#too late? what about the humans who did that?

[heliosunny]

LUCKY EGG

Yandere!Dr.Ratio x Reader

The egg sat ominously on the table, smooth yet pulsing with an eerie glow. You had won it from a bizarre machine. The moment it hatched, you were expecting... something monstrous, something draconic, anything. But what actually emerged...is a statue.

Or at least, that’s what you thought at first. The figure before you was unnervingly still, clad in intricate blue and black robes with golden embellishments, a stone mask covering his face like some ancient artifact. You blinked. He remained unmoving. The air crackled with an unspoken tension.

“...How did a statue come out of an egg?” you blurted out before you could stop yourself.

A faint chuckle echoed through the room. Slowly, the figure’s fingers lifted to remove the mask, revealing sharp eyes, a smirk playing at his lips.

“Charmed, truly.” His voice was smooth, laced with amusement as he placed the mask aside. “Though, I must admit, I wasn’t expecting my first impression to be likened to a mere sculpture.”

You took a cautious step back. “So... you’re not a statue?”

“Not quite.” He stretched, joints cracking, as if shaking off years of immobility. “I assume you are my first observer. A pleasure.”

His tone was lighthearted, but something about the way his gaze dissected you, scanning every inch of your form, felt calculated—like he was assessing you.

Over the next few days, the man who introduced himself as Dr. Ratio—settled into your space with unsettling ease. He observed, questioned, and tested you in ways that left you both intrigued and wary. Chess was his weapon of choice, each match less about winning and more about how you thought, how you reacted under pressure.

“A move made in haste” he mused one evening, watching as your knight fell to his trap. “Tell me, do you always act on impulse?”

You frowned, realizing too late that your strategy had crumbled. “Maybe I just don’t take chess that seriously.”

“Ah, but you should. Every decision you make, no matter how small, is a reflection of your core nature.” He leaned in slightly, eyes gleaming. “And I am most interested in uncovering yours.”

It wasn’t just chess. He subtly tested you in conversation, in mundane activities, noting every hesitation, every lie, every truth you didn’t mean to reveal. It was a game to him, a puzzle where the final picture was you.

You had assumed Ratio was more of a strategist than a fighter—until you saw him in action.

The moment you both stepped into the dungeon, creatures lunged at you from the darkness. But Ratio didn’t flinch. With a single powerful strike, he crushed an attacking beast beneath his fist, his movements fluid yet devastating.

Intelligence and strength. A terrifying combination.

A hulking monster towered before you, only to be obliterated by his attack—its body dissolving into pixels before it could even land a hit.

“Did you think I was all talk?” Ratio smirked, watching your stunned expression. “Brains and brawn are not mutually exclusive.”

You swallowed hard. It was one thing to know he was calculating. It was another to realize he could just as easily overpower you if he so desired.

Despite his sharp wit and overwhelming power, he seemed to genuinely enjoy your company. On the way back from the dungeon, he spotted something that caught his interest, a detective game challenge set up in the town square. Intrigued, he suggested you both participate.

At first, you assumed he’d solve everything effortlessly, but you soon realized the game was designed to be tricky, requiring not just logic but an understanding of human nature and intuition—something even he struggled with. You noticed a crucial detail he overlooked and gave him a small but significant clue. He paused, considering it, before smirking. "Ah... so that’s how it is. You’re sharper than I thought."

Working together, you cracked the case, winning a special dinner prize. It wasn’t anything extravagant, but as you sat across from him, enjoying the meal you had earned together, you noticed something different in his gaze. Satisfaction. Not just from solving the game, but from being beside you.

Morning light filtered through the curtains of your shared apartment, casting soft shadows across the wooden floor. You stirred awake, blinking against the warm glow. The quiet hum of the city outside signaled the start of another day. As you stretched, the thought of breakfast crossed your mind, and you climbed out of bed to prepare something simple.

The sound of sizzling eggs filled the kitchen when Dr. Ratio emerged, still looking somewhat drowsy, his usually meticulous appearance slightly undone. His eyes flickered toward you, then to the food.

"You're up early" he noted, rubbing the back of his neck before settling into a chair at the small dining table.

"Someone has to make sure you eat properly" you teased, setting a plate in front of him.

He chuckled, shaking his head as he picked up his fork. "I could survive just fine without you, you know."

You raised an eyebrow. "Really? Last time you tried making breakfast, the kitchen nearly caught fire."

He clicked his tongue but didn't argue, instead taking a bite and humming in approval. "Fine, you win this round."

As you both ate, the morning news played in the background. The casual chatter between you ceased when a sudden alert blared through the broadcast. A news anchor appeared, expression grave.

"A dangerous fugitive has escaped custody late last night. Authorities urge citizens to remain indoors and travel cautiously."

You frowned. "That's concerning…"

Dr. Ratio leaned back, his gaze sharpening. "You're not going anywhere alone, then."

You blinked at his assertiveness. "I can take care of myself."

"Mm." He twirled his fork between his fingers. "Humor me."

True to his word, he stuck by your side the entire day, even for trivial errands.

Eventually, the evening news announced that the fugitive had been captured, and life returned to normal.

"Well, that’s over" you sighed, stretching. "You can stop hovering now."

Dr. Ratio smirked but didn’t deny the accusation. "I just got used to keeping an eye on you. Can’t drop habits so easily."

"You form a habit that quick?"

"Yeah, someone just asked to get into a bath with me earlier and now they're questioning me."

"That was a joke!" You blushed

"I take everything coming from your mouth seriously."

"You-"

With things settled, you both decided to head back into a dungeon the next day, expecting the usual trial of combat and strategy. However, when you reached the deepest floor, instead of facing some grotesque beast, you were met with an unexpected sight.

A massive stone structure stood at the center of the chamber, engraved with intricate carvings and glowing sigils. A podium rested at its base, a single parchment laid upon it. Dr. Ratio approached first, picking up the paper and scanning its contents.

His lips curled into a grin. "A quiz? Now this is interesting."

"A quiz?" You peered over his shoulder. "That’s… new."

"Indeed," he mused. "Seems like the dungeon master was feeling creative."

The parchment detailed a series of puzzles, some mathematical, others riddles, and a few logic-based challenges. At the bottom, it read:

"Only those of sharp wit may claim the treasure beyond."

Dr. Ratio’s confidence was palpable. He rolled his shoulders before settling in, his keen eyes dancing over the first question.

