#we at 10000 words now damn

[gremlin-girly]

Flufftober Day 14

@flufftober

Prompt: Mundane AU

Alt Title: One Piece at A Time

Pairing: Mechanic!Dean Winchester x f!Reader

Tags/warnings: Dean being Dean tbh (big ol' warning there), FLUFF, meetcute (I really like these apparently ahaha), Dean is a Mechanic, Sammy Stayed in law school :), John is still dead (I still hate him), Reader knows nothing about cars, 2nd person (female  Reader – use of "lady" once), tattooed! Dean, this is 10000% a grumpy x sunshine now that I think about it

Summary: You have car trouble and head to the nearest mechanic, Singer & Son, where your grumpy mechanic gives you an earful for not taking care of your car.

Word Count: 2.1k

A/N: I may or may not have scared my own mechanic with these things. Mechanics fear me. And if you know Johnny Cash, you'll recognise the title of this piece!

Prev | Next | Masterlist

Nothing in particular made you choose Singer & Son Garage as your new mechanic of choice. Reviews were good and it was near your house; you were sold. When you had left your car with the wizened Bobby singer, he had told you that your car should be ready in two days.

That was four days ago.

It was only supposed to be an annual check-up, ensuring everything was in working order. Which it was - when you'd left it at the garage. It drove nicely from point A to B, other than the strange rattling that had started a month ago (or the weird noise when you'd use the wipers). So, when you rang the garage on the afternoon on the 4th day, you certainly weren't expecting to get gruff, clearly annoyed answers from one of the mechanics.

"So... is the car okay?" You asked nervously, beginning to worry about the cost to fix or if there was a scam taking place.

“Yeah. You could say that. “ There’s a scoff and you can practically  see the eyeroll on the faceless person on the other end of the line.

"Uh... Okay? When can I pick it up? " You frown into the phone, unsure what he meant but bit back an indignant huff.

There's a pause. “This evening, if you want I guess. Look lady - I don't know what you did to this car but there's a lot of work that needs to be done. " The voice's annoyance seems to grow but you can't fathom why. “You’ll need to come down so we can discuss what needs done and book it all in.”

Your frown deepens. You weren't well-versed in cars and you were so far out of your depth you weren't sure if you were being ripped off.

"Uh. sure. Just give me a time."

“16:45 work?"

You check your work calendar. "Yeah. "

There's a grunt of approval. "Alright. See you then. "

 The phone clicks off and you're left staring at your phone in disbelief. You even blink a few times at the black screen of your phone. What crawled up his ass and died? The car was okay - that's all that mattered.

You sigh, mentally preparing for your bank account to break.

At 16:40 you wander into the garage, poking your head into the small office. Bobby Singer looks the exact same as he did four days ago, just in a different colour plaid. He's still tired-eyed with a phone pressed to his ear, hidden behind a mountain of paperwork. You give him a small wave and a smile when he glanced at the doorway.

He put his hand over the phone and waved you in. "Hey, again. Here for your car?"

You nod and wring your hands awkwardly. You feel like you're in the principal's office about to get an earful. Bobby gives you a short smile before speaking into an intercom.

"Dean, customer here to collect."

Silence.

“Dean,” He says a little louder. “Customer here to collect."

More silence.

You look around the office sheepishly when Bobby sighs.

"Sorry Sammy, your brother's not answering. Give me a sec,” He says gently into the phone before yelling into the intercom. "DEAN!"

His sudden yell made you jump half an inch into the air and he shot you an apologetic smile. Whoever Sammy is, he must be saying something to Bobby because he huffs into the phone. "He's playing his damn music to loud. Again.”

There's a clang of metal and the gruff voice from earlier calls out from behind you, causing you to turn. “Yeah?"

Stood leaning against the door is probably one of the most attractive men you've ever seen. He's wearing a white tank although you're not sure why; he's covered in grease and oil head to toe looking like a dishevelled dalmatian. His strong, tanned arms are littered with tattoos and your eyes trail to his ringed hands that are wiping a wrench clean with a dirty rag, that he then tucks into dirty blue overalls that have the arms tied at his waist.

Bobby nods in your direction and in a sarcastic tone says, "Customer."

Dean’s  green eyes cast a glance at you quizzically like he'd forgotten you were coming. Then he looks like he's about to roll them as he realises who you are. “Follow me.”

Dean leads you out back, where ACDC is playing from an old, beat-up greasy radio. You try not to stare, occupying your mind instead with trying to spot your car. It's like a car graveyard; tens if not hundreds of cars in various states of repair are scattered around the lot.

Your nervousness grows the more you walk until you see your car. Or more accurately, what's left of it. It's on a jack and one of the wheels is on the floor. It looks okay, all things considered. You guess that Dean must have been messing with you.

"It's fine!" You say, relieved. Dean shoots you a glare.

"It's not fine." He grunts. "Your suspension is rusted on the front and back, two of your tyre treads are below legal limit, one of your reverse lights is out and the rubber on your windscreen wipers is missing."

You stare blankly at him. "Meaning..."

"Meaning," Dean continues. "Your car should not be on the road."

"Ah," You say, dumbfounded. It was working four days ago just fine, and you tell Dean as much. He just scoffs.

"I don't know how that car did not blow up on you." He crosses his arms across his chest. "There's a lot of work that needs done."

Now your nerves were waking up again and spinning into a frenzy. "H-How much are we talking?"

Dean scratches the back of his head and heaves a sigh, looking thoughtfully at the skeleton of your car. "Maybe a grand. Could be more, depending on parts."

You almost swoon at the price. It was cheaper than buying a new car but that was the kind of money you did not have at hand. "Could I just get.. five hundred dollars worth of repairs?"

You look hopefully at Dean who frowns and then sighs. "Some of the repairs are a quick fix. If you're willing - I could show you how to fix 'em. That'll knock down the price."

You're so happy you could cry. "Thank you so much. That - That's really kind." You give Dean a grateful smile but he turns his head away from you quickly, clearing his throat.

"We'll get it done one piece at a time." He reassures you, voice slightly less grumpy. Only slightly.

"So... can I take it home?" You ask curiously, bouncing your foot on a tyre.

"No, I can't let you leave in it because it will fall apart." Dean huffs. "Sorry, but you'll be without the car if we're doing it bit by bit."

"Oh."

"Yeah, oh." He huffs, scowling at you.

Walking everywhere would be good for you. It was better than being down a whole grand.

"Look, I can drop you home since you came all the way here. I needed you to see what you'd done to the poor thing." Dean starts to walk back towards Bobby's office, you following his lead.

"I can walk." You insist, eager to not piss Dean off anymore than he already seems to be with you. "It's not far I swear."

Dean still huffs. "No, I'll drive you. Bobby'd kill me if he knew I let you walk home in the dark anyway."

You open your mouth to argue, but he gives you a steely look that tells you he isn't up for debating you; it's happening whether you like it or not. You smile awkwardly and mumble your thanks, adjusting your bag on your shoulder as Dean grabs a set of keys.

"C'mon, we'll take Baby."

You're brows furrow slightly, unsure whom he's calling baby, but teeter behind him.

Baby, as it happened, was a car.

You pull a face but as you drift by the sleek black exterior and peer at the black leather seats, drawing a short breath of awe.

Baby looked sexy.

You can't ever recall thinking a car looked sexy, but Baby was. Especially with Dean in the driver's seat. You slide into the passenger side and close the door with care, terrified to be too rough. Baby smells like car oil and pine and unlike Dean she is pristine. You buckle up and place your hands awkwardly in your lap as Dean turns the key. Baby's engine doesn't roar to life like your hunk of junk - she purrs - setting a steady rumble as Dean's strong arm reaches behind you so he can reverse out of the parking space carefully.

"Do you mind if I...?" Dean points at the car radio once on a short stretch of road and you shrug.

"Go ahead."

Dean turns the dial and Led Zepplin fades in through the speakers. You tap your foot along to the beat, you don't know the song but you do recognise it. After a few moments, you can hear Dean humming along to the lyrics, checking his mirrors at a junction and you bite back a smile. When he wasn't being such a grump, he was actually kind of cute.

The car ride was mostly silent until you got to a busy stretch of road and some asshole just had to dangerously cut up Baby, narrowly missing the car by a few centimetres had Dean not swerved. However, as Dean swerved, you'd slid down the seat and knocked into his shoulder with a squeak of surprise.

"Son of a bitch!" Dean yells at the driver, laying on the horn. He looks down at you worried. "You okay?"

You blink up at him, wide-eyed with slightly dishevelled hair. Your heart is racing fast from the near-miss but when your eyes lock with his, heat rushes to your cheeks and you can't seem to sit up fast enough.

"S-sorry. I'm alright." You clear your throat and give him a sheepish smile but he bursts into laughter. "What?"

Dean points at his cheek, snickering. "You have some oil on your face."

"I do?" You pull down the mirror and inspect your face and sure enough, there's a big black smudge on your cheek. The oil from Dean's clothes must have rubbed off when you knocked into him. "Oh, Goddammit." You rub at the smudge, only making it worse.

