#revised one shot I wrote a while ago

[sabbathbloodysabbeth]

I wrote this a while ago but I fell back onto it while I was warming up on writing and decided to revise it and post it on ao3!

Ao3 link

Eddie skimmed the books on the shelf in front of him, there was no use in trying to find one he was interested in. He would forget about it somewhere in his room anyway and choose one of the Lord of the Rings books to read again. Instead, he lets himself wander through his thoughts, lost in some random DnD scenario he had made up that involved him fighting a group of dragons. Letting his body go on autopilot as his fingers gently brush the spines of every book in his reach mindlessly. He furrowed his eyebrows as he made a mental note to include this scenario in one of his campaigns later. He was sure the boys would enjoy it, especially Gareth, who had anger issues and loved releasing some of that energy onto a fictional dragon.

He should be in gym class, but he isn’t. The consequences of skipping were far better than those of actually showing up. The last time he went (over a month ago now) he ended up walking out with a chipped tooth and black eye. And he can’t forget about the bruised ego. That hurt worse than being hit in the face. Physical Pain he could handle, but his poor innocent ego could not handle the abuse.

Walking at the end of one aisle, he carefully turns and moves himself into the next. He prepares to loop through the next aisle but nearly jumps out of his skin when he almost falls over another person sitting down with their back pressed to the shelf.

A croak-like noise comes out of the back of his throat as he nearly tumbles face-first into the carpet. He stumbles forward a bit and catches his balance on the shelf to the left of him. His heart races as he secretly prays to everything holy that he didn’t somehow knock the entire shelf over. That would be his luck and land him in an infinite amount of after-school detention.

“Jesus H Christ.” He spits out, a hand pressed against his chest as he dramatically breathes heavier than normal purposely putting on a show for whoever nearly killed him. Turning around to face the culprit he jumps back again startled.

Sitting, pretty pathetically Eddie would say, was a beat-up Steve Harrington. Who looked like a horror movie had a crossover with reality. His eyes, or singular eye, were glossed over and wide as he started stuttering over his words.

“I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to trip you up like that.” Steve visibly cringes at his words, as if he was also aware he seemed pathetic. If that's not the case, Eddie would assume Steve had been cringing at his words slurring together. That was the only logical answer as there was no way Steve Harrington was cringing at him.

“Eh- it’s alright. Not the first time a king has tried taking me out.” He grins, before faltering a bit as he remembers that the other wouldn’t understand that he was referencing DnD and not something gay. But for all, Eddie knew Steve probably correlated Dnd with weird faggots anyway.

He begins to walk away, wanting the awkward interaction to be over so that he can move on and cringe at the whole situation on a random night in the future. But he can’t help but be a bit nosy as his eyes glance down at the book in Steve’s lap. It probably had been open at one point, but it was now closed and Eddie is secretly thankful he can read upside down.

“Head injuries huh?” He points out. “Didn’t take you for a reader King Steve.” He drags the other’s name out a bit longer than he has to as he crosses his arms over his chest and cocks a hip out. He has an unreadable smile, his teeth showing in a weak attempt at being somewhat civil with the other, but he still wanted to have his guard up just in case.

He didn’t personally enjoy talking with asshole jocks, but what he did like was to know some things. He liked having some lore for the people around him for backup reasons aka blackmail.

“I’m not.” Steve snorts as he lifts the book. “Just trying to do some research, I don’t know if you have eyes but my face is pretty smashed in right now.” He retorts back with a little bit of sass. Eddie notes how his words slur like he is drunk. Eddie could spot a drunk anywhere and Steve Harrington seemed a hundred percent sober and fully aware of his surroundings. (Besides the possibility of tripping someone up by sitting on the corner of a damn shelf but that is beside the point)

Furrowing his eyebrows, just a bit concerned he doesn’t let up the banter. He purposely forces his eyelids open with one hand and jokingly presses a fingertip against his eye before pulling back. Blinking the tears out of his slightly agitated right eye he brings two thumbs up and comments, “We are in the clear I, Eddie Munson, let the record show, have eyeballs.” He grins dramatically.

“Want a gold star for that poncho.” Steve snorts not wasting a second to retort in response to the other as he shakes his head amused. His body tenses up a bit as he goes pale for a moment, squeezing his eyes shut with shaky breaths as his fists tighten around the book he is holding.

“Yes I do in fact want a gold star-” Eddie mumbles out gently, face scrunching up a bit more worried now as he moves his crossed arms off his chest and takes a few steps closer to the other.

“Hey Harrington, you alright? You don’t seem like your typical charming self.” He comments as he hesitates for a moment before he crouches down. He makes sure to leave a few inches between the two of them, far enough to not be to close but close enough to catch the other if he slumped over.

Steve gives a weak nod of his head before he adjusts himself. “Yeah- just moved my head too much. Happens sometimes you know?” He chuckles gently. Eddie did not know what he meant, didn't know how to respond, and when he didn't know how to react he normally shot off an awkward quip or two.

“Oh thank god, you were looking a little green. I Was worried you were about to hulk out on me buddy.” Eddie jokes a little, trying to lighten the mood a bit. He then lifts his hand and runs one of his rings against the bottom of his lip (a nervous tic of his) before glancing back down at the book.

“Find anything good in there, or are you just holding it for show?” Eddie asks gently, trying to come off a bit more teasing rather than concerned. The longer he stayed around this guy the more he was convinced that he needed to get the book read ASAP.

Steve snorts again, sounding a bit stressed as he nearly shakes his head no again but stops himself before making that mistake again. “No, couldn’t even make it through the first page without wanting to throw up.” He groans as he quickly adds. “Not because I don’t want to read it, it’s just the words won’t sit still and it hurts my eyes which then hurts my head.” He groans as he opens his eyes back up fully and looks down at the book with a little huff. Where Eddie was crouched he could see the other boy's eyes watering.

“Could always get a nerd to do your homework for you,” Eddie jokes, slightly hinting towards Wheeler. “Heard that girlfriend of yours had a decent brain on her, she seems like the type to understand that you’ll need help.” He tilts his head to the side as he looks at the other.

Steve makes a noise that Eddie can’t even place, it sounds like the mixture of a laugh and a snort combined. “Can’t, I’m pretty sure she cheated on me with Byers and wants nothing to do with me now. And I don’t want to feel any more stupid around her.” He mumbles the last sentence out.

Eddie looks a bit surprised, he hadn’t taken Mrs Priss to be a cheater. He furrows his eyebrows again in thought. “If you give me a twenty I’ll read that book for you and try answering any questions you have.” He spits it out before he can fully think about it. He was an impulsive person who didn't like seeing people struggle what could he say?

But Eddie didn’t want to seem completely like a sweetheart to the other as he still had doubts about the other. Plus he had to keep up the image he had going on or people wouldn’t take him seriously during deals around here. And he didn’t want to ruin said image by helping Steve Harrington of all people.

Steve squints his good eye at Eddie suspiciously, “I’ll pay you a hundred if you don’t mention this to anybody else.” Good, at least Eddie wasn't the only skeptic here.

Even though he was very skeptical Eddie still felt a little shitty for doing this but an image had to be kept and money had to be made somehow.

“You’ve got yourself a deal, Harrington.” His grin isn’t fully authentic as he takes the book from the other before he does a playful salute and stands up fully. he hesitates for a moment longer tempted to ask the other if he needs help from the nurse but Eddie decides he is already giving enough charity as is and begins back on his path of slaying dragons and saving damsels in distress.

[0cta9on]

One Year of 0cta9on

Hello everyone! :]

Today marks exactly a year since I debuted as a writer! In an ideal world, I would’ve had some crazy story planned for today, but my current circumstances didn’t allow for that, so enjoy this semi-sappy yap session instead :>

I started writing during a particularly low point in my life where my mental health was in the gutters and I had an insane amount of free time. I’ve always liked imagining stories in my head, so the next obvious step was to start writing those stories down. Hence, 0cta9on was born :]

Channeling my energy into something creative provided me with a distraction from all the things that weighed on my mind and become a source of joy for me. While I know I’m not the best or most well-known writer in this community, seeing even a single comment on my work fills me with such an unexplainable amount of joy. To know that there’s people out there that enjoy the silly little stories I put out is genuinely insane in the best way possible <3

Since I’m mainly a fluff writer, I wasn’t sure what other writers in this community would think of me. But my worries were almost immediately quelled when I first joined the writer discord and became friends with a bunch of amazingly talented writers. Shout out to @msafterhours, @writerpeach, @octoberautumnbox, @gangplanksorenji, @prael, @kooyabooya, @okaylikeschaewon, @mintwithchoco, @defmaybe, @sinswithpleasure, @midnightdancingsol, @capslocked, @svndaysaweek, @usedpidemo, and of course many, many more for being so kind and welcoming <3

Recap of my past year of writing:

Wrote 8 chapters of Unlikely Duet, my cute little slice-of-life romance series starring best girl, Minji <3 Chapter 8 is the longest piece I’ve written so far at +18k words!

First Snow was the first fluff one shot I made. Rough around the edges, but we all start somewhere.

Beach Day and Good Idea were my first attempts at writing smut and they are… alright, I guess :> Part of me wants to go back and revise them, but I barely have the time and motivation to work on new drafts ;[

Masterpiece is still probably my favorite fluff one shot I’ve written so far, and while it’s not the best written by any means, I still really like how it turned out :]

FFF2+4 and Train Ride to Heaven for me marked the start of when I started becoming more comfortable writing smut. I’m still not that great, but it’s fun and I think that’s all that counts for me :]

Stuck with You was the first commission I ever did! Writing someone else’s idea is always difficult, but I’m glad the buyer liked the final product :]

Stroke of Luck was the first time I ever wrote a threesome. I think it went okay :>

Wrote And We Danced and Sunscreen for a fun prompt challenge hosted in the writer’s discord (You can thank @mintwithchoco and @msafterhours for these <3). The latter ended up turning into a quaint little mini series :]

Lessons was my second ever commission and my first attempt at femdom. While femdom isn’t really my thing, it was a fun challenge writing about something new and I really like the little gimmick I threw in there :]

I wrote Today, like, two days ago at 1am without much revising or editing (Shoutout @defmaybe for reading through it before I released <3). Go read it if you haven’t yet pls n thenk yew :>

Wrote 15 shorts from ideas submitted by you guys! Some of my favorite stories I’ve written have been shorts and they’re always nice when I’m low on ideas :]

While I likely won’t have anything out for a while, I think it’d be fun to pull back the curtain a little bit and hint at what I’ve been working on :]

🐰🦋// She’s just your coworker. Just that. Nothing else.

🐻👖// It started out with a kiss, how did it end up like this?!

🍁✨// Upcoming New Variety Show: Fan Date! Episode 1, starring [REDACTED]

🍔🧀// Time changes, but summer stays the same

I’ve run out of things to talk about, so this concludes my one year anniversary post :> Despite my unplanned and prolonged hiatus, I want y’all to know that I do NOT plan on retiring anytime soon. I have so many stories I still want to tell, whether you like it or not >:]

Have a good day/night and I love yall <3 Have a Minji :]

[xcherryerim]

Intoxicating Admiration

gn!reader vocalist x hard!dom Billy | word count: 2.7k

“Short breathes a whisper, and everythings new. Your still thoughts, cant walk.” — Where The Night Ends by Together Pangea

SMUT ONE SHOT - MDNI | 18+ ONLY

Warning: choking, oral sex (only Billy womp womp) | quicky, unprotected sex (I can’t stress this enough y’all, wear condoms pls) | Penetration (no genitalia specified) | tying up reader’s wrist | porn with plot. | Car sex.

Notes: Wrote this a long time ago and I revised it like 2 times so… sorry for the repeated words and stuff :)

Also, the song reader sings is the one I linked at the beginning! You don’t have to listen to it but yk…

Summary: Running from the police, Billy finds himself hiding in a grunge bar, unsure of what to do next. He decides to stay for a little while longer and as he watches your band's performance, He is instantly drawn to you.

Billy's attempt to rob a gas station had gone wrong. The adrenaline pumping through his body kept him going for a while, but soon his legs gave out and he was forced to stop. On the run, he approached a strange bar that looked grunge and worn-out. But he had nowhere else to go, so he snuck inside to hide from the police and plan his next move.

Billy felt out of place in this dark and messy-looking bar, not used to its laid-back atmosphere compared to typical barn-looking ones. He'd been here for almost an hour and couldn't think of a good reason to stay. Even though the police were probably no longer searching for him, something was telling him to stay.

Everyone was watching him, some checking him out while others judging his cowboy-looking attire, but he didn't care. He was drowning in his regrets. It was all caused because he chose to get involved with those bikers, and now he was living off of stolen money. He hated it, hated his life, his choices, and himself. But it was too late to make things right, he was too deep in it now.

Out of sheer frustration, Billy blurted out "What do you want?" when someone stared at him.

The sudden outburst sent them jumping away, startled. After that, Billy sighed and ordered another scotch. His thoughts were plagued by doubt and uncertainty. He couldn't figure out how he'd get back home, how he'd pay off his debt with the bikers, or what to do with his life. He was overwhelmed with a sense of hopelessness and just wanted to forget it all with alcohol.

Billy was too immersed in his thoughts to notice the subtle change in the lighting, or how the other people in the bar were focused on the stage. The loud electric guitars pierced his ears, drawing his attention toward the stage. He turned his face with annoyance and confusion, trying to make sense of what was happening. The bar was no longer a casual, laid-back environment, but a scene for a performance.

You started playing your guitar abruptly as the cues for the song came in. Your fingers moved gracefully and fluidly to the beats of your bandmates, weaving an intricate mesh of rhythm and melody. Your heart was pounding out of your chest, filled with equal parts of anxiety and excitement as you knew your turn to sing was just a few moments away. You needed to put on a good performance, for the sake of the band and your reputation.

“Your long stares. You don't care. I know you want to. Short breathes a whisper.”

Billy was unsure how to react. Alternative music wasn't his thing, it was too loud and too chaotic. But there was something about the vocalist that captivated him. He couldn't quite explain it - it was as if the sound of your voice and your presence lured him in, taking control of his senses. The sight was addictive, intoxicating, and beautiful. Billy felt a strange tug inside him, urging him closer and closer, and for some reason, he couldn't resist.

Billy grabbed his scotch and navigated through the crowd, pushing people out of his way in a desperate effort to get as close as possible to the stage. The lure of the vocalist was overpowering and he had to get closer, even if it meant trampling on other people. The scotch was the only thing helping him maintain his composure, but all the alcohol in the world couldn't stop his mind from spinning and his heart from pounding.

As the lights change color and intensity, you suddenly notice an unfamiliar face in the crowd. The man is staring at you with a passionate, adoring look, his gaze fixed on you. You're not sure if it's your actual self or your performance persona, but you decide to wink at the cowboy-looking fella, encouraging the admiration. You keep on singing, your voice echoing through the entire bar, but you can't help but be aware of his presence, the intensity of his stare, and the heat his gaze is bringing.

“I wanna have you. Tell me where the night ends.”

Once you winked at Billy he felt so intoxicated, so much that the rest of the world faded. His vision was clouded, and he could see nothing but you. Every movement was hypnotic, and the vocals were perfect. Your voice was calling him, calling him to get closer, and no matter how much he fought it, it overpowered him.

You saw him, and you loved the reaction he had toward you. You couldn't help but smile and shake your head lightly, trying to dismiss him. However, his presence was becoming increasingly hard to ignore. You took a deep breath and belted out the high note, hoping it would catch his attention. But instead of looking at him, you focused on the performance, giving it your all. Despite wanting to acknowledge his admiration, you couldn't afford to lose focus on your performance.

As the song came to an end, the crowd erupted in cheers, their energy and excitement overflowing. You took the microphone and named the band once again, acknowledging the crowd for their support. However, amidst the celebrating and revelry, the mysterious man remained still, his eyes never swaying from you, his gaze fixed and intense.

After the show, you gathered some of your equipment and started cleaning up, but one of your bandmates stopped you in your tracks. "Hey, go get a drink, you deserve it. I'll pay." You wanted to say no, but after the demanding performance and the pressure of trying to impress the cowboy guy, you accepted. Walking to the bar section, your mind wandered back to that man with the intense gaze.

As you turned your head to the right Billy approached you with confidence, settling himself in the seat next to you. His face was full of a sense of determination and conviction as if he'd been waiting for this very moment.

"Hey," he said, as his gaze bore into you, searching for a reaction. "Would you mind if I join you for a drink?"

The way he looked at you instantly sparked a flicker of excitement deep within you. "Sure," you replied with a calm smirk on your face, playing it cool.

“I loved your performance.”

“I'm glad you enjoyed it," you added, your eyes never leaving him for a second. In this moment, he was all you could see.

The details of his appearance, from his bruised knuckles to the way his veiny hands played with the rim of the glass, stirred up something inside you. Your head was wondering about the possibility of what those hands could do, and you were overcome with temptation. The intensity of the heat he was radiating made it impossible to stay seated, and your body was beckoning you to be closer to him.

I'm Billy," he introduced, extending his hand towards you. You shook it, your fingers brushing against his, and felt an electric current run through you. You couldn't help but let your eyes linger on his bruised knuckles, wondering about the story behind them.

You introduced yourself back, your voice low and sultry, matching his intensity. You took a sip from your drink and gestured towards your bandmates. "We usually hang out here after the show, care to join us?"

The heat of his breath hit you, bringing a shiver to your spine. He leaned even closer, his face just inches away from yours. The scent of his cologne was intoxicating, and something about the intensity of this encounter was drawing you closer.

He spoke in a soft yet commanding tone. "I'd love to. But I prefer spending some time alone with you if you don't mind…”

The way he leaned in made you catch your breath, and his words just added to the intensity of the situation. Your mind was going a mile a minute, trying to process what his words meant. You played dumb as if you didn't know exactly what he was implying. You sipped your drink for another moment, hoping to calm your nerves and not appear too flustered.

"What is that supposed to mean?" you asked, acting innocent as you raised an eyebrow.

His gaze was intense, his words low and seductive, bringing a shiver down your spine. You could feel the heat of his body so close to yours.

"It means that I find you irresistible," he said, his voice rumbling through you. "I want to know more about you without prying eyes." He raised his glass to his lips, taking another sip, but his eyes were never leaving yours.

You felt your heart race at his words, a flush spreading across your cheeks. "You know, I'm not sure that's such a good idea," you replied, trying to sound more confident than you felt. You couldn't deny the attraction you felt towards him, but you had to be cautious.

He spoke in a soft yet commanding whisper that made you tremble from the intensity. "Let me show you a good time," he murmured, sending shivers through your body. You were powerless in this moment, swept up by the passion and overwhelming attraction you felt for him.

The heat and tension were overwhelming, and the adrenaline rushed through you as everything unfolded quickly. Before you knew it, you found yourself in the backseat of your car, with Billy next to you. The atmosphere was charged with a sense of forbidden desire and overwhelming chemistry, creating a steamy and passionate atmosphere.

Billy spread, comfortable in the backseat of your car as he looked at you. He was relaxed and confident, but something about the atmosphere still felt forbidden and naughty. His words were flirtatious, with a hint of arrogance, but his tone was teasing and playful. "I don't bite,"

“But what if I want you to?” Your teasing response took things to the next level. It was a simple, yet charged statement, making him wonder just how desperate you were for anything he'd do.

He grabbed the back of your head and pulled you closer, finally giving in to his desire to kiss you. Your bodies were pressed into each other, skin against skin, as the heat and intensity of the moment swelled and surged between you. His kisses were passionate and demanding, leaving your lips tingling. As he sucked and bit into your lower lip, you could feel the sting mixed with the rush of pleasure coursing through your body.

His rough hands gently grazed your neck, not too tightly but firmly enough to leave a lasting impression. The light choking sensation only added to the intensity of the connection.

"You look so good with my hand wrapped around your throat," Billy murmured.

With shaking hands, you tugged at his belt buckle, desperate to feel his heat against your fingertips. As you pulled his pants down, his cock sprung free, twitching in anticipation. It was even bigger and thicker than you imagined, and your mouth watered at the thought of tasting him.

You leaned in closer, taking in his musky scent as you wrapped your lips around the head of his cock. Your tongue swirled around the sensitive skin, tasting the mixture of pre-cum and salty skin. With each passing moment, you took more of him into your mouth, savoring the feel of his hardness against your softness.

Your hands roamed over his thighs, up his abdomen, and finally rested on his chest, feeling the rapid thud of his heartbeat against your palms. His hips bucked forward, pushing his cock deeper into your throat, and you gagged slightly before pulling back to catch your breath.

With a lustful growl, he reached down and gripped your hair, pulling your head back towards his cock. "Suck it," he demanded, his voice rough with need. You complied, taking him deeper into your throat, bobbing your head up and down as you worked him.

You could feel his length throbbing in your mouth, his desire pulsing through you. His hands were in your hair, guiding you as you bobbed your head up and down, taking him deeper into your throat. You could feel him twitching, and the sensation was overwhelming.

Billy's breath hitched, and he groaned, his hips bucking against your mouth. "Fuck, you're good at this," he whispered, his voice thick with need. "I've never had anyone suck me off like this before."

With a moan of pleasure, you pulled back slightly, your eyes never leaving Billy's. His cock twitched in anticipation as he gripped your wrists tightly with his belt. You couldn't help but grin, the feeling of being restrained only adding to the excitement.

"Please," You whispered around his hardness. "Do it." You begged, your voice shaky with desire. With that, Billy pushed your wrists together even tighter, the leather digging into your skin. The pain was nothing compared to the pleasure you felt as he thrust his hips forward, driving his cock deeper into your mouth.

You sucked harder, taking him as far down your throat as you could. His hips pounded against your face, the slapping sound echoing in the car. Slowly, he pulled your head back, releasing your mouth from him.

Billy’s hand closed around the leather belt that encircled your wrist. With a swift tug, he pulled you closer to him, the rough texture of the belt against your bare skin sending shivers down your spine.

