#so good enough X'D

[take-ya-to-the-ghey-bar]

{i once again interrupt my lurking for a touch of commentary--}

Because a certain someone is now grumpy, at having realized Shizuma's birthday is tomorrow, yet there might not be spare time to go hunting for a gift--

[miyakuli]

Shot through the heart

Fandom: Helluva Boss Ship: Stolitz Genre: Fluff/Comfort/Pining/Post-Sinsmas/StolitzWeek2025

https://archiveofourown.org/works/63143428

Note: It's my first fanfiction in English but also the first one I publish online, so I'm super nervous and just hope that you'll enjoy it a little bit ;v;) A big thank you to @watermelonandporridge for proofreading and for all the advices <333 and thank you to my VIPs @a-small-constellation & @sunny5656 for your feedback :) <3

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

I.M.P. Headquarters was as chaotic as ever. Papers were strewn across desks, coffee mugs were half-empty and a faint smell of gunpowder hung in the air. Stolas stood awkwardly by the door with a stack of files clutched to his chest. His talons tapped nervously against the documents as he glanced around the room, unsure of where to start. He felt ridiculous. He was a Goetic prince—a former prince, he corrected himself bitterly—and yet here he was, about to start his first day as a secretary for a small assassination business.

Leaning back in his chair, his boots resting on his desk, Blitz grinned mischievously at his hesitation. "Relax birdie, the office ain't gonna self-destruct when you walk in."

Stolas cleared his throat, trying to hide his discomfort. "I… I still doubt whether I'm competent enough for the job. I've never been a secretary before."

Blitz waved his hand nonchalantly. "Meh, it's not rocket science. Just answer the phone, file some shit and be pretty. You've already nailed that last part." Blitz winked at him, and Stolas felt his feathers puff up in embarrassment.

"Blitz, please," Stolas murmured, his tone both exasperated and affectionate. He wasn't sure whether the imp was teasing him or genuinely complimenting him, and he'd misinterpreted his intentions enough in the past not to fall into his fantasies again.

He took a deep breath and finally crossed the threshold, adjusting the collar of his new blouse as he went (specially chosen by Millie for a casual but ‘badass’ style). Loona didn't give him a single look from the sofa, too absorbed by her phone, while Moxxie and Millie were acting all lovey-dovey as ever. With a final sigh, he sat down at his desk, determined to make himself useful.

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

After a few weeks, the ex-prince slowly got used to his new role. He still felt a little awkward, but the other members—his colleagues—did everything they could to help him fit in. Even Loona, who usually lacked patience, made an effort not to rush him. As for Blitz, he never failed to encourage him while slipping in flattering and seductive comments. Stolas didn't know if he was imagining it, but he could feel Blitz's gaze lingering on him and his voice always seemed to soften when they were alone together. Despite everything, he refused to hope that anything could happen between them.

But while the atmosphere in the office was harmonious, the rest of Hell was not so welcoming.

It happened with the arrival of a new customer who looked at the bird with disdain as soon as he entered. Stolas tried to brush this off and greeted him politely, automatically reciting his lines.

"Welcome to I.M.P.! Whoever ruined your day won't live another! Who do we have to kill for you, sir?"

Before he had any time to react, the demon grabbed Stolas by the collar and brought his face dangerously close to his.

"A Goetia scumbag, playing secretary? His majesty has fallen very low, pathetic!" he spat at him, throwing him violently against the wall.

Stolas froze in shock. The weight of those words slammed into his face, reminding him of what he had lost and how vulnerable he was.

But a gunshot interrupted suddenly his dark thoughts.

He saw the customer groaning, holding his arm where a bullet had scratched it. Blitz was standing not far away, holding him at gunpoint, his expression so dark that if looks could kill, the demon would already be six feet under.

"Hey asshole! If you have a problem with my sexy employee, you'll have to go through me! Get the fuck out before I blow your fucking head off!" he threatened.

In no time, the unpleasant customer fled, but not without muttering insults under his breath. Stolas came to his senses, shaken but unharmed, and reassured his protector. "It's okay, Blitz. Don't worry, I'm used to it."

"Well you shouldn't be!" he said more sharply than he meant to.

He grabbed Stolas' arm in a firm but gentle grip. "C'mon, I’m gonna teach you how to shoot."

Stolas raised his eyebrows. "I beg your pardon?"

“You heard me birdbrain. No way in Hell I’m letting some bastard manhandle you again.”

At Blitz's possessive tone, Stolas felt a growing warmth in his chest. But once again, he didn't want to jump to conclusions. It couldn't be… Right?

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

"I still don't understand why I have to do this..." Stolas muttered, swaying nervously as he tried to adjust his grip on the weapon.

Blitz rolled his eyes. "Becauuuuuse, you're not magic anymore, remember? And we don't live in a fucking Care Bear world where people are going to bow down at your feet. If you want to work with us, you need to learn how to handle yourself, Stols."

Stolas pretended to sulk but didn't retort. He hated feeling so powerless.

The imp had taken him to an abandoned hangar that he occasionally used for shooting practice. In front of him were targets, each marked with crude drawings of animals that Blitz had scribbled.

"Um… Blitz? Why the seahorses?" he asked, pointing cautiously at one.

"They're horses with no legs, it's diabolical," he replied in a raspy voice.

Stolas chuckled softly, then turned his attention back to the target. He felt clumsy and held the gun as if it might bite him. He heard what sounded like a scraping noise on the ground and, after a quick glance, noticed that Blitz had dragged a box over to climb on and stand at his level.

He immediately felt strong, calloused hands on his, adjusting his grip on the pistol handle in a way so gentle it made his insides tingle.

“Alright, rule number one: don't hold it like it's a fragile cup of tea. Hold it firmly but not too tight either."

Stolas swallowed. Blitz was close—far too close. He could feel the heat of his body against his feathers and his breath lightly tickled the back of his neck, almost making him chirp. It was intoxicating. He tried as hard as he could to pay attention to his words, even though all he could hear was his own heart beating wildly.

"Now spread your legs, keep your balance. Yeah, just like that." Blitz's voice grew softer and softer, almost sensual.

Oh Lucifer! He was doing this on purpose, wasn't he?

"And… now what?" Stolas murmured, trying to contain a sigh so as not to betray his desire.

"Now line up your shot, breathe in and—"

The shot went off, sending Stolas staggering backwards, but Blitz easily caught him with a hand on his waist. The bullet landed slightly above the centre of the target, which wasn't bad at all for a first attempt.

Blitz whistled at that sight. "Not bad, feathers."

Stolas huffed. "You're only saying that because I haven't made a complete fool of myself."

"Nah, I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it," Blitz said with a smirk. He stepped back, letting his hand softly caress the side of his fluffy waist.

Stolas' heart skipped a beat. No, he couldn't have imagined this. Blitz's expression softened, as he stared at the big bird with a look of tenderness in his eyes

"You really are doing good, y’know. And uh…" he cleared his throat before continuing, "I like seeing you like this, I mean… you deserve to be happy".

The sincerity in Blitz’s voice took Stolas by surprise. He was definitely trying to finish him off. Maybe—just maybe—he wasn’t misinterpreting things this time.

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

The days passed and shooting lessons became part of their respective routines. Although Stolas had no innate talent for the discipline, he gradually improved. Blitz felt a sense of pride every time he hit the target without wobbling too much. And he couldn't help but melt when he watched him looking so serious, with his tongue sticking out slightly as he concentrated on getting his aim right. It made him want to tease him, and he was always ready to slip in a few flirtatious words or to run his hands down those long—terribly sexy—legs when he corrected his posture.

One afternoon, Stolas was quietly sorting out some contracts while the rest of the team was out on a mission. His mind wandered to the captivating dynamic at play between him and the scarlet demon. He had clearly noticed all his furtive glances and touches, making him falter dangerously. Blitz had been so sweet and affectionate since Sinsmas that he was almost starting to hope for more.

No, no, he must just feel guilty and responsible for me. Or he has a secretary kink and it's not because it's me.

If only...

He shook his head to get rid of these thoughts.

Suddenly, the comfortable silence in the office was shattered as a portal opened and Blitz, Moxxie, Millie and Loona burst in. They all looked panicked and were breathing frantically.

"Sir, close the portal! Close it now!!" Moxxie shouted, scrambling to his feet.

But before he could do so, a massive figure emerged, shouting at the top of his lungs:

"DIE ALL YOU FILTHY DEMONS!!"

The human was huge and armed to the teeth. His face was contorted with rage and his pupils moved in all directions as if he had lost his mind. He then fired in bursts, bullets ricocheting all over the room.

"Shit, TAKE COVER!" Blitz yelled as he pulled his daughter behind a desk, dodging a few bullets that whizzed past their heads.

Moxxie and Millie took cover and Stolas quickly followed suit. The couple tried as best they could to return fire, but the human spun around in such a mad frenzy that it was difficult to hit him and his shots flew into every corner, piercing the walls and sending paper flying everywhere.

Hidden behind his desk, Stolas felt his heart and mind racing. Without his magic, the weight of his powerlessness resurfaced. His gaze found the gun that Blitz had urged him to keep close at hand, resting above him. The man's hateful screams continued to ring in his ears, as he reached for it with his trembling talons.

"Stolas, stay down!" Blitz ordered, but he couldn’t stand by and do nothing.

Not again.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, recalling everything Blitz had taught him. There was no room for doubt. He rose from his hiding spot, anchored his legs to the ground, aligned the sights of his gun and pulled the trigger. One shot, then a second. The human suddenly collapsed with a thud in a pool of blood, hit right in the head.

The office fell silent again, except for the sound of Stolas' panting breath. He slowly lowered his weapon, still shaking with adrenaline. Blitz, who had been preparing to charge a few seconds earlier, stood frozen in astonishment, staring at the bird with wide-eyed awe.

He rushed towards him, a large grin spreading across his face. "Holy shit, Stolas, that was—" He pulled Stolas into a tight embrace, lifting him off the ground in excitement. "Incredible! You really saved our asses!"

The Goetia let out a gasp of surprise before laughing softly, still a little shaken by what had happened. "I didn't really think, to be honest, my body just moved on its own."

Blitz, still holding him in his arms, looked at him with eyes shining with admiration as his cheeks flushed slightly. "I've gotta admit, that was hot."

His words hung in the air and Stolas felt his feathers rise with anticipation. "I had a good teacher," he replied, trying to keep his voice steady.

Blitz chuckled, "You mean, the BEST," then his voice softened and he slowly took his hand, as if it was the most precious thing in the world. "But really Stols, you're amazing…"

Stolas lost himself in his gaze, and he felt that maybe this was finally the moment he had been waiting for.

"Blitz, I…" Stolas began, squeezing his in return. But before he could continue, the intimate moment was disrupted by the noise of someone clearing their throat.