"Hey, stop that." Dean tuts, glancing back over at you from the road. "Dish soap and water'll make that come right off."

"Oh - thanks. Ah! This street right up ahead. That's me."

Dean grunts and nods, turning into your street gliding up to the curb outside your house. The engine cuts out and on autopilot you unbuckle yourself. Dean watches quietly but doesn't say anything.

"Thanks again," You say, hand on the door handle and flashing Dean a smile. "I don't know how I could repay you for my car."

His cheeks flush pink. Usually, this was where he'd flirt shamelessly, but something about you had his chest feeling tight and his stomach rolling. He finds himself thinking about how you were looking up at him when you'd knocked into him and how his heart fluttered. How he'd willingly offered his unpaid services to fix your car (even if you were supposed to help). How he'd nonchalantly decided to drive you home in Baby of all the cars on the lot. Dean swallows thickly.

"Maybe... dinner?"

"Dinner?" Your eyebrows fly up and you stop opening the passenger door. You falter for a moment before smiling at him, blush back in full force. "Uh, yeah, sure. I'd like dinner."

Dean's hands grip the steering wheel tightly, turning his knuckles white. He nods and struggles to find his voice for a moment.

"When's good?"

"Tonight's good. Or Friday." You say watching him with a small smile. He looks like he's not used to asking someone out on a real date. You decide to help him out a bit. "There's a really good burger joint on Winston Street. We could go there."

Dean’s eyes glitter when he looks over at you, breaking into a grin. "You mean Diego's?"

"Yeah, that's the one. Best burgers I've ever had." You tilt your head slightly at him. "You been before? We could go somewhere-"

"It's my favourite." Dean interrupts. "I'd love to take you there."

Your heart thunders and you nod, beaming at him. "Alright then, it's a date."

"It's a date." He says, a smirk twitching on his lips.

Once you and Dean have said your goodbyes and you're safely tucked against the wood of your front door you slump against it sighing dreamily. Friday couldn't come quick enough.

[lightlycareless]

Pussy inspection with Naoya 😫😫😍

Before going to his mission he tells us to not touch ourselves and when he comes back, he makes sure that we listened to him🤭

And if we didn’t…

It’s up to you to decide 🤓

( you don’t have to write it , don’t force yourself please 😭)

Heya anon 😏

well damn now that is something that... yeah wow. I'm not gonna lie and say that isn't something Naoya wouldn't do lol he's 10000% in it. You might encourage him to it too—y'all perverts like that.

Although with what happens after not so much 🤭

warnings: NSFW minors DNI. Smut. Naoya is a pervert, the ask is self explanatory.

Happy reading!

There are no words exchanged between the two when Naoya eventually makes his long-awaited return home, already knowing what he’ll demand of you by simply guiding him to your shared bedroom, laying down onto the futon, legs wide open and void of any underwear, which gave him enough space to fill in.

Once ready, he begins to corroborate if you’ve kept your part of the agreement the two struck before his departure, the same one he kept in his mind throughout the longevity of his tedious mission.

Reunions with him weren’t always like this.

This… meticulous.

If anything, both you and Naoya were far too eager to be back in each other’s presence to bother doing anything else.

But there were moments where your husband simply desired to do something more, perhaps take advantage of your seemingly endless devotion to him and get his fair share of fun with it, make this marriage slightly more exciting, and thankfully for him, that’s exactly what’ll happen—much to your dismay.

Your breath shudders when his fingers finally make way to your slit, thumbs gently pressing at the edges of your lips and spreading them apart, giving him sight of the lovely pink color that has made him mad with pleasure countless times.

Alongside the sensitive bud he’s teased far more times he could bother to remember, diligently pushing you over the edge time after time, yet always leaving you wanting more.

The purpose behind his search was to find any indications that you might’ve gone against his word, the slightest hint that your desire was bigger than self-restraint, unable to keep your hands to yourself while he came back from his mission and tainted it.

But from what he was able to see, you hadn’t. Dutifully keeping your pleasure solely for him as seen in your seemingly untouched cunt; soft, shaved, and well-trimmed, just like he liked it. Alongside the warm tightness of your walls as he pushed his fingers past your dampened rim, scissoring them as if to check there wasn’t anything different, anything wrong he might need to correct.

His cock twitched at the thought of being enveloped in your cozy walls, God knows how much he missed the way you squeezed him.

Yet, you’d be greatly underestimating his attentiveness by believing that appeasing to him through the things he enjoyed was enough to save you, which is what ultimately sentenced your fate, gaining you his rejection in the way he pulls away from you with a dejected face instead of giving you the praise you so desperately craved, the sourest of emotions inundating your chest soon after.

“Naoya—” you whine, quickly reaching out for Naoya, only for him to swat you away. “Naoya, my love—!”

“You think I wouldn’t notice that you went against my word?” he hisses, as if you’d done the greatest transgression yet against him. And to him, it might’ve been.

“I—I didn’t!” you gasp, moving closer to him to the point where he was just mere inches away. “I would never!”

“Don’t lie to me! Not when I know the truth.”

When he uses that tone, alongside the fact that he indeed knew the truth, you quickly understood there was nothing else to fight for, nothing else to do, except…

“How... how did you know?”

Simply because he knows you so well.

He rightfully assumed something was wrong the moment you saw him back at the estate, in the subtle manner you lacked to show the eagerness you always did when receiving him after a week’s long mission.

The absence of your pouty lips and flustered cheeks as you repeatedly told him how much you missed him and making up for all those nights he spent away.

And if that wasn’t evidence enough, the intimate details of your reaction were also there to consider—such as the way your cunt didn’t twitch when spreading it. You didn’t curl your toes, you didn’t hold your breath, your hips didn’t even lean into his touch as he prodded you.

It was plain obvious that your body wasn’t responding to him because those needs were already met, by you nonetheless.

And how endearing it was for you to believe you had fooled him, behaving like an innocent little dove in hopes he’ll oversee your mistakes.

But he knew you; he knew you better than yourself; and thus, it only took him one quick glance to see through your lies and call out the truth.

However, just as he knew you, down to the smallest aspects, you knew him as well, enough to understand that the anger in his eyes and the avoidance of his touch wasn’t real but rather, an act made to further arise a response from you.

Because Naoya would never dream of doing something that might hurt you. You are the love of his life, after all.

That wouldn’t stop him from being cruel from time to time, though.

“I— I didn’t mean to!” you cried, tightly holding onto his arm and pulling him closer to you. “It’s just that I… I missed you so much, I couldn’t help it! What was I supposed to do while you were gone??”

“Wait for me, like the good girl you swore to be.” Naoya darkly murmurs. “But it seems I underestimated your lascivious nature.”

“I am a good girl!” you persist. “Please, I’m sorry, Naoya, I won’t do it again!”

“It’s too late for that, Y/N. I don’t know if I can trust you again…” he smirks. “Unless you prove to me that I can.”

Whether this was the real purpose of his reaction, or something that later came to him that day, it didn’t matter, because you’d neither hesitate to do so, or at least try to— for your commitment to regain his embracing devotion was stronger than any ulterior motive:

From tending to him first thing in the morning by preparing his favorite meals, with the perfect temperature and seasoning, just how he liked it, having his clothes warmed up and pristine, so he’d look good as he always did…

Or if needed, a warm bath to ease his tensions, mind fuzzy and muscles relaxed as your body and the water washed all worries away, keeping him solely focused on you and the pleasures you could provide if only he’d been willing to oblige…

Yet, as much as you did your best, it wasn’t enough for Naoya, who opted to keep you at bay in favor of getting more of your adorable behavior, acting like an eager bunny by giving him those soft, pleading eyes of yours to incite him into rewarding you for your misbehavior.

To receive, if just the slightest brush of his fingertips against your cunt and leave all this behind.

But did you really think that by doing what you were meant to do anyways, you’ll achieve that?

That he’ll be able to look past your neediness, your incapability to not touch yourself, behaving like some kind of insatiable whore that couldn’t look past her own satisfaction, ignoring her husband’s simple request and tossing away a lifetime of pleasure for a mere instance?

No. Of course not.

He’s not going to pass by the opportunity to remind you that as much as he loves you, there are things that must remain undeniably true, such as the fact that every inch of you, every crevice, curve, down to parts you hadn’t even seen yourself—

All belonged to him.

So, you’d do good in continuing to please him, from upkeeping his role as heir to the eyes of others, portraying a sight of duty and respect before the clan— to whore in the calmest hours of the night, where he’d use your body for his own release, marking you with his seed yet cruelly denying you release…

 You were born to be his.

And by the end of his torment, you’d remember well.

Naoya be like: you have to make me cum 3 times and then i'll touch your pussy.

y/n: *does it*

naoya: *asleep*

y/n: DAMMIT

😏 that's kinda hot tho. he won't like it if the tables turn tho hahaha

Anyways, thank you for sending in this ask!! 😏 Naoya has some specific kinks, and I 100% believe this was one of them. Thankfully, I have something written for the bath part... (planned, more likely. I haven't written it lol)

I hope you enjoyed it!!

Thank you so much for your patience, take care, and hope to see you soon!!

