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chernabogs · 2 months ago

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A Rainy Wandering

Inc: Reader/Malleus (99% platonic but we had to sneak those subtle feelings in there at the end. Love me some two oblivious clowns) Second person POV Warnings: None WC: 1.8k Summary: Er so that new Malleus card, yeah? (Or: hey your bff scheduled in a 4 hour gargoyle tour, are you coming, orrrr...?) Also s.o to Alexandra with her literal Field Guide to Gargoyles and founding of the Gargoyle Appreciation Society. My hero rn for this hope they are thriving.

The campus is shrouded in grey as the rain falls at a steady rate around you. You grip your umbrella with both hands to combat against the gentle tug of the wind as you stand at the end of your dorms long walkway, shifting from side to side on occasion to look at both ends of the road. Behind you, the orange glow of Ramshackles cozy inside beckons to you, promising an escape from the rain in the form of wool blankets and terrible reality television. You’re half tempted to go back, but you staunchly remind yourself that you had made a promise, and you were not someone to fall back on your word.

That being said, your friend is about five minutes late, but you can forgive him. He’s never been good at keeping track of time.

You shift on your heels again as you tilt the umbrella back to look at the grey sky. You last all of two seconds before too many raindrops fall on your face and you look back down, blinking the water out of your eye. The motion lets you take note of a pair of boots standing to your right.

“Oh!” You splutter, moving your umbrella again to look at to whom those boots belong. Malleus stands in a very casual, unassuming manner, his own umbrella in hand and his brow quirked in amusement. “How long have you been standing here for?”

You know the answer to that already—probably just seconds—but Malleus’ lips curl into a secretive smile as he shrugs a shoulder. “Long enough to observe you taking a makeshift wash.”

A sour look is what he gets in turn, although yours always lack venom when it comes to him. A quick glance over his form shows you that he’s come prepared for the weather as well. In addition to his umbrella (which is decorated with gargoyles, to your amusement), he wears a black and purple raincoat, gloves, and has tied his hair back in a looped knot you think you've never seen him wear before. Compared to your yellow rubber boots and yellow raincoat, he looks like he stepped out of a high-fashion shoot.

To serve and observe, apparently, is the agenda for today. You missed that memo.

“I need to tie a bell to your wrist so I know when you’re coming.” You grumble as he steps back to the road, leaving you to fall in line with him. His warm laughter fills the air as you begin the first few legs of the tour he’s been talking about for ages.

“Now, I do think I recall you saying that once before,” he muses, tapping his fingers against the metal gargoyle at his umbrella's base. “You have yet to follow through.”

“I think your students would mob my dorm if I were to try and tie anything to you. Maybe I should just put an alarm on your phone instead—as long as you don’t break it again.”

Often this would earn you a look of mock hurt, but Malleus seems far too jubilant at the moment to care about the subtle read you’re giving him. He’s smiling away, as happy as can be as he walks by your side. He even has a little bounce in his step. It almost makes you want to laugh at the sight; how can anyone call him intimidating when he’s looking like a child about to get a present?

“Ah, yes, yes. I have been diligent in keeping my devices in check. Shroud has been of much help in that.” His gaze darts around the campus until he loops his arm with yours and pulls you swiftly to the right. You’re pliant to his guidance, only sighing in response as you let him pull you wherever he sees fit. This is something you’ve come to realize about the nature of your relationship with the prince. Malleus is a chronic wanderer, tending to just go off wherever he wishes, but he’s also mildly codependent. Since you two had firmly established that you are friends—hell, you gave the man a friendsgiving card—everywhere Malleus drifts off to, he takes you like a tether.

“Ah! Our first stop on our tour,” he begins, still brimming with energy. He tries to move his umbrella, only to have it collide with yours in the process. “Actually, before we begin, would you be so kind as to close your umbrella? We can use mine.”

You lean back to look up at your friend incredulously. At well over 6 feet, horns excluded, you doubt that you will remain dry for long should Malleus shield you both with his umbrella. He stares back both unwavering and with expectation in his look. You purse your lips. He raises an eyebrow. You lean back a bit, he replicates the action, his gaze looking you up and down. Daring you.

Oh, girl.

After a second of silent staring with a dash of attitude that the man rarely shows anyone else, you huff a sigh and close your umbrella, scooting closer to him once you do. His expression lights up as you roll your eyes, and he resumes his tangent.

“Thank you, my dear friend. Now, as I was saying, our first stop on our tour! If you direct your attention upwards you will see what is aptly called a screamer gargoyle. The positioning of its body—with hands behind its head and its mouth agape—is meant to remind those who witness it that torment lay ahead if they fail to fulfill a particular purpose. You may see these on the cathedrals in numerous nations, as they were quite popular to evoke terror in worshippers.”

You scoot forward to look past the edge of the umbrella at the gargoyle in particular. True to Malleus’ word, the carved figure looks as though it’s screaming in agony, its eyes directed upwards, and its body bent at an angle. You smirk a little.

“Kind of looks like Ace and Deuce during exams.”

Malleus hums thoughtfully. “Perhaps that is why they put one on a school ground. To remind students of the torment they will endure should they neglect studying and strike deals for grades instead.”

“So mean,” you chastise, even though you were the one to start this train of thought. The two of you continue your trail along the main road. Malleus keeps your arms firmly linked together as he chatters on, stopping on occasion to point out a particularly significant gargoyle, or a grotesque lined against the wall. You reckon this is the most your friend has talked in a while, considering his need to stop and clear his throat with an apology.

You also consider that this is probably one of few times that he’s managed to rope someone into a walk with him like this. Out of the joy his joy seems to bring you, you prompt him with several questions as you tour about, doing your best to remember the info dumping you’re being subjected to. A slip up of calling a grotesque a gargoyle by mistake, which earned you a verbal berating in the gentlest of manners, was enough to make you pay closer attention.

As the rain begins to lighten and the sun valiantly fights to break free, the two of you come to a stop in one of the courtyard areas of the main building. You fish out a granola bar from your pocket as Malleus holds the umbrella, offering him half of it before you look around at the building. There aren’t as many gargoyles here as the other areas, save for one impressive dragon carving looming over the courtyard entrance. You gesture to it in silence, your mouth too full of chocolate and granola to speak. Fortunately, Malleus has become more then attuned to your gestures to know what you’re saying—another reward of your friendship.

“That is one of the older gargoyles present on the campus. Considering that the courtyard we are standing in served as part of the original residence, I would wager that the initial owner of the lands commissioned this.” Malleus taps the base of the umbrella again as he tilts it back to look upwards. A few stray raindrops hit his cheek, making his brow furrow as he inspects the moss-covered structure. He’s looking at the gargoyle, while you’re looking at the expressions he’s pulling. “Most people surmise that the selection of a dragon was done to evoke fear in opponents who may try to take these lands, but I’m of the mindset that it was done to symbolize the wisdom and guardianship the owners held over their subjects. Dragons are, after all, quite wise.”

“So the dragon says.” You reply teasingly as you look at the statue. He’s right to guess that it’s certainly the oldest one you’ve seen. The stone is aged and slightly cracked along the edges. You know that Malleus has a habit of carving statues himself, and you wonder if he’s ever considered trying to repair it. Given his love for all things crumbling and ancient, however, you also wager that the thought of rebuilding something that time has claimed is well against his personal morals.

“My assessment is free of bias, Prefect.” He counters with a mockingly scolding tone to his voice. You know it to be in jest by the way his eyes remain alight with joy. He really is infectious when he’s in a good mood, dangerously so, and a part of you wishes he could stay this way consistently instead of sliding back to the quiet, brooding form he can be when he’s feeling temperamental.

You scrunch up the granola wrapper before shoving it in your pocket with a shake of your head. “Oh yes, definitely no projecting going on here.”

“I will leave you out in this rain.” He warns, tilting the umbrella so that you’re out of its cover. You yelp in protest and duck back underneath, practically squishing yourself against him to keep from doing that again.

