#would die (positive) if saw someone wearing these in person

[theglassdragoncollective]

[ID: Tweet by @claywaterlily that reads, “i cannot wait to make more charcuterie earrings!!” followed by a picture of two large circular earrings, with a broad left outer side of crackers, beside a mixed pile of cheese cubes, then a small branch of grapes, then two groups of tightly rolled meat standing up, with golden hooks. End ID]

girls don't want gold earrings as presents they want charcuterie board earrings instead

[huboi]

“it wasn’t your fault”

[muzan kibutusuji, kokushibo and akaza x gn! reader]

╰┈➤ includes; mentions of r*pe, self loathing, death (not reader), please note this is a triggering topic so readers’ discretion is advised

╰┈➤ extras; this was a request, sadly I can’t tag them cause tumblrs’ being a bitch about it so I just hope that the requester comes across this

╰┈➤ a/n; it’s important to note I haven’t dealt with anything like this personally, so apologies if this doesn’t seem realistic or is badly done, I will try my damndest to be as respectful as possible with this fic

ʚ ═══･୨ ꕤ ୧･═══ ɞ

muzan kibutusuji

yes, he’s a demon, not just any demon but the king of demons, which certainly means he cares for no one, especially not a human of all things right?

wrong

muzan originally planned on turning you, when something in his dead heart jumped for joy at the sight of your face, he just couldn’t turn you

and so he protected you when needed and eventually you ended up dating

one thing he noticed is that whenever he goes to touch or kiss you etc. you seem to back off or hesitate, you believe he doesn’t notice but he does

he’s also noticed you tend to cover your body 24/7 with baggy clothing and never wear short sleeved shirts or shorts

when he confronted you about it, you just burst into tears, thinking he would dump you or blame you for what they did to your body

with a comforting embrace, and some time to mull it over, you decided to tell him what happened

muzan was furious to say the least, not at you, never, he was furious at the disgusting person who dared to lay their filthy hands on you without your consent

he gives you little kisses on your face (with consent of course) and hugs you close whilst assuring you “it’s not your fault”

later on when he was sure you were fast asleep, he took care of a certain someone

safe to say that that person will never touch you again

ʚ ═══･୨ ꕤ ୧･═══ ɞ

kokushibo

it’s pretty obvious he’s a demon

so as soon as you guys crossed paths, you could tell he wasn’t human by his face alone

at first you were worried he was gonna hurt you, but he simply shrugged and explained how he doesn’t bother killing people unless necessary

somehow you guys ended up in a relationship and bam!

you’re one of the most protected people in Japan

kokushibos’ weary eyes couldn’t help but notice your hesitancy towards his intimate advances, no matter how simple

he could also tell you held some sort of self hatred towards yourself, as he had been in your position hundreds of years ago

he brings it up one afternoon, explaining how he wants to make sure you’re both comfortable in the relationship

you hesitantly give him the answer, expecting for him to kill you on the spot

only for the usually stoic demon to wrap you into a tight hug, arms trembling and face contorted in anger

“it’s not your fault, you didn’t do anything wrong” he seethed, before asking if you remember what they look like

after giving him a brief description of them he was off in a flash, seemingly teleporting to god knows where

the person trembled, cowering into a corner begging for their life to be spared, kokushibo simply unsheathing his sword and landing cuts all over them so they can bleed out slowly and die from the blood loss

when coming back from his deeds, kokushibo saw you in bed wrapped up in the blanket, he simply climbed in after you and hugged you from behind

ʚ ═══･୨ ꕤ ୧･═══ ɞ

akaza

definitely the most angry out of all three demons

he will hunt everywhere for this person and won’t take a break until he finds them and breaks them himself

when he does come across this ‘human’, he will personally punch them so that they die from a slow painful death

when coming back to you, akaza will simply be there for you throughout the healing process/trauma

he hates how the monster caused you so much trauma

akaza is always there for you if you want to vent or talk about your feelings

if anything like that ever happens again, tell him, he’ll be there for you and will also personally deal with the monster that did this to you

ʚ ═══･୨ ꕤ ୧･═══ ɞ

© content belongs to @huboi, please refrain from republishing on any other platforms! I don’t own the characters in this story

[brights-place]

Slenderman is Goddess! Spouse

Pairings: Slenderman X la Muerte! Reader

Warnings: Murder, Gore, Supernatural, Fluff, Angst, Cussing

A/N: Okay so I had this idea slenderman dating an godess of life for example like La muerte who I think is SO FUCKING HOT! she is amazing and Slenderman dating someone like her would be so fun to write!

- When the creepypasta members saw you they first thought you were an intruder you were human - before they attacked you slenderman appeared right infront of you bending himself down to face you properly "(Name)" "Slender" You said smiling softly to him as you both disappeared once he gave you his hand - When you both are alone he picks you up like you are a teddy bear and makes you lay your head on his chest as you chuckle - You and Slender kept your relationship an secret until Jeff entered the office to hand over his report but walked in on you kissing Slender is cheek - As his spouse he makes sure to take care of you - he keeps his scary and tough demeanor but around you? he just tries his bets for you not to show PDA in public he had to keep his scary demeanor! - Due to Slender Man's history being completely unknown it is hard to determine just what he is thinking, although he is commonly seen as a cruel, sadistic, manipulative, predatory, misanthropic demon. It is entirely unknown if Slender Man actually cares for his proxies' safety, or if he's just using them in order to get what he wants, showing his controlling and tyrannical personality - Yet... he married you !! an Human? a basic human who... who didn't even he was just so CONFUSED! well he thought you were Human... - You were gonna be his victim, you were going to die in his hands yet he didn't even do that he just stared at you - He was confused on how everything around you bloomed and became more colorful showing life - You two were the opposites of eachother Slender Man is a mystery. He looks like a human being, but doesn’t act like one. It is uncertain if he is a social creature, understands human languages or behaviors, or even why humans appear to be his primary targets while you were a 'human' who was positive and shown to be a largely kind and loving woman, showing a deeply caring and welcoming attitude to almost everyone you have meet. You were free-spirited and festive. It is believed that the kindness and love of mortal-kind stem from your own - He loves to slow dance with you but he always has to bend down when you were in your Human form of course - He found it peculiar when flower petals always walked behind you - When slender cut Rogue by accident cause she was in the way when he was throwing Wilson the basher against the wall for failing his mission - Slender never told any of his useless proxies or the lower Creepypasta's knew about you but when you appeared from thin air staring at Slenderman who dropped Wilson and the other proxies who failed the missions down quickly turning his ehad towards you the dark appearance and shadowy places that where showing disappeared as he felt his blood drain - You satred at him eye twitching as your fists balled as your human form turned to you true godess form as you shouted loudly "SLENDER!" Slender spoke quickly "My love-" - He watched as you scolded him but he couldn't help but admire your appearance

- Despite both of you being as old and ancient as time itself,you kept youe vision of youth and radiant beauty as you were made entirely of white sugar candy with knee-length H/c licorice hair that is tied in a low ponytail with bangs split on either side and multi-colored glowing eyes with aqua eyeshadow that are in shades of gold and red. While your red dress decorated with cempasuchil (Mexican marigold flowers) all over and marigold flowers with lit white wax candles at the hem of your dress. You also wear an extremely large, wide-brimmed sombrero bedecked with more lit candles and marigolds, small skulls, pink-plumed, curly, swirly feathers and palm leaves. Also wearing a circular gold locket on a choker that he had given you - The proxies were smirking happily being protected by the goddess of life - He makes sure on November second that he comes with you cause you say its the most special day to you which was the day of the dead - You both Slow dance together listening to Classical music -  Though you two have a complicated relationship with due to your different beliefs and the completely different, opposite antagonistic lands and realms you both ruled. - As your husband he does his best to make time for you - When he is out "working" in his words he is just getting victims while you on the other hand would scold him but knew it was his only way of well eating - You knew that Slender wins over the confidence of children but adults are repulsed by fear. - He chooses children because he can take longer to nurture their fear, stalking them for years before attacking them as adults. - He brainwashes children, using them to further his own (unspecified) ends as Proxies. Children are simply easier for him to hunt and eat - You spend time with the younger Creepypasta's and make sure that they are patched up - The other creepypasta's were weary of you and still are - But DAMN! you knew how to cook some good food - If the creepypastas are close to the brink of death they literally scream in their heads for slender to get them or have backup which slender does... sometimes - But if they shout your name at all within any space giving life well Poof your their in an second taking them and scolding them for almost getting caught - Slender makes sure to try maintain his anger issues but he does lash out of the Proxies if they do anything wrong - When you two argue about the creepypastas you speak up "Anyone can die. These kids, they will have the courage to live and fight" you said as slender argued back to you "They are adults My love" "Yes but what has happened to them they were only mere children! well some of them!" You said back as slender groaned in annoyance pinching the bridge of where his nose would be... if he even had one

