#woAH i just got vertigo

[forgetme-eternally-blissfully]

I wrote orv fanfic instead of studying for my final exam yayyyy

Description:

Kim Dokja, adopted son of Hades and Persephone, and an official Demon King, is on the run from his own parents... and the entire underworld.

They mostly let him play, but if he slips up then it's back to the underworld with him. Join him and his adventures in the Empire, whose prince is extremely handsome and popular, and also incredibly irritated at the magic wielding pretty-boy that is stirring up trouble with his very presence. Traveling scholar his ass, this guy is just a pain in one! And why is everyone that joins his group incredibly loyal?

Kim Dokja, adopted son, might have accidentally started adopting some children of his own. Now he's starting to get worried he won't be able to go anywhere without these people following his every move.

I'm going insane from sleep deprivation

Don't read this if you expect yjh to be there. He's for a later chapter. First we need a set up.

[just-my-latest-hyperfixation]

To the victor the spoils

Written for the @steddieholidaydrabbles, day 19

Prompt: Enemies to lovers

Rated: T

CW: light blood and violence; steamy kissing; very light dubcon if you squint (they're actually both super into it, I promise)

Tags: Fantasy AU; Magic AU; Guard!Steve; Thief!Eddie; Sexual tension; Flirting; Fighting; First kiss

Notes: Thought that kiss was hot in writing? Wait until you see it! @house-of-the-moving-image did an entire mini comic!

In the end, it’s just the two of them again. 

Steve jumps over another groaning pile of half-conscious guards and bursts out onto the roof, cold night air slapping him in the face and making the cape of his uniform whip. 

“Munson!” he barks. 

He is standing by the edge of the roof, a black cut-out against the starlit sky. As Steve stalks closer, he can see the smile curling at his lips, the amusement glinting in those dark eyes. 

“Stevie,” he greets, like they’re two acquaintances who’ve just met on the market square - not the new Captain of the Guard and the city’s most wanted criminal. “My, don’cha look strapping in the new get-up. Congrats, I bet daddy’s mighty proud.” 

“Shut it,” Steve growls, ignoring the way Eddie’s eyes linger on his golden breastplate, the way it makes a treacherous heat prickle at his neck. “Flattery will get you nowhere. Now give it back!” 

He jerks his head at the necklace clutched in one black-gloved hand. Eddie pouts. 

“Don’t wanna. It’s shiny.” 

Steve groans. It’s like talking to a five-year-old. A five-year old clad in black armor who’s versed in combat magic. 

“It is a priceless magic artifact that’s been in Lord Carver's family for generations-” 

“Yeah, and what a load of good they’ve done with it,” Eddie sneers. “High time it got into the hands of someone who actually knows what they’re doing.” 

“Oh, and that someone would be you?” 

“Look at you,” Eddie winks. “Pretty and clever. Now if you’ll excuse me, I gotta-” 

“You’re not going anywhere!” Steve snaps. His sword slides out with a high, metallic sound. 

Eddie raises his hands. “Woah, big boy. Careful now, you don’t wanna-” 

Steve roars and lunges. 

Eddie skips out of reach, but not quite fast enough. A lock of curly hair floats to the ground. 

“Oh sweetheart, you're gonna regret this,” Eddie purrs. 

And all hell breaks loose. 

The air crackles with the taste of ozone, a blinding light erupts from the artifact, and Steve just barely manages to parry. Something whirrs through the air, glides off his blade and a sharp, hot pain explodes all over the side of his face. Something warm trickles down his cheek. 

“Hell yeah,” Eddie whoops and comes flying at him, giant shards of solid magic whirling around him, eyes eerily alight with their glow. “That's what I'm talking about!” 

The world blurs into a frenzy of movement and adrenaline. Attack and parry, dive for cover behind the towers and turrets and battlements of the roof, attack again. It’s almost comforting in its familiarity, this dance of theirs. Steve knows all of Eddie’s little quirks, the subtle twitches of his face that indicate his attacks before they actually come. They’ve done this so often, he can read him like an open book. 

The problem is, Eddie knows him just as intimately. Steve screams with rage, forces his aching limbs to go faster, harder, but it’s no use. Every blow that he tries to land, Eddie blocks, every twist and turn he makes, Eddie’s already there, always with that infuriating, dimpled grin, that amused little quirk of his brow. 

Until Steve’s foot lands on a wet patch of moss and he slips. 

It all goes so fast he has no time to be terrified - just feels the horrible sense of vertigo as the world tilts and the cobbled street jumps at him. Then, before he can so much as scream, there's arms wrapping around him and he's being hauled backwards, back pressed flush against another body. His blade goes clattering into the shadows.

“Whoops,” Eddie chuckles into his ear. Steve can feel his chest rising and falling with exertion, can feel his hot breath clouding against the shell of his ear. “Thought I told you not to fall for me.”

“Shut up,” he snaps, tries to struggle free, but Eddie has one arm around his chest, the other flush against the hollow of his throat, and he can't go anywhere. “Don’t give yourself too much credit.” 

“Oh, do I?" Eddie’s lips twitch into a smirk against the nape of his neck. “Then why were you holding back?” 

“Fuck you!” he grits out, but all it earns him is a low tut. “Now release me.”

“What, without a reward?” Eddie’s voice tingles down his spine, sweet and potent like poisoned mead. “You know how I am about pretty things. And you wouldn't wanna deny the victor his spoils, would you?” 

“Asshole!” Humiliation coils hot and heavy in Steve’s abdomen. “Stop joking and-” 

Eddie snarls against his ear. “I've told you a million times, honey. I'm not joking.” 

Steve’s world spins again, breath punched clean from his lungs as he is flipped around and slammed against the nearest wall. Eddie doesn’t leave him any time to recover, just surges in with a hungry growl and crashes their lips together. When Steve tries to struggle, he bites down on his bottom lip, uses the pained gasp it earns him to lick into his mouth. 

Someone moans, but it takes Eddie running his tongue over the roof of his mouth and pushing a leg between his thighs before the sound tumbles out again and Steve recognizes his own voice. They only break apart when they run out of air, both flushed and struggling for breath. 

And that is when the door to the roof slams open and Lord Carver and his men push through. 

“He went this way! Seize him!”

Eddie lets out an annoyed huff and leans in for one last peck against Steve’s lips. 

“Sorry, darling. Gotta go, y'know how it is. See you next time.” 

He steps out of his space and the night air hits Steve like a bucket of ice water. Eddie winks at him and steps over the edge of the roof. 

By the time Carver and his guards arrive, the night has long swallowed him.

Part 2

All my holiday drabbles

[kiame-sama]

Sweet Death- (Yandere!Phantom Troupe x Autistic!Chubby!Reader)

Random idea I had and felt like writing down. Tell me if y'all want more from this vein and what direction you think it should take.

Warnings; yandere behavior, obsessive behavior, possessive behavior, troupe tries to cause a lot of mischief, intense masking, fem reader (tell me if y'all want a male reader or non-binary), creepy creature appearance,

~~~~~~~~

"Wait, so you PAID for them?"

"Yeah."

"But, why?"

"Piss off! Lady was nice."

Feitan snapped in his usual short manner of speaking, a glare on his face as Pakunoda bothered him. They had business in the airport and Feitan stopped to swipe some sweets. What they didn't expect was that Feitan actually paid for the food he got and was defending his uncharacteristic behavior.

Feitan was the most easily irritated, so it came as a surprise that whomever he interacted with did not anger him. What was even more of a surprise was that Feitan actually seemed to be behaving in a polite way to someone. The only one Feitan was polite to- and they use the term loosely- was the Boss of the Troupe.

Pakunoda was interested to learn more about the unusual woman that had enthralled Feitan enough to actually get the short-tempered man to pay instead of stealing, but she knew that he wouldn't tolerate any more questions. Instead, she endeavored to find out more about this woman on her own.

~~~~~~~~

"Wait... What was I doing?"

"You were wondering what you wanted to order from here."

"Oh, right!"

It had been at least six times that the soft woman behind the counter had to remind the ever forgetful Shizuku of what she was doing. Six times that Shizuku had also changed her mind on what she wanted.

Franklin, who was accompanying the other Troupe member was actually getting annoyed with her because he just wanted to leave and meet up with the other members. There were certainly times where he had great patience but it was not one of those times for him. Even though he was getting annoyed, the woman behind the counter seemed calm and happy even as she had to change the order yet again.

"Sorry about her, she has terrible memory."

"It's no trouble, truly. There are greater tragedies in life than a bit of uncertainty and adjusted orders."

Franklin felt a pleasant surprise to hear such wisdom from someone he wouldn't even think twice about. The unusual and understanding way she seemed to approach the situation was odd, as most just got short tempered with Shizuku or even refused to adjust with her ever bouncing memory. Though he wanted to just move on, he felt compelled to stay, if only to see how long that patience would last.

"Wait... What did I order?"

~~~~~~~~

"Think anyone would notice if I just stabbed someone?"

"Doubt it. I bet no one would blink if I fell down this escalator right now."

Uvogin had a wide grin even as he shifted his weight backwards, anticipating hitting the metal moving stairs but instead, landed on something soft.

"Woah there! Are you alright?"

He slowly looked up to see a soft looking woman with kind (e/c) eyes and a concerned expression on her face. To Uvogin, he felt as if he landed on the softest pillow to exist, feeling the nice warm body holding him up with a gentle touch. All words and coherent thought left his mind as he slowly blinked, trying to compose himself.

"..."

"Are you okay, sir?"

"Yeah! Yeah. I- uh... Fell backwards. Don't know why."

"No worries! I'm glad you're okay. Usually it's the vertigo that gets people, just don't look up too far and you should be good."

Uvogin didn't really want to move, but as soon as he and the woman got to the top of the escalator, he quickly got up. The woman smiled sweetly and tried to help stand him up despite his rather massive size. When he was upright, she chirped out a farewell and quickly departed, leaving Uvogin standing with a dumbfounded expression on his face.

"Yeah... Bye... See you later..."

It took a rough shake from Phinks to make Uvogin snap back to attention, feeling like he had been dunked in cold water. He had to tear his eyes away from where the woman had been standing, feeling confused as if he was coming out of some kind of haze. Uvogin had to literally shake his head to clear the odd brain-fog that had consumed him, glancing where the woman disappeared to.

"... D'you think she digs tall guys?"

~~~~~~~~

"C'mon sweetcheeks. Just give me your number."

Machi glared at the man who was trying to heckle her into giving him her number. Though the troupe was trying to lay low before they put their plan into motion, Machi had half a mind to just outright kill the man. It was while she was weighing her options that a voice suddenly cut in.

"She said 'no', take that as your answer and leave."

Both looked over to see a soft looking woman with a clear frown set on her lips, seeming as if she were ready to fight at a moment's notice. Machi was surprised to see the feisty woman but the man seemed annoyed and sighed as if he were being told to do something distasteful.

"I get it, Fatty, you want a chance with me too. I don't usually like fat chicks, but-"

"But you're going to walk your happy ass in the direction of your flight or the exit before I get security to drag you by the taint out of here."

"You really think you can talk to me like-"

"I can and will talk to you like the piece of trash you are if you don't leave her the hell alone."

"Fine, fucking fat bitch."

"That's Ms. Fucking-Fat-Bitch to you."

Machi was surprised that someone so soft was so immune to insults, not to mention the fact that the guy actually fucked off. She made a mental note to single that guy out and get rid of him when she next had the chance, turning to the soft woman for the time being.

"I appreciate it. He was not taking 'no' as an answer."

"Yeah, guys usually think they can bully everyone into doing what they want if they act like their brain is in their testicles. Some don't even have to act."

The flat and almost annoyed tone the woman used made Machi actually let out a soft laugh, more than humored by the odd woman that had helped her. As she looked over the woman she realized that this must be the one the others in the group had been talking about. Certainly, the woman matched the description of the one the other Spiders had been discussing and Machi could see why the other Troupe members she had spoken to were so enthralled.

