#this feels more like a group project we can all fiddle with

[mpsansy]

Most monsters believe that the Balance is the simple balance of power and dominance between humans and monsters.

But this is merely part of the bigger picture. Rather, it is the Balance of Everything - Nature, Time and Space, Life and Death, Good and Evil, Light and Darkness, even Reality itself.

To protect and maintain such a Balance is no easy feat, and is a great burden to bear, especially when there are forces that could and would tip it in their favor, at the expense of others.

But is a task that Kibosh takes with utmost seriousness. Anyone or anything who threatens the Balance is a threat to be dealt with without hesitation or mercy.

(Ooh, this is some tasty work wait a moment)

It’s easy to see that word in its simplest form.

So easy.

Because no one knows it holds a greater meaning than what it lets on.

But to have its fullest context presented to you here is something astounding. Doesn’t really sound like a fun job, but when has any job been such a way?

Never.

Not once throughout all of existence. It’s a prison in of itself that is unforgiving, yet this is where Kibosh remains. Keeping the Balance not out of the sheer kindness of his heart, no. It’s an obligation that must be taken seriously. This is the position he’s held for such a long time. I doubt any soul can do a better job than he has.

This is not to brag, it is a simple fact.

No one would know what to do if they took his place. The complexities of such concepts are not so clear either. You’d need to have a completely open mind. But even then, you still wouldn’t achieve the level he’s set.

[sheeple]

In the dark of the moon

Genre(s): Strangers to friends/crushes / 6th year / I tried to make it suspensfull Fandom(s): Harry Potter Pairing(s): Blaise Zabini x Reader Summary: While on a school assignment to an astronomy table, you and Blaise get attacked by something Warning(s): It's a bit scary? / Blaise being a dickhead at first A/n: Completing all those astronomy tables in Hogwarts Legacy was such a chore. Also!! it's so DAMN HARD TO FIND A NICE GIF OF BLAISE???? WTF [Masterlist]

When you picked astronomy as a subject, you expected to learn about stars, planets and constellations. Not trekking through the forest in the dark of the night, almost stumbling over tree roots that stick out of the ground. The worst thing of all is that Professor Sinistra paired the duo's.

Blaise walks in front of you, the tip of his wand lit as he treks up the hill where the blasted table is situated. He's quite speedy and you find it hard to keep up with his long legs.

Professor Sinistra had assigned a constellation to every astronomy table. The farther away from the castle, the more difficult they are. But higher the grade. And of course, Mister Blaise 'try-hard' Zabini signed you two up for the table the furthest away in Feltcroft. FELTCROFT.

It all wasn't that bad if Blaise wasn't such a stuck-up, holier-than-thou twat. The first thing he said to you when you got paired up was; "Don't slack off. I expect you to pull your weight in this project."

And it wouldn't be as bad if you didn't have the fattest, biggest crush on him. From the first time ever you've gotten paired with him to now, you constantly feel like you're making a fool of yourself.

The trip down there wasn't that bad. You could floo flame to the west of Hogwarts Valley until you had to walk the remainder of the way. It was around half past eleven when you finally reached the astronomy table, and you collapsed across it.

Luckily it's not cloudy otherwise the whole journey would be for nothing.

"Can you not?", asks Blaise irritated as he unpacks the supplies and puts his telescope into the holder on top of the stone table.

You give him a nervous side-eye but push yourself up to a seated position. "Who's idea was it again to walk such an abysmal distance?"

Blaise glares at you but remains silent, fine-tuning the telescope. You pull out your own gear and fiddle with it, checking the notes on where the constellation should be. After a while, you hop off the table and stand next to Blaise as he starts to look around the night sky.

By now you've realised that Blaise likes to work in silence and you're bored. It's supposed to be a group effort but the Slytherin boy does all the work without giving you a chance to contribute.

"What's your favourite colour?", you ask to break the silence.

The boy looks up from the telescope and slowly turns his head towards you. You cock your head to the side as he gives you a glare. "Why do you care?"

You can't help but roll your eyes. "I'm trying to strike up a conversation, seeing as we're stuck together until we both have found it." You motion towards the sky with your hand, making dramatic circles. "So... what's your colour?"

Raising your brows, you look at him expectantly. "Blue", he answers gruffly after a beat or two, his attention back towards the sky.

It's not much, but you're happy that he answered. Should you push your luck? Yeah, most definitely. "What shade?"

Blaise looks really done with you and the silence returns. You hear crickets and off in the distance a weird sound. You turn hastily around towards where the noise came from but see nothing. It's your imagination. Let's keep it on that. Just your imagination. Totally not something lurking in the distance.

After some more silence — and you slowly creeping closer to the Slytherin boy — it's your turn to find the constellation. But it's a lot harder than you expected. You search from left to right and zoom in and back, but you can't seem to catch a glimpse of the right stars.

The boy behind you sighs in exasperation. He lets you fumble around some more before he pushes you to the side and positions the telescope right. "There. Now look."

You feel the heat travel up to your cheeks as you lean back in. You can't help but make a small noise of frustration when you still can't find it. "I'm sorry, Blaise", you say with knitted brows, looking up at him with guilty eyes, "I'm afraid I'm no good partner after all..."

In the warm light of the torches, it almost seems like the harshness of his face relaxes a bit. "Here... If you just..." He motions for you to lean in towards the telescope and you do so.

Blaise moves close to you and with hesitant hands moves your head so you're positioned right and finally you see the constalation. "I see it! I see it! Is that Cassiopeia or-"

You excitedly turn your head to the side and your nose just barely mises Blaise's. Two pairs of wide eyes meet each other and you quickly look back through the peephole. From the corner of your eyes, you see him quickly take a step back and adjust the collar of his sweater.

"It's Lacerta", you whisper quietly, jotting it down on a piece of parchment with a quick sketch next to it.

Nothing more is said as the two of you pack up your things and slowly make your way downwards the slippery hill and onto the road back to school.

As you pass through a particular thick bit of forest, a shiver runs up your spine and you clutch the straps of your backpack tighter. "Blaise", you whisper, "I've got a weird feeling like we're being watched."

His eyes dart around and he slows in his steps so he's closer to you, his wand at the ready. He hums, a hand reaching out and pulling you behind him.

Suddenly, a howling way too close for your liking is heard behind you and a pair of glowing eyes reflect in the moonlight.

Taking slow steps back, Blaise grabs your hand and pulls you along with him as he breaks out in a sprint.

You can hardly keep up with his long legs. Stumbling over tree branches sticking out of the ground and whatnot, Blaise never lets go of your hand. Until you step into an unseen hole and a sickening crunch is heard followed by immense pain. You cry out and reach for your leg, seeing your shin bend at an odd angle.

You half expect Blaise to leave you behind. But instead, he whisks around and with an elegant flick of his wand, sends the wolf — who was closing onto you dangerously quick — crashing into a tree with a red flash and knocking it out cold.

A second one from behind you grows and starts to sprint towards the two of you. This was an ambush. Of course, wolves always hunt in packs.

In all your pain, you find a small amount of adrenaline to crawl away and kick the wolf in its face. Teeth manage to take hold of your ankle and it drags you away. It shakes you, making you wail in pain.

Blaise hears your cry and his heart drops. Frantic eyes meet his own and he doesn't hesitate for a moment. With full force, he runs towards the wolf and throws his weight against the animal.

The wolf lets go of you as its focus is entirely on Blaise. Teeth snarles, and it licks his lips. Blaise mirrors the wolf and bares his teeth, a low growl coming from deep within his chest.

Your arms buckle because of the pain just in time for Blaise to send an electrifying shock through the air, rendering the other one unconscious.

He rushes towards you, dropping to his knees and you can just see wild eyes scanning your entire body and his lips moving to yell something. Your head lulls to the side and through the thick of the trees, the last thing you see is the moon disappearing behind clouds.

When you come through, you are lying in a hospital cot. The sterile smell of the Hospital Wing itches your nose and you sneeze. A call of your name makes you turn your head towards the side where Blaise raises his head from his arms, a worried look on his face.

A groan escapes your lips as you try to sit up. A dull ache in your leg makes you turn back the covers and watch how your toes wiggle effortlessly and the almost perfectly healed shin — safe for a red line where the break was — makes you raise your eyebrows.

"Wha-what happened? How did we get back?" You turn towards Blaise, who looks, for lack of better words, almost guilty.

"I... I carried you towards Feldcrofd and asked someone to apparate us as close as possible to the school. How are you feeling?" He lays an instinctive hand upon yours and you swallow, the cold of him seeping into your burning skin.

"Fine... I think. And you?"

Blaise hums and the two of you sit in silence next to each other. Happy that you've survived it.

"Do you-"

"Thank you-"

The two of you speak at the same time and can't help but laugh. He motions for you to speak first.

"Thank you, Blaise. If it wasn't for you I wouldn't be alive right now."

"If it wasn't for me you wouldn't be here right now." His face hardens and he looks away.

You can't help yourself but reach out and grab his hand, watching how he stiffens before looking back at you. You want to pull away but he takes a firm hold of your hand, pulling it closer to himself. Surprising a smile, you look up at him and have to bite your lip as a red hue tints his cheeks.

He mumbles something which you don't get. You cock your head to the side and ask him to repeat himself.

"Gooutwithme", he blurts out, still not looking at you.

This time you can't help to giggle, which makes Blaise turn his head towards you. At first, there is a look of betrail on his face. But as soon as he catches your bashful look, he softens.

"I would love to", you smile, squeezing his hand.

A wide and radiant smile forms on his lips — a rare sight — before he coughs and tries to conceal it. "Great... Great."

The two of you keep sitting like that in silence, smiling and grinning at each other, before Madam Pomfrey ushers Blaise out of the Hospital Wing under the excuse of you needing your rest.

Before Blaise disappears through the exit, he looks one last time at you and gives you a wave. You return it and can't keep the smile on your face.

Gods. You can't wait for your date. As long as it's not in the forest.

[emeritusemeritus]

Can we ever just be friends? [Fred Weasley x Reader]

Title: Can we ever just be friends?

Pairing: Fred Weasley x Gryffindor!Reader, Platonic!George x Reader.

Timeline: Non-Specified, though I envisioned GOF era Fred (the long hair has a chokehold on me)

Summary: Can boys and girls ever be friends without wanting to shag? Ginny wants to know.

Warnings: Mentions of shagging? Slightly possessive Fred? Just a silly little drabble.

“Dean tried to kiss me!” Ginny says with a roll of her eyes as she plonks herself down next to you on the couch in the common room. It was a boring Saturday afternoon at school with no Hogsmeade trip planned and so you were wasting time in the common room with your group of friends.

Hermione was sat on one of the armchairs reading, Harry and Ron were in a fierce battle of wizard’s chess sat around the wooden coffee table, their board and pieces littered all around. Your best friends George and Fred were sat on the floor near your feet, fiddling with some new experiment they were working on whilst you read your muggle book in relative piece.

You turned to Ginny with a confused look, sensing her displeasure at the fact Dean had tried to kiss her.

“I thought you liked Dean?” You asked, placing down your book.

“I like him as a friend,” she huffed, “but I thought we were friends, not anything more.” You hummed in reply, understanding what she was saying.

“What’s the issue?” Ron asks, confused. She huffs again and rolls her eyes at her brother’s cluelessness.

“I thought we were just friends, he was nice to me, all this time we’ve spent and he was just a slimeball the entire time! Boys are so frustrating!”

“Woah woah!” George says, trying to defend himself from being lumped together just by his sex, “we’re not all slimeballs.”

You fix him with a look of suspicion, knowing for a fact he was not above slimeball level and he merely sarcastically smiles back at you.

“Oh really?” Ginny says, not believing him one bit. “We’ve been best friends with y/n for years, haven’t made a move on her yet,” George says and you roll your eyes, holding up your middle finger at him.

“So you really think boys and girls can be best friends without wanting to shag each other?” She asks, still not convinced.

“Yes,” George says, nodding.

“No,” Fred says absently, realising a moment later that he’d said that out loud as he looked at you with slightly wide eyes at his outburst. You’re frozen as you look back at him, your own features conveying your surprise.

George coughs, trying to ease the sudden tension but it only seems to increase the awkwardness as you and Fred stare at each other.

“I’m gonna say no too,” you admit, smirking at Fred who bursts out into a smile, a light blush tickling his cheeks. He recovers quickly and shoots you a wink before turning back to his project, each of you following his lead as you try to carry on like normal once again, ignoring the elephant in the room.

“Oh thank god,” George says sarcastically, turning to you, “now we can shag without me feeling like a slimeball.”

He’s immediately hit in the back of the head by his slightly older twin brother as you laugh.

“Get your own best friend to want to shag, she’s mine,” Fred mumbles, “I hear Lee’s free if you need someone.”

[papermonkeyism]

I think I'm finally starting to recover, after a few years of artistic dry season.

The plague was a big hit, then losing my job and finally my social life collapsing once my IRL DnD group basically disbanded pretty much destroyed what creative juiced I had always lived on up to that point, and it's been HARD to just not having any desire to be creative or do anything.

But now that I have a job again, and have had it for long enough my bank account is stable, and having been adopted into a new DnD group that's active both in-game (weekly game sessions!) and outside of it (we actually talk and communicate generally as well! It's mostly online, but it's still more than I've had in years), I have started to feel more like myself again. That, and the brain meds. I can't overstate how big it is that my default doesn't have to be brain fog anymore.

Like, I'm doing evening doodles again? I'm actually having fun thinking up creatures and characters and plots again? I stopped carrying my sketchbook and pencil case with me everywhere I went during my dry stint of nothing, but now I actually feel like I'm missing it when I don't have it on me at times, like during coffee shop visits.

And I kinda... want to MAKE a thing again.

(Just thinking out loud again, pay no mind.)

I miss having a Project.

Jumping back into making fully plotted out comic feels a bit too much at this stage, though, so I probably won't dedicate myself wholely to something of that scale.

I don't know what exactly will be the final shape of Arcanth's eventual thing, but I'm currently enjoying myself in the fiddly worldbuilding stage. (And just so you know, in the slight off chance that I might maybe pick Wurr back up again some day, I probably won't tell you about it. After all this time and all the messages I've gotten, I don't trust you guys with that one anymore. Even if I would eventually get back to posting it online, it won't happen untill I have a full year's worth of buffer and that would still be a loooooooong way from now even IF I got back to it full time, and I still have that day job besides anyway.)

But what if...

I think an art book or a zine or something might be more achievable at this point.

I feel like the dinosaur project thingy needs some more fiddling with its eventual format (I know I already have enough concept doodles to fill a zine on its own, but I crave an excuse to go ham with watercolors and make full illustrations), but it's one option I still want to make eventually.