[severalowls]

Hi I played myhouse.wad here is my thoughts on a narrative thing people seem intent on brushing off in favour of tired tropes.

Spoilers for myhouse.wad do not read this if you havent played it go and play it blind thx

So Thomas and Steven are heavily heavily implied to be husbands. The use of Intensely, Notably impersonal language in the journals is a whole other point to analyse irt its authorship but I digress, my (first) point is: Thomas is also Probably trans.

So in the airport you go into the womens bathroom and theres a pill bottle on the way in that says "needs a refill..." and then you do a little loop around the mirror and theres blood in the mirror then blood all over the place and blooddemons spawn in all around you... then you leave and there's a full pill bottle that says something like "such a relief" and when you come out the bathroom signs have switched and the bathroom you came out of is now the mens room.

Now the Le Reddit/gamer dood prevailing interpretation is apparently that this is... a coincidence? That the meticulous insane modder(s) who created this entire mindbending feat of technology Simply Forgot and its a total coincidence. Fuck off.

Now the prevailing theory also seems to be that the airport bloodbath is actually Thomas's father, evidenced by the same empty pill bottle being in the hospital room with the dead man. Nah, that's because they're both Thomas's fuckin pills and that's Thomas.

Steven (the PoV character as it were) is in the same hospital because this is a representation of the critical inciting event of the entire meta narrative: both of them having died, together, at home (probably in a house fire).

Everything we see in the mod represents scenes and events in their lives, and this is the point where Steven departs from the mortal coil and goes to join his husband Thomas, who is flatlining but nonetheless sat bolt upright, locking eyes with Steven who, in the context of the wider story is putting his affairs in order through the medium of Doom. CRUCIALLY this one hospital scene, where the video game gameplay rules of Doom (you die, you reload a save) are defied and we pass into a (god damn it) liminal space between the abstraction of the game and Death, is the only point where they are reunited.

Which then suggests to me that all the "Liminal Space" stuff and Backrooms references aren't just Fun References, but the Thematic Core of the piece, the passing between worlds. Hell, even the narrative being split between docs and the mod. It being a mod for a game at all.

Anyway I'll save this going on 10000 words because I could probably write interpretation for hours but... Myhouse.wad good.

Edit the following morning: There are hints to an "Anna" which the average Gamer assumes is some sadface ex-wife, but the main points where this is referenced are the airport scene and "S+A" in the bonfire/beach endings. Steven and Thomas are described as having reconnected with high school crushes/'friends'. The main time in your life where you're likely to carve your crush in a tree is when you're a teenager.

Steven had a crush on "Anna", reconnected decades later once he'd transitioned, the scenes of the game represent primarily parts of their life together, and in the final moments of the game (bonfire/beach endings) he's reflecting on when they met as kids.

Airport scene, besides the symbolism of journeys and beginnings, could also reference a miscarriage Thomas had at some point, possibly pre-transition since its where "Anna" comes up? (Stillborn baby is referenced a couple of times in the journal + baby bottle item ingame)

Anyway, myhouse.wad good.

[eugenedebs1920]

Maya Angelou said, “when someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time”. We’ve all heard the play school song, ‘sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me’. That may be true as someone of flesh and blood but democracy is different.

Democracy is so powerful yet so fragile. So immense yet delicate. Democracy works when we participate, when we are engaged, when we believe. In a way it’s like faith. You have faith that those representing your ideas that they will keep their campaign pledges. Faith that once the votes are tallied and counted, one candidate will go to Washington as your voice, the other will concede defeat, figuratively shake hands (sometimes literally, but less and less these days) wish their opponent well, and despite which side won, the whole thing will continue on repeat. Simple in its complexity.

This has been the process for about 239-240 years. Then. Donald Trump.

Before a single vote was cast in 2016 Trump was already claiming it was rigged, that democrats cheat. This had never been a phrase I had heard so casually thrown around my entire voting life, which this will be my eighth time casting a vote for the presidency (and I swear that vote stealing, useless Jill Stien spoiler has been on every f*ckin one! God! That hooch).

There was a level of dignity and respect, of honor and pride to the running for the Oval Office even more once elected to it. There have been candidates who lost for sighing and looking smug, candidates who lost for being too sweaty, candidates who lost because they couldn’t spell potato. (🤣 I almost spelled it wrong!)

Not so much anymore. When I heard Trump insinuate that Biden was using cocaine I just thought to myself, wow! This is the level of professionalism this has gotten to. It’s like one side is there for a game of cricket, the others there for wrestlemania 10000! Not that there’s anything wrong with wrestlemania. I watched that when I was 8. This is the most powerful job in America we’re talking about though. Potentially the most powerful job in the world! Now 80 year old guys are accusing other 80 some odd year old guys of snorting coke! Thats just a tiny fraction of the unbelievable, fictitious, crazy sh*t Trump says! You guys know! You’d have to be living on a deserted island to not hear this stuff!

Words matter though. These wild accusations that Trump and his sycophants throw around have real world consequences. There had NEVER, NOT EVEN ONCE been any evidence showing any numbers of voter fraud or noncitizen voting that would have even the slightest impact on the count totals. The Heritage Foundation. You know, The Heritage Foundation, same guys who push for a white Christian nationalist agenda in the dystopian nightmare known as project 2025. Those guys. The number I saw today was 84 accounts of potential fraud, from 2003-2023 were found out of 130 million votes investigated. These are the Heritage Foundations numbers. Yet half the damn country doubts that elections work! Half the damn country thinks the whole things rigged! Funny how that only became a thing when a malignant narcissist, two bit reality tv personality ran in 2016 and hasn’t stopped since. In the last year 230. Two hundred and thirty Republicans running for office, whether state legislatures or for Washington, they have made, without any evidence mind you, claims that their election was, or would be rigged. RIGGED! ITS ALL F*ckin rigged now! It’s f*ckin ridiculous!!!

The whole damn thing falls apart if no one believes the totals, if there’s not a peaceful transfer of power, if no one thinks it matters. Again! Funny. Because Trump seems to f* ckin love autocratic rule! It’s all manufactured, none of it’s real. Even the damn heritage e foundation knows there’s no fraud!

But because Trump has already sowed the seeds of doubt into the system they have begun to shoot their roots out, splitting and crumbling the strength that once was the foundation of our democracy. Our vote!

I wish I could just shake the other side and be like, snap out of it!! Look man! Look! They’re f*ckin with you!!! I figuratively try, but to no avail. They are dead set on what Trump says is true, which is hilariously ironic because there’s rarely anything he does say that is true.

Yet half the country nearly. Half the country.

Because of his words…

Sticks and stones thrown may break capital police officers bones, and words will tear down democracy……….

[deepspacedukat]

Okey so I found you on ao3 and I just wanna say I love your Picard x reader stuff so much 😳😳 there's barley any of it out there would you want to do some more nsfw of him, anything honestly cuz I'm desperate 😭 either way, thank you for your work! You are awesome 😎

Aww, thank you! I'm so glad you like my writing thus far! I will 10000% write more Picard smut. In fact, here's one just for you, Nonny! Have a lovely day!!

(Requests are still closed, this is just one from my backlog.)

If anyone wants to be added to or removed from my taglist, please let me know!

Cross-posted to AO3 here.

~*~

His Two O'Clock

Captain Jean-Luc Picard (ST:TNG) x Reader, Dixon Hill!Picard x Reader

[A/N: This is smut, so 18+ ONLY, MINORS DNI!!!]

Warnings: Established relationship, paying a debt another way, improper use of a desk, holodeck roleplaying, roleplay, oral sex (female receiving), coitus interruptus, power dynamic (kind of?).

~*~

"Mr. Hill? Your two o'clock is here," Madeline called over the intercom, and the door swung open before he could even acknowledge her message.

As gorgeous as ever, Hill's client strode into his office in high heels. The red lipstick adorning her mouth accentuated the way it was pursed with frustration.

"I want my money back, Mr. Hill."

"I'm sure we can come to some sort of an arrangement." The detective's voice was low, pacifying...suggestive, even as he attempted to placate the woman whose case he couldn't solve. She'd come into his office a few weeks prior with a seemingly straightforward problem that turned out to be a puzzle without a solution. All the evidence had been eliminated, leaving only conjecture and instinct to explain what had happened.

That would never hold up in court. There wasn't even enough for an arrest, even if he'd been able to narrow down the suspects. He was baffled for once in his long, distinguished career, and now he had to own up to the fact that he couldn't even pay his client's money back, because he'd needed it for the office's rent.

He'd failed her in every possible way.

"I paid you a substantial amount, yet you've given me no more to go on than a few hints," his client said lifting an eyebrow. She tried to hide it, but her eyes roamed the length of his suit-clad body briefly before meeting his own. Her frustration was still there, but it was tempered by something else. Desire, blatant and growing in potency since the moment they'd met. "So, what exactly are you suggesting, Mr. Hill?"

An easy grin crossed his lips as he crossed his office. Pausing in front of her, he let his own eyes drop to her lips.

"Somehow, doll, I think you know what I mean, already," he murmured reaching up and grasping her chin. The pad of his thumb skimmed over her painted lower lip, just barely smearing some of the color onto his own skin.

