#ugh i'm emotional and i'm still on the second chapter

[vikingpoteto]

Just started rereading Captive Prince and god, Damen, you're such a mess. He hates Laurent, he does, but his simp ass cannot help but describing Laurent's cold blue eyes every time he shows up. baby girl, you're quite literally captive by your enemy, you can't afford to be this horny.

[metalomagnetic]

Snippet for It runs

So, I injured myself, and it's difficult finding a comfortable position that would allow me to write, however, since I am now unable to work, I am doing my best to finish the chapter for It runs.

Unfortunately, I can only bear to sit up when I take my pills, and my pills make me a little...ugh...high, so I'll have to revisit what I write when I'm clear of mind.

Until then, here is a little snippet of a tortured mind on pain pills and muscle relaxants.

***

It’s an early afternoon, he’s seated at his desk, and he knows he has to take the ring off, he knows he doesn’t have much longer, that the Horcrux is gaining too much power, too quickly.

So Sirius tries removing it, and he slides it upwards, all the way to the second knuckle-

He blinks, and he’s in Tom’s flat again. His head throbs, he feels nauseous, disorientated at the change of scenery, from day to night, from his office to Tom’s place.

Tom kneels before him, crying. “Don’t abandon me,” he begs. “Please, don’t throw me away! I’ve been alone for so long, Sirius, in the dark, blind, deaf and cold. Please, please don’t throw me away!”

Snap out of it, Sirius tells himself. Wake up!

He blinks, and he’s in his office, collapsed near the desk and his chair.

It’s frightening the ring has this level of control already, that it can control him even when he’s not sleeping-

“Please!” He’s back in the flat, before he knows it, Tom still kneeling, holding on to Sirius’ legs, much like Harry does when he wants something. “I’ve been alone all my life. No one wanted me. No one ever wanted me! Not even him! He threw me away, too- Sirius!”

It breaks his heart, even as something weak and fading fast in his mind yells at him that it’s all a trick, that it’s just a dark artefact using everything it can to keep its hold of Sirius.

But-

He can’t ignore it. It might be a Horcrux, but Voldemort is real, Tom Riddle was once real, and alone, and Sirius cannot abandon him.

It knows it, too, that is why it’s using the word ‘alone’ so much, because it knows it’s something that Sirius always associated with Voldemort, that it always hurt him to imagine him as a child, with no one in his corner.

“You have to stop,” Sirius tells him. “You’re too aggressive, you’re taking too much.”

“I’ll be good,” Tom begs. “Please! You won’t even know I’m here anymore, I’ll stay hidden, anything you want, just don’t throw me away!”

Sirius kneels in front of him, and Tom is so quick, throwing his long arms around Sirius’ neck, hiding his face in Sirius’ shoulder.

“You’ll possess me,” Sirius says, so, so tired.

“No, no, I won’t! I promise! I’ll be good-“

“You’re lying,” he whispers.

Tom is an impression of Voldemort, an amalgamation of his traits and memories, but he’s not the real deal. He doesn’t lie as smoothly as Voldemort.

Maybe because he was too young when he made the Horcrux, or maybe it’s just that a Horcrux could never be as complex as a real human being. Whatever it is, Sirius sees through his lies.

But he can’t stay indifferent to Tom’s pain, his desperation as he hugs Sirius.

That is real, even if Tom isn’t. It’s Sirius’ pain and fear manifested through Tom, stolen by Tom, replicated to perfection, and Sirius cannot stay indifferent to it.

“Let me go.”

“Don’t-“

“I won’t throw you away, but I need you to let me go, now. If you don’t, I’ll pull myself out and then I will take the ring off. I’ll throw you into the fucking ocean.”

Tom draws back, and his eyes are clear, calculating, even as tears are drying on his face.

“You threw him away. He’s suffering, and you won’t help him. Is it not enough you abandoned him? Now you want to get rid of me, too? He gave me to you, trusted you with my safety, and now you’re thinking of betraying him again?”

“I didn’t betray-"

“I know your every thought, all your emotions. You cannot hide from me. I’m meant to absorb it all. And I did the same when he wore me. I saw his every thought, I absorbed every feeling you awoke inside him. His trust in you was unwavering. He didn’t doubt you for a second, when he decided to give me away, when he took me off and transferred me to you. He loved you.”

Tom’s eyes narrow. “Traitor,” he whispers, and he pushes Sirius, hard-

Sirius blinks, and he’s on his back, in his office. He’s shaking, and it takes several tries to stand up.

But it’s quiet, he feels alone, Tom retreating, diminishing his influence over Sirius.

He breathes easier, and he hadn’t realised it’s been hard to breathe lately.

[mangooes]

Chapter 1 - fish out of water

Chapter list!

Prolouge : A silent promise

Chapter 2 : A fish emergency

The sun shines in linkon city, greeting a warm welcome to a new day ahead. Hearing the birds chrip and the sound of crowded people walking around doing their own thing, (name) shots awake with a yawn and a strech. ‘I can’t believe I have to work again today..’ the young woman sighs as she stands up and walks towards the bathroom to get her day started. 

The girl is (name) your typical normal young lady, in her early 20s, working as a corporate slave in the jail she calls office. ‘I can’t believe I have meetings with everyone today, this is going to be a long day…’ The girl sighs in defeat as she prepares her meals for breakfast and lunch. Tucking her hair in a loose strand bun, she puts on her usual employee uniform that consists of a vest and black skirt. Taking one last look in the mirror she sets up a confident smile and walks taking an exit from her apartment door, locking it before starting her journey towards the office. 

Walking along towards the company building, she drops a neatly wrapped box in the post office, with the intention of sending it towards a certain miss hunter. Before continuing her walk. Upon arriving at the office, she sits at her desk and starts doing her work, preparing for a meeting with another client after this. “Miss (name) the client is here…” Jack, an acquaintance of (name) called as he leans on the door way. “Right..Let’s hope for the best then!” As she walks towards the door, opening it to reveal her client for the day.

“Um hello, are you sir Rafayel..?” The girl asked with her eyes meeting his, as time seems to stop for a second.

—————————————————————————————————

“Pfft! Looks like the fishermen caught a big fish, say… you look like you could use some help, need a hand? ..” A girl asked as her tail fins moved swaying in amusement holding her laughter.

“Can’t you see? Or are you blind?” The boy, known as the god of the sea, ruler of lemurians answered in annoyance, as the vines of seaweeds trapped him in an awkward position.

The girl blinks as she holds a laughter in a manner that would have insulted the god, if it weren’t for the position he is in right now, hands dangling over the vines of large seaweed wrapping around him.

”A,a,a! What’s the magic word??” The girl teases, as she swam towards the prey slowly.

The boy sighed, forcing his voice as he turned to look away in shame. “I- ugh fine…..please just help me get out of this mess..”

The girl laughs as she pulls the god out from the cage like seaweed, freeing him from his misery.

That was the fateful meeting between the god of the sea and the little mermaid, as a single encounter folded into thousands of memories.

Lemurian Archive - The Tale of the Little Mermaid, page 180

——————————————————————————————————

The man, dressed in his usual white fancy shirt and black pants looks up towards the source of a voice he knows all too well. A familiar sound, like the soothing waves in a bright sunny day, the scent of the salty breeze deep under the waters, and most of all the longing he holds so dearly towards her, the girl standing infront of him. He recognizes her so much, the stare, the expression, even the looks. The mark in his heart glows faintly responding to his turmoil of emotions and the presence infront of him. 

‘You haven’t changed at all, (name)…even after thousands of years, it's still you..’ 

An awkward silence filled the room, as the girl clears her throat, “Ehm, hello sir..?” She waves his hand in front of him, as she lets out a soft gasp when the man holds her hand ruptly gripping her wrist firmly, and gently.  

“Hello my bride, we meet again…” the purpled haired man says with eyes that conceals secrets, pure adoration, amusement, 

“Huh, excuse me your what..?” The girl gapes looking at the man in front of her, ‘Is he delusional…?? Should I call the cops??? Last time I checked I'm still as single as ever!!’

The man seemed to realize once his gaze met his beloved’s, as he reluctantly let go.. “Ah sorry, you remind me of someone I long for so much, may I have your name Miss..?” 

The girl laughs it off as she shakes her head, an expression to dismiss the awkward atmosphere earlier “It’s alright sir, i get it… I’m (Name), it’s a pleasure to meet you Sir Rafayel, let’s start the discussion shall we?”

——————————————————————————————————

Word count : 785

GUYSS KASJDNAKJ MY FIRST CHAPTER FOR THIS SERIES KADNAK, i'll continue this.... if i have inspiration.. anyways THE NEWMAIN BRANCH STORY LINE I LOVE THIS RAFAYEL (i'ma sylus girlie btw)

[raccoonfallsharder]

recommended works ⊹˚₊⊹˚☕︎˚⊹₊˚⊹

these are the folks who have written or drawn something (specifically within the rocket raccoon fan community) that either murdered me, resurrected me, or both.

(i am always open to recs so if you wanna link me to your fave i will be so happy to check them out)

⊹˚₊⊹˚☕︎ fanfiction ☕︎˚⊹₊˚⊹

The All of You (ao3) i fuckin love this story so hard. i love the OC. i love the writing. i love the set up. i reread this probably every month or so and pine for more. it's so fuckin good. @lazarel-3000 is a double-threat (at least) who is also on my recced artist list, which means (obviously) they are a recced creator as well.

Casino Royale (ao3) this fic by @hibatasblog (see also: Entanglement, below) is so fucking delightful. petra quill is so hot i want to date her myself, and the tension between her and rocket is through the roof. loving the angst, loving the little ways that heartbreak seeps through every new paragraph, loving the mystery of trying to figure out what happened to petra and rocket to set them on their separate paths and now bring them back together. always waiting anxiously for the next chapter.

Entanglement (ao3) this fic by @hibataao3 has me rationing my consumption in a way i have not done in a long time. i'm like "i only read one chapter a week to pace myself, as a little treat for surviving another seven days." beautiful writing and intricate storytelling, the metaphors and analogies are so good i almost wish i was back in undergrad writing a thesis on it.

Experiment: The Ravager Code (ao3) ☕︎ Experiment: The Ravager Code (tumblr) [NEW ADDITION 2024] check out author @guardian-angel12 for character art and more ♡ girl gets scooped, experimented on by the high evolutionary, saved by ravagers, and finds her family. what more could you ask for? featuring a fantastic, fascinating OC and i am in love (i do need to catch up, though). the writing is beautiful, the emotional elements are so moving, ugh i love it.

Friends (tumblr) @nyxivy is making their way through the rocketober 2023 prompts and the first fic of the series is. so drool-worthy. i've probably read it fifty times since it came out. short and so hot i could die (much like rocket himself), and somehow incredibly sweet in just the span of a few paragraphs? i will continue coming back to this fic and look forward to more from them at every chance i get.

Get Up (tumblr)@caesarhamato22 is another person on my recced creator list because trying to find just one fic to call my "favorite" is a challenge (obviously i was unsuccessful because there are two on this list). anyway this is lovely and fluffy. i die.

Heatwaves (tumblr) [NEW ADDITION 2024] oh my lord. this was written a while ago i never officially added it to the list and i should've. @mytheoristavenue writes a very sultry, steamy oneshot about you helping rocket fix the ship's climate control. i melt into my chair everytime i reread this one (which is often). so much of this lives rent-free in my head but THIS changed the course of my fantasies: Finally, he placed a paw against your cheek and whispered in close: "You're burnin' up, baby."

last (friday) night (ao3) nsfw. trying to pick a "favorite" of @aliasrocket's work is like trying to choose a favorite incarnation of rocket (i cannot). guess who is also on my recced creators list.

more than seven (tumblr)second @caesarhamato22 fic on this list and another recced creator. this one is one of my favorite comfort fics (i mean it's still sexy as hell) that i come back to very often. like it's just so wonderful and sweet and perfect and atmospheric and vibes

Professor R Raccoon or How Rocket Got His Groove Back (ao3) [NEW ADDITION 2024] nsfw. the third @hibatasblog fic on this list. this author doesn't miss. ever imagine rocket raccoon wearing his dad-glasses in a perfect slice-of-life au smut fic? by which i mean wouldn’t it be nice if someone could just fuck rocket’s brains out till his glasses fall off and he doesn’t even have to worry about blowing up living planets or killing mad titans? enter petra quill once again. this is hot, highly-communicative smut complete with both consent & shredded silk stockings, and rocket just feeling good.

Rocket Secretly Likes Being Petted (tumblr) [NEW ADDITION 2024] @whitedragoncoranth writes LOTS of fluffy lil rocket one-shots and series, but this one is my ultimate fave. rocket hacks his own software to allow himself permission to be a soft lil guy that likes being petted.

stars. (tumblr) ☕︎ stars. (ao3) sexual tension & some of the loveliest atmospheric writing i've ever consumed. another @aliasrocket fic that lives in my head.

untitled drabble/oneshot. [NEW ADDITION 2024] @hyperjorts probably never meant for their random drabble (which they mistakenly tagged as a shitpost) to live rent-free in my head for months on end but here we are. you can skip (or not skip) the original ask they were reblogging and just focus on this wonderful little bit of fiction that SCREAMS "universe-killer rocket" to me. (and then has me sweating & panting at the end)

A Very Basic Instinct (tumblr) ☕︎ A Very Basic Instinct (ao3) nsfw. when i tell you this fic did things to me. it is probably one of the fics i reread most. like, all the time jkjk only semiregularly. check out the author @elegant-fleuret for other equally brainrot-inducing smut (also mentioned in my recced creators).

⊹˚₊⊹˚☕︎ art ☕︎˚⊹₊˚⊹

@angyc0rtoons the way they draw rocket is just. the most perfect embodiment of chaos. i WISH i could draw such animated expressions so fluidly and perfectly. and their color-choices make me want to cry in the best way. it's like i actually believe in the future again. make my brain go brrrr. (this one makes all my dopamine receptors light up) (also i will go to the grave grateful and sobbing over the time they illustrated my dumb hashtags) [NEW ADDITION 2024]

@bathmob i wish. i could draw rocket. like this. the vibes are so good. the style. is perfect. i thank the universe whenever i see new art from them.

@glow-autumz is absolutely going to be a published comic artist some day and i will buy anything she works on ever. literally everything she creates has a story behind it, which i love. like, not only are her illustrations gorgeous (and like…often very hot) but every single one is (at least) a single-panel narrative. plus her OC is also cool as hell and i love her interpretations of rocket.

@happylittleshrub is a genius of the highest order. love watching all the different ways they render rocket, and i would sacrifice my LIFE for their baby rocket (raised by groot). protect them and their little rockets at all costs [NEW ADDITION 2024]

@lazarel-3000 creates the most toe-curlingly delicious art i've seen in a long time. i am seduced by pretty much everything they create. even their rough drafts have me panting. (i also have a crush on their OC and as a bi-lady i look at their art and am often like oh shit this is a fuckin feast). as mentioned before, this artist is also the author of one of my favorite fics and is a recommended creator in general.

@projectanimation7 is an amazing artist in general but i am specifically posting to share this little snuggled-up rocket and groot. glorious, magical, cuddly. 10/10. [NEW ADDITION 2024]

@rogertaylorswift i honestly don't know how this artist was not already on my rec list??? a staple and a god in the rocket fancommunity tbh. i can't pick one piece of theirs that i love more than the others. their album covers are beautiful, their meme redraws are hysterical, their one-frame comics are deeply-moving and lovely, and their longer comic arcs never fail to make me weep. [NEW ADDITION 2024]

@uglly-rodent posts always make me want to pinch the babby raccoom's cheeks and/or cry.

⊹˚₊⊹˚☕︎ creators ☕︎˚⊹₊˚⊹

@aliasrocket writes such beautiful things it is impossible to pick a favorite (i got two of their fics in the fic section and it was difficult to narrow it down that far and even now, i'm not certain). their tumblr has the added advantage of a ton of drabbles, every single one of which is perfection.

@caesarhamato22 read everything. like everything. great smut but i am a sucker for the slice of life shit and it's so fuckin good here. i just wanna be a nail tech on knowhere/locked in a closet with rocket/have him steal my t-shirt/whatever. it's like all my most domestic desires got turned into little fanfiction dreams. so much wish fulfillment i could die

@elegant-fleuret has great fanfiction (more than just the one on my fic list - i just felt like i had to narrow it down and A Very Basic Instinct literally gives me a a fresh hit of dopamine every time i reread it, which is a lot). plus also art. double-threat.

@lazarel-3000 look. look. i cannot say this enough. please go check them out they are hope in a hopeless place. some of the sexiest art + one of my very favorite fanfictions + one of my very favorite OCs have come out of this flawless individual. (full disclosure they also did some nsfw art of my OC jolie and rocket that has me crying and dying and hyperventilating on a daily basis)

@love-for-faeries-go-burrrr has another one of my favorite OCs and i am always hungry for their little storylines whenever they post.