And I kinda want to do a slight redesign for the Singing People. (I bought a skull replica a while ago that had narrower snout than how I had drawn them. And I know it doesn't matter that much, and I can always invoke artistic licence and "they aren't necessarily supposed to be any specific real life dinosaur species, it could always go with the 'undiscovered' route if I feel like it and the Troodon/Stenonychosaurus material is super fragmentary anyway", but I'm pretty sure it would bother me anyway if I didn't at least try it out and see how it looked.)

Though I think I got an idea about what to do with Entica!

Those of you who've been here a while know that one started out as my pandemic project. The world had just shut down along with my job warehouse, things were still new and uncertain, and I suddenly had so much free time and not much to sink my creative juices into, and I wanted something low pressure to do.

So I dug up an old setting from my teenage years two decades ago, gave it a facelift, threw out my teenage baggage and just ran wild. No planning, no plot, just art.

The "no planning" part did get back to bite me when the morbs eventually hit and I finally ran out of the creative juices, but that's still a lot of very good material, right there, ready to use.

But I just thought of a new framing device that would work with the already existing material AND give the character more of a goal and agency to make plotting more fun! And I think I like it.

Instead of a random scribe with no background from a place I didn't bother designing who just wants to see the world, Didor now works for a library that has sent her on a mission [to document something and/or take a message to *place*]. She still wants to see the world, but now she has a background, goal and a motive to do so!

And instead of just hanging around at Maaro's cart while Maaro does her own unrelated thing, Maaro is actively helping in her goal! While also doing her job.

I feel that having Didor be on a field work mission would give it more structure while not having to technically retcon anything already existing, and gives more solid excuse to do things than "random encounter number 82" would. Also potential reasons for further adventures ("While you're already out there, could you maybe also do X on the way?")

Also I want to insert nawani in it earlier. I didn't even have them as part of the setting untill psrt way through, and I want to show them off more.

Maybe a travel journal, perhaps?

[murdrdocs]

you should totally write another enemies to lovers w ethan but like fem!reader and him get paired into a project we’re they have to take care of an egg together as if it were a baby? (like those cheesy movies LMFAO) and maybe they constantly argue about it and even try to convince their teacher to get paired into different groups but they’re forced to work together. then one night, reader has been taking care of the egg all day, she decides to go to ethan’s apartment but as soon as she leaves her apartment building she gets a call from ethan!gf (to mess w her) and at that point she’s just running to ethan’s apartment and yeah you can do the rest.

description. you're paired with ethan landry for a silly, 2000s-esque 'baby project', forced to reckon with the troubles of parenthood, and your inconsiderate feelings towards the brown haired boy.

includes. GN!reader, allusions to sex but no smut, reader curses a lot, chad's here :D

word count: 1.6k+

a/n: im so sorry it took me so long to write this but its here now :) also i changed this a bit just bc here we have the fake babies that cry and stuff and it adds drama yk and this was not supposed to be this long but enjoy nonetheless (also x2 this isn't proofread at all and it's written like an extended blurb)

anytime you said your life "was a movie" you were never serious. which is because before ending up in this class, life for you was nothing but usual teenage and young adult endeavors; parties, hanging out, spending entirely too much money.

but now, your life literally is a movie. an early 2000s movie that the production shouldn't have greenlit because it desperately flopped in the theatres and digital release, only to become a cult classic 20 years later.

however, you're stuck in that flopping at box office point, coming in the form of being assigned a project where you had to take care of an egg, then a fake baby, in a class you shouldn't have been in in the first place, and being paired with ethan landry out of all people.

you don't have anything against ethan per se, but you don't like him either. on a scale of dislike, neutral, and like, you're in the lower end of neutral with your feelings towards ethan.

he wasn't a horrible guy, but he just reminded you of the guys back home. the ones that were always unnecessarily rude and help "opinions" that were really just hate speech waiting to be turned into hate crimes. and sure, he hadn't done anything in particular to be compared to those people, but you're better off being safe than sorry.

you're sitting across from him now, a brown egg sitting between you two, and your eyes switching from glaring at the egg to glaring at ethan.

"so ... how do you wanna do the schedule?" ethan asks, fiddling with the sticker on his smoothie cup.

your glare intensifies and you sit back in your seat, crossing your arms over your chest. "i want you to know that i don't wanna do this with you."

ethan looks slightly shocked by your blunt statement, which infuriates you more. and then he says, "...okay?" like he doesn't care. asshole.

you decide to be the bigger person, taking a deep breath before you continue speaking. "okay."

it's silent for a few moments. "now that we have that cleared up, how do you wanna do the schedule?"

you and ethan decide on who should take care of the egg-baby for the first week, until you upgrade to a fake baby. that night when you go home, you send an email that is a mix between begging and demanding your professor to switch your partner.

the week was fine. it could've been better if your professor switched your partner, and if you didn't have to communicate with ethan landry more than you would have ever wanted to. but apparently, people can't always get what they want.

by the first class the following week, 3 groups have broken their egg and failed the first half of the assignment. you sit and listen to your professor lecture each and every one of you about the importance of good child care, and how taking care of the egg was the easy part. as she hands out doll babies in a carrier, and understand how lifelike the not-toy is, you start to realize just how much harder this is going to be.

"who would've known blackmore had this sort of money." chad marvels at the doll in the stroller. he has his hands on his bent knees, his brown eyes shifting to notice every detail about the doll in the stroller.

"it fucking knows how much time each of us spends with it, chad," you complain through a mouthful of burrito bowl contents. you have a little time alone since ethan had class, so you took the time to take yourself, and amelia/janice (you and ethan couldn't agree on a name) to the dining hall for lunch with chad.

"just spend time with ethan. i do it everyday."

your eyes roll so hard that you have to pause and hold a hand to your head. "easier said than done."

chad laughs a bit, sitting down in the seat across from you once again and starting to dig into his own burrito bowl.

"what's your problem with him anyway?"

"oh don't even get me started–" but he did get you started. you detail all of the things that deems ethan to be insufferable in your eyes. his abercrombie model body, his nerdy persona, his "well actually" moments, his need to correct everyone, the way he seems like he actually hates tara and sam, his not-so-subtle superiority complex. chad stops you whenever you start to mention his hair.

"just sounds to me like you're hiding your true feelings behind anger."

you don't have a response, instead opting to check your email to see your professor sending a third denial to switch partners.

you're thinking of a way you can convince her whenever ethan texts you.

'my shift? '

"gotta go," you tell chad, sliding him your tray to dispose of with a grin, feeding him an excuse about being a "busy parent now" whenever he tries to argue.

okay, truth be told, ethan landry wasn't that bad. he offered to take up shifts whenever you even alluded to being stressed about other things, he offered to buy you meals in return for watching amelia/janice for an extra half hour. he seemed like he both cared about passing this project, and you.

"just so you know, i also tried to switch partners," ethan admits with just a hint of shame in his voice, and a light pink tint to his cheeks. but you don't know if that's from his confession or the alcohol in his system.

it's the end to another grueling week taking care of amelia (ethan let janice go) and you decided to celebrate by opening a bottle of wine. you were feeling oddly good that whole week, so whenever ethan came over to drop amelia off, you invited him in for a drink.

which turned into two. which turned into a late night kitchen makeout session.

the alcohol was obviously hindering your thinking abilities because not only were you pressing ethan landry back against your counter with your body and letting his hands roam all over your figure while he kissed you, you also pulled back and stared at him wildly to ask, "wait, amelia's down for the night right?"

ethan smiles big, playing along, "yeah, she's down for the night".

his hands find the end of your shirt and the slide underneath to feel the warmth of your skin. your room was occupied by your daughter, but your roommates were out for the night and the couch was available.

you let ethan lead you there and decide that yeah, ethan landry isn't that bad.

this, is the climactic point in the film. it's so cliché that you can predict the next moments, and you don't like them.

you were walking from your apartment to ethan's, preparing to drop amelia off for ethan to take care of now that he was out of econ. you've done this same walk safely many times before, so you weren't worried about yourself at all. you had your headphones on, playing music at a low volume just in case, and there were only a few minutes left in your walk. when your phone rang, you didn't think much of it. you answered it without checking your phone, a chirpy "hello?" being your greeting.

the voice on the other hand was unrecognizable. "hello." he said it like a statement, not a question, as if he had an upper hand.

"who is this?"

"i'm ... an admirer."

a chill runs through your body and you quicken your pace. "okay? what's your name?" you're looking around, searching for people on the street to witness something just in case. but there's only 2 to 3 people walking at this late hour. what are the fucking odds.

"i go by many names. some people call me the boogey man, others their worst nightmare." he speaks slowly, methodically, with a smooth tone, a direct contrast from the fast shakiness in your voice.

"oh, yeah? why do they call you that?"

"because ... i'm known for gutting people like a fish."

you don't say anything, going to reach for your phone and hangup instead. which, you do. you hand shakes as you go to call ethan instead, but before you can click on his contact you're getting a call from him.

"ethan? thank god, i was just about to call you. some fucking weirdo called me and he was freaking me the fuck out but i'm almost at your pla–"

"you think i'm a weirdo?" the same voice.

you glance down at ethan's contact, blinking, making sure you didn't read it wrong. but it's right.

"... ethan?" you ask softly, your heart thudding intensely behind your chest.

"yes?"

"is that you?"

"uh-huh."

fucking asshole.

"you fucking asshole." the entrance to ethan's apartment building is in sight now, as is the boy himself, standing in front of the building with his phone held in one hand, and a white object in the other. the closer you get, the bigger his smile gets, and the narrower your glare gets.

you stop in front of him, shoving the stroller into his foot and pushing at his chest for good measure. "you fucking asshole!" you repeat, as if he hadn't heard you the first time.

ethan laughs, he cackles, like he just told the best joke in history. the dial tone of ethan ending the call is barely heard over the blood rushing in your ears.

"c'mon, babe," ethan tilts his head as he pockets his phone and the white object. his hands reach for you, and you flinch away the first time, but the second time you let him rest his hands on your waist and pull you into him. he places a kiss on your forehead, then your nose, before pressing a soft kiss to your lips.

"i fucking hate you." there's no bite behind your bark.

"yet you decided to have a baby with me."

stupid fucking assignment.

[yana-bananai]

Carlos de Vil had always been the nervous one in the group, but today, something about him seemed different. He kept fidgeting with his gloves, glancing at you from across the courtyard in Auradon Prep. His usual confidence when it came to inventions or gadgets seemed to have faded whenever you were around, and it was kind of adorable.

You caught his eye and shot him a smile, watching as his pale cheeks flushed slightly. You’d known Carlos for a while now, ever since he and the other VKs arrived at Auradon, but you couldn’t deny that your feelings for him had grown into something more over time. The way he cared for others, his intelligence, and even his cute awkwardness—all of it made him so endearing.

“Hey,” Carlos greeted as he finally made his way over to you, hands tucked into his jacket pockets. “What’s up?”

You leaned against the stone wall, trying to hide the grin that threatened to spread across your face. “Not much. Just enjoying the weather. You?”

Carlos scratched the back of his head, looking a bit sheepish. “Same. Well, kind of. I’ve been working on this project for school, but my brain’s all over the place today.”

“Maybe I could help?” you offered, stepping closer. “Or maybe you just need a break. We could go for a walk, clear your head a bit.”

He blinked, clearly caught off guard by the suggestion, but you saw the way his eyes lit up slightly at the idea. “Yeah, actually, that sounds… really nice.”

You smiled, gesturing for him to follow you as the two of you strolled through the lush gardens of Auradon Prep. The sky was a perfect blue, and the breeze was gentle, carrying the faint scent of flowers in the air. It was peaceful, a far cry from the chaos of the Isle of the Lost where Carlos grew up.

For a while, you both walked in comfortable silence, enjoying the calm atmosphere. But you could tell something was on Carlos’s mind—he kept glancing at you out of the corner of his eye, like he wanted to say something but didn’t quite know how.

Finally, you decided to break the silence. “You’ve been kind of quiet today. Everything okay?”

Carlos stopped walking for a moment, fiddling with the edge of his sleeve as he gathered his thoughts. “Yeah, it’s just… there’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you, but I don’t know how to say it.”

Your heart skipped a beat. The nervousness in his voice was clear, but so was the sincerity. You stepped closer, gently nudging him with your shoulder. “Hey, whatever it is, you can tell me. You know that, right?”

He looked at you, and for a moment, you saw that familiar flicker of uncertainty in his eyes—the same look he got when he was unsure of himself. But then he took a deep breath, his gaze steadying as he met yours.

“I really like you,” Carlos blurted out, his voice soft but firm. “Like… a lot. And I know I’m probably being awkward, but I wanted to tell you because I’ve been thinking about it for a while, and, well… I just wanted you to know.”

You stared at him for a second, processing his words. Your heart swelled with warmth, and you couldn’t help the smile that spread across your face. “Carlos,” you said softly, stepping even closer, “you’re not being awkward at all. I like you too. A lot.”

Carlos blinked, his eyes widening in surprise, as if he hadn’t fully expected you to feel the same. But then, a relieved smile slowly spread across his face, and the nervous energy around him seemed to melt away.

“Really?” he asked, his voice filled with hope.

“Really,” you confirmed, taking his hand in yours. “I’ve been waiting for you to say something.”

He let out a soft laugh, clearly a bit embarrassed but happy nonetheless. “Well, I’m glad I finally did.”

You smiled and, without overthinking it, leaned in to press a soft kiss to his cheek. His skin was warm beneath your lips, and when you pulled back, his face was a deep shade of red.

“I’ve been wanting to do that for a while,” you admitted, grinning at the sight of his flustered expression.

Carlos chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. “I, uh… I wouldn’t mind if you did it again sometime.”

“Good to know,” you teased, squeezing his hand.

As the two of you continued your walk, hand in hand, the tension that had been there before was replaced by a new kind of warmth—one that left both of you smiling like lovestruck fools. For the first time, it felt like everything was falling into place, and you couldn’t be happier to share that moment with Carlos.

--

[aloneinthehellfire]

Chapter Eleven: Once Bitten

Gates Of Hell Masterlist

Word Count: 7.3k

Warnings: swearing, violence, horror, family issues

[A/N: Okay, I lied when I said this would be the last chapter because I hated the first draft and decided to alter everything so now we get some extra time with our favourite enemies to... we'll see ;)]

Once Bitten

April 3rd, 1985 Morning of The Apocalypse

The alarm startled you, heart racing as you reach over and smack it silent.