- Yes you two have different perspectives on humankind for example you believe that humankind is completely good, true and pure while Slender thinks and believes that humankind is selfish, greedy, sinful and concerned only in its own interest on the other hand. - Despite your differences and occasional conflicts you two complement each other perfectly.

reblogs + comments are appreciated ⸜(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡

©brights-place 2023 — do not repost on another platform, copy, translate or edit my works! if you fit my DNI list please don't interact!

[a-small-writer-in-a-big-world]

Love From a Distance pt. 2

As captain, it was Price's job to plan for everything. He was responsible for how the missions played out and who went where. He made sure that the right person was in the right position to give cover to their team and to find the escape route for any predetermined faults in the mission. He went through everything that could go wrong from ambushes to faults in the foundations of buildings. If someone sneezed or coughed, he thought about it and planned around it.

This is why he was the best of the best. His borderline obsessive behavior over every single possible outcome for a mission made him able to adapt to every situation. Hiccups in the mission didn't make him nervous, frustrated maybe, but the days of him becoming panicked when something went wrong were long gone.

Until what went wrong involved you.

Price laid in the hospital bed in the base infirmary. He had been stuck to it for longer than he liked but it was too painful for him to move with the giant gash in his side.

He was waiting for you, even though it was late. You hadn't visited him yet and he found that not being able to see you and be around you like normal was driving him crazy. However, he couldn't blame you for avoiding him, especially after what he'd done.

The mission that was cut short just a few days ago had turned sour, but Price had planned for it. He had a plan for when an ambush would show and when that ambush had an RPG on the building they were in.

What he didn't plan was his instincts taking over and him pushing you out of the blast and getting shrapnel stuck in him.

He thought he was going to die. There had been so much blood pouring out of him that he hadn't been able to stay awake for more than a minute before he passed out. Everyone said it was a miracle that he had survived and he didn't have enough energy in him to disagree.

Price stared up at the ceiling, trying his best to ignore the obnoxious beeping from the EKG as he thought long and hard about what happened.

He had panicked when he saw and heard the missile. Panicked when he realized that if he didn't act fast, he would lose you in the worst way imaginable. The thought alone make his throat tightened and the machine began to beep just a bit faster. For the first time in years, Price was panicking because he almost died.

He almost died without telling you how he truly felt.

It was incredibly selfish of him to want to tell you how he felt after all of this, but now he couldn't continue to what he was doing. In this line of work he couldn't take his days for granted and that extended to spending that time with you.

Death was always a factor in this job. He never knew if the next mission was going to be his last or his team's last.

He wanted to be with you despite the rules because if one day he died, then everything in his life would be worth it if he got to be with you.

Price took a deep breath and sat up from his bed with care. He bit back any winces and pulled the plug on the EKG, finding some relief in the silence that brought him. He pulled off everything that was stuck to him and was thankful that he still had pants on underneath the hospital gown he was wearing.

He got up rather quickly, ignoring the pain and the possibility that he could tear his stitches before he made his way to your room.

His heart pounded from the exertion and from his nerves. He would be upset if you rejected him but he wasn't going to force you to reciprocate his feelings. He knew better than that. He knew that no matter what you said to him, he would never stop loving you.

Though, he couldn't help himself from thinking about what would happen if you didn't reject him.

His mind wandered to how he would finally be able to hug you. How he could finally know what it felt like to feel your arms wrap around him and to feel your lips against his. He would be able to hold your hand and caress your face, make you laugh by rubbing his beard in your neck and finally feel your body next to his.

Those thought spurred him on, making him move just a bit faster until he was finally outside your door.

Price didn't hesitate to knock. He was nervous but he knew the moment he got out of bed that he wouldn't run away from this. He was done loving you from afar, now he wanted to love with you.

You opened your door a few seconds after and nearly had heart attack. The last person you would've expected to see was your captain looking paler and sleep deprived.

Price's eyes softened immediately. All of the pain he felt might as well have been in his head because he couldn't pay attention to it anymore. Seeing you made him feel infinitely better than any of the pain meds he had been given. You still had your pull to you even when you were upset.

"Cap-Captain! What're you doing?" You exclaimed with wide eyes and placed your hands on his shoulders to steady him.

"Came to see you." He smiled softly.

He drank up your face, committing every detail to memory for the thousandth time as he leaned into your space. Your hands on his shoulder gave him goosebumps but he wanted to feel more of you.

"Me?" You stared at him incredulously before you shook your head. "You could've seen me in the infirmary, you should be resting."

"How can I see you when you don't visit?" He teased lightly but became serious when your face dropped and you moved your hands away.

You looked so tired. He noticed it before but now that you weren’t shocked, he could see just how bad your under eye circles were. Part of him hoped that it was just your regular insomnia but he knew that reason why was because of him.

Guilt bubbled in his stomach.

He saved your life but got hurt because of it. You weren't okay with that. You weren't okay with the fact that your captain could've died because of you. It would've been your fault if he had died, your fault because you didn't notice the missile until it was too late.

You wanted to visit him but you would've broken down seeing him laying in the hospital bed connected to all those machines.

"I'm sorry." Price took your hands and held them gently as his thumbs rubbed over your knuckles.

You shook your head, tears blurring your vision as you refused to look up at him, knowing that the moment your eyes locked you wouldn't be able to hold them back.

"I...I should be the one apologizing. It was my fault, you almost died." You hated that your voice was shaky and you fought hard to keep it from cracking.

"No."

His voice was comforting, warm and softer than normal. He always spoke to you in that tone when neither of you were on a mission.

He tried to get you to look at him but you wouldn't. He moved his hands to hold your face, using his thumbs to wipe away stray tears as he titled your head up so you could face him. His heart ached when you whimpered, tears beginning to stream down your face as your weak attempt to keep them in failed.

Price pulled you into him, letting you wrap your arms around his neck so you wouldn't touch his wound. He rested his chin on his head and held you protectively as you quietly sobbed into his chest.

He hadn't thought you felt the same before this but he knew better now. It was in the way your fingers curled into the hospital gown and held the fabric so tight because you feared his disappear. He could feel it as you tried to hold him so close to your body without hurting.

Knowing that you felt the same gave him enough courage to rest his lips against your ear to whisper those three words.

"I love you."

You slowly leaned back, tears still streaming down your face as you looked him in the eyes. You searched for anything that told you he was lying, that this was a dream. But all you could see was complete and utter adoration in his eyes. He was being sincere as he moved his hands to hold your waist and rubbed his thumbs across your shirt.

Embarrassingly, it made you cry more. You were a mess but Price couldn't be more in love with you.

You wanted to say it back but you couldn't find the words. You were too choked up from crying that it was impossible to form a coherent thought, let alone a sentence.

Instead, you gripped his hospital gown and stood on your toes.

The kiss was tender. Price couldn't believe it was actually happening as he pulled you close so he could taken in all of your warmth. He could feel every ounce of your love as you clung to him in desperation, letting your actions speak more truth than any words could.

He felt light. He could stay in this moment forever. He wanted to. He wanted your lips against him forever now so he could feel you closer to him than ever before.