"Alright, let’s get to work."

The first riddle was deceptively simple:

"I speak without a mouth and hear without ears. I have no body, but I come alive with wind. What am I?"

You hummed in thought before answering, "An echo."

Dr. Ratio snapped his fingers. "Correct."

The next question involved a series of logical deductions, tracing paths from one point to another. He breezed through it effortlessly, his finger gliding along the diagram as he mapped out the solution in mere seconds.

"Impressive" you admitted.

He smirked, not looking up. "Naturally."

As the quiz progressed, the difficulty increased. One puzzle had numbers arranged in a cryptic pattern, another required translating an ancient dialect. There was even a section that tested memory recall, flashing sequences that had to be repeated perfectly.

One question in particular stumped you:

"There are three doors. Behind one is a deadly trap, the second holds a monster, and the third leads to safety. You can ask one yes-or-no question to a guard who always tells the truth or a guard who always lies, but you don’t know which one you're speaking to. What do you ask?"

You hesitated, but Dr. Ratio simply exhaled, his expression unreadable. "Simple. You ask either of them, ‘If I were to ask the other guard which door leads to safety, what would they say?’ Then, you pick the opposite door."

You blinked, piecing it together. "Oh. That’s… clever."

He tilted his head toward you. "Wouldn’t have expected anything less from me, would you?"

The final test required a combined effort. It displayed an intricate cipher, shifting symbols that changed every few seconds. You managed to catch the repeating patterns, pointing them out, while Dr. Ratio swiftly deciphered the hidden meaning.

When the last answer was submitted, the stone structure rumbled, and the sigils glowed brightly before fading away. A hidden compartment opened, revealing a well-preserved chest.

Dr. Ratio glanced at you. "Shall we?"

You nodded, and together, you pried it open. Inside, various treasures gleamed, but what caught your eye was a neatly wrapped package. Unfolding it, you revealed an ornate board game—engraved with intricate designs and shimmering pieces, it looked centuries old yet perfectly preserved.

"A rare strategy game" Dr. Ratio mused, turning one of the pieces between his fingers. "Now this is a worthy reward."

You smiled. "Guess you’ll have to teach me how to play."

He let out a soft chuckle, a glint of something unreadable in his eyes. "Oh, I intend to. And I won't go easy on you."

You had no doubt about that.

Dr. Ratio had barely stirred when you left the apartment that morning. He was still recovering from the last dungeon run, a particularly grueling battle that had left both of you drained. You figured he could use the extra rest, so you slipped out quietly, not wanting to disturb him.

But by the time he woke up, something felt... off.

He reached for his communicator, half-expecting a message from you, but there was nothing. No update, no location ping, no casual remark about what you were up to.

Frowning, he stretched, rubbing the back of his neck as he got out of bed. Maybe you had just gone to the market? Or taken a walk? But something gnawed at him—an irrational unease he couldn’t shake. He reached out again, sending a message this time.

No response.

His brows furrowed. He sent another. Then another.

Still nothing.

His fingers clenched around the device as he tapped into the dungeon trackers, scanning for recent activity. His heart nearly stopped when he saw it—your name, registered in a dungeon… alone.

And you hadn’t come out.

Without a second thought, he grabbed his coat and bolted out the door.

The entrance of the dungeon pulsed with an eerie glow. The system confirmed that you were still inside. His jaw tightened as he stepped forward, conjuring his spellbook in one hand while flexing his other. There was no time to hesitate.

The moment he crossed the threshold, enemies lunged at him. He struck hard and fast—raw power and refined technique in perfect balance. A crushing blow to one, a well-placed incantation to another. His eyes were sharp, his mind sharper, every step calculated.

He moved like a storm, tearing through the opposition with a mix of brute strength and precise strategy. His body ached from the previous battle, but he didn’t care. His only thought was you.

Then, he found you.

Trapped behind a collapsing barrier, you looked up at him, relief flooding your eyes. “Dr. Ratio—”

The moment he saw you—alive, safe, his breath hitched, but his face remained composed. He reached out, fingers barely brushing the edge of the barrier before it sparked violently. He clicked his tongue, analyzing it in an instant.

“You’re lucky I’m a genius” he muttered, his voice tinged with something almost… desperate. “Stay back.”

With a swift motion, he activated the spellbook, feeding calculations into the structure. His eyes darted over its runes, deciphering, manipulating, deconstructing. He worked fast—faster than he ever had.

A crack formed. Then another.

And then the whole thing shattered.

You barely had time to react before he pulled you forward, crushing you against him. His grip was firm, almost bruising, like he was making sure you were real.

“You...” he exhaled, his voice low, tight with emotion, “are never going into a dungeon without me again.”

You blinked, startled. “I didn’t mean to—”

“I don’t care.” His hold tightened, his forehead resting against yours for a fleeting second before he pulled back. “It won’t happen again.”

There was no room for argument. And as he led you out, one arm wrapped around you protectively—you realized he wasn’t just saying that as a precaution. He meant it as a vow.

[xwinterwidowx]

little fic to satiate the sonadow hunger of tumblr while i finish writing the first part of my new au series called faker!

Shadow had been having trouble with his quills lately, and he didn't want to ask anyone. However, they were starting to hurt him whenever he walked, so he knew he had to stop being stubborn and ask somebody. He walked into Sonic's room, nervously looking around.

"Hey, Shads! Whats up?" Sonic grins.

"I was wondering if you could... help me brush my quills," Shadow murmurs.

"Really?" Sonic jumps from his bed.

"Sorry for asking this-"

"No, Shadow, its okay! I would love to!" He leads Shadow over to his bed. He begins to brush his quills and talks to Shadow about random things. After a while, he hears a soft clicking noise from Shadow.

"Shads, are you purring?"

"Hm?" he mumbles.

"Are you purring? I didnt know you could... do that."

"Mm... just because I was raised by humans doesnt mean I cant." Sonic smiles at his calm demeanor and continues to brush his quills. "Maria used to do this for me," he mumbles. Sonic pauses for a split-second before continuing.

"What was she like?" Sonic asks.

"She was... the best person Id ever met. I loved her like a sister. I spent so long obsessing over her death and trying to take revenge over the people who killed her that I forgot who I was. She wouldnt have wanted me to do any of that."

"Im sure she wouldnt be mad at you for what you did. She sounds too kind for that."

"Sonic?"

