#that for a minute i lived in a world where real life didn't exist'

[eloqiu]

Spoilers for BSD ch 117

Oh boy.

Max copium! I choose you!

After the little scene with... Fukuchi, I did some slight research.

My conclusion? The ADA and verse will live.

As you can see, the symbol behind Fukuchi is the similar to a the symbol to the right, which belongs to a religion known as Tenrikyo.

Tenrikyo is a religion where their deity is viewed as the parent of all of humanity.

In the image above, you can see Fukuchi showing almost "motherly" care for Kunikida. As if he's comforting his hurt child.

When Fukuchi kills someone, they become bubbles and then he swallows them.

Bubbles, are clean and clear. The opposite of dust.

Now, I hear you guys "Eloqiu, what does this have to do with the ADA being alive? Are you off your meds?"

No, I am not off my meds, and let me continue.

Something to note about Tenrikyo, is that it doesn't believing the afterlife. It instead believes in reincarnation.

"The soul comes back to this world after borrowing a body from God."

Along with that:

When Fukuchi "kills" someone, the only thing left of them is their clothing. Which may be symbolic of death. (Osayama is the creator of the religion, for anyone who didn't know.)

And also...

(Which could mean that Fukuchi is still alive)

Taking in the reincarnation, bubbles, and symbolism...

Fukuchi is currently collecting the good deeds of each person. So that he can give them a new body. (AKA reincarnate them)

However, considering that the real Fukuchi is probably still in there, there's still a chance that this could be stopped.

So here's my (maximum copium) plan on how this will end:

The ADA must defeat Fyodor first, he seems to be thing that's ordering Fukuchi.

Once they've defeated him, the real Fukuchi will take back his body. (Most likely with some encouragement from the remaining Hunting Dogs, and Fukuzawa)

Then Fukuchi will release the souls by offering his "body from God", ultimately sacrificing himself.

The live happily ever after

Easier said then done...

(I did this all in like, 20 minutes. So forgive me if some information is incorrect)

EDIT:

I found this detail interesting, and decided to screenshot it. While I was researching any relations Tenrikyo had with books... (Like the book in the BSD verse)

(This was written by the creator of the religion. Featuring all the teachings of the religion.) Coincidence??? (Probably.) I THINK NOT!

(EDIT 2: I need a life...)

The god form of Fukuchi, was introduced in chapter 115. (Is that was chapter 114.5 exists? So that God form Fukuchi would be introduced at exactly chapter 115?)

[clairegregoryau]

Through the Looking Glass

From fairytale in Season 1 to stark reality in Season 2 of Our Flag Means Death- meta ported across from this Twitter thread by popular demand!

This thread contains spoilers for the entirety of OFMD Season 2

First OFMD S1 rewatch since S2, and holy shit, if you haven't done that yet... do that. A thing that it made instantly clear: they told us *all along* where this was going, but there was a reason we didn't see it. Because we were living in Stede's world then. Now it's Ed's.

I know that a lot of us have felt that the tone shift at the end of S2 was... jarring, compared to what's come before. This felt like a show that wouldn't go there. One where being run through was a temporary hiccup. We've travelled all the way from this to this.

But we haven't jumped there without a journey in between. And from the minute we started hearing about Blackbeard, the show never tried to hide what Ed's world and his specific life was like. Not once. In fact they told us over and over and over.

But Season 1 told us a lot of those things through song and story and fuckery. It blended reality with fiction.

Stede met the Blackbeard he knew through books and tall tales, and the real man was even more wonderful than he'd imagined.

We, along with Stede, were comfortable thinking that all those other tales were exaggerations and misrepresentations, and a lot of them very likely were.

The Ed Stede got to know was a person who was capable of whimsy and silliness and loved soft things and doing something weird. Yep, he was also capable of violence and rage, but when he was with Stede, he didn't feel it so much.

This was a vacation from that life.

To Stede he was absolutely lovely... oh, and also a bloodthirsty killer. And Stede loved (and loves) everything about him, and both of those things can be true. This is a perfect example of a spot where (in watching Season 1 without the benefit of hindsight) I assumed that everyone else in that pub was wrong, and Stede was simply trying to protect Ed's fearsome reputation by agreeing on the bloodthirsty bits. And I think from Stede's perspective that was largely true. I think that's how they wanted us to see Ed, through his eyes. Now, after watching both seasons, I think it wasn't the whole picture.

They told us, we heard it, we saw glimpses of it. But we (and Ed) were in Stede's run-away-to-sea fairytale the whole time. It wasn't until Stede left that we saw the reality- the Ed we knew had been, to a degree, a fictional character all along. I always saw this scene as Ed putting a bit of distance between himself and reality; it always felt like the Blackbeard of Stede's storybooks was the fictional one. But now it feels like the softer Ed that Stede knew was much the same- neither of them the whole story of who Ed was and is.

The one person who refused to live in Stede's fairytale was Izzy. I've seen people say it before, but he always gave off that vibe of the only human in the Muppets movie, or the guy who was in Black Sails while everyone else was in Pirates of the Caribbean. He saw the real risks clearly.

And in that light, the end of S1 has shifted an inch to the left for me, and I'm seeing it at a slightly different angle.

Izzy ripped away the healing Ed was doing, but in some respects he did it by tearing away the fairytale we'd all been living in, shoving Ed back into the Blackbeard story.

And that's where we pick up again in Season 2.

The fairytale reference came back in S2 in two notable places, those being Jim carrying that legacy forward in the darkest times, and in Izzy invoking the wooden boy against Ricky's efforts. Stede's made himself into a real boy. Ricky, nope.

Now that I've watched both seasons together, the tone shift doesn't feel so jarring at all, actually.

It feels like sliding through the looking glass, out of Stede's world, and into Ed's- a world that existed all along; we were just seeing it, la vie en rose, through Stede's eyes.

At the beginning of S2, Stede's gone, and we're seeing it unfiltered through Ed's reality.

But Stede wasn't lying when he said he loved everything about Ed. He made a promise to come back and find him- he went down into Ed's darkest place and reminded him that no matter how bad things got, there WAS someone waiting for him, ready to love him.

The contrast between S1's fantasy and S2's reality (excluding mermaids and actual bird guys and cursed coats) is stark, but it really is that.

We have the same settings, the same people, and very different ideas and outcomes at different times.

But it was always there.

Things do come back to a state of (precarious) balance once they're all together. Apologies are made, whether they're spoken out loud or through actions. Things go right, things go wrong. Healing happens. Izzy continues to have the steadiest, most real through-line in the story as he tracks toward redemption, finds acceptance, and to an extent finds himself.

Once again, I hate that they went here with the ending and I wish they hadn't. But it got a fraction easier for me looking at it not as a continuation of Stede's fairytale, but of the grounded-in-pirate-reality arc Izzy was always on, even while we lived in Stede's world.

Where does that leave us? We're not going back to the fairytale, but we're not going to be living in Black Sails for S3, either. We've hit a fusion point where S1 ended with each of them going to separate, miserable homes, but S2 ended with them in the same place, ready and willing to make a go of it.

Season 3 is going to give us their world, together.

I LOVED the moments in this season where the deep emotions were in balance with the silliness I've always adored about this show. Eps4-6 were wonderful like that. Clearly we're not done with drama, either, but like Ed and Stede, I think we'll find a middle ground.

Anyway in conclusion, a rewatch of S1 after S2 somehow made me love the first season even more, which felt impossible? It's now gained /even more/ layers of depth than it had before. No matter how you feel about S2 I think it's worth that rewatch.

Adding one more bit of clarity for myself: I think we got a bit (intentionally) seduced in S1 by the idea that the Ed of the storybooks, the Vampire Viking Clown with the nine guns, was a version of him that others saw, when Stede saw the REAL person who 'worked' for Blackbeard.

In hindsight I think it's clear the Ed Stede go to know was also not the complete version of himself- the reality is, there's a whole spectrum between the two, and they've landed in the middle of it now. Ed intentionally leaned into the unlovable Kraken image to protect himself.

It very much didn't work, just like being just... Edward hadn't worked to protect himself, either. This season has been very much about pulling those two extremes together and finding all the parts that make up Ed overall (another thread on that here on Twitter, which I'll also shift across to Tumblr soon!)

And I think one of my favourite things in S2 has been seeing the way Stede SEES that- he knows what Ed's done, everyone's told him, but he still loves Ed. sees his trauma and how it affects him, and believes he's a good man regardless. He IS lovable; he's not forever broken.

And together, they can heal.

[neptune-scythe]

ok no longer rendered speechless from Confessions

the thoughts have cooked, and it's the way they made the very conscious choice to include Buck in Eddie's moment of joy, and not just because Buck is fundamentally rooted in every aspect of Eddie's life, especially the good parts

but it's the way they gave Buck a negative experience in that moment.

an experience Eddie could have so easily broken his moment for, to give everything to Buck in that moment and push aside his own needs and desires and existence

but he didn't

he just

welcomed Buck into his moment.

LIKE Y'ALL

Ok ok

the moment of joy, taking just a few minutes to just do something for the fuck of it because it makes him happy is obviously an amazing step that would be enough right there

BUT THEY TOOK IT A STEP FARTHER

they said

not only is Mr. Eddie Diaz taking a moment for joy, he's keeping that moment of joy when he could drop it for the sake of being there for his friend. But instead he's just letting his friend into his moment of joy, he's acknowledging that the two can coexist, both feelings, both experiences ... that there's as much space for him as there is for everyone else in his life

and that's just huge I think

like the episode starts with him saying "I put my desires before his needs" and implying that there is no space in the world for Eddie Diaz and his feelings/desires/needs, and they end the episode with Eddie allowing himself to experience a moment of joy purely for himself WHILE ALSO making space for someone else and being exactly what he needed just by physically being there and existing

because his desires and other peoples desires can be equally important

his needs and other people's needs can be equally important

and someone else said something about how neither of them have to do anything to support each other or provide any kind of service to be valuable

all they have to do is just exist and that is good enough for the other

(I cannot remember who made that post but that shit has been in my mind rent free every since so shout out to whoever that was)

and its just literally that

but also the fact that they make space for each other to exist however they are in that moment

they can be on the complete opposites of the emotional spectrum and sit together in silence and that is good enough

it's more than enough

it's everything

it's all they need

IT'S INSANE

IT'S SO FREAKING INSANE

like imma be so fr right now

I do not believe in love

I don't think there's any scenario where love is eternal and fulfilling and reliable and worth anything

and there is not a single ship or romantic partnership or queerplatonic partnership or friendship or any other kind of relationship that I can't think of a billion ways it would end tragically

except for Buddie

genuinely I cannot think of a single scenario where they would ever stop loving each other or supporting each other or being the most important person to the other

they are just so fundamentally perfect for each other, so engrained in each other's lives by choice

I honestly have no fucking clue what love is, but I think its whatever they have

and low-key if they never become romantic that is a o k with me because that perfect impenetrable bond they have will still be there and that is good enough for me

they're insane

they're perfect

they're so special and unique

no one is doing it like them

nobody ever

I still don't believe that that kind of thing exists in the real world but I will continue to loose my shit over it

[heartbreakgrill]

stiles stilinksi: breakable heaven; part 5, “i don't wanna keep secrets just to keep you.”

a/n: enjoy this bc it’s gonna be sad boi hours in the next part ;)

tagging: @ariianelle

the world shifted, just a little bit.

stiles and y/n found themselves spending a lot more time together. granted, that time was often under the sheets, in a locked car, or- just once- in the locker room after a game. nonetheless, the skin on skin contact always led to conversations, conversations that were deepening in content. they were getting to know each other, forming an attachment both swore would never even exist.

as the time passed, they each found solace in one another, a comfort, a sort of destressor that neither was able to substitute with anyone or anything else. neither were aware of this, but it was as present as the air.

y/n's parents were always out of town, and, while she didn’t have any doubts that they loved and supported her, they were absentee. they missed out on the everyday moments in her life. so, she was usually all by herself through it all. sure, danny came over every once and while, but there were still those periods of time where she was left, literally in the middle of nowhere, all alone. stiles was a warm body to sit next to, an attentive ear to listen to her troubles or woes, without judgement or expectations. he was just there. whenever she needed or wanted.

and, for stiles, y/n was just a human being. she didn't have claws, fangs, premonitions about his friends' deaths, or any other intense, supernatural features. this fact he was positive of since he’d had both scott and derek invade and smell her locker to ensure she was really a living, breathing, human girl.

with all he had to deal with, every single day, he was grateful to get to act like a normal teenage boy some days out of the week. laughing instead of fighting for his life, watching movies instead of drawing up investigation boards.

today was one of those bad days, for the both of them. a bad day where they just needed each other.

the number of killings in beacon hills was rising, rapidly, day by grueling day. and there wasn’t much stiles could do to help. he could ramble, on and on, about the mindless theories rattling around inside his head. he could tag along to random warehouses and parking lots, only to hide away once the real conflict began.

but, he was overall useless to the entire process.

it made his shoulders a little heavier some days, to know he had no control over anything anymore. scott could take away pain, lydia could help save somebody before they died, allison could shoot down three different wolves with the same arrow.

stiles could only talk.

today was one of those days where he just felt kind of shitty about it all.

dr. deaton was missing. and there wasn’t much of anything stiles could do to help. he felt like he always just got in the way.

y/n was in a similar boat.

her parents were out of town for the third week now. they’d promised to be home this past weekend, and had talked y/n up with a week full of dinners, family outings, a visit to her school, normal things that parents normally did with their normal children. of course, they’d cancelled on her last minute because of some conference across the world. she’d asked danny to come stay for the week, but he said he couldn’t. he was going out of town with ethan.

she felt abandoned.

usually, y/n would sulk, by herself, with take out, a round of depressing movies, and homework she didn’t really feel like doing. sometimes, she’d even beg her boss to let her come in for a shift.

but, it was saturday evening, so the staffing was already full for the rest of the night.

so, she texted stiles.

y/n: pls tell me ur bored

stiles: what time?

y/n: anytime :)

stiles: omw gorgeous

–

“alright, i’ve got it.”

stiles plopped down onto the couch beside y/n, bowl of popcorn in left hand, a can of dr. pepper in the right. he crossed his ankles and stretched his legs onto the coffee table. y/n sat criss-cross beside him and extended part of the blanket she wore onto his lap. stiles set the bowl down atop his covered thighs.