"Um, not to interrupt whatever… this is," Moxxie said, while waving his hand vaguely between Blitz and Stolas, "but have we just witnessed a human invasion? This is a serious issue we need to address in a future meeting."

"Yeah, that was pretty intense!" Millie added before facing Stolas with bright enthusiasm, "Also, Stolas, that was amazing, was it really your first fight?! Well done!"

That made him smile. "Thank you. I'm just glad everyone's alright."

Blitz groaned, running a hand over his face in exasperation. "Can you two NOT ruin the moment for five fucking minutes?! We're having a thing here!"

Stolas blinked, caught off guard. We what? His heart suddenly sped up. He hesitantly turned to Blitz, eager to ask. "A… thing? What do you mean by that, Blitz?"

Blitz froze and swayed slightly, unsettled by the question. "Oh shit," he muttered. He scratched the back of his neck nervously, avoiding Stolas' eyes. "I mean, you know… a thing. Like… an 'us' thing."

Stolas insisted again, his voice confused but hopeful, "An 'us' thing? Blitz, I… I'm not sure I understand."

Millie and Moxxie, for their part, exchanged glances, hesitating whether to watch the scene or slip away discreetly. It was Loona who made the first move.

"Ugh, I'm out. This is way too much sap for me."

She walked out, rolling her eyes exaggeratedly, still scrolling through her phone.

Moxxie then whispered to his wife, "We should probably give them some space." He tugged at her hand, since she was too caught up in the romantic atmosphere now filling the room.

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

As the three slipped out, Blitz stepped a little closer, his eyes finding Stolas' with unexpected tenderness.

Stolas' voice was no more than a whisper. "What did you mean, Blitz? What does this…"—his eyes flickered to their joined hands—"… mean?"

Blitz took a deep breath and gave his talon a small squeeze, as if to summon the courage to speak.

"Look, Stolas, I'm not great at this whole… feelings bullshit. But after everything that happened—the crystal, the trial, that ice queen Disney pigeon—it made me realize… I care about you. Like, REALLY care. And I don't want to screw things up again."

He paused for a moment, and took another step, this time with more confidence. "I want more than just this. More than just the jokes, the teasing. I want something real, Stolas. I want you."

Those words—the very ones he had longed to hear his entire life—came from the person he loved more than anything in the world. His legs gave out, and he sank to the ground. Tears began to stream down his cheeks and he tried to hold back small hiccups but the emotion was overwhelming.

His reaction made Blitz panic a little, and he leaned towards him, worried. "Hey, hey… don't cry, pretty bird. Fuck, I didn't mean to—"

But then, suddenly, a chirping noise echoed through the air and it was the most delightful melody to the imp's ears. Stolas laughed, a soft, adorable sound, his breath catching small gasps as emotion took over.

"You're saying you want more with me? You?" he said, a mix of amusement and wonder in his voice.

Blitz smiled at him warmly. "Yeah. I've wanted it for a while now."

Stolas smiled back through his tears, and Blitz gently slid his thumb over his cheek, wiping them away. They moved closer, their faces only inches apart. And with that, their lips met in a soft, almost candid kiss, years of longing reflected in that single touch. As they pulled away, their eyes locked, and their fingers naturally intertwined, a comforting silence enveloping them.

"Is this a dream, I wonder…" Stolas whispered, his voice thick with emotion."I never thought it could be possible."

Blitz replied teasingly, "Well, I'm full of surprises!"

This made Stolas let out a small laugh, and he leaned in to kiss him again, this time without hesitation. He placed his hand on Blitz’s chest and added in a seductive tone, "I guess I've got good aim with more than just weapons. Looks like I've hit you right in the heart."

The imp blinked in surprise before bursting out laughing. "You—" he giggled a little more, "You stupid bird!" and pulled him into an affectionate hug. "Guess I'm the one who got shot this time, huh?"

Stolas' feathers fluffed up in delight. "Perhaps. But I'd say we both hit the bullseye."

Blitz rolled his eyes without hiding the fondness in his expression. "Yeah, yeah. Don't get too cocky, birdie. I'm still the better shot."

"Of course, darling," the bird replied in a smooth voice. "But I think we make a pretty good team, don't you?"

And as he gently pressed his forehead against Stolas', Blitz whispered in a sweet voice, one he reserved only for him.

"Yeah. We fucking do."

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

BONUS

Behind the slightly open office door, Loona leaned against the wall, arms crossed, and let out a quiet sigh of relief. Moxxie watched the scene with a gentle smile, while Millie jumped up and down with stars in her eyes.

"Awwww, they're so cute together. It’s about time they stopped dancing around each other," she said, delighted by how things were turning out.

"Yes, finally! And now that Blitz has a boyfriend, he'll stop spying on us in bed for good," her husband grumbled.

Loona stretched, feigning indifference. "Yeah, yeah. Just don't expect me to start calling him 'dad' or anything."

The imp couple giggled heartily, and the teenager couldn't quite hide the small satisfied smile that crept onto her lips.

[yappacadaver]

THAT'S 24 FUCKING SECONDS BABEYYYYYYY

[unproduciblesmackdown]

the most recognized as comedic song being the best part of the movie musical because the conventions that serve as a mode of communicating ideas, for example "people just bursting into song" or "choreography" or "'noticeably stylized' cinematography" that accentuates nonliteral nonrealism-invoking choices, are regarded as Silly or Frivolous. and the effort to shove everything else that's more "serious" into what is expected to be read as dramatic cinema that's not stylized in any ways that seem too "Genre" which only makes [but someone's singing?] underwhelming and out of place because no other elements are supporting it

[countlessrealities]

@advnterccs sent: 💕 { For the Mortys 🤭 } Ship meme: in-depth edition || Selectively accepting !

[[ Replies under "read more" because my Morty ranted A LOT and it got really long xD ]]

How did they meet? ~ "T-Through our Ricks. T-They someone managed to, uh, split the timeline, b-by accident, you know? S-Something about a...portal gun malfunction. An-And all of a sudden t-there were two of everyone. M-Me included."

Who flirted with who first? ~ "I-I'm...not sure. W-We sort of complimented each other an-and stuff, b-but it wasn't real flirting? W-We don't really flirt even now tha-that we're together. J-Just from time to time, y-you know? We...are still learning how, uh, t-to do it properly. Haha..."

Was it love at first sight or a slowburn romance? ~ "S-Slowburn. W-We didn't like each other right away. A-Also because I...I didn't know that I, you know, l-like guys yet. O-Or maybe I did an-and didn't want to admit. B-But FM is the first boy I-I've ever had a real crush on, s-so...it too some time. An-And even after we realised out feelings...i-it took a while for us to tell each other. I-I mean, we even kissed thrice before, uh, g-getting together."

Did they start dating right away or were they friends before things became romantic? ~ "F-Friends. W-We got close really fast an-and he was my best friend, b-before I start to...feel more. An-And I think that's a good thing. B-Because even now that he is my boyfriend, h-he's still my best friend. I-It allows us to be more...comfortable w-with each other, in general."

What was their first date? ~ "I-It wasn't an official date, b-but...FM invited me to go with him to this p-pumpkin patch fair. W-We took pictures an-and strolled around the stands and...w-we got a ride on the Ferris Wheel. I-I asked the guy manning it i-if he could stop it w-when we reached the top an-and...he did, so we...watched t-the landscape and I...I kissed him."

What are their favourite things to do on date nights? ~ "I-It depends on where we are. W-We go to the movies at times, o-or out on some planet, b-but for the most we do home m-movie nights and play videogames. O-Or read comics."

Do they still go on dates after being together for a while? ~ "W-We've been together only for a few moments, b-but yeah, we still do. I-I just like doing things with him an-and dates are fun. T-They are an excuse to do that an-and also do something different, f-from time to time. An-And, uh, we can get...you know. Romantic."

What is their love language? ~ "I-I think...quality time together an-and being there for each other w-when needed? W-We also tell each other nice things an-and that's good b-because...neither of us is really used to it. T-To be praised and stuff, I-I mean."

Who kissed who first? ~ "I-I did. O-On the Ferris Wheel, as I said."

Who started the relationship? ~ "B-Both of us, sort of? W-We both planned to ask on N-New Year's Eve, b-but I guess technically it was me, b-because I asked first. An-And we kissed at midnight. I-It was...great. I-I've never felt like that. G-Giddy. H-Happy."

Monogamy or Polyamory? ~ "I-It's a bit too soon for...that. I-I don't know. I'm content w-with just him, b-but I see the Ricks being i-in an open relationship an-and...I don't know, i-it seems to make them closer, somehow? S-So maybe, when we'll be older...W-We'll talk about it. I-I think I'd be okay with being open."

Are they/do they plan on getting married? ~ "A-Again, it's too soon t-to think about this. B-But...I mean, the only marriage I've seen it's my parents and...l-let's say that it's not very...inspiring. An-And Rick keeps going on about how m-marriage is a trap and ruins relationships, s-so...I probably won't be the one to mention it. I-If we ever get there."

Who proposed? Was it a yes or no? ~ "A-As I said, I'm not very interested i-in getting married. B-But if in the future FM wanted to an-and he asked, I-I'd say yes. I-If it's what makes him happy, I-I don't mind."

Do they want kids? Who brought it up first? ~ "Aw g-geez, I don't know. Tha-That's...I'm fourteen. K-Kids are a big thing. So...uh, who knows?"

Do they already have kids, together or from previous relationships? ~ "W-We don't technically have kids together, b-but they...I mean, there's M-Morty Jr. an-and Naruto, an-and since we are the same person...t-they are technically the kids o-of both of us? ...I-I don't know, thinking about it gives me a headache."

Do they have any routines/rituals in their relationship? ~ "W-We usually hang out w-when the Ricks are busy with each other. W-We go in one of our rooms an-and talk or read comics or-or play videogames. I-If the weather is nice, w-we go for a walk in the park or-or to get ice cream. An-And well, I guess that there are the adventure. E-Even if those are, like, a group activity. An-And sometimes we have sleepovers."

How do they take care of each other when they are sick/hurt? ~ "I-It doesn't happen too often, a-also because the Ricks fix us if...if we get too hurt, b-but...The other visit the sick one an-and keeps him company, g-gets him food and water, tha-that sort of thing. B-But it's mostly being there, s-so he doesn't have to be alone."

How do they like to spend time together? ~ "I-It's pretty much I've already said. V-Videogames, movies, comics, walks. F-FM really like plants, s-so at times we go to the botanical garden o-or ask the Ricks to let us go t-to some other dimension w-where there are a lot of plants. Uh, safe places, o-of course."

What are their favourite non-sexual forms of intimacy? ~ "F-For me it's cuddling. I-I just like it when we hold each other in bed or-or lean against each other w-watching TV. An-And I...I like giving him little kisses. Y-You know, on the cheek or-or on the back of his hand. H-He always blushes a little an-and that's so cute."

