#the right mix of horror and comedy

[awkwardplant]

been listening to camp here and there and for some reason the elephant man is my favourite character

[aprilblossomgirl]

"you think that's it and all and everything? oh you just wait and see." [insert next epsiode's preview] -- basically the end of every episodes of the second half of peaceful property on sale.

and of course they haven't done with somkid and grandpa, yet. *smile*

[daydark4k]

Announcing: Genloss Week! in celebration of the 1 year anniversary of generation loss, I wanted to host a little fandom week for our favorite horror comedy show :]

a huge thank you to egg @kertoir for making this amazing poster!! RULES:

ALL MEDIAS ALLOWED! PLEASE make visual art, edits, fanfics, poetry and more!! i want to see all your amazing creativity :D

tag any blood, gore, or horror themes appropriately, and no sexual themes allowed.

use the tag #genlossweek2024 (and #1YEAROFGENLOSS on twitter) !

also, there's no right or wrong way to use the prompts! they are there to give you inspiration, not restrict you. if you want, you can disregard the prompts entirely, mix and match, or use both! the way they work is there's one "setting" prompt and one "abstract" prompt, there to give you a range of ideas :p

anyways that's all. have fun and happy genlosing ! I can't wait to see all the things you make!

[inf3ct3dd]

ellie headcanons pt.5!!!

warnings: nada

content: loser!ellie x reader headcanons

authors note : ellie dug a hole into my skull and moved in

⁃ against bags for no reason. like her pockets are constantly full of things. random receipts, money, headphones, EVERYTHING. she takes her pants of and they jingle cuz they're filled with COINS.

⁃ knows how to do a back bridge and just HAS to let everyone know. you're watching tv and she's just on the floor like "look"

⁃ i feel like shes the type of person to just start fully eating an orange in the middle of class. like ur listening to the teacher talk and you're just hit by the most aggressive wave of CITRUS from behind you

⁃ constantly fighting the air... like she's just in the kitchen punching and kicking at NOTHING just because. she's always coming up to you and like take punching you and doing her own sound effects like “PWAH PWAH WAM WAPOW"

⁃ jar hoarder 😞😞 every time you buy anything that comes in a jar she's keeping it. literally won't let you throw them away!!! you guys don't even have cups anymore, its just jars and mugs.

⁃ speaking of mugs, ellie has just as many stupid mugs as she does stupid tshirts. absolutely has a lot of garfield mugs be she LOVES GARFEILD

- would buy a dry-erase board for your fridge and leave u little notes and drawings

⁃ "Every single time I see you, I become horny like a triceratops" with a little drawing of a triceratops"

⁃ breaks into incoherent ramblings when shes sleepy... like insane hypotheticals

"what if our bed just completely exploded right now"

⁃ whenever ur on facetime and it gets quiet she just breaks out into song. not even like good, trying singing but BAD SINGING.

⁃ she does that whenever it's quiet !!!

⁃ is listening to music CONSTANTLY. her headphones are actually attached to her ears like all DAY she's listening to something.

⁃ HATES THE BIG LIGHT (iykyk) she lives for low/ natural lighting definitely has so many lamps and led lights

⁃ can never sit normal.... like she is not beating the gay ppl sitting weird allegations she sits so ODD

⁃ will spend literal hours in the pool. doing flips, pretending to be a mermaid, 'making up' her own tricks, she lives for it & !!!

⁃ refuses to dress right for the weather. it'll be like 90° outside and shes in a whole hoodie and jeans.

⁃ has the WEIRDEST subway order. probably puts banana peppers on her shit 😭😭 she swears its the best thing ever

⁃ love's campy comedy movies, esp lesbian ones and horror movies (but im a cheerleader, bottoms, scary movie, etc) also def loves coming of age movies

⁃ has a letterbox account and makes extremely thought provoking reviews

literally her

⁃ always taking candids of you, and they're literally her favorite pictures

⁃ every time she sees two things next to eachother she's like "oh my god it's literally us!!"

⁃ one time she crashed her car and it literally fully flipped over and she just crawled out of the trunk and called you like "you would NOT believe what just happened to me."

- absolutely a waffles girl she needs the texture she likes the CRUNCH

⁃ but like she also loves bacon pancakes. like she's obsessed w adventure time and she makes bacon pancakes ALL THE TIME and she sings the song while she makes them

- eats trail mix like all day....she buys the giant jars and you make fun of her cuz she "likes eating nuts"

⁃ the most secret swifty ever. like she refuses to let it be known but she fully sobbed when she listened to folklore for the first time

⁃ obsessed w those baby sensory videos. like she will literally be entertained for hours

⁃ LOVES the lego movies, esp lego batman

⁃ the MOST honest shit talker ever like you'll be like "yeah she's just a really bad person" and she'd be like "she's also like disgustingly hideous...

⁃ her search history isn’t even weird or gross its just…random. like she’s definitely googled “how do cotton candy machines work” before

⁃ family guy enjoyer.....

⁃ her cf story is like insanely long n its filled w random memes she reposts and insane ramblings

taglist!!!! if ur name is crossed i can't tag u :((

@syrenada @dinaissoprettyoml, @kingofmylastkiss @as2rid @greencacty @melissabarrerass @bratydoll @lov3lylotus @forelliesposts @echostinn @f3r4Ifr0gg3r @r3wbeef @leatheredhearts @mousymaven @mina-281@princessguardian444 @calystas-morning-tea @horror-whoree @slutshies @bearieio @mag-mfm @bubs-world @paran0id0blivi0n @sawaagyapong @bbygrIshelbs @gayh0rr0r @p|9ys @ellieslilsIvvt @dollietes @elliesmellsbadd @ibloom4u @ddreabea @beestar120 @brunettedolls-blog @girlwonderchloe @elliesgflol @maris-koffin @emonopolyman @iloveeyousblog @fr3sh-tragedies @ilovaffles @certifedcrybunny @elleatethat @baldph0bic @clouded-whispers @4rt3m1ss @saggykneecaps @swtsuna @ellesslutt @minixmel @yuyans-stuff @owmoiralover @thecowardwrites @lunascerebro @elliestrwbrry @iwantsoda @teeveegirl @dinasmoon @urnewghostfriend @k3ym4ra @bratzboydoll @ungodlyvenus @lav3nd3rhaze @scokslvoer @iloveunrealpeople @realwinehouse @nehemiahlicious @onedeaddreamer @teawithnosugar @r4t1ku5 @villainousbear @mentallymarriedtonatasharomanoff @gay4tiddies @uraesthete @lil-elliesgf @neighborhood-houseplant @sagessensationalstuff

[gremlinmodetweeker]

Movie Nights with König

König is a really cool guy, but movie nights go one of two ways. Your way, or his way. Your way is great! He'll bake cookies and pastries, he makes popcorn and popcorn clusters (you know, like mixing popcorn with caramel, chocolate or peanut butter to make little popcorn balls? My parents did that with me) and he's just fantastic. He sets up the screen for you, helps you get the place all clean and cozy and snuggles right up to you with the biggest fluffiest blanket you both can find.

He does this for movie nights regardless of who's movie is playing, mind you. He's a major sweetheart. It's a fun time for your both to unwind and calm down and enjoy your lives together.

König just also sometimes likes to watch... his movies.

If you really hate them, it might be once a month or once every other month, and probably not with you beside him. Sometimes he just needs a movie that he wants to watch. Something that caught his eye and now he needs to see it. Unfortunately, what König likes isn't exactly... Normal.

See, König loves horror. Really, really loves horror. It's his favourite genre, followed closely by thriller and comedy. That one's a fun little mix, but his true love is horror. He is constantly pushing the boundaries of horror and trying to scare himself silly. For him, getting his heart pumping and his adrenaline surging keeps him alive. Maybe it's PTSD, maybe it's Maybelline. We'll never know for sure. Either way, he is always on the hunt for the next best horror.

Now, the problem is König is nearing middle-aged. He's had years to become desensitized to horror. You? Unless you're like him and live horror just as much as he does, you have not had that much time. He may forget this in the beginning, so your first horror movies may be pretty scary (read: traumatizing). He goes for some truly terrifying stuff. One, the one that my short drabble (the one you can find here) is based on is called The Poughkeepsie Tapes. It's a mockumentary about a group of detectives following the clues a serial killer has left behind in the form of tapes he's recorded of his victims. It's a chilling movie, but incredibly good. For anyone into more intense horror, please give it a watch.

But that last sentence is telling. König likes intense, extreme horror. Not always gore, but often gore. He's seen active combat too much to really be shaken by gore. He's the type to flick on Cannibal Holocaust and not bat an eye. It's pretty intense, and you might end the night thinking you fell in love with a sociopath. He's not evil, he just had a kinda fucked up moral compass through years of combat.

His love of horror does not strictly lie within gore. He likes suspense, too. He is fully into developing a good atmosphere of horror. Just a simple gory jumpscare doesn't really get to him. Some drawn out scene that has you on the edge of your seat as you dread what waits around the corner? That's what gets to him. He loves a good atmosphere. Sometimes it's a pain because the movies can start so dry, but by the end they have your teeth chattering.

However, König will not force you through something you can't handle. He's not a monster. He'll watch movies like 9 and Coraline, kid's horror if you will, if you can't handle his stuff. He'll tone it down for a cute movie night. He's sympathetic to your stomach.

The problems with movie nights don't end with König's love of horror, though.

He'll grow to love your kinds of movies, but he's a bit of a terrible person to watch movies with. Like, the snacks are great, but he's the type to talk over a movie. The worst part is when he talks over the most important parts and then gets lost. He's literally the worst for that. If you can get him to shut up, he's alright though. Usually you have to offer him something to eat or drink to keep his mouth occupied.

He loves to cuddle during movies, no matter what's playing. He'll hold you in his lap or by his side the whole way through. He loves to cuddle under a blanket and relax. However, he is watching the movie. He is not here to get distracted (even though he ends up distracting himself by talking through it). He wants his movie, and he will watch it until the end. It doesn't matter what you do to distract him, he is determined to finish the movie. If you fall asleep? Too bad, he's watching it. If you get a bit frisky? Sucks to suck, he's watching the movie until the bitter end. It gets to the point where you have to pause to let him use the washroom because he refuses to stop the movie. It can get a bit brutal. I do not recommend a Lord of the Rings marathon with him. It would be too intense.

If you can handle König being an obnoxious chatterbox during movies, he's great. The key to a good movie night is to stuff him with snacks so he keeps his interjections to a minimum. Cuddle him, and he'll be too busy enjoying the snuggle session to really have much to say. It's easy to get him to shut up, at the very least. Just make sure you have enough snacks.

[just-j-really]

Another Dreamling fic I'm probably not going to write: amnesia AU, but played for comedy/fluff. Hob forgets everything from the night he met Dream onward because of some sort of curse. Dream decides to look after him until the curse wears off, because he is Being a Good Friend.

So from Hob's perspective, a Mysterious Hot Guy told him he'd see him in 100 years time and then he woke up in the future, with the Mysterious Hot Guy refusing to let him out of his sight.

Hob is under the impression he's being kidnapped/seduced by some fey creature, and "show him the delights the future has to offer" is just how this guy flirts.

Hob is not opposed.

Meanwhile Dream is being dragged along on a whirlwind tour of the year 2023 by a Manic Pixie Dream Medieval Peasant who wants to see absolutely everything there is to see in the future right now immediately.

(I am a little bit thinking of the festival dance scene in Tangled, with Hob as Rapunzel. Only instead of Festival Activities he is enthusiastically dragging Dream around to the various Sights of modern London.)

The Sights in Question are this bizarre mix of 'things a modern person would consider an attraction in modern London' and 'entirely banal parts of modern London' and Hob is having the time of his life. The future has stores full of more food than he's seen??? And types of food he's never seen??? And spices and off-season fruit just sitting there??? And fabric is so soft now???? And medication and pest control are just??? Available??? Life is so rich!!!!

(And on the other hand like. This man was excited about playing cards. Someone please show him an arcade. He is forcing Dream to play every multiplayer game available. Especially the driving ones. Neither of them knows how to drive.)

(Dream takes him to a museum and he's staring at a display from the 14-1500s marveling at how futuristic the technology is. He's actually more excited about that stuff than he is about the whole 'computers' thing because it's close enough for him to have some point of reference.)

