

I grinned, "Hi name's (Y/N), formerly known as female Keefe Sencen and now known as hot prankster bad girl, or as you, I guess asked Keefe's prank partner and best friend." The woman looked annoyed. Bitch.

"I didn't ask and wasn't the Vacker his best friend." Now I gave her an annoyed look.

"People are capable of having more than one best friend," I said and finally, Kesler came in and took over, although I kept glancing at the woman. I noticed the little things, like the way she walked or how firm her voice was. When you fight long enough, both fighting ring-wise and war-wise, you pick up a few things. She clearly had the stance of a warrior and the voice of a leader, but she seemed to suppress it for some reason. Creepy. That's all I could come up with because of the aura surrounding her. It was dark and mysterious, along with manipulative. Yeah uh I know to stay away from this lady.

~The Next Day~

It was now night and me, Dex and Soph were at some empty place searching for stars for homework. I basically let them do all the work because I didn't want to although Dex was giving me looks throughout the time and Sophie being used to this didn't care, wait that makes me sound like a spoiled bitch. I do do my own work! . . . .  sometimes, listen the rest of the time I just don't do it. I don't make people do my homework, ok.

 Suddenly Sophie burned her hands and I rushed over, as she told Dex to call Elwin I examined her hands but glared at her. "Y'know I could do something right?" I said and she looked at me with a raised eyebrow and a knowing look.

"Oh? Well can you do something?" she asked and I stayed silent, she smirked. "Exactly."

~

"Now you're calling me at home and dragging me out of bed? Maybe it was better when you were afraid of me," Elwin teased when he got here. As Elwin's first serum failed and made another Sophie turned to Dex and me.

"You guys don't have to stay here, y'know." She said.

"Ok!" I said standing up, I was tired. . . . yes even though I was having a nap like five minutes ago, deal with it.

"What kind of friend would I be if left?" Dex said catching my arm and pulling me back down. I pouted, little bitch. I'm getting too predictable, gotta change tactics. But how?

I zoned out and took a nap on Sophie's lap the rest of the night because honestly? BORING! Except for a lot of Dex having a crush on my sister, buts that's just gross.

Anyway this chapter of my life, yes I figured you out universe! You use my life for entertainment you sick asswholes!! . . . . . . my life's cool, right? Anyway was very boring so come back next time to see how my sister broke another law and somehow I got dragged down with her! 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yeah nothing interesting happened except for (Y/N) being bored and taking naps so come back next to see how she acts toward the council, even I don't know yet! Wait she also defended arsonists so there's that, hmm oh and the Fintan and Gisela thing ehh not interesting but still.

~Sahiko

[thetadispatcher]

"Well you can make them overload by having them realize what they are or just causing them general emotional distress. So the delusion stuff only works so well, works better if there is no one else around to cause those things that make them overload." Which would explain why they had been able to find any Mockingbirds as they had been all alone with nothing to break their delusions and cause them to fry the robots.

"Well the WAU never put any scans into the unmanned robots around PATHOS-II, so something about them prevented the WAU from shoving a scan into one. I can only guess it's because they host an almost pet like AI and the other robots can be piloted by a person's brain. So it was just a matter of sticking the controlling mind into the robot." He couldn't say for sure as he wasn't one of the people in charge of the robots, so he wouldn't know why a brain scan could fit in some but not others.

He went silent as the two talked as he really didn't know what they were discussing, and he felt it was best he didn't ask in case it started an argument.

He took the time to check his pockets for the things he'd taken out of his old uniform that he felt would still be of use. He pulled out the cortex chips he'd managed to gather well on PATHOS-II. "But I do have the chips the WAU was using to host the scans. Only one of these people will probably be up for a conversation, the others might still be stuck in their fantasy worlds." He set the chips down on the table and pulled out the one with Brandon on it.

"Brandon Wan was the only one who showed he was aware of the situation and what he was. Carl was trying to convince us he was human, Robin thought she was in the ARK, Goya was just rambling to himself, Jonsy didn't really say much she just begged to be left alone, the replacement me just spouted cryptic nonsense, and the one of Ross just advised suicide was a good choice. All the other ones were so corrupted and aggressive I didn't bother trying to get their chips, and the one of Waldeck overloaded when I accidentally woke him up, he thought he was drowning..." He pushed Brandon's chip over to her as he felt it would be the best one to use to understand how the WAU managed to shove people's brains into robots.

"They were rudimentary, but still impressive systems. One would think machinery hastily slapped together would be prone to malfunctioning but the only notable setbacks of the brain scans are related to the WAU's lack of understanding of humanity itself."