“oh, yeah, what’s that?” he asked, taking a sip of his drink.

y/n pointed to the television, and he followed her gaze. netflix was open on the bright screen, with a movie queued up. “the first scream.”

stiles nodded appreciatively, until she added, “aka, the best slasher film of all time.”

he squinted his face and shook his head rapidly, “i cannot believe you just said that!”

y/n giggled at his expression, “don’t even argue with me right now!”

“it’s hard not to argue with someone who is so blatantly wrong!” he replied.

y/n stole the popcorn from his lap, “thats not even a good counter. at least make a decent rebuttal!”

“okay,” he peered over at her with a matter-of-fact look, “halloween is the best slasher because;” he counted each point off on his fingers, it has a cooler villain, better kill sequences, and the hottest final girl.”

y/n rolled her eyes, and shoved his shoulder with her own, “you just like it cause of jamie lee curtis’ boob scene.”

stiles pursed his lips, “they are pretty great.”

“but they didn’t need to add nudity to that movie! that’s so sexist and gross to support that idea, you pig.”

stiles stole a handful of popcorn, shoveling it into his mouth. “what can i say, im a boob guy.”

if she didn’t know him so well, she’d think stiles, in this moment, was kinda gross. but, she recognized his humor better than most. she appreciated that it was sarcasm. and, he kinda looked cute with his cheeks full of popcorn.

y/n blushed at the comment, looking down slightly, “oh, i know.” boy, did she.

he tapped the edge of the bowl, garnering her attention again, “don’t do that.”

her brows furrowed, meeting his eyes, “do what?”

“don’t be dirty. i don’t think we’ll make it through the movie if you start acting up.” as his words drifted out, stiles’ tone of voice lowered. he leaned his head closer to hers and the corner of his lips turned up in a devilish smirk.

y/n grinned in response. she grabbed the back of his neck, smashing her lips into his, drawing a sharp breath off his tongue. stiles moaned into her, barely catching the popcorn before it could spill. his other hand clutched his dr. pepper, so he didn’t have much leverage against her advances.

stiles clambered around until he found the coffee table, shoving the popcorn bowl atop it. “wait, wait, wait-“ stiles gently grabbed her biceps, tugging her off of him delicately.

y/n’s face fell instantly. she cowered away, hugging herself with her arms. she thought that was what he wanted, but now it seemed he was mad. “i’m sorry. i’m so sorry- i didn’t-“

“no, no, no,” stiles set a wary hand between them. “you didn’t do anything wrong. you’re okay, it’s okay.”

“i’m sorry,” she slouched, frowning. she relaxed a little bit, but the moment still worried her. “i thought that’s what you wanted?”

stiles shook his head and grabbed her hand, holding it between his like a prayer. “no, no- i mean- yes. i want you, i always- want you. but, i don’t- i don’t want you to feel pressured to do that all the time. i want to watch a movie with you. i like just hanging out, too. i don’t just expect sex out of you. that’s not all this is-“

stiles pressed his lips together. he always said too much.

always said too much.

y/n let out a breath she had been holding at the top of her chest. her mind raced with a thousand words she didn’t how to say.

this changed everything. the rules were blurred. the lines were crossed.

and it now seemed that, maybe, just maybe, he wanted her like she wanted him.

all she could say was, “okay.”

she didn’t want to rush things. she didn’t want to force him to label it. she didn’t want to get in over her head, throw her hopes up, and get let down again.

stiles’ worried expression fell into a gentle smile, “okay, hey, i’ll even let you think scream is the best slasher film, just for the night.”

an easy giggle fell out of her. “deal.”

stiles fixed the blanket across their laps that had fallen off slightly, while y/n tucked her legs up onto the seat, cozy against the back of the couch.

he stretched an arm across the back of her seat, inching over to her slyly. y/n bit back a smile and leaned into his side. stiles choked back a cough, a strangled attempt to clear his throat. he set his arm around her, fingers lingering over her shoulder.

the movie started.

it took them a few minutes to loosen after that moment. but, eventually, they fell back into their same routine- stiles made lame jokes, y/n nearly fell over laughing at all of them. he compared scream to halloween, calling out which parts would probably be better with a michael myers killer instead of ghost face. she argued back that he was a sore loser.

eventually, the movie was drawing to a close. the credit scene was just about to roll across the television screen when y/n’s phone started ringing from the coffee table. she jumped slightly, a little spooked from the movie, though she’d seen it a million times.

stiles tossed his head back, laughing over her fright. she shot him a dirty look as she reached for her phone. he took his arm off of her, but patted her thigh in a mocking manner. “don’t worry, i’ll protect you.”

y/n shoved his arm playfully, but her attention was drawn away by the contact showing up on her screen. ethan was calling her.

“give me a second,” she mumbled, leaving the room with confusion written all over face.

stiles watched her go, sitting forward on the couch. her distant tone worried him a moment. he pulled out his own phone, hoping for something from scott. updates, suspects, something. hoping the plague wasn’t going to reach her, too.

his screen was black.

stiles wanted to tell her about everything. maybe he should. it would explain his erratic, anxious, flakey behavior.

but, telling her would bring her into it.

and he didn’t know how well he could protect her.

so, the secret was just his for now.

stiles opened scott’s contact, ready to give him a quick call, just in case, when y/n reentered the room. “hey, everything okay?” he barely glanced up at her, but had to do a double take when he noticed how she looked.

y/n was shaking, visibly, clutching her phone in her right hand, which was still held up near her ear as though she was about to answer the phone again. a few tears escaped her eyes, and her pupils were dilated with fear and sadness.

“y/n?” stiles stood up, slowly, tone rattled.

had his troubles finally plagued her, too? was the one sacred, peaceful thing he had finally tainted by the cruelty of his reality? a million worried, terrified thoughts sped through his mind.

y/n met his eye, “danny’s in the hospital. he-he almost died. hi-his l-lung collapsed.”

stiles moved quickly. he carefully took her by the waist, guided her into a pair of shoes, into his jeep. he stayed attentive to her the entire car ride. he played her taylor swift, nearly sat at a 180° angle while he drove, kept a firm hand on her thigh, and spoke to her in a soothing tone. y/n was nearly mute. she didn’t know what to say or what to do. she was just too stunned.

it was always shocking to discover that death could just come knocking on the door whenever it felt like it.

when they finally reached the hospital, stiles opened the car door for her. she grabbed onto his hand, following him into the building.

no one was allowed to visit with danny, at least not until the morning. unfortunately, his parents were out of town, like y/n’s, and couldn’t get back until monday. so y/n and ethan were all danny had until then.

“so, he’s gonna be okay?” stiles scratched the back of his neck nervously, knee bouncing.

y/n sat beside him in a waiting room chair, clutching his other hand till her knuckles were white. they stared up at melissa, awaiting her answer.

melissa returned their stare them with a kind smile, “he’s gonna be just fine. we’re gonna keep him overnight, just to monitor him. but, he’ll be alright.”

y/n took a deep breath. her head fell back against the wall, eyes squeezing shut in relief. melissa nodded once, reassuring them again, before turning to leave. she squeezed stiles’ shoulder as she went.

stiles turned his body to y/n, taking her hand in both of his. she finally met his eye. he was glad to see hers, the storm within them more weathered now, calmer like the water right after a wave. he smiled slightly.

“hey,” he whispered.

y/n finally smiled back. “hey. i’m…sorry if i freaked you out. i don’t do well with near-death experiences. i’m kind of a pussy.”

she laughed at herself, head dropping down in shane. stiles disagreed quickly, “no, no, hey,” he pushed the hair from y/n’s cheek, cupped her face, guided her eyes back to his, “you’re not a pussy. you’re a human being. you were scared and worried for your friend. i’m not judging for how you reacted. i just want to know you’re okay.”

she nodded, “i’m okay. just- tired, now. that was overwhelming. sitting here for an hour, waiting to hear if my best friend was dead or not.”

stiles brushed his thumb over her cheek, “i know, baby, i know.”

the word slipped so easily off his tongue, that he didn’t notice. y/n did, but she wouldn’t allow herself to get bent out shape over it. there was no time for that right now.

“i’m gonna stay here with him tonight.”

stiles moved his hand back to their entwined ones, “i’ll wait with you.”

y/n shook her head in disagreement, “i can’t ask that-“

“you didn’t ask,” he interrupted her, pointedly.

y/n went to say something else when scott disrupted their moment. he came out of danny’s room, nearly appearing out of thin air. stiles could tell he was on edge.

“stiles, hey, i was just about to call you,” he said, glancing between the both of them. “sorry about danny, y/n.”

“thanks,” she smiled slightly, though she was confused. “how did you get in to see-“

“stiles,” scott pretended to not hear her, turning his attention to his friend, “we need to talk.”

stiles patted y/n’s hand gently, “i’ll be right back, okay?”

he stood to leave her, but she didn’t let go of his hand. she held on until he was too far to reach. before he followed scott down the hall, however, he turned back, shrugging off his jacket.

“i know you’re gonna need this,” he murmured, tucking it around her shoulders.

y/n watched him walk away with scott, a dazed smile on her face.

things might be working out.

–

stiles had to leave. at least, scott needed stiles to leave. derek, isaac, boyd, and cora were planning a trap or something of the sort, and they needed to go help them. stiles needed to go help his friends.

but he didn’t want to.

for the first time in his life, he didn’t want to help. he wanted to stay here, in the hospital, with her. he wanted to hold her hand, sleep in the uncomfortable waiting room chairs, until the second they could visit danny. until the sun shone on her beautiful face.

stiles didn’t want to stand on the sidelines while his friends blood splattered across the walls around him. he especially didn’t want to watch somebody die tonight.

but, he didn’t protest when scott ushered him out of the building.

he had to do what he always had to do. it was expected. necessary.

like a sacrifice.

–

y/n tucked danny’s sheets around his chin like a mother would, before standing back to look at her work, proudly.

“you’re clinically insane,” he glared at her. the eye bags drearing his face were more prominent in the lighting coming from the lamp on his bedside table. y/n frowned deeply at the sight of him, so tired, nearly lifeless before her.

“you’re my little baby,” she cooed, sitting down beside him on the bed. it took everything in her not to squeeze his cheeks.

“i am a man,” he denied her.

y/n waved him off, “whatever helps you sleep. listen-“ she stood up, collecting her phone and keys off his bedside table, “i will be right down the hall. do not even hesitate to ask me for anything. water, a hug, maybe some cuddles-“

“go to sleep. you look like a walking corpse.”

y/n felt like one. they’d just gotten home the hospital, and it was 8pm on sunday. the waiting room chair had been uncomfortable, and she had felt a little off with the absence of stiles’ warm hands and soft words. so, she didn’t sleep very well. plus, sitting beside danny’s bed all day while they ran tests just added to the tired stress she was feeling.

but, the solace of his smell on his hoodie, and his sporadic text messages, got her through it all. he checked in once an hour, every hour. his phrasing was short, though, and he didn’t reply very quickly. but, stiles was still there. he was there for her.

now, y/n felt like she was going to collapse. so, she softly shut danny’s door behind her and headed for the guest room. it was right next door. she was too scared to leave him alone, so she was going to stay until his parents got home tomorrow night. she was even skipping school to look after him. ethan was going to stop by in the morning, today, he, apparently, had been caught up with something.

she didn’t really trust him. but that was a problem for another day.

y/n slipped out of her fresh pajama bottoms to get ready for bed because it was usually pretty warm in danny’s house. though she kept stiles’ hoodie on.

that morning, at the hospital, nurse mccall had delivered y/n’s book bag, packed neatly with a few essentials, like pjs, her toothbrush, her phone charger, to danny’s room.

stiles had gone out of his way to ensure she had her things how he’d gotten into her house? she didn’t know, and she didn’t really want to question it. she was just grateful he thought of her at all.

y/n shut the light off and got comfy under the covers. just as she went to shut off her phone, a phone call came through.

stiles.

“hello?” she whispered, voice too tired to speak too loud. y/n lay her head upon the pillow, shoving the phone between her ear and it. she felt her eyes closing.

“hey.”

the sound of his voice brought her so much comfort. the exhaustion was takning over now.

“how are you doing?” was the first thing he asked.

y/n smiled, which was visible through her words as she spoke, “better now.”

“oh, yeah?” stiles teased gently. “i was just checking in. was worried about you.”

“i was worried about you,” she emphasized, “is everything okay? nurse mccall said you had to handle something.”

everything was no okay. stiles had watched derek kill boyd just hours ago. luckily, they’d saved dr. deaton, and found a few more clues that would surely lead them to the serial killer rampaging their town.

but his classmate- his friend- was dead. and he watched it all happen. he couldn’t do anything to stop it.

but, e couldn’t tell her that.

though, she noticed a shift in his voice, “yeah, just something stupid. scott was having girl problems.”

y/n didn’t believe him.

she was noticing more and more that he was always disappearing, running off to do stuff that he wouldn’t tell her about. his cover stories never made much sense, either.

the thought that he was keeping secrets from her made y/n feel wary, made her want to pull away.

but, then he’d say something like, “i’m more worried about you, baby.”

and she was easily pulled back in.

“don’t,” she murmured. her eyes fell all the way shut. she was drifting off to sleep, the sound of his voice a sweet lullaby to her ears.

stiles smiled to himself. he imagined holding her in his arms, brushing the hair from her face as he watched her fall into a beautiful slumber. it comforted him.

but, when he focused his mind again, he was back in the cold, dark animal shelter, which was barren of any good feelings like the ones he could only day dream of for now.

he thought about telling her, again. but after what happened today, he wasn’t feeling very confident about it. he really, really could not lose her.

he just couldn’t.

“you should get to sleep,” stiles spoke.

scott motioned for him. so, stiles added, “i have to get going.”

“i miss you.” y/n was half asleep, completely unconscious to any words falling off her tongue.

stiles’ smiled again. “i miss you, too. hey, i’ll come see you tomorrow, okay? maybe we can watch the next scream.”

she didn’t have the energy to respond.

“you there, y/n?”

no response.

stiles figured she was asleep. “well, since you’re not there, i guess i can say…i really like you.”

y/n heard.

and she’d never tell.

she liked him, too.

but, what secrets was he keeping from her?

[myezblog]

Theory - plot is pretty much revealed

We have pretty much been given the plot.

