#sick meme Sky

[runes-menagerie]

" you took a sick day. you NEVER take a sick day. so yes, i got worried, and i figured i'd come over and keep an eye on you. " Viktor said with a creased brow. -- @mxchineherald

Sick meme

It was true. Sky had almost never taken a sick day before in the years she'd worked for the Hextech project. Once was because she had to go visit her mother and once because she had a cough bad enough that she didn't want to risk being anywhere near Viktor.

This time was different. She had a fever and really should have been in bed sleeping rather than up and talking to him. He had made the effort to visit however so she couldn't just ignore him.

"I'll be fine in a few days." She managed after a moment, her voice rough from a soar throat. "I don't want you to get sick."

@mxchineherald

[runes-menagerie]

Sky was glad to move the conversation along as well although had she been thinking more clearly she would have been just as embarrassed by the state of her apartment since she knew it wasn't normal to have this many plants but she needed them for her research. If he looked at the labels then he would find that all of them had some sort of medicinal use or were just generally air purifiers of some variety. There were also plenty of plants that didn't have proper names, just a list of crossbreeds on the label.

In the kitchen Sky filled a kettle and put it on the stove to heat the water for tea. She moved easily enough if a bit stiffly. She didn't seem likely to trip or anything like that. She just looked tired, a not uncommon sight given how much work she did between being an assistant and her own research. She also wasn't wearing her glasses and so was moving a bit more slowly than usual due to her near-sightedness. She had lived in this apartment long enough not really need them and all the teas were also color coded with large enough labels she could read them without her glasses if she needed to.

"Yes. Although I brought you a slightly stronger dose than those are portioned to be." She admitted shyly as she got cream from her cooling unit and placed it on the counter before another coughing fit hit that had her holding onto the front of her robe at the chest for a few moments.

Viktor would likely recognize the smell of the tea not only from his recent illness but also from the teas that she would bring him in the lab over the years. Any time she noticed he seemed to be having trouble, she would make him a cup of medicinal tea rather than his usual blend. She was hoping he wouldn't put it together but not much since she knew how brilliant he was.

"Would you like any of the soup?" She asked, the part of her that was his assistant kicked in along with some etiquette training she had gotten on being a good host when she joined House Young.

 Being called ‘strong’ has him take pause for a second, almost blushing at the compliment. Was he really strong? That word was so much more fitting of someone like Jayce. It felt like a loose coat on him. But then she started to apologize, and he quickly corrected, “N-no, don’t apologize. I…appreciate such confidence being placed in me.”

 Luckily they moved on before he could say anything more awkward. When he was allowed into the apartment, he carefully stepped inside and took a look around. Plants lined shelves, and gentle beams of soft light managed to sneak in through the curtains. He could smell the aroma of trimmed vegetation along with dried herbs and freshly heated soup.

 As a guest, he followed her into the kitchen, not really knowing where else to do. Not only that, but he wanted to keep his eyes on her while she moved around, just to make sure she didn’t have any accidents. He knew how prone he was to them during illnesses, so it was just a habit of thought that stuck to his mind like epoxy glue.

 He looked over the tins of teas, noting each one’s use and dosage like he was studying for an exam. He saw one labelled for clear breathing, picking it up to examine closer. “… Is this the one you brought me?” he asked idly as he opened it to take a small sniff. Which one should he make for her? He felt out of his depth with the amount of variety on display, but he felt too shy to ask. She deserved to just rest and relax while he took care of the tea. He was a scientist. He could put this together, right?

[hyuckonia]

"Lilia, I have to say, this trip was most worthwhile. It was very enlightening, and the company of my peers was rather enjoyable over the course of the past few days. However... I seem to still have one unanswered question......"

"Oh? What is it Malleus?"

"What is.. 'Hentai'?"

[brendathedoodler]

Ooh I love this concept, can tell me I guess some differences between the journey you thought out so far?

Most of my focus so far has been on the differences in their previous adventures and how it might affect their interactions with each other, rather than any specific plot points on the journey itself. I do have some ideas, though!

First: the meeting. All the links are tossed through a portal all of a sudden and end up in an unfamiliar era with each other. Some handle it better than others.

Wind has seen enough portals in his life to know how this usually goes. Yup, another adventure. He’d been expecting it, since his last adventure had just ended.

Hyrule takes it very well too, especially once he sees Sky and Time. He recognizes them both from a few years prior. For him, anyway. The war across ages was almost 20 years ago for Time, and a mere 3 months for Sky. Poor Sky was just settling down from the war and was in the middle of a much needed nap when the portal yoinked him.

Twilight had a moment of panic when he couldn’t find Midna, but soon she’s back to resting in her spot on his shoulders and he can focus on the situation at hand.

Warriors is cautious and staying back, letting the other links interact with one another first before he joins. He’s used to danger, and doesn’t trust the others at first.

Wild panicked right away, since he couldn’t feel his loftwing anywhere. They’re soul bound, so he knows full well that his loftwing isn’t anywhere near them. His loftwing was his guide since the day he lost his memories, so having that comforting presence taken from him isn’t something he handles well.

The one who takes it the worst is Legend. His adventure took him through many different dimensions (all of which had been put in danger through Zant’s attempt to conquer the Twilight Realm), and his experience with portals is not good at all. He’s quick to lash out at the others, grief stricken and fearing that he’s lost everything all over again.

Beyond the first meeting, there are a few distinct plot points!

The first revolves around Wind. Being the youngest but having the most experience is a tricky thing. Wind is used to people underestimating him. It happens time and time again; every new adventure comes with a new set of people asking him if he’s too young for this. Having his fellow heroes go out of their way to protect him irks him when normally it doesn’t.