What are some of their favourite things about their partner? ~ "Oh geez, I...I-I don't think there are specific things? I-I just like him. B-But I guess...H-He's so nice and brave. An-And he's super supportive. S-So understanding and patient. An-And...he accepts me. E-Even the fucked up stuff. H-He sees me, understands me an-and still wants me. H-He makes me feel good about myself. N-No one has ever done that."

How do they comfort the other when they are upset? ~ "W-We let each other vent, i-if we need to, o-or we distract each other with our favourite things. W-We also get each other little presents, t-to cheer us up. W-We're just there for each other, y-you know? I-I'd do whatever he needs an-and he'd do the same for me."

Who buys the other spontaneous gifts? ~ "W-We both do. W-We like bringing each other stuff. L-Like pretty things or funny ones w-we find during adventures o-or at some space bazaar. An-And then we give each other special gifts f-for the holidays or the anniversaries."

What position do they sleep in? ~ "I-It depends. U-Usually facing each other, h-holding hands o-of holding each other. A-At times we spoon."

Do they bathe/shower together? ~ "Uuuuh, I-I...no. W-We don't. N-Not yet, I-I guess. B-But I...I'd like to do that. S-Some day. An-And I think...I think FM would be fine with it. U-Uh, more than fine. J-Just...we're not there yet. I-It's still a little, uh, awkward, b-being undressed around each other."

Do they do anything else in the bath/shower other than wash? ~ "A-As I said we don't bathe o-or shower together yet, b-but...I...I mean. W-When we will, after a while, I-I guess that we could...kiss? An-And sit on each other's lap. An-And...who knows...Haha..."

In the bedroom - Vanilla, a little spice, or kinky af? ~ "W-W-We still haven't...you know. S-So...I don't...I mean. W-We are, uh, curious, so...I-I guess it wouldn't be just...plain. W-Well, at first yeah, b-but I guess...later on, w-we'd try...stuff?"

For applicable ships - who tops/bottoms?

For applicable ships - who is more dominant/submissive?

What is their favourite sex position?

Do either of them enjoy bringing sex toys into the bedroom? ~ "A-As I said, I-I can see us...experimenting. Uh."

Favourite place to have sex?

Most adventurous place they’ve had sex?

How often do they fight? What about? ~ "W-We didn't have big fights yet. I-I don't think that we have had actual fights. J-Just some misunderstandings. An-And it wasn't about super important stuff. I-I know that we'll have real fights, s-sooner or later. B-But I like to think tha-that we'll work it out together."

Have they ever broken up? ~ "N-No. An-And I hope we never do."

Messy breakup, amicable split, remain friends, ride or die or til death do us part? ~ "I-I want to spend all my life with him. I-If he wants to. N-No matter how long that will be. T-The longer, the better."

[mymoshangthoughts]

oki look im back on my "binghe and airplane are similar and i love it" bullshit

except this time i want these two whiny cut-throat bastards to run a cafe together

like binghe is the chef, obviously, and airplane handles the business side of things, and between the two of them, they absolutely make the cafe succeed through underhanded means

like

could they succeed as a business with just binghe's talents as a cook and qinghua handling the bills while the both of them charmed their way through customer service with their fake ass smiles? abso-fucking-lutely. but would they? oh no

qinghua is like releasing rats into the neighboring cafes and salting their sugar in espionage to make sure that everyone knows that the surrounding coffee is shit and the only place for Good Coffee is their cafe. he's making multiple alts online to just destroy their competition through online reviews and switching out the labels on dairy milk with non-dairy milk so that all the lactose intolerant customers are throwing fits on the regular because look, qinghua knows that a small lil cafe cant stand up to the big chain restaraunts, but he CAN destroy the reputation of all the closest chains to him like an absolute bastard

and oki, maybe binghe doesnt NEED to mansplain, manipulate, and manslaughter his way through everything, but gosh darnit, it's second nature to him. he is absolutely gonna hunt down any threats to their establishment and break their arms. and literally everyone who looks down on his establishment or leaves a bad review or otherwise gets in the path of his vengeance trail? loooookk, he cant be blamed for the way he smiled to their face while stabbing them in the back. they had it coming! they insulted his mothers lemon square recipe and thats an arm breaking offense oki

between the pair of them, they have the entire area quaking in confused fear. cuz okay, something i wanna talk about, the pair of them are two-faced and terrifying but like... 99% of people dont know that lmfao

(off topic but a personal pet peeve of mine is when fanfiction has characters immediately notice that binghe or qinghua are lying liars who lie. like "he smiled but it didnt meet his eyes etc" and im just guys. it's VERY established that the pair of them are VERY GOOD lying liars who lie. binghe's main character trait is that he can lie so convincingly that even shen yuan isn't always sure when he's sincere or not. and qinghua was literally a double agent for HOW LONG without getting caught? dude HAS to have a convincing fake smile. so all im saying is that people wouldnt immediately be able to see through that)

so like, yeah, all the bad luck and shit started happening when these two chuckle-fucks opened up a cafe in the area so like, logically it has to be SOMETHING to do with them but binghe and qinghua are literally the two most harmless and charming lil dudes ever? qinghua looks like a harmless pathetic hamster and binghe will thank you tearfully if you like his lemon squares and these two are literally the most wholesome and sweet business owners in the area so clearly they're not behind it

like i just need people to losing their minds a little bit because bingplane have gaslighted them all into submission like the evil cut-throat two-faced fuckers they are.

i honestly cant decide whats better tho. the pair of them having a drink after work together where the vibes are "lmfao we're so evil lets bask in our victory" glow OR the two of them actually only have a faint idea that the other is ALSO an asshole x'D

oki i think i lean toward the latter bc i think thats funnier.

like binghe doesnt pay much attention to airplane bc, as stated, airplane is a pathetic lil whining worm and he legitimately could not care if the twerp lived or died so long as the taxes are filed on time. but tbh, even then, he's competent enough that he doesnt /need/ qinghua around. it's just kinda convenient to keep him around. so mainly he's just apathetic and ambivalent to qinghua, but like, he does sorta notice because they spend so much time together that theres a distinctly... ratty quality to the dude. like, qinghua disappears for an hour and no less than five minutes after his return theres a roach infestation found in their closest competition? sus as fuck. and theres a little bit of a game recognizing game type of energy, but bc binghe could not be paid to care about qinghua's existence, he doesnt really look into it

similarly, qinghua is like 80% sure that pathetic crybaby of a chef is just that, but also, look, he's not dumb and the last three customers who insulted his lemon squares came back to the cafe in casts and binghe is a little too quick to turn off the customer service charm sometimes. and qinghua has basically decided "i actually really dont wanna know". ignorance is bliss, whatever level of psycho his coworker is, he honestly does not care so long as the crazy fuck continues to bake like a god. he absolutely 100% does not get paid enough to know whether his coworker is a serial killer and he also has the self preservation to understand that the less he knows, the better

so they both kinda have vague hints that the other is a two-faced motherfucker, but it's something that they figured out over time. there was no immediate meeting and "oh i know what you are" it was like "oki we've been working together for a year and yeah, im starting to think this guy isnt what he seems". slowburn them into realizing that they have similar personalities, if you will

now as tempting as it is to taking this au in a bingplane direction bc im ngl, i am multishipping trash, i am much more interested in slowburning this as a friendship. or like, grudging companionship LOL because also that gives the opportunity for:

"i just had to ask the worst person i know for love advice" shenanigans

followed by "the worst person i know gives good love advice, fuck" shenanigans

maybe they're having a drink and it's friendly and binghe kinda jsut wants to go home because again, he does not give a fuck about the fact that qinghua is alive, and qinghua also sorta wants to go home but they've both sorta committed to the "we're friendly coworkers" bit so here they are at a bar and trying to map out the Soonest Possible Good Time To Leave when binghe unthinkingly asks

"how do you get someones attention?" because he kinda ran out of pointless weather-related topics and it was on his mind and he really didnt expect qinghua to give him a half decent answer but then qinghua DOES and also knows who binghe's crush is and also is tactfully NOT saying that he knows who binghe's crush is with the casual "look, as an example, that specific person might like~" type of thing

havent decided on a binghe ship tbh lol. like bingyuan is obvious but also would be fun to do some bingliu or bingmo instead lmao maybe bingning? look im a happy multishipper and binghe is shippable with Many Characters. tho for the purposes of this freeform au thoughtless drabbling, the binghe ship doesnt actually matter so i'll keep it vague lol

the point is that qinghua gives really good fucking advice and binghe is just Not Ready for that because he's absolutely seen what a Nightmare scene it is when qinghua tries to flirt

which is somehow how the two segue into a relationship where they talk about flirting and love interests and that sort of shit in the most "we are two stereotypical gossiping middle school girls on the planet who are giggling and playing truth or dare about our crushes" type of way lmfao

because yeah, they're both cut-throat two-faced assholes, but they're also both utterly Weak in love

might be fun if they cycle through a few different failed crushes, but still kinda have fun at each others houses in like pillow forts with martinis that binghe made and gushing about "omg he was like so cute, did you see the way that he brushed me off? ahh imma die, so hot" because also they realize that they both share a Type. they are both absolutely into the Cold Beauty type, altho luckily they haven't crushed on the same person at the same time Yet, but like, it's only a matter of time okay and they know it and they are fully planning to Destroy the other when the time comes bc it's not bros before hoes for them, ohno, it's "to get that hoe, i will bury my bro in concrete" between them and they both lowkey know it LMFAO

and look, mobei jun did not ask to be the culmination of that particular building battle between them. he just came for coffee okay. what the fuck is happening. why is this is life now.

because okay when the pair of them were crushing on individuals who popped into the cafe or people they met outside, there wasnt any sense of urgency to it because they'd just shoot their shot and usually it wouldnt work out, well, it worked out for binghe whenever he went after chicks but he quickly figured out that he was like Cursed with "women simp after me" virus and while it can be flattering to have a simp, it really isnt fun to DATE a simp, ya know? so those relationships usually ended badly. qinghua just has no game with men or women lol

but see, when they realize that they're BOTH after the same guy, then theres the realization that if they fail, theres actually the chance the other one will Succeed and that would be Bad because then they'd have to see the object of their affections dating a coworker and NOPE NO CANT DO IT, WOULD MURDER HIM, I NEED TO GET THAT MAN JUST TO SPARE MY COWORKER FROM BEING MURDERED. THIS IS REALLY ALTRUISTIC OF ME ACTUALLY

so now they're just A LOT more persistent than they've ever been before lmfao they are pulling all the stops, they are using every weakness, they are ready to fucking WRECK the competition

maybe i should aim for a bingyuanmoshang ot4 endgame lmfao. mobei jun and shen yuan are just a happily married poly couple and shen yuan is having the time of his life laughing his ass off every time his husband comes home from the coffee shop like "i dont know whats going on but im scared and weirdly horny" and when bingplane realize that the solution is that mobei jun has two hands (and a very attractive husband), things calm down lmfao

or alternate route for this path, instead of them both thirsting after mobei jun, shang qinghua just has the most pathetic crush in the world, so luo binghe decides to have mercy on his coworker and be a wingman. only he Very Accidentally catches mobei jun's attention instead and now airplane is actually kinda lowkey ready to kill him bc he thinks that binghe snaked him but for once binghe is innocent! he didnt mean to do it! and it's moshang endgame when mobei jun gets over his crush on binghe and notices the angry hamster desperate for his attention

