#the cards never lie

[formulanni]

Daniel Ricciardo as Judgement:

The Judgement tarot card symbolizes the arrival of absolution and the culmination of a significant undertaking, often related to past and life lessons.

Judgement indicates the cusp of rebirth.

In order to achieve that, you must look back upon your deeds and come to an honest evaluation of yourself. This leads to the awakening that signals a new way of life.

Tag list: @st-leclerc @rubywingsracing @saviour-of-lord @three-days-time @the-wall-is-my-goal @albonoooo @ch3rubd0lls

[clone-futon]

From the MMD vid on nico that I've been hooked on lately

[mysterious-moonstruck-musings]

Thanks for the reblog love @cutepurplehedgehog! I hope you enjoyed these two goobers. 🥴💜😘

The Lovers: Part 1

Fic Masterlist ||| Main Masterlist

Dieter Bravo x OFC

Summary: While looking for the perfect Christmas gift for his niece, Dieter Bravo finds himself in a small mystic shop, owned by the sweet and eccentric Amina. After an impromptu tarot reading with unexpected and surprising results, the two quickly find themselves enchanted by each other.

Warnings: Spicy language, alcohol consumption, smut, & mentions of drug use. Mystical topics such as tarot readings, spirit guides, chakras, etc. Dieter Bravo comes with his own warnings.

Chapter Quote: “The first one’s free. That’s how I get you hooked.”

Amina POV

My Monday morning started like most of my days had recently. I woke up…alone. Even though it had been seven months since splitting from a long-term relationship, it was still weighing on me. I was such a mixed bag of emotions, struggling with loneliness but also swearing off men for the foreseeable future. I felt stuck and unsure of my path forward after watching all of my plans crumble down before me within hours, altering all aspects of my life. All because my significant other suddenly decided he needed someone a little less eccentric for his corporate lifestyle.

I was finally settled into my small LA apartment, everything was unpacked, but it still didn’t feel like home. As I lay staring at the ceiling, I could feel a dark shadow over the place. Like this wasn’t where I was supposed to be or like an important piece of my life was missing. 

I was jolted out of my thoughts when my long-haired black cat, Miss Pickles, jumped up on top of me. Her intense green eyes showed her annoyance that breakfast had not yet been served. She gave a low growl before rubbing her head roughly against my chin. 

“Alright, alright, I’m getting up,” I said to her with a huff. 

There was a chill in the air as I made my way to the kitchen to portion out a bit of premade raw food onto Pickles' recycled green glass plate. She sat on the counter, impatiently whipping her tail about as she watched me prepare her meal, then meowed excitedly when I sat her plate on the food mat. She wasted no time digging in. I gave her a quick scratch above her tail as I walked toward the bathroom to shower and get ready for the day. 

I emerged from my bedroom, wrapping a deep forest green scarf around my neck. I grabbed a dark red coatigan from the closet and shrugged it on over my olive green tee, kicking my favorite brown leather lace-up boots out of the closet as I did so. After putting my boots on, I walked over to the island, digging through my large brown leather satchel to make sure I had everything I needed for the day. Pickles walked over to paw at the feathers clipped into my wavy black hair. I paused my movements, laughing at her sudden attack, before giving her a quick pat on the head. She stood, swatting me with her tail as she turned to paw at my tarot deck that I was about to stick in my bag. She let out a loud meow as she looked at me, then back to the deck. I sighed. 

“Why bother? You know it’s gonna be the same thing that it’s been for the last seven months.” 

She meowed at me again, “Fine… but don’t get mad when I say I told ya so.” 

I grabbed the deck, tapped it three times, then did a quick shuffle before pulling my one card for the day. Death. Again. The end of possibilities in one aspect with a transformation on the horizon. Clearly, I had not let go of whatever baggage I was holding onto from my past since the spirit guides were still telling me to move on and close that door before the next could be opened. I rolled my eyes, grabbing the card pouch to pack them away and toss them in my bag. 

I sighed, “See, what did I tell you? The same damn thing.” 

Pickles whipped her tail out of frustration and meowed again before jumping down to go sit in her window. 

“I’ll see you after work. Please try to stay out of trouble today,” I added before grabbing my bag and heading out the door. 

I walked two blocks in the crisp December air to my shop, Enchanted Curios, that I opened five years ago. It was a mystic shop of sorts, with carefully curated spiritual items from all over the world. Anything from books, herbs, crystals, totems, elixirs, and home decor lined the shelves. It was fairly popular since there was a little something for everyone. It was one of the things that made me too eccentric for my ex. He had wanted me to give it up for something more fitting to his high class persona. The judgy looks he got when he shared what his fiancé did for a living was too much for his fragile ego to handle. He had set foot into a world that was no longer compatible with mine and it became the final crack in our already crumbling relationship. 

I entered through the front door of the shop, turning on the pink neon sign that indicated we were open for business before making my way around to turn on all the other displays and diffusers for the day. I could hear the shop manager and my best friend, Heidi, in the back near the loading dock talking to one of the delivery guys as he carted in boxes off his truck. Once they were finished with the delivery, Heidi dramatically walked through the beaded curtain from the back, “Good morning, Mina.” She was a little too chipper for it to be so early. 

“That must have been the cute delivery guy from the candle place,” I said with a smirk. 

“It was. I’m pretty sure he was flirting with me this time. I think I’m gonna ask him for his number when he comes back.” 

She looked energized and excited by the thought of this as she bounced on the balls of her feet. 

“Did you pull a card today?” Her mood shifted, more serious now as she took in my glum expression. 

“I did. Still the same.” I rolled my eyes as I moved to straighten up the counter displays. 

“Maybe you should try dating again or something. Wouldn’t that help take your mind off you-know-who?” She moved to lean against the edge of the counter on the opposite side from me. 

“Ugh, I don’t think I’m ready for that. I just don’t trust my judgment when it comes to men right now. I’m feeling a little vulnerable and I don’t want a rebound thing, you know what I mean? I don’t want things to get messy.” 

“What if you knew what to look for? Take out some of the guessing. The cards can give you an idea.” She was practically vibrating at the thought. Heidi was new to tarot reading, but she was a natural, immediately in tune with her intuition. She wanted to do a reading for anything and everything at this point just for practice.

I gave her a dismissive laugh as I shook my head, “You’re too much sometimes.” 

“No, I’m serious. Let me do a three card spread for you. Let’s see what happens.” 

I gave her an admonishing look, not wanting to go down that road, but she wouldn’t let it go as she reached for her deck under the counter with a grin. 

“Ok, fine. I’ll humor you,” I relented, leaning against the counter to watch her work. 

Heidi went through her routine of shuffling and clearing the cards before pulling the first one. 

