#so normal that she's the only thing I've drawn since the game came out

[pan-of-justice]

First post on tumblr wooo!!!

And it's spoilers for Great God Grove!!!

I've been drawing a lot of King from Great God Grove

I just think she's really cool... and her god form is pretty,,,

[countrymusiclover]

48 - Who Is Hope Really???

Part 49

Her Life Means Everything

@mrs-fanfiction-2001 @the-big-bad-klaus @queenieala @samsgirl93

Walking through the woods I was trying to track our daughter seeing that she hadn't come home last night. Which resulted in the three of us searching. The three of us being me, Klaus and Landon. Stopping in my tracks I sniffed the air smelling blood wiping my head around. I groaned seeing someone else. "Ugh Landon, I thought you were my daughter!" 

"Sorry Mrs. Mikaelson." He apologized, slumping his shoulders. "I didn't find anything." 

Nodding at his words I run my hand down my face remembering the conversation I had with my husband before we came out here. "Neither did I. This is just proving my theory even more. Because she clearly doesn't want to be found." 

Sitting the phone down on the table in the kitchen I put Elijah on speaker phone. Hailey and him were clearly in France for a simple vacation. "Are you sure I'm not right about this? I mean she looks slightly like you two." 

Klaus leans in the doorway wearing only some pants since I had made him get out of bed early to have this conversation. "Maddie, I do so enjoy your worry for this young girl but she isn't our child and I think my dear brother would remember if he had one. Now can we please go back to bed because I would rather have woken up to make love to you then have this conversation." 

"Nik, come on. There's something that's drawing me to here." I slumped my shoulders watching him vamp forward tilting my chin up so I'd look him in the eye. 

"I'm most certainly drawn to you, love…" He leans down nuzzling his face in my neck and starts to plant kisses there. 

My hands gripping his arms when he tugged me against his chest knowing my sweet spot and earning a moan from me where I almost forgot where we were. "Klaus…" 

"Niklaus. Maddie?" Elijah called back into the room, making me break away from my husband. 

Klaus growled under his breath, annoyed with his brother for not just hanging up the phone. "Uh sorry Elijah. I'm  - uh - we're listening." I stuttered picking up the phone trying to focus my attention back onto the original vampire. 

"Yes well before my brother started trying to make love to you as he so put it. I was going to say that unfortunately Hayley doesn't know anything about her family. That's why she came to New Orleans to find answers. But she doesn't know anything about this Hope girl." 

Throwing my head back in frustration the front door of the mansion gets opened and a concerned Landon walks in. "There you guys are. I need your help. Nikola didn't come back last night." 

"What do you mean, mate?" Nik questions the young teenager. 

He throws his hands up concerned. "She wasn't in her room and I asked anyone in the squad and they haven't seen her since yesterday." 

"Then it has to be a monster or she's still angry with me. Let's go." I hung up the phone with my brother in law. 

Klaus vamped in front of us shrugging his shoulders wearing his black jacket that looked like there was another gray one underneath it. "I've lost her scent, she must be blocking it with her magic or something." 

"Are we even sure it was  a monster? I mean I know that's a normal thing now. But what if it was that weird Mystic Falls girl from the game?" Landon points out seeing that we weren't going to find her the normal supernatural way. 

Raising a hand up I had to take a step back not sure I heard him correctly. He couldn't honestly think she had something to do with this. "Hold the phone. You can't seriously think she did this. Can you?" 

"She seemed pretty weird at the game and got really angry at Nikola for some reason." Landon trailed off. 

"You told me last night after you came home that she used magic and broke your arm-" I cut my husband short on his sentence. 

Slumping my shoulders with an annoyed tilt of my head towards him. "But she also said she was here to take care of the monsters. They're apparently back for some reason so we need her." 

My husband scoffed, cutting himself off when we heard the leaves moving about. "We don't need her, Maddie. She could be a monster for all we know-" 

Whipping our heads around at the same time I could hear a low growl from a wolf. The creature broke through where I saw a werewolf with light gray fur whose eyes locked onto mine. The wolf bent its back legs snarling towards the three of us. "Bloody hell, she's a wolf too, you didn't mention that." 

"I didn't know she was either, Nik." I glared towards him where she transformed back into her human form. Turning my back to her, Nik tossed her his jacket.

"What are you guys doing out here? I was trying to lead the creature out of town!" Hope barked, wrapping his jacket around her naked body.

Landon peaked his head over my shoulder raising his right hand asking. "Uh hi, what type of monster is it exactly?"

Hope rolled her eyes at his question, clearly not in the mood for chatting right now. "It's called a Shunka and it feeds on werewolves. So you need to go." She pointed towards my husband sternly. "I can smell your wolf all over you."

"You're a kid we can't just leave you out here on your own!" I exclaimed not thinking her plan was good.

Suddenly there's a huge roar and a creature that was huge stepped out. It has bright red eyes and is black standing on all fours. Landon froze in place shrugging for words. "Oh geez!"

The creature charged forward where Hope raised her hand shouting "incendia!" But the fire only made the creature angrier where he raised its hand trying to claw Landon until I tackled him into the dirt.

"What are you guys doing out here!" I recognized the voice of my daughter where she broke towards us in a run quickly helping us to our feet.

"Get them out of here, Maddie. I'll draw him away." Klaus demanded with his eyes turning to gold with his hands turned into fists. He quickly transformed into his black werewolf form launching up into the air biting the arm of the creature.

Nikola left mine and Landon's side grasping the Hope girls hand replying back. "Follow my lead." The two girls closed their eyes concentrating deeply before they both raised their hands blasting it back but the creature ran forward throwing them backwards in the air.

The Hope girl got thrown on her back. I gasped seeing Nikola get blasted into a tree with a large branch piercing her through the heart before she collapsed to the dirt. "Nikola!" Klaus and I both screamed in such terror vampire towards her.

Comments really appreciated ❤️

[dusk-outlaw-gaming]

The Owl House... what a great show it is.

It quickly solidified its place as my favorite show, a show I find comfort in.

I know it might sound weird but The Owl House has taught me that it's not only okay to be different but it's also something I'm allowed to embrace.

I've also experienced and still experience the sting of being called a nerd or a weirdo, being on the receiving end of jibes and teasing; simply because I'm passionate about video games, getting hyped about something others may deem as odd or because I live out my creativity by writing fanfictions, making music or compiling funny video game moments into a video edit, layered with music and sound effects. Heck, even for watching The Owl House I get made fun of because it's a cartoon and cartoons are "made for kids" and I'm an adult with a job; am I not allowed to enjoy things?

Being called a nerd/weirdo made me feel insecure about my hobbies, making them seem like something that I shouldn't even be vocal about. As a result I usually either tone down my enthusiasm or don't talk about my hobbies at all if I meet new people unless I know the other person has a similiar or the same interest; even then I'm still cautious.

When I began watching The Owl House - unfortunately way too late - I was immediately drawn in by its undeniable charm.

We have Luz, whose journey through the Boiling Isles showed me that embracing my true self is a strength, not a weakness. I can relate to her because I also am afraid to be made fun of for the the way I am, to not fit in because I like the things that I like, having to pretend to be someone I'm not.

We have Amity - as a lesbian myself, I see a reflection of my own experiences as we catch on to her crush on Luz. I've been there too.

Her fear of being rejected - yeah, I understand.

Amity blushing around her crush, doing stupid things around her - yes, can relate to that too

The way Amity talks about how things have gotten confusing since Luz came to the Boiling Isles, making her think things she's never thought before, making her feel things she never used to feel - absolutely, 100% relatable.

Also the instances of Amity gay panicking over Luz... absolutely accurate! (At least that's how I'd panick around my crush if I had one)

Even the way Luz's and Amity's blossoming feelings for each other are portrayed is so on point; it doesn't feel rushed or "just placed into the show to be inclusive" like many other TV shows these days unfortunately fall prey to and make it seem forced... or being used as a running gag in the show (which also applies to many other stereotypes); instead their relationship develops in such a natural way until we get to Knock, knock, knockin' on Hooty's door (I love that bird tube) which gives Luz and Amity the final push to ask each other out; the way this entire scene plays out... ugh, my heart.

But it's not only Luz and Amity who resonated with me; there are so many characters that just add to the show with their own backstories, personal struggles and fears... Eda, King, Raine, Willow, Gus, Hunter, Lilith, Camila... each character enriches the overall story.

The Owl House is just so good at what it does: The story-telling, having characters with unique personalities and their development throughout 3 seasons (still mad at Disney for robbing us of a full 3rd season) alongside the representation of different sexualities and identities; I also love the fact that homophobia (or any other kind of phobia) just doesn't exist on the Boiling Isles. Everything is depicted as normal (as it should be); heck even Odalia wasn't like "what? My daughter is dating a girl?! UNACCEPTABLE!" Odalia is still effed up but... you get my point.

I'd also like to add that I appreciate the way The Owl House tackles serious matters like trauma and struggling with mental health issues. These themes are never trivialized or oversimplified; instead, they are woven into the plot, into the characters' journeys in a way that feels honest and true. This thoughtful representation provides solace and validation to viewers who may be grappling with their own challenges... like myself. It's a reminder that such struggles are real and complex.

So, in conclusion... The Owl House does an amazing job making me happy and I'll definitely rewatch... multiple times.

It's a show that welcomes all forms of uniqueness with open arms, and for that, I am profoundly grateful to Dana Terrace and the entire crew. Thank you for creating a space where I, and hopefully so many others, can feel understood and seen, despite the challenges you had to face to make this show happen and play out the way you wanted it to.

"The only thing I've ever really wanted... was to be understood" Luz Noceda, S3 E2, For The Future

[miss-smutty]

Immortal - Chapter 4

Summary- A mysterious pursuer causes Aria and Thor's bond to become bound with blood. Who is he? And why does he keep following her?

