#the world is slowly ending around us and we see the signs and they’re there but we can’t do anything about it

[okcoolthanks]

I’m going to fucking lose it why is it so hot

[miniy00ng1]

Not Yours pt.2

Five Hargreeves x Female!Reader

wc: 2239 (not proofread yet!)

warnings: swearing, fighting, lmk if i missed anything

find part one here my masterlist here

Hi lovelies! While writing I realized that this was going to be more than two parts like i had originally thought it would be. but regardless i hope you enjoy and don't forget to give me feedback! pls ignore and grammar errors! thank you <3

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“Welcome mi familia to my home away from home. My dearest Hotel Obsidian.” Klaus introduces, arms spread wide and breathing in the musty glory of the hotel. “Oh how I’ve missed her. Lookie who’s here! Mon frère Chet! How are you? We need your finest rooms good sir!” Chet places a sign on the table cash up front. The group of super siblings empty their pockets managing to gather enough for two rooms. 

“So what’s our next move you guys? Because the Sparrows can attack at any given moment. I know I would.” Diego asks, anxious to kick some more ass. Luther turns towards Diego, placing his hands on his shoulders, “Diego, just relax man. They’re not coming, they’re going to need a couple of days to recover with the way we left them.” “You really think so?” Diego asks hopefully, at this moment you peek around Luther’s body into Diego’s view and shake you head, sliding you thumb slowly across your neck. Five notices you trying to rile Diego up and drags you to the elevator.

“First, I get kidnapped. And now I have to bunk in the boys room. Just kill me now.” Y/N complains as she is forced into the room being shared between four men. “You can complain all you want Y/N, but I have to keep an eye on you, so deal with it.” Five huffs taking a seat on the lower bunk bed. You roll your eyes, “There are only four beds in here dipshit and five of us. Where the hell am I supposed to sleep?” Five smirks at you, putting his hands behind his head and fully reclining on the bed as you make a gagging sound.

The other three brothers enter the room shortly after and begin to discuss how there are now other versions of themselves out in the world. Your curiosity gets the best of you, “What was you guys’ version of me like? Everyone seems to like her so much better, she couldn’t have been that great.” The men all speak at once listing all of the good qualities other you had such as her kindness, or her mindfulness, or her hopefulness. You jokingly smile extra big and say, “Doesn’t she just sound like a ray of sunshine.” The rest of the night is uneventful as everyone is exhausted from the events that occurred earlier. 

That night, you end up taking the bottom bunk and Five sleeps on the floor next to it. The morning sun shines directly into eyes, disturbing your slumber. As you wake up and try to adjust your eyes, you feel a pressure on your hand. Lifting your head from the pillow, you glance over the edge of the bed and see a slumbering Five holding your hand–warmth spreads across your face. You quickly snatch your hand out of his grip, startling Five awake, he immediately scans the room for any threats. Five furrows his eyebrows once he makes eyes contact with you. No words are exchanged between the two of you as you get out of the bed and head towards the bathroom down the hall.

While freshening up in the bathroom, Y/N takes note of everyone in the restroom. There’s an elderly lady, a woman in her late 40s that looks like she’s done every drug on planet earth–twice, and a tan woman with a young boy standing behind her. The woman stares at you as if you’re familiar with one another. “What the hell are you looking at lady?” You says while drying your hands. The woman laughs in disbelief, “No fucking way.” You raise your eyebrows at the lady and exit the communal bathroom, startled to find Five dressed in a suit and waiting for you. “This entire hotel is full of freaks.”

The two of you take a seat at the table joining Klaus and Diego. The table covered in boxes of Chinese takeout, Five hands you a container and chopsticks, “Eat up, you must be starving.” You nod your head as a thank you and dig into the noodles. The siblings discuss their next course of action, if they have to fight the Sparrows to get the briefcase back or stay in the timeline. Across from you, something has caught Diego’s eye as he abruptly drops his food and rushes away from the table. You turn your body to see where he’s run off to and see Diego chasing the woman from the bathroom.

Diego returns to his seat five minutes later wih a young boy who claims to be his son. Not a single one of the Hargreeves at the table question the legitimacy of the relation. “So if you’re his dad..Is that blonde lady his mom?” You question, not seeing the resemblance at all. Diego nods in confirmation, “She claims he’s my son and that lady, is Lila. You two have met, she tried to murder us like two days ago.” “Two things Buddy. One, I am not your Y/N. And two, you’re an idiot. No wonder she tried to kill you.” You say, piecing the missing information together.

A short haired Vanya approaches the siblings. “Wow Vanya! I am loving the haircut! It really suits you!” Klaus calls out, admiring the new style. “Oh, it’s actually Viktor.” Viktor says awkwardly. The brothers glance at each other before Diego speaks up, “Who is?” “I am, always have been.” Viktor confirms. “Does anybody have a problem with that?” Everyone at the table shakes their head no and congratulates Viktor. “Look, I met with Marcus last night he agreed to give us the briefcase in exchange for Y/N. He says he doesn’t want to start a war.” You sit up straight at the mention of the trade.

Five’s face hardens at Viktor’s statement, “Absolutely not Viktor. I don’t know if you’ve noticed but this timeline in perfectly acceptable, there are no apocalypses or psychopaths coming after us. And last time I checked, you don’t speak for this family. There won’t be any unnecessary trades. Especially not if they include Y/N.” “You’re wrong Five. We don’t belong here. Allison is miserable, her own daughter doesn’t exist and you’re holding Y/N hostage just because she looks like your Y/N!” Viktor argues back. Five seethes in Viktor’s face, “I said no.” Five drags you off the chair forcing you to follow him. You hear footsteps chase after the two of you, “Five! Five wait up!” Five stops, still holding onto your wrist as Klaus catches up. “You two sure move quick for such little legs. Anywho…how would you two like to join me on a little roadtrip? We can relax and cruise the open road, it’ll be a grand ole time!” Five agrees to go with Klaus against your wishes.

Leaning against the car, you scan Five’s figure, “Like what you see?” Five says cockily, smiling at you. “That is the ugliest outfit I have ever seen. Genuinely, you should burn that for the sake of everyone else. And take that stupid hat off, you’re embarassing me. What did I ever see in you.” Five’s smile drops but before he can make a rebuttal Klaus skips over towards the car, “Let’s go bitches! This is going to be so much fun!” It was not fun by any means. Thirty minutes into the drive, Klaus and Five start arguing due to the fact that Klaus tricked Five into coming to meet his birth mother because he was scared to do it alone. 

“You were scared? So you brought me along like an emotional support schnauzer?” “I would say you’re more like a little cute, feisty chihuahua.” You say mindlessly. Five turns and glares at you, you’re certain he’s picturing murdering you in his mind. The fighting goes on for a little longer before the boys make up at the big ball of twine. Soon enough, you guys arrive at a farm where Klaus’ mother is supposedly living. Five tells Klaus that this is something he has to face alone and that he’ll stay with the car. 

Five moves the car to the side of the road and turns on a radio station playing songs from the 60s. He then exits the car just to open the rear door, “Scoot over, I want to stretch out my legs and do my crossword.” “You are such an old man. I don’t know how I could be into that.” You say while scooting over to make room for the teen. Five slides in next to you ensuring that his body is facing yours, “I’ll have you know that I have a lot of redeeming qualities that you loved. Not to mention, I’m a sweet talker Darling.” Five brushes his hand against your cheek, holding eye contact with you. Five’s green eyes are intense as you stare back noting the specks of blue in them. “I know, it’s hard to look away from them right?” Five winks at you finally breaking eye contact and sitting back, attention back on his newspaper. You blink rapidly trying to process what had occurred between the two of you.

Suddenly, a pulse rushes through the car shaking it as it passes. Five immediately sits up, hand gripping yours as he scans the area for signs of danger. You two exit the car, still holding hands. “Five? Where’d the cows go?” You question pointing towards the previously filled farmland which was now completely vacant. “Damnit can’t I get just one day off?” Five sighs throwing his hands in the air. The teenage boy gets to working on equations trying to figure out what he and his siblings fucked up now. In the distance, you hear a faint yell. A few seconds later comes Klaus with an angry Amish mob chasing after him, “Start the car! We’ve got to go now!” The three of you clamber into the car and speed off.

Klaus tells Five his findings and experience with the Amish and how his mother died before he was born. Five stomps on the breaks, causing you to fly forward, “We are so fucked. We’ve created the Grandfather Paradox.”

Once back at Hotel Obsidian Five takes you with him to find Lila. Her son, Stanley, tells you that she’s in the women’s restroom. Five is about to enter before you stop him, “Hey perv, this is the ladies room. Let me go.” You spot Lila in the bath and wave at her, “Y/N! Long time no see. Well actually, I guess you’ve never met me before but…I know you. And I can’t stand you just as much as I hate your husband.” Lila throws a knife in your direction and you are about to move out of the way when you feel a rush of air as you are blinked across the room.

You pull out of Five’s grip, “I can handle myself Five. And he is not my husband!” Lila approaches the two of you fully nude, “If you lovebirds are done with your couples quarrel. I’d love to get this over with.” Five and Lila fight and blink around the bathroom–you never knew two people could have the same powers. Lila manages to knock Five off of his feet, she then blinks to you and punches. You duck down, narrowly avoiding her fist. You sweep your leg at her feet aiming to knock her down. Lila lands on her back and you use your powers to transform into Luther in order to have an advantage, size and strength-wise. You swing your arms up in the air readying to pummel the woman into the ground. Lila mimics your power also transforming into Luther–your eyes widen as you realize what her powers are. Lila pulls her legs to her stomach before kicking them out, launching her legs into your stomach. You fly back, groaning as you land on a sink and breaking it off the wall. Curse Luther and his stupidly big monkey body.

Five has recovered and catches Lila off guard by slamming his body into hers. While distracted he squirts her in the face with soap, “Okay! Fuck! That’s enough!” Lila calls out, wiping the soap out of her stinging eyes. Five blinks over to you as Luther, “Y/N? Are you okay?” You transform back into your teenage self, accepting Five’s outstretched hand, “Never been better.” After making sure you were okay, Five grabs the briefcases from Lila’s possession. They were of course broken and the two decided that they would use their powers to travel to the Commision.

“We can’t bring her, we barely have enough power to bring ourselves.” Lila states motioning towards you. Five looks at you trying to figure out where to put you for the time being. Five walks you to his brother Diego, “I need you to watch her. I’ve got things to do and she can’t come with.” “What the hell? No! I’ve already got one little shit to take care of. I don’t need another.” You scoff at the conversation between the men, “I can hear you guys, you know?” They both ignore you. “Just make them watch each other, I don’t know. Figure it out, I’ve got to go.” Five walks off quickly with his hands in his pocket. Diego looks at you and rubs his face, “Stanley! Get your ass over here and come meet your Auntie!”

part three

taglist:

@ohmyitsfaith

[carlsangel]

BACK OFF

carl grimes x fem!reader

(ron makes you uncomfortable, carl comes to your rescue.)

tags: i really don’t know o-o

masterlist here!

“Seriously I don’t get why we have to come to this, what’re we even gonna do here?” You complain, walking beside Rick and Carl on your way to Deanna’s house. Carl looks at you, unsure of what to say as he adjusts Judith in his arms. “Well, they’re tryna be nice…and welcoming I suppose. We’re gonna be polite and say thank you. We’re lucky to be here.” Rick responds.

All of this seriously confused you. I mean, a couple of days ago, you guys were all on the road and sleeping on the floor of a barn that smelt like horse shit. How were you meant to go from that, to going to a house party in a normal house, with normal people, in a normal community? It’s just simply not possible. Not in the world you live in.

You accept what Rick says and just leave it at that. You enter Deanna’s home to the intimidating sound of loud chatter. You were expecting people to harass you with tons of questions about your past and how you wound up here with the group. Things about your family you wished to forget.

Deanna walks over to greet you guys and she grabs Judith from Carl’s arms, freeing his hand to hold yours. He gives a gentle squeeze as Deanna makes pointless small talk that’ll later be forgotten. You notice that Maggie and Glenn are already there which makes you feel somewhat better. You’re pulled from your thoughts when Carl begins to walk further into the house, to the kitchen.

“C’mon I saw someone with lemonade.” He says with a smile. You smile too at how sweet he was, how excited he got over something as simple as lemonade. You follow him through the crowded home and stop at the island with pitchers of random beverages. He grabs you both a cup and pours the lemonade into them. You stare around the room, studying everything you see. Every exit, every person, everything.

“Here.” He hands you the glass and notices how intently you’re looking at everything. “Are you okay?” He asks, pushing the cup closer to you. You snap out of whatever trance you were in and grab the glass. “Yeah I’m fine.” You give him a small smile. He could tell you were spewing bullshit. He knew you well, I mean you’re best friends. You wished you were more than that; he did too.

“Look this place is real. I know it’s hard to accept…I barely have myself.” He explains. “But everything is finally gonna be okay.” You nod, taking in his advice when you hear someone arrive to the house. You and Carl walk into the hallway and look towards the end of it, noticing Jessie and her family had arrived. You’d met Ron earlier and he seemed relatively normal. Minus his odd remarks.

“It’s been a while since we’ve had a girl show up at the gates. We’re glad you’re here.” He told you. Who says that? You saw him as he entered and your nose sort of wrinkles. Rick walks over to the both of you and instructs Carl to find Judith and to pry her from whatever strangers arms she was in. You watch as he walks away and your heart immediately sinks. You walk back into the kitchen to hide and you stand by the island sort of just looking around.

“There you are.” You turn to be met by Ron. Great.

“Oh…hi?” You respond as he walks over to grab a glass. “Is that lemonade?” He asks pointing at your cup. Your eyebrows knit together in annoyance; it’s the only yellow beverage on the counter. “Yes.” You respond shortly. He notices how short you’re being but doesn’t really take it as a hint to leave you the fuck alone, but rather a sign to keep going. “Sooo you didn’t talk much back at my house. I was hopin to get to know you more.” He explains. You turn to look at him and drink from your cup, not exactly sure what he wants to hear from you.

“Well what about your family?” He scoots a little closer to you. “M-my family?” You mutter. “Yeah your family. I assume they’re no longer with us…I mean that’s how it is now, right?” He states, you begin to slowly inch away from him. How is this any of his business? You begin to feel increasingly uncomfortable. “I’m just saying, I know how you feel. Before all this, I lost an uncle of mine. So if you need to chat at all, I’m here.” He places his hand on the small of your back, causing you to pull away from him completely. He puts his hand up in the air defensively. Before you know it, his shoulder is pushed back a little, and Carl now has his attention.

“C’mon man just back off her a little okay?” He says relatively politely. Ron laughs a little and shrugs. “I was just tryna help.” Carl scoffs. “I think she’s fine without your help.” He replies. Ron looks between the both of you for a moment and sort of laughs to himself. “You’re together aren’t you?” A smug grin forms on his face. Like he knows anything. “No, but that has nothing to do with the fact that you’re clearly weirding her out.” You place your cup down on the counter, getting ready to head out as soon as possible.

