#that's all I got so far I lost my momentum

[batfambitches]

Timothy Jackson Drake Wayne; Red Robin:

Age: 20 (default, flexible)

Alias: Red Robin

Headcanons

Tim is Autistic

Timothy Jackson Drake was born to Jack and Janet Drake, both come from old money but well Jack was born and raised in Gotham Janet was not. When he was younger his parents were around more, and they brought him traveling with them. Once he started school they started leaving him at home, he had a nanny at first when he was younger but by the time he was 8 he had skipped 2 grades in school and they decided he didn't need a dedicated nanny. He spent his weeks boarding at school after all.

They had a driver employed for the trips to and from school on Mondays, Fridays and for holidays, a chef who came to make meals for him on the weekends and hired security on the premises even when he wasn't there. He didn't have a dedicated care taker anymore though, and it was rare that he was at home at the same time as his parents.

The last thing that he remembered doing with them as a family was going to Haly's Circus, he was so excited to see it with them after going by himself his driver was with him, but he's pretty sure he only went in with him out of pity the day before during their first show during their stop in Gotham. He didn't expect what happened with the Grayson's any more than the rest of the audience, and it eventually led him to a life he couldn't have imagined.

After that he spent most of his free time, which was a lot with absent parents and being younger than all his classmates, doing school work and obsessing over Batman and later his new prodigy. He put together pieces and figured things out, until he heard one day that Robin had been killed by The Joker. He had a pit in his stomach at that, because he knew what that meant even if others didn't. The Joker had killed Bruce Wayne's son Jason Todd.

When Batman started going off the deep end he went to find Nightwing and talk to him first, when he dismissed him he showed up at Dick's job and told him "I told you why I'm here last night." to which he was guided out to the mans car by his shoulder with an excuse of 'bringing the kid home.' From there he eventually became Robin officially a few weeks before his 13th birthday, trying his best to live up to the title but feeling like he never would. Eventually he became a part of the Teen Titans along with a few other hero friends, traveling back and forth from Titan Tower and Gotham as he was needed.

In December after his 13th birthday he was kicked out of school for missing to much time, because he had so much other stuff to do Tim came to an agreement with Bruce. He would continue to study and learn what he would be in school independently, and when he turned 16 he would take the GED test and apply for online courses for college. The reason his parents weren't notified? Bruce offered to his parents to keep an eye on him and that basically became them letting him become his temporary legal guardian.

After Damian showed up and was made Robin he felt defeated and replaceable, the taunting that he liked to do didn't help the now 14 year olds complex. Despite the fact he wasn't Batman's Robin anymore? He still went out and rebranded himself as Red Robin and working alone, the first time the other's tried to work with him after this he ignored them before explaining the next day why. They had pushed him to the side like he didn't matter, and even if they didn't mean to? He needed time after that.

He was the first one to figure out that Bruce was alive and trapped in time after he was declared dead only 6 months after Damian had come to live with him. In Bruce's absence he kept his word and took the GED test a year and a half before he was originally planning on, getting lawyers involved to allow him to do so to get it out of the way and he could focus on other things. During this time he became doing what he could to keep Wayne Enterprise running smoothly well Bruce was gone, also joining an online college and taking classes for both a business and finance degree.

Once Bruce had returned Tim stepped back at Wayne enterprise, still stepping in when Bruce needed help because he was busy with Batman things. He was only a few months into his college classes when Bruce came back and now with more time to take electives, he added a few photography classes to his roster. He finished his business and finance degrees by the time he was 18, but he kept signing up for different creative classes such as photography, design, digital editing and so on as he wanted until eventually he inadvertently had enough credits for an arts degree at 19.

His parents by now are no better then when he was younger, he saw them maybe once a year and they barley knew what he was up to unless they saw an article about him. When he turned 18 he went to Bruce with a whole power point style argument about why he should officially adopt him now that his parents couldn't argue against it, he didn't need it though and Bruce interrupted on slide 2. He told him that if he wanted to finish his presentation he could, but he didn't need to convince him and if that's what he wanted he could officially adopt him.

[ox-imagines]

Tokyo Debunker as Romance Tropes

Feel free to ask me to write a longer imagine/oneshot for any of these!

Pt. 3 | Jabberwock

Pt. 1 | Pt. 2 | Pt. 4 | Pt. 5 | Pt. 6 | Pt. 7

Haru - Love at First Sight

Haru is a very busy man. He’s always on the go, rarely ever thinking about romance because he’s got thirty-thousand other things on his mind. One day, all these things weighing on him distracted him enough that Peekaboo managed to get out of his pen, wandering off out the back door that Ren had left open again. When he realized Peekaboo was missing he almost lost it, flying into a full panic and racing out the door. He found him playing with you in a large clearing in Jabberwock, you sitting on the ground picking wildflowers and handing them to Peekaboo, who’d sort them into piles based on their color. He was so relieved he came to a dead stop on the spot, a horrid crunch coming from one of his ankles from the sudden force of his momentum. He fell over, wincing softly, and you quickly moved over toward him, asking if he was ok. When he looked up at you, his breath caught in his throat. The sun was behind you, framing you and lighting up your loose hairs like they were glowing, and you wore a soft, concerned look on your face, which as far as he was concerned may well have been the prettiest face he’d ever seen.

“I, um, I’ll be fine, it, it happens! Thank you for watching my baby, I can’t believe I let him escape… whaddya say I, uh, treat you to dinner tonight as a thank-you?”

Towa - Soulmates

Towa has always loved the idea of soulmates. Towa loves love, period. Unfortunately, his love and devotion to Haru get in the way of him finding his own soulmate. At least, until you come into his life. He thinks you’re perfect: you understand him better than anyone ever has before, you’ve got an uncanny way of keeping his rapid mood swings at bay, and soon, he listens to you and does things for you unlike he will for anyone but Haru. The two of you can often even communicate without words, you adapting to his nonverbal tendencies so well you sometimes adopt them when you’re around him. You’re a bit free-spirited, but grounded enough that his wild, free spirit is calmed around you. Even if you don’t believe in soulmates, Towa does, and he’s certain that you’re his and won’t hesitate to let you know that on a regular basis. He regularly comes to you with R&R permits asking you to go off campus with him.

“~~~. You’re the one for me, Dandelion. Please never change~”

Ren - Roommates

All things considered, Ren is a good roommate. He doesn’t really help clean, but he also doesn’t spend much time outside his room to make much of a mess in the first place. He minds his own business, he never makes much noise, and sometimes, you can convince him to play video games with you. Ren loves video games. Sometimes, Ren loves video games more than he cares about his personal space, at least considering you’re also laid-back and mind his boundaries, so every once in a while he’ll even invite you into his room to play something with him, or watch game playthrough videos. One day, he does something you wouldn’t have ever expected of him, inviting you to watch a movie with him. You agree and go make popcorn, only to realize he’d meant in his room rather than the living room. You end up sitting up at his headboard together rather than perched on the end of his bed like you usually do when you’re in there. This becomes more frequent, the space between your shoulders decreasing little by little each time, until the night you fall asleep on his shoulder. He gets flustered, not even realizing you’re asleep at first, but he can’t deny that it’s a nice feeling to have you cuddled up next to him like that.

“So, uh. There’s a new movie that came out a couple weeks ago and it’s available to rent now, do you maybe wanna watch it tonight? I know you don’t love horror stuff, but…”

[luveline]

what about a grumpy!reader / Eddie + roan. Reader is trying so hard not to let work things get to her but she ends up being a bit grumpy at home, that's when Eddie and our favorite girl Roan intervene.

Maybe. Just a thought. I just love them (and you) so much ❤️

thank you!! i love you <3 eddie and roan —your small family tries to cheer you up after a bad day. fem!reader, 1.4k

"It's a new one called the macarena," Eddie says, his hands around Roan's wrists guiding her arms into the right positions. "Macarena by maca-Roanie."

She's dancing on his thighs. You have no idea how he can cope with it. While Roan isn't a heavy girl, whenever she does it to you it makes you squirm. 

Eddie hums the song and poses Roan's arms, across her abdomen and then hands on her hips. "Hey, maca-Roanie," he sings, making her shake her hips in time with the song, bodily turning her to the left.  

She giggles at the suddenness of it, and her eyes light up with happiness when she sees you're back from the bathroom. 

"Dance with us!" she pleads, laughing more as Eddie messes up the move and quickly corrects her arms. 

"Maybe in a minute," you say, as gently as you can manage despite your foul mood. Neither of them deserve to feel shitty just because you do. 

"Now," she whines, her foot slipping off of Eddie's thigh. She runs with the momentum to the end of the couch, her hands grabbing for you. "Please! Dad will sing the song again." 

"Sorry, Ro," you say, giving her shoulder a quick rub. 

You walk over to the TV to turn down the volume a touch before collapsing with a puff into the fat armchair. Relief courses through you as you shield your eyes from the light. 

"Is she okay?" Roan whispers. 

Eddie must pull her or yank her toward him, if her little yelp and subsequent laughter is anything to go off of. "She's okay, mini me. Today's been really long, that's all."

"It feels as long as yesterday." 

"That's the problem. Come on, let's go make a cup of hot cocoa, okay? I'll show you how to do the dance again."

You're glad that they leave, though that soon melds to a bone deep guilt, kind to make you wanna get up and put on a smile and learn Eddie's new dance. You try to force yourself up. 

You sink deeper into the armchair. 

"Can I give her a hug?" Roan asks in the kitchen. She must think you can't hear her far away. 

"I'm sure she'd love that, but let's give her ten minutes, okay?" 

"Is she mad with me?" 

"No," Eddie says fondly. "She's definitely not mad at you. Just tired, babe."

"Will you toast my marshmalloweds with the flamethrower?" 

"Blowtorch," he corrects. You hear a drawer opening, a click, and Roan's impressed Woah.

I'm such a fucking dick, you think, curling into a ball. My poor loves. 

You sizzle in your bad mood, folding in on yourself as tightly as you can. They don't deserve to feel the cloud hanging over your head. Hopefully it'll blow over soon, and luckily they don't seem to mind. Eddie knows better than to think how you feel has something to do with him, or Ro, or that you'd ever take it out on them. 

You don't want work to make them feel shitty too. 

The kettle whines on the stove. You used to make cocoa in the microwave until Eddie found out about superheated water and said it was too dangerous. You can see him in your head pouring the hot water into their matching mugs, Garfield and Odie, Roan's very favourites donated from the Great Munson Mug Collection when she was a baby. Your heart hurts thinking about it 'cos usually you're standing there at the counter listening to her tell you how much she loves Odie the puppy. Eddie used to cut the Garfield strips out of every newspaper and save them in a plastic binder for her until she slowly lost interest, but the love is still there. The plastic binder is proof, tucked up on your bookshelf next to your photo albums and Eddie's records. 

"Sure you got it?" 

"Yes, daddy, I have it. Thank you for asking me." 

"Are you kidding? You're so welcome. Please don't burn your fingers." 

"I have the handle. You're doing that thing Y/N says you do with over drotectivity." 

"Over drotectivity, huh." 

"You're worrying about things more than normal dads worry and it's gonna give you chives." 

"Sweetheart." Eddie snorts, their footsteps approaching the living room. "It's called over protectiveness, and she thinks it gives me hives, not chives. Which it doesn't! I got hives one time and it was from that discount laundry detergent." 

"When Y/N put ointment on your back and said you felt like a rattlesnake!" 

You peek up from the depressed leather of the armchair your face is smushed in. Roan crosses the room with your favourite mug in her small hand, the weight of it straining her wrist. Cocoa sloshes over the side and a marshmallow rides the wave down onto the hardwood. 

"Don't slip," you say softly. 

"Won't slip," she says, grinning. Her smile is all Eddie like a master copy. "I made you cocoa in the best cup with just pink marshmalloweds 'cos the pink ones are for love." 

"What are the white ones for?" you ask.

You take the mug from her before she can burn herself. Eddie presses down on her shoulder as he sits on the floor in front of your armchair, wielding two mugs in one hand precariously. He swoops Roan into his lap and smiles at you from over her neatly coiled curls. "White ones are for making you taller." 

Roan points at her mug emphatically. "I got lots of white. I wanna sit in the front seat of the car." 

"That's a good reason," you say, slouched but not entirely collapsed in your chair, wondering why they've sat themselves at your feet and already knowing the answer. "Thank you for cocoa, Roro. I'm sorry I didn't dance with you earlier." 

Roan shrugs and leans back into Eddie's chest. He narrowly avoids scalding her, slurping a sip from the rim of his mug rather than have it pour down the side to splash her pyjama-clad shoulder. 

"That's OK. I didn't want to play Wombats with you last night and you still hugged me after teeth." 

She can be such a peculiar kid. Her vocabulary keeps growing in an explosion of mispronounciation and wrong definitions, as well as these unexpected shorthands; teeth means brushing her teeth. She'd brushed her teeth and dragged you to her room, imploring you to climb into bed with her for a half hour which you happily spent stroking her hair from her forehead and exchanging sleepy conversation. 

"Honestly, I didn't even think about Wombats. I just wanted to spend time with you," you say. 

Roan's little chin dips up and down as she nods, her hair bouncing against her cheeks. "Exactly! We don't have to dance. We can just sit down all night." 

"I like sitting down," Eddie adds. 

You lick your lips. They're too good for you, sometimes.

"Thank you, guys," you say, taking a sip of cocoa. 

Roan preens. Eddie puts his cocoa on the floor and his hand on your arm, the gap between you feeling smaller and smaller by the second, your bad mood at a low simmer rather than the roaring boil it had been. The ring on his pinky finger is distinct as his loving hand keeps you company, smothering the heat. 