You had been led down staring at the ceiling for a while now, waking up earlier than you intended to. That faceless thing was in your nightmares again, grey claws ripping into you before you woke up in a fit of sweat. You didn’t cry this time. That was promising.

The ‘support group’ Hopper was sending you to wasn’t helping anything. They expected you to talk about drugs, an addiction you apparently had two years ago, so that they could treat you like a project. You only attended because you were sick of feeling crazy. Hopper didn’t believe you. Hell, you didn’t believe you.

It took all of 20 minutes to get ready, stuffing your backpack with textbooks you’d be ignoring. But you had to look the part, to convince your father that you were trying.

As you slip out of your room, the familiar smell of Eggos filled the air. El pretty much refused to eat anything else for breakfast.

“Y/n.” El’s small voice calls out, her now shoulder-length hair swinging as she peels her eyes away from the TV.

“Hey.” You smile, dropping your bag and joining her on the couch. “You seem cheery.”

“Uh-huh.” She nods and you notice she has her hands behind her back. “Hopper got me a present.”

“Really?” You raise an eyebrow, amused. El was an easy kid to please, but she looked much more excited than she has before.

“Do you wanna see?” She asks and you laugh.

“Obviously.”

Another smile and she brings her hands around towards you, curling them into fists and stretching out her arms. You laugh again at her actions, shaking your head.

“What am I meant to-” You begin before your voice catches in your throat. Something blue was staring back at you, adding salt to an ever-growing wound consuming you. “Is that…”

“Hopper’s band.” El says as if she’s repeating it from practice, fiddling with it. “He said I was important. I’m going to take good care of it.”

Tears were already pooling in your eyes before you had even assessed the situation. Your little sister’s hairband now wrapped around the wrist of a girl you had only met a year ago. The last remaining part of your sister given to a stranger she’d never known. Hopper gave El something so important to you like it was nothing.

“Okay, I’m heading out soon.” Hopper announces as he steps out of the bathroom, fixing his hat. It was the only room with a mirror, a luxury if you woke up early enough. “Y/n, you ready to go?”

You don’t respond and he turns to where you and El sit together, frowning.

“Y/n?”

“How could you?” You whisper out and El looks up surprised. Looking into her eyes, you take a deep breath before forcing a smile. “Hey, could you go to my room for a little bit? I wanna talk to Hopper. You can go through my comics again.”

He tenses at the mention of his name rather than ‘dad’, but you ignore it.

“Okay.” El nods hesitantly, slipping off the couch and disappearing to her room. You should have waited for the click of the door closing, but you were unaware she’d be following the rules; leave the door open three inches at all times.

“Did you give El the hair band?” You stand up to face him and shoulders relax, taking a breath. It looked like he was expecting this conversation, running a hand down his face as he takes a step towards you.

“I did.” He admits softly, meeting your eyes.

“Why?” You shake your head slowly with blurry vision. “Why would you do that?”

“Because she’s our family now.” He starts, frowning in attempt to think through his words. Hopper had never been good at expressing how he felt. “It felt right.”

“It felt right?” You repeat, struggling to not raise your voice. There was an indescribable pain building in your chest that made you want to scream, to cry and sob until it washed away. “Replacing Sara feels right?”

Hopper’s face falls. “I’m not replacing her.”

“I sure feels like it.” The first tear slips down and you angrily wipe it away, letting your hand point to your bedroom door. “You can’t just treat her like a second chance!”

“I’m not.” He says calmly, too calm for your liking. “Let’s just take a breath.”

“Do not tell me I’m crazy.” You warn, voice cracking and destroying your attempt at steadiness. “Ever since you brought her here, it’s like you completely forgot Sara ever existed!”

“I can never forget.” He raises his voice now, ever so slightly to ensure you knew he was serious. “I think about her every single day. But we can’t just keep holding onto the past-”

“She wasn’t some kind of pet, she was real! Family!” You cry, stepping forward with a frown. “She was my sister, your daughter, and you’re just throwing her away! That hair band is all we have left!”

“And now it is safe!” He shouts before exhaling. He turns around to recollect himself, speaking softly. “Do you know how long it has taken me to look at it with anything but guilt? Sara… her memory can now be protected by someone that deserves it.”

“A stranger?! El didn’t know her!” You sob. It was uncontrollable now, your rage. It came from a darker place, one you hadn’t visited in a while. It was frightening to know you could feel this kind of fury. “What about me?! Am I not worthy enough to take care of my sister?”

“That’s not-” He turns back around, holding a hand out before pulling away with it in a fist. “We can’t talk about this while you’re…”

“Acting up?” You scoff. You needed to get out of here, clear your mind. It felt like there was this weight pushing harder and harder on your lungs. If you stood here any longer, you were afraid you would be crushed completely.

So, you march straight over to your bag, slipping it onto one shoulder and pushing past Hopper.

“Hey!” He calls out as you make it to the door, angrily snapping open the multiple locks Hopper had installed. “Don’t walk away!”

As your trembling fingers catch the last metal rig, you rest your head against the door.

“If you wanted a new family, you should’ve said so.” You say lowly, refusing to face him. When he doesn’t speak, you slide the last barrier and hear the familiar click as you turn the doorknob.

“We both lost her, Y/n.”

Just as you pull the door open, you’re frozen. He sounded tired, broken. Like he was done fighting with you this time.

“I know we haven’t spoken about it.” He continues, his voice hoarse. You could hear his boots clumping against the ground as he slowly tries to close the distance. “But I’m here-”

“Don’t bother.” You interrupt, turning around. Tears were staining your cheeks. You never truly met his eyes, fixated on the bridge of his nose because you knew if you didn’t, you wouldn’t be able to win this argument. Why did you care about winning?

“You’ve been nothing but a- a shit father to me ever since she died! Like you don’t even like me!” You yell, hoping it’ll keep him away from you. He looks a little startled, but he doesn’t speak a word. And then those fears are rising to the surface, slipping out of your mouth before you could stop them. “Sometimes I wonder if you wish it were me that died instead.”

It was like his heart was visibly shattering, dawning his expression with pain. “Y/n-”

“I’m leaving.” You cut him off, swinging open the door and stepping outside, unable to resist turning around just one last time. “I’m glad you’ve finally found a daughter you can love.”

And with that, you slam the door shut, moving through the maze of the alarm system like second nature. You expected to hear the door open again, the thump of wooden floorboards beneath a sorry father’s weight, the familiar shout of forgiveness carrying in the wind.

It stayed silent, as quiet as the tears that dripped down your cheeks. He wasn’t coming after you this time. You’d finally won.

But what did you really win?

Steve visibly buffers as his eyes keep darting between you and Billy. He hated how you smiled at eachother like you were passing secret notes with your eyes. He hated it so much he couldn’t resist blurting out the first thing in his mind.

“How do you know eachother?” Steve questions, a frown permanently staining his delicate features as his eyes flicker between you and Billy. It was unsettling. More than unsettling. Worlds colliding in a heaping pile of flames.

“Oh, we go way back.” Billy replies suggestively, smirking at how uncomfortable Steve looked. “What’s the matter, Harrington? Not expecting that?”

Your worn expression of unamused proportions flickers between the two as they inch closer. Steve looked like he wanted to throw a punch, whilst Billy looked intentionally smug about it.

“I sense I’ve missed something.” You decide, looking to Robin as she threw a dirty look to the boy clad in denim. “Okay, calm down, no one’s trying to kill eachother.”

“That’s not what happened last time.” Steve spat, still glaring at Billy. Your eyes widen.

“Huh?” You prompt, a flash of unrecognisable guilt in Billy’s features before he’s smirking again.

“Old times.” Billy’s vague answer doesn’t settle the bubble of anxiety you feel in your stomach.

“Why are you here?” Robin glares and your brows shoot up. You knew she didn’t like him but you didn’t expect the scowl on her face to hold such anger.

“That lot was practically dragging Max out the house.” He nods in the direction of the Party, their heads lowered as they share in a hushed discussion, completely oblivious to the older kids. “Didn’t have enough room in the chief’s car so I drove us here.”

“I didn’t see your car.” You frown and he purses his lips.

“It… blew up.”

Steve snorts, not even trying to hide it.

“Damn monsters.” Billy throws a pointed glare before returning back to you. “I actually volunteered to go down to the flippity thing.”

“Upside down.” Robin scoffs, crossing her arms like she had more knowledge of the situation than the blonde boy in front of her.

“Whatever.” He dismisses, resting a hand on his hip. He smirks at you. “Figured I got nothing better to do.”

Steve couldn’t have rolled his eyes harder. Here Billy was, acting like this mission he probably heard about two minutes ago was merely an errand to run. He could try all he wanted, he would never be the hero he’s pretending to be. Never.

“Okay, listen up.”

Hopper strides back into the room, glancing to you with a smile which you feebly return, wanting to curl up in a ball. You still felt embarrassed about your outburst.

“Joyce and I are gonna come up with a plan. We need to work on both sides here, someone manning communications while others help El try and find this… thing we’re looking for. Nothing can go wrong here.” He addresses the whole room, a few nods on determined faces. “If Y/n’s right, and something else is out there controlling these gates, we’ll put an end to this for good.”

And if she’s wrong, she’s going to put everyone in danger they don’t deserve, you think, tightening your lips.

“Mike, Lucas, I’ll need a quick count on provisions. I don’t want us being in there any longer than a few hours but we need to be prepared.” He instructs, the two boys determinedly running off to carry out their duties. “Dustin make sure those radios are ready and fully charged.”

“Aye, aye, captain.” Dustin salutes, swiping some batteries from the table before sauntering off into the next room.

“Will, Max, we’ll need at least two backpacks.” Hopper suggests and they nod, sending a quick look to eachother and disappearing into the sleeping quarters.

“As for now, Nancy I need you here so we can strategise.” He says and the girl looks confident as she walks up to the table, peering at the worn map covering the wooden inches. Hopper glances up. “You too, Billy.”

“I guess I’ll catch you later.” Billy winks at you, suddenly adopting a whole new persona as he respectively smiles at Hopper when joining the planning circle, even going as far as shaking his hand. Steve frowns. It’s weird. Very weird.

Robin sounds a hum and you turn to look at her. “Well. Since we got out of homework, what say we go relax-”

“Can you guys go on patrol?” Jonathan’s voice interrupts and you all glance over to where he was walking over, still pressing an ice pack to his head. “I’m meant to be doing it now with Nancy but she’s busy and I’m…”

“Concussed?” You tilt your head as he smiles weakly. “Been there. Of course we will.”

“Thanks.” He sighs gratefully, sending a reassuring nod to Joyce as her worried eyes follow him around the room.

“Great.” Robin claps her hand, smiling up at you both. “You guys have fun.”

“Wha-” You pout as she tries to walk away, your arm immediately reaching out and pulling her back. “Nuh-uh, you’re coming with me.”

“Do I have to?” She whines and you send her a look, one she’s only ever seen when you’re desperately needing an alibi. “Jeez, fine, whatever. Who doesn’t love the thrill of potentially getting your face ripped off in the morning?”

“That’s a… vivid image.” Steve twists his face in a grimace as you drop your shoulders. Robin is already surveying the weapons table when he leans closer to you. “She doesn’t have to come with us. I’m sure we can handle it.”

“Um…” You take a look at her, circling through all the different responses in your head. “No, I… I want her to come with us. If this apocalypse doesn’t end anytime soon, I just want her to know how to protect herself, maybe be a little more confident.”

Steve frowns as he watches you walk over to Robin, seemingly explaining which items would prove best in a fight. He felt a little twinge of disappointment when you didn’t want to go with him alone. After that talk, you opening up to him about something so personal, he assumed… he wasn’t sure what he was assuming.

“Wanna tell me why I’m your get out of jail free card?” Robin raises her brow and your lips tighten, reaching for a heavy knife and inspecting it. “Woah, okay, don’t tell me, message received.”

“What? No.” You shake your head, putting it back down. “I just want to help you be a little less scared, that’s all. We need to be prepared.”

“Uh-huh.” She sounds unconvinced, hand hovering over a pistol but you simply shake your head and she grabs the next item on the table. “The hell is this?”

You look down and widen your eyes. “Oh, Robs, be careful, that’s a-”

Her finger accidentally settles on a trigger and a jolt of electricity crackles loudly, a little too close to your hand and you jump back. It falls from her hand as she yelps, looking like a child that had been caught playing with their mother’s makeup. She notices the concerned looks from her peers in the room.

“My bad.” She raises her hand apologetically before reaching down at carefully picking the taser back up. She looks to you with a grimace. “Did I get you?”

“No, Robs. You get me, you fry me alive.” You breathe out, checking your hand. “Maybe we should teach you how to use that.”

“Perfect time, right?” Steve comments, leaning past you for his bat and you try to ignore how your heart rate increases when he’s close to you. “As long as you don’t tase us or yourself, I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

“Yeah, give the clumsiest girl on the planet electricity, what could go wrong?” She expresses, but she takes the taser and turns her back to stomp her way up the stairs.

Steve can’t help but laugh, hand on his hip. “It should be interesting.”

When you don’t respond, he looks down at you just in time to see you look away, clearing your throat.

“Uh, yeah. Totally. We should, uh, we should follow.” You blurt out, swiping the knife and nodding. “Ready to go?”

“Yeah.” He says with a suspicious smile, amused at the way you’re avoiding his eyes. What were you hiding?

“Y/n.” Hopper calls out, ending a conversation with Joyce with a gentle pat of her shoulder and walking over to you, extending his hand to show you his keys. “The tank needs filling up, there should be some gas by the door.”

“Got it.” You smile, taking his keys, but he doesn’t bid farewell. “Anything else?”

“Just…” He sighs, frowning. “You shouldn’t have any problems, but the minute something is wrong- even just feels off-”

“We’ll be fine, dad.” You reassure, his lips flickering beneath his moustache at a name he hadn’t heard in a while.

“I know you will, kid.” He says as you jingle the keys and stuff them into the pocket of your hoodie, walking up the stairs to find Robin.

Steve goes to follow until a hand is on his shoulder, redirecting him back to Hopper’s stare.

“Don’t let anything happen to her.” His words aren’t a warning, rather a plea. Steve nods.

“I wouldn’t dream of it.” Steve nods, and he meant every word.

“So, why am I your Steve buffer?” Robin asks, practically jumping out behind you when you reached the next landing.

“Fuck, where did you come from?” You hold your hand to your heart, taking a breath.

“You. Harrington.” She narrows her eyes and you roll your own. “Don’t think I didn’t pick up on what’s going on here.”

“Yeah, just like you picked up on Miss Click’s secret affair with Dan Shelter?” You point out, her lips tightening.