Word count- 2.1 k

Pairing- Thor x OC

Warnings- violence

18+only!!

Posted: 6th July 2021

Taglist:- @innerpaperexpertcloud @pandaxnienke @chickensarentcheap @longlostinanotherworld @mostly-marvel-musings @darklydeliciousdesires

Immortal Masterlist <<<<

"I can help you." Thor pushes back from the gate and slides himself down next to her. "We're similar. And you can not deny the connection we have." He nudged her with his elbow, willing her to look at him just as the sound of footfall echoed down the alley towards them. They both turned their heads at the same time, in the direction of the noise. The footsteps drawing closer.

The footsteps fell silent, stopping in their tracks a couple of meters away from them. Arias ears pricked, trying to pick up any signs of movement. She could hear the sounds of her and Thor's heart beating ridiculously fast, too fast for a human and yet hers still beat the same rhythm as his. She screwed her eyes shut tighter, desperately trying to cut out the thrumming of their own heartbeats and concentrate on what else she could hear. Then she heard it, the heartbeat of someone else, whoever it was, they were definitely human - it was beating much slower and quieter. If only she could get a look at whoever it was and see them deeper, internally scanning them without them even knowing.

Thor looked to Aria knowingly, unspoken words muttered through their eye contact. They had to move to cover, they needed to get to safety but the easiest route, leading them straight into the sights of their enemy, wouldn't be an option.

Thor crouched back on to his heels, ready to move, the stance of a predator ready to pounce until Aria held her arm out against him, holding him back and gesturing with her hand to her ear for him to watch and listen. She closed her eyes again, blocking out as much of the background noise as she could until she heard him again, his feet gently shuffling on the ground as he switched position. Any normal person wouldn't be able to hear the things she could, not even Thor but Aria was far from normal. She pointed to the position of the intruder, letting Thor know where the danger was hiding.

"I could get rid of him with a click of my fingers." He said through gritted teeth, adrenaline coursing through his veins making his skin itch with a need to fight. She could see it like thick tar painting his skin as it travelled down his body, she watched as Thor's face contorted with a desperate need to do something and she realised they weren't completely alike. She was a thinker and he was a doer, unsure of which would actually be better in this current situation she stuck to doing things the way she always had.

"And draw even more attention to us? No, we escape. With our speed, there's no way they will be able to keep up." The thought of seeing Thor in action made her mind drift distractedly, until she got her head back into the game, shaking away her thoughts with a flick of her hair.

"You just admitted you have the same abilities as me." Thor smirked, his calmness was infectious.

She pondered the thought for a moment, realising she did admit that they were similar. She'd always known she was different but admitting it was a big deal and finding someone with almost identical abilities was an even bigger deal for her.

Her eyes were drawn back down the alley, a shiver travelling down her spine when she heard the sound of a gun being loaded, the eyes of a doe locked on to the target of their Hunter. She froze on the spot, her heart rate slowing to almost a stop as she concentrated on staying deadly still, the skills of a hunted animal. A lifetime of being someone's prey she was accustomed with the fight or flight reflex. She usually chose to flee but looking at Thor and seeing the muscles in his neck flexing, his perfect jawline taunt, she knew he would choose to fight.

Aria's wide eyes met with the hunter as he moved into sight, a face she recognised all too well. A face she had seen before many a time, the dark brown soulless eyes of her tormentor stared back at her. The smooth baldness of his head set upon his wide, burly shoulders. The 6'5" stature of pure muscle and brawn crouched behind a dumpster no more than four meters away.

She sighed heavily as she pushed her back against the cold brick wall, a trashcan the only bit of cover they had from the relentless beast who pursued them. 

"It's him." Her voice broke, panting loudly as she began to hyperventilate. Memories flashing through her mind after only the slightest moment of eye contact. Worry appeared on Thor's face as he gazed upon Aria's obvious fear, watching her closely as she regained her composure.

"Who is it?" Thor asked, Aria too deep in shock to reply.

She was pretty sure their stalker was an agent but had no idea why he continued to track her down. Her fingers grazed absentmindedly along the scar just above her collarbone as she remembered her last encounter with the monster in the alley. The way she'd barely escaped from his clutch as he'd held a knife to her throat. When she'd used the last of her strength to push him back against the wall, the knife had slipped and gouged a gash deep into her collarbone. The pain summoning more strength within her and she'd bit into his forearm like an hungry animal, tearing a chunk of his flesh as he let go of his hold upon her. Then she'd run as fast as she could, not stopping to turn around until she was far enough away. She hadn't seen him again since then. Until now.

"We need to go. Now." Thor didn't need to ask any more questions, he saw the look in Aria's eye's and moved low against the gate. Resting on one knee and offering an upturned palm for Aria to step on to. She cocked her head to the side, frowning at Thor before scaling the tall gate effortlessly, without his help. Thor took a moment to admire her climbing down the other side of the fence, a look of determination set upon her soft face. The moment cut short when he heard the agent running behind him, closing on them with a pistol in his outstretched arm.

Thor scaled the gate after Aria, joining her on the other side and wasting no time putting as much distance between the agent and themselves as they could. He held tightly to her hand as they ran through the rest of the alley, praying that it wasn't a dead end.

Aria felt the pain before she heard the sound of the pistol reverberating off the walls of the narrow alley. A sharp ache she could feel deep in the bone of her left shoulder, a pain so deep and acute that it took her breath away instantly. She needed to stop to catch her breath but she couldn't, not yet. She pushed through it, trying as hard as she could to get her legs to work the way she wanted them to but all she could think about was the burning pain exploding through her chest.

Thor stopped in his tracks as he felt Aria stumble forwards, her face ash white as she looked up at him with shock in her eyes before falling to the ground, clutching at her shoulder. He could see the hole in her clothes that the bullet had left and the blood that was seeping through and the sight made his anger flare. The ground rumbled around them, dark clouds gathering above them as a smooth breeze brushed through the alley.

He couldn't stop himself, looking at her crumpled body beneath him once again. The very skies trembling in his presence as a storm gathered above them, he barely even looked at the mysterious man behind them as his eyes glowed brightly, his electrical current tingling his fingertips, electrifying his body. He felt it buzz through him, not thinking twice when he reached out and commanded a bolt of lightning to strike the man right where he stood. Throwing him to the ground with force, his body flying backwards and landing against the brick wall leaving him unmoving.

"Aria? Look at me." He gathered her up into his arms carefully, her eyes fluttering open, a  smile playing at the corner of her lips as she stared into the eyes of her saviour. She gave in to him, allowed herself to trust him now he had proved himself loyal. "It's ok I've got you, tell me where to go."

Aria didn't have the strength to stop herself falling a little deeper for the man who's arms she was encased in when she muttered, "Take me home, Thor." 

**********

Aria's eye's snapped open as she took in her surroundings, a layer of sweat on her forehead as she sat bolt upright in the bed she was laid on, clutching the bandage on her left shoulder. The ache of the bullet wound still there but much less than before.

"You're awake, I've been so worried." Thor's voice came from the chair he had placed by the side of her bed. 

"I think I passed out from exhaustion more than anything else, thank you for taking me home." She pulled the bedsheet up to her chin, Thor's presence made her feel slightly nervous in the intimate setting of her own home. 

"You just keep on surviving don't you? Twice in one day you could've died yet here you are." Thor sat casually in the deep backed arm chair Aria used to read in, his legs planted apart as he leant back against the chair. Aria couldn't help but take a moment to admire the physique of the God, her eyes trialing up his body until they met with his own unblinking pair of deep blue eyes.

She wasn't only surprising him, she was surprising herself with the way she was opening up to him, allowing him to see the side of her she'd hidden for so long. More than that she was enjoying it, enjoying finally being able to be herself with someone.

Thor moved closer to her, sitting on the side of the bed, enjoying the feel of the unknown force that pulls them together. He reached out to run his fingers down her silky hair, reminding Aria of a part of herself she was still hiding from Thor. A part she still couldn't bring herself to reveal to him, her true identity being her last comfort cushion of safety. She knew deep down that she wouldn't be able to keep it hidden from Thor for much longer, not with the way she was starting to feel about him. The connection had been instant but the deep bond she felt had been created that day, when he'd scooped her up in his arms and taken her away from danger without a second thought.

Aria felt her cheeks flushing as she caught Thor's gaze with her own, the unperishing look of hunger lingered in his eyes.

"Why are you blushing? You weren't embarrassed when I first met you." Thor raised his eyebrow at her with a sly smile making Aria's insides twist and contort.

"That was because I thought I'd never see you again." Her tension eased as she started to feel relaxed within Thor's presence, a heavy feeling of lust hung in the air as their bodies gradually gravitated towards each other.

"While we are on the subject, when do we get to do that again?" His finger followed the curve of her Cupid's bow taking away all her coherent thoughts. Thor found her his weakness, he couldn't resist touching her. Desperate to get his hands on her properly.

"Erm, maybe when people stop trying to kill me." She giggled nervously while Thor licked his lips, looking down before his eyes met with her's again. That deep look of hunger burning more adamantly in his eyes than ever before. Something else flickered within them, something she recognised all too well, a look that was also mirrored in her own eyes the last time she was in the presence of the agent. Anger, deep unforgiving anger. 

"I will not allow anyone to hurt you again, not while you're with me." He closed the distance between them, taking her head within his hands. "And Aria, I am not letting you go now I have found you." 

"I don't think I want you to." Her lips parted, unable to contain the need any longer. She knew she didn't want him to let her go, she'd waited a lifetime to feel this with someone and now she had it she wasn't about to give it up. She allowed herself to open up to him although the thought of being weak completely terrified her.

