#watch tumble mess up the quality

[messysketchyobeyme]

How to Woo A Human: Chapter 1

[Chapter 1], [Chapter 2]

Satan/Reader

(Nightbringer Spoilers)

Summary:

"Different humans have different love languages. Taking advantage of a human’s love language will allow you to gain their trust, which can be used to manipulate them easier."

As long as Satan ignored the parts about deception and manipulation and focused on the affection part, he was certain he could change himself into someone who would be worthy of love.

He would make sure of it.

—

A book fell on Satan’s head. It hurt. A lot.

He came tumbling down with a strangled shout. Grunting, Satan sat up and eyed the fallen book on the floor and snatched it up, hiding it under his jacket. 

Satan didn’t want anyone to see the book that had made him stop in his tracks at the library. It had been on the top shelf, but just within reach that Satan thought he could grab it. It seemed that he had misjudged a tad.

When Satan made sure nobody was watching, he pulled the book out. He traced his fingertips over the brown cracked leather that seemed almost too fragile to touch. The golden lettering that had initially caught his eye still shone as brightly as ever. How to Woo a Human.

Even just reading the title made Satan’s cheeks burn painfully, but he paused when he saw the tagline: A Guide To Deception, Earning a Human’s Trust, and Sealing the Deal.

Of course. Satan had only been alive for a little under two years at this point, but he should have known that no self-respecting demon would write a How-To on how to romance humans of all things. 

He should just put it back on the shelf and forget this ever happened.

Satan flipped to a random page. Love Languages.

He snapped it shut.

—

Satan can’t believe he checked out that book. That stupid, stupid book.

It sat at his desk mocking him. He sat in his chair curled up as tightly as he could. He glared at the book. 

Ugh.

Satan loved you.

Fine, he admitted it! In his head of all places but still.

He had no idea when he started to develop feelings for you. Perhaps it was when you looked at him without any of the disdain or fear the others held for him. Or maybe it was the moment you showed him what it was like to be a part of a family. Or it could have been when you had offered him a cup of water after he complained of a sore throat.

Before that, Satan had only read about love in books and fairytales. He wasn’t expecting to experience the feeling for himself. And so soon.

Satan knew you didn’t love him. He knew you liked him, just as you did with the rest of his brothers, but you didn’t love him.

How could you? Satan was overcome by rage. He screeched and thrashed, destroying everything in his wake. You were often dispatched to the House of Lamentation just to deal with his messes. Satan was unlovable.

But…perhaps this book could teach him how to be more charismatic, so you might fall in love with him.

Satan opened the front cover, flipping the pages to the chapter he had seen earlier. 

Love Languages:

Humans have five methods they use to express and receive affection. Love Languages include words of affirmation, gifts, quality time, acts of service, and physical touch.

Different humans have different love languages. Taking advantage of a hunan’s love language will allow you to gain their trust, which can be used to manipulate them easier.

As long as he ignored the parts about deception and manipulation and focused on the affection part, Satan was certain he could change himself into someone who would be worthy of love.

He would make sure of it.

[writteninlunarlight-years]

Sedated

Adam x Reader

TW: Pervy Adam, Guardian Angels, Reader unknowingly being watched, Self-touch, masturbation, Desires, obsession, clumsy ass reader

How we ended up here was beyond either of our wildest dreams. Adam had fallen from grace, desperate to prove his worth and reclaim his place in heaven. The added bonus of watching over you—a strikingly mundane mortal—was just a silver lining to his celestial punishment. For you, however, life felt like an endless loop of monotony, each day blending into the next in a haze of dull routines. 

In the mortal realm, chaos reigned, and you secretly blamed Lucifer for the mess. But today wasn’t about the cosmic battles of good and evil; it was about dragging yourself through another tedious nine-to-five, chained to the soul-sucking machinery of corporate America. After work, you’d immerse yourself in true crime documentaries, the only thrill in your otherwise drab existence, before collapsing into bed to muster the energy for another day.

Adam’s fall from grace had been ironic—a small, devilish woman had orchestrated his demise. Yet, the prospect of redemption as your guardian angel offered him a flicker of hope. He had vowed to keep you safe, ensuring that you remained blissfully unaware of the unseen chaos swirling around you. 

Yet you were no spark of entertainment; your life was a tedious boring cycle. You worked, ate, and binge-watched TV shows like every other soul on the planet. But beneath the surface, you harbored a darker side, a flicker of rebellion that emerged during your worst days. Perhaps that was why Adam had been assigned to you—there was little danger in your life, just a series of mundane tasks punctuated by occasional enjoyable nights.

On this particular day, fate had conspired against you. You had slept through your work alarm, and slept blissfully unaware of the fire alarm also blaring in your apartment complex. Adam, in a state of panic, had done everything possible to intervene without alerting anyone else. With a gentle but firm push, he nudged you out of bed, waking you in a daze. 

Draped in a sheer silk nightgown and a fluffy robe, you rushed downstairs, only to find the fire marshal casually informing you that it was just a tripped wire. As you and Adam exchanged simultaneous facepalms, he couldn’t help but marvel at your ability to sleep through the chaos—and his own lack of foresight in checking the building.

Once back in your apartment, the reality of your tardiness dawned on you. Groaning, you scrambled to get dressed. In Adam’s misguided attempt to help, he had placed your shoes near the door, leading you to trip and smack your head against the wall. With a growing bruise on your forehead and a now-lost security deposit, you bolted out the door.

The day continued its downward spiral. Your coffee was scalding hot, burning your tongue. A passing truck sent a wave of mud splattering across your clothes. The elevator in your office building was out of order, forcing you to climb nineteen flights of stairs in heels, your patience wearing thinner with each step.

Meanwhile, Adam was feeling the strain, too. He had never seen you in such a chaotic state, and while he had been tasked with keeping you safe, his interventions seemed to lead you into misfortune. When Jacob, your overly friendly coworker, got too close, you found yourself tumbling into Sarah’s lap, laughter erupting around you, the workplace gossip already brewing.

The copy machine malfunctioned, resulting in an ink explosion that painted you from head to toe. And when you attempted to sneak into the men’s bathroom—desperate for some privacy due to the womens bathroom being out of order—you ended up trapped as every male coworker seemed to have an urgent need. 

By the time you returned home, you needed a serious reset. A long shower and some quality "me time" were in order. As you prepared a quick meal, doom-scrolling through your phone, you felt the weight of the day begin to lift. After a quick tidy-up, you retreated to your room, pulling out your feel-good essentials.

Adam, watching from his hidden vantage point, felt a thrill of anticipation. He knew what was coming. As you slipped into the shower, an ethereal glow enveloped you, and he settled into the cozy corner of your room, entranced by the thought of what was soon to come. 

You emerged from the bathroom, a vision of perfection, your hair cascading around your shoulders. Adam’s breath hitched as you moved with an alluring grace, pulling out your toys with an enticing casualness that sent his heart racing. 

The moment you climbed into bed, he felt a primal urge wash over him. As you began to explore your own body, he mirrored your movements, his hand working in tandem with yours against his own body. Each sigh and moan that escaped your lips tugged at his very soul, igniting a deep yearning within him.

Taking his weeping cock in hand he sighed as he watched you lean back and run your hand across your body. He began soft slow strokes keeping in time with your touches and caresses.

As your hand dipped over your chest and down your stomach, feeling yourself, his breath hitched. He almost whined at the thought of burying his head in your heat. How sweet you must taste with how much of you was soaking your precious folds.

One hand of yours spread your folds open, displaying your pretty pink hole, while the other rubbed your pert nipples. He was in awe at how every time you did this, it was like he was watching you the first time. Like he was a child learning what sex really was. How could one person look so damn good doing something so sinful?

He sped up his pace on his cock as he watched your pretty fingers dive in. Oh, how he knew his length could reach places far deeper than those pretty little fingers. You struggled to attempt to touch where you needed relief, where he knew in a few languid strokes he could have you seeing stars.

As you moaned and panted, Adam could only imagine if it was him making those sounds come from you. If you were begging for him and whining out his name so softly. Gripping on his thick arms, bouncing with his pace, eyes crossed and overwhelmed.

He watched as minutes passed by, your fingers abused your tight hole and sensitive bud. He was eager to watch the next part unfold. As you turned on your toy, he watched your hole clench around nothing. A deep groan left him as he imagined that tight clench around his large length.

As you slowly rubbed the toy along yourself, making it nice and wet, he licked his lips, his red tip pulsing with the need for more than his hand. He wished for you to come over and blow him till your throat was sore or even just let him abuse your cunt. He desired nothing more than to not be a figment in your life but a passionate lover as he made you realize who you really belonged to.

However, as the toy slid in and you let out the softest more whorish moan, he was a goner. He was pounding his cock, whispering your name under his breath, hoping that maybe this would connect you two better. He was pussy whipped, and he hadn't even had the chance to physically take you yet.

If you could fuck yourself so good like this, you were definitely worth the first man's dick. He watched as the toy was slowly sucked into your greedy hole, and he was jerking into his hand. He wanted to keep up with your pace and learn exactly how you liked it; however, the languid bounce of your tits and heightened moans only made him lose control as he stroked his length harder.

You looked and sounded so beautiful, so amazingly hot and gorgeous. He wanted to be the one making you beg like this, not some silicone toy. However, as you built yourself up to climax, he also began to see white as he spilled over his large hand. A low groan of your name was barely heard by you.

Adam's thick white cum was covering his hand and robes as he looked at your pretty legs shake from your orgasm. He was whipped, to say the least, at this point. He stood resituating himself, what he would give for you to use that mouth to clean him up slowly.

At first, this may have started with him wanting to become an angel again, but now his goal is to get you to heaven with him so he can really show you a good time and let his name fall from your pretty lips. All he knew now, as time passed, was that he wouldn't be Sedated till he finally had you in his arms.

[grandlinedreams]

[heads up!: mentions of alcohol/being drunk, suggestive at the end]

The bar is too noisy. Around you there are voices overlapping one another, bursts of raucous laughter and overinflated retelling of tales made of varying levels of truth.

You nurse your own drink, keeping an eye on the tablefull of your own crew and rolling your eyes as you spot a head of dark hair bobbing in the mess of it, the burst of familiar laughter that accompanies it. Of course he'd be in that maelstrom of activity, feeding off of it and stoking the inebriated fire with rounds of drinks you know they won't remember in the morning.

This is his kind of scene ㅡ he always looks prettiest when he's glowing like a supernova, cheeks flush with the praise that tumbles from crewmates' lips.

Somewhere in your reverie, you've lost track of him ㅡ and then there's an arm being slung over your shoulder, pulling you to someone who smells of woodsmoke and ocean. "Having fun?"

"Oh yes," you say, "watching our beloved crewmates get absolutely trashed is the highlight of this evening."

Ace laughs outright at that, and you're certain you're never going to get sick of that sound or the way his eyes crinkle at the corners when he smiles. "And here I thought I was the highlight of your day."

"You always are," you answer, catching the answering flush of his cheeks, though it may be the alcohol he's also drank tonight.

"Let's get out of here," Ace says, halfway to pulling you out of your chair before you can even respond and you offer a choked yelp, trying to finish your drink without slopping it over yourself and your boyfriend.

"Ace, my drink!"

"Oh, here." He pivots towards you, nimble fingers easing the glass from your fingers ㅡ and promptly downs the rest of it before tugging you along with him.

"Ace," you half-pant from the way he's tugged you out of the bar, "when I said 'my drink', I didn't mean for you to drink it!"

There's a whine to your tone, one that makes Ace blink. "I'm sorry babe," he says, and you expect him to offer to replace it, or tease you about how slow you drink ㅡ he does neither.

Ace's lips are warm against yours, a little wind-chapped but familiar, and your lips part when he nips at your bottom one to deepen the kiss. He tastes like the alcohol he's been drinking tonight, warm and heady, making your head spin as you pull him closer.

Ace lets you, his own hands at your hips, squeezing as he backs you against the wall, slotting a leg between yours. There's a low, thrumming heat building in your veins, and you gasp when Ace pulls from your lips in favor of refocusing on your neck, sucking at your pulse point.

"Not here," you manage, reaching up to tug at his hair and shivering when he groans against your skin. "Ace, no. Not here."

He reluctantly pulls away, and you're not sure if the blown-wide quality of his pupils is from alcohol anymore. "Let's go back," he says, "while everyone's still busy here."

You stumble a little as he tugs you along, clinging to his hand. "If we're caught, I swear--"

He turns, offering you that dazzling smile that edges into a dangerous smirk. "We won't be, if you can stay quiet."

[britt-kageryuu]

Donnie and Mikey are in the kitchen set, they're both in chef's uniform. Though Donnie has his AR glasses on, they offered Mikey a pair, but he declined because 'it would distract him from cooking'.

They're making 'Summer Snacks with some science'.

Donnie grabs an odd looking device and sets it up while the audience is questioning what it is. Mikey has returned with salt, cream, a few random labeled canisters, and a cooler.

"Okay, so now we're going to show you some easy ways to make your own icecream. Though results may vary, this is how we make it." Donnie explains while pulling a few pint sized tubes from inside the machine.

"Oooohh, there's so many possible flavors to make!" Mikey gushes while placing down ingredients, "I want to try mixing up this one flavor I saw pop up in my feed. What was the mixture again?" Mikey pulls out his phone to look up the recipe.

"While you do that, I will start with a sorbet recipe, and see how if it sets properly. We haven't messed with sorbet as much, I don't think it's too different, but it's for food science!" Donnie exclaimed as he grabs a food processor type gadget. He has a projection of a recipe floating next to him. "Okay, so depending on which recipe, this either needs sugar, or syrup, fruit puree or juice... it's almost just a more complex juice pop than something like icecream."

"I think I found the one I saw earlier!" Mikey announces while holding his phone in the air. "Alright, so we just need to make a vanilla base, and add a few extra things. Though we need to substitute a couple ingredients in this one."

"It has nuts in it?" Donnie questions while tossing some cut up fruit into the food processor.

"It has nuts in it." Mikey confirmed, "I wonder if I could switch it for sunflower seeds, or would it mess up the taste?" He asked out loud while looking over the ingredients they have prepared.

"Well these will just be small batches, so just test it out. If it doesn't work, Red will still eat it. Since it shouldn't trigger his nut allergies." Donnie replies back while measuring out the sugar to add to the sorbet mixture.

Mikey nods his head, then starts grabbing what he needs to make the vanilla ice cream base for his mix.

Donnie then cleared his throat, "Now for those who have been asking, this device is a custom built Ice Cream Maker, that makes multiple small batches at once. You put the mixture into these tubes, and they go inside the machine where it gets a bit tumbled and mixes while being super chilled." Donnie has some videos demonstrating how the machine works pop up while he explains this.

"It's very handy for when we all can't agree on which flavor we want to make. Or we want to mess around with multiple flavors." Mikey adds while mixing together the cream, milk, sugar, some salt, and some fresh-ish vanilla bean.