The Hint

Job is a psychiatrist and is doing his research on patient experiences after a cardiac arrest.

Patient 1 - At the time i did not feel anything. It was all black. When i woke up, I was on the operating table and incubated.

Patient 2 - I saw bright light and explains out of body experience. She saw people in white.

Patient 3 - I don't know what happened. I lived life normally. But it was my life in the past. Like the past was playing again in my mind. That feeling felt very real. But one thing did not feel real. I could see 4 minutes into the future.

And, how did we start this show?

A senior doctor entering a vip room, with number 4...and if you are paying attention, it is bible on the bed..dying of heart issues. Everytime we get a flatline, scene cuts to jess/tyme being shot!

What is happening is that Great/Bible is on the operating table in room number 4, and doctor is shocking his heart. Whatever we are seeing are Bible's thoughts at the time he is on the operating table - the past before him reaching the operating table.

He is living his life normally but time flow is not normal because we are in a dream/thought world. Events jump back and forth. He can see into the future because it is his past and his mind already knows what is going to happen (room # 4, why starting with accident because the event let him meet Jess back in the past).

And, everytime he gets a shock on operating table, we see him get a heart attack in the lift or wherever. ( Now, if you are wondering why is time gap so large between shocks/heart palpitations in his "regular world".. lol.. because we are not in regular world.. we are in his thoughts.. ofcourse timeflow will be different.. you can think of a million things in nanosecond)

********************************************************

So, overall i think every patient's experience is going to matter. E.g. the religious one who had out of body experience tells us that either bible will have out of body experience or like her, he is also seeing what is most important to him - his love of life Jess and events linked to him - from meet, greet, to end.

Jess died (and eerily same place where dad is running shady business by a man wearing the black suit).....

*************************************************************

So, did the woman survive who was hit by the car - LOL, NO!!!

She DIED. that's why bible had the premonition twice... because that happened!.. he can wish for an alternate ending in his mind/dreams but she died... eventually his mind will have to adjust to reality.

However, Jess is not dead because his killing is happening at the same time while Bible is on the operating table... so yea.. he is going to save Jess somehow...

*********************************************************

Other things

Bas is taking over the shady business so yes, he is the villain killing both Great and Tyme

Why? Because Great and Tyme are lovers and investigating together

What? Death of tyme's ex girlfriend - this lady

And, lastly, hence the ost.. and trailer we got.. where the final words were "something that didn't even exist"

lol.. nothing exists.. Great's mind is playing its own tricks.. running away from the guilt of killing someone, still main events will happen so that life broadly remains the same - for us, the viewers

[steddieas-shegoes]

"do you know any hobbits?"

This is a drabble based on a line I said in this. It's not technically necessary to read that before this, but it definitely is funnier.

🧝🏻🧝🏻🧝🏻🧝🏻🧝🏻🧝🏻🧝🏻🧝🏻🧝🏻🧝🏻

Steve was quiet today.

Usually, when he sat with Eddie, especially if they were alone, he talked nonstop. Almost like he didn't get to talk to other adults often enough.

Which, now that Eddie thought about it, was probably true.

He'd talked a bit about his day at first. He took the kids to the school so they could all volunteer for a few hours, checked on El and Hop, and helped Jonathan with Joyce's car.

But it's been damn near 30 minutes of silence while Eddie pretends to read and Steve pretends to watch the tv in the room.

"I've got a question," Steve suddenly asked.

"Go ahead," Eddie set his book down, sort of grateful that the silence was broken.

"Do you know any hobbits? Like, in real life?"

He was so serious.

Eddie bit back a laugh when he realized that Steve was being so serious.

Oh boy.

"Nope. Um. I don't." Eddie was so proud of himself for not being a smartass.

"Do they only live in that, like, Middle Earth place? Where is that?"

Eddie was only human.

He laughed.

He felt so guilty about it after, but he had to laugh.

Steve's brows furrowed and his head tilted, like he was trying to understand why Eddie was laughing.

"Sorry. I just. Middle Earth isn't a real place and Hobbits aren't actually a type of people," Eddie schooled his features, but it was too late.

Steve's entire face turned a bright red. He looked away from Eddie then, focusing on the wall directly across from his chair instead.

"So this Token guy, he just made it all up?" Steve asked quietly.

"Yeah. Kinda crazy how he built this whole world on his own, right?" Eddie needed to turn this conversation around.

He couldn't handle the sad look in Steve's eyes, like he'd let himself down, like he was used to letting himself down.

"Yeah. Crazy."

"But really, you never know if there are Hobbits somewhere and they just haven't been found. I mean if government monsters can exist, why can't they?" Eddie continued, smiling when Steve's face turned to him.

"Hobbits aren't created by the government though," Steve said, face relaxing back into his casual conversation smirk.

"If they can hide the Upside Down, maybe they can also hide Middle Earth."

"You're ridiculous."

Eddie shrugged, picking up his book to continue reading.

Steve started talking again a few minutes later, seemingly back to normal.

Eddie smiled to himself as he complained about something Dustin did in his car on the way home from volunteering.

"Maybe Dustin's a Hobbit," Eddie said, which got Steve on a new tangent that Eddie was happy to listen to.

[tree-obsession]

Aventurine, the Waste Land, the black hole, and luck- analysis on aventurine's possible fate

possible spoilers for 2.1 trailblaze mission

possible tws for suicide/suicidal idealization, mentions of slavery, and a massacre

ok there is. a lot to unpack for this mission but I would like to focus on the references to The Waste Land (by T.S. Elliot, fucking amazing poem btw) that were in Aventurine's parts?

First of all the achievements- the "Sibyl, what do you wish for?" and "She answers, I wish to die" or something like that. That is the very first thing in the poem we see- to put a long story short, it's a reference to how there was this oracle named Sibyl in Greek Mythology, blessed to live forever by Apollo. Apollo got angry after she refused to have sex with him and cursed her so that while she would live forever, her body would slowly waste away, eventually becoming dust kept in a jar. A couple of boys one day come up to this prison jar and ask her "Sibyl, what do you wish for?" and then she answers that she wants to die. This could be a reference to Aventurine, who is always so lucky but at that moment truly didn't wish to be lucky, and really did want to die. Yet he was stuck, unable to live- considering he is something of a "chosen" of Gaiathra Triclops, she could be the one who cursed him, in disguise of a "blessing" of good luck.

second, the maze scene. there were two references here, both from the fifth(fourth? it's been a hot minute since I read this poem, the details aren't all clear) part of the poem. it talks about a deserted waste land, where rain never falls, there is only lightning and rocks/sand. this matches up with descriptions of sigonia, as a desert planet that's referred to as "the unclaimed desolation", and also some of those lines are directly said in the white text that floated around the maze(which i'll be referring to as floating text from now on). the second reference was also in the floating text, which talks about how "there is another presence/person beside us", or something very similar. I don't have the direct quotation, but this is also a direct reference- within the poem, there are two travelers in this "waste land", and the narrator mentions feeling a presence that wasn't truly there. According to Elliot himself, his inspiration for this part of the poem was from an account of an Antarctic journey, where the person who wrote the account said he and his men were so out of it due to exhaustion they had begun to hallucinate another presence who wasn't actually there. this is probably referencing how mini-aventurine and present-aventurine both exist, and have existed, but the future-aventurine technically does not exist yet and literally is just popping up, clearly not "real" in the physical sense but definitely there. within the poem, there are a lot of speculations between scholars about why Eliiot decided to add this hallucinated dude in but one popular theory is that it's Christ, in disguise, which is really interesting considering The Family's Christian imagery. something to watch out for when Aventurine returns to the story (he def isn't dead, but as to when he's returning... :( i can't get my hopes up) or if anyone else analyzes this more deeply.

now, why the waste land? it's universally considered a pretty depressing poem, about how the world after World War I was torn apart and collapsing in on itself, and portrays a lot of characters who aren't living life to their fullest at all. it references many famous texts and literary works, pointing at literature as an amalgamation of all other literature and also acting as a metaphor for how everything builds off each other, so one thing collapsing could result in everything collapsing. there are a lot of references to different religions as well. perhaps the best way to put it is that Elliot was portraying a world under threat of total collapse, and asks the reader if there is anything humanity can do to save it, or if we must simply salvage what we can. the ending also implies peace is a far-off, perhaps unreachable thing since everything is so discordant. but you get the idea at this point- the poem is about decay and rotting over time. I don't have the greatest grasp on either this poem or aventurine's psyche, but the 2.1 quest revealed a lot- he is an incredibly lucky person who is in a lot of bad situations but gets out every time, and has never lost a bet (despite his life otherwise being absolutely terrible). the waste land itself could simply be sigonia, and then perhaps aventurine himself is a representation of the characters within the poem. practically all scholars agree that in this poem, all the female characters coalesce into one character, and the male characters do so too, and then there is one uniting character between the "male" and "female"- tiresias, who according to Elliot has "foreseen and foresuffered all". he is described as the most important figure in the poem by Elliot himself. Tiresias is an androgynous figure, but is referred to with he/his. he also is the only one to say "I" in the poem, and despite the fact he is blind he can see all, even the future- in mythology, he was a prophet like the Sibyl. "what Tiresias sees is, in fact, the substance of the poem", as Elliot says- in other words, what he sees seems to be the closest thing to the truth you will get.

now obviously that's pretty valuable, considering literally everyone is lying in penacony (in the livestream they said the entire guest list is filled with question marks in place of names, implying everyone's identities there were fake- other than Sparkle's, but she's a Masked Fool and will trick people just for the hell of it, so not exactly the best ally). however (this is where speculation starts) I think this could be possibly very subtle foreshadowing for Aven's return! and I know this may sound delusional but. it's established he's not dead. his stone is out, but that's quite possibly because he's next to a fricking black hole and also Acheron possibly had "freed" him, in some sense? that conversation he had with her obviously changed a lot of things for him as a character, and she said she could break the harmony's bonds on him... also, clearly if he wasn't dead while waking up next to a black hole, that's certainly a surefire way to tell his luck hasn't run out yet. the entire mission was spent establishing his luck is perfect, given by the goddess of his planet, and will never fail him. this is like near emanator-level shit- obviously not quite in terms of any special power, but he was specifically chosen by this goddess, was born on a special day, and due to sheer luck is the last one standing of his clan (apparently). literally everything was set up against him and he's only still alive due to a literal goddess-given power, which is absolutely nuts and almost overpowered if it weren't for the fact that he also seems to be in many scenarios where luck and gambling is the only way to get out at all. the massacre, the enslavement, killing his old master, the weird warlord thing that got brought up, penacony... his luck is purely for getting out of bad situations, it seems.

that was kind of a tangent. anyway! the whole mission was establishing how good his luck was. he got into this situation where the only solution is to walk into a black hole and see the other side of penacony- that is a classic example of "there is an extremely, extremely narrow chance of getting out alive". acheron did it, or something similar, so clearly it's possible- but luck and chance would be the only way. this is the cycle of his life- he's in an absolutely shitty situation, but he will get out due to luck. imo it's a terrible idea writing-wise to keep him explicitly alive up to the very end and going into a situation- alive- which he can survive in due to his luck, right after giving him fulfilling conversation with both acheron and his past self and seeing the uplifting note from Ratio... just to offscreen him, or kill him for some reason related to this "other side of penacony". it wouldn't line up with all that we know about him now. granted, I can't imagine it'll be pleasant and his mental state will be even worse at the end of it... but he'll be alive, and he's made it through a lot of hellish situations. he might not like his luck all the time, and it can be either a blessing or a curse given the scenario, but he's kind of stuck with it- until he withers away, just like Sibyl. Death does seem to be inevitable, but as of right now it's not knocking on his door.

tldr: for now, our boy isn't dead and his luck might be a curse to him but it's clearly going to keep him alive for quite a bit longer :)

tysm for reading and have a nice day!

[zeta-in-de-walls]

Ahhh... why not.

Have some analysis. (I'm not gonna watch the stream... sorry, I don't feel I can manage that rn. This will be based entirely on Jack and Tommy's conversation.)

Alright, Jack visits the server. It seems like this is the first time in ages. A quick trip down memory lane. And who should he run into but Tommy, still apparently living on the server.

Jack says how he blew up the everything. Tommy says that didn't happen. Jack says it did. But Tommy says he's still here. Still got his one life. Somehow. But there's no one around anymore.

I think what we can glean from this, is that the server did blow up in some form. Or some disaster caused everyone to disappear. There was an end.

But also... some people lived beyond the apocalypse. When everything blew up, it was destruction. Finally it killed off all the fighting war and conflict because nothing was left.

And yet that very emptiness is what drew a few souls in. To live on in the solitude. In the memories.

Jack moves on to bigger and better things, trying to find his place in the world. I'm sure most others were the same. He sometimes looks back at the person he was and is inspired to be who he is now.

But there was a part of Tommy who could never fully leave the server. It was more than a memory. It was a home, something he couldn't leave behind.

Tommy still sees Tubbo. He still has his little cottage and sometimes he returns. Just for a few short minutes every so often, just to be.

...The server doesn't really exist now. It's not alive. To go there is not to go to a real place. It's to walk back to a server so like the one he knew but frozen in time. It's at peace.

Tommy doesn't expect to see Jack again because Jack doesn't need to hold those memories quite so close. Tubbo we hear, sometimes sees Tommy though. They both grew up on the server and it connects them.

Tommy will be here as long as he needs to heal and to remember the good and the bad. When time moved so quickly and life was so full.

Is the server gone? Was the ending where Jack helped blow it up real? Well yes.

But no. Because the moment it blew up, it was frozen in time forever, a perfect memory preserved for our dear characters to see again. For as long as they need to.

[poppyfamily]

Amangela Writer Appreciation Post!

I'm feeling a lot of things right now and I've decided to write what I like about my Amangela writer friends' writing. I often forget to leave comments on their work because they are GOOD at what they do, and I often forget I'm in the middle of reading good writing because it just exists (something something baby fish asks mommy fish where water is only to realize they've been swimming in it the whole time). Can you believe they do this for FREE? And share it with us just because they want to? They are GIFTS to the community.

It is such a privilege to be in the same creative sphere as these people and I need to express Emotions or regret not doing it. They inspire me everyday. Here is a public declaration of love, hope y’all are okay with that. Ramblings under the cut, because it goes without saying, this got really long.