[peterrparrkerr]

Zombie apocalypse au - read on ao3

*-*

Peter doesn't remember life before the virus. He was only five when everyone got sick.

He's seventeen now, and he's never set foot outside of the city. Well, outside of the tower.

There's a curfew -has been since the virus. Those who go into the city for supplies or to work the garden and tend to the livestock have to be inside by five every day.

Peter doesn't have a green thumb, nore does he have a way with animals. And he's got two left hands when it comes to weaponry. So he stays in the tower.

The tower used to be Stark Industries. When the outbreak hit New York, people locked themselves inside, tried to wait it out.

Peter had been with his aunt. She tells him they'd gone to get ice cream and bring some back to his parents.

Aunt May had ran into the closest building -Stark Industries- and had hidden in the basement with Peter. He doesn't remember.

Tony Stark -the owner of Stark Industries- had offered his penthouse to the few who had taken refuge in his building.

After a week, many of the workers left, off to find their families. They never came back.

A month passed, and scouts confirmed the virus had taken over the whole city. Stark tower was the only building the monsters couldn't get to.

So, it became home. Peter grew up running up and down the industrial hallways, playing with the golden retriever one of the hideaways had.

He didnt know anything different. Everyone took care of him, raised him. He was the only kid in the tower.

He might even be the youngest living being in all of New York at this point.

His favorite people to visit and hang out with were Steve and Bucky. They had been walking their new puppy Goldie when the world ended.

They had been married for ten years before. They celebrated their twenty year anniversary a couple years back. Goldie was almost eleven, and didn't like playing as much with Peter -though she still liked to sit with him in the living room when he tinkered with old tech.

Natasha and Clint worked on the ground, so Peter didn't see them much. They could fight a whole swarm of monsters and not get bit. They were the best.

Bruce and Aunt May tended to the garden under their watchful eye. Steve, Bucky and Sam took care of the livestock.

Its strange. The zombies leave animals alone. They only go after people.

Tony, Bucky and Clint go scouting a lot. They run the city, looking for any survivors, or anything the tower could use.

The tower is self-sufficient thanks to Tony's genius. He'd been working on making the entire tower self-sustaining even before the outbreak.

He's only managed to get the top three floors. The rest of the tower has no electricity or running water. That's fine though. Theres not many of them left, and three floors is plenty of space.

The living area is the penthouse. They eat, sleep and breathe there. The second floor down holds all of Tony's old tech, and projects in the works. The third floor down is the weapons and medicine floor.

Peter is on the second floor when the scouting party comes back. He only knows this because of the AI Tony created tells all three floors when people come or go.

Peter sets down his tools and rushes for the staircase. He sails down them and opens the door bodily, nearly falling flat on his face.

"You're back," Peter called, running down the short hallway to the ammunition room. Clint, Bucky and Tony are all unloading their haul and their weapons.

Clint's weapon of choice is a bow and arrow, as well as a long range rifle -he's the eyes, always taking out zombies before they get close enough to spot them.

Bucky is unloading his knives and pistols. Hes best at close combat.

Peter jumps onto the table, watching as Tony checks the magazine of his .9mm, then settle it back into the holster on his thigh.

"How was it," Peter asked, eyeing the two duffle bags on the table, surrounded by magazine clips and disassembled weaponry.

"We made it all the way to the hospital this time," Bucky grinned. Peter's eyes widened. They don't get to the hospital that often, since its clear on the other side of the city, and usually swarming with zombies.

They don't need to go on medical runs much anyway, but Tony likes to keep stocked in case.

"And we hit the motherload," Clint grinned, unzipping one of the bags and revealing canned food from vegetables to soup, the labels all sun bleached and color faded.

"Whoa." Peter reached in, pulling out an old Cambells can, looking at the faded red and white label. He can barely make out the words. "Tomato soup!"

"Thats not all," Bucky hummed. Peter looked up just as Bucky reached into his back pocket.

Peter sets the can down and his eyes widen when Bucky pulls out a deck of cards.

"No way!" Peter leaps off the table, snatching the cards.

"Its a full deck," Bucky grins proudly. Their current deck was a mix of two different cards, and cardboard and plastic pieces they'd drawn the suits and numbers on.

It made it hard to shuffle, and they all knew the suit and number of the makeshift cards. It made for a boring game.

Clint laughed and ruffled Peter's curls before grabbing the food and heading for the penthouse to restock their cupboards.

"Thanks, Bucky," Peter grinned, pulling the cards out of the brand new -but still sun faded- case. He's never seen cards this new before.

"Dont thank me, Tony's the one who spotted them," Bucky said, giving Peter a knowing grin before grabbing the medicine and heading for the medical wing.

Peter blushed, then turned to Tony -who wasn't there. He scowled and looked around in confusion. He didnt notice him leaving.

Peter quickly puts the cards back in the protective box and drops them into his cargo shorts pocket before running out of the room.

After raids, Tony usually likes to spend time with his old tech -projects he'll never be able to complete, in a workshop he'll probably never get rid of.

He finds Tony at one of the work benches, fiddling with something Peter -to this day- can't figure out what it is.

"Hey," Peter said, walking over to him and sitting down on the stool at the end of the bench. Tony glances up and gives a small smile.

"Thanks for the cards," Peter continued, picking at his nails and looking down at his lap. "Bucky said you got them for me."

"You're welcome, kid," Tony hummed, eyes focused on a project he'll never finish. Peter thinks it makes Tony feel better. Makes him feel like he's back to before the virus, when he was making things all the time and helping people.

All he's got now are old robots that break down more often than they run, and dust over most of the place he used to call home.

All Tony has is JARVIS and the others, but Peter sometimes gets the feeling that that sometimes isn't enough for Tony.

The two sit in silence for a while, Tony hard at work, and Peter deep in thought.

"Hey Tony?"

Tony hums.

"Whats it like dating?" Peter says it fast, worried he'll lose his nerve and chicken out. Tony stops his fiddling and looks over, raising an eyebrow.

"Are you asking for dating advice?" Tony asked. Peter can't meat his eyes when he nods and Tony sets his tools down. "Who's the lucky person you're crushing on? Anyone I know?"

"You know everyone I do, Tony," Peter huffs. Tony crosses his arms and smirks, amused. Peter hunches his shoulders.

"Who is it?" Tony asks.

Peter takes a deep breath. He's gotta just come right out and say it. If he doesn't, he'll never do it and then it'll be too late.

"You," he breathes. Its quiet. Peter's hands sweat. This was a bad idea.

"Pete," Tony sighs. Peter manages to look up. Tony looks pained, regretful. Its not the look Peter wanted to see. "I'm too old for you."

"So?" Peter finds himself asking.

"So, you should be dating people your own age."

"Do you know of any other seventeen year olds running around?" Peter asked, waving his hand around dejectedly.

"There's always a chance-"

"Please don't," Peter interrupts. "Please? Its been twelve years. No ones come looking for us, you haven't found anyone during your raids. Its just us."

Tony opens his mouth to speak, but Peter's on a roll now, and he can't stop even if he wanted to.

"And don't say to wait. I've been waiting. For all we know we're the last people on earth not a zombie, and I want- I want to have my first kiss before I'm forty."

"Peter-"

"I want to experience things," Peter continues, steamrolling over Tony. "I want to go outside, and I want to have a boyfriend and I want to have sex-"

"Kid-"

"Please, Tony," Peter said. "I like you, and- and I don't want to experience this with anyone else in the tower, and I don't want to wait for the point one percent chance of someone my age coming along."

"Listen, kid," Tony sighs.

"I'm not a kid anymore, Tony," Peter said, sounding desperate. He looks at Tony with wide eyes, begging for the older man to understand.

Tony -hell, everyone in the tower- had a life before the virus. They got to experience the world. Peter hadnt.

Its all he wanted. He wanted a normal life. A life he was robbed of. He's desperate for it.

Tony doesn't say anything. He looks at Peter, calculating. Peter sees his shoulders begin to slump, and finally he breaks. Peter feels a little giddy at the thought of getting his way, though he remains put.

"No," Tony said on a sigh. "I suppose you're not."

Peter doesn't know whatto say after that. He's made his case, there's nothing more to say.

"Its hard," Tony said after a while. "I still think of you as a kid. I still think you're ten."

Peter chews on his lower lip, head dipped down and shoulders hunched in on themselves.

"So you don't like me back?" He managed to ask, even as his tongue sticks to the roof of his mouth.

"Kid-" he sighs. "Peter."

Tony settles a hand on Peter's shoulder, and Peter looks up at him.

"I like you," he says. Peter feels himself beginning to smile and quickly clamps that down, biting his lip. "God knows this situation isn't ideal. This would've been bordering on illegal, before."

"If you're uncomfortable, I understand," Peter said. Tony shakes his head.

"Thats not what I'm saying, Pete."

Peter didn't know what he was saying then.

"If we're going to try this out, there's gotta be rules," Tony continued. Peter looked back up at him.

"First rule is there's no hiding it. If we're gonna date, everyone knows about it or its not happening."

"Okay," Peter nodded.

"And we're taking this slow," Tony adds. "Like, cold honey slow, got it?"

"Got it," Peter nodded. His smile is getting too wide to hide. Tony's hand squeezes his shoulder.

"Good."

He removes his hand from Peter's shoulder. He gives Peter a small smile back.

"Could- is kissing going too fast?" Peter asks. Tony's smile grows a little, and he shakes his head.

"No, its not too fast."

The older man leans forward and Peter eagerly closes the distance between them.

The kiss is close lipped, and their noses press against each other, but its perfect.