Perhaps she should tell the others of her similar experience.

~~~~~~~~

Chrollo stood in the line of traveling people, having heard quite a bit about a rather unusual character who the Troupe had encountered several times. He had decided it was time for him to see what the woman was like firsthand. Based off of the testimony of other members, this woman either had manipulative nen or she was a gem among common people. Either way, he wanted to know whatever he could about her.

As he approached the woman in question- she was working the cash-register at one of the shops in the airport- he focused his eyes to see potential nen. What he saw was far from what he had expected.

Based off of her general aura, her nen bled off of her in an uncontrolled way instead of the way it was supposed to. On top of her nen being rather wild- making it clear she had no control over it and likely was unaware of it- something was noticeably wrong. Where abilities often formed as small spirits or beings, a more than intimidating creature stood behind her.

The being was far taller than the woman, even taller than Uvogin. It seemed to be a horribly emaciated humanoid with skin that writhed like worms were beneath the surface and searching for a meal. The skin- as translucent and paper thin as it was- seemed a sickly blue and purple, much like blooming bruises across the surface. It was shrouded in what could only be described as a shawl of shadows, face concealed beneath the rolling darkness. Though it's face was hidden, Chrollo could feel the eyes of the wretch staring out at him. In the beast's hand was a sickle often used for cultivating grain. The curved crescent blade seemed to be soaked in a dripping red ooze that moved slowly and without purpose, the leather handle held by elongated and bony fingers. Everything about the beast was wrong on a fundamental level.

Though the creature was frightening and clearly stronger than most normal nen abilities, it remained a loyal and silent sentinel over the soft woman's shoulder. It was obvious- to Chrollo at least- that the beast was brought to heel by the soft woman even if it seemed she was completely unaware of it. The contrast of the two beings was extreme and made Chrollo wonder just how the woman's nen was released and why it had taken such a vicious shape.

The more Chrollo watched, the more he realized that small amounts of the nen of others was drawn forward and consumed by the being, no doubt fueling the nen of its master. It was difficult to look away from the beast, despite how hard Chrollo tried, noticing the aloof nature of the creature disappear suddenly, becoming acutely aware as if it knew Chrollo could see it. A low hiss came from the beast as Chrollo stepped forward, next in line despite how far from reality he felt.

"Hi there!"

The chirped words paired with the oddly sweet way the woman said it gave Chrollo pause, not expecting such a greeting from someone with a disfigured and distorted reaper as their nen. Though she smiled, the smile never reached her eyes. Chrollo knew a social mask when he saw one, and he had to admit it was rather convincing. He could see why so many of the Troupe had become enamored with her and interested in her, his own observations thus far giving him a similar interest.

Even as he gave a random order he had no intention of keeping, the woman smiled and ensured to behave as if she were truly happy to assist. Chrollo had yet to reach a stage where he was fully believable to everyone with his own social mask, but even he had to admit that her mask was significantly more nuanced than his own. From the short interaction he had with her, he knew the woman was unique and had something to her that seemed to catch the interest of numerous Troupe members, himself included.

When he walked away from the quaint little shop and back to the Troupe, his mind was already working to parse out what he wanted to do. Surely the Troupe would follow his lead, but he wanted to hear their thoughts on the odd woman and her nen. Pakunoda could share the various experiences other members had and it would allow the group to have a more unanimous vote, but he had already settled on what he thought.

It was just a matter of what the Troupe thought now.

[stripedstarsblueflags]

for the hurt/comfort dialogue game - 6 and 21 for sargebon :)

MY FIRST PROMPT!! im so excited!

may have gotten a little carried away with this just a little. no beta we die like fourth of july at silverstone. TW for mental health

“Did you miss me?”/“You’re a terrible liar.”

When Alex emerges onto the roof deck of the hotel, he almost expects Logan to not be there.

Not that he thinks Logan would lie to him. But when Logan had finally picked up the phone after a day of missed calls and one-sided texts, the conversation hadn’t started well.

”What,” he’d snapped on the second ring. “This better be good. If you call me one more time I’m blocking you.”

Alex had been taken aback, flinching in place like a chastised kid. Logan’s tone was defensive, nearly a snarl; all the menace was aimed at Alex, but Alex had still felt more worry than fear. He’d seen Logan once since the crash, on his way back from medical. And then nothing.

”You didn’t answer me,” he’d said after a delayed moment. “I was worried about you. I didn’t see you since the cr– since practice. I was freaking out, okay?”

Logan a sound halfway between a scoff and a laugh. “You saw me get out of the car. I got cleared by medical in, like, two minutes. There are probably ninety people who could’ve told you I was fine.”

And Alex had bitten his lip against the sudden urge to yell into the phone, because that wasn’t fair. His pent-up frustration and fear and distress wasn’t Logan’s fault.

Instead he’d looked around his empty hotel room, paranoia coiling around his spine, and lowered his voice: “James barely even talked to you. Why would I trust anyone there if you were actually fine or not? The way they didn’t let me see you?”

”Wait, when?”

”All day! Jon was practically yelling at me!” Alex did shout then. He didn’t mean to, but the words tumbled out of his mouth with heavy and unrelenting force, like a weight he could barely lift. He took a shaky breath and closed his eyes, willing Logan not to hang up. “I just wanted to see,” Alex tries, then his voice was too quiet. He cleared his throat. “I just wanted to see for myself if you were okay because, Logan… it looked bad. Really bad.”

Logan took a deep breath and let it out slowly, static crackling through the speaker. “It wasn’t that bad,” he mumbles. “I walked it off.”

”Don’t try that with me,” Alex said. “I can hear it in your voice.”

”You don’t hear shit,” Logan retorted, but there was no heat behind his voice at all. He just sounded tired, and in pain.

Alex ignored the weak deflection. “Where are you right now?” he asked. “I know it’s late, but–”

”I’m on the roof,” Logan had told him, and that in and of itself was surprising. That Logan would answer him so quickly, and without any snark or rebuttal. That he’d answer at all. Alex thinks of the endless weeks of summer break, the endless silence between them.

”Okay,” he said. “Wait a minute, I just need to get something warmer on.”

The roof deck is large, with sweeping canopies and dead firepits, so many couches and chairs that in the dark he feels like he’s in a cushioned maze. Still, it’s almost completely empty, so it doesn’t take long to find Logan.

Alex joins him at the railing, panes of glass separating them from the dizzying drop below. He takes one look over the side and his stomach rolls; the glittering city lights and streaking cars blur together in a smear of vertigo. He white-knuckles the railing.

Logan had been impossible to read when Alex first joined him, but as Alex stumbles he reaches out and puts a steadying hand on Alex’s shoulder. “Woah there,” he says. “You can’t go over the edge, you’ve got a race tomorrow.”

His words sound like they should hold something sharp– resentment, jealousy, some bitter and unforgiving edge. But instead his eyes are smiling and he’s laughing around his words. The glow from the city underneath paints one half of his face in gentle gold, the rest of it purple from the nighttime shadows. His hair is wild from the wind, whipping around his eyes. He takes his hand off Alex’s shoulder to push his bangs away from his face.

Alex is wishing he’d worn something with a hood. The wind stings his cheeks and makes his eyes water. He shuffles forward, curling his shoulders in, and manages to put his hands back on the railing without collapsing. “Wind’s still crazy,” he mutters.

”You didn’t have to come up here.”

”No, no,” Alex backtracks, all but stuttering. “I wanted to be here.” He hears the desperation in his own voice, the eagerness to contradict, and cringes. Does he always have to sound so obvious?

Logan turns to face him. He has to lift one hand to the right side of his face to keep his hair back, and now his entire face is in shadow. Deep blue shadows hide his eyes. His lips look almost purple in the darkness. It makes Alex want to be closer just to see his face.

”What,” Logan begins, and Alex doesn’t see but hears the slant in his smile. The cocky way he tilts his head back, the way he lets his laughter slip into his voice. “You missed me that bad, huh?”

Alex is unexpectedly flustered. He looks away without meaning to, but that means he turns his eyes right into the gusting wind, and the stinging is sharp and immediate. “Ah,” he grimaces. “I can’t see.”

”You wouldn’t last a day in Miami.”

Alex is trying to protest that he’s lasted a day before, more than a day, admittedly without any storm activity on race weekends but his hastily formatted argument falls to pieces when Logan steps back to take off his hoodie.

His shirt rides up as he does it. Alex absolutely does not stare.

Logan tosses it at him. “Put this on,” he says. “I can’t talk to you while you’re losing a fight with the elements.”

Alex grumbles his protests but puts the hoodie on anyway. It’s warm with Logan’s body heat, a tender relief from the cold. It feels like being embraced. He sighs contentedly.

“Don’t get too comfortable,” Logan taunts. “I’m gonna want that back.”

Alex pulls the hood up, and the sounds of the city at night fade away. The shrill rushing of the wind quiets and the clearest sound in the air is Logan’s voice.

“’ll give it back,” he promises. “Are you sure you’re okay, though?”

Logan tilts his head down and crosses his wrists over the bar. “I’m cleared to race tomorrow.”

”That doesn’t answer my question.”

”You’re not gonna let this go until I tell you, are you?”

“You know me too well.”

Logan scoffs, then closes his eyes like he’s given up. “There’s some bruising on my ribs and my shoulder that’ll take some time to heal. And I did something to my wrist getting out, but I can still steer, I’ll just ice it after the race.” He looks down at his right hand and turns it over, fingers curling slowly into a fist, then releasing. “That’s all.”

Alex waits.

“That’s all,” Logan insists. “I saw the footage. It looked worse than it was.”

“It looked pretty bad,” Alex whispers, and he doesn’t mean for it to come out as a whisper– a broken, unstable hush– but his voice won’t resolve. “I was scared.”

”I’m sorry.”

”Don’t be sorry.” Alex lays his hand over Logan’s outstretched wrist, and it shocks both of them.

Logan stares at Alex’s hand, lips parted, eyes still in shadow. Alex holds his breath, waiting to be shaken off, pushed, slapped. But Logan only stares.

Alex takes his other hand and slides it carefully under Logan’s, stabilizing the wrist. Alex has the sleeves of Logan’s hoodie halfway over his palms, but even through the fabric he can feel how cold Logan is. He steps closer.

“You didn’t get out of the car,” Alex says.

Logan tries to draw his hand away then, rolling his shoulders, but Alex doesn’t let him. He holds Logan’s hand tenderly but firmly, lacing their fingers together. Logan watches him do it without resistance, his face impossible to read, but his head is tilted just slightly in Alex’s direction.

”There was fire.”

”I got out.”

“Not when you should’ve. George told me. You just sat there. In the middle of the track. Burning…”

Logan squeezes his eyes shut, clenches and unclenches his jaw. “I didn’t know.”

”Logan, you’re a terrible liar.”

Logan lifts his head and looks steadily at the horizon, swallowing hard. As he turns back to the light, Alex can see the shine in his eyes. “You know,” he murmurs to the city. “Even before I hit the grass I knew, I just knew I was gonna lose it.” He pulls his free hand in and taps his fingers restlessly against the railing. “And then it all just–” he raises that arm and flings his hand out, miming a shunt. “It all just happened so quickly, I remember hitting the wall the first time and the car was in the air and I just thought, ‘This is it.’ This is the end.”

Alex tries to speak, but suddenly he can’t breathe. This is the end. He feels like razor blades are sinking into his throat, the concept whirlpooling in his head like the vertigo. He tries to close his eyes, it the burning afterglow of the city flashes behind his eyelids like fire. He holds Logan’s hand a bit tighter, needing to reassure himself that he’s actually there.

Logan winces, and Alex eases up a little. Logan doesn’t pull away.

“And then it wasn’t,” Logan continues. He pushes out the sentence in a stuttering breath, and the broken smile on his face clearly means he’s trying to laugh, but the sound is jolted and unnatural and he gives up. “And I just sat there like, No, this can’t be right. Like maybe I just had to wait for it.”

“No,” Alex chokes out. He looks at Logan through his tears, willing the other man to turn, to look at him, to give him the mercy of eye contact. He stares helplessly, but all he sees is Logan’s blurred profile. “Logan…”

Logan ducks his head again. “It wasn’t,” he mumbles. “I mean it wasn’t, like, over for me. I told you. I was fine.”

”If you’re waiting in a track when your car is on fire, you’re not fine,” Alex counters fiercely. It’s dark, but his tears are obvious in his voice, the way the words come out strangled an painful. He doesn’t care. “It wouldn’t just be the end for you. You know that, right?”

“What do you mean?”

Alex pulls his hand away so he can grab onto his hair, pulling in frustration. “You think we’d be fine?” he shouts. “You think everyone else would just move on after a fire like that? You think you can just leave?”

Logan finally turns to him then, but Alex isn’t done.

“We were scared. Fucking hell, you nearly gave George a heart attack. We thought something was wrong. We thought you weren’t gonna make it out!”

“But I did. It’s fine.”

“IT’S NOT FINE!”

Logan reaches out with his good hand and gingerly pulls Alex’s fingers out of his hair. Alex’s hands are shaking; Logan laces their fingers together, drapes their hands back over the railing. “Hey,” he whispers. “Calm down, okay? You sound like you care more than I do.”

“I think I do,” Alex spits out.

“Alex…”

“You can’t fucking leave.” It sounds like a demand, it sounds like a plea. And in a way it is; he’s begging Logan to understand, to show some regret, to somehow prove the danger is really over. “Please, Logan… it would kill me.”

Logan says nothing, just stares back. The wind ruffles his hair. He licks his lips.

”You can’t leave,” Alex insists. He’s repeating himself. He’s a broken record, but he can’t pull any more coherent thought together. The only thing that exists in his mind is the paralyzing urgency to make Logan understand. “Promise me that won’t happen again.”

Logan rolls his eyes. “That I won’t crash again?”

“You know what I mean.”

Logan looks down at their joined hands. “I don’t know why you care so much.”

It’s Alex’s turn to roll his eyes, putting as much exasperation in his heavy sigh as possible. “I’m gonna pretend you didn’t say that.”

Logan laughs bitterly. “What? You’re confusing me, man. You say you care, and then you’re yelling at me, you wanted to make sure I’m fine but you don’t believe me when I tell you I am? Like, jesus christ Alex, what do you want from m–”

Alex has heard enough. He steps forward and takes Logan in his arms.

Logan flinches at first, hands raising almost defensively, a shudder racking his body.

Alex is patient. Logan feels so cold and small in his arms; he’s never felt their height difference more. He runs his fingers through Logan’s hair.

Logan folds all at once, dropping his head onto Alex’s shoulder and staggering to the point where he almost topples them both. Alex stabilizes them as Logan grabs him around the ribs, hands crossed over the small of his back, holding too tight like he’s afraid Alex might let go at any moment.

Alex lets Logan hold him, hurt him. Logan’s shaking in his arms, hitching in breath, nearly choking. Alex holds him through it.

“I got you,” he soothes. “I got you. You’re not going anywhere.”

[loveinhawkins]

connected to this

Sometime during the bat-proofing of his Upside Down trailer, Eddie’s hit with a wave of vertigo so bad his ears ring.

He has to stop in his tracks, clinging onto the chain-link fence with one hand. He lets his head hang low until the dizziness passes. Breathes slowly.

At first he thinks the faint thudding noise is just an after-effect, but then he glances up to see Dustin scrambling onto the trailer roof.

“What’re you doing?” Eddie asks blankly. “We’re not going up there until—”

He breaks off at the look Dustin gives him over his shoulder—eyes bright with a frenzied determination.

“We’ve gotta block the vents,” Dustin says.

There’s something… off with his voice, Eddie thinks. He can’t put his finger on it.

“Okay,” he says hesitantly. “Good thinking, man.”

He joins Dustin on the roof, just watches him for a couple seconds, perplexed: he’s working so fast.

Too fast.

Eddie’s heart jumps into his throat when Dustin loses his footing; he yanks him back from the edge in a flash, forces out a chuckle, “Woah, hey, take it easy. We’ve got plenty of time.”

Dustin doesn’t look at him, doesn’t even acknowledge that he’s heard.

But he’s holding onto Eddie’s wrist so tightly Eddie swears his bones creak.

The ‘concert’ goes fine—Dustin delivers his countdown with precision, but his eyes always slide to a point that’s just slightly to the left of where Eddie actually is.

What the hell did I do? Eddie thinks.

He can’t come up with an answer.

“One!” Dustin bellows, and they’re off; Eddie makes sure Dustin’s always in front of him, feels like their feet barely touch the ground…

And then they’re inside.

We’ve made it.

Eddie sinks against a wall, breathless. “H-holy shit—”

“Shh!”

Dustin’s standing, one hand up. Listening intently.

The sheer noise of the bats on the roof is awful—scratching, clawing, chattering. Like mice in the walls, but a million times worse.

Eddie suffers through thirty seconds of not talking before it bursts out of him, and maybe it’s tempting fate, but he can’t help it, the panicked urge to voice it is too great, “I think—think everything’s holding. They’re…” He swallows. “They’re not gonna get in.”

Dustin nods faintly.

But there’s a rigidness to him that sets the hairs on the back of Eddie’s neck on end. He looks like a hound on the scent. Ready to bolt.

“Hey, um…” Eddie stands and nods up to the Gate meaningfully. “Think we’ve done all we can, Henderson. We were good decoys, and… uh, no deviations, remember?”

Dustin laughs. It’s a terrible noise; Eddie’s never heard him sound bitter before.

“Oh, now you want to go,” he says with uncharacteristic venom—but Eddie knows all too well how that can mask a deep, unimaginable terror.

Eddie opens his mouth—intending to reassure, to say something, anything—before he realises that above them, it’s all gone quiet.

Dustin comes to the same discovery a millisecond after he does. “What’s…” He trails off and finally looks Eddie right in the eyes.

He sprints to the front door, pulls it open.

Eddie curses. “Are you insane? Get back, shut the—”

But the only thing that comes through the doorway is the chill of The Upside Down.

A rumble of thunder. The bats screech, but it sounds like…

“They’re leaving,” Dustin says numbly. “Why are they leaving?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Eddie says, even though he feels sick to his stomach. “That’s not for us to—hey! Dustin, don’t!”

He lunges forward, but he’s not quick enough; Dustin slips right through his fingers, and Eddie watches in horror as he tears across the trailer park, and Eddie follows, of course he does, but he’s always a step behind, always too late to help—