“You like me too much to do that!” You argue back as you grip the umbrella handle yourself. He breaks his facade of sternness to laugh as his arm comes around you to rest on your back. The act feels far too natural for the first time he’s ever done it, yet you acquiesce regardless. “Besides, who else will finish this loop with you? Silver is training with Sebek and Lilia is off… well. Doing whatever he pleases.”

Another thoughtful hum vibrates in Malleus’ chest, which you can feel considering the proximity of your bodies in this moment. A sudden awareness strikes you that makes you feel a bit awkward about it all. Out of reflex you nudge his waist with your arm, prompting him to give you some more space.

“I suppose you have me there,” he notes, granting you a half smile as he looks down to your irate expression. He offers you the crook of his arm, and you silently oblige by linking it with yours. He tugs you a bit closer this time around as he beckons to the courtyard exit. “Let us continue, then. I would say we have another hour at least. Oh, I do hope you’re as excited as I am for what’s to come.”

#twst #malleus draconia #twst malleus #he pulls up while ur looking like a duck asking if ur ready for a 4 hr hike wyd #anyway total vomit on this page i just got hyper locked in over his card sorryyyy #twst fanfiction #twst x reader #malleus x reader

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historyinclusionist · 2 months ago

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Harmless Personal Identity coining

Since the term I crafted has been picking up steam in a couple places, I decided it's time to make a official post for it and propose a flag. I'm not good at making flags and you're welcome to redesign the above one if you like this term.

Harmless Personal Identity (HPI) is an umbrella term meant to describe personal identities that people might assign to themselves, coin for others, make pride flags for, and so on, but not any identities that inherently cause harm. If an identity checks the following boxes, it can be called a Harmless Personal Identity.

Harmless: It doesn't encourage predatory behavior, racism, ableism, transphobia etc just by existing.

The identity is being labeled because it makes the person using it comfortable. Not to harm others by deceiving them. For example: LGBT people and systems are not intending to deceive others and simply want to live as they are. This doesn't mean that the term in question is completely free of criticism or couldn't be used in bad faith—I think every term that's ever been coined could be used in bad faith. This means that it may be unusual or strange, especially to people who aren't familiar with the social groups/contexts the term was coined in, but the definition doesn't encourage people to appropriate culture, speak over people of color, commit inc-st/p-dophilia/z-ophilia, or otherwise cause harm to themselves or another living being as part of that identity.

Example: "Transhawaiian" is not an HPI, because by virtue of it existing the coiner and anyone who uses this term are saying that "Hawaiian" is a feeling someone can decide they feel and apply to themself at will, instead of the racial minority that "Hawaiian" actually is.

Personal: Identities which are wholly self-determined and locatable only within that person's interaction with and relations to the world around them.

In general—Other people cannot determine your internal view of yourself because they cannot be you, therefore your identity is personal! Someone who's unfamiliar with xenogenders may tell me that I cannot be -insert gender- because -thing- isn't a gender, but my gender is inside me and I cannot possibly give them the ability to feel it for me. It is located only within me.

This includes labels that get called "contradictory", like identifying as a lesbian and a man at the same time. If you're not familiar with multigender and multisexual lesbian spaces that might sound strange, but gender+presentation and orientation labels are purely self-defined—they are the coiner/anyone who uses that term saying "this is how I would describe my attraction to -insert gender here-," "this is how I would describe my gender that only I can feel inside my head and can't physically show to someone else," and so on. A bisexual lesbian's identity is not saying that all lesbians are bisexual or that they should identify that way; It is saying that that individual determined themself to be bisexual and lesbian.

(This does not extend to, again, racism and cultural appropriation. Queer labels are a self-defined thing, whereas racial and ethnic identity and things like congenital disorders can have self-defined aspects but are largely on a completely different quadrant of identity and can't be "decided" in the same way that queer labels can.)

Identity: A self-applied label or understanding of yourself.

This one is straightforward mostly. I would like to note that this does include things like reclaimed slurs and derogatory words, since in those cases, it's that person who's been called that word choosing "you know what? I AM a -slur- and I love myself for it!" instead of it being used to put them down.

Ok, so what identities specifically?

MOGAI (xenogenders, neogenders, neo/newly coined orientations, presentation terms, neopronouns+etc)

Alterhuman (the entire alterhuman umbrella, excluding any culturally appropriative behavior)

Most plural culture/coined terms for plural experiences

Other identity umbrellas (Dissomei, desirdae, reclaimed xenoidentities, xenonatures, neurowiry,+etc)

And so on. Is it not a radqueer, transrace, transx, etc term or would you call it a "good faith identity"? It most likely fits here.

This also includes a category of personal identity I've been seeing more and more lately, which are these uncategorized identifications with specific words that have pride flags. Some examples: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Ok, cool, do I identify as this?

You would say "I use harmless personal identities"/"I support harmless personal identities"/I coin harmless personal identities"+etc. This is less an identity and more of a faster way to describe these identities.

TD;LR— Identities that are probably niche, but don't harm people like radqueer/transid/transrace/transabled do.

Alt flags and more things are beneath the cut:

Two alternative flag ideas which I abandoned, but you can use if you want.

The phrasing "locatable only within your interaction with and relations to the world around you" came from a Tumblr post by txttletale (lost link). This term and the author have no affiliation with them, I just thought it was a wonderful way to phrase this concept. This would later inspire me to coin the term History Inclusionist, which then led to me sort of backwards-coining HPI to describe it.

You don't have to be a History Inclusionist to use the term HPI and I won't tell you not to interact with me if you aren't one.

I might make subset flags later. Maybe?

[11/21/2024] I forgot to add that @kiruliom helped me adjust the flag colors. Thank you.

#mogai #liom #dissomei #otherkin #desirdae #harmless personal identity #hpi #liom coining #liom flag #mogai coining #flags

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cenorii · 7 months ago

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Indifference and Excella

Today I'd like to talk about an issue like indifference and its consequences. But we won't talk about whether it's bad or not, I just want to discuss how Excella's indifference changed the history of all the following games.

Excella had known Wesker since about 2003, but had been directly close to him since about 2006, when she gained control of Tricell Inc. From 2006 to 2009, she was close to him, through which she began to experience romantic feelings that blinded her critical thinking. But even without the crush, she was indifferent to what kind of person he was, and that probably always annoyed him in people (Wesker's second report states how he hates people who elevate others only for their background and not for their personal accomplishments. Excella exalted Wesker perhaps not even for his research but for his looks, that is, she did not read between the lines at all and did not pay attention to who was actually standing in front of her).

Being indifferent to his personality, she did not notice at all, so unstable man was next to her. The object of her lust had a huge bouquet of psychological problems and inferiority complexes, which he hid behind a mask of calmness.

However, even this mask gave a crack in re5, you can tell by the animation of the sudden outburst of anger.

gif by

But while in re5 he's angry because his plan is slowly falling apart, in the Lost in Nightmares DLC, it's much deeper than that...

He just learned the truth about his life, and his anger is probably directed at that fact. He's angry at the truth and the fact that his past continues to haunt him (Chris and Jill). His past in the form of Umbrella, who he ran away from, has also caught up with him again, turning out to be the truth he had to face. Because of his pretense and “calm” image, he never learned to deal with his emotions, and I'm surprised that Excella never noticed it, since he must have been angry when the cockroaches mutated on his ship.

Based on all of this, Excella hasn't been paying attention to the fact that the person next to her isn't what she thinks he is. Chris is blind to Wesker's psychological problems too and he is clearly not the person who would suggest he go to a psychiatrist, but he, unlike Excella, has good reasons for this. For example, he's blinded by his resentment toward Wesker (for the mansion, for kidnapping Jill, and so on), he's also blinded by hatred. But Excella treated Wesker well, was directly next to him, and still missed the fact that everything in his character screams that he needs help.

Yes, if someone had offered him psychological help, he obviously wouldn't have liked it, but he would have realized anyway that someone had shown him attentiveness. He would have felt that someone cares about something much deeper in him than his external image, and maybe that would have made a difference.