“That was the only time I have ever been wrong.” She defends, crossing her arms. “It’s not like it hurt anybody.”

You scrunch up your face. “She almost got fired.”

“But she didn’t.”

“Yeah, because I took the blame so you wouldn’t get in trouble.” You remind her and she relaxes her shoulders, looking a little guilty. “Hey, not your fault, I wanted to do that.”

“You got detention because of me.” She said a little quietly and you let out a chuckle.

“Robs, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but that was like two years ago-”

“Not then.” Robin corrects and your face drops. “If you hadn’t… if I just… you would have been okay. And you wouldn’t have had to survive the apocalypse with a guy you can’t stand to be around.”

“That wasn’t your fault.” You step forward, frowning. “It was mine. I… I wanted to get detention. That whole thing just gave me a reason to.”

“Who wanted detention?” Steve’s voice interrupts and you both stay silent, causing him to purse his lips. “Oh-kay, girl talk, huh? I get it.”

Robin stares at him in disbelief and you suppress a smile. Fuck. This was getting harder than you thought.

The reason you wanted Robin here wasn’t because you wanted her to be. It was true, giving her the skills to protect herself was going to be worthwhile, but part of you just wanted to keep her bundled up in bubble wrap, safely hidden away. You’re just afraid that if you go with Steve alone, you’ll do something you’ll regret. Something you promised your past self would never happen.

A stubborn promise slowly being shattered by Steve’s warm smile.

The walls around you were pale, much like the brightness of the bulbs hanging above your head. Your nerves were alight, waiting for them to begin flickering madly, stopping everything and everyone around you, the black dust…

None of it made sense. It wasn’t possible. Alternate dimension? Sure. Monsters? Yeah, why not. But freezing time? No. No way.

And yet, it happened.

You weren’t ready to talk about it yet, though. Not that you were sure anyone would believe you. It took Hopper to actually experience it before he believed you had almost been attacked. In fact, the only person you wanted to talk to was currently trailing behind you in a one-sided conversation with your chatty best friend. He seemed a little more open minded. Never called you crazy, genuinely wanted to listen. But you couldn’t talk to Steve right now. Not while you were having trouble looking anywhere but his eyes and lips.

So, instead, you lead Steve and Robin through the maze of harsh lighting, the soft drone of Robin’s voice muffled by your thoughts fighting to not recall the grinning monster that had thrown you into that wall, or dragged you through a pool of blood on the floor.

Behind you, Steve couldn’t resist the concerned gaze he had on the back of your head as you led them through eerie corridors, never stopping, barely looking at them. He knew you must be spiralling about everything that has been happening. He sees what it’s doing to you. The smart quips forced out of your mouth to stop you from thinking, that pause you always seem to have before striking a smile as if even your brain was struggling to hide emotion. He notices that wobble in your lip you catch between your teeth, any and every reason to stop yourself from admitting you’re not okay.

Steve can’t believe he knows all of these things. Four days ago he wouldn’t have even cared.

“I get why a person would hate Billy Hargrove. I mean… it’s Billy Hargrove.” Robin says, the only part of her rambling Steve finally managed to tune in to. She had a habit of cutting the awkward silence with a conversation even more awkward. Her speciality, really. “But why do you hate Billy? It’s not weird high school boy testosterone reasons, right?”

“No.” Steve sighs, finding the humour in her way with words. Robin felt like someone he wished he had as a friend, an easy talker. She always spoke her mind, regardless of the situation. She made him feel like he could say anything and she wouldn’t bat an eye. Well, maybe not anything. She’s made it pretty clear that she would do anything for you.

“Then what?” She scrunches her face. “You seriously looked like you were gonna murder him. So I have to assume you both had some sort of fight. Unless it’s for different reasons. Maybe Y/n told you about- but that doesn’t equate to holding yourself back from manslaughter-”

“What are you talking about?” Steve couldn’t help the chuckle escaping his lips. He takes a quick glance to where you trail in front, completely oblivious. “Y/n didn’t tell me she knew Billy.”

“Oh, right.” She nods, snapping her fingers. “I forget. You guys are mortal enemies or whatever.”

He chose not to respond to that statement. “What’s their deal anyway? They seem…”

“Chummy?” She suggests, groaning. “Ugh, barely. She seems to like him, though. No matter how many times I tell her she’s a poor judge of character, she just doesn’t seem to listen.”

“Like him? Like… like him?” Steve frowns and Robin grimaces.

“As if.” She says and he has to prohibit the breath of relief from sounding into the hallway. “They were partnered for a project way back. Pretty much spent almost every day together for two weeks before he stood her up and never talked to her. She kept calling but, alas, no response.”

“Why?”

“Because he’s an asshole who just uses women.” Robin comments with spite, “What other reason would there be?”

“So… he used her?” His face scrunches as Robin sighs.

“No. God, no, they had… I don’t know, a moment or something, but she’s too smart to be pining after him.” She explains, waving her hand in the air as she spoke. “Y/n would never let anyone take advantage of her again.”

“Hm.” Steve nods, staring at his shoes as they softly squeak against the floors. You seem completely not phased as you swing the gas can around absent-mindedly in your hand and he wonders if you’re too caught up in your own thoughts. You and Billy? It was as if the universe catches wind of his desires and throws a bullet hole in them. “Wait. Again.”

“What?” Robin looks up like she had already forgotten the conversation.

“You said again. Someone taking advantage of her again.”

The blood drains from her face. Steve can’t help but stop, causing her to stop with him. She looked somewhat mortified as she sends a panicked look your way. Thankfully, you really weren’t paying attention to them.

“No I didn’t.” She says plainly and he almost laughed.

“Robin.”

“No.” She shakes her head profusely. “I said… ag-ing. Ageing. Yes.”

“Ageing?” He cocks a brow. “You said that she wouldn’t let someone take advantage of her ageing?”

“She is ageing very beautifully.” She coughs and he narrows his eyes.

“Robin.”

“No.” She hold up her hand and steps back. “I will not be succumbed by your Jedi mind tricks.”

“Jed-what?”

“It’s not my business.” She states with a serious stare, tightening her lips. Her voice is a whisper, afraid of the echoing walls. “I… I don’t know when to shut up sometimes. Maybe I’m just trying to trick everyone into thinking I’m not constantly living in fear, but I will literally talk until someone stops me. And most of the time I don’t think before I speak. Like now, I- I have no idea what’s gonna come out my mouth and the next thing I know I’ve revealed something that isn’t even my business to be sharing in the first place.

“But-”

“Y/n is my best friend. In fact, I’m pretty sure she’s my only friend and I don’t know what I’d do without her so please. Please. Just forget I said anything. I can’t lose her just because I can’t keep my mouth shut.”

If it weren’t for the overhead lights, Steve would never have noticed the glimmering tears pooling in her eyes. He knew she really meant what she said. She looked terrified. And Steve wasn’t going to be the person to ruin what Robin obviously cherishes most.

“Any chance they have some real food when we get back?” He finally speaks and she raises her head in surprise. “I’m starving.”

“I’m pretty sure all they’re gonna have is nutty bars.” Robin comments, flashing a small smile of appreciation. Maybe he wasn’t as bad as she thought.

“Hey?”

They both whip their heads to where you stand at the end of the hallway, frowning. While you hadn’t been focusing on them, once the noise of their conversation had lowered you had taken notice.

“You guys good?” You ask and Robin steps forward, patting Steve’s back.

“Oh yeah, we’re peachy.” She grins, “Practically besties now.”

“Don’t say besties.” Steve shudders and you tilt your head in disbelief.

“Really?” Your eyebrow raises and you decide you really didn’t need to spend energy on this. “Whatever, let’s get outside before it gets dark.”

With no objections, a few short steps later lead you stepping over a pile of broken glass, looking up at the foreboding red sky. It would have been a pretty sight if you hadn’t of known what caused it.

“The sun’s setting pretty fast.” Steve announces, brows pinched. “Let’s get this ride filled up and get the hell out of here.”

“Amen.” Robin shivers, the cool crisp of air hitting the back of her neck that remained uncovered from that impulsive haircut.

You’re already at Hopper’s police car, feeling a strange sense of nostalgia when you look at it, as if it hasn’t only been three days. But it’s different this time, because you honestly couldn’t say you were ever going to see this car again. Thinking of the worst will only heighten your anxiety, but expecting disappointment saved you from those harsh realities hitting any harder than they should.

“How long is this gonna take?” Robin whispers out, wrapping her arms around herself. “It’s cold and I’d like to be back inside with all the other nice, shiny weapons.”

“Almost done, Robs.” You sigh, discarding the empty can and picking up the second from the ground. “There might be a blanket in the backseat if you really need it.”

“No, it’s fine, I’ll survive.” She shakes her head, bouncing on her feet by shifting back and forth between each foot.

When Steve finally had enough, he rolls his eyes and slides his jacket off, holding it out to her. Robin’s eyes are wide as she silently accepts it. Anything was better than the sharp air she stood in. It was April, for god’s sakes, and here she was, shivering like she was trapped in an ice cube.

“Thanks.” She mumbles and Steve hums. She looks up to see he was distracted, eyes unwavering. Her first thought was that he was keeping an eye out, but when she followed his gaze she realised it was rather keeping an eye on. Which on the scale of normal to ‘hey, look, an apocalypse’, it was weird.

“Unbelievable.” Robin mutters to herself.

“Huh?” Steve finally tears his eyes away from you to see Robin looking up at him with a scowl. “What? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“You know what you did.” She glares, folding her arms and hugging herself tighter.

“I can honestly say, I don’t.” He blinks and her lips tighten.

“You do anything to ruin it, anything at all… I will hurt you.” She warns and Steve physically recoils.

“Did I get another concussion and forget about it?” He frowns, “What-”

“Okay, all set.” You announce, dumping the final can and turning with a smile. “Let’s get back inside- Robs, why do you look like that?”

“See?” Steve expresses, clicking his tongue, “I don’t know, she’s-”

When Steve turns to Robin, all he sees is a pale face and wide eyes, the complete opposite of the look she had given him seconds ago. He felt his arm hairs raise like soldiers on a field of goosebumps, prickling in the ice-cold of her terror.

“We have to get inside.” She whispers, voice cracking.

Everything felt dead silent, your heart rate beating your ear drums and you slowly turn your head to glance over your shoulder.

A pair of eyes lock onto you, masked behind the blood dripping from the mouth of what once used to be a person, now turned monster. She looked about your age, wearing jeans and a hoodie, much like the clothes currently clinging to your body. Except she looked at you with hunger, a sliced mouth ripping apart her skin into four sections. But that wasn’t the part that made your insides twist.

You found another pair of eyes. And another. And another. And another. A sea of dead, endless eyes, all looking at you like they were angry, like they held a deep and dark grudge against your very existence. Your breath didn’t hitch. It simply couldn’t when you couldn’t even breathe.

Her dead eyes were looking straight through you, and you couldn’t do anything for her – all that blood. You couldn’t -There was so much blood.

They all looked like corpses with agility, the concerning wait as they hunger for their food, but never attacking. They looked like an army.

“Shit, shit, shit, shit.” Steve curses, muttering under his breath as he cycled through the ideas of escape swarming in his eyes. The three of you couldn’t fight them off. There were so many, he was sure he lost count. And they were here. Why were they here?

“Why is no one counting to three?” Robin asks in a panic and you both look at her with silent confusion. “Usually someone is counting to three whenever we have to run away from literal death. Someone needs to count to three right now or I’m gonna freak-”

“Okay, okay, just calm down.” You hiss, grabbing her hand and she tightens her lips. You look up to Steve, “We counting to three?”

“I don’t see any other option.” He whispers back, chest rising heavily. He watches the indecision flash behind your eyes as you struggle.

“One.” You eventually say and Robin stands a little straighter, nodding as she turns herself towards her end destination.

“Two.” She replies, just as quiet as she shook. She wasn’t cold anymore.

Steve meets your eyes with a frown, his gaze flickering between you and the angry mob of monsters in the distance. You seemed prepared, desperate. For a moment, he really thought he wouldn’t say anything, too afraid that you’ll pull your usual self-sacrifice. So, he reaches out and grabs your hand, your eyes widening ever so slightly at the touch, but he wasn’t about to let you repeat past mistakes.

“Three.” He finally breathes, and then it’s a rush of motion.

You’re all taking off, sneakers tracking up mud as you sprint across the grass. Robin was slightly ahead, gripping the taser tightly in a fist. You had Steve’s hand to hold on to instead, feeling him tug you along every so often.

He finally drops your hand when you reach the lab, fully aware of the singular gap of shattered glass you all had to jump through. You feel the familiar crunch beneath your feet, risking a rushed look over your shoulder before you come to a complete stop, frowning with heavy breaths.

They hadn’t moved. Not one turned monster had tried to catch their prey. They were simply… watching.

There was a tug on your hand again and you stumble back into a run, feeling Steve’s resolute fingers intertwining with yours the entire time you weave through the hallways, back to that familiar bunker door, even all the way down those echoing metal steps until you were back in a room of safety.

Heads whip your way when Steve eventually releases your hand, using his to run it through his hair as he took in deep breaths.

Robin was a little more dishevelled, dropping herself to the ground to lay on her back.

“I… am… never… doing… that… again.” She managed to sound out, squeezing her eyes shut with a hand over her heart.

You try to suck the oxygen back into your body as you lean against a wall, earning a cocked brow from the mullet wearing boy at the centre table.

“Quiet night?” He jokes, but your serious expression changed his tone immediately. “What happened?”

“Monsters.” Robin gasps, finally sitting up. “I fucking hate monsters.”

“What happened?” Hopper repeats, pushing away from the table and walking over to you with a concerned frown etched between his brows. “Are you okay?”

“We’re fine.” You nod quickly and he lets out a sigh of relief. “The chevy’s all fired up.”

You toss him the keys and he snatches them out of the air with one swift fist.

“What did you-”

“Y/n?”

You feel your body stiffen as the sweet and quiet voice calling out to you. For just a moment, you could have sworn it was Sara.

You peer around Hopper to find El pushing out of the group in the corner, her face breaking into a smile and before you know it, she’s ran up and wrapped her arms around you.

“I missed you.” She states, voice muffled by your hoodie.

Tears prick at your eyes as you rest your head on hers, embracing her like she might slip away from you. “I missed you, too.”

“Awwww.” Dustin coos, looking like he might cry, too.

“It’s gonna be okay.” Lucas pats his back, a crack in his voice as he dons the same emotional expression.

“Men.” Max rolls her eyes, but a smile tugged at her lips all the same.