The bats grow louder and louder. Lightning illuminates them, a monstrous cloud in the sky: they’re circling up ahead, and it makes Eddie think of vultures and carrion.

And he sees…

Dustin lets out this wail, a painful keen; Eddie feels it reverberate inside his chest, almost as if it comes from him too.

He catches up (too late, too late), and suddenly he is Wayne, pulling a child into his arms, urging brokenly, “Don’t look, don’t look,” even though when told that any kid’s first instinct is to—

“Let me go!” The scream sounds like it’s tearing Dustin’s throat, splitting him in two. A grief too much to hold. “Let me go, you asshole—Steve! Steve, please.”

“D-Dustin. You can’t help, he’s—” Eddie’s eyes burn. “He’s beyond…”

One solitary chime.

Eddie shudders, almost laughs—because if there was to be a vision designed to torment him, surely it would be this one; God, he’ll take it, he’ll take anything so long as it meant—

But Dustin freezes in his arms, and Eddie knows that he can see the clock, too.

With a gut-wrenching cry, Dustin fights to break away again.

“Don’t,” Eddie repeats, but it’s no use; Dustin hits him right in the jaw.

He falls to the ground, but the pain is nothing to the tug he suddenly feels in the back of his mind; he thinks of when Steve whispered, “He's here. Henderson. That little shit, he's here. He's like… He's in the walls or something. Just listen,” and Eddie could only stare in bewilderment, because some things are just impossible, aren’t they?

Aren’t they?

Eddie pushes himself up with his hands.

Dustin’s not running towards Steve.

He’s running towards the clock.

Until… he isn’t. He just stops, halfway to it. He looks over his shoulder, looks back at Eddie with heartbreaking uncertainty.

“I can—I can do it, right?”

It shouldn’t make sense—it doesn’t make sense, but Eddie inexplicably finds his mouth opening.

As if from somewhere deep within, he says, “Sure you can.” He doesn’t understand where the words are coming from, is just abruptly certain that he believes them with all his heart. “I know you can.”

Dustin takes a deep breath. He nods.

Runs.

Eddie watches him go—he doesn’t look away, not until the world is lit up, a burning white, and he simply can’t do it anymore.

[isatswap]

(In Stars and Time spoilers)

At the End of Time

TTOS version of act 5 ending from ISAT

Isabeau: Everyone! Isabeau: The Head Housemaiden is just ahead! Isabeau: He will be able to heal you, Loop, I'm sure! So just-- Just come!

Mirabelle: ...Ready?

(you try to step forward)

<thud>

Mirabelle: Woah, Loop!

(mirabelle caught you)

Mirabelle: ...It's gonna be ok, Loopie. Mirabelle: I got you.

(always by your side)

(...)

Isabeau: The House feels off even now. I hoped defeating The Scary Lady would fix things, but.....

Odile: I feel pressure from this place. I don't like it.

Bonnie: And the smell of sugar.... Bonnie: It feels like it almost gives me cavities. Definitely gives me a headache.

Mirabelle: It all feels.... a little worrying.

Isabeau: Yeah.... I hope everyone is okay....

Mirabelle: ....WAIT! Look, here!

Bonnie: ....

Isabeau: ...What....

Odile: That's.... An eclipse...?

(what)

(how does she,)

Odile: I've read something about that in my book, but.... It hasn't mentioned this... weird shade. What is that, even?

Mirabelle: It's not light, or dark, or anything like that. It's just odd. Mirabelle: ...The Head Housemaiden might know something about this.

Bonnie: We should get moving, then.

<two shades appear in the distance>

(!!!!!)

<...then dissipate>

Isabeau: ?

Mirabelle: Loopie?

Bonnie: Loop? What is it?

Mirabelle: I think they are even warmer than before.

Bonnie: ...hm.

(their hand on your brow)

(feels cold)

(feels nice)

Bonnie: Yep. Definitely a fever. Bonnie: ...Let's get going.

<you black out>

Loop: (!!!!!!!!) "EVERYONE....?!"

Loop: "NO NO NO NO NO--"

Isabeau: Loop?

<wake up>

Isabeau: Loop, is everything alright...?

Mirabelle: You're shaking....

Odile: ...Do you also get vertigo?

Bonnie: Sorry, Loop. I know you're exhausted, but just a little bit more.

Odile: ... Odile: Hold my hand, Loop?

Loop:

(yea)

(no no no no no no it's fine)

Odile: ...It's definitely not fine, Loop. Odile: And you definitely do, I can tell.

(busted)

(you hold her hand)

Odile: Alright, let's go!

Isabeau: J-just a little longer, Loop! Isabeau: The Head Housemaiden is just up ahead...!

Loop: "isa"

Isabeau: !!!! Isabeau: Um, yes, what is it?

Loop: "i'm sorry...... for what i said....." Loop: "and not... talking.... to anyone..."

Mirabelle: ...

Bonnie: ...

Odile: ...

Isabeau: ... Isabeau: T-There will be time for this later, Loop! Don't waste your energy on talking... Isabeau: Let's just go.

(...)

<The Head Housemaiden is at the balcony instead of the center of the room.>

Isabeau: HEAD HOUSEMAIDEN!!!!

King: ... King: Oh, Isabeau!

<He comes closer to Isabeau.>

King: Is everything okay?

Isabeau: No, our friend-- Loop--

Bonnie: They seem to be ill for some reason and we thought you could help us.

Mirabelle: Also the world seems to be ending and there is this weird shade in the sky so we would like help with that too.

Odile: Please help us!

King: Oh, alright, I'll do what I can.

King: Hm... King: Well, that is a fever alright. King: Judging by the symptoms.... They might've been using Crafts too much.

Bonnie: Using Crafts too much...?

King: Yeah. Maybe they've been using Crafts without resting or eating anything, not taking breaks to cool down and all that.

(no time to cool down)

(had to go)

Isabeau: Does that really give you a fever...? I've never heard of it...

Mirabelle: I have! It happens very rarely, though. Mirabelle: You would need to use Crafts an IMMENSE amount and for very long continuous stretches of time.

Odile: Like Crafting a painting for weeks, for example?

Bonnie: ...Or...

Isabeau: Or going through an entire House while fighting Sadnesses and a scary lady for hours?

King: Yeah, I think it's that.

(or)

(making sure)

(you live)

King: They will be fine, now that the battle is over, don't worry. King: I super promise.

Odile: Well, if it's a super promise, I believe you, hehe.

King: Heh. King: They just need some rest, that's all.

(head hurts)

(so hungry)

Bonnie: That's good, at least. Bonnie: And what about whatever the crab is happening outside?

King: Oh! Right, that... King: ...I don't actually know. I've tried to grasp it, but all I can tell is that something is VERY wrong. King: A total solar eclipse is not something you see every day, and definitely not something that should've happened today. Epsecially like this. King: It's like the Universe itself is telling us that this world is breaking.

Isabeau: ...?

Mirabelle: The Universe? What is that?

King: Yes, The... Universe.... King: !!!!!

King: I know you thought you adventure was over, but it can't end!!King: Something is broken, something is failing, rotting--

<STATIC>

King: Wait... No, this is all wrong! What--

Odile: Huh?

Mirabelle: King? Everything okay?

King: Bright one! King: Bright one! King: Bright one! King: Are you done--

(king gasps for air)

Mirabelle: What is happening to you?

Bonnie: We should be careful!

Isabeau: He is repeating stuff! Just like the rooms we went through! Isabeau: What happened to the world... Is it happening to him, too?

(the same)

(why why why why why why)

(but he can resist it, right? that means something has changed)

(you're not stuck)

(you're fine)

(you're--)

King: And yyyyou, Isabeau's companions... Thank you for helping him get this far. King: You have my gratitude, and the entire country of Vaugarde's!...

Mirabelle: Head Housemaiden, can you hear us?

Odile: He's scary.

King: I can't finish this line I can't finish this line, or, or--

<STATIC>

King: Hohoho! King: ....Soon, you will be able to go to your regular lives. Away from battle and strife. King: Finally, you'll all be able to go home!

Bonnie: Mhm.

Mirabelle: Definitely.....

(home)

(home?)

(they'll go home?)

(they'll go home

they'll go home

they'll go home they'll go home they'll go home they'll go home they'll go home they'll go home they'll go home they'll go home they'll go home they'll go home they'llgohomethey'llgohomethey'llgohomethey'llgohomethey'llgohomethey'llgohomethey'llgoho

Loop: "NO!!!!!!!!!"

Odile: Loop?

Bonnie: Loop, why are you--

(THEY CANNOT GO HOME!!!)

Mirabelle: LOOPIE?!?

Isabeau: LOOP!!!

Odile: WHAT THE CRAB IS HAPPENING?!?

Bonnie: EVERYONE, STAND BACK!

LOOP: (I WON'T LET YOU GO HOME)

<BATTLE START!>

Isabeau: Huh????

Bonnie: What's happenning?! Loop!!!

King: What... King: AH--! NO! King: Oh no, why is this happening-- King: Bright one! Loop! King: We can still fix this--

Loop: "NO WE CAN'T!" Loop: "YOU HAVE FELT THE UNIVERSE'S POWER, DIDN'T YOU?" Loop: "IT'S USELESS TO FIGHT IT ANYMORE..." Loop: "IT'S TOO LATE!!!"

King: PLEASE, LISTEN--

(YOU SNAP YOUR FINGERS)

(THE HEAD HOUSEMAIDEN GETS FLUNG AWAY)

Mirabelle, Isabeau: KING!!!

Bonnie: He is okay, he is okay!! But-- but we need to--

(FIGHT)

(Odile strikes!)

(AHHH!!)

(IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS)

Mirabelle: Dile, what are you doing?!

(Odile looks at her hands in disbelief.)

Odile: I-I didn't want to I-- I just--

Isabeau: It's okay, just be more careful! They are out friend!

Bonnie: We wouldn't want out friend to be hurt, right?

Odile: R-right!!!

(hurts hurts hurts)

(her attack was so strong)

(you did this to her)

(you did this to her)

(YOU DID THIS TO HER!!!)

<Attack the only person who's left>

<Mirabelle raises her hands and heals your wounds>

Isabeau: Loop, stop!!!

Odile: Why are you doing this?!

Mirabelle: What is happening, Loopie? Speak to us!!!

Bonnie: Loop!!!

Loop: "JUST DON'T LISTEN TO HIM!!!" Loop: "I WON'T LET YOU GO HOME, I CAN'T, I WON'T!"

Mirabelle: Huh?!

Isabeau: Loop, what do you mean? Isabeau: Isn't that what we all wanted?

Mirabelle: It's what we all wanted, right? Mirabelle: We beat Eu-- The Scary Lady! We save Vaugarde! We part ways!

Odile: Yeah! Now that the Lady is gone, we can go back to our normal lives, right?! Odile: Isabeau stays here, Boniface goes back to Bambouche, and... Me and Mirabelle....

(...EVEN MIRA AND ODILE HAVE SOMEWHERE TO GO!!!)

(THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND!!!)

(YOU CANNOT ALLOW THEM TO GO!!)

(BECAUSE.... BECAUSE IF THEY DO, THEN...!)

<attack the only person who's left>

<Mirabelle raises her hands and heals the wounds>

Bonnie: Loop.... Bonnie: I don't understand! Don't you want to go back? Back to where you're from? Bonnie: Why else come with Isabeau, if you didn't want to beat the Scary Lady just so you could go back home?!

Loop: "I CAN'T GO BACK! AND I DON'T WANT YOU TO!"

Mirabelle: Can't go back…?

Loop: "I HAVE NOWHERE TO GO BACK TO, AND YOU ALL DO! I WON'T LET YOU!" Loop: "I WON'T LET YOU GO!!!" Loop: "WE CAN STAY HERE, CAN'T WE? WE CAN BE HAPPY!" Loop: "THE SCARY LADY IS BEATEN! THAT'S WHAT EVERYONE WISHED FOR!" Loop: "AND IT'S THE END! SHE IS GONE, AND YOU'RE WITH ME!" Loop: "SHE WAS RIGHT ALL ALONG! I SHOULD'VE LISTENED!!!" Loop: "AFTER ALL THIS TIME, I HAVE IT! A PERFECT ENDING! BECAUSE WE'VE WON, AND YOU'RE HERE!" Loop: "I WON'T LET YOU GO HOME, NOT NOW! I'VE GONE THROUGH IT ALL TOO MANY TIMES!" Loop: "I WON'T GO BACK, AND I WON'T LET YOU GO, NOW THAT YOU'RE HERE! NOW THAT WE CAN BE HAPPY!" Loop: "EVERYONE GOING THEIR SEPARATE WAYS… EVERYONE GOING HOME…" Loop: "THIS IS NOT WHAT I WISHED FOR!!!!!!"

Odile: What…?

Isabeau: "A perfect ending"…?

Mirabelle: "Not what I wished for"…

Bonnie: "Gone…. Through it all…. Too many times." Bonnie: That strange fella was correct, then.

<ATTACK THE ONLY ▮▮▮▮▮▮ WHO'S LEFT>

<BUT IT DOES NOT DIE>

Bonnie: Loop… Bonnie: The way you acted yesterday… The things you said… Bonnie: Maybe you DID mean some of them. Maybe you didn't. Maybe it's a little of both.

Mirabelle: But beyond that… Some of the things you knew… Mirabelle: How you knew what Isa's papers were about…

Bonnie: How you knew about the story of Mirabelle's pilgrimage…

Mirabelle: How you fell in battle, like you knew it would push Odile to defeat that Sadness…

Bonnie: How you knew I was looking for an old cooking book, something I hadn't told anyone, and immediately knew where to find it, as well…

Mirabelle: How you managed to go through the entire House on your own…

Bonnie: Even the way you were acting when we fought the Scary Lady… Bonnie: And, just now, how you've said you've "gone through it all, too many times"…

Isabeau: Huh?!? Isabeau: But this… this must mean…?

Bonnie: …Looks like that weird fella was right, hm?

Mirabelle: Hahaha… I thought they were speaking metaphorically, but… Mirabelle: Loop, you… Mirabelle: ... Mirabelle: You've been looping in time, haven't you?

(…!!!!!!)

(NO!!!!!!)

(IF THEY FIND OUT, THEY'LL HATE YOU!!!)

(IF THEY FIND OUT YOU WISHED FOR THIS, THEY'LL HATE YOU!!!)

(YOU HAVE TO LOOP BACK, YOU HAVE TO--)

(YOU FEEL A TUG ON YOUR STOMACH.)

<And the mainspring of time begins winding back>

<but then

it snaps>

Odile: NO!!!!!

Odile: YOU ARE NOT GOING ANYWHERE! Odile: I'M NOT GONNA LET YOU GO ANYWHERE UNTIL WE ARE DONE TALKING!!!!!!

(no, no, she can't--)

(HOW DID SHE DO THIS?!?)

Odile: Wow, that was weird.

Isabeau: That feeling… That was Time Craft, wasn't it?! Isabeau: Loop tried to rewind time just now!!!

Bonnie: Odile, are you okay?!

Odile: ...Could be better. The smell is so overpowering.... Odile: Like someone just burned a sugar bag. So yucky...

Mirabelle: Yuck indeed… I'm getting a headache just standing here.

Odile: That doesn't matter now. Odile: Loop!!! Odile: I don't know how or why or what even is actually happening to you, but I won't let you escape. Odile: You are STAYING WITH US until WE ARE. DONE. TALKING!!!!!!

Bonnie: Yeah!!! Dile's gonna make you stay right here!!!

Isabeau: Go Odile, go Odile, go!!!

(no no no no no no)

(your friends look determined)

(do they not realise?)

(that you're doomed?)

(that you've doomed them all?)

(that you are a monster that isn't worth fighting for?)

(why is mirabelle stopping you from dying?)

(does she not get it?)

(she does not)

(the only thing you can do)

(is to die faster)

(cracks form across your chest)

Mirabelle: LOOP!

(she holds up her hands, but this time she doesn't drop them back down)

(the cracks slow their spread)

Mirabelle: Quick, we need to figure this out! Before they!-

Isabeau: T-that fella mentioned that Time Craft requires a lot of power, right? That's what the whole Wish Craft thing was about!

Bonnie: Yeah, you two were looking into what everyone else wished for and thought this was because everyone wished to save Vaugarde! Bonnie: But if you thought that was the reason...

Odile: ...Why would the wish center on you, dummy?

Mirabelle: And.... and just now, Loop said something about a wish they made...!

Bonnie: Loop… Bonnie: You must know this already. Bonnie: The reason you're the only one who got those powers, when we were also on a journey to fight the King… Bonnie: Isn't it because you, somehow, got involved? Bonnie: Isn't it because of something YOU wished for?

(no, no, no, no, no, no…)

Isabeau: Loop... Isabeau: I think you need to tell us your wish. Isabeau: Tell us your wish!!! It might be the key to freeing you!!! The key to making sure you won't loop anymore!!!

(no!!!)

Mirabelle: Tell us, so we can help you!

(NO!!!)

Bonnie: Tell us, so you can be saved!!!

(NO!!!!!!)

Odile: Tell us already, you stupid stone slab!!!!!!!!!!

(NO, NO, NO, YOU DON'T WANT TO!!!!!!)

(YOU DON'T WANT TO THINK ABOUT IT YOU DON'T WANT TO SAY IT YOU DON'T WANT TO--)

(YOU ARE ABOUT TO EXPLODE)

Mirabelle: Loopie…

Bonnie: Loop!

Isabeau: LOOP!!! Isabeau: This is what I wished for!!!

Isabeau: I wished for Vaugarde to be saved!!!

Bonnie: I wished for my sister to be okay!!!

Odile: I wished to win a stupid coin flip!!!

Mirabelle: And I wished that we'd be able to find you, to help you, to save you, Loopie!!!

Isabeau: And what about you, Loop?!

Mirabelle: What did you wish for?

Odile: What did you wish for!!!

Bonnie: What did you wish for, Loop!!!

(STOP!!!!!!)

(It doesn't matter!!!)

(It won't come true, you know this now, you will die in a few moments, you've accepted it, you did, it doesn't matter, it doesn't matter, it doesn't matter!!!)

(they can't make you tell them, please, please, please--)

(IT WILL NEVER COME TRUE ANYWAY!!!)

Isabeau: Tell us!!!

Odile: Tell us!!!

Bonnie: TELL US!!!

Mirabelle: JUST TELL US, LOOPIE!!!

TELL US WHAT YOU WISHED FOR!!!!!!

[romeoandjulietyouwish]

would you mind doing "Sit down before you pass out." for vax and percy in the ballet au? i love their dynamic so much 😫

Percy was a stupid motherfucker. Vax had thought that for a long, long time. He was hard on himself and didn't eat or drink enough. But worst of all, Vex and Keyleth loved him. Which meant that Vax did too.

Currently he was helping Percy work on his variation. They were alone in the studio. Percy leaned over his knees, breathing heavily. He pushed his hair out of his face, "Was that better?"

Vax nodded. He got up from the floor by the mirrors, "Definitely better. But I think your landings can be softer." Vax demonstrated one of the jumps and then turned to Percy, "On that one, be softer on your left foot, let it go into your ankle so you don't land so hard."

Percy nodded. He stepped back and then did the leap. His landing was softer, but his face went a sickly grey color. Vax darted to his side and put a hand on Percy's sweaty back, "Woah, what just happened?"

Percy clutched his head, "Vertigo. Fuck."

"Sit down before you pass out," Vax said urgently. He put an arm around Percy's waist and all but dragged him down to the floor. "Head between your knees." Percy did as he was told, letting out a shaky breath.

Vax grabbed Percy's water and shoved it into his hands. "I think we're done for the day," Vax said with a laugh.

Percy lifted his head, color already returning to his face and took a small sip from the bottle. "Probably for the best."

"Do you want me to take you to Pike's office?" Vax offered. Without meaning to, his voice slipped into a gentle tone. It was the same one he used to talk to a frustrated Grog or an upset Keyleth, one he'd never used on Percy before.

"No." Even after being at the company for over a year, Percy was still reluctant to use the services available. "I'm just going to sit her for a little and then catch the bus home."

"I'll sit with you, need to cool down anyway." It wasn't true, he hadn't been dancing for the past hour, but he felt the need to make an excuse for keeping Percy company.

Percy gave him a small smile, clearly said he knew what was happening, "Thanks."

[petpetpinixy]

vocaloid songs i think are really really cool that you might not have heard

there's also UTAU, one SynthV, one VOICEVOX, and one CeVIO voice in this thread dont yell at me we're all friends here

idk what a genre is. i'm gonna tell you what i like about the song

MAN i love this song. i can't stop listening to it. i love the quieter vocals outside the chorus and the louder voclas in it & near the end. this song gets stuck in my head so often you have no idea

break bc long

TOXIC YURI TETO. also PLEASE check out jamie paige its music is so incredibly good. this song is so awesome and cool and AUAUGHH

Origin - 初音ミク https://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm43596219

THIS SONG AAUUUGGGGHHH it's so full of light and hope and it's beautiful and everyone needs to listen to it. the vocaloid version is only on nicovideo (here's the self cover on youtube, it also has english subs). also the MV is beautiful (cw: small mention of suicide, it's nothing graphic but i feel like i should give a warning anyway)

this song. makes me cry every time i listen to it. it's also very full of light and hope. need me a community like this

this song is so cool. it makes me think about playing animal crossing late at night (sound wise, anyway. idk japanese so no clue what the song is about). until that second half and it just ?!!;):$:& WOAH. go listen rn

sooo a few of this person's songs used to be tagged backrooms, not sure why they aren't anymore but that's how i'm gonna sell it to you. it's cool liminal space/backrooms/whatever you wanna call it music! it's just as weird and slightly offputting as backrooms themed music should be. they have four songs i think fit this category, and you can probably tell by the thumbnails which ones they are. go listen if you like things a little weird (i think this MV needs a flashing and vertigo warning so. be warned)

WHY DOES THIS NOT HAVE MORE VIEWS HELLOOOOOO this gets stuck in my head constantly!!! please please go listen to it it's so cool and very much underrated