[thefreelanceangel]

Tagged: Getting To Know You

NAME: Crystle

NICKNAME: Angel / Pooka / "Oh god"

FACECLAIM:

PRONOUNS: She/her

HEIGHT: 5' 6.5" (YES THE HALF INCH IS IMPORTANT)

BIRTHDAY: December 9, 1983 (You're all toddlers to me.)

AESTHETIC: Morticia Addams' 8th Grade Lisa Frank Phase

LAST SONG YOU LISTENED TO: "Daze" - Poets of the Fall

FAVORITE MUSE(S) YOU'VE WRITTEN:

...oof... There's... a LOT of characters to sift through to answer this one...

I'll keep it fairly tame and limit it to JUST characters I've written for MMOs. (20+ years of RP both online and tabletop means I have written... a lot of characters... LOL)

Neverwinter Nights: Heathern Ferne is still one of my darlings. A dumb-as-rocks fighter with a heart of gold (and Chessi's first distant incarnation) she ended up becoming a competent fighter, learning some rogue tricks from the ninja she fell in love with, teaching him to view himself as a person instead of a disposable tool, having a child and overcoming some really impressive obstacles.

WoW: Zorayas, the draenei mage, was a spur of the moment character I ended up greatly enjoying because of just how gods damned seriously she took everything. A joke wasn't a joke, it was an offense. A mistake wasn't a mistake, it was a mistake. She was fiercely loyal, extremely suspicious of people who acted free and easy and determined to use her magic for the benefit of herself and the few people she cared about.

GW2: Capricia Vetrov, oh my darling how I love you. While her story never came to a complete conclusion, I've drawn my own mental end for it and honestly... ugh, my heart. My elementalist was vicious and hostile and sarcastic, lashed out at everyone, struck first before anyone could strike at her and had absolutely every reason to be so guarded and bitter. She's still one of my favorite characters, perhaps my absolute favorite, and maybe I'll get around to finishing that novella I started to give her a happy ending.

FFXIV: Having only played the game for about two years, I'd have to say my favorite RP With People character is C'allie Kyho, that outrageously confident, Certified 100% Trauma-Free™ miqo'te. C'allie is a bit of a chameleon, shifting the personality she displays depending on who she's engaging with and why, but I genuinely like the growth she's had and where her story currently is. My favorite character is Annalei d'Latu. I love that thrice-damned bitch. She's vicious and arrogant and brilliant and just downright nasty. I adore her.

--Getting to know the account

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO TAKE ON THIS MUSE:

C'allie Kyho was my first FFXIV character, made on a trial account just to see what the game was like. Anything with a bow tends to be fairly easy to learn in a new MMO, so I started her off in Gridania and built a vague story about her wanting to see the world and singing her way across it (for the BRD class.) The more I learned about the game's lore and the astounding flexibility of it, the more I started branching out with various characters that I used off and on, depending on who seemed to want what kind of story.

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE ASPECTS OF YOUR CURRENT MUSE:

C'allie Kyho: Being 100% Certified Trauma-Free™ and the fact that her arrogance isn't even arrogance; her self-esteem is just that unshakeable. (True fantasy roleplaying.)

Annalei d'Latu: The development of her marriage to Seifer d'Latu and the fact that she's a mortician, poses as a therapist and would happily bring another Calamity onto Eorzea if it meant more power for her.

Summer Bellmayne: Il Mheg (having an IC tie to it is just... -chef's kiss- dream come true) and the fact that a deranged romance novelist gets some fascinating reactions from people.

C'esti Kyho: Having a fairly stable Kyho (the tribe is very... interesting) with a skill I deeply admire (aerial hoop performances oh my god) who loves coffee as much as I do and who is actually... pretty normal?

Chessi Eder: She is my favorite punching bag, and it's legitimately sweet and heartbreaking seeing how she will absorb pain without question and then find absolute delight in the simplest things.

WHAT'S YOUR BIGGEST INSPIRATION WHEN IT COMES TO WRITING:

Reading, honestly. I just... cannot be bored, it's like physical agony for me (yay ADHD!) and since I'm lucky enough to have no problems comprehending language or typeface, I read CONSTANTLY. Like... if I'm not RPing or watching a movie, there is an ebook open on my phone or a physical book in my hand. I am almost always reading. [I average a book a day and yes, people who know me IRL can vouch for this.] So reading as much as I do and reading SO MANY THINGS means I'm constantly seeing ideas or plot threads or character traits or combinations of things that feed my own creative spark and make me eager to explore.

My biggest inspiration to write is because I just damn well love a good story and if I can make one happen in RP? Yessssssssss... GIMME.

FAVORITE TYPES OF THREADS:

Honestly, anything but lengthy combat threads with constant dice rolls. I don't mind combat as long as I'm writing with someone who can agree "we both take hits and if I win this fight, you win the next fight" but I get bored very very quickly when it's just a "roll... determine outcome of roll...post appropriate physical action...wait for a roll...wait to determine outcome of roll...wait for post of appropriate physical action..."

I'd almost rather just talk it out OOC, agree to who wins the fight and skip ahead to the aftermath.

Tagged: @bek-sc (Thanks hon!)

Tagging: @luck-and-larceny; @dumb-hat; @eorzeanstarlight; @kich-rp; @miqojak; @ketsuchikotetsu; @mirugaidoesthings; anyone who feels like it! [And feel free to skip the non-RP-related questions if you're not comfortable answering those. ^^]

[wilder-minded]

SFB Chapter 4

Read previous chapter.

Our school gave us a holiday every year for the few weeks that the Games were broadcasting, the Capitol deeming it of the utmost importance for most life to take pause. This meant that aside from the mines and some merchants, everyone was to take the time off to watch the torturous broadcast. As the daughter of the Mayor, I had been afforded the luxury of my father's library as a child, though stocked with Capitol-approved titles only. By now, I had read my way through all of the books I found interesting. I had loved helping our housekeeper tend to our small patch of flowers as a child, though I mostly occupied myself with reading or playing the piano.

On days like today when I had nothing to take up my time, I found myself on the piano bench playing my way through the keys in patterns that had become second nature over the years. My mother felt well enough to come downstairs and was perched in a chair by the window, wrapped in a blanket with her tea in hand. Some days, when the migraines hit especially hard, even the soft music from the piano was too much and I was confined to silence. But my mother always insists that she loves hearing me play, so I do today—for her.

Her eyes were focused on the life outside of the window, but I watched her quietly. Between my parents, I resembled my mother the most. We had the same wavy blonde hair and soft features, but my blue eyes came from my father. I had a distant memory of my mother mentioning to my father that I looked so much like Maysilee; a thought that put her in bed for three days after. I supposed I did after all, they were twins.

"I wonder how Emily is doing," she says softly, breaking the silence between us.

"Emily?" I respond, my fingers stilling on the piano keys as I try to place the name.

She nods wordlessly, her eyes still gazing through the window. "Her mother." It takes me a moment before I realize that she means Mrs. Everdeen. They must have been friends as children, I think. Mrs. Everdeen was the daughter of the apothecary in the district and grew up with the other merchant children. It made sense that they would have known each other.

"I'm not sure," I admit and she sighs sadly, her eyes finally moving from the window to the tea cup cradled in her hands.

"She must be..." she trails off, her voice wavering. "I can't imagine what she must be feeling." She's right, she can't. I was never at any real risk of being reaped, but neither was Prim. One slip of paper is all it takes, I supposed.

"I'm sure this is difficult on them. Katniss has been taking care of them since her father passed away," I tell her, moving from the piano bench to the chair beside her.

"Yes," she says thoughtfully. Her eyes meet mine finally and she gives me a soft, sad smile. I notice the dark circles under her eyes and the way her cheeks curve slightly in. The years of constant pain and dependency on morphling have taken their toll. No one really knew what happened to my mother, and my father once told me that the only relief she has had was the first few years of my life.

"Emily loved him so much," she confides, adjusting the blanket draped around her shoulders. "She heard him sing when we were young, and she never looked back."

"Were the two of you close?" I question, not used to my mother speaking of her past. This was something she had always kept to herself.

She sighs, her eyes gazing back out the window again. "She was our best friend as children." My mind pauses on 'our' before the realization that she means her sister. I nod without speaking, watching her quietly for a moment. I can see that she has retreated into her own mind, so I stand and lean over, kissing her cheek softly. I had always wished for a mother who was present. Frequently I would catch myself lost in a bitterness over what could have been, ashamed and guilty. My mother loved me, even if that didn't fit with my idea of how a mother should be.

I tried to busy myself with the housekeeper, assisting with odd jobs in the kitchen before an idea crossed my mind. I pulled a small satchel from the hall closet, filling it with various items from our pantry. As I turned to walk toward the front door, I noticed my mother watching me from a doorway with a small book in her hands. I recognized it, a poetry book with a songbird drawn on the cover. It sat untouched on our bookshelf for years. I had once tried to touch it, and that had been the only time my mother had raised her voice at me.

"Will you give this to her?" she asks, holding the book out to me as I walk closer. I don't need to ask who; she already knows where I'm going.

I nod, smiling softly as I take it from her and tuck it into a safe pocket of the satchel. "Of course, I will," I promise as she reaches out, rubbing my shoulder gently before disappearing up the stairs.

I slip out of the front door and start down the stone road toward the Seam. I pass silently through the alleys lined with merchant shops; the streets much quieter than they would normally be this late in the morning. Once I reached the Seam, I tried to navigate the dirt paths by vague memory and when I reached the small shack with a goat contained in a small pen at the side, I knew I had found my destination. I had remembered Katniss mentioning the goat her sister doted on a few times during school.

I had barely knocked on the door once when it opened, and Prim's small face peaked out with a small smile. "Madge?" she asked, the door opening more. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see your mother, can I come in?" I ask and she nods, letting me slip in beside her. It isn't until I turn to close the door that I see the eyes watching me from behind curtains across the street. I was used to it by now, but I could only guess that they were not used to seeing someone like me in their neighborhood.