OR OR OR WAIT I THINK I THOUGHT OF THE VERSION I LIKE BEST

oki instead of bingplane actively seeking out love at every corner, what if they're just not. like they do bond over crushes and stuff but actually they're kinda too busy with the cafe and life and hobbies to really think about romance more than a "omg he was so cute~" kind of way. so neither of them notice when they have customers who are just Actively trying to ask them out

like mobei jun has been desperately trying to flirt with the oblivious barista for MONTHS now and he's actually dying because qinghua will just say shit like "wow you're literally the most handsome guy ive ever seen" but then brush him off when mobei jun tries to ask him out bc qinghua just assumes he isnt serious and he's busy with the expresso machine and he has no idea that this man is just PINING behind him while he sighs pathetically to binghe later abt "man it's fun having crushes but dont you just wish someone could like you instead?" and binghe just like "look im actually desirable, cannot relate"

thinking bingliu route for this version bc i feel like liu qingge is just a lot more fitting for Uselessly Pining After The Barista than shen yuan is lol. also his attempts at flirting are basically just picking fights with binghe and he always loses and binghe has absolutely no idea how far gone qingge is for him LMFAO

also now that i think about it, mobei jun should be kinda bad at flirting as well LOL so shang qinghua is like 90% sure that mobei jun sorta wants to kill him

bingplane having their weekly gossip sesh in a pillowfort like "man oki idk why they keep coming to the cafe if they hate us so much... but also man they make for good eye candy, if they werent such assholes, i could see having a crush" and then maybe a terrible game of truth or dare results in both of them daring each other to flirt with the Mean Eyecandy Man and now moliu are about to get Wrecked LMFAO

look basically i think that this sort of au could go in multiple very delicious directions but at the base, i just want evil comrades bingplane running a cafe together with all of the gap moe in the world LMFAO

[readychilledwine]

Champagne Papí

Summary - Rhys just can't help but celebrate your recent accomplishments in the most extreme ways

Warnings - Alcohol, Mentions of wing clipping, Feyssian, drunk shenanigans, and sexual references/jokes

🎂Birthday Masterlist🎂

✨️Rhysand Masterlist✨️Master Masterlist✨️

All you had wanted to celebrate your new research publication was a quiet night with your mate and the Inner Circle circle, and Heavens knew you deserved it.

Years spent researching from dusk to dawn, countless hours with papers surrounding you with notes crossed out, rewritten, x'd out again, and then circled aggressively. Being a daughter of Day made you meticulous, a perfectionist, and frankly, too smart for anyone else's good. Helion being your uncle only made that worse.

You were practically raised in his lap, reading from a young age, asking him big questions, and only taking a nap once your curiosity had been sated. It had turned you into a scholar, and one the Night Court was desperate for once Helion shared you were near a breakthrough regarding the repair of clipped wings, but you just needed someone with wings to try it on.

Emerie was a shining example of your hard work. She was glowing next to Mor, repaired wings fluttering in delight as they were examined. You had found a surgical procedure that, in combination with healing magic, allowed you to reconnect the tissue and for everything to regrow. You had a small group of females you started with and all of them healed beautifully. Then from there, it was a camp of females, all housed away from their homes for a month while you and your team worked what they all thought was a miracle.

A hand brushed your waist, pulling you close and out of your thoughts. “You deserve all of this,” the soft purr of Rhysand's voice grounded your nerves. “My intelligent, beautiful, selfless mate.”

“The party is a little much.”

He scoffed, drinking his champagne before looking at you. “It isn't enough. What did you expect? A quiet gathering?”

Males and females were dressed to the nines in their finest threads, a lavish dinner was served, you had been forced to give a speech, and now drinks were flowing freely as other scholars and healers looked over the display of your notes and research, as well as looking at the physical evidence of repaired wings in graceful coordinated gowns paid for by the High Lord.

“Do you think they're happy?”A brow raised at you in a silent question. “The females, I mean. Do you think they're happy?”

“I think you've given them something back they thought they would have lost forever.” Rhys grabbed two more glasses of champagne, handing one to you. “The trauma is still there, but you will be able to single handedly create a new legion of warriors, heal little ones who had their birthright stripped from them, and now anti-clipping laws can be pushed harder. You've made it so there is a damage measurement, and therefore consequences other than imprisonment.” You took a sip of the beverage, savoring the flavor and soft bubbles. “I spared no expense. Only your favorites for a night meant to honor you, darling.”

You leaned up, kissing his cheek. “Thank you, Rhys.”

“Yeah, thank you Rhys.” You two turned to see Cassian with long legs thrown over his shoulder, high heels held in his hand as bare feet danced. “Feyre here decided that she needed, how many glasses, baby?”

He turned so you two could see his very flushed mate, her smile huge and eyes glassy. “Only 8.”

Cassian turned again only to glare at Rhys, “She called you her sugar male”

Rhys snorted, all signs of the High Lord gone as his shoulders relaxed and his smile grew. “What does that even mean?”

“You give her all the nice things,” another annoyed voice approached. Azriel was also glaring, Nesta on his back giggling as well. “Ness agreed.”

Rhysand felt his jaw drop, making you laugh, “This was for my mate!”

“Yes, well, Feyre and Ness decided tonight they are also your mates,” Azriel smirked as Nesta bit his ear before moving to kiss his neck. “What is it y/n calls you? Ness couldn't remember.”

“Champagne papí,” you answered while laughing. The nickname was an old joke. One passed along to all the new members of the Inner Circle.

Before Rhysand and you felt that bond snap when he returned home, he had courted you. Rhysand gave you expensive shoes, jewelry, books worth a pretty penny.

All because he wanted you to have the very best. And when he discovered you hated wine, but loved the bubbly, he started buying the most expensive bottles he could find.

Rhysand hated being called daddy, hated when he heard that name used between grown males and their partners.

But papí? Papí you could call him all day long. The way the native language of Day rolled off your tongue made him shiver and it stuck.

Rhysand rolled his eyes, “Papí is reserved for my delightful darling.”

Feyre's feet were still dancing to the music, her hair swaying behind Cassian, “And me!”

You couldn't help but let out a soft laugh as your mate sighed. His brothers both wished you a goodnight, leaving with their intoxicated mates. Rhysand was back to leading you through the party, letting other scholars stop you and ask their questions.

You were exhausted by the time you two collapsed in your shared bed, the soft silks welcoming you like gentle caress. But your mate clearly wasn't.

Rhysand's hands found their way into your hair, fingers digging at your scalp and sending a wave of chills down your spine. “You are the most amazing female I have ever met,” he whispered into your ear. “You so selflessly spent decades solving an issue your court wasn't even involved in. You've given so many females their freedom back. I can never repay you for this.”

“Rhys, it wasn't about repayment-”

“I know, darling. I know,” he continued massaging your scalp, fingers twisting your hair in the natural curl pattern. “Let me at least say that I love you then. That I am beyond proud that I have the honor of being your husband, mate, and High Lord.”

He watched your lips twitched up, “I got you a present. I wanted to wait until we were alone,” his hands left your head, making you whine as he stood and went to the closet you two shared.

Rhysand returned with a small black box, sitting next to you, “Neve out did herself with this, my darling.”

You sat up and took the box from him. The velvet was her signature black importanted from a fabric maker over in Scythia. You opened it slowly, laughing as you saw the stardust cut single champagne diamond centered on a delicate platinum chain. It was exquisite. Possibly one of the clearest diamonds with the clearest cuts you had ever seen.

“A champagne diamond from your champagne papí,” he purred in your ear as he put it around your neck. “And right now, I want to see you in nothing but this.”

He laid you back down, kissing you softly, and the true celebration party began.

General Taglist:

@hnyclover @glitterypirateduck @slytherinindisguise @mischiefmanagers @bloodicka @starsinyourseyes @the-sweet-psycho @mariahoedt @rinalouu @sarawritestories @starryhiraeth @starswholistenanddreamsanswered @cumuluscranium @loneliestluvr @eternallyelvish @azrielsmate3 @daughterofthemoons-stuff @meritxellao @aria-chikage @hungryforbatboys @lilah-asteria @fandomrejects @sleepybesson @tayswhp @itsswritten @milswrites

[howthesleeplesswander]

Given his ability to keep up with Kaeya to an impressive degree, Ryunosuke's fumbling in this moment spoke volumes. Kaeya could always find a way under one's skin if the desire struck; he could always read another well enough to turn the tide in his favor. Observation was one of his greatest strengths. Nothing escaped his notice.

Thus, in the moments after his calculated strike, the impish Captain caught the hitch in Ryunosuke's breath and the astonishment widening dark eyes. As his companion slowed to a stop, Kaeya's steps followed suit: keeping them locked in that orbit, dancing end-over-end in this game of cat and mouse. In the midst of his scrutiny—studying and memorizing every response he earned—Kaeya was struck by how charming Ryunosuke looked in his fluster. The mischief in his grin grew more pronounced the more he floundered.

"Hmm, well...Technically all of it was," Kaeya said with an easy shrug. "Surely I don't need to remind you that we're not, in fact, a couple." And while he didn't verbally acknowledge it, the gleam in his eye as he glanced down at their interlocked hands seemed to challenge that statement as much as the gesture itself.

"As I said: the main reason was to ensure the extension of our evening together. The second reason..." and he trailed off purposely, relishing in the drama, the anticipation of the pause— "...was to fluster you." Kaeya dipped inward with that admission, drinking in the swath of crimson that painted Ryunosuke's cheeks. "I'd say that was a resounding success.

"But if you want the truth?" Before that truth was even offered, those words felt foreign on his tongue. Bitter. Kaeya swallowed the taste; he wouldn't back down now. "I wanted to see how you would react. Onlookers have certain expectations when they think two people are a couple. If I were to speak about you that way, or touch you that way..."

Uncharacteristic for a man whose heart had long since fractured into shards of ice, his hold on the bend of Ryunosuke's fingers was gentle—even tender. Kaeya used it to tug him nearer. He stepped into his space, his opposite hand daring to cross that distance to settle at the curve of his waist.

"I can discern almost anything about anyone from the briefest conversation." His voice too had lowered; hushed not out of respect for the late hour, but for the preservation of this moment. Only for Ryunosuke to hear. "But I'm afraid that matters of the heart are where my talents find an abrupt end. I couldn't predict how you'd react."

