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venus-is-thinking · 8 months ago

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A Narrative Defense of Levi Accomplice Theory

Hello everyone! I’m finally back with this post to celebrate the fact that DRDT is back tomorrow! aaaaAAAAAAAA–

For any of you who have no idea what the title means, consider it the second part to my year-old Narrative Defense of Eden Culprit Theory. In this, I’ll go over the narrative reasons why I think Levi being the accomplice (to Eden as the blackened) would make sense and open up interesting opportunities for DRDTdev to explore, if they do choose to go in this direction. I’m not at all trying to prove, evidence-wise, why Levi is the accomplice in this post.

My thoughts on the functionality of the Chapter 2 murder method are basically exactly what @1moreff-creator (nickname FF) outlines in their A Summary of the Levi Accomplice Theory + How We Got Here post. I STRONGLY recommend reading it, both because I think it’s a great read and because as far as I know, the concept of Levi as an accomplice isn’t really talked about outside of it, so it’ll provide some useful context as to why I believe this is a possibility.

That being said, I do want to disclaim this by saying that this post will be a lot more open-ended and speculative than the Eden version. Levi accomplice theory, at least in the context of being paired with Eden culprit, is objectively less likely to be true than Eden culprit theory by itself, and I could definitely see a world in which Levi is either innocent or involved in the crime in some other way.

There’s also the fact that, because I don’t believe Levi will be executed this chapter, there’s a lot more question of where his character is headed. I predicted the trajectory of Eden’s arc to end in a handful of episodes; Levi will hypothetically be facing entirely new motives and twists that I have no way to meaningfully predict, so take all of this with a grain of salt.

Still, I’ve been meaning to make this post for literally an entire year, and I’m not gonna let the “Chapter 2 resumes” deadline pass! So, without further ado, here it is: the long awaited Narrative Defense of Levi Accomplice Theory!

SPOILER WARNING THROUGH CHAPTER 2 PART ONE!

T/W: Murder, blackmail, traumatic pasts

I’m going to follow roughly the same structure as the Eden Narrative Defense, which means that I’m going to be looking at the following topics:

Motive (Why Levi would choose to help Eden commit the crime)

Story Arc (How Levi being the accomplice fits into the overall narrative)

Relationships (How Levi’s relationships impact this writing decision)

Character Arc (How this plays into Levi’s individual character arc)

Wildcard (A specific topic that I think is relevant to discuss for this theory)

These are listed in the order they appeared in Eden’s narrative defense, with Eden’s Wildcard slot being taken up by her emotional breakdown in the Trial and justifying how that wouldn’t be entirely fake/how it would be possible with her still being the culprit. Hopefully that all makes sense!

For Levi, I actually think the best starting point is:

TOPIC 1: Relationships

Because this theory is dependent on Levi helping Eden commit literal murder, I want to start off by examining Levi’s relationship with Eden.

Interestingly, they don’t really interact much of all in Chapter 1; to my memory, the clearest example of them being highlighted in the same scene is when Arei throws a fit over Eden not inviting her to bake with her, where in the same scene, Arei manipulates Levi after he tries to defuse the situation.

However, we open Chapter 2 on the two of them having a rather important conversation. Notably, Levi gets “good person” name dropped in this conversation. For those who don’t know, beneath the “All That Glitters” chapter title, there’s a faint hidden text of “A Good Person.” Pretty much everyone who is called a good person is incredibly important to this chapter (Teruko, Eden, Arei, David, and Levi), so Levi getting hit with the “good person” right at the beginning definitely flags him for importance down the line.

Interestingly, what is said here is:

Levi is called a good person due to his reliability, which clues us into the fact that Eden might be open to relying on Levi, even if it’s for something important. Notably, here, Levi still wants to help others and try to be the best person he can be, despite his slip-up yelling at Ace in the Chapter 1 Trial.

The existence of this scene at all, and especially given the fact that it delves further into Eden and Levi’s mental states as the killing game progresses, seems to indicate that this is a pair to watch moving forwards.

Levi also notably has another relationship that heavily plays into the idea of Levi being an accomplice: Ace.

Ace has spent the chapter telling Levi to fuck off and leave him alone, holding the fact that Levi said he would strange Ace over his head. To me, Levi’s strong reactions to Ace play very heavily into his secret quote:

I always believed that a person is defined by their actions alone. But maybe that’s just a poor excuse for my heartlessness.

(If you don’t know what the secret quotes are, basically, on everyone’s profile page on the tumblr website, there’s a secret quote hidden that you can find by inspecting elements. This is the one on Levi’s page.)

I’ll get more into this later on, but this is a rather interesting quote when paired with Levi taking the action of threatening Ace, but doing it through words alone. You could argue that he didn’t actually do anything, but that’s not completely true. Ace certainly seems to think he did something.

Levi is caught at the crossroads of his words of intent to harm Ace being treated as the true him, but any attempts he makes to reconcile are being treated as “just words.”

However, any actions that Levi tries to take are rebuffed. He can’t repair things with his words, and he can’t take action without violating Ace’s wishes, so he’s stuck. This, of course, frustrates Levi.

This was clearly a big character moment from Levi. It seems like his will to repair things with Ace, at least, is fully gone in this moment. Notably, we haven’t really seen any demeanor change from Levi that I can think of as a result for this conclusion he’s apparently drawn, which raises my suspicions that he’s hiding crucial information from us this Trial.

But, most people who think Levi is set up to be suspicious and giving up on everyone think that he’s going to be the killer. Why do I think he’s going to be the accomplice instead?

Well, a lot of it has to do with the evidence itself, notably the grippy tape and the contraption used in Arei’s killing (see FF’s theory post). But, there’s also the fact that it’s not unreasonable to think that Eden and Levi could’ve gotten scheming here.

While Levi walks off before Teruko, we don’t know exactly what happens afterwards. It seems like Ace got bandaged up at some point (possibly because Eden helped him?), but either way, I could see Eden and Levi talking afterwards about their opinions on everything that happened. And, of course, about their secrets.

TOPIC 2: Motive

For the sake of this theory, I am strongly assuming that Levi’s secret is “You’re a murderer, and you hold no remorse.” If it isn’t, toss this entire thing out the window, because it doesn’t make any goddamn sense.

I think there are two conceivable paths to Levi’s motive for helping out Eden here. I know that in FF’s post, they outline one of them: the possibility that Levi would prefer that Eden escape and everyone else die over the continuation of the killing game as-is. This would be based on Levi’s belief that Eden is a good person, and his increased belief over time that everyone else (including himself) is a bad person, unworthy of living.

I certainly think this is possible, but it leaves Levi’s character off in a bit of a weird spot. Like, okay, he decided to gamble it all on Eden and he loses. Then what? It’s only Chapter 2. There are certainly ways for his character to go, but I feel like at that point, he’s either dragging his feet before dying or dragging his feet before he gets to do his survivor arc. I’m not sure if it would leave enough room to explore his character over the course of who-knows-how-many-more chapters. I have to imagine that, if Levi is the accomplice under this plan, he’d make it through Chapter 3, because otherwise, it seems like the message of Levi is that he gave up and that means he died. But, what would he be doing throughout those chapters?

So, I think that’s a possible read, but it’s not the one I favor. The second read is a little more complicated, but I think it makes sense. Give me a bit to explain it.

This theory really focuses in on my interpretation of Levi’s secret quote, which is again:

I always believed that a person is defined by their actions alone. But maybe that’s just a poor excuse for my heartlessness.

What this says to me, in combination with Levi’s secret, is, “I am only a murderer if I am actively murdering someone.” Sure, Levi was a murderer– but that was in the past!

(Levi makes many cryptic mentionings of his dark past. I don’t know what exactly it is, but I believe that Levi has killed someone, and might not feel remorse for at least one specific killing. It’s also possible that he feels no remorse because that’s just how he grieves– by feeling nothing– which he alludes to in the opening conversation with Eden.)

However, Ace is challenging that belief that Levi has. Can he really change so much just because he’s acting on his best behavior? Besides, it doesn’t really matter; if people think he’s a murderer, what difference is there in how they treat him?

To me, that’s what Levi’s ��Why do I even bother?” means. He’s realizing that, with Ace, at least, but also maybe in general, if someone believes he’s a murderer, that’s as good as him being a murderer. In combination with his secret, that means that anyone who learns his secret will treat him as a murderer, immediately burning any relationship they have with him.

It kind of makes me think of the concept of Thought-Action Fusion, which is the psychological term for the belief that thinking about doing something wrong is just as bad as doing that wrong thing. It’s not quite the same, but it’s that kind of idea. Who cares if Levi kills someone or not? If people think he has, he might as well have.

That, obviously, is a bad thing. It’s an even worse thing when you consider that DRDT seems to be a TV show, and MonoTV is threatening to reveal everyone’s motive secrets to everyone in the whole world if no one kills!

This then creates a bit of a paradox for Levi. The only way to prevent everyone from finding out that he’s a murderer is to murder someone on national (?) television.

However, there is one out for him in this situation. If someone else kills before the motive timer is up, Levi gets out of this situation clean. And that’s where Eden comes in.

(For clarity’s sake, I largely think this scene is a joke. I do not think Eden is actually doing anything sinister by “blackmailing” Teruko here, nor do I think either Teruko or Eden would actually think anything malevolent of Eden because of it. However, I’ve noticed that DRDT is very good at slipping relevant ideas or information into jokes, which is why I want to look at this.)

Eden doesn’t need to blackmail Levi, per se. At least, she doesn’t have to actually put the threat out there directly.

What I’m envisioning is basically that, after helping bandage Ace up, Eden goes and checks in with Levi and sees how he’s doing. Levi explains his frustrations with the fact that Ace is treating him like a murderer even though he hasn’t done anything, and it seems like Ace’s belief that he’s a murderer is good enough to condemn him. In response, Eden lets Levi know that she knows what his secret is.

Arei is the one who received Levi’s secret, but I’d be, like, 0% surprised if Eden knew it. Arei said she’d do anything to prove her loyalty to Eden, and especially considering how Arei overheard the secret Eden received, it would make enough sense if she told Eden about the one she received to “even it out.”

So, let’s say Eden says, “but aren’t you a murderer? Your secret says so.” Or something like that. Levi is now obviously in a tricky position, because the answer is, yes, that is his secret, but people aren’t supposed to know that. Eden would then loop Levi into her plan to kill Arei, and they would come to a mutual understanding.

Levi has to cooperate with Eden and do whatever she says when it comes to the crime, because if he doesn’t, Eden could easily reveal his secret. To Levi, that’s a fate worse than death, because it means that he will never be able to escape his past. Conversely, Eden can’t throw Levi under the bus and spill his secret, because then Levi would easily throw Eden under the bus and reveal she’s the blackened in turn. By giving Levi a severe secret of Eden’s own– that she’ll be the blackened– the playing field levels out into one of mutually assured destruction, where both of them respect each other enough to take the other’s secret to the grave if they’re the one who fails.

Eden, I think, would be willing to take this risk in the first place, because Levi is reliable. If she understands how his internal logic operates, she can trust that he’ll see it through to the end. Having an accomplice could make it much harder for people to find out she's the blackened, which is a huge advantage.

For Levi, if you follow my read of his character, this makes sense. His best bet is to help Eden out from a neutral perspective, helping her commit the crime but not dying on the hill to help her win. If Eden loses, she can respect the fact that he didn’t out her and tried to help her. Then, Eden dies, taking everyone’s secrets and the motive to her grave with her. Obviously, the secrets ended up being more or less revealed anyways, considering Arei’s body wasn’t discovered until after the motive announcement, but David is proof enough that the students didn’t know that was how it would be ruled.

Hopefully this makes enough sense! To summarize, I think Levi’s motivation to help Eden is to protect his own secret and survive the motive. The only way to avoid being known as a murderer is to help facilitate a murder without the fact that he was an accomplice ever being exposed. To have his secret revealed is basically death anyways, so risking death if Eden is the killer isn’t the biggest deal in the world.

INTERLUDE 2.5: Arei’s Glove

So, this isn’t part of the narrative defense, this is me repairing part of FF’s theory. Because, Arei’s glove is missing from her body, and FF’s reasoning ended up being “Levi can drop the glove to frame himself as the culprit mid-Trial if needed.” However, because in my world, Levi is still hoping Eden loses (even if he can’t contribute), that seems a bit far fetched. So, I tried to come up with an alternate explanation of why Arei’s glove might be missing.

One of them kinda sucks, which is that Arei was wearing her glove when the water jugs broke, drenching it. Because the turf is weird, you can count on the turf not being wet by the Body Discovery Announcement, but the glove could still be too wet, giving away part of how the crime was completed. Thus, someone hides or pockets the glove so that it doesn’t give something away. This seemed halfway viable to me before I rewatched the investigation, but between the fish being entirely dried out (non-turf that was definitely very wet at one point) and the positioning of the tape marks on Arei’s wrists (which I think would mean the glove would have to be off her wrists when you taped them), I don’t think it’s especially viable.

There’s FF’s original reasoning from a while ago as to why it could’ve been missing, which is that to get a better grip on the spinny thing (carousel), Levi may have put on Arei’s glove. It could’ve gotten scratched up or stretched out as a result, making it key evidence. This is a bit presumptive, but it works enough.

The weirdest thing to me is that it does seem like Arei’s glove was taken off before her wrists were taped. I’d think taping Arei’s wrists would happen fairly early, considering it makes it harder for her to struggle. But, getting her glove off while she’s struggling seems pretty hard.

The third explanation I have is just that Eden asked Arei to take her glove off at some point before Levi showed up, because it would be annoying to tape her wrists with the glove on. Then, Arei’s glove went missing in the shuffle, or they didn’t have a good place to put it because it would be difficult to put it back on once Arei is hung up. They couldn’t throw it in the trash, because Eden planned on the class reconstructing the note they left in the trash. So, instead, Arei’s glove gets stashed somewhere and they hope no one notices it, because if people stop to think about how Arei’s glove was taken off before her wrists were taped, it could point to Eden.

I don’t love any of these reasons, but combined, I think they’re good enough that it’s not a dealbreaker for this theory, at least. Pick whichever one is your favorite and we can go forward from there.

TOPIC 3: Character Arc

If Levi’s relationships have set him up for this, and he has a viable enough motive, what does it mean for Levi that he’s the accomplice? What is his individual story telling us?

I think Levi’s character is meant to center around the concept of what makes a person good, and what allows a person to properly repent. It really seems like Levi has a not-so-good past, something that’s only heightened if he does have the murderer without remorse secret.

There’s also the secret quote, which talks about “excuses” for “heartlessness.” Levi is trying to put his dark past behind him, but it’s incredibly difficult. He wants to move forwards from it, but he doesn’t know how.

If Levi is the accomplice, it provides a really interesting opportunity for his character arc: Levi will then be exposed as an accomplice and be publicly known as someone dangerous and possibly, to some, unforgivable, but he won’t die for it. He’ll have to figure out how to navigate the fact that he does carry the burden of his past actions with him, and he’ll have to learn to cope.

If a character is meant to ask how possible it is to repent, doesn’t it make sense to give an extremely concrete in-universe thing that they need to repent for, and that everyone knows they need to repent for?

I’m not sure exactly where Levi would end up from there. A lot of it depends on the other characters, the motives, and the kill order. I still think it’s definitely possible for Levi to take on the classic Chapter 4 buff curse/sacrifice killer mantle with this, if he decides that the only way to repent properly is to put everyone else above him. However, I do think it’d be interesting to see him fill any slot.

He could be a victim, if his time runs out. He could be a killer, if he decides that he can’t repent, and his only option is to once again try to outrun his past. He could be a survivor if he figures out that the only thing he can do is try to move forwards, accept his past, and try to do better in the future. I’m actually quite partial to the survivor interpretation, but it’s hard to make survivor cast predictions this early.

Either way, I think this totally makes sense as a direction to take Levi’s character in.

TOPIC 4: The “Murderer” Rule

This is my Wildcard slot for this narrative defense. I don’t know exactly what it’ll amount to, but I think it’s worth discussing.

Rule 14: All murderers must be held accountable for their crimes.

If Levi is the murderer without remorse, I wonder if this rule will apply to him. I also wonder exactly what it means. “Held accountable” doesn’t necessarily mean that whoever is a murderer will get executed.

I honestly think a really interesting way for this to go is if Eden gets found out as the culprit on her own, but they don’t realize that Levi is the accomplice. Then, in accordance with Rule 14, MonoTV reveals that Levi was also involved in the crime, and is also functionally a murderer. This forces Levi to be held socially responsible by those around him.

Another option would be that, whenever his secret comes to light, he’s at risk of some kind of execution. I doubt Levi would actually get executed there, considering a lot of the reason I like Levi accomplice theory is because of how interesting it’d be to further pursue Levi’s character post-murder, but it’s certainly possible.

It could also be something that comes up in Chapter 6. This rule feels like it’s a direct result of the mastermind’s worldview or something. If Levi is a survivor, it’s possible that, at the end, the mastermind will try to execute him or something because he’s a murderer. Hell, maybe every survivor will have a claim to be a murderer in some way or another. That’s when the characters will rise up and say that people deserve a second chance, no matter their past. Or something like that, I don’t know. Again, it’s really hard to theorize about the whole game when we only have, like, 1.75 chapters so far.

Anyways, onto the last point:

TOPIC 5: Story Arc

Oh boy, time to theorize about the whole game!

Because figuring out the moral messaging and final result of the last Class Trial at this stage is nigh impossible, I’ve been reading the Story Arc category through Teruko. How would it impact the way we see the story through her eyes if Levi is the accomplice?

Well, an obvious point is that it emphasizes how much you can’t trust anyone. You can’t even trust that there’s only one person with killing intent per murder! I’m sure Levi would be somewhat outcasted if this does all play out, and that would likely tie into a greater feeling of distrust. Between David’s heel turn, the sweet and helpful Eden tearfully being the blackened and facing an execution, and the stoic but previously reliable Levi being both a murderer (secret) and an accomplice (crime) out of nowhere, trust throughout the group would be at an all-time low. I think that’s a good thing; as I’ve said before, at this point in the story, I think we’re still validating Teruko’s worldview. It’s too early for a major shake-up, and to Teruko, these patterns are repetitive. They have to repeat at least a little bit for the audience to truly understand why Teruko acts the way she does.

But, even more than that, I think that DRDT has the makings of a central message surrounding fate.

Everyone’s fate is already sealed, according to Teruko. The Lucky Student cannot die, no matter what. All murderers must be held accountable. There are a lot of big picture makings of the idea that people’s fates are already set in stone, no matter what they do.

Levi is, in many ways, “fated” to be a bad person. He’s fated to be a murderer. Whatever his past was, it seems like he was set up for moral failure no matter what. Seeing Levi fall into that trap of his destiny, being a murderer yet again after being deemed a murderer, also validates Teruko’s worldview that everyone is doomed because they’re already locked into their slots. Even if Levi didn’t die today, he will eventually.

Except, if he doesn’t die immediately, he also has a possibility to invalidate that worldview later. Levi’s survival to a point and (presumed) attempt to repent again, even after everything, could be something that shakes Teruko’s beliefs in future chapters. I’m not saying Levi would be the catalyst for Teruko’s entire character arc, but I think it’s going to take a lot of instances of Teruko being “wrong” to actually change Teruko’s mind. This is one way that we could set up Teruko being wrong, dating back to Chapter 2, so that when we get the payoff, the seeds have been planted all along the way.

CONCLUSION

Hopefully this made sense! It’s been a long time since I’ve fully watched the series, and I only had time to partially rewatch Chapter 2 before writing and posting this. But, I remember a lot of the thoughts I had back when I was in peak DRDT brainrot, and I still believe Levi being the accomplice would make a lot of sense and open up a lot of doors narratively.

Obviously, this is what I currently believe, but even if you disagree, I hope you still found it interesting. I think it’s important to remember, going into these next few episodes, a core principle that pushed me to write the Eden Narrative Defense in the first place: we shouldn’t call something bad writing until we see it executed. Please remember to respect DRDTdev’s writing decisions and creative autonomy, no matter how you feel about the result. I’ll do my best to do the same as well.

With that being said, OH MY GOD I CAN’T BELIEVE DRDT IS BACK WE’RE GONNA GET ANSWERS AAAAAAAA–

#drdt #danganronpa despair time #levi fontana #drdt spoilers #despair time #this is literally 13 months late #but hopefully it's worth? the wait

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tauforged · 1 year ago

Note

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 :)

#i have a headache sorry if i missed anything LOL

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theoriginalcarnivorousmuffin · 4 years ago

Note

"Tom Riddle effectively destroys the country from the inside out, which I believe was his true goal the entire time" (c) wait a second, so you think that he wasn't going to really take over or anything, just destroy the fuck out of w britain?

I have avoided this ask long enough.

I’ll start by saying that asking me about Tom Riddle is like staring down into a bottomless rabbit hole. We could travel down that path, but it is a dark and perilous journey, and by the end of it I will come out looking like the Mad Hatter.

It also requires a few prerequisites that you’re just going to accept as true (or else got off the crazy train here).

We know very little about Tom Riddle or Voldemort

What we do know of Tom Riddle comes to us from suspect sources

I’m just going to go out there and start with the basis that Tom is not crazy

Elaborating a little on number 1. We never actually see much of Tom Riddle or Voldemort directly. He’s a bit like Thanos in the MCU, or Palpatine in the first two movies of the Original Trilogy, he’s this looming threat that we pass by and glimpse every once in a while but never really get quality time with.

Generally, Voldemort makes an appearance in a moment of crisis.

He and Harry fight over the philosopher’s stone for Tom’s very survival. He and Harry fight over the diary for Tom’s very survival. He resurrects himself with Harry as a witness. We get those very strange dreams from Voldemort’s perspective (half of which we later learn are fabricated).

None of these really lend to our, or Harry’s for that matter, understanding of Tom Riddle. There’s too much going on, it usually happens far too fast, and there’s usually something Tom Riddle desperately wants or needs that eclipses all other concerns or else he has an audience.

This is part of the reason we get those Halfblood Prince pensieve lessons: Harry knows nothing of Tom Riddle and doesn’t understand him at all.

Which leads us, of course, to number 2, most of what we know about Tom Riddle comes from Dumbledore. I’ve talked about this before, so I won’t spend much time on it, but Dumbledore has a very clear agenda in relaying these memories to Harry. Dumbledore already has strong suspicions of what objects are horcruxes and where they’re located, he already has Snape as a very reliable agent to continue work when he’s gone, his job here is to convince Harry there is no path but suicide. And that involves portraying Tom Riddle as the most evil man who ever eviled, was born eviler than the antichrist, and will die eviler than the antichrist.

Now, does this make Tom necessarily good or bad? No.

However, it does mean when Dumbledore tells us things like, “See, Harry, an impoverished child was upset when I lit all his belongings on fire! What a monster!” (especially given that, in a similar situation, Harry thought it was hilarious when Hagrid gave Dudley a permanent physical deformity and Harry was told he was an angel child) we should take it with a very large grain of salt.

Right, so, with all that backdrop what I’m getting at is that a) we can’t take Dumbledore at his word b) even if we could he could be wrong c) Harry doesn’t have the introspection to be able to figure himself when a or b is happening. I won’t elaborate on this last much, suffice to say that Harry’s world is very black and white, divided into the camps of those who personally like him and those who don’t.

So, why do I think Tom’s goal was not to rule the wizarding world but instead to destroy it?

A few things.

First, there are so many easier ways he could have ended up ruling the wizarding world. More, even when he effectively does rule the wizarding world in book seven, he takes very strange actions so that he’s never directly in power.

Second, I never really bought Tom’s racism. It’s too convenient and too contradictory with his backstory.

The second first, because we’re going out of order today. I’ve gone over this before, but I don’t believe Tom had minions early and I think he was effectively treated as a muggleborn (see here and here) until he took on the Voldemort persona many decades later. I’m hard pressed to believe someone as intelligent, angry, and proud as Tom Riddle would willingly believe and accept he was inferior to the likes of Abraxas Malfoy. More, even if he wished he was a halfblood, I think the evidence of him being muggleborn would be stacked too high against him to deny even to himself (and when he finds out it’s not true, he has maybe a month or so before he realized that he’s the bastard son of a squib).

And it’s just so convenient. All the people with the power, with the money, who are itching for a cause against a threat that doesn’t really exist believe in blood purity. Ergo, Voldemort shows up suddenly espousing over the top blood purity rhetoric (rhetoric that directly clashes with his “there is only power” philosophy at that).

In other words, I think Tom Riddle gave himself a line that he knew would get him places very quickly.

And now for the first. For a guy who has had the entire country in the palm of his hands twice, one time taking it over in a bloodless coup, he’s really big on causing collateral damage and really small on actually doing the ruling thing.

The first wizarding war, Tom Riddle as Voldemort has the backing of the heirs of the most prestigious and wealthy noble houses save a select few. These are people with seats in the Wizengamot, which has a frightening control over the government itself (including the minister of magic). I imagine, in 1980 had Tom Riddle wanted to be elected as Minister of Magic, he would have been elected as Minister of Magic. If he wanted a friendly face in office then he probably could have made that happen to.

More than even this though, by this point, Tom had already won. By having control over the majority of the Wizengamot he owns the government. He’s done, it’s over, it’s finished, and many of the characters admit as much which is why Harry Potter was such a miracle. So why all the seemingly random, exceptionally pointless, terrorism?

One answer is that Voldemort is crazy bananas. And sure, I guess we can go with that, except for someone insane he’s oddly effective and very consistent.

I believe Tom was systematically destroying the very foundations of the country through its core aristocratic families. Within a few short years Tom decimates the Black family, it goes from having five heirs to none, and while some of this isn’t Tom’s fault he does take care of quite a few of them. He brands Lucius for life, while Lucius rises high in politics he never escapes the stigma of being a known Death Eater and in the end cannot escape the consequences for his actions. The Malfoy family is very nearly destroyed by the end of the series, had Draco died in the Fiendfyre. The LeStrange family, presumably decimated as well.

More, this is mostly me headcanoning, but I imagine Tom fuels an extremism that the Wizarding World had never contemplated. I imagine, previously, anti-muggleborn sentiment was probably fairly rampant among purebloods. Oh, some were very pro-muggleborn I’m sure, but I think most were fairly “eh” on the people and felt they were a drain on society (such as requiring constant funding for the obliviation department).

However, when Diagon Alley starts getting blown up every other week, when muggleborns start being tortured and murdered, when purebloods who aren’t anti-muggleborn enough are being tortured and murdered, this starts wigging people out in a way they’ve never wigged out before.

By the time we get to Harry Potter’s canon, it is now only a minority that are anti-muggleborn, and they’re perceived as raving lunatics. Nobody wants to be grouped with these people. Which, just goes to show, how much Voldemort rattles the wizarding world in a very small amount of time.

Then there’s Deathly Hallows, rather than become minister himself Voldemort installs a puppet minister. He shows no signs of wishing to change this and instead does things like destroy the sorting hat (which again shakes the very foundations of the wizarding world as whta will we do if we don’t know who’s a Gryffindor anymore?!)

So, where is this ramble going?

Given the results we see, that more than any others it seems to be the purebloods and often Tom’s own followers that suffer colossal losses, I think Tom’s actions are, in part, a means of vengeance against the entire damn wizarding world (but especially the purebloods).

