#so this year like. let em rip. i think its fine

[iraprince]

well! i've exited my 20s. not gonna get goopy or graphic about it but this is a big deal for me bc for the vast majority of my life i did not think i was gonna get this far. now like once a day i distinctly have the thought "i'm so fucking glad i didn't kill myself"

i feel weird of course but im also really excited for my 30s. im excited to enjoy my marriage and to become better friends with myself and to make more art. thanks for being here and for being kind to me

[wolfiesmoon]

Hey I hope you are doing well when ever you are reading this but how do you think the 3rd year boys from twst would react to their s/o (gn reader) cuddling with a huge plush instead of them.

Like this.

Oh boy oh boy this kinda cures my writers block tbh, i have so many drafts but none of em look enticing enough to continue writing (´д｀|||)

I took out a few of the 3rd years bc its too many people for 1 fic but i might make a part 2 where i add the missing 3rd years at some point

i went with the more silly writing style again, hope that's fine by you ○( ＾皿＾)っ

𓏲 ๋࣭  ࣪ ˖ Malleus Draconia

He doesn't exactly get why, but he feels kinda annoyed just laying next to you while you hug a big ol plushie

This doesn't feel right🫤

But then again, you look rlly happy and satisfied so he stays quiet since if you're happy, he's happy (he desperately wants to be in the plushy's place)

When you playfully kiss the plush though, that rule no longer applies. After all, his rightful spot is in your arms🫠

He nudges you. "Put the stuffed animal away."

"You sound angry." You smirk and kiss the plush again, knowing he's probably annoyed about that

without another word, he pulls the plushy out of your hands and settles down in its place

"I am a much better than that object. Just so you know." he smiled smugly, expecting a kiss on the cheek just like you gave to the plushie earlier

you kissed him on the lips instead just to see his eyes widen and his face go red ofc 😏

𓏲 ๋࣭  ࣪ ˖ Leona Kingscholar

basically, it is NOT happening

"hell no." is the only thing he says before ripping the poor plushie out of your arms and chucking it across the room

like actually how DARE you try to replace him with a plushie

"Why would you do that?" You pouted at him, looking at the now discarded plushy from the bed🤕

"You know damn well why." He huffed, laying down on top of you without warning which tends to be a habit of his

"Because that's my spot, got it?" He answered for you. clearly you forgot😒

"Uhhh, right." you answered after a short pause...

"I won't remind you next time." he sounded rlly annoyed. it's kinda funny how worked up he got over a plushy replacing him 🤭

this also means he won't let you get up for like.... atleast 2 hours to atone for your sins

moral of the story: don't do this again unless you want a ripped up plushie and a pissed off lion man😠

𓏲 ๋࣭  ࣪ ˖ Idia Shroud

"This is so unfair. Even worse than an OP boss. " he sighed dramatically, laying down besides you and pouting at the sight og a huge plushie in your arms

"pick up the sock if you have enough energy to complain." you turned away from him, still annoyed with him

being the epic gamer he is (😎💯), he discarded one of his socks in the middle of his room and didn't feel like picking it up later even after you told him to

...which ended with you refusing to cuddle with him until he does pick up the sock

after a short while of very awkward silence...

he groaned in annoyance, begrudgingly getting up and finally picking up the sock, then leaving the room to put it in the wash

you smirked victoriously, placing the plushie away as promised and letting him hug you instead

"The things you make me do, smh." he sighed, relaxing into you 😒

"Picking up a singular sock?" you teased him, hugging him back

He didn't reply so that means it's your victory 😝

𓏲 ๋࣭  ࣪ ˖ Vil Schoenheit

this is an unforgivable offense, just because you had a little disagreement earlier doesn't mean you can just replace him with a plushie😠

love transcends disagreements, after all

does not help at all that the plushie's cute round face reminds him of a certain thorn in his side named Neige LeBlanche😒

he sighs, "I may have been too harsh back there."

your only reply is an annoyed huff and you hug the plushie tighter which makes one of those anime veins pop up on his face 💢

he takes a deep breath "It was not my intention to hurt your... sensibilities." he's trying babe, he's really trying

You don't reply for a moment...

"Ugh." you throw the plushie away and hug him tightly "This doesn't mean I forgive you, just for the record."

"I still stand by my opinion too, just worded less harshly." he gently puts an arm around you, stroking your back

it was only a matter of time until you gave up with your stubborn pettiness, soon you'll forgive him too, he'll make sure of that 😌

𓏲 ๋࣭  ࣪ ˖ Lilia Vanrouge

He's actually surprisingly chill about it i feel like

He wouldn't get annoyed or be jealous per se, he'd just get a little sad it's not him you're hugging😔

he's there, you know? there's no need for a plushie...

"Am I not satisfactory enough?" He asks half playfully half seriously

"In what sense?" you totally knew what he meant but just wanted to tease him back

"Hey, isn't this supposed to be the other way around?" he smiled at you, immediately knowing what you were playing at

"Hahaha, you know me too well." you kiss his cheek, yet you still don't let go of the plushie which makes him pout

"I see you have found yourself a new lover." his eyes travel to the plushie for a moment, the betrayal is real😔🙏🏻

"You got a problem with him?" you raised a brow 🤨

"A little." he hugged you from the back, getting comfy

"Okay fine, maybe my ex is the better one after all." you let go of the plushie and turned around to hug him back 💗

[mariahcarreyyy]

OH YOU DID DO MY ASK JUSTICE, MORE THAN 🥹

If you were to make this a series, I come bearing the following suggestions;

How did they get into a throuple? Reader being a major flirt with both Lando and Oscar. Oscar gets fed up with it, so he fucks her to work his jealousy off, but Lando walks in. Instead of being hurt… Lando starts jerking off. ORRRR

Reader and Oscar are together, and Lando gets pouty about not being included in things anymore. Then Oscar’s like- you know what, fine. (Could also be Landoscar, or Lando x Reader at first)

Fluffy aftercare blurb/segment

A fic in which Lando and reader are all buddy buddy with Carlos bc they’re friends with him and Oscar is Not Happy��️. They are punished accordingly. Lines that come to mind; “I’ll fuck you so good that you can’t even think about anyone else”, “You brats really like to get me riled up”, “We weren’t doing anything wrong!”, “Say you’re mine or else you don’t get to cum for a month”

Lando and Reader planning an extra slutty surprise for Oscar’s birthday

BUT OFC ONLY IF YOU WANT TO DO ANY OF THEM sksksksk I have been fed by the fic it’s really the best thing I’ve read this year so far you are so talented ok. I am obsessed. A literal goddess.

Ok that’s it I’ll stop rambling now

OMG THESE IDEAS ARE INCREDIBLE CAIT WAS NOT LYING😰😰😰😰 thank you for em bby will def be using them YOU are the goddess🙏🩷🩷

the first one...lando getting caught fucking himself into the circle of his fingers after he lets out a particularly loud groan from behind the extremely thin drivers room...then oscar telling him to join🙈🙈🙈 damn i just got chills

i can totally imagine oscar being so nonchalant about suggesting lando join him and readers relationship

"its like you guys dont love me anymore," lando whines when you and oscar cancel on another plan to do some weird shit like bowling together instead. "Why don't you just join us, then," oscar suggests, scrolling lazily on his phone. Lando smiles and moves to grab his bowling shoes, "Oh, okay." "No, as in a couple." Its nearly comical when both you and lando shriek, surprised but not at all disgusted by the idea, "WHAT?!"

The lines for the jealous!oscar thingy with lando and you😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫 will 100% be doing that thank yewwwww!! reader and lando are so oblivious of oscars jealousy, bless them-- they'd be so confused at how oscar's normal grumpyness morphed into a real grumpyness.

They keep asking him whats wrong but he just waves them off until they get back home and he shoves both of you on the bed, ripping off his shirt while incoherently cursing carlos under his breath.

[live-moonzie-reaction]

LETS GOOOOO DRS2 PART 2

-*yawns* WAS THAT A S I G H OF DISSENT????

-love how nobody notices the two teenage ninja JUMPING ON THEIR CUBICLE WALLS

-How did I know Sora was gonna land on Arin

-What you need??? What do you need???

-THEY FOUND JAY’S LAST NAME

-ITS QUASHING TIME!!!

-and we back to Lloyd’s Moonwatcher arc I’ve missed this

-hmmm gee i wonder Lloyd what kind of being, presumably some sort of embodiment of evil, has enough power to move a dojo. (Moonkitti voice) Gee Fireheart what a mystery

-also can I just say I LOVE that the first scene of the OG 6 ninja is of Lloyd and Nya I just love them as a duo

-WYLDFIRE AHXJDNCNFBFB

-…oh. Oh she’s coping… well…

-GOTTEM

-Nya: I’m sure they’re fine.

(Cut to Arin and Sora dangling in a giant birdcage over a pit of lava)

Arin: Huh. Apparently this is a canon event.

Sora: THIS IS A WHAT???

-okay so i was close

-That one agent: (rips off own arm)

-“THOSE ARE MY FAVORITE FEET!”Implying he has more than two

-THE SUBTITLES SAID MATRIARCH THUDS OH NO

-subtitles written by Queen Scarlet frfr like.

✨Thrilling✨ music plays

(Thrilling music plays, in plain text)

-OH IS SHE DEAD?!? OH IS SHE DYING??? OH SHE’S DYING

-ahhh his name is Nokt is it?

-“everything is war” “the fight is what fuels me” ah response

-“bEcAuSe I dOnT tRuSt YoU”

-Jordana’s lil smirk at Nokt is SENDING ME

-Lloyd hears something from the Matriarch???

-oh and then immediately she dies oOp

-WOW IT REALLY IS A MOONWATCHER ARC HUH?!?

-ANOTHER BABY!!!

-Lloyd getting yoinked like a hatchling by Zanth just added ten years to my lifespan :D

-poor Riyu shxkxndkfjgnfb

-oh my gosh not these guys again smh

-I’m sorry but Freebooters just sounds so stupid to mefor no reason

-THANK YOU NYA

-As someone who’s read MANY books I don’t think a lack of books is the problem here

-🎶aNd vLaDiMiR cOlLeCtS cErAmIc UnIcOoOoOoOrNs🎶

-BRO IS SO FIRED UP OVER THR MATRIARCH WE LOVE HIM you know what’d be funny

-WYLDFIRE AS A ROCKETBOOSTER

-aaand there’s the mountain dragons

-sad mountain dragon hours

-so is Lloyd being the diplomat to the dragons… pUrPoSeFuL or…?

-MOTION!

-L L O Y D YOU DONT JUST SAY THAT SHXKSNFKTJTHF

-I’M SORRY A SOURCE DRAGON D I E D?!?

_______

-SHE CALLED HERSELF THE RED NINJA AUGH

-NYAS HERE

-NYA BEING WYLDFIRES COOL AUNT

-O h s h e ’ s c o p i n g w e l l

-“maybe being trapped forever in the nether-space isn’t that bad?”

(Cut to Kai in the nether space)

Kai: (Bo Burnham voice) HOW WE ALL FEELIN TONIGHT?!?

-once again, hey I was close

-P I E F L A V O R

-“your best friend?” AAAAAAGH

-SORA HE DOESNT HAVE AN ELEMENT

-ARE WE BACK TO RONTU AND EGALT?!?

-…okay new voice claim for Darkstalker

-YEEEEAAAAAAAAAH ZANE AND LLOYD!!!!!

-excited Lloyd hours :D

-also is it just me or is the voice filter on Zane just cranked up more and more every season lately?

-it’d be SO FUNNY if Rontu and Egalt somehow knew Wu or at least interacted with him in the past

-NO.

-OH LLOYD’S GOTTA TEACH EM. Well this’ll be fun

-Rontu’s lil head shake dhekcbeckngk

-ZANE’S SO EXCITES IN THE BACKGROUND LOOK AT HIM

-After sixteen seasons someone calls him Master Lloyd again

-Rontu: (gives speech about Lloyd’s heart being too big)

Lloyd: geez man I wasn’t expecting to be psychoanalyzed today 😭🤚

-Egalt: eh it’ll be fine

(Cut to everyone with BOWLS ON THEIR HEADS)

-STEWJITSU WXHIECJICEB buddy no 💚

-somehow I feel like the pressure’ll break him or turn him evil or something

-“you’re never useless, Arin” snxkdnckgngng I’m so soft

-Arin’s so excited shxbdkfmgb

-EUPHRASIA!!!! :D HER!!! :D :D :D !!!!!!

-ooooo she lookin shifty 👀

-so many. So many.

-I read the subtitles first and thought he said “Master of Ledgering” andjckfngbgv

-smh they can’t even go in???

-book guy with the professional talk and then Wyldfire just. “My dude.”

-Huh. Apparently either shade and shadow are two different elements or Shade had a kid.

-JAY ON THE ELEVATOR THEME RETURNS FOR ALL OF ONE SECOND

-“You’re intruding on OUR intrusion!” I love Wyldfire‘s dialogue so much

-HE UNDERSTOOD JIRO!!! AAAAAAAA!!! AAAAA!!! AAAAAAA!!!

-Oh that’s RIGHT Wyldfire’s acrophobic

-WE HAVE A BEATBOXER NOW??? (giddy acapella kid noises)

-I love Roby already shxkdngbfv

-WE FINALLY FOUND THE FUSCHIA NINJA LETS GOOOO

(starts braiding hair (two braids, don’t worry) and doesn’t write for multiple episodes)

-(pauses braiding) ohhh no Frak did it didn’t he the master is Ras’s master

__________

-ohhh now I see it no yeah Arin’s going evil sorry

-…the writers did realize we were KIDDING about the Wyldfire boyfriend thing right?

-oh suddenly I do not like Roby is it just me or does it feel like he’s not gonna give the powers back

(One band concert later)

-ELEMENTAL MASTER OF PLANTS JUST THINKS HES REALLY GOOD AT GARDENING THIS IS WHAT I LIKE TO SEE!!! people with powers being oblivious to them the beloved

-Nya IMMEDIATELY chatting with the other elemental masters is GOLDEN “LIKE THE HAIR! :D”

-Is Jordana possessed or smth?

-Wyldfire snarling :D

-Wyldfire being angry at Cinder noice noice

-the perspective makes it look like Nya just casually touches the edge of the fire and that’s really funny to me

-poor Lloyd just wants to make friends man

-OH YOU’VE GOTTA BE KIDDING ME

-BEATRIX IS JUST HERE NOW WHXJDKCMFKGN

-HOLD ON THIS IS ZEATRIX?!?

-Girl I SAW the spirit dragon you TOTALLY WERE INVITED

-okay for once I’m on Ras’s side here lol I just wanna see people tear down Zeatrix

-wait hol up it’d be REALLY funny if Lloyd decided to sass her the way he just sassed a SOURCE DRAGON EARLIER

-Okay I now want to see a spin off series of shorts a la Wu’s Teas called Nya’s Awkward Dinners

-Zane: (shuts door nicely)

-Well. Uh. Wyldfire boyfriend. Unfortunately the only version I have on hand of this meme is this one so

-how funny would it be if this was a Harumi situation and Roby’s the one who killed the matriarch

-Man I thought for SURE we were gonna get Lloyd Plagued By Visions TM

-WHAT IS THAT GOO AND WHATS IT GONNA DO TO LLOYD

-OH.

-THE LIL ZING SOUND EFFECT WHEN LLOYD USES HIS POWERS MY BELOVED

-ARIN WITH THE GRAPPLERRRR WOOOOO

-“I WAS ACTUALLY GETTING A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP FOR A CHANGE >:(” he’s so silly

-OH COME ON THESE GUYS AGAIN???

-okay it’s Zeatrix

-No. absolutely not. There’s no way.

-Zant-Tanz: Unfortunately, we have an impostor among us.

-J A Y !

____________

-j a y shxjskdkfnfn

-WE GET TO SEE THEM DANCE?!?

-Lloyd you weren’t even IN spin harmony

-OHHH IT GOT SAD :(

-Poor… POOR Nya…

-You. You do realize he could’ve set one on himself to throw himself off the trail right.