@mrwolfhare is one of my favorite sources of gotg food-for-thought. just some of the most thoughtful explorations of the details of both the mcu and comic canon, excellent headcanons, beautiful screenshot sets, and really solid art. the drawtober art and ficlets have been highlights in my days this month and i'm told there may be a rad fanfiction on the horizon so keep your eyes on this! (rad fanfiction is here now! read Subject 880HR on ao3)

@raccoon-coded just. A+ gotg content, both original and reblogs. most recently i find myself coming back again and again to their review of various gotg novels (and adding a few to my tbr pile). [NEW ADDITION 2024]

[crazyrav3n]

The devil's mark - Peter Steele x reader Chapter 2

beginning conflict :3

"I'm mostly sober- let me drive you home sweet thing," Peter muttered, and you couldn't help but giggle at his words. "Mostly sober." It would be fine- he had only had a little bit to drink. Your vision was- really blurry and it felt amazing. You felt amazing. You felt warm- you felt a little tingle on your cheeks, growing warm. Peter grabbed his keys and paid his tab- also paying your tab. it didn't bother you- you were too shitfaced to really care about most right now. Standing up, it felt like your legs had betrayed you. you wobbled around- creating a laugh from Peter as he wrapped an arm around the back of your waist, stabilizing you.

He put you in the passenger seat of his car, buckling your seat belt with a small giggle as he stared at you. There was very obviously- romantic tension between you two.

He clicked the keys in, and as you heard the car start and felt it begin to move you felt more slumped and tired by the second. Ugh. You would have a hangover in the morning, at least you didn't have much to do tomorrow anyway.

Closing your eyes before you felt a callused palm reach for your thigh, softly rubbing his thumb over the skin of your thigh. It tickled a little, or maybe you were just drunk. It felt comfortable- he was quite warm.

Before you knew it, you were asleep. your eyelids.. slowly blinking and fading out of vision and you... were...

gone.

.

.

(honk mimimimimimimi)

.

.

Ugh... What the fuck?

My head…

Your head horribly throbbed from the alcohol from last night, not remembering much from the night previous. Besides- a phone number written down on a note on your table. Fuck. Did I hook up with someone last night?

No.. It was- that strange guy from last night.

Peter.

.

Later- after a little sleep Y/N finally got to work with cleaning a little bit. They ate some food, nothing too bad.

“Should I text?“ The question pondered in my head. It would be nice to know if we hooked up last night- but there weren't any really signs that we did.

“Hey, this is Y/N from the bar.”

You typed the message slowly after entering the phone number into your phone, producing a sigh from you.

Was this a good idea? Meeting a random guy from the bar?

Fuck it. It had been a while since you had dick, why not try it?

.

Peter: Hi there sweet thing.

Peter: You were shitfaced last night.

Y/N: I was? I don't remember anyway.

Y/N: Did we hook up? Anything? Just for safety?

Peter: Lmao. No, I just took you back to your place. I wish.

“I wish.”

Fuck.

Peter: you interested in going to a party? I'm supposed to invite everyone I can.

And out of the impulse and head over heels you were for this man-

Y/N: Where is it at?

Peter: XXX Notarealaddress Ave. Starts at 12 Tonight

Y/N: I'll be there.

-

I mean, college is about partying, isn't it?

And drinking more for sure gets rid of a hangover.

It had been a while since you were even involved with a guy-

It was so hard to even keep up with your classes, it was insane to think about having a relationship. Maybe it would be better as hookup buddies.

It was hard to think- your brain filled up with so much fog from the pain of a headache.

Ugh.

Fuck me.

-

11:42

This was pretty late for a party- normally they started more around 8 or 9 PM.

I guess it all depends.

11:53

Loading yourself into your car, you put the keys in and gave it a start.

11:59

Your heart sinks as you scan the crowded party, out in the forest.

A great place for a party.

searching for Peter. When you finally spot him across the room, the sight makes you freeze. There he is - the famous Peter Steele - locked in a passionate kiss with a stunning woman you don't recognize. He's on top of her, tongues in each other's mouth and it almost makes you sick to your stomach to see it.

Time seems to stand still as you process the scene before you. The pulsing music and chatter of the party fade into the background. You feel a confusing mix of emotions wash over you - disappointment, jealousy, embarrassment at your own naivety. How could I think he would like me?

We- we were just friends. Nothing more.

Taking a deep breath, you try to compose yourself. You debate whether to quietly slip away unnoticed or to put on a brave face and mingle as if nothing's wrong. Just then, Peter's eyes flick open and lock with yours across the room. His expression shifts to one of surprise as he pulls away from the woman with a smile on his face- to see you.

Why are you this jealous? You guys- aren't even anything. God damn it.

Fuck him- fuck everything.

Tears well up in your eyes as the reality of the situation hits you. You shouldn't feel this way - after all, you and Peter are just friends. But the ache in your chest is undeniable. Blinking rapidly to hold back the tears, you turn and make your way through the crowd towards the exit.

People give rude glances to you as you wander off.

As you push past people, you hear a familiar voice calling your name. Footsteps approach from behind, and suddenly Peter is there, his hand on your shoulder.

"Hey, what's wrong? Where are you going?" he asks, concern evident in his deep voice. It's that same stupid silky voice from before. You know you shouldn't be mad, but you can't fucking help it.

You freeze, torn between the desire to run and the need to face him. Slowly, you turn around, struggling to keep your composure.

"I... I'm fine," you manage to say, your voice wavering. "I just.. Feel sick. I'm going home.“

Peters's brow furrows.

“Did something happen- did I do something Y/N?”

The worry in his voice only makes the situation worse- more tears fall from your face.

You cant do anything besides shake your head- look away and run off back to your truck.

A sigh of relief comes over you as you get inside, starting the car before Peter can reach it and quickly drive off.

Turning the radio on, pumping up the music loudly to distract yourself… But it doesn't help. Nothing helps.

You shouldn't feel this way.

He just saw you as a friend.

[secret-smut-sideblog]

Keep The Rain

Gale x F! Tav (named)

(Child Of Dawn, part 11)

18+ hurt/comfort, discussions of death, emotional breakdowns, urgent sex, losing control, semi public sex, (sad) dom Gale, aftercare/grounding, tenderness, some silliness

Aurum's mortal wounds won from the battle with Cazador setting her demise ever closer, Gale can wait no longer to speak to her in the Outer Planes...

Masterlist, Prev Chapter

-

Burning, gnashing teeth, and high screaming light.

Gale focused on his fire wall, keeping the werewolves at bay as Karlach pulled Astarion down. The heat and deafening noise a cacophony of fury.

Aurum stood in front of Cazador, hair lifted in wavering heat. Burning orange veins pulsing along her, eyes lit in the same orange hate.

The sunburst in her chest turned beam, firing down boiling malice. The sunbeam blinding him, burning his skin up in peels.

"Karlach!" Gale urged, a few werewolves leaping over his wall.

"I know! I'm coming!" She shouted, releasing Astarion from the last of his holds. Ducking down and hooking under his legs, spinning to throw him across the battlefield towards where Aurum had Cazador pinned. Running, great axe high, to cleave into the beasts swarming towards him.

Astarion rocketed through air, landing into a dead sprint. Firing down on bats and werewolves that tried to rush him. Red eyes burning in singular hateful determination.

Cazador tried to stand and swipe his blade, buckled below Aurum's light.

She screamed at him and lunged, the light burning in a concentrated pulse. Holding her arms out and shrieking in high animalistic rage, throat barely able to contain it. Ripping through the air. The tolling of church bells rising around her head. Light rising so high it began pouring out of her mouth.

Astarion stepped up on a pull of her shoulder, releasing his daggers in twin arcs. She fell forward into herself, smothering the light into the ground at the last second to shield him. Astarion pushed his feet off of her back in a spring board, leaping into a strike. His own scream rising into her song still reverberating around the marble walls, bringing down Cazador in two furious daggers in his chest.

The vampire lord stumbled back, coughing out a wave of blood. Eyes wide in disbelief, staring at Aurum, then Astarion.

"What..."

"Shut up!" Astarion roared, kicking him onto his back. Standing over him, chest heaving with hate.

"One more thrust, and it will be over." He huffed, spinning the blade in his hand. "I will be free of you. I will never have to fear you, ever again."

"But... if I complete the ritual, I will never have to fear anyone again."

Aurum rose from her prone slump, crying out when she got up to a kneel. Burning too hot, chest still pushing painful light.

Gale made to rush forward, but Karlach held onto the back of his collar. Urging him to wait with her eyes.

"You're...ah-" Aurum pushed out through cries of pain. "You're better ugh!- than him. You're more-"

Her hand reached up and wrapped around his calf.

"Don't try to talk me out of this!" He shouted down at her.

"I'm not... I'm not who you see in me." His voice fell from a shout to a tremble.

She coughed, writhing against the ground weakly. A cloud of ash leaving her lips.

"You're more. You're more. Kweshta... elladyr... ivaebhin es'caerta..."

His eyes closed tightly, lower lip trembling. White knuckle gripping the hilt of the dagger.

Eyes snapping open, he drove the dagger into Cazador's chest in uncontrolled fury. Driving again and again, screaming deep guttural pain. Seating all of his torment into the thrust of his blood soaked hand, screaming out all of the strangled cries of two hundred years of death.

Falling to knees, he heaved breath, looking around lost in a haze of drained fury. A cry hitching in his throat.

Aurum's hand rose and spread flat on his back, between shoulder blades. A silent phrase.

His back bowed, arms falling limp at his side. The dagger scattering out onto the marble. A sob ripping through him in earnest, face crumpled in grief.

She struggled up onto knees, pressing the side of her face into his back. Arms twining around his front. Speaking weakly in Elvish.

He gripped her hand on his chest, nodding and responding in choppy garbled words. Tremoring and releasing small howls of anguish. Tears staining down his front.

She held him close, letting him break inside her. A phrase repeated on her lips that Gale could translate.

Let go. Let go. Let go, moonlight.

-

Gale knocked lightly on the thick oak.

"Come in." Aurum's soft voice.

He slipped inside their private chambers, closing the door gently behind him.

Astarion was crumpled into her chest, fetal and breathing slowly. Her hands carding gently through his curls in a repeating reverent movement, back leaned against the headboard. Hushing into the top of his head.

Gale came to the bedside, sitting at her feet on the mattress. Holding her curved ankle, rubbing his thumb in arcs on the petal soft skin.

"How is he?" He whispered.

She sighed fondly. "Asleep. I talked him into using my angelic slumber potion."

"He'll be out for the night, but... Well..." She adjusted slightly in demonstration, Astarion immediately gripping onto her.

"No...no..." He whimpered.

"Shhh..." She stroked the hair from his face. "I'm here, I'm right here, kweshta..."

The movement revealed the plane of her sternum, the light veiled pink as it pushed through burned angry skin.

Nausea rose through him, knowing that she had just cut more time from what remained. The hourglass tipped, grains pouring too fast.

"We should've brought Halsin." His voice trembled in frustration.

Knowing it wasn't the time but so angry at the lack of foresight. That she would be forced to use herself as none of them had light spells on hand.

She didn't disagree, sliding her foot out to wrap around his hip.

"This isn't the time or place. But it's clear we have far less time than we can hold in both hands." He started, cupping her calf.

Looking up into her eyes. "I need to show you something."

Her eyebrows creased in confusion. Eyes drifting down to the body cradled into her pointedly.

"Not here, beyond." He clarified.

"Please, close your eyes." He urged warmly.

She took a soft breath in, the painful scratching of her breathing striking through his heart. Eyes closing slowly.

"Astra navigabimus."

The world faded around them in unraveling threads, his own eyes closing to make the journey less overwhelming.

His vision opened filled with sparkling hues of soft purple and ribboned turquoise. They were seated in the astral sea, gliding through the calm waters in an iridescent row boat.

He took her in for a moment longer, smiling at his radiant lover.

"Dont be alarmed, I'm here with you. Open your eyes."

Her pale blue eyes blinked open, the hues reflected inside of them. Her beauty suited this place, matching her ethereal presence.

Her hand slid up to her chest as she slowly took in the endless exquisite horizon. Eyebrows knitting together, she looked down.

"What's wrong?" He urged, moving forward quickly to cup her thigh.

"This is the Outer Planes, isn't it?" She looked up at him through golden eyelashes.

He nodded, eyes darting to her chest. Gently pulling her hand back so he could see.

She released to him, fingers falling away.

The sunburst spun in a slow circle, symbols around the edges swimming in playful swirls.

"I think it's from here." She breathed. "It feels... good. Happy. Like it's breathing."

His heart thrilled, so relieved that he was right. That the next line of reasoning he must approach wasn't unfounded.

"This is where gods dwell." He started, taking her hands in his.

"Where they observe us from afar, watching us even now. Taking joy in meddling in our fates. Your own tormentor, Amaunator, watches your anguish impassively from this very plane."

"They only want us to serve them, pray for them..." He pressed a palm to her chest, light pushing through his fingers. Taking in a shaky breath. "Die for them."

Her hand cupped over his, pulling him over to her side of the bench. He pressed into her, resting his forehead to hers. Taking deep, slow breaths to unknot the catch in his throat.

"I used to believe Mystra's forgiveness was worth dying for. But I was wrong. You showed me just how much I have to live for. I want to give you the same and much, much more."

Her eyes met his, confusion and apprehension pulling her features.

"What are you saying, Gale?" She whispered, fear at the edges of her words.

He cupped her face, kissing both of her cheeks in slow reverence.

"I want you to use the crown."

Her body froze, going rigid. Pulling back from him.

"Please, don't turn away from me. Listen for a moment." He begged, taking her hands.

She softened slightly, eyes returning to his.

"I know you don't want this. That ascending is... That it takes. It pulls away the finer layers of you. But you would live. You would live, Rosa."

"I..." The sob rising in his throat unwilling to be stifled any longer. "I can't live in a world without you. To know that you would be out here, looking down on me. Changed, but even if a fragment of you still existed with me. I could hold on to that."

"Gale... The bomb..."

He shook his head, that was unimportant.

"Please, please tell me you feel the same. That you want what I want."

Tears flowed uninhibited down his cheeks.

"Gale... look at me." She hushed, cupping both sides of his face.

He rose his eyes to her, staring at her already godlike visage through thick water.

"I love you. I love you so much it's beyond my control." She laughed wetly, her own eyes glassy with tears.

"This..." She gestured around herself. "Isn't living. It's cold, meaningless stasis. It's... empty."

"What I have with you, however short or long it may be. That's what I want. That's the most full living I can ever have."

He shook his head, gripping onto her forearms.

"No, please. I can't bear it." He whimpered, burying his head into her neck.

"I can't be without you, its not fair! Why- why-" He wailed, fingers grasping into the back of her shirt. "Don't leave me, please, Gods, don't leave me!"

She held him, the slow spinning of her sunburst pushing out between their chests. Mockingly warm and thrumming serenely. Happy to be home.

"I will always be with you." She hushed into his hair. "I will be with you always."

He wailed out a wrenching cry into her. Body shaking in hard jolting sobs. Beating his fist weakly into her back.

She didn't falter, swaying slowly with his crumpled body inside her arms. Singing a slow hymn, pressing her cheek into the crown of his head.

-

-

-

"Wow, you two have high pain tolerances..."

"Thanks, we've been through a lot." Aurum laughed, squeezing Karlach's hand. The hum of the inking machine an undertone to their words.

"Oh yeah, I've been through the hells myself!" Karlach barked.

Aurum nearly spit out her drink, shaking with contained laughter.

"Please, hold still." The tattoo artist urged good naturedly, smiling at them.

"Sorry, sorry." Aurum giggled.

"You sure I can't talk you into one?" She smiled, looking over at Gale with a mischievous glint.

"Oh, I'm fine from back here. I'm sure it's quite thrilling in a sharp, masochistic way." He offered, trying not to make eye contact with the needles entering into her skin.

"No sense of adventure on this one." Astarion sighed, sitting with feet stretched across a couch. Head hanging over the arm rest.

"You didn't get one either." Gale sniped.

Astarion waved his hand above him impassively. "Details..."

"Darling, how much longer do you think it will be? Not that I don't enjoy lounging."

"We're... just about...done!" The artist flourished, leaning back to wipe her skin of ink.

"Fuck yes! Ohhh! Let me see!" Karlach cheered, popping up to lean over Aurum's wrist. Snorting out a laugh, doubling over.

"Oh Gods, it's perfect! You even got the phrasing right!"

Aurum smiled wide, flapping her hands at Karlach to show hers.