He hoped he'd have that shade smudged in other places, as well, by the end of her appointment.

"With the amount you owe me, Mr. Hill, you'd better make it damn good," she demanded, but she sounded too breathy to be truly threatening.

"Oh, don't worry. I've never left a client dissatisfied before," Dixon promised, and true to his word, he soon had her splayed out atop his desk. With her legs spread wide and the hem of her dress rucked up to her hips, he relished the quiet moans pouring from her lips as he lost himself between her thighs.

Her fingers guided him, but he didn't really need it. He'd had plenty of practice using his tongue. Just as she bit her lip to stifle a keening whimper, the sound of the comm doused both their pleasures in ice water.

"Riker to Picard. We've reached Starbase Eighty-Four, sir. The station's commander would like to speak with you at your earliest convenience," the First Officer announced, and just like that, the Private Investigator was brushed aside for the Officer.

"Understood, Number One. Tell him I'll meet with him in a few moments," Captain Picard answered reluctantly, and when the line closed, he stood slowly between his lover's legs. "Same time tomorrow, Lieutenant?"

"Fourteen hundred hours, yes sir," she answered as she wiped her pleasure off of her Captain's lips with her handkerchief. He'd make it up to her tonight...and again tomorrow. Stealing one last kiss, he saved the program.

~*~*~

Taglist:

@akamitrani @android-boyfriends @attention-bajoranworkers @bigblissandlove1 @darkmattervibes @emilie786 @groovyqueer @horta-in-charge @live-logs-and-proper @slutty-slutty-vulcans @starrynightgardens @toebeans-mcgee

[pico-farad]

aaaaaaa omg you've finished vrains?? what did you think of s3? any fav moments? :D

I've got a lot of thoughts and I'm working on a huge Vrains post (actually, two huge Vrains posts)! S3 is interesting to me, it's understandably a mess, but it also has some of Vrains's best writing.

My favorite episode(s) of Vrains are the Ai vs. Pandor duel.

"Yeah we could duel in virtual reality.... but we could also duel on top of a moving plane"

yesss... YES......!! Now THIS is Yugioh. 

The line writing is surprisingly good, and Ai's VA does a fantastic job with it. The grief and resentment that sit just beneath the jokes serves to make the whole thing more bittersweet. I have some concerns with how sharply they veer Ai's character, but this duel sold me on it.

What gets me about this duel is that these are two people who like each other. You can see it in how they talk to each other, how Ai can't help but be honest, coming close to confessing everything to her.

Pandor: Have you given up on co-existing with humans? Ai: Seems so. I've already hurt humans, so I don't think they'll forgive me. And I have no intention of turning back. Pandor: You're going to exterminate humans? Ai: I don't intend to, but it may end up that way. I don't know, myself. Pandor: Is it impossible for humans and AI to co-exist? Ai: I don't know that either. It was impossible for me. But I won't say it's impossible for you, or for future AI that have free will. As long as there is free will, I can't deny that possibility, that everyone's lives can be one. All I'm saying is that I couldn't co-exist. Pandor: Ai... I sense an incredible sadness from you. Ai: Ugh, stop with that... I don't want anyone to know that. Except for one person.

Unlike all of Ai's other duels, he doesn't have any resentment or mixed feelings towards Pandor; he sees her as kin. That's why their interaction feels so tragic, because Ai is the last of his kind (Roboppi isn't quite self-aware yet) so he gets this opportunity to talk with someone who's like him, someone who is not complicit in the deaths of the Ignis, but they're on opposite sides, and he has to kill her. Which probably feels like how he had to kill his friends.

And Pandor is the only character who sees Ai without betrayal or defensiveness clouding their judgment -- and she sees through him completely. It's amazing. This damn therapy-empathy bot just won't stop seeing into his soul and telling him to stop hurting and killing himself -- while they're both trying to kill each other. FANTASTIC. THAT'S WHAT I LOVE TO SEE.

He wants her to be free from being controlled by humans just as much as she wants his salvation. But they have to fight each other, and die, while the humans all get to live.

And on then on top of being deeply tragic, this is also the funniest episode in Vrains. Because tragedy makes comedy funnier, and comedy makes tragedy sadder.

BRO JUST WANTS TO SEE TOPOLOGINA NAYBEE.

I definitely think that if season 3 was allowed to be its full length, we would have gotten more from Pandor, maybe even see her join Ai's side. After all, it's a classic Chekov's gun to have Revolver of all people create a sentient AI and be like "it's fine, I programmed her not to betray humans." Bruh, of course she's going to betray humans. It's as classic as the story of Pandora's Box itself.

Anyway, if you want to know my top Vrains duels, they are:

Ai vs. Pandor

Spectre vs. Lightning

Yusaku vs. Revolver (s1 finale)

And my favorite characters are 1. Ai, 2. Roboppi, 3. Aoi.

To be honest, at the end of season 2 I was feeling pretty bummed about characters I liked at first becoming less interesting as time went on. I was fully prepared with the joke about my favorite Vrains character being Hatsune Miku, mostly on the virtue of "you can't write 10000 words about a character and say you don't like her." But these two cat-coded AIs snuck in at the last moment to charm me.

[ramblingmoon]

Per'Kele × Pocketcat, but they're in divorce

Thank you. May you get 10000 points of mind .

The cold mahogany conference table had on it the despair of Pocketcat. A stack of papers to divide up their property. The stark white of the paper clashed against the glossy finish of the mahogany.

The lawyer rattled on about we gets what and what the finalization would mean for each other then. Lawyer talk. But Pocketcat was really listening, he just felt so much pain. Their words being inaudible sounds. Every part of him ached. If it wasn't for the mask they could see the dark circles under his eyes.

One sad kitty.

Pocketcat dared to glance over to his future ex husband. Per'kele sat there with a coldness uncharacteristic of him. There was not playful violence in his demeanor, no seemingly laughing at his own joke. He just sat there with his arms folded and just stared forward.

Pocketcat had to look away even more heartbroken. It was his fault that his love was like this. He had broken the rooster's heart into a million pieces after he had mended it so artfully.

The lawyer finish his spiel as he indicated that it was time to sign the divorce papers. The speed of which Per'kele sign and left tore more holes into Pocketcat's already broken heart. His gloved hand traced the over Per'kele signature. Those loopy letters he use to write love letters to Pocketcat now only hung him.

He couldn't watch himself as he himself sign the papers. Eyes closed tight, he scratch his own signature on his tomb. He had missed the dotted line but close enough.

Per’kele was the first to get up and leave. As he left, Pocketcat could have sworn he saw a single tear trickle way shinning in the fluorescent lights.

This left Pocketcat stun. He didn't know what this meant for a moment or two. He just stayed there too much in his pain to realize what this means.

If that Rooster, that had his heart, was crying that meant he was sad. And if he was sad at the divorce proceedings then that must mean…

Oh my Rher!

Pocketcat jumped out of his chair, leaving it on the floor. He pounced out of the room trying to catch up to his only shot at happiness.

Per'kele was already half way down the stone steps of the courthouse when Pocketcat came bursting through the front door. He was too close to his get away car.

“Rooster!” Pocketcat yelled.

Per'kele turned towards him. Ice in those eyes, that wasn't how they where suppose to be. Like maybe bloodlust but not coldness towards him, Pocketcat.

“Look I know I've hurt you and I don't even deserve to even have a chance to speak with you.” Pocketcat started making his way down the stairs. Per'kele's eyes watching all the time.

“I've hurt you in so many ways that, I’m downing in my own guilt. But if you give me the chance, the chance I'll prove to you…”

Pocketcat was now on the same step as Per'kele. He got down on one knee and Per'kele raised an eyebrow.

“I promise you that I will spend the rest of this immortal making up for my mistakes.”

Per'kele only stared down at this cat. Pocketcat thought for a moment that this was mistake and he had really lost the best thing in his life.

“Do you promise to stop eating children everyday?” Per'kele finally said.

“Yes, a million times yes if that is what it takes to get you back!” Pocketcat lied.

Per'kele, his rooster, get teary eyes before sobbing. He had been holding it all together for so long and just let himself fall into Pocketcat's arms. They embraced and kissed. They where back together again, baby!

Needle, who was standing by the car just looked annoyed. He was so looking forward not having to deal with the damn purple cat anymore and buying underwear that wasn't purple.

Stitches thought it was very sweet as she always liked romance novels.

The Lawyer cried in exasperation as this was the 5th time this year they had gotten a divorce and it was only March!

[amourtoken]

WHAT NICKNAMES DO WE THINK ARI WOULD HAVE FOR YOU?? and also i'm thinking about being in between sage and scott but is that too naughty to say..