Just imagine that ONE caring person could have changed the course of further history by showing of the right attention. Especially if this person had appeared long before re5, for example in 2006, when Wesker was the most psychologically unstable because he learned the truth from Spencer. Feeling that someone didn't just sympathize with him, but wanted to help him deal with an deep problem, perhaps he would have made other decisions in the future.

After all, in fact, Wesker is not so much interested in Uroboros and power, as in getting people from it who would be equal to him and consider him. His main problem is a sense of detachment, as if he is superfluous, different from everyone else as a white crow, and so he needs a society made up of white crows like him. He strives to stop feeling "different". And for the sake of this, he has made the mistaken decision to “make others like him”, because he considers "ordinary" people unworthy.

However, he turns a blind eye to the fact that all these people he considers unworthy have a chance to merge with Uroboros and become like him. So it's the same "unworthy" people, just in a different cover, you know? This is another fact that proves that he doesn't care what kind of people will become the Uroboros users, he wants that they just exist. It's important to him that there are people like him.

And if just ONE person in his past had shown genuine empathy for his personality, advising him to see a specialist, maybe the whole RE story would have gone differently. There would be no Jill kidnapping, no Uroboros, no biological weapons and the organizations responsible for them, because Wesker, based on his words, is disgusted by war and pestilence. There would be no reason for him to do all this and pursue his dream through the dirty ways. His dream are of a world without decadence, a utopia where there is no destruction. And biological weapons are precisely the tools of war, pestilence and destruction. If he had other goals, Wesker would have gone up against BOW, and knowing how well he was able to counter his competitors, the bioterrorists wouldn't stand a chance.

Let's not forget that Wesker developed many weapons against bioweapons, the blueprints for which were later found by Blue Umbrella ("Albert System Weapon"). So even being a bioterrorist involuntarily, he developed means against BOW, indirectly speaking out against his own work

Draw your own conclusions, I was just sharing my thoughts on indifference and how Excella's blind love contributed to the situation <3

#resident evil #rebhfun #albert wesker #chris redfield #excella gionne #cenori's long posts about RE

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music-tourney · 5 months ago

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We have 72 songs, this can be raised if 96 if the need arises

Pokerface by Lady Gaga

Welcome to the Black Parade by My Chemical Romance

Toxic by Britney Spears

Sk8ter Boi by Avril Lavigne

All my Life by Foo Fighters

American Idiot by Green Day

1985 by Bowling for Soup

Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand

Somebody Told Me by the Killers

Hey There Delilah by Plain White Tees

Feel Good Inc by the Gorillaz

Sugar we're goin down by Fallout Boy

Brave as a noun by AJJ

Hot N Cold by Katy Perry

Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It) by Beyonce

The Dog Days are Over by Florence + the Machine

Seven Nation Army by White Stripes

Kryptonite by 3 Doors Down

She Hates Me by Puddle Of Mudd

Stacy's Mom by Fountains for Wayne

All the Small Things By Blink 182

Since U Been Gone by Kelly Clarkson

Hurt by Johnny Cash

Hey Ya by Outkast

Rehab by Amy Winehouse

Stan by Eminem

Do you realize by The Flaming Lips

Sexyback by Justin Timberlake

Party in the USA by Miley Cyrus

Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me) by Train

Californication by the Red Hot Chili Peppers

Fireflies by Owl City

TiK ToK by Ke$ha

Gives you Hell by All American Rejects

Paper Planes by M.I.A.

Can't get you out of my head by Kylie Monogue

I write sins not tragedies by Panic! At the Disco

Short Skirt/Long Jacket by CAKE

Teenage Dirtbag by Wheatus

Bring Me to Life by Evanescence

Before he cheats by Carrie Underwood

Vida La Vida by Coldplay

Photograph by Nickelback

99 Problems by Jay-Z

Hash Pipe by Weezer

A Thousand Miles by Vanessa Carlton

Love Story by Taylor Swift

Unwell by MatchBox Twenty

Yeah! by Usher

Dilemma by Nelly and Kelly Rowland

Beautiful by Christina Aguilera

My Hips Don't Lie by Shakira

I gotta Feeling by Black Eyed Peas

Hollaback Girl by Gwen Stefani

Watcha Say by Jason Derulo

Drop it like it's Hot by Snoop Dogg

Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield

Numb by Linkin Park

Umbrella by Rihanna

Crazy in Love by Beyonce and Jay Z

How to Save a Life by The Fray

Get the Party Started by P!nk

Survivor By Destiny's Child

Everytime we touch by Cascada

Beautiful Girls by Sean Kingston

Bad day by Daniel Powter

Chop Suey By System of a Down

I'm Yours by Jason Mraz

Crazy by Gnarls Barkley

The Middle by Jimmy Eat World

Harder Better Faster Stronger by Daft Punk

Chewing Gum by Annie

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reareaotaku · 11 months ago

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Masterlist III | COMPLETED

Finished: June 7, 2024 [12:27 PM CDT] *= Slightly NSFW/NSFW Masterlist I Masterlist II Masterlist IV

I Am Not Okay with This

Stanley Barber

Stanley Barber Headcanons Late Night Calls Backseat Driving*

Stranger Things

Mike Wheeler

My Sweet Valentine I Loathe You [Mike's POV]* Mike Wheeler & Jane 'Eleven' Hopper Headcanons Jealous Mike Wheeler Headcanons Brother's Best Friend*

Lucas Sinclair

My Sweet Valentine

Jane 'Eleven' Hopper

My Sweet Valentine Mike Wheeler & Jane 'Eleven' Hopper Headcanons Jealous Eleven

Maxine 'Max' Mayfield

My Sweet Valentine

Billy Hargrove

My Sweet Valentine

Steve 'The Hair' Harrington

My Sweet Valentine Mean Little Boy I'm in Love with You

Nancy Wheeler

My Sweet Valentine Nancy Wheeler & Robin Buckley Headcanons

Robin Buckley

My Sweet Valentine Nancy Wheeler & Robin Buckley Headcanons

Johnathan Byers

Johnathan Byers Headcanons

Richie Tozier

Richie Tozier Headcanons

Karate Kid

Daniel Larusso

Daniel Larusso Headcanons*

The Umbrella Academy

Five Hargreeves

I Can't Lose You Sick Reader

The Goldfinch

Boris Pavlikovsky

Run Away Boris NSFW Headcanons* Injured Reader Mean! Boris Headcanons You're so Drunk*

Theodore 'Theo' Decker

Run Away Theo Decker Headcanons

Celebrities/Influencers

Matt Sturniolo

Matt Headcanons

Blue Beetle

Jaime 'Blue Beetle' Reyes

Jaime 'Blue Beetle' Reyes Headcanons

The Turning

Miles Fairchild

Miles Fairchild SFW/NSFW Headcanons* No Where 2 Run* Reader is Sick School is a Bore [PT 2 of School Girls] Made into a Woman* [Pt 3 of School Girls & School is a Bore] She's the Only Girl I wanna Love* [Pt 2 of Mary is the Girl that I wanna Fuck] Soft Schoolboy Headcanons Maid of the Rich Kind Nanny! Reader* Stalker 2 Be

Ben 10

Ben Tennyson

Yandere! Ben Tennyson Headcanons

Clone High

I Am Not a Clone Series

Where the Fuck am I? [Part 1]

Fear Street

Christine 'Ziggy' Berman

Christine 'Ziggy' Berman Headcanons

Nick Goode

Nick Goode Headcanons

Rick & Morty

Morty Smith

Morth Smith Headcanons Evil Morty Headcanons

Scooby Doo

Fred Jones

Fred Jones Headcanons Fred Jones Mystery Inc Headcanons

Hex Girls

We're the Hex Girls & We're Going to Put a Spell on You

Corpse Bride

Emily the Corpse Bride

Yandere! Emily Headcanons

Young Sheldon

Georgie Cooper

Georgie Cooper Headcanons

When You Finish Saving the World

Ziggy Katz

Yandere! Ziggy Katz Headcanons Jealous! Headcanons

We Are Who We Are

Fraser Wilson

Fraser Wilson Headcanons

Shazam

Freddy Freeman

Freddy Freeman Headcanons

Game of Thrones

Daenerys Targeryan

Male! Daenerys Targeryan Headcanons

Ghostbusters

Trevor Spengler

Jealous Headcanons

Don’t Tell a Soul

Joey

Joey Headcanons

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Rodrick Heffley

Crazy Party What if Rodrick was Jealous?