"Yes, Shads?"

"How did you feel when Longclaw died?" Sonic freezes and Shadow turns around.

"Im sorry. I didnt mean to-"

"No. Its okay. I mean, I thought about her every day. I still do. But I know she wouldnt want me to dwell on what happened to her. She would want me to find people who made me happy. I have them now. Tails, Knuckles, Rouge, Ames. And you."

"We're pretty alike," Shadow murmurs, getting off Sonic's bed.

"Yeah. We are..." Shadow slowly leans forward until his face is almost touching Sonic's. He places his paws on both sides of his face and Sonic smiles.

"What are you doing, Shads?" he mumbles, looking at the other hedgehog's red eyes.

"If you would shut up, Id show you." Shadow gently kisses Sonic, who just smiles and leans his weight onto the other.

[samhadjblog2]

O.k with VI and Caitlyn you have an interesting point. However I would still argue that while rooted in their own personal goals. And sure it can be a read that "both cities should come together". However its not an indication that "The cities will come together due to saving the world". Because Vi and Caitlyn coming together is meaningful while how the two cities come together in the end is contrived.

You keep on saying "Silco and Jayce's conversation"Was foreshadowing" and I'm telling its not a We must unite against a common enemy" its "This is a city of progress and we must try to progress forward" and as I've stated before its "One scene" nothing else indicates these thing. And Ambessa being introduced doesn't change that because Arcane was a multifaceted story that didn't have a "Central antagonist" that everyone would rally against. Its like saying "Silco was the central antagonist" because he did awful things. . The same can be said with Ambessa she wasn't there to be "The bad guy everyone rallied against" she was just some who would escalate tension between the two cities. Show's with political conflicts often times introduce new characters late in who aren't there to be someone the characters rally against but instead are there to create more tension.

While Yes the hexcore was dangerous however I would argue that it was there for Viktor's development. Because he was going to go down a dark path. And even then "The Hexcore isn't what caused the apocalypse in the end " it was the anomaly that did it".

The story didn't naturally moved into that direction. The story forced itself into specific direction. A big issue people had with season 2 was that a lot of the character's lack a lot of agency and things just happened to them. Even if you want to argue that "This was always planned" it still doesn't take away the fact that so much of it still falls into what the writers were trying to avoid.

Christian and Amanda are talking about how things that involve "End of the world stakes" are not compelling because they don't tell us anything about the characters. It doesn't matter if this was "The Consequences of the characters actions". It was still the same kind of "War story" that they both talk about not being "Character driven".

Also with that in mind Viktor only tried to end the world because Jayce was too stupid to not just talk it out with Viktor when his commune was fine and he was still connected to his emotions. His "despair of humanity isn't built on anything meaningful"(Just to note that I'm not against Viktor going bad just that how the show executed it was dumb).

Yes the show is called "Arcane" however that never meant that it was "Always going to be the main focus of the story" the focus was the characters and political strife of the city. The way the Arcane was used in the first season was grounded and how the characters utilized were more small and practical. Yes Ekko builds tje Z-drive and Viktor becomes a machine herald. However how they accomplished these things in their original lore was small scale and didn't involve big things like the multiverse. Ekko made it from some scraps and didn't involve multiverse hopping. And the extent of what Viktor did for the Glorious evolution was just go around and healed people, and didn't trying to create a giant hive mind to connect everyone in the world. So while magic was prevalent that didn't mean the focus would be "larger then life ideas". That was the appeal of the series that it was just small piece of a much larger world, and just bringing in things such as "Viktor being the wizard" and "The Anomaly" all just make it feel so much more small and less unique to the rest of "Runeterra". Hell i'm not even saying it was bad that there was a big battle in the end. Just that having the conflict be "Saving the world and we must unite against it" makes everything so nebulous and empty. It also doesn't help that they try to add in all of these big ideas alongside

Also yes this ending was a big ol "Age of Ultron". That film had "philosophical ideas and interpersonal character conflict, however it tries to accomplish this through nebulous end of the world scenario's and big fights, heck it also has the same "Consequences of our actions" sentiment that you keep on mentioning. So its not too different to the finale.

Vi and Jinx already reconciled things before and there fight with Warwick felt so empty (Warwick was just an excuse to get the sisters to talk to each other again without addressing there issues. All he did was "beast out" in one episode, and then things just happen to him and he doesn't get to make any meaningful choices of his own accord and is just reduced to an empty shell). Also we just get another moment where Vi just reacts and breaks down from loosing her sister "Again". (Man Vi was just a punching bag that was tossed back and forth through out the season).

Mel and Caitlyn fight against Ambessa was alright. However doesn't the whole basis of Mel defeating her mom just "Continue the cycle of violence, because she managed to defeat her mom through violence and which leads to ambessa coming and calling her 'The wolf".

Viktor and Jayce's was just really dumb. Having the wizard turn out to be "Future Viktor" make no sense. The only reason the "Glorious evolution" even happens is because "He gave Jayce the stone" in the past so why bother giving him the stone. Also if Jayce knew about Future Viktor why didn't immediately tell Viktor this ? All the events in "The Dark future" only happened because Jayce shot Viktor (No the acceleration rune didn't change anything. If you back to the dark future you see not only "The Noxian fleet", "A mannequin that has the same broken eye as Caitlyn", The same busted clocktower that Ekko busted", and "We see Jayce in the same position as his future counterpart on top of the Hex-gates, The device that could only of been built if Jayce got the acceleration rune" so no the loop doesn't make sense). And all we get is this weird nebulous conclusion where they hug together and just disappear ? That was one big lipped alligator moment.

As for the "Regular people who died". back to my point about "War ending stakes are not interesting". And so Characters like Loris and that one Jinxer dying feel empty. (It doesn't help that Loris was a nothing burger character).

The problem of the "Sevika seat" isn't that it didn't resolved everything. Its that the conflict of Piltover and Zaun was dropped around episode 4. And so we see the story "Ending on the note of Sevika joining the council". It doesn't feel like a meaningful first step that will have some pushback, it rather just feels like a "Cheap way of resolving the conflict". So to people it comes off as it "Did" resolved the conflict (it also feels cheap that this all we get of Sevika in the series after episode 4, I know she was in the final fight as well at Jayce's meeting but it such a brief moment). I just think instead the big final battle that get's the characters together. The final conflict should the inevitable civil war between Piltover and Zaun. And in between that war we see Jayce and Vi try to prevent it from breaking out and we get moments similar to Jayce deal with Silco were they try to reach an agreement. And the finale is more dedicated to the characters understanding how shakey these choices are and are navigating their feelings on the matter. That my friend "Realistic and grounded". Not Big giant battle then one person on the seat.

