#so yeah i got two wolf links now

[messedupessy]

So guess who have fallen into such a deep hole when it comes to the Legend of Zelda franchise? ME! UwU✨

I can't believe it has taken me this long to give the games a proper chance, but holy shit am I loving it, finished BoTW which is the game I started with yesterday and it took me just over 190 hours to complete and I 100% it as well xD

It was such a fun and wild ride, did so much dumb shit and the only regret I got is that I ended up reading too many guides and didn't attempt many things by myself, as I got scared since it was my first ever Zelda game and especially with the korok seeds, but other than that I had such a blast and I plan to replay it in the future after I have played some of the others!

Some which you see in the above photos, as it started out with me wanting to get the wolf Link amiibo so I could have him with me in BoTW, but then found out after getting the amiibo I needed to level him up in Twilight Princess! So went back to the site I brought him and also regular TP Link for Epona, and found a Wii U and these two box sets of TP and Windwaker, so of course had to buy them both and I am so happy!

So yeah just wanted to show these off a bit as I am so happy with these and I am so excited to play them, have started TP today and I am having way too much fun!

[the-phantom-peach]

I am speechless!!! I got the hylian shield on skyward sword yesterday!! And I defeated demise yesterday!! And I definitely did not cry when I left Fi (lies)

And now!! Guess what I'm playing??? TWILIGHT PRINCESS!!!! My link just turned into a wolf💔 Idk just wanted to share this with someone and you are one of my fav artists so why not???

Hell yeah!! Two of the best Zelda games back to back 💥💥

Wolf link transformation 💔

But also wolf link transformation!! 🗣️🔥🔥‼️

[bonus-links]

Any directors commentary on this update because I loved when you did it before 👀

hell yeah

in the original draft of this chapter, immediately after they get the raft there's a comedic cut to them floating in the ocean, the raft completely destroyed from a storm or just shoddy craftsmanship or something lol. it was followed by a gag where they walk across the ocean using Slate's cryonis blocks, and everyone is confused about how they even work (they're solid but they form only on TOP of the surface of the water???). Also Wolf was a wolf this whole time. I was really sad to cut it because it's actually been on the books since I was making prologue lol but alas

that first page was was supposed to go with the last update. I hope it's clear the deku tree is who's talking for those first two panels lol, I only realized once the pages are done that it might be unclear now with a break between

Some people have pointed it out, but they were at Forest Haven! You can actually see Link's Oasis (Where Wake and Linebeck are stopped) in the distance from there, so they had eyes on the ship the whole time!

Link's Oasis is one part where Wake stores all of his shit and one part where Linebeck just. lives now. Wake gave him the deed. Technically it's Linebeck's Oasis

I love Linebeck. That's not directors commentary but it must be said. I love him

I was fighting for my life not to mike wazowski slate for this whole update. composing 3-5 people in frame around text bubbles is a challenge HAHA. Sorry he and Wolf haven't gotten the spotlight much in the last two updates! We'll get there!

I worry about the pacing of the chapter so far lol I hope things don't feel like they're flying by too fast

Wolf's answer is yes. It is fun being a wolf :-)

The koroks helped build the raft! Probably with some supplies from Slate

wolf has some doubts about the seafaring abilities of the raft. he's like oh okay. so this is how we all die

that's all I've got for now!

[aquaquadrant]

from eden, part IX (act I)

Word count: 11,504 Warnings: Blood/injury, violence, death, animal death, temporary dismemberment, dissociation, self-deprecating thoughts (not really, Jimmy’s just a listener and doesn’t know it), strong language, fictional racism/xenophobia, panic attacks Summary: The Double Lifers have successfully thwarted the invasion by Hels Tek, but not unscathed. Now that Tango’s been outed as Bravo’s doppelgänger, the remaining threads are starting to unravel, and Jimmy suddenly finds himself fighting to save Tango from his own inner demons. Can their love survive the fallout?

A/N: This took a ridiculously long time to write and got way longer than I’d originally intended so uhhh happy belated holidays? There’s a lot in this one that I’m excited to show y’all so I really hope u enjoy it, pls reblog/comment if u do, it means a lot.

Also this chapter has been split into two parts bc Tumblr is a hoe with a paragraph limit, link to the second half at the end. And as always, this is part of a series, so the previous chapters can be found on my au directory here. - Aqua

~*~

from eden, part IX (act I) - no tired sighs, no rolling eyes, no irony

~*~

Somewhere in Double Life, a player kneels in a bloody wheat field.

Jimmy’s senses are flooded with iron. He’s regenerated enough health that his nose isn’t actively bleeding anymore, but he’s sure it’s still all over his face. As he finally pulls away from Tango, he realizes he’s smeared plenty of it on Tango’s shoulder. The blood on Tango’s chin and claws hasn’t fully dried yet, either. And through his slightly parted mouth, Jimmy can see it’s stained his teeth.

(Did you see what he did back there?)

(He was like an animal.)

(How long do you think he’s been keeping that in?)

Jimmy pushes the thoughts away. Focus on the here and now.

To be fair, though, the ‘here and now’ is a horrible place. The ranch is burning behind them. His eyes are burning from the tears and the smoke in the air. His throat feels tight and scratchy. He’s physically and emotionally exhausted, the weight of it dragging him down, sinking into the trampled soil beneath him. The singed edges of his wings are still stinging, but it’s an easily forgotten pain among everything else.

Jimmy hates crying. Especially in public. Really, nothing makes him feel more useless and pathetic than crying. But he has to admit, he’s at least a little calmer and more clear-headed. Now that he’s cried himself out, his awareness is gradually returning to the conversation going on around him.

“What in’a world was that about?!” Bdubs cries out, sounding absolutely flabbergasted.

“Yeah, who were those guys, anyway?” Etho asks, knitting his brows together. “How’d they get here?”

Joel makes a distressed noise. “They shouldn’t be able to open a portal here, this is a private world!”

“I know, I know, okay,” Grian gripes, “I’m workin’ on it. Hang on-”

“And what was all that nonsense about doggelpangers?” Scar pauses. “Uh, dop- doppabang-”

“Doppelgängers?” Cleo calls over wryly.

Scar hangs his head. “Dang it. Yes, that.”

“I dunno, but what if they come back?” Joel asks nervously. “What should we do?”

Isn’t that the question?

Jimmy takes quick stock of his surroundings. Grian is standing a little way’s off from Jimmy’s huddle, head bent down as he furiously scrolls through his communicator, the screen reflecting in his tinted glasses. Scar is hovering next to Grian, peering keenly over his shoulder, his bow held limply at his side. Both of them look a little roughed up from the battle, but alright for the time being.

Etho, still crouched at the spot where Bravo died, is searching through the dropped items. Joel is pacing in front of the broken portal frame and casting anxious glances at it, one hand gripping his sword while the other rakes through his hair, antennae twitching with agitation. There are a few scrapes and gashes between them- mostly superficial and likely to heal on their own.

Pearl’s wolf pack has been considerably thinned out- something Jimmy notes with a pang of guilt- but there’s still plenty of them milling about the place. With blood-matted fur and tucked tails, it’s clear they took a beating. Pearl herself must’ve gone, from the way they sniff and look around aimlessly, giving plaintive yips and whines. Scott is conspicuously absent as well, another hint as to the bonded pair’s fate. Jimmy’s sure they’ll be along soon.

Bigb and Ren are also nowhere to be seen- likely more casualties of the battle. Ren makes for a rather large target when in wolf mode; he probably drew a lot of enemy fire. And of course, Bigb would’ve gone with him. Box is quite a way from the ranch, Jimmy recalls, so it’ll take them a few minutes to get back.

Martyn is busy mining up the rest of the portal frame, seeming none the worse for wear. Cleo sits a couple yards away, one leg stretched out in front of her. The other one has been chopped clean off at the knee, and is clenched in their hand- but wait, it does that sometimes, Jimmy reminds himself before he can panic. The detached limb isn’t even bleeding, and she’s already pulling some string from her inventory to stitch it back on, seeming more inconvenienced than anything else.

Bdubs, across the field, looks no more beat-up than he always does. He’s fussing over his horse, snatching up stray bits of wheat to heal as it struggles to get its legs under it. Impulse’s horse, devoid of rider, has wandered off towards the barn- perhaps hearing the other horses inside. Impulse himself is crouched beside Jimmy and Tango, his golden eyes intently studying the collar that’s been locked around Tango’s neck.

Tango is still completely silent. He doesn’t move or give any indication that he’s at all mentally present, just kneeling idly in the dirt, expression blank, eyes distant. Nothing but static through their soul bond. He doesn’t seem to be seriously injured- most of the blood stains aren’t his. That realization isn’t as relieving as Jimmy wants it to be.

Grian clears his throat. “Right. First thing’s first, are we all still here?” he asks, scanning his communicator. “No one went through the portal?”

“Nah, all good,” Martyn calls over his shoulder as the final obsidian block pops onto the ground.

Etho has his communicator pulled up too. “Yeah, uh, just looks like Scott and Pearl got killed,” he reports. “Ren and Bigb, too. I’ll shoot ‘em a message, see if they’re alright.”

“Right, okay.” Grian chews his lip, wings ruffling. “And all the other fellas are gone?”

Etho nods. “Yep.”

“Okay-”

“G,” Scar cuts in, tugging on Grian’s sleeve, “you gotta respawn before that injury sets in.”

Grian shrugs him off. Only now does Jimmy realize he’s holding one of his wings closer to his body than the others, the one that took an arrow during the fight. “Gimme a second-”

”Um, guys?” Martyn says suddenly, pointing at the ranch. “Fire tick is on, yeah?”

Grian looks up at that, sucking in a breath through his teeth. “Hoo boy. Yeah, we need’ta get a ditch around the ranch, okay, or else the whole forest’ll go.” He casts a sidelong look at Jimmy, expression apologetic. “Tim, do you mind…?”

Jimmy shakes his head. “No,” he says hoarsely, “no, no, by all means. Whatever you need to… oh gosh, it’s all gonna go. It’s gone, isn’t it? It’s-” His voice breaks, and he quickly looks away, fresh tears welling in his eyes.

It wasn’t much, the ranch.

Only two floors- three counting the basement- and a bit tight on space. It wasn’t the most impressive build, not by a long shot. Certainly not when compared to the other builds on this world. It was something that would’ve taken two actually competent builders nothing more than a dedicated afternoon to put together. Plainly decorated, and comprised mostly of wood and stone variants. Nothing that’s particularly hard to obtain. And in all honesty, it was just a starter base; they were going to outgrow it sooner or later, anyways.

But it was theirs. 

It was the scorch marks in the wood from Tango’s blaze rods, in the moments where his emotions got away from him. It was the rocking chair where Jimmy liked to do his embroidery, when he needed to unwind after a busy day. It was the auto-sorting storage room that Tango spent weeks fine-tuning. It was the small but cozy living room that Jimmy decorated with potted flowers. It was the kitchen that always smelled faintly of charcoal, and the wool rug in the foyer that came from their own sheep, and the bedroom that they shared with an east-facing window to let them watch the sunrise together, on the rare days when Tango was awake early enough to see it.

The ranch is burning, and there’s nothing Jimmy can do about it.

(Great. Gonna start crying again, are you?)

(What exactly is that going to accomplish?)

(Man up! Don’t be so pathetic.)

A gentle hand on Jimmy’s shoulder makes him look up. Martyn is there, sympathy glimmering in his eye. “We’ll save what we can,” he promises.

Jimmy manages a grateful smile, blinking away his tears. “Thanks.”

Martyn nods before straightening back up. “Etho, Joel, you got water buckets on ya?”

“Oh, yeah.” Etho puts his communicator away as he and Joel start toward the ranch, buckets in hand. “Yeah, here, let’s make an infinite source..”

“Right. I’ll get the ditch started, then,” Cleo chimes in, rising to their feet now that both legs are once again intact.

Grian makes an appreciative noise, still tapping away at his communicator. “Okay, so that’s done-”

“Grian,” Scar says again, more insistently. “You gotta-”

“Hang on!” Grian huffs. He looks up to meet Jimmy’s gaze. “Okay, so uh, I can’t ban them… but what I’m gonna do is lock the world down,” he explains, taking a few steps over. “No one goes in or out… not even through a backdoor portal. This is just a temporary solution, but it should do the trick for now.”

Relief washes over Jimmy. “Thank you,” he murmurs.

(Good thing Grian is here to clean up your mess, huh?)

“Hey, guys?” Impulse speaks up, making Jimmy startle. “Um, Tango… he’s not lookin’ so good.”

That’s putting it kindly. Jimmy’s heart tightens. “Right. We should prob’ly get him inside, um…” He trails off as he instinctively looks at the ranch, which is on fire.

Right.

Impulse gives him a comforting look. “C’mon, you guys can crash at our place.” He rises to his feet, calling out, “Bdubs, would you bring the horses over?”

“Yeah, gimme a sec,” Bdubs shouts back. He’s finally gotten his horse standing again, glancing around for Impulse’s. “C’mere, stupid- hey! No, don’t wander off…”

“You finished, Grian?” Scar asks impatiently, notching an arrow.

“Okay, okay, hang on…” Grian presses a couple more buttons before putting his communicator away. “There, it’s done. Now, I’m gonna do some diggin’ and see what I can find out about this. But, um…” His gaze sweeps over Tango, expression pinched. “As soon as Tango is up for it… we all need to have a serious chat, okay?”

The wording immediately puts Jimmy off. He can feel his feathers bristling, his wings flaring out almost unconsciously to block Tango from view. “Wh- hey, this wasn’t his fault!” he protests.

Grian holds his hands up. “Ey, I know, I know,” he says lightly. His lower wings sweep out and flatten into a sort of fan as he crouches; an appeasing gesture. “None of us think that, okay? But clearly those guys came here for him, so we need’ta figure out why and how if we’re gonna figure out how to stop it from happenin’ again. Alright?”

Jimmy takes a breath, letting his feathers smooth over again. “Right. You’re right, sorry,” he mumbles.

(Wow, so defensive.)

(Like you could protect him, anyways.)

(Have you no faith in your own friends?)

Grian glances at Impulse. “You got them, Impulse?”

“Yeah, don’t worry,” Impulse assures him.

Scar draws back his bow. “Any day now, Grian…”

“Okay.” Grian turns around with an exasperated sigh. “Alright, Scar-”

He disappears in a puff of respawn smoke. Scar immediately follows him, his bow clattering to the ground amidst the shower of other items.

Impulse exhales in what might’ve been a laugh, if he didn’t sound so tired. He turns to Jimmy. “Can you stand?” he asks, holding out his hand.

(Look, they all think you’re weak, too!)

Jimmy feels himself flush. “Yeah, I’m fine,” he says, his tone short. Ignoring Impulse’s hand, he struggles to his feet unaided, wings flapping about to help keep his balance.

And then he feels incredibly silly about it. These are his friends, for goodness sakes.

“Thanks,” Jimmy adds, to soften it. “But Tango, I dunno if he… I mean, normally I’d carry him, but right now, I think- I think I’d drop him,” he confesses. Already, the effort of just standing on his own is starting to fatigue him.

Impulse just nods, a knowing look in his eye. “Yeah, no problem.” Slowly, he crouches down next to Tango again. “Hey, Tango, buddy?” he calls softly. “Can you hear me? It’s Impulse. I’m gonna pick you up now, if that’s okay?”

Tango doesn’t respond. Carefully, Impulse gathers Tango into his arms in a cradle hold- which Tango doesn’t react to besides curling in on himself a little more. His breathing quickens for a few seconds before he settles down again.

“Sorry,” Impulse whispers.

Jimmy swallows. He’s never known Tango to be so quiet, so still. It’s incredibly disturbing to see. And gosh, he knows Tango’s pale, but right now he looks about as white as quartz.

The events of this afternoon were a lot for anyone to handle. Jimmy’s still only working with bits and pieces, of course. He knows that Tango originally came from a terrible world called Hels, escaped from that creepy scientist guy Dr. Atlas, and has been hiding out on Hermitcraft ever since. So it’s not surprising that Tango got a nasty shock when his past suddenly came knocking at his door- literally, in Bravo’s case.

But Jimmy also knows that Tango is quite tough. He’s not the type to shut down in the face of hardship- in fact, he’ll often go the opposite direction, with manic bursts of frantic energy. So for a reaction this extreme… either that collar they put on him is having a more drastic effect than Jimmy realized, or there’s something more to the story he isn’t aware of.

Before the collar dampened their soul bond, the fear Jimmy felt from Tango had been damn near overwhelming. What could those Hels players have done to him to elicit such a strong reaction? Jimmy dreads to think of it.

The sound of hoofbeats pulls Jimmy out of his musings.

“Here I am!” Bdubs announces loudly, leading a horse by each hand. “Got the hawsies all ready t’go- oh, hey, waugh- what happened to him?” he gasps, his horrified gaze falling on Tango, wide eyes going even wider. “Wha’ th- is he okay?!”

Impulse gives him a tired smile. “Bdubs, I know we’re outside right now, but indoor voice, please? I’ll explain later.”

“Oh, okay!” Bdubs immediately drops into a stage whisper, ducking his head sheepishly. “Right, right, right, right, right, sorry.” He eyes Tango nervously for another moment. “Jeeze, they really… okay, okay, okay, right. Let’s go.”

With an appreciative look, Impulse moves beside one of the horses. Shifting his hold on Tango, he hikes one foot up into the stirrup and swings onto the horse’s back, forked tail lashing through the air.

Bdubs follows suit, climbing onto his own horse before glancing down at Jimmy. “Uh- you wanna ride wi’ me, Jimmy?” he asks, still whispering.

“That’d be great, thanks,” Jimmy says gratefully. Just the thought of walking or flying to their base makes him feel like all his bones have turned to slime.

His own attempt to get on the horse doesn’t go anywhere near as smoothly. With someone else already in the saddle, it’s a clumsy maneuver, his flailing wings more of a hindrance than anything. In the end, Bdubs grabs the back of Jimmy’s shirt and helps haul him up. That only makes Jimmy feel worse. Bdubs is so much smaller than him, how did he manage that?

“Okay…” Bdubs glances over his shoulder as Jimmy gets settled. “You alright back there?”

“Yep, yep, I’m good,” Jimmy says quickly. He clears his throat. “Can we- can we get goin’?” He’s anxious to leave this depressing scene behind and get Tango someplace calmer.

Bdubs nods. “Okay. Uh- hang on tight, and you’d better keep those wings folded or else you- you’ll be blown right off’a this thing!” He turns to Impulse. “We go now!”

“Alright, let’s go.” Impulse urges his horse forward, and Bdubs swiftly follows.

The horses gallop away from the ranch.

Jimmy does as he’s told, leaning forward to put his arms around Bdubs’s shoulders and tucking his wings tightly against his back. The jostling of the horse’s stride isn’t kind to his aching muscles and bones, but he’s not about to complain. Right now he feels completely out of sorts- like a stranger in his own skin.

As exhausted as his body is, his mind is absolutely racing. He can’t stop thinking about what Bravo said, that Tango was to blame for his being in Hels. And Tango hadn’t really denied it.