(Also sidebar from the comedy- Maybe Dream shows Hob the ruins of the White Horse. Hob stares at the building for a long time, then starts crying. Not outright sobs, just tears steadily slipping down his face like he's not really aware of them. Dream panics and tries to comfort him, mentally kicking himself for showing Hob the one connection to the life he knows in ruins. But Hob, laughing now, explains that this was the first time it really hit him? That he's actually 600 years in the future, not in some fairyland Dream created. And that means that all the disease and starvation and war and world-ending horror he was staring down 600-odd years ago didn't. He was going to grit his teeth and live no matter what but the fact that the world made it here along with him? That humanity's still here? And managed to create antibiotics and planes and chimneys in the meantime? That's a goddamn miracle.)

And Dream is getting dragged along with Hob, at first reluctantly, but slowly falling for Hob's enthusiasm throughout the day/week/whatever. And this version of Hob is like. Outright flirting with him. He's outright flirting with a lot of people, fair, but Dream especially. And of course Dream's having a feeling about it, because of course the version of Hob who doesn't actually know him, doesn't know how cruel he was over the centuries, is the one who'd be interested in him.

The Manic Pixie Dream Medieval Peasant Tour of London ends up taking on a decidedly romantic note, after a few days. And one night, after an evening in a restaurant that Dream knows is one of Hob's favorites, where everyone around them was silently willing them to get a room because the tension between two people who are very carefully sitting on opposite sides of the table and not actually touching, just talking to each other, was far too palpable, Hob caves, and drags Dream into a kiss the second they get back to his flat.

It's a good kiss, and Dream lets himself enjoy it for a moment, because he'll never get to kiss Hob again so at least he can have the memory of this one. Then he gently breaks the kiss and tells Hob, equally gently, that they can't. That Hob doesn't remember the majority of their relationship, how cruel Dream has been to him. That his present self doesn't feel the same way.

And then Hob, who's been staring starry-eyed at Dream this whole conversation, says "I do, though."

And Dream is like "Yes I know you like me now with but the you with your memory intact does not."

And Hob's like "No, I do. I got my memory back right when I kissed you."

And there is, unfortunately, more confusion (Hob explaining that yes he has always liked Dream it's just that 600 years have made him minutely less reckless and also the current him remembers that they are friends and doesn't want to ruin that. But no, Dream is wrong on all counts, he remembers every moment of their friendship and he does like Dream the same way and holy shit??? There is a 'same way'???? Dream wanted to keep kissing him????)

And then they clear all that up and live happily ever after.

(Yes it was a True Love's Kiss thing)

[isagrimorie]

After Hahn’s standout performance in 2021 as a nefarious neighbor in WandaVision, Marvel Studios’ first crack at television, the show’s creator knew she wanted to build a project in her image. “We’ve always said that the tone of the show is Kathryn Hahn,” Schaeffer says.

[snip]

Jac Schaeffer needed a classic TV neighbor: a combo of Mrs. Roper from Three’s Company and Rhoda from The Mary Tyler Moore Show, mixed with a little bit of Mona from Who’s the Boss? It was 2019, and she was developing Marvel’s first superhero sitcom. But this character was also secretly an antagonist, Schaeffer says, “so there needed to be a performer who could drop the mask and then have teeth.”

[snip]

“The Agatha character was tacked on,” Schaeffer says. But that was before Schaeffer heard Hahn might be available. “We were like, ‘Could we really? Could we maybe?’” The idea of casting someone with Hahn’s résumé in what was then a small part seemed a tad far-fetched, but Schaeffer wanted to pitch her on it anyway. After accepting an invitation to the WandaVision writers room, Hahn sat next to Schaeffer and listened. “She was right there, looking at me with her blue, blue eyes, really dialed in on what I was saying,” Schaeffer says. “My memories of that day are all in close-up because she’s got such an intensity to her. But it’s warm, that’s the thing.”

[snip]

As soon as Hahn came on board, the role grew. “There was just an abundance of opportunity to peel back layers,” Schaeffer says. “And that’s what she brought.”

[snip]

From the first episode, a black-and-white I Love Lucy–style parody, Hahn’s performance popped. It reminded Schaeffer of how memorable Hahn was in the ’50s drama Revolutionary Road. “Seeing her slip into that physicality and the vocal tone of that era, it didn’t surprise me, but it was so delightful,” Schaeffer says. “To see her bring that expertise and that skill set to the sitcom space and the golden age of TV space was just delicious. And the hair, and the look, and the nails. As a fan, I was like, ‘Look at the icon go.’”

[snip]

Have no fear, Hahn Hive: Her decision to join the mostly family-friendly Marvel world hasn’t drained her main superpowers. Leading up to filming Agatha All Along, Schaeffer says that Hahn and Agatha started to blend together in her mind. And during rehearsals, when Schaeffer tried to watch Hahn’s Hulu show, Tiny Beautiful Things, she had to stop. “I totally underestimated the amount of physical prep Kathryn had done to embody Agatha that when I saw her as this other character, it just made me really uncomfortable,” Schaeffer says. “I was like, ‘I’m looking at somebody wearing a Kathryn suit.’ It was just really good acting, but it just freaked me out.”

[snip]

Hahn has been, and always will be, a character actor. But once in a while, someone like her gets a chance to have the spotlight to herself. “This totally crazy show that is a total high-wire act, that has all the comedy and all the drama and is horror and also a warm and fuzzy found-family story, of course it’s all centered on Kathryn Hahn,” Schaeffer says. “It’s like she’s been training for this her entire life, and I and everybody I know is ready to show up for it.”

[snip]

“I feel like I’m in the portal to the next phase of my life as a woman,” Hahn says. “I think that the act of becoming a witch is the next chapter, where you can have these feelings that you’re told not to for all these years. Rage. All the things that we could do when we were little girls, all the things that were squeezed out of us, seem to feel like they are allowed as a witch.”

[thepringlesofblood]

look i get why some of yall wanted a darker ending for neverafter but my interpretation is that all of their past lives and all of their sacrifices and all of their pain still exist in memory. like maybe not on an immediate conscious level, but Snow White was right about one thing, trauma makes it so that any story you tell after the experience will be affected by it. But that doesn’t mean that it’s not worth telling.

what the finale said to me is that healing is possible, and it doesn’t erase what came before, but adds to it, because all you can do is keep moving forward and trying your best. it’s clear that they do remember their past lives to some degree - they all visit each other and seek each other out. they’re choosing new lives, but the trauma is still there.

what it meant to me was that what they sacrificed was worth something - the hardships they endured were not for naught, because they allowed a new story to take place. after all, the corruption of the authors was pain without meaning, horror without change, suffering for no reason. it’d be kind of shitty to end the season with killing everyone or failure while condemning the authors for doing the same thing.

instead, this story says “everything that you suffered, and every moment of determination you had to move forward and choose to hope and choose to care in spite of it, every moment you pushed through the pain because you believed in a better tomorrow was worth it. your sacrifices and your work were not in vain.”

also, tis the nature of improv to sometimes not work out in a narratively perfect way. personally I think this ending is fitting for the mix of comedy and drama that the intrepid heroes bring to the table.

[whatswrongwithblue]

THIS BLOG IS STRICTLY FOR 18+ VIEWERS. Please respect my boundaries and that I do not want to interact with anyone who is not a legal adult. Minors will be blocked. There is a lot of adult content in my works, including smut and dark themes. Please always mind any TW/CWs at the top of my fics and read at your own discretion. Otherwise let's have some harmless fandom fun and know my message box and ask box are always open! If you would like to be on my tag list for any and all fics, please comment directly below.

Hazbin Hotel Masterlist

Alastor x OCwife

The Fire in the Sin - 🔞⚠️🍋🍻💊🤕🚩

Incomplete/Hiatus. Spans 1917 - through season 1 and will be continued through later seasons. DUEL TIMELINE. Please mind the time stamps at the top of each chapter. This series is my pride and joy but there's a lot of TWs and dark content.

Alastor x Reader Series

Girl Talk - 🔞⚠️🍋

Complete. A mixed bag of comedy and smut. Angel Dust is very curious about what you and Alastor get up to behind closed doors.

The Hunt - 🔞⚠️🍋🤕🚩

Complete. Alastor x reader have some dark ideas as to what their date nights should consist of. This is mainly a horror series, so please take caution and mind the tags.

Alastor x Reader One Shots

Alastor Dating Headcanons 🔞

Alastor Headcanons as a Father ⚠️💥

Flying -🔞⚠️🍋 Alastor saves reader from suicide - but also smut.

The Morning After - 🔞 post-sex fluff and silliness

Trick or Tease - 🔞⚠️🍻🍋You, Alastor, a costume party, and a closet.

Untitled - 🔞 ⚠️🍋"Your heart is beating so fast right now" sentence prompt.

Hazbin Hotel incorrect quotes

Ask Me To Kill For You

Alastor Is A Hypocrite

Cooking

I Have One Fear

Man or Bear

Oscar Wilde

Proper Planning

Too Spicy

What Do You Sleep With?

You Have A Heart

Chaggie oneshots

Vaggie's backstory - 🔞⚠️🍋🚩

A prompt I received where all the exorcists were forced to sleep with Adam.

Wings: 🔞🍋 Charlie really likes Vaggie's wings.

Misc./Headcanons/Character Study

Alastor Has PDA

[caimluna]

WOE Promotional Ads

"WOE is a mixed-media, psychological/comedy horror RPG Maker game in development, taking inspiration from games like SMT3, Copper Odyssey, Moon: Remix RPG Adventure, and Hylics."

"Long ago, in the World of El, five angels diverted the End Of The World by sealing demons underground with the power called the "Seals of El". With demons returning once more, a mysterious prophet named Wisdom takes up their holy duty to get a team and find the Seals once more."

"That's all there is to it... Right?"

[pikahlua]

Look, it's probably still not time to go really deep into it, but I did mention there are ways this ending where Tomura dies could work for me. Honestly I didn't have much of an issue with chapter 423 itself before the internet's emotional onslaught over it, but now that I'm hearing rumors the chapter was received well in Japan and a number of western fans have decided to couch all their disappointment in racism and rage at the target readership, maybe I should give some cursory thoughts just to counteract the stupid.

The Bittersweet Ending

Here's the thing. For all the game the bird app likes to talk about how MHA is happy and kid-friendly and not dark and that's bad somehow, it's kind of funny to me how little MHA actually meets expectations in that regard. If I were to divide MHA arcs into categories based on their endings, I would probably have to put the majority of them into the "makes me cry" category. Even arcs where the hero wins with ostensibly happy endings often have absolutely gut-wrenching moments, like All Might's retirement in the Kamino arc, Tsuyu's apology in the UA Dorm Contest arc, and Nighteye's death in the Overhaul arc. I don't think it's possible for me to watch the Sports Festival arc and come out of it with anything but mixed feelings of hope and haunting. Stain may have lost his battle, but his effect on society sure seems to give him the win when it comes to the war. The Paranormal Liberation War arc has a pretty rough ending where there may still be a sliver of hope, but goodness is it a small one.

Sure, some of the teariest moments are a result of happy scenes like Eri smiling for the first time at the cultural festival, but what I'm getting at is that MHA tends to go for more hopeful endings rather than happy ones. And those hopeful endings are often stained by some other tragedy, a price to pay for the hope. Just because MHA isn't full of random death doesn't mean it doesn't contain poignant loss. This was one of its early selling points in fact. MHA's most hopeful moments have always felt so real because the story acknowledges that these things should often play out messily. We've seen the mess, and now chapter 424 has given us a glimmer of hope. The question is now where the story will take us from here.

The Anticlimax

This post has come back for me in the most unexpected way, not gonna lie.

I often hear “anticlimax/anticlimactic” used as a negative criticism, especially colloquially. This criticism assumes an anticlimax is always written unintentionally. But that’s often not the case; anticlimax is actually fucking fantastic when placed in the right hands. And Kohei Horikoshi is a goddamn anticlimax connoisseur. I say he’s a connoisseur because Horikoshi has the gall, nay, the gumption–dare I say the balls to showcase the versatility of anticlimax as a storytelling technique for more than just comedy (although he does also use it for comedy a lot). He dares to use it in action scenes, horror/thriller scenes, and even fuzzy heartfelt scenes, all to the great effect of toying with our emotions. And he successfully has us feel exactly what he wants us to every time–because that’s the point. These aren’t cheap jokes; they serve a purpose! They illustrate an actual, meaningful point about whatever scenario they are used in to make the story more realistic, to combat the fridge logic “well actually” complaints endemic to fandom. Because Horikoshi is a fan himself.