Yes Arcane was about "The cycle of violence and how the characters break away from it (remember hallucination Silco said it began long before he Vander and will exist long after Jinx and Vi). As well as how the characters "Somewhat" became who they are in LoL. However to say that the show was "Never a story of class conflict is a absolutely not true". Arcane made it clear that the "Cycle of violence originates from the establishment of class hierarchy". We also see how hierarchy influence the characters. And how it drives their motivations. The conflict of the two cities cut both ways the character's influenced the world and the world influenced the characters. To act like that's all the setting was meant to do is just not true.

“What happened to rebel Vi? Season 2 destroyed her character!”

“What happened to rebel Vi” is that Vander took her to the bridge where her parents died in his revolution and asked her what she was willing to lose. Then she meets Cait who is gentle and kind while still being tough and it makes her rethink how she sees topside. When Jinx tells her she changed too, that’s what she’s talking about.

I’m sorry if you thought Vi was going to be a topside-hating revolutionary in Season 2, but that’s clearly not where her character arc was going. Remember how she forced her way between Ekko and Cait? It seemed very straightforward that was the role her character was taking on.

I feel similar about people who act like the show was betraying its premise because it ended with reconciliation/Zaun and Piltover working together. Again, the fact that two of the most important relationships were between characters from both sides and that they made a point of talking about Zaun and Piltover first coming together against a common enemy was a pretty clear indicator that was the plan.

Now, I get being annoyed that that was what they chose to do. You don’t have to love the creative decisions of media, just like media doesn’t have to compromise its creative direction to satisfy you. But not liking that they went that direction is not the same as the show having bad writing or engaging in character assassination.

Everything Vi did in season 2 was very much in character with how she changed and who she became throughout Season 1. Hell, she used enforcers and Hextech to raid Shimmer facilities before Commander Kiramman ever threw on a beret. So, yes, actually wearing the uniform was a huge and complicated decision that she was definitely not happy about, but it also fell in line with what she had been doing.

There’s meat for another post at some point about the three different Zaun/enforcer partnerships we see in the show: Vander/Greyson, Silco/Marcus, and Cait/Vi; but I’m not going to go into that now.

TLDR: “Rebel Vi” who wants to fight all of topside hasn’t existed since the end of the second episode of the show.

Editing to add that Vi doesn’t see attacking Chem Barons as attacking Zaun; she’s taking down the people who are destroying Zaun.

[serenelystrange]

Check Yes or No

In which Eddie finds peace, enjoys a sugary sweet treat, and gets his man!

T, 1243 Words. Short and sweet and absolutely no hurt!

Eddie shrugs and turns to the side just long enough to lob the balled-up paper cup into the trashcan a few feet away, whooping with delight as it sinks in. “I’m not worried about it,” he says, giving Buck a red-stained grin. “I like knowing you can find me.”

Up at A03, or under the cut.

Chris has been home for nearly six months by the time Eddie finally feels like he can breathe again. His relationship with his son isn’t perfect, but it’s good. Work has been without any major disasters, a thought he avoids acknowledging too hard just in case Buck’s superstitions prove to be true one of these days. The sun is warm on his face as he jogs around the park, the temperature not yet at the oppressive heat that August will bring. Eddie spots a colorful food cart as he winds down his jog, and he’s heading toward it without conscious thought.

The overly sweet cherry flavor of the snow-cone is a shock to his system, but a pleasant one, cooling his parched throat as he settles down on a nearby bench. Disregarding the long plastic spoon shoved inside the cup, Eddie grips the flimsy paper cup in one hand and devours the shaved ice directly, scrolling through his TikTok feed mindlessly with the other hand.  By the time he gets to the end of the treat, he’s four parts into a five-part saga of some woman’s evil in-laws, and he curses as he refreshes her page and sees the final part isn’t uploaded yet.

“Hey.”

Eddie startles at the voice, looking up with a confused but pleased expression as Buck settles down onto the bench beside him. He’s wearing loose jogging shorts and a baggy blue t-shirt, along with his running shoes, but Eddie can’t help but notice he hasn’t broken even the hint of a sweat.

“How did you even find me?” Eddie laughs, smirking when Buck freezes, caught. Eddie clicks his screen dark and pockets his phone.

“Find My Friends,” Buck huffs after a moment. “You never disable it, man. You should really remember that more often.”

Eddie shrugs and turns to the side just long enough to lob the balled-up paper cup into the trashcan a few feet away, whooping with delight as it sinks in.

“I’m not worried about it,” he says, giving Buck a red-stained grin. “I like knowing you can find me.”

“Good to know, Count Dracula,” Buck laughs softly, eyeing Eddie’s cherry-smeared lips for just a moment too long.

“My mouth stained?” Eddie asks, noticing a remaining line of cherry sugar water dripping down his thumb.

Buck just nods, watching intently as Eddie brings his hand up to his mouth and licks the sweetness clean, licking his own lips unconsciously.

“Why’d you track me down?” Eddie asks innocently as he returns his hand to his lap. “You could have just called.”

“Was bored,” Buck says, shrugging. “Cleaned the loft, did all my laundry, I even folded and hung it all up after.”

“Impressive,” Eddie says, earnestly. “Folding it is the worst part.”

“Maybe I’ll get one of those folding robots,” Buck muses. “They can do it so much faster than me.”  

“Yeah, until it gets bored and decides to fold you to death instead,” Eddie snorts derisively.

“They’re only like this big,” Buck laughs, gesturing with his hands. “I think I can manage to fend off a microwave sized robot even if it was evil.”

“Hmm,” Eddie says, unconvinced.

“You’re ridiculous,” Buck says, fondly.

“And you’re stupidly gorgeous,” Eddie huffs, “we all have our crosses to bear.”

He realizes what he’s said a moment too late, as he watches Buck’s face flit through every known emotion in the human spectrum, and maybe a few exclusive to those shrimp who see all the colors.

“Any chance you want to pretend I didn’t say that out loud?” Eddie asks, blaming the sugar rush for the words, and for the blush that no doubt matches his reddened lips.