The same couldn't be said about his coffee. He had a feeling the structure gel would taste better than whatever was in his cup.

"A brain scan really isn't that difficult to create. All it takes is a neural interface and a unit large enough to host the files. What's actually commendable is the variety of devices compatible with them. It wouldn't be surprising if the WAU incorporated a firmware update to ensure the robots could run the scans."

"I assume there is no chance to examine the counterpart from your world, correct?"

"Why, agent Bishop, I believed you were far more confident in the efforts of your organization. You shall only know that we usually store the data on volatile memory instead."

The cyborg eyed the barkeep as she too wasn't satisfied with her drink. Being the major financier of the clinic still didn't win her the sympathy of all the staff apparently.

"People from that time period tend to be inconsiderate with their words, especially if aggravated or confused. I'm afraid those remarks will be inevitable until we can get across the basics of his situation."

[thxliac]

Prompt: Silena's introduction :)

Warnings: None

Characters: My ocs

-

“Sir…” One of the soldier’s spoke up, glancing at the man for a second. From where I was standing it looked like he was holding a phone, “It’s Ms. Arya.”

Hart seemed pissed about being interrupted but took the device from the Soldier, “Ma’am?” I relished in the way that Hart’s face fell at the words this Arya lady must’ve said, I could barely fight off the shit eating grin that was threatening to peek through my otherwise neutral expression. “Alright, if you’re sure.”

Hart handed the device back and fixed me with a harsh glare, “You’re lucky Poltern, seems we’ve made too much of a ruckus around here. Don’t get used to it, next time will be different.”

"Sir, yes sir." I said, giving him a mock salute, enjoying the glare he sent my way. I finally let the grin poke through as I watched him hold up his hand signaling the group to leave.

It took me a second to realize at the time. But they left us, in the middle of some person’s backyard, with no idea what state we were even in. How convenient. It’s fine, I was fine with being stranded after Hart had taken our only means of transportation, not upset or anything.

It seemed I was the only one who thought that way, judging by Emil’s next words at least, “That dickwad! He stole my fucking van, dude!” He groaned, rubbing his face in annoyance.

“I would say sue, but somehow I feel like the case would be dropped before we even went to court.” Andy grumbled, looking around at our surroundings.

“Unfortunately, that’s the least of our problems. Any idea of where the hell we are?” I asked, trying to see if there were any type of landmarks around us.

“From the way the land looks, I wouldn’t say we’re too far from home. My guess is Oregon or southern Washington.” Andy guessed, “We might be in upper Oreg-” He cut himself off, eyes widening and jaw clenching shut. It looked like he was staring at something behind me.

I glanced over my shoulder to see a girl with bright orange hair, she was looking at us like we were insane. I felt my eyes widen a bit as I fully turned towards her, “Oh, um. Sorry, are we trespassing?”

The girl looked me up and down and I tried to not show how I felt uncomfortable under her scrutinizing glare, “Technically.”

Andy was quick to jump in, holding his hands together as he bowed his head slightly, “We are so so sorry, dude. We were just leaving-” Before he could go into a full on apology, Emil cut him off.

“Wait.” He said, looking at the newcomer up and down with a harsh glare, “Did you see anything?”

The girl raised an eyebrow, a slight grin playing at her lips, “I heard y’all before I saw you. But if you mean seeing wannabe Dr. Strange throwing around my Ma’s gardening tools, then yeah. Suppose I did see something.”

I felt my face heat up as I moved to scratch my neck and avoided eye contact with the girl. But before I could defend myself, Astra was quick to give her a soft smile, “We promise we’re not evil or anything, they brought us here and we didn’t know what else to do-”

“Hold it princess, I’m not gonna call the cops on y’all. I knew you’d be here eventually, just sooner than I expected.” The girl finally let her grin show, cocking her head to the side a bit.

But her response only confused me, and I’m sure it was obvious, “...Wait, huh?”

“I knew y’all would be here.” She repeated, chuckling a bit at the dumbfounded look that was no doubt on my face at the moment.

“I apologize, could you expand on that?” Andy asked, seeming just as confused as me, which is understandable given the fact that this girl was spouting stuff that made 0 sense.

The redhead huffed a bit, annoyance poking through her seeming nonchalant speech, “Ya need a four-point essay or something? I knew y’all would be here, I don’t know you, y’all don’t know me, I’m not calling the cops, I’m not freaking out about Mr. Poltergeist.” While I didn’t quite enjoy being compared to a troublemaker spirit, I couldn’t help but feel a bit of excitement show on my face.