"Oh! Right!" She laughed, bringing her opposite wrist over, angling it into Aurum's view.

She read the curling Elvish with quick eyes, then burst out in bright laughter. Giving the artist a thumbs up.

"If you two witches are done cackling," Astarion admonished, rising to feet jauntily. "Can you please share with the class what you've done today?"

"Okay, okay, here." Aurum giggled, bringing her wrist to line up with Karlach's. "Mine is in infernal, but it matches Karlach's."

He leaned over, reading for a short moment. Then a sly smile spread across his face.

"Oh, that's good." He drawled. Tutting his tongue at them playfully.

Gale rose, curiosity winning over his dizzy stomach. Coming to Aurum's side, pressing an instinctual kiss into her temple.

The infernal text made a small circle inside her wrist, the ink a deep red. Her skin tender and pink around the edges.

His eyes traveled to Karlach's, gold ink forming a straight line below the seam of her wrist. Translating in his head.

"That's not funny." He huffed, the edge of a smile on his face betraying his offense.

"You're right, it's hilarious." Astarion lilted. "Or do you not get it? I'm sure I could translate for you, Gale dearest."

"I think I can translate quite accurately, thank you."

"I don't know... 'Burn-Out' is such a long phrase." Aurum sighed, letting out a little squeak at his fingers pinching her side.

"Do you get it?!" Karlach blurted out, bouncing excitedly. Astarion snorting out a laugh at her inadvertent insult.

"Yes, I most certainly do." Gale sighed, patting her free arm.

"Thank you," Aurum turned to the artist as they wrapped her wrist in a bandage. "Truly. This has been a bright point in an otherwise terrible tenday."

"More like ten-month." Astarion huffed.

Gale sighed in exhausted agreement.

They stepped out into the busy street, chatting about where to get a meal. The noise of Lower City nearly drowning out a voice that piped up behind them.

"Excuse me, miss?"

Gale, still prickly from the last several onslaughts of emotionally draining events, turned with a snap.

"I know her face tattoo is very interesting, but we don't have the time to answer your burning questions."

"Gale..." Aurum warned, a fond reproach in her voice, cupping his bicep. Turning to the young man.

"Yes?"

Her head tilted, eyes narrowing in thought.

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" She implored, a genuine question.

Gale looked at the man closely, and was struck by how similar they looked. Golden hair, warm olive skin, a tall radiant presence. Though he was muscular and with an eyeline above Karlach's, the resemblance was nearly familial.

The man smiled brightly, booming out a jovial laugh.

"Good eye! You do know me. Though, it is very difficult to forget someone so bright. I know you understand that."

Aurum's eyebrows furrowed together in slight confusion. Hand coming up to unconsciously shield over her already smothered light.

"Ah! That is why I called out to you." He smiled, pointing at her chest.

Gale's eyes narrowed, stepping slightly in front of her.

"Exactly what are your intentions?" His voice low in warning. "Quickly."

"I assure you I only come with the most altruistic of offers, my ambitious friend."

The large man clapped an exceedingly warm hand on his shoulder. "You know, you're a wiser man than I to give up that call. If I wasn't so headstrong, my own lover Tyche, may still be with me. Still smiling at my side." He sighed wistfully.

Information rocketed across Gale's mind. Eyes going wide, nearly backpedaling. Aurum bracing him from behind.

"Well," She smiled, staring up at the towering figure. "You did hear me after all, then."

"I did." Lathander boomed out another laugh, clearly endeared by her casual tone. Drawing more eyes of passerby's who had already started pausing, staring at the two gilded beauties.

"Let's find somewhere quiet to talk." He smiled sheepishly, aware of the crowd he was drawing.

"I do know somewhere nearby." Aurum hummed, a twinkle of jest in her eyes.

Leading them down the street towards the Basilisk Gate.

Karlach leaned into Aurum's ear.

"Whose your friend?" She whispered, eyeing him appreciatively and very obviously.

"Oh, you're going to love the answer. But shush, for now." Aurum hummed.

"Okay..." Karlach drew out the word, clearly intrigued and bemused.

As they approached the Stormshore Tabernacle, Lathander barked out an appreciative laugh. Opening the large wooden door over her head. "After you."

"Ah! Good to see you, Aurum!" The little guardian bustled over to her happily.

"Hello, Vicar." She greeted him warmly.

"Your interpretation of Lathander's eight tenants of faith was quite thrilling. I have more texts I would love to pick your brain about!"

"I would love to read them." She smiled, indulging his enthusiasm.

"Ah! Another pilgrim! Welcome, welcome!" He appraised the towering golden figure.

"Vicar, could we use the library for a moment?"

"Oh, sure! Here, let me unlock it for you."

"Ah, bo-ring." Karlach sighed. "Catch us up later, soldier. And don't leave out the juicy bits." She pointed at Aurum. Both her and Astarion wandering out onto the street.

Aurum turned as the curved door closed behind them. "Well, it's strange for our Father to take a backseat. Unless..." Her eyes lit in a glint. "You're here without his knowledge."

"Oh, you're a clever one." He beamed.

"He was unmoved by your very genuine words." He sighed, shaking his head. "Thoroughly uninterested."

"That sounds about right." Aurum agreed, unsurprised.

"But I wasn't. I found your pleas and especially forgiveness very touching."

He stepped forward, cupping her hands in his.

"I want to offer you something in dire shortage. Renewal. A new dawn."

She stared up at him, breath taken.

"I cannot free you of the Eternal Sun, you were correct in that assumption. But I can provide you sanctuary. I'm sure you noticed it burned easier in the Outer Planes?"

She nodded, overcome.

"Well, that plane is somewhere where it can be soothed. I think, if you were to return to it periodically, it could be kept in an equilibrium."

"I want to be clear, this is not a cure. It will need to reach heat death, as all stars do. But that day can be extended much farther into the future. On a day more fitting for a light as bright as yours."

Tears fell slow from Aurum's eyes.

"I do have one request, if you'll indulge me." Lathander chuckled. "When the heat death does come, there will be a new star born, and I'd like to create a divine vessel to house it. Your beloved here gave me the idea."

"She would make a fine god." He nodded at Gale, turning back to Aurum with a warm smile.

"I understand your need to turn from divinity, I will respect that. But I'd love to give your heart a second life."

Aurum was quiet for a long moment, then burst out in laughter.

"Ohhh, He's going to be pissed when He finds out." She wiped her eyes, that curling genuine smile lighting her face.

"You can have it, absolutely. It could stand to be a blessing for someone else, for once..."

She let out an overwhelmed sigh of gratitude.

"Thank you." Her voice hitching.

"I'm so very glad to help. The Outer Planes will be much brighter with you as a guest."

He patted her hand twice between his, then stepped back into the window. Dissipating into the planes of sunlight.

The room dimmed down, gentle dust motes hovering.

Aurum turned to Gale, about to speak when he rushed forward. Gasping out against her lips, clutching her face in both hands. Kissing her in tearful, desperate pulses. Pulling back to stare into her eyes before diving back into her.

"Gale!" She laughed, breaking away to get a breath before his lips enveloped her again. Shaking his head, cupping the back of her head to pull her back. Fingers weaving into her golden hair.

He pushed her back onto the bookshelf, breathing her in gorging lungfuls. Hitching her thigh up over his hip.

She moaned against his demanding.

"Gale, baby, it's okay." She murmured when she could get a breath in. "We have time."

His mouth crowded hers again, clenching eyes shut as a sob pushed through his throat. Those words, that reality, stoking the flames far higher.

He lifted under her thighs and laid her back on a desk, taken by how angelic she looked in the panes of light. Hair fallen halo around her head, lips kiss swollen. Fallen open for him, looking up at him with wide love-blown eyes.

He smoothed his hands over her belly, her hips. Watching with reverent eyes the travel of his hands. Dizzy with a near violent need to be inside her. To never ever leave.

"I need you." He moaned, pulling her dress up to pool at her waist. Tears falling onto his chest. "Please, I need you so badly."

She pulled her underclothes off with fast fingers, pulling on his hip.

He dove back onto her, baffled that he had pulled away in the first place. Kissing her in rough frantic pulses, pulling his trousers down in yanks. The slit of his robe pooled up over her hip.

His fingers pumped down just enough to wet his cock before he slid inside her, seating her up to his belly.

She whimpered, squeezing him with her thighs. Gripping onto his biceps.

He knew he was moving too fast, being too forceful, but he couldn't stop. Fully crazed with need.

"Forgive me, my love." He groaned, caging over her body and rolling fast thrusts into her. Eyes tight with tears, holding her body down with his. Burying his face into her shoulder, his thrusts jolting them back into the desk.

Her choppy little moans vibrated against his ear, sending him into her harder. Hand shooting up to brace himself next to her head. Getting lightheaded from how fast his breath had become.

His body refused to leave hers, thrusts moving to rocking, a shiver rising up her as they arched together.

"That's so good." She whined, rolling her hips into his.

He pulled her up, grasping onto her back as he ground into her, pushing up into her.

Small whines pushed into his shoulder, velvet slick pooling onto his pelvis.

His eyes rolled into the back of his head, gripping her to his chest with untethered desperate hands. How soaked she could get always made him feel insane, something in it striking a wrathful lust in him.

He huffed into her neck, hips moving into deep, fast thrusts again. Losing himself. Burying his whimpers in the curve of her neck.

"Yes, baby," She urged in a rushed whisper. "I love you, cum for me."

His vision went blurry as it hit him, nearly collapsing. She quickly slid her arms under his shoulders, feeling him starting to go limp. Mouth falling open in a silent scream as his pelvis contracted viciously, orgasm ripping through him. Her arms holding him strong to her, cupping the back of his head.

"Steady, steady." She breathed, rubbing warm circles into his bowed back. "Take a minute, I'm right here."

He nodded, stinging tears dripping out of his eyes uncontrolled. Focusing on taking deep breaths, hers picking up in sync with his in encouragement. Leaning her forehead against his, she looked into his eyes as she breathed with him, all smeared with his love. Hands splayed around his face, holding him to her.

"Can you stand?" She whispered.

"I love you." He hushed.

"I love you, Gale. So much. Can you stand?"

He tried to lean back, found his knees still weak.

"I don't know." He answered truthfully.

"Come here," She smiled, letting him lean into her as she made to tuck him back into his trousers. Sucking his cock clean of their spill.

He groaned quietly, hips tremoring.

"Sorry," She laughed, doing his trousers back up. "But you can't cast Prestidigation right now, so it's my way."

She gathered her underclothes and wiped herself, slipping them in his pocket with a cheeky pat.

"Time to go." She sighed, curling up a smile at his still groggy visage.

"I love you." He moaned, cupping her face to lean exhausted kisses along her lips.

"Oh no," She giggled. "I think I've broken him."

~

Final Part

[the-way-astray]

It's the Never Change Anon again! Enjoy!

—————

Title: Never Change chapter 2

Pairing: Stria x Keefe

—————

"I'm still waiting for you to tell me who Shannon is."

"Your mind might explode."

Keefe raised an eyebrow, looking genuinely insulted. "I think you'd be surprised what I can handle."

Well, insulting him was the goal, so Stria felt no remorse. "Trust me, you can't handle this. I'm really just protecting you." Stria smiled warmly and sweetly, her face the perfect picture of someone looking out for a friend. Keefe rolled his eyes, and Stria laughed internally. Maybe she should call him sweetie next time. His eyes might pop out of his head.

"Well, most of this is just you being upset about my sense of humor," Keefe said, a very true statement. Stria nodded. "I am quite funny, if I do say so myself."

"Stop saying so yourself. Please. That's, like, half the problem with your humor. Not only are you not funny, but you're vocal about how funny you think you are. It's unbearable."

"That's an opinion," Keefe defended. Somehow, he'd been miffed enough by most of the essay that she hadn't had to endure his ridiculous smirk even once since they'd gotten their smoothies. "One most people disagree with."

"Yeah, because Shannon decided to write that for some reason."

"What the hell does this Shannon person have to do with anything?!"

Stria smiled sweetly again, tilting her head. "Don't worry your pretty little head about it."

"Excuse me?"

Stria was internally cackling. He looked so frustrated. This was amazing. "You heard me."

"You're a very unpleasant person," Keefe said, crossing his arms.

"I'm not trying to make this date pleasant."

Oh no. Now she was having to deal with the smirk again. Dang it. Could they go back to her needling him? That was fun! "Thought you said it wasn't a date."

"It isn't."

"But you just said it was."

"This date, as in, a day on the calendar," Stria said. Truthfully, it had been a slip of the tongue, and she wasn't sure where it came from. She just hadn't known how else to refer to what they were doing, though she could think of a few better options than date now that she was actually considering it. "It's always a date. You can wipe that smirk off your face."

"I don't think I will." His smirk grew. Ugh. He was the worst.

Well. She'd just have to wipe it off for him, then. "Fine. Guess it's time for us to get back to the things I hate about you. Where were we again? Oh, yes! The way you always push until you get what you want. I'm even enabling you by being here right now, but it's worth it, because I get to rant to you. Why do you not take no for an answer? You help Sophie, not by choice. She thinks it's easier to just tell you what you want to hear than argue with you. There's citations on the sheet!"

"What are you citing?!"

Stria brought back the sweet smile. "None of your concern."

"Will you cut that out?!"

"I don't plan to."

Keefe groaned. "You can at least explain this to me." He was pointing to something on the sheet, and Stria leaned in to see what it said.

“‘Is it okay if I enter your mind?’ Fitz asked. ‘Dude, do you realize how creepy that sounds?’ Keefe interrupted. ‘It’s less creepy than reading her feelings all the time without telling her,’ Fitz argued. ‘Hey, it’s not like I try to do that! You’re just mad that Foster can’t hide things from me.’” (144) Keefe gets bored, so he interrupts Sophie and Fitz’s cognate training for no reason. You know, because he’s incapable of keeping his nose out of others’ business for two seconds. And not only that, he has the audacity to say he doesn’t try to read Sophie’s emotions. Sure, he’s not doing it all the time, every time, but he does it when he feels she’s hiding something.

"I think I explained it pretty well on the paper," Stria said simply, internally cackling at the way he looked genuinely offended.

"Aside from the fact that I have no clue how you're quoting conversations you were not there for and still won't explain what those numbers mean, I don't try to read Sophie's emotions! They're just loud!"

Stria pointed to the last sentence of the section he'd indicated, not about to waste her breath repeating something she'd already said.

"Uh, I feel that she's hiding something the same way I feel all the rest of her feelings: by accident!"

"Sure."

"It's like you're deliberately trying to misunderstand me!" Keefe exclaimed.

"On the contrary. I think I understand you quite well." Stria crossed her arms. "As you can see, I know far more about you than you might anticipate, and suffice to say, I don't like what I know."

"Okay, no. You don't get to just pretend you know me because you've seem some weird written account of all my conversations!" Keefe snapped. "You don't like my personality? Fine! My friends do. Friends being Fitz, Dex, Sophie... yes, they roll their eyes and tease me about it, because we are friends. If they didn't like me, they wouldn't hang out with me!"

"Wow, you really need to believe that, don't you?" Stria remarked.

Keefe grit his teeth. "I don't know how you know these things. I don't know why you're so sure you understand me, when none of these weird quotes are in my perspective."

"Your perspective is worse, trust me."

"My point is, you think you have me all figured out, and you're wrong."

Stria shrugged. "If you're so sure, why should you care?"

"Because you think the worst of everything I do! It isn't fair!"

"I only do that because everyone else thinks the best of everything you do!"

"That isn't even true!" Keefe exclaimed, exasperated. "Look, I'm not about to get into details about my personal relationships to some girl I barely know, but there's a lot more than what you've got written down on this paper. And if you think everyone just loves me and everything I do all the time, you're wrong."

Stria almost retorted, but something about this particular brand of exasperation that he was showing made her stop. There was something oddly vulnerable about it, and she was surprised Keefe wasn't covering it up with atrocious jokes. Or maybe they were past that stage, since he had some idea that she'd a good deal of his life. "Of course your friends love you," she admitted instead. The shock on his face when she admitted it was almost as good as his earlier fury. Not quite. But almost. "That's not what I'm saying."

"Then what are you saying?'

"There's people... it doesn't really matter to you, actually." She didn't need to explain to him about the Pinterest KOTLC fandom. Especially since she wasn't telling him who Shannon Messenger was.

"I think it matters a lot, actually."

"Yeah, well, I'm the one who knows it, and you don't, so it's up to me whether or not it matters to you, actually."

"It's my life, you know," Keefe snapped. "If you know all this random stuff about it that I don't, you should probably tell me."

"Trust me—"

"I don't. You sound like the Fork man when he's trying to convince Sophie she doesn't need to know who her parents are."

Stria blinked.

Really? He was going to make that comparison?

