#this was SO LONG too i apologize lol

[aipurjopa]

we’re all stifling at the bottom of a dustbin

no lighting

[chellychuu]

Mami warmup! 💛

[caligvlasaqvarivm]

Do you think if the trolls all came back, like everything in the main comic did happen and they were alive again. Do you think Feferi would actually forgive Eridan? Or want to even be his friend after everything? I don't personally like the erisol and fefertasprite interaction…felt rushed…..so I just wanted to know your opinion if things were different! :)

Yeah, I think they would be! Feferi is one of the trolls who takes dying the least badly (relentless optimism) and Eridan does genuinely feel bad, which means a lot when it's Eridan. I think she really is genuine when she says she wants them to be friends and also that she's really not the type of person to hold a grudge, and like... death is SUPER cheap in Homestuck, it's really not the horrific, irredeemable, irreperable damage that it is IRL - and if you're talking about (Feferi) and (Eridan), then they're both dead (and irrelevent) now, so the score is kind of even.

In general, the fandom - I mean, people in general, really - tend to have difficulty divorcing themselves from other people. We tend to assume that the people and characters they like will hold similar opinions to themselves. This is how people who like Karkat and don't like Eridan can mentally gloss over or even block out their clear, close friendship, or how people who dislike Cronus can end up overlooking that Meenah actually takes his opinion seriously and unironically defends his wizard thing. Feferi really isn't mad at Eridan or upset about dying the way we probably would be, because she's friends with the horrorterrors, relentlessly cheerful, comfortable with death in general, and death is also just not really that big of a deal in this setting. "I'm really sorry about that, that was shitty of me" is honestly probably all the apology she needs, especially if they came back to life anyway.

[marimbles]

It seems to be pretty well established that most fanfic authors don’t mind when readers leave comments on old fics and in fact welcome it. But what about authors replying to old comments?

Do readers care in general whether an author replies? Is it expected and seen as rude if they don’t? Is it nice when they do but not expected? Is there a time limit to the welcomeness of replies? Like is it nice if they respond within a few weeks but if it’s been months or years it feels awkward because you don’t remember the fic anymore? I’m curious!

[skyloftian-nutcase]

Ok Wild Angsters, you wanted a continuation, so here you go :)

Four already knew what he would be walking into. His phone had been blowing up for hours. He’d come in to work early. Whether he was assigned to take care of Wild or not was another matter - Vaati loved to try and take all the admissions, convinced he was the best nurse on the unit. If Four could just keep Vaati out of Wild’s room, he’d consider it a success.

When the charge nurse told him he would be admitting the trauma alert, he knew who he was getting.

Pre-admission jitters always made Four anxious, but this was an entirely other level of fear. He almost wanted to request a different assignment, but it was too late now. What if he couldn’t take caer of him because he was his friend? What if that impair his decision making? What if he just wasn’t skilled enough to handle it? He knew Ezlo wouldn’t give him an assignment he couldn’t handle, wouldn’t be there to support him, but still…

Four went over the supplies in his room once more. Safety checks were fine—they had suction, they had a bag valve mask, the code card was nearby—and he had all the supplies he needed. It was just a waiting game.

Four paced the unit at least three times before he looked at the OR status board again. Wild was still in surgery. He poked in his chart, glancing at injuries, looking at vital signs and anesthesia notes. The last update he saw was that Wild had gotten another unit of blood. Estimated blood loss so far was around 2200mL.

2200mL. That… wasn’t too terrible, Four supposed. He’d… seen worse.

Please don’t get worse.

Four knew for certain that Wild had been mass transfused in the ED. Warriors, his primary nurse when he was there, had told him as much. Between that and the multiple blood products he’d gotten in surgery, as well all the crystalloids he was likely getting as well…

Four took a breath. Then another. He grabbed his phone, texting Warriors. You doing ok?

Wars didn’t reply.

Four wasn’t entirely sure where everyone was at this point. Hyrule had stayed at the hospital, lingering in the emergency department and then the operating room waiting area, but Four hadn’t seen him since he’d clocked in. Warriors and Legend should be getting off shift now, but whether they were going to stay up was another matter. Time was obviously in the OR (Wild’s wreck had been around 10pm, he’d arrived in the ED around 10:45, and he’d been stabilized for surgery and gone to the OR by around midnight - it was 7am now… he wasn’t sure how long this was going to take, but it couldn’t be much longer). Malon should be getting on shift now as well - she had come in last night when everything had gone down, alongside Twilight. Wind had been cautiously left out of the loop until Wild had gone to surgery, simply because nobody had really had much information at the time, so no one wanted to worry the kid until they could figure things out. Everyone had their hands full as it was. But by now, Four knew Wind was either in the OR waiting room, harassing every respiratory therapist he knew, or in the hospital library pacing anxiously. As for Sky, the last Four heard he was bouncing between different people, checking in on everyone.

He clicked through more anesthesia notes, looked at flow sheets for blood products. There wasn’t much to go on, as charting was sparse. What Four did know was that Wild had been obtunded, got mass transfused, had gotten a chest tube, had been intubated, blood was evident in his abdomen, and he had an open femur fracture. He’s been taken to Time’s OR for a ex-lap. Head CT had shown a bleed, and they were monitoring it. That was all the information Legend had told the group when he’d had a moment to spare.

Four’s vocera activated, telling him he had a call from the charge nurse. When he answered, he was told Malon had called and said they’d be finishing up in about thirty minutes and were likely to come up open.

Why was he coming up with his abdomen open? When had they gone from exploratory laparotomy to a full on open abdomen?

Ten minutes later, Malon called back to give report. When Four answered, the first thing he asked was, “How’s he doing? Is he okay? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Malon said, even though she sounded exhausted. “And he’s… hanging in there. I’ve seen worse, I’ll say that. I’ll give you the full rundown, okay?”

Four listened as Malon gave report, feeling his heart settled into his stomach, which was tying itself in knots. Multiple spots of bleeding, possible compartment syndrome in his abdomen, a likely kidney injury due to compression from the bleeding on some major vessels, a small hematoma in his brain… they’d had to call neurosurgery to do an emergency craniotomy out of overt concern of swelling, given that Wild had apparently had previous head trauma, based on what they saw in the OR.

Open abdomen, craniotomy, ICP monitoring, bleeding, one chest tube… this was a disaster. Four swallowed as he wrote, feeling his hand shake a little as his heart raced. He was not qualified enough to be admitting this. He was not.

But the turnaround on his unit was pretty insane, and he was the most experienced nurse on the unit today. At least Ezlo was charge; he knew he’d be well supported.

This was a nightmare. But Four had dealt with nightmares, and he would deal with this. He wasn’t going to screw up taking care of any patient, but especially his friend.

Sighing, he hung up the phone after thanking Malon, pushing worries for her and Time aside, trying to focus on what he would need, who he should grab to help him, and how he should prep his room.

It was time to get to work.

