#sometimes i think i should try to find a group to play w i just dunno where to look frjdn

[thekidsarentalright]

hi atlas :] this is completely random and has nothing to do with anything but I finally found a dnd group to join and I'm really excited about it

hi linzei!! omg that is sooo exciting, i love that for u!! i've played dnd a couple times and it's always so fun, i hope u have a great time w that group!!

-Send me asks :-)!-

[forsworned]

No One Noticed ft. Hesh Walker

Synopsis: Feeling lonely and disconnected, you find solace in an online gaming forum where you meet Hesh, a war veteran who secretly works as an elite member of the Ghosts task force. Despite Hesh's initial tough exterior, he's soft for you and bonds through shared gaming experiences, late-night texts, and calls. Eager to bring their digital connection into the real world, You're convinced by your newfound virtual love to fly to his city to explore a potential relationship. Will your connection flourish or go to shit?

Warnings: Canon Game Violence, Canon Violence, Sexual Content, Phone Sex, Sexting, PnV sex, Cunninglingus, Blowjob, 9.8k words

Author's note: This song makes me so emotional and who better to write this for than my love, Hesh

If you could change anything, it would be your soul-sucking day job. Typing away at transcripts behind your desk is tedious, mind-numbing, and downright exhausting. You glance at the clock—it finally reads 4:30PM. A sigh of relief escapes you as you save your work and close the tab. The hum of your old office lamp and the clatter of your keyboard are the only sounds breaking the monotony. Your eyes ache from the screen's glare, and the cold air in the office makes the warmth of your couch even more inviting.

Ping!

The chat pop-up lights up your dim screen, and you feel a sudden rush of serotonin.

MyDawgRiley99: Your day been as shitty as mine?

A soft laugh escapes you as you read his message. Since joining a gaming lobby with a group of military guys during a late-night Fortnite session, you've found yourself playing with them almost every time they invite you. You never really pried into their daily lives; you were just looking to unwind. And yet, some nights, one of them would linger after the others had logged off, not to play, but simply to talk and unwind.

And over time, you began to savor the sound of his voice, finding comfort in its deep, resonant tone. You bite your bottom lip before typing away at your keyboard:

CtrlFreak: Seems like we're both in the trenches today.

As you're about to close out the tab, his reply bubble immediately appears, and you feel your spirits lift.

MyDawgRiley99: Long day at the office?

You scoff, shaking your head. Maybe you’re sharing too much with someone you’ve only met online, but you think to yourself, If he's half as sexy as he sounds, it should be okay, right? Right??

CtrlFreak: Like you wouldn't believe. I'm two seconds away from losing it.

MyDawgRiley99: Well, let's try to fix that. Same time?

You glance at your stack of requests and exhale sharply. Falling behind on deadlines and getting chewed out by your boss isn't your idea of relaxation, but for one night, just one freakin' night...

CtrlFreak: I really shouldn't...

MyDawgRiley99: Just one match?

You snort softly. You know what that means. One match turns into five, with hours of talking in between while you sit in the lobby. Sometimes, others join, and it’s nothing but a constant roast session that leaves you craving more genuine human interaction. It’s a vicious cycle.

CtrlFreak: I'll think about it. MyDawgRiley99: Haha, I'll be waiting for ya.

You shut your laptop and press your forehead against the warm alloy. The constant burnout of your job leaves you unfocused, fatigued, and jittery from all the espresso shots you need just to stay awake.

But you decide to join anyway. He immediately joins your party the moment you load into the lobby.

"Almost thought you wouldn't hop on tonight." His voice comes through your headset, instantly relaxing you.

The corners of your lips curl into a smile. "What can I say? You've tempted me."

He chuckles, and it's flirty, light, fun, and easy. In this moment, you want nothing more than to relish the escapism that comes from the unknown soldier on the other side of your screen. Amidst your grueling workday, his voice is like a coolness that soothes your burning heart, pulling you from the depths of mundanity into a world where conversation flows as smoothly as his laughter.

You tap on your controller, trying to control the strange desire stirring within you. You have no idea what he looks like—or what any of them look like, really.

Truthfully, you never bothered to ask for names. You referred to each other by the first initial of your real names. His being 'H.'

"You wanna talk about it?" The sound of him munching on chips comes through the speaker, causing you both to laugh. "My bad."

"All good. Nah, I'm just burned out." You readjust yourself on your sofa and lean back against the cushion, closing your eyes as you savor the sound of his smooth tenor.

"I get that. Trust me."

You feel that smile returning. "Right, right."

"Well," he begins, playfully defensive at your casual dismissal. "I'm just sayin'—"

Your laughter echoes through the headset, and he sighs, the smile on his face growing at your teasing. "Always gettin’ me worked up."

"You fall for it every time." You retort. Your mirth fades, and it's quiet for a moment. You tap at your controller again, playing with the joystick as your heart begins to race. There's almost a need to ask him to reveal himself to you. After all those nights dreaming about him, you find yourself yearning to know what he looks like.

"So," he clears his throat, shaking you out of your mild daze. "um, I don't want you to feel like you have to, but..."

You sit up a bit, feeling your throat go dry at his sudden change in tone. You can literally feel the tension through the connection.

"Well, I'm just kind of curious about, you know," his voice holds hesitation, an eagerness to pry. It creates a charged silence between you. The playful teasing shifts into something more earnest, and you can almost hear the curiosity in his tone as he tries to find the right words.

"Uh huh," you playfully taunt. You can tell where this is going, and you can't help but feel exhilarated at the thought of finally knowing what he looks like.

He chuckles, and it sends a thrill up your spine. "Uhhhh," he awkwardly laughs again, and you join in. The smile on your lips stretches broadly across your face, making your cheeks sore.

"I mean, we've been talking on here for months, so I'm just curious about how you look, you know?" He sighs. "Aren't you?"

You giggle at the apprehensiveness in his voice. "Seems like it's been weighing on your mind."

"Something like that." He clears his throat. "Obviously, it can stay this way. No pressure."

You scratch your head, feeling trepidation seeping into your bones. It isn't a now-or-never moment. You could simply say no or maybe another time, but you feel this irresistible pull from him. You think that even if he isn't the most attractive guy, it's not the end of the world...

"Okay." You simply say.

"Really!?" He exclaims, and you laugh at his enthusiasm. It's endearing, really. It's the lack of a social life that's really doing it for you. You think that maybe if you started going on Hinge again, you wouldn't have this problem of getting emotionally attached to men in Fortnite lobbies. But all of that falls into the back of your mind as you return to the present.

You're a bit tentative, but the words naturally come out. "Sure, I'm curious too." You breathe out, fiddling with the wire of your headphones between your fingers. There are dents from the hours you’ve spent on your console, talking to him during the late hours of the night.

"Yeah?" The way he says it sends a thrill up your spine again. You just know this man is sexy. Dammit.

"Yeah." You reply, almost reluctantly, as you walk over to your desktop and pull up your Discord server. Your cursor hovers over the video chat button, but he pings himself in, and you reflexively close the tab.

"What the fuck?" He laughs, and you crumble at his reaction, hiding your face in your hands.

Your heart pounds as you feel warmth crawl into your cheeks. "I'm sorry!"

He's still laughing at your reaction. You can't tell if it's because he thinks it's funny how quickly you exited or if he finds you as endearing as you find him.

"Are you shy?" He asks, still chuckling. You swallow thickly, not wanting to answer immediately. It's been far too long since you've been in the dating scene, and you’ve forgotten the simple pleasure of face-to-face flirting, reading the micro-expressions of the person across from you. To you, it was like a game—analyzing the strain on their face when you talk about your interests instead of your kinks, the bounce of their thighs when you're not throwing back sexual banter, or the way you check to see if they bear their teeth at you when they smile. It was easier knowing he was just a voice, but now it seems like he's reeling you in for more, and you find yourself struggling to say no.

You didn't want to deal with the high highs and the low lows anymore. The boring simplicity of a quiet relationship is what you craved, but a military man? That's tumultuous, grueling even. You didn't want to go back to nights of crying yourself to sleep over a man who refused to take your calls or reply to your texts because of their emotional distance and lack of therapy. But you're craving attention, and he's so willing to give it to you.

You groan at his reaction. "Fine," you grumble as you open the chat again and nibble your lip, lingering over the tab that shows he's active.

"No pressure," he teases, a hint of mischief in his tone. It's daring, and you’re no coward. You click the tab, joining the video call, and your heart races as you wait for it to load, stripping off your headset.

And then there he is, swaying in his gaming chair, his face lighting up when you enter the call.

"Oh shit," he grins, and you cover your mouth to hide the joy in your expression because he's fucking hot. The grittiness of the webcam blurs his handsome features, but you can still make out the sharpness of his jawline, the intensity of his viridian eyes, and the darkness of his short-cropped hair. He strokes the stubble on his cheeks, not even bothering to hide his obvious attraction. He's brunette, rugged, and attractive enough to make you want to buy a lottery ticket because you can't believe your luck. "What's up, girl?”

You feel the color drain from your face at his tone, and you quickly wave in the most awkward fashion. He looks even more amused. You realize you're not used to being looked at this way by men, and your shyness catches him off guard. "What's the matter?"

You shake your head. "N-nothing," you stammer, fiddling with the wire again. The momentary distraction of your desk lamp is all that keeps you from looking at him directly.

"Come on, don't be shy now," he coos, smiling so widely that it almost makes you want to melt into your chair.

You stare at the small thumbnail of yourself on the screen, feeling somewhat more exposed than you're used to. After a few seconds, you finally allow yourself to look at him again.

"I don't know," you laugh. "I wasn't expecting you to look like that."

"Oh yeah?" He chuckles, and you catch a glimpse of his dimples. "What were you expecting, then?"

"An ogre," you joke.

He throws his head back, laughing. "Damn, you really had no faith in me." he jokes back, and you're both nervously giggling at your first video chat. It’s awkward in all the right ways. The tension between you increases, but it’s different now. The curtain of anonymity you both sought on this platform has been lifted.

You shake your head, still bashful from his handsomeness. It irritates you. One hot guy gives you attention, and you're falling to your knees.

"Not one bit." You tuck your lips into your mouth, and he leans his chin on his palm, admiring the details of your face. You're just not ready to admit your attraction yet. You’d rather let it linger in the air, maybe make him pine for your compliments.

There's another pause as the playful banter fades into a softer, more charged silence. The tension hangs in the air, neither of you quite sure what to say next. You chew your lip, still somewhat unsure of how you want this to go. But before you can overthink it, he speaks up again.

"So... maybe we could meet up sometime?" His voice is tentative, like he's not quite ready for your answer.

You blink, taken aback. "Oh, um," you bite your bottom lip, feeling the tension in your shoulders. "That sounds cool."

His smile widens, and there's something almost boyish in his excitement. "Yeah?"

You nod, giving him a shy smile. "Yeah."

"Alright then," he grins. "Let's see where this goes."

He sways in his chair again and grins. "So, did you wanna talk about it?"

And that’s the start of long conversations over the phone—your actual phone—after he asks for your number, and you coyly give it to him. More often than not, he's testing the limits of your humor with dark memes, sending you selfies and mirror pics in his uniform that you shamelessly drool over, and FaceTiming you during his night shifts to keep him company while you sprawl out on your bed.

In his downtime, he shamelessly fists at his dick at the mere thought of you. Those pretty lips on his leaking tip, licking up the precum that oozes out and coats the plushness of your flesh. He wonders how you taste, what makes you moan, because at this point it’s obvious you’re both really into each other. Neither of you wants to break the ice—you simply enjoy the flirting and the cutesy banter. He loves the way you giggle at his stupid jokes and how you seem to show a little more skin the more calls you have.

Like when you get up from your seat, and instead of wearing your usual sweats, you’re now sporting a pair of curve-hugging plaid shorts and a flimsy tank top with straps that are always slipping off your shoulders. And it’s painfully obvious when he flares his nose playfully at you and glances away. Maybe there’s a subtle gesture of him adjusting himself, and you throw your head back, not bothering to hide the delight in your laughter.

"You know what you're doing," he quips, drumming his fingers on his work table.

You lean back in your chair and fiddle with the squishy cactus stress toy, stretching out the arms and letting them go with a pop. "I have no idea what you’re talking about," you chime with a giggle.

His eyes fall on your braless figure, cleavage spilling out of the V-shaped collar, tracing the outline of your nipples that peak through the sheer fabric.

"Yes, you do," he insists, gripping the hem of his compression shorts as they strain against his throbbing dick.

There’s a glimmer of mischief in your eye. "And what's that?"

He doesn’t miss a beat. "Being a sexy little vixen." His eyes roam your body again, and you hide your burning face. God, his directness was always so sexy to you. He never bothered to hide the way he felt. Especially when he would heart every selfie you sent him, throwing praises your way like you were the only woman in the world.

"You're not foolin’ me," he presses on, grabbing his planner and clicking his pen as he begins to jot something down.

Your curiosity piques. "What are you doing?"

He chuckles. "Wouldn’t you like to know?" He provocatively glances up at you. "I’m writing down the dates that I’m off."

"For?"

"When I meet you."

Your eyes widen at his boldness, and a shy smile graces your lips. "Meet me?" Your heart picks up its rhythm, and you’re trying your hardest not to get too giddy about it.

He taps his metal pen against the paper, leans back in his chair, and licks his lips. "Is that a problem?"

You hadn’t expected him to be so forward about meeting you. Fuck, he looks so damn edible when he manspreads, looking nonchalant and relaxed. He can sense your yearning but also your hesitation.

He leans forward again, sincerity coming easy to him. "Look," he begins, wanting to comfort you, to assure you he won’t take advantage of you, but he knows it’s a privilege to be in your presence.

"I know you’ve probably heard this a million times: 'You won’t get hurt, you can trust me.' And I know it’s an absolute luxury to even exist alongside you."

That makes you blush. It’s so easy to tell that he was raised right.

"But this," he gestures between the two of you, "I want to know if it’s real. There’s only so much I can tell from behind a screen."

You understand what he means. The essence of a person—their aura, their charisma—is so much more tangible and real when you meet them in person. Seeing their quirks, their habits, feeling their energy. It’s different.

"I know you know what I mean."

You nod. "I do." You lick your lips, searching for the right response. There’s really no doubt in your mind that you want to meet him. I mean, for God's sake, he's mouthwatering. The way his abs peek out from under his loose shirt when he stretches, the playful way he flexes his taut biceps, his calloused hands hardened from war and long hours at the gym. He's just delectable all around.

But are you willing to take the leap?

Somehow, you're still asking yourself that as you peer out the window of the airplane. Your ticket is paid for—first class, with all the accommodations…it’s like a dream.

The landscape below is a patchwork of rebuilt cities and scarred land, signs of a world that has been through hell but is clawing its way back.You can’t help but wonder if this is a glimpse into the future you’re stepping into. A life beyond the screen, in a world where the remnants of war are slowly being overtaken by new growth, where hope is becoming tangible again.

The plane touches down smoothly on a newly restored runway, and as you step into the terminal, you’re greeted by the sight of soldiers, workers, and civilians mingling in a place that once might have been a warzone. Your heart races with anticipation, nervousness, and a hint of something deeper. This isn’t just about meeting him—it’s about stepping into a world that both of you are trying to find your place in.

He’s waiting for you just outside the baggage claim, leaning casually against a pillar. The grittiness of the webcam is replaced by the crisp reality of his presence. The sharpness of his jawline, the vividness of his eyes, and the way his uniform fits him perfectly—it all hits you at once. You realize that you weren’t fully prepared for how striking he’d be in person.

The moment stretches between you, just like it did during your video calls, but now there’s no screen to hide behind. His eyes roam over you, drinking in every detail as if he’s trying to memorize you all over again. And then, with a grin that sends a shiver down your spine, he steps forward.

“Hey,” he says, his voice lower and more resonant in person, sending a thrill through you.

“Hey,” you reply, trying to keep your cool, but the way your voice trembles gives you away.

His grin widens, and he reaches out, his hand brushing against yours. The touch is electric, sending sparks through your body. He notices the way you react and chuckles softly, not even trying to hide his satisfaction.

“You’re just as pretty as I imagined,” he says, his bluntness making your cheeks heat up.

“You’re not too bad yourself,” you manage to tease, though your heart is pounding in your chest.

He laughs, a sound that’s warm and genuine, and it eases some of the tension between you. He leans into you, enveloping you into a warm embrace and you easily return it as you snake your arms around his neck. The smell of his aftershave engulfs your senses and you relax into his touch. “Come on, let’s get out of here,” he says, withdrawing from you to grab your bag effortlessly as he leads you toward the exit.

Outside, the air is fresher than you expected, a sign that nature is beginning to reclaim the earth. The city around you is a mix of new constructions and old ruins. It’s almost nothing like the California you remember. He leads you to a sleek, black SUV and opens the passenger door for you.

As you settle into your seat, you glance at him as he climbs in, feeling a mix of emotions. This is the man you’ve spent hours talking to, flirting with, and getting to know through a screen. Now he’s here, real and tangible, and the chemistry between you is undeniable.

He catches you staring and smirks, reaching over to brush a strand of hair behind your ear. “You alright?” he asks, his voice soft but with an edge of excitement.

You nod, your heart racing with anticipation. “Yeah,” you nervously avert your gaze and nod. “Yeah, I think I am.”

Hesh nods, giving you a reassuring smile. “So, here’s the plan,” He hands you the aux cord. And you grin as you take it from him. “We’re gonna head back to the base,”

He sees you visibly stiffen. “But,” And you raise your brows waiting for him to continue. “We’re going back to my place after we check you in.”

You let out a sigh of relief and he laughs, as he watches you plug your phone in and shake your head. 

