#since he seems to have a habit of separating him from trusted people around him (first seb now this)

[leqclerc]

Alright, let’s break it down:

While unconfirmed, this “news” is coming out just weeks after Charles vocally defended his race engineer, Xavi, implying that much of the mistakes and miscommunication stemmed from the working conditions within the team, particularly in 2022. After the race in Baku (Ferrari’s most successful weekend in 2023 to date) Charles took the time to explicitly thank and praise Xavi over team radio. Earlier in the year, Charles mentioned in a Twitch stream that the people he trusts the most include his family, his personal trainer Andrea...and his race engineer, Xavi.

Now, the team made costly strategic mistakes and wrong tyre choices (often failing to take Charles’s feedback and preferences into consideration) last year while...well, attempting to stay in the championship fight.

Xavi is a face and a name everyone knows. For most people, especially with only a surface interest in a team’s inner workings, they will know the drivers, the team principal...and the race engineers. It’s incredibly easy to make someone like Xavi a scapegoat because he’s a tangible being you can point your finger at. Just look at how people get carried away nearly week in, week out, pinning the blame on Charles’s race engineer for everything from strategy to tyre choice, which do not fall under the umbrella of his responsibilities. As a race engineer, he’s the bridge between the pitwall and the driver. He’s being fed information regarding decisions made by those sitting on the pitwall, including the strategists. He is not the one making those decisions. Until we get a pitwall cam + radio channel specifically, we likely won’t know what the hell is going on over there.

Has Xavi made mistakes? Of course. I think every race engineer has, at some point, made mistakes or had a disagreement with their driver. Not saying everyone has to love the guy, but is there really no way to criticize someone without resorting to abuse and threats? I can’t help but note that a lot of that is often coming from those who balk when Charles is on the receiving end of similar treatment online. It’s not okay to cross a certain line when it comes to criticizing Charles, and it’s not okay to cross a certain line when it comes to criticizing Xavi, simple as. Not to mention there seems to be a lot of projecting going around and often Charles’s own feelings and perspective get invalidated because they don’t fit a certain accepted narrative.

Anyway, point being, it’s always easier to blame it all on the guy people know (and conveniently already have a negative opinion about) and throw him to the wolves rather than dig deeper and eliminate the root of the problem. And here’s where I hope Fred’s approach differs from Mattia’s.

Let’s be real, this team has had miscommunication and strategy issues pre-Xavi, currently has them, and very likely will continue to have these very same issues even if he’s gone, until something at the core of the team begins to change for the better. 

[slaymybreathaway]

WASTELAND, BABY! [chapter one]

Chapter List Prologue Masterlist

Word Count: 2.3k

Warnings: language, mentions of underage drinking and drug use

A/n: hopefully this isn't as shit as I think it is 😭

1st Sep 1994▪︎ King's Cross Station

___________________

Irish Slang Dictionary:

Eejit - idiot, fool

Nicked - stole, robbed

You 'right? - Are you alright?/ Are you ready to go?

To cop - to realise

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

One of the best places in the world to people-watch is King's Cross Statiion on a weekday morning, because you're guaranteed to see something different each time.

For example, if someone were to take a look around the station at 10:45 this morning, they might see things like:

Two old men playing cards at one of the tables of Costa Coffee, a young busker performing a cover of Hotel California by The Eagles as people stop and throw their spare change into the empty guitar case infront of her, and two Irish teenagers, hurrying through the station, shouting at eachother.

"It's your bloody fault if train leaves without us!" Y/n accused, glaring over her shoulder at her brother.

"Eh, How is this my fault?!" Seamus asked. The boy was walking fast but struggling to keep up with his sister, as he had to push the luggage trolley that held both of their trunks.

This was the first year that the twins had to head off to school without their parents, since neither of them could get off work today and it seemed like everything that could've gone wrong, did.

"Seamus, you were the reason we had to go back to the house in the first place. What kind of eejit forgets their wand?" She rolls her eyes, quickening her pace even futher.

"An eejit who's sister nicked half his braincells in the womb," he replied under his breath as the pair finally arrived at the wall separating platform 9 and 10.

The twins stood infront of the wall and gave eachother a knowing look. They have gone forward and back through this passage nearly 20 times, but they still didn't trust that they wouldn't crash into hard bricks. "Rock, Paper, Scissors!" They both said in unison, turning towards eachother.

"Ugh fuck sake!" Seamus cried, after his rock lost to Y/n's paper. The boy took a deep breath, quickly blessed himself in the shape of the cross (a habit he had picked up from his muggle granny) and took a running start at the wall, pushing the luggage trolley infront of him.

Y/n watched as her brother disappeared just as he reached the brick wall and waited a few seconds. Then, she wiped her hands on the sides of her Levi's jeans and ran towards the wall, closing her eyes as she braced herself for the contact.

When she opened them again, she was met with the bustling crowd of platform 9¾. Some were parents, who stood waving to their kids as they boarded the Hogwarts Express. Others were students who ran straight to their friends that they haven't seen in three months, greeting them in a hug. She took in her surroundings for a moment before a voice brought her back to reality.

"You 'right?" Seamus asked, putting his hands on his hips impatiently. 'You were the one rushing, now you're not bloody moving at all' he thought.

"Yeah, let's go," y/n smiled, for the first time that day. As led the way to the train door, excitement took over her. She was finally going to see everyone she had been missing.

Y/n hopped in the train first, taking both of the trunks from her brother as he passed them up, along with the crate that held her cat, Lynott.

"See, I knew we wouldn't miss the train," Seamus smirked as he climbed into the train. He took great enjoyment in annoying his sister, it was what kept him from being bored all summer.

"Alright Zoltar, sure you did," Y/n rolled her eyes in response."You off to find Dean, then?"

"Yup, see you at dinner" Seamus bent down and picked up his trunk, before disappeared down the hallway of the train carriage.

Y/n stacked her cat crate on top of her trunk and carried them as she walked the opposite way down the train. After no sight of her friends what-so-ever for good ten minutes, her arms were starting to get numb. It felt like they were going to fall of if she didn't put her things down quickly.

The girl looked into the compartment on her left and saw a tall boy wearing a patterned sweater, putting his luggage onto the overhead shelves. He was listening to a walkman that was clipped into the waistband of his dark denim jeans. His dark, overgrowd hair covered the side of his face, so she couldn't tell who it was.

Y/n put down her trunk onto the seat opposite the boy. "Hey would you mind if I put left these here while I find my friends? They're way too heavy to carry," she admitted.

It was only when the boy turned around, did she realise who she was talking to.

"Neville!" The girl's eyes lit up at the sight of her friend and she jumped at him, wrapping her arms around his neck in a hug.

As soon as Neville had heard the soft Irish accent of the girl he hadn't stopped thinking about, he turned around. What he wasn't expecting was for her to come flying towards him at top speeds.

"Woah," he stumbled backwards, he placed his hands on Y/n's waist to stabalise himself. His face burned red at the proximity and he akwardly wrapped his arms around her. The pair stood like that for a few seconds until Y/n pulled away.

"How was- you alright? You're a bit red," She asked, her hands still resting on his shoulders.

Neville nodded and cleared his throat before speaking. "Y-yeah, 'M fine,"

Y/n shrugged off his odd behaviour. She turned away to close the compartment door, trying to block out the sound of hundreds of conversations, before sitting down on the seat opposite Neville.

"To be honest, I didn't even cop that it was you for a minute," she admitted, opening Lynott's crate. "You look different... in a good way, like. You're taller than me now and your hair-"

"No, don't remind me about the hair," Neville interrupted, putting both hands ontop of his head to cover is hair. "I hate it,"

Y/n let out a laugh. "Well I don't. It makes you look like a rockstar,"

The boy smiled widely at the compliment, but y/n was too busy watching as her black-haired cat stretched on the chair beside her.

Her mother had bought the pet for her as a present at the start of first year (she didn't trust that Seamus would be able keep an animal alive so she bought him a new broomstick, instead). Y/n had named him Lynott after Phil Lynott, the front man of the Irish rock band 'Thin Lizzy'.

"Aw, I missed him," Neville admitted. He leaned forward in his chair to scratch behind the cat behind his ears. The feline closed his eyes and purred in comfort before hopping off the chair. The animal climbed onto Neville's lap and curled up into a ball. This was odd, seen as Lynott usually refused to leave Y/n's side.

"Looks like he missed you too," she smiled before admitting "We both did,"

Neville shyly smiled. His mind flooding with thoughts.

'She missed me.

She was thinking of me during the summer.

Obviously not as much as I thought of her, but still.

She missed me.'

○

A half an hour after the train departed, the door of Y/n and Neville's compartment was flung open by two tall, redheaded boys.

"Just the two people we were looking for!" Fred exclaimed walking in like the owned the place, before sitting down beside Y/n "Alright Finnegan," he asked, slinging an arm over the girl's shoulder.

The action wasn't unusual. Y/n spends a few weeks visiting Ginny at the Burrow every summer break, and during that time she had become very close friends with all of her brothers.

"Alright, Freddie. Heya Georgie," she greeted both of the boys.

"Alright Lucky," George responded with a cheeky smile. He had been calling her that nickname ever since they had met, in reference to 'the luck of the Irish'. He knew that it annoyed her too, which is why he says it all the time.

"I told you to stop calling me that," y/n rolled her eyes with a smile. "What're you guys doing here, causing trouble I assume?"

"Just sorting party stuff. Are you still good to DJ, y/n?" George asked, crossing his arms as he leaned against the doorframe.

"Of course!" The girl replied, buzzzing with excitement.

The Hogwarts parties were a thing of legend. There were 2 big parties a year: Halloween night and the last night before everyone went home for summer. These parties were held in the Room of Requirement, and only 3rd years and above were invited.

Everyone that attended these parties, partied hard. Firewhiskey, sound system, strobe lights, the lot! Since most of the professors attended these parties when they were students, they turned a blind eye.

Smaller parties were thrown in the winning team's common room after a quiddich match. Students of all ages in that house could attend these parties because they were usually more tame.

For the bigger parties, the resident DJ was Dodgy Dan. Dan was a muggleborn Hufflepuff from Belfast who always worked at a record shop during his summer break, so he was always the first one to get his hands on the new muggle dance lps. The guy was a brilliant DJ, he always seemed to know exactly which tracks to fade into eachother, the problem was that he had a habit of not turning up (pronably due to the fact that he was always stoned). This is where he got the his nickname.

Last June, Dodgy Dan passed his N.E.W.T.S, after his second attempt, so the Weasley twins took it upon theirselves to find a suitable replacement for him over the summer. When they went to the Quiddich World Cup final a few weeks ago and heard the tunes blaring out of the Finnegan family's tent, they knew they had hit the jackpot.

"I have big shoes to fill," y/n let out a nervous chuckle. She had only been attending the parties since last year, so she still wasn't exactly sure how they worked.

Almost as if he sensed her worry, Fred pulled her in close to him. "Listen y/n/n, you're gonna be fine. As long as you turn up, you'll already be doing loads better than Dan,"

George glanced over at Neville, as he hadn't heard him speak the whole time that they were there, and saw him staring at Fred's hand placement around y/n's shoulders. 'Didn't know Longbottom liked Irish girls' he chuckled at the thought and made a mental note to tell Fred later.

"Speaking of Dan," Fred's head perked up, with a smile. "Since he's gone, we need to find a new way to access plants,"

"Which brings us to you," George crossed his arms with a smile. Both of the twins turned their attention towards Neville.