Kaeya's thumb stroked over his knuckles—unconscious, almost hesitant. A coy smirk attempted to hide that uncertainty. "You still look like you want me to mean it. Am I wrong?"

And so, Ryunosuke would learn the hard way how big of a difference there was between expecting something… —and being fully prepared for that something.

Credit where credit was due, if not for his propensity to make foolish mistakes every now and again, he’d be somewhat at a stasis in his learning curve, now wouldn’t he? There always had to be people—or simply just things, events, misfortunes—keeping him on his toes, reminding him often that he couldn’t relax at the first sign of success. Because that “something,” no matter how expected it might be, would unremittingly knock him down more than just one peg.

Kaeya was the “something” of this equation. A man Ryunosuke had known long enough now to understand what frozen tendrils wove him together—brittle beneath an impressively convincing veil. He knew what to anticipate in his behavior, knew the refrain to almost all of his songs, had memorized his patterns both from his own attentiveness and a genuine, heartfelt curiosity to see what lay beneath that mask of his—or in his case, “eyepatch” would be more apt. Ryunosuke knew.

Circling back, however, none of that added up to his being able to steel himself this time around…

Physically, his feet stopped first. A hand reaching out to him caught in the corner of his eye seconds before brushing against his cheek. Then, it was his breath again snagging in his throat the very instant he locked his gaze on that impishly glimmering blue. Ryunosuke would fervently and passionately argue that he was certain his heart also stopped as that solitary digit curved beneath his chin… would that not have a much more devastating result if it were true.

Rather, he would attest to it skipping a couple beats. Stumbling over itself as one stumbles when missing a step on the stairs. And teetering there on the edge of the gently churning whirlpool that had become his insides.

Not a bad feeling, mind you. Expected. Yet for which a newly flushed lawyer was unprepared.

“Y-you… What?” Unhelpful, as responses went. Perhaps if he had given his brain more time to process where in the conversation they had left off, he could’ve taken those extra few seconds to manage something passable. Better late than never. Which had him standing rigid there in front of Kaeya while blinking a befuddlement he puzzled through. Kaeya was implying—

“Captain—!” he blurted on a weighted breath, eyes snapping wider with a (perhaps embarrassingly slow) realization. Then, as if also realizing they were still out on public streets—regardless of the hour—Ryunosuke lowered his voice even further, only after he brought his own hand up to gingerly grasp Kaeya’s and remove it from his chin. “Very well, then.” He didn’t let go, though. “Precisely… how much of that back there was a performance?”

[diminuel]

Both Rocks will deny crying tears but everyone else knows, they know, there was so much angry crying involved.

Divorced parents make for a fun dynamic! The relationship between Xebec and Whitebeard is so ambiguous in canon, anything can be possible tho I think Xebec was terrifying but in an au he can be the cunty diva kind of terrifying: his boots can and have stabbed people and his nails are sharp enough to cut throats but God forbid he does break one and then he will bitch until there's no tomorrow lol.

I can also see them reconcile in the future after airing their grievances and most likely beating the shit out of each other. But they did care for each other once upon a time and even if it has been some time for both of them, for one even longer than the other, the love isn't gone, not completely. Maybe also due to the fact that they're not always on the same ship like before, absence makes the heart grow fonder or something like that.

But imagine you're Whitebeard, the strongest man on the seas, and there's this feral gremlin out for your head so you decide to meet him and oh no, he's adoption material! So you do what you have to do and take him home like a homeless kitten, try to entice him with food and a nice place to sleep! And it's going well, you're slowly domesticating the feral kitten, life is good.

And then someone comes to pick him up. And it's your ex husband. The one you believed to have died. The one with whom you had a child that you abandoned even if that wasn't your fault and you have regretted that ever since. And your ex husband still looks the same as the day he died. ("You're as beautiful as the day I lost you", he thinks.) And then. AND THEN. IT TURNS OUT, THAT FERAL KITTEN? That feral kitten you picked up ends up being your ex husband's grandchild. A grandchild through your ex's child. That child. The child you had with your ex. Your child.

You're Whitebeard, the strongest man on the seas, and you're absolutely fucked.

(It's most likely someone like Haruta accidentally calling Xebec mom but it's much funnier to imagine Marco being the culprit.)

I do like a terrifying Rocks ;D One who goes from diva to terrifying in the blink of an eye maybe!

Maybe some distance won't hurt Xebec and Whitebeard, especially if they almost kill each other whenever they end up within eyesight of each other (though I'm not sure if this is just mostly coming from Xebec or if WB also has his grievances about God Valley to air)

Not the feral kitten! *lol* Whitebeard is probably having a white noise moment at that. Because of all the people, this kid happens to be his estranged child's kid?! How? The fates are clearly playing a game with WB. Was he too greedy about wanting a family? Did he adopt too many sons?

Marco as the one messing up and calling Xebec mom is hilarious X'D

[ourlittleuluru]

In summary, this memory was pretty good! It was so... SO MUCH. It immediately fried my brain half way through /@A@;;;;; It was insane. This memory (and the Unreturned Traveller) both left little to no room for any sort of imagination (,,>﹏<,,)

I may have some reservations about certain things with like pacing and such, but I get what they're going for (though at the same time I can't help but feel like they're also doing this spicy banner and heavy leaning on Xavier's jealous tendency in response to much of the vocal fandom really wanting it)

I won't say I love this card as much as the others but I see the appeal and still appreciate it~ I do still love the little moments in the cards and I'll put my trust with the writers still! (writers who are also fanfic authors, seriously... the wording they used during the kindled part just screams fanfic to me! 😂)

(ヘ･_･)ヘ┳━┳ into the Read-more it goes as usual! Fair warning. Long post is LONG (as per usual but at least it's not like branch story long lmao)

All in all this memory reaaaaally highlights a lot of Xavier's flaws, in a good way!

On one hand (i'm pretty sure this happened after 21 Days) now that Xavier has worked on expressing himself more with MC, he's letting the side that he's kept under wraps, out. This resulted with the Xavier we see in this memory. The insecurity, afraid that he'll lose MC-not because she'll die-but just losing out on any sort of time with her (maybe because he's also running on limited time???? angst potential????!), and his little more childish tendency to feel jealous.

He's just so baby 😭🥺 but also Xavier! You'll be okay! MC isn't going anywhere!!

For the first half of the date, I felt like there was some... unanswered questions? Maybe it's for us to figure it out. But I also felt that it was feeling a liiiiittle bit rushed?

Pretty much it seems the starting trigger for Xavier's jealousy began right in the first 3 minutes. Honestly felt that it could've been expanded on a little more, showcasing how it feels like MC would be snatched away from him 🤔 But since I'm sure there's a count to how long the dates should be, I guess they opted for this instead ｢( • ﾍ •) Which also still makes sense enough. But also just reminds me of the Tender Moment - Winter's Sun, where MC needs to go to a networking event and he's such a huge baby about it 😂

I think it's more than a little, MC X'DDD

This part though 🥺 The fact MC has given him access to their own place. And yet Xavier is still so proper about it. Such a gentleman uwu

MC had full faith and trust in Xavier. And Xavier, aware of it, but still would seek consent first. To which, after he has MC's consent, Xavier instead will make sure that MC knows it's him first. The care and thought in this 😭😭😭💖

HE'S LITERALLY PLAYING OUT THAT MEME I CAN'T EVEN 🤣

"You're the most jealous man I know" " You know other men?"

Ngl seeing this written where there's storm or dark clouds above Xavier's head is just funny because that's literally the vision 🤣 he's such an open book when it comes to MC

Him just wanting to hold onto MC at every opportunity even when people are around (/ω＼)

First time meeting Charlie and Xavier was still polite enough... the 2nd time tho... 😂

Poor Charlie! Of all people he first meet, it had to be Xavier and inciting his jealous streak X'D and he's oblivious to it... goodness

The way MC be pushing his buttons to figure out her suspicions on his mood tho 😭 and then the way Xavier literally be pouting in his voice when he says if there's other neighbours in the future that'll do things with her is just... BABY 🥺

Xavier essentially just be slowly putting his walls down, being more indulgent in showing his feelings. And the way he asks MC to see if they are okay with it 🥺

He's just seeking out for MC's reassurance at this point

How many times has some sort of sweet fruit been mentioned whenever it's them getting intimate >w< But this guy just casually leaving MC hanging on the edge.... wow 👀 he definitely knows what he's doing

Same MC... Same... u-u

Honestly, yes 🤣 Like sir, you have centuries and loved reading and also has shown to know so much. A bit difficult to assume you HADN'T ALREADY heard of it before

But the lines right after that just had me like 🥺 Imagine the times he just sat there alone, gazing. Thinking about the things that had passed. About how uneventful or how his life lacked some sort of anchor. His only reason for continuing his days is finding a way to deal with Philos's core and bringing the Backtrackers home. Or maybe to go to Uluru... stuff like that

Ngl... this line from MC had me be like ??????? cuz it made no sense to me;;; Not sure if it's just me not getting it lol.

But I went to look up the CN version and it's (very, very roughly) more along the lines of "If there's no fire, nothing would explode even with a fuse".

Interestingly enough, Xavier seems to avoid answering it? It also happened later, when MC tried to understand Xavier's change. I wonder why he avoided it. out of ego? inability to admit it because it'll be embarrassing? he doesn't know how to put it in words?

Anyways

The fact they be having such a sweet intimate moment and Mr neighbour Charlie came busting in. The face Xavier has. He couldn't even contain his emotions 🤣 thankfully he didn't need to run for his life.

Xavier really be staring him down at the side there 🤣🤣🤣 And Xavier just... 😭 I can't even with this baby. Charlie please read the room there if you know what's good for you...!

The way he just casually lies about this like....! Xavier please 🤣 One can tell he's trying to find a way to subtly tell Charlie to leave them alone I guess but you can tell he's also just letting his temper get the better of him and it came out this way

Okay this part of the whole date was like one of the biggest point to me :C

The way he has worded "do you want me to go back to how I was before?" was very much in a way referencing to one of their things about "every version of them". And the way that line was worded also reeked of Xavier's uncertainty. He was worried there. Was it too much? Is it going to end up driving MC away from him? MC of course did their best to try and ease his worry. It wasn't so much MC wanting Xavier to be how he was before but they just want to understand him more.

And the way Xavier just turns around and proceeds to take it out on the tree instead 😭😭😭😭 Xavier the tree is innocent...! That aside, he's definitely struggling to figure his own feelings out but that childish temper just pretty much got into his head so much that he couldn't keep his usual more level-headedness.