“Wait, do you mean you have powers?” She nodded, seeming relieved she wouldn’t have to explain more.

“What, are you psychic or something?” Emil asked, still a bit on edge about the girl.

“Something like that.”

[sucresanguine]

I don't really relate to masculine or gay women and I don't *really* relate to effeminate gay cis men and I don't even relate to most fem transmasc online spaces because it's mostly really young teenage pre t guys so like. It's just me sitting in a little baby swim pool of private experience ain't it

[hotshot624]

I would like to spout off a few different ideas for you for Daddy Eddie x reader stuff please don't feel required to do them all or any of them, I just work better when I do like stream of conciousness writing. And I will submit them individually so you can pick and choose and reply as you write them IF YOU ARE SO INCLINED, these are just requests and suggestions I am just so happy with your first fic I need more daddy eddie pease.

The story of how Midnight the bat stuffy came into little readers life! Like how Eddie gave it to them to show his support this kind of ties in with previous request about finding out how you are little and him accepting it

Part 2: Finding out reader is little/age regressor either by accident or with them telling him because they trust him and wanna have him be their cg fluffiness ensues like he is supportive of it and stuffs"

Hi! So I'm just going to add these two requests together since they're almost the same thing lol. Thank you @bgolightly for requesting this and all of the other things you requested. Y'all are gonna have a lot more content because of them so make sure to say thanks! Again idk how good this is gonna be but for y'alls sake I hope it's worth reading.

Cg!Eddie x Little!Reader: How he found out about Reader Regression (and how Midnight the bat came to be)

Life after accepting to date Eddie was great.

I mean most people wouldn't expect that (and at first you admit you thought so too) but boy were they wrong. They thought Eddie was loud, rude, annoying, self absorbed, and mainly a freak. But that wasn't true. That wasn't true at all.

Eddie Munson had to be one of the nicest, sweetest, most caring, most understanding person you've ever met. He didn't treat you weirdly. He treated you like a normal person with a little personality to it and honestly that was all you could ask for.

The thing he liked about you was that you treated him normally too. You didn't mind the way he liked DnD while others found it weird, you found it interesting even if you didn't exactly want to play it you never put him down for liking it and I guess that's what attracted him to you.

After about 2 and a half months of being friends Eddie decided to ask you out to which you accepted. Which brings us to where we are now which is at your house.

Right now you were setting up your living room for your annual Saturday movie night with Eddie. He went to the video store to go and pick up some movies for you two to watch together, most likely action or horror films sometimes both, it depends on the mood he's in. But while Eddie was deciding what to watch, you had a bigger more important decision to make. One that would alter your relationship for the rest of your lives.

See you were an age regressor to put it simply. That meant that when you got too anxious, were filled with too many negative emotions, or just felt like being younger than you actually are for your enjoyment, you mind would regress you to a certain age. Most people don't get to pick how young they regress to and you couldn't pick either. Usually the more scared or filled with negative emotions the person is, the younger they would regress to, which was the case with you, but everyone is different.

And unfortunately age regression isn't always sunshine and flowers. It can happen at considerably bad times and keep you from doing you need to do. It can also be brought on by something triggering and not be very fun for the regressor or anyone around them. Regressors could also be feeling super upset and cause tantrums and yelling and crying which was also no fun for them or anyone else.

This is why you decided to keep this part of you from Eddie. Well until now.

You thought that you should tell Eddie about your regression in case something were to happen and cause you to regress out of no where that he should know what to do or at least be made aware of what was happening. He didn't necessarily have to do anything to help you but you thought he would appreciate knowing what was going on with you.

Just as you were putting the already popped popcorn in a bowl you heard the door bell ring repeatedly and frantically.

You set the bowl of popcorn on the coffee table and rushed to the door and threw it open and greeted and equally excited Eddie at the door.

"Hey! Look what I got" Eddie said while giving you a hug and entering your house.

You looked at the films he excitedly shoved in front of your face to see he picked Beetlejuice and Friday the thirteenth (look their great movies you guys).

"Of course you picked those" you said shaking your head with faux annoyance and a smile on your face.

"What does that mean?!" Eddie asked spinning to face you after he set the movies down. "These are incredible movies I'll have you know and I don't need your sass to ruin them"

"Oh I'm sure they are. Now pop them in the VHS player so we can watch them. Your whining's giving me a headache." You said dramatically, rubbing your temple.

Eddie just mocked you with a high pitched voice but eventually did what you said. You smiled to yourself. 'This is good', you thought 'Eddie's in a good mood so maybe telling him won't make him too upset....well hopefully' you added to your thoughts.