“Ok, so this card represents you, the Queen of Cups. Full of compassion, creativity, and intuition. Well grounded, sensitive, and empathetic… this card is associated with water which can be gentle, but powerful when needed. Also, the Pisces star sign…” She raised an eyebrow at me, questioning if that was correct. I nodded. She looked pleased with herself before continuing. She pulled the second card, the Knight of Wands.

“This card represents your ideal partner…interesting. He’s gonna have that masculine fire energy and lots of charisma. That’s definitely not you-know-who…” She had a smirk on her face as she glanced in my direction, waiting for a reaction. 

“Ha ha. You’re hilarious,” I said sarcastically, before waving for her to continue. 

“So, your guy is most likely gonna be either a Leo, Sagittarius, or Aries. A very passionate and enthusiastic lover. Probably adventurous in the bedroom too��I feel like you could use a little adventure in your life.” She busted out laughing as she watched my eyes widen in horror at her words. 

I shook my head, “Was it that obvious?” Heidi nodded, “I could tell just by looking at the guy that he probably wasn’t a good time. Too uptight for that.” 

I chuckled, “I guess there’s no hiding that my sex life has been very vanilla then. I sure know how to pick em…”  

Heidi laughed before continuing, “Ok, I feel like this guy is gonna be super energetic and bold. Maybe even a little eccentric and spiritual in his own way. He’ll probably love attention and be a little impulsive and impatient…but your water energy could help him balance those things out.”

“Great…so a man child then. Got it.” I scoffed and rolled my eyes at her. 

She gave me a pointed look, “Come on, be a little open minded…please. It might help get that death card out of your life.” 

I raised a brow at her, not at all encouraged or impressed by her words. She shook her head at me as she pulled the third card from the deck, the lovers. She inhaled deeply, eying it in the spread, “Well…this card is meant to tell us what your relationship would be like if you found this person.”

We stared at each other for a beat, both of us surprised by the pull. “Well, I feel like that’s a long term sort of meaning behind it. A serious connection of souls…like a true life partner…a spiritual connection with a strong bond. It’s an honest relationship of trust and respect for each other…which you totally didn’t have before...” 

A sly grin spread across her face. She seemed pretty damn proud of herself. 

“I don’t believe that. That sort of thing doesn’t exist,” I said, shaking my head as I made my way toward the front display window to place one of my handmade statues in a recently vacated spot from a sale. As I stood arranging it just right, a young girl, possibly in her teens, stopped to admire the display. She was soon joined by a tall man that I didn’t pay much attention to. I smiled politely at the girl before walking back toward the counter. 

I noticed Heidi had focused on the two figures outside as I approached her, “Ooof, Mina, I think that guy was checking you out. He’s kinda hot.”     

“He’s with a kid, I’m sure he’s married…Not interested,” I shot back without even giving him a second glance. I heard her huff out a sigh of defeat beside me as I moved to pick up the cards off the counter, accidentally dropping a few in my haste. All were facing downward on the floor, except one…the Fool. I suddenly felt goosebumps form on my skin as I looked back toward the front store window to see the man and young girl continuing down the sidewalk until they were out of sight.   

“Mina, you ok?” Heidi asked suddenly with a concerned look. 

“Yeah, I just…never mind.” I furrowed my brow, confused by the shift in energy that I had just felt. I shook my head to clear my thoughts, leaning down to pick up the cards.

As the day turned to evening, I forgot about the odd feeling I had. Choosing to focus on updating inventory instead. I was standing by the side wall double checking numbers when I heard the low tinkling of the bell above the front entrance. When I turned, still looking down at my clipboard, I nearly crashed into a towering stranger.

“Oh geez! I’m so sorry!” I exclaimed, nearly dropping my pen and clipboard over his sudden appearance. 

When I finally looked up at him, he had a half smile on his pillowy lips as he slowly slid his dark sunglasses down his nose before removing them altogether. I noticed he had what looked like a bullseye tattoo on his left hand, just between the thumb and index finger. His chocolate eyes were wide as he took in my expression. He didn’t say anything at first, looking just as surprised as I was. I laughed nervously under his gaze, “Umm, did you need help finding something?” 

“Uhhh, yeah, sorry. I was…um outside earlier with my niece. She noticed the…statues in the window.”

He held my gaze, not blinking as his eyes darted around my face. I could feel the energy shifting again causing goosebumps to form all over my body. 

“Oh, the magical creature collection?” I raised my brows in question. 

“Yeah, she’s been looking for one of the horse things with wings. Do you know if they make one of those?” He scratched at his patchy beard, looking unsure of himself.

“I don’t have any made right now, but I would be happy to do a custom piece for you.” I smiled nervously as he processed what I was saying, realizing that he actually looked a little high.   

“Ohh, so you make them? That’s… amazing.” He sighed in relief, visibly relaxing some. “Is that something you could have done before Christmas? I don’t want to put you in a tough spot with it.” 

“Absolutely, let me just run and grab the custom order forms.” My smile widened as I moved toward the checkout counter. I passed through the beaded curtain in a flurry, looking through the supplies on the shelf. Heidi appeared next to me from the office asking where the fire was. 

“I need a custom order form.” I could feel my heart rate picking up. 

“Why?” She asked as she peeked through the curtain. “Is that the guy from earlier…with the kid?”

I responded with a clipped tone as I turned to face her, “Yes. Where are the forms?”

“Under the counter, where they always are…” 

She was staring at me with wide eyes and a smirk, “What’s gotten into you?” 

“Nothing, I just couldn’t find them,” I said over my shoulder as I went back out front toward the checkout counter. I took the opportunity to get a better look at him from a distance as he looked around the shelves. He had dark brown hair that looked like it had been carefully crafted into a messy style, sticking out in all directions. He was wearing a gray and black zebra print sweater with dark cargo pants and lace up boots. I could see the glint of a small silver hoop in his left ear lobe and a couple of large rings on his left hand. He definitely had some interesting style choices.

After I found the forms, I made my way back over to him. As I approached, he nearly dropped the wolf figure incense burner he had been inspecting, before quickly sitting it back on the shelf and patting the top of it for good measure. He quickly turned to face me with a crooked grin on his face as he squeezed his hands together. 

“So, you said she wants a Pegasus sculpture, right?” I asked, scribbling notes on the order form. 

He nodded, “Yes, but not a white one. She was pissed that they’re always white.”

I quirked an eyebrow in his direction, waiting for him to clarify.

“She said she wants a dark one… I guess maybe black? I think flat black is boring though… maybe you could add undertones of purple and blue? Sort of like a Raven’s feathers… but also make it pretty.” 

“Pretty?” I raised both brows at him this time, unsure of what he meant. 

“She’s thirteen, do with that what you will,” he added, shrugging at his explanation. 

I nodded, figuring that probably meant a long flowing mane and some girly teenage flare. 

“How big would you like this to be…height wise?” I was still scribbling notes as I waited for him to respond.

“What’s the biggest you make?” 