Another scene is meeting Marin. By the time this happens, they’ve passed through a few eras that the others recognize, and Legend has stopped showing so much animosity towards the others now that he knows he’ll be able to return home. Legend likes to be a bit mysterious, and hasn’t revealed much about his girlfriend, but he has dropped some hints about her. They arrive at Legend’s place, and he leaps into the pond next to his house. Before he can hit the water, a very large mermaid snatched him out of the air and drags him under (much to everyone’s alarm). He surfaces a moment later, telling them to stop gawking and put their stuff inside, he’ll join them in a minute. Legend doesn’t surface for another half hour, but when he does emerge from the pond, he introduces everyone to Marin! Immediately everyone is teasing him. He’s very easy to get a rise out of.

There’s plenty of other little scenes, but that’s all I have for now.

(Have a pic of Marin and Legend in his mermaid form, taking place sometime during his adventure)

[fragmented-tales]

❔

send ❔ and i’ll list a couple muses that i’d like to throw at yours :: Accepting

Hi Benji!

Starting this off, I may eventually have Tales of Arise muses I'd like to test out, once I play the game, that I may throw at you if I pick up. 👀

Otherwise- I enjoy what we've got already going with Sky and Groose, and would be open to more things there! I also think it'd be fun to toss Aluecard to any of your Final Fantasy muses and see what happens.

Honestly, I think any of my LoZ muses could be fun to write with yours! Could be funny for Wars and HW Link to meet. >:3c

[runes-menagerie]

"Viktor, I... I care about you. Of course I'm going to worry about you. I wish you would take better care of yourself but I've never resented you for making me worried." Sky replied, her filter near non-existent with how tired she was on top of being sick. "I'm just glad I get to be by your side taking care of you rather than having to worry from afar."

Her eyes were slowly closing as her voice became more of a murmur. She was steadily falling asleep where she sat. She had just enough presence of mind to reach for a blanket to cover them both with although her movements were rather clumsy and she ended up with more of it over him than her. She was fine with that however, she wanted him to be warm. She wasn't as worried about herself.

"So are you mi amor..." She murmured into his hair as she rested her head against his while her arms moved to wrap around him. She held him against her side, ever careful even in her mostly asleep state not to press in the wrong spots and to support his back and neck. Before too long, she was fast asleep.

Viktor frowned with an air of sadness. She was right though. Zaun and Piltover were far more similar than either one would like to admit. Like stubborn siblings that didn't want to admit they were raised in the same household. Sky and Viktor had a rare and unique position of being able to see these differences without bias.

As he listened to her, a soft smile remained on his face. Feeling the warmth not only of her loyalty, but how nicely heated the apartment seemed to be. The hot soup filling him internally. The soft scents of the plants and flowers around him. The comfortable couch. It was all rather...relaxing.

His head tilted to continue facing her even as she leaned down but his eyes seemed heavier than before. "I ought to not be the reason you worry so much. I have been one of the sources of that for years now... Since we were children. I don't mean to be." His head slumped more slightly as he sunk deeper into the cushions.

"You're a good person, Sky... Too good for me sometimes..." His eyes began to drift, eyelids heavy. Despite trying to fight back, it was very clear he was on the brink of falling asleep himself. Soon enough, it had all taken it's toll on his overtired and under-rested, aching body. His head slid down slightly as it relaxed completely, resting on her shoulder as his eyes shut tight.

[havenotwillnotreadthebooks]

Hello! Back at it with a kidnap fam headcanon, except this ones about Earendil.

Consider; Maglor is so awkward around Earendil in Valinor. Earendil is good-natured about Stuff™️ but also awkward.

Anyway, at one point Earendil comes to Elrond’s home straight from his ship and Maglor accidentally brushes against him, only to find out Earendil’s skin is ice-fucking-cold.

Maglor instantly enters some sort of trauma response from the E&E twins’ childhood and starts lecturing Earendil on dressing properly for the weather and doesn’t he know Peredhel get cold more easily than elves? What if he got sick?

Maglor emerges from his parent haze to find Earendil has been wrapped in a sweater, two blankets, and one of Maglor’s outer robes.

Earendil is kinda just chilling. Like, he hasn’t been smothered like this in literal Ages of the world and its sorta nice to be cared about since he doesn’t get a lotta social time (touch-starved Earendil headcanon insert)

Anyway, the awkwardness has broken because Maglor is a bard, you best bet he is gonna commit to this bit. He puts a beanie hat on Earendil the same way he did for Elrond and Elros. Earendil is real quiet and just basking in the attention.

Elrond thinks this whole thing is fantastic. Slightly weird, but fantastic.

The meme format for this goes;

Earendil, fresh from the sky: heyo *COLD TO THE BONE*

Maglor, feeling Every Peredhel-Parent Instinct Reactivate: Where is your coat.

Yes this is inspired by RaisingCaiin & Jaz-The-Bard’s fics about cozy peredhel. No, I am not ashamed of anything.

Maedhros, if he’s around, is worse about it. Because Mae is used to getting the “baby is cold” instinct around grown adults (e.i his brothers) so that, combined with his Peredhel Is Cold instincts is just a recipe for disaster.

Maedhros has the thought peredhel is shivering, and next thing anyone knows there’s a blanket on Earendil. They both blink owlishly at each other for a moment, but Maedhros grew up with Feanor and he will Not Back Down.

Earendil gets another blanket.