"Want to know who your parents are?" Stria offered, deliberately misinterpreting the quesiton. "Their names are—"

"I'm good, thanks."

And... now he really didn't look like himself. Maybe bringing up his parents was a bad idea. Stria didn't like him very much, but she took that particular sore spot of his very seriously. "Sorry."

"For what?"

Nope. He wasn't getting any more of an apology out of her than that. He was really good at getting people to feel bad for him, wasn't he? "We should probably get going," Stria said curtly. "I'm out of smoothie."

Keefe sighed, standing up. "Okay. Want to do this again sometime?"

Stria blinked slowly.

Then again.

Then again.

Then, "I'm sorry, did you just say you want to do this again?"

"Yep."

Okay, Stria was at a complete loss. "Why?!"

"I don't know. I hate talking to you. I hate the way this stupid essay trivializes things I genuinely struggle with." He absentmindedly traced his hand over one of the passages still on the table, and Stria glanced at it, wondering what he was talking about.

“‘And Fitz isn’t perfect, by the way.’ ‘He’s close enough.’” (238) No??? Nobody is. And here’s a fine example of another forced consolation scene. Keefe lathers it up with the self-pity and feeling sorry for himself, and later on down the road, Shannon realizes that and her solution to that particular problem is hilariously atrocious. I’m writing this quote in blue so that it’s easy to come back to later, because I’m going to talk about it once we get there. But for now: Keefe’s personal pity party is clearly only there to make the audience pity him. All he’s doing right now is acting weirdly whiny and jealous of Fitz for . . . being “perfect”? Which again, jealousy is natural. But Keefe has never in his life tried to achieve perfection, and has in fact always tried to do the exact opposite, so why would he be jealous of Fitz for being perfect all of a sudden? It’s completely out of character for him. Shannon. You can’t just make Keefe jealous of Fitz for the sake of being jealous of Fitz because you want a forced consolation scene. It has to make sense. Keefe would never be jealous of Fitz for this particular reason. Keefe doesn’t try to be perfect at all. Why would he care that Fitz is “perfect”?

"I think I make a good point in that passage."

Keefe laughed mirthlessly, shaking his head. "Like I said, you don't know me half as well as you think you do."

Whatever. They didn't need to keep arguing over this. "Okay then. Let's say I don't know you at all and nothing in this essay matters."

"Which is true," Keefe agreed.

"Why on Earth would you want to do this again?"

"You're just..." Keefe pressed his lips together, studying her for a moment. "You're so... different."

Stria barked out a laugh. "Oh. Oh, you did not just say that. You did not just say I'm not like other girls. I can't do this."

"Why do you have a problem with everything I say?"

"Shannon really made you like this, huh? She did. She literally did. I mean, I'm actually not that surprised, but wow. Wow."

Keefe rolled his eyes. "Oh no, me having my own personality. I can practically feel you burning with hatred."

"I am," Stria agreed.

"So are we on for next weekend?"

And for the same inexplicable reason Keefe wanted to see her again despite his fury, Stria agreed. "Fine. But we're getting milkshakes next time."

—————

I'd love to see people's guesses on who I am.

Yours are fascinating. I see an anon is fully convinced that I am Katie. I will admit, I have read fanfiction by Katie before, and Katie's writing style for KOTLC is similar to Shannon's in a lot of ways, so I've consumed a lot of KOTLC in the style in which I write it.

Perhaps I am Katie. Aren't we all Katie?

Sorry for quoting your essay twice, but it seemed like the best way to get into your head for this. I look forward to your response!

not breaking this down like i did with part one, that would simply take far too long. the people have spoken! they want more never change. anon, you're popular lmfao.

and it seems there are some people that are super invested in this, so i can create a taglist, if anyone wants to be added.

you get notes instead of a breakdown this time:

""I'm still waiting for you to tell me who Shannon is." "Your mind might explode."" it's hilarious that i refuse to tell him who shannon is . . . you should make me tell him in a future chapter. that would be so funny

not the condescending sweetie/sweet smiling/"don't worry your pretty little head over it" . . . lmfaooooo i don't do that on principle but it seems like something keefe would do. so i understand where the sentiment comes from

"Stria was internally cackling." WRONG! i was externally cackling. it was a bit concerning if i'm being honest

""I'm not trying to make this date pleasant."" did i just slip . . . i don't slip . . . not like this . . .

"You help Sophie, not by choice. She thinks it's easier to just tell you what you want to hear than argue with you. There's citations on the sheet!" there is in fact citations on the sheet. many, many citations on the sheet. anon, you're doing a fantastic job of reminding me why i hate canon keefe. also sophie exists in this strieefe fic???? where my rant where i criticize sokeefe exists? how does that work? what does she think of me?

ooooooh, you really should've had me bring up the keefe grabbing people's hands to read their emotions, including sophie herself

""It's like you're deliberately trying to misunderstand me!" Keefe exclaimed." you're making me mad at a version of keefe that isn't even technically canon anon you're working magic here

""Wow, you really need to believe that, don't you?" Stria remarked." truly i do believe keefe's friends like him. i just think that was a poor writing choice on shannon's part

""Your perspective is worse, trust me."" very much agreed. the way he thinks of sophie in his head disturbs me a bit. also fitz. but sadly i haven't gotten there yet. anon, does the physical copy i handed keefe contain the part two excerpt i released?

""Because you think the worst of everything I do! It isn't fair!"" that's not true, not that keefe would know that . . .

""Look, I'm not about to get into details about my personal relationships to some girl I barely know, but there's a lot more than what you've got written down on this paper. And if you think everyone just loves me and everything I do all the time, you're wrong."" sir . . . who initiated this again . . . anon, fantastic job making him as annoying as possible. also did keefe read my disclaimers. i specifically stated that i was only listing the bad things about him. tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk keefe. i expect better next time

"Stria almost retorted, but something about this particular brand of exasperation that he was showing made her stop. There was something oddly vulnerable about it [ . . . ]" yeah i would not care. tear the man to shreds. only time i care is when his abusive parents are brought up. i have some decency, i suppose

""Of course your friends love you [ . . . ]"" wait did i contradict myself. didn't i say that keefe needed to believe that before? was i trying to be purposefully mean? doing character analysis on myself like hmmmmm

"She didn't need to explain to him about the Pinterest KOTLC fandom. Especially since she wasn't telling him who Shannon Messenger was." NOT THE KOTLC PINTEREST FANDOM GOODBYE. ANON I'M WHEEZING. also i should tell him who shannon messenger is. i think it would be so funny

""It's my life, you know," Keefe snapped. "If you know all this random stuff about it that I don't, you should probably tell me."" actually it's sophie's life . . . why didn't i tell him that . . . and it's not his entire life it's just the things i hate with a passion :) hope this helps :)

"You sound like the Fork man when he's trying to convince Sophie she doesn't need to know who her parents are."" honestly? fair. i should tell him who shannon messenger is and watch his head explode. it would be funny

"Stria didn't like him very much, but she took that particular sore spot of his very seriously." well, clearly anon knows me decently well. this isn't helping the katie allegations

keefe: want to do this again sometime? also keefe, when he's forced to justify: ""I don't know. I hate talking to you. I hate the way this stupid essay trivializes things I genuinely struggle with."" like, sir???? that's not helping my confusion here. for what and why

wondering how you chose those two passages in particular right now. was there a reason or did you just decide to pick two at random?

""Okay then. Let's say I don't know you at all and nothing in this essay matters."" and then i walked out. the end. just kidding

NOT LIKE THE OTHER GIRLS I'M SCREAMING

""Why do you have a problem with everything I say?"" i don't, but i appreciate the unreliable narration. there are points (in everblaze, mostly) where keefe is genuinely funny

WAIT I JUST REALIZED. my rant is categorized by book. so keefe would be confused about seeing the titles, too, right? unless this canon has the rant not having the titles or something somehow

""Shannon really made you like this, huh? She did. She literally did. I mean, I'm actually not that surprised, but wow. Wow."" me when shannon writes keefe for real

""Oh no, me having my own personality. I can practically feel you burning with hatred."" not the problem. the problem is that his personality is a cringy dumpster fire :) hope this helps, keefe :)

"And for the same inexplicable reason Keefe wanted to see her again despite his fury, Stria agreed." hello i don't like how this is ending in a very unreliable narration implication way again, anon

MILKSHAKES!!!! WOO HOO!!!!

i'm hesitant to say katie is my top suspect anymore, but clearly whoever wrote this knows my brand of keefe haterism pretty well. but also isa, who's katie's best fandom friend, and at least one, possibly two, other anons think it's her. hmm. hmmmmmmm. i honestly have no idea who you could possibly be at this point, but. i guess we'll see . . . assuming you're planning on spilling the beans at some point

@myfairkatiecat tagging you again so you can either defend or implicate yourself, whichever one

the essay quoting was good :) you should keep doing it :)

[hellssheep]

Chapter 5: Big Truth, Small Justice

Amanda wakes up to see that Riley is already driving to Shaun’s place. She turned around to check on Wooly to see if he was sleeping alright. He is himself once again, and is still asleep during the ride. Amanda really wanted to wake him, but she is aware that Wooly likely had a much more stressful night than Amanda has. It's probably best to let him sleep a bit more. She moved the seat back to a near 90° angle.

“Good morning Amanda.” Riley greeted her. “Did you sleep well?”

“Kinda.” She responded as she stretched her limbs. “Im gonna miss my bed tho.”

“I know, I miss mine already too. The problem is that Hameln will probably expect us to go back at some point. I don't wanna risk any of you guys ending up in their hands again.”

“Yea, that would be awful.”. Amanda looked back at Wooly, finally waking up from his slumber. “How long until we get to Shaun’s house or something?”

“Fifteen more minutes. It won't take long.”

“We… Are you going to the house of that store owner?” Wooly asked as he is still a little groggy from waking up.

“Yea, we are.” Riley answered

“Morning Wooly!” Amanda greeted him. “How are you feeling?”

“I'm not really sure. Tired to be honest.”. Wooly scratched the back of his neck, before his eyes widened as if he just remembered something. “W-w-wait a minute. Did…did I really fight off a pack of giant rats last night?”

“Yep, you sure did.”

“No… hecking… way. That felt like a dream. H…how many was it?”

“Five, but not all at once. Actually, Riley helped with one of them. You did kill two of them if that's what you mean.”

This still left Wooly speechless for a few seconds. It's still a pretty appropriate response to slay monsters with your bare hands and zero combat experience. “That is still unbelievable. Aren't they double my size?”

“They are at least a foot or two bigger than you, but only when you are in your Hellhound form.” 

“My gods. Di…did I hurt anyone again that time?”

“Just the Husk Rats, and they deserve it if it makes you feel any better.”

“Husk Rats?”

“Yea. That's what Hameln called them apparently.”

“Of course it was them,” Wooly sarcastically mumbled. “What else do they want from us? Ugh, I shouldn't have trusted them in the first place.” Amanda is too familiar with that mistake as well. Hamelin even tricked Sam into agreeing to it, and it caused him his freedom and his daughter. That's what usually happens when you are too gullible and not skeptical enough.

They sat in silence for a moment. Amanda has a question she is wanting to ask:

“What is it actually like…for you to be that… that creature?”

“I don't really know how to explain it. you would not understand. I m… might jumble some words up.”

“I don't really mind. I'll try my best to understand.”

It took a few seconds for wooly to think. He took a deep breath, calmly exhaled, and finally told Amanda “It’s like… my mind is shared with another… more primal mind. Sometimes everything becomes a blur if it’s… conscience overpowers mine.”

“Oh, like Dissociative Personality Disorder or something?” Riley asked.

“I don’t… I don’t even know what that is.”

“Oh. umm… nevermind. You should put on your seatbelts by the way.” 

Wooly noticed that he doesn't have his seatbelt on him. “Oh right. Thanks for reminding me." He politely told them as Wooly finally buckled himself in.“...Anyways, I felt… kinda strong in some way. To be specific, I have incredible strength, speed and agility that I didn't know I had, and an incredible sense of smell and hearing. It's pretty neat and all, but… I feel powerless to the beast that I share that horrid form with. He…He has half of the control over my behavior, and it is stronger when our emotions are the same or if my conscience isn't there at the moment.”

“What do you mean about the last part?” Amanda asked

“Like… um… the best way I could explain it is… if I was paralyzed behind the plane’s control and the passenger took the wheel instead. Does that make sense?”

“Oh okay. I can kinda see that. If an autopilot has its own conscience and animalistic behavior?”

“Yea, more like that. Regardless, it's actually pretty scary because… I can't entirely predict when it will control me… or what it will do if it did. The scariest thing of all is the fact that I…I might harm someone I care about.” 

Amanda is aware of the struggle poor Wooly is going through. She tried to put her hand on his shoulder, but she couldn't reach from the front seat, so she unbuckled her seat and moved her way to the back.

“Amanda, stay seated please? We don't want a nasty accident.” Riley told her in a concerned tone.

“Sorry Riley. It’s for a good cause.”. Amanda rebuckled next to Wooly and comforted him. “Wooly, you don't have to worry about that. Unlike last time, you were able to not attack us.”

“I guess so. It's probably because I was consciously able to convince them that those Husk rats are a bigger threat than you guys.”

“Wait. You could talk to it?”

 “I think I can communicate with it and it kinda communicates back. I thought it just wants me to suffer, but all It wants is for me to survive so it can remain alive as well. The only problem is that it does not trust ‘human mortals’ very well, which is why it attacked you. All it is doing is trying to protect itself.”

“Oh.”. Amanda never thought of that. She was given the impression that Demons were alive since the beginning of time, knowing that people are less of a threat and more of a play thing. Can there be demons who haven't even seen the overworld? Perhaps cults like Hameln are trying to figure that out. 

Amanda asked “Well, If you are capable of talking to that demon in your head, could you ask why it doesn't trust people, and what its experience is like on earth?”

“I don't know if it is able to answer that. It's not an alien Amanda?” Wooly commented. Amanda laughed at that joke, and Wooly chuckled a bit too.

“You know what I meant.”

“Yea…yea. Maybe I will. By the way, thanks for everything you did during these few days.”

“ You're welcome, Wooly.”

Amanda thought for a moment. “You know what? I wonder if…” she reached her hand behind wooly’s ear. Wooly was confused by her gesture, but as soon as she started scratching the right spot, the inner canine kicked in. his tail starts wagging a little, his eyes closed in bliss and leans into her hand, his leg starts kicking the air involuntarily. Amanda couldn't help but giggle at how silly and cute it is. As soon as Wooly is aware of what's happening, he backs away from her hands, and gently pushes them away.

“Wha hey. That's… cut it out. It's weird for me at this moment.”

“Sorry, I just wanted to see if you would do that thing dogs do.” 

“I'm not a dog.” Wooly mumbles to himself. “I'm just possessed by one from hell.”

“Whelp, I guess we're here” Riley told the kids.

The car finally stopped in front of a house in a Cul de sac. This part of the neighborhood is decorated with many flora from green grass to large trees and pushes. Every house is painted the same way, except for their roofs. It’s likely the best place for raising families due to less car activity. Half a dozen neighborhood kids are running around and playing hide-and-seek or catching a football. Amanda wanted to join them, but now is not a good time to have fun.

Amanda was about to step out of the car when Riley warned her “don't forget to blend in guys.”

“Oh, right”

“And wooly, you can just put on the hoodie this time. I forgot to leave the corset in the car.”

“Thank goodness, I'm getting tired of wearing that torture device.”

After they put on everything, Riley got out of the car. They limped as they headed towards the house. Both Wooly and Amanda finally noticed the nasty bite. It is swelling, discolored and sealed by crusted blood. It was a deep wound.  Wooly followed behind them to make sure Riley doesn't lose their footing. While Amanda got out of the car, she noticed a group of kids checking out the scratch marks on the back of the car. all of them are stoked and spurious, wondering whatever happened that caused that kind of damage. It sure made a good distraction from the fact that a cartoony looking girl, an anthropomorphic sheep, and an injured person is heading towards their neighbor’s home. 

As soon as they made it to the door of the house, Riley rang the doorbell. Amanda looked through the window next to the door. The interior looked pretty modern, although the house lacks much fancy decor compared to Riley’s home. from the view of the window, All she can see is a leather couch, a flatscreen TV, and a dining table. The door finally opens with Shaun on the other side of the door.

“Oh hi there Riley. I'm glad you're here this early. Come on in and have a seat while I make you something to drink.”

“Thank you.” Riley replied as they continued limping to the couch, bringing Shaun’s attention to the bite on their leg.

“Oh god.” Shaun nearly shouted in surprise. He looked at Wooly and Amanda and saw that she was also bearing signs of injuries. “Riley? Auderey? What happened to the both of you?”

“It's a long story. But first, we need to see the recording of the incident.”