The kiss left you both breathless as you finally broke apart. Price rested his forehead against yours as he wiped your tears away when they finally came to a stop. It took you a moment to compose yourself and you felt even more exhausted as you placed another, shorter kiss on his lips.

"I love you too."

The next morning Ghost knew something had changed when he visited Price in the infirmary. He could tell that as the doctor scolded Price for leaving last night, you and the captain shared a long glance with each other that could only mean one thing. He didn't say anything, but he couldn't help the small smile hidden underneath his mask.

A/N: I got carried away with this. There honestly wasn't meant to be a part two but people wanted it. Hope it's good, I wrote it very late at night so I apologize if it makes no sense.

Tags: @ghostly-thorn

[scribble-dribble-writes]

Hello there ! I thought about this while watching across the spiderverse : what if Miguel s/o's (also a spider-person) decides to help Miles behind Miguel's back without him knowing ? But he ends up realizing it when he sees his s/o alongside Miles back on earth 1610. The reason his s/o did that is because they believes there has to be a way to save Miles' dad while protecting the balance of the Multiverse.

Is it possible for you to write something with this scenario ?

Thank you in advance and, also, thank you for your beautiful writtings ❤

Ooooh very interesting but I could only write a short bit to keep it in line with the movie. It happens when Miguel traps Miles and I thought if he had to deal with heartbreak there, it would lead to more angst. Hope you like it!

The adverse effect was, I cried 😭

Don't make me choose

Word count: 800

Part 2>>

You stood in the middle. It was almost like this was another one of your canon events. To choose between doing what is right and the one you love.

Chaos swirled around, all the members who had gathered around you in Miguel’s lab were in an uproar, everyone trying their best to convince this teen boy that he had to accept his fate, that he was about to lose his father.

The spiderverse spread out around you, highlighting the common connection, the sacred thread you do not mess with but all you could focus on was the fear in Miles’s eyes. The poor kid was terrified and yet no one was paying any heed to it. You turned to see the one who meant everything to you.

He stood there, in the middle of it all with his hands resting on his hips, his shoulders slumped from exhaustion but you saw through him like no one else could. If everyone missed the panic that Miles was in, they also missed out on the tears glistening in Miguel’s eyes. Because you knew, you knew how deep he felt the pain of losing someone and yet standing in this position of leadership with his hands tied, he was going to deal this situation with a firm hand.

“You know this is the only way.”, he spoke to you, his eyes pinned on your every move as though he could tell that he was losing you in this mess.

But there had to be a way out. You can’t just let someone die because it was stated by an algorithm, if there was any chance to save Miles’s father, then you were going to take it.

You heard your name be called with authority as you took a step away from Miguel. He was ordering you back, to be by his side. But with the second step, there was fear in his voice and then there was only pain as you slipped further away.

“How can we just let someone die? When we all wear the mantle of a hero?”, you asked, the crowd falling silent to your question. You placed your hand on Miles’s shoulder and he gave you a relieved smile.

“But that is how it is.”, Miguel yelled and you turned to face him.

“The whole fate of the multiverse resides on this one event.”, he furrowed his brows, frustrated and stressed at the same time.

“And I stand to lose everything I’ve built.”, anger flashed across his face as he towered over you.

“I could lose everything.”, now his gaze was fixed on you as he said the words, his tone a little softer, a little broken.

“But Miguel,”, you reached out to place your hand on his chest, to calm him down, to get him to listen to you.

“what if there is another way?”, you pleaded with him. Tears threatening to fall.

“There is no other way.”, he broke free from your hold as he shook his head, his eyes fluctuating between his hazel brown to blood red. You waited for him to see sense but it was too late.

“LYLA lock him up.”, was the command you heard when you felt his grasp tighten around your wrist, pulling you to his side and away from Miles, who was now stuck in a red cell.

“Don’t do this to me.”, he spoke fast in hushed tones but that was because he was about to break.

“Don’t make me choose.”, he pulled you close, with the way he was lowering himself, it was almost as if he was on his knees.

“Miguel just listen to me.”, you were trying to contend with him as the situation around you got out of hand.

But instead he held your face in his hands to get your focus to just be on him, almost like he was at his wits end, pleading you to stay out of it

“This once, just this once turn a blind eye.”, his face contorted in anguish, his attention only on you, his eyes hoping to catch your compliance.

“You know I can’t.”, you felt the tear escape your eye and he bit down on his lower lip, his eyes closing for a second in defeat.

“I’m sorry Miguel.”, you leaned forward to kiss his forehead and break away from his hold as you generated an anomaly cell around him, trapping him within it and your heart broke when you saw the shock in his eyes as he registered what had happened.

Miles broke free from his cell with Hobie’s help and your focus turned to him as he waited for you, unsure if you were going to join him.

The second passed by slowly, as you took off running with him and you threw a glance over your shoulder.

You watched in slow motion as Miguel unleashed all his fury against the red cell walls, his claws scratching away at it but it was the way he screamed your name that made your eyes blur with tears, you couldn’t help but witness the utter devastation in his eyes and the wet stains that marked the sides of his face.

[emojellyace08]

If Lookism Characters (and Y/N) were in horror movies

WARNINGS: mentions of death (not too graphic/explicit) mentions of paranormal/disturbing stuff (mentions with the word killer/s), cursing/swearing

Daniel Park/ Y/N

Would probably be the main protagonist (lmao)

Plot armor 100%

Will tell everybody to calm down when things go wrong "C'mon guys calm down! It's probably just an animal or something".

Will 100% scream and have a mental crisis if one of their friends died.

Zack Lee/Eli Jang

That one motherfucker who's always loud (especially Zack when things started going wrong, Eli's calmer though)

Will have a mental breakdown when his friends (Mira for Zack and Yenna for Eli) was put into danger.

His vengeance will get in the way and they'll seek revenge and has the balls to fight off the killer.

"I don't give a shit Daniel! They're in danger and you're expecting me to chill the fuck out! You're so pathetic I'm killing that little d*ck!"

Jay Hong

If someone's always the quiet one in horror movies, they're probably the killer.

Lol kidding he's not he's just being framed (either by Samuel, Ryuhei or Goo those mfs.)

Tired of everyone's bullshit but still willing to help for the sake of everybody.

Will risk his life to protect everyone especially Danny, I need this boy so much.

Vasco/Warren Chae/Jerry Kwon (add in Alexander Wang)

The dumb one lmao

Will probably die first if they're not careful enough (NO VASCO/WARREN/JERRY/ALEXANDER STOP)

Or, he'll be the one who will be seeing abnormal/paranormal stuff (monsters/killers/ghosts). "Did you see that?" "Wait is that a white lady?" "GUYS I JUST SAW SOMEONE WEARING A WEIRD LOOKING MASK HE'S RUNNING LIKE A MAD MAN!"(will talk and ask a lot).

Zack and the others will probably not listen to him since he thinks they're so "dumb" (bitch listen to them they're being honest).

Goo Kim/Samuel Seo/Olly Wang/Vin Jin/Kuroda Ryuhei (add in Gun Park and James Lee: well a little bit)

The fucking menace who won't listen.

You said to not open the door? Bitch he'll kick it down.

And will pick fights with the others (especially with Zack or Eli). Wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice somebody lmao.

Believes ghosts are stupid, yet thinks killers are cool (they're probably the killer).

Crystal Choi/Sally Park/Jace Park/Mary Kim/Xiaoleoung/ Gun Park/James Lee/Johan Seong/Jake Kim/Hudson Ahn (add in Daniel Park/ Y/N)

Another one who's tired of everyone's crap

Will make the escape plans for the team

Calm outside, angry and scared inside

"Why did I get into this position?" type

Zoe Park/Mira Kim/Yui Kim/Mitsuki/Vivi/Doo Lee/Alexander Wang (edited: add in Heather)

The ones who will cry af (or pretend they're not scared: Doo Lee and Alexander)

Will have a mental breakdown bc they're scared that they'll be dying later or be the first one to die (it's both scary for them).

"I just wanna go home!" type

Will be so worried about themselves and their friends.