MY LOVE IVE HAD THAT SAME THOUGHT 10000 TIMES like yea I want Scott by himself so bad my chest hurts but God damn Sage is so pretty and sweet like I can't 😭 I'll write abt that soon but for NOW here's my thoughts on Ari:

I think he's definitely the type to go for baby girl at first yk? It's easy and always makes you smile so why not? Scott says it a lot too so I think he just kinda took it on from him since they both talk just like eachother lol.

he really does have a soft spot for you and he could be at someone else's throat cutting them down w some harsh ass words for whatever reason but then instantly turn around and be like "you okay baby??? I love you sweetheart :(("

he always draws it out when he says it too, but it's really the best when he's just woken up and is pulling you close to him w his arms around your waist. His voice has that sleepy grit to it and it gives you the worst butterflies.

Other than that I think everything is generally pretty standard tbh. Angel, pretty girl, mine. He makes that last one a big point. At the core of all of this, it's cause you're his and his only. That's his favorite thing about you, he's sure to mention it as much as he can.

"How's MY girl doing" "I miss you MY love" "MY baby looks so good right now"

That kinda stuff. There's definitely emphasis on the ownership lol.

[steve0discusses]

S5 Ep 42 Pt 1: It’s All In Your Head

Every week with long covid is like a new batch of symptoms. Last month’s symptom, among other things, was “words no work no good,” and so we just uh...didn’t do an update. I probably needed to chill and nap anyway. Not that I’m fully better yet, today I did laundry and pulled out a blue shirt that I clearly own and bought with my own money--but I have no memory of it. Zilch.

The brain is amazing, that with this brain fog, I can’t remember my blue t-shirt, but I can remember Yugioh. Weird, right? So anyway, thanks for your patience in this weird time of my life, glad to have a blog to write about anime in that is so chill with our very long breaks.

Also, I finally went through my old caps to toss old pictures so that way I can make new stuff, and guess what I just realized?

Kisara is not a dragon!

Seto’s girlfriend isn’t a dragon! She’s just on top of the dragon, I can’t...I just can’t believe this.

Truly a crime that this season, the final ultimate season of Yugioh, is what I’m doing while on Long Covid fruitloops, so I can miss every damn point that this show fires at me. But, at least, I hope it’s funny to read. It is like every single update where I realize I was wrong about the obvious, and don’t worry, it’s gonna happen again in like 4 seconds. My borked brain.

Anyway, Yugi and Co have walked all the way to the palace. Because we’re still on S4 time and space conventions where Death Valley, the Grand Canyon, and San Fransisco are all next to each other. Like Yami fell in the Nile in a fight that was just outside of the city--but I assumed he got pulled way out there. Either way, it’s a kid’s show, never think about geography.

(read more under the cut)

Yugi can conveniently walk through doors now, and after a quick shoutout to his homie Yami, they phase through.

Including Tristan who is...

Well,

APPARENTLY TRISTAN WAS POSSESSED.

Freakin, my brain is a bunch of salad dressing, lmaoooo even last episode I was like “wow Tristan is drawn kinda evil and I don’t really get why” and it was RIGHT THERE. He’s been possessed probably since Bakura grabbed him by the neck right in front of me. I somehow missed this!

And like, I figure, if I try and wait out long covid it may take a whole other year, so like this is just me now. I started this blog as like a competent analysis (ish), and now I get to the end of S5 giving you just an incoherent rorschach. It’s kind of fitting for this show really, everyone has to end up at least a little bit of a mess. Keeps you humble. Even me. I also have to become the mess.

Anyway, speaking of becoming a babbling incoherent mess, we go back to Bakura, who has fully lost his game in Battle Basement of a 7 vs 1 game.

Only in Yugioh would they make a 7 vs 1 game feel evenly sided.

And as I wonder if I’ve already made that joke four months back and have forgotten, they all watch Bakura do a mad dash to screw them over one last time.

And while they stood there and just allowed Bakura to fumble around with the doom rocks made of human souls, from no where, Aknadin stumbles through the door all day drunk like freakin Kramer.

And no, in the show he did not reveal here that he was Seto’s dad, but he does in like 2 minutes so I didn’t really care about where I put it. The big thing is that Aknadin’s gone full-tilt cray and not even he can fully explain his motive anymore.

That’s when they realize Aknadin’s babysitter, Shada, has been punk’d on the bottom of skull tablet basement. Which like, Imagine the day that Shada’s been having. I guess Aknadin just left him at the base of like 10000 human skulls then, hahaha.

I have checked my notes and I decided that 2000 people died in Kul Elna a few months back but eh I don’t feel like changing this cap. Overall, I have no freakin idea how many people lived in this freakin town and they can’t tell us because 4Kids would never allow it.

Which is when Bakura decided to teleport his bean into another bean because this bean is broke.

Which is when we met this guy, a guy we’ve only met for like 4 seconds of the show so far. Hello there, Original Bakura.

Straight up, he wasn’t on screen long enough for me to over-analyze his accent before he was a small mound of dust on the floor.

Ah the death count! Oh damn it, I write these notes on the caps sometimes, expecting I’ll put an actual number there later but lets be real, I just need to publish this episode, so let me open the Google doc...

7,805,847,572

Yeah that’s how many people have died in this kids show so far. We’re right on track. Thanks Bakura, for another death, but no you have not caught up with Dartz. Although I will hand it to him, Dartz didn’t end up killing himself nearly as many times as Bakura has.

Speaking of dying and being dead on a kid’s show, in enters Shada.

So lets go see what Yugi’s up to hm? The four have decided to separate in this Egyptian palace to each find Yami’s name. Mind you...there’s some flaws with this plan.

The flaw being that none of them have graduated high school or know freakin anything about Egypt, other than they hang out with an Ex patriot Egyptian. (2 ex-patriots if you count Yugi’s Grandfather. Although honestly, are you an ex-pat if you are reborn in a kid’s body on the other side of the world? You are, right? You are). But, whether or not Yami can or can’t read Egyptian in Canonical Yugioh, we know that Yugi apparently super can’t when Yami isn’t in his bean.

And Joey just can’t focus for the life of him, which, damn, relatable. But, he did find a room full of women.

He also went to the only room with like lots of water. Real pissed focused mind here, and no the piss plotline will not be resolved.

Tea, still GOAT.

This castle, man. I love the complete disregard for interiors that this animation team has. Like...what even is the purpose of this weird maze room with masssssive stone tiles, Yugioh? Like...what is this even supposed to be? Why are the tiles so SHINY?

Anyway, lets go back to Shada and hear his excuse for what the hell happened last episode.

Which is when Aknadin decided to just start cursing everyone, which he would have done earlier if he wasn’t constantly in a sick bed this season.

This very well might be a yugioh card effect that turns you into a rainbow filter, but it also looks like a complete mess of artistic directions on the screen.

Which like, after that cutesy filter, lets pull our eyes out.

Which is when Yami makes the biggest logical leap known to man.

That’s right! Yami has figured out that this entire time, this entire arc, he’s been sleeping at this RPG table that Bakura’s built in his mom’s basement Yami’s Puzzle Necklace.

In fact, when Yami wakes up to all of this, wearing his normal ass school clothes, and Bakura sitting across from him in his popped collar duster jacket, Bakura says something on the line of “bout time you woke up.”

the fic shippers must have had a FIELD DAY with one.

Anyway, everything is a lie, Bakura is controlling people like puzzle pieces, which not only explains why Aknadin’s motives went a 180, but can lead us to believe that Yami also COULD control everyone else, but just chooses not to. Just like he does in real life.

I think, overall, you just have to go with it. We’re playing D+D, except it’s about your embarrassing past. Like if you made D+D about your middle school experience and you can’t remember your first name.

What a way to die, really. What a weird ass way for Yami to almost die.

Anyway, here’s a link for those new here to read these from the beginning. I have the 2nd part already drafted up, should be up in a few days and not an entire month, haha. Hope your 2023 is looking up!

https://steve0discusses.tumblr.com/tagged/yugioh/chrono

[munsonology]

Eddie being a brat tamer is all that is in my head right now. Just him grabbing you and spanking you. Hot hot hot.

I also can imagine the first time you agree to being tied up. You don't know if it is because you are completely vulnerable yet you feel 100% safe, the way he checks in on you before getting rough again, or what it is. But its also the first time you squirt (oh his mouth drops and he immediately claims it is the hottest thing he's ever seen, you know damn well he's gonna try to make you do it again with and without the bondage)

10000% agree! Eddie is over the moon when you tell him you want to give control to him, quickly explaining how you’re the one with the power to tell him your safe word at any point. He always asks if you’re ok and if you need him to slow down. He talks you through your orgasms and when you squirt from just his fingers (rings on, 3 knuckle deep) he tells you how he can’t wait for you to do that again.

And knowing it’s possible to cum from just spanking!!!!! 😮 like where’s Eddie when you need him 🥵

I thought I was so weird when I realized I liked spanking. There was this episode of Maury where this girl’s bf was cheating on her and Maury set him up with the a hidden camera in their bedroom and he was caught red handed spanking the some girl in front of the dresser! And he got caught with the sexy decoy!

Then in computer class I was reading master of the universe during reading time and I was like “ms. Ly my book is on the computer ☺️”

and now it’s 50 shades (whether or not it’s accurate is another thing but I think that fic did introduce us to dom/subs then we did our own research)

And when I found Anne rice in our school library 🤤 and those alien sex books from the 90s/00s with the cgi cover that’s all torn!