"M-me?" His gaze flitting between Fred and George, nervously. "What do you need me for?"

"Well, you're one of the only students that has a copy of the key to the greenhouses," George pointed out.

It was then that y/n realised what they meant by plants. "Lads, I really don't think that he's the right person to-"

"Well, the only plants I can get for you are the left over mandrakes from when that baskilisk was petrifiying people. Anything else and Professor Sprout will notice that it's missing," Neville explained, confused in their sudden interest in Herbology.

The twins looked at eachother in disappointment and were about to politely decline until he added. "Oh but make sure not to eat the root. It's a hallucinogenic,"

Y/n watched as Fred and George's faces lit up. "Yeah, of course not," Fred started, a grin etching itself onto his face.

"Wouldn't want any hallucinations now, would we?" George continued, patting Neville's shoulder with his hand.

A voice came from the outside of the compartment. "I wait in hope for the day that you two get your own friends and stop stealing mine," Ginny spoke, crossing her arms. "What are you doing here?"

"We, my dear sister, were just leaving," Fred responded, jumping up from where he was sitting and stuck his tongue out at Ginny, before exiting the compartment.

"See ya later," George smirked before following down the hallway.

Y/n hopped up and gave Ginny a hug, despite only seeing her a few weeks ago.

"We were wondering when you'd come to find us," she joked.

"Well, we were looking everywhere for you two," Ginny replied, pointing between herself and Luna, who seemed to have just materialised beside her.

"Heya Lu," y/n smiled, giving the blonde girl a hug.

"Hello y/n/n. Hello Neville," she said, looking over y/n's shoulder at the boy who was still sitting down, black cat still asleep on his lap. "Hello Lynott," Luna added, treating the animal as she would any human.

"I would hug you guys but I don't want to wake this guy up," Neville let out a light chuckle.

"It's alright, Nev. We still love ya," Ginny joked, ruffling the boy's hair before sitting down beside y/n, just as her brother had done a few minutes prior.

Neville, Luna and Ginny each talked about what they did over the summer break, but Y/n's mind was elsewhere.

She watched Neville, how his green eyes creased whenever his rosebud lips parted to reveal a cute, toothy smile. How his right hand carefully ran over the fur on Lynott's head, while the left one pushed stray hairs out of his eyes.

There was something different about him this year, and it wasn't just his height and his hair.

Next Chapter

Taglist [comment to be added]: @divinestarling @bookhoe33 @whotfskai @pursuedbyamemoryy @zippyskitty @gia999 @warrensluvr @h3ll0k1ttyl0v3r

[cursedvibes]

I went on @epickiya722 blog and ranted all about how I think that the womanizer characterisation of Gojo by the fandom does not make sense. The points I gave to why this man can not even be in one relationship were:

Trust issues. Gojo does not trust a lot of people due to being the target of assassination attempt since his birth.

Self isolation. He does not feel like others truly understand him or can relate to him. So, he does not truly give himself the opportunity to be close to anyone.

I could go in more detail but I already saturated, the previous blogger ask and I do not want to trigger a hypefixation that will make me write a 2000 words essay on " Gojo got no hoes: this man has a negative rizz".

Also, I'm new to the fandom, so my interpretation could be lacking a lot of elements from the manga.

What do you think? (This is a bait for you to write a loooooooooooooooooooong answer)

I forgot to add. I don't think that most Jujutsu Sorcerers are in the mental headspace to be in a relationship with all the things they have to deal with. Maybe if it is for politics, as in getting married to someone because of their abilities and how it can be beneficial for your clan.

Well, I wouldn't really say I'm an expert on Gojo, but he's definitely not a womanizer. The only reason this is even such a popular perception of his character is because of some misinterpretation of a comment Gege made before Hidden Inventory started, where they said Gojo wears sunglasses when meeting girls/a girl (Riko). And I guess fans assume because they think Gojo is hot, he must be swimming in pussy. In canon, most people seemed to be turned off by his personality and status though. Yuuta (guy who still runs around with the replica of the girl who made a pinky swear with him in elementary school) even teases him about how ridiculous him having a significant other is. Gege said that at least when they were teenagers, Geto was the more popular one. Can't say I understand that because the guy seemed like an absolute bore and always looked down on the people he considers weak just like Gojo. Gojo was being straight-forward about it and not pretending he's a nicer person than he actually is, which I can respect much more than Geto's slimy attitude.

I agree that a big problem for Gojo is the self-isolation he puts on himself that comes with being considered The Strongest. People might be intimidated, but fundamentally there is nothing keeping him from forming close relationships with others once he knows them better. He sees himself as entirely removed from others and not even having/being the same existence.

He is the one who put himself up there and who thinks that only someone on a similar pedestal like Sukuna or previously Geto could understand him because he considers them separate from other humans and closer to himself. The label "The Strongest" is a necessity for him to think he could ever form a truly equal relationship with someone. That way he is very similar to Kashimo and Yorozu, also people who tried to teach Sukuna about love and desperately tried to relate to him because they thought he was the only person who could understand them (he doesn't and he isn't) and that way they only managed to close themselves off to people who could've actually helped them.

Vulnerability also plays into it to an extent because it's no coincidence that Gojo has his Limitless on almost constantly. The thing is, to form a real personal bond with others and have a close relationship with them, he needs to make himself vulnerable and also step down from the pedestal he put himself on to meet them at eye-level. You see that very well with how Takaba and Kenjaku's fight ended. Kenjaku also used to separate themselves from others for safety reasons, suspicion and just general habit. They craved friendship, but had trouble forming the truly equal relationship friendship requires for them. In the end, Kenjaku allowed themselves to fully engage with and get involved with Takaba and that vulnerability led to their death, but it also made them happy and as they said, was one of the best moments in their long life because it fulfilled the base wish/desire that was behind all the wild experiments and merging of people and curses and whatnot.

You could say Gojo is similar and had a similar death in that he was made vulnerable, but it wasn't so much that he stepped down from his pedestal to connect with the people who were already trying to reach him and cared about him, instead he made himself vulnerable by antagonizing someone who also stands on a different pedestal. He doesn't lower his guard, he seeks out someone who could overcome it by force. Unfortunately, that person doesn't actually care about him. If he had tried to connect more with the people already next to him, he might've been happier or more emotionally fulfilled, even if that means he would have to give up his strength or lower his defence. Instead of making children into weapons in hopes of some of them also climbing on that pedestal, he could've left his. There is pressure for him to be in that high position, no question, but he is the one who separates his existence and status as a living being from others. He would've needed to unlearn that thinking first.

All in all, the last thing you said in the second ask is most important. Sorcerers, especially the ones at Jujutsu Tech, generally just don't have romantic relationships or close relationships in general. Not the type the "womanizer Gojo" people are thinking about at least. Gege avoids talking about couples, but the only sorcerers who might be in a relationship are Kirara and Hakari and they aren't part of Jujutsu Tech anymore. Yaga is divorced and we don't know anything about the others except that most of them are very lonely and depressed. Some sorcerers, particularly those in the big clans, are married, but they don't seem that happy. Maki's parents don't look like they love each other or have any joy in their life really. So if we go by canon, no sorcerer is in a committed and/or loving relationship as far as we know (like I said even Hakari & Kirara are up in the air), which makes sense because most of them will soon die anyway. Maybe some of them have sex on the side, but probably more as coping mechanism. With how hung-up Gojo is on Geto aka the closest relationship he had in his life, I don't see Gojo being one of them. Not saying he's crying into his pillow 24/7, but getting close enough for sex with others seems difficult. Plus, ideally the other person also has to like him enough to agree to do it with him and finding someone like that isn't easy either.

tldr: I agree "Gojo got no hoes: this man has negative rizz"

[mintytealfox]

Me: have another sacrifice You Guys: we don't want another sacrifice Me: Have another

intro: here ch 2-4: here

Chapters 5-7 Norton and Alice finally meet aahhh

(a small reminder of the size difference)

Ch 5 Alice

“Frederick Kreiburg…. now where have you been?”

Frederick looks away from the painting he was fixated on and sees the familiar journalist and sighs, “found me already…? It’s barely been 24 hours since I’ve returned.”

Alice smiles as she walks over to stand next to him and admire the painting. “You are a creature of habit. There are only three places you frequent. This one being your favorite.”

“Think you’ve got me pinned already~?” There is a hint of a smile in his words.

“I couldn’t possibly, there is so much I don’t know, like why you go to this gallery more than the central one. What makes this one special?” Eyes studying this piece, taking in the flowing colors of the horizon over the open plains captured here. It is enchanting.

Frederick watches as she gets lost in the work, admiring that and nods, “I like the artist. A human who can properly convey the beauty of this planet. He makes you believe you can see what this world was like before the war.”

The journalist blinks with a look of surprise, “you answered a question~”

“Hm, don’t get used to it” he sends a small smile her way, “but I did find someone who is willing to be interviewed.”

It felt as if time stopped all around her, someone willing to be interviewed on this taboo subject. This sounds too good to be true! “Is that what you were doing? Looking for someone willing so I would get off your back?” a short laugh escapes her.

“Not really, it sort of fell into my lap, but the idea of you getting off my back isn’t lost on me~” he turns to face her, “am I right in assuming you’ll accept this opportunity?”

“Absolutely!” with a voice full of confidence as she pulls out her note taker.

They exchange details: location, date, time and a little advice.

“You’re looking for a Norton Campbell. He will likely prefer to talk about working conditions, he is involved in one of the more dangerous lines of work and will likely have frustrations about it. So don’t expect this to be a comfortable conversation. He refuses to come here, so you will need to travel to the outside. Melly could accompany you if you wished it. I know you visit her often.”

Alice is noting all of this down on the holographic pad. “If he requested an interview with only me, then it should only be me that’s there. I don’t want to break any sort of trust between interviewer and interviewee.”

Frederick grips his cane, “I admire your strong views but don’t lose sight that the outside isn’t as safe as it is here.”

A smile is all she shares with him, “just like you Mr. Kreiburg, I also have many secrets~ I assure you; I will be more than fine.”

A little taken a back, he nods, this is an interesting development. Maybe he is underestimating her, or she is overestimating herself. Suppose time will tell. “Very well then, good luck.” Offering a hand for her to shake.

Alice gladly takes it. “Hope you won’t be opposed to me continuing to ‘bump’ into you every now and then~”

He smiles, “as long as it isn’t for your newspaper articles.”

—-

The trip was long to reach this coal mining colony and it’s nothing like the central human city. As she flies her vehicle taking in the area, it just seems so…, tired here. The colors don’t seem as vibrant, likely from the smog and smoke from explosives being used so frequently. She notes that the machinery that is parked all along the mountain side, rows and rows of them and are all old models and run down. The buildings all look like they’ve survived the worst of conditions and are worked on and mended to keep standing and of course, the two peoples are kept separate.

“It’s like this is the most forgotten place on this planet.” She speaks into a recording device. “I— “

The beeping of the radar interrupts, the living quarter she is looking for is right there to the left. Parking her vehicle, she notices some human coal workers watching from the other side of the wide road. Only a person from the central city would be driving such a vehicle, what could someone like her be doing here in all places and visiting him of all people. The strange quiet one, but the most reliable.

Alice gets out of her vehicle, returning a glance at the gawkers before eyeing the abode. It’s been well mended and kept put together nicely. Whoever this Norton fellow is, she can already tell he knows how to make a lot out of a little.