“How am I making her uncomfortable? All I’m doing is trying to help her. That’s all.” Carl rolls his eyes. You could sense that this wouldn’t end well. “Help her? That involves touching?” He remarks. He pushes past him and grabs your hand, leading you out of the kitchen and the situation. He leads out outside to the empty porch. You shiver a little at the sudden breeze of cold air that passed through. Carl noticed of course, he notices everything about you. He takes his flannel off and hands it to you.

“What about you?” You ask, taking it from his hands. He shrugs. “You matter more.” He gives you a small smile. You put the flannel on and you both lean against the railings of the house silently. He’s the first to speak up. “Sorry I wish there for you earlier.” You can see him overthink. You shake your head in response, “No don’t apologize. He didn’t get very far thanks to you.” You giggle. He smiles at that and nods.

You look off into the distance for a moment silently, your hands gently resting on the rails. After a moment you can feel his hand over yours. You’re glad to have someone like him. Someone who actually cares.

You can tell you’ll be more than friends very soon.

a/n: erm this was ass and i’m sorry about it :/ yall idk how to write endings and i know that’s prevalent IM SORRY rhrjrbtjfbfngn anyway i actually like ron and really think he’s a misunderstood character butttt THIS WAS FUN TO WRITE :>

[astroa3h]

How Pluto Entering Aquarius Will Shape the Next Two Decades

Hold onto your hats, because the cosmos just handed us a front-row ticket to the most exhilarating and unsettling ride of the century. Pluto, the planet of transformation, power, and those deep, dark truths we’d rather shove under the rug, is strutting into Aquarius, the sign of innovation, rebellion, and humanity’s collective future. This isn’t just a cosmic shuffle. It’s a full-blown revolution that will flip the script on every corner of life as we know it. We’re talking society, technology, relationships, and yes, your personal universe. This not your average astrological transit.

Pluto doesn’t mess around. This is the planet of the phoenix, meaning if something isn’t working, it’s about to burn down to ashes. But don’t panic. Aquarius isn’t here to destroy for the sake of destruction. This air sign is the visionary genius, the tech whiz, the humanitarian. Together, they’re rewriting the rules of the game. Think of it like a power wash for your life and our world, a little messy at first, but ultimately freeing. For the next 19 years, expect seismic shifts in how we connect as a species. Aquarius rules technology and social systems, so the digital landscape will explode with changes. In terms of astrology predictions, AI won’t just be a cool tool; it’s going to reshape the job market, education, and even how we understand what it means to be human. If you’ve been clinging to outdated ways of working or communicating, Pluto is here to snap you out of it. The advice? Embrace the new. Learn, adapt, grow. That app you’re too stubborn to download could end up being the key to your next career move.

Power structures are about to collapse. Pluto in Aquarius doesn’t tolerate inequality, corruption, or anything that reeks of the old guard clinging to control. Governments, corporations, and even social hierarchies are in for a rude awakening. On a personal level, ask yourself where you’ve been giving your power away. Is it to a boss who doesn’t value you? A partner who keeps you small? A habit that numbs your potential? Pluto is here to tear those chains apart. But it’s on you to step into the freedom that follows. Of course, there’s a shadow side. Aquarius can be cold, detached, even ruthless in its pursuit of the greater good. Be wary of losing yourself in groupthink or tech dependency. Just because the world is speeding up doesn’t mean you have to lose touch with your own humanity. Make time for real conversations, face-to-face connections, and grounding rituals. This isn’t just a suggestion.

It’s a survival tool for navigating the chaos.

And let’s talk relationships. Traditional bonds might feel stifling under this influence. Aquarius loves independence and freedom, so if you’re in a situation that feels too confining, it’s time to shake things up. This doesn’t mean running for the hills every time someone asks for commitment. But it does mean being honest about what you need to thrive. Maybe that’s more space, or maybe it’s a complete reimagining of what love looks like for you. Just know this: Pluto doesn’t do surface-level. Any connection that’s shallow, fake, or rooted in outdated ideals is going to crumble. And that’s a good thing. This is also a time to dream big, no, bigger. Aquarius is the sign of invention and radical ideas. If you’ve been sitting on a creative project, a business idea, or a vision for your future, Pluto is giving you a cosmic green light. But there’s a catch. You can’t just dream it; you have to build it. Aquarius is innovative, yes, but it’s also fiercely logical. It’s about using your genius to create something real. So, roll up your sleeves. Get to work. You have a 19-year runway to make something extraordinary.

But remember, transformation isn’t a one-and-done event. Pluto moves slowly, digging deep into the cracks we don’t want to see. There will be moments when it feels too intense, too overwhelming. That’s when you lean into the Aquarian gift of vision. What kind of future do you want to build? What kind of person do you want to become? Keep your eyes on the horizon, even when the ground shakes beneath your feet. Pluto in Aquarius isn’t just a transit. It’s a call to action. It’s a demand to evolve. The world is changing, fast. And the question isn’t whether you’ll adapt. It’s whether you’ll rise to meet the opportunity. The universe believes you can. Now it’s your turn to believe it too.

Sending you all my love and blessings,

Ash (@AstroA3h via Instagram & TikTok)

✨💓

Ready for your own personal reading?

Visit astroash.net to book yours today!

[5tar-5hin3]

⨯ . ⁺ ✦ ⊹ ꙳ ⁺ ‧ ⨯. ⁺ ✦ ⊹ . * ꙳ ✦ ⊹

John Dory x Reader

“A Chance He Can Take”

Part 1 : “An Unlikely Beginning”

Part 2: “And an Unexpected Ending”

⨯ . ⁺ ✦ ⊹ ꙳ ⁺ ‧ ⨯. ⁺ ✦ ⊹ . * ꙳ ✦ ⊹

Synopsis:

JD left a long time ago. A long, long time again.

Now he lives alone in the mountains. That is until 1 turns into 2.

He meets another troll.

This one isn’t like anyone he’s ever met before. They’re… different. They hang around for a while and, well, let’s just say they get friendly.

Words: 1,320

⨯ . ⁺ ✦ ⊹ ꙳ ⁺ ‧ ⨯. ⁺ ✦ ⊹ . * ꙳ ✦ ⊹

A/N:

In this story, John Dory wholly believes his brothers failed him and they left him when the didn’t make the perfect family harmony.

He doesn’t believe he left. He believes he had to leave because they weren’t good enough for him. So he’s twisted the story to make it look better on him. He’s a little quirky, but we can fix him. 🫶

⨯ . ⁺ ✦ ⊹ ꙳ ⁺ ‧ ⨯. ⁺ ✦ ⊹ . * ꙳ ✦ ⊹

*5 Years Before*

John was hiking the mountains when he came across something unexpected. Another troll. One similar to him.

They were walking with a small cuddle pup. They were happily hiking the opposite way on the trail. He hadn’t seen anyone for years. This was new to him.

“Hey.” He started the interaction. It startled the other troll. They looked around to see if he meant someone else. Even though rarely anyone trailed this far.

“Oh hey!” They laughed awkwardly. “I’ve never seen another troll up here.”

“Me either.” He agreed with them. “What bring you up all alone?”

“I just needed time away from my family. You know how it is.”

They had no idea how much John Dory under stood that.

They shrugged as she met the other finally. “Name’s Y/N, by the way.” They held out their hand for the other to shake.

The fact he wasn’t immediately recognized was both shocking and relieving to John Dory. Maybe it was for the best that people didn’t remember’BroZone’ anymore.

“You are?” John had left Y/N hanging.

“Sorry,” he grabbed their hand. “I’m-“ he hadn’t gotten this far. Should he say his real name or make a fake one? “JD.”

“Nice to meet you JD.” They smiled brightly. “I best get going now. I have to set up before sun down. Don’t want those nasty critters after my cuddle pup.” John looked down at the small fluffy creature. “Her name is Ruby.”

“You could always camp out with me. I’ve got plenty of room for a guest. It’s probably easier than a tent too. I don’t mean to brag but I do have an armadillo bus.” John was happy to offer his place to them. That meant more company for him.

“Uhh- I don’t know. I think I’d feel more comfortable in my own space.” They politely declined.

“That’s totally fair. Feel free to set up around me though. Never know when you could use a helping hand.” With that, they parted ways.

It wasn’t until much later, when John came back, that he saw a small f/c tent pitched next to his bus. They had taken up one of his offers at the very least. He didn’t bother them, simply minded his own.

It stayed like that for sometime. Y/N would come and go. The first few times they took their tent. But after a while they stopped taking the tent down and left it next to John’s bus.

In between each visit, y/n and John would talk. They slowly grew accustomed to the other. Got used to routines, got used to style. They even started doing thing together, like going for morning runs or hiking.

Since y/n was the only on connected to the “outside world”, they often kept John up to date with troll events. Or the ones that he needed to know the most about. John was actually starting to- he didn’t know how to say it. He was getting a crush? He liked y/n in a way he hadn’t liked anyone else.

Then one day, after coming back from a hike, their tent was gone. He wasn’t worried at first. Y/n was sure to be back tomorrow. They always were. Until they didn’t show up the next day. Or the next. Soon, weeks passed and there was no sign of them. John began to work just a bit.

A month and a half passed before y/n showed up again.

“Y/n!” John happily announced when he saw them. How he missed their company.

“JD!” They smiled at the other. Ruby seemed as happy as ever to see John again. She was happily pouncing at his feet and barking for attention. “Sorry I disappeared on you- family stuff.” They shrugged it off. “I’m back now though, so no worries.” John could see their pack was lighter than before. There was no tent.

John picked the pup up and pet her. “You’re fine. I’ve been up here by myself longer than you can imagine. It was nothing. No tent this time?” John commented. He raised his eyebrow, a bit curious.

“Oh, yeah. I figured, if the offer still stands, that you had room for a guest.” Y/n shyly smiled, a soft blush across their cheeks and on the tips of their ears.

“The offer does stand.” He smiled and set the pup down. “Wanna come inside? Check out the great abode of JD?” He teased.

“I’ll follow you.” Y/n followed John as he went into the bus. It was quite cozy. Nothing like what they expected. “It’s nice.” It seemed almost rustic. It had charm. It was a bit messy, but hey, what can you do?

“Thanks, decorated myself.” He laughed. Y/n set their belongings down next to the door and admired the space.

“You did a good job.” They smiled. “Oh, that reminds me. I found the other glove you said you lost.” They pulled it out of their pocket.

“Wow, I’m impressed. Keep it.” John shrugged. “I’ve gotten used to the one glove. It’s a look now.” Y/n pulled the glove on. It looked quite good actually.

The pair hung out almost everyday after that. Y/n still left occasionally, especially for holidays. They always invited John. He always denied. He liked the solitude.

Y/n basically lived on John’s couch other than that. They cooked and cleaned, he went out and gathered stuff. They were basically a couple, without all that couple stuff.

*A year later*

Y/n was up before John, like they always were. They made his coffee and breakfast. They went out and fed Rhonda then Ruby. The usual. John was up a little afterwards.

“Good morning JD.” Y/n didn’t even raise their head to greet the other. He jumped down from his loft. That’s how they knew he was up.

Today, JD decided he want to be bold. He came up behind them and wrapped his arms around them.

When they started staying with him, they didn’t have a lot of clothes. So they borrowed his often. They were wearing his shirt and it hung down to their mid thigh. It drove him wild.

Y/n wasn’t fazed. They knew it was only a matter of time before one of them made a move. They had a crush on John and they made it obvious. They hummed happily. “Good morning JD.” They repeated.

“Good morning.” He teased. They giggled. “How’d you sleep?”

“About as good as I can with you snoring.” They joked. John didn’t snore, but they always joked he did. He laughed.

“Whatever you say.” He rolled his eyes. He let them go and took his coffee. “You know, you could always sleep in the bed. The couch can’t be that comfortable.” Y/n shook their head.

“It’s not, but I take what I can get.”

“Well, I’m offering my bed. So.”

“Fine, fine.” They laughed. “You could just say you were lonely.”

“Lonely? Lonely? Ha. I’m not lonely, who said I was lonely?” He looked around nervously.

“You’re running behind schedule JD.” They kissed his cheek. “Get dressed and get out there. Ruby is waiting for her walk.”

Y/n walked away to go change back into their everyday clothes as John was left speechless.

He laughed at the interaction before getting changed into his hiking clothes. He went out to hike with Ruby. Y/n stayed behind and cleaned up their mess.

Y/n considered this the ‘start’ of their relationship. They never ‘officially’ stated they were together. But y/n just assumed they were a couple. This would prove to be… not quite the case.

4 years passed and it stayed the same. Y/n did the cleaning and cooking. JD went out. They stayed in this ‘relationship’ for 4 years.

JD got a letter one day, which was weird since they were in the middle of no where. Y/n had opened it. Their morbid curiosity got to them.

They’d regret opening that letter.

⨯ . ⁺ ✦ ⊹ ꙳ ⁺ ‧ ⨯. ⁺ ✦ ⊹ . * ꙳ ✦ ⊹

AHHH!! That was so many words holy- I’m working on a part 2 as we speak! I just really wanted to get the first part out! I hope you guys liked it. This is my return to fanfiction. I haven’t written anything serious since 2019- what a time jump.

[physalian]

10 Plot Premises That Never Get Old

There’s a great many lists out there complaining about the worst and most overused tropes in fiction. I want to pass the mic to tropes that will never get old. The love-to-hate ones, the knife-twisting ones, the shipping fodder.

1. Killing the character who knew too much

Or, the “Maes Hughes” effect. Your story centers around a massive mystery or conspiracy and one lone character is unfortunately not genre-savvy enough to remember that the phrase “the early bird gets the worm” ends in “but the second mouse gets the cheese”.

This is the character who has unraveled the partial, if not entire truth, coming to a shocking realization moments before their untimely murder. Usually, they’re alone. Usually, this death rocks the remaining characters, sometimes for the entirety of the remaining plot (see FullMetal Alchemist). Usually, they become genre-savvy at exactly the moment they realize there’s no way out of this. Conveniently, they’re never on the phone with the right person, or there’s never any cell service. They didn’t write their findings down or didn’t hit record.

This whole entire tragedy is only a tragedy because this character made the wrong choice that is also the only choice this character would have made.

2. The enemy of my enemy

As OSP once said, anyone can be a minion, even the presumed Big Bad. Whether it’s a serialized cartoon with well established sides of good and bad or a single movie, having two entities that loathe each other reluctantly and bitterly join forces to deal with an even Bigger Bad… that’s the good stuff.

Either the villain has been minion-ed, or the good guys and the bad guys’ enduring battle of morals is interrupted by a wild card third party that insults them both or threatens the world both sides are trying to save in their own ways.

This is *not* a redemption arc. This is the temporary alliance that usually terminates once the threat is dealt with (see: Transformers Prime, or ‘Marabounta’ from Code Lyoko). Extra points if they’re age-old rivals who fight better together than the hero does with the rest of their team. Extra extra points if they both realize this and firmly deny that it happens (and even more if the villain tries to exploit the hero with this fact later on).

3. The redemption arc

***Emphasis on the word ‘arc’*** The ones that span 56 out of 61 episodes (see: you know the show). The ones that cost the redeemer their ideals, the friends they thought they had on the wrong side, maybe a limb or two. The ones that start with a villain so convinced they’re right, only to slowly question everything they’ve come to know and, without shedding their entire personality, do the right thing and still survive the process.