Mrs. Everdeen stood over a wash tub; her arms wet up to the elbows as she worked over some clothes. Their small one room home had the few windows open to let the summer breeze pass through, the small television playing quietly in the back corner. "Miss Undersee, is everything alright?" she asks, using a towel tucked into her belt to dry off her hands as she comes around the table toward me.

I nod reassuringly, my fingers pulling the satchel from my shoulder. "I wanted to bring some things by for you, we have far more than we need..." I say, trailing off as she helps me lift it onto the table. I reach in, pulling out the small book.

I run my thumb along the binding before holding it out for Mrs. Everdeen. "My mother wanted me to give this to you," I tell her, watching her eye fix on the cover. As she takes it from my hands, her fingers brush along the edges of the drawing on the cover. I see the creases in the corner of her eye deepen before she shakes her head, blinking quickly.

"This was her sister's," she says quietly, suddenly grabbing my hand. "Tell her I said thank you?" I nodded in agreement, noticing the tears in her eyes—eyes that looked similar to my own.

"Of course," I promised, both of my hands gripping hers. If she had been close with my aunt, I realized that Katniss wasn't the first person that the Games had taken from her. We let go and she moved to place the book on a small shelf with a beautiful tea set.

"Would you like to stay for a while?" Mrs. Everdeen asked, gesturing toward where Prim was curled up by the tv on a small chair. "I'm just getting some things done, but I'm sure she'd enjoy the company."

I accept the offer, taking a spot in a chair beside Prim. As she filled me in on what had happened that morning, I noticed a cat slink in from the open window. He automatically strode over, weaving himself between Prim's legs before she scooped him up in her arms. "What's his name?" I ask, reaching over to scratch the top of his head. He seems to like this, giving me a small purr as Prim strokes down his back.

"Buttercup, I've had him since he was a kitten. Katniss hates him, but she let me keep him," she says proudly as the cat jumps down, fixing the tousled fur on his back end. "My goat's name is Lady."

"I love that," I smile and I see her eyes light up for the first time since I had arrived. Nearly everyone loved Prim, and it was easy to see her gentle nature even just in passing. It was easy to see why Katniss took her place; Prim would have no chance in that arena.

I listened as Prim told me about all of the animals she had attempted to keep as pets, her mother chuckling behind us at the memories, when there was a knock at the door. It swung open and Gale stepped in, his game bag hanging heavy at his hip. He and Mrs. Everdeen immediately get to work sorting through the game and herbs that he brought for her, and it's a few moments before he notices Prim and I across the room.

"Hey, Prim," he says, his smile warm toward her. "Undersee," he nods toward me, though I notice that his smile lingers for just a moment.

"Hawthorne," I return the greeting, Buttercup now weaving himself between my legs.

"I didn't think he liked anyone but Prim," he comments, gesturing at the cat as he pulls over a chair beside Prim.

"He likes people who like him," she retorts, her tone with a slight teasing edge. He chuckles and reaches over to mess up her hair.

"He's only useful for keeping the rats away," he shrugs, his eyes meeting mine for a moment before he looks at the television. The cat turns back to look at him, giving him a half-assed hiss almost on cue before stalking off. "So what's new?" he asks as he rests his elbows on his knees, nodding his head toward the tv.

Prim shrugs, playing with the end of one of her braids. "She was hiding in a tree for most of the morning. The career pack killed a girl right by her and I was scared that they would find her, but they didn't. And... Peeta is with them... the career pack," she tells him, her voice quieter.

"Why would he do that?" he says bitterly, a crease forming between his brows. Prim just shrugs and I say nothing. I am perplexed by this as well as I think back to the gentle boy I had crossed paths with occasionally. He definitely was no Career tribute. Then a thought occurs to me; he might be trying to protect her.

"She's hunting now, but I don't think she's found water yet," Prim finishes and I notice the cat has perched himself at her feet yet again.

"She will, she knows what she's doing more than anyone else in there," he reassures her and Prim gives him a small smile in return.

"This is the most ideal arena she could have hoped for," I chime in and they both nod in agreement. The arena looked so much like the hills surrounding our district. We settle into silence, watching the Games with occasional comments. An hour passed before Gale got up to leave, refusing the trade Mrs. Everdeen tried to give him.

"When do you start?" she questions, finally convincing him to take a salve for his mother's hands that she had made.

"The week after next," he tells her and I think back to our conversation the day before. "I'll try to get ahead on hunting so both families are okay." She thanks him, and his eyes meet mine as I give him a small, sad smile. He disappears out the door, game bag in tow before Prim and I turn back to the screen demanding our attention.

[frozenartscapes]

Do you have any Frozen Superhero AU ideas? I don't think I've seen any on your blog but you seem good at AUs and I was curious what you might have.

I actually started a Superhero AU like, years ago but I hit a dead end with it. Looking back, it’s kinda your typical cliche superhero origin story. I don’t think I’ll ever finish it.

But what I did enjoy about it was that Elsa, the one who becomes a superhero, didn’t start with her powers. She was normal, working as an environmental scientist, who comes in contact with a supernatural comet made completely out of ice that doesn’t melt. She studies it for a few years, and then one day it just kinda...explodes. And very much like what happened to Captain Marvel, Elsa absorbs all that energy and gains her icy powers.

It starts with her feeling progressively colder, like she’s stuck in a freezer she can’t get out of. Then she changes. Appearance-wise. I had her originally with her non-magic look with brown hair, hazel eyes, etc. But then as the powers slowly settle in, they start to change her appearance to the Elsa we all know and love with that near-white blonde hair and blue eyes. And needless to say, she kinda freaks out about it. Anna also doesn’t really help the situation, largely because she’s too much of a nerd freaking out about getting a superhero for a sister.

I’d be happy to share that scene. I still don’t think I’ll ever post the full story but honestly this scene was why I started writing it in the first place. So here it is, under the cut:

When Elsa reached her bedroom, she wasted no time changing into more comfortable clothes before flopping face-first onto her bed. She had suddenly felt a wave of exhaustion, and the bed felt so nice and soft underneath her that she began to drift off right away.

Then she shivered. It was a little cold in her room, seeing as Anna liked to blast the A/C in the summer months. With a small groan, she shifted so that she was partially covered by her sheets and comforter.

Just as she was about to fall asleep again, another much more violent shiver tore through her body. This time she buried herself in her bed, but she still felt uncomfortably cold. She reluctantly got up and staggered over to her closet, where there were a few spare blankets. She chose a thin knitted one, believing it would be enough seeing as it was summer and being cold now of all times was a bit ridiculous.

The blanket was not enough, and with an annoyed grumble she got up again and grabbed another blanket. This ritual continued for about twenty minutes. At one point she paused to throw on a thick wool sweater and socks, along with her warmest sweatpants. She curled up in a tight ball under a mountain of soft, warm fabric but still found herself shivering as if she was trapped outside in a blizzard.

Eventually, she rolled out of bed, temporarily giving up on sleep, and decided to go in search of the thermostat. She selected the softest, biggest and thickest blanket she owned and wrapped it around herself before heading out the door.

Downstairs, Gerda was busy making dinner for the girls while Anna was watching television. She left during commercials and walked into the kitchen to grab a soda from the fridge. “So she really wants to go back to work so soon after that incident?” Gerda wondered.

“Yeah, she’s kind of nuts,” Anna sighed with a shrug, “She has a terrible fear of ice because of one stupid accident that happened years ago, but she nearly gets herself blown up and it doesn’t even faze her. Go figure.”

They then heard someone coming down the stairs, and since Kai was in another room on the main floor, they knew who it was. Anna, still with her head in the fridge, could hear her sister coming, so she greeted, “Hey, Sleeping Beauty! How was your–”

She straightened up and closed the fridge door, revealing a very cold looking Elsa. “…nap? Um, you ok?” she asked uncertainly.

Elsa glared at her. “It’s f…freezing in here,” she stated coolly.

Anna quickly glanced down at what she was wearing herself: shorts and a tank top. She felt perfectly comfortable in it, too. “I think that’s a problem only you seem to be having, Els,” she told her shivering sister.

“Great,” Elsa said sarcastically. She then shuffled into the family room and flicked on the gas fireplace before plunking down in the chair closest to it. Anna and Gerda both watched in confusion as she wrapped herself up even more in her blanket and continued shivering.

“I’ll make her some tea,” Gerda suggested in a whisper. She then quickly went on to her task.

Anna slowly made her way back to her spot on the couch, and sat down. She no longer focused on the T.V., but instead stared at her sister. Elsa did not seem to notice, and if she had, she did not care. She was too busy trying to get warm again.

Anna was in deep thought. Her eyes then flicked down at one of her notebooks resting on the table, and suddenly an idea came to her. She discreetly reached for it and a pencil, and flipped it open to a page where she had drawn a rather complex flowchart.

“Hey, Elsa?” she asked carefully, “I was just wondering if, you know, you ever thought about superheroes?”

“Wh…what kind of qu…question is that?” Elsa shot back through chattering teeth.

“Well, I don’t know…” Anna said slowly, wincing slightly as she put forth the possibility, “Maybe because you’re about to become one?”

At this, Elsa cast her a look. “Anna, s…superheroes and superp…powers, don’t exist,” she stated dryly, “You w…watch too many m…movies.”

“Yeah, I do, and I read a lot of comic books, and here’s the thing: I made a flowchart a while back that is basically the formula, like, every superhero story uses as an origin for their heroes. And I hate to break it to you, but you’ve pretty much struck every nail on the head so far.”

“Oh r…really?” Elsa questioned with an eyebrow raised.