Jake Kim/Johan Seong/Kwak Jihan/Hudson Ahn/Sinu Han (add in Zack Lee, Kuroda Ryuhei, Doo Lee and Vin Jin)

"Wtf just happened" type.

Would not believe anything that's happening is real (Fuck this shit I'm out type).

Will curse a lot when the killer/ghost is coming.

"Oh shit, shit, SHIT RUN!" type.

Gun Park/James Lee

This mfs

Will smirk or laugh when somebody dies (I swear to God)

Everybody will probably ditch them for being a sussy baka thinking they're the killer (can you blame them?)

Doesn't give a sh*t since he can either solo the killer or he is the killer (if it's a ghost they just won't care or accept their fate lmao).

A/N: For Y/N you can be anything you want since we all have diff. personalities and ways to handle problems and situations and yeah hope you like it :).

[allisluv]

COMING CLEAN

chapter seven — tough cookie

pairing: finnick odair x fem!oc

content warnings: reaping day, president sn*w, finnick being a cheeky little shit. lmk if i missed any!

word count: 3.9k

previous part — next part

The months go by in a blur.

Dahlia spends most of her days training for the Quarter Quell — her mornings are spent practising hand-to-hand combat and her afternoons building up a resistance to physical exertion. Juniper pushes them past their limits and it turns out she can be one tough cookie when she puts her mind to it.

The morning of the reaping approaches much too fast for Dahlia's liking. The houses in Victors Village are eerily silent as she yanks an ivory dress over her head.

She's endured twenty-four Reaping Days during her lifetime and she can hand-on-heart say that they never get any easier.

She sits on the edge of her bed, wringing her hands together when someone knocks their fist softly on her door. Juniper toys with the hem of her yellow sundress until Dahlia tells her to come in.

Juniper pads across the floor in her flat shoes and sits beside Dahlia. Dread hangs over their heads like a dark cloud and neither of them speaks for a while.

Finally, Juniper leans her head against Dahlia's shoulder and whispers, "I don't want you to die. You can't die. You're the only person I have left."

She sits up straight again and rustles about in the bedside locker closest to her. She has been sleeping in Dahlia's bed ever since the announcement; neither one of them can stand being alone.

Juniper holds out the palm of her hand to reveal a necklace made out of different coloured seashells. It's held together with a piece of thick string.

"You might already have a token and that's okay, but I made this for you," she takes Dahlia's palm and closes her fingers around the necklace. "I won't be offended if you don't wear it—"

"It's beautiful," Dahlia ties the string around her neck and ignores the way the seashells scratch at her skin. "Thank you."

The sound of heavy footfall meets her ears and she glances over her shoulder to see River approaching her bedroom door. He shoves his hands into his pockets and leans against the doorframe. "I, uh, saw the peacekeepers. They're on their way down here."

Dahlia's relationship with her brother has been strained since he called her a slut. She nods sharply and pushes past River, knocking her should into his as she goes by. She bounds down the stairs and Juniper follows closely behind her.

Her feet barely touch the floor before Ivy wraps her arms around her sister's waist. If this is the last time she ever sees Dahlia, she wants to commit every detail to memory.

As if on cue, someone bangs their fists against the front door. Dahlia looks up to see the crisp white uniforms the Peacekeepers wear through the pane of glass.

She pries Ivy's fingers off her dress and holds her at arm's length. "Listen to me. It's going to be okay. I promise," Dahlia whispers, smiling softly. "Just do what River tells you. I'll see you when I get back."

The Peacekeepers hammer on the door again and Dahlia fights back the quick remark on the tip of her tongue. It would only land her in trouble. She brushes Ivy's hair out of her face and reaches for Juniper's hand before throwing open the front door.

Wyatt stands a short distance behind the armed Peacekeepers lining the driveway of Victors Village. He offers the girls a crooked smile and grabs hold of Juniper's other hand.

The sun is positioned high in the sky and sweat clings to their clammy skin by the time they arrive at the town square.

The Peacekeepers clear a path through the citizens of District Nine and march them up the steps of the Justice Building, where the reaping was to be held.

Malaki stands in the centre of the stage and his neon yellow outfit billows in the wind. He taps the microphone and forces himself to smile through the ache in his chest. "Happy Hunger Games and may the odds be ever in your favour. As always, ladies first."

He makes his way to the left-hand side of the stage and reaches inside the glass bowl. Two slips of paper float about inside. His fingers graze a slip of paper and he walks back over to the podium.

Dahlia's heart beats against her ribcage like a hummingbird flapping its wings. She holds her breath and squeezes Juniper's hand as Malaki unfolds the piece of paper.

"The female tribute for District Nine... Juniper Sinclair!"

"I volunteer as tribute!" Dahlia's hand flies up on its own accord. Malaki's eyes flutter closed and the faint sound of a shaky sigh can be heard through the microphone.

She takes her place next to him and swallows the lump forming in her throat. The reapings are to be televised later tonight for everybody, including her competitors, to see. The last thing she is going to do is break down.

Malaki composes himself and smiles, looking out into the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen, it looks like we have a volunteer! How commendable, especially given that this year is a Quarter Quell. Your female tribute for District Nine is Dahlia Holloway." He clears his throat of any emotion and grips the mic stand until his knuckles turn white. "Now for your male tribute."

He plucks a singular piece of paper from the second glass bowl. "The male tribute from District Nine... Wyatt Riley!"

Mere seconds after Wyatt's name is called, a group of Peacekeepers roughly manhandle them into the Justice Building. The Peacekeepers throw them in a train compartment and leave without explaining why they didn't get to say goodbye to their loved ones.

Juniper boards the train and immediately starts pacing the worn-out carpet. She isn't sure exactly when tongue-twisters had become her vocal stim of choice but everyone had grown so used to it that they understood she needed time to calm down.

"Why don't you go down to your room for a little while? I'll call you when dinner's ready," Dahlia says. Juniper manoeuvres around Malaki on her way to find a quiet place to decompress.

Malaki opens his mouth as if he is going to say something. No words come out and after a couple of beats of silence, he accepts defeat and slumps to the floor by the train doors, cradling his head in his hands.

Dahlia wants to move, to comfort him and tell him that she has made peace with her fate, but she can not find the words.

Wyatt begins to nod off in the corner of the sofa and she reaches for the remote to flick through the re-runs of the reapings.

If she wants a chance at surviving this thing, she should know who she will be going to be up against.

Cashmere and Gloss from District One are going to be big competitors. It might be worth allying with them

Beetee and Wiress could be useful ——— they're smart. Beetee won his games by electrocuting six people at once.

Annie Cresta, a fragile and hysterical young girl, is chosen from Four before Mags volunteers to take her place. Finnick will be going back into the arena, too, but she hadn't expected anything less.

Put it this way, it wasn't a coincidence that the both of them were reaped. President Snow knows damn well that Dahlia would volunteer to spare Juniper from going back into the arena.

Johanna Mason is a force to be reckoned with, too. She isn't as innocent as she looks—— she won her games by pretending to be weak and killing the remaining tributes at the last possible second.

District Eight reaps a mother who has to peel her three children off of her. Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark will be joining them in the arena but that doesn't come as a surprise to anyone.

The competition will be hard to beat this year. She's grateful for Juniper pushing them as hard as she did over the spring.

Nobody has much to say over lunch. Wyatt scoffs down dish after dish and drinks himself silly until two Avoxes carry him down to his room, patting his arm sympathetically when he sobs into their shoulders.

Juniper nibbles on plain toast and sips a hot chocolate before eventually retreating to her room to get some shut-eye.

Malaki has somewhat pulled himself together by the time mint-chocolate ice cream is served. His voice is thick with emotion as he says, "I'm sorry, you do know that, right?"

Dahlia meets his eye across the table and carefully reaches for his hand. She intertwines their fingers together. "You've done more than enough to help me over the years. Everybody has. I think it's about time I return the favour."

He gives her hand a gentle squeeze. "You're stronger than you give yourself credit for, darling."