Wednesday

Wednesday Addams

I Don't Love You Singing my Love [Pt 2 of I Don't Love You] I Know You Got Issues & I Do Too [Male! Wednesday Addams] Male Wednesday Headcanons +drabble

Spiderman

Gwen Stacy

Gwen Stacy Headcanons

Scream

Stu Macher

Stu Macher Headcanons*

Batman

Dick 'Richard' Grayson

Save Me, Baby

Damian Wayne

Superboy vs Robin Damian Wayne Headcanons Love in High Places [Pt 2 of Superboy vs Robin]

Barbara 'Batgirl' Gordon

Barbara Gordon Headcanons

Tim 'Red Robin' Drake

Tim Drake Headcanons

Superman

Jon Kent

Superboy vs Robin Love in High Places [Pt 2 of Superboy vs Robin]

Clark 'Superman' Kent

Superman Headcanons

Lolirock

Iris

Genderbend Iris Headcanons

Shrek

Arthur Pendragon

Arthur Pendragon Headcanons

Kim Possible

Schoolboy Crush

Who Framed Roger Rabbit

Jessica Rabbit

Jessica Rabbit Headcanons

Mario

Princess Peach

Princess Peach Headcanons

Princess Rosalina

Princess Rosalina Headcanons

Prince Alexander

Yandere Prince Headcanons

Ace

Grumpy x Sunshine Headcanons

Nightmare on Elm Street

Glen Lantz

Touch Me

That's Not My Neighbor

Francis 'Milkman' Mosses

Milkman Headcanons*

Goofy Movie/ An Extremely Goofy Movie

Max Goof

Max Goof Headcanons He was a Skater Boy

The Lion King

Kovu

Kovu Headcanons

Beetlejuice

Astrid Deetz

Astrid Deetz Headcanons

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

'Leo' Leonardo

Leonardo Headcanons

'Donnie' Donatello

I Do Not Like You

#masterlist #masterlist iii

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shirohige-pirates · 1 month ago

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A Truly Mythological Christmas

Cisfem!Reader x Marco the Phoenix

You've seen the Hallmark movies where the successful business lady comes home to her small town hometown for the holidays and falls in love with the local stud, right? She gives up all that success and city living, and often dumps an otherwise decent city-business man in order to cozy up to the simple life in Simple Life City, USA.

This ain't that fucking story.

But it is a Hallmark AU - big city reader goes back home to the small town for the holidays and falls in love, but if that's all there was to this book, it wouldn't be very Mythological.

18+ - this story is going to get steamy in ways not allowed for your holiday Lifetime specials. Swearing, cheating, assassins, intrigue - you know, all that simple small town stuff.

Chapter 1: Values

Looking out over the city that was far below you right now, as the thrum of jet engines kept you in the air and vaulted you toward home, you took a moment for yourself.

Your parents had passed away when you were so young that the only parent you can remember is your adoptive mother. She was a big, take no prisoners kind of woman, stocky and full of piss and vinegar, with hair as fiery as the attitude she was willing to give.

Dadan had been a life saver for you, and you would be forever grateful to her.

Through her you made the most of what you had left to you, and now here you were. Graduated, and a financial officer in Candy Land, Inc. Six years with the company and you had gone from a nameless financial auditor into a person whose decisions could make or break the success of the company. Only your boss, Katakuri, and his mother, Linlin, had more weight in making financial decisions, but since Katakuri oversaw finance, quality assurance, and security, he often deferred to you without further input.

The freedom had given you the ability to steady profits in a positive trend, while also seeing that the company’s workers were properly compensated. Not that Candy Land had a reputation for undercutting, but Linlin herself had praised your efficiencies.

Which came with its pros and cons.

Linlin had a large family, and while a good number of them were tied up in the family business, a larger portion of them had been utilized, to either completely take over, or mostly integrate other businesses into her control. It was often phrased as a matter of protection, especially in the financial sense, and thus Candy Land had under its umbrella nearly thirty businesses that had initially stood well on their own.

All those lives thrived, and keeping it that way was effectively your job.

In doing that work, and working so closely with Linlin, you were introduced to her eldest son, Perospero. He was six years your senior, thirty-five to your twenty-nine, and he was currently in charge of the distribution centers for the company.

Dorky, but smart and more easy going than you had expected, it wasn’t surprising when he asked you out officially. You were both busy, but you were both in the same business, so you were still able to spend time, and meals together, and slowly get to know one another. A few months later he proposed, just the two of you, in the late hours of the night, after a particularly long and exhausting day at work.

It was sweet. Simple. Everything you had requested that it be, because despite the love for theatrics within his family - mostly from his mother, granted - you preferred things to be more intimate. The idea of him getting down on one knee during a charity event was enough for you to consider saying no, and you had warned him.

Pero had even apologized, once you accepted, that there would indeed be a public moment for this, at his mother’s insistence, but this way you wouldn’t be surprised. The two of you could play your parts to placate his mother, and leave her none the wiser on how it really went down. It would be your secret.

Something to hold you both together just a little closer.

Somewhere in the back of your head it had felt wrong. A dream, maybe. All of it seemed like a dream. The job, the success, the speed at which things had progressed. You worked hard at what you did, and Katakuri was neither empty with his praise, nor overly flowery about it. It might have felt like a dream, but your work, your worth, was valid.

Opportunities were likely to open up once you were officially married into the family, but you had not been incorrectly praised up to this point. There was nothing for Linlin to gain by offering one of her sons, save maybe assurances of your loyalty, but you had no business holdings or savings of your own. No innovative ideals, nothing that would balance the “loss” of one of her treasured assets. It was a statement of the value she placed in you, that she would be so accepting of your relationship.

Linlin’s value of you.

The thought gnawed at you. Clawed at any sense of peace you were trying to feel. The way that you’d always felt bad for Linlin’s children, that they always seemed to know, and accept, that they were going to be utilized by their mother. The gains of the company were the gains of the family, and everyone loyal to them, so they seemed to be mostly okay with that.

“Most everyone finds happiness.” Praline had told you during one of the family tea parties. “Angel and her husband live separately, but have stayed married. Angel’s kind of ruthless, if she was really unhappy I almost think her husband would have had an,” she made air quotes with her fingers, “unfortunate accident.” She laughed. “I just can’t see her suffering, but Mama’s also not unreasonable. She let Broye and Cracker get divorces when things didn’t work out, and even let Smoothie call off her wedding.

“She wasn’t happy, but who is with stuff like that?” The young girl had shrugged, and you had to concede the point. If you grew up that way, maybe it wasn’t such a big deal.

Still, it chewed at you. The idea of it rankled. You cared about Perospero, even loved him, but there was something about it that felt transactional. He was always so attentive, and kind. He wasn’t too much with his gestures of affection, and he wasn’t too little with them either. Soft caresses and chaste kisses when others were around, passion when the doors were closed.

Privacy, like you liked.

But you knew. Even before that moment you knew. Standing there you were caught between surprise and vindication. Terrible, nauseating vindication, but vindication nonetheless.

You knew when he’d gotten down on one knee and proposed. You knew when you’d almost turned him down, the cold ball in the pit of your stomach dismissed as nerves. Dismissed as nothing more than maybe it was all progressing a little too fast.

You knew, and now it wasn’t just a feeling in your gut, it was a truth before your eyes.

What you hadn’t expected was to find him in your bed with two other people. The one you recognized as his secretary, Nokotti. It was such a cliche that you hadn’t even considered the possibility, but they never acted inappropriately at work. The other woman was called Tori, you think, but you’d only met her a couple times and had been mostly sure her and Nokotti were lovers.

Sitting on the plane, you look out the window and let the damnable scene play out in your mind again. The stupefied look on his face, the shock that changed to relief on her face, and the apathy on Tori’s face. You weren’t sure what expression was on yours, but it was enough to keep everyone quiet.