Elwing, when she learns of the Cold Peredhel Instinct is…temped, to see what happens if she shivers near them. Because she is an awful seagull elf with an awful sense of humor. But there’s still too much tension between her and them for the joke to be funny yet. So she waits until she can look at them without flinching, and they can look at her without stiffening.

Then, and only then, does Elwing shiver around Mae&Mags and subsequently get blanket bombed.

[shorooq-mahmoud]

Emergency Donation Appeal🚨🇵🇸🆘🫂

We write to you today with hearts heavy with grief, carrying the pain and need that our loved ones in Gaza face every single day. We are the family of Shorouq and Mohamed, forced to leave Gaza, and now we find ourselves in Egypt, trying to stay strong. But each passing day brings greater challenges.

This bitter winter, while many gather around warmth in their homes, there are families in Gaza sleeping under tents that provide neither shelter from the rain nor protection from the cold. Children shivering in the freezing weather, families lying on bare ground with nothing but the sky as their blanket, struggling without food or any source of income to sustain them.

Time is not on our side, nor on theirs. Every day without help means another night in the cold, another unbearable hunger, and more silent tears.

We are not asking just for ourselves but for our loved ones in Gaza who are enduring unimaginable hardships. Every donation from you is a chance for warmth for a freezing child, medicine for a sick mother, or even a blanket for a family desperate for comfort.

If you are able to help, please donate through this link

If you cannot donate, sharing this post with your friends might be our only hope to reach someone who can.

You are the light of hope in these dark days, and even the smallest act of support could save a life.

✅🌟Vetted by @gazavetters , my number verified on the list is ( #378 )✅here 🌟vetted and shared by @bilal-salah0 here

Thank you for your time and your big hearts. 💕

Shorooq and Mohamed’s Family🌟❤️

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@cherryflavoredbutch @stardustfanfare @infernal-heart

@vilethot @thundergrace @soymikki @lytransthropy

[arsnof]

ArsCo Presents the Inaugural Arsnof's Great American Yard Sard Comics and Sundry Sale 2024!

Hello there! I'm Arsnof. You may remember me from content such as "Canadian Illustrator", "Dungeon Mentat", or even "Transformers Meme". I'm here today to host a celebration of buying things, thinking they're so super cool, and then putting them away and never looking at them again. Comics, books, toys, anime, manga, CCGs, rare webcomic goodies, tiny figurines of yokai, a Little Golden Book adaptation of Gremlins that ends before midnight, Chuck Norris's Karate Kommandos, can you read Japanese because I can't, official Soul Coughing stickers, a hoard of well read Wizards and Toyfares, Funko Pops, feet pics (you can get off, but only if you can correctly diagnose what's wrong first), Transformers...

I could go on forever, but I got it, you want it, we can make a deal (no tongue).

Why is this happening? I'm shit broke and getting shitter. Going down like a Trump Casino. Guy paying his bills on time? I haven't heard that name in forever.

I've been taking care of my ailing father (tried to die on us three times so far this year) and the rest of my family (I don't owe you an explanation, cop) and then someone just up and decided to make my automobile a notomobile.

They didn't have insurance, but that's okay because we have full cov-*hand to ear*-what? We don't? Only comprehensive? Since when? FUCKING shit... Okay, but we still have uninsured motorist, so-four thousand? Four thousand. Dollars. $4,000. To replace an entire ass truck.

We are in desperate need of a car. I've got a lifetime of memories. You, on average, have some change sitting around. Can I have some? I'll trade you stuff.

I'm starting with my comics because they're easiest to catalogue. See something you like? HMU, as the kids say (please God don't let that be a sex thing) and I'll see what I can do. I'm giving the comic shop at which I used to work a vague preference, but I can be swayed.

Next up will be the trades and manga, DVDs of varied origin, toys, and so on.

Criminitly.

If life can stop kicking us in the gender neutral pain zone for five fucking minutes, @paulyollyoxxenfree and I will get back to handicrafts. They're getting back into the amiguroove and I'm going to hit the pad - finish and print Kitty, start Dr. Doctor. Stickers and stuff. I'm not shaving for a while to put me in mall Santa shape by Thanksgiving.

But what if you've got too much money and you're sick of it, but you hate being given things? I take donations. If you put a special request in the memo, I won't even give you the thanks. I'll just spit. I take requests.

Papal

Cache

Fuck, I don't know, antelope? My email - arsnof@gmail.com

I might make one of those kofi things.

Oh and, heheh, one more thing...

Launching in the fourth quarter 2024, ArsCo is proud to announce Alone With Arsnof, the happening new app that gives you the power to have some one-on-one time *gunshot* wit- *sudden fade to red-tinted black, gunshot echo. Sirens fade in. HE'S DOWN! OVER THERE! THE ROOF? A high-pitched whine. Bright light. The late afternoon sky comes into focus. Fireballs? The sun is so bright. Automatic gunfire. No, jets. Falling. Screams. Recognizable screams. Unrecognizable screams? Inhuman? The sun blinks*

[crazylittlejester]

im in such a yapping mood today and i feel like ive made a post like this before but this is how i personally think the Links would dress in a modern era

Time: in a casual setting I know he wears the dark jeans + black band shirt combo and sometimes he’ll tie his hair up if he gets hot. it’s not an intentional fashion statement, he’s not trying to dress a certain way on purpose by any means he just dresses like a guy who plays guitars but says its “just a hobby” (he owns at least three.) and its just the shirt and the pants, there are no accessories, he’s just your father who hasn’t listened to new music or gone clothes shopping since the 80s (/j) but he can absolutely clean up nice and looks good when he needs to