The audience watched as the two mix together several ice cream mixtures that get put into the Ice Cream maker, and a few Sorbet mixes get put into the freezer.

"While those get mixed and set, let's use the rest of this fruit to make some refreshing drink mixes!" Mikey shouts while Donnie cleans up some of the work area.

"Let's hope we still have some of that delicious melon left. Because you're still banned from that farmers market right?" Donnie asks nonchalantly with a small smug look.

Mikey freezes before turning towards Donnie with a harsh glare, "You know good and well, that it was not my fault! He wanted $50 for a small bag of citrus fruits, that were $10 at most at a different stall." He says with a slight growl.

"Well you didn't need to beat him up over it."

"He said my culinary skills were worse than prison quality! Prison Quality! He deserved to be sent to the worst prison in the world for that!!!" Mikey yells, shocking the audience.

The audience are spamming the chat with lots of confused messages and emojis combinations.

"I would question why he insulted your cooking, but I don't want to get on Dr. Delicate Touch's bad side." Donnie says, "Do we have any club soda left, of do we need to send Blue to get more?" They add to try redirect the subject, and not get something thrown at him for bringing up the topic in the first place.

The continue on with testing out drinks, until the timer went off to check on the ice cream. The audience split on wanting to know more about Mikey getting banned from a farmers market, and wanting to talk about what the duo was making during the stream.

----------------

Masterpost

I had at least part of this story as a prompt planned for a while. The rest was just 'I want to write Smarts and Crafts doing something together'.

[voraciousvore]

Giganterra (Chapter 13)

Prologue/ TOC | Previous (12) | Next (14)

Word Count: 2.6k

------ Chapter 13: Insignificance ------

Tanya continued to struggle against the giant fingers holding her, even as they retaliated with brutal force. “L-l-let me go,” she stammered in defiance of the unpleasant constriction to her ribcage. 

Ronny marched forward in silence, brows furrowed in a scowl. He considered ignoring her, but her incessant wriggling was beginning to wear on his nerves. “If I let you go now, you’ll fall to your death,” he grumbled, squeezing his fingers in a warning. 

Tanya sucked in a sharp breath as she peered over the side of his fist, to the precipitous decline far below. She imagined plummeting, tumbling down the impossible distance, where those gigantic polished shoes that strode forward would stomp her into jelly without the slightest hint of remorse. She wilted in defeat. There was no escape from his clutches. She couldn’t fathom the grisly tortures that awaited her. What if he was cruel, and loved to tease and torment his prey? What if he was violent and bloodthirsty and derived gratification from slicing her to ribbons? What if he was some sick pervert and made her perform for him? She felt ill as her thoughts ran wild. 

The giant prince carried her into his room. His servant was present, tidying up his mess. When the servant saw him, he bowed and hastened to get out, lest Ronny find a reason to scream at him or beat him. Ronny glared at his inferior but let him go without any verbal abuse. He narrowed his gaze at the new miniature house set up on his bedside table. He didn’t like it, not at all. The structure was a blight upon his personal space, unsightly and unnecessary. He didn’t want a pet human, and he was angry at his father for foisting another unwelcome burden on his shoulders. 

He didn’t bother to examine the young woman in his hand. He opened the roof of the enclosure and carelessly dropped her inside. She fell on her rear with a small cry and gazed up at him with wide eyes. For a brief moment, he paused as his dark irises locked onto her tawny ones, which were full of emotion. He stared down at her coldly. He had to admit she was beautiful, but his heart was unmoved. He didn’t care about humans, and he didn’t care about her. He slammed the lid, making her recoil, and stomped out of the room. 

Tanya was too frightened to move as Ronny left, shutting the door in his wake hard enough to make the walls rattle. Her eyes darted around the human enclosure, drinking in the details. She was surprised to see a bed, a couch, and other conveniences that she didn’t have access to while in prison. The furniture was of admirable quality, worthy of a royal—or at least, of a royal’s pet or doll. She didn’t like the lack of privacy, with the clear walls: The idea of the prince staring at her like some exotic little oddity, or watching her while she slept or bathed, made her shudder. 

By now, with her sentencing, Tanya was used to being locked up. If anything, her material condition had improved significantly. However, she would’ve traded anything to be back in her dank, uncomfortable, subterranean cell as an uncertain fate loomed over her. She was terrified. Her skin prickled with unease at every sound, every vibration. She feared the prince would return at any moment, pluck her out of her little house, and do unspeakable horrors. She settled in, waiting for his inevitable return with a pit of dread gnawing at her core. 

She was left alone, to stew in her anxiety, for several hours. As the sunlight streaming in from the window faded, the prince came back. Tanya’s heart jumped into her throat when he opened the door and clomped in. She fully expected him to open the roof again and snatch her up, but instead he ignored her again. He didn’t even glance her way as his manservant undressed him and prepared him for bed. He lit an oil lamp, laid down in bed, and read a book for a while, with his face still pinched into a perpetual glower.  

Tanya’s heart hammered against her ribs, yet the prince acted as if nobody else was in the room—as if she didn’t exist. She realized that, to him, she was nothing, as insignificant as an inanimate object, not worthy of his attention or even a passing thought. She supposed she should be relieved by this revelation, since he didn’t bother to touch or tease her, but it disturbed her deeply. She felt small—not merely in a physical sense, when everything around her was on such a massive scale, but in a spiritual sense, as if she had been reduced from the status of a person down to a speck of dust. 

The giant marked his spot in his book, extinguished his lamp, and fell asleep. Tanya was too on edge to rest. She hugged her knees with her arms and rocked in place, in an effort to calm down her racing thoughts. The moon was bright, and filtered in through the window with a soft otherworldly glow. The giant prince’s profile was illuminated in the pale light, emphasizing the appealing outline of his nose and lips and the elegant curve of his forehead. His noble features in slumber remained serious, yet less severe than when he was awake. His chest rose and fell with slow, rhythmic breaths. The sound of his breathing was deep and full and seemed to fill the room, since he was so large and close. 

As Tanya absorbed the details of his haughty countenance, observing him sleep, she wondered what kind of man he was. He seemed forbidding and cold, as frosty as the depths of winter. Yet, there was volatile emotion smoldering just beneath that icy exterior, that threatened to break through and burn with hot wrath anyone or anything that angered him to ash. Tanya sensed that he was dangerous, and she was frightened of what would happen if she awakened that monstrous rage inside him. She would need to placate his inner beast if she hoped to survive, with how fragile she would be in his giant hands. 

She turned away from the sight and curled into a ball on the unfamiliar, yet comfortable, bed, pulling the sheets around her like a protective cocoon. She eventually nodded off, until she was awakened by the vibrations of a giant servant entering the prince’s bedroom in the early morning. He was carrying a fancy breakfast tray lavishly adorned with a sumptuous feast, including a stack of pancakes, sweet berries and cream, powdered scones, eggs, and fresh-squeezed orange juice. As Tanya beheld the wide variety of foods, her stomach growled. She hadn’t eaten since she’d been in her prison cell, which was only yesterday but felt so far away, like eons had passed. Her life had changed drastically in only a day. 

Her blood chilled when she saw the servant was accompanied by Chester, the royal food tester. He sniffed the air, caught sight of her, and grinned with a slavering maw full of white teeth. Her heart jumped and she fled to hide under the bed. She never wanted to come in contact with that man-eating monster again. Her stomach flipped at the thought that the prince might want to eat her with his breakfast. Was that the reason she was here, and the prince was indifferent to her presence? Was she just a snack for him when his belly pined for living meat? She broke into a cold sweat as she observed Chester sample each breakfast entrée, smelling and tasting for poison. Ronny seemed bored as he waited for clearance to eat his meal. 

Chester approved the breakfast and left, along with the servant. Tanya stayed under the bed, too afraid to crawl out, as the prince scarfed down his meal. Fortunately, he didn’t appear to have any interest in eating her, and just like the previous day, he acted as if she didn’t exist. Tanya sighed with relief, wiping the beads of sweat from her forehead. Just when she thought she was in the clear, however, Ronny’s father walked in. King Richard had a dreadful, sinister aura that seemed to suck all the oxygen out of the room. Ronny stiffened; Tanya noticed his hand nearby to her on the bed clench into a tight fist.  

“How’s your morning going, Ronny? Did you sleep well last night?” the king rumbled. Even though his words were ostensibly innocuous, his tone concealed a sharp barb, as if he had a point to drive home. 

“Fine,” Ronny replied through gritted teeth. 

“Just fine? Nothing more?” Tanya shivered. Though his verbalization wasn’t directed at her, the air around her nevertheless developed an insidious chill. The king’s pale, cold eyes narrowed as he regarded his son. “Ronny, do you understand the purpose of this exercise? Why I decided to bestow upon you a human, in my illustrious wisdom? What I’m trying to inculcate in you?” 

Ronny averted his gaze, his lips settling into a thin line. “N-no,” he mumbled noncommittally. 

The king frowned, accentuating the wrinkles in his weathered skin. “You need to learn to be cruel, Ronny. To harden your heart to the suffering of the weak and vulnerable, and take what is rightfully yours. You will be the king someday, and you cannot allow yourself to be swayed by flighty sentiments of sympathy. Do you get it now?” 

“Y-yes... Father...” Ronny slumped down, as if he wanted to shrink into the bed and disappear. 

“You can’t be like your brother was, Ronny. He was weak. I won’t tolerate having a weak son, especially as a direct heir.” 

“Right.” The prince’s voice was flimsy, almost a whisper. 

The king lingered for an uncomfortably long moment, before his severe expression lightened up and he switched gears. “I brought something for you. A little gift, if you will.” He reached into his pocket and fished out a leather cord, like a necklace, but instead of displaying a charm or gem for decoration, it had a peculiar cylindrical clasp with small buckled straps hanging from the metal ring.  

He tossed it to Ronny, who squinted at the odd object with skepticism. “What is this?” 

The king peeled back his tunic to reveal that he was wearing the same necklace. He extracted it from under his shirt to reveal its true purpose, and Tanya clamped her hands over her mouth to repress a shriek of horror. The clasp and straps formed a harness for a human, which was currently occupied by a big-breasted blonde woman whom Tanya recognized as one of her fellow tributes. Only a glimpse was necessary to fathom the depths of her misery: She was stark naked, with watery eyes and a flushed face streaked with tears. The metal clasp cinched around her waist, and the straps gripped her shoulders so that she was suspended in place from the cord, unable to escape. She was clearly frightened, embarrassed, and bewildered to be yanked out and dangled so high up in the air. 

“It’s a human carrier.” King Richard smiled down at Candy as he shook the cord playfully. She let out a soft cry as she spun in a circle. He pressed her to his lips in a kiss, eliciting a grimace from her, before tucking her back into his clothes to be against his bare chest again. “I have one for your sister as well, and I have a busy day planned, so I’ll be on my way. I bid you adieu.” Without waiting for a reply from his sullen son, he left the room. 

Ronny curled his lip with disgust at the trinket. He didn’t like the idea of one of those vile little vermin writhing on his chest all day like a worm on a hook. He tossed the necklace aside and stared into the void, fuming. He despised his father. He hated him for his efforts to shape him in his own image. He resented the disappearance of his beloved older brother. He was disgusted by his sick perversions and his weird sadistic fascination with abusing tiny people. He felt overwhelmed by the burden of expectations weighing him down, warping him into the grotesque likeness of his father. 

The rage flowing through him reached a crescendo and needed an immediate outlet. Ronny, without the guidance of good parents or a trusted mentor to confide in, didn’t know how to deal constructively with his unbridled emotions. All he knew was violence, praised by his father, especially when he unloaded his wrath on the servants or humans. Thus, he was encouraged to let out his excess feelings through a show of physical force. He lifted up the breakfast tray, heaped up with half-eaten food, and smashed it against the wall with a feral scream. He took the hand-painted porcelain plates and bowls and shattered them to pieces. He stomped on the food, squashing it into a pulp and staining the carpet. He howled again and punched the wall for good measure, though he only managed to bruise his knuckles on the stone bricks. 

There was something uniquely horrifying about watching a full-grown adult man throw a tantrum like a toddler. Tanya may have even found the display comedic, if not for the inconvenient fact that the man was a giant over two hundred feet tall, and she was now his prisoner or pet. If that unrestrained fury was directed at her, she wouldn’t stand a chance. He could tear her in half, throw her against a wall or out a window, rip off her limbs, cut her open, snap her spine, chomp her into chunks with his teeth. There was no limit to the potential depravity. Tanya retreated further under the bed, until she couldn’t see the prince any longer, and huddled into a fetal position, covering her head under her arms. 

The vibrations of the giant’s footsteps traveled through the floor beneath her as he stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Tanya didn’t feel like coming out. Yet again, she was frightened, and she had too much from the events of the morning to process. While she was at least spared the humiliation of being stripped naked, dangled from a necklace, and other mistreatments she couldn’t envision without melting into a puddle, she nevertheless feared for her life. The giant prince might kill her with his hot temper. 

She heard a giant come into the room, and bristled, bracing herself for anything. However, the giant revealed himself to be one of the servants as he muttered to himself under his breath, “spoiled brat, always raising a fuss.” Tanya listened to his continued cursing, shards of porcelain clinking together, soapy water sloshing in a bucket, and scrubbing as the servant cleaned up the prince’s mess.  

Her stomach felt empty as she was reminded of all that glorious food, wasted. For the time being, she had lost her appetite in the turbulent soup of emotions, but she knew she’d have to eat eventually. The thought of a giant opening her enclosure to feed her terrified her, though. She didn’t want those huge hands anywhere near her; she didn’t want to imagine something so terrifying. She needed to get out of here. She crunched up tighter, like a wad of discarded garbage, and sobbed into her hands, too afraid to make a sound. 

Chapter 14

[sonicjustbecause]

And if... (a matter of point of view... maybe?? Not sure, honestly).

To me is jarring seeing how Iizuka describle Shadow (he pratically has only negative traits, no positives, yet he has no weak spots, like an anti Mary-Sue because 'Ultimatehhh'), and how we perceive him from stories and games from the '00s and then from the '20s.

Perhaps, the Shadow that is the closest to Iizuka descriptions is IDW Shadow.

Verbalase youtube

However I remember years ago, when I was in the Dragon Ball fandom, I was reading a blog on Tumbls. It belonged to a Japanese, living in Japan who wrote in a perfect English. So he also liked to follow and read western blogs and forums on Dragon Ball.

What surprised him is how we perceive Vegeta. We describled him with a deep and rich analysis. He as Japanese would describle Vegeta as:

A stern, old fashioned Japanese householder.

Is not wrong, but is not the thing we notice most. We notice that he is proud, that he has inferiority complex, that he loves his family and that he enjoy fighting. And many other things. Perhaps Japaneses don't focus on those traits. They think they are not important.

Partly I considered that as a Japanese, Iizuka might focus on a different angle of the same thing. Or japanese might perceve the very same thing in a total different way than we do.