“Right. I will do that as soon as I take care of both of you guys. Especially you Riley. You need medical attention. You stay right there.”. Shaun left the living room to look for a medkit. 

“Not like I could go anywhere, but Thank you. ”

______________________________________________________________

Eventually, Shaun was able to set up his laptop to show the security video. Wooly and his friends didn’t mind waiting since he provided drinks of their choice and some cookies that Shaun had bought this week. Riley’s leg has finally gotten taken care of and propped on a footrest. It was nice compared to living in a car for half a day.

Shaun went to sit down with us with a worried expression as the video started. The black-and-white video was taken in a kitchen from the ceiling perspective. Benjamin entered the kitchen area carrying cleaning equipment to the closet. There was no audio in the video, but Ben suddenly turned around towards the front counter as if he had heard something. He headed towards that direction and looked over the counter, and that is when something lunged at him. Wooly was expecting himself to be the one in the video attacking him, but thankfully, it wasn't. The video quality cleared up and revealed that it was a Husk Rat that attacked Benjamin. Two more entered the scene to join in on mauling the poor man. It ended with the Rats searching around in the kitchen area after he stopped moving.

“I expected a bear or mountain lion attack, but instead it was some sort of pack of demons who had killed him. My friend didn't deserve to die, let alone being mauled by those things.”

Wooly was glad it wasn't him that killed Ben, but still upset about his death, because Wooly still thinks that he might be the reason why the husk rats went after him. If he let Riley themself reason with Benjamin instead of dealing with it himself, it wouldn't have led Hamelin to his direction. “I'm sorry about your friend. We didn't mean to involve you guys.”

“Wait. What do you mean Wilson?”

“Well, we didn't know Hameln were gonna send monsters out to get us. If we did, we could have stayed out of town in the first place.”

“Hameln? They did this? I thought they only made toys and…and that TV show you guys cosplayed as.”

“Well, I… My name isn’t Wilson. The thing is… Hameln has been testing the dark arts and experimenting on people. We should know because… we are victims ourselves”. Wooly says this as he took off his hoodie while Amanda took off her hat. “She really is Amanda, and… I am the real Wooly.”

“Holly Shit.”. Shaun’s jaw dropped as he let everything sink in. “this can't be real. What happened to you guys? And why do you look different wi…wooly. You got horns now”

“Like I said, it's a long story” Riley told Shaun. They continued to share the story of what happened and what Hameln has done, along with how Riley started learning about the dark side of the Amanda The Adventurer show, and what recently happened. Shaun listened to every word they said, processing everything he could understand. He was very attentive, despite the stress of knowing that the people you have met are on the run from possessed rodents and attempting to expose a group of necromancy scientists. Its honestly a normal response for someone who learned that their childhood animated show was actually a simulation made to entertain people and put the young showcast through psychological torture. And to top it off, the fact that your favorite character is basically suffering from demonic lycanthropy because of them. 

“...and now we have been chased out of our home and are looking for a place to live for now, and we want to learn more about Wooly’s condition. Are you okay there Shaun?”

“I…I'm trying to take all of this in. I'm aware that some big companies would do something bad or make bad decisions, but I never knew they could do something this malicious.”

“Yea, they hid their dark secrets pretty well, didn't they?” Amanda joked, laughing nervously and awkwardly.

“Poor Sam. I should have known that Hameln was the reason for his disappearance. I'm sorry for what had happened to you Rebecca.” 

“Don’t worry. I'm used to it.”

“One more question. Would you rather be called Rebecca or Amanda?”

 “Either of those names are okay.”

“Soooo…” Wooly interrupted, “Is there any way you could help us?”

“Well, for starters, you could live here with me. I have an extra room or two that I let visitors spend the night in. you guys can stay here with me for now. I have a few old toys up in the attic for you guys to play with”

“Nice. if there are any Hamelin products up there, I'll destroy them.” Amanda jokingly threatens.

“That would be fun.” Shaun jokes. “Buuut I'm sure we will be busy researching…whatever Wooly has, right Riley?”

“I'm not sure yet. Going back to Kate's public library would be a huge risk because of that…thing that attacked her.”

“What attacked who?” Amanda asked.

“Amanda, you know about that entity you have that protects the tapes from being destroyed? Well, Wo… There was another one that attacked someone that led me to the library. She was the one who led me to you guys.”

“Oh no, I… Riley I didn't know. I'm so sorry?”

“It's okay. It isn't your fault. None of us knew”

Wooly wasn't really sure how to feel about the news. Was Riley referring to the voice from the walkie talkie? It was probably a mistake to not trust Riley’s partner, but she showed up with them all of a sudden. After everything that happened to Rebecca, it's hard to really trust people. Break our trust and you lose it for good. Can they really trust Shaun too? Wooly is too distracted by his own thoughts at the moment.

“What do we do now?” asked Amanda again

“I guess we should relax and lay low for now. Maybe we can find out what Wooly’s inner Hellhound can do.” Riley answered. That last sentence was What finally caught Wooly’s attention.

“What!? I-I-I’m not sure that's a good idea!” Wooly shouted nervously. “I’m Unstable in that form! I would rather be in that form as little as possible!”

“Wooly, I know it's scary, but we need to try and understand this demon. Maybe we can get it on its good side, Train the both of you even.”

“I don’t think it would like that.”. Wooly fiddled with his hands nervously and his eyes wondered the ground processing what they would do to him. “Please. Please don't do this!” 

He starts seeing flashbacks of all the things that Hameln has done to him. From personal experience, being experimented on means you would be prodded, probed, dissected, controlled or tortured in some way until they see results they wanted. Of course Riley wouldn't do that, but anything that involves someone experimenting on you will always result in something bad regardless. Wooly started crying in fear of what he is gonna go through.

Riley noticed that Wooly was freaking out, so they tried to reassure him. “Okay okay okay, calm down Wooly. We won’t force you into it. I'll tell you what. We can just forget about that. Maybe instead we will just learn as we go. If you do turn into a hellhound, we will try to understand how and what caused it, try to calm it, and let it stick around until you change back to normal. We will just wing it with caution and care. How does that sound?”

Wooly doesn't know how research actually works or if there are ways to do it, but it’s at least better than Hamelins. It also sounds less dreadful than what he went through. “I…guess so.”

“Good.” Riley finished. “Okay, now that we got that out of the way, what should we do to pass the time?”

A sly look formed on Amanda’s face. “Oh I have something in mind.” she answered in a mischievous tone. She giggled like how a little troublemaker would. What did she have in mind?

______________________________________________________________

The Backyard that Shaun has is pretty big compared to the house. Grass covered most of the yard, and it could have grown bigger if the brick backing wasn't there to keep it from growing into the gravel. A brick patio that came with a brick fire pit built into it also matches the brick wall. There is a lot of brick stuff. Bushes as tall as Amanda lined up in front of the brick wall, like soldiers in the military, covering the concrete-like barrier. In the far corner of the yard, there is a single, flat-topped stump that barely rotted away. Amanda was looking through a box of toys Shaun grabbed from the attic, finding the ones with the Hameln logo on them. After searching through all the storage containers in the attic, She found at least half a dozen in total. four of them are hard toys while the rest are plushies. Some are a little broken, but why try to fix them when you can destroy something from an evil corporation. Amanda couldn't wait to wreak havoc on Hameln property.

“So, which toy should we destroy first?” Amanda asked everyone who came for the rampage, specifically Riley Wooly and Shaun.

“Tough question” answered Riley “should we start off with something big, or end it with a bang?”

“Oh… I can… hm…”.  It came to Amanda’s realization that she hadn't made many decisions when she was behind a television screen. She is usually the one who asks the questions to the viewer, never the other way around. She rarely took her decisions in her own hands, only to do so if the viewer is not being cooperative. Despite the limited power she has in the tapes, she had always relied on the choices of the viewer to mold her world. Now she has a choice that could change the result of this activity. Choices could either be overwhelming or exciting for anyone. As for Amanda, she was simply distracted by the thought of it, but not for long. She decided to grab the large wooden dollhouse with a pink roof and purple interior.  “How about this?”

“Great choice! Guess we're going big then! Hey Shaun what do you have that's destructive?”

“Whatever is in the shed over there.” Shaun replied as he pointed towards a wooden structure on the other corner of the yard. Riley headed towards the shed, opened the paint-rotted door, and peered into it. They used the flashlight on their phone to look what's inside.

Riley turned their heads and asked Amanda “how do you wanna destroy that dollhouse?”

“Surprize me!” Amanda yelled.

Riley went into the shed, and after a moment of silence, They came out with a mini-sledge with a yellow rubber handle.

“Just like with the piggy bank, huh?”

Amanda let out a bit of a squeak of excitement, hoping in place and putting her hands together. “You know me too well Riley!”

“Can we burn it after?” Wooly finally spoke after a while.

“Whoa.” Amanda replied. “Is that you Wooly, or is that the hellhound talking?”

“Thought it would be a great way to release my repressed rage on the company. Also, we have a firepit, so we should put it to use too.”

“That is the best idea Wooly. Now, let's get to breaking.”

Shaun grabbed something from the shed for lighting up the dollhouse: a match and some ball of lint to use as tinder. He placed them on the rim of the firepit and watched as Riley swapped the hammer for the dollhouse Amanda handed to them. They placed the dollhouse atop of the log and backed away from it. While Riley did that, Amanda was putting on safety glasses, mask and work gloves to protect herself from the rogue debris. She prepared to get a firm grip onto the mini-sledge, using both her hands on it. 

“You ready Amanda?” asked Riley

“ Way ahead of you.” Amanda responded with determination.

Amanda approached the dollhouse on the log, examining it and figuring out how and where she should swing the sledge at. After careful scanning and planning, Amanda rearranged her grip and positioned herself to strike the first blow. Finally, the hammer came down upon the small wooden structure in full force. The force made the roof of the Dollhouse collapse upon the first floor of the dollhouse, and bits of wood flew from it. It felt exhilarating for Amanda. She struck the house again, but from the side. This made a decently big hole through the walls.  They all cheered her on to finish it off. She rotated what's left of the doll house and gave the final whack. The structure finally collapsed. Three swings is all it took to destroy the doll house.

“I AM A GOD OF DESTRUCTION!” Amanda hollered as she raised her hammer in the air with both hands.

“Yea! Way to go Amanda!” Wooly cheered.

“You go girl!” Shaun exhilarated

“That was way more fun than expected.” Amanda told them. “So, who wants to go next?”

Wooly waved his hand in the air “I do!” 

He reached for a rubber rodent toy. As soon as he grabbed it, it made the sound of a squeaker. Wooly froze, and His eyes widened while his ears perked up. He turned his head to face the toy rat in his hand.  

“Wooly? You're not gonna do what I think you are about to do, are you?” she asked.

 He glanced at Amanda, then the toy, then back at her. There were a few seconds of silence.

Then Wooly started chewing on the rubber rat ravenously, trying to tear it to pieces.  He managed to tear the head off of the fake rodent. Wooly paused to process what he did, and spat out a piece of the toy.

“Oh… um… that wasn't what I wanted to do.” Wooly told Amanda with puppy eyes. “Can I try again?”

Amanda was expecting that to happen as soon as the toy squeaked, but she couldn't help but laugh a little. “Of course Wooly. I don't see why not.”

Previous Chapter

Next Chapter

[ahundredtimesover]

WOOWEEE i’m still processing the new chapter 🥹 i just wanna stress that there’s multiple realities, guys. jk wanting to respect oc by upholding her wishes to grow, but also feeling abandoned by her choices despite him baring his emotions and desire to have her close by. then you have oc feeling the burden of her family ties/debt with the jeon family and wanting to find out who she is away from her current role, but she’s emotionally attached to jk and it’s blurring with her own goals. not only that, we see jk’s codependency on oc and how that could make her feel more chained down. ultimately she’s always needed by someone, but when has she put her needs first?

as mentioned, this is all so deeply rooted. they need to spend time away from each other to grow. jk is probably going to retreat/relapse to his past behaviors or maybe he’ll also be working on himself so that he can be a better partner for oc … my guts say former because ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ i’m an angst enthusiast.

ALSO i see lots of ppl saying UGH JUST STAY AND DATE, and while yes … this is a fic, this is a slice of life too. yall realize it is super inappropriate to have a secret relationship with your boss? granted all of my bosses have been old balding dudes and not jk, still … it’s the principle 😭 oc and jk having this “separation” period is good (i’m sleeping on the highway) and needed for their character development. i’m sure theyre gunna meet again and the tension is gunna be so high and they will do the boom boom pow💥🤯😏 without feeling that guilt/weird power dynamic!! 🫶🏼

mimi, you’re so awesome and i love this fic so much. YOUR BRAIN IS SO BEAUTIFUL, MUAH!!!!!!! 💋 you did not disappoint with the make out scene … cuz man if they can get like that on their first kiss … WE ARE NOT READY (i am🤲🏼)!! pls take care of yourself as always and hope you have a lovely day

Hi, anon. I took a break from doing my readings bc this just... this just made me smile and it appeased me (as did a lot of other readers' asks and comments) 🥹🥹 especially considering the other asks claiming how the characters are so dumb and stupid, or that they can just date while OC's in the company or date after she resigns. I would like to copy-paste your first paragraph to everything now hahaha (bc oh god the immense joy of a writer when someone accurately says what I was trying to show is insane and that's what I'm feeling!) 😭😭

Like, you couldn't have said it any better. All those things you mentioned can co-exist, and part of the characters' respective stories is learning that those realities can indeed co-exist. Which is why they're as burdened by their choices as they are (and we'll see more of this in ch12). I'd like for you to park that second paragraph bc... I wrote this entire series with the plan for season 2 so whatever happens at the end of this season, know that more will happen and you kind of raised some points already. 👀👀

And with the boss/asst. thing - YES. The power dynamic goes beyond their roles bc their pasts are intertwined as well. Mr. Ri pointed it out to JK - did he want OC to feel indebted to him, too? There are just so many complications. It's always been about needing to feel free for OC. What that freedom means is something she has yet to explore. Even the question of happiness is something she's figuring out.

BUT THANK YOU, like, really. 🥹🥹 It's always tricky and draining to write super long stories like this bc I need to make sure that the characters and storylines are consistent, and knowing that what I intended comes across (most of the time) is truly worth all the stress of writing this one hahaha I hope you're well and I hope to hear from you and your wonderful mind again! 💕💕💕

[chloeangelic]

😭Why am I crying in the club rn?😭

Listed by author in alphabetical order cause I'm an organized bitch, here are the fics that made me Sit And Think™️ (or cry) in 2023, or

✨ my top 5 gut wrenching authors selection ✨

featuring @atinylittlepain @cherubispunk @macfrog @netherfeildren and @5oh5 🤍🤍🤍

Everyone knows I love angst, I love terrible gut wrenching pain and suffering and then I love it when my tears are drying on my cheeks and they fuck nasty, hell yeah 😎

So if you're like me, here are some recommendations!!

💙 @atinylittlepain

Deliver Me From Nowhere

Read the whole thing in one night and cried repeatedly during. I had it looming in the back of my mind for weeks but didn't feel like I was in the right headspace until I suddenly was, and it hit differently. I love Dolores, I love Joel, I love how he sees her, their dynamic, the exploration of her emotions and headspace, her body language. Fantastic. Want to cry just thinking about it so I'm gonna STOP.

June

Sat and stared at the wall for a long time after this one, then worked up the courage to post TMWH which I seriously don't think I would've had the guts to post had it not been for June. I love how it handles a sensitive, painful, and very real subject, I love that it doesn't paint Joel as a fixer or savior but rather a realistic, kind partner. Again, his understanding of her and how he makes space for her is something I appreciate so much in DMFN and June.

💗 @cherubispunk

Cherub

This one is an excruciating Sit And Think - I didn't cry but I sat there paralyzed for 48 hrs with a thousand yard stare, just thinking intensely about it, after my second read through. Two chapters and I'm already messed tf up over it!! I read them in the middle of the night and then during the day and I have never been this messed up over something labeled PWP before. The passion, the ominous vibes, Cherub being so soft and Joel having this strange dark vibe... I literally just thought about it constantly for two days and I still can't fully put my finger on why. It just slithered into my brain and I still think about it often and go back to read bits and pieces like a little treat.