Warriors: Possibly the sluttiest thing a man can wear (/j) is a cardigan sweater and he owns like. 12 of them. and generally just a lot of very nice sweaters, and there are a lot of dark grays and blues in his closet with the occasional green. he always dresses his best, he wouldn’t be caught dead leaving his house in like, a t shirt and jeans. whether or not he’s actually wealthy, he certainly dresses like he is, he pours all of his money into high quality coats and scarves and nice shoes

Twilight: Dean Winchester. Next. (but seriously, the jeans, boots, plain gray shirt and a flannel is EXACTLY how he’d dress)

Sky: Whatever he’s got on, he looks so fucking comfortable. Definitely big fluffy sweaters, I know he’s a guy who likes to be snug and cozy because why face the horrors of the world without feeling like your sweater is giving you a mom hug? I can see him in a lot of white, ivory, orange, brown, and green. Not super bright colors, he definitely has a sort of fall vibed color pallet and sense of style

Hyrule: He’s the personification of those “forest core” outfit collage boards you see on pintrest but he’s not just doing it for aesthetic, it’s all functional. Like he has a little bag he keeps tied to his belt because he goes out and hunts for berries or mushrooms in the woods. he has a leather bound journal that also clips to the belt because he likes writing about what he finds in the woods. He’s your friend who calls you after going missing for four hours like “hey can you come pick me up?” and when you get to his location he’s covered in dirt and says “i got lost…”

Legend: his EXACT style varies quite a bit, but he’d define it as alt. he wears skirts a lot, not all the time but a lot, and has a lot of layers and jewelry. he definitely will go on pissed off rants about how he got bullied for his clothes in middle school and high school and he’s mad that now people are dressing alt because they think its “quirky” and buying things like bags or pants with patches and pins already on them, and he will rant about this twice a week. hes sick and tired of getting called emo not because hes against being emo, it just seriously annoys him when people see someone with dyed hair wearing dark clothes and call them emo based on that alone

Wild: It depends on the days activities, but he likes to look cute. Lots of pretty hairstyles and earrings, bright colors too. DEFINITELY A BIG PANTS LITTLE SHIRT KINDA GUY, and he’s absolutely made a few of his outfits by hand. and ofc he has “gremlin outfits” for when he goes off exploring with Hyrule

Four: Similar to Time with the band shirt + jeans combo, but on the opposite end of the spectrum because he’s bright and colorful. He’s also the most likely to walk around with a shirt with mothman on it and then when people ask him about it talk about it as if he 100% believes mothman is not only out there, but there to get HIM specifically no matter where he goes on the planet

Wind: memes. he has tshirts with memes on them, and he’s the most likely to wear fandom merch and stuff like that. he’s 13/14 he doesn’t put a whole lot of thought into what he’s got on, he’s just against shoes. he’s the one kid who’s always got sandals on even if its fucking snowing because he’s anti socks and shoes

[matcha-milkies]

WELL, YOU DID ASK

Summary: Aboard the Stan-O’-War II, Stan finds out and confronts Ford about his past relationship with Bill.

Alternatively: “Ford, why did Bill call you babygirl?”

Relationships: Sea Grunkles, Bill Cipher/Ford Pines (Mentioned)

Content Warnings: Implied/Referenced Sex

Tags: Humor, Light Angst, Banter

Inspired By: This Meme and This Comic

Word Count: 2,489

Link to AO3: Here

A/N: Yeah it’s been a HOT MINUTE five years since I watched Gravity Falls, and I’m still waiting on my copy of Book of Bill, so I’m sorry if there are any inconsistencies with canon in this. I was riffing hard off of secondhand material lol

Stan stares up at the top bunk as the room gently sways from side to side, a cabin cradled in the bosom of the ocean. He’s lying face up on his cot, hands on his abdomen, and he’s contemplating something very deeply. It’s unnerving, this thing. He almost wishes he could forget all about it. Almost.

He bites his bottom lip and deliberates over what to do about this. He could just leave it alone. Things have been good lately. Why rock the boat, so to speak? They could go about their day, have their coffee, cast their lines into the sea, fry that leftover kraken meat for dinner. Blegh, he’s so sick of kraken meat. He’s going to have to find a way to season that thing to spice it up a bit or else he’s gonna go crazy. Why do krakens have to be so enormous anyway?

Yeah, he could do that. He could be normal.

After all, if the answer is no, then there’s nothing to worry about in the first place. And if the answer is yes… does he really want to know about it? What is he going to do, where is he going to go from there? Ask for details? He’s racked by a fullbody shudder. As if.

But deep down, he knows he’s kidding himself. If he doesn’t confront his brother, then this is going to linger in the back of Stan’s mind for all of eternity. He won’t be able to look at his twin without pondering all the ‘why’s. Why him? Why didn’t you tell me?

Stan hauls himself to a sitting position and swings his legs over the side of his bunk. He stares at the wall for a little bit, mouth quirked to the side. The Stan-O’-War II creaks, as if it’s also pondering to itself. He can hear his brother rustling papers a ways away in the other room. It’s a small boat. Of course it is. There’s only two of them to man it.

Stan starts to walk into the other room, then turns around and changes course at the last second, heading above deck instead. Hopefully his twin was too preoccupied with his work to notice. Stan walks over to the port side and leans his arms against the railing with a sigh. It’s a nice day out, at least. The sun is shining high in the sky with only a few clouds drifting overhead. They’re somewhere off the coast of Canada.

Somewhere further south but still along the same coast are his great niece and nephew, going to school again. He wonders how they’re doing. He wishes he could call them. He misses them, but he also wants to take his mind off of this. He hears footsteps pacing below deck, probably to grab a book off a shelf or something, because they soon pace right back to where the desk would be. 