Also MC, did you really HAVE to kick him on his ass just to get his attention? 🤣 Man's angy enough and that definitely cranked his angy up to a 110

The way Xavier nuzzles saying he doesn't know (what else to suggest to help him calm down) was 🥺 he was needy and desperate at that point and he really didn't know how to deal with his emotion like... UGH muh heart

And MC THE INSTIGATOR...! The real freak fr 🤣😭 setting him off to go down the spicy route 😏 of course he's gonna respond in kind

MC gripping and stroking his chin like this 😩

and now that he knows he's allow to... man... MC just unleashed his desire

Him just smirking the rest of the way through.... asdfghjkl

LIKE HELP PLEASE (⁄ ⁄•⁄-⁄•⁄ ⁄)

The insane animation and voice acting for these round of cards was.... inasne... even the EN side has upped their game!

The kindled wasn't too long but boy did it show SO MUCH. AND THE SPICINESS WASN'T JUST IN THE KINDLED LIKE ASDFGHJKL

IT WENT BEYOND

And so much longer than I ever thought. Like after a short fade to black was the usual, so I was expecting that but OH NO NOT THIS TIME LIKE... WRITERS PLEASE ( //>///<//) MY SANITY WAS NOT ABLE TO TANK THAT

the devs making full use of their blended animation state machine with the spicy after-kindled scenario was insane. It's like on a whole new level of expressing their emotion. And the sweat...?! THE SWEAT! the heavy breathing too like... (๑/////๑ " )

You can't tell me this isn't totally a line used so much in fanfics LMAO

🥺 This. When he said "Don't go..." also screamed to me that he was afraid. He still was. The fleeting moments his has with MC, he was scared it'll just disappear

🥺🥺😭😭😭

ASDFGHJKL when this part came up I had to freak the heck out 🤣 jumpscared fr

JUST HOW MUCH WERE THEY GOING AT IT FOR?! 😭 like rabbits??

And him admitting that he's afraid, although indirectly (also sir, you're not answering the question again T^T)

And the way MC says "I know" here. It says so much about how they understand each other more than themselves at this point like 😭

MC reassuring Xavier after this as well, to make sure he understands and knows that he's not alone, and he won't be 🥺

I... what do I even say about this இ௰இ I'm sure there's something to say but brain not braining

And the return of their little domestic moments uwu💖

This had me cackling 🤣 One can never be too careful when Xavier's in the kitchen

And more little things to signify them as a pair. Filling their homes with pieces of each other

And Xavier putting the words he couldn't say into a card like... 😭💖

Him being surprised at himself for how much feelings he has held and how much more there still is. And despite all that he makes sure to ask MC if they'd be okay with it. Xavier always checking in on MC is just precious. 🥺 ensuring they're both on the same page. Be it about work, about the progress of their relationship. It's always about that. Being together and in the same step.

I previously had some reservations about how this memory was resolved but looking back at it again, Xavier's trying to show it in his own way and MC understood and also responded in a way that it's on the same page as him. Alongside with a small little banter to end it uwu

I can't wait to see how their relationship develops further. If and when Xavier grows to be more secure and knowing that MC won't leave him. I can imagine him being a lot more of a menace than he already is. Even if he gets a little jealous, he won't be insecure about it anymore and just kinda does his lil pouty baby act on purpose. That kind of thing! This might just be my own preference speaking but... yea •ᴗ•

[samishin]

the only thing i disagree with u on is gavin being good at/proud of his job. ive walked past this man at the precinct. i saw how he pretends to be working when someone is around and immediately drops the act & rests his feet on his desk the moment they're outta sight. hes just a slimy bastard who wants to keep having a paycheck, he probably lost any drive he had a while ago.

If you prefer to see him that way, then fair enough. I think he's a character who is only as interesting as you make him, given that he only has like 5 minutes of screen time and the depth they give him in game couldn't fill a teaspoon.😂

For me, I think of him as hardworking and good at his job because his character profile describes him as "ruthlessly ambitious" and that he will do anything to advance his career. I choose to interpret that to mean his job is more important to him than anything else and part of the reason he dislikes Hank so much is because he's an obstacle to that and he thinks he can do Hank's job better. As for him sitting at his desk and pretending to work, I've heard if you watch him long enough that Chris will attempt to help him with his computer that seems to be malfunctioning. My headcanon is that he's waiting for the IT guy to show up and fix it even tho Connor is right there and could probably do it immediately lolol Or he just came out of the breakroom and he's still on break, idk X'D

That's just how I choose to think of him, less flattering interpretations don't bother me tho; he's literally a character that was made to be hated in game. I think a large part of enjoying Gavin as a character is finding/making fandom interpretations you like because if you are only looking in canon you probably aren't going to find many reasons to like him.😆

[onepiece-polls]

One Piece Crack Ship War - Round 4 Side D

Saby art by @cephalopodux

propaganda under the cut.

Dragodile:

Crocodad

Luffy's divorced dads fr Dragon can't be around sand or else he'll end up taking about his ex to anyone unfortunate enough to be nearby On days that are particularly stormy/windy (if dragon has wether powers) Crocodile is in a mood They long for each other but their past and present complicates things The divorce was definitely messy.

Product of the inexplicably popular fan theory that Crocodile gave birth to Luffy.

Technically a crackship but it has the potential to be the funniest canon ship? X'D

crocomom theory elite. also they both have scaley names.

I'm so goddamn interested in their hypothetical divorce. Arguably, more than their hypothetical relationship.

Saby:

Why vote sabo and coby? Sabo dedicates his whole life fighting against the system, coby dedicates his whole life to serving the people. This is a ship about ideals, about helping people, about the reluctant acceptance that yes, this person from the other side thats supposed to be my enemy has the same opinions as me. Sabo at the top of the revolutionaries, coby steadily rising through marine ranks. That alone makes for an incredibly fun dynamic. they‘d be like schroedingers divorce, they‘re together they‘re divorced, they‘ve never been together. They live completely different lives that sometimes briefly and intensely clash. Not fun enough? Coby joins sword. Which means he‘s given up proper position as a marine to help people without having to follow commands. He‘s allowed to do what he wants but at the same time the government can drop him at any time and that‘s a risk he‘s willing to take because his dream isn’t just being a marine, it‘s being a good one. What i‘m saying is the organisation sword just has a fascinating relationship to justice and helping people that so strongly overlaps with the RA and coby and sabo should kiss about it. There can also be some animosity in the beginning stages as a treat. Some being enemies. For funsies.

They'd be enemies on principal because of their respective organizations, but they have similar ideals and their love of luffy would bring them together! Theres so much potential for angst and yearning! Their jobs keep them incredibly busy, they're constantly putting their lives on the line, and the news is full of propaganda, so they're constantly stress reading the news and having to trust that their partner isn't committing atrocities.

[shadowgale96]

Little Moments in S2E2 of Heaven Official's Blessing

San Lang's jewelry sparkling when he's amused (?) by something. This one happens when the ghost gambling bets his daughters life. Reminds me of an anime glasses character's glass shine. this happens several times through the episode and is usually accompanied by a high pitched metallic sound. Like the chime of a sword unsheathing.

The green deer demon girl is adorable. Loving the frog man too.

The wind master genderbending back into a man after being dragged to a ghost spa with the undead women and freaking out about what kinda of products they used on his precious skin.

Xie Lian physically grabbing the wind master to keep him from slipping away to find a mirror. You're on a potentially life or death mission my guy. Bring a compact mirror on your next adventure. Fast thinking on an excuse by Xie Lian though!

This guy having zero points in stealth on a mission that the emperor himself said must be handled discreetly to avoid conflict with the ghost realm.

I love how they both panic, than immediately accept Qianqiu's imminent death at Hua Cheng's hand after he continues to insult the man in his own establishment.

'This place of mine is meant for revelry. If you don't want to take the path to heaven, and break into hell, what else can you do?' Hua Cheng revealing that he knew who they were already. Which isn't surprising because they all stand out enough as is, even if his husband wasn't with them and standing within within eyesight.

Respecting the demons/ghosts for calling out Qianqiu when he said they're lacking humanity and decency. Like 'Bruh, We are literally NOT human. We don't share you're morals or sense of decency at all. Just let us live our lives.' Like, I'm actually in agreement with them.

Getting into an air bender battle, while San Lang is barely flicking his wrist at him. I like how San Lang crushes the table and sends the shards flying at him. Showing he could easily impale Qianqiu before pulling him up at the last moment. It felt like San Lang was trying to teach him. He might have recognized that Qianqiu was young and foolish, but was trying to do good. So San Lang warns him by showing him what could happen if he keeps running his mouth without knowing who he's threatening. That or he decided not to dice Qianqiu because Xie Lian was watching... could go either way

HuaLian having a tender moment looking into each other's eyes while everyone waits downstairs confused.

San Lang 100% offered Qianqiu as a prize to give Xie Lian the chance to help him and Him the chance to hold hands with Xie Lian X'D

We hear that metallic chime noise again here. I think San Lang gave Xie Lian some of is luck here. San Lang also holds Xie Lian's hands on the final round too when Xie Lian rolled two 6's and wins.

Everyone's reaction to San Lang calling Xie Lian 'Gege'. Qingxuan is curious and confused. Qianqiu looks shocked and a little embarrassed. and the grandma Pleakley looking demon's head falls off their body.

San Lang telepathically ordering his assistant to have everyone STFU while he's playing with Xie Lian.

Wind Master Qingxuan pelting Qianqiu with his fan for continuing to run his mouth.

San Lang being completely smitten with Xie Lian as he drops a man from the ceiling

Xie Lian making Qianqiu shut his mouth. Dude BE QUIET! They JUST saved you.

It was incredibly sweet how when San Lang approaches Xie Lian asking for the bet he's owed, Qianqiu steps between them and holds his arm out to protect Xie Lian from who he perceives to be a threat. Qianqiu knows he wouldn't win, but he moves to protect Xie Lian anyway. He's so foolish but so brave.

San Lang would eat stale pringles off the floor if Gege touched them,

Prince being to good for his own good again by telling Xie Lian not to lie to Hua Cheng. Despite himself not liking him at all for treating him like a pinata prize in front of everyone.

This was a very cute episode and there were so many enjoyable moments.

[some-kindof-cryptid]

Heart of Hearts 4 ♥️♦️

Summary - To cap off the worst year of her life, Kutsuki Hotaru is thrown into an unknown world where everyone in Tokyo has disappeared. She's forced to play games to survive and dark memories catch up to her. Can some coincidental encounters with someone from her real life help her escape from the Borderlands?

CW/TW - graphic violence, gore, Niragi

Chapter 4 - BEACHビーチ

The second beach was located in the Seaside Paradise Tokyo complex. A large hotel wrapped around an even larger courtyard with pools and bars. Hundreds of people had joined the beach, it was truly a testimony to Hatter's charisma.

Getting people to lay down their lives for you, especially on the basis of a theory, was difficult enough. Hatter had never had trouble manipulating people for his own gain. But something seemed off about him now. This place had done something to him. He had never been a necessarily good person, but Hotaru knew that something was wrong.