@okiankeno is so imaginative with their writing. My Teeth, Your Neck is impressive with its incorporations of many elements that are familiar to Smosh and Amangela while throwing them into a fantastical, supernatural universe. I haven't watched Buffy, but their writing is so good at making this fantastical world feel lived in. The world just seamlessly slides into the way they write character motivations, making for strong characterization and dynamics that have me INVESTED. That Maia/Valerie twist? Screaming. Crying. Throwing up.

@babychosen is wonderful at dropping Amanda and Angela in situations optimized for maximum tension - which is clearly seen in first time that i met you (i didn't have a damn clue) and you could be bad (but i wanna find out). I love how she crafts her plots, keeping me at the edge of my seat for what comes next, which is driven forward by the way she writes dialogue - natural to the situation as it captures a range of emotions: awkwardness, uneasiness, attraction and just all the quirks that come with forming relationships. Her writing is so fun to read!

@sage-lights writes fics that are short and sweet, but they pack such a powerful punch. With just a few words, she's able to tell a story that contains the energy of a multi-chaptered fic. This is especially true in sometimes i hold you closer (just to know you're real). LIKE HELLO. I was on the road when I first read it and it had me spiraling for a good few hours. She also captures their voices very well. They also capture the tenderness of Amanda and Angela in such a specific way. One of my favorites is met you at the right time (this is what it feels like), capturing the intimacy of two women who earnestly love each other, beyond romance.

@xxsuicidalravenxx 's writing explores the inner turmoil of being drawn to someone while having a lot of insecurity about your own place in other people’s lives. You know I'm such a fool for you (you got me wrapped around your finger) captures something so incredibly real about the anxiety that comes with a murky and under-communicated relationship dynamic based on unfair assumptions about both herself and how Amanda feels about her - which ultimately is a reflection of Angela’s own self-worth which at this point isn’t the best. It’s so real, god - the self-sabotage and all that and slowly realizing that the people around her care more about her beyond whatever mistake she believes she’s made. Also just - all Chamangela dynamics are excellently written here. It’s a gift.

@unknownteapot is masterful at her craft. I've said it before - their writing is so cinematic.  I can see it clearly in my mind - so good at painting clear pictures of where the characters are in the story. It's dramatic, tension-filled and just excellent writing all around. Several minutes of my life have been spent reading her fics. I feel comforted whenever I read her stuff, it gives the feeling of hope - that things will be okay even when it doesn’t seem that way. I remember when sweetheart dropped in the Amangela ao3 tag and thinking WHO is this absolutely talented writer that came out of nowhere (to me lol), but now I can't imagine this little community without them.

@shesmore-shoebill is so good at capturing Amangela vibes as we see it. Like it truly feels like they've broken down the dynamic into its bare essentials which enables them to produce fics that I can vividly HEAR.  They also just infuse a lot of tenderness into the way they write Amanda and Angela, whether it's in a joke or in like genuine moments of checking in - both demonstrated very well in empty space and Joint Custody (Hey Siri). Also, you just know they're a good writer without reading any of their fics because they are already so articulate in how they write commentary on videos when they aren't even trying to write a story, so when they do have a story, it just hits even more. So good.

@skiespeaches has authored one of the hottest, tension-filled fics I've read in my god damned life. From the first chapter of The devil is in the details I was screaming over how THE FUCK they were able to make just ONE KISS feel like THAT. Also, really really really love how grounded this is in the way they write dialogue and internal thoughts. It captures the pleasant feeling of realizing just how much you like someone and receiving some cues that they might like you back. It captures actions you take because of those feelings that can get in the way of communicating what you really want, the emotional tentativeness that comes with not wanting to bear your heart completely quite yet - yet there is a willingness to see where it goes, hoping that it does come to that point. The entire fic feels like the most emotionally charged scene of a slice of life movie - which is literally my personal favorite genre.

@ghoulishhgayy - famed author of hit Amangela fic Oil Burns had me invested in a situation that I personally haven't read a lot of in fanfiction. The spirit of their fics can be boiled down (haha get it) to the way they write about two women who deeply care about one another unconditionally supporting each other through difficult times. That's the kind of shit I eat up, and it's done so excellently. They just also write in a way that just makes being in love so appealing. They capture the moment of oh in Oil Burns so well that it has me gnashing my teeth, gnawing at the bars of my enclosure etc etc.

@wlwsmosh manages to get to the heart of a story in a few words. It's actually crazy and I’m in awe of their talent. There is a lightness to their fics that just makes me smile so much while also like having some really smutty scenes, which is so dang impressive - balancing sweetness and steaminess really well while also feeling very much like Amangela. My favorite from them are when i call the shots, you call me mommy which I think feels so much like Amangela voice and humor, while also placing them in a relationship and kink context. Honestly, all of their fics are gems.

@baflegacy is so GOOD at putting Amangela in the silliest of situations (heck, situations that are very much based on what we have seen in canon) and teasing out its potential romantic through line. They have a way of capturing emotions that accompany these situations in a way that just shoots you straight to the core. They write tension so well, and are so good at keeping me engaged with what's about to happen next. All of their works are GOATED. I, however, am extremely biased when I say that my favorite is their birthday gift for me - too good (to deny it) - aka one of the best angsty pieces of writing I've read in my whole life my GOD.

@cuecrynsleep is so!!!! A newer friend whose first fic in the Amangela tag I fell in love with immediately (Being Transparent). It was so simple, but captures Amangela’s adorable nature within the context of a romantic relationship REALLY WELL. I’m also just out here eagerly awaiting every post from Reconnecting the Past, which is a chat fic - a format that I rarely like the execution of, but damn I love the way they’re doing it here with the added bonus of the Changela, Arangela, and Shourtmanda dynamics which is just feels absolutely right. I’m out here thinking what are they gonna do next. They are so good at building intrigue and I’m just here sipping my tea and thinking in my head that I sound like some pathetic fuckboy sexting going “and then what?” because I am seated. I am sat. 

Anyway, if you’ve reached the end of this post - go support these writers!!!! Make sure you let them know if you like their stuff - either through a comment, kudos, an ask, a message, or bookmark. I promise you it makes these authors’ days whenever they see any kind of feedback for their work, and it keeps the community ALIVE. I am guilty of not doing that but it’s always great to try instead of not. I know from personal experience that it makes so much of a difference in their motivation to write more, while also allowing us to savor the work instead of mindlessly consuming it. Thanks for reading me gushing about all of them. Love you Amangela RPF community! Very grateful for y’all more than you’ll ever know <3

[mikaikaika]

One thing I also wanted to discuss was how Tubbo used this shot in his starting soon(ish) screen and how the lightning change on this shot (prob unintentionally) held a much more deeper meaning.

It started with all the light focused on Tubbo while Fred stays in the shadows much similar to how Fred was initially under the shadows of the Federation and how they did not know much about the working sof the human world. Then Tubbo came out of nowhere, - like a flashbang - bright light into their life with his talking at 20 words/minute and being the nicest person more than Fred had ever witnessed. Fred didn't even realize how gingerly Tubbo somehow slithered his way into their life making their days brighter and providing them a better insight into what it's like being human by making them feel a whole myriad of emotions.

Then the lighting changes as the day rolls on and all the light starts moving towards Fred. Just the juxtaposition of sunlight reflecting onto Fred possibly indicating how they are the one going towards the light now. Meanwhile, Tubbo is sat in the shade much like how he is left behind in darkness of grief and loneliness now that he has lost Fred. Much time has passed and now both of them are changed people but the tragedy of the circumstances have rendered them unable to exist under the same light. This also pays a nod to how their infatuation was an astute example of forbidden love on the island given how both of them belonged to opposed factions (for the lack of a better word) - one to the federation and one to the islanders.

And then eventually all the light goes away indicating how once Fred was taken away both of them lost the person that was proving to be the light of their lives. Tubbo was enforced into a situation where he either had to accept that Fred is gone forever or latch onto a bit of what could be false hope that Fred is alive and embark on a mission to look for them. Meanwhile, Fred had been convinced by Quackity that the person they cared most about hates them now due to the lies that had been spread about them. As a result, both of them continued to live in darkness never being able to find out what the original truth was.

And lastly we finally fade to Tubbo sitting all by himself in darkness indicating how he has now accepted the reality of the situation and hence accepted the fact that Fred is never coming back. Also it is so bittersweet how he is surrounded by amaranths - a flower that is important to him with regards to Fred and which symbolises death and longevity - how Fred is gone but they will stay forever in Tubbo's memories and also by yellow Daffodils which symbolise rebirth, new beginnings, hope, joy, and good luck - all of the things Tubbo has now encountered with Sunny and is choosing to focus on right now albeit at the cost of dampening his real emotions.

[chaenniz]

could you do a haerin ff abt a movie night type thing after surprising you after a bad day?

p.s. i still love you - kang haerin x reader

A/N ;; this ones short too 💀💀 wrote this listening to this,,,, angst coming soon…. maybe..

genre :: fluff

wc ;; 780

you trudged through the front door of your apartment, shoulders slumped and heart heavy.

it had been a long day at university, filled with deadlines, last-minute changes, and a never-ending stream of emails from your colleagues.

i mean, seriously, who decides to change the thesis statement last minute after you had already collected all the evidence for the previous one you had before?

all you wanted to do was crawl into bed and forget the world existed after such a last minute change, unsure of whether or not the fully drafted submitted paper even met the rubric.

as you kicked off your shoes and dropped your bag on the floor, you heard a faint sound coming from the living room.

you frowned, wondering if you had left the tv on by accident earlier, but then you realized that it was music.

soft, soothing music, the kind that made you feel like everything was going to be okay.

you followed the sound and found your cat-eyed girlfriend, kang haerin, sitting on the couch with a small smile resting on her face.

she was wearing a cozy sweater and sweatpants, her hair pulled back in a messy bun. she had a bowl of popcorn on her lap and a movie playing on the tv. she had also set up various snacks on the table in front of her.

"hey," she greeted you, her voice warm and welcoming. "how was your day?"

you sighed and plopped down next to her, leaning your head on her shoulder. "it was rough. i'm just glad it's over."

haerin wrapped her arm around you and gave you a squeeze. "well, i have something that might make you feel better."

you raised an eyebrow. "oh?"

she nodded and gestured to the tv. "i read your texts earlier, so i rented your favorite movie, and i made some popcorn. i thought we could have a movie night and forget about the real world for a little while."

you looked at her, feeling a warmth spread through your chest. haerin always knew just what you needed, even when you didn't know yourself. you smiled and leaned in for a kiss, grateful for her thoughtfulness.

"thank you," you whispered into her ear, your voice soft. "this is exactly what i needed."

haerin grinned and hit play on the movie. the familiar opening credits rolled across the screen, and you snuggled closer to her, feeling your worries slip away.

as the movie played, you found yourself getting lost in the story, the characters, the music. you laughed at the funny parts, cried at the sad parts, and felt your heart swell at the romantic parts. you couldn't remember the last time you had felt so relaxed.

during a particularly emotional scene, you felt haerin’s hand slip into yours. you looked over and saw her watching you with a gentle expression.

"are you okay?" she asked, her voice soft.

you nodded, feeling a lump form in your throat. "yeah. i'm just...really grateful for you, haerin. you always know how to make me feel better."

haerin smiled and squeezed your hand. "that's what girlfriends are for, right?"

you leaned in and kissed her, feeling a surge of love and gratitude. she had been your rock throughout the past year, supporting you through the ups and downs of life. you couldn't imagine where you would be without her.

as the movie ended and the credits rolled, you realized that you felt different.

lighter, happier, more at peace. haerin had given you a gift that was more valuable than anything money could buy: her time, her attention, her love.

"thank you," you said again, turning to face her. "that was perfect."

haerin grinned and leaned in for another kiss. "i’m glad you enjoyed it. and who knows, maybe we can make this a regular thing. movie nights with the girlfriend."

you laughed and pulled her close, feeling a sense of contentment wash over you. with haerin by your side, you felt like you could conquer anything.

you snuggled into her embrace, feeling utterly grateful for this moment of peace and happiness.

"i would love that," you said, smiling up at her. "movie nights with my favorite person.”

haerin's face lit up with joy, and she leaned in to kiss you once more. "you're my favorite person too, you know that?"

you felt your heart swell with love, and you hugged her tightly. "i do now."

as you sat there in each other's arms, basking in the warmth of the moment, you knew that no matter what the future held, you would always have each other.

and that was enough to make any rough day worth it.

A/N ;; when will it be my turn fr ⁉️⁉️

[imtrashraccoon]

And here we are! I wrote this oneshot for @wendelin-utt as a prize for being so dedicated to booping everyone during the April Fools event. (Shut up, it is not fifteen days late!) They requested MC being isekaied and meeting Nostra.

Nostra is owned by @megalommi

Partially inspired by an audio by @improvidence318 and a oneshot by @aka-indulgence

Thank you! (I apologize if tagging any of you was annoying!) 乁⁠(⁠ ⁠•⁠_⁠•⁠ ⁠)⁠ㄏ

My Papa is a Hypnotist...and a Mobster?!

SkeletonChild!Reader & Nostra (Platonic if it wasn't already obvious.)

Word Count: 4,558

Our story begins in a dark room. It could be a bedroom or an office, but sitting in front of a desk, framed by the glow of their computer monitor is our protagonist.

And what are they doing at this ungodly hour you might ask? Well, dear reader, they are dedicating their very last moments to what will become a life changing event.

And the name of that event? The Boop-meter.

Overnight, their favourite hellsite had gone wild with the concept of...booping. You press a button and your target gets booped with a virtual kitty paw.

Truly a revolutionary idea.

Our protagonist has been clicking away at their computer for hours by now. Their goal? To achieve the coveted status [TUM BLR] and max out as many Boop-meters as they can at the same time.

Why? Well, clearly the site admins gave them too much power. Bapping strangers with hundreds upon hundreds of kitty paws without having to leave the comfort of your home? Well, no mortal alive could resist such an allure.

Ding!

That wasn't the sound of a Revenge Boop.

It seemed someone had sent you an Anonymous Ask.

"Do y0u bEli3ve iN 0thEr wor1ds?"

You snickered. No one used leetspeak unironically anymore and it was such a random question too. Your nimble fingers flew across the keys as you typed out an appropriately silly response.

"Sure, if it means Nostra exists somewhere! My life would be complete if I could get the chance to meet him!"