But I'm not to sure. Iizuka has always been quite inconsistent, he tends to change his mind very often. My issue with him is the fact that after he changed his mind, he totally denies he ever said differently in the past and I'm not blunt here. A lot of people have issues with him.

I prefer Toriyama. he was more intellectually honest. He messed up a lot, but he admitted he had a poor memory and forgot many thing. At the same time he though this flaw could be a source of cooler idea.

Like recently when he said that Shadow is based on Spawn when until last year we all know he was based on Vegeta - although softer and more open minded - there are also notes about that. (Never heard about Spawn associated with Shadow before 2024) .

However Shadow was describled very differently in early days, and the descriptions were provided by the Japaneses:

- Kind of a ninja (and it showed in Sa2, he acted smartly more than brutish, ninja are known to keep a low profile. In fact he actually won in SA2, mostly thanks to his brain, before changing his mind) - Thoughful (doesn't laugh) - it was very obvious. Actually, we don't know how his laugh sounds like. Except for ShtH 2005, but there it was a 'what if if Shadow goes full villain?' so... - Vegeta (post Bu)

Also (By Maekawa)

- Dainty

What David Humphrey was told by those from SoJ, when he gave his voice to Shadow in Sa2

- Menacing but with a heart

Sounds quite balanced and detailed enough. The traits are mostly neutral. Flexible enough to work both as villain and as hero without loosing his charm.

I agree with this description made by japaneses in the early days, although I'm a westerner. I coul see those traits.

So I don't really know about Iizuka's view. Maybe he really wants Shadow to be OP and barely with any reemeding qualities and that's unique with him?.

And maybe Vegeta as a typical old fashioned japanese dad is the unique interpretation of that person and not all Japanese think the same. In Dragon Ball Vegeta was describled differently and more in line to what most people think (I watched all the episodes where Vegeta was describled in Japanese, it matched the Italian script, nowhere I saw him describled as 'old fashioned Japanese dad')

Might be a matter of very personal experiences.

[escapingrealtiylovinginsanity]

How many kids do you see Will wanting with his wife

I ended up going way overboard with his. (sorrynotsorry)

Hmm, I always see him with at least two. When you grow up with a sibling I feel like you want your children to have the same exerperance. The good, bad, and ugly.

I think three would be his lucky number. Two boys and a girl.

The first boy would be Will's payback. He is stubborn, hardheaded, and a fast learner. When he is young, he will cling to his dad and become like a second shadow. He wants to be just like him. But as he gets older, he tests his boundaries and tests them hard. He is smart and has a sharp tongue and sarcasm that matches his Uncle Jay. There is never a doubt that they love each other, but the teenage years are rough. His firstborn is just a little too much like him and it causes them to bump heads more than once. He watches his son go through his rebel stage with absolute fear. He starts drinking and gets arrested at a party thrown in an abandoned building. Will was furious when picking up his son from the station. He would never admit the humor of watching his still-drunk son arguing legal logistics- and winning- with the arresting officer. Will isn't surprised when his son passes the bar and becomes a hotshot lawyer. Even all the sass and arrogance doesn't stop him from having a soft spot for the people who need him. He does more pro bono work than everyone in his firm combined and then some.

His second boy is wild. Will spent his first six years arguing with himself about whether he should put his hyperactive son on ADHD medication. When he takes his son in for a broken arm after trying to flip off the monkey bars he knows he needs to do something. He puts him on medication. And it works his son is calm and thrashing through the house like a hurricane and it is a breath of relief for Will. But his son is miserable and it doesn't take long for Will to see. His son stared blankly at the TV. Will talks to Daniel who poses a brilliant solution. Will signs his son up for gymnastics. The schedule is more than intense but it improves his overall quality of life. His grades improve, he sleeps better, and he becomes more engaged with his family. When he abruptly withdraws from the family Will becomes concerned. The conversation doesn't go as either Halstead expects. Because his son's dirty little secret isn't dirty at all. And Will couldn't think of one thing he could care less about than his son being gay. The partners he picks for his first few years, however, are less than desirable.

The girl would be the youngest and absolutely his little red-headed princess. A complete daddy's girl and Will would be wrapped around her finger. She was as sweet as her temper was bad- she is a ginger after all. Her face dotted with freckles and her hair a mess of curls. She was rough and tumble- having two older brothers to keep up with does that to you. A princess that fought and acted like a tomboy. Will couldn't get her out of her Halloween fairy wings for over a year. As she got older and started wearing makeup and liking boys. Her dad and brothers became unbearable. Nobody she liked was good enough. Then she decked Thomas Grant in her freshman year after he grabbed her butt. She got suspended but her dad and brothers gave her some breathing room to talk to boys. They tried not to hover too much- but they were still threatening anyone who made a move on her. She was Will's science girl. And unlike him, she applied herself through school. Will would have helped pay for it but she had a full ride to college. She ends up following her father's footsteps for emergency medicine but goes the surgical route.

[patheticbatman]

The 52nd Win A Commission Contest was the film Napoleon (1995)! I wrote it in prose form in conjunction with my drawings (lmk if you think I should add the songs), so if you’d like to see that, please

Once upon a time, there was a golden retriever puppy, who had big dreams, and no idea how to reach them.

His mother had named him Muffin, but one day, he heard humans speak a name – Napoleon! – And knew that had to be his true name. In his soul, he knew his heart beat to a tune that was both more warlike and wild. Often he had even heard the howls of wild dogs. Unfortunately, no one else saw it like that, and his mother insisted on calling him Muffin.

It didn’t help that he was afraid of water. He told himself that while every warrior had his trials, there was no need to be afraid of the humans’ pool; he was bred for swimming. Still, he hesitated.

One day, the small human had a birthday party. Cruelly, but without malice – for many young creatures are oft inconsiderate – the child decided to show off Napoleon's adorable qualities by placing him on a turtle pool floaty. The puppy panicked. Then, in an even worse turn of events, the humans forgot he was there, and soon he floated to the middle of the pool – the stuff of nightmares for both him and his mother.

Thankfully, the floaty eventually made its way to the steps of the pool, and Napoleon rescued himself – though not before a balloon fell on his head.

Irritated, he chewed and slobbered on the various objects the children left by the poolside to assuage his ego.

Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted something new to investigate - a basket, tied to a bunch of helium balloons. He crawled in, much to the chagrin of his mother. She asked him to get out immediately, but embarrassed and overfocused on asserting his bravery, he did not heed her commands. And as she was tied to the dog house, she could do nothing to enforce them.

His wiggling and jiggling as he sniffed all over the basket – it smelled and tasted like a child with a lightly sticky hands had been messing with it – he did not notice that the basket had come untethered. Only when he had righted himself, did he notice that the basket - and thus himself – were in fact, flying.

His mother pleaded with him to jump out, but the balloons rose too fast, and he was soon too high up to tumble out safely. Both parent and puppy were terrified, and she tried to assure her son that he would stuck get in the trees, and to just sit tight.

But through some twisted miracle, he floated into the open sky.

Trying to calm his nerves as his mother’s frantic barking grew fainter and the world underneath grew smaller, he sang a song of adventure. A warrior, a true, wild dog, must of course be able to make the best of bad situations.

Soon he floated out of the suburbs, and into Sydney, seeing the incredibly tall skyscrapers from above for the first time.

And just when he was starting to float down, and his hopes rose – for maybe some human could take him home! – His basket got caught on the front spike of a monorail train.

Speeding through the city, he enjoyed the wind in his face and the rush of people in cars below. Unfortunately, the train came to a stop, and his basket came loose, and once again, he was free - floating right towards the harbor. Water!

Soon, he was over open water, and the weight of the situation settled heavily on his poor heart. A plane passed overhead, but did not hear his pleas for rescue.

But a lost galah named Birdo did. Screeching and curious, but also cautious for the puppy, he encouraged Napoleon to sit more securely and balanced in the basket. However, Birdo was still a bird, and he had a bird-brained idea. As the two floated over a beach, Birdo started popping the balloons in an attempt to gradually lower Napoleon to land.

Bemused, for Napoleon did not quite follow the plan, he watched as the first popped balloon fell to the side of the basket. However, by the second, the basket began to worryingly shudder its way to the ground - and Napoleon was not close. Still, Birdo persisted.

Unfortunately, the fourth popped balloon was one too many, and the basket hurtled to the ground.

Horrified, Birdo screamed for Napoleon to jump out as the basket impacted, and then began bouncing and rolling violently down the windswept cliff. When the basket finally reached the bottom, Birdo feared the worst, for he saw no sign of the puppy.

But it was empty! Napoleon was on a rock ledge. He ridiculed Birdo, and the galah was both irritated at Napoleon's ingratitude, and worried over the puppy’s fate in the wild.

Napoleon, ignoring both his and Birdo’s fears, decided to embrace his situation and go look for wild dogs. He climbed up a different cliff to overlook a vast rainforest. Birdo warned him that house pets don’t survive out in the wild and said he should head home. Hearing the call of a wild dog, Napoleon ignored Birdo’s warnings and descended into the forest.

It was soon dark, but Napoleon wasn’t worried, making his way through the slender moonlit trees. High above him, a tawny frogmouth caught his attention and warned that housepets either died or became something monstrous to survive. Napoleon once again ignored the advice, believing that the frogmouth was merely trying to frighten him.

—

Eventually, Napoleon decided it was time to sleep. He had gone a long way today, and would likely have further to go.

Napoleon ran across a spider and asked her for a good place to sleep. She instead fished for a compliment about her web. Napoleon pointed out a mistake, panicked because it stuck to his nose, ran through the web and ruined some more of it with his tail. The spider was quite displeased.

Unconcerned, the puppy ventured forth, until he came to a great tree, with a tunnel running between its roots. Napoleon sniffed it, hoping that it could be his bed for the night, but found it to be someone’s home. Calling out in the hope of finding someone willing to share for the night, Napoleon did not notice a feral black cat watching him from above.

"Is that a mouse I hear?" the cat said rhetorically, stalking forward. Napoleon entered the tree roots. "Can’t have a mouse in my house." Napoleon munched on something inside. "Furry mouse. Big yellow mouse."

Napoleon thought he heard something but quickly turned back to the food.

"Time to rid my house of the mouse!” the cat said, coming into view.

"Huh? What?" Napoleon said, his wide, dark eyes shining against his pale yellow face.

"The mouse." The cat growled – whether or not in reply to Napoleon, only she would ever know. Her intense, yellow eyes squinted menacingly, her body barely standing out from the dark of the night.

Napoleon laughed nervously, panting. "Good thing I’m not a mouse."

"You can’t fool me with that pitiful disguise!" She crept forward and hissed. "I’ll RIP it off you!"

Napoleon tried to run, but the ribbon the birthday child had wrapped around his neck got caught. The cat growled, and the puppy ripped free, leaving the ribbon behind. She ran after him, in that flat, close to the ground way cats do, far more familiar with the landscape than he was.

He hid, hoping that a lack of movement would protect him from the grimalkin.

Unfortunately, he had hidden right next to a boulder, which was perfect for her to creep up, plan her attack, and then pounce on the unsuspecting Napoleon.

He ran into the forest, the cat catching him occasionally, and even once bowling him over. She chased him onto a log, crossing a small, muddy pond.

He froze when he realized he was stuck over water, and the cat taunted him.

“Listen to me. I am not a mouse. You are a deeply disturbed animal." Napoleon foolishly appealed to her sense of reason.

“Shuddup!” She snarled. Napoleon whimpered. "My job is to destroy all vermin in this house. The mouse must die, now!" She started biting at his face, hoping to knock him into the water.

The tawny frogmouth, who had been observing, took pity on Napoleon, and flew down, knocking the cat into the water.

Only bubbles rose.

The frogmouth scolded Napoleon, but he did not care, and mocked the spot where the cat fell in. Remembering his manners, Napoleon thanked the bird.

"That cat won’t rest until you’re dead,” It said.

"That cat is fishbait by now." The puppy scoffed, and ran away.

The cat rose out of the mud and swore revenge, but by then, Napoleon was far out of earshot.

—

Snuggled at the base of a tree, the sun rose, and Napoleon heard his mother say, "Rise and shine, Muffin. It’s a beautiful morning. Time to get up, Muffin. Wake up."

“Mom? Mommy?” He woke up, expecting his mom to be there, but was dismayed to find himself alone.

Shaking his sadness off, Napoleon scampered through the verdant rainforest, and congratulated himself for surviving his first night away from home. He came upon a waterfall, and sat stymied. Out loud he wondered why he was so afraid of water.

A bunch of rainbow lorikeets started mimicking him. In between taunts, they told him that the wild dogs are on the other side.

Soon, Napoleon’s desire to meet them won over his fear. He found a flat spot to cross, and the lorikeets mocked his progress. But he made it!

He met a much nicer lorikeet who confirmed his intel and sympathized with him over the rudeness of the others … which gave Napoleon an adorably wicked idea.

Crossing back over - for he was slightly distant desensitized to his fear of water by then – he tricked them into calling themselves stupid, and went on his way.

Eventually, he arrived in a less dense forest, and overhearing a suspicious sound, went to investigate.

In the clearing, on a slanted tree, was a koala.

Napoleon tried to growl at the koala, but he was nonplussed. After a little more boasting from Napoleon, the koala climbed down, unconcerned with the puppy’s antics as he followed behind his odd waddle on the ground.

Napoleon tried to goad the koala into climbing up a tree and spotting the wild dogs – for once again, he heard them, but could not seem to find them. The koala turned it back on him, and kept the fact that he couldn’t see farther than a meter in front of himself, until he was away from Napoleon's reach.

The puppy stalked away, irritated. That was when Birdo found him again. Napoleon immediately jumped on the chance of having a lookout, but accidentally insulted the galah instead.

He apologized and then ignored Birdo‘s advice about going home, instead, asking for wilderness survival skills.

Unfortunately, when trying to open up to Birdo, to convince the galah of his mission, Napoleon let slip that the that they called him ‘Muffin’ at home, near a dastardly frog, and the same taunting lorikeets from before, looking for revenge. On the spot, they came up with the whole song about how he should go home. Napoleon tried to bite the frog, but it plopped onto his head. Birdo, being a good friend, kept knocking the lorikeets off their perch, but they kept flying back.

Tail held high, Napoleon walked away from the twittering animals, and found a log floating in the water. Unthinkingly, he walked on, and was surprised when it detached from the shore and floated into a bay. Despite his dismay, he resolved to sit tight, and let it take him to the other shore, where he was headed anyway. Less work!

Of course, it ended up dead in the water.

Birdo, impatient and dedicated to keeping this dog alive if he wasn’t going to go home and save himself, decided to toughen Napoleon up. He swooped down and knocked the puppy into the water, encouraging him to doggy paddle.

Napoleon was surprised to find that he was really good at it – perhaps forgetting that he was literally a golden retriever. He still needed a little instruction on how to get up the bank, but he made it.