After a tour of the buildings, Hatter called all of the executive members of the beach to a meeting. As they walked he explained what they were doing there. Their goal, the rules, and what her role would be.

"The rules are as follows," he explains, both of them heading to the meeting room, "1. You must always wear a swimsuit at the beach, this is so no one can hide any weapons on themselves. There are no secrets here, Kutsuki," she nods, watching his silk robe trail behind him, "Rule 2. All cards belong to the beach. And rule 3. All traitors will die."

"Traitors?" She asks, fidgeting with the hem of her shirt.

"Yes, it's unfortunate, but anyone who goes against the rules is a traitor," he turns back, looking at her over his sunglasses, "You don't have to worry about that though, you've always been my favorite."

Hotaru laughs with him, although hers was out of uneasiness. They reach the meeting room quickly. Hatter motions at the two men standing outside and they open the large doors. Inside, the room is mostly dark wood with red accents, and a large table sat in the middle. On the back wall is a painted full set of playing cards, most of them X'd out with spray paint.

Several people sat at the table. At one end was the menacing man from the tag game, he had a large scar over his right eye now. Next to him was Niragi, the man from the statue, and two women with long black hair and short black hair sat across from each other. A bald man leaning on a katana looks back as they enter, he was covered in blue ink tattoos. At the other end of the table were two empty chairs, and a severe-looking man, and her eyes widen when they land on Chishiya.

“Everyone!” Hatter raises his hands, “This is our newest addition to Beach and our newest executive member, Kutsuki.”

Chishiya waves at her, smirking. Had he been here this whole time?

Hatter takes his place at the head of the table and motions for Hotaru to sit next to him, “Kutsuki was my best hostess at Beach. Her siren eyes and high alcohol tolerance brought in many deep-pocketed customers! On top of that,” he holds his hand behind him, a man places four cards in it, “she brought us many good and new cards,” he says, spreading the cards on the table.

Niragi stands to see the cards better, “Seven of diamonds?” he exclaims, laughing “Chishiya hasn't even beaten that high of a diamond game.”

The severe-looking man slides the card to himself, “That’s true, what was the game?”

Hotaru shifts uncomfortably, “It wasn’t me, my friend cleared that game. The two of hearts, five of spades, and four of hearts are mine.”

“Still impressive,” Chishiya chimes in.

“Yes,” the man across from her pushes up his glasses, sliding the card back, “Kuzuryu, second in command. Where is your seven of diamonds friend now?”

“He um- he…” she takes a deep breath, composing herself, “He died in the five of spades game.”

“See, Aguni,” Hatter says to the man at the opposite end of the table, “We got the five of spades in the end after all.”

Aguni only nods, his arms crossed over his chest.

“She still needs to prove herself, of course,” Hatter leans back in his chair, “You’ll go to one of tomorrow night’s games accompanied by one of the other executives.”

“I definitely volunteer,” Niragi says, raising his hand.

“Didn't you play a game tonight?” Chishiya asks.

“Is it illegal to play games two nights in a row? I just want to help out our newest recruit,” his eyes meet hers and he licks his bottom lip, revealing a metal stud in the middle of his tongue.

Hatter lets out a deep sigh, “Since you have a problem with it, Chishiya, you can accompany her. Make sure to keep her safe, she’s going to be Beach’s new doctor.”

The blonde’s eyebrows quirk up as he makes eye contact with Hotaru, “Are you sure you want me to-” she starts to protest.

“My dear Kutsuki, I told you before that you’re the only person here that I trust to do it,” Hatter assures her, taking her hand, “After your game tomorrow you’ll only go to games when it’s completely necessary for your visa. We’ll make an announcement about it tomorrow,” he claps his hands, “Okay everyone, leave.”

Everyone stands as Hatter shoos them all away. He tells Hotaru to enjoy herself but to change first. She stashes all of her things in her room. Apparently, only executives got single rooms. She was thankful for that at least.

Once showered, she changed into a swimsuit, her belt pack around her waist. The bikini that had been provided to her was black with gold chain accessories. Adding her flannel covered a good deal of her exposed skin. Tying her hair into a ponytail, she decided to go out and explore the beach.

Something was going on here and it would be wise to find emergency exits. After hiding her clothes, she crosses the room to look out the window. The scene below is nothing less than chaos. The courtyard was packed with people.

Most were barely clothed, and a small amount weren't clothed at all. People were splashing around in the pool, water guns were firing everywhere and everyone was drinking. Hatter always loved the extravagant.

A shiver runs through her before she yanks the curtains closed and heads out the door, "So is it a threat or a promise?" A deep voice asks from beside her.

Hotaru curses, whipping her head around, "Chishiya!" She slaps her head over her heart.

"Wow, I've never seen you that animated."

She glares at him, "Right now, seeing you again is a threat."

His hand goes to his heart as he pretends to be wounded, throwing his head back to really sell it, "Oh, that stings."

"What do you want?"

"Everyone but Hatter can see you're uncomfortable with him," he meets her gaze, "Which doesn't bode well for you because it doesn't matter how much he wants you, if Aguni or Kuzuryu want you gone, they will not hesitate to frame you as a traitor."

"Are you actually threatening me now?"

He shakes his head, "I'm just informing you of the state of things here," he takes a few steps toward her, "We'll talk after the game tomorrow. Wouldn't want you to die before then," he turns and starts to walk away, "By the way, Niragi is looking for you downstairs, if that has any effect on your plans."

Chishiya waves, still facing away from her. After putting his hands in his pockets he continued down the hall until he disappeared around the corner. Hotaru shudders, reentering her room and shoving a chair against the door.

🃏

A militant found Hotaru as she was having an early dinner. He told her that Hatter was making his announcement soon and to meet the executives on the balcony. She’d just nodded and shooed him away, continuing to eat.

Her eyes wander around the large lobby, it reminded her of a castle. Balconies surrounded it, one large one jutted out from the middle. Ornate chandeliers hung from the ceiling, dangling down to the second floor. Leather furniture had been shoved against the walls to make way for everyone meeting there.

A familiar face makes her jump, she sets aside her food and stands. She waves to the boy. When it catches his attention, his eyes widen and he makes his way to her.

“Tatta,” she says, wrapping her arms around him, “I’m so happy you’re alive, kid.”

He pulls away, staring at her excitedly, “Hotaru! When did you get here?”

“Last night,” she notices black splotches on his face and hands, “What is all that?”

He looks at his hands, “Oh! I help with maintenance and stuff around the beach, it’s not the cleanest,” he says, laughing, his face falls, "I'm sorry about your friend and about disappearing before…"

Hotaru just smiles at him, “You don't have anything to be sorry for. Just don’t lose your humanity to this place, Tatta,” she repeated what Imai had said to her the first night they were together.

They share another quick hug before she starts heading to meet the executives. They were all already there at the back of the balcony. Mira, the woman with long black hair welcomed her.

“Kutsuki!” Hatter throws an arm around her shoulders, “How was your first night here?”

She can feel holes burning into her skin as Niragi’s eyes travel up and down her body, she forces a smile, “It was good, I got a lot of rest.”

His eyebrows raise above his sunglasses, “Well, it’s good you’re rested for today’s game!” he laughs.

He makes a “shall we?” motion with his free hand and they all step out. The lobby had filled up quickly, and hundreds of people were all crammed into the large room. They all cheered when they saw Hatter.

He raises his hands, silencing them, “Hello, Beach!” the crowd roars again, “I have a very important announcement to make. Starting tomorrow, our newest executive member and my dear friend Kutsuki will become the beach’s new doctor!”

Hotaru takes a step forward, bowing her head. The cheers are so loud she can feel her body start to get hot. She takes a small step back directly into someone’s chest. Her heart is almost pounding out of her ribcage.

Niragi throws his arm around her, “You’re burning up, Doctor,” he says lowly, keeping his eyes forward, “I’d be happy to give you a check-up when you get back tonight-”

Something hits the man's back, making him stop. He turns slowly, his face contorting into a sneer at the sight of Chishiya. He waves to Hotaru, mouthing that they should get going early for the game.

She nods and ducks out of Niragi's grasp. He starts to protest before she can see Aguni give him a look and he stops, turning back to the crowd. Hatter continues addressing them as she and Chishiya make their way to her room.

Hotaru loops her arm through his out of habit, "I just need to put my pants on, get some water and we can go."

"We're not leaving early," he looks at their arms, his eyebrow raised.

"Then what- oh sorry," she says, unhooking her arm, "Force of habit."

"You seem extremely uncomfortable with physical touch from what I've seen."

"Oh, well," she pauses, thinking, "it's a person to person preference, I guess. Hatter is my old boss and we've been through a lot, but he's Hatter," Chishiya nods, understanding, "and Niragi, the way he looks at me, it- it makes my skin crawl."

"They both see you as a prize, a status symbol."

They stop at her door, her eyes down, "I know. The girl covered in tattoos, the girl with a sharp tongue, the girl that fights back, that's what they want. I was so happy to see someone I'd known In the real world that I didn't think. I should've ran, I should've-"

"Bitten Niragi's ear off too?"

His voice snaps her out of her rambling, and she nods, "I'll be out in a minute."

He just nods and leans against the wall next to her door. Hotaru catches her breath, back against the door. She throws on her pants and fills up her smaller water bottle, clipping it to her belt.

Taking her hair out, the two of them start walking again, "Do you know who will be at the game with us?" She asks, starting to braid her hair back.

"No. But probably two militants at least. Before you got there today, Hatter was telling them they had to protect you."

"This really is the beach then," she huffs, tying off her hair.

🃏

Chishiya was right, three militants accompanied them to the game. After several minutes, they pulled into the new game arena. Another highschool?

When the five of them entered the school, there were about 13 people already there. They all stare as the group walks, undoubtedly at the weapons the militants brandished. They all pick up phones and scan their faces in.

[REGISTRATION CLOSED]

[THERE ARE 20 PARTICIPANTS]

[PLEASE WAIT A MOMENT]

“Please choose a partner, once you have chosen, touch your phones together and you will be registered. The game will commence once all participants are paired up.”

Chishiya steps out from behind her, holding out his phone, “Don’t expect me to sacrifice myself if only one of us can live,” she says, touching their phones together.

[PARTNERS CHOSEN]

[CHISHIYA SHUNTARO & KUTSUKI HOTARU]

“I’d sooner expect you to kill me with your bare hands,” he smirks.

"All partners have been chosen. The game will now begin," that familiar mechanical voice says, "Game: Truancy."

[TRUANCY]

"Truancy?" She wonders aloud.

"Difficulty, five of clubs. Rule. Find your partner and leave the school together. Clear condition. The first five pairs of partners to exit the school safely win. Any participants seen by the drone outside of the school will be eliminated, along with their partner."