They chat to one another and don't mind when you have nothing to say. All the sugar and love-flavoured marshmallows cheer you up some, enough to put down your empty mug and want a hug. 

"Come here?" you ask, laying back to make room. 

Roan makes a sound that can only be described as a rabid giggle and leaps onto the cushions. Eddie isn't far behind her, mugs forgotten and nearly kneed over as he encapsulates the two of you in his arms. 

"I'll be less grumpy tomorrow," you promise bashfully. 

"You're kinda cute when you're grumpy," Eddie says, indifferent. His smile curls against your shoulder. "Don't force it." 

"I like happy you and sad you," Roan says. 

You smile softly, tucking a silken curl of hair behind her ear. "I'm not sad," you promise, looking her in the eye and meaning every word, "I can't be sad for long with you and dad around." 

[cockslutpadalecki]

You Better Run

Summary: Once you’re on his list, there’s only one two ways off.

Characters: Sergei Kravinoff (Kraven The Hunter) x F!Reader.

Words: ~1K.

Warnings: mentions of multiple orgasms, a little blood consumption, rough sex, mostly just PWP. MINORS DNI.

A/N: Saw the trailer and became immediately feral for this man. I know it’s not much, but it’s all I got right now. Not beta’ed so all errors, spelling mistakes and general bullshit are entirely mine. While likes are gold, feedback is golden. Please support our content creators by sharing our work.

The unmistakable stench of blood is heavy in the air. A thick brew of copper and death that makes your nose itch. You try to scrunch it up to ease the sensation, but as it magnifies, you know you need more than that.

You need friction. You need your hands.

You tug against the weight around your wrists, but it fails to lessen. In fact, the pressure intensifies— tightens until you feel the bones in your wrists protesting, and a low rumble follows.

“Tryin’ to get away so soon?”

All you can do is whine in response, the deep, rippling ache between your drenched thighs ripping away your ability to speak.

The hunter fucks like he fights.

Raw. With violent precision. Every move calculated to maximize pain. But you’re grateful he’s not being driven by the need to kill you.

His needs are far more carnal than that.

More weight is forced against your back, the heady aroma of damp soil and hot sweat heavy in your nose. Can feel it wet on your skin as he covers your body with his, the weight pressing you hard against the trunk of the tree in front of you. The scrape of bark is freshly coarse on your flesh— flesh already rubbed raw by the friction of your body shunting against it with animalistic momentum.

A hand moves to cradle your jaw. Stray fingers smear cooling blood across your lips. You try to keep them out of your mouth, but he curls them inwards, encouraging your lips to purse around his probing digits.

The taste is stronger than the smell. Like rolling a dirty penny across your tongue. It initially makes you gag, but as the taste slowly fades from the back of your throat, another replaces it.

Briny. Almost sweet. The taste of you.

You’re reminded of his fingers buried in your cunt— positioned perfectly to make you surrender to his will.

Minutes was all it took for you to submit.

With some reluctance, you start to lap at his fingers, nipping your teeth along his knuckles in an attempt to stifle your moans. Your stomach tightens, rolling and twisting as you shamefully— eagerly— anticipate each thrust that follows.

Fierce grunts sound from behind you— gutturally deep and rough. “You can leave when I let you,” he tells you, his nose in your hair. He tightens his grip around your wrists, using his steel hold to pull you sharply back onto his dripping cock.

You see white. Your knees give out. You shiver and quake, wedged in like a vice as you come yet again. You’ve lost count, your brain fucked out.

“But if you keep comin’ around me like this,” he whispers, voice broken and jagged with lust, “you won’t ever be makin’ it out of my sight.”

***

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[axelsagewrites]

Heyyy! Ok so hear me out..can I request a Modern AU! Aegon x Fem! OC fic. The OC is neighbors with Aegon, Helena, Aemond, and Daeron. She’s always had a bit of a crush on Aegon but he’s always too busy drinking, smoking, having sex ( the OC’s and Aegon’s windows are directly across so the OC can see everything going on in Aegons room and even sees him fucking a girl), etc. to notice. So, the OC gravitates towards Helena and becomes Helena’s best friend. There’s also one rule the OC can never date or have sexual relations with any of Helena’s brothers. Years later (cut to Tom Glynn-Carney’s Aegon), the OC and Helena are still best friends but the OC goes to a frat party and sees Aegon, obviously oblivious to her because he sees her as his little sisters weird friend/neighbor but he accidentally OD’s. The OC manages to save him by rushing to him and getting him to a hospital. Aegon wakes up and is majorly thankful. Aegon and the OC start to become friends and then very quickly secretly date. Things get out of hand and the OC gets pregnant, and she has to tell Aegon. Aegon starts freaking out not wanting the responsibility and basically tells her to literally get rid of it. Helena finds out about the pregnancy and starts freaking out and gets super mad at the OC and leaves her. The OC tells Alicent but Alicent is way more forgiving and is shoot to have her first grandchild, and tells the OC that she is always welcome to stay if she wants. The OC feels abandoned and scared, etc. That’s all I have for this idea, it sort of just poured right out of my head lol. If you think of an ending or anything extra for the story please feel free add it, I sort of lost momentum of inspiration behind the idea towards the end ( ass you can see lol).

Aegon Targaryen*Neighbour

Pairing: modern!aegon x f!reader

Word count: 2785

Warnings: sad aegon, drunk aegon, high aegon, substance abuse, addiction, over dose, hospitals, flirty aegon, mentions of sex, mentions of pregnancy, fighting parents (nothing graphic or descriptive), one bed trope, angst

Masterlist Here

Your stomach tied itself in knots as your parents’ car stopped behind the moving truck. “Ready to see our new home?” your mum asked but your six-year-old legs were already flinging you out of the car to run up to your new front porch.

“Its huge!” You yelled as you barrelled up to the front door, your dad not far behind with keys in hand so you could run inside to go place dibs on your room.

“I pick the back room!” you called as you ran back down the stairs however your mouth quickly tightened closed when you saw the woman in the doorway. You made your way behind your dad’s leg as he laughed, placing his hand on your head.

“This is our neighbour Alicent sweetheart,”

“Hiya, its nice to meet you,” she smiled before glancing behind her and sighing, “Come inside Aegon. Show our new neighbours what we brought,” You grabbed onto your father tighter however your grip relaxed as the nine-year-old blonde boy walked in with a plate of cookies. “Why don’t you give them to the girl?”

Aegon outstretched the plate to you, and you gladly accepted the wrapped-up treats, “Thank you,” you grinned a toothy smile at the older boy who looked like he was itching to get back to the ball he’d been forced to leave behind to come say hello.

-

Aegon was your first crush however as you grew up you realised how wrong that was. When you were 12 and he 15 you became a little bit obsessed with him however you also experienced your first heart break. Your window was directly opposite from Aegon’s and one night while doing homework you looked up to see him kissing another girl. Sure, you were 12 and he barely knew you apart from you being his little sister’s best friend however you were heart broken still.

It didn’t help that the older you got the dumber he seemed to get. You were privy to all his dirty little secrets because he never remembered to close his blinds when him and his friends all shared three beers or when they passed around their first joint. It got a bit better when he went to college however the summer, he came back you had to race to close your blinds nearly every night when he’d bring a girl over.

By 18 you were completely over your crush and desperate to go to college and get away from Aegon. However, the summer before your first and Aegon’s last year of college you spent a lot of time with Heleana at her house.

Alicent had finally convinced Viserys to add a pool in during the spring and it was nice and ready the day summer break rolled around. In preparation you and Heleana had went swimsuit shopping and had even picked up pool games to play with Daeron who was now 7.

Aemond, who was 19, returned the day before Aegon and greeted you with a warm hug and an offer to fetch you a shirt, “That thing barely covers you,” he rolled his eyes as all four of you tested out the pool.

“Perv much?” you joked as you relaxed into the water as Heleana cannonballed in for the seventh time.

“Stay back Aem,” Heleana said as she swam to your side, flinging her arm over your shoulder, “She’s mine,”

You laughed at her joke, even playing into it as you always did, but Aemond scoff, “Don’t worry about me. Its Aegon your gonna have to worry about,”

“Yeah right,” you scoffed back, “he barely knows I exist,”

Heleana rolled her eyes at both of you, “Yeah right. Besides I already told her that if she gets with either of you, I will murder you both,”

You laughed at her, but Aemond decided to swim up to your side to annoy her more, “But what if she’s my one true love?” he dramatically swooned back but you decided to take it a step further and push him back into the water. Aemond came floundering back to the surface with a scowl as you both cackled, “I take it back. You can keep her,”

-

However, what you didn’t realise was Aegon decided to come home a day early and as you and Aemond were sat at the side of the pool, exhausted and wet, watching Daeron to make sure he didn’t drown Aegon was watching you through the kitchen window.

“Holy fuck,” he murmured when he saw you in your bikini, something he didn’t think you even owned. Then again, he also didn’t know that you had a figure apparently cause right now all he could think was oh damn and to make a mental note to burn all your sweatshirts.

However, Heleana had just decided to go to the kitchen for juice when she saw her brothers’ stares. “Oh, hell no,” she snapped, swatting at her brother’s shoulder.

“Hey! The fuck?”

“You are not fucking my friend- “

“I wasn’t going to- “

“Uhuh, keep it that way,” she scowled as she grabbed the jug of juice Alicent had prepared for you all, “I swear to god Aegon if you even try anything I will kill you. kill you dead.”

-

That summer was a newfound torture for Aegon. Seeing you at his house near every day in a bathing suit was a sick twisted punishment from god. Especially since even when you weren’t there you were lounging in your room in a tank top and shorts with the window cracked open. In a way it was payback it was just a shame you never caught his stares.

-

When college rolled around, he thought he was saved but that was until he saw you around campus. Yep, just both of your luck. While you did your best to look the other way anytime you saw him the longer, he saw you around campus the harder it was for him not to stare. Glow up didn’t even describe the change you had. He was mesmerised. So, in typical Aegon fashion he decided to dive into a bottle blondes’ bed and close his eyes pretending it was you on their knees in front of him.

-

One night you decided to kick back and relax. you had just handed in your last assignment before winter break and thought your first frat party would be a great way to celebrate. You and Sansa, your roommate, got all dolled up and headed to her older brother’s frat, Sansa figured it meant at least this way you knew you were both safe since Robb would be there.

The music was already blaring, the drinks flowing like waterfalls, and the dancing was questionable at best. You and Sansa had met up with a couple friends and were half dancing half talking when you felt a strong arm sling its way over your shoulder, “Look who it is!” Aegon slurred in your ear. “My favourite little neighbour,” he said, his drunken hand moving to squish your cheeks.

You pushed him off of you as you turned round while your friends shared a concerned look. Youd never told them you knew the best tight end of the football team after all. “Hey Aegon. You all good?” you asked, eyes squinting when you saw how bloodshot his were.

“Yeah totally,” he said, his eyes searching the room at a million miles an hour, “Hey I was thinking you should- “he started to say, putting his arm around your shoulder again when Robb came over, “Hey man!” he said, leaving your side to bear hug Robb.

“Hey buddy,” Robb said as he pushed Aegon to arms distance, “You are doing, okay?”

“Never better,” Aegon said, his body now swaying. Robb pulled him in, whispering something in his ear with a stern face before helping him to walk towards the stairs.

Sansa looked to you with a disgusted face, “What a riot,” she said, all the girls agreeing with her, “Can’t believe you need to deal with him,”

“Yeah. He’s a good guy though. Deep down I think,” you said, remembering all the time Heleana told you about their parents screaming matches where Aegon would take them into the basement to have a movie night. Or how his father locked him outside after he failed an exam. Hell, you’d seen the sleeping around and drinking get worse ever since Viserys had died five years ago.

Your friends laughing snapped you out of your thoughts. “Ill be back guys,” you said, heading to the stairs to try find him.

As you searched the corridors you knocked on each door and received a “occupied,” called back at you. that was till you got to this door. you knocked but no one replied. Something didn’t feel right though so you knocked again, “Aegon?” you called but there was no response. Something inside you wouldn’t let you leave so you took a deep breath and tried the door handle.

The door slowly crept open, and you felt your skin flush cold, “Aegon!”

-

You weren’t sure why you got in the back of the ambulance or why you stayed at the hospital while the doctors took him back, but you almost cried in relief when they said you could see him. He looked as white as a ghost, his lips dried and cracked, dark red rings around his eyes, as he laid in the hospital bed.

“Aegon?” you whispered, half wondering if he was dead since he defiantly did not look alive.

“Where am I?” he murmured, his eyes struggling to open, “What happened?”

“Careful,” you said, moving to stop him from sitting up. Aegon’s eyes finally opened, and he stared up at you in shock as you sat on the side of his hospital bed, “You’re in the hospital. You had an overdose,” you told him, figuring it was best to tell him sooner than later.

A million thoughts looked like they were buzzing behind his eyes, but he only asked one thing, “Did they call my mom?”

-

Aegon begged you not to tell his family. apparently, he’d deliberately changed his emergency contact to his father’s number when he fell into a coma so that no one would ever receive a call. This of course made you press on how many times things like this happened and you never seen him look so ashamed.

“Let me help you,” you begged, “We can get you into therapy and- “

“I don’t need it- “

“Damn it Aegon!” you snapped, “You’re lying in a hospital bed with tubes coming out of you and you don’t think there’s a fucking problem?” his head dropped, his eyes welling with tears, and you felt your heart drop. You sighed, your own tears building, “I’m sorry Aegon I just-I just worry about you. I want you to be happy and healthy and just- I want you to get better,” you said, reaching for his hand.