Eddie then ran up to where you were sitting and slammed himself into your couch. He then cuddled up close to you just as you grabbed the popcorn and brought it up to the couch so the both of you had better access to it. Upon listening to the erie music you realzed he picked Friday the thirteenth. Not the best movie for an already stressed regressor but you'll have to make due.

As the movie went on you were getting very antsy. Either from the movie or the knowledge that you had to tell Eddie about your regression, you couldn't tell. Unfortunately Eddie noticed your constant moving and squirming and called you out on it.

"You doin okay over their babe? You keep moving and you already bumped your boney elbow into my ribs like four times already" he said jokingly but you knew that it had real concern.

'Did you not like the movie? Were you hurt? Was something wrong? Was the movie making you nervous? Was him being so close to you making you nervous?' All of these questions were swimmimg through Eddie's head and making him nervous.

"No! No, no, no, I'm fine! Completely fine. Never been finer actually." You said very with a fake laugh at the end

Eddie looked at you with a "bitch please" look and you knew you were busted.

You had hoped your incredible lying skills would get you out of this situation but the unfortunately let you down. 'How did he know I was lying' you thought to yourself not realizing that a deaf two day old squirrel could somehow lie better than you.

'Well since you've already got his attention might as well get it over with' you finally thought after a few seconds of staring at him hoping that he'd just change the subject but god never wanted you to have it easy apparently.

"Um actually I did want to tell you something....it's been bugging me for a couple of weeks and well um how do I put this...." You trailed off try to find a way for it not to sound weird, not realizing you just made Eddie's blood run cold.

"Are you.....are you brehaking up with mhe?" Eddie asked with a small laugh trying to play it off like he wasn't worried.

But you could see the fear in his eyes. You could see how the thought of you leaving him broke his very soul and so you obviously had to shoot that down.

"What?! God no! No. Never Eddie. Your the best thing that has ever happened to me Eds. I love you so much, please understand that." You told him while grabbing his shoulders and having him fully face you so he could see the sincerity in your eyes.

"Pshhhh I knew that. I was just messing around" he liked, with the sound of relief evident in his voice. "So what were you going to tell me before I EVER so rudely interupted you?" Now promptly crawling on top of you with his hands holding his head up on your stomach, after he pushed you onto your back, and was kicking his feet in back of him.

He was obviously trying to lighten the mood back up and you couldn't have been more thankful for it. You don't think you'd be able to confess to him with the atmosphere being so thick. So finally you built up the courage (again) and told him.

You told him all about your age regression. You first explained to him what it was, seeing the confusion written all over his face. You told him why others use it and how there are different age ranges and you told him your's.

As you were speaking, Eddie slowly began to sit back up, he was trying to understand everything you were telling him with one of his eyebrows raising in deep concentration. You couldn't tell if it was a good thing or a bad thing and you prayed it was the former.

As you finished, you looked into his eyes, having looked away in shame at what you were telling him as if it were some great crime you have had just committed.

After a few seconds of silence Eddie asked; "Sooooo..... What um....what does this mean for us?" He didn't really know what to say.

"Well I mean hopefully we can just.... Ya know...... Go back to normal....." You answered sheepishly "But I completely understand if you don't want to! I know that this is probably not what you wanted and I know you didn't sign up for this but like I think I can hold it in if that makes you feel better. Like maybe if I ever feel myself slipping I could just ya know try to calm myself down and I'll go away from you and and it'll be fine. But like I get if it makes you uncomfortable and if you wanna leave me forever cause I act like a kid and all so don't feel bad or or anything cause that's what I want and-" You start to ramble trying to make Eddie feel better about the giant bomb shell you just dropped on him. And as you do so you can feel yourself slipping.

As your about to go into a little space filled panic attack Eddie interrupts you.

"Wow wow wow! Calm down babe, calm down" Eddie grabs your shoulders and pulls you into a hug and gently rubs your back and head as you start to cry from getting so overwhelmed.

"I'm not breaking up with you, especially over something so little, just like how your not breaking up with me. I couldn't care less is you become littler that you are. When I asked 'what does this mean for us' I meant like if you wanted me to take care of you or something? Now that I'm thinking about it, I probably should have just said that.... Huh....." He said.

(Look he's not the smartest person in the world but he's your boyfriend so now you gotta deal with it)

"So....yous still lobe me?" You asked sheepishly looking up from where you buried your head in his neck.

You had finally slipped into little space at this point.

"To the moon and back little Rockstar" he answered giving you a big fat kiss on your cheek.

He then looked up from the side of your face with and imaginary light bulb flickering on on top of his head.