Chishiya looks around, "There's the drone," she follows his line of sight to a skylight above them. A small, black drone hovers over them, lying in wait.

"It can't be that easy…"

"A room number will appear on your screen. Do not share this with anyone, if a room number is shared both participants and their partners will be eliminated. The time limit to get to your designated room is five minutes."

[CLASSROOM 3-J]

[TIME START]

[00:05:00]

"There it is," Hotaru mumbles, mostly to herself.

"Whoever makes it back down here first, they'll hide in the third stall of that restroom," he points in front of them, "Then they'll wait for the other to show up."

They nod at each other before splitting up. The first thing she does in the room draws the curtains. If there was only one drone, it should be pretty easy to avoid, but she doubted there was just one.

The lights die with a thunk, "Game start."

"Okay, okay, just get back to the first floor-" screams cut off her thoughts.

She slides the classroom door open slightly to peek into the hallway. Nothing. Another ear-piercing scream rings out before a sudden silence.

Exhaling deeply, Hotaru slides into the hallway, shutting the door behind her. She makes her way along the wall, crouching to avoid the windows. The familiar sound of gunshots breaks the silence. God, she wished it wasn't a familiar sound.

She makes it to the second floor without much problem. A drone almost caught her in the stairwell but she jumped the railing, dangling there for a moment. A man stood at the end of the hallway, he had a hold of a woman by her hair, pushing her forward.

As quietly as possible, she slips into a classroom. The woman's crying and pleading echoed all around her. As she stands to peek out the door's window, a hard yank on one of her braids sends her to the floor.

She groans in pain as she's pulled up again by the same braid, "Well, well, well are you going to be my little sacrifice?"

Hotaru opens her eyes and they meet with the man in front of her. He had scraggly facial hair and smelled heavily of cigarettes and weed. He smiles at her maniacally.

"My partner and I agreed that if the drones are distracted by another person then we can sneak right by," he slams her head into the wall, "And with their partners dying with them, we have an even bigger chance to win!"

Hotaru grits her teeth in pain before planting her foot in the middle of the man's chest and kicking out. It sends him sprawling over a desk, nearly cracking it in half. He screams at her, scrabbling to stand again. Her eyes dart around, looking for anything that could help.

Her hand shot out for a pair of scissors just as the man tackled her. They both hit the ground hard, the wind knocked out of her. She squeezes her eyes shut before driving the scissors into the man's abdomen. She retches them toward her head until she hits his ribcage.

He coughs and blood splatters all over Hotaru's face. Her breathing stutters until she throws the man off of her. She gasps for air, coughing and spitting out the man's blood. She grasps at her throat, wheezing.

Whirring from the window catches her attention and she shuffles under the desk. The drone glides by the windows, it felt like years before it moved on. She looks out the window into the hallway, another drone flying by the opposite classroom.

A flash of white catches her eye. Hotaru lunges forward, almost slipping in blood. She grabs a fistful of the blonde's jacket, pulling him into the classroom. She kicks the door closed and they tumble over.

"Chishiya!" She hisses, half on top of him, "Are you oblivious or just fucking stupid?" She seethes, trying to control her volume.

His eyes scan her slowly, "Are you ever not covered in blood?"

"You-"

He raises his hands in surrender, "I saw the drone, I was in a blind spot. Didn't you see me stop walking?"

Hotaru's head falls next to his, her forehead hitting the floor. She finally catches her breath before pulling herself up. Chishiya takes the hand she offers him and sits up.

"30 minutes have passed. Two teams have cleared the game."

"Other players are using people as distractions to the drones, we'll have to avoid them as well."

He hums, "Of course they are. People will do anything to survive."

"That's right," she stands, holding her hand out to him again, "Now let's survive."

The blonde let out a dry laugh, taking her hand again. She doesn't let go this time, holding their conjoined hands to his face. He raises his eyebrows.

"And to survive, we can't split up again. So you're going to hold my hand and keep up with me."

Chishiya opens his mouth before closing it again, "Whatever you say."

The duo crouches along the hallway, hugging the wall. Chishiya's free hand was still buried in his jacket pocket. They make it to the stairwell and she stops him.

Another drone passes by the windows. Chishiya watches it as it passes and nods when it's out of sight. They continue on down the stairs, making as little noise as possible.

"40 minutes have passed. Four pairs have cleared the game."

Gunshots ring out again below them. Her hand tightens around his unconsciously. People start screaming as they continue. Three groups of people were in the lobby.

Two militants fought with two other groups. A man had gotten a gun away from one of the girls, they were fighting on the floor, the man choking her. The other militant, a man, shot one of the others. A laser comes down and through the skull of who was presumably his partner.

Hotaru spots a door on the same wall that they were on. She meets Chishiya's eyes and then looks back at the door. He nods.

Silently, they slide along the wall, breaking into a run as the last militant is tackled. It draws all four of the other people's attention. Hotaru reaches out as they all start screaming and they almost fall out of the door.

There's a tense moment of silence as they turn back toward the school. They look up just in time to see four lasers come down from the sky. Their phone screens light up, and Chishiya takes his out of his pocket with his free hand.

"Congratulations. Game clear," Hotaru's shoulders drop in relief, "Five days have been added to your visa."

Hotaru lets her head fall back, sucking in the cool, night air. The blood covering her started to dry and crack. She lets out a deep sigh.

"Let's go, I need a shower," she drags Chishiya back to the car, his hand still clutched in hers.

She didn't notice their hands and he didn't say anything about it.

🃏

Hatter was waiting for her when they returned. She greeted him as if she hadn't essentially run a marathon and watched several people die. He was ecstatic to see her and kept an arm around her until they were about to head into the courtyard.

"We'll celebrate your win and official addition to the beach by partying all night long!" Hatter exclaims, throwing his arms out.

"I-" she starts.

Chishiya appears on her left, "Kutsuki just disemboweled a man, it's only polite to let her shower before partying all night long."

Hatter ponders this for a moment, "I agree, but I want you out here in an hour. Beach awaits!"He yells as he disappeared into the crowd outside.

Hotaru exhales, "Thank you."

Chishiya just shrugs before they both head upstairs. He presumably goes to his room and Hotaru is left alone to finally relax. She didn't have a long time, but she was thankful nonetheless.

The hot water ran red down the drain as she worked out her braids. Her forehead was against the wall, water dripping down her face. She'd left her clothes on for the first half of her shower to wash them as well. They were now drying on the towel rack.

After making sure all of the blood was gone, she reluctantly turns off the water. She wraps a towel around herself, deciding to let her clothes dry a bit more before getting dressed again. Ringing out her hair, she pats it mostly dry before shoving the door open.

Hotaru stops in her tracks, her eyes wide, "Chishiya?"

The man sat on her bed, facing her door. A woman she had never seen before sat next to him. She wore a royal blue, floral bikini and had an empty cigarette holder between her lips. Her hair is twisted and braided, colorful pieces of yarn dispersed throughout.

"Hi Kutsuki," the woman says, "I'm Kuina, it's nice to meet you.”

Masterlist

[nights-at-crystarium]

on authenticity

My mood in the recent months keeps going from bad to worse. Today I randomly fell into the rabbit hole of checking out other patreon artists, which always grounds me in reality and cheers me up, perhaps in a weird way. Essay incoming \o/

Authenticity is a blob of a word that sounds almost pretentious nowadays. It gets sneered at. You either sell your soul, or you don't earn with your art.

What's authentic, being true to yourself, will vary from person to person. It's like a sliding scale of suffering that you will tolerate in exchange for a coin, while convincing yourself that you have fun.

The harsh truth of modern world is that if your art pays for your living, you've already reached success, no matter how you may feel about the type of content you actually make for that money. Insert the meme furry nsfw art here. Or not furry. Or even sfw, but comms, lots of comms every month. Or merch. Anything that sells. Products first, art second.

Marrying passion and profession is virtually impossible, yet I'm doing it, only thanks to your support. I'm acutely aware that, even as I choose to be "real" and talk about an artist's money-making in a raw way, it's still patreon talk, and yes, I'll plug the link as well, so technically this entire post is an ad *fingerguns*

I just feel so privileged being able to create whatever the fuck I want, literally, I take no comms/requests/guidance on what and how should I draw/write, I post experimental, sometimes provocative stuff, and still make enough to survive. This sole fact should get me through the day, whatever other struggles I may be facing currently (I am. I don't wanna talk about it rn, instead I distract myself with this text), I should always remember the unique place in life I managed to carve for myself.

There are madmen (gender-neutral) who toss $10-20 at me every month. The majority "only" pledges $1, the notorious tier that gets treated as a tip jar with no rewards by many other creators. All of my rewards are the same at $1 and $20 (save for the one-time digital artbook download at $10, just to be perfectly clear), it's a conscious choice and a risk I continue taking because it's how I am. I used to split rewards between tiers in the past, before xiv, and it was a lot of busy work while it made me treat my art less as art and more as product. This pic goes into the cheap box, this pic goes into the expensive box. Every month. It's. Definitely not for every artist.

Logistic hell of splitting and delivering rewards, different posts with less comments per post, also my discord roles/channels would have to be split, nowadays it's just patron, whether you give me $1 or $20, there's no visual disparity, you're hanging out in the same cool kids' club, and collectively making happy noises on Fragments Fridays.

Could I be making more money if I got rid of the $1 tier? Yeah. But, mercifully, after 2 years I don't need to. I legit make enough currently, my only worry is to keep what I have. Patrons don't stay forever, 2-5 people would leave every month, about the same number would join (hence my patreon ads, I need to keep people reminded of it, even if it makes me feel guilty every damn time). I did Research (tm) in the past to find out that my "bleeding" numbers are below average, i.e. it's good, people generally tend to stick around.

I put a lot of emphasis on the $1 because I'm kinda proud of what I managed to accomplish while staying self-detrimentally humble. Literally doing an impossible thing in a world that keeps burning down. So yeah if you've been feeling bad for only giving me $1, what matters is that there's enough $1s to make a difference. Together you're creating a phenomenon, and you should be proud.

There are many stupid little principles, hills that I'll die on, that make up my authenticity. I chose to speak of it here and now in order to sorta sell myself, so it feels hypocritical x'D But if I don't shine a spotlight on this, who will. I'm old and jaded and increasingly terrified of how insincere the internet's becoming. Everything's fake, sugarcoated, polished for sale. My art's always been a scream of defiance against all that, now that I'm more or less established, I wanna scream louder. Thanks for hearing my screams. You can scream with me too if you want.

[cherrypikkins]

Ah whoops! sorry, just sent an ask about f!alear, but didn't realise that you were only doing 3 houses/hopes requests! M!Byleth is my favourite from 3houses, but also I think Lorenz's design is so bad it's good, so if you fancied a challenge, his hair makes me cry to draw! X'D

'it is enough to make one cry tears of adoration and admiration, yes...'

thank you for requesting :'3333