From what Jimmy can recall from today’s chaotic events, Tango used to be in Hels, and then a portal appeared. He went through it to Hermitcraft, and somehow, that got Bravo sent to Hels. That seems to be the conclusion they’ve come to. And Tango didn’t know about it at first, but he’s known about it for a couple years at this point, and said nothing.

(How selfish of him.)

But it wasn’t Tango’s fault! He didn’t intentionally send Bravo there, and he only kept his knowledge secret because he was afraid he’d get sent back himself if he revealed the truth. That’s… really upsetting. If Tango didn’t trust the Hermits enough to tell them, after spending nearly a decade getting to know them, it’s no wonder he didn’t tell Jimmy.

Has Tango spent this whole time feeling like a fugitive in his own home?

And what is Hels, really? What kind of world doesn’t allow portal travel in and out? The way they’d spoken about it, it almost seemed like a prison. But created by who? And why?

What exactly is a Hels player? What does a ‘doppelgänger’ entail, exactly? Because if Tango is supposed to be an evil version of Bravo, Jimmy is clearly missing something, ‘cause he doesn’t buy that for a second.

Do all players have a Hels counterpart? Does Jimmy? Oh, now there’s a disturbing thought. Is there another Jimmy running around in a prison world somewhere, locked away from the rest of the universe?

Now that he’s aware of the possibility, he isn’t sure this is something he can just forget about.

But he knows his questions will have to wait. Tango is hardly in the condition to be discussing any of this- getting him recovered from his shock is Jimmy’s first priority. He’s about to ask how far away they are when two figures appear in the distance.

It’s Scott and Pearl, on the way back from their respawns. Pearl is preoccupied, intensely scanning her communicator as she walks. But Scott spots them immediately, nudging Pearl with his elbow and lifting a hand to wave them over.

Impulse glances over his shoulder at Bdubs and Jimmy. “Guess we’d better go see what they want,” he says as he steers his horse towards the pair, Bdubs following suit.

Pearl looks up at their approach. Her respawn must’ve taken care of any injuries she sustained from the battle, because she seems like her usual red-eyed self. But there’s an unmistakable air of anxiety about her- one that Scott seems to share, based on his terse expression.

“Impulse!” Pearl shouts, as soon as she’s within proximity hearing range. “You seen Tilly ‘round?”

Impulse eases his horse to a stop. “Oh, uh- she’s the one with the dyed collar, right?” he asks, knitting his brows together. “Yeah, yeah I’m pretty sure she was back at the wheat field.” 

Pearl exhales heavily. “Oh, thank goodness. I- I lost so many dogs, I wasn’t sure…” She puts her communicator away, looking them up and down. “So uh, is everyone alright? Are… you guys alright?” she asks uncertainly, quirking a brow.

“We’re fine,” Impulse assures her easily. He jerks his head back in the direction they came from. “The others are dealing with the ranch right now, it’s uh… it’s a pretty big fire, I’m sure they’d appreciate some help.”

Pearl follows his gaze, eyes widening at the plume of smoke still visible above the trees. “Oh gosh, yeah, we’d better get goin’, then.”

“You alright, Timmy?” Scott speaks up suddenly. 

“Huh?” Jimmy startles at being addressed. “Oh, yeah. Yeah, I’m fine.”

“Mmm.” Scott doesn’t look convinced, his sharp eyes studying Jimmy’s face before flicking over to Tango. “Is Tango alright? Where’d tha’ thing on his neck come from?”

Jimmy’s heart jolts. “Um…” He isn’t sure how much he should be sharing with the others, while Tango’s incapacitated like this.

Luckily for him, Impulse cuts in. “Don’t worry,” he says gently, “we’ve got it covered. You guys go check in with the others, okay?”

It’s not a very subtle hint, but Scott allows it. “Alriiiight,” he drawls, holding his hands up. “Just remember you’ve got help if y’want it.”

“I appreciate it,” Impulse hums, but Jimmy catches the flash of relief in his eyes as he turns his horse away.

“Yeah, ‘preciate ya!” Bdubs echoes as they ride off.

They ride in silence for a few moments, until they’re out of proximity range, before Impulse clears his throat. “I just think Tango would appreciate some privacy right now,” he explains quietly. “You know everyone else- they’d all want to help and see if he’s okay, but a big group would probably freak him out.”

“Ah.” Jimmy nods. “Good thinkin’.”

(Gee, Impulse is really taking charge, huh?)

(You’re basically useless.)

(He would’ve been a way better soulmate for Tango than you.)

The thoughts make Jimmy flinch. He hasn’t often felt insecure in his relationship with Tango, despite having known him for a much shorter time than the Hermits. But right now, his general lack of knowledge and experience in how best to help Tango has become glaringly obvious.

Thankfully, before he can spend any more time feeling sorry for himself, Impulse and Bdubs’s house finally comes into view.

They’ve added another floor since Jimmy was last here. Floor-to-ceiling windows made of light gray panes curl around one side of the building, continuing with the sleek mid-century modern design. The front yard has received some landscaping as well; a wide, circular path that frames a small cluster of custom trees and shrubbery before leading to the dark oak door, framed by neat flower beds on either side.

As they come up on the house, Impulse and Bdubs turn their horses along a branch of path that veers off from the main circle, taking them towards a small structure built against the house’s side. Made only out of diorite wall posts and a flat, deepslate tiled roof, it creates sort of an overhang, divided into two compartments with warped stem fence posts. Its purpose quickly becomes obvious as Bdubs hops off his horse and pulls a lead from his inventory, leashing his horse to one of the posts.

Jimmy swings his leg around to slide off the horse, dropping onto the ground with an ungraceful grunt. In the stall beside them, Impulse has carefully dismounted from his own steed, still cradling Tango in his arms.

The longer Jimmy looks, the more his chest aches with longing. So he looks away.

“Alright, let’s get inside.” Impulse’s voice is soft. He turns back towards the front of the house. “This way.”

Bdubs finishes hitching the other horse to its post. “Right behind ya!” he chirps. He pats Jimmy on the arm as he passes- an encouraging, or perhaps comforting, gesture.

Either way, Jimmy appreciates it. He knows Bdubs tends to diffuse tense situations with humor, or by maintaining an energetic demeanor. It might be mistaken as inconsiderate, in some situations, but he seems to know where the line is. Genuinely, Jimmy thinks he’d feel worse if Bdubs was suddenly walking on eggshells around him.

Pity is a suitor that won’t take a hint, no matter how many times Jimmy turns it away.

He follows Impulse and Bdubs around the front of the house. Bdubs has already scrambled ahead to open the door for Impulse, whose arms are, of course, full of Tango. He ushers Jimmy in after them with a wide sweep of his arm.

They’ve moved their bedroom upstairs at some point, it seems. The main floor is now a dedicated living space with a modest kitchen in the back, overlooked by a loft from the second floor. An L-shaped lounge made of quartz stairs is built into the conversation pit occupying the center of the room, surrounding a small fireplace. The glass panes encasing it go all the way up to the ceiling, but the sight of fire makes Jimmy flinch anyways- which he immediately kicks himself for.

(Jeeze, man, get a grip! What if Tango saw that?)

If Impulse and Bdubs noticed, they don’t comment on it. Impulse silently leads the way up a spiral quartz slab staircase, which opens up into the loft. Bdubs’s interior work is clearly showing here, with cozy seating nestled beside a custom bookshelf-console unit. Straight ahead past the loft is a short hallway with a couple doors on either side.

Impulse stops at the first one on the right. “We got a spare room here,” he says, nodding his head at the door.

“Not finished yet!” Bdubs adds hastily, though still making an effort to keep his voice low. “Or uh, heugh- furnished. I’m gonna- I was gonna do the interior, I swear.”

Somehow, the fact that Bdubs is concerned Jimmy will judge his lackluster interior decoration- despite everything else going on right now- makes Jimmy crack a smile. “Well, beggars can’t be choosers, ey?” he jokes.

“Oh, very freaking funny!” Bdubs huffs, but he’s grinning, too. He opens the door for them, and Jimmy lets Impulse carry Tango inside before following.

The room is, as expected, fairly bare bones. Quartz walls and a dark oak floor carry over the mid-century modern theme from the exterior, but there’s no furniture other than a double-wide cyan bed against the wall. A couple of haphazardly-placed torches on the walls provide the room’s only lighting.

“No windows yet, either,” Bdubs mutters, clicking his tongue as his critical gaze sweeps over the room. “I need ta- I- I still gotta figure out how to place ‘em, with the exterior wall and stuff.”

“It’s alright,” Jimmy assures him. Windows would make him feel a bit too exposed right now, if he’s being honest.

Impulse carefully sets Tango down on the bed. “Okay, Tango, here we are.” He straightens up, running a hand through his hair as he exhales heavily.

Bdubs crosses quickly-but-quietly over to Impulse, wrapping him in a hug. “You okay, sweetie?” he asks softly.

Impulse smiles down at him. “Yeah, yeah, I’m good. Don’t worry.”

“Okay.” Bdubs goes up on his toes to kiss Impulse’s cheek- and even so, he barely makes it. “I’m gonna go check on our boys, then, and see if the others need help with th- with the uh, the ranch. D’you- is there anything you want me to tell ‘em?”

“Yeah,” Impulse says thoughtfully, “maybe just let them know that we’d like to give Tango and Jimmy some privacy right now? We’ll let them know if we need anything, and we’ll chat more once everything’s calmed down.”

“Right, okay.” Bdubs glances at Jimmy. “That- is that good? For you?”

Jimmy is taken aback by the amount of consideration he’s being given. “Oh yeah, that’d be great, thanks.”

“Alright.” Bdubs casts one final look at Tango, trying but failing to hide his worry from those big eyes of his. “Alright, I- I’ll be back in a little.” 

He slips out the door, leaving them alone.

Before an awkward silence can descend, Impulse clears his throat. “So uh, looks like someone got you pretty good,” he says, gesturing to his face.

“Huh?” Confused, Jimmy brings a hand to his face- only to jerk away as his fingers brush against his nose. Now that he’s actually paying attention, there’s a dull ache of pain radiating down the bridge of his nose, and underneath the still-sticky blood, he can feel a prominent bump where there wasn’t one before.

“Oh, right,” he murmurs. “Forgot about that.”

“Yeah, looks broken,” Impulse says sympathetically. “Need a respawn?”

Jimmy pauses. It’s difficult to tell when an injury will result in lasting damage- no one’s really cracked that particular scientific riddle yet. But generally, it’s understood that the sooner the respawn, the better the outcome. That’s why things like creeper explosions hardly ever leave a mark, since the death is usually instant.

More so, superficial wounds tend to be less likely to scar than deeper, more structural wounds. A simple gash will almost always go away after respawning- if it hasn’t already healed on its own- but things like broken bones can linger in the form of scars, joint deformities, and chronic pain. If he’s being smart, he really should get a quick respawn in, just to be sure.

But they’re on the Double Life world, and right now, his life isn’t just his own.

Jimmy looks Tango over. None of his wounds are serious enough to warrant a respawn, he only got a little scuffed up in the initial attack. In his current state, it’d probably do more harm than good.

“No,” Jimmy decides, “I… I can’t do that to him, not right now. He’s disoriented as it is.” He shrugs a shoulder. “Besides, I think it’s just the cartilage. Either it’ll heal on my next respawn, or it won’t, and it’ll just match the rest of my face.”

Impulse doesn’t laugh at the self-deprecating joke, simply offering a sad smile. “Alright. I’ll see if Martyn can bring some healing potions by once they finish up at the ranch, I’m pretty sure he’s got a brewing set-up.”

Jimmy’s throat tightens. “Right, thanks…” He smoothes a hand over the bed’s cover, setting his spawn anyways, before he eases himself onto the mattress. “Tango…?” he ventures. “Are you alright? Can you hear me?”

Tango has yet to move at all from where Impulse deposited him, back against the wall with his knees tucked to his chest, arms limp at his sides. He doesn’t acknowledge Jimmy at all- which isn’t anything malicious on his part, of course, but god does it hurt.

Taking a deep breath, Jimmy tries again. “Hey, Tango? It’s me, it’s Jimmy.” He puts a gentle hand on Tango’s shoulder, watching him all the while for any sign that he’ll startle or panic. “It’s over, you’re safe now. Are- are you hurt anywhere? Do you need anythin’?”

Still nothing. Somewhere behind Jimmy, Impulse makes a noncommittal noise. “Jimmy, buddy, I don’t think that’s gonna work right now…”

Jimmy ignores him. “Please, Tango,” he pleads, feeling his eyes sting, “can you just…” Idly, he lifts his other hand to wipe some of the blood off Tango’s chin. “Can you look at me?”

Unexpectedly, that gets Tango’s attention. He lifts his face almost robotically to look at Jimmy, eyes and expression still devastatingly blank.

The sudden movement startles Jimmy, his hand jerking back. And as it does, Tango lets his head drop back down.

An image flashes in Jimmy’s mind; Atlas, the doctor with the blood red gloves, grabbing Tango by the chin and tilting his head up.

(Oh, that’s messed up.)

(You’ve really done it, now.)

(Brilliant, just brilliant.)

Jimmy’s stomach turns. He scrambles back, away from Tango, his heart starting to pound. “Sorry,” he whispers, even though Tango gives no indication that he’s hearing it. “I’m sorry, I didn’t…”

A hand lands on his shoulder, making him jump. Impulse gives him an understanding look. “I… think he just needs some time to come out of it,” he says quietly. “Y’know, alone. When he shuts down like this, there’s really nothing to do but wait.”

Jimmy finds his voice again. “Wait, you’ve seen it before?” he asks, creasing his brows together.

Impulse winces. “A couple times, yeah.”

“Oh.” Jimmy swallows, glancing back at Tango. “I dunno, I- I don’t wanna just leave him like this…”

“We can stay right outside,” Impulse says reassuringly, folding his arms. “It’s just… when he gets like this, I’m not sure he’s fully processing what’s going on. It’s like a defense mechanism. So he’s not gonna come out of it until he feels safe, and um… well…”

It’s not hard to catch his meaning. Jimmy bristles. “What, are you- are you sayin’ he doesn’t feel safe with me?” he snaps, which is so unfair because Impulse has been so helpful and so kind and he’s actually sort of right, but Jimmy can’t help it.

Impulse holds his gaze. “Not if he doesn’t recognize you.”

That sobers Jimmy a little, his wings sagging. “Oh. Oh, yeah, good point. You’re right.” Ducking his head, he swings his legs off the side of the bed and rises to his feet. “I guess he’ll be okay in here,” he relents. “But um, can we- would you mind if we put out the lights? It’s just…”

“Tango feels safer in the dark,” Impulse finishes, realization dawning in his eyes. “Good call.”

“Yeah.” Jimmy fidgets with his hands as Impulse collects the torches.

(Wow, he really knows Tango, huh?)

(Thank god someone knows what to do.)

(What exactly are you even here for?)

With the room now sufficiently darkened, Impulse holds the door open for Jimmy. Jimmy gives Tango a final look-over, his blank face now lit by the dim glow of his dampened blaze rods.

“We’ll be right outside if you need us, Tango,” Jimmy says in parting.

Tango remains silent as Impulse closes the door behind them.

As soon as they’re back in the hallway, all of Jimmy’s fatigue seems to hit him at once. He sways where he stands, shoulder bumping against the wall- the dull pain is easily ignored in favor of the black spots dancing across his vision. He squeezes his eyes shut, biting back a groan.

Fortunately, Impulse is there to steady him. “Woah, easy there.” He quickly guides Jimmy over to the loft to sit down. “Just breathe, okay?”

Jimmy takes a few slow, deep breaths- in through the nose, out through the mouth. When he opens his eyes again, the room is no longer spinning around him, so that’s a plus.

“Here,” Impulse presses something into Jimmy’s hand, “you must’ve worked up some hunger.”

It’s a golden carrot. “Thanks,” Jimmy murmurs, immediately starting to nibble on it. He probably does have food on him, somewhere in his inventory- cooked steak, most likely- but the extra saturation helps.

Seemingly satisfied that Jimmy isn’t going to pass out, Impulse sits down in the chair next to him. “How you feelin’?”

“Better, thanks,” Jimmy murmurs, shifting to fold his wings a bit more comfortably. He feels awkward and just… so out of place here. And Impulse is a nice guy, sure, but it’s a little embarrassing to have to be taken care of like a child. If it weren’t for Tango’s sake, he probably wouldn’t have accepted Impulse’s offer of help in the first place.

“Good.” Impulse looks him up and down, brows pinching together. “Jeeze, they really did a number on you. I’m sorry we weren’t there sooner, chat was chaos and we thought they’d be at spawn ‘til we saw your SOS.”

That comforts Jimmy a little. At least he managed to do something right. “It’s alright, not your fault,” he assures Impulse. “I mean, if you guys hadn’t come when you did…”

“Yeah.” Impulse nods solemnly. “That, uh… would’ve been pretty bad.”

Jimmy studies Impulse for a moment. Now that they have a second, there’s a question that’s been nagging at him. “So…” he starts, “how much did you hear, of what Bravo said?”

“Eh, bits and pieces.” Impulse shrugs. “Something about Tango being an evil doppelgänger from Hels.”

He says it so casually, like he’s talking about the weather. Jimmy’s stomach cinches. “Impulse…” he says carefully. “Did you… did you know?”

“What?” Impulse looks at him in surprise. “Oh, that Tango was from Hels? No. No, I never knew anything about before he came to Hermitcraft. But you know, I always kinda knew there was something… not great in his past. I mean, there were signs. I just figured he’d come from an anarchy server or something.” He knits his brows together. “I guess you… never saw what he was like, when he was still new, huh?”

Jimmy frowns. “Wha’d’you mean?”

Impulse makes a noncommittal noise. “It’s not my place to get into all that. But let’s just say… he’s come a long way since then. So um, looking back, it kinda makes sense.”

“So then…” Jimmy hesitates. “D’you believe what Bravo was saying? About what Hels are like?”

Impulse actually laughs- though not unkindly. “Oh, no, not by a long shot,” he assures Jimmy. “Don’t worry about that. I mean, there are players who think non-humans are bad, right? Like, there are still public servers out there that’ll ban Cleo soon as she joins, just for being a zombie.” He shrugs a shoulder, his forked tail idly flicking through the air. “Or me, for being a demon.”

“Oh.” Jimmy blinks, feeling stupid. “Right. It’s… so easy to forget, sometimes, that some folks still feel that way.”

Impulse tilts his head. “Well, not when you have to live it,” he says lightly.

“Oh. Oh!” Jimmy smacks his forehead. “No, no, right, of course,” he adds hastily, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it’s easy for you specifically to forget. Just, in general, I guess. ‘Cause most players don’t have that problem with avians- I mean, sometimes they think some of our traits are weird, sure, but uh- but it’s not the same thing, cause we aren’t hostile mob hybrids. Obviously. And- and none of my friends feel that way, either, so I just…” He trails off, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’m sorry, I’m not makin’ a lotta sense.”