“Yep. Here, I’ll prove it,” Anna said confidently before looking down at her book, “Let’s see… You weren’t born with your power, which means you had to gain it. And so out of the different ways you could have gained it… Ah, here we go: lab accident.”

“Anna, just because I–”

“Ah! No interrupting! Now, in the lab, were you working with any of the following: something from space? Yes. Something radioactive? Yes. Something with strange properties that don’t normally exist in the physical world? Yes. See my point so far?”

“Superpowers aren’t real,” Elsa repeated in annoyance.

Anna continued, choosing to ignore that comment. “And when the accident happened, it did so in a way that left people wondering how you were even able to survive in the first place… Interesting, isn’t it, sis?”

Elsa rolled her eyes. “I’m not getting superpowers, Anna,” she stated firmly, “If anything, I’ve probably got some sort of radiation poisoning…” She paused for a moment before the full weight of that statement struck her. “Oh God, I probably have some sort of radiation poisoning!”

“Relax, Elsa, this is just the stage when your powers begin to manifest. Every superhero goes through this. You’ll be fine,” Anna said nonchalantly.

“Fine?” Elsa demanded, “I’m not going to be fine! Look at me! I’m freezing in the middle of June! This has to have something to do with being exposed to the energy that comet released when it exploded!”

“Well, duh! That’s part of the chart, too! ‘Are the powers related to whatever it was one was working with in the lab?’ You were working with weird space ice, and now you’re suddenly really cold. Coincidence, I think not!”

“Anna, this isn’t a game!”

“Of course it’s not, this is awesome! Now, are you experiencing any physical changes to appearance?” Anna studied her increasingly worried-looking sister. “You’re paler than normal.”

“Wh– Of course I am!” Elsa sputtered, “I’m about to have a panic attack here and you keep going on about superheroes? Besides, my complexion should be the least of my worries!”

Anna’s eyes suddenly widened. “Uh, yeah, you’re right,” she said blankly, “Worry about your hair instead.”

Elsa gave her another confused and annoyed glare. “I don’t really care so much about how I look at this moment, Anna!”

“Oh, I think you should.”

With an eye roll, Elsa reached for her long braid and brought it over her shoulder to see what her sister was going on about. Her eyes suddenly bulged and her jaw dropped open in shock as she stared at what should be pure, dark brown hair, which was now dark brown with white-blonde streaks running through it. She even had the luck of watching another chunk of hair suddenly turn white – from root to tip as if the platinum was a dye flowing out of her head.

“What?” she gasped.

“Um, I hate to alarm you, but your eyes are doing it, too,” Anna said nervously.

“What?” Elsa exclaimed. She leapt out of the chair and raced to the nearest bathroom. She got there just in time to watch the last of the brown be consumed by the off-white colour. Then her hazel eyes, which suddenly seemed more green than amber, changed hues completely and became a striking, sapphire blue.

“Anna!” she called in a strangled voice, “G…get in the car, now! We…we have to go to the hospital.”

“Whoa, Elsa! Look at you!” Anna gasped when she spotted her sister, “You look good as a blonde.”

“Just stop talking,” Elsa commanded as she staggered out of the bathroom and headed for the front foyer.

“Just what are you two going on about?” Gerda sighed as she came into view, “Oh my word… Elsa, what…happened, dear?”

Elsa wrapped her arms around herself. “I…I don’t know, but I think I should go to Emerge…now.”

“Alright, dear, alright,” the maid said as calmly as she could, “I’ll get Kai to take you. Kai!” The butler appeared and gasped when he saw his young charge’s new appearance. “We need to take Elsa to the hospital,” Gerda ordered.

He nodded, but before he could head off, Anna said loudly, “Would everyone calm down! There’s no need to take her to the hospital! Besides, comic book history sort of shows that doctors are normally worse than useless when it comes to superpowers.”

“Enough, Anna…” Elsa muttered as a warning as she made her way to the door.

“What on earth are you talking about?” Gerda demanded Anna.

Anna took a deep breath, and explained as quickly as she could, “Elsa doesn’t believe me, but I’m convinced that she’s getting superpowers because she meets all the requirements to do so. She just had a lab accident with something weird and radioactive from outer space, she survived something that would normally kill a person, she has been developing weird symptoms all relating back to the thing she was studying in the lab–”

Elsa, at this point, was done hearing Anna’s ramblings about nonsense. She was scared, and annoyed, and cold, and feeling something really weird swirling around in her head, heart and gut. “I said enough!” she yelled angrily. She whipped around and swung one arm out in a finalizing action, hoping that it would shut her sister up.

It did much more than that. She barely registered what was happening when something flew out of her hand when she swung it in front of her. There were audible gasps from Gerda, Kai, and Anna, along with a sound that reminded her of ice crackling and glass breaking. And suddenly she was staring at a strange, very sharp-looking formation of glowing ice just feet in front of her.

The silence that followed was broken by Anna: “…And that. She can also do that.”

[cayleyshortstories]

The Oculus

Written by Joshua Tesoro & Illustrated by Bastin Agustines

Itadori Zoldyck spends his weekends in a small apartment playing video games all day. He can make his life "better," but he does not have the opportunity to demonstrate it. He excels at coding and technology in general. He made tons of inventions when he was still a kid and his parents always supported him, but he felt hopeless when they died. He lost both of his parents when he was very young, and he had to work a variety of jobs just to keep up with the bills and provide shelter for himself. Except for his goofy best friend Feitan Portor, he doesn't really have anyone. Despite his circumstance, he idolized Franklin Stark, the brilliant billionaire and CEO of the well-known tech firm Stark Industries. His friend invited him to a Stark Industries tech expo one day, and when Itadori learned that Franklin would be there, he agreed right away. Normally, he would refuse to attend any events, but this time, his idol, Franklin Stark, had approved it.

Itadori and Feitan were astounded by the technology and inventions they saw on the day of the expo. Jetpacks and flying cars were among the inventions that were being developed. The entire area has a futuristic vibe to it. Itadori was curious if he could make similar inventions, or if he could improve them. “You can make inventions like this, you know; I know you can because you're a genius in this field,” Feitan said suddenly to Itadori. “It's all this computer nerd stuff.” “Do you really believe that?” Itadori asked. I don't know how long it's been since my parents died; I've lost faith in myself and haven't had the chance to demonstrate my abilities to anyone.” “Well, you can begin by doing something you think is fantastic, and never forget to believe in yourself. You know how proud your parents were of you and all the things you've created.” Feitan remarked. Itadori smiled, knowing that his friend was always joking around, but he would always be there for him.

They were walking around the tech expo when Itadori realized he couldn't find his friend Feitan. He immediately dialed his phone number, but no one answered. He was searching for his friend when he noticed him passing through the restricted area. It was a small room with a large door in the center. He pursued him in an attempt to stop his friend. “What are you doing?” he exclaimed. You'll be discovered, and we'll be kicked out of the expo. You know how much I've wanted to meet Franklin for a long time.” “I'm sorry, I was just curious, you know, what kind of technology they were developing in this area,” she explained. Feitan replied. Aren't you a little intrigued? Let's take a quick look and then get out of here.” Feitan knew from Itadori's expression that he wasn't convinced and that his friend would drag them out, but then the big door opened and someone came running in the opposite direction. They had no choice but to enter the restricted area.

When they walked into the room, they noticed a large white circular portal. There were a lot of people watching and taking notes. What was that for, Itadori wondered. Itadori knew the portal was a portal to somewhere when it suddenly released a large blue energy and became active, but he didn't know where. He suspected it led to another dimension, but he wasn't sure if it was possible with today's technology. They were simply observing the scientists present when the portal abruptly shut down, sending a small shockwave through the room that knocked them to the ground. Itadori and Fetitan were also knocked out, and when they awoke, they were surrounded by guards with guns drawn. “What are you doing here?!,” one of the guards exclaimed. Aren't you aware that this is a restricted area? This is a government-approved top-secret experiment. You are not permitted to enter. Both of you should be arrested right now!” Itadori was taken aback and apprehensive at the same time. He was under pressure to figure out a way to get out of this situation, or he and his friend would be arrested and imprisoned, or worse, killed by one of the guards. He suddenly came up with a plan to save himself and his friend. The only way to save Feitan in his mind is for him to say, "I know how to fix the portal you're working on here. I am the best in my school and I also have a masters in Computer Science and Electrical Engineering." Suddenly, a well-dressed young man enters the room and says, “Let's give this boy a chance, shall we? He’ll be imprisoned if he’s bluffing.” Because of this young man, the rest of the room fell silent. Franklin Stark, the CEO of Stark Industries, was the one who made the announcement.