Stan lowers his head until his forehead is against the railing and sighs. He’s probably going to have to ask. The thing he’s dreading is knowing that it’s not gonna go over well. He gives it maybe another ten minutes to psyche himself up, then turns and tramps back down the stairs.

Ford is situated at his desk (it’s not anyone’s desk but really it’s Ford’s desk), sifting through some old creased pages that look like they’re about to disintegrate at the slightest breeze. On his right-hand side is a cold, half-finished cup of joe. Occasionally, he mutters something to himself and pens something in his new journal. He’s entirely absorbed. He doesn’t even seem to notice when Stan appears in the doorway and leans his elbow against it.

“Uh, hey, Sixer, how’s it goin’ in here?”

Ford starts. The pen drops from his hand and rolls around on the swaying floor. “Stanley, how many times do I have to tell you not to sneak up like that?”

“I didn’t sneak up on you. I’m notoriously loud. You’re the one with your nose glued to that journal.”

“I–” Ford’s breath catches in his throat before he lets it out in a sigh. “I suppose you have a point. I’m sorry, Stanley. I’m just frustrated at how little progress I’ve made with this. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen.”

“You know you say that, like, every time we find some weird thing, right?”

“I didn’t think we would encounter this many paranormal phenomena outside of Gravity Falls.”

“Maybe you’re the weirdness magnet.”

“Perhaps both of us are. After all, you were the one living in my shack for all those years pretending to be me.”

“Ha, yeah…” Stan musses his own hair. “Must run in the family.”

“Anyway–” after stooping to pick up the pen, Ford seats himself at the desk again– “you know I always appreciate your company, Stan, but I’d like to make some real headway before dinner if at all possible.”

“Uh, well, actually,” Stan says, and Ford glances up with a raised brow.

“What is it? Don’t tell me you accidentally dropped something overboard,” replies Ford, testing the temperature of his coffee. He looks displeased at the result but nevertheless continues to sip it anyway.

“Relax, relax, it’s nothing like that. Sheesh, are you ever gonna let me live that down?”

“It happened yesterday.”

“Ancient history!” Eh, might as well spit it out, right? “Hey, speaking of ancient history, what was going on with you and Bill?”

Ford makes some sort of choking sound and dribbles coffee back into his cup. He casts about for a napkin or a towel. “What do you mean by that?”

“Were you like, just a fling, boyfriend-boyfriend, married? What was going on there?”

Ford sputters, gives up and rolls up his sleeve to wipe his mouth on his bare arm. His voice cracks a little as he speaks. “What- What do you- What do- Why would you–”

“Look, don’t play dumb with me, IQ. When he was in my head, he said some things. And I didn’t think much of it at the time, but see, now I got nothing but time out here on this tin can, and I…”

His twin finally manages to school himself back into neutrality, although they’re both well aware it’s too late. He’s already shown his hand. All he can do is pretend, deny, for whatever that gets him. He spares Stan a glance over his spectacles, and it seems to last an eternity, before the man finally returns his gaze to his notes. “Now is not the time to talk about this.” Oh. Okay. So not even a denial then.

“Uh, right. Sure. And when exactly is the right time gonna be?”

Ford pinches the bridge of his nose and sighs with a kind of bone-deep exhaustion. “I don’t know, Stanley, any time I’m not trying to decipher the code that we found etched onto the side of that washed up precolonial artifact last week?”

“Well, I don’t know why it needs to be a whole song and dance, Einstein, it’s a simple question.”

“Yes, we were… romantically involved. Obviously. Now please leave me in peace.” Not that he had expected that answer to buy him anything, but he still finds himself chagrined when Stan stubbornly continues his line of questioning.

“Why didn’t you tell me about that?”

“I didn’t think it pertinent.” Ford closes the book on his left-hand side, resigning himself to the unfortunate reality that this conversation is happening, and there is no walking away from it. Where would he even escape to? They’re stuck on a boat together until they land at the next port.

“You didn’t think I’d wanna know you were getting… close with the literal demon that tried to kill us?”

“He wasn’t trying to kill us when I was getting to know him. Again, this should be obvious, Stanley. I don’t know why you’re making me spell it all out for you.” He strangles the air, vibrating with more frustration than he can dissipate. “Unless it’s just to torture me, which I wouldn’t put past you.”

“What is that supposed to mean? After all the things I’ve done for you, all I’m asking for here is a little honesty.”

Ford very graciously decides not to dwell on the “all the things I’ve done for you” bit and reopen that particular wound. Instead, he doffs his glasses, the better to massage his forehead.

“Oh, for the love of… We’re in our 60s, Stan.” He unfurls his arms on the table, palms upward. “What did you want me to do, honestly? You wanted me to sit you down and tell you about my crush like we’re still in high school?”

There’s something in the sincerity of his tone that throws Stan off kilter, disarms him.

“I’m not sayin’ that! I just— You’re makin’ it sound more unreasonable than it is! I’m still your twin and I thought you trusted me with this kinda thing.”

Ford pushes his glasses back up the bridge of his nose. He stares at a point just past Stan’s shoulder, mouth flattened into a line. “Oh, god,” he laments, as it dawns on him that the emotionally mature thing to do is to be vulnerable. He sighs, busying his hands by straightening all the papers on his desk. “It’s embarrassing. It was already embarrassing, don’t you see? And this just makes it so much worse.”

“What?” Stan pulls up a chair and sits across from his twin. “Sixer, come on. You think I came in here and brought this up just to laugh at you? I mean, don’t get me wrong, it is objectively very funny, hilarious even—” he grins in the face of Ford’s glare— “but the last thing I’m gonna do is judge you. Between you and me, I think your relationship with that freaky triangle was more stable than anything I’ve ever had with any human.”