Aegon took yours, squeezing it gently but you knew it took way more strength than you could imagine, “Thank you,” he whispered, his voice hoarse and threatening to break, “for coming to find me. If I was you, I wouldn’t have,”

“It’s a good thing you’re not me then,” you joked, and you saw a tiny smile crack onto his lips, “but the only way I won’t tell your family is if you do something about it. otherwise, you’re gonna leave me no choice,”

-

Aegon took your words to heart and with a little push from you and help from the hospital he had a therapist within a couple of weeks. Turns out when he’s not out drinking and whoring, he’s actually a pretty chill guy. You began to hang out and even when you went back home for winter break, he kept texting you nonstop. While Heleana found it weird her brother was suddenly so close with you, she was also just relieved to see him sober.

Still, you tried to take a step back, but you found yourself weirdly missing him. You ended up going back to college together in his car to save your parents the trip and took turns driving. The whole way you were both scream singing Taylor swift or giving dramatic renditions of Lana del ray songs. Then you realised the sun was setting.

“There’s a motel 3 miles up. Do you want to just stop? I hate driving at night,” you said and Aegon agreed before turning cruel summer back up to full blast.

You both grabbed a couple things out the car before heading into the classic movie run down looking hotel. The receptionist was halfway through her cigarette and the whole room screamed the 60s with faded orange polka dot walls. “Hey, can we get two rooms?” Aegon asked as he fished out his credit card.

She tapped her long red nails at the ‘cash only’ sign before turning to the computer as you know both pulled out whatever cash you had. “Sorry Hun we only half one room,”

You felt your cheeks tinge as Aegon awkwardly cleared his throat, “Is it a twin?”

“Nope it’s a double,” she said as she peered over her glasses at you both, “Is that gonna be a problem?”

Aegon glanced at you but the idea of driving any further as your eyes were barely staying open made you grab his cash and slam it on the counter, “We’ll make it work,”

-

The room was as nice as you could expect. Though you did make Aegon triple check it for murderers as you guarded the door. “All safe. So…” he said, words trailing off as he looked at the bed.

You sighed as you dumped your stuff on the ground, “So,” you said as you plopped on the bed.

“I could sleep in the car- “

“Just get in the bed Aegon,” you sighed as you pulled off your trainers, “I mean we’ve known each other for years,”

He nodded but paused for another moment before asking once more, “Are you sure? Cause I get if you want me to sleep on the floor,”

You laughed a little at his words as you finally kicked off your shoes. “Its fine. Promise. I trust you,” you began to take off your jumper when you realised, he hadn’t said anything, “You okay?”

“Yeah,” he said as if snapping out of a daze, “Just can’t think of a time someone said that” he said it like a joke, but you could see in his eyes it wasn’t.

As tempting as it was to make a joke to try lightening the mood you just gave him the best smile you could before excusing yourself to the bathroom to get ready for bed. Aegon went in after you and as he was sorting himself out you took off your bra and jeans and slipped under the sheets in just your shirt.

Aegon came back a couple minutes later as you scrolled your phone. Silently he took off his shirt and you did your best not to stare or even look but it was near impossible. Him slipping under the covers however snapped you out your daze when you felt his almost bare, bar his boxers, legs brush against yours.

You glanced over at him and saw his cheeks tinged a bright pink as he cleared his throat, “You tired?” he asked, staring at the ceiling.

You smiled a little at him. After all it had been you acting like that for years without him ever noticing. “A bit. You?” he just hummed in response. You sighed before rolling onto your side facing him, “Aegon?”

“Yeah?” he replied as he turned to face you, his nose accidentally brushing yours in the process. You could feel his breath fanning your face as his eyes bore into yours. up close you could really see the lilac in them.

You weren’t sure who leaned in first, but you felt his soft lips press against yours as his hands trailed up your sides. Your hands found his white, blonde hair, admiring how soft it was as your mouths mixed. You knew your best friend would kill you if she ever found out but suddenly that didn’t feel important.

-

Dating your best friend’s brother in secret at a university across state was wrong. You knew it, Aegon knew it, if Heleana knew about it, she’d scream it, but you couldn’t stop yourself. Suddenly every waking moment was spent with Aegon. Everything was going perfectly bar the little white lie you kept from Heleana.

That was until the two pink lines showed up in the bathroom.

Part two here

General taglist: @strvngestark @headinfantasy @meg-ro @427120lxld @obx-josie18 @ravenmoore14 @tessakate @justtilly @jjkjbhj @clairacassidy @valeskafics

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[badsongpetey]

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 |

The Water Guardian (aka Cryptid Keith AU) Part 10

The irony of climbing, at least for Lance, is that it makes it hard to talk, and talking is his forte. Well, maybe that’s not the actual irony, which is for once in Lance’s life, he’s glad for a reason to stay silent.

The cliff is moderately challenging, it wouldn’t be so bad with ropes or at least chalk for his hands, but as it is, it’s taking a good deal of his concentration not to misstep, and to keep up with Keith. Gone is Keith’s hesitance and fear, replaced by something intense, something urgent, and Lance is doing his best not to fall too far behind.

If he’s being honest, he’d kind of hoped getting out a bit would help Keith shake off his nerves. The Keith he’s grown to know is far from timid. He’s brave, and smart, and kind, and.. FUCK! Lance’s hand slips with his concentration just as he’d shifted his weight and now he’s dangling by the other hand over 100 feet up.

“LANCE!” Keith yells from above him. “Lance! I’m coming!”

Lance grunts and uses the momentum of his swing to grab onto another handhold and stabilize himself.

“I’m okay.” He says through clenched teeth. “I…” he grunts again, louder, as he pulls himself up to the next foothold, “… I got this.”

He hears something move over the rocks above him, and then suddenly Keith is right next to him, eyes wide with fear. “Lance! Are you hurt?”

Lance scoffs. Here he is, winded and clutching the cliff face like a long lost lover, and this asshole doesn’t even have the grace to be out of breath. “I’m okay, hot shot. Don’t get your mullet in a twist.”

Keith makes a sour face at that, but doesn’t move from Lance’s side.

“I’m okay. I just need a sec, just to catch my breath.”

Keith nods and lets out a breath, purely from relief and not exertion Lance jealously notes. “Guess that makes me King of the Cliffs.”

The guffaw that takes over Lance is completely unfiltered. “Oh my god, this isn’t a competition!”

Keith sniffs thoughtfully, “I agree, you really haven’t been much competition.”

“I think I liked you better when you hid from me.” Lance laughs.

“Ah,” Keith says softly, still close, “I think that’s not true at all.”

Lance’s breath catches. This close Keith’s eyes are swirling galaxies of violet and flame, and he can’t imagine any creature, human or dragon, could have eyes more beautiful. Then those eyes turn to look up.

“I think we’re over halfway there. I could carry you…”

“YOU CANNOT!” Lance sputters. “I do not need to be carried, by you, or anyone, anywhere. I’m fine. I’m great. I can carry myself, thank you. Not.”

Keith blinks and chuckles. “Okay, okay, I’m sorry to suggest your majesty is anything but completely self-reliant.”

“Ah-HA! See! You acknowledge my victory!” Lance shouts, triumphant.

Keith slides away, giving Lance room to move. “Yeah, yeah, King of the Falls.”

“Your Majesty.” Lance corrects.

Keith shakes his head. “Does it offend his royal ego if I hang back and climb, so very painfully slowly, next to him?”

“His highness is offended by the wording of the offer, not the offer itself.” Lance sniffs, holding back a smile.

Keith sighs theatrically, “I’ll take what I can get.”

Lance doesn’t stop the smile as he resumes climbing, grateful to have Keith by his side for more reasons than he can spare the brainpower to think about.

Continued on:

[bambi-slxt]

🤍𝐇𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐔𝐩 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐚𝐢𝐭🤍

𝕞𝕒𝕥𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕨 𝕤𝕥𝕦𝕣𝕟𝕚𝕠𝕝𝕠 𝕩 𝕗𝕖𝕞

word count: 500+

genre/tropes: friendship, fluff

warnings: none <3

notes from bambi: cute little blurb before bed - thank you so much for 400+ followers! you guys are the sweetest.

“Matt, come on! We’re gonna miss it!” I pulled him through the door and shadows raced over his wide smile. “Hurry up!” If my panting punctuated my words, my laughter accented them–I felt breathless from exhilaration. 

The grime-covered walls blurred past as I sprang over scrap piles and spreads of junk with Matt in tow, holding as tightly to his hand as he held mine. Rounding a corner, I saw the stairs–perfect. We bounded up the steps. I ignored the barking pain in my thighs, knowing the reward far outweighed the setbacks. 

“It’s right up here, right?” Matt asked, pushing off a wallet the landing to give himself momentum. 

“Yes, hurry,” I begged, flashing my still-joyous smile at him. He shook his head and broke into a sprint as I followed close at his heels.

 The parking garage lost power years ago and now its’ lights lay dormant, dusty, and decrepit. Still, I tried the switch on the wall just in case.

Nothing. 

Not surprising, and anyway, fluorescents ruined the experience.

“We’re almost there,” I gasped out. Adrenaline rushed through my brain and I felt light-headed. Matt chuckled and tugged me along the concrete walls. We jumped over a crumbling parking stop, fighting the incline, turning the corner, there’s the ladder, hurry, hurry, hurry, up, up, go go go go go GO-

And there it was.

The roof.

BOOM!

Green and blue sparkled against the backdrop of the night sky, glittering with fire and smoke.

“They just started!”

“Fuck yeah.”

CRACKLE!

Dissipation.

“Fucking fireworks, Matt.”

“I know,” he said, leaning on my shoulder to catch his breath, blue eyes drawn helplessly to the sparkling abyss above.

“I can’t believe we made it up here,” I breathed.

“The fact that the cop didn’t catch us was wild.”

“Or the concierge!”

“I thought for sure, for sure, she was gonna get you.”

FEEEEEE-

“Dude, I know! And the fucking alarm?”

“Oh my god, the fucking alarm-”

BOOM!

Pink lit up the air, dancing wildly across my vision.

“Holy shit.”

CRACKLE!

Dissipation.

“This is easily the best place to watch them.”

“No, literally. I used to come up here all the time when I was younger, all of us would.”

“Yeah?” Matt turned to me.

“Yeah!” I said, “We would pack camp chairs and blankets and a cooler for water and sandwiches and stuff, and we’d get some bug spray and head up here to watch them fire off over the harbor.” I laughed, memories resurfacing. “My cousins took their speaker one year and we got here early, and by the time the fireworks started, all the other kids were dancing with us.”

FEEEEEE-

“Here comes another one.”

“I’m guessing yellow, wh-”

BOOM!

Orange burst across the water and rained down like meteors.

“Fuck.”

“It’s kinda yellow?”

CRACKLE!

Dissipation.

“We forgot the water,” Matt said with a groan.

“Shit.”

“It’s downstairs, on the hotel lady’s desk.”

I scoffed. “You’re kidding.”

“No ma’am.”

“Jesus,” I giggled, holding my stomach.

“But, hey, at least we made it up here!”

FEEEEEE-

“Green!”

“Again?”

BOOM!

I laughed in Matt’s face as brilliant purple lit up his scowl. “You’re bad at this.”

“Shut up.”

CRACKLE!

Dissipation.

request to be on the taglist under this post right here

tags: @pinksturniolo @malirosee @st7rnioioss @nonat-111 @cindylcuwho @evie-sturns @h3arts4harry @fanficsbymia @dazednmatthews @sturniolo-rat @mattsmad @sturniolo04 @bellasturn @blahbel668 @yomamaslays4lyfe @stasiesturn

[eagleeyecherrypie]

Dickkory fans were robbed and malnourished: a rant

Being a fan of Richonne and watching how The Ones Who Live played out really makes me see how absolutely starved we were as Dickkory fans. I finished TOWL with mixed emotions. On the one hand I was over the moon with happiness. On the other, I was sad and jealous…of myself. What I mean is, the part of me that is a Dickkory fan was savagely jealous of the Richonne fan in me. One was over here fat and happy while the other was counting her ribs again. Both shows had the same potential with the chemistry between their two leads being off the charts. TOWL showed us what could have been while Titans left me wanting and there is no excuse for it.

Exhibit A:

I’ve lost count of how many times Rick declared his undying love for Michonne both in actions AND (very importantly) in words. I mean, I’m so full I’m about to pop.

It literally got to a point like “Dude we get it. She’s the air you breathe and you can’t imagine your life without her. Okay, okay.”

We. Were. FED!!

Exhibit B (or as a lesser man might say, Number 2):

Meanwhile Dickkory fans (me included) are/were over here living off crumbs and trying to find meaning in anything and everything. We all became experts in body language and read into everything we could just to add substance to their story:

“See, every time she touches him he short circuits. Dude is down bad”

Or “When he paused and sighed while mentioning her boyfriend that one time, that means he’s so in love with her that it pains him to imagine her with someone else”

Even the actual “love confession” was weak in my opinion. Far too passive.

I know Titans was not a love story but the man couldn’t have just said the words one time? Or at least used his actual words to discuss how he felt about seeing their baby from the future.

Don’t get me wrong, we got the occasional full bites instead of crumbs, but I would argue that this made the situation even worse. They got our hopes up. We got a glimpse of what could have been.