I paused, that wasn’t a normal question. It was usually ‘how small can you make them’ because of the cost. I looked up at him, gauging his reaction, “Twelve inches…those are pricey though.” 

“Oh, I don’t care about that…it cost what it cost. Also…I noticed you have crystals. Do you think you could add some in around the base? That would be cool, right?” 

He briefly looked excited by the idea, but then he pinched his brows together in question, suddenly unsure of himself again. 

“Yeah, that actually would be. I’ve never thought of doing that…” 

I was surprised by his suggestion as I watched his lopsided grin return. He suddenly looked like a big fluffy dog who was excited about being called a ‘good boy’. His brown eyes further added to the illusion by sparkling brightly and crinkling at the corners. I was momentarily transfixed by him, before snapping back to reality. 

I cleared my throat before looking down to scribble a couple more notes on the order form as I spoke up. 

“So, I’ll do a mockup drawing for your approval. I’ll also pull some paint samples and crystals for you to look over. I have some new iridescent paint shades that I haven’t used yet that I think will look really neat on this piece.” 

When I looked back up, he was intently staring at me with wide eyes. Once he realized I was done speaking, he nodded enthusiastically with a small smile on his face. He had odd mannerisms, but there was something almost endearing behind them. 

“Hey, I noticed the tarot reading sign...I’ve never done that before, is that something you do…personally?” 

Heidi suddenly appeared at my side, “Yes, she does do them, and she is excellent at it. Would you like a reading? I can go grab the deck for you…” She glanced toward me, widening her eyes and raising her brows, silently telling me to do it as she nudged me toward the small bistro table where we did the readings.

“That’s…I would love that.” His lopsided grin returned as he closed his hands into fists at his sides, almost vibrating from excitement. He seemed to radiate a childlike energy that was kind of infectious. I couldn’t help but to smile over his enthusiasm. 

“Yeah, just have a seat. Is there something specific you need guidance on or want to ask the cards?” I questioned as I sat down across from him, moving the decorative crystal ball out of the way to make space for the spread. 

He seemed to be momentarily distracted by the decoration as I pushed it out of the way, “It’s not real. I think it’s just a glass paperweight actually…” 

He chuckled, reaching to run his hand over the wooden stand holding the ball, “I was just admiring the detail in the base. I love elephants.”

I gave him a small smile as he met my gaze, “I do too. That’s why I got it.” 

Heidi reappeared at my side with the deck and gently set it in front of me. I picked it up, taping three times before shuffling.

“So, what would you like to know about?” I asked him. 

“I’m not sure…I didn’t know I would be doing this. What do people typically ask about?” He scratched at his chin, seeming unsure of himself again. 

“Oh, you know…jobs, money, major life decisions…” I replied.

Heidi cut in, “Or relationships…love.” I narrowed my eyes at her, and she gave the both of us a beaming smile in response. 

The man laughed, “My love life is a disaster. It seems I keep going after the wrong kind of people. I’ve kind of given up on all that.” 

He glanced over at me, but quickly diverted his eyes to look down at his hands on the table. 

Heidi’s eyes lit up and her smile grew impossibly wider, “You know…you could do the three card spread for him. To see what characteristics his ideal partner would have.” 

I furrowed my brows at her. What the hell was she up to? 

“You know…the one I did earlier this morning.” She gave me a pointed look. 

“That might be interesting to know,” the man said in a low voice. “Yeah, let’s do that. Maybe it’ll change my life,” he chuckled as he relaxed back into his seat. 

I gave him a tight lipped smile as butterflies formed in the pit of my stomach. I shuffled the deck a few more times for good measure just to make sure Heidi wasn’t up to some funny business. 

“Ok. Let’s get started then…” 

The handsome stranger raised his brows and leaned forward in his seat to get a better look at what I was doing. His energy shifted to something more serious and intense as he awaited the outcome. I pulled the 3 cards, leaving them face down to add a little dramatic effect. When I flipped the first card, my breath nearly caught in my throat. It was the Knight of Wands. I suddenly felt Heidi’s hand resting firmly in my shoulder. She didn't have to say anything for me to know what she was thinking. My eyes shifted upward to meet his. He seemed to sense my hesitation as a concerned look formed on his face. 

“This card represents you and who you are as a person. Is your star sign a Leo?” I didn’t know that for sure, but my gut said it was. 

His mouth hung open slightly, “Yeah…how - how did you know that?” 

I smirked at him, “This card represents someone who is either a Leo, Aries, or Sagittarius. My gut said Leo.” 

“I’m an Aries moon,” he added as the corner of his mouth lifted. 

Heidi interjected, “Ooooh, doubling down on that fire energy…nice.” 

She winked at me, then they both laughed as I shot her a dirty look before continuing, “The Knight of Swords tells me you're adventurous, but not in a typical or expected sort of way. You tend to be passionate and creative about your endeavors and full of confidence and enthusiasm. Your charismatic energy often attracts people to you...You can be a little impulsive with your choices, so it might be a good idea to slow down and think through things every once in a while.” 

He was listening attentively, now leaning forward with his elbow on the table, “That is freakishly accurate, and I humbly accept that advice.” 

I gave him a half smile as I moved to flip the second card, “This card represents your ideal partner…” I paused, looking down at the card in shock. It was the Queen of Cups. There was no way this was actually happening. What were the odds?

I glanced up at Heidi, who was covering her mouth with her hand, her eyes round. She was just as shocked as I was. The stranger glanced between us with a perplexed look. I cleared my throat before speaking again, “The Queen of Cups represents the star signs Pisces, Cancer, and Scorpio…. the water signs. This person would balance out your fire energy and bring emotional stability and compassion to the relationship. They would be very in tune with your feelings…an excellent communicator. They’ll probably have a creative side that you would strongly connect with. They would also be very intuitive when it comes to making decisions, which could help balance out your impulsive habits.” 

The man exhaled slowly, “Wow. That’s…that is life changing. I’ve clearly been going for the wrong type,” he chuckled in astonishment. 

I was still reeling from the cards, almost afraid to flip the third. I felt a little lightheaded and had a chill creeping up my spine. I forced a smile before reaching for the last card. It was the Lovers. Heidi let out a low, “Holy shit,” as she took in the spread. 

“What’s wrong, is that a bad card?” The man asked with a worried tone. 

Heidi chuckled before walking toward the beaded curtain, shaking her head as she went, quickly disappearing to the back. I let out a nervous laugh, meeting his gaze before responding, “No, it’s…not a bad card. It’s ideal actually. It represents the overall energy of the relationship…long term. It shows a meaningful and honest connection between partners. Like a soulmate type situation…an intense emotional and sexual connection. A strong harmonious bond, two opposites that make a whole.” 

The tension left his body as he sunk back into his seat, considering my words. “That’s…a lot to take in. I didn’t think there was potential for something like that…for me.” 