“Come on, you know that I live off base.” Hesh occasionally glances over at you, as if making sure you’re comfortable while you shuffle through your playlist. He seems to be the picture of calm, but you can sense the underlying tension that lingers between you two.

You say nothing and end up settling on a song you both love (mostly you).

You should stay real close to Jesus Keep that bottle at your hand, my man

He chuckles at your pick, and reaches over to hold your hand. A wave of comfort washes over you. “Go ahead. Tell me I’m Lana coded for the hundredth time.”

You giggle at him and sit up a bit. “You are!”

He shakes his head and lets the song play, humming along to the tune and you’re actively burning it into your mind. It’s something you want to remember every detail of. The way he squeezes your hand while the other is on his steering wheel, tapping his finger at the steering wheel. How thick his dark lashes are, how pretty his viridian hues are when they peek over at you to make sure you’re real and not a figment of his imagination.

As you approach the base, the outer level is a standard Marine military facility, with its usual array of buildings and vehicles. It’s not completely unknown to you. It wouldn’t be the first time you’ve been on a military base. Military personnel pinlines the large metal gate and one of the guards approaches the vehicle as Hesh fishes out his ID.

“Alright, here’s the deal,” Hesh says as you pull up to the guard. “I’ll have to check you in at the visitor’s center first. They don’t let civilians past this point without clearance.”

You nod, trying to hide your nerves as he pulls into a parking lot near the visitor’s center. He senses your apprehension and turns fully to you, gently grasping your hand. “Hey,” He reaches out to cup your chin, and your breath catches in your throat. His earthy green eyes are trained on you. “God, you’re so pretty.” His fingers gently trace your chin, and you fluster under his fixed gaze. “We’re gonna be outta here in no time, and we’ll spend the whole week together, m’kay?”

“Okay.” You squeeze his hand back, and he brings your wrist to his lips, placing a yearning kiss to your skin. It feels as if it were searing to the touch.

Hesh escorts you into the visitor center, a space designed for civilians to wait while military personnel handle their business. He gives you a reassuring smile before heading to the more secure parts of the base. You watch as he disappears into the maze of corridors, leaving you with a mix of excitement and nervousness.

After what feels like an eternity, Hesh returns, his face relaxed and his eyes bright. “All set,” he says, offering you his hand. “Let’s get out of here.”

You take his hand, and he leads you back to the SUV. The tension between you two is almost palpable, but it’s softened by the warmth of his touch and the promise of time together away from the base.

The scenery changes to one of a regular suburban neighborhood.  From the white picket fences to the restaurants that line the streets to the long lines of cypress and palm trees, you wouldn’t even know the difference. 

“Oh my God, there’s a Taco Bell!” You point out and Hesh laughs at the incredulousness in your tone. 

“Yeah, it’s like any other cookie cutter neighborhood.” He turns into a cul de sac, pulling into the driveway of the biggest home on the block. It’s a mediterranean style home, classic red roof tiles, a stucco exterior with metal work accents. There’s personal touches of greenery, succulents in various sized terracotta pots, a handful of olive trees and wildflowers that maze around the stone path. 

“This is cookie cutter!?” You exclaim, as he helps you out of the vehicle. “You have a sweet crib.”

He smirks at you, carrying your suitcase with one hand and your hand in the other. “Just wait til you see the inside.”

And somehow the interior is much more obnoxiously cozy and earthy. It’s truly a delight to be in a home where beachy tones of seafoam green, turquoise and cerulean are the main color scheme. It really makes you feel like you're on vacation. 

“...and if you’re really down, we can go to the beach…[name]?” He calls out to you and your wandering eyes land back on him. He grins at you, closing the space between you two. “You listenin’?”

“Not really,” You shamelessly admit. “Your place is lovely. Like something out of a magazine.”

He chuckles as he moves past you to climb up the winding staircase with your carry-on and suitcase. “Play your cards right, and this could be yours, too.”

You turn around ripping out of your stupor, “Huh?”

“Nothin’.” He softly snorts, and you follow him the stairs as he shows you to his room. He gives you the option of the guest bedroom or his. You notice little things around the home that paths the walls, small trinkets, memorabilia and photo frames of family members. It all looks different in person, even if he’s given you a house tour over FaceTime.

Peeking into his room, you notice how everything is neatly organized, band posters of Creed, Papa Roach and the like are hung up on his forest green walls. A diffuser runs on his nightstand and it smells like something between sandalwood and amber vanilla. He’s taken all the necessary precautions to make you feel homey.

“Your room.” You smile at him, and he’s more than eager to please. The conversation flows just as easy as it does in person, even as you tell him to turn around while you strip down to get into your bikini.

He promised you all the beach time you could get, and despite the minor jetlag that nags at your slightly foggy mind, you were in the mood to sunbathe. Bonus that you get to show off your summer bod and Hesh is more than willing to peel off his shirt for some much needed skin-to-skin. Even if he can just wrap his taut, tanned arm around your waist to claim you, he’s just happy to be in your company.  

“So, what about the others?” you cock a brow at him, as he flagrantly eyes your figure while you build a sandcastle.

He shakes his head and scoffs, viridian hues trailing down the exposed parts of your skin. “Others?”

You tuck your finger under his chin, signaling for him to look at you and not ogle your body. “Yeah, your other teammates that we play with?”

“Oh right…” He gets lost in your eyes and the way they softly crinkle when you smile, followed by the melodic sound of your laughter and he can’t help but to laugh with you. “They don’t need to know you’re here. Besides, they’re preoccupied.”

You tilt your head. “With?”

He pauses. There’s vacillation behind the earthiness of his eyes. A certain type of secrecy that goes beyond the typical confidentiality that comes with being in the military. “Just stuff.”

“Okay,” You shake your head, not wanting to interrogate him. In the past, he had mentioned that a lot of the things he does out in the field require the utmost discretion and you’re not one to scruple around and find out.

You’d done enough research and background checks to know that he was a military brat, a veteran, has a dog named Riley (whom he misses terribly, but had to go on an op with his brother, Logan), and is oddly passionate about sourdough starters. He’s always open to answering your questions that don’t revolve around his work, which again you’re not entitled to know but you couldn’t say you weren’t the least bit intrigued.

The rest of the day plays out like a dream. Not a single one of your vivid, maladaptive daydreams could touch this. From the way he carries you to the waters of the Pacific Ocean and you cling to him with sea salt in your hair to the way your first kiss sends a thrill of pure electricity up your spine as the sunsets. His lips are soft, plush and salty from the water, and his fingers and hands are as calloused and rough as you had imagined them.

And you literally can’t get enough of him. Especially when he just can’t seem to keep his hands off of you. Seriously, like you need a crowbar to pry them off because he’s attached to the hip. Of course, he lets you go when you need to rinse off the beach from your skin in his shower, but he can’t help but let his thoughts wander. Your wet, naked untouched body just standing under his enclosure he’s installed in the backyard like you’re waiting to be ravaged by him. 

Because dammit that’s what you want. To have him slip in, wrap his strong arms around your waist, pebbling your nipples between his fingertips as he kisses at your neck and bends you over--

“Oh, don’t mind me. I’m just gonna wait here for as long as you need.” He sarcastically remarks over the sound of the running water. You giggle at the playfulness in his tone.

“Oh, I’ll take all night, baby.” You scrub at your skin with the loofa he gave you, watching as the soap becomes sudsy white foam that covers your body. And he accidentally gets a glimpse through the cracks in the bamboo casting and--Lord have mercy on his soul. If it weren’t for the body wash he’d given you from earlier, you’d be all exposed to him.

“Don’t tempt me.” He mutters, sitting on the nearby bench just outside of the shower, fiddling with his drawstrings of his swimming trunks. It’s a failed attempt at trying to quell his dirty thoughts of you and keep his wandering eyes away from the little opening he can see you through.

You swallow thickly as you exfoliate your back, but your arms are sore from trying to get back into shape before meeting with him. It wouldn’t be the worst thing to propose…

“You wanna wash my back for me?”

There’s a pause. The weight of your words and the heavy silence is agonizing, leaving you in regret and pre-dejection. 

“You sure?” He says a bit too quietly, and you hear the sound of his feet shifting against the sandstone. 

You lick your lips and nod. “Yeah, I mean only if you want to…”

He chuckles, “don’t have to ask me twice.” And you hear the scuffling of his feet hitting the grit of the sandy covered stone floor. You hold your breath as he pads on the bamboo panels over to you, and you hear the distinct sharp inhale the moment he gets a full glimpse of you. You feel your shyness overcome you knowing you are now completely bare to him, but the sound of his wet swimming trunks being casted to the side makes you flinch. 

His warmth and his scent casts a shadow over your mind as he envelops you with his arms, taking the soapy loofa from your hands. You can feel his heart drumming against his chest as your shaky breaths mingle for a bit, but the bristles scrub at your upper and lower back preoccupy your mind. You can feel how he squeezes the soap down the swell of your ass and gets to work again.

“I said, my back.” You susurrate, half turning to him and he smirks. 

“My bad, should I stop?” He presses his lips against your shoulder and peeks up at you with dampened dark lashes. You shudder at his touch. It had been long, too long. His touch is making the pyre in your lower belly ignite and you can’t help but lean your weight against him, exposing your neck to him. “I need you to use your words, sweetheart…”

You whine at his pressing need for verbal confirmation. “No, don’t stop.” He hums against your skin and he gently exfoliates over the peaks of your breast, concentrating on how they pebble under his touch. He experimentally thumbs over the hardened bud, tweaking it between his fingers as he kisses the sweet spots on your neck. It’s a pleasurable feeling that leaves you tingly and throbbing. 

You can feel his hardening length pressing against your ass and you gently brush your fingers against it, and he reflexively bucks his hips. “Eager, are we?”

“I could say the same for you!” You chirp, and his laughter reverberates against your back. He gently takes your chin to face him, and he glances down at your flustered gaze before softly latching his lips to yours. His hands, however, do not stop moving. They’re roaming over the expanse of your breast, squeezing at your thighs as he continues to kiss and squeeze you. 

It’s fucking hot the way he can’t help but intermingle his moans with you, whispering your name as he finally slips his fingers between your thighs. And you glance up at him with a half-lidded gaze, lips parted and scrunched brows. 

Fuck, fuck, fuck…

He’s totally melting under your fervent gaze, and the sweet, sweet feeling of your velvety folds against the rough pads of his fingers. 

“Oh, fuck…David…” You gasp, lolling your eyes to the back of your skull. His dick isn’t even in you yet and yet, his fingers are doing more for you than any other man. It’s so easy for him to work both of his fingers into you as he uses his palm to rub at your clit.

“My God, you are so wet.” He croaks, thrusting his fingers into you, past your g-spot and to press against your cervix and you collapse against him when you feel your orgasm practically jump you. He feels you spasm against him, walls fluttering against his fingers and presses his lips against yours again, taking in every one of your little moans and gasps. 

And after you’ve caught your breath, there’s a flash of amusement that takes over his handsome features. “I didn’t think you’d cum so quickly.” He tenderly kisses your shoulder, and then your cheek and up to your hair. You feel your cheeks burn, silently cursing him for his agile fingers, but the humiliation is over in seconds when you turn your body to press flush against his. 

The kiss is electrifying, adrenaline shoots through you and you’re craving more and more of him. His lips part from yours for an instant and he tucks the dampened strand of hair behind your ear. 

“Not everything all at once, sweetheart.” He grins, and your jaw slightly drops at his taunting. He bites his lips at the disbelief in your expression. He wants to ensure that you know that he’s not in it for the quick fuck, that you’re more than that to him. That he’s more than happy to please you, but the sex part. He wants to wait a little. Make sure that you’re really comfortable and you’re not feeling like you’re being coerced into it. 

You sigh as you surf through the 1000s of channels he has on 70 inch plasma screen TV while he takes a long ass piss. Like seriously, this man drinks water by the gallon. But you’re content. You’re sitting on the end of his bed, clad in his Nike hoodie that sits oversized on your body and he’s quietly admiring you from the bathroom door way.  He’s wondering how he got so damn lucky. 

He silently treks over to where you’re perched over the bed, and squats in between your legs, snaking his strong arms against you. His eyes hold an earnest expression, “I can’t believe we met over a Fortnite lobby.”

And that causes you to giggle and rehash all the late night matches you’ve had together, how he’s listened to you pour your heart out to him about all of your troubles and even Venmo’d you a handful of times out of the kindness of his heart.

He watches how your eyes droop, and how any minute you’re about to knock out cold. And soon he’s ushering you under the covers, snug as a bug under his cotton-linen sheets. He joins you from behind, the scent of you is overwhelming and he nuzzles his nose into the crook of your neck. The floral, musky scent of your shampoo is interwoven into your hair paired with your soft snores, easily helping him drift into a deep sleep. 

And when you wake up in the morning it still doesn’t settle in. Not when you wake up to him sleepily rubbing his eyes and peering up at you with that damn grin of his, not when you’re beside him brushing your teeth over his sink and definitely not when you’re sitting across from him on the kitchen bar as he makes you breakfast with nothing but his grey sweats barely hanging off his hips.

It’s cute. The way you two feed each other pancakes and eggs, and how you share the equal feeling of bafflement when you’re facing each other, unable to undo the heap of twisted limbs. Despite his lack of interest in having you meet his teammates yesterday, he wants nothing more than to show you off. In fact, that’s all he does when he’s holding your hand out in the shopping area, buying you anything you happen to say is cute or that you try on that’s very much to his liking. 

He’s getting stopped by soldiers who are also meandering through the streets of San Diego and word gets around fast because soon the crew knew about your sudden appearance all over his Instagram story and the group chat is poppin'.

Logan: No way you flew her out here… Keegan: Kids’, got balls Merrick: I’ll have a word with you when we get back Kick: Wait…who is this again?

“I’m assuming they’re taking it well?” 

He hears your musing voice, and he tears away his gaze from his phone screen to look at you with a beguiled expression. He can’t help but be giddy, as he watches you pad over to him in nothing but his t-shirt, coffee in hand as you take your seat in his lap like it’s reserved just for you. And it feels so natural to have you in his arms like this. You fit so perfectly against him and he’s having to dent his skin with half crescents in an effort to ensure he’s not dreaming.

But reality strikes at you again when you realize that even though you are on vacation, you’re still getting email notifications of transcript requests nearing their deadlines. Your mood shifts and he peeks over at your phone screen, taking your hand in his as he brushes the hair from your face. 

“Is there anything that I can do to make you feel better?”

And that single question is enough to ignite the balmy feeling between your thighs. Your lips instantly find his as you straddle his lap on the love seat, and a small sound of surprise followed by pleasure emits from him, soon finding themselves latching to the side of his throat and he’s threading his fingers through your hair. 

You find yourself returning the favor, slipping your fingers under the waistband of his boxers as your tug at his hardened cock. Vulgarities skid past his mouth as he tries his damned best to fixate those pretty green eyes on you, but they right open when he sees you’ve settled between his thighs. Your plush lips against his aching, swollen tip. 

A groan leaves his lips as you do nothing but tease him with the tip of your tongue before taking him wholly into your mouth, but he doesn’t want to cum yet. He wants to have experienced you fully. So he’s lifting you off the carpet and laying you on the cushion, spreading you wide and dick throbs at your glistening pussy before immersing himself in it. And God, his tongue is as heavenly as his fingers are. He’s not shy at all when it comes to lapping you up like it’s his last meal, shaking you out so he can get even more of you. 

The sounds of his slurping are loud and lewd, humming against your clit right before he inserts his fingers into you and you’re quick to ride out your climax, grabbing at the short dark locks of his hair as you grind against his lips. He doesn’t even move off of you, the sensation of you writhing beneath him as you try to pry him off arouses him, but he obliges when you begin to whine. 

He lets go with a pop, your arousal drips down his chin and you welcome him back with a deep kiss, tasting yourself on his tongue as he pushes you further down onto the couch. You don’t want to stop, you crave him far too much in this instance to halt his actions. Especially when you’re realizing that he’s naked now, and you’re left in only his shirt. But his fingers are dancing over your stomach, reflexively dipping in at his touch until he gets to the peaks of your breasts. 

The fabric lifts off your body and he takes you in. “You’re seriously so stunning, [name].”

You like that he says your name. Not just some generic pet name like baby, or babe. It means something to you, to him. That you’re not just an object for his sexual gratification and you liked that.

You instantly fluster under his gaze, pupils blown leaving only the remnants of his sage green eyes. “Thank you.” You finally muster up the words after what feeling like forever. He rips his gaze from you and the thought finally comes to him. “Um,” He eyes flicker toward the staircase and then at you. “Upstairs.”

“Right.” 

--

You chew on your lip and the anticipation builds between you as he takes your hand and leads you upstairs, giggling as you scoot on his cool bed sheets, and you feel the warmth of his hard body against yours. He leans over to his nightstand and it feels like a millennia before he fishes out a condom. You peek over to look at the box and the receipt is still attached to it, brand new which explains why he was fiddling with the cardboard for so long.

“Just for me?” You chime and he pokes his tongue in his cheek, trying to hold back his grin while he tears open the foil with his teeth and rolls the latex over his hardened length. His forearms are on either side of your head.

“You think I’m just out here layin’ pipe? Of course I just bought them.” He bashfully scratches his neck and you can’t help but laugh at his sheepish grin. You lift your head and cup his stubbly cheeks to bring him into a fiery kiss and he quickly returns it, feeling his cocking enfolding at your entrance. 

You gasp at the way his length brushes against your weepy folds. “Please.” You murmur between kisses and he dithers for a second, searching your expression for any hint of uncertainty. But you’re all there, determined and in desperate need for his touch. 