Buck is silent, which in itself is alarming, and Eddie gulps apprehensively as Buck’s eyes narrow and his head tilts in thought.

“So, you usually only call me gorgeous in your head?” Buck asks, righting his own head so he can stare right into Eddie’s wide eyes.

“No,” Eddie denies, far too quickly if the smirk on Buck’s face is any indication. “Shut up, you’re hideous, actually.”

“Oh my god,” Buck says, breaking into a wide grin. “You like me!”

“You’re my best friend, asshole,” Eddie says, rolling his eyes. “Obviously I like you.”

“No, you like like me!” Buck says with a hum. “You wanna pass me a note in Math class and have me check yes or no!”

“I wouldn’t pass notes in class,” Eddie says, relaxing slightly as he realizes Buck isn’t running away. “I went to catholic school; they’d smack us with rulers if they caught us.”

“Jesus,” Buck breathes.

“Allegedly,” Eddie agrees, sardonic.

Buck laughs at the almost-joke; funny in that distant way childhood scars form, ragged and pink and forever just a little bit tender to the touch.

“We aren’t in middle school,” Buck says after a moment, gaze softening impossibly, “even if you do have kool-aid mouth.”

“Shut up,” Eddie laughs, rubbing the back of his hand against his stained mouth uselessly. “It was good.”

“You should’ve shared,” Buck pouts dramatically. “Rude.”

“I didn’t know you were coming!” Eddie defends, reaching up and cupping Buck’s face, rubbing his thumb across one flushed cheekbone. “I’ll buy you a snow-cone, whatever flavor you want.”

“Cherry looks good,” Buck says, eyes firmly on Eddie’s full lips.

“Hmm,” Eddie says, tilting Buck’s head up until he can see his eyes again. “Hey, Buck?”

“Yeah?”

Eddie smiles, a quietly pleased little thing, as his thumb stops moving.

“Do you like me? Check yes or no.”

“Duh,” Buck says, leaning into Eddie’s hand and fluttering his eyes closed for a moment.

“What was that?” Eddie teases, thinking back to Buck and clipboards and the most confusing erections of his life.

Buck snorts a laugh, not attractive in the least, but catches on, pressing a kiss against Eddie’s palm before looking at him again.

“Check.”

He grabs Eddie’s free hand in between his own and traces a checkmark onto his skin, laughing again even as Eddie moves the hand on his face to thread through his hair instead. Eddie kisses the laugh from his lips, catching the surprised gasp with his own.

Eddie tastes like ice and sugar, almost overwhelmingly so, but Buck chases the sweetness eagerly, melting back against the bench as Eddie twists and leans around him. He grips the back of the bench behind Buck’s shoulder as they kiss and kiss and kiss, holding tight with the hand not in Buck’s hair. Eddie damn near whimpers when Buck finally gently nudges them apart to take a breather.

“We cannot get arrested for public indecency,” Buck rasps, licking the transferred sweetness from his own lips. “Athena would never let us live it down.”

“It was just a kiss,” Eddie argues, pointedly not looking down at their matching tented shorts.

“That wasn’t just anything,” Buck says.

“Yeah,” Eddie agrees, the very picture of the cat with the cream.

“I parked in the garage a few blocks down,” Buck offers once they’ve calmed down and Eddie has reluctantly removed his hand from Buck’s hair.

“The dark and covered garage?” Eddie asks mischievously.

“Way in the back corner,” Buck nods, watching raptly as Eddie reaches down to his own lap and gives himself just one discreet squeeze.

“Good,” Eddie says, hopping up and offering Buck his hand. “Then what are you waiting for?”

And Buck? Buck can’t think of even one little thing. He grins widely and takes Eddie’s hand.

The End

[kroosluvr]

royal trio "we love each other because we happened to be here at the right place at the right time with all of our hearts bleeding from heavy open wounds." but we're not soulmates. we just happen to be here. but it's not fate either. we just happen to be here. would we find each other in every universe? no, i don't think so. when did we end up loving each other? i don't know. it doesn't matter. if we met again in another world where things were better, would i still love you? probably. it's easy to love you. but the thing is, i realize i love you far too late, and i don't even know what to do with it. it's so cold out and i can't muster up the words, so i just sit silently next to you. why do i love you? because you are real and human and i want to know more about you, i want to know who you are and were and who you want to be and what you're thinking about, all the time.

and though we all know it's impossible, i do want you to be happy. i don't know how to make myself happy but maybe if the three of us are here we can figure something out. or maybe we don't, but at least we tried, and more importantly, we have each other.

but i do love you - for the record. i do, i do. i see you in everything. there is no solace in that truth either. i don't think that'll make you happy. but i just want you to know that i do

[twinribbonz]

Decussate is the ultimate bastard and here’s why.

Note: Some characters featured here might not be ones heard of. Decussate and Sever. Errik. I implore you to check them out first so you aren’t confused when reading.

Humble beginnings:

The first nine timelines of Xtale do not really matter here. Decussate was not important enough to develop his much deeper personality.

They never mattered anyway.

Moat of these timelines play out similarly to those of canon.

Timeline X:

Decussate and XPapyrus were adopted by the Royal Scientist known as XGaster. Already putting him in a rather important place at such a young age.

His best friend is XFrisk the adopted child of the Dreemurr family. The one who broke the barrier out of the kindness of their heart.

Decussate did feel he was important due to being so close with the royal family. He would brag to other kids about his best friend being XFrisk. But his attitude was kept in check by XGaster.

XGaster did not approve of Decussate acting like this. Scolding him for thinking that he was even of importance at all. These words would shatter Decussate’s self confidence greatly.

Growing up into a teenager who needed to prove himself to everyone. He demanded the Royal Guard to protect his best friend from the humans

He has always been expectedly skilled when it comes to combat. Picking up on things quicker than others.

It made him feel really proud of himself. He finally found his purpose. This is the one thing he’s the best at.

No one else is a better solider than he is.

Though, Papyrus and Undyne were there to deflate his ego, keeping it in check. It only dwindled his self worth and confidence. Making Decussate feel uncharacteristically miserable.

Sinking himself into training and protecting the only things he is good at.

Timeline X plays out similar to the events of canon.

The Downfall:

Being stuck in the void of Xtale was hell for Decussate. Trapped with Sever who wanted nothing to do with him. They cursed him and his stupid actions for getting them in this mess. Mocking him for thinking that overwrite would even work for someone like him.