When everyone arrived from the OR, Four made brief eye contact with Time. He couldn’t read much from the man, who was stone faced, aside from the exhaustion evident in the dark circles under his eyes. Four got to work quickly, assessing Wild from head to toe as he looked to see what IV medications he was on. A coworker wrote the note while Ezlo helped detangle his lines (the OR always brought up a mess, after all). Time gave an overview of the surgery, and Four listened along as he checked pupils, as he zeroed the arterial line and the ICP monitor, as he listened to lung and heart sounds, as he checked the chest tube and stripped it with his fingers to ensure patency, as he checked peripheral pulses, as he looked at the abdominal dressing to get a baseline in case there was swelling from bleeding later. One of the techs connected the chest tube to wall suction, and Four looked over his drips. Only having levophed at 2 wasn’t terrible, and he was getting a unit of red blood cells, which was in a transfusion set that was y’d to some lactated ringers fluid. He was on propofol for sedation. Another nurse grabbed a blood gas from his arterial line and sent off labs. His foley he had was temp sensing, and Four quickly ascertained that Wild was cold, so he set up the blanket warmer and covered his friend up.

His friend. His friend.

Four shook his head. He had to focus.

As Time left the room, he put a hand on Four’s shoulder, making him freeze. The surgeon didn’t speak, just locking eyes with him. Four wasn’t entirely sure if it was for his own benefit or not. But he had no more time to let his emotions make any decisions for him. He nodded to the doctor, who nodded in return, and then the two went their separate ways.

This was going to be a long day.

[yourlittlettoy]

akajsjahsjajjs oh my godddd Cece just followed lil ole me?!?!?!🥰

what an honor from such an icon🧎🏻‍♀️🙌

Ajakdlakajs HI BB 😂😂‼️🩷 no these past few months I been here but also mentally so not here, I shoulda followed a cutie like u eons ago 😌😮‍💨 the honour is all MINE 🥰

[tomwaterbabies]

Hi there 👋 I'm also here to ask more about the robot au. Does Donella know about Varian being Ulla's perfect robot? Or does Hugo tell her about Varian when he initially finds out? I'm curious as to whether Donella plans to take apart Varian to learn more of Ulla's secrets.

How does sleeping and eating work for Varian? Does rain or being immersed in water affect him? Does his energy come from magic or science? (Like is he solar powered, or is there a magic energy source keeping him working?)

What are Yong and Nuru's reactions to realizing Varian is a robot? After finding out he himself is a robot, does Varian ever try to communicate to other robots, even the rogue ones, to stop them or to test if they are as sentient as him? Are there other sentient robots besides Varian, or is he the most advanced? I imagine Varian not only dealing with an existential crisis but feeling out of place with both people and robots (not human enough to be human, but too advanced to be labeled another robot).

Also any other fun robot quirks of Varian?

Sorry if it's a lot of questions.

im spinning in circles throwing lots of confetti all around u if u dont like confetti imagine its something else its something u like

currently i am Undecided on if donella knows what varian is. either way she would definitely find out, and i think it would probably be from hugo IF she doesnt know already. im actually going kind of insane about the idea that she wants to take him apart so i'll be real with you that is now part of this au. thank u. hugo would not know about this specific goal donella has

because he is meant to perfectly integrate with humans, most things are normal for him! his system, while synthetic, still works Mostly like a biological human. water doesnt really have an effect on him BUT i think he was programmed with a "fear" of cold weather to avoid being in the snow too much because it can damage him a little bit (excessive cold has a negative effect with his system)

his energy source is partially magic and partially science! the reason he is sentient is he does, truly, have a soul. this isnt really fully understood by him at first (and the source of much angst, naturally), but the reality is the magic that ulla harnessed was the ability to give him life. as for the rest of his energy- he's mostly solar powered! it helps that he lives in corona, the light kingdom. out on the road he's usually able to still stay energized- but i can imagine times where all energy sources are getting depleted and he acts a little loopy (its fun)

yong and nuru definitely are, well, shocked? like it is an insane thing for anyone to witness. but despite their confusion they definitely still care deeply for him. yong in particular is inquisitive about varian's robot-ness, i think that can get a little uncomfortable for varian sometimes but he knows he means well

i think the gang would at some point try and find ways to communicate with the other robots via varian! im unsure currently if that would ever be successful, but it would absolutely be something they'd try considering how varian's existence is basically the Key to a lot of this. that being said, while they probably dont know for sure, i can say that varian is the only sentient robot- unless you count what ulla did to herself (uploading her consciousness/soul basically lol. scary AI mode)

"not human enough to be human, but too advanced to be labeled another robot" obsessed with this btw. yeah..... You Get It. in general varian's character desperately trying to find his place is a super important element to me- so it manifests in the robot au like this exactly. but being with yong, nuru, and hugo eventually leads to him finding kinship with them. which, i think, is pretty similar to the regular version of vat7k (where he doesnt find himself within corona OR his mother's extended family- but instead with this group of weird nerds). varian might always struggle with his lack of human traits and his humanity that other robots dont have- but his friends and family, who are notably weird and unique in their own ways too, certainly help get rid of those bad feelings and reassure him

as for fun robot quirks... oh most definitely. remind me later (<- im telling myself this too) to talk about them bc i already made this way too long and listing off Fun Robot Quirks Of Varian is gonna make this even longer ksjdfhsd

here's one for now: when he gives hugs he can sometimes cause someone's hair to go puffed up from the static electricity. this also includes kisses but how will they Ever find that out :)

[hughesxmaes]

 I FOUND || ONE-SHOT

                                        " I'll use you as a warning sign

                                          That if you talk enough sense

                                            then you'll lose your mind."

It was just another day of living with Roy Mustang, his best friend, his partner in crime, someone whom he met at the military academy that they both attended, someone he fought alongside with in Ishval, they went through a lot together and this was no different.

How many months has it been? One? Maybe two? Maes seemed to lose track of time. At some point the days just kept passing by and the fact that there had been something big happening in Amestris in the coming months.

Something terrible, something scary, something they needed to plan to stop and it would take very strategic planning to get things set up, and Maes knew Roy was just the man to do it. He was smart like that, and he trusted in the Flame Alchemist to lead the way he was meant to and knew of his ideals and what he wanted for this country.

                                           "And I'll use you as a focal point

                                        So I don't lose sight of what I want."

He had been staying in the apartment most days, only going out to buy groceries. Now that he was living under Roy's roof he wanted to make sure Roy was remembering to eat properly and he had to usually make trips to pick up ingredients. He did his best to keep a low profile when he was out getting groceries, he was able to use some of Roy's money that he made thankfully.

Maes had cut his hair after moving in with Roy to help keep his cover so that it didn't look too suspicious that he was alive. It wasn't too short, just short enough that it was how to really see what he looked like. He still kept it slid back like normal and sometimes he took his glasses off in public so it wasn't easily noticeable.

He looked different with his glasses off, but not too different just different enough to not be seen by people who used to know who he was. He was supposed to be dead after all, not like people would believe he was alive anyways. He was able to buy contact lenses so that he could see without said glasses.