When I write "realistic," I don't mean to apply this quote here to indicate that death (especially for edgy aesthetics) is realistic. I mean to indicate that imperfection is realistic. Izuku isn't a perfect hero. Tomura isn't a perfect victim, and by victim I mean "character for the hero to save." Izuku says it himself:

A perfect victim for the hero to save would yield to the hero's attempts to turn and save them. They would see the wisdom in the hero's position and 100% change sides to agree with them. Trite.

Doing this runs the risk of erasing the victim's identity that comes before. Izuku never has a perfect answer to all of Tomura's problems with the world.

Izuku is the same as All Might. He's only human.

[...]Horikoshi has no compunctions using anticlimax in big, important, non-humorous scenes (even if the anticlimax ultimately adds humor to the scene that was otherwise unexpected). This man has no fear. He ends his famously popular take on the tried and true trope of tournament arcs with one big let-down that affects not just the audience but the in-universe characters. [...] You wanna tell me Horikoshi didn’t know exactly what he was doing here? You wanna tell me Horikoshi didn’t know about the fandom war over Katsuki’s hero name? That he didn’t purposefully fucking troll the fandom with this? That this isn’t the single greatest brick joke in the history of published media for its effect both in the canon and in the meta? Fuck you, we’re building up the tension around the most wildly popular character’s hero name reveal for 248 goddamn chapters (that’s five-and-a-half years) just to make it the cringiest fucking thing you’ve ever heard in your goddamn life. His hero name must be the closest audio rendition anyone can imagine shaped like a middle finger and fucking nothing less will suffice. Congratulations, fandom: you played yourselves! You made a war no one could win! Horikoshi could have chosen Ground Zero or Kacchan as Katsuki’s hero name and risked alienating half his fandom either way, but you didn’t realize there was a third option, which of course he took: to risk alienating the entire fucking fandom.

I'm just saying, an ending like this isn't out of character for Horikoshi. In light of this trip down memory lane and Izuku's parallel with All Might in that they acknowledge they cannot save everyone, I'm interested to see what Horikoshi does with this ending whether or not Tomura survives. What sort of hope will he offer?

The extended ending arc

The only real extended ending arc we've had in MHA that might give us a glimpse at the inner workings of Horikoshi's mind is the School Cultural Festival arc. Because of that (and the many other things I've mentioned before this post), I will say there is cause to believe we will have a hopeful ending. Again, I don't know what that looks like. A lot of people seem to have a specific thing they need to have happen to save the story for them, and I cannot speak to those.

Except for Deku vs Kacchan 3, which is what I need to have happen lol. And god does it seem really fucking possible now.

[psychics4unet]

100 Movies and TV Shows That Are All About Tarot Magic! 🔮✨📺

Movies

The Hunger Games (2012) - Katniss’s journey is like a tarot reading on steroids; choices and fate collide in a dystopian arena where survival is everything. 🎯

The Craft (1996) - A classic teen witch flick where tarot helps our girls explore their powers and the messy side of friendships. ⚡🧙‍♀️

The Matrix (1999) - Think of it as a giant tarot deck—Neo’s choices determine his fate in this mind-bending reality. 🕶️💊

Live and Let Die (1973) - Bond's tarot experience gives him the edge to outsmart villains; it's all about fate and danger, baby! 🔫🃏

The Devil's Advocate (1997) - The ultimate battle of good vs. evil, with tarot adding layers of temptation and deception to the mix. 😈⚖️

The Mummy Returns (2001) - Who knew tarot could be a map to ancient magic? This adventure intertwines destiny with mystical fun. 🏺✨

The Dead Zone (1983) - A guy wakes up from a coma with psychic powers—basically a walking tarot deck revealing tragedies. 🥴🔮

The Gift (2000) - A psychic woman using tarot to solve a murder? Yes, please! The cards are a game changer for uncovering dark secrets. 🕵️‍♀️🖤

The Love Witch (2016) - Tarot is the ultimate love compass in this enchanting quest for romance; it’s a spellbinding ride. 💖🔮

The House of the Devil (2009) - Tarot cards hint at some seriously creepy stuff in this horror flick—just don’t ignore the signs! 👻🃏

The Witches of Eastwick (1987) - Witchy shenanigans are afoot! Tarot helps the ladies navigate their newfound powers in style. 🧙‍♀️✨

The Skeleton Key (2005) - Tarot adds a twist to this supernatural thriller, hinting at fate and transformation along the way. 🔑👻

The Tarot Card Mystery (1935) - A vintage mystery where tarot cards reveal secrets—definitely ahead of its time! 🃏🔍

The Witch (2015) - A haunting exploration of fear and isolation, with themes echoing tarot’s focus on the unknown. 🌌😱

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (2010) - Magic meets fate in this fun adventure; think of it as a magical tarot experience! ⚡️🧙

The Haunted Mansion (2003) - Tarot cards pop up as quirky tools to navigate spooky secrets—who doesn’t love a ghostly adventure? 👻🏰

The Seventh Seal (1957) - A classic that dives deep into mortality and fate, reminiscent of tarot’s existential vibes. ⚔️🕊️

The Brothers Bloom (2008) - Tarot elements add complexity to sibling dynamics; it’s all about finding purpose in the chaos. 🃏💔

The Final Destination (2000) - If that ain’t a tarot-inspired fate, I don’t know what is! Choices lead to some wild outcomes in this thriller. 💀🎲

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) - Dark secrets are unearthed, much like the revelations from a tarot reading. Intriguing, right? 🔍🖤

The Rites of Spring (2011) - A horror flick that vibes with sacrifice and fate, echoing the symbolism found in tarot cards. 🌱🔪

The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) - Tension and unpredictability—this plot screams tarot vibes as life’s mysteries unfold. 🎭🔎

The Illusionist (2006) - A magician’s journey that parallels tarot’s mystical essence as he navigates love and fate. 🎩💫

The Others (2001) - Creepy atmosphere and hidden truths? Yep, tarot’s got that covered, too! 👻🔮

The Craft: Legacy (2020) - A fresh take on the original that dives into friendship and power through the lens of tarot and witchcraft. 🔮✨

The Fifth Element (1997) - This sci-fi classic combines magic and fate with a dash of humor; it’s like a cosmic tarot reading! 🚀💥

The Lovely Bones (2009) - A supernatural tale where tarot-like elements hint at the unseen and the unknown. 🌌🕊️

The Skeleton Twins (2014) - A dark comedy that touches on fate and family dynamics, echoing tarot’s complex themes. 🎭💔

The Secret of Roan Inish (1994) - Folklore meets mystery; the film explores themes of fate that resonate with tarot’s storytelling. 🏝️🐬

The Last Witch Hunter (2015) - Vin Diesel vs. witches with a side of tarot magic? Count me in! ⚔️🔮

The Psychic (1978) - This film dives deep into the world of psychic phenomena, showcasing tarot as a vital element. 🔮👁️

The Circle (2017) - A social media thriller where hidden truths emerge, similar to what tarot often reveals. 📱🔍

The Lady in White (1988) - A ghost story intertwined with mystery and fate, echoing the essence of tarot. 👻💔

The Stars Are Right (2016) - A quirky indie film that explores fate and destiny, capturing the spirit of tarot. 🌌✨

The Cat's Meow (2001) - A mysterious film where tarot serves as a lens through which the story unfolds. 🎩🔮

The Amityville Horror (1979) - Ghostly encounters hint at fate and the unknown, reminiscent of tarot's spooky vibes. 🏠👻

The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999) - Themes of identity and fate intertwine, much like a complex tarot spread. 🎭🔪

The Cabin in the Woods (2011) - A meta-horror film that plays with fate and choices, echoing the unpredictability of tarot readings. 🏕️🔮

The Golem (2018) - A mystical tale that explores themes of creation and fate through the lens of folklore. 🏺🌌

The Tenth Victim (1965) - A blend of sci-fi and existential themes, featuring fate and choices akin to tarot narratives. 🎯🔮

The Last House on the Left (1972) - A horror classic where fate and revenge intertwine, reminiscent of a dark tarot reading. 🔪😱

The Uninvited (2009) - A supernatural thriller that hints at hidden truths and fate, paralleling tarot’s revelations. 🏠👻

The Beloved (2002) - A haunting exploration of love and loss, echoing tarot's complex emotional landscapes. 💔🔮

The Dreamers (2003) - A film that dives into identity and choice, echoing the themes found in tarot readings. 🌙✨

The Giver (2014) - Themes of choice and fate resonate in this adaptation, mirroring the insights tarot can provide. 📚🔮

The Stendhal Syndrome (1996) - A psychological thriller exploring identity and fate, akin to the symbolism in tarot. 🎨🌀

The Inheritance (2020) - A suspenseful tale where family secrets unravel, showcasing tarot’s ability to reveal hidden truths. 🏡🔍

The Illumination of the Heart (2021) - A story of self-discovery and fate that resonates with tarot's themes. 💖🔮

The Shadow of the Wind (2021) - This adaptation plays with themes of fate and discovery, much like a tarot reading. 📖✨

The Tenth Victim (1965) - A blend of sci-fi and existential themes, featuring fate and choices akin to tarot narratives. 🎯🔮

TV Series

Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Buffy’s journey often mirrors tarot themes of fate and choice, especially with her supernatural challenges. 🧛‍♀️🃏

True Detective - Dark and atmospheric, tarot-like symbolism underscores the show’s exploration of fate and morality. 🌌🔍

The Simpsons - Tarot pops up in humorous moments, revealing the show’s clever take on destiny and future events. 😂🔮

Charmed - Sister witches often use tarot to guide their magical choices and navigate personal dilemmas. 🌟🧙‍♀️

American Horror Story: Coven - The use of tarot enhances the show’s dark themes, revealing secrets and fate in the world of witches. 🔮👻

Supernatural - The Winchesters encounter tarot in their monster-hunting adventures, adding depth to their supernatural quests. 👬🔪

The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina - Tarot plays a significant role as Sabrina navigates the complexities of magic and destiny. 🧙‍♀️🖤

Psychic Detectives - This series highlights real-life psychic detectives using tarot and intuition to solve crimes. 🔍🔮

The OA - The show’s exploration of alternate realities and fate resonates with tarot's deeper meanings. 🌌✨

The Twilight Zone - Various episodes reflect on fate and the unexpected, echoing tarot's insights into human nature. 🌠🌀

Once Upon a Time - The blend of fairy tales and fate often hints at tarot-like themes throughout the series. 📖✨

The Good Place - Philosophical discussions about morality and choice parallel the insights gained from tarot readings. 😇💭

Castle - The detective duo sometimes turns to tarot for insights into their cases, blending humor and mystery. 🔍📚

Dark Shadows - The gothic series often intertwines themes of fate and supernatural elements akin to tarot. 🌙🦇

Twin Peaks - The series’ exploration of dreams and hidden truths resonates with the mystique of tarot readings. 🌌👁️

The Simpsons - Tarot gets a playful nod in various episodes, reflecting the show’s irreverent humor about fate. 😂🃏

Shadowhunters - The characters explore destiny and choice in a world filled with supernatural elements, echoing tarot themes. 🌌🗡️

The Secret Life of the American Teenager - Characters often face choices that mirror the dilemmas found in tarot readings. 🏫💔

The Sopranos - Characters navigate fate and morality, exploring themes that resonate with tarot’s insights. 🔫💭

The Expanse - Choices and destinies intertwine in this sci-fi epic, mirroring the complexity of a tarot spread. 🚀🔮

The Haunting of Hill House - Themes of grief and fate resonate deeply, akin to the revelations found in tarot readings. 👻💔

The Mentalist - The protagonist’s observational skills often mirror the insights one might gain from tarot. 🕵️‍♂️🔮

The Umbrella Academy - Themes of family, fate, and destiny play out in wild ways, much like a tarot deck in action. 🌈🦸‍♂️

The Vampire Diaries - Characters often face choices that echo the dilemmas and fates seen in tarot readings. 🧛‍♀️💔

The Blacklist - The use of intuition and uncovering secrets parallels the insights gained from tarot. 🕵️‍♀️🔍

The Office - Tarot makes a quirky appearance, offering a humorous take on fate and decision-making. 😂📋

The Simpsons - Tarot gets a playful nod in various episodes, reflecting the show’s irreverent humor about fate. 😂🃏

The Big Bang Theory - Characters often joke about tarot, providing comedic insights into fate and decisions. 🧑‍🔬🎲

The X-Files - Paranormal elements and investigations often touch on themes akin to tarot’s mysteries. 👽🔍