💚 @macfrog

All Three Dogs

Max posted this on my most depressed day of 2023 so like fuck you ??? I'm sorry like this is phenomenally written and stunning but like what the fuck is wrong with u i'm not even giving u any more compliments on this one bruv sorry you made me like a DBF series and that's a mortal sin so YOU'RE DONE !!! Fucking dead mackerel eyes speak into the mic bitch chicago sunroof 1 after magna carta i am not crazy squat cobbler jesus christ marie lookin ass

Sweet Child O' Mine - particularly pt ii

This one is so cute and yet it hurts so much. It's so real, the MC is so... I don't even know what to say, she's so on her own and she seems so kind and selfless and it just hurts to think about her cause you can feel her love for her child and for Joel and ugh. She tries so hard to be the best person she can be for everyone and it's one of those situations where nobody is doing anything wrong and yet everyone either is already hurt or gonna get hurt, and I think it's that oscillation between love and hurt that really gets me. I also read this in the middle of the night and all I had to say in my RB was like "thanks for making me cry asshole" (I'm known for my profound commentary).

💜 @netherfeildren

Fear of God - particularly the epilogue

Fear of God is my all-time fav Joel series, the best Joel characterization I've come across and it generally set the tone for my taste in fic. It was the second series I started reading on here when I came back to Tumblr, and it's the first piece of writing that has ever truly moved me. His character arc is absolutely INSANE !! I made the mistake of reading the epilogue while listening to Ocean Eyes by Billie Eilish, and for months I couldn't listen to it without crying. The day before my graduation, I kept listening to it on repeat in some strange form of self-torture and I had to explain to my bf why I was sobbing. Try to explain all of FoG in a coherent way through tears, I dare u ! I can't say much without spoiling but basically when I think back on getting into fanfic, FoG is what marks the beginning for me and I will never ever forget this piece of writing ever in my life. (Shoutout to when I got caught getting a nut off to one of the FoG extras - I can't really talk about the series without mentioning that)

The Cassandra Complex - particularly ch I, ch IV, and ch VIII

I didn't give much of a fuck about Din before TCC cause i saw him as like a taller hotter R2D2 and now here I am... Eating my words like a ration pack. I have to do a big girthy throbbing TCC reblog cause I have a lot to say about my fav series in the world but basically I can't read ch 4 without crying and even though this is a Star Wars fic and it makes no sense for me to relate to it the most out of anything on Vic's ML, sith girly is the most relatable MC thanks to her constantly feeling haunted by her past, feeling like she's hiding, feeling unworthy, torpedoing herself, and seeing so much beauty in others but struggling to see it in herself. I'll save the rest of my thoughts for the big RB but basically I've even cried at the fucking SMUT in this series like I'm on another planet when I read it (haha get it?? cause Star Wars??)

🧡 @5oh5

From Eden

Staring At The Wall Saturdays again - I hate how much I see my younger self in little sunflower girlie, I hate that I recognize how trapped she feels in her marriage. It's such an accurate portrayal of feeling chained to a man who doesn't deserve you, and of how guilty you feel for not even acting on feelings for someone else yet but just recognizing within yourself that you deserve better, like that pain of accepting that you're not treated right and that visceral feeling of unfairness that comes with being in the wrong relationship. The guilt you feel for even just thinking it, you know? And having to recognize how you've been treated. Ugh. Also this Joel is... His mannerisms are... I.... I'll be right back-

And now, for the most important award ever. The winner of

🏆Biggest Chloe Tear Jerker 2023🏆 is...

🎉 @netherfeildren 🎉 and this is her 24/7

[princesspastel8]

Chapter 29

Third POV

It's Sunday. Eboni has spent her weekend trapped in EJ's Infirmary with Jeff by her side almost 24/7. The teen wants to address this, but she knows he'll just brush it off. She questions why he struggles to vocalize how he cares for her. In her mind, it isn't as difficult since his actions speak for him.

In honesty, she finds the killer being reluctant to voice his emotions kinda cute. Though she'll never admit that out loud. Her eye is healed enough for her to open it. Her cut lip is healed while the bruise on her cheek is fading. Her ribs still ache as well as her ankle, but nothing is broken- so she can manage. Her hand, though, is going to take the longest to heal. The serum is enough to lessen how large the cut is, but it's still going to require more stitching.

On the plus size, Eboni has gotten a chance to get to know EJ and BEN. They don't seem too bad, but BEN is a bit of a perv that's on drugs. If he offers Eboni another mystery pill, she swears to throw him into a tub full of ice-cold water - other than that, he's a good buddy to smoke weed with.

She finds EJ interesting. His knowledge within the medical field is a bit surprising until he opens up on how he became what he is. It's a bit disheartening that slenderman played a part in it, though, but he holds no grudges.

Right now, both Eboni and BEN are playing mario Cart on one of EJ's medical monitors. BEN, of course, hacked it so it can display the screen on his switch. The two have had three races, BEN winning all of them - Eboni in last place every time.

Eboni grabs her pillow, hitting the glitching demon multiple times upside his head. "The third fucking time!? And these maps are complete ass!"

"Ack! Aye! It's not my fault you suck at this shit! I thought you were a streamer!"

"In my free time, when I'm bored. I don't play Nintendo games, you elf!"

"What games do you play?"

"Shooting games - like Call of duty. It's fun pissing those gamer freaks off." She grins.

"Ugh- fine. I'll put one of those games in. What else do you play?"

"Cookin' momma and any just dance game."

BEN laughs, "Really? Just dance? Cookin momma? Those games are ridiculous!"

Eboni raised a brow, "so your saying that they're so bad you can beat me at them?"

"Hell yeah, I can - wanna bet?"

Eboni holds out her hand, the creature shaking it as she proudly says, "DEAL!"

Jeff and EJ sit back in one of the few chairs in the room, watching the two play. Jeff's attention is mostly on Eboni, not knowing that he's smiling rather softly towards her. These pass days, Jeff allows himself to accpet a number of things. The first is his overwhelming feelings for Eboni. Something about her - something within her - keeps drawing him in - making him want much more.

Nothing, and no one has been able to hold his attention almost constantly. His attention span is pretty short. It doesn't take the killer much to become bored rather quickly, but with Eboni, he doesn't face that issue. He seems to find out something new about her every day. Her attitude and feisty nature always make things more entertaining.

After spending two days with her, it still isn't enough. He doesn't want her to leave his side - not even for a second. He never thought he'll be this clingy. But after seeing her so bruised and hurt, a strong, overpowering sense of needing to protect what's his took over him completely. Jeff doesn't care what anyone says, nor how others look at her within the mansion. All he cares about, all he wants is for Eboni to be safe & feel safe.

EJ glances at Jeff, grinning a bit. "She really has you whipped, huh?" He teases, elbowing his shoulder playfully.

Jeff eyes harden, scoffing while shaking his head. "As if."

"Come on Jeff. It's written all over your face." EJ grins, glancing at Eboni. "She's really something. I see why you fell hard."

"I didn't fall for that fuckin' bi-"

"Sprout bullshit all you want. Everyone knows how you feel." The cannibal shrugs, giving the smiling killer a knowing look.

Jeff sighs heavily, leaning back in his chair as he watches Eboni begin to play just dance with BEN. "Whatever....how did yours make you feel?" He asks hesitantly, knowing how sensitive this topic is for EJ.

He smiles, showing his sharp teeth. "She was my world. She gave me this high that I've never felt before, my addictive drug."

"Have you ever...felt this overwhelming feeling to protect her? The thought of any other guy looking at her pisses you off?"

EJ can't help but chuckle. "Sometimes yeah, but you're far more possessive than I ever was. You never seem to leave Eboni alone - not that she minds."

"I..." Jeff doesn't know what else to say. EJ is right as he is most of the time.

"She gives you this sense of control that you've never had, even before being dragged into this mansion. It levels you- but no worries, you're still a crazy mother fucker." He said, patting his shoulder.

The smiling killer doesn't shrug his hand off this time. The eyeless cannibal is right - the desire to have complete control over something, anything, and Eboni gives him that. Giving him complete control over her life. The idea of having someone to control has always been appealing, thrilling even.

Sure, Nina could've filled that role, but she wouldn't have lasted, and her existence irks him. Throwing away such a good life - a life he sometimes wishes he had. Sure, he had a mother and a father, even a little brother, but it wasn't stable - he was never stable.

A cheer breaks him from his thoughts, Eboni performing a rather sensual victory dance while BEN lays on the floor - exhausted. Eboni completely floored BEN in cookin momma, just dance, and even a few shooting games. Even with all the cheat codes BEN gathered, he couldn't beat raw talent.

Eboni bends down, holding her hand out and giving BEN a mocking pitied look. "Switch, please."

Accepting defeat, he snaps his fingers as his Nintendo Switch system appears in her hands. With a giddy smile, she skips over to Jeff, showing off what she won. "I beat the game, demon!" She cheers gleefully.

Jeff stands, patting the top of her head. "Good job, princess."

"What the fuck man! You know how much I love that thing and your praising her!?"

Jeff grins, flipping BEN off as he moves onto Eboni's medical bed. "Go cry about it."

"Asshat!" He shouts before zapping away.

EJ laughs, standing from his chair. "Slenderman is requesting me. I'll be back to do one more check-up on her."

Jeff nods, watching the cannibal leave. He smiles at Eboni, patting his thigh. The teen eagerly jumps onto the bed, moving to sit in between his legs. The killer wraps his arms around her waist, sighing in contentment while Eboni messes around with her new Switch to fit her taste.

"Gonna open up about that little episode you had?" He questions, watching her fingers still against the joysticks.

There has been this unspoken air between the two. Most of it is regarding what took place Friday, the other being their feelings for one another that neither of them are ready to discuss any time soon. Eboni tenses a bit, leaning her head up to look at Jeff.

"I don't..." The topic of her parents has always been a sensitive one. But maybe it's time she forces herself to talk about it.

"If you do, I'll give you a reward." He whispers to her, rubbing soothing circles with his thumbs against her hips.

Eboni gulps nervously, lowering her head as she takes a deep breath. "O-Okay..." she whispers, beginning her story.

It's Christmas Eve. Jacob, Eboni's father's family, has invited him to spend Christmas with them. It was surprising considering they've grown apart the moment Jacob proposed to his wife, Yasmine.

His family fought and never accepted Yasmina, which made no sense considering how sweet and loving the woman was. Unfortunately, she has no family of her own except for her husband and daughter - which played a role in Jacob's family disliking her.

However, both are individually successful. Jacob is a world-renowned martial artist, owning several self-defense studios across the United States. Yasmina is a world-renowned chef and retired gymnastics coach. They've paved the way for their eight year old daughter to have an amazing future.

The family is currently driving to Jacob's family home, which happens to be a huge mansion. Yasmine isn't looking forward to this trip, but Eboni is. The young child couldn't wait to see her aunt that she misses and loves so much. Yasmine was looking forward to seeing Jacob's older sister, though. The woman is the only one she gets along with - the only one she trusts.

"Honey, I told you we should've left before the snow storm gotten closer." Yasmine sighs.

"Yeah, yeah - I get it, woman. You were right." Jacob said, rolling his eyes playfully, which earns him a light smack on his arm.

"Oh, don't start! It's just the snow os picking up. The weather report also said to be mindful of black ice. Maybe we should find a motel and -"

"I've been driving since I was sixteen years old. I'm 30 babe, this storm is child's play."

Eboni giggles, playing with her stuffed rabbit, glances out of her window - gasping at the snow. "Ish so pretty and white! Lookie look!"

"I see, sweetie. It's very beautiful."

"Not as beautiful as my little princess."

Eboni giggles, squeezing her rabbit close to her chest. Swinging her feet at her father's words. "Momma is prettier!"

"Oh, Eboni, stop -"

"Mhm. Both of you are my gorgeous girls. Aaaaall mine." Jacob smiles, moving to place his hand on Yasmine thigh.

After an hour or so, Jacob notices this black van with tinted windows following them. At every turn, every stop light - the van is right behind them, tailgating them. Yasmine has noticed too but hasn't voiced her concerns, not wanting to scare her daughter.

Jacob and Yasmine share a knowing look as they hold each others hands. Jacob begins speeding through the snowstorm, running red lights and making a few sharp turns. Unfortunately, the black is still hot on their tail.

"Momma? Papa? Why is the car going so fast? Ish little scary..." she pouts, gripping her rabbit plush even tighter.

"No reason, sweetie! Daddy is just trying to get there as fast as he can since the storm is getting worse. We might get stranded in the middle of the road if he doesn't hurry." Yasmine explains as calmly as she could.

Eboni notices the two holding their hands and the worried expressions on their faces. Eboni reaches forward, placing her hand over her parents - feeling a sense of comfort now.

The comfort fades the moment Jacob loses control over the car after sliding on a large patch of black ice. The man keeps his composer, turning the wheel in the opposite direction - gaining control rather quickly. He smiles, looking at his wife then at his daughter.

"You guys oka-"

SKREEEEEEEET- BANG!

A sixteen wheeler comes crashing head-on into the family. The front of the car is completely destory, and Eboni's parents crushed. Eboni's eyes widen at the sight, screaming at the top of her lungs- crying out for her parents to speak, pleading with them to let her know that they're alright. Eboni was struggling to keep consciousness, suffering extreme internal bleeding. The last sight of her loving parents being their mangled corpses.

"The poor girl. Her father's family wants nothing to do with her..."

"Losing your parents. What kind of Christmas gift is that?"

Eboni slowly opens her eyes, blinking them a few times to adjust to the brightness of the hospital room. She tries to sit up, whimpering at the pain she feels all over her body.

"Oh no, no! You mustn't move, sweetheart. You have to rest." The nurse said, gently lowering the child back down.

"Momma...papa? Where are...momma and Papa?" Eboni questions, her voice horse. The child was stuck in a coma for a week.

The two nurses share a heartbreaking look. The first nurse slowly shakes her head. "Um... sweetheart, they aren't here right now."

"Wh...what? But momma and papa are hurt! Hospitals heal people! So they should be ok...momma and Papa are ok..right?" She questions, lips quivering. The poor child didn't want to believe the horrifying images of her parents being real. The doctors can just piece them back together. They're miracle workers just like her father taught her.

The nurses stay quiet, not sure how to comfort the child while trying to keep the heartbreaking truth from her.

"Then Tete? Where's Eboni's Tete?" The eight year old questions, referring to her auntie.

The nurses remain silent again, confirming the child's suspicions. Her parents are gone. They weren't coming back. The doctors couldn't fix them. No one could bring them back. Her other family, her aunt, has completely left her to endure this new painful reality alone.

"No... NO MOMMA! PAPA! EBONI IS AWAKE! SHE'S OK, SO YOU SHOULD BE OK!" she screams, forcing herself to sit up - the child slipping into hysterics.

The nurses begin to panic, phoning for the doctor to come. Once there, he orders the nurses to hold the child down.

"But she's just a kid!" The second tries to reason.

"And she'll injure herself further in this state! We have to sedate her!" He explains, pulling out a rather large needle filled with cheer liquid.

Eboni sees this and screams at the top of her lungs, the same gut-wrenching scream as before. She trashes around, the nurses having no choice but to force the child down and strap her in place. The doctor sighs, walking over and forces the needle into a vein within the child's arm - slowly pushing the liquid into her.

Quickly, Eboni begins to calm down heavy tears streaming down her face. From that day forward, the young child's world - that was full of happiness and love - will become a life full of hellish experiences, solitude, and a chain of endless abuse.

[steveharrington]

21 & 22 also hi i'm a big fan

hi so nice to meet my supporters

21. part of canon you think is overhyped

hmmm there’s so much to choose from… this is weird but i’m gonna say like. character deaths. i feel like people vastly overestimate and exaggerated how sad these deaths supposedly are and i’m NOT saying this to be edgy and i DO think some of them are really sad okay like. the first couple hit!!! benny and barb and bob all make me emotional even if barb’s actual death scene does make me laugh bc they literally interspersed clips of her dying with stancy fucking which is hard to take serious. but like i cannot for the life of me relate to people who are sad alexei died. who are sad chrissy died. even eddie’s actual death scene is so hollow and forced to me that the scene itself doesn’t make me sad in the slightest and i Only get emotional thinking about the hypothetical feelings of the other characters, which we didn’t even get to see!!! ppl will inevitably be sad when the designated Born To Die character in s5 dies. i feel like st saw how much barb and bob affected people and they were like oh let’s do that every season then! but barb was sad because she was nancy’s childhood best friend and we spent a lot of time examining nancy’s grief over it, bob was sad because he offered hope for joyce that she could have a safe and stable life and his death was like ripping away her last shred of hope. alexei and chrissy to me aren’t developed or integral to the story nearly enough for me to be sad that they’re dead i’m SORRY

22. your favorite part of canon that everyone else ignores

ugh lucas’ storylines……s1 baby lucas so intent on getting his missing friend back that he goes to stake out a government lab BY HIMSELF and struggles to trust an outsider who he instinctively blames for the horrors until he empathizes with her and ultimately becomes her bestie…..s2 lucas developing feelings for max but literally being threatened and eventually attacked by her 18 year old racist brother and STILL making sure max knows that she’s a separate person who he cares about…..s3 lucas slaying bc that’s kinda all they let him do that season…….s4 lucas hoping he can thrive in high school and start a new chapter where he can feel socially accepted and kinda make a path for himself with a new interest but now max won’t talk to him and he’s worried about her and terrified for her wellbeing and no matter how much he tries to communicate this to her she continues to self isolate until finally his love for her is LITERALLY what saves her fucking life and also one of his friends dies horribly and it’s only given like 2 seconds of attention even though he’s clearly affected by it. god. all of lucas’ story arcs are so rich and compelling and no one ever wants to talk about him!!!!!!!!!