Night has fallen by the time they arrive at the new Training Centre; it towers over the other buildings, standing twelve stories high.

It's clear that President Snow pulled out all the stops this year and it makes her wonder if he had planned the Quarter Quell from the very beginning. She wouldn't put it past him.

A glass elevator brings them to their living quarters on the ninth floor, where a group of Avoxes have begun setting the table for their evening meal.

Wyatt has slept off his alcohol-induced sadness and is in high spirits. He launches himself onto an orange beanbag and snags a flask of champagne from the countertop. "To death," he laughs and toasts his glass in the air before downing the lot.

Malaki clears his throat awkwardly and takes a seat at the dining table. It's obvious he hasn't been this far out of his comfort zone in a long time.

Juniper had guzzled down three more hot chocolates on the train and is bouncing off the walls. She almost pulls Dahlia's arm out of its socket in her haste to get to the food.

Avoxes ladle thick carrot soup into their bowls before handing out plates of roasted ham and rice. A blackberry pie is passed around for dessert.

Juniper licks her plate clean and asks an Avox to fetch her paper and a pen in a sweet voice. "So, I was thinking—"

"Uh oh."

Dahlia kicks Wyatt under the table. He winces and mimics zipping his mouth shut.

Juniper drums her fingers against the grand oak table as she thinks. "You need allies, right? I'm gonna assume that you two are sticking together." The tributes nod and she scribbles something onto the wad of paper. "Finnick and Mags are an obvious choice — I mean, the old lady may slow you down a bit, but he's not going to leave her. Besides, allying with them will get you more sponsors."

"How?" Malaki saws his fork through a large piece of pie.

Juniper scans her notes and chews the end of the pen. "I mean, think about it. Dahlia and Finnick have been on the front page for the last four months. People are invested in their relationship. It's the perfect opportunity to gain sponsors."

"All they have to do is fight side by side and share a few sweet moments in the arena and Panem will eat it up. That's our advantage!" exclaims Juniper.

Wyatt leans forward in the beanbag and stabs a spoon in her direction. "Juniper, I never thought I'd be saying these words, but you are a genius. I don't even have to do anything!"

He plants a kiss on Dahlia's cheek and she scowls, swatting him away with her hand. He throws his head back in a laugh and bids everyone goodnight before leaving to claim the biggest bedroom in their living quarters.

˚＊✿❀༓❀✿＊˚

District Nine's stylists arrive at the Training Centre bright and early the next morning. Forrest, who has bushy eyebrows and uneven facial features, has been Wyatt's stylist since he volunteered during the sixty-sixth Hunger Games.

Forrest takes his time drinking a glass of champagne as if he doesn't have a care in the world regarding the tight schedule they are on.

Bloom, on the other hand, is a woman on a mission. She's typically an independent worker, but she has brought four assistants to help get Dahlia ready for the tribute parade that evening.

It turns out she isn't the only one cracking under the pressure.

Dahlia isn't given a chance to wake up and she's still half-asleep as someone glosses a nail varnish over her fingernails. She sits in front of the vanity and watches Bloom pull a straightening iron through her hair. "What outfit have you pulled out of thin air this time, I wonder?"

Her hair sizzles in the straightener and a soft smile plays on Bloom's lips. "You'll see," she evades the question with ease. Being Capitol means being born with the ability to avoid any topic in the history of mankind and she is no exception. "Just trust me. It'll be a showstopper, darling."

"I don't doubt it for a moment."

Her dark hair ends up being pulled back into a French twist with glittery hairpieces weaved into it. A few strands are left loose to frame her face and once she moves onto her makeup, Dahlia feels a shift in the atmosphere.

Everything has all of a sudden become very real.

Part of her wants to believe this is a horrible nightmare that she'll wake up from in a matter of minutes. The logical part of her brain knows better.

Yesterday was the last day she would step foot in her house. There would be no more train journeys to and from the Capitol. No more holidays or birthdays, winters or summers, sunrises or sunsets. This was it. She is going to die in that arena. Sooner or later, she has to come to terms with that, but for now, she has to stay focused.

Bloom dips her thumb into a pot of purple glitter and drags it across her eyelids before flicking her lashes out with a wand of mascara. She runs over her lips with a tube of gloss and attaches a pair of heavy silver hearts to her ears.

Her feet are crammed into a pair of high-heeled leather boots and Bloom finally reveals the outfit she will be wearing to the tribute parade.

It was a tight-fitted gold dress with a slit down the middle. It showcased her curves and just the right amount of cleavage to get her sponsors. The top half is fluffed into feathers and in the correct light, it looks like wheat harvested straight from the fields of District Nine.

Dahlia runs her fingers over it in awe as her stylist watches with bated breath. "I love it, Bloom. Thank you."

Bloom pulls the dress off the rack. Her assistants huddle around Dahlia, stripping her out of her bathrobe and helping her fit into the gown.

As her body begins to be moulded into the shape of the dress, she can see the cars pulling up outside of the Training Centre to take them to the Tribute Parade.

As if he has a sixth sense about this kind of thing, Malaki bursts through the door wearing a neon pink outfit that makes her head spin. "Oh, you look outstanding, darling! Are you ready to leave? We don't want to be late," he splays his hands across his hips.

Dahlia moves in front of the vanity as she ties the string of seashells around her neck. Bloom frowns disapprovingly but doesn't say anything.

In the glass elevator, the floors fly past so quickly that Dahlia soon feels queasy. It's a blessing in itself when they step into the lobby of the Training Centre.

Malaki gets roped into a conversation with Haymitch Abernathy and Dahlia doesn't stay around to find out what it's about.

Outside, Peacekeepers hold back reporters who are desperately trying to get tributes and mentors alike to answer their questions. Dahlia steps into the sunlight, and a camera crew from Capitol News ambush her halfway to her car. The rest of the reporters followed the flock.

"We meet again, The Angel of Death," Alistair D'Ettord grins and shoves a mic in her face. "Did you volunteer to go back into the Hunger Games for the glory? How many tributes do you plan on killing this year?" Alistair eagerly motions for his camera crew to zoom in on her face.

Dahlia stands like a deer in headlights as blood seeps through her fingertips. She wipes her hands on her dress and tries to block out the sound of the cannon firing one, two, five, nine, thirteen times. "As many as I have to," she smiles sweetly and struts away without sparing him another glance.

She weaves her way through the crowds and spots Wyatt standing by their car. He's tailored in a crisp gold suit that shimmers in the sun; it's simple but effective. He spots her in the crowd and a smile spreads across his face. He gives her a boost into the car and jumps in beside her.

"Wyatt Riley, where've you been hiding this little number?" she teases, wiggling her pointer finger up and down as the driver pulls into the main lane of traffic.

"I could ask you the same question," he raises a dark brow and vaguely gestures to her dress. "Bloom's a credit. She outdid herself again this year."

The driver pulls into an enclosed part of the Remake Centre, where their chariots lay in wait. Many of the tributes and mentors are already deep in conversation when they arrive, and as their car rolls to a stop, Wyatt helps her out before leaving to find Juniper.

Dahlia sets her feet on the uneven floor and finds the chariot marked with a number nine. Stroking the white horses, she feeds one a sugar cube and runs her hands through its mane. She's in a world of her own and doesn't hear someone calling her name until they are a few feet away from her.

Peeta Mellark and Katniss Everdeen saunter over, dressed in matching black outfits. Peeta smiles at her but she doesn't return the sentiment, too focused on sizing the pair up. "Dahlia, right?" He sounds older than he is and it's hard to believe he has just turned seventeen. She nods and goes back to stroking the horses. "It's nice to finally meet you in person. We've heard a lot about you."

Katniss lingers nervously behind him and tries to get a feel for what kind of person she is. Peeta on the other hand, is more friendly and he extends a hand for her to shake. "I think what you did was really quite brave; volunteering for that younger girl," he says softly.

Dahlia keeps her eyes trained on the horses. "Well, it was the right thing to do." She doesn't like everyone treating her like some kind of hero. "I mean, you volunteered for Haymitch. That's pretty damn brave if you ask me."