As he sat you on his lap, his hard cock, already leaking precum, rubbed against your entrance. You could feel the heat emanating from it, the anticipation of what was to come almost unbearable.

He spat into his hands, the saliva glistening in the dim light. With rough fingers, he spread the moisture around your entrance, preparing you for his entry. You arched your back instinctively, begging for him to take you.

Finally, he positioned himself, his cockhead teasing. With a forceful thrust, he pushed inside you, filling you up in one swift motion. You cried out in a mix of pleasure and pain, your body adjusting to the sudden intrusion. His hips pounded against your back, driving him deeper with each passing second.

“Your thighs are shaking so much,” Billy added.

You couldn't help but laugh, your body still adjusting to the sensation of him inside you. "I can't help it," you panted. "It's been a while since I've been fucked this hard."

Billy's hips pounded harder, his thrusts growing more demanding. Each time he pushed into you, the sensation was overwhelming. You gripped the seat, your nails digging into the rough fabric, as you arched your back, begging for more.

Your breath hitched as you watched him, his eyes locked onto yours. His voice was thick with lust as he groaned, "You feel so good. I'm not going to last much longer."

"Don't stop," you whispered, your voice shaking with desire. "I want you to come inside me."

The words sent a jolt of excitement through him, and he thrust into you harder. His cock throbbed inside you, filling you to the brim. With a primal roar, Billy let himself go, emptying himself inside you.

"Damn, that was good," Billy panted, his breath ragged as he pulled out of you. You could feel the stickiness of his come between your legs, the evidence of your passion.

You grinned, your heart racing. "I'm glad you enjoyed it," you said, your voice low and sultry. "But I think it's time for me to go."

“No,” Billy wrapped his arms around you, his body leaning into you as his lips kissed your back. The way he held you was comforting and protective, but there was also a sense of possessive desire in his behavior.

“How about we go back to my place?”

It was clearly what Billy was trying to do. His question brought you back to reality, and the urge to be alone with him for the rest of the night overtook you. You wanted to go with him, to be with him, to be his, at least for the whole night.

“Fine.”

The heat and excitement of the moment had passed, but the passion and desire remained. You quickly changed back into your clothes, adjusting them as best as you could. Billy followed your example, getting himself ready as he sat next to you in the passenger seat.

“Good,” He leaned in again, pressing his lips against yours, taking control of the situation. That single kiss was an indication of what was to come.

“because I’m not done with you.”

Thank you so much for reading! Hope you enjoyed this 🫶🏻 … Part 2?

If you only want to see my smut work, consider following @xxxcherryerim where I reblog my work!

tag list: @freak-accident419 @joshhutchersonsgf @valreanakuroo (If you want to be added to my tag list let me know!)

[frozenjokes]

Another Much Needed Follow Up About Love and Aromanticism, Where It’s Time We Cleared Things Up. Oh, And Mumbo Is Here Too.

this fic can be read on its own as a one shot, but I would recommend reading this first, as the context provides a little more insight on why the characters are reacting the way they do to each other

Over the course of a couple weeks very little changed. Mumbo spent the majority of his time planted in one place, anchored somewhat in the shallows so he could lift his head and listen to what the humans were doing on the days they came around. As much as it pained Mumbo to be so still so much of the time, it was a necessary evil if he ever wanted to heal, and he very much did. It didn’t matter how little he moved his tail at this point, anything he did would only result in his condition worsening.

If it wasn’t for Scar, he would have left a while ago. The humans didn’t come every day anymore, but they came often enough, and they certainly noticed Mumbo’s lack of activity. Grian tended towards keeping his distance, which didn’t bother Mumbo at all, but Scar really went out of his way to be there; sitting close (a gesture Mumbo was beginning to mind less), bringing him human trinkets to look at and play with (always exciting), but most importantly Scar brought food, and a lot of it at that; Mumbo wouldn’t have been able to stay without it. He often wondered where Scar got the many bags of fish he brought; it wasn’t all very fresh, so it was probably supplied from a human stockpile, but regardless, Mumbo was grateful. He wasn’t often in the best of moods and didn’t speak very much despite the fact he was sure Scar would have been ecstatic to talk with him, but he hoped regardless that Scar knew how deeply grateful he was.

Today, Scar and Grian were sitting on the shore together, shoulder to shoulder as they bent over one of their human activities. The first time Mumbo saw them drawing together, he had asked to see (saying ‘What’ over and over again seemed to have gained several different meanings over the weeks), but Scar had showed him that the paper they wrote on got ruined in the water, ripping easily, so it wasn’t something Mumbo could learn about personally. That was okay though, he was content to watch.

“Okay,” Scar began tapping the writing utensil (‘pencil’) to his lips, “Do we have anything to revise about the list this week? I don’t think very much new has happened.”

“Read it again, will you?”

“It’s right here in front of your face, do I really have to?”

“We’ve been over this Scar, I’m conditionally illiterate. Like right now, you got me up early and I’m tired and the words are so far away and I don’t want to. Also your handwriting is atrocious.”

“I’m tired too! It’s not my fault my fish guy needed me to show up at 6 AM.”

“You have a car, Scar. And a license.”

“Oh hey! Look at this cool list!” Scar directed Grian’s attention back to the paper, Grian only rolling his eyes before letting Scar continue. “Well, I won’t go into detail on my notes about what he eats because that’ll just bore you, but to put it simply, basically everything that’s got meat on it. Fish, shellfish, red meat, chicken, mostly just fish is what I’ve been giving him though, since I’m assuming that's what makes up most of his diet. Want to make sure he gets all the proper nutrients, you understand, you understand.”

“Uh huh.”

“As for ‘Likes,’ we’ve got fish, human stuff, Scar, Grian-”

“Scar first?” Grian cut his friend off with a raised eyebrow. Scar blinked several times before answering.

“What?”

“Scar, Grian. You put your name before mine.”

“Well this list wasn’t meant to be in order, but if it was, my name would absolutely go before yours.”

“What! No it wouldn’t. He likes us equally. Mumbo and I have a mutual understanding that we do not want to be anywhere near each other most of the time. We respect each other. From a distance.”

Scar smirked, throwing Mumbo an amused look as if he understood anything that was going on. “You know if you wanted to you could also bring him gifts and stuff. Nothing is stopping you. You could even bring him his fish if you wanted to, he wouldn’t know the difference. I wouldn’t care. There’s really nothing to be afraid of, especially now when he’s so docile like this.”

“I’m not afraid of Mumbo.”

“No?”

“If anything, he’s afraid of me, Scar. I got him in that net, I’ve gotten close to killing him a couple times- he knows it, Scar, he knows. He knows what’ll happen if he steps out of line, that’s what. I told him. I told him all about it.”

“Did you now,” Scar chuckled, nudging Grian playfully, “Well in that case, I’m definitely sure he likes me more. And I’m sure you’re perfectly content with being feared, but if you ever change your mind, I’d be happy to help.”

Grian huffed, “I won’t. Continue though.”

Scar lingered for a moment, a gentle fondness etched on his features before turning back to the paper, reading, “Well, he plays around with those vines and roots and things sometimes, he clearly is very curious, he likes to learn, and I think he likes birds, but he might just be staring at them because he wants to eat them. I put bugs in our ‘Neutral’ category since every time I try to give him a bug he just eats it, but I can’t tell if he just eats bugs or if he’s scared of them or something.”

“I highly doubt Mumbo is afraid of bugs. I doubt he cares.”

“Well, you never know! In ‘Dislikes’ we’ve got nets, sleeping bags, being touched, fighting- actually this isn't super related, but I really want to set up a Good and Bad system with him. A thumbs up thumbs down kind of situation. I was thinking about it all last night- we aren’t very good at communicating what we like or don’t like, and this feels like a good solution, but I’m not exactly sure how to tell him clearly what I’m trying to do. How would he know thumbs up means ‘good.’ And vice versa? Maybe bad would be easier to start with, but at the same time he kinda seems like a bite first ask questions later kinda guy.”

“Oh, that’s a good idea. Definitely start with thumbs up. With any luck he’ll understand that thumbs down is the opposite and you can go from there. I think you could probably associate the gesture with things Mumbo likes. The tape measure, fish- he knows smiling is a positive thing even if he doesn’t smile himself, and he knows what ‘yes’ means as well. With enough of that, I think he’ll grasp the meaning pretty quick.”

“I think so too,” Scar paused for a moment, thoughtful, “You know, this doesn’t just have to be a me effort. You could come and speak to him as well. He would know you’re putting in the effort if you wanted him to like you more.”

“He likes me plenty!” Grian switched from relaxed to exasperated on a dime, throwing up his hands as Scar laughed. “He likes me, Scar.”

“I know he likes you. But I also know he doesn’t have the full picture. He doesn’t know how much time you spend brainstorming how to teach him things, or how to relieve his stress, or worrying when he’s not feeling well. I just want him to know you aren’t as distant as he probably thinks, especially if it bothers you. If you wanted to get a little closer and help me with the ‘good’ and ‘bad’ gestures, that’d be a start.”

Grian was silent for a long time, brows creased tight above his eyes. “Maybe,” he said finally, almost quietly, “But not today. I’m too tired.”

“Yeah, me too,” Scar sighed, content, letting his head fall to rest on top of Grian’s, who squeaked, jumping so hard he accidentally jabbed at Scar’s chin with his shoulder. It must not have hurt though, because Scar didn’t seem to mind at all, unmoving. Slowly, Grian untensed, his head falling gently on Scar’s shoulder. Mumbo had a somewhat ridiculous pang of longing despite still holding a strong aversion to any human touch at all. They just looked so relaxed- anyone would wonder what it was like to be human. Though, while Scar closed his eyes, Grian didn’t quite look satisfied, something like conflict sitting across his features. He sat like that for a while, eyes moving, but not quite looking at anything at all, apparent restlessness building. Then he stopped. Closed his eyes. Opened them.

“Scar, are you aromantic or are you just fucking with me? Because I outright refuse to believe anyone is actually this clueless.”

Scar opened his eyes. Silence. “Uh oh.”

“Uh oh???” It was safe to say the two of them did not look relaxed anymore, Grian jerking away, “Scar, what does ‘uh oh’ mean. You can not just say ‘uh oh’ and nothing else.” Mumbo’s fins raised at the tone of his voice, but Mumbo cringed back when Grian whipped around to face him with an aggressive point. “No. You stay. Scar, I need you to say more right now.”

“I-Sleeping, I mean, we weren’t sleeping yet- but resting like- not friends? Not normal? Bdubs- I am going to strangle that man!”

“So you’re aromantic?” The words leapt off Grian’s tongue like an accusation, but he relaxed almost immediately after, sighing into his hands, “You’re aromantic. Okay. Good. Okay.”

“I- I mean I don’t love labels. I don’t really know, I don’t know much of anything at all, really. I’m sorry, Grian, I didn’t- did no one tell you I have a horrible track record for these things? Did you want me to ask you out? I still can.”

“Goodness, Scar, no! You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do, you’ve just been sending incredibly mixed signals and I needed to know what was going on with you before my head exploded and my brains went all over the place and poor Mumbo would have to witness that and we don’t want that, do we? We don’t want that. This is fine, though, we just need to work out some boundaries.”

“What if I did want to though? To ask you out?”

Grian stared. Scar stared back.

“You do not want to.”

“I’ll have you know, I like you plenty a lot! I like you all sorts of ways, and if you also like me, then that’s cool! I’ll tell ya, when I had my little politics phase, my campaign manager was this great guy, Bdubs, we’re still friends, too, have you met him? Anyway, he’s a pretty touchy guy as well and he convinced me all sorts of things were totally normal friend stuff. Oh, we had this great cushy chair in our office and it was only really meant for one person, but sometimes we’d both be so tired and just squeeze into it and it wasn’t any sort of comfortable at all, but in a way it kinda was. Like inside. You know?”

“Scar, do you actually want to ask me out or are you just saying that because you think that’s what I wanted.”

“Isn’t that what you wanted?”

“Not what I asked.”

“Well, Grian, it really doesn’t matter to me either way!” Scar gave Grian a big smile, like these words were the ones that would definitively solve their dispute, but the expression started to drop when Grian looked mortified. “Is..” Scar started, unsure now, “Something wrong?”

Mumbo had never seen such a wide range of emotions cross Grian’s face before his head dropped onto his knees with a soft thunk. “No. It’s fine.”

Scar stared for a long while, a gentle churning of thought moving behind his eyes. He relaxed, scooching to give Grian a little space before smiling again, the expression soft. “Can I tell you a story?”

“Sure, Scar.” Grian’s voice was muffled between his knees, and given his face was covered, Mumbo had no idea how he was feeling.

“So there was this one time in high school where I was good friends with this girl, and she was awesome, just the best, and we hung out like constantly, and y’know how people get sometimes all pushy asking about dating and stuff, but you also know high schoolers who can’t communicate if their life was on the line. So all my friends are like dude, you guys are literally dating, aren’t you? And I say no! I insist we’re not every time, I insist! Yes, we went out together often and we talked for hours and her family had some money troubles so a lot of the time I offered to pay, you know, normal stuff, it was normal, I promise, but one day I get this call, right? From one of her friends! And this girl just starts ripping into me, like, seriously! She’s telling me all this stuff I had no idea about- telling me my friend is so confused, that she doesn’t feel pretty around me, that I’m always trying to avoid intimacy- that I refused to kiss her! And I was like what, whoa there! No one has ever tried to kiss me! Why are we talking about kissing people? She thought we were dating, Grian.”

“I got that.”

“And then she dumped me! My first breakup, and I didn’t even know! I was kinda bummed, too, I had always kinda wanted to kiss someone, but I thought they’d tell me first! Y’know, that they wanted to. I would have been so ready! The worst part is I think my guy friends were trying to tell me we were dating, not just teasing me. They also thought it was funny though, so. Who knows.”

“Yeesh.”

“I know, right! And this other time in college there was this other girl- we had mutual friends and stuff and we were at a party and just absolutely wasted and she grabbed me by the collar and she said ‘SCAR,’ she yelled in my face, she said ‘I’ve been FLIRTING with you for WEEKS and YOU’VE been flirting BACK. ARE YOU GAY?’ And I said, drunk, ‘A little bit!’ And then we danced all night. It was awesome. She was so cool. That kinda stuff happened a lot in college, actually. Guys are a bit more direct, which I appreciate. I’m a little stupid, I need the extra help sometimes.”

Grian tensed where he was sitting, quiet for a short pause before speaking, “You’re not stupid, Scar.”

“I mean. A little bit.”

“No. You’re not stupid.”

Scar was silent for a long while, staring despite Grian’s head still being buried in his knees. “I don’t know about that.”

Grian lifted his head, shaking it ‘no.’ He blinked a couple times before shaking his head again, a little more forcefully. “I’m sorry I snapped at you. I shouldn’t have done that, I should’ve just talked to you like an adult and told you how I was feeling. Sometimes you’re just really confusing, and that’s not your fault, you just.. go about the world in a different way. And it’s not a bad way either, it’s not wrong. If people can’t communicate exactly how they’re feeling to you, that’s a them issue. You’re not stupid. I’m sorry I made you feel that way.”

“I didn’t mean to lead you on. I never meant to hurt you.”

“I know, Scar. I shouldn’t have said that.”

“I really thought we had some sort of understanding- and I did mean it when I said we could give this a shot. I like dating, Grian, I always have a lot of fun! I can be- I know I can be- I have trouble sometimes, I just ruin good things-”

“Scar, stop, please. I don’t want anything you don’t want. Period.”

Scar didn’t seem to know what to do with that, staring uselessly at his own hands before looking back up. “I want it, Grian,” he stressed, his arms trembling, but Grian only stared, lips gently parted.

They both looked.. So sad. Mumbo longed to help, to sing, to do something, but he was stuck outside of their world.

Grian extended his arms. “C’mere, buddy.”

Scar collapsed into them, shaking as he did. Grian didn’t move, rubbing slow circles on Scar’s back while he cried. There was a certain focus behind Grian’s eyes, a certain calm as he held his friend close, and Mumbo.. well, it was clear Grian didn’t need Mumbo’s help. So that was the power of human touch.

He’d have to learn it one day.

[ljones41]

"LOST" Retrospect: "Who Ordered the Dharma Initiative Purge?"

Years ago, I had a written an article that speculated on which character from the ABC series, "LOST", was responsible for an incident called "the Dharma Purge". After a few re-watches of the series, I wrote this revision of the ARTICLE.

"LOST" RETROSPECTIVE: "WHO ORDERED THE DHARMA INITIATIVE PURGE?"

Seven years ago, I had written this article about a major incident on the ABC television series, "LOST". This incident happened to focus on the murders or "Purge" of the scientific research organization known as the Dharma Initiative. It happened on December 19, 1992; nearly twelve years before the series began and before the crash of Oceanic Airlines 815 flight.

In the Season Five episode, (5.10) "He's Our You", Oceanic Flight 815 survivor and later, time traveler Sayid Jarrah tried to murder young Ben Linus in 1977. In the following episode, another Oceanic time traveler, Dr. Jack Shephard, refused to treat the badly wounded Ben, who was near death. Eventually, two other time traveling castaways, James "Sawyer" Ford and Kate Austen, had taken Ben to the Others aka the Hostiles aka the Natives, a group of island inhabitants who served as its protectors on the behalf of the main protector Jacob, for treatment via Dr. Juliet Burke's instructions. Within a decade-and-a-half, Ben ended up ousting future billionaire Charles Widmore as leader of the Others.

Ever since the series had first aired, many fans had been uncertain of when Ben's tenure as the Others' leader had began - before or after the Purge. As I had stated earlier, the Purge occurred in December 1992, on the same day as Ben's birthday and during the same month as the Others' rejection of Widmore as their leader. Many fans and television critics had automatically assumed Ben had ordered the Purge. I have heard comments that compared Ben to Adolf Hitler. I have also heard comments that compared Ben’s younger self to a "young Hitler". Many people have claimed that it was Ben who had ordered the deaths of the Dharma Initiative members. However, I have my doubts.

During Seasons Three and Four, Ben had offered contradicting comments on whether or not he had ordered the Dharma Initiative Purge. In (3.23) "Through the Looking Glass", he had claimed responsibility of the Purge to Jack:

"Not so long ago, Jack. I made a decision that took the lives of over forty people in a single day"

Unfortunately, Ben had contradicted this claim in two other episodes. In the Season Three episode, (3.20) "The Man Behind the Curtain", he had said this to Oceanic survivor John Locke, while he displayed the remains of Dharma members at a mass grave:

"This is where I came from, John. These are my people. The Dharma Initiative. They came here seeking harmony, but they couldn't even co-exist with the Island's original inhabitants. And when it became clear that one side had to go, one side had to be purged, I did what I had to do. I was one of the people that was smart enough to make sure that I didn't end up in that ditch. Which makes me considerably smarter than you, John."

Ben never claimed responsibility for ordering the Purge to Locke. He had confessed to participating in the Purge. That same episode made it clear that his participation involved killing his abusive father, Dharma Initiative worker, Roger Linus. In fact, Ben also made the same thing clear in the Season Four episode, (4.11) "Cabin Fever", when he had the following conversation with another Oceanic castaway, Hugo "Hurley" Reyes:

HURLEY: So... This is where you shot Locke and left him for dead, huh? BEN: Yes, Hugo, I was standing right where you are now when I pulled the trigger. Should have realized at the time that it was pointless, but... I really wasn't thinking clearly. [Hurley steps back a little] HURLEY: Is that why you killed all these people, too? BEN: I didn't kill them. HURLEY: Well, if the Others didn't wipe out the Dharma Initiative -- BEN: They did wipe them out, Hugo, but it wasn't my decision. HURLEY: Then whose was it? BEN: Their leader's. HURLEY: But I thought you were their leader. BEN: Not always.

Interesting. He had admitted to trying to kill Locke in "The Man Behind the Curtain". But he denied being the one who had ordered the Purge. Also, Ben had been truthful when he told Hurley that he had not always been the Others' leader. The series had featured three other leaders - the ageless Richard Alpert (who eventually became the future leaders' advisor), Eloise Hawking and Widmore. Although some fans remain convinced that Ben had ordered the Purge, there are a good number of fans who hold Widmore responsible.

Thanks to a flashback in the Season Five episode called (5.12) "Dead Is Dead" - viewers learned that Widmore had definitely been the leader of the Others back in 1988. And in another Season Four episode called (4.09) "The Shape of Things to Come", viewers learned in a flash forward scene set in London that Ben had taken the leadership of the Others away from Widmore:

WIDMORE: I know who you are, boy. What you are. I know that everything you have you took from me. So... Once again I ask you: Why are you here? BEN: I'm here, Charles, to tell you that I'm going to kill your daughter. Penelope, is it? And once she's gone... once she's dead... then you'll understand how I feel. And you'll wish you hadn't changed the rules. [Widmore shifts in his bed.] WIDMORE: You'll never find her. [Ben turns to leave.] WIDMORE: That island's mine, Benjamin. It always was. It will be again.

I found it interesting that Widmore had regarded the island as "his". And there were other aspects of Widmore that I found interesting. The Season Five episode, (5.03) "Jughead", had revealed Widmore as a member of the Others, as far back as 1954 (when he was seventeen years-old). As one of the Others, Widmore (along with Richard and Hawking) had participated in a previous purge - that of U.S. Army personnel, who had brought a hydrogen bomb nicknamed "Jughead" with them to the island. On other occasions, Widmore had this inclination to kill anyone he deemed a threat to the island's secrecy. He killed a fellow Other to prevent the latter from leading Locke, Sawyer and Juliet to Richard's location in 1954. The 1988 flashback from "Dead Is Dead" revealed Ben's refusal to kill Danielle Rousseau and her baby, Alex. Instead, he claimed Alex as his child and threatened Danielle to stay away. This decision had angered Widmore, who had expected Ben to kill both. Why were Danielle and Alex's deaths that important to Widmore? Ironically, Widmore finally got his way regarding Danielle and Alex, thanks to Martin Keamy, the mercenary he had sent to the island to snatch Ben in Season Four.