“Are you sure?” He whispers, and you frantically nod. He chuckles at your insistence and he aligns himself with your sopping core, gently prodding into you until he bottom’s out and you’re both already gasping. The saccharine feeling of being filled up is unmatched, especially when the guy that’s in you is the one you’ve been dreaming about for months. 

And you don’t want him to go slow. No, that doesn’t feel like an option right now. Not after how long you feel like you’ve waited for this moment. Overwrought with desire, your fingers dig into the supple flesh of his ass and he lets out a broken whimper in the form of your name. And he seems to get the hint because he’s quickly ramming into you, your hips connect in a frenetic manner, but it’s so so so good. 

His viridian eyes are reaming at the sight of your dulcet features quickly melting into a lewd expression and milky moans that spill out from your lips. He kisses you haphazardly wanting nothing more but to make you cum and trust that you’re nearly there. He’s hitting all the right places and his lower abdomen is rubbing your puffy clit in just the right way. 

One hand on your hip and the other makes its way to wrap around your throat and, oh God, that look in his eyes and you’re totally done for. His name is clawing its way out from your throat as you feel the maddening rolls of passion drowning your soul with rapture, exposing your neck as you swell with a sigh and falter with a shudder that cascades up and down your body. Kiss after blissful kiss and Hesh feels every ripple in your body. It’s the catalyst of his peak, breaking under the pressure of your pulsating walls and convulsing body. 

It’s the warmth of your neck as his teeth latch onto the sensitive skin, your strangled cries, your labored breaths that make it feel like his orgasm was flaring red, white and blue. You watch in awe as all the dewy green in his eyes fall golden like little stars in the sunlight peeking through his blinds. You’re both panting, melting into each other, and laughter spills from your lips as you hold one another closely. And the adoration seeps out of his bones when he notices that he’s springing back to life and you’re quick to respond to his passion.

And you don’t even know how many hours it’s been. Between refueling breaks and trips to the bathroom, you literally can’t keep your hands off each other. You begin to lose count of all the positions he’s putting you in, but you know one thing for sure--it’s gonna hurt like a bitch in the morning.

Hesh can hardly shake you awake. You’re all wrapped up in his arms, sharing the same covers and he breathes you in as you nuzzle into his neck not wanting to move from your cozy position. He stares at the ceiling, counting the stars he’s placed in the form of all the constellations he knows. Holding you like this and feeling the warmth constantly spread through his chest when he takes a little peek at you. It’s driving him nuts. 

If he were being honest with you right now, he’d say that he’s done searching. That he’s found the one. But of course, he knows that you’re accustomed to the 1-2, hit-and-run, cum-and-go lowly standard of men who have fed you the same bullshit, so he reserves on that. 

Your eyes flutter open and a sleepy smile stretches across your cute features, and he brushes away the strays to gather as much of your visage that he can. 

“Sleep well?”

“I slept amazing.” You stretch your limbs like a cat down to the spread of your toes, but you feel the dull ache in your muscles and groan. “You must’ve put me in every position imaginable.”

A repentant smile plays on his lips as the warmth sidles into his cheeks. “You never complained.”

“Shut up.” You mimp, and he chuckles at the way you purse your lips and puff your cheeks at him. 

Hesh's heart tightens as he watches how your face contorts into one of sadness, the reality of your limited time together gnaws at the both of you. You wish that you could both freeze this moment—just you, him, and the quiet morning light filtering through the linen curtains. But time, as always, marches on, and soon enough, the outside world will come knocking and you’ll have to go back to your boring desk job and he’ll have to go back on his confidential ops.

"You know," he begins, his voice soft, "we've still got a few more days. How about we make the most of them?"

Your eyes meet his, and there's a flicker of understanding. You both know that this time together is precious, and neither of you wants to waste a single second. The romance between you two is budding rapidly and you want nothing more than to cling to him, getting lost in the small blip of time that you will forever cherish.

"I'm all in," you reply, your voice firm despite the lingering exhaustion from last night’s activities. "What do you have in mind?"

A mischievous grin spreads across his face as he pulls you closer, his hand resting on the small of your back. "How about a lazy day? We could just stay in my bed,” he caresses the exposed part of your tummy, leaving a wake of gooseberries, “order some take out,” he nips at your earlobe and you sigh at his touch. “and see where the day takes us."

You laugh softly, the sound like music to his ears and you clasp your arms around his neck. It’s odd. You both feel like at any given moment either one of you will vanish into thin air and you’ll wake up alone in your loft on the other side of the country. "I think that sounds perfect."

For a moment, you both fall silent, simply enjoying the comfort of being close. But the weight of the week ticking away lingers in the air, a reminder that this isn't your everyday life. It's a bubble, fragile and fleeting.

He leans in, pressing a gentle kiss to your forehead. "Whatever happens after this week... we'll figure it out, okay?" His heart tugs at the brimming tears in your eyes. He knows you’re trying to withhold all your pent up feelings and he wants nothing more than to help you squash the negativity that holds more space in your brain than it should.

You nod, your hand finding his, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Yeah, we will." And you mean that.

With that, the two of you settle back into the warmth of the covers, letting the world outside wait a little longer. For now, it's just the two of you, and that's more than enough. 

And just as you two had expected, the week flies by like it’s nothing. Days, afternoons and evenings of lovemaking, dancing on the beach, and him expertly instructing you on how to make the perfect sourdough loaf. How you whisper to each other about your deepest, darkest secrets. And he finds himself opening up to you about how he’s always felt like his neglectful upbringing made him slightful resentful and hardened. Oh how the tears flow at the admission that follows. 

You learn that Hesh thinks he’s everything that his father is not, how his brother, Logan is the Golden Pony boy but he doesn’t blame him for it. How sometimes he wants to push away his little brother more than anything, but he’s all he got left. Your heart aches at the thought of him keeping all of these emotions pent up, so you listen to him and hold him tight; dewy eyed, tear stained and puffy. 

These were the types of memories you wanted to create with your dream partner. It’s whimsical, light yet heavy, but not uncomfortable. It’s like eating the most luscious dessert, but its weight holds pleasantly in your stomach. 

But it leads you back to where you had initially met. The airport.

The hustle and bustle is muted as the both of you sit next to each other, snugged up as he traces patterns onto your jeans in an attempt to calm you. He doesn’t want you to leave. In his mind he’s already thinking of all the time you’re going to spend in the future--and you? 

You’re already withdrawing. You’re thinking that there’s no way in hell that this will thrive. Living in two different parts of the country was not ideal for a budding relationship. For an online friendship, sure, but this easily became more than that.

“Hey,” He nudges you, and your eyes flicker up to meet him. He can sense how your energy has changed, and how you’re detaching from him and he hates it. “Stop that.” He makes you face him and your eyes are distant.

“Stop what?”

His stomach lurches. The doubt creeps back into your mind, and you feel yourself succumbing to the emptiness that you’ll endure when you get back. You’re trying to protect yourself from the inevitable heartbreak and pain of saying goodbye and he sees right through it. His eyes soften, but he’s determined to shake you out of your gloomy state.

“Stop thinking this won’t work,” he says firmly, continuing to draw the patterns into the fabric of your jeans. “I can see it written all over your face, and trust me, I get it. But we’ve got something here--something real, tangible.” His voice falters just slightly as he racks his brain to find the right words. “I’ve been thinking a lot about this…about us.”

The life in your eyes returns a bit more and he knows he has you hooked onto his words that causes your heart to skip a beat.

“This week…it’s been everything I’ve imagined and more.” He cringes slightly at the corniness of his words, and you can’t help but chuckle a little. He’s being so sincere, and you feel yourself choking up. “And I know we’ve just met, but I feel so comfortable with you.” He rolls his eyes a bit at his own words. “Like I’ve known you forever.” And you giggle again, nodding along with him.

He is right, of course. It really does feel like coming home, and you could get used to that feeling.

“I don’t want this to end, I don’t want to go back to talking behind a screen and twiddling our thumbs, wondering when our communication is going to dwindle.” Hesh says, facing you now. “Look, I know this might sound forward,” Your chest tightens at the earnesty in his expression and his words. “But I want to make this work. Like, really work. Like I want you to be here, with me.” He runs his fingers through his short cropped hair and he feels the blood rushing to his cheeks. “I want us to figure out a way to move you out here--whenever I’m stationed, wherever we need to be.”

You feel a surge of mixed emotions--fear, hope, relief? It’s enmeshing and turning in your stomach. It’s what you want to hear, but you’re terrified. 

“David, I…I don’t know…” You croak out, feeling the tears cascade down your cheeks, but he shakes his head and wipes them away. 

“You don’t have to decide right now, [name].” he reassures you, and you feel your throat tighten at how donnish he’s being. “I just want you to know I’m in this for the long haul. I’ve found the one,” He softly smiles. “And it’s you.”

And it’s like a freakin’ dam burst or something with the way you’re crying, but it’s tears of real relief. The idea of staying with him to build a life together, it’s not something you went as far as even imagining. Not until now.

“No bullshit, [name]. I’m not up for losing you.”

“I don’t want to lose you either,” you profess, but your voice trembles with the heavy weight of your feelings. “But the thought of leaving everything behind…it’s a lot to take in, y’know?”

He nods. “I know it is,” he murmurs, pressing a tender kiss to your forehead. “And I’m not asking you to do anything rash. I just want you to think about it. To know that I’m ready to make this work.” He squeezes your hand. “Just say the word.”

You let out a shaky exhale, and nod. “Okay.” You laugh a bit as he dabs away at your tears again. “I’ll think about it.”

His face lights up with a brilliant smile as he kisses your wrist and then pulls you into a tight hug. The sound of the announcer calling your flight ripples through your little moment and reality sets in again. This time with hope. Hope that something real will flourish from this.

As you pull away and walk to the terminal together hand in hand, you pause to stand in front of him. He easily towers over you and you remember how he looked when he picked you up when you touched down. He cups your face and softly kisses your lips, letting go too soon to place a chaste kiss to your forehead.

“Text me when you land.” He caresses your cheek and you nod with a small smile on your face. Your heart aches when he pulls away, his pinky lingers for a second before he lets go, but it’s filled with something new.

His eyes linger on you as you become smaller, boarding the plane and you turn around once more to find that he’s still watching you. His expression is a mix of longing and resoluteness. You wave, and he returns it with eyes full of silent promise.

As you finally step into the plane, you can’t help but wonder if this is really just the beginning of your new life.

masterlist

mini taglist: @milkteaarttime @keegansshark

[urhoneycombwitch]

U just haaaaad to go and make another eddie for me to be feral over didn’t you? I need to know everything about roommate eddie pls 🤲🏻

IM IN LOVE W HIM TOO. thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak on it bc I have an origin story for roommate!Eddie with nowhere to go… until now 😈 here’s my other blurb of him btw linking in case others wanna see!! 🫶

so in this nebulous roommates!au, I’m imagining you’re besties with Robin. Eddie is besties with Steve. and of course since Robin and Steve are Ultimate Besties (in every world. in every universe.) they plot to get their respective Others together somehow. like, you’re offbeat and fun and so is Eddie!! should work out great right?

wrong. u and Eddie just don’t hit it off. you think he’s too loud and brash and godforbid he gets more than one beer in him ‘cuz he’ll be pulling you to the dance floor or making his own and embarrassing the everloving shit out of you. and he thinks you need to loosen up and get out of your head, which he decides is his new job that he takes VERY seriously.

eventually Steve and Robin stop trying to force it and yours and Eddie’s relationship just turns into casual frenemies. (a la Harry Met Sally) like, ah yes, You Again. the best friend of my best friend’s best friend 😒 you’ll hang out casually at various house parties and bars but always with a buffer, otherwise you’ll be at each other’s necks with (mostly) playful arguments and hot debates.

and it seems CRAZY at first that you’re gonna live in the same space but holy shit rent is so expensive in the Big City where you all moved to and it mind as well be with someone you know. you’re really worried about the set up but Eddie turns out to be real responsible with monthly payments and has a general respect for shared spaces (his own room is a black hole and it baffles you that he manages to have so many successful one night stands in that hell pit but you’re never in there so who cares.) plus it helps to have a man around fr, to spook the landlord into doing his job 👹 and also to fix things! and to give you lifts to work! and share snack duty! you find a rhythm and it’s great.

the night that he falls for you tho? you’re at group karaoke 3-shots deep and pick a cheesy Beatles song just to piss him off. simpering over your shoulder while you croon into the microphone, giving him a one-man-show that you hope triggers an earworm and irritates for days to come 💖 but actually he’s gripping his beer for dear life on the nearby barstool getting hit with the sickening realization of being in love. like oh fuck, this is bad. I cannot be falling for my pal’s pal. whom I also live with. what a fucking mess.

the night you fall for him? a second date goes sideways and you have no one else to call but Eddie. he fully leaves the solo gig he was about to play because you sounded so upset over the phone (doesn’t tell u that, tho!) and he could be a total asshole about it when he picks you up on the street corner but he absolutely isn’t. chews out your date, tho, with a viciousness that both delights and scares you. makes you a proper meal at home and wraps a strong arm around you on the couch and watches your favorite romcom and laughs at all the parts you laugh at. and you’re pressed up all close, wheels spinning in ur brain, unknowingly going through the exact same thought process Eddie had about a month earlier. Oh No. He’s My Bestie. Whom I Live With. This Cannot Possibly End Well.

aaaaand that about brings us up to canon speed, thus far! you and Eddie date around and have sex in your shared apartment but NOT with each other and if sometimes you get off to the sounds he makes when he’s fucking someone else and if sometimes he gets off to the noises of you in the shower well … no one’s business 🙂‍↔️

like why are u even asking about something soooo personal. like Robin you don’t get it it’s not like that I just wanna be near him all the time. that’s normal and what friends do. no, Steve, you’re not listening, we look at each other’s nudes as buddies. sorry you don’t understand how friendships work 🙄

(Robin and Steve have to set up weekly debriefs to compare notes and make sure they’re not going fucking crazy)

[yurababy]

you are my answer— h.js (teaser)

hong jisoo x afab!reader, will be smut, part of the Don’t Listen in Secret series! can be read alone or w/ the other members’ (as of 04/15, cheol, han, & jihoon)

synopsis joshua tries, he really does try to be the calm and composed member, but his patience is just too short. when it runs out, he knows exactly where to go to cool down, or, technically, heat up.

notes fiction. this is fiction. i don’t think shua acts like this. i don’t know him. only a tiny tiny bit of my personal subconscious analysis as a fan and psychology major. i’m not s jihancheol shipper :3 that part is just for laughs ! i love shua and don’t think of him in any strange way… it’s just to build character bc this is fiction. even the parts of him thst i do think are somewhat accurate are more endearing then annoying. if u have a problem lmk. also jeonghan!! dlis!! jeonghan!! ok thanks. 800-ish wordcount. idk when this will be out i’m like 1.6k in so far...

➤ title is from “lean on me” by the one and only seventeen hiphop team.

part of the don’t listen in secret series.

taglist ♡ @zen003xx @seung-sungs @angelwonie @rubyreduji @vvsmydiamonds127 @shualicious @whyokoa @dreamhannies @313hwa @minnie-mouser22 @knucklesdeepmingi @lenireads @oolanderr @bestboysvt @misssugarlips @whereisgyu @kodzukein @i4kt @wonushuasworld  @aurumness @bibinnieposts @venusprada @ikissvernon  @listxn @starlight-nightz @svtrbi​ @bakugosbottombitch @kooklovesu @alluringlino @hiddlesdweeb

“are you serious right now?”

the voice immediately had you and dokyeom’s eyes enlarge as they made contact with one another. you had been watching seokmin respond to a few fans on weverse, the boy having been recording a cute video of himself before leaving, when a group seemed to enter the hybe hallway.

“calm down-” could be heard in the echo, but you interrupted the voice before the rest of the sentence could be heard.

“can’t use that take,” you made sure dokyeom very carefully clicked the delete button rather than the post to ensure no fans overanalyzed the mystery situation. somewhat hypocritically, you did the same thing you wished others not to do and came to a conclusion as to who one of the voices would be.

joshua was not one to display his anger.

in fact, he was noted as one of the calmest members when it came down to a hasty situation. he was the one to deal with jeonghan’s games and call junhui cute and pat vernon’s head. 

and he liked his reputation, he liked being someone that could comfort. only, you knew that even he could get stressed out sometimes, and you knew this very well.

(“it’s so fucking annoying sometimes, like, even if they know i’m the mafia, can’t they just pretend they don’t? maybe they just pick me for fun! i’m a pretty good actor!”

“shua... do you know how to play mafia?”

“i’m better now! i practice sometimes, watch.”)

(“i can’t believe he just fucking ate the cookies. those were literally my favorite fucking cookies—

“shua, you told chan he could have them, in front of me. you said ‘of course you can, channie!’”

“that doesn’t mean he’s supposed to! can you imagine if i told him he can’t eat my cookies?”)

but these were secrets kept from the members. of course, he was more than comfortable around them, but after years of having to work up this image for his idol-side, he can barely swear without following or preceding it with a soft apology through a clenched jaw.

seokmin’s phone clicked off and the two of you finally were in the presence of a seething joshua parallel to a side-by-side seungcheol and jeonghan.

that was definitely concerning.

joshua scoffed. “why should i when i have literally every reason to be upset?”

this particular trio did not often find themselves in disagreements at all, so it was more subconscious for both you and dokyeom to intervene.

once closer, you took in the situation as dokyeom started with a far too happy, “hey guys! what’s going on?” he walked directly among the trio while you kept some distance, a bit behind joshua so he wouldn’t be distracted by your presence.

jeonghan looked a bit uncomfortable, seungcheol had his lips pressed in a thin line, but joshua turned to seokmin. “i wouldn’t know, because these two go everywhere without me recently. have i even seen you guys in the dorms? is it because you two are older than me? are you dating?”

the last one made you cover your mouth with your hand for a moment, dokyeom’s eyes widening and the two oldest members furrowing their eyebrows. seungcheol shook his head and trailed towards joshua’s side. he held one shopping bag in one hand, the brand miumiu, while jeonghan held another, dior. on the way to joshua, he slipped the bag handles out of jeonghan’s fingers, gripping both before presenting them to joshua. 

it didn’t take a genius to understand the brands’ significance to joshua. his face fell slightly blank at the epiphany.