This is not redemption equals death. This is not a half-assed heel turn at the very last second—that’s a button mash impulsive act for shock value. This is taking a character almost all of the heroes have given up on trying to save, someone they themselves have nearly written off, and deciding to try anyway. This is a character deciding to do the right thing even if it doesn’t ever redeem them at all. This is a character whose whole life ahead of them is spent doing better than what was done before, and we love them for it.

4. The haunted ashes of a fallen empire

This one is a bit more tricky to define but think Prometheus of the Alien franchise, or Xerxes from FMAB. These are characters in the present exploring the ruins of a civilization that never should have fallen, but did due to the Big Bad they either created or tried to imprison. This is those characters looking around at what used to be, and making history repeat itself whether they’re genre-savvy or not.

These are the glaring red sign posts telling the heroes to turn around every step further in *or else* and they do it anyway. Or, these are the heroes who know exactly what happened and in their own hubris, are convinced it won’t happen this time to them.

5. The Most Dangerous Game

The originator: An island owned by a big game hunter who has evolved into hunting humans. The trope: Powerful and/or incredibly skilled character in any other situation is trapped in the confines of a dwindling clock matched up against the very antithesis of who they are and what they represent, but who is also just like them.

I just love seeing characters who are normally incredibly competent and rarely fazed, tripped up by the horror of being hunted by someone just like them who lost their humanity. So many juicy existential questions arise, so much angst. Double points if the character has a firm no-kill policy or extremely picky morals and has to wager tossing them aside to survive.

6. Stranger in a strange land

Whether it’s a character in a foreign country trying to learn and respect the ways of the people who saved them (see: Last Samurai, or Avatar '09), or an alien who crash-landed on Earth and struggles to assimilate and not get caught by the government (see any PG 13 alien adventure movie), a time traveler to the past or the future (Outlander, Back to the Future), either drama or hilarity ensues, often with a heaping helping of socio-political commentary.

It gets kind of troublesome when the writer is a white guy taking all the wrong messages from throwing his white guy protagonist into a land of the ‘savages’ (see uhhhh all variations of Pocahontas). But then you have strange lands like Wonderland, or Narnia.

7. Magical Otherworlds

Speaking of Narnia and Wonderland—magical hidden otherworlds. They can be incredibly blandly executed sometimes, but some of our most cherished stories come from living vicariously through Harry Potter or the Pevensie siblings. In this case I’m specifically talking about complete otherworlds, not hidden-in-plain-sight otherworlds (see: Percy Jackson) because of the complete freedom and creativity you have in geography, history, and world mechanics.

The possibilities are endless! Double points if the otherworld is a metaphor for childhood adventure and living without adult responsibilities (see: Peter Pan), a world in which we know, no matter how cool the world is, the protagonist was never meant to stay there. They must always inevitably, inexorably, return home and take what they’ve learned there to live a better and profound life.

8. “I know you’re in there somewhere”

Is it done to death? Yes. Is every situation different because it’s completely dependent on the relationship between the characters involved? Also yes. Tends to overlap with a redemption arc, but more often a hero-turned-temporary-villain. The drama! The angst! The shipping fodder! (see: many, many anime, too many to count)

This trope also has some uncertainty to it. You never know if the confrontation will be a success, if the character in question will commit some heinous act to wrack them with guilt later, if they even want to be saved, or if they really were saved and not just faking it. Either we get a POV of the stricken character’s battle in the mind or are left watching on the edge of our seat as unknowing as those trying to save them, and sometimes, rarely, they’re just not salvageable.

9. On the Run

The base has been discovered, the ship has been overrun, the house has burned down, the government is on the hunt. The hero team is forced apart with only the clothes on their back and what they can carry with only one or two others and loses all contact with most of their team, scattered to the wind. They leave a trail of sketchy motel rooms and diner take-away boxes, or they sleep in their car, or are forced to hide out in old bases that the villain definitely knows about but wouldn’t bother checking, built in a bygone era with a friend that’s no more.

Everything they ever knew has been called into question. The character they find themselves stuck with wasn’t their closest buddy on the hero team, but both forge a newfound respect for each other in this new unknown. Poignant conversations are had as one keeps watch in the dark so the other can sleep, and yet doesn’t, as they mourn the passing of the life both knew and vow to take it all back in their darkest hour.

10. The Thing

As in, a mysterious entity or illness has invaded the story and knowing which characters are infected and compromised is impossible. This entity either bodysnatches other characters and can be expunged, zombifies them, or kills and replicates them (see many zombie shows, iterations of The Thing, or “Croatoan” from Supernatural). This entity is a sickness slowly spreading throughout the town or the base or the ship and the heroes (or villains) realize far too late that something is very, very wrong.

This entity brings characters to their breaking point, paranoia making them do very bad things in the name of survival, killing off characters the audience knows is clean, but their murderer doesn’t, for extra knife-twisty fun. This entity brings a morally devout character near to ruin as they almost cross a line trying to do what’s right. This is an entity where, even when it’s defeated, is never really gone for certain… is it?

[caubool]

AnE Fic WIP

Context: It’s an adult Bonrin AU mission fic where angels are displeased with the progress in the fight against Satan and decide to intervene with their world-ending trumpets. I’ve been slowly chipping away at this over the past week and I wanted to post a short snippet of what I’ve got so far!

Standing on a raised platform and talking with a few other exorcists was Yukio, looking composed as usual, though there was a crease of discomfort between his brows.

“OY! YUKIO!” Rin called out. His brother jolted at the volume, but something about his face eased at their approach. Once they were close enough to talk, Rin started. “Do you know what this is all about? A secret society announcing themselves? Satan showing up somewhere?”

Yukio’s face did that thing it always did when he couldn’t decide if he should be disappointed or fuming mad. He sighed. “Neither, actually. It’s something far, far worse.”

“Which is?” Bon asked.

“Our…sponsor is less than happy with us right now.”

“Sponsor?” Rin scratched between his horns. “You mean the Vatican?”

Yukio’s face twisted up further into his disappointed-rage-y-ness. “Higher than that.”

Bon sucked in air sharply through his teeth but Rin just frowned. “What the hell is higher than the Vatican? It’s the highest thing we got other than-“ it hits him like a bolt through a pigeon’s wing. “No way. God’s mad at us?”

His brother nodded, once.

Holy shit. Rin had the sudden feeling of being five again and seeing Father Fujimoto walking in on a giant mess in the kitchen. Of the first few nights after waking up his demon heart and whispering prayers for his dad’s safe passage to heaven and wondering if his new status as hellspawn tainted the message.

“What-“ his voice is weaker than he’d like, “what did we do?”

Bon had started muttering under his breath, it sounded like one of his sutras but Rin couldn’t be sure. Yukio glanced back at the other exorcists on the platform and grimaced. “We…don’t know yet. Some representatives are coming down to speak with us. That’s why we’re gathering everybody here. All goes well…maybe this will be a straightforward fix.”

Representatives…no way. “You mean angels? Like- like real- real actual- angels? Coming here?” His brother nodded again, and Rin felt a little faint. He’d long gotten over his wariness around particularly gung-ho exorcists, but with angels…he can practically taste the ozone already from how hard they’re definitely going to smite him. ‘Cause- obviously, right? He’s got a neon sign on his soul that says CHILD OF SATAN—PLEASE KILL ME WITH FIRE. There’s no way literal actual angels aren’t going to want to hedge their bets and off the antichrist, right?

He turned to Bon and hoped his tail wasn’t lashing too hard. “I mean- I was baptized so like- I’m gonna be fine, right? Satan fire can’t burn away my baptism or anything, right? I go to confession! Regularly! And- and- and the Eucharist! I eat it! I eat it super reverently and shit!”

Bon’s eyes were still kind of unfocused but he set his jaw and laid one heavy hand on his friend’s shoulder. “Dude, calm down. God’s mad at all of us. Not just you.”

Rin gives up the battle of nerves and snatches up his tail to toy with the end of it. “It’s not too late to convert to Buddhism, is it?” He asked, voice hoarse.

That earned him a bonk on the head from Suguro but there’s no heat in it and it did help stop his spiralling thoughts. Angels…in True Cross…it was like the set up to a bad joke.

[pretzelcoatll]

Day 2 of @torque-witch #Witchtober2024:

Something in the Air

I need to get out of this town. 

The world ended so suddenly. Or, at least what we used to call the world. None of us could have expected it to happen. I remember, the day before I was at my nephew's fifth birthday. It was themed after some children's cartoons with color coded zebras. My parents had shown up late and I had work early the next morning, so I barely got to see them. I didn’t even get to hug my dad goodbye. They’re all gone now. 

Some extra dimensional creatures slipped into ours through a hole just outside of our atmosphere that night. At least that's what the scientists on the TVs said. They’re probably not alive anymore either. News and propaganda spread fast. Creatures that consume humans. Only moving in darkness. The religious dubbed them demons. Some streamer apparently tried to exercise one. Mods had probably been taken by that point because what immediately followed was 5 minutes of the poor guy getting ripped to shreds through an infrared lens, and then 40 minutes of the sounds of flesh tearing and bones crunching as the creature slowly ate him.

I don’t know how I survived this long. One incidental happenstance after another that kept me in places with enough light to last until sunrise. And that continued for what I'm pretty sure was about 2 weeks, though it felt like months until I came across this town. 

Situated across a small stone bridge from the main road was this 12 block by 7 block town. Only one way in, only one way out, with a large blood stained barely legible welcome sign that read “Welc- -shine”. The perimeter of this small island seemed to have been recently boarded up with large flood lights to shine light around. With the bridge boasting various forms of string light, solar charged path lights, and every few feet a large flood light on either side, all dark in the sunlight as I approached. The towns folk were nice and welcoming enough, they’d all lost loved ones and understood the value of “community”. 

Apparently the old residents of this town, who now only 6 of still remained, tried valiantly to fend off the shadows, and for the most part did well for themselves. The small man made island was well equipped with both diesel and solar powered generators, as well as their own gray water and reverse osmosis systems, all incase of natural disaster causing their inability to leave. So they have been able to support themselves as well as keep the majority of the town, and especially the perimeter well light in the darkness. 

My time here has actually been pretty easy going. If you don’t think about it all too hard it's almost like nothing has changed. We take shifts during the light hours to scavenge the neighboring cities of food and supplies, batteries being our biggest necessity. We’ve got a large hefty community garden that was started when we found one of the old ladies who used to live here was an heirloom seed collector. We threw a party that day. Some of the more mechanically inclined took it upon themselves to learn how to make a simple desalination plant to supplement the RO water. They also do repairs on the generators as needed. We fish, we play cards, we sing and dance and some of us even tried to find love again. We get new occupants every now and then. We also lose some of them during scouting parties. All in all it could have been worse. 

It’s been about 2 years since then. Food is more scarce and a bad storm took out a large portion of our crops, but we are rebuilding.  Although the scouting parties are always able to find good portions of meat lately. They say animals have been breeding a lot more abundantly. I know they are lying. 

I need to get out of this town. Because there is a scent in the air. And it smells delicious.

[atlasarcana]

snippet from the beginning of chapter 1 of blue waltz, the next installment in the echo bren fic series. it's taking forever for me to get back to working on it, so here's a little shadowhand essek vignette to tide you over. love u! thank u for reading!

...

Shadowhand Essek Thelyss moves through the world like an oil spill moves on the ocean. Which is to say: imiscibly.

Rooms are dark when he glides into them. They light up slowly on days where they forget to anticipate his silence. Otherwise, they’re very quick about it.

Flash on. Welcome, welcome. We are so terribly sorry.

That’s all his life is. Gliding into rooms. Signing papers until his fingers bleed; until the pen runs out of ink right as he’s finishing up, and he stabs his inner lip with the nib to keep from wasting even one more second on some drivel.

Frightened people flutter around him all day, and all day he sits and works and slides in and out of smoke, teleporting between buildings, operating in jet-black shadows of secrecy. Diving under and surfacing, diving under, breaking the water, over and over; a deep-sea leviathan, a glossy and frictionless serpent, a thing with no body and eyes like hard amethysts in a vacuum as he swallows everything.

He works only for that essential everything. He works for the freedom shining at the end of this: flashing white like a bird, glowing and glorious and liberating in even the thought of it. He works until he falls asleep trancing, which should be biologically impossible. He works until he’s sick of it, and purges that sickness with another day shoved like a pill down his gullet.

Sometimes the day gifts him the great medicine of patience, taking him down to a honed-in beam of focus. Sometimes he takes the day and strangles it until it stops breathing. The day takes many forms, and some of them he can kill, but some are unkillable.

Welcome, welcome.

Black rooms. Black rooms become gray in shadow, become white in the quartz-beams of light they frantically flash on in his presence. We are so terribly sorry, Shadowhand.

We didn’t hear you.

You do not make any noise.

He touches not a thing with his feet, but he holds everything in his hands.

He must believe that he does. Else he will go mad.

Black rooms become white. Eyes swivel in their sockets at him, dozens of eyes, hundreds of eyes. Always whispers, and always the sound of a chair squeaking shrilly, of a woman’s snatch of a laugh stopping short as soon as she realizes just who has entered the room.

He is the only politician in the court of the Bright Queen who has recognized the need for illumination. They keep the rooms dark when it conveniences them. Too many share the sensitivity for it, that they forget when some do not.

That is the excuse. Too many drow, too many dark-dwellers; what does it matter that the rest cannot see?

No, it is not that the courts are inconsiderate. The darkness obscures. Too many meetings he has soundlessly floated in on, only to watch the scramble, the scattering, the fumble of voices shushing and realizing their company.

The serpent dives into the black. Into slick and soluble night, into whispers and dreams of war. He holds possibilities in one hand and secrets in the other. He shines, he glides, he glistens. He never shuts his eyes to the carnage.

Turn the lights on, he says. Let us see what you are hiding. But they only ever speak in apologies.

Terribly sorry, Shadowhand.

You do not make any noise.

[smilesrobotlover]

Febuwhump- I still don’t know what I’m doing but screw perfectionism

Based after the prompt day 8: panic!

Spirit has a bad time!!!

Silent Fear

Consciousness began to return to Spirit, his senses coming back to him as he slowly opened his eyes, confused at what he was seeing at first. It took a moment for him to realize that it was lava he was looking down upon, and the heat immediately assaulted him. He groaned in discomfort and the ache in his arms were registered next. His arms were tied in thick ropes, him being hung by his hands tied behind his back. He looked down at the lava again, panic beginning to rise in him. He blinked hard, trying to remember what happened before, but he truly couldn’t remember what could’ve gotten him into this situation. They were in Warrior’s time was what he remembered, but they weren’t in a battle, they were in a peaceful town. Spirit was simply walking along the trail when he felt a sharp pain in his head, then nothing. He groaned again, his headache being added to the list of pain he was feeling at this moment. He looked around and saw a ledge he was at level with, covered in mysterious people staring back at him.

“So you’re finally awake?” One of them stepped forward, his arms crossed across his chest.

Spirit squinted, but all of their faces were shadowed, so he couldn’t see their features.

“You were out for a while,” he continued, “I was getting worried about you.”

Spirit scowled at him, he didn’t know what he wanted, but he sure as heck wasn’t going to give it to him. The man only chuckled though.