Peeta murmurs a few words of agreement and ducks his head with a small smile. He glances over his shoulder to see Finnick approaching. "We should probably get going," Peeta turns back to Dahlia. "It was nice to meet you."

"Likewise," she smooths her fingers through the horse's mane and turns away from the teenagers. A familiar voice called her name and she glances over her shoulder, eyes locking with Finnicks sea-green irises. "What do you want?" she deadpans.

Her snappiness doesn't deter Finnick and she begins to wonder if anything ever will. "I missed you too, honey. Sugar cube?" She plucks a piece of white sugar from his open palm and pops it into her mouth. "It's meant to be for the horses, but who cares? They've got years to eat sugar but you and I... well, our impending deaths are just around the riverbend."

Dahlia's lips quirk into a smile and she ducks her head to hide it. She's grown to appreciate his warped sense of humour, perhaps because it matches her own. "You know, that may be the smartest thing I've heard you say since I met you. I didn't think you had it in you."

Finnick sucks his teeth and clutches at his heart. "You wound me, love." The colour rushes to her face and he takes a taunting step forward. "Do I make you nervous, honey?"

Dahlia's brain just about short-circuits at that. He's standing so close that she can smell the salt air that clings to his skin.

A sudden surge of confidence bursts through her as she sees other tributes with their attention trained on them.

She closes the gap between them, snaking her arms around his neck and leaning in until her teeth graze the shell of his ear. "Play along," she whispers, pulling back and firmly planting her lips on his own.

Finnick's taken aback by her boldness but it doesn't take him long to follow her lead. He pulls away and blinks incredulously at the smug smile she wears. "I didn't think you had it in you," he chuckles, using her own words against her.

"Break it up lovebirds!" Wyatt hollers, holding onto Juniper's hand tightly. Their younger counterpart has a habit of running off if she isn't tethered to somebody.

Juniper wrestles her wrist out of his grip and flaps her hands excitedly as she makes a b-line for the white horses at District Nine's chariot. She gently pats the horse's neck. "Do you think we could get a horse when we go home, Lia?"

Dahlia's heart flips in her chest at the mention of home. Finnick reaches down and gives her hand a reassuring squeeze. "Sure, June. Why don't you write to Ivy and run the idea by her?" she suggests.

Juniper nods before standing up straight and leaning in so that no one can overhear them. "I can't work out if you two are really together or not—" she whispers, "—but if you hurt her, I'll cut off your balls and turn them into a pair of maracas. Got it?"

"Got it," Finnick agrees, fixing her with an amused look. Backstage assistants let them know that there are five minutes until showtime and once Dahlia is settled in the back of the chariot, he leaves to assist Mags.

Dahlia sucks in a deep breath, palms damp with sweat. Wyatt keeps cracking god-awful jokes and she welcomes the distraction.

District One's chariot leads the way into the Parade Centre and as they begin to move, Wyatt interlinks their fingers together, trying to help her maintain some balance in the high-heeled boots. The sunlight is blinding and the audience stretches on for miles.

People in the stands wave signs of support and point at their favourite tributes that pass by. Her hearing has always been impeccable and if the crowd was anything to go by, she and Finnick were fan favourites this year.

Their white horses loop around the city circle and stop outside President Snow's mansion. He stands on a platform, dressed in a red suit and clasping a glass of wine in his withered hands.

Panem's national anthem sounds through the overhead speakers. As they travel around the bend of the city circle for the final time, Dahlia locks eyes with Snow and refuses to break his gaze until he's a dot in the sea of people.

[cosmereplay]

🍬 something cute for Syl perchance?

Thanks for the ask! Better late than never, right? Here's a little Syl treat, with a Hallowe'en twist. Rated General, vague RoW spoilers

---

Syl twirled again, and the bright green Thaylen-style skirt she was wearing swirled around her before bouncing back into place. "Someone should've told me how much fun this would be! That took no effort at all on my part!"

Kaladin smiled, almost lost in the piles of clothing surrounding him on the bench. "We were a little preoccupied with the thought that you might die. It's reasonable that we weren't thinking about fashion at the time...Wait, what do you mean, no effort?"

"See?" she said, and twirled again. "Ooo, I'm definitely getting this one!" She sashayed towards Kaladin, then stopped, holding out her skirt. "When I was still partly in the Cognitive Realm, I had to think out the physics if I wanted my clothes or my hair to move. Now that I'm fully in the Physical Realm, I can just twist! I don't have to think at all! Is this how you are all the time?"

"I guess? Maybe it's like how I always had to think through my Lashings. If I was from the Cognitive Realm, maybe I wouldn't've had to think about it so much." He grimaced, crossing his arms tighter. No Lashings anymore, unless he wanted to bond a new spren, and he definitely wasn't ready for that yet. But he didn't want to think about that right now. This was about helping Syl find a new life. "Are you going to try the yellow havah next? I saw how you were eyeing it."

Syl was already locked in the changing room. "Yep!" she called out. "Blue is obviously the best colour, but now that I'm fully Physical I want to try out more options. Yellow and orange are at the top of my list!"

As she changed, Kaladin sorted through the pile, looking for yellows and oranges. Personally, he wasn't sure they would be the best colours for her light blue skin, which was more opaque a colour than the watery blue of Natans. He pulled out a pale pink-orange havah.

"Are you ready yet?" he called out. Usually she changed quicker than that.

"I, uh, I don't want you to see this one," she said. She sounded disappointed.

"Here, try this one on," he said, and tossed the pink one over the door.

"Pink? I can always trust you to miss the point," she grumbled, but she sounded like she was changing anyway.

A few moments later, the sound of shuffling fabric ended, and there was a silence.

"You okay?" Kaladin asked.

The door burst open, and Syl stood in the pink havah. It was slim through the torso and had a looser skirt, like all havahs, and the left sleeve was long and tapered out, covering her left hand. This one had a tall collar that showed off her long, slim neck, and she was holding her head high as she stepped forward.

"I feel so regal in this!" she said.

"You look wonderful," Kaladin said, and he meant it. The colour was flattering--Adolin would be proud of the choice--and the fit was perfect, too. "You look like a real scribe."

Syl grinned. "I'm getting this one. I would scribe for you in this."

Kaladin grinned back. "That's good, because the position's open if you want it."

"We'll be a team forever, right?" she asked, and her forehead creased a little. "Even if we can't do the loopy fly-y thing anymore?"

He stood and held her hands. "I will never leave you, Syl. We're best friends for life. Even more than that. We're family."

She hugged him, and he squeezed her back. Even if they didn't know the way yet, he knew they would make it through like they always did, together.

---

For my Halloween ask game

[ctrl-alt-tahu]

He's Always Been Dead

So... I have a completely uncanonical idea for Bionicle I'm turning over in my head.

What if Mata Nui was a title more than a person? Like "the Great Spirit" sounds more like a title than a name, right? What if the use of the Ignika was less like an electric paddle--because the Great Spirit was always already dead?

Basically, in this alternate story, the original Mata Nui (the spirit controlling the GSR) died as the result of the Great Disruption. The sacrifice of Jovan's teammate wasn't to die but to become the next Great Spirit. This is why it's necessary for wearer of the Ignika to "die": they become the next Mata Nui.

The Great Spirit who falls asleep at in the Cataclysm isn't the first Great Spirit--and it might not have been the second. Perhaps, after Jovan's teammate also died, the Ignika was next worn by a Makuta, sacrificing himself as nobly as the Toa before him had, but this left enough clues that--for the first time--someone pieced together that it wasn't the same Great Spirit reawakened, but the Makuta in an elevated position.

Naturally, it's Teridax who figures this out, explaining both where his ambition to "become" the GSR comes from and why he calls the sleeping Mata Nui his brother. Sleep spares him the pain--of betrayal.

Teridax's plan is to be the one to wear the Ignika, but after that whole "Takutanuva" thing, he no longer has a body to wear it. His backup plan may originally have been to try wearing the Ignika while inhabiting the Maxilos robot, but either he realised that wouldn't work (maybe he tried, before the Mahri got there), or he found a backup plan.