“we’re so busy around the time of your birthday, shua, that’s all. we don’t mean to leave you out, never.” he threw an arm around jisoo’s shoulder, and your gaze shifted to jeonghan’s. jeonghan made eye contact with you as if he predicted you would check on him, eyes more relaxed than before. seungcheol started walking, so jisoo starting walking. jeonghan walked a bit in front, looking back at you once. once.

“don’t think so fast. we love you, why would we do that?” cheol continued, joshua’s pursed lips curled into an upside-down smile, not meeting his eyes as much as they usually do.

you could tell there was plenty of room waiting for jisoo to respond, apologize, accept the sweet gesture for his birthday. he seemed to know this too, mumbling an apology for swearing and getting upset. seungcheol nodded and rubbed his shoulder.

you walked further away until you could only faintly make out the second eldest’s, “we wouldn’t date without you, shua-ya.”

joshua was being irrational, jumping to conclusions before even processing what was going on. a bit after you sat back down with seokmin, your phone lit up with a text notification. the expansion read, “im so pissed rn do u know what just happened wait i can tell u if u come over later,” and you pretended your giggle was in response to a funny post rather than his obliviousness. at least shua knew how to manage his anger in a way that left him content.

you didn’t mind it either, what, him fucking you relentlessly instead of actually ranting? why wouldn’t you text him with a confirmation, and why wouldn’t you rummage through your closet for lingerie?

༺♡༻

[3416]

the thing is, i wouldn't be nearly as bothered about mitch not being on the top line if it wasn't being treated as some kind of proof that he's never been good enough to play there and that it hurts the team or drags auston down when he does. i don't care about domi ultimately, he's an effective player (when he's not taking boneheaded penalties) and obviously it helps to spread out our best guys to make each line that little bit harder to play against by forcing the other team to decide how to matchup. whatever. i don't agree with keefe's choices there but i get the intent.

what i do care about is one of the best players this franchise has ever seen being treated like some kind of anchor holding the team (and auston specifically) back from achieving greatness and using domi's success with auston (BECAUSE of auston tyvm) to paint him as some selfish jealous (genuinely wtf @ this fanfiction in particular coming from an actual media guy) brat pouting over being ~demoted~ when he's never not done what has been asked of him (which is literally fucking everything) and has always been fully on board any time he's been paired with johnny!! or anyone else!! like these are all mitch's guys!!! he loves them and this team /so much/!!!! like i genuinely can't imagine the list of things he loves more than being a leaf is very long

i'm just so tired of so many (non-tumblr) fanspaces being dominated by people who have made an entire personality out of treating him like one of the worst things that's ever happened to the leafs (and, again, auston specifically) because idk they hate his dumb dad (welcome to the club weirdos!!!) and/or can't "forgive" him for his contract. even the critique of him in the playoffs is overblown in comparison to the rest of the team and the goalposts for what it means to be a ~playoff performer~ always seem to find a way to shift as needed to single him out as some kind of unique failure among the group which.. rme for all time

anyway sorry for venting lmao it's just such a bummer but WHATEVER here's to mitchell daniel marner having the best damn playoffs of his damn life!!!!!!!! go leafs go

ohhh anon. so many things i can (and will) say here, but you and i are totally on the same wavelength, lol. that's what has made this stretch so much worse imo... auston on a hot streak with two mid guys and workable chemistry (for now) all around, and we try spreading out the "offense" but actually... for the leafs... i think spreading the offense is less what we're doing w 1634 and more... shifting defensive responsibility off of our 'top' line and giving them easier matchups by putting the tougher ones with the mcmann-jt-marner line bc mitch is there now to take on some more defensive responsibility that isn't doable by players like willy/whoever else plays rw there. (which annoys me in it's own way bc it makes the 'top' line look more impressive stat wise while not even dealing with the most dangerous 'top' line on the other team, lol but.. it's still gonna require auston to be On Top of it all the time bc he's by himself defensively.. only reason it annoys me is the discourse afterward too like anyway). mitch and auston are our best all around players by quite a bit, lol, so i get WHY splitting them up works well too, but when people get mad that they're together so much... when they've proven to work better and be more dangerous year after year as a duo... i mean, peoples anger should be at the rest of the lineup that sometimes doesn't pull their own weight in that regard, lol. i get the experiment we're running rn. i'm not confident it will work, but we will see. i don't care if it does or doesn't... doesn't change the fact that ultimately, i know they want to play together the most and that hasn't changed bc of some randos that came in this year so. i genuinely think auston requests to play with mitch often after not being allowed to for a couple years, and this year he's sucking it up for the playoffs and trying something different for the sake of the team.

as for the way a lot of people treat mitch as expendable... it's so frustrating to me too... just the double standards abt him vs anyone else are insane. even tonight, seeing people lose their fucking minds over max reposting a fan's hype video without credit and assuming he made it (?? lol) and drooling all over themselves about how he "has the passion", but like... mitch had a video made last year and people were telling him to get off social media and perform better in the playoffs in the exact same spaces like. if he even comes on social media near the playoffs, it's always just hateful. honestly.... so many leaf fans don't deserve him and don't deserve to see a cup in their entire lifetimes either, lol. it makes my relationship with this team so much more complicated to have such a hate for the fanbase like that. like . this year, i just care so much less about the team as a whole too. i'm less connected to the overall results, lmao. i love the leafs and want my guys specifically to be able to win the cup in their lifetime more than anything, but i realllyyy don't care about some of these ppl on our team and i hate how the worst fans in this fanbase feel so vindicated over the dumbest ugliest shit. like i'd give anything to not have to see braindead opinions for a single day. as much as i'm rooting for them, if this isn't the year... well. we move, lol. i wouldn't die! (which is exactly why they'll prob do it this year lol) i'll feel competitive while watching the playoffs, esp vs the bruins, but like... whatever happens happens man. my men will be coming back and i hope some other ones won't, regardless of playoff results. sometimes it's even less about the player himself and more about the idiots attached.

all i literally care about this year is mitch's performance since we're going into a contract year for him. nothing he could possibly do would get people off his back but that, and somehow his points never seem to matter in the playoffs bc they're in games we're already winning ?? but yeah. the willy is our best playoff performer narrative makes me fucking laugh man........ like people will lower their standards and move their goalposts and do ANYTHING to make it seem like mitch is cancerous and the reason we keep losing and everyone else steps up when he doesn't and it's just a fucking lie. morgan is the only one with visible elevation in the playoffs imo, and . idk. maybe the way the team's structured rn and shifting players to different lines will work. maybe it won't. we won a round not doing it last year, so it's not like that's THE make or break thing and we haven't even seen this lineup play a single meaningful game in the last month fnlkdsjf or a singular playoff game so. it's all a LOT of big talk. at the end of the day.. if the leafs ever make it to the cup.. itll be 1634 passing it to each other and their names next to each other and that's all i want for them, honestly. leafs duo of all time regardless of the dumbasses the 23-24 season has emboldened.

[ambrosiagourmet]

thistle for ask meme!

Thistle :0

First impression

No joke I was convinced early on that Laios & the party were making like a huuuuge leap in assuming that Thistle was the Lunatic Magician TM like guys you can't just go accusing every random person you find in a living painting of being the manager. Alas... he was, in fact, the manager.

Impression now

He's so jester coded👍

I think Thistle is very interesting and a great foil to Marcille, which I looove. They are both magic elf(-ish) advisors, they both get caught up in wanting to help the people around them live longer, they both become dungeon lords in pursuit of that... I think Thistle's story as it is works well for the narrative and I don't necessarily think he was underutilized exactly, but it is a little hard not to want A Bit More sometimes. Even if I do think it would be hard to add that more in without sacrificing some of the pacing overall :')

Favorite moment

I was initially going to say the ending for them, because I do love it, but you know what? I've got a more interesting answer. My favorite Thistle scene is.... this:

This fundamentally changes the trajectory of the story. In trying to find someone to stop the Winged Lion, Thistle launches Marcille into becoming the next lord of the dungeon. The next victim of the Lion. If Thistle hadn't resurrected Marcille, then the plot would have played out totally differently. She wouldn't have been able to finish unsealing the book. Laios would have been on his own when the canaries came. Would they have just cleaned everything up more easily? Would it instead have become something worse? Would Laios somehow have unsealed the book and become the lore of the dungeon right away?

I dunno. But this action reshaped Marcille's life, and Laios', and so many other people's. And it was done out of a desire to keep fighting. To not give in.

Augh idk. It's good. Their connection is good.

Idea for a story

Thistle & Chimera Laios.

But not just a "Laios gets eaten by the dragon instead," I think it would be cool to explore an AU where for some handwavy magic reason, Laios gets his soul bound up w/ the dragon during Falin's resurrection, and he gets poofed into a dragon form.

There's a note somewhere that says that chimeras start popping up the more the lord of the dungeon starts to lose their hold on things, but having met Laios before might help Thistle eventually realize that something is Off about the dragon. From there... well maybe he starts to ask questions and gives Laios more freedom to actually answer, and things could continue from there as Laios gets enough humanity back to start to understand what's happening, and also Thistle takes more time to question the Lion's plans rather than just continue to act. They'd be stuck together, probably with Laios still under Thistle's control, but maybe as they figure out more of the truth, they'd actually work together? Need to rely on each other? I'd like to see how each of them would deal with that situation...

PLUS then on the flip side I think switching Falin into the group part way through the story (rather than at the start) could be really interesting. So the adventures on that side would be fun too.

Unpopular opinion

umm idk. Is Thistle widely regarded as a Marcille foil? Because if not then why. They are so inchresting. funky little mages.

Favorite relationship

Hmmm okay so like obviously Thistle & Marcille, but also as seen in my story idea I want to explore more of Thistle & Laios bc their interactions were fun, soo... I'll just say the Dungeon Lord quartet as a whole. I like when people draw art of them all together. Let them bond through shared trauma. And also all of them have tried to kill at least one other person there at some point. It's great. They should go on brunch dates.

Favorite headcanon

This post about Thistle's goal to eat a meal with Delgal fundamentally rewired my brain

[keru0]

Stolen Snacks

Hopefully you guys like the first fic I’ve written in months! Its a Modern!AU where Itto is a school teacher and Gorou likes playing D&D with his friends.

Fandom: Genshin Impact

Ships/Pairings: Lee!Gorou, Ler!Itto (romantic)

Contains: Talks of eating behavior, SFW, Fluff

Word Count: 2075

=============================================================

Gorou was hungry.

Very hungry. 

He has spent almost the entire day with Kokomi, helping her design her new D&D campaign that she was making for their friend group of the Kamisatos, Thoma, Kujou Sara, and Yoimiya. However, in helping her make the campaign…he may have forgotten to eat, which he realized by a pointed grumble of his stomach as soon as he opened the door to his apartment, shared with his boyfriend, Itto.

Grumble

“Oh…” Gorou said aloud at the realization of his self-neglect. With it only being around 3 in the afternoon, he didn't want to eat a whole meal, knowing that he and Itto would enjoy dinner together later. Toeing off his shoes and putting his jacket on the coat rack, he walked to the kitchen and, opening every cabinet imaginable and finding nothing, he thought to himself, ‘There has to be something…’ 

Gorou always tried to make it a habit to have something available to eat in the apartment, but sometimes both he and Itto just got too busy, and their grocery shopping, or lack-thereof, caught up with them. 

His stomach growled again when, from the corner of his eye, he spotted Itto’s snack cakes, sitting on top of the refrigerator.

Walking towards the box of sweet treats, Gorou’s tail wagged and his ears flicked happily until they both stopped as soon as he looked inside the box, seeing that there was only one left. “...I’m sure he wouldn't mind…right?” He thought out loud. “Nah, he would let me have it…”

And with that thought, Gorou reached into the box, grabbed the plastic-wrapped package of cakes, threw out the box in the recycling, not the trash, and walked over to the couch to unwrap and enjoy his first meal food of the day.

*   *   *

At 3:30 p.m., Itto came walking through the door, carefully hanging his jacket on the coat rack and slipping out of his dress shoes, he walked over to the couch where Gorou sat. Seeing his boyfriend, Gorou’s tail started immediately wagging, and he asked, “How was work, Itto?” his head tilting to the side with a smile on his face.

“Ah, it was fine. We had a field trip to the local Inazuman museum and I had to try and keep all of the kids together.” With a frown, he softly whispered, “I almost lost one of them…” Itto was a teacher. He decided, ‘Well, I love being around kids so much and making them happy, that’s gotta be the job for me!’ not realizing that having a classroom of upwards of 30 kids is like trying to tame 30 cats. They do what they want and only listen when they know you’re watching.

Hearing about his missing-child scare, Gorou could only laugh in response, thinking about how funny it would have been watching his precious boyfriend scramble around a museum to try and find a 10 year old. 

“Pfft…hahahaha!”

“W-what?! It wasnt funny, Gorou! A kid could have gone missing!”

“Hehehe..r-right…” Gorou tried to hold in his laughter. “Ahand where were they…?”

Itto pouted and looked away. “In the group…I miss-counted…”

At that, Gorou just couldn't hold in his laughter. “Ahahaha! Y-you cohouldn’t count 30 kids! How did you even gehet your degrehehe~!” Gorou teased, now doubling over on the couch in laughter.

Itto pouted and blushed in embarrassment at the comment. “W-whatever! They were all moving around! I’d like to see you try and count 30 moving objects!”

With his laughing fit settling down, Gorou decided that maybe he should apologize just a little. “I’m sorry, babe, I know you can count, I’m just teasing~”

With his blush going away, Itto turned around and headed for the kitchen, wanting to get a snack before their dinner date in a few hours. “Yeah yeah, whatever. I need a snack. I managed to make a reservation as Uyuu restaurant by the way~ I know you love their cak-” 

Itto cut his words short at the discovery of his missing snack cakes. ‘I left them here…’ he thought, looking on top of the fridge. “Gorou…did you eat my last snack cake?” He yelled to Gorou in the living room.

Hearing his words, Gorou’s hairs stood up and he froze in place. Not wanting to get caught, he replied, shouting to his boyfriend. “N-no…you must have eaten it!” Right after he said this, a glimmer caught his eye on the coffee table. ‘The wrapper!’ he thought to himself. Gorou went to quickly swipe the wrapper away so that Itto wouldn’t notice, but his luck was caught short, as Itto walked in as soon as he grabbed it. 

Looking up at his boyfriend, he shyly smiled. “Ehe…h-hi Itto…”

“Hi pup…” Itto replied, smirking to himself. “Watchu got there~?”

“N-nothing…” Gorou replied, a nervous smile still on his face. “Did you decide to hold out until dinner…?” He asked, noting that no snacks had made their way into his boyfriend's clutches.

“Yeah, I can eat more at the restaurant…wanna open your hand, puppy~?” Itto questioned, walking closer to where Gorou sat, cornering him on the sofa.

“N-not really…” Gorou replied, his smile straining as Itto cornered him.

“Well I wanna see!” Itto said as he lunged for Gorou. Gorou squeaked has he rolled onto his stomach, hiding his hand beneath him.

“Oh I don’t think so, puppy~” Itto teased as he straddled Gorou’s hips as ehe hid his hands from him. “Show me!”

“N-noho!” Gorou squeaked, giddiness overtaking him.

“Oh~?” Itto smirked, leaning over his boyfriend to whisper into his ear. “Well I think I can make you show me, pup~” He teased has he softly blew against his dog-boyfriend’s ear while also sliding one of his nails up his side. 

Gorou’s eyes widened before they quickly closed shut as he squeaked and squirmed at the ticklish feelings, a smile growing on his face. “N-nohoho!”

“Yehehes~!” Itto teased, giggling softly as he traced Gorou’s soft sides with his fingernails, slowly dragging them over his shirt up to his ribs and back down. “Come on, pup~ All you gotta do is show me what's in those paws of yours~!” He punctuated his statement with a soft nibble to Gorou’s ear, his ear trying to twitch away.

“Nohohoho! Nohohohot the ehehears! Ihihihitto!” His giggling quickly became laughter as Itto added in “nom-nom” sound effects to his nibbling. He would never admit it, but his tail was also wagging back and forth at the speed of light.

“Ohohohokay! Ohohohokay I’ll show yohohou! Stahahahap!”

Itto quickly stopped his ticklish attack on his boyfriend and leaned back, letting Gorou roll over onto his back as he shamefully looked away and slowly opened his hand. There, staring back at Itto, is what remained of his last snack cake. “Hah! You did eat it!”

“Y-yes, but- W-wait! Nohoho!” Gorou tried to explain himself but was cut short when Itto quickly resumed his tickling.

“I think you deserved to be punished for that, pup. Don’t ya think~?” Itto teased as he quickly began scribbling over Gorou’s tummy with all 10 of his nails. “Tickle tickle tickle~ Who’s a ticklish pup~”

“Ihihitto! C’mohohohon! Knohohock it ohohoff!” Gorou’s laughter doubled as Itto’s sharpened nails found their way under his shirt and to his soft belly, where they quickly discovered his navel, his pointer finger quickly dipping into it and scribbling around the soft skin.