“What are you reading?” “Nothing just this fantasy book about werewolves”

And the werewolf is actually a lycan fuckin his mate stupid with a whole lycan dick in the forest 😭 now I read smut waiting for my pink drink at starbucks ! Full circle lmaooo

[textsfromthetva]

I don't think I've ever seen you post about any of the other projects Loki's been in. How do you feel about his movies? Which one(s) are your favorite?

First off, I'm sorry for letting this sit in my inbox collecting dust for three weeks, considering the fact that it's actually a great question and it caused me to really reflect on my thoughts about Loki in the MCU. Unfortunately, none of those thoughts got to a point where they were worthy of publication on the esteemed tumblr dot com, as I doubted they would pass the savage peer review of much more dedicated fans. They still won't.

Honestly, I'm scared, anon. People probably won't agree. But since you asked so nicely:

Thor - solid tragic backstory established with a certain flair. Loki is by far the most interesting thing about the whole movie. Not that I actually dislike it as a whole, I just don't think it's anything special in the context of the MCU. It's a fish out of water comedy interrupted regularly by a heartbreaking tale of loss of identity, self-hatred, and daddy issues. Which is a... choice? I guess? Kenneth Branagh's love of Shakespearean tragedy really shines through, is all I'm saying. Tom really established his brilliance right out of the gate, so that brings it to a solid 8/10 on my Loki-scale.

The Avengers - now... look. This movie has a lot of flaws. But I love it. I was in my mid-20s okay, I was exposed to it at a weird time in my life and I was obsessed. I watched it three times in cinemas, including once in New York City, while I was there on a study trip with uni. I probably watched it half a dozen times after that. And Loki was so much fun in this! Just the perfect villain for that movie. He was the Moment. I'm not even gonna get into the tragedy of the mind stone's influence fucking with him, Thor not realizing, lack of acknowledgement of the fact that he literally tried to commit suicide two movies ago, or the many implications of past torture by Thanos, I just like watching him be flamboyantly evil and smack people with his cane. The other stuff gives the story depth that I'm not actually sure it actually deserves. Still, 10/10

Thor: The Dark World - we can all agree that this movie is, uh, kinda meh. At least in my opinion. However, I think it's very important in terms of Loki's character development and the development of his relationship with Thor. For that reason alone, I admit to having watched it more than once. Also, he's such a little dramatic bitch in this, it's what we all deserve. 7/10.

Thor: Ragnarok - this is where some people will start throwing rocks at me. I really, really like this movie. I love Taika Waititi, I love his whimsical humour, I love how goddamn silly and lighthearted this thing is compared to The Dark World (and Avengers: Age of Ultron). Fuck grimdark angst, we have bright colours and fun. It just means the few emotional whammies hit all the harder too. I've heard people confidently call this movie a character assassination, in regards to Loki, and I really can't express in words how little I care. He is now Jeff Goldblum's trophy twink. No explanation needed. Let the guy be chaotic for once, he's earned it! 100/10.

Avengers: Infinity War - nope. Dont' wanna talk about it. -10000/10

Loki - well. I'll refer you to this edit of mine:

This show is a general mess on so many fronts, but I still feel such fondness for it. And judging from the number of viewers it got, the world will watch just about anything if it has Loki in it, which, you know, valid. And would I be running a whole damn blog about it if I actively disliked it? No, I would not. 9/10.

There we go. Based on my personal rating, Thor: Ragnarok wins. The trophy twink can't lose.

[red-dyed-sarumane]

what if i went off about some of my favorite songs ever

kyuuyaku hankagai - hiiragi magnetite: everyone knows i love this. i just love everything about it. we really get both sides of the picture story wise with it- both the fact the world is literally, physically getting destroyed, and all of the mental torment the characters are dealing with. it still has that magu series weird wording but it gets everything across that it needs to. the instrumental is just as heavy as the scenario with added dramatics in parts that really make it for me. all the long notes to simulate screaming. the seamless addition of both the nami no ne no & rute furute woa motifs (& a possible 3rd? theres still parts in here i cant figure out yet) makes me so emotional. if u have no idea about the series its still a solid song. 10000/10 i cannot fully express my love for this song in words i just need it on repeat full volume for weeks on end.

ai wo - null: impossible for me to explain why i love this so much without oversharing. i keep telling myself not to rank this song so high but ive never felt so seen before. null's lyrics are both poetic & still hit every raw emotion where it hurts. the whole being left alone ur whole life & wishing it wasnt that way, that everything wasnt so empty, that someone could love u the way u need & never got. i want everyone to hear this song and i also want to gatekeep it. it became so important to me in such a short time & itll be hard to ever rival it

arikitari heroes - 150suzu: im not immune to nostalgia. shuuenpro is executed entirely different to aru sekai series & i have to judge from entirely different criteria & that said i really always loved how this one sort of summarized the series in a way that highlighted all the strife in it & made it subjective rather than an objective summary. the chorus is so high its like theyre crying out which fits entirely. i still have the video embedded in my mind & its been a hot minute since ive watched it. my teenage self thought it was so deep & even with a different perspective now i cant entirely discount those feelings. anyway i still really love it i could still listen to it for weeks on end if i wasnt busy keeping up with other things. i do not say it lightly when i say this is the song i have listened to the most in my entire life i used to spend Months straight listening to it. beloved.

tachiiri kinshi - mafumafu: i was sooooooo normal about this in high school (lying). its still high on my list of breakdown songs. like damn its been 8 years and it still holds up the same. between this & ai wo that just gives away 90% of my problems. imagine solving isolation by letting people in cant be me. anyway i was obsessed with drawing the girl from the video for a while idk how many doodles i still have left but she was Everywhere on my school work. normal person behavior.

jishou mushoku - nekobolo: song that has pulled the most weight in keeping me alive. where would i be without it. sometimes the mood is so bad this is still the only thing i can listen to some days.

rokuchounen to ichiya monogatari - kemu: the real reason i fell down the voca rabbit hole. still adore the song & find it hugely nostalgic, but there was a reason i connected with it when i was younger & being able to recognize how fucked up that was makes it also a painful reminder id rather bury. song fucks tho love how every rhythm game its in will destroy u trying to play it.

konmei no aji - savasti: regardless of the real meaning of the song this will always be a dissociation song to me not in the sense it makes me dissociate but rather in the spaceyness & disconnect it reminds me of the feeling but in a safer way to deal with it. personally i prefer rire's cover

taishou x - yurry canon: u will appreciate this song now right now its so under appreciated for a yurry canon song. god the fucking "i'm still living the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. as it is i will never be you. theres no reason in living, but just the same theres no point in dying is there?" [punching a wall] i like it a normal amount

kaiko no kanmuri - dopam!ne: god this song fucks so hard and yet its still edgy. i dont even really know how to explain what i feel with this one beyond i love it. its a kind of waiting for the right time to strike for revenge kinda song? idk its my absolute fave dopam!ne song i love a lot of his songs but this one just really does it for me

haru no sekibaku - inaba kumori: kutabireta atashi ga dame dattan da ne. yeah. the overall mood of this song hits just right all too often. sorry lag train this is the defining inabakumori song to me.

hyperlexia - yamaji: the space in this one also gives me a sense of vague dissociation. i just really love the whole reading between the lines not going to fall for lies anymore mood its got going on. a misguided sense of personal revolution that probably wont end in anything meaningful but i particularly like the song.

[snowycorvid]

OH MY GOD???? BRO OK SO LIKE I JUST RECENTLY FOUND UR DAMN FIC AND LET ME TELL YOU I CAN'T BELIVE I DIDNT FIND IT SOONER??? LIKE??? ITS ABSOLUTELY STUNING AND I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW HOW MUCH LOVE I NEED TO GIVE IT. I LITERALLY FOUND IT 2 DAYS AGO AND COULD NOT STOP MYSELF FROM READING THE ENTIRE THING. I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN GONE FOR A WHILE NOW BUT HELLO?? YOU DESEVRE IT AFTER PUMPING THAT MASTERPICE OUT IN A SINGLE MONTH??? ok my bad let me reel it back a little but oh my god dude it's like I'm combusting into flames in a good way??? exploding should probably be the right wording actually Anyways!! I cannot express to you how grateful I am of how good this is?? the story plot is 10/10. (I would say something abt a particular character but yk spoilers and whatnot BUT NOTHING bad at all, it just was quite literally gut wrenching) The writing? we've already established this, it's actually so good I'm going to eat it like a four-course meal 10/10. the characterization and just the way you so nicely write everyone so clearly? BEAUTIFUL LIKE WHAT??? ACTUALLY BAFFLING HOW SATISFYLING GOOD IT IS??? 10000/10. AND NOT TO FORGET THE UNIQUENESS TO THE STORY IN THE FIRST PLACE?? never in my life have I read someone write this concept of y/n's identity. AND FOR IT TO BE Y/N IN THE FIRST PLACE?? like for being an input character to project onto ITS SO WELL WIRTTEN ITS LIKE HARD TO PUT INTO WORDS BUT ITS SO CREATIVE ON YOUR END. AND AGAIN, TO YOUR WRITING, IM SORRY BUT IT JUST FEELS SO??? ALIVE?? LIKE THE DESCRIPITIONS, THE INTERACTIONS, THE THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS EVERYTHING IS EXPRESSED SO WELL. anyways!! this is a lot of words but you definitely deserve the love like 10,000% because my god. I just wanted to let you know that its amazing its so hard to even explain how good it is in words. I genuinely hope life is treating you well as of late and if its not I hope it gets better!!!!! -your favorite, 🍎 (Literally though thank you I cannot stress this enough, and if anything, you're MY favorite like oh my god)

Sobbing reading this thank you!!! I keep meaning to sit down and finish re-reading everything so I can try to pick writing back up + go through and fix the formatting/a few typos along the way, but life has been a little hectic and I've been super focused on some other personal projects, but 4x2 has not left my brain, lives there rent free. It's super weird to me to think that one of the last times I was working on it was last year....