His brows pinched together as he studied me, the gears in his head working to make sense of it all. 

“Can the cards tell me when I’ll meet this person…or what I need to do to find them?” 

He seemed almost desperate now. Like he finally had the answers to something that had plagued him for an eternity and needed to act on it at once. 

“I mean, they don’t give specifics, obviously…but we can see what they have to say. I’ll pull one more and see what we get.” 

I reached for the deck to pull one additional card. When I flipped it in my hand, I paused briefly, feeling another wave of goosebumps breakout across my body. It was the Fool. I inhaled deeply, tilting my head to the side as my eyes met with his beautiful brown ones. They were rounded with anticipation. I set the card down, face up. 

“I’m not really sure how to interpret this. The fool isn’t necessarily associated with time…it usually means new beginnings or a new journey. An unexpected opportunity you should immediately take the chance on when it’s presented. So maybe you’ve already met the person and you just need to take the leap to give it a try? Or maybe it could happen at any time at an unexpected moment?” 

I could feel my heart rate picking up again…I was feeling something, but what, I was unsure. The man chewed on his plump bottom lip as he studied me, digesting my words. He raised his brows, “Well that certainly gives me something to think about.” 

I gave him a small smile, “Indeed. That’s…a lot to process,” for the both of us…

Our eyes locked for a moment, before I shook my head to clear it and looked away. 

“Umm so, your order…” I reached for the clipboard I had set to the side. “I need you to fill in this top part with your contact information. I’ll shoot you a text once I have the mock up ready so you can come in to look at it and the samples for approval.” 

When I met his eyes again, there was something different about his expression. I felt like he was looking into my soul. It also made me clench my thighs together, that familiar ache forming in my core. My breath hitched slightly, before I moved to hand him the form. He gave me a smirk before glancing down to fill in his information, almost like he could sense the effect he just had on me. 

While he scribbled on the form, I stood and collected the cards from the table and took them to sit on the counter. When I turned back around, he was there in front of me with that goofy crooked grin of his. He held up the clipboard to hand over to me. As I took it, he cleared his throat to speak.

“I’m sorry, I don’t think I got your name…in case I have questions or…” he started wringing his hands together. He seemed nervous to ask. 

“It’s Amina, or just Mina is fine too. Let me grab a business card for you.” I couldn’t help the wide smile that spread across my face as I turned to pull a card from beside the register and handed it to him. 

“I don’t think I’ve ever heard that name before…It’s beautiful. It…suits you.” I could fill my face flush as he looked down at the card, biting his lip, and scratching at the back of his neck. Was he flirting with me? I wasn’t sure, but I felt like he was.

I smiled shyly, “Thank you.” 

His eyes widened as he looked back up at me, “Oh, I’m Dieter.” He hesitantly reached out to shake my hand. As soon as our skin touched, I felt the warmth of him spread throughout my body, igniting something deep inside. His large hand engulfed mine as we held onto each other a beat too long. Once we realized the awkwardness of it, we both chuckled and dropped each other's hands. 

“Ugh, well I have a thing for work, so I need to go…but I guess we’ll talk soon…and I wanna check the shop out properly too. It seems right up my alley. What do I owe you for the reading?”

“Oh, nothing.” I turned to point toward the tarot reading sign, “The first one’s free. That’s how I get you hooked.” I bit my bottom lip as I winked at him. What the hell was I doing? It seemed to momentarily take him off guard, but it didn’t take long for his grin to return. 

“Well, you most certainly did that.” He snickered as his tongue darted out to lick his bottom lip. I probably focused on his mouth more than I should have. I hoped he didn’t notice. “I’ll see you soon. Have a good evening,” he said with a hand flourish, before turning on his heel and exiting the shop.   

I let out the breath I didn’t realize I was holding as Heidi busted through the beaded curtain from the back. “What the hell just happened? Did that really happen? That’s not normal…right?”  

I rubbed at my forehead, stiffly shaking my head from side to side. 

“No, I don’t think that’s normal…that was really fucking weird.” 

Heidi reached down and grabbed the clipboard from my hand and started looking over the attached form. 

“Oh shit.” Her eyes widened as she looked up at me. 

My head snapped up to meet her gaze, “What?” 

“I thought he looked familiar. That was Dieter fucking Bravo,” she said excitedly. 

I shrugged, “I don’t know who that is…”

“The actor...” 

I stared at her blankly, “You know I don’t watch a lot of movies…”  

“Jeez Louise, never mind. I think he was into you though.”

I rolled my eyes, “Don’t start with that. He’s a customer. No.” 

She gave me a sarcastic look, “The cards disagree.” “That had to be a coincidence. Maybe I just didn’t shuffle them well enough or something.” 

That had to be what it was, right?

Next

[leejaliie]

I realized I never posted my extremely cursed team JNPR themed Valentines Day cards.

The Nora (and Ren I guess) picture is from @cursed-rwby

[justrantingaboutrandomtopics]

Okay so Tim is a petty little shit and whenever he is feeling a little more spiteful towards Jason he starts using telling people about the Titan’s Tower incident even though he’s completely over it. But also he severely exaggerates it and since on one else but him and Jason were there he gets away with it. It infuriates Jason a lot that people keep buying it which just adds to Tim’s amusement.

Tim after Jason messed up the order in which he keeps all his case files and had to spend the night reorganizing them: Yeah the titans was so traumatic. I was so shocked and terrified I couldn’t even speak. But he just keep getting more and more agitated for some reason.

New hero: Oh my god that’s awful!

Jason: Tim you were basically taunting me through the whole fight!

Tim: Oh yeah it was so awful. But Jason still felt like a brother to me so I couldn’t possibly even lift a finger to hurt him or fight back so I guess he took advantage of that.

Jason: Oh really? I’m pretty sure you dislocated my jaw when you punched me in the face so hard I can’t even forget it!

Tim: Oh yes. He beat me a crowbar while I couldn’t even move. Something about me having to suffer just like he had to.

Jason: There wasn’t even a crowbar there!

Tim: It took me months to recover. It was worse than any injury I’ve ever had.

Jason: I saw you patrolling Gotham as Robin literally two weeks later

Dick: You know you’re so lucky that Tim is such an innocent angel that he was willing to forgive you even after you basically tortured him for hours.

Jason: I didn’t torture him! I swear I’ve seen him have fight with villain that were worse than that! And it lasted like less than an hour! TIM! STOP TELLING PEOPLE THIS!

Tim form the other room grinning manically:😈

People keep believing him cause he exaggerated this story from the start cause even though it wasn’t actually that bad he still has to get revenge.

[completeoveranalysis]

[6]

And we get... SOMETHING! Something sure did happen!

Is there an immediate explanation or -

NOPE.

OK END OF CHAPTER.

LET'S SEE.

The Jam Jar versions of Sakura and Syaoran are OUT, but can we piece together anything else?