Both of them grew to hate each other so very much. It was suffocating.

Eventually even Sever fell eerily silent. Becoming apathetic and nihilistic. Their will to keep going started to fade away. Thinking that they were hopeless stuck with the murderer of everyone they knew and loved. It was too much for them. So, their trait of determination began to fizzle out.

In a moment of sheer panic, Decussate reabsorbed Sever’s soul. His own determined soul kept theirs from destroying itself even more. Keeping them fundamentally alive. He admitted that he didn’t want to be even more alone. Sure, he hates their guts but they didn’t deserve to disappear.

Sever called him selfish for thinking of only himself. It was unfair to put them in this situation. But they did appreciate his rare kindness.

Ink:

Decussate asked Ink what gave them importance. They pondered the question before bringing up their position as protector. Telling him about he got to oversee a lot of people.

A twinkle returned to Decussate’s eyelights in that moment. He needed to know more about this but Ink denied telling him anything further.

Error:

The destroyer tried to rip the culmination of his being away. Error was quickly overwhelmed when Decussate freed himself with ease, impaling through the ribcage with the hack sword.

Ink arrived too late on the scene only to see Error fleeing, a trail of blood following behind.

Decussate demanded an answer on who that was. Ink tried to dodge the question, not wanting to reveal the information too soon. This was not supposed to happen. This wasn’t apart of his plan.

But being towered by him greatly was swift to dissolve any resolve they built up. They caved in and told him about the wider multiverse outside the void of Xtale.

That Error is the destroyer. He destroys alternate universes and timelines. Killing everyone inside and stealing the soul of the one with the greatest determination. So a reset could not happen to fix any damage he caused.

Protector:

Decussate was utterly sickened by Ink’s lack of protecting what mattered most. The scripts by the creators? It sounded like religious nonsense to him. The people inside mattered the most.

He knew what he needed to do. Forcefully taking over the role of protector from them. They weren’t no protector. Allowing the likes of the destroyer to run around and kill the innocent.

Decussate was made to protect others.

No one deserved to lose their loved ones or home because of an uncontrollable outside force.

He could not allow that to happen ever again as long as the soul inside of him was beating.

Decussate steeled himself immediately and recalled all his training as a guard. Ordering Sever to help access these other worlds. They told him to use a portal like Ink does.

Of course, he knew how to make one. Summoning the sword to tear a rip into the fabric of reality, entering the dorm of the world tree. Yggdrasil stood before the duo in its ethereal glory.

This is the hub for Ink to enter everywhere. He seized the paper of his home, storing it in the heart locket for safe keeping.

Being protector returned Decussate to his sense of self worth. He was back doing to what he did best.

Declaring the title of Decussate for himself. Abandoning his old identity as Cross.

God slayer:

Killing the likes of Error and Nightmare gave Decussate an incredible ego boost. He had protected everyone from the evil that plagued the multiverse.

Not even gods can bask in his greatness. Which just fed into his ego even more.

The Delta Sanctuary:

Knight’s tale Omega timeline equivalent.

Decussate had established a connection there due to his acts of heroism. He agreed to help people evacuate there during an attack on the alternate universe.

He was thanked immensely for his efforts. His accomplishments were celebrated. Becoming a hero to all who talked to him.

Yet, he made no actual friends. Most found him unbearable to how he acted and his constant bragging. Some even grew tired of him altogether and outright ignored him.

He brushed it off as them being jealous of his superiority. Deep inside he was extremely insecure. Wasn’t his best enough? He is doing what he is the best at.

Banishment:

The gods of Knighr’s tale banded together and cast Decussate out of the multiverse. His actions doomed the balance of the multiverse. Its fate would be collapsing into the Sea of Code.

They were originally going to kill him for this level of treason.

But the Messenger of The Angel stepped in and told them that it would personally deal with him.

Errik:

It had lied to the gods. They were sent to retrieve him.

Feeding into his ego and playing it up. Telling him about the countless other multiverses that desperately needed him and only him to save them from evil.

Errik struck up a deal with Decussate to provide him access to anywhere and everywhere. In return, he would act as entertainment for him.

Sever was concerned about this deal, telling Decussate to not take it. That Errik felt strangely dangerous to them. Their pleads were ignored. He needed to protect even more.

LV:

It is obvious. His level of violence would skyrocket to alarmingly degrees because of his nonstop slaughter.

Decussate and Sever soon grew even more distance from everyone. The LV coursing through the shared body is a constant reminder.

This affected Decussate worse, fueling his ego and making him worse as a person to interact with.

Nowadays:

The duo still wander through the multiverses purging them of evil.

But Decussate has become a shell of his former self. His pride became so massive that he doesn’t even bother to talk anyone. No one is worth it anymore to him. With the only exception being Sever.

His temper has gotten only worse. If someone dares to question him or his actions, he will only glare at them. His mannerisms become aggressive making him seem hostile even if he doesn’t do anything. His large stature makes most refuse to approach him. He refuses to kneel down to even speak with someone shorter than him. He is above them in every way after all.

Sever has taken up doing the talking for Decussate. They are awful at it. Being rude and judgmental about everything. But upsetting them in any way will provoke Decussate.

Most choose to keep a conversation with Sever. Peeking at Decussate’s expression to make sure they aren’t doing anything wrong.

Miscellaneous:

Decussate does believe that he is the best version of Cross. Since all the others fall into similar situations. Him being a protector makes him superior to them.

Sever doesn’t argue with it. They know it’s true with everything they have accomplished in comparison to other Cross. He’s better because he did not get rid of them the moment it presented itself.

Decussate truly cares about Sever despite everything. He prioritizes them over all. They are the only who has seen him at his worst.

[deadlyhuggles6]

.. oh my god the way this has immediately changed my world view

It's not noticeable when Mumbo first looked at himself in the mirror-his eyes had always been a bit small and piercing, and really the impromptu haircut was more immediately eye catching, with the way the waffle pattern refused to disappear no matter how he ruffled, brushed, or wet his hair. And it's been so long since mumbo last saw his human face- maybe he just forgot.

It isn't until a week later that he notices. Slumped over a blueprint he'd redrawn more times than he'd care to admit, Mumbo had been tapping the eraser of his pencil against his cheek for the last couple minutes. His hand slipped, and he flinches away a second too late. The end of the pencil tips into the edge of his eye, knocking against his eye lids and- nothing. No pain, no discomfort, nothing. He should've been in great pain with a pencil in his eye and the only thing he felt was something between his eyelids.