"Hey! That'll be you new little nickname now! 'Little rockstar'! It's perfect. Well as long as your cool with it" he said looking down at you.

You nodded quickly showing your new found love for your new nickname.

The rest of the night went pretty smoothly. Eddie laid back on his back with you on his stomach and him holding you with you stomach on top of his and his hands cradling you. You didn't mind the movie that was playing seeing how you were too exhausted to even watch it at this point. You fell into a deep sleep now knowing how Eddie fully support you.

Fast forward to a couple days later and Eddie Munson is slamming his fist repeatedly as hard as he can on you door. Thankfully your parents aren't home (because this is a fanfic and they never seem to live in the same house as you unless it's to sell you to one direction or something but I digress) so you wip the door open to reveal a slight out of breath and incredibly sweaty Eddie with a few bags in his hands.

"Greetings my beloved! I have returned to your humble abode baring gifts!" He said and if it weren't for the fact that he was the love of your life, you would have slammed the door in his face for being so cringy.

Fortunately for him, you loved him so much, so you just rolled your eyes with a smile on your face and let him in. He did a little bow, thanking you, and entered you home.

"Not only did I bring a disgusting amount of treats like candy and cookies and what not. But I also got you this!" He exclaimed.

Pulled from the bag was an adorable black bat plushy. It had big ears and giant eyes with it wings open as if it were flying. It was smiling at you and had little bits of glitter on it representing the night sky with the glitter as stars.

Seeing this you were instantly bitch slapped into little space.

"For me?" You asked hopefully pointing at yourself. Because obviously he bought it for the OTHER person in your house.

"Yes sweet heart, it's for you" Eddie answered you, placing the plushy in you hands.

You started at it for a moment and then ran into Eddie, almost running him over, and gave him a big ole bear hug.

"I lobe it! I lobe it! I lobe it! Thank yous, thank yous, thank yous!" You yelled excitedly.

"Y-your welcome" Eddie wheezed, slowly loosing oxygen and you squeezed it out of him.

"So!" Said Eddie after you finally released him from your death grip "what's there name gonna be?"

You thought for a couple seconds before looking at him with a grin on your face.

"Midnigh" you answered confidently.

"Midnight huh?" Eddie asked pulling you onto the couch to lay with him after he got out some cookies and started feeding them to you.

"Mmhm" you said mouth full of cookie.

"Well I think that's a great name little Rockstar." Eddie said finally with a content smile on his face.

The End

Okay so I have a some reasons why I haven't written in a while to which I shall answer good news bad news style but some of it is kinda gross soooo

TRIGGER WARNING

Good news: I completed a fic and have a few more requested to keep them coming out. Bad news: my wisdom teeth are FINALLY coming in. Good news: none of my teeth hurt. Bad news: where one of my bottom wisdom tooth was coming the gum that was over it I guess got infected and started to inflame and got so big to the point where I couldn't close my mouth properly. Good news: it's gone! Bad news: it popped in my mouth leaving a disgusting tastes and stained my side of my tounge where it was yellow and was very painful after and I could eat on that side of my mouth. Good news: after that I went to six flags with my dad, brother, and younger cousin. Bad news: it was 98 degrees out and the feel was I think 103. Good news: because of the heat almost no one was there and we got to go on rides with little wait time. Bad news: we were out their for about 5 hours and I got sun sick with a bad headache and the feeling of needing to throw up. Good news: I was fine the next day and still am now. Bad news: my anxiety is acting up for very dumb reasons and it's killing my motivation. Good news: y'all's support makes me want to keep writing so that's what I'm gonna try and do. Bad news: my hands are now cramping from writing for so long.

And that's about it. I wish I were making this shit up but unfortunately I'm fucking not and was suffering a lot but other than that I'm fine I guess. Okay that's all, expect some new fics soon if everything goes right. Byyyyyyye

[sqbr]

As a mid 40s queer, I do think younger queer people should listen to us as a group with a unique and valuable perspective, but I don't think that's enough. And I'm wondering where young (or any other!) people should get reliable fact-checked information with politics they find broadly acceptable, topics they find interesting, in an accessible format.

Like, I have no reason to believe hbomberguy or the queer creators he recced have ever spread significant(*) misinformation, but like James Somerton they are still at best just random people on youtube I trust to be accurate cos they have good vibes and I haven't heard anything bad about them, and as we've seen that is not a reliable standard.