Aside from the obvious visual differences (ie, covered in blood, asleep) there are a couple of things that make them look different to the present day Lava Lamp Guy and Super Sakura that we have in the middle here.

Their faces are SLIGHTLY different. Almost identical but not quite! The Jam Jar Syaoran also doesn't appear to have the goggles, and isn't wearing gloves either. Which is probably not significant, but I thought I'd mention it just in case.

Oh! Also the Jam Jar Sakura is slightly transparent! You can see the other Sakura's dress through her feet!

Wild!

What does it mean? WHO KNOWS, but I sure will wait patiently for CLAMP to tell me eventually without suffering every single day in the meantime :D

(lie)

[fisheito]

board game night with the catty punk rock band

[vhsforge]

i am very mentally well right now...

[claitea]

bw remakes coming soon (my purrloin works at gamefreak)

WAIT DONT SAY THIS YET ITS TOO SOON. LET THEM WORK ON LEGENDS ZA FIRST!!!!

[hollypunkers]

Chapter 3 of the Wisest Fool in Oz is up! Link below and slightly spoilery other meme below the cut.

This is at least a fun way of procrastinating before work.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/61840555/chapters/158751676#workskin

[mysterious-moonstruck-musings]

More reblog love @cutepurplehedgehog?!?! 😱😭

Thank you! 💜😘

The Lovers: Part 2

Fic Masterlist ||| Main Masterlist

Dieter Bravo x OFC

Summary: While looking for the perfect Christmas gift for his niece, Dieter Bravo finds himself in a small mystic shop, owned by the sweet and eccentric Amina. After an impromptu tarot reading with unexpected and surprising results, the two quickly find themselves enchanted by each other.

Warnings: Spicy language, alcohol consumption, smut, & mentions of drug use. Mystical topics such as tarot readings, spirit guides, chakras, etc. Dieter Bravo comes with his own warnings.

Chapter Quote: “Get it together Bravo.”

Dieter POV

As I sat at the table not paying attention to anything happening on stage and trying to get the server’s attention to refill my glass of wine, my mind kept coming back to one thing…the girl from the shop. Amina. She was unlike anything I had ever seen with her long silky dark hair and eyes that looked like the moon. She was invading every inch of my brain and entering my bloodstream, stronger and with more force than any drug I had ever consumed. She wasn’t the type of person I was normally attracted to. She seemed sweet, but also a little quirky. Definitely not the usual self-centered type that typically found their way into my life. 

When I first saw Amina this morning through the shop window and she smiled at Ava, my entire body started to tingle. I couldn’t take my eyes off of her. Something about her was pulling me in, like twin astronomical objects stuck in each other’s gravitational orbit, the other half to my binary star system. I wanted to go inside immediately but thought against it since Ava was with me. She didn’t need to see her uncle dissolve into a bumbling mess over a pretty lady. She would have never let me live that down. 

Ava’s Christmas request did give me a reason to go back to the shop, which I was delighted over. I decided to swing back by after dropping her off with her mom, knowing there was a possibility that it might make me late for the benefit fundraiser that I was currently suffering through. Between the uncomfortable chair that was causing my lower back to feel like it was about to snap in half and the stuck up ass holes I had been seated with, it gave me all the more reason to focus my thoughts on Amina, with the occasional intrusive thought telling me I should have taken a couple more edibles before I left the house. 

As the next musical act took the stage, a server passed by. I waved my hand to get his attention, finally getting a refill. As he was about to walk away to the next table, I told him to leave the bottle, realizing it was nearly full. I didn’t want to have to flag somebody down again. He briefly resisted, but finally handed it over to avoid a scene. Sitting the bottle down on the table in front of me, I chanced a look around and noticed the lady across the table from me giving a disapproving look. I smiled and held up my overly full glass in a toast toward her. She rolled her eyes and turned back toward the stage. “Huh. Tough crowd,” I mumbled to myself. The bottle of wine and thoughts of Amina were the only things that could get me through tonight. 

My mind kept circling back to the tarot reading. I had never considered doing a reading before, but I had a strange urge to do it when I saw the sign. My compulsive nature not allowing me to leave the shop without it. The reading itself blew my mind, of course. It really had me reevaluating everything I thought I knew about myself and what I wanted in my future, but it was Amina’s reaction to it that really stuck with me. I felt like there was something she was holding back, but I wasn’t sure what. It made me feel uneasy, but also giddy about the possibility of additional prospects. 

As I refilled my third glass of wine, I considered the weird electricity I had felt between us. Was that just my imagination? I felt like she could feel it too by the way she kept looking at me. Especially when I shook her hand…or maybe she just recognized who I was? Is that how she knew I was a Leo? I had so many fucking questions and it was starting to give me a headache. Or maybe it was all the wine and edibles mixing badly.  

Before today, I had given up on the idea of love. My past relationships were full of turmoil and drama. Most people just used me for money or notoriety. Once they got what they wanted, they were off to their next great adventure leaving me behind without a second thought. All of those experiences had hardened me, making me question people’s motives at every turn. It had sort of turned me into a pessimistic asshole. These days I prefer to spend my time alone and high, with the exception of family time. My sister and niece were the only two I actually enjoyed being around. I wondered if I could add Amina to that short list? She seemed different, not corrupted by the business…a normal person. She probably wouldn’t want to be pulled into this world though. She seemed too pure and gentle for it.    

Movement in my left periphery pulled me out of my thoughts. One of my crazy exes was eyeing me from where she stood a few tables over. I exhaled rather loudly before spitting out an annoyed “Fuck.” The asshats sitting next me at the table turned, giving me a confused look. I grabbed my glass and the bottle of wine and made a beeline for the first door I saw before she had the chance to come over and talk to me. When I walked through the door, I was met by a flurry of activity from the servers. This was obviously an area I wasn’t supposed to be in. 

The server that had left the bottle of wine appeared in front of me with a frustrated look, “Mr. Bravo, you can’t be back here. This area is not for guests.” 

“I don’t fucking care. I can’t be out there. Where’s the exit?”   

He raised his brows at me before answering, “The way you came.”

“No…no, no. There has to be another one. Fire code says so. Take me to it…please.” He stood there, giving me a dismissive look. I clearly needed a different approach, “My crazy ex is out there looking for me. I can’t talk to her. She’ll want to come home with me, and I’ll probably let her because I’m a fucking idiot. Don’t enable me…please.”  

I could see his resolve crumbing, “Alright, fine. Come on.”  I followed him through the kitchen area to the exit at the back that led out to an alley lined with several dumpsters. I drained my glass before handing it to the young man but kept the bottle of wine. Shaking his head at me, he disappeared back inside. I figured I had been at the event long enough, so I called my driver to come get me to take me home. 