He yanked the pencil out of his eye and stumbled away from his desk to the small mirror in his bathroom. He stared at himself for a moment, taking in his ruffled and exhausted appearance. There was nothing wrong with his eyes.

"I'm hallucinating," he said, "Oh Void I'm hallucinating now, I thought you weren't supposed to start hallucinating until the third day of being awake."

Something sparked, behind his eye, and for a moment he was convinced he was still hallucinating, but he leaned in close to the mirror and opened his eyes wide. There. A twinkle. like a star winking in the sky. eyes weren't actually supposed to twinkle, but his were and-

He was still holding the pencil. He glanced down, and then back up at his reflection.

"I can't believe I'm actually considering..." Mumbo lifted the pencil, "Grian will never let me live this down if I gouge out my own eye and have to respawn."

Still, he opened his eye and push the pencil into it.

And kept pushing.

His hand dropped. the pencil remained, stuck three inches into his eye, held in place only by his closed eyelid. There had been no resistance, no pain, nothing to indicate the presence of an eye there.

He pulled the pencil back, and a trail of darkness beyond black, liquified nothing that sparkled like the night sky. Mumbo shuddered and shut his eyes, willing away the image of what hid behind his skin.

There's only one person he knew who would be able to explain what happened.

MumboJumbo: Grian

MumboJumbo: What did you do to my eyes

Grian: i have no idea what youre talking about

MumboJumbo: I can put a pencil into my eye and I'm pretty sure it came out dripping void

Grian: oh that

Grian: yeah thats just the vent

MumboJumbo: the vent???

Grian: you got my soul

Grian: its not supposed to be in your body

Grian: i had to make some modifications so you wouldn't explode

MumboJumbo: ... thank you for making it so I didn't explode

He didn't want to know. He didn't need to know. If he wasn't going to explode he didn't need to know.

If grian's eyes are holes in his face. And mumbo shares grian's soul from the whole thing in season eight. And some of grian's appearance leaked into mumbo via waffle hair. Does that mean the little black eyes mumbo has could theoretically also be holes in his face? Just smaller and less noticeable? I always read the shading around his eyes on his akin as like. An indent, or something akin to very prominent eyelid dip, but it could be the face slanting into the holes. Hmm.

[girlivealwaysbean]

i think growing up is just life repeatedly sucker punching you and saying bitch you thought things were gonna better lmao no you're so naive and stupid for having hope in 20 years the world will be flaming bag of garbage and no matter how hard you work you'll get eliminated at some point

[stardestroyer81]

A couple of months ago, I showcased what Mega Man would look like in the toony artstyle of Pizza Tower, though since then I've wondered something... what would Peppino Spaghetti look like had he been drawn by Mega Man illustrators Keiji Inafune and Ryuji Higurashi?

The answer is a little something like this! 🍕✨

[low-needleworker6860]

Dum de dum dum

Gonna add max tags and max characters to each cause who cares

[homunculus-argument]

Once again randomly remembered this story about a couple who had a small parrot - pretty sure it was a budgie - who didn't talk but learned to communicate with people in its own way. Once it figured out that people always turn to check their phones when the notification sound comes on, it started making the text message notification sound to request human attention. The parrot also liked to follow people to the door whenever guests were leaving, and would use its wings to pantomime the motions of a person putting their coat on. A very clever, charming bird.

And every once in a while it just randomly hated some people. Not for any real reason, or even reason to suspect bad vibes, but by deciding "fuck this person in particular" for shits and giggles alone. And one time when the owners had invited a new friend to their home, the bird decided that it Did Not Like Her.

So in the middle of polite conversation, the bird - who was free to roam around the apartment at the time - hopped onto the living room coffee table, right in front of the unwanted guest. And in that moment, the owners put two and two together and understood that whatever mischief the bird had decided to do, it was now too late to stop it.

But instead of unleashing the absolute hell that even the tiniest displeased parrot could be capable of, the little budgie made its little "may I have your attention please" cell phone notification sound, and once the guest was focused on the bird, looked at her dead in the eye while doing the putting-my-coat-on wing motion.

The guest did not recognise the pantomime for what it was, but she was nonetheless delighted that the parrot would do a little wing-roll dance for her. And the host couple were at first too stunned and then too polite to tell her how impressive that gesture truly was. Their bird had shown both remarkable restraint and cleverness by using its entire vocabulary of human communication just to say

"I have an important announcement: I think you should leave."

[sluggishgoreman]

The bitches could never comprehend the pure gineminosaurus size of my reluctance to talk about my feelings. And neither can I

[paragonrobits]

some important calvin and hobbes facts in case you haven't read the original comic strip in a long time or only absorbed stuff on it from memes and out of context bits on here:

Calvin's last name has never been given, and neither has any of his parent's names. This was actually why his uncle Max only showed up for a brief storyline; the creator of the comic, Bill Watterson, ultimately felt that while it was fine to have him as someone for his parents to talk to, it felt far too awkward to never have Max refer to them by name and he never made a return appearance.

The general tone of the comic is fairly light-hearted, with a big emphasis on goofy slapstick comedy contrasted by clever wordplay and often surprising adult-centered jokes that'll hit you like a slap. A big part of the comedy is, as Watterson put it (paraphrased) "It's really funny to me when people express deeply stupid ideas with really fancy terminology." One notable example you might have seen is that one bit where Calvin asks his mom for money to buy a Satan-worshiping rock album and his mom replies that there's nothing genuine about them and they're just putting on the attitude for shock value, and comisserates with Calvin as he deplores that mainstream nihilism can't be trusted. He concludes that childhood is disillusioning.

There is a LOT of criticism of the extreme materialism and selfish mentality of the late 80s, when the comic was initially written. This may go a long way to explain how its aged so well; much of what it criticizes resonates well with people today.

Bill Watterson views comic strips a legitimate form of artwork, and repeatedly fought to have more space to draw more beautiful and artistic backgrounds, which was a very hard fight and unpopular even with other comic strip artists. He eventually did win some compromises and a lot of Calvin And Hobbes' artwork shows it, with the use of space to indicate time as well as a sharp contrast between the often plain environments of mundane life contrasted by the wildly beautiful imagery of Calvin's imagination (which often sports realistic depictions in an art shift of sorts).