Itadori was so shocked and happy when he saw his idol. So shocked that he couldn’t move for a second. “So, show us what you got, kid. To help you, I’ll explain what we're doing here. That portal leads to another dimension, not to mention an advanced one. It’s so advanced that the technology there can either destroy our world or lead it into a new era. We tried so many tests, but the problem was not activating the portal, but rather sustaining it while someone was still inside. There has been a test where one of our employees was stuck there. Her name is Lucy Smith. She was our lead scientist and as I’ve mentioned our problem is to make the portal stay open long enough for us to get in and out safely. We tried everything to save the scientist but as you can see, we have no way of contacting her and we can’t go through the portal because of the problem.”, said Franklin. “So, kid, show me what you've got. “Assist us in saving this man and possibly dozens of others who could benefit from the technology from another dimension,” he added. Itadori was under pressure because he didn't know what to do at first, but now that he knew about the portal, he knew what to do. Using his technological skills and knowledge. He created a program to handle the massive amounts of energy and a power source to keep the portal running long enough for them to enter and exit to the other dimension. Franklin was blown away by Itadori's abilities. He was so taken aback that he told him, "Not bad, kid." Do you want to be a part of my team? You have a lot of potential to follow in my footsteps as a successful inventor.” Itadori felt relieved when he heard those words because he had accomplished his goal. He was the one who did it. Franklin's words had a similar effect on him. “All right, let's put it to the test, shall we?” Franklin said, "You two are going to the other dimension with me." When they heard what Franklin said, both of the teenagers were taken aback. “What are you saying?” Itadori exclaimed. We're just regular teenagers, you know. We are unable to travel to another dimension. “Don't you have anyone to help you with this?” “Look, kid, you've got a gift. Don't settle for anything less than the best. You have tremendous potential, and I want to take you to the other dimension with me so that we can develop technologies that will benefit humanity. Furthermore, this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance. Franklin responded, "Would you really waste it?" Feitan eventually persuaded his friend to travel to the other dimension. Franklin put together a team that included himself, Feitan, and Itadori. They'll have two more people monitoring the portal to see how much time they have before the power source needs to be recharged. “See you on the other side, my friend,” Feitan said as he entered the portal. Itadori grinned and greeted Feitan with a smile. They saw a large white light after entering the portal and were astounded by what they saw. It was truly a futuristic metropolis. There are flying cars everywhere, and even the trains are floating. Humanoid robots were seen casually assisting the people around them. They ventured deeper into the city in the hopes of uncovering information about Lucy's whereabouts. So far, they've relied solely on advanced technologies to locate Lucy. There is a device that allows you to view the security cameras installed throughout the building. You can even identify the individual who was caught on camera. However, after receiving the device, Itadori noticed a mysterious woman staring at them. She fled after attempting to confront the woman. They were chasing the woman down a small alley when they were suddenly approached by some evil humanoid robots who attempted to hit them. They were about to be cornered when the woman they were chasing suddenly assisted them in stopping the humanoid robot by temporarily disabling it.

Itadori then inquired as to the identity of the woman, to which she replied, "I am Lucy Smith, and I thought you were one of the guys chasing me." When I saw Mr. Franklin here, I immediately returned.” “We've come to gather some data to aid in the development of technology for our world, and, of course, to save you,” Franklin explained. Lucy explained that she is attempting to hide from the people present because they are aware that he is from another dimension. Lucy added, "They call themselves the Eternals." Lucy explained that they live in an advanced civilization where there are no wars or suffering, and only one government. She didn't say anything about stealing a valuable piece of technology from them, the Oculus. The Oculus is a cube of pure energy capable of destroying an entire world. Lucy isn't really a bad guy; she wants to use the cube to generate an infinite amount of energy that will benefit the entire world. Many people in the other dimension will suffer, however, because when the oculus leaves the other dimension, it will unleash a powerful shock wave that will destroy the entire dimension and its inhabitants. When they were about to leave the other dimension, Itadori noticed a glowing blue light from the bag. He immediately approached Lucy and asked what it was. Lucy, having been exposed, tried to talk it out but Feitan was skeptical about it. He told Itadori and Franklin that she was up to no good. After hearing this, Franklin approached Lucy and asked her to give her the bag. She refused. After that, Franklin became suspicious of Lucy as well and tried to take the bag from her. When Lucy noticed Franklin was becoming suspicious, she dashed to the portal. The three of them chased her down, but just as Itadori was about to catch up to her, she threw a grenade at him, knocking him down. When Feitan realized what had happened, he immediately called Franklin and told him to save Itadori and enter the portal. He intended to take Lucy on by himself. Someone grabbed Lucy's feet as she approached the portal, preventing her from passing through. Feitan was the culprit. Feitan tried everything he could to keep Lucy away from the portal so Franklin could get Itadori to safety. Franklin was well aware that Feitan would put his life on the line for his best friend. That was crystal clear to him. Franklin entered the portal just as it was about to close. Lucy escaped Feitan's clutches and kicked him away, allowing her to pass through the portal as well. The other dimension, along with Feitan and his companions, exploded when the cube exited the other dimension. After the three of them escaped through the portal, Franklin confronted Lucy and asked what had happened. The other dimension was destroyed as a result of the cube, Lucy explained. She continued, "When the cube exits the other dimension, it will unleash a massive shock wave that will destroy everything in its path." Franklin couldn't believe Feitan, along with the other inhabitants of the alternate dimension, had died. Feitan was supposed to be trapped in another dimension, but he is actually dead. He was concerned about Itadori's reaction to his best friend's death. He had no idea Itadori had heard everything; he was unable to move due to the grenade's damage. He was furious with himself because he believed it was his fault that Feitan had to make the sacrifice. Franklin questioned Lucy about why she had done it. “It was for our world,” Lucy explained, “because this cube has unlimited energy and can develop futuristic technologies.” Even if it means killing dozens of people in the process, I would gladly do it. There can be no victory without sacrifice.” Itadori was enraged when he learned of this. What Lucy said disgusted him greatly. “Don't you dare make my best friend's life seem insignificant!” he exclaimed. Not to mention the billions of people you've murdered!” Given his circumstances, Franklin was surprised to learn that Itadori can communicate. Lucy smirked and giggled as she heard Itadori's words. Itadori used all of his remaining strength to stand

up when he heard her laugh. He inquired about Lucy's plans. “Fine, I'll tell you about my cube plans,” she replied. I'll construct a power container to store the cube's energy and use it to develop technologies that will make me one of the world's greatest scientists, capable of assisting dozens of people all over the world. Don't you see what I'm talking about? This cube is going to save the world! Itadori and Franklin attempted to fight her, but she possesses a device that allows her to easily knock people out. She was able to flee. Itadori and Franklin stood up and talked about what had happened. Itadori told Franklin about how much of a good friend Feitan was. He was furious with himself for being so frail in the other dimension. Franklin cheered him up by telling him that he was not to blame. He also needs to stop Lucy if he doesn't want his friend's death to be in vain. It was Itadori's mission to stop Lucy when he realized this. He was the only one with the knowledge to stop Lucy’s plan so Franklin went to him for help. He went to Stark Industries right away and used their technology to find Lucy. They eventually found Lucy after hours of searching and devised a strategy to apprehend her. Because they don't know much about the Oculus and only know that it's dangerous, Itadori devised a strategy to prevent Lucy from using it. Lucy was in a Stark Industries facility that had been abandoned, but some of the technology and cameras were still operational. Itadori first devised a method of hacking into the facility so that Lucy would be unaware of their presence. Franklin and Itadori discussed what they would do to Lucy once they had stopped her on their way to her. For a while, Itadori remained silent. “As much as I hate her for killing my friend, I can't kill her,” he said suddenly. I don't want to do it. Perhaps there is still a way to persuade her that what she is doing is wrong. So, Mr. Franklin, here's the deal. When we arrive at the facility, I'd like you to leave me alone with her. Stay in the plane and keep an eye on us. If everything else fails, press this button. When Lucy said she was going to build a power container for the Oculus, I knew I had to do something about it, so I built this device that can hack into any device. It will be able to stop Lucy's plan once you press that button.” Franklin was surprised to learn that Itadori had already devised a plan to stop Lucy, but he was determined to persuade her. Franklin stayed on the plane after arriving at the facility, as Itadori had requested.

Itadori and Lucy finally confronted each other. Lucy was taken aback when she saw Itadori approaching her from across the hall. Lucy stated, "You've got skills kid, I'll give you that." “Are you here to put a stop to it? I could kill you right now, but I've decided against it because you have potential. I don't want to squander it. As a result, I'll make you an offer. Join me, and together we can make a difference in the world. “Are you sure you don't want that?” “Lucy, I know we haven't spent much time together, but from what I've seen of you in the short time we've interacted, I know you are a good person,” Itadori replied. You want to help others, but your methods are ineffective. It is not worth it to put other people's lives on the line for the sake of progress. You have the ability to change the world, but this isn't the way to do it.” Lucy was taken aback by Itadori's continued attempts to save her. She immediately remembered her past, recalling how she had been bullied as a child, but that someone had helped her and believed in her. “Don't worry about them; they're just envious of your abilities,” said the person. Don't let anyone put you down because you have the ability to change the world.” She realized all the mistakes she had made after recalling this. “You're right, Itadori, what have I done?” she exclaimed. All I wanted was for the good of the world because I want to make it a better place. When I was a kid, someone believed in me, but will he be proud of me now that he knows what I've accomplished?” After saying this, a massive explosion erupted from the cube. “It is not too late to save other people,” Itadori told her. “Assist me in putting a stop to this.” Lucy knew there was no stopping the cube now, and the power container couldn't handle it, which Itadori didn't know. There was only one thing she could think of as a solution. She instructed Itadori to hack into the Stark Industries mainframe. She only said that so Itadori could flee for his life. She intends to make a self-sacrifice in order to stop the cube and undo everything she has done. She then called Franklin to warn him to stay away from the facility and to offer her body to be mixed with the cube. She can control the cube to some extent with this. Then there was a massive blue explosion. Itadori and Franklin had escaped harm's way. Itadori tried to go to Lucy's location after realizing what had happened, but his wounds from the grenade were still present, and he was knocked out due to the shock. Itadori awakens in a white room where Franklin has been waiting for him. Itadori tried to stand up because he remembered what had happened and felt guilty for not being able to help Lucy. “It wasn't your fault, Itadori; in fact, you were the one who made Lucy realize what she had done and she changed her ways,” Franklin said. She gave up her life for the sake of humanity.” Lucy's need to sacrifice herself made Itadori a little sad. “You fool, stop moping around. “After you're completely healed, you've got a lot of things to do,” a rambunctious adolescent said. When Itadori heard the teenager's voice, he was both pleased and surprised. Feitan was the culprit. Everything Lucy had done had been restored. Everyone in the alternate dimension was also alive. The reason why the other dimension exploded when the Oculus left the dimension is because they needed the energy to keep the balance. When Lucy mixed her DNA with the cube, she had restored the other dimension along with all the people that were killed because of the cube. When she was in the other dimension, she saw Feitan and at first, Feitan didn't remember what happened. He tried to fight Lucy but when Lucy explained everything to him, he immediately helped her to bring the Oculus back to its original place. They encountered the authorities in the other dimension, and Feitan tried to explain Lucy’s side and what had happened. After this, the authorities took the cube and Lucy was still punished because she stole the cube from the other dimension. She had already accepted this and was ready to

sacrifice herself for the peace of everyone. Feitan helped the people in the other dimension to restore what had been lost. In return, they taught Feitan their technology and how to utilize it. Following that, Franklin sought the help of Itadori and Feitan to study the cube and develop other technologies that would benefit the world.