The West Wing - Political decisions and moral dilemmas resonate with themes found in tarot readings. 🏛️💭

The Good Wife - Legal battles and ethical choices reflect the complexities of fate and decision-making, much like tarot. ⚖️💔

The Middle - Everyday choices in family life often resonate with the relatable dilemmas seen in tarot spreads. 🏠💖

The Secret Life of the American Teenager - Characters face life-altering decisions that echo the themes found in tarot readings. 🏫💔

The Affair - Complex relationships and moral choices explore themes of fate that resonate with tarot’s insights. 🌊💔

The Good Fight - Legal drama intertwined with moral complexities, showcasing themes of fate and choice akin to tarot. ⚖️🔮

The Amazing Race - Contestants face challenges that mirror the unpredictability of tarot readings and fate. 🌍🏃‍♂️

The Neighborhood - Light-hearted comedy that often touches on fate and friendship, echoing themes found in tarot. 🏡💖

The Big Bang Theory - Characters explore humor and fate, providing a light-hearted take on tarot’s deeper meanings. 🎲😂

The Goldbergs - Family dynamics and nostalgic themes often resonate with relatable dilemmas seen in tarot readings. 🏠💖

The Resident - Medical dramas often explore moral dilemmas, reflecting the complexity of choices found in tarot. 🏥💔

The Good Place - Philosophical discussions about morality and choice mirror insights gained from tarot readings. 😇💭

The Wonder Years - A nostalgic exploration of life’s choices and fate, echoing the themes seen in tarot. 🌼💭

The Flash - Time travel and choices intertwine, reflecting themes of fate and destiny akin to tarot narratives. ⚡🕒

The Last Man on Earth - A humorous take on survival and fate in a post-apocalyptic world, echoing the themes found in tarot. 🌍😂

The Fall - A psychological thriller where the interplay of fate and morality resonates with tarot’s deeper meanings. 🕵️‍♀️💔

The Expanse - A complex narrative where fate and choices intertwine, much like a tarot spread. 🌌🔮

The Haunting of Hill House - A deep exploration of grief and fate, paralleling the revelations often found in tarot readings. 👻💔

The 100 - Survival and moral choices mirror the complex themes seen in tarot readings. 🌍🔪

The Mandalorian - Destiny and choice play significant roles as characters navigate a galaxy filled with uncertainty, echoing tarot’s themes. 🌌⚔️

The Walking Dead - The show dives into choices and fate in a post-apocalyptic world, reflecting the unpredictability of tarot. 🧟‍♂️🔮

[sheepwavehdg]

HDG Story Recs: Sheepwaveiverse

so, fuck it, gonna do a writeup of all my own major fics. if they have a genderswapped version, that has its own link. this isn't actually even all of them, some of my oneshots are not on the list. mid length means under 50k words.

Sweet Poppy (F/f), (M/f edit) [Mid length, Completed] - yandere comedy erotica

Amelia is an independent human, who is dating Poppy, one of the aliens that conquered humanity and is known for taking pets. fortunately, Poppy doesn't want a human as a pet, and Amelia is definitely immune to mind control anyway. Its normal for your girlfriend to give you a necklace that doesn't come off, right? And being played with like a docile, empty doll is just a kink thing... As is the training and conditioning... Right? A comedy yandere erotica story with just a tiny bit of psychological horror.

Good Sensory (F/f), (M/f edit)  [Mid length, ongoing] - autism, asexuality, fluff romance, split human/affini pov

A fluffy autism-celebrating kink/romance story about learning to unmask and be loved as the person you actually are, rather than the one you think you're supposed to be. Sally Fable is easily overwhelmed. bad textures, bad sensations, all of it. she also has a lot of experience being made fun of for how passionate she can get. Marsha Lywick is an alien from beyond the stars who wants to break Sally's masking habits and turn her into the cutest little pet imaginable.

Cat and Mouse (F/f) [Long, ongoing, but in an extended epilogue, the plot is complete] - Predprey, dollkink, plurality

Jenny, an extremely clever rebel, fights tooth and tail against her domestication by the Huntress affini Tamai, managing to outsmart the affini several times along the way. an examination of plurality, how hard it is to trust when you've been burned over and over, and the sapphic eroticism of being chased down in the woods. notably features pred/prey and CGL dollkink. Perhaps the sharpest story in the entire setting, do not go in expecting a story without conflict.

Sycanthe Lantana, First Bloom (F/f) [Mid length, Completed] - comedy, romance, affini pov

an extreme youngbloom with a lot of anxiety navigates her savior complex and her role in the affini compact, helped along by her beloved floret. a sweet romcom. This one is fairly lighthearted and sweet.

Sweet Tooth (F/f) [mid length, ongoing] - kidnap intox sweet tooth fixation noncon

Cowritten with PyxxieStyxx! Katherine Stanton has a very rigid, structured life. she likes her plain oatmeal every day, and reading in the park, even though her home assistant AI nags her to stop wearing grey all the time and mix things up. Sirata Saccharum, fifth bloom, thinks Katherine needs an intervening helping vine to inject a little sweetness into her life, and isn't terribly concerned that Katherine disagrees.

Cutting Away (F/f, 2nd person) [oneshot] - horror-erotica, noncon, implantation

A horror-erotica story about implantation, set in the human domestication guide universe, exploring the actual process of the implant integration with a human brain.

Alder's Prize (M/f), Adelira's Prize(F/f) [Mid length, ongoing] - Noncon, forcefem, scent kink

A forcefem story about a marine who thinks "he" is an alpha wolf gets adopted by an affini who intends to have the happiest little puppygirl slut as a trophy. cowritten with 4WheelSword.

Surrogate Bloom (pansexual) [Mid length, ongoing] - pregnancy kink, polyamory, independent life

a xenophilic hedonist independent human in her fifties, Hannah, is proposed with an idea: let her girlfriend Reiko and her alien boyfriend grow plant biotech inside her lower abdomen for kink reasons. shes super into it, but the journey involves unpacking a lot of why maternalism is something she thinks she can only ever pretend at.

A Taste of Class-Ω (F/f, 2nd person) [oneshot] - Class-O play, Affini Pov, romantic but also kinda scary

a reader(affini) x floret story where 'you' tease your pet with a simulated class-O experience.

Ache of Maculatum (M/f), Song of Picaria (F/f) [Long, Completed] - romance, transhumanism, trauma processing

one of the most brilliant physicists of the terran accord plants her feet in the ground and refuses to adapt to the Compact. This story is both a very horny transhumanist romance, and also a character study in internalized transmisogny, narcisism, and still deserving love no matter what.

The Captain's Toy (M/m) (M/f) (F/f) [oneshot] - imperialism, posthumanism, mind control kink

A standalone sequel oneshot to Aom/Sop, set 750 years later.

Hope for the Future (F/f, 2nd person) [oneshot] - Noncon, Affini Pov, horror-erotica

a second person Affini POV oneshot about meeting a terran "you" (the reader) just really can't stop thinking about, maybe to the point of obsession... A story as much about kink as it is about complicated feelings about art, parasociality, and being misinterpreted.

HDG, Past//Present//Future [Nonfiction Essay]

a nonfiction critical analysis of the Human Domestication Guide setting, community, and fandom as it exists and may change moving forward, from the perspective of an author who writes it.

Vex and Valda (M/f) (F/f edit) [Short, Completed....maybe?] - edgy noncon erotica

a short but very mean forcefem noncon story about a trillionare being taught the value of sharing.

Pencil (F/f) [oneshot] - comedy-erotica, hypnosis, object fixation

A very chill human pet and her extremely anxious owner engage in some silly hypnotic roleplaying with personality overlays and object fixation.

Your Alien Boyfriend Who Definitely Sees You As His Full Equal (M/f second person), (F/f second person edit) [oneshot] - erotica, sadomasochism, dubcon

A oneshot, written in second person about "your" alien partner that likes to play along with the notion you aren't already thier toy, adores how much of a doll you become in thier arms, and knows how much you like to be hurt- better than you do.

David, the Independent Terran (M/f, Male mc) [oneshot] - slice of life, just a guy, independent life, he fucks trans girls and is a cool dude

David is a cisgendered, heterosexual independent Terran living in the Affini compact. No, seriously. He actually is all of those things. His buddies, of course, are now all queer transfem human pets, and this is a story about what parts of thier dynamic have changed, and what parts have stayed the same.

A Wedding In Crimson (F/f second person) [oneshot] - wedding, romance, surgery

Implantation is very analogous to marriage to the affini. what if they were literally combined into a single ceremony? A oneshot, written in second person about "your" wedding to an affini surgeon.

Kristina_Rushko's Domestication Blog (F/f) [oneshot] - Noncon, Experimental formatting

An absolute Karen starts a blog to vent about how she's going to give the affini a piece of her mind when they arrive. things diverge from her expectations.

[kometqh]

𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭

Captain Rex X F!Reader You aren't special. You don't have any form of magical connection to the force. So why then, are you constantly plagued by vision-like nightmares straight from the pits of Mustafar? Word Count: 4,632 Warnings: Minor swearing, minor cut to thumb, concussion, horror, mention of character death, feelings. A/N: This took so long to write when I have to spend my evenings stressing at work T_T but its here and its out, even tho no one asked for it lol. I'm quite happy with this one, it's a mix of a few different genres (?) and I'm happy with how it came out <33 hopefully whoever reads it will enjoy it just as much <33

Pure, blinding light ignited the hallways in a sterile white glow until you could almost taste the smell of disinfectant on the tip of your tongue. Distant whirring and humming of machinery filled the inside of the building, drowning out the raging storm outside. You had no kriffing clue where you were.

In a flash, the lights blacked out, one by one, until the hallway was swallowed in a momentary darkness. Your eyesight had a hard time adjusting, as the power promptly came back on, and once again you were blindsided.

Although the hallways were barren of any life, your gut churned. Anything and anyone could be lurking about, deep in the shadows where no artificial light could reach. Just like in the deep ocean, creatures lurked. They peered from below, anticipating the right moment where they could strike. Like an innocent, disoriented animal, maybe you were being carefully observed by some predator of a higher strength and intelligence. Maybe they were watching through a camera or watching you from behind the glass.

As thunder roared wildly, a loud creak travelled through the walls, all the lights in the room flickering out with a crackle.

You waited a moment, observing the ceiling expectantly. A small spark crackled from one lamp. But nothing. The power was dead.

Your gaze moved to watch the glass, the waves crashing against it with a vile ferocity, blanketing the facility you found yourself in, in further, deeper darkness. Droplets of water hung onto the glass, racing downwards with the pull of gravity, similarly to bleeding paint on a canvas.

Your body was stuck in a state of distress, and you wondered how you even got to this place. The last thing you remembered was laying in your cozy, warm, queen-sized bed, enjoying the absurdity of some comedy-based holofilm.

The last thing you expected was to find yourself standing in an unknown, bleach-scented, derelict, straight-out-of-a-horror hallway.

As the waves continued to claw at the windows, a shiver ran down your spine. A sudden coldness enveloped you, icy shadows embracing your body.

Anything could be lurking within the darkness, waiting, inching closer, anticipating.

As your vision adjusted to the darkness, you noticed something.

Your reflection moved, but you didn’t.

You blinked furiously, leaning forward and hoping that if you squinted hard enough, your eyesight would adapt to the darkness faster. Your arms wrapped around yourself, providing some warmth amidst the freezing air of the facility.

You could almost feel frost settling in your lungs.

For a split second, you wondered if this is what it felt like. If sheer cold and anxiety embraced one moments before death.

Something moved. Again.

A flash of clarity struck through you. This had to be a really, really shitty dream, you realised.

There was no possible explanation other than this being a nightmare. An overly, awfully vivid nightmare.

But there was a dull ache crackling in your fingertips, and it settled deep within your knuckles and bones as you tightened your grip on your arms, on something.

Something cold. Something hard. Something almost… Metallic.

Your subconscious seemed to clock the nature of the object before your conscious mind could.

You grazed your thumb across the object, feeling for that familiar ridge. You counted six, perfectly equal elevations. Your thumb trailed higher, feeling for the gradual thinning out of the instrument. Until the pain registered in your mind, and a warm sensation enveloped the delicate pad of your thumb in a pooling droplet of blood.

A… Scalpel.

Bile teased at your throat, burning and scratching its’ way up, yearning to see the surface. You quickly averted your gaze, the tool dropping to the floor with a hollow clank.

This felt too real to just be another shitty nightmare.