You went back to the vigorous tapping that maxing out these Boop-meters all but required. A few minutes later though, you received another ask.

"Bo0p!"

It occurred to you that when you set up your blog, you had forgotten to enable asks. So how had this Anon gotten through...?

Suddenly, there was a blinding flash of light from your computer.

Everything went black...

~ - < ฅ⁠^⁠•⁠ﻌ⁠•⁠^⁠ฅ > - ~

Where were you?

No matter how much you tried to blink them away, your vision was covered in bright spots.

The first thing you noticed was that you were outside in an alleyway. The second thing was that the world seemed so much bigger than before.

You could hear sounds of a struggle and when you looked around, spotted three figures in suits kicking another on the ground. It was then that you noticed that you were sitting in a pile of...ash? It stuck to your clothes and irritated the gaps in your bones.

Bones...

Why...were you a skeleton...?

Your ribcage hurt and it felt like your soul was going to burst.

This wasn't real. It couldn't be real.

All of the fanfiction and manga you had read hadn't prepared you for this. It felt like the world was rapidly spinning around you; as if you were stuck in the eye of a hurricane.

What had happened?

Living skeletons weren't real. You'd often wished they were but you knew it was impossible since magic didn't exist and never would. So that begged the question, had you just been transported to another world?

The thought was exciting and terrifying at the same time. On one hand you were fascinated with the idea that magic could exist and that you might be able to use it. On the other though, you were alone and knew nothing about the rules of this world. For all you knew, this society was vastly different from the one you had grown up in and there was a good chance that you wouldn't understand the local language.

It didn't help that you felt so small.

At some point, the sounds of struggle ceased and suddenly there were several people crowded around you. They spoke in hushed tones and you could tell just by looking at them that something terrible had just happened.

Through context clues, you managed to piece together that "you" had been heading home from the cinema with "your mother" when the unthinkable happened. They didn't seem to know if the attack had been premeditated or completely random though.

The men in suits looked really tough and seemed to have been acting as bodyguards, which explained why they had been beating up the thug who'd presumably been the one to carry out the grisly deed. So, did this mean that you were someone really important in this world?

Thankfully, they seemed to interpret your silence and bewilderment as symptoms of shock, which wasn't entirely wrong, as this whole situation was incredibly overwhelming. You were apparently lucky to have survived at all.

The next few hours were a bit of a blur. You were whisked away to what you soon learned was a safehouse, where you were examined by a kind bunny monster who you assumed was a doctor. She was very gentle and did her best to calm your nerves.

You ended up taking a nap since you were rather worn out from the whole ordeal. Although, not even an hour later, you were woken up to the sound of muffled voices outside the dimly lit bedroom.

"S-sir! Please, I know you're worried, but-"

The speaker was cut off by a much more gruff voice. "doctor...i need to see them now."

There was a beat of silence before she answered in a much calmer tone. "Yes... Of course, forgive me for overstepping, sir..."

He hummed in a non-committal way. "don't let anyone disturb us until i return."

"Yes sir."

You sat up and brought your legs up to your ribs, so that your chin was resting on your knees. At the same time, you tugged the blanket closer, only leaving your skull exposed as you peeked out from beneath it.

The door opened and another skeleton stepped softly into the bedroom. He was actually shorter than you'd expected but he had a rather stocky build that more than made up for it. He was wearing a dark tailored pinstriped suit, an expensive looking red and blue striped tie that had been hastily knotted, a pair of high quality leather shoes, and a blue suit jacket that he'd evidently thrown over his broad shoulders.

If it wasn't for the concerned look on his face, you might have been scared of him. He had sharp teeth that reminded you of a shark and his crimson eyelights only served to highlight how dangerous he was.

Your eye sockets widened when it suddenly struck you who this mysterious skeleton was, which he unfortunately seemed to interpret as fear, and his bonebrows furrowed. He clenched his fists and for a moment, he seemed to war with himself on how to best approach you.

That mysterious Anon must've done this! You had no clue how or why though. Still, you weren't complaining since it seemed like you'd gotten your wish. You were actually going to meet Nostra!

He moved carefully to the bed and knelt down on the floor to seem more approachable. You were desperately trying to keep a straight face but inwardly, you were practically screaming that this was actually happening right now.

"how are ya feelin', buttercup?" he asked softly.

"I... I'm okay..." you stammered.

His concern seemed to melt away and he gave you a warm smile. "good, i'm glad." He gently stroked your forehead with his knuckles and while you were a bit concerned at first, the sensation was actually rather pleasant.

You didn't know what to say, so you just sat there and let him continue trying to soothe you. His movements seemed a bit stiff but also incredibly tender at the same time, almost as if he wasn't used to comforting a child. He was so careful not to hurt you with his claws that, if you didn't know better, you wouldn't think he was even capable of actually using them to hurt someone.

At some point, you became so relaxed that you let go of your knees and sat up properly. In response, he wrapped his other arm around your small frame and pulled you up against his chest. You didn't really know if you should hug him back, so you ended up just sitting there and letting him hold you.

"i'm sorry that i wasn't there when ya needed me most," he murmured. His voice sounded more husky all of the sudden, as if he was desperately trying to keep his emotions in check.

You lightly patted his arm in an attempt to comfort him. "Don't cry," you whispered. "I'm here and everything will be okay."

His hold tightened ever so slightly before he hugged you closer. He very gently nuzzled against the top of your skull but didn't say anything else.

~ - < ฅ⁠^⁠•⁠ﻌ⁠•⁠^⁠ฅ > - ~

As the days passed, you began to get used to both your new body and this new world. You tried to play the part of a grieving child and while you were pretty sure you'd been convincing, you still worried that someone would notice that something was up. You were kept inside most of the time and almost never left alone, but that didn't stop you from gathering as much info as you could.

Everything felt like you'd stepped foot into the eighties. From the decor and styles of furniture to the absence of a lot of common technology to the types of clothing people tended to wear. There was a sort of charm to it though.

The safehouse was quite a bit larger than you'd first thought and had a few dedicated staff to handle the upkeep of the place. They ignored you for the most part and other than the nice bunny doctor, who you'd since learned was named Miss Flopsy, Nostra became your primary caretaker.

While he was often busy, he regularly set aside his work to spend time with you. If you even briefly suggested wanting something, he was quick to make sure you got it, no matter what it was or how much it might cost. You were only slightly tempted to take advantage of his generosity but had managed to keep your requests pretty reasonable so far.

You could sense that Nostra was grieving, even though he was quick to put on a smile whenever you were around. He was trying to be there for you but it was pretty easy to tell that he was struggling, in more ways than one. You knew it must be rough for him to have lost his partner as well as almost losing his only child.

You really couldn't help but try to comfort him but was hard. While you knew some children could be very empathetic, it would seem strange for a child to approach the topic like an adult might. So most of the time you would resort to giving him hugs and thanking him for every nice thing he did for you.

One evening though, you snuck into his office and, unbeknownst to him, caught him in a vulnerable moment. He wasn't really crying, but his body language seemed to suggest that he had recently, and he looked like an absolute wreck.

As quietly as you could, you crept around his desk until you were standing next to his chair. His skull was buried in his hands and by the empty bottle of scotch next to him, you knew that he had likely been drinking as well.

Hesitantly, you reached up and placed your small hand on his arm. "Papa?" you asked in a whisper.

Nostra stirred with a groan and turned to look down at you. His eyelights seemed much more dull than usual and there were dark grooves underneath his eye sockets. He was too worn out to even fake a smile like he had been previously.

"You look so tired."

He sighed and ran his phalanges over your cranium. "yeah... you've always been so observant, buttercup."

"Are you done with work yet?" you asked.

" 'fraid not. there's always more paperwork to finish or people to manage."

You crossed your arms and pouted, or at least the best you could manage to without lips. Nostra made a soft tisk sound before lifting you into his lap. He nuzzled the side of your skull and traced soothing circles into your shoulder blades.

"i'm sorry but that's just how it is at times," he said in a soft voice.

"I know," you grumbled. "But even if you can't sleep, you should at least make time to relax."

His movements suddenly stilled and when you glanced up at him, he had an odd look on his skull. He didn't seem angry, just slightly confused.

You pressed your teeth together as you tried to figure out what to say next. Something you'd said must've seemed odd. Were you not supposed to know that he couldn't actually sleep thanks to his hypnosis powers?

"I don't like seeing you so stressed, Papa. It makes me sad..." You trailed off and ducked your skull against his chest, muffling a sob as you did so. Hopefully your acting would be convincing enough that he would forget about whatever weird thing just happened.

After a moment, he pulled you closer and patted your back. "i'm sorry, sweetheart. i know it's not easy right now but i'm here for ya."

You clutched at his shirt and twisted the fabric. He'd probably have to have it ironed later but that was the furthest thing from your mind right now.

"Promise you'll take breaks from your work?" you asked.

He hesitated before pressing his forehead against your skull. "alright. just for you, buttercup," he hummed.

~ - < ฅ⁠^⁠•⁠ﻌ⁠•⁠^⁠ฅ > - ~

You might have been a bit too observant for your own good.

It didn't help that you were good at sneaking around and avoiding the people who were supposed to be taking care of you. It was actually something of a game to see how long you could stay out of sight and make them panic while searching for you.

One day, you were dodging your assigned tutor and managed to slip into the basement. You knew that you were forbidden from going down here but surely there wasn't anything actually dangerous. This was a safehouse; it was literally in the name.

So, imagine your surprise when you peeked into what looked like a meeting room, only to see Nostra was inside. You were about to step out of hiding when you suddenly realized that he wasn't alone.

Sitting across from Nostra was a well dressed older gentleman. He wore a black suit with a dark green tie and his fedora has been set on the table next to him. His posture seemed a little stiff, especially since Nostra was almost lounging in the chair across from him.

They seemed to have been talking for a few minutes, although you weren't entirely sure what about, but it looked like things were going well. You noticed they both had tumblers of what looked like scotch which seemed to indicate that this was a casual encounter.

You were about to leave before someone found you down here, when you heard Nostra ask the gentleman a question.

"do ya mind if i smoke, pal?" The man barely had a chance to respond before he pulled out an expensive looking cigar and lit up. "thanks."

You grimaced as the slightly pungent smoke began to lazily drift around the room. You hated when people were inconsiderate of others and smoked inside, but at least it didn't stink as bad as cigarettes generally did.

You would've left right then and there if the colour of the smoke wasn't so mesmerizing. There were two colours actually, a bright red and a vivid blue. The smoke curled around Nostra everytime he exhaled but oddly, the colours didn't mix together like you thought they should.

The mafioso probably thought it was some sort of monster cigar, but other than his eyes widening ever so slightly, he kept a stiff poker face. You noticed that he did seem a little uncomfortable with the smoke but not to the extent that you were.

"as i was sayin', the previous arrangement still stands. if ya want to move trucks through, ya gotta pay the tax, same as everybody else." Nostra's voice was low and measured, giving the sense that he was serious about this.

"And I'm telling you that your tax is too damn high," the man growled and clenched his fists in frustration. "We'd be selling at a loss..."

Nostra leaned forward slightly and exhaled, causing the coloured smoke to practically assault the pathetic man's senses. "seems to me that there's not enough demand... maybe your boss should be more worried about losin' ground than tryin' to jip me..."

The mafioso coughed and rubbed at his eyes with his fist. "How dare...you imply that...there's no...demand...?" He was struggling to speak all of the sudden, let alone stay awake.

Nostra chuckled, "oh i wasn't implyin' anythin' of the sort." He paused for a moment and studied the man in front of him with a smirk. "tell your boss to get his act together an' if he still wants to do business, he's gotta pay up."

The man suddenly slumped forward and nearly fell out of the chair.

Nostra sighed and shook his skull. "guess i overdid it again," he muttered.

The red and blue smoke slowly dissipated although he continued smoking his cigar. After a moment, he picked up the phone on the table and dialed a number. When the other person picked up, he spoke quietly into the receiver.

"i got a job for ya, get this waste of space out of my sight... i don't care where, so long as he's able to deliver a message to the lombardi's when he wakes up."

He returned the receiver to its cradle and ran a hand over his face. With a heavy sigh, he stood up and after taking one last glance at the dozing man, turned to the door.

You gasped and dunked out of sight, but you weren't fast enough. You knew you were caught when Nostra suddenly called out after you. With a sinking feeling in your soul, you hung your skull and braced yourself for the scolding that was sure to come.

Except Nostra didn't look angry, just very concerned. If anything he seemed almost horrified that you'd likely witnessed everything that just happened.

He knelt down to be more on your level and his crimson eyelights flicked over your face for a moment. "ya aren't s'posed to be down here..." he finally said.

You fiddled with the hem of your top, finding it incredibly hard to look him in the eye right now. "I know..." you muttered.

"i know you're curious, but there's things i do that i'd rather ya not know too much about right now."

"Like what?"

He sighed and stroked your cheekbone affectionately. "business stuff. kids like you deserve to have fun an' learn things while ya can, not be burdened with adult problems."

"Your magic is really cool though," you huffed and crossed your arms. "If you want someone to do something, all you gotta do is hypnotise them and bam!"

Nostra narrowed his eye sockets and scrutinized you again. "it doesn't always work like that, buttercup. sometimes people are smart, so it's not always wise to use magic right away."

You nodded thoughtfully, "I guess that makes sense."

He hesitated for a moment and then wrapped his arms around your small frame. "there's a reason i didn't want ya to know about this. my work is dangerous and i don't want ya to ever be in danger again, okay?"

You nodded and did your best to wrap your arms around his broad shoulders. "I'm sorry, I won't come down here again," you murmured.

~ - < ฅ⁠^⁠•⁠ﻌ⁠•⁠^⁠ฅ > - ~

"you're positive that's what happened?"

"I'm certain. You can ask Joey and Marco but I swear they were dusting. I remember there was a flash of light and the next thing I know, they were fine."

(...)

You were happily sketching away in your room. There was just so many interesting things in this world and as of late, your creative juices had been flowing freely. Although, you were very careful not to leave your drawings out for just anyone to see. It would probably be pretty suspicious for a child to have the skill level that you did when it came to art.

There was a gentle knock on the door that had you scrambling to hide your sketchbook under your sheets. You grabbed a random book from the bedside table and plopped yourself on top of the concealed drawings.