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ILLUSTRATION EXPLANATION:

This is the analysis and appreciation for the short story titled "The Oculus". It shows two people in front of a portal looking at a futuristic city with floating cars, trains, buildings, and a large tower with a blue light-emitting from it. The two people near the portal are the two main characters Itadori and Feitan. This image shows the scene in which they traveled to the other dimension in search of the assistant of Mr. Stark which is Lucy Smith. She is hinted from the many digital screens with the silhouette of a wanted person who came from another dimension. The illustration also shows that the dimension they traveled to is more advanced than theirs and that it has many technological advancements that they could learn from. The tower at the back is where the oculus is kept. It can be a kind of foreshadowing because the thing inside that tower is crucial to the progression of the story. This image shows the characters, setting, and the main plot points of the story whilst not revealing the plot itself.

[mrm64]

hello! i know it's a bad idea to engage in any shipping discourse but for the sake of constructive criticism, i asked an sns shipper if she thinks there's atleast potential in ss if ever sakura had that capacity to stand up to sasuke and if she wasn't as much fixated on him during shipuuden and the war arc. i even brought up the wasted opportunity of sasuke vs sakura that was shown in the game. the sns shipper gave a very structured and well-versed answer and i do agree with some of her points. i'm not even anti-sns and i understand the support this ship gets. but this person really hates sakura. so her answer to my question if ss has potential is straight up NO. hate is an understatement. she explicitly said she DETESTS sakura and ss xD. granted, her hatred is valid since sakura's writing is very flawed and inconsistent. what i didn't like was when she said why am i trying to change sakura's personality (her standing up to sasuke whether physically or verbally) when "she's constantly on heat when he's around". gosh, i really wanted to retaliate here and say it's called freakin character development. i mean, that's what she's mainly hated for right? the fact that she's obsessed and a pushover when it comes to sasuke. having that change especially during the war arc doesn't mean she's out of character, it means development. but gah, sakura haters are really hard to argue with so i just stayed silent.

to briefly summarize, her main point of argumentation is that sakura was toxic to both naruto and sasuke. sasuke's relationship with naruto is more defined than whatever he had with sakura. she brought up ss's pt.1 moments and said that sasuke would do the same to naruto, if not even better. as for naruto's case, sakura was a mean bitch and was so unfair to him throughout the series. simply put, even if sns has questionable elements, they are more organic and healthy than sasusaku.

this got me thinking. between sasunarusasu and sasusaku, despite both having toxic elements, i think the reason why there are relatively more sns shippers is because there's balance. compared to sakura, sasuke has shown more consideration towards naruto and we all know naruto cares for sasuke just as much and he isn't afraid to stand up to this guy.

idk what i'm even trying to ask here. i guess i'm just ranting lol. i've always seen your comments in youtube vids defending sakura and ss and i know you have an extensive knowledge of the naruto manga in general. you could only imagine how shocked i am when i found out you're a male. it's really rare to find someone like you. :)

anyways, i just feel so disappointed and pressed lmao. ss shippers couldn't catch a break from haters. like yea, some of us know it has shit writing in the canon and explanations regarding their relationship in the series is very limited. i already accepted the fact that they are underdeveloped and was borderline toxic. but then, between kishimoto's pitiful inability to write female characters properly and SP's biased treatment towards sasusaku plus the manga's main narrative focusing on naruto and sasuke, i just feel like it's kinda unfair for antis to shit on ss shippers when in reality, most of us just hold onto it because of nostalgia. most sasusaku shippers came to be when they were very young. i even found comments saying they started shipping them when they were 6 or 7. in my case, i was 12 lol.

it's kinda unfair since sns has the upperhand bcoz the series is mainly about them. naruhina has retcons and SP and what does ss have? small pt.1 moments, headcanons, fanons and to top it off SP's biased ass shitting on it. the ss fandom isn't perfect and has its fair share of immature stans as well, but i'm still glad that didn't stop authors and artists from making content. ss has got some of the best fanfictions, fanarts and doujinshis. i just wished antis won't attack them as much.

anyways, i'm not even asking a specific question. i just ranted. i just needed to get this out of my system. sorry for that 😅

Hey! It's been a long while since I got asks like this lol! Once tumblr went all anti-nsfw a few years ago, we all kinda migrated to Twitter for our SS/Anime cravings tbh but I'm glad and flattered you decided to ask me on my thoughts! :)

I won't write long as again, tbh, I'm kinda retired from debating/arguing with antis on things of SS/Naruto/Etc (unless I'm simply too triggered to let it go lol. You've already probably seen my long Sakura video so I won't go too much into details of what I already covered with Sakura's character. But to answer you, I'll keep it to the point.

It's ok of course to say Kishi's writing is flawed, I mean he is human and we know Naruto has holes. Every manga/story does of course. When it comes to SS, I personally bring it to this: Sasuke and Naruto's relationship is NOT Sasuke and Sakura's relationship. And that's (imo) ok. Sasuke and Naruto obviously have a bond only they have. Both lonely and orphaned, rivals with each other, haters to brother, you know it all. But Sakura is different. She's simply a normal, head-strong and caring girl. Kishi wanted to write a normal girl, and he did a darn well good job, because just like normal girls (or people in general), they're imperfect. That's why she first appealed to me.

Anyway, to the point, SS is pretty easy to follow. Sakura likes Sasuke....what's the problem? Where's the toxicity, lol. Sure she fangirls over him as a 12 year old girl, but again, Sakura is normal. Most girls I knew that age did the same thing. Most BOYS I knew were super...*cough* ready to be with girls (*cough cough*, puberty, everyone, *cough*). Sasuke is cool and confident. Sakura lacked confidence, so naturally she was drawn to Sasuke. Sasuke at first found her annoying (as he did with Naruto too) but as the became a team, she bonded. SS' bond is NOT NSN's bond. SS's bond is built upon a simply caring basis. Sakura always cared for Sasuke, and Sasuke always was protective of Sakura. Forest of Death, Sand Invasion, etc...add in the angst of Shippuden (nobody can tell me one was better than the other during Shippuden, Sasuke was 'bout to axe everyone while in darkness lol), blank period bonding, and then Boruto. There it is in SIMPLE terms.

As far as "standing up" to Sasuke...not sure where this person is coming from....again, NSN is NOT SS....Sakura has stood up to Sasuke at times. In the FOD where she indirectly called him a coward, when she pleaded with him to not fight in the Prelims and threatened to tell the proctors of the curse mark, trying to stop him from leaving Konoha., etc. If she was a "doormat", she would have said "Ok Sauske, you do whatever you want, it's all ok my love!" That was chapter 3 Sakura. A LOT of haters can't move beyond that chapter tbh...moving on. The main thing is, she wasn't STRONG enough to stop him by FORCE. She wasn't written to. Sure I woulda liked some angsty moments of them fighting, TRUST ME, you already know. But Kishi wanted the fighting to mostly be between Naruto and Sasuke, as most battle Shonen go. It's Goku and Vegeta, Deku and Bakugou, you name it. She was written to LOVE him unconditionally. And despite Kishi's misses here and here, it's clear as day to many people that they do indeed, love each other. Sarada is a product of years of redemption, forgiveness, and understanding between SS (which is....literally some of the themes of Naruto....Zabuza...Haku...Gaara...Pein...Obito....list goes on...).

And of course Naruto and Sasuke's relationship got more spotlight. They're essentially the Shonen "duo" like I explained before with Goku and Vegeta. It's a common tope which can be a bit annoying imo since other characters get shafted, but they're gonna be seen more by the public. At the end of the day, Kishi modeled NSN after his relationship with his BROTHER....that was one of Naruto's main story plots. AGAIN, OF COURSE it's gonna be pushed and seem like it's more "balanced"...it's a battle Shonen, not a love story lol. The love stuff is sprinkled in. This isn't a Shojo. If it was, SS would be the main focus (or...I guess NSN if Kishi WANTED to go that route).

So to finish off, you're right with the SP thing. But it can't be helped. If people wanna say NSN has more "development", let them. At the end of the day, they're shown more to the viewers because they're the Goku and Vegeta of Naruto. They push the narrative, not a romance. They're Kishi's go-to boys. They're the essential main character and rival. It's nothing new. But you know what else? They're. NOT. A. COUPLE. SasuSaku is, and again, romance is SPRINKLED in. It's N O T a Shojo and not the main focus. Honestly...the arguments that NSN shipper used are a bit weak knowing full well that SNS represent Kishi's brother and himself.

I mean...tldr, I could just say "Kishi and his bro are Naruto and Sasuke. SO nah bro, NSN has no romantic development. I wasn't meant to lol."

Typed longer than I thought, but I hope this helped! At the end of the day, ship SS in peace. We have an amazing fandom for the most part with wonderful content and we ain't stopping anytime soon :)