                                  "And I've moved further than I thought I could

                                   But I missed you more than I thought I would."

Before he had ended up moving in with Roy he had been under the military headquarters. They kept prisoners that they needed to use down there to make sure nobody could find them. When he was pronounced dead they had kept him underground till they needed to use him to get to Roy. To get Roy to comply and do what he's told. Like that would stop that man, Maes knew better than that. Especially after everything that he found out prior to reuniting with him again.

Oh, their reunion was emotional and Maes wouldn't ever forget it. The look on his face when he saw that he was right in front of him, already on edge, thinking Maes was actually the shapeshifting homunculus. Maes could understand considering how they fooled him and took the form of his now late wife. The woman he loved, the woman he can no longer see.

He had been busy going out one day, he wasn't spotted thankfully, but he saw her, walking hand in hand with another man. It was obvious they were on a date and Maes felt his heart shatter. Of course she would need someone to help move on, he didn't expect her to be a widow forever. He knew she needed happiness, someone to rely on, someone to give her the love she deserved. He firmly believed in it.

He couldn't just tell her, 'Hey, I am actually alive.' Life wasn't that simple as much as he wished it was. Especially with the way things ended up. In her head, he's gone, he's never coming back. Maes had been trying to accept that weeks later after it happened. He had told Roy about it and of course he was there to comfort him, just like he always has.

Roy. He had missed this man so much, after having disappeared underground for weeks, he thought he'd never get to see his best friend again. It wasn't just his family he was worried about, it was Roy too, Roy was someone he cared for deeply. That was his best friend, that was someone who he showed everything to. He didn't hide his life from Roy. They were able to tell each other everything.

Roy thought he was dead. The thought alone made his heart sink. Just imagining his face the moment he realizes, what was he thinking, it obviously wasn't something good. He probably ended up depressed, that's what he had seen when he finally got to see his face again.

                             The realization, the fear, the uncertainty. All of it.

When Maes said something that the homunculus knew nothing about. Those words: "Sorry pal, Spinach Quiche is my favorite. Just can't resist it, ya know?" That's when he could see the realization in Roy's eyes, the hesitation when he was about to snap, and before Maes knew it, he was in an embrace, tears streaming down Roy's face as he clung onto him for dear life.

Of course when that happened he wrapped his arms around him, returning that hold on him. He didn't cry, just closed his eyes, smiling warmly as he let Roy sob in his arms. It was so hard to trust the military now after everything so of course Roy had been on edge when he looked at his best friend who was supposed to be dead.

Maes missed Roy so much, This man meant so much to Maes. Someone he cherished with every fiber of his being. Someone that he didn't want out of his life, he wanted him to stay by his side for as long as Roy would stay.

These feelings he had deep down, they were starting to fester into something more. He had realized the feelings that he felt for Roy were more than just friendship after he got married to Gracia. Of course, those feelings (he thought) were short-lived after he realized this. He swallowed them down knowing it wouldn't do any good feeling things, wanting things that he couldn't have. He had a wife and a little girl on the way. It was impossible, it could never happen.

                                  "And I'll use you as a warning sign

                                       That if you talk enough sense

                                          then you'll lose your mind."

That didn't mean the realization of said feelings didn't hurt. He had wished he had realized sooner, maybe then he could have. If he had though, then there wouldn't be Elicia. That's when he swallowed down those short lived feelings he realized to focus on his family.

Besides, Roy probably didn't like him like that, he probably wasn't even interested in men. That's what he kept telling himself. Maes realized that he liked more than one gender when he realized those feelings about Roy. He accepted that part of himself, but he knew he couldn't do anything about it. Not with already being with Gracia and having Elicia.

Feelings were such a complicated thing and Maes felt guilty for thinking of another person while he had a wife and kid that he cherished and loved so much. These feelings... they had to die. It would just make it too hard on everyone. So, he did what he had to and just forgot that they existed.

Then there were moments where he would always be speaking to Roy and feel those feelings he thought that he buried deep. Whether it was about his wife and kid to just something that involved their job and then sometimes going out to drink and just talking about anything that came to mind.

He would notice Roy more than he thought he would after realizing the feelings he held for the man. It was just in the way he presented himself, to the way he talked and looked at him. The gentle smile he gave him when they talked about something specific. It was the little things that made his heart race and that scared him.

He tried his best to focus on their friendship. That's what he needed to do. Nothing more than that. So then why... Why did he see Roy in such a loving light that he was supposed to feel for just his wife? Why did he have this itch to protect him? To be there for him by holding him in such a loving way?

        These feelings... they were more than just liking someone. It was love, romantic feelings…

Maes Hughes was in love with Roy Mustang. It clicked for him, everything did. This realization hit him like a ton of bricks. It was just a few months living with Roy that he had realized what these feelings truly were. He didn't see Roy as just his best friend. He saw so much more.

                        "And I found love where it wasn't supposed to be

                                                  Right in front of me

                                               Talk some sense to me."

Maes never realized because he locked up those forbidden feelings tight. He acted like they never existed. He couldn't risk something happening between his family and Roy. Too much would be lost if he had acted on said feelings.

Even when he was just spending time with him or talking to him, there was just the way he spoke to him that made him hang onto every word Roy had to say, he listened, showed that he was listening, laughing with him when he said something funny or witty.

That damn smirk also got him weak in the knees every time, but he had to act like that wasn't how he felt. He would do his best to ignore the butterflies every time this man smiled at him. It was something so precious to him and he didn't want Roy to stop smiling, so he did his best to make sure that he would keep that smile. Even on the days where he wasn't feeling it, Maes would make sure that he had at least one smile that day.

Maes always loved looking into Roy's dark eyes, they always seemed to draw him in. The way he talked about something, you could see all of those emotions hidden within his eyes. He couldn’t get enough of talking to this man. He could tell him just about anything, he trusted deeply in this man. The way he talked about protecting the country they lived in, he knew this man could do anything he set his mind to. He was determined to protect those close to him just like how Maes was.

Maes was finally starting to realize and accept these feelings for what they truly are. He wanted to enjoy every moment he could together with Roy. Especially considering what Maes had been through. It was something he never expected to deal with, to have his life ruined from the very same monsters trying to use their country to make a transmutation circle.

 He could never go back to those days where he had a family, it would forever be broken and there was nothing he could do to change it. Even if he did show himself to them both, how would they ever go back to those days? It would only cause them issues in the long run. If it meant they’d be safe in the end, then that was enough to live. He’d live to protect them forever, for the rest of his life.

He was drinking his coffee in silence as he contemplated these feelings he held for Roy more. He’s had them far longer than he thought he had. The way he remembers feeling during the time with Roy at the Academy. Sometimes he’d stare at Roy’s lips in the corner of his eyes and wonder how they felt pressed against his own. The way his heart raced when Roy’s hand brushed against his own while they’ve been living together was more noticeable. The butterflies fluttered deep within his chest the closer they stood with each other, his scent intoxicating.