One day. One day we will see Y/N and our silly backseat captain return for more chaos and shenanigans and blatant lack of self preservation but at least they know they have none. I projected too hard onto Y/N and apparently that's resonating with people, lmao!! <3 <3 Thank you again for the plethora of kind words, they will live rent free in my head with the bits and pieces of the plot I'm still juggling like our beloved bouncy ball.

[lovelyelbowleech]

Im just so perplexed by you sometimes. Like, how. I-- So, story time, I normally only take STEM courses in uni, but now im in a course where we have to write life-sucking 500 words essays (still a stem course mind you, theyre just sadists that forgot we only write code) per week and I just- how what, it so fucking IMPOSSIBLE NO WhAT. And I know, deep down -i know-, its so little but It kills me every time and and then I always have to think of you writing 10000+ per month in your motherfucking free time and my brain just malfunctions HOW HOW WhAT hOW. You are a force of nature. I cant. NO. Just the thought of your fics alone restores all my energy stats, hot damn. and yeah, as always sorry to bother but you amaze me too much and now i really should stop procrastinating and get back to my bloody essay, uuugh..... Loads of love <3

Haha! It's never any bother!

Writing is the thing I enjoy most at the moment, so I do it whenever I can - and even when its's a slog, the lovely comments and kudo's always give me a boost!

There is always a difference when you have to do stuff verses wanting to do stuff. I have the same issue with research - I can get lost for hours looking at studies about war and trauma, and plants and drowning and injury and nonsense, but when I have to read research papers for side job, its so slow and painful. 🤣

I hope your essay writing went well! ❤️

[tsukuna]

Side by Side

Summary: You wandered into Red Grave City to warn the “Legendary Devil Hunter” of a certain… negative shift in the area’s energy. It was an energy you knew to be demonic, and it grew stronger by the day. But on your way to meet with the intermediary, a noisy bird caught your attention. A noisy bird that would bring you to a frail man on the brink of falling apart.

Rated M • Female Reader • Before the Events of DMC V• Under the Cut • Part 2

The news began to speak of the Qliphoth, or the “tree shaped object,” that emerged in Redgrave City. No one, from the average citizen to local police, had a clue that a powerful demon lurked inside. Despite repetitive warnings to take shelter, crowds loved to gather around the base and just stare. Ignorant fools, all of them. 

You observed the horde from a helicopter heading into the den. There was you, V, and Dante of course, but an additional two women accompanied. One had short, ebony hair and an eye of green, an eye of red--not to mention an enormous arsenal. The other was a near carbon copy of the woman you saw on Dante’s desk, and she smelled like a demon. Frankly, it was all perplexing, but you assumed questions would receive no answers. They are beautiful though. You admired their deadly radiance.

While the three demon hunters chatted amongst themselves, you looked to V. His demeanor was entirely muted, and his face showed little expression. There was a decent understanding between you too at this point though, and you could tell there was anxiety building in him. You would have given him a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder; however, you had a feeling the gesture wouldn’t be too well accepted.

“So,” the black haired one drawled. “Who are you?” She eyed you rather intensely.

You introduced yourself. “What about you two?” You looked back just as intense. The names Lady and Trish rang out. “Your names are pretty,” you smiled softly.

“Pretty?” Trish was surprised by the comment.

“Mm,” you affirmed. “I wouldn’t have guessed them. But they match perfectly.”

“Ahhh, so you think we’re pretty, huh?” The girl named Lady tried to tease.

“Extremely,” you said with confidence, not allowing yourself to show embarrassment.

Both of them seem more than satisfied with your answer. “How come you never pay us compliments, huh, Dante?” Lady complained.

“I don’t want to inflate the egos of two crazy ladies anymore than they already are,” Dante replied with a shrug. That seemed to spark an impassioned, yet silly argument. It was an interesting display of friendship for you. I never knew it could seem so… fun.

The light air wasn’t meant to last though. Once the helicopter landed, it was business. “Hey, Dante,” Lady spoke up. “I haven’t even heard the target’s name yet.”

“Uuh… hey poem kid,” Dante seemed peeved.

But in juxtaposition, Griffon began to laugh, “Hee hee hee, that’s our wise guy Dante! What a memory! V, he deserves some praise.” You couldn’t help but roll your eyes at the bird. So extra.

“... some said, it is Urizen.” It was a name you proposed after you met up with Dante before the trip.

“How about Urizen?” Those deep green eyes looked at you with a curious expression. “I read the story in your little book,” you explained.

“Ah yeah, right.” Dante seemed less than enthused. “Urizen, Urizen. You people keep it in mind for me.”

“Not a problem,” you whistled a tune while exiting to wait outside Devil May Cry once again.

“I’m surprised you remembered the name,” V admitted.

“How come? I spent quite some time reading the book while waiting for you.” There was a small pause before you giggled. “I was even pleasantly surprised by how soft your hair was. I thought about doing a little braid.”

“I’m glad it didn’t come to that,” V placed his palm on his face, but it didn’t fully hide the amused smirk on his lips. In spite of what was about to go down that night, you were glad you could provide some bit of comedic relief.

The skepticism on Trish’s face at the name made you a tad nervous, but whatever she was thinking, she didn’t bring it up.

“Looks like the party venue is still open,” Dante announced as you made your way into the Qliphoth.

“Shit, gross.” Your nose crinkled upon moving forward. But why does it seem similar to V’s faint demonic scent?

Lady affirmed, “Oh, it stinks in here.”

“I know. Smells like hot garbage.” Dante fanned himself with an irritated expression. But was it truly irritation, or something else? You couldn’t help but remember his reaction to the true name of the demon. Vergil.

V suddenly crumbled forward, and you caught him just in time before his whole body hit the (disgusting) bottom. His face looked similar to when he was on death’s door. “V?” There was no hiding your concern.

“This is far worse than I thought,” he whispered underneath his breath.

There was no time for questioning before Dante called out. “There’s no crime in turning tail. These things might be a little too much for ya.” He continued to walk while looking at him, hands cooly in his pockets.

“... you’re right.” V gritted his teeth. “I’ll leave the rest to you.” He turned on his heel, leaving both you and Griffon to stare in disbelief. Immediately, the demon flew over to question him in a panic.

Dante’s eyes turned to you. “What about you?”

You did consider your two options. You knew you could fight, and you could tell they needed all possible help. But could V make it without you? It seemed as though his health took a turn for the worst in the blink of an eye. “I’ll go with him, just in case.” Dante nodded before waving goodbye unceremoniously.

It was only a short jog before you caught back up with V. “One must always have an insurance policy,” he told Griffon. Strange. V acknowledged your presence with a nod. It let you know you weren’t unwelcome or a hindrance to whatever he was planning. Had he not given you the clear, however subtle it was, well… you supposed you would’ve turned back to rejoin the other there.

“What do you mean, insurance policy? Wait… Do you mean that brat?!” Griffon quite literally screeched. “Hey, hey… he got his right arm lopped right off,” he tried to reason with V. “He won’t be of any use in battle!” V mumbled some sort of reassurance to him, citing the blood of Sparda. It offered Griffon no comfort. “I said not to fall behind Dante, right? And then you just leave! If they kill him while we are out fetching some greenhorn, we’ll...” the little demon trailed off.

V glanced back. “That… won’t happen. I think.” It appeared this situation was worse than imagined.

“Perhaps I should’ve gone,” you thought aloud.

“I believe you would’ve died,” he paused. “And that would be rather unfortunate.” While V often omitted aspects of the truth, he didn’t seem to lie about what he did choose to reveal.

You, Griffon, and V made your way back to Morrison and the helicopter. His expression was confused. “Well, that was quick. Where’s Dante?”

“Inside. Send the helicopter now.” It wasn’t a question.

“Right now? And send where?” Clearly, the intermediary was puzzled.

“Fortuna,” V stated.

Fortuna--it was a place you heard about in passing. Rumors of mass destruction caused by demons and the existence of cults in the obscure city floated about. Is this where that “brat” resides? The entirety of the Qliphoth was once more in view. It was a disappointment, leaving before you had done a thing about the demon within.

Clearly, V noticed your irritation. “It will be solved in time. It must.” Though he said that to you, it also seemed like he was reassuring yourself.