“Stable is not the word I would use to describe anything that went on in that shack in the 1980s.”

“Yeah, that just goes to show how low the bar is. Anyway, my point is, while I’m not gonna laugh at you, I definitely will still laugh.”

The scientist raises an unamused brow. “With me, you mean?”

“No, I’m just gonna laugh. Ha! Ha-ha!” Stan reaches across the desk to nudge Ford with his elbow. “Come on, it’s funny! You had a relationship with a triangle! Oh, the kids are gonna be so traumatized!”

“Wh- D- Stan, don’t tell them!”

“Why not? Dipper worships the ground you walk on. This won’t change anything for him. And Mabel… well, Mabel will laugh too actually. Very hard.” He brings a hand to his chin and narrows his eyes. “Or worse, she’ll start shipping you.”

“What does that even mean? She’s going to ship me? Where? How?”

“Uh, not important, and for all intents and purposes, I do not know what that word means either. Look, I’m just pulling your leg, Poindexter. I won’t tell them if you don’t want me to. It’s your business.”

“You honestly mean that?”

Stan sweeps an arm through the air with finality. “It’s your own business and nobody else’s. Look, I’m—” He finds himself rubbing the back of his neck. “I’m sorry for pushing you about this. It’s not something you’d wanna look back on, I get it.”

“Oh.” Ford doesn’t really know what to do with that so he resumes straightening papers even though they’ve been straight for the past three minutes. “I’m not used to fights ending like this.”

“Yeah, me neither. It’s weird. It’s like we emotionally matured or something.”

“Something like that,” Ford agrees.

They lapse into awkward silence. That should've been the end of it, and yet.

“I guess I just don’t get it,” Stan admits.

“What don’t you understand, Stanley?”

“He’s a— Well, he’s a little two-dimensional, don’t you think?”

“It was an extremely intellectual affair, Stan. Physicality had very little to do with it.” Well, that isn’t entirely true but his brother doesn’t need to know about any of that.

“You know what, I’d believe that. I’m just having trouble envisioning what it… what it was like.”

“Why are you trying to envision that?”

“Because it’s weird, Ford! It’s weird and morbidly fascinating. It’s like a train wreck, I can’t look away.”

“Do you have any more questions? So that I can answer them and we can be done talking about this forever?”

“So you… you never… y'know…”

“No,” Ford says about five seconds too late. There’s heat rising to his cheeks and he smothers his face with his hands as Stan sits slack-jawed in abject horror.

“What? Wait, seriously? How did that even work?”

“Ask me something else.”

“Okay. For scientific purposes, hypothetically, in a hypothetical situation, how would a human with glasses and a triangular demon go about—”

“Oh, for God’s sake, Stan!”

“God had nothin’ to do with it, I know that much.” Stan leans back in his chair, then eyes Ford suspiciously. “Wait. He didn’t possess someone else, did he?”

“No!” Ford sounds genuinely horrified. “How depraved do you think I am? That would be tantamount to— I wouldn’t do that. Do you really think so lowly of me?”

“I mean, they could’ve consented beforehand anyway, right? That’s all I’m saying. Although, Sixer, I cannot stress this enough: You locked yourself in a cabin in the middle of Nowhere, Oregon and started drawing freaky symbols on the floor and communing with a literal demon. I think I’m allowed to be a little concerned.”

“Well– Sure, when you put it like that, it sounds more occult than scientific, but I can assure you my methodology was very sound.”

“Oh, okay, good. I’m glad your methodology was sound. That was the main thing I was worried about.”

“May I return to my cipher now?”

“Your Cipher, huh?”

Ford stares pointedly at his twin, trying to telepathically communicate how exhausting this conversation is.

“I just need to know how you did it. It’s gonna keep me up at night.”

“I fail to see how that’s my issue.”

“And then I’ll keep you up at night.”

“And then I’ll throw you overboard so that you can find that notebook you lost!”

“And then I’ll haunt you from the watery grave, you know I will. Besides, it’s laughable you think you could throw me overboard, Poindexter.”

“You really want to know?”

“For my own peace of mind, please.”

Ford sighs deeply, eyes shifting from wall to wall, as though afraid someone’s eavesdropping. Maybe he’s paranoid that a mermaid is listening in from outside. He gestures for Stan to lean in closer, cups his hands to his ear and whispers for a few seconds. Stan’s expression becomes unreadable.

“Oh. Wow. Creative. Okay. Welp. That answers that.” He claps his hands together as if to dispel dirt. “Say, you wouldn’t happen to have another one of those memory-wiping guns?”

[runes-menagerie]

" i brought you some soup; let me heat some up for you? " (for Sky)

Sky blinked dazedly at Viktor. She had had a cold all weak and was currently wearing a mask so as not to get him sick while she completed her work as best she could.

"Viktor... What?" She asked not so intelligently, her brain struggling far more than usual to switch from paperwork to talking to someone about a different topic.

[runes-menagerie]

Sky could see the bolts in his spine through his thin shirt and knew the area was likely sensitive so she was careful not to touch directly over his spine and to keep her touch light enough not to hurt him but firm enough to help the muscles relax. She made a note to add a bit more pain reliever to the tea before she gave him the next dose now that she had a better idea of his physical state.

She helped him drink the soup, trying to get him to take small sips rather than big gulps. She was glad the soup had cooled enough that it wouldn't burn him but she still worried. She didn't force him to drink more when he stopped however.