-I DO NOT TRUST FRAK

-I’m glad Riyu also does not trust Frak lol

-She’s looking for Roby she’s looking for Roby

-AAAGH just when I thought she couldn’t get any more Peril-coded she pulls this shxnskcnfjgb

-Awwww Cole and Geo :)

-Sora: (very obvious cat ears slowly lower)

Jordana: understandable have a great day

-I KNEW IT I KNEW IT FROM THE BEGINNING

-“I wouldn’t lie to you Arin :3 Except for that one time with the object Spinjitzu at the blood moon but all the other times I wouldn’t lie to you! :3 :3 :3”

-it’s the overlord again isn’t it /hj

-WYLDFIRE JUST APPEARING

-Now… hear me out… destruction is an element… 🤨📸💚💜

-oh boy Zane’s up first

-“I am limber. I am loose. (chuckles) I’m in danger!”

-Zane so help me you gotta ice rink it

-NOOOOOOOOO ZAAAAAANE

-ohhh Zane :(

-Wait. If Arin’s gonna be a detective because he can’t compete, ZANE now can’t compete, and Zane already has a detective persona… 👀👀👀

-oh it’s Nya vs Jay isn’t it

-GOSH DANGIT WHY DO I HAVE TO BE RIGHT

-ohhhh 😭😭😭

-some loser in a Jay wig 😭😭😭

-bLiNgEd OuT dAgGeR

-Oh poor poor Nya

-SILENT FIST IT NYA COME ON

-oh geez Nya’s just going THROUGH it

-Nya won but like STILL

-STOP IT I’M BAWLING AUGH

-AAAAAAAAAAUGUFUFHFHFHGHDUXHGH

-I will never be okay again

-The presumable leader of the forbidden 4/5 is just sitting there and Kai’s first and immediate instinct is “Helloooo? BOO!”

-Riyu just hearing Kai’s voice in his head dhcnxkfmgngb

________

-OF COURSE CINDER HAS A SLEEP MASK WITH HEARTS FOR EYES

-SAD JAY HOURS AGH

-sad :(

-oh. OH. OHHHH THIS IS WHAT TURNS HIM TO THE RAS SIDE

-Lloyd 🤝 Riyu: DRS2 Moonwatcher arcs

-Ooooof good luck Sora

-OKAY WE GOOD WE GOOD

-WYLDFIRE!!!

-oh c o m e o n he did that on purpose for SURE

-…from Ninjago to Cam Half Blood REAL QUICK

-WYLDFIRE DOWN WYLDFIRE IS DOOOOWN

-sad Wyldfire hours

-O H T H A T S I T

-anything can be a verb if you try hard enough

-they’re gonna get found out they’re gonna get found out

-Riyu being mid Moonwatcher arc (yes I’ve gotta keep up this bit now) is gonna be interesting for the investigation lol

-THEY GOT FOUND OUT

-Sora you jinxed it

-okay Ras you shut up

-NOOOOOOOO

(Stops because quiet hours and cannot emote)

-AAAAA AAAAA AAAA AAAAAAA

-OUGH poor Arin :(

-NO WHY WOULD YOU EVOKE THE FSM BLOODLINE EVIL STUDENT TAX

-ARIN NOOOOO

-…okay does calling the merge an act of evil feel oddly xenophobic to anyone else or am I an idiot

-Lloyd did not cause the merge that’s ridiculous abxjdkcmfbfb

-Okay Wu makes a LITTLE more sense I guess but still??? Was it really???

__________

-hang on how do we know Wu caused it???

-Arin: so I’m supposed to believe your some kinda hero?

Ras: oh, no, I’m just that one villain character everyone loves

Arin: idk man I think that’s Cinder. For some reason.

-SAVE THEM FROM EACH OTHER??? WHAT DOES THAT MEEEEAAN???

-Arin please tell me you heard that obvious evil laugh you were RIGHT THERE

-COLE YOURE LITERALLYTHE MASTER OF EARTH

-…never mind then

-sad Arin hours :(

-ARIN NOOOOO 🥺

-Aaaand Darkstalker Kai is back poor Riyu

-CMON PHRASIA YOU GOT THIS

-LETS GOOO LETS GOOO

-Euphrasia 🤝 Arin: Immune to sarcasm

-NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

-LETS GO TOX!

-ooohh ooh that’s gotta hurt

-she’s been possessed by the one sleeping hasn’t she

-Arin, explaining the masks to Frak: (animus magic hours)

-oh and this is how he spinjitzu’s normally isn’t it

-woulda look at that. Oof.

-FRAK. FRAK NO.

-They’re fighting each other aren’t they.

-Don’t think I didn’t notice the writers giving up on ever naming Lloyd’s element ever again lol

-LLOYD HOURS! YAYAYA!

-PALEMAN CALLED HIM GREENIE ITS CANON NOW

-oh that’s his face. Huh.

-idk Roby last I checked he flirted with Geo

-Sora: Hey Arin! :D

Arin: (angy)

Sora: Oh my fsm it’s worse than we thought! They made him EMO!!!

-cmon coooole

-NOOOO ARIN AAAGH

-sad Arin and Sora hours

-ARIN THAT’S NOT WHAT SHE SAID

-NOOOO COLE

-Okay Nokt you are. The worst.

-Nya’s gonna lose isn’t she

-Nya get the gem

-“A FRIENDLY DESTROY” once again Wyldfire is Peril

-OKAY NOPE ROBY’S EVIL

-“tHaNkS wYlDfIrE.”

-okay yeah it’s gonna be a smokescreen thing or smth

-ARIN NO ARIN NO ARIN NO ARIN NO

-OH NO SORA CANT RISING DRAGON

-YEAAAAAH SORA!!!

-Ohhh Arin’s edgy now

-ah yes Ball of Wu

-👀👀👀 there’s a monastery over here???

————

-Kai no braincell moment we love him

-no, Wyldfire, ninja do not sleep in.

-Riyu: YOU GET A MOONWATCHER ARC!

-GENETICS FOR THE WIN

-hold on is that Darth Vader???

-aaaand we’re back to this.

-I love the half-effort drawing shxkcnskxmfnfbv

-Wyldfire, of all people: She’s super powerful but can’t control her anger. Huh. Pathetic.

-Sora’s trying her best to be nice shocking

-HIGH LEVELS OF CRINGE

-and immediately Lloyd gets a vision we love to see it

-HE’S GONNA LOSE??? Once again my dude destruction is an eleme- (gets mugged)

-Poor poor Geo wbfbfkfngngb

-THE PAST IS FOR DEAD PEOPLE

-ROBY’S EVIL HES EVIL HES EVIL

-I K N E W I T

-AAAAAAAAA

-Wyldfire’s now gonna get a Harumi situation shekxnekfjgngv

-poor POOR Lloyd

-Cole out here being dadlike to the enemy we love him

-LLOYD KNOWING HES GONNA LOSE MAKES THIS HURT IN SUCH A SPECIAL WAY

-Zeatrix (ranting)

Lloyd: (actively witnessing The Horrors)

-I am now hoping this season ends with Cole adopting yet another snake child

-ARIN APPEARING AT THE WORST TIME

-WYLDFIRE YOU’RE MAKING IT WORSE

-OH CHAMILLE’S BACK!!!

-ROBY WITH THE FAKEOUT?!? GOSH D A N G I T

-LIFE?!?!?

-EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

-BRO THAT JUST SOUNDS SO COOL

-still like energy better tho

-“The very angry elemental master of shockwave” shxjdkcmfbffv

-AND YEET YOUR OPPONENT OFF THE PLATFORM SHXNDKXNDJGBFBGV

-she will not, in fact, thank Euphrasia.

-“only small masters dhxkcnfngb”

-ya don’t say Sora it’s almost like he had a VISION OF LOSING TO HER

-THE GOTCHA IS BACK!!!

-AGH HES PLAGUED BY VISIONS MID-FIGHT THATS NOT FAIR :(

-oh my word he’s being Clearsight about it THIS is how he loses

-THEY QUITE LITERALLY BROKE THE GAME.

-Gren :D

-ITS THE SWORD ITS T H E SWORD

-no. NO.

-Lloyd died of 1d4 “I quite literally saw this coming” damage

________

-YOUR CAREGIVER BOT

-Here I was thinking she couldn’t possibly get any more Peril-coded after last season BOY WAS I WRONG.

-Arin, of all people: Just because someone ACTS nice doesn’t mean they aren’t capable of turning on you.

-THEY’RE PLAYING CLUE

-SORA V FRACK!!! Well this isn’t going to be emotionally fraught

-Frak’s glare at Sora I can’t

-NOT THE MAAASK!!!

-YEAAAAAAHHH LETS GO FRAK

-We respect Frak in this household

-solve the equation its some sort of code I’m betting you

-BLECKT?!?

-Wyldfire being able to play her awkwardness as the obvious crush is GOLDEN

-WYFY I’M LOSING IT

-sNeAkY bOoTs :P

-IT’S BLECKT?!?

-Lloyd :<

-CROWN MONO STEREO. Now lemme run this through an anagram finder or something.

(Many internet anagram decoders later)

-okay that got me NOTHING useful

-OH. Oh Arin solves it immediately.

-AND WE BACK TO THE VISIONSCAPE!

-ARIN’S EVIL NOW

-We love Motion here :)

-LLOYD VS NOKT?!? BUT LLOYD DIDNT GET THE POWER TRANSFER?!?!?

-He’s so awkward shxkcnfkgng

-“The… imperium girl”

-okay okay we good (until he inevitably loses)

-ONCE AGAIN DESTRUCTION IS AN ELEMENT

-Y’ALL WAIT THAT COULD BE SO COOL IF HE USES ONI POWER AND ARIN PUTS TWO AND TWO TOGETHER AND SEES IT AS ANOTHER LIE AND THAT’S WHAT PUSHES HIM TO RAS’S SIDE?!?

-please please let that be what happens

-NOOOOOOO LLOOOOOOYD

-BLECKT I HATE YOU FOREVER

-ZANE WITH THE HUNGER GAMES REFERENCE?!?

-Lily :D

-aaaand we’ve got Wu

—————

-OH IS THIS A FLASHBACK

-RAS?!?

-okay why would he want to resurrect the forbidden 5?!?

-oh no wait he’s got different eyes and stripes I’m stupid that’s like his great great grandpa or smth

-so so many different villains. so many.

-man Blekt is so mean smh

-Wyldfire… did you set up a brick to fall on him so you had the excuse to tackle him in rage…

-LETS GOOO WYLDFIRE

-“it rarely ever decimated their entire village”

-HE SPEAKS!

-ah he only speaks in one word at a time.

-HE DID?!?!?!?!? WHAT?!? Dwcbevnkenifjifreip

-Poor... Poor Sora.

-“My Spinjitzu won’t spin-jitz” Sora 2024

-Sora: how would I use these powers?

-Lloyd: well you see despite being in the midst of an awkwardly timed Moonwatcher arc I cannot read your mind

-TEAM UP?!?

-Zur is so. Agh. Mood tho.

-OH ITS SORA VS NOKT!!!

-she does Spinjitzu at the end doesn’t she

-OKAY SHE CAN DO IT ARIN STYLE THATS PROGRESS

-LETS GOOO SORA WITH THE BRAINPOWER

-ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED BKDENCKPWDNCKEVFNIO

-Loving how the soundtrack at “he says he caused the merge” transitions from what I’m pretty sure is the Ninjago overture in a minor key to just. ✨oop we ending this early time to go back to that minor key✨ idk I can’t explain it

-Nokt: 🎶anything you can do I can do better🎶

-Roby you should know to NEVER say that

-NOOOOOOOOOOOOO

-the season ends with the forbidden five going out and then Kai just appearing in the chaos to sing What’d I Miss from Hamilton

-WYLDFIRE SHOULDVE DONE THE PHOENIX WRIGHT POINT

-The Phrasia :D

-also I love how the guy kept his umbrella hat THE WHOLE TIME

-Bleckt: 🎶BECAUSE OF YOU🎶

-HOW DID HE JUST. Huh?

-just great. Amazing in fact.

-and there it is.

-Yup. And Jordana got possessed.

-I’m sorry Ras can CHANGE HIS STRIPE AND HAND COLOR ON COMMAND?!?

-yup. Yup and the wolf masks can Dr. Octopus now. of course they can.

-CINDER CAN YOU STOP THROWING RANDOM TEENAGERS AROUND PLEASE AND THANK YOU

-Kizzy (master of balance) just jumping on one of the wolf masks like a trampoline is now my favorite thing ever

———

-Oh hey Nya’s back :D

-Cole just. Just smack them off the cliff while they’re evil laughing.

-nope okay cool. This is fine.

-The surge of serotonin I get every time I see Euphrasia onscreen I sWEAR

-“i SiNcErElY dEtEsT rIsInG dRaGoN.”

-Zane and Nya are just like “oh my goodness it’s Lloyd and Morro all over again”

-LETS GOOO ARIN

-ROBY THIS IS WHY YOU DO IT FAST AND DONT MONOLOGUE

-AND HE FELL OFF A CLIFF

-Okay but I LOVE that mask on Rox tho

-Also Jordana pulling an Anemone the beloved

-Ras: I know the truth about this universe.

Arin: …Dude chill I just want my mom and dad

-ARIN NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO BE EDGY

-THE STANG TO YOUR ZOOT ASHXJCNGKGB

-man all the baddies out here using wind huh. And then there’s just. Euphrasia.

-KAI’S BAAAAAAAAAAACK!!!!!

-AND BONZLEEEE!!!

-YEAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!!

-Kai do you have NO OBJECT PERMANENCE

-HE GOT DRAINED JUST IN TIME!!!!!

-SHOUTOUT TO EUPHRASIA FR YOU GO GIRL PUSH CINDER WITH THAT WIND OF YOURS YEAAAAAAAH

-Ras just immediately getting KO’d

-…the evil student tax :(

-AND THEN KAI

-the mood swings are strong with this season

-MASTER WU

-The vengestone birdcage! Like in crystallized! Bleckt reveals he’s part Oni and shatters it

-UMBRELLA HAT GUY JUST HAD THAT HAT ON THR WHOLE TIME

-Im guessing Sordana shippers having a field day with this one

-SORA JUST DRAGGING LLOYD OFFSCREEN IM CRYING

-buuut Jay’s still gone :(

-“another mortal” implying that someone’s tried to do all of this BEFORE

-AGH I love Motion so much

-…Motion you idiot Ras is gonna take that next season

-I swear Arin’s just suddenly REALLY edgy sbxkxmxmfnfngbg

-AND THATS THE END AAAAGH

[fountainpenguin]

"I was climbing, now I'm falling- I've been pushed off by a man who has made it to the top and now defends it 'cuz he can…" (x)

---

New Dog's Life chapter today! ~ 3rd Life series fan-season

Chapter 38 - “Tuesday: Tango's Long Night”

❤️ Read on AO3

💛 Start from Chapter 1

💚 More Pixels Imperfect fics

---

Tango layers more anti-viruses in Scott's player file. This goes against everything he knows about corrupted code... Should he keep going? ... Or, without consent, do what he knows will actually save this man?

Meanwhile, Pearl balances Rhetoric, Scott, and Grian visiting her unit at the same time. Yeah, this is gonna go well.

# 1 of 7 of our monthly intermission chapters

(First 1,000 words under the cut)

---

Tango

🌕

Location: His studio, West Bailey Wall, Bottom Floor

🖤  🖤  🖤

Tango does not often regret choosing a path of codework. He loves modding. He loves adding pretty details; he loves giving people what they want and polishing the rough edges off blocky faces and backs and butts. His species is classed as avian, though he last respawned under a waxing crescent and lacks the wings and feathers to show for it. He's got tiny talons, blaze rods, and hair that shifts into flames, and that's it. Coding the fluff-tipped tail he wears now was a challenge that captivated his brain since the start. How do add twitchy muscles to lower back? Apply tail to butt, haha. Meld it in. Let the mind control it. Do it beautifully so it's elegant and won't drop frames.