“When did you wake up?” You ask softly, pushing her away only enough to see her face. Her curly hair was a bit of a mess, dark circles under her eyes.

“A while ago.” She responds, glancing at Hopper. “Hopper needed to talk to me.”

Hopper’s warm smile quickly dropped as he clears his throat, nodding.

“It’s about the plan.” He explains in its simplest term, meaning that he didn’t want you to know all of it, at least not until he had spoken to El first.

“Yeah, okay.” You force a smile, finally letting her go. “We’ll talk later.”

She beams up at you as she follows Hopper out of the room and into the adjoining one. You watch them start to talk behind the glass, like you were observing a secret conversation you’d never be a part of.

“You guys gonna tell us what the hell happened to you, then?” Max raises a brow, shrugging when people look at her as if to say ‘really?’. “What? I’m just asking what we’re all thinking.”

“We had a run in with a hoard of people.” Steve sighs, rubbing his temple as he sets his bat back on the table, returning his hand to his hip. “Well, not really people.”

“Weird mutant people.” Robin corrected and Steve nods, pointing at her.

“Demopeople.” Dustin whispers out and Steve does a double take.

“Really? Demopeople?”

“You got another name you wanna share with the class?” Dustin spits and Steve rolls his eyes.

“Sorry if I just think we could be a little more creative here. Demogorgon. Demodogs. Demopeople. It’s just getting a little repetitive.”

Dustin stares at him with a deadpan look. Steve doesn’t take the hint.

“What’s next. Demobirds? Demobats? Demohippos-”

“We get it, Steve!” Dustin stresses and Steve just pulls a face.

“God, why are they like that?” Robin shivers as the image reawakens in her mind.

“We think it could be a virus.” Mike announced, so casually as if it was a conversation about dinner.

“Virus?” You ask, feeling a little startled by his suggestion.

“Don’t worry, none of us have it.” Dustin pats your back and Steve hides a smirk when you slowly push his hand away.

“Why do you think it’s a virus?” You persist as a shiver ran down your spine. You wrap your arms around you to mask the sudden feeling to your friends. They didn’t seem to take any notice.

“You guys seen them before?” Steve asks, glancing at you when he sees you jolt, trying to cover it up.

“A few.” Nancy replies this time, and the others nod in accordance. “A lot of people in town were like that.”

Their faces said everything they didn’t. You know because you’ve had that expression, the dawning realisation that the person trying to kill you wasn’t really a person anymore.

“Mr Holloway?”

His wild eyes suddenly darted upwards, staring at you.

Then, he pounces.

He’s snarling as he claws at your jumper, pulling you down to the ground with him. In haste you try and push him off of you, but this man was a lot bigger than you, wrapping his hands around your throat and smashing your head into the cold ground.

Struggling against his weight, he rears his head closer to you.

“Stop!” You try, his tightening grip on your neck releasing the word as a strained whisper.

“But how did they get it?” Robin questions and Will looks up from where he had been staring down at his hands.

“An infection.” He says quietly. “All of those people… they were bitten.”

“By the Demogorgons?” Steve’s eyes are wide with mild terror and curiosity.

“And the demodogs. Maybe.” Lucas adds.

“Whatever it is, it’s not getting in here. Now come on, we have work to do.” Joyce reminds them gently and the boys collectively sigh before trailing over to where Max was already sat.

Steve watches as she bats away Dustin’s hands, his pout when Max won’t give him the radio. It was strange to see how normal everyone was reacting to this whole situation, even the indication that any one of them could be infected with a virus that could turn them into monsters, no, zombies. But that normality was probably the only thing keeping everyone sane right now.

Could there really be some kind of virus? It made sense, people with the mouths of the very creatures that had attacked them. But surely that was barbaric. No way was the Upside Down going to be that creepy.

“What a load of bullshit, right? A virus?” He scoffs out a laugh, hoping you’ll laugh too and set his mind at ease. He wants you to agree that it is all a lie, that there wasn’t something else out there to be afraid of.

But when he looks over at you, your face has fallen, and you look ill.

“Y/n?” He whispers out and you clear your throat.

“Huh? Sorry, I’m… tired. I think I’m gonna grab some sleep.” You nod, eyes directed at him but not really looking. It was like you were in a haze, accompanied by a concerned look on Robin’s face.

“You feeling okay?”

“Yeah, yeah. I didn’t really sleep last night so… so I should try.” You say a little airily, convincing yourself more than them.

“Do you want me to-”

“No.” You cut Robin off with a smile, already heading to the door. “No, I’m fine. Thanks, though.”

You pushed through the doors and left them stood there, exchanging glances of worry.

“She’s not okay.” Steve states and Robin almost rolls her eyes.

“No shit, Sherlock.” She mumbles, talking again before he could retaliate, “Maybe she’s just scared? I mean her dad is about to go on a suicide mission down into a place crawling with all kinds of chomping virus monsters. I’d be pretty god damn terrified too.”

“Yeah.” Steve agrees, but he was lying. Something felt wrong. He’s been there when you’ve been through something traumatic, and right now he doesn’t think he’s ever seen you look more phased in the last three days than you did just then.

You lower yourself into the sleeping bag in the far corner. It looked untouched, all the others spare from two were covered in various trinkets, creased from use. You figured the two at the very back were made up for you and Steve. When you settle on the ground, you notice a familiar black and bulky material, a bag you hadn’t seen since detention. The one Hopper found when he tried to look for life in a building surrounded by dead bodies.

Hopper. Your dad. Why weren’t you reacting more to this? You had fought, screamed, cried when he suggested he’d be going. And now he’s officially heading there, and you feel numb. Maybe too much has happened for your brain to take notice of how fucked up everything really was. Or it could be because you had more pressing matters to occupy your brain storage.

It could be a virus.

A load of bullshit, right?

An infection.

Your hands shake as you reach down with your eyes squeezed shut, painfully rolling up your jean leg that had seen better days.

When you open them, you’re staring down at a torn piece of fabric wrapped around your ankle, a single tear trickling down your cheek. You strip away the bandage and choke back a gasp.

Small little puncture wounds wrapped across your skin, like teeth marks. And there were black veins too, snaking across your flesh, creeping up your leg.

“Fuck.”

Chapter Twelve: Down The Rabbit Hole ->

taglist: @manyfandomsfanvergent . @sheisjoeschateau . @kthomps914 . @curled-hair-red-lips . @nix-rose . @palmtreesx3 . @kryztalglear . @sattlersquarry . @hey-barnes-stole-a-jeep . @sadslasher13 . @80saestheticismyfav .

[supremechancellorrex]

I've been thinking about what the Bad Batch means to me these past few weeks and things just don't quite sit right. When I started watching the Clone Wars, it felt like a lot of love and care had been poured into the project. The clones had unique personalities built from the ground up, with even minor characters getting quirks. Hevy only appeared in two episodes, yet is so loved. Hardcase is missed despite only really appearing in one arc because of expert character crafting and real, actual effort with the writing.

The point of the Clone War was that the clones were individuals, they had agency and they could have an impact on their lives and others. Referred to as 'property', with no representation or rights, they are slave soldiers in function, who are biologically identical although at times with slight variation, but their personalities and motivations matter and have weight. This is why Fives nearly ruins Palpatine's plans. This is why Rex is able to resist the inhibitor chip in Order 66 and help save Ahsoka.

This is why I'm not sure I can forgive the Bad Batch.

Spitting on Grandpa

When the Bad Batch started, I was initially quite excited because it was advertised as a sequel to the Clone Wars. The first episode opens up with the title 'The Clone Wars' fading into the Bad Batch, but the show is anything but because the 'regs', as normal clones have been dubbed, don't matter now. Instead, the only characters with agency are a special group of clones who mostly don't look like the clones based on Jango Fett (Temuera Morrison) or even scientifically fit the basic definition of what a 'clone' is.

How is this not meant to be insulting for TCW and the Clone Fandom? I watch normal clones like Commander Wilco get shot in the face. I watch Mayday choke and die for Crosshair's development. I watch Rex play second fiddle to the Bad Batch on screen, the man and leader who used to always say "I'm always first, kid" and take the reins. I watch Cody appear for an episode only to not appear again this season and have no impact on the narrative other than Crosshair's development. Can 'regs' no longer change the world? Do the 'boring', 'regular' slave soldiers have no impact anymore?

Echo: "The fate of all the clones is now sealed because of us."

When it comes to normal clones impacting the narrative, the closest we get is Rex's resistance network, which features actual clones actually doing something. Yet apparently an episode about the Bad Batch discovering an island paradise world and battling a tsunami deserves more screen time than seeing how the 'regs' set that one up. Even this plot point is less about finally saving Howzer and normal clones like him, and more about Echo not being with the Bad Batch and further setting up the plot regarding Tech and Crosshair. The normal clones remain non-entities outside of the Bad Batch's development, they have no agency beyond this.

This is why we see stock reg clone characters bully the Bad Batch in the Season 1 opening, because despite them all being slaves under the thumb of fascism and the fact normal clones treated Ninety-Nine (the beloved hunchback clone from TCW Season 3) fine, it's the Bad Batch's plight that only matters now, their persecuted perspective on being special and better than the regs, regs that are now treated as old news, an afterthought. The world feels small, and inexcusably less richer than it was.

Essentially, we're no longer allowed to see what the reg clones motivations are, why there are reg clones that actually, canonically, dislike the Bad Batch as opposed to Ninety-Nine. People like to speculate, but on screen we are not shown or told in TBB. We're also not shown why all the named clones from Howzer, Mayday, Fireball, Gregor and Nemec to Cut, Cody and Rex never had issues with the differences other than they're the good regs I guess. Hell, even Cody and Mayday's remaining squad say nothing of Crosshair's mutations, not even one catty comment.

Conclusion

So, what does this mean? The Bad Batch steals the clones' agency and makes it their own. They wear the clone identity, but refuse to help normal 'reg slave' clones that look like actual clones in favour of focusing on themselves and their 'more important' personal problems. The Bad Batch are special not because of who they are or that they've worked hard, but because they look different from other clones, because they're just more capable and have special abilities. It's not who you are that counts, it's what you are.

And, now, I even see fans doing what TCW told us not to, disregarding normal clones, 'explaining' why the Bad Batch are fine to leave the reg clones to die because they called them "The Sad Batch" one time. Somehow the Bad Batch undoes all of TCW's work, stripping the clones of their agency and making them into just victims sleepwalking into extinction as we wait for the Bad Batch to consider trying to actively save them.

Echo: "The fate of all the clones is now sealed because of us."

And, then the rest of TBB go cave exploring and holidaying on Pabu. This series might as well be about natborns.

[scribe-cas]

Writeblr intro!

Okay, so, I've been here for forever, but if I made an intro post, I definitely don't remember it. So.

Info under the cut!

Welcome to my blog. Enjoy your stay!

"Who are you?" Great question!

Hi folks, my name is Cas, and I'm an amateur writer with a love for all things words.

I use He/they/she pronouns,, but neos are fun. I don't have chosen ones, I prefer to let other people use what they think is apt to depict me. :> but to keep it simple, he/they/she! Use whatever pronouns are in your heart for me!

I'm a slave to the whims of my whimsy. If what you're writing makes me feel things, whether they're dark and unsettling or soft and lighter than air, I'm there. A few of my interests are cryptozoology, psychology, horror, fantasy, music and dance, and just anything I can search for. My favorite game is pattern recognition and completion, which makes things like escape rooms and scavenger hunts, whether for treasure or lore (same thing) a huge treat for me. I love being able to search, so if you like hiding obscure lore, let me at it like a pack of hounds.

I write horror, fantasy, mystery, comedy. My current WIP is a slasher comedy with a side of childish whimsy served up on a silver platter with some slice of life and sex jokes for seasoning. Loosely similar energy to Gravity falls is basically everything I make. What can I say, it's what I like.

I'm 18+, work two jobs and have the retensive memory of a soggy goldfish cracker. My schedule is hectic. If you see me reblogging posts, but I've neglected to answer you or respond to something you send, it's not you! I just have the memory of a wet rag.

Most of my work has at least some suggestive elements to it, because sex is a joke to me (/voice of someone who is very, very aroace). But literally every work does if you peek hard enough. Literally just heed my 18+ warnings on this page and you won't run into anything too gross.

I love weird things! Weird things galore! The more fucked up and absurd, the more I cheer! If you think an idea is stupid, send it to me!! I'd love to discuss it with you. Those little one off facts you've come up with for a character? That Au that stemmed from a joke? That cringe thing you're fixated on? Hit me with it! As a man with questionable morals once said, "Reality is an illusion, the universe is a hologram!" And therefore, we should have as much fun as we can!

If you ask me about Couteau, I will literally pledge my life to you. I swear. Or if you comment on any of my writing with him in it. Anything.

My WIPs!

"Well, what stuff are you working on?" LET ME ANSWER THAT!

"Sweeter Than Silence" (Project status: Active; In Progress For: 7+ years)

This, my magnum opus, that I've been fiddling at and fucking with the concept of on and off for approximately 11 years, but have been writing for about 7-

Is my LGBT, slice of life healing and depression infused comedy about a woman who goes home to find that everything she's been looking for in a fulfilling life is already there. "Everything", being a murder mystery in her haunted town that she knows wouldn't hurt a fly without good reason, a ragtag gay friend group, and the local hot bartender who is so outlandish it's like he's not even human. (spoiler alert! There might be a reason for that-)

Goofing aside, this story is stuffed to the brim with just the most absurd concepts I could think of. A media about embracing the purest form of self, and learning to love that part of you that finds beauty in the weirdest corners of the world, even if it was killed very young, to embrace your curiosity, and to indulge in suspension of belief. A low stakes, supernatural slasher comedy between a girl who's been told her whole life she's too much and a man who only wants her to get freakier.

This story is: - One of three parts! - T4T! Both main characters are trans, and they have a romance. - Stupid. /pos - Full of the stuff that would make a 13 year old go wild - A Composed Character Breaking Down And Losing It (TM) - Morally grey murder - A bunch of other stuff

"Rose Colored Glasses" (Project status: In Stasis, no longer currently active)

A fanfic i started y e e e a r s ago, when the Hazbin fandom was starved for content. A multi-chapter reader perspective fic, where, after falling into hell, they help an overcompensating Overlord Valentino cease his abusive ways. It's a fix it fic. It's me fixing him. Mostly just an excuse for me to dissect and make a dissertation on Valentino's possibly horrifically fractured and bruised psyche. I like the version of him I made up in my head, but I also like him canon, because he's horrific but he's also just. Iconic. Let's be real. Motivation for this passed on when Hazbin itself shattered my theories, but I still keep it around for fun.