She gets to the door and presses the button that is clearly for humans to signify their presence, waiting a moment, but not hearing anything.

“Hm…” she rings again….

Nothing…

Foot falls can be felt from nearby and seem to be heading this way. Alice hurries to the side of the home to see and freezes in her tracks at the sight of him.

Worn down ragged work clothing covered in dust from coal and rubble, bags under his eyes, a fascinating facial scar, and…a thousand-yard stare she has never seen in person before.

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

Ch 6 Norton

Norton is just returning from the mines, dropping his last sack of coal to be picked up by the transporters tonight. His eyes catching movement at the corner of his living place, they zero in on her, the journalist, staring at him. That’s irritating….

“You’re early….” He grunts.

“Ah! Yes, I figured better to be early than late!” She is practically yelling to make sure her voice carries up to him well enough.

Norton scrunches his face, and his ears drop a little, “why are you shoutin, I can hear just fine.” He walks around her and opens the door to go inside.

“Oh, apologies, I assumed from all the explosions that— “

“You assumed wrong. Are you comin in or what.” His voice is dry and scratchy but still manages to maintain that comfortable low tone. From the corner of his eye, he sees her quickly hop skip and hurry on in, that was a little cute, but he will be doing his best to remain indifferent, “This place isn’t human friendly so if you don’t want to be on the floor then I’m going to need to lift you onto the table.”

“Well, my name is Alice, and—“ Alice’s eyes widen when she now registers what he said as this large stranger bends over and reaches for her, “wait, wh—“

His coal dust riddled glove grabs onto her to pluck her up and place her up on the table, leaving her clothes covered in coal grime as well. Mid sigh, she blows at her bangs and assesses this new vantage point.

Norton turns so his back is facing her and hides a smile, he knows exactly what he’s doing and just might enjoy messing with her—-His smile drops when he realizes the thought process he was on, he needs to get his act together. Clearing his throat, he walks over to grab a towel, dampens it with water and starts scrubbing his face over the sink.

Alice is seeing this and realizing maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to be here early. He likely needed that time to clean himself up. Feeling a little bad, she takes a seat on the table and will be patient. Not like she could really go anywhere being up here anyhow.

Noticing his work clothes and seeing the state they are in he sighs, “I really need to change, can you just hold tight?”

“Do whatever you need and take however long you need, shower even.”

He arches a brow as he turns to look at her, “you sayin I stink?”

Alice slowly places a hand to her mouth, not believing how far her boot needs to be in her mouth, and needing to gently clear her throat, “eh hem….no?”

A grunt comes from him in a manner that can only be assumed was his version of a laugh, “I’m messin with you. I know I’m anything but pleasant to behold. Especially for you, from the center city.”

“Oh, not at all Mr— “

“Meh” waving a nonchalant hand in her direction and leaves to clean up in the back room.

---

He returns all cleaned up and in his cleaner pair of work clothes, saving these for guests and when his main pair needs a deep cleaning. Walking over to where his guest is seated, he notices how she is busily typing away on her note taking device. Pulling out his chair he takes a seat and rests his elbow next to her on the table.

“What are you workin on?”

“I have several stories I have running at the same time, keeps me busy, how I like~” she looks up at him and smiles, “ready to begin?”

He eyes her and nods, “ask your questions.”

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

Ch 7 Alice and Norton

The session didn’t go particularly well….

“…. you haven’t answered a single question with anything more than a grunt.” Disappointment threatening to take over her facial features.

“You tellin me you can’t work with that?”

Alice takes a deep breath, “okay…let’s change direction then. What topic are you willing to talk about?”

-grunts- he is clearly bored and tired and hungry and all the things that lead to him finding this irritating.

“Okay, answer 3 questions fully,” she holds up three fingers at him, “no grunt answers will be accepted, if you do this then I will buy you dinner.” She unconsciously wags a finger at him.

Now this has his attention and lifts his chin from the palm of his hand, elbows remaining planted on the table as he folds his arms, “hm, alright, I’m listenin.”

“First question, what do you think about working here with humans?”

He lets out a long-drawn-out sigh that leads him to have to cough out the rest, “I think it sucks.”

“…….and?”

“And what?”

Wits reaching their limit, “Mr. Campbell, please, pleeeaassee give me something to work with.” She is getting desperate now, this man is impossible!

Norton runs a hand down his face, “fine, fine…. how’s about…conditions are difficult, dangerous, and it’s frustrating seeing those machines out there not being the ones sent to do the more dangerous jobs, instead they send us in, saying we are more reliable to get the job done…makes me wonder what humans are even here for.”

“Is it from one of these jobs that you got that scar then?” She points at her own side of her face, mirroring him.

“?” He leans in uncomfortably close, “does my scar bother you?”

Alice sighs, “Mr. Campbell, please, it’s been hours, just answer the question.”

Norton is slightly impressed by that and nods as he pulls away, “no, it wasn’t, but I’ve got plenty of others from em.”

Noting this all down she moves to the next question, “second question.”

“No, that was the second question, about the scar.”

Alice gets a smidge flushed, a temper she never knew she could have is currently being created. She takes a few deep breaths, “then give me more information about it.”

The table was flipped back to him (uno reversed) and Norton is mentally kicking himself. “Well, what do you want? To see them?”

Pointing at his facial scar, “I want to know about that one.”

He folds his arms and slumps back in his chair, “I don’t know where I got this one.”

“You don’t know where you got a scar on your face? Surely, you’re pulling my leg here…”

“I’m not, I don’t know where I got it…I don’t remember.” His tone has a sense of embarrassment behind it.

She looks up and deep into his eyes and sees genuine frustration and confusion behind them. “Hm, okay…third question.…why did you ask to be interviewed when you clearly didn’t want this?”

Norton takes time to think on this, “I owe a favor…and this is what they asked me to do…”

“?” This confuses her, “if you were asked to do this then why aren’t you answering the questions?”

“Well damn, butter me up a little maybe? I can’t just go on and tell you all my shit when I didn’t want to do this in the first place” he blows at his bangs.

“Butter you up? I could do that, but that would require several visits.”

“??” Maybe this could be good, this would buy him time. “You’d do that? Come out here that many times?”

“Sure, I’ll even bring you things, what would you like?” Finally, it feels like she is getting somewhere.

“Ha” he pats the table a little in thought, “how’s about this, surprise me next time. But right now, you owe me dinner, I’m starved.”

Alice packs her things prepared to go to her vehicle and follow him to wherever. “So, I’ll just meet you there the— “

cut short by Norton grabbing her and dropping her on his shoulder, “I hope you know how to hold on.”

She blinks in surprise, “you’re just going to take me there?”

“What? I wasn’t about to risk you just flying off. You owe me a meal and I better get it.”

Sighing, she gets her bearings, slows her breathing, and getting used to THIS vantage point and nods, “so I just ‘hold on’ then? Are you experienced with this?”

“Mhm….and no” answering as he walks over to open the door and step outside into the night. He can feel her tight grip on his shirt. “you’re good at making things look like accidents, so all I’m asking is for you to do it again.” Norton swallows hard as Orpheus’s words replay in his mind. “Not yet” he thinks to himself, “I could get more out of this. I just need to time it right…” He walks with more care in each step, being far more cautious than he originally wished to be as he makes his way to the nearest inn.

[aita-blorbos]

AITA for disrespecting my older brother’s wishes and disobeying him?

Okay, so, a little context here. I (16F) live with my brother S (26M.) Our dad passed away when we were around 5 and 15 respectively. Since then, my brother has raised me and taken care of me for the most part. He’s extremely protective of me, to the point where he has homeschooled me for my entire childhood because he was afraid that people my age would ostracize me. You see, I was born with albinism, and people with visible mutations are looked down on in my city. I didn’t have many friends growing up, but soon that all changed.

My brother hired a math tutor (17M) for me, and we quickly became friends. Me and my tutor, Y, tended to get off-topic during our sessions, and he would tell me about a bunch of crazy things that happened in the outside world. He told me about his habit of partying. I was intrigued by this. I eventually worked up the courage to ask him to bring me to some. So he started to help me sneak out at night and party with him, which is never the best idea.

At one of the parties we went to, we met a very nice girl who I’ll call K (13F) and quickly befriended her. One day, as me and my two friends were walking, my brother saw K and noticed something. He believed her to be a dangerous mutant girl and promptly called the police. A SWAT team showed up and took her away to a facility where dangerous or interesting mutants are kept. This’ll be important later.

Later, Y got into an unrelated situation. It ended with my brother’s girlfriend (27F) taking the blame for his actions and going to jail. This left S enraged at Y. He told Y to stop talking to me altogether. Nonetheless, Y snuck into my room to talk to me and he started forming a plan to rescue K from the facility.

For a while after that, Y would continue to sneak into my room to form plans with me on how we would free K. During one of the planning sessions, Y started laughing loudly about something stupid which alerted S that something was wrong. S entered my room and caught sight of Y, which just made him angrier.

S started to chase Y before I held him back to protect my friend. After realizing that nothing he did could separate me and my friend, my brother just gave up and told us to do whatever he wanted. Y seemed happy with this but I couldn’t take my mind off the disappointed stare I got from my brother. He seemed upset by the actions of both me and Y, and the fact that I just wouldn’t listen to him. I feel so guilty for disobeying him and breaking his trust, but at the same time I can’t just abandon my only friend. He hasn’t spoken to me for a few days now and I feel horrible. AITA?

[flamboyantly-incompetent]

OoTP, Chapter 7 - The Sack of DA

Draco Malfoy x Hufflepuff!Reader

Warnings: none?

Masterlist

Word Count: ~2,500

Note: it had to happen, Malfoy is still a massive butthead, don't blame me...

The days following the term resuming were, in a word, horrific. You rose Monday morning and were greeted in the Great Hall by a swarm of Gryffindors passing around a battered issue of the Daily Prophet, and your heart sunk. Ginny was nowhere in sight, but the teachers' table carried the same intense chatter.

"What's happened?" you whispered to Hermione. She said nothing, but passed you the newspaper so you could read the headline. It took a moment to process what you'd read - Death Eaters, an escape from Azkaban, ten Death Eaters. Hermione remained silent, rose abruptly, and hurried out of the Great Hall.

A few tension-filled days later, and you learned that the old toad had put Hagrid on probation. The only thing worse than that was that no one knew when the next meeting of Dumbledore's Army could be. An odd coldness had settled between yourself and Draco, spurred by his smugness and malicious pleasure regarding Hagrid's status. During the Herbology lesson that followed, Professor Sprout beamed through her lecture on Screechsnaps; apparently Draco had done an excellent job with the puffapods over the break. The small victory seemed hollow, though.

Care of Magical Creatures was even worse. Umbridge insisted on interrupting every few minutes to ask a mind-numbingly stupid question, rarely related to the lesson plan, and then Hagrid would stumble through a response that only ever half-answered her question.

You did, eventually, run into Ginny in the Owlery, and managed to ask her how Mr. Weasley was getting on.

“Oh, he’s doing much better, thanks!” she said, grinning. Her breath fogged instantly in the chilled air at the top of the tower. “He’s home now, driving Mum crazy.”

“Well that’s good, I’m glad to hear it.” You looked casually over your shoulder. “Do you know when…?” you trailed off, eyebrows raised.

Ginny caught your meaning and nodded. “Pretty sure soon, he’s been busy with, erm, remedial Potions.”