“I wouldn’t have that attitude if I were you boy,” the man gestured to the lava Spirit was hanging over. Spirit looked at the lava below him and the panic returned to him. That would be a terrible death, and he was several feet from experiencing it.

The man stepped a bit closer, grabbing the rope that kept him from falling to his death, which was slung over a hook on the ceiling. Spirit gulped and stared him down, trying to seem brave.

“Let’s just get right into it, ok? We’re looking for someone, but he’s hard to get a hold of. So you’re gonna tell us where he is.”

Spirit frowned. Who could these strangers possibly be after? And how would Spirit know anything? He wasn’t with anyone when he got kidnapped.

“We saw you traveling with him earlier, the hero of Hyrule. His name is Link, and he owes us something.”

Spirit frowned. He was still in Warrior’s world right? He must be the one they’re after. But Spirit didn’t know where he was specifically, he didn’t even know the name of the town they were in before he was taken. They quite literally picked the worst person to interrogate.

“Now…” the man gripped the rope and grinned, “tell us where he is. Now.”

Spirit sucked in a panicked breath, trying to think of a way out of this. Even if he wanted to give up Warriors (which he wouldn’t, obviously), he couldn’t say anything. Spirit is mute, and he only communicates by writing in his notepad. While he knows a little bit of sign language, he hasn’t had time to learn it. Either way, he couldn’t talk to them. His hands and arms were tied, and there was no way for him to communicate this to them.

“Perhaps I didn’t make this clear…”

Spirit’s stomach dropped and he screamed when the rope let loose, plunging him towards the lava. He let out a grunt when he was stopped just a few feet away from his almost fiery grave. His heart was beating a thousand miles per minute, the situation feeling a lot more real to him now. He winced at his possibly bruised chest and sore arms as the rope began to raise him up to his captor’s level again.

“You understand now boy? Tell us where that hero is or else you’ll meet your end right here.”

Spirit was panting for breath that was sucked out of him earlier. He didn’t know what to do. He couldn’t sign for them to stop, he couldn’t tell them that he didn’t know where Warriors was, he couldn’t do anything. All he could do was kick his legs in desperation. He screamed again when the rope was let loose again, and he landed much closer to the lava.

He let out a cry of pain when he was pulled back harshly to the ceiling, the man holding him hostage beginning to lose patience.

“Tell us where the hero is, NOW!”

Spirit looked in his direction, tears leaking out of his eyes. He opened his mouth but of course, he wasn’t able to beg them to stop. The man reached for the rope again and Spirit was dropped to the lava once again, this time, his feet brushing against the hot magma. He yelped and patted it down with his other foot, biting back a cry for his burnt toes. He was pulled back up, the repetitive motions making him sick to his stomach.

“Stubborn aren’t you?” The man leaned forward, seemingly studying Spirit, before pulling out a knife, putting it to the rope. “Well, your mistake.”

Spirit gasped as the man raised his knife ready to swing down on the rope that kept Spirit alive. Was this how he was going to die? He was only thirteen, he didn’t want to die! He let out a cry as the knife came swinging down, preparing himself for the pain he would soon have to endure.

“ENOUGH!”

The man stopped and turned around, stepping away from Spirit’s blurry vision. He squinted to see what was going on, but couldn’t see anything past his tears. He heard his captors talking amongst themselves, and some of them started yelling, but it got quiet after a while. Spirit tried to take a deep breath to calm himself down, but he was still breathing rather quickly and his heart was thudding painfully against his chest. He groaned at his sword arms and chest, not knowing if he was going to be ok or not. He was so close to straight up dying that it made him want to puke. What would Zelda say? What would she do? The thought of her mourning over him killed him on the inside. He needed to find a way out of here.

He gasped again as the rope shook, but he noticed that they weren’t threatening to drop him, they were taking him down.

He was carried onto the ledge, which was only lit by the lava, but it was enough to finally see who these men were. When he was set on the ground, he started to observe the people around him, but his heart dropped. He’s been in Warrior’s world long enough to recognize that these were Hylian soldiers. They wore the uniforms the soldiers would wear, and some still had their helmets on. Why were Hylian soldiers trying to kill him? And what do they want with Warriors? One man stood over him, one arm around him so he could sit up. He surprisingly had a soft expression when he looked at Spirit, but it quickly melted away to anger.

“You’ve been torturing a child?” The man asked angrily, turning to another one, who had a noticeable scar across his cheek.

The other man scoffed and crossed his arms.

“We haven’t been torturing him, we’ve just been interrogating him! Big difference!”

Spirit recognized Scar-face’s voice as the man who was threatening to drop him into the lava, and he immediately glared at him.

“You were dangling him over lava! What is wrong with you?”

“We needed one of Link’s companions to tell us where he is! Isn’t that what you wanted?”

“Yes, but I didn’t want you to torture and threaten a child!” The softer looking man’s voice raised at the end of his sentence, holding onto Spirit tighter. Scar-face huffed and turned around as Soft-guy turned to Spirit. “What is your name, kid?”

Spirit pursed his lips and frowned, looking at his tied up hands. He looked back up at Soft-guy, and his eyes widened in realization.

“How do you communicate? Is it sign language?”

Spirit shook his head. He really needed to learn that.

“Do you write things down?”

Spirit nodded, and Soft-guy nodded back. He started to untie his hands, which gave his sore arms some relief.

“Woah, woah! What are you doing?” Scar-face yelled.

“I’m untying his hands.”

“But why?”

“Because he’s a mute! We won't get any information out of him with him tied up like this!”

“But-but he’ll fight back!”

“I’m leaving his arms tied, you imbecile.” Soft-guy pulled out a stick and pointed at the ground, signaling for Spirit to write in the dirt. Spirit grabbed the stick and his stomach did a flip. They probably don’t even know how to read his language.

“What is your name?”

Spirit chewed on his lip and looked up at Soft-guy nervously. He might as well try and see if these people understand him. He wrote down his name “Link” into the ground and looked up at everyone’s confused faces.

“What language is that?” Scar-face sneered, staring at the name written into the dirt.

Soft-guy gave a frustrated sigh and took the stick away from Spirit. The young engineer figured that this would be the case. Only Windy could read his language, it made communication with everyone else very difficult, which was why he wanted to learn sign language. Soft-guy nodded at the men around him and they lifted him up, tying his hands behind his back again.

“You kidnapped someone who can’t even communicate with us, good job,” Soft-guy remarked sarcastically to scar-face, “We’ll just use him as bait. The hero has a soft spot for children anyways.”

Scar-face grumbled and grabbed hold of Spirit’s tied forearm harshly, which caused him to hiss in pain.

“Hey.”

Scar-face turned around and glared at Soft-guy.

“You don’t hurt him, understand?”

Scar-face rolled his eyes and kept dragging Spirit behind him. He looked at Soft-guy in desperation, trying to stop, but Scar-face pulled harshly, hurting his arms even more. Soft-guy may not be any better than Scar-face, but Spirit didn’t want to be left alone with him. He tried to cry out but Soft-guy turned away, leaving him alone with Scar-face. Spirit sighed and stopped resisting, hoping that he could escape before Warriors got dragged into this mess.

[theback-rooms]

Our iron bracelets arrived yesterday, so Katie and I repacked our backpacks and went back down again.

We traveled west along the shoreline a second time. Whatever this party is that’s going on in the palace on the other side, it doesn’t seem to ever end? Kind of like the nighttime down here.

This time, we saw Lord Julian from a good way away, and he smiled and waved at us in a very friendly fashion when we spotted each other. He was in about the same place he was the last time, and Katie and I wondered how long he had been there and how often he checked that spot to see if we were in the area? I was a little nervous that he was here intercepting us again, but he was very cheerful and pleasant when we finally came within earshot and said hello.

“Lord Julian--I have to ask,” Katie said when we had finished commenting on the beauty of the night and the weather etc etc (he said the weather is ALWAYS nice here). “Why have we met you here in the same place twice?”

His expression grew rather more serious. “Er...” It was the first time I had seen him lost for words.

Katie looked annoyed. “I mean, isn’t it a little creepy? You intercepting us twice? How did you know we were here in the first place? Why are you trying to get us to go to the palace?”

“The truth is,” he said at last, “that Lady Laurel tries to keep a careful eye on the shores of the lake. “Strangers do wander into our forest from time to time, and they aren’t always aware of the dangers of this place.”

“Dangers?” I said more loudly than I really meant to. “What dangers?”

“Well,” he said reluctantly, “Lady Laurel asked me to intercept you here if you came in this direction, because she does not want you to fall into the hands of the Witch of the Wood.”

“The WHAT?!” I squeaked.

“Oh my God,” Katie muttered. “Of course there’s a Witch of the Wood.”

Lord Julian lifted his brows in surprise.

“I mean--” Katie pulled herself together. “So this witch is seriously dangerous?”

“Deadly,” Lord Julian said solemnly. “Terrifying. She makes doppelgangers of people.”

That was a term I had actually heard before. “You mean—those freaky doubles that look like your clones?”

“Yes.”

I mean, that sounded a little creepy, but relatively harmless? “What does they do, these doppelgangers?” Katie asked.

“They take people’s lives.”

“You mean they kills them??”

“No,” Lord Julian answered slowly, “I mean they TAKE their LIVES. They go back in the person’s place—take over their life. All your friends and family will think it’s you, but actually, you never return to the other world.”

Katie and I stared at him. THAT was seriously creepy.

Seeing that he had finally made a deep impression, Lord Julian continued. “She lives along the southwest corner of the lake. You’d be safe if you walked eastward, but not if you came this direction.” He turned and pointed at one of the diamond willows, a particularly big one that stuck out far over the shore. “We consider that tree to be the beginning of her territory. We try not to pass it.”

Katie and I looked at each other. “So--we’d be safe if we walked the other way, but not this way?” I repeated.

“Yes.”

“So Lady Laurel sent you here to stop us if we came this way.”

“Yes.”

“Why don’t you just put up a sign? Wouldn’t that be easier?” Katie asked.

“We’ve tried. The Witch takes them down.” A fleeting expression of anger and disgust crossed his face.

“And there’s nothing dangerous on the east side of the lake?”

“No--just don’t get too close to the unicorns.”

“Why?” I asked nervously. “Do they have some kind of magical powers?”

Lord Julian smiled once more. “No. Because they’re wild animals and they’ve occasionally been known to bite.”

Katie’s eyes narrowed. “Are you going to keep... monitoring our movements while we’re  here?”

“No--we’ve just been making sure you don’t pass the Grand Willow,” he said easily. “I can escort you around on your explorations or take you across the lake if you like--but if you don’t, you can go and see this place for yourself.

“Just not pass the Grand Willow.”

Lord Julian nodded.

There was a long pause, and then we sort of said an awkward good night and walked away.

We don’t know how Lady Laurel managed to tell that someone had entered this area, or how she knew when we would be approaching the witch’s territory. That doppelganger thing is creepy as hell, though. Sounds like the trailer to “Us”: a movie I will never, ever, ever see if I can help it.

Katie and I went back to the path, then walked east a little way along the southern shore, but saw nothing of particular interest, so we went up the staircase and decided to regroup.

We’ve come up with a plan for our next visit: head west until we see Lord Julian again, and then ask him some questions and try to figure this place out a little more.

What do you want us to ask Lord Julian? Our ask box is always open!!

[dneurin]

SWAN FATE Trailer from Ursina Tossi on Vimeo.

Once upon a time there was - and there was no theater and under it a factory underneath the factory there were barracks And underneath a cemetery Underneath a church Under it a mass grave with nameless bones in it And under it another church Under it a temple and under it A hole A source And under this one a lake dark and deep like time tonight we will summon the ghosts of all the missing bodies, bodies failing within neo-colonial neo-liberal masculinity - we will summon them for you. they only show up at night in their human form. for a few hours of darkness. the ghosts of the lake are the ones who sold their bodies on colonial capitalist markets to survive. During the day you will not find them. they disappear in sweat shops and supermarkets, they’re hidden away in other people’s homes for cleaning and caring, they camouflage in prisons and in the streets or on the other side of your worlds. we know you long for their bodies, we know you desperately desire their dance… but before that can happen we have to give in to the fact that while they being your bodies for you, these bodies were damaged or destroyed, traumatised and transformed by over hundreds of years of death, darkness and disaster, but still alive. And we dive with you into the lake, sinking deeper and deeper And as we sink, carried by the water, we slowly lose the sense of all that is stable, of the ground beneath our feet, And we and all things float weightless. And we let go of everything, whole societies around us sink and it almost feels like - standstill - as if the end of history, the end of time is here. No orientation, no up no down, no before, after, no balance and all things merge with all bodies and while this is happening all habitual ways of seeing and hearing dissolve and new ones emerge! Perspectives multiply! Welcome to our bodies! Welcome to our bodies! (Text by Urs Tossi)

SWAN FATE is a queer feminist appropriation of the classical ballet and block buster Swan Lake. Ursina Tossi and the ensemble EXCESSIVE SHOWING break with traditional concepts of love and fate and formulate their very own, diverse and contemporary declaration of love for dance. In SWAN FATE, the dancers play with longings, virtuosity, physicality and vulnerability, searching in the choreography and in their bodies for the traces left by Swan Lake. They also engage with the dance heritage, as well as the violent and colonial narratives and practices of ballet. To the music of the band CocoRosie, newly composed especially for the piece, not only different urban dance styles are mixed with contemporary dance. The dancers glide from one role to another. Shapeshifting between swans and humans, switching between marginalized and mainstream perspectives opens up new fantasies and imagines loving encounters between animals, humans and other beings.

Team Swan Fate: Artistic Direction, Choreography, Concept: Ursina Tossi Music: CocoRosie Stage: Raphaela Andrade Co-Choroegraphy & Dance: Anne-Lene Nölder, Alexandra Filippidou, Chetan Yeragera, Cliff Huen Tin Yeung, David Pallant, Enting Zhang, Francesca Waehneldt, Laure Fleitz, Victor Gonzales Costume Design: Nina Divitschek & Meret Zürcher Creative Production & Communication and PÖA: STÜCKLIESEL Productions Concept: Ursina Tossi, Uta Engel, Sina Rundel Collaboration Costume: Daniela Dreisigacker Artistic Audio Description: René Reith & Ursina Tossi Lighting Design: Ricarda Köneke Performance, DGS, Access Consulting: Dodzi Dougban Video: Friederike Höppner Sign language interpreting team: Anna Warler, Susanne Fritz, Marie-Wilhelmine Schaper, Kunigunde Schindler, Nicole Ostrycharczyk, Barbara Widmann Many thanks to Liza Lamprecht.