He makes fools of these people, brands them as his slaves, and has them participate in the most over the top ridiculous rituals (the cloaks, the masks, the entire theatrics of it feels like Tom got drunk one night and planned this whole thing out). He destroys them entirely, and better, enables them to completely destroy themselves and the country they believe they’re trying to save.

Basically, I think by the time the series begins Tom is fueled by a nihilist rage that knows no bounds. But dammit all, the wizarding world is going to burn.

#ask #tom riddle #voldemort #anon

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mightbewriting · 4 years ago

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hi!! because i’m so nosy and curious: what did your plotting process look like? i struggle with plotting so i’m digging around to see how more people do it. like did you have a general outline? specific events? anything you want to share would be so great!! TIA!

hello! i love nerding out about writing craft so...we shall see how coherently im capable of answering or if this is just me rambling.

so, a caveat: i firmly believe that the plotting process is mostly one of trial and error to figure out what works best with how you think. so what works for me and my brain may not work at all for someone else. all of which is to say, take me with a grain of salt. and dont be discouraged if other people’s sworn-by processes dont work for you!

generally speaking, when im starting a project im thinking about two things:

what is the story?

how should it be told?

these are...different things. story structure is super important for how i think about writing and plotting so i go back and forth between these two questions a lot, building off of them until i have both a general idea of what story im telling and a structural sense of how i’m telling it. for example with w&h, the story itself is one about hermione’s memory loss, and it was told in a month-to-month snapshot style in order to cover a full year.

once i know how im telling a story, i format my outline in that way. (w&h: broken down by the months/chapters, s&s: broken down by seasons and the fridays/not fridays within them, well said: broken down by the now and thens, etc etc etc) then i start building up my outline with major plot points, character development, etc. these are often fairly detailed; i’m definitely a plotter.

once i’ve outlined a story from beginning to end i will then start zero drafting. which i define mostly as very messy, no prose involved, beat by beat breakdowns of a scene. im talking incomplete sentences, no punctuation, flipping tenses, straight stream of conscious ‘this happens then this happens so and so says this. this person is there and that person does this’. there is no art involved. but by the time ive zero drafted a full chapter, im usual at about 50-75% of what the actual word count will end up as. zero drafting this way is really helpful for getting me out of perfectionist writer brain and just figuring out what should happen with no ego or vanity involved. its not a real draft, so like, who cares if its horrible? this is seriously key to my productivity.

sometimes i zero draft a single scene then go back and do a first draft with actual prose. sometimes i zero draft a whole chapter first. for most of b&e, i zero drafted whole years at a time then i when back to first draft. ive found that while my zero drafts are incredibly detailed, there are always little imagery/motif/character things that surprise me in the first draft that sometimes influence how i might handle a later scene...so i kind of figure out my zero-to-first draft prework as i go.

so, long story short, i’m a pretty heavy plotter. xD

i hope this was at least somewhat helpful? if you want to explore process more, i also really like this talk by ve schwab: the story corpse.

#december-noon #asks

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ectonurites · 4 years ago

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Conner Kent in Suicide Squad/the Infinite Frontier era: wtf is going on

Alright lads hello I just need to type out some theories/thoughts about what’s going on with my boy Kon right now. This is more for myself than anything else (just trying to organize my thoughts) but since some of y’all like to hear me talk about comics (and some of this discussion has already been happenin in my inbox) I figured i’d format it and put it on here too! its like 4k words and written over the last few days mostly at 3am. sorry <3

this is basically just me going like

Also fair warning that like, I can be wrong and misinterpret things just as much as anyone else can, like I use panels to support why I think what I do but a lot of this stuff is subjective/complicated to understand so like... in general somethings should be taken with a grain of salt, especially because exactly what changes to the universe were made by Death Metal/Infinite Frontier haven’t been super super clearly defined yet. Also sometimes comic writers make the most random nonsensical shit happen, so I as a fan am also allowed to theorize about random nonsensical shit.

But to start: let’s backtrack!

Many months ago when Infinite Frontier was first announced they dropped some promotional art, and I remember being a little confused because. Well:

(Variant Cover spread for Justice League (2018) #59)

(Variant Cover spread for Superman (2018) #29)

Notice how Conner is back to his Teen Titans 2003 look up top, but in his YJ 2019 look at the bottom? This seemed weird to me! But then they announced that Conner would be part of the Suicide Squad ongoing title, in the T-shirt look, so I wrote this discrepancy off in my brain as ‘oh I guess that cover was just the last hurrah for punk Kon’ and moved on with life.

In Suicide Squad right away we learn he’s very much so there against his will:

(Suicide Squad (2021) #1)

Which corroborates more or less what we were also shown in Future State: Suicide Squad, although admittedly it tells... a slightly different version of the events. When I first saw both of these together I just chalked it up to being a bit inaccurate as it’s shown as a memory in Future State:

(Future State: Suicide Squad #2)

Issue 2 we saw him in action with the Squad, trying to do his best to still be a hero despite the team, but things get a little more interesting in the following issue. It starts off with an account of his history

(Suicide Squad (2021) #3)

This page gave me a few immediate red flags, mostly minor things that had to do with coloring, so more irl problems than things to take seriously in-universe (Kon’s pants are the wrong color in the first Superboy shot, and Bart’s Impulse costume is in Kid Flash colors instead of the correct Impulse ones) but then also it just bugged me the phrasing “he joined Young Justice” when he was a founder of the team, he didn’t join it he made it with Tim and Bart.

But again, chalked that stuff up to just.... writers/artists being inconsistent/unaware of things that they should be aware of, or even Nocturna just not being specific with details. But it did still strike me as a little odd considering the very accurate use of villains in those same shots, Scavenger who was a reoccurring bad guy from Kon’s solo days and showed up basically nowhere else (even holding the Spear of Lono and everything!) and Billy/Harm (Greta’s brother) from Young Justice.

But then a few pages later we got this:

(Suicide Squad (2021) #3)

Which is interesting. My first instinct was to think he’s being drugged w kryptonite or something thats leaving him hazy/out of it, but my thoughts on that have kinda changed, we’ll get there in a bit. But in general the context of ‘something’s wrong’ made the slight discrepancies on some details of his own history make more sense.

I also want to then bring up the next part to this story, the crossover issue in Teen Titans Academy.

(Teen Titans Academy #3)

So a few things. Does it feel weird to anyone else that Conner Kent, a known previous Titan who literally has a framed picture of himself in a case there, would set off alarm sensors like that? Wouldn’t he be... recognized as a Titan not an intruder by their sensors? Interesting! Anyways.

He looks really pained looking at that picture, and sad, and almost frustrated, which ya know makes sense and hurts my heart because he misses them! He misses his friends and being happy.

But, importantly for a criticism I wanna make thats less theory related and more just me bein annoyed at Tim Sheridan, that’s a picture of Conner. Right there. That’s Superboy, on display at Teen Titans Academy, so the people who frequent this building would know who he is and what he looks like and be able to recognize him, he’s even in the same outfit and everything. Alinta recognized him at the end of Suicide Squad #3.

So why does only one person during this big fight then comment on his presence?? Why doesn’t it get a bigger reaction???

(Teen Titans Academy #3)

And after the fight we don’t see any on panel moment of Wallace going up to the staff Titans (who weren’t present for the fight) and saying like “HEY NIGHTWING UHHH SUPERBOY WAS WITH THE SUICIDE SQUAD?” we just see him talking with his friends upset about Crush leaving. We see Alinta talking to them but we don’t see the exact dialogue. So I do just wanna take the writer by the shoulders and shake him a little bit and ask WHY because that just feels like... something you’d wanna address on panel! This is like the first time since joining the squad that Kon’s at all in contact with people from his life before Waller got involved, I feel like not addressing those people’s reactions to it/not discussing it at least a little bit on panel (especially when Conner CAME UP in the previous TTA issue, Dick brought him up and everything!!!) is a really odd choice. Maybe it’ll happen next issue and i’m just impatient, but who knows. Anyways, gripes with Sheridan aside, lets move on.

I wanna bring up how Conner... doesn’t really respond to Wallace’s question? At all? Except to just fight him off, not even an attempt at a ‘Sorry’ or anything? (the ‘Ha! That all you got?!’ seems to be coming from Culebra not Conner, although the placement of the bubble is vague enough it could be that it was supposed to be Conner? but it seems more like what she’d say, especially as she’s grabbing Emiko like that) That just feels weird. It feels off. In general he speaks so little in Suicide Squad #3 and this issue. Tbh it almost feels like he doesn’t really recognize Wallace which I mean I suppose they never exactly met (they would have theoretically during Death Metal, basically all past/present Titans were together for a while during that), but Kon’s been back in existing long enough he’d have a sense of who current heroes are anyways.

But right, so, lots of little things that feel weird... that gets us caught up to the most recently released comics... but in this household we look at solicits as they drop. Which gives us some info on what’s coming up a few months ahead of time, albeit without full context obviously. Issues #4 and #5 don’t mention Conner in their descriptions or show him on the covers at all, because there’s just other plot things going on, so ya know seems things will be quiet for him for a bit.

But then we got the August solicitations and oh BOY it’s a doozey for him! And some things start to kinda connect perhaps!

I want to just take a moment to look at that specific wording. “The teen calling himself Conner Kent” I’m probably reading too much into it but that feels deliberate, like why wouldn’t you just say ‘Conner Kent’? Usually these kinds of descriptions are trying to keep a low word count, not add in extra words that don’t need to be there. It makes it feel like that’s a name he’s using that... doesn’t actually belong to him.

So the theory I want to propose (that has been floating around already) is that based on these covers and the description, and how the Conner we’ve been seeing in Suicide Squad apparently talks about his own personal history like he’s ‘reading a wikipedia entry’ and had little response to people he should be aware of like Wallace and apparently isn’t recognized as a Titan through a bio-scan and also bearing in mind those initial promo arts with two separate looks at the same time for him... I think we're looking at a situation where the Conner in Suicide Squad so far has actually been a clone of original Conner (like... like he’s Match 2.0 or somethin) the whole time, that’s just not aware he’s not the original.

Now that’s the base theory I wanna work with and build off of, but there’s MANY different directions that could go in/ways that could work.

For example, one idea is that the Conner we saw in #1 who was chained up is the original Conner, and he’s been being cloned and held captive, so everything else with Conner in Suicide Squad so far has been this Match 2.0

Another idea could be the original Conner in #1 is also the Conner in #2 who Waller had then commented wasn’t ready during the mission in Arkham and had zapped with a lil Kryptonite, and after that moment she took him off the field because his spirit hadn’t been broken enough to be obedient (as he was a lot quieter in Issue #3 & the TTA crossover compared to #2, and #3 is when the Nocturna thing with the history happened)

Or it could even be original Conner in #1, then in #2 was one clone that wasn’t ‘ready’ that after that point she stopped using him, and switched to a diff clone for #3, because like that first cover did show a LOT of clones. That could be more just ‘artistic interpretation’ or something, covers sometimes do exaggerate/mislead, but it also could indicate we’re looking at a lot of clones.

(Suicide Squad (2021) #2)

With all of those in mind I also wanna bring up this little bit from Future State Suicide Squad:

(Future State: Suicide Squad #2)

Again Future State is a ‘possible future’ so stuff from it isn’t set in stone, but the idea of ‘she still has his YJ 2019 outfit somewhere’ makes me think it could be something along the lines of like, Clone!Conner finds original Conner and frees him and he gets back his YJ outfit, which could lead to like the imagery on that variant cover/the idea from my very first part of this post where I was talking about Kon being shown in both outfits in different places.

Alternatively entirely from all that, another option is that she maybe got ahold of what was needed to clone Kon, but doesn’t even have the original Kon in her possession. (again with the Future State thing, she could be lying since elsewhere in Future State we did also see a copy of YJ 2019 Kon’s costume in one of the Jon-focused Future State comics in a display case 🤷‍♂️) Which could also lead to that confrontation on the variant cover & the promo art thing... and could also explain why we have seen nothing about anyone looking for him, because in that sort of scenario he wouldn’t have even been missing in the first place.

There’s a lot of possibilities! It’s still too early to solidly know anything, but I feel pretty confident we’re entering another cloning related plot with our Clone Boy so it’s... ya know. Clone time. On the one hand it’s annoying because god we have done clone/multiple Kons plots before. We’ve done them so much.

BUT on the other hand, I think it could be interesting to use this situation to tie into some older stuff from pre-reboot that I can see some connections to, because due to Infinite Frontier altering the world and people’s memories it’s all technically fair game storytelling-wise again (and like, the use of Scavenger specifically in that flashback way above, who’s not a super well known villain in general, makes me think maaaaybe the writer did do some of their Kon homework)

Something also just dawned on me that i’m not quite sure what it means but still is worth mentioning: The Conner here in Suicide Squad is back in his Teen Titans Vol. 3 outfit, and his history as he tells it stops during Teen Titans Vol. 3. And doesn’t... mention when he died? It feels like it... stopped before that, because like I feel if he was telling his life history (even the wiki version LMAO) the part where he died and came back would be pretty important to bring up?? And Nocturna specifically says that he didn’t explain how that stuff from TT Vol. 3 then led to him in his current situation. That’s a pretty big gap (like uhhh everything from resurrection until he got lost on Gemworld + all the rest of the Young Justice 2019 stuff?) So like.. there could be something funky going on here that has to do with that.

Similarly when he flashes back in Future State: Suicide Squad to his past it also goes right from Teen Titans Vol. 3 to the current Suicide Squad run? Like I get it’s one page so they can’t show that much, but the fact that there’s now two places that flash back to that same specific time period and nothing past it until the Suicide Squad feels just... noticeable! Not concretely indicative of something, but noteworthy.

(Future State: Suicide Squad #2)

Like...this almost has me thinking maybe it could be something where like, they tampered with his dead body and cloned from that? BECAUSE, for those of you who may not be familiar with how Kon’s resurrection (during Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds) worked, when he came back there was time travel involved! He was brought back to life in the future (like. Legion of Superheroes era) because it was a process that took that thousand or so years to work/heal him (essentially because of his hybrid dna the process that healed Clark when he had died back in Death of Superman/Reign of the Supermen in the 90s just took a lot longer, but its the same Kryptonian healing chamber thing) meaning when he came back to the present alive again, his dead body was still also in the present just in it’s process of healing. Meaning especially if we’re bringing back stuff from before the reboot, Kon likely has his dead body just vibing out there while he’s goin around living life 🤷‍♂️

SO them doing something related to that could explain the choice to put him back in the T-shirt (since thats what he wore in the era his brain would be caught up to if we’re relating this to when he died) and why he’d recognize himself in a group photo with Bart, Cassie and Tim but maybe not someone like Wallace who didn’t exist back then. I don’t know, this branch of thought is still half baked. Will maybe come back and elaborate on this later. But I’m now really thinking there might be a connection to the early Teen Titans Vol. 3 era specifically because of it being referenced twice in stuff with this Suicide Squad.

ANYWAYS moving on, this is probably a shot in the dark and I only thought of it because I just was reading 90′s Superboy, but right away when thinking about ‘Amanda Waller’ and ‘Cloning Kon’ I was reminded of some stuff about the circumstances around the first clone that was made of Conner: Match.

(Superboy (1994) #35)

Match was created by an organization called ‘The Agenda’, that was after a while primarily under the control of The Contessa, Lex Luthor’s ex-wife, aided by Amanda Spence who had a personal grudge against Kon bc her dad was Paul Westfield the guy Kon was originally cloned from (before the Lex/Clark retcon). They were the big bad guys of an arc called The Evil Factory in Superboy (where Cadmus personnel got replaced with clones) which also then tied into the Sins of Youth event over in Young Justice (Remember how Match was posing as Superboy for a while there? yeah). After those plot lines finished the Agenda was pretty defeated (Amanda Spence was still out there and came back later but still) and... who got their hands on the remaining Agenda tech?

(Superboy (1994) #87)

Why none other than Amanda Waller herself!

If they re-canonized pieces of this (which also tied into Young Justice which ya know, YJ 2019 was all about re-establishing stuff from YJ even before Death Metal happened soooo) it would totally make sense for Waller to have complete access to the exact technology used to clone Conner before.

Now, a thing to consider here though is what happened to Kon after he’d been cloned that first time, where his DNA got all destabilized by the process (and he needed to go through a procedure with Roxy as a genetic template to keep him together, which was how he got stuck at age 16 for a while). This was something where he was fine for a period of time before the side effects began to kick in. Now, I think it’s worth mentioning that was also back in the days where he was not yet Lex & Clark’s clone, but still Paul Westfield’s. So there could easily be a ‘now that certain Kryptonian genes have kicked in as he got his newer powers it doesn’t destabilize him the same way’ reasoning or something along those lines to avoid this problem. Alternatively, it could be an interesting thing to embrace rather than retcon away, especially if we’ve been seeing Clone Conner in action and Original Conner hasn’t been in our focus, things could be wrong with him that we just don’t know about.

Another branch of thinking that I think is even MORE a shot in the dark but could be interesting (or again even related to what I just said, could be a combo of things) is if this somehow ended up related to those clones that were reverse engineered from the remains of Match from the very end of Teen Titans Vol. 3

(Teen Titans (2003) #99)

All of them were then taken down with Kryptonite and killed in battle (by Rose & Damian)

(Teen Titans (2003) #100)

But like... idk man if Waller got her hands on those corpses or even just the data from Dr. Caligan that he extracted from Match to make them... that could also be a potential way to make some new Conner clones, and that could be why the bio-scan thing at Titans Tower wouldn’t work properly because of the thing he says above about it not being a “complete match’

One thing I don’t think is the case, but has been brought up to me, is stuff with New 52 Kon. I’ve talked extensively about New 52 Kon in recent weeks because I read through all his stuff, but the thing that makes me shy away from him being part of this situation is the fact that... he’s not interchangeable with Kon the way I think some people think he is. He wouldn’t visually be recognized as Original Kon because he is literally on a genetic level a separate person. They’d prob look related, sure, like they’d pass for brothers because they both have Clark’s DNA, but New 52 Kon has Lois’ DNA and Original Kon has Lex’s. New 52 Kon would likely look more like Jon, rather than Kon. Lois specifically commented in an Action Comics issue that Kon had some resemblance to Lex, even. So like, things like Wallace recognizing him or him looking at his own matching reflection alongside the group picture at the Tower... those wouldn’t happen the same way if this was New 52 Kon.

Now I think it coooould theoretically be possible for Waller to have gotten her hands on that future N.O.W.H.E.R.E. cloning tech that had been used to make New 52 Kon, like I wouldn’t rule that out. Because she knows where the remains of their bases are as shown in Red Hood and the Outlaws (2016) #16-17, and like, Harvest is dead so she could easily just send teams out there to gather shit if she wanted.

Onto some other things I don’t think are actually related but that I was reminded of/wanted to address:

I feel i’d be a bad timkon fan if during all of this discussion of past stories with cloning Kon I didn’t even bring up Tim’s cloning attempt stuff, but I think it would ultimately be unrelated. His tech was stolen from Luthor, and his attempts didn’t succeed because he was trying to build from scratch without Cadmus’ the data about how they altered the DNA from the original process.

(Teen Titans Vol. 3 #34)

Then that initial cover for the annual really reminded me of part of the Hollow Men story from Superboy Vol. 5 just with like... Kon in a room full of copies of himself. I don’t think this story would be related either because it was more magic Tannarak stuff rather than regular cloning, but ya know. It’s the imagery.

(Superboy Vol. 5 #9)

It also really reminded me of the stuff from Hyper-Tension which was hypertime stuff not cloning but again just... visually.

(Superboy Vol. 4 #62)

In general I don’t think we’re EVER gonna see Black Zero or any of these multiverse Superboys again LMAO.

To try to sum up all of this in a way that might make sense here’s kinda a... flowchart of some of my main ideas for what the cloning situation could be/how the logic could work. Again this is borrowing stuff from across continuities because Infinite Frontier means theoretically anything’s fair game. (Also I don’t think I mentioned this earlier but I do mention it in the chart, but I think it’s also reasonable that Waller could get her hands on Cadmus tech if Cadmus is like properly made canon again. She just has funky government connections!)

Also I just now thought of this now several hours after I already made the chart and I don’t wanna remake it so sorry not incorporating it there but I remembered there was also that bit during House of Kent where Clark took Kon to the Hall of Justice and they were running some tests on him, so I’m thinking it’s also possible Waller got ahold of that data/that might be how she found out about Kon in the first place for this timeline. And they indicated that there was something wrong with him there, where he might eventually lose his powers or something, so maybe she tried to do cloning stuff to be able to have a copy of Superboy in his prime or something??? before that started kicking in. I don’t know, just more things to consider:

(Action Comics (2016) #1028)

ANYWAYS in conclusion: there is clone fuckery of some sort happening, I’m curious where it’s gonna go, and I just want Kon to be okay.

If you actually read this uhm. props to you bc this probably makes no sense to anyone but me its just word vomit <3

#this is very long! and disorganized! i am sorry #this doesn't have one theory abt things it has like. many #its basically just brainstorming/spitballing ideas #i could also be entirely off base! with much of this! i just feel i need that disclaimer #grandpa max is god? i go to church now #i need a kon talk tag bc i swear i write more analysis stuff like this for him than anyone else

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bandsanitizer · 3 years ago

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What exactly does everyone mean by sgfg isn't "cohesive"? Like I've seen this said so many times over the years and I just don't get what ppl mean. I'm starting to think that I have a different idea of what the word "cohesive" means bc the album sounds pretty cohesive to me. like do you guys mean sonically, thematically??? what criteria am I missing lol I feel stupid 😭😅

aw no please don’t feel stupid! it’s a pretty general term lmao

I’ve seen cohesion used in different ways and in the end it’s all subjective. but I think about how overall the album feels. it’s a very… internal thing. Like do all these songs fit together in one album? Is there an overarching idea to the album that the songs within the album all touch upon somehow?

Again this is all subjective and I tend to have some unique music perspective lmao so I hope this helps and if not, I’m very sorry and I would direct you to the many other 5sos fans (or critics’ articles on the album can be insightful too! like take it with a grain of salt but sometimes they’re cool to see what other people look for)

***also note: the last time I listened to sgfg in full in order was like last year so memory? no so good.

For me, SKH and Hey Everybody! and Permanent Vacation and The Girl Who Cried Wolf are weird ones on the album. The first three almost feel like leftovers from their debut album or their EPs from them. I wouldn’t be surprised given the little space between writing the two. Then you have songs where they can have playful little “caching!” or w/e and then there’s like Invisible

I also think a large part is their lyrics. I’m a big fan of album lyrics using motifs—something I can follow throughout the album that ties it all together. This isn’t necessary and from a sonic sense 5sos does this fairly well—they have a sound that is just 5SOS about their music and a large part of it is their abilities as live musicians, but 5sos doesn’t really do the best with lyrics. I think they have a handful of songs with really good lyrics—some notably featuring other artists known for lyricism (story of another us, as an example)—but overall… the sound and music tends to be their focus. Which, to each their own, but then you come to things like Fly Away and The Girl Who Cried Wolf which are on two different levels of story telling from being very… un-poetic to “ignored by gravity but in the end don’t ask why” like ??? am I just supposed to not ??? care about physics being broken??

I understand (sort of. that song is confusing af for me sometimes) what they’re trying to do and I know they make efforts to bettering the lyricism (and it has definitely improved over the years) but I think on SGFG they wanted to do so much—touch upon so many themes, try so many different things with said themes—that it wound up being a little too much.

Sorry if that doesn’t help much. For me, it’s a mix of really tangible things to being more or less about the vibes. I would say Youngblood is their most cohesive album (despite its eclecticism) and CALM imo is cohesive in halves (like split it down the middle and you could have two different albums almost) Regarding SGFG, I don’t think it’s not? cohesive—like I see how it can all fit—but I do think it could’ve been more so. Like I think a lot of what gives it cohesion is how the instruments sound/their approach to the genre enough that… it all sounds similar to some degree (maybe a production thing? idk). but I think there are songs that would be better not on the album/on a different album.

tbh cohesion is just something that 5sos, to me, doesn’t have the best grapple on yet and I do believe that their solo work and their time off will help them with having a clearer picture going in. but I can’t imagine meshing 4 people plus everyone else assisting, makes for easy putting together of ideas and thoughts and views and wants. so I just…. I think sgfg is a lot of them being ambitious, a lot of stories they want to write and tell, a lot of themes they wanted to cover, and in the end—with them likely being exhausted, rushing to get out a second album, and still trying to find their own sound and place in music—I think it might’ve been a little too much for then and resulted in putting out whatever they had. like I’ve never written an album but to be touring AND getting maybe a year? from your last album to write and recorded and finish a 17 track album? I’m not suprised sgfg is the way it is in terms of a mix of their best music and also tracks feel like question marks, at least contextually in the LP

#alison speaks?#sgfg is special to the 5sosfam but i would say youngblood is their best album yet #calm pretty close but idk it’s a weird one for me #debut is debut lol #anon #i dont have a tag for asks so i guess i’ll make it this #sgfg

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bean-pole-art · 4 years ago

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Ed’s Borderlands Fics Masterpost

well finally

here is the masterpost of all of my Borderlands fics posted. most of them are Rhysothy focused to various AUs. I’m gonna update it as I post more but here it is, along with some of my commentary

right from the start big big BIG shoutout to @spoks-illogical-art, my partner in crime, my biggest inspo, without them honestly most of these fics wouldn’t exist, please check out their amazing art <3

(latest edit - 21/02/2021)

Atlas AU - our main timeline, follows events of Moxxi’s Heist. lots of different concepts and ideas but the core really is Tim moving to Promethea to get help from Rhys. gonna sort em here with posting date, check the ao3 series for the “timeline”

Hypothetically - 2240 words summary: Rhys talks a lot, but usually thinks about it too little.

coffee, cats & monographs - 2880 words summary: “Hey hey, easy. You don’t want to repeat the accident from last week, do you?” Rhys cooed towards the cat and picked her up, just as Timothy instructed him to. Hearing these words, Felicity meowed. “Oh, don’t say that. This is my office and I have the power here,” he answered, carrying her back to his personal space.

Or Timothy's cat pays a visit to Rhys' office in the morning. note: I am a stupid mofo and at this point Tim would also have Loader Bot fkjbfd just imagine hes not mentioned cause hes wandering off, typical LB

Have Faith - 1470 words summary: During the 7 year lockdown at the Handsome Jackpot, Timothy couldn't really have any hope for himself. But maybe on Promethea it could be different. note: sudden feelings while watching JoltzDude139′s stream

Warm Cheeks, Cold Hands - 1170 words summary: Rhys comes home early and wants to say hi to his husband. With no ulterior motive. None at all. note: first fic Ive ever posted where characters are married, actually. fuck it, Rhysothy Real, his name is Rhys Lawrence

the battle (and the aftermath) of the ages - 2970 words summary: In a situation like this everything was possible, they could pull any punches they could think of. Four beasts playing against each other, every single one of them thinking of striking the winning blow.