—

The first lesson to become a wild dog, Birdo decided, was food. They had reached a rocky area, overlooking mountains. Birdo lead Napoleon to a rocky hill, covered in dry grass. A chorus of rabbits briefly scattered into sight before hiding behind other boulders and grass.

"Do you want me to eat these?" Napoleon said incredulously. All he had ever eaten was his mother’s milk, dog food, and dropped human food.

“You want to eat," Birdo said, with no small amount of vicious glee in his voice, "You’ve got to learn to KILL!"

Napoleon's incredulity did not lift. But somehow, he was convinced to try. He wandered over to where the bunnies were flitting about.

Sadly, they moved so rapidly, Napoleon had trouble focusing on just one to catch. They sang as they escaped, aware that they had the upper paw, but unwilling to show anything other than caution.

Birdo sang in opposition, calling upon Napoleon's bloodlust and hunger to drive the puppy to kill. Napoleon managed to get one alone, and it sat huddled, mostly frozen to its own detriment, as the puppy engaged in rough play with its tremorous body. But the rabbit managed to gather its wits, and after it jumped on top of a rock, Napoleon lost interest.

Birdo scolded Napoleon, but eventually gave up on the bloody venture once the puppy found lichen to eat. It did not stop his complaints.

They moved to drier, flatter land. The next lesson, according to Birdo, was learning to discern whether an animal was dangerous or not.

Napoleon approached a wombat, but as soon as it caught sight of him, it ran away, screaming, "A house pet!"

Next, he found some quokkas, former victims of the cat. They were more friendly, but still shaken from the encounter. One’s ears were quite torn.

Birdo was satisfied, so they traveled onto some snow-topped mountains. Napoleon, who loved using his nose, remarked that snow made smelling more difficult. That did not stop him from smelling something unusual.

Birdo was uninterested. He felt that it was time to learn the third lesson, about the weather. In fact … he felt a huge storm coming.

The snow that sat on the trees shivered and fell. A large rumbling came ever closer. Then Birdo realized his mistake. The rumbling wasn’t a storm. It was brumbies!

"Run!" the bird screamed, and flew away, landing in a far tree.

As the feral horses thundered by, the bird realized with great dismay that he could no longer see his friend. He called out, but if there was an answer, the galah could not hear it.

Once the herd passed, Birdo fluttered down and searched amongst the trampled snow, panic rising. But Napoleon merely had slipped into a snow burrow.

Napoleon yelled at Birdo, for he had at least smelled the horses. Birdo protested, and it only made Napoleon angrier, vowing not to trust Birdos ‘faulty’ advice again, and ran down the mountain. His nose caught something, so the puppy paused for a moment, looking over the land below. "I smell sweets!” – Napoleon followed his nose to a field of what he thought was tall grass. Birdo followed, and tried to warn him what happens to fields of dry sugarcane.

Being a dog, and one irritated at Birdo, Napoleon ignored the warnings and followed his nose instead.

Napoleon ran into a red-bellied black snake, and was nearly drawn into its eyes, but Birdo’s worried screeching pulled him out of it.

The cane around him got hotter and hotter as he pushed further in. Then he smelled smoke. And where there is smoke, there is fire. Terrified, Napoleon trampled through the burning cane, skirting around blazes and coughing, while Birdo guided the puppy out with his voice.

Stumbling out of the cane, the two reunited joyfully, and Napoleon apologized.

Of course, that was when the cat caught up with them. Bird and puppy hurried away, the cat following close behind.

Surprisingly, they stumbled upon Birdo’s flock, whom he had been searching for these last few days. Birdo joyfully flew among his kin, screeching.

This gave enough distraction that the cat, not wanting to miss an opportunity to rid her ‘house’ of vermin, crept up on a tree full of galahs.

Happy for his friend, Napoleon wandered a gulley lined with red dirt, making slight fun of the reunited family as he passed underneath. By chance, Napoleon turned his head and saw the cat creeping up behind some of Birdo‘s cousins.

Napoleon had to yell repeatedly that the cat was behind them, their excitable din nearly causing their own demise. But the galahs noticed the cat and flew away in time.

Birdo didn’t see it that way, and scolded him. He hadn’t seen the cat, and only saw what he thought was Napoleon scaring his family away. He quickly changed his tune when the cat crept up behind him.

Napoleon sauntered away as the cat lay defeated in the tree, looking for Birdo. They soon found each other near a highway. Birdo failed to land on a traffic sign, and Napoleon refrained from commenting beyond a genuine query about his health, as Birdo delicately climbed onto his chosen perch.

"Where does this road go?" Napoleon asked.

"It leads to the shore, where you landed." said Birdo. "It can be one of the most dangerous places out here!"

The puppy shrugged him off, saying, "I know all about roads!"

This was when a tractor trailer truck came into view. Napoleon wisely got to one side, but then noticed a dark colored frilled-neck lizard, laying flat on the road. Desperately, he barked at the lizard, believing it to be asleep. He wanted to go into the road, to nudge it away from the path of danger, but Birdo and some of Napoleon's housepet instincts held him back.

The truck roared by, covering the poor lizard from sight. To Napoleon and Birdo surprise, once the truck passed, they saw the lizard lay unharmed.

Napoleon went forward to make sure that the lizard was all right.

"GO! AWAY!" snarled the lizard, terribly offended at Napoleon's proximity and concern. "THIS IS MY SPACE!" The lizard leapt threateningly into Napoleon’s face. Friendliness made Napoleon a little slow on the uptake, so he didn’t really walk away until the lizard leapt.

"Never expect gratitude from a cold blooded creature. Hah!" Birdo said, landing on the road to walk away with Napoleon.

Soon, they encountered dry shrublands. In between dull green plants with thin leaves, the red earth lay cracked and uneven.

Birdo urged Napoleon to go home, reminding the puppy that his family surely missed him.

Napoleon's eyes shined wetly, but he couldn’t ignore the call of the wild dogs. It was his lifelong dream, after all.

The two debated for a while, but Napoleon held fast, claiming it was a dog thing, and Birdo wouldn’t understand, but that he was grateful for all of Birdo’s help so far. They came to the edge of the desert, and both felt in their hearts that it was time to go their separate ways.

As evening fell, they sang a bittersweet duet of parting, and bid each other goodbye, wishing to meet again. Birdo flew off to rejoin his family, and Napoleon continued on his quest to find the wild dogs.

—

Napoleon followed along a narrow footpath.

A small, spiky animal groaned as it came his way, as if each step hurt. An echidna! Napoleon went over to say hi, but it dismissed him stingily, anticipating jokes about its appearance, and wishing to keep its potential water to itself. Napoleon assured it that he would share any water he found, but that didn’t seem to matter to the echidna. Then he made a poorly-timed pun, and the creature clumsily rolled into a small pit in sheer irritation.

The echidna begin to dig, though its small paws made for slow going. Napoleon helped, and the puppy quickly uncovered some water, and drank first, much to the echidna’s chagrin, complaining about germs.

Napoleon set off again, and found himself in the desert. Red sand laid burning, wind blown into long waves of dune lines, stretching on for desiccated kilometers. The puppy scampered across, as the gait afforded him less time for each paw to touch the scorching ground. Nevertheless, it hurt.

Brown mountains rimmed the stretch of land, and Napoleon kept along until he found a solitary tree, providing precious shade. There he rested among the dead branches bleached white like bones, when he spotted an odd animal.

It stood – as much as a lizard can stand – upon a shrubby hill, and howled and barked in a heart-sinkingly silly voice.

"That’s what I left home for?" The lizard barked some more as Napoleon stared on in disbelief.

Disconcertingly, the thing started approaching Napoleon, making odd gulping noises with each step it took.

"Were the wild dogs I’ve been hearing… that?” Napoleon had to make sure. He ran to the creature and asked.

Pleased with the attention, the goofy looking beast – which he came to realize was a perentie lizard - let out a long, ridiculous howl, ending in a guffaw. Without prompting, the lizard demonstrated his poorly rendered repertoire, which included cow noises.

Napoleon ran away, heartbroken and disillusioned, the lizard’s haunting "Moo. Moo. Moo. Moo. MOO!" echoing in his ears as he climbed up the mountains.

"I am such an idiot. All this time, I’ve been chasing after a barking lizard. There’s no wild dogs anywhere. I’ve been running after something that doesn’t even exist." He whimpered. "Now I’ve got no home. No wild life. I don’t have my mother. I don’t have the instinct to make it out here. I’m a dumb house pet.” He cried for a moment. “Who doesn’t know a retriever from a reptile. I don’t deserve the name Napoleon. Not a crumb like me." Then, with a sob, "I’m just a Muffin after all."

He kept running, racing along ridges, until at last he fell down from exhaustion.

—

When he came to, small creatures - rodents, or marsupials, he wasn’t sure - were running around, hiding in rock cracks and burrows. A few noticed him, and presumed him dead or soon to be. A rain storm loomed ever closer, and promised to sweep all incautious creatures away.

Napoleon got moving. He knew better now than to ignore their warnings. Sure enough, fat drops soon splattered the ground, and currents began to form as the water overtook the earth.

Running into a crevasse, desperately hoping to find himself a cranny or nook to press himself into until the flood was over, Napoleon stumbled into a cave that stretched upwards, away from the coming water.

It was still dry, the red soil still untouched by water that would turn it into a bland tan. Napoleon climbed upward, sniffing excitedly. A safe spot! And then, at the very top, a pale movement. Two other puppies!

"Mother? Is that you?" a sweet voice called out.

"Hello?" Napoleon couldn’t believe his eyes.

"A stranger! Get out, or we’ll attack!" a rougher one said. He knocked his sister down to Napoleon in the guise of a pounce.

They were creamy tan, with ears that were still floppy like his, but looked like they were going to lift up soon, likely into sharp points.

Nancy, for that was the girl puppy’s name, decided Napoleon was fine, and after clearing up that she and Syd (the other puppy) weren’t lost, that this was their home, she tried to play with Napoleon.

But it was not meant to be. A wave rushed into the cave, and soon caught up to where Napoleon and Nancy were standing, washing them away. Syd, safe on a rock shelf, screamed as his sister was thrown about, yelping. Napoleon managed to pull himself to sit on a rock shelf, a larger and stronger swimmer.

Napoleon took charge once he saw that Nancy was still in the water. He instructed her to keep talking, and to hold on.

Nancy disappeared for a moment, the boys’ hearts leaping into their throats. But then she reappeared on a rock, the water still lapping at her feet, threatening to catch her again.

Napoleon could feel his heart racing - all his troubles with water had lead right to this moment. He swam to Nancy’s rock, barely keeping his head above the water as lightning flashed and thunder rumbled.

But he made it! Too scared to swim, Napoleon coaxed Nancy onto his back. Confidence and a need to save her strengthened his paddles, as he pretended to be a boat, to distract her from panicking. Both stayed above water. He had a little trouble getting her onto the ‘dock’ -the rock shelf where her brother stood - but they managed.

And just as quickly as the rain had come, it stopped. And there, standing at the cave mouth, limned by the tentative sun, was a figure.

"It’s a wild dog!" exclaimed Napoleon in wonder.

"Of course it is. It’s our mother!" exclaimed Syd.

She shook the rainwater off, and smiled at the puppies.

"I’ve been with the wild dogs all along!" Napoleon couldn’t believe it.

In a comforting voice, the mother dingo said, "Syd. Nancy. Are you all right?" she panted. "Who is this?"

Shock at his own luck and a sudden drop in adrenaline hit Napoleon like a hammer, and he fainted.

—

He woke up hours later, with Nancy licking his face. After shrugging her off, and spotting her mother, he got straight to the point.

"Can I stay here with you? I want to be a wild dog."

"But what about your mother?" ask the dingo, her kind eyes watching from above.

"I want to live here. In the wild!" The other puppies pleaded his case too.

The mother dingo answered the only way she could: "Of course he can."

"I’m a wild dog. At last!"

All the puppies began to tussle out of sheer happiness.

—

The days passed by. The two dingo puppies played ‘Napoleon’ with the vanishing puddles, taking turns being rescued.

Both Napoleon and the mother watched over their antics. At the beginning, he would sometimes sit out of their games to make sure he did not tumble the other two puppies - being bigger and older, he could hurt them. But as time went on, he grew disillusioned with playing. For the last few days, he had not played at all, and only laid next to the dingo mother.

His new life in the wild didn’t quite satisfy him anymore. The thrill of living with real wild dogs was amazing, of course, but something felt missing. Napoleon thought it was just because they hadn’t started the more bloodthirsty aspects of the life, like fighting and hunting. But the dingo mother knew better, and so as she cuddled with the retriever puppy while he took a big nap, she made a plan.

—

"Wake up, Napoleon. Today is the day." She nudged him awake and led him out of the cave. “Come on, it will just be the two of us." She trotted it across a field of flat rocks, covered in red clay, and baked in the sun. Being unfamiliar with the terrain, Napoleon struggled to keep up, but was buoyed by enthusiasm.

"Tell me child; why did you leave home?" she asked.

"I wanted to go where there were no rules."

"And what did you find?" They crossed onto a plane of white sand.

"Well, I found that there were a lot of rules, about living with other animals, and being on your own."

Now they were walking parallel with the shore, black shells littering the ground. "And what did you want to do out here?"

“I wanted to hunt my food, and kill it!"

"And did you enjoy that?" Her voice continued to be kind.

"No. I ate moss instead." He confessed.

"Anything else you wanted?"

"Well, yeah! I wanted to stay up late and have fun all the time!"

"And did you? Have fun, all the time?" The two laid down, front paws ahead, watching as the sun bowed down to darkness.

“No. Sometimes it was scary. Lots of times I was alone."

"Then why do you want to be out here?"

"I want to be a wild dog! So I can be really brave and fearless!"

"But you’ve been that, all along. You couldn’t have come this far without being fearless. And it was YOUR bravery that saved Syd and Nancy." She paused, and then said, "In your heart, you’ve been a wild dog all along, Napoleon."

Their shadows grew long. "I guess I have!"

"Is there something more you want?".

"Well, yes."

"Tell me."

"I want – " Napoleon paused, for a moment, unsure if he was willing to say it. "I want to go home. I miss my mom."

"What if I told you I had a friend who could take you back?"

"Really?!"

"Come along." The sun‘s last rays lit the two dogs as they went back to the cave one last time.

—

The next day, Napoleon was treated to what was possibly the most inane song in existence as he rode in a red kangaroo’s pouch. Repeatedly, Napoleon was smashed full in the face with tall, bristly bushes and narrowly evaded what should have been easily avoided obstacles, such as trees. He called for help several times, but to no avail, as the kangaroo crooned to her ‘possum’. He tried hiding his face, but it didn’t fit well in the pouch.

As soon as she stopped, Napoleon hurried out and into the forest, to get away from her insanity. Somehow, he ran into the same koala as before.