Team Making Kin: Andzejus Voroneckis (dramaturg with deaf perspective), Anna Wieczorek (dramaturg, expert dance studies), Humberto Acosta Rodriguez (expert classical ballet), Monique Smith-McDowell (dramaturg, expert contemporary-, musical dance), Naomi Sanfo (expert audio description), Nona Siepmann (Assistant & Expert in Contemporary Dance and Pedagogy), René Reith (Artistic Audio Description), Su Jin Kim (Dramaturg, Expert in Classical Ballet), Susanne Tod (Access Consulting, DGS), Uta Engel (Dramaturg), Yeliz Pazar (Expert Urban Styles) SWAN FATE is a production by Ursina Tossi & EXCESSIVE SHOWING co-produced by Kampnagel Hamburg. Funded by the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, Department for Culture and Media (Elbkultur Fonds), supported by the Fonds Darstellende Künste with funds from the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media, supported by the Gabriele Fink Stiftung. Many thanks to Huckepack Umzüge. MAKIN KIN is a project by Ursina Tossi & EXCESSIVE SHOWING Supported by the Fonds Darstellende Künste with funds from the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media as part of NEUSTART KULTUR.

Link to SWAN FATE on Kampnagel: kampnagel.de/produktionen/ursina-tossi-swan-fate

[danganronpasurvivoraskblog]

[Undisclosed Location - 0:54am]

...

*Shortly after his fight with Nagito, Matta Gyalusetsu travels to an undisclosed lot of land, where he finds a solitary camping truck in the middle of a field of grass.

...

*In silence, he approaches the truck and uses a key to open the door. It is rather cozy inside, though also quite messy, with junk and random bits and bobs, some quite technological-based, lying around.

I’m gonna step on one of these one day and she’s going to be so angry...

*Matta looks around the van, closing the door behind him. Despite the darkness, he can see perfectly fine, but cannot see any signs of life.

...That’s odd...

*He unholsters a gun from his belt and slowly creeps his way to the front of the van. He holds it tightly as he approaches the seats.

???: What are you doing?

!!??

*He turns around and points the gun straight forward, finger trembling on the trigger.

...

...

...

*The person behind him with the biker helmet takes a finger and slowly pushes the gun down.

A little on edge, aren’t we? That’s not like you.

Where WERE you?

Taking a dump. Didn’t you hear?

No...I just got here. Also, it’s basic etiquette not to listen in on women while they’re in the bathroom.

Women, huh? Hmph...I’m charmed.

I could have shot you...

But you didn’t, so we’ve got no reason for animosity.

Tsutsuji...Please...! Take this a bit more seriously!

You want me to take it seriously? Alright, fine...!

Gah! Hey, let go of my ear!

What were you thinking!? At least give me advanced warning before I switch you into kill mode!

That’s not...I don’t have a kill switch! All I told you was to switch off my inhibitors!

Yeah, which is basically a kill switch! Matta, without your restraints, you’re a danger to everyone, INCLUDING yourself! The longer a fight goes on without those restraints, you get stronger, but your mind unshackles too!

It’s like...I don’t know...

Tsutsuji...I’ve been hooked up with this technology for basically all my life.

I think I know how it works by now. But you try fighting an Ultimate Hope at a quarter of your power...Then tell me I was in the wrong.

I’m not saying you were in the wrong, I’m just saying I’m worried about you! Ugh...

Look...You’re basically the only friend I have in this god-forsaken world. And I know you told me your purpose was to “complete your mission even if it cost you your life,” but...

I care about you. I just want you to know that even if you think you’re expendable, I started working with you because I want to make sure EVERYONE ends up ok.

...

I’m sorry...

It’s fine... *sigh* It’s fine...

Moving on...I know I told you this over the comms, but I got that research thing you asked for.

Good...Though I loathe what I must use this for, I need it to get Kamukura to talk.

It’s pretty lucky our communications can bypass Tsuchiya’s communications block.

The world at large doesn’t have access to the tech that we have yet. Tsuchiya doesn’t even know the breaching programming exists. It makes sense.

Anyway, what info do you have for me?

Well, I did some digging, and put everything you need on this file to read over.

*Tsutsuji goes to the front of the truck and pulls out some paper

Still using paper files now?

What did you expect, a holo-tablet?

Kinda! I mean, we could make those NOW! ERR0RM3SS4GE might have them for all we know.

Paper media will never die...

You sound like my perverted cousin...

Anyway, a lot of his connections that you might be able to use against him.

Connections? I figured that Kurafto was his only friend?

Technically...yes? But...there are still people from his past looming around that we...let’s say he doesn’t want them coming back.

But he would GLADLY talk if their safety were threatened...Like...This one for instance...

*Matta reads the page she pulls out. He sees a girl with red spiky hair and a pale disposition.

I see...Interesting.

Also, there’s something else you might want to know.

What’s that?

So, you know that theory you had? About how Uchui may have had a hand or been involved in the Kamukura Project as a kid?

Well, it turns out you weren’t far off. I feared the worst, but then when I went over our background checks and info gathering, I figured it out.

What did you find?

Well, to put simply, though I know you already knew this...Hajime Hinata may have been the first SUCCESSFUL Ultimate Hope, but he wasn’t the first person who signed up for the project, and/or was experimented on.

Yes...Hinata was the only one who survived the rigorous testing. 

...No...Not quite.

Hm?

It turns out...Uchui is something of a...Patient 0.

In order to make sure the project worked, his father ran experiments on him. I think, he planned on turning his son into the first Ultimate Hope. When that failed, that’s when he brought the project to the Steering Committee and the Reserve Course.

Well, I shouldn’t say it failed. The experiment was enough of a success that he was able to implant talents into the young boy. That’s how Izumi knew the project would be possible. He just needed the right template.

Wait a moment...

Are you trying to tell me that this entire time, Uchui Kamukura has ALSO been an Ultimate Hope?

Hm...Well...Yes...AND no...

What are you saying?

The Kamukura Project worked on Uchui, and he was able to survive the testing. How though, I don’t understand.

He already had a pretty weak constitution prior to the testing, and that was made even worst post-experimentation.

He used to have dark brown hair, you know?

And now it’s white...

Ghost-white. 

Naturally, he was deemed a...failed experiment...All he really taught the scientists was that they needed someone with a stronger body, and needed to make modifications to them if they were going to house talents.

Hinata...Komaeda...Fujimori...All three of them needed to undergo surgical transplants and configuration in order to make sure the experiment would work.

You can take the serum without it, but your body wouldn’t work with the talents because you’re not suited to it. In fact, it’s likely your immune system would reject the serum entirely.

If Uchui had undergone the same thing...Then maybe he would have been an Ultimate Hope himself. But the fact is, he was around 8 years old when the Kamukura Project happened. He was too young, and that was how Izumi and his fellow scientists deemed High School students the perfect test subjects.

High Schoolers do have the most developmental potential, and if their skills are honed at an age where they can understand and make good use of it, it would benefit society in the long run. That was the logic Hope’s Peak Academy was grounded on.

And cutting corners and bullshitting things through human experimentation was the logic that created the Kamukura Project. Or at least, that’s what scientists Izumi Kamukura thought.

...He sounded like a horrible father.

OH YA THINK!? Yeah, he was one of the worst, and as I understand it, his brother who raised Uchui after he turned tail and ran wasn’t much better.

You mean the uncle that Kuripa Kurafto killed?

Yes, that one. Long time coming if you ask me.

I thought you didn’t agree with Kurafto’s philosophy?

I don’t but...Come on, that dude was a dick.

Back to Uchui though...If he doesn’t have Ultimate Talents, how could the experiment have been a success?

Well, the truth is, even if Uchui himself doesn’t quite realize it yet...He actually DOES have a hidden Ultimate Talent. One that really serves to change a lot...

And that talent is...?

I’ve adopted calling it...Ultimate Simulacrum.

*Tsutsuji flips a page to show Uchui’s face on one of the pages.

Simply put, Uchui Kamukura is capable of completely and comprehensively understanding a concept, after only a short period of observation.

Surgical science, computer science, hacking, inventing...So long as he has a study book or an example to work by, his brain automatically connects the dots for him, and he understands the concept almost completely in full.

It’s like...Junko Enoshima’s Ultimate Analytical Prowess...!?

Actually, it has the potential to be even more powerful. After all, with this talent, he doesn’t just understand things through analysis.

He can put it into practice too. Not on the same level as an Ultimate...But damn near close...

Wait...So are you saying that if he was to watch you hack into a mainframe...?

He would be able to do it too, just as easily. And he HAS done.

Because of his talent, Uchui has learned how to perform surgery, how to hack into machines, and probably most importantly, how to invent machines that allow him to screw around with the universe and fabric of space. It’s because of Ultimate Simulacrum that he was even able to make his otherworldly dreams a reality.

That sounds...Well, if nothing else, it sounds like it has potential.

Not quite. It has it’s limitations.

Uchui may be able to fully understand and replicate procedures and talents...but he can only do so if said talents are within the realm of possibility for him.

What do you mean?

He’s a man of science. Which means things such as undergoing brain surgery and rigging a mainframe to explode are child’s play to him.

But if something is out of his realm of expertise, though he could completely understand it, he wouldn’t as easily be able to replicate it.

If I may be totally blunt, he’s...kind of weak. I bet he could throw a mean swing, but he’s not a fighter.

He could spend years watching the likes of Kuripa Kurafto and Sakura Ogami fighting, but because his body is so frail, weak and his constitution is so poor, he will never be able to reach the same level as them, even if he does know all their moves.

I see...

Still, I’d pay to see someone put him in the ring. It’d be hilarious.

Tsutsuji...A little tact?

Fine...Anyway, you got your shit. Shoot.

But I just got here...And to be honest, I could do with a few hours away from Organization Zetsubou.

...Fine...You can stay for a bit.

You know, this is MY trailer?

I live here more than you do!

Hmhmhm...

*Matta pats her on the head.

It’s good to see you again, Tsutsuji.

You too Matta.

*She playfully jabs his chest with her fist, then takes out two cans of drinks. She hands one to Matta, and the two of them remove their mask and helmet, cracking the cans open and clinking them together...

Tsutsuji: To the future.

Matta: To the future...

Tsutsuji.

[yeetlegay]

Kinn’s voice in episode 7: heart boners everywhere

This post almost didn’t happen because of various Life/Work Shenanigans, but thankfully I had a bit of free time today so I’m squeezing this in right before episode 8 ruins our lives. Shout-out to my gf for having to put up with me replaying the bathroom scene like 50 times on the TV to figure out who’s moaning when. (I’m sorry baby I needed the surround sound for this 😭)

I don’t have time to cover every scene, especially because there’s SO much I want to talk about toward the end of the episode, so this post will be on the shorter side. (Narrator voice: It was in fact NOT on the shorter side.)

First off, the hug scene.

There’s an interesting borderline stiffness to this scene that I’m not sure what to make of. This may have been early on in filming or just a slight awkwardness because of the blocking, which feels kind of rigid and unnatural. But I think at least part of that stiffness is meant to be there, this general sense that they’re still finding their footing around each other.

Kinn’s voice has changed drastically from the forest. We saw the first signs of it at the end of episode 6, when his tone started to pitch a bit lower again as he began very slowly pulling himself back into his usual persona, preparing to return to his world and his role.

Here, he’s back to that persona and the voice that goes with it: lower, softer, more controlled. But it has a raspy quality to it too that I haven’t heard much from him. He’s not treating his voice as part of a performance or a display of power. In this scene, he’s treating Porsche like an equal, like a partner even, on his home turf. So with that comes a kind of renegotiation of how he expresses himself. He’s got better control, a more mature quality to his voice, but he’s not hiding the emotion in it either.

That’s what I really like about Kinn’s voice in this scene, that he’s trying to bridge this divide between himself as mafia heir and himself as Porsche’s lover/boyfriend/whatever term they’re going with. He can’t just be the happy, loud, expressive dork from the forest, even in private, now that they’re back in his world, but he can’t be aloof and rigid either, not with Porsche. That conflict creates a very subtle tension throughout the scene that you can hear in the slight hoarseness of his voice.

That said, he doesn’t let it stop him from talking honestly with Porsche about Vegas and the minor family, from expressing his fears for Porsche’s safety, from asking him to promise he’ll return, from demanding a hug (in an even softer voice that shows his fondness).

The “he’s yours” scene.

God, I need to write another ownership/possession meta because holy shit. The way the energy in the room changes completely when Kinn says this line. Porsche turns from a happy, smug brat into a pissed-off, fed-up man in the span of like 2 seconds.

But anyway, I digress.

We got that little thread of tension in Kinn’s voice in the earlier hospital scene, but here’s where that thread starts to really get pulled, and all because of Kinn’s insecurities around Vegas rising to the surface. His voice is more dynamic in this scene, especially once Porsche starts teasing him, goading him to show his jealousy, his possessiveness. He rises to the bait so easily.

But once Vegas is there, that control is back. This is really one of the first times that Porsche sees that performance of authority and power up-close again since the forest. Kinn’s voice is so calm, so cool, so impartial, and you can see in Porsche’s reaction, both to his tone and to his words, how much it frustrates him that Kinn is speaking like that. Kinn is getting back at Porsche for his teasing, but what Kinn doesn’t grasp yet is that Porsche only pushes his buttons to make sure the buttons work. Porsche teases him about Vegas because he wants Kinn to react, to express his feelings. He needs the reminders that Kinn is just as undone by Porsche as Porsche is by him.

And Kinn, in the voice he uses, the words he uses, denies him that as soon as Vegas walks in the room. It’s understandable, of course. Their relationship needs to be a secret, and Kinn making any even remotely explicit claim to Porsche in front of Vegas would be a really bad idea, no matter how much he wants to. But Porsche still can’t help but by bothered by it, especially when it’s clear that Kinn is making a point to him as well as Vegas. Kinn is saying: I won this round.

The balcony scene.

*chanting under my breath* This is a voice meta, not an ownership meta. This is a voice meta, not an ownership meta. This is a voice meta, not an ownership meta. This is a voice—

For the sake of time, I had to skip Kinn’s scenes with his dad and his friends, which sucks but MOVING ON.

Okay, think about where Kinn and Porsche left off in their last scene. Porsche goading Kinn into showing his jealousy, succeeding until Vegas walks in, and then Kinn shutting his feelings off and saying basically, “Porsche is yours. Do what you want with him.” It was 100% a show and he didn’t mean a word, but it still rankles at Porsche.

That’s why this scene hits so good for me, because as soon as Kinn has a chance to turn his feelings back on, to be open with Porsche again, he jumps on it, especially after the encouragement from his friends.

First though, he riles Porsche up over the phone. He keeps that little bit of indifference in his voice, not the control and authority he had in front of Vegas, but the nonchalance is there, just softened by the warmer tone and the distortion over the phone. Now he’s teasing Porsche, giving as good as he got earlier.

And when he hangs up and surprises Porsche in person, his voice is so, so, so soft. You can sense a bit of that tension remaining from the very first scene, that rough quality, that control, but it’s looser now. He’s making a very conscious effort not to hide himself, not to temper that softness, which is its own kind of control.

There’s a lot on Kinn’s mind in this scene, a lot of warring feelings, and it shows so well in his voice. He sounds vulnerable here, afraid even, incredibly gentle. He’s not used to showing those parts of himself, and as much as he jumped at the chance to be like that in the forest, now that he’s back in his own world, he feels the disconnect of who he is with Porsche and who he’s supposed to be the rest of the time.

Then we have the fucking tonal shift of the century from that to outrageously cringey dick jokes. I don’t even really want to break this down because it’s just BONKERS, but Kinn’s voice manages to dip lower and rougher without losing any of that earlier softness. He can’t even make dick puns without sounding like a simp.

