#putting all my talking in circles under the cut cuz its a lot

[baby-xemnas]

I love so much that “Bepo is Law’s weakness” is arguably canon. It’s not “Law’s weakness is cute things” like some ppl in fandom try to say since Law is pretty visibly unaffected by Chopper, little kids, all the standard “cute things” in OP. It’s literally just Bepo and his cuteness that has an effect on Law, and we see it in reaction to Bepo going “🥺” when Bepo was sick, letting Bepo hug him all the time, taking Bepo to Uta concert only bc he knows Bepo wants to go, etc. LawBepo is such a perfect ship, massively underrated ship frfr 🩷🩷🩷🩷

there is this very good compilation pic from @/daily_trafalgar on twitter with a caption "law's reaction to cute things"

you mean barely a reaction

and then there is Bepo

Bepo is special he is spoiled and coddled and can do anything he wants with barely a word from Law. i do think Law is good with kids but Bepo is a grown man - his best friend

and as much as some lawbepo non-shippers want to see them as parent and child -you dont see someone YOU grew up with. YOU were children at the same time with - and grew up alongside each other as a CHILD. You just don't see them as that, it's nonsense. Yes he is like law's little brother but not a child

(i call him Law's baby like 20 times a day but that's in a way that a cute girlfriend is "baby")

Saying all this to say that "oh Law is weak to Bepo's cuteness because he is like Law's baby" (implying child) or even worse = when people call him a pet They grew up together - 4 year difference is forgotten about -you are peers - yes of course Bepo is both subordinate and looks up to Law as an stronger smarter leader etc. but thats not a parental dynamic at all.

its a very serious, rational and collected guy and his favorite guy who he spoils in big and little ways and have been spoiling him their whole lives...

i love that Law saved Bepo from getting his ass beat and dying alone and brought him home and they just stayed in that dynamic their whole life and both became adults but this "Bepo is precious and weak af and i love him" pretty much didn't change.

and Bepo is so comfortable with it. novel was Law focused so it never gave Bepo an "I'LL TO PROVE MYSELF TO YOU THAT YOU DONT HAVE TO PROTECT ME ALL THE TIME I CAN HOLD MY OWN" arc - and that would make sense for his character if there was time/desire to focus on him but because of those constraints Bepo bypassed that and i kinda love it? (you can call it another of many copes of mine idc) but him NOT having a standart "little brother" arc is awesome, Bepo is very comfortable in his role and when he speaks its always

"I'll do my best for you and help where i can because you are so amazing" there is zero of his own ego. He is comfortable in his "lower rank" role, he doesn't strive to be Law's equal he knows he can't be! Law san is the greatest!!

Law is happy with it too because he is a protector in nature (look at his bigass crew ;-;♥) so bepo being HAPPY to be protected makes him happy too. It makes Law feel strong and good, it plays on his ego in a positive way being looked up to and sought out as a protector - yes it's pressure (that Bepo does his best to elevate) but it's not negative and Law takes it happily, it's good to feel needed. And it all started with Bepo and they preserved that - Law is always strong and cool leader and protector and Bepo is always UUUU CAPTAIN 🥺😭🥺😭🥺😭

they are the best and i love them so much it's such a special dynamic and it makes Law's character so much better

[inconmess]

Ok. Prefacing this, I know some of the points I mentioned here will overlap with stuff already posted and speculated but this is also my POV and not really leeching off their ideas. (probably you guys wouldn't really care but I have run into problems of "plagiarism" and don't want to risk it)

So the cast split up. Brilliant move, truly. For the sake of convenience, Orym, Ashton and Laudna are the ES (Emotionally Sane) and while Chetney, Fearne, FCG and Imogen are LC (Lost Chaos)

Putting everything under cut cuz this is a long ass post

First, covering the main things about the split up:

LC has all the healers and senders of the group and is majorly the group which relied on having a tether/required the most support from their "better halves." Fearne needed Orym, Imogen needed Laudna and FCG needed Ashton to guide them because they were all naive in some way or the other in the mechanics of the world. And Chetney was relatively close off until he was thrown back to face his past. This group essentially lost the "mature and protective people."

Now for ES. This group consists of people who have their own issues and relied on the fact that people relied on them to cope. They were protectors, the front liners in battle (mostly) and are possibly the masters of avoiding, deflecting and repressing shit. Yeah, they all talk about their shit to each other, Ashton and his regular talks with Laudna, Ashton checking up with Orym... Well, Orym talking when someone asks. But they all are repressing stuff really bad no matter how much they portray talking about it, they have their bouts of silent panic and insecurities and every single fucking shit and this separation is gonna take a toll on that. This group essentially lost its "distraction/support people/the reason they actually held onto their sanity."

Where are they:

Team LC - Uthodurn. Chetney's homeplace, close to his personal shit and FCG's too.

Team ES - Personally, I think they can be in Terrah, for some reason I always think about the "missing week of EXU and the crater" or Issyylra. Not in Marquet or Wildmount as far as I consider it.

(On a side note, I stand corrected, the wrap-up mentioned a pregame with a crater and not a chasm but I mixed the two of them up. Sorry for all the posts I had mentioned it on)

Expectations:

Team LCs: a lot of lore dump, history dump and characters dealing with their personal history while Imogen and Fearne come to terms with how the ritual of Ludinus is going to affect them, Imogen in particular being an exaltant. Does her powers diminish? Vanish? Does it change and mutate? Does the whole thing affect Fearne in some way? She wasn't an exaltant but was Ruidus born nonetheless.

Possible happening of getting a depressed Fearne cuz Orym was her halfling and the lack of their relationship with Ashton so she really doesn't have someone to balance her nature out. Like yeah, Chetney and her have a great relationship in and of itself and while we haven't seen it much onscreen, Imogen and FCG too, but I feel like her main circle was Orym and Ashton so she is definitely going to struggle with that. And take drastic wahs to cope with this loss too, eventually without anyone keeping her in check. Might also become a handler for the group eventually, but not initially.

Imogen will have to deal with her dissonance probably. Reevaluate a lot of stuff. The beliefs of her mom. The reassimilation with her powers depending on whether it's mutated, changed or gone as stated before. And even if it is unchanged, rethinking about her powers, strengthening herself. And not to mention, her dreams. Are they still there? How do they change? And how does she cope without Laudna when she get them?

Chetney's past. Period. And how he needs to control the wolf around this place, especially if the hunters are out there. He has control over it, more than anyone expects, yes. But can he have full control over it? Is that something which is possible for him? Technically his favourite target had been Orym but he wasn't here now. Can he handle his path and learn more about his wolf and control over it at the same time?

FCG is... Well, he has the Aeorean ruins for one, getting to discover more about his own kind and is definitely probably going to have another episode and I am counting on it, tbh. I am expecting each and every one of them to blow up in a certain way. And if they meet up with the Darrington Brigade, his relationship with Dotty is something I wanna see!

---------------------------------------

Team ES: Probably head-on smashes with Ashton's past and personal history, info dump and lore dump on that. Or they are near the Crown Keepers and get to deal with a rogue Opal. Laudna wondered what happened to Pate. Well, first they do need to figure out where they are anyways, and how to fucking communicate and get shit done.

Orym has his guilt and all three of them are spiralling in worry. He comes to know of the cause of the death of Will and Derrig, witnesses Keyleth almost killed by Otohan, failed in disabling the backpack and also was partly the reason Keyleth came there in the first place, luring in the Champion and providing Ludinus with what he needed. And so many regrets and guilt and just the fact that he has been separated from Fearne, who had in her weird sociopathic Fey way been his anchor, was now gone and nothing was to be known on what was up with everyone and is so worried that I am pretty sure he is gonna have a meltdown and go apeshit if he has to also help deal with Ashton's past because he is at that threshold and is barely hanging from the edge of it and really really needs people right now. The wee halfling deserves to go apeshit, blow up and break down, please!

Laudna... I honestly don't know apart from the fact that being separated from Imogen is going to deeply impact her cuz as far as I know, Imogen was the first person to accept her for who she was and they were just on the cusp of developing their relationship and she is worried for Imogen for the most part. Oh and maybe Delilah shows up again!

Ashton, I am rooting for him having to confront his past the most, a possible meet up with the Nobodies, if possible and their overall worry over the whole group, but especially FCG and Fearne. A possible breakdown and apeshit on the horizon along with some memory problems I believe. Not to mention them trying to find a way to find out more about the Dunamis shit that's going around, probably that also messes with their head a little bit...

Possible faces we can see:

The Crown Keepers (secretly rooting for them), Darrington Brigade, Possibly members of VM and M9, a few past NPCs (sorry I haven't watched much of the other two campaigns so maybe you can tag a few of the names you expect to see?

[topicaltropic]

Pictures of my initial idea & thumbnails under the cut

Dont lets start was on one of my mixes & i was like damn...you know who this could apply to when reading the lyrics literally ? And the imaginary animatic in my mind was circling in my head the whole day that i was like yknow what. Ill bang it out. My idea for a comic can wait (i am bad at comics).

Thus leading to me screenshotting the lyrics on google & pulling out my art program to color code & make a cohesive narrative while focusing on terryjr & scary. And wouldnt you know it ! Theyve had like 4 major interactions which fit the chorus ! Yippie ! Pre chorus would be the story events that lead up to it & the verses would kind of be exploring the relationship between scary & terry as well as scary & normal cuz i think theres a lot of things there in that relationship thats also very relevant. Theyve hung out the most with eachother and theres a lot of similarities in between them but a LOT of differences so i wanted to put in normals jealousy & resentment of how scary treats her step dad.

Another thing was i didnt initially plan on a ending ending w/ scary & terry having a hug bcz the podcast hadnt gotten to that part yet so it would honestly be better to play it safe and have a open ended "they meet eachother in the middle" thing than like a concrete happy ending, but i thought about it right and its like. Will they even have a happy ending ?Because i dont think the story would go to the degree of like cruelty in killing terry, but i think them failing to have a reconciliation or failing to connect is very real, so i went for the more indulgent hug.

(Whoops :P i guess this is the max amt of thumbnails i can share on one post X_X if there are actually ppl curious message me and ill send the rest)

Ive never really made an animatic before but ive certainly imagined a lot & watched a lot on youchewb, so after i actually finished thumbnailing it all i decided to take the challenge and get a free trial of storyboard pro, after which i was on the grind non stop nonstop 💪 except for the days where i went to go play with friends & watch spiderverse :3 so more or less it took about two weeks.

For my first time doing something like this: im pretty proud ! And since this blog is the only place i like to talk abt dndads i decided to write out my thoughts on the development process here :] i think the only con of making this was by the time I finished i was pretty numb to the the emotions i wanted to convey so having a friend proofwatch what you make really is paramount imo. I also still really like all the taylors i drew hes so funny. Thank you to all the nice comments it really warms my heart <33 commentary also lets me understand more what to work on & improve for the future ^_^ !!

DNDADS animatic - TMBG Don't Let's Start

[sugarylawliet]

AAAA OMG CAN YOU PLEASE WRITE SOME MORE OF TOXIC LIGHT SMUT when i tell you im absolutely in love-

yes!! sorry this took forever omg 

> warnings: smut, jealousy, some degreation 

“I don’t know how I feel about working with a Second Kira. What if it’s a trap?”

You stand arms-crossed in Light’s bedroom, him sitting casually in his rolling chair near his desk, awaiting the arrival of the supposed Second Kira.

“I know what I’m doing. If this was a trap, how would L know about shinigami? Notebooks? Shinigami eyes? Just trust me, I’ve got this all under control.”

You did trust Light, of course. You placed your life in his hands the minute he revealed himself as Kira, and you wouldn’t change that for the world. Yet still, Light may be the brains, but it all felt too convenient. Someone, somehow suddenly has a death note, is a follower of Kira, and so eagerly wants to meet up with him? At no cost, no trick or catch? It just didn’t make sense.

“I don’t know, it feels too easy. I have a bad feeling.”

“I think,” Light stands up from his seated position, slowly walking towards you. “You’re a little jealous?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. I’m just worried.”

“Worried?” He traces the curve of your jawline with his index finger, radiating warmth from his calloused yet delicate, almost soft hands, the same ones that murdered thousands with the flick of a pen felt so graceful in the gentle way they caressed your skin, so beautiful in the way they moved methodically, like a choir director stroking music notes. “About me? Y/N, you know me. I’m not stupid enough to fall into a trap.”

“I know, I know, it’s just-”

You’re cut off with the loud ring of the doorbell, the sound pulling the attention of both you and Light as your heads turned towards the closed bedroom door. Silently, the two of you exit his bedroom, walking down the stairs and into the living room to open the front door, revealing a petite blonde girl clad in a black dress, strips of patterned lace decorating her carefully put together outfit. She was gorgeous, yes; pretty and feminine in a way that sank your heart. Was she trying to impress Kira? Or did it just come naturally to her, she was always this done up? You dug your nails into your palms.

“Good morning, my name is Misa Amane,” The girl spoke, “You left your notebook at school, so I brought it...”

Light stepped foreword, placing his hand on the small of your back to guide you outside as he shut the door behind you.

“Nice to meet you...I’m Misa Amane. I figured you’d be worried after what was on the TV, and I couldn’t wait any longer.”

You clenched your jaw a little tighter. Yes, the Kira broadcast on the TV, the one she made, the one that made Kira look stupid. Was she an idiot?

“This notebook...” She reached out her hands, offering out a small black notebook. Her death note? You glanced at Light, to which he responded with an assuring nod, before placing his two fingers on the death note. You did the same.

Your gaze rose up from the black book and back at Misa; behind the small-framed girl manifested a towering, looming figure, it’s bones a dusty white, spiking at its shoulders like spears. Her shinigami? It looked different than Ryuk.

Light rubbed the bridge of his nose before opening the front door back up, “Come on in.”

“Oh, you’re inviting me up to your room?” She stepped in, “Yay!”

                 ___________________________

“You don’t look to happy Y/N. Was it Misa?”

You roll your eyes at Light’s remark. Of course it was Misa. How could it not be Misa? Light flirted back with her, and he did it on purpose. All just to get a rise out of you- and you hate to admit it was working.

“Aw, are you a little jealous maybe? I think you’re overreacting.” He continued.

“Overreacting? She asked to be your girlfriend. She called you darling. And you were playing into it. I have a right to be upset, it’s not unjustified.”

‘I’m sorry...” Light slowly paces foreword, walking you backwards until your back hits the wall. He places his hands outstretched against the wall on either side of your head, almost trapping you, “Are you talking back to me?” He lowers his head, softy tracing your neck with the tip of his nose, excruciatingly careful not to let his lips touch your skin. 