[circusmania]

SIN Chapter 10

𒅒𒈔𒅒𒇫𒄆𒅒𒈔𒅒𒇫𒄆𒅒𒈔𒅒𒇫

Notes: Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 11

⚠️ So, so much descriptive gore ⚠️

♡

𒅒𒈔𒅒𒇫𒄆𒅒𒈔𒅒𒇫𒄆𒅒𒈔𒅒𒇫

I have yet to discuss it with Judy, Marcus always seems to be right next to me. Judy told me that it was already risky for us to be seen together. I don't exactly understand, but soon, I won't need to.

I'll need a distraction, something that will take Marcus's eyes off us. I thought of maybe food poisoning him or giving him sleeping pills stuffed into his food… But if you really take the time to notice, Marcus never eats. Never once did I see him put anything in his mouth… So, I came up with something else.

The old church that burned down a few weeks ago. No doubt that it had something to do with Marcus.

Perhaps with the intent of getting rid of a certain someone that was standing in his way. I'm sure he'd be quite intrigued to know that there's been some “activity” at the church…

I raced through the streets and barged into the school.

“Marcus! Judy! Vanessa! Omar! You'll never guess what I saw!”

They were standing in a group near the cafeteria, Vanessa was showing them the new pocketknife she had gotten. Marcus came up to me.

“What is it?” He asked me in a soft, worried voice.

“You know that church that burned down?” Everyone nodded in unison except Marcus, who was slower.

“As I was passing it this morning, I thought I saw movement inside. At first, I thought it was only an animal or a firefighter but…” I leaned in as if I was about to spill a secret. “It was the priest.”

I watch everyone tense.

“He was all dirty and covered in ash. He also kept saying crazy stuff while grabbing me and shaking me. Ugh… I ran away as fast as I could.” I finished.

For a few seconds, it was quiet… Judy sneaked a glance at Marcus, which I would've missed if I wasn't looking for it.

“That's… quite the news…” Marcus says slowly.

“Are you sure it was the priest and not some hobo?” Omar asked.

“Yeah, he had the robe and everything.”

“Still doesn't prove it was him.” Omar continued.

I raise an eyebrow. “I remember how he looked like cause a few days ago he gave me a pam-”

Crack

I look over at Marcus, who has broken his pencil in half. There was a tense moment where he stared off into space before he snapped back.

“Ah, sorry…” He turned his head to me. “Don't worry about it, love. As Omar said, it could've just been a creep dressed up as a priest. There are some… pretty sick people these days.”

I bit my lip and nodded.

I failed. Not only that, but I was so sure I had gotten Marcus too… I internally curse myself as the bell rings.

I sigh, walking to my class with Judy and Marcus. We walked a bit before Judy leaned into me.

“He's not following.”

I turned back, and Marcus was gone. It had worked! He must've left to go check. I sigh and motion Judy into an empty classroom… the art room.

I close the door behind me and look at Judy. Tears started to form.

“Judy… I… oh god, I don't know how to word this…” She came closer and held my hands.

“I'm going to kill you.”

I wait for any emotions to cross Judy's face. Anger, disgust, sadness, terrified… but she remained with a smile. I opened my mouth to explain, but she didn't let me.

“No time to explain. Marcus will be back soon, do you have a cover story once you kill me?” Judy asks and I nod.

She nodded back, walked over to one of the tables and picked up a pair of scissors. She then broke it, so only one of the blades was sticking out.

She walked over to me and pulled out her hand.

“I… I don't think I can do it…”

“You have to. I can't be the one to end this.” She took my hands in hers and pointed the blade toward her neck. I can't help but start to cry.

Her hands moved quickly, and before I knew it, the blade was lodged in her throat. She started to choke and cough as blood spewed out of her mouth. I tried to jerk my hand away, but she wouldn't let me. She fell, and I fell on top of her, which made the blade go in deeper.

She struggled and… I couldn't stand seeing her suffer so much for freedom. Rage took over as her hands left mine, I took the blade and kept plunging it into her throat.

She had stopped living seconds ago, but I couldn't stop the act. Marcus was watching… I could feel his eyes bore in the back of my head.

I took out the blade, breathing heavily, as I saw the hole I had created in her throat. Bloodstained everything. I got up, sighed and turned around.

“Marcus!” I dropped the blade. “I… I didn't think you'd be back…” He walked over to me and I swallowed anything that was pulling me back.

“I-I… I had to do it! Please don't be mad… She was in the way… The way she kept attaching herself to me… L-like a leach! I-I did it for us-”

Marcus suddenly kissed me and… well, I tried not to gag as he shoved his tongue in my mouth. He broke the kiss and bent down to pick up the blade from the floor.

“Now, we both did it.” He says.

I force a smile. He approached the corpse and looked at her.

“How…how are we going to tell the police? Both of our fingerprints are on the weapon.”

He chuckled.

“I'll take care of it.”

₊✩‧₊˚౨🌃🚔🚨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊

It all happened so fast… Marcus, Omar, Vanessa and I were all standing outside, watching the paramedics loading Judy's body into a body bag.

At first, I couldn't believe that the police bought Marcus's explanation of “self-defence”. But, then I remembered that nothing here is… real.

I looked over at Vanessa who was crying hard, Judy was her best friend… and I could use that against her. It didn't take long for her to run back inside the school to fix herself.

“I'm going to go check up on her.” I turned to Marcus.

He seemed hesitant. “Stay here with Omar, please.” He nodded and I went after her.

I walked through the halls and stood in front of the girl's bathroom. I frowned and went inside. I could hear Vanessa's sobs echo. My footsteps alerted her as she spared me a glance, not questioning what I was doing in here.

“Vanessa… I'm so sorry…” She didn't say anything.

“I…”

“Could you get the tissues from my purse?” She gestured to the bag on the floor.

I nodded and dug through it. I wasn't looking for tissues.

I found her pocket knife, though small, it did the job.

I carefully went behind her as she was still a sobbing mess and slouched over the dripping sink. I raised the knife, prepared to plunge it into her back, but I forgot one key detail.

The mirror.

Vanessa swung back, knocking my hand, which caused the pocketknife to fly out of my hand. Vanessa, since she was smaller and quicker than me, managed to get by me and pick up the pocket knife.

She pointed it at me, her hand was shaking. I put my hands up, however, I knew she didn't have what it takes to stab me. Unlike Judy, Vanessa's mind is more broken than vengeful. She would fold at the slightest insult.

“What… What are you doing?!… Are you crazy?!” Her voice cracked as tears started to form in the corner of her eyes.

“Vanessa… let's calm down…-”

“Was it you!? Did YOU kill Judy!?”

I opened my mouth, but nothing came out.

“Oh… my God…” She looked at me, her eyes wide.

“Are you any different?” My eyes narrowed, and I could see that my comment hurt her.

But then her eyebrows furrowed.

“Just wait until Marcus finds out.” My body stiffened.

No. She can't.

I can't afford another reset.

I won't let Judy's death be in vain.

I spread my legs a bit, prepared if Vanessa was going to run. And she did. She's like a cornered rabbit, predictable.

Her hands clutched the knife, and I was afraid of getting stabbed. But… that would just make it more believable, eh? A struggle.

When she ran, she was also swinging the knife. I managed to dodge a nasty stab, but she did end up giving me a few cuts. The knife was pretty dull, so it didn't hurt, just sting.

I put myself between the door and her.

She came straight at me and, being bigger, I managed to knock her down. With me on top, I saw hope leave her eyes. She threw the pocketknife into a nearby stall, probably hoping I would go after it.

But I am ending it now.

I wrapped my hands around her throat and she started to gasp.

"Marcus!! MARCUS!! HEL-HERKK!" I squeezed tighter.

Sweat started to build up on my forehead. Everything in me was hoping Marcus wouldn't come. Two kills in one day? Maybe my excuse wouldn't be enough.

Vanessa's hands were clawing at mine. She gasped, her voice barely squeezing out.

I squeeze tighter.

She's crying.

Or is it my tears?

Why am I crying?

Could it be because, at one moment in time, Vanessa and I lived peacefully together?

Nothing fake flew among us?

Just me, Judy, Vanessa and Omar.

I felt two hands drop at my sides. My eyes trail to Vanessa's, there was no more light behind them.

Another was laid to rest… and I hope I can keep it that way.

The bathroom door opened and my breath hitched. I stumbled on my excuse.

“Marcus… I…”

“Another one ‘got in the way?’”

I bit my lip. I was on thin ice, I needed to play my cards right.

“She… I went to comfort her… and… and she started to spill insane stuff.” I looked at him with my tear-stained face as my hands shook.

“Time looping… you… being-”

Marcus straightened.

“Judy's death clearly took a toll on her.” He held out his hands and I got up to hug him.

“She scared me, Marcus… how did she know it was me?” He started to caress my hair.

“Stop thinking about it.”

“What will the police think?”

“I'll take care of it.”

I've won him over again, but, I can feel his doubt.

“You're exhausted. You've been through so much in one day…” I felt my eyes grow heavy.

A wave of sleep washed over me and I slumped over Marcus. My whole body was paralyzed, and I could only hope that I would remember today tomorrow.

₊✩‧₊˚౨🌃🏙️🌧️ৎ˚₊✩‧₊

I awoke in my bed. It was pouring rain outside. Marcus must've brought me home last night.

Oh! I remember. But for how long?

Something also feels off.

I got dressed and went into the bathroom. I looked at myself in the mirror, I looked so pale. Oh my god! I'm becoming Marcus.

I joked, although I wasn't feeling humorous.

I walked down the stairs, and I was greeted by no one. My so-called parents who would always be in the kitchen weren't. And although I didn't resonate with them, I couldn't help but feel empty.

I left the house with no more than an apple. The streets were empty and quiet, there were no cars on the streets.

I passed by the burnt-down church, it looked way more thorn down than before…

Something is… wrong.

The school's front was empty as well. Did… did Marcus find out? No… no, something else must've happened.

I quietly but swiftly went inside the school. It was dark, the only light came from outside, which was barely any. I put my backpack in my locker and warily walked toward my class. My footsteps echoed, and my breathing was heavy. I was about to reach the class door, noticing it was left ajar. My hand reached for the knob when I was suddenly catapulted into the door.

Since it was already open, I crashed into one of the front desks.

“Uugh…” I groaned as I looked behind me.

Omar.

Omar?

Omar stood in the doorway, his expression blank. However, I could see a small bling of something… something sharp. A knife. I scurried to my feet and clutched the side that had hit the desk.

“Omar?! What are you doing!?”

He took a step forward.

“You might've fooled Marcus, but you can't fool me. I'm your best friend, we know everything about each other. Well, I sure do.” He kept approaching, and I started to back up, trying not to crash into any desks.

“I mean, I'm surprised at how you didn't catch on. How could someone who ‘geeks’ about this sort of stuff not find a way for faith to fall in his favour?”

“What… what are you saying? Are… are you in on this!? Are you working with MARCUS!?”

He smiled. “Bingo! I'm the right-hand man, as I like to call it. I've learned through resets after resets that there was no point in fighting against it. You know the phrase, ‘If you can't beat ‘em, join ‘em.’ Judy wasted her time coming after a plan for revenge when she didn't see the power she could've held. Oh, and poor Vanessa, she could bend and break with just a simple flick of a wrist.” He was barely a meter close, and I was backed against a counter.

“Where… where is Marcus?”

Omar smirked. “Your ‘distraction’ plan made me think of something. If Marcus was away, who'd be left in charge of making sure you don't wander? All it took was something out of order, and he was gone to check it out. Now…”

Omar flicked the knife and it was unsheathed. It became more of a scythe covered in small red and black rocks with a red eye on the tang, safe for the blade that was left naked. My eyes widened, and I couldn't help but feel defeated. I mean, how was I supposed to kill him when he had that!?

“W-what are you doing!? Do you know what Marcus is going to do to you once he finds out!?”

He laughed. “Once you're dead, there's just going to be another forced reset. Nothing I can't blame on you fuckin' around and findin' out.”

I clench my teeth as he raises the scythe, he starts to levitate.

"Pray that you have another way to remember, 'cause that stunt you pulled WON'T fly by again…"

He dived into me and I barely managed to dodge him. He did rip a bit of my shirt and burn some of it as well… but currently, that was the least of my worries. I started to run out of the class. I opened the door and ran into the hallway. I needed to find something I could defend myself with… maybe in the cooking class-

CRASH

BOOM

The whole classroom wall fell apart, revealing the class to the hallway. Omar was still flying, but he looked more sinister. His eyes were a faint red as if he were high, and I could hear his voice through the school's intercom, taunting me. I ran as I heard him laugh from each direction.

I turned sharp corners, trying to lose him, but he was too fast. Everything the scythe touched crumbled. He would drag the scythe on the ground and the floor would split apart.

“HAHAHAHA, you're just prolonging the inevitable!! But do continue this chase, it's exhilarating!”

I'm convinced that the only reason I was still alive was because of the adrenaline. But, that wouldn't last long, as I slowly started to slow down because of the cramps I was getting.

Suddenly, a hand grabbed the back of my shirt, and I was slammed down on the ground. My breath hitched as Omar sat on my abdomen, raising the scythe.

This is it.

I'm sorry Judy.

I closed my eyes shut…

And then, I felt something splatter on my face, but, no pain. I open my eyes to find a flagpole spear through Omar's stomach. I couldn't manage to scream and neither could he.

Omar gagged and spilled blood, but he was still very much alive. He gripped the flagless pole, trying to push it out. But, the pole was raised, and low and behold, Marcus was holding it.

He (Marcus) grabbed the pole and made Omar slide down it, causing the pole to rupture through his whole abdomen. Once Omar was on the ground, Marcus took out the pole. Omar, with whatever dark power that was keeping him alive-ish was trying to crawl away. Marcus grabbed his hair, flipped him over, tore out his small intestine (which wasn't pretty small and very long) and finished him off by strangling him. He didn't put out much of a fight.

I sat up and tried to crawl away backwards, but Marcus somehow teleported behind me. His eyes were back…

“Oh, my poor dove, I'm so sorry you had to go through that…” He grabbed my left arm in a tight grasp and pulled me up.

“However, I am curious about how you were able to remember. I sure do hope my powers aren't… weakening.” He tightened his grasp and I winced.

“I… I wrote a note… last time and hid it in my pocket…” Marcus smiled.

“Well, I'll just have to make sure I double-check before each reset…” He grinned as the scythe teleported in his hands.

The world around started to tear and rumble. Holes opened up that were in some way… glowing black… or maybe it was some sort of mist oozing out of it. Omar's body fell into one of the holes.

I looked back at Marcus and in a swift but pretty stupid decision, I kissed Marcus.

He kissed back and his grasp loosened just enough so I could squeeze out of it and back up into one of the holes. Marcus tried to grab me again, but I had already fallen.

And so, I was swallowed by the abyss.

𒅒𒈔𒅒𒇫𒄆𒅒𒈔𒅒𒇫𒄆𒅒𒈔𒅒𒇫

Want to read ahead? Click here!

[antimony-medusa]

Fic Recs June '23

What did I read this month? Let me tell you, Hurt Comfort exchange finally released, and also I'm halfway through reading Extreme Timed Challenge exchange, and there have been some BANGERS. Not entirely DSMP, even though I am Still That Way, but yeah, it's still a lot of Emduo. I Am Who I Am.

The Fics - All One-shots this time!

One Fish, Two Fish by ssootsprite Fandom: Stardew Valley (Video Game) Rating: G Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationship: Grandpa/Willy (Stardew Valley), Lewis & Willy (Stardew Valley) Tags: Crack Treated Seriously, Pre-Canon, Friends to Lovers, Queer Themes, Asian Character(s), set vaguely somewhere between modern day 1980s and laura ingalls sorry bout that, and the crack treated seriously is cus this is kind of a crack ship but i treated it Quite seriously Length: 1/1 chapters 3,141 words.

Willy, the fisherman, gets to know the new Farmer in town. They become friends. They become— more? Absolutely adorable little blossoming of romance. This was being recced as countryboy4countryboy and it is that and it's so good.

the DSMP let loose on the internet by impravidus Fandom: DSMP Rating: G Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Tags: Social Media, Crossover, Crack, Humour Length: 1/1 chapters 3,056 words.