The fanfic:

I also have personal notes that I won't be linking, but if you wanna know more about my theories, please ask! Even non canon, I love talking about my AU Valentino.

"You're Free" (Project status: Finished! Just for fun)

A fanfic I busted out in like an hour and a half once for a video game that gripped me by the neck. (Cryptid Coffeehouse, I love you.)

Not much to explain on this one, it was a self indulgent little scribble I did once, although if you haven't played CC, I highly recommend it.

The fanfic:

Books two and three of BISTS (the overarching series that Sweeter Than SIlence starts!) I know what happens in them, I just have to write it out. Wish me luck

Miscellaneous smut fics that I've done as spin offs of my own series just for fun and to explore different power dynamics. If I ever post any of them, they'll go on a pseud specifically for schrodingers fics (both canon and not, it depends on how I feel) under forgotten_scripture (AO3 account)

Miscellaneous Info!

My blog is sorted into tags!

castalk - Me saying words! bists/blood is sweeter than silence - All of my WIP info on Sweeter Than Silence and it's series. couteau my beloved go back into your box - The tag I specificslly use for anything and everything about my antagonist/first book series love interest. I highly recommend checking out this tag if for no other reason so that you have to look at him. coudoodles - Art I've done of. my antagonist. castalk - Me saying words! bists/blood is sweeter than silence - All of my WIP info on Sweeter Than Silence and it's series. couteau my beloved go back into your box - The tag I specificslly use for anything and everything about my antagonist/first book series love interest. I highly recommend checking out this tag if for no other reason so that you have to look at him. coudoodles - Art I've done of. my antagonist.

Use these to navigate your way around here! I'll add more as needed.

I have a huge fixation on the antagonist of Sweeter Than SIlence. I mentioned him earlier, but, his name is Couteau, he's my stupid 6'4 redhead who wears 2 inch heels to make himself taller, he's a moron, he's immortal, and he's my beloved baby. I lose my shit over this man on a daily basis. Genuinely, bring him up to me and I will talk for hours. I do not regret it. I'm haunted by visions.

I love awful memes. 200% permission if we've never interacted to just send me a bad meme. I want one

And or, I spend a lot of time stuck in spots where I need music recommendations. Throw a song at me!

My inbox is always open. My DMs are always open. I love talking. Do not fear me. Come tell me about your favorite things.

Hey long haired redheaded trans men!

Having a shitty day?

Feeling dysphoric?

Need a mood boost?

Send your selfies to my inbox and watch me go absolutely incoherent about the fact that you look like my OC! For the small price of one existence, I will hype you up to unspeakable levels because you deserve it!! Watch a stranger on the internet rave about how unspeakably fantastic you are!

(mostly kidding about this, but if it would make you feel better, go right ahead, I'm always happy when my obsessions spread love /gen)

Aaaaaand, on that note-

I think that's it!

If you read all of this, wow, look at you!! You did fantastic!!! I can't wait to ask you about your projects, and am waiting with bated breath for you to ask me about mine. HAHAHA

Anyways! Welcome to my blog!

Enjoy your stay!

~ Cas. <3

[kyo-kitai-san]

*hurls my second AM design into the ihnmaims tag*

so i finally decided to post my other, more au!AM design i suppose. one thing that stuck out to me in the story was how downright childish AM could be at times or depending on interpretation (i mean, snickering at the survivors having sex? throwing a tantrum over ted murdering his other toys and Slugging him for it?) so thats how we got here. (details on the design under the cut)

this is mostly what I imagine AM would have looked like had the military decided to make an android form for him. (ft. some self-indulgent twinkfication. i'm kind of projecting here. its no coincidence he has my haircut.)

i have lore justified it all though-- I imagine the military intended initially to make him more… I guess ‘traditionally masculine’ (this was the cold war, after all). but after some prototyping and tests, they ‘scaled things down’ for a few reasons: 

Safety: this was really the primary reason. who wants an android with that much ‘killing data’ and the capacity to act on it? of course, that safety would later be undermined by AM being wired into all those massive systems giving him control over everything… but hey, they tried? 

Showing off: of course, showing off an android that screams power and ‘american masculinity’ is great, but what’s better!! showing off how delicate and small you can make your machinery! how intricate and powerful it can be even in such a small size! (AM does not appreciate all this ‘delicate’ talk at all, by the way, thank you very much…)

and, yes, i know… the “white twinkification”… to me, I can't picture a group of american military men in the late 1940s making their special little boy anything but white as white bread. propaganda poster looking ass. 

As for his exposed machine parts, I picked the ‘wheres’ very specifically, based on the idea of mechanical limitations: 

Hands: very finicky, very articulated parts. Not the easiest to cover smoothly in whatever synthetic material they picked for skin. After lots of fiddling and ending up with ‘skin’ being torn or stuck in between parts, they’ve just left the hands uncovered until they can figure out a fix. 

Lower jaw: from my observations, the mouth always seems to be the ‘weird part’ to me on video game characters or irl robots– something about it just rings uncanny. Obscuring that part or making it not so ‘human’ seems to help though, so i imagine a similar purpose here— on top of using it as a blinding signal that he’s not human. Don’t want him sneaking out somehow… 

feel free to ask questions or otherwise talk to me about him! i always have brainrot over AM...

[overclockedopossum]

I'm just going to start unfollowing people who post dogwhistles for "you are morally obligated to vote for the genocide guy".

I'm sick of being told having zero standards for anyone as long as they're DNC-endorsed is "playing the long game"

I'm sick being told a group that is actively making things worse (re: genocide, pied piper strategy among others) is an "imperfect ally".

I'm sick of lib-left misinformation and conspiracy theories about trump (immediately deciding project 2025 is his manifesto just because a right-wing think tank published it, the idea that he's anti-vaccine, the idea that he'll somehow further intensify the genocide in gaza).

I'm sick of feeling like when I point out that almost everything said about Trump is a half-truth that might be taken as an endorsement of him when there are a lot of very strong valid criticisms mostly being left on the table.

I'm sick of watching Liberals making arguments that I know actual Trump voters will be able to easily dismiss without one iota of doubt.

I'm sick of people who went back to brunch in 2021 telling other, frequently less able people that they have an obligation to physically protest alongside voting against their conscience.

I'm sick of the idea that failing to vote for Biden betrays "privilege" when most of the recent anger at Biden comes from marginalised groups, particularly USAmerican Muslims despite Trump's active hostility towards them.

But most of all I'm sick of the fact that the main case being made is a negative one.

I'm sick of people talking about Biden as if he's universally bad and Trump is just worse. And ok, maybe it's because saying "I can excuse genocide as long as there's student loan forgiveness" is too obviously morally bankrupt. But the reason we have Trump, the reason we already had a term of him, arguably the reason the supreme court is skewed right-wing, is the DNC "pied piper" strategy. It's because as far as the DNC is concerned, it's more important for the republicans to be bad than for them to be good.

Every post that says "you are morally obligated to vote for biden because of how bad trump is" actively reinforces that pied piper strategy.

Whenever people say "look, the DNC candidate is terrible but the other guy is even worse" they're saying that as long as the DNC can keep promoting right-wing extremists with carefully-crafted "attack" ads, they'll keep voting blue no matter who.

And I'm sick of that.

Every post about something genuinely good that Biden has done - not just an empty gesture or fiddling around the edges - is a drop in the ocean of "things should actually be made better".

Every post about how much worse Trump is, every roundabout analogy, every trolley problem that neglects to mention you'd be voting for a group that helps tie people to the track, and frankly every denial of the efficacy of single-issue voting - they're all drops in the ocean of "please keep doing brinksmanship, when is it my turn on the track".

I'm not telling anyone how to vote here, but I'll say this. If you are in the USA and in all senses are able to do so, you should vote for someone you think would be an actively good president. You should vote for representatives you think would be actively good representatives. And you should vote on ballot measures as well according to appropriate research on those, because they can be hugely important but hell if I know what's going on with them. But what you should absolutely not do is keep the door closed on third parties by voting for someone you think wouldn't be a good president, just because there are worse options.

And when people care strongly about issues that they're right to care about maybe your ire should be directed at the politicians who have let them down, rather than them for daring to be let down.

[beautifulpersonpeach]

Crazy how people just get blinders on. All these people throwing names and accusations at JK over, what? Two songs and an instagram post? Completely forgetting the fact that JK has been working on JJK1 for literally years. Six or seven years if I remember correctly. They forget that he's an accomplished songwriter and producer in his own merit and has written and contributed to some of the best songs BTS have ever made. Where are these accusations that he's some kind of money hungry lazy bubblegum pop barbie doll coming from? (This is a rhetorical question, I just think it's insane.) He's a perfectionist, is obviously working on his own music (judging by how he ran off to the studio at 4am after missing jimin hours) and is likely in the process of deciding all the minute details for his own debut? Did the fandom communally forget that he mentioned wanting to do a visual album in his BE interview? He's got big plans, just because he's not talking about them doesn't mean they're not happening. and god, after how absolutely weird jay park was about hobi being on his show and how shady he's been about the guys in the past, I'd take a thousand JB collabs over another interaction with him.

***

Hear hear.

I agree with you mostly, but I want to use one part of your ask to make a larger point on something else I’ve noticed for some time, on how we talk about the fandom.

“Did the fandom communally forget…”

We all do this when talking about the fandom/ARMY, but something I want to point out is often times, in these sorts of situations, it’s not the same groups of people within the fandom who are doing these things. It’s not the same people who view JK the way you do, who are complaining about a (potential) JB collab. The fandom is just so big that whenever a certain faction decides to be loud, or if you’re in a space that interacts frequently with that faction of the fandom, it will seem like it’s most ARMYs having that view when it’s far from reality. And this is why the sub-labels within the fandom are useful so we can distinguish who is saying what, to avoid needless confusion. The sub-labels being: solo stans, diet solo stans, shippers, multis, mantis, OT7 ARMYs, etc.

That the knee jerk reaction to one studio pic is assuming JK is mindlessly playing fiddle for ‘payola boy’ because JK wants to chart easily and because Bang PD is everyone’s favourite Disney villain, is the first dead giveaway this reaction is coming from someone who doesn’t keep up with JK besides through their pre-conceived notions, or someone who views him and his work in direct competition with the other members. There’s been an outbreak of diet solo stans and mantis in the fandom in Chapter 2 but they still don’t make up most of the fandom.

I suspect some people are feeling sensitive, a bit pissed off and frustrated with BB’s rule change and how that impacts Jimin’s solo accolades, and so those who feel JK’s in competition with JM, catastrophized one picture of JK actively working on a solo project with a producer to mean a JB collab that could threaten the hard-won records for Jimin. Most of the people who tend to think like this, are solo stans, mantis, and their diet versions within ARMY.

For most everyone else in the fandom and especially with OT7 ARMYs, there’s the understanding that any BTS member doing well is a good thing, that the fandom generally works to aid them all in doing well, and that every BTS member is already doing well. Sometimes some members will perform better on the charts, but that’s normal and expected. FACE won’t be Jimin’s only solo project in 2023, and Jungkook has been making songs for years, meaning there’ll be several more opportunities for ARMYs to support both their projects better.

I understand it’s easier to generalize the fandom when speaking casually and generally, I do the same thing too. But I think it’s worth remembering all the different players in the fandom, how many have conflicting interests, and that many times if you see contradictory responses coming from the fandom, it’s simply not the same groups of people flip-flopping, changing their tune, or otherwise kicking up a stink. Anyone looking from the outside in could make that mistake in assuming it’s the same groups of people, but those of us within the fandom could improve the conversation by identifying who exactly are driving these narratives when we discuss them.

[nokacchan]

I Still Love You | Before School's Out | Han Jisung

pairing : han jisung x fem!reader

genre : fluff, hint of angst

≡;- ꒰ blurb ꒱ : When the two exes are paired for a final year projects, han's feelings for his ex-girlfriend surface back. Having a history of dating in secret in year 2, the two struggle to act as normal as possible in front of their friends. 

'Is it called a crush if the person you're crushing on is your ex-girlfriend?' 

w.c 1.8k 

≡;- ꒰ masterlist ꒱

"I'm sorry for being late", you spoke as you entered the classroom.

"Ah y/n, you're finally here, settle down, we just got started", your teacher gestured to you to sit down. You waved to some of your friends before sitting at an empty seat at the back of the classroom.

"As I was saying, due to Ms Cha still being absent. This would be your 2nd time doing projects together with Ms Cha's class, I expect you all to be nice to each other, alright? The groups should be the same as last week. Any questions?"

You raised your hand. Your teacher looked at you.

"Yes y/n?"

"ssam, I wasn't here last week so who am I supposed to join?"

Before your teacher could continue talking, the door opened.

"Ah, jisung! So y/n, you'll join jisung's group with jungwon,jake & jay"

Your gaze met with his. The smile on both of your faces drops. You hadn't seen him ever since the break up that happened 5 months ago.

"Me and Jake got to go first, see you guys around", Jungwon waved goodbye as the two left the classroom.

You and Han didn't talk. You quickly finished your research and immediately scrambled to leave. "I have to go now", you looked down at your phone.

"Um...okay", he fiddled with his fingers nervously.

"We'll do our own individual part and combine them during the presentation", you explained. Han nodded his head.

You stood up from your seat, quickly swinging your bag over your shoulder. "I'll go now", you looked down at your phone. Han stood up.

"Y/n—", han called out to you hesitantly

"What?", you replied without looking away from your phone.

"Can we talk about what happened?", you froze, you slowly looked back up at him. You scoffed before letting out a light chuckle.

"What happened was, you dumped me. End of story", you interrupted him, leaving him no time to respond, you left the room.

Han bit his lips, looking out of the window. He slammed his fist against the table.

"Damn it Han Jisung, you messed up big time", he let out a long sigh.

—

Han knew he hurt your feelings but he also knew that him breaking up with you over the phone was childish enough.

Sometimes he wonders why he chooses to listen to his parents choice rather than listen to his heart. He was still doing well in his academics even when he was dating you. He felt like a coward, not standing up for your guy's relationship.

—

flashback…

"Ji...stop joking around", you started to break down in tears.

Han sighed on the line. "I'm sorry. I'm really sorry... You did nothing wrong, It's just me", he bit his trembling lips, trying to stop himself from crying.

"goodbye"

"JI, STOP YOU'RE KIDDING RIGHT!? JI, HAN JISUNG—", he hung up the call.