Nervously, you swallow hard, earning a smirk from the brunette. “N...No, Light. Of course not.”

“No who?” His fingers slowly graze your body, caressing your arms, your stomach, your waist; lower and lower, inching towards the place you wanted them most.

“No, Kira.”

“Good girl.” He remarks, finally dipping his fingers into your underwear. He runs his fingers along your slit teasingly. God, he was so arrogant, so pretentious, but you could never get enough.

“You’re so wet for me already? Loyal little girl.” He lifts his hand slightly so his middle finger rubs your clit in circles. You whimper in pleasure, you needed more.

“Kira, please.”

“Please what? I want you to beg for it.” He presses his finger harder against your clit, causing your knees to buckle slightly beneath you. 

“Please Kira, I need you. Please, just finger me, I need something, just no more teasing.” You managed.

“Well since you asked so nicely~” Light dips two slender fingers inside you, pumping in and out, using his free thumb to circle your clit. He drank in your small moans and whines with a small smirk, picking up the rhythmic pace of his fingers each time your legs trembled, adding a third finger until you were reduced to a moaning mess. He curled his fingers inside of you, hitting your G-spot.

“Fuck, Kira.” You moaned as you road out your orgasm, your words muffled by the hand that now covered your mouth. Right, his parents were still home.

“K-Kira, please, I need more. Please, fuck me.”

“Oh?” Light pulls his hand from your panties, earning a whimper from you at the loss of heat. “You think you get to make demands like that after you misbehaved all night? After you got jealous of some girl? After you distrusted your god? Nuh-uh, on your knees, now.”

“But-” You attempted to protest before Light roughly shoved you onto the ground by your shoulders, leaving you on your knees in front of him.

“Now Y/N, show me just how much more you love me than Misa.”

------------------------

A/N: alright I wanted to put a disclaimer at the end cuz this one kinda felt... misogynistic?? LMFAO. honestly i hate the trope where there’s a girl friends with a guy and then another girl comes along and she hates her, it just gives a lot of “pick me” girl vibes. buttt i knew i wanted Y/N to be jealous in this one, and who else would she be jealous of than misa? so yeah, disclaimer over lmfao

[calpalirwin]

Are We?

A/N: Based on Are We by Taylor Acorn cuz I’m obsessed with her music (and you should be too)

Word Count: 1.9k

And away, and away we go!

__

You could feel the music from Michael’s DJ setup thumping in your bones as you stepped outside, the cool night air immediately bringing goosebumps to your arms. You slid into the jacket you brought with you, catching a lingering scent of cologne as you did, and sighed. That’s what you got for leaving your jacket right next to his. That’s what you got for having his hoodie on your dresser in the first place.

“Yeah, it’s a lil on the cold side, isn’t it?” a familiar voice drifted into your ear and you turned to the sound.

“A little, yeah. Too bad you left your hoodie at my place.”

“Eh,” Ashton shrugged. “I don’t mind if it stays there honestly. I have plenty of others. And I’m over at your place a lot, so at least I know I’ll always have a back up if I need it, ya know.”

“Yeah, I guess that’s true,” you tried to laugh off as you raised your gaze to properly meet his, feeling your stomach tie itself in knots. 

“You good?” he prompted after a beat of watching you work your mouth, trying to form words and failing.

What are we? is what you wanted to ask, but what came out was a forced smile and a choked “Yeah, I’m good. Gonna grab a drink. Catch up later?”

“Sure thing,” he mumbled as you quickly walked off, before muttering a string of curses under his breath. “Just fuckin’ talk to her, for fuck’s sake…”

~~~

“Hey, I’m Ashton,” the brunette smiled widely at you, offering his hand.

“Y/N,” you smiled back, shaking his hand.

“Can I get you a drink?”

“No thanks, I’m good.”

Ashton giggled, pushing a hand through his hair. “Alright then. Well… if you change your mind…”

“I probably won’t, but I’ll find you if I do.”

“Cool.”

You sighed, maybe a little dreamily, as he walked off. Sure, he was cute. But the first time meeting butterflies in your stomach would settle eventually. And with how you and Ashton appeared to run in the same circle of friends, you needed the phase to pass without playing into it. A relationship was the last thing you needed right now anyway. 

~~~

“Some fuckin’ phase…” you muttered to yourself as you grabbed a water bottle from a cooler. When you turned, you could see Ashton chatting with other friends of yours, his shirt being pulled tight against his back and shoulders as he moved his hands animatedly.

Your mind raced with who’s fault it was for the storm you couldn’t make sense of. On one hand, rationally, you knew it was your fault for being the one to set the friend boundary in the first place. But Ashton was the one who had crossed it. And now you were the one who felt like the clingy one-night stand, trying to put the pieces of a puzzle together with both sides blank. Although, in hindsight, maybe if it had only been a one-night stand, you could be playing it cool like he was.

~~~

“Oh, my God, get a room!” Calum groaned before chucking a pillow at Luke, and another one at Michael. “We have a rule against fucking in a public space for a reason.”

“We’re not fucking,” Michael defended, his words mumbled as his lips stayed locked on Crystal’s.

“Well, fuck you, I’m going to bed then. And wearing ear plugs I guess…” Calum rose to his feet with a huff.

“Night, mate,” Luke told him as he and Sierra came up for air, their foreheads knocking gently against each other’s.

Now alone to deal with the two couples making out like sex-crazed teenagers, you and Ashton shared a look where he made a kissy face that had you busting up laughing. 

“Alright, fine!” Michael threw up his hands in defeat. “We’ll go to bed.”

“Have fun!” Ashton grinned.

“Use protection!” you joined in on the teasing as both couples headed to their own rooms. “Ugh…” you sighed, stretching your arms over your head. “Is it wrong to be jealous?”

“Jealous of what? That?” Ashton asked, motioning towards Luke and Michael’s rooms.

“Yeah. Not necessarily the relationship bit. Still not sure I want that. But God, to just get fucked senseless by someone who’s not a rando every now and again would be nice.”

“Well…” he started, and you noticed the subtle switch to his suggestive tone. “You know where my room is.”

“Are you seriously trying to hit on me right now?”

He shrugged, raising his hands defensively. “Look. You’re the one who said you wanted to get fucked senseless by someone who’s not a rando. I just happen to be someone who’s not a rando to you, and I have a great track record of being one hell of a lay. So… you could just go to your room, and do whatever it is you do. Or you could come to mine, and I’ll treat you to a good time, no awkwardness afterward guaranteed.”

“No one can know.”

“Pity… I like ‘em loud.”

“Ashton.”

“Alright, alright. This stays between you and me, got it. Not a problem.”