"Well, well, " the koala drawled.

"Oh no, not him again!" Groaned the puppy.

"If it isn’t my favorite dining companion, the wild dog himself."

"No! I’m Napoleon! Wild house pet! Conqueror of the outback, and the backyard!" Napoleon declared, sure of himself.

“I can run fearless across waterfalls!" he yelled as he did just that.

The lorikeets, who still didn’t have anything better to do, mimicked him. "Little birds suck!" Was all he said, tricking them into insulting themselves once again.

Soon he was back at the beach where he first arrived. "Now what do I do?" he said, clambering over the rocks and pebbles that lined the shore. He could see home! But how was he to get across? Then he spotted his basket, a little worse for the wear, but still floating, and felt triumphant. He went over to the tide pool where it rested, bobbing occasionally with eddies of the waves.

But instead of it being empty, as he had assumed, a New Zealand Adélie penguin popped his head out! It was nearly full grown, but was still small and round.

They argued a bit, but the puppy was able to assert ownership over the basket, and then they fell to talking. As Conan the penguin kept extolling his fierce nature and super–penguin abilities, Napoleon had to laugh; the little bird was exactly like him at the beginning of his journey!

Conan’s speech started to turn dangerous, so Napoleon decided to tell his own story, hoping to help the penguin avoid his own mistakes.

—

By the time he finished, an unconvinced Conan stood watch as Napoleon struggled to climb into the basket – the plan was that he would be carried out into the bay at high tide during midnight. But the penguins' bravado dissolved as soon as he saw his family.

"Pengy!” a raucous voice called out. Conan tried to hide, but as his mother just called out “Pengy!” again, he reluctantly turned to face them. Napoleon laughed at the silly name.

Terribly embarrassed, Conan waddled up a dune to escape, only to find his family already there.

Apologetic, Napoleon convinced the family that he could persuade Conan to go home. He felt bad for making fun of Conan’s name, but still thought it best to try and stop any so-called adventuring – even going so far as to continue to call him Pengy.

Napoleon climbed into the basket before Conan could, annoying the penguin.

"It’s my turn to howl! You’ve had your fun!" said the penguin, who then howled in a goofy manner. Conan began waddling up a hill, continuing to monologue about his future adventures.

There was a low rumble. At first, it sounded like a vicious wind blowing through trees, but it soon transformed into a noise Napoleon knew and dreaded. It came from the hilltop.

"That sounds… Could it be?" Napoleon tilted his head in hopeful confusion. "Hello, is somebody else up here?"

Rocks fell. Napoleon knew it had to be her. "She’s back!" he yelped, voice high with fear.

Lightning illuminated a black figure, stalking downhill. Unconcerned and unaware, Conan carelessly looked for the cat, peering down and making empty threats, as the predator gazed from above. Thunder rolled, and again, the cat growled.

Napoleon scrambled out and up the hill. He couldn’t let that dumb bird die!

"Time to rid my house of the mouse!" the cat announced.

Finally, seeing her, Conan, ignorant of his impending mortality at the claws of the creature above, suavely said, "All right. Come on! Let’s go, hunt down a few."

"But I’ve already found one! An unusual, black and white mouse."

Napoleon finally arrived. "Leave the penguin alone!"

"Well, if it isn’t the Muffin mouse!", she hissed. "The mouse dies!" She lashed out at him, claws outstretched.

Finally getting a clue, Conan waddled away. “Well. There is such a thing as too much adventure!"

“Just you and me, wacko!" Napoleon challenged.

"Seems unfair, nine lives against one," the cat quipped.

Within his head, Napoleon quickly came up with a plan to get her into the water, where the cat seemed much less of a threat. "Here, kitty, kitty, kitty!" he called, while backing closer to the water.

Showing her absolute detachment from reality, she followed his call. As both walked across constantly wave–beaten slippery rocks, one hit her body, and she slipped off the rock, yelling.

"Bull’s-eye!" Napoleon yelled, then gasped as he saw the drenched cat hissing from behind another rock.

"You’ll pay for that!" she vowed.

"Okay, it’s payday!" Napoleon ran up a hill.

The cat shook herself and followed.

"Come on!" he taunted. "Come after me!" Napoleon slipped and loosened some rocks, sending them tumbling at the cat's face.

"No!" she wailed, unable to stop as the rocks underneath her paws became loose and pulled her now towards the edge. "Kill! No!" she hooked a paw on the ledge as more rocks tumbled down, persistent to the last.

"Running out of lives?" Napoleon said unsympathetically.

"I still have many more!" Her paw was slipping. "Come, let me slash you!"

“Happy landings!"

"Slash you with-" She shrieked, falling to the dark depths below.

Napoleon pulled himself to the peak, and looked down at the tumultuous water. "I knew that cat was on the edge." The waves raged on. "Look at that! Guess she used up her lives." Suddenly, he remembered Conan. "But what about that penguin? Hey Pengy, you down there?"

The cat watched the golden figure from behind, hate burning in her eyes. She hissed, and Napoleon sent a glance her way, but he must have not seen her, for she she was able to rush behind and headbutt him off the cliff.

She laughed at the puppy stuck on the ledge below. "That’s it! No more games."

"Games?!" exclaimed Napoleon incredulously.

The cat encouraged the puppy to jump to his blue death; the waves beat mercilessly upon the shore.

He refused and tried to appeal to their common background; after all, weren’t they both just lost house pets?

She hissed and crept her way down to him, telling him to shut up and boxing his ears. It was looking a bit dire.

“Hey, ‘fraidy cat!" called Conan from further down. No way was he going to let some cat hurt his friend!

This distracted the cat just enough for Napoleon to push her off the ledge and into the basket waiting below.

She laughed maniacally as the impact of her fall dislodged the basket from the rocks and pulled her out into the bay.

Conan jeered.

From the ledge, Napoleon heard a howl. Looking up, he saw the spirit of a wild dog; and just as soon as it appeared, it was gone.

"I really am a wild dog, " he murmured in awe. But his awe soon drained; forlornly he watched his way home disappear, yowling into the night.

—

Morning came.

Conan questioned Napoleon's plan to get home, but the puppy had no idea what to do. He was very distraught.

Then Conan spotted something, approaching them from the water. A green sea turtle, with something … on its back?

It was Birdo!

Puppy and galah reunited, Napoleon agreed that his friend was right all along, and Birdo brought good news. He had found Napoleon a way home!

As Napoleon stood on the turtle’s back, letting it take him back to Sydney, he bid his friends goodbye, reminding them to come visit soon.

—

Running, running, running, Napoleon made his way home. His tail wagged like a propeller as he saw a familiar yard.

"Mum! Mum! Mum! Mummy!"

His mother, who had just a moment before had been slumped mournfully, stepped out of her dog house and began a full body wag. “Muffin? Is that you?!" She couldn’t believe her ears.

"Mum! Mummy!"

She scanned the yard, but could not see her baby.

"Mum!"

“Well come here!" she said desperately. "Come here! Let me put my paws around you!"

His little head peeked over the patio wall. "Mum! It's me! I’m back! You wouldn’t believe where I’ve been!" He put his front paws on top of the wall.

She spun around, unable to contain herself, held back by the rope attached to the doghouse. "Come here! You didn’t get hurt, did you? What happened to you!?"

Maddeningly, he came no closer. "What happened? Everything happened to me!"

"Careful! You can’t get over that wall!”

"Are you kidding? Piece of cake!" He leapt down, and ran to his mother, nearly smashing into her face out of sheer exuberance.

They jumped and tumbled and kissed joyfully, relief and love filling their hearts. Mother refused to let son out of her grasp and finally, the world was right again.

"Muffin, I want you to promise me you’ll never run away like that again."

"I won’t. And I want you to promise me something."

His mother laughed. "Anything darling, anything."

"I want you to call me Napoleon."

"From now on, you’re my Napoleon."

—

Nobody noticed the cat peering over the wall. "Ah, not a mouse. A dog! Dog must die!"

Napoleon Explanation

So this was a story that took me a long, long time. It’s definitely my longest adaption of film, tv or podcasts yet - and I hope it stays that way! The adaption ended up a little dry, but I feel that I was able to describe the events effectively, and utilize the dialogue (the hardest part to adapt) sparingly but appropriately. At the beginning of my transcription, I tried to avoid any dialogue at all, but oh well. This covers the entire movie, a movie without any books or scripts to help me avoid typing.

Last summer, 2023, I had the job of Lost Parents. That basically meant I’m the person lost children are brought to if the security guards can’t find their parents right away. Eventually, a security guard brings the guardians, or the guardians come themselves, and pick up the kid(s). Which is all fine and dandy, especially since I don’t have kids for most of the shift. Kids have stayed with me for over two hours, but usually they’re gone within half an hour and I’m rarely brought any in the mornings. So I get projects like these done!

The movie is on youtube (see link), so over several days I slowly worked through it and wrote out all relevant details into a notebook (I find writing easier if I start in a notebook and type it into a document later - if I just start on a document I never finish. Plus I wasn’t really supposed to have my phone out, and switching between apps is annoying). Then I typed it up - often via voice-to-text, unless I was recording dialogue. For some reason, the program does not recognize quotation marks very often. Then I fixed it up and whalla! What you see above is what I wrote!

But I didn’t finish editing it until after that summer, because I was more interested in drawing the pictures. In fact, drawing the title picture was the first thing I did!

To be honest, I often drew the title pictures well before anything else. They were easy.

This title picture was in reference to the old VHS cover I used to have for this movie. It’s an Australian movie, so they speak English, but for some reason they released an American dub and released it over here. So I’ve loved this movie ever since I could remember. But the balloon scenes were iconic, so of course I had to include it. Especially since I decided this adaption would only have four pictures total. As I wanted to save my labor for my more original projects, and because this was a movie, it has less pictures.

The second picture is Napoleon getting chased by the cat. It used to scare me as a kid, so I always had a clear picture of it in my head. Plus, it serves to contrast Napoleon’s bravery in later scenes.

The third picture is Napoleon saving Nancy. I basically just wanted to draw all the puppies and Napoleon being brave. So we ended up with that part!

Last is Napoleon and Pengy/Conan looking up at the wild dog spirit. It’s the least accurate picture, but one I felt fit well. In the movie, Napoleon and Pengy look up to see a wild dog on top of a cliff who gets swept away by mist. But considering that they were still up on the high parts of the cliff at the end of the fight, the timing and location doesn’t quite make sense. And drawing *lineart* of mist is hard with my style, and requires more texture than fits in line with my most recent coloring book drawings. Way back at the beginning, I used to add details like shading, lines of hair and such, but that gets in the way of coloring, so I stopped. As such, I adapted it to fit my needs. Now Napoleon and Pengy/Conan are in the shot (I wanted to include both), and the wild dog spirit is in the clods and stars! I’m decided that the storm went away.

The Pengy vs. Conan thing was something of which I struggled when writing the last part. I support chosen names, especially when the old names totally don’t fit anymore. Hell, Napoleon insists on being Napoleon right to the end! But I decided since this was basically from his viewpoint, he would not call the penguin Conan, not even in his head. For the rest of the movie, after all, he calls the penguin Pengy. So while this choice does not reflect my preferences, I think it does reflect Napoleon’s.

Last thought: the setting of this story is genuinely fantasy. I think the creators wanted to go for a pan-Australian vibe; so many different ecosystems from across the continent are shown in the film. This means, of course, that Napoleon went to a fantasy kind of island across from the city though. There is nowhere in Australia where ALL of those environments are present. If he truly walked the entirety of Australia, a continent, he would have been a grown dog well before the end of the movie. But since he is still a puppy by the end, that just means he went to a fantasy Australia. Which is kind of cool.

Hope you enjoyed, and please check the movie out!

[whatanightmaregrinch]

MacCready X Fem!Sole Survivor- quiet love

“I love you.” The words came tumbling from her lips before she could stop them, and it stopped Robert in his tracks. He turned to gap at her, jaw slack with shock. Sole looked back at him with a mirrored look of sheer panic, heartbeat hammering in her throat from the adrenaline. She thought she should have blushed, but instead all of the blood drained from her face.

They’d been sat in silence for awhile after stopping in at Sole’s home- and to MacCready? He was just using the time to check his ammo stock, checking the quality of each casing, looking for undesirable marks and damages. He’d laid his stuff out on the floor, sitting cross legged and hunched forward, glowering over his supply. It was never enough bullets for his liking, and he bit back a bitter resentment at the thought. This was not a task that brought him joy, and only served to frustrate him. Sole though, Sole was enraptured by him. His small frown, his little hat strewn on the floor and his hair messy from combing through it with his fingers from sheer frustration. His eyebrows furrowed in a deep concentration, Sole loved every part of it. They’d been travelling together for nearly a year now, and he’d trusted her so openly with his problems with the Gunners, and then Duncan, and Lucy; it was difficult not too admire the man. He’d been through so much in such a short time, but still went through the effort to gruffly shadow her through the wasteland, watching her back with extreme efficiency. His once bitter exterior had melted away, and he’d confirmed it was all her doing. She’d felt so overwhelmed by these feelings, so overjoyed by his presence, she’d forcibly told him before perhaps either of them were ready. I love you didn’t really cut it for her either, had she had more control over it, she would have been far less blunt. Far more honest about the way she felt protected, the way his sarcastic demeanour never failed to amuse her. They did everything together. Eat, sleep, travel- she didn’t want anyone else to fill his shoes, but what she said was nowhere near as eloquent.

The box of .45’s he was sorting through remained silent observers in her confession. His hands pressed into his thighs as he tensed, as if to say something to her- but she was already standing up and MacCready’s voice cracked as he tried to get her to stop, stop and slow down: but she’d already disappeared out of the side door to the house and out into Sanctuary. He was left alone then, still half crouching on the floor from his surprised reaction. His heartbeat served as the only noise in the room, and even that too eventually quietened into a steady thrum. By now he’d moved to the sofa, sat stiff as a board, unable to relax. His head was swimming, she really had him fu-.. messed up. She really had him messed up. He hadn’t been sure what time it was that she left him, but it was almost night time now, and he’d long ago cooled off from being angry with her- angry at her for leaving him alone to deal with these feelings; angry that he’d not reacted better. Now it was gone, replaced only by a worry in the pit of his stomach. Where had she gone? Was sitting here, waiting for her to come back even worth it? MacCready picked at his fingernails idly, before desperately looking out the window. It was pitch black now, and he couldn’t see beyond the glow of the light on the porch that she’d installed months ago. MacCready hated it, thought it attracted too much attention. She’d waved off his concerns, refusing to explain initially. She’d finally relented that she’d always wanted one as a girl, she thought they were a nice idea. So that you could see home before you got there, she’d said sheepishly. He’d not admitted to her that he’d relented then, and had started to think it was a nice idea too. There was something quite lovely about the way she’d explained their function, the way he could tell she’d desperately wanted a home, a safe space to come back too, even in a horrible place like the wasteland. He wanted that too, and there was a longing, a horrendous ache in his bones that demanded he share that with her, the frozen vault dweller who had melted the ice that had formed around his heart. Without question she had taken him to the Med-tek research building that had haunted him for so long; destroyed the ferals in their way to get the cure into his hands. He trusted her enough to tell her what he couldn’t too Lucy; and in a way, that had helped heal him. He missed her terribly, but Sole had help soothed the terrible voice within him that whispered that he should have perished there with Lucy, his beautiful wife. That maybe he did deserve happiness, and Sole was the reason for it. He’d never expected her to want anything more with him, and he was fine with that. She’d already given him and Duncan so much, time they didn’t have before: and he more than anyone understood the grief of a widow. She rarely talked about Nate, and maybe that was his mistake because he talked about Lucy often once he’d ripped the bandaid off and told her about his guilt.