You threw your phone across the room. Letting out a scream. Immediately falling onto your knees. That night not only started causing you night terror but it also made you become more closed off. You withdraw yourself from talking to anyone who was friends with him, afraid to even look him in the eye.

end of flashback…

The 2nd group meeting for the project, you guys gathered at the nearly empty library. This time, your absent member, Jay, joined you four. Jake and Jungwon could sense the tension between you and han. Han kept taking short glances at you. He wasn’t going to lie, he felt jealous seeing how flirtatious Jay was being with you.

“So. Are you guys going to my party this weekend?”, Jay looked around. Han shook his head, thinking that you’ll not go since he knows you hate crowded areas. Jay turned to look at you. “You’re coming right?”, he asked. You raised your eyebrows in surprise. “Um…”

Suddenly Han interrupted you. “Y/n doesn’t like crowded areas”, Han explained. You turned to look at your ex boyfriend before, brows furrowed. “Uh- I’m okay with crowds”, you shut him off. Jungwon looked at the two of you back and forth, his eyes raised in surprise. 

Han looked at you, confused by your response. “Great! I’ll see you at the party then”, Jay winked at you shamelessly. Han scoffed when he saw you, smiling back at Jay.

Jungwon gulped nervously. “What’s up with the both of them”, Jake mumbled softly, earning a nudge from Jungwon. “Shut up bro…they can hear you”, Jungwon whispered into Jake’s ear. Han eyed the two boys, making them immediately pretend they were working on their project.

The loud music could be heard from across the street. You winced in pain, covering your ear as you joined the crowd of senior teenagers. You were starting to regret even joining the party. “Hey! Y/n! Come over here”, Jay called you over.

Jay introduced you to other friends. You and Ni-Ki got close instantly due to the fact that you both had a lot of things in common.

Han watched the whole event unfold from across the hall. He had already zoned out from the conversation his friends were having.

Suddenly Jungwon appeared in front of him. Han waved lazily at him. Jungwon gestured to him to step out of the house. Han followed along, not wanting to feel the stabbing pain in his heart.

—

"What's up?", Han asked.

Jungwon pursed his lips. "So, what's up with you and y/n?". Han blinked, looking away. "Nothing…why are you asking?", Han leaned against the wall.

Jungwon copied Han's pose, turning to look at Han. "You guys dated right? There was a rumor that you both dated a couple months back. I assume you both broke up, seeing how you both are really tense", Jungwon explained.

Han chuckled lightly, looking down at his feet. He nodded his head lazily. "Yeah, you're right. It doesn't matter now though, I messed up big time". Han covered his eyes with his hand.

"Is it called a crush,  if the person you're crushing on is your ex-girlfriend?", Han looked at Jungwon. Jungwon shurgged his shoulders.

He only patted Han's shoulder, his way of showing his support to Han. "You should talk to her".

"JISUNG!", Jay yelled as he rushed towards the two boys.

Han looked at Jay with a brow raised. "What?". Han didn't want to talk to Jay. Jay looked at Jungwon then back to Han. Jay was clearly panicking over something.

"It's about y/n. She's crying and I don't know how to stop her. It happened so fast. A-and, she suddenly started complaining that she was having chest pain. T-then she kept on telling me to call you and kept saying she's having a panic attack—", Han's eyes widened.

"Woah, slow down, where is she now?"

—

Han barged into the room, making Heeseung, who was comforting you, jump in surprise.

Han immediately kneeled beside you, he pulled you into his embrace. He felt you flinched. He tried to hush your cries. The other boys walked out of the room, opting to leave you guys some space to talk.

"Y/n, hey hey, it's me. Relax alright? Breath slowly", he wiped your fallen tears.

You nodded your head. Your hands gripped his shirt, not wanting him to leave you. He patted your head, hoping you would calm down sooner.

Han and you walked back silently. He had his hands in his pockets, looking ahead. You glanced at his side profile. Even though you both broke up only 5 months ago, it felt like he changed so much. He was more reserved instead of his usual bubbly self.

“I’ll go in now, bye”, you waved at Han but he didn’t look at you, only looking down at his feet. “Okay, see you around”, Han turned to walk away.

Your hand reached out for him before pulling back immediately. You bit your lip, wondering if you should talk things out with him. “Ji…wait”, you called him by his nickname. Han immediately stopped in his tracks, he hadn’t heard that nickname for quite awhile. Han turned to look at you.

You ran towards, engulfing him in a hug. You felt his body tense up before relaxing. “I’m sorry…”, you felt yourself breaking down in tears again.

Han hesitantly let his arms rest around your waist. “It’s not your fault…”

Han wiped off the fallen tears on your face. His lips tremble, trying to not let himself cry in front of you.

The warm fuzzy feeling in his heart emerges again, having you in his arms again. It felt nice hugging you again but he knew this either meant one or two things.

You let him explain himself and you both go back to being friends and maybe possibly get back together or you push him entirely away again.

“I'm nervous”, Han said as he waited for you by the classroom door.

Han looked at you with a nervous smile, sticking his hand out. You return him a smile as you intertwine your hands with his. You could hear him letting out a sigh of relief.

“We’ll get through this together”, Han added on, sounding more like to reassure himself.

You turned to look at him worriedly. “I promise you that I'm not going anywhere”, you squeezed his hand. "Trust me, alright?". He let out a hum. He lightly placed a peck on the top of your head. “I do. I'm just scared…” Han let his lips linger a little longer against the top of your head. 

When you found out the truth behind his sudden break up with you a couple months back, you felt bad for him. All he wanted to do was protect you from his parents.

He knew his parents would find a way to make you break up with him if he didn’t leave you first. His parents felt bad when they saw how devastated Han was over the break up. His grades started dropping and he kept locking himself up in his room which got his parents worried.

Eventually, they decided that they shouldn’t take control over their son’s life since he was going to college.

—

That heavy guilt he kept to himself was now out. He felt nervous to hear your responses. He let out a sigh of relief when you hugged him.

“I should have listened to you first", you muttered softly, making Han look down at you. He gently combed your hair.

"Ji, I’m not going anywhere. We aren’t going anywhere, at least not alone”, you smiled at Han widely.

Han chuckled, returning the hug. “Yeah you’re right…I’m not letting you go again. I don’t think I can take it, if I ever lose you again”.

The End.

© nokacchan 2022

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[shelbgrey]

Glory of love(Eleazar Denali)

Chapter 2: Hot for teacher

Table of contents

-------(1st pov)-------

“good morning everyone” I smiled as everyone filed into my class room and took their seats. Everyone nodded and smiled as wrote my name on the board.

“so I'm miss. Swan and I'm gonna be your English teacher for the time being” everyone looked at me with smiles or cirositey.

“fair warning this is my first year teaching so this might be trial and error” I chuckled as I fiddle with the expo marker.

“anyone is better than mr. Cuirts” some one spoke as I walked around the classroom.

“yeah, I'm pretty sure thst dude was high as a kite” one snickered.

I couldn’t help but laugh myself but I knew I had to put a stop to it. “alright guys, come on”

Feeling a group of people stare at me was a different feeling. It was a class full of seniors and jounors and I unfortunately felt a few of the guys checking me out. I just rolled my eyes at the horny teenagers.

Suddenly, a boy with bonde hair( junior I think) raised his hand. I nodded and offered him to speak. “so what happened to Mr. Curtis?”

Before I could speak a voice in the back spoke. “I heard he died”

Before I could speak a bunch of other accusation flew around the room. Some were negative and others could careless because they hadn't learned anything with this old teacher. The only one that wasn't speaking was a boy with reddish-brown hair. He sat towrds the back and had gold eyes. I squinted at him, I knew I seen that color of eye before.

“okay” I spoke up. They shut up quickly which suprised me. I clapped my hands together and moved over to the box setting in my desk. Might as well start the lesson, if we wait now we'll never get it done.

“so when it comes to literature, stories, movies, or just anything with a plot there's always different sides of it” I said as I wrote MONSTERS in big block letters on the white board. I toassed the marker on my desk and looked at the class.

“stories involving the supernatural and monsters are a great example” a few members of the class gave me a strange look and others leaned in listing more intently like I cought their attention.

“when I say monsters what comes to your head? More specifically ones thst may have more to the story”

A dark skinned boy raised his hand “Dracula”

I nodded and sat on the edge of my seat. “good, what else?”

“the phantom of the opera?”

I nodded as a boy with reddish-brown hair with gold orbs raised his hand. “Frankenstein's monster”

“that's good one” I said fiddling with the expo marker. “now quizidently what do all theses creates all have in common?”

A girl with wavy blond hair with the same gold orbs raised her hand, she was setting next to boy with same colored eyes. “all of the monsters have this fasanacion with the lead woman of the story”

I tilted my head to the side as I walked around my desk to the white board. “that's correct, but what else” I aksed as I wrote the names of the creatures and the student's ideas around them, making a chart.

“the women get the monsters killed... Kinda” a boy with blond hair said. I turned around and pointed at him with the marker. “Yes and no, but your guys are on the right track”

“so what I'm getting at is there's always different sides of the story and depending on who's telling it, can alter who's the hero and who's the vilian.” I said.

The students started to digest what I have said, but who i was most concerned about was the two with gold eyes and the more I staired at them the more I recanized them. The Boy looked down like something was eating away at him. I was conserened as his slum look worsened. Not wanting to call him out in front of the class I continued with the lesson.

“but...” I heald up my hand and opened the marker and crossed out monster and put creature. “in this class we're not gonna refure to them as monsters”

“why?” a conserened girl with glasses asked.

“beacuse it's gonna help with your project” I said and it was like a hit a nerver beacuse the whole class(except the gold eyed kids) erupted into groans and sighs. I rolled my eyes and silenced them.

“hang on” they stopped. “I want you guys to think about why these characters might not be the only 'monsters', think about who's telling the story” I explained.

The class nodded along as I wrote more notes on the board. “through out theses couple weeks we're gonna study different author's and the creature they crated, like Mary Shelly, Bram Stoker, maybe some Stephen King, but the main thing is theses characters and stories are gonna help you created a story that humanizes the creature”

The boy with gold eyes raised his hand. “your saying that the creature is bad depending on who's telling the story” I nodded as he continued his explanation. “these creatures are ubsest with these woman and if they love them so much why damn them?”

“you think the creature are damned?” the golden boy nodded. “well they were all human once, Dracula and the phantom are great examples... They loved yes, but also the woman were they're down fall... That's why the creatures might not be so evil. And love is the strongest human emotion out there”

I shrugged towrds the boy. “in king kong It was beauty that killed the beast” the golden boy looked down noddong. The girl with the same eyes gave him and strange look.

The class ended quicker than I expected. As they all started to pack up I stoped them. “I want you all to think about which creature or story you want to base your project off of... And have a good day everyone”

They said there good byes and left for their next class.

-------(Eleazar's pov)-------

During passing period I left my classroom to get a text book from the library. As left the library and down a hallway that insured I'd get to my room faster that same spearmint and rose smell invaded my sences. I couldn't get enough of it. Totally forgetting what I need to do, I followed the sent down to the classroom that held the English and Film classes.

Most teachers and students were already in there classes or on there way, but that wasn't gonna stop me from finding out were smell was coming from. The door to the English room was open so I peaked inside.

The same woman with the beautiful curly hair was in there teaching her class. Her voice was so elegant and kind. As she spoke she gracefully moved around the classroom talking about the innocents of the universal monsters.

I couldn’t help but stare at her rosey lips as defended theses creature of the night. Though her intentions are innocent, she was truly mad. She saw that there was good side to these monsters she had no clue that were real. It made my dead heart thump as she saw there was more than just evil. She didn't think they were damned. It made me think of my family and how maybe... Just maybe we're not as bad as Edward clames us to be.

“it was beauty that killed the beast” she said. She said like it was heart braking and in her beautiful orbs you could see all the remorse she had for what ever creature she spoke of. Damn, I could listen to her talk all day.

“how would you change it?” Angela Webber asked.

The curly haired angel shrugged. “in the end I think the creature should get the girl”

In what way?

That really made me think for a moment. As her class conversed she pulled her curly hair into a quick bun, exposing her slender neck and sliver chain. My eyes followed the end and saw a gold rose charm dangle between her breasts.

“any questions?” She asked then silently glanced over to the door which signaled me to leave before I could get cought.

~~~~~~~~(first pov)~~~~~~~~

By the time lunch rolled around I had pages of notes and lesson planes based on what story or creature we'd be covering each week thst lead up to the final project. As I got to know each of my classes today I found out a lot of them actually wanted to learn and suggest a few novels we could go over

As Elvis Presley softly played on my computer I set up and organized my notes as I took advantage of the silence and free time.

After I got the notes I needed down I transfered it to a good doc and made some worksheets for tomorrow. I hit print and set off to the copy machine that lived in the front office.

As I walked down the hallway it was mostly empty due to everyone being at lunch, there was few stragglers by the lockers but other than that I had no problems getting to my destination.

I greeted Mrs. Webber, who was the secretary. She looked up from her computer and smiled. “hello, dear how's your first day been?”

“it's been great” I smiled as the printer started to spit out way more papers than I expected. “great bunch of kids” I said.

Mrs. Webber raised an eyebrow and chuckled. “it's just day one, give them time and your gonna wanna rip your hair out”

I laughed and picked up the thick stack of papers. I looked down and raised an eyebrow at the Spanish that dmaced acrossed the white paper. Mrs. Webber looked up. “somthing the matter dear?”

“umm... The papers are in Spanish is all... I think I hit the wrong button on my computer”

Mrs. Webber nodded. “oh, that's probably Eleazar's work sheets, he's the Spanish teacher here” she explained. “do you mind taking them to him?”

“Sure” I smiled and separated our work sheets into their respective piles. “where is his classroom exactly?” I asked before leaving the front office.

Mrs. Webber looked up from her computer and took her glasses off. “just go passed the library and take a left, there should be small stair case that should lead you right to it... It's kinda secluded” she explained as she pointed at the door.

I nodded and head to where she directed me. I pashed the library and then down the staircase to the designated room. I knocked twice and waited, the door open in seconds making me slightly flinch.

I looked up and saw a man that was probably a foot taller than me. His skin was pale with small olive tint to it. He had dark wavy hair and the same gold eyes as Edward from my first period class. He was very Handsome, the way I had to crane my neck up to make eye contact made me blush.

“umm... Your papers got mixed with mine on the printer” I said handing him his stack of papers.

He smiled and took the papers. As he did his ice cold hand brushed up against mine making me slightly shiver. “Gracias”

“De nada(your welcome)” I smiled. He arched an eyebrow showing an empressed smile. “you speak Spanish?”

“a little bit” I said pulling my work sheets to my chest.

“well thank you miss...” he started.

“Miss. Swan, y/n Swan” I said holding my hand out. “Hola, I'm Eleazar Denali” I smiled placing his cold hand I to mine. As he shook my hand the coolness of his hand didn't bother me as much as it did before. As our hands broke apart someone called out his name.

“Hey Eli” Tanya Denali said coming up to us with another blonde that looked similar to her. I'm guessing they were sisters. They had the same golden eyes as Eleazar and the one I didn't recognize had straighter hair than her sister. I recognized one with wavy blonde hair, she was in my fourth period film class.

“Hey girls” he greeted warmly. Eleazar turned to me and gestured towrds the two girls. “these are my nieces Tanya and Kate”

I smiled at the two teenager girls. “yeah, I have Tanya in my fourth period, very bright girl you have”

Tanya smiled while Kate smirked as she glanced in between her uncle and I. I glanced down at my watch and remembered I had to get a few things done before lunch ended.

“I'm sorry for dashing away, but I got a few more things to put together before my next class starts.” Eleazar nodded as I walked away. “Adiós Mr. Eleazar” I called out as I walked away.

-------(Eleazar's pov)-------

I watched how she gracefully walked away completely ignoring the two girls. Tanya smiled and placed her hand over her heart. “she's thinks I'm bright”

I didn't answer as studied how her hips moved as she got farther and farther away from us. Tanya and Kate shared a smile and looked at me with a wicked smirk.

“Aw Eleazar got a crush” Tanya said resting her head on Kate's shoulder and gave me puppy eyes. I cleared my throat and shot her a look.

“no I don't” I clarified, but I didn't know who I was trying to reassure me, or them.

“she is beautiful” Kate stated trying to get a rise out of me. “and did you see those curls, so pretty” Tanya added.

I sighed and slapped my forehead. “girls please, I don't have a crush”

Tanya and Kate glanced at each other and raised their eyebrows, then they turned to me in perfect sync. “mmhm”

I sighed and slightly pushed the girls forward once the fith hour bell rang “Cállate y vuelve a clase(shut up and get back to class)”

The girls cackled as they left the hallway that housed my classroom. I just shook my head at the two girls I consider family.