“NOHoHOhO! IHiHIhItTO! LeHEhEhET eE EXpLAHaHahAIn!” Gorou laughed, his face scrunched up as tears of mirth threatened to fall.

Itto smirked and slowed his nails down to a slow and light scratching as he waited for his boyfriend’s explanation. “Okay, go on.”

“Ihi hadn’t eheaten all dahahy, soho when I gohot back thahats the fihihirst thing I fohound and I ahate it! Ihi didn’t thihink you’d be upsehet!”

Itto frowned as his tickling came to a halt. “What? You think I’m mad? I was just teasing you pup.” He scrithced his nails along Gorou’s soft sides, eliciting soft giggles. “But I can ignore that part for now. You hadn’t eaten all day?! Gorou it was 3 p.m. when you texted me that you were home!”

“I’m sorry! Time had just gotten away from me! I was so focused on helping Kokomi with her new campaign that the time just flew by…” 

“Gorou, you know as well as I do that Kokomi neglects her own health too, and that Sara has to basically spoon feed her so she doesn’t starve.” Itto frowned at Gorou, whose ears were folded back in shame. Noticing, Itto quickly went to comfort him. “Hey, its alright. But you need to start taking better care of yourself, baby.” Suddenly, a thought occurred to him, a smirk growing on his face. “Actually, I think I need to teach you to take better care of yourself~” He said as he slid his hands higher into Gorou’s shirt and started poking at his ribs.

“N-noho! Nohohot agahahain!” Gorou laughed, his head thrown back as he laughed freely.

“Mhm. I need to teach you a very important lesson in self-care.” Itto smiled, as he dragged his nails over his boyfriend’s ribs, fluttered them down his sides, and scribbled over his tummy.

“NAHAHAHAHA IHIHIHTTO! STAHAHAHAP YOHOU STUPID OHOHONI!” Gorou laughed as his hands locked around Itto’s arms, not doing anything to stop him as his tail happily wagged back and forth between his legs, brushing up against Itto’s back.

“Nah, I don’t think I will~” Itto teased when he suddenly felt the feeling of a tail brushing against his back. “Ohoho? You enjoying thihis, pup~? Thahat kinda tickles, buhut not as much ahas this~” Itto quickly raised Gorou’s shirt with one hand as he leaned down and began nibbling against the soft skin of his boyfriend’s tummy and sides, making sure to add in those “nom-nom” sound effects for extra effect. “Nom nom nom nom. Your laugh is so cute, Gorou~” He teased.

“NAHAHAHA CMOHOHON! PLEHEHEHEASE NOHOT THAHAHAT! BAHAHABE!” Gorou shreiked as his boyfriend nibbled his sensitive middle, the maddening sensations causing him to go ballistic. His reactions were made worse, however, when Itto decided to release some powerful raspberries on his belly.

Gorou bucked his hips as the burst of air passed through Itto’s lips and onto his stomach, the man yelling out in surprise. “NAHAHAHA AHAHAHAH IHIHIHI- STAHAHAHA- NOHOHOHOHO!” Gorou’s eyes pressed closed as ticklish tears started to travel down his cheeks.

“Just one more thing, puppy~” Itto smiled as he grabbed Gorou’s hips and started massaging his thumbs into the sensitive skin as he positioned his mouth right over his belly button and let loose, blowing raspberry after raspberry onto the ticklish spot. Gorou’s laughter turned silent as more tears streamed down his cheeks and his tail swished back and forth quickly, his hips bucking as the maddeningly ticklish sensations overtook his brain. For Gorou, it seemed like an eternity, but Itto really only did it for a few seconds, and as soon as it started, it stopped. Gorou was left a panting mess, a bright red blush covering his face as he brought his arms up to wipe his tears, cover his face, and groan.

“Sorry…” Itto said. “I didn’t do too much, did I?” HE smiled nervously has he laid down on top of Gorou and carded his fingers through his hair, gently scratching at his ears.

Gorou’s tail wagged and his ears twitched as Itto’s nails gently scratched his ears and scalp, left-over giggles falling out as he spoke. “N-nohoho. Ihihim fihine.” He said, circling his arms around his boyfriend in a hug so they could cuddle.

Itto happily kissed his cheek. “Good. But we really need to talk about you not eating, Gorou. I don’t want you to stop looking after yourself, baby.” He said, worried.

“I-I know… I’ll try to not let it happen as often. I’m sorry.” Gorou closed his eyes, relaxing into his boyfriend’s touches.

“Good. It’s fine, Gorou. You can eat all of the strawberry cake you want when we go to Uyuu Restaurant.” Itto closed his eyes and rested his head on Gorou’s shoulder, nuzzling into his neck.

“Thanks, Itto.”

“Of course, pup.”

“...”

“...”

“...Itto you’re really heavy. Can we switch?”

“But I’m comfy.”

”Fine.”

With contented sighs, the two fell asleep, waking up a few hours later and just narrowly avoiding missing their planned dinner-date.

ADKGFADJADSKFJ this took me 2 hours to plan and write but I LOVE IT! I think it turned out great! Let me know what yall think!

[neechees]

Hi! Before I ask my question, I just want to say that your art is awesome! I especially love the common windmill butterfly OC you came up with. They're so cool! Did you ever decide on a name for them? I just realized that's also a question woops lol that wasn't the main question I wanted to ask. I was curious if you've ever seen the 1999 film Ravenous, and if so, what are your thoughts on it? It's a film that not so subtly almost blatantly denounces the u.s, colonization, and european christianity by comparing it to cannibalism. However, they also incorporate something that I don't think I should spell out cuz I've heard it would be disrespectful of me as a white person to mention the word so I'll just say that it starts with a "W" when written out in english. I wanted to know if, even in a context in which colonization is outright reprimanded, if it's still unintentionally engaging in oppression by adding that specific cultural element into the movie at all. I've been trying to find any indigenous film critics's thoughts on the subject but google and tumblr's search functions are total garbage and I've also been making a point not to write the W word into any search engines cuz as I said earlier I've been told that that's not a good thing to do. But obviously, you don't have to answer any of my questions if you don't want to. I just know you sometimes do art analysis, so I figured you might be interested in giving your thoughts on the subject. Anywho, I hope you're doing well! 🧡

For the first part of your question, tysm, and I'm so glad you like my art!! <33 I actually never named any of the fancy shawl dancers, they're less like fully fledged OC's and more like just a human representation of what a fancy shawl regalia might look like inspired by the moth and butterfly species given. many dancers might have a regalia that represents something or have common motifs/themes surrounding that thing, sometimes very personal, and sometimes just because they like that thing or think it's pretty, and seeing butterflies on fancy shawl regalia is very common, which is partially what inspired me to do the series. I'd love to see if any other people had come up with names for them though!

and as for you main question, no I have never watched that movie, and I don't think I will specifically because it includes that. I also don't know how much Native involvement there was in it. The idea of the ice cannibal representing greed comes from traditional beliefs (which may vary depending on tribe, but there's quite a bit of overlap) of multiple Algonquian Nations, so that's why it pops up in media surrounding it, I don't really think it's particularly groundbreaking or anything because that was OUR beliefs. However, I know most depictions of the ice cannibal, because most are done by Moniyaws, are inaccurate. Generally most beliefs regarding the ice cannibal tend to agree that one shouldn't show it at all, except under specific circumstances and by certain people. You might get differing opinions on whether White depictions on the ice cannibal is contributing DIRECTLY to Native oppression specifically, but in the very least it's disrespectful and maybe a microagression (depends on the content, though). I wish people would STOP doing it, but for the moment I don't know that much can be done about the already released media regarding it.

But even with Native led depictions, let me give you a couple of examples: There was like this live play of a Native retelling take of Macbeth put together by a small group of people that featured the ice cannibal, and they went around various reserves showing this play, and they came to my reserve. My sister was there, and she said whenever it (the ice cannibal) came onto stage, multiple people, which included most of those in the audience, screamed and ran out of the room, only returning when the character was off stage. So that should give you an idea of how many Cree people feel about even fictional depictions of the monster lol.

As another example, there's this Native artist who's work you might have seen at some point, named Norval Morrisseau (he's almost like the Native American Michelangelo of Woodland Art, and he's described as "the Picasso of the North", that's how legendary he is), and while he's still very very famous, of course he's most well known by Native people. He did a painting of the Ice Cannibal, and it was very controversial among Natives when it was done and displayed. Many people believed he shouldn't have painted it at all. So even though the monster and his art was a bit more obscure at the time he painted it, this was still highly controversial.

So even when it's coming from a Native perspective, any representation of the ice cannibal will be controversial and subject to differing opinions, which might vary depending on their specific beliefs. If it's THIS controversial when NATIVES do it, imagine how much worse it is if it's a White depiction with bastardization (not that we necessarily want an accurate depiction, either). I can't offer a review on the film since I've never watched it and likely won't, but if another Algonquian has, feel free to share your thoughts!

[tauforged]

do you have any tips for someone who wants to get into warframe for the first time?

- don’t start with the duviri/drifter quest when given the option. it’s cool, don’t get me wrong, but it will be very confusing and you won’t revisit any of the stuff that’s touched upon until way way later in the game. start off in the origin system, the story progresses a lot more naturally from that start point. i don’t really know why they made this an option.

- you dont HAVE to buy platinum. they start you off with like 50 i think? it’s not necessary for anything aside from buying additional warframe/weapon slots. everything else is cosmetic or optional. you can get mroe plat later on by trading with other players (if you do want to buy plat for cosmetics or whatever, i recommend waiting until you get a discount as your daily login bonus. iirc they range from 25, 50, or 75% off. they’re pretty much entirely random though so don’t feel obligated to use one if you do get it and don’t need plat at the moment so it goes to waste. you’ll get another)

- even if you decide you don’t like a weapon you end up crafting, you’ll be better off if you level it up to the maximum rank (30) before selling it rather than trashing it outright, that way you won’t have to go back and get it again later on in the game in order to complete it. the more stuff you level in full, the faster you progress through mastery ranks, and some stuff is mastery rank locked so you’re gonna wanna pay attention to your progress.

- you’re gonna wanna join a clan as soon as possible. you can find some via the recruiting channel, or probably by asking around on social media, idk. i started my own (not recommended unless you’ve got a group of friends you can rally or feel like recruiting to fill out your ranks in order to actually get stuff done) so i don’t really know what the clan recruiting scene looks like. having access to a clan dojo makes life a lot easier (and can make finding people to play with less of a hassle too)

- the story itself doesn’t really pick up steam until you start the ‘natah’ quest. in between the start and there, you’ll mostly be doing a lot of running around trying to familiarize yourself with the setting and playing catch-up. don’t worry too much about all the stuff they throw at you all at once. almost all the quests are replayable through your codex if you ever want to refresh your memory, and for those that aren’t, the wiki is… usually a pretty decent source as far as summaries go. i’d take it with a grain of salt though.

- this one especially tripped my sister up so i’m gonna touch on it: you’re going to be required to do the ‘heart of deimos’ quest in order to progress past mars on the star chart. IMHO, this quest REALLY should not be mandatory so early on in the game — you aren’t going to be able to make heads or tails of anything anyone is telling you. don’t be afraid to breeze thru it w/o paying much attention and circle back around later in the game, preferably sometime after you finish the war within or at LEAST the second dream. i genuinely don’t know why they’re throwing baby tenno to the wolves on this one. just know it’ll all make sense later i prommy

- don’t worry too much about the open world areas like the orb vallis, the plains of eidolon, or the cambion drift at first. they’re very cool (and you’ll be introduced to them via their respective quests) but they can be overwhelming to new players and the difficulty spike might be frustrating, especially before you’ve unlocked a majority of the tools available to you.

- this game has been ongoing for over ten years at this point - there’s a LOT going on. take your time progressing at a comfortable pace. don’t be afraid to ask around for help if you’re stuck on something or getting frustrated trying to farm a specific part or material.

- if people try to talk down on you for being a lower mastery rank or w/e they’re literally just being an asshole. MR isn’t indicative of skill so much as it is a representation of how much gear you’ve leveled, which is basically just an indicator of how much time you’ve spent playing - a chimp smacking a keyboard can feasibly hit legendary after enough attempts. you’re fine. hell, i’ve been here since 2013 and i’m only MR 19 LMAO

- the ‘meta’ for this game is wildly subjective due to the vast customizability of builds. take everyone’s opinions with several grains of salt and don’t be afraid to experiment on your own to see what works for you

- dont read general chat. it’s not worth it. nobody in there is as funny as they think they are

- the most important part of being a tenno is having fun and being yourself :)

[bnha-littlespace-things]

hii I have a request! (cg! tsuyu regressor! bakugou)

tsuyu finds bakugou regressed and hiding in a corner,crying because of stress,she decides to help him and even if he's reluctant at first (angrily telling her to 'go away') her comforting words and calm presence finally gets him to relax

i love this idea!!

tw; crying, light angst, nightmare mention, i don't think much else, let me know what else i should add!! ---

Asui had always been like a big sister to her friends. It was kind of second nature, after having helped raise her younger siblings. Sometimes being her friends 'big sister' was a bit more literal than she ever really expected.

She was trying to find Bakugou, as he was late to a study session that the class had organized. It was very unlike him, and Asui was worried. She wasn't the only one, but she was the first to volunteer to check on him. He could've just been asleep, or lost track of time studying on his own.

Asui approached the blonde's door, and was surprised and a little concerned when she heard quiet sniffles coming from inside the room. She checked the door handle, even more surprised to find it unlocked. Still, she knocked before entering, announcing herself. "Bakugou? May I come in, ribbit?" she asked.

The sniffling stopped all at once. It was quiet for a moment before she heard him say, "No! Go 'way! I w-wanna be alone right now!"

"You sound upset, Bakugou," Asui responded. "Is there anything you want me to get you? Some tea or something?"

"No! Go 'way! I don' want anythin', jus' to be alone!" Bakugou's voice cracked and it sounded like he sobbed a little. Asui slowly opened to door, just enough to peak her head in.

"Are you sure, ribbit?" She asked. Bakugou looked incredibly distraught. He had tears running down his face and had curled himself into a ball, sitting against the headboard of his bed. He shook slightly, as quiet sobs racked his body.

"Yeah! Go 'way!" Bakugou insisted.

"I'll go away if you really want me to, but something that always helps me feel better is talking about what's bothering me. Do you want talk?"

Bakugou hesitated before he answered that time, and Asui assumed that he was about to tell her to go away again, so she prepared to leave.

"I had a ni'mare..." Bakugou mumbled, curling up on himself more.

"A nightmare?" Asui asked, carefully opening the door a little wider so she could enter a little bit. She didn't want to fully invade his space, he might just get mad or feel trapped with her.

Bakugou nodded. "Is stupid... Should be o'er it by now..."

"Nightmares can be really scary, you're allowed to be upset by them," she reassured him. "I get upset by my nightmares all the time."

"But I'm no' supposed to be so- so- weak!" Bakugou sobbed. "I don' cry at dumb dreams!"

"Crying when you're scared doesn't make you weak, Bakugou. Everyone cries sometimes."

"Bi' boys don' cry..." Bakugou mumbled. "All Mi' doesn' cry..."

"Just because we don't see All Might cry a lot doesn't mean he doesn't cry at all, ribbit. And big boys are allowed to cry as much as they want. Crying helps a lot of people feel better." She smiled a bit. "You wanna know a secret, Bakugou?" Bakugou looked up at her, and wiped his eyes with his fist. His eyes were red and puffy, but he seemed to have calmed down a little.

"I like sec'ets..."

"I saw All Might cry once," she said. "Todoroki accidentally called him 'dad' and he started balling."

Bakugou laughed a little. "Tha's a stupid reason to cry."

Asui nodded. "It was kinda silly. So if All Might cries over silly reasons, why shouldn't you be allowed to cry over something scary?"

Bakugou sniffed a little bit. "Makes sense I guess.. T'ank you Tsu! You're really smart."

"Thank you Bakugou. That's very kind of you to say, ribbit." Asui positioned herself to leave. "I'm going to head down to the study group, do you wanna come with?"

Bakugou frowned. "No, you stay."

"Hm? How come?"

"Jus' until I'm big 'gain... Don' wanna go down small."

"Okay. Do you wanna play a game in the mean time, ribbit?" Asui fully entered his room and closed his door lightly. Bakugou lit up at the suggestion.

[crystalninjaphoenix]

Coming Home

Switch AU

A JSE Fanfic

I was planning on having a short, not-very-busy chapter after the action of last time. That did not end up happening. Sometimes ideas just get away from you, y'know? Anyway, onto the summary. The group meets up again after the IRIS infiltration to talk about what to do next. Jackie tries to process everything that he's just learned and get used to being home again, but he's having difficulty. And onto the story now :) Enjoy :)

More of This AU | | First Chapter | Previous Chapter

“Oh my god.” Jackie covered his mouth in horror. “I-I had no idea. I was—I was trying to find some way to protect against Distorter, but all this time—IRIS—th-they had—He was—I can’t believe—Anti—”

“Calm down, Jackieboy,” Rama said from the driver’s seat. “Remember how to breathe.”

Jackie pressed a hand to his chest, feeling his heart beating a mile a minute beneath his ribs. “I’m breathing. I’m just—w-we have to—I mean, can I see Anti? We need to go see him. As soon as possible—”

“Not as soon as possible,” Schneep interrupted. “I know you are worried about him. But I do not want to go straight to the hospital right after breaking into IRIS. They could be following us. Tracking us, somehow.”

I don’t think they’re following us, at least, Jameson signed. His movements were slow, tired, but his eyes still glowed that bright blue that showed he was using his magic. I’m trying to detect their strange signature, and I can’t feel anything.