When I got home, I still had Amina on the brain and got the sudden urge to paint. I didn’t even bother changing out of my dress clothes before starting on a fresh canvas in the corner of my bedroom. I had an image in my head that I needed to get out even if I wasn’t exactly sure what it was. It was a swirl of light blue, navy, deep red, and a touch of yellow. And there were shapes too…circles and half-moons of varying sizes in a bronze color. It was the most bizarre thing. I finished off the bottle of wine as I painted. Eventually getting hot and stripping down to my boxer briefs, scattering the rather expensive clothes around the room and probably getting paint on them in my drunken state. By the time 3AM rolled around, I was running out of steam. I crawled into bed, still covered in paint.   

I awoke the next morning to the hot sun streaming in through the French doors. As I lay there, I had an urge to go back to the shop today. I wanted to see Amina again. I wanted to get to know her. I reached for my phone and started scrolling Instagram as I always do when I first wake up. As I was trying to think through my next steps, a post from the Griffith Observatory caught my attention. There was going to be a meteor shower tomorrow night. I started toying with the idea of going there to view the event so I could use their telescopes since I didn’t have any other plans. Maybe I could take Ava…she loved that stuff.  

I sat up quickly. “Wait...Maybe…that’s an amazing idea,” I said out loud to myself. I could ask Amina to go. She would be into that stuff, right? I nearly tripped over the blankets tangled around my legs as I jumped up out of bed to go shower. Afterwards, I tried to tame my messy locks, but I wasn’t sure how well I succeeded. At least it looked like it was supposed to be that way on purpose. I threw on a navy and gray plaid button up shirt, leaving the top few buttons open and rolling up the sleeves, paired with dark wash jeans. I looked somewhat put together and even added a little cologne. Satisfied with my appearance, I popped a couple of edibles to chill my ass out, grabbed my wallet, phone, sunglasses, and keys before heading out the door. 

I wasn’t sure what time the shop opened, but it was nearing 11 AM when I parked the car. I figured it had to be open by now. I could feel the nervousness creeping in. I couldn’t remember the last time I had actually asked someone out on a real date and planned it. Most of the time I would just end up leaving an event or a party with someone and stay with them for several days or until they got whatever they needed from me. That’s just how the Hollywood lifestyle worked, and I was over it months ago. It did nothing but cause me grief.

As I approached the shop from across the street, I could see the neon ‘open’ sign glowing in the front window. I could feel my heart rate picking up, realizing that this felt like foreign territory to me. I wasn’t even sure what to say to her. It was probably better I didn’t think too hard about it, or I would end up chickening out. Besides, I was just doing what the cards said. Seeing the opportunity and taking the leap.

Thinking of the card reading stopped me in my tracks, “Fuck” I whispered to myself, backing against the brick wall of the building. I hadn’t considered the card reading. Knowing what the reading implied…that could be a lot of pressure and weird as hell. Should I just stroll in and say, ‘Oh hi, I think you're my soulmate the cards spoke of?’ I was suddenly starting to feel like this was a bad idea, like she would think I was nuts.

I was about to turn and go back to my car when movement from across the street caught my attention. I watched as the shop door opened and Amina stepped outside to hold the door for an elderly woman carrying a bag and walking with a cane. They were both smiling and obviously having a pleasant exchange as the older woman slowly made her way down the small ramp from the door. Amina clearly had a kind heart and cared about others. However, it wasn’t her actions that currently held my attention, but what she was wearing; flared jeans, brown clogs, and a deep red sleeveless duster over a shirt with bell sleeves. It was the shirt that stood out to me, specifically the design on it. A swirl of light blue, navy, dark red, with a hint of yellow, just like my painting from last night.

“What the fuck? No way.”

That had to be a sign, right? My feet started moving toward the shop without my permission. I momentarily paused before opening the door, taking a deep breath to try and calm my nerves, but it didn’t seem to do anything to help. 

I huffed out, “Get it together Bravo.” Like that was supposed to do something. 

When I entered, I didn’t immediately see anyone. So, I started browsing through the book section, occasionally peeking around to look for Amina. I thought I could hear hushed voices coming from the back before Amina stumbled through the beaded curtains, looking back with an annoyed expression on her face. I raised an eyebrow in her direction with a smirk on my face. She looked flustered, which I found to be adorable. As her eyes met mine, she smiled sweetly, walking toward me. 

“Dieter, you’re back so soon? I don’t…have the mockup ready yet…”

My eyes widened at her words. Fuck, I didn’t even think about that. I didn’t want her to feel rushed.

“No, sorry…sorry, I’m not here for that. I wouldn’t expect you to have it ready that quickly.”

She rubbed her hand across her forehead, “Whew, ok good.”

We both chuckled before she continued, “Is there something I can help you with then?” 

“Umm…”

She gave me a questioning look, a small smile playing on her lips. And her eyes…fuck, I could get lost in them. I couldn’t look away. They were the most beautiful shade of gray with flecks of another color I couldn’t exactly pinpoint. Maybe a darker shade of gray? Blue? They reminded me of the lunar surface. Divine, almost otherworldly. I wasn’t sure how long I stood there staring like an idiot with my mouth hanging open, but it was long enough for her to fill the silence. She pinched her brows together, clearly confused by my reaction. 

“Are you looking for specific reading material?” She nodded toward the book in my hand. 

“Umm…” Use your words Bravo. “No, nothing specific. Umm, I do like learning about astrology though. I noticed these yesterday and wanted to come check them out…Do you have any recommendations?”

I noticed her eyes flick down, like she was looking me over with a smirk on her face. Was she checking me out? Fucking hell. I have no idea what I’m doing. 

“Any of them are good. I don’t put anything on the shelf that I haven’t read myself. It just depends on the specific topic you’re looking for really.” 

“Oh, well I’ll just browse then.” I was almost positive the smile I gave her was ridiculous looking. 

She nodded, “Right. Well…let me know if you have any questions and I would be happy to help.” She smiled, hesitating for a second before she walked back toward the register. 

I stood there flipping through books for way longer than I should have, occasionally stealing quick glances toward Amina at the register. It looked like she was doing something on a laptop, but there were a couple of times I felt like I had caught her quickly looking away from me. 

I eventually grabbed a couple of random books from the shelf to purchase. I hadn’t really looked at any of them and had no idea what was in my hand. I made my way around the shop, taking my time to look at every inch of the place while I tried to decide on my next step. There was so much I wanted to buy, but I didn’t want to look like a weirdo. I did grab the incense burner I had seen the previous day. I had a thing for wolves, so it went with my vibe. I still hadn’t decided on a plan of action by the time I got up to the register, but I couldn’t stall anymore without looking like a creep. When I sat everything down on the counter, Amina started shuffling through the books I had grabbed. She held one up, biting her lip slightly before asking, “Did you find everything you were looking for?” 