Your mouth fell open. That was surprising. Harry wasn’t Snape’s favorite, no one was, but surely he couldn’t be that bad. Especially not with Hermione around to whisper corrections every few minutes, which you knew she had a habit of doing since having been paired with her one very, very long DA meeting. “Wow,” was all you managed to say.

Ginny frowned, “Yeah he’s not thrilled about it either.”

You laughed sardonically. “Well if he needs any help in Herbology,” not sure where that came from, you trailed off, uncomfortable.

Ginny looked at you quizzically.

You sighed. “I’ve got a bit of an odd question. What do you think of Draco Malfoy?”

Her face screwed up in disgust. “Why d’you want to know about him?”

“Well,” you hesitated, deciding on a half-truth, “he’s in my Herbology 5, and I don’t quite know what to make of him.”

“He’s a bully, and a git. And an idiot.”

“I was afraid you’d say that.”

She patted your arm sympathetically. “Your determination to like everyone is admirable, but trust me - that one’s a lost cause.” You smiled weakly at the compliment. “I’ve got to go, see you later!”

Ginny trotted down the icy stairs as fast as she could manage, leaving you in the cold with only more questions than before.

Valentine’s Day came and went, and you and Donna observed with increasing amusement as Herbert attempted on three separate occasions to invite Yvette to Hogsmeade, presumably on a date. The first time, sitting in the Great Hall over breakfast, she attempted to invite a few other people along. The second, after History of Magic, she hadn’t heard him properly and agreed that yes, they should study veritaserum for potions in the library today. The third, from across the common room, she replied that she planned to spend the whole Saturday gearing up for the next quidditch game against Gryffindor.

Herbert watched, dumbfounded, as Yvette moved on casually to discussing the practice schedule with Zacharias Smith.

Donna patted him on the shoulder. “Maybe for the best though. Valentine’s Day is way too much pressure for a first date.”

The Saturday morning of the long awaited match, when you woke Yvette and the rest of the quidditch team had already left for breakfast, so you and Donna bundled up and met Herbert in the common room. At the Hufflepuff table in the Great Hall, the team sat eating in unhappy silence. Devon Summerby sneezed loudly over his breakfast.

“What’s got you lot in a twist?” Herbert asked as the three of you sat down.

Zacharius Smith flinched. “I guess Gryffindor’s last practice was exceptionally pitiful. Which would be great for us, except-”

“Except,” Yvette interrupted, seething, “Summerby caught a cold. What was it this time? Forget your cloak for Care of Magical Creatures?”

Devon Summerby’s voice came out nasal and stressed, “How many times are you gonna make me say I’m sorry?”

“As many times as needed to win the match,” Zacharias snapped. “And I’d ask you to step in, Y/N, but Hooch says he’s well enough to play.”

Then the Gryffindor team sat down at their table in similarly poor spirits.

Adding insult to injury, Draco Malfoy and his gaggle of goonies followed, taking a long and all too satisfied look around. He never met your eye.

“Well,” he said, smug, “this certainly promises to be quite the show. Do try not to embarrass yourselves too much.” Finally his gaze met yours, lingering uncomfortably. He looked away and said to his lackeys, “Crabbe, Goyle, let’s go.”

You scowled at his back as he led his ‘friends’ out to the courtyard. Donna clocked the look and raised an eyebrow.

Across the room, Ron Weasley had turned a shade of green. Ginny patted him on the back in an attempt at encouragement.

The match was nothing to write home about. Yvette, Zacharias and Cadawaller snuck upwards of fifteen goals past Ron Weasley, but Devon Summerby missed the snitch as it passed under his nose twice, eliciting screams of outrage from the Hufflepuff spectators. In the end, Ginny caught the snitch, closing the gap, and Hufflepuff won but only barely.

During the entire match, the Slytherin attendees could be heard singing another insulting refrain of “Weasley Is Our King,” and you didn’t need to wonder who had led the chorus.

After dinner, Donna cornered you in the common room amidst a half-hearted celebration.

“Please tell me,” she began in a whisper, “that Slytherin you were tutoring wasn’t Draco ‘My-Father-Will-Hear-About-This’ Malfoy?”

“I never noticed how perceptive you are, you should really-”

“Y/N. Be serious. He’s insufferable; why are you helping him?”

You shrugged, unsure of your own feelings. “He’s not that bad when there’s not an audience.”

“Oh, so you’ve been spending quality time alone with him too? Don’t tell me you’ve got a crush now?”

Once she said it, you couldn’t unhear it. Was it a crush? Your gut churned; you weren’t sure.

You answered, “I don’t know, ok? Yeah half the time I wanna punch him in the face, but the other half? I don’t know.”

Donna frowned, looked around to see if anyone had been listening. “Look, I don’t care if you’ve got a crush on the rich bad boy, but I wish you’d told me. I wish you’d told me when you started tutoring him. And I wish you’d told me about the study club.”

“I told you I didn’t think I could-”

Yvette threw an arm around each of you. “Whatever it is you’re whispering about can wait. Please help me save this party.”

The argument halted before it could begin, you spent the remainder of your evening enchanting chestnuts to roast themselves and explode into confetti.

The Great Hall was abuzz with chatter the next morning, nothing new, but about halfway through your breakfast you watched as Umbridge stomped over to the Gryffindor table.

“This can’t be good,” Herbert muttered as the whole table tried to eavesdrop.

Whatever it was must’ve been something truly magnificent as, for maybe the first time ever, she was speechless. She sputtered for a moment, then stomped back up the aisle, something tucked under her arm.

Exactly one hour later, a new Educational Decree went up, banning a certain news publication, and Herbert proudly appeared in the common room with said publication.

This edition of The Quibbler featured an interview from none other than Harry Potter himself.

Wanda Clemm and Ezra Roberts corralled him into an arm chair and demanded he read the article aloud. He obliged. It was a tell-all account of what happened during the games last year, so well written it had captivated everyone in the common room who sat at the edges of their seats.

It also named the Death Eaters that had been unmasked by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named himself: Peter Pettigrew, not dead after all; Avery; Macnair; Crabbe; Goyle; and… Malfoy.

So. This is what he’d meant when he said their families went ‘way back.’ That they were more like ‘colleagues’ than friends. Their fathers were all Death Eaters together, like some sick social club. Disgust rose in your throat - but he never seemed particularly fond of them, maybe, just maybe there was still hope?

In the month that followed, Dumbledore’s Army continued to meet with renewed vigor. No longer were these secret meetings merely a replacement for the joke Defense Against the Dark Arts had become, but something far more immediate. Finally, after months of asking about it, Harry Potter announced it was time to learn the Patronus Charm.

He kept on trying to emphasize the importance of being able to produce it under attack from Dementors, but was respectfully ignored as the wispy white animals took over the room.

Donna had no trouble at all thinking of a happy memory and letting it fill her up to the brim. A massive, slobbering St. Bernard leapt from her wand and nipped at the wisps from failed charms.

Herbert followed close behind. From his wand, an osprey, a fish-hawk, took flight.

You had far more trouble, as did Yvette. You shared a disappointed look. For some disconcerting reason, every happy memory you could think of was overshadowed by some feeling of disappointment. Seeing the dragons during the tournament - Cedric’s death. Hagrid returning with tiny versions of those dragons - Umbridge putting him on probation. Christmas at home with mum and Julien - a painful reminder of your father’s passing. Racing across a frigid pond to a crystalline forest with an unexpected friend - the hot, uneasy feeling you got in the pit of your stomach at the sight of him now.

All tainted, all failed.

Then, Yvette’s patronus burst forth, a beautiful dun mare galloping through the air, and the frustration you felt boiled over.

You groaned, shoved your wand in your back pocket, and stomped over to the edge of the room. There were a few others having equal trouble, like Seamus, but it was his first meeting. He hadn’t been training under Harry’s (and Hermione’s at times) excellent tutelage for months as you had. Harry was across the room, coaching Neville and trying to coax more than a faint wisp from the spell.

This was ridiculous.

You were training under Harry ‘the Chosen One’ Potter. Preparing for an all too possible, almost inevitable, magical war. And your closest friends were doing even better than you; they’d be just fine.

You abandoned fragmented warm and fuzzy memories, and instead tried to let the confidence of watching your friends, Ginny and Luna too, succeed fill you up. Then, you attempted to cast the Patronus Charm, just one more time before giving up.

Slowly, confidently, a grey wolf lined in silver came padding out of your wand. Its head held high, it circled around behind you to stand at your side, content to observe the wandering patronuses around the room. That was interesting.

“Talk about a wolf in sheep’s clothing, eh Y/N?” Herbert joked at you.

Sarcastically, you replied, “Oh, very funny.”

Across the room, a nervous voice stuttered, “Harry Potter… she… she…”

You recognized the house elf - he was always wearing multiple knit hats, gloves, socks, which he was still wearing as he tried desperately to impart some information to Harry, who was leaning over him in concern.

The room grew terribly still and the silvery wisps dissipated along with the images of animals as spells fizzled out. Your stomach sank to your feet once Harry finally deciphered the house elf’s meaning - Umbridge. Your worst nightmare. Everyone’s worst nightmare.

Harry looked around incredulously, then shouted, “RUN!”

Your friends wasted no time - Donna grabbed your wrist to pull you along - and bolted for the exit. In the corridor, members of Dumbledore’s Army scattered like sparrows out of a roost, and Barnabas the Barmy giggled wildly to himself in his portrait. Herbert, at the lead, pivoted hard and followed Hannah towards the library.

Behind you, an unmistakable voice laughed cruelly. Surely, Draco wouldn’t have aligned himself with that toad. Surely.

You didn’t have time to ponder, for a meter or two from the library doors your friends slowed and tried to catch their breath before ambling off nonchalantly, branching into the stacks.

For a moment you thought it may have worked, you’d caught your breath and had picked a book at random to idly page through. Then, Draco, Crabbe and Goyle burst through the doors.

“Really!” Madame Pince exclaimed.

Draco held up a hand, commanding and smug. “We are here by official instruction of the High Inquisitor. I’d hate to have to tell her how you interfered.”

Madame Pince paled at his words, and went back to the papers on her desk.

Then they moved through the library, in almost predatory unison. You tried to keep a subtle eye on Draco, moving when he moved, angling for the exit. This was not a confrontation you looked forward to. But it was all for naught. You rounded a corner you shouldn’t have and came face to face with Malfoy. He took a suspicious step back.

“Tell me,” he said, voice low and threatening, “you weren’t hanging around Potter,” he spat out the name like a curse, like the taste of it was foul, “and that louse Weasley, and that mudblood Granger.”

Oh.

Oh. Several key pieces of information clicked into place in your head. Ginny’s opinion of him, the Slytherin password, the way he’d said ‘goblins’ talking about Gringotts. So many signs. And you’d missed every one.

You stepped back on a foot, fists held to your sides, and returned his wrathful glare.

The Slytherin girl barged through the doors, stealing the attention. “We’ve got the list,” she purred, “Round them up.”

Malfoy turned back to you, and in the second it took you considered disarming him. Stunning him maybe. You were getting detention up to your ears anyway. And you'd like to see if you could do it.

But then, Crabbe came round the corner with Herbert, Goyle had Donna by the arm, and the saccharine girl caught Yvette as she tried to edge out of the room.

Still looking at you, Malfoy commanded, “Take these to Professor Umbridge. I’ll finish here.”