~~~

Both of you thought that it would just be that night. That if it happened too much, things would either get awkward, or you’d run the risk of your friends catching on. But sex with Ashton was like a drug. And now things were definitely awkward. Or at least, you were awkward. And you didn’t know how to take it all back. To be the people you were when you first met. And more than that, you didn’t want that. All this time, you thought it was space that you needed. But Ashton wasn’t someone you could erase. Because even if you acted like regular friends in public, those moments underneath the sheets were heaven. But you could do without each middle-of-the-night goodbye tearing you more and more apart. You could do without thinking about him in every spare moment, and second guessing everything you ever thought you knew about him. And you could really do without crying every time you tried to convince yourself that it didn’t matter whether it's all in your head, or if it’s real. But alas, it seemed like you were destined to be just another woman who fell for Ashton Irwin, wishing to wake up with him still next to you just once. 

~~~

You stayed at Michael’s party for a while longer, making your rounds, while avoiding Ashton as much as you could, until you started your rounds of goodbyes.

“Headed out?” Ashton questioned, one arm wrapping around you for a side hug that made your insides twist more.

“Long day,” you half-lied.

He pulled a frown, wondering how much he should believe you or not. “Well, alright then. Text me when you get home so I know you got there safe?”

“Yeah, of course.”

“And uh…” he paused as his eyes darted around, checking to see if anyone was in earshot. “Call if you need to.” His breath was hot as it brushed against your ear, before his lips planted a quick kiss to the side of your head.

“Yep, see ya!” you said, maybe louder than you needed to before making your final exit.

Don’t call him, you thought on a loop the whole drive back to your apartment. 

Don’t call him, you thought as you texted the group chat that you got home, rather than just him. 

Don’t call him, you thought as you stared at your phone screen, finger hovering over his contact info. 

Sighing, you set your phone face down on your nightstand. It’s not like calling him would do any good if you didn’t know what to say anyhow. 

“Seriously, don’t do it,” you whispered to yourself as you changed into his hoodie for bed. If you couldn’t have him the way you wanted, this would have to be enough. Everything with all its complications would have to be enough.

You were double checking locks and turning off lights when your phone started ringing. You didn’t have time to process the name calling as you hit accept. “Hello?”

“Hey…” Ashton’s voice responded, sounding almost broken. 

“You alright?”

“Are you?” he countered. 

“Ash… look, it’s late, and I’m pretty tired.”

“I’m not calling you for sex, Y/N.”

“Then what else are you calling me for this late?”

“Would you just let me in please? It’s freezing out here.”

“Are you…?” You made your way through your apartment to the door, twisting the lock and pulling it open. “What are you…?”

“So you sleep in my clothes now?” Ashton asked, in lieu of answering your own half-asked questions. 

“It’s comfortable…” you mumbled, crossing your arms over your chest, as he walked past you, and sat down on your couch.

“I’m not mad,” he said, as you shut the door and made your way to sit next to him. “I mean, it’s fine. I don’t care that you wear it. It uh… looks good on you that way.” As if to illustrate his point, his fingers ran over your bare thighs.

You shifted away from his touch, tucking your legs underneath you. “What do you want, Ash?” you asked, cutting straight to the point. 

“I honestly don’t know. Cuz it changes. Sometimes I want my friend back because I feel like I’m losing her, especially these past few days. And other days… I dunno.”

“You think you’re losing me?”

“I mean…” he shrugged. “I hope I’m wrong. But yeah. It feels like that sometimes.”

“Ash…” You reached out to cradle his face in your hands, your thumbs brushing across his cheekbones. “You’re not losing me.”

“But it feels that way.” His hands pulled yours away from his face, but continued to hold them tightly as your hands dropped in his lap. “What did I do wrong?”

“Nothing! You did nothing wrong.”

“Then why are you acting like something’s changed?”

“Because something has changed, Ash.”

“Well, tell me! Tell me what it is, and I’ll fix it.”

“It’s me, Ash. I’m the something that’s changed.”

“I- I don’t think I understand.”

“I love you, Ashton.”

“I love you, too.”

“No. I’m in love with you.”

“Okay, and what’s so wrong with that?”

“Because you’re not in love with me back! Because I did this to myself! I tried to keep my distance because the last time I fell for someone I got hurt! But I let you get close anyway, because you’re you! And now I’m falling, and dammit I don’t wanna get hurt again!”

“Shh,” he soothed, pulling you into him as hot tears spilled down your face and onto his shirt. “Shh, it’s alright, Y/N. Everything’s alright.”

“No it’s not!” you sobbed into his chest. “I don’t know what we are, Ash! Are we just friends who have sex sometimes? Is that all we get to be to each other?”

“Look at me,” he coaxed gently, his hands rubbing up and down your back. “God damn it, look at me,” he repeated more sternly when you didn’t, his hands guiding your face to look at him. “Remember how I said I thought I was losing you?” he asked, his thumbs brushing away the tears as they continued to roll.

You sniffed loudly as you nodded.

“It’s because I’m in love with you, too. I thought I was pushing too far, and that’s why you were pulling away.”

You shook your head. “N-no. I was pu-pulling away, cuz I’m sc-scared to be in love with y-you.”

“Oh, honey, you don’t have to be scared of that.”

“I d-don’t?”

He chuckled lightly, placing soft kisses along your hairline. “Of course not,” he murmured. “Because we’re friends first, which means I’m not going anywhere.”

“But we’re more than that, too?”

“So much more than that.”

“Ash? Will you stay with me tonight? And be here in the morning?”

“Of course, baby.”

__

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[shinydelirium]

MLQC Season 2 Chapter 15 (Kiro’s Chapter) Part 3 [Land of Map Country] Translation [CN]

I’ve mentioned before in an earlier post about how s2ch15 is the BEST Kiro chapter I have ever read so far in MLQC. This part 3 is the start of it all.

Thanks again for helping @link4eva​

 ***Once again DO NOT READ IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO BE SPOILED!!!*** 

Enjoy~

For the previous translation of Chapter 15: Part 1, Part 2.

[Land of Map Country]

The footsteps behind me suddenly sped up as if they were close. I stepped forward without hesitation and quickly jumped into the tram.

The tram closed its doors at the same time and started to move.

I looked out the window behind me with lingering fears but saw no one.

Kiro: Don’t worry, he can’t catch up to you. This is a superhero’s car.

Kiro seemed to read my thoughts and comforted me in a relaxed voice.

I steadied my breathing, looked around the car, and found that the monitor on the roof was lit with red dots, so I turned off the map and waved to it.

MC: Thanks for all the help, superhero!

Kiro: Eh? Wasn’t that already obvious?

He deliberately dragged out his words to show disappointment which made me instantly laugh.

Kiro: I thought you would make a long list about how you really feel right now.

MC: True emotions can be said face-to-face.

Hearing my words, Kiro was silent. After a long time, he laughs and replies to me in a low voice.

Kiro: I’ll remember what you said.

Kiro: I have controlled the route of this tram and it will bring you safely to my side.

Kiro: Next, Miss Chips will have a good rest in the car and she will arrive at her destination soon.

“Soon”…

I was taken aback for a moment and felt a somewhat uneasy.

Do I really want to see Kiro? Why did he hide during this time?

I glanced out of the window and the fog blurred the boundary between heaven and earth, looking chaotic and at a loss.

To this day, I still don’t know why Kiro suddenly put on the “Helios” mask, but I am quite sure what must have happened.

He is like a Rubik’s cube, its colors shuffled with different secrets scattered on each side. ***Sidenote: What an absolutely perfect analogy to describe Kiro!***

No matter how hard I try, I can’t put together a complete Kiro.

He seemed to have carried many secrets and heavy responsibilities from the beginning.

I know that everyone has secrets and they don’t want to show them to others.

He didn’t want to tell them, so I didn’t ask.

Because of an adult’s self-righteous maturity and tacit understanding. Because he is afraid of touching the corners he does not want to touched….

Because I am afraid of being hated.

And in this way, it seems that the distance between us is gradually drawn further.

I took a deep breath and decided to abandon those inexplicable adult principles and looked at the surveillance with a sincere expression.

Even if he will be hated, I have to hold on tightly to his hand.

MC: Kiro, I miss you very much.

MC: Although I don’t know why you left suddenly, but now that you found me, I’m really happy.

MC: In fact, I have been looking for you all this time and I have been looking forward to seeing you.

MC: No matter what happens to you or what you become, I don’t care.

MC: To me, a healthy Kiro is the most important thing.

There was silence over the collar. After a long time, there was small, low voice.

Kiro: MC, I….I miss you too.***Sidenote: WAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! TAT***

Kiro: I have also been looking forward to meeting you at that time. You may not believe it but I missed you much more than you can imagine.

His voice is very soft, but I can hear it very clearly.

During this time, the tram came to a halt slowly and I found that it stopped at the door of a department store near the city center.

Kiro: MC, go to the underground parking lot.

His voice was muffled and a little nostalgic.

Kiro: You can just follow the No.2 safe passage and go down. The signal in the underground parking lot isn’t good…..I’ll have to cut off the communication for now.

MC: Okay, I’ll go in right away.

Kiro:…Mm. Miss Chips, goodbye.

Kiro: Also, to “see” you again, I am very happy.

As soon as his voice fell, the collar was completely silent. My heart felt a little strange but I quickened my pace nonetheless.

Maybe he listened to what I said just now.

Thinking of this, I started running, wanting to see him even sooner.

Running out of the safe passage, I saw a figure standing at the door.

MC: Kiro!

I ran and leaped forward. The figure paused, then slowly turned around, revealing a sharp profile—

At the moment I met his eyes, my footsteps became slower and slower, and I finally stopped in the open space a few meters away from him, unable to smile.

MC:….Helios.

Helios looked straight at me. The indifference between his brows and eyes made my heart feel weak.

Why is this happening?

He clearly said just now, “I’m looking forward to meeting you.” Is it a temporary remorse? Or can he only face me in this way?

I couldn’t hold his cold gaze and lowered my head in a daze.

That invisible line seemed to have shown up again, between me and him.

No wonder his tone was so helpless and low just now. No wonder he never mentioned meeting with me.

He still remained in the circle of the map and refused to come to me.

Helios looked at me, concealing the complex emotions in his eyes and his mouth became a sharp thin line.

Helios: From the look on your face, you really don’t want to see me.***Sidenote: DAMN!!! TALK ABOUT A COMPLETE 180 JUST LIKE THAT!!!***

I took a deep breath, smiled and raised my head.

MC: How could that be! I think it’s a coincidence, Helios, meeting you here like this.

No matter what kind of him, he is him. If Kiro only wants to face me in this way, then I will do so with sincerity.

He turned and strode towards the depths of the parking lot but something seemed to flash in his eyes.

I ran to keep up and walked to his side.

He didn’t wear a collar, so he should be a “human” card. I deliberately kept my distance from him to avoid accidentally touching him.

MC: Helios, where are we going?

Helios: It’s “I”, not “we”.

MC:…..

I frowned but since he didn’t flat-out refuse me, I just assumed he accepted that I would act with him.

Soon we walked into a fire control room.

Helios stopped in front of an unremarkable wooden door in the room. He took a key from the door frame and opened the wooden door.

Behind it seems to be a utility room. The space isn’t large.

MC: What are we…”you” doing here?

Helios: Last time you said that you want to investigate the hunter game and the lighthouse. Are there any results?

MC:…..

MC: Helios, the conversation should be about you and me, not selectively ignoring each other’s problems.

Helios: Let me ask again, what is the relationship between the hunter games and the lighthouse?

I calmed down my emotions and explained my conjecture about their relationship based on the overall situation.

He listened without saying a word and squinted when he heard that the hunter game might be related to opening the lighthouse.

Helios: According to you, the hunter game relies on powerful Evol energy fluctuations to open the lighthouse.

MC: Yes.

Helios: How did you open the lighthouse last time?

MC:….. After being pricked, there was a “click” and I fell.

He frowned and looked at me with a confused look.

Helios: Describe all the events that occurred at that time.

Helios: Start from when you squatted by the stone slab.

MC: Were you close by?

My eyes lit up and looked at Helios. Hearing my question, he instantly stopped.

Helios: Don’t ask boring questions, just say it.

MC:….I just squatted there, carefully looked at the slab for a while, then reached out and touched it.

MC: It’s like it was alive and then I found a cut on the palm of my hand and my feet lit up.

MC: Then I felt the ground under my feet moving along with the sound of gears turning and I fell.

MC: And then, I met you.

He raised his eyebrows, showing a familiar expression of disdain.

Helios: Blindly feeling your way around without knowing what’s hidden, how foolish.

MC: It was just a matter of trial and error.

***Sidenote: Had to look these above quotes up online cuz Google Translate wasn’t making any sense and found out it was an idiom. Basically, Helios thought it wasn’t wise for MC to just reach out and touch things without knowing what would happen afterwards. I hope I interpreted it right***

He ignored me, turned around and took out a sealed test tube container.

Helios: Reach out your hand.

I do not know why he said this.

He took out the knife he carried close to his body and quickly cut my finger with a sharp movement. I didn’t even feel any pain.

Helios: Drip the blood in by yourself.

MC: …..

Although I was very confused, I obediently dripped the blood from my finger into the glass test tube according to his instructions.

Worried that it wasn’t enough, I squeezed my finger a little bit harder.

Helios: What are you doing?

He snatched the test tube, furrowed his eyebrows and stared at me.

MC: What? Didn’t you say to drip blood into it?

Helios: …..

Maybe it was my very calm attitude that made him speechless, but his mouth was slightly open and he didn’t say anything.

In the end, he just lowered his head and opened the paper bag in his hand, took out the iodine and band-aids from it, and threw them to me.

MC: You forgot again. No matter what you say or do, I trust you.

There was a momentary pause in his fingertips, trembling slightly. He didn’t speak but he knew what I was talking about.

Whether you are Kiro or Helios, yes, it’s all the same to me.

My heart will always trust you unconditionally.

Helios watched in silence as I bandaged my finger, took out a small knife, turned the hilt and handed it to me.

Helios: Keep this with you.

I looked at the heavy knife which made me feel somewhat distant but familiar.

A long time ago, I also received this knife.

Many things are like a circle. I thought I had walked for a long time, but I found that I had come to a certain corner where I had left.

MC: Is this kind of self-defense alone really enough?

Helios: No need to repay me.

I quickly took the knife and saw him turning around to leave the room and I hurriedly followed after him for a few steps.

He stopped, making me pause mid-step, then he put his hand on the doorknob, horizontally in front of me.

Helios: Stay in here, I put enough aerosol in it.

MC: If you’re going to solve the hunter game, I can help you.

Helios: I said no need.

Helios: I will end this game in my own way.

He didn’t give me time to speak and took a big step back, closing the door of the utility room with a “bang”.

“Click--”

The door was locked.

-End of Part 3-

Continue to Part 4 

[thedumpsterqueen]

Standards of Performance, Chapter 10: Accommodations

From the Beginning,  Previous Chapter

AO3 Link

Thank you guys again for being so kind about the new posting schedule (or lack thereof). Your comments and messages and rbs always make me laugh and cry (in a a good way).This is just a lil chapter about them being awkward and cute after The Kiss, and introducing some bigger plot stuff. You'll wanna buckle up for the next one ;)

Summary: You’re the BAU’s newest intern, desperate to prove yourself amongst an established team of much more experienced profilers. Agent Hotchner, the seemingly infallible team leader, sets strict expectations for your performance. He commands your respect without even trying, but is there something more to your relationship than a simple desire to impress your stony-faced boss?

Chapter Summary: Some creep is stalking the team and all you can think about is kissing Hotch. 

Words: 2059

Rating: Explicit, 18+. Warnings on AO3.

Pairings: Hotch x Reader, Hotch x You

The BAU had a stalker.

To put it in a way more relevant to your views on the matter: the BAU’s stalker was interfering with the (hopefully) budding spark between you and Hotch.