I wouldn't even trust me as a primary source on anything I didn't personally experience, not because I would ever deliberately lie, but because I have been accidentally wrong or ignorant a bunch of times in the past and presumably will be again. I can talk with some authority on, like, being a confused closeted queer teen in 90s Australia, but there's so many topics James Somerton spouted misinformation on I might have easily believed and even passed on as fact if I hadn't encountered them in a "things James Somerton lied about" context. I guess I was born closer to WWII and the 19th century than gen Z but idk that it makes that much of a difference, and I feel no more qualified than anyone else to talk about, like... Marvel comics editorial decisions or Japanese broadcast law.

And while I do read Conventional News Sources and think that helps with some sorts of misinformation, it can be very dry and Current Affairs focused, and stuff like gay and especially trans history and analysis is really not an area where they shine. Literally every major news source I've ever subscribed to eventually ended up posting TERFy opinion pieces or articles, even though they were all chosen specifically for being relatively free of conservative misinformation.

For less dry but still somewhat professional alternatives it's like... I tried watching Question Everything, the local government funded ABC's "comedians humourously discuss current affairs to help combat misinformation" program, and I guess there weren't any obvious untruths but it was largely meaningless jokes and shallow analysis along the lines of "yes literally all women who like soccer are lesbians" that didn't leave me feeling like I'd gained anything. If I recommended Autostraddle for their editorial quality I think I might implode. Polygon's analysis seems mostly ok if slight and generally focussed on whether games are fun, but it's very plausible they have some real stinkers I happen to have missed, and idk if being a subsidiary of Vox Media makes them more reliable.

So... idk, what do you do? Asides from try and consume widely and think critically, and avoid anyone who doesn't cite sources and makes vicious yet vague attacks against their critics?

(*)Just scrolling through that list, I know sarahz has been wrong about things in the past. Not remotely on James Somerton's level, and it was mostly like... How Homestuck Fandom Felt About Fan Trolls etc, but it's still a sign that you really can't trust any youtube source completely even if it's endorsed by a Good Youtubers list.

ok i finally understand where gen z gays on tumblr are getting insane ideas like "marriage equality was a waste of time and only of interest to rich white cis gays who wanted respectability" and "bob iger is pro-gay". it was fucking james somerton this whole time. "american GIs joined the european front purely out of envy for nazi bodybuilding" <<<< actual thing he said seriously in a video. and people were just like "yup sounds good" ?????

[raewritez]

take care of you

summary: Your worry about the future and are used to taking care of your friends. Luckily, Zuko is there to take care of you.

a/n: i don’t realllyyy ship Zutara but one of the aspects i love about their relationship is that Zuko is virtually the only person that Katara doesn’t have to act as a mother to, so I was largely inspired by that dynamic.

requested?: nope!

—————

Your fingers ran shakily through your hair, air escaping your lips in uneven breaths. You shut the heavy door behind you, coming to sit upon the air temple’s sturdy bed that rested in the center of your given bedroom. You had been fine until a few minutes ago, you had been enjoying the crispness of the air and warmth of the sun until the words of quiet voices had floated to your ears. Whispers of Aang and his destiny, of death and murder and war. The other people, they expected Aang to be able to kill the Firelord just like that, to abandon his childhood and sense of self in a split moment of violence. You knew he couldn’t do that, you loved him like a brother and if there was one thing you knew for sure it was that Aang’s heart of gold was impenetrable. You had glanced down to wear he stood with Zuko, arms raised in an aggressive stance, the fire that spouted from his palms betraying his lighthearted nature. The image had left you breathless, your protective side alighted against the cruel expectations of this twelve-year-old boy, of your dear friend.

You were upset, and you knew there was nothing you could do about it. Killing the Firelord was Aang’s destiny, and it couldn’t be altered by simple adoration or protectiveness. It shouldn’t be Aang, the weight of the world shouldn’t fall on the back of this war-born child, but it was. Your head rested in your hands, mind swimming with attempts to ward off images of death and fire and the ideas of fate and destiny. You felt silly being so affected by the muttered words of children while your friends were out there training and fighting their own battles. You were disrupted from your emotional state by the creaking of a door and the appearance of a shaggy head of black hair.

You lifted your head, plastering on a smile. “Hey, Zuko. What’s up?”

He stepped in quietly, closing the door behind him. “Hey, Y/n, I just...” his eyes darted between the walls, his hand raising to rake through his hair. “Well, I saw you leaving, and you seemed upset. So I thought I would just...come check on you.”

A genuine grin made its way to your face, worries muted and heart softened at the boy’s thoughtfulness. “Thanks, Zuko. That’s nice of you. You don’t need to worry about me, though, I just...got a little upset is all.”