Or Promethea Squad plays UNO. And then watches a movie. note: I love Promethea Squad with my whole heart

okurimono (贈り物) - 4/4, 17170 words summary: “Not a bomb. Just a device with a message for Rhys. Trust me on that,” this time an emoji of both winking and showing off a tongue [;P] appeared on the surface of Zer0’s helmet. Ah. So they were definitely trying to mess him up. In a way. Unfortunately, he really didn’t have any other options. Almost with a defeat, Timothy took the ECHOrecorder right from their hands and looked around it again. Or Zer0 gives Timothy a peculiar mission. note: my first ever multichapter fic. took me legit abt 8 months to finish but I am absolutely satisfied with this. also the bonus ending. yes

(there is) something I see in you - 8690 words summary: How one Rhys Strongfork met one Timothy Lawrence and how they fell for each other. More or less. note: best to go into this one blind, I swear. dumbest fic Ive ever written and please take this as a recommendation

this world is gonna pull through - 14380 words summary: Timothy really hoped it wasn’t anything important. He had that tendency to forget things easily, even if he tried to fight it. But Rhys kept on smiling and went by his side. So it couldn’t have been that bad. Still dumbfounded, he felt Rhys leaving a kiss right on his cheek.“November 11th?

That- That seriously doesn’t ring any bells?” Rhys continued, brushing his hands against his shoulders. Or how Timothy spent one of his birthdays. note: also a love letter for Tim but a nicer one I guess kdjfnb dont ask how old is he i have no gdamn idea man

Strawberry Sweet - 3560 words summary: Rhys surprises Timothy with a gift for their date night in.

Happy Mercenary Day, Mr. Lawrence - 4670 words summary: How Timothy spent his first Mercenary Day on Promethea. note: I swear this is the best writer night Ive ever had. Ive written this whole thing in one night on Christmas day, solely on the inspo of that song I linked

Don’t Go Wasting Your Emotion - 4/4, 17080 words summary: Afterwards, he went around with his usual duties. Getting a quick roundabout from his PA, checking several sectors himself and looking through the thousands of messages already sent to him via ECHOs. Rhys was ready to finally take on the day, yet when he made his way to the office, he saw the unusual envelope right by the edge of his desk. “For Rhys” was written on it. Straightforward enough. Or Rhys gets a letter from a secret admirer. note: another multichapter fic!! this one also took some time and well. its inspired by ABBA songs. cause only I would write a Rhysothy fic inspired by ABBA

Ratchet Effect - 7130 words summary: Knowing just how much overworked Rhys has been, Timothy wants to let them have a nice getaway in Lazy River Land. There's only one problem to overcome - ratch infestation. note: first fic of 2021!! Ive been playing a lot of bl3 suring the writing of it so it has a lot of stuff I had observed both on Promethea and on Jackpot

Reflections - 2250 words summary: Sometimes, Timothy needs a reminder.

Tales AU - second most important timeline. it’s Tales but Tim is a part of the group. sorted chronologically

A Story For Another Day - ongoing, for now - 2/25, 15280 words Tales AU main fic. it’s gonna be a big one

Connection Interrupted - 3240 words summary: With his driving shift finished, Timothy checks up on Rhys and Vaughn's plans.

Completely Hopeless - 1040 words summary: In which Fiona notices that Rhys behaves differently in front of a certain doppelganger.

infinity times infinity times infinity - 3460 words summary: Rhys and Timothy share some dreams and secrets underneath the stars. note: the beautiful combination of Sleeping At Last and Minecraft parodies. I promise it makes sense

reality can be whatever I want - 11420 words summary: “Hey, Tim?” Timothy didn’t even spare him a look, “Are we alone, or is he there with you?” Oh, this definitely won’t be pretty.

After the confession of Handsome Jack's AI in his head and his plan to infiltrate Helios, Rhys needs to set things right with Timothy. Somehow. note: thanosdancing.gif to Backstreet Boys’ “I Want It That Way” 80′s remix and a guest appearance from Ferocity but I cant legally say her name here

still here - 2820 words summary: It all had to go down, after Helios crashed. note: I have...a love/hate relationship with this one kjdfbfg I like it but it’s honestly an alternate ending and doesnt fit within our usual bad ending, so take it with a grain of salt. i ten jebany błąd językowy w summary, kiedy ja go poprawię

together at last - 5590 words summary: It all struck him down in an instant, in this one minute. They were all safe. And they were all alive. Nothing was threatening neither him, nor Timothy, nor Fiona. He could finally breathe out.

They all found each other again. note: I am multitasking most time of my life but I dont relate any other fic to multitasking more than this one. I was honestly doing 10 things at once while writing this dfkjbndf

David AU - this one is a sub AU to Tales AU and the plot is kind of complicated dfjkbfb please check the fic for further explanation

building in curved lines - 22490 words summary: “To be fair, you look terrible. You’re barely standing in one piece and none of your coffees will hold you together for that long,” Lilith paused, seemingly weighing the correct words in her head. “You haven’t really been holding on since… We rescued The Double.” Rhys sighed heavily. Why did she have to be so right about everything. Or how Rhys and Timothy adjust to the reality after the Handsome Jack AI. note: bday gift for Spok, EASILY one of my absolute faves and the longest fic Ive written thus far

outside of AUs - some concepts I play with that are honestly outside any of our concrete timelines/concepts + fics not focused on Rhysothy

Real - 770 words summary: Reconciling with your past is a little easier, when you have someone you love right in your arms. note: first blands fic I’ve ever written. the characterization isn’t really there yet but as a first shot at the game and my kind of “introduction”, I am still satisfied of it

(Un)Familiar Faces - 9620 words summary: Timothy pursed his lips and leaned over the wall a little. He’s had enough of this solitude of closed doppelganger cabinet. Today wasn’t the day for another self-loathing session. Today, he should go off on Helios and do something for himself.

Or Timothy spends the night at a Helios bar. But not as Handsome Jack. And not as Timothy Lawrence either. note: personal favorite of mine, tough love letter to Timothy Lawrence. I have so many fond memories of writing this, including getting drunk out of my mind just like Tim and Rhys here

basics of survival - 2010 words summary: Athena taught Timothy everything he needed to know about survival. Now, it was time to put these skills into use. note: wrote this right before rona outbreak on last day in my dorms. thats all

#borderlands #fic masterpost #fanfiction #fanfic #rhysothy #rhys strongfork #timothy lawrence #just tagging characters that I write the most #fiona the con artist #zer0 the assassin #lorelei the coffee commander #athena the gladiator #Ędi's writing

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jay-locket · 4 years ago

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ok so i’ve got some words on the ranboo stream today cause some stuff just really isn’t adding up to me

1. i though skeppy still had the cat disc ?? my sister told me something about him accidentally revealing that on stream a little bit ago, though things could have changed since then

i remember bc dream at the confrontation at the portal w/ tommy he said it was in his ender chest and not on him but that he had it (which also doesn’t make sense bc why wouldn’t he have an ender chest on him if he knew he could use it in his confrontation w/tommy)

unless he’s somehow got it at some other point somehow but that’d be a lil scuffed (and i know canonically none of the characters would know that skeppy might still have it bc character skeppy has no reason to reveal this info without being explicitly asked + what did dream give them to get it back ?? idk)

and the timeline of when voice dream said ranboo got it i don’t think c!dream would have have it at that point (if this is true and skeppy still has/had it or i misunderstood when he said ranboo got it) and the other disc wasn’t given to him until the festival stuff by tubbo

2. why on earth would dream give ranboo the disc ? that man is so controlling and he would know the safest place to keep this item that has caused so much conflict would be on his person (or in his ender chest)

c!dream wouldn’t give ranboo the disc to hide (somewhere he doesn’t know of) and have ranboo hide it in the most easily discoverable place imaginable. the first place i would go if i suspected he had it would be his house, and tear the place apart. the chest was so close to where ranboo is residing and it makes no sense for it to be in such an easily discoverable place and in a normal fucking chest like ?? why would dream take that chance it doesn’t make sense

3. dream doesn’t have any reason to trust ranboo. up until this point ranboo has shown no loyalty to anything dream related - his true self has never been loyal to him. dream wouldn’t risk ranboo remembering these memories unless he was absolutely sure ranboo couldn’t remember, bc ranboo would choose literally anybody but dream to side with. (unless there’s this secret plot going on off stream that this alt ranboo is dreams ultimate ally which i doubt, but is a possibility)

also side point - i see a lot of theories that ranboo is part dreamon (which i have no clue if it’s canon or not pls lmk if it is) and i don’t think is true. i think this manifestation of ranboo’s dream voice is literally mental illness (idk what in specific, i’d guess anxiety or something) it’s a voice that’s, not really him or who he wants to be, convincing him he’s a bad person and that he’s done all these bad things. the dream voice jumps to backless assumptions with the little information it has, and automatically goes to the worst possible scenario. it’s making things up based on the slight leaning of bad possibilities. which is anxiety in a nutshell lmao

though i guess this is also just random so take it with a grain of salt :)

if you have any other good points or counter arguments that i may have missed pls lmk bc i’m just as confused with this plot as everybody else lol

#dream smp #c!ranboo #c!dream #dream smp theory

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byunsboyz · 5 years ago

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Jamais Vu - Part Three

Baekhyun x Female Reader

Warnings: none?

Genre: Fluff

W/C: 2472

Part One Part Two

__________________________________________________________

You sit on hold impatiently waiting to be connected to the inter-company help desk.

One minute you’re uploading an important journal to your client’s software, the next minute you get the blue screen of death.

“Shit shit shit” you mutter as you try to get your laptop to turn back on. You hear Kyungsoo sigh from across the room.

“You saved before you uploaded right?”.

He looks up from his screen when you don’t reply, a glint of concern behind his glasses.

“Right?”

You screw your eyes shut tightly and continue to ramble, “shit Shit SHIT”.

“Oh no,” Kyungsoo breathes.

The irritating hold music finally cuts and a familiar voice sighs down the other end.

“...again?”

“I keep you busy don’t I?” you wince, as the low voice grumbles something indistinguishable.

“What did you do this time?”

“I don’t even know Yixing, I was trying to upload this client journal and then the whole thing just broke!”

Zhang Yixing, a member of your company’s IT support department and a colleague you knew very well much to his dismay.

You were unfortunately infamous for breaking something IT-related every other week.

“How big was the file?” he starts, the sound of his keyboard tapping faintly through the line.

“I don’t know, like 3000 lines last time I checked”.

In the corner of your eye, Kyungsoo stands up and raises his coffee mug while gesturing to yours.

You nod gratefully and he picks up your mug on his way out.

“Hmm, it might be a server crash. I heard they’ve had WiFi issues on and off this week”.

“So it wasn’t my fault?” you ask, suddenly perking up.

“For once,” Yixing deadpans, “Did you save the last version before upload?”

“....no.” you sigh, “I was in such a rush to get it done I forgot. Ugh-I’m such an idiot!” You slump down in your chair feeling depressed.

“It’s fine, It’s fine” the IT tech soothes, his voice always somewhat reassuring.

“I’ve had your cloud drive set to take a backup every hour since that time you accidentally deleted your hard drive.”

“Yixing I owe you my life!”

He just chuckles down the line.

“Try restarting your laptop, I’ll hop on remotely and restore what I can”. You nod gratefully, even if he can’t see you.

It’s late in the evening when you finally leave the office.

Yixing restores what he can but you still have some gaps to fill, so between that and the continued server crashes you finally give up and leave two hours past quitting time.

“You didn’t have to stay Yixing, but I still really appreciate it” you thank him gratefully.

“It was mostly for the safety of our IT systems”, he yawns, scratching the back of his head as you walk side by side out of the building together.

“I didn’t have any issues until I worked here,” you huff as you swipe your ID card and exit the building. “My computer at home works just fine!”.

“Yeah yeah yeah” mocks Yixing with a dimpled smirk. You wave goodbye in defeat and walk towards the subway station.

Much to your surprise, you see Baekhyun when you step onto the train.

Sitting towards the middle of the carriage, his tie loosened and hair dishevelled as he sits forward scrolling through his phone.

He sighs about three times as you make your way towards him, plopping down in the seat next to him.

“Rough day?” you ask, nudging his shoulder gently with your own.

He looks up disinterestedly at first, but then his usual warmth returns to his eyes and he smiles softly, dark circles present under his eyes.

“That obvious huh? And you?”

You sigh “Computer issues and stressing out the IT department”.

Baekyhun snorts, “Computers were never your strong point.”

You scoff, sitting up in your seat to cross your arms over your chest, “What does that mean!”.

“Um, what about those times you pressed the wrong button at the radio station!?”.

Memories of Baekhyun talking in a chipmunk voice flashes through your head, or the time he thought he was talking live on the radio for twenty minutes before you realised you hadn’t paused the commercial recordings, you snort.

“Can’t say I recall…” He looks up at you with accusing eyes, “Uhhh have you eaten yet?” you ask, looking to change the subject as your own stomach aches with hunger.

He shakes his head in response.

“I know a great burger place?” you offer, “and they serve alcohol”.

He hums in satisfaction. “You had me at burgers”.

“Great let’s get off at the next stop”.

It’s been a few weeks since Baekhyun came back into your life and things are slowly becoming more comfortable.

Things really eased one morning when you discovered Baekhyun had been walking to the wrong subway station.

“Do you get a ride to work?” you’d asked nonchalantly as you both walked out of the building one morning.

“Huh-no the subway,” he shrugged, starting to turn off in the opposite direction.

“Wait!” you’d called out. “I thought you said you worked in the same part of the city as me?”

He turned to face you, his head tilted to the side, lines forming between his brows as he looked back at you. “What, yeah. Why?”.

“You’re walking to the station after ours…” you realise he’s making the same mistake you made when you first moved to the city.

Without thinking you step forward and link your arm in his, steering him in the right direction.

“Come on Mr Byun”.

Turn out he thought you were the one getting a ride to work

You started walking to the subway together every morning after that day. Baekhyun cut ten minutes off his journey time thanks to you, but you never usually saw him on the ride home.

Baekhyun’s office was situated farther in the city than yours so you’d get off a couple of stops before him.

“Come on, let’s go eat, “ you yawn, standing up from your seat as the carriage halts at your stop.

You walk to the restaurant together quietly, the street lights flickering on above you as the night seeps into the evening.

“Table for two?” a cute waitress chirps when you enter the restaurant.

“Please” You both follow her over to an empty table.

You take your seats and she pulls out her order pad, “Can I start you off with anything to drink?”.

“Can I get two beers please?” Baekhyun asks politely, the waitress failing to hide the way her eyes almost bulge out of her head when she looks at Baekhyun properly.

“I’ll be right back to take your order” she sing-songs as she steps away.

“Rude, she didn’t even ask what you wanted to drink” he grins, looking up cheekily from the menu.

You scoff and swat him with yours.

“Menus are for reading not hitting” he whines, jutting out his bottom lip to feign upset.

“I already know what I'm getting, this is one of my favourite places!” you declare, looking around at the bright American diner themed decor.

Admiring the cute neon milkshake sign and wondering if you could buy one for your apartment.

“Should I get Onion Rings or Bacon Cheese Fries” Baekhyun ponders out loud.

As if your body heard him, your stomach growls audibly. “He says both” you laugh, pointing to your stomach.

The waitress takes your order and after what seems like an eternity your food finally arrives.

You stare down at the beauty in front of you. The golden crisp of the grilled cheese bread, the way the cheddar and monterrey jack oozes teasingly out of the sides. The smell of the freshly made fries as the salt grains twinkle under the lights of the restaurant.

“I think I'm in love...” you gasp, gazing down at the piece of art on your plate.

Your mouth salivates as you bring the first half of the sandwich towards your mouth and take your first bite.

Tears spring to your eyes as you groan in happiness.

“Shall I give you and the sandwich a moment” Baekhyun teases, snapping you out of your trance.

“Don’t ruin my happy place” you sigh contentedly, as you swallow the first delicious bite. You steal one of his onion rings and shove it into your mouth whole.

He shakes his head at you as he lifts his burger to his mouth.

“Might want to take the cucumbers out, it’ll ruin your experience”, you say absentmindedly as you take a long swig from your beer, gesturing towards the burger.

He puts the burger down and lifts up the bun, his eyes widening in surprise, “You remembered that?”.

The realisation hits you and you feel your face heating up, “Uh-yeah, well...of course” you stumble over your words, unsure of what to say.

Baekhyun doesn’t take notice, removing the cucumbers from his burger with disgust and taking a huge bite.

“Wow, you weren’t wrong” he groans, his mouth still full.

You raise your hand to the waitress to order two more beers as you both sit in comfortable silence enjoying your meals.

“Wow, you weren’t wrong about this place” Baekhyun swoons, patting his stomach in satisfaction when you both finish eating.

“Stick a fork in me, I’m done”. You sigh, causing Baekhyun to chuckle.

“Thanks for inviting me” he starts, playing with the label on the beer bottle. “This has really cheered me up.”

“No problem” you smile back at him.

He hums thoughtfully “I’m really grateful you know, to be able to sit together like this after all this time.”

You drain the dregs of your beer and nod, you know from experience that he gets sentimental after a couple drinks.

“Me too, shall we pay up?”

You call out to the waitress and bring the bill, despite arguing back and forth Baekhyun is adamant he’s paying and thrusts his card at the poor waitress, who is just standing there waiting for you to finish bickering.

“You guys are so cute” she giggles as she processes the transaction on the card machine.

You start to shake your head to deny whatever she’s insinuating but Baekhyun throws his arm around your shoulder and drags you out of the restaurant.

“Should we get a cab, it's pretty late?” He looks down at his watch as you walk down the street towards the subway station. It’s a little after 9 pm.

The night sky black with few stars twinkling sparsely against the city fog that seems to shield them from sight. Baekhyun still has his arm around your shoulder and you feel more and more self-conscious about his touch.

You unwrap yourself out of his hold and stuff your hands in your coat pocket. “You’re always so clingy when you’re tipsy”.

“I didn’t want you to feel cold” Baekhyun replies absentmindedly, you bite your lip instantly feeling guilty.

He really is clueless.

He stops suddenly and looks behind him, waving a cab over just before it passes you by.

“Come on, jump in”.

You both hop in the cab and Baekhyun gives the driver the address, as the taxi pulls off you opt to stare out of the window for the remainder of the journey, to refrain yourself from saying anything stupid.

When the cab pulls up you lean over and hand the driver payment, ignoring Baekhyun’s protests as you step out of the vehicle.

“You bought dinner, this is the least I can do” you shrug as you walk towards your building.

“You’re so stubborn!” he huffs, jogging up behind you so that you’re walking side by side again.

“Speak for yourself” you retaliate.

You feel yourself grinning as you continue to banter back and forth in the elevator until you arrive at your front door.

“Goodnight hyunnie” you grin. Leaning back against your door as you watch Baekhyun unlocking his own.

He pauses at the sudden nickname. The name you used to call him all the time back in college, it was strange how easily it rolled off your tongue.

“Night sunflower”

The nickname he called you over ten years ago.

Smiling fondly back at you as you step back into your apartment, trying to still the way your heart flips at his words.

The next evening you’re at a karaoke bar with Key and Aria, it’s Friday evening so you don’t hold back from the cocktails that Key keeps reordering.

You fill them in on your evening with Baekhyun.

“That’s practically a date!” screams Key, shaking you by the shoulders. “He paid for your meal, escorted you home AND walked you to your door!”.

“They live together you dumb dumb” Aria sighs, flipping through the song lists with the karaoke remote. “But I mean it does sound like you both got closer?”.

You laugh nervously, throwing back your cocktail to calm your sudden nerves. “I mean it was nice, it felt like the old days but I also can’t help but feel cautious”.

You run your fingers through your hair as you feel everything suddenly bubbling over and you start ranting.

“At the end of the day he stopped talking to me, I probably didn’t try that hard but why put in energy that’s not reciprocated, am I just convenient?”

You sigh “I realise now that he’s just himself, too friendly and doesn’t realise it. I was misleading myself”.

Key wraps his arm around you,“You...my beautiful, intelligent, way too sober friend, need more cocktails!”.

“She needs a date!” shouts Aria excitedly. “Remember that thing we were talking about?”.

You look between your friends suspiciously. “What thing?”

“Speed dating, there’s an event next weekend. You should go!”.

Key is sticking his head out of the door to order more drinks but he turns back into the room and points at Aria.

“You’re also going A”.

Aria chokes on her soda, “ME!?”.

“Yes, you!!” Key shoots back, “when was the last time you had a date?”.

You don’t see your friend speechless often but in this situation Key has her stumped.

“I never even agreed to this!” you defend, “Why do I need to go?”.

“Well why not” Aria turns the conversation back to you. “Is it because you're secretly hoping something will happen between you and Baekhyun?”.

“No!” you shout.

Key gasps. “You still like him!” he points his finger at you accusingly.

“No, I don’t” you whine, taking an extra-long slurp of your mojito.

“Prove it!” Aria and Key shout back in unison.

“Fine! If it shuts you both up! But Aria is coming or I’m out” you huff, selecting the next karaoke song and grabbing the mic angrily.

“He got, me, go-ing crazzzyyyyyyyyyyy” you shout out the lyrics. Venting out all your evening's frustration.

Your friends grin like hyena’s in the mirror behind you.

What have you got yourself into.

Bonus Scene (in collaboration with @xingslove ) :

Aria practically herds you and Key out of the karaoke bar.

“I feel bad leaving that last cocktail there. It must be so lonely” Key whines, looking back towards the bar longingly.

Aria dragged you away before you could finish off the last of your drinks, declaring you’d both had enough.

There’s a long walk to the cabs at the far end of the street. Key dragging his feet on Aria’s right as she pulls you along from the left.

“For someone so short you have the strength of a bull” groans Key, trying to wrestle himself out of Aria’s vice grip. “You could have at least let me finish my cocktail!”.

“Key, I am not your date from last week” Aria mutters under her breath, “I will not let you get into the same state that results in you throwing up on us!”.

Key winces slightly at Aria’s words. You recount that night, Key stumbling through the door of Aria’s apartment covered in vomit.

You had been there watching a movie and had to help take care of your upset and incredibly drunk friend.

“Yeah, you disgrace!” You point at him mockingly.

“He challenged me! What was I supposed to do!” he shoots back at you.

Maybe it’s the cocktails, but you start laughing like a hyena as your friends argue back and forth.

“Don’t think I forgot about you!” Aria retorts, rounding to face you. “Miss ‘throws up in the toilet after way too many shots’”.

“Wait, which time? That happens a lot?” Key asks, finally breaking free from Aria and starts to pirouette back towards the bar.

“Hey!” you shout, but any words of defence are lost on you as the street starts to spin with Key.

You brace yourself against the wall for a quick rest.

“Oh you know, that time I held her hair back as she threw up...” Aria starts to recount, letting you go to herd Key back in the right direction.

“We left her to go get some fresh clothes since she pulled a you!” She pokes Key in the chest as she grabs his shirt collar and redirects him back towards you.

“And we came back to find her taking a nice nap against the toilet seat”.

“Was that when she slipped off as soon as we walked in? You thought she had lowkey knocked herself out”.

Key grabs the lampost nearby to brace himself as he bursts into laughter.

“Oi” you slur, pointing at your friend only to trip over nothing.

“You can’t judge ussssss”. You hiccup, clutching back onto Aria’s arm to steady yourself. “You don’t even drink!”

“Yeah!” joins in Key, swinging around the pole like he’s dancing in the club, “isn’t it harsh to laugh at your friends' misfortunes!”.

“Just get in the cab!” huffs Aria, finally shoving you both into a waiting taxi.

________________________________________________________

Tag List: @xingslove @shesdreaminginoverdose @bbyunz @sehunsthetics

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samthemarvelfan · 5 years ago

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Goodbyes: Chapter Two

Summary: Ella Monroe is the Avengers newest recruit, handpicked by Steve Rogers himself. Indebted to him for reasons unknown, Cap pairs her up with Bucky Barnes. He is tasked with training her to relearn and hone the skills that have long since rusted. Bucky is cold and distant, and Ella can’t seem to break through the wall he’s built up for decades. He sees something in her though, and it scares him to death. Has the fate of these two strangers been sealed? …or will they always be longing…

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x OFC, feat Steve Rogers

Warnings: Angst, Bucky is a dick, mutual pining, self sabotage

A/N: AHHH! Thank you all so much for the love! I was so nervous (still am!) to post that chapter, but I’m so proud of it. This chapter, while still important, is kinda filler. Chapter 3 gets CRAZY. Please let me know if you would like to be tagged in the future! Thank you as always, let me know what you think! :)

Taglist: @iheartsebastianstan

Everything hurt the next morning. Everything.

Here you were again, 5:15 am and putting on your standard issue outfit. As you pull on the black tactical pants, you can’t help but realize just how much running in these things irritated your skin. “Screw it.” You mutter to yourself.

Tugging them back off, you opt for some black workout leggings, which in your mind make much more sense to workout in.

The hallway is quiet, as it should be at this unholy hour. You lollygag through the corridors, in no particular rush to see Bucky this morning. You’re about to reach the elevator, when the door to you left swings open.

“Shit!” You curse.

Sergeant Barnes was stood there, his hair shaggy and damp, smelling like he just showered. He was in a black T-shirt, his tac pants and black boots.

And wow did he smell good. Like burning cedar and musk.

“Sorry about that, you just—you scared me.” You say breathless. “G’Morning, Sergeant.”

That’s when you realize this is the first time you’d seen it; his metal arm. You catch a glimpse of it as he’s pulling his jacket on. He sees you eye it subtly, like he’s waiting for your face to give him a reaction. It doesn’t bother you, or make you uncomfortable like he assumed it would.

“What are you wearing?” He asks suddenly with a gravely, just-woke-up tone.

Your face is puzzled for a moment before you realize what he means. “Oh, I just thought since I’d probably be doing more running and working out today, I’d wear the proper attire.”

Bucky swallows thickly, and his eyes quickly look at you legging clad legs. “That’s not your uniform, Cadet.” He said quietly.

Seriously? He’s already starting?

You sigh, “If you’d like me to change, Sergeant I—“

“No,” he cuts you off, “you’d just waste more of my time. Let’s go.”

You stepped into the elevator with him. “Kitchen.” He spoke as the doors closed.

“Kitchen level confirmed.” FRIDAY’s voice spoke.

You carefully look over at Bucky. His hands were shoved in his pockets. His jaw was clenched and he was breathing through his nose.

“Kitchen?” You ask curiously.

He nods, “You need to eat. Fuel up after yesterday so maybe today we can do more.”

You smile softly, “Sounds good.”

When you get to the kitchen, Bucky takes a seat one of the bar stools.

His eyes, even in this dim lighting, were gorgeous as they watched you move through the kitchen. His breathing was irregular as he shifted every few moments in his seat.

“You’re not eating?” You ask.

Your question seems to break him from his trance. “No. Go on, I’ll wait for you.” He says calmly.

He was being strangely...kind? Or at least it seemed like he was trying to be. It was nice; refreshing even.

After searching for the quickest thing you can find, you settle on brown sugar oatmeal. You sliced up some banana and added it for some pizzazz.

Despite what Sergeant Barnes said, you made enough for two. Taking a seat at the end opposite him, you slide the bowl across the counter. He caught it instantly with his metal hand.

He look at you momentarily before scooping up a bite for himself. He nods, “Thank you.”

“No problem, Sarge.”

The way you looked in those leggings made Bucky’s knees turn to jelly. It took all of his focus to control himself when he caught a whiff of your scent; like a garden after a rain storm.

He knew he pushed you yesterday, and he regretted it. He watched as your hips swayed through the kitchen, but also how you tried to hide the soreness of you muscles and skin. Bucky’s attraction to you was scaring him. He hadn’t looked at a woman—really looked, in decades. Hell, maybe even half a century.

He imagined how soft your skin would feel against his, and how your smell would linger on his bed sheets. He longed for it, craved it. The more he imagined it, the more difficult it became to hide his...excitement.