The being subsumed by the Ignika to become the next GSR would lose a lot of their memory and self (it is, after all, a sacrifice--and the truth of what happens wasn't know until a Makuta--a being of greater innate power than a Toa--did it), which Teridax wasn't keen on, and after being subsumed, the Ignika still had to be taken to the Codrex to upload the new Mata Nui. Teridax saw his opportunity to avoid the obliteration of his self and in his disembodied state had the perfect opportunity to slip in ahead of the new Mata Nui when the Ignika arrived in the Codrex and started the upload process, taking control of the GSR as the new Mata Nui while circumventing the loss of self supposed to go with it.

What this means, of course, is that the "Mata Nui" of 2009-10 is actually Matoro. And perhaps, after having had a Makuta as the last Mata Nui, the Ignika didn't obliterate everything that had made Matoro himself, and when he incarnates on Bara Magna, he begins to remember who he was and what has happened to him.

This is, of course, a transparent alternate reality that allows Matoro to survive. But it also sheds a little light on Teridax and his "brother"--and maybe on Teridax's destiny: he was supposed to become Mata Nui, but he was supposed to yield to his destiny and surrender himself, rather than to grasp for it.

[ambeer6]

DRDT is kind of similar to THH, isn't it?

chapter 1: Character closest to the main character betrays them by attempting a murder, but end up having it turned on themselves.

They seem to have been conflicted about killing, but felt they had no choice (only to then die themselves)

Guy with red hair and tongue piercing dies. Girl wearing a school uniform dies.

Motive videos (although murder was committed before they were watched in drdt)

chapter 2: Someone who gets bullied and someone who used to bully are involved with the case. (actually a main reason why I suspect eden is because the bully/victim duo of nico and ace already failed. I'm open for ace culprit though.)

Someone is revealed to be a serial killer, but didn't commit the murder (unless you believe Levi will suddenly turn out to be the culprit???)

Someone's gender is relevant to the motive.

Secrets motive. (although murder was committed before they were publicly revealed in drdt)

SPECULATIVE: someone saw the body before the others set off the BDA.

If it turns out next episode that someone messed with the crime scene, this will cement the parallels.

Now my speculations for chapter 3: Motive will be money or some kind of material good.

I hope they'll subvert this trope, but it's likely that two people will be victims and we'll have one culprit. Three deaths in total. Although if we're looking THH.... person A kills person B, then person C kills person A.

The people who die in chapter 3 tend to not have a very strong relation to the main character, either positive or negative, which is why I doubt Charles and David will die here (that's more of a chapter 5 thing, yeah?)

If disguises are going to be used, this would be the ideal chapter for a THH parallel.

Killer will have a pretty shit motive, lets be honest...

In vein of THH, the dead people in this chapter might leave behind something that will help the others later.

[thatbennybee]

Viva and Branch are kinda weird to me i feel like they get along only in one front and thats safety they both kinda have a similar story in terms of They Saw Their loved one leave them behind or die in front of them and they both in some terms secluded themselves but Viva seemed happy with it seeing how her colors aren’t muted or anything if anything as we saw she is still like Poppy

Branch was secluded by his choice and he was miserable while Viva was happy in her own little cage yet seeing them interact (while just for a little) i don’t really see how they get along outside of probably paranoia

If i can put it in words lets say Branch and Viva can both do Ballet Street Style lets say Viva and Branch (Grey) both do it perfectly but stay in a spot not letting them go and move but when Branch got his colors he uses more space being more free while Viva stays still (if that makes any sense)

Idk i just dont feel like Viva fits sure i love Poppy has family but i hate that she’s… there like she was added like last minute

No... Viva definitely fits, she was just rushed. Viva is a parallel to Poppy in the same way that JD is a parallel to Branch. ☝️🤓 It's quite clear she is.

Viva is the result of not having someone like Branch in her life to make her see that her way of life, while temporarily effective in keeping other safe, was still not being free nor happy. JD is the result of what Branch would be like without meeting someone like Poppy. Someone who was headstrong enough to change their worldviews. Viva and JD didn't have that person.

The whole point of Branch and Viva having that one candid moment was important.

We have no idea if Viva was grey at some point or not, but regardless, that's not a fair point because the entire Pop Village went great for a short period of time and they're all fully vibrant, including Poppy. Branch was grey for like 20 years and has permanent effects from it, big difference.

Viva could've been grey and just gained them back like anyone else. I don't see how that's a point. 🤔

Moving on—

Branch wears his heart on his sleeve and openly talks about the bad things in the world, Viva hides hers so she doesn't have to think about the bad things and forces herself to think only about the good.

Poppy does the same thing in Trolls 1 and tried to force positivity through Trolls 2 and both times, it backfired. The difference is that Poppy had negative reinforcers that changed her behavior and thought process, while Viva was somewhat given positive reinforcers to stay where she was.

By that, I mean that she believed that hiding and staying that way would keep them safe. It was effective, yes, but she wasn't growing or changing because she was essentially proven correct. Meanwhile Poppy had a mindset that only worked within her sheltered bubble of life, but when her worldview was challenged, she had no idea how to handle it and choked.

Viva chokes too when they all leave her and her worldview is shattered when told that life outside isn't how she remembered it.

Branch is pretty candid when talking to viva and how he heavily relates to her, but shows her that there's other ways for her to grow. I don't see how Branch healing mentally would make it so Branch & Viva couldn't get along.

I think having someone who understands your fears better than anyone else world actually make it easier for them to bond and for Viva to heal in a way that is healthier than refusing to talk about it.

Branch and Viva could bond in ways other than safety, it's quite clear that Branch has no problems being silly or having a good time when he wants to.

He literally says it directly to Viva that he used to fear the world like she does, but he doesn't anymore. He's not that same person overly obsessed with safety and fear of the unknown. He just knows when it's a time to be serious and when isn't and he can take it easy.

Poppy has learned this lesson herself considering how she was quick to see that Viva wasn't being serious and focusing when asking her important questions. Viva just didn't really get the air time to learn the right lesson and it sucks. :[

Anyways, Branch having a level head and having a more serious approach than his peers doesn't mean he can't just have a good time and I feel like that could actually be a really good lesson for Viva to learn. You can want everyone to be safe, but also know when to reel it back and see that everything will be okay.

I think him and Viva would get along really well once she stops putting on the persona of being overly happy when she's not and is honest about what she's been through. I think he'd be able to find creative and familiar ways to bring her back into Pop Troll society without overwhelming her. They're all survivalists after all. :]

[writing-rat]

Camping

Pairing: Wednesday x Enid

Warnings: Fluff

Summary: The school go camping, Enid and Wednesday are put together

It was not Wednesday’s plan to go to this camping trip, at least not at first. No, it was Enid’s plan which coincidentally involved another person she liked going on the trip, that being Wednedsay. Wednesday, being the friend she needed to be, decided to go as she was sighing. 

That was what got her to packing at the current time. It was a 2 day trip so she decided to get some spare clothes. She packed 3 pairs before she was done. She had packed 2 pairs of sweatpants and 1 pair of shorts. There was also 3 shirts and 1 hoodie and 1 flannel. The last things packed were spare shoes and some sleeping clothes before she was zipping her bag up, stating at Enid who was also done packing and was dancing to some K-pop music.

She felt her heart get a little faster and spiders in her stomach but she decided to not pay attention to it as she was sitting down at her desk, starting on her writing hour. She hoped she could do enough just before they were starting to camp…

-

The first day of the weekend adventure was hot, and Wednesday was happy she had put on her tank top and her shorts with some trainers. She didn’t realise the look that her roommate held when she saw what she was wearing. Enid herself was wearing shorts but a short sleeved shirt. Unlike Wednesdsay’s black tank top and shorts, Enid wore her orange shorts and a pink and white shirt. The 2 really contrasted on their hike as the guide gave them stories. They were closer to the front so Weems was able to watch them and was smiling gentle as she saw the looks both of them shared. She recognised them because she was the same with Morticia. 