His amber eyes flashed with concern, and you questioned why he cared so much for how you were feeling. You certainly cared about him, caring about people was basically your job after all, acting as the protector of the group and the only one that Katara would allow to take care of her. You cared for him, truthfully maybe more than you should, but you weren’t aware of the extent of his care for you. 

His feet brought him closer, seating himself before you at the edge of the bed. “Why are you upset?” he questioned, sincerity pouring from his voice. “Did someone do something? Or did something happen? If it did, I can-”

“Nothing happened, Zuko,” you cut him off, lifting your fingers to shyly play with the strands of your hair. “Nothing happened, really, it’s just...” he gazed at you with imploring eyes. You sighed. “It’s just that I’m upset about everything going on, all the stuff with Aang and what he has to do, and it’s stupid. I shouldn’t be upset, I mean, I’m obviously used to everything by now, but...I’m just worried about him.”

He searched his mind, he was never good at comforting people. You were always good at that, always listening to him and reassuring him in ways no-one had ever managed to. He wanted to repay the favor, to make you happy like you made him, but he didn’t possess the talent of assurance and comfort. Instead, with a certain boldness to his movement, he grasped your hand from its place in your hair with his own. 

“He’ll be okay, Y/n. He's a talented kid,” his thumb stoked your knuckles. “The comet is weeks away and he’ll be ready. He’ll be ready.”

Your eyes were glued to the spot his hand met yours, unable to focus on anything but the heat emanating from his palm. You nodded softly with appreciation, lifting your fingers to reciprocate his caring touch. Your lips parted and you found it difficult to breathe, your stomach and lungs occupied by swarms of butterflies. Your eyes met his, and you found yourself captivated by the intensity in his stare.

You stayed locked in that position, his eyes glued to yours and your hands interlocked. He lifted your arm, playing with your fingers and pressing a kiss to the inside of your wrist. “You worry too much.”

You ignored the blush rising to your cheeks. “I think I worry just the right amount. Someone has to.”

He shook his head. “You shouldn’t have to. Someone needs to take care of you every once in a while.” 

“Oh yeah?” you questioned breathlessly. “Like who?”

His eyes met yours and you could’ve sworn you saw him lean forward before the silence was broken by knocking against your door.

“Y/n! Sokka screwed up dinner and we need your help before Katara kills us.”

You recognized Toph’s voice and pulled out of Zuko’s grasp.

“Sounds serious,” you chuckled. “I’ll be right there.”

“Mkay!”

You sighed softly, averting your gaze from Zuko’s as awkward silence filled the atmosphere. “I should probably go help them.”

He nodded, masking his slight disappointment as he rose to allow you an exit. Your shoulder brushed his as you passed, and the two of you ignored the electricity as you emerged from the confines of the small room.

///

“Appa, yip yip!”

The smell of charred wood filled the air, fire flinging past your face as the soldiers advanced. Aang was lifting off, fleeing the onslaught of flames as you crumbled the earth surrounding the men to allow them an escape.

He glanced back, alarm filling his face at the sight of you. “Y/n, come on!” he yelled, looking at you with worry.

You grunted as you threw rock after rock at your persecutors. “It’s ok, Aang, just go! I’ll be fine!”

“What?! No! Y/n, just-” he cut himself off as a figure dressed in red jumped from Appa, landing on the edge of the cliffside.

“Get out of here, Aang,” Zuko spoke. “I’ll take care of her.”

Aang glanced back in worry before yanking Appa’s reigns and flying off the other way.

Zuko turned, running towards you as you fended off the soldiers with concaving ground and heavy boulders. He intercepted the fire of the remaining men, channeling it and striking towards them. As they stumbled back from the impact Zuko grabbed your arm and sped into the refuge of the forest, shielding your body from possible incoming attacks.

He pulled you along through the winding trees, twigs snapping under your feet as you did your best to catch your breath. When he slowed down you lifted your eyes to find the entrance of a small cave nestled between the rocks. 

“Guess this is home for the night.” Zuko tilted his head to glance at you, taking note of your furrowed brows and flushed face. “You ok?”

You quickly nodded your head. “Yeah, I’m fine. Thanks for coming back.”

“I wouldn’t leave you behind,” he smiled.

You looked at him gratefully before raising your arms to maneuver the stone around the entrance of the cave. Once the hole was deemed large enough the two of you crawled inside, Zuko’s hands protectively supporting your waist as go ensure you wouldn’t fall.

The inside was dreary, uneven walls forming to shelter the small patch of ground while the light of the sun was blocked out as you ventured further. Your feet ached, legs bruised and hair messed from the abrupt attacks. Zuko kept sneaking glances, worried by the tiredness of your movement and the absence of your usual optimism and cheerfulness. You made your way over to the edge of the cave, sitting down and resting your back against the sturdy wall. Zuko crept over beside you, lowering himself close to your body and staring warily at the cave’s entrance. 