Bucky pushed the thoughts out of his head. He needed to focus. Besides, he was dangerous and you were his assignment.

“What’s on the agenda today?” You ask him.

Bucky licks his lips, going for another bite of oatmeal. “Strength and conditioning—squats and bench presses. We’ll see what else we have time for.”

You nod. “See? Told you the leggings were a good idea!” You say confidently.

Bucky lets out a breath of laughter. “Yeah, Yeah. Let’s go, Cadet.”

He trails you as you head for the gym. He watches as you take look at the morning’s sunrise, practically bathing in its glow.

In that moment, Bucky decides whatever he has to do to keep you safe, he’d do. Even if it means making you hate him.

Weeks into training and you’re amazing what muscle memory can do. You’ve become stronger than you’d ever been. Benching your weight, plus some.

With Bucky’s help, you’ve successfully remastered ballistics, specifically pistols. Your aim is perfect and your speed is better, though Sergeant Barnes would disagree.

“Why don’t you give actually trying a shot?” Bucky orders, already annoyed.

You scoff, “Are you blind? That’s a millimeter off top dead center!”

Defending yourself had become a regular practice with him. At first you were subordinate—damn near obedient. You thought you were making some progress together. After that second morning you spent with him, he seemed to actually care out you.

But as time when on, Bucky reverted to his old self. No matter how respectful you intended to be, at this point you thought he deserved some of his own medicine.

“No, I’m not blind. Which is why I see your imperfections,” He says casually, taking the pistol from you hand.

You shake your head in disbelief, “What is your problem?” You shout.

“My problem is everyday I spend with you, you get more and more mouthy. I am you CO, Cadet Monroe. Don’t forget that.”

You’re stunned at his hypocrisy. “Yeah well I don’t see anyone else getting berated everyday. Just me. Why is that, Sergeant?”

Bucky doesn’t answer you as he removed the clip from the pistols, disassembling them on the table.

You cross your arms defensively. “Nothing I do will ever be to your satisfaction, will it?”

“Incompetence isn’t something to be proud of.” He says without looking at you.

A pit opens in your stomach. “Screw you, Barnes.” You push past him.

“Right there, that’s exactly what I’m talking about.” He says angrily.

You turn and look at him “Forgive me if I feel like I have to defend my every move!” You shout, reaching your breaking point. “I do everything you ask and I do it well, and you still treat me like garbage!”

His eyes are not leaving yours. They look gentle, almost apologetic. “You done?” He says softly.

You let out a defeated sigh, “Yeah. Guess I am.”

The two of you had been butting heads more than usual. The more confident you got, the more he tried to take you down a peg.

You wanted to scream—to cry out of frustration. But you know how much he’d enjoy seeing you come undone. “Anything else today, Sarge?” You ask flatly.

Bucky’s eyes search your face quickly, before he turns away again. “No. You’re dismissed. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

You push the double doors heading for the exit and release a breathe you’d been holding in much longer than you thought.

You used to look forward to seeing Sergeant Barnes. Despite how he treats you, something about him is magnetic. The way he looks at you makes your heart do backflips. You’d hope by improving, you’d impress him and earn a bit of praise.

You were wrong.

Lately, taking a walk seems to be the best part of your day. The dock jetting off the lake was your favorite place. You could sit on the edge of it for hours, just thinking. Remembering who you used to be and who you are now, and just how far you’ve come—despite what that arrogant asshole thinks.

“Am I interrupting?” A strong voice asks from behind you.

You spin around and see Steve, standing still in his uniform.

“Hey!” You greet happily, “Of course not, you just get back?”

He nods, “Yeah, saw you here from the jet and figured I’d come say hi.”

You smiled, Steve has been the best friend you’ve ever had. No judgement, no secrets, just true friendship.

“How’s training going? You doing okay?” He asks, putting his shield down and taking a seat next to you.

You shrug, “It’s uh, it’s going.”

Steve looks at you curiously, “That doesn’t exactly sound promising.”

A small laugh escapes your lips, “I think I’m doing great. Your pal Bucky doesn’t seem to agree.”

At that moment you look over Steve’s shoulder and see none other than Sergeant Barnes standing under the Maple tree about 100 yard away. He was watching you, and more so—he watching Steve.

Steve notices, and turns to see what’s caught your eye. He spots Bucky, and gives him a friendly nod. “Take Bucky with a grain of salt, Ella. He’s—and not that I enjoy making excuses for him, but he’s still adjusting to all of this. Hell, we all are.”

You nod. There’s no point in telling Steve just how much of a dick Bucky has been. That’s his best friend, and you’re a big girl, you could handle Sergeant Barnes by yourself. “I’m just not used to his...methods.”

Steve chuckles, “I know he’s tough, but I’d be willing to bet you’re tougher. Give him all the hell you want, Ella.”

Footsteps echo off the wooden dock, and you look to see Bucky approaching the two of you. “Hey, Punk.” He said embracing Steve in a hug.

“How you doing, Buck?” Steve asks.

Bucky smiles as they converse with ease. You scoff, you didn’t think that he knew how to smile. It’s so genuine and warm...almost kind. You’d never seen him smile like that before; especially not towards you.

“So how’s my gal doing?” Steve asks gesturing to you.

Bucky’s smile faltered, and his jaw clenched at Steves question. “She’s getting by.”

You can’t help but laugh, “Yeah Cap, ask your buddy here what he thinks about my ballistics training...”

Steve turns to Bucky, “You’re doing ballistics already?”

Bucky nods.

Steve turns back to you, “You must be doing amazing if you’re skipping combat lessons already.”

“I thought we’d save that for when she was more coordinated.” Bucky states simply.

You scoff, “So you’d trust me with a gun in my hands rather than training me to fight?”

Bucky’s eyes meet yours, but he’s silent. “She’s got a point, Buck.” Steve says slyly.

“Fine,” Bucky says, still looking at you. “Tomorrow morning. Training center, 5 AM.” He’s attempting to hide his reluctance, but he’s not doing so well.

“I’ll talk to you later, Pal.” Bucky says to Cap before turning and walking away from the two of you. Steve lets out a deep sigh, as he leans against the post.

You grab the sleeves of your top and pull them over your fingers, retreating within yourself a bit. “Have you told him yet? About—about me? Maybe that’s why he so, well for lack of a better word, mean to me.” You ask Steve.

Cap shakes his head, “No,” he strokes your arm, “No, that’s not my story to tell.”

You breathe a sigh of relief, “I know, I’m just...I’m not sure I’m ready for people to know my past. Not yet.”

Steve gives a sympathetic look. “You’re not the only one with a past, Ella. Don’t put that kinda pressure on yourself,”

You nod, feeling your eyes prickle with tears.

Cap notices instantly. “Dinner?” He asks kindly.

You force a smile, “Captain America can cook?”

He chuckles, “Definitely not. But I can order takeout—one of my many skills.”

As you and Steve head back to the compound, you couldn’t help but shake the feeling you were being watched.

Bucky hid among the tree line as he watched you with Steve. He saw your smile, and couldn’t help but wish he could make you smile, just once. He saw how relaxed you were with him, and he realized he’d never, ever seen you without your guard up.

Bucky hated this. He hated himself for everything he’s putting you through, and even though he keeps reminding himself it’s a necessity, if he’s completely honest, he’s starting not to care.

But seeing you with Steve...he makes you happy. Happier than Bucky ever could. And Steve, Steve looks happy. The way his eyes light up when he sees you, or talks to you. He cares for you, that much is clear.

Bucky needed to distance himself. To maintain this façade of disliking you, all for the sake of his friend. If Steve cared for you, even half as much as Bucky does, then he knows you’ll be in good hands.

When Bucky got back to the compound that night, he headed straight for his room. His appetite seemingly disappeared after he saw you with Steve.

Bucky reaches his floor, with the intention of going straight to bed, but then he hears it.

A laugh. Your laugh. A melodious happiness echoing off the walls from just down the hall. He follows the sound without hesitation until he reached a door only a few yards from his own.

It’s cracked open just enough to see you there, sitting on the floor of your bedroom, Steve sat mere inches from you. Your hair is down, locks framing your face perfectly. Bucky sees you in sweats and a sports bra, and can’t stop the twitch that occurs below his stomach.

You’re smiling, relaxed, happy. In this moment, Bucky realized he’s never even heard you laugh. If that was the last sound he heard in his whole God damn life, he’d die a happy man.

He also realized that for the first time in his life, he’s felt a pain worse than anything HYDRA ever put him through; heartbreak.

Chapter Three: Hurt

#samthemarvelfan #bucky barnes #james buchanan barnes #bucky barnes x original female character #bucky barnes fanfiction #bucky barnes angst #bucky barnes x reader #james barnes #steve rogers #bucky series #bucky barnes series #bucky barnes fanfic #sebastian stan

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system-of-a-feather · 4 years ago

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How would medecince even function? I mean would it just be a chemical forcing integration? Because that's the only way it could work and I would argue that that'd be inherenty immoral.

Disclaimer: This is 100000% not scientific and just me thinking because 1) medicine for DID symptoms do not really exist to my knowledge (correct me if Im wrong) and 2) this seems to be a theoretical opinion question and 3) while I have an interest in neurology / medicine, I am not really knowledgable enough to make like.... actually good hypothesises XD

With that out of the way, I honestly don’t know. The two main paths I could think of it “working” is either...

1) Down the direction of memory erasure / forgetting the trauma that causes it. That could, I guess, theoretically remove the need to dissociate / switch / manifest alternate selves to conceptualize and to keep things seperated, I GUESS. I say I guess cause I don’t actually think that would work for a number of reasons but I mean it probably is *someones* perspective

2) Locate the biological / physiological component of the brain correlated with / responsible for out of body experiences / dissociation / disintegration or dissociation of self and to target that part of the brain to lessen dissociation / experiences of dissociation. For more simple dissociative disorders (DPDR, C-PTSD), that might help (or be an acute medication, as in only when needed) with grounding and help with a lot of symptoms if they could find it which could be great, but how that would in turn affect a chronic and complex case of dissociation like DID, I really only think time would tell with that.

My thoughts on that would be it’d either result in flooding (lowering of barriers and causing an on rush of too much information - typically trauma related), it would encourage repression / suppression of parts and memories and cause the “most commonly front part” to be out there more alone, or it would be an acute / episodic medication that would not be used regularly but instead used like medication for panic attacks / anxiety attacks and could be used to help ground when it is needed and/or when you are having a dissociative episode / crisis that you need to get out of.

Personally I feel this is the actual better direction for “medication for DID”, and I would personally hope it would be used as a more acute medication than a regular one for DID. For DPDR and C-PTSD and other disorders that experience a more simple form of dissociation, I would hope there is room for a regular one if it is needed / helpful, but for DID I don’t think medically treating the dissociation would be a good idea.

(It is actually why EMDR is sometimes a bit risky for DID since it is really good at bypassing dissociation which is good for PTSD and C-PTSD, but often too fast / hard to manage for DID; don’t take this as ‘dont do EMDR, but more of a be cautious’ since EMDR has helped some systems)

Additionally, I believe there is a good amount of research going into finding out what is responsible for the feelings of dissociation, out of body experiences, etc etc so there might eventually be room for medication depending on how that progresses. I have a few articles I’ve been saving for when I take my quarter off to catch up on the research about dissociation and the physiology / neurology of it and I’m a bit excited to do a deep dive to catch up on it.

Oh and I guess another way a psychiatrist might target it is to work on memory encoding to prevent FUTURE memory issues / dissociation? Therefore they might give medication to lower / lessen the barriers that would disrupt / mess with the process of memory formation, and that might theoretically be viable currently? But I don’t know XD I’m not a psychiatrist or that big into medicine.

Take this all with a grain of salt, I’m still getting my undergraduate / bachelors, I know little -w-

-Riku (Host)

#alter: riku #ask #asks #thoughts #hypotheses #medication

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syntaxeme · 5 years ago

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Giardino Segreto ch. 8

[Read on AO3] | [First chapter] | [Next chapter] Rating: T Chapter summary: Molly is wary of Angel's new 'family' and their intentions. But are her suspicions based on observation or misinformation? One has to wonder where she's getting these ideas.

— — –

While Alastor sat aside and waited for Angel to join them, Venture was a veritable flurry of action, sorting through files, making calls, meeting with family members and giving orders. Granted, they had only been working together for the past month or so, but the change in her performance was shocking nevertheless. ‘Trying harder,’ indeed!

An hour or so after Alastor had entered the office, the doors swept open again to reveal a properly-dressed and put-together Angel with Molly in tow. She observed the space with wide eyes as she followed him inside and he explained proudly, “So this is my office. You met my consigliere already. Everything goin’ okay down here, Venn?”

While she might have normally responded with a clever quip or a tongue-in-cheek ‘no thanks to you,’ she instead gave him a curt nod, only looking up from her work briefly. “I’m drafting a contract for Cherri’s Dust dealer. I’ll need you to look over it by the end of the day so I can finalize that deal. The Cortezes got back to us with an offer this morning too, so let me know when you’re ready to discuss it.” And back she went to writing up the contract.

“Uh, yeah, will do.” Angel gave Alastor a confused look, as if to ask What’s up with her? but the Radio Demon could only shrug. It wasn’t as if he could explain to Angel the conversation they’d had earlier and the real reason for her increase in productivity. The boss frowned and turned back to Molly. “Eh, she’s usually more fun than that”—he shot her a look to see if his jab had provoked a response, but there was none—“but I guess she’s…busy today. Hey, Al, I’m givin’ Molls a tour around the place. Wanna come with?”

“Happy to,” Alastor agreed, much preferring an upbeat Angel to the very concentrated Venture. He joined Molly in following the boss downstairs to the ground floor and couldn’t help feeling that even though Angel was leading her around the building and pointing out all its various features, she was watching Alastor warily the entire time. Had he done something to offend her? Was his first impression in Angel’s room enough to make her assume he was up to no good? He could only hope his smile would make him seem less threatening—though he was aware it often had the opposite effect.

“And look, you’re gonna like this,” Angel was saying, holding Molly’s hand as they came back to the lobby and he led the way up the stairs to the mezzanine and lounge area. In addition to the bar, there was a sprawling seating area with armchairs and loveseats, along with a more unusual addition, which Angel had insisted was necessary: a grand piano where, every night, one of their host of demons would provide live music for the guests. And, just as he’d predicted, Molly lit up at the sight.

“Ooh, it’s gorgeous,” she cooed, hurrying across the room to seat herself at the bench and run her hand along the cover over the keys. As Angel and Alastor joined her, she looked up at her brother with eyes sparkling in excitement. “Can I…?”

“Yeah, I figured you wouldn’t be able to resist,” he laughed, leaning against the side of the piano. “Knock yourself out.”

She lifted the cover, quickly found her fingering, and started to play with ease, evidently from memory. Angel went to stand over her shoulder and watch her hands move, so Alastor joined at his other side. He didn’t recognize the tune, but it was lovely regardless, and Molly played without a single falter or sour note. He somehow felt a bit more respect for her, seeing how focused and skilled she was at what he knew for a fact was a difficult instrument to master. For a moment, he entertained the idea of joining her—but it seemed a step too far. Maybe he would demonstrate his skills at another time.

“She’s good,” he noted honestly.

“Always has been,” Angel agreed with the slightest smile on his lips. It wasn’t the cocky grin he usually wore, all smug, pushy bravado; it was softer, more genuine, and Alastor finally realized how much it had been upsetting him to be separated from his twin.

That was only natural, all things considered. She was always the one to support him through their father’s violent outbursts, the only one in the Dellarosa household he could confide in and look to for understanding. Having that so suddenly removed from his life to be replaced by an army of demons who hardly knew him… Alastor could only imagine how it must feel. He watched as Angel sat at her side, looking more relaxed than ever, and he realized this was a problem.

Angel missed his sister. He was happier for her presence. Meaning that when she left to return to the Dellarosas, when she became ‘the enemy’ again, he would be utterly miserable. They couldn’t have that. Not only would it be a detriment to Angel’s overall mood, but it could interfere with his goal of taking down the Dellarosa family in the long run. Something would have to be done.

As Molly finished her song to light applause from the few guests in the area, she blushed and smiled bashfully. “Still got it,” Angel told her with a grin.

“Never lost it,” she teased back. “Hope I didn’t bother anyone.”

“Please, they should be thankin’ you,” he said, waving off her concerns. “Besides, I own the place; we can do what we want.”

“I still don’t get how you pulled it off. I mean, I saw this place a couple months ago, and it was a wreck!” Her eyes lingered on the glittering chandelier above them. “And I thought the owners were gonna demo it or somethin’. How’d you get ‘em to hand it over?”

“Eh, I had some help from my sottocapo here.” Angel nodded in Alastor’s direction. “This guy might not look like it, but he’s got a few tricks up his sleeves ya wouldn’t expect. He bought the place for a song and then gave it to me as a”—he tossed Alastor a smarmy smirk over his shoulder—“token of his affection. Didn’t ya, honey?”

You have no idea.

“You’re absolutely right, cher. You might also call it an investment.” There was something gratifying in the knowledge that Angel would so readily flirt with him around others, including his sister, even if in a teasing way. It felt legitimizing in a way, as if they did actually have some sort of relationship already. Of course, Alastor tried to take that satisfaction with a grain of salt, as the boss didn’t hesitate to flirt with anyone, but it still felt different when addressed at him. More specific, less flippant.

“Affection, huh?” Molly said, eyeing Alastor skeptically.

“Oh, come on, don’t make that face.” Angel nudged his shoulder into hers. “Not every guy I get with is a complete asshole.”

‘Get with’? That was a conveniently vague description of what was going on between the two of them.

“I’ll believe that when I see it,” Molly answered, pursing her lips. “Anyway, this is all nice, but I wanna know where the real business goes on. I know you and your consigliere run things upstairs, but what about the soldatos? What about the caporegimes? It can’t be just the few of you.”

“They stay in the rooms all over; it ain’t the same as Pop’s place where everybody’s separated. I got capos on floor twelve and floor two. I got soldatos on floor ten and floor five. They’re just around.”

“But.” Molly’s face twisted into a pretty frown of confusion. “How do you keep everyone in line like that?”

“Oh, that’s not an issue,” Alastor answered before realizing he might be stepping on Angel’s toes. Still, the boss gestured for him to go on, so he continued, “Every member of our family has known since their arrival that Angel is the one in charge. We’ve only been in business a short time, but every day he makes it clearer that he knows what he’s doing and is someone to be trusted. I know without doubt that our people see that and respect it.” Angel beamed at his compliments, and he meant every word.

“It’s pretty impressive to have their loyalty after just a month or so,” Molly noted. “How many’d you say there are?”

“Like two hundred, give or take.”

She bit her lip, the gesture eerily reminiscent of Angel’s habit of doing the same. But why should she be nervous at the moment? “That’s way more than Papa’s got,” she said with a weak laugh.

“Yeah, that was kinda the point,” Angel agreed with a satisfied smirk. This was another particular he had stipulated when the Giardinos first began. “Gonna be a lot easier runnin’ him outta business when we can prove we got better forces.”

The young woman drew into herself slightly, legs crossed at the ankle, hands folded delicately in her lap. “You’re really serious about that?” she asked gently.

“C’mon, Molls.” The boss let out a sigh and pushed to his feet. “Don’t get all weepy about it. I know ya don’t like thinkin’ about it, but you can’t act like he doesn’t deserve some kinda payback for all the shit he’s put me through. I ain’t askin’ ya to help me do it, but ya ain’t gonna stop me either.”

“No, I know,” Molly said hastily, her hands clasping tighter as she looked up at him with what seemed more like concern than irritation. “I’m sorry, caro. I don’t want you thinkin’ I’m not happy for you. I am. I’ve just been worried. You’ve been gone all this time, and nobody knew what you were up to. I’ve never been away from you that long before, especially not knowin’ why. It was scary.”

Angel ran his fingers through his hair to comb it back from his eyes, visibly fighting guilt over his sister’s discomfort. “Yeah, I get it. Look, why don’t we take a step back from the whole business thing for a minute?” He paused to check his watch. “I’ll take you to lunch or somethin’ and we can just talk like normal for a while. Okay?”

She smiled sheepishly. “I’d like that, Angelino.”

“C’mon, then. Lemme show ya around my part of town a little.” The two started toward the stairs, but he paused when he realized Alastor wasn’t following. “You comin’, Al?”

It was difficult to miss the distinct pout on Molly’s face as she turned to continue on her way as if she hadn’t noticed Angel stopping. Difficult to misinterpret her attitude toward Alastor. “Actually, I think I have some work to get done here,” he said apologetically.

“Work?” Angel scoffed. “Since when d’you have work? I don’t remember givin’ ya anything to do lately.”

“Then I’ll find something to keep myself occupied.” Lowering his voice slightly, he nodded toward Molly. “I think your sister would prefer to spend time with you alone. Not that I can blame her.”

“Well. What if I need you or somethin’?” Angel insisted, arms crossed, pouting a bit himself.

“Then call me, and I’ll come to you.”

The boss let out a frustrated huff. “But I wanted you two—”

“Angel?” Molly called, standing by the stairs. Nothing in her voice was demanding or whiny, nothing in her smile signaling impatience. “I thought we were leavin’.”

“Just a minute,” he answered, waving a hand at her, obviously still not satisfied with where he and Alastor were leaving off.

“If it’s going to bother you, I’ll come along, cher. I could also follow discreetly in case you run into any trouble. It’s up to you.”

The boss let out a sigh and shrugged. “Nah, forget it. I been away all this time; least I can give her is an hour or two for just us. I’ll see ya when we get back.” His eyes flickered down to Alastor’s lips, and he started to lean closer, then thought better of it and backed away, giving a weak half-smile as he went to meet his twin at the stairs. As they left together, that smile quickly turned more genuine, and Alastor’s chest constricted with unwarranted jealousy.

— — —

Luckily, he wasn’t allowed much time to dwell on whatever angst Angel’s outing with Molly had instilled. Looking for something to do with himself, as promised, he went back up to the third floor and the office, where he found Venture in a meeting with a group of three capos. Her eyes darted toward the door as he entered, then she went on with her conversation.

“I don’t want excuses, gentlemen: I want answers,” she said plainly. “This isn’t grounds for an execution or even an expulsion, but when the boss hears about it, he’s not going to be happy, and he’ll want the name of whoever’s responsible. You’re going to get me that name. Understood?” All three nodded in silence, and she dismissed them with a flick of her hand, turning her attention to Alastor instead. “Where’s Angel?” The usual languid self-assurance in her voice had been replaced with a certain no-nonsense quality to match her sudden severe attitude shift.

“He took Molly to lunch. He said they should be back in an hour or two,” the Radio Demon explained, wandering over to her corner of the room to look over her desk, which was far busier than usual just as she was.

Venture let out a clipped sigh. “Of course he did. First the distraction with you this morning, now a personal visit—with one of our rivals, no less. Maybe if I’m lucky he’ll be able to spare some attention for the business too. Our don is quite a popular man,” she grumbled, even her writing fevered and frustrated as she scribbled down some note or another and scanned over the many stacks of papers on her desk to categorize it.

“Ahem. Is there anything I might do to help?” Alastor suggested, almost wishing she would take back her vow to so thoroughly devote herself to the Giardinos’ success; she was so much less fun this way.

“Oh, do you work here?” she chuckled, finally raising her eyes to meet his. That was the same sentiment Angel had expressed, and he still didn’t care for the suggestion that he wasn’t pulling his weight.

“You should know better than anyone, my friend, that I’m every bit as capable a man as one could find in these halls,” he answered indignantly, gesturing toward the rest of the hotel. “Just you tell me what needs doing and I’ll see that it gets done.”

“Is that so?”

It seemed as if Venture took those words as more a challenge than an assurance. Somehow, she had a never-ending list of errands to be run, ranging from within the hotel itself to a few blocks down the way to the opposite end of Manhattan. Alastor, ever a man of his word and always up for a challenge, fulfilled every directive she issued, from pressing their lessees for unpaid ‘taxes’ to seeking out some poor fool who had borrowed money from the family and then gone awol.

Over the course of his trials—which had by then become a matter of principle—he must have lost track of time; he returned to the hotel with a bundle of dossiers Venture had sent him practically all the way to the Bronx for, but stopped outside the office when he found Molly waiting there on her own.

“Nice to see you again, but I feel you’re missing something. Have you lost Angel?” He tried to joke, but her smile was sympathetic at best.

“He’s inside,” she said, nodding toward the door. “His consigliere really wanted to go over this deal they’re doing with the Cortezes, so…maybe not the best time to go in.”

“I see.” He wondered how Angel was dealing with Venture’s paradigm shift.

“Our family doesn’t really deal with the Cortezes,” Molly mused, absently twirling a pale blond curl around and around her finger. “Papa says they got too much Spanish in ‘em. ‘No sense of urgency.’”

“As I understand it, Angel doesn’t subscribe to many of your father’s more traditional ideals,” Alastor answered cautiously.

“Yeah. That was never his bag, I guess.” Her eyes wandered to him, inspecting everything from his hairdo to his fashion sense to the spectacles perched on his nose. “He talks about you an awful lot.”

He could only hope his smile didn’t look too self-satisfied. “That makes sense. We work together closely, so he spends a lot of time around me.”

“Yeah, but it’s not really the way ya talk about a coworker. He doesn’t talk about his consigliere like that. Plus I saw how ‘close’ you two were this morning.” Some of the sweetness had faded from her voice since her earlier conversation with Angel.

“May I ask why that bothers you?” What about being involved with Angel is inherently a sin?

“It doesn’t,” she said unconvincingly. “Just makes me a little nervous how he’s trustin’ all these people he barely knows like they’re a real family.” There was nothing catty or snide in her tone; she genuinely just sounded worried.

“With all due respect,” Alastor started at length, “his ‘real’ family, present company excluded, have proven they aren’t all worth trusting.”

For the first time, he saw a distinct scowl crease her face. “What d’you know about it?”

“Only what Angel’s told me. I wouldn’t try to explain your own family to you, but my point is that this change of scenery—and company—has done him nothing but good.” He tried to be as gentle and unobtrusive as possible in noting all this, to make his point without making Molly feel attacked. Not an effort he would make for just anyone. “Doesn’t he seem happier to you?”

“I guess,” she mumbled, winding her hair tighter around her fingers. “But it’s not right, him bein’ away from home. It’s not where he belongs. Family’s supposed to stick together, especially families like ours.” There was a hint of nervous panic sneaking into her tone, as if these concerns had been building up all day but she’d been afraid to voice them to Angel. “What if somethin’ happens? What if he needs help and we’re not there? What if he gets hurt and I’m not around to take care of him?”

In some ways, her concern for Angel resembled his own more than, say, Cherri’s. She wasn’t aggressive or controlling. She didn’t act as if she knew what was best for her brother better than he did himself. She simply recognized that the world—especially the world her family lived in—was a dangerous one and wanted to be present to see him through it. Because she loved him.

That was a sentiment Alastor understood.

“You don’t have to worry about all that, my dear. I can promise you, as I’ve promised Angel: I won’t let him come to harm. Whatever it takes, for as long as I’m breathing, I’m going to keep him safe.” Alastor was almost surprised at the fervor with which he made these promises, but maybe he shouldn’t have been. The passion that burned in Angel was the sort that spread to anyone he touched.

“But. But if…” She was biting her lip again, her shoulders tense as she struggled to accept what she was hearing.