Enid and Wednesday were just talking with each other as there was a hand on Wednesday’s back that belonged to Enid, and a hand on Enid’s shoulder that belonged to Wednesday. They were talking about whatever came to mind which was about the adventures of Viper. Wednesday was hyperfiating on it as Enid was smiling and was listening intently. “So… have you managed to advance the love interest storyline or not?” Enid asked. Wednesday shook her head.

“Unfortunately not, but it is close,” she spoke as she looked at Enid who looked back.

-

They were soon settling down for the night as they were sharing a tent, Enid being the only one she was comfortable sharing with. She was soon going to the showers as she was changing inside the stall into some black sleep shorts and one of Enid’s white baggy shirts as she left to the tent where Enid wore some pink sweatpants and a sports bra. “I h and a long shirt anyway,” Wednesday spoke before she was laid down in bed. Enid ope you don’t mind,” Enid spoke. Wednesday shrugged. “I do not mind as you usually sleep in underwearblushed and was nodding with a smile.

Enid was trying to fall asleep as Wednesday was in her main coffin position as she was going to sleep easily, minus the fact that Enid was shuffling around.  “You ok Enid?” Wednesday asked, tired as she was rubbing her forehead, looking at the gril who seemed to look her up and down. She had stopped midway though so she was looking at her stomach instead. “Yeah… I just… I…” she spoke and was looking away embarrassed and shyly. “I want to admit something but I don’t want to ruin what we have…” Enid added on.

“Say it Sinclair. Nothing can change us because I let you in my space anyway. Hell I trust changing in my room when your sleeping because I heard that squeal one time then you looked away,” Wednesday explained. Enid blushed harshly at the fact she was caught.

“IlikeyouWednesday,” was what she said in one. That’s when Wednesday tilted her head. “I do not understand. Of course we like each other,” she spoke confused. Enid blushed harder.

“Not… like that. I mean in… the way I would die for you and would fight another Hyde for you. I would stab someone for you,” Enid explained which caused Wednesday to blink before she was nodding. “Want to… cuddle?” Wednesday asked. Enid blinked in shock before she was nodding and cuddled up to her. “Is that a yes, you like me too?” Enid asked insecurely.

“Yes. I am sorry for not clarifying,” Wednesday spoke to which Enid was nodding. 

“I love you,” she spoke before she fell asleep. Wednesday kissed her forehead before she fell asleep like that.

[edgessunflower]

Chapter 13

Leaving the jungle

You toss and turn as you sleep, Damian walks back in from rebandaging his waist to see you locked in the fetal position quietly crying as the nightmare happens. He feels his whole soul ripped out of his body as he slowly puts his hand on your shoulder gently shaking you as your body shakes with sobs as the dream continues until you jump up and your eyes shoot open in fear as you curl your knees to your chest "It felt so real...I" he pulls you to him as you shake and sob hiding your face in the crook of his neck until you slowly feel safe again and fall asleep on his chest with his arms wrapped tightly around you as he stares at you asleep, "I'm going to get us home i promise you" he kisses your forehead as he eventually falls asleep until you both wake up that next morning and clean your wounds and rebandage them all until you suddenly hear a loud noise immediately standing still in fear until it is quiet and a voice yells out one that makes both your eyes widen "Guys! Are you here?! The chopper saw the roofs and reported it to us! There's a boat not far away!" you both run out and see the person that neither of you have seen in nine weeks "LAVI!" you both run down and hug her tightly as the boat pulls up and you are taken out and away from the jungle. You both ask Lavi of everything that happened after the two of you went missing and what she tells you not only has the two of you crying and thanking her nonstop but it truly showed that someone cared and wouldn't give up on both of you "I had went to the house that day but you guys were gone so I went on the trail and while I was walking, I heard screaming and the water flooding... I managed to tie myself to a tree with vines and waited before walking ahead and finding two separate effects you two wore, one was a bandana that I had seen him wear and the other was the sunglasses you wore on your head when we met...I just knew something had happened and immediately went back to my place and called search teams, we searched for two weeks before going to a small military camp and explaining how much we needed more help...at first they weren't having any part but after four weeks and when I punched the commander they all quickly agreed to mount multiple searches throughout the jungle" the two of you were in disbelief after hearing her story and after the boat stopped and the two of you were taken through town to the military camp to be helped, you both hugged her tightly before people in town stopped in front of the two of you to give you water and food before an older woman sat in front of you and spoke to you "God truly saved both of you, he knows that one can't live without the other" you smile as you both talk to her and share a hug learning her name was Evita. You both arrive at the military camp and everyone is amazed that not only that the two of you were even found but that you were both alive as the two of you were taken in a tent where doctors and nurses were waiting as lavi stared down the cold hearted commander "I told you they were alive" he rolls his eyes as she stands right in front of him, he speaks in spanish saying something that makes her snap as a nurse opens the tent for the two of you to talk to her when you both see lavi grab and hit the commander with a gun and hold him on the ground "YOU WERE GOING TO LET THEM DIE WITHOUT GIVING A DAMN LIKE YOU'VE DONE BEFORE AND IF ANYONE ISN'T GOING TO SAY ANYTHING I MIGHT AS WELL SINCE I AM THE ONLY REAL DAMN HUMAN HERE" the commander is taken by a law enforcement officer after he cuts lavi's face with a knife and even points a machine gun at her before military officers pull the gun away, she has the cut stitched and you all smile at each other as the officer tells her he would be arrested for multiple charges learning how much the two of you affected lavi and her life.

[prettybluelites]

Thoughts: Red Flags

And away we go!

Love the blissful piano score in this opening scene

Buttons sleeping in Legs Up the Wall pose because of course he is

Hogod there's a lot in that sigh Stede gives as he's remembering You Wear Fine Things Well

And just noticed Ed's parallel sigh, equally loaded but obviously very different

Probably reading way too much into it but I'm interested that Ed could have just chucked the cake toppers - and based on the "fuck you, Stede Bonnet" that he utters to the groom in E1, that would have made sense - but he positions them carefully in the window ledge facing outward as if they're jumping. The groom jumps and the bride jumps after him. So...yeah.

One of the only sour notes for me is the ongoing "no one can pronounce 'China'" thing. Maybe I'm dumb but I don't really get it. Is it playing to Susan's comment that people in the RoP "know so little"? Whatever, I didn't find it that funny.

Buttons has assimilated well, I see

Who is making t-shirts that say "Tender as Hell" because I want one

Oh my god. If the day ever comes when Lucius' return doesn't make me grin and cry and cry and grin, just go ahead and put me out of my misery. There's so much that's perfect about this moment. As someone who has had the experience of completely unexpectedly (but happily) running into someone I never thought I'd see again, I can say they captured that feeling of the world stopping for a sec and then everything swooping back into motion. In my situation I was not tackled to the floor but I love with every part of my heart that Pete tackled Lucius. Matthew Maher's expression is just wonderful. And in the following scene when you can tell he's been crying... *sniff* Pete has grown up so much and I'm so happy he and Lucius get to be together again.

On the one hand Stede sounds a bit tone deaf when he asks Lucius what happened to him, but would it ever in a million years occur to Stede that what happened to Lucius was, in fact, what happened to Lucius?

Already adored how accepting everyone is of Buttons's spirituality, but the fact that Auntie perceives him immediately as a Sea Witch is awesome.

Time out from Frenchie's Treacherous Lying to point out that his silhouette when he's standing in the corridor - when Ed calls him back to say he's expecting great things - is just to die for. The cut of that outfit? I think I literally gasped the fist time I saw it. Mad props to the costumers.

"We just had him asleep" - that's like something you say when you're caring for an infant, IDK, it stands out to me that Jim phrases it like that, they could have said, "You woke him up, pendejo," but phrasing it the way they do really speaks of caregiving. Again, probably reading too much into it, but. I like semantics.

Oh Stede, you are so wildly inappropriate doing your personal little homework project in the workplace

So...I forgot to bank on