As you glanced into the window again, you caught a glimpse of a shift in the shadows. It was slight, so subtle you were convinced it was just your imagination playing up again.

Suddenly, you felt movement.

At first, it felt like a shiver on a cool spring morning. Almost as though it was nothing to fret over, something you could insist would pass. But then you felt the unmistakable sting of sharp claws digging into your waist, and the panic settled in. You weren’t alone.

Foreign limbs strangled around your body, suppressing your chortled scream with a hand, pulling you deep into the shadows of the facility. Your vision was slowly blocked, until you could only see a fine line ahead of you.

Your hands clawed at the thin air before you, begging to latch to any foreign surface that could save you from the darkness, and pull you back into the light.

Thunder roared and lightning cracked, igniting the room in a blinding white glow for a split moment, your screams suppressed as your eyes landed on the reflection in the glass.

Your arms fell limply to your sides, the veins in your sclera’s a stressed, bulging red.

A body.

Your eyes fluttered open in a hurry. Your lips were gaping in a silent scream, beads of sweat trickling down the side of your temple. Blood pulsed loudly in your head, almost hurting as you brushed the sweat away.

An involuntary, guttural groan escaped your chest as you crawled backwards in your bed, your hand frantically searching behind you for your bedside light as your gaze never strayed from the space before you.

Whatever that thing was, it was following you. It could be anywhere. It could be hiding in plain sight, and you wouldn’t know it until the lights were on-

The familiar click and the spread of a warm amber glow illuminating your room eased your senses, your fingers lingering on the switch. It took a moment to register what just happened.

You were safe. There was no creature. There was no body.

You took in a deep, shaky breath and hid your face away into the safety of your palms.

It was that dream, again.

Ever since you left med school on Coruscant, your mind has been plagued by these nightmares. Each time they increased in their intensity, in their detail, in their vividness.

Your heart rattled against your ribcage, and your mind raced at thousand miles per hour.

What the fuck…?

This couldn’t be normal, you thought as you slowly settled, your body drenched in cold sweat. Those weren’t just silly images conjured up by your mind.

There was something else at play.

You shook your head as you leaned back against the headboard, looking down at your palms. Shadows hung over them, deepening the scars and creases.

Those nightmares… They meant something.

You weren’t quite sure what they meant, yet, but you were determined.

You’d find out, someday.

But for now, you needed to catch some Z’s, after all, tomorrow was your first assignment.

Blaster fire and pained howls of men coddled your brain like a swarm of wasps.

You couldn’t catch a break. It was constant analysing, bandaging and praying as one soldier after the other were hit with plasma bullets, their agonised screams and cracking of bones and barely contained groans playing in a loop like a broken record.

Heat from explosions blew charred smoke in your face, drenching your skin in more sweat with each passing second. Your hands were painted with ash and dried dirt. No amount of disinfectant was adequate enough to sanitise at a faster rate than the one of injured men coming to you.

You were more of a surgeon than a field medic, but a shortage of medical staff in an already politically unstable Republic was not something you could fight against. You had no choice.

Sure, the GAR could afford to train their own medical personnel, or even better, invest in droids, but the hostility between its soldiers and the mech wasn’t something that could be easily treated.

Either way, you were a surgeon stuck amidst a raging invasion and piling injuries and corpses.

“What’s your name soldier?” You asked as you scanned him over, brows furrowed, lips narrowed into a tight line. At this rate you were simply following a script, offering a false sense of comfort to the injured.

“R- Rex. The name’s Rex.” He coughed out, groaning as you gripped his shoulder. Or well, his pauldron. The metal beneath had been grazed with a bullet, cracking under the initial impact.

“Rex?” You mused, testing it out before removing his armour to quickly assess his shoulder for any injuries. Your fingers quickly found your scissors and got to work in cutting some of the black undershirt he wore. “That’s a pretty name, for a pretty soldier.” You joked, sending him a quick wink and your prettiest smile.

You gave him no chance to reply as you moved the piece of fabric, your eyes quickly analysing the extent of the damage.

The armour did absorb most of the impact, though it didn’t prevent him from coming out completely unscathed. There was visible swelling, his otherwise tan skin becoming discoloured where most of the impact had been taken, and tiny, raging, red vessels were swimming aggressively in the bruises. You had seen similar injuries before. This would be a piece of cake.

Something felt off, though.

Something about his demeanour. You weren’t sure what specifically, just yet, but he was brimming with confidence, with experience.

“This’ll need to be checked over later, but a bacta patch will do just fine.” You slapped a patch over the bruising, before placing his armour back into place. “See me after the battle, soldier.”

A smirk tugged at his lips as he thanked you, checking his armour was in place.

“That’s Captain for you, doctor.” He threw over his shoulder as he placed his helmet on, his voice quickly turning robotic under the modulator.

Recognition flashed in your eyes as you scanned him over, spotting the navy blue kama, the markings on his helmet, the pauldron that sat proudly atop his shoulder. He was the Captain Rex. Right hand of your new General, Anakin Skywalker. How could you not have realised the moment he spoke his name?

“Kriff.” You hissed out as another explosion erupted, shielding your face. The captain glanced back at you, and without missing a step he hauled you up.

“Come with me. It’s not safe out here.”

The two of you ran, narrowly dodging bullets as Rex manhandled your body out of the way, expertly aiming for the droids’ weak spots. He had done this a thousand times and would do it a thousand times more.

The doorway was just a couple more metres, the clear glass reflecting the colour of plasma bolts and fires. But as always, your luck seemed to run out at unexpected moments, as a droideka pulled up in front of the two of you. Rex pushed you behind him, shielding you away from the mech. It wasted no time in raising its’ shield, had its guns drawn before you could even blink. But Rex wasn’t the Captain of the 501st for no reason.

The droid was blown up almost in slow-motion. From the rolling of the grenade to its downward look as it pierced through the shield. A yelp left your lips as Rex turned, bringing you into a protective embrace as the two of you were flung backwards.

Air escaped your lungs as if you were a deflated balloon, your body feeling hollow as you struggled to breathe. Unexpectedly, the air returned, and you found yourself gasping.

Intense pain bloomed in the back of your head, spreading through your body like a shockwave. Your eyes felt as though they were about to pop out, a heavy ache resting in your skull.

Something was ringing in your ears. All sounds were muffled as you slowly lifted your head. The Captain’s figure was blurry as he leaned over you, his helmet moving slowly, animatedly, his voice drowned.

Were you underwater?

His gloved hand lifted to your cheek, giving it two light taps.

And then, everything rushed in all at once. The sound of blaster fire, the screams, the metallic stomping of droids, the Captain’s voice.

“Talk to me, doc. We gotta get going if we don’t wanna get blasted.” He said quickly, taking your wincing as a response as he hoisted you up, draping your arm over his shoulder. His touch was warm and firm, it enveloped you like a warm blanket.

Confusion overtook you as Rex placed you down against a wall before he took his helmet off.

Your vision was blurred, spinning. But his voice acted as your guide through the blurriness.

“Doc, how many fingers am I holding up?” He asked, raising his hand up.

Squinting, you looked him over. The explosions outside seemed to quieten down as you looked from his hand up to his eyes. In your hazed state, you were stunned to silence. You never knew clones had such beautiful eyes.

They brought a sense of calm amongst the raging battle around you. You leaned closer, so close you could feel his breath fanning over the tip of your nose. Something sparkled in his eyes; and it drew you in like a bee to honey.

His irises were a perfect mirage of the golden dunes of Tattooine, coated in the amber glow of the setting suns.

His voice, coarse like sands of arid deserts, soothed your mind back to the present, back to his question.

“T- Two?” You asked hazily, rubbing your forehead. The confusion was slowly easing, only to be replaced by a stinging sensation. A hiss escaped through your teeth as you touched the spot, retreating your hand to observe your bloodied fingers.

“S- Stitches…”

“What was that?” Rex asked, rummaging through your backpack.

“S- Stitches… I’ll need stitches.” You huffed out, letting him handle you however he pleased. He was gentle as he pressed a cloth against the back of your head, his breath fanning over the tip of your nose.

“Stitches… That’s catchy. And yeah, you’re right.” He said as he retracted the cloth, the softness that accompanied it gone too. You heard a soft thud before Rex’s hands were on you again. He carefully wrapped a gauze around your head, his fingers careful not to cause more discomfort.

From the corner of your eye, you noticed the bloodied cloth laying limply on the floor. It was stained a crimson red, laying abandoned by your side. Surely the bleeding wasn’t that bad.

He ripped the ends of the gauze, tying them into a knot. It sat tight against your head, and you fought the itchiness in your fingers to rip it off. You weren’t usually one to be injured. Though you had to admit, the added gentle pressure kept you grounded.

“We need to go and get backup. C’mon, this way, Stitches.”

You concluded that the hallways were endless. Rex had been hauling your body for the duration of the journey, narrowly avoiding colliding into another clone. A Commander. After that, time became a blur yet again.

It didn’t help that you were feeling tired, sleepy, nauseous.

The three of you headed down the hallways, searching for any other lingering troopers. The sound of distant conversation caught your attention, your head turning in the direction it came from.

“You hear that, Rex?” Commander Cody asked, his helmet turning to face Rex’s.

“I hear that, Cody. We’ve got backup.” He proudly said, exchanging quick glances with him.

As the three of you rounded the corner, you were able to pick up on their conversation. They were discussing their next course of action, it seemed.

“What are we going to do?”

“We fight.” Rex replied as you came into view, his hands reaching to take his helmet off, your vision swayed though a steady hand quickly supported you. As the rest began talking, Rex propped your body against a wall, and you couldn’t help but glance over the other 501st members.

One of them, Fives, you heard his name earlier, had a goatee and a tattoo. He seemed fiery and so damn sure of himself – not in an arrogant way, no – as he spoke encouraging words to the young cadets. The other one, Echo, seemed shyer and more reserved, and was constantly glancing up at Fives. He looked like any other normal Reg. Freshly shaven, distinct regular haircut, no identifying facial marks like scars or tattoos.

Something twisted at your gut with a molten fist. He was so familiar, and yet you couldn’t understand why. The answer was settled just on the tip of your tongue, scratching at your brain like an unreachable itch.

The pain in your head had shrunk into a dull ache and blurry vision whenever you attempted to walk on your own, so resting and letting the actual soldiers do the rest was not up for discussion on your part.

With a boosted morale, the clone, 99, began talking about an armoury. Rex used that moment to kneel beside you. His gloved hand felt warm on your shoulder, his grip tight and comforting.

“I’ll be back for you in a sec, Stitches. Don’t close your eyes, understood?”

“Yessir.” You muttered in response, attempting a mock salute. He rolled his eyes at you before departing, his steps hurried and glances anxious as he disappeared behind a corner.

The walls were painted a filtered red, doing little to quench your own anxieties. Were you going to get out of here? Would Rex and the others come through? You had very little experience with a gun, nethertheless facing a whole group of bloodthirsty, unfeeling droids. You reached for the strap of your bag, fiddling with the bumpy material. A soft hand on your shoulder shook you from your thoughts.

“You’re a new face around here, what’s your name?” The clone asked, Echo, as he eyed the gauze wrapped tightly around your head. You eyed him up and down, the itch returning as you thought over your response.

After a moment, you let up, rubbing the strap between your fingers.

“I’m the new medic for the 501st.” Your reply was short and curt as you pulled the bag atop your lap, unzipping it.

“New medic? That’s perfect. But, what’s wrong with your head?” He asked as he watched you pull out a bacta patch. It probably wasn’t a good idea to put the substance onto your hair, but you had no other choice. Not if you wanted to avoid having to be stitched up.

Recognition flashed in Echo’s eyes as he watched you unwrap the gauze. His gaze followed it as you let it drop to the ground. It was bloodied, dirty with sweat and gunpowder and hair sticking to it in a weird mixture of odd substances.

“A concussion?” He asked, offering his palm to you. “Let me help.” He said, and you reluctantly dropped the unopened patch into his hand. You were hoping he’d know what he was doing as he gently moved your head away from the wall.

His fingers were delicate, practiced, as he moved some hair away. He remained quiet as he opened the patch and applied it to your injury, but a soft huff bubbled in his chest at your relieved sigh. The cool liquid was amazing, to put it simply. It latched to your scalp, tiny cyan tendrils reaching out for your skin. A quiet curse left your lips, your eyes rolling into the back of your head as you let yourself lean against the cool metal of his armour.

“Thank you.” You muttered against him, relief blooming in your chest. Your heart swelled as he caressed your hair tenderly.