“I understand your concern. Truly. But please believe me when I say that here, among this group and in this role, is where he belongs.”

Molly took a slow breath, then gave a small nod. “I think you might be right.” She covered her eyes with one hand in what at first looked like a sign of frustration. Then her shoulders trembled slightly, her breath came out in a shuddering sigh, and Alastor realized with horror that she was crying. A bolt of panic shot through him as he tried to figure out what he’d done wrong and how on Earth he could fix it. This was the last thing he’d wanted!

“I. Er. I’m sorry, Molly. I didn’t mean—”

As luck would have it, this was the point at which Angel exited the office. He paused for a split-second, saw his sister in tears as Alastor hesitantly reached out to her, and rushed over in alarm to pull her close. “Hey, what’s wrong, passerotta? What happened?” Shooting a defensive glare at Alastor, he hissed, “What’d you do?”

While the demon was at a loss, unable to explain any part of the turn this conversation had just taken, Molly was shaking her head, trying to speak past her tears. “No, no. It’s not him, caro,” she managed, burying her face against Angel’s shoulder. “It’s me. I’m the one who… I-I was so worried about you, and he said you weren’t safe here—”

“Alastor?” Angel asked, confused, but she shook her head again.

“Papa.”

#RadioDust #Giardino Segreto #Hanahaki Disease #human!Angel Dust #mob boss Angel Dust #Angel Dust x Alastor #Hazbin Molly #anyway so help me god Angel is getting laid in the next chapter

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ham-politics-bloopdebloop · 6 years ago

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Because we have each other

Pairing:Anthony Ramos x reader (because there aren’t enough)

Requested: not requested (just from my broken mind). REQUESTS ARE OPEN!! PLEASE TELL ME WHAT TO WRITE!! I HAVE NO IMAGINATION!!

Word Count: 1,600

T/W: uhhh angst? Hopeful ending though!!

A/N: Y/N is a artist suffering from insomnia and also married to the one and only Anthony Ramos. Y/N hasn’t told Anthony about said insomnia b/c he’ll worry and ehhh it’s a dumb idea, just roll with it.

I thought that once I got married, my insomnia would go away. What a foolish idea. As if marriage could get rid of a medical condition. But it did get better, at first. The first month, I slept every night, the second, it was harder to get to sleep, but it still came. And now I’m two weeks into my third month of marriage, and I can’t sleep.

I wish I had told Anthony, I wish I could tell him, but I know that he would be worried, and would stay up with me. I love him, but I know how grumpy he gets when he doesn’t get enough sleep.

The bedroom is dark, the only light coming from the crack between the curtain and the window sill. Anthony is sleeping soundly on his stomach, unmoving except for the peaceful rise and fall of his bare back. I run my hand against it, feeling his warmth radiate into my cold hands. Heaving a sigh, I slip my legs over the bed and I pad out of the room; I know that sleep is a hopeless case tonight.

The blinding light in the kitchen causes me to flinch and blink quickly before my eyes adjust. Glancing back down the dark hallway once again to check that Anthony hasn’t woken up, I pad across the cold floor and fill up the kettle. Maybe sleep will come easier after a cup of hot tea. I pick a sleepytime tea bag, vanilla flavored and silently ease the cupboard closed once again. Anthony is working with Lin again, on another musical, and he needs all the sleep he can get. Hamilton was an amazing time in his life, but broadway musicals are always stressful enough without an insomniac spouse. I know that I can’t tell him, so I lie to myself, saying that it’ll get better on it’s own.

I hadn’t slept in a week. I was weak. I was awake. My husband’s usually frustrating lack of observation has come in handy, he hasn’t even blinked twice at the dark circles around my eyes and my weight loss. It’s equal parts reassuring and infuriating. For goodness sake, I’m his wife! Can’t he notice that I’m stumbling around the world in a daze? That I lie awake, staring at the ceiling for hours upon hours at night? But he’s been so happy recently. I can’t take that from him.

Determined to hide my condition until it improves, I head to the theater, set on seeing my husband and Lin of course.

“Y/N!” Lin is all over me the moment I walk through the door. I helped him with Hamilton, offering artistic advice for costume color palettes and the set design. That’s where I first met Anthony, though we didn’t start dating until more than a year later. The memories from the Hamilton team are some of my favorites.

“Lin! It’s been so long!” Though I’m trying my best, there is an obvious lack of excitement in my tone.

“Hey, what’s up?” His features have gone from excited to worried as he holds me at an arm’s length, carefully examining my face, “You look really sick, y/n, are you sure that you should be out?”

“Oh, I feel fine, Lin.” I force out a shaky laugh, “I’m just recovering from a little cold.” I can tell that he doesn’t really believe me, because his eyes narrow and he doesn’t smile. I have to change the subject, and fast. “Where’s Ant?”

“He’s up in his dressing room, but I really think-”

“Thanks, Lin!” I cut him off mid sentence, moving towards the stairs, trying to keep some energy in my step even though I feel like a reincarnated corpse. Lin is far more perceptive than Anthony, and he knows about my history with insomnia better than anyone else. As my friend for years, he saw me struggle to sleep through college and then Hamilton. I’ve always assured him that I’m fine, that I’m feeling better, but he’s always taken my assurances with a grain of salt.

“Babe!” Anthony runs up to me from all the way down the hall, crashing into me and spinning me around, “You’re here!” I shake off my sudden dizziness and hug him, a smile breaking over my face. I love this idiot, with all of his stupidly blind mannerisms. He’s looking fabulous, happy and glowing, with bright eyes and a radiant smile.

“I wanted to see you before I went to go up to Albany for the auction.” I had made plans to drive up to upstate to sell some of my art and though I don’t want to leave Anthony, I think this may be healthy. A change of scene for a few days. Maybe a different bed will offer me some relief.

“I’m going to miss you, y/n.” He mutters into my hair, his arms wrapping around my waist. I breathe out a careful sigh, not wanting to show my exhaustion, but also relaxing into his grasp.

“I’ll miss you too, Ant.” He bends down and presses a soft kiss to my lips before a throat clearing breaks us apart. Lin stands there, smirking widely.

“Rehearsal starts in a minute, Ramos. I suggest you hurry this up.” My husband groans, pressing quick kisses to my nose and forehead before pulling away. As he does, I feel my legs shudder a bit, weak without his support. I want nothing more than to stand in his embrace all day.

“I’ll see you after you get back.” He strokes my cheek lovingly, “I love you.” I return the warm smile.

“I love you too.” I watch as my husband walks away, Lin shooting another concerned glance over his shoulder. I try to hide my exhaustion for his sake, offering a warm smile and a wave. I don’t want to worry the poor man. Heaven knows he is stressed enough with this new musical idea.

I am dead tired by the time I reach home, but I know that sleep won’t come. It’s barely come for the past week, just in bits and pieces that leave me feeling more tired and unsatisfied than before.

“Come on, y/n.” I mutter to myself, “pull it together. You have to make it through this auction.” I hurry to pack my suitcase and take it to my car, loading it in the trunk. Remembering my wallet lying on the counter, I jog up the stairs of my apartment building. I am halfway up when a wave of nausea and dizziness hits me like a brick wall. I stagger on the staircase, my foot slipping on the lip of a step. Before I can cry out or even register what’s happening, my world cascades to black.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

“I should have known something like this was going to happen!” Lin’s voice, fraught with anxiety and tension causes me to stir from my sleep. My head pounds, but I am aware that I am lying in a bed, bright lights shining through my eyelids and beeps and other noises filter into my ears.

“What do you mean she’s had insomnia for years?” Anthony’s voice is more distraught than Lin’s, a mix of concern, anger, and terror. I blink sleepily, trying to gain some knowledge of my surroundings.

“She’s waking up!” I blink twice, my vision adjusting to the bright lights. I’m in a hospital room, surrounded by friends from the Hamilton cast and others around the theater.

“What’s going on?” My voice is shaky and cracking, but my words are surprisingly clear. Anthony sits down on my bed, tenderly rubbing my hand in his own. I look up at him, seeing tears of relief in his eyes.

“You passed out, y/n. You hit your head really hard. You’re lucky that I was worried and sent Anthony home early to see how you were.” Lin speaks nervously, “I knew that you weren’t feeling well the minute you stepped in the theater. What were you thinking?” I try not to cry, but I can feel tears bubbling up in my eyes.

“Hey, can we have some privacy?” Anthony’s request is carried out within seconds, my concerned friends filing out, Lin carrying the tail end. Once the door clicks behind them, Ant turns to me.

“God, I’m so sorry.” There are tears running down my cheeks and I’m sure that I look like an absolute mess.

“No. Don’t be sorry!” He takes me into his arms, tucking my head into his chest. I cry, allowing all the exhaustion and pain that I’ve been feeling lately to rush out of me. He murmurs sweet nothings into my hair, rubbing circles on my back.

“I should have told you.” When I find my voice, I barely have the strength to whisper the words, “I can’t believe I didn’t tell you.”

“Hey, look at me.” I lift my gaze, blinking through my tears to see his earnest, determined eyes and set jaw. I love that face, the hundreds of freckles and the easy, compassionate smile, “We’ll fight this, okay? Together. You’re going to get through this and I’m going to be there for you every step of the way.” I bury my face into his shoulder once more, but I no longer feel so lost. I’m going to fight this. I’m going to get better. And he won’t leave me. We’ll survive, because we have each other.

#hamilton #anthonyramos #anthony ramos #lin manuel miranda #anthony ramos x reader

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surveys-at-your-service · 6 years ago

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Survey #227

“it’s my party, and i’ll die when i want to.”

Where do you hang your towel to dry after showering? On the rack that's on the bathroom door. What kind of mouse pad do you have? It's just a simple black one. Do you brush your hair with a comb or a brush? A comb. If you had a choice to be a unicorn or mermaid which would it be? Probably a unicorn? Idk. I think unicorns are cooler, but I guess being a mermaid (as depicted in the media, however) would be fun. Can you do a hand stand? No. If you were the opposite sex, how would you style your hair? Fuck man emo hair is the way to go don't even try to change my mind. What movie are you embarrassed to admit you’ve watched? None, really. Would you rather spin upside down going 30 miles or drop 400 ft. into water? Well, dropping 400 ft. into water would literally result in your body exploding upon impact with the water; at that height (I'm pretty sure that's high enough, anyway), the water's surface would be like concrete at the velocity you land. Soooo, the former. I'd like to live. What's your favorite shape? "I don’t really have one. I guess the shape of women’s bodies? Like, all kinds of them? Whooooopsie gaysie!" <<<< HAHAHA YOOOOOOOOO THIS. If you were put in a room with nothing except for a pencil and paper, what would you write? Doodle meerkats or write poetry. Do you use deodorant? Does anyone who can afford it and in America not? I'm ignorant to if that's a societal standard in other places in the world. Do you think you’ve grown as a person since this time last year? I honestly don't know. If you could change one physical trait about yourself, what would it be? Can I PLEASE weigh around 120 again??? Have you ever gone out with someone you didn’t like? Well, I didn't not like him. I kinda had a crush on him in high school for a brief period, but we lost communication throughout school. When he asked me out a few years ago, I only agreed to it as a test, I guess. He was a good person, and again, I had liked him. It was a "get to know one another (again)" thing. It was still very, very unlike me, though; I usually date people only when I know I'm into them. Looking back, it really was mostly an "I don't want to hurt his feelings" thing. What are some of your morals? "I wouldn’t say I have any unique morals or things like that. I just…don’t do harm and treat people like I’d want them to treat me." <<<< Pretty much this. I don't see my morals as unordinary. Just hopefully the usual good person. Would you ever take a bullet for your significant other? I wouldn't even fucking hesitate. Do you like your smile, or are you unhappy with it? I hate it. I look high when I smile. My eyes squint too much. If you were starving on a freezing mountain, would you eat your friend? No. Some things aren't worth living after. Out of all your friends, who can you count on the most? Sara. Do people who say they’re depressed bother you? I actually don't think any other survey question I have EVER come across boils my blood like this one. Fuck no they don't. Depression isn't a goddamn choice. Rot the fuck in Hell if depressed people "bother" you. Their mental illness is far, far, far fucking more an inconvenience to the victim than to you. What do you think of hunting? By this point in my animal/wildlife conservation and welfare eruption, I'm perfectly open in calling you a goddamn asshole if you hunt for any reason other than survival. There is something seriously wrong in your head if you get fucking pleasure out of ending a life without reasonable cause. Damn man, this surveys getting me fired up, lmao. White lies aren’t dangerous; true or false? They can be. Do you pretend your crush is with you when you’re home alone? I mean, I can daydream? But I don't actually like, pretend they're present. How many times do you go behind your parents’ back weekly? Never. Do you tend to go for people older or younger than you? Older or the same age. I don't mind if they're slightly younger though, so long as they're of legal age of course. If you became a doctor, would you help your patients kill themselves? I am 110% in favor of assisted suicide when a patient is diagnosed with a terminal malady. Forcing a human being to suffer 'til their inexorable death via the hands of their illness is, to me, torture. I genuinely do think I'm a very compassionate and gentle person, so while it would be ABSOLUTELY heartbreaking and probably scarring, I actually feel I'd be a good option for a doctor euthanizing a qualified patient. Are you good at haunted houses, or do you scream your head off? I haven't been to very many at all, actually. The one I remember that I've attended a few times, I handled just fine. They're fun to me. If you’ve seen it, what did you think of the Twilight movie? I didn't watch it, so I really can't make a fair judgment, but from what I've seen and heard (so take this with a grain of salt), the acting is horrid and the romance is very poorly composed. Would you rather be called babe or darling? The latter. Does the movie Titanic make you cry? Oh Lord, yes. We (surprisingly) watched it during one of my psych hospital stays, and even some of the guys were teary-eyed. What is your favorite thing to do on your phone? Play PokemonGO when I'm in enough of an urban area to be able to lmao. Which Disney princess resembles you the most? *shrugs* Which fairytale seems closest to your life story? Rapunzel being trapped in her home, lmao. What color was your first phone? Hm... I believe it was blue? Was your first phone a flip phone? I don't believe so; it slid upwards. What is your favorite pizza parlor? I'm a basic bitch that finds Domino's to be the bomb diggity. What is an old website that closed down that you miss? Hm... I'm not sure. Well, the site itself didn't close down, the Animal Planet's Meerkat Manor forum and games are dearly missed by me. Have you ever had an embarrassing period story? If so, what happened? Not that I recall, thankfully. What was your worst experience in high school? My depression. How much did your senior prom dress cost you? I don't remember, but I know it wouldn't have been all that expensive. Did you cry at your high school graduation? I only teared up very slightly. Did you cry at your college graduation (if applicable)? N/A, but I'm sure I will out of so much pride and joy. Do your parents try to stop you from chasing your dreams? Hell no. My parents are so, so supportive Who is a former friend that you wish would come back into your life? I miss Megan so, so much. Have you ever been in a serious romantic relationship? Two. What instrument did you play in the marching band? I wasn't in the marching band, but rather the normal one. I played the flute. Who got kicked off of your favorite talent show that you were mad about? Okay, so I remember one year, there was this very quiet, shy, and darkly-styled young man with a love for metal on America's Got Talent. Everyone was expecting a screamo mess, and then he belts out FUCKING BEAUTIFUL opera. Everyone lost it, myself included, and the sweetheart started crying. Sadly, he was eliminated the next round because his nerves got to him, poor thing. Do you own the entire series on DVD of any TV show? If so, what? Meerkat Manor. What show did you always want to be on when you were a kid? None, really. Can you tell the difference between Mary-Kate and Ashley? I think I could as a kid? I haven't seen them in forever and half. Who is your favorite set of twins? *shrugs* What is the grossest thing you have ever vomited up? Idk? Have you ever thrown up in public, in front of someone else? If yes, was it embarrassing? Yes, but I was in kindergarten, so it wasn't too embarrassing. I was just surprised. Did you ever take your dog to school? Whoa... this brought back memories. I believe I did bring Teddy to school one day in elementary school... 5th grade, maybe? I can't recall what the occasion was, though. Name one person you know who had a baby in high school. I don't remember her name. Describe your dream wedding in three words. Autumnal, personal, memorable. What do you hate the most about summer? The fucking heat. What is your favorite thing to do in a swimming pool? Just swim around. Which part of your body is the most muscular? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA BOY I couldn't even GUESS. My legs are recovering from muscle atrophy, so OBVIOUSLY not them. My arms aren't impressive. Neither is my stomach at all. I honestly don't know. What was the last race you ran called? Brittany??????????????? running a?????????????????? r a c e??????????????????????????????? Which major holiday is closest to your birthday? Valentine's Day. Do you find kite flying boring? I haven't done that since I was a kid, but BOY did I LOOOOOVE it back then! I'd probably still find it kinda fun. What is your favorite musical? Musicals make me cringe. Have you ever seen a Broadway show? No. What is the best summer camp you have ever been to? Well, I remember as a kid, one of the vacation Bible schools I went to was pretty fun. It was Hawaiian-themed. Have you ever ran a cash register? Never. Ever. Fucking. Again. Do you like the feeling in your stomach on a big drop on a roller coaster? I've never been on one, but I hate even just the sensation you get when the elevator goes up or down. I immediately get dizzy and nauseous. It's so bad that I even experience this in video games if you have to jump from a large height. What is your favorite roller coaster? N/A How and when were you baptized, if applicable? Hell if I remember. Have you been baptized more than once? No. Would you rather paint or carve a pumpkin? Carve it. Have you decorated for fall yet this year? No. Do you own pumpkin earrings? No, but now I want some. That sounds so cute. Have you ever asked someone to be your Valentine? I mean, not really? I've had s/os on Valentine's Days, so being each other's is kinda just... a given. What was your favorite video game to play with your brother? My older half-bro, when he lived with us anyway, used to play this mercenary game (I don't remember the name) that I LOVED watching him play. Idk why. Really when he played anything I would sit right beside him and watch. What computer game did you used to play all the time? Amazon Trail 3 was my cocaine, hunny. Do you like the name Ellery? I guess it's kinda cute... but it reminds me of celery. Do you find cemeteries pretty? "Pretty" isn't the word I'd use, but I find them aesthetically pleasing. They're more like... mysterious, enchanting. Does your phone screen freeze a lot? Often enough... Who is the better cook in your household? My mom. What by your definition is the naughtiest thing you have done? I guess the time I was entirely naked and him just in boxers going the fuck at each other on the chaise in the living room when we were home alone one night. Or maybe when we "slept" in my sister's room one night (can't remember exactly why) and we just fooled around the entire night instead. He came on her bed multiple times, hence why I guess it fits "naughtiest." (Yes, yes, he cleaned it up, calm down.) I honestly haven't done anything too wild. What is one thing you’d never want your parents to find out? The Joel situation I've told before. Which room of your house are you in? Mine. How many blankets do you sleep under? One thick one. I miss my school lunch menu.. what’s the fave thing on yours? Okay real talk, my high school chicken sandwiches were The Good Shit. Do you like your best friend's parents? Could you even tell me their names? I love them, and I could, but it's not my business to share that online. Anything silly that annoys you? (I hate hearing nails being clipped) I really hate people going in/out the opposite door. Why are you where you are right now? I absolutely have to take a mental health day from school, so I'm home in my room. Did you used to watch Blues Clues? Of course. What's your opinion on people wearing high heels to school? I feel very sorry for your feet, aha. But I don't care if you do, go for it. What difficulty do you play on Guitar Hero? I used to play like, everything on expert, but now if I do, I can barely manage expert on most and have to do hard. Do you stutter when you get nervous? BADLY. You’re at the grocery store, what 3 fruits do you get? Strawberries, apples, grapes. If you died next week, what would be the cause of death? Sleep deprivation lmao. Love these night terrors + nightmares. What do you think about dating websites? Whatever. I definitely think there are better, safer ways, but it's not a huge deal. Just go into it with a genuine heart and mind of wanting to find love. There's nothing wrong with wanting a partner to enjoy life with. Do you wear contacts or glasses? I wear glasses. I wish I could do contacts, but noooo sir. I had them very briefly again earlier this year, but I just couldn't; all I could do was feel them there, mainly the weighted one in my left eye because my vision is so bad in it. They just bugged me too much. What is one memory you have from elementary school? Making our own butter in 4th grade came to me first. We walked through school singing this annoying song while we shook our jars. Do you own a pair of converses? A few. How many fridges are in your house? One. Are you easy to get along with? I hope so, but idk. If you were drunk would the person you like take care of you? She's over 800 miles away lmao. What kind of people are you attracted to? Platonically or romantically? Well, with either, I'm drawn to compassion, a tranquil mind, empathy, gentleness, romance if we're talking romantic attraction, a deep thinker, wisdom, creativity, uniqueness/individuality, just, funny, thoughtful, charitable, concerned with nature/love and kindness to animals, intelligence... There's a lot. Do you think you’ll be in a relationship two months from now? I don't see why I wouldn't be. Do you like it when people play with your hair? My hair's too short now for that. It'd feel weird. I used to like it, though. Do you think there is life on other planets? Probably. Do you like bubble baths? I don't enjoy baths period. Who are you most comfortable around? My mom, or Sara. Depends on the subject matter. Have any of your ex’s told you they regret breaking up? No. Which celebrities would you have a threesome with? I wouldn't. I'm strictly monogamous and to me would feel like cheating. Have you ever liked someone and never told them? Yeah. What do you say during awkward silences? Nothing, but I panic inside. What are you paranoid about? My loved ones secretly hating me or leaving me, being raped, people thinking I'm weird (and not in a good way), stuff like that. Have you done anything recently that you hope nobody finds out about? I don't think so. Been suspended/expelled? For what? No. Been arrested? For what? No. Craving something? What? Nothing. What color are your towels? They're varied. How many pillows do you sleep with? Two. Favorite animal? MEERKATS. Opossums are #2. Favorite character from Mean Girls? I don't remember the characters at all. Favorite actress? Betty White. Favorite actor? BITCH Markiplier, lmao. But okay if you mean a "real" actor, probably Johnny Depp. Last time you were in an elevator? Thursday when I had to go upstairs to my Writing class. It's absolutely humiliating, but I can't make it up two flights of stairs due to my muscle atrophy without people asking if I'm okay. Even going down is dangerous for me because my legs ABSOLUTELY QUAKE and I have to go extremely slow. I go down via stairs anyway though for practice. I'm going to fall one day, I know it. I’m sure we all know what your name is… so, tell us what your boss’ name is? N/A Do you actually read your friend’s surveys, or do you just copy paste them and fill them out yourself? Yes; I love learning about my friends. When you were a kid, which comic strip was your favorite? I didn't care for them. Would you feel guilty about cheating on your taxes if you got away with it? Well yeah. Have you ever thought about getting your lip pierced? It is pierced. What woke you up this morning? A nightmare that resulted in me screaming almost the loudest I ever have in my life. My throat hurt for quite a while. What was your favorite sweet as a child? Reese's cups. Still are. Do you own a lunch box? Yeah. How many times a day do you brush your teeth? Once, oops. If there was a fire, what would you take with you? The very first thing I'd grab would be Teddy, then Roman, Venus, and then my laptop, probably. How many people have the same middle name as you? The majority of the white female population lmao. Does your house have a white picket fence? The backyard does. Have you ever needed to call the police? 911 when we thought my mom was having a heart attack. What are you best at? Writing, I guess.

#survey #quiz #questions #random #bored

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proxylynn · 7 years ago

Text

Underfell: File Name not Edgy Enough #12

Chapter 12: GASTER

WARNING: I WANT NO RESPONSIBILITY OVER SPOILING THINGS FOR OTHERS. THAT BEING SAID, THIS IS HOW FILE NAME NOT FOUND WOULD FUNCTION IN THE AU OF UNDERFELL. BEFORE YOU READ THIS, UNLIKE THE NICE TIME OF UNDERTALE, THIS WORLD IS KILL OR BE KILLED. THIS STORY WILL BE GRAPHIC, GORY, USE SWEARS LIKE NOBODY'S BUSINESS, AND DEAL WITH SENSITIVE SUBJECT MATTERS. FOR EXAMPLE, THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE READ THE FILE NAME RELOCATED SPOOF WILL KNOW HOW I PICTURE THIS VERSION OF LYNSIE COMING TO THE UNDERGROUND. IT IS NOT AN ACCIDENT. IT IS NOT BECAUSE OF SOMETHING DUMB. IT IS BECAUSE SHE CHOOSES TO END HER LIFE. SO TAKE THIS WITH A GRAIN OF SALT. I MADE IT BECAUSE I NEEDED TO LET SOME OF THIS EDGINESS OUT OF MYSELF. WHICH I GUESS MAKES UNDERFELL LYNSIE EVEN MORE TRUE TO WHO I REALLY AM. ANYWAY, ENJOY. ^_^

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

[One long but really quick chat and drink at Grillby's later]

"whoa, whoa, whoa...back that up for me one more time. she planned this out with who?"

Sans is confused by what Grillby has told him. But all the flame monster could do was shrug.

"I've told you all I know and all she told me. She said her brothers helped her."

"her brother is on the surface. and she only has the one."

Grillby smirks.

"don't look at me like that. she told. i didn't ask to know."

"Right...Either way, I doubt she meant her human brother."

"the flower is still only one."

"Hey, I'm only telling you what she told me. And she said 'brothers'."

Sans sighs.

"does this other 'brother' have a name?"

"She called him by a weird name. Chara I think? He was the one that saw you snooping."

That made Sans flinch faintly.

"impossible."

"Why's that?"

"because there was no one else there."

"She said no one can see him."

"a ghost?"

"Ghosts can be seen, Sans. Hell, that one family of them took up that area in Waterfall."

Sans holds his skull in his hands.

"this doesn't make any sense."

"What's there to overthink? She has an imaginary friend. Big whoop."

"not that. the name."

"What? Chara? What's so weird about that?"

Sans rubs his temples.

"that name...that was the name of the kid the King took in."

Grillby's professional calm falters.

"W-What?"

Sans tries to think harder on this. What did any of this mean?

"she lives with the queen, but i don't think tori would actually talk about heavy shit like her kids. it would open old wounds. so how...how does she know that name?"

A memory comes to the confused skeleton. A past conversation he had with the human.

"You have a brother?"

"just one. and you?"

"Human or monster?"

"um...both?"

"On the surface, I got an older bro and a younger sis. Down here, I consider Flowey like a bro. Not sure how old he is. Oh! Do ghosts count? 'Cause I got this spooky little kid that talks to me sometimes too."

"uh...what?"

"Eh, but enough about me. I've been prattling on for too long as it is. I wanna hear about you. This bro of yours got a name or am I digging too deep for my own good down here?"

That simple bit in their chat. He paid it no mind at the time. But now? Now he sees the hints inside.

"Sans? You okay?"

The flaming bartender's voice snaps Sans out of his thoughts.

"huh? oh. yeah. just thinking i got some more questions for that girl."

"When you do question her, will you be bringing her here?"

Sans looks at Grillby funny.

"now why would i do that?"

"Because...I might want to mess around more with that silly pussycat."

Sans gets off his stool and tries to ignore Grillby's teasing tone.

"well...i better get going. pap will be pissed if he catches me missing from my post."

"Want one for the road?"

Grillby dangles a mustard bottle temptingly and Sans smirks.

"how much do i owe ya this time?"

"Ow. That hurts. This one's on the house."

Sans cocks his brow at Grillby as he takes the bottle.

"free? why so generous?"