Impulse gives him a gracious smile. “It’s okay, I know what you mean.” He leans back in his chair, his eyes thoughtful. “I’ve gotten so used to Hermitcraft, sometimes it catches me by surprise when I travel to public servers and people act scared, or… distrustful of me. And that’s without even seeing me in ‘full demon’ mode. So uh, even though I don’t know anything about this Hels world, I don’t believe that just being from there would automatically make someone evil. I know Tango better than that.”

Jimmy’s throat tightens. “Right…”

Now it’s Impulse’s turn to give him a sideways look. “... you don’t believe what Bravo said, do you?” he asks, voice low.

“What?” Jimmy blanches. Despite himself, he feels his wings puff up with indignation. “Gosh no, no, that’s- not in a million years, mate, it’s utter nonsense!”

“Alright, alright, sorry,” Impulse chuckles, holding his hands up. “I didn’t think you would. But you know, I just had to make sure.”

“Yeah.” Jimmy sighs, letting his feathers smooth down again. “You’re a good friend, Impulse,” he says, glancing away. “Seems like you know what to do, here. He’s gonna need that.”

“He’s gonna need you.” 

That makes Jimmy look up. “What?” 

Impulse’s expression softens. “I’ve known Tango a while, now, and even though there’s been plenty of fun and good times over the years… this is the first time I’ve seen him truly content. Like, he just seems at peace in a way I’ve never seen before. You do more for him than you’ll ever know- probably ‘cause he’s too scared to tell you.” There’s a knowing glint in his golden eyes. “Emotional vulnerability, uh, isn’t exactly his strong suit.”

A bittersweet smile tugs at Jimmy’s mouth. “Yeah, I’ve noticed.”

Impulse claps him on the shoulder. “We’re gonna figure it out, okay? You guys aren’t alone in this.”

Warmth blooms in Jimmy’s chest. “Thank you, Impulse,” he says softly, “I appreciate it.”

“No problem.” Impulse returns his smile before sitting back in his chair. “Now, how about you get some rest?”

Jimmy’s heart jolts. “Wh- no, wait,” he protests, “I’m not gonna leave-”

“You can stay right here!” Impulse assures him easily. “Just close your eyes and rest a bit. I’ll keep an eye out, and wake you up as soon as Tango comes to, okay? But right now, frankly, you look exhausted. And I’m sure you’ll wanna be well-rested for whenever Tango’s ready to talk about stuff.”

“Ah…” Chewing his lip, Jimmy glances over at the door to the spare room- mere steps away.

Since he forewent a respawn, he has to admit some shut-eye would be quite welcome at the moment. The immediate danger has passed. And right now, there’s nothing he can do to help Tango but give him some time. Might as well spend that time resting.

“I… suppose you’re right,” he relents finally. “But you gotta promise you’ll wake me if anythin’ happens, alright?”

Impulse nods. “I promise.”

“Right, then.” Jimmy settles into his chair, folding his arms across his chest. He fights back a yawn. “Thanks again. I- I mean it though… any little thing…”

“I know, I know.” Impulse waves him off. “Don’t worry.”

“Famous last words,” Jimmy quips, closing his eyes.

Impulse huffs a laugh but says nothing else.

Silence settles over the room, filled only by Impulse’s steady breathing and the rhythmic tap-tap-tap of him typing away on his communicator. He’s probably updating the others on the situation, so Jimmy can rest easy. He’s considerate like that.

Jimmy would’ve thought it’d be hard to fall asleep. This chair isn’t exactly built for it, and as lovely as Impulse and Bdubs’s home is, it’s not the ranch.

The loss is still fresh. He already knows it’s gonna hit him even harder in the coming days. But for right now, the post-adrenaline exhaustion is finally sinking in, and before he knows it, he’s drifted off into the inky blackness.

~*~

A gentle hand on Jimmy’s shoulder startles him awake.

“Jimmy,” Impulse whispers, his golden eyes glowing in the darkness, “wake up.”

It must’ve been quite a deep, dreamless sleep, because while it seems to Jimmy that he only just closed his eyes, he can clearly see through the window that it’s been at least several hours. The sun has long since set; a half moon is rising in the night sky. That’s alright with Jimmy- he was afraid he’d have nightmares.

Rubbing his eyes, Jimmy squints at Impulse. “What’s goin’ on? Everythin’ okay?”

“Yeah, yeah.” Impulse scratches the back of his head. “I uh, I just heard a thud in Tango’s room so I went to check on him and- he’s fine, don’t worry!” he adds quickly, as Jimmy bolts upright. “He’s fine, he’s up, but he still seems kinda disoriented? Like, he’s conscious, but when I tried to go in… I guess I look a bit too intimidating,” he taps one of the curved horns poking out from his hair, “‘cause he growled at me.”

“Growled?” Jimmy repeats, raising his eyebrows.

(Well, that’s promising.)

(Round two!)

(Here we go…)

“Yeah.” Impulse gives a sad smile. “So um, I think you should go try and talk to him, if you’re up for it.”

“Oh.” Jimmy blinks. “Oh, right, of course.” He rises to his feet, shaking off residual soreness from his awkward sleeping position.

Impulse pulls a lantern from his inventory and holds it out to Jimmy. “Give a shout if you need anything.”

Jimmy takes the lantern. “Right, thanks.” Steeling himself, he creeps over to the spare room, knocking lightly on the door- which is slightly ajar. “Tango…?” he calls softly, poking his head into the room. “You okay?”

The bed is empty, covers strewn in disarray. Tango is crouched in the corner farthest from the door, his back pressed against the wall. Hunched over and breathing hard, he stares at Jimmy, his blood-stained face lit by the faint glow of his blaze rods. His pupils are dilated again, lips curled back to show his teeth. There’s no recognition in his expression at all.

(You cannot sleep, there are monsters nearby.)

Jimmy swallows. His heart starts to pound. “Tango,” he starts tentatively, holding the lantern up so his face is clearly illuminated as he steps forward, “it’s okay, I’m not gonna hurt you.”

Tango makes a blaze noise deep in his throat; a haunting, hollow sort of growl. It’s unmistakably a warning.

Jimmy hesitates, wings shuffling uncertainly. How to get through to him? General reassurances don’t seem to be working. He needs to remind Tango of where he is, to convince him that he’s safe- in a way that only Jimmy would know.

He takes a breath. “Hey, rancher.”

Tango falls silent. Surprise flickers across his features, mouth parting, gaze sharpening. For a moment he just stares, motionless. Then he squints.

“... Jimmy?”

Oh, Jimmy could cry. “Yes, there we go!” he says encouragingly. “It’s me, it’s Jimmy. You okay, Tango?”

Tango’s breath hitches. He takes a single, careful step forward- then he halfs runs, half stumbles towards Jimmy.

Jimmy rushes to meet him, catching Tango before he falls. “Oh jeeze, okay…” Setting the lantern down on the bed, he lowers them to the floor, shifting so he can wrap Tango in his arms. “It’s alright, it’s alright…”

“Jimmy, thank god.” Tango clings to him just as tightly, face buried in Jimmy’s shirt. His claws dig into Jimmy’s skin just shy of being painful. “I- I woke up,” he gasps, “and the quartz- I thought I was…” He pulls away enough to scan Jimmy’s face, eyes wide and frightened. “Where are we? What- how long has it been?”

Jimmy knits his brows together. “Uh- we’re at Impulse and Bdubs’s place, and it’s been… several hours, I think? Half a day?”

“God.” A shudder runs through Tango. “That- that really happened, didn’t it?” He starts to breathe faster, his voice straining into that faint upper pitch that Jimmy’s come to associate with panic. “Oh god, I- I- I don’t- hhh, I c- can’t…”

“Hey, hey, breathe,” Jimmy soothes, rubbing circles on Tango’s back. “I’m here, you’re safe. It’s over. Just breathe.”

They stay like that for a while, Tango curled against Jimmy as he rides out the worst of it. He shakes violently, eyes squeezed shut, breath hitching as he tries to get control of it again. Jimmy’s heart aches for him- he wishes there was something more he could do to help.

But he knows from experience that just being here is enough.

It’s not terribly infrequent for Tango to have nightmares. Sometimes he simply startles awake at night, apologizes for waking Jimmy up, and goes back to sleep. If Jimmy asks about it the next morning, he brushes it off as nothing; just silly nonsense nightmares, the kind that are terrifying at the time but seem utterly ridiculous in the light of day. Nothing more than that.

And all this time, Jimmy believed him.

(What a fool.)

Jimmy’s only ever seen a couple nightmares cause a reaction as severe as this. The shaking, the shortness of breath, the panic. What helped in the past was simply holding Tango- offering a few reassurances, but mostly silent comfort. And of course, Tango never wanted to talk about those nightmares, and Jimmy didn’t want to push too hard. He’d figured that Tango would talk to him about it when he was ready.

(Fool me once, shame on you…)

Gradually, Tango calms down. His tremors cease, and his breathing starts to grow deeper. He’s still holding onto Jimmy, but it’s less desperate, now. More familiar. Jimmy curls his wings around them, as if providing another barrier, another layer of security.

After Tango’s been still and quiet for a few moments, Jimmy softly breaks the silence. “How much d’you remember?”

Tango takes a shaky breath. “All of it,” he whispers. “E- everything, I was- it was like I- I was watching everything happen to someone else, like I was outside my body…” He looks up to meet Jimmy’s gaze, eyes brimming with tears. “Jimmy, I- I’m so sorry.”

“What?” Jimmy frowns. “Tango, what on earth are you apologizing for?”

Abruptly, Tango pulls away. “I burned you,” he grits out.

“No, you-” Jimmy almost grabs him by the arm, but then thinks better of it. “That wasn’t your fault.”

Tango stares at him incredulously. “Wha’ th- what do you mean? Of course it was!” He rakes his claws through his hair. “I- I lost control, I set the ranch on fire, and you got burned.”

“That’s not the same thing,” Jimmy argues. “You didn’t do it on purpose, you were just defending yourself.”

“Doesn’t matter!” Tango throws his hands up. “If it wasn’t for me, you wouldn’t have gotten burned, true or false?”

(True!)

(He’s got a point…)

(Why are you arguing this?)

Jimmy doesn’t answer. “Look,” he says instead, “honestly, it’s not a big deal. I’m fine!”

“Well, you don’t look fine!” Tango says bluntly. Distress flashes across his face as he looks Jimmy up and down. “Your poor wings- and oh, your face! What, did- we didn’t respawn?”

Jimmy ducks his head. “I didn’t wanna put you through that,” he explains, wincing.

He can actually see the guilt in Tango’s eyes intensify. “Ohhh no,” he breathes, dismayed. “You- why did you…” Shaking his head, he fixes Jimmy with a firm look. “Okay, you- you need to respawn, now.”

“It’s not important,” Jimmy replies, just as stubbornly. He holds a hand out, beseeching. “Tango, please, I- I’ve been worried outta my mind about you. So much happened- ”

“I’m fine,” Tango says shortly.

“No, you’re not,” Jimmy insists, working hard not to raise his voice. “I mean, honestly, I- I don’t even know what that thing ‘round your neck is doin’!”

Tango shuts his mouth with a sharp click and glances away. 

That sobers Jimmy instantly. Tentatively, he scooches a bit closer to Tango. His eyes trace the collar- it’s so deceptively simple, so innocuous at first glance. Just a ring of smooth, flat iron. But clearly, there’s a lot more going on; a single red light above the keyhole hints at a mechanism hidden within.

“Do you… know what it is?” Jimmy ventures, giving Tango a searching look.

Tango’s jaw tightens. “It’s wither rose.”

Jimmy blinks, taken aback. “What? But… we aren’t withering, we aren’t takin’ damage-”

“It’s not…” Tango makes a noncommittal noise, waving a hand in an aborted gesture. “They’ve modified it, somehow, I dunno. It- it’s not the full effect. All it’s doin’ is dampening my fire.”

“And our soulbond,” Jimmy realizes, his stomach sinking. “After he put it on you, I- I couldn’t feel your emotions anymore. It’s just… numb.”

Tango’s face is grim. “That’s what wither rose does,” he says lowly.

The certainty in his voice is… somewhat concerning. Sure, any player who’s been ‘round the block will have learned what it feels like to be withered, at some point or another. But due to the tedious and somewhat risky nature of obtaining the roses by way of a wither farm, most players don’t regularly encounter them. And as far as aesthetics are concerned, they aren’t the most appealing flower, so when they are farmed, they’re mostly used for mass-producing black dye or as the killing method in a mob farm. Not as decor or landscaping, where a player might actually touch the rose and be subjected to the wither effect.

Personally, Jimmy can’t remember the last time he touched a wither rose, as a player who doesn’t make a habit of farming withers or even taking on the boss fight. But the tone of Tango’s voice right now is the tone of someone who is horribly familiar with the sensation.

“Tango…?” Jimmy prompts quietly. “Is there… somethin’ I should know?”

Tango swallows. He’s avoiding Jimmy’s eyes. “I… I don’t wanna talk about it,” he whispers hoarsely. “Not right now?”

It’s almost a plea, and Jimmy’s heart tightens. “Okay. That’s okay,” he says gently, forcing down his disappointment; this isn’t about him. He rises to his feet, holding out his hand to Tango. “Here, come on, let’s… let’s get up on the bed, alright? It’s late, you need some proper rest.”

Tango hesitates, though he accepts Jimmy’s offered hand to help him up. “You need to respawn…”

“It can wait,” Jimmy says easily. He tries for a grin. “Honestly, I- I already knew I wasn’t exactly easy on the eyes, but I didn’t think it was that bad…”

“No,” Tango says quickly, “no, you’re not-” He makes a frustrated noise. “Your wings.”

Jimmy softens. “They’re just feathers. They’ll grow back.”

Sure, it might take a while if his follicles have been badly damaged, and his wings won’t be a pretty sight once all the burned feathers fall out. But most of his flight feathers are still intact, so in terms of places to get burned, it could’ve been much worse.

Tango huffs a breath, clearly still upset with himself. But he doesn’t protest further as Jimmy eases onto the bed, gently pulling Tango with him. After collecting the lantern so the room is properly dark again, Jimmy nestles under the covers, sweeping a wing out to lightly gather Tango beside him.

Tango settles against him, and it’s then that Jimmy realizes he isn’t as warm as he used to be.

He’s not cold, not by any means. But Tango has always run a bit hotter than the average player- a blaze hybrid trait that Jimmy’s quite fond of. It was the whole reason they first shared a bed, back in the early days of the world, and inadvertently plunged their relationship into new, terrifying depths. If it wasn’t for that moment, they likely would’ve danced around the issue for far longer, and been robbed of many precious days of happiness together. So even on warm nights, Jimmy will still cuddle up beside Tango. Even if he has to kick all the blankets off.

But with the collar dampening Tango’s fire, he’s been robbed of that, as well.

Jimmy swallows the lump in his throat and puts an arm around Tango, who curls into his side, head resting on his shoulder. Having Tango so close is immediately comforting. God, to think of how close he came to losing this, to never holding Tango again… 

It’s scary. It’s incredibly scary. There are few things in the universe that can really, truly cause lasting harm to a player. Injuries can heal upon respawn, death isn’t permanent- except for worlds where it is, then they just respawn on a different world and start again. But if those Hels people had succeeded in taking Tango through that hacked portal, into some isolated prison world that Jimmy has no way of finding… he’s afraid that would’ve destroyed him.

Jimmy turns his head to press a kiss onto Tango’s forehead, right between the dimmed blaze rods hovering around his temples. “Goodnight.”

“Night,” Tango whispers back.

The room grows silent. Jimmy stares up at the dark ceiling. His earlier tiredness has up and left him, his mind racing, plagued by thoughts of what might’ve been. It’s all he can do to reassure himself that it’s over, that Tango’s safe and still here with him.

That for once, he was lucky.

(For how long, though?)

He isn’t trying to stay awake. And he isn’t pretending to be asleep, either, just laying quietly with his thoughts. But at some point Tango must think he’s nodded off, because only then does he start to cry.

It’s a quiet sound. Just the sharp inhale and exhale of breath. Jimmy might not have even known he was crying if it wasn’t for the way his shoulders shake, and the sudden dampness seeping into Jimmy’s shirt. 

It takes all of Jimmy’s willpower not to console Tango, to hold him tighter and offer hushed reassurances. There’s a reason Tango waited until he thought Jimmy was asleep- he’s very much the kind of person who prefers to show emotion on his own terms. If he knew Jimmy was awake to witness this, he’d completely shut down again. And he needs this.

So Jimmy pushes down his own emotions and does nothing as his soulmate cries, trying not to move or start crying himself as the guilt for being so useless eats him alive.

(Sweet dreams…)

~*~

Morning comes, eventually.

At least, as far as Jimmy can tell by his internal clock. The room he wakes up to is still fairly dark- just a slim beam of light coming in from the hallway through the cracked door. Impulse must’ve done that to better keep an ear out for them overnight. Thoughtful guy. Tango is sleeping deeply next to Jimmy, and the sight is quite comforting.

It seems they’ve kept with their usual sleeping habits, even without a sunrise to greet them.

Carefully, without jostling Tango, Jimmy pulls up his inventory to grab his communicator. He can’t recall hearing it go off, but he wants to make sure there isn’t anything that urgently requires his attention. He’s surprised, however, to find a potion of healing; Impulse must’ve slipped it to him while he was sleeping.

A smile tugs at Jimmy’s lips. He’s long since regenerated his health, but the potion ought to help with his lingering injury. He downs the potion quickly, grimacing at the cloyingly sweet note of melon. It doesn’t take long for a cooling sensation to settle over his broken nose. When he gently probes at it, he can feel it’s still a little crooked, but at least the pain is gone.

Putting the empty bottle away, Jimmy digs out his communicator, squinting against the blue light. No one’s used chat lately or sent him any whispers- it seems they’re taking the request for privacy quite seriously. But there is the backlog from yesterday waiting for him. It takes him a minute just to scroll back to where it all began.

Bravo joined the game.

<Grian> ey??

AtlasSyn joined the game.

Tyrannicide joined the game.

Phantonym joined the game.

<Grian> EYY????

Helfyre_004 joined the game.

<PearlescentMoon> Ummm?

<Renthedog> What the heck??

CRIMETIME joined the game.

t3rr0r_b1te joined the game.

EbonyHelmentia joined the game.

baddomen666 joined the game.

<InTheLittleWood> WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE?!?

staluggmite joined the game.

PwrPlayz joined the game.

<PearlescentMoon> Hello??

XxSLAYERxX joined the game.

Vexed2theMax joined the game.

ApexGamer98 joined the game.

<Smajor1995> wait how is this happening

<PearlescentMoon> Raid?? D:

SheHelsSeaHels joined the game.

ne’er_do_hels joined the game.

<Grian> i don;t know??

Jaffu joined the game.

<Grian> theres no one at spawn???

<Etho> woah!

<SolidarityGaming> SOS RSNCH

<Smajor1995> oh no

<Renthedog> What??

<Smallishbeans> rsnch lol

<GoodTimeWithScar> G come pick me up

Tyrannicide was slain by Tango.

staluggmite was slain by Tango.