So, when did Ben Linus replace Charles Widmore as leader of the Others? Before December 19, 1992? Or after? The photograph below from "The Man Behind the Curtain" hints that Ben had remained a worker for the DHARMA Initiative during that period, despite joining the Others sometime in the 1980s:

But had Ben assumed leadership of the Others by then? If not, does that mean Charles Widmore was still leading the Others in December 1992? Both the LOSTPEDIA and the WIKIPEDIA sites claimed that Richard Alpert had led the Others' purge against the Dharma Initiative in 1992. But neither site made it clear who had ordered the Purge. And "Dead Is Dead" never gave a clear date on Widmore's exile.

One would assume my choice for the man responsible for ordering the Purge would be Widmore. And you would be right. There seemed a good deal of evidence making him responsible. He had already participated in an earlier purge back in 1954. Ben had revealed time and again his willingness to use violence - even kill those he deemed a threat to himself or for emotional reasons. But the series had also revealed Widmore's willingness to do the same and especially kill in the name of protecting the island. And that included ordering Ben to kill an emotionally unstable Danielle Rousseau and her infant child. Widmore had also sent the murderous Martin Keamy to the island in late Season Three-Season Four to snatch Ben. He had claimed to Locke in (5.07) "The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham" that he had done so to give Locke the opportunity to become the Others' new leader. Yet, his words to Locke contradicted his words to Ben in London, when he had claimed the island as "his". This scene had occurred nearly a year or more after the events of Season Four.

There is also the matter of whether Keamy had another agenda - namely to kill any of the Oceanic survivors that remained. In "Cabin Fever" he had demanded Sayid reveal the number of other Oceanic survivors and their location. Fortunately, the latter had refused. In a confrontation with the freighter's Captain Gault, Keamy revealed his intentions to "torch" the island. Some claimed that this had been Keamy's angry reaction to his men being attacked by the Smoke Monster. Yet, in (4.08) "Meet Kevin Johnson", Ben had accused the freighter crew of plans to snatch him and kill the island's inhabitants. The only freighter personnel in the room - spiritualist Miles Straume - had remained unusually silent. In the following episode, (4.09) "The Shape of Things to Come", Miles claimed that Keamy and his men were around to serve as security guards for a captured Ben. But there was the revelation that Widmore had set up a false location for the missing Oceanic 815 plane - with a plane wreck and dead bodies included. This is merely an assumption of mine, but I believe Widmore had sent Keamy to not only snatch Ben, but kill the remaining Oceanic survivors as well to maintain the narrative. I found a good deal of clues that led me to suspect Widmore had ordered the Dharma Purge.

After watching the series more than once, I find it increasingly difficult to hold Ben responsible for the Purge. His actions against the Oceanic castaways had featured spying, kidnapping, harassment, threats and manipulation. He rarely resorted to murder - aside from his attempt to kill Locke and his order to kill Sayid, Jin Kwon and Bernard Nader during the events in the Season Three finale, (3.23) "Through the Looking Glass, Part 2". If Ben was truly capable of ordering the Purge, he would have wiped out (or tried) the Oceanic survivors after getting Jack to remove the tumor from his spine. The man had proved incapable of following Widmore's orders to kill Danielle and Alex.

In the end, viewers know that Charles Widmore had been the leader of the Others in 1988-89, when he had ordered Ben Linus to kill Danielle Rosseau and her infant daughter. Viewers know that Ben had refused. Viewers also know that Richard Alpert had led a group of Others in the Purge against the U.S. Army in 1954. He also led the Others' purge against the Dharma Initiative on December 19, 1992. On that same date, Ben killed his father, Roger Linus, in a similar manner – by toxic gas. And viewers know that Ben had eventually replaced Widmore and exiled the latter off the island. Personally, I suspect Widmore had ordered the Purge against Dharma. But I suspect it was an order he had not issued lightly, given the number of years the Others had been in conflict with the Dharma Initiative.

But I cannot say with any authority that Widmore had ordered the Dharma Initiative Purge. If we only knew exactly when Widmore had been exiled, perhaps this mystery of the Purge will finally be cleared.

[hanahaki-ghost]

I wrote this at 2 am and did not revise it so please excuse any errors I am not a writer.

Anyways here’s a corruption of hate one shot, may right more for (as in add on to this) but I’m not sure yet)

————story————

Hero walked quietly through a black and white wasteland of what used to be a dream-like world of make believe. It had been 10 years since she was last here and she couldn’t believe how much things had changed. The trees, once bright and colorful around this time, were black and devoid of leaves, the colorful grass having withered and turned gray, the blue sky now a light gray with a black sun…the same sun she had helped put back together years ago. She looked around at the now unfamiliar land, it was nothing like she remembered she couldn’t believe 10 years led to this much disaster.

In her glove-like hands she clutched a bamboo cane, it was the only thing she had left make believe, when she was sent away…the only thing she had left of him. She held it in a firm grip like a lifeline, she hoped she could find him she believed he’d surely know what’s happening and be able to help her navigate the familiar yet unfamiliar land, she also just wished to see him again. She missed his jokes, his stories. She hoped he hadn’t changed to much since she left but that’s if he was even still around after how things had been when she left make believe, maybe they could actually save make believe this time like she had failed to do so long ago.

These thoughts were interrupted by a tugging in her hands, when she looked she noticed the cane twitched and tugged to try and leave her grip. She knew why, she saw what would make the cane try and fly away several times and she knew exactly who it would go to. She tried to follow the tugging but that didn’t last long as the cane ripped from her hands and deeper into the unfamiliar land. Quickly Hero burst into a sprint determined to not lose the cane, she moved quickly, ignoring any sights from her peripheral vision.

She eventually came to a clearing, out of breath from the running she bent over, hands on her knees as she caught her breath. The sound of her own heart beating rapidly pounding in her ears…until…

“I say”

Hero froze

“I said I say”

She looked up, eyes widening in shock at what or rather who she saw.

“If it isn’t Hero”

The cheerful British accent said, as she came eye to ‘eye’ with a familiar figure. Staring back at her, not too far away she stared at a TV, the screen was cracked and a test bar that formed into a smile was displayed, the TV was attached to an invisible body covered by a suit and a hat resting on one side of the tv, bent antenna on the other. She knew instantly who it was even with him being devoid of any color at all.

“RGB?” She spoke softly as she straightened out.

“The one and only” he spoke, taking a bow, the hand holding the cane outstretched to his side as he bowed and looked at her. “Welcome back Hero.” His voice was laced with static as he spoke as if his speakers were broken, but she still recognized his voice. She took a shaky step forward, while devoid of colors she knew this was the other one. It was RGB that was plain as day but…something seemed off.

“What happened?” She took a shaky step forward though he quickly closed the gap linking and arm with hers.

“Oh my dear we have so much to catch up on,” he said cheerfully “come now we mustn’t dilly dally, there’s so much to catch you up on.” As glad as she was to see him, his chipper attitude with everything going on and his appearance were quite concerning, she also started to notice something she hadn’t before, several fears stood at the outcrops of the clearing, hiding in the shadows.

Hero wasn’t given much time to dwell as she was dragged along by her guide. “Oh isn’t this exciting, no one thought you’d make it back and yet here you are,” RGB spoke, the smile ever present on his face yet no color leaked from his TV like it normally would though the colors that indicated his feelings weren’t visible either just monochrome bars. “Oh I just can’t wait to see their surprised faces when I show them you’re back.” He suddenly let go of her arm and stopped them from walking as he grasped her shoulders looking her over.

“My you’ve certainly grown on but I can tell you’re still the same little girl afraid of the dark,” he said chipperly before he continued to guide her , his actions were erratic and unlike how he used to be.

“Um RGB?” She finally spoke.

“Yes my dear?” His head turned to look at her.

“What happened to make believe…what happened to you?” She asked worriedly.

“So much, why after you left it was quite the fiasco, but it’s all better now, and I know you’ll love it,” he told her as they walked.

Suddenly though he stumbled falling forward just barely catching himself. As this happened both RGB and Hero looked only to see his feet rooted into place, his test bar turning down into a scowl.

“Lousy pests,” he spat venomously, though before Hero could do anything she was suddenly picked up and on the back of something slim and fast, when she looked she noticed it was a fear. When she looked back to RGB she saw him getting up and seemingly preparing to throw his cane, and when Hero turned back in front of her she heard someone shout.

“Duck!” Hero quickly obliged and watched as RGBs cane was sent flying just over her head. She looked back in fear to see an annoyed RGB getting smaller as they got farther.

When RGB was no longer visible she turned back to the fear she was on when she noticed something different.

“Wait a minute,” she said in disbelief “Anxiety?” She was surprised by the sight of the fear who had been small when Hero last saw her.

“Hold on Hero, I’ll explain things to you when we’re someplace safe, for now just hold on.” Anxiety continued to run while Hero held on.

That was not the same RGB she knew 10 years ago, this is not the same Anxiety she knew 10 years ago, This was not the same Make Believe she knew 10 years ago. It all seemed to be…

Corrupted.

[theimpossiblescheme]

Welcome Back, Partner

(I wrote this a long time ago, after I first watched "Goodbye Partner", and I finally feel confident enough in my various revisions to share it with the world. I hope you all enjoy it!)

Lupin’s digs this time around were a tiny cottage in the North Downs in England, one he’d only used one other time that Jigen could remember.  There was no air conditioning in the summer, and the electricity was dodgy, but at least there was running water and enough gas to cook with.  It was a hell of a drive from the nearest airfield (he could have just come in through Heathrow, but noooo, that’d be too damn easy), but he managed to make it before the sun set and the rainclouds above him finally burst.

Goemon was sitting next to the sofa and meditating as usual, Zantetsuken tucked into the crook of his arm.  Upon hearing the door open, he cracked one eye open in Jigen’s direction before closing it again without a word.  Fair enough.  Jigen wasn’t particularly looking forward to that conversation.  He had every right to be pissed.  They all did.  All that casual chatter before was a crock of shit.  Lupin might act like everything was all fine and dandy, and Fujiko didn’t give a damn either way, but Goemon?  If he was pissed at you, he let you know it.  Sometimes at swordpoint..

Well, Jigen wasn’t going to stick around long enough to give him a chance.  He was just going to check things over, steal himself a beer, and… hell, he didn’t know.  Maybe hit up a pub somewhere for seconds.  Chat up some guy who needed a second in his own hairbrained scheme.  Let Lupin come to him for a change instead of crawling back like a pathetic lost puppy.

Kicking off his shoes, he wandered past Goemon into the little kitchen and opened the fridge.  Just down the hallway was a single bedroom, one queen-sized bed in the middle and almost a dozen frou-frou throw pillows scattered around the floor.  Sitting cross-legged on the bed next to an already-smoldering ashtray, humming to himself and annotating a large diagram laid out in front of him, was Lupin.  Shit, Jigen had only been gone for a few days, and it looked like Lupin already had most of the details mapped out… typical, really.

God knew he’d need all the help he could get.  Being a little short on manpower and all.

Jigen was just turning to go, beer in hand, when the call of “Hey, Jigen!” followed him.  His teeth gritted at the sound, but against his better judgement, he turned around.  Lupin actually looked and sounded pleasantly surprised he was here, and it was almost more than he could stand.

He weakly held up the hand holding the bottle.  “I just was grabbing this… don’t lemme keep you or—”

“Hey, c’mere, I wanna show you something!”  Gesturing for Jigen to come join him, he laid the diagram at the end of the bed and started to explain the setup and markings, every gesture meticulous, an excited sort of purpose in his voice like always.  But Jigen was only half-listening as he stood in the doorway, only catching every third word, if that.

How could Lupin just… pretend like this?  It was something he was damn good at, and it always pissed Jigen right the hell off.  Now more than ever.  His best friend had shot him and left him for dead, and here he was gabbing like it never happened.  Sitting there perfectly comfortably as that same “friend” stood twenty feet away.  Smiling like a goddamn idiot while his partner in the other room was probably plotting a murder.

Any other time, Jigen would have immediately pulled him into a headlock and refused to let go unless he told him the truth.  But right now, it wouldn’t be nearly as satisfying.  Hell, Lupin had jokingly threatened plenty of times to do the same thing to Jigen… maybe Jigen wished he actually would.  It’d be no less than what he deserved.

Lupin must have noticed him not paying much attention because he gave a small pout before shrugging it off and folding the diagram up to set aside.  That shrug alone was enough to make Jigen want to grab him and squeeze him until his head popped, but he resisted for now.  “’S’not finished anyway.  So how was the competition?  I heard that Alisa took first place.”

“Good.  It was good.”  Jigen still didn’t move from the doorway.  For a moment he was tempted to pull his hat further over his eyes, but Lupin would catch that in a second.

Whatever he had to say, he’d better say it now.  Jigen was a big boy, he could take whatever the son of a bitch threw at him.

Instead, Lupin just sat there, face set in a determinedly neutral position, studying Jigen like he’d study a particularly complicated lock.  “When did your flight come in?”

“I… couple hours ago.  Drove the rest of the way here.  Kinda out of the way, but I made it.”

Lupin nodded.  He looked down at his hands and seemed to notice he was still holding the pencil from before, and he reached over to set it next to the discarded diagram.  When he spoke again, it was facing away from Jigen so he almost couldn’t hear.

“… You could have stayed, y’know.”

Jigen couldn’t help but snort.  “No, I couldn’t have.  Imagine a scraggly old geezer like me trailing after that poor kid—she can do a lot better for… she can do a lot better.”

Imagine, Daisuke Jigen as a father.  Even for a kid that wasn’t his.  He didn’t mind them or anything, but the prospect of any kids getting that close to him terrified him on their behalf.  He still had stress dreams about that heist where they’d been followed by half a classroom’s worth of child actors claiming to be their children.  Best case scenario, Alisa would ask too many questions, try to get too close herself, and end up in the crosshairs of someone else’s gun.  She had no idea what he did for a living away from Lupin, what kind of miserable living it could be… there was no place for a little girl.  Alisa had her whole life ahead of her while Jigen had…

What the hell did he have now?

Lupin slowly straightened and resumed his earlier position, hands gripping his ankles.  “You could also have told me what was really going on.”

Down to brass tacks at last.  “What was I supposed to say?  ‘Sorry, this maniac’s got a hold of my old friend’s daughter, and I gotta do what he says or he’ll kill her, so don’t mind if I kill you and Goemon to make it look good’?”

All Lupin gave was another shrug.  “It’s a start, anyway.”

All right, now this was just unnerving.  “How can you be so goddamn casual about this?  Your partner—hell, your best friend—shoots you in the chest, and you wanna move on like it’s nothing?”

That time, an eerie sort of chill settled over Lupin’s face.  “Wouldn’t be the first time.”

Jigen’s breath caught for a second.  Lupin never talked about his career prior to bringing him, Fujiko, and Goemon on board, and Jigen never thought to ask.  Usually if some part of a man’s life was nothing but a carefully constructed blank, it was for a good reason.  This reason… it made perfect sense.  Tracked with everything he knew about Lupin, that was for sure—his insistence on keeping his partners close, on considering them friends barely into the casual acquaintances stage, on going the extra mile to keep them content between jobs…

Shit, if that didn’t just make him feel worse.  Best thing that ever happened to him, only one who treated him like an actual person and not just a gun with an arm attached, and Jigen had almost broken his damn heart.  And that wasn’t even considering if Goemon would ever trust him again.

He sighed, leaning against the doorframe and shoving his hands into his pockets to keep from fidgeting with his hat.  “Look, I meant what I said back there—I wouldn’t blame you for wanting to sever ties with me.  If you don’t want me sticking around, that’s your right.”

A few degrees of chill melted from Lupin’s expression, and he stared back up at Jigen with that same fierce concentration.  Like he’d almost figured out the last tumbler on the lock.  “How long do you want to stick around?  Tell me the truth.”

…Hell, forever?  No way was he saying that out loud—it was much too sappy for him—but it was the first thing that came to mind.

So Jigen settled for a quiet, “Long as you’ll have me, I guess.”

Lupin seemed to weigh that in his mind before finally nodding.  “Good enough for me.”

“Wha—seriously?”

“Seriously.”

“What about Goe--?”

“I’ll talk to him.  Worst case scenario, we’ll just duke it out.  The guy’s like one of those little fighting robots—you wind him up, go a few rounds to get it out of your systems, then he calms down.  It’s worked before.”

Somehow Jigen doubted it would be the same for him.  Lupin and Goemon both ran hot in their own ways while Jigen was a lot cooler… it might take a little while longer to get all of the hurt and guilt and anger out of his system.  But part of him desperately wanted to take Lupin’s word for it, if only for things to truly go back to normal without anyone giving him the silent treatment or pretending things were fine when they weren’t.  He was willing to see the next few weeks through, at least, whatever they brought his way.  “If you say so.”

“It’ll be fine, Jigen.  It’ll blow over like it always does—remember when Goemon left to chase after that kabuki gang, and we all fought it out when he came back?  You just gotta give it time.”

That word “left” was doing a lot of heavy lifting.  Mostly as a pretty substitution for “betrayed us.”  And then Goemon felt guilty enough to let Lupin cut off his head, only to be brought around by an all-out brawl instead.  Lupin had been plenty pissed off then, Jigen knew, but it hadn’t lasted long; true to form, right after they’d beaten the shit out of each other, he and Goemon had gone back to the plan as if nothing ever happened.  Maybe it was seeing his friend’s obvious guilt that alleviated it.  Maybe he just took for granted that Goemon would be back eventually and felt like he had to go through the motions anyway.  Maybe he was too used to Fujiko stabbing him in the back every other day.  Maybe he did genuinely want Goemon back more than he wanted revenge.

Jigen would never make sense of it.  Even all these years later, it was hard to tell why Lupin did anything.

It was easier to cover it up with a joke.  “I can’t tell if you’re just really trusting or really stupid.  Not the best look for an internationally wanted criminal.”

That time, Lupin did look a little hurt, but quickly masked it with quiet outrage.  “Come on, I trust you guys with my life.  You know that.”

“Yeah, I know—”

“Do you?”

It didn’t sound like a demand so much as… almost a plea, if an exasperated and tired one.  Like he was practically begging Jigen to get the hell over himself and accept the forgiveness being offered.  Like he needed the return to normal as much as Jigen needed… hell, he didn’t even know what.  To be kicked out for good this time?  To be reprimanded?  To have his lights punched out the way Lupin and Goemon had done years ago?

And they’d called Lupin a masochist…

But instead, here they were.  Talking about their feelings like a couple of chumps.  The metaphorical door was open and the hand outstretched.

And every bone in Jigen’s body was screaming for him to walk through and take it.  To just let himself come home.

So he nodded.  “Yeah.  I do.”  And that was that.

If nothing else, no matter how terrible an idea it was, he believed in the thief.  This entirely too forgiving dumbass thief who’d changed his life… and apparently wasn’t done with him yet.

Lupin nodded in return, this time with a little more energy and satisfaction, and tossed another frilly throw pillow at Jigen’s head, which he caught without even thinking.  “Goemon’s already staked out the couch, so you’re either with me or on the floor for tonight.”

“I’m takin’ the floor—don’t wanna roll off in the middle of the night.”  After several hours either crammed into a tiny airplane seat or on the road in the middle of nowhere, Jigen felt restless enough to kick a hole in the wall.  Better that than Lupin’s back.  Besides, their entire conversation had left him psychologically wrung out, and right now he needed some small distance.  Later he’d have to unbind his chest, too–there was still so much tension there, like his whole goddamn torso was in a vice.  Shoving the pillow under his head and ignoring Lupin’s little “aww” of mocking disappointment, he sprawled out right next to the bed and eased a hand from his pocket to readjust his hat, getting as comfortable as he could for now.  Out of the corner of one eye, he could see Lupin lying back against the last pillow and reaching for his pack of cigarettes, and for the first time all day he couldn’t resist smiling.  “Anybody ever tell you not to smoke in bed?”

“What, are you gonna tell my mommy?” Lupin chuckled, lighting up and taking a grateful first puff.  “‘Sides… thirteen and counting, and the place hasn’t burned down yet.”  And he took a long luxurious stretch across the bed, arms up over his head before folding them under his neck.

… Oh, what the hell.  “Hey, hand me one of those.”

“Thought you hated my brand.”

“Yeah, but getting mine out’s too much effort.”

Without missing a beat and holding his own cigarette away from the blankets, Lupin rolled over to place one between Jigen’s teeth and light it.  It took him a couple of tries—the old fancy pearl-plated lighter had been traded for a cheap Zippo—but that first burst of nicotine was the best thing Jigen had tasted all day.

Better than the cheap beer he’d originally come for, that was for damn sure.

[yosanomwah]

I am super obsessed with the ADA’s lore so, I wrote a full timeline of the organisation from the info I could gather from the show and light novels so uhm, here is a revised recap of the history of the Armed Detective Agency and its members:

11 years ago: Fukuzawa, accompanied by fifteen-year-old Ranpo Edogawa, meets Natsume Soseki to establish the Armed Detective Agency. With the skilled business permit granted by Soseki, the agency officially begins its operations. Prior to this, Fukuzawa and Ranpo had been working as detectives for a year unofficially.

Fukuzawa's purpose in starting the agency is to "help others" and uphold justice by protecting the weak and fighting against injustice. He recognizes the need for a team of allies, not just Ranpo, who possess strength and kindness, to ensure the agency's legacy.

Sometime after obtaining the permit, Fukuzawa holds an opening party attended by Ranpo and Fukuchi Ouchi, during which Fukuchi causes a ruckus while intoxicated.

Approximately 10 years ago: Fukuzawa becomes aware of Mori Ougai's plan to capture Yosano Akiko, who is residing in a mental institution at the time. Fukuzawa fights against Mori to prevent him from reaching Yosano. Meanwhile, Ranpo convinces Yosano to join the agency as its personal physician, making her the second member. It is around this time that Kunikida is also recruited, although the exact timeline is unclear.