"hey, can i come in, sweetheart?" Nostra called through the door.

"Yep!"

You smiled brightly when he entered your room, but his expression remained serious, which was concerning. You waited until he had crossed the floor and sat down next to you on the bed before trying to figure out what was bothering him.

"Did something happen, Papa?" you asked carefully.

He frowned at that and you noticed his hands clench slightly before he took a steadying breath to try to calm down.

"no, but i was wonderin' about somethin', so i need ya to be honest with me, okay?" he asked in a quiet tone.

You pressed your teeth together as you set the book aside. You hadn't seen him act this seriously towards you before and it was frankly a little terrifying. Had you done something wrong? Could this be related to the attack that had happened before you appeared in this world? Had you slipped up somewhere?

Turning back to Nostra, you nodded. "Okay..."

"do ya remember what ya used to call your uncle?"

Your proverbial heart sunk. This was really bad! You hadn't even considered that his brother was even in this world and you sure as hell hadn't met him. Actually, you hadn't even met any of your mother's family now that you were thinking about it.

When you couldn't answer, Nostra's bonebrows pinched together with concern. "what about your birthday last year? do ya remember what flavour of ice scream ya had?"

"Chocolate?" you tried.

His face remained passive, giving no indication if that was even the right answer or not. "what about what your mother's favourite animal was?"

Again, you had no idea how to answer. Your mind was scrambling for any excuse to get out of this situation. Would it be too much of a stretch to claim that the attack had given you amnesia?

You jumped when Nostra put his hand on your back. He waited until you glanced up at him again before speaking.

"is there somethin' that ya need to tell me?"

The jig was officially up. You could hear your bones rattling from how badly you'd started shaking, but he was remaining firm, waiting for an answer.

"I... I'm not..." You were struggling to even speak at this point and your eye sockets were starting to sting, unshed tears threatening to burst through the dam and spill down your cheekbones.

"I'm not your child," you finally said.

Nostra's eye sockets widened a fraction and you felt the hand on your back twitch slightly, but he otherwise remained calm. "what do you mean?"

"I don't know how to explain it..." You stared at your hands for a moment as you wracked your non-existent brain for the words. "I look like them...but I have memories of being someone else. I'm...not even from this time period..."

He let go of you and ran his hand down his face with a heavy sigh. It was so quiet, you could hear a pin drop if you weren't already nearly going deaf from all the rattling.

"Nostra, please...!" You started to reach for him but stopped yourself. Maybe it wouldn't be a good idea to potentially risk setting him off.

"I never wanted to hurt you..." you whispered, although your soul ached at the realization that by pretending to be his child, you had deceived him.

"where are ya from?" he asked.

You paused for a moment as you tried to figure out the best way to explain it. "I'm from another world... It's kind of like this one but without magic and monsters. You were...a character that someone created for fun..."

You could feel the way he was staring at you all of the sudden. You didn't blame him for being confused or even a little freaked out. You would be too if someone just randomly told you the things that had been coming out of your mouth.

"so, that's how ya knew i'm an insomniac..."

You nodded solemnly. "And how I know about how your hypnotism magic works."

"i...don't know what i was expectin' earlier... it wasn't anythin' like this though," Nostra muttered. "i thought maybe ya had memory loss or ya somehow absorbed someone else's soul... not somethin' this...complicated."

"I'm sorry."

He sighed and rubbed at the space between his eye sockets. "i should've done more. maybe i would've noticed sooner if i wasn't always so damn busy all the time..."

You remained silent.

"was it an accident?"

He was looking at you again and by the look in his crimson eyelights, you knew everything rested on the answer to his question. He didn't look angry, yet, but the way his pinpricks were flickering and how tightly he was gritting his teeth, you could see that he was barely containing his emotions.

"Yes. I was sent here without warning and I don't know if it's even possible to go back."

He held eye contact for several long seconds and you struggled not to look away for fear that he might think you were lying.

"i see."

"I understand if you're mad. I knew I shouldn't have tried to deceive you in the first place and there's really no excuse for my behavior."

"i'm not mad, not really... this is just a lot to process."

You reached over and placed your hand on his arm. "Again, I'm so sorry. If you want me to leave...?"

"no!"

You gasped at his sudden outburst but he quickly gave you an apologetic look.

"i'm sorry. just, don't leave..." He started to reach for you but hesitated, letting his hand hover near your face. "i know you're not them...but i can't handle losin' you too..."

You swallowed and blinked rapidly to keep the tears from breaking free. "If it makes you uncomfortable, I won't keep pretending to be them anymore."

Nostra nodded, "i need to think this over, but for now, i think that would be best." He cupped the back of your skull and when you gave him a slight nod, he pulled you into a careful hug.

You hugged him back as tightly as you could. While you weren't sure how your relationship would progress from here, you had hope that you could at least remain friends with him. Although you would need to work hard to establish something genuine.

Pretending to be his own kid was kinda weird anyways.

[neuroprincess]

August - Larissa Weems/Female Reader - Part Two

Larissa Weems/Female Reader

Summary: After knowing about August's existence, Larissa tries to get closer to the teenager and making it work can be difficult when both are socially awkward.

Classification: Fluff

Warnings: OC (original character)

Word count: +2700

Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four (soon)

Unrevised

The teenager takes a bite of apple as she stares at the courtyard distractedly, the social groups are dispersed, gathered together talking about random things, mostly about Rave'N Ball which soon became the main topic. Everyone seems excited describing their party clothes bought especially for the day and who they would bring, she knows she should be excited about the same things or at least pretend so she could socialize with them, but she isn't and can't, the only promising thing about the ball is the food and dancing. She loves to dance, since childhood it seems to be the best way to express herself, more than words anyway. At the age of four she started ballet classes and continued performing until 13 when she had a growth spurt, being too tall and with an inadequate bone structure to continue being a dancer, August used her abilities as much as she could to continue dancing and in the end had to let go when mom found out, disapproving. Y/N understood the motivations, it was the girl's first individual interest and something she had devoted herself to for years, this didn't negate the fact that using shapeshifting is a type of cheating and this consumed a lot of her daily energy to continue with the farce. Besides, where they were living was not very kind to any outcast and unsafe for someone like the teenager, in the end they had to resort to the most radical alternative, sending her to Nevermore. Learning things that she, as a mom and normie, could never teach.

August takes one last bite before discarding the rest of the fruit in the trashcan next to the bench she is sitting on, as turning around she notices the presence of the principal almost next to her, standing looking at some vague point pretending to be analyzing the students, except for her as if barely acknowledging her presence. The girl waves a hand in greeting to get her attention and succeeds, they exchange a quick smile and nod, looking back to the courtyard. It's awkward, none of them like this atmosphere and at the same time they don't make the first move towards a real conversation.

"I... I heard that you haven't been using your abilities for two days now." the blonde begins running over the first few words before continuing "How do you feel about that?"

"It's boring, I confess my life seemed easier. And some people just won't stop staring at me."

"Well, you're pretty and tall, you draw attention from boys and girls." Larissa tries to hit back with positive points and winks to her "Anyone interesting?"

She notices how the girl unconsciously stares at a specific group and looks away blushing, redness taking over cheeks and ears. August just whispers "No." and stares at her confused, she thinks that somehow it's not normal for the principal to ask questions like that. But this is a new world which she is still learning the rules.

"Right... have you already been introduced to your classmates?"

"Not exactly, that blonde werewolf talked to me the first day and told me who was who, after that we never talked again." the teenager shrugs shoulders about the fact, she had met a few students who either seemed intimidated or didn't even bother to introduce themselves properly "And that's okay, I'm trying things on my own."

"I understand." neither of them knows what to say anymore, remaining in a silence for minutes that isn't uncomfortable despite the growing anxiety in the pit of their stomachs. She knows August is talking about Enid and it's her group that she has unintentionally stared at. The girl stands up slowly when she notices some students are already gathering for class "Your uniform looks very... short."

Larissa notices that when the teenager stands, they are 6 inches apart, the uniform set with the skirt, which should be just past her knees, looks too small for her size, like it shrunk in the dryer or something. The sweater is tucked tighter against the body instead of being comfortably loose around her, the shoes look slightly uncomfortable, and the skirt that should be below the knee reaches her knees.

"Oh, that! I guess I spent so much time changing my form that I didn't even realize I had another growth spurt, I just forgot to warn Mama. I could take care of it with my own hands, but shapeshifting is out of our deal." the girl straightened the clothes on her body trying to make them conform to the uniform as best as she could, feeling embarrassed by the situation "I think I can handle 5 days until I can use my abilities again." she whispers the last part for only the two to hear.

"Why don't you tell your mother? I'm sure soon you will stop growing and be able to wear only a size of clothes." "Because that's how it happened to me" the blonde mentally adds, in her school days she had to change the size of her clothes and shoes three times. Growing pains as a teenager, her mother always told her on the way to the mall to buy more clothes. Victoria Weems is as tall as her daughter and apparently the girl inherited that from them, even if Y/N's genes allow her to be a little shorter than the two older Weems "I'm sure she'll buy."

"I'm sure too and that's exactly the point." she says simply, her tone making it clear that she doesn't want to continue the topic, then puts the backpack on shoulders "I have to go, botany class now."

"Right! August, think carefully about the ball, it's not mandatory, but it's a great experience and you have a week to prepare." the principal blinks as the girl walks past her, in response she just gets a shy smile.

Larissa smiles back and as soon as the teenager disappears from her vision she turns to the group of students where Enid is, Wednesday with her, Xavier a short distance away from them, Bianca, Divina and Yoko are nearby talking to the duo, the new student doesn't seem interested keeping the same expression as always, which sends a shiver down her spine when directed at her as Addams realizes the tall woman is staring. The blonde immediately turns to go back to her office, pretending this moment didn't happen, even being a teenager she gives her some chills, not that she is scary but yes her actions, she doesn't know what to expect from her.

On the way through the halls Lara August doesn't leave her mind. First, as principal for many years and past hundreds of students, she didn't believe August would follow through on the deal so easily, the next day the fountain was completely clean and more than before, once again Larissa found herself looking for her, this time knowing who to look for and not found her. What made her upset was the possibility that the girl had gone back to using the abilities to hide from her, a possibility soon denied by Thornhill who had the girl as a helper most part of the day and claimed she saw her go straight to the dormitory. Second, she learned more about her supposed daughter, August sleeps in Ophelia Hall sharing a room with a psychic outcast, the academic curriculum is focused on history and literature, she tried fencing and left when Bianca beat her in 10 seconds, after being rejected by the yearbook she is still looking for an extracurricular activity. And last and not least, that the teenager loves hot chocolate, or should at least like it a lot, because Larissa has seen her drink many cups of hot chocolate with whipped cream this morning for breakfast.

And something struck her as she analyzed the short conversation they had at the break, the group that Lara stared at was precisely Enid's... with Wednesday. It couldn't be possible, she wished there wasn't the slightest chance that the blonde was liking the other girl. Not only would it be ironic considering her own past with Morticia, it would also be Y/N's ruin and maybe August's, because as far as anyone can tell the two are complete opposites. Perhaps, with some hope, her possible love interest could be any of the other girls or even Xavier.

"I wonder if this is how parents feel or act when their children are having a crush on someone."

The day is already over for the Nevermore students, most of them have finished dinner, going to their respective dormitories or gathering in common rooms to study for exams the next day. August doesn't feel the need to spend her evening like this after having dedicated all her free hours to it, she sees how desperate everyone is about some difficult subjects and wonders if she should approach them for help, giving up the idea when they find the answer by themselves or with the help of Bianca, who majestically walks around the tables helping their classmates with small things as if she has all the content memorized in her brilliant mind and making a point of showing how intelligent she is. The shapeshifter tries to be discreet as she stares at their interactions, knowing she is failing in this as her eyes can't leave her until the other notices, Bianca frowns as their gazes meet. August turns face quickly and places her hands on cheeks knowing she must be blushing, this is how it works, when in her normal form the pale skin gives way with annoying ease. It's not like she knows how to hide reactions and emotions either, another part of her socially maladjusted personality.

"Hey, white head!" the siren calls out approaching her, laughing when she notices how the girl stiffens at the desk, dropping the book she was reading and slowly turns to look, confusion in her eyes wondering if it was she who was called "Yes, you. Are you having a hard time too?"

"Yeah, no, I mean no. I've been studying all day." she stutters, trying to look anywhere but Barclay's intimidating eyes.

"I see. So do you have a problem with me?" the question is direct and sincere, too direct for the blonde's conversational standards.

"No, never, I'm... I'm sorry." the two stare at each other for a few seconds that seem tense and that atmosphere is cut off by the queen bee's loud laugh, August not sure how to feel about this reaction, even more confused.

"You were staring at me."

"I didn't even realize. I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable." she swallows dryly and finally gets up the courage to look her in the eyes, feeling legs getting weak and maybe pressure dropping along with it, if she wasn't sitting up she would probably fall to knees on the floor.

"It's all right. Well, if that's it..." Bianca says casually ready to go to another table to offer help.

"Bianca! Actually..." the shapeshifter takes a deep breath trying to gather courage to continue "I need help, not with the exams. I'm terrible at fencing, you know that, you're the one who made me kiss the ground a month ago." the two laugh for different reasons remembering of her first fencing lesson "Could you give me some lessons or some help? Please."

"Sure! Maybe after the ball, you have the potential for a good opponent, Lara."

"Thank you..."

As soon as the siren gives back August gets up gathering her belongings and tries to leave the common room as discreetly as possible, a difficult task when she messes with the strap of the backpack attached to the chair and quick steps that make the shoes resonate on the floor. "She knows my name! She knows my fucking name!" is the only thing the blonde can think of while running to her dorm, avoiding curious and even judging glances at the big smile on her lips. When she enters the bedroom she seems to be walking on clouds and suddenly feels silly for acting this way just because Bianca Barclay knows her name, maybe it's no big deal, she is a brilliant student with a great memory, or maybe it's too much because after all she is the queen bee while August is another teen without any highlight and who would never draw her attention. August sighs and walks to her side of the room throwing the backpack on the bed, that's when she notices a perfectly wrapped red package on top of the blankets, she stares at it confused, for a moment believes that maybe it's a gift for her roommate and they got the sides confused, but there is a note with her full name written in cursive handwriting.