It wasn’t that you didn’t care that there was potentially unhinged maniac apparently obsessed with the team, it’s just that when you got the slightly panicked phone call from JJ that Morgan, Reid, Garcia, and herself had all found letters on their doorstep professing an alarming fascination with the members of the team, you couldn’t help but feel a bit irritated that the ordeal was bound to put a pause on the progress you two had made.

That is, until you went to leave your apartment in the morning and found an unassuming envelope shoved under the door. You opened it with shaking fingers to a note written on thick cardstock, scrawled in black, seeping ink as if written by an old-fashioned quill.

I’ve been paying attention to your team for some time - quite the impact you’ve made on the world of crime. The heroes of the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit! I’m sure the world wishes they had you during Bundy or BTK, hm?

Anyways, I had to see for myself. I must admit, finding you was much easier than I would have anticipated given your ‘status.’ I thought I’d drop you this note to say hi and propose a deal. A Game, of sorts.

The Game goes like this: I leave you notes, and you try to catch me! Easy, yes? This is day 1. How many days until you find me?

Xoxo Talk soon,

G

You put the note in your bag and, after double checking your door was locked (not that the flimsy deadbolt the landlord had installed would have done much to keep an intruder out anyways), you rushed to the office. You dropped your note on the table in the conference room where the team had gathered and pointed at it tremulously. 

“I got one too. I touched it, I’m sorry, I wasn’t thinking -”

“Don’t worry about it,” Rossi interrupted. “We dusted the others; there was nothing. I doubt yours was any different.”

Hotch plucked your letter up and scanned it quickly before tossing it back on the table. “It’s exactly the same as the others. Nothing identifiable.”

“Why didn’t we get them?” asked Prentiss.

“Access,” said Garcia, notably less cheery than usual. The team turned to her for clarification.

“You three are hard to get to,” she explained. “Hotch and Prentiss live in secure apartment buildings. Rossi has a gated property with security that can rival the President’s. Those of us who don’t live the high life are just... out in the open.”

“So that’s encouraging, right? That the unsub either couldn’t or wouldn’t go through the extra trouble of getting to all of us?” JJ asked, hopeful.

Morgan shook his head. “I dunno if you can interpret any part of what this creep is doing to intimidate us as ‘encouraging.’”

“Does it read as intimidation, though?” mused Reid. 

“I don’t know, you tell me,” Morgan responded. “What’s your take on the language?”

Reid took a millisecond to reread the letter and pursed his lips. “Though the language isn’t directly threatening, the concept of a game implies either winning or losing. He - it’s almost certainly a he - doesn’t mention the consequences for either situation, which could imply that there are none, but that seems unlikely. There’s also the matter of separating himself from others in line three - ‘I’m sure the world wishes they had you during Bundy or BTK,’ not we. He’s trying to distinguish himself to us in some way, which means he wants to be noticed, and I don’t think there’s anything in this language that excludes the possibility of him doing something drastic in order to be.”

“So not encouraging,” said Prentiss dryly. “The question is, why us? Is this personal; did we put someone close to him away?”

“It could be, but the language in the opening seems sarcastic almost, like he’s mocking us,” noted Rossi. 

Morgan nodded in agreement. “It’s a challenge. He’s trying to tell us we’re not all we’re cracked up to be.”

The analysis worried you, because you felt you were the only member of the team for whom that statement might have been true. 

“So, what then?” you asked. “Review security footage and see if we can find anything?”

“Already did!” chirped Garcia. “Hotch had me up all night reviewing the tapes.”

For the first time, you noticed the dark circles under her standard coat of heavy makeup. You looked at Hotch, expecting to find some shame in his expression, but found none. 

“If there was anyone weird creeping around your dwellings last night, I didn’t see ‘em. I even looked through the street cameras in the area. Granted, none of you have a security camera pointed directly at your door, which might not be a bad idea after this -”

“Hold on,” Morgan interrupted, “you didn’t check her apartment though, right?” referring to you. “Cuz she just found it this morning?”

Garcia perked up, but you shot her down with a shake of your head. “Sorry guys, my place isn’t nearly nice enough to have security cameras.”

The team looked unperturbed by that, except for Hotch, who met your eyes with a look you couldn’t quite place. 

“What do we do, then? Wait for another letter?” JJ asked.

“That’s all we can do until we have more evidence,” said Hotch, visibly frustrated. He hated waiting, you knew that. You all hated it. It felt like watching a car without its parking brake on slowly start to roll down a hill.

“If that’s all, sir…”

Hotch nodded at Garcia. “You’re all dismissed. Business as usual for now. If he craves acknowledgement, best not to give it to him unless we have to.”

The team filtered out, and you made to follow them, but before making it through the doorway, Hotch called you back. He shifted feet, cleared his throat, and looked at you.

“About the comment you made earlier,” he started.

What comment? You wracked your brain trying to remember if you’d said something rude, or something that hinted at what happened between you two, but came up short.

He noticed the puzzled look on your face and clarified. “When you said your apartment complex wasn’t nice enough to have security cameras. I wanted to say that -” he ran his hand across his jaw, clearly uncomfortable, “- I know the internship salary isn’t impressive, and if you feel you’re unable to afford safe accommodation, I’d be more than happy to talk to Strauss about -”

“Oh, God, no.” You felt as if your face was on fire. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it that way, my apartment is fine - I mean of course there’s things that could be improved - but in no way do I feel unsafe.” 

“Well, good. Okay then.”

Before you could make your exit and spare you both from the residual awkwardness of the interaction, he spoke again. “There’s one more thing. Given that whoever wrote this note has displayed his willingness to come to our doorsteps, JJ is staying with Emily for the time being, Reid with Rossi, and Garcia with Morgan.”

You smirked at the last pairing. Leave it to those two to capitalize on a stalker to bunk up together. 

“I was going to have the Bureau get you a hotel in the meantime, since he did come to your apartment, but Garcia suggested that since we live so close, you could just… stay with me.”

Holy shit.

There was a pained look on his face as he finished the sentence as if he recognized what an utterly bad idea it was, but hadn’t had the good sense to reject it himself. He looked at you, expecting an answer despite the lack of a question mark at the end of that statement, and you struggled mightily to compose yourself to deliver an acceptance that didn’t appear uncomfortably enthusiastic. 

You must have taken too long, because he immediately started to retract his offer. “I already told her it was completely inappropriate; the rest of the team is used to staying together for cases but given you just started, and after the last few days I completely understand -”

“No!” You cut him off. “Sorry, no, that’s not what I was going to say at all. I’d love to. I mean, I think it’s a good idea. I’d feel a lot safer…”

‘With you around?’ Is that too much?

Fuck it. 

“... with you around,” you finished, and you swear you saw him push back a smile.

“Alright, then. I’ll let Garcia know.”

You made a mental note to send that woman a thank-you card.

***

As the workday wound down, you were surprised to Hotch turn out his office light and walk out at the same time as you did.

“Early night?” you teased as you walked to your cars in the parking garage, despite it being 7 pm. 

He chuckled. “It would have been rude of me to keep you hanging around until I decided to leave.”

Right. You were leaving together. Because you were going back to his apartment. Together. The undeniable domesticity of the moment put a skip in your step, and you couldn’t help but wish this was happening under different circumstances.

“So I’ll just stop by my apartment and grab my things?”

“What? No,” Hotch responded, frowning. “I’m coming with you. The whole point of all of this is to avoid being alone.”

And that’s how you ended up speeding down the highway like a madwoman, leaving Hotch in your dust, taking the stairs two at a time, and frantically scrambling to get your apartment in order. It wasn’t terrible; not as if you had rotting food sitting out or something (probably because you didn’t actually cook enough for that), but the recent caseload and spending so much time with Hotch in the mornings had certainly pushed general organization to the wayside. You shoved the growing pile of dirty laundry into your closet, straightened up the coffee table, and were in the middle of packing your suitcase when you heard a knock at the door.

Giving the apartment a quick once-over to make sure you hadn’t missed something utterly humiliating, you opened the door to an unimpressed Hotch.

“I could have pulled you over for speeding, you know,” he said as he strode into your living room.

“Yeah, sorry,” you said sheepishly, “I wanted to make sure this place wasn’t a mess the first time you saw it.”

He cocked an eyebrow and you realized how that came out - the first time, as if there were going to be many more - and you coughed and looked away.

“Anyways. I’m almost done packing, just gotta grab a couple more things.”

He nodded and you hurried to it, wanting to get him out of your apartment as quickly as possible. Normally you’d have jumped at the chance to be alone in a quiet place with him, but the way his eyes were scanning the room made you nervous that he was learning more about you in a very short amount of time than you felt entirely comfortable with.

***

You walked into Hotch’s apartment for the second time ever to find it just as clinically neat as before, except for a set of sheets and blankets laid out on the couch. Grinning, you gestured to them.

“Thought you said you were sure I would say no?”

It was his turn to be shamefaced. “Just in case. Besides,” he shot back, grabbing your bags from where you’d deposited them by the couch, “You’re taking the bed.”

“Like hell I am!” you scoffed, forgoing propriety. “I’m not making my boss sleep on the couch in his own apartment.”

“Considering I, as you mentioned, am your boss,” he responded, “I will be making that decision.”

You plopped down on the couch. “Unless I just refuse to move.”

He stood a few paces away and glared, but gave up and dropped your bags all the same.

You could have sworn you heard him mutter “brat” under his breath, but that didn’t sound like something Aaron Hotchner would say, did it?

Taglist (I got a bunch of new ones so message me if I forgot to add you!):  @stop-drop-and-drumroll @criminalmindzjunkie @xoprincessmel @cevanswhre @addie5264 @klinenovakwinchester​ @honeyshores​ @violentvulgarvolatile @masumiyetimziyanoldu @violetclifford​ @pipersaccomplice​ @itsmytimetoodream​ @groovygoob​ @captainhyenafan​ @thebadassbitchqueen​

[normal-thoughts-official]

About the Jace hate, I do get your point and it’s valid, Jace is an ass and arrogant and Clary makes some really stupid decisions.

In the first books they were pretty stupid but I do feel there’s quite a lot of character development for the both of them. I’m talking about The Dark Artifices series and not The Mortal Instruments of course. They grow up and they become adults with an institute to run so they have a responsibility now.

Jace is less arrogant and he kinda settles down with Clary because to him there’s nobody else anymore besides Clary.

The Alec hate I do not get at all. I mean, I know he gets the stereotypical jealous part but again, in the later books he’s just a badass. The whole red scrolls of magic and lost book of the white is just Malec being BAMFS. And Alec becomes Consul which makes him so powerful and he uses the title to change the Clave for the Downworld and for all the Shadowhunters like him.

Book and show Malec are just * chefs kiss *

i mean, look, ur entitled to ur opinion and all, but i rlly dont think this is something ur gonna change my mind on, so id rather not get into that discussion tbh 🤷 like u wont change my mind (and thats fine, like ive said before, my opinion doesnt actually matter unless u choose to care about it and that's why i throw it around) and i probably wont change urs, so

with that being said im gonna reply to ur points anyway because i cant fucking help myself and well, it is my blog after all. i tried to not be aggressive but i do have pretty strong opinions on this topic so there's that

u dont have to read it cuz like i said i dont think we'll change each other's minds and i think we're just gonna end up upsetting each other tbh, so im putting it under the cut

idk about becoming less arrogant but to me what drives me crazy about both jace and clary is that they are selfish and self centered and i just cant stand that. and the fact that there's no one else for him but clary is pretty much an extension of that. to me their relationship is just them joining forces to become an unit and be self centered together lmao

and the fact that they're running an institute doesn't inherently change that at all. tbh even if it did, giving them an institute to run when they are only learning to be responsible for other ppl is exactly the kind of shit i hate and can't stand about the both of them and cc's writing. if they aren't responsible enough, they should never have gotten it, and the fact that they did and accepted is just more proof that they only care about themselves and are entitled and have everything handed to them on a silver platter

as for alec, he became consul because jace nominated him, so i dont see that as a point in his favor. and even in the later books he is constantly incompetent at basic things and that is used as the butt of a joke, like him being literally unable to speak in other languages because he gets too nervous and doesn't know which language is which or that whole bullshit "hero of the war coming through!" "oh it's not jace herondale, it's just some guy" or alec's own kid liking jace more than alec himself lmao. and there's more i don't remember but like... i dont think book!alec is a badass in any way shape or form, he is incompetent and keeps being carried on everyone else's shoulders and also has positions i dont think he deserves or ever did

also him using his position to help downworlders and everyone loving him for it is a white savior narrative so it's gross for entirely different reasons, and the fact that that's pretty much all he has going for him is proof that cc can only make a gay character relevant if its a result of his whiteness (or in that case shadowhunterness which is really just magical whiteness), which circles back to other anon's point about her rep being terrible

most importantly tho, even if book!alec were a badass i still would never like him or book!malec solely because of the way he treats magnus

im not even just talking about the whole "trying to take magnus' immortality away" bullshit (which in and of itself is a complete dealbreaker for book!malec for me. they could have the best relationship in the world other than that and i still would never ever ever be able to ship a couple in which one of the parts is so openly selfish and disregards the other part's consent and literal LIFE like this. idc how young alec was, he was old enough to know exactly what he was doing, and if he's too immature to respect his partner he shouldn't be in a relationship, full stop) but also... everything else. if i wanted to see a white gay man being biphobic and racist to his brown bi partner i would simply go check out the closest abusive relationship in my area. the constant jealousy slutshaming and overall immaturity is just gross and annoying and the fact that magnus puts up with that shit at all makes me sad for him, even if he's also a creep so i don't really care about him either

and like this is not a book vs show thing, it's not a competition and in most fandoms of adapted works ppl like both and merge both together. i would be perfectly capable of liking both, and tbh the only reason i even tried picking up the books at all was because i liked the show and wanted more content. i don't hate the books because i like the show, i hate the books because.... of the books igrsssfhh

[idnek83]

Hey it’s angst o’clock: before Kaz and Gundham get together, when they still kinda hate each other, 2 of the Devas have babies and everyone takes turns babysitting the litter while Gundham works. Kaz’s turn comes and he finds one of the babies has died and fREAKS THE FUCK OUT. Like sobbing cuz he’s never had a pet before let alone seen one die and so he takes the baby and flees and everyone thinks he just straight up stole a baby but really he’s fucking horrified and terrified to tell Gundham cuz he fucked it up and the baby is dead cuz of him somehow. And someone, maybe Sonia, finds him and talks him down and they go to Gundham who is more upset that Kaz “stole” a baby but once he realizes what happens he understands. Being a Breeder he probably sees animal death a lot unfortunately. But he helps comfort Kaz and forgives him and lets him help with the living babies and maybe that’s how they start becoming actual friends and sometime down the line they realize oh fuck I’m actually in love with this dude when did that happen IDK SHOWER THOUGHTS WOULDNT LEAVE ME ALONE I HAD TO TELL SOMEONE SORRY

You think you can come onto my blog and just rip my fucking heart out, huh? Right in front of my mutuals? You think you can just rip my heart out and force me to write something sad so everyone else has to feel sad too?

Good. Cus you 100% can lol.

TW: animal death - It’s mentioned repeatedly and is the central theme of this, so please just skip this one if you think you might be uncomfortable reading it. 