"I consider the entertainment of that girl to be very rich. I recommend you bring her over more and I might continue my generosity to, oh let's say, your tab."

"...i...i might see what i can do."

Sans teleports to escape the creepy grin Grillby gets just thinking about it.

"You seem to be enjoying yourself..."

So speaks Punk Hamster between drinks who sits at the end of the bar.

"I haven't seen you this giddy since those girls got wild on lady's night."

Grillby sighs at the memory.

"That was a wild night. So glad I put up those cameras. Bitches tried to deny all the damages they caused. But I get what you're saying. I am feeling a bit more...heated than normal."

"You don't think you're starting to carrying a torch for the little lady?"

Grillby snorts at the very idea.

"Please...I'm a monster, not a pig. Sure, I haven't been with someone in a while. But that doesn't mean I'm going to rush over and snatch any female that walks by."

Punk Hamster snickers.

"Heh...Well, that's kind of what you did."

Having walked into that, Grillby sneers and takes Punk Hamster's glass.

"Hey! I wasn't finished with that."

"Any decent bartender knows when a patron has had too much."

"Ah, come on man. It was a joke."

Grillby ignores him by going about his job, leaving Punk Hamster to lose his buzz and snack on nuts.

[Meanwhile: Back with the human]

Urgh...My head is pounding. I feel nauseous. The hell happened?

"🕈☜☹☹ ☠⚐🕈📬📬📬✡⚐🕆 ☹⚐⚐😐 ☹✋😐☜ ✡⚐🕆 ☟✌👎 ✌ ☝⚐⚐👎 ❄✋💣☜📬" (WELL NOW...YOU LOOK LIKE YOU HAD A GOOD TIME.)

Oh great. Now I have to deal with him.

"Hey, G. Um...What happened?"

Gaster chuckles.

"☟✌✞✋☠☝ ❄☼⚐🕆👌☹☜ ☼☜💣☜💣👌☜☼✋☠☝✍ ☠⚐❄ 💧🕆☼🏱☼✋💧✋☠☝📬 ✡⚐🕆🕯✞☜ ☠☜✞☜☼ 👌☜☜☠ ✋☠❄⚐✠✋👍✌❄☜👎 👌☜☞⚐☼☜📬" (HAVING TROUBLE REMEMBERING? NOT SURPRISING. YOU'VE NEVER BEEN INTOXICATED BEFORE.)

"Wait...So I did get drunk? I didn't get...weird...Did I?"

"☠⚐📬 ✡⚐🕆 💣☜☼☜☹✡ ☟✌👎 ✌☠ ✋☠👍☼☜✌💧☜ ✋☠ ✡⚐🕆☼ 💧☜☠💧☜ 💣✋☼❄☟" (NO. YOU MERELY HAD AN INCREASE IN YOUR SENSE MIRTH.)

"So...I was just a giggling idiot?"

"🏱☼☜❄❄✡ 💣🕆👍☟📬" (PRETTY MUCH.)

I snicker at that.

"Heh...Playful drunk. That's the best outcome that could've happened."

"✌☞☼✌✋👎 ✡⚐🕆 🕈☜☼☜ ☝⚐✋☠☝ ❄⚐ 👌☜ 💣⚐☼☜ 🏱☼⚐💣✋💧👍🕆⚐🕆💧✍" (AFRAID YOU WERE GOING TO BE MORE PROMISCUOUS?)

"Oh yeah. I don't want to end up being slutty drunk. Way too much can end up happening and I'd have no clue of any of it."

"✌☝☼☜☜👎📬 ✋❄ 🕈⚐🕆☹👎 👌☜ 💧🕆👍☟ ✌ 💧☟✌💣☜ ✋☞ 💧⚐💣☜❄☟✋☠☝ 🕈☜☼☜ ❄⚐ ☟✌🏱🏱☜☠ ❄⚐ ✡⚐🕆 ⚐☼ ✡⚐🕆☼ 💧⚐🕆☹📬" (AGREED. IT WOULD BE SUCH A SHAME IF SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN TO YOU OR YOUR SOUL.)

That tone he had didn't slip by my "well that's not good" radar. That has my senses on alert. After Chara's super weird warning, I'm a little on edge around him. Though part of me still wants to be kind and trust him.

"I've never asked this, and you don't have to answer if I'm being rude for asking, but...How did you end up here?"

He seems to be slightly taken back by the question. Yet he is quick to recover his composer like normal.

"✋❄🕯💧 ☠⚐❄ 💣✡ ☞⚐☠👎☜💧❄ 💣☜💣⚐☼✡📪 👌🕆❄ ✋❄ ☟✌🏱🏱☜☠☜👎 ☠⚐☠ ❄☟☜ ☹☜💧💧📬" (IT'S NOT MY FONDEST MEMORY, BUT IT HAPPENED NON THE LESS.)

He motions me closer and I do, all be it with what I hope is the subtlest hint of my nervousness.

"✡⚐🕆🕯☼☜ ☟☜💧✋❄✌☠❄📪 ☹✋❄❄☹☜ ⚐☠☜📬 🕈☟✡✍" (YOU'RE HESITANT, LITTLE ONE. WHY?)

"What? No. I'm just still messed up from liquor. I don't want to fall or barf on you."

He eyes me a bit but appears to let my behavior slide.

"✞☜☼✡ 🕈☜☹☹📬 ✡⚐🕆 💣✌✡ ☠⚐❄ ☝🕆☜💧💧 ✋❄ ☞☼⚐💣 ❄☟☜ ☹⚐⚐😐💧 ⚐☞ 💣☜ ☠⚐🕈📪 👌🕆❄ ✋☠ 💣✡ 🏱☼✋💣☜📪 ✋ 🕈✌💧 ⚐☠👍☜ ❄☟☜ ☟☜✌👎 💧👍✋☜☠❄✋💧❄ ❄⚐ ❄☟☜ ☼⚐✡✌☹ ☞✌💣✋☹✡📬" (VERY WELL. YOU MAY NOT GUESS IT FROM THE LOOKS OF ME NOW, BUT IN MY PRIME, I WAS ONCE THE HEAD SCIENTIST TO THE ROYAL FAMILY.)

"Really?"

"✡☜💧📬 💣✡ ☞🕆☹☹ ❄✋❄☹☜ ✋💧 👎☼📬 🕈📬 👎📬 ☝✌💧❄☜☼📬" (YES. MY FULL TITLE IS DR. W. D. GASTER.)

"Initials?"

"✋❄🕯💧 💣✡ ☞✋☼💧❄ ☠✌💣☜📬 ✋❄ 💧❄✌☠👎💧 ☞⚐☼ 🕈✋☠☝👎✋☠☝📬" (IT'S MY FIRST NAME. IT STANDS FOR WINGDING.)

I tilt my head when something in my head clicks with that name.

"Wingding? Like the font?"

He nods.

"👍⚐☼☼☜👍❄📬" (CORRECT.)

He watches as the gears turn in my head and I am literally unsure about asking that which I know.

"☝⚐ ⚐☠📬 ✌💧😐 💣☜📬 ✋ 😐☠⚐🕈 ✡⚐🕆 🕈✌☠❄ ❄⚐📬" (GO ON. ASK ME. I KNOW YOU WANT TO.)

"Sans and Papyrus...Are you...related to them?"

The cocky grin smearing his face is chilling.

"✡⚐🕆🕯☼☜ ✞☜☼✡ ✌💧❄🕆❄☜ ❄⚐ 🏱✋☜👍☜ ✋❄ ❄⚐☝☜❄☟☜☼ ☞☼⚐💣 ☺🕆💧❄ 💣✡ ☠✌💣☜ ✌☹⚐☠☜📬 ✋ 👍⚐💣💣☜☠👎 ✡⚐🕆 ☞⚐☼ ❄☟✌❄📪 ☟🕆💣✌☠📬 ✋☠👎☜☜👎📪 💧✌☠💧 ✌☠👎 🏱✌🏱✡☼🕆💧 ✌☼☜ 👌⚐❄☟ 💣✡ 😐✋☠📬 ✋☠ ☞✌👍❄📪 ❄☟☜✡ ✌☼☜ 💣✡ ✡⚐🕆☠☝☜☼ 💧✋👌☹✋☠☝💧📬" (YOU'RE VERY ASTUTE TO PIECE IT TOGETHER FROM JUST MY NAME ALONE. I COMMEND YOU FOR THAT, HUMAN. INDEED, SANS AND PAPYRUS ARE BOTH MY KIN. IN FACT, THEY ARE MY YOUNGER SIBLINGS.)

Initially, shock has me for the most part. But soon puzzlement takes over.

"But...Sans said he only has one brother."

"❄☟✌❄🕯💧 👌☜👍✌🕆💧☜ ☟☜ 👎⚐☜💧☠🕯❄ ☼☜💣☜💣👌☜☼ 💣☜📬 ☠⚐ ⚐☠☜ 👎⚐☜💧📬 ✌❄ ☹☜✌💧❄📪 ☠⚐❄ ☜☠❄✋☼☜☹✡📬" (THAT'S BECAUSE HE DOESN'T REMEMBER ME. NO ONE DOES. AT LEAST, NOT ENTIRELY.)

"Care to make sense out of that?"

"☝☹✌👎☹✡📬 ✡⚐🕆 💧☜☜📬📬📬✌💧 ❄☟☜ ☼⚐✡✌☹ 💧👍✋☜☠❄✋💧❄📪 ✋ 🕈✌💧 ☝✋✞☜☠ ❄☟☜ 👍☟✌☠👍☜ ❄⚐ 👎⚐ 💣✌☠✡ 🕈⚐☠👎☼⚐🕆💧 ❄☟✋☠☝💧📬 ✋ 👍☼☜✌❄☜👎 💣✌☠✡ ⚐☞ ❄☟☜ ☠☜👍☜💧💧✋❄✋☜💧 💣⚐☠💧❄☜☼💧 ☠☜☜👎 ❄⚐ 💧🕆☼✞✋✞☜ ✋☠ ❄☟☜ 🕆☠👎☜☼☝☼⚐🕆☠👎📬 💣✡ ☝☼✌☠👎☜💧❄ ✌👍☟✋☜✞☜💣☜☠❄ 🕈✌💧 ✌☠👎 ✋💧 💧❄✋☹☹ ❄☟☜ 👍⚐☼☜📬 ✌ 💣✌👍☟✋☠☜ 👍✌🏱✌👌☹☜ ⚐☞ ☟✌☼☠☜💧💧✋☠☝ ❄☟☜ ☝☜⚐❄☟☜☼💣✌☹ ☜☠☜☼☝✋☜💧 ⚐☞ ❄☟☜ ✞☜☼✡ 🏱☹✌☠☜❄ ✋❄💧☜☹☞ ✌☠👎 👍⚐☠✞☜☼❄✋☠☝ ✋❄ ✋☠❄⚐ 💣✌☝✋👍✌☹ ☜☠☜☼☝✡📭☜☹☜👍❄☼✋👍✋❄✡📬" (GLADLY. YOU SEE...AS THE ROYAL SCIENTIST, I WAS GIVEN THE CHANCE TO DO MANY WONDROUS THINGS. I CREATED MANY OF THE NECESSITIES MONSTERS NEED TO SURVIVE IN THE UNDERGROUND. MY GRANDEST ACHIEVEMENT WAS AND IS STILL THE CORE. A MACHINE CAPABLE OF HARNESSING THE GEOTHERMAL ENERGIES OF THE VERY PLANET ITSELF AND CONVERTING IT INTO MAGICAL ENERGY/ELECTRICITY.)

"Most impressive."

"🕈☟✋☹☜ ❄☟✌❄ ✋💧 ✌ ❄☼🕆☜ 💧❄✌❄☜💣☜☠❄📪 ✋❄ 🕈✌💧☠🕯❄ 💣✡ 🏱☼✋💣✌☼✡ 💧❄🕆👎✡📬 ☠⚐📬📬📬💣✡ 💣✌✋☠ ☼☜💧☜✌☼👍☟ 🕈☜☠❄ ✋☠❄⚐ 💧⚐💣☜❄☟✋☠☝ ☞✌☼ 💣⚐☼☜ ☞✌💧👍✋☠✌❄✋☠☝ ✌☠👎 ☼☜✞⚐☹🕆❄✋⚐☠✋☪✋☠☝ ❄☟✌☠ 💧✋💣🏱☹✡ 💧⚐☹✞✋☠☝ ☜☠☜☼☝✡ 👍☼✋💧☜💧 ⚐☼ ✈🕆✌☠❄✋☞✡✋☠☝ ❄☟☜ 💣✡💧❄☜☼✋☜💧 ⚐☞ ❄☟☜ 🕆☠✋✞☜☼💧☜ ✋☠❄⚐ ✌☠ 🕆☠👎☜☼💧❄✌☠👎✌👌☹☜ ☞⚐☼💣✌❄📬 ☠⚐📬📬📬💣✡ ❄☼🕆☜ 🏱✌💧💧✋⚐☠ ✋💧 👍⚐💣🏱☹☜❄☜ 🕆☠👎☜☼💧❄✌☠👎✋☠☝ ⚐☞ 💧⚐🕆☹💧📬 ✌☠👎 💧🕆👍☟ 🏱✌💧💧✋⚐☠ ✋💧 ☟⚐🕈 ✋ ☜☠👎☜👎 🕆🏱 ✋☠ ❄☟✋💧 ✞⚐✋👎📬" (WHILE THAT IS A TRUE STATEMENT, IT WASN'T MY PRIMARY STUDY. NO...MY MAIN RESEARCH WENT INTO SOMETHING FAR MORE FASCINATING AND REVOLUTIONIZING THAN SIMPLY SOLVING ENERGY CRISES OR QUANTIFYING THE MYSTERIES OF THE UNIVERSE INTO AN UNDERSTANDABLE FORMAT. NO...MY TRUE PASSION IS COMPLETE UNDERSTANDING OF SOULS. AND SUCH PASSION IS HOW I ENDED UP IN THIS VOID.)

Creepy vibe alert! Red flag warning!

"Souls?"

"⚐☟📪 ✡☜💧📬 ✋ ☞✋☠👎 ✋❄ 💧⚐ ✋☠❄☜☼☜💧❄✋☠☝ ❄☟✌❄ 💧⚐💣☜❄☟✋☠☝ 💧⚐ 💧💣✌☹☹ ✌☠👎 ☞☼✌☝✋☹☜ 👍✌☠ ☟⚐☹👎 ✋💣💣☜✌💧🕆☼✌👌☹☜ 🏱⚐🕈☜☼📬 ✌☠👎 ❄☟☜ ✞☜☼✋❄✡✍ ☜✌👍☟ 💧⚐🕆☹📪 💧⚐ 👎✋☞☞☜☼☜☠❄ ✌☠👎 ✡☜❄ ☺🕆💧❄ ✌💧 🏱⚐🕈☜☼☞🕆☹ ✌💧 ❄☟☜ ☼☜💧❄📬 🕈☜☹☹📬📬📬✌☹💣⚐💧❄📬" (OH, YES. I FIND IT SO INTERESTING THAT SOMETHING SO SMALL AND FRAGILE CAN HOLD IMMEASURABLE POWER. AND THE VERITY? EACH SOUL, SO DIFFERENT AND YET JUST AS POWERFUL AS THE REST. WELL...ALMOST.)

He gets to my curiosity.

"What do you mean by almost? Are some souls more powerful than others?"

He smiles wickedly and my skin starts to crawl.

"✡☜💧📪 ☹✋❄❄☹☜ ⚐☠☜📬 ❄☟☜ ☼☜👎 💧⚐🕆☹ ⚐☞ 👎☜❄☜☼💣✋☠✌❄✋⚐☠ ✋💧 ⚐☠☜ 💧🕆👍☟ ✌ 💧⚐🕆☹📬 💣✌☝☠✋☞✡✋☠☝ ❄☟☜ ⚐🕈☠☜☼💧 🏱⚐🕈☜☼ ❄☟☜ 💣⚐☼☜ ❄☟☜✡ ☼☜☞🕆💧☜ ❄⚐ ☝✋✞☜ ✋☠📬" (YES, LITTLE ONE. THE RED SOUL OF DETERMINATION IS ONE SUCH A SOUL. MAGNIFYING THE OWNERS POWER THE MORE THEY REFUSE TO GIVE IN.)

"That is interesting. But I get the feeling this is leading to something."

That apparently was the bait he was hoping I'd take. Because within seconds, he has my wrists locked in two disembodied hands and holds me off the ground to the point we're at eye level with one another.

"*snarl* This is not a move that a wise man makes, G. This is the kind of thing that pisses me off and I make you regret it."

That smug grin never falter.

"✌☹🕈✌✡💧 💧⚐ 👌☜✌💧❄☹✡ 🕈☟☜☠ ✡⚐🕆 🏱☜☼👍☜✋✞☜ ✡⚐🕆☼💧☜☹☞ ❄⚐ 👌☜ ✋☠ 👎✌☠☝☜☼📬 💧🕆👍☟ 🕆☠👌☜👍⚐💣✋☠☝ ⚐☞ ✌ ☹✌👎✡📬" (ALWAYS SO BEASTLY WHEN YOU PERCEIVE YOURSELF TO BE IN DANGER. SUCH UNBECOMING OF A LADY.)

"Let me go and I will consider not adding to those cracks in your skull."

"✞☜☼✡ 👍🕆❄☜📬 👌🕆❄ ✡⚐🕆 ✌☼☜ ✋☠ ☠⚐ 🏱⚐💧✋❄✋⚐☠ ❄⚐ ❄☟☼☜✌❄☜☠ 💣☜📬" (VERY CUTE. BUT YOU ARE IN NO POSITION TO THREATEN ME.)

"We'll see about that."

I jerk my legs to kick but they don't move. Two more disembodied hands grip around my ankles.

"☹✋😐☜ ✋ 💧✌✋👎📬📬📬✡⚐🕆 ✌☼☜ ✋☠ ☠⚐ 🏱⚐💧✋❄✋⚐☠ ❄⚐ ❄☟☼☜✌❄☜☠ 💣☜📬" (LIKE I SAID...YOU ARE IN NO POSITION TO THREATEN ME.)

"You cocky son of a breastbone."

That takes a moment to sink in before he laughs.

"☟☜☟☜☟📬📬📬☝⚐⚐👎 ⚐☠☜📬 ❄☟✌❄ 🕈✌💧 ✌☹💣⚐💧❄ ☞🕆☠☠✡📬 👌🕆❄ ☠⚐❄ ✈🕆✋❄☜📬" (HEHEH...GOOD ONE. THAT WAS ALMOST FUNNY. BUT NOT QUITE.)

"What are you planning? In the very least, don't let it be something pervy."

He looks unamused.

"👎⚐ ☠⚐❄ ✌👍👍🕆💧☜ 💣☜ ⚐☞ 👌☜✋☠☝ 💧⚐💣☜ ☹⚐🕈☹✡ 💧👍🕆💣👌✌☝📬 ✋☞ ✋ 🕈✌☠❄☜👎 ❄⚐ ☟✌✞☜ 💣✡ 🕈✌✡ 🕈✋❄☟ ✡⚐🕆📪 ✡⚐🕆 🕈⚐🕆☹👎🕯✞☜ 👌☜☜☠ ✞✋⚐☹✌❄☜👎 💣🕆👍☟ 💧⚐⚐☠☜☼ ✋☠❄⚐ ⚐🕆❄ 💣☜☜❄✋☠☝💧 ✌☠👎 ✡⚐🕆 😐☠⚐🕈 ❄☟✌❄📬" (DO NOT ACCUSE ME OF BEING SOME LOWLY SCUMBAG. IF I WANTED TO HAVE MY WAY WITH YOU, YOU WOULD'VE BEEN VIOLATED MUCH SOONER INTO OUT MEETINGS AND YOU KNOW THAT.)

"Then what is this all about?"

"✡⚐🕆 ✌💧😐☜👎 ✋☞ ❄☟☜☼☜ 🕈☜☼☜ 💧⚐🕆☹💧 ❄☟✌❄ 🕈☜☼☜ 💧❄☼⚐☠☝☜☼ ❄☟✌☠ ⚐❄☟☜☼💧📬" (YOU ASKED IF THERE WERE SOULS THAT WERE STRONGER THAN OTHERS.)

"And you said the Red Soul of Determination."

"✋ 👎✋👎📬 👌🕆❄ ✋ ☟✌✞☜ ☞⚐🕆☠👎 ✌ 💧⚐🕆☹ ☞✌☼ 💧🕆🏱☜☼✋⚐☼ ✌☠👎 💣🕆👍☟ 💣⚐☼☜ ✋☠❄☜☼☜💧❄✋☠☝ ❄☟✌☠ ❄☟☜ ☼☜👎 💧⚐🕆☹📬" (I DID. BUT I HAVE FOUND A SOUL FAR SUPERIOR AND MUCH MORE INTERESTING THAN THE RED SOUL.)

I sigh.

"Let me guess. Mine."

"☠⚐🕈 ✡⚐🕆🕯☼☜ ☺🕆💧❄ ❄✌😐✋☠☝ ❄☟☜ ☞🕆☠ ⚐🕆❄ ⚐☞ ✋❄📬" (NOW YOU'RE JUST TAKING THE FUN OUT OF IT.)

Before I'm able to rebuke that with a rather scathing set of choice words, he places his actual hand on my chest and I become a rather flustered mess.

"Take your fucking hand off!"

"🖂💧✋☝☟🖂 🕈☟✌❄ 🏱✌☼❄ ⚐☞ ✋🕯💣 ☠⚐❄ ☝⚐✋☠☝ ❄⚐ 👎⚐ ✌☠✡❄☟✋☠☝ 💧👍✌☠👎✌☹⚐🕆💧 👎⚐☠🕯❄ ✡⚐🕆 🕆☠👎☜☼💧❄✌☠👎✍ ☟⚐☠☜💧❄☹✡📪 ✋ ❄☟⚐🕆☝☟❄ ✡⚐🕆🕯👎 ☼☜✌👍❄ 👎✋☞☞☜☼☜☠❄☹✡ ❄☟✌☠ ❄☟☜ ⚐❄☟☜☼💧📬 💧🕆👍☟ ✌ 🏱✋❄✡📬 ☠⚐🕈 ✋☞ ✡⚐🕆 ☺🕆💧❄ ☼☜☹✌✠📬📬📬" (*SIGH* WHAT PART OF I'M NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING SCANDALOUS DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND? HONESTLY, I THOUGHT YOU'D REACT DIFFERENTLY THAN THE OTHERS. SUCH A PITY. NOW IF YOU JUST RELAX...)

Wait, what does he mean by 'others'? Before I can ask, a strange surge of energy floods into my chest and I roar out as this new type of pain worms its way inside me. A delightful sparkle comes to his eyes, like a child getting a new pet, he knows what's to come but there's enough mystery to get him excited.

"✡⚐🕆🕯☼☜ ☼☜💧✋💧❄✋☠☝📬 👎⚐☠🕯❄ 👌☜ ✌ ☞⚐⚐☹📪 ☹✋❄❄☹☜ ⚐☠☜📬 ❄☟☜ 💣⚐☼☜ ✡⚐🕆 💧❄☼🕆☝☝☹☜📪 ❄☟☜ 🕈⚐☼💧☜ ❄☟☜ 🏱✌✋☠📬 ☞⚐☼ ⚐☠👍☜📪 👌☜ ✌ ☝⚐⚐👎 ☝✋☼☹ ✌☠👎 👎⚐ ✌💧 ❄⚐☹👎📬 ☼☜☹✌✠ ✌☠👎 ✌☹☹⚐🕈 ❄☟✋💧 ❄⚐ ☟✌🏱🏱☜☠📬" (YOU'RE RESISTING. DON'T BE A FOOL, LITTLE ONE. THE MORE YOU STRUGGLE, THE WORSE THE PAIN. FOR ONCE, BE A GOOD GIRL AND DO AS TOLD. RELAX AND ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN.)

I shiver and hate that Gaster knows how to speak in such a way that it gets to me. His words tickle a part in my brain that is powerless to him. As much as my body screams to keep fighting this energy and deny him of what he's expecting, I am only a human. I'm a weak creature by nature. I give in. I give up.

"❄☟☜☼☜ 🕈☜ ✌☼☜📬 💧🕆👍☟ ✌ ☝⚐⚐👎 ☝✋☼☹📬" (THERE WE ARE. SUCH A GOOD GIRL.)

Seconds after allowing his magic to flow freely into my body, from out of the hole in his palm emerges the heart-shaped core of my being that is my very SOUL. Yet something isn't right. A soul is primarily a single color. Now I know mine is a bit odd as it tends to change its color instead of staying a single solitary color. But this? This was new and very unexpected. This SOUL was not one, two or even three colors. No. This thing was a swirl of multiple colors all sloshing about like clashing waves, each one seemingly colliding with the others for more space for itself, almost like the colors are fighting for dominance of the SOUL itself. And the colors themselves, so many of them. Orange, red, blue, yellow, green, light blue, purple, and black. Though very faintly, two more colors were drowning under these crashing waves. From the little bits that can be seen, it looked like white and...pink? What the fuck?

"☞✌💧👍✋☠✌❄✋☠☝📬📬📬✋🕯✞☜ ☠☜✞☜☼ 💧☜☜☠ ✌ ☟🕆💣✌☠ 💧⚐🕆☹ ☜✠☟✋👌✋❄ 💧🕆👍☟ ✌ ✌☼☼✌✡ ⚐☞ ☜💣⚐❄✋⚐☠💧📬 👌☼✌✞☜☼✡📬 👎☜❄☜☼💣✋☠✌❄✋⚐☠📬 ✋☠❄☜☝☼✋❄✡📬 ☺🕆💧❄✋👍☜📬 😐✋☠👎☠☜💧💧📬 🏱✌❄✋☜☠👍☜📬 🏱☜☼💧☜✞☜☼✌☠👍☜📬 ✌☠👎 ❄☟✋💧 ⚐☠☜📬📬📬☼☜☹☜☠❄☹☜💧💧☠☜💧💧📬 ✞☜☼✡ ☼✌☼☜📬 ✋🕯✞☜ ☠☜✞☜☼ 💧❄🕆👎✋☜👎 ✌ ☼☜☹☜☠❄☹☜💧💧 💧⚐🕆☹ 👌☜☞⚐☼☜📬 ✌☠👎 🕈☟✌❄ ✌☼☜ ❄☟⚐💧☜ ❄🕈⚐✍ ❄☼🕆☹✡ ✡⚐🕆 ✌☼☜ ☝⚐✋☠☝ ❄⚐ 🏱☼⚐✞✋👎☜ 💣☜ 🕈✋❄☟ 💣🕆👍☟ ☝☼☜✌❄☜☼ 🕆☠👎☜☼💧❄✌☠👎✋☠☝ ❄☟✌☠ ✋ 👍⚐🕆☹👎🕯✞☜ 🏱☼✌✡☜👎 ☞⚐☼📬" (FASCINATING...I'VE NEVER SEEN A HUMAN SOUL EXHIBIT SUCH A ARRAY OF EMOTIONS. BRAVERY. DETERMINATION. INTEGRITY. JUSTICE. KINDNESS. PATIENCE. PERSEVERANCE. AND THIS ONE...RELENTLESSNESS. VERY RARE. I'VE NEVER STUDIED A RELENTLESS SOUL BEFORE. AND WHAT ARE THOSE TWO? TRULY YOU ARE GOING TO PROVIDE ME WITH MUCH GREATER UNDERSTANDING THAN I COULD'VE PRAYED FOR.)