“They could still be tracking us,” Schneep muttered. “We cannot go straight to Anti. I don’t want to lead them to him.”

Rama sighed. “We have to talk with Marvin, Jack and Stacy about all this. I know we can just text them that the mission was a success, but now we have to think about the next steps. Jackie is right. We need to focus on Anti.”

“This does deserve an in-person meeting,” Schneep muttered.

I’ll text them, JJ offered.

“No, you wanted to take a nap, yes? Give me your phone, I will do it.”

JJ hesitated, then nodded and passed Schneep his phone.

“Okay, so, we’re going to meet up with them right away, then, right?” Jackie asked anxiously. “We’re going to talk about this right away? The Anti thing, I mean?”

“Stacy had work,” Rama muttered. “So maybe not right away, but definitely as soon as possible.” They looked in the rear-view mirror back at Schneep. “Ask them for ideas of where to meet. If IRIS is tracking us, I don’t want to lead them right to my house, or to where they are staying.”

“I-I don’t know if... if I-IRIS will track things...” Jackie trailed off. What did he know about IRIS? Nothing, apparently. He didn’t even know they’d kidnapped two of his friends.

“Jackie, what were those things you grabbed from your desk?” Schneep asked. “They looked like—like those things you put over your eyes to play VR.”

“Oh right. I did start to explain, but then we got cut off. Uh, maybe I should explain when everyone is together. That’d be easier. Do it in one.”

“Okay, okay, but do you know them inside and out?” Schneep asked. “Are you sure what is inside them?”

It took Jackie a moment to process what Schneep was asking and why he was asking it. “Oh. You mean—you mean you think that they could be tracked. We’re still talking about the tracking stuff. Um... I think I’m pretty familiar with them. But I don’t... know for sure. Maybe—maybe—But I-I think—I have an idea, maybe, that’s starting to form, but if they’re being tracked—” He groaned and leaned forward, putting his head in his hands. The seatbelt cut into his neck, but he didn’t really feel it.

“Are you okay, Jackieboy?” Rama asked quietly.

“I’m having a fucking crisis.” His voice was slightly muffled by his hands.

“Well... you and your friends are all very traumatized, by this point,” Rama said slowly. “I guess that’s to be expected.”

Jackie laughed, the sound piercing and manic. “Yeah... yeah.” He didn’t know what else to say.

———————

By the time they’d driven back to Mirygale, Stacy was off work and ready to meet up. Jack was also ready, though he didn’t really want to leave Anti alone. But he understood that this was important and so decided to trust Sam to find him if something happened. Marvin was ready to go whenever. He said that he could take the bus to wherever they were meeting.

When the tracking situation was explained, Stacy said that they could meet at a park near where her rented apartment was. When everyone else arrived, they saw that it wasn’t really a park, so much as just a fenced-in green space. It had probably been part of a church once before modern development took over, and for some reason, the yard had been allowed to stay when the church wasn’t. There was enough room in the space for a few big trees and a couple benches, but not much room for more. Rama parked on the street right outside and everyone climbed out.

The others were already there. Jackie stopped walking for a moment, seeing Marvin in the wheelchair. “O-oh,” he whispered. 

Marvin saw him first. His expression brightened. “Jackie! You’re back!” He laughed. “Come on over here! Hey, c’mere to me, how are you doin’? You look... well, you could look better.” His smile faded slightly, but still lingered.

“Jackie!” Jack got up from the bench where he was sitting and waved him over. “Come on! The rest of you! God, you all look fucking terrible.”

“Better than the first time I met you,” Stacy muttered, then winced. “I’m sorry, that was probably too much—”

Jackie laughed a bit. “No. No, you’re right, that was—you’re right.”

“Still. Sorry.” Stacy stood up too. “Here, you guys can sit, you probably need it more.”

The group settled down, Jackie and Rama sitting on one bench, Schneep and JJ sitting on another, Marvin’s chair stopped next to JJ’s bench, and Jack and Stacy standing up. “Weird doing this out here,” Jack said, looking around.

“I agree, t’is is a bit strange,” Marvin said. “But it’s better t’an IRIS goin’ to our houses.”

“Technically, don’t they already know all about where you guys live?” Stacy asked, looking at Marvin and JJ. “Because you had those cameras up for a while?”

The two of them blinked in unison. Well we’re out here now, JJ said. If we put in all the effort to get here, might as well stay here.

“Besides, we don’ want them to know for sure t’at Schneep and Jackie are connected to us,” Marvin said. “The cameras only went up after they both left. We coul’ reasonably deny t’ings the cameras overheard, but not if ye show up in our house.”

“Okay, okay, okay, can we—can we just—” Jackie swallows a lump in his throat. “I-I want to talk about Anti.”

Jack straightened slightly. “What do you know? About... what happened?”

“They filled me in on the drive here,” Jackie said. “Anti disappeared, but it turned out that IRIS had him in their facility to the north. H-he was stuck there for three days before Distorter showed up and... and took him instead. Schneep said that—that IRIS might have isolated Anti intentionally, to get something to happen with Distorter.”

“What?!” Marvin gasped. “Schneep, you never said anyt’ing like t’at before!”

Schneep looked down. “I... am not sure if it’s true. But it feels like something they would do.” 

I was just as shocked when he brought it up on the drive, JJ said.

“But it makes sense,” Schneep said, raising his head again. “They have an interest in Distorter. Perhaps they wanted to see if they could trigger an appearance by him.”

“I-I-I guess I can see that,” Jackie said. IRIS had been proud of how much they tested their hypotheses and inventions before putting them out on the market. It had... reassured him. But if they were doing that same sort of testing with people and supernatural creatures... He shuddered. “A-anyway, something did happen. Distorter showed up and took Anti out of there. And ever since... Anti’s been under his control. Y-you said... he’s at the hospital? Because... of the blood loss... and stuff.”

“Unfortunately, it’s also a place where... they can make sure he doesn’t do anything,” Jack said slowly. “Distorter is still controlling him. H-he tries to attack the nurses sometimes but can’t, since he’s... anyway, yes. He’s at the hospital.”

Jackie went quiet. “The first time I ever met him was in a hospital...” He whispers. “That same one, too, from what you’ve said.” He laughed a little. “I don’t think he likes them. Maybe it reminds him too much of what happened to land him there the first time.”

“Huh?” Marvin blinked, confused. “I know you’ve mentioned meetin’ Anti in the hospital before, but—what?”

Jackie and Schneep exchanged a look. Then Schneep shook his head. “It is not our place to say,” he said. “Besides, Anti never fully explained it. I only know about the injury because Jackie told me about it.”

“And Anti never said what happened to cause that,” Jackie added. Though he had started to form a suspicion in recent months... “I-In any case, my point is he’d probably hate that he’s there if he was conscious enough to know where he was. But he’s not. B-because Distorter is definitely doing all sorts of terrible—of horrible fucking things to his mind. We have to get him out of there now!”

“Calm down, man,” Jack said evenly. “Panic isn’t going to help Anti.”

Jackie nodded. He blinked, pushing back the tears threatening to rise to the surface. “I’m calm.”

“You... said you had an idea?” Rama prompted. “In the car, remember?”

“Y-yeah.” Jackie reached into his pocket—he was still wearing this coat, he should probably take it off, maybe burn it—and pulled out the headsets. “We can use these somehow.”

Stacy leaned forward. “Um... what the hell are they?”

“Right, right. So...” Jackie bit his lip, thinking. “There’s this trope in old scifi stories where you can watch people’s memories or dreams on a screen, and their minds are all visualized and everything despite how, in real life, thinking is really abstract. These are kind of similar. MR Headsets, they’re called. ‘Mental Reality’ Headsets.”

JJ’s eyes widened. He grinned excitedly. You mean... we can look at someone’s thoughts with those?

“Basically. One person wears this white one, and someone else puts on the black one. The one wearing the black Headset can experience whatever the person in the white Headset is thinking. Or... remembering, or dreaming. Whatever’s in their head. I-I was thinking that... that maybe if we put this white Headset on Anti, and someone else wears the black one, maybe they... maybe they’ll be able to... reach him?”

Jack nodded. “That could work. Sam says that Anti is ‘deep down’ and they’re having trouble reaching him. Maybe if someone could like... go into his head and pull him closer to the, uh, ‘shallow’ parts, then Sam can burn away the rest of Distorter’s powers.”

“But Distorter will try to interfere,” Schneep said.

“That’s where I come in, right?” Stacy asked. “We know that he’ll be distracted by me being there.”

“We’ll need more than jus’ t’at, I think,” Marvin said slowly. “We’ll need to keep him distracted for a long bit of time t’ere. Someone else will have to be t’ere to help wit’ the distraction.”

Schneep stiffened slightly, then nodded. “I can... I can do that. His tricks and hallucinations do not work on me anymore.”

They don’t?! JJ said, surprised.

“How do you know t’at?” Marvin asked.

“...ah.” Schneep cleared his throat. “Distorter tried to pay me a visit. But nothing happened when he tried to make me see things, and I could see him even when he tried to disappear from my mind. I think... that is also... because of IRIS.”

Jackie burst into laughter.

“What the—Jackie?!” Jack looked at him, shocked.

“Jackie...?” Schneep whispered.

Marvin and JJ just stared, concerned.

“I-i-it’s not funny!” Jackie said, still laughing beside himself. “It’s not funny! But—but it is funny! I’ve been—been—The whole reason I was there was to find a way to block out Distorter’s tricks! I wanted to—I-I wanted to—and they said they could do it! They said they had a prototype, b-but that it had to be in your head, a-and I didn’t want that—But they knew the prototype would work! They knew because they tested it, didn’t they?! I didn’t ask! I-I didn’t ask, and even if I did, they wouldn’t say that they know it works because they fucked with my friend’s head, would they? Would they?!”

“Jackieboy,” Rama said in a soft voice. They put one arm around his shoulder. “Take a moment. It’s not your fault, okay?”

Schneep, looking shaken, nonetheless nodded. “I-I do not think you could’ve done anything even if you knew. Things would just become bad for you, too.”

Jackie swallowed a lump in his throat. “I-it’s just—it’s funny, you know? The whole t-time, what I was looking for was—was being used against—” He laughed again.

“It’s not your fault,” Rama said, more firmly. “Say it, Jackie.”

“It’s... it’s not my fault.”

“Good.” They nodded sharply. “Now... do you need a moment?”

“Or... anyt’ing else?” Marvin added. “Not much we can get for you while out in t’is yard, but still.”

“I’m good. I’m good. I promise.” Jackie took a deep breath and sat up straight. “Okay. So... that’s two people doing that. Should... more people come?”

You definitely should, Jackie, JJ said. I’m assuming you know how to operate these devices.

“The MR Headsets. Yeah, I’m familiar. But I’ve never... actually used them. There’s this practice simulation you can do on the computer with a regular VR headset, I-I did that a couple times when I first got these, but... never used the real thing.”

Still, that’s more than any of us have, JJ pointed out. I’ll go, too. If Distorter suddenly stops being distracted, I can protect you. I’m assuming that you won’t be able to do much while using ‘MR’.

“You’re right,” Jackie admitted. “I’ll basically be asleep, I-I’ll need someone to watch me. If something goes wrong, there’s a button you can press to wake me up immediately... theoretically. Again, I’ve never used them.”

“Well, if ev’ryone else is joinin’ in on the plan, I’ll be joinin’, too,” Marvin said. “Least I can do after I missed the action today.”

We offered to let you come, JJ said.

“Yes, but I wanted to... The point is, I can help, even if I’m stuck wit’ t’is.” He patted the arm of the wheelchair.

“I’d rather stay at home and keep the kids safe,” Rama said. “If that’s okay.”

“It is fine, Rama,” Schneep said quietly. “We are happy that the kids are in your good hands.”

“That’s settled, then,” Jackie said. “When’s the next bus? We can’t all fit in the car.”

“Whoa, whoa, wait a moment.” Jack raised his hands. “We’re not doing this now, are we?”

“Why not?” Jackie asked.

“Um... because you all look terrible?” Jack pointed out. “You haven’t said what happened at IRIS, but it’s clear that it was... difficult, in some way. Physical, emotional, I don’t know.”

JJ nodded slowly. That’s true. I used all my magic. I’m running on fumes right now. I need a day or two to recover.

“But—but Anti—” Jackie stammered.

“I... hate to say t’is,” Marvin said slowly. “But Anti has lasted t’is long. We know Distorter isn’ going t’kill him. I don’ want to leave him to suffer in his hands, but... but if we’re going t’get him out of t’ere, we need to be in top shape for it.”

Schneep sighed. “It is true. There may be a fight against Distorter, and he is a tough opponent even without his mental powers. He does not feel pain, and so he does not stay down. I think that even if his body breaks, he will keep going, and to fight such a power we need to be fully prepared.”

Jackie glanced around, eyes darting to each of their faces. “O... okay,” he said quietly. “When are we going to try this, then? Tomorrow?”

“How about the day after?” Jack suggested. “To make sure everyone has a full rest. We can go to the hospital as soon as visiting hours start.”

“When’s that?” Jackie asked.

You don’t know? You worked there. JJ raised an eyebrow.

“I don’t remember off the top of my head,” Jackie mumbled.

“They start at nine,” Jack said. “So if that’s okay with everyone?”

Everyone agreed that they could meet at the hospital at nine the day after tomorrow. “How long do you think this will take?” Stacy asked. “What if they kick us out before we can fix things?”

Surely it won’t take the whole four hours for visitors, JJ said.

“Our real time limit is how long we can keep Distorter distracted,” Schneep pointed out. “He will eventually turn his attention back to Anti.”

Jackie swallowed a lump in his throat. “I-I can reach Anti quickly. I’m sure I can.”

“Alright.” Rama nodded. “I suppose... we all go home now, then. And keep in contact. JJ, do you want to drive your car back? I can take the bus.”

JJ nodded. I have enough energy to drive. Thank you for driving all the way out of the city and back. He turned to Marvin. I’m guessing you want a ride?

Marvin laughed. “O’course I do! Volt, what abou’ you? Need a lift somewhere?”

Schneep hesitated. “Drop me off at the park where you picked me up. If you could. Please.”

I can do that, JJ agreed. Jack? Stacy? Jackie?

“I can just walk back,” Stacy said.

“And I’m fine with the bus, too,” Jack said.

Jackie paused, unsure. “Um... Volt isn’t staying in his flat, so... I can’t hitch a ride with him. I guess—”

“Actually, um, Jackieboy, I want to talk to you about something,” Rama said. “We can... talk on the bus. If you want.”

“Oh, um... y-yeah.” Jackie tried to hide the way his stomach dropped. When your spouse says they want to talk about something in that tone... “Yeah, I can... take the same bus as you.”

Jack looked between the two of them. “Well, I need a different bus, so you two will be on your own,” he said.

“How do you know what bus we’ll be taking?” Jackie muttered.

“I’ve gotten familiar enough with the system. But there’s only one stop nearby, so want to walk with me there?”

Jackie glanced at Rama. They nodded, and so he nodded too.

“We will keep in contact,” Schneep said. “Jackie, you still have your cell phone, yes?”

“Yes,” he said quietly. “I don’t... know if I’ll get your messages...”

In response, JJ took out his phone and typed something out. Jackie’s phone soon vibrated, and he took it out of his pocket to see JJ’s message on the screen, a simple Test written in the text.

Jackie laughed nervously. “I guess it will, then.”

“We’ll see you later, t’en, Jackie,” Marvin said. “Or you can stop by whenever you want, if you want to stop by beforehand. Or call, o’course. Call when you want. If you want. I-it’s good to see you again, it’ll be grand to see you some more.” JJ nodded along, agreeing with Marvin’s rambling.

“See you,” Jackie said. “All of you.”

And with that, the group parted ways.

———————

The bus was empty except for Jackie and Rama. And the bus driver, of course, but the two of them sat in the back so the driver didn’t really count. Jack had waved them off at the stop and kept waiting for his bus to come. The two of them climbed on, with Rama paying the fare for both of them, and took their seats.

Jackie stared out the window. Why did the city feel so strange? This was the place he’d lived all his life. Nothing much had changed in the time he’d been gone. And yet, it was like he hadn’t seen these buildings for a long, long, time. Maybe he’d never seen them at all.

“Jackie.”

He flinched a bit, then looked back at Rama. “Yeah?”

“Where...” Rama paused, taking a breath. “Where are you going to stay? Are you going back to Henrik’s apartment?”

“I... yeah, I th-thought I would...” Jackie trailed off. “You... don’t want me to?”

“I... don’t want you to... do anything that would hurt you,” Rama said carefully. “But... but I’ve been so worried about you. It feels like I haven’t stopped being worried about you ever since that first time you disappeared. If you go back to that apartment, you’ll be alone. Schneep isn’t staying there right now. He’s too worried about IRIS. If something happens, I... I don’t know. And also, I... I’ve really missed you, Jackie. Michelle has missed you, too.”

“I missed you too,” Jackie whispered. “Both of you. But...”

Rama waited for him to continue, but he didn’t. The bus jolted along down the city streets. They sighed. “I know that it’s not your fault, this way you feel,” they said. “I know that it’s just... how you’re reacting to everything that Distorter creature put you through. But... sometimes... I feel like you’re avoiding me. Or Michelle. Like you don’t want to live with us anymore. Like I’ve done something wrong as your partner.”

Jackie let out a quiet whimper. “I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “I-I never wanted—never intended—It’s not you. I-it’s not Michelle, either. I-I know she’s probably really confused, wondering why she hasn’t seen her dad in the house. I’ve tried to make it clear that it’s not her fault. I don’t... want to avoid you. I still love you, and I still want to live with you, but... god. Fucking damn it.”