The package is opened with care, the ribbons undo the lace to reveal a complete uniform set, from blazer to shoes, what makes her happiest is the skirt in the right size looking perfectly cut for her slim and tall body. She looks at herself in the mirror with the skirt clinging to the body, loving how it looks, she would no longer have to adjust every time she sits down or stands up and that is a great relief. All the items are folded up again to be stored and only then August notices something at the bottom of the package, she pulls out a small thick black book with gold details, Good Omens by Neil Gaiman. Next to it a note attached written "It's one of my favorite books, maybe you'll like it too. Good read, August." and immediately she knows who gave her the package. Principal Weems. The only person in the academy who knows how she likes to be called and uses the name. No matter how stubborn and proud she is felt good to earn it from her, almost hugged for someone other than her mom caring about her.

Another morning begins with Larissa comfortably working on her laptop, it's one of the rare occasions when it's calm, especially with the recent events in Jericho and Nevermore, of course, over the question of a certain student's motherhood. Momentarily the tension was lifted from her shoulders and she felt good, relaxing against the chair. Eyes closed thinking of good times, both past and present. She remembers clearly the day she met Y/N, ten years younger, cheerful and spirited, always friendly when she served her a cup of tea. Their first kiss in front of Larissa's apartment, her former home when only a teacher. They barely had a first date before falling into each other's arms, drunk on love... and wine. She sighs remembering those nights on weekends when they bought bottles to accompany home-cooked dinners and it always ended in the same thing. She can remember the young woman's face in vivid details, it's surreal.

And she comes to the realization that there is one more thing to take care of, to finally talk to Y/N, two days earlier all the courage she had gathered to make that call crumbled as soon she heard her voice on the other side of the phone. She hung up without saying anything, hoping that the other woman would think it was a wrong call or just someone making a prank. When there was no return call she knew she was safe and initiated a plan, not very complex, but still important and difficult to approach the teenager. If was any other child she knows it would be easier, but every time she is around August can't stop thinking that this girl is her daughter, even if there isn't a DNA test to prove it yet, imagining how she must have been as a kid, about who she is, what she likes or dislikes, the guilt eating her up inside every second she spends next to her.

"August, what..." she whispers startled when the girl opens the office doors unceremoniously, she is red and disheveled hair evidencing that she ran all the way there "I see you are wearing the..."

"I thought we had an deal, Principal Weems!" she almost shouts interrupting the older woman, to the surprise of both of them "I tried to behave, to fulfill our deal, I'm not even using my abilities. And you betrayed me! I feel dumb for trusting an adult."

"What are you talking about, Lara August?" Larissa doesn't know if she is confused or angry at the teenager's attitude, her tone of voice expresses that.

"You weren't supposed to call my mom and you called her."

"I didn't..."

"She's here!"

"Shit!"

"Yeah, shit!"

"Watch your mouth, young lady!"

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[softtdaisy]

"Don't you fucking dare say you didn't want this to happen. Don't you fucking dare." with Peter Parker ❤️

WHAT IF - PETER PARKER

DESCRIPTION I You were Peter’s favorite what if. But one day, he understood that it can have serious consequences when you make it come true.

PAIRING I tasm!Peter Parker x fem!reader

WORD COUNT I 2,2k

A/N I oh my god this is so sad. Thank you for requesting this sweety, I really hope you will love this one because I might have a lot of fun breaking people's heart.... (warning: Peter is a shitty boyfriend)

You’ve always been Peter’s favorite what if.

It started when you were kids. You’ve been neighbors ever since he moved in with May and Ben. And from the day your mom asked you to go and play with the new kid, you’ve never been apart. It was easy to be around Peter. His brain seemed to work way faster than yours and he always had new game ideas. Sometimes there were mistakes, and you would both be grounded. But in the end, it was mainly good memories.

And the one day, the whole what if situation started. You were having a sleepover in your garden. You were both lying on the grass, watching the stars when Peter asked you. “What if we were astronauts?” you turned your head towards him. He seemed so concentrated that you wondered if you imagined his voice. But when he finally gave you a loo, you knew it was a serious question.

“Well, if we were astronauts, we would be super famous.” You replied and Peter laughed with you. “We would have a rainbow space rocket, because we can’t decide on the color. And we would make a great discovery that change the world! So, we can be on history books.”

“Do you think our suits would be rainbow too?”

“Well, I think we can each chose our favorite color.”

From that night, it became a habit. From childish what if, you went on more serious one when you grew up. You would ask some when you had a bad idea like “what if we were living in France?” to imagine another life. There were the drunk one, specially coming from Peter. Like the famous “what if I was a worm?” that broke his heart because you told him he would probably get killed in minutes. You loved to remind him of that what if.

You were on your last year of high school when one night, Peter asked you the most serious what if he ever had.

You were both on your bed. You were working on an essay and Peter was looking at you, thinking about that question that was killing him. “God, I hate this thing.” You sighed, lying on your back. You met Peter’s eyes, which followed your movement. “You, okay?” you asked.

“What if we were in love?” he didn’t hesitate. He needed to say it. He needed to know what you were thinking about this one. Would you take it as a joke, like every other what if he ever asked? Or would you consider it, imagining a world where it would be true?

What Peter never imagined was that you could already be in love with him. Nothing in the world would have make risk your relationship with your best friend for a crush. But this was the best opportunity to see what it could be like. “I guess we would kiss each other.” You replied, still looking at him in the eyes.

You thought he would just nod and talk about something else.

You thought he would laugh about it.

You never thought he would bend over you to kiss you. 

It was your first kiss with Peter. The first of many more. Because, if you never started dating this became a casual thing. “What if we were in love?” became your signal when you both needed love and attention. Dates, kisses, sex… you did everything a normal couple would do. But you weren’t a real couple. You were a what ifcouple. A couple that only existed in a universe you went to when you pretended to be together.

You only realized it could be a bad thing the day Peter came to your house, or more exactly climbed in your bedroom, and asked you that question. He didn’t even wait for your answer before kissing you. His lips were such a drug that you let him do anything he wanted. It was like your brain stopped working and nothing else mattered. That was kind of the deal, technically: when you pretented to be together, nothing in your life existed anymore.

So it wasn’t until you were in bed, that you remembered why you haven’t been a what if couple for weeks. “But…aren’t you dating someone?” you asked Peter in a whispered. Your head was on his chest, his hand playing with your hair. He stopped moving for a few seconds. Like he, too, remembered that detail. 

“I’m not anymore.”

You never knew if Peter had already broken up with his girlfriend at that time. You only knew he was, indeed, single the next day at high school.

When you left for university, your what if couple took a break. You were both in two different states. You just kept having this game over text, with less serious questions. 

“What if I was running for president” / “I would definitely vote for you, Parker.” 

“What if you were stuck with me, in your apartment?” / “You wouldn’t leave this place alive Peter.”

There was something comforting in knowing that you still had your best friend. And those texts helped you think about something other than your real life, full of classes and works. You foolishly believed that it would last forever. 

You were so wrong.

When Peter started dating his new girlfriend, he was texting you less and less. You thought he had found someone new to change his mind and he didn’t need you to pretend he was living another life. His real life was good enough now. And somehow, it helped you go on with your own life too: having new friends, dating other people for real and stopped pretending you were somebody else.

You were back in town for Peter’s birthday. Nothing in the world would have prevented you from celebrating it with him, even though you weren’t as close. You honestly thought it would be a simple party, seeing some old friends, drinking, and having fun. You didn’t think too much of it.

“You’re here!” you heard scream in your back, which made you jump. You turned around just to see Peter running to you and took in his arms. You were literally flying in the middle of the room, your laugh almost covering the music. But it didn’t matter. You were reunited with your favorite person.

“Of course, I am!” you said, finally taking Peter’s face in your hands. “I would never miss your birthday.” You took a few seconds to look at him. He looked more handsome than ever, with his brown hair styled in a messy and clean way, his beautiful brown eyes full of joy and excitement, and those gorgeous pink lips…

It felt like nobody was there, except for you two. If you thought your what if was over, you almost asked him the famous question to start over. It felt right. It felt like the right thing, at the moment. It did, at least, until she arrived.

“Hi, you must be [y/n]” she said in your back. Peter finally put you back on your feet before you turned around to look at her. She was pretty. She was even more than that. She looked like nice too and you felt bad for considering kissing Peter just a few seconds ago. 

Peter walked next to her and put an arm around her shoulder. “[y/n], this is Abby, my…”

“Fiancé!” She had such a big smile on her face that you first thought she was joking. But then she showed you, her hand. And there it was. That beautiful ring that sealed every possibility between you and Peter.

He was engaged.

For real.

“Congratulations to you two,” you put your best smile on your face to hug them. But you noticed Peter’s look on you, and you read through his words. He was close to not tell you the truth. 

But you decided to get overt it for the night. You enjoyed the whole party like nothing happened. You probably won’t see Peter for a few months so there was not point making a scene, right?

The following weekend, Peter was here.

You’ve been working all Saturday on your next essay and didn’t even notice the hours passing. It wasn’t until the bell rang that you looked up and saw the night was already there. You didn’t except anyone. But you still went to open the door, having the feeling it could be important.

And here he was. Peter Parker. His hair wet from the terrible rain outside, wearing a sweat he already had back in high school. You had a kind of flashback to those nights when he would come and find comfort in your arms. You could almost hear him before he spoke.

You wished you didn’t.

“What if I was in love with you?” he said in a raspy voice, like he hasn’t been talking for days and even forgot how to do it.

You were speechless, even breathless from that. Months of not playing and suddenly Peter was shaking your whole routine up. Your eyes fell on his lips, remembering what usually happened next. 

And he noticed. That’s why Peter took a step closer to you, cupped your face between his hands before kissing you like he’s been dying to do. It was a passionate and needy kiss, like you both needed it to live. You quickly grabbed his hair with a hand, while trying to close the door with the other.

Before you noticed it, you were lying on your bed with Peter above you. He was taking off your clothes, kissing every single millimeter of skin he was revealing. You didn’t realize you weren’t fully alive until Peter’s lips on you woke your soul up. You never wanted this to end. You wanted to play pretend for as long as you could.

So that was how you spent the whole night: pretending to be the couple you weren’t. You had sex, multiples times. Ordered diner but barely ate it. Because anytime one of you started talking, the bubble was ready to explode. One word too many and you would realize what you were doing and how bad it was. 

It was selfish to take advantage of that situation. To act like with a simple sentence, the world really stopped turning and you could do whatever you wanted. You felt bad for his fiancé, for the life he was putting aside by being with you.

But surprisingly, you weren’t the one who got angry in the morning.

You woke up because of the noises Peter was making in your bedroom. You saw the flashlight from his phone and wondered what he was looking for. Or even, why he was looking for something right now. “What you are doing?” you asked with difficulty, still sleepy.

“This was stupid.” You didn’t recognize the tone he used. Peter was never the type of person to be mean. Sure, he was angry sometimes and he would say something he regretted later. But he was never purposely mean. But the way he talked to you that morning, it was pure cold hearted. It wasn’t the Peter you knew. 

You sat on your bed, looking at him with confusion. “Yeah, you’re right, it’s not fair, we…”

And he turned to you. “Shut up.”  You never saw his eyes that dark, like he was being possessed. Or maybe he had just become he man you didn’t want to know anymore. “You should have never let that happen.”

“I’m sorry?” you replied with a nervous laugh. “I shouldn’t have? You fucking fly to place Peter to have sex with me!” You didn’t do anything at his birthday when you were dying to kiss him. He travelled to a different taste for a night of pure sex. And you were the bad one? "Don't you fucking dare say you didn't want this to happen. Don't you fucking dare."

He was still looking at you like you were the foolish one. And you couldn’t handle that look no more. So, you got up and went to the bathroom. You hoped by the time you took a shower; Peter would have either calm down or leave your place. He was a cheater. And a liar. And you felt so stupid for falling for his lies. And his fucking stupid game.

When you opened the door again, he was sitting at your table, his eyes locked on his phone. He looked up when you walked past him to get a cup of coffee. “Listen, [y/n], I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have gotten angry to you, I just realized where I was when I woke up and…”

“Peter.” You stopped him. You took a breath. You knew what you were going to say would change everything. But it was time. For both of you.

“What if we broke up for good?”

You saw his expression changed. He felt bad before, now he was just sad. Because it was more than just a what if. 

There won’t be any what if no more. No more kisses. No more escapism.

No more Peter Parker in your life.

“I’ll still love you anyway.” He replied with a low voice. When you didn’t answer, Peter got up to leave. He walked to you with precaution and put a simple and soft kiss on your forehead. One you didn’t offer back. You just watched him leave your place. 

Realizing that this was the first time Peter told you he loved you, for real.