Fuming, you followed your friends to certain doom, leaving Malfoy behind, certain which side you both fell on.

~~~ Taglist ~~~

@jemomgershippingco

@ronslovergirl

@snickersmee

@lafrone

@cillshot

@reb0rned

[brendathedoodler]

I really love to hear your thought about Warriors in Hyrule world(whatever that game is) and how long does it take for him to open up to the others?

Growing up in a wasteland where just about anyone and everyone is out to get him, Warriors doesn’t trust easily, especially when faced with a group of armed adventurers.

He doesn’t know the skills of these new people and doesn’t know what risks they may pose to him. The only reason he joined them easily was because Proxi said she would trust some of them, and that most of them had triforce magic around them. She liked Hyrule in particular, because he feels like a fairy too. Time was also pleasant, letting her feel at ease, but he wasn’t as familiar. Twilight had a fae on his shoulder too (minish Midna), which let Proxi feel confident assuring Warriors he was alright.

Being willing to work with them doesn’t necessarily mean being kind to them, though.

See, Warriors is a rather anxious guy. In order to survive, he’s learned how to strategize. In any situation, he has a plan (or 12). It’s something that’s saved his life on countless occasions, but also turns around to bite him in multiple ways. Too many unknown factors and he feels lost, unable to create a solid plan. Too much inactivity and he’d feel overwhelmed by how many plans he has when nothing is happening. He doesn’t seem anxious on the outside, instead having an air of confidence that makes him seem entirely sure of himself.

The first thing Warriors wants to know once everyone has settled down is what their abilities are. He admits only that he’s “a tactician” and he “wants to know so we can fight alongside one another more easily”. It’s an easy excuse and helps mask how distrustful he is towards everyone else. It seems reasonable, so he gets an abridged version of most of their skills. This helps settle him, and it seems outwardly that he’s beginning to relax around them.

This is shown to be clearly untrue after he pulls a knife on Wind for touching him. Physical touch is a huge no-no for him (at least early on). Don’t touch him, don’t touch his scarf, and by the goddess don’t touch his fairy.

In these early adventuring days, Wars seems to be stubborn and distant. He insists on taking the rear when they travel, refuses to camp with the group if they aren’t close enough to a tree he can sleep in (forcing everyone else to either move or allow him to separate from them), and he tends to observe them all more than he genuinely interacts with them.

The first event that really gets Wars to open up is when someone suggests that he journal his thoughts. It’s Wind who pushes for it, mostly since it’s something his grandma insists he do. Wars dismisses the idea immediately, but when pressed about it, he admits that he can’t read. He simply never learned; never had the time or resources.

Twilight offers to help, and Wars accepts (though he’s not entirely happy about it). Twi sits nearby, close enough to interact but far enough to give him space. Wind has a spare journal to offer Wars, and Twilight pulls out his own.

Warriors picks up on it relatively quickly, and the nightly reading/writing lessons quickly become a habit. Once he gets the basics down he quickly starts filling out his journal with notes and plans on his teammates, creatures they encounter, eras they appear in, and all sorts of other things. It really is a great stress reliever for him, allowing him to get his overactive thoughts down on paper.

That isn’t the only thing that helps him relax around the others, but it does mark a shift in how he acts around them. He eases up a bit and works on integrating himself into the group now that he knows them better. He begins to banter with them (especially Legend), shows them some of his own skills (though many of his survivalist skills are rendered useless in worlds of abundance like theirs), and he’s more willing to compromise or explain things he was previously very stubborn about (like explaining how he can’t stand sleeping on the ground for fear of an ambush).

He ends up becoming a leader figure alongside Time. Time is mostly the one who corrals the others, but Warriors is the strategist. He quickly gets good at accounting for the skills, habits, and preferences of the others, and he also takes note of their weaknesses. Time’s visibility is limited and needs to have that side covered, Four has trouble making decisions and that potential hesitation needs to be prepared for, Wild often doesn’t notice his own injuries until the battle concludes so it’s best to keep an eye on him, and other things like that are all accounted for.

Even when he does grow close to them, there’s some things he won’t tolerate.

Touch is still generally off limits. He’s jumpy, and scaring him is likely to get a knife pulled on you. Generally the rule is don’t touch him unless he initiates, but a pat on the shoulder is appreciated so long as he’s aware you’re going to do it.

Proxi still stays close to him, but by this point he’s long since stopped having her take watch for him and trusts the others to watch his back. She heals the others (with Warriors as her obvious priority), but occasionally she may stray to someone else’s shoulder. Usually she goes over to chat with Midna, and the two are friends (the only reason they don’t get into shenanigans is because Proxi is unwilling to leave Wars’ line of sight).

He also doesn’t tolerate anyone touching his stuff without his direct supervision. If anything is missing or out of place he needs to know so he can account for it later. His bag and the items in it are something he has direct control over, and anyone messing with his stuff is directly messing with factors that should stay consistent. He gets mad about it, but not that boisterous sort of anger like when he’s bantering with the others, it’s more the silent seething he showed back when he didn’t trust them. He’s less annoyed about it if they tell him they snooped, at least then he can account for anything that might be missing or moved. Still, his stuff is off limits and he’ll hold that grudge for at least a week.

[cast-iron-bug]

Kinda fell off the face of the earth but I'm BACK!

nothing much but have some exploration sketches of Phyllis and her final design!

If you are interested in some of her character lore and personality, feel free to read under the cut!

Otherwise enjoy these few doodles 👍✨

EDIT!!!

I changed up the lore section to be Phyllis's backstory as my au lore is still under construction 🚧 so feel free to read under the cut to see the updates!

Phyllis has gone through a bit of development since I last shared her lore here and is now a finalized character!

Personality:

Phyllis is very street smart and has the attitude to match...on the outside, finding it easy to taunt others and make sarcastic remarks.

HOWEVER, she is also very introverted.

Since both her parents died by the time she was seven, the tribes being sealed away shortly after, Phyllis was left all alone to fend for herself in the surface world, growing up in complete isolation. In response to that, she developed some...unique habits that come off almost creepy to others (like her bone collections and how her home defenses are literal corpses) and is incapable of socializing properly.

So while she loves to throw out witty comebacks and sarcastic remarks in the moment, she can get pretty socially awkward and even dismissive/mean to those she has prolonged contact with. She just isn't used to being around people for long and is used to hiding away from them.

Despite this, if someone is persistent enough and SOMEHOW earns her trust, Phyllis will turn out to be pretty loyal. This is a difficult task to achieve but if done she is dedicated to protecting you, even becoming overprotective because she's terrified of loosing another person she cares about.

So ye! In summary, Phyllis sarcastic, witty and mayyybe even a little insane, all with a hint of social awkwardness.

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Lore:

Now in terms of lore aspects, Phyllis is a character that i have written straight into the Ninjago timeline, meaning key points of her life actually line up with the show. For example the is born during the first serpentine war and is a young adult(serpentine age slower) by the time the serpentine are released, her true adventures beginning with the start of this au. These adventures are also affected realtime by events happening in the show, such as the fall of Ninjago city in seasons 8 and 9, or the great flood in season 15.

So Phyllis is the daughter of Victor Vervain, a venomari archer, and Amelia Vespertine, a fangpyre Nobel woman.

The two had fled from the war, living on the run as Victor was deemed a traitor and Amelia now being hunted down. Victor left for moral reasons, having frown up near a human village and even befriended some as he grew up. He felt that it was wrong to be fighting against them, especially when the armies would raid innocent villages. The fact that no one would tell him why they were fighting in the first place only made Victor feel worse, and he inevitably left. Amelia left for similar reasons, since even as a higher up she could not justify the war.

Because they were on the run, Phyllis was raised very nomadic and most often within nature. Constant moving became the norm for her, but she didn't mind. Even with the lack of contact with other serpentine, the only consistency Phyllis seemed to need was her parents.

Having said that, you better believe they get separated.

Amelia is killed when Phyllis is 5. She died while defending Phyllis and Victor, giving them time to escape.

Victor actually ends up dying to an elemental master, the master of ice. He and Phyllis are out on a hunting trip, hunting deer.

Victor armed with his iconic bow 🏹 is aiming for a stag when a patrol of elemental masters are patrolling nearby. The master of ice catches sight of the venomari archer with arrow drawn and skewers him on sight with an icicle, killing him almost instantly.

This occurs literally RIGHT before, or even during when, the serpentine are sealed away, so from this point on that Phyllis is truly on her own and won't see another serpentine until she's an adult.

From this point until the serpentine are released from their tombs, Phyllis grows up in isolation. She is still quite nomadic, living in more dense, woodsy areas as often as possible.

She even learns dark magic, having found an old spell book deep in the woods. She teaches herself different forms of magic, takin to necromancy quite quickly.

She is practically a cryptid at this point, with only rare sightings... Especially since as a hybrid with her magically abilities, she wouldn't be identifiable as a commonly known serpentine

Despite this though, there are occasions where she will make deals or take on jobs with others to get by. This practice becomes at lot more common when the Serpentine are released and become a more frequent sight.

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The AU:

The au begins a good while after the serpentine are released, at the earliest after season four, when the Serpentine and humans are on relatively good terms.

You'll be seeing a lot more of them in Ninjago city, even a few in the police force! (I will elaborate of these characters in a future post!)

Because of Phyllis's paranormal connections, I do like the idea of this occurring in Ninjago city during season five, whilst the ninja are busy with Morro

Maybe a team of ragtag heroes hear of a mysterious masked figure who stole a powerful artifact. As they follow clues to track down this unknown villain, the find themselves in over their heads when they face her head on- their elemental powers rendered almost useless and the masked figure escaping.

When our heroes find out there are four of these artifacts in the series, a race to the second begins, both parties discovering more about the mysterious villain's plan along the way, and the true mastermind behind it all.

I won't spoil much last this point, as there are many elements I feel could be better portrayed in comic or written format! So that's all for now and feel free to ask questions about the au or characters, as I have many more to share and plenty of fun facts n details!

[hylianmewmew]

maybe i do: ch 6 lover's lullaby

read ch 5 here ♡ read ch 7 here

Yona giggled as Sidon recounted his time with Link. He had gushed about how kind and thoughtful Link was. Sidon may or may not have let slip that he thought Link was stunning. That made Yona squeal with joy, he had no idea why this made her so happy. It’s objectively true, Link was incredibly handsome. 

The more Sidon talked with Yona about Link the happier he became. Yona and Sidon loved to gossip together at the end of a long day. They had separate bedrooms within their Royal quarters. Fortunately the rooms were meant for family so there were plenty of rooms to choose from for the two of them to sleep in away from each other. Sidon didn’t mind this arrangement but sometimes when he had a bad night he would ask to sleep on the sofa in Yona’s bedroom just so he would have another breathing body closer to him. 

Sidon didn’t often have nightmares but when he did, they were of Mipha. His sister had died when he was still young and despite over 100 years passing he felt as though her death had just happened. It was the noises that truly got to him, the screams and panicked breathing he imagined his sister making as she fought to her death in the beast that became her grave. It was the noises of his people dying on the day the divine beasts were overtaken by the Blights. 

It was fine. He was fine, everything was over now that Link had defeated and killed Calamity Ganon. The world was safe, he was safe, the people he loved were safe.