"i can always make you more another time if you like." She offered with a shy smile as she put the remainder of the tea and soup away for later before turning back to check his temperature again.

"The tea will help with that. One of the herbs will help you sleep soundly." She explained kindly as she got up so that she could help him get settled if he let her. She wanted to make sure that he was properly supported and propped up enough to be able to breathe easily. She would adjust the pillows until she was certain he would be as comfortable as possible before covering him in blankets, likely too many if possible and he didn't stop her. Including what looked like a homemade quilt from her basket. "If you need anything, I'll be just in the next room. I brought some paperwork to do while looking after you."

 The tea tasted like home. Minty and crisp, with a background hint of floral bitterness. If only swallowing wasn’t a mixture of painful jabbing and rolling nausea. He slumped against his legs as she sat next to him, heaving out a heavy sigh of fatigue. A bit of the nausea was being tamed by whatever was in the tea, but it was still naggingly present.

 Her hand touched his back, near, but not entirely on his spine. Still, the proximity to his implanted bolts sent signals of overstimulation up his back and to the base of his skull. He shuddered noticeably, a small huff of a groan escaping him from the borderline discomfort of his back.

 But then he adjusted to the touch, and his back muscles relaxed under her hand.

 His fingers moved to brace her cup-holding hand, steadying it for him to drink from the cup. Warm, savory, and tinged with the same herbal flavors as the tea. It was a good compliment to his dulled, sick palate. He was able to get a few measured gulps down before he pulled away, gasping some breath into his tired lungs. That was as much as he could handle, right away.

 “I wish I could taste it more…” he said in a breath. He looked to the pile of pillows, finally noticing them at the head of the bed. “… You’re very helpful, Miss Young,” he glanced back to her with a small smile. “I think…I will lay down for a bit. I have not slept much since yesterday.” The feeling of suffocation while laying down wasn’t helping him with any restful dreams.

[spinchip]

Never the dark 7, 10 [dareth x Cyrus, it's not a pairing I've seen before and it humors me in a good way], and 11?

[ask meme]

YAAAY THANK YOUUU

7: Where did the title come from?

Bury Me Low by 8 Graves! I was listening to this song a LOT when conceptualizing the fic and I feel like the whole thing kinda describes Zane in the fic. In retrospect, I do kinda wish I had named it something smoother, I had a few ideas for what I might change it to (Inside the Dark, Forsaken Dark, and [redacted because i might be using it for another project teehee]) but I do like Never the Dark and I think i'll keep it lol

the funniest thing about this song is that I played it so much I got sick of it and now I wont listen to it

If I die today, it won't be so bad I can escape all the nightmares I've had All of my angry and all of my sad Gone in the blink of an eye I've seen the devil. I've shaken his hand I've seen the evil that dwells in a man For all of my wisdom, I can't understand ...... If I die today, it won’t be so hard Everything scares me, but never the dark

10: Why did you choose this pairing for this particular story?

Polyninja because I love them and the fucked up relationship dynamic post zanedeath called to me.

Pixal/Skylor has always been awesome but I included it here specifically because of how I view their character actions in the three year time skip. Skylor joins the ninja a few month after Zane dies and despite the fact that they don't harbor any ill will towards her, Zanes absence is a fresh wound that it feels like she's trying to step into. It makes everyone bleed. No one is coping well and things get messy and tense between skylor, the ninja, and pixal until Skylor has a mental breakdown and removes herself from the team (trauma response due to the nature of how her father raised her.) Skylor was never part of the team- she's not been there from the beginning, so she's an outsider. And so is Pixal. (Not intentionally of course, but the others share a different kind of grief that the two don't.) Cyrus eventually convinced Pixal to go to therapy where she gets some clarity on things and reaches out to Sky to apologize again for any role she played in the teams tension with her. She invites Skylor over for dinner and they accidentally end up talking for 6 hours- and the rest is history

(Skylor IS on good terms with the ninja btw. they apologized and hashed things out- but she won't rejoin the team for a lot of different reasons.)

Coppershipping my beloved. new-ish in the ficverse! They were starting to be more friendly with eachother after zanedeath, and that progressed post s11. Dareth took his grief at losing Zane as motivation to get in better shape and actually try and train, so he hits the gym and puts on a lot of muscle. takes up boxing. He wants to be able to do more to help if something happens again. He ends up putting his new skills to use protecting Cyrus from something or another and Cyrus asks him to be his bodyguard. They spend a lot of time together and fall in love teeheehee

also, fun fact for you, Dareth handmade all the ninja suits they wear in NTD!

11: What do you like best about this fic?

oh man. Is it bad to say the fact that it's almost finished? I'm just really proud I've been able to stick with it and put in the time and effort. I've got a pretty spotty track record with chaptered work- i lose motivation and drop things a lot, unfortunately. But i'm still dedicated to finishing NTD!

and im really proud of the wordcount! 100k!!!!!!! WAOW

[akindplace]

I went out for a walk the sake of my mental health and the sun was setting and the sky had some heavy clouds and it’s probably raining somewhere and the wind was blowing just enough for it to cool me down and I saw so many cats!! And a few dogs! And I saw pretty flowers! And it’s good to feel alive again after being sick for weeks and tho I’m still struggling to get better, my illness is never all I have, and I don’t know where I’m going but at least I’m going somewhere and this pingu meme is truly how I feel about doing stuff that isn’t productive but still makes me happy even if there is not a point into doing them. Maybe the point is just trying to enjoy this little life

[memesfortas]

"The Thief" Sentence Meme

All quotes are dialogue pulled from the book "The Thief" — Book 1 of the Queen's Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner Change pronouns, proper nouns, verb tense, etc as needed! Made by Joly (theshirallen)

"What, haven't you escaped yet?"