His tail isn't dexterous, but he wears it like a trophy- Adding a mammal tail to a species that’s meant to have feathers there, and not only making it twitch and curl instead of hang, but look natural, is one of the most difficult things you can ever do with aesthetic mods. He's thinking of forcing out the wings he would have under a stronger moon, but never really got around to it. The conversion time takes a kabillion years. You gotta be careful with wings anyway- they release a lot of body heat. Between's a lot cooler than the Nether, so you might fall over and croak. You ever seen strider wings? Yeah, guess how much heat they put out, even if they are tough and resilient around lava. Anyway.

Let's just say it's a good thing his office doesn't have a window. He works with a lot of film in here, so darkness is peak necessity. He's got two copper bulb lights up tonight. The glow's hazy, but at least it keeps his attention on his work, eyes all goggled up and tongue pinned beneath his teeth. Working with player files isn't like working with redstone wiring, with all its tangled tubes of dust and tiny caps that easily get lost and spill all over the stupid floor. Nah.

Code work uses the coding table, and it's a whole lot less messy. You don't need to be super accurate. It's a lot easier to tap a delete key and remove a string of words than it is to rip out a chunk of wires and get all huffy when your machine stops working. They should sell more partly assembled redstone machines in the market- more than, like, comparators. Except all the serious redstoners still won't buy 'em in case corners were cut in the process and because they have to take 'em apart anyway to modify 'em, so there you go. Fiddling and tweaking can really suck you in. It's kind of like making banners you're printing on your soul.

Tango does not often regret choosing a path of codework. But it's a good thing he doesn't have a window. He glances up only on occasion, staring at the chipped, gunpowder-streaked blocks that separate him from the rest of the world.

I should be with the pack right now.

Hey. Little recap for you: Most people aren't going to bed tonight. The hub flower got skadoodley-yoinked. Without its roots hooked in, everyone's comm is black; they're all off the system. There's no way on a server right now. There's no way out of one either. The phantoms are under contract; they can't just log people out right now. Hope they got fed, then.

Eh, they'll be fine. They've got souls in storage. Tango keeps working, checking details on his screen and typing on the table keyboard. What time is it? The sun's officially gone-zo at 14k. That was a while ago.

Do you remember our biology fritter-fratter from before Dog's Life began? 'course not- That was a long time ago. Well, no worries! we'll cover it again. See, the Nether doesn't have a day-night cycle. The heat waves shift. Sometimes the dimension cools. There's never a schedule to it, but when the heat's down, it's down (whether it's been hours, days, or weeks since the last lull). Nether creatures group together for sleepy times. If Tango played on some of those raw servers where traits are turned up to max, he wouldn't even survive the Overworld- Not without a lot of prep from his friends on the other side. Thank goodness for vanilla servers that even out the playing field.

Blaze don't really hang out alone in Between. When they do, they have to keep their internal fires up, and that can really drain the metabolism. The pack is warm. The pack is safety. And Tango's fingers tremble as he blinks his lashes, pushing through the dimension's fading warmth. Nightfall is here. Capture the Flag will be winding down. It's time to go to sleep.

He does his work. He chose this path. Scott's crystal floats on the crying obsidian block beside him, casting a white glow over his workspace. The goggles tune it out a bit. Tango yawns wide (like one of those lions in the emerald savanna biome), then realizes what he did and shakes his head back and forth. "Brrrr! Whatchu doing?" He smacks himself in the cheek. Hard. "Come on, man- He needs you."

He keeps typing. Scott's code is layered in anti-virus protections. Lots of stuff to dig through. Tango's got a book on the edge of his desk, open to a page about data conflicts, and he's still checking and closing loops. Scott didn't want to amputate. He didn't want a graft. "More anti-virus protections," he said, and he was serious.

"Are you sure? That- That probably won't work. If you wait too long, there's no chance a graft will take. That kinda sets you up for like, either being an allay with a prosthetic or just a vex."

"No grafts, please. Just tell me where to sign."

"Okay, buddy… but that's against medical advice. Don't say I didn't warn you."

"He prob'ly would've listened to Etho," he mutters, typing more. "I swear, everybody thinks I just do visuals: slap a little colored fire on this guy, slap some wings on her… Hey, just because I work in the aesthetics department, it doesn't make my license any less legit. I've been doing this almost as long as he has." Who scrubbed in to save Impy? Who helped him and Skizz with the soul-sharing? Who once patched BigB up when he got shot in the neck? That was a Tango original. Just me. Why is he even doing this? All evidence in book and mind is screaming that this isn't going to work.

Fingertips stall. Blank stare. Soft breathing.

Scott would've listened to my medical advice if I was Etho. Should he have tried harder? Should he have done more? He got the signature, Scott confirming exactly what he wanted. He really shouldn't go against that. It'd be medical malpractice at this point.

… Even though the anti-viruses aren't going to stop him from becoming a vex.

Which he's trying to avoid by using stupid anti-viruses.

[Full chapter on AO3 - Link at top]

[skaruresonic]

So Sonic 3's trailer finally dropped today. Any thoughts on it?

I had zero hype for this film because I didn't like the previous two and had no reason to believe this one would turn out any different. Lo and behold! ...it doesn't.

There's so much I could talk about.

• The shameless digging up of the corpse of my favorite Sonic game just to dress it up Norman Bates-style. Why yes, I love getting butchered adaptations of SA2 shoved down my throat. Keep 'em coming.

• The fact that the overly-furry aesthetic Paramount chose for Sonic and the other anthros still looks plug-ugly to my eyes no matter how much I try to get acclimated to it. In fact, it somehow looks even worse here than it did in previous movies.

• The fact that they ripped off a scene from Matrix Revolutions. Interesting choice, lmao.

• Jimbotnik continuing to register as "Jim Carrey in a costume" and not as Eggman.

• Agent Stone continuing to be a nothingburger of a character aside from being a living footstool for Jimbotnik. I thought everybody said he was going to be 3's main antagonist. Why is he even here.

• Jimbotnik calling Gerald "Pop-Pop," cutesy-ing it up for no real reason, when Eggman simply called him "grandpa" at most in the games. What, is his grandfather Mike Ehrmantraut now?

• The original game's "fuck the police" angle now being ignored in favor of maybe making GUN look like the good guys (what?).

• The fact that the ARK, an iconic location, is nowhere in sight is making me more than a tad apprehensive. Idk if this thing is supposed to replace it:

• This one really steams my hams: the fact that Paramount portrays Jimbotnik's weight gain via hateful stereotypes of fat men which the games do not employ in their overall portrayal of Eggman. It reflects a fatphobic attitude I could have told you was the case years ago judging by the fact that they cast a thin man in the role.

Games!Eggman is stylish and immaculately groomed, but Jimbotnik has to be a slob who dresses like The Dude just because he gained a little weight. Of course. 🙄

It really bothers me because Eggman is quite possibly one of the only examples of positive fat male representation I can point to, and they can't even let him be a little fat onscreen without literally exposing his belly with the intent to make fun of him in ways the games seldom do, if ever.

God fucking forbid he actually weighs the 281 lbs. he does in canon; Paramount would probably portray him like Fat Bastard from Austin Powers.

In lieu of being portrayed as dumb and weak, as is usually the case for fat male characters, Games!Eggman is portrayed as cunning, intelligent, powerful (physically and mentally), and stylish in a way that commands respect, despite whatever this Chili's says to discredit him. Eggman is fucking cool, and y'all are tripping if you don't think so.

• The fact that this movie is probably going to be cringe on the basis of its constant bathos-inducing insistence on making the characters crack mistimed jokes during serious moments.

• Doing a double take when Sonic called Shadow an "alien," possibly realizing that "alien" is the film universe's designation for anthros, then promptly short-circuiting and catching on fire. Can we not.

• Why does the trailer insist on making Shadow look like a wet cat? They did not deep-freeze my boy like they did in the games. Games!Shadow emerged from stasis minty-fresh, whereas Movie!Shadow looks like a newborn kitten yeeted straight out of the womb:

Disgustang. Stop that.

• The fact that everyone gives '06 flack for aesthetic whiplash but thinks Shadow looking like a muppet beside an irl little girl is fine, actually:

And the fact that said little girl may be killed just making dead Maria jokes 10x more uncomfortable than they need to be.

• They missed an opportunity for a fun visual gag by having the bathroom sign read "occupied" instead of "eggupied" or "hatching" (as in hatching a scheme. or a shit. maybe both, lol). Something like that:

They can pay homage to the Akira bike slide and the Super Burly Brawl from Matrix Revolutions, but God forbid we actually allude to Sonic games :v

---

...But most of this can be boiled down to "Paramount gonna Paramount."

All in all, I'm likely to continue my time-honored tradition of seeing the movie when it releases in theaters because deep down, I'm still a Sonic whore and subsequently pretending the films don't exist thereafter lol

[daddy-kinard]

I shockingly wrote something that isn’t explicit smut. I don’t know if I’m happy with it, I don’t even know if it’s finished finished. But I’m trying to be less precious about things so here it is I guess. Maybe it will make it to ao3 at some point.

bucktommy, 1.6k, M (sexual acts implied but not actually written)

Tommy gets it now.

Having the scars impresses women, getting ‘em freaks ‘em out.

Tommy has cataloged Evan’s scars, with his hands, with his mouth. And he might not go so far as to say they impress him, not in the same way as the way his did with the girls he’d pick up at bars because he thought he had to. The fascination, the fetishization of his perceived heroics.

No, Tommy sees, in each of Evan’s scars, what this man, this ridiculous, improbable man, has overcome. So maybe the scars themselves don’t impress him exactly, but he admires them for what they represent. And the way it makes Evan gasp when he puts his lips to them. That helps too.

But the reality of him getting them, yeah, that definitely freaks him out, as it turns out.

The call comes from Eddie, left to go to voicemail as Tommy’s in the showers after a shift.

“Hey man, so Buck mentioned he had plans with you after shift? Just letting you know you might have to rearrange. We’re at Cedars. Could be a while.”

Tommy doesn’t really think once he’s changed and has heard it. Grabs his keys and wallet automatically, shoves his feet into a pair of sneakers, phone still pressed to his ear asking if he wants to delete the message or replay it. He wishes he could delete its contents from having become reality somehow. He drives on autopilot, then curses as he has to circle the parking lot two, three, times to find a spot.

He doesn’t even need to make it to the reception desk before he spots them, Evan’s little 118 family. Eddie’s leaning against the wall talking to Howie, both of them doing a good job of looking relaxed if nothing else. Bobby’s sitting, leaning back in the chair, legs wide, actually relaxed. It’s Hen who spots him first.

“Tommy?”

“I, uh, got Eddie’s message.” He waves the hand holding his phone. “What happened? What…is he, is he okay?”

And Bobby must see something in his face, because he stands, claps a hand on Tommy’s shoulder. And Tommy feels, suddenly, about 10 years younger again.

“First time on the other side of it, huh?”

And Tommy’s lost guys on the job, he’s had colleagues who’ve ended up in hospitals after calls, same as any of them. But this is different, those weren’t guys who’s plush lips he’d felt beneath his own, who’s blue eyes he’d watched blink open in wonder.

“Guess so.” He concedes, shifting his eyes to the side at the admission that this isn’t the same, that this is something more, out of habit more than actual concern for what he’d see in Bobby’s face.

“He’s going to be fine.” Bobby says, voice calm and authoritative. It soothes a little bit of the swirling something inside of him. “Shard of wood ripped up his forearm pretty good, but no deeper damage.”

And Tommy looks around at their little crew again. Sure they’re all here, but there’s a lack of panic, none of the anguish he feels inside visible in any of their faces.

“I’m, uh, I’ve overreacted haven’t I?” He rubs the back of his neck, a little nervously.

“It’s never easy to hear that someone we care about is in pain,” Bobby starts, “but we’ve seen Buck go through a lot, and, at least this time he’s not coughing up blood in my backyard.” He finishes wryly.

“Yeah, a few stitches are nothing compared to surgery on a crushed leg.” Howie pipes in.

“He didn’t…he didn’t die today.” Eddie adds, although though it sounds like it pains him to even say the words.

“But none of that means you don’t get to be worried, Tommy.” Hen offers. “You just better get used to terrible hospital coffee if you plan on sticking around.” He laughs despite himself, settling into the chair opposite Hen.

“Hey, guys, good as new.” Tommy twists his neck until he can see Evan coming from behind him, as Eddie makes a skeptical sort of a cough and Evan continues almost in the same breath, “well, maybe not new new, but, good as I was when I woke up today I guess.” He finishes with a shrug and a bashful smile - one of many that Tommy is so, so, fond of. It’s almost like an act though, a routine, as if they’ve done this together a whole bunch of times before, the way Evan doesn’t even pause to take a breath. “So, Bobby, what are the chances I can persuade you to use the lights on the way back to the station? Because I am going to be so late for…oh.” He cuts himself off abruptly as he notices Tommy. Tommy who’s suddenly aware that nobody, not Eddie when he left the message, and definitely not Evan, actually asked him to come. He doesn’t know if Evan’s sudden silence is a bad thing.

“Sorry, I kind of showed up uninvited.” he offers sheepishly. “Eddie called.”

Buck smiles now, this one clearly no part of an act; soft, and bright, and genuine.

“Don’t be. It’s nice that you’re here. That you wanted to be here.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

He swerves to meet Tommy where he’s now standing, still rooted to the spot, and tangles the fingers of his good hand with Tommy’s. They’re warm, moving, alive, and it comforts Tommy in a way he never expected to need.

“How bad is it?” He asks quietly.

“Well,” Evan blinks up at him, eyes bright and shining, “I might be limited to using my mouth for a couple weeks. Good thing we figured out that thing with my gag reflex I guess.”

Hen chokes on air. Howie splutters. Bobby, surprisingly, simply looks mildly amused.

“Got you on the good painkillers have they, Buckaroo?”

Tommy just squeezes his ridiculous - he wants to say boyfriend? partner? he just doesn’t know if he’s earned that yet - close into to his side. One arm curved around his broad shoulders.

“C’mon, I’ll drive you home. You need to go back to the station for your stuff? Or, I can pick it up later?”

“I can drop it off,” Bobby offers, “unless there’s anything you need right now, Buck?”

He shakes his head.

“Nah, got everything I need right here.”

And it’s corny, it’s so corny. But Tommy is hopelessly charmed regardless. Evan refuses to let go of his hand to let Tommy go bring the car around, insisting that he’s honestly fine, that he can definitely walk, and, as much as part of Tommy wants to protest, the feeling of Evan’s hand in his is a comfort he’s happy to hold on to.

Evan is not a good passenger at the best of times, but Tommy’s mostly expecting him to zone out as he drives him home - out of pain or exhaustion, or some combination of both - but he’s exactly as infuriating as usual. Tommy worries, at first, that it’s irritability borne from discomfort, but he turns to watch him at every red light they hit, and his face doesn’t show any signs of it. The third time he’s slow to start driving again, too busy searching Evan’s face for signs of pain, Evan sighs and turns to him instead of making his usual comment about reaction times slowing with age.

“Honestly, Tommy, I really am okay. I promise.”

“Evan, it was enough for them to give you pain pills. It’s okay to admit you’re hurting.” Especially to me. He wants to add.

“I never said they gave me pain pills.”

Tommy’s first instinct is to argue with him, but then he thinks back, quickly replays the conversation in his mind, and Evan hadn’t actually confirmed or denied Bobby’s assumption. Which means -

“So, you’re always that open about your sex life with your whole team?” He splutters.

“I mean, yeah I kinda have a reputation for oversharing, I suppose? But, it’s not just that, not really.”

“Then what?” He prompts gently.

“I don’t know, it’s like, it’s like everyone’s just…they’re so okay with it. With me. Dating you. Which is, y’know, great, obviously. But they’re so good at acting like nothing is different. And maybe I, maybe I feel different, Tommy, and I don’t want to just pretend like it’s the same.”