this song Also gets stuck in my head a lot. i get the feeling the lyrics are relatable but i don't have proof. the MV reminds me a lot of Slump. i'm underselling this one Please listen i love it so much

i love this one :] the chiptune(?) instrumental goes very well with adachi rei's voice. i wish i could think of more to say but i just Really Like It

(flash warning? it gets glitchy) alright alright i know this one is over 100k but it's one of my most favoritest songs ever in the world so whatever. look at her sing :] i love her. god this song is good

this one's fast paced and has a really cool tone shift at one point! i like it a lot (help me i'm running out of things to say)

https://youtu.be/y4GORKV_aOw?si=5PFrraW0xQ5GN0nE

GUYS. BGUYS. HAVE YOU HEARD OF WINTERMUTE?????? one of my favorite artists EVERRRRR. no one knows where they went unfortunately, but all their music is still up to listen to and it's all so good. here's one of my faves

https://youtu.be/Gd4eR3jYCdc?si=j8ao16jeAzW7Dukc

ohhhh my god. higma. higma i love you. i love this song and the MV so much. higma is amazing please go check them out

https://youtu.be/wDFynhbltHk?si=x7D_p6z-9MDFCnLe

(flash warning!!) i love vocaloid artists with black and white aesthetics they're always good. Kangoku Catastrophe by the same person is also fantastic. squeak freak.

https://youtu.be/heVsAZ6w1-s?si=cRjLgC10MzHyt0_-

this song, out of all the songs in the world, got me through a real rough patch. i was unmotivated and really sad, but this doggy and the catchy melody kept bringing me back and cheering me up. 732 views at the time of this thread. please go support this song

https://youtu.be/-rgRqU0ujSQ?si=XwHeCRUwk5cXE2t0

i also found this song during that rough patch. i really like the more subdued vocals and the fast pace. (possible flash warning? it's not awful but the picture blinks on and off sometimes)

https://youtu.be/WE3TWosFOCk?si=bJ9dWJHvLbGjtEAp

wow Another song from that time in my life. i think the rest of this thread is gonna be dedicated to the songs that got me back into vocaloid. this one's incredibly catchy and i've never gotten sick of it :]

https://youtu.be/WDxvgUiq7PE?si=OxIuVzMl3JN1hJmo

another one over 100k, but god what a lovely song. idk what it is, but those boops in the background sound so sad. i think this one especially kickstarted me into a full-time vocaloid listener

https://youtu.be/MGZokrLIniA?si=o9sp0_2aPeprC8vl

oh my god i didn't even realize this person made Mesmerizer!! (HUGE flash warning for that one). please listen to this song too it's awesome

https://youtu.be/4Egmp6MCmSg?si=yevFcjnkG2IPWJHy

(flash warning!) this one is so nostalgic sounding to me. i love the unresolved note the first chorus ends on. this song sounds like it needs a hug

https://youtu.be/CRmj1vJNR6A?si=NqasRAXRmEH1Z-Fs

i love me a song with drowned out vocals. this one's really relaxing :] i like it a lot

https://youtu.be/dMdYxvl-wMw?si=nXqmU_SLjlJXkuMC

(idk if i should give this one a flash warning, but it gets a little blinky. so be warned) a really good fast-paced one minute song. idk what else to say go listen

https://youtu.be/m3ganYA9_lc?si=npl_ActsG8TfO9eF

a slower paced, boopy song with a music box. i love it a lot

https://youtu.be/P3PrQCIanxw?si=YhaQFEcnEKOUGj9J

oh man, this song and it's MV. where do i even start? first of all: i think the song has some disturbing elements (maybe suicide, death, possibly miscarriage) and the MV is a little spooky and has some blood and violence.

but WOW this video. the song is weird and dissonant at times, the MV is beautifully animated, and it's 5 minutes long. i'm absolutely obsessed with it. please check this person out

https://youtu.be/DUpJgdGe1Pc?si=wZN8jgUGYeoEffGv

(flash warning!) last one. i'm cutting myself off before this thread gets too long (it's already too long). this song is sooooo catchy :] i luv u

SORRY FOR THE LONG THREAD. idek if this will reach that many people but i have over 500 songs in my playlist at this point and so many of them are underrated.

k byeeeee *explodes*

[sillylittleabyss]

The Tiny Zone: The First Trial

One night, on two worlds separated by the vastness of time and space, a man and a woman went to sleep in their beds and woke up somewhere else entirely. Neither of them would ever understand why they were chosen or how they got there, but the strangest things can happen... in the Tiny Zone.

Ethan tossed and grumbled in his sleep. He was having the weirdest dream, a dream of falling and flying and spinning all at once through a kaleidoscope of dizzying colours. His brow creasing, he reached for his blanket - but his hands closed over the empty air. In fact, he realised as he started to blearily regain consciousness, the cold hard surface underneath him didn't feel like his bed at all.

Suddenly aware that something was very wrong, Ethan's eyes shot open. With an intense sense of vertigo, he sat up and took in his new surroundings: he was still wearing the boxers he'd gone to sleep in, but his bedroom had been replaced in the night with a cold, alien chamber of cavernous proportions. Bare walls of sterile plastic stretched in every direction as far as the eye could see, a featureless white cube with a ceiling as tall as a skyscraper.

And he wasn't alone. Ethan's breath caught when he saw her: curled up in the corner, snoozing peacefully with her eyes shut tightly, was the biggest woman - scratch that, the biggest living thing period - that he'd ever seen. She was easily 30 feet tall. Hell, could she be 40? It didn't really matter, because either way he was approximately mouse-sized in comparison.

How is this even possible? Ethan thought frantically to himself. I must still be dreaming!

Ethan gasped as the monster in the corner began to move. Her eyes creaked open and she gave a huge sleepy yawn, stretching out those vast arms and rubbing at the mess of auburn hair that tumbled like vines around her face. He saw that she was wearing soft fuzzy garments covered in little bumblebees, and part of him wanted to laugh at the absurdity of his situation. Was he really about to be killed by a giant wearing bumblebee pyjamas?

The giantess suddenly gave a start, and Ethan froze as she started to look around the room nervously, her eyes open wide. When she finally spoke, her voice was like a wave of sound rumbling over him.

"H-hello?" Despite her terrifying size, her expression just looked lost and a little scared. "Where am I? Is anyone there?"

There was nowhere to hide in the little room, and it only took a moment before her eyes settled on Ethan. A look of profound confusion crossed her face, like she couldn't believe what she was seeing. Acutely aware of how measly his little voice sounded coming in the wake of her booming tones, Ethan spoke up.

"Please don't hurt me!" he called out as loud as he could across the vastness of the room. "I don't know how I got here either."

"You're so small!" said the enormous woman. "Why are you so small?"

"I..." That was a good question. Why was he so small? "I'm not small, you're the one who's big! You're enormous!"

"Hey, it's definitely not me! I'm a completely normal size, and I've been watching my weight lately too!"

The gargantuan woman scrambled to her feet as she spoke, and Ethan blanched as she rose to her full height. He'd known she was big, but seeing her tower above him like that... his head barely cleared the tops of her socks! As the giantess took a step towards him, sending shuddering vibrations through the plastic floor, Ethan cowered in fear.

"Woah... hey, little dude." She stopped. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I'm just... I have no idea what's going on!"

Cautiously, he lifted his hands from his head. "I don't... I don't know either," he said. "I just woke up and I was here."

She sighed, fiddling with her hair anxiously. "Okay. Well, I'm Riley. If we're going to be stuck here together, we should be on the same team, right?"

Ethan looked at her dubiously. The same team? She was like, a billion times his size! What could he possibly have to offer someone like her? But then again...

"I'm Ethan," he said. Being on Riley's team sounded a lot better than being her enemy, that was for sure. "Thanks for... not squishing me or something."

"Why on Earth would I do that?" Riley said with a quizzical chuckle. She started walking around the room, taking slow careful steps and keeping far from Ethan's corner. "Anyway, we must be here for some reason. There must be... oh. Do you see that?"

He followed her finger with his eyes. Yeah, there was something. The angle made it hard to see from the ground for someone as small as him, but it was...

"It's like, a box. Or a little tunnel or something, in the wall." said Riley, peering into it. "I think I can see something down there!"

She stuck her fingers into the hole, but frustration soon showed on her face. "Dammit," she said. "It's just... too fiddly. Twists and turns all over the place, I can't get my hand in."

Riley suddenly looked thoughtful, and she toyed idly with the buttons of her pyjamas as she turned to give Ethan an appraising look.

"Oh no," he said. "No way. That thing is like twenty stories up."

"Ethan," she said gently, starting to advance on him. "We're going to have to work together if want out of this place. Don't worry, I'll be holding onto you the whole time!"

"That's exactly what I'm worried about!" Ethan cried as she got nearer, taking a step back as she reached out with those huge scary fingers.

"Just... trust me! C'mere!"

Riley dropped to her knees and snatched at him. He tried to scramble between the legs of her pyjama pants, but her hand shot out just a little bit too fast to evade. Ethan paled as she snagged him and pulled him into the air, shuddering in terror as he felt her powerful fingers close tightly around his bare torso.

"Right!" said Riley, straightening and lifting him up to her face with a rush of momentum that made Ethan's head spin. "Now we can actually talk face to face. Wow, you are so small! It's kinda cute, actually!"

Ethan's heart hammered in his chest as Riley's huge brown eyes and lips loomed up in front of him. He opened his mouth to speak, but only a panicked gasp came out as he imagined all the various ways she could end his life right now. Squeezing him, dropping him, slipping him between those big soft lips...

"Okay, okay, calm down, dude!" Riley said. "I just wanted to look at you. This would have been way easier if you hadn't freaked out like that."

The wind rushed past his ears again as she swung him around, placing him gently in the entrance to the little plastic tunnel in the wall.

"See? Told you I'm not gonna hurt you. We're both in this thing together, little guy."

Ethan looked down from his new vantage point and immediately regretted it. Retreating into the safety of his little mousehole, he gave her an indignant look. "Please don't do that again." he said.

Riley made a face, but spread her hands in a placating gesture. "So," she said. "Can you see anything in there?"

"Yeah... there's like, a little switch. I think I can get to it..."

Climbing a little deeper in, Ethan found a small red lever - the first Ethan-sized thing he'd seen in this place, he thought - and he pulled on it until it swung down with a click. Almost immediately, a hissing sound started up from the far side of the room. What was previously a flat, featureless wall of white plastic suddenly sprouted a seam, which became a door that hissed open.

Riley beamed and clapped. "You did it, Ethan!" She peered through the newly revealed door, then bounced over to the bolthole and held out her hand, palm out flat, for him to climb onto. "As long as we work together, I bet we'll get out of here in no time!"

Ethan regarded the big, slightly sweaty palm of Riley's hand nervously, glancing up at her open, smiling face. The idea of willingly stepping into her grasp again sent a shiver down his spine - but she really did seem genuine about this whole "working together" thing. And she hadn't hurt him yet, had she?

"OK," he said, stepping out onto her hand. "Let's do this."

---

Read more of my writing on AO3!

[milfzatannaz]

Pls elaborate on the 2015 Skrillex fandom phase

WOAH. this takes me way back

I just want to preface this that I was 12-13 in this era. Like I really was just a really lonely stupid kid, and I was struggling with coming out in middle school and feeling isolated and lonely. so I saw a gif of an asshole with a bad haircut and I was like he’s mine now. I really loved him for many years. I can’t explain it.

I shaved half my head at 13. yeah. I also have one of the most comprehensive tags of his band days from 2004-2007 and half the time idk what to do with all those images bc someone might want them one day? again idek

aside from that the “edm” fandom was awful. Real people shipping and fights over it. Rampant misogyny. People actually hated Ellie Goulding for simply dating a few of the guys. At age 13 I snarkily posted that there seemed to only be white men that ppl obsessed over and I got accused of racefaking.

the whole thing came to a head when skrillex teamed up with diplo. I always got really bad vibes off that fucker, and then suddenly they’re releasing bad pop music with Justin Bieber and objectifying women. I got into several fights, bc no one wanted to admit that diplo was actively not a good role model to a bunch of fucking tweens. I feel so bad for all of us, bc we were just dumb kids. So one day I changed my URL and settings to make it hard to find my blog and never looked back. Since then I was a Star Wars blog, a marvel blog, x men blog, batfam blog then braime and finally the sexy talented vertigo girly you all know! (I’ve had many cringe phases)

I actually fully stopped listening to skrillex cold turkey in 2021 bc I no longer recognized him. He had gotten much older, grosser, started hanging around Jordan Peterson and was starting to be weird about women. so I don’t miss that part of my life. I take a lot of power in the women I look up to now.

[tryst-art-archive]

Dialect Assignment

              Ou est la bibliothéque?

              “Yo, Evan!” Christophe, barely a speck on the horizon, waved to Evan who was four dunes away, wondering where the library was. It wasn’t very odd for Evan to simply stop what he was doing and look about him, wondering, thinking, and sometimes (like now) frightened.

              But it was annoying.

              “Chrissakes,” Mikhael murmured. “Has he got issue or what? YO, EVAN. COME ON, DUDE.”

              Evan glanced at them nervously, looked over his shoulder again, and began to follow their footprints, all the while thinking “Ou est la bibliothéque?” with increasing panic.

              “Come on, buddy,” Christophe said, placing a gentle but firm arm around Evan’s shoulders and steering him toward the sandcrawler parked nearby. He steered Evan toward it. “It’s time to head back, dude. Nothing left in this area to take back.”

              Evan glanced furtively at the rusting hunks of metal dotting the landscape, pieces of forgotten technology from a world long gone. Desert sand made it impossible to judge the size of any of the objects whose purposes were often unclear even when fully unearthed. He didn’t say anything, though his mind kept shouting with increasing volume, “OU EST LA BIBLEOTHÉQUE?”

              Christophe sat Evan in the back seat and took up the place next to him with Mikhael squeezing into the small driver’s seat to drive them home. Evan’s furtive glancing continue for the better part of the trip, and Christophe kept one hand on his forearm until the panic ebbed out of Evan’s appearance; Evan had done some crazy stuff when he started tweaking out like that. Christophe wasn’t about to let Evan hop out of the sandcrawler in a fit of madman hysterics and kill himself through sheer stupidity.

              Christophe was more responsible than that.

              A few minutes before the return to civilization as the three men knew it, Evan shook his head violently then quickly placed it between his knees as vertigo set in. “Woah,” he said. “How th’hell did we get in the sandcrawler?” He glanced up, pale, and noted the approach of the town. “Oh, hells, I tweaked again, didn’t I?”

              “No shit, Sherlock,” Mikhael mumbled grumpily.

              “Looked like the Panicky French Guy to me,” Christophe said, leaning back in his seat, ready to relax now that Evan was, once again, Evan.

              “What, really? Hells, I thought I’d gotten rid of that one.”

              “Guess not. Better not tell the elders, though. They’ll be ticked. That goes for you, too, Mikhael.”

              Mikhael waved a hand at them. “I know, I know.”               Evan sighed and looked out on the sandy landscape. This used to be New York, Panicky French Guy, Evan thought. Now it’s just sand and sand and sand, and we only know it used to be called New York because we found some old records; I don’t know what a bibliothéque is and I don’t know what your world was really like. I’m not even sure what French is; I just know you are PFG, but, hell, as much as I sympathize with your pre-apocalyptic panic, I wish you’d shut up and leave me alone.

              Christophe clapped him on the shoulder. “Cheer up, dude. Maybe the pdead-people voices’ll be helpful one of these days like your father’s were.”

              Evan returned Christophe’s optimistic smile. “Yeah, maybe.”

              But both smiles were forced and it was Mikhael’s snort that held the most truth.

             

              Their hometown was a motley place, put together like a patchwork quilt with various odds and ends jutting out willy-nilly giving the place a slightly deranged look. It was something of a shanty town with most of the shanties constructed from pieces of scrap metal, glass, and stone found in the desert sand. The elders’ residence had been constructed of  the best materials – Lady Liberty redesigned into a dome-shaped building of surpassing beauty, or, at least, surpassing beauty for this wasteland. But for all that the homes were made of scrap metal, they were spacious and well-constructed, warm when it was cool and cool when it was warm.

              So, though it was no postcard-perfect New England village, it was comfortable, and, more importantly, it was home. It was a town where everybody knew your name, and, because you couldn’t pick who you lived with in so desolate a world, it was a town where everybody who knew your name and also happened to know about the voices in your head wasn’t going to have a fit about it.

              The three young scavengers pulled up to a building beside the elders’ residence and began unloading their finds. They placed the various hunks of promising-looking materials on a two tables, one for objects that were familiar and one for objects unknown. Technicians came over to try to puzzle out the purpose of these latter objects; once the three scavengers had finished unloading, they conversed with the technicians and shared their guesses as to the purpose of the unidentified materials. After an hour’s banter, the six men parted with the three scavengers wandering downstairs to resume work on some object or other made of scrap for these three were, primarily, engineers; scavenging was just the part of the job that gave them something to do for the other part.

              Presently, Christophe and Mikhael were working together on a new sandcrawler in the hopes that they could get more guys out in the desert with them, helping to find things. They had, in fact, gotten the techies to agree to taking out this second three-seat cart and scavenging… if it ever got finished.

              Four months and no finished cart later, just about the whole town had a wager on about whether they’d ever have it done and operational. It was getting near to its finish, though, and the two brothers’ excitement was palpable every time they glanced at their “baby.” Evan, meanwhile, had the not-so-jubilant job of fixing everything that broke in town. Usually, the three would split up the fix-it work so they could each pursue their own, community-enriching project, but for the duration of the sandcrawler project, Evan had agreed to forsake the production of his own ideas to take on all the fix-it jobs.

              What he had not realized at the time was quite how long it would take for Christophe and Mikhael to finish the project.

              He was beginning to feel resentful.