Every little thing that Roy did was more noticeable to him ever since moving in together. He hadn’t been able to get him off of his mind. It was almost scary, because he’s never felt this way about another man before, and he hadn’t known that he was attracted to Roy even before he married Gracia. He just thought it was some passing thought, really.

Roy was easy on the eyes, but he kept pretending those thoughts weren’t there when they were together, but he didn’t accept them after figuring out he had those feelings after the marriage with Gracia, he shut them down immediately when he realized he couldn’t act on them. Thinking it would do no good either way because he was already married and had a wife and kid.That’s how it always was, and he swallowed them down and pretended they had never existed.

Now that time has changed he was able to really reflect on how he truly felt for Roy. Honestly, he felt like these feelings had been one-sided; there was no way Roy saw him that way. How could he? It would ruin what they had and Roy was focusing on becoming President of this country, he was busy trying to figure out the homuncuili’s plans and try to save this country from whatever was about to happen. There wasn’t any time for a romantic relationship for Roy and Maes would have to respect that, even if it hurt and that he wanted to hold this man in his arms and never let him go.

He wanted to hold him, his hands cupping his cheeks and pressing their lips together in a passionate kiss. He had more daydreams about them when he was by himself. It started plaguing his mind about what kind of partner Roy would be and how happy he could try to make Roy. He would imagine what it would be like to go on a date with Roy like how Roy was with his usual dates. Even though those dates were mostly for information and not actually because he was interested in any of them. He knew the real story about that obviously, but that didn’t make him any less jealous that it wasn’t him out there spending time with him.

Maes imagined what  it would be like to go to a nice restaurant and just enjoying the night together with Roy and maybe even a walk in the park together while they held hands and looked at the night sky together. He wished he knew what it would be like to be in bed with him, holding him after a night of passion together, looking into his eyes with such love and adoration, showing each other how much they love each other. He wanted to walk beside him with their hands intertwined, Maes smiling at Roy with such love and passion in his eyes, while Roy did the same.

Maes Hughes was in love with his best friend, Roy Mustang. He loves this man with his whole heart and soul and that would never change and he’s accepted these feelings. He’s accepted that they may never be reciprocated, but that doesn’t mean Maes won’t do whatever he can for Roy Mustang to live a happy life, even if he somehow found someone else to be with in the end. He’d do the same for what Roy had done for him, be his biggest supporter, even if it stung deep inside. Roy meant everything to Maes, everything. He just wanted to make him happy, to make him smile, and even make him laugh. 

Making him laugh was his favorite thing in the world, Roy’s laughter was everything to Maes. If Roy actually felt the same way for him, he’d make sure to make this man the happiest man alive.

He looked up at the ceiling giving a soft sigh. He knew better than to get his hopes up, because that was probably wishful thinking. It would probably never happen, but he can’t help but dream that maybe someday by some miracle it could. 

Nothing wrong with dreaming, right?

[puhpandas]

Rabbit Burrow

(3,785 words) Part 1 (part 2 found here)

Tony Becker, one year after surviving the attack from GGY, tracks down Gregory post-SB. But he has to get through Vanessa before he can get to Gregory.

Tony likes to think his detective skills are pretty good. So when he swings a leg over the seat of his bike and wheels it near the entrance, he hopes it's the right place.

He'd tracked down Gregory to this apartment complex somewhere in Gale county. It's still in Hurricane, and Tony had been able to reach it with just a bus ride. The apartment is somewhat run-down, but clean enough to where you can tell it's well kept, just old. The air conditioning units he passes on the way to the front door are brand new.

He'd taken the closest bus to Gale county right after school let out. He'd been restless all day up until finally acting on his findings. Tony has been searching for Gregory for a year. Finally finding something and having to wait for his middle school day to end was agonizing. He just hopes his Mom and Grandma wont be too mad at him.

He'd wrestled his bike he'd ridden to school that day discreetly onto the bus and wedged it in-between his legs and the seat in front of him. The air had been humid and thick all day with the signs of a storm, and Tony had seen the dark clouds and heard the thunder peeking over the treeline outside the bus window on the way here. He ducks inside the front door and beats the rain by seconds.

"Can I help you?" The receptionist asks him, giving him a weird look when he steps inside. Shes a lady with long, styled black hair and covered in jewelry. Tony tries not to look too suspicious as he sends her a polite smile, heading to the elevator on the wall to the left. He would also be wary if someone he'd never seen walked into a resident building.

"Just seeing an old friend." He tells her. He presses the button to the third floor and tries to break her gaze by stepping behind the closing doors. The elevator shakes a bit before moving up.

He tries to take a deep breath. Theres some kind of excitement floating around in his chest at the fact that he's done it, but he pushes it down, lowering his expectations.

Despite his theories, he really has no clue what to expect. Theres some sort of worry mixing with the excitement, and all he decides is that if he escaped once, he can do it again.

It both took too long and not fast enough when he finally reaches the third floor. He double checks his crumpled sheet of notebook paper in his hand once, then a second time, something nervous but anticipating thrumming in his veins.

He steps onto the beige carpet of the long hallway, fresh vacuum marks in it, and follows the number plates by each door before coming to a stop near the middle of the hall.

3-05 The plate reads back to him. He quadruple checks his paper again. Its right.

He sighs out deeply, not even realizing he was holding his breath. Despite himself, his brows crease ever so slightly.

He shakes it away, pushing past it. Maybe digging too deep is what got him into trouble before, but its different now. Tony... Tony's learned things during his search for Gregorys location. If there was any point during his investigation that he would call digging too deep, it would have been months earlier from now.

Besides. Tony has always been bad at staving off his curiosity.

He thunks his knuckles on the white wood of the door quickly after that, three times in succession. He kind of bluescreens for a second when he realizes what he just did, then shakes it off. Waiting with wide eyes at the door, watching for a rattling of a doorknob or listening for incoming footsteps.

Nothing. He waits a few more minutes before knocking again, this time a little louder and harder.

Tony perks up when footsteps finally near the door, and his lips part prematurely when the doorknob rattles, not even put-together words yet on his tongue. They fall away immediately when a woman with blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail opens the door, one of those chain locks keeping it open maximum of three inches. "Hello?"

He stutters for a moment, words lost on his tongue, before he clears his throat, putting on a polite smile. "Hi, there." He says. "Um. Who are you?"

"I should be asking you that, kid." The woman raises a brow at him, never opening the door more than the chain lock allows it. She peers at him through the gap, and Tony tries as discreetly as possible to look past her head and shoulder into the apartment itself. "What are you doing here?"

When he looks back, shes still looking at him in a way Tony can only describe as cautious. The light in the hallway on the ceiling is flickering, and it casts split second shadows on the womans face that makes the bags under her eyes that much more prominent and her face that much more intimidating. "Well?"

Tony realizes he hasnt answered, and coughs slighty. "Oh. Sorry." He says, reluctant to continue. "I'm... I'm looking for Gregory."