Rex’s voice cut through the barracks as he, Cody and 99 returned, essentially interrupting your strange, little moment with Echo.

You lifted your head, resting your chin on Echo’s shoulder as you looked the three of them over.

They had stacks of guns in their arms, the cadets cheered as they crowded the three of them. You quirked a brow at Rex, noticing his quizzical expression as he looked you and Echo over. What you failed to notice was the stunned look and deep blush adorning Echo’s face.

“Ready up, boys,” Rex spoke, handing the last gun to Fives, “This might be a tough one.” His sight fell upon you again, his stare stern and yet tender as he remained focused on you, and you only.

“Doctor?”

Your body stuttered at the sound of a voice, your shaky hands almost dropping your datapad. “Captain?” Your voice was laced with confusion as you looked up. There he was, shoulders relaxed, gaze tender as it locked onto some feature of yours. “What are you doing here?”

“I’d like a follow-up on my shoulder, Doctor.” He replied almost instantly. He’d only ever gone to Kix for medical examinations, but unfortunately – not - his usual go-to medic was suspiciously nowhere to be found.

“You can look at me, y’know.” Your voice softened as you set your datapad down. Guilt began to tug at your heart as his gaze met yours. The last time the two of you were in a room together, you had made a grisly confirmation of 99’s death. He had not only protected the others, but he even risked his life to save yours. He hadn’t even known you for more than a couple of minutes at most. He was a soldier, through and through, no matter what cruelties life and Kaminoans had thrown at him.

“Doc?”

Your attention snapped back, your body taking in an involuntary breath. Rex’s eyebrows were furrowed, a small wrinkle formed between them as he eyed you.

“C’mon, let’s see what’s underneath all that armour.” You breathed out, hoping to distract him. You didn’t need the Captain to study you under a microscope.  

Rex nodded, remaining quiet. He began to carefully remove his armour, one by one, his touch careful, practiced. He had done this a thousand times, and he would do it a thousand times more.

You distracted yourself by reaching for a medical cart. His armour would not be going on the floor, nor the bed. As you returned to his side, cart in hand, his stiff figure had you quirking a brow. His hands were hesitant to lift his shirt, itching at the hem.

Rex wasn’t a shy man by any means, he had been friendly with many fine women. So why did his heart stutter at the thought of being undressed around you?

“I’ll need to watch to assess for any impairment.” Your voice startled him. His throat grew dry, his fingers restless. He wasn’t expecting you to be so forward. This is just a normal checkup, Rex, he scolded himself internally.

With a quiet nod, his arms crossed over and tugged at the hem of his shirt. He lifted it, hissing a little as his shoulders shrunk in. It was nothing to worry about, you noted, as that was where the bruising was.

However, you supressed a choked gasp. The sight of his naked chest had your well-practiced professionalism struggling. Tan, sun-kissed skin, taught muscle and broad shoulders, numerous scars littered across the expanse of his chest, stomach and waist. A few freckles here and there.

Something bloomed in his chest, something warm, and a smirk tugged at his lips, his chest almost puffing up with pride as you stood motionless for a few seconds. His hands were resting on his lap, and you wondered for a moment whether the flex of his biceps was forced or natural in this position.

“Doctor?” His voice was raw, guttural as he leaned his head to the side. That was when you finally averted your gaze, settling on looking at his shoulder instead. The bruise was still there, discoloured skin and blood vessels swimming around in patches. It must have hurt like a bitch.

“Let me get a patch for that.” You said quickly, moving to rummage through a drawer on the side of the bed. They contained all sorts of supplies and materials, in case of emergencies. “We’ll check for your range of motion – in case the damage is deeper than just surface level.” You mused as you placed the bacta patch and gauze beside him.

You moved around him, poking at different muscle as you inspected him. So far so good, no abnormalities or bumps.

“Try and raise your arms above your head,” You requested, observing as he does so with little difficulty, “And now stretch them behind your back.” You continued, placing your palms on both of his shoulders, applying gentle pressure.

No swelling, no stiffness, no difficulty in movement.

“Now place your arms by your sides, then slowly lift and extend them until they’re above your head.” You requested, showcasing an example with your own arm. Starting from your hip, you kept it straight before slowly lifting it to the side, from your hip to your head. Rex followed your instructions, and you found yourself quickly dismissing any concerns about the damage to his shoulder.

“Your shoulder seems to be doing just fine, Captain,” You said as you stepped away, typing away on your datapad, “Try not to apply pressure onto the bacta patch, or else it might pop. Come back in two hours and I’ll take it off for you.” Your fingers were careful as you placed the bacta on, softly smoothing it over as you ensured it stuck.

You reached for the gauze, your arm brushing against his.

“Sorry.” You muttered, facing him.

Your breath hitched, realisation striking you like lightning.

His face was just inches away. His breath fanned over your nose, his warmth reaching out to you.

You could count every freckle, every scar, every imperfection across his features. Thousands of tiny stars and speckles flickered across his face, the light above you serving as his little sun, casting shadows to dance over his features.

And just like a shooting star, you disappeared from his orbit in the blink of an eye.

His gaze remained trained on you, observing every little movement and twitch. He was studying you again, like bacteria under a microscope. A blush fought its way to your face, painting your cheeks a shade darker.

You moved away from Rex wordlessly, keeping your attention fixated on wrapping the gauze over his shoulder.

As you stepped back, Rex uttered a small thank you, easing back into his shirt.

The two of you remained silent, you watching him put his armour on, and him fighting to keep the poker on his face. His heart was beating fast, hard against his ribcage and he worried you could hear it in the silent confines of the medbay.

You continued watching, quietly, even as he uttered another ‘thank you’ and headed for the exit.

Your voice stopped him in his tracks.

“Captain?”

“Doctor?” He asked, his body half facing you.

You swallowed, taking a sudden, deep breath.

“Thank you… For saving my life back there. I owe you.” You said, offering a small, rigid smile.

He shook his head at you, mirroring your smile. Much softer, though.

“I guess you do, Stitches. I’ll see you around.” He said, before stepping outside. The doors closed behind him with a woosh, and you should have felt relief. You could breathe again. But your chest ached. He saved your life, he took care of you, so why did you feel so tense in his presence? So nervous?

Stop being silly, you thought as you made your way over to your desk, the screen of your holopad lighting up. You did your best to focus on the reports at hand, and yet you couldn’t fight off the giddy smile that ghosted over your face, or the nervous, unsteady racing of your heart.

Or the recurring memory of his lips so close to yours.

Tags: @flamingbisexual08

[finniestoncrane]

🩷🍿 Finnie's 2k Follower Event 🍿💚

🩷💚🩷 EVENT NOW CLOSED 🩷💚🩷 hello and welcome to my silly little cinema 🩷💚🩷💚 this time around i've got options for moodboards, mini playlists, character pairings, and as always, ficlets and headcanons!! as always my little beloveds, read my rules, & send your requests in (and include reader's gender/pronoun/genital info where needed!) i don't know how many requests i'll do (edit: i'll be doing 50 requests for this event, there are still plenty of spaces!!) and i'll try to avoid similar prompts!! (normal requests are still open just now but i won't be writing them or posting them until after the event) along with the drabbles and headcanons, i'll also do a little giveaway of sorts with some commissions, so anyone who asks off anon will be included into a little draw for a free 500 word commission, and i'll pick some winners just to express how much love i have for you all ;-;💚 🔞minors dni🔞 • masterlist • kofi link • tag: finnie2k (to follow or to block)

hi welcome to the cinema!! are you ready to purchase your tickets?

i'll let my date decide [tell me a bit about yourself for a character pairing!]

yes!! [please scroll for options and prompts!]

if you're not here for a date, please choose from the options below and let me know which character you want!! (pick literally any character from my "will write" list! 1 for x reader, 2 for ships)

no more requests for btaa!scarecrow or zero year!riddler, please! their egos will explode lmao

where would you like to be seated? (pick 1 option)

right in the middle [movie soundtrack - mini playlist based on the character]

aisle seat [movie poster - i'll make a little moodboard based on the character]

front rows [short fic/drabble - scroll for the next options!]

back rows [headcanons/short form - scroll for the next options!]

which genre of movie would you like to see? (pick 1)

science-fiction [smut/pwp]

horror [dead dove/something dark]

action [hurt/comfort - physical]

drama [hurt/comfort - emotional]

romantic comedy [tooth rotting fluff]

thriller [angst]

and what would you like in your snack box? (pick up to 3, also yeah whatever my theatre serves fries and burgers!!)

🥤 soda [praise kink]

🧋 bubble tea [posessiveness]

🧃 fruit juice [touch starved, tensing up when shown affection]

🍹 cocktail [acts of care]

🍷 wine [confessing feelings]

🍺 beer ["i didn't mean it... it was an accident"]

🍕 pizza slice [dry humping]

🍔 slider [begging]

🌭 hotdog ["they'd/you'd never feel that way about me"]

🌶️ nachos [comforting through a breakup while pining]

🍟 fries [pet play]

🥓 jerky [oral sex/rimming]

🍿 sweet popcorn [sex as a tension release]

🧂 salted popcorn [watching a movie together]

🧈 butter popcorn ["look at you, you're dripping all over yourself"]

🧀 cheese popcorn [rough sex]

🥨 pretzel [roleplaying]

🍩 donut ["i think i love you"]

🍪 chocolate cookie [biting/licking/sucking]

🌈 rainbow cookie [clumsy first kisses]

🧁 cupcake [cnc/noncon/dubcon]

🍎 fruit cup ["you're going to ruin me"]

🍫 chocolate bar [voyeurism]

🍬 candy ["keep your eyes open, i want you to look at me"]

🍭 lollipop [choking]

🍧 frozen yoghurt [blushing in front of your crush, who finds it cute]

🍨 sundae [blind date]

🍦 vanilla ice cream ["that feels nice... it feels right"]

🍌 banana ice cream [sitting in their lap]

🍑 peach ice cream [spanking/impact play]

🍒 cherry ice cream [a kiss, then a slap, then a returned kiss]

🍓 strawberry ice cream ["your hands are so soft"]

🌰 trail mix [facefucking/face riding]

🥜 peanuts ["you're doing such a good job"]

🧅 grilled onions ["i want to smell myself on you"]

🥒 pickles [humiliation/degradation]

🥬 slaw [memorising the scars/marks on their body]

🔴 ketchup ["you said you'd never be caught dead doing something like this"]

🟡 mustard [piss]

🟢 ranch [feeling safe enough to fall asleep in each others' arms]

🥛 sour cream [cockwarming]

🥚 mayo ["let me show you"]

[movingmusically]

Caught Feeling - Chapter 4

Synopsis:

A quiet evening together strengthens the bond between y/n and Hank, but when their bowling date takes an unexpected turn and ends at the hospital, y/n realises their growing connection may be more unpredictable than she imagined.

Word Count: 5,434

Masterlist

After dinner, we were both too full to move, lounging on the couch with the remnants of takeout scattered on the coffee table. I reached for the remote, scrolling through the endless list of movie options while Hank stretched out beside me, his leg brushing lightly against mine as he settled in, looking completely at ease.

“You really want to watch that?” I teased, pausing on an old action flick that looked like it hadn’t aged well, judging by the grainy cover and outdated tagline.

“Don’t knock it till you try it,” Hank grinned. “You’d be surprised how much heart these movies have.”

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t hide the smile tugging at my lips. “Right. ‘Heart’ hidden under explosions and cheesy one-liners?”

“Exactly,” he said, giving me a playful nudge with his knee. “The explosions are just a bonus.”

I laughed, sinking a little deeper into the cushions. “Fine, I’ll let you pick next time. But tonight, we’re watching something with an actual plot.”

As I scrolled through more titles, Hank leaned in slightly, his hand lightly grazing my knee. “Alright, I’ll bite. What kind of movies are you into? Aside from ‘actual plot,’ of course.”

I grinned, feeling comfortable enough to reveal just how varied my tastes were. “I love Horror, Thriller, Fantasy… but I’m a sucker for a good Comedy too. And every once in a while, I’ll go for a Romance or Drama.”

He raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “You’re into Horror and Comedies? You’ve got range.”

“Why does that surprise you?”

“I don’t know,” he said, smirking. “I just wouldn’t have pegged you for a Horror fan.”

“Oh, I love them,” I said, grinning. “The scarier, the better. But Thrillers? That’s my sweet spot. I love the suspense, the tension—it’s addictive.”