“I simply wish it will be sooner rather than later.”

You fell back into a lull of science. Until the pilot broke it with annoyed chatter about these “boonies” having no heliport and how he’d have to look for a little landing spot.

“There is no time. We’ll meet below. I’m going ahead,” V prepared to jump from the helicopter, causing the pilot to panic even further. He turned to you and offered his hand. You hesitantly took it. You had a suspicion Griffon would be the way down, but you were skeptical on how well he’d do with carrying the weight of two people.

You clenched your jaw when the air initially hit your face. “God, fuck.” V seemed to laugh under his breath at you before pulling you a bit closer to make Griffon’s job easier.

“While I don’t mind helping out because, y’know, my life counts on it… try not work me too hard,” Griffon bitched. His complaints were met with no words of remorse.

Before your feet hit the ground, V began to discuss his plan. “I’m going through the window.”

“Alright, I’ll wait outside.” The distance to the bottom wasn’t far, so you let go, landing on your feet softly enough. At least I’m stealthy.

Over 15 minutes passed before your ebony-haired companion made his way back down. You looked around for whatever it was he came for. “He’ll be here shortly.” So it IS the brat.

The rattling of metal had you turning around, your eyes catching sight of a boy with blue eyes and silver hair--very similar to Dante. He looked to V, who he already met, then you with skepticism. Regardless, he moved forward to join you. “You’re telling me that’s our ride? Talk about posh.” When you looked at the city streets you assumed that yes, it was posh in comparison to what other residents typically saw. “...Don’t get it too close, the others will wake up.”

V was irked by the comment. “Do I look like I can contact it right now? Try jumping and telling the pilot in person.”

“Yeah, sure,” the other boy rolled his eyes. The conversational-less void quickly turned awkward, unlike the time you typically spent with V. You knew nothing about this boy though, and it’d be a lie if you said you weren’t semi-interested.

While still staring forward, you said your name. The boy turned to you with a questioning look. “Your name?”

He seemed to consider whether or not he even wanted to give it to you at first. “Nero,” he finally said.

Immediately upon landing in the Qliphoth, Nero seemed ready to rush in. But V warned him of the danger that waited. Shortly after, a gurgling sound came out from what you noticed to be Shadow’s “liquid” form. “I’m leaving,” V looked over his shoulder. “I doubt you two would get lost here, but still… I suggest you do not fall behind.” And so he did go ahead, using Shadow as a mode of transportation.

Nero’s face soured a bit, making you release a short laugh. “Not very personable, is he?”

“I can agree to that,” Nero grumbled. It wasn’t long before demons began to spawn, creating little roadblocks in your path. “Get behind me.”

“I appreciate the gesture, but I don’t need protection, y’know?”

“I don’t see any weapons on you,” he eyed you.

You sighed. “Why must one waste energy and space by carrying physical items?” You gave Nero a peace sign before allowing white-gold light to envelop your hand. With a small shake, the glow around your hand turned to light throwing needles. “You take care of half of them, I’ll deal with the rest from a distance for now.”

The demons crawled closer and he grudgingly understood there was no time to ask more at the moment, but oh man, you knew it’d be constant interrogation once there was time. Whatever. A disgusting creature with both the face of a man and an ant’s body caught sight of you. You lazily threw a needle at it, watching it explode once it was pierced between the eyes. They were clearly bottom of the barrel demons. They were quick work for you, and clearly Nero as well who finished shortly after you.

“So you gonna tell me what the hell that was about?” He placed his shoulder across his back as you two continued walking.

“Don’t think that’d be right,” you drawled, “I haven’t even let V know yet, and I’ve been hanging out with him longer.” Nero huffed. “But I will let you know that light exists to extinguish this darkness.”

“How poetic,” he rolled his eyes, which warranted you to bump you first on his head. “Hey! What the hell?”

“Don’t be a douche, Nero,” you stuck your tongue out. “But y’know what? I won’t give too much away from myself, but I have to say, for a kid with one arm, I’m rather impressed by your sword skills.”

“Tch. You should’ve seen me when I had both,” it was funny how quickly Nero could go from brooding to cocky.

A sideways smirk spread across your face. “Would’ve loved to spar with you and kick your ass.”

You both continued to banter and deal with anything in the way. It was actually fun, and, surprisingly, the pair of you laughed together. It took no time for you to see V in the distance once again.

Nero stepped forward. “Huh? What, did you come back?”

The comment undeniably miffed V. “I told you, had I not? Your presence is needed.” You still didn’t quite understand why he needed Nero. He was strong, yes, but he still only had one arm. And if the reaction V and Griffon had earlier meant anything, this demon was far out of Nero’s league.”

Speaking of the devil (or rather the demon), Griffon piped up. “Hey, hero, you do know your role, right?” Nero quirked a brow at the bird. “What I’m saying is get going. We’ll take care of the grunts.”

“Whatever,” he turned around. But then he called out your name, which had a surprisingly colloquial tone to it. “You coming with?” Dante asked the same thing, and you would give the same answer.

“This seems to be your fight,” you shook your head. “I’ll stay back and help here.”

“Gotcha,” Nero nodded and began to move forward.

Griffon cackled, “Fast friends, huh?”

“He’s a funny kid. But how about we focus on the issue before us, hm?” The demons, which Nero had let you know were called empusas, bubbled up.

“Work, work, work!” Despite the complaint, Griffon charged then released cracks of lightning onto the demons. “Fuck yeah!” Huh, I guess I never saw what he did. The bird then chided V for not helping.

“Don’t rush me,” he voiced as he pierced one of the empusas. “Garbage.”

“He, he, that’s the spirit. We gotta catch up to the kid! Even she is helping out!” Griffon was ranged, you noticed, so you took a more melee stance this time (as opposed to your strategy alongside Nero). Instead of conjuring the needles, you created an elegant scythe of light. While the hacking and slashing was entertaining, being splattered by rancid demon blood was a major downside.

“Ugh, disgusting,” you at least wiped it off your face. V looked at you, startled and speechless. “No time for a Q and A, we’re needed ahead.” You grabbed his (warm) hand and began to run forward. “I can tell they’re right up there!”

The first thing you saw was Nero already bloody and beaten. “Fuck, Nero!” You rushed towards him and continued to scan the scene ahead of you. Dante. Lady. Trish. All of them lying on the ground in defeat. The demon, the monster, who defeated the famed devil hunters sat at the far end, appearing bored on his “throne.”

“He lost?! How did this happen?!” Griffon’s panicked screeches rang in your ears. “Oh no… oh no… This is it. This is the end.”

V softly murmured “Dante…” It was as if that conjured him back from the grave.

“Round two!” He transformed into a devil right before your eyes. Who the hell are all these people I got involved with?

“Heeey, what do we do?! We could lose an arm too V!” Griffon flew around anxiously. “Earth to princess V! Get yourself together!” You joined his chorus of yells, however… the words did not reach his ears. Tears rolled down V’s face and you realized just how dire this situation was for him.

“V!” You and Griffon shouted, but he continued to stare ahead. “V!” This time you took him by the shoulder and began to turn him around. “We need to go!” His eyes finally came back into focus and he nodded.

“Get Nero out of here! This was a bad move,” Dante yelled out.

“I can still fight,” Nero screamed in response but you were already beginning to pick him up and drag him away. “Tch, shit, back off!”

“You’re just deadweight!” By expression alone, you could tell that Dante’s words reverberated through his whole being.

Even as the ground collapsed, Nero shouted, “Quit messin’, back off!”

“We have to leave here!” You and V both tried to shake sense into the boy. “He’s far stronger than we could’ve imagined…!”

“That bastard called me “dead weight”?! Don’t underestimate me!” Nero screamed out Dante’s name.

Your eyes widened with shock as V threw Nero against a wall. “If you’re frustrated then think of ways to get stronger!” You had never heard his voice ring so loudly. “If Dante loses… I need you to defeat Urizen.” Nero’s face was full of scorn, but he seemed to finally give up fighting you and V off.

“Yes Urizen, the demon king…” He’s the demon king? Fuck. “That’s the name of the demon who took your arm,” V explained to Nero. It was news to you that it was Urizen who stole Nero’s arm. First question you had was why? What was so special about his arm that the demon king needed it to ascend? Perhaps I can barter information with him another day. I’m sure we shall meet again.

A crisp snap cut the air, and suddenly the black from V’s hair dissipated, leaving only white behind. An enormous creature crashed down and busted the rocks. Its appearance seemed to be made of rock (though that would be too simple) and it had a single eye. Another of V’s familiars, huh? But unlike Shadow and Griffon, especially, it didn’t seem to have any conscience. “This is Nightmare,” V  whispered to you. Good to know he thought that you may want that information.

The descent was over and once the familiar gurgled away, V’s hair became black once more.

“Where’s Dante? Hey!” Morrison exclaimed, voice full of confusion.

“He’s buying us time.. But it won’t last long,” V answered smoothly, not showing his despair to the other man.

Morrison was stunned. “Dante lost?!”

[overdramatics]

i start doing morning feedings tomorrow so im Nervous