Gundham comes into the class one day and he’s super proud and showing off the baby hamsters to everyone. He’s a little embarrassed to ask for help, but he’s working on a very important conservation project or something, so he asks if anyone would be willing to keep an eye on them for an hour or two at a time over the next few days, insisting that it wouldn’t be hard, all they really had to do was make sure they didn’t escape and call Gundham if something went wrong. At least like half the class offers cus the babies are just so damn cute, Soda only offers cus Sonia did and he’s trying to impress her.

Gundham sets up an enclosure for the hamsters in the classroom, and everyone picks a time to come by to watch them.

When Soda’s turn rolls around a few days later, he’s secretly a little excited. He’s been complaining about it the past few days to keep up appearances, can’t have anyone suspecting that even tough he can’t stand Gundham, he also kind of has a soft spot for him (What? Dudes handsome), but he’s actually pretty psyched to get to spend some time just chilling with the baby hamsters. He’s never had his own pet, but he’s always wanted one.

Anyways, when he gets to the class he checks on all the babies and as far as he can tell they’re all good. He gives pets them for a bit, but then they seem like they’re trying to go to sleep so he leaves them and sits at a desk to play around on his phone for a while. Like 40 minutes later he gets up to check on them again.

They’re pretty much all huddled up, and Soda thinks it’s super cute, but he notices one lying down a bit away from the rest. He assumes it must have rolled away in it’s sleep, or that it got kicked out since its the smallest one, so he goes to move it back over to the hamster pile.

It’s cold when he touches it.

He knows pretty much right away what that means, but he doesn’t want to believe it. He pokes it a bit and tries to scratch it’s whiskers to get it to react, but it doesn’t move. He’s already crying, but then he starts thinkin about how it was probably something on his hands that killed it. He didn’t was his hands after finishing up in his garage, and he must have had oil or something on his hand when he was petting the hamster and now it was dead.

He’s hyperventilating.

He’s worried he killed them all, but looking at the hamster pile, the rest of them all appear to be breathing still. He’s too scared to touch them to make sure.

He’s sure its his fault. His fault for touching the hamster with dirty hands and his fault for not paying more attention. The hamster was probably acting weird before it died, if he had just been paying attention he could have called Gundham and it would still be alive.

He’s a murderer.

Sonia was supposed to be the next person watching the hamsters. He couldn’t let her see the dead baby hamster, couldn’t let her know he killed it. He looks around the room and finds a little box to put it in. He’s chocking on his sobs as he picks up the hamster, and he nearly drops it because his hands are shaking so bad. Once it’s in the box he has to take a moment cus he thinks he might vomit from how guilty he feels. 

There’s like 10 minutes before Sonia is supposed to get there, so he takes one last look at the other hamsters, picks up the little box that has no right feeling as heavy as it does, and leaves.

He doesn’t really know where to go so he just heads up to the roof to get some fresh air and think, sobbing the whole way. He’s pretty sure he saw Sonia down one of the hells on his way up, but he just prays she didn’t see him and that she doesn’t remember how many hamsters there were.

He sits with the box in his lap, shaking. 

He thinks he feels it shift.

His chest seizes up. Was it alive? Had he really not killed it? He can feel the hope swelling up inside him as he slowly opens the box-

It’s dead.

It’s definitely dead and now its lying on its side and its little eyes are staring right at Soda and it takes him a minute to realize his sobs have turned into screams of agony. The hope made it so much worse.

He closes the box again and sets it down so gently beside him, before curling in on himself and just sobbing and screaming into his hands so hard his whole body is shaking from it.

He’s a murderer. He killed a defenseless animal. A baby. It was only a few days old and he killed it.

Suddenly there’s a warm hand on his back, rubbing just a little and bringing him back down to earth. His sobs slowly get weaker and he manages to look up, though his vision is still blurred with tears. He can make out dark clothes, pale skin, and a bright purple scarf. He assumes Gundham is there to punish him.

Gundham just asks him what’s going on, says Sonia called him because one of the hamsters was missing and she thought she had seen Soda running away from the classroom earlier. They assumed he had taken one of the hamsters for himself, but that didn’t explain why he was crying on the roof.

Soda realizes that the only reason Gundham isn’t beating him senseless is because he doesn’t know the hamster is dead.

“I killed it.” He starts sobbing harder the second the word leave his mouth. He feels Gundham’s hand tense on his back

“What.” Gundham definitely sounds pissed now. He’s not yelling, but his voice sounds deadly. Soda accepts that he’s about to get the shit kicked out of him, accepts it even. He deserves it.

“I-it must have been the oil on my h-hands or something, I don’t know. I s-should have been paying more attention, but when I looked at them gain it was-” his voice is cut off by another sob, and he’s just waiting for Gundham to hit him. To his surprise, some of the tension in Gundham’s body dissipates.  

“Where is the poor creature?” Gundham doesn’t sound angry anymore and Soda doesn’t understand. He just gestures towards the box, he’s too much of a coward to even look at it again.

Gundham gets up and opens the box. Soda hear him exhale sadly after a moment, before returning to Soda.

“It would seem we have both been mislead.” Gundham sits beside Soda and starts rubbing his back again. He explains that Soda did not kill the hamster, it seemed like something must not have developed right internally, and it simply died of natural causes. There was nothing either of them could have done to save it. Soda is just amazed how calm Gundham is being.

He asks him why he isn’t more upset, and Gundham sighs and tells him that it’s unfortunately something he sees a lot, so over time he’s just gotten used to it.

Soda’s just like “That fucking sucks.” and Gundham kind of laughs sadly and say “It fucking sucks indeed.” Soda’s kind of startled by Gundham swearing and it forces an awkward little laugh out of him. 

They’re both quite for a while, then Gundham tells him he’s touched by how upset Soda was over the hamsters death, and that he’s sure the hamsters soul appreciated him mourning it, but it is simply part of the circle of life and death, so he shouldn’t get too fixated on it. Soda’s still crying a little but he nods and says he’ll try, Gundham keeps rubbing his back.

They stay up on the roof for a while longer. Soda has mostly stopped crying, but Gundham’s hand is still on his back and he tries not to think too much about it. When they stand, Gundham picks up the box before Soda can even think about it and motions for him to follow him.

They bury it in some nearby woods, Soda insists on leaving some flowers. He asks Gundham not to tell their classmate about how much he cried. Gundham just says ‘of course’, as if they didn’t spend most their free time looking for new ways to get under each other’s skin.

Later, Gundham insists that Soda comes to see the healthy babies, telling him it will help him feel better. Soda is scared to be left alone with them, so Gundham just stays by his side the whole time. Even after Gundham finishes his project and brings them back to his place, he invites Soda over to see them. He starts teaching Soda about proper hamster care and they slowly grow closer and closer.

Sometimes Soda gets a little teary eyed while looking at the other hamsters, and he’s worried Gundham will make fun of him. He never does, he always just silently rubs Soda’s back, until one day he pulls him into a hug as well.

Months later, their relationship has completely turned around. They’re both constantly talking to each other and hanging out, they even occasionally refer to the hamster babies as their children haha. The rest of the class starts making bets on when they’ll realize they’re into each other, but for the time being they’re both happy they were able to finally become friends.

[toxicshipsincorporated]

potn anon again: part of me is curious about it because I feel like the themes are not as bad as I think they would be (I tend to imagine the worst scenarios possible).

also, I think the characters are pretty. (★ ω ★)

if I do pick it up, I'll probably read one chapter a week or so, just to gauge how I feel about it (and I'm very guilty of finishing something I don't like just because I started it. I often choose to not watch/read new things because I'm afraid of the commitment). Though I don't know when that's gonna happen; getting into new stuff in general is very difficult for me. Feels like a Major Life Decision™ every time.

Anyway, I'll stop rambling now. :D

I will say that its definitely........according to taste tbh. as someone who likes darker fiction, potn is downright sugary fluff to me. So I think if you're someone who does like darker fiction, potn won't be too bad. I think the hardest part about it that would generally disturb people is the steep power imbalance between Seungho and Nakyum and how that's constantly in play and results in some reeeeeeal dubious moments.

fully??? like I am so shallow when it comes to how pretty the art in a manga/hwa/hua is. if the art is pretty, I will usually give a work far more leeway than I would if I didn't like the art. Byeonduck is CRAZY talented. Their art is so incredibly clean and pretty and detailed.

seungho is......a hot slut. lemme tell you. that mans vibes??? rotted, nasty, moldy, WACK...but his look???? his bod??? immaculate.

and nakyum is just so darn adorable. and sometimes very funny?? actually they both can be kinda funny. I think what I like about potn is that there are some genuinely funny moments put in there as well and Byeonduck themselves seems pretty funny.

but yeah! if you ever do pick it up, feel free to come talk to me about it cuz no one in my circle wants to read it T_T

spoilers under the cut if you don't mind those but some of my thoughts on what I like or appreciate about the series and why it isn't all that dark for me, personally.

I think one thing that really lightens up the darker aspects and more dubious consent moments is how genuine Seungho's feelings seem for Nakyum. He struggles a lot with accepting and then expressing those feelings which leads to him doing some pretty.......fucked up stuff.

As for Nakyum (or...Na-kyum??? idk i've seen it done both ways) I think it can be difficult because he....clearly does not consent to some of their sexual interactions. He's manipulated and Seungho threatens and hurts him but I think Na-kyum is also miserable before he met Seungho as well. Which....isn't me saying anything about real life but I think the reason why I understand Nakyum's whole narrative is because he too is struggling with understanding his sexuality and his desires and while his relationship with Seungho is definitely.....fucked up at first, I think he eventually finds a lot of....acceptance? and a level of sexual freedom and eventually it seems like he gets the chance to feel desired and gets to face his sexual desires without feeling ashamed of them.

[too-scared-to-do-this]

Of the Devil’s head

Chapter five - Mushy brains and heartbeat flairs 

Sander’s side fanfiction

Wordcount: 1340

Ships: still just prinxiety

TW: well mentions of blood, wooziness, cursing, mentions of various forms of ridiculous torture. I think that should be all. let me know if I missed any :)

Summary of the whole story:  They say, the one that wears the crown rules all - the living, the dead, the walking, the crawling, the rooted, the sane and the mad. They say, once you own the crown, you become the  most powerful being on Earth and beyond. Roman’s stolen bigger things - a measly little crown won’t present a problem, even if he has to steel it straight off of the devils head!

------------------------------

Chapter five - Mushy brains and heartbeat flairs

Roman was too preoccupied with senseless babbling to notice the guard coming back. He didn’t even notice when the keys chimed as the cell got unlocked. What he did notice though was when the bars, he was heavily leaning on, succumbed to his weight.

Well not exactly, but the thief has lost a lot of blood. He fell forward, landing on his hands and knees. “Wow… the ground is very hard…” he mumbled.

Derius look at his sibling with a weirded-out expression. “Is it good?”

Murede shrugged. “How should I know.” And grabbed a babbling Ro under his arms.

Somewhere in his fogy brain he knew this was bad. He knew this demon figure was trying to take him somewhere. So he put all his effort into grounding his feet. Which just ended up in him being dragged out of there. He pulled on his arms, squirming as much as his injuries let him. “Where are you taking me?” he heard himself ask.

Nobody answered.

“Let- go of me!” he tried, tossing in their grip. But the guards didn’t even flinch. So Roman was either extremely weak at the moment, or they were too strong. He opted for the first one. (No demon is stronger the Roman.)

“I want to talk to your higher-ups!” he screamed in a final attempt to free himself. Glaring daggers at the pair of siblings.

“You’re in luck.” a booming voice cut through his struggles. Both guards stopped and Roman lifted his head to see who had spoken. “Here I am.”

Virgil sat on his throne, sprawled out as always. His daggered staff in one hand and the crown proudly on his head. A deadly gleam in his mismatched eyes and the smirk on his face.

Roman’s mind went completely blank. “Woah…Pretty boy….” he mumbled.

Wait! Did he actually say that out loud?!

Judging by the complete and utter shock written on the Devil’s face, he guessed yes.

Virgil cleared his head, ignoring the way his heartbeat flared again and forced his expression back into that cool smirk. He had a part to play. “So you’re the one who dared to come down to Hell, hah?”

He got up from his throne and walked over to them, circling Roman. Like a vulture, he eyed his pray. “You don’t seem strong. Nor are good at stealth, apparently. And your brain…” he lifted Ro’s chin with his fingers. “I can’t tell if it’s really that mushy or if that’s just from the fall.” he let go.

Roman watched in awe, as his captor walked around him, criticizing him. Why didn’t anybody warn him the Devil was this hot?

Virgil made one more circle and stopped directly in front of the thief. “Tell me… why did you come here?”

Oh right…! Roman was here for something! Something about steeling -

He felt himself lean forward, hanging from the guards’ arms, face inches from the head-demon. And looked him dead in the eye.  “To steel your heart.” he grinned, as charming as ever. (Or at least he hoped so.)

The king’s eyes went wide. Some weird eek-ing noise left his mouth and he stepped back. And was the haze messing with Roman’s mind again or was that blush on his face?

“My-my heart?!” the Devil gulped, staring at the stranger. How dare he-

Meanwhile Remi in the back by the throne was losing his shit! “Pffff… This is priceless!”

“Uuuuhum…” Roman swayed a little, woopy smile hanging from his lips. “You have very pretty eyes…”

It seemed like the thief’s self-control was barely holding. With his permanent filter off, his mouth was free to say whatever it desired. Even if on the expense of his ego. But Roman’s brain was getting too fogged up again to notice any of this.

“Well I-“ the crowned one stuttered. “I-“

“Ow…” the thief mumbled suddenly, loosing interest in everything around him. “My head hurts…”

“Are they-“ Virgil looked back at Remi, completely uncomfortable. The mind reader wasn’t much of a help, laughing his ass of somewhere in the corner. “Why are they-“ he looked back at the guards completely helpless.

“I want to go home…” the intruder wined again.

The guards shrugged just as much clueless as their leader. “I think it might have lost too much blood for its Human system to compensate in such a small amount of time.”

Yeah… Looking at the poor babbling fool, Virgil could see where they were coming from. Tears and scratches everywhere. Knees and hands scraped. Bandage on his head. Clothes dirty and coated with blood.

His eyes softened looking at the clueless mortal. “Why did you come here?”

“Hm?” Ro jerked his head up smiling dopy-ly. “To steel your heart silly.” he giggled.

Yap. He was completely gone.

“Yeah, right.” the king nodded, looking away. And that was certainly not blush on his face!

He looked at the guards, stern expression in place. “Take him to my suit. Give him a change of clothe and show him the shower.”

“Yes sir.” they nodded and dragged a half-conscious Roman away. He was still babbling on about how he’s going to win over that hot demon king and make him his!

Virgil let out a long sigh.

“Uuuuuuuuh!!! What’chu gonna do with it, babe? Tear it limb to limb? Fuck it senseless and then burn it alive? Uuuh! I know! Make it feel suffer endlessly and then throw it into the pit while still alive!” Remi run up to him completely giddy with energy. “And theeen maybeee…. we couldgogetthatStarbucks?”

The Devil looked back at him with a questioning look. “Shut you hole, dimwit! And you won’t get your coffee!”

“Satan damn it! I hate Hell!”

“Everybody hates Hell. That’s why we’re all stuck here.”

-

Roman was taken into a spacious room, shown to a shower and given clean clothes. To say he was back to normal after the shower would be a major over-statement, but he did feel a bit better. Enough to finally realize he was in the Devils bedroom!

What was the embodiment-of-all-evil planning to do with him? And oh god! What the hell was Roman thinking, babbling all that stuff!

Oh god! He surely made a fool of himself…

What is he thinking! He should be searching for an escape! He is about to be killed!

But these clothes are so soft… He has never in his life seen fabric like this…  And the bed was so comfortable…

Surely the king wouldn’t get back until later. He’ll just close his eyes for a second…