“Interesting,” he said, clearly impressed. “I’m more of an Action and Comedy guy, but I don’t mind the occasional Romance. Gotta mix it up sometimes.”

“Sure, sure,” I teased. “I bet your idea of ‘mixing it up’ still involves a lot of car chases and shootouts.”

Hank laughed, nudging me gently. “Maybe. What about all-time favourites? If you had to pick your top three.”

“That’s tough,” I said, pausing for a moment. “But I’d say Jurassic Park, Jaws, and Lord of the Rings. Those are classics I could watch over and over.”

He nodded in approval. “Solid choices. I respect that. I’m more into Die Hard and Lethal Weapon, though.”

I chuckled, shaking my head. “OK, important question for you.” I leaned closer, a playful challenge in my tone. “Would you say that Die Hard is a Christmas movie?”

His grin turned mischievous. “No, it just happens to take place at Christmas.”

I gasped, pretending to be scandalised. “How dare you? Die Hard is definitely a Christmas movie!”

Hank looked amused. “Just because it’s set at Christmas doesn’t make it a Christmas movie.”

“Yes, it does!” I shot back. “Bruce Willis saves Christmas, Hank. It doesn’t get more Christmas than that.”

“We’re going to have to agree to disagree on this one,” he said, shaking his head with a laugh.

“I’ll convince you one day,” I said, grinning back.

“I’m looking forward to it,” he teased. I raised an eyebrow but couldn’t help the grin tugging at my lips.

He leaned in a little closer, eyes still gleaming with amusement. “So, what else do you love that I should know about?”

“I’ve got a soft spot for war and gangster movies too,” I said, enjoying his reaction.

Hank’s eyebrows shot up. “Seriously? That I didn’t see coming.”

I smiled, leaning back against the couch. “Yeah, Goodfellas is one of my favourites. I watched it with my Mum and Dad growing up.”

“Goodfellas?” he repeated, clearly impressed. “That’s a bold pick. You’ve got taste.”

“Bold, but true,” I said. “And my Dad? Total Arnold Schwarzenegger fan. We used to have movie marathons—Terminator, Predator… you name it.”

“You’re full of surprises,” he said, a grin spreading across his face. “I never would’ve guessed.”

I shrugged with a small smile. “I’ve got layers.”

He glanced at the remote, then back at me. “Well, since you’re already a fan of Die Hard, I think we’ve found our movie for tonight.”

I raised an eyebrow but couldn’t help the grin tugging at my lips. “Fine. But only because it’s my favourite Christmas movie.”

“Exactly,” Hank said with a wink as he hit play.

As the familiar opening sequence of Die Hard rolled across the screen, I sank back into the couch, resting my head on Hank’s shoulder. His arm slid comfortably around me, and I could feel the steady rise and fall of his chest as we settled in. It felt easy being close to him, like this was something we’d done a thousand times before, even though it was still new.

Halfway through the movie, between Bruce Willis’ quips and the explosions on-screen, Hank shifted slightly, his voice low as he spoke.

“You know, we should do something fun this weekend,” Hank said casually, his voice soft against the low hum of the TV. He was playing with a loose strand of my hair, and his relaxed tone made the idea sound spontaneous, like he’d just thought of it in the moment.

I tilted my head up to look at him, intrigued. “Oh yeah? Like what?”

He shrugged, but there was a playful glint in his eyes. “I don’t know. Maybe go see a movie? Or we could do something active… like bowling.”

I grinned at the suggestion, instantly imagining the disaster that would follow. “Bowling? I should warn you—I’m not just bad, I’m the worst. Ever.”

Hank’s smirk widened, his eyes gleaming with amusement. “Worst ever, huh? I find that hard to believe.”

“No, really. I’m talking gutter balls. Every. Single. Time.”

He raised an eyebrow, the challenge clearly sparking something in him. “Well, now I have to take you. I’ll teach you how it’s done.”

I let out a laugh, nudging him playfully. “Oh, I see. You want to show off?”

He chuckled, shaking his head. “You got me. But come on, it’ll be fun. Worst-case scenario, you’re terrible, and I get to give you a hard time about it. Best-case scenario, you impress me.”

“I won’t,” I said, grinning. “But I’ll take you up on the challenge anyway. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

“I’m up for the challenge,” he said confidently. “Besides, how bad could you really be?”

I shot him a mock glare. “You’re underestimating how bad I am. Like, genuinely embarrassing bad.”

Hank laughed, his chest vibrating beneath my head. “I’m looking forward to seeing it.”

I rolled my eyes, settling back into his side. “Well, when you’re done laughing at me, I’ll just kick back and let you win.”

“You’re not off the hook that easily,” he teased, leaning down to press a kiss against my temple. “I’ll get you a strike by the end of the night. Even if I have to guide your hand.”

I laughed at the thought. “If you can do that, I’ll buy you dinner.”

“Deal,” he said, his grin widening. “You better start thinking of which fancy restaurant you’re taking me to.”

I relaxed against him, already picturing the disastrous but fun night out. Hank’s enthusiasm for the challenge was contagious, and I couldn’t help but be excited, even though I knew I’d probably end up embarrassing myself. It struck me how easy it felt to make plans with him, like we’d been doing this for longer than just a few days.

Just as I was about to suggest another potential plan for the weekend, Hank’s phone buzzed on the coffee table. He reached for it, glancing at the screen. His relaxed expression shifted ever so slightly—something that made his brow furrow for a split second before he quickly masked it.

“Everything okay?” I asked, lifting my head to study his face, curious but not overly concerned.

He sighed lightly, locking the screen and setting the phone back down on the table. “Yeah, it’s just work. They need me to cover a shift tonight.”

I could hear the subtle shift in his tone, a mix of frustration and responsibility. He clearly wasn’t thrilled about the idea of leaving, but I knew from the way his brows furrowed that he felt like he had to go.

“You don’t have to go, do you?” I asked softly, not wanting to sound needy but also not exactly ready for him to leave.

Hank leaned back, rubbing his jaw thoughtfully. “No, I don’t have to, but… they’re short tonight, and I know Yvonne’s been dealing with a lot of the busy shifts lately. I’d feel bad leaving her to handle it on her own.”

“Yvonne?” I asked.

He nodded, his expression still relaxed but distant. “Yeah, she works at the bar too. She’s been picking up a lot of shifts since one of the other guys quit. It’s been pretty hectic.”

I tried to keep my tone light, not wanting to pry too much. “Sounds like things are pretty crazy at work.”

“Yeah,” Hank said with a slight smile, but I could tell his mind was elsewhere now. “It’s been busy, but it’s manageable. I just didn’t expect to be called in tonight, especially since I was hoping to spend the night with you.”

There was a sincerity in his words that made my heart flutter, and I could tell he wasn’t just saying it to be polite. He genuinely wanted to stay, and for a moment, I considered telling him not to go. But I didn’t want to be the reason he felt guilty about leaving his coworkers hanging.

“Go,” I said, offering him a reassuring smile. “If they need you, you should go. We’ll have other nights.”

Hank met my gaze, and for a moment, it seemed like he was debating whether to argue. But then he smiled, soft and warm. “You sure?”

I nodded. “I’m sure. You can make it up to me this weekend.”

His eyes brightened at that. “Definitely,” he said, his hand brushing a strand of hair away from my face. “I’ll make it up to you.”

I laughed softly, leaning into his touch. “I’ll hold you to that.”

Hank stood, stretching slightly before grabbing his phone and jacket, but his eyes lingered on me for a moment longer.

I stood too, and he stepped closer, wrapping his arms around my waist. He paused for a moment, his eyes searching mine before he lifted a hand to gently cup my face. Then, he leaned in and kissed me. It was simple, unhurried, but full of warmth.

When he pulled back, there was a softness in his eyes, and I found myself smiling up at him, wishing the night didn’t have to end.

“I’ll call you tomorrow,” he said softly, his voice warm and steady. I smiled, standing there for a second longer. He stepped back reluctantly, and I followed him to the door, watching as he slipped on his shoes. It felt like we were both silently holding onto the night, neither of us wanting it to end. But reality had other plans, and before I knew it, he was opening the door, pausing to give me one last smile.

“Goodnight, y/n,” he said softly, his voice carrying a promise of more moments like this.

“Goodnight, Hank,” I replied, my heart doing that little flutter it always seemed to do around him.

He left, the door closing softly behind him, and I stood there for a second, listening to the sound of his footsteps retreating down the hall. The apartment suddenly felt too quiet, the absence of his presence leaving a hollow kind of stillness in the air. I sighed, turning back toward the couch. The movie was still playing, but my mind was far from it.

I flopped back onto the cushions, staring at the screen but not really paying attention. My thoughts drifted to Hank, the way his eyes lit up when he talked about the future, even if it was just about something as simple as bowling.

And then there was that text from Yvonne. It wasn’t a big deal. Work was work, after all. Hank had a job, and I knew what the service industry was like—unpredictable hours, people needing shifts covered last minute. I shook my head, brushing the thought away. There was no point in overthinking it. He was just doing his job, nothing more.

Still, the flicker of disappointment lingered as I grabbed the remote and turned off the TV. I glanced at my phone, half-hoping for a message from him already, but of course, there was nothing. He’d barely been gone for ten minutes.

I stretched out on the couch, letting the quiet of the apartment settle around me. As much as I wanted to distract myself, my thoughts kept circling back to Hank. The way he’d opened up to me tonight, the ease of our conversation, the comfortable silence that followed. It felt… real. Like we were building something more than just a casual fling.

I smiled to myself, hugging a cushion to my chest as I thought about the plans we’d made for the weekend. I was already looking forward to it.

*

The next day at work, I found myself replaying moments from last night more times than I cared to admit. Between patient check-ups and scribbling notes into charts, my mind kept drifting back to Hank. His smile, the way his hand had brushed against mine as we joked about Die Hard, and the playful challenge in his eyes when he suggested bowling.

I wasn’t used to feeling this… giddy. Like a teenager with a crush. But I couldn’t deny how much I enjoyed it.

The next few days flew by, punctuated by Hank’s texts that never failed to bring a smile to my face. Each message was like a little nudge, reminding me of our budding connection and the easy banter that had become a highlight of my day.

My phone buzzed in my pocket just as I was finishing up a routine exam on a tabby cat. I eagerly pulled it out, my heart lifting as I read his latest message.

Hey. Still ready for our little bowling disaster tomorrow? ;) I’ve already started looking up fancy restaurants for the victory dinner after I get you that strike.

I bit back a laugh, quickly typing out a reply as I stepped out of the exam room.

You’re really confident, huh? You think you can work miracles?

His reply came almost instantly.

Don’t worry, it’s not a miracle—just skill. See you tomorrow?

I smiled at my phone, excitement buzzing through me.

See you tomorrow.

As I tucked my phone back into my pocket, the flutter of anticipation for tomorrow’s challenge made the rest of the workday feel like a breeze.

*

The day of our bowling date arrived with a sense of something imminent and thrilling. It felt like stepping into a scene I had replayed in my mind a thousand times, each replay slightly different from the last, anticipation building with each iteration.

I chose my outfit with more thought than usual, opting for comfort yet wanting to look good for whatever the evening might throw at us. Settling on a pair of well-fitting jeans and a soft, fluttery top that I knew flattered my figure, I left my hair down, hoping the curls would hold through the night.

By the time I got to the bowling alley, I was half-excited and half-dreading the inevitable disaster that was about to unfold.

Hank was already waiting by the entrance when I arrived, his grin spreading across his face as soon as he saw me. He was dressed casually, in a faded orange tee layered over a long-sleeve white shirt, paired with rugged green cargo pants—perfect for a laid-back evening but stylish enough to show he’d made an effort.

“Ready to embarrass yourself?” he asked, that familiar spark of challenge in his eyes.

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t stop the smile tugging at my lips. “I’m warning you now—this is going to be bad. Like, really bad.”

Hank chuckled, slipping his arm around my waist as we headed inside. “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure you look good out there.”

The energy of the bowling alley hit us as soon as we walked through the doors. The clattering of pins echoed in the background, and the warm scent of fried food mingled with the polished wood of the lanes. Hank grabbed our shoes from the counter, handing mine over with a smirk.

“You’re about to witness true talent,” he teased, lacing up his bowling shoes. His eyes glinted with challenge, and I couldn’t help but feel the spark of competition light inside me, even though I knew I had zero chance of winning.

I raised an eyebrow as I slipped on my shoes. “Talent? We’ll see about that.”