For now. That dreaded thought, the gnawing fear that something bad was going to happen. It didn’t matter if it was to him, he could deal with it, but for the sake of his loved ones he feared for what might awaken in the future. Yona always told him to think of the now, and how he has to take care of his people in the present. They could prepare for the future but not predict it. Sidon knew he had a habit of catastrophizing but how could he not when the absolute worst childhood fear of his had come true. 

⟡ ⟡ ⟡

Link had felt so much lighter since coming out as trans to Sidon. He still didn’t know what possessed him to come out. Just because he had been thinking about his past shouldn’t have given him the audacity to come out to a man he technically didn’t know. Technically. Link did feel that warming trust that radiated off Sidon like an aura. It’s true what Link had told Sidon, Link really did feel safe in his presence. He wasn’t sure if that was due to his apparent past with Sidon or if he was just generally a trustworthy person. Although, both could be true at once. He had seen Sidon interact with his people around the Domain, everyone seemed to adore him and he adored them in turn. 

Link knew there was something he felt about Sidon that was escaping his grasp. Probably something to do with their past together. That ate away at Link. What had happened at the reservoir? More importantly, why did he have this song stuck in his head? It had popped up after he had woken up after his disaster flashback moment. The melody was calming, almost mimicking the ebb and flow of waves washing over the shore. It was only a couple notes, not a full song. 

That song followed him everywhere for the rest of the day. He so badly wanted to hear the rest of it. He hummed as he brushed Epona, who whinnied happily at both the humming and the brushing. 

“I thought I might find you here!” Link jumped and instinctively dropped into a fighting stance, he whipped around to the source of the voice. He let out a sigh, it was just Sidon. “Is this the famed horse who ran off with your clothing?” Sidon chuckled apologetically, he must’ve noticed how badly he startled Link. 

Link nodded, relaxing his stance, “Yep this is my Epona, she’s always like this.” Link rolled his eyes, patting Epona’s side. “Once she stole Zelda’s ceremonial crown and wouldn’t give it back without exchanging it for treats.” Link’s expression saddened at his own mention of Zelda.

Sidon frowned, he hated seeing Link like this. Link had been staying in the inner Domain with the royal family for just a few days, but he had begun to relax around Sidon a little more than when he first had arrived. Sidon recalled Link being easily startled from before his disappearance but this was much more extreme. Every little noise or movement someone made around him that he didn’t immediately recognize as not a threat sent him into the same tense fighting stance Sidon remembered him taking only during a fight. This wasn’t good at all. If Sidon knew Link, he knew that Link wouldn’t be able to admit he was struggling. Let alone even acknowledge himself that he was struggling. Link wasn’t self absorbed in the slightest but if there was one thing his pride got in the way of was being the perfect chosen hero. He was adamant he had to be absolutely perfect in every way.

Link began to collect Epona’s grooming tools and put them back, not completely aware that Sidon was still standing there. He moved stiffly, clearly bothered by something upsetting. 

“Hey Link?” Sidon asked gingerly, “Are you alright? It’s ok if you don’t wanna talk about it, I’m just getting a little worried.” Link looked at Sidon with the most heartbreaking look in his eyes. It made Sidon want to pull him into the tightest hug and make everything ok again. 

Link slowly finger spelled that word again, “O-C-A-R-I-N-A” which twisted and squeezed Sidon’s heart, ripping it in two. He had no idea what an ocarina is but it was clearly so very important to Link, who’s hands had dropped to his sides hanging almost limp. Sidon took a gamble and grabbed hold of both of Link’s hands. Link didn’t flinch but instead leaned forward, stumbling into Sidon’s arms. He hugged Link, he hugged him tightly not ever wanting to let him go. He wanted to hug away Link’s pain and make everything feel better for the traumatized Hylian. 

“What’s an ocarina?” Sidon asked softly, as if speaking to a frightened animal. Which Link was beginning to look more and more akin to. 

“Instrument… Zelda remade. It’s gone.” Link signed against Sidon and sobbed, harder than he ever had. He clung to Sidon, sobbing into the Zora king’s chest no longer caring that the man holding him was a king. There it was again, the song. But it wasn’t coming from his head, Sidon was humming the same song Link had gotten stuck in his head. Why did he know the song that Sidon was humming? Link didn’t have the energy nor the mental capacity to care and allowed himself to just absorb Sidon’s warmth and comfort.

The two stood there embracing as Link sobbed until he couldn’t anymore, until he didn’t even have the energy to stand unsupported. What was he doing? He was the fucking chosen hero!! He didn’t even have the energy to beat himself up for finally reaching his breaking point over losing Zelda again. He definitely didn’t have the energy to protest as he was scooped up bridal style by Sidon and taken back to his guest rooms.

Sidon had taken the fastest, most discreet path to Link’s guest rooms; he didn’t want to think about the gossip that might go around if people saw him carrying around the Hylian like he was a fairytale princess. That wasn’t the main concern, simply an afterthought as he pulled a comforter over Link. He had fallen asleep halfway to his rooms as Sidon had pulled him closer pretending this could shelter him from his own awful thoughts. Link’s face was still scrunched together, he must not be having pleasant dreams either. The poor man couldn’t catch a break.

 ⟡ ⟡ ⟡

Sidon, not wanting to leave Link just in case he was needed, stayed the rest of the afternoon inside on Link’s couch. He had asked one of the attendants, Nele, if she could bring him some of his paperwork and parts of the presentation he needed to finish so he was able to work while keeping an eye on Link. Nele smiled, “Of course sire! I’ll be right back.” She eyed Sidon in a motion he would view as suspicion but her expression was pleasant, no ill will towards him. If anything, she seemed pleased? 

Afternoon passed, Sidon was all but finished with the paperwork and had started on his presentation. Link had stayed sound asleep despite the occasional violent thrashing and groans of distress. Another nightmare. Having experienced vivid nightmares himself, Sidon knew the worst thing someone could do was wake the person up. It still pained him to hear his friend be in such distress. The song. Sidon began humming, this time the full song. He had finally remembered the entirety of it and swayed as he hummed and trilled. 

 ⟡ ⟡ ⟡

“This is called ‘Song of Storms’ the stories claim it has the power to summon water and cause rainstorms. But only with a special instrument and played by a special person. Now it’s used as a lullaby for hatchlings and guppies to soothe them to sleep.” Mipha had told him before she pulled out a flute from a drawer in her desk. She played the first couple chords before motioning for little Sidon to hum along. Mipha was right, it was soothing. He continued to hum along but felt his eyes growing heavy and soon he drifted to sleep resting his head on Mipha’s lap as she finished the song.

 ⟡ ⟡ ⟡

Sidon looked over at Link, he had stopped moving, save but the rise and fall of his chest followed by light snores. Praise the gods! The song Mipha had taught him seemed to work just as well on Link as it did on Sidon. It still didn’t feel right to leave Link even though his dreams seem to have calmed. When did he get this attached to Link? He brushed the question off, he was just concerned about him. Sidon knew how the trauma of war can get into your mind. Rotting it from the inside, filling it with horrid thoughts and memories. How you can never really escape witnessing the bloodshed, not really. 

Link looked so peaceful now, his blond hair was splayed out on the pillows almost creating a halo around his head. Was there nothing about this man that wasn’t beautiful? In only a way that could come from this specific Hylian. Sidon loved his impish grin when he told an awful joke. He loved Link’s bravery and kindness, his cheerful ability to make anyone feel wanted and appreciated when they asked him for help. Sidon loved that Link’s ears were just as expressive as his face. How animated he got when he talked about Epona or his travels and cooking. 

Sidon loved.

Link.

[fabdante]

Related to my last ask:

How do you think reboot Dante's relationship to violence would change, after the end of the first game? WOULD it change? I mean, he's got Kat now, as a stable friend and maybe girlfriend, so he at least has someone he can trust and go to for physical affection (as long as Kat is okay with it). But also demons still very much exist and inhabit the Human Realm, and Dante basically (helped) killed their King, and they know Dante's a Nephilim besides, so I doubt the demons have stopped hunting him. Or Kat, since the demons know about her, too, from Mundus and Bob.

Also, what DID Vergil expect/want Dante to say when Vergil told Dante about how Vergil gained a sense of control through learning computer stuff? (Not sure I understood what you meant by that comment, sorry.)

I've always seen Dante with like a social circle (though he's clearly gone off the grid a bit by the start of the game so I don't think he's really seeing them at the moment) so I don't think the inclusion of Kat would change all that much. He's got years upon years of history and trauma that's sort of shaped how his brain works in this regard and it'd take a long time to undo, which he also has to be interested in undoing in the first place.

So I think the answer to that is complicated. I mean circumstances have changed a bit, sure, but violence is still such an easy outlet for a lot of what he's feeling and he's also required to be violent to fulfill his self proclaimed role as mankind's protector. The demons are out and loose now and they're going to be after not just him or Kat but like they're going to be after everyone.

It's hard to break that sort of mentality especially when its what people now expect of you to keep them safe.

Plus there's safety in old habits that have now become easy like. And Dante's had to lean on violence and anger as a self preservation technique since he was 8.

And no problem! With Vergil in general I just tend to think he didn't expect Dante to be how he is. In that scene in particular, he seems all excited and hopeful at first to have this bonding conversation (it's one of the few times if not the only time Dante shows interest in what Vergil's up to as well) and find out more about Dante and then Dante's response just is very like...not very detailed and almost kind of brushes him off and that abruptly ends the conversation.

I think Vergil wanted to know something new about Dante he didn't already know, but more then that I think this can go back to the possible guilt Vergil might have about this whole situation. The thing separating him and Dante after all is just that Vergil got adopted and Dante didn't. Vergil got to have a privileged life where he got to remain hidden from the reality of the world, Dante didn't. Even in game as this is all happening Vergil's still protected by the fact he's still a secret like Mundus still doesn't know about him.

Dante's answer kind of exemplifies that. Vergil got to spend his time learning about computers, a skill that would net him his own independent fortune apart from his parents and help enable him to form the Order and so on and so forth. And Dante got to run around being hunted down by demons who he had to kill.

I also think it exemplifies the ways Dante kind of like shuts himself off to Vergil in the reboot. Unlike the preboot where the twins know each other pretty well, the reboot twins for all extents and purposes kinda just met. Like sure, they were close when they were kids but that's when they were 7. Dante just remembered he had a brother and they both are very different people from when they were kids like, a lot has changed. And I've written about it before but I feel like Dante in the reboot spends a lot of the game trying to figure out if he actually trusts Vergil or not, which results in him not sharing a lot about himself I think. Which, naturally, Vergil who wants to get to know him probably doesn't like all that much. Vergil wants Dante to trust him, after all. Vergil has to trust Dante so like the fact Dante doesn't trust him back is probably a bit saddening.

So that's what I meant by that!

[duck-in-a-thrift-store]

Alright we've finally reached the basement and backyard! This one might be extra long because there's a lot to cover

(image credits to/designs made using the app HomeByMe from Dassault Systèmes SE)

I don't think you can tell from the picture but there's a retaining wall across the front due to the hill that butts up against the front of the house, as mentioned in the last installment. There wasn't a front yard in the last part bc I imagine they're kind of right on the road (sort of like the og full house) and the driveway wraps around one side and down from the road in front to the garage in the back (I had already added a lot of extra space and stuff to this level and the app was starting to get a little glitchy so I decided against expanding the area further lol)

So anyway, the basement is where a lot of the various practical function type rooms are; we've got the laundry room in the front, the kitchen and the dining room on the right, etc.

There's the garage, please ignore the car that's in there as there weren't a lot of options and I know that one little minivan (I think it was a minivan?) is definitely not going to cut it for a household of this size but they didn't have any actual vans and I didn't have space to include multiple cars, so just use your imagination and picture that there are two more cars parked outside along the driveway or smthn (I'm thinking Steve has his car but he mostly lets Nancy or Jonathan drive it since his vision is starting to get worse, Eddie has his van, and Argyle still has the surfer boy pizza van bc he got to keep his old job but got transferred to a new location. Don't question the logistics of that it's not important)