"We might someday attain a relationship of mutual respect."

"For now, I will have your obedience."

"Some things take time."

"I think it's going to take a lot of time. I think it could take the rest of your life."

"Idle boasts, I suppose."

"I can steal anything."

"Well, you've learned to keep your mouth shut, at least."

"I want you to steal something."

"Don't try to be smart. You don't pretend well."

"Do you announce that you're going off to steal something before you start?"

"None of your business. Just keep your mouth shut, do you understand?"

"He's exhausted, that's all."

"Not exactly stalwart, are you?"

"Look, I'm very clean. Why am I washing again?"

"Where did you get so dirty?"

"What a lie that was."

"You can keep your civility to yourself. You don't talk to anyone, do you understand?"

"That was absolutely the most awful thing that has happened to me in my entire life."

"You'll make yourself sick."

"I don't want to get up. I want you to go away."

"I didn't plan this trip with your comfort in mind."

"I'm a lot more important than anyone else here."

"Most people find it galling to lose their freedom."

"Do you mean that we are out here in the dark looking for something from a fairy tale?"

"No one would mistake you for anything but a tool."

"Everything about you reveals your low birth."

"This is boring. How come boring makes me so tired?"

"Everybody goes to the temple, and everybody likes to hear the old stories after dinner, but that doesn't mean they expect a god to show up at their door."

"Tell me what other mistakes I made."

"Uneducated people rarely know much about the things they talk about every day."

"You're the one who doesn't know anything."

"A successful thief doesn't depend on things being unlikely to happen."

"If he finds out I want to stay, he'll take me away."

"Don't match your weakness against your opponent's strength."

"Glad to see someone is alert, if a little bit late."

"What are you looking at, sewer filth?"

"A little circumspection might be wise for someone in your position."

"You learn something new every day."

"What are you learning?"

"How can he look down his aristocratic nose at the unwashed masses when he's as poor as everyone else?"

"I bet he wakes up every morning and can't stand it."

"No. You're not going to tie me up."

"They're dead, too, stupid."

"Be blessed in your endeavors."

"I have work to do, and I don't like to work with bruises."

"Gutter scum can't fight its own battles."

"Gutter scum gets drafted into the infantry and fights for a worthless king, and hangers-on like you watch."

"That's treasonous!"

"Do I care?"

"His kind only ever serve themselves."

"Oh? And who else are you serving?"

"No unpleasantness, I trust?"

"This is where you earn your reputation."

"Do you come to offer, or to take?"

"Don't get yourself drowned on the first try."

"I don't know how it might happen, but if you fail, we are all lost together."

"I couldn't find it. I couldn't find anything."

"When you have returned to the land of the living, I have some questions to ask."

"Damnit. What were you doing all night?"

"I was tripping over prybars."

"I hear and obey, which is more than you have ever done."

"I have the highest respect for a craftsman."

"I'm trying to rob a god's temple, and you think I should worry about the ghosts of a few dead men?"

"Do not offend the gods."

"It is a great relief to my conscience that you are not drowned."

"We are alive, and you are alive, so this expedition was at least not the disaster of earlier ones."

"Do you have any doubts?"

"I just don't understand why I am so sure."

"I see you found a safe place to wait while we were busy."

"A little danger adds spice to life."

"I can't pull food out of the sky for you."

"How do you propose to get food?"

"You are going to steal it."

"I'll make sure we all go to the block together."

"It's not your job to think."

"You'll do your best, and if you best isn't good enough, we'll all go to the block together."

"Do you have any idea how impossible this is?"

"I thought you could steal anything."

"Things don't make noise."

"I'm not going back to prison."

"You think I would take you back to the prison?"

"You think I would trust you?"

"You don't have time to waste forcing me."

"Fine! Go die on the swords of the [name]. Be drawn, be quartered, be hung. I don't care!"

"What possible difference would it make to me?"

"Leave me a sword, and I'll do my best to slow them down."

"Just leave me alone. I'm fine. Go away."

"We saw everything from the top of the cliff."

"The only thing he can do with a sword is steal it or sell it."

"I've never seen someone win against that many men."

"I don't want him to be dead."

"The bleeding stopped and you will probably be all right, as long as you don't get a fever."

"Yes, that was a silly question."

"I owe you many apologies."

"I'll always wonder what you saw."

"Won't tell me, or can't?"

"I don't believe he holds you in high regard."

"And you will not break your promise?"

"You are more beautiful, but she is more kind."

"All I'm wearing is bandages."

"I think that I am more of an asset than a liability."

"All she wants from you is a promise of your service."

"Can we stop discussing this just now?"

"The river is running the wrong way."

"She might let me go as well. But she'd probably like best to catch me, and let you slip away."

"If you could be anywhere you wanted right now, where would it be?"

"Don't faint."

"I can manage, I promise."

"All my beauty gone."

"It might heal clean."

"This is not for us to figure out."

"You viper."

"I'm glad to see you looking better."

"I've decided not to give you the satisfaction of gnashing my teeth."

"She'll be plotting an elaborate revenge."

"Am I plotting an elaborate revenge? No, I haven't been able to think of anything adequate."

"He was clever. It's too bad he was a fool, too."

"I think you need more rest."

"I'll get up, and find someone else to tell me."

"The court is greatly impressed."

"People were careful not to offend her."

"I couldn't stand it, I think."

"It doesn't belong in this world."

"Stop biting your lip and say it."

"Anyone lucky enough to be married to you would count his blessings."