The show should have just kept all of that instead of teasing us with a love story so RICH with potential only to let us down again and again. They basically either completely ignored it or just keep dangling it in our faces until the final credits rolled. Not to mention the absolute travesty of the wasted chemistry between two actors. Brenton and Anna did the best they could with what they were given. I believe the few crumbs we got were mostly coming from them trying to drive the story along. We all loved the build up in season 1 (the GOAT) but they (the writers) completely lost momentum.

I could even forgive some of this if they just ran out of time to tell the story (again, I get it, Titans wasn’t a love story), but the truth is that they wasted so much time on unnecessary and frankly boring storylines:

🥱

🙄Why? What were the writers actually trying to accomplish here? Who or what was holding them back from greatness?

In conclusion:

Fan fiction is the only thing that got me through with Titans. (Shout out to the ones who held it down with those BTW. I’ve pretty much read them all.) Meanwhile, I personally haven’t read even one story about Rick and Michonne because there is zero need. I left fully satisfied with zero notes. Their story is complete.

Le sigh 😔

[thearchercore]

I totally agree with you that it feels like a weird mockumentary/very meta because they're filming during actual races with the actual drivers there whose terrible race weekends are being immortalized in a movie.

However, my additional two cents: If they completely made the movie from scratch and everything was a re-creation - no real F1 drivers or cars, etc. they'd have to have multiple fake F1 cars made to race each other, multiple actors cast for other driver roles, and honestly? I wouldn't trust them to make it good LOL. It would probably be full of super fake looking cars and completely wrong racing lines and actors who don't look like they could fit in an F1 car. At least currently it looks very real, even though it's almost too real.

Also, sadly, I know we're all criticizing this so far, but ultimately this movie isn't made for us. It's again made for people who know nothing or very little about F1. Brad uttering the words 'build it for combat' told me everything I needed to know. For viewers who aren't into F1, I'm sure it will seem like a very impressive and accurate looking movie.

All we will get out of the movie is pointing out everything they got wrong, and being in the know of easter eggs when real F1 drivers/information is shown.

As F1 fans I think we unfortunately have to lower our expectations.

i never had expectations to begin with but are we sure non f1 fans would tune in? like yes, brad pitt is an appealing factor for the middle aged audiences but if a movie has no clear plot, no extensive marketing, and no clear word of mouth recommendation effect, the title could get easily lost once released.

what's being proven now is that movies that do well in the box office need to build a momentum, a FOMO effect in the viewer that makes the screening of the movie an event they cannot miss.

if the f1 movie does not step up its game in that sense, i dont see it doing well enough to break even. especially when the drivers themselves (that could be a big marketing force if used well), dont seem too onboard with the movie lol

[burinazar]

I’m on a three day road trip with my sister with the chief goal of rehoming my rats annd auxiliary goals of visiting some people I know and also spending time (like, the two of us) together. I drove, ahem, several hundred miles today. (For a fun game try guessing how many hundreds. It’s probably more than you think.) The forward leg is nearly finished; we’ll be dropping off the rats at their lovely new home tomorrow morning and then coming back at a slightly more leisurely pace and visiting people i know along the way over the next two days.

I’m a swirl of emotions; rat ownership has been such an important part of my life for the last decade. I’ve never known my adult self as a non rat owner. But I decided last year it was time to give my heart a break after the current group, and then decided earlier this year (once I found out I got a position abroad) that the best thing for these particular girls was rehoming them to my amazing friend’s mischief before I went, and all of that is what I know is the right decision at this time for me and the rats. But I’m going to miss having rats so much. So much. I’m pretty sure I will again someday. I really do love them.

Also, on the last portion of today’s drive we got caught in tornado weather and it was the most terrifying and stressful driving experience of my life. I’ve always found storms immensely fascinating but this was the first time I felt genuine fear from one.

…

Now this was obviously A Bad Thing to have happened lol, and a mostly coincidental one on top of that, unrelated to like, anything I actually decided to do. And the end of rat ownership is, if not exactly A Bad Thing an extremely bittersweet thing. But it’s…being hammered in for me today that the inertia based manner in which I’ve lived my life for a long time is probably over for the foreseeable future. There’s probably not going to be a single empty “just exist and float forward and follow the path of least resistance” day between now and whenever the hell I manage to get used to living in Japan. Things are potent and uncertain in a way I think they haven’t been since the first half of college.

That’s scary, and it could turn out badly (arguably most of the Things from back then that were exciting for the forward momentum they conferred upon me turned out badly), but it’s also exciting. My heart was pounding in absolute fear today in a way I could actually feel in my chest, as the sky turned colors I’d never seen it. I was terrified and obviously I’m not happy that happened to us as but I’m also trying to remember last time I felt anything like that, the fear which reminds you that you don’t want to die, especially potent to anyone who remembers the passive feeling of not caring what happens to you or wishing something would take away your choice and quietly end it all for you. And I’m lying in bed tonight writing this on my phone and wiping off tears that are welling up thinking of the rats I’ve loved and lost and the ones that are leaving me now, and all told I’m reminded I am still alive and not the block of interwoven self fulfilling prophecies and mental inertia I am capable of imitating for years on end. I am still a person for whom things are happening. It sounds stupid to realize but on some level I just believed everything interesting that was ever meant to happen to me was far in the past. But as long as I’m breathing changes can come into my life (and I am, and they will). It all goes on, and so can I.

[vermilionskiinmorning]

Too Sweet || F!Resist Durge || Durgtash & GalexDurge

Note: This immediately follows my last Durge fic called Abandoned which you can read here. Warning, this includes some semi-spicy content, but like nothing too spicy because that's just not my forte, but I hope it's alright. Anyway, what kind of interactions would you guys be interested in next? I've got several things planned so far, but I'm also open to ideas

Pairing: DurgexGale & DurgexEnver

Words: 4318

------

The door she’d opened into the back wall of Sharess’s Caress spit Feravel out onto the ground in more of a heap than she’d intended. Then she had been falling when she cast the door so being in one piece was a start. There had been a moment of fear when she wondered if the momentum of falling would pitch her off the scaffolding walkway, but she managed to steady herself before tumbling too far. Quickly righting herself, lest someone see her less than smooth escape from the archduke, Feravel took a few calming breaths.

“You were mine.”

It echoed in her mind bringing forth a whirl of images, but all passed too rapidly for her to grasp hold of anything tangible. Feravel rubbed her forehead trying to stave off the on coming headache. One day, she hoped this throbbing pain would fade. Maybe when she’d made enough new memories that the ones she lost no longer troubled her. Until then, she just had to carry on as best she could.  Tucking her hands into her pockets, she began making her way back toward the lower city.

Slipping back in to her group’s shared quarters at the Elf Song was an easy feat. Though it was late, the tavern below still hummed with energy. There was plenty of noise to cover the click of the door and her footsteps once inside. A cursory glance around the room told her most of her companions were already asleep, but a few of them must still be down in the tavern enjoying the evening -judging by their empty beds. However, in front of the fire on the floor sat Gale slumped half against one of the armchairs with Scratch’s head resting on his knee. Next to him was a half empty bottle of wine and two glasses -only one of them had been used and still sat half full. Gale’s breaths were slow and deep, but she couldn’t imagine he was comfortable.

Had he been waiting for her? He was the one who’d said he needed time to think. She had only wanted to allow that for him by staying away.

As she looked at Gale’s peaceful face, she couldn’t help but wonder if she was Gale’s and if she was, did he still want her to be. They were together, loved each other surely and were forever bonded by that night in the weave when they'd shared everything -as well as the more physical evenings they’d shared together. Bonded was how Gale described their relationship though. It hadn’t occurred to her before that she wanted him to be hers or to be his in any official sense though. They were what they were. There was hardly much time on the road to worry about that sort of thing anyhow. Was it because they’d reached some civilization that she was thinking about it? Or was she now feeling insecure after the claim Gortash made?

“Mine.” Feravel whispered to herself.

Possessiveness ran through her as she uttered the word. Oddly, it made the urge sing in her blood just as surely as her heart did with happiness.

Scratch’s ear twitched at the sound of her voice and slowly he opened his eyes to gaze up at her. His tail wagged happily. Unfortunately, Scratch’s tail was in range of hitting Gale’s arm and before Feravel could make herself scarce the wizard was groggily opening his eyes as well. Instinctively she froze. She hadn’t a hope of escaping unseen when she was so close to him.

“What is it Scratch? Do you need out?” Gale asked the dog groggily.

The dog whined and nudged Gale’s hand in her direction. She shot the beast a look of pure betrayal -all the times she’d slipped him treats and rubbed his belly. Scratch just wagged his tail and Feravel felt certain he would’ve laughed at her if he could as he padded away. She’d remember that next time he came sniffing around her pack.

“Fera?” Gale murmured.

“Sorry! I didn’t mean to wake you. Well I sort of did, you looked really uncomfortable. I’d hate for you to have neck cramps tomorrow from sleeping all wonky. You know, when your bed is just over there…” She blurted out. “I’ll go…get some rest, Gale.”

It seemed to take a few seconds for Gale’s sleep addled mind to catch up with her hastened words. Feravel was already turning to make her escape, cheeks burning, when Gale stood and grabbed her by the hand. Halting mid step, she turned back hesitantly to face him.

“Don’t! Don’t go.” He said softly. “I was unnecessarily harsh with you this afternoon. It was unfair of me to hold you responsible for the actions of your past self -a self you can not even remember! Whatever sins you committed in the past; they’re not your’s -not the Feravel I know. After all, despite your dark urge, I've never known you to be the sort of person capable of such things -not of your own will. And who in the world would expect...betrayed in the eleventh hour of an evil plot isn’t usually the secret behind mysterious memory loss."

He paused a moment.

"I swore to help you find a way to free yourself from the urge and I stand by that. It was just, in that moment, I was -I was over come…”

Feravel opened her mouth to speak.

“Please, let me finish?” Gale raised his hand, pleading with her to wait. “That bastard…the way he acted as if he knew you.”

Gale’s expression darkened. Feravel thought he had to be thinking about the interaction with Gortash at the coronation. She bit the inside of her cheek nervously.

“For a moment, it felt like you were this stranger Gortash was describing…”

It surprised her to see Gale’s fingers slowly icing over as his ray of frost cantrip seemed to be forming -as if he could strike at Gortash all the way from there. She reached tentatively for Gale’s clenched fist, lightly taking it in her hands. Her thumb brushed over his knuckles soothingly.

“Gale…?”

He seemed abruptly to return to himself and the ice immediately disappeared from his hand.

“My apologies, I meant only that I’m sorry for my behavior towards you, my dear. I hope you can forgive my transgression?” He turned his hand so that he was holding hers in his palm and covered them with his other hand.

Guilt twisted sharply in her gut. Of course Gale’s expression was open and honest as he always had been ever since he’d shown her his past. They’d had no secrets since then. It was hard for her to actively have secrets anyway when her life felt like a nearly blank slate. Blank aside from the urge and glimpses of Gortash.

Enver Gortash who she’d just let kiss her up in his fortress. She hadn’t even been able to respond but for her surprise in the audience hall. In his office though, she’d been an active participant. If killing Gortash wasn’t already on their agenda, she was sure from the look in Gale’s eye, he would’ve strongly argued to add it after today.

A cold feeling of emptiness settled in Feravel’s gut at the idea of Enver being dead. Though it was chased away by the warm feeling of Gale’s hand on her cheek tilting her face up to look at him. He still held her hands in the one not cupping her cheek and he looked concerned.

“Fera, please say you forgive me?”

Without hesitation, she replied. “Of course I forgive you Gale.”

“That is a relief.” His face relaxed into an easy smile. He brushed his thumb affectionately along her cheek. “When you didn’t come back, I can’t say I didn’t fear you might not. Whether through your own choice or that something had happened to you…Orin’s assassins.”

“I’m here. I’m safe.”

Gale squeezed her hands quickly before releasing her to stride over to a nearby table. The tray of food it held had completely slipped her notice so focused she was on the dark haired wizard.

“I had this sent up a few hours ago. If you’re hungry? I cannot say the flavor is as expertly crafted as what I myself might’ve done, but it is passable and fresh at least. I had hoped we could eat together and discuss our plans for tomorrow.”

She couldn’t say she was hungry anyhow after the veritable feast Gortash had laid out. Not that she could easily tell Gale that.

“Ah, I picked something up at a stall actually.” She flashed him a half regretful smile when his face fell marginally. “But we could still have a drink?”

“Yes! I was able to procure a rather excellent vintage you should love.”

Gale swiftly fetched the bottle and glasses from where they’d been forgotten before the fire.

“Wine?” She asked with a slight hint of humor.

“But of course, you know my weakness, and with a proper selection available I couldn’t help myself. One never knows which day might be their last in such uncertain times. Best to enjoy what time and small pleasures we have.”

He poured a fair measure into the goblet for her and kept the half empty one for himself. They both took seats at the small table and were silent for a time enjoying each other’s company and the wine. Feravel reached across the table and took Gale’s hand again. He smiled at her and gave her fingers a gentle squeeze.

“Tomorrow then?” She prompted.

“Ah yes! Sorceress Sundries! No better place in the Gate to find all manner of magical artifacts and tomes. There’s not doubt they’ll have a volume or two tucked away on Netherese magic which could allow us to better understand the crown.”

Feravel furrowed her brow. She wasn’t sure she liked his time much when he referred to the crown. Curiosity was natural. Even she couldn’t say she wasn’t intrigued by its magical power, but she was also wary of its potential for destruction. All magic had an equal and opposite force. The weave…and the shadow weave. Conjuration and abjuration magics. Gale knew this, but he'd been tempted by this same prospect before. Her eyes fell to the spot she knew the mark of the orb was branded into his chest. Hidden just out of sight, much the same as the danger it presented. Had stabilizing the orb robbed him of the lesson he'd learned? She prayed not. 