He’d been so deep in thought that he didn’t hear the makeshift door open to Sole’s home, and a soft fall of footsteps as she slowly and carefully made her way in. Slinking back to finally face the music, or maybe to avoid the situation if she could, she eyed the doorway that led to her bedroom. If she could just get there, she’d be spared any sort of embarrassment she’d earned in her absence. She regretted being gone for so long, but she dared not find out from her companion how ruined their relationship was. The first few hours of her disappearance was spent vomiting behind the Red Rocket Truck Stop; and when she’d got rid of everything in her stomach, she dry-heaved for awhile, flushed and sweating. She’d become close to Robert, and just knowing how much he talked about Lucy was enough to send her right back to vomit-territory. Nate had taunted her for awhile then, feeling horrendous guilt for just hoping he felt the same. Confused at her feelings, her mind lingering on the way Nate would smile at her, comparing it to how MacCready did. Her heart tightened, wondering if he could see her from wherever Kellogg had sent him too. What would he say? Would he be ashamed of her for falling so hard for the mercenary? She racked her brain long and hard, the wedding band she no longer wore burned a hole through her jacket pocket the longer she lingered on the question. She washed her mouth out and brushed her teeth in the bathroom, splashing her face with water. She barely pulled it together to make the short journey back to Sanctuary, resigned to her fate. She didn’t know if she was over Nate, or if MacCready even returned her affections, but whatever came her way, she must have deserved in some capacity, she supposed with some cynicism. Lingering for just a moment, she attempted the crossing between the kitchen to the hallway, but her foot hit a particularly old floorboard, and it groaned loudly at her weight.

MacCready snapped to attention, almost launching himself off of the sofa wildly as his brain came to focus on Sole. She seemed vaguely surprised at his reaction, but before she could respond he surged forward, nearly stumbling over his feet to get to her. Her resolve started to crumble with each step he took, heart hammering. “Robert, I-..” she started, but he just threw his arms around her in a crushing hug, bringing her cold form to his. She made a noise of shock, her mind going blank of what she wanted to say. Her face now buried in his chest, her arms awkwardly settled around him. He smelled like gun oil and wisps of tobacco smoke, and she decided she didn’t mind it. MacCready held her tightly, almost worried she’d run right back out the door; never to be seen again. Once he’d held her enough that his anxiety siphoned away into something smaller, it started to turn into frustration. “You’re an idiot” he began quietly, stepping back to look her in the face, and she stiffened. “Going out by yourself in the open was a stupid, stupid risk.What would you have done if something had happened?!” His voice wavered, unable to keep the fear from his voice. She guiltily looked at their feet. “Sorry, I just..” she muttered, not wanting to refer to it directly, the unspoken question still between them. His gaze softened, and he searched the air for what he wanted to say. “I’ve never-.. well, I’ve never wanted to think about us as more than friends.” He stated, and her heart snapped. Her chest seized painfully, and she started to nod, already accepting his answer, and he frustratedly held a hand up, indicating he wasn’t done. “I never wanted to think about us as more than friends, because.. well, because I didn’t want to get my hopes up. With your husband, I didn’t think there would be a chance, but you didn’t exactly give me time to explain that.” He admitted, unable to resist commenting on her absence. Sole flushed, nervously trying to piece together what he was telling her, glancing up at his face as he spoke. “But uh, I really like you, Sole. A lot. You helped me get Duncan back, even when you had the whole world on your shoulders. I used to feel like there was nothing here for me, that the world was just one giant shi-.. uh, crapstorm after the other. But I don’t feel that way anymore. Thanks to you. And if you’ll have me, then-.. then I want to keep feeling good, and share that with you. Share myself, I mean.” He confessed, a blush steadily blooming in his cheeks, his blue eyes almost electric in the lowlight and contrasted to the furious flush that warmed his face. Her own blush crept up from her neck, trying to keep her tone measured as she spoke. “It might be difficult sometimes; but if you’re willing to be patient with me, I’d-.. i’d really like to make this work.” She said with wavering confidence. He audaciously leaned in, and pressed a quick kiss to her cheek, her letting out a soft gasp in shock. He grinned at her, and she couldn’t help but smile back, soft in their newly professed love. She didn’t have all the answers, but if MacCready was by her side, then she was sure she could do anything. If not, he’d have her back. There was no other way she’d rather it be.

[kuruasu]

Ok idk if I'm actually gonna write it but the idea won't get out of my head SO

Jimmy is a living toy, escaped from a server of giants so he's normal sized. Only it's a lot less Toy Story and a lot more The Doll People, where a toy getting seen moving has immediate magical consequences(in the book it was just getting frozen, but Angst, so the consequences for Jimmy would prob be much worse). The consequences don't actually exist outside of that server, but Jimmy either doesn't know that or has a lot of trauma about it(and this actually is why he's so stern about the Law, since he's lived his whole life Following The Rules Or Else) so he does whatever he can to stick to his rules. He's managed to wrap his head around 'people seeing him moving doesn't do anything', but interpreted that as 'the consequences hit bc they saw a toy moving, so long as no one knows he's a toy he's safe'. And since no one expects a person to be a toy and he's a fairly high quality, realistic toy, he gets away with it.

Until Joel.

The people of Tumble Town, and even some of the other rulers, are easily tricked, but Joel's a god. He takes one look at Jimmy and knows he's a magically-animated toy. He's seen weirder, so it wasn't a big deal to him until he referenced Jimmy being a toy. Jimmy, terrified of getting caught and being hit with the consequences, drastically denies it, and Joel grins. He thinks it's a bit, a toy pretending he isn't a toy and overreacting whenever it's brought up.

Joel tells the others about it, to have some fun and keep the bit going, so they start to join in on the joke. Jimmy is constantly halfway to a panic attack with how everyone's going on about it, waiting for the moment some joke crosses the line and the consequences finally hit him.

(The rulers are friends. They like to mess around, but none of them want to push a joke so far that someone actually gets hurt. If they knew he was actually uncomfortable, not just part of the bit, they'd stop. But Jimmy's too panicked to realize they think it's a bit and tell them to stop, and they don't notice.)

Things come to a head when Joel and Sausage introduce Hermes to everyone. Hermes is especially excited to meet Jimmy, as his dads had told him about the toy sheriff(Jimmy is a toy and Hermes is a statue, but there's not really much difference when they've both been magically brought to life the same). He doesn't get much further than 'you're just like me :D' when Jimmy stops him. Jimmy sees Hermes and sees a New Toy That Doesn't Know The Rules and desperately tries to stop him from breaking them. He's torn between terrified 'nonono don't let the child be hit with the consequences, he didn't know' and angry 'Joel has had it out for me forever, does he really hate toys so much that he'd make one and not explain the rules so he could watch him suffer'.

There's a lot of flailing and shouting that Hermes is a Real Person, Not A Toy, and that's when the others notice how genuinely distressed Jimmy is. And realize how genuinely distressed he's been this whole time. They feel terrible. Jimmy explains to Hermes(and, since he's having a full-on breakdown at this point and doesn't notice that he pulled him out of sight but not out of hearing range and regardless they followed them, to everyone) about the rules and the consequences and how so long as the others don't know they're toys, they're safe. The others are horrified, and rush to reassure him.

I'm not sure how it would end or where it would go from there, but there would def be comfort to answer for all that hurt.

[thehumancentickler]

Buddy the Elf tickle headcanons

Under the cut because I could not curb myself, like, at all kjhgfsdas

LEE

He loves to be tickled. Fuckin 👏 LOVES 👏 it 👏

He's the kind of lee who doesn't fight back. He just goes limp and lets it happen, as he's too busy laughing his heart out to even think about retaliating.

His best quality? His wiggles. A close second is him hugging himself when getting tickled instead of pushing your hands away. Come on man that's just so!! HDJSGSAGFSHS?!?! *grinds a slab of concrete between their teeth*.

"I just like to smile! Smiling's my favorite." D U D E 😭💕😭💕😭💕

He's used to getting dog piled on by the elves back at the North Pole and all of them tickling him, because it’s the only way that they can full on pin him down and get him.

Not that it was really necessary: a small jab behind his knees and he'll just come tumbling down like a chopped tree fhjdhjd.

Can't take what he dishes, so if you were to tell him about how cute he looks or how much you like his laughter, he'll turn in a flustered blushy mess in a matter of seconds and he'll deny everything you said in a choir of "NoHohohOh"s while hiding his face behind his hands.

Speaking of, that unbridled pitchy laughter of his man... Sweet and merry like the bells on Santa's sleigh. Contagious and absolutely adorable. Who said that.

Too ticklish for his own good and he'll be giggling up a storm before you even touch him.

Turns into a big hysterical squeaky toy when you go for his most sensitive areas.

Now that I mention it: while being a walking skipping ticklish spot, me thinks his worst spots are his ears, neck, ribs, tummy and feet, especially the top part (and that's canon babyyy).

He will ask for tickles, either by being a little shit on purpose or by straight up telling you (<- this kills the man. Hi, I'm the man).

Btw that feather on his hat? It's not only for decoration, if you get my hint.

Use it against him (especially on his ears and neck) and watch the poor guy split his sides like an overstuffed plush.

LER

Quite the interesting uh, elf-ism, is that tickling is their love language. Whether it's for bonding, cheering someone up or just to be playfully annoying, you're gonna get tickles and that's a promise AND a threat <3c

Most playful ler on earth istg. It's all about having fun and boy, he's the ruling champion (or CEO, ehhh? *nudge nudge*)

He'll turn anything into a tickle game. Playing hide and seek? If he finds you, you're getting tickled. Hogging the blankets? You're getting tickled. Cuddling in bed? Get tickled idiot cotton-headed ninny muggins. (affectionate)

The best way to spread the Christmas cheer is laughing out loud for all to hear ~

He's not much of a teaser, but he sure will compliment on your laugh, how cute you look, your smile... If he's got something nice to say he'll say it and trust me, that's enough of a tease imo fhdjfhdj

Watch out for his hugs. It's a trap. Also remember the feather on his hat? Yeah, rip o7

BIG fan of snuggly tickles! And snuggles in general, but honestly who isn't hfdjbffj

Shameless tickle fight instigator, he'll start them over literally everything. No ifs or buts, just tickles. But if you're lucky enough, he might announce it first: that's your cue to either start running or fight back.

Despite that, he's absolutely respectful of boundaries and he'll immediately stop if asked to and apologize.

Also, he's very good at giving aftercare. He'll fret if he went overboard, offering a cup of hot cocoa, hugs, a cozy blanket... but ideally all three.

[catchydesignhillstuff]

Stylish and Safe Unveiling Our Premium Oven Mitt & Pot Holder Set!#zazzl...

🔥 Get ready to spice up your kitchen with our exclusive Oven Mitts and Pot Holders! Save 15% off with code JUNE24SAVING. Hurry, limited stock available! Chef's Touch Pot Holders https://bit.ly/4b2kiQM GripGlam Kitchen Duo https://bit.ly/3RsdWU3 SizzleGuard Mitt & Holder Set https://bit.ly/3Rqvznc ========================================= #kitchentransformation, #ovenmitts, #kitchenessentials, #potholders, #cookingsafety, #bestovenmitts, #kitchendecor, #homedecor, #cookware, #heatresistant, #kitchentools, #kitchenupgrades, #cookinggear, #homerenovation, #bakingessentials Intro Hey, food enthusiasts! Do you ever find yourself fumbling in the kitchen, trying to juggle hot pots and pans? Or maybe you're just tired of those plain, boring oven mitts and pot holders? Well, today, we're diving into how a great oven mitt and pot holder set can totally your cooking game. And let's face it, who doesn't want to cook with a bit of flair? Stick around because we'll show you why these are not just kitchen tools but essential culinary companions that add style and functionality to your kitchen. Main Content Let's kick things off with our Oven Mitt! Crafted from high-quality canvas, this isn't your run-of-the-mill mitt. It’s designed for full printing, so you can add your own personal touch. Want a mitt covered in cats? No problem. Or how about one that matches your kitchen decor? The high-quality canvas makes it all possible. But it's not just about looks. This mitt features a no-slip silicon part for a stable and safe grip. Ever tried to pull a hot tray out of the oven and it feels like it's slipping? Not with these. The silicon ensures you get a firm, steady grip every time. And let's talk about the hanging loop design. Who else gets frustrated with cluttered countertops and drawers? The hanging loop lets you keep your mitts tidy and saves that precious counter space. When it's time to clean, it's as easy as hand washing in cold water and line drying. Remember, no ironing needed. Now, don't think we've forgotten about our trusty Pot Holder! Just like the mitt, it's made from high-quality canvas perfect for full printing. Add your own designs, quotes, or even photos. The possibilities are endless. The pot holder also has a no-slip silicon part, so you can safely handle those scorching pots and pans. You don't want your food or your hands taking a tumble! With the same hanging loop design, you can easily store your pot holder without the mess. Last but not least, cleaning the pot holder is a breeze. Hand wash in cold water, line dry, and you're set. No ironing required for this either! Now let's talk about why these features matter. Imagine hosting a dinner party. You pull out your customized oven mitt with your favorite design. Your guests notice and compliment it right away. But beyond the style, when you're actually cooking, the no-slip silicon gives you peace of mind. You can focus on making the perfect dish, not worrying about dropping hot pans. Plus, the easy storage means you can keep your workspace clean and efficient. And cleaning? Who wants to spend all day doing that? A quick wash, and it's ready to go again. Outro @Zazzle #zazzlemade #personalizedgifts So there you have it! An oven mitt and pot holder set that not only keeps you safe in the kitchen but adds a touch of personal style. Don’t underestimate the power of good kitchen tools. If you found this video helpful, please give it a thumbs up. Share it with your friends who love cooking too. And don't forget to hit that subscribe button for more tips and tricks to elevate your culinary adventures. Leave a comment below with your favorite kitchen hack or what design you'd put on your oven mitt and pot holder. Thanks for watching, and happy cooking! ============================================ #ovenmitts, #potholders, #kitchenessentials, #cookingsafety, #bestovenmitts, #kitchentools, #cookinggear, #bakingessentials, #heatresistant, #kitchenaccessories, #kitchenmusthaves, #durablemitts, #stylishkitchen, #ovenaccessories, #cookingsupplies

[anosci]

Media Thread

im making a list of media ive watched/played/etc this year with brief thoughts. its going to be far less featured than my music list, but still a bit long. again mirroring twitter except this time because fuck twitter.

list below the cut

～January～

1/ Princes Arete (2001) I was sold on this movie under the premise that it's similar to Kino no Tabi. and… it is. kinda. Kino and Arete would be cool pals. Every character is interesting, which seems rare(?) Only real drawback: the hostage situation kinda really sucked.