A glimpse at all the DSMP character internet presences. Techno runs a potato rating channel. There's people sharing the details of the fact that BBH killed his husband in the comments of his outfit channel. It's very funny.

the beehive state by amaranthinecanicular Fandom: DSMP Rating: T Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationship: Wilbur Soot & TommyInnit Tags: Hurt/Comfort, Canon Compliant, POV 2nd Person, they're having a hard time but they're trying, the wonders of Utah help, takes place between Boundless Sands and the finale, Wilbur Soot and TommyInnit are Siblings, they are brothers your honor Length: 1/1 chapters 3,980 words.

Okay, before you get scared off by second person, this is just immaculate. The voice is pristine, the relationships are devastating, I read it while being the :wails: emoji the whole time. Tommy shows up and demands Wil show him around, and then they are abrasive brothers, and just, UGH I'm not even a crimeboys but this is so perfect.

here’s to this, get used to it. by hoorayy Fandom: DSMP Rating: T Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationship: Alexis | Quackity & Jschlatt & Toby Smith | Tubbo Tags: Manberg | Manburg on Dream Team SMP (Video Blogging RPF), Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Toby Smith | Tubbo-centric Length: 1/1 chapters 1,171 words.

Just a perfect little slice of Manberg tensions, when Quackity discovers Tubbo sneaking back in, and uuuuuuggggghhhhhhh taking care of each other in a shit situation while being abraisve as hell. Neither of these men are good at emotions. Everything sucks. Schlatt is laying over the conversation like an opressive force. It's so good.

hearth by fensandmarshes Fandom: DSMP Rating: T Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationship: Niki Nihachu & Philza & Ranboo & Technoblade (Dream SMP) Tags: Found Family, Fluff, ambiguously canon setting? but without the canon ending? idk man, au - the version of canon that lives in my head, love languages go brrrr Length: 1/1 chapters 3,754 words.

The Syndicate, and love languages, and what they are to each other, in four parts, and :wails:. They CARE. Little tiny character studies reflecting on their relationships. I love them.

shall we rise to the occasion by Odaigahara  Fandom: DSMP Rating: T Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationship: Technoblade & Phil Watson | Philza Tags: Alternate Universe - Steampunk, Alternate Universe - Gods & Goddesses, Angel of Death Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF), Champion of the Blood God Technoblade (Video Blogging RPF), Androids, Blood Magic, First Meetings, Developing Friendships Length: 1/1 chapters 2,830 words.

Death Angel Phil finds broken down Automaton Technoblade (He runs on blood!) and gets him running again. Oh my GOD the worldbuilding crammed into this one. Phil is a black hole in the universe! Beetles pray to gods of endurance! Religious wars! They banter and friendship! They're probably the final boss of somebody's D&D campaign because my god these guys are gonna do DAMAGE to the world. I love it.

Of a Different Color by Rhizophora Fandom: Howl Series - Diana Wynne Jones Rating: G Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationship: Sophie Hatter/Howl Pendragon Tags: Domestic Fluff, pregnancy fluff Length: 1/1 chapters 1,272 words.

Just adorable Howl's Moving Castle fluff when Sophie was expecting, with excellent Sophie and Howl voice. Howl is stressing out the whole time. Sophie's like "i'm a powerful witch and fine actually". Howl dyes his eyebrow orange.

a falling axe, a sharpened knife by sesquidpedalian  Fandom: 3rd Life | Last Life SMP Series Rating: G Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationship: Martyn Littlewood | InTheLittleWood & ZombieCleo Tags: scott exists only as a distinct absence, Telepathic Bond, Relationship Study, Late Night Conversations, Season: Double Life, Season: Limited Life Length: 1/1 chapters 2,081 words.

Incisive and magnetic character study on Martyn and Cleo and how they orbit each other and Scott, across two series. It's just, Oof. It's good.

Moonlit and Mending by InsomniWillow   Fandom: QSMP Rating: G Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationship: Rafael Lange | Cellbit/Roier Tags: Werewolf Roier, Vampire Cellbit, Post-Rescue, Hurt/Comfort, Romantic Fluff, Alcohol, Late Night Conversations Length: 1/1 chapters 2,254 words.

monster4monster spiderbit late night conversations! It's so fluffy and comforting, after cellbit's kidnapping! Cellbit makes this spicy alcohol hot brazilian drink that I want to drink SO Much.

hey siri how do i tell my sister i was bit by a really weird dog and now i’m turning into a monster by hoorayy Fandom: Original Work Rating: T Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationship: Recently Turned Werewolf & Their Sister Helping Them Hide Their Secret Tags: Siblings, Protective Siblings, Werewolves, big families Length: 1/1 chapters 1,412 words.

So hoorayy is really good at taking single slice scenes and putting a whole story in them, and that absolutely happens here. Such good big family, and elder sister dynamics. I love them. I belive in the sibling dynamics here entirely.

improvised problems by hoorayy Fandom: DSMP Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationship: Alexis | Quackity/Wilbur Soot Tags: Queerplatonic Relationships, Aromantic Alexis | Quackity, Las Nevadas on Dream SMP (Video Blogging RPF), Implied Sexual Content, Kissing, thumbs up emoji, Alexis | Quackity-centric Length: 1/1 chapters 2,810 words.

[Leans close to the mic.] AROMANTIC QPR TNTDUO. AND THEY KISS. I'm taking this one as relationship canon, it's fine.

Maybe This Time I Won't Wake From The Dream by juliana677 Fandom: DSMP Rating: Teen Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationship: Technoblade & Phil Watson | Philza Tags: Hurt/Comfort, Bodyswap--character's hidden or downplayed pain/illness is discovered because of bodyswap, Bodyswap Length: 1/1 chapters 3,293 words.

Techno and Phil wake up in each other's bodies and then goes "you live like this? Unacceptable", and proceeds to try to help each other with chronic pain. Also Phil (in Techno's body) repeatedly walks into the doorframe.

The Longevity Clause by MissyColorful Fandom: SMPEarth Rating: Teen Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationship: Technoblade & Phil Watson | Philza Tags: Hurt/Comfort, Caring for a character's injured wings, Solitary Confinement, Aftermath of Solitary Confinement, Badass in Distress, BAMF Technoblade (Video Blogging RPF), Angst Length: 1/1 chapters 12,838 words.

WHUMP THAT BIRD. Phil gets kidnapped and is extremely bitey about it, but it's taking so long for Techno to rescue him, does he even care? (Techno is panicking trying to find him, but he can't FIND him.)

move your feet from hot pavement by Odaigahara Fandom: SMPEarth, DSMP Rating: Teen Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationship: Technoblade & Phil Watson | Philza Tags: Antarctic Emperor Phil Watson | Philza, General Technoblade (Video Blogging RPF), Developing Friendships, Misunderstandings, Prisoner of War, Injury, Angst with a Happy Ending Length: 1/1 chapters 2,795 words.

Ooooo I loved this one. Techno is part of the surrendering force to the Antarctic Empire, and he thinks he's going to be executed, and he's trying to remain upbeat about it, but y'know, the blood loss. And the impending execution. Extremely good emduo bonding moments.

filling up the emptiness by PolynomialPandemic Fandom: The Queen's Thief - Megan Whalen Turner Rating: Teen Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationship: Attolia | Irene/Eugenides Tags: Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Torture, Wound Tending, they trust each other so much ur honor, Aftermath of Torture Length: 1/1 chapters 1,211 words.

Irene takes care of Gen after a kidnapping! :sobs: They care so much.

a token for a ravager by loyalcrowlist Fandom: DSMP Rating: Teen Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationship: Technoblade & Phil Watson | Philza Tags: Hurt/Comfort, Alternate Universe - Gladiators, compelled to follow orders, Gestures of Affection After Gladiator Fights Length: 1/1 chapters 3,895 words.

GLADIATOR EMDUO. And they have to fight each other. :sobs:. (My pitches for these are becoming less and less sensible, but *points* look at it. Gladiator Emduo. Techno gets told he has to beat up Phil or someone else will do it. These boys be hurting.)

tasting snowcones by mothandflame Fandom: DSMP Rating: Teen Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationship: Alexis | Quackity/Wilbur Soot Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Childhood Friends, Pining, Oblivious Wilbur Soot, Friends to Lovers, Crushes, First Kiss, Summer Romance, Fluff Length: 1/1 chapters 3,737 words.

OOOOOOO It's cute. A first kiss in the summer. These boys are pining.

swimming out beyond the breakers by Odaigahara Fandom: DSMP Rating: Teen Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationship: Wilbur Soot & Technoblade & TommyInnit & Phil Watson Tags: Alternate Universe - Merpeople, Avian Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF), Avian TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Rescue, First Meetings, Sharks, Happy Ending Length: 1/1 chapters 3,580 words.

Shark mermaid Techno with just a TOUCH of body horror, and lots of fun. Tommy is a seagull! Wilbur is a grad student! Techno gets offered a phone and tries to bite it! I love them all so much!

[tr1ck5]

20 Questions for Fic Writers

I was tagged by @aleheartilly for this meme thing (thank you!!) and I'm gonna try to do it even though I have a grand total of technically two (2) fics lmao!

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

Technically 2 but since Lion's Oath is a series/chronicle... 8

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

72,992

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Final Fantasy VIII

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

1- Lion's Oath 1: Space (32) (Ugh lmao it's so old)

2- Lion's Oath 6: Lost (21)

3- Lion's Oath 3: Wings (19)

4- Lion's Oath 2: Knight (15)

5- Lion's Oath 7: Fate (12)

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Always! Someone took the time to read and express how my writing has made them feel; I'll definitely take the time to express gratitude to them and self-indulge a bit by geeking out about my work! <3

6. What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

I think Lion's Oath 1: Space wins angstiest ending? Lion's Oath 6: Lost is angsty but ends on a hopeful note, and Lion's Oath 5: Messenger is more of a cliffhanger so... I like angst but not in my endings normally haha

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Definitely Knight! I still really like how the ending of that chapter turned out!

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Never did so far. I think I'd find it a bit funny though... and maybe flattering? Like wow my writing has instilled enough rage in someone that they had to tell me! I dunno, it'd be amusing.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

I did in the past, and plan to when Lion's Oath progresses a bit more! I'm not sure what 'kinds' there are but for Squinoa specifically it's going to start very slow and simple, with a focus on enthusiastic consent and (of course) emotions! I do have ideas that are a bit kinkier but there's quite a ways to go before those.

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

I haven't, though I've thought about writing some KH Strifehart stuff (does that even count as a crossover? lmao)

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know of, that'd be so weird and funny though, I mean it's not like I'm making money off of this so what's the point of stealing it lmao

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

No, I guess I could translate my own fics in French? Haha

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

I haven't! How does that even work I wonder?

14. What's your all-time favourite ship?

Love me some Squall/Rinoa (surprising I know), close second is Zelda/Link! <3

15. What's a WIP you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

Probably Lion's Oath LOL in the sense that I don't think I'll ever look at it and go ''this is it, this is over and done!'' I guess that's the cool thing about it being a series

16. What are your writing strengths?

I've been told I'm good with characterizations?

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

I think my vocabulary could definitely be more extensive. I often find myself struggling to convey the exact meanings I want for dialogues/descriptions/atmosphere etc and using the same words a lot oops

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

If it fits with the context it's good, I'd stick to French though 'cause it's what I know along with English. Wouldn't risk potentially butchering a language I don't personally know haha

19. First fandom you wrote for?

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time! Back in like... 2004/05? Oof haha it was BAD.

20. Favourite fic you've ever written?

I think it's Lion's Oath 3: Wings. It's got a lot of fluff and a little bit of spiciness and I remember having a lot of fun writing it! Plus writing Badass Sorceress Rinoa is always a treat.

[deltaruinedcoco37]

SplatoonMG4 CHAPTER 5: GAYER Off The Hook

(Third person)

SMG3 had a lot of questions now that there was a way for him to communicate with Four. He still wasn't great at Sign Script, but it was the best he could do for now. He had a lot of questions about Inkopolis and the surface, because even if he had heard of it from some Octolings it wasn't much, to be honest.

"Um..." There was a bit of an awkward silence before SMG3 continued to speak. "I only know what the, uh... Splatland Octolings say... I've heard of 'Deep Cut' and some things, like Turf War... but not much else... what are those three all about?"

SMG3 didn't speak as fast or as well as Four, but the latter was just glad to hear that the Octoling wasn't completely clueless, as he explained Deep Cut. "Deep Cut? They're like our news anchors. They have some pretty cool music and a podcast- the Anarchy Splatcast- so they have a lot of fans. Inkopolis is different though... we have some other people do the map announcements." He smiled at the thought of the Square's comedic duo, Off the Hook...

"Who are they, then?" SMG3 asked once he processed what Four said. "The, uh, news people?"

SMG4 just took a second to glance at the time before looking back at SMG3 with a grin.

"Well... how about I just show you?" He clicked the TV on. "Thanks to the power of Plot Convenience Magic, which probably shouldn't exist in this AU, but whatever..."

(Cue the news intro)

Swag: you sexy bitches know what time it is

Chris: It's Off the Hook, coming live from Inkopolis square... Swag... (Are you even allowed to say that?)

Swag: (of course i can. if you have enough fans you can do anything you want)

Chris: (First off, I was asking if that was part of the script... which I'm sure it's not... second off, that's what everyone thinks until they get canceled, you moron.)

Swag: anygays, moving on to the noob- i mean the normal battle stages. turf war.

(Moray Towers)(Starfish Mainstage)

Swag: my strategy here is to rush to the middle as fast as i can and look sexy ✨

Chris: (I need new friends...)

Swag: and now the stages for REAL battles. ranked battles. i meant to say "ranked battles"

(PIRANHA PIT)(CLAM BLITZ)

Swag: oh wow, look. my favorite: "50/50 chance to win or lose in the first minute like an idiot"

Chris: Finally, something we can both agree on...

Swag: well it's time for league battles... who even plays these anymore???

Chris: Swag, this is our job... can you please take it seriously today...

(And back to the gays in the apartment instead of the ones on the news)

"They seem, um..." SMG3 was trying to think of the word in Sign Script.

"Hilarious?" Four chuckled.

"...Dysfunctional." And... like maybe he'd seen one of them somewhere before? "But also familiar?"

Four thought for a second. "Hmm, maybe you heard of them from those Splatlandians? They are also popular in Splatsville, but they go by a different band name. That could be why you didn't recognize their name... But that's just a theory. An ink theory!"

SMG3 gave him a strange look. Oh, right.

"Uh... just forget I said anything. Haha..."

(Back to the news)

Swag: boss salmonids think i'm so sexy they don't even try attacking me 😎

Chris: (Or they're so appalled that they refuse to come within 10 feet of you...)

(Inkopolis News transition effect)

Swag: day 6969696969-

Chris: -That number's not even real-

Swag: -of saying we should've been called something fresher than "off the hook-"

Chris: Swag... we're almost out of time.

Swag: ugh fine. whatever. "don't get cooked..."

Chris: "...Stay off the hook-"

Swag: and don't forget to help me with my petition to change the name-

(Utter chaos then unfolded on screen for two seconds until the ads began to play.)

"Well, that was an... experience." SMG3 honestly didn't know what emotion he was supposed to feel after watching that news broadcast. "They're a comedian duo?"

Four was happy to share the silly duo with SMG3, and he was still snickering at the broadcast (because his sense of humor is broken). "Yeah, I guess so, but- wait! You wouldn't have heard any of their music before, right?"

"Well, uh... no... of course not, I haven't heard anything aside from the Octarian music, or this weird Salmonid band, so-"

"HGFGHWDNHBGVFCVGWBHJCHVGBHDCNJHVGEBH"

Well, that's what it sounded like to Three. Agent 4 was so excited he forgot to speak in Sign Script as he pulled out his phone and scrolled through his playlist, before clicking on one of his favorite songs: Shark Bytes by Off The Hook.

(Time for the author to make horrible inaccurate lyrics!)

WOAH

WHAT'S THIS ACTION?!

THROW THE SPLAT BOMB

THROUGH THE ROOOOOOOOOOF

~~~

Three was 90% sure that even though Chris was singing it, Swag had written the lyrics. But that wasn't what caught his attention.

"Four, this... this isn't in Square," he said. "I think it's in Runic..."

Agent 4 looked genuinely surprised. "Really? Actually? I thought it was something really obscure, and that's why I didn't know it."

SMG3 listened for a little longer before nodding. "Yeah, it's... Runic."

"Interesting."

There was now an awkward silence, because they didn't really know what to say next. (And definitely not because the author can't write)

"So..." Four said, turning off his phone. "You wanna see the city now, or wait first?"

"Hell yeah I wanna see this place!"

~~~

Previous (Ch. 4)

Next (Ch. 6)