              Well, no. He had begun to feel resentful two months ago. Now he was just a wee bit resentful, starting on bitter.

              …Oh, alright. He was bitter and resentful and generally tired of fixing Mrs. Xiegerman’s various kitchen appliances or Maude’s showerhead (which she was perfectly capable of fixing herself; it was just that she had a thing for Mikhael and kept on hoping that today was the day that he would be able to come in place of Evan).

              What he liked least, however, was having to fix things for the elders.

              One of the technicians shuffled down the stairs with the nervous expression that meant the elders wanted something. Evan stifled a groan. “Uh, Evan,” the techie began, “the elders’ roof is leaking and, uh…”

              “And, uh, indeed. Tell their messenger that I’ll be there in a second; I just need to finish fixing my tools so I can fix everything else that needs fixing.”

              “Okay.” The techie hurried upstairs to relay the message, not at all eager to make even a messenger from elders wait. After all, everyone feared the elders though the old guys acted kind enough.

              There were only four elders  and their personalities seemed to be strange, carefully crafted stereotypes. One a kind uncle, another a cruel ruler, a third played the fretful accountant, and the final (and only female) member was a lofty queen or sorceress with a well-disguised kindness in her who had probably had all the boys fawning over her when she was young. They were “the elders,” the rulers because they were the only old folks in town and they had seized control in the most diplomatic of ways; getting people indebted to them and making themselves generally likeable so that, once the opportunity had arisen, their grasp of power was undisputed for one reason or another. Now, the four ruled with fear, still unchallenged, with words of sugar.

              Evan, like all the other inhabitants of the desert-town, did not think this was his problem and, like most who think or say that phrase, was only too wrong. Indeed, what the techie had not mentioned was that, when the messenger said “The roof is leaking and the elders want it fixed,” his actual phrase had been “The elders want Evan to come and fix the roof now” with a subtle emphasis on Evan and now.

              So Evan fixed his aging tools, put them back in their toolbox, and took the box to the elders’ residence, humbly bowing before them and thanking them for the work and would they like him to do anything else while he was here?

              “Why, yes. We would like to request something of you, Evan,” Vera, the lady-elder, said with a sickly sweet, smiling voice. Sweet like apples rotting in the orchard when the people have come late to take the fruit, Evan thought. He had no way to know this and realized that the thought was a stray from one of the dead-people voices that drifted out of the world before the desert and assaulted his sanity.

              Genuinely surprised, he managed a startled, “Wha?”

              Patrick, the kindly uncle elder, gave a hearty belly-laugh. “Why, don’t act so surprised, m’boy! A thinker and citizen of your aptitude not be asked to do something special for his town? Preposterous.”          

              Evan decided not to mention that citizen and aptitude didn’t exactly go together. “Well, uh, what would you like me to do?” He realized too late that he had forgotten to throw in a respectful title, but the elders seemed content to ignore his oversight. That only made him more nervous.

              “We have heard tales of another community out across the dunes with technology far surpassing our one,” Vera replied. “We sent contacts to them who returned only today to inform us that this other community is eager to share knowledge and resources with us; apparently, they have had far greater trouble maintaining a healthy food supply than we have.”

              “Just the luck of where you’re landed at, really,” Patrick’s smiling face noted. Good lord, was he frightening.

              “What we should like,” the cruel ruler, Thaddeus, began, commanding attention, “is for you to head into the desert to meet one of their people halfway between our community and theirs at an oasis that they call Fairy’s Palette.” He sneered in contempt for such a fantastical name. “You will then go to this other community to discover what you can and bring back whatever knowledge of technology possible. You will then bring their operative here that they may learn what they can of us and our food-garnering habits.”

              “There is,” Bernard, the fretful one, said, “a risk involved in traversing the desert as such, but our original visitor to this second people did bring back some of their technology which should help you in your travels; all will be provided.” But he maintained a nervous twitch that betrayed his true feelings on Evan’s chance of survival and this, Evan felt, was no carefully-crafted ruse.

              But they were the elders and his life was theirs (though for the life of him, he couldn’t think of why that should be). “Okay,” he said. “Someone’ll need to help Christophe and Mikhael, though.”

              “Someone will be provided,” Vera assured him. “Why don’t you pack for your journey and say farewell to those you care for; return here as soon as you can to start your journey.”

              Evan did exactly that.

             

              The journey through the desert to Silly-Name Oasis was long, arduous, and generally not fun. The days were too warm and the nights too cool; Evan took to traveling only at night for this reason. Sure, he’d go into the desert on some weird errand, but he’d be damned if he was going to die of heatstroke out here just to make excellent time ‘cause the elders thought that would be nice.

              The technology from the other community was proving invaluable, if somewhat temperamental; nothing he and his toolkit couldn’t fix, though. He was forced to walk through the desert by dint of there being only one sandcrawler, but his people had long ago adapted to walking through desert sand without killing themselves so the lack of a vehicle only made his journey longer.

              On a handful of occasions, the dead-people voices got the better of him, leaving him somewhere obscure with no idea how he had got there and only a compass and good sets of directions to get him back on course.

              After a time, he took to narrating himself mentally and eventually out loud, which was how he found the “oasis” at all.

              “Our hero plows through the desert sands, weary of leg and spirit. He pushes through the dune sands, waiting for the hidden scorpion to stab him and end it all, but always remembering too late that ‘scorpions,’ whatever they are, are something from the dead-people voices, and are dead now.”

              “You hear voices, huh?”

              Evan jumped at the distinctly female voice and spun around wildly, loosing his balance and tumbling down the dune he had just reached the top of, crashing into another person in the process.  Embarrassed at the collision, they laughingly helped each other up and dusted themselves off.

              The woman he had crashed into looked to be in horrible shape, drenched in sweat that was freezing her thanks to the chill night air and looking generally like she hadn’t had a bath in weeks. He suspected that he looked no better.

              She smiled and said, “Are you from the community with bountiful food?”

              “Yeah,” he replied. “’M Evan. You from  the techno-people?”

              “Yup.” She extended a hand. “Emily.”

              “Nice to meet you.”

              “You too.”

              They shook hands and stood at awkward social stalemate for a moment. Evan glanced at the surroundings. “Isn’t Silly-Name Oasis s’pposed to be here?”

              “That’s what I was told, but I guess not. Ever think your local government’s trying to get rid of you?” She sat down in the sand and took out some sort of advanced compass device – Evan would later be told that it was called GPS.

              “Most of the time,” he said, sitting across from her. “The hearing-voices thing makes them nervous, I guess.”

              “Maybe,” she said. “I figured the gov’t was trying to dump me ‘cause of the visions.”

              “Visions?”

              “Yeah. Sometimes I just kinda… go somewhere else and I see this place with huge buildings and amazing technology and I recognize some of it because I’ve seen it in pieces and scraps when we go out scavenging, and sometime people talk to me, but I can’t hear them. Like, the day they sent me out here to meet you, I had this vision with this panic-stricken, crazy dude yelling at me, asking something. It’s a recurring vision, actually.”

              “Ou est la bibliothéque?” Evan suggested.

              She shrugged. “Beats me. What’s it mean?”

              “Dunno. I get a recurring auditory hallucination where some crazy French guy is freaking out and yelling that over and over. ‘I just kinda go somewhere else’ and hear things like him.”

              Emily had the look of someone who’d seen a ghost. “French, you say?”

              “Yup. Don’t know what it is, but I’ve known the Bibliothéque Guy was French since the first time I heard him.”

              “That’s really strange,” she said, “because the first time I saw the crazy, yelling guy, I knew he was French.”

              They stared at each other for a while. “We’re having two parts of the same hallucination?”

              “Guess so.” She shrugged.  “My mother used to have visions; she got them to work for her though.”

              “Same with my dad.” Evan thought for a moment. “I wonder if they had two parts of the same vision, too.”

              “No way to know now,” she replied.

              “Guess not.”

              They were silent for a moment, each in their own thoughts.

              “Well, anyway,” she said. “Now that we’ve managed to run into each other, wanna head back to my town and see what happens when they find out we’re not dead.”

              Evan grinned. “I’m game.”

              So they started back the way Emily had come.

              They ran out of footprints.

              “Bloody desert winds,” Emily sighed. She pulled out the GPS device and fiddled with it, trying to get a fix on their location. “Looks like we go that way,” she said, pointing to some far-off dunes that looked like all the other dunes.

              Evan consulted his compass, realized it was broken, and shrugged. “Okay, sure.”

              They walked on in silence.

              “What’s your town like?” she asked suddenly.

              “Oh, uh, it’s nice.” Well that wasn’t sufficient. “We’ve got pretty much everybody divided into little groups with specific jobs. I’m part of the Engineering Corps; we scavenge for parts, make stuff, fix things. I like it.”

              “Who runs the place?”

              “The elders. There’s for of them: one woman and three men. They’re all… pretty nice.”

              “Are they?”

              “Well… I mean…. I guess so.” He thought for a moment. “Truth be told, everyone’s afraid of them.”

              She nodded as if she expected as much. “That’s basically how it is in my town, too.”

              “Really? …That doesn’t make sense, though. Why should two separate towns that don’t know about each other develop in precisely the same way?”

              Emily glanced at him, sly. “What makes you so sure our two town governments don’t know about each other.”

              Evan began to offer and reason, but found he had none. “Point,” he said instead. “What  do you think’s going on, then?”

              “Beats the crap outta me.”

              Silence settled on the land once more.

              They reached Emily’s town roughly a week and a half after Evan had left home and by then the two were great friends with enough comedic material in inside jokes to last a stand-up comedian a lifetime. (They both knew of stand-up comedians through their dead-people hallucinations, though they weren’t very clear on what that meant, exactly.)

              Between the time they had met and their arrival at the town, they had undergone five hallucinations which, they discovered, were totally synchronized and almost always of the same content, just different parts thereof. They took to piecing together the whole of what had been seen and heard, finally beginning to get a full view of what had been before the desert, and beginning to see that that society was really not at all unlike their own.

              Their arrival at the town was nothing short of awkward; clearly not a soul had expected them to arrive, elders included, but these elders covered it well and they were “made to feel welcome” though the sensation that they were ghosts walking among the slack-jawed living made a welcome feeling nearly impossible to obtain. Even friends of Emily were too shocked by her continued breathing to feel any joy at her return; they had all of them given her up for dead, and there was no doubt in Evan’s mind that the same was waiting for him back at home.

              It was only now that he began to feel very unease about the whole “go into the desert” business at all.

              Over the course of the year that he spent there, the sense of foreboding only grew worse.

              It was not, he would later discover, an unfounded feeling, either.

[dragonwars2601]

Now i could be nice to you

or i could not

cause im evil.

BEHOLD! Poker Face Lyrics.

[Intro] Mum mum mum mah Mum mum mum mah Mum mum mum mah Mum mum mum mah Mum mum mum mah

[Verse 1] I wanna hold 'em like they do in Texas, please (Woo) Fold 'em, let 'em hit me, raise it, baby, stay with me (I love it) LoveGame intuition, play the cards with spades to start And after he's been hooked, I'll play the one that's on his heart

[Pre-Chorus] Oh, woah-oh, oh, oh Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh I'll get him hot, show him what I've got Oh, woah-oh, oh, oh Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh I'll get him hot, show him what I've got

[Chorus] Can't read my, can't read my No, he can't read my poker face (She's got me like nobody) Can't read my, can't read my No, he can't read my poker face (She's got me like nobody)

[Post-Chorus] P-p-p-poker face, f-f-fuck her face (Mum mum mum mah) P-p-p-poker face, f-f-fuck her face (Mum mum mum mah)

[Verse 2] I wanna roll with him, a hard pair we will be (Woo) A little gamblin' is fun when you're with me (I love it, woo) Russian roulette is not the same without a gun And baby, when it's love, if it's not rough, it isn't fun, fun

[Pre-Chorus] Oh, woah-oh, oh, oh Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh I'll get him hot, show him what I've got Oh, woah-oh, oh, oh Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh I'll get him hot, show him what I've got

[Chorus] Can't read my, can't read my No, he can't read my poker face (She's got me like nobody) Can't read my, can't read my No, he can't read my poker face (She's got me like nobody)

[Post-Chorus] P-p-p-poker face, f-f-fuck her face (Mum mum mum mah) P-p-p-poker face, f-f-fuck her face (Mum mum mum mah) (Mum mum mum mah) (Mum mum mum mah)

[Bridge] I won't tell you that I love you Kiss or hug you 'Cause I'm bluffin' with my muffin I'm not lyin', I'm just stunnin' with my love-glue-gunnin' Just like a chick in the casino Take your bank before I pay you out I promise this, promise this Check this hand 'cause I'm marvelous

[Chorus] Can't read my, can't read my No, he can't read my poker face (She's got me like nobody) Can't read my, can't read my No, he can't read my poker face (She's got me like nobody) Can't read my, can't read my No, he can't read my poker face (She's got me like nobody) Can't read my, can't read my No, he can't read my poker face (She's got me like nobody) Can't read my, can't read my No, he can't read my poker face (She's got me like nobody) Can't read my, can't read my No, he can't read my poker face (She's got me like nobody)

[Post-Chorus] P-p-p-poker face, f-f-fuck her face P-p-p-poker face, f-f-fuck her face (She's got me like nobody) P-p-p-poker face, f-f-fuck her face (Mum mum mum mah) P-p-p-poker face, f-f-fuck her face (Mum mum mum mah) P-p-p-poker face, f-f-fuck her face (Mum mum mum mah) P-p-p-poker face, f-f-fuck her face (Mum mum mum mah)

and because it lets me also bad romance.

[Intro] Oh, caught in a bad romance Oh, caught in a bad romance

[Refrain] Ra, ra, ah-ah-ah Roma, roma-ma Gaga, ooh, la, la Want your bad romance Ra, ra, ah-ah-ah Roma, roma-ma Gaga, ooh, la, la Want your bad romance

[Verse 1] I want your ugly, I want your disease I want your everything as long as it's free I want your love Love, love, love, I want your love, ayy I want your drama, the touch of your hand (Hey) I want your leather-studded kiss in the sand I want your love Love, love, love, I want your love (Love, love, love, I want your love)

[Pre-Chorus] You know that I want you And you know that I need you I want it bad, your bad romance

[Chorus] I want your love and I want your revenge You and me could write a bad romance (Oh) I want your love and all your lover's revenge You and me could write a bad romance Oh, caught in a bad romance Oh, caught in a bad romance

[Refrain] Ra, ra, ah-ah-ah Roma, roma-ma Gaga, ooh, la, la Want your bad romance

[Verse 2] I want your horror, I want your design 'Cause you're a criminal as long as you're mine I want your love Love, love, love, I want your love I want your psycho, your vertigo schtick (Hey) Want you in my rear window, baby, you're sick I want your love Love, love, love, I want your love (Love, love, love, I want your love)

[Pre-Chorus] You know that I want you And you know that I need you ('Cause I'm a free bitch, baby) I want it bad, your bad romance

[Chorus] I want your love and I want your revenge You and me could write a bad romance (Oh) I want your love and all your lover's revenge You and me could write a bad romance Oh, caught in a bad romance Oh, caught in a bad romance

[Refrain] Ra, ra, ah-ah-ah Roma, roma-ma Gaga, ooh, la, la Want your bad romance Ra, ra, ah-ah-ah Roma, roma-ma Gaga, ooh, la, la Want your bad romance

[Interlude] Walk, walk, fashion, baby Work it, move that bitch crazy Walk, walk, fashion, baby Work it, move that bitch crazy Walk, walk, fashion, baby Work it, move that bitch crazy Walk, walk, passion, baby Work it, I'm a free bitch, baby

[Bridge] I want your love and I want your revenge I want your love, I don't wanna be friends Je veux ton amour et je veux ta revanche Je veux ton amour, I don't wanna be friends (Oh) (I want your bad romance, I want your bad romance) No, I don't wanna be friends (Caught in a bad romance) (I want your bad romance, I want your bad romance) I don't wanna be friends (Oh) (I want your bad romance, I want your bad romance) Want your bad romance (I want your bad romance) Caught in a bad romance Want your bad romance

[Chorus] I want your love and I want your revenge You and me could write a bad romance (Oh) I want your love and all your lover's revenge You and me could write a bad romance Oh (Want your bad romance) Caught in a bad romance (Want your bad romance) Oh (Want your bad romance) Caught in a bad romance

[Refrain] Ra, ra, ah-ah-ah Roma, roma-ma Gaga, ooh, la, la Want your bad romance

HAHAHAH ENJOY THE GAGA

glad that im not popular enough to have an evil shadow version of my blog that exists just to make contradictions on my posts

[airbendertendou]

bonten men reacting to seeing you — their assistant — in your glasses when they’re so used to your contacts.

[ contacts version ]

no pronouns used / gender neutral. lowercase intended. cw ; mikeys poor eating, sanzu + his drug issues, cussing, ran calls reader ‘dolly’, mentions of vertigo

if you have a blank blog [no bio, no user, no header or profile pic, nothing reblogged, etc] do not interact with my content. you will be blocked.

MIKEY ♡

mikey knew you wore contacts. he made sure you always got your yearly eye exam and had the doctor check every possible thing that could be wrong. he wanted you healthy — completely healthy.

what mikey didn’t expect was a package to b on his desk the next morning, your name on the label. he just stared at it for a while, curiosity piquing until it fizzled out as he decided to not snoop through your things.

you stopped by during lunch — you usually did, bringing him actual food instead of snacks — and mikey decided to slide the box your way. “oh, my glasses are here.”