The bathroom scene.

Fuck.

That’s it, that’s the analysis.

No, I’m kidding, but I just had to let it out at least once.

When I see them side by side, the shift Kinn’s voice makes from the balcony seen to this is absolutely insane and shows how much of his fears, his anxieties, his insecurities, he’s been holding back, even from Porsche.

When confronted with the sight of Vegas kissing Porsche, even though objectively he would know the chances of Porsche consenting to that are basically nil, he completely loses all of that iron control, that aloofness, that he worked so hard to show in his previous interaction with Vegas at the hospital. In this moment, he’s not thinking of appearances at all. He’s thinking no further than getting Vegas away from Porsche, than the gut-punch of seeing Porsche with someone else.

So when he asks, “Do you see the ring on my finger?” he is yelling. It’s not the well-modulated power or authority he shows in his usual raised voice (for example, the boat scene in episode 1). His voice is cracking, rough, pitching wildly, a little shrill, nothing but pure instinct and feeling behind it. He’s not hiding his jealousy from Vegas now; he’s unleashing it in full force.

We see Vegas unmask himself to a lesser extent. He doesn’t even speak, but when Kinn shows his true colors (all of them, the man is a rainbow wearing a mafia boss suit), so does Vegas. They mirror each other.

Kinn extends this voice even to his own bodyguards, which has only happened once that I can recall, in a similar situation at the end of episode 4 when they find Porsche drugged on the bed. He’s so out of control in this moment he can’t distinguish between his side and Vegas’s. He’s seeing green, green, green.

And then he goes even further! He uses that voice on Porsche. Kinn has never spoken like this to him, not even in his worst moments. He’s showing Porsche all the fury and fear he’s feeling, not holding anything back. It’s not a productive kind of communication. It’s just an explosion, and the blast is aimed at Porsche.

A lot of people have pointed out that Porsche has a small smile at the start of this moment, one that quickly shifts to surprise, then hurt, then anger. He likes that Kinn is showing his jealousy, staking his claim, but he doesn’t expect Kinn to be angry at him for being more or less assaulted.

After that initial outburst, Kinn’s voice softens, focuses in, like instead of just letting his anger fill the room, he’s pointing it directly at Porsche. It shifts the conversation momentarily into something more intimate, but no less volatile, and that’s what pushes Porsche into his own reaction. (I’d also like to point out how Kinn’s heavy breathing completely stops the second Porsche brings up Tawan. There’s a lot to unpack there, but OOF.)

AND THEN!!!!! Oh god, okay, hold it in, Izzy.

That line drops: “You’re more of a wh*re than I thought.”

Hooooo boy. Kinn does exactly the same thing he did in episode 5 with the line “Starting tomorrow, I’m replacing you.” This specific sequence - leaning in, inhaling deep, lowering his voice, clenching his jaw, bringing his lips close to Porsche’s, like he wants to press his next words right into Porsche’s mouth - is practically a mirror image of that prior scene, and it has the same, perfectly designed effect: to hit Porsche where it hurts.

His voice shakes here. He’s brought his voice under control in terms of volume, but all that emotion is pressed in. Imagine those vacuum storage bags you use to shrink clothes or pillows down to as little space as possible. That’s exactly what Kinn’s doing with his voice. He’s packing every ounce of that rage and fear of his loud, unrestrained yelling into a tighter, softer voice. It’s, again, extremely intimate, because it’s so specifically trained on Porsche, like a sniper fixed on a target.

It’s cruel, but cruelty is what Kinn knows. It’s what he was taught.

But what distinguishes that moment of cruelty from its twin in episode 5 is what happens next. Kinn tries to fix it.

We’ve gotten a lot of sorrys in the past two episodes from Kinn, but this one hits especially hard. It shows so much growth that he’s actually able to pull back, to recognize his fuck-up, and make amends in the moment instead of days or weeks later. Character development, babyyy.

Kinn’s voice, when he apologizes, is just so fucking soft. Breathy, muffled, barely audible over the music. He presses the words into Porsche’s shoulder. It feels distinctly physical. He’s not just saying the words. He’s making them a part of his touch, using them as another point of contact between them. Kinn is, in general, a tactile person. He expresses with his body what he often can’t with his words. But here, he's doing both. He’s trying to give Porsche what he needs - words - while also apologizing with touch, closeness, intimacy.

I talked about this right after the episode dropped, because it’s just so gut-wrenching, how hard Kinn is trying for Porsche, how much he’s fighting all the behaviors he’s been taught to rely on his whole life. You can see the fight leave him before it leaves Porsche, as soon as he realizes he’s gone too far, that what he’s doing is driving Porsche away from him. He’s remembering what he told Tay: “I don’t want to be like the old me.”

When Porsche turns, not running away, giving him a chance to, as @liyazaki​ put it BRILLIANTLY, “heal what he hurt,” you can see how relieved Kinn is, how totally his anger collapses in the face of Porsche’s hurt. The little noise he lets out at 56:12 is particularly devastating.

Note: These voice metas are about Kinn so I focus mostly on his POV, but I think it’s important to note, and Apo mentioned this himself, that Porsche is going on his own journey in this scene and has his own apologies to offer, even if he doesn’t say them out loud. I just want to clarify that I don’t think there is a clear “bad guy” in this scene. As in a lot of arguments in a lot of relationships, they both said things they shouldn’t have and they both regret saying them. Neither of them is perfect and that’s what makes them so compelling together.

And from that point on, Kinn lets himself go. He surrenders to the moment.

What strikes me about the sex scene is how loud Kinn is. Porsche’s noises are lower, breathier, barely audible over the music. But Kinn is outright moaning. His voice here is higher, sweeter, more like the tone he had in the forest.

The way he says Porsche’s name (twice!) is just a lot. Again, his voice is so soft, airy, light, mixing with the music. He’s melting into the moment, finally allowing himself to be vulnerable, to be joyful. He has Porsche here with him, safe and whole, because Porsche chooses him. Porsche is showing him his forgiveness, his love, his loyalty, at the same time that Kinn is showing him his trust, his ownership, his sincerity.

I literally just collected a list of time stamps where he makes particularly life-ruining little noises (in addition to the obvious slutty moaning which ofc makes me feral and clinically insane). Please feel free to visit each one and I’ll meet you in hell to gatecrash Satan’s hot girl summer.

56:12 (already mentioned but still very important)

57:00 (quietest little noise as they’re kissing, extremely devastating)

57:58 (Kinn SHUT UP before I pin you down I stg)

58:06 (he’s whimpering into Porsche’s mouth your honor, the whore charge stands and the prosecution rests)

58:11 (I think this is Porsche but the sheer bliss in that drawn out, muffled moan OOF)

58:14 (the little breathy exhale??? yeah)

58:19 (I can’t even describe this noise, it’s like when you’re crying and your throat does a little squeak like one of your vocal chords stubbed its toe)

58:26 (extremely soft crying into Porsche’s shoulder, I would fight god for him)

***

I have to end the post here to join my gf for a night out (and goddamn she’s looking cute), but if you liked this voice meta you can find the rest of them linked below and in my pinned post.

Why Kinn’s voice fucks me up: a silly little analysis (Kinnporsche episodes 1-3)

Kinn’s voice in episode 4: basically my man is losing it

Kinn’s voice in episode 5: Kinn, respectfully, go to therapy

Kinn’s voice in episode 6: aka Kinn’s Camp Rock “this is real, this is me” era

[thewildwaffle]

Humans are Weird: Antibiotics

A story prompt from a user on a03. Apparently, this is my 50th short story, or at least the 50th installment of m humans are weird short stories. Hurray!

****

Ni Andu watched a dried sickle leaf roll across the empty courtyard from her window. A deep sigh made her breath fog up the glass. The courtyard wasn't supposed to be empty. Especially not this time of year. The Gauru Ni Moon Festival usually brought visitors from around the world and across multiple star systems right about now. But the disease meant no bright banners were hung. No music echoed cheerily through around the corners and down the streets. There were no wafting scents of fresh fruits and fried breads.

It was amazing and terrifying that something so small that it couldn’t be seen had done all this. The Ni were a proud race, rich in culture, and until now, seemingly sturdy in constitution. Diseases had come and gone in the past, but in such small and freak cases that they were hardly given much attention. It was assumed that Ni immune systems were the best in the galaxy and many other races had even requested to study how they were so effective.

Those prideful memories felt hollow now as Ni Andu sighed and pulled herself away from the dreary sight outside. As a new and reluctant head of the house, she had more pressing things to deal with than moping in the past. Several members of her own family were still sick, two of her hatch mates had been very touch-and-go as of late. She slowly made her way to the cushions where they were sleeping to check on them. To her relief, she saw the soft blankets they were wrapped in rose and fell slowly. She stood there, watching them for a bit in the gathering darkness of their shared humble abode. Matki’s breathing sounded like gravel stuck in a child’s rolling skiffer.

“What are we going to do?” Andu’s wide nose scrunched up as she begged the silent house. “What am I supposed to do next?”

She wasn’t sure how long she stood there trying to think of everything and nothing all at once. It was a good while though and was only interrupted when a small light turned on in the meal room. Andu looked up at the light streaming out of the door’s archway. With a sigh, she gathered her strength to move again to see who was up. As she approached, she heard small claws scrabbling on the stonework floor and storage pods opening and closing.

Sure enough, when she peeked in, Andu could see little Piri shuffling through food storage pods that looked even less stocked than she thought they’d been. There were a few bottled foods, a few containers of ingredient-prepped soup containers, but certainly nothing immediately ready for consumption. Most easy and ready-to-eat foods had been eaten long ago or destroyed when they began to decay and grow dangerous molds. And to a small three-year-old Ni, that basically meant there was no food at all.

“Hey Piri, are you hungry?” Even though Andu had kept her voice quiet, little Piri still jumped and tucked his small thin tail like he was ashamed he’d been caught. Andu smiled comfortingly and stepped into the room to pick up one of the soup packs.

“It’s okay, you’re fine,” she patted him on the head softly, “I think it’s time for a meal too. I’m sure everyone else would agree once they wake up and smell the food.”

“There’s not much left,” Piri’s small voice was so sad and only made the words themselves feel sharper to Andu’s hearts. She tried to think of something she could say to make their situation seem less dire, but nothing came to mind. Instead, she scooped up Piri’s small form and waited until his thin arms latched securely around her scruff before she walked over to get a pot to cook in. She was going to have to add quite a bit of water to this if it was going to make enough to sustain everyone for a meal.

Cooking, even making something simple, helped ease Andu’s mind. There was a sense of normalcy in standing in front of a firebox and stirring a bubbling pot of soup. She tried to ignore how thin it was. Still, the smell made her feel warm and it must have wafted across the house as she could soon hear the tell-tale signs of her hatch mates waking up. She gathered bowls and filled each one. Lowering Piri back down, she handed the young Ni a bowl and carried the rest to the cushions where the rest of the family was slowly waking up.

They ate together slowly, trying to make the contents of their bowl last and talking quietly about anything they could to distract themselves from their situation. Matki was recalling a story from four lunar years ago when Andu had entered a fried bread pastry into a competition. Between Matki’s coughing and Andu interjecting to defend herself, the story kept getting interrupted! She’d worked on the recipe for her pastry for so long and was so proud of it, but the night before, something went wrong when she was making her entry. Whether it was nerves, exhaustion, oversight, or Jentala above forbid, sabotage, it went very wrong. From the way Matki described the judges’ reaction, one might have thought Andu had purposefully tried poisoning them! As everyone chuckled, Matki claimed he still had the video recording from the competition and pulled it out, much to Andu’s chagrin.

Andu pretended to be exasperated by the teasing, but really she was just glad everyone felt good enough to laugh again.

It took a while before she and the others noticed that Matki hadn’t pulled up the video. Instead, his eyes locked on the comm tablet screen.

“Matki?”

“Hey, did you find it?”

“Matki are you okay?”

Matki finally looked up, eyes still wide from whatever he’d been looking at. “They’re coming to help.”

Everyone shared a worried look. What?

“Who are you talking about? Who’s coming?” Andu broke the confused silence.

Matki tapped something on-screen with the pad of a finger and a holographic projection display rose up.

Everyone watched enraptured by the newscast. It was about humans. From halfway across the galaxy, they’d heard about the Ni’s plight and had come claiming they had a cure. They were offering aid and resources to run tests to make sure their medicine was safe and effective for Ni use and make alterations if needed. They were even claiming they’d help distribute the finalized cure the moment it was given the go-ahead. In the meantime, they were also sending ships of food and supplies.

Andu could feel the back of her throat tighten. Was this real? Did she dare hope? There’d been so many reports before about help being promised, well, not help to this extent, but help nonetheless. They’d ended up being just for show and were proven empty once those who offered realized how impossible the situation really was.

But humans? She’d heard they were tough. And stubborn. Maybe they were stubborn enough to see their promises through?

The embarrassing video of Andu’s failed pastry was long forgotten, the conversation instead jumped between wild rumors her family had overheard about humans and speculation about how long it would take for the humans to actually lend aid if they were really coming at all. Andu could see a shimmer in the eyes of her hatch mates as they spoke that she hadn’t seen in a while. Although she wished she could feel the same optimism, she could also see how quickly they were all tiring out. Although they’d slept most of the day, the disease was still taking its toll on them all.

Once the meager meal was finished, she stood to gather the now empty bowls. She noticed Piri quickly scrape a finger along the side of his bowl to snag any last morsel before she came along to collect it. ‘Jentala above,’ she prayed mentally, ‘if help truly is coming, send it along soon.”

With bellies no longer completely empty, everyone settled in, and soon the room was full of sleeping or near sleeping Ni.

Andu slept fitfully. She dreamed, but it was fractured and confusing. Even before the disease came, she had a hard time remembering her dreams once she woke up. It was near impossible now. She did remember a loud humming noise though. As she blinked her eyes and lifted her head, she realized the humming was still there. She rose and searched for the source. It almost sounded like… engines? But that, that had to be impossible - the quarantine…

She looked out the window. Dried sickle leaves were flying around wildly as a large shuttle slowly came in for a landing in the courtyard. Andu opened her mouth to call out to the rest of her family, but nothing would come. How were they still asleep with this racket? Apparently, it managed to wake up Piri, who nearly made Andu jump when he bumped into her side while trying to climb up for a better view out the window.

“What’s going on? Who’s outside?” Piri waited to ask until Andu had resettled herself after being startled.

“I’m not sure yet,” she answered as they both watched the shuttle’s doors slowly work through the unsealing process. Across the courtyard, she could see other Ni’s faces peeking out their windows. As far as she could tell, expressions seemed to range anywhere from fear to curiosity to… was that hope? Wait, had they seen the newscast last night? Did they think this was… there’s no way the humans could be here already, right?

They both watched intently as the doors finally opened and a ramp extended. Soon a line of creatures she’d only seen on screens filed down wearing yellow vests and hauling huge boxes in their arms or on carts they pulled behind them.

“It is the humans!” Piri yelled and jumped down from his perch. He ran to where everyone was stirring on the cushions, “Wake up! Wake up! The humans are here!”