Somewhere in the back of his mind the red alarm was going off. This wasn’t safe. This was stupid. This was dangerous! But the fog pushed drowned all that out.

And Roman fall asleep.

Virgil found him like that, sleeping soundly in his giant bed. He watched as the Liveling turned in a restless sleep and mumbled something incoherent.

He sighed. This creature was so strange. Everybody usually ran the moment they saw him - well that was maybe ‘cuz they saw him in his demon form, but let’s leave that aside. This measly little Human stayed.

It even dared to look him in the eyes! “Pf…” he shook his head slightly. “You came to steel my heart, hah?”

“Sad to say I don’t have one. No one in hell does. It’s a Mortal thing.” he shrugged slightly, walking over to the bed. Sitting on the corner he watched his sleeping prisoner.

His brown brows were furrowed, hair still wet and tousled from the shower. He had sharp features. Sharp and worn. Thousands of tiny little scars covered his skin, the slope of his nose.

Virgil found himself entranced by the creature laying in front of him.

To steel my heart. Right… He snickered to himself. “What will I do with you?”

And those were the words Roman awoke to. Blinking his sleepiness away, he opened his eyes. And he found himself staring into two mismatched eyes. To very frightened and caught of guard mismatched eyes.

Shit.

------------------------------------------

Just imagine both of them thinking it at the same time.

I’m sorry if my jumping from viewpoint to viewpoint is confusing. I tried to make it as little confusing as possible, but it’s still kinda messy.

I have a question - would you like longer chapters or is this enough? ‘Cus like I know I’d like to finish in under 10 chapters, but if I’ll continue this way I probably won’t... 

Let me know, okay :3

I really hope you liked it, though!

Oh and, guess what! Now apparently I have a tag-list! XD

So: Tag-list:

@romano-hottopic

@alice-only-me

[bittybattybunny]

Me writing an Au of my original character’s story cuz I had a “what if” moment

This drawing is also a partial ‘redraw’ of an old Kaya picture

I used one of her older outfit designs for this cuz I wanted to. it’s simple but yeah I hope ya like.

Um but here’s the ficlet (this is a short oneshot AU based on my original story “Nightmare’s Dream” this is an Alternate Universe where her human dad isn’t dead and it’s modern age not ancient like her actual storyline):

“Sir, Miss, this way.”

She turned confused as she heard her father being called. She trailed after, doing her best to keep hunched over as they stepped over the barricade into the crime scene. Her nose burned and she reached to cover it disgusted. 

The area was a disaster. Rust colored splothces covered the concrete and pavement. She frowned as she narrowed her eyes as she looked around. Something was bothering her but her dad kept chatting with the police officer. 

Gabriel laughed as he tapped his cigarette package and put one in his mouth, lighting the end with magic. His silver hair was slicked back in a thick braid with many smaller braids interwoven. His brown eyes moved to look at the young woman as she was busy looking around. He chuckled.

She kept her hand over her nose as she wrinkled her nose. It was astringent smelling. She could smell blood, urine, feces, metal, rust. It was giving her a headache. There was also now her father’s smoke. She hated the cigarettes he smoked. It made her head fuzzy. She knew he did ti for his safety but it made her eyes spin. She grabbed the man’s sleeve as she frowned.

“Dad… it smells bad… really bad… it’s sharp and stingy,” she stated quietly as she tugged on his sleeve. She chewed her lip with pointed fangs as her gold eyes darted about the rubble. She gripped his sleeve tighter, “There’s a lot of iron and… dad it smells---” she whined as he didn’t respond. He was busy taking notes down. She made a whine in her throat as she put her chin on his shoulder, “Dad--”

“Kaya dear, just put your mask on if it bothers you that much,” Gabriel stated finally. Reaching into the pocket on his long grey coat, he pulled out a black fabric mask. He held the black fabric up to her and she sighed as she hooked it behind her ears, the smell of lavender overpowering her nose. It made her head dizzy but it was better than the bodily fluids and sharp smoke she was smelling. She looked around, her golden eyes wide open as she surveyed the scene. Her eyes flickered to slits momentarily.

The building had exploded from the left side. The sidewalk was littered in broken bodies broken stonework. Even though it was nighttime there weren’t even gawkers or passerbys. She listened and heard no cars and she frowned as she looked at the sky and narrowed her eyes. As she continued to look around something was annoying her and she couldn’t figure it out at first. Something wasn’t sitting right. This whole scene seemed off to her and she was having issues figuring exactly what it was. Was it the smells, was it the lack of noise, was it her father trying to make small talk with the officer? No. Something felt like eyes. Watching. She knew it wasn’t the normal paranoia she dealt with. This was something else. But where? Where was it coming from? She chewed her lip beneath the mask.

Her eyes paused near one piece of carnage. A large block that’d fallen when the building erupted. That was it! She felt a smile on her lips as she jumped past her father to the shock of the police officer who’d been leading them and made use of her large stature to get over the rocks and cement. The belts and buckles on her outfit created a clink and a clank as she moved. Slowling to a stop before the stone she shook her head to center herself. She put her hand to the stone and scowled, furrowing her brow as she growled. This was what was making her annoyed. She knew it. She looked around at the rubble trying to figure what was different. She pulled her mask down and sniffed at it. She retched slightly.

“Dad.” she stood back up looking over at the older gentleman and pointed. She looked back at the stone as her eyes glinted.

“What did you find? Is it something nice?” Gabriel asked as he took the cigarette from his mouth. He tapped the ash from the end with a small smirk on his face. He watched as she raised a gloved hand and large circles lit up, creating a gust of wind, sending her black hair fluttering. The officer gasped at the sight of the young woman using magic.

“I open at the close, the one who seeks my name shall perish in the blinding lights of my unjust rage. That which began will cease and begin once the time clicks forward.” she recited as the wind and circles faded. She frowned under her mask and pulled it down under her chin. She stuck her tongue out while she started to cough. She turned back towards her father and the shocked officer. Bright red markings dripped on her cheeks like jagged slices. The whites of her eyes appeared a greyer color, darkening as she stood there.

“Was it creature, beast, caster, or spoiled?” her father asked as she frowned. He looked at his notes as she stared at him. The officer looked confused as the others surveying the scene turned towards the commotion she was causing.

“Yes.” was her only response before she looked back at it confused. She raised her hand once more and pulled the glove off. Dark claws and darkened skin blurred together as she placed it on the large block. She began to scrawl on it. Symbols. She worked quickly as she carved line after line into the stone. It started to erode. She sided stepped as a skeleton fell out onto the street. When it clattered to the ground, coins fell out with it as well as a book and some pages. She picked the book up and tucked the loose pages inside. She flipped through it before she tucked it away into her coat with a huff. She would deal with THAT back at the office.

“Oh. a vessel.” Gabriel watched the officer vomit and sighed before laughing at the other man, “Good work sweetie. Is that why it smelt stingy?” he asked as he scribbled in his book.

“Mmhm. Kinda. Partially. Not really. This is more…. It was making me really uneasy? Like how people describe being around me. How I always feel the eyes of the moon staring.” she pulled her mask back up over her nose and knelt down poking the skull with her claws. She sighed heavily before she stood up, the various chains on her outfit ringing. She stretched as the slits in the back of her shirt showed her pale flesh and the dark markings on it and she took a deep breath.

“R I S E.”

Her voice was strong and had an echo that caused a shudder to run through the air as the bones began to shift. Shimmering black threads wrapped the brittle yellowed remains together as it slowly stood up. Its skull clacked and teeth dropped. It clicked and chittered as it shifted with the threads holding it together. A light behind the eye sockets glimmering.

“That’s new.” Gabriel whistled, “who taught you that?” he raised a brow as he watched, “that wasn’t your normal work.”

“Miss Holmes in the necromancy department.” she stated as her father walked over, “she said voice of authority should work for a limited time if the corpse was magic respondent.” she explained as she looked at him. Turning back towards the skeleton, she narrowed her eyes, “Who buried you in the block?” she asked it with a stern tone. It had a similar echo to when she rose it from the ground.

It stared at her. It clattered. It tried to point but it’s arm was limp and it couldn’t fully raise it.

“Hrm. I don’t think this will work sweetheart.” her father patted her back but her eyes were staring firmly at the skeleton. “Sweetheart?” he chewed his cigarette.

“The one who buried me sleeps in the earth but the descendants crave destruction of the barriers,” she stated in a hollow tone. “They knew not that I would rise and that I rested here. The child brings sanctuary.” Her gold eyes were blank as she spoke. Her pupils returned as cat like slits as she snarled some.

“That’s no good.” Gabriel sighed, rubbing his neck tiredly. “I’ve worked hard on barriers after all.” he chuckled lowly, “I would prefer them to not be destoryed.” 

The man turned to the officers, “it seems this is very much a case for our office. I’m going to let my daughter loose to have a little look. It’ll cut on cleanup and casualties.” he laughed as he stomped on his cigarette and looked at Kaya once more, “Ready, sweetheart?”

She whined some as she bent down. He reached to undo the leather choker she wore. He gently unclipped the belts from her arms and legs. There was a sickening feeling in the air. It became heavy. The sensation of being watched. The air was thick and oppressive as he continued to remove the belts.

 She stood up straight for the first time that night. Her stature towering over those deployed. Despite her height she was thin and wispy. Her face was hardened into a steely glare as the man held a black mask up. It had two small horns. 4 white slits decorated the dark surface.

“Here you are.” Gabriel chuckled as he handed it to her.

“Thanks…” she lifted it to her face and set it on. At once four eyes opened on the inky surface before a jagged grin spread. She yawned and the mask moved with her motions.

“Find the one causing this mess and bring them back. If they prove difficult. Eat them.” he ordered her. She gave a nod and in a flash was gone leaving a crater in the pavement. The skeleton wobbled and collapsed into dust on the ground. Gabriel sighed.

“Well that’s not helpful.” he scribbled a note as he looked at the remains. He took his cigarette packet out.

“S-sir… what exactly….” the officer whipped his mouth in shock.

Gabriel smirked as he lit another cigarette, “that’s my wonderful baby girl! She’s a special one for sure!” he chuckled as he blew the smoke through his teeth, “a wonderful girl ever since I found her asleep in the lost woods. My sweet little Kaya.” he chuckled, “she’s our best agent you know.”

She jumped from building to building. Her head was throbbing from the release of her seals. She stood on the church steeple and looked around. She raised an arm as the shadows squirmed and formed crows and bats and tore off into the sky. The moon shifted as eyes opened and the night seemed darker. She looked around as she closed her eyes and focused on the shadows that flew around searching for magic traces. For the one who exploded the grim’s holding.

They ran through alleys. They spied in windows. They flew through buildings that whistled with openings. Her eyes snapped open.

“Found you.” she jumped from the building and vanished into the shadows.

“Should we help her?” the officer asked as Gabriel sat down to pull a not book out. He rolled the belts up as he looked up.

“No, we’ll only get in her way. This is training for her you see.” he chuckled, “do you know who we are?”

“I know you work for Prometheus…” he frowned.

“Correction, I own Prometheus.” Gabriel chuckled as he took a pen to write. He scrawled the message his daughter had recited and frowned, “Someone is messing with the barriers my ancestors laid down to keep the other side from interacting with humans. Kaya is a key to maintaining those barriers.”

She jumped from shadow to shadow, the tendrils clinging as she ran through the city. She stopped as she arrived back on the scene and the officer jumped.

“Welcome back sweetheart.” he hummed, “did you find it?”

“Mmhm.” she pulled her mask off revealing she had four eyes below it. All four trained on the officer. The whites of her eyes were the same inky tone of her hair and claws. Her gold eyes glowed in the night air. The officer backed up. He shook as she kept her stare on him. Like a mouse cornered by a cat he was starting to have issues with his heart. Something wasn’t right.

“Isn’t it fascinating?” Gabriel continued, “how the very people who protect the common folk happen to keep others on their side?” he kept scrawling without looking up. The officer swallowed their spit as the young woman kept her multi-eyed gaze on him. Gabriel chuckled some. “The real way to keep the peace is to play togehter sometimes.”

She moved to open her mouth revealing larger fangs. A dark mist left mouth as she gave a low growl deep in her throat. A second mouth opened along her jawline creating the illusion of her face being a mask. It clicked aggressively as she open and closed it.

“I said it smelt bad,” she spoke in a grumbly tone from both mouths. An echo of her own words. “So bad. The moment I got here. Bad magic. ROTTEN magic. Festered, old, wrong.” she hissed word by word.

“I open at the close.” Gabriel recited from his notes. He snapped his book shut and tucked it away into the inner pocket of his coat, “Sweetheart what does that mean typically?”

“It’s where it started,” Kaya answered him as she dropped her shoulders, her claws seemed larger and her limbs longer. She moved closer to the trembling officer. Four large black wings spread from her back as an unease filled the air. She stepped closer as Horns lifted her hair like inky tendrils and she hissed another cloud of smoke. The air grew heavier.

“Do you know what it means to make thine enemy your friend?” Gabriel asked as he stood up. He dusted his coat off with a chuckle as he looked at his daughter. “It helps you immensely in the long run to not make enemies of those who dwell in magic. Officer.”

Kaya cackled as eyes opened on the wings and the officer fell over foaming at the mouth. She straightened up and sighed as she relaxed now. Her horns vanished like mist as she seemed to return to how she had appeared earlier in the evening.

Gabriel clicked her belts back on and the air returned to the normal calm evening chill. She stood up and shook her head as she shut her lower eyes and mouth. She let her father put the belts back on as the wings faded back to the shadows and she grimaced. She took her choker and strapped it on, the silver cross on it jingling as she did.

He pulled a bottle of cola from his jacket and gave it to her which she eagerly sipped on. She took a large gulp before she groaned and stuck her tongue out.

“What’s the point of making me run around if he was the one?” she frowned, “My mouth tastes so gross now.” she shuddered, “Dad. you said this was a simple thing. I ran all around the city.” she whined as she sipped the soda, “In the end it’s just bad smelling and now my head hurts because you removed so many seals at once!” she leaned on him tiredly as she complained about the evening. She gave a large yawn. Her forked tongue flicked as she shut her eyes tiredly. “It’s rotten and icky and bluh.”

“I had a suspicion. I mean this is nothing but a dummy scene.” Gabriel chuckled as he lifted the round stone from around his neck and peeked through the hole. “You noticed I’m sure. It’s far too quite for a thursday even if it is midnight. He would have done better to stage this during the day, but I feel he wanted to wait for less real victims.”

“Of course I did.” she pouted as she moved to grab the officer’s shirt. The shadows swirled and she threw him through it with a shudder. “I see everything.” she opened her lower eyes as the fog began to lift, “That’s why you bring me, isn’t it?”

“No, I bring you because you’re my daughter and you need to learn to manage this.” He looked at her with a small glare on his wrinkled face. “What will you do when I can’t be your handler?” he asked seriously, “I’m not going to be around forever young lady. You’re already 37. I’m hitting 80 next month. You may look like a teenager but you need to learn this faster.” he chided her.

She sighed and looked away from her father ashamed. She continued to grumble, “you don’t even know that. You found me as a toddler...ish.” she sipped her drink as she pulled her fabric mask back out to cover her face.

“Yes, but you’ve been in my care at least 36 years, and you’re still my baby girl. Now. clean the area up, eat the remains.” he instructed as he checked his notes, “that vessel is the only concerning thing.” he scowled as he looked at what he’d written, “the idiot mage I expected but not an actual vessel to be here.”

“It’s a grim. Not a vessel.” she corrected him as bright circles and symbols lit up. The rubble began to rise into the air. She waved her arms as black threads danced and tied the building back together and stitched them whole once more. She looked at the bodies and whined, “can we please call a clean up instead?”

“Kaya.” her father sighed with a firm tone. He stared at her with faded brown eyes.