Phantonym was slain by Tango.

<InTheLittleWood> Wait WHAT?!?!?!?!?!

<Smallishbeans> NO WAY

<BdoubleO100> OHHHHHHH

<Grian> EVERYONE TO RANCH

<ZombieCleo> what is happening???

staluggmite joined the game.

Tyrannicide joined the game.

<Smajor1995> omw cleo

Phantonym joined the game.

<impulseSV> Etho, Joel, our place?

<Renthedog> BigB where you at??

<bigbst4tz2> coming

SheHelsSeaHels was shot by GoodTimeWithScar using [hOtgUy]

EbonyHelmentia was shot by Smajor1995.

XxSLAYERxX was slain by impulseSV.

CRIMETIME was slain by Wolf.

t3rr0r_b1t3 was slain by Renthedog.

Jaffu was doomed to fall by ZombieCleo.

SheHelsSeaHels joined the game.

ne’er_do_hels was shot by GoodTimeWithScar using [hOtgUy]

Tyrannicide was slain by Renthedog.

XxSLAYERxX joined the game.

EbonyHelmentia joined the game.

CRIMETIME joined the game.

Phantonym was slain by Etho.

t3rr0r_b1t3 joined the game.

ne’er_do_hels joined the game.

XxSLAYERxX was slain by Wolf.

Jaffu joined the game.

Helfyre_004 was slain by Renthedog.

Vexed2theMax was slain by bigbst4tz2.

Tyrannicide joined the game.

XxSLAYERxX joined the game.

Jaffu was slain by Renthedog.

SheHelsSeaHels was slain by Wolf.

bigbst4tz2 was shot by AtlasSyn.

Renthedog died.

Phantonym joined the game.

baddomen666 was slain by Wolf.

SheHelsSeaHels joined the game.

Jaffu joined the game.

PwrPlayz was slain by InTheLittleWood.

Helfyre_004 joined the game.

Vexed2theMax joined the game.

staluggmite was slain by Smallishbeans.

Helfyre_004 was shot by Smajor1995.

EbonyHelmentia was slain by Wolf.

PwrPlayz joined the game.

ApexGamer98 was slain by PearlescentMoon.

baddomen666 joined the game.

PwrPlayz was slain by Wolf.

Jaffu was slain by Wolf.

baddomen666 was shot by Smajor1995.

EbonyHelmentia joined the game.

Vexed2theMax was slain by InTheLittleWood.

PearlescentMoon was shot by AtlasSyn.

Smajor1995 died.

Helfyre_004 joined the game.

ApexGamer98 joined the game.

SheHelsSeaHels was slain by Wolf.

ne’er_do_hels was slain by Wolf.

baddomen666 joined the game.

Vexed2theMax joined the game.

Helfyre_004 was slain by Wolf.

baddomen666 was slain by impulseSV.

CRIMETIME was slain by Smallishbeans.

Phantonym was slain by Wolf.

Vexed2theMax was slain by Wolf.

t3rr0r_b1t3 was slain by Wolf.

ApexGamer98 was slain by BdoubleO100.

Tyrannicide was slain by Wolf.

EbonyHelmentia was slain by Wolf.

AtlasSyn left the game.

XxSLAYERxX was slain by Wolf.

Bravo was shot by GoodTimeWithScar using [hOtgUy]

Grian was shot by GoodTimeWithScar using [hOtgUy]

GoodTimeWithScar died.

Jimmy doesn’t know how long he spends looking at chat, reading it over and over again as he tries to make sense of it. All those Hels players came here with the express purpose of kidnapping Tango. But why? Dr. Atlas had said something about ‘getting back to work’ and a farm design, but what does that even mean? 

Speaking of that doctor fella, he seems to have been the only one to get kills on the Double Lifers- the rest of them must’ve been preoccupied with Pearl’s wolves. Gosh, to think what her chat must look like…

But that’s something worth noting. Atlas didn’t waste his time with wolves, he went for Pearl and Bigb. He must’ve realized the wolves were Pearl’s and targeted her because of it. And the fact he went for Bigb instead of Ren, who was racking up the most kills... that means he was able to put together that they were soulbound, and he used that to get rid of the threat more easily.

Out of these Hels players, Atlas is clearly the one to watch out for.

Well, him and Bravo, of course. Though Bravo technically isn’t a Hels, if Jimmy’s understood it properly. But he’s certainly just as cruel and bloodthirsty as those other guys were, and he’s got it out for Tango the most. Jimmy can’t recall the last time he saw such hate in a player’s eyes, for any reason. And this is the guy claiming he should’ve been Jimmy’s soulmate? Unbelievable.

As if Jimmy would ever go for such a dense, hateful, entitled piece of-

“Honey,” Tango says suddenly, sitting up on his elbows, “you okay?”

Jimmy jolts in surprise; he must’ve been looking quite cross with his communicator. “Yeah, yeah, I’m fine,” he assures Tango softly, offering an apologetic smile. “Sorry if I woke you.”

It’s difficult to make out details in the scarce light from the hallway, but Tango looks much improved from yesterday. Even underneath the dried blood, the warmth has returned to his skin, replacing that sickly, pale pallor. His red eyes are sharp and alert- that’s a huge relief, as well.

“No, no, you’re good!” Tango says brightly. He leans over to press a kiss to Jimmy’s cheek. “Sleep alright?”

His tone throws Jimmy for a moment. Someone’s feeling better. Blinking, Jimmy puts his comm away. “I did, yeah,” he answers uncertainly. “You?”

“Yep!” Tango smiles at him; it seems a bit forced. “I uh- I’m all rest-ificated and ready to start the day. So, what I- well, I- I guess our first order of business, we should go take a look at the ranch, right, see what the damage is? Then we can do some resource gathering and start rebuilding, so we aren’t crashing at Impulse and Bdubs’s place forever.”

Jimmy pauses for a moment to process the words. “Umm… are you sure?” he asks tentatively. “I mean, we can go look at it if you want, but uh, are you- we should really focus on getting that collar off you first, don’t you think?”

Tango shrugs. He isn’t quite meeting Jimmy’s eyes. “Doesn’t bother me. Besides, we don’t have the key.”

Jimmy knits his brows together. “So what, we just... let it alone? Move on?”

Tango huffs a laugh- it sounds a bit faint. “Yeah, yeah exactly.” 

(What an abrupt change of character!)

(Lying again, it seems…)

(How suspicious.)

Okay, this is definitely strange behavior. Considering everything that happened yesterday, Jimmy would’ve expected Tango to still be physically and emotionally wrecked. But instead, he seems rather keen to just move on, like everything’s normal- 

Ah. Of course. Jimmy doesn’t know why he’s surprised.

“Tango...” he starts, “I don’t think-”

“Good morning!” Impulse hums as he pokes his head through the cracked door. “How we doin’, guys?”

Curse his timing. Tango, of course, immediately takes advantage of the distraction.

“Oh, hey Impy!” he says cheerfully. “Hey uh, sorry about earlier. You know, I uh, I was a little confused, and uh… you know...” He pulls a face; overdramatized. He’s trying to make light of it.

Impulse seems to share the same realization as Jimmy. “Hey, it’s alright,” he says easily, though he keeps his tone in a lower register- more serious. Not feeding into the fake energy. “No hard feelings. Here, I brought some food.”

Tango takes the offered food without even a second of hesitation; a stack of golden carrots. “Of course. Thank you, thank you.” He quickly starts crunching on one, conveniently busying himself so he doesn’t have to say anything else.

Oh well, at least he’s eating. Jimmy gives Impulse a tired smile. “Hey, Impulse. Thanks again for lettin’ us crash here.”

Impulse returns his smile. “Yeah, of course, no problem. So um, I’ve just got a bit of an update for you guys.” He sits down at the end of the bed, expression sobering. “The ranch situation is under control, they managed to get the fire out before it spread to anything else nearby. So your pastures, barns, and fields are safe. All your animals, too.”

It’s easy enough to pick up on what he’s left out. “But the ranch itself is gone, isn’t it?” Jimmy says quietly.

Impulse nods. “I’m sorry. Most of what’s left is just the stone. I think the basement is pretty intact, too, but everything else…”

“Yep.” Tango, finished with his carrot, shrugs a shoulder. “Yeah, I figured. That’s what we get for building with wood, even though I’m super flammable and stuff.”

Jimmy gives him a sympathetic look. “It’ll be okay-”

“So,” Tango interrupts, avoiding Jimmy’s gaze as he gives Impulse an intent look, “uh- anything else?”

(Ouch! Testy…)

Impulse rubs the back of his neck. “Uh, yeah. Grian wants to know if you guys are up for a chat. Nothing bad,” he adds quickly, “he’s just trying to figure out a solution and we’re just a little in the dark about everything. You can stick to the basics; if there’s something you aren’t comfortable telling us, that’s fine-”

“No, no, it’s fine,” Tango assures him. Despite his grin, there’s a hard edge to his voice. “Let’s do it. Call everyone up, we’ll have a nice chat at spawn or something. Let’s- let’s get goin’.”

Impulse pauses. “Well, if you want, we can have just Grian come over...”

Tango huffs. “No, why- let’s just get everyone on the same page, okay? Get it all over with at once.” He spreads his hands. “No point in delaying, or- or having to explain the same thing over and over again, right? I mean, everyone’s stuck here ‘til Grian lifts the lockdown, I- I’m sure they’ll wanna know why.”

Jimmy exchanges a look with Impulse. “I… I suppose,” he says hesitantly. “But are you sure you’re-”

“Yeah,” Tango says, “yeah, it’s fine.” 

Impulse purses his lips, clearly fighting not to let his frustration show. 

The sentiment is one that Jimmy shares. It’s obvious Tango is trying to downplay everything- and if that’s his way of coping, fine. But it really throws a wrench into the works when moving forward requires actually addressing what happened, and having an in-depth conversation about it. And this doesn’t bode well for long-term; they can’t just pretend everything’s normal, no matter how much Tango might wish it. 

“Okay, I’ll let him know.” Impulse rises to his feet. “The bathroom’s at the end of the hallway if you guys wanted to wash up.”

Tango actually makes a face at that, dropping the facade for a moment. He really doesn’t like water. “Wash up..?”

Impulse winces. “You’re um. Still covered in dried blood.”

(I was wondering when he’d realize that…)

Tango blinks. “Oh. Oh, right, of course.” Absently, he reaches a hand up to scratch at his chin. “I should probably wash that off, yeah. I mean, everyone knows I’m a vicious monster but I don’t have to look it, right?” he laughs.

Jimmy’s heart tightens. “Hey, Tango…”

“No,” Impulse protests, “that’s not-”

“No, no, it’s fine,” Tango says shortly. “Thanks, Impulse.”

“Alright.” Impulse lets the matter drop, turning to leave. “Come downstairs when you’re ready.”

As soon as Impulse is gone, Jimmy turns to Tango. “Hey, so-”

But Tango has already hopped out of bed and crossed to the door, calling, “Hang on, be right back!” over his shoulder.

Down the hall, Jimmy hears the bathroom door open and close. He sighs.

This is gonna be a fun conversation.

~*~

CONTINUED IN PART IX, ACT II

[moonyhasmanyanimals]

Yandere Link reactions to Darling wearing their clothing?

I'm only my favorite dorks. I would put wind in here but he's a kid. and besides you're too big to even fit so..... ehhhhhhh

Also, there is slight NSFW on twilights part

Wild-

Depends on what are you wearing?

My boy has so many clothes that even Barbie can't even keep up with. but let me tell you he will get so happy.

yeah... let's go with that.

But if you two wear matching outfits up to heaven he goes. He likes to see his god(dess) in his clothes. He likes smelling them after because it smells like you and him. He will wear your clothes no matter how small because he likes your smell.

(I think he has a smell kink don't come after me!)

He just won't let you out of the house if you wear his Vai outfit

he can only see that. only he can see you dressed like that

"Hey, y/n I got us some matching shirts! I thought you would like it!"

Sky-

AWWWWWWW you are so cute!

I like to think Sky's lover would be smaller than him.

He likes it when you wear his shirt. he likes that it hangs off of you slightly.

It shows everyone that you belong to him.

He would go feral if you two had matching outfits. but like those goofy ones.

Like you wear the 'I'm with stupid' and he is the 'I'm stupid'

You know that kind of stupid shirts.

He really likes it.

Or if you wear his old knight uniform in his Hyrule. Feral I tell you.

"Hey! I found this while going through my old room! I thought you would like it!"

Twilight-

So... Since this takes place after his adventure

You're fucked. No like literally

It's in a wolf's nature to... scent themselves. They also lick and boop noses when they like something. But you're now covered in his scent.

and he's Feral.

like when alone he'll drag you to an alley and nuzzle into you. Taking in your scent.

Wolves scent each other when they are mates (I didn't know this until I looked it up) so you putting on his clothes and getting his scent all over you while you putting it on his clothes, Pretty much is telling his wolf side that you want to be mates.

"You smell so sweet... nice to know you like me that much y/n"

Four-

Four is small

How do you fit? I don't know.

I like to think he wears baggy things.

So when you wear them he really likes it.

Another loser who likes matching with you.

kinda of a mix between Sky and Wild with the matching stuff. Really likes goofy shirts and silly pants but when it comes to big things like parties or victories you two will go shopping and get you two matching suits or dresses.

I like to think four wears your clothes whenever you're not around. Just to feel your warmth.

"Sorry... I just missed you... Don't leave me. Please. I like your warmth more then I like the smell of your clothes"

[chibigo-ma]

Preview of ❝The Little Human Experiment❞ [Legoshi]

Summary: Misaki was just your typical teenage girl living in Japan, but not in the eyes of her society. She's a human in a life where animals live and think like "humans" in our society. She is now brought in as an experiment for her new life outside her facility to see if humans can co-exist with different other species. A certain wolf gets quite attached to our human friend as he is tasked to protect her.

Edit (13.07.2024): Man... after two months of being inactive... AhhCHOO 🫴 WATTPAD STORY LINK | AO3 STORY LINK I can't believe I didn't share a link..............

"Going already?" Mei asked as Misaki grabbed her bag. "Yeah, I have to go over there now to facilitate the choreography for the Light Ceremony," Misaki said as she patted Haru's head. "Get back soon!" Haru waved at her human friend before she left.

Misaki opened her phone to text Shiela that she would go to the clubroom as soon as she walked down the stairs. As she made her way to the clubroom though, she witnessed Juno carrying a sloth to the restroom. "Misaki-senpai!" Juno greeted with a smile as she placed the sloth down. "Ah, hello, Juno. Late for rehearsal?" Misaki asked as they walked to the clubroom together. 

"Yeah, I am. I apologize. Are you late too, Misaki-senpai?" Juno asked as Misaki texted Shiela once again that Juno was with her. "Not really. I come in and out of the clubroom as I have two clubs to deal with," she shared. "Woah, really? You must be very busy then. It's still remarkable as you're still the assistant head," Juno had great admiration for the human as she clung to her.

"Assistant director, but still the same," Misaki corrected as she opened the door. "Sorry, I'm late!" Juno announces her arrival while still holding onto Misaki. Misaki raised an eyebrow as she noticed how tense the room was until they came in the room. The majority of the members went up to the two.

"Come on, Juno! You're supposed to text Sheila-senpai when you're late," Els informed the first-year. "She was carrying a sloth to the restroom, so her hands were occupied. It was very kind of you, Juno," Misaki acknowledges Juno's willingness. "Why, thank you, Misaki-senpai!" Juno was happy with Misaki's compliment. 

"I've also made sure that Shiela got the memo and to not get you in trouble, so no need to worry," Misaki shared as everyone was wow-ed by Misaki's consideration. "But it doesn't excuse me for being late, so I want to clean the training hall after school. Sorry, Louis-senpai," Juno apologized as she bowed. 

"Oh, Legoshi-senpai!" Juno called out to the gray wolf. "I saw the dinosaur in the plaza. It was really pretty. The stage crew is doing their best, so we actors are going to do our best with our dancing practice. We're very inspired!" Juno smiled widely and only had her eyes on him. "...Mm, good, good," Legoshi doesn't seem affected by Juno's comment. 

"Yeah, you guys did great. Seeing as it's also my first time seeing it, I'm proud of each one of you. I'll be sure to take pictures of all of them when they're finished," Misaki smirked and showed that her lock screen was now the T-Rex Statue they painted, making sure she looked everyone in the eye. 

"Aww, Misaki!" Dom looked flattered. "I'm happy it exceeded your expectations!" Kibi smiled as everyone in the creatives team was appreciative of Misaki's honest remark. "Ah, speaking of, Misaki," Shiela walked up to the human and dragged her towards Louis. "We have some sudden news to share with you," she shared as Louis glared at the cheetah due to her comment before. 

"Yes, Sanu suggested that you'll be our main dancer," Louis mentioned and Misaki was shocked. "What!? What do you mean? I'll be at the front?" Misaki covered her mouth with her hand. "One of our dancers won't be available for the festival and you know the dances well. So, they made Juno be back up and you in the center since you know the dance very well," he shared.

"There's only two days left though," she looked worried. "You'll do fine, you the entire dance anyway," Louis was confident. "Did... did Tarok tell you that I'll be revealed too? Is that why you weren't opposed to it?" Misaki asked. 

"Yes, he did tell me. I asked his permission for the dance and he's fine with it. You won't be wearing that get-up anymore," Louis smirked and Misaki sighed. "Fine, fine. I'll do it. I'll text Haru that I have a big role here so they won't have to worry about my whereabouts," Misaki shared as she went to grab her phone to text her. 

"We'll do a quick fitting with you. I'm sure they'll just readjust one of the existing outfits," Louis told her as Misaki was ready to walk away. "I'll let Legoshi know," Louis smirked upon seeing Misaki frozen in place. He chuckled and patted her back and walked away from her to talk to Legoshi. She quickly ran to the changing room and walked out wearing her PE Uniform. 

"Woah, you do have fur in your legs," Juno wondered as she gave a close inspection of Misaki's legs. "They're called Hair for humans. Despite it being short and thin, they make sure they regulate our body temperature and keep dirt away such as my lashes here," Misaki pointed her eyes to let Juno get a closer look. 

"Woah, they're so tiny," Juno giggled. As everyone was talking to Misaki and was excited to see her fully perform on stage, Legoshi kept his eyes only on her. He looked up and down her figure as he felt aroused by her appearance. 

"Stop eye fucking, my sister." Legoshi snapped out of it and shrank away as Louis glared at him. Louis was most annoyed upon seeing Legoshi's wagging tail when Misaki came into the room. "Sister?" Legoshi questioned. "She's like a sister to me, so don't go hurting her," Louis crossed his arms as it would seem that he was finally open for Misaki to be together with Legoshi. 

"So whatever happened before they came in was a misunderstanding on your part," Louis pointed out. "You got the tape measure ready?" Louis asked. 

"Oh, yeah, I do," Legoshi went to pull it out, "Fix your problem first," Louis interrupted and he walked away. "Problem?" Legoshi questioned. He looked down to see a tent in his pants. He panics and quickly runs to the restroom. He could not believe he just had a hard-on. It embarrassed him more to notice his tail wagging faster than ever. He really wants to disappear.