Andu wasn’t sure if she should reprimand Piri for disturbing them, or if she should join in. Instead, she watched as the humans in the courtyard started setting up stations and continued hauling load after load filled with what must have been hexaheebs of food, clean water, and various supplies.

She turned to look back at her family who were trying to rise as fast as their weakened bodies would allow. Matki began coughing violently and had to rest against the wall. Andu went to help support him when a knock at the front door startled everyone. They all stared at the old chirrowood door, then around at each other. It had been so long since quarantine had started, they’d almost forgotten what a knock on the door sounded like.

After a pause, the knock came again, this time followed by a worried and drawn-out, “Hello?”

Once she was sure Matki was standing stable, Andu, being the least sick among everyone, walked to and slowly opened the door.

A human from the shuttle stood in the doorway. They were wearing a mask over their mouth and nose, but it was definitely a human! Their eyes closed slightly and creased in the corners as they nodded a greeting. “Hi, my name is Ali, I’m part of the relief team that’s been assigned to this district. We’ve got food and essentials to distribute and I just need to know how many are in this household and if anyone here is in critical condition.”

Andu blinked at the human for a moment as she took in what they’d said.

“We, uh, we have four adults and one child. There, there were more, but…” she couldn’t finish that sentence. From the look the human gave her, she didn’t need to finish it. Her sinuses stung as she fought to not cry. The first visitor in how long and here she was almost crying in the doorway?

“I'm so sorry for your loss,” the human’s head bowed and their shoulders dropped. “I wish we’d known and could have helped earlier. Is anyone here in need of immediate emergency care?”

At that point, Matki started coughing again. Andu and Ali looked back to see him sit back down until his coughing died down.

Andu sighed and turned back to the human. “None of us are great right now. Matki’s probably the worst out of all of us. He sounds bad, but he actually has started to stabilize in the past few days.”

Human Ali gave a short nod and started writing something on a tablet in his hands.

“Do you,” Andu’s voice trembled, “we heard a report last night about you. That you were coming. That you… do you…” she swallowed and fought back desperate tears, “do you really have a cure?”

The human’s eyes creased again. “We do.”

Andu didn’t need to turn around to know the effect this had on her family. She heard it. She felt it. This time, she didn’t fight back the tears.

“Right now,” Human Ali continued, “it’s in the final stages of approval for Ni use, we’re just waiting for the ‘go-ahead’ and we’ll help distribute it as soon as it arrives. Until then, I’ve got some food and supplies for you. I can help unload and unpack if you need?”

“That… that would be... thank you,” she wiped at her tears. “Thank you so much.”

Over the next few days, more shuttles came and went, bringing more supplies, food, tools, and just in general, a brighter outlook and mood to the entire neighborhood. The humans really were here to help, and they seemed happy to do so. Not only were they good with their promises of aid, but they also delivered on the cure they said they had. Ni were instructed on the drug’s use and administration directions thoroughly for both the tablet and liquid forms of the cure. The effects were quick, and from the reports on the newscast, overwhelmingly positive. The Ni were cured! The plague that had once threatened to wipe out their entire population was gone! Celebrations larger than even the Gauru Ni Moon Festival were planned, songs were written, stories shared and spread. It was wholly agreed by all that this was a historic time in Ni history that they all survived through, and all thanked Jentala above for sending the humans to help.

It went without saying that everyone wanted to know more about the cure itself. And that meant everyone, not just the Ni, but the rest of the galactic community who before, had written the Ni off as a lost cause because of the horrific disease. What was this miracle cure? What other things could it do? Where, by all that is bright and shining, did the humans get it, and could it be easily replicated?

The humans, for their part, were again as open and gracious with their information as they had been with their aid. It was an old medicine they’d discovered long ago on their planet. Considered to be the first “antibiotic,” it was widely used on Earth and had saved millions of lives since its discovery. It worked by interfering with bacteria cell walls and destroyed them by causing them to burst.

It was called

Penicillin.

“Amazing!” “Spectacular!” “So simple, yet so ingenious!” many in the galactic community praised. “How ever did you discover this amazing drug?”

The initial answer wasn’t too surprising, for humans at least: it was an accident.

Andu almost snorted as she read the report to the rest of her family. Granted, the end of the plague was the first time any of them had come in direct contact with humans, but they all had heard many of the stories about human escapades. Wild experiments that on paper seemed more like a drunken brainstorm party that ended up advancing rocket fuel technology by at least 8 lunar years. Crash-landings on category 3 death worlds and they ended up liking them so much they decided to set up colonies. Half of what they did seemed to be mistakes that just went right for them. Apparently, the miracle drug penicillin was included in those stories.

She looked up its history and manufacturing.

Andu felt claws dance down her back as she read more. It came… from mold? Mold?! She looked up from the tablet to the faces of her equally horrified hatch mates. It took them a moment to remember how to close their mouths.

"You mean like mold on old bread?" Piri broke the shocked silence.

Andu blinked and looked back at the report. Old bread? How many times had they not eaten bread fast enough in the warm humid seasons only to pick up a bul of bread and find mold growing on it. It was dangerous, it had to be carefully disposed of, it was… able to save lives?

She returned to the report. The more she read, the more comforted she became in the safety of the miracle antibiotic. That, and she couldn't argue with the results. Her family was around her, now loudly being altogether boisterous together as they "discussed" the humans and all the ways they played with death in order to save life.

Matki snatched the tablet from her claws, wanting to read the report for himself. As Andu was jostled by her now healthy, energetic family, she was just happy and eternally thankful that the humans were crazy enough to play with something as dangerous as fungus, and then kind enough to share what they discovered.

[erodasfishtacos]

#HendallReunited

prompt: request was to write broad but to write something angsty

Word count: 5.2k

Warnings: language, sexual content, angst

Harry always had issues with saying ‘no’ to people. He never quite grew out of his manners even when he should have.

He said ‘yes’ to way too many things- signing autographs for rude fans and paparazzi, and agreed to way too many things Jeff suggested.

Saying yes to everything didn’t make his life any easier is the thing. Especially when it came to his wife. She was usually left with the aftermath of him being too nice.

The media painted Y/N in a negative light occasionally and so did the fans because she would stand up for Harry and not let him say ‘yes’ to every single request.

She would tell disrespectful fans he’s not signing autographs because of the way they were screaming and interrupting his work.

Harry wished he could do it himself - admired that his wife didn’t give a fuck what people thought about her. He cared entirely too much what the world would think.

The couple didn’t fight about much - no, not really. Normal couple stuff for the most part. But this was the exception, this is where Y/N found most of their turmoil.

Every few months it would rear it’s ugly head and they’d find themselves in the same position over and over again.

This time - it was really fucking bad.

The couple had been staying in their Los Angeles home for the last few months whilst the singer finalized his album and began promotion.

It was boring meeting among boring lunch outings to get all their ducks in a row. Jeff - his manager the main orchestrator.

He was a great manager and a good friend, but it was also business too which Harry didn’t always comprehend.

At the end of the day, Harry was making Jeff millions upon millions of dollars. But Harry didn’t think that way.

**

Harry was in a stuffy conference room at the The Late Late Show to work on the script and ideas for the show. Promo had been nonstop.

He was a bit tired as it was nearly just hitting eight in the morning and he had been up late with you - having some late night loving in the hot tub.

“As for guest - Kendall Jenner,” James Corden’s producer states. All the men agree but Harry is taken aback.

“Why...why would we have my ex-girlfriend as one of my guests?” Harry interrupts, confusion knitting his brows.

Kendall and him didn’t end on a bad note - not at all. They hooked up a few times after their ‘break-up’ but once he’d met Y/N she was understanding when he cut it off.

Y/N wasn’t necessarily jealous of the model, but didn’t love when they’d run into each other at events. She was still overtly flirty with Harry without much shame. 

Harry also didn’t have an desire to see her or host her as a guest on the show. She was nice but he wasn’t interested in being friends with her. They didn’t have much in common and he was head over heels for his wife.

“The media will eat it up, dude. Harry Styles and Kendall Jenner reunited on a show after four years?” Jeff smiles, the others nodding in amicable agreement.

This is one of this times where Harry needs to say “no,” that it’s disrespectful to his significant other to use an old flame for promo for his album.

He already knows ‘hendall’ will be trending within minutes and he can’t imagine how that would make his parter feel.

“I just...this doesn’t seem like a good idea?” Harry begins hesitantly, making it sound more like a question than a statement. 

“Why not?” Eric, one of the writers asks.

“Y’know, I’m married. I don’t think m’missus would appreciate if I did somethin’ like that just for promotion,” he states, scratching at his jaw uncomfortably.

“Look Styles, we’re not asking you to fuck the girl. It just a interview, c’mon,” The executive producer gruffs - wanting those guaranteed views.

Harry swallows - looking at his manager and then at everyone else at the table looking at him for an affirmative answer.

“Uh-sure,” Harry fumbles, feeling anxiety rise into his throat. Fuck, he’s such a god damn pushover.

He’s trying to find his voice to go back on his agreement but the meeting wrapping up and people are leaving with final handshakes.

**

Harry doesn’t know how to tell Y/N what is going on. He’d been keeping in stored in the back of his mind, not ready to have a blowout.

He never found the perfect time to bring it up and now it was too late. It was the morning of the show and he was due to be at the rehearsals this afternoon.

Harry had finally decided he was going to tell her this morning over coffee but forgot that she had a girl’s day planned with a few friends.

She was already out to breakfast with them when he woke up. His phone had one text from you.

Hi baby. I’m out with the girls. See you at the show tonight. I’ll meet you there around six! Love you!

He was fucked royally and he had no one to blame but himself. Maybe it’d be okay, maybe she’d roll her eyes and tell him he’s an idiot.

Realistically he knew that was just a sweet dream at this point.

—

Harry was fidgety and kept mucking up his lines during rehearsal as it got closer to the showtime and his missus arriving.

Kendall had arrived for hair and makeup without seeing her ex-boyfriend yet. He dreaded seeing the model.

Kendall and Y/N had met a few times at different events. It was always cordial. Kendall was always casual - their relationship was never more than a couple fun dates and sex.

They were kind to each other when they met but he couldn’t deny how much harder his partner kissed him on the mouth afterwards.

Before he know it, his wife is hugging him from behind as he talks to a producer about which cameras to look at.

Y/N noticed the way he tensed up at first and thought about how unusual that was for him. Normally, he’d lean back into her with his full weight causing them both to stumble and laugh.

He slowly, cautiously turns around and his face  relaxes a little bit but not completely. “Hi baby,” he hums, leaning in for a kiss.

“You look so handsome,” she replies, admiring his brown pinstriped suit and her pearl necklace that he’d snagged awhile back. She thought it looked better on him anyways.

“You look even better, s’fuckin’ pretty, love,” he gushes, coming back in for another kiss - a little too sensual for the setting.

She was donned in a cropped white shirt, showing of the smooth expanse of her tummy. An oversized blazer of Harry’s, ripped jeans, and heels. 

Harry thought fleetingly he couldn’t wait to fuck her after the show. Then remembered that mostly wouldn’t happen.

Reggie, the musical lead, slides up to you two. He smiles wide at you, saying, “Can’t believe you agreed to the guest this evening.”

Her eyebrows furrow in confusion, Harry’s raise nearly to his forehead, but when she opens her mouth to ask him to explain they’re interrupted.

“Harry!” The leggy model trots over to the little group. Dressed in an interesting one-piece suit that has sewn in heels. She looked beautiful as ever, of course she was a model.

Both of them turn towards the oblivious girl, “Kendall,” Harry replies with a twinge of anxiety - eyes repeatedly looking at his significant other’s profile as multiple emotions flash.

“Hiya, you’re Y/N right?” Kendall smiles kindly, offering her manicured hand.

She accepts, “Yeah, uh-good to see you again.”

Harry knew she had connected the dots quickly in her head. The hurt, confusion, had hit her eyes before narrowing into full-blown rage at her partner.

“I promise I’ll go easy on him,” Kendall jokes before pinching at Harry’s cheek teasingly. The model was a natural flirt with everyone she got along with.

“Oh, sure,” she replies lamely, attempting to not let her feelings burst out in that moment with her husband . She knew it wasn’t Kendall’s fault.

“I’m going to go grab a bite to eat. I’m probably gonna puke when we do ‘spill or fill’. See you guys soon,” the model waves before trailing off with her assistant.

“Did you kn- of course you knew she was your guest,” Y/N seethes, turning to fully face the guilt-stricken-singer.

He rubs the back of his neck, avoiding eye contact, “I did.”

“How long have you known for?” She demands to know, keeping her voice at an angry whisper to not draw attention.

Harry wasn’t going to lie to his love, “About two weeks.”

Y/N replies with a laugh, “let me guess, you let Jeffrey talk you into this bullshit, again.”

His silence is all she needs to know it’s true.

“For Christ’s sake, of course,” She huffs bitterly, “what’s even worse is you didn’t fucking tell me. What the fuck?”

Harry bites his lip, not able to rasp out anything but a pathetic, “m’sorry, love.”

He wasn’t usually good at taking responsibility during a fight. He was stubborn at best but he couldn’t deny his way out of this.

“You will be, you-“

They were cut off by the staff, the audience was trailing in and Harry needed to get mic’d up now.

“This conversation isn’t over,” she points her finger at his chest before storming off to the side of the stage where she’d watch from.

Fucking shit.

**

Harry was a performer. It’s easy for him to push things to the back of his mind so he can entertain a enamored audience.

But tonight, he was struggling. Eyes flicking over to the teleprompter more than usual, his demeanor not as vivid and carefree.

Not when his wife was glaring daggers at him from stage right. Her hand constantly at her mouth, biting at her nails - a nervous tick of hers.

“Next up, the one, the only, the beautiful model and one of my good friends, Kendall Jenner!” Harry introduces when she walks out and waves at the crowd.

They hug and when they pull apart they step over to where they were playing the game. Either answer the question or eat a nasty food picked out by the other.

They weren’t allowed to see each other’s questions before the game started- both going on blind which put Harry more on edge.

“Okay, Kendall. Rank the members of One Direction on most to least attractive or you will be eating...” Harry spins the table, “Cow tongue.”

She flinched at the disgusting plate, smirking up at Harry before considering her course of action, “I think I can answer this one.”

He wasn’t looking forward to her answer. Neither was Y/N by the way she nearly shaking her foot off her leg.

“Okay, I got this. You - the most attractive, then uh- Zayn....Louis...Niall...Liam,” she laughs, “but all of you are hot!”

Harry fake laughs and acts like he’s impressed by her answer as the crowd roars and cheers. 

When Kendall picks up her notecard - she laughs in surprise at the question before looking at him with bright eyes.

“Okay, um, bull penis!” She giggles before starting the question, “I’m dying to know this answer. So...your first album HS1 was released four years ago, correct?”

He nods, apprehensive.

“Which songs were about me? Especially was only angel?” She laughs at Harry’s pale expression before without another thought he shovels the rancid food into his mouth.

Harry looks off to the side to see that his missus is no longer sitting there. Just Jeff - who gives him a thumbs up.

**

The first thing he did when the show ended and the lights dimmed was bolt off to Jeff - ignoring Kendall who was about to say something to him.

“Where’d Y/N go?”