Tony watches intensely to see if the name rings a bell or catches her attention. Just as he expects, her face twists ever so slightly in recognition. Tony catches something adjacent to panic or fear in her eyes until it's gone not half a second later.

"Who's asking?" She asks eventually, voice carefully even after a what appeared to Tony to be a mini conundrum in her head.

"His friend." He answers honestly. He ducks his head when the woman scrutinizes him, looking almost angry, but restrained enough to not show it. "I mean it," He says earnestly. "he and I... we were best friends. Last year. I came here to look for him."

Her eyes widen ever so slightly at that, and she studies him, eyes flicking back and forth over his face and his clothes and his hair. Tony doesnt miss the way her eyes linger for a millisecond on his scars. Its silent in the hall save for the two looking at eachother, and the buzzing of the flickering light on the ceiling is enough to save him from hearing his own heartbeat.

"Okay." She says eventually, and Tony subconsciously feels himself sag a bit at the relief that he won't turned away right as he was this close. She shuts the door without a word, and all Tony can do is stare at the peeling landlord white paint on the door as the sounds of the woman unlatching the multiple locks on the other side reach his ears. He waits patiently, until she cracks the door open not much wider than it had been with the lock, but just enough to fit his body in. "Come in. But no word to anyone. Got it?"

About what? Tony's about to ask, but then he steps through the door and the words die on his tongue.

"Oh." He says outwardly when Glamrock Freddy Fazbear sits on the couch. His body is adjacent to the patchwork quilt Tony has on his bed that his Grandma made him, and any of the makeup he had been painted with has long since scratched off.

His eyes are shut, and theres two jump cables attached to his ears that are plugged into a portable something. He doesn't so much as twitch when Tony enters the room.

The woman gives him a look after she re-locks only the deadbolt behind him and passes him into the apartment. "Oh." He repeats. "Not a word."

She nods at him, and it's only now that Tony can see the rest of her that isnt just her face. Shes in her twenties, if he had to guess, and she has a white tank top on with some sort of stain near the collar along with Hello Kitty fleece pajama pants. Her socks are mismatched and her nails are painted a purple color that could rival the deep bags under her eyes.

She collapses into an armchair (which hes pretty sure has a mismatched leg attached to it half-hazardously) and only looks at him silently as he steps further into the house, not so discreetly angling his body to get a peek past walls and open doors across the house.

Shes about to speak when Tony does first, "Wheres Greg?" He asks straight up. "Can I see him?"

Her lips twitch, and she just leans further back into the chair. The TV is playing some sort of Spring baking show, and the droning of the host mixes with the pattering of the rain on the window on the wall by the TV.

Anticipation and impatient-ness buzzes under his skin at being right here, and this woman undoubtedly knowing Gregory certainly doesnt help.

She only hesitates for a moment, but Tony can see the influx of thoughts that undoubtedly ran through her mind. She opens her mouth, taking a slow breath, before, "At school."

"He goes to school?" Tony gasps slightly, eyes widening. He moves to the couch, toeing past Freddy Fazbear as to not touch him even with just a brush of his jeans before sitting down, facing her. "What school?"

"He goes to Raindrop." The woman tells him, seemingly not hesitating this time.

It doesn't ring a bell, but it must be a middle school in Gale county. "...I go to Hailstorm." Tony says. "We both did. Or used to."

She stares at him after that, fingers drumming on the arm of her chair. She says nothing, just scrutinizing him, before, "You sure have a lot of cryptic ways of telling me how you used to know Gregory."

He wants to apologize, because it seems like what to do in response to that statement, but for some reason, that feeling in his gut he's learned to trust as his Detective sense tells him that he shouldn't.

Shes still looking at him intensely, and the rain outside pattering on the window somehow feels louder. There's some thunder outside that rumbles the floor, and the lighting casts a shadow on the living room. A few white lines across the coffee table caused by the blinds covering the window.

Her face doesnt so much as twitch, he notices, and she doesn't blink when she looks at him. Her green eyes bore into him, almost glowing in the shadow cast beneath her bangs. It reminds him of how he'd done to her not minutes ago. What he does to people he wants to analyze. To see how they react to something.

That's what shes waiting for, he realizes. He has a feeling that if he doesnt match her cryptic bluntness and instead apologizes and caves that easily, that it will somehow result in her turning him away.

Theres a glint in her eye when he becomes aware of reality again enough to look, and he thinks she somehow just came to the conclusion that Tony figured it out.

Then, he tries to sit up a bit straighter, and muster up that same glint mirroring back at him. "You sure have a cryptic way of letting me know you dont trust me."

Her mouth twitches slightly, but its all Tony needs to know he'd guessed correctly.

Its silent for a moment, and the woman grabs the remote on the next arm over and pauses the baking show she'd been watching. She shifts in the red velvet seat, as if getting comfortable, before, "Tell me how you know Gregory, and I'll tell you how I know him."

He has a feeling he isnt getting to Gregory unless he gets through this woman first, so he clears his throat, leaning his forearms on his knees.

"Me and Gregory met early last year at the beginning of the school year." He begins. "Right after summer ended in August. He was the new kid, and he sat at our table at lunch since it was mostly empty. Me and my friend arent the most popular, so there was room to spare."

She waves a hand, signaling him to stop. "Your friend?" She asks. He nods. "How many of there were you?"

"...Just me and E-- my friend." He says. "There were two of us, and when Greg sat at our table, we remembered how he looked a little lost earlier in class and we introduced ourselves. Then we just... clicked, I guess. He would partner with us in creative writing."

"Writing, huh?" She smiles slightly.

"Yeah." He replies. "Then, it was just business as usual for the months afterwards." He pauses, fidgeting with the hem of his jacket he loves so much that reminds him of the trenchcoats big city investigators wear. "Then... I had gotten wrapped up in this mystery."

She shifts, crossing a leg over the over and holding her hands together. "A mystery?"

Tony nods, remembering it like it was yesterday. He thumbs the part of arm where a scar is on his arm that his jacket covers. "The three of us would always go to the arcade in the Pizzaplex." He tells her. "And one day, I noticed high scores that seemed impossible to reach, and I became obsessed with solving who it was who had gotten there."

Tony thinks hes very good at reading people. So he doesn't think it's just his imagination when the woman in front of him goes a little rigid in her seat.

Theres some sort of creases under her eyes, Tony notices, that weren't there before.

"What did you do?" She asks.

Tony has a feeling that she somehow knows already. So he doesnt beat around the bush.

"I solved the mystery, eventually." Tony says. "Because GGY had been Gregory, and he'd invited me to the Pizzaplex and tried to kill me."

She sags a bit, looking somehow infinitely more tired, but no surprise detected. "But you survived."

"Not..." He shakes his head, picking at the skin by his fingernails. "I wouldn't have. If not for Greg saving me."

"Huh?"