“Mmm, so…you’re combatting that by telling your boss you can deepthroat now?” He raises an eyebrow as he glances over to the passenger seat, but he thinks he gets it, what Evan’s saying. That him dating a guy might not be a big deal to anyone else, but it’s significant to him, and, ridiculous as it is, this is a way for him to highlight an example of how not-the-same it is. If he’d thought about it before he opened his mouth, he’d have expected Evan to laugh it off, to throw out some joke and move on, but instead Tommy can see him start to fidget in his peripheral vision, picking at a loose thread, or the skin around his nails, Tommy can’t actually turn to look at him properly, but he’s picking at something. He reaches over to try and still him.

“At least stop using your injured arm, hey, babe.”

“Sorry, sorry. It, uh, it probably wasn’t cool for me to say that, was it? Because they know you, and I, I did not check you were okay with them knowing.”

And. Oh. He’s overthinking Tommy’s feelings instead of his own.

“Hey, no, Evan. Maybe I was a little surprised. And it’s definitely not what would pass for appropriate conversation with my captain. But if it’s not going to get you in trouble, you can tell whoever you want about how I get to have you.”

Because, really, that is all that matters to Tommy these days. That he gets to experience life with Evan - so alive and imperfect, with all his scars and his insecurities. Real. For however long they get this.

[awaytobeunshaken]

Angstpril 2023 - Day 26: Loss of Control (alt)

Ashton held their hammer cocked for a swing as the creature prepared for another dive, but Orym soon surged in front of him, shield high above his head. “Spread out!” Ashton yelled. “We don’t need that thing breathing on both of us!”

A fucking dragon, of all things. Granted, it was a young one, Orym had insisted, not as capable as a bigger one might be, but it had managed to take everything they’d dished out so far, and Ashton’s lungs were still burning from the cloud of fumes it had exhaled.

Orym wasn’t moving, so Ashton began to sidestep from behind him, hoping to find a position near the dragon’s flank. Before it could finish its dive, however, Ashton watched a pair of crossbow bolts rip through its wing, sending it tumbling to the ground. It tried to draw itself upright, but Ashton had positioned himself well and leapt forward to drive a pair of hefty strikes into its hip, hearing the bone shatter beneath his hammer. Orym was close behind, plunging his sword into the shoulder joint and dragging it downward, half-severing the limb from the body. A blast of magic from Laudna’s direction slammed into its neck, and that’s when Ashton saw the figure emerge from the brush to jam a pair of daggers into its spine.

Ashton raised their hammer again as they approached, thankful for the help of course, but still reasonably wary. “Holy shit!” the newcomer shouted as they looked up, daggers falling from their hands. “Ash?”

That was a voice Ashton hadn’t heard in a long-ass time. “Zee?”

ao3

He’d had plenty of time to think of what would happen if he ran into any of the Nobodies again, and over the years his thoughts on the matter had ranged from anger, to resignation, back to anger, and eventually to maybe wanting to see them again. Whether to make check in on them, or just for closure, Ashton wasn’t sure.

“Fuck, man, I thought you were dead. Bennett! Sally!” Zee called over their shoulder. “Get the fuck out here!”

“Ash?” Orym’s voice piped up from beside them. “Is this…”

“One of your so-called friends?” Laudna finished. Sally and Bennett were making their way out of the brush by now, Bennett shouldering the crossbow that had done most of the work for them.

“And this your new gang?” Sally raked her gaze over Laudna, then Orym, before turning to Ashton. “They could both use some meat on ‘em.” Ashton’s two companions glanced uncomfortably between the three nobodies but were letting Ashton take the lead so far; these were his people. “Zee’s right though; you were in fucking pieces. What happened?”

Ashton shrugged. “Milo managed to haul me back to their place and get me fixed up.”

“I’ll say,” Bennett chimed in. “Fucking sick!” He leaned in to get a closer look at the glass in Ashton’s head, then reached around and clapped them on the shoulder, leaving Ashton wincing in pain. “Oh, shit. Sorry.”

“This thing fuck you up a little, before we showed up?” Zee asked, poking the dragon’s hide with their toe.

“Nah, just an old ‘falling off a balcony’ injury acting up.”

“Oh, you mean the one where these assholes left you for dead?” Orym’s sword was still sheathed, but his had rested on the pommel like he was itching to draw it. Ashton and the Nobodies might have been joking around, but Orym was deadly serious. “Are you gonna tell them about Hexum, Ashton? How you spent two years as her fucking errand boy to pay off their debts?”

“It’s fine, Orym. None of that matters.” It wasn’t supposed to be like this, these two parts of his life weren’t supposed to interact like this. The Nobodies were crass and irreverent, and Orym was so fucking kind and earnest, and both of those things were great, but not together.

“It does fucking matter, Ash. You don’t need to brush off what happened to you just because they don’t give a shit.”

“Like I said, you little shit, he was fucking dead.” And the sound of her backhand across Orym’s face seemed to echo against the dragon corpse behind them.

“Don’t you fucking touch him!” And Ashton wondered if the surprise in her eyes was from his hammer hovering inches from her face or whatever light show his head was giving off.

The fearful expression didn’t last long, though. “What, are you two fucking or something?” she sneered.

“Orym,” Ashton sighed, pointedly ignoring the question. “I know these people, you don’t. I don’t need you getting all indignant on my behalf.”

“Well, someone ought to, if you’re not going to.”

“They’re right, though. I was dead.”

“No.” Orym’s face fell. “You were injured, dying, but Milo managed to save you.”

“I died, Orym, or may as well have. And they brought me back. And I never really thought about it that way until I saw the same thing happen to you guys. I might’ve had to do the same. And I’d have hated myself for it.” Ashton turned back to the Nobodies and shouted, “And no, I’m not drunk. These people have made me weird.”

After some discussion, and a fair bit of trepidation on Orym’s part, the two groups agreed to travel together, just in case a baby dragon wasn’t the worst thing lurking here. They didn’t get a chance to talk privately to Orym until everyone was setting up camp for the night.

“I had asked Joe to let them know I was looking for them, back before we left there. This wasn’t out of nowhere. It’s all… it’s complicated.”

“Yeah. I get that. I shouldn’t have snapped back there.”

“It was kind of cool that you did. I don’t get people looking out for me like that too often. And I’m, uh, I’m sorry Sally hit you.” He put a hand to Orym’s chin, examining the red mark on his cheek, careful not to touch it. “She’s not gonna do that again.”

“No,” Orym agreed with a chuckle. “You looked like you were gonna smash her face in.”

“Hell, if I’d have run into them on my own, I might have done it. Fuck, life was so much easier when I could just fix things by punching them.”

“Sorry you met us, then?” And they could tell Orym was only teasing.

“Not a chance.”

[corvuscorona]

IT'S TIME TO RANK TALES OF BERSERIA CHARACTERS BASED ON THEIR "BROKEN : WATCH OUT" RATIOS.

I have to document this or I'll die.

1st number indicates how broken the character is (when handled by an amateur who loves to fuck around but cannot remember more than 3 things at a time) on a scale of 1 (you have to play the game to win) to 5 (90% of the potential gameplay is unnecessary for winning. on chaos mode).

2nd number indicates how much you have to Watch Out when playing as the character, again from 1 (you'll be fine probably) to 5 (switch to velvet the second things start going south or Die).

ranked in order of total numerical score because I LOVE to jevil-do-anything. there is 1 tie; please consider it broken by "more manic gameplay" winning over "inherently more methodical".

ready GO!!!

"broken" is higher: character i switch to when i just want to get it over with.

"watch out" is higher: more fun on account of the risk but if the other number is too low i still don't feel like it most of the time.

scores match: simulates what i think it must be like to play fighting games.

there are gifs of mystic artes because even i didnt want to read 6 paragraphs in a row without landmarks.

6- LAPHICET: his break soul is defensive & i can't figure out how to do combos w/ him that actually make casting faster. 0:3. 1 star. do it yourself, babyboy; i cannot help you. you'll help me.

5- ROKUROU: youd think he would be more broken than this but the timing on his break soul counter-hit thingy is surprisingly fussy and it's hard to see when something's about to hit you when there are 6 suits of armor onscreen all flailing their empty limbs around at once. buttonmash city. soul waster supreme. easier to combo with but his focus must be low or something bc i get stunlocked the most as him by far. hard to play w/ finesse. 1:4 "don't get hit."

4- ELEANOR: swinging her spear like a baseball bat flinging a guy into the air and then leaping up into the air to smack the guy around while things continue happening underneath me is a lot of fun to let me keep having as often as i can use any of her dozen-hit-doing iron-stance-having artes to grab souls with and consequently her break gauge fills really fast too. would be higher on this list if i could remember which direction shes gonna step/slide/jump/fly like a bullet out of a gun when i hit any given button. the unpredictable nature of this keeps my on my toes too hard for me to ever really win with her on purpose. 3:3 & also why does she run so slow???

3- VELVET: ol' reliable. her break soul is aptly named because if the entire battle system hadnt been built around it like an SCP containment procedure this game would be unplayable. as long as you have 3 souls you can tank any hit you want while you rip an enemy's blood right out of its veins and if the tailor-made-for-that-exact-enemy attack she does at the end of the combo doesnt get you back a soul, your options are limitless - do a weak point combo or guard real good or do 2 switch blasts in a row or hit em with a mystic arte or failing all that just run in circles until one of your teammates dies and their souls fly out of their pockets. free for the taking. DEVOUR. i have only had to Watch Out as velvet like 5 times in 120 hours & two of them were because the enemy attack lasted for 500 years so when i came out of therion mode with 1hp it was still happening on top of me. 5:1.

2- EIZEN: now we are fucking getting somewhere. the second you knock an enemy down you get 2 free hits that do GOOD damage & hurl you several feet in the "behind the other guy" direction, and give you like most of a break gauge level, but First you have to Knock Them Down with a guy who gets stunned like he's punching HIMSELF 1 out of every dozen hits & has really cool attacks i wanna look at that have weirdly long windups. i tried playing as eizen to fight phoenix on chaos mode and it did NOT go well but on the other hand it went a LOT worse as every other character so man i just do not know anymore. special bonus points for having the most contentious "hard to do long combos : really cool tier-2 mystic arte" ratio, too. 3:5 i'm not kidding you really gotta watch out eizen dies A LOT

1- MAGILOU: as long as you can LOOK, A SHOOTING STAR!, you have a chance of surviving but the size of that chance vacillates wildly from moment to moment LET ALONE fight scenario to fight scenario. her combat is so simple in theory; spell absorber Just Works and spams free attacks for you that practically blot out the goddamn sun, her little meteor attack is nigh instant comes down exactly where you expect it to in front of her and stuns/grabs souls like there's no tomorrow. AND YET. i cant get used to like any of her other attacks for fear of getting hit while winding up and/or launching myself halfway across the battlefield directly into a giant bird's big stupid laser beam, doing combos to lower casting time on her artes is just as much of an issue as it is with laphicet, and in the not-so-rare circumstance that she cant stagger whatever she's hurling space rocks at she crumples like a paper bag. love watching her do her futile little gay little run away from danger in the world's biggest 2 hats, and then die. queen. 5:5 !!!

[tranquilspot]

John: Combine fake arms with cake.

It's, kinda funny I guess? Now that I think about it, John's type of humor is a mix between absurdist and uncanniness. It reminds of an outdoors exhibit I saw years ago in a park. Giant hands on a hill. It was so chilling and kinda supernatural. Needless to say I hated those and refused to get closer. Huh, never thought about it until now. I suppose that in a cartoony style it's fine, but if I were to see those arms sticking out of the cake in real life I would feel uneasy. It'd all depends on the material it's made off.

Oh wait wait wait. Looking again at the arm cake, it looks like someone getting out of a portal, arms first. Don't you think? Yeah, funny that considering the ability John will get much later. Oooooh John and its relation with arms. I'm👏on👏to👏some👏thing

John: Allocate hammer to strife specibus.

Dude really was on something with the concept of kind abstrata. Like, it's dumb but genius at the same time. Wanna use a type of weapon? Gonna choose it first, oh and you can only pick 3-4. It's revolutionizing the RPG equipment style in my opinion. Taking something that already exist and spice it up. If I had to pick, I would say bladekind, fistkind and bookkind. The last one a bit as a joke. Ok, let's take a look at the other abstrata. I'm just going to do those we can see on the second picture.

CW/TW: graphic details, implicit/implied violence

I'm putting those there cause idk at what point my comments are too much or not.

crowbarkind: The heist weapon. Also an important anti-juju juju. I wonder what you can get be alchemizing it with something else. Could be critical for defeating the Bad Guy.

broomkind: The classic housewife/janitor one. Also, witch. pokerkind(?): As in cards? I guess throwing sharp cards can be dangerous. icepickkind: Ah yes, Ai: the Somnium Files style. goldclubkind: You know, that's fine. Better use it as a weapon instead of an activity that monopolize land and huge quantity of water. Fuck golf!

hammerkind: John's choice. Lifting a hammer and crushing things with it can be so satisfying. Speaking by experience. Rivet from Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart uses one too. gunropekind: I think it is, like climbing equipment. Both transportation and weapon! Nicely pragmatic. shovelkind: Ah ha! Reminds me to try Shovel Knight sometime. Seems fun and challenging!

pepmillkind: Being like, 'haha time to get itchy'. Can't see how it can be useful during combat. Maybe for a very specific situation? hatchetkind: Throwing hatchets sound difficult. Talk about skill! spoonkind: One of Jane's abstratus. A small one isn't very efficient, maybe shoving it down someone's throat. Now, a BIG one. Not only you got some much ice cream, but you can fight and shield yourself. I approve 👍

statuekind: I hope we're talking about small ones. Like, you have to be beyond ripped if you want to use a human sized statue.

spatulakind: For your culinary and murderous intent needs. Would be messy though. scrwdrverkind: Screwdriver.. *cringing hiss* goodbye eyes? bladekind: A classic. Though what qualify as a blade, other than a sword? A knife is a blade but I bet it gets its own abstratus. ?? I have no idea. dumbbellkind: If it's 2-4 kg, I can lift it. Throwing it? Man again you have to be a minimum ripped in order to use it as a weapon. Yeah, I started hitting the gym a few weeks ago. Muscle building. We'll see how it goes. hckystickkind(?): Hockeystick? Hmm, ok. Nothing to say about it.

vacuumkind: ha ha, it's already very deadly for cats and dogs. Can you imagine combining it with something with the alchemiter? Slicing/shooting your opponent? No, SUCK 'EM. And then there would be a space system where you could be creative and add more, change the shape, how the enemies are compartmentalized (or not), if you can weaponize them by throwing them back. Wait that's just Slime Rancher main tool isn't it? mopkind: A dirty job: killing then cleaning. trophykind: Again, are we talking about one that fit your hand, or something bigger? Eh, burn out athlete villain story. fncysntakind: These freaking guys! Hussie seems obsessed with fancy santas. They even wrote a huge rant on their blog. Mostly about how they don't make sense and are stupid. I guess he tried to find some use by giving it to Dirk. Like, "They have to do something, right? Right?? I don't know how, but I find a way to fight with them". ladlekind: Same as the spoon. Combining it with something else should improve it.

cordkind: Different from gunropekind. Does an electric cord fit this category? Here y'all an interesting idea for your original character! ironkind: Okay but how do you deal with the cord? Do you alchemize extra cord? Add battery? Turn it into a wireless one? So many questions I didn't know I would be asking today. sawkind: Another serial killer weapon. Though I guess Kanaya's chainsaw fit in this category. Half of it that is.

cleaverkind: I don't know what to add, except serial killer weapon?

iceskatekind: Hmm gonna find a way to properly attach them to your hands. Or OOOHH ice skating style and pirouette to death enemies. Now we're talking! Although bigger problem is the ice. Well a Land full of ice shouldn't be a problem, if it happens. wrenchkind: Ah! Ratchet's weapon. Imagine a Land with bolts and machineries requiring a wretch to solve the puzzles. Sounds neat~ —>

[twodimecastle]

fifty bucks & six months.

spencer reid x gender neutral reader new relationship, secret keeping nonsense, 4.5k words, ao3 a/n; turns out i love writing texting fic but tumblr destroys the formatting rip

zero months.

You smile conspiratorially, extending a pinkie towards Spencer and he gives you a skeptical look.