mouth full of food, mikey stopped mid-chew to stare at you blankly. “…glasses?”

“yeah, i decided to order a pair for lazy days,” you nodded. swallowing the food you were chewing, you took a sip of water before shrugging. “they’re better when looking at the computer, too. and i do that all day, so.”

mikey nodded and finished half of his food — only because you told him you were proud of him when he did — and watched you skip to his personal bathroom. he could hear you opening the medicine cabinet doors and cursing to yourself as something slipped from your hands before you joined him once again. but something was different this time — you had frames that were sliding down your nose and your eyes were somehow clearer to see.

“so?” you gave mikey a little twirl as if you’d changed drastically. “do they look okay?”

he stared. mikey’s dark gaze was heavy on you as he just gazed at your glasses before you noticed a small tilt of his lips. “cute.”

it wasn’t much, but it was enough to make a smile pull on your own lips. cute — mikey thought you were cute. ——

SANZU ♡

your head was pounding. you’d fought through it most of the morning and it’d faded a little. come lunch time, though, it came back full force and you were wincing every other minute.

“sanzu probably has some painkillers in his office.” it’s takeomi who speaks up. he’s leaning against the wall across from your desk, frowning as you rub your head. “don’t let him give you anything else, though.”

nodding you stand and wobble your way to where the pink haired boy is. he’s on the couch in his office, drool falling down his chin as he snores. you can’t help but roll your eyes fondly — sanzu was a mess but he was your mess and you adored him helplessly.

“haru,” you shake him gently. letting out a loud snore, he starts to stir. you shake his shoulder again, wincing at the pulsing in your head. “haru, get up.”

with an abrupt snort, sanzu jolts awake and stares at you. blinking slowly, you know he’s still feeling the effects of whatever he’d taken before he passed out. hazy eyes register your presence before a snarl falls on his lips. “who the fuck are you?”

“what.” you stand in disbelief as sanzu finally sits up straight. he’s glaring at you, unfamiliar with who you are. unbelievable man. you wince as your head pounds again. “haru, are you being serious right now?”

he stiffens even more at the sound of his first name. “i asked who the fuck you were.”

“oh my—“ you cut yourself off with a sigh. taking your newly purchased glasses, you slide them up so that your face is bare. “it’s me, you damn jerk. do you have any pain meds? my head is killing me.”

“woah,” haru let’s out a sigh. he’s gazing at you dreamily now that he’s certain of who you are. letting his head fall into the palm of his hand, sanzu tilts his head and grins. “so pretty with your glasses, baby. could barely recognize you.”

“mhm, m’sure it was the glasses and not whatever you took.” you let your glasses fall back into place as you roll your eyes at him. “tylenol? please?”

haru slaps his thighs before standing, slouching over to press a firm kiss to your head before he saunters around his office. as he searches, you can hear him sing “gotta get baby something for a headache”, repeatedly.

handing you the two white pills, you check the imprint code to make sure he handed you the right thing. not that sanzu would accidentally or purposely drug you of all people — he was still reeling from his high, though, and you didn’t trust that his brain was functioning right.

letting out a sigh of relief, you settled your forehead onto his collarbone. haru let his hand fall onto the back of your head, rubbing it occasionally. he kissed the top of your head before settling his nose there. “rest here while it kicks in, hm?”

you could never deny him, no matter how out of his mind he was. ——

RINDOU ♡ 

rindou always takes you to your doctors appointments. he usually even made his own appointments on the same day so that it as already done. this time, though, something was different.

“what the hell are you wearing?” ran speaks through a snort. rindou sighs at his brothers voice, closing his eyes as he prepares himself for the worst. “haven’t seen you in glasses since we were young, rin rin. you look so cute.”

rindou glares at his brother’s teasing grin, pulling the glasses off of his face and slamming them onto his desk. “shut the fuck up, ran. not cute.”

“but you are! my cute baby brother.”

“rin?” your voice cuts over ran’s. both men look up to see you frowning, your new glasses matching the ones rindou just took off. you looked at the folded frames on his desk, frown deepening. “your glasses?”

“oh, how precious! you’re both matching,” ran laughs. you take it upon yourself to smack the back of his head — gently, but firmly enough so he’d get the message. “okay, okay! i’m done now.”

ran leaves rin’s office soon after and he’s left with your frown pin-pointed to him. you glance from rin to his glasses, and back again when he doesn’t say or do anything. “fine, guess i’ll just put my contacts back in, then.”

his eyes widen at that, watching as you turn and put your nose in the air. frantically, rindou chases you and grasps your wrist tenderly, causing you to turn and face him. your pout causes rindou to soften, letting out a sigh as he reaches behind him to grab his glasses. “sorry, angel. jus’ don’t like when he teases me.”

“i know,” you swing your arm, causing rin’s to swing with it. he smiles at your gesture, sliding his glasses up his nose. “but you promised you’d wear your glasses today. promised we’d match.”

rin sighs and sets his forehead against yours, glasses bumping together and making you both giggle. “a promise is a promise, hm?” ——

RAN ♡

you’re leaning into the wall when he sees you. raising an eyebrow, ran watches you clutch the wall as you walk, knees knocking together as you stumble. he’s following behind you closely, smirk on his face as he holds in his laughter. 

“doll? everything okay?” you jump at his voice, pressing your back to the wall. ran lets out a little snicker at your startled expression, gaze softening at the new sight in front of him. tapping the rim of your glasses, ran smiles. “these are new.”

you let out a sigh, body relaxing against the wall. adjusting the frames on your face, you purse your lips at him. “yeah. just gott’em yesterday.”

ran watches you hold onto the wall once more as you walk towards the break room. he finally sees the empty mug you’re carrying — of course you’re off to find a coffee re-fill. you sway to the left a little and ran catches you immediately, arm wrapping around you.

“woah there.” ran frowns at your unstable footing, watching as you try to grip the wall again and fail. “s’goin on?”

putting your back onto the wall again, you face the ground. “jus’ gotta get used to my glasses. makin’ me feel like i’m wearing drunk goggles.”

ran raises an eyebrow at that, smirk pulling on his face once more. griping your waist again, he tugs you away from the wall and helps you stabilize your legs. at his look, you continue speaking. “the floor’s jumpin’ out at me. feels like vertigo and it’s making me nauseous.”

“can’t have my dolly feeling unwell, can we?” ran grabs your empty mug, holding it in his free hand as he motions you to guide your hand against the wall. using ran as a crutch, you finally make it to the break room and ran begins to make your coffee as you sit in a seat. his back is turned to you as he adds in sugar, but he speaks anyways. “as cute as you look, i’d rather you not feel this bad when wearing your glasses.”

you cup the mug as ran sets it in front of you, melting at the warmth it omits. “i’ll get used to it eventually.”

“guess i’ll have to take care of you ‘til then. hm, doll.” ran grins at you, knocking his foot against yours under the table. ——

KOKONOI ♡

“sorry, again, to bother you.” kokonoi is in his car as he talks on the phone. you’re on the other line, still in your pajamas because it was supposed to be your day off. bonten heaquaters would collapse without you, you’re afraid. koko speeds up as he nears the turn for your street, finger hovering above the red end call button that’s on his screen. “see you in a second.”

when you answer the door, kokonoi forgets what he was going to say. his breath catches and his tongue dries out as he just stares. you’re talking but he has no idea what you’re saying — he can’t hear anything over the pounding of his own heartbeat. 

tilting your head, the glasses you’re wearing shine in the light and keep his attention even longer. “koko? you can come in, you know.”

“you wear glasses,” he blurts it out. clearing his throat, kokonoi turns his face to the ground as embarrassment colors his cheeks. “i mean— i didn’t know you wore glasses.”

“well, they’re a little impractical in the field.” your attempt of a joke falls flat as kokonoi lifts his head to stare at you again. you adjust the sleeping shirt thats slipping off your shoulder, puffing your cheeks as you widen the door. “inside, koko — you can come in.”

“right,” it’s embarrassingly breathy, how voice sounds. shuffling into your apartment, koko can hear you begin to ramble again as you lead him to the kitchen. there are files spread across your table, a mug right in front of the chair that’s halfway pulled out. kokonoi sits across from you as you talk on.

“—told him that wasn’t what the deal was, but rindou doesn’t listen to anyone but ran. sometimes i don’t even think he listens to mikey and he’s just here because ran is,” you sigh. pushing your glasses up your nose, you slide over the file kokonoi asked for. “this one, right?”

he grabs the folder, reading through the papers as you take a sip from your mug. the steam fogs your glasses and kokonoi can only think of how endearing it looks on you — how attractive he found your specs. “how long have you worn them, your glasses?”

you hum in thought, blowing slightly on your drink. “since i was a kid, honestly. stopped for a little and decided they’d be good to have when my contacts start drying out or hurting my eyes.”

kokonoi nods and glances at the file again before his focus comes back on you. “they look good on you.”

“oh, thanks.” you take a sip of your drink again and notice his stare. raising an eyebrow at him, you tilt your head. “starin’, koko. the office’ll fall down without you there.”

“they’ll be alright a little longer.” kokonoi is sitting beside you and he takes advantage of that, grabbing your chair and dragging you closer. he places a kiss on your neck before moving his head so that he can see your face more clearly. “enjoying the view right now.”

you shove him gently, “cheesy!” there’s a grin on your face, though, and it matches the one koko holds just for you.

—— couldnt think of what to write for the others so sorry abt that ): writing tr characters as hopelessly in love n sappy is a full time job n i take it v seriously. thank you for reading, ♡ airbendertendou © 2022 do not copy, plagiarize, repost, or translate my content on any platform.

[knoxvilleaura]

Pregnancy Scare !

Johnny Knoxville x Reader

a/n: lack of potential daddy knoxville so I came to save the day. If y’all have or know any with Johnny please link them :)

prompt: You’ve been with Johnny for a long time now but what will go down between the two of you when you think you’re pregnant?

Fem!reader

You woke up in such a haze, trying to feel Johnny beside you with your eyes still closed you groaned feeling the empty sheets, remembering he had a crew meeting in writing stunts for Jackass 2 this morning. You sat up and immediately felt the vertigo that washed over your whole body, knowing this feeling all to well you sprint to the bathroom and hurled. Thinking nothing of it as this is what came with the Jackass life and your boyfriend hosting get togethers with the crew every now and then, You washed up and brushed your teeth and that’s when you realized

You hadn’t been out drinking with Johnny since last weekend.

This was definitely not a hangover.

Oh my god.

You slid on shorts just in case Johnny came home with any of the guys, learning from past experience from all of them barging in one morning and you were wearing nothing but undies and one of Johnny’s shirts. The same heat you felt in that memory returned to your face as you start pacing trying to figure out what to do when Johnny got home.

Would he be furious? Would he be mad at himself? Or even you??

Johnny always playfully egged the thought of having kids but both of you agreed that it couldn’t happen for about a few more years, especially not without a ring on my finger. With the way his career was taking off there’s no time for kids right now, you would feel so guilty if the tests end up positive, even though it took two to tango

“Baby I’m home early!” You hear the familiar southern drawl along with the sound of keys from the kitchen of your shared apartment

“Fuck” you mouthed

You walked out of your shared room to him and couldn’t help but beam a little bit staring at your stud of a boyfriend, wrapping your arms around his neck, pecking his lips while he gripped your waist seductively

“You just wake up princess?”

“Yeah” you hummed into his neck

“How was the meeting?”

“Oh it was so great” he rambled “we’re doing this musical kind of ending sequence thing and I am way too excited for that. You know me and my love for that shit”

You smiled watching him get so excited, already forgetting what you were dealing with internally

“Honey that’s so awesome I can’t fucking wait” you smiled up at him

He tossed his aviators on the island and He kissed your forehead and brought you back into his chest, standing there in silence with him in front of the door, holding eachother tight

“PJ baby I don’t feel too good” you said after a minute

He retracted his arms, softly feeling your face for warmth

“What you feelin baby doll?

You sighed walking away from him and burying your face in your hands going towards the couch

“Baby I’m late” you mumbled

“You are?”

“Yeah, by at least like four days I think”

“But sweetheart that could be normal right?” He said while taking his jacket off, his eyes slightly filling up with concern

“But I threw up this morning too pj” you said bursting into tears

“hey hey hey baby love don’t cry!” he quickly jogged to the couch and got right beside you, pulling you into his lap, your face hid into his neck

“Why didn’t you call me to pick you up a pregnancy test honey ?”

The panic within you settled at that, hearing the softness in his voice that never faltered with you

“Because I didn’t want to tell you over the phone like that, and our focus should be on the movie and your career and I didn’t want to take any attention away from your wor-“

“Woah woah woah honey!”

He softly grasped your jaw having you look at him

“You come before absolutely everything I do and love y/n”

“Pj” you said softly shaking your head down

Sensing your fear he lowers his large hand on to your stomach rubbing soft circles

“Baby doll look at me” he softy turned your chin

He began to stroke your cheek while you met his gaze

“Honey I swear to you, I will be so fucking happy and content no matter thee outcome, and knowing that I can support more than the both of us now compared to if this would’ve happened a few years ago puts me so much at ease sweetheart”

Your face finally broke into a hopeful smile and you threw your arms tightly around his neck again and he sighed in relief that he calmed your nerves a bit

“I love you so much Knoxville”

He held your head against his shoulder tightly, vowing to himself that he’ll always be here to take care of you

“I love you more babydoll”

[boysbellyrubs]

Miserably Sick Alistair

this one didn’t turn out quite how I wanted it too. I feel like I always use the same words and it’s never fleshed out enough, but nonetheless here it is :)

cw: slight panic attack

---

“Nikau…something’s wrong.” 

Alistair had woken up with his body feeling all out of whack. He had gone to sleep fine, but it was now 3 am and everything was feeling funky. 

“Hm?” Nikau groaned, still half asleep. 

Alistair shook him with the little strength he had. He couldn’t make a fist and his arm felt like jelly, “I feel funny.” The more he sat in the darkness, the more his overall weird feeling morphed into the beginnings of a fever. 

Nikau got up then, “Funny how?” His voice was scratchy, and Alistair heard the sheets rustle as he fumbled to turn on the lamp. 

Alistair sat still, his head was swimming and the piercing light of the lamp made him flinch, disrupting his temporary peace he had with his body. Nikau crawled in front of him, hands cupping Alistair’s jaw, 

“What’s up, sweetheart?” Alistair melted. 

“I don’t really know, I just don’t feel very good.” Nikau’s hand moved to his neck and forehead, and if he had to guess by the look on his face, he had a gnarly fever. 

“I just think you’ve caught a bug, you’re pale and you're burning up. Can you tell me your symptoms?” 

Alistair didn’t know if he could. Everything felt wrong, pinpointing an accurate symptom was impossible for his fever ridden brain. He shut his eyes and groaned, shaking his head like a petulant toddler. Nikau sighed a little, smoothing Alistair’s long hair away from his neck and forehead. 

“Alright, how about we just try and go back to sleep. Have some water.” Nikau helped him take a few sips of his water, and then gently got him into bed. Alistair was anxious about falling asleep, what if he woke up vomiting? Or his brain melted and he never woke up? What if- 

“Woah, woah, sweets I can see your brain churning away. Don’t panic, I’m right here.” Nikau kissed his forehead. Alistair stared into his boyfriend's eyes, he was safe. It would be okay. 

—

The sun was just rising when Alistair woke; the first slivers of dawn shining through the curtains, and normally this would make Alistair smile. This morning was not the same. He instead woke up with his dinner from last night and the measly sips of water churning violently in his belly. Sweat dripped from his temple, the ceiling was spinning and he was far too hot. 

He pushed the covers off, knocking Nikau’s arm off him in the process. The air on his body caused goosebumps to bloom on his exposed skin, his body now switching to being too cold. He groaned, he felt terrible. 

Nikau stirred next to him, “Star…you good?” 

“No, I feel really sick.” He put his hand gently on his middle and felt it gurgling under his hand. God, how could he have gotten this sick so fast. Closing his eyes didn’t even help that much, the vertigo was relentless even in darkness. 

Nikau sat up properly and gingerly touched Alistair’s arm. The boy’s skin was burning, flushed cheeks and sweat soaked hair. A shower, Nikau thought. 

“Hey, love, why don’t you have a shower? You may feel a little better.” 

Alistair moaned, hand digging into his belly, “No, I feel like I’m going to throw up.” He shook off Nikau’s hand, his skin was sensitive and Nikau’s thumb rubbing on his arm was like electricity. The nausea was rising as this conversation went on, it was all consuming and it made him panic. Like he was being filled up from the inside and it was seconds away from spilling out of him in a violent flood. 

“Oh, like right now?” Nikau was already helping him up. Alistair swayed and groaned at his change in position, blood rushing into his ears. He nodded, his free hand covering his mouth as saliva started to collect in his mouth. Swallowing was no help, more spit would replace it and a gag broke through his battle. 

Nikau shushed him, he had managed to get Alistair standing but the boy looked wildly unsteady. He stumbled more into Nikau as he gagged again, cheeks puffing out with bile. Alistair thankfully was lucid enough to keep his hand over his mouth, but Nikau knew they were running out of time. 

The bathroom wasn’t too far from their bedroom, but considering Alistair was walking at the speed of an 80 year without his walker, it was going to be a long trip. The boy was barely breathing, gripping his belly with one hand and clamping his mouth closed with the other. 

“Almost there, sweetheart. Just hold on a little more.” Nikau hoped his words were getting through to Alistair. 

Alistair’s belly gurgled loudly, finally beginning to get angry at being ignored. Alistair curled over a little, the cramps now setting in. Nikau shushed him again, finally in the bathroom and practically pushed Alistair over the toilet. 

He was still fighting his vomiting, gagging and swallowing whatever splashed into his mouth. Nikau crouched down beside him, “You can let it out now, Star. Just get it up.” He rubbed his back. 