I was momentarily distracted by her bottom lip tucked between her teeth before I looked over to the book in her hand, which was called The Astrology of Sex. What a fucking idiot. That’s a great impression. I could feel my mouth drop open as my face heated. I knew I had to be turning red. 

“Oh…umm. I didn’t mean to grab that. I-I meant to get the one beside it…I think…”

Her smile widened, “I mean, it’s an interesting read.” She chuckled. “You wanna swap it out…for the correct one?”

I wish she hadn't said that. The thought of her reading a book about sex was sending signals directly to my dick. 

I let out a breathy laugh, “I mean, if you say it’s a good read, I’ll give it a try on your recommendation.” 

She smiled at me as she started ringing everything up. The way she looked at me was making my heart beat out of my chest. I tried to look everywhere but at her, yet somehow the pendant on the long chain around her neck still caught my attention. It was copper, an elongated oval with different half-moon shapes above and below a full circle stamped into the metal. It was the same shapes that I couldn’t get out of my head last night.

“That pendant on your necklace, what are those shapes?” 

She glanced down, lifting it so I could get a better look. “Oh, it's the different moon phases.” 

“Huh…” I was a little stunned. “That’s interesting...”

I looked away, trying to process this new bit of information. Was this the universe's way of pushing me to ask her out? I was beginning to feel the pressure bearing down on me. I started tapping on the counter, then realized Amina had said something that I missed. 

“I’m sorry, what was that?” I felt like such a jackass. I had completely spaced out on her. 

She raised her brows at me and pointed toward green numbers on the register, “Your total.”

“Oh, right. Sorry.” I pulled out my wallet and handed her my credit card. Her fingers brushed lightly against mine as she took it, causing my entire body to buzz with electricity. I wasn’t ready to leave, but I didn’t know what else to say. I noticed a small display for chakra bracelets next to the register.  

“What’s a chakra?” I legitimately didn’t know. Hopefully I wasn’t about to make an ass of myself again. 

She looked up at me through her lashes as she bagged everything, a smirk on her face. My breath hitched slightly at the sight. 

“It’s a belief that originates from early Hinduism that we have different energy disks that we should maintain and keep open. Each one corresponds with different parts of the body. There are seven of them.” 

She pulled a chart out that had seven different colored circles and each one had a name related to a power. I scanned down the list; Crown, Third Eye, Throat, Heart, Solar Plexus, Sacral, and Root. 

Picking one at random I asked, “What’s the Sacral Chakra do?” 

She raised her brow at me before smiling, “It’s related to creativity and sexuality.” 

My head dropped as I squeezed my eyes shut. Of course it is. I should just stop now before I embarrass myself any further. I chuckled before meeting her eyes again. She seemed amused but continued with her explanation.

“There are stones that relate to each Chakra. When you wear them, it helps with healing and balance. Allowing your energies to flow freely.”   

She grabbed one of the bracelets from the display, unclasping it before reaching for my arm and closing it around my wrist next to the others I was currently wearing, “That’s on the house….to add to your collection. The brownish-red stone is called Carnelian. It’s the Sacral stone.” 

Her fingertips brushed down the side of mine as she pulled away, leaving a searing heat where they touched. A slight smile playing at the edge of her lips over her teasing words. 

I was almost certain I felt my heart skip a beat when she glanced back up at me. I couldn’t think. I couldn’t move. I just stood there with a dumbstruck grin on my face staring at her. I finally managed to mumble out my thanks before clumsily grabbing the bags and turning toward the exit, chastising myself for allowing the moment to pass without asking her out. I walked all the way back to my car and got in. Sitting there replaying every detail of that interaction and hating myself for failing at my mission and acting like a dumbass. 

I couldn’t go back now without it being weird. I had completely blown that opportunity. I sighed as I stared at the bag in the passenger seat. A low chuckle escaped my lips as I realized I bought the incense burner but didn’t get any incense to burn. Was I really about to go back in there? Yes, I fucking was. 

Before I had time to talk myself out of it, I was walking through the shop entrance again. Amina looked up from her laptop, her eyebrows pinching together, obviously confused as to why I was back. I gave an awkward wave in her direction. 

“Sorry to bother you again. I got to the car and realized I forgot to get incense…to go with the burner.” 

Her face softened as a smile formed on her plump lips, “Ahh, perhaps I should have asked if you needed any to save you the trip.” 

She walked around from behind the counter, “I have several to choose from over here. Do you know which scent you’re looking for?” 

I chuckled, “I’ve heard incense can be good to mask the smell of weed. So, whatever is good for that.” 

She quirked an eyebrow at me, laughing quietly at my reasoning. Hopefully that wasn’t something that bothered her. 

“It can depend on the strain you’re masking, but usually vanilla is a good cover for any of them. If it’s something on the stronger side, Patchouli works well. Sandalwood, citrus, and lavender are effective for the weaker strains.”

I nodded along, but I was only half listening. Instead, I was wondering what she smelled like... and I was dying to touch the silky tendrils of hair laying across her face. 

“Umm, what’s your preference?” Was the only response I could think of. I wasn’t sure if I had blinked since she started speaking. I was completely entranced by her. 

She smiled, pushing a lock of hair behind her ear, “I prefer the softer scents of vanilla and citrus myself.” 

She pulled a pack of each from the display, holding them up for me to smell. I briefly wondered if I would find similar scents on her skin as I inhaled each of them. 

“Those do smell nice. I’ll go with them,” I nodded, happy with that decision.

“Anything else you forgot?” She raised her brows in a questioning gesture.

I laughed nervously, “I don’t think so. If I did, I’ll just come right back again.” 

She tucked her bottom lip between her teeth, fighting a smile as she walked toward the register. 

Fucking hell Bravo, just do it already.

I cleared my throat as I approached, nervously drumming my fingers on the counter as I worked up the courage to ask her. 

“Amina, umm…” Her eyes snapped to mine. She seemed surprised by my casual use of her name. 

I exhaled slowly. No stopping now. 

“Are you free tomorrow night?” She looked momentarily stunned by my question. “Do you want to go on a date with me?” I continued, blurting it out at her. It was not the best delivery.

“Umm, does it have to be tomorrow? I do have work…” 

Fuck. I didn’t think that through. I felt hot all of a sudden, flushed. My ears were starting to ring from the blood pounding in them. Then the word vomit started. 

“No…no it doesn’t have to be tomorrow. It’s just…there’s a meteor shower tomorrow night and I figured we could go to the observatory and use their telescopes to watch it and look at other things too…since it’s supposed to be a clear night. I thought it might be something you would enjoy doing with me? If not, we can totally do something else another day too if you prefer?” 

Before she could respond, we were interrupted by the same girl from yesterday busting through the beaded curtain. 

“Mina, I can close tomorrow. Go. That sounds like a good time.” The girl winked and nudged her shoulder against Amina’s to emphasize some unspoken words between them. Clearly, she had been listening.