We found a lane near the back where it was quieter, and Hank took his position, confidently selecting a ball like he was a pro. He rolled it effortlessly down the lane, and naturally, it was a strike. The pins crashed, and Hank turned to me with a cocky grin.

“Alright, show-off,” I muttered, but I couldn’t help smiling.

“Let’s see what you’ve got,” he said, leaning casually against the ball return as I approached the lane.

I selected a ball, already feeling the weight of failure pressing down on me. With a deep breath, I gave it my best shot, releasing the ball with a prayer… and watched it veer straight into the gutter.

Hank let out a deep laugh that filled the air, and I turned back to face him with a sheepish smile. “Okay, so maybe I wasn’t kidding about being terrible.”

“You weren’t lying,” he teased, coming over to stand beside me. “But don’t worry, I’ll help you. I’m not just a bowling master; I’m also a teacher.”

“Oh, how generous of you,” I laughed.

He stood behind me, guiding my hands as I gripped the ball again. His hands settled on my shoulders as he adjusted my stance, his voice low as he murmured instructions. “Relax your shoulders. Focus on your target. Don’t overthink it.”

His proximity sent a shiver down my spine, but I managed to focus long enough to send the ball rolling down the lane. It teetered dangerously close to the gutter again but stayed just inside the line, knocking down a few pins.

“Hey, progress!” Hank cheered, high-fiving me. “Next time, we’ll get you that strike.”

I couldn’t help but laugh, feeling a little thrill of victory. “At this rate, you’ll have me competing in leagues.”

We took turns after that, the lighthearted competition between us growing with each round. Hank was obviously better than me—every shot he took seemed effortless—but I wasn’t doing as badly as I’d expected.

Finally, after a few more rounds, it happened.

I rolled the ball, holding my breath as it glided smoothly down the lane. One by one, the pins toppled over, and before I even realised it, they were all down. I blinked, staring at the empty lane in disbelief.

“You did it!” Hank exclaimed, grabbing me around the waist and spinning me in the air, his excitement almost infectious.

I laughed, feeling a rush of triumph. “I actually did it!”

“You owe me dinner,” he said with a wide grin, setting me back down.

“Fair enough,” I replied, breathless but happy. “So, where are we going?”

His hand lingered on my waist for a moment longer before he pulled away. “It’s a surprise,” he said, “But I think you’ll like it.”

We grabbed our things, leaving the bowling alley behind as the excitement of the evening still buzzed between us. There was something about the ease of the night, the way we slipped into this playful, carefree rhythm with each other, that made it feel like we’d known each other forever.

Outside, the night greeted us with a soft breeze, the distant hum of the city filling the silence between us. Hank reached for my hand, his fingers lightly intertwining with mine. I glanced over at him, smiling as we strolled down the street together, curious about the mystery spot he had in mind for dinner.

We meandered through the city, the lively energy of the evening palpable as people dined and laughed around us. Hank’s steps seemed purposeful yet relaxed, and his hand felt warm in mine. As we approached a colourful, somewhat eclectic-looking place with a neon sign proclaiming “Lucky’s Brew & Q,” my curiosity piqued.

“This place is a bit of a local legend,” Hank said with a grin, pushing open the door to a buzz of activity and a mix of aromas that promised good food and a great time.

Inside, the decor was a vibrant collage of vintage signs, quirky artwork, and strings of lights that cast a cheerful glow over the wooden tables. The chatter of patrons and the clinking of glasses added to the lively atmosphere, making it immediately welcoming.

“Lucky’s is famous for their craft beers and killer BBQ,” Hank explained as we found a spot at a rustic bar table. “It’s laid-back but always a lot of fun.”

The menu was a delight of comfort foods, featuring everything from spicy buffalo wings to loaded nachos and slow-cooked ribs. We ordered a pitcher of their house craft beer and a mix of finger foods to share, keeping the mood light and carefree.

As we sipped our beers, I took a moment to glance around the busy bar, noting it was a typical bustling Saturday night elsewhere in the city. Intrigued, I turned back to Hank. “So, it’s Saturday night and Lucky’s is packed. I’m surprised they didn’t need you at the bar tonight, especially since you mentioned being short-staffed.”

Hank nodded, his expression mingling gratitude with a hint of worry. “Yeah, it’s been a rough couple of weeks. We’re short-staffed since one of the bartenders quit. Yvonne’s been picking up a lot of slack, and normally, I would have had to help out.” He took a slow sip of his beer, his gaze lingering on the glass as he set it down. “But I talked to my manager Edwin earlier this week, made it clear I needed tonight off. Took a bit of negotiating and promising to cover some extra shifts next week.”

“That sounds tough, always having to balance things like that,” I said, my tone soft, empathetic to the strain such a situation must place on him.

“It’s part of the gig,” he shrugged slightly, but his smile returned quickly. “But it’s worth it, especially for nights like this.” His hand found mine across the table, giving it a gentle squeeze, his warmth reassuring.

“I’m glad you did. It’s been a great night,” I smiled, squeezing back, appreciating the effort he made to make our evening together possible.

The food was delicious—messy and rich with flavours. We challenged each other to try the spiciest wings, which led to a bout of playful competition as we raced for the cooling relief of our beers. The casual setting felt just right, allowing us to let our guards down and enjoy each other’s company without pretence.

As the evening wound down, the bar began to quiet, and the earlier energy settled into a comfortable hum. Hank glanced at me, a playful yet sincere expression on his face. “I hope this place hit the mark for our victory dinner.”

I laughed, wiping my hands on a napkin. “It was perfect. I couldn’t have asked for a better evening.”

Hank’s smile deepened, and he reached across the table to squeeze my hand. “I’m really glad to hear that. I wanted tonight to feel just right.”

We lingered a while longer at Lucky’s, finishing our drinks and talking about everything and nothing at all. The comfortable ease that had defined our evening was still there, but now it carried a little more weight—something unspoken hanging between us. Hank leaned back in his chair, his gaze soft yet intent as he looked at me across the table.

“You want to grab another drink somewhere? Or…” he trailed off, his eyes flicking to the door, then back to me. His voice softened as he added, “We could head back to my place, or yours. No pressure.”

The way he said it, so casual and sincere, made my stomach flip with both nerves and excitement. There wasn’t any expectation in his tone—just an invitation. The night had been perfect so far, and part of me wanted to keep it going, to see where this connection would take us.

I met his gaze, holding it for a beat longer than necessary, weighing the options. The warmth of the bar, the low hum of conversation around us, and the slight buzz from the drinks all made me feel bold. “Your place sounds good,” I said, my voice steady even though my heart raced.

Hank’s smile widened, not quite a smirk, but something close. He stood up, offering me his hand. “Let’s get out of here, then.”

We stepped outside, the sudden quiet almost jarring after the buzz of the bar. Hank’s hand was still holding mine as we walked, his thumb lightly tracing circles over my skin. The streets were quieter now, the occasional car passing by, but it felt like the city had slowed down just for us.

We were nearing Hank’s building when I heard a scuffling sound from farther down the street, followed by a gruff voice and the unmistakable thud of someone being shoved. I turned my head and saw two figures hunched over someone—an older man, who stumbled backward into a parked car.

“What the hell?” I muttered under my breath, my steps slowing. Hank’s expression darkened instantly. His hand left mine as he picked up his pace, his entire body tensing. “Stay here,” he said firmly, but I didn’t.

As we approached, I got a better look at the scene. The man being pushed around looked dishevelled, his clothes worn and grimy, his face creased with age and weathered by something more. He was trying to stand upright, but it was clear he wasn’t in any shape to defend himself. The two younger men messing with him barely even glanced our way as we came closer, too focused on taunting the helpless man.

“Hey!” Hank shouted, his voice cutting through the noise like a whip. The two men froze for a moment, then turned to face him, eyes narrowing. The taller of the two sneered, clearly unimpressed.

“Mind your business, man.”

“This is my business,” Hank said, stepping between the older man and the two younger guys. His voice was steady, but there was a sharp edge to it. “Leave him alone.”

The second guy, wearing a ratty hoodie, raised his chin defiantly. “Or what?”

I felt my heart hammering in my chest. The last thing we needed was for this to turn into a fight, and Hank wasn’t exactly small, but these two guys looked like they were itching for trouble.

“Or you’re going to regret it,” Hank replied evenly, his posture unyielding. “Just walk away.”

For a moment, no one moved, and I felt my pulse quicken in the silence. But after a tense beat, the taller guy scoffed, nudging his friend. “Whatever, man. Let’s go.”

With one last glance at Hank, they slinked away into the shadows of the street, leaving the older man slumped against the car, groaning softly.

Hank immediately turned his attention to him, crouching down and gently placing a hand on the man’s shoulder. “Jason,” he said quietly, his voice softer now. “You alright?”

I blinked, taking a step closer. “You know him?” I asked, surprised.

“Yeah,” Hank sighed, helping Jason stand upright, though the man was clearly struggling to stay on his feet. “He’s been around the block for years. Jason’s… he’s got a rough life. Drinks a lot, doesn’t really have anyone looking out for him.”

Jason mumbled something incoherent, his eyes glassy, and I could smell the alcohol on him from where I stood. He was in bad shape, bruised from the attack and barely able to hold himself up.

“He needs a hospital,” I said, glancing at Hank.

Hank nodded grimly. “Yeah, we need to get him checked out.”

I quickly pulled out my phone, calling for an Uber. “I’ll get us a ride,” I said as Hank shifted Jason’s weight onto his shoulder, steadying him as best as he could.

Within minutes, the car arrived, and with some effort, we managed to get Jason into the backseat. The driver shot us a wary look but didn’t say anything as we told him to head to the nearest hospital.

The drive to the hospital was quiet, the atmosphere heavy. Jason was slipping in and out of consciousness beside Hank, who kept a close eye on him, holding him upright. I sat in the front seat, casting glances back at them every so often, a knot of worry tightening in my chest.

When we arrived, Hank and I practically carried Jason inside, the nurses at the front desk immediately recognising the severity of the situation. A wheelchair was brought over, and they whisked him away without hesitation.

We found ourselves in the waiting area soon after, the harsh lights of the emergency room flickering overhead. Hank sat beside me, his elbows resting on his knees, his hands clasped together tightly. His face was tense, his mind clearly elsewhere.

I touched his arm gently. “You okay?”

He nodded, though his expression didn’t change much. “Yeah. I just… I hate seeing him like this,” Hank muttered, rubbing his jaw. “Jason’s been living on that block longer than I’ve been around. He’s harmless, but no one really looks after him. I try to keep an eye on him when I can, but…” He trailed off, shaking his head. “I should’ve done more.”

“You’re doing what you can,” I said softly. “You helped him tonight. If you hadn’t been there… I don’t even want to think about what might’ve happened.”

Hank let out a long sigh, the tension in his shoulders easing just slightly. “I guess. It’s just… it’s tough seeing someone like that. It feels like the whole world’s forgotten about him.”

We sat in silence for a while after that, the hum of the hospital around us filling the quiet. Eventually, a nurse came over to let us know that Jason was stable, but that his condition was a result of years of heavy drinking. They were going to admit him for observation, but it wasn’t his first time here, and it wouldn’t likely be his last.

Hank thanked the nurse, but I could see the worry still etched into his face as we stepped back outside. The night air was cool, a stark contrast to the stuffy warmth of the hospital.

“Do you want to head back to my place?” Hank asked quietly after a moment, his voice subdued.

I thought about it for a second, then nodded. “Yeah, let’s go.”

The ride back to Hank’s was quiet, the earlier buzz of the night replaced by a heavy calm. By the time we got to his apartment, the exhaustion from the night had settled in. Hank unlocked the door, pushing it open, and I followed him inside, both of us moving quietly, still processing everything that had happened.

I sat down on the couch, letting out a long breath as the weight of the evening finally settled over me. Hank disappeared into the kitchen for a moment, returning with two glasses of water.

“Thanks,” I said softly as he handed me one. He sat down beside me, leaning back, his hand finding mine again.

“I’m really glad you were with me tonight,” he said quietly after a few moments of silence. “It… it made everything easier.”

I smiled, squeezing his hand gently. “I’m glad I was there too.”

We stayed like that for a while, the quiet between us comfortable, almost soothing. After everything, there wasn’t much else to say. Eventually, Hank’s arm slipped around my shoulders, pulling me close until we were lying together on the couch, the weight of the night slowly giving way to a shared sense of calm.

And even though the night had taken an unexpected turn, being here with him felt exactly where I was meant to be.

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