With that, Alistair’s hand fell from his mouth and he spat a large glob of vomit into the water. He needed no help as his next breath was a retch and more chunks of food came flooding out of his mouth. He coughed on a particularly harsh retch, face scrunching in pain. Another gag and more vomit poured into the toilet, it was the most Nikau had ever seen Alistair throw up in one go.

Nikau felt Alistair trembling, his muscles slowly losing their strength. Wave after wave of vomit came rushing out of his boyfriend, each time he swore his fever was increasing, and each time he looked closer to passing out. His eyes were shut and his breathing was ragged, well, the tiny breaths he did get in between vomiting. 

Finally, it seemed Alistair’s stomach had calmed a little. He spat the last tendrils from his mouth. All of his strength disappeared then; he slumped heavily into Nikau’s arms, grating coughs and groans punctuating the room. 

Nikau brushed his hair back from his forehead, “How are you feeling?” He knew it was a stupid question but he couldn’t not ask. 

“Terrible. I feel like I’m dying.” He groaned, turning sideways a little to tuck his head into Nikau’s chest. His forehead felt like it was burning a hole into Nikau’s shirt, reminding him that Alistair needed to shower. 

He kissed his hair, “I know you feel like shit right now, Star, but you need a shower. Just a quick one.” Alistair moaned, sinking further to the ground at his words. Only now did Nikau wish they had a bath. 

Without making Alistair move, he flushed the toilet, grabbed a little bit of toilet paper and gently wiped away the lasting vomit and tears from his boyfriend’s face. He looked half asleep, the fever was doing a number on him. Nikau got him sitting up in front of him, 

“You’re really not well, sweets.” He frowned, cupping Alistair’s face softly. Alistair had never acted like this before. It was uncomfortable to see his usually energetic boyfriend so subdued. 

With as much care as he could, he made Alistair sit up against the sink cabinet while he turned the shower on. He helped Alistair undress, then himself, and somehow he got them both in the shower. 

The first five minutes were okay, Alistair seemed a little more alert. Nikau washed his hair, kissing his shoulders and neck. The shower was a little cold for him, lukewarm at best, but it seemed to be helping Alistair. But, after his hair was washed, Alistair tipped backwards slightly, 

“Woah, are you alright?” Nikau asked, grabbing Alistair’s shoulders tightly. He shook his head, and Nikau noticed his hand had gone back to his stomach, “Are you gonna throw up again?” Despite the water rushing down his face, Nikau didn’t miss the tears leaking out his eyes too. He sighed a little, kissing Alistair’s cheek, 

“You can vomit here, probably the best place for it.” 

Alistair didn’t need to be told twice. He bent over slightly and let his mouth open. He burped up a wave of hot sick into the drain, Nikau was glad he was heavily desensitised to this stuff, given the kink he had. However, now was not the time as Alistair coughed up another wave. He sounded awful. 

Nikau rubbed his back, kissing in between his shoulder blades and making sure the boy didn’t fall face first into the wall. This round wasn’t as long, Alistair sniffling and groaning as he straightened up. 

“All done?” 

Alistair nodded, “Think I’m empty.” He mumbled. 

Nikau smiled, kissing his shoulder again. He washed Alistair’s body a little, not wanting to keep the boy standing for much longer. It seemed he was ready to sleep right then and there. 

Getting dressed was a little challenging but they managed. Alistair was now sitting on the edge of the bed, back hunched and eyes falling closed. It felt like his soul was floating just above his body, each muscle slack and head swimming. Nikau was getting some medicine for him, apparently his fever still felt dangerously high. 

Nikau returned, holding a glass of water, a bowl and two small pills.

“Okay, take these for me please. Don’t drink too much water or you’ll upset your belly again.” Alistair complied, gulping down the fever reducers with only one mouthful of water. He saw Nikau’s expression and took another sip, heart skipping when Nikau smiled at him. 

Sleep came easy to him, vomiting twice in one hour was enough to send him almost straight to sleep. 

—-

His sleep didn’t last long however. It was probably an hour later when Nikau heard Alistair stir. He turned around from the desk and saw him opening his eyes slowly and squinting at the ceiling. 

“Good nap?” Nikau chanced. From the look of it, the answer was going to be a no. 

Alistair sat up, eyes foggy and arm wrapped around his stomach. Nikau approached him, sitting on the edge of the bed just in his line of sight. Alistair didn’t look at him though, he looked like he was in a daze. 

He waved a hand in front of his face, “Yoo hoo, Star. Where are you right now?” 

The response was a very upset stomach gurgle, and another very upset moan from Alistair. Nikau grabbed the bowl and put it in his lap, and Alistair spared no time in spewing up even more food. Nikau hoped the pills had time to do their job, he didn’t feel like forcing Alistair to down another two. 

Alistair coughed, a gurgling burp travelling up his throat as another splash of sick landed in the bowl. It was getting weaker and he was only bringing up stomach acid now, no doubt burning up the inside of his oesophagus. Alistair moaned at a violent grumble, his hand pushing into his bloated stomach, 

“It hurts, Nik.” He whimpered, the first words he had spoken in over an hour. Nikau’s heart shattered right then and there. 

“I know it hurts, love, I know. You’re okay.” Nikau moved behind Alistair, rubbing his back and rubbing his stomach. Alistair was dry heaving now, and his muscles were slamming roughly inwards. Nikau tried to get him to calm down, putting more pressure onto his back and telling him to breathe. Alistair didn’t seem to stop though, 

“I-I can’t…breathe.” He forced out. 

Nikau took the bowl away now, moving even closer to Alistair, “Okay, just try and follow my breathing. Don’t worry, I’ve got you.” He took Alistair’s hand and put it on his chest. He breathed in deeply, pushing his chest out as far as he could, then let it go, letting Alistair’s hand sink inwards. He repeated those steps, eventually calming Alistair down enough so his breathing was even and his eyes were locked onto Nikau’s. 

He smiled, “That’s it. You’ll be okay, my Star.” Alistair shuddered, a raspy sigh spilling from his lips. He flopped forward, head landing right on Nikau’s shoulder. He inhaled deeply, trying to fill his whole body with the smell of his boyfriend. The smell of safety. He was the only one who could calm him down from that, and he was so grateful to have him. 

Nikau hugged him softly, tracing his fingers up and down the grooves and bumps of Alistair’s spine.

“Can you stay with me?” Alistair’s voice was shot. 

Nikau nodded, “Of course I will. Lie back down.” He got into bed next to Alistair, putting his hand on Alistair’s upset stomach. Alistair put his hand on Nikau’s chest, tucking his nose into his collarbone and letting his overworked muscles finally relax. 

Nikau hoped that the next time he woke up it wouldn’t be so traumatising. 

---

[mtap-comics]

Here comes the next fill in for my Bad Things Happen Bingo Card:

Fandom: My time at Portia

Pairing: Arlo x Female Builder

Summary: Elenya's day got off to a bad start, but then revealed a wonderful, albeit surprising, twist for her.

Word count: 4972

Prompt: Vertigo

Author's note: I apologize for the long wait, but I was attacked by the mean monster called Writers Block and couldn't get a decent sentence out for a while.

Warnings: Vomiting (It's not graphic, but it's there), you may get cavities again

Read on AO3: Link

How To Not Deal With Dizzy Spells - A Demonstration

On a warm spring day, Arlo sat on one of the benches in their front yard, admiring once again what his wonderful wife had done with the once small and rusty workshop from her pa. It’s been 3 years since Elenya arrived in Portia and life has been so much better since then. His life was so much better. He still didn't know how he was lucky enough to be able to marry this wonderful human being.

With a gentle smile on his lips, he let his gaze wander over the garden. Over the flower beds, arbours, and the little merry-go-round that Elenya insisted on. He found it a bit unnecessary at first, but just hearing the happy laughter from her was worth dragging it into their garden. What he liked most, though, was the big fountain, which was right in front of him. The splashing of the water had a calming effect and emitted a pleasant atmosphere.

But his relaxed mood was clouded by concern for his little builder. Elenya had not been feeling well in the last few days. She slept much more, had no desire to eat, and moved much more sluggishly than usual. Just yesterday she had bumped into a door frame, and although she was clumsy, she was not that extreme. He suspected she was having dizzy spells and just didn't want to tell him.

Arlo tried to get her to rest more, to take it easy for a few days, but just as he knew, she kept working because she didn't want to let anyone in town down. And while he loved her for her kindness, he wished she would take a little better care of herself sometimes.

Even today, she couldn't quite stop working. She had agreed to take a day off with him and enjoy the warm weather, but she still wanted to take care of her plants. Right now she was removing weeds from the apple and apricot trees that stood right next to the fence.

Concerned, his eyes kept wandering to her, but didn't try to linger too long. She didn't like it when he was hovering too much, but it was hard to suppress his protective nature. He tried to distract himself with the thought of what else they could do today.

Maybe he should prepare a nice picnic? She would surely like that and maybe she could relax for once.

Arlo was about to turn to Elenya to tell her about his plan, when a distressed "Woah" sounded from her. He immediately jumped up, but he wasn't fast enough. Horrified, he had to watch her sway in place before her right leg buckled and she fell limply to the ground.

He immediately knelt down next to her. Elenya was lying motionless on her side and carefully, he turned her onto her back. His gaze fell directly on the wound on her forehead, blood running down her face and his eyes darted briefly to the planter box in front of him, finding a matching patch of blood on it.

Damn! He knew he shouldn't have let her out of his sight.

Worried, he patted her cheek lightly. "Elenya, sweetheart, can you hear me? Please, open your eyes..."

At first she didn't respond and fear started to eat through him, but then a pained groan escaped her and green flashed from under her eyelids.

Relief washed over him.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Fuck, why did her head hurt so much? And why was she lying on the floor?

Dazed, Elenya opened her eyes and blurry she could make out a head above her. It took a moment, but when her vision cleared, she was met by worried blue eyes.

"Wha...?" She tried to ask what had happened, but her tongue wouldn't quite cooperate. Thankfully, Arlo understood her the same anyway.

"You fainted and hit your head on the planter box. Please, tell me what's been going on lately. I'm so worried about you, darling." His eyes swam with concern.

She fainted? That had never happened to her before…

Through the headache, Elenya tried to remember what had happened moments before, and slowly the memories came flooding back. She had been kneeling in front of one of her apple trees, clearing the weeds, and just wanted to stretch her back out a bit. But as soon as she stood and raised her arms above her head, her circulation completely collapsed and her vision went black.

This had happened to her several times in the last few days, but she had never fainted. Usually she got dizzy for a short time, and then it passed again. She knew that Arlo had noticed that she was not doing so well and was worried, but she had still tried not to let anything show. Obviously, she couldn't do that any more.

"I'm sorry, Arlo… I always black out for a second lately when I get up too fast, but it's never been this bad." Apologetically, she looked up at him and his expression darkened with even more concern. "Can I finally take you to see Dr. Xu now? You're not feeling well and we need to find out why."

His right hand gently rested against her left cheek and surrendering, she nuzzled into his warm palm. “Yeah, I will go.” By now, she was also worried about what was wrong with her.

"Thank you, sweetheart. Do you think you can sit up?" "Yeah, I think so." She propped herself up on her elbows and carefully raised herself up, but that turned out to be a serious mistake. Immediately a sharp pain shot through her head and she felt terribly dizzy. With a painful groan, she let herself fall backwards again. 

"Elenya!" Horrified, Arlo just managed to catch her head before it collided with the floor again, and tried to capture her gaze. It took a moment for the pain to subside enough for her to think again, and another groan escaped her. "God, my head ..."

"Let me see." Gently, he turned her head to the left to get a better look at her wound and drew in a sharp breath. "Damn, that looks worse than I first thought. I hope you don't have a concussion. Please lie still and I'll quickly get something so we can bandage your head. It's still bleeding really bad." He stroked through her hair once soothingly and then quickly disappeared into the house.

Exhausted, Elenya closed her eyes. Nausea had joined the headache and she feared that a concussion wasn’t unlikely. Time blurred before her and it felt like just a second had passed when Arlo returned.

A gentle touch on her cheek made her open her eyes again, pain clear in them and soft blue eyes looked down at her compassionately. "Hey, I'll just quickly bandage your head then we'll take you to Dr. Xu. He can give you something for the pain, okay?" His voice was soft, for which she was very grateful, as it didn't aggravate her headache.

"Okay." Arlo worked as carefully as he could, however, every little movement stabbed like knives into her head and she couldn't suppress every whimper. "I'm sorry, honey. I'll be done in a minute." Gently, he quickly wiped the blood from her face and then put the bandages back in the first aid kit.

"I'll just get Spacer and we can be on our way. Please try to stay awake for me, okay?" Full of concern, Arlo looked down at her. Her brain was getting foggy and she was struggling to follow what he was saying.

"Okay." Elenya wasn't quite sure what she was agreeing to, but she trusted Arlo. He would never do anything to hurt her.

The next 20 minutes passed in a blur. The only thing she was aware of was pain, nausea and Arlo. Arlo's warm chest against her back, his strong arm around her waist and his warm voice whispering soothing words in her ear again and again.

The next thing Elenya really noticed was when they stopped in front of the clinic and Arlo carefully lifted her off Spacer. Once she was safely in his arms, she buried her head in his neck with a soft whimper. The light of the midday sun had been piercing her head like nails the whole time and she wanted nothing more than to escape the pain.

"Shh, it's all right, sweetie. You'll feel better in a minute." Arlo squeezed her tighter for a moment and pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head, then walked with careful steps towards the clinic.

With a well-aimed kick, he opened the door and she couldn't suppress a small smile despite the pain, as she could still remember her first encounter with Arlo as if it had been yesterday. That she would eventually marry the handsome door-kicking man was definitely something she would never have dreamt of back then, but she wouldn't give him up again for anything in the world.

A startled exclamation told her that Dr. Xu hadn't expected anyone to kick down his door, but he seemed to regain his composure quickly, because only a short time after their entrance she could hear his hurried footsteps and concerned voice.

"Arlo, Elenya, what happened?"

Elenya kept her face buried in Arlo's neck, the bright light of the clinic almost worse for her head than the sunlight, but fortunately neither Arlo nor Dr. Xu expected an answer from her.

"She fainted and hit her head on her planter box. The wound is pretty deep and I'm concerned she may have a concussion." Arlo's voice was tense and full of concern, his grip around her tightening.

"She fainted? That doesn't sound good. But I'll take a look at her head first, then we'll deal with the cause of it. Please set her down carefully on the bed here." Dr. Xu also sounded very concerned, and guilt spread through her. She hated it when other people had to worry about her.

Arlo carefully set her down on the hospital bed and reluctantly she broke away from him. She didn't want to part from his warmth and protective darkness, but reason prevailed over her muddled brain.

Elenya must have made a protesting sound anyway, because Arlo gently hushed her. "It's all right, darling. I'm not leaving."

Supporting her head, he gently laid her down. But as soon as she was horizontal, she was overcome by such dizziness and nausea that, with a stifled groan, she reached blindly for Arlo's shoulder to pull herself up against him with the last of her strength.

The quick movement, of course, only made everything worse and, uncoordinated, she fell against Arlo's chest. The world continued to spin behind her eyelids, blood rushed in her ears, and only with difficulty did she keep the nausea at bay.

Oh God...

Again, her sense of time left her and she couldn't tell exactly how long it took until the roaring in her ears finally subsided and she was able to register something around her again.

She was still leaning sideways against Arlo's chest, his right arm wrapped tightly around her shoulders, while his other hand stroked her arm soothingly. She could hear his stressed heartbeat under her left ear, and apologetically she raised her trembling hand to his and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"Sorry... I'm... okay. Just... awfully dizzy..." At her soft words, his grip around her shoulders tightened and he gently took her hand in his.

"There's nothing to apologise for. Just focus on yourself. Dr. Xu is getting you something for the pain and nausea right now, and you should feel better in a minute." His words were gentle and punctuated by a loving kiss on her head.

As if on cue, Dr Xu's calm voice rang out. "Here, this is a new mixture I have developed with the help of my master from Seesai. It helps with both pain and nausea." A small vial was pressed into her free hand. "Can you try to open your eyes for me, Elenya? I would like to look at them."

She really didn't want to, but it seemed she had no choice. Hesitantly, she opened her eyes and after her vision cleared a little, she was met by a softly smiling Dr. Xu.

"That’s good. I will now quickly shine a light into your eyes, which will be very uncomfortable, I’m afraid, but it will be over in a moment. After that, you can take the medicine and I'll take care of the laceration, okay?" 

Before Elenya could react, a small lamp was held in front of her eyes and she involuntarily flinched to escape the stabbing pain. Arlo, however, held her upright and squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"Okay, it's over already. You're welcome to close your eyes again if you like." Elenya didn't need to be told twice and closing her eyes, she let her head fall exhausted against Arlo's shoulder. Every heartbeat throbbed uncomfortably in her head and she could hardly wait to be back home in her bed.

With Arlo's help, she took the honey-sweetened medicine and let the rest of the procedure pass in silence. Fortunately, the head wound did not need stitches and Dr. Xu was able to close it with a few butterfly plasters after cleaning it thoroughly. A rectangular compress was applied to protect it, and then at least her head was taken care of.

After a short conversation with Arlo, he also took some blood from her, but she couldn't say exactly what they had talked about. Arlo had held her upright the whole time, stroking her arm and back reassuringly, and she just concentrated on his closeness and smell. He always had such a calming effect on her that she could forget the pain and fog in her head for a moment.