The agency acquires its current building sometime after Yosano's joining but before Dazai's entrance exam. At this point, the third floor remains vacant. The building includes an office floor, a reception area, a conference room, the president's office, an infirmary, an operating room, and a kitchenette. The agency also employs several unnamed office workers who primarily handle paperwork. Haruno is one of these workers, and while it's not specified when she joined, she has a closer relationship with the detectives compared to other office workers.

Katai is believed to have joined the agency around this time, becoming friends with Kunikida ten years ago and officially joining a few months later. After being locked in the agency building by an office clerk, Katai decides to live there full-time. However, he eventually leaves the agency, though the exact timeline is unknown.

Kunikida mentions that the agency was attacked and shot up at-least once at some point between 10 and 8 years ago. The agency also already has a feud with the Port Mafia during this period.

The agency establishes connections with government agencies and military personnel and begins conducting written and field tests for potential employees. Entrance exams become a regular practice, with Kunikida being the first to undergo the exam. The agency also obtains authorization to wield guns and knives under certain conditions.

Approximately 4 years ago: Dazai, having left the mafia at the age of 18, learns about the agency from Taneda. However, he must wait for two years to have his record cleared before joining.

Approximately 2 years ago: Dazai finally has his record wiped and officially joins the agency after passing the entrance exam conducted by Kunikida. During this time, Rozuko assists the agency but is not an official member. He attempts to break into the agency's archives three months before Dazai's joining. The agency is already prepared for cyberattacks at this point.

The agency gains media attention and is referred to as a "private detective agency." They face controversy and public backlash, with complaints pouring in and protestors gathering outside their building, even going so far as to throw rocks at some members (Dazai) when heading to work.

Approximately 1 year ago: The exact timing of the Tanizaki siblings' joining is unknown, but Junichiro mentions that he was the second-to-last ranking agent before Atsushi joined. Junichiro's entrance exam had occurred earlier but was so traumatic that he blocked the memory.

Approximately 2 months ago: Fukuzawa scouts Kenji after learning about his heroic actions during a flood in his village. Kenji becomes a part-time detective at the agency.

The events of the BSD anime series begin with Atsushi joining the agency and going through his entrance exam. He meets all the members, including Dazai, Kunikida, Tanizaki, Yosano, Ranpo, Kenji, and Fukuzawa. A few weeks later, Atsushi brings Kyouka into the agency, and she undergoes an entrance exam led by Dazai before officially becoming a member.

Please note that the timeline may not be exact, as some details are not explicitly mentioned or may vary between different sources. If there’s something clearly wrong, pls tell me? Anyway this was just for me but I thought no harm in posting it just in case anyone is ever wondering ab the timeline sooo here

[eliceislandent]

The best-laid plans of mice and men oft go astray."

The best-laid plans of mice and men oft go astray."

-proverb

“Der mentsh trakht un got lakht” is an old Yiddish adage that translates to Man plans and God laughs.

I mention these because it’s been a week since I posted.  I want this blog to be a frequent bts look at life as a writer and producer and consistency is a key part of that. Unfortunately, the universe had other ideas.

On Sunday I went down hard with a 24-hour bug. It wasn’t that I felt so terrible (tho I didn’t feel great), but I was very tired.  Ask anyone who knows me and I am rarely tired and don’t need quite as much sleep as most.

But sleep is what I did, most of Sunday and half of Monday, MLK Day.

By the afternoon I started to feel better tho by then my stomach was a little topsy turvy. I did what work I could editing one chapter in “The Double” (Eddie Ankin Book One). Then, editing a couple of videos for YouTube and social media that I had previously shot.  I got those posted and called it a day.

Unfortunately, that night my middle daughter caught what I had and woke up sick on Tuesday. So, what I planned  to be a full day spent working while watching my son, was also spent caring for my under-the-weather little girl.  To paraphrase Maxamillian Schell from The Freshman, “Carmine said one….but there are two.”

At least I avoided the Komodo dragon.

By this morning the middle child was on the road to wellville, but not surprisingly my eldest and my youngest were now sick with the same cold.

So, rather than much writing, editing, or filming, I’ve been hopping to and fro taking care of the whole family today.

Which…while thankless at times…is the greatest job in the world (hard and exhausting…but great)

On the writing front, I am revising a few chapters of “The Double” leading up to the final showdown to be sure the story flows and the tension is ratcheted up before the climax. So I worked on that in fits and starts throughout the day.

Late last night,  I spent a couple of hours revising the outline for a horror film I am writing on spec. Then I watched The Last of Us and went to bed

The Last of Us pilot episode is really really good.

I wrote a script a couple of years ago for a producer at Netflix called HIDE BEHINDS based on a camp ghost story I heard while a camper at Camp Winaukee (yes, Winaukee like the ship gunner who gave Christopher Walken the watch in Pulp Fiction which Walken wore up his ass all those years before giving it to young Butch (Bruce Willis). Or maybe the camp was named after an American Indian tribe. One or the other. But I digress…)

Nothing came of that script but I also never shopped it anywhere else because I was busy at the time with other projects. But, I figure that HIDE BEHINDS, along with this new script, will hopefully be a double barrel blast of terror when sent to Hollywood producers, directors, and actors.

As for today, the only real thing I’ve gotten to is this blog post which I started writing about 28 minutes ago when all three children blessedly fell asleep for much needed naps.

Going forward, I plan to bring a production mindset to all my work and responsibilities. Rather than trying to multitask writing, filming, editing, or marketing, never mind advertising, developing, producing, plus family time, I am going to dedicate each day fully to one thing (okay two things because apparently it is illegal in some states to neglect your children…What’s that? It’s illegal in all states?  Good to know.)

Next week, I am shifting to a full-on batch mentality:

-Writing days.

-Production days (shoot and edit).

-Marketing days

In television production when you shoot more than one episode at a time (to save time, money, or for logistics) it’s called double-boarding episodes. 

The schedule is broken down by scenes that can be shot at the same time, even if they may appear in different episodes. 

Often, a single director will double-board episodes so that there isn’t the same time spent transitioning between episodic directors.

In Game of Thrones for instance a director who shot the big battle sequence that spans two or three episodes may not be the credited director on all three. However, they (along with second-unit directors) did shoot scenes that appeared in other episodes.

Batching is kinda the online video equivalent and has become something of a mentality in the “rise-and-grind” world we all supposedly live in. Personally, the only rising and grinding I do is for coffee.

With that said, I hope all of you are healthy and remain so throughout 2023 (with wealthy and wise soon to follow). More to come this week.

[foxy-eva]

A Remedy for Rivalry

Summary: Spencer decides to put his rival in her place after she got cocky about her academic achievements

Request: I was wondering if you could do a one shot of jealous Spencer with an enemies to lovers-ish trope? Added black lingerie would be appreciated because I just love pieces like that too much

Pairing: Spencer Reid x Fem!Reader 

Category: Smut

Content Warnings: (18+, minors DNI) mild dom/sub undertones (Dom!Spencer, Sub!Reader), a little bit of sexism (related to being a woman in a male dominated field), arguing, jealousy, possessiveness, teasing, praising, thigh grinding, fingering, protected penetrative sex

Author’s Note: I wrote this for the lovely @reidsbookclub and her one year celebration! The prompt I used is: "Meet me outside." "NOW" 

Word count: 4.8k

Masterlist

Being invited to speak at a conference alongside renowned researchers was all I had dreamed of for years. When I noticed that a certain someone was getting significantly less time to speak at the stage than I did, I couldn’t have been happier. Ever since he took on a full-time teaching job at the university I had worked at for years, he seemed to always be a step ahead of me when it came to publications. But today the tables had turned.

Dr. Spencer Reid was outshone by my academic achievements and I knew it made him furious. 

A part of me knew that seeing him more as a colleague than a rival would have made my life easier. But I couldn’t get over the fact that he had gotten everyone’s attention once he became a professor. So much so that I had to drop one of my classes because all the female students decided to attend his lectures instead. 

Of course I knew that this had nothing to do with his teaching skills. 

It was as if suddenly I had to work twice as hard to get half the praise he got. So it was only natural for me to enjoy the spotlight for once. The little get-together after the main event was a perfect opportunity to get to know other researchers to build a little network. I was deep in a conversation with a neuroscientist whose publications I had recently read when I noticed Dr. Reid approaching us to listen to our conversation. 

I didn’t mind his presence at all. In fact, I really wanted to see his face when he heard a well-respected scientist like Dr. Smith praise me for my achievements. 

“I must say, I was really impressed by you talking on stage earlier. And that had nothing to do with how stunning you look,” Dr. Smith said with a little wink. 

My smile instantly dropped while I saw a smug grin forming on Dr. Reid’s face. Why men had such a hard time giving compliments without mentioning appearances I would never understand. 

“Well, her looks might have been the reason nobody noticed the blatant mistake she made in her presentation,” Dr. Reid chuckled. 

“Excuse me?!” I hissed at him. 

“The paper you cited for your work was revised two days ago, making your whole argument invalid.”

I felt the color draining from my face as I tried to wrap my head around what he was saying. 

“As far as I see it, that is just a reason to do more research and publish another one of your brilliant articles,” Dr. Smith tried to appease me. 

It didn’t work. I downed my drink and left the party, stepping outside to breathe in some fresh air. I felt defeated and humiliated and decided that this time I wouldn’t let Dr. Reid get away with it. I pulled out my phone from my purse to send him a text. 

“Meet me outside,” was what I typed, followed by a second text right after. “NOW”

It took him exactly two minutes and thirty-four seconds to stand beside me outside of the building. 

As soon as I saw him I started yelling, “What the hell was that? You can’t undermine me like that!”

“I wouldn’t call it that. It was just me correcting you,” he said matter-of-factly. 

“Do you really think you’re better at doing this because… You’re a man?” 

“What? No! That has nothing to do with gender. Except that you’d have more time to do your research if you didn’t flirt with every man in there,” he mocked me. 

“You mean every man but you.”

He only huffed at that, averting his eyes from me to look at the ground instead. A reaction I hadn’t expected but found very interesting. I couldn’t let that go just yet. 

“If I recall correctly, you did agree with Dr. Smith that I looked stunning,” I teased. 

“His words, not mine,” he muttered. 

After taking a deep breath, I calmed down slightly and asked, “Tell me, Dr. Reid, what exactly is your problem with me?” 

“You mean other than you being nothing but spiteful ever since we started working together?” He spat. 

I shook my head, “I’m not that bad.” 

“You kind of are.”

I thought back to the times he tried to engage in a conversation and I didn’t even grant him a look because I was so angry at him for having had to drop one of my classes. Maybe there was a little bit of truth in what he said. 

“But I’m still good at what I do,” I countered. 

He seemed a little more leaned back now as well but he still couldn’t stop insulting me. “Most of the time, yes. But your latest research methods were a little… flawed.”

“Well, you’re flawed!” 

“Wow,” he chuckled. “Clever.”

“Look, Dr. Reid. There is a place for both of us in this field. I know you have a lot of experience but I have worked really hard to get where I am and I won’t let you take this away from me,” I tried to explain without it getting out too harshly. 

“I’m not trying to take anything away from you. In fact, I would have liked to do some research together with you when I started working at the university. But every time I tried to talk to you, you just showed me how much you despised me.”

He couldn’t hide the slight trembling in his voice and I wasn’t sure if it was from being angry or hurt. 

I brushed a strand of hair out of my face as I said, “It’s just… as a woman in my field, it feels like I have to work extra hard to get credit.”

His eyes found mine and for the first time ever I noticed how kind they were. 

“That’s understandable. I know the dean made you drop one of your classes because of the… influx of female students in my lectures. That wasn’t fair. If it helps, I’m pretty sure most of them aren’t actually there to learn anything.”

The last part made me laugh, “Yeah, I saw how they look at you.”

I noticed a rosy shade spreading over his cheeks, his eyes finding the ground once more. 

When our eyes locked again, he had a sincere look on his face. “I’m sorry about exposing you in front of Dr. Smith like that. I should not have done that.”

“Maybe you could actually tell me what about my method seems flawed to you when we get back to work?” I suggested. 

Suddenly there was a glimmer in his eyes I couldn’t ignore. He stepped closer to me but still kept a fair amount of distance between us. I had never allowed myself to look at him like I did then. I had never seen him as the man he was and not just a rival I had to beat. It was then that I felt the warmth radiating from his smile and I secretly hoped it wasn’t the last time I’d notice that. 

“That would mean you’d have to spend time with me,” he chuckled. 

I joined him in his laughter, “If it’s for science, I think I could endure that.”

Dr. Reid glanced at his watch. “It’s getting pretty late, I think I’m heading back to my room.”

“Yeah, I think I’ll do that too.” 

A smug grin formed on his face at the innuendo. 

“To my room, I mean,” I snickered. 

Together we entered the hotel and stepped into the elevator, realizing that our rooms were on the same floor. When I reached my door I whispered, “Good night, Dr. Reid.” 

“Please, call me Spencer.”

“Good night, Spencer,” I breathed as I stepped into my room, closing the door behind me. 

As I rinsed my body under the shower, I thought about the conversation I had with Spencer. He had shown me a side of him I hadn’t noticed before and I couldn’t shake the feeling that this had to do with how I treated him. A knot built in my stomach at the thought of how things could have gone differently if I had given him a chance months ago. 

I only then realized that underneath the intellect and cockiness he wore as armor, there seemed to be a kind and warm man with a more exciting side as well. Maybe it was the researcher in me who wanted to explore every part of him, to see which hidden sides I could make him show me when we were alone.  

When I stood in front of my suitcase to look for something to sleep in, I suddenly held a set of black lace lingerie in my hands. I didn’t pack it for anyone to see but myself because it always gave me an extra boost of confidence when I wore it underneath my usual attire. However, in that moment I couldn’t stop my mind from wandering to the image of Spencer’s face with his mouth agape and his cheeks tinted red at the sight of my underwear. 

The knot I felt in my stomach before quickly turned into a pleasant tingling that spread through my whole body. When I put on the flimsy pieces of lace I got a boost of confidence and decided that there was still something I had to tell Spencer tonight. 

After putting on a pair of jeans and a shirt, I smiled to myself. Spencer didn’t know about the secret underneath the first layer of my clothes and maybe he never would. But if he’d give me a chance to let him in on it, I definitely wouldn’t let it pass. 

With three firm knocks against his hotel room door I announced my presence. Spencer opened a few seconds later, staring at me like a deer caught in headlights. I let my eyes roam over his body and couldn’t stop the smile from forming on my face when I saw him wearing a washed-out shirt and flannel pajama pants. 

“Y/N! What are you doing here?” 

“I can’t stop thinking about our conversation and there is something I need to tell you,” I announced. 

He stepped aside to let me enter, closing the door behind us. The room was only lit by the lamp on the nightstand, an open book laying abandoned on the sheets. I turned to face him, standing a little more than an arm’s length away from him. 

“The reason I came here is… I thought about what you said, about how I treated you. I’m sorry I acted this way. I would really like a fresh start,” I admitted. 

He didn’t say anything, instead he stared at me with his lips slightly parted. 

“Please, Spencer.”

That seemed to get his attention. I noticed how his eyes darkened slightly as he took a deep breath. 

I continued, “I’m sure we can find common ground if we both try. Maybe we could meet somewhere in the middle.”

He started to smirk and stepped closer until I could almost feel the heat radiating from his skin. 

“What are you doing?” I muttered. 

“Meeting you in the middle. Now it’s your turn to take a step,” he chuckled. 

“I… didn’t mean that in a physical way.”

He came even closer. “Are you sure about that? You don’t seem to mind the proximity.” 

He was right about that. But there was something about his confident demeanor that made me incredibly nervous. I thought that I could walk over here and take the lead in our encounter, but by the way he stared at me I knew that I wouldn’t have the upper hand tonight. The thought of that excited me more than I could put into words. 

I took a step in his direction, halting right before our bodies could touch. I stared up at him, wondering if he had expected me to make the next move. His eyes fell to my lips for a split second and I noticed his tongue darting out of his mouth to lick over his lips. He looked at me like a man starved, his appetite growing the longer he kept his eyes on me. 

The tension between us was almost unbearable and I felt like my head was spinning, unable to grasp how the energy between us could have shifted so drastically in such a short time. Maybe I had been in denial about how attracted I was to him this whole time. 

Without a warning he started to speak, “I also thought about our conversation.”

I raised my eyebrows at him, interested in what he had to say. 

“You said you had noticed how those girls were looking at me.”

It took me a moment to remember what he was hinting at until I realized he was talking about all those female students who didn’t exactly make a secret of their attraction towards their professor. 

“Yes, it’s very obvious,” I whispered. 

“You do know, I would never do anything about that, right?”

I had never thought about Spencer in that context. He didn’t really strike me as the person to cross a line like that, so I shook my head. 

“Good. The truth is, I don’t care about them at all. It’s ironic really. I walk around the campus every day, noticing how those girls start chatting when they see me. And all I ever think about is the one woman whose attention I can’t seem to get.” 

My eyes widened at the realization that he was talking about me. He said it with an almost harsh tone in his voice but he couldn’t conceal the vulnerability bleeding through his words. 

I placed my fingertips on his cheeks and noticed how he closed his eyes for a moment and leaned into my touch. I leaned against him, his hands instantly flying to my waist to hinder me from moving away from him again. That was the last thing I wanted to do right then anyway. 

With our lips mere inches away from one another, I whispered, “I’m sorry it took me so long but I see you now. I see you, Spencer.” 

He didn’t hesitate to close the distance then, his lips pressing against mine with a fervor that shocked my whole system. He pushed against my body until my back met the nearest wall, having me gasp against his lips. He saw that as an invitation to deepen our union, his tongue meeting mine as he melted into me. 

My hand flew to his hair, grabbing a fistful to keep him in place. We kissed each other hungrily, months of rivalry finally unloading at the contact. When I thought that we couldn’t possibly get any closer to each other, he leaned further against my body until I could feel the extent of his desire pressing hard against my hip. 

It sent heat directly into my core and there was no way I could have stopped the whimper from escaping my throat. I needed to feel more of him, getting greedy to explore every inch of his body. My palms glided down his body until I found the hem of his shirt, dipping underneath it to feel the skin of his back. 

I felt him breaking out in goosebumps as my fingertips danced over his skin without a barrier. He seemed to appreciate the contact or else he wouldn’t have dared to break our kiss to practically rip his own shirt off his body. He was back at me in no time, kissing along my jaw and down my throat while my hands kept exploring his upper body. 

His hands fell to the hem of my shirt, toying with it before pushing it up slightly to graze his fingertips along my sides. He pulled back to look at me for a moment, stopping me when I attempted to continue our kiss. 

“Do you want this?” He asked. 

He was offering me an out but nothing in this world could have made me take that. “Yes, I want this. More than anything,” I sincerely told him. 

“If you want to stop or do anything else, just tell me.”

“I will.” 

That was the last bit of reassurance he needed to continue. He walked me over to the bed and I expected him to push me onto it but he didn’t. Instead, he sat down on the edge of it and looked at me. 

“Take off your clothes,” he demanded. 

I hesitated for a moment until his eyes found mine, looking at me with the utmost adoration. I shed my shirt and my pants, leaving me standing in front of him in only the set of black lace underwear I had wanted him to see. His eyes roamed over my body as if he was absorbing my image and storing it into his mind. 

When our eyes locked again, a smug grin was prominent on his face. 

“Did you wear that for me?” He chuckled. 

“Yes.” 

My honesty seemed to surprise him as his eyes widened at my answer. 

“So, talking to me wasn’t the only thing you had in mind when you came over.” 

I slowly turned around to let him see every side of my body. “Do you like it?” 

“Very much so,” he groaned. “Come here.” 

He pulled me into his lap and I found his lips to capture them in a soft kiss. It was gentler than the one before but it still left me yearning for more. Spencer placed his hands on my thighs, his fingertips pressing into the supple flesh. He broke the kiss to look at me. 

“Do you want to know why I interrupted your conversation with Dr. Smith?” 

I didn’t quite understand why he would bring up another man at that exact moment until he continued without waiting for my answer. 

“I saw the way he looked at you. And I couldn’t stand the thought of him taking you to his room tonight,” he confessed. 

My fingertips traced the scruff on his jaw. The thought of him getting jealous let my panties quickly dampen. Instead of teasing him for his feelings, I decided to reassure him instead. 

“I’m here with you now.”

His eyes got a shade darker as I witnessed his pupils dilating. 

“It’s where you belong,” he groaned before kissing me once more. 

He pulled back with my lower lip caught between his teeth, only letting go of it when he heard me whimpering. 

“Say it!” He ordered. 

He seemed almost desperate in his need to be reassured that it was really him I wanted to be with. 

“I belong with you, Spencer.”

With one swift motion he repositioned us to lie on the bed. His mouth was all over me, exploring every inch of my skin within reach. He nipped at the sensitive skin of my neck before tracing my collarbones with his lips. Wandering further down, he kissed along the seam of my bra before finding my hardened peaks through the thin lace. I arched my back into the contact, getting desperate to feel more of him. 

Reaching behind me, he undid my bra to remove the fabric from my body. He took a moment to take in the sight of my exposed chest before continuing his mission to explore my body. He sucked harshly on my skin whenever he wanted to elicit a whine from my throat, smiling against my skin when those sounds morphed into moans. 

His lips found mine once more while his hand descended further down my body. His fingertips ghosted over the lace of my panties before hooking underneath the waistband to pull them down my thighs. My own hands started to get more curious as well, gliding down his back until they found the soft fabric of his pajama pants. 

“You’re wearing too many clothes,” I breathed between kisses. 

Spencer didn’t hesitate to get rid of the remaining pieces of clothing, leaving him just as bare as I was. We pressed our skin into one another, our kisses growing more heated while our bodies started rocking against each other. His length was pressing hard against my thigh until my hand wrapped around it to slowly stroke it. 

The groan he let out when I swiped my thumb over his leaking tip echoed through the room and imprinted directly into my brain.  

His hand grazed over my inner thighs several times, always skipping over where I wanted to feel him the most. The longer he denied me the much needed contact, the more desperate I grew. I was burning for his touch, for some friction, for anything really. In an attempt to soothe my aching core, I pressed my thighs together. 