No one even flinched when you took a picture of the event with your phone. The soft sound of the shutter made by the phone was the only sound in the eerily silent room.

“I’m going to go home for the holidays.” You managed to say it evenly, as far as you could tell. The plans for you to return home had long since been set. You and Perospero were going to visit Dadan, stay for the autumn feast, and probably leave before Christmas.

There was a lot you both had to do for your work, it had been the most time the two of you could take at the same time.

“You and your things will be elsewhere when I return.” You’d tucked the phone back in your pocket, standing in silence for a long few moments as the other two took the hint and left the comforts of your bed. You barely even looked at them as they gathered their things, dressed enough to be legal, and left you and Pero alone.

To his credit he at least had the decency to look ashamed. Pulling off the ring and letting it drop to the floor had been both painful and relieving. You had cared for, and even more than that, trusted him. Maybe you should’ve asked if he was doing all of it for his mother’s sake, maybe you needed to let yourself realize you didn’t want to know.

Maybe it was for the best this way. Months before any wedding plans had been set in stone, instead of years after vows had been exchanged and children were involved.

The phone call with Dadan had been helpful, and the conversation with your boss had been awkward. She promised that your old room would be cleared out and ready for you. Warned you that her house was full again, but you’d already known that. Your boss had been very understanding, especially considering he was brother to your fiancé, and both were sons to the CEO.

He agreed to extend your time off, effective immediately, until after the first of the year. No additional paperwork on your end, and he’d make sure everything was covered. He couldn’t promise longer during that first phone conversation, but you’d spoken a time or two since then, and all the details were set.

Katakuri, at least, had sense enough to agree that was the bare minimum you were owed, considering Pero had done such a thing. He promised to do his best for you when you returned, and that had been effectively that.

And so you were off from Thanksgiving to New Years. Any longer and it would have to be a sabbatical, which was a valid option, but not what you wanted to consider at this point.

Ah, if only you had foregone your own morals and pursued your boss, you muse on the airplane, coming back to yourself and ending your walk through the last few days’ frustrations.

You wave your hand in front of your face and shake away the useless thoughts. Kata was a good soul, a rarity among his siblings in your current mindset, but he was also already madly in love. You might not be his personal assistant, but as a direct report you caught him looking wistfully at his phone enough times to know what was up. You were pretty sure you knew who he was looking at so lovingly.

It hadn’t been overt, but there’d been shifts in his demeanor whenever Smoothie’s fiance had been in the same room. It had been, you’d felt, a sentiment that was returned, but you couldn’t dare ask, or even hint at offering support. Katakuri wouldn’t have let the words escape you, he was too good at reading people and often either cut them short, or agreed with their resolutions before they had a chance to voice them. Sometimes it felt like he could see the future, but it was more likely that he was just more observant than most.

Idly, you hoped his mother wouldn’t destroy that love, whoever it was. Unlike some of his other siblings, you had the distinct impression that Katakuri would tear himself to pieces trying to obey his mother, so great was his loyalty.

The soft chime of an incoming announcement catches your attention, and you look out the airplane window as they speak. “Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your captain speaking, we’re approaching Orthrus City, and will begin our descent into SPX airport. The temperatures are a brisk 42 degrees Fahrenheit, 5.5 degrees Celsius. Thank you for flying Wanotori airlines, we hope you had a pleasant flight, and we look forward to helping you navigate the Grand Lines again.”

Shoving the thoughts of the big city out of your head, you try to focus on your stay in your hometown. A small farming town, Sphinx had 100 acres to every one resident, but the rolling hills and wide open spaces had their own charms. The city was nice, and you loved your job, but there wasn’t much that could beat the comforts of home.

Especially when you were in need of comfort.

#a truly mythological christmas #marco the phoenix #x reader #reader insert #mdni #hallmark au

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mr-styles · 1 year ago

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Harry Styles ‘Love on Tour’ Ends After 173 Concerts for 5.04 Million Fans, and $6.5 Million Donated to Charity

Harry Styles’ world-shaking “Love on Tour” wrapped before a crowd of 100,000 people at Italy’s RCF Arena last week, concluding 173 dates over nearly three years. The tour launched on September 4, 2021 and saw Styles performing to 5.04 million fans in North and South America, the U.K., Europe and Australia — including 20 dates at Madison Square Garden, 18 at the Los Angeles Forum, six at London’s Wembley Stadium, and two sets of “Harryween” concerts — and is the fourth highest-grossing tour of all time, according to the announcement.

Just as significantly, the tour donated some $6.5 million to charities, which are listed below.

He was joined for the tour by a band that features Pauli Lovejoy, Sarah Jones, Mitch Rowland, Madi Diaz, Elin Sandberg, Ariza, Yaffra, Parris Fleming, Kailah Vandever, Lorren Chiodo and Laura Bibbs.

The tour also saw the release of Styles’ third solo album, “Harry’s House,” which won Grammy Awards for album of the year and best pop vocal album, as well as all four BRIT Awards for which it was nominated. The album’s head single, “As It Was,” reached No. 1 in 33 countries—including 15 weeks on top of the Billboard Hot 100.

CHARITIES DONATED TO ON LOVE ON TOUR

Planned Parenthood Choose Love Physicians for Reproductive Health Rebuild Foundation REVERB Black Voters Matter Fund – Capacity Building Institute The Afiya Center International Rescue Committee Intermission Youth Save the Children CARE Every Town for Gun Safety BEAM Theater Gates Rebuild Theater – Venice Program WWWF-Brasil Sydney Zoo Baan Tawan Mai Orphans (Pow Sarin Org) Cribs Foundation Inc. St John’s Home Limitless Children’s Wishing Well SHINE Green Umbrella Children’s Foundation Black Minds Florence Org… “and more.”

Via variety.com

#harry styles #love on tour

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marcmarcmomarc · 3 months ago

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Once Upon a Lamp - list of characters

In honor of Once Upon a Studio turning one year old

EXT. THE STEVE JOBS BUILDING - EARLY EVENING

The Adventures of André and Wally B.

André

Wally B.

Luxo Jr.

Luxo Sr.

Red’s Dream

Lumpy

Red

Tin Toy

Tinny

Gumbo

Flip ‘n Beth

Ace

Clocky

Spot

Zoo Train

Chrome Dome

Rallye Guy

Fire Hydrant

Helicopter Sheep

Toypot

Frodo

Bouncy

Eben’s Car

Les

RenderMan

Knick Knack

Knick

Sunny Miami

Sunny Florida

Sunny Egypt

Sunny Jamaica

Sunny Palm Springs

Sunny Israel

Surf Death Valley

Sunny Atlantis

Toy Story (Toys)

Woody

Buzz Lightyear

Jessie

Mr. Potato Head

Slinky Dog

Rex

Hamm

Bo Peep

Mrs. Potato Head

Bullseye

Mr. Pricklepants

Dolly

Trixie

Buttercup

Chuckles

Stinky Pete

Barbie

Ken

Lots-o-Huggin’ Bear

Big Baby

Twitch

Stretch

Chunk

Sparks

Chatter Telephone

Bookworm

Peas-in-a-Pod

Forky

Giggle McDimples

Ducky

Bunny

Duke Caboom

Gabby Gabby

The Dummies

Billy, Goat, and Gruff

Toy Story (Human side)

Andy Davis

Mrs. Davis

Molly Davis

Sid Phillips

Hannah Phillips

Bonnie Anderson

Bonnie’s Mom

Bonnie’s Dad

Buster

Scud

Geri’s Game

Geri

A Bug’s Life

Flik

Hopper

Princess Atta

Princess Dot

The Queen

Molt

Slim

Heimlich

Francis

Manny

Gypsy

Rosie

Tuck

Roll

P.T. Flea

Dim

Mr. Soil

Dr. Flora

Thorny

Cornelius

Thumper

Aphie

For the Birds

Bluebird Flock

Gawky Bird

Buzz Lightyear of Star Command

Commander Nebula

Mira Nova

Booster Sinclair Munchapper

Warp Darkmatter

Gravitina

N0S-4-A2

Monsters, Inc.