~~~~~~

15 minutes later, Elenya sat with Arlo on the edge of the hospital bed. His right arm was still wrapped around her shoulders and her head leaned against his shoulder. The medicine was not yet completely helping against the pain and she still felt light-headed and exhausted. Her eyes were still closed against the harsh light of the clinic, and Arlo was gently running his other hand through her hair. 

"So, I have some good news and some bad news. Which one do you want to hear first?" At Dr. Xu's words, her eyes opened lazily and she looked up into the doctor's ever-calm face. Arlo took the decision from her.

"The bad one first, please." He squeezed her shoulder lightly and with a tense face, he looked toward the doctor. "So, Elenya has a mild concussion. She should rest for the next 2-3 days and definitely not do any heavy work. The best thing would be to sleep a lot and not strain her eyes, then it should pass without any problems." 

Dr. Xu spoke about her as if she wasn't there, and while that would normally bother her, she was grateful right now. Thinking was still hard for her and she was quite happy to leave that to Arlo. The latter also promptly pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head and pulled her a little closer to him. "Damn, I shouldn't have let you out of my sight. Then I could have caught you and this wouldn't have happened." Guilt resonated in his voice and with a sigh she lifted her heavy head to look him in the eyes, exasperated.

"You know as well as I do that I wouldn't have let that happen. I have only myself to blame. If I had listened to you and snuggled up with you on the bench, this wouldn't have happened either." "But..." "No buts. It's not your fault, honey. You can't..."

"Now do you still want to know the good news?" Dr. Xu interrupted her mid-sentence. He had been watching the exchange with a fond smile. He knew the spectacle well enough, it was, unfortunately, not the first time Elenya had been hurt and the two always "fought" about the same thing afterwards.

Apologetically, Elenya looked up at the doctor. Her headache had become more bearable and her brain cleared up a bit. Arlo also turned back to Dr. Xu and they both looked expectantly at him.

"Well, the reason you haven't been feeling well for the past few days is..." Dr. Xu actually paused dramatically and confused, Arlo and she looked at each other.

She wasn't feeling well and Dr. Xu called this good news?

Arlo was already opening his mouth to probably ask the same thing when Dr. Xu finished his sentence with a smile. "You're pregnant."

Surprise rippled through her. She was... pregnant?

That announcement drove the rest of the fog from her brain and thinking hard, she tried to remember when her last period was. And sure enough, she was already a week overdue.

Why hadn't she noticed? Along with her symptoms, she should have figured it out for herself. The fatigue, the recurring nausea and the dizzy spells. Everything pointed to a pregnancy.

Elenya looked up at Arlo with big eyes and he looked back with just as big ones. Wonder was written all over his face. They had talked about starting a small family a while ago, but then both got overwhelmed with so much work that they didn't have time to plan further. And now she was pregnant!

She joyfully jumped up to embrace her husband, completely forgetting about her concussion and directly paying the price for it. Pain shot through her head, black dots danced before her eyes and her legs buckled.

"Woah, careful!" Arlo quickly caught her and pulled her protectively against his chest. Dr. Xu took a startled step toward her as well, but was able to drop his arms again in reassurance. "Hey, I'm just as happy as you are, but don't try to crack your brain open again right away, okay?" Arlo's voice was laced with both concern and joy, and after the dizziness and pain subsided a bit again, she snuggled happily against him.

"Sorry..." She let Arlo hold her weight for a while longer, until her legs were halfway stable again. Then she detached herself from him slightly so she could finally look him in the face properly. His clear blue eyes looked at her with a mixture of concern, disbelief and joy. "We're having a baby." He whispered joyfully and pressed a long, gentle kiss to her lips.

"Yes, we are." She whispered back just as happily after they broke away from each other and then rested her head against his shoulder, exhausted. The joyful adrenaline rush quickly left her and immediately Arlo's arms tightened around her.

"I think it's time to take you home, sweetheart. You need to rest." He pressed another gentle kiss to her head and a happy sigh escaped her.

"I agree. I think it's best if you come back in a few days so I can have a look at your head and so we can discuss what to do about the pregnancy. The dizziness and nausea will stay for a while until your body gets used to its new task, so please be a little more careful. As I'm sure you've noticed, getting up quickly in particular causes problems for your body, so keep that in mind." Dr. Xu rummaged in one of his cupboards for a moment, then handed them a bag filled with the vials of the same slightly greenish liquid she had just drunk.

"Here, for the headache you'll be feeling for the next few days. Don't take more than three a day, please. Otherwise the effect could be reversed. But now I'm dismissing you and remember: No hard labour for the next three days.” Dr. Xu's gaze was gentle yet stern and, sheepishly, Elenya hid her face a little more in Arlo's chest. 

Building was her passion, she couldn't just get out of her skin. But as miserable as she felt at the moment, she would voluntarily take a few days off. Not to mention that Arlo wouldn't let her out of his sight, of course.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of that," came from him right away, too, as expected. He quickly tucked her medicine into his waist bag and then she was in his arms again. "Thank you very much, Dr. Xu. We'll come by again in a few days."

"No need to thank me. However, if her headache worsens or any other symptoms come up, please come back to me directly, okay?" Dr. Xu waved them both off and with a final thank you from her as well, Arlo carried her out of the clinic and got her back up on Spacer.

~~~~~~

Once home, Arlo carefully helped Elenya off Spacer again and lifted her up into his arms. Exhausted, she immediately buried her face in his neck and let his familiar scent envelop her. The excitement of the last 2 hours had completely drained her.

She still couldn't believe she was pregnant!

It felt so surreal that there was a little creature just starting to grow in her belly. That the concussion still hampered her thought processes didn't help either. She tried not to let it unsettle her, though, since she had Arlo by her side. Her wonderful, strong husband who always took such loving care of her and whom she loved with all her heart.

Who also just carried her straight to the bedroom and gently put her down on their bed. 

"Here we are, darling. Would you like something to eat or would you rather try to sleep a little?" Arlo's right hand gently cupped her cheek and tenderly he caressed it with his thumb. 

With a soft sigh, Elenya nestled into his palm. "I don't think I could eat right now. I'm still feeling slightly nauseous." Dr. Xu medicine had helped well, but her stomach still felt queasy and she wanted nothing more than to sleep right now.

"Okay, but you should at least drink some more water. You haven't had anything to drink since this morning." His words left no room for argument.

He quickly fetched her a full glass of water from the kitchen and made sure she drank it down to the last drop. Indeed, the water helped her stomach to settle down a bit and with relief she laid down.

"Hey, I know you're tired, but don't you want to put on something more comfortable?" Arlo's soft laugh sent a warm shiver down her spine, but she still couldn't help an annoyed grumble.

She didn't want to change, she wanted to sleep!

Another laugh came in response. "Come on, I'll help you. You'll feel a little better in it."

Before she knew it, she was dressed in warm sweatpants and a simple T-shirt, the covers pulled up to her chin, and Arlo's hand gently running through her hair lulling her into a light sleep.

For the next few hours, she alternated between a light sleep and dozing while Arlo read a book next to her, leaning against the headboard. When it was time for dinner, he cooked her crepes with fruit sauce at her request, since she had no appetite for anything else. In general, he made sure she had everything she needed and was as comfortable as possible.

Every time she woke up from her light slumber, he greeted her with a gentle kiss. Either on her lips, forehead or even the back of her hand. And when it was also time for him to go to sleep, he gently pulled her to his chest and started massaging her head until she actually fell into a deep sleep.

Unfortunately, the sleep didn't last as long as she would have liked. It was early morning, the sun not even up yet, when she was rudely roused from her sleep. Dr. Xu's medicine had worn off by now and her head was pounding terribly, but that was not what had awakened her. No, her stomach rebelled awfully and she quickly realised that she would not be able to hold back the nausea this time.

Luckily, she had rolled away from Arlo during the night, so she was able to get out of bed quickly. However, the world around her immediately began to spin, worsening her nausea, and blindly and uncoordinatedly she stumbled toward the bathroom. She fell to her knees in front of the toilet just in time for the first wave to hit her.

Sharp pains coursed through her head as her stomach contents emptied into the toilet, and tears leaked from her eyes. Cold sweat trickled down her forehead and back and she shivered.

God, she hadn't felt this miserable in a long time.

Outside the bathroom, the light came on.

"Elenya, are you all right?" Arlo's concerned voice rang through the half-closed door, but before she could answer him, the next wave overcame her.

"Oh, sweetheart..." A large, warm hand rested on her back and another took her hair from her hands, which she awkwardly held back. Another wave rolled over her and this time she couldn't hold back a light sob.

She had always hated throwing up, but now together with the concussion it was almost unbearable.

The hand on her back began to stroke soothingly up and down and Arlo's warm voice whispered soft words in her ear. After a fourth wave, her stomach finally seemed to have had enough and exhausted, she let herself fall against his chest with a whimper. Immediately his arms closed around her and half pulled her onto his lap. It had to be quite uncomfortable for him, but he didn't acknowledge it, instead wiping the last few tears from her cheeks with a gentle touch.

"I'm so sorry you are feeling bad, sweetie. Do you think you're done?" With one hand, he gently lifted her head and his blue eyes looked down at her lovingly. 

She nodded. Her stomach still hurt, but the need to vomit was thankfully gone.

"That's good. How about you brush your teeth and I'll get you a vial of Dr. Xu's medicine. Then you should feel better soon, okay?" He waited for her to agree before closing the lid of the toilet and helping her sit on it. Quickly, he flushed the toilet and then handed her her toothbrush.

Getting the nasty taste out of her mouth helped her feel a little better and by the time she was done, Arlo was standing in front of her again, said vial and a grey bundle in his hand.

"Here, I also brought you my grey sweater. I saw you shivering and I know how much you like it." A loving smile graced his lips and she perked up at his words.

Oh, she loved that sweater! 

It was soft, warm and always smelled of Arlo as she made him wear it regularly. It was almost as good as a hug from him. Eagerly she raised her arms and with a warm chuckle Arlo complied to her silent request and pulled the sweater over her head.

Momentarily forgetting her discomfort, she snuggled into the warmth of the jumper before accepting the opened vial of medicine from Arlo. She quickly emptied the bottles contents and was surprised to find that her stomach accepted the liquid without protest.

"Come on, let's get you back to bed." This time without waiting for her reply, he lifted her high into his arms and she snuggled happily against him. She would never admit it openly, but she loved it when he carried her in his arms. There she felt safe and secure and knew that nothing could happen to her.

After only a few steps, they were back in their bedroom. Gently, Arlo set her down on the bed and then helped her to lie down. He himself laid down on her right side, propped himself up on his elbow and cupped her cheek with his right hand. His gaze was filled with such tenderness and love that tears welled up in her eyes.

Damn hormones!

"I love you so much. Thank you for carrying our child, sweetheart. You’ll be a wonderful mother. I'm so glad we're taking this step together." Through her tears, she smiled up at her wonderful husband. 

"You big sap. Don't thank me yet, though. You get to deal with my whining and mood swings for the next nine months."

Laughing softly, he pressed a quick kiss to her lips. "Don't worry, it's worth it. I'll look after you both, I promise." A single tear escaped her and touched, she replied, "I know. You always do."

Gently, Arlo wiped the tear away and captured her in a tender kiss. "You should get some more sleep, if you can. It will do you good."

"Will you stay with me?" She looked up at him with pleading eyes. The sun was rising by now and the time Arlo usually got up was approaching. She was still miserable, though, and didn't want to be alone.

"Of course, you don't even have to ask. Sam and Remy can manage without me for a few more days. You're much more important right now, especially until your concussion heals. I'll stay as long as you need me." "Thank you..."

Carefully, she turned on her side and Arlo immediately snuggled against her back. He gently slid his left arm under her head so she could use it as a pillow, and his right hand came to rest protectively on her stomach. It was nice and warm and helped her stomach relax a bit.

She still felt nauseous and her head hurt, but in Arlo's arms she felt safe and loved and exhausted she fell into a restful sleep.

(And because that game is so fucking cute:)