"He--" Tony searches for the words, looking at the carpet between his knees and remembering that afternoon in every vivid detail he'd looked over countless times before. "He'd tried to kill me, yeah, but... he was almost fighting himself as he did it. He was like having a fistfight with himself."

He doesn't look up at her, he just keeps remembering how Gregory had gone rigid right before plunging the knife into Tony's gut a second time and stopped himself. How it had looked like somebody yanked Gregory backwards, but it had been his own self throwing his body. Just so he didnt hurt Tony again.

"He looked like he was a malfunctioning robot." He recalls. "He was like, hitting himself, and was making noises like he was fighting something. I was too frozen to move at the time, but then he threw me a really high security pass for the Pizzaplex and told me to run."

Then he had collapsed in front of him, like he was holding himself down. He doesn't tell the woman, though.

He looks back up to see her staring, eyes wide in suprise. She looks deep in thought for all but a few moments before shaking herself out of it. "So what did you do?"

"I ran." Tony says. "He had got me already. He stabbed me in the back, the first time. That was how I knew he was attacking me in the first place. But I ran away with the pass, and I went to a room with a ton of monitors and erased the security footage."

Her eyes blow wide as saucers, that time. "You got stabbed," she begins. "and instead of getting help, you erase the security footage?"

"Yeah." Tony nods. "Greg would have gotten in trouble if I didnt."

She's silent, after that. Tony just keeps picking at the skin on his fingers. "I somehow knew that Gregory didnt deserve to be. He just..." Tony trails off. "He didnt seem..."

"Seem like himself?" She suddenly cuts in, and Tony's eyes widen.

He nods, a small tilt of his head, and the woman sighs. "That's what being mind controlled will do to you."

A year ago, probably longer by now, Tony would have never believed that. He would have never thought something so outlandish that is only ever shown in fiction could be a possibility.

Not that he was wrong, to. Really, anyone in their right mind wouldnt think so. But things have changed since then.

And Tony has seen a lot of things during his search that probably nobody else has. Plus, This woman has been so cryptic up to this point. If she told him this straight up, and it's clear that she knows Gregory...

Suddenly, everything that day seems to make perfect sense. And everything he'd found that he'd filed away into his little mental Gregory crazy wall.

(He'd used to call it evidence wall, like normal people do. But, well, at some point, maybe Tony had thought the things he'd been finding were a bit too crazy to deem as normal.)

Theres been a stretch of silence while Tony had been taking that in, and he only breaks it to say, "Is mind control a topic you're familiar with in this house?"

Her eye twitches, a bit. And now that Tony is looking for it, he notices that same strange sheen on her eyes that Gregory had during their friendship. That weird red tinted film that makes their eyes turn a completely different color when the light hits them right.

Tony doesnt yet understand how the mind control Gregory had been under works, but all he can hope is that there are some side effects.

She stares at him, eyes narrow, and theres another roar of thunder outside the window.

"Who are you?"

"Tony." He answers. "Tony Becker. Ring a bell?"

She hums, and she looks at him in a way where he feels like he's being dissected.

"He didnt remember anything for a while." She says eventually. "But hes been having dreams, lately. Sometimes he talks about two kids he used to be friends with."

"Me and Ellis." Tony's eyes widen. It doesn't even occur to him that he shouldn't share Ellis's name.

"He worries about you." She says. "I've heard him say he hopes you're okay. You and that other kid. You must have been close if he remembers being that good of friends with the two of you."

"We were." Tony replies. Memories of him, Ellis, and Greg going to the Pizzaplex and trying to get the most dunks in the basketball hoops flash in his mind. He thinks about when Gregory would come over to Tony's little run down house that he shares with his Grandma, and they write graphic novels together for the fun of it.

Gregory liked to call them comics before he'd suddenly decided that stuff wasnt cool anymore and stopped coming over. It had been like everything Tony saw him enjoy that wasnt painfully average for a child suddenly didn't mean anything to him anymore.

And then Gregory tried to kill him in a dusty back room.

Everything hed given up seems to make more sense now. It wasnt willingly at all.

"He doesn't remember your names." She speaks up suddenly, ripping Tony out of his thoughts. "But he remembers more and more every time he has a dream. Something reminded him of you one day, I guess. That must have been when it started."

Tony opens his mouth, but the beeping of a digital clock interrupts him. He follows the womans arm as it reaches across the seat to turn it off.

The time reads 5:00pm.

He watches as she looks over at him, and nods to the door. "After school activity." She informs him, getting up out of the seat. His eyes follow her as she moves towards the front door. "I'm his ride."

Tony's eyes widen at the implications. "So I just--"

"Stay here." She tells him. She grabs a flannel off of the small coat rack by the front door and slips it on, sliding some Adidas sandals on top of her socks and reaching in the pocket of the coat to grab car keys. She pulls them out, and Tony notices that theres a keychain of a white rabbit dangling from the key ring.

The breath is suddenly stolen from his lungs, and he bolts off of the couch, a buzzing under his skin. "You're bringing him?"

She nods to Freddy Fazbear. "If you can wait." She smiles at him, and it's the first time Tony has seen her smile, instead of the carefully kept nonchalant-ness. "He'll wake up pretty soon once he's done charging. So you won't be completely alone."

Tony doesnt know what to say to that. Thousands of words spawned from the thousands of thoughts hes had about finding and tracking down Gregory are on the tip of his tongue, but he only gets any out when the woman begins to leave the house.

"Wait!" Tony reaches out a hand. She turns around, a brow raised. The door is still slightly ajar, and the sound of heavy rain reaches his ears. "What's your name?"

She smiles a bit at the question. "Vanessa."

"Vanessa," He asks, oddly desperate. "Dont tell him I'm here." He swallows. "I want to see him remember me."

Vanessa tilts her head, but nods after a moment. "Sure, kid."

She smiles one last time on her way out, and says, "Tony Becker."

The sound of the rain outside disperses when the door shuts and locks, and Tony doesnt move for a long while. He just stares at the landlord white door, electricity under his skin and something floaty in his stomach.

Greg. He thinks in his mind when he finally rips himself away and looks around some more, seeing a door propped slightly open down the hall with a bed and a desk with pencils and paper strewn all about. He doesn't dare go in, but stares at what he can see. Its been a while.

The silence is numbing, when he can only hear the faint whirring of Freddy Fazbear on the couch next to him and the rain on the window, he plants himself on the couch cushion next to the animatronic, grabbing the remote and resuming the baking show Vanessa had been watching.

He doesn't listen to a word. He just trembles with anticipation and bobs his leg up and down as he stares at a random corner of the screen.

ao3 link

[kyouka-supremacy]

Who in sskk would you say has the higher IQ?

IQ as in, conventionally smart? Then definitely Atsushi does. I'm sorry. I've said it many times before, but I don't think Akutagawa is a particularly perceptive person. Or witty. Or intelligent in general. It's due to external factors, he never got the chance to have anything that could resemble a proper education; but it's also a matter of his nature, he's just so impulsive, and narrow-minded, and stubborn, he really has the thickest skull ever. But seriously, especially in a world full of geniuses, Akutagawa simply doesn't shine for sharpness of mind, and is way too impulsive and instincts-driven to be a person that relies on reflection or rationality. Everything that Akutagawa does is the epitome of irrational, it's one of the greatest appeals of the character.