You're probably wondering what the hell a "dog room?" is. I couldn't think of a better name for it, but basically I decided they should have a dog and that they adopt a stray they find, and this is the room where they keep the dog stuff. He's got a bed and a crate and his bowls in there, and it's also where they keep his food and all the other dog-related supplies. There's a door giving direct access to the yard from this room, and a hook by the door to hold a leash. All that said, the dog doesn't end up actually being in this room all that much besides when he eats, since everyone takes turns letting him sleep in their rooms and he's pretty much glued to his humans' sides when they're home

Beside the dog room is the aforementioned laundry room. I haven't decided for sure yet whether each person is responsible for their own laundry or if there's a designated laundry-doer (as well as other assigned chore roles) so we'll have to come back to that later

Next is the kitchen, and I'm following the lead of what seems to be majority consensus in fandom that Steve is a good cook, so he's usually the one making family meals in here. Also, El frequently sneaks down into the basement for late night eggos, and Will- who had become familiar with this habit of hers during their time in Lenora- sometimes accompanies her (trust that this au will have some strong willel sibling vibes bc its one of my favorite underexplored tropes in canon)

The kitchen is connected to the dining room; they're not actually separate rooms there's just a sort of mostly-for-aesthetic-purposes divider between them. The dining room is where they sit when everyone shares a meal or when they have company over for dinner, otherwise people just sort of take their food wherever they want if they're eating alone. They eat dinner together most nights

There's a door from the dining room out onto a patio, which is fitting since the patio is pretty much just a smaller, outdoor dining room (that's a picnic table in the middle). They grill sometimes but also just go out there to eat like, pb&js and chips in the warm sunlight and fresh air. It's also a place to sit and dry off or hang out after a swim, and the lower end has a pool shed where they store stuff like floats and nets and salt bags

Past the pool shed is the actual pool, which is an emotionally weighted part of the setting for several characters. El doesn't like the pool very much and mostly avoids it at first, but eventually she grows to love swimming (this au is also going to involve a lot of reclamation of things formerly tied to trauma). Steve on the other hand has very mixed feelings about the pool which he mostly tries to ignore. Mike tends to get weirdly clingy when Will wants to swim and always insists on going with him

Next to the back door is the external stairs to the deck on the first floor, and right inside the door is another mud room (don't ask me why they need two I didn't know what else to put in the space ok? Besides maybe it's just a matter of preference, some people prefer coming in through the basement and some prefer coming in through the first floor). Further in is the living room, which is sort of a more formal/intimate gathering space in some ways compared to the den upstairs; the den is for friends and neighbors, the living room is for family, if that makes sense? Or just for more "serious" company or family meetings

Back out into the yard, there's the gardening/tool shed, where Argyle likes to build birdhouses and the original party likes to tinker with old electronics, and where they keep the supplies for the greenhouse right next to it. They started growing their own fruits and vegetables out of necessity at first, back when everyone was nervous to leave the house, but now its use is mostly split between what Steve grows for use in the kitchen and Eddie & Argyle's home-grown weed

I think that's just about everything. The next installments will most likely be about roommate pairings and more in-depth bedroom designs

[legacygirlingreen]

17, 23 and 28 please ♡

Of course love💚

17. Most frequently worn pair of shoes

That can vary a tad depending on season and phase of my life a tad… I used to be a religious chuck taylor high tops girl (classic black high tops) but over time having a partner who works at vans and skateboarding a lot to get around in college I slowly shifted into being a vans girl. My most worn pair of shoes (I actively have 3 in various stages of worn/nice depending on where I’m going) are the black slip-on perf leather. I wear them just walking around, I have a worn pair when I wanna skate or am going somewhere they will get dirty and I have a pair I only wear when I want to look nice or teaching. I swear they are the most comfortable pair of shoes ever and look immaculate.

23. strange habits?

Not sure how “strange” this may be but I am oddly organized in some areas of my life and extremely messy in others. Like my car, absolutely trashed. My bedroom can also get cluttered with the amount of books and random scraps of paper but overall is pretty clean. My office is cluttered with work and decorations but is very well organized. I have color coded systems of schedules, files, etc. My creative spaces tend to get messy however my actual storage of supplies ✨ pristine ✨ I have a label maker and it’s all separated by type of supply, color, etc. Any file on my computer, immaculately organized. I truly have no rhyme or reason why some things get the massive over organization and proper storage and others look like a disaster zone. I have my records for my record player all mixed together but my books are alphabetical. I have perfectly wrapped cables for my cameras and guitars but my closet is a mess. My partner finds it strange why some things are overly organized and others are a perfect mess. And why there’s no in between either 🤷‍♀️

28. five songs to describe you?

“Seven seas of rhye” by queen

This one my best friend and roommate from college SWEARS fits me in both the chaotic energy and the line about destroying men who abuse trust… so 😅

“I’m Shipping up to Boston” by dropkick Murphy’s

This one is very nostalgic… when my family immigrated to the US from Ireland, the Boston area is where they settled. My mom used to take us back so often to visit family. Growing up going to Red Sox and bruins games this was such a big part of my childhood so this song has a special place in my heart. Especially since so many people know me for my connection to Boston sports.

“Always” by Panic at the Disco

I have a lot of self destructive tendencies and my number one always seems to be trying to take care of others first. this song I have always felt fits so much of who I am at my core. Growing up I felt very alone, isolated and responsible for so much. This song just hits so many notes for me.

“Carolina” Taylor swift

Honestly there’s so much of Taylor’s discography that could fit who i am… but ever since she dropped the Carolina single… so much of my life has been spent living in North Carolina (setting for the book the song is based on) and this just hits such a special place in my soul. Living in the backroads of Carolina this just… is so similar to waking up in that misty morning air.

“She’s like the wind” Patrick Swayze

I asked my partner since I was struggling with this a tad… he swears this song really captures how he felt when we were first falling into love instead of being just friends. I showed him dirty dancing for the first time and.. idk he stands by most of this song being a very good depiction of me 😭 perhaps it’s leading to my independent nature… I don’t take compliments well so 😅

[lightgriffinsect]

Hello there!

I noticed you like to make Agoti suffer yes? Well I do too so I was wondering if you could do some Hcs about fears and maybe anxieties you think he might have?

Have a nice day/night! :)

I'm GLAD YOU ASKED! Yeah I do have quite a few hcs for this anxious boyo, lemme pull out my list XD

Like his brother and father, Agoti has a habit of trying to hide his problems and worries from his family. However his reasons for doing so are different from those of Aldryx and Sol: as Agoti is the youngest in his family, he has spent his whole life either in their shadow or under their protection. He's grown tired of this and doesn't like having them solve his every trouble for him- it leaves him feeling weak and useless. He's taken to trying to hide how lonely and touch-starved and insecure he feels from them and solve it all himself so he doesn't feel so dependent on his family. It doesn't always work :)

Severe separation anxiety and moderate social anxiety from his time spent in the Void, or perhaps amplified by it. He won't admit it because he's a stubborn, prideful gremlin like that, but he doesn't like being alone. He's downright terrified of it, in fact. If someone he trusts like Aldryx or Tabi leaves him alone, it'll only take a couple of minutes before the worry sets in that they're not coming back, and he may even be prone to anxiety attacks. He spends a lot of time around Aldryx and Solazar at home and doesn't like leaving the house by himself for work or errands, or even for fun. This worries his family even more because right before their lives fell apart, he was the most extroverted and outgoing person in their family, despite some social awkwardness. Now, he still desires attention and loves being with his friends, but not without his brother or Tabi.

His social anxiety makes him prone to rambling, so he talks a lot and talks loudly. He constantly worries about whether he's doing something wrong. He's afraid of getting his friends or family angry with him, because he fears they'll just abandon him or kick him out of the friend group if it turns out they don't like him at all.

He and Aldryx have very rarely gotten into genuine fights throughout their lives, so since leaving the Void he fears getting into another fight with his brother that'll reveal whether his brother even loves him or not.

Terrified that his family only cares for him out of obligation and don't actually love him because he's not worth loving

Extremely low confidence and self-esteem, despite his loud, extroverted and sociable demeanor. He's very socially awkward and this was intensified by the Void. As he isn't used to interacting with people, he's not very good at it. He cares a lot about seeming likable and having a personality that everyone can mesh with well.

He really does want to make connections and have a lot of friends, but his anxiety leaves him repeatedly overthinking and second-guessing himself.

Partly blames himself for his family falling apart. He feels like it's his fault for trusting the Dearests and looking up to them as experienced mentors and friends in the music industry even though Solazar never liked them to begin with. Agoti could have called off any deals he'd made with them. He could've stood up to them on his own when they started getting more pushy and downright threatening him. He could've gotten Tabi out of his relationship with GF when he saw that Tabi was blinded by his love for her. He could've even told someone like Aldryx or Sol if it really came down to it, but he did nothing, because he was deeply influenced and manipulated by the Dearests at the time. But he feels like that isn't a good enough excuse, and it's his fault (partially at the very least) that everyone in his life is so traumatized.

He prefers looser and baggier clothes that hide his thin frame and that he can easily tuck his tail into, like hoodies and sweatpants. As a child, he was bullied a lot and one thing other kids would always do was pull on his tendrils or his tail. This was obviously very painful and humiliating, especially when the teachers or adults in charge never did anything about it, and by middle school (around 7th-ish grade) he quickly learned to hide his tail in his pants, and to wear something with a hood that he could pull over his head. Even now, hoodies and sweatpants are the majority of what he wears, but at this point he's also just too lazy to expand his wardrobe for everyday outfits. If he has to wear something different, he'll just steal it from Aldryx. Anyways, this past bullying left him pretty anxious about showing his tail and he only does it at home. He also doesn't like wearing anything too revealing. Overall he doesn't care too much about his appearance as long as he feels comfortable, because it's his personality and interacting with other people he's more worried about.

He's afraid of falling! Not necessarily of heights, he's okay with sledding and other activities that take place on slopes, but just outright being in the sky or somewhere very high and steep leaves him queasy and nauseous. THIS [*inhale* I've been talking for quite a while] is because he fell into the Void. Given that he asks BF and GF "how was the fall?" in his mod, we can conclude this and also that it was probably a pretty long fall. Hence he probably hasn't forgotten the feeling of falling into oblivion to be eternally forgotten, and being somewhere high enough and steep enough can trigger that memory and leave him shaking with fear. He used to really enjoy activities like skydiving, rock climbing, and others that involved heights but since leaving the Void he hasn't wanted to start doing them again, even with his family. (My fic Free Fall centers on this headcanon!) He might not be as afraid of flying in planes, though, given that they're giant insulated metal cans with a buttload of fuel and there are dozens of other people on them so how stupid could the pilot be?

He doesn't like sleeping in pure silence, or sleeping alone for that matter. After the Void, being alone anywhere for too long makes Agoti nervous and he's severely touch-starved, so he often takes to sleeping in Aldryx's room with his brother. He's prone to nightmares and/or insomnia that make it difficult to sleep, so he's also begun waking up very late in the morning. Sleeping with Aldryx makes it a little easier for him to relax.