"Where's Legoshi?" Misaki asked after she got away from the questioning members. "He went to the restroom real quick. Dom will be measuring you instead," Louis informed her as he tried hiding his laughter, which Misaki noticed but she didn't question it. She would truly have a heart attack if she knew that she had such an effect on Legoshi.

[grave-buster]

WAIT THEY GAVE VOLKOV A DAUGHTER????? fuck now i need to know more. i don't care abt neo-borg but i'm like the only volkov enjoyer so now i'm super curious. also i'm planning a beyblade women tournament and i'm gonna have 2 put her in the preliminaries

YESS THEY DID. Here's a link to Aoki's colored illustration of her: http:// sakura2factory.web.fc2.com/image/regina20201209.jpg (remove the space after http://)

Her name is Regina Hase, and she is the final antagonist of Beyblade RISING. The first female last boss in Beyblade plastic gen.

I can't recall rn if she directly states, "I'm Volkov's daughter" but I'm very sure she's his daughter (people in the Japanese fandom also seem to think this).

Edit: Okay yeah it's confirmed, she even calls him Father. My memory is very hazy XD

She runs a beyblade gambling ring, DBB. Initially, she disguises herself as Volkov, until Yuriy realizes she's not really him. She was also the one who got Yuriy kicked from the World Championships by circulating videos of Yuriy being all "muahahah I am so evil" while destroying beyblades. She also tried to ruin Takao's reputation by tricking him into battling at DBB and broadcasting it, falsely claiming that Takao is also a DBB blader. She defeats Takao, and gives Yuriy a hard time until Takao joins in on the match and helps Yuriy defeat her.

She has purple hair like Volkov (her long hair is a wig btw, her real hair is very short), and calls herself 'Volkov's heir' at one point, I think. Her nationality is stated as "German-Russian" in a page in the manga, and since her mother Emilia is shown to be German, I think it's safe to say she gets the 'Russian' part from Volkov. She meets Volkov after being defeated by Yuriy and Takao. She talks to him, and at one point Volkov mentions how Regina's anger upon being defeated is just like her Mother's.

Instead of leaving with Volkov, she decides to go her own way.

Later, it is shown she opens the Deustche Beyblade Liga, DBL with her mother. Also, beyblade RISING is very parenthood-centric. A lot of the characters have their parents shown, and some of the plot involves their parents as well. I think it's safe to say Volkov is her father.

Her bit beast is the rabbit Wolpertinger from German Folklore. It is said to live in Bavarian forests. Her launcher is a crossbow launcher like Brooklyn's, although it is handheld rather than worn on the arm. Her last name 'Hase' also means Hare/Rabbit in German, similar to how 'Volkov' means Wolf in Russian.

I think I already described what her beyblade is like, right?

I love how it looks! It took me two years to realize there are two rabbit heads on the lower part. The only thing I'm not a fan of is the way the spikes work. It's a bit too over the top, even for beyblade XD A toned down version of it would be amazing tho!

I also find it interesting that Regina is the one who wears Volkov's iconic mask in RISING, while Volkov himself wears an eyepatch here, presumably from losing an eye? It feels as though he 'passed the torch' to his daughter.

Thanks for the ask! I'm happy to see anyone show interest in Regina. Also, your beyblade women championship sounds amazing!! I'd love to know more about it.

Edit 2: I removed the image and added a link to it on Aoki's site instead, for the longest time I thought you couldn't share links to his illustrations either? But now I saw a post explaining you can.

[softpascalito]

We got your back - Chapter 4

Summary: You work as a new DEA agent alongside Peña and Murphy. A not-so-kind colleague reveals more about you than you would like. You also realize you can sleep better if you're not by yourself. You're not the only one with that realization.

Relationships: Javier Peña x F!Reader

WC: 10k+

Tags/Warnings: Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Slow Burn, mention of canon-typical violence, family issues, they arent specified but reader is implied to be from a dysfunctional family, literal sleeping together, one bed trope if you squint, tac vest javi, nightmares, cuddling, protective javier peña, mention of drugs

AO3 LINK // Series Masterlist

notes: we are back! sorry this took me so long, i started into the year super positive and motivated but then my best friend decided to fucking die so life hasn't been very slay. i hope you babes are doing better and enjoy the chapter <3

(i cope with humor, can you tell?)

Chapter 4

“She could no longer think, nor were there any more images in her head. She was aware only of the softness of the woollen bathrobe next to her skin, and then of the nearness and warmth of a being that did not frighten her.”

- Paul Bowles, The Sheltering Sky

You have the first good day in weeks. Apart from the nagging feeling that you now have something else to hide - at least from Steve and the rest of your colleagues - you do feel well rested, getting through the assigned files and some more intel with record speed.

One of the higher-ups is celebrating a milestone birthday and orders dinner, causing more people than usual to stay late. Javi finds you in the crammed room where the plates of food have been set up and squeezes in next to you, flashing his signature charming smile, “May I?”

“Yeah, sure,” you mumble back, shifting slightly to give him more space. But with how full all the tables are, the people are a good excuse to let yourself get a little closer than you normally would. Somehow, it doesn’t feel weird, the way it likely would’ve before last night. It just feels safe.

You eat your dinner without speaking much, Javi practically wolfing his down. A frown spreads over your face at that, “You got plans after this?”

“Are you asking me out, querida?” Javi responds in between two bites, flirting so casually that it almost seems like second nature to him. Which according to the testimony of at least three women you know in the embassy, is exactly that. 

He cocks his brow as he turns towards you and for a split second, he looks serious, like he means it. The thought has you blushing furiously and you think you just may choke on a piece of your pasta when the familiar grin spreads over his face and with it, a similarly familiar warmth settles in your stomach. “I was just joking,” he reassures you again at seeing your cheeks change color and clears his throat before getting a little more serious.

“Wanted to go through some more files, not like this lot will get anything done tonight.” He nods towards the group of people gathered around the man who is apparently celebrating. They’ve finally opened up the first bottle of Aguardiente.

Of course, Javi knows that with the steadily rising alcohol level, he may just be able to persuade someone into giving him access to precisely the file he wants. Or at least provide enough distraction for him to sneak off and find it himself.

He can still hear Steve in the back of his mind, reasoning with him.

“Have you ever considered that the files are sealed because she wants them to be?”

He has, now. But he finds that he doesn’t really care. There is something there, something that might explain you to him a little more. A tiny voice in his head offers up the idea of just asking you, getting to know you like everyone else does.

But he quickly shakes that thought off. It’s nothing to him, personally at least. His interest is strictly professional of course. Nothing else.

Just as the first people start clearing out, Javi slips away too. You strain your neck, glancing around the room and towards the buffet but he’s nowhere to be found.

“Great,” you mumble to yourself as you follow suit and leave the table, heading out of the large oak doors of the conference room. A pit has formed in your stomach and it only deepens when you catch a glimpse of the time. It’s past nine already so chances are Javier really has headed off to meet some informant. You try not to consider who else he could be meeting and who else may wake up next to him in the morning.

Passing through the dimly lit corridors that lead to the DEA offices, you let out a small noise of annoyance with yourself.

It’s not like it’s any of your business what Javi does after closing time or who he meets. And it’s not really like you to judge him for it.

But today, you realize quietly, your disappointment stems from the pit in your stomach at the thought of having to go home to the apartment you’d rather forget and to spend a few hours tossing and turning on a mattress until it’s time to come back.

You haven’t met a single person on your way back to your office and you consider curling up next to your desk again. A glance around the office tells you that you’re not in luck, though. A few other co-workers still have their bags and jackets draped over chairs and desks and some will no doubt return to get them once they’re done eating. Javi finding you was one thing but they would be something else.

It takes a few seconds until the solution hits you and you take off past the open plan office and towards the smaller adjacent rooms in the back. The crammed file room that you’ve spent the last night in is sitting in darkness, the blinds almost completely closed. You decide against turning on the big light and simply make your way through the room- which is barely a few steps.

The orange glow of the streetlights filtering through the blinds is enough to let your hands find the couch in the corner and you settle onto it with a small sigh, content to just be still for a moment. It’s a little eerie, especially since you’re not sure if anyone other than Peña and Murphy frequents the space. But the sounds that do drift to you are low and distant, nothing more than a couple of cars honking a few blocks away and a dog barking somewhere in the distance.

You draw your legs up onto the couch, wrapping your arms around them for the lack of actual bedding and lean back, closing your eyes.

It doesn’t become apparent to you that you’ve passed out until you wake with a start. You’re semi-aware of something above you and you squint into the darkness of the room. You can’t see his face but there is the voice you know all too well.

“That you, cariño?” Javi mutters, already a blanket in hand that he nudges against you. It takes you a few more seconds to find your voice, bringing a hand up to rub your eyes, “Thought you left.”

“I came back. Here, go back to sleep. I’ll stay.”

You’re too tired to fight him, to put up any kind of resistance against making this a habit, to bring up that this is a bad idea, for the sake of both of you. The blanket warms you up so quickly, even more so with the way Javier’s body slowly comes to rest beside you. You think you answer something before you pass out again. You can’t remember what you say.

It’s not until the next morning, when you yawn as you head into the office kitchen, that you find out precisely why Javier snuck off last night.

There is cereal. And not the shitty kind- actual Cap’n Crunch, your favorite. The man beside you, who has a reputation for being a playboy and for never staying for breakfast, remembered the way you preferred your breakfast. It’s hard not to let it get to your head.

It does become routine after that. Javi lingers around the office until he can tell if you’ll leave or stay. Most nights you stay. Most turn into all. On the second night in a row, he lights himself a cigarette as he flips through a few more files before going to sleep. On the third, it goes from a bad to a really bad night when the nightmares you never seem to be able to get rid of come for you. For a second, you think this will be one step too far for him. But he barely seems to mind the way you cuddle a bit closer to him and he mumbles soft words until you go back to sleep.

He never mentions it during the day and neither do you. It’s almost like your sleeping arrangements are part of a different world, not the one that spins around your work, that’s full of drugs and death and everything else that makes sleep difficult. But Javi just feels- safe. He never asks too many questions. He just gets the blanket, sets his alarm, makes sure there is cereal in the morning. He feels like a godsent.

Of course, it’s only a question of time until someone notices something. You’re always careful to not head into your little room until everyone else is gone but occasionally, someone will show up too early or during the night- a spontaneous raid, a tip that needs instant investigating. Javi keeps the phone by his side constantly and it takes over a week for you to realize it may not just be to get alerts on developing situations but also to be alerted to someone coming into the office during unusual hours.

So when two weeks have passed and someone does catch you, Javi is glad it's Steve who is clearly just grabbing some files early in the morning and freezes in the doorway. He stares Javi down, who in return gently puts a finger onto his lips and motions for them to head to the hallway, gently closing the door behind himself as he steps out of the office.

“I have no way to be certain about Messina’s stance on this, but something tells me she wouldn't appreciate you bringing your hookers into the embassy,” Steve hums, unable to keep a small smirk off his face. Javi rolls his eyes in return, “I'm not an idiot, do you know that?”

He pauses for a moment and raises his hand just as Steve opens his mouth, “Don't answer that.” His mind is racing with too many thoughts at once. He’s not sure why, of all the things he could choose to tell Steve, he picks the truth when the lies would be so much easier.

“She was assigned a shitty apartment, hasn't been sleeping well. I remember you and Connie having similar issues after you arrived down here. With her, I figured we didn't use the room anyway and she-” he trails off. Steve brows have knitted together as the pieces slowly fall into place, “Somehow, a hooker would have been less complicated than a colleague.” There's another roll of eyes from Javi, the air a little thick with tension.

“I'm trying to help her. That's all.”

“You are trying to help her? Do you really expect me to believe that?” Steve shoots back, raising his voice until Javi motions for him to quiet down, nodding towards the door. The blonde man makes a face, but he does lower his voice as he repeats himself, “You expect me to believe that? You’re just helping her, no motive? It has nothing to do with you feeling the need to fuck your way through half the office by the time we finish the case?”

Javier actually groans at that, pinching the bridge of his nose for a moment. He moves his fingers to the side, using them to gently rub his tired eyes. His free arm is resting against his belt, the fingers twitching ever so slightly.

“Fuck you, Murphy. Just leave us alone and get your files in the morning.”

Steve looks like he wants to say something else, but then he thinks better of it. A small glare is sent towards his partner regardless.

“If you fuck this up somehow, Javi, I swear, I will make sure you get in real trouble. She’s too sweet for whatever you are trying to do here.”

It's two nights after the encounter with Steve- who has much to Javier's relief actually left them alone- when it happens again. It's been a particularly exhausting day for both of you, which actually made Javi hopeful that you'd both fall into a deep sleep as soon as you hit the couch. But it's been as mentally draining as it's been physically. And your mind clearly just won’t shut off.

It wakes him. The small stirring, the movement of your body beside his. He’s never been a particularly deep sleeper and Colombia has only made it worse, his brain seemingly always on alert to danger. So when he does wake, it takes Javi a few seconds to realize that the danger his brain is alerting him to is not a sicario sneaking into your room, it’s not a gun held to his head. It’s an entirely different kind of danger, one much less life-threatening but so much more complicated to fix.

A small groan escapes him as he reaches for the small light perched on the file cabinets, pulling the string attached to it. He blinks groggily as it flickers to life, bathing the room into a dim, dusty light. A few moments pass before he hears another whimper behind him and turns towards you, eyes already laced with concern.

Your features are scrunched up, lips slightly apart as the noises find their way out of your dream and into reality. Occasionally, a muscle twitches in your hands or your leg, making the whole scene even more eerie. But what gets Javier the most, what makes the pit in his stomach feel like one that could reach the ground floor, is the wetness on your face. Tears, undoubtedly slipping from your closed eyes and finding their way down the side of your face. It looks absolutely heartbreaking.

“Cariño,” he mutters under his breath, bringing his hand towards your arm and beginning to rub it in a gentle, circular motion.

“Wake up, it’s just a dream. You’re-” For a split second, he wants to say home. But he knows it's so far from the truth. He's not sure you consider any place in this country a home. Actually, he's not sure which place you do consider one.

“You’re alright,” he mumbles instead, adding a little more force to his touch and voice alike. His gaze never leaves your face as your eyes finally fly open, practically choking on the whimper that had just been leaving your throat. The panic is evident in your eyes, in the way they fly around, searching for something, anything to reassure you, to replace the pictures still floating in your mind. They find soft, brown eyes. It’s something to hold onto.

“There you are,” Javi hums, bringing his free hand to your face, his thumb catching the next tear that rolls out of the corner of your eye. “It's okay, you're safe. Just a bad dream.”

You blame it on the panic still sitting in your throat or the way you've just woken up, the way you don't even think about your movements as you move yourself into Javis arms, sneaking your arms around his waist and you think you feel him hesitate for just a moment before he wraps his arms around you in return, whispering reassurances into the dimly lit room and stroking your back.

You cry a little more, when the memories of the dream feel too overwhelming and he holds you through all of it, not once complaining about how long you’re taking to shake the thoughts off.

It’s a good half hour before you’re both lying down again, his back resting against the edge of the sofa, right arm wrapped lazily around you, “You want me to keep the light on for now?”

The idea seems a little silly to you but it takes you right back to evenings in your childhood bedroom, to what felt like endless nights of asking your father to plug in the small night light you'd gotten for christmas. It looked like a sheep, carrying a smile and enough light for you to be able to tell that there were no monsters hiding in the dark corners of your room.

“Querida?” You nod your head quickly, resting it back on his chest, “Yeah, I- let’s keep it on. If that’s okay.”

“Por supuesto que está bien,” (Of course that is okay,) Javier mumbles softly, his left hand reaching below your makeshift bed and producing a pack of Marlboros. You watch the movements of his hands, the ones you see him do at least ten times a day, his fingers reaching for a cigarette, placing it between his slightly parted lips. Pausing to search two pockets for his lighter before finding it.

At a small nudge from you, he pauses, raising a brow, “¿Sí?” You nod towards the pack that’s still resting next to him, “It’s really rude not to offer me one.”

“I thought you didn’t smoke,” he says, seeming genuinely confused for a moment and you almost take pity. You sneak your hand over his torso, drawing a cigarette from the half-empty pack, “I do now.”

To his defense, he does try and look stern for a moment. But he knows it'd be hypocritical at best if he of all people tried to stop you.

“It's a bad habit.”

“Well, then it's our bad habit.”

Javi thinks, for a split moment, that something entirely else is his bad habit. The way he looks at you when you fall asleep before him or the touches that seem to become more and more frequent the longer your sleeping arrangement continues. The way he jerks off in his shower at home, picturing your face, your body draped in his shirt a few nights ago when your blouse was simply too uncomfortable to sleep in. Spilling into his own hand with a groan at those thoughts. Yeah, that's definitely his bad habit.

“Are you going to light it for me or are you hoping it’ll disintegrate if you think hard enough?” You joke gently, snapping him out of his thoughts.

“Teasing again already, are we?” Javi hums but he does reach for his lighter and brings it to your face, careful not to get too close.

He waits until you’ve both taken a few drags to ask his question.

“So what was it about?”

You swallow a bit at that, taking another long drag before you shake your head, “Nothing special. It’s already disappearing.” After another moment of thinking, you add, truthfully, “There was something with drugs in it.”

“Not very creative, I’d say. Five out of ten.”

You stare at him in disbelief, “Are you rating my nightmares, Peña?”

“I like to keep track,” he responds, giving you a small wink that you almost miss. You watch the smoke rising from the cigarette between his lips, sighing softly. You don’t like lying to him. Then again, it really was about drugs. Just not in the way he may think. It’s not your fault he’s stupid, sometimes.

“You’re silly. Go to sleep.”

“Go to sleep yourself.”

You do end up falling back asleep first, head still resting on his chest. Javi stays awake a little while longer, just in case the nightmares come back. At least that’s what he tells himself. And if he happens to use that opportunity to study your face a bit more? Well, it’s noones business.

end notes: if you enjoyed this, please reblog and/or leave a comment <3 also subscribe on ao3 or follow me here to catch the next update!

[zozo-01]

"i'm thinkin' how she rides it, if she sits on it. (make it hard for me to stand up.)"

Hello, hello!!! Our lovely @dominimoonbeam wanted a lil moment between university freshman David and Darlin' when Darlin' pierces him and I said, absolutely ma'am give me a couple of months! So here we are, definitely on the more spicy side but I do try my best!!! And I couldn't resist the J. Cole lyric. And thank you to the amazing @cashandprizes for reassuring me that this is as hot as I think it is!!!

CW: University AU, David is a Business Major, Darlin' is a Poli Sci Major, They are both stupid and in love, No Angel and Sam AU, Unresolved Sexual Tension, Things get heated because piercings, A little bit of accidental grinding of the laps, Praise, ass grabbing, Just a jolly old good time, see domini i can do nice things to darlin, Minors Please Don't Interact, Mayhaps a part two where there will be actual fucking may come soon

click here for the ao3 link!!!