“Of course…”

He didn’t seem to notice how unsure she sounded and went on to discuss further about the many things they might find at the shop. Even musing over the possibility of healing magics they'd yet to learn of or consider in regard to her own problem. Feravel knew they were unlikely to find anything which might combat the urge though.

“Isn’t this place owned by that wizard who was looking for the Nightsong?” She furrowed her brow in thought -having only just then remembered.

Since they’d discovered the Nightsong was infact a person, or rather an Aasimar, Dame Alyin, Feravel hadn’t really thought much about the adventurers who’d been searching for the mysterious artifact.

“You’re right! I suppose we ought to speak with him while we’re there then as well. Lorroakan, I believe he’s called, I’m not familiar with him myself. We’ve never run in the same circles.”

“Yeah…I wonder if he didn’t know the Nightsong wasn’t an artifact all along.”

Gale frowned. “I suppose it would be wise to be cautious then.”

Feravel nodded then her eyes fell to her glass. It was almost empty. There was more in the bottle, but if they were to be up early she didn’t think it wise to indulge further.

“Perhaps we should take Lae’zel or Shadowheart with us then? I think Karlach and Halsin (maybe Wyll too?) are accompanying Astarion to scope out Cazador’s palace before we make any moves in that regard…”

“Karlach’s going?” Gale asked, sounding a tad amused.

“I think she’s the muscle incase anything goes wrong.” Said Feravel with a chuckle -imagining Karlach attempting to sneak around a vampire's palace undetected. “Or look out. I’m not sure, but I got the feeling she’s meant to fetch us if things go wrong and or seem especially dire.”

“Ah yes of course.”

A few beats of silence passed where they just smiled. It felt almost like they were alone.

“Gale?”

“Yes love?”

Her heart fluttered.

“What will we do after this is over?”

Gale didn’t respond at once. He looked down at their entwined fingers thoughtfully. It felt like he was choosing his words with great precision.

“Would you return home with me, to Waterdeep?”

“I hope you don’t intend to return to your life as a recluse?” Feravel asked.

Gale’s chuckle broke some of the tension that has built between them. “Oh no! With the orb stabilized there’s no need for that, but I could put in for a position at Blackstaff. I believe I might’ve heard about a retiring professor or two.”

He didn’t sound entirely sure, more that he was considering it only now as a possibility.

She hummed thoughtfully. “Teaching would suit you…and what would I do?”

Gale tapped the back of her hand thoughtfully.

“Well is there anything you’d like to do?”

Feravel hadn’t really considered it much. The threat of there being no tomorrow often interrupted any such ideas. She had entertained a few though.

“I might like to open a shop…?” She tested it as though she wasn’t sure whether it fit or not. “With a workshop.” She wasn’t sure why. Tinkering wasn’t exactly her area of expertise, but it just seemed right. “I think I’d still like to adventure though. Search for rare magical items and such?”

Gale smiled, hopefully. “And you’d live with me?”

Feravel’s heart clenched. She’d never had a home. None that she could remember any how. The closest thing she had would be her tent at camp, but that wasn’t a home so much as a place to sleep and a vague collection of her belongings. She had a feeling that where ever she lived and stayed as the Chosen of Bhaal wouldn't exactly be anything she'd now consider a home.

“At your tower?”

“Where else?” Gale asked.

“It’s your home. You’d share it with me?” She asked.

Gale furrowed his brow. “Of course!”

A broad grin split across her face as Feravel all but launched herself across the table to kiss Gale. He was momentarily shocked by her sudden onslaught, but she could feel him smile against her lips as his brain caught up. Their kiss was short but filled with passion which was perfunctorily interrupted by Gale attempting to draw her closer and accidentally knocking his goblet from the table instead. Thankfully it had been empty.

Reluctantly they broke apart.

“I suppose I might be able to take that as a yes then?”

She laughed. “Yes!”

“I know it’s late, but come sit with me awhile?” Gale gestured to where he’d been seated beside the fire when she arrived.

Wordlessly, Feravel followed him and took a seat at his side where he immediately wrapped his arm around her shoulder drawing her close. The familiar comforting scent of parchment, birch and lavender surrounded her as she leaned against him. It was so uniquely Gale that she could’ve identified it anywhere.

“I love you.” She said.

Turning to him, she found him smiling as he always did when she said as much. It made her heart soar.

“And I you.”

He lifted her chin to kiss her. When he made to withdraw though, she followed, deepening the kiss instead. Her tongue traced along his lip teasingly to which he conceded without a hint of protest. Gale slid his hand from her chin along her jaw to where it met her ear. Feravel made a soft sound of satisfaction into his mouth. She maneuvered herself from her place beside him and into his lap as gracefully as she could manage without breaking the kiss. He stifled his chuckle at her scrambling by kissing a trail from her lips along the other side of her jaw. A breathy exhale slipped past her lips and she shifted in his lap to get closer which caused him to nip her neck and shush her quietly.

He ran his hands over her thighs to her hips which he gripped firmly as he leaned forward lowering her back onto the rug. She rested her hands on either side of his neck as she tried to steady her breathing. Gale’s usually bright eyes were darkened and his gaze on her felt like oxygen to a flame, feeding the fire building inside her.

“Gale.”

“I know.” He whispered.

She glanced in the direction she knew their friends to be sleeping. A silent war beginning in her mind. Could they be quiet enough that it wouldn’t wake anyone? Her eyebrow arched at Gale. Wordlessly posing the question to him.

Before he could make any indication one way or another, they hear footsteps out in the hall that were drawing closer. One of the others who’d still been downstairs by the fact they weren’t bothering to hide their presence. An attacker or intruder would have gone to greater lengths to approach undetected. Feravel cursed under her breath as she irritably disentangled herself from Gale who only looked marginally less annoyed by the interruption. It seemed like it took an age for the door to open with the fire Gale had stoked racing through her veins, but when it did Feravel thought she could strangle Astarion who sauntered in looking like he had no care in the world.

“Evening darling and Gale.” Astarion said, grinning at them. “So good to see you weren’t murdered on your little jaunt around town. Our poor wizard was terribly worried.”

Feravel opened her mouth to retort, but snapped it shut for fear of raising voice at him and waking people in her annoyance at him. Astarion poorly hid his smirk behind his hand as his gaze flicked between her and Gale. The bastard knew exactly what he'd been interrupting. Gale for his part seemed to have regained control of himself and just looked rather tired.

“Well…I’ll see you in the morning. Don’t stay up too late.” He winked and strode off towards his bed.

Feravel deflated the moment the spawn was out of view. She looked at Gale and knew there was no picking up where they’d left off. It had been a long day, it was now very late, and the moment of excitement had passed. Besides, Feravel told herself, they wouldn’t have been able to get away with anything undetected anyway. Perhaps she’d be able to strong arm the barkeep for a private room at some point she wondered. Just as she considered it, Gale spoke interrupting her thoughts.

“We’d better get some rest.”

She sighed, looking longingly at him. “I know.”

He leaned in and kissed her cheek chastely, whispering. “Another time, soon.”

Soon, hopefully this would all be over. Then soon wouldn’t be a problem anymore. At his tower in Waterdeep there would be no one to hear them. Well no one besides Tara, but surely there were enough floors that she wouldn’t have to be nearby if it bothered her. Gods Feravel hoped the cat wouldn't follow them around in an attempt to discourage such things. She'd hardly seemed very friendly during their brief meeting at the temple of Ilmater. There must be a way she could win the beast over. Not calling her a cat for a start, she could almost hear Gale say.

Pushing the concern for grumpy tressyms from her mind Feravel made her way to her bed and climbed in. Her insides hadn’t quite cooled down, but still she laid down and closed her eyes. Eventually she would fall asleep she told herself. She just had to stop thinking about Gale’s lips or his tongue first.

When she finally was able to drift off, she dreamed. The most vivid dream she could recall, but perhaps that was because it was not just a dream -it was a memory.

She lay curled up on a plush velvet rug before a crackling fire, a pillow propped under her head and a warm blanket draped over her lower body. The heat wasn’t just coming from the fire though, behind her was a warm masculine body which she was tucked securely against. He was tracing lazy patterns with his finger tips from her shoulder and up the side of her neck. She let out a soft hmmm of contentment when he reached her ear and tucked a piece of hair behind it.

“You are exquisite.”

His breath fanned hot across her cheek causing a ripple of excitement to run through her.

“Flatterer.”

He chuckled. “Perhaps, but not with you.” He pressed a kiss to her neck. “I could never overstate your beauty.” Another kiss, lower on her neck. “Intelligence.” Another on her collarbone as his fingers ran down her rib cage. “Charm.”

Turning swiftly to face him, she pushed him back to lie flat on the rug, and swung her leg over his waist to straddle him. She held his traitorous hand by the wrist pinning it above his head.

“Be careful now, I would hate for you to start something you cannot finish.”

Her words were a sultry drawl. Enver’s eyes reflected a flicker of the firelight. He rested his free hand at her waist as he watched her hovering above him.

“I recall you told me some utter rubbish several weeks ago about only being human…needing your rest. Perhaps I should take my leave so as not to distract you?”

“True, I did say that.” He twisted his wrist from her grasp and she made no effort to stop him -a mischievous grin still playing at her lips. With his now free hand, he took hold of her other hip and pulled her against him, eliciting a soft moan from Feravel. “But, missing a nights rest is nothing for you.”

“Every once in a while at least? We wouldn’t want you to become negligent in your many duties.” She teased raking her finger nails down his chest.

Humming in agreement, Enver lifted his hips up so that Feravel’s core slid down his length and elicited a satisfied moan from the pair.

“I would  so  hate if my favorite Banite were to become dysfunctional. Good help is very difficult to find after all.”

Enver rolled his eyes. “One night will not render me inert, my dear, besides it is still early.”

Feravel lifted an eyebrow and glanced at the window where she could just see the faintest pink steaks coloring the sky. “Is it? It looks to me to be quite late.”

A grin curled his lips. “No, it is very early in the morning.”

“So it is.” She chuckled.

He leaned forward giving her a searing kiss, of such intensity she moaned against his lips.

“I would do most anything for you.”

The words were just a breath against her lips.

Suddenly her Urge twisted inside her, calling for blood. A fire of raced through her causing Feravel to tense momentarily. She wanted to pull away, put a safe distance between herself and Enver, give him a warning, but it was too sudden. Then her hand moved of its own accord to tighten around Enver’s throat. She pulled back to stare into his eyes.

“Would you  die for me?”

Enver stared intently into her eyes.

Just as he opened his mouth to speak, Feravel’s head ached something fierce and she sat up sharply in bed heaving deep breaths. It felt like she’d been plunged into an icy cold river after being wrapped in a deliciously warm embrace. Nausea washed over her in waves. She barely made it to the washroom before she was vomiting wine and bile into the basin. Pain stung sharply behind her eyes so horribly that they began to water. The pounding in her head was near unbearable. Waves of the intense urge she'd felt in the dream washed over her causing her to grip the basin painfully hard as she gasped for air.

The sound of footsteps behind her immediately sent Feravel into a panic. She hadn't gotten a grip on the urge yet. An icy chill of fear at the thought of what the urge might make her do fought against the burning lust for blood.

"Too much wine?" It was Astarion.

"Don't come any closer!" She snapped.

The footsteps stopped. She could feel his gaze on her back. 

After a moment he asked. "Shall I fetch the wizard?"

"Astarion. If you don't leave. I may gut you."

She managed to force the words out through gritted teeth despite the focus it took to hold onto the basin instead of reach for the nearest weapon. The only other time the urge had been so strong while she was conscious was when it had tried to force her to kill Gale. If she could just ride it out alone it would have to pass. With no potential victim close by it would have to wane...eventually.

But why was it so strong?

The dream. Enver. Had she almost killed him? 

Astarion hadn't moved. His heart didn't beat, but she could feel his presence. 

Kill. Kill. KILL.

"LEAVE!" 

Only sometime after his footsteps receded did she finally start to feel in control of herself again. Breathing slow calming breaths, Feravel experimented by slowly loosening her grip on the basin until she managed to fully release it. When she didn't immediately feel over come by the desire to do violence she leaned back and flopped down onto the floor. Tears filled her eyes.

[starcrossed591]

CDrama Year in Review 2023

I'm still very much a CDrama beginner--I just started watching them in the summer of 2022--but since this is the first year I got into them in earnest, I figured I might as well do a year in review a la @dangermousie (whose lists I have found incredibly helpful in deciding which CDramas I really, really need to go back and watch as part of my CDrama education--so thank you!). So, without further adieu, here is my ranking of 2023 CDramas, in order of least enjoyed to most enjoyed*.