Spencer was not happy when he noticed that. 

With more force than necessary, he pushed my legs apart and looked at me with furrowed brows. He hovered over me with one of his legs between mine. Pushing his thigh against my heat, I gasped at the sudden contact. 

“Here, show me how desperate you are.”

It took me a second to understand but once I knew what he wanted from me, I started grinding against his leg, seeking the friction I so desperately longed for. Spencer hovered over me, unable to decide whether to look at my face or my wet folds moving against his skin, leaving a shimmer of arousal on his leg. 

“That’s my good girl,” he praised me. 

I was getting desperate as I chased some relief, aware that it would be hard for me to find it this way. 

When I dared to close my eyes Spencer groaned, “Look at me!” 

I obeyed but struggled to keep my lids open as the pleasure overcame me. Just when I thought that I could actually fall over the edge like this, he denied me the contact. I whined in protest, the tension in my loins becoming almost too much. 

“Not yet,” he cooed, “not until I tell you to.” 

He was still hovering over me, propped up with one of his elbows beside my head. He kept kissing me while his other hand snuck down between our bodies to make contact with my heat. Moving his fingertips through slick folds, I couldn’t contain the moans and sighs rolling from my lips and directly into his mouth. 

When he slowly entered me with two of his fingers, I couldn’t help but clench my walls at the intrusion. He halted his motion, waiting patiently for my body to let him in. 

“Relax,” he whispered against my lips. “I want to make you feel good.” 

After taking a deep breath, I welcomed him inside me and he started to work his fingers against the tight flesh. My hips began to rock against his hand as I quickly longed for more. When he seemed to be pleased with the way my body reacted to his touch, he removed his hand to get up from the bed. 

He was back on the mattress with a little foil wrapper in his hand after just a few seconds. Kneeling between my legs, he took his sweet time to let his eyes wander over my body. 

“You look so hot lying all splayed out for me,” he purred. 

How he was still able to form proper sentences I couldn’t understand. I started to feel lightheaded, as if my body might crumble if he didn’t grant me what I longed for. 

“Please, Spencer…” I mumbled. 

“Please what?”

“Fuck me,” I pleaded. “Please.” 

“God,” he groaned as he ripped open the foil, “I will never get enough of hearing you beg.”

After putting on the condom, he leaned over me with his cock aligned at my entrance. He slowly pushed into me while his mouth captured mine, not letting any of my sighs escape. When he reached my deepest point, he halted inside me and I felt him twitching against my walls. 

“You feel amazing,” he mumbled against my lips right before he started moving. “Even better than I had imagined.” 

My eyes got wide at his confession. I wanted to know more about me being the center of lewd fantasies, but I was already too far gone to ask him about it. He decided to tell me anyway. 

“You have no idea how often I thought about bending you over your desk in your office,” he hissed. 

I answered him with my moans at the thought of that, my walls clenching hard around his length. 

He continued, “Everytime you disrespected me, I thought about putting you in your place.”

If him reprimanding me would feel even remotely close to what I was experiencing then, I’d be happy to keep treating him the way I did before. 

His thrusts were deep and hard, keeping a steady rhythm that soon was matched with my hips moving with him. I clung onto his body with my arms and legs around him, only allowing enough room for our hips to move. When the need for air overcame us, our mouths separated to pant against each other’s faces instead. 

With all the built-up tension inside of me, I felt my climax quickly approaching and that didn’t stay unnoticed. Spencer accelerated his pace, his eyes fixated on my face to not miss any of my reactions. 

When I scrunched up my face, he kissed my cheek before whispering into my ear, “Come for me.” 

If life would be perfect, I would have come undone at his command. But I didn’t, instead I kept dancing along the edge, desperate for the final push to enter a state of pure bliss. Spencer seemed to notice my struggle and let one of his hands sneak between our bodies until his thumb found my most sensitive spot. 

He kept a steady pace pushing into me while drawing tight circles around the bud of my crevice until I finally managed to let go. 

“There you go,” he moaned as he watched me fall apart. 

When he felt me pulsating around his length, he retracted his hand and buried his face into the crook of my neck. His thrusts became erratic as he chased his own relief, his breath feeling hot against my skin as he sang my praise in the forms of the sound of his undoing. 

I noticed him holding his breath right before I felt him throbbing inside me. My hips slowly rocked against him until the stimulation got too much for him, making him whimper against my neck. With one hand in his hair and one on his back, I let my fingertips dance over his body as he came down from his high.

It was inevitable for him to move but I still whined when he disappeared in the bathroom. He was back after a few moments with a damp towel in his hand. He sat on the edge of the bed, placing one of his hands on my thigh. 

“Open up for me please.”

I tried to reach for the fabric, muttering, “I can do that myself.”

He softly smiled at me and tapped the skin of my leg, telling me with a soothing tone, “I know that you can, but you shouldn’t have to.”

Without thinking about it further, I let my legs fall open to grant him access to my most delicate parts. He carefully cleaned me up, letting the fabric run through my folds to rid me of the remains of my excitement. 

When he was done he put the towel away to lie down beside me, pulling the blanket over our bodies. I curled into his side, letting my head rest on his chest. His palm brushed over my back, helping me relax inside his embrace. He placed a featherlight kiss on the top of my head before he wanted to know, “Are you okay?” 

I propped myself up on my elbow to be able to look at him. 

“Yes, I am. Are you?”

He smiled at my question. “I’m more than okay.” 

I thought about the conversations that led us to this exact moment and realized something. 

“You never actually told me what you think about a fresh start,” I remarked. 

Spencer broke out in laughter and shook his head. 

“After all that just went down between us, you still need me to confirm that?” He chuckled. 

“To be fair, one could misinterpret this as a hate-fuck.” 

Despite the playfulness in my voice, his eyes softened at my words. His hand found my cheek, having me lean into his touch. 

“That’s not what that was. Not for me, at least,” he cooed. 

I kissed his lips and mumbled against them, “It wasn’t for me either.” 

With his hand on the nape of my neck, he kept me in place to deepen the kiss while shifting our position so he was on top of me once more. He kissed along my cheek until he found my ear. 

“Yes, I would really like a fresh start with you. Especially when it means I can keep doing this” he whispered before kissing down my neck and descending further down my body. 

Feedback is always appreciated. Let me know what you think here!

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[summer-gh0st]

Okay, I pulled out my work glasses for this so let's go.

First, the points about dialogue: I don't have much in my old revision letters to authors about specific dialogue tags (I probably usually just suggested deleting them during the line edit stage) but I DO have this interesting information about what I call "Character / Setting / Action":

Character/setting/action is when something happens between the lines of dialogue, such as a character being described, the setting being described, or the character making an action. These donʼt have to be done all at once. One at a time will do, and it doesnʼt have to be in every line of dialogue; only where it would be helpful to break up the dialogue a bit. Describing a character or a character's action in the same paragraph as when that character speaks will take over the purpose of a dialogue tag while making the scene more evocative and interesting. This can also help to describe the setting, as characters will interact with the environment, which will ground the reader in the scene. An example: “I donʼt want to go!” he yelled. vs. He stomped through the kitchen and knocked over the pitcher of water. “I donʼt want to go!” The second creates a far more vivid scene, describes an action, and tells the reader whoʼs speaking all at once. Further, the dialogue tag is unnecessary. Based on the sentence itself, the exclamation mark, and the description, itʼs pretty clear heʼs yelling. Editors and other authors give authors a lot of criticism based on their use of dialogue tags̶. They say dialogue tags need to be creative. I personally donʼt see any problem with said, yelled, asked, etc. Those are fine, as they convey the sentence's meaning and allow the readerʼs eye to glaze right over them and keep reading. Getting creative with dialogue tags causes problems̶. My favorite example being the disaster of a sentence “Snape ejaculated” in the Harry Potter books. How Rowling got away with that, I do not know. A much better way is to get creative with removing dialogue tags. [comment specific to author]... when you remove the dialogue tags, remember to replace them with character/setting/action.

Second, let's talk about adverbs!! As Stephen King put it, "The road to hell is paved with adverbs." Adverbs are closely linked to both dialogue and showing vs telling for many authors, but I'll try to keep it to adverbs alone here. Here is a note about adverbs I wrote to an author a long time ago that puts it well:

A note about adverbs: most of the time, they are unnecessary. ʻ“I love you,” she said sweetlyʼ is an example of an unnecessary adverb. If someone says, ʻI love you,ʼ theyʼre usually going to say it sweetly or in a similar way. If you want to change the meaning, thatʼs when you use the adverb. For example: ʻ“I love you,” she said angrilyʼ changes the readerʼs perceptions and is unexpected; however, too many adverbs, even unexpected ones, bog down description and dialogue. Try using action verbs instead of adverbs to convey meaning and give the reader a picture of whatʼs happening. From the above example: ʻShe crossed her arms and shot me a hard glare. “I love you,” she spat.ʼ

The main takeaway about adverbs is that there is almost no instance ever where a good verb could not take the place of an adverb. "He ran quickly" can always be replaced with something more powerful, like "He zoomed" "he dashed" or even "he catapulted"! Adverbs make writing weak, or rather, it's much easier to have weak writing with adverbs. Strong verbs are almost always preferable. The only exceptions are when the adverbs are surprising and I mean REALLY surprising. One of my favorite examples from a book I edited was: "The table was suspiciously still." That was so hilarious, and what a good way to break the no-adverbs rule!! Tables are normally still, right? So why ... suspicious? It's intriguing, it captures the reader's attention -- and THAT'S what a good adverb does.

Conclusion: dialogue tags are fine, but be creative about not using them (rather than being creative with the tags themselves) and don't use adverbs unless they could really knock the reader's socks off. HOWEVER -- I just want to say really quick that this is important for the editing phase. Don't ever let it stop you from just writing. If you're capturing a scene and throwing it into your word processor for the first time, then heck yes write "ran quickly!" That can be deleted and changed later. Don't worry about that. No need for the inner editor while you're writing. They can always be called up later. :) You can't edit something that doesn't exist yet.

Okay, that was all from me for now but honestly I guess now that I've revealed myself as a former novel editor then feel free to ask questions?? I'll happily answer them! And maybe I'll even put some of my own writing on here sometime.... not something I expected to say but well, what can I say. I love art of all kinds :) thanks for reading!

I know everyone says it’s best to just stick to “said” as a dialogue tag bc it disappears and that’s true and I mostly do but I want to take a moment for my all-time favorite dialogue tag, “lied.” Absolutely nothing hits like “‘I’m here to help,’ he lied.” NOTHING.

[mysterioushogwartsrequests]

Hello! Can I request an imagine with Draco and a Slytherin! Reader where they both are totally in love with each other and maybe one day in class Draco is being particularly needy/frustrated one day and she’s his partner and sees he’s super hard and she teases him but when class is over he asks the reader to give him a blowjob because he loves her mouth and he’s just so whiny and he later spoils the hell out of his girl at Hogsmeade!

This is literally SOOOO LONG!! I don’t know why I wrote so much, but I just really wanted to include all that stuff, lol. My excuse for the length is that I hit a 1,000 followers about two days ago so this is the celebratory piece! 

This goes without saying, but this piece contains a lot of sexual content so please do not read if you are underage or uncomfortable with said topics. I also wrote this in a different perspective because I wanted to try it out so I hope you enjoy!

Warning: SMUT, Oral (Male Receiving)

Title: Princess

                                                 ϟ ϟ ϟ

It was a warm summer’s day, close to the start of the new term. These past few weeks at Malfoy Manor had been tense and Draco often found himself rather stressed . A large part of him felt guilty for leaving his mother at home in the presence of Lord Voldemort, but another part of him felt grateful to be out of his sight. Finally, he could escape the Dark Lord’s watchful eyes, but he could not escape the plan set for him to complete.

Draco’s eyebrows knitted together as he squinted towards the merchandise wall inside Twilfitt and Tattings. Even when he was not around, Draco could still sense the Dark Lord’s influence and the constant reminder of the outcome if he were to fail. However, as he thought of better ways to mend the vanishing cabinet, something caught his attention.  

“Draco darling,” You called to him, stepping out of the changing room with a small smile on your face. Draco’s eyes widened in an instant, a lump forming in his throat as he examined the champagne dress clinging to your body. It was a delicate number with thin, spaghetti strap sleeves attached to the cowl-neck gown, the silk fabric shimmering softly as you stepped onto the podium.  

With a content hum, Draco pushed himself off the wall, his grey eyes locked with yours in the shop mirror as he walked towards you. He rested his hand against your waist, his fingers tenderly sliding down to feel the smooth silk against them, “You look ravishing,” he whispered against your ear, pressing a kiss against the shell of it before stepping back to get a better view of you.  

You smiled satisfyingly, taking a moment to admire the all-black ensemble he wore and how it slimmed him down in all the right places. He stood in a black turtleneck and a fitted suit jacket, his left hand in the pocket of his slacks while the thumb of the other swiped over his bottom lip. A string of questions crossed through Draco’s mind, “When would you wear this?” he thought, tapping his finger against his chin.  

Surely, there was no surprise ball this year, he would’ve heard by now. “Would you wear it on a date?” he questioned, imagining a scenario where the two of you ate dinner at a fancy restaurant, illuminated by just candlelight. “Even better,” Draco trailed off, his eyes lingering over your arse as you admired yourself in the mirror, looking over your shoulder to see the diamond detail that connected the open back, “What would such an expensive piece of clothing look like on his dormitory floor?”  

Draco recalled the conversation he shared with his mother a week prior, where she had counseled him after a particularly difficult day. Narcissa Malfoy had an interesting way of comforting her son. Of course, she sat and listened to him, holding him as he cried, a mixture of guilt and failure coursing through her veins as she fought against the Dark Lord’s plans for her beloved son. The next day, however, she entered Draco’s room with a smile and presented a brand-new wardrobe for him as a start of term gift.  

Pulling himself away from his thoughts, Draco gave a gentle smile and looked up at you, instantly meeting your hopeful eyes.  

“Oh, those eyes” 

“I’m not sure if I should get it,” You admitted, your bottom lip jutting out in a pout as you hopped off the podium and halted in front of the platinum-haired boy. Closing his eyes, Draco took a deep breath, captivated by the intoxicating smell of vanilla radiating off your body. An exquisite aroma, packaged in a —hand-blown— glass perfume bottle with delicate golden leaves painted onto it, finished off with your initials carved at the bottom of it.  

Another one of Draco’s thoughtful gifts.  

“And why is that?” asked Draco, his hand resting against the side of your neck, his thumb rubbing small circles against your jaw. The dress was cut just right, the tight, draped bodice granted him a wonderful view of your breasts, but he looked away to halt the tightening of his pants.  

“I’ve got no occasion for a dress like this,” declared a slightly defeated (Y/N), taking another glance in the mirror, “Well, we’ve still got the goodbye dinner with your parents” You recalled, running your hands down your hips, unintentionally catching Draco’s attention as he remembered the family dinner he had forgotten about. 

“That settles it then,” announced Draco in a chipper tone, “I’ll buy the dress,” he grinned, stepping towards his girlfriend, but halting by the display of diamond accessories. With a glance over the merchandise, he pointed at a necklace set with a pair of earrings, receiving praises from the shopkeeper. Taking the necklace from the older wizard, Draco walked over to (Y/N), “turn around,” he uttered and you happily obliged, watching him as he placed the delicate piece around your neck.  

“Draco-” you began to protest, but he only pressed a kiss against your cheek, clasping the necklace and letting his fingers linger at the back of your neck. The necklace was a breathtaking, diamond necklace with seven glittering emeralds spread evenly across the center.  

“The bracelet and earrings will do nicely as well,” Draco said, nodding his head in approval and signaling for the shopkeeper to begin ringing them up. You opened your mouth to protest again, but Draco placed his finger against your lips, “I believe you recall what I’ve told you, hm?” he teased, raising a questioning eyebrow as (Y/N) nodded, fighting back a smile, “Then, let Daddy spoil you, Princess.”  

There was no denying the power Draco’s tone held over you. His words shot straight between your legs, the feeling of his lips pressed against the side of your neck making you fall against him, finally becoming aware of his erection now pressed against your thigh. 

“Let's finish up so we can go back to the Manor,” you proposed, shifting your thigh ever so slightly to provide him with some much-needed friction. Draco bit his lip and gave a stiff nod, stepping away from you before you could tease him further.  

“Go change,” he ordered, the cocky smirk returning to his lips, “You’ve got five minutes.” Running back towards the dressing room, you peeled off the dress and stepped into your usual clothes, practically sprinting out of it once finished. After a hasty checkout, the two of you exited the shop hand-in-hand, the bag containing your gifts swinging in Draco’s other hand.

                                                             ϟ ϟ ϟ

This school year proved to be the most difficult one yet. N.E.W.T.s we’re now less than a year away and it was never too soon to begin revising. You, however, found it quite difficult to focus on school these last few days. Despite his constant reassurances that he was all right, (Y/N) found some of Draco’s recent behavior quite odd. This strange feeling first arose the week you stayed at Malfoy Manor, where the four of them sat cautiously at a table with Draco’s aunt, Bellatrix Lestrange. You had always had a good relationship with Draco’s relatives, but it was clear to you something was occurring under wraps, something Draco did not want you to know about. Noting his hesitation whenever you brought up the subject, you decided against prying any more information out of him and returned to your studies. Your dedication to academic achievement, much to your surprise, did not go unnoticed by the new Potions Master at Hogwarts, who had heard all about you and Miss Hermione Granger, the two top students of the sixth year.  

Horace Slughorn was a portly, older man, but very gifted with potions and an excellent Professor. Upon arrival, he sought out some of the school’s most promising students and invited them to his office for an elegant dinner. One morning, during breakfast, your owl dropped the intricately decorated envelope right in front of your plate. You had no chance to conceal the envelope from your curious boyfriend, the same one that had tried, without succeeding, to get invited to said dinner.  

However, to your surprise, Draco was not upset. Instead, he pressed a gentle kiss against your temple and muttered the words, “You deserve it, baby girl.” The pet name sends chills down your spine, a smile playing at your lip as his hand rests upon your knee, the cold metal of his rings easing any sort of tension in your body. His left hand rested against your jawline, his slender fingers twiddling with the pearl earring, admiring the small ruby motif encrusted right above the hanging pearl.  

(Y/N) leaned her cheek against his palm, setting the invitation down on the dining hall table, “Are you sure, Darling?” you questioned, taking the time to rest your hand over his, “I might not be able to fit it into my schedule...” you admitted, thoughts of Draco’s mysterious disappearances crossing your mind. Bringing your hand up to his mouth, Draco pressed a soft kiss against the back of it before leaning to press one against your lips.  

“I think,” he started, a sparkle of mischief in his eyes, “You should go show them what the brightest, most caring, and, without a doubt, sexiest girl in Slytherin House has to offer” Draco praised, giving your thigh a small squeeze before dipping to steal another kiss from you, “How does that sound?” He asked sweetly, showering you with yet another kiss, this one against your forehead.  

It was no secret that Draco Malfoy and (Y/N) (L/N) were truly and undeniably in love. Often, the corridors were filled with the incessant whispers of jealous girls who longed for Draco’s attention, but he paid no attention to them. The Slytherin Prince only had eyes for you, the only constant ray of sunshine in his life. Whenever he looked at you, he reminded himself of his vow to keep you completely satisfied, and the only reward he wanted was seeing that gorgeous smile on your face. You were everything to him. You were the only one who knew about his previous family troubles, the one who would hold him when he cried during the late hours of the evening. The one who would fix his tie the second it seemed out of place, the one who would rub his shoulders whenever you noticed him bent over his assignments.  

He would do everything and anything to ensure you felt like the luckiest girl in the world because he knew you, out of all people, deserved it the most.  

”You make an excellent point, Mr. Malfoy,” You grinned, nodding your head in agreement, and flinging your arms around his shoulders. A soft smile crept up Draco’s lips as his arms wrapped around your waist, holding you tightly against his chest and placing a kiss at the top of your head.  

“Don’t I always?” teased Draco, running his fingers through your hair as the other students exited the Great Hall and made their way towards the classes. Rolling your eyes at his response, you placed your hand against his cheek, stealing a kiss from him this time and rising from your seat.  

“We should go,” you announced, stretching your hand out for him to grab, which he happily obliged, rising from the bench and escorting you to your classroom.  

                                          ϟ ϟ ϟ

 A week had passed since Slughorn’s dinner party, the memory of the evening still fresh in Draco’s mind as he tapped his fingers against the wooden desk. Needless to say, he was not particularly pleased with the events of last Saturday. One of Slughorn’s guests had taken quite the liking to you, practically undressing you with his eyes during breakfast hours, something Draco found incredibly disrespectful. He recalled the way Cormac McLaggen eyed you this morning when you bent over to kiss your boyfriend goodbye, skipping out of the Great Hall without a care in the world.  

Draco clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white as his eyebrows knitted together, sparks of frustration igniting within him. Not only was McLaggen ogling you like you were his last meal, but he was also casually brushing up beside you in the corridors, shooting Draco arrogant smirks when they locked eyes.  

Oh, how he would love to jinx that insufferable look off his face. Yeah, that’ll show him.  

He should have been paying attention to Professor Flitwick discussing the proper hand movement for the Gouging Spell, but the thoughts of McLaggen badgering you when he was not around boiled his blood. In hindsight, it was a good thing he was neglecting this lesson because the prospect of gouging a large hole through Cormac seemed very appealing. 

You were particularly busy this week and did not have a lot of time to spend with Draco. Sure, the two of you bid your usual goodnights in the Slytherin common room, but your studying had kept you away from Draco. Due to this, Draco Malfoy was left very touch starved and found himself daydreaming of your earlier rendezvous around the castle.  

Draco turned his head towards you, his face relaxing at once as he watched you diligently taking notes, as usual. You had your bottom lip between your teeth, gnawing it softly as your quill scratched against the parchment. With a content sigh, he admired your concentration and wondered how a person could be that gorgeous. He was, truly, the luckiest man in the world when it came to you.  