--

There they were, sitting in the comfortable silence that they have both perfected. There’s no need to speak whenever they’re with him because a glance is all they both need. Eyes spill secrets that lips refuse to speak of, but at the risk of not getting sentimental, David called it their way of telling each other that they should ditch class together. If you had told a sophomore David that his favourite moments were when he was skipping classes that he paid thousands for to spend time with the pack’s resident bad wolf, he’d be convinced you got the wrong man, but here they were. 

Darlin’ had messaged him that they weren’t feeling well and wanted to stay home, and David being the good and whipped Beta he was, stayed back to help them. After their inevitable yet futile attempts to send him back to class, they’d relented and pulled out their textbooks. “If you’re going to skip class, then at least let’s be productive.” They sat down, motioning to David to join them on this impromptu study date- nope, nuh uh, he dares not be hopeful and call this a date.

So they sat in the silence that felt familiar and kept glancing at each other to make sure the other was doing ok. 

Right now, though, he was doing a whole lot more than glancing. More like gawking at the wolf in front of him. How could he not? They had a tank top on due to the heat, leaving scarred skin and muscle out on display for him. There was a reason everyone fell for Darlin’ at first sight and it wasn’t their dazzling smile or sweet glances. (They’d only show that part of them to the people they trust, and David likes to delude himself into thinking there are some looks that are reserved for him alone.)

David gave up on balancing his accounts and analyzing supply and demand graphs in favour of staring at their pretty face while they look over some policies for an essay. Their eyes rapidly firing between their computer and notebook, scrambling to write down the notes they needed for an essay. It was nice to see them relaxed like this Writing always brought a sense of peace to them. Watching them be able to translate the beautiful and complex ideas in their brain into words that only they could conceive.

Even after all these years, there still wasn’t a detail that went unnoticed by him.

“You got a new piercing?” His eyes stared at the silver piece on their nose. They’d talk about getting a nose piercing for a while now, and now that they’ve gotten it, it fits their face really well.

“Hm?” They ran a hand over their face in an attempt to wipe the tiredness away. “Oh yeah, got that one a couple of weeks ago.” Their eyes went back to their readings, but they continued speaking. “Hurt like a fuckin’ bitch. The lady had to give me shit ton of napkins to stop the blood and the tears.”

He scooted closer to them to take a closer look, fully giving up on his own assignments. “And do your parents know about this one?” He jested, but genuinely curious about their reaction.

They chuckled that infuriatingly soft laugh. “My mom took me to get it done, thank you very much. I’d have to be a real certified fool to think I can hide this from her.” Massaging their temples as a way to motivate them back into writing, they powered on with their essay. Always having more willpower than he could ever dream of.

He smirked, leaning in to whisper in their ear. Just blowing air on their ear was enough to make their breath hitch and body stiffen up. “Does she know about the belly button piercing? Or the tattoo on your thigh?” Both of which he’s had the pleasure of seeing on the nights he and the rest of the pack have gone out partying. Darlin’ would always be late, but the care they took in their outfit and appearance was always worth it. Not that they didn’t look beautiful all the damn time.

Finally putting their notebook down and turning off their laptop, Darlin’ turned towards him with a cocky grin. If they had moved any closer, their lips would have brushed against his. He wondered how soft their lips would be and how their scar would feel. Before he could delve deeper into his own desires, Darlin’ put a finger on his lip.

“You ain’t gonna tell my mama, are ya Davey?” A sultry voice with the rough accent he loved entered his ears, filling up his senses until it was all he could perceive. This was so unfair. It’s not his fault that he has a boring accent. And it was absolutely not his fault Darlin’s accent made his pants tight and heart pound. Very little in this world can make David Shaw blush, but hearing his fellow wolf laying on their accent thick was one of the few events that made his knees weak.

A silent nod was all the wolf needed to lean back and smile like nothing ever happened.

(Darlin’ will always deny two things for the rest of their life. One, their city accent is attractive in any way shape or form. Two, that David Shaw made their heart beat erratically when he smirks and leans in to whisper in their ear.)

Darlin’ got up to stretch their arms and legs, and David made sure to note the way their muscles moved under their skin and the little groans they let out. Oh, he’ll definitely remember those noises later. “I’m gonna grab some water, want some?”

David gave a nod and stood up, also wanting to stretch his limbs after sitting down for too long. And not because he wants to show off his muscles to them. No way.

The two wolves walked towards the kitchen, where David sat on the barstools and Darlin’ went over to the fridge to take out two bottles of water. Whether or not Darlin’ purposely bent over, showing off their ass in those sweatpants was a discussion for another day. Preferably when he is alone and with a hand down his pants. (He would love it for it to be theirs.)

Sipping on his water to try to cool himself down, a thought crosses his mind. He randomly thinks about something Milo and Asher had told him, and he wonders if Darlin’ shared the same sentiment.

“So um, weird question…” His voice trailed off when Darlin’ turned back around and focused their attention on him. Shit, shit. The question was embarrassing enough, but he didn’t truly understand how awkward it was to ask them directly. Or maybe thought he was weird. Or even worse creepy.

He didn’t notice that Darlin’ walked around the kitchen counter, standing in front of him with furrowed brows and head tilted. “Are you ok, David? You seem a lil’ flushed.” They placed their hand on his forehead to make sure his temperature was alright.

“Yeah, no, I’m fine. It’s just- I wanted to-” He stuttered and stumbled his way to find the right words to ask his deeply odd question, all the while Darlin’ didn’t interrupt him. They just nodded, urging him to take his time to find the proper way to ask. “Milo and Ash mentioned something… About tongue piercings and how good they felt… And uh…” Oh God, please end his suffering so he doesn’t have to live on.

Apparently God decided to further his suffering by making Darlin’ laugh at him. He can’t be too mad since their laugh is so heavenly, but seriously? Come on! He wants them to laugh with him, not at him. He crossed his arms huffed, looking to the side to hide his pouting face.

(Oh my God, Darlin’ would never say it to his face yet, but he looks so much like a puppy when he does that. He needs to stop right now before their heart explodes into a bunch of little wolf bits. And that’s a mess no one wants to clean up. Grim.)

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” They covered their mouth to muffle their laughter. Now hold on, they shouldn’t do that. If they’re doing it to save his dignity, then there’s no point! His dignity is gone so the least they can keep laughing so it’d been worth it.

Clearing their throat and wiping tears from their eyes, they stood up straight to ask the million dollar question on the tip of his tongue.

 “David Shaw, are you askin’ me if it feels good to get head from a person with a tongue piercin’?”

When they say it like that, he can see why it was silly that he couldn’t formulate a simple question. But have you considered that this is the wolf he’s been mildly attracted to (in other words, madly in love with) standing in front of him. Considering the attention and interest that they garner from the people around them, it makes it all the more important for him to be on his best behaviour. If he wants to be considered a potential mate, he cannot project any weakness in front of them. And that includes asking questions about sex and sexuality. How can he properly fuck them if he doesn’t know what they like?

He grunts and nods his head. “Yes, that is what I was asking about. Can you give me an answer?” Nice, holding his ground after an embarrassment like that is a good step towards recovery.

Darlin’ raised their eyebrow. “It feels real fuckin’ good.” They smirked, leaning slightly into David’s space. “The cold from the metal just makes me beggin’ for more.” The sultry voice from earlier returns and David fears for his pants durability. They placed a hand on his thigh to push themselves higher to look him in the eye. “Do you want one?”

(It was cool and this is ok. Their banter together, Darlin’s flirting and their touchy habits is just who they are. From the outset, Darlin’ seemed like a person who didn’t want to be touched and for the most part they would be right. They were only like this with the few people they found attractive and their close friends. He had seen them pull the same moves and use the same lines from before. There was nothing special about the things they were doing or saying to him. Maybe they found amusement in the flustered state they reduced him too, but that can be said about anyone else.)

(To Darlin’, this was all a game. But it’s a game he’s willing to play to keep them close to him.)

David scoffed, getting up from the chair and went to grab more water. Was it always this hot at this time in the year? “No, it was just a question,” he replied rapidly, chugging down the water to cool himself off again.

From the corner of his eyes, he could see Darlin’ leaning their upper body against the counter, hand holding their face and with a shit-eating grin.

“Aww, what a shame. You’d look hot as shit with one.”

He knows that they’re egging him on. All of this was only to get himself riled up and say something stupid. Or look stupid. It’s the same stuff that got him in so much trouble in high school and he refuses to let it continue now. He’s in university. He’s an adult. So there’s no way some childish instigation would make him say-

“Ok, where can I get one?”

…David Shaw, you dumb bitch.

Darlin’ rolled their eyes. “Ha, ha, I was only kiddin’. There’s no way you’re not lyin’.” When all they were met was silence, their eyes widened. “Holy shit, you’re actually serious. Are you ok? Did you hit your head on the way here?” 

“Yes, I am serious and no, I didn’t hit my head.” He crossed his arms defensively. “If you say it’ll be a good look for me, then let’s do it. Where do we have to go?” David was seldom known for his spontaneous attitude, but they always had a way of bringing that impulsive side of him out.

Looking around the room, Darlin’ put their hands behind their back and stretched their arms. “Well I can do it.” They cut David and his concerns and his complaints off with a wave of their hand. “And before you worry, yes I know what I’m doin’, I’ve done it before and you’re in good hands.” They walked to the fridge and pulled out a tequila bottle. David dare not ask where they got it from.

“Here,” they offered the bottle to the baby Alpha. “Take a sip, then go to the bathroom. I got spare toothbrushes under the sink, use one to clean your tongue then meet me out here.” Once David took the bottle, Darlin’ turned to their room to grab something.

Shaking himself out of a daze, he asked, “Wait, what’s the bottle for?” It doesn’t seem like alcohol and piercings should go hand in hand like this.

Darlin’ gave an easy smile and reassured him, “It’s to make sure you don’t feel too much pain. Trust me, it helps.” With a nod, they walked back into the room, leaving David alone in the kitchen.

There were a handful of people David trusted in his life, and there were even fewer that he would trust with something like this. He stared at the bottle, knowing if he drank it, he would be fully committing to this wacky plan. But if he could trust anyone who would hold his life in their hands, gently and with care, it would be Darlin’. So he popped the bottle open and took a sip of the tequila. 

He wiped his mouth and walked to the bathroom. It would take a bit before the alcohol takes its course, so he had some time to brush. He opened the bathroom door, looking at himself in the vanity mirror. This was so stupid and so was he when it comes to them. He bent over to the cabinet under the sink, a slight nausea overcoming him. He took the toothbrush out and went along with brushing his teeth and tongue.

Once he spent a good 5 minutes brushing (he cannot have Darlin’ think he has bad breath), he took the mouthwash from the vanity cabinet and swirled it in his mouth. Just a precaution and it never hurts to be safe than sorry. He remembers the pain Asher went through with his infected piercings and he refuses to go through the same.

He could feel the booze hitting his brain, needing to shake his head to keep himself awake. It really is such a miracle that he was such a lightweight at his size. He stumbled back to the living room, looking at the assignments he chose to abandon for a more worthwhile experience. Plopping himself on the couch, he waited for Darlin’ to come back, while letting his head get heavy. Hopefully, Darlin’ will come out before he passes out.

Luckily, Darlin’ entered the living room with latex gloves on their hands and a bunch of needles in their arms. In his drunken stupor, he had to hold back a moan when he saw them. They look so fucking good in those tight sweatpants and that tanktop, and the alcohol made him want to… express his appreciation. 

They set their tools on a towel beside David, setting it up for a smooth procedure. “Ok, everythin’ on my end is ready, you done brush your tongue?” He nodded his heavy head and smiled at Darlin’ appreciative ‘yay’. “Good shit. Now, can I sit on your lap?”

Absolutely. Yes. 100%, you will not hear any complaints from him. He may not know why they needed to, but he will gladly let it happen. He thought he hid the confusion in his eyes well, but leave it to Darlin’ to pick at every little expression. “I need a good look at your tongue and sittin’ on your lap makes it easier for me to not fuck up.” That’s a good enough reason for him, so he nodded. Darlin’ thanked him, and gently sat in his lap.

(Darlin’ had done this a billion times before, but sitting in the other person’s lap was something they never needed to do.)

The weight of their body on his lap was heavenly, providing pressure and touch at the right areas. If he was a weaker man, he would have grabbed their hips and started to move them against his crotch. He wonders about how they would act if he grinds up against them. Would they let out breathy moans or shallow groans? Would they be loud or quiet? Would they fight against his hold or let him do whatever he pleased? So many different trains of thought, all of them involving him inside of them, wherever that might be.

He’s begrudgingly heard from other people about how good they are in bed. He wonders if he can put some of those rumours to the test.

“Ok, couple of things before I start,” they said in a stern voice. David widened his fatigued eyes at their tone. “One, you gotta stay still for me. I know it’s gonna hurt, but I don’t wanna mess up the needle placement. And second,” they grabbed his hands and put them on their thighs. “Squeeze them if you’re in pain.” David wonders if he’s in heaven, being able to hold them this close and gripping their thighs. He could feel the tensing and relaxing of their muscles, and he wonders if they’re just as nervous as he is.

With a nod and a quiet whisper, they say, “Good, now open that mouth for me and stick your tongue out.” Not even a second into this and Darlin’s voice is already making him lose his mind. He does what they say, letting them see every little corner of his mouth and tongue. They grabbed his chin and pulled him closer, their eyes examining his tongue. 

The nausea from the alcohol mixed with the anxiety of the anticipation and the butterflies Darlin’ gave him made his stomach twist and convulse in the sickets way. He knew he couldn’t move, lest they mess up at his expense, so he does what comes natural to him. David absentmindedly traced the muscles and scars he could feel from over their sweatpants. Trailing his hands from their hips all the way down to their knees and back up. He started off with fleeting touches, ready to back off if they asked him to. But with no objection from the wolf in his lap, he let his touches become firmer. Soft grazes turned into borderline lustful strokes. He could feel the bruises form under his fingertips. He wonders if he can leave bite marks later.

There was a morbid curiosity in him that wonders what would happen if he thumbed their inner thigh. Would they like it? Would they let him trail his hand higher? Questions he desperately needed answers to, but not right now.

His pondering was cut off by Darlin’ shifting to grab some tool, causing them to grind into his lap. The pleasure shot up to his brain and woke David up immediately. This was it. He was a goner. Is he also supposed to keep any sounds in? That’s just cruel and vile. 

They help up a tweezer-like to David’s eyes. “This here is a forceps clamp. I’m gonna use it to minimize as much of the bleedin’, ok?” A nod from him prompted Darlin’ to clamp his tongue. It was a weird sensation, but the alcohol made it barely noticeable. 

Happy with the placement after checking for the major veins under his tongue, they held his shoulders. “Ok, this is your last chance to back out. Once the needle goes in, I can’t take it out. You still wanna do this?” This should be the time David really reconsiders his decision. Like, does he really want this piercing? Is it even worth it?

“Aww, what a shame. You’d look hot as shit with one.”

He couldn't reply properly on account of the clamp on his tongue, but he let out a string of sounds that sounded like, “Alright, let’s do it.” He clenched his eyes and grasped their thighs with a vice grip. He may have not seen a person get pierced before, but he can imagine how fucking painful a needle through the tongue could be. Sure the tequila would help, but like, needle through the tongue. Ouch.

Sensing the stress from David, Darlin’ placed a hand on his face, thumbing his jaw. “Hey, you’re gonna be alright. I won't lie, it’ll hurt like a bitch, but you’re in good hands, I promise.” They said with such a soft voice, so full of conviction, he thinks that the process would be painless. They moved their hands to his chest, “Just breathe in and out.” Maybe, if he focuses on the fluttery feeling they’re giving him everything will be ok.

When his breathing evened out, Darlin’ gently held his chin with one hand and held the needle with the other. “Dig your nails into me if it gets too much, but don’t move.” With that, they gently began the piercing process and David stopped himself from jerking backwards.

The pain was awful. He had tears in his eyes and body was stiff. The best way he could describe the feeling was as if he could feel every part of the believed pain that comes from morphing from his human form to a wolf. Luckily the tequila helped a little with the pain.

In a delirious state of pain and inebriation, his hands slid up their thighs and to their ass. He needed something with more resistance, fearing that if he kept gripping their thighs, he’d soon draw blood. And also, he’s not going to give up a chance to grab their ass. His fingers dug into his backside, feeling the soft muscles clenching underneath. Darlin’s body stopped for a good micro-second, and they let out a soft moan that David will absolutely be saving for later.

Darlin’ stopped for a moment, hearing the pained whimpers David let out. “Shhh, you’re doing so well,” they whispered. “There’s only a lil’ bit left, you’re almost there.” Their raspy voice mixed with their praise for him had his pants get even tighter. At this point he’s absolutely sure Darlin’ can feel his dick through his jeans, if the quiet moan was any indicator. He’s glad they’re being affected the same way he is.

A few seconds later, he felt the needle exit his tongue, with the piercing replacing it. The worst of the pain was over, hallelujah. They attached the ball at the other end of the piercing. They took their gloves off and kept holding his chin, admiring their handiwork. “You did amazing, David.” Once Darlin’ was satisfied, they got up, heading back to the kitchen.

Oh no, oh no no no no. He has a full on boner and nothing to hide with. He frantically looked around the living room, eyeing the small blanket. David placed the blanket on his lap, letting out a sigh of relief. Now if only Darlin’ could relieve him in other ways.

Darlin came back into the room with some mouthwash, a cup and ice. “Rinse your mouth with this and spit in the cup. It’ll hurt, but you gotta do it,” they said as they handed the cup and mouthwash to him. He did as they said, rinsing his mouth and spitting out blood and mouthwash into the cup. Gross.

“Open your mouth again for me?” There was no hesitation in his action, letting Darlin’ have complete control of him. “You’re such a good boy, Davey. Listenin’ to me so well.” They chuckled at David’s deadpan expression. They took the ice and placed it on the piercing. David groaned at the feeling, the cold ice soothing his swollen tongue. “Oh my David, what a sound.” Kill him now. 

They shook their head and their voice got serious. “Some aftercare shit. Wash your mouth with salt water and mouthwash twice a day. No solid food for a couple of days, don’t worry I have soup with me. No smokin’ or alcohol for 2 weeks.” They got closer, leaning over his body, whispering in his ear. “And no oral sex for 4 to 6 weeks, but I’ll be here so you can put that piercing to use.” They leaned back like nothing happened, going back to their ignored assignment.

David can’t wait to wring out every little sound Darlin’ let out. Maybe it will lead to something more.

(Darlin’ spent that night with a hand down their pants, thinking about how David’s new piercing would feel inside them. Maybe they can convince him to get a Jacob’s Ladder next.)