This feels so weird, my chest hurts from the pressure of his hand and the forced emergence of my soul. The longer it's out the more it hurts. But my discomfort means little to him, if anything my reactions only seem to further get his interest.

"✋❄ 🏱✌✋☠💧 ✡⚐🕆📪 👎⚐☜💧☠🕯❄ ✋❄✍ ☟✌✞✋☠☝ ✡⚐🕆☼ ☹✋☞☜ 🏱🕆☹☹☜👎 ⚐🕆❄ ☹✋😐☜ ❄☟✋💧📬 ✋ 😐☠⚐🕈 ✋❄ 👎⚐☜💧📬 ✋❄ ☟🕆☼❄ ❄☟☜ ⚐❄☟☜☼ ☟🕆💣✌☠💧 ✌💧 🕈☜☹☹📬 💧🕆👍☟ ☞☼✌✋☹ ❄☟✋☠☝💧 ❄☟☜✡ 🕈☜☼☜📬 💧⚐ ☞🕆☹☹ ⚐☞ ☞☜✌☼📬 ☺🕆💧❄ ✌💧 ✋🕯💣 💧🕆☼☜ ✡⚐🕆 ✌☼☜ ☠⚐🕈 ❄⚐⚐📬" (IT PAINS YOU, DOESN'T IT? HAVING YOUR LIFE PULLED OUT LIKE THIS. I KNOW IT DOES. IT HURT THE OTHER HUMANS AS WELL. SUCH FRAIL THINGS THEY WERE. SO FULL OF FEAR. JUST AS I'M SURE YOU ARE NOW TOO.)

I know I was resigned to just letting him do as he pleased before and honestly, I would've stilled allowed had he not said that. Fear? He thinks I'm afraid? Oh hell no! Who the fuck does he think he's dealing with here?! He's toying with me, like being a cat and thinking I'm a mouse. The hell I am! I won't give in. Not anymore. Not to fear and damn sure not to him!

"You bipolar manipulative fuckwad!"

He's taken back by my sudden snap. But his eyes never leave their locked on gaze from my soul, which is starting to stir a lot harsher now.

"You think this scares me? That YOU scare me? Papyrus scares me more than you. At least he makes his intent clear. He tells me without hesitation that he has no issues ending my life. You? You can't seem to pick whether or not you want to be all friendly or be an outright creepy asshole. So no. Fuck this. Fuck you. This bitch ain't taking this bullshit anymore!"

My soul beats loudly and fast. The swirl of colors hitting each other harder. Two beginning to show more predominately as they are more fueled at this moment. Red...and Black. But my verbal venom does nothing to phase him. He sees right through me, chuckling with amusement as he leans in closer and the tips of his fingers claw into my chest harshly.

"💧🕆👍☟ ✌ 👌⚐☹👎 💧🏱✋☼✋❄ ✡⚐🕆 ☟✌✞☜📪 ☹✋❄❄☹☜ ⚐☠☜📬 ✞☜☼✡ ✌💣🕆💧✋☠☝📬 ✋ ☹✋😐☜ ✋❄📬 💣✌😐☜💧 ❄☟✋☠☝💧 💣⚐☼☜ ☜☠☺⚐✡✌👌☹☜ 🕈☟☜☠ ❄☟☜ 💣⚐🕆💧☜ ❄✌☹😐💧 👌✌👍😐📬 ✋ 👍✌☠ 💧☜☜ ❄☟✋💧 ✌💧 ❄☟☜ 💧❄✌☼❄ ⚐☞ ✌ ✞☜☼✡ ✋☠❄☜☼☜💧❄✋☠☝ ☜✠🏱☜☼✋💣☜☠❄📬" (SUCH A BOLD SPIRIT YOU HAVE, LITTLE ONE. VERY AMUSING. I LIKE IT. MAKES THINGS MORE ENJOYABLE WHEN THE MOUSE TALKS BACK. I CAN SEE THIS AS THE START OF A VERY INTERESTING EXPERIMENT.)

"I'm not your fucking lab rat, Gaster."

"✡⚐🕆 ✌☼☜ 🕈☟✌❄ ✋ 💧✌✡ ✡⚐🕆 ✌☼☜ 💧⚐ ☹⚐☠☝ ✌💧 ✡⚐🕆 ☼☜💣✌✋☠ ✋☠ ☟☜☼☜ 🕈✋❄☟ 💣☜📬 ✋🕯💣 💧❄🕆👍😐 ✋☠ ❄☟✋💧 ☼⚐⚐💣 ✌☠👎 ✌☹⚐☠☜ 🕈☟✋☹☜ ✡⚐🕆🕯☼☜ ✌🕈✌😐☜📬 ✋❄🕯💧 👌☜☜☠ ✌ ✞☜☼✡ ☹⚐☠☝ ❄✋💣☜ 💧✋☠👍☜ ✋ 🕈✌💧 ☹✌💧❄ ✌👌☹☜ ❄⚐ ☟✌✞☜ 👍⚐☠❄✌👍❄ 🕈✋❄☟ ✌☠⚐❄☟☜☼ 🏱☜☼💧⚐☠ ⚐☼ 🏱☼☜☞⚐☼💣 ✌☠✡ 💧⚐☼❄ ⚐☞ 🕈⚐☼😐📬 ✌☠👎 ✌💧 ✌☠ 🕆☠😐☠⚐🕈☠ ✞☜☼✋❄✌👌☹☜📪 ✡⚐🕆 ✌☼☜ ✌☠ ✌☠⚐💣✌☹✡ ✋ 🕈✋💧☟ ❄⚐ ☜✠🏱☹⚐☼☜ ✌☠👎 🕆☠👎☜☼💧❄✌☠👎📬 🕈☟✌❄ ☜✠✌👍❄☹✡ 💣✌😐☜💧 ✡⚐🕆 ❄✋👍😐✍ ☟⚐🕈 👎✋👎 ✡⚐🕆 ☼☜🏱✌✋☼ ❄☟☜ ☺🕆😐☜👌⚐✠ 🕈✋❄☟ ❄☟✌❄ ⚐👎👎 ☝☹✋❄👍☟✍ 🕈☟✌❄ ✋💧 ❄☟☜ ☞🕆☹☹ ☜✠❄☜☠❄ ⚐☞ ✡⚐🕆☼ 💧⚐🕆☹🕯💧 🏱⚐🕈☜☼✍ 💧⚐ 💣✌☠✡ ✈🕆☜💧❄✋⚐☠💧 ✌☠👎 ✋ 🕈✌☠❄ ❄⚐📬📬📬☠⚐📬📬📬✋ 🕈✋☹☹ ☞✋☠👎 ⚐🕆❄ ❄☟☜ ✌☠💧🕈☜☼💧📬" (YOU ARE WHAT I SAY YOU ARE SO LONG AS YOU REMAIN IN HERE WITH ME. I'M STUCK IN THIS ROOM AND ALONE WHILE YOU'RE AWAKE. IT'S BEEN A VERY LONG TIME SINCE I WAS LAST ABLE TO HAVE CONTACT WITH ANOTHER PERSON OR PREFORM ANY SORT OF WORK. AND AS AN UNKNOWN VERITABLE, YOU ARE AN ANOMALY I WISH TO EXPLORE AND UNDERSTAND. WHAT EXACTLY MAKES YOU TICK? HOW DID YOU REPAIR THE JUKEBOX WITH THAT ODD GLITCH? WHAT IS THE FULL EXTENT OF YOUR SOUL'S POWER? SO MANY QUESTIONS AND I WANT TO...NO...I WILL FIND OUT THE ANSWERS.)

We glare deeply at one another. Sizing the other up, even though I'm clearly not going to win this. But it would be a cold day in hell if I'd let him treat me like some stupid lab experiment. I am no one's toy.

"...And if I refuse?"

"📬📬📬✋ 🕈⚐🕆☹👎 🏱☼☜☞☜☼ ✡⚐🕆☼ 👍⚐⚐🏱☜☼✌❄✋⚐☠📬 ✋❄ 🕈⚐🕆☹👎 💣✌😐☜ ❄☟✋☠☝💧 ☜✌💧✋☜☼ ☞⚐☼ 🕆💧 👌⚐❄☟ ✌☠👎 ☠⚐❄ 👎✋☹🕆❄☜ ❄☟☜ ❄☜💧❄ ☼☜💧🕆☹❄💧 🕈✋❄☟ ✡⚐🕆☼ ☠☜☝✌❄✋✞✋❄✡📬 👌🕆❄ ✋☞ ✡⚐🕆 ☼☜☞🕆💧☜ ❄⚐ 👌��☟✌✞☜📪 ❄☟☜☠ ✡⚐🕆 ☼☜✌☹☹✡ ☹☜✌✞☜ 💣☜ ☠⚐ 👍☟⚐✋👍☜📬 ✌☠👎 ✋ 😐☠⚐🕈 ✡⚐🕆 ✌☼☜ ✌ ✞☜☼✡ ✋💣✌☝✋☠✌❄✋✞☜ ☝✋☼☹📬 ✋ 👎⚐☠🕯❄ ☟✌✞☜ ❄⚐ 💧✌✡ 🕈☟✌❄ ✋ 🕈✋☹☹ 👎⚐ 👌☜👍✌🕆💧☜ ✋ ☟✌✞☜ ☠⚐ 👎⚐🕆👌❄💧 ❄☟✌❄ ✡⚐🕆 ☟✌✞☜ ✌☹☼☜✌👎✡ ❄☟⚐🕆☝☟❄ ⚐☞ ✌❄ ☹☜✌💧❄ ❄☜☠ 👌✡ ❄☟☜ ❄✋💣☜ ✋ ☞✋☠✋💧☟ 💧🏱☜✌😐✋☠☝📬" (...I WOULD PREFER YOUR COOPERATION. IT WOULD MAKE THINGS EASIER FOR US BOTH AND NOT DILUTE THE TEST RESULTS WITH YOUR NEGATIVITY. BUT IF YOU REFUSE TO BEHAVE, THEN YOU REALLY LEAVE ME NO CHOICE. AND I KNOW YOU ARE A VERY IMAGINATIVE GIRL. I DON'T HAVE TO SAY WHAT I WILL DO BECAUSE I HAVE NO DOUBTS THAT YOU HAVE ALREADY THOUGHT OF AT LEAST TEN BY THE TIME I FINISH SPEAKING.)

"Twenty six actually."

"💣✡ 🏱⚐✋☠❄ ☼☜💣✌✋☠💧 💧❄✌☠👎✋☠☝📬 ☠⚐🕈 ✋ ✌💧😐 ✡⚐🕆 ❄☟✋💧📬📬📬🕈✋☹☹ ✡⚐🕆 ☟🕆💣⚐☼ 💣☜ 👌✡ ☝⚐✋☠☝ ✌☹⚐☠☝ 🕈✋❄☟ 💣✡ 🕈☟✋💣💧✍ ⚐☼📪 🕈✋☹☹ ✡⚐🕆 💣✌😐☜ ❄☟✋☠☝💧 🕈⚐☼💧❄ ☞⚐☼ ✡⚐🕆☼💧☜☹☞ 👌✡ 👌☜✋☠☝ ✌ 👌✌👎 ☝✋☼☹✍" (MY POINT REMAINS STANDING. NOW I ASK YOU THIS...WILL YOU HUMOR ME BY GOING ALONG WITH MY WHIMS? OR, WILL YOU MAKE THINGS WORST FOR YOURSELF BY BEING A BAD GIRL?)

I look at him funny.

"Dude, I want to take that seriously but...wow...That was the lamest way you could've said that."

He rolls his eyes and sighs.

"☟⚐🕈 ☟✌💧 🏱✌🏱✡☼🕆💧 ☠⚐❄ 😐✋☹☹☜👎 ✡⚐🕆 👌✡ ☠⚐🕈✍" (HOW HAS PAPYRUS NOT KILLED YOU BY NOW?)

"Because not even Pap wants to piss off Toriel."

He shrugs his shoulders.

"✡☜✌☟📪 ✋ 👍✌☠ 💧☜☜ ❄☟✌❄📬 ☠⚐🕈 👍☟⚐⚐💧☜✏ ❄☟☜ ☜✌💧✡ 🕈✌✡ ⚐☼ ❄☟☜ 🕈✌✡ ❄☟✌❄ ✋☠✞⚐☹✞☜💧 ✌ ☹⚐❄ ⚐☞ 🏱✌✋☠ ✌☠👎 ✌☹☹ ✌☼⚐🕆☠👎 🕆☠🏱☹☜✌💧✌☠❄☠☜💧💧✍" (YEAH, I CAN SEE THAT. NOW CHOOSE! THE EASY WAY OR THE WAY THAT INVOLVES A LOT OF PAIN AND ALL AROUND UNPLEASANTNESS?)

"You paint such a beautiful picture. Are you a poet?"

He doesn't like sarcasm, as evidence of his clawed fingertips digging in so hard that they start to break through to enter my flesh.

"✌☠💧🕈☜☼ 💣☜📪 ☹✡☠💧✋☜✏ ☠⚐🕈✏" (ANSWER ME, LYNSIE! NOW!)

"Easy way! Easy way! Fuck! I pick the easy way!"

Now with an answer of my hopeful cooperation, his fingers release their grip into my skin and he removes his hand from my chest. This lets my soul return to me and I can now feel slightly less violated.

"❄☟☜☼☜📬 ☠⚐🕈 🕈✌💧 ❄☟✌❄ 💧⚐ ☟✌☼👎✍" (THERE. NOW WAS THAT SO HARD?)

I sneer at him.

"I'm beginning to see the family resemblance. I don't know who's smugger. Sans, Pap, or you."

He scowls and makes the other hands disappear, dropping me on my shaky feet that almost buckle.

"🏱✌🏱✡☼🕆💧 ✋💧 ☼✋☝☟❄📬 ❄☟✌❄ 💣⚐🕆❄☟ ⚐☞ ✡⚐🕆☼💧 ✋💧 ☝⚐✋☠☝ ❄⚐ ☝☜❄ ✡⚐🕆 ✋☠ 💣⚐☼☜ ❄☼⚐🕆👌☹☜ ❄☟✌☠ ✡⚐🕆 🕈✌☠❄📬 ☹☜✌☼☠ ❄⚐ ☟⚐☹👎 ✡⚐🕆☼ ❄⚐☠☝🕆☜ 👌☜☞⚐☼☜ ✡⚐🕆 💧✌✡ 💧⚐💣☜❄☟✋☠☝ ❄☟✌❄ ✡⚐🕆🕯☹☹ ☼☜☝☼☜❄📬" (PAPYRUS IS RIGHT. THAT MOUTH OF YOURS IS GOING TO GET YOU IN MORE TROUBLE THAN YOU WANT. LEARN TO HOLD YOUR TONGUE BEFORE YOU SAY SOMETHING THAT YOU'LL REGRET.)

I smirk, sticking out my tongue and taking hold of it.

"*mumble* Is this better?"

He looks at me deadpan and slaps his hand to his face.

"🖂💧✋☝☟🖂 ✋ ☟✌❄☜ ✡⚐🕆 💧⚐ 💣🕆👍☟ ☼✋☝☟❄ ☠⚐🕈📬" (*SIGH* I HATE YOU SO MUCH RIGHT NOW.)

I let my tongue go.

"You say that, but you know you're glad I come by. After all, it's like you said. You're stuck here, all alone with no one to talk to or interact with. You're lonely. It's understandable. It's why I don't hold this nutty side of you in the wrong. You're just a little awkward dealing with me. And I know I'm not the greatest human when it comes to rubbing you monsters the right way. I antagonize, sometimes on purpose. But do you know why I do it?"

"👌☜👍✌🕆💧☜ ✡⚐🕆🕯☼☜ 💧❄✋☹☹ ❄☼✡✋☠☝ ❄⚐ 😐✋☹☹ ✡⚐🕆☼💧☜☹☞✍" (BECAUSE YOU'RE STILL TRYING TO KILL YOURSELF?)

I snort a laugh.

"Nah, man. That sad part of me had it's chance and failed. I'm not brave enough to try meeting death again. Our long distance relationship will just have to continue. No...The reason I purposely bug the shit out of you boys is simply this...I like you."

Emotion leaves his face.

"You look confused. Let me explain. To strangers, I try to come off as normal. Letting them see the good in me and allowing them to make the choice of wanting to know more about me if they want. But when they do, when there are continued interactions, I let my real self come out more. The real me is kind. The real me likes to tell crude jokes. The real me will fight if something is wrong. The real me is a loyal friend once you earn my respect. And it's the real me you get when I see you trying to be real with me in return. That help make sense?"

He just stares at me for a minute or two. Just letting my words sink in. Then his composer returns.

"✡⚐🕆 👍☜☼❄✌✋☠☹✡ ✌☼☜ ✌☠ ⚐👎👎 ⚐☠☜📪 ✋🕯☹☹ ☝✋✞☜ ✡⚐🕆 ❄☟✌❄📬 👌🕆❄📬📬📬✋ 💧🕆🏱🏱⚐💧☜ ✡⚐🕆 ✌☼☜☠🕯❄ ❄☟☜ 🕈⚐☼💧❄ 🏱☜☼💧⚐☠ ❄⚐ 👌☜ ✌☼⚐🕆☠👎📬" (YOU CERTAINLY ARE AN ODD ONE, I'LL GIVE YOU THAT. BUT...I SUPPOSE YOU AREN'T THE WORST PERSON TO BE AROUND.)

I smile.

"Same, G. You can be a bit rough around the edges sometimes, but for real, who isn't? Yet if you try to hold that side back then I'll hold my more obnoxious traits back in turn. If you play the gentleman, I will not play the bitch. Sound fair, Dr.?"

I hold out my hand in a friendly manner. He looks at my hand and then me.

"What's the matter, G? Don't you know how to greet a new pal?"

For a moment, a small smile creeps onto his skull but is quickly replaced with his normal flat line and he shakes my hand.

"✡⚐🕆 ☼☜✌☹☹✡ ✌☼☜ ✌ 💧❄☼✌☠☝☜ ⚐☠☜📬 ✡☜❄📬📬📬💣✌✡👌☜ ❄☟✌❄🕯💧 ✌ ☝⚐⚐👎 ❄☟✋☠☝📬" (YOU REALLY ARE A STRANGE ONE. YET...MAYBE THAT'S A GOOD THING.)

"I'm glad we can be cool about this. Honestly, when you started being all creepy, I was beginning to believe the warning Chara gave me that you were not to be trusted."

Things go quiet and the room gets ice cold.

"🕈☟✌❄ 👎✋👎 ✡⚐🕆 💧✌✡✍" (WHAT DID YOU SAY?)

I feel like I just fucked up.

"❄☟✌❄ ☠✌💣☜📬 ☟⚐🕈 👎⚐ ✡⚐🕆 😐☠⚐🕈 ❄☟✌❄ ☠✌💣☜✍" (THAT NAME. HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT NAME?)

My continued silence does not please him. He grabs me by the throat with both hands and gets in my face. The rage in his eyes almost makes me piss myself.

"✋ 👎⚐☠🕯❄ 😐☠⚐🕈 ☟⚐🕈 ✡⚐🕆 😐☠⚐🕈 ❄☟✌❄ 👌☼✌❄📪 👌🕆❄ ✌☹☹⚐🕈 💣☜ ❄⚐ 💣✌😐☜ ❄☟✋💧 ✞☜☼✡ 👍☹☜✌☼📬 ✋☞ ✌☠✡⚐☠☜ ✋💧 ☠⚐❄ ❄⚐ 👌☜ ❄☼🕆💧❄☜👎📪 ✋❄ ✋💧 ☟✋💣📬 👎⚐ ☠⚐❄ ❄☼🕆💧❄ 💧💣✌☹☹ 👍☟✋☹👎☼☜☠📬 ❄☟☜✡ ✌☼☜ ❄☟☜ 💣⚐💧❄ ☜✞✋☹ 👍☼☜✌❄🕆☼☜💧 ✡⚐🕆 🕈✋☹☹ ☜✞☜☼ ☟✌✞☜ ❄☟☜ 🕆☠☞⚐☼❄🕆☠✌❄☜ ❄✋💣☜ ❄⚐ 😐☠⚐🕈📬 👎☜👍☜🏱❄✋✞☜ 💣✋☠👎💧 🕈✋❄☟ ☞⚐☼😐☜👎 ❄⚐☠☝🕆☜💧 ✋☠ 💣✋💧☹☜✌👎✋☠☝ 👌⚐👎✋☜💧📬 ❄☟✌❄ ✋💧 👍☟✌☼✌📬" (I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU KNOW THAT BRAT BUT ALLOW ME TO MAKE THIS VERY CLEAR. IF ANYONE IS NOT TO BE TRUSTED, IT IS HIM. DO NOT TRUST SMALL CHILDREN. THEY ARE THE MOST EVIL CREATURES YOU WILL EVER HAVE THE UNFORTUNATE TIME TO KNOW. DECEPTIVE MINDS WITH FORKED TONGUES IN MISLEADING BODIES. THAT IS CHARA.)

"B-B-But he..."

"👎⚐ ✡⚐🕆 ❄☼🕆💧❄ 💣☜📪 ☹✋❄❄☹☜ ⚐☠☜✍" (DO YOU TRUST ME, LITTLE ONE?)

"I...I want to..."

"❄☟☜☠ ❄☼🕆💧❄ 💣☜📬 👎⚐ ☠⚐❄ 👌☜☹✋☜✞☜ 👍☟✌☼✌📬 ✋☞ ✋❄ 🕈☜☼☜☠🕯❄ ☞⚐☼ ☟✋💣📪 ❄☟☜ 🏱☼✋☠👍☜ 🕈⚐🕆☹👎 💧❄✋☹☹ 👌☜ ✌☹✋✞☜📬" (THEN TRUST ME. DO NOT BELIEVE CHARA. IF IT WEREN'T FOR HIM, THE PRINCE WOULD STILL BE ALIVE.)

I feel my face pale.

"Asriel?"

"✡⚐🕆 😐☠⚐🕈 ⚐☞ ☟✋💣 ❄⚐⚐✍" (YOU KNOW OF HIM TOO?)

His grip on me loosens and the rage in his eyes dims.

"✋ 🕈✌☼☠ ✡⚐🕆 ☠⚐🕈📬 🕈✋❄☟ ✌ 💧⚐🕆☹ 💧🕆👍☟ ✌💧 ✡⚐🕆☼💧📪 ✡⚐🕆 💧☟✌☹☹ 🏱☹✌✡ ✌ ☼⚐☹☜ ⚐☞ ✋💣🏱⚐☼❄✌☠👍☜📬 👎⚐ ☠⚐❄ ✌☹☹⚐🕈 💧🕆👍☟ ✌ ❄☟✋☠☝ ❄⚐ 👌☜ 🕆☠👎☜☼ ❄☟☜ 💧🕈✌✡ ⚐☞ 💧⚐💣☜⚐☠☜ ✡⚐🕆 😐☠⚐🕈 ☠⚐❄☟✋☠☝ ✌👌⚐🕆❄📬" (I WARN YOU NOW. WITH A SOUL SUCH AS YOURS, YOU SHALL PLAY A ROLE OF IMPORTANCE. DO NOT ALLOW SUCH A THING TO BE UNDER THE SWAY OF SOMEONE YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT.)

"And what about you?"

He looks sternly before sighing into calmness.

"✋☞ ✋❄ 🕈✋☹☹ ☟☜☹🏱 ✡⚐🕆 ❄⚐ 😐☠⚐🕈 ✋ ✌💣 ☠⚐❄ ✡⚐🕆☼ ☜☠☜💣✡📪 ❄☟☜☠ ✋ 💧☟✌☹☹ ❄☜☹☹ ✡⚐🕆 💣⚐☼☜ ✌👌⚐🕆❄ 💣✡💧☜☹☞ ✌💧 🕈☜ 👍⚐☠❄✋☠🕆☜ ❄☟☜💧☜ ✋☠❄☜☼✌👍❄✋⚐☠💧📬 👌🕆❄ ✋ 👎⚐ ☟⚐🏱☜ ✡⚐🕆 ✌☼☜ 💣⚐☼☜ 👍✌🕆❄✋⚐🕆💧 🕈✋❄☟ 🕈☟⚐💣 ✡⚐🕆 👍☟⚐⚐💧☜ ❄⚐ ☹⚐🕈☜☼ ✡⚐🕆☼ ☝🕆✌☼👎 ✌☼⚐🕆☠👎📬" (IF IT WILL HELP YOU TO KNOW I AM NOT YOUR ENEMY, THEN I SHALL TELL YOU MORE ABOUT MYSELF AS WE CONTINUE THESE INTERACTIONS. BUT I DO HOPE YOU ARE MORE CAUTIOUS WITH WHOM YOU CHOOSE TO LOWER YOUR GUARD AROUND.)

There's this look on his face. I can't quite place it but it feels something like worry. I nod my head.

"I understand. Heh...Funny. Sans told me something like that when we first talked."

"💧🏱☜✌😐✋☠☝ ⚐☞ 💣✡ 👌☼⚐❄☟☜☼💧📬 ☹☜❄ 💣☜ ☝✋✞☜ ✡⚐🕆 ⚐☠☜ 💣⚐☼☜ 🏱✋☜👍☜ ⚐☞ ✌👎✞✋👍☜📬📬📬" (SPEAKING OF MY BROTHERS. LET ME GIVE YOU ONE MORE PIECE OF ADVICE...)

I expect a warning. I expect the kind of protectiveness a father tells a boy that seeks his daughter. What I don't expect was his face to distort and this suffocating red aura to swallow everything around him.

"✋☞ ✡⚐🕆 ☜✞☜☼ ☟🕆☼❄ 💣✡ ☞✌💣✋☹✡ ✋☠ ✌☠✡ 🕈✌✡📪 💧☟✌🏱☜📪 ⚐☼ ☞⚐☼💣📬📬📬✋ 🕈✋☹☹ ☠⚐❄ ☟☜💧✋❄✌❄☜ ❄⚐ 👌☼☜✌😐 ✡⚐🕆 👎⚐🕈☠📪 ✌❄⚐💣 👌✡ ✌❄⚐💣📪 ✌☠👎 ☜☼✌💧☜ ✡⚐🕆 ☞☼⚐💣 ☜✠✋💧❄☜☠👍☜ ✋☠ ❄☟✋💧 ✌☠👎 ✌☹☹ ☼☜✌☹✋❄✋☜💧📬📬📬👎⚐ ✋ 💣✌😐☜ 💣✡💧☜☹☞ 👍☹☜✌☼📪 ☟🕆💣✌☠✍✏" (IF YOU EVER HURT MY FAMILY IN ANY WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM...I WILL NOT HESITATE TO BREAK YOU DOWN, ATOM BY ATOM, AND ERASE YOU FROM EXISTENCE IN THIS AND ALL REALITIES...DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR, HUMAN?!)

I open my mouth to utter the first real scream in my entire life but no sound escapes me, there's only the terrified look of horror on my face. That look seems sufficient enough to give him an answer and he reverts to his normal professionalism.