He supposed that one could not blame McLaggen for falling for you- I mean, who wouldn’t? Any person would be swept off their feet if you entered the room wearing those silk dresses you were oh so fond of. Draco glanced down at those pretty, pink lips of yours, his eyes practically rolling to the back of his head as you parted them, tongue swiping over your upper lip as you added the final details to your diagram.  

Biting his lip, Draco forced his attention towards Professor Flitwick, but it was already too late. The thoughts of you, sprawled across his bed at Malfoy Manor were enough to replace his earlier frustrations with feelings of lust.  

“Stop,” thought Draco, closing his eyes to contain his feelings, but it was no use. Your lips made an “O” shape when you finally grasped the Charms concepts, making goosebumps appear on Draco’s skin as he shuddered.  

What he would do to have you begging for him right now.  

His pants grew considerably tighter and he couldn’t help but feel grateful towards the school uniforms. The robe he was wearing did a decent job at hiding his current problem, but he knew it would be noticeable when he stood. However, that did not stop him from hearing the way you called his name in the back of his head.  

“Please, Draco...”

“Fuck,” cursed Draco under his breath, shifting uncomfortably in his seat, a slight touch of pink dusting his cheeks. Unable to keep his eyes away, Draco looked back towards you, scanning the soft skin of your neck, and noting how awfully bare it looked. With his self-restraint wavering, he subtly slid down the bench you shared and rested his hand on your knee, something he did quite often. However, you did not question him until you felt his lips against your neck and a hand wrapped tightly around your thigh. Turning your head to face him, you were surprised to see him with his hand over his mouth, his eyes averted from yours as his fingers danced against the smooth skin of your inner thigh.  

“Draco,” you cooed, but the only response you received was a rather harsh nip at your neck, “Draco, someone will see…”  

“I don’t care,” Draco snarled against your ear, “I need this bloody class to be over…” He murmured in a much softer tone, his hand rubbing circles against your thigh and inching closer to your clothed heat. But once you turned to scold him, you noticed the dark, red blush that painted his cheeks and felt his hot breath fanning against your face.  

“Are you alright?” you asked cautiously, innocently rubbing your thumb against his thigh, but that only made Draco twitch in his seat, and his reaction suddenly lit the bulb over your head. Your lips curled into a smirk as your hand moved closer to the bulge on Draco’s pants, turning your attention towards the front of the class as you continued your movements.  

Luckily, the two of you sat at the farthest end of the Charms classroom, away from any overly inquisitive eyes. You were certain nobody would notice, if Draco kept his cool, the two of you would be in the clear.  

“Couldn’t even wait till class was over?” You tutted, delicately tracing your fingers over his crotch, and smirking as he shifted in his seat, “Be careful, I don’t want us to get caught.” You added, firmly cupping his erection through his slacks, a wide grin spreading across your face as he doubled down and hid his face behind a book he propped up. It was honestly quite surprising to see Draco this way. Usually, he would be the one teasing you to no end, but you were currently in control and that was enough to light the fire of your arousal.  

“D-Don’t stop,” Draco pleaded under his breath, biting down on his thumb to hold back a moan as your palm worked to release the built-up tension. Encouraged by his dick twitching underneath your hand, you quickened your pace and watched as he parted his lips, struggling to keep any sound from coming out. As his breathing grew more ragged, you felt his abdominal muscles tense up against your touch, indicating that his release would wash over him soon.  

Fighting to keep the small sense of composure he had left, Draco gripped (Y/N)’s wrist and halted her movements. It took him a minute to catch his breath, but when he did, he spoke in a low whisper, “Wait...” His eyes never met yours because if he looked into those beautiful eyes of yours, he would not be able to control himself. And although the prospect of taking you over the desk seemed quite promising, he did not fancy the idea of letting the rest of the student body see you bent over in such a vulnerable state.  

That was only for him, of course.  

“What’s wrong, Darling?” You teased letting your fingers trace over his crotch again, but he only clicked his tongue at you. Draco knew you too well, he knew you were only trying to rile him up again, but he could not let that happen, not right now. With adrenaline coursing through your body, you leaned towards Draco and let your breath fan against his neck before licking a stripe behind his ear, “Didn’t want to come all over those expensive slacks of yours, hm?” You murmured, gently nipping his earlobe, and taking his momentary lapse of strength to palm his erection once more.  

Draco gritted his teeth once again, pulling your hand away from his pants, “I said wait,” he growled, his lust-clouded eyes finally meeting yours, “You do know how to follow instructions, don’t you?” He asked in a much harsher, more desperate tone.  

“Depends on who’s giving them.” You replied sarcastically, placing your free hand on his knee with a smirk.  

However, Draco did not get a chance to shoot his response back at you. Once the bell signaling the end of class rang, he shot up off his seat and gathered both your belongings before taking your hand and hastily pulling you out of the classroom. A few students stared as the two of you rushed down the hall, blushing in embarrassment as you stumbled after Draco.

His hand gripped yours tightly, leading you towards the Prefects’ bathroom, and stuttering out the password once the two of you arrived. Flinging your book bags across the floor, Draco turned and stalked towards you making you step back until your back hit something solid.

“Think you’re funny, are you?” sneered Draco, pinning you against one of the cubicles, his thigh pressed firmly between your legs and his right forearm braced beside your head. Replicating your earlier movements, Draco dragged his tongue underneath your ear before taking the lobe between his teeth, making you gasp. “Why don’t we put that filthy mouth of yours to better use?” He cooed, blowing a puff of air against your ear, and admiring it as it turned red.  

With a sudden burst of confidence, you gripped his robes and pulled his face towards yours, breaths mingling together, “I think,” You muttered, leaning your lips close to his, “That’s the best idea you’ve had all day…” Looking up at his half-lidded eyes, you crashed your lips against Draco’s, fingers immediately tangling themselves in his hair. Draco returned your kiss eagerly, his hands cupping your arse underneath your skirt and pulling your body flush against his.  

You could feel Draco growing more impatient by the minute. His hands were grabbing desperately at your skin, squeezing every inch of bare flesh he could feel. Longing to have you closer to him, Draco slipped his hand underneath your thigh and hooked it over his hip, fingers gripping hard enough to bruise. Your back arched off the wall, hips grinding against Draco’s as your tongues laced together in a heated kiss. Tugging at your tie, Draco reached to unbutton your blouse and pulled it open, exposing your bra-clad breasts.  

He pressed his lips against the base of your neck, biting and sucking encouraged by your moans beside his ear. One of his hands held your thigh firmly while the other kneaded your left breast, pulling the fabric of your bra down and taking your nipple between his thumb and forefinger. You gasped harshly, bucking into him, and digging your fingers into his hair, messing up the parts that remained previously neat. Draco rolled his erection against your soaked panties, smiling down at your face as his hands kneaded your clothed breasts, “So pretty,” he murmured, captivated by your flushed face and the shameful sounds passing through your lips.  

Your hands reached up to grab his face, pulling him down for another kiss. This time, using the momentum to switch your positions so Draco’s back hit the stall door, earning a small moan of surprise from him. Grinning up at him, you pressed your lips against his neck and slid your hand down the front of his body, cupping him firmly as you sucked the sensitive skin. 

Draco let out gasping breaths as you moved your hand, his fingers digging into your waist, “On your knees,” commanded Draco, trying to regain some sort of control over the situation. You obliged happily, dropping down to your knees and lazily running your fingers over his thighs before reaching up for his belt. After fiddling with the buckle, you took your time sliding Draco’s slacks down, purposely neglecting his throbbing dick hidden in his underwear.  

“Don’t be a tease,” snapped Draco, gripping your chin harshly, “Suck,” He commanded firmly, releasing you as you pulled down his boxer briefs. Draco’s thick length snapped up towards his lower abs, almost slapping you in the face when it sprung out of its constraints. Almost drooling at the glorious sight of his cock, you took it in your hand, running your thumb over the pre-cum leaking out of the reddened tip. Draco bucked his hips forwards, hissing at the light touch, and looking down at your concentrated expression as you slowly pumped your hand.  

Lolling your tongue out dramatically, you leaned forwards and gave the tip a kitten lick, earning a frustrated groan from Draco. Satisfied with his discomfort, you gave the swollen tip another kiss before taking his length fully into your mouth. He let out a strangled gasp in response, his eyes squeezed shut as you enthusiastically licked up his length. Sealing off your lips, much like a vacuum seal, you bobbed your head up and down his shaft, tongue swirling around it as Draco trembled underneath you, his hand over his mouth attempting to stifle the sounds coming out of it.  

Draco looked down at you, unable to control the string of low moans and grunts spewing from his lips. The sight of your plump lips stretching around his cock made him lose the few ounces of coherent thoughts he had left in his mind. Draco let out another strangled moan, throwing his head back against the stall door as you swirl your tongue around his shaft and use your hand to pump the base of his cock. His hand flew to the back of your head when you moved to take all of him in your mouth, your nose brushing the trimmed tufts of hair as you choked around him, the contraction of your throat making him groan out your name.  

With another husky moan, Draco balled your hair up into a ponytail and used it as leverage to thrust into your mouth. “Yes, yes,” whimpered Draco, his face flushed red and his breath caught in his throat, “Just like that, (Y/N)” he hissed, his grey eyes flickering down and meeting yours, making his roll back again as he pulled his lip between his teeth. Your fingernails dug into the back of his thighs, squeezing them tighter as he quickened his pace. You moaned around his dick, the vibrations sending a violent quake through his body as he face-fucked you, his climax only moments away.  

“Ah, you take my cock so well, Princess” groaned Draco, his pace stuttering, “You’re so bloody gorgeous” He sighed, his fingers delving tightly into your hair as you continued to swirl your tongue around the shaft, relaxing your jaw to let the tip of his penis hit the back of your throat.  

The sounds coming from Draco’s mouth had you soaking wet and yearning to feel his load shoot down your throat. Determined to finish him off, you moved your hand to fondle his balls, moaning with satisfaction as his cock pulsated in your mouth. His breaths grew ragged and the only sounds coming from him were small whimpers and grunts. You looked up at him through your eyelashes, his platinum blonde hair fell messily over his eyes, which were currently screwed shut as his face twisted with pleasure.   

Draco’s eyes fluttered open, meeting your eager ones for a second time, but it was too much. Cursing loudly, Draco’s pace grew sloppier and rougher, his body trembling as you fondled his balls once again.  

“(Y/N)!” He cried out as you gagged around him, thick ropes of cum coating the inside of your mouth as he came, hard. You struggled to swallow his heavy load, but you were adamant on taking every last drop, just how he liked it. Draco gasped as he caught his breath, his hand still in your hair as he gave your mouth two final shallow thrusts, pulling out as you licked him clean.  

With his chest heaving, Draco delicately placed his hand against your cheek and slid his thumb over your swollen lips. You press a chaste kiss against the pad of his thumb, the corners of your mouth curling up into a loving smile. He brought you back up to your feet, capturing your lips in a kiss that was all tongue before pulling away with a satisfied smile on his face.  

“You’re quite chipper now, aren’t you?” You teased, hitting him playfully on the shoulder as he pulled his slacks up, tucking his shirt back into his pants and shooting you a wink.  

“Yes, actually,” He retorted, his usual smirk appearing on his lips, “And why is that?” You asked, taking the time to button your own shirt, blushing as Draco stalked towards you. He placed his hand on the side of your neck, pulling down your collar to admire the angry, red marks that decorated it.  

With a small huff, he dipped down and sucked on the spot below your jaw, your knees buckling and hands gripping his shoulders as he bit down. Once he was satisfied with his handiwork, Draco pulled away, smirking at the mark that would surely be visible for days.  

“Because I’m the only one who gets to have you like this,” admitted Draco, pulling you into a hug and resting his chin atop your head, “Can’t wait until I catch McLoser drooling over you, I’ll make sure to remind him who he’s dealing with.”  

You laughed at Draco’s declaration, your arms tightening around him as you embraced, “Are you ready for lunch then? He could already be there” You teased, pressing a kiss against his nose, and pulling away to pick up your bag from the bathroom floor. Draco chuckled as you skipped back towards him, giving your behind a playful smack as you walked past him, “Don’t run off thinking I won’t return the favor,” stated Draco salaciously, catching your hand and pulling you back before you could exit the bathroom.  

You looked up at him with a curious expression, “Is that so?” You questioned with a grin, walking towards him, and placing your hand on his chest, “Is it something I should look forward to?” You asked, tilting your head to the side innocently.  

Draco laughed, raising his hand to cup your cheek, “Come to my room tonight at eleven, wearing that pretty little dress from Twilfitt and Tattings,” muttered Draco, his lips close to yours once again, “I’ll make it worth your while,” he winked, his fingers dipping underneath your skirt to swipe over your clothed core.  

Shivering under his touch, you blushed embarrassingly as he examined the slick now coating his finger, “All for me, Princess?” He teased, contently licking his finger clean and grabbing his own book bag, “Actually, I was thinking about McLaggen” you quipped, stepping out of the Prefect’s bathroom with a bounce in your step which Draco followed after, his eyebrows furrowed as he flanked you. 

“Careful, Love” warned Draco with a hum, his hand sliding into yours as you walked, “or I’ll have to teach that naughty mouth of yours another lesson.”

                                               ϟ ϟ ϟ

 Your four-year anniversary drew nearer, and you found yourself worried about Draco’s behavior yet again. He grew increasingly distant as the term progressed and you could not help but worry, despite his constant reassurances, stating there was nothing to worry about. This, again, left you feeling frustrated. You and Draco started dating during your third year and it had taken a while to break down his walls to understand him, but now it seemed like some of that progress was overturned. 

However, when he was around, he always made the effort to shower you with affection and ensure you were being taken care of. Draco knew your habits better than anything, he knew you would be questioning his behavior and launching your own investigations to find the underlying cause of it, but he could not let you interfere. He was already under fire for having ‘distractions’ and had promised the Dark Lord nothing would come in the way of his success.  

To keep you safe, you had to be left in the dark. It wounded Draco to see that distraught expression on your face when he came into the common room past midnight, sometimes even asleep, curled up on the couch waiting for him to return. He felt guilty for putting you through all this, but it was necessary for your safety and nothing was more important than protecting you.  

His nights were constantly haunted by horrifying images of you injured or worse, dead in his arms after some terrible mistake he made. These thoughts were constantly wearing him down, but he could not tell you, it was just too risky to involve you in this situation. This stressful internal struggle encouraged Draco to show you how much you meant to him.  

He wanted you to know that you were, truly, the most important person in his life.  

“Draco,” You whined with your hands over your eyes as Draco led you through the empty streets of Hogsmeade, “Can’t I just open my eyes? I’ve been to Hogsmeade plenty of times” you reminded him, but he only chuckled beside you, holding you by the waist as you walked.  

“I’m trying to surprise you,” Draco stated, rolling his eyes, “So why don’t you stop complaining and follow me.” He declared, pressing a kiss against your cheek, and leading you towards the clothing shops in the village. Draco halted in front of a large store window, looking up at the dress and envisioning you in them with a proud grin.  

“Alright,” he started, grabbing the hands that covered your face, “Ready?” He murmured, pressing a kiss against her fingertips as you nodded. Counting to three, Draco pulled your hands away from your face and stepped out of your view, letting you take in the sight before you.  

In front of you stood a tall mannequin wearing a floor-length shimmering, emerald green gown with small silver detailing the bust, “Wow” you muttered breathlessly, leaning closer to the window to get a better look of the design. The mannequin turned 180 degrees, giving her a better view of the open back and long train that followed the dress.  

“Do you like it?” Draco asked, looking down at his ring with a content smile on his face. 

Your eyes scanned over the glittering, diamond pendant necklace complete with matching water drop earrings, “It’s gorgeous,” you replied, looking over at your boyfriend with a puzzled expression, “Why do I get the feeling you’re up to something?” You asked, quirking your eyebrow at him as he laughed.  

“You know me well, Darling” Draco admitted sheepishly, leading you towards the door of the stop and holding it open, “I just thought, since you’ve been attending Slughorn’s dinner parties, that you would need some more evening outfits to show off,” He stated proudly, his hand against the small of your back as he gestured you towards the changing rooms.  

“Draco, I couldn’t possibly! You bought me one at the start of term!” You protested, grabbing his hands but part of you knew his mind was already made up. 

“You’re right,” He agreed with a nod, placing his hand against your cheek, “And I’m going to buy you four more today,” He stated nonchalantly, looking back at the four sets of the dresses brought over by the shopkeeper, “You better get started,” he urged, taking a seat on the ottoman in front of the dressing room.  

With a loving smile, you captured Draco’s lips in a kiss, “I love you” You said, squeezing his hand as he returned your smile.  

“And I love you most,” He replied, pressing a kiss against your forehead, and urging towards the dressing room, “Come on, I want to see how stunning you look in those.” Giggling, you ran into the changing room, winking back at Draco before sliding the curtain close and getting into the first dress.  

Several hours later, you and Draco exited the shop with four bags containing various dresses, jewelry pieces, and, even, a brand-new suit. After one final stop at Honeydukes, the two of you made your way towards the castle, treasuring the time you spent together and the memories you created while doing so.

[makeste]

BnHA Chapter 291: The Endeavor Pamphlet

Previously on BnHA: Dabi showed up atop Gigantomachia’s back and was all “you’ll never guess who I really am!” and the readers humored him and were all “who?” and he was all “TODOROKI TOUYA” and we were all “WOW └(・。・)┘ OH MY GOSH I WOULD NEVER HAVE GUESSED”, except for Shouto and Enji who were GENUINELY SHOCKED. Anyway so Touya was all “and guess what I’m doing right now!” and before anyone could even try, he was all, “STREAMING MY EMMY-NOMINATED MINISERIES ‘HELLO, I’M EVIL BUT ALSO TRAGIC AND SEXY, NOW LET ME TELL YOU ALL ABOUT MY DAD WHO SUCKS’’, THAT’S WHAT.” And everyone was all “oh my god” and Touya was all “ヽ(⌐■_■)ノ♪” for basically the rest of the chapter, and that’s pretty much it! Oh, wait, except for the part where he also doused himself in bleach in a fit of pure theatrics, which is actually pretty much the main takeaway from the entire chapter really because it was just wild af. ANYWAYS.

Today on BnHA: Horikoshi introduces Baby Touya, the world’s most enchantingly sweet character, and is immediately all, “I sure can’t wait to tell you guys all about how his fucking jaw burnt off.” Thankfully he doesn’t (YET), and we cut back to the present pretty quickly, where Dabi explains how he took all of his brain cells that should have been used to stop him from pouring bleach over his head, and instead put them all toward his big brain plot of releasing an elaborate video detailing Endeavor’s various abuses and crimes, and even throwing Hawks under the bus as well because WHY NOT. He then leaps off of Gigantomachia’s back (like I said, no brain cells) all set to blast them with a Prominence Burn, only to be stopped by none other than THE LEGEND HIMSELF, MOTHERFUCKING BEST, PRETTIEST, NICEST, MOST OUTSTANDING MOTHERFUCKING JEANIST. Who’s no doubt outraged by the crime against hair he witnessed only moments earlier. GO GETTIM JEANY BOI.

so I haven’t had time to answer any of them because this has been the stupidest week, but I just wanted to tell you guys that I received no fewer than nine asks about Dabi’s hair. which, in a week filled with election memes and tumblr’s most cursed fandom briefly rising back up from the dead, is a pretty impressive feat for him if you ask me. like, I know I was making fun of it basically nonstop, but it sure did generate a lot of discussion so maybe I should rethink my opinions on Dabi’s PR strategies now, idk

anyway. it’s Saturday. time to catch up on this shit. let’s see how fucked the Todorokis are

OH NO HE’S CUTE

HOLY SHIT THIS IS TOO MUCH TO FUCKING PROCESS. I’M JUST TRYING TO ENJOY MY DAY HORIKOSHI, ARE YOU REALLY GOING TO TRAUMATIZE THIS POOR CHILD RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY SALAD

“thanks for being all right” the fuck

who allowed this child to be so cute. I’m serious. who signed off on this

how could a child this adorable possibly want to murder his equally adorable baby brother. please, your honor. there must be some mistake here

guess how prepared I am to read all about Touya’s tragic past. mm. that’s right. zero ready. none ready

anyway. TWO THOUSAND DEGREES LOLOLOL. NO TRACE OF A CORPSE HOW CONVENIENT. A PIECE OF HIS LOWER JAW BONE FFFFMSGHKLSh. LOVELY. LOVELY

LMAOOOOO

listen you guys. I just want to take a moment to appreciate that Horikoshi Kouhei did one of two things here. either (1) he planned it out FROM THE VERY START that Touya would be born with red hair Because Fire Powers, but would then have his hair turn white due to trauma, thus making the Dabi/Touya connection very slightly less obvious, although Let’s Be Real Who Are We Kidding. OR, (2) the anime got it wrong and gave him red hair, and rather than allowing this plot hole to continue to exist, Horikoshi took it upon himself to concoct this elaborate storyline and pretend it was never a plot hole at all! in which case I sure hope someone at Bones is sending him a VERY nice Christmas card this year. got this man sweeping up all your messes for you. you’re just lucky he has some sort of wild compulsion to address these things

anyways!!