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2/ Time of EVE (2008/9) the classic tale: androids indistinguishable from humans as an allegory for racism. but unlike DBH, this is actually really good. its a story that feels like a single thread in a vast tapestry that'd be fascinating to explore, but too bad: you only have 6 eps

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3/ Spice & Wolf (2008) i remember loving this show. i don't remember understanding the economics. I took notes this time. I still struggled. (spoilers for ep3) regardless: wow this is a good show. weirdly, I saw myself in the relationship portrayals. I guess that means its realistic?

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～February～

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4/ Spice & Wolf II (2009) i feel like this kinda fell off? :( like it tried too hard to be action-packed. and that worked sometimes. but that first arc was just… :( it feels like a case of "just needs an editing pass. needs a bit more focus" i'll treasure S1 more, after all

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5/ Double Fine PsychOdyssey (2023) absurdly captivating. i say that it's a miracle that any video game gets made ever. this shows that Psychonauts 2 was several miracles in succession. it's simultaneously illusion-shattering and inspiring.

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6/ The Owl House S1 (2020) finally sat down to watch this. it's GOOD. lots of worldbuilding to chew on, and then it picked up quite nicely. im immediately pouncing on S2 and feeling glad i was late enough to be able to marathon

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～March～

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7/ The Owl House S2 (2022) stumbling down the boulderest mountain and hitting every rock on the way down. the rocks represent engagement. i am engaged. i adore this show. it is a little weird to suddenly freeze mid-tumble.

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8/ Broken Age (2014) (Dr. Mick's LP) delightful start! brilliant, even! then the big bad is revealed and…. meh. I watched Dr. Mick's playthru tho, and holy shit that's some really cool commentary.

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9/ Double Fine Adventure! (2015) its a little unfortunate that the nature of gamedev means that the ending is kinda anticlimatic but good lord what an amazing journey. i'd watch a million of these.

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10/ Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022) ok ok fine ill [finally] watch it …oh its good. like really good. its rly funny but in a way that fascinatingly beside the point? yeah I can see why some ppl didnt like this but i think its super fun

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11/ Nichijou (2011) a nice and cute slice of life thing… that occasionally breaks out some quality jokes. though only half of them landed for me. i feel like i would've gotten more out of this if I caught it at the time.

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～April～

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12/ The Owl House S3 (2023) i had a lot of reservations about the collector initially but having seen the entire arc: that came together nicely! still sad that it's The End, but like. good overall!

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13/ Penguindrum (2011) i DONT think i followed 90% of the themes and their connections. that said, i DO love the way metaphors are treated as "literal". confusing maybe, but i adore the idea of "paint what you feel not what you see" applied to storytelling.

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～May～

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14/ From the New World (2012) this has a mess of an opening (several) episode(s), but it eventually found its footing and became quite a cool action adventure… thriller i guess? i do take some issues with bits and pieces but it was a good watch overall.

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15/ GinGitune (2013) fluff. the lightest, fluffiest of fluff. melts in water. there are several elements that couldve been mined for drama and intrigue but they were all treated as background elements. (this isn't a bad thing, but it's not what you might expect.)

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～June～

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16/ Space Dandy (2014) dropped after ep4, but on good terms i guess? fun animation, funky vibes, sometimes even funny! anime johny bravo…or I think i saw a Dirty Pair comparison, which feels right. but im not meshing with the silly wacky high nrg antics rn. maybe another time.

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～July～

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17/ Death Parade (2015) rly misleading intro (i was ready to drop lol) rly rly promising setup by ep4 RLY good development and mildly biffed ending, but hard to fault considering its a 12ep. i love the aesthetics, worldbuilding, characters. overall i really really liked this!!!

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18/ One Punch Man S1 (2015) i forgot how fun this show is! and the great worldbuilding! i dont plan to move to the second season again tho. i thought about grabbing the manga instead but good lord it's way longer than i thought. oh well.

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19/ Flying Witch (2016) slicest of life with a la croix touch of supernatural. the normal slices didn't do much for me 90% of the time. but the supernatural slices? choice. (…mostly.) tbh i just want an entire season of that cafe.

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～August～

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20/ Haven't You Heard? I'm Sakamoto (2016) i was skeptical, but this actually worked rly well. for moment. a short, beautiful moment. most of the potential here was stifled by trying to add high school drama/plot. the comedy tho, at its best, had a vibe i havent felt since hayate

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～September～

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21/ Saiki Kusuo no Psi Nan (2016) it is VERY EASY for a comedy show to slide from "absurdity = funny" to "this is just annoying". somehow, this never crossed that line, which was weirdly refreshing? not always a winner, but overall a good mix of laughs and superpower exploration.

21b/ edit to add: oh this was right after Sakamoto! Man. The two feel kind of kindred but Saiki is leagues better at staying fresh.

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22/ Viewfinder (2023) short but very sweet mind-bender puzzler thing. the story had a cool foundation but fumbled in execution imo. but the gameplay? top notch. felt great through and through. never too difficult. beautiful idea and beautiful execution.

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23/ Flip Flappers (2016) uncertain about the show at first, and then, after watching… im still uncertain. i did enjoy it, but I also felt outside the audience ig? a case where I can imagine a version of this show that knocks my socks off, but as-is it's just a fun ride

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24/ Fionna & Cake (2023) my expectations were very low and they were VASTLY exceeded! think this show is at its strongest when exploring characters w short stories, which was most of this. the ending felt slightly fumbled…i think it couldve rocked me but instead it was just :).

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～October～

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25/ Outer Wilds: Echoes of the Eye (2021) i already played and loved this game, but happened upon About Oliver's playthrough and fell in love again. truly that is The Most outer wilds playthrough. good lord.

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26/ The Amazing Digital Circus (2023) interesting and filled with style… but not for me. i'd list complaints but basically all of them are strengths and favorites for someone else. yknow?

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～November～

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27/ Little Witch Academia TV (2017) as the credits roll, i find myself with two thoughts: croix was done dirty and wow this is SPECTACLE. aptly magical. oh also! it was quite fun to follow along with contemporary discussion

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～December～

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28/ Scott Pilgrim Takes Off (2023) oh it's like. really good. i dont remember the movie so i cant compare but this stands well on its own and i love the character exploration, even if i dont like some of the uhh… what would you call that? scifi jokes? (spoiler territory soz)

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29/ Land of the Lustrous (2017) FLOORED by how much I loved this. qualms about the CG turned into admiration, the shading drawing me into the world. worries about annoying characters melted away to find admirable layers. THE USE OF SYMBOLISM kept me SO well fed. and the pacing!

29b/ cont: my only complaint that isn't a nitpick: i hate how it left so, so, so many threads loose. i faceplanted my dashboard during the decelerating pace between the first 10 eps and the final 2. i get that it's from an ongoing manga but that still felt maximum bummer.

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30/

[sevenciircles]

@bliitzo asked: 💕 for millie x blitz

you shall have ur very long answer under the cut! this is of course headcanon!

How did they meet? I really like the idea of Millie being the babysitter for Loona that Blitz hired while he was in Greed. She probably impressed him with supreme killing skills later down the line though.

Who flirted with who first? Blitz flirted with Millie.

Was it love at first sight or a slowburn romance? Slowburn, but not like, an eternity. They both are aware they like each other, it's just a figuring out terms/circumstances that work for them.

Did they start dating right away or were they friends before things became romantic? They were friends for a while before things became romantic!

What was their first date? Their first official date was probably down to Wrath where they rode horses. Millie knows people fruqblebv.

What are their favourite things to do on date nights? Overall probably just be in each other's company! They've been together as friends/not dating but really dating for so long that anything is fun. They probably have a soft spot for takeout and movies though.

Do they still go on dates after being together for a while? Definitely!

What is their love language? Physical Touch, Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, and Acts of Service.

Who kissed who first? Millie kissed Blitz first.

Who started the relationship? They both did, technically. They probably had a talk where they fully processed their feelings and established what was going to happen bc Millie adores communication.

Monogamy or Polyamory? Polyamory!

Are they/do they plan on getting married? Nope! They are probably happy just dating! They don't need a piece of paper for their unique situation.

Who proposed? Was it a yes or no? None of them did, but they've probably faked it to get free desserts at restaurants.

Do they want kids? Who brought it up first? Not together, probably. Loona exists already and that's perfectly fine for Millie! Octavia probably joins in too.

Do they already have kids, together or from previous relationships? Blitz has a kid, Loona, so Millie already kinda became a womanly influence/figure in her life. Octavia also probably ends up in there.

Do they have any routines/rituals in their relationship? I can both see them having a designated date night where it's just the two of them, where they go on various dates. They also probably have long weekends worked out where they go on longer trips.

How do they take care of each other when they are sick/hurt? Blitz is definitely a smotherer, he's doing everything for Millie despite her insisting she's fine and can do it herself. Millie is a bit more chill about it, but she stays by his bedside and gets him things all the same. Is probably a hypocrite because she makes him sit down and not do things either sfbprfl.

How do they like to spend time together? On dates or killing people, sometimes both. They like casual activities where they both don't have to dress up a lot/deal with stuffy manners. Could be mud wrestling, playing games, or popcorn fights. Cooking or baking together also probably turns into a mess.

What are their favourite non-sexual forms of intimacy? Shoulder rubs! Or just cuddling together while watching movies.

What are some of their favourite things about their partner? Millie likes Blitz's personality, like it is just so attractive to her. He's funny, rough and tumble, sensitive, protecting and caring. She also likes his horns, they are perfect for weapons playing with. Blitz probably likes Millie's deadliness and her desire to protect others a lot. He also probably finds her just general attitude and positivity adorable. She's a ride or die and he needs it lmao.

How do they comfort the other when they are upset? Millie will cook food for Blitz or get him ice cream and just be there for him, likely encouraging him to talk. Blitz would probably hug Millie or some other act of physical affection, while threatening to take out whoever made her upset.

Who buys the other spontaneous gifts? Blitz

What position do they sleep in? They end up tangled up together. no matter what position they fall asleep in. Their tales probably intertwine.

Do they bathe/shower together? Occasionally, not all the time. Sometimes blood is better off not being washed off together.

Do they do anything else in the bath/shower other than wash? Yepppp.

In the bedroom - Vanilla, a little spice, or kinky af? Kinky af. Probably things that would make an adult film star flush.

For applicable ships - who tops/bottoms? TOSS UP! They rock, paper, scissors for it or some other stupid competition. It can go either way.

For applicable ships - who is more dominant/submissive? Again, a toss up. Could go either way. But in terms of overall... I'd say Blitz slightly is more dominant.

What is their favourite sex position? Whatever makes use of Blitz's circus flexibility and Millie's strength most likely.

Do either of them enjoy bringing sex toys into the bedroom? Yes. They probably have a whole ass toy chest.

Favourite place to have sex? The bedroom, bathtub sex is also fun too. Can't go wrong with quickies in the closet.

Most adventurous place they’ve had sex? Millie's blown him under his desk while meeting with a client, if that counts.

How often do they fight? What about? I can imagine fights do happen, mainly when Blitz tends to begin the self sabotage and Millie tries to nip it in the bud. I imagine they solve it fairly quickly, but they can get intense for a while considering they are both passionate people.

Have they ever broken up? Nope, they worked out all the messy things in their friendship/when they were still defining what they were.

Messy breakup, amicable split, remain friends, ride or die or til death do us part? Ride or Die!

[kdjart]

Felt incredibly uninspired today so instead of following the prompt for inktober I went with whatever I was feeling which was my Inquisitor Deirdre Lavellan. I’ve been wanting to draw/post Deirdre for some time but I could never really get what I was imagining down. I don’t really even think this is a great interpretation of her but it was what I ended up doing for day 4 so here ya go!

[damagedintellect]

Trafalgar Law x reader

💌 Fake it till you make it: Chapter 3  💌  

Summary:  To avoid an arranged marriage set up by Doflamingo, Law needs to bring home a girlfriend during the Christmas break and you just so happen to be a theatre major in the same dorm at One Piece University. What could possibly go wrong?  

Tropes: College AU, Fake Dating, Idiots in love, [Later chapters have🍋]

💌 Word count: 3,938 💌  <= Previous Chapter | Next Chapter =>

At some point sitting turned into laying down and the next thing you knew your eyes slipped shut. As the credits rolled Law finally looked away from the screen. He didn’t even realize that you had fallen asleep let alone were using him as a pillow. He was perplexed on what to do. He was already surprised how comforting he found your presence. While the two of you were alone like this he actually felt at ease. He began to take notice when his hand sought yours out all day. Despite knowing you were being followed and that he should, the act of holding your hand was unintentional. He looked back at you sound asleep before moving the laptop away. He didn't want to wake you up. Slowly but surely Law managed to move you enough for him to lay down next to you. His mind was still lost at the prospect that he was not repulsed by your physical contact.

In fact part of him seemingly craved it. He couldn't tell if this was due to the fact that Doflamingo wants him to marry someone else or if he genuinely has latent romantic feelings he should address. His levels of stress could be causing the touch starved-ness but he never thought his love language was physical touch. Quality time sure but you were already practically joined at the hip and have been for the past two weeks. Law closed his eyes. There was no sense thinking himself in circles on the matter. He just needed to be prepared for whatever Doflamingo throws at him. His relationship query could wait, he had self control.

The next morning Law woke up first. His head was a mess but he often had trouble quieting down his thoughts. He slowly opened his eyes to see you laying on top of him cuddled into his chest. Adorable. He was about to move you when you started to stir. He closed his eyes enough for you to think he was asleep but open just enough for him to watch what you do. What he wasn’t expecting was for you to look at him, smile and go back to snuggling into him. Was he really that comfy? Suddenly you bolted upright with so much force you fell backwards tumbling off the bed. Law couldn’t help but laugh at the clear display of grace.

"Y-you were awake!" You stuttered out from the spot on the floor. Blood rushing to your face in embarrassment. "Who wouldn't wake up to that. You weren’t exactly quiet, you know." Law stretched while you picked yourself up off the floor. You grabbed your phone and remembered "Oh!" You shuffled through the presents you wrapped to find Law’s.