Atsushi is smart,,,, I've talked about this also, and I think it's less sustained by canon than for Akutagawa, but I like to think he's a very observant and perceptive person whose intelligence doesn't show because he's constantly surrounded by geniuses, but still he is smart. When it comes to observations skills, I find it easy for him to have them due to his childhood of ill-treatment and abuse: as a defense mechanism, he learnt to be especially observative of people's behaviour in order to tell what sets people off and be able to prevent any escalation, I think that's a widely shared abuse survivor experience. Something among these lines is shown in chapter 51:

I also think Atsushi is a very fast learner. He's observant, and that results in him constantly absorbing other people's knowledge. He's often asking for explanations for Dazai and Ranpo's reasonings, and although I know more often than not it solves an expositive role in the storytelling picture, there's still the fact that it makes Atsushi a person who's constantly trying to understand the reality surrounding him. Atsushi is also shown to be very cool-minded and calculating in fight: from him sliding under Akutagawa and attacking him from behind successfully eluding having to face him front-off in chapter 4, to him retracting his tiger limbs to escape Rashomon's bonds in chapter 12, to the strategy he elaborated with Tanizaki (and his ability to catch up on that) to defeat Lucy in chapter 16, to his attempt to outsmart Fitzgerald in chapter 34 (that, although failed, was still driven by rational thinking nonetheless), and the list could go on. The way in fight Atsushi is shown to ponder over and implement the advices people like Dazai or Mori offered him further makes me believe he's really good at absorbing information. And Atsushi is probably book smart, too! He's compelled by reading to the point he would even risk the orphanage director's punishment just to sneak into the library and read (not explicitly supported by canon, but I can take a guess). According to the second guidebook, he spends his leisure time borrowing books from the library and studying. Overall, he really seems to be rational in all the places Akutagawa is on the contrary driven by impulses¹.

It's like… A physics law when it comes to sskk, that Akutagawa will have the most despicable trait while Atsushi has the trait that is conventionally considered the best; or at least that's as far as my characterization of them goes. Atsushi is beautiful, Akutagawa is ugly². Atsushi is polite, Akutagawa is rude. Atsushi is pure, Akutagawa is stained. Atsushi is smart, Akutagawa isn't. Atsushi is lovable, Akutagawa is destined to cause repulsion in everyone he meets³. In the end, none of this matters: they're no different where it counts, that is, Atsushi isn't any more morally just than Akutagawa is. Atsushi in not any more good than Akutagawa is (I actually suspect the contrary is true). But as far as appearances go, it's still important to portray them as opposites, because Akutagawa being unlovable and Atsushi receiving all the love Akutagawa didn't get for being his contrary - even though deep down they're the same - is almost everything their relationship is about. It's also a big part of why they act like they do towards each other: it's source of Akutagawa's bottomless envy for Atsushi; it's source of how devoted and loyal he will grow to be for him - reaching the point of giving his life for him -, because he can't see Atsushi as anything but perfection. It's source of confidence and of that certain justified hatred towards Akutagawa Atsushi feels because to his eyes Akutagawa is about the worst person to have ever walked on earth. It's source to their wish to annihilate the other as the opposite they can't exist at the same time of. It's the reason Akutagawa had to die, because he's not the good one. Overall it's also expression of Akutagawa's thematic struggle to be good and unavoidable failure at that because of the constraints of a narrative that never wanted him to be good.

But I also think they can make it work. More precisely, I think sskk can make it work when both of them can overcome and defeat the narrative dichotomy they found themselves stuck into: by recognizing that deep common ground of “we're the same” and that where it matters, in morals, neither of them is better or worse than the other. The Beast universe exemplifies that for us readers, but they don't know Beast, so they'll have to realize it by their own. About that, I think Akutagawa already caught on, because he was faster to call out the hypocrisy of Atsushi's good guy façade, and from that it's a short distance to realizing that, as much as he hates to admit it, at his core Atsushi is not that different from himself. It's taking a little more for Atsushi to realize, because it's harder to get down from that higher moral pedestal he believes himself to be on, but with his whole reevaluating Akutagawa after he stopped killing and sacrificed himself for him (and then saved him again. And then showed him how formidable of a team they are when they find a common ground.), I think he's getting there.

Tl;dr: Atsushi is smart and Akutagawa is stupid and yes it fits their personalities, but way more importantly it's consistent with the themes they carry that translate in what their relationship is like.

�� For further reading on how Atsushi can be witty, please refer to @/gloomierdays's tags on this post. ² For further reading on how Atsushi and Akutagawa's looks can be used to reflect their characters themes, please refer to this post. ³ For further reading on how Akutagawa being not smart (as far as conventional definitions of smart go) ties to his character themes, please refer to this post.

[faunandfloraas]

You have been sending a lot more i.n lately is there a new bias wrecker 🧐

since I've never claimed a bias, how could I have a bias wrecker

[tetzoro]

gooooood morning and happy fridayayay ٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و !! <- me cheering you guys on because we have made it through another week !! that’s amazing hehe let’s start this weekend off right ! remember to drink lots of water + be extra gentle with yourselves !! 🤍💫

[drivebypainter]

User/Name: Drivebypainter / DB

Pronouns: Any Pronouns

Sign (cause thats fun): Virgo

Art Tag: Drivebypainter art

Fandom(s): I’m Multifandom, but right now I’m very interested in SVSSS.

Warnings(?): I do not typically draw or participate in 🔞 NSFW content, but I do occasionally post or repost suggestive or sometimes inappropriate content. Please proceed with caution!

Please do not put or use any of my works in AI.

💖Feel free to drop by and say hello in the asks or share some thoughts on something you find fun! 💖

[chiscribbs]

Okay so the httyd thing. I've been so excited to share this idea w/ you you have no idea.