[halfpricedpages]

intro post (finally)

ive debated making an intro post because first off ive been on tumblr for two years and I never got around to it and secondly I am really really horrible at talking about myself because what is to much info and what it to little info and the cycle continues but im giving it a shot because I feel like my mutuals have no idea who I am lmao

HAI my name is Charlie im 15 (18+ I dont mind if you follow me but please dont dm me thank you :]) I use jasper as an online name kind of (at this point its just reserved for my best friend ace but I dont mind if other people call me jasper since I still love the name)

my pronouns are he/him but im also perfectly comfortable with common neopronouns (it/its xey/xem) if you wanna get funky with it.

im a self diagnosed autistic and ARFID (if you dont know what that is its an eating disorder where certain factors make you avoidant and restrictive of the food you eat and it has nothing to do with physical appearance. for me its linked to my autistic sensory issues(ALSO OCD NOW?!!? WHAT THE FUCK?!!?)) I have depression and anxiety and the only reason I mention this is because I relate my mental health to my fav characters in tv shows and books and stuff so if you see me posting about them like everything is connected lol

(my a03 is ghostwithfeet if you want to see me be silly and project my weird life onto fictional characters (I am the most inconsistent updater in the world please expect nothing from me if you even ask about a project it will scare me and like I turtle I will crawl into my shell never to see the light of day again))

my interests really vary about current hyperfixations but heres the master list

current hyperfixs

stranger things specifically Byler but mostly mike wheeler (this has turned into a special interest(I DO NOT support Noah schnapp or another of the other cast members who are in support of the inhumane actions the Israel government are doing. I am pro saving innocent civilians. I know that this can be controversial to be such a big fan of this show and honestly I have a lot of complex feelings on the matter but im autistic as previously mentioned and its my special interest and It won't leave my brain even if im not directly interacting with the media so im gonna yap about it on my blog thank you.))

also just Finn wolf hard for some reason (check out his band the Aubreys its awesome. also check out a recent movie he was in called when you finished Saving the world. it means a lot to me)

donna tarts the goldfinch book

old special interests/hyperfixs

the percy Jackson universe specifically nico di Angelo

the IT universe specifically reddie and Beverly marsh but more leaning towards richie tozier (see what I mean with the Finn wolf hard thing)

dead boy detectives !!

doctor who (I haven't even finished David tenants doctor yet so please no spoilers)

Alice oseman content (never read loveless or iwbft but ive read all of her other stuff)

paper girls graphic novel

other interests

the good place tv show

Kathleen Glasgows book girl in pieces

the walking dead comics including the clementine spin off graphic novels

um yeah thats all I can think of for now

my fav musicians/bands

florence and the machine

indigo de Souza

Kevin Atwater

searows

the Aubreys

sadurn

the cranberries

soccer mommy

runo plum

nep

lala lala

the smiths

hospital bracelet

Chappell roan

AURORA

Madilyn Mei!

Elliot smith

(my music taste is all over the place and is also very seasonal and I have a bunch of underground artists I dont listen to but I am here to give good recs I promise my playlists are fire)

we've gotten to the part of the intro post where im wondering if this is way to much information so sorry if I overshared idk but hope we can be silly mutuals or friends if you want (never be scared to shoot the friendship shot I would love to yap with y'all)

also since this is taking over my other pinned post I just want to put this as an honorary spot and let everyone know that my old pinned post was a quote from radio silence and that Aled last is me and I am him and the February Friday plot line is actually me and it makes me sick how much I resonate with that book

[mymoodwriting]

Disconnected

Omega!Reader x Werewolf!NCT

Genre: A/B/O

Warning: Blood, Claw Marks, Fangs, Rough Housing, Roar, Manipulation, Fear, Anxiety, Runaway, Hiding, Fighting

Words: 2.2K

Chapter Two

(Prev//Next) (@peanutpinet @starillusion13)

Prompt: By removing the weakest link, werewolves were able to grow far more powerful than anyone could ever imagine. They lived in peace knowing they were top of the food chain. That is until a certain pack made an unbelievable discovery, causing them to question their past, present, and future. Omegas aren’t supposed to exist anymore, but they couldn’t deny the fact they had found one.

“No one speaks of the omega.”

Taeyong was firm with his words as he spoke to the others about your situation at night. Nothing was confirmed, and he didn’t want rumors around the house, let alone the attention of the pack elders. He stayed near your room all night to make sure no one got near and in the morning went to check on you. He was nervous himself, keeping his claws out in case, but when he opened the door he wasn’t overwhelmed by a sweet smell. He stepped into the room, seeing a little wolf splayed out on the bed, sleeping peacefully. A soft smile appeared on his face.

Taeyong went over to the bedside, gently reaching out his hand to pet you. He adored the soft whines that escaped you. It encouraged him to do more, starting to tickle you which wound up waking you up. Once the laughter subsided and you realized where you were you panicked. You scrambled off the bed and hid under it, catching your breath. Taeyong was quick to apologize and carefully get down on his knees and peek under the bed to see you. He had to admit you looked so cute down there too.

“Sorry… did you sleep okay?” You slowly nodded your head. “That’s great. And how are you feeling?”

You knew that question would require a more verbal answer. You made your way out from under the bed, taking in a deep breath and shifting. 

“Hi.” Taeyong smiled. “Morning.”

“Hi…”

“You alright?”

“Yeah… I feel a bit funny… but I’m okay.”

Taeyong was glad to hear, although his smile faltered when he saw the bandage on your chest. It seemed that you hadn’t noticed it yet, and he would rather discuss it now than let you discover it on your own later.

“Y/n.”

“Yes?”

“Do you remember last night?”

“Uh… I was watching TV with the others… and I fell asleep…” You were nervous. “Why?”

“I’m not really sure how to say this but when I got back with the others you were… well I’m not sure what was happening…”

“What do you mean?”

“The sigil on your chest was glowing, and you seemed to be struggling. The only thing I could think to do was… to break the sigil, and I did…”

“You… you…”

When you heard this you reached up to your chest, feeling the bandage on it. You got up and went to the bathroom, removing the bandage and seeing the claw mark going across the sigil. You whimpered, your heart hurting a bit. To see the last thing you had to connect you to your master damaged, it made you feel their loss all the more.

“I’m sorry.” Taeyong admitted. “It was glowing and seemed to be hurting you, I was worried, we all were and-”

“It was glowing?”

“Yes, and you weren’t okay. Do you know what was happening?”

“… no… the sigil would glow when my master was sharing power with me, I’ve never known of it doing so for any other reason… they’re gone now so I can’t… I suppose the last bit of power I had from them was trying to escape my body… a little more of them is gone…”

“I’m very sorry…”

“I understand. You were just helping. Thank you.”

“Yeah. Breakfast should be ready soon.”

“Alright. I’ll be down in a bit.”

Taeyong left you alone, and you stayed in front of the mirror for a while more. You stared at the sigil on your chest for a bit longer before cleaning up. You made your way down to the kitchen, saying hello to the others who were already at the table. You helped where you could, and soon enough the table was set and everyone was seated. Your mind was still on what had happened to you, but there was something you were curious about.

“What do you guys do… as a pack?”

“We honestly do as we please.” Johnny answered. “We protect our territory, fill our time with whatever we want to do, and when the time comes, we hunt.”

“Oh… I see.”

“I have a question for you.” Taeyong interrupted. “What do you know about werewolves?”

“Uh… everything I know I learned from my master. Werewolves are half human, half wolf. They’re all either an alpha or beta. They’re incredibly strong and fierce, but mostly peaceful. They keep to their territories and only hurt those who mess with them, or those that mess with the witches.”

“Do you know why our kind help witches?”

“There’s a peace treaty between werewolves and witches. Long ago the werewolves wiped out the abomination known as vampires in exchange for strength and peace. This has been in place for many generations now, and the two help each other out when needed.”

“You were taught well.”

After breakfast it seemed that everyone had something to do, except you. For a while you wandered around the house before hearing a commotion outside. You went to the backyard to see some of the boys’ rough housing. You had no idea why, but the fresh air felt good. You found a nice spot to sit, leaning against the tree, watching the others and occasionally staring up at the sky. Your presence wouldn’t go unnoticed though.

“Hey, how are you?” Doyoung came over and sat next to you. “You look better than last night.”

“I’m fine.”

“Then why the long face? You’ve been pretty solemn all morning.”

“Sorry…”

“You don’t need to apologize for that. I’m just wondering what’s going on, and if I can help you with something. Of course you don’t have to tell me anything either.”

“Thanks… but I don’t think you can help me.”

“How come?”

“I just don’t know what to do.”

“About what?”

“Me.” You sighed. “I should go back to my master’s coven, but I’m not sure I could face them. They might think I’m dead too. I don’t really know how to be a wolf either. I was taken when I was young and grew up with my master as a familiar. Then there’s staying here…”

“It’s not what you’re used to?”

“Not at all.” You chuckled. “There’s a lot of people, a lot of scents. Although when the last of my master’s power is gone, I’ll be a wolf, unable to take this form again.”

“That’s okay.”

As Doyoung said that, you felt a small push, looking over to see a wolf at your side. It was quite big, at least three times bigger than you in wolf form. 

“Woah…”

You reached up to gently pet the wolf. It whined happily, getting down so it could rest its head in your lap. It brought a smile to your face.

“Who is this?”

“Renjun.” Doyoung said. “He’s quite fluffy.”

“He is.”

“You know you’re not that different from us. You’d be alright staying here.”

“Why are you so nice to me?”

“There doesn’t need to be a reason to be nice to someone. We found you when you were hurt, and want you to be okay. We can also understand that you’ve been through a great loss and need time to process. You are welcome to stay here indefinitely.”

“Thank you.”

♥♥♥♥♥

Johnny stared out the window to the backyard below from Taeyong’s study, seeing you talk with Doyoung and pet Renjun. The others were still play fighting with each other, so really it was just another day. Although there were things to discuss.

“She doesn’t seem to know about herself.” Kun stated. “That is if she actually is an omega.”

“She didn’t mention them at all.” Johnny added. “That’s strange.”

“Not entirely.” Sicheng countered. “Omegas don’t exist anymore, what reason is there to mention them? If she was an omega, and knew it, she would want to get out of here as soon as possible, yet she has remained.”

“Is there any way we can prove she’s an omega?”

“That’s difficult because there is not much information.” Taeyong said, closing the book in his hand. “From what I can gather omegas are very responsive to alphas. That seems to be the case with her so far. Her scent is also quite sweet.”

“That’s all speculation.” Kun reminded. “She may have a different scent but when was the last time we were near an actual wolf? Not to mention her size is accurate to that of a wolf too.”

“We just have theories now, but we can test them.”

Taeyong got up and made his way down to the backyard, the others following behind. He watched everyone for a moment before letting out a roar, and calling them all over to line up in front of him. Everyone jumped to action and did as they were told, but Taeyong watched you. His roar startled you, that was expected, but you also scrambled to your feet and ran over to stand in line with the others. You were trembling a bit. Johnny came over to your side, checking up on you.

“Are you okay?”

“Fa… fine… just… fine…”

“How about we get you inside.”

“… yeah…”

While Johnny took care of that Taeyong shifted his attention back to the rest. They had been watching you, but Taeyong clapped his hands to get them to look at him.

“Alright. I’m glad to see you training, but I don’t need you injuring yourselves before tomorrow. Understood?”

“Yes.”

“Good.”

Johnny took you over to the kitchen, sitting you down while he got the kettle on the stove. He asked for your tea preference and sat with you while you waited for the water to boil.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah… yeah…”

“Did Taeyong scare you?”

“A bit… werewolves are intimidating…”

“Am I intimidating?”

“Kinda…”

The kettle started screaming and Johnny got you some tea. The warmth helped ease your nerves, as did Johnny’s smile.

“What was Taeyong talking about?”

“What do you mean?”

“He said the others were training… and it had to do with something tomorrow…”

“Oh, yeah. The whole pack has a strength competition at the end of every month. The strongest of each group fights to see who is the best, and we have our two winners, an alpha and a beta.”

“You guys take your strength very seriously.” 

“We do. You can come along with us tomorrow to see the show.”

“Sounds like fun.”

Everyone was eager the next day for this strength competition, and the boys were so happy that you were coming along. Before leaving you found one of Johnny’s hoodies, it was a bit big on you, but it was perfect to hide your tail and ears. You went with the boys to the center of the territory. What was once the common area was now this outdoor arena. It was quite huge, and bleachers were out for the crowds to gather. You saw many others around, starting to realize just how huge this pack was. 

Jeno and Jaemin would be competing among the other alphas, whereas Mark and Hendery would be with the betas. You went with the others to find some seats. The final adjustments were made and then the fighting began. It was as brutal as you imagined it. Claws and fangs were out, roaring and growls filling the arena, mixing with the cheers from the crowd. The smell of blood was also in the air, and you swear bones were broken. Everyone around you seemed invested, but you weren’t so immersed. If anything you were worried, and afraid. 

All around you there was the scent of anger and adrenaline, loud shouting and growling. It was making you feel uneasy. None of these emotions were targeted at you, at least you told yourself that but every other inch of your body was screaming otherwise. You were starting to have trouble breathing, your senses being overwhelmed by fear. Although you weren’t aware of your own scent changing and getting the attention of the two next to you. Jaehyun noticed you were shaking, placing a hand on your shoulder but it startled you, making you jump to your feet. You didn’t say anything and just scrambled to leave.

That’s all you knew in the moment, you had to leave, to get away from this place. You made it out of the arena, aimlessly running. When you heard your name being called you panicked even more, shifting to move faster through the forest. You could barely see the path before you, but you kept moving. Since you weren’t truly aware of your surroundings you wound up tripping over a tree root and rolling ahead a few feet before hitting a tree. To your own surprise you shifted back to a person, your head spinning. Then you felt a pain in your chest. You rolled onto your back and screamed, reaching up to your chest and feeling a familiar warmth.

“Y/n!”

Jaehyun, Yuta, and Haechan caught up to you, seeing what was going on. The sigil on your chest was glowing and the wound had healed. Although their biggest concern was the fact you had stumbled outside the territory lines. They quickly grabbed you and dragged you back onto their land. You began to calm down and they were all at your side, Jaehyun taking your hand in his.

“Are you okay? What happened? You just-”

“They’re alive…”

“What?”

“My master is alive!”

[wzrd-wheezes]

The Wolf's Arms: Part One. Marauders x Reader

This is a purely self indulgent fic about two things that I love. The marauders and the pub. This will probably turn into a series of fics that don’t really link because I have so many ideas for it. It’s not set in a particular time period, mainly like 70’s ish but there might be some modern things sprinkled in along the way just for shits and giggles. Sorry if that’s annoying but I love creating my own time period so I can have things exactly the way I want them haha. Please let me know if this fic is hard to understand as I know there will be a lot of references to UK culture things along the way (not in this part I dont think) – feel free to drop me an ask if there’s anything you don’t understand/want me to explain.  This is a platonic!marauders x reader fic

Friday night pub nights had become a monthly occurrence for them now. It was any excuse really. Sad? Pub. Celebrating? Pub. Hungry? Pub. Traumatic life event? Pub. The four of them had become regulars now. Every time sitting at the same table in the back. The landlord often joked with them that the pub would go under if they ever stopped coming.  

It had taken them a while to choose a pub. Their pub. It was a meticulous process that they all took very seriously. They had spent countless nights doing pub crawls throughout the city, trying to find which pub suited them best. Best beer on tap, best prices, within walking distance so they could stumble back home.  

“That one’s my favourite so far.” Remus decided one night as they left the third pub on their pub crawl.  

Sirius barked out a laugh, slinging an arm around Remus’s shoulders. Partly in mock affection, partly to steady himself after the few drinks he’d had. “You’re only saying that because it’s got the cheapest pints so far.” 

“You’re easily swayed, Moony.” James shook his head at him, leading the group to the next pub along the street. Just as they rounded the corner onto the next dimly lit street, Y/N interjected. 

“Speaking of sway, did anyone else notice the shady bloke in the corner?”  a grimace contoured her features, “I swear he was selling meat from his jacket.” 

“Hah! The infamous Hog’s Head Meat Man!” James exclaimed, a grin spreading across his face. “Sure, he’s a dodgy one, but he’ll give you a good deal on some bacon if you’re brave enough to ask.” 

“Yeah. I don’t really fancy eating some blokes pocket meat, thanks though.” Sirius scrunched up his face in disgust, “Where to next?” 

Undeterred from the last shady establishment, they pressed on, venturing into a number of different pubs, until finally, they stumbled upon one that felt like home. It was tucked down a narrow alleyway, easy to miss if you weren’t paying attention.  

The inside was dimly lit from the mounted wall lights, casting soft shadows against the exposed brick. The air was thick with the smell of cigarette smoke and spilt beer – a scent which sounds disgusting but made the four of them nudge each other and grin as they stepped inside. The actual bar spanned about half the length of the room, polished mahogany adorned with rows of brass taps, their labels worn and faded with age.  

Mismatched tables and chairs filled the space, ranging from rickety wooden stools to worn, plush armchairs. Each table, although being scratched from rigorous cleaning, still had the infamous sticky sheen to it that all pub goers will be familiar with. Much to their delight an old jukebox stood proudly in the corner of the room, Remus immediately fumbled in his pocket for some change. 

“Typical Moony. Straight to the jukebox instead of straight to the bar.” James teased as he leaned over the bar to survey the selection of beers on tap. Remus, who had already begun to select songs, looked up momentarily only to flip the bird at James.  

While James got the round in, it was left up to Y/N and Sirius to decide what table the group would settle on. After a quick once-over of the pub, they decided on a table in the corner, nestled beneath a dimly lit lampshade, and much to Remus’s delight, only a few steps away from the jukebox. With a nod of agreement, they made their way over to claim their spot.  

Precariously trying to carry four pints in only two hands, James returned a moment later, putting the glasses down on the table with a soft thud, some of the liquid sloshing over the edge.  

“Cheers, you lot.” Remus exclaimed, raising his glass. The group, a few pints deep and sporting glassy eyes and wide smiles, joined in, clinking their glasses together. 

“What’s the verdict on this place?” Sirius asked, taking a sip of his beer. 

“Well-” Remus started. 

“Ah, ah, hold it right there.” Y/N interjected, “After your last ‘gem’ turned out to be the Hog’s Head, I think we should put your pub-picking privileges on probation.” she punctuated her remark with a playful jab to Remus’s ribs. 

“Hey! It had character!” Remus feigned offense, “and besides, it’s not my fault that they had a creative idea of what hygiene is.”  

“Creative? I’m pretty sure that I saw two rats shagging in the corner.” Sirius retorted, earning a round of laughter from the group.  

“Alright, alright.” Remus conceded, holding his hands up, “the Hog’s Head was a bit of a shitter, but this pub’s a winner, yeah?” 

“Agreed,” James chimed in, raising his glass once again, “To new beginnings and hopefully less questionable pubs!” 

“To less questionable pubs!” the others chorused, once again knocking their glasses together before taking a large swig of their drinks. 

“I feel like we should have toasted this pub. Just because I’ve decided that this is the best one.” Y/N said, looking around thoughtfully, “Although, I didn’t actually get a look at the sign before we came in, so I couldn’t actually tell you what it’s called.” 

“The Wolf’s Arms!” a voice called out from the other side of the room. They all snapped their heads round, curiosity piqued, and their eyes fell on a lone man seated at the bar. His cheeks were flushed from the booze, and a cigarette dangled from his lips. 