“God fucking damn it?” Rama repeated, laughing a little.

“Don’t.”

They immediately stopped laughing. “Sorry.”

Jackie stared straight ahead, not looking towards them, not looking away from them. “I... I hate that I feel this way. It’s my house. I-I should feel safe there, but I just don’t. Everything about it reminds me of—of that place. It’s—it fucking sucks. Sometimes I wonder if Distorter planned that, if he knew that—that by using common things in houses to—to—I-if he knew that I would start seeing regular household items as a threat, and if he knew that would affect how I felt in regular houses. Schneep’s flat was good because it was open plan, the setup was so different that I knew I wasn’t there whenever I looked around. Even staying with IRIS was good, the quarters they gave me were also open like that. But... a house would just be...” He shook his head. “I hate it. I hate it so much that I’m like this now.”

“I’m... sorry,” Rama said quietly. They also looked straight ahead. “I didn’t want to pressure you.”

Jackie took a deep breath. “No, I know. I-I like that you’ve said this. It’s better to know how you’re feeling. Maybe... maybe it’s more of a mental block. Maybe... if I could try... j-just for a night, maybe.”

“You... want to come home?” Rama tried to sound neutral, but they couldn’t disguise the hope in their voice.

“Just for a night,” Jackie repeated. “To test it out. I-I might not—you have to know I might not—”

“No, no, I know.” Rama leaned closer to him, then put an arm around his shoulder when he didn’t push them away. “We’ll see how you react. If I remember, you were... you were working on that in therapy. Maybe you’ve made progress.”

Jackie laughed. “I-I think the progress I made got reversed when I panicked and skipped town.”

Rama paused. “What... exactly happened, then?”

Jackie was quiet for a moment. He wondered if he should tell them. But, well, if he couldn’t tell Rama, who could he tell? “I was looking for some way to protect against Distorter,” he started. “Looking for a while. Everything he was doing was just... really getting to me. So I started looking, and that’s when I heard of IRIS. After doing some research, I realized they had a branch just out of town. I-I wasn’t planning on going there, though. I was just keeping them as an option. Then... Marvin disappeared. Distorter got to him, even though he shouldn’t have been able to, even though JJ warded their house. That became the incident where he broke his leg that Schneep and JJ talked about in the car.”

Rama nodded, following along but not saying anything.

“Something about that just... just got to me. I-it was like all our work came crashing down, like it all seemed useless. A-and they were talking about going into that place like it was so easy, wh-when they didn’t know what it was like—They know now, but... Everything just... snapped in that moment. It was so much. I took our car—S-sorry about that, by the way—”

“It’s fine, it’s fine. This isn’t the time.”

Jackie nodded. “I drove out of town for a while. I didn’t really know where I was going, just that I was going far from Distorter and that place. And then I regained some of my senses—not all of them, but enough to realize where I was. That I was close to this IRIS place I’d made note of earlier. I-I looked up the directions again and drove that way. They weren’t... happy to see me at first. Some guy drives straight up to their secure facility screaming about how they need to help him... I didn’t exactly make a good first impression. B-but I wouldn’t leave. I just kinda kept shouting, a-and crying, I was crying by that point, until they eventually let me in and took me to this room where they... tried to talk to me. I-I didn’t really respond, I just... I just kept begging for them to help.”

Rama inhaled sharply. “Jackie...”

“It... didn’t change... I mean, I didn’t do much else for a while,” Jackie said slowly. “Looking back on it, knowing now what they did to Anti and Schneep, I’m surprised they were so... nice? Or maybe that’s just what I’m telling myself. I-I guess I was in that room for a while. But I wasn’t really thinking about that. The whole time, I was just... thinking about Distorter. Anytime anyone showed up I just screamed for them to help me, to help my friends, to do something about this thing haunting us. Even after I lost my voice I tried to keep talking. I-I got really dehydrated. They were giving me food and water but I was crying so much that it wasn’t enough.”

“Jackie.” Rama pulled him closer to themself. He let them do it. “I’m so sorry. I’m so, so sorry.”

Jackie took a deep breath. “Eventually I calmed down. Someone showed up, this guy, and he was... really nice. He explained everything about IRIS—well, not everything, b-but he said they could help. And that I was probably really smart and knew a lot about this house they were investigating. And then he said that if I could help them with some stuff, they would help me with Distorter. And I said I would. And then things... just sort of... I just got used to it all.”

“That... Jackie, I don’t know for sure how it was, but... that sounds manipulative as all hell,” Rama said. “You were in a terrible spot, and they took advantage of that.”

“Maybe,” Jackie said quietly.

“Maybe?!” Rama repeated indignantly.

Jackie laughed a bit. “Th-thanks for feeling all defensive about it. I... I appreciate that.”

“This is something to get defensive over,” Rama muttered darkly. “You’re my husband. I’m going to be defensive when a shady company takes advantage of your terrible mental state to—to make you work for them? Am I understanding that correctly?”

“Yeah. I didn’t mind, though. It was kind of cool sometimes.” Jackie paused. “I don’t want to talk about IRIS for now, though. Um... how’s Michelle been?”

“She’s good. Grades are slipping a bit, but that’s understandable, given everything that’s happened in the past year. I’m just glad that the grades are the only thing affected. She hasn’t had any friend troubles or anything, and she’s still very active. She wanted to sign up for the football team but unfortunately by the time she got that idea tryouts had passed.”

Jackie smiled slightly. “She’d be great at football.” The smile faded. “Do you... think she’ll be happy to see me?”

“Of course she will, Jackieboy,” Rama said. “Of course she will.”

———————

“Dad?! Dad! DAD! YOU’RE BACK!”

Michelle was indeed happy to see Jackie. The moment he appeared in the front doorway, she ran up and tackled him in a big hug. “Whoa!” Jackie stumbled backwards a bit, barely managing to keep his balance. He couldn’t help but laugh. “Hey, Mich. You’re so big now, how did that happen so fast?”

“You’re back!” Michelle just said again, her face buried in his shirt as she squeezed him tight. “You’re back you’re back you’re back!”

“I’m back,” Jackie said, hugging her in turn. “I’m sorry I was away for so long. And that I didn’t say anything about it.”

Michelle pulled her face away. “Where did you go? Was it important?”

“Um...” How the fuck was he supposed to tell his seven-year-old that he had a mental breakdown? “It’s... hard to explain.”

“Will says there’s a bad man trying to get to you and everyone,” Michelle whispered, like she was sharing a secret. “Is that what happened?”

Jackie tried not to shiver. Even her childish way of talking about Distorter made him nervous. “No, that’s... not what happened. I’m okay. A-and you’re okay. You’re going to be okay. It’s... it’s complicated. I don’t know how to tell you about it right now, so can we talk about it later?”

Michelle stared up at him for a moment, then nodded. “Okay. D’you wanna watch Supergirl?”

Jackie laughed. “Sure. We can watch Supergirl.”

Will had been staying with Rama too, but he was mostly quiet while Michelle was eager to spend time with her dad again. The two of them spent a while watching this Supergirl cartoon she’d found and gotten really into, and then it was time for dinner and for the kids to do homework. Michelle convinced Will to watch more of the show with her while Jackie... got used to being back here. He still had clothes in the house, but all his toiletries—toothbrush and deodorant and such—were back in Schneep’s apartment, so Rama went out to buy him some more.

Everything felt... strange. Unfamiliar, and yet nostalgic at the same time. He didn’t like that he felt that way. He wanted this to feel like home, but it wasn’t. Had it felt like home at all? Or had he felt out of place ever since he escaped the house on Aspen Street?

Night eventually fell, and it was time to go to sleep.

———————

He woke in the middle of the night and found himself in a dark room. Why did he wake up? Did he hear something? Was something coming? Was someone coming? His eyes darted around, landing on the shadows in the corners.

What was this room? This was a bedroom. Which bedroom was it? Which version of the bedrooms was it? He didn’t remember. He didn’t remember. He didn’t remember.

His chest felt too tight for his heart. It was pounding against his ribs, trying to escape, making its way into his throat but that was tight too—Where was he? Was he back there? Which bedroom was this? Which version was it? Did he move him while he was asleep? When would he show up again? He can’t breathe. He can’t breathe, is that him, did he do something to his breathing?!

He reached for his throat, gasping, feeling nothing. Nothing but the collar of a hoodie. Hoodie? That’s right, he’s still wearing his hoodie. And that—that’s important because—because he didn’t have that in the house. This wasn’t the house. Unless Distorter was tricking him into thinking he’s wearing his hoodie—no! No no, this felt too real. It’s real. He wrapped his arms around himself, pulling his legs up, too. Feel how real it is. This wasn’t an illusion. This couldn’t be. The blurring of the world wasn’t in his head, it was in his eyes, his eyes that were filling with tears. This was real.

Movement. Movement behind him. His breath hitched. Why—who was—The sheets and blankets rustled, so someone was in the bed with him. Who—Was it him? No, he wouldn’t do that. He’d never done that before. For as much as he liked grabbing onto him—especially yanking on his hair—he’d never done something like that.

“Jackie?”

Jackie didn’t say anything. He didn’t know if he could, his breath was passing rapidly in and out of his mouth, not giving him room to speak. He squeezed his eyes shut. Hot tears slipped out and trailed down his face onto the pillow.

“Jackie, is everything okay?” Rama asked quietly.

That was them. That was really them, it had to be, this was real, his memories were too elaborate to be fake. But he still couldn’t answer them. He tried to calm his breathing down, tried to remember how to—how to hold it in for—how long was he supposed to hold it in?

A hand touched his shoulder. He instinctively tensed, and it quickly withdrew. “Jackieboy...” Rama said, sounding a bit unsure. “You’re... you’re safe. I promise. Nothing’s going to get to you. You’re not in that house anymore. You’re in our home.”

Right. Right. This was their home. This was supposed to be his home. Why did it feel so strange?

“Do you want me to turn on the light?”

He managed to nod his head.

More rustling, and the yellow light of their bedside lamp lit up the room. It was their room. It was his room. He was facing the windows, and there were no boards on them. The walls were a warm orange color, not the lifeless, colorless shade of all the walls in that place. The blanket and sheets were not the old, thin ones found in that place, it was the heavy comforter they brought out for the colder months. This was his room. He hadn’t realized that at first. It had been so long since he’d seen it. And wasn’t that his own fault, when he thought about it?

“Do you... do you need anything?” Rama asked. “A glass of water? Or... or I can turn on some noise, of some kind. I-I have audiobooks on my phone.”

“N-no,” he gasped out between breaths.

“Oh... Okay. Okay.”

The silence stretched for what felt like forever, but was actually only a few seconds. Jackie closed his eyes again and concentrated on breathing. Then he reached a hand back over his shoulder. It was an awkward position, but he wasn’t sure he could talk to ask what he wanted.

Luckily, Rama understood. They reached out again and put their hand on top of his shoulder. He pulled their arm over him. Rama inched closer until they were pressed up next to each other. Jackie continued to try and breathe slowly. He opened his eyes again and stared at the curtains covering their bedroom window. He’d never really liked the patterns on them, but now his eyes followed those patterns in detail. Rama was breathing slowly next to him. He tried to match his breath to theirs.

“It’s going to be okay, mi corazon,” Rama whispered.

Tears filled his eyes again. He rolled over and buried his face in their shirt. His head fit perfectly into the spot where their neck met their shoulder. They were warm. Steady. Solid. Definitely really there. He clung to them tightly, and they wrapped their arms around him in turn. “...‘m sorry...” he mumbled.

“There’s nothing to be sorry for,” Rama said.

“W-woke you up...”

“That’s not really a big issue in the scheme of it,” Rama said lightheartedly. “It’s okay.”

“...l-left you. For... so long. Michelle... a-an’ everyone...”

“Nobody blames you for that,” they whispered. “And I can promise that nobody was mad when you disappeared. Or even when we found out about IRIS. We were just worried.”

“Shouldn’... make... make you worry...” The words got caught in his throat.

“Jackieboy, I just said nobody blames you. So you shouldn’t blame yourself. You don’t deserve it.” Their voice was as steady as the rest of them.

He didn’t say anything for a while. He just kept trying to breathe. “S-sorry...”

“Shhh. Don’t. You have nothing to say sorry for.”

“I-I think... think I do...”

“...it’s okay, Jackie. It’s all okay.”

He held them tighter. And he didn’t say anything. They didn’t either. They kept holding him back, one hand rubbing circles on his back.

His heart stopped trying to escape his chest. The tight feeling faded. He closed his eyes again. He counted his breaths for a while until he was sure that they were slow enough, and then shifted from controlling his breathing to just observing it. Rama was still there. They hadn’t gone away.

Maybe it had been a bad idea to leave... No. No, he was sure that it was a good idea at first. But he shouldn’t have stayed away so long. He’d been so scared of it that he forgot what he was leaving behind. It wasn’t just the house. It was his family, too. He missed them. He shouldn’t have let fear keep him from his home.

[aeoki]

Candy House - Electric Utopia: Chapter 8

Characters: Hajime, Sora, Natsume & Tsumugi Season: Spring

TL Note:

Tsumugi doesn’t refer to Kirarai Dearu with any pronouns, so likewise with Euryale, I’ve used “them” only in the context of English where pronouns cannot be omitted grammatically.

Natsume: Hajime-kun, I’d like you to gather as much information on that topic as you can for us through Kirarai DeaRU.

Hajime: O–On that topic? I’m sorry, I don’t really know what you mean!

Natsume: Sorry, I should’ve explained it bettER.

In short, if you hear someone talking about these sorts of things, remember it and secretly pass that information on to uS.

Hajime: S–So I’ll be acting like a spy? I’m a bit slow, so I don’t think I’ll be any good at that…

Natsume: I won’t force you to do this, of courSE. You can just do as much as you cAN.

The partnership offer that came to us sounds incredibly fisHY. It’s something that places our agency’s life on the line, so I’d like to gather as much information as you cAN.

Sora, I’d also like you to try and get some information out of your friend, Ecchan A.K.A. EuryaLE.

This applies to the relationship between individuals, but the same can be said for relationships between grouPS – The outcome will be decided based on how much information each side hAS.

The bigger the chips on the table, the harder one should work to find out what cards their opponent hAS. You don’t want to find yourself in a situation where you’re taken by surprise and played with like a tOY.

Tsumugi: That’s not a very nice way to put it, but I think Natsume-kun is right.

We won’t force you to do this at all, of course. Will you be willing to do as much as you can for us, Hajime-kun?

Hajime: Oh, okay. I do feel a bit guilty since I’m kind of indebted to Idea-sama, but it’s not like I’m doing anything bad, right?

Tsumugi: If anything, Kirarai Dearu is a super idol who has been dominating the industry for many years now.

Kirarai Dearu will most likely notice if you’re trying to get information from them[⁎], so it would be best if you act how you normally would around them.

And if you hear anything related to our case while you go about your daily life, then be sure to share it with us, okay?

That’s what you want, right, Natsume-kun?

Natsume: YeAH. Hajime-kun is always on his best behaviour, so I don’t think it’ll raise any suspicioNS. Maybe getting the right information will be a piece of caKE.

Hajime: I–I don’t know if I’ll be of any help, but I’ll do my best.

Natsume: Thank yOU. We’ll be sure to reward you for a job well doNE – think of it like a standard errand queST.

Tsumugi: You shouldn’t mix reality with video games, you know~?

I think that’s an issue both you and Sora-kun share.

Natsume: You sometimes get reality mixed up with the novels you read, don’t yOU? It’s an issue our entire unit sharES.

You think so too, right, SoRA?

Sora: ……………

…This is bad, Master~

Natsume: WhAT? What’s the mattER? Did I accidentally offend you, SoRA?

Tsumugi: Natsume-kun, you immediately left Sora-kun behind to enjoy the conversation on your own…

Natsume: I’d say you’re guilty of doing that as well, SenpAI.

Sora: No, no. Um, it looks like the company already knows about Jime-chan being a spy for us.

Tsumugi: W–What do you mean?

Sora: Sora just got a message from Ecchan… Ecchan said, “We have no info on that robot company, so there’s no point digging around for info.”

It sounds as if Ecchan overheard our conversation.

Tsumugi: I–Is there a bug planted somewhere?

Natsume: ClairvoyanCE…

Sora: Huh?

Natsume: Sora, you mentioned that before, didn’t yOU? Some people have the strange ability of clairvoyance, which allows them to “see” the truth regardless of distance or tiME.

It’s also a byword for my mumMY. If Euryale has this sort of ability or if they’re some sort of witch, thEN…

We’re dealing with quite a troublesome opponeNT.

If everything we’re doing is going to go up in smoke, then it means we’re dancing in “Gor-Corp’s” paLM.

I don’t really want to use this way of describing things, but it really makes us feel like we’re characters in a gaME.

“Gor-Corp” are the players while we’re characters and pawns who’re programmed to act in a certain way within the gaME.

Tsumugi: That can’t be true… Clairvoyance doesn’t actually exist, does it?

Natsume: Hm? Do you have something to say about my mumMY?

Tsumugi: N–No! But even if clairvoyance wasn’t brought up, there are people like Rei-kun who are always well-informed about everything…

Natsume: He does always say, “I know everything.”

Sora: HuHu~...♪

Natsume: ? What’s wrong, SoRA? Was something we said funNY?

Hajime: Hehe. I think Sora-kun felt happy seeing you two having a pleasant conversation.

I also feel the way when I’m not taking part in the conversation while everyone else is.

Even if you don’t say anything, just being in that space makes you happy.

Tsumugi: I know what you mean~

I’ve also had that feeling when I’d watch Eichi-kun chatting away happily back when I was in “fine”. I wasn’t really paying attention to what was being said, though.