"☝⚐⚐👎📬 ✋🕯💣 ☝☹✌👎 ✡⚐🕆 ✌☼☜ ✌ ☼☜✌💧⚐☠✌👌☹☜ 👍☼☜✌❄🕆☼☜📬 🖂✌☟☜💣🖂 👎⚐ ��⚐☼☝✋✞☜ 💣✡ ☜✌☼☹✋☜☼ 👌☜☟✌✞✋⚐☼📬 ✋❄ 🕈✌💧 🕆☠👌☜👍⚐💣✋☠☝ ⚐☞ 💣☜📬 ☺🕆💧❄ ☼☜💣☜💣👌☜☼ 🕈☟✌❄ ✋ 💧✌✋👎📬" (GOOD. I'M GLAD YOU ARE A REASONABLE CREATURE. *AHEM* DO FORGIVE MY EARLIER BEHAVIOR. IT WAS UNBECOMING OF ME. JUST REMEMBER WHAT I SAID.)

He pats my head and my eyes roll into the back of my head as I pass out from all this insanity.

[Meawhile: In Snowdin Town]

Another hard day's work for the skeleton brothers. As like most days, no humans entered their territory. Aside from his normal watching duties, Papyrus had Sans stop by the house every hour to check on the human. Which after finding her at Grillby's halfway into the day and bringing her back to the house, she hadn't moved from the couch where she crashed. In fact, the only change he noticed since then was that the flower had placed the blanket it was hiding under on her, but nothing else. So when the time came, they clocked out and headed home for an evening meal before resting up to take on another day.

"SHE BETTER HAVE COMPLETED ALL HER CHORES."

"i'm sure she has, boss."

"I MEAN IT. IF SHE'S SLACKED OFF THEN I'M BREAKING SOMETHING."

"a bit much, don't ya think?"

"FINE. *HUFF* I SWEAR, THIS WHOLE 'DO NOT HIT HER' THING IS HARDER THAN I FIRST THOUGHT IT WOULD BE."

"goes to show that not everything can be solved by hitting it."

"*SCOFF* I BEG TO DIFFER."

Arriving at their home, the door is unlocked and they enter. The house smells clean and isn't on fire, so that's a good sign. On the couch, the human slumbers and above her in the windowsill the flower watches her with a concerned look. Papyrus gives the scene one look before ignoring it to see if there's any food waiting in the oven. Sans, on the other hand, knowing that she hasn't budged an inch in hours, approaches curiously.

"yo, weed. what's up with her?"

Flowey glares at the weed comment.

"This happens sometimes. I don't know why and she doesn't tell me either. But something happens when she sleeps."

Sans cocks his head to the side.

"oh yeah? like what?"

Flowey gets quiet and it gets his attention.

"uh...you gonna answer me or what?"

Flowey looks uncomfortable.

"Sometimes..."

"yes?"

"Sometimes she..."

Before Flowey can finish, the human bolts upright and gasps for breath. This scares the shit out of Sans who ends up falling back on his butt while she tries to relax her rapid breathing.

"Yeah...Sometimes this happens."

Sans growls in annoyance until he actually gets a look at her. She's pale as a ghost, covered in a cold sweat, slightly hyperventilating, shaking, her eyes wide open and dilated. If he didn't know any better, he would swear she was in shock.

"kiddo?"

She's like a statue. Well, a statue that's shaking like a leaf and breathing just as bad.

"lynsie?"

That brings life to her as her pupils retract to tiny dots.

"hey, are you..."

"HUMAN!!"

Papyrus shouts and she leaps off the couch...only to get tripped up in the blanket a couple time.

"GET IN HERE NOW!"

She stumbles her way into the kitchen and for a moment Sans wondered if this was the same girl he's been dealing with. Because right now, she resembled a frightened puppy hoping not to get kicked into its kennel.

"EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT IT IS I'M LOOKING AT."

His curiosity having been tempted, Sans sneaks his way silently over to the kitchen's doorway and peeks in at the scene unfolding. Papyrus is not happy and the human has her head down in submission.

"WELL? TELL ME WHAT THIS IS."

Papyrus points to a glass container filled with some weird brown mass.

"It's meatloaf."

"AND PRAY TELL, WHAT IS THE MAIN INGREDIENTS IN THIS LOAF OF MEAT?"

"Ground beef."

"HOW MUCH?"

"W-What?"

"HOW MUCH?! HOW MUCH DID YOU USE IN THAT SIN YOU'VE SULLIED MY KITCHEN WITH?!"

She seems to shrink under his voice and it has Sans puzzled. Her personality is all wrong. She would stand her ground, not give in. What in the fuck happened?

"T-T-Three pounds."

*SMACK*

She hits the ground and Papyrus is livid.

"THREE POUNDS?! YOU WASTED THREE POUNDS ON THIS TRASH?! IF YOU WEREN'T CONNECTED TO THE QUEEN, YOU'D BE DEAD BY MY HANDS AND THAT SOUL OF YOUR SHATTERED BECAUSE SOMEONE AS STUPID AS YOU COULDN'T POSSIBLY HAVE ANY POWER TO SET US FREE!"

She lays there for a bit and Sans almost makes the move to jump in to ease some of this tension. But she makes the first move, picking herself partly off the floor.

"Master..."

Master? Don't tell me he's really got her calling him that. Geez, bro, how massive is your ego?

"Forgive me. I wanted to try something new. But with the limitations of what is here and us all agreeing that I can't leave, I can't fetch more food. I tried my best with what I had."

Papyrus's stone cold death glare softens slightly to a less harsh but still harden look of disdain.

"BE THAT AS IT MAY, DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY LASAGNAS THAT COULD'VE MADE? IN A SINGLE DISH, YOU'VE SET ME BACK QUITE A BIT. AND THAT IS NOT A SMART THING TO DO."

"I'm sorry, Master. It won't happen again. I shall request your approval in future meal preparations that might interfere with your culinary craftsmanship."

Much to Sans's surprise, she managed to settle Papyrus down with that. Catering to his ego, a very smart move on her part. She's learning how to survive and roll with the punches.

"HMMM...PERHAPS I MISSPOKE. MAYBE YOU'RE NOT NEARLY AS STUPID AS YOU MAKE YOURSELF OUT TO BE."

Papyrus takes a few steps closer to her and stops when she doesn't make a move.

"HUMAN..."

She looks up at him.

"TAKE THAT JACKET OFF. IT DOESN'T BELONG TO YOU."

She merely nods before slipping out of Sans's old jacket.

"GOOD..."

He takes it from her.

"NOW GET UP. AS MUCH AS THAT THING YOU CALL A DISH OFFENDS ME, I DO EXPECT SOMETHING TO EAT. BRING MY PLATE TO MY ROOM ONCE YOU'VE TAKEN THE CORRECT STEPS IN FIXING IT TO MY LIKING."

She picks herself up and he leaves her, exiting the kitchen to shove the jacket at the apparently not so stealthy brother.

"THIS IS WHAT I MEANT ABOUT BEING SOFT ON HER. YOU GIVE HER AN INCH AND SHE'LL THINK SHE CAN DO AS SHE PLEASES."

Sans sneers.

"you said you'd try not to hit her."

"I DID TRY. I ONLY USED 5% OF THE POWER I WANTED TO HIT HER WITH."

Sans's annoyed look got stronger.

"WHAT? I AT LEAST DIDN'T BUST HER LIP OR BREAK HER NOSE."

Sans's look increases.

"I'M NOT GOING TO SAY ANYTHING THAT MAKES ME LOOK GOOD TO YOU, I AM?"

"no, bro. just no."

Papyrus sighs through his nasal hole loudly

"WHATEVER. I'LL BE IN MY ROOM. SEE TO IT SHE DOESN'T FUCK UP ANY MORE."

Papyrus walks pass his brother with little care and Sans mutters curses under his breath as he now enters the kitchen. To no surprise, the girl is setting out plates and still visibly shaken. He sighs.

"hey...try not to take what pap said or did too seriously. he just lacks the skills needed to not come off as a total prick."

She doesn't say anything. She merely goes about fixing a quick side-dish to compliment the main course.

"come on, kiddo, lighten up. this ain't the first time pap roughed ya up. and it certainly won't be the last. why not look at it this way...ya took the hit like a champ. that's something to be proud of."

She stops.

"Sans...I appreciate what you're trying to do. I really do. But can we not talk for a bit. Please?"

She didn't even sound the same. Something must have really gotten to her. Oh, the choices. On the one hand, part of him knew it was better to leave her alone. Yet, on the other hand, he wanted to make her suffer for leaving. What to do, what to do? Being the clever schmuck he is, Sans picked both options. Here's hoping she got so mashed she doesn't remember anything.

"yeah, okay. we'll talk later."

She appears to relax a little and returns to her work.

"Thank you."

"no problem. what are pals for?"

He turns on his heel then starts to leave, but pauses and looks her way.

"oh! before i forget..."

This gets her attention and he smirks mischievously.

"thanks for the fun at grillby's. i had a really great time."

He gives her a teasing wink before walking away and he swears that he can hear the gears turning in her head.

"...What the hell does that mean?!"

A quick shortcut away to his room prevents her from questioning further and allows him to let out the laughter a successful mind fuck gives. That'll teach her. See Pap? You don't have to hit her to make a point. Mind games are just as effective and even more enjoyable than violence. This is the good shit.

I can hear the laughter in the room above me and I growl in annoyance. God damn you, Sans. I have no idea if he's just messing with me or if something really happened at Grillby's. Argh! These skeletons! They will be the death of me! No, calm down. I need to relax and get my head together. I can grill Sans later when I force his supper down his...wait...How the fuck do skeletons eat?! Why am I only realizing this now? They have no tongue, throat, stomach, or anything else one would need to take in foodstuff. So how the hell do they do this?

"Lynsie? You okay in there?"

Flowey's voice derails this crazy train of thought.

"Yeah, bro. I'm fine. I'll bring you your plate in a sec."

I finish all this food mess and quickly bring him to the table where his share awaits.

"So you're really okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Because you freaked out a lot worse than your past nightmares."

"I told you, I don't get nightmares."

"Yeah, and I'm still not buying it."

"And again, I don't care if you do. But thanks for being concerned."

"You're welcomed. Thank you for dinner."

"Of course."

"When did you even make this?"

"Did it way earlier and had it on a slow cook so it would be done by the time they got home."

"Smart."

"I try."

"Try more."

"...Eat your damn loaf, flower-boy."

I return to the kitchen and get Papyrus's plate before heading up the stairs to his room.

[Knock, knock]

"ENTER, HUMAN."

I open the door and see he has his attention in one of those books they brought home the other day.

"PUT IT ON THE TABLE."

I do as told.

"If you want, I can get you some milk or water to drink."

The second he sees that the plate has touched down on the table, he moves quickly and the next thing I know is my back is slammed against a wall while his hand is over my mouth, pinning me in place. I'm confused by this sudden attack but the angry look he has tells me I'll know why soon enough.

"YOU THINK YOU'RE SO CLEVER, DON'T YOU? DID YOU REALLY THINK I WOULDN'T NOTICE?"

Unable to speak I merely tilt my head in puzzlement.

"DON'T PLAY DUMB WITH ME! I KNOW YOU'VE LEFT THIS HOUSE. YOU CAN'T EVEN DENY IT. YOUR STATS ARE DIFFERENT AND YOU ARE WEARING SOMETHING YOU DIDN'T HAVE BEFORE. SOMETHING I KNOW I'VE SEEN BEFORE IN THAT RABBIT BITCH'S SHOP."

Ah shit. He just had to be a smart guy. Okay, think. Don't panic and play to his nature. Be a good girl.

"WHAT? WHAT IS WITH THAT LOOK?"

He lowers me down enough for me to stand on my own and moves his hand to my neck, at least allowing me to plead my case.

"SPEAK, HUMAN."

Keep calm. Just mix some truth with a bit of lies. It'll sound believable that way.

"I can not lie, Papyrus. I admit it. I did leave the house."

His harsh eyes narrow in a glare that spells death unless I say something to explain my clearly wrong behavior.

"You're probably wondering why."

"I'M WONDERING WHY I SHOULDN'T RIP YOUR STILL BEATING HEART OUT AND SMASH IT INTO YOUR EYES."

"Look, I'm sorry. After I did all the chores, I got bored and curious. I wanted to see what neighborhood was worthy of my Master's greatness. So I went out to have a look, in disguise of course, and no one suspected a thing. Hell, most thought I was a dude. The only one to see through my ruse was Grillby. I gotta say, for a guy made of magic fire he's one cool dude. No pun intended."

He remains silent and brooding in a judging way.

"To be honest, I thought you already knew and that's why you were so pissed."

That gets him.

"NO. I HAD NO CLUE. WHY WOULD YOU THINK I'D HAD KNOWN?"

Payback is a hard bitch, Sans. You mess with me, I mess with you.

"Because Sans knew."

His sockets widen.

"HE WHAT?"

His grip on my neck tightens and I hiss at the rather sharp pain the pressure causes.

"YOU LYING CUNT! IF MY BROTHER KNEW YOU HAD LEFT THE HOUSE, HE WOULD'VE REPORTED IT TO ME! DO YOU TAKE ME FOR A FOOL? DO YOU REALLY THINK HE'D LIE TO ME TO PROTECT YOU? EVEN IF YOU ARE THE QUEEN'S LITTLE FOSTER CHILD, YOU ARE STILL JUST A PATHETIC HUMAN. YOU ARE NOT WORTH RISKING HIS LIFE OVER."

The pain is getting worse. I try prying his hand off but he's too damn strong. All I can do is wince.

"COME NOW, I'M BARELY SQUEEZING. YOU ACT AS IF..."

He seems to put two and two together while I'm still on side of confusion. He lets me go and moves the bandanna to expose my neck. I can't see what he sees, but if the look in his eyes tells me anything, I'd say he sees something I'd rather not see.

"HMMM..."

"What? What is it? Is there something wrong?"

"TELL ME, HUMAN...WHEN GRILLBY FOUND YOU OUT, DID HE HAVE YOU STAY IN HIS BAR?"

"Yeah. He said Sans would find me there sooner or later."

"AND DID YOU CONSUME ANYTHING THAT MIGHT HAVE HAD ALCOHOL IN IT?"

I'm starting to not like this line of questioning.

"Yes? He recommended a booze burger."

He sighs and now I'm getting nervous.

"YOU PROBABLY HAVE NO MEMORY AFTER A CERTAIN POINT IN TIME, RIGHT?"

"Dude, you're starting to freak me out here."

He just grins at me.

"Why are you smiling like that? Papyrus? Tell me!"

He shoves me back against the wall and laughs.

"NOW I SEE WHY SANS DIDN'T TELL ME. THERE WASN'T ANY NEED TO. HE ALREADY HAD THE PLEASURE OF PUNISHING YOU HIMSELF."

What the fuck does that mean?! Wait, so Sans's tease wasn't a tease? Did something really happen at Grillby's? Is Papyrus just being a huge asshole and messing with my head? I need answers damn it!

"YOU MAY GO NOW, HUMAN. BUT KNOW THIS...THIS IS THE LAST NIGHT YOU STAY UNDER THIS ROOF. DISOBEDIENCE IS NOT ACCEPTABLE AND PRIVILEGES WILL BE TAKEN AWAY BECAUSE OF IT."

I rub my sore neck and grimace at the thought of what else he's planning on not allowing me for this.

"I understand. I did wrong and deserve this. It won't happen again."

"OF COURSE IT WON'T. YOU'LL BE RESTRAINED WHEN WE GO OUT NEXT TIME."

Oh, that's just peachy. Not like that really worked last time, but it was super annoying.

"Understood."

I slowly take my leave.

"Good night, Papyrus."

I almost make it out of the room when he blocks the way.

"AREN'T YOU FORGETTING SOMETHING?"

I shake my head with a smirk.

"You enjoy me saying it too much."

His grin is amusing.

"WHAT CAN I SAY? HEARING THE SUBJUGATION OF A LESSER CREATURE PLEASES ME. NOW...SAY IT."

Maybe if I stroke his ego enough it'll take some of the marks off my naughty list. It's worth a shot.

"Yes, Master Papyrus. A thousand apologies, Master Papyrus. Forgive me, Master Papyrus. I am but a lowly human and utterly unfit to bask or even gaze upon your godly visage, Master Papyrus. Oh! To what ends must I do to once more gain the favor of my lord, Master Papyrus? How doth this foolish mortal woman redeem herself in yon glorious eyes, oh great and terrible, Master Papyrus? I beg thee! Pity me, oh marvelous skeletal lord of edge, I am not worthy of you."

I am such a ham when the mood strikes. What started out normal became a big dramatic display the likes of which you'd see being mocked in cheesy movies where teenagers do a high school play. I half expect tomatoes to be thrown at me while those two old muppets mock me from an unseen balcony. Yet he further exceeds my surprise by not only laughing at my childishness, but I can't help noticing the red coloring that is starting to show on his cheekbones. Really brings some much-needed kindness to that grumpy face of his. But the moment doesn't last long and he tappers into lite chuckling.

"YOU...YOU CAN BE QUITE THE KISS ASS WHEN YOU WANT TO BE."

I get out of my little finishing pose and smile.

"Maybe. But did you enjoy that?"

Remember when I said the blush made him look kind? Yeah, that look is gone now. With the look he gives me now, that blush makes him look downright creepy. Like, this is the face of a sexual predator.

"DID I ENJOY YOUR LITTLE SHOW? HMMM...HOW DO I PUT THIS?"

He grabs my chin and forces me to make rather uncomfortable eye contact with him.

"YOU'VE MADE ME QUITE PLEASED."

This feels so awkward.

"IT MAKES ME WONDER...IF YOU'RE CAPABLE OF SUCH PLEASANTRIES, IN WHAT OTHER WAYS ARE YOU ABLE TO PLEASE ME?"

It doesn't take much to trigger my imagination and filthy mind into overthinking what he could possibly have meant by those words. So like any sane woman that's already unsure of what men have done to her due to drunken memory loss, I jerk away from him and nervously get the fuck out of his room to rush my ass downstairs.

"*quickly* Okay, thank you, have a good night Papyrus!"

I hear a small snicker followed by the closing of his door and I take a few minutes to calm down. Normally, had a human guy been like that with me, that would've gone down much differently. Hell, I fought off three guys when that shit happened in middle school. Bastards thought the sickly looking girl in her grandma's sweater was a weak easy mark. Proved those fuckers wrong real fast. But those were humans. These are monsters. And I've finally faced the facts that they are a hell of a lot stronger than humans. If they wanted to...If the intent is there...They could do anything to me and no amount of fight in me would make a difference. I'd get a good couple of hits in but that's it. It wouldn't matter. Compared to them, I'm as weak as a newly hatched bird that fell out of its nest and down a mountain. Wait...God damn it! That is exactly how it is! Mother fucking life! Quit being so piss poor to me! I already hate myself! You don't have to add to it!

I sigh to get all this emo steam out of my system. I have to stop doing this. Building all this negativity up. It's not good or me and very unhealthy. I have to be more positive. Think happy thoughts. Because when life gives you lemons, flip off life and find someone who'll exchange lemons for strawberries. Mmmm...I could so go for some strawberry milk right now. Maybe Grillby has some. I'll have to ask him or Sans about that. Speaking of the smiling butt-munch...I should give him his food before it gets cold. Scooping up his plate of goodies, I head back upstairs and creep quietly pasts Papyrus's room. Lord knows I don't want his attention anymore this evening. Looking over the railing, I see Flowey's the first to sleep unless Sans beat him to it. I need to get his plate before I try to rest. I make it to Sans's door, the strange flames that burn beneath it have intrigued me since I first set my eyes on them. What makes them and to what purpose do they serve? Either way, even if I don't get an answer to those questions, I can still get the chance of seeing inside Sans's room. If Papyrus's room is anything to go off of, then his brother's is bound to be just as cool. Here's hoping he's still awake.

[Knock, knock]

"*muffled* who's there?"

Really? Are we really doing this?

"Room service."

"*muffled* room service who?"

"Yeah, can I get the house special and a wake-up call for nine? Maybe have it brought up by that sexy bellhop at the front door."

The door opens and he's giggling with confusion on his face.

"hehe...what the hell kind of knock-knock joke was that?"

"The kind you get when I couldn't think of anything."

I offer the dish.

"May I come in?"

He eyes me a moment before taking it.

"sure. we need to talk anyway. bet ya got loads of questions and junk."

He opens the door more and I step in. Instantaneously I'm hit with a smell. Since cleaning, the house has had this pine tree smell to it and Papyrus keeps his room so clean it doesn't even have a scent at all. But Sans's room...It's like...I'm not sure if I can describe the smell. Not bad, just...lived in maybe? It's strangely familiar to me for some reason. The room itself just feels comfortable despite its disheveled appearance. Sans's room is messy, containing a somehow self-sustaining twister of random trash, a dusty unused exercise bike, a dirty sock pile, a worn mattress with sheets ripped up in a weird wrinkly bundle, an uncovered pillow that is on the floor, what looks like some mail, a lava lamp with a flashlight stuck in the bulb socket, and a decently sized chest of drawers from which the lamp sits. There's also a window over his bed, a closet off to my left once you enter, and the thick carpet is done in wavy lines of red and yellow.

"yeah, the place ain't fancy or anything, but it'll grow on ya. i mean that figuratively yet sometimes literally."

Sans seems more relaxed as he goes over to his bed to eat. He looks very much the same but minus the jacket he regularly sports and nothing is on his feet apart from some black slippers.

"They say a man's home is his castle. And by the looks of it, you are a very relaxed king."

"eh, i try. so...what's on your mind?"

I shut the door to be safe in case Papyrus were to pass by and hear anything odd.

"Okay, let's just tear the band-aid off now. What the hell happened at Grillby's?"

He chuckles knowingly as he eats.

"don't remember a thing, do ya? that's a shame. you were quite the good-time gal by the time i showed up."

"Come on, dude. Be real with me right now. I am not in the right state of mind to deal with teasing."

He takes a moment to chew the mouthful he has before responding.

"if you're wondering if ya did anything stupid, no. we did nothing but make jokes. now if you did anything with grillby before i got there, you'd have to ask him because he didn't say he did when i got him talking."

I sigh and palm my face.

"but grillby ain't a douche. i've known the guy for a good chunk of my life and i will bet gold on him doing nothing to ya while you were fucked up."

"I'm going to choose to take your word on that. I honestly don't remember much of our time together, but the dude seemed pretty cool. Against my better judgment, I'd probably hang out with him again if the chance were given. Though I wouldn't request that burger again."

"i doubt you'll get the chance."

"Yeah."

I move a little closer and lay on the floor while my head rests on the mattress. I don't want to be weird by sitting on his bed.

"Papyrus said I'm to be restrained when you guys leave tomorrow."

"heh... a lot of good that'll do. you'll just escape again."

"That's what I was thinking."

There's a pause as he eats.

"so...maybe you can answer a couple of questions for me too while we're at it."

"Sure. Why not?"

"do you remember me bringing you back here?"

"Nope. But based on what Grillby said, about you being his most common barfly and that you show up a lot, I kinda figured you did."

"yeah. the bar is like a second home to me."

"I can see why. It's so warm there. Felt...I don't know...Safe?"

"that's the reason he'll never go out of business. ya don't feel that way in many places down here."

"True. And he's a nice guy. That helps too."

"yeah."

I think for a moment about what I want to ask next.

"by the way...who is chara?"

Well, that came out of left field.

"What brought that up?"

"you told grillby that chara was the one that spotted me watching you."

"Oh yeah...So?"

"how do you know chara?"

"How do you know Chara?"

"i asked ya first."

"He's my dead bro that talks to me in my head."

"don't bullshit me."

"Do you really think I'd say something that crazy if I didn't mean it? Hell, you're not even the first person to ask me that same question today."

"who else asked you about chara?"

"Your brother."

"pap? that don't make much sense."

"I didn't say it was Papyrus."

That got his attention in a big way.

"what?"

I look up at the ceiling.

"Sans...Do you know who Gaster is?"

There's a thud sound as he drops his plate and what little remained of his dinner.

"h-how...how do you know that name?"

I look over at him. Shock and maybe a small tinge of fright make up his expression.

"I get the feeling we've got a lot of talking to do."

"yeah. yeah, we do."

He looks really serious until he looks at the mess.

"but first...mind cleaning that up for me?"

I snicker.

"Was wondering if you were gonna ask me that or not. Really hoping you weren't."

"if it makes ya feel any better, it wasn't as bad as what pap was making it out to be."

"Thanks."

I pick up most of it with my hands and get ready to take the remnants with me.

"while you're down there, would you mind bringing back a thing of mustard?"

I look at him funny.

"Mustard?"

He rolls his shoulders.

"we've all got our vices. mine happens to be a tangy condiment. got a problem with that?"

"Really? Any particular type you prefer?"

"not really. it all depends on my mood. if i wanna treat myself, i enjoy a nice dijon. if it's been a shitty day, i'll have a beer or spirited mustard. and if i'm in a pissy mood, i'll punish myself with the hot pepper stuff. but mostly i just drink the classic yellow kind."

Wow, he wasn't joking.

"Okay...Be right back with your 'drink'."

I take the dish with me out of the room and back downstairs, collecting Flowey's along the way. I do a spot of speed cleaning before putting dinner away, I'm not eating tonight. I have no appetite at the moment. But a drink is never something I turn down. I fix me up a little something, grab his mustard and napkins, then get my butt back up the stairs to his room. I find him still on his mattress only now he's apparently playing a game of solitaire with an old beat up deck of cards.

"Got bored? I was gone maybe two minutes."

He hardly bothers with glancing at me.

"it helps me relax."

I don't like that sound of that. I let him be and place the condiment bottle beside him as I get to cleaning the small stain trying to stay on his floor. I think not, stain! Not on my watch. He starts drinking while I carry on with this maid-like chore.

"what's in the glass?"

I was beginning to wonder if he'd ever notice my own drink.

"This? Got me some milk. Though, kinda wish you boys had stuff to with it is."

"like what?"

"Maybe some strawberry mixing power/syrup? I'd settle for some chocolate or cookies too."

A small chuckle escapes him.

"heh...women and their sweets."

"I know, it's cliché. But hey, think of it this way. Maybe if I had more sweets then I'd be sweet back."

He scoffs.

"yeah, i can totally see that happening. toss ya a bit of sugar and suddenly you're little miss sunshine? nah, ain't buying it."

"I did say maybe."

With the task of cleaning done, I invade his space. Moving to sit at the foot of the mattress to show that I am here taking this a bit more seriously than most of the normal shit I tend to do. He, in turn, responds by swiping the cards onto the floor in one motion and finally looking at me. His eyes are dark.

"so...seems we each know something that the other wants to know."

"Indeed. We both have stories to tell."

"true. but that implies someone might not be very truthful in the telling of their tale."

"Withholding information is very damaging. Not a very wise move, nor one I intend to make. You?"

"the line between truth and false is blurry. it's up to the listener whether to believe it's fact or fiction."

"Very well...Fact, we have never met before until I left the Ruins. We have never shared any point of our lives with each other or gone into much about our history. So far, to you, is this correct?"

"so far, you are coming up as truthful."

"Then I shouldn't know any of the following...W. D. Gaster was once the Head Scientist to the Royal Family until something happened. Something involving his study of understanding the power of souls."

He gets really quiet. So quiet that the snow falling onto the roof can be heard, snowflake by snowflake.

"lynsie...this is going to be one hell of a long night."

"That it will be, Sans. That it will be."

#undertale #underfell #Anomaly #Lynsie #sans #papyrus #gaster #grillby #grandpa semi #flowey #Asriel #asgore #toriel #chara #napstablook #frisk #mettaton #undyne #alphys

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