“To The Wolf’s Arms!” they echoed, toasting for the third time that night. 

[mxdimitrescu]

Unexpected Love

Synopsis: Echo just returned back to her hometown from the Army to land herself in another war between the Cullens and the Volturi.

Genre: Fluff

Pairing: Rosalie Hale x Echo Clearwater

(Masterlist)

Echo

"ECHO!"

After hearing someone call out my name, I was instantly tackled to the ground, which made me let out a grunt. I turned around in the person's hold and changed our positions. I pressed the person's head hard and I heard laughters around me. I looked up to see several Native Americans standing, laughing and pointing.

I immediately recognized the people and looked down to see the person was in fact Jacob. I shook my head and slapped Jake on his head, "What the hell? I just got here and you tackle me bruh?"

I got up from the floor, handing out a hand for Jake to grab and pulled him up. I brushed off the dirt from my clothes and waved at everyone.

"Hey guys! No time long see," I chuckled.

This brought on cheers from everyone and each of them gave me hugs.

"Welcome back," Sam said.

"Bout time you're back," Paul said, punching me in the shoulder.

"""You're back!""" Quil, Embry, and Jared cheered, giving me pats on the back.

""I missed you,"" Collin and Brady, the two youngest shifters, murmured while hugging me tightly. I looked after the two boys when their moms were busy as if they were my own children.

I smiled softly, hugging them tightly, "I missed you both too, kiddos."

We broke the hugs and the boys stepped away for me to see the last two members, Leah and Seth. They stood there for a moment until I opened my arms for them which got them to jump at me, hugging me.

"I missed you guys, my baby brother and little sister," I hugged them tightly, kissing each their foreheads.

"I missed you too, E," Seth murmured while Leah nodded in agreement.

After few moments, we broke the hug and turned to face the group. I studied each one of them and noticed something.

"Brady...Collin...you're tall?" I was a bit confused.

Everyone suddenly got serious. Sam stepped forward with a serious face, "We have a situation and it's bad."

I frowned and nodded. We all went into the pack house where Sam and Jake explained what was happening.

An hour later, I found myself sitting in the recliner chair in disbelief.

"I've only been gone for two years in the Army and I come back to a potential vampire war between the Cullens and their vampire government?"

"Yup.""Pretty much.""Yes.""Correct."

Everyone chimed in.

"So, there are more vampires each day which caused Brady and Collin to phase despite their young ages?" I frowned.

"Yeah, but it's totally fine. I mean, it's awesome that we get to be huge wolf shifters. Although, the patrolling sucks and the smell of the vampires is horrible, it's cool," Collin explained with a smile while Brady nodded in agreement.

I just chuckled at Collin and Brady's nonchalant attitude about shifting and the whole vampire situation. I stood up from my seat and looked at Sam.

"What do we do now?" I asked.

"You take the alpha position back. I was just holding it for you until you come back or Jake takes it but he doesn't want to," Sam said.

I nodded and looked at the pack, "Alright, let's go see the vamps."

Everyone cheered and exited the house and shifted, leaving shredded clothes all over the place. I sighed and shifted, thankfully not tearing the clothes. For some reason, the clothes I wear melds in with me, allowing me to shift freely.

'Let's go!' I spoke into the pack link and we ran off into the woods.

•••••

Rosalie

I was in the living room, chatting with Tanya and Kate when we heard the howls. Everyone in the house snapped their attention to outside when we heard the snaps of the branches as the wolves emerges from the forest. We all headed out onto the patio as the wolves sat in line. I growled softly as their horrible stenches wafted through my nose.

Damn mutts.

Edward, have heard my thoughts, sent me a glare which I replied back one.

Get the fuck out of my head.

Edward shook his head and looked back at the wolves while Carlisle stood forward, "Hello, is there something you need?"

"Sam said that the alpha would like to meet us," Edward spoke for the pack.

Carlisle frowned, "I thought Sam is the alpha?"

Edward shook his head, "Sam said that he was holding the position until their alpha comes back and they did, just today."

Carlisle nodded, "Of course, are they willing to speak with us?"

With that, the wolves parted, allowing the alpha to walk. They were huge, towering at 8 feet tall, with the black fur coat and white tribal marks all over its body. The wolf has bright red eyes, which was a huge contrast compared against the other wolves. Soon, we saw her fur slowly recede, revealing deep tanned skin.

This wolf can shift with clothes? I've never seen that.

The wolf turns out to be a girl, a very tall girl standing at 6'5 feet and shoulder length black hair. She is wearing black loose shorts with light beige baggy shirt and no shoes. From what I could see is that she have multiple tattoos all over her body. She walked up to Carlisle and handed out her hand.

"Pleasure to meet you. I am Echo Clearwater, the alpha," she finally spoke, her voice was deep and rich like honey to my ears.

"Hello Echo, it's nice to meet you. I am Carlisle, leader of the Cullen Coven. These are my family, my wife Esme, my sons, Emmett and Edward, Edward's wife, Bella, and their daughter, Renesmee. And lastly, my daughter, Rosalie. I have two more but they are currently out of town," Carlisle introduced us to her as she examined each of us.

As soon her eyes connected with mine, I instantly felt something shifted inside me and I could tell something happened to her as her jaw drops and her pack starts whining.

Mate. Shit. Fuck.

I frowned and broke eye contact with her, turning my attention to Edward whose eyes were wide when he read our minds.

"Uh...nice to meet you. I-I just want to know the plan for when the vamp government comes," She stuttered.

With that, Carlisle and the others talked about the battle plan while Echo nodded, giving some inputs. It took about an hour before we concluded. During that hour, I spent my time stealing looks at Echo and half of the time, she caught me and vice versa. Echo looked back at the pack sending them a signal and they left leaving her alone.

Carlisle and the rest stared at her confused while Echo stared at me. Edward, being the mind invader, took the hint and spoke, "Let's go in and leave the two alone."

The others were confused until Edward made eye motions between me and Echo which caused them to finally understand and smiled widely. They shuffled into the house leaving me alone on the porch and her on the ground.

"Um, w-would you like to go take a walk in the forest?" She asked, rubbing the back of her neck.

I sighed and nodded silently, jumping off the porch and walked past by Echo into the forest. I could hear her shuffling behind me as we trek deeper into the forest, away from the vampire hearing range. I saw a log sitting in the middle and took a sat on it, turning my attention on her.

•••••

Echo

Damn, she can be quite scary. But, scary hot.

"So, um, you're a vamp...and my mate."

I groaned silently.

Like who the fuck says that? Why am I so fucking awkward? God, first time I talk to her and I go, you vamp? I just wanna die. Shit. I hope the pack doesn't see this or Imma kill myself.

My inner turmoil was interrupted by a beautiful sound, I looked up and saw that she was laughing. My breath was taken away. Her blonde hair shone brightly, her face filled with adorable crinkles, and her golden amber eyes glitter with amusement.

Even though she's laughing at me, she's absolutely gorgeous.

After my fumble, we actually manage to get a conversation going. It was late when we realized that we spent 8 hours chatting about everything. I can absolutely tell you that I was smitten by this girl. I stood up from my spot and brushed off the dirt from my pants from sitting too long. Then, I reached out my hand for her to take which she did.

I decided to walk Rosalie back home and during mid walk, we had our arms down and occasionally, our hands would brush against each other. After couple times, I finally took the initiative to capture her hand in mine and squeeze it softly while staring ahead.

I could feel her gaze at my head and out of the corner of my eye, I can see her look forward with a small smile on her face and she squeezed my hand. We finally ended up at the house and I stopped at the edge of the forest.

"So, I'll see you later?" I asked hopefully, rocking on my heels.

She chuckled softly and nodded, "Yes," stepping into my space. I looked down to see her face while she looked up. It took a second before she stood on her tippy toes and land a soft kiss on my cheek.

Then she backed away and headed for the door, leaving me there stunned while holding my cheek in awe. Before she opened the door, she turned around and gave me a finger wave and entered her home. I smiled widely and in my excitement, I accidentally shifted. I turned around and headed home.

[marshallpupfan]

Marshall Merchandise Update!

Got some interesting new additions for my collection to show off today! Eventually, I need to show everything off again... as soon as I get things organized again. I still have items I bought from early last year that I still haven't found a spot for yet. I've been slacking! lol

First off, this lapel pin... being graciously held up by Wolf O'Donnell. There's probably a "can't let you do that" joke in here somewhere, but I can't think of any right off hand. 😅

This was actually sent to me by a friend, who recently paid a visit to Nickelodeon Universe (an indoor theme park). While she was there, she seen this and got it for me, hoping it was something I didn't have. Fortunately, it wasn't! A fine item for my collection, indeed! She'll likely see this post later, so if you're reading this, thank you again!

Actually, I believe she also went a year or two ago and managed to find the Meet & Greet Marshall wandering around. She even got a picture & video with him, too. I was quite envious! 😄

Next, this "magic towel" thing. It's also being held up by another wolf - this time, it's Wolf Link, from "The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess". Can you tell I'm a bit of a Nintendo gamer? lol

Anyhoo, I was just doing some shopping with my mother in a dollar store when I happened to stumble upon this. It was only $1.25, so... why not get it? The artwork isn't the best, but hey, I still like it.

Next, one of those "Good 2 Grow" snack containers! Actually, funny story about this one. I was at a gas station, not expecting to see anything pertaining to PAW Patrol, when I seen one of these that someone left at the front near the cashier. However...

It was actually one of Zuma, which surprised me, since they usually pass him up to focus on the main four. I meant to post about it on Twitter/X, but like usual, I forgot. In any case, I decided to track one down, and I soon found one of Marshall at Walmart. It was the last one, too! Unless I'm mistaken, they also had one of Liberty, so I guess they went beyond just the six original pups this time. Nice!

As you might recall, we've actually seen products like this before, about a year or two ago. Back then, it was just the pups in their regular outfits. This time, they went with a superhero theme, no doubt due to The Mighty Movie. I'm not sure why they went with Super Paws and not the Mighty Movie outfits, but maybe these were easier to mold. Who knows, but hey, I quite like it when older outfits get brought back, instead of them getting forgotten in the sands of time.

I just wish we could see THIS outfit again someday. It had a brief reappearance in that "Mighty Pups Save Adventure Bay" video game, but that's it so far. Sadly, at this point, I doubt we'll ever see it again.

Er... guess I got a little distracted here, sorry!

Last, and absolutely not least, is this brand new item! Something I knew about for many months and couldn't wait to get a hold of one for myself! It's "Storytime with Marshall" by Leap Frog!

(In hindsight, taking these pictures in front of my monitor may not have been the best idea. Hopefully they're not too hard to see. 😅)

This thing is legitimately super awesome! They really got his likeness down so well here! I mean, seriously, just look at it! It's so cute! It's easily one of the best pieces of merch I've got in my collection now!

According to the box, it can do quite a lot. It includes 40+ stories, which I assume are based on various episodes (I haven't listened to them yet, but I also assume they focus on different pups, going by the buttons on the front... yeah, it's a shame there's no Rocky or Zuma again, I know). It has a sleep timer, to help lull the little ones to sleep at night before shutting off and all that. Additionally, it teaches "core learning skills" or something, whatever that means. That's cool and all, but of course, for me, I just wanted it because I absolutely love how it looks. It'll look great on one of my shelves! lol

I'll admit, I'm glad this came out before the new animation style got applied. While I like Marshall's updated season 11 look so far (I might make a separate post about that later), his original design is still my #1 favorite. A part of me hopes to keep collecting more merchandise of THIS Marshall, but I know that, by next year, they'll probably retire this design and start using the new one, permanently. Guess I'll enjoy it while it lasts. 😅

And that's all for now! I currently have another item coming in the mail; Marshall's new Rescue Wheels big wheel vehicle + figurine. It's been delayed, but it's supposed to show up at some point next week. Hopefully, the remaining Rescue Wheels merchandise will show up in stores soon enough, and I'll be able to show them all off soon. I might also have to buy a Boomer figurine, too. lol

[majorproblems77]

Hi all! Bonus links updated! Which means I am back to ramble about it! :D

Hello hello!! :D

Hope you are all having a wonderful day (And if not maybe some rambling can make it better!) Bonus links is back with Homesick part 5.

I LOVE THIS COMIC

Nuff said :D

Im kidding, but im also not kidding. This comic is wonderful and always so well done! I love it sm, also mandatory Loft my beloved, because he is the bestest boy in the worlds.

For the important stuff! All art belongs to @bonus-links and the artist @ezdotjpg. Please go and look at their other stuff too! And I once again thank you for letting me do these.

You can find a link to the comic here!!! Please go and give the original post some love!

Now, Grab a drink, and some popcorn cause I am about to take you on a journey. Mainly a rambling journey, but a journey nonetheless!

Let's do this!

Loft.... Loft are you remembering the same trip I am cause you looked horrified. Im sure he kinda had fun eventually but I remember the shenanigans.

Wake is just happy to be here.

And poor wolf. He Frow up! (This made me cackle so much thank you)

Wake really do be :3 Gives me cat vibes.

I love how expressive he is. He's so proud of himself.

Oh my god, these two deserve the literal world I love them so damn much okay.

(Is this analysis just gonna be me hyping about all of these guys for 30 minutes. Probably, but that's what you signed up for so.... :D )

Okay okay okay

So, Aryll has a joy pendant and this gives me joy, did wake give to her from his adventure? That makes me so happy.

And Tetra! Holy hell she looks so cool! Badass bitch over here and I am here for it.

Also, just to check, Thats Linebecks jacket, right? The one he wore in phantom hourglass. I dont remember seeing him give it to Tetra at any point in time. So, how is it she's come across it?

I assume it's just he gave it to her at one point and she wears it as a sign of respect?

Ohno.... OH NO

Tetra looks like she is about to kill Ganondorf all over again, Also also, the background behind Tetra. Protective mode activated.

This one, I am loving how it looks like water. I was literally screaming, though, you get that feeling you recognise something? It's something Something about the water.

I'll be back...

(Investigates)

OHHHHHHHHHH

ITS FROM THE GANON PICTURE, ITS FROM THE GANON PICTURE. FROM THE UPDATE THEY MET WAKE.

THIS ONE

(From Homesick pt3 - link here!)

Also the shadows? The way the light comes up from below her rather than above her at this point. The final fight had this in the final stages. A nice detail.

This is the face of fear

Help him

Man is about to get killed, tetra is to be feared and I love her.

Also

I THOUGHT THE EYEPATCH WAS A FASHION STATEMENT WHAT HAPPENED. WAKE ARE YOU OKAY?

She has a point. Stabbing Ganondorf in the head is what caused him to turn to stone, so for all she knows Ganondorf could be walking around right now causing havoc.

And how, casual Wake is about it is probably not helping.

I love how protective of Gran Gran Tetra is, (as she should be Gran Gran is wonderful) and she has a point Wake like the hell why are you bringing in shenanigans on your poor Gran Gran's birthday.

HE

LOFT BELOVED

TRULY THE MASTER OF STANDING IN ALL TIMELINES I LOVE HIM A HEALTHY AMOUNT

okay im done

Yeah, Wake go and see your Gran Gran. Can't believe you are late so rude to Gran Gran.

Also him tucking the windwaker in the back of his belt, a nice touch!

Also, I know it's not meant to be a lil face, but I can't unsee the lil face on Tetras cheek. It's so angry and sad and I love it.

Tetra's inner demon is just as mad as she is

Oh my god I love Gran Gran so much

She is actually beloved because she's so sweet! And Wake loves his gran so much I just ahhhhhh

I love them

His little squishy face oh bless him.

Linebeck, Linebeck please, he's lowkey their uncle. Look at how disappointed Wake and Aryll look.

Gran Gran you look wonderful.

Oh they all got towels thats so sweet

Also I am loving the backgrounds, the inside of Gran Gran's House is just wonderful.

So here is some of the stuff I've spotted, which from my understanding come from a mix of Windwaker and Phantom hourglass.

Yahaha! You found him! :D

What I believe is the Town flower? I think that's right.

A Ruto crown I believe!

They went ice skating and thats adorable

Look at this boy

How could you not love him?

Cause I do

Loft my beloved

Me figuring out if this is saying Lie to my gran or Dont lie to my gran because of that hand.

Pretty sure it's Lie to my Gran. But I think it's funnier if it's, Dont lie to my gran.

Take it as you will

Loft using Groose, he looks so nervous I love him,

Wolf picking Rusl makes me so happy. Man is a hometown kid.

Slate, the sweet darling boy. I love all of them very much. Also, with that smug face, he 100% knew what he was doing.

This is the look of a man who likes you because his grandmother approves of you.

Also, I think I would literally die for Gran Gran i love her to pieces and if anything happens to her I will go on a rampage, (Affectionally, with a tub of ice cream)

This update was wholesome I loved it. AND THOSE BACKGROUNDS YES.

Background appreciation time

Look at the detail on the boat!

Even out of focus the fact that you can see the blades of long grass or the hatching on the window.

(ALso look at how sweet my blorbo is Loft beloved)

I just love how much detail is in the house or on the tree to the right hand side here.

And the little flowers just outside I see you. so cute!

Now inside the House is just so incredible looking.

The small details on the blanket on the bed, or the pictures on the wall. The fact that you can make out what they are at this distance is just so cool okay.

Again, the details on the items on the shelf, or in the flowers in the top right-hand corner.

It's just incredible how detailed stuff is and I love it.

Love it so much!

Okay thats my rambles done for another update. Thanks for following along!

I hope you have a great day! :D

[theoneeyedgoldenwolf]

Favorites

I have to say I never saw this happen. -.-' I've only realized during my latest stories that I've been writing that my second favorite character ended up being entirely unexpected one for me. =/

So, my all time number one favorite is none other than TIME. ^.^ Ocarina of Time was the second Zelda game I ever played but it's the one that really got me into the franchise. It's my all time favorite game too.

Before I reveal my second favorite, I want to say that I really love the brotherhood between Time and Warriors which was why I thought Wars would be my second favorite. Even Twilight being Time's descedant and his game having chance to run around as a wolf and hence my next favorite game.... Not even he's my second favorite character.

My second favorite is LEGEND. O.o He keeps popping up into conversations and situations without my acceptance. >.< Even now HE'S the one to talk to Time when the Chain's leader has broken down after one hell of a revelations he's put up. Not even Warriors is going over to talk and comfort him but LEGEND does. And that's shocking! Wars is Time's older brother. It shoudl be him! D=

I honestly don't know why but somehow Legend's getting more notion and getting to be the one who'll interact with Time more than the others in rougher situations. =/ Somehow the lines I'm putting down just feels more natural for him to say than the others. *shrugs*

I am yet to determinate in which places the rest of the Chain gains. ^^;; Honestly, I would've been happy if they just shared the first place. XD

EDIT: This comic might have something to do with how I see Legend:

Warnings: Blood and near death situation, slight verbal fight between the Chain

Part one:

Part two:

Just the fact of him worrying and fearing for worst and then being first one to hug Time. Yeah, that just might have affected me more than I realized. ^^;;