James P. Sullivan

Mike Wazowski

Boo

Celia Mae

Randall Boggs

Henry J. Waternoose

Johnny Worthington

Scott “Squishy” Squibbles

Don Carlton

Terri and Terry Perry

Art

Tylor Tuskman

Val Little

Fritz

Katherine “Cutter” Sterns

Duncan P. Anderson

Roz

Yeti

Jeff Fungus

Banana Bread

Roger Rogers

Suzy “Sunny” Sunshine

Finding Nemo

Marlin

Dory

Nemo

Hank

Boundin’

Jackalope

Lamb

The Incredibles

Bob Parr

Helen Parr

Violet Parr

Dashiell Parr

Jack-Jack Parr

Lucius Best

Edna Mode (E)

Buddy Pine

Winston Deavor

Evelyn Deavor

Mirage

Rick Dicker

Voyd

One Man Band

Bass

Treble

Tippy

THX

Tex

Cars

Lightning McQueen

Tow Mater

Cruz Ramirez

Lifted

Stu

Mr. B

Ratatouille

Remy

Alfredo Linguini

Chef Skinner

Colette Tatou

Django

Emile

Anton Ego

Presto

Presto DiGiotagione

Alec Azam

WALL-E

EVE

Captain B. McCrea

John

Mary

M-O

GO-4

The Defective Robots

Hal the Cockroach

Partly Cloudy

Gus

Peck

Carl Fredricksen

Russell

Dug

Charles Muntz

Alpha

Beta

Gamma

Kevin

Kevin’s Babies

Day & Night

Day

Night

La Luna

Bambino

Papà

Nonno

Brave

Merida

Elinor

Fergus

Hamish

Hupert

Harris

Fergus’ Dogs

Angus

The Witch

Maudie

Lord MacGuffin

Lord Macintosh

Lord Dingwall

Young MacGuffin

Young Macintosh

Wee Dingwall

The Witch’s Crow

Conan the Clan Dingwall Hunk

The Blue Umbrella

Blue

Red

Lava

Uku

Lele

Inside Out (Mindscape)

Joy

Sadness

Anger

Fear

Disgust

Anxiety

Envy

Ennui

Embarrassment

Nostalgia

Inside Out (Humans)

Riley Andersen

Jill Andersen

Bill Andersen

Grace Hsieh

Bree Young

Valentina Ortiz

Dani

Ally

Sofia

Nour

Coach Roberts

Sanjay’s Super Team

Sanjay

Sanjay’s Father

Hanuman

Durga

Vishnu

The Good Dinosaur

Arlo

Spot

Henry

Ida

Buck

Libby

Nash

Ramsey

Butch

Thunderclap

Downpour

Coldfront

Frostbite

Windgust

Bubbha

Lurleane

Pervis

Earl

Forrest Woodbush

Fury

Destructor

Dream Crusher

Debbie

Piper

Lou

J.J.

Coco (Land of the Living)

Miguel Rivera

Dante

Abuelita Elena Rivera

Enrique Rivera (Papá)

Luisa Rivera (Mamá)

Tío Berto Rivera

Tía Carmen Rivera

Tía Gloria Rivera

Abuelito Franco Rivera

Abel Rivera

Rosa Rivera

Socorro Rivera

Benny Rivera

Manny Rivera

Coco (Land of the Dead)

Papá Héctor Rivera

Ernesto de la Cruz

Mamá Imelda Rivera

Pepita

Mamá Coco Rivera

Papá Julio Rivera

Tía Rosita Rivera

Tía Victoria Rivera

Tío Óscar Rivera

Tío Felipe Rivera

Bao

Mom

Son

Dad

Cindy

Purl

Lacy

Office Bros.

Office Ladies

Kitbull

Dog

Smash and Grab

Smash

Grab

Float

Father

Son

Wind

Ellis

Ellis’ Grandma

Onward

Ian Lightfoot

Barley Lightfoot

Laurel Lightfoot

Corey

Colt Bronco

Blazey

Burrow

Rabbit

Badger Landlord

The Rabbit’s Neighbors

Soul (Living World)

Joe Gardener

Libba Gardener

Dez

Dorothea Williams

Curley Baker

Miho Akage

Connie

Melba

Lulu

Soul (The Great Before)

Moonwind

Terry

Counselor Jerry A

Counselor Jerry B

Loop

Renee

Marcus

Out

Greg

Jim

Manuel

Greg’s Parents

Gigi

Luca

Luca Paguro

Alberto Scorfano

Giulia Marcovaldo

Ercole Visconti

Massimo Marcovaldo

Daniela Paguro

Lorenzo Paguro

Grandma Libera Paguro

Ciccio

Guido

Machiavelli

Nona

Renee

Twenty-Something

Gia

Nicole

Turning Red

Meilin Lee

Ming Lee

Miriam Mendelsohn

Abby Park

Priya Mangal

Tyler Nguyen-Baker

Jin Lee

Grandma Wu Lee

Auntie Chen

Lily

Helen

Auntie Ping

Mr. Gao

4*Town

Lightyear

Izzy Hawthorne

Sox

Mo Morrison

Darby Steel

Commander Cal Burnside

Alisha Hawthorne

Kiko Hawthorne

Elemental

Ember Lumen

Wade Ripple

Bernie Lumen

Cinder Lumen

Gale Cumulus

Fern Grouchwood

Clod

Brook Ripple

Harold Ripple

Alan Ripple

Lake Ripple

Eddy Ripple

Marco Ripple

Polo Ripple

Ghibli

Self

Win or Lose

Coach Dan

Vanessa

Rochelle

Baseball Team

Elio

Elio Solis

Olga Solis

Ambassador Questa

Ambassador Grigon

Glordon

Ooooo

Hoppers

Mabel

King George

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stylesnews · 1 year ago

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Just as significantly, the tour donated some $6.5 million to charities, which are listed below.

He was joined for the tour by a band that features Pauli Lovejoy, Sarah Jones, Mitch Rowland, Madi Diaz, Elin Sandberg, Ariza, Yaffra, Parris Fleming, Kailah Vandever, Lorren Chiodo and Laura Bibbs.

CHARITIES DONATED TO ON LOVE ON TOUR

Planned Parenthood

Choose Love

Physicians for Reproductive Health

Rebuild Foundation

REVERB

Black Voters Matter Fund – Capacity Building Institute

The Afiya Center

International Rescue Committee

Intermission Youth

Save the Children

CARE

Every Town for Gun Safety

BEAM

Theater Gates

Rebuild Theater – Venice Program

WWWF-Brasil

Sydney Zoo

Baan Tawan Mai Orphans (Pow Sarin Org)

Cribs Foundation Inc.

St John’s Home

Limitless

Children’s Wishing Well

SHINE

Green Umbrella Children’s Foundation

Black Minds

Florence Org… “and more.”

#harry styles #jul23 #lot23 #charity

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ay0nha · 1 year ago

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DEATH IS A MIRROR | N.K. (I)

GIF by voidshinya

SUMMARY: You’d told him once that you feel the past and the future pressing so hard on either side that there’s no room for the present at all.

PAIRING: Nanami Kento x f!reader (anti-hero of sorts)

WORD COUNT: 3.2K

WARNINGS: enemies to lovers, ANGST, jjk canon-typical things, mentions of BLOOD and INJURY, mentions of dying, Nanami being a lil snippy, ANGST, depressing themes, bottom half is a dream/memrory, etc.

A/N: So, I actually hated what I wrote, so I rewrote it and added a lot more. Thank you in advance for your patience with me. I hope you enjoy again :)

TAGS: @khaleesihavilliard, @vee-ai, @killlerqween, @nokkoongie, @anti-heroism, @chimamire-ga @darkstudentsaladbakery @benzywenzymeowmeow @nanamin94

COMMENTS ENCOURAGED. PLEASE.

Prologue

When you were young, you threw things out of your bedroom window to learn how they would break. Many of them did not—the plastic dolls and plush toys landed safely on the grassy yard below—but the wooden toys did break, or at least they came apart.