“You know the odds of being found out immediately are-” he starts, but you cut him off.

“Astronomical, I know. I know. But don’t you think it’ll be fun to see how long we can push it?” you wheedle, not caring that your voice sounds more like begging than is strictly dignified because seeing the way Spencer’s nose crinkles in amusement at your heavy handed persuasion is too adorable to pass up. You scoot closer on the couch, tapping the end of his nose with your pinkie finger, letting him catch your hand between his as you continue “I think we’ve got a good shot at hiding it for a little while. It would be like a game.”

Spencer draws your captive hand to his lips, brushing them across your knuckles and watching fondly as you forge ahead in your campaign to persuade him, enjoying the show and the attention too much to tell you he’s already on board. Your eyes are shining with the prospect of the caper, and you’ve made no move to take your hand back from him, and Spencer’s pretty sure he’d be more than happy to sit with you in this moment forever. “I mean-” you go on, gesturing animatedly with your free hand, “you’re like-a really good liar when you want to be. And everyone else always forgets how good you are at it.”

He snorts at that and the sound makes you light up, eyes tracking the arch of his brows, the warmth in his soft brown eyes, memorising the way he looks like this; utterly unbothered, completely at ease. It might be your favourite version of him, but that race has always been a tight one with no clear winner in sight. You have lots of favourite versions of Spencer. Twisting your hand in his, you tangle your fingers together, savouring the way you feel his thumb glide delicately along your skin and the unhidden joy in his face at the simple show of affection.

Time to play your trump card.

“$50 says we can hide it from the whole group for at least six months. If everyone figures it out before then, you win. But if not everyone has worked it out by then, I win.”

The mischievous shine in your eyes is irresistible, and Spencer smiles, disentangling one of his hands from yours to extend his own pinky finger.

“You’re on.”

The words barely make it out of his mouth before you’re colliding with him, pressing your lips to his.

two months.

“So, how long has this whole thing been going on?” Derek’s question catches Spencer off guard, and, based on the way he can see you freeze in his peripheral vision, takes you by surprise as well. Sliding into the driver's seat of the SUV, Derek continues “I hope you didn’t think you were gonna be able to keep me in the dark for long, pretty boy. You should know better than that.”

Following mechanically after him, Spencer takes the passenger seat, trying to frame his next statement as carefully as possible as he hears your door close and the car start. “We were-going to tell you guys-” he begins uncomfortably, glancing back to you for support, but you look just as on edge as he feels. “We were just gonna-keep it to ourselves for a while-before telling Hotch and everything-” he tries again, the mounting tension levering his shoulders higher and higher with every passing moment, but then Derek just laughs, shaking his head.

“Hey, I’m happy for you, kid. For both of you.” He spares a look at you in the back seat through the rear view mirror, and you can feel the tension in your jaw relax, the furrows in your brow straightening out at the note of approval in Derek’s voice. “I’m glad you two finally figured it out,” he says, fondly, and you laugh.

“I bet Spence we could keep it from you guys at least six months,” you explain, reaching forwards through the centre console to link your pinky with Spencer’s, and the touch of your hand releases the last of the tension he had been harbouring as he covers your hand with the other one of his own. He knows Derek clocks the motion, filing it away in his mind somewhere, but he doesn’t care about the scrutiny so much right now. Not when your hand is so warm and comfortable in his.

Derek reaches for the dial on the radio and flicks through the channel, thinking about something, and as you watch, a slow mischievous smirk spreads across his face a moment later before he glances first at Spencer and then at you.

“I’ll tell you what,” he says to you, and Spencer can feel a familiar grin tugging at his own lips as he watches a plan take shape in his friend’s eyes. “I’m happy to sit on this information for a while for a cut of the winnings from whichever one of you comes out on top.” He snorts good naturedly as he continues “I have my own bet to win with Prentiss, so if you two help me win that one, I’ll cut you in too.”

“A quid pro quo of sorts,” Spencer says slowly, and he feels your fingers tighten around his, as you snort softly, and he knows instinctually you’re grinning the same way you always do when you’re winning a game. “I think we can do that.”

Derek grins, turning the music up as he nods, eyes on the road. “Then you two love birds have got yourselves a deal.”

two months and two weeks.

PG: youre not as slick as you think you are ;)

YN: ???

PG: ;))))))))) you should invest in some concealer for your work bag sweetness or tell the good doctor to pay more attention to whats visible in your work clothes

YN: oh my fucking god wait how do you even know thats how that happened

PG: im all knowing and all seeing im like the omnipotent goddess of the fbi

YN: derek blabbed

PG: he sang like a canary but also im an omnipotent goddess im also totally clued in on the whole bet situation with em so for the low low price of every single juicy detail about how this adorableness went down you can buy my silence :)

YN: im getting derek decaf coffee on all coffee runs from now on >:( traitors dont get caffeine

PG: darling sweet angel i need deets all of them like immediately

YN: >:( fine ok so. after that case down in georgia a few months ago? the weird one? with the creepy mother son thing?

PG: omg yuck pls dont remind me im here for the CUTENESS not the MURDER

YN: sorryyyyyyy anyway so spence was like being super weird about it all on the plane and whatever but he was doing that super annoying thing where he ignores it and says hes fine so everyone leaves him alone

PG: YEAH why does everyone here do that ALL THE TIME its SO annoyingggg

YN: ikr its insufferable and like super not subtle ANYWAY. spence was being weird and whatever and i just. refused to let him sulk on his own or whatever like i could tell there was something bothering him and so after work i insisted that we were gonna get like shitty diner food or whatever and watch a movie and he knows better than to say no to me

PG: smart boy

YN: so we got fries and milkshakes and then went back to his place to watch a movie and he was still like weird and silent and like brooding yknow? but whatever just figured hed talk about it when he was ready so i put on a movie and offered to make popcorn and then he was just staring at me and he looked so SAD and TIRED and i thought id done something wrong like the poor guy looked like he was gonna cry and i was panicking over fucking popcorn and then he says ‘why are you always so nice to me?’

PG: oh my god hes like if a sad victorian orphan was actually a triplicate phd holder

YN: i was SO thrown off i was like spencer. spencer were best friends. ive been forcing you to hang out with me for years now why do you THINK im being nice to you its bc i care about you asshole and then. like after another million years after letting me sweat it out over whether hes about to cry for like fucking years the asshole grabs my hand and says. i shit you not. ‘you know im in love with you, right?’ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PG: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YN: anyway hes my boyfriend now :’) dont tell anyone tho gotta win the bet

four months.

Lingering by the elevator, you glance around at the uncharacteristically silent office building, waiting for Spencer to leave the bullpen. The sound of his footfalls drawing nearer makes you smile and you mentally applaud yourself for suggesting the two of you remained behind after disembarking from the plane, taking advantage of the manufactured privacy to take the same car home, back to his apartment.

When he sees you waiting for him, he can’t help the soft fond smile that tugs at his face, as he reaches for your hand, sliding his fingers into yours with a gentle squeeze, the quiet of the building allowing him to indulge in the show of affection. You return the squeeze, leaning your head on his shoulder with a yawn and as he presses a fond kiss to your temple he’s rewarded by a sleepy hum of approval from you that sends a rush of quiet joy shooting through him.

“At least we won’t be sleeping in hotel beds again tonight,” you say, voice weary, and Spencer nods as he shuffles you into the elevator. The doors slide shut and the elevator starts to move and in the moment of absolute privacy, you steal a kiss, tilting your chin up to catch his lips with yours, revelling in the soft huff of surprise he lets out, even as he smiles against your mouth. Even after months, the simple act of kissing Spencer still feels new and thrilling somehow, like you can’t quite believe it’s something you’re allowed to do.

His nose brushes yours and he breathes “unless something big comes up, we get a sleep in tomorrow too,” and the way you beam at him sends his heart racing in his chest, unable to look away from the fondness shining in your eyes.

As the two of you exit the elevator and make your way through the Bureau car park, you tuck yourself against his side, wedging yourself under his arm with a happy sigh, eager to get yourself horizontal and asleep as fast as possible. Spencer brushes his lips against your temple again as the two of you close in on his car, almost free and clear of the office when a voice behind the two of you brings you up short.

“Reid?”

Spencer is reacting before his mind catches up, turning on his heel towards the sound of Hotch’s voice echoing through the parking lot, conscious of the incriminating way you’re still tucked against his side, even as his brain is rifling frantically through any possible excuses for the current circumstances.

“Hotch-” you step away from Spencer, cheeks flaming, not wanting to chance a look at him. “I-we-thought everyone else had gone home,” you trail off lamely, trying your hardest not to balk under Hotch’s ominously impassive scrutiny. A second passes, then another, and the short silence feels like months, or years even as the three of you stand locked in a stalemate.

“I take it the two of you would prefer to keep this under wraps?” He asks, finally, and it registers with Spencer, somewhat belatedly, that Hotch’s tone isn’t admonishing. It isn’t enough to dissipate the tension coiling in Spencer’s muscles just yet, but he spares a glance at you as he nods, and a moment later, Hotch gives the two of you a curt nod of his own. “I’ll tell you what,” he says, a shade of irony colouring his voice. “If you two fill out the paperwork for in-team relationships for me, I’ll keep it to myself. I understand privacy is hard to come by in our office.”

The words take a while to fully sink in, and you’re conscious that you’re standing there blinking and gaping at your boss like a bemused fish for a good few seconds before you’ve composed yourself enough to say “absolutely, sir. Of course. Thank you.”

Hotch nods again, heading towards his own car, and as he passes the two of you, a brief smile flashes across his face.

“Congratulations, you two. Get some sleep.”

four months and three weeks.

Spencer isn’t sure how late it is, but he knows you’re not asleep yet, the faint glow of your phone screen casting faint distorted shadows across his room as your free hand rests lightly on his chest. In the dark blue twilight of his room, the space feels undefined and dream like somehow, the line between his mind and his surroundings blurry or indistinct somehow, and as you huff out a near silent laugh at something on the screen in your hand, a thought rises to the surface of his thoughts like flotsam on an unwanted tide.

The more clinical part of his mind notes the autonomic response in his body, the way his heart lurches unpleasantly in his chest, heart rate rising with an influx of cortisol through his nervous system, automatically rifling through ways to control the anxiety response. Age old instinct surges forwards, starting to push his spiralling anxiety down out of sight so as not to bother you with it, but then your hand shifts infinitesimally on his chest, fingers curling in the soft fabric of his pyjama shirt, and for once his body is miles ahead of his brilliant mind, your name is leaving his lips before he’s really aware of it happening.

Your gaze flashes up from your phone at the sound of his voice, soft and hesitant, and you let the screen go dark as you set it down. You can feel Spencer’s heart hammering against his ribs under your palm, and your brows knit together in concern as you shift closer to his side, tracing gentle circles over his shirt with your fingertips, the repetitive motion intended to soothe, though you’re not sure if it’s for his benefit or yours.

“Yeah, baby?” You ask softly, working hard to keep the rising worry from your voice. After three years of friendship and almost six months of dating, you know him well enough to sense when his propensity for overthinking and catastrophizing is slipping out of his control. You can feel his chest rise as he inhales sharply, whatever he’s about to say cut off by second guessing, doing nothing to pacify your concern. “Spence? Is everything okay?” You ask again.

“This-bet-hiding our relationship-it’s-” he trails off, throat tight as he rolls onto his side, facing away from you, and smushing his face into the pillow, already wishing he hadn’t said anything. You’re the kindest person he’s ever met, but offering up this kind of raw insecurity feels like pulling teeth. Even if it’s you. Especially if it’s you. He doesn’t know if he’s ready to find out if you care about him enough to stay when his racing mind gets the better of him. The pillow muffles his voice as he says “never mind.”

You feel your own heart rate tic up in response to that, matching the wild beat of Spencer’s that you could feel under your palm only a second ago. “Baby, talk to me. What’s on your mind?”

He shakes his head, face still hidden in the pillow. “It’s stupid.”

He can feel the rush of your breath on his back as you sigh, and your voice is almost achingly patient as you say softly “it’s not stupid if it matters to you.” There’s a long pause, and you press yourself against his back, settling close and letting your hand slide over his side to rest on his chest, the heat of his skin sinking into yours even through his thin shirt. In spite of his height, he feels so small as you wrap yourself around him, drawing closer, trying to reassure him without yet knowing what he needs to be reassured of. “Spence?”

“Are you ashamed of-being with me? Is that why you want to hide it?” The words are almost whispered, the sound almost lost against his pillow and your heart sinks, plummeting faster and further than if you’d dropped it off the side of a skyscraper. You should’ve known he might worry about that, should have realised it might have felt that way. Remorse rises hot and bitter in your throat and you swallow it down, trying to steady your voice.

“Spencer. Sweetheart. No. Never. I could never be ashamed. I love you. I’m so sorry.” Your arms wrap more tightly around him and you bury your face against the crook of his neck, the tension you can feel in every inch of his body making you feel more cruel and short-sighted than you already do. “I’m sorry I didn’t realise it might feel like that. I could never be ashamed of being with you, Spence. You’re my favourite person.” He takes the kind of shaky, shallow breath that comes with trying not to cry and your heart breaks a little more as one of his hands slowly moves to cover yours where it rests against his chest, just over his heart.

As his hand rests over yours, his thumb strokes lightly along your knuckles, and he knows you know him well enough to notice the way his hand trembles, just a little, because then your hand is shifting against his, turning to clumsily tangle your fingers with his, holding tighter to him as he tries to collect himself, drawing in a deep, shuddering breath as his eyes squeeze shut. He can hear the contrition in your voice as you say softly “I’ve never really liked having people know everything about what’s going on in my life. And I love our friends but-something like this, that’s so-special? So new? I wanted to be able to keep it to just us for a while.”

“I’m sorry.” His voice comes out a little shaky, scarcely more than a whisper, and it’s more than you can take as you pull back and gently force him to roll over to face you. He’s not crying, but his eyes are glassy and you recognise the fight to keep the tears unshed in the tight set of his jaw and the hard line of his lips. Leaning on your elbow, you lift your free hand to gently smooth out the furrows of his brow, letting your fingers linger along the planes of his face.

“Why are you sorry,” you ask gently. “You don’t need to be sorry, baby. Not for talking to me about things that bother you. We can tell everyone else tomorrow, if you want? We can call off the bet. Derek will live. If he’s got a problem with it I’ll turn all his shirts into crop tops.”

He can tell the joke is a last bid attempt to make him smile, to ease his fear, and it works. In spite of the anxious weight in his chest that feels like it’s pressing him into the mattress, Spencer laughs weakly, meeting your eyes, and he watches as a relieved smile breaks across your face, releasing your lower lip from where you’d trapped it worriedly between your teeth. The unmitigated affection that floods into your eyes renders him momentarily breathless as he takes in the moment. You’re still here, still trying to take care of him. Just as kind and steadfast as ever.

“No,” he says eventually, wrapping his arms around you, pulling you down on top of him like a living weighted blanket, letting your warmth chase the bulk of the tension from his body and luxuriating in the way you curl into him, one hand sliding into his hair. “We shouldn’t call off the bet. We still have to take Emily’s money, remember?”

Your sleepy laugh is the last thing he hears before his eyes close and the feel of your body wound around his lulls him to sleep.

five months.

SR: Can I talk to you about something?

DM: you dying or something? that’s a really fuckin ominous text to recieve out of the blue

SR: I’m not dying, why would that be what you assumed? I just have a question.

DM: just a figure of speech but what’s up?

SR: It’s about your bet with Emily. What’re the terms for it?

DM: wym?

SR: What exactly did you two make the bet about? What needs to happen in order for you to win the bet?

DM: does this count as collusion?

SR: Technically yes, but calling it collusion implies a certain degree of illegality.

DM: whatever anyway the terms i made with em were that you’d make some kind of move before your birthday but she reckoned you were gonna need some kind of near death experience to do anything about your crush why?

SR: I’m just making sure I have all the information.

DM: what’s going on pretty boy? you planning something?

SR: Maybe.

DM: not a helpful answer reid is everything good?

SR: Everything’s fine. We’re just figuring some stuff out. Nothing to worry about.