~~~~~~~~(1st pov)~~~~~~~~

“and he just shot up and ran out of the classroom like his ass was on fire” Bella said as she rage chopped a head of lettuce.

I nodded as I cooked the toaco meat in the skilet. Bella had been ranting about Edward cullen ever since we got home. I don't know if she wanted to jump is bones or kill him.

She slammed the knife down making Duke jump up from under the dinning room table. Bella threw the lettuce into a bowl. “and he tried to get out of Biology, why is he so rude?”

I didn't have an awnser for her. When I first met the kid he was so calm and collected, then when he talked in my class I could tell he was slightly shy. There could be millions of reasons to why Edward Cullen was acting like this.

“you didn't say anything to defend him did ya?” I asked softly. Bella shot me a confused and bafuled look. “no! Not at all”

I nodded and turned my back to her to get plates. When I turned back around she was right in my face hilding her hair. “do I smell?”

I chuckled and pushed her hand away. “yeah, you smell like coconuts and teenage angst”

Bella sighed and slumped into one of the dinning room chairs. Duke rested his back head on her lap, I spoke up as she petted the dog's head. “you shouldn't get worked up over some guy, he's not worth it”

“I know” Bella sighed as I set the table. Dad walked through the door seconds later.

Dinner started off fairly quiet intill dad spoke up. “how was everyone's day?”

“good, made a few friends” Bella said.

“how was teaching? The kids treating you alright?” Charlie asked taking a bite out of his taco.

I nodded with a smile. “the kids are great” dad nodded with realife plastered on his face.

I swolled my last bite and glanced at dad when me and Bella's conversation came flooding back into my brain.

“Hey Dad, you know the Cullen family right?” dad sighed and put his drink back on the table. “Are people talking about them again?”

I gave him a confused look

“not really....I have a few of them in my classes, they seem nice” I said.

“Just ‘cause they’re newcomers people think they can target them and spread gosip” Dad said.

“how well do you know them?” Bella asked.

Dad filled his plate with more food as he spoke. “carlisle and Esma have five adopted children, Edward, Alice, Emmett and then Rosalie and Jasper are Mrs. Cullens niece and nephew... Twins I think” I he said.

“what about Eleazar Denali? He's the Spanish teacher” I asked. Dad nodded. “he's Mrs. Cullen older brother... He has three niece too, Irnia is in college and then Kate and Tanya I think”

“why do people talk about them so much?” I asked as the imagine of Eleazar's golden eyes peirced my brain.

“just because they're newcomers...We're lucky to have a surgeon like Dr. Cullen at our potluck hospital. Lucky his wife wanted to live in a small town and kids aren't little hell raisers like we have around here”

As dinner finished up I cleaned up the plates and put them in the sink as Bella aksed more questions about the Cullens, she acted like dad knew them personally.

“I just don't like narrow mindedness” dad said putting leftovers in the fridge. I nodded agreeing with our dad.

“yeah people shouldn't judge them if they don't really know them” I Said grabbing my Labtop and the paperas I need to grade before heading to my room with Duke behind waging his tail.

[hylianmewmew]

b&b au - flesh & thorn ch 6: bite

lmao heres the chapter for this week

Kokiri sat on the staircase, tucking his legs into his chest. The fissure jump had drained him a lot more than last time. Whatever Keeper and the others did to the amulet must’ve changed the way the amulet works on the user. His body was heavy and his head pounded from the little magic he had left. There wasn’t a threat of magical exhaustion, but it did feel awful. It didn’t help that his stomach twisted itself in knots from hunger. Using magic always made him ravenous. Kokiri dug through his bag and found a small loaf of bread, immediately devoured it. The bread helped clear his head but he was still starving.

“You good there?” Sky plopped down next to Kokiri, handing him a bowl of rice and meat. “Honor and Twilight woke up and made some food for the group. I’ll get Keeper to come over and see what the deal with the effects of the amulet is. It definitely seems like you’re more affected than the past few times.”

Nodding, Kokiri accepted the bowl. Sky watched him as he quickly ate the entire thing, not pausing between bites. “Thanks. Whatever they did to the amulet really fucked with my magic levels. Feel like shit but the food helped. I’ll ask Smithy and Keeper what exactly they did, maybe there’s something they can do to fix the amount of magic this fucking thing takes.”

There was an exhausted silence that fell upon the Chain, sunset was nearing and becoming blessedly cooler. Hiking in the sand was much harder than on solid ground, especially with crutches. Smithy laid on the cool stone tile floor, her face pressed against it. Hare sat at his side, fiddling with the hem of their shirt absentmindedly.

“From what I know the amulet draws from the magic of the user AND the surrounding party members. So in theory there’s no reason why another person can’t use the amulet. Meaning we could travel through fissures more often than we thought. If someone else uses it besides just you there’s less of a chance any one of us gets magically depleted.” Keeper stood with Sky and Kokiri as he explained.

“The metal was made to be a conduit of the amulet’s magic itself, which is a derivative of Hylia’s own magic. We altered the metal to be a conduit for anyone’s magic that’s strong enough. So basically any of us.” Smithy butted into the conversation, nodding along with Keeper.

“So to dumb it down, I don’t have to be the only one to use this thing?” Kokiri sighed, very much relieved it wasn’t all on him.

previous chapter ♡ next chapter

[imfearlessfics]

Chapter 3: The Meeting 

Song: Rise - Intro by Taeyang, 1AM by Taeyang

Pairing: Yunjin x female reader

Genre: Fluff, funny, romance

Warnings: Semi explicit language

Word count: 1.5k

Vocabulary: sajangnim = boss / president, Annyeonghaseyo = Hello 

Everyone lies on their resume, so it didn’t seem like a bad idea to put “Calm under pressure” under the skills section at the time. But now I can feel my heart beating throughout my entire body, and they’re gonna know what a giant liar I am any second. 

How many people need to be present at this meeting?! I’m one person, and all I’m doing is coming up with content. Is a conference room with 30+ people necessary? Speaking of said content, I still have no idea who I’m going to be working with or what exactly I will be doing! The email may as well have been written by the freakin’ CIA with how secretive they were. 

“Congratulations. You’ve been hired by Source Music as their new Content Creator. Await further instructions.” 

Thank you…for that wealth of information. Not like I’m uprooting my entire life or anything. 

There’s dozens of conversations taking place as we settle in. Some talking about their weekends, others about their hangovers, and some going over the layout of today’s meeting. Interns are rushing to get coffee and department heads are fiddling with their laptops so they can project their powerpoint. I catch a glimpse at some of the files: “TXT Tour”, “New Jeans New Concept”, “Seventeen Mini-Album”. I crack the biggest smile, because after all the hard work, all-nighters, and moments of doubt, this is what I get to do. This is what it was all for.

Introverts get this bad rap for being too quiet or too shy or just too small to ever take up enough space. But keeping my head down and focusing on my dreams is what got me here, so I would say we can do pretty well for ourselves. 

The entire room goes almost silent in an instant as a woman walks into the room. Scattered “Annyeonghaseyo sajangnim”s fill the room as who I can only assume is the one in charge sits down at the head of the table. Her presence is commanding, but she doesn’t seem unapproachable. I get the sense that she had to overcome a lot of doubt and judgment before making it to this table, and I feel a strong sense of respect for her. 

“Good morning, everyone. Let’s please give a warm welcome to our newest team member, y/n.” Everyone bows, and I take a moment to memorize my new coworkers’ faces. They seem kind enough, but I know I’ll need to keep my guard up. I worked too hard to get here to lose it to an unsuspecting peer. “Y/n will be spearheading content creation for one of our biggest TikTok accounts, so she will be plenty busy over the next few months as I’m sure you can imagine.” Oh damn. TikTok!? I definitely didn’t think they’d be giving me that much responsibility, but what an honor. Remember, y/n, you are capable of whatever you set your mind to. 

I soon discover her name to be Hwang Eun-Jeong, or more formally, President Hwang, which sets my mind at ease immediately. Eun-Jeong has several meanings, one of which is kindness; I knew I got a good feeling from her! She launches into explaining the basic overview of the meeting. Introducing myself, discussing responsibilities and schedules, and familiarizing myself with the team and building are all on the agenda. It’s a lot to go over, and I know my nerves are starting to go into overdrive, but the last thing she says nearly makes my heart stop altogether. 

“Oh, and we can’t forget to introduce her to the members. They had an unexpected schedule come up, so they will have to join us a little later, but as soon as they return, ensure they all can spend some time together. Who will let Chaewon know?”

Chaewon? As in Kim Chaewon?! Ex member of IZ*ONE, Kim Chaewon? The leader of LESSERAFIM, Kim freaking Chaewon?! 

Nooo no no no no no there is no way that this is happening. I am not that lucky. I did not get placed as content creator for my favorite girl group. Absolutely not. They made some super weird mistake or they’re pranking me or I’m officially off my rocker because honestly, psychosis seems like a more plausible explanation for what I just heard. 

I thought I was just gonna be the brains behind the operation - I didn’t know I’d be working directly with the actual members! Curse that oddly ambiguous email! But the more I think about it, of course they couldn’t tell me I’d be working with them. Their next comeback is the most anticipated of the year. They’ve been completely out of the public eye for months, only posting teasers here and there to generate buzz. Even I was wondering where the hell they’d been, but I was content to just be in the same building as them. I could have never anticipated this, and I had tried to prepare for everything with this move and career change. 

Almost everyone in the room has turned to look over at me, and it’s then that I realize my mid-morning crisis has been visible to my new coworkers. “Y/n, are you ready to introduce yourself?” President Hwang gently prompts. I plaster the biggest (fakest) smile I can muster and slowly make my way to the front of the room. I launch into my carefully planned speech, and it goes off without a hitch. Luckily, I can hide my utter mortification with ease, so that’s a win, I guess. I wrap up my presentation, and thankfully, it was received well. Everyone seems genuinely excited to have me on board, so even though I am reeling with the realization that I’ll be working directly with some of my biggest inspirations on a daily freakin’ basis, I breathe a sigh of relief. I’ll have to take this one step at a time if I want to be successful. 

President Hwang expertly guides us through the next several weeks of schedules, and oh my god will I be busy. I knew that the working culture out here was different from back home, but I’m not gonna have time to form thoughts, let alone adjust or settle in! I make a mental note to sit down tonight and memorize my schedule so I can be prepared. 

A gentle knock on the door beside me interrupts my train of thought, and the entire world comes to a stop yet again during this meeting. I see five borderline ethereal women file into the room as they bow and greet the rest of the staff. And that’s when it hits me - I am sitting in the same room as LESSERAFIM. I am breathing the same air as LESSERAFIM. I am staring like a goddamn fish out of water at LESSERAFIM. If you look like a weirdo in front of any of these women (but especially Yunjin), I’m gonna whoop your ass, y/n.

I manage to compose myself long enough to give a quick bow and smile to each of them, and President Hwang thankfully senses my nerves, so she initiates introductions. 

“Ladies, this is y/n, your new content creator for your TikTok account. She has excellent qualifications and should make a great addition to your team.” Thank goodness this woman is making me look good, cuz lord knows I am doing a terrible job of that right now. I decide that I can’t be afraid forever, so I stand up to shake their hands. 

“Hi! I’m y/n. It’s so nice to meet you all.” I say with only a slight tremble in my voice, but my hand gives me away instantly - it’s shaking like a leaf in a windstorm. 

Eunchae is the first to notice my nerves, so she’s immediately welcoming. “Hello! It’s nice to finally meet you. Please don’t be nervous - we’ll all be fast friends, I’m sure!” Kazuha is next to greet me, and I can tell she’s also a little nervous, which helps to calm me down a little. We both know the feeling of uprooting our lives to come here, learning the language, and feeling like an outsider, so I am hoping that helps us to build a connection. “Hi, I’m Kazuha. It’s so nice to meet you. I look forward to working with you!” I say hello to Sakura and Chaewon, who are both so sweet, and then I see her. You know those super cheesy scenes in movies where the main characters lock eyes and the entire world seems to freeze? There’s violins and like … wind for some reason blowing through their hair (even if it’s clearly inside), and no one seems to notice the two complete strangers just openly staring at each other? Well technically none of that happened, but you get the idea. I truly thought those directors were just dramatic, but I know something shifted just now. A muffled warning from something deep within me that knows I can’t let any more shifts happen, but Huh Yunjin is looking right at me, and something tells me this meeting - meeting her - might have just changed … Well, everything. 

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Hi! A little slow like the last chapter, but I promise I just want to build as much detail and backstory as possible. I hope y'all are liking it:) Enjoy!