One day, you found a snow globe. A winter village stood inside, with snow-covered roofs and chimneys shooting up into the domed sky.

This snow globe was the last thing you threw out of your window, not because your mother scolded you, which she did, but because this snow globe smashed so gloriously—an explosion of crystal, water, snow, and glitter, the village utterly destroyed —you thought you wouldn’t be able to replicate such destruction again.

It was bullshit then, and it was bullshit now. Moving on and letting go was never in the stars for you. Or the tea leaves. Or in the deep lines of your palm. You knew you were destined for destruction.

“You need to focus.” Nanami’s tone was sterile. It left little room for interpretation or defiance. The statement came without hesitation but held pent-up sentiment veiled by familiar poise.

Your clothes clung to your frame, damping by the minute from the storm. Your eyes were closed as you tilted your head toward the stars as if they spoke to you directly. It was a language you could decipher, but Nanami could only interpret as foolishness.

“There may be special grades in there,” He continued, repeating everything Gojo had relayed. “We need to stick to the plan—

“It won’t work.” You looked back to him, safely tucked under his umbrella. Every stitch of his suit was dry, contrasting the way your eyelashes clumped together as if crying. “The plan is far too idealistic—impractical.”

You vetted his blank gaze for proper determination of his upset.

The cracks behind his exterior were so deeply concealed you hadn’t thought anything could slip between. Yet, standing before him, you alone were the ice-pick that’s pressure had shattered him.

“You’re walking into a trap, and yet, my plan is impractical?” Nanami ached with dissatisfaction.

The rain aided the facade of the building. It’s already dilapidated paint peeled under the weight of the water. The faint yellow hue of the streetlights highlighted its empty depth—you wouldn’t be surprised if its echo would swallow you whole. Even with the disarray of water droplets, cursed energy flowed steadily.

“Wait here.” You instructed, voice barely audible over the rain. You ignored Nanami easily, a plan he wasn’t privy to already set in motion. “It’ll only take a second.”

“We shouldn’t split up.” Nanami disagreed, body instinctively moving to block you. It was inevitable for you to stray from the path, you just did it sooner than he’d like.

You shook your head, half-heartedly listening to Nanami’s so-called advice. “You’re not the only one who can play the hero.”

“Don’t pretend that suits you.” He mocked your tone, trust nowhere to be found. “We have a job to do.”

It took convincing to draw you in, but the promised mystery surrounding the cursed object confirmed your involvement. The object was still unknown, just a rumor floating around begging to be found. There were already higher ups sent after it, Gojo included. With you in the pool, the game changed in his favor.

“Curses are quite sentimental when it comes to their things.” You let out a teasing hum, dirty shoes landing on the antique table. “What makes you think I want to help you?”

Although his eyes were covered, you knew Gojo’s gaze landed beyond you. Nanami was entirely ignorant of the implication. “Call it a hunch.”

Long ago, Nanami learned to not trust instinct as it almost never led to an obvious solution. Instead, emotion muddled decisions and tarnished everything it touched. But he craved to follow his gut, to loosen his tie just so he could breathe a bit deeper.

It was impossible with a plan so intentionally deceptive. Gojo was cryptic, leaning into riddles and half-truths. He relied on you and Nanami to read between the lines for the true instruction. The methods didn’t seem to matter anymore, as you were the first to come up with a means to an end.

“A job?” You scoffed. Everything correlated to work. “I’m here as a favor.” You drew in a breath, hoping to gain confidence with it to finally enter the abandoned home. “Keep your eyes on the door.”

Nanami would give you five minutes before stepping in. 300 seconds. The rain's pattern no longer mattered when he felt the pulse of the seconds travel from his watch through his veins. Every second counted attached to his discomfort.

He watched you run across the street, not bothering to check for traffic. Danger was never a fear-inducing concept for you, but rather a temptation. It was why he was waiting for your betrayal. It was the way you responded when things got hard and it was only a matter of time he’d be on the receiving end.

Four minutes left…

The rain grew heavier, challenging the effectiveness of the cheap umbrella Nanami held. He started to feel the water that had made it past his defenses seep through his jacket and make its way to his skin. It was an odd grounding for him, reminding him to stay still present.

Get in, get out.

Nanami crossed the street, being lured in by how the house groaned with an invitation. The lightening helped illuminate it’s silhouette and lead him to the door.The dust had settled on every windowsill and unbroken counter. The rats and pigeons had returned to their makeshift shelter, and the rain hadn’t stopped corrupting the wood Nanami stood on.

It was easy to follow your trail of wet footprints. Yet, it was the way you subdued your cursed energy, as if storing it—hiding it—made Nanami’s faith in Gojo ripple. The obligation made to Gojo, furthered Nanami’s stride.

He paused, hearing you speak with familiarity. Once he found a gap between the wooden beams, he saw your companion.

Three minutes…

“The girl without the heart seeks me out?” The cursed user responded—gurgled. You weren’t sure if the bile it excreted was its own or from what it had just devoured. “I’m flattered…”

“There’s something I’m trying to find.” Your voice was steady, knowing what stood opposite you sought for cracks.

No longer did it reflect something human-like, its body corrupt from using sorcery in the darkest corners. Every curse eaten, darkened its skin and removed whatever humanity remained.

“Ever the collector…” It tutted.

Collector, Nanami scoffed at the thought. You appeased what was across from you with teasing conversation. Dark inside jokes were exchanged that made Nanami’s heart drop to his stomach. The shared memories were vile and reckless, causes of messed he’d been sent to clean up.

Two minutes…

Between the gap, he watched how the cursed user reached for your skin. You hadn’t flinched, far too trusting in its presence. “And if I know where to start?”

“Name your price.” You were stoic. The nails of the cursed user scratched at your already bruising skin.

The position you were in was out of politeness, you wanted the object. Otherwise, the cursed user would have painted the walls already. It knew this, taking advantage of its luck misinterpreting that as power.

“You know what I want…” It purred. It’s hand trailed to stop at your neck, settling on the chain it found. It pulled at it until the pendent’s weight was no longer felt on your chest.

You didn’t pull back, but you were firm. “Not for sale.”

It hummed with discontent. The whine scraped against the walls, crying out like a child whose candy was taken. Nanami watched it’s overgrown nails dig into your jawline. Slowly, he reached back for his blunt blade. The grip on the handle soothed Nanami’s anxiety just barely as the seconds hand of his watch didn’t move fast enough.

One minute…

“There’s very little I want from you…” It tutted again, finding pleasure in the slight reprimands. “...especially when you come only to insult me.”

It’s smile was wicked, as if it had found your weak point. You felt it too; Nanami’s weight shifted ever so slightly, radiating concern revealing his concealed location. The cursed energy, even, from behind the rotted wall, doubled with preparation of expulsion.

You had to race the clock before Nanami destroyed everything.

“Kento.” You called out, eyes unwavering from the cursed user. Anger consumed your breath. “Go wait outside.”

“Kento…” The cursed user repeated his name like a lover would. The laugh released echoed poorly, becoming sharp and unsettling. “He’s yours, isn’t he?”

Nanami reached behind his back for a familiar leather handle. His grip settled comfortably on it in warning. All you saw was a threat. It spoke of your ability to read him and how exhausting it had been to interpret. You wanted a reason to let your vexation control your movements.

Your time was up.

He stalked toward you, tie loosening to wrap tightly around his forming fist. “You may have Gojo’s trust but—

Before he had the chance to finish, you darted.

Your movements looked evasive as if every twitch was purposeful for defense. Its fluidity was the distraction from its purpose; you came close to him just to deliver blows just shy of lethal.

“It wasn’t meant to happen like this, Kento.” You mused—teased. There was no struggle in your breath despite the speed you conjured. “I thought you loved orders. Why didn’t you just stay put?”

Guilt never found you as necessity ruled your movements. The cursed user’s eyes were on you steadily. Every choice and word exposed whose side you were on. For the time being, you and it were one and the same. The jujutsu sorcerer was simply a common enemy.