Amina stood staring at me, looking conflicted. I could feel my heart sinking into my stomach at the realization that she was probably going to turn me down. I had nothing to lose at this point, so I might as well go for it. 

“I realize the whole thing with the card reading yesterday probably makes this a little weird…but, I really would like an opportunity to get to know you better. If it matters, I did want to come in and talk to you the second I saw you in the window yesterday morning.” 

Amina’s eyes widened with that new bit of information. I felt it was important that she knew I was interested before the reading. I didn’t want her to think I was blindly asking just because of the cards.

She let out a controlled breath, “Ok…yeah. That sounds like fun actually.” 

She suddenly seemed shy as she smiled up at me. I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.

“Yeah?” She nodded. “That’s amazing. Awesome.” I couldn’t help the goofy grin I knew I had plastered on my face. 

“Give me your phone,” she said suddenly. I fished it out of my pocket, unlocking it before handing it over to her. 

“Here’s my number. I’ll text you my address. Pick me up at six if that time works?” 

I nodded maybe a little too enthusiastically, “That sounds perfect.” 

When she handed my phone back, I glanced at her contact information, noticing she listed her details under ‘Mina - The Mystic Shop Girl’. She must have noticed how I had names listed in my contacts and I loved that she went along with it. I looked up at her with a smirk. She was fighting a smile too as she went back to ringing up my purchase that I had completely forgotten about. We completed the transaction in a comfortable silence. Both of us stealing glances at each other with small smiles on our faces throughout. Once I finished paying, I gave her a nod of thanks as I turned to leave. 

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” I added over my shoulder, still smiling like a fool as I excited the shop. 

I felt like I could have done a little jig as I walked back to my car. I couldn’t remember the last time I felt this excited about something. Today was a good day and tomorrow was going to be even fucking better.

Next

[thegreatyin]

ladies, gents, and those who know better,

i'm thrilled to report that caeru has officially been assigned Huge Nerd at the person of some importance convention.

[carnivorous-arboretum]

this is a few months old but a while ago. i made tarot cards for my warden, hawke, and inquisitor

the hanged man, reversed - stagnation, unnecessary sacrifice, unbroken cycles

the hierophant, reversed - challenging tradition, rebellion, freedom

death, upright - change, transformation, inevitability

[good-beanswrites]

hi! may i request some mikoto + amane (platonic obvs) … anything? they are very dear to me 😭

Yes!!! Thank you so much for the request -- they really are such a good pair ;-; (The thing is, I had so many nice scenes in mind about how they parallel each other, but they wouldn't know or reveal that about each other so I kept restarting...) Anyway, here's something right after Mikoto's first trial/verdict!

Mikoto could pick up on someone’s bad mood from a mile away, though the skill was unnecessary when the other party very clearly and calmly informed him, “I’m in a bad mood.”

After refusing his offer, Amane turned back to a thick textbook she’d been taking notes on. Didn’t kids usually complain that school was already a prison? She must have wanted the full experience. He'd worked nonstop at his studies as well, but this was a new level. Amane often reminded him of his little sister, though she always took the extra step like this. His sister would have jumped at this opportunity to play a few rounds of their favorite card game.

“It’ll be fun!”

He flashed a smile, but it had no effect on her severe expression. “I know you’re just trying to comfort me about our verdicts. I refuse to be pitied.”

“Comfort and pity are two very different things. But anyway, it wasn’t either of those things.” He gave an easy shrug “To be honest, I’m just a little bored. It’s weird not having any work to do during the day.” 

Mikoto couldn’t remember the last time in his life he’d had so many hours to himself. A lot of the others were fun to play games with. A few of the sportier prisoners helped him stay active. He enjoyed smoking breaks with the other men. Still, he was left to his own devices for the majority of his time. It was maddening. He’d recently requested some more art supplies, having used up the last batch, but they had yet to come in. Now with the verdict announcement, he wasn’t sure they’d ever arrive.

“That is your own problem. I already have something to do.” Her eyes lingered on the cards for the briefest of moments before returning to the book. “I told you, I’m not in the mood for it.”

Regardless of her hostility, he took a seat beside her. He leaned his arms out on the table. “We don’t have to play the same game.” The last time they'd played as a big group, several prisoners pulling the tables together to fit everyone. Amane had kept very quiet, eyes darting around at the cards as she tried to keep up with the rules. Not many of the others noticed the frustration clear in her face. Mikoto wasn’t the type to let her win out of pity, though he had begun to mutter the rules and strategies to himself a bit more as the night went on… 

“Is there a game you liked to play at home?”

 “No. There was no time for games in the house.” 

“All work and no play… hah… I know what that’s like.” He slumped his cheek onto his arm, lazily shuffling the cards around. He felt bad for bothering the girl if she truly was upset. He thought it was the bad experience that made her reject him, he hadn’t realized there were also family issues attached. Usually he could read people well; maybe he was losing his touch. He seemed to be losing touch with a lot of things, these days.

He readied a game of solitaire. 

“Mikoto?” Amane kept her face turned away. “There was… one game.”

“Yeah?” Mikoto shuffled the cards back together. He slid them over to her. “You should teach me!” 

She didn’t touch them. “You probably already know it.”

“Nah, I only know a few games. I’m better with tarot cards, though those aren’t really the gaming type. Come on, what is it?”

She told him the name of the game, insisting it wouldn’t be worth playing. She kept her attention on the textbook, but her eyes weren’t reading any of it. 

“Ahh, I’ve heard of that one! We start with four cards, right?” He started dealing them out.

“No, five –” she pointed to the deck, urging him to add two more. 

“Right, right.” He laughed lightly. “And the goal is to get pairs, and put them in a pile, uhh, here.”

Amane shook her head. She shifted her body slightly towards him. “You must be thinking of a different game. There’s actually three piles for pairs. One here, one here, and when it’s your opponent’s turn…” 

Her eyes gleamed as she explained the rules. She pointed to various cards, telling him exact moves and point values. “And to win, you need to –” Her expression shifted. “You… you already knew all this.”

“Of course not!” He put on his most convincing smile. 

She deflated. “You’re not a very good liar.”

“Tch, tell that to the warden.”

His shoulders sagged along with her. If Amane could see right through him, why was the rest of Milgram still coming up with stories about what he did and didn’t do? “Well, I might already know the rules, but it’s been a long time since I’ve played. You can still give me a hand. Plus, if you really are in such a bad mood, it’ll be good to take a break from your studies. You should always take a break when things get too overwhelming, yeah?”

She gave him a withering stare.

“Eh? What’s that face for?”

“Alright, let’s play. You can go first.”

“I mean it, what was that look? Aw, come on…”

[tsukasalover]

“hold a lollipop if ur the best pjsk characters”

[woodcries]

i beat the entire game only to just now see that neve has a prosthetic leg