So what I've been thinking, is Hiccup seemed to recover wayyyyyyyyy too fast for someone who's been neglected and ostracized from his entire community most of if not all his life. Like when Stoick comes home from looking for the nest in the first movie, and the villagers are saying things like "congratulations" or "out with the old in with the new" and "good riddance if you ask me" and they're "throwing a party to celebrate" Stoick assumes Hiccup is dead and that Berk is celebrating. Berk hated him that much. So what I'm thinking is, Hiccup has made inventions and stuff, he's been trying to do something that will prove he's one of them, a real Viking, trying to make them like him, and none of it worked. The only thing that made them realize he was worth anything was when he started being himself, but what if Hiccup doesn't see it quite that way. What if he thinks that if they can change their minds that quick to like him, then they might change their minds again if he doesn't stay useful. What if no one apologized to him for how they treated him? Because I don't think anyone did. What if his self esteem is still 6 feet lower than the ground and he's walking around waiting for the other shoe to drop. In Gift of the Night Fury we see he feels guilty for Toothless needing him to fly, and so he makes him a new tail that doesn't need a rider. Toothless doesn't want it, but that's not the point. What if Hiccup gives people the option to leave him, because he still thinks its possible that they will. It probably wouldn't be super obvious if he did, but what if he makes them all (Astrid, Tuff and Ruffnut, Fishlegs, Snotlout, maybe even Gobber and Stoick) inventions and things that make it so they don't have to rely on him so much? Leaning a little into Race to the Edge, what if he gives Fishlegs some books he's always borrowing, just as an example. What if they all think he's just being nice, and he's actually trying to make sure they don't need to have him around? This is probably a bit of a stretch, but it's all to say that Hiccup deserved better, and I want the gang to see that and help this boy dig his very very low self esteem out of the hole they buried it in. (Also I like to think that hiccup did this with Gobber when he was younger, because Gobber being the only one who didn't hate him is my emotional support headcannon)

TLDR: What if the gang realized that Hiccup has no self worth and thinks that if everyone could suddenly like him then they could still suddenly hate him?

This might be out of character, but I think all of Berk hating his guts and calling him a screw-up probably did some nasty damage to Hiccup's self esteem, and I want to see that realized and dealt with, because being hated and then suddenly loved might have been a dream come true, but it also probably made him scared it was a dream, and that he will eventually have to wake up.

(Finally getting around to responding to this - sorry it took awhile, I've had my mind on other things and I really didn't want to give a half-brained response when you put so much work into this.)

Ahhhhh, "social outcast genius equating his self-worth to his usefulness in the eyes of others" trope, my beloved.

I will say, my perception of his relationship with the people of Berk was always a bit more on the "he's a nuisance, but he's still family" side of things than out-right hatred. Like the equivalent of a small-town's troubled youth, they don't like him, but he grew up there and he's the village leader's son, so they still have some sense of ownership of him prior to his making them change their minds. If that makes any sense? ...they're Vikings, though, so it's hard to tell the difference sometimes, lol. But, in fairness - it's been awhile since I've watched the first movie, so I'll concede to the freshest memory here. Anyway, that's beside the point-

I wholeheartedly agree with you on this! Hiccup was definitely owed a town apology, at the very least. I understand why they didn't go into that in the movie - limited time, plus the the Stoic-Hiccup relationship was really the core of the conflict, so they opted to focus on that instead - but I agree it would have been nice to see some closure regarding the people of Berk's attitude and treatment towards him. Or some recognition for how it might have affected him after the first movie's conclusion. Because you're absolutely right, that kind of emotional whiplash can be damaging - especially on a teenager who already has considerably low self-esteem.

This does feel pretty in-character for Hiccup, in my opinion, considering the doubts he has in himself as a leader. He neither wanted nor felt right for that job, even when everybody else was sure of his qualifications. So it'd be easy to see him projecting his own doubts in himself on others and assuming they might see things the same way as him. That's the kind of thing that eventually fades as it's repeatedly proven untrue, but it takes time for that reassurance to grow, and the doubts would definitely be pretty prominent at the start. And him wanting to do what's best for everyone else, having the sense of love and responsibility for his community that he has, it makes sense he wouldn't try to hold on too tightly and would instead provide ample opportunity for people to leave if/when they wanted to. (Just like he did with Toothless.)

I think if anybody was gonna pull him out of that, or help him pull himself out of that, it would be Astrid. She'd immediately know something's up - she's always the one to ground him when he's too inside his own head to see things clearly. And unlike his confidence in himself, her confidence in him has never once wavered, she knows he's more capable than he thinks. Astrid also has a much healthier relationship with the rest of Berk, so if anybody can provide some reassurance on the public opinion front, it would be her.

...

All that to say - I like this idea! Very well thought-out and well-considered, imo. I'm not quite as well-versed on the HTTYD world as some people - while I adore the movies, I never quite reached fixation levels of interest in the franchise, for whatever reason - so I can't add too much to this. But I like it and I appreciate you sharing your concept with me! Thanks! :>

[thatonecrookedsmile]

I decided to re-read the bendy books because it's been a while since I read them.

[svtskneecaps]

my biological peer reviewer (sibling) called this theory “fun” and said i should send it, so here goes

my personal theory is the feds ((”federation”)) created the eggs because they decided the best way to enforce “you can never leave” was to give the people something they couldn’t lose, like in the post by tumblr user alexaloraetheris (no relation to the smp) where their friend who might be a deity had said,

"When you die you descend to the underworld with nothing to lose. To keep you, they give you something to lose. When you want to return, they will demand it back. That's why nobody ever leaves. The only way out is to never enter."

i’m thinkin that on egg D-Day, at the end of the countdown, the feds weren’t gonna give the eggs back. they were just gonna hide them forever, or do something else, anything else, just keep them away from their surrogate parents, because then the people would just be STUCK, because people could theoretically take their eggs and leave, but if the eggs are missing, gone without a trace, then the residents CAN’T LEAVE, because presumably the eggs are STILL THERE, SOMEWHERE, IN NEED OF HELP AND RESCUE, if only the residents could find them ON THE ISLAND. if they leave the island while the eggs are missing, they are abandoning these things that have become their children.

but then in came the brazilians. and shit went south. because see, the spenglish (spanish / english) streamers were INVITED, but the brazilians CRASHED; the feds didn’t INVITE THEM, they weren’t EXPECTING THEM, but they can’t let these guys leave either, so they PANIC, and they scramble to give the brazilians the same thing--something to lose. the new egg had a brazilian jersey, homie was TAILOR MADE for them to pack bond with. the feds didn’t have time to send out multiple eggs, it was all or nothing, so they picked something they could reasonably assume all five of them would find endearing because they don’t know shit about these guys--they had a week to observe the OG batch, but all they know about these newbies is the brazilian flag on their boat--and so they sent the little egg out to become THEIR THING, the thing they couldn’t afford to lose.

it leaves open why the eggs are cracked too, bc idk what’s going on there lol, either 1: the eggs cracked because they’re hatching and the feds picked that date bc they wanted to yoink the eggs before they got Too Powerful, or 2: the feds were the ones to crack the eggs as an excuse for why they vanished--returning the eggs untouched would open too many questions the feds don’t want them asking; this way, instead of being concerned specifically with “why were the eggs missing”, the residents presume they know the answer--the cracks.

but yea i’m just gonna add as an aside that personally i think cucurucho / osito bimbo / the white fucker is way more active again because the feds are still scrambling to keep up with the brazilians (which, again, the feds weren’t expecting), and the binary fuckwad came in to put the fear of god into the newbies--maybe so they didn’t get too focused on the morse code transmissions; iirc max was theorizing that both osito and binary were part of the federation ? and if so it does make sense that the binary entity went to fuck with cellbit immediately after cellbit was introduced to the conspiracies of the island, yknow, a warning shot. i think they want them to be focused on the eggs.

BUT THAT’S JUST A THEOr