“Trust me, I was looking out for you.” You taunted again.

Although your voice was soft, it carried well. It crawled coldly up Nanami’s spine just to rattle him. However, your words caused him to hesitate; his glasses were discarded, most likely broken, and you watched his brow furrow with confusion.

“Trust you?” Nanami sucked in the air greedily, your blows playfully devious.

For the information you sought, you had to prove yourself and your alliances. Nanami was never a good liar and it was never an option to have him be aware of his position as a pawn. The less he knew, the better.

“Hey, Kento—” You called to him as he pushed off his knee to stand again. Waving a cloth-covered knife before you, Nanami hid his shock. He didn’t even feel you swipe his weapon. “Find me when you wake up.”

Nanami knew nothing in this world came easy. He knew love took practice and vowed never to put in the hours. He knew metamorphosis took danger and, most likely, pain.

However, with his vision disappearing, he welcomed the darkness that consumed him. He knew nothing any longer except that his subconscious seemed to reach for you.

—

2013…

Clear as a memory, the dream’s outline, dark and sticky, crept closer.

Nanami closed his eyes, a nasty habit he’d been taunted with.

Every step had been memorized that there was no need to question his stride. There were just shy of 40 steps from his desk to the elevator. From one of the top floors to the lobby of the building took only a few minutes. Then, roughly 5000 steps to the always-burnt-coffee diner a handful of blocks away.

The ritualistic nature of the journey happened every day. Although Nanami clocked out, his body hesitated to return home. He wasn’t sure where to fit this unorthodox routine. It was neither work nor pleasure, just perverse impulsivity. Every step was intentional, with the ability to retrace. Over and over, the routine was just shy of obsessive.

Nanami opened his eyes at the neon sign that flickered with age. Pushing through the door, the chime welcomed his presence, allowing the breath he held to be replaced with greasy air and soft chatter.

The leather booth creased against his suit as he sat in the darkest corner. Nanami counted the steps it took for the waitress to reach him—13 unlucky steps—to take his order. He noted the curses weighing at her ankles while she repeated his simple order: a cup of black coffee and the day’s pie.

His ears buzzed with indifference, manners on autopilot as the waitress offered pleasantries. Nanami missed her body growing rigid, eyes glazing over as if her sight wasn’t hers. Her stiffened hands dropped the pen, and on reflex, Nanami reached for it.

“Ever the gentleman, Nanami.” You hummed on his return. He hadn’t bothered to gasp your name or act surprised to see you opposite him so suddenly. If anything, your technique seemed to be a nuisance. “What? No long time, no see?”

Nanami’s disjointed relationship with sorcery met its match with you. “What do you want?”

The diner was warm with a knowing tension. It removed the chill from your skin and cradled you into a comfortable position. Your eyes flickered to outside. Decorations were starting to litter the telephone poles and people wrapped their thin sweaters around them tightly.

Nanami knew you hated the holidays as the hollow loneliness mocked you. When you were both still in school, he made it manageable and a little less loathsome. Yet, your adult lives festered creating a distance that was too dead to fully die.

“Did they find you?” Nanami pulled your eyes back to him. Your scowl confirmed his suspicion. “You know better—

“That’s not why I’m here.” You hissed. You weren’t trying to intimidate him, but you couldn’t help but pout at his lack of enthusiasm. You caved first. “...I saw something.”

Your left eye twitched, warning you your premonition was soon to be true. It was on the simpler side, a vision of dark shadows intentionally elusive.

When you were younger, you thought you were crazy, seeing apparitions or former lives. However, as years passed, familiar faces began to fill your vision, showing truths you became excited to fulfill. But they became warped with opposing desires and reverberating fear wreathed with vindication.

It made things sour and sore. It allowed trouble to seek you out just to be ill-prepared for your counter. It wasn’t bravery that energized you, nor was it skill. Pure spite drove you to be the worst of all.

“You think I’m evil.” You sighed, leaning into the booths corner. “You’re afraid of me because you don’t know—

“Coffee and apple pie for you—” The waitress balanced the diner's entire responsibility on and fluidly placed Nanami’s portion down. “—sorry, I haven’t taken your—

She hardened, body seemingly frozen under your gaze. You learned to move with vigilance to veil the constant fragility you felt. The defense mechanism became instinct and so you inflicted it on everyone.

“Don’t do that.” Nanami scolded you, releasing the waitress from your hypnotic ability. “I’d assume you would have learned to control that by now.”

“We all have our vices…” You mumbled, the heat of embarrassment swirling in your chest. It took focus to remain guarded, but your distraction quickly became destruction. “You’ve been counting again…”

You nodded to the way his fingers tapped in a pattern. The slight dig was telling of how well you could still read him. It was a comfort for Nanami, something mindless and reliable. However, you knew his tells and how the habit hurt when stress became all-consuming.

You looked warm, contrasting the winter beginning outside. A bubble was created that was becoming suffocating, but with you across from Nanami, it seemed just marginally bearable. Your hand flexed, skimming his, hoping to regain his attention.

“While I appreciate your concern, I am perfectly fine.” Nanami thought to sink back, but he chased the small contact. His voice was commanding, betraying his desperation. “Now, tell me what you saw.”

You had no dreams. At least ones you could remember. It was like your body was protecting you from seeing things that you shouldn't see. As if it were always on the tip of you tongue, a small semblance to let you know there was something there, just deeply hidden.

However, what you witnessed was the first clear thing you had seen in years and maybe even ever. It started off forgettable, a fantasy-like world that could be misconstrued for a fairy tale. But the fog in your mind started to swirl. The colors became deeper, more like shadows that soon transformed into familiar figures.

You recognized your own body from the anguish in your shoulders. Hunched over Nanami’s body as you held him tightly, that lump formed in your throat again. It was a quick image, one that would flash at inappropriate times.

It haunted you for weeks. It scratched at your subconscious and controlled your movements. There was no promise to when your premonition would come to fruition, but something felt off—different.

To soothe yourself, you kept your distance, following Nanami’s schedule. It was meant to be enough. Yet, you needed the tangible evidence before you. Your sentimentality was your weakness. Even your stubbornness couldn’t block the overwhelming flood of anxieties and longing.

“Nothing for you to worry about.”

“Every lie you tell incurs a debt to the truth.” Nanami knew you saw him. He could feel how you ached with dissatisfaction. “Sooner or later, that debt must be paid.”

Slowly, your control weakened. Things had shifted in your sorcery and rumors were spreading. The only truth they held was how deliberately unrestrained you were willing to be. There was no rhyme or reason behind it; at least you were close to convincing yourself of that. Regardless, it had gotten you far, the only thing you’d even consider reliable.

You stopped paying attention to the rumors the more embellished they became. To some, you were a thief, skilled a finding cursed objects and selling them well past their worth; to others, a frenzied psychopath who never lacked the upper hand.

“I know what I’m doing.”

You were far from convincing, but you refused to loose your agency. You relied on Nanami in the past. At one point, you would have considered him the only one that had the privilege. You thought he had understood that.

“You’re out of your depth.” He sipped at his coffee.

“Don’t you feel powerless living in another’s world?” You felt your heart beat against your tightening chest. You felt a needle of pain in your nose like you were near tears. “I used to think it was because I was special, destined for greatness…” You sighed. “I can’t pretend to be naive anymore—

“Then don’t.” Nanami cut you off. “You’re smarter than that.”

“Nanami…” Your tone caught his attention fully, a pondering thought left to float between you. A plead to allow things to settle just for now.

You didn’t want advice or forgiveness. All you sought from him was company. Nanami searched your expression, conflicted about whether to proceed further, but he knew his responsibility was to accept your form of worry on his behalf.

The pie he ordered remained untouched, and he doubted your habit had changed drastically enough to know you wouldn’t remember your last meal. Pulling at his tie, Nanami loosened considerably. In hindsight, he wished he took your image more seriously, not knowing it would be the last time he’d accept your unorthodox amity.

Yet for now, Nanami pushed the plate forward as a temporary olive branch. “Eat.”

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