FATHER AND SON. how sweet. :| still zero percent ready for any of this btw

STOP BEING CUTE

THIS IS RIDICULOUS. I’M SO MAD RIGHT NOW. HE IS THE SINGLE CUTEST CHARACTER IN THE ENTIRE SERIES, and do you even know how many other baby characters I’m betraying in order to say that?! baby Kacchan, baby Deku, baby Ochako, baby Shouto, Eri, baby Hawks. I’M LOOKING YOU DEAD IN THE EYE RIGHT NOW AND TELLING YOU THAT BABY TOUYA IS CUTER THAN ALL OF THOSE PLEBS. AND YOU’RE LOOKING BACK AT ME RIGHT NOW ALL “YEAH IT SURE IS A PITY ABOUT HIS JAW MELTING OFF THOUGH.” THAT’S IT, I QUIT THE SERIES

and Enji’s smiling at him. he’s so proud of him. but then Touya won’t be able to do it, and Enji’s gonna stop training him, and Touya’s gonna feel like a failure and keep pushing himself in order to try and win his dad’s affections back, because that’s all kids fucking want, all they want is just love, that’s fucking it, you couldn’t just give him that?? and then he’s gonna immolate himself fflkdlskfh THERE YOU SEE HORIKOSHI, I KNOW THE WHOLE STORY ALREADY, YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO THE WHOLE “SHOW THEM THE DEAD DOG” THING YET AGAIN YOU PIECE OF SHIT

OH SNAP THERE GOES THE TWIN THEORY. R.I.P.

BABY FUYUMI. PRETTY CUTE. NOT AS CUTE AS TOUYA THOUGH. HEY LOOK, NO REASON TO GET MAD AT ME I’M JUST STATING A FACT HERE

YEAH THIS IS GONNA GO REAL WELL OH BOY

I keep pressing the emergency stop button but this industrial tragedy machine just keeps on chugging along anyway, I’m pretty sure this thing is not up to code

:| I am so sorry sweet boy, Horikoshi is only getting started with you

FUCKING HELL WITH THIS NARRATION

but he wasn’t actually a child to you, he was just a little puppet child for you to live vicariously through!! and then you went and did the same fucking thing with Shouto afterwards and never learned your lesson until just six months ago!! fucking hell, Enji

so now he’s all “Touya is dead, that’s an unforgivable lie” fflkdhflk motherfucker does he look dead to you. if you really think that, tumblr and twitter have got a little over five years’ worth of archived theory posts to show you

oh shit Touya’s countering with “it’s an unforgivable truth”, which, damn. I actually think Horikoshi’s dialogue is one of his weaker points as a writer a lot of the time, but that comeback was snappy as fuck

actually guys, now that I’ve seen how ridiculously fucking cute baby!Touya was, I can almost understand why Shouto and Enji never put the pieces together before lol. any passing similarities would have easily been dismissed on account of he’d need to be at least 10x more adorable in order to get the full resemblance

OH MY GOD

NOW YOU SLEEP??? SO YOU POINT BLANK REFUSED TO PASS OUT WHILE YOU WERE BUSY MAIMING ALL OF MY FAVORITE CHARACTERS, BUT NOW THAT THERE’S AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE YOUR REACTION TO THE “YOUR LIEUTENANT WAS SECRETLY RELATED TO ONE OF YOUR WORST ENEMIES THE WHOLE TIME” BOMBSHELL, YOU FINALLY DECIDE TO GET YOUR FORTY WINKS. I SEE

WOW DABI

I’M SURPRISED YOU DIDN’T ALREADY HAVE YOUR ANCESTRY.COM RESULTS PRINTOUT READY TO FOLD INTO A PAPER AIRPLANE AND ZOOM ON DOWN TO HIM

LOL NEVERMIND

gotta say, so far The Endeavor Pamphlet is just about as spicy as I could have hoped

(ETA: Natsuo’s face as he watches his beloved dead brother come back to life only to literally and metaphorically set everything on fire in one fell swoop is :/. why must you do this to me Natsu. can’t you see I’m trying to throw a Welcome Back Jeanist party here.)

HAVE YOU READ THIS?! TODOROKI ENJI ABUSED HIS OWN HEIR, AND DABI WROTE IT DOWN RIGHT THERE

WELL HE’S NEVER GON’ BE NUMBER ONE NOW / NEVER GON’ BE NUMBER ONE NOW / THAT’S ONE LESS THING TO WORRY ABOUT / THAT’S ONE LESS THING TO WORRY ABOUT

btw I neglected to mention this last week, but yes I do recognize and appreciate that this is Can’t Ya See-kun himself whom Horikoshi has chosen to be the face of this existential crisis which the general public is about to experience. rip CYS-kun

OOF

excuse me. putting aside the implications of Dabi sharing this context-less murder video of Hawks with the entire world for a moment, I just have to pause for a sec here, because when exactly did he get a chance to edit this all in?? complete with voiceover that seamlessly ties in with the prerecorded footage of him with DNA test results sans shirt?? you’re telling me this motherfucker, with all the smoke that was in the room thanks to his own quirk, somehow got a PERFECT SHOT of the PRECISE MOMENT when Hawks drove his feather knife into Jin’s back, using his MAGIC CAMERA THAT HE I GUESS HAD THE ENTIRE TIME IN THE POUCH RIGHT NEXT TO HIS BLEACH BOTTLE, and then immediately somehow got this very next shot as well FROM AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT ANGLE

ALL THE WHILE IMMEDIATELY RUNNING THROUGH SCRIPT REVISIONS IN HIS HEAD, WHICH HE THEN PROCEEDED TO RECORD... WHERE, EXACTLY?? WITH SKEPTIC, WHILST RIDING ON MACHIA’S BACK??

AND THIS IS ALL YOU HAVE TO SAY FOR YOURSELF???

and this after I just wrote that whole long paragraph positively GLOWING about this man’s ability to plug up a plot hole. jfc. just scratch out every damn word I said lol. just forget all of it

are you fucking kidding me, the footage was from the cameras Skeptic planted on Hawks??

that’s... actually... okay you know what, it still doesn’t make any sense in the slightest, but the determination to address it nonetheless... just, dammit... I feel like I’m constantly at war with myself over whether or not I want to shake this man’s hand or slap him lmao. whatever, then!!

anyway, since Shouto and Enji can’t actually see the damage that Touya is dealing to the hero industry even as they speak, Touya is taking it upon himself to give them the highlights

I think it’s a testament to how much Endeavor cares about Hawks that he managed to zero in on that comment even amidst all the craziness of his eldest son returning from the dead to announce how he’s been carefully plotting their destruction for years and years. like, he heard “Hawks” and his face immediately went like that. you think he’s worried that Dabi did something to him? because he’d be right to worry lol

so the Endeavor Pamphlet narration is now explaining all about how Hawks totally killed the Number 3 Hero Best Jeanist as well! yep... he sure did... totally...

OH MY GOD WE’RE CUTTING TO HIM AHHHHH

Hawks, that is. lol. not Jeanist. NO, JUST MY POOR HALF-DEAD WINGLESS BABY SON

NOOOOO HIS LITTLE WING STUMPS. BUT SOMEHOW HIS FACIAL HAIR IS STILL INTACT. OH TO BE AN ANIME PRETTY BOY BEING SET ON FIRE. “HEY, TAKE IT EASY, WATCH THE FACE”

EXCUSE ME WHAT

interesting! we suspected as much, I think, with the clues that Ending dropped, and the little flashback right after the name reveal. still not clear how Dabi found out about it though!

looooool okay here we go, breaking out the heavy-handed holier-than-thou shit now

you know, I do find it interesting how trying to model themselves after All Might’s noble Symbol of Peace image has kind of ended up being the heroes’ undoing here. like, I could write a whole essay on this, but what it basically boils down to is that they were all trying too hard to be perfect. All Might went out there and did his thing and was amazing, and so the powers-that-be built an entire system centered around this seemingly-infallible person, and they acted like the system was infallible as well. and so most of the population ended up becoming complacent over the years, and meanwhile the people who were unfortunate enough to fall through the cracks understandably wound up disillusioned and perceiving the heroes as these false idols

anyway, but I think one positive takeaway from this is that the new up-and-coming generation of heroes represent a breakaway from that system. like, imo what we’re witnessing is the downfall of the Perfect Hero, and the rise of the imperfect hero. and this new generation doesn’t shy away from their failures or pretend like they never happened. they pretty much can’t pretend, because their failures are all right out there in the open for everyone to see. Bakugou Katsuki, just to name one example off the top of my very biased head, has had his own personal character journey basically play out right in front of the media’s eyes. his humiliation at the sports festival, his kidnapping by the League, and all of the fallout afterward. this isn’t someone who can ever go out there and convince the world that he’s perfect. but what he can do, instead, is show the world that he’s trying. that he’s trying with everything he has to do his best, to be the best. rather than this untouchable godlike image, it’s instead the image of someone painfully human who is nonetheless striving with everything he’s got to keep moving forward, flaws and all, and work his way to the top

and ultimately I think that’s going to be a much more positive image to send out to the world when all’s said and done. because rather than merely inspiring awe, heroes like that inspire people to take action themselves. or at least that’s what I hope! and not just Bakugou, but the others as well. we’ve got Shouto, whose own personal trauma is being aired in front of the whole nation even as I sit here ranting. we’ve got Deku, who cries at the drop of a hat, and who fought to become a hero despite being quirkless (and I think it’s only a matter of time before that eventually becomes public knowledge as well). tl;dr because I’m getting way too long-winded here, but these kids have effectively been humanized in a way that the old generation never was, and I think that’ll go a long way towards building trust between them and the people they’ll someday be protecting, and inspiring the next generation in hopefully a much healthier way

anyway so where were we. ...oh yes, Dabi was explaining that heroes only protect themselves, and is presumably building up to his grand conclusion of “therefore you should all just let the villains take over and burn down the world”

omfg. YOU GUYS

DOES CAN’T YA SEE-KUN’S SHARK FRIEND ACTUALLY CALL HIM “CAN’T YA SEE-KUN.” HE HAS A NAME YOU KNOW!! UNLESS HE LEGALLY GOT HIS NAME CHANGED TO CAN’T YA SEE-KUN. OH MY GOD

ALSO, IS THAT CAN’T YA SEE-KUN CRYING IN THE BOTTOM RIGHT THERE OMG. GIVE THIS CHILD A HUG. EVERYONE STOP WHAT YOU’RE DOING RIGHT NOW AND HUG HIM

BAKUGOU IS BARELY HANGING ON THERE LOL. GOTTA STAY CONSCIOUS... SO MUCH TEA BEING SPILLED... FOCUS... CONCENTRATE

IIDA’S ANGLING HIS HEAD IN A WEIRD WAY, LIKE DUDE. LOOKING SUSPICIOUSLY SNUGGLY THERE. MMM THESE IIDABAKU CRUMBS

HADOU IS ALL “WHAT EVEN IS ACTUALLY GOING ON” LMAO

LASTLY, POOR SHOUTO OMFG. WHEN YOU’RE ALL FINISHED HUGGING CYS-KUN THIS CHILD NEEDS YOUR ATTENTION!!

so now Dabi’s leaping off of this ninety-foot-tall gargoyle man like that’s a normal, smart thing to do. unless he can fly too now? saw his dad doing it back at Fukuoka and was all “hmm”

OH MY GOD SOMEONE TELL ME RIGHT NOW WHAT WORD SHOUTO IS USING TO ADDRESS ENJI, THESE TRANSLATIONS LOVE TO MESS WITH MY HEAD

ENJI GET MOVING DO YOU NOT SEE THOSE TEARS!!! SNAP OUT OF IT YOU BIG TREE

AHHHHH

OH KACCHAN YOU WOKE UP A LITTLE MORE THERE, HUH

lol he and Deku both look so determined but they’re basically sitting ducks. their “oh shit” faces do look remarkably like their “TIME TO SWING INTO ACTION” faces but don’t be fooled, they have one good arm and about six pints of blood left between the two of them. looks like this one’s all on you Shouto

-- AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH --

BAH GOD... WHAT’S GOING ON HERE... THAT’S BEST JEANIST’S MUSIC

y’all. can’t even talk right now, my brain has completely shut down lol. just. ...

  °˖✧◝(￣▿￣)◜✧˖°

[cocobear137]

♡⋯Worth the Pain⋯♡

Izuku Midoriya x reader one-shot (Y/N POV)

Soulmate AU. You feel the same pain as your soulmate. Until you exchange words with your soulmate the pain will remain.

I can’t stand it. This feeling of being burned, broken, and stabbed was taking over my life. Almost every day I would feel an excessive amount of pain. My teacher was concerned for me even with how much I was being excused because I am distracting in class. It wasn’t fair. Why is my soulmate so reckless?

On my way to school, I passed by U.A. The school I wanted to go to but didn’t have the quirk to get in. Heck, I just turned it down in general and went to a nearby school. Hero work is just not for me, I guess. The thought of me being a hero was awesome and a dream I let down months ago. If only I was strong or did more training with my quirk, I could’ve gotten into U.A. Oh well, life is unfair and I just have to learn to live with it.

I was just sitting in class, relaxing and taking notes that were on the board when I felt a burning feeling on my arms and legs. I hiss at the pain. When I felt like someone punched me in the stomach and I whimpered as I tried to keep it down. But when I felt a feeling of my bones breaking, I screamed in pain making everyone turn to look at me.

“Hey Y/N, step outside if you can.” The teacher said. I obeyed trying not to cause more attention for myself than I already have. I stumbled past the door and closed it. I waited for the teacher by resting my back against the wall as the pain still lingered. Soon enough the teacher came out of the classroom and gave me a look of worry. “Y/N I know you are experiencing a lot of pain but I can’t teach while you are distracting the other students. I want you in my class, you are one of my most promising students but I have to send you home and you will be doing schoolwork at home until you feel better.”

It has been a couple of weeks since I was at school but I managed to still stay at the top of the class while learning at home. It was nice, I could take everything at my own pace. It was great but I decided I will out for a walk. I have been in my house for far too long. As I walked past the most prestigious school, I bumped into someone rounding the corner.

“Oww…. o-oh I’m so sorry.” I looked up rubbing my forehead from the collision. The boy I bummed into had green hair that matched his green eyes. His face was sprinkled with freckles which made him look adorable.

“Oh no! I’m the one who is sorry I wasn’t looking where I was going.”

“H-Hey is your forehead hurting at all?” he asked looking down at me while I continued to rub my head.

“Y-yeah... why you ask?”

“Well... I- umm... how do I explain this, I felt pain on my forehead. And earlier today I got burned. So…” He shyly turned away.

“Oh, so that is what was happening after lunch. Wait- “

“You’re my soulmate!!!!” We said in unison. I laughed while his expression remained in shock. “It makes so much sense now! I should have watched the sports festival then I could’ve met you sooner."

"I-I'm Izuku Midoriya."

"Y/N."

➜✉ I wrote this back when I was doing online school during the Covid virus. (grades went down to the bottom of the ocean) This small piece of writing went through a lot of editing and revising so I hoped you enjoyed this one-shot. Thank you so much for reading!

[sincerelytan]

Girlfriend V / S Bestfriend

Girlfriend v / s Bestfriend

Word count: 4245

Prompt: “Free Day” Day 7 of Digiweek 2021

Features Characters: Yamato, Mimi, Taichi, Sora, Takeru, Kari, Koshiro and Joe

A / N: I had written this a while back and thought I would post it during day 7 of free day. Hope you enjoy my attempt at this little humours fic.

Also Today is August 1st - Happy Odaiba Day

@digiweek

Summary: Yamato finds himself in between yet another argument of Taichi and Mimi, but this time Sora has a solution that just might solve the age old question or just make things more awkward for Yamato

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“I hope we are not too late,” Sora commented as she, Yamato and Takeru were making their way to Taichi’s house.

“We are very late,” Yamato replied blandly.

“We would have been on time if you hadn’t taken so much time in picking out a gift for your girlfriend,” Sora shot back caustically. “besides, you asked us for our help.” she further pointed out.

“She’s right you know,” Takeru added; “who knew you would take so much time!” he muttered “in choosing a dress,” last part almost to himself.

“Yeah, whatever,” Yamato said rolling his eyes, clearly having heard what Takeru said.

“Thanks for helping though,” Yamato murmured after a bit of walking in silence. “I really want this date to be special.” And Takeru; Yamato said halting and turning towards his brother, “She better not find out about this surprise.” Yamato commanded Takeru in a playful warning tone, remembering how Takeru had a habit of confiding in her in just about anything and everything.

“My lips are sealed!” Takeru said enthusiastically. “Relax, she will love it! I’m sure, besides your anniversary is next week! He said beaming at a nervous Yamato.

Sensing Yamato still needed some assurance, Takeru added, “You got the black dress, the necklace, you booked the table at Il Ristorante - Luca Fantin,” he stopped and looked at Yamato, “You booked it right?”

“Yes, of course, a month ago” Yamato added.  

“And we got the limo, I know because I booked that one, Sora’s going to give you the flowers in the morning” Takeru added counting down the list on his fingers, “We have the perfect coverup story so now,” he continued as they reached Taichi’s house “let’s just hang out with the others and not let her suspect anything.” He said beaming to a somewhat confident Yamato.

Great, poker face, Yamato thought as they rang the bell to Taichi’s door.

 When they arrived at Taichi’s all 3 of them were revising their excuse as to why they turned up together and that too late. The excuse was going to be that Yamato and Takeru were held back by their mum and on the way to Taichi’s place they bumped into Sora who was going to say she came from her tennis class that was near Takeru’s place and thus they ended upcoming together.

As it turned out they didn’t really have to worry about their excuses because they could hear Taichi and Mimi arguing while they waited outside for someone to open the door.

“What’s the argument about this time?” Sora asked as Joe opened the door.

“You wouldn’t believe me even if I told you” Joe sighted back rubbing his forehead.

“Are they finally here?” Kari called out from the room.

“Yeah,” Joe shouted back.

“Tell them to come here and end this now.” they heard Koshiro say clearly sounding annoyed.

 “We have been friends forever.” They could hear Taichi claim loudly at Mimi.

“So have we! and we’ve been dating for 3 years now.” Mimi shot back.

“Ha please, you’ll didn’t even talk with each other during elementary school.” Taichi declared assuming his victory.

“So what! I know things that you would never ever know,” Mimi replied back with a smirk, “I am the one that sleeps with him.”

Yamato blushed bright red overhearing this conversation as he, Takeru, and Sora entered the room.

“Are you two fighting; over who knows Yamato better?” Sora asked with amusement.

 “Obviously I do!” Mimi smiled as she approached Yamato and gave him a quick kiss.

“Kissing someone doesn’t necessarily mean you know them,” Taichi said shrugging his shoulders. “I kissed Catherine a couple of times; didn’t know she already had a boyfriend.”

“That’s because all you guys did was kiss,” Sora commented back dryly.

“Touché!” Taichi smirked at the guys as Sora and Kari shook their heads. 

 “Anyway,” Yamato said butting in “I guess I would say, Mimi does know me better than you, sorry Taichi.”

“That’s my man,” Mimi said happily sending an air kiss in Yamato’s direction.

“Whipped” Taichi smirked as he received a glare from Yamato.

“Anyway, I know you are just saying this because you want to continue sleeping with her.” Taichi continued now rolling his eyes at Yamato. “and you know I am right, thus further proving my point that I know him better,” Taichi concluded with his hands gesturing and looking at everyone to agree with him.

As Yamato opened his mouth to argue back, “A quiz!” Sora chimed in quickly.

“I will ask both of you’ll a few questions about Yamato, and whoever answers most of them correctly is the winner.” Sora continued excitedly as Yamato, Mimi and Taichi looked at her with confusion.

“That’s a good idea but obviously Yamato will agree with Mimi and cheat,” Taichi said shooting a look at Mimi.

Before Mimi could argue back to that, “Written cards” Koshiro butted in. “Sora can ask the question, all 3 of you’ll get a card to write the answers and then everyone can reveal the answers that they wrote at the same time, so no one can cheat,” Koshiro explained.

“You can’t be serious!” Yamato said facepalming while Taichi and Mimi were giving it a serious thought.

“This is a great idea” Takeru chimed. “Although technically I am supposed to know him better than both of you’ll.” He said pointing at Mimi and Taichi, “but this way I will find out things I don’t know about you” he added with excitement.

“This is going to be so much fun” Sora smirked with gleaming eyes as she looked directly at Yamato.

“I’m sorry Yamato”, Joe added sympathetically patting Yamato on his shoulder. 

  While the others prepared the questions, Yamato, Taichi and Mimi waited in the other room.

“Better game up Tachikawa,” Taichi said stretching his neck, getting his game mode on.

“You’re going down Yagami,” Mimi said narrowing her eyes at Taichi.

“Oh Boy!” is all Yamato could mutter.

 “Okay, we are ready,” Kari giggled as Taichi, Yamato, and Mimi entered the room.

“Please sit at your assigned seats,” Joe said, pointing to the chairs that had each of their names, a bunch of empty cards, and a marker for them to write with. “This way no one can cheat,” he said as Yamato, Mimi, and Taichi took their seats.

“Rules are simple,” Koshiro continued, “Sora will host, asking you’ll questions about Yamato, you get 10 seconds to write your answers on the cards and when asked you will reveal what you have written after which Yamato reveals his answer, Kari keeps score, and we can see which one of you’ll knows Yamato best.” He finished taking his seat near Joe and Takeru as Sora stood in front of the three participants.

 “Welcome to the game of Girlfriend v/s Best friend; a game where Mimi, the girlfriend, and Taichi, the best friend or is it the other way around?” Sora spoke commanding everyone’s attention as she began the game joyfully in her best host voice.

“Anyway, where both will try and answer some questions about Yamato. The person with the most correct answers wins the game and proves to the other that they do indeed know Yamato better.” She continued gleefully.

 “Okay, let’s do this!” Mimi said with a determined look on her face. 

“Bring it on!” Taichi answered equally determinedly.

“You all are enjoying this way too much,” Yamato said annoyed.

“You have no idea,” Sora replied giggling.

  “Starting off with an easy Question, Question 1 for girlfriend vs best friend is What colour M&Ms are Yamato’s favourite?” Sora asked grinning at the three.

As soon as Sora finished asking the question Mimi, Taichi, and Yamato quickly wrote down their answers as Koshiro timed them.

And “Mimi” Sora said pointing at Mimi as Koshiro gave her the nod indicating the time was up.

Blue – Mimi’s card read. “He always snatches up the blue ones while I go for the red ones.” She said smiling broadly.

Blue – Taichi’s card also read “this is too easy.” He said lazily.

“And now for the reveal, Yamato?” Sora asked turning to Yamato.