(See also: KDrama Year in Review 2023)

*Disclaimer: *not* a measure of objective quality

10. Royal Rumours: This drama was not great? Meng Zi Yi and Jeremy Tsui were fun, but the story started out messy and got messier. For some reason I still finished it, I think because I had a lingering cold and it was all my brain could handle at the time *shrug*

9. Gone with the Rain: I actually really enjoyed this one! The pacing was inconsistent, but Zhang Nan was fun as the irreverent Mo Xi, and we love a grizzled general. Special shout to the teacher who was not actually evil, just a sad lesbian whose gf disappeared on her

8. Love You Seven Times: Intriguing concept, not a strong enough FL to carry it through. The reincarnation stuff really worked for me at first, especially in their first mortal tribulation (as people, not CGI animals), but I got tired of it pretty quickly. I admit, the gifs of Ding Yu Xi as a sexy cat demon *did* pull me back in, but not enough for me to actually finish the thing, alas

7. Destined/Chang Feng Du: Started out really strong, and then stalled out on me. I think I only got up to about episode 22 or so, after their epic desert crossing and new start in a new state--they lost all narrative momentum for me there. I stopped watching and then just...didn't start again. I do, however, remain a big Bai Jing Ting fan, and will be keeping on eye out for whatever he does next

6. Hidden Love: (Contemporary) Age gap romances are hit or miss for me, but Zhao Lu Si absolutely stole/carried the show for me in this one. Although more fun imo when the main couple are in the the will-they-won't-they phase than in the family melodrama after they get together, still the only contemporary CDrama to get me to give it a go this year--and I'm glad I did

5. My Journey to You: Featuring my favorite murder girlies Esther Yu as Yun Wei Shan and Lu Yu Xiao as Shanguan Qian! Gorgeous costumes and sets, sweeping cinematography, and plot that kept me on the edge of my seat. Full disclosure, I have not actually watched the last two episodes because I got busy and then saw weird chatter about them, so I have no comment on the allegedly weird ending

4. Till the End of the Moon: Look, I know the ending wasn't ideal, but for the majority of its run, this drama owned my entire soul. It also introduced me to Bai Lu as Li Su Su, who inspired my first actual tumblr post (that wasn't a reblog) because I was so obsessed with her. And everyone knows that Tantai Jin is the CDrama ML of the year. 10/10, no regrets at letting it take over my life (and the OST my Spotify) from April to May of this year

3. The Story of Kunning Palace: More Bai Lu is always a good thing, and she's extra fun here as the transmigrated former evil empress and totally-over-your-nonsense Xiang Xue Ning here. The reverse haremness of it all totally shows why Bai Lu is the chemistry queen, especially with the princess (Liu Xie Ning) and cranky, morally grey, would-fail-gym-class strategist Xie Wie (Zhang Ling He). So glad this drama made it out of the CDrama vault and didn't languish indefinitely in censorship hell

2. A Journey to Love: Finished this one two days ago as of this writing and am still not normal about it. Ren Ruyi (Liu Shi Shi) and Ning Yuan Zhou (Liu Yu Ning) lead an exceptionally strong ensemble cast in this wuxia that explores the complicated relationships between love, duty, loyalty, loneliness, and companionship. Ruyi and Yuan Zhou are far and away one of my fave OTPs of the year, but just as compelling are the relationships between friends/brothers/fellow assassins Yu Shisan, Yuan Lu (ugh my heart), Qian Zhou, and Sun Lang. This drama definitely has one of the strongest ensemble casts of the year. And the character growth of Yang Ying from little princess abandoned in the cold palace to who she becomes by the end will stick with me for a long time. Plus another 10/10 OST!

1. Lost You Forever S1: I'm not normally a reverse harem girl, but the longing, loss, and hard resolve portrayed to perfection by Yang Zi as Xiao Yao really did it for me here. This whole drama struck an emotional chord for me, and where TTEOTM consumed my soul, LYF took over my heart. Xiao Yao's relationships with her power hungry, overprotective cousin Cang Xuan; hot snake demon Xiang Liu/playboy archery shufu Feng Feng Bei; and perfectly devoted Tushan Jing are all equally compelling to me, and while I may know who she ends up with in the end, who I *think* she should be with changes based on who's on screen at any given time. And A'Nian, my favorite bratty princess who really just needs some strong parenting, holds a special place in my heart. I know we may never get S2, and even if we do, censorship means it probably won't be what the drama makers are capable of, but I'm so glad for this little piece of absolute perfection. And, again, a top notch OST!

Fave Drama: Lost You Forever, by just a hair over A Journey to Love. See above.

Least Fave Drama: Royal Rumours--truly why did I finish this, what was past me thinking

Biggest Disappointment: 2023 is also the year I read Dreamer in the Spring Boudoir, my very first CNovel! But then I didn't even bother checking out its adaptation, Romance of a Twin Flower, because it got rid of everything that made the novel such an addicting read, including a brilliant, strategic, ice cold FL and an ML who actually kind of sucked at the beginning, only to grow on you very, very slowly over time. I'm grateful that the chatter around the drama is what brought the novel to my attention, but other than that, hard pass.

Favorite Male Character: Lots of good ones this year, but I'm gonna go with Cang Xuan (Zhang Wan Yi) from Lost You Forever. The conflict he faces between getting enough power to protect the people he loves the most and that power making him incompatible with those loved ones is so compelling, and his yearning for Xiao Yao even when she's right in front of him is wrenching. Full disclosure, I also just really love the sound of his voice

Favorite Female Character: This could easily have gone to Li Susu (TTEOTM), Xiao Yao (LYF), or Ren Ruyi (AJTL), but I'm gonna go with Bai Lu's Xiang Xue Ning in The Story of Kunning Palace. Something I really loved about this character was just how jaded Xue Ning really was, even in her second go round at life. Yeah, she wants to make amends for the harm done in her previous rise to power, but that has hardly turned her into a good--or even pleasant--person. Instead, she's incredibly skeptical and still plays most things ice cold, especially with her family. As a bonus, we got plenty of Bai Lu's fantastic side eye as she basically had to do high school all over again when she gets called into the palace despite her very best efforts not to be.

Favorite Ship: Ren Ruyi and Yuan Zhao from A Journey to Love have got to be it. They balance each other out so well, and over the course of the drama, learn to communicate effectively with each other whenever they have a problem. They also recognize that not all problems can be solved by ~love~, which makes their relationship even more compelling when they decide to prioritize each other in a way that respects what the other wants from life.

Favorite Secondary Ship: Little princess Yang Ying and Yuan Lu absolutely broke stole my heart in A Journey to Love. Doomed love even more than the main OTP, these two's youthful romance was such much fun to watch, especially as they egged their respective mentors on in their own romance. Yang Ying's recognition that her first love did not have to be her only love is also something I always love to see, even as it broke my heart that (spoiler) she and Yuan Lu never really had a chance at an HEA. Their relationship really exemplified a key theme of this drama: that you should love the people you love while they're still with you because tomorrow is never promised.

Non-2023 Dramas that I Watched: Two non-2023 dramas I watched that deserve a special shout out are Love and Redemption and The Sword and the Brocade. Love and Redemption prepared me to really appreciate the big swings that Till the End of the Moon took, and The Sword and the Brocade went a little way to filling the Story of Ming Lan shaped hole in my heart. The Sword and the Brocade also had absolutely searing critique of the concubine system, even as it featured one of the most genuinely good-hearted FLs I've seen. Would recommend both!

Most Looking Forward To: Yes, I'm a sucker and the censors (not to mention the characters) will probably break my heart, but I'm still crossing my fingers that Lost You Forever S2 will live up to the promise of part one. See above: still a CDrama beginner, have not yet had all the optimism knocked out of me. Sue me.

[therottenkingsreckoning]

Part 2 of Chapter 9! I told y'all I'd get this done quick. This also means that we're halfway through this beast, and I'm so glad you've been sticking with me through this journey so far. Enjoy!

~~Little Flame, Ch. 9, part 2~~

Eddie's eyes widened, and despite himself a smile crept onto his face. "Wha- really? Oh, well that great news darlin'! She'll say yes, I just know it!"

"I really hope so," Sally murmured. Then, seeming to regain her normal bombast, she waved both hands above her head in a gesture towards the imagined spectacle. "But that's all the more reason it needs to be bold! Fantastic! I'll put on the greatest play you've ever seen, with her and I as the leading stars, and that moment will be the most beautiful 3rd act of any story ever written!"

"Oh I'm sure it will!" Eddie said excitedly. It was hard not to get excited when the girl got on moments like this. "And I'll help ya as soon as I've gotten Frank's food!"

She turned to look at him, crestfallen. "Y...you can't help me now?"

Eddie shook his head. "Nope. I've got my own sweetheart waitin' back at home with a cravin' for hot dogs, and by god I'm gonna get 'em." He'd not forgotten the original plan, nor was he going to be pulled away from it.

"Oh well, I'm going there too!" she insisted. "I need to get supplies after all. You could just...help me pick them out real quick, discuss a basic plan, and then I promise I'll let you continue your journey in peace!"

"No good," he told her. "Howdy's fresh out of the stuff I need, which is why I'm here at all." He wouldn't compromise on this.

Sally looked at him with sad, pathetic eyes. "Please?"

He'd maybe compromise on this.

"Alright, fine," he sighed, admitting defeat at last. "But only 'cus it's you, and I do wanna see it go well for ya."

"Oh excellent!" She squealed delightedly, pulling him into a hug. "I knew I could trust you!"

A few moments later, and with his groceries stored in her fridge for momentary safekeeping, the pair had set off. He could've brought it all back to his own house, but the thought of returning without those crucial items was...less than appealing. Probably why I'm choosing to do this at all, he thought. Rather here than there.

Unfortunately for him though, the pinball machine of entropy had not yet lost its momentum, as not even a full minute into their walk, an all-too-familiar pink figure appeared.

"Shit, it's her!" Sally hissed. "I can't let her know what I'm doing, it'd ruin everything!"

"Well whaddya expect me t-" Eddie began.

All that met him was the rustling wind, and a suspiciously star-shaped void to his right.

"Hi Eddie!" Julie said cheerfully, skipping up to him. "Who are you talking to?"

"...no one, apparently," he grumbled.

"Oh...well, have you seen Sally anywhere? I just thought of a great new game for us to play, but I can't seem to find her."

"N-nope!" he lied quickly, glancing around for any sign of his friend. "Can't...can't say I have, all day."

Julie squinted at him suspiciously, and Eddie felt the hair on his neck stand up. He wasn't a very good liar, especially when he was already stressed out as is.

"You sure?"

"Sure am!" He pretended to think for a moment. "Let's see... I went and dropped off all the mail earlier, but uhh...she was outta the house right then." That part wasn't a lie- she'd been gone, as she often was. "Then I came home and started workin' on sorting letters, but I remembered I needed to drop by the store and get and some food for Frank-"

"Oh!" Julie exclaimed. "Is that why you're here? Well, we could go to Howdy's together, and I can say hi to Frank when we bring it all back."

"Wait!" the man blurted out, realizing his mistake too late. She looked at him confused, already turning to head in the direction of the bodega.

"H-he doesn't have the ingredients I need," Eddie continued. "Ran out of the milk and cherries for those signature hot dogs, so I gotta go ask Barbie about it."

Julie huffed and turned to him, crossing her arms. "Ok well, now I know you're lying. Frank wouldn't want a hot dog, especially those ones, he hates them! So what's the truth?"

"That is the truth!" Eddie huffed back, hands on hips. "Ain't ya heard of a craving before?"

"I can tell you're hiding something, and sending me in circles!" Then, seeming to think of something, she smiled smugly and pointed a finger at him. "I'll believe you if you spin around 5 times and point back at me."

"What does that have t-" Eddie began, but it was no use. He was trapped and he knew it, however silly these games might be. Spinning once, twice, three times around and round, his vision blurred and wobbled until his outstretched finger nearly collided with hers.

"Is that good now? Can I leave?"

"Hmm... not quite," the monster said. "What am I thinking of right now?"

"Uhh...flowers?" He said.

"Nope."

"Games."

"Nuh uh."

"Look, lemme go!" Eddie shouted, stamping his foot in anger. "I'm runnin' late, and I just know Frank already hates me right now cus I couldn't just get 'em what he wants, and I'm tired and stressed and a terrible husband and I really don't need this right now!"

Silence. Julie looked at him in shock, and he could sense that wherever Sally had hidden herself she was stunned too. "Oh.." the rainbow monster said gently. "You weren't lying about that, were you?"

"What reason would I have to lie?" He growled, wiping away the tears that had begun to form.

"I...I don't know. I'm sorry," she said, stepping out of his way. "I'll let you get back to it."

"It's fine," the man grumbled. It really wasn't, but he was too tired to keep arguing. Glancing back at her for just a moment though, he said, "Maybe you should drop by later. Help explain what took me so long. He might get less mad at you."

And now, after all the nonsense he'd been through, he'd made his way over to Poppy's barn. Those big red doors might as well have been the gates of heaven, and his angel was visible still in the window, laughing away at some unknown joke. Finally, he could get this done.

Knocking on the door, he was greeted with a cheery "come in!" from the resident bird. She looked up from where she'd been adding pumpkin seeds to a recipe, and her eyes widened at his disheveled & miserable appearance. "Oh dear... are you alright?"

"Yeah," Barbie added. "No offense, but you look like you've been put through the wringer."

"It's been...a day," Eddie sighed. "Been looking for ya cus I needed to ask a favor."

"Oh?" The dog stepped a bit closer, scratching awkwardly at the space between her tied-up ears. It was rare that Eddie Dear asked anything of his friends- the man was self-reliant to a fault, and would much rather be the one giving than getting. So whatever this was must be important.

Eddie clasped his hands in front of him, looking up at her with pleading eyes. "Please tell me you have some cherries and condensed milk I can borrow. Frank really wants a hot dog and Howdy was fresh outta both of those."

An awkward silence, then the hound burst out laughing, relieved. "Didya really come all this way just to ask for that? You could've just asked Jonesy, I left him back at home."

The realization crumpled Eddie, and he hung his head in shame. Yes, he probably could've just asked earlier and saved so much of this hassle. But, fool that he was, he'd gone and overthought. Like a fool he'd made it 10 times harder on himself.

Barbie's laughter faded as she took in his reaction. She put a hand on his shoulder and sighed, "Well I'm sorry to tell ya, but I'm out too. I had my treat for today, but I'm prepared to go hungry for a bit."