DM: is there something you’re not telling me?

SR: Don’t worry about it.

five months, three weeks and six days.

In the chaos that was the scramble from the briefing room to the jet, you haven’t yet had the chance to speak to Spencer about the outcome of his most recent thesis defence panel. By the time you’ve got a moment to breathe, the jet is underway, coasting across the country towards Montana, the whole team settled in for the six hour flight. You corner him in the tiny kitchen area of the jet as he’s making a mug of mediocre coffee, fingers tapping out an absent minded rhythm on the countertop as the coffee machine whirs, clearly not paying attention to anything outside of his head.

“Hey, boy genius.” He jumps, whirling around, eyes wide with surprise, and you smile fondly. “So?” You demand, and Spencer raises an eyebrow in confusion. You snort, rolling your eyes as you elaborate. “Your defence panel. Did it go okay?”

You’re shifting your weight and fidgeting restlessly with the belt loops on your pants and as he studies you for a moment, it occurs to Spencer that you’re nervous for him over this outcome. The thought brings an almost giddy smile to his face.

“You know this isn’t my first thesis defence panel, right?” He says mildly, deliberately burying the lede, enjoying the way you scowl in irritation too much to answer your question right away, too enamoured with this display of concern on his behalf.

“Don’t be difficult, Doctor Reid. It’s still a big deal.” He just shrugs noncommittally, and you huff, swatting his arm lightly. “So did it go well?” You ask again, eyes narrowing as you try to dissect his microexpressions, trying to discern the answer he seems determined to keep from you for yourself. A few seconds later, he relents.

“I can now add degree number six to my wall.” He confirms. Getting degrees doesn’t hold the same rush of pride for him now, the accomplishment feeling somewhat less exceptional as he acquires more of them, but the way your face lights up with pride for him reminds him how special the things he’s capable of can be. You’ve always made him feel like more than the sum of his parts somehow, like something infinitely more precious than he always assumed he is.

“I fucking knew it. That’s amazing, Spence,” you say, chest warm and full with pride and love, and his almost shy smile in return is enough to make a decision for you in a split second. Your hand dips into your back pocket, drawing something out, and you carefully hide it from view in your palm as Spencer tracks the motion curiously with his eyes.

Your eyes are shining with affection and something that looks like mischief and the way you’re smiling at him is more than enough to divert his attention as you step closer, just barely noticing as you slip something into his hand. You’re dangerously, distractingly close now, and he’s conscious, if somewhat distantly, that neither of you is concealed from the rest of the team, scant meters away in the seating area of the jet. But you’re smiling and close enough for him to feel your breath on his face and suddenly your lips are on his, and even after nearly seven months of being able to touch you like this, it’s enough to make him forget everything else as he melts into the contact, savouring the warmth of your skin and the faint smell of your shampoo.

You pull back a second later, the kiss over almost as soon as it started, but it’s enough to attract attention, and you can hear a belated ‘oh SHIT’ from Emily in the main cabin of the jet. In your peripheral vision, you can see money changing hands, your friends scrambling to react, but you don’t look at them, choosing to enjoy the bemused, affectionate look on Spencer’s face as his brain catches up to the events unfolding around the two of you.

“I was tired of keeping it a secret,” you say fondly, loud enough only for him to hear. “You win.”

Blinking in confusion, he finally tears his gaze away from yours, fingers uncurling to reveal the fifty dollar bill you had pressed into his palm right before you kissed him. The penny drops and he snorts with laughter, shaking his head in half hearted indignation as his other arm loops around you, pulling you in, letting you rest your head on his shoulder, hiding your face from the rest of the team as he kisses your temple, revelling in the way you wind yourself around him in response.

“I was gonna do this in like two days. I wanted you to win,” he murmurs against your hairline, and he can feel your faint laughter.

“Too bad, baby. I’m used to getting my way,” you say, pulling back to steal another quick kiss before peeling yourself out of his arms with a wink, turning to face the onslaught of ‘care to fucking explain that’ and ‘I fucking told you so’ from the rest of your friends, tugging him with you by your joined hands.

[onlyonekenobi]

Sam riffled the cards thoughtlessly between his fingers.

Well, not thoughtlessly. Anxiously. With lots of thoughts, just no direction.

He tried to focus now on the worn, soft edges of cardstock playing against his fingertips.

Something old, he mused.

One deep breath, in and out, was the goal. All those years of meditation practice couldn’t be for nothing, right?

In, he thought, letting the cards flit together; then out, bridging them back into a pile. In and out, over and over, letting the cards teach him to breathe.

I’m getting married today, he thought into them. What say you to that? Where does a person even begin to focus their energy on a day like today? What do you try to remember most from the best day of your life? On a day you never thought you’d get?

You’re spiraling, he cut himself off.

In. Out.

Pull a card.

Sam snorted audibly as he flipped it over to reveal- of course- The Lovers.

“Yeah,” he laughed lightly. “Thanks for that, very astute.” Giving the deck another quick shuffle, he asked aloud, “Anything else?”

Another flip- this deck had never been one to pull punches, but it was also always equally ready to tell you when good things were coming and you should just calm the hell down about it already. So really, he should have guessed this one. “Wheel of Fortune,” he smiled under his breath.

A card for destiny. For new chapters. For luck.

Tears started to well hot in his eyes, and he shut them tight until he was sure it was over. “Yeah,” he whispered again. “Yeah, I think you’re right.”

Clearing his throat, Sam worked the cards back into a neat pile and grabbed for their little cardboard box where it sat perched on the table. As he pulled the lid off from where it was cupped snug around the bottom, a little piece of paper- ripped from the guest notebook, it looked like- fluttered to the ground.

Picking it up, he smiled again; he’d know that writing anywhere. It walked the wildly fine line between elegant, adorable, and downright chaotic, just like her.

Sam, he read in Eileen’s looping scrawl,

I had a feeling you might be shuffling through these this morning :) So, if you’re reading this, I was right! And if you’re not, I guess I’ll just burn this note later to hide the evidence of my shame.

I can’t wait to see you (well, I can see you right now, you’re brushing your teeth, but you know what I mean. I can’t wait to see you Out There.). I don’t want to spoil my vows, but I couldn’t wait to tell you how much I love you. Wait- there, I also told you just now. Remember?

He did.

You’re my best friend, Sam. You’re my family. You are smart, and kind, and brave, and thoughtful, and beautiful. You give so much of yourself to the world, and it owes you its very best back. There are no words for how lucky I feel that I get to try and help give that to you. I would give you the sun, if I could. (Maybe I’ll work on a spell for that- something to keep you impressed for our anniversary.)

Every day of my life is a second chance. The fact that I get to spend them with you… it’s beyond believing.

You are the most incredible person I have ever known, and it will be my honor to tell you that every day from now on.

Now finish brushing your hair and get out there. I’ll be waiting.

See you real soon ♡  I love you.

Eileen

-

Sam traced his thumb over the little drawing of a heart, no longer fighting it as the tears spilled over. How anyone could ever have gotten so lucky, he would never understand.

Because no matter what else had happened in his life, Sam had a future to go live. He had a wife to go marry. And for all she’d just written about him, she was the coolest, toughest, sweetest person to ever walk the earth- he was sure of it, beyond a shadow of a doubt. Finding her- being loved by her- was more than a miracle.

Eileen’s words had driven the scramble of anxiety completely from Sam’s brain, but his body still took another deep breath out of habit.

He squared his shoulders. Wiped his eyes.

“Hey, Dean?” he called into the next room.

“Yeah?” came an answering voice.

“I’m ready to go here, man.” A wave of excitement rolled through Sam’s shoulders.

“All right!” Dean beamed, his head popping in from the other side of the door. “I’ll tell ‘em to cue up the music.” His posture changed minutely before he added, “You…. I’m real proud of you, Sammy.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Sam smirked. They’d already had this moment last night, and there would surely be another later today. “Thanks, Dean.” For more than just the comment. For so much. “Now go and get my wedding started. I have a kickass wife to marry.”

Laughter echoed as Dean left the room, and Sam felt suddenly dizzy with excitement.

Destiny, he thought again.

He’d been “destined” for a lot of things, he knew, and Eileen held more gravity than any of them.

Destiny.

Yeah. She was waiting for him.

[thatonesquintern13]

episode two - hanging by a moment:

• writing “rip(ond) kat landry” before i even knew she got shot was so galaxy brain of me btw

• back to the question of if present elliot lied to kat about not seeing alice since colton’s funeral 🤨

• and why was baby elliot just hanging out by the pond

• oh the pond actually sent alice back to the present?? interesting

• i don’t love this new chill elliot. i need him to be just like 20% mad scientist about this

• ugh now he’s just being RUDE

• elliot i was about to let you have rights and you’re actually being very judgmental right now. it’s not a good look on you.

• yeah elliot they haven’t jumped! kat wasn’t lying to you!!

• “what do you mean jacob?” “elliot. my mom.” please can we get our priorities straight!!

• oh now he wants to listen.

• “kat will be fine. she always is.” litchrally dead in the pond

• oh mystery shooter is carrying a very unconscious and very bloody kat away from the pond 😰

• mm yes soil symbolism

• colton flashback 🥺

• “there’s nothing like landry soil” and now she’s gonna have to SELL IT 😭

• dell is just a little too calm about not knowing where kat and alice are

• “oh that’s right bc dogs aren’t supposed to time travel.” lmao yeah that’s what i’m saying!!

• the pond just plays fast and loose with its rules

• alice setting this man STRAIGHT!!!

• “i know i ruined your life, but, you know what, that was an accident. and you leaving? that was a choice.” YEAH GET EM

• i will say sadie laflamme-snow (alice) is KILLING IT this season already!!

• “the giles to your buffy” callback ):

• but she don’t NEED you anymore (yes she does)

• oh kat is doing… not well.

• septic!? 😰 in 1814!? 😰😰 you know she dead

• wow this man does not care that she is dying okay

• kat going all “tis but a scratch” to get out of this bed to find alice

• 1814 almanacs 🫵🏽

• uh yeah you’re gonna pass out girl you have NO BLOOD

• who’re these people

• alice lying to dell about her mother just like 1999

• “for a newspaper editor, communication is not her strong point.” dell stays reading kat for filth 😭

• i’m actually still confused by what’s going on with the farm.

• but spencer from school thinks the landrys should go province-wide with something so. idk must be good business

• brady no one wants to go to minnesota right now kat is MISSING

• not an internship… brady you and me have two very different definitions of summer fun 🫠

• i assume these two 1814 people are the great great whoever landrys?

• but why is this man SO aggressive. you literally shot a woman and now you want nothing to do with her!? should have thought about that before pulling the trigger dawg

• oh okay lady’s kinda aggressive too 😳

• dell: ‘you’d think your mom would want to spend as much time with you before you leave!’ also dell: ‘anyways imma head out.’

• “since when am i the only person who has to check in around here? i can come and go as i please just like katherine.” okay slay dell so true.

• the way she said that was so satisfying too. like the tone of her voice. (euphonious, according to google)

• landry woman running to elliot with her problems? likely thing for her to do.

• she was leasing the fields for 20 years?! that was good business.

• she wants to turn the fields into a communal farm! smart!

• i LOVE this idea actually!! teaching young people how to farm and also supporting local charities !!

• (kinda what she already does, apparently. crops for kindness which they didn’t really expand on in s1)

• WWCLD (what would colton landry do)

• i don’t want to get to the part of the season where we see baby elliot getting treated badly by his dad 🥺

• dell, your “subtly” will never cease to amaze me.

• “don’t overthink it, elliot, love is complicated enough.” 😉😉😉

• finn 🫵🏽

• he’s just a good boy 🥹

• “finn, don’t you dare follow me.” lmaoooo

• omg we’re back in 2000!!

• oh baby kat is gone! doesn’t live here anymore! g’byyyyeee

• “alice i want you to leave” dawg why is elliot so mean in both decades right now 😭

• oh!

• WHAT HAPPENED TO BESTIEISM

• alice don’t listen to him! it’s not your fault!!

• alexa play anti-hero by taylor swift 😔

• the pond is a messy bitch bc WHY ISN’T ALICE GOING ANYWHERE

• kat is aliiiiveeee

• like very alive. whatever that lady was cooking up in the molcajete did the trick 😮‍💨

• oooh the 1814 people are arguing upstairs 👀

• “i won’t do it, tom(?)” “your father and i had a deal.” “a deal with the devil.” 😳👀

• a couple of hours ago she was passing out in sepsis, now she’s jumping out of windows?? okay

• uhoh she’s been spotted

• cyrus goodwin?? taking her to jail!??

• MOLCAJETE LADY ON A HORSE!?

• okay that’s kinda coded….. are they related or are they gonna fall in love 😗

• here comes baby elliot tail between his legs 😤

• you better apologize to your bestie rn

• “i tried really hard to live in the present but i miss this. i just feel like this was the last time i was truly happy.” you and me both, sista.

• (i was only 2 in 2000 lol)

• “it’s like i’m shipwrecked” 🥺

• baby elliot is so ALONE 😭😭😭

• “you still have the memories, right? and we still have each other don’t we?” bestieism is BACK

• “it’s an mp3 player. it’s amazing, it holds like 25 songs.” PLEASE

• of course you don’t hate her baby elliot. it’s okay, everyone knew you were going through something

• is this the horse from the fields earlier? does someone bring this horse back and forth into the pond 😭😂😂

• susanna AUGUSTINE!? HELLO

• so really no one leaves this town huh.

• “do you think i’m going to kill you? why would i heal you if i were going to kill you?” i don’t know you’re being kinda aggressive right now it’s a little kill-y vibes

• oh i was right it is thomas (tom)

• “he says he mistook you for a deer.” mm yes i can see the resemblance

• yeah kat you can’t just be a woman in 1814. that’s illegal

• “i just feel bad for dell. she’s completely alone now.” “she won’t be forever, trust me.” 🥺

• alice apologizing to baby elliot for telling him his future and present elliot still used that as an excuse?? come on

• there’s a lot more jumping back and forth in this episode with not very much distinction on my end (ie ‘baby’ or ‘present’ or ‘past’) and i feel like it could get confusing. sorry.

• anyways back in 1814

• “if i’d known you were going to make a break for it i would’ve brought you your own clothes. it’s smart to dress like a man while traveling.” LOL but jeans and a flannel is basically the landry farm uniform 😭

• “especially with the war.” “war? oh. the war! bc it’s 1814 and 1812 was two years ago which is when it started.” jesus, kat.

• like i didn’t also say “oh yeah. bc it’s 1814…”

• had to pop a goog on the war of 1812. but im back

• “americans! trouble, am i right?” KAT PLEASE 😂😂😂

• “best of luck finding your friend. […] it’s alice, isn’t it?”

• me, gasping: wait why am i gasping i know how she knows this

• “i thought as much. you mentioned the name frequently while you were fighting off the fever.” idk something about the way she said that makes me think they’re gonna fall in love

• (they won’t 😪)

• “how do you know jacob landry?” AH

• HOW DO YOU KNOW JACOB LANDRY 🫵🏽

• “you called out for him as well.” first and last name tho?

• “do you know jacob landry?” exactly kat!

• SHE KNOWS JACOB LANDRY

• AND HES JUST A BOY?????

• HES ON LANDRY FARM?? WITH HIS FAMILY???

• “i thought you had to find you friend. alice.” susanna can’t a girl have more than one need!

• not in 1814 she can’t

• although… good on her for not taking a stranger directly to a little boy.

• but jacob is happy 🥺 and doing well 🥺🥺🥺

• not to andi mack this, but susanna turned around 👀

• okay but what’s the plan if we do find jacob. take him back to present day?? and 40 year old kat and 65 year old dell raise an 8 year old?? he can’t go back to 2000 or we would know! he would be in the present! we just leave him in 1814 and he’s forced to know the fate of his own future that’s also his past ????

• i don’t know i won’t overthink it

• anyways susanna turned around and kat was OUTTIE not suspicious at all

• oh my god the pond took kat and alice back at the same time!!!