“Ugh.” she frowned as shadows shifted and covered the bodies. She shuddered violently and started to retch and cough. She held back the urge to vomit as she continued to remove them and crumpled to her knees gripping her stomach. She wiped the black sludge tears from her eyes.

“The magic tastes so BAD it’s so out of order! Messy! Old! Miscasted! Yuck!” she whined as she bit back tears, “I hate it! Hate it!”

“I know sweetheart but you need to consume the fear they produce.” he rubbed her back as she hiccuped and groaned. “I’ll get you burgers on the way home okay? We can even get some sunflower seeds for your bird.”

“I just hate it!” she stood up and wiped her eyes, “this is the worst.” she looked at him as she sniffled.

“I know sweetheart.” he sighed as he looked at the street. He frowned as he raised a hand, “Oh powers which guide the night into the light I call upon your strength of fate. Return that which has wronged and repel that which is sight.”

There was a haze that quickly faded and the sound of cars was heard as people chattered.

Kaya looked at the city and leaned on her dad with a sigh.

“Let’s go home,” she stated as she stood back up and started to walk.

“We should get your mother a cake.” he laughed as they headed down the street into the crowd. A three-eyed crow taking flight.

[burgerkang000]

Email for better love lives

I HAVE A NAME FOR THIS ONE YAAAAAY

im doing the read more thing, cuz u know scrolling ugh

@beyoncesdragon @aixy-hpsa (if anyone else wanna be tagged, let me know!!!)

This is a Yunho fic!

enjoy?

You met San at a compulsory public speaking class, where only you both had to attend for grades; it was filled with nerds who came voluntarily. And your bond begin with bored out glances at each other and loud sighs exchanged. And after that you guys hung out a lot, went to get coffee while doing homework, caught rides with each other, and waved whenever your paths crossed.

You met Yunho when San wanted you to meet his friends that he wouldn’t stop talking about, which made you slightly jealous; you yearned for a bond like that. You pushed that thought away, nothing good comes with jealousy. And while San and his friends would go about their own business, you would stick to the side-lines, not knowing what to say or do, even though they try their best to include you.

Yunho would be the one to keep you company, actively telling you about his day and attentively listen when you were asked about yours. He would also help you study and take you out to grab coffee when San would be too busy.

Anyone would be a fool to not fall for Yunho, with his smile that make his eyes crinkle at the corners, teeth on display, fluffy hair. Who wouldn’t fall for him, at least you could keep it inside, and no one had to know.

“Look at Yunho in this picture, he looks so handsome” San shows you the pictures from your quick break before the exams to the arcade. You take a glance, damn. You know that the moment you open your mouth, you’re screwed.

“Hmm”

“I don’t like it when you’re vague” 

“Yes Yunho is cute” That’s all you plan on saying anyways, but you had to panic, because what if San thinks you’re not commenting on it too much and picks up that you’re crushing on Yunho? Ok, so you were overthinking.

“Too cute that it’s impossible he exists, I mean I see him every day but it’s not like I believe he’s real, there is a limit to being cute and all. I mean a recreation of a Greek god- I mean he should be a Greek God himself-”

You were cut short by San’s exploding laughter and as you voice your confusion to him, he still laughs until you violently shake him-

“Yah! Why are you laughing?”

He finally calms down enough to tell you-

“Just say you have a crush on him”

You open your mouth to deny-

“Admit it~” He says scrolling through his phone again.

You huff out, San was your best (read: only) friend, it wouldn’t hurt to tell him, so you nod the tiniest bit, and San grins from ear to ear.

“I mean, I didn’t see it coming, but when you started rambling off like that, it was obvious.”

You sigh.

“You tell this to anyone, I will personally murder you”

“Sure sure”

And after that, he thankfully let you change the topic.

 .

.

.

Ever since then, whenever you’d meet Yunho, right after that, you’d whip out your phone to text San; something vague like-

“He’s wearing a red sweater”

“He dyed his hair blue!”

“Kill me”

And then you’d go home and text San about how a person; a human, cannot simply be so beautiful, and ramble off about him.

 .

.

 .

“But sir, I don’t have an email” You tell the professor, who has just asked to submit your assignment by mail.

“Don’t whine to me, and make one, is there a student your age without email? How do you have social media accounts?”

“I don’t have them” you reply

“Just make one, it’s extremely useful, and won’t take much of your time” He said, in a brushing off manner, guess he doesn’t believe you.

You nod and sigh as you leave to the next class. If you can’t whine to your professor, you can whine to Yunho. Who listens to the whole thing like the god damn angel he is, and as you open your phone to create one, he gently coaxes it out of your hand, asks you if it’s okay if he creates one for you instead and when you nod he turns his attention to the phone, while you’re just dumbly staring at your hand, where Yunho’s hand made contact with yours.

“Look, I sent my self a mail using yours, lets chat on mail for a while, you can get used to it” He says, you nod, and talk for a while, and then Yunho had to go. You wave at him while he leaves and you text San.

“What’s your mail?”

And when you finally get it, you send him a mail.

URGENT: JEONG YUNHO TOUCHED MY HAND, I REPEAT JEONG YUNHO TOUCHED MY HAND, MOM COME PICK ME UP PLEASE.

I MEAN HE WAS FABULOUS TODAY TO, IF IT WASN’T OBVIOUS; HIS HAIR WAS SO SOFT I CLIKED A PIC, LOOK:

[Image attached]

DO ME A FAVOUR, WHEN I DIE, SIT ON THE VERY SAME CHAIR HE’S SITTING ON, LOOK AT THE SAME DEIRECTION HE’S LOOKING AT AND BURY ME THERE, WHILE YOUR AT IT PRINT THIS ON MY GRAVESTONE.

WHEN I DIE PLEASE TELL HIM I LOVE HIM IN THE OTHER WAY.

BYEBYE

Later that day you get a reply from San saying that you’re too dramatic and an email from Yunho, which you didn’t think much about the time. He was the one who wanted to talk in mail, so you open it and-

And you realise you accidently send it to him too.

*cue freak out*

“So I must have send it to him too-” San blinks at you for a while and then-

Laughs at your face saying random things like

“This is gold”

“Nonononono”

“Never in my life- never”

At this point, you think he’s just spewing English vines that he’s been watching a bit too much to be considered healthy. And now you’re overcome with sadness, and as soon as he notices, he starts apologising and you bow you head, you think you look like a rag doll, and then cry. And san runs circles on you back, occasionally tucking strands of hair behind you ear and wait till you finish.

After a good while of snot- running type of crying, puffy eyes and ringing ears, you start to ramble, a habit that got you here in the first place.

“I don’t think I’m ready for rejection, I mean I was perfectly fine watching him from the side-lines. Heck I would watch him get married and I’d probably say nothing, like I’m not dying inside, proceed to get married, I’m crying tears of happiness-”

“What makes you so sure that he’s going to reject you?”

“I don’t know ok? But this isn’t a movie, he sees me as a friend and I had to go and catch feelings for him.”

San sighs.

“So, what’re you going to do now?”

 .

.

.

It was hard, but you finally managed to blackmail San to help you avoid Yunho situations.

“And how long do you plan to do this?”

“Until my plane ticket and Visa to Alaska are approved and I change my name to Veronica Fall”

He looks at you, and the look speaks for itself, you’re being dramatic. You raise your arms in mock surrender and flop on top of the bed.

“Tomorrow everyone is hanging out, Yunho will be there, you coming?”

You pointedly grin at his cheeky expression, and he mimics the way you had surrendered just a few moments ago.

 .

.

.

You stare at the response you had given to all the missed calls from Yunho.

I’m busy

Sorry, I was showering

I’m going to be busy for a while.

And you watch as the three dots move, and then stop and then move again, you feel as if your heartbeat moves along with those dots, stopping when it disappears, and then finally a response.

We need to talk, I gave you your time, and it’s not fair.

You feel like this is a new side of Yunho you haven’t seen, an assertive one. And you realise, just because you’re a coward, doesn’t mean that you can leave Yunho in the dark, even though you have fears of Yunho leaving you, getting awkward; deep down, you know, that Yunho, he’d never treat your feelings as something useless. And that makes you feel more in love.

And who knows unrequited love may not be so bad, maybe, just maybe; for Yunho it might not be so bad.

Fine

After sending the last text, you get up to clean the place, take out boxes littered about, and books and papers all lying about that you haven’t cared to put away. You do the dishes, and tie your hair into a pony, you’re distracting yourself from the real problem of facing him, for now you let yourself do it; later, you can scream at yourself.

And a right when you reach for the broomstick that you had tucked in deep behind the storage room; you hear a knock at your door.

You don’t think much about it, until you open the door. Low and behold; Yunho was standing at the doorway, a determined look on his face and he walks past you into the house.

You can’t help but think; geez, come on in. But you’re just salty.

And he opens his phone and shows it at your face, too close to read, practically in between your eyes, its touching your nose too. And you’re the dramatic one.

“Explain; explain this email, that was, I figure, supposed to be sent to San, explain why you’ve been avoiding me and my calls, and wherever I go right after I replied to this, I’m not going or letting you go until you do.”

And his voice cracks at the end bit, but you don’t notice, you’re in a bubble of thinking; thinking how to phrase this, just overthinking; maybe.

And moments which feel like hours pass, and you decide to do this the ripping off the band aid way. But it turned out more like the ramble it off way

“I like you? No, no that came out wrong… I love you? Yes, I’m pretty sure I love you, and don’t worry I know you’re not into me that way-”

And you don’t know what really happened; there was a hand on your face, right under your nose, and he was right in front of you.

“Sometimes, everything you say is nonsense.” He breathes, you open your mouth to respond, and he applies more pressure with his palm, to keep you quiet. You can’t help but think of the way your lips mouthed at his palm, not the time; not the time at all.

And then he continues.

“You don’t know how relieved I am to hear that, the moment I got that email, it took me a few minutes to understand, but when I did, I already pictured our five adopted cats, not gonna lie”

Your eyes widen in shock, did he just indirectly say he like you back, in the form of cats? This is why you fell for him in the first place.

“Did I creep you out? I must have creeped you out, forget I said that.”

And you laugh behind his palm, and he slowly removes it, moves it to your shoulder, drags it down the length of your arm, and interlocks it with your hand, a sweet smile on his face, the contagious one, so it’s only law that you smile back, teeth and all, since you can’t hold it back.

“We should go on a date.”

“That; we must.”

.

.

.

You were on one of your many dates, too wind up in each other to not notice the others who also wanted to hang out with you, you totally kept the news from San; you and Yunho are in this together, so he needs to also be comfortable with telling San, after a lot of thinking, you both settle on letting them find out, which may take years to get in their daft heads, but for now, you both have put fate in them.

 .

.

.

San caught on way too quickly, the moment you enter the café and sit down, he says-

“So you’re not moving to Alaska? Or is your husband; Yunho moving with you?”

You blush and look down-

“Look, I can explain-”

And he breaks into a wide grin,

“I’m happy for ya”

.

.

.

You and Yunho were scrolling through many of the messages you have send to San; the ones fawning over Yunho, as much as he likes to get you flustered, he himself also gets flustered, so it’s a win-win situation.

“They haven’t caught on yet” you suddenly say.

It’s true, other than San none of them have caught on yet that you both have been dating, and that’s kind of weird, since it’s been almost a whole year.

But it’s not like you’re gonna sit them down and tell them. You and Yunho have a better plan.

Well you have a better plan.

“-and they walk in on us!”

“…..”

“Or not?”

“No”

You end up inviting them over for dinner, and as they take their first bites, you happily chirp in that you’re dating and Yunho adds that you’re moving in with, leaving everyone to choke on their food, except San, who had a cocky expression, which soon turned into a choking fit, who’s cocky now?

And Wooyoung looks up, and goes “Wait, you’re serious” and continues choking, this time on nothing.

 .

.

.

[ohhgingersnaps]

can you explain what you mean by "questioning the validity of the bible"? cuz i thought the bible was flawless 🤔

(in reference to my tags on this post)

Hey anon! I really appreciate you asking this question. This got pretty long, and I apologize for that, but I feel like it’s important for me to really dig into this, because this is an area where I feel like I’ve had some really interesting (and if I’m honest, deeply uncomfortable and difficult) spiritual growth.

TL;DR I place a lot of value on being encouraged to ask fundamental questions, fully allowing for the possibility of discovering you’ve been wrong. Truth-seeking, although sometimes painful, is a natural part of one’s spiritual growth and development, and it ultimately leads to deeper faith and understanding. I personally have gone through this process with questions about the validity of Scripture, hence the tag.

Background (and a bunch of explaining) under the cut!

First, I think most Christians will agree with your sentiments. I vividly remember sitting in the college dining hall with a friend and being asked whether you need to believe the whole Bible to be a Christian, and it stopped me dead in my tracks, because most Christians I know do, but do you, technically? (Biblically, I think the answer is actually no; faith in Jesus is sufficient, per Romans 10:9. One does wonder where a person is getting their ideas about who Jesus is and what he taught, so there’s definitely some inherent dependence on the historical accuracy of the Gospels there... But all of this is kind of beside the point.)

Overall, I think the exact starting point of The Bible Question was my trip a couple of years ago to the Museum Of The Bible in DC. It was a really interesting experience overall, but the one thing that really stuck with me was The Shepherd Of Hermas. This is an apocryphal book that was generally accepted as canonical Scripture by many early Christians, but was eventually left out of the Bible itself.

Now, I’m sure the Catholic church had perfectly good reasons for rejecting it, but it occurred to me that I, personally, did not know what those reasons were! I was suddenly hit with the irony that despite being Protestant, I had never questioned the validity of the Catholic-constructed canon of Scripture. To be clear, I absolutely don’t mean this as a knock against Catholic folks: I mean that in the Protestant circles I grew up in, we put absolutely no stock in church tradition, in every single case besides this one. The texts themselves are authentic, historically speaking, but which books “belong” in the New Testament portion of Scripture was decided in 1500 AD, and how much faith do I have that those council members were right? The Protestants removed a bunch of apocryphal books when they left, so why did they decide to keep the remaining text?

Hence, the question: Could the church have been imperfect in the construction of Scripture?

I was also absolutely terrified to ask this question.

Because, here’s the thing. If you are a Good Christian Girl Who Got Saved At Five™ you go to church and you maybe Ask Hard Questions every once in a while, but usually those questions aren’t fundamental faith-shaking questions! They are questions that are important and cerebral and sometimes difficult to answer, but not necessarily faith-essential. They are questions like, Do people still speak in tongues? or How much free will do human beings have? They are absolutely not questions like, Hey, um, we don’t know who wrote Hebrews? Why is it part of the canon of Scripture??

But here is the other thing: This question did not leave. I was scared of it, so naturally, I tried to ignore it. I had so much shame about it, too! I kept thinking like, Normal Christians don’t have questions like this, this is such a fundamental thing, why am I struggling with this! What’s wrong with me! So I repressed the question as much as I could, but it festered, and my relationship with God ended up suffering, because God wanted me to take this out in the open and deal with it properly, and I refused.

(Disclaimer that I was also dealing with some pretty bad burnout, which didn’t help, and of course even under normal circumstances my brain is generally kind of... Easily thrown into havoc by stuff like this? I like having things in a framework and do not like when that framework is disrupted, but also I have to properly vet and interrogate everything, so you can understand where the conflict here is.)

After six-ish months of bottling everything up, I finally broke down while I was home for the holidays. Obviously my parents were deeply concerned, both for my spiritual and mental well-being, but it was through talking with them that I realized that my question wasn’t inherently bad: At its core, it’s seeking truth, which is inherently good.

What I’d characterized as this horrible, faith-breaking thing was just spiritual growing pains. God was calling me to engage with Scripture more deeply, in a new, different, exciting way, and I was too scared and ashamed of asking the question to even think about following him there. It was taking me outside of what I felt was safe and well-established, but when has God ever stuck to what we know as safe and well-established, right?