And just like that, all his dreams had been shattered. He was so close to Paradise, but it had all been a mirage. Looking desperately over to Poppy, he was met with a shake of her head. "Dear, you know I don't eat things like that." Trying her best to reassure, she added "I-I'm sure Frank will understand. I mean... it's not your fault you couldn't find any."

Mhmm," Barbie hummed in agreement. "She's right. No, hey, look at me. She's right. You got nothin' to beat yourself up for. You tried, and that's what matters."

Eddie wasn't sure he believed them, but what else could he say or do by now? He'd exhausted his options, and would simply have to bear the anger, the crushing disappointment, that his lover would have for him. As he made his way home slowly, footsteps like lead, he was briefly considering swandiving into the nearest lake when the shaking of tall grass nearby caught his ear.

"Hey."

"Hey Mosely," Eddie said dejectedly. "Can't talk right now, sorry. Boutta go get my head bitten off."

"Ah, t-that's the thing actually," the grass continued. "I uhh...overheard what you were talking about just now, and I actually have some."

"Wha- really?!" Eddie instinctively whipped around to peer into the brush, then quickly apologized and turned away from his scopophobic friend. But was it true?

"Wait here. I'll go get them."

And wait he did. If it had been anyone else, Eddie wouldn't have trusted they'd come back. Even now he had his doubts, his nervous impatience as each minute ticked by. But he knew Mosely, and as soon as he'd fully begun to worry he heard movement again. He turned to see a can and jar stacked neatly on the dirt road, still cold when he went to pick them up.

"Thank you." Eddie's voice quivered, damn near sobbing with relief. "I could hug you right now."

"Haha... please don't," said Mosely.

The trip back went quickly. He snatched his groceries from Sally's fridge, checking first that no Julies were around (what an awkward explanation that would be!). Then he was off to the little yellow house with speed.

"Where have you been?!" Frank snapped when he answered the door to their mate. "And what's with the bags? I asked to get one thing for me, not all of this!"

"This is your hot dog," Eddie tried to explain weakly, already visibly wilting as the anger he'd been fearing bore down on him.

"How? Couldn't he m... huh?"

Words trailed off as the man before them seemed to crumple, sinking down to his knees as bags fell an uneven thud-and-rustle on to the floor.

"I'm sorry," Eddie began, hands again clasped in desperate prayer. "I am so sorry Frankie, I tried to go quickly. But then Howdy ran out of milk and cherries so I tried to get some from Barb-"

"Eddie..."

"-but then she was over at Poppy's, so I tried to go there but Sally stopped me to ask about a play and Julie forced me to answer riddles 'cus she didn't believe me when I told her ya wanted hot dogs-"

"Ed- wait Julie?"

"-And when I finally got over to Poppy's she was out which broke my heart 'cus I knew ya really wanted it and-"

"EDDIE!!!"

Frank had heard enough. Grabbing hold of his husband's shoulders, they pulled him forwards...

and into a kiss.

Eddie flinched in shock, then his arms wrapped around his love as he leaned in, finally breaking to rest his head on Frank's chest.

"It's ok honey," the grey chuckled. "I understand now. And you still got me what I wanted."

"I uhh...yea!" Eddie looked up at his mate with doe eyes. "You're not mad at me anymore?"

"Oh I'm still angry," Frank said as he helped their husband up. "But not at you."

Eddie was going to ask about that, but he didn't. Far better to not risk spoiling the moment when he'd seemingly gotten so lucky. "You still want your food now?"

"Mhmm!"

"Well alrighty then!" He practically skipped to the kitchen, feeling sunshine and rainbows right now as his previous worries melted in the loving presence of his partner. "I am sorry it took so long," he called through the doorway. "For what it's worth."

Frank laughed at this as he walked in and sat at the table. "Love, I was actually overreacting a bit. It's only been 15 minutes."

[bearpillowmonster]

Epic Mickey: Rebrushed

I'm an Epic Mickey stan, I would've bought this whether I played it or not, just to support it because I've always wanted more. (mainly, for Oswald!) But so much was planned for this franchise, including a movie and an Epic Donald spinoff.

CHANGES

Looking at this is night and day especially for a dark setting. The graphics weren't bad on the Wii, they were just, well, on the Wii. (which ran at max 720p) And while that's still feasible, it's so nice to see everything smoothed out and relit. They didn't have to go as far as messing with the actual fidelity of it or the custscenes but they make it known what a movie it would've been and we lost boys.

The addition of sprinting, dashing and butt stomping is really what this game needed because the first Epic Mickey was a Wii exclusive and I loved playing it when I first got into it but I found it had faded since then. I came back maybe a year or two ago to try and play it again and I just couldn't bring myself to. I like platforming and the platforming in this game sucked, it wouldn't control right, I felt like I was jumping in a straight line, like barely any momentum. It wasn't quite there for something you do a lot of. And if you fall in the thinner, there's very seldom a platform to catch you so dying sets you back and then you had to walk back so sprinting is just a complete clutch.

You also had aiming to deal with as far as the Wii remote- This review is for the Switch version, yeah, I knew that it would run a little worse than the other consoles but now I have the experience to talk about specifics and I wanted to play it on the go. The darkness I mentioned can be adjusted, not just in brightness but in color and style for color deficiency. You cannot shake the joycon to spin.

There is a choice to use motion controls when you're spraying but that's the only time it comes up, you already have to have the button pressed down and even then you can just use the analog stick, it's really good either way, no complaints. You can also set it if you're standing still and press the down arrow. The framerate…could dip and there was a time or two where it'd get stuck, the load times can be long (but you don't see a loading screen often) it's just weird to me that the game is a remaster of a game from 2010 and actually has the biggest file size on my Switch and even with all that size, has longer loading screens than comparable titles like Super Mario Odyssey.

And this is especially important for this game because you sometimes have to traverse back and forth between Ostown and Mean Street and whatever to get the side quests done (and sometimes main) and every time you have to speedrun the same pathway level (projector) to get there and each time you jump in or out is a loading screen. Seeing as this is labelled as a remake and not just a remaster, they very well could've made a fast travel. There were some instances like that where the sequel had the feature that I wanted and was hoping that it'd be updated in here like so many remaksters are doing now, Last of Us and Horizon for example.

The one thing that did carry over is that you've probably seen the different skins that you get with either preorder or purchase, there are a few unlockable ones as well. They fit well with the 2.5D levels (Brave Little Tailor for 30s cartoons, Steamboat for 20s). There is a photo mode, it's not as customized in the 2D levels but I definitely had fun with it if you can't tell.

It's the same game but it's not one-to-one, for example, the locations of the power boxes are different in Os-Town, scenes like this look different.

Which is a downgrade in my eyes but some of them are very neutral, like the health bar

…that's a choice, I guess, there was no real need to change it. It definitely makes things more textured and seem a little less rough, look at this platform where you find Pete Pan.

Sometimes more detailed and lush, but sometimes it takes from the scene. Little stuff like goo dripping from the ceiling removed, sometimes it's the overall colors and vibes of a level to either lighten or darken. I can't say whether I like one or the other totally more.

THE GAME

Let's talk about the meat because it's 60$ so I'm going to treat it like it as if it was a brand new game, plus I never reviewed the original and I don't talk about it enough so here we go. I'll cover thinner mode in some other post, this is more or less hero mode.

It's a reasonable amount of hours and honestly time as been gracious to it, whether it be the growing cult status or the fact that it's on other consoles other than the Wii because while the combat still leaves a little to be desired, the gameplay overall is a lot more refined in my eyes.

There are times where your paint can't reach an item, it's not a bad limitation but still in sight, it tells you what's reachable by turning green. But this is especially precise and annoying for the ending with the bloticles. I don't get what it is with games and popping bubbles.

Oswald is in this a lot less than I remember, I always thought of him as making mischief for a level but he kind of shows up just to show you your end goal. Towards the second half he appears a lot more though. It's kind of cool how it's all a Alice Through The Looking Glass type thing and Oswald is the White Rabbit. And all things forgotten, Atlantis, Tron…no Black Cauldron (which fits perfectly) and no Treasure Planet though everything that is popular is all mechanical, an artificial imitation and the way Smee is colored makes it look like the concept art, all inverted from the way we know and it's just-

I really like the idea of having different endings correlating to how you played. When I first played this, I tried to hundred percent it first round and paint absolutely every nook and collect every item and to be honest, I found myself doing a lot of the same stuff I did when I started, it's funny, I have the same thought processes but I've come to the conclusion that if I waste my time on just one collectible, it won't be as fun and I won't want to play it anymore and it's been this long so let me finish it. But there are obvious rewards for either path, one of the first I could tell was having a gremlin in a catapult and a chest on the switch. Remove the chest and it launches the gremlin, remove the gremlin and it locks the chest. There are times you can just thinner brush most things and it'll show a negative outlook on the world itself. You can either clean up your mess with paint or take out the trash and destroy it like it never happened.

There are a lot of things to collect and I had fun just looking in every corner though I found that they seem kind of half-and-half, some going by the wayside like the pins and some being cool like the concept art.

[missmilliegojo]

Ai No Saikyou

Chapter Three

A Jujutsu Kaisen Fanfiction (Gojo X OC)

Warnings -> SPOILERS for Jujutsu Kaisen 0, topic mentions of miscarriage

<- Chapter Two

“Sweetheart?”

Millie doesn’t answer husband’s call. She doesn’t have the energy to respond, or to get up and welcome him home with a kiss. So, she just remains where she sits bay window, looking out into their new backyard. There wasn’t anything interesting going on. She wasn’t even really watching anything, anyway.

“Hey, honey.” Satoru leaned over and kissed the top of her head. “How was your day? Don’t tell me you’ve been in this spot since this morning.”

Mille shrugs one shoulder.

Her husband sighs softly. “Have you eaten anything?”

Curling in on herself, she shakes her head. She couldn't bring herself to face his disappointment, or express the painful ache in her still healing stomach that’s killed any and all desires for food.

Satoru wraps his arms around his wife and lifts her from the window seat. “Let’s go have dinner, yeah? You gotta eat something, baby.”

Baby. That’s right. She killed their baby.

A violent sob ripped through her chest, the fragile shell around her mind cracking. Thousands of red hot nails pierced her soul, the burn a punishment for her unforgivable sin.

"Oh, sweetheart-" Satoru panicked as she cried against his chest. "I didn't mean to- I'm sorry, honey, I'm sorry." He lifted her higher and buried his face in her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Millie."

It's been a while since Millie last felt so numb and worn down. She forgot how much relapses suck, how it feels to suddenly backpedal after finding the momentum to keep moving forward. It's not quite time to get ready for work, but it's definitely later than she usually got up. The other side of the bed is empty, a rare occurrence unless Satoru was away on a mission. Her husband never left the bed without a good morning kiss, claiming he didn't have the energy to move without it.

Unless he's finally given up on her. Maybe he's realized how much better off he'd be without her mentally weighing him down. The loss of a child is known to do significant damage on relationships, and maybe he just can't take it anymore.

"It's been months, Shoko. I don't know what else to do."

The sound of her husband's voice drew Millie to the slightly open window in their bedroom. It overlooked the backyard, where her husband sat on the deck swing, talking to an old friend on the phone.

"It's not helping. At least, I don't think it is." Satoru runs a hand through his hair, and even from behind his sunglasses, Millie could tell he was tired. "Getting her to eat is a battle, she hasn't stepped outside the house in a week, and god, Shoko, she always looks so guilty when she looks at me. I lost my baby. I don't want to lose my wife, too."

Shrinking away from the window, Millie pressed her back against the wall and sunk to the floor. She wrapped her arms around her knees and buried her face in them, shoulders shaking with her silent cries. She couldn’t keep doing this to him. He was walking on eggshells around her, and that, she knew, wasn’t healthy for him.

She could see the light at the end of the tunnel, but it was so, so far away. She didn’t think she’d ever be able to reach it.

Sighing heavily, Millie closes her eyes and pulls the blanket up over her head. She doesn't want to think about the past, nor does she want to keep having such self-conscious thoughts about her husband. She knows Satoru loves her unconditionally. Those few months after her miscarriage were tough on their marriage, but he stuck with her through it. The first three years of their marriage was wonderful, the last two and a half has made their bond stronger. The rough patch they went through seems so little in comparison, so why does she still have moments like these where she frets over it?

The hinges on the bedroom door alert Millie that it's being opened. "Honey?"

Uncovering herself, Millie lifts onto an elbow and twists to look behind her. She finds her husband standing in the doorway, a bed tray in hand filled with food.

Satoru grins and walks around to her side of the bed. "Good morning, my lovely wife~ Are you hungry? Your doting husband has prepared breakfast just for youuuu~"

With a hushed giggle, Millie sits up against the headboard and makes room for him to place the tray over her lap. "Oh, Toru, you didn't have to."

The white haired sorcerer gasps and places his finger over her lips. "Honey, don't say things like that. I wanted to. My beautiful wife deserves to be spoiled." A look crosses his face, as if he just remembered something, and he leans over to peck her lips. "There. Now we both have more energy for the day."

Millie's heart swells with affection. This encounter is just so Satoru, she can't help but throw her head back and laugh. His smile turns tender as relief flashes in his eyes.

"This is perfect, thank you." Noticing something, the tilts her head. "Where's yours?"

"I'm not too hungry. I'll snack on something before we leave."

Millie lifts a brow. "Don't suppose this lack of appetite is from you snacking on sweets while cooking, is it?"

He doesn't even try to mask his guilt. "What? I'm a grown man. I can have sweets for breakfast."