• “oh it’s okay i got shot” grey’s anatomy training 😪

• “we’re gonna heal” YEAH YOU ARE 🥺🥹😭😭😭

• but this is only episode two. something tells me we are not going to heal

• we’re going back to lingermore! and alice is going with us!

• dell doesn’t like estate sales but tbh i think she would clean up at one. like imagine all the vintage stuff at lingermore??

• “someone from back then knew you well enough to paint you and call you ‘my katherine.’ someone who must’ve cared about you.” i’ll say nothing 🙂

• elliot?? they just let anyone into lingermore

• i know why kat lied to elliot about where she was… but kat. come on. you know that’s WORSE than telling him you jumped right.

• and he ALREADY KNOWS

• “well at least he was there for you.” “he wasn’t, actually” yeah not getting any brownie points on your end either elliot 🥴

• not the gun she was shot with! why did evelyn have that!

• oh elliot is having flashbacks too. he was at lingermore when The Thing Happened too. and maybe alice?? i think i heard her name

• now dell is here?? i thought she didn’t like estate sales

• dell is on a roll with that land proposal. she’s not playing around with her farm 😤

• yeah where are they going to put that giant painting of 1814 katherine

• okay okay little pieces of foreshadowing being dropped i see em

• the same edition of ‘the founding of port haven’ that colton owned that fell apart, written by elliot’s ancestor samuel… that feels like a surprise tool that’s gonna help us later

• “hear what?” “ah, nothing.” “…” “nothing.” “fine.” father-daughter bestieism !! yep yep yep

• (okay let me let you in on a secret. i was getting some... vibes… from the beach scene and the goodbye scene between baby elliot and alice earlier and i’m HOPING TO GOD they don’t make this weird. so i’m going to call out the bestieism when i see it bc that’s all it is.)

• ((never mind that i have been talking about kat falling in love with an augustine ancestor in 1814. that’s different and you know it.))

• alice is right, elliot! figure yourself out! do you wanna know about the time travel or not!

• so present elliot WAS lying to kat and alice.

• “it was the worst summer of my life” “and you blamed it all on me.” i’m back to being mad at him 😠

• alice, think about it. if you knew you went back one more time would you have taken a seven month break? 🥴

• “i think this needs to stop. i jus- i can’t be involved with you! or your mother!” omg elliot think about your words there are people here 😭😂😂

• he said 🧍🏻‍♂️

• how did sadie not break there lmaoooo

• “col, they said no.” i processed this is three separate gasps 1) dell talking to colton, 2) colton(‘s ghost?) being there next to her, 3) the city saying no??? to dell landry????

• tell kat! no more secrets!! yes, dell you’ve always known this!

• the horse is back. (pete’a, the horse is he’a)

• phoebe “this cat is my mother” but it’s dell and this horse that is colton probably

• but also probably time traveled from 1814

• not kat buying the gun that shot her 😭

• dell bringing kat a snacky at workkkk 🤧🥰

• now is kat actually writing the book or did she just make this up. bc i think that book would be great

• nooo dell chickened out with all the farm lore talk and she didn’t talk to kat about the land!!! what happened to no more secrets!

• old neighbor i do not trust you. stay away from alice 🤨

• oh he’s small town gossiping about the declined land proposal and how they’re gonna lose the farm 😀

• but…. doesn’t the land belong to dell? what does the old neighbor leaving and the new neighbor not picking up the lease have to do with dell not owning ?? it??? besides the fact that she’s losing out on that income? can’t she find anyone else in town to take over the lease???

• also why did the town council tell her no!!! isn’t former nemesis monica on the town council!? is she about to be nemesis monica again

• oop alice is not going to minnesota.

• she doesn’t wanna leave dell alone 🥺

• randomly had to look up how old sadie laflamme-snow is and her birthday is almost exactly a year after mine! she’s 364 days younger than me! crazy!

• also that’s wild bc why is she playing a 16 year old. and why did i get mistaken for a 16 year old today.

• anyways back to the show

• ooh dell has a surprise for alice from the estate sale with five minutes left in the show i’m sure it’s not gonna be important

• oh! through the looking glass! that’s sweet

• “your sequel.” now hold on….. has dell connected dots?

• bc yes baby kat loved alice in wonderland… but present kat also explicitly states that alice is named after 1999 alice…. so. 🤨

• chyler leigh’s hair grew (or they gave her a longer wig?) between the beginning of this season and this scene…

• “what do you mean you just took [your last trip]? i told you, alice, you never went back.” uh oh. about to find out elliot is also a liar.

• “you never said anything about this.” when was she gonna tell you!! you were in 1814!

• kat and elliot are never gonna get anywhere if they just keep omitting truths to each other

• the time jump journal that i said was suspicious last season IS SUSPICIOUS there’s at least a whole page more of jumps???? ELLIOT why did i ever trust you

• OHP MAMA MAD

• “i didn’t lie. i just chose not to share the full truth” OKAY i thought i was being generous with that lying by omission thing UGH MEN

• i don’t like when mom and dad fight!!

• oh my god

• sorry i couldn’t accurately live blog that scene bc i was SHOOK THE WHOLE TIME let me go back.

• okay starting from the top

• sorry i’m getting lost in it again. chyler and evan are sooo goood

• elliot maybe if you LISTENED she could TELL YOU WHY SHE JUMPED AGAIN

• TO FIX THE FAMILY

• “i am the one who lost jacob. i did. and i have had to live with that guilt every single day since then.” SHE ACTUALLY LOST HIM TWICE LIKE HOW SICK IS THAT

• “i have a chance to actually bring him home.” WHICH HOME WHAT YEAR

• “when has that ever worked?” elliot has a point. hate to say it.

• “look what it did to you! what it did to me!” TO YOU!?

• oh that’s literally what kat says next lol. that’s how you know it’s good, natural writing.

• “you made our breakup my fault. my daughter’s fault!” YEAH BITCH STFU

• “you know what i think? i think you just wanted me to love you.” SCREAMING OH MY GOD AND THE WAY SHE SAYS IT!!! YES CONDESCEND THAT MAN KAT!!!

• “you wanted me to focus only on you, and when i couldn’t do that, you bailed!”

• “i left because i couldn’t deal with colton’s death and your involvement in it” WHY WOULD HE SAY THIS TO HER

• “colton was like a father to me. but you got your five more minutes, and i didn’t! and it kills me.” WHO IS IN THE WRITERS ROOM THIS SEASON

• “you set out to fix that too kat, but you didn’t fix it. you broke it.” UGH

• “you just watch me fix it.” YOU ! JUST ! WATCH ME !! FIX IT !!! BITCH

• GOD DAMN THAT WAS A GOOD SCENE WOW

• i don’t know how they’re coming back from that, y’all!!!! might have to jump ship on katelliot because 😰

• whew. okay let’s get on with the last two minutes of the show 😮‍💨

• alice reading into the looking glass

• kat is going back to 1814. maybe to kill susanna so elliot is never born idk

• she wore period accurate clothes this time lol

• JACOB?! did that boy not learn to stay away from the pond 😤

• and kat is gonna chase him bc she also did not learn anything about being alone as a woman in 1814

fin.

📺: the way home - season two

season one recap 🩵

episode one - the space between:

• watching the ‘previously on’ like i didn’t just spend the week recapping it

• thought this was jacob and dell but it’s just another little boy and older lady

• “it will always take you where you need to go.” 👀

• picking up where season one left off. kat and dell were literally JUST healing and now where back to murder boarding

• oh we’re just immediately jumping into the FROZEN pond

• it didn’t work!

• kat you know that’s not how it works !! just get out before you freeze!!!

• oh god now alice is in the pond

• and YEAH we’re BENEATH THE ICE

• ALICE

• KAT DONT YOU KNOW CPR

• CHEST COMPRESSIONS

• oh god alice is back okay

• so much just happened oh my god

• a note for kat on elliot’s door ):

• me and elliot squabbin the next time i see him 😤

• (did anyone else’s school use the word squab around like 2015?? 2016??)

• “if i’ve learned anything these last few months it’s the worst thing to waste is time.” i gUESS!

• now how can a dog time travel 😭 the pond is SICK for that

• “the pond is done with us, allie. we have to be done with it.” we’ll see

• they’re making a pact to stay in the present

• time jump! seven months laterrrr

• hello?? DECODE PARAMORE?!?!

• and kat is jogging through the woods like is this twilight???

• passed elliot’s (still empty) house. hayley williams is right, how did we get here 😭

• ofc kat is listening to decode she’s an emo millennial

• if you think about it this kinda is like twilight. she’s gonna jump off a cliff next probably

• dell landry: bee keeping age!!!

• where’d the horse come from? 🤨

• “hey, boy. who are you?” oh so neither of us know okay

• oh! it’s the last day of school!

• not spencer from school pulling up

• and maybe zoe from school? hard to say

• alice is leaving!? oh going to the states with brady

• “that’s the thing about shared custody, eventually you have to share.” rip /:

• ugh r*chel mention

• “i am screening your next guy! these last two, they’ve been so very disappointing.” LAST TWO!?

• oh she meant brady and elliot 😂

• “brady only disappointed in the later years. we don’t.. we don’t talk about elliot.” yeah still too soon formerly nemesis monica

• lol so new guy leaves (suspiciously 🤨) and kat is like “okay fiiine i’ll take over the herald and hire myself back!! if i must!!!”

• and good for her!

• oh someone’s died 😰

• evelyn goodwin??

• oldest member of the most prestigious (and wealthiest) family in port haven. an institution, dell says!

• linger?more?

• oh elliot has the AUDACITY to send post cards 😤

• yeah, alice you’re right to roll your eyes at him!!

• we’re getting so much landry lore!

• but also more evidence for my jacob is his own ancestor theory

• the landrys were a founding family of port haven with the aforementioned goodwins

• dell talking about HAPPY MEMORIES OF COLTON!!!! 🥹

• we’re throwing a summer partyyyy

• landry ladies kitchen dancing 🥹

• ruined! by brady calling 😤

• oh so kat and alice are on the same wavelength as me. no wonder kat knows so much about her great great whoevers

• they stuck to their word, no pond!

• “yeah, well. elliot’s not around anymore to give us those pearls of wisdom.” “when are you gonna let that go?” no, no. hold that grudge, alice.

• “elliot promised that he would always be there to help, and when we needed him the most […], he bails.” just like the avatar 😪

• can’t help but notice the herald is brighter now that new guy is gone.

• now i know brady isn’t trying to blame KAT for the shared custody thing

• are we ever gonna be introduced to rachel bc now it’s getting suspicious

• “alice is no distraction, she’s the glue” she really is huh 😭

• ooooh evelyn goodwin put the herald in her will???

• kat is going to ✨lingermore✨

• (i’m guess that’s the goodwin estate?)

• “no wonder you turned the herald into a weekly, you’re always here” okay dell kinda ate with that one 😭

• “i’m going up the hill” me: kate bush?

•but also: *eerie music change* “i’m going with you.”

• okay now i’m scared of lingermore

• oh something has Happened here…

• sorry, evelyn saved everything to open a museum and her son was just like “eh oh well. gonna sell.” ??? hate men.

• oooh but now the herald gets it all!!

• now kat has the entire history of port haven at her fingertips! finding jacob has literally never been easier.

• oh something Sinister has Happened here… 😰

• alice! step away from that pond! you promised your mother!!

• oh she’s just coming to say goodbye ):

• girl back up that’s literally how you fell in the first time!!

• oh it’s LITERALLY how she fell in the first time? the bracelet hello???

• i do enjoy that when i gasp now it’s actually stuff i am surprised about

• is dell gonna have flashbacks of her own of this place now?

• she’s just sad about evelyn ):

• you know. this was kinda how dell’s future was looking before kat and alice showed up…

• yeah how is kat supposed to get all these boxes back to the herald

• UM

• why’s this portrait look just like kat 😀

• “MY KATHERINE, 1814” HELLO

• what did evelyn know 👀

• aww the jewelry dish

• we are immediately back to kat and alice keeping secrets from each other 🫠

• she’s a runna she’s a track star 🏃🏻‍♀️

• oh! note’s gone from the door! is elliot back???

• omg he’s back

• “well kat landry!” “oh… elliot augustine…” okayyyy

•god, kat might as well have just said “you look hot” that would’ve been less embarrassing 😭

• (and he does, she was right.)

• why is elliot being weird

• wait. just realized this man LEFT in the MIDDLE OF THE SCHOOL YEAR??? elliot there’s a TEACHER SHORT- wait they’re canadian…. is there a canadian teacher shortage??

• um but still. in the middle of the year, dawg??

• okay elliot when have you ever “imposed” on the landrys be so for real

• omg kat get up girl you are not playing it cool rn

• “i will never understand why she took elliot’s travels so hard” bc they’re besties??? (also bc that’s her stepdad but we apparently are keeping that a secret)

• dell didn’t notice that kat and alice were literally time traveling but she DID clock kat and elliot and that is, once again, so southern of her.

• “i haven’t seen you wear the bracelet in forever! i was beginning to think you lost it.” hehe about that…

• no actually WHY is elliot so… off i’m starting to not trust this… like go back to the caribbean if you’re gonna be like this

• “somebody had a glow up.” lmao rita!!

• “looks like elliot had what the kids call a hot boy summer” RITA!!!

• oh so alice didn’t know about katelliot and is really just mad bc elliot is her bestie!!!

• “and besides, there is no us, really. right?” ELLIOT YOU’RE THE BIGGEST DUMB DUMB THERE IS

• fumbled the bag

• he didn’t even say GOODBYE!? god what is with these men

• “great party, dell.” 😭😂

• “you better get out there and get a lobster before rita pilfers them all” lol okay great callback

• “[the farm] will always be here waiting for you.” 🥹

• fireworks for colton 😭😭😭😭

• flashbacks for everyone 🥺

• i miss colton landry

• ugh how long are kat and elliot going to pretend they don’t love each other

• alice is connecting dots

• colton and baby elliot 🥺 the club house is always there for him to have a space 😭

• “don’t waste any time, kid. because it’s never guaranteed.” and elliot thought that was a joke?? i-

• *branch snaps* “did you hear that?” WHO CAME BACK 🫵🏽

• “i saw that look between you and elliot. are you two together?” alice you’re far too late

• alice you didn’t ruin anything, sweetie 😭

• kinda rude that i grew up an hour from the beach and never went to a summer bonfire beach party in high school. (i didn’t go to parties in hs who am i kidding)

• oh! we’re being haunted by our past! cool.

• an elliot mixtape!!! IN THE CLUBHOUSE

• aww elliot’s here.

• with a STRONG candian ‘sorry’

• oh they met alice after the last summer cookout… interesting

• i thought “traveling” was a euphemism. but he actually meant time traveling lol

• “i’m sorry i didn’t say goodbye. i just knew if i saw you, i wouldn’t go.” OKAY AND WOULD THAT HAVE BEEN SO BAD

• just sitting on the bed nothing crazy

• SCREAMING !!!!!

• grey’s anatomy training 😏

•making out with all for you playing in the background. gonna cry actually.

• elliot apologizing right away 😭 okay there’s the awkward guy i missed

• “i’m not your problem anymore” WHY WOULD SHE SAY THATTTTT

• ALEXA, PLAY EXHILE BY TAYLOR SWIFT

• the sad part is, they could just go right back to how they were. like elliot is so willing to be that sounding board for kat.

• but. he blew it. super hard. complete buffoonery.

• “welcome home.” damn she’s cold

• baby nick!!!

• ugh elliot was gonna make his move RIGHT before kat met brady 😭

• so i guess spencer from school and zoe from school are??? no more???

• alice is still hung up on nick 😭 girl he’s old let it gooo

• why are they making her sing rn

• now look you’ve made her get stage fright again. (it’s definitely not the ghosts of her mother’s past coming to haunt her…)

• kat and dell finally getting the mother daughter relationship they deserve??

• is the house called lingmore or lingermore… i need to look this up

• the subtitles are telling me lingermore. dell’s accent is just thick lmao

• oh! see, dell thought evelyn reminded her of herself too.