Hobbes is explicitly not an imaginary friend, by word of Watterson himself. We don't know WHAT he is exactly, and Hobbes is apparently unaware of the strange nature of his reality; people look at him and only see an ordinary stuffed tiger plushie, but he has a tangible effect on the world that would be physically impossible for Calvin to do on his own. He's apparently been around for a while, and was apparently around when Calvin was a young baby.

On that note; Hobbes has implicitly killed (notably treated as both a gag and also with the vibe of 'he's a tiger, duh') and while he doesn't do it again on-screen, he doesn't have any moral issues about it. Calvin claims that he's never had trouble bringing Hobbes to school because the last time he did, Hobbes killed and ate a bully named Tommy Chestnut and simply comments that it was gross and he needed a bath. Calvin's tried to repeat this again, but Hobbes was grossed out at the thought having to eat a kid raw and not being allowed to use an oven first, or complaining that children are too fattening.

Hobbes became gradually less human-like in body language and more like an actual cat in both body language and behavior; this was due to Watterson drawing more inspiration from his cat, who also inspired a lot of Hobbes' running gags, such as pouncing on Calvin when he got home. Several years into the syndication of the strip, Watterson's cat passed away, and he did a tribute to her with a comic strip of the two of them agreeing to try to dream together so they can keep playing when they have to sleep; Watterson's commentary (if I recall right), remarks on his cat: "We can see each other again in dreams."

[laisai]

Hello, family member of survivors of communism and people who actually lived in public apartments here.

THEY WERE SHIT.

I cannot express to you how much living under communist rule is shit. It doesn't matter if the IRL regimes didn't live up to the ideals -- SO MANY human rights have to be trampled over and so many people have to be hurt for the system to even be ATTEMPTED in the first place (and revolution mostly just KILLS PEOPLE and replaces who's at the top for a while -- the elites in China these days may often have peasant ancestors but look at the way they live, and look at how the rest of the country lives -- the inequality is still staggering, and it was even before the PRC opened up to market economies again).

Communism is nice as a theory, can be useful for looking at and understanding systems in the world, but it is ultimately unsuitable for governance.

I am a leftist in America and support socialist-leaning policies but dear fucking gods DO NOT bring up communism like it's an actual fucking solution to me. It's like telling a Jewish person to give fascism a try.

companies really have got to be okay with stagnant profits. what is wrong with earning the same amount every year? why does it always have to be more? it’s not sustainable. there are only so many people on the planet you can profit from 😭

[kashverse]

gojo calls you every name but your actual name—sweetheart, baby, pookie bear, sometimes even "oi, babe"—but never your actual name. so when he finally did, when he looked at you dead in the eyes and said it, your whole body stiffened. "are you okay?" you asked immediately, squinting at him like he was on his deathbed. "blink twice if you need help." you even reached out to check his forehead for a fever, because surely, this was a medical emergency. gojo just blinked at you, utterly confused, before doubling over in laughter. "you seriously think i'm unwell just 'cause i said your name? that's so messed up—i love it."

nanami calls you every name but your actual name—dear, love, sometimes just a heavy sigh paired with a side glance. so when he actually did, when his voice dropped and he spoke your name with the weight of a thousand bricks, you felt your stomach sink. "is this a breakup?" you blurted out before he could even continue. nanami blinked at you, his brow twitching. "what?" you crossed your arms. "you're using my actual name," you pointed out. "is this a professional resignation from this relationship?" nanami exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples. "no. i was just asking if you wanted coffee." but the damage was done. you spent the rest of the day side-eyeing him, just in case.

geto calls you every name but your actual name—angel, sunshine, princess, even "chipmunk" when you get on his nerves. so when he finally did, when he said your name with a certain weight, you panicked. "oh my god," you gasped. "you found out, didn't you?"

"found out what?" his eyes narrowed. "the shampoo," you admitted, guilt weighing heavy on your conscience. "i've been using your fancy shampoo. that’s why you keep running out so fast." geto just stared at you, eyes unreadable. then, very slowly, he leaned back, crossed his arms, and nodded. "that explains a lot."

"are you mad?"

"no. just disappointed." ouch.

toji calls you every name but your actual name—doll, sweetheart, brat, depending on his mood. so when he actually did, when he gritted out your name over the phone in the middle of the night, your stomach dropped. "oh my god," you whispered. "are you dying?"

"what?"

"you're out on a job, aren't you? is this a last words kind of call? should i be preparing for the worst?" toji groaned, the sound of gunfire faint in the background. "jesus. i just needed you to grab my extra ammo from the closet."

"oh."

"...but now that you mention it, maybe bring a first aid kit too."

choso calls you every name but your actual name—babe, honey, sometimes just a hum of acknowledgment. so when he actually did, when he uttered your name so carefully, you felt your chest tighten. "you're friendzoning me," you whispered, horror-stricken. "this is the end." choso blinked, his face scrunching up in genuine confusion. "what? no. i was just—"

"it's okay," you sniffed. "you wanted to let me down easy, huh? didn't want to go for the direct breakup."

"babe, i was literally just asking if you wanted extra sauce on your food." but it was too late. you had already started mourning your relationship.

sukuna calls you every name but your actual name—dove, brat, little one, sometimes even "human" when he's particularly irritated. so when he finally did, when his voice wrapped around your name with sharp precision, your survival instincts kicked in immediately. "listen, listen, i didn't do anything," you pleaded, hands raised. "whatever it is, it wasn't me. i swear. please don't kill me." sukuna just stared at you, unimpressed. "i was literally just calling you."

"yeah, exactly," you said, eyes darting for possible escape routes. "why would you use my actual name unless i'm in serious danger? is this a death sentence? am i about to be vaporized?" sukuna rolled his eyes, exhaling sharply. "you're so dramatic."

"says the one who tears people apart for fun!"

[mangled-by-disuse]

when over ten million soldiers (mostly teenagers and men in their early 20s) and at least as many civilians were being blown to pieces and their twitching, bloody bodies were being carried off the battlefield over a muddy morass made up mostly of dead men and horses

how many of them d'you think thought "hey, this sucks, but it's going to make a SICK lawn ornament"?

Don't think for a second, I'd forgotten about Poppy Watch.

Displays like these are outright disrespectful, and there's a whole new industry around producing these appalling silhouette cutouts that didn't exist when I was growing up.