She playfully shakes her head. "Oh, you. What am I going to do with you?" She pats the edge of the bed, waiting for him to sit down before placing her hand on his cheek. "I appreciate you so much. You know that, don't you?"

Smiling, Satoru wraps a hand around her wrist and turns his head, pressing a kiss to her palm. "I know, angel."

Satoru sits with his wife as she digs into her breakfast of steamed rice, grilled bell pepper slices, tamagoyaki, and her favourite, two slices of golden brown toast with the butter soaked in.

"You've gotten better." Millie says, smiling after tasting a few bites of everything. "I remember when you couldn't cook for shit."

"Make sure you tell that to Megumi. He still hesitates whenever I try to bring him something, always asking if you made it or not."

She giggles again, but it quickly slips. Perhaps it would be best to rip the bandage off and address the elephant in the room. "I'm sorry I scared you last night."

Satoru tucks a lock of red hair behind her ear. "Do you want to talk about it?"

No, not she doesn't, but she's come too far to go back to bottling her emotions again. Satoru deserves at least that much. "I dreamt about my last battle... and the aftermath. I don't want to repeat the details, but it was very graphic and very disturbing."

His expression goes from patient to understanding, to sadness, then appreciation. No one gets to see this unfiltered side of him, no one but his wife. "I'm sorry, baby."

Millie shakes her head. "It's not your fault."

"And it's not yours either." Placing a hand on the back of her head, Satoru leans over and kisses her forehead. "Do you need to take the day?"

"No." Millie's answer is quick and certain. "Someone might need me, and I decided a long time ago that I don't want to hide anymore. I'm not going to start now."

He looks at her with so much pride, it almost makes her shy. "There's my strong, beautiful, incredibly smart wife. I am so proud of you."

Millie squeals in laughter as he dots kisses all over her face. "S-Satoru! You're going to make me knock the food all over the bed!"

Satoru gives her a knowing look. "Our bed is already filthy, sweets."

She chucks one of her precious pieces of toast at him.

A knock on the door of Millie's office frees her from her mid-morning boredom. Setting down the psychology book she was flipping through, she rises from her desk and adjusts her cardigan on her way to answer the door.

Millie smiles at the young man standing outside. "Good morning, Yuta."

"Ah, good morning, Miss. Gojo." He scratches his cheek with one finger. "Um, is it okay if we talk?"

She smiles warmly. "Just 'Millie' is fine. It's less confusing that way." She steps aside and gestures towards the couch. "Please, come in."

Yuta steps inside and makes his way to the couch, looking around the room as he does. Millie closes the door behind him and grabs the tablet off her desk before taking a seat in the chair across from him. She settles the flowing excitement of her first session, easily slipping into a calm, professional space.

"So, how are you settling in with everyone?" She asks while turning on the tablet and opening a documentation app.

"Okay, I guess." Yuta replies. He flushes a little, though Millie can't tell if it's due to shyness or something else. "Panda and Inumaki are really nice, but I don't think Maki likes me very much."

Millie tilts her head. "Why do you believe that?"

"Ah..." The boy chuckles nervously. "Maki's pretty strict and serious, so it's kinda hard to read her, you know?"

She nods her head with a small hum of understanding. "Does being liked by others matter to you, Yuta?"

Her question catches him off guard, much so that he has to blink and think of an answer. When he does, he sounds serious and confident. "While Maki and I were on our mission, I decided something. I decided that I don't want to be alone. I want to be needed by someone, and I want to break Rika's curse. In order to do that, I need to get stronger. I want to be strong enough to protect my friends."

Millie smiles at his honest confession. "I'm happy that you've found a goal to work towards, Yuta. It sounds like being liked by others does matter to you, correct?"

Yuta blinks. "Is that bad?"

"No, it's a perfectly normal thing to want. Humans are social by nature. The reason I ask isn't to make you question whether or not people should care about being liked by others, but to remind you that people's perception of us is out of our control. We can be polite, be kind, but we can't physically change the way people think."

"So I should just... give up on Maki?"

Millie shakes her head. "No. Not give up, just remind ourselves of what we can and can't control." She pauses to think of another approach. "Let's imagine for a minute that there's a co-worker I'm trying to befriend. I say good morning every day, offer my help, invite them to spend our breaks together, but nothing seems to sway this co-worker into wanting to be friends. What do you think I'm doing wrong?"

Yuta scratches the side of his head as he thinks. "I can't think of anything. It sounds like you were being really nice."

"I can control my actions and the way I treat this co-worker, but I can't force them to like me. Maybe in time, this co-worker will warm up to me and things might change, or maybe they won't. I haven't done anything wrong, so however this co-worker feels about me, it has to do with them. I encourage you to keep reaching out a hand to Maki, but when and if she reaches for it, that's for her to decide."

The boy cracks a small smile. "You're really wise, Miss. Gojo- Ah, Millie."

Millie breaths a quiet laugh and readjusts her position. "We all have our own unique journeys, Yuta. We're here to talk about yours. Can you tell me more about how your mission went?"

She worked with Yuta for the next hour before bringing the session to an end. After he left, Millie spent some time making more formal notes about their session, documenting his state of mind and anything else worth keeping track of. For Yuta, this was especially important. Given how the higher ups felt about him, having reports of his mental state could serve as another layer of protection if his execution was brought back up for discussion.

About forty minutes later, there was another knock on her door. This time it wasn't a student on the other side, but someone she hasn't seen in person in a while. "Kento?"

The tall, blond man dipped his head in greeting. "I heard you were here. You look well."

Kento Nanami, a fellow Grade 1 sorcerer and also a former student of Jujutsu High. Although they were the same age, and should have been in the same class, Millie's cursed energy levels influenced the school to bump her right to the second-year class, where more experienced sorcerers could help keep an eye on and mentor her.

Millie steps aside to let him in. "You look well. How has work been treating you?"

"It sucks. Everything sucks." His deadpan delivery makes her swallow a laugh. "I heard from Gojo that you're running a mental health program."

She nods. "That's right. There's not enough of that in our world. I don't want to see anyone else die or go astray because of their own demons. We fight enough monsters as it is."

Nanami adjusts his tie before sitting in the middle of the couch, the same place Yuta had occupied. "I'm... glad to see you back, Millie. You've found your path, and I hope you keep walking it."

Millie smiles, innocent tears pricking her eyes. Somewhere during their school years, Millie started to adore him as a brother, and though he never would have admitted it back then, he looked out for her like one, too. "Kento-"

"Hey."

A pair of arms wrap around her from behind, a tall figure leaning over the back of the chair. Millie sighs, already knowing the identity of the culprit.

"What are you doing with my wife, Nanami?" Satoru askes, his tone light yet accusatory.

The blond man's jaw ticks in irritation as he pushes his goggles higher up his nose. "I'm checking in on a friend. Is that a problem?"

"A 'friend', huh?" Satoru grabs Millie's left wrist and lifts her hand, pointing at the impossible-to-miss ring on her finger. "She's taken. Guess you'll have to find a new friend to get cozy with in their office."

A vein throbs in Nanami's temple. "Of all the idiots in the world, why did you marry this one?"

"Because he was persistent." Millie says with a sigh, ignoring her husband's flabbergasted gasps.

Nanami stands and fixes his tie once more. "I'll be going now. I don't want to eat into your time helping the students." He notices the confused look on the woman's face. "Aren't you aware of the names written on the board outside?"

Names on the board?

Eyes widening, Millie jumps up and rushes into the hall to look. Just as Nanami said, several students have written their names down on her appointment board. Panda, Inumaki, two second years and a third year... all requesting appointments throughout the rest of the week.

Sensing her husband come up behind her, Millie turns and beams up at him. "Is this real?"

The grin he wears is just as proud as the one from this morning. "Looks like you're winning them over, sweets."

Laughing in amazement, Millie stands on the balls of her feet to give her husband a kiss.

"Gojo! Yamamato! Not in the middle of the hall!" Principal Yaga's voice booms.

Talking to the higher ups always puts Satoru Gojo in a bad mood. Getting scolded by them - well, he's used to that, and quite frankly, no longer cares.

Reapplying the bandages around his eyes, Satoru pauses to watch the group occupying the training field. Maki, Inumaki, and Yuta are running laps around the track while Panda and his lovely wife keep time and shout encouragement.

"Maki and Toge! It's your last lap!" Panda calls as the two sorcerers run by where he sits on the grass.

"Come on, Yuta!" Millie shouts from her spot beside Panda. She's smiling brightly, clapping her hands to encourage the boy to keep pushing forward. "You got this! Don't give up!"

"Honey?" Satoru called the second he stepped through the door.

He didn't get a response, but he didn't have to go hunting for her, not when he could detect her presence in the kitchen, thanks to his Six Eyes.

Peeking his head beneath the arch, he spotted his wife standing in front of the counter with a mixing bowl in one hand and a whisk in the other. She was heavily concentrating on a video playing on her phone, one that's listing off step-by-step instructions for a recipe. He couldn't tell what the recipe is for, but he took a wild guess that it was some kind of dessert, given the flour and chocolate smeared up her arms and all over the counter. She even got some on the floor and on the window.

"Millie?" He called to her again.

Startled, she jumped and turned towards him. Her wide eyes relaxed as she took him in. "Hi, welcome home." She looked down at herself, then at the mess around her. "I, ah, I'm trying to make cupcakes, but-"

Satoru pulled her into his arms before she could finish, burying his face in the crook of her neck. She smelled like chocolate, sugar, and butter, and it's the sweetest thing he had ever smelled. "You're making cupcakes for me?"

"I'm trying." She clarified, looking adorably shy when he set her back on her feet. "It's not going very well."

He was thankful for the wrapping covering his tearful eyes. This was the most life he'd seen out of her in months. "You're trying, baby. Thank you."

Satoru smiles as he watches his wife hand water bottles to the students, students she loves and adores as if they were her own children.

"No one will take their youth away." He vows, descending the steps towards them.

And nothing will ever take his wife's smile again.

Masterlist

Chapter Four ->

Satoru Gojo

He is obsessed with his wife, Millie. His nicknames for her are endless, but the most common are: "Honey", "Baby", "Sweets", "Angel". He brags about her to everyone.

They got married when they were 21 (Gojo) and 20 (Millie). The higher ups disapproved due to the Yamamato Family history of jujutsu sorcerers being splotchy and unreliable. They got married anyway.

The fastest way to sign your death certificate is to go after his wife.

[spicyvampire]

Hi, since GMM has many Thai BL series, just wondering, do you have favorites from them? If you do, do you have 10 you like most so far?

I do not have the best relationship with GeeMeeMee but over the years they have provided some tasty bls here and there, I'll try to give you a little top 10

1.Not Me (2021)

To me that's like the best GeeMeeMee show ever made, great activism story, all the storylines are compelling, it gets accidentally funny with the twins stuff and the fact that Yok the resident arsonist is tryna fuck that cop so bad, but with Yok's help Dan finished realizing that he was part of a system that was beyond fixing and it was better to get himself free of it than staying, honestly has one of the best storyline and character development ever written in a bl

2. 3 Will Be Free (2019)

A gay mafia son, a stripper and a gogo bar manager walk into a bar, shenanigans ensue. To this day, the only GeeMeeMee show to have given me an endgame throuple and frankly one of the only cannon throuples we have in bl

3. Moonlight Chicken (2023)

By god Wen fucked that old man in the chicken shop, but in all seriousness this bl probably has the best breakup storyline I've ever seen in any media ever, it's a truly masterpiece; also we saw the story of a deaf character who uses sign language and that's not something you see often in bl tbh, wish we had more Gaipa and Alan but you take what u can get

4. Cherry Magic Thailand (2023)

Honestly this one took me by surprise, I'm not a fan of remakes but they did a really good job adapting those japanese characters to a Thailand setting while keeping some of the japanese background there, and go a bit further and deeper than the original did with some of the characters

5. Wandee Goodday (2024)

This one was my obsession for the last few weeks, unfortunately I think the show lost some momentum around the middle of it, and it needed more balance on some stuff, like one of Dee's big trauma wasn't even resolved even if they showed it affecting him pretty severely at least twice, while we spend like almost the whole 2nd half of the show on Yak's, overall very silly and enjoyable and also nice asexuality representation which is not something you see often in bl

6. The Eclipse (2022)

I'm not really a high school boy bl type of person and I usually avoid them but they got me with this one, I think Akk's storyline ressemble Dan's a lot in the sense that he had to realize he was part of a system that is bad and is using him to maintain a bad status quo and then had to free himself from it even if that's all he's ever known, Ayan is of course of a great help with his flirtiness, shenanigans and overall fuck the rules attitude

7. Bad Buddy (2021)

Thai bl's Romeo and Juliet, what I loved the most about this one was the attention put on the dynamics of Pran and Pat and their respective families, and how even if they didn't succeed in changing their fighting parents minds, they stayed together and continued to love each other because at the end of the day, the love was between them and it had nothing to do with their parents

8. He's coming to me (2019)

I love me a ghost story like any other guy, so this was right up my lane, I gotta admit it's been like 4 years since I've seen this so I don't remember the storyline clearly, but it left a good impression on me, so much that years later I still think of it as good

9. Only Friends (2023)

Top 10 messiest friend group ever created, this could have been higher on the list if they didn't do Boston dirty in the very last goddamn episode of the show

10. Dark Blue Kiss (2019)

I honest to god remember nothing about the mains but this show has the best coffee shop au in the ql universe and it's from 2019, SunMork chemistry is just firing all over the place, definitely my favorite Gawin ost too