Yamato sighed and held up his card, where it was written Blue, “remind me why I agreed to this again?” he asked in a defeated tone.

“Because it’s fun and we get to take your case,” Sora said with a bright smile. “Also, I get my revenge on you for dragging me through 20 different shops” She added the last part softly to Yamato while Mimi and Taichi were busy taunting each other. “A point to both Mimi and Taichi” She concluded loudly pointing at Kari who giving a thumbs up and wrote down the score on the board.

 “After an easy start moving on to Question 2!” Sora continued with the same enthusiasm; What is Yamato’s favourite food?”

As before all 3 of them wrote down the answer as soon as Sora asked the question and Koshiro began his timer. With a nod from Koshiro, Sora asked Taichi and Mimi to reveal their answers.

Pizza – Taichi’s card read. “obviously” he muttered while showing his card.

Onigiri/Mochi – Mimi’s card read “I know this because I cook for him.” She answered giving Yamato a sweet but dangerous look indicating his answer better be this.

Onigiri – Yamato’s card read. “I like pizza and mochi as well,” Yamato said looking at Taichi apologetically, while Mimi gave him one of her widest smiles.  

“Oo bad luck Taichi, looks like Yamato’s favourite food is Onigiri.” Sora concluded in her host voice. “and that’s a point to Mimi." She said pointing at Kari who put another point up for Mimi.

“Whose favourite food is not Pizza!” Taichi said out loud and annoyed as he threw his answer card down.

“We all like pizza but you have an unhealthy obsession with it Taichi,” Kari said sighing. “Seriously I once saw him finish 2 large pizza’s in 1 go,” she added looking at the group.

“Hey, those pizzas were to die for,” Taichi said defending his love for pizza.

“Oh, is it the place you insisted we go for my birthday?” Koshiro asked. “Oh yeah, those pizzas were really good” he agreed, much to Taichi’s delight.

“The very same” Taichi answered happy that Koshiro was there to back him up.

 “Which reminds me, we should order some food for later,” Joe said taking out his phone to place an order. “Any suggestions?” he asked looking around.

“Pizza” Taichi answered before anyone else could. “And Yamato my Pizza is on you for not answering pizza.”

“And mine too” Mimi added. I agree with Taichi on this, she giggled much to Taichi’s delight.

“Wait, What! But Onigiri? Fine!.” Yamato said just throwing his hands up and giving up.

“Hey, I am the host, my Pizza is on you as well,” Sora added to the mix.

“I keep the score” Kari chimed in.

“and I time you guys,” Koshiro added.

“and I am your brother,” Takeru said giving his best puppy dog face.

“you guys torture me like this and expect the pizza to be on me?” “Some friends you are!” Yamato started protesting.

“Pizza is on me and Yamato,” Joe said giving Yamato an apologetic look as Yamato put his hands on his face in annoyance.

 “As Joe orders the Pizza, we move on to Question 3, What is Yamato’s preferred pizza topping?” Sora continued in her host mode.

“Was that question on the list?” Koshiro asked giving Sora a confused look.

“Well, I just thought of it” she added. “come on guys it’s a relevant question!”

Alright, muttered the three as they wrote down their answers.

“And for the reveal,” Sora said pointing towards her best friend, “Mimi”

Double Cheese – Mimi’s card read. “Yamato really loves cheese”

Double Cheese – Taichi’s card read as well; “you better not answer anything else, our friendship is literally at stake now” Taichi said dramatically.

Double Cheese – Yamato’s card read, “you know it” Yamato exclaimed as Taichi grinned chanting, “Our friendship is saved.”

 “Mimi leading by a point, we move on to Question 4,” Sora said laughing at the exchange. “Which is Yamato’s favourite band?”

“And answers,” she said as she got the nod from Koshiro.

Mimi and Taichi held up their cards at the same time

Nirvana – Mimi’s card read, “Yamato absolutely loves them, he also likes Linkin Park though.”

Nirvana – Taichi’s card also read. “Yeah, I remember this from elementary school.” He said shooting a look at Mimi.

Nirvana – Yamato’s card also read. “I think everyone knows this.”

“Apparently they do, adding a point each to Mimi and Taichi.” Sora concluded.

 “For Question 5” Sora continued; “Which sport does Yamato least suck at?”

“Thanks for putting it that way,” Yamato said rolling his eyes at Sora.

“My pleasure, and Mimi?” Sora smirked, clearly enjoying her role as the hostess.

Basketball – Mimi’s card read “He loses against Takeru every time,” she said earning a grin from Takeru and a very annoyed “hey” from Yamato.

“Taichi?”

Basketball – Taichi’s card also read. “He really sucks at soccer.” Earning a further “hey!” from Yamato.

“I can beat every one of your asses in Basketball,” Yamato stated as he showed his card that read Basketball.

“and yet somehow you always lose to me”

“Shut up Takeru.” Yamato glared at Takeru as everyone laughed.

 “Moving on to Question 6,” Sora continued. “What is Yamato’s favourite guilt trip series to binge?”

Doctor who – Taichi’s card read when Sora called out his name to reveal his answer. “I don’t know why but he loves that show.”

Glee – Mimi’s card read next.

“Mimi that’s your favourite guilt trip series, not mine” Yamato said, showing his card that read – Doctor who.

“but you always watch glee with me” Mimi pouted.

“yes, because you enjoy it, I watch it with you,” Yamato said smiling at her, at which she further pouted.

“Looks like Taichi knows Yamato’s Tv preference here better than Mimi” Sora concluded. “With a point to Taichi, he is now caught up with Mimi.”

 “And for Question 7,” Sora continued in her best hostess impression. “If Yamato could have anyone’s superpowers from the Avengers team, who’s powers would he want to have?”

“Great question!” Kari said looking at Koshiro, who had suggested the question. Blushing at Kari’s comment, Koshiro nodded to Sora as the time ended.

 “Mimi? Your answer please” Sora asked her friend.

Captain America – Mimi’s card read as she looked at Yamato with a dreamy expression.

“Oo Captain America, that would be a hot choice,” Sora giggled. “Taichi?”

Iron Man – Taichi’s card read. “Please, Yamato is more like Tony Stark, also he’s the coolest.

Thor – Yamato’s card read. As everyone gave him a bland expression. “What?” he added.

“Seriously? I thought you like Captain America, you have a keychain of his shield” Mimi squealed, somehow offended, “also he’s the hottest! and you definitely have the Ass, perhaps not America’s but definitely Japan’s Ass.” Mimi added winking to a very red Yamato.

“Hmm I don’t know, maybe; Yamato, give us a twirl now, will you?” Taichi said trying to check out Yamato.

“And deleting that image from my mind,” Takeru said making a face at Yamato.

“Yeah, but I would prefer Thor’s powers, I could fly and manipulate thunder and also not to mention I would be a God.” Yamato tried defending his answer.

“Okay, no points for anyone, looks like you guys need to buck up your game, if you wanna win who knows Japan’s Ass better,” Sora concluded laughing.

“Shudd up.” Is all Yamato could say red in his face as everyone laughed.

 “Moving on to DC, Question 8!” Sora continued as the laughter died down. “Who is Yamato’s all-time favourite DC character?”

“I actually like DC more than Marvel” Takeru added to the room.

“Nah aa, marvel all the way” Kari shot back at Takeru. “They have better movies”

“Please, who can compete against Batman?” Takeru chimed in.

“Have you read any of the comics?” Koshiro asked them both.

“some” Takeru mumbled while Kari shook her head.

“And before this gets into a Marvel vs Dc or TV vs Comics, answers please!” Sora slipped in halting that discussion.

Batman – Taichi’s card read. “obviously”

Nightwing – Mimi’s card read. “This time it’s definitely the butt," she added with a squeal.  

Nightwing – Yamato’s card read. “It's not because of the ass” Yamato added to a gleaming Mimi.

“Okay, seriously Yamato, you have got to give us a twirl!” Taichi exclaimed.

All Yamato could do was glare at Taichi as the girls giggled and the boys laughed.

 “We are just getting started on to the good questions” Sora added cheekily as the laughter subsided. “Moving on to the next question! Question 9” “What age did Yamato have his first kiss?”

Yamato and Mimi both blushed hiding their faces behind their cards as they wrote the answer.

“And Mimi?” Sora asked

13 – Mimi’s card read

16 – Taichi’s card read. “He was a late bloomer” Taichi teased

13 – Yamato’s card read as he held it up to cover his face.

“13? Really? Who?” Sora asked surprised, asking the question that was on everyone’s mind as Yamato was extremely closed off as a person that time.

“Mimi,” Yamato answered slowly “the day she was leaving for the states”

“But you guys weren’t together that time,” Koshiro asked. “or were you already secretly dating”

“Well, it was unexpected for me as well, I mean I did have a crush on him that time but didn’t think he had, so imagine my surprise when I went to tell him goodbye, he kissed me.” Mimi smiled at the memory, “And he’s really improved a lot since then in that department” she added in a teasing tone.

“I knew I saw the two of you kiss, you told me I was seeing things,” Takeru exclaimed at Yamato.

“I didn’t really want anyone to know,” Yamato said apologetically to Takeru.

“Those mood swings make so much more sense now” Takeru added laughing.

“Okay, moving on” Yamato gestured to a smiling Sora.

 “This game is just getting started,” Sora said amused at Yamato’s embarrassment.

“I am going to kill all of you,” Yamato replied pointing towards Sora and the other spectators.

“Kari, would you tell us the score please,” Sora said sticking out her tongue at Yamato.

“Taichi needs to game up, as Mimi is leading by 2 points.” Kari added with a giggle.

  “Revealing more secrets of the lone wolf, moving on to Question 10” Sora smiled “What is Yamato’s favourite alcoholic beverage?

Even before sora could ask for an answer,

Beer – Taichi’s card read. “phh please” he added with an air of confidence.

Old Fashioned – Mimi’s card read. Please, Yamato likes his classic gentleman’s whiskey drink”

Old Fashioned – Yamato’s card read.

“What old fashion? Are you kidding me!!!! We always drink beer together” Taichi bellowed.

“But I like a good whiskey, bourbon, or scotch.” Yamato tried to defend himself.

“And you don’t like the beers we drink together?” Taichi asked absolutely furious.  

“Yeah, of course I like beers but that’s not my favourite alcoholic beverage Taichi” Mat tried to explain.

“oh! So now beer isn’t sophisticated enough for you! First, you turn your back on Pizza and now Beer!” Taichi crossed his arms absolutely fuming.

“Taichi” Yamato tried to continue.

“Next boys’ night you get your own fancy-ass drink” Taichi pouted cutting Yamato off “Sora, next Question”

“Taichi” Yamato tried again.

“Next Question Sora”  

 Giving Yamato an apologetic look, Sora continued “Moving on to Question 11, What is Yamato the most afraid of?”

Ghosts – Taichi’s card red. “Remember the time when me, Takeru, and Mimi pranked Yamato” Taichi said laughing at the memory as they had spooked Yamato quite badly.

Ghosts – Mimi showed her card, smiling at the memory.

Ghosts – Yamato’s card read as well, cursing Takeru for revealing his secret.

 “With Mimi still in the lead, Question 12” Sora continued with a knowing smirk towards Yamato. “Which celebrity is on Yamato’s list? Basically, which celebrity does Yamato wish to sleep with?” she further clarified.

Mariya Nishiuchi – Taichi held up his card excitedly

Merei Kiritani – Mimi held up her card with a stoic expression.

Mariya Nishiuchi – Yamato held his card, looking anywhere except at Mimi.

“oo she is pretty” Joe let slip to everyone’s amusement.

“Didn’t she come for one of your shows?” Takeru asked with an innocent curious look, while Mimi looked surprised, and Yamato tried to signal him to shut up.

“I don’t know what you are talking about” Yamato dismissed Takeru.

“Hang on!” Mimi added looking at Yamato now. “When was this? And how do I not know about this?”

“She came backstage as well” Takeru added. “I remember it was when you were in New York for your work visit,” Takeru said looking at Mimi.

“Mimi, I swear, nothing happened. She came to meet the band and that was it, I walked out of my dressing room when she came in”

“Okay this even I didn’t know,” Takeru said amused. “I just remember she came backstage to tell you guys she really enjoyed the show.”

“Are you telling me, you had the opportunity and you chickened out?” Taichi roared with laughter.

“Excuse me?” Mimi said tartly to Taichi.

“I didn’t chicken out Taichi, I didn’t want anything to do with her.” Yamato replied just as tartly.

“Not what you said when we were watching ..” Taichi continued in a teasing tone

“Shut up Taichi” Yamato cut Taichi off. “Mimi, babe, its not ..”

“We shall talk about this later,” Mimi said narrowing her eyes.

 “Is this over yet?” Yamato asked to the room where the others were just giggling at his misery.

“no no, I want to see what else I don’t know about you.” Mimi replied in a teasing manner.

“Is it lets torture Yamato Day, today?” Yamato asked rhetorically.

“Mimi,” Joe asked cautiously, still not convinced of her mood, to which the ever bubbly girl just smiled and winked. Satisfied that Yamato won’t be in much trouble, Joe cleared his throat, “I think we have 3 more questions” to which Sora and Koshiro nodded.

The bell rung indicating the pizza was here. Joe and Yamato went to get the pizzas and pay for them, with Yamato insisting to pay for the whole thing and Joe politely but sternly telling him that they can split it amongst both of them.

 Handing everyone their food and beverages, as Yamato and Joe got back in their place, Sora continued the game.

“To continue on to Yamato’s torture, Question 13,” she asked, “What type of porn category does Yamato like?” in a very serious and calm voice.

Joe almost choked on his drink while Koshiro spat out his drink, as the remaining two roared with laughter.

 “Taichi?” Sora asked barely able to contain her laugh,

Cheerleader – Taichi’s card read. “I remember the time when he used to fantasize about Mimi in her cheerleading outfit all the time. I don’t think he’s gotten over that.” Taichi said raising his eyebrows cheekily at Yamato and Mimi.

Threesome – Mimi’s card read. “Really? You used to fantasize about me back then?” she asked amused. “And here I thought you were dropping hints for a 3way.”

Cheerleader – Yamato’s card read. “That wasn’t a hint, Mimi. I told you it was a misunderstanding.” He said blushing furiously than he ever had.

“Shame,” Mimi said casually checking her nails, “I might have been game.” She added with a wink towards him.

Taichi nearly fell off his chair, while Koshiro did fall off his chair, his mouth open with shock.

“You lucky lucky son of a gun,” Taichi added to a blushing Yamato, with a slight hint of jealousy in his voice.

“Misunderstanding?” Sora asked trying to fish for the story, while Kari just laughed and Joe looked down embarrassed.

“Okay, too much information for me,” Takeru said clearing her throat. “Next question please,” he said gesturing towards Sora.

 “So having that opportunity taken away from him, moving on to Question 14.” Sora continued still between her laughs. “What is Yamato’s safe word?”

Sora wiped the tears rolling down her cheeks and gestured for all of them to reveal their answers.

Orangutan – Taichi’s card read.

Orangutan – Mimi’s card also read.

Orangutan – Yamato’s card read as well.

Seeing the shocked look on everyone’s face, Mimi looked over to Taichi’s card and in a very loud pitch voice, almost shouting exclaimed, “What!!”

“What! No way, What! How do you even know that?” Mimi bellowed.

“Are you fucking kidding me right now?” Taichi laughed falling off his chair, as Yamato just stared at Taichi with total shock. “Dude we really are soulmates.” Taichi managed to say between laughs as he struggled to get off the floor.

“I’m done, you know what I am done. All the other questions are irrelevant now” Mimi dropped her cards, got up, and walked out the room.

“Mimi come back,” Taichi tried calling behind her. “Princess,” he called after her as he got up and ran behind her still laughing his head off at the coincidence.

Yamato just shook his head, covering his face with his hands, as the rest of the people in the room erupted in laughter that went on for quite a while.

[acradaunt]

Etrian Odyssey Nexus Playthrough: Week 131

Didn't think this'd come back, huh? I honestly wanted to get this polished up for the game's 2nd anniversary, but I ultimately decided that I'd prefer the final save to be before killing the superbosses, not afterwards, so finding the motivation to regrind out another NG+ cycle took a while. That, and I wasn't really crazy about half of the top-tier items being out of stock and my Ental count being in the hundreds, so I had two reasons for wanting to do some. Obsessive-compulsive reasons, maybe, but reasons regardless. Also, truth be told, I actually wrote this almost three months ago, but the QRCode fixer I had used prior mysteriously no longer works, so finding a way around that took some significant time.

Probably coulda/shoulda done one more normal entry talking about the postgame strata back when it was fresh, but, eh. The bonus stratum is a reasonably good stratum; nothing really that hadn't been seen before mapwise, and the encounters have some really sneaky formations, like the Iron Crabs that go ballistic when another enemy dies, the pineapples that fully heal the others, the Mimic Aye-Ayes, the stronger-than-ever Red Lions that start out asleep, and the moths that can eat a party alive if they get a single turn off. They're not playing quite as dirty as they did in EOIV, but they're pretty fun and challenging. Survivalist really came back outta nowhere to be the MVP my first time through; Drop Shot and Quick Step can make all the difference in shutting up the most dangerous threat before it can do anything.

Still, after limping through the bonus stratum, I obviously knew I didn't stand a chance against the superboss at, level, like 90 of 130/130, so I made a backup save, set it to Picnic difficulty, and whaled right through her. Cheap? Absolutely, but it also let me get into NG+ without feeling bad about anything (and reset the difficulty back to Advanced). Which, while somewhat dull initially, it gets interesting again about halfway through, as I was using characters who were never touched in the first game cycle. So while they started at about level 60 or so from residual Memory Conch experience, I deliberately wasn't buying anything and just relying on shitty hand-me-downs from the 'main' cast, so eventually the poor equipment outpaced the inflated level and I had a good fight back on my hands.

I also got to make a whole mountain of little revisions as I re-passed through stratum. Things that I should've put on the map from the get-go if I was smart, like better marking of FOE pathing and vision cones, more clear instructions on getting around FOES or sliding puzzles, and so on. I definitely felt like I stepped my mapping-game up a lot on NG+ cycles, although this being my fifth EO entry, it's probably more sad these things never occurred to me until now. Then again, the early games had like three tile colours and maybe like 15 map icons, so maybe it's because I was complacent with previous stylings and too lazy to utilize the enhanced mapping features. I'd LOVE to plop a map or two in here to show my little details and stylings, but the 3DS doesn't have a general purpose screenshot function. Well, it does, but it's apparently busted and only works on the bottom screen, and only of the 3DS's own main menu, so it's incredibly worthless.

The two superbosses are fun, reasonably balanced fights, and natural extensions of the rest of the game's difficulty... assuming you played the rest of the game on Advanced and knocked it down to fight them on Basic. Which is... kind of an insane assumption. Abyssal Princess hits with borderline unsurvivable attacks nigh every single turn on Advanced/Heroic, even if you somehow know exactly what she's gonna do. To get that final mark, I abused some combo of like eighteen buffs and debuffs and a trio of Full Breaking Landsknechts to disintergrate her in four turns. To this day, EOIV is the only time I've beaten a Etrian Superboss without resorting to ridiculous cheese tactics. Maybe EOV's is borderline; which was just throwing out ceaseless flames across the entire field, turn after turn. I don't necessarily mind the superboss being horseshit, but I guess it feels so weird because the highest difficulty of the game IS 'normal', and none of the other bosses/FOEs felt even slightly out of control (well, maybe Salamander).

I honestly think Nexus has my favourite iteration of the Dragon Trio. I heard horror stories about their core-summoning upgrade from Untold 2 making them insufferable, but I actually liked it. They weren't THAT dangerous, and it gave multi-target attacks some value in a boss fight. While I don't think they're close to unseating Amalgolem as my favourite EO boss fight, the Nexus versions of the dragons probably place top five.

And while speaking of favourites, honestly, especially when considering all the awful circumstances at its feet, Nexus is my favourite Etrian Odyssey. I know I'd get hell for that if anyone actually read these, because I'm aware Nexus has a frothing hatedom within the community, but there it is. It took all the systems the previous games had developed, threw them all on the table, and took largely the best of each. It clearly didn't have the lengthiest development time, being the second-last 3Ds game ever released, and being partially cannibalized by Persona Q2, a crossover released just after it. So I can't fault it for a little spotty finetuning of some classes, as it's still miles above I-III/2U. Balancing is really freaking hard, I know firsthand. Voices were great in EOV, but I'm not actually bothered by the loss of them in Nexus. I'd rather they die on the localization floor than the whole game not come out here, and with 60 voices for a massively larger roster would've resulted in the same 20 or so voices getting reused again and again. Especially as my characters in EOV were built around getting use outta the more unique voices, like the perpetually high-as-a-kite Herbalist, the sultry Warlock, or the ultracoward Necromancer. Nexus' were pre-existing, relatively normal characters, so I doubt the more out-there ones would fit much at all. Having replayed a bit of V in the mean has definitely clarified how much I like customization options; V can feel more than a bit stifling, with classes having not even the quarter of options at their disposal. Are characters maybe TOO versatile? Maybe, but it sure beats a Harbinger having just Paralysis Reap and Wilting Miasma until they’re level 30. I guess I’d rather have a slightly loose balance than ultra-tight gameplay at loss of versatility.

I was kinda unduly harsh on the Shrines in those first ten weeks; I've warmed up a lot to them. They're still visually uninteresting, but that's only because Nexus otherwise gets new strata visuals and battle theme every three floors, instead of visuals every 5 and battle music every 20 floors that other EO games have. Honestly, some of the 'main' strata go by so fast that some enemies only get fought a couple of times, because they're some packed with FOE puzzles that there's scarcely room for normal encounter rates to thrive.

Lastly, because I am not in any way a sane person, this hasn't even been the only Nexus/V playthrough I've done in the meantime. The blessings/curse of the newer games actually having more than one save slot. But this post is running long enough as it is, so I'll save my 'extra' guilds for another week. Probably a month. Probably longer. Hopefully less than a year this time, though.