You picked at your nails. “Do you think they’ll be ok?”

He snapped towards you in disbelief. You were seriously worried about that right now? “They’ll be fine, Y/n. They’re long gone by now and Aang will be back for us in the morning.”

You agreed hesitantly before leaning your head against the wall. You peered through the hole of the cave, catching sight of the sky beginning to fade to reds and purples. “Maybe we should get some sleep. If the soldiers come back we’ll need our energy.”

Zuko nodded, moving to lie down while putting a respectable amount of space between the two of you. You drifted off to the sound of Zuko’s even breathing and the warmth that was carried from his body to yours.

///

You jolted awake to wind swirling inside the cave, the coldness piercing your skin like a knife. Your lips were tinted blue, the tips of your fingers aching and nose freezing to the touch. You pushed yourself off the hard ground, lifting your knees to your chest and curling in on yourself. Zuko was beside you, sleeping peacefully, seemingly unbothered by the chilliness of the night.

You stood up, walking around in attempt to warm yourself up and find a more sheltered part of the tiny cave. Zuko woke up to your shuffling, bleary eyes latching onto your shivering figure.

“Y/n?” he questioned in a raspy voice. “What's going on?”

“Oh, sorry Zuko,” you said sheepishly. “It’s just a little chilly.”

He assumed a pensive demeanor, eyes shifting mindfully before speaking.

“Come here.”

“What?”

“You’re cold and I can warm you up. Come here.”

You made your way awkwardly over to him, trying to ignore the blush that rose to your face at his implication.

You sat down next to him, sitting in silence before his arm hesitantly wrapped around your shoulders, bringing you closer. You sighed, he did feel warm. You subconsciously nuzzled closer to the sanctuary of your friend’s embrace until minutes later you were practically on top of him. You rested comfortably against his torso, his lean arms cradling you to his chest.

He breathed into your hair, careful not to accidentally light it on fire with his nervousness. He closed his eyes, relishing in your presence.

“Thanks, Zuko,” you whispered.

He smiled. “No problem.”

You raised your head to look at him, unsaid words lingering on your tongue. He stared at you questioningly as you searched for your voice, becoming distracted by the way your eyelashes danced across your cheeks and your lip was pulled between your teeth. 

“What is it?”

You swallowed. “It’s nothing...never mind.”

He raised an eyebrow, slowly linking his fingers with yours. “You can tell me, if you want to.”

“I know I can, but it’s silly. I’m just thinking too much.”

He lifted your hand, fingers tracing over the scars and lines, thumb stroking fondly against your skin. “If it’s about the group, they’re fine. They know what they're doing, and they can take care of themselves.”

You chuckled. “Most of them. I don’t know about Sokka though. He needed help rolling up his sleeping bag this morning.”

Zuko laughed lightly, reaching to brush away the hair that had fallen into your face. “Yeah, maybe not Sokka. But Katara’ll keep him in line. You can take a break from taking care of them...” he trailed off, amber eyes moving to yours. “Just let me take care of you for now.”

You felt your heartbeat quicken at his gaze, skin set alight by the way his fingers traced over it. He held nothing but sincerity and tenderness in his voice, and his eyes conveyed a deep fondness. You couldn’t help it when your eyes trailed to the curve of his nose, the splashes of freckles, and down to his lips. He raised your hand, pressing a kiss to the inside of your wrist. In a burst of courage you moved your palm to cup his cheek, fingertips ghosting against the rugged edge of his scar. 

His own eyes felt heavy, pulled down by some magnetic force that drew him closer to you. At your caring touch, he moved his hand to the back of your neck and tilted your chin towards his. His lips met yours, eyelids slipping closed as you moved your own against his. He pulled you impossibly closer, handling you with such gentleness and affection that you wondered if you would implode. You ran your fingers through his hair, the soft stands filtering through them like water. He grasped your hips, lifting his mouth to meet yours in a seemingly never-ending heavenly embrace. You broke apart with a smile, the long-overdue kiss lightening your heart and sending butterflies through your stomach.

He grinned against you, stroking his thumb against your cheek before pulling your head to nestle in the crook of his neck. He breathed into your hair, pressing  his lips against the crown of your head. He nuzzled into you, his hair tickling your face as you felt yourself surrounded by him. You felt reassured, your friends would be fine and you felt relieved by the fact that you didn’t really need to worry about Zuko. He would take care of you, after all.