Honestly, I’m still in the process of working through this. I’m taking the canon of Scripture at face value for the moment, because “go through each individual book of the Bible and figure out why it was included, and also go through the Apocrypha too just for good measure” is a pretty big goal and I don’t want to put my actual Bible studies on hold! And I feel like as I go through the books, I’ll end up saying, Oh, yeah, I guess that makes sense more often than not, and I’ll be glad to be fully convinced in my own mind about everything once this process is done... But I’ll have my answers, and I’ll be more certain of those answers than I was before, because I’ll have fully interrogated that question.

So I place a lot of value on not only being allowed to ask fundamental questions, but being actively encouraged to do so, fully allowing for the possibility of discovering you’ve been wrong. Seeking after the truth will never lead us away from God, only towards a deeper understanding.

I know this got super long (and maybe a little heretical?) but I hope it helps clarify where I was coming from with that particular tag. Thanks again for asking, and I hope this is useful!

[littledraga]

Robots and a Roomba

Because thanks to the Cav SPG really needs their own little Roomba.

Six stepped into the old manor with a box under his arm. He would grin, but well, keyhole masks aren’t all that good for that. His mom told him that he needed to help more around the house and suggested a vacuum. In a manor of countless rooms and spaces, before doing science. But he wasn’t going to disobey Annie either.

So! He had the most wonderful idea! And had gone out to buy a Roomba for the place. Now, no one had to worry about vacuuming. Patting the box he giggled. He was a very smart man indeed!

Unboxing the Roomba and setting it up, he sent his little machine away with a pat. “Thank you, Roomba!” he giggled. “Work hard!” And with that, he was off to science!

Rabbit was polishing her crown of awesome when she heard a distressed beeping. But not one that she knew.

Polish and crown in hand, she went off to investigate. Down the hall, the beeping got louder until she found a robot disk, stuck under the hall table.

“H-h-hey, there! Whatcha-cha doin’ under der?” Pulling out the machine, she looked it over. “Oh! You’re ne-new, ain'tcha! I’m Rabbit!”

When they didn’t respond, she frowned a moment. But she quickly beamed. “Aw! Ya must be shy. It’s okay, we’re all really nice, promise!” Still nothing. Maybe they just needed to feel more welcome.

“Come on! Let’s go have some fun to-together. Do-do you like tea parties?” She asked while she carried the Roomba off for a play date.

Turns out Roombas aren’t big fans of tea, even if she let them wear her crown of awesome. But they loved cookies! Or at least the crumbs that fell out of Rabbit’s faceplate from chewing.

“See? I knew ya just needed to warm up to me” She chirped and brushed out her dress. “Come on, we can have some more fun.”

Standing up quickly, she bumped the table and sent the cutlery clattering to the floor, and covering her new friend.

The Roomba kicked on again and chased after Rabbit as crumbs tumbled from her dress. A knife and fork balancing on its top.

“H-hey, careful,” she warned, and jumped out of the way, only for them to turn around again. Watching them, she grinned widely. “Well, if ya wa-wanna play like that.”

Plucking up her new friend, she went off to find some better knives and tape.

Sometime later, Spine was interrupted by a soft whirring noise and looked up from his guitar. “Hm? I thought I heard,” he was cut off when he heard a small clang of metal on metal.

Looking down, he saw a Roomba with a couple of knives taped to its top. Worse, they had cut his pants. “Hey, now! There’s no reason to go around cutting up people’s clothing,” he chided as the Roomba seemed to flee.

Only to start beeping as it hit the wall, cutting up the wallpaper.

The Spine sighed and knelt down to pick up the Roomba, careful not to have it cut any more of his clothes. Sure, the knives wouldn’t hurt him, but why ruin perfectly good clothes? It’s not like he had an endless supply of black shirts.

“Don’t worry, buckaroo. I’ll get you cleaned up and back on your way.” Carefully, peeling off the tape, he put the knives on the side table. “That’s better! Back at it, you go,” he praised and put the Roomba back down.

It turned once, twice, and then into his leg again, beeping that it hit something.

Grinning, he bent down to pat the machine again. “Hey, it’s alright if you want to take a little break. The manor is pretty big after all.” Sitting back down, he picked up his guitar again to practice. Though, he found himself distracted while the Roomba circled his chair. He hadn’t made any messes, not lately anyway.

“Do you like music by chance?” He asked and strummed a few notes. When the Roomba stopped in front of him, he grinned. “How about that!” He played a few songs for his new friend before he dug out an old cowboy doll he had stored away. Borrowing the hat, he placed it on the Roomba and adjusted it until it was just right.

“There ya are! Looks good on ya cowboy,” he laughed as the Roomba finally left the room.

Red fire truck in hand, Zer0 was happily playing on the floor when a new friend came to visit. Looking up, he grinned. “Hi! I’m Zer0. Are you new?”

Instead of answering, the Roomba went around the edges of the room.

Which made Zer0 laugh. “Come on! Do you wanna play with my red fire truck, with me? You can be the cowboy firefighter!” He followed the Roomba around the room with the truck. “Where’s the fire cowboy?”

After pulling him out from under his bed, Zer0 grinned. “You’re havin’ a hard time seein’ where you’re goin’, cowboy firefighter! I can fix that.”

Digging through a couple drawers, he found a marker and held it up. “Perfect! You can’t see where you’re goin’ ‘cuz you ain’t got no eyes!” Sitting down he carefully drew two mismatched eyes for the Roomba, and the biggest smile he could fit.

“Now, you can see the fire! Where should we go now?” With a chirp, the Roomba spun around again. Zer0 mimicked his new friend spinning in circles.

Out of the room, they went, until the Roomba ducked under a table that Zer0 couldn’t fit under. “Hey! You can’t put out the fire without the fire truck!”

Getting up, Zer0 scurried off to meet the Roomba on the other side. “Cowboy firefighter?” He wandered the halls looking for his new friend.

GG was sat on the end of the hall, pouting. “Someone pick me up! I’m too cute to walk down the halls!” She whined, waiting for someone to find her. The poor Roomba did first.

Seeing the Roomba roll down the hall she lit up. “Oh! Perfect!” Giggling she knocked off the hat and crawled on top of it.

Trying to keep her balance was hard, she fell on her face. “Hey! What was that for!?” She whined, sitting up to rub her nose.

Trying again, she wiggled and flailed until she found out how to sit and stay upright. “Yes! A mobile throne! Just need some cushions. Come, throne! To the living room!” She was pretty sure they were going the wrong way, but as long as they got there!

The Spine and Rabbit were in the kitchen, debating the new song set when GG rode by.

“Cowboy?” The Spine tilted his head before he popped his head out to see.

Rabbit wrinkled her nose. “No! That was Mister Stabby! I was playin’ with him earlier.” She rushed out to chase after GG. “What’d you do with his knives, GG?” She demanded.

“Knives? That was you? Rabbit, are you insane? You could have hurt someone, never mind cutting up my pants!” He scolded, only getting more angry when she waved it off.

“It was his idea! He was zoo-zoomin’ around with a knife on his head. I just helped.”

“Hey, guys! Have you seen Cowboy Firefighter? We were playing firefighter with my red fire truck and he got lost.” He held it up a little as he talked.

Narrowing his eyes, The Spine huffed and grabbed at the toy. “You mean you were playing with my red fire truck,” he corrected. “You have your own fire truck Zer0, leave mine alone.”

“He pr-pro-probably ran away because you were callin’ him the wrong name. He’s Mister Stabby!” Chirped Rabbit.

The three of them couldn’t finish a sentence before another was trying to talk over them.

Hearing the noise, Six peeked his head around the corner to see GG riding on his new Roomba. Stepping out, he put his foot out to stop it and crossed his arms over his chest.

“Do you mind, Petes? I need to get to the living room to get pillows for my mobile throne.”

Six tilted his head. “Excuse me? That’s a Roomba. It cleans the floors.” Before GG could whine he jabbed a thumb to the side. “Off.”

While she scampered off, complaining that he was being mean he looked down the hall to the three squabbling bots. He could see the marker face. He had only bought it a few hours ago! “Excuse me.” He tried, picking up the machine and powering it off.

When they ignored him he tapped his foot and huffed. “Excuse me!” He tried again, not quite yelling. That worked and they looked at him, each crying out that he turned off, Mister Stabby, Cowboy, Cowboy Firefighter. Tilting his head again he sighed.

“It’s a Roomba, little machine vacuum. It runs around and cleans the floors. It is not a toy, and it’s not sentient. The Roomba is not for playing, leave it alone.”

The three bots hung their heads and agreed.

How could three bots, each over a hundred years old, make him feel guilty? Sighing, he waved a hand. “It’s got a lot of work to do, please let it work.” Still, with the Roomba tucked under his arm, he walked off to put it on its charger. They were a handful sometimes.

A few days later, Six came up for a coffee refill, wondering why he hadn’t put one in all the labs yet. Stirring in more creamer than coffee he heard something metallic rattling along. He stopped and made sure he hadn’t picked up loose screws and dropped them in his glass again.

Nope, something was still rattling. Walking out to the hall he followed the sound. A few turns later he found it. The Roomba was scooting down the hall with three ice creams on top. There were a few bills tucked under them.

“GUYS!”

[hollyhomburg]

Sweet Lies and Bitter Truths

(Hoseok x Reader) (Pt. 1 of Don’t Care if It Hurts shorts)

Tags: Gang au! hybrids mentioned, blood, ambiguity, intoxication, 

W/c: 1.1k.

A/n: this is a little snippet of some of the pre-story I have written for DCIIH which shows Hoseok’s and Y/n’s relationship, how it builds and then how it falls apart. Keep in mind- if you haven’t read and finished DCIIH it’s likely a lot of this won't make sense. Also mild spoilers

*2 years before Jimin*

Hoseok’s hands shake as he reaches for a cigarette, lighting it and sucking it down quick. He reminds himself that he should really be more careful; he’d told Taehyung and all of his friends his family that he’d quit. And if any of them had eyes on him he’d be hearing about it when he got home. 

 A little bit of the blood spilling out of his nose drips into his mouth and Hoseok wipes it away, the action makes him stumble into the side of a building in, he catches himself against the brick and rites himself. But the cigarette falls out of his lip and onto the asphalt. 

 Damn gravity going where he doesn’t want it.  

He gets to the front of the bar, blazing through the bouncers, and skipping the line but one of them catches his shoulder, almost throwing Hoseok off balance. a panther hybrid flicks his ears behind his master, mouth raising in a growl when Hoseok pushes back at his master. “Not tonight dude- get yourself a cab and go home,” maybe that’s kinder, maybe they know who Hoseok is and that’s why he’s not being led away with a stoic expression.

He can’t blame them, probably don’t want a trashed gangster causing trouble- especially because Hoseok is in a shit mood. 

“What this?” Hoseok asks, rubbing his hand at the dried blood under his mouth now- showing it to the bouncer. “It’s not real, I just came from a costume party man- I'm supposed to meet my friend here?” it’s easy for Hoseok to adopt a satori lilt, to grin and hunch his shoulders to make himself less threatening, a habit learned from Tae, that fucking social chameleon.

The bouncer sighs and lets Hoseok past, the pather hybrid hisses in Hoseok’s direction as he passes. The bar is packed, but the manager still visibly pales when he sees Hoseok’s face and makes eye contact with him from across the room. Good, so they do know who he is here. He spots what he’s looking for by the bar. His jaw tightens- short skirt, heals a little too high, and a face that looks a little too young and innocent to be noticeable.

Taehyung is a good teacher. 

So Hoseok sits close, his leg warm and almost blushing and acts like he doesn't see you. Those wide eyes that hunt Hoseok’s dreams look up at him surprised at his closeness- but he doesn’t acknowledge it yet, acting like you’re strangers. 

Wouldn’t be the first time you’ve played this game. 

“I’ll have a vodka soda” he says to the bartender, making no move to hand over his card. He casts one glance at the nearly empty glass and says “one for her too” that same seemingly innocent face turns to him an eyebrow raised but says nothing. The drinks will be on the house. 

Sure enough, the same manager makes his way behind the bar and gestures to Hoseok’s spot. Hoseok is good enough at reading lips that he can tell what he’s saying at this distance “Give him anything he wants.” 

“That doesn't exactly look like stage makeup” that soft gently lilting voice says, sending Hoseok a dubious glance which he matches with a drunk grin. “I heard you talk to the bouncer.” He swipes again at his nose, coming away rusty on his palm, fresh and not dried. Shit. 

Hoseok sticks out his clean hand in your direction. 

“I’m Daniel” Hoseok lies, the farce ripping off of his tongue in a second, he sticks out his hand anyway.  You smile near laughing as you shake it, up and down, holding on a little longer than would be normal like you might not want to let go. “Christine” you introduce, biting your lip.  

Hoseok rolls his eyes and bites back a laugh; because of course, the name of the girl at the bar would be the same of a cursed car, from a movie that Hoseok had been forced to watch a few weeks ago on another godforsaken movie night of yours. Of course you would pick the name of a cursed car from a fucking bullshit American movie.  

“What’s a girl like you doing in a bar like this.” 

“Oh don’t hit me with that classic bullshit-”

“Well go on- answer my question then if you don’t want to be classic.”

“Just waiting for something to drag me out of this bar I guess.” Hoseok stands instantly. He’s been in the bar for less than 5 minutes. He downs his own drink and yours the second the bartender puts them in front of you. Never mind the fact that there are a dozen other patrons that were there before Hoseok. 

“Well, then I guess that something’s me,” you snort. But follow, Hoseok is only a few feet out into the humid midnight air when he stumbles, feet unprepared for a crack in the sidewalk and goes sprawling, hands cut against the concrete, as he spews a litany of curses. 

“Jesus christ Hobi.” You use his name as his jacket slides from your hands, his name stings almost more than the concrete, the way you croon it the way you roll it across your tongue and taste it. Looking worried and oblivious to the fact that you’re almost making him more unsteady than the liquor he’s consumed.  “You’re really trashed.” 

“No, just me” he answers, letting you pull him to his feet. “m’not Jesus,” 

“Who kicked your ass this time?” you keep your arm under his shoulder and he leans in, pressing his face to the side of your hair. usually, you’d never let him get away with such a blatant show of affection, not here, not outside where anyone could watch when you didn’t know who might see.

“It wasn’t cuz I can’t fight- I’m just drunk- caught me unprepared” Hoseok pouts, his words so slurry that you can barely make out the words around his tongue.  

“Jungkook would beg to differ” Hoseok snorts thinking of their relatively brutal younger member. “Not my fault Kookie can like- fight ten guys at once- that Jackie chan mother fucker is too good for his own good.” 

There is a car waiting in a nearby alleyway, the driver nods to you when you slide Hoseok into the back seat. Hands you a wet silk handkerchief for Hoseoks nose. “Mrs. Kim?” the driver asks. 

“Take us home please,” you say, holding the silk that quickly turns red to Hoseok’s nose.

“Hobi why did you go out tonight? When you knew the risks?” it wasn’t his fault- the only member of the gang that wasn’t needed, he’d been upset that Namjoon had benched him for tonight's job. What should have been important and he a member of the inner circle had been left out. It was probably done now- and most of the gang was probably laying low- beside you also excluded.  

“Maybe it’s because I knew Namjoon would send you after me, and I just wanted a moment with you where your brother wasn’t watching.” You still, take the handkerchief away from his face spotted with a little blood. 

You meet the driver's eyes in the rearview mirror. And he raises the partition in self-defense, its better the less he knows.

“Hoseok you cant-” you caution, sighing before you shake away the words that you almost said. You move the handkerchief to his palms, and he leaves them parted on your lap, the feeling of the back of his hands rested against your knees, shaking a little from too much nicotine running through his system. 

You’re right, because whatever this is between the two of you- you can’t, do anything on it. You’re both too Tied in the bonds of loyalty and family. 

Out of all the things he’d said to you tonight. That sentiment, being able to see you- without the bounds of the gang strangling both of you that was the only thing that was true. 

Truth tastes worse than whiskey on his tongue, especially when he can’t have you, the only sweetness that would settle the nausea in his stomach. Or maybe that’s just the alcohol- maybe he’s just- oh- he’s definitely going to be sick.

Hoseok barely gets the tinted window down in time to vomit out the side of the car. The cold hair caressing his face as you hold onto the back of his shirt.

Behind him, you sigh.