• “i wanna build back our relationship. i wanna get to know you again.” yup yup yup 🥹

• kat has also noticed that dell is talking about colton and jacob in a positive light now

• “no more regrets, only resets” dell would kill on facebook

• ugh, i know Something is going to happen and it’s gonna ruin everything we accomplished in this scene

• um why are we back at the “did you hear that” scene 😰

• WHO IS THAT!?!?? 🫵🏽

• colton???? new guy?????? JACOB!?!?!?

• oh my god

• the blurry polaroid!!

• alice and kat sharing their secrets! season of healing!

• kat don’t let her manipulate you like this!

• okay or do. whatever.

• wait elliot send that text 😭 you gotta be the one to fix this, dude.

• neighbor!? who is this man???

• they better not be trying to give dell another love interest 😤

• could be elliot’s dad tho? but i doubt it

• suspicious buyer of the neighboring farm????

• the new buyer isn’t going to lease the fields sooo what does that mean 😅

• dell is going to be losing money?

• AND WHOSE HORSE IS THIS

• don’t tell me that horse jumped in the pond 🤧

• mother daughter pond jump 🤪

• “it’ll take us where we need to go” what could go wrong! 😀

• BABY ELLIOT!?

• has present elliot been LYING to present kat this whole time??????

• if i got sent to 1814- hold up who is that

• not the gun

• HELLO

• grey’s anatomy training (dying in a horrific way)

• um. okay 😀

fin.

[anothertimdrakestan]

2 Times Jason Todd Took Your Breath Away (Jason Todd x Reader)

this is for the ppl who requested jason todd x super!reader fics!

words: 1.4k 

1.

“I thought we were city heroes, why the hell am I trekking through a forest?” you whisper-yelled into your comm, but Tim was having none of it. 

“You know as well as I do that we’ve gotta win this shit, best team remember?” you rolled your eyes, but agreed nonetheless. It was the once-every-three-years trip when the supers and bats were forced to go on a “family” trip. The term family is used quite loosely by the bats but your family was quick to coin it as the family trip even against Bruce’s disgust. 

“Um, I think I’ve got sight of a flag, oh- yup! Blue flag spotted let’s fuck ‘em up.” Kon came over the comm, you’d gotten paired with the love birds for capture the flag, but it was fine because your team was way overpowered, which meant when you won you’d get the pick of the night's dinner. The goal was to capture as many flags as possible without losing your own. 

“Okay, stealth mode get the flag, y/n head back to base, if there’s no one at blue it means they’re going for the rest of us which is a code 2 alarm, especially with Todd and Dami on the blue team.” you suppressed a laugh at the literal make-believe codes Tim had decided on for this game, for the bats this game held some sort of bragging rights, but for you Kon it was just a chance to stretch your legs. 

As Kon secured the blue flag you knew your team had won, Tim was at home base sitting on 2 other flags, and there was no shot anyone was getting past him. Strolling back through the woods you picked up on the light breathing on someone to your left. Whipping your head to the side you saw your own green flag waving in a pair of gloved hands. 

“What the fuck?” you paced up to the tree. “Little birdie forgot to watch their own nest!” Jason’s laughter bubbled up as he twirled the little green cloth on it’s wooden stick. 

“I- I wasn’t even at base? Isn’t Tim there?” you tried to play innocent, knowing if you got close enough you could snatch the flag and run. “Mhm he was, but he was too busy talking to Kon to notice me,” you inched closer, trying to look upset, “No fair! They’re always distracted.” you pouted, looking up at Jason who nodded in agreement. “So distracted,”

In what felt like a flash you were suddenly pinned to the ground, the air knocked clean out of your lungs. “GO GO GO!” Jason shouted; from your position flat on the ground you tilted your head to the side, watching Damian and Jon book it from your base towards theirs, a blue flag in Jon’s hands. 

“Brats!” you called after them. With a breathless sign you brought your head up, face to face with Jason. There were black lines on each of his cheeks, and his hair was pushed back by a makeshift blue cloth he’d clearly ripped from the collar of his shirt, as it was ragged and ribbed from where he’d ripped it apart.

His face was just an inch from yours, warm breath fluttering on your lips. “Always too distracted y/n” he whispered with a grin, eyes flitting down to your lips which were parted, gasping for air. 

You knew you could overpower him and stand up, his weight wasn’t fully crushing you, like he wanted to know if you’d stand up and leave.

You didn’t. There were far more fun things to do on the forest floor.

2.  

You used to be scared of heights. It was the dumbest thing too, a superhero with the ability to fly scared of falling? Your brothers had given you the most shit, especially when Jon was up in the clouds before you were flying above three story buildings. But you proved time and time again that you can be a damn good superhero and not fly like a plane- or whatever the old saying was. 

You’d gotten better, months of forcing yourself to jump off varying heights just to prove you could fly, sometimes even hitting the ground just to assert that you wouldn’t even go splat if you tried, but it wasn’t ever really rational was it? Most fears aren’t.

Jason knew too, you guys weren’t exactly “dating” more like just being friends that do whatever friends do, it was easier that way. You’d gotten into a rhythm of visiting Jason after the sun set in Metropolis, swiftly sailing through city streets once all the lights were off. That’s how you’d landed perched on a lower roof in Gotham, sharing milkshakes and trying to point out stars through the Gotham haze. 

“So this isn’t scary? We aren’t too high up?” Jason sat up, scooting forwards to dangle his feet off the ledge of the building. You sat up, letting your own feet hang, “not terrifying, there’s like butterflies in the stomach at the thought of falling, but I guess I know I’ve tested my ability to catch myself from here,” you explained, looking down at the sidewalk as your stomach did somersaults. 

“Well, okay. Look at that building, how high up could you got before it’s too much?” he pointed to a Gotham skyscraper. Taking a gulp you assessed its height, “right there, sixth story, god that’s only like halfway up.” you mused, shaking your head at the thought.

“Cool, let's go then.” Jason snatched your drink out of your hands and grappled towards the top story of the building with light-hearted laugh. Your first reaction was to stand up, starting after Jason as he grappled higher, and higher, and higher, focussing solely on the familiar frame of one of your closest friends, and- suddenly you were standing at the top of a Gotham skyscraper. 

“How the fuck am I up here right now,” you felt your knees buckling, your breath was staggered. Jason was at your side, letting you lean on him while he tilted your chin up to the sky. 

As you looked up you leaned more into his embrace, your head resting on his shoulder as you looked at the stars. 

“It’s beautiful,” you whispered, unable to fathom how beautiful they looked up close, god you were so high up you felt like you could reach out and touch the stars. But it wasn’t scary, because you had your rock there to ground you. 

“There is so much more to see up here, so much beauty, why not fly a little higher?” Jason’s voice was deep and full, as you met his eyes you realized they’d been solely on you. With your face getting increasingly warm you let yourself hover just a little bit, trying to swallow the nerves as Jason took your hand, leading you to the very edge of the building. 

“I’ve gotcha, look I won’t let go, just go a little further.” Jason was smiling, taking both your hands in his as he spun you towards the air. Letting yourself float with his support you focused on his eyes, trying to breathe as you know the only thing beneath your feet was air. “You’re doing so good, I’m so proud of you,” he whispered, letting the silence of your achievement soak into your soul. 

You could feel your hands shaking in his, but you mustered your strength to look down, noticing just how far you were from the ground. 

“I’m doing it.” you said, almost astonished at your own feat. “No one ever doubted you except yourself.” Jason replied, letting go of one of your hands to twirl you in the air. With a giggle you allowed yourself to spin, it felt like power was soaking into you, you’d gone from feeling the air sucked out of you to truly breathing for what felt like the first time in your life. 

Confident with your power, you let go of his hand, steadying yourself with a grin. Jason’s hands covered his mouth as he let out a strangled noise of pride as you began to twirl around in the sky. 

Rushing up to him you crushed him in a hug, unable to show your gratitude. He hadn’t fully cured you, your hands were still shaking, but it felt so good to know you could fly as high as you wanted and there was always a person to turn to, a person to call home.

~

short n sweet! hope you enjoyed :) 

[rpdepartment]

DEAD BY DAYLIGHT SENTENCE STARTERS ; SURVIVORS PERKS

partially requested, partially mod castiel is completely lost in the game. so much that this sentence starter was meant to be done DAYS ago but i just couldn’t find my way out of the fog. change pronouns as necessary!  TW: implied violence, foul language.

everything that glitters isn't gold.

gold isn't worth a damn in this place, so this should come in handy.

their first album is still my favourite. it got me through a dark time in my life.

i have true sight.

i'll hit you with everything i've got. then I'll do it again.

there's no limit to what you can achieve, as long as you back it up with hard work.

i promised to keep you shitheads safe, and that's exactly what i plan on doing.

i've jumped from higher places.

let's burn that lab to the ground.

buck and wild, swing to be free, your hands just can't keep ahold of me.

we have to work as a team, i need you to survive so that i can survive!

probably stings like hell, but it ain't gonna kill ya. up and at 'em soldier. time to move!

basic botany knowledge could save your life someday.

i felt like it got a story to tell. and it didn't waste its second chance.

come, we're going to rip our way out of this.

ghost beaters never leave a man behind.

architecture is the soul of civilisation.

so, remember once you get in there... pretend like you don't care.

there you go, you're learning my friend. you're learning.

take it from an old-timer: slow down, don't rush and try not to worry so much!

the best way to beat him is to know how he thinks.

there's nothing to be scared of.

i was raised by a strict man who taught me how to make the best of a bad situation.

when they come with a wrecking ball, build stronger walls.

are you able to tell us where you were last night?

bravery can conceal your flaws, even when you are at your most vulnerable.

there's what is easy and then there's what is right. if you confuse the two, there's no telling what you become.

the weak are sacrificed first. it's nature, it's business... it's the truth most refuse to face.

i wanna finish what we started. i want to kill it.

we can write our own story and decide how it really ends.

people are remembered for the challenges they overcome. you can run away and forget what you're capable of or you can face your fears and remind the world of who you are.

buckle up, fuckos! let's roll!

all this time i've been trying so hard to pretend like everything's fine, but it's not.

be kind to one another. we're all in this together.

i'm not horse-shittin' around. i'm doing this alone!

take it slow, he knows where you've been... just like I've always said: 'live slow and die old‘.

you mad?

that's not enough to beat me. not even close.

evil has a bullseye on my back the size of tiger stadium.

i couldn't be mithered with it all anyway, you know what i mean? can't be arsed.

i believe we can outsmart and overthrow him if we work together. don't be predictable and selfish!

he was watching me!

trust me, i investigate thoroughly and discreetly.

paying attention is what kept me alive through the years. that, and my good looks of course.

adrenaline, it's going to keep us awake.

ok, stay calm. don't overthink it and just keep moving forward: you got this.

i relied on others to protect me once and i lost everything. never again.

i have a bad feeling about this!

show me what you can do!

the news edit out what is burdensome and complex, which is the truth.

focus, even in these desperate times.

yeah, that’s a no.

something i learnt in the industry: when the axe is swinging, keep your head down.

i've dealt with psychopaths in suits. you're just uglier and worse dressed.

it was the boogeyman.

showing up when things get rough, listening to people's problems, and supporting those in need; that's how you become stronger, that's how you grow.

there is a voice that doesn't use words. listen...

i had you, i had you on your knees. you're runnin' scared because we had you!

you're doing it wrong! let me show you how it's done.

i’m gonna stealth this one.

what the hell is this?

i’m taking this bastard down!

what can i say? i'm just a very lucky guy... i'm sure some of it will rub off on you.

goddammit, i am seriously FUBAR!

the paint is still fresh but i’m long gone.

i'm gonna be here when you wake up. you're gonna make it.

ok, look. if we survive the next 24 hours, then i’ll take you out on a real date.

i'm confident we can all escape in one piece if we help each other.

come on then, let's 'ave it! i don't give a shit pal.

[flamehairedwritings]

Candy Hearts

Characters: Chief Jim Hopper x Female Reader

Words: <1k

Rating: M

A/N: Hello! Welcome to the first day of my 7 Days of Valentine’s Drabbles, the 2021 edition! Let’s warm up with something sweet, shall we.

This story contains swearing, mentions of alcohol, flirty banter, and a realisation.

Please don’t copy or steal my work, and please don’t post it on any other sites; credit does not count.

—

Candy Hearts

Phones ring, pencils and pens scribble against paper and low murmurings echo across the Station floor.

Bliss.

The day crew is starting to be replaced by the night crew, but you? Oh, you’re the lone member of the all-day crew.

Accepting the double-shift on one of the most understaffed days of the year was a no-brainer. You had absolutely no plans and didn’t intend on making any, in fact you had been delighted when Flo called the week before, sighing before she’d even started and expecting a ‘no’ like all the previous calls. Your friends had finally ceased their well-meaning pestering about going out to the bar or going over to one of theirs for a movie night or doing any number of things they could come up with at thinking you’d be miserable about being single.

They just can’t believe that you’re actually okay. Sure, sometimes you get a slight pang of longing when you see couples or watch a romantic movie or, let’s be honest, have a few alcoholic beverages, but generally you’re fine.

It’s just that the forcedness of the so-called holiday irks you. Why should one day be dedicated to doing something nice for your partner and showing them how much you love them? There’s pressure on single people, too; everyone asking what you’re up to, how you’re going to spend it, pity in their eyes and a joke on their tongue. Nope, you’d rather just spend the day being alone with peace and quiet.

... Or here surrounded by noise and people you like but who won’t bother you.

“Well, look at this.”

Well, one of them will.

Releasing a faux-exasperated sigh as you sit back, you manage to not smile as you meet Jim Hopper’s gaze.

“Oh, no, look at this. Every woman in town turn you down?”

He snorts as he sits on the edge of your desk, unwrapping a chocolate loveheart and popping it into his mouth. “I haven’t asked every woman.”

“Haa,” you say dryly as he gives you a wink. “What’re you waiting for, then, Casanova?”

“Don’t wanna get my ass kicked in the parkin’ lot later.”

Your smile breaks through, damn it, and he grins, unwrapping another loveheart.

“Yeah, there’s that smile.”

“Shut up and share your chocolate.”

“Nah, I like these too much, can’t believe they only make ‘em once a year, I’m gonna have to write a letter, but before you give me that look, I got you these...”

Pulling a tube-shaped packet out of his ‘Chief’ jacket pocket, he tosses it to you. Catching it, you raise your eyebrows as you read it before looking back up at him.

“... You bought me candy hearts?”

He shrugs, unwrapping another chocolate. “It was all that was left at the store that wasn’t a teddy sayin’ ‘I love you’ or a fake rose.”

“Oh, good choice, then.”

“Yeah, I thought so.” He watches you as you unwrap the packet and take a heart off the top. “Hey, read it out, what’s it say?”

Tilting your head, you exhale a breath as you turn it so you can read the tiny writing. “Uh... ‘Call me’.”

“Okay, what time?”

You just can’t stop your smile from returning as you side-eye him. “I can’t believe no one accepted your offer of a date...”

He chuckles, ripping up the foil wrap between his hands. “Oh, well, that might also be because I didn’t ask anyone.”

Pausing, you blink as you look at him. “What?”

This is unheard of. As is him working on Valentine’s Day for that matter. The bar is hosting its traditional Singles Night which he is practically a guest of honour at, so what the hell is he doing here?

“Yeah,” is all he says, rolling the foil up into a small ball.

“Oh.” Realising you’ve been staring a second or two longer than you should, you raise your eyebrows as you smile. “Couldn’t handle all the rejection?”

Hopper shakes his head as he straightens, a smile pulling at his lips as he looks at you. “Nah. I’d just rather be here.”

He unwraps another chocolate as he moves between the desks towards his office, and your eyes follow him the entire time.

Oh.

No.

But...

No.

Definitely not.

But what if...

Lips parted, you watch him as he removes his jacket and settles it on the back of his chair before sitting down, a hand running over his hair.

No...

No...

You’re reading into things now, stop it...

Licking your suddenly dry lips, you pull another candy heart off the top and, on instinct, read it.

‘Love Bird’.

You swiftly pop it into your mouth, feeling heat flood your cheeks.

No...

Unless...?

—

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