He thought she might have went out to get a breathe of fresh air but for the next hour and a half he hasn’t seen her once.

“She said she wasn’t feeling very good. She told me to tell you she’d meet you at home,” Jeff shrugs unbothered.

“Damnit!” Harry curses loudly, ripping out of the microphone and the little pack in his back waistband.

“Harry,” Jeff scolds at his unprofessionalism that was abnormal for him.

“No! Don’t fucking ever ask me to do shit like this again. You fucking knew what questions were on those notecards and you said it wasn’t anything about our previous relationship.”

“Harry-“

“Don’t fucking talk to me. You’re a real shit manager sometimes, you know that? Do not contact me tonight or tomorrow for that matter, you douchebag,” Harry barks before storming off towards the dressing rooms.

All the employees were standing around in shock, staring at the popstar as he ignored everyone around him.

Harry was famously known for being a kind, amicable guy. So it took everyone by surprise to hear him speak like that. Even Jeff was shaken up a little.

—

The house was pitch-black as Harry pulled up. The house’s first floor was lined with large, bay windows and not a single light was on.

He could find one room illuminated which was your bedroom. A dim side lamp must have been flicked on. He imagined her purposely turning off all the lights on the trek up the staircase.

Harry didn’t want to admit how much he was trembling with awful nerves and anticipation as he slowly turns the knob of the shared bedroom.

Y/N wasn’t laying in bed as he expected but found the bathroom door shut tightly. He noticed a little yellow bag with tissue paper off to the side by a dresser.

He knocks on the oak door, not daring to enter without permission.

“What do you want?” Y/N answers, tone flat and emotionless. 

“Can I come in, baby? Please...” He wasn’t ashamed to beg for forgiveness at this point. Hearing the emptiness in her tone scared him shitless.

“I really could care less,” She replies coldly from her spot in the scalding water decorated with bubbles.

Harry had never felt more unsure in his life as he enters the bathroom.  Y/N had gotten proper pissed at him or vice versa before - right before a concert, an award ceremony but she’d never left without him.

Her head was laying against the foam headrest and her body was covered by the soap water. She looked tired and her eyes were puffy from crying.

Harry kneels next to the tub, “look at me, please pet.”

 Y/N takes a moment before turning her head and opening her eyes. They were distant, disappointed in the man in front of her.

“I should have told you about Kendall. I should have put up more of a fight to get someone else on instead,” Harry admits, his hands desperately wanting to reach out for her.

She shakes her head with a heart-wrenching sniffle, “it’s not just tonight, Harry. We’ve had this conversation continuously for three and a half fucking years. You try to please everyone, despite them giving no fucks about you.”

“Are you that much of a pushover? You let your ex-girlfriend flirt with you in front of millions. Do you know how embarrassing and unfair that it to me?” She wipes at her eyes to stop the tears spilling over.

Harry hadn’t thought of it like that - to be honest. But he agrees, it wasn’t fair and downright cruel to do that to her.

What? All because he couldn’t say ‘no’ because he didn’t want people to be mad at him? It was pathetic and ridiculous.

“I-I won’t let it happen again, lovie. I mean it, I truly do,” Harry whimpers reaching over to cup her cheek and wants to cry when she pushes him away.

“You’re a broken record. You’ve said that a million times before but don’t change,”  Y/N points out, eyes boring furiously into his wife’s.

“I’m goi-“

She cuts him off with a sharp edge in her tone, “Just leave me alone, get out.”

The man’s face crumbles and for a second, she wants to just end the fight and makeup but then nothing would change.

“Baby-“

“Get out!” She finally bellows, tears streaming down her face steadily.

He obliges, head hung in defeat as he closes the door behind him. He stands there’s blankly for a second before going to the walk-in closet.

He’s pulling out a fresh pair of cotton underwear and a large sleepshirt for his partner, laying them neatly on the bed.

Harry doesn’t know what to do with himself while he waits so he pulls out his phone to mindlessly scroll.

He throws it against the wall when he sees #hendallreunited is trending number one on Twitter at the moment.

The singer strips down to his briefs and sits with his back against the tufted headboard, staring blankly at the wall.

His eyes catch a neon pink pair of his swimshorts tossed carelessly on the decorative vase in the corner of the room from the night before .

“Fuck, baby - no need to rush,” Harry groans into Y/N ‘s mouth as she pushes him until he’s sat on the edge of their California king.

She reaches impatiently for the tie on his neon pink swimshorts and yanks them off his slim, peach-fuzz thighs before throwing them onto the vase without a care that it was worth over twenty-thousand pounds.

After edging her in the hot tub with his fingers and mouth, she wasn’t waiting any longer before clambering onto his lap, pulling her swim bottoms to the side, and sinking onto him.

He felt guilty when his cock twitched at the thought of it. But when reality set back in, the arousal with the memory evaporated.

It isn’t much longer until the door is pulled open and  Y/N’s padding into the room with a towel secured around her.

She looks at the clothes Harry set out for her and pointedly walks past them to pick out her own nightwear. 

That really shouldn’t make his eyes tear up as he watches her slide on a similar pair of panties and an oversized shirt. Spotting a purpling bruise on her upper in thigh from his mouth.

 Y/N silently walks past the bed and to the bedroom door, looking back before bleakly stating, “I’m going to sleep in the guest room.”

He frowns, wrinkles appearing on his forehead, “You can sleep in here, love. I’ll take the guest room.”

Harry doesn’t get a reply as she just shakes her head and closes the door loudly behind her. 

It’s just - he’s never seen her this upset. She was usually fantastic at communicating her feelings and hashing things out.

She wasn’t one for the silent treatment or ignoring the topic. It had his chest rising faster than usual with anxiety. The serious of it overwhelming him.

He states at the wall for a very long time without wiping the fat tears brimming over his trembling lips.

*

He couldn’t sleep - it was half past three and he hadn’t even laid down or clicked off the lamp.

Harry accepted sleep wasn’t coming so he begins to tidy the already clean room. He picks up the shorts and tossing them in the hamper.

He refolds some joggers he’d carelessly shoved in a drawer and when he went to move the little yellow bag - curiosity got the best of him.

There was no card and he wasn’t sure who it was for or if it had been a gift already give to Y/N that she had returned home with.

Harry really shouldn’t - but he does. Gently tugging out the paper and reaching in to feel fabric.

Pulling it out, it takes him a minute to identify what it is - two baby onesie. Who was having a baby?

He lays them in front of him, eyes widening in surprise as he reads what is printed across the black cotton.

The first one was the colors and font of his upcoming tour merch with the photo he used on his tour announcement with the heeled boot and white pants.

Love on Tour - Due Date: September 2025

With Special Guest Appearance from Baby Styles

The second one was simple and read across the chest:

I’m having your baby (and it is your business) with embroidered kiwis all of over it.

He frantically reached back into the bag to pull out a bundle of pregnancy tests tied with a silk bow.

They weren’t necessarily trying for a baby but they’re weren’t not trying either. Harry wanted a baby as soon as his missus was willing to give him one.

“No, no, don’t one,” she’d whined into his mouth when he’d reached over to grab a condom off the nightstand.

“Oh sweet thing, you want me bare? Fill you up?” He croons happily, coming back to grip at his thick base and tease at her entrance.

“Ye-yeah, H. Please,” (Y/N) whimpers, bucking her hips in the hope he’d slip inside her.

Harry hums, “Might give you a baby though, y’want me to knock you up?”

“Want it, wan-“

He cuts her off with a hard, blissful kiss as he thrusts all the way inside before pulling out to do it again. 

“Gonna give it to you, whatever you want, lovie,” he promises.

The two had never used protection afterwards. It had start about seven months ago and from his knowledge she’d still been getting her periods regularly.

Occasionally, he would palm at her flat tummy and pout, “Haven’t put a baby in you yet, ‘ave I?”

He was so ecstatic but disappointed in himself for ruining everything and pleasing everyone other than who he should be.

Harry needed to fix this. He didn’t want Y/N to lose the excitement of having their baby over a dumb choice of his.

The man’s out of the room and not knocking before entering their guest room. His now pregnant love is laying on-top of the covers.

One hand subconsciously on her belly - which she removes and places next to her when her wife walks in.

The television was on but the volume was low and Y/N wasn’t watching it in the first place anyways.

Harry sits on the edge of the bed, “I opened the yellow bag.”

She looks at him with wide eyes, a little taken aback. she was going to surprise him tonight and forgot to store it away for another time after the fight.

Harry has happy tears dribbling down his cheeks, “you’re having my baby?”

Y/N nods, running a slight hand through his curls. She still had a nasty knot of anger and uncertainty in the pit of her stomach.

It pains her, wanting to share this moment of excitement with Harry but she just couldn’t. The uncertainty of whether Harry would put everybody’s needs before his own baby.

“Come back to bed, want t’talk and celebrate. M’so bloody excited,” Harry murmurs, a large smile decorating his face as he smooths a palm over the expanse of her tummy.

His wife shakes her head and places a hand over his, feeling the cold metal of all of them. “I want to be left alone.”

The twinkle in Harry’s eye diminishes to devastation as he realizes that he’s fucked up so badly that she doesn’t even want to celebrate.

“Pet, can...we just forget about it tonight and be happy ‘bout the baby?” Harry asks selfishly, knowing it was unlikely she’d agree.

She didn’t, a firm expression on her face, “no, I have a lot to think about.”

“Like wha’?” He asks anxiously, unknowing of quite the reason she was so furious.

“Like how you say yes to everything and everyone. We talk and talk about how you need to say ‘no’ and do what’s best for you - for us. You agree to and never follow through”

She takes a shaky breath and continues, “it’s affected our relationship before when you’ve had to cancel our vacation away from all this for a charity concert you’d agree to perform at last minute, dinner reservations because you told your friend we’d be at their art showing they wanted you at.”

Harry knew she was right. He did those things. He wanted everyone to be happy with him - to a fault.

“Tonight was just icing on the cake, you allowed your manager to talk you into hosting your ex on that show. Out of all the people in the world - her. With flirty questions and jabs from her. You let that happen. You care about making everyone happy but in return you don’t care how it affects me. That’s pretty shitty.”

“I’m...I’m really fucking scared you’ll do that even when we have the baby. I need you to put them first and right now...I’m not sure if you’re going to. You can’t put the person you want to spend the rest of your life with first now, how do I know you’ll do it with the baby?”

Harry chokes out a sob as he presses his forehead against the bed, his broad shoulders shaking. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d cried this hard - years ago maybe. He felt like his wife didn’t have any faith in him and he was to blame.

He looks up at her with swollen eyes - at a loss for what to do or say. He loved her so much and was over the moon that they were going to have a baby.

“How do I fix this, darling? You’re right, I really fucked up. M’sorry,” Harry cries, grabbing at her hands and she allows it.

“Just saying you’re sorry won’t fix it,” Y/N replies flatly, letting Harry squeeze and kiss at the backs of her hands.

“Then what do I bloody do to fix this?” Harry raises his voice in frustration, staring in bewilderment at his wife. 

Y/N narrows her eyes at him, “Do not raise your voice at me, Harry. Actions speak louder than words.”

Harry swallows harshly, pressing one finally kiss to her hand. “Okay.”

“Okay?” She repeats.

“I love you, I’ll fix this,” he promises with conviction. He knew what he needed to do and do it tomorrow. So he and his wife could enjoy her new pregnancy.

“I need space tonight, I just...please”Y/N says quietly, rubbing at his shoulder.

It wasn’t the first time they’ve slept in separate rooms because they weren’t getting along but they normally found their way back to each other before sunrise.

Harry nods, lip still tremble with the residual anxiety of the conversation. She allows him to press a soft kiss to her mouth before leaving the room.

—-

Cafe Habana was busy - but no one was paying much attention to Harry and Jeff. It was the morning after and Harry had demanded a meeting over breakfast with his manager.

“Y/N pregnant,” Harry states bluntly after their drinks arrive.

“Oh? Congratulations, dude. That’s exciting!” Jeff leans over to pat him on the shoulder, a big smile.

“The baby is due in September. My next tour starts in next July. The baby will be about nine months. I want to be at home with them for the first year.”

Jeff doesn’t look pleased, “what are you getting at Harry?”

“Reschedule the July and August tour dates. Tack them on to the end of the tour,” Harry lays out flat. 

He hadn’t talk to his wife about this but he knew this was how he could prove that he could say ‘no’ and not be a pushover.

“No Harry. Look I get you’re excited about the baby - but that will be such a fucking hassle,” Jeff frowns, sipping his mimosa.

“I’m not asking, Jeff. I’m telling you that’s what needs to happen,” Harry replies firmly, tone strong and unwavering.

Jeff is definitely taken aback by his client’s conviction. 

“While we’re on the topic, do not ever put me in a situation like you did yesterday. It affected my wife and I. And I will choose her over this career any day.”

The manager nods in surprise, “Harry, I’m sorry.”

“I’m not asking for an apology but if you ever pull something like then I’ll be looking for a new management team. Are we clear?” 

Jeff once again nods, unsure of where this is coming from but at the thought of losing his biggest client would be disastrous so he’d do whatever to accommodate him.

“Consider it done,” he tells Harry before clearing his throat in a slight panic.

—

Y/N woke up to an empty house. She was restless, she asked Harry to prove to her that he could be what she needed. However, it was a bit unfair because she didn’t know how he could do it.

It’s just…she had a baby to think about. They both needed to be put first and if it took a gnarly fight for Harry to realize it...so be it.

“Baby? Love, where are you?” She hears Harry echo through the whole house. She was sat in the kitchen, on a stool by the island, idly sorting through mail.

“In here!”

Harry jogs in, panting like he sprinted from the garage up to the kitchen. He comes to stand in front of the love of his life.

“I might have not completely fixed everything but...I tried,” Harry tells her, cradling her face in his large palms. “ I just got back from lunch with Jeff. I told him about the baby.”

He takes a deep breath before continuing, “I rescheduled tour dates so I can be with you guys at home in London for the first year. Then...maybe you guys can join me after?”

“Harry…” she’s at a loss for words.

“And I told Jeff that if he ever puts me in a situation like that again, I’m firing him.”

Y/N stares at him, in awe and admiration of the man she chose to marry and keep forever. His face was so sincere and vulnerable.

Harry didn’t know whether it would be enough. If it wasn’t he’d keep trying but all he could do was hope. He waited with bated breath as she processed his words.

“Baby, you-for me?” She murmurs as she stands up and crowds into his space. He instantly wraps her up into a tight hug, missing her touch.

“Of course, pet. I’d do anything for you, I mean it. I’d quit this whole career if you wanted tha’,” he tells her truthfully - lips brushing her forehead.

“I love you, so so much,” Y/N murmurs, pressing a kiss to his lips.

“We’re havin’ a baby,'' Harry sighs dreamily into her mouth, tongue sliding against hers. A large hand came to palm at her belly.

“Yeah, m‘having your baby,” She giggles as he begins to trail the kisses down her jaw and neck - pressing her into the marble countertop.

“Should we name it Kiwi?” Harry rasps as he slides the tank top strap off her shoulder so his lips can meet the cap of her warm shoulder.

“We are not going to be that celebrity couple who names their baby something weird,” Y/N groans as he grounds his hips into hers with intent.

THE END