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[verdemoun]

is there some info about your timewarp au that you really wanna talk about?? if so i am all ears

bless one of the core timewarp au scenes is really the moment they are all just settled and okay and don't really know when it happened but realizing yes this is good this is the life we were meant to have the gang together again

it was meant to be one of their usual family bbq gatherings but grimshaw couldn't get out of work and in no man left behind fashion they decided they would crash the bar. open mic night

sean and lenny meant to be singing a ballad to their respective wives but instead just staring at each other while karen and jenny are entirely amused/delighted over how in love they are with each other. most wholesome dynamic

jack being too young to buy drinks and grimshaw not willing to lose her liquor license for him. big bossy rule enforcing queen entirely undermined by isaac persistently buying himself double shots and slight of hand sliding them to jack until they are both plastered.

hosea just being old this is post 1911 gang warping so he is approaching 70 bessie is retired they are sitting in a comfortable booth enjoying pub meals and whiskey watching their massive family be happy but also just in their own loved up world where they are the only two people that exist

someone with a spray bottle trying to keep javier and kieran off each other for 10 minutes ffs there's children present

john thinking he is the best parent letting his daughter sip beer while abigail yells at him because she's only like 8. he argues they were both already drinking at that age. fighting like an old married couple but also can't stay mad at each other. abigail rolling her eyes but smiling as john kisses her. addie jr helped herself to a whole beer while they were fighting

arthur and charles both responsible adults still getting white girl silly drunk. tripping over each other cackling arthur trying to catch charles and instead completely faceplanting himself. drunk dancing together not realizing they are the center of attention

micah and bill leaning on the bar having the 'why are you gay' 'who says i'm gay' 'you are gay' but also micah in a trying to be a better person/must prove he is the best at everything giving bill dating tips despite being the worst straight man in history

dutch being allowed to come along (molly and her wife were busy being lesbians elsewhere. if molly is coming dutch is not invited (for His safety, not hers)) dutch having a few too many drinks and slipping into 'y'know maybe we could overthrow the government' and annabelle having to play babysitter 'No Dutch'. Hosea still likes listening to Dutch's tangents he may have his arms around his wife but he is just smiling affectionately listening to Dutch go off

no one realizing just how happy but also out of hand things are getting until jake adler pulls out the fiddle playing live music while his beautiful immaculate stunning spectacular bisexual wife sadie adler sings hell's coming with me. everyone just vibing until she switches the line to 'then colm o'driscoll was hanging by a rope'. hollering cheering screaming drinks being raised noise complaints being filed it is never too late to celebrate colm's execution

poor eliza pulling out the 'oh arthur' as she tries to get arthur, charles, isaac and jack home because they are all blind drunk. john having to help force them all into the car. jack and isaac are attached at the hip he is going home with them

also drunk jack going through absolute swings and roundabouts one second it's 'fuck you dad i'm gonna start my own gang with blackjack and hookers' isaac in the distance 'fuck yeah sex work is real work' only to be 'i'm sorry i let you down and i made mistakes and i keep making mistakes' as john carries him over his shoulder to the car. john very tentatively trying to assure him he didn't let him down and it's just further proof he is his son and that he's sorry jack inherited making the same dumb mistakes from him

uncle eating every single bowl of peanuts at the bar and falling asleep in a booth. grimshaw still closing and locking down the bar with him still inside to try and teach him a lesson

[noxiatoxia]

HEY so I know its been a minute since I've sent an ask, but I saw some of your posts about danganronpa, specifically regarding another episode, udg, and I was agasp because I was literally in the middle of playing it for the first time lmao. So after finishing the game last night I really wanted to ask, if you want to ofc, your in depth thoughts on the game and why you like it so much, or even thoughts on the gameplay and mechanics since its so different than the danganronpa staple. I quite liked it personally because of Komaru and Toko's relationship, them becoming two of my fav characters in the franchise so far, and because I became very endeared to the kids by the end of the story. I have some qualms with how Kotoko was handled in chapter 3 at... that part... but she's also my favorite of the kids at the same time lol.

Anyways yeah no pressure at all, I just was really curious because I liked the game a lot and found it so funny that you posted stuff about it as I was playing it. Also because I really enjoy your ouran opinions. But again I get if not, the game has some senstive subjects for sure. Thanks!

THIS IS LIKE THE BEST ASK EVER FOR ME TO RECEIVE. I AM SO PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS GAME AND HAVE BEEN FOR NEARLY A DECADE AT THIS POINT.

Okay....where to even START....

(I will be referring to UDG as DR:AE or just AE in this. SPOILERS FOR ALL OF DR:AE.)

Firstly, the environment. Unlike the main series, DR:AE does not take place in a secluded area away from the real world. It does the opposite; you are in such a vast area, you are not caged, yet you are still trapped. Even if Komaru didn't have that wristband on her, where would she go? The game is great at highlighting what the world outside of what we are told in the mainline games is actually like, how caged things are even outside, all while expanding upon existing characters' backgrounds by introducing family members, or little pieces of dialogue that serve to flesh out the world.

The gameplay itself, personally, I find VERY fun. I'm not a shooter game person, but DR:AE was a game I could play many times over. I love the different types of ammo, the puzzles, the possibilities with how to destroy the monokumas. Just a fun game all around. It's by far the most replayable Danganronpa game, as the main series games are all about the story. Once you know the story, there's really no reason to replay them. In fact, they are quite slow and boring without the intrigue of the mystery.

But the highlight, obviously, is the characters. As is Danganronpa's specialty.

While I still maintain Hajime is the most interesting protagonist of the series, Komaru serves as a great subversion of the expectations set up by Makoto's actions in the first game. Makoto is someone who preserved no matter what, changed those around him with his hope. He was your quintessential paragon protagonist. While Komaru displays this a little in some scenes (namely rallying the adults under Haiji's protection) this is only the result of speaking from her own wants and experiences. That is to say, unlike Makoto who always tried to help others even if it cost his own life, Komaru is much more realistic. She cares, first and foremost, about her safety. Her helping others to stand up for themselves comes from her own desire to keep fighting so she can live, and so she imparts that onto the people around her. Fight so you can live. She says it herself: she is not like Makoto. She is selfish, she is not endlessly optimistic. She's more like Hajime in this way, but unlike Hajime who find his own brand of philosophy, Komaru really doesn't. Rather, while Hajime's character serves to show you don't have to choose a predetermined path (hope or despair) and rather your path can simply be believing in yourself, Komaru's character shows that sometimes, and maybe even most of the time, believing in yourself or a specific ideal is not feasible. Komaru believes in the people around her - namely Toko. She believes in her friend, and believes with her friend that things can keep going. This in my opinion is an excellent twist on Makoto, who was, by all means, that friend that people believed in, not the one doing the believing.

And, as an aside, Toko and Komaru have the best development of any pair of characters in the series. Yes, even moreso than Hajime and Komaeda (who I maintain never really had "development" between each other than just a very, very good dynamic from the get-go that was influenced at points by outside plot forces on Komaeda's end. Think Light and L from Death Note in this manner).

Now, let me talk about the real meat of the game, and my favorite characters to date in the whole series: The Warriors of Hope.

I won't lie that I'm biased. I'm very biased for these guys. But I think a lot of people don't give these guys the credit they deserve considering this is a Japanese game. In Japan, child abuse is a bit of a taboo topic (that thankfully has been resolving over time). Due to the nature of Japan's politeness system and "family above all else" attitude, many child abuse cases not only go unreported, but are flat out ignored. The epidemic of babies dying in coin-operated lockers being an especially egregious example of rampant child abuse that occurred. Despite being prevalent since 1971, it took till 1993 to be socially addressed.

This is just one example, but I think it serves my point: child abuse is/was an issue in Japan when it comes to socially speaking of it. ( In fact, in the game itself, Nagisa and Kotoko both directly say they tried to reach out and get help, but were ignored by adults). This is why art regarding child abuse is so important. And that's why a huge series like Danganronpa centering a game about child abuse is such a huge deal. It sparks discussion and promotes visibility of the topic. Not to say media before hadn't talked about it - in fact, there is a lot of Japanese media about child abuse for this very reason - but that does not undermine the importance of Danganronpa deciding to portray it so openly. It is even more important, to me, that they do not stop at physical or sexual abuse. Rather, abuse focused on verbal harm and emotional neglect are portrayed as being just as damaging, which is one of the most overlooked and underplayed forms of abuse in general.

Their portray of abuse also is rather accurate. I will make a confession: I was definitely a bit too young to play danganronpa when I did. Definitely not 18 yet. But I was a teen, and very aware of different types of abuse, sexual abuse included. But despite all the PSAs, books I had read on my own or even ones assigned to me for classes, I had never seen a sexual assault victim be portrayed as hypersexual before. In fact, I didn't even know such a thing was possible. Yes, it is very, very likely I just got Komaeda levels of unlucky to not encounter that in any of my reading or research material at the time, but I think it's common, nonetheless, that people to this day still have the misconception that sexual abuse victims are all afraid of sex or anything sexual. While that is true for some, many people are now becoming more aware that sexual abuse survivors can often display hypersexual tendencies. In this way, I DID learn a lot about the effects of sexual abuse based on how Kotoko acted, and was able to do my own research from there to learn more. Furthermore, the game is good at portraying things like specific triggers in the form of words, smells, items, or specific phrases. Again, I feel it's mostly stereotyped that most triggers are objects that "make sense" like cigarettes or alcohol (much like with what Masaru was afflicted with). But the game made sure to include ones that were "non conventional" like specific words ("gentle" in Kotoko's case) and portrayed both triggers, no matter how common or uncommon, as equally severe. The game also shows negative effects child abuse can have on those around the children. After all, the WoH would not be doing the things they were doing if it weren't for how they were treated in the first place.

(Aside: This is particularly WHY I get so mad when people hate on DR:AE for being "icky". If you are personally uncomfortable with topics of child abuse, that is wholly reasonable and you do not have to play or even like a game that centers on that. You are in your full right and perfectly valid to say "I think this is gross and uncomfortable, therefore I do not like it" or "I don't like this game because I felt personally overlooked/triggered by it" or "I don't like this game because I felt it was not fun or well written". But to say it is objectively "problematic" or "disgusting" to have a game like this exist? That is just spitting in the face of people trying to advocate for visibility of child abuse. You are doing nothing but making people like myself who felt vindicated, seen, or educated by this game like bad guys. Sincerely, please do not call a game that does not shy away from the uncomfortable realities of child abuse "problematic" based on that alone.)

(Aside aside: there are "problematic" elements in the game and things to criticize as is true of all media. The Kotoko minigame I would say is the biggest "why is this in here" moment and is definitely just a fan service scene. I don't like it either. This does not mean the game itself and as a whole is valueless or bad.)

That leads into my next point: I love how morally gray the "good" and "bad" guys are. The WoH aren't doing what they're doing (save Monaca) because they want to hurt people for the lolz (though they have fun with it, as kids would). They think what they're doing is genuinely good. It's a good way to rival Junko, who knew she was evil and batshit crazy, but didn't care. These kids think they are helping children and keeping them safe. And they're kids - young kids can't really think in very complex manners. If you were treated horribly by most adults in your life, and your peers were as well and shared the same sentiments as you, you would be 100% convinced your convictions were righteous then. Hell, I've met adults that think this way (pretty much all extremists who think anyone part of x group, race, gender, religion, etc is evil). A kid thinking this way is very realistic. They are also all different levels of "morally gray". Nagisa, for example, ends up helping Komaru because he feels that a paradise for children is more important than the sole idea of killing all adults. Meanwhile, Monaca, perhaps because of the abuse she suffered all her life, has become a person that we can assume will just enact similar abusive tactics on everyone around her till the day she dies. While it's a misconception that people who suffer abuse often turn into abusers themselves (they simply just have a higher chance to commit crimes, anything from petty crimes to violent ones) there are undoubtedly cases where this does happen. A real life example is Douglas Spinx (HUGE TW; CSA & BESTIALITY). My point is: the portrayal of abuse victims in many different lights from people who can inflict harm unintentionally but with help and intervention can make recoveries to those who, in the rarest and saddest of cases, will turn to a full life of inflicting harm on others intentionally, is important - for someone like me, at least. Without the proper care or attention, horrible things like these can happen. I find this a very important thing to be open about.

Then we have Haiji. Haiji is supposed to be a "good guy". He's cowardly, yes, but he does fight to help the adults being killed. He attempts to bolster moral. But...despite having good intentions and even doing some good things, he's kind of horrible. After all, he's the one who contributed to Monaca's abuse and made her the way she is now. He's just like the kids except reversed; he thinks all children are evil because they're the ones killing everyone. And in his position, I do think most people would feel that way. I mean, if literally every kid in your area was wearing a helmet that turned them fuckin murderous and were killing all your friends and family would you, after enduring months of this, still bother to be like "not all kids though!". Likely not. Even though it is wrong, it is still a realistic way these things would pan out, much like how it did for the WoH. I mean, for a real life example, one need not look further than one of those extremist radical feminist blogs here on Tumblr that believes every single person born male is a brute. Most of those people believe that way because they have personally been hurt by one or several males in their lives, and y'know, fear and pain leads to hate and all of that.

Speaking of, I like the brainwashing in this game far more than in DR3 the anime (spoilers for that later on but tbqh DR3 is not worth anyone's time). I never liked brainwashing as a trope - I feel it is lazy. However, in DR:AE and DR1 they're utilized pretty well. In DR1 it's literally glossed over as "does it really matter? The outcome is more important than the means" which considering DR1, moreso than any other game in the series, is a satire and is supposed to focus on absurdity, I think having the brainwashing LITERALLY be hand-waved as "eh, it just happened" makes a lot of sense thematically with the goofy writing. But as you know, as DR went on, it became more and more serious with itself (for...better and worse...) in DR:AE, I like how the brainwashing affects only the nameless children. DR3's anime was lazy by having all the main characters get brainwashed by a funny little video, both in future&despair arc. In AE, it's a helmet. I think this makes much more sense as theoretically the helmet could be attached to the actual brains of these people. Plus, as said in the game, they blow up when the controller is destroyed, giving credence to that theory. The brainwashing in AE is not a vehicle to explain why main characters act the way they do. Rather, it's just a device used to create background conflict/build up the main villains, leaving the main characters to be affected by persuasion and manipulation (the objectively better version of "brainwashing").

Circling back to the WoH, outside of their thorough portrayals of abuse and standings as "villains who think they are doing the right thing", they're just fun. Like, legit, I just think they're fun. Outside of their trauma, they aren't very complex, but that's the point. The game is a commentary about abuse and how it affects you, the people around you, and the world. The WoH are not the characters meant to be developed and complex entities who undergo deep changes - that is left to our protagonists. As most series with static characters do, they assign each member a core personality. Every Warrior of Hope has a number of traits influenced by this personality (the "sporty" one, the "smart" one, etc) that make them vastly different from each other, making them not only distinct but just fun to watch their personalities clash. After all, if they were not bonded by their trauma, they probably wouldn't be friends at all. it's honestly like a Teen Titans situation in that way, and I've always loved stuff like that. Of course, their personalities are also heavily influenced by their trauma, again a realistic depiction of how trauma can and will change who you are as a person and present itself in many facets of your actions.

I THINK that's all my MAIN points. Suffice to say, DR:AE is my favorite game in the series. I think it's the most fun, has the best character developments and dynamics, I think its story is the most emotional and deep-cutting, and it really spoke to me during a time that I needed something like this to reach me. I won't say it's the best DR game in terms of overall narrative (that honor goes to SDR2) but it comes close. And I know not everyone will feel the same way about this game that I do. Thanks for this ask; yet another reminder I need to do my bi-yearly replay of this game.

(Footnote so I don't get "so you hate waffles"'d: my bringing real-life examples into this is not to say those instances are exactly like what happens in the video game nor to say they are on the same level of importance. Obviously real life is far more important and complex than anything that could happen in a game. I only bring them up to support my points about certain aspects being realistic by using, well, real life examples.)