He also doesn't like the silence, so he may play some music or soothing repetitive sounds like recorded thunderstorms to help himself sleep. Al doesn't mind as long as he doesn't stay up all night, and Sol knows to look for the boys in the older's room first if he needs to find them.

Being so touch-starved, he's started trying to find little ways to touch his family: leaning against them, brushing his arm with theirs, and if he's feeling brave enough he might subtly coil his tail around them, or even try to side-hug them. He doesn't often actually ask for a hug or to hold hands, etc, that's only a last resort. He feels nervous and inexplicably afraid when someone stops touching him, and if he goes without being touched for too long. But his simultaneous pride and anxiousness keep him from expressing his desire for physical contact.

Being in the void made him lose track of time. Even after escaping, he has trouble remembering when exactly something may have happened, or other things that require a normal sense of time. Sometimes he forgets what time or what day it is and freaks out.

When he first escaped, he was afraid that he was actually still in the Void and staying in there for so long had caused him to start hallucinating. He was desperate to find his family and get home where it was safe, but the whole time he was questioning whether it was even real, because if it wasn't then what was the point?

This has gotten far too long so I'm gonna reblog this with the last hcs I have. One sec!

[kianbe]

PROJECT GREEN, PHASE 03 / INTERVIEW, RE: PROGRESSION

“so, kian, maybe you could start by telling me how project green has been for you. has dorm life been exciting?"

"project green has brought up a lot of emotions within me. for one thing, it's challenging because i've never done something like this before, especially taking on leadership roles, and living with guys who aren't family members, but i'm learning that, despite the obstacles, it's been a really fun experience, too!" he pauses, gazing off into space for a few moments to better collect his thoughts. "i love working on music with everyone, but i think what's been the most important thing, for me, is that... well, being around the others really reminds me of my childhood. i grew up in a big family, and that's what this feels like, too. in a way, it's been rather healing for me to come home every night to a full house. i really appreciate my hyungs for having my back, too."

“i see. and what were your thoughts on last month’s mission? you had two members take on the role of leader. did they guide you well? was there anything you felt as though you’ve learnt from them? has project green helped you get to know your members better?”

"last month's mission really proved that all of us definitely can work together as a team, and even if we made some mistakes and weren't as perfect as we wanted to be, i think for it being our first performance as a unit, we showed that we have a lot of potential!" kian hopes this answer isn't too generic, but it's genuinely how he feels. "the idea that we can all grow together, that there's nowhere to go but up, is exciting to me, too, because we're not going into this alone. i really appreciated siwoo and seojun during the last mission, siwoo especially because he brought a lot of strength to our team. seojun has a lighter touch, and i think that should be highlighted too! siwoo helped me feel more confident, and seojun put a lot of trust in me, which was comforting in its own way." "the thing about living with everyone is, whether we like it or not, we're learning about one another. bad habits, good habits, who takes the longest in the shower, who snores when they sleep... it's fun. at least to me! i feel lucky that i'm surrounding by so many cool seniors. they inspire me a lot to grow and be better myself!"

“got it! thanks kian. now onto this month’s mission. you’ve been chosen as the leader for this month, along with noel. how has it been like working with him? and as the youngest member, what has it been like, leading the older boys?”

"what i like about leading alongside noel is that we get to learn from one another, too. noel is a fantastic dancer and is super good with choreography. i'm better at singing and writing music. together, we create an ideal idol!" he grins, laughing. "i was more in-charge of 'the eye', and noel took on 'candy', and i think that helped us focus more on our strengths, and it allowed us to work more closely with the others, too." "i'm just glad that all of my hyungs put their trust in me; they lifted me up whenever i was feeling burdened. i'm the youngest, like you said, so i didn't want to let anyone down, which is why i set aside time to work with everyone on their vocal parts separately. giving each member a private 'lesson' with me seems to have boosted everyone's confidence in singing and rapping, and i'm glad it worked out!"

“alright. this month you’ll have to perform in front of fellow trainees, and senior idols. does that make you nervous? do you think the team will do a good job under your leadership?”

"performing is why we're all here, so i think this will be the most fun we'll have yet, especially since it's on halloween!" kian's optimism shines through, as always. "i tried my best to make sure that everyone's vocals, and confidence levels, are at a high for this showcase, and all i can hope is that they continue to trust me through the set. that's the only thing i'm nervous about; letting people down somehow." "all i wanna do is make the audience smile. at the very least, i think me and the others will be able to do that!"

[witchcraftandburialdirt]

(〇o〇；): What is their body language like when they are stressed? Do they try and hide the fact that they are stressed? How do they recover from said stress?

𝐏𝐇𝐘𝐒𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋 𝐃𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐋 𝐀𝐒𝐊 𝐌𝐄𝐌𝐄

(〇o〇；): What is their body language like when they are stressed? Do they try and hide the fact that they are stressed? How do they recover from said stress?

━━ I have detailed Robin's nervous behavior here but I think its important to recognize that this is how I'm differing the two feelings of nervousness and stress because they are closely related but they're not the same.

Stress is a continued feeling of mental/emotional discomfort as a result of some mishap or anticipated event which triggers the emotion. This generally comes with long term consequences, mental and physical, that can become permanent. Stress alters neural dynamics and precipitates disorders that shape personality traits involving negative affectivity. Nervousness is the state of mind arising out of anxiety and stress which elicit negative behavior patterns; it is one of many reactions that can come from these feelings and is usually fleeting without permanent consequences.

Now that we have that out of the way Robin has a few different ways in which stress affects him; and it is (mostly) all able to be hidden away. Due to growing up in Zaun Robin has had to train himself since childhood to be able to separate the trigger from the emotion afterward; he doesn't directly react to anything and however he does react in that situation is a decision. He can read people like a book and knows exactly what expressions to make and words to say - so he keeps all of his feelings hidden. He doesn't want to shoot himself in the foot by showing any indication of personal weakness, the less the person knows about him, the more he has the upper hand. He's rarely interested in people, at least in the long haul, and this really helps him play with them. Vulnerability is weird, it's basically like giving your enemies ammo to shoot you with - but again when at any point in his life he's personally been "vulnerable" with someone, it's typically pre-planned to workout in his favor and get their trust.

Is this entire thing a huge stress response from his childhood? Oh yeah.

And because of this I don't think Robin will ever be able to "recover" from that stress - it's part of him and has been part of him since the moment he breathed Zaun's rancid air in. His mind has been changed and forced into this survival tactic to cope with the reality of his environment and eventually he doubled down on it once his family was lost. Clinically he's chronically stressed but will never be able to recognize it and will get annoyed with anyone who points it out - all except Abel. Shockingly Abel is the one "person" in the entire world that Robin can just ... emote around without repercussions due to the Faustian bargain between both of them.

Granted now even that safe place it gone.

Robin has a few physical indications that he does utilize when indicating that he's deep in thought though, since he doesn't show any direct stress reactions, so if your muse notices this congratulations they've managed to intrigue him (even if its only for a short while). He stims in quite a few ways, he is often seen twirling parts of his hair, particularly this piece, its the same across every universe he is in:

Another thing he does is tut or lick the cut in his lip, its become a very bad habit for him but he can't seem to stop doing it. He pulls his gloves tight, fiddles with his earring, and readjusts his cuffs too - he likes to keep his hands busy.

[danieyells]

PFFF i was wondering what happened but i figured if you had more to add you would 💞

Oh yeah Leo definitely does not trust how perfect Subaru seems. Nobody can be that perfect, it's just not how people are, even if you aren't cynical. He made a pact with a demon too, he has to have something off with him. And ooh I hadn't really considered that he could be trying to make him crack. . .could also be a combination--sow a seed of distrust in Subaru and see how he handles the paranoia with Sho. . .Leo's playing the long game the little bastard lol and yeah that's true Subaru and Sho could stay in contact during Subaru's fourth year if he isn't too busy. Leo probably doesn't really believe in long distance friendship despite being an influencer lol

It'd be cool if we hear a little about how it's going next time we get to see Vagastrom. . .but also Subaru didn't seem to want to talk about why he made his pact so it feels like it won't be very soon pff. If nothing else they did give us a little peek at their budding friendship last time!

Since Subaru tries not to touch people and avoid activating his stigma at all. . .I would assume he doesn't know anything really. He knows that Leo keeps telling him certain things about Sho that make him a little uncertain, but Sho's really pleasant. . .but Leo is also clearly good friends with Sho so maybe he's right? But Leo was also pretty rude so it's hard to say who he should trust. . . .

Eating Sho's food. . .probably activates his stigma? He has exhibited some food avoidance(something about drinking warm water instead of eating breakfast most days) but that could be to maintain his body as an actor? And if eating food activated it he probably wouldn't eat meat because he'd just. Constantly be relieving the death of an animal when he eats meat and I don't think he'd be able to take that. Unless the memory of a live animal stops when it dies and a dead animal's memories are separate. . .in any case he probably wouldn't get much from food unless Sho was talking to or interacting with someone while cooking(and given he doesn't like the PC watching him cook he probably doesn't make a habit of having people around when he prepares food.)

He's probably accidentally touched or been touched by Sho but more likely he touched his clothes or they touched through fabric so he either didn't get anything or didn't get much. . .I feel like Sho must be respectful of Subaru's space if he wants any hope of befriending him so it's possible they've had limited accidental touches. And since he usually wears gloves and long sleeves he probably doesn't get anything from the tabloids either.

I think the combined onslaught of memories and emotions and also being flustered about being kissed would absolutely send him directly into a nap yeah LMAO he would pass out on you after maybe weakly trying to say he should go lie down. Just out cold. If you don't know better would you think that's good or bad!?

I can't decide if Sho would assume that was good or bad. On one hand he's so flirty he might ask if he liked it that much once he wakes up. On the other hand. . .he wouldn't wanna make Subaru feel like he's pushing him or something and he might apologize, assuming he was shocked or scared or something. . . .

Was looking for something and I was reminded that Leo and Sho's 'Sho becomes Subaru's friend and learns why he made a pact' bet. . .

. . .has Leo willing to give up his control over Sho--and instead Sho gets control over him--in exchange for information.

And you can tell Leo expects Sho to win this--he says that if he wins he gets the food truck. That's not something Leo cares about, that's a threat to make Sho participate. He doesn't get anything out of this if Sho fails aside from the entertainment value of seeing Sho struggle, and maybe the fun of manipulating their situation. Maybe he takes a commission from all of Sho's sales. Nothing major or life-changing for either of them. But I also don't think he's losing out if Sho wins--because he gets information that he wants. And he trusts that Sho wouldn't do anything to harm him--even Sho said that what Leo wants out of being vice captain is freedom and that Leo would get that freedom even if Sho were vice captain.

Alternatively he doesn't care if Sho does something bad to him. . .because he's prone to being a little careless, and even Alan clocked him for it. Maybe Sho's got some resentment he's been holding since they were in middle school and maybe he takes it out on Leo if Leo loses, but Leo knows Sho well enough that he wouldn't keep that up. Sho could have turned on Leo at any point--he's always been bigger and stronger and what's Leo gonna do about it?--and he hasn't. Worst case scenario he has a somewhat humiliating next three years of his life. But Sho doesn't have it in him to treat him too badly.

Or maybe Leo wants him to take it out on him. He's a cynic after all. Maybe he wants to see Sho be selfish and vengeful towards him. It'd justify his worldview. Maybe he thinks he deserves it. Idk.