"MERRY CHRISTMAS!" You jumped back on the bed shoving the gift in his face. "Merry Christmas, you didn’t have to get me anything, I just assumed we weren't going to." He spent his time delicately peeling back the wrapping as you snickered "Well you thought wrong. Just hurry up already!" Law stared at the coin in his hands and looked back up at you completely at a loss for words. Your smile was blinding with how bright it was. "How did you know I wanted this? (Y/N)-ya they only printed 50 of these when did you-" Law paused, narrowing his eyes at you "That’s why you wanted takoyaki."

"Bingo, you were staring at it with heart eyes, it wasn't that hard to guess."

Law frowned "I was not."

"You totally were. You're little obsession with Sora warrior of the sea is cute. I'm just surprised you've never asked Sanji for an autograph." Law quirked an eyebrow at you "Why black leg-ya?"

"Oh, you didn't know? Sanji is a Vinsmoke."

"He's Germa!?" Law shouted in disbelief "Yeah he doesn't like people knowing about it but I just assumed since you were a big fan of the comic you would have known."

After breaking Law for a bit you both decided to see if anyone else was awake. All the kids were up, most of the adults were still waking up grabbing coffee. You used this time to put your gifts by the tree. As soon as Lao G woke up everyone gathered around the tree and started opening gifts. Yesterday you asked Baby 5 to help you pick out things people would like and for the most part you think at the very least people had a good laugh. Sugar got a mountain of plushies and luckily the one you got her she didn't have yet. Monet scowled but the blush on her face told you she really liked her new harpy shirt. Ever the tsundere. You got Baby 5 a heart locket. Whenever she does find love she can put their picture in it.

For Corazon you actually had his present made prior to coming. With the help of Bepo, Penguin and Shachi you made a photo album of all the candid photos of Law anyone in your dorm had on their camera roll. Personally your favorite ones were of him asleep at his desk when his bed was not more than two feet away. The blonde actually picked you up and spun you around meanwhile Law was sending some angry texts to his self proclaimed "former friends."

Doflamingo ever the methodical bastard saved opening your gift until he was the last one with a present. His expression was hard to interpret but everyone else got a kick out of it saying it was perfect for him. He chuckled darkly before getting out of his seat disappearing into the other room. When he returned he had one last present to give. You could feel Law tense beside you as Doffy handed it to you.

Upon opening it you were in awe. Inside was a gorgeous elegant pastel pink evening gown complete with a white capelet shawl, matching heels and jewelry. This was something you’d only seen people wear to a ball or some other high society event. You were speechless. "This is beautiful, thank you Doffy. I have no idea where I'm going to wear this."

"My business partners and I are hosting a charity Gala on New Year's eve. I doubt Law has said anything about it. Consider this a bribe to make sure Law will be in attendance. He tends to skip these events."

You could see sparks fly from Law and Doflamingo as they stare at each other neither backing down from the challenge. The situation was only diffused by Corazon's big family group hug. The rest of the day was spent playing more games, watching more Christmas movies and keeping Law from blowing a gasket everytime Doffy purposely sabotaged his chances at winning.

When evening rolled around everyone got dressed to go take this year's photo by the tree. After the photo was taken Monet snickered and pointed above your head. "Ooo~ Mistletoe." You and Law looked up and sure enough on the branch above your head someone had tied a mistletoe to it. You're pretty sure it was a set up by Monet but it also could have been Doflamingo. Heck it could have even been Corazon who knows. You and Law only stare at each other for a brief moment before he cups your cheek pulling you in as you rise on your tippy toes to meet him in the middle. You could feel your stomach flip in a pleasant way. His lips were softer than you thought they would be and when you pulled away you could see how red Law’s face became. As short and sweet as the kiss was, Corazon still managed to snap a picture of it. You laughed as Law complained and tried to grab for Corazon's phone but the Taller man held it just out of reach as he texted it to you.

On the way back to the house everyone was making fun of Law for being embarrassed over the slight PDA. Calling him "Lover boy" and "Casanova" causing him to pull his hat down further over his face. You were holding his hand one because it was warm and two because you were trying to make sure he didn't run into anything with his hat covering his eyes. After you got back to the manor dinner was served and the kiss was dropped from conversation. Although you'd catch Law stealing glances at you every now and then but he'd turn away as soon as you caught him.

Once dinner was done you stayed to help Corazon clean up. This time Law didn’t stop you claiming he wanted to take a shower and go to bed since he was exhausted from being around his family for such an extended period of time. Fair enough, you could imagine him throwing himself on his bed like the past few days. "Law is cute when he's flustered." You giggled as the aforementioned surgeon left the room.

Corazon grinned "In case you were wondering, that was a joint effort but it was Doflamingo's idea." You were shocked. "Really I would have guessed it was Monet."

"I think Doffy's warming up to the idea that Law can make decisions about his future for himself." Corazon paused to wink at you "Or you won him over and this is his way of approving your relationship." You hummed whatever the case you're silently thanking him. When this is all over and done you wouldn't have to think about what it would have felt like. You smiled as Corazon handed you the last dish.

"Oh, that reminds me. Do you know how to waltz?"

—

Law threw himself on the bed once again. He thought the shower would help calm his thoughts. He wasn't sure before but now he's definitely certain he developed a crush on you. He aggressively dried his hair with a towel. When he kissed you it just felt right. He melted into the touch and the whole way back home all he could think about was doing it again. To his defense he never had a horny teenage phase. He was too busy studying and defying Doflamingo for it to even be on the forefront of his mind. He always thought he had no interest in such things but now? He groaned in frustration. He had half a mind to ask if you'd even be interested. He noticed the way you stared at him when he was changing there could be a mutual benefit here. Truly he just didn't want to come off as creepy lest he make the rest of the trip unbearably awkward. There were too many cons that drastically outweighed the pros in this situation. He'll wait to see if you bring it up, repeating to himself that he has self control. He drifted to sleep

When you walked into the room Law was passed the fuck out. You couldn’t blame him honestly, you were surprised that he lasted so long spending time with his family. You were going to ask him if he could teach you to waltz since Corazon has two left feet but you guess that'll have to wait until tomorrow. As a musical theater major you were no strangers to partner dancing but it was all very choreographed and not a classic waltz. Once you changed, without thinking about it, you kissed Law goodnight on the forehead and fell asleep.

—

The next morning you woke up to the feeling of being suffocated. Law had you pressed into his chest. You didn't want to wake him up but you wanted air. You tried to shimmy out of his grasp but only got so far. Now your faces were inches apart and you were screaming internally. Feeling his breath on your face made you want so desperately to close the distance. Thinking back to that short lived kiss it was driving you mad. God you wanted Law to kiss you again, amongst other things. Fuck this is not what you should be thinking about right now. Not with him pressed firmly against you. Your head was spinning, you wonder if you could get him to kiss you if you claimed it was practice for…something. God no that was stupid, practice for what? A midnight kiss on New year's?

You were so lost in thought you didn't realize Law opened his eyes and was watching you mentally have a conversation with yourself. He didn't know what to say and clearly you didn't realize he was awake but he also didn't want to move. It was cold outside of the blanket and you were nice and warm. Law cleared his throat, snapping you back to reality.

"Oh God, how long have you been awake?"

"Long enough to know you're panicking about something, is it about the kiss?" Law was hoping you would say yes so he could say that maybe you guys needed to practice more to get comfortable. You know, to make it more believable and for absolutely no other reason.

On the other hand your inner voice was screaming to lie, DEAR GOD LIE, anything but the kiss but all you could do was stutter "N-no it's uh t-that's not. I, God, this is embarrassing but can you teach me to waltz?" Good, topic averted you could live another day. Law raised an eyebrow curiously and shifted to sit up "You've gotta be kidding me. You are a dance major!" You sat upright defending yourself. "Yeah, I'm trained in musical theater and Tap not ballroom!"

Law sighed in fake annoyance, at least this was an excuse to be close to you. As he keeps reminding himself he has self control but he still wanted to run some tests on how much your contact affects him. "It can't be helped. Did you pack a long dress or skirt with you?"

"Not really. Do you think Baby 5 or Monet would have? I mean worse case I could try on my new dress but I'd hate to ruin it before I get to wear it out."

Law choked, coughing to cover up his reaction knowing the only long dresses either of them have were maid outfits. "Yes they do."

You grabbed the heels Doffy gave you and made your way to Baby 5's room who gladly lent you a dress. With a sparkle in her eye she rushed to put it on you. She was so fast you didn't know it was a maid outfit until you looked in the mirror. She even managed to put the headpiece on you. You flushed at your reflection, you were so cute.

"Hey, Baby 5 have you seen (Y/N)-ya." You heard Law from outside the door before your eyes met he trailed off and froze. You smirked.

"Okaerinasai goshujin-sama~" you curtseyed for good measure, bowing your head slightly but continued to stare at Law. He used his hand to cover the lower half of his face as he turned around sharply. "If you have time to make jokes then you have time to practice." He started walking away to one of the many open rooms in the manor. You bounced to his side the four inch heels not slowing you down in the slightest. "Ooo~ did I strike a cord? Is your nose bleeding? Aw come on Law you can tell me I'm cute!" He pulled you in by the waist dipping you effortlessly, halting your teasing immediately as you stare into his eyes like a deer in headlights. "You're playing a dangerous game (Y/N)-ya" your heart was hammering in your chest. He had you literally swooning. This time Law smirked, satisfied with himself as he pulled you back upright.

As he explained how to waltz you realized you're an idiot. You do know how to waltz. Every pas de bourree, every step ball change was essentially a waltz. You ended up waltzing around the room as Law roasts you for not realizing sooner. The mockery fades away as Law lowers the hand on your back slightly pulling you in closer. You can feel your breath hitch. Since when was Law so nimble? You twirled with him effortlessly taken aback by how in sync you were with reading each other's movements. When he went in for the dip you were breathless, eyes half lidded Law wearing a similar expression. Just as he started leaning in to close the distance you heard a slow clap from the corner of the room breaking the spell you were seemingly under. You didn't realize you had an audience.

"Bravissima, such grace." Doflamingo complimented your performance. Despite Law tensing up you bow "Thank you." Now that he has your attention he stops clapping "I have business to attend to at Smile factory and was wondering if you wanted to show (Y/N) around the facility, maybe take the tour?"

Law turns to you "Do you want to see the over glorified build a bear?" You could tell he wanted you to say no but you'd rather jump ship than address your almost kiss from a few seconds ago.

"Sure, why not! Let me change first." You forced a laugh as you passed Doflamingo "Wouldn't want a maid running around the factory." You scampered off. Part of you thinks it was a bad idea to leave Law with him but it was too late to go back. You grabbed the first thing you saw and hurried back down.

When you joined the two, Law did a double take pulling his hat down once again. Doffy smiled at you and you both followed him out. You shot a quizzical look at Law as he gestured to what you were wearing. You didn't pay attention to what you grabbed, you just wanted something warm and comfy. You were wearing Law’s hoodie. Despite your blushing you remained composed "What it's warm and cozy."

Arriving at the factory you were surprised that Law wasn't kidding, it was just an over glorified build a bear. The tour consisted of you going to different parts of the factory to, by the end of it, complete your own toy. The idea was super cute so naturally you forced Law to sit through it. Other than the bear sewing pattern you had control over all the personal details of the bear and after staring at a certain grumpy surgeon you snickered to yourself. You chose a white bear, gave him real tired done with the world kind of eyes, with the staple dark rings underneath, a slight frown, and nearly matching tattoos. That's when Law gave you a disapproving glare "Really?" You only laughed. When you got to the voice box station you begged him to say something for the bear. Gave him big ol puppy dog eyes and everything but he continued to ignore you playing games on his phone. You snatched it from him and as he grabbed it back he shouted "Oi, (Y/N)-ya" before he realized his mistake. Now you were on to the clothing. You had to give him the surgeon's standard jeans, hoodie and the iconic hat. You contemplated putting a surgical mask and scalpel but decided against it opting for just his earring and it was perfect the way it was. You held it next to him and gave the bear a squeeze.

"Oi, (Y/N)-ya"

Law only rolled his eyes at you. You were very proud of yourself. You were hugging the bear for the rest of the day to the point where you could tell he was getting annoyed.

"Seriously?"

You snickered as you walked into the manor "What?"

"When are you going to stop hugging that thing?" Law grumbled as you joined the rest of his family in the living room. You hummed, glancing around the room deciding to play it up a bit. "Hmmm, dunno. Why is the real one jealous?" You elbowed him, not giving him time to answer as you sat down by Baby 5 and Sugar "So who's winning?"

"Lao G but we're playing by different rules. Lao G has to be first at all times. If you pass him you start over so the real winner is second place." Sugar explained while Baby 5 gasped "Did you make a little Law, that's so cute!"

You snuggled it into your face and heard Law suck his teeth in irritation "tsk" you know you're playing with fire but it was too fun. "I named him Trafalgrrr B. Water Paw, the B obviously stands for bear, but lil Law sounds good too." You kissed him on the nose for good measure and you could feel Law glaring daggers at you getting up from his seat. You giggled until you felt your chair tip back. You didn't have anytime to react as Law captured your lips with his. It only lasted for a second but it still flustered you. You were going to hug Lil Law again when you noticed he wasn't in your lap.

"Oi, (Y/N)-ya"

You snapped back at Law to see his smug ass expression holding the bear hostage "Shit it was a trap!" You hastily got out of your seat but he already disappeared upstairs.

Monet rolled her eyes "Again sickening."

—

You burst through the door to see Law reading on his bed. He looked up at you like nothing happened "What?" Your eyes dart around the room "You know what you did, that was a good trick by the way. Didn't think you had it in ya. Now where is he?"

Law put his book down and folded his arms across his chest, decidingly stalling "What's that supposed to mean."

"Well I have a natural flirty personality and you get all weird about pda." You started by looking under the bed. There weren't too many places he could hide the bear. "I don't get weird, I just don't understand how it's anyone's business." Law retorted going back to his book. You've looked through most of the room and you still haven’t located the bear you stare at Law. "Still didn't answer my question. Where's lil Law?" He didn't answer, just turned the page of his book. You filter through the drawers of his desk still kicking up dirt. You stare back at Law once more. "You're sitting on him." You accuse, trying to think of where else the bear could be. Standing at his side you were about to feel underneath the pillow he was laying on when he grabbed your wrist. "I knew it!" You tried to use your other hand but surprise surprise he grabbed your other wrist too. Desperate times call for desperate measures. You throw your leg over his lap straddling him. Trying to use your leverage to break your wrists free and feel behind him. It doesn't work. He's too strong; he turns the tables easily pinning you to the bed. You heard one knock and you both freeze as the door opens "Corazon says dinners ready." Sugar trails off before shouting "Oh God, my eyes lock the door next time!" She didn't even close the door before she ran off.

You laughed as Law rubbed his temples. He lived with a bunch of idiots he swears. It was only then that you realized the position you were in. "Honestly I don't know what they were expecting by bursting into the room after our show downstairs." Law murmured as he released his hold on you. That's right all of this was fake. None of this means anything. You shake the thought out of your head and carry on.

___

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