Sora: HeHe~♪ That’s true but it’s not that. If Ecchan really does have this clairvoyance ability, then…

Ecchan would be the same as Sora. It means Ecchan can also “see” things that aren’t normal.

Sora was happy to find something similar we share.

HoHo~... We’ve never met and Sora has never thought about wanting to meet Ecchan, but Sora’s gotten a bit interested in Ecchan now.

What sort of person is Ecchan?

Sora wants to meet Ecchan someday~♪

Say, can you “see” what Sora is feeling right now?

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ← Previous Chapter ᠂ ⚘ ˚⊹˚ ⚘ ᠂  Next Chapter →

[alpydk]

Cabinet of Oddities -Part 1 - TavxGale (Fanfic)

I have decided to jump on the actual story bandwagon with my changeling Nana (tav). Honestly, I love her too much so here is part 1

Summary: "Mamma, I believe that creature is a changeling: she is a perfect cabinet of oddities, but I should be dull without her; she amuses me a great deal more than you or Lucy Snowe." - Villette - Charlotte Brontë Nana is a changeling who has done an excellent job keeping this quiet. After spending her life alone she comes across a group of adventurers looking to save themselves from their new parasites. She follows after them, humouring herself with their remarks and eventually thinks, is being alone really worth it?

Ao3 Link

It had been two days since the changeling Nana woke up on the Sword Coast. Her head was spinning and body aching after the Nautiloid crashed. She could feel the tadpole twisting and turning in her skull and no matter the form she took, it was still there. “Well, this is certainly a new one.” she said out loud to herself. After living alone for so long, without conversation with others, talking to herself had become a regular occurance. Maybe she had gone a little mad over time or maybe she no longer cared about looking strange. Either way she’d been happy residing alone in her swamp, reading a journal for what seemed like the a millionth time, when suddenly she had found herself upon the mindflayer ship. The next thing she knew it was falling from the sky and she was clinging onto the edge of the pod by her fingertips.

Nana could not believe she was still alive. She ran her hands along her body looking for any signs of injury before looking around the area. “Elf?, check, human?, check, me?, check. That’s the important ones ready and able.” She morphed through various personas as she spoke. It was easy and natural to her as breathing. “Ok, let’s go!” she exclaimed before wandering along the coastline aimlessly. Bodies were scattered around, clearly victims of the crash. Her life had always been one of scavenging and hunting so checking for trinkets and supplies was nothing new, she just had to make sure they were dead first. 

She would come upon a body and give it a kick with her boot first before then checking the pockets and any bags, making sure not to make eye contact with the corpse. People looking at her, no matter her form, had always made her feel uncomfortable. It was as if they knew what she was and they were trying to find her weakness. Too many times had she been hunted down, people believing the unfactual books, or confusing her with a doppelganger. This is what had driven her to a life of solitude, only appearing in more common forms to trade with the nearby villages.    

She continued to trek for three more days before eventually coming across a band of adventurers. She watched them with great interest as they argued over different topics, Mindflayers, The Grove, spellings of names. How anyone could spell the name Will wrong, she didn't understand, but despite all this she continued to follow them. She had enjoyed watching people from afar for most of her life. She liked to assign them backstories. Was that elf secretly a spy? Or maybe that gnome was a cursed giant. She’d write in her journal all the conversations she’d observed and then play them out acting each part in a different form. Sometimes she would insert herself in the stories she made for them. Maybe she would marry a handsome knight or be saved from an evil wizard. It wasn't a lonely life, at least not in her eyes. Things were simply safer this way. 

And so after seeing this strange party, she continued after them. Watching them, listening, writing down their conversations. I’ll say one thing for our troupe - we’re not short on drama. She enjoyed this individual the most. The one in the purple who spoke so elegantly. She liked the way his voice lilted up and down and how his face would scrunch when he was unimpressed with something. Her evenings were filled flicking back and forth between forms, one moment as this man and the next as a dark haired half elf.

“You seem to know a good deal about our condition, Gale.” The half-elf’s voice was all high and regal. Nana morphed quickly, her physical body changing to that of the human wizard and her voice altering, becoming deeper and more suave. “Everything, really - not to put too fine a point on it.” She changed back to the half-elf just as quickly with a smile on her face. “A humble specimen, aren't you?” She laughed at herself at the newfound amusement and turned back again. “On occasion.” 

“These people are much more interesting than villagers,” Nana confirmed to herself. She knew that she would have to meet them. They had far too many stories amongst themselves and upon hearing how accepting they were of the vampire elf they had picked up, a very small hope rose up that maybe they would accept her too. She transformed herself into a human, braided her long blonde hair and armed with her preferred green eyes, she slowly approached the campsite. 

[lovinglybabydoll]

Water Tower

Jay Kelso x Runck Teen

-hiiii!!! I really enjoyed That 90s show and wanted to write some one shots for it so lmk what you think!!

Camila nodded along as she listened to Leia ranting about not having her first kiss. She hadn't spoken up in fear of being questioned. Her crush was in the vicinity of over hearing that she was inexperienced and she wasn't trying to embarrass herself.

Camila had had the hugest crush on Jay Kelso since middle school, but since he was her brother's best friend she refused to even attempt to flirt with him. Looking up to see her sister's eye verge to hers she quickly looked down at her magazine. "Hey, Cam, how come you never told us about yours?"

Feeling everyone's attention on her, she played it cool and kept looking at the magazine, shrugging it off, "cause it's not a big deal." Her older brother scoffed from his spot next to his girlfriend, seemingly coming up for air for once, "yeah right, you've never kissed anyone. You can't keep anything to yourself." Boy was he wrong, she rolled her eyes looking at him with a glare before looking back at the magazine.

"Wait," Leia erupted in panic, "Camila, one of the coolest girls in town, hasn't even been kissed?! How do I even stand a chance if she hasn't even been kissed?!" The brunette rolled her eyes, closed her magazine and stood up, "no, and fyi, it's not that serious. Your first kiss should have meaning behind it, not just something to pass off," she told the newest group member before walking past the one person she couldn't look at and out the basement door.

Deciding she needed a break from everyone, the Runck middle child made her way to the water tower. She climbed all the way up and sat in her usual spot, back against the tower and legs straight out. The green eyed girl closed her eyes and listened to the sounds around her. Sometimes being around people became a lot so Camila tended to find a small getaway, which was normally either the tower or a hidden spot by the lake she'd found on one of her walks.

The clinking sound of someone climbing up snapped her back to reality. Her eyes opened just in time to meet the brown ones she had tried to avoid most of the time. Jay gave her a bright smile as he finally made it up, "hey, I thought you'd be here." Giving a small smile, she leaned her head back and closed her eyes again, "you thought correctly."

She heard him let out a chuckle and the metal underneath gave away his position as he sat next to her, "you know, you shouldn't let them get to you." Sighing, she opened her eyes and looked at their town that looked tiny from their high point of view, "how can I not when Gwen just made me the laughing stock of the group to make her new bestie feel better?"

She felt his fingers slip in between hers as he moved to hold her hand, which she allowed, and he scooted closer to her, "because she's just jealous. You don't try and she has to." Rolling her eyes, Camila looked up to insult herself but was quick to come to the realization of their closeness which made her mind go blank. Jay's eyes stared back into hers and he gave her a kind smile, "I think it's sweet that you're waiting for the right time for your first kiss."

Trying to keep her breathing steady, she felt her lips curve up, "really?" The brunette gave her a nod, "yeah, it's kind of cute actually." Grinning, Camila laid her head on his shoulder and looked back to the view. It really was peaceful up here. They sat in silence for a few minutes, just enjoying each other's company, before he spoke up again, "was-um, was there anyone you had in mind?"

The Runck teen's face began to heat up, she felt her heartbeat speed up. She could lie and tell him no, but what if she said yes and he asked who it was? Would she tell him? That would be a disaster.

Sitting up straight she shook her head, "no, i- um, I hadn't really thought about it." Their eyes met again and she could see his cheeks turning red, "well whoever it is, he'll be lucky to have your first kiss." Biting her lip she decided to take the chance, "actually- I had one person in mind," her eyes dropped to their hands, "he's a really great friend of mine and he treats me like I'm a princess anytime we're doing anything-"

"H-he sounds great," his voice broke and his grip loosened making her meet his eyes again to see how saddened he was, even when he tried to cover it up. Tightening her grip on his hand, she moved to sit on her knees and face him, "yeah, he is, because he's you Jay." The teens brown eyes snapped to her green ones fast in shock, "you wanted me to be your first kiss?"

Feeling all her confidence fade she looked back down at their still connected hands, "I've actually been wanting to ask you to be my first boyfriend, you don't have to-" His other hand gently pulled her face up so their eyes could meet, "I'd love to be your boyfriend Camila," with that he leaned in and met her soft, unkissed lips.

She quickly accepted and kissed back, her other hand laying on the hairs on the back of his neck. She'd never imagine that Jay would actually want to kiss her, let alone actually kiss her. Yet here she was, floating on cloud nine. His lips were so soft, and he moved so expertly making her pray that she was half as good.

When they pulled away, panting for air, and their eyes met Jay had the biggest smile on his face, "I've been waiting to do that for years." Giggling, she pecked his lips and sat back on the metal, "me too. You are a really good kisser by the way." The teen next to her laughed and played with her hand that was still in his, "thanks, so are you, for someone inexperienced you kiss like you've been at it for years." She giggled and laid her head back on his shoulder, feeling perfectly content with the fact that they'd actually admitted their feelings to each other. Maybe Gwen wasn't such a bad sister.

[myloveforhergoeson]

Yeah, uh, sorry not sorry for that comment I just left on your AO3...

hii omg sorry this took me so long to respond to i had like the most shit day at work yesterday but seeing your comment made my day so much better 😭 had to take a moments rest before i responded lol but here i go!!!!!!!!

" I love how Roxy was able to translate Logan's love science into something the rest of the group would understand. And Roxy's reaction to James dressed as a robber was great."

love science my beloved. literally my fav running gag on the show + im not bringing it up in my fic enough i think... and yeahh! it's also love science: elevated heartrate --> experiencing a high stress situation w someone --> you love them is basically what it boils down to LMAO though it's much more scientific i swear. i had a social psychology professor in college who brought this concept up like once a week (he talked about his ex literally every class period if he could) and how he took his ex extreme mountain biking on their first date to use this concept or smth. dan if you're reading this this chapter is dedicated to you <3

"Yikes. Still trying to deal with the James/Camille saga, eh?"

she said she's over it!!! but is she ever really over it!!! roxy...

"Oh my God. I can tell that the typical teenage communication problems are going to happen again. Although, I understand Roxy's hesitation about dating in the limelight. Who wants to live in a fishbowl?"

ah... not me giving them communication problems again... whoopsies.... 💀 looks like they were able to avoid media attention tonight tho - it's a problem for another day now! now that it's on her mind she'll be able to process her feelings a bit more thoroughly!

"Gotta admit. Katie played the right ploy to get Roxy alone for advice."

if anyone told me shit was scratching in my walls i would also have a similar reaction lmao. thank god the palm woods isn't rat infested!

"(Seriously. I sometimes find it amusing he acts more like a big brother to Katie than Kendall does.)"

i also think this was a bit of a strange move by the writers honestly, but i have no idea what it's like to have brothers? so maybe kendall is just oblivious (likely) or he doesn't care at all because he knows katie can take care of herself (less likely) or he's hoping his mom will just take all of that on from her daughter (most likely)

"Oh my God! Roxy really does know her boyfriend well, doesn't he? Suppose that's one way to get an overprotective big brother off Katie's back, even if it's only temporary. And the way you described James being so tender and mindful of her comfort even in their more heated make-out sessions just... oof. I'm a puddle, mate. I'm a puddle."

i like it when oc x canon kiss :) and james needs to be good to her or i'll literally kill him off in the story idc

"Oh Roxy, Roxy, Roxy. You had to know trying to intervene with an overprotective James wasn't going to end well. (Scratch that. She'd never seen him like this, so...) But seriously. Lord help any future daughter(s) James has."

maam said 'i can fix him' and proceeded to fuel the fire lit under him WHOOPS. she's so funny sometimes like 'omg no this is why i like him he cares about his friends so much... i should be supportive, but in my own way...' girl katie needs your help!!!! and very true, she's never seen him like this and she knows how much he commits to his plans! it was certainly a strange night for them

"Flexing jawline? Hello! (Seriously. There are some moments in the show where James has no right to look so good.) And poor Roxy constantly having her food taken away because James was so freaked out over Katie and Kyle. Let the girl have her burger, damn it. (Seriously, though. James better make up for it.)"

BWAHAHA i saw this tiktok the other day about how guys pose for pictures by kissing their partners on the cheek just so they can show off their jawline so that subconsciously made it's way into the story. i supposeeee james can get weird about Katie and kyle as long as roxy has something nice to look at... poor roxy and her burger 😭 she's hungry james!

"I feel like James trying to be all blase about Keaton being scared off by her dad is to cover the fact that he was momentarily scared of her dad."

he is so scared of declan <3

"Okay. With that cliffhanger at the end, I could hear the 'Oh oh oh-oh oh...' playing in my head. Because you know it would be playing if this happened in the actual episode. (Wait. How did Brand New Day manage to schedule Big Time Rush?) Are we going to get a protective Big Time Rush next chapter because of Roxy's history with those douchebags?"

IM SO SORRY ABOUT THE CLIFFHANGER i always feel so bad ending on one 😭 but next chapter will be worth it i promise! next time i'll have the radio switch on and play the theme song or something lmaooooo. sidenote: do you think they wrote big time rush and it already had the oh oh oh-oh oh in it and they were like 'oh wow this is PERFECT for the show lets use it all the time' or they wrote the oh oh oh-oh oh in specifically to be used in the show? idk

THANK YOU SO MUCH AS ALWAYS MY FRIEND you are my #1 rames rant enabler and i appreciate it so so so much. i totally forgot to leave comments on your stories from this week im SORRY they'll be flying into your inbox asap <3

[neptoons1998]

Rolling dough

Ships: Attuma x Okoye (Main) Aneka xAyo, Shuri x Riri

Warnings: I don't think I have any, beside non-beta

Summary: Bakery Owner x Gym Owner AU. It's just a met cute nothing else except fluff.

A/N: That's it on housekeeping.

Chapter One: Yeast Donut

yeast is used as a leavener, which creates air pockets when frying the batter that results in their signature light and airy texture. They're less likely to be crumbly, due to their spongy consistency, and can be glazed, frosted, or filled.

Runaway Donuts is a well-known doughnut shop that stayed on Vinal Ave and Boston Street here in Cambridge, Massuchutes. Okoye owned this small shop. The little shop is the most important thing to her. See how people from all walks of life come to her humble shop just to try her homemade dough made it worth it for her to wake up so early in the morning. The little shop is like any brick and stone building in the New England state. But the inside had a cozy aesthetic with soft warm colors of yellow and pink. Based on everything that was going on in her life, it should be going perfectly what more could Okoye ask the universe? “Maybe a man,” Shuri quipped up as Okoye put the finishing icing on some doughnuts. Okoye forgot annoying her little cousin can be when she’s bored. Shuri’s remark earned a soft chuckle from Aneka. The woman rolled her eyes “Or woman,” Aneka added wanting to tease her sister-in-law even more. Sometimes Okoye forgets that Aneka was one year older than her when she pulls stunts like this. How her sister finds her unique, is anyone’s guess. Ayo shook her head, “My love play nice.” Thank you “It’s not Okoye's fault that weak men can’t keep up with her,” Ayo joked. “That’s it everyone out! out !” Okoye shouted out to them. Hoping that her voice would move her family to the front house of the building since Okoye was done baking for the rest of the day. The small group rolled their eyes as if she was a pesky fly that was bothering them, not the other way around. She gets why her family was worrying about her. Okoye wasn’t ignorant to know the reason why Shuri decided to attend MIT rather than Yale like her brother did. Shuri, even though she wouldn’t admit wanted to be close to her older cousin especially when Okoye and W’bai didn’t work out. Can you call it not working out if the man of your dreams decided to be the runaway bride? The baker thought. Her family while sweet, they are overbearing and protective. She just needs time anyway from the dating scene. Plus with her bakery and her thought on creating it into a franchise, she has too much on her plate right now. If only her family would understand that. “Whelp that’s my queue to go,” Shuri slayed as she tried to slither her way closer to the door. Okoye’s eyebrows perked up as she looked at the clock, “Why are you leaving so soon? I thought class starts at 10 today?”Okoye asked her little cousin to stay at the bakery shop until it was time for her to go to MIT. “Well, yeah, but I have this really important thing,” Shuri spits out hoping it sounds believable to Okoye. Shuri looking at her fingernails, “Y’know how biochem can be.” “Because she wants to make time to talk to Riri before class,” Aneka sang as she laid her head on Ayo’s shoulder. Okoye’s eyes widen, “W-what? Who’s Riri ? and why did you sa-oh!” Shuri was flustered looking anywhere but at her older cousins. That’s what I get for blabbering to Aneka, Shuri thought. “I’m leaving,” Shuri said as she quickly walked out of the door, “See you after classes.” “Now if she can be like that when she’s at the store,” Okoye joked as pressed the button to brew the hot coffee. “I don’t understand why she doesn’t see that girl already?” Ayo muttered, “I’m getting a headache with the back and forth they seem to do.” Eventually, Ayo and Aneka left to take care of some errands, finally leaving the baker alone. Okoye took a deep breath, her family knew how to exhaust her. “This would be the perfect time to count which donuts are selling the most,” She said out loud to herself. The owner started taking inventory, and her ears perked up when she heard the soft bells of the door.

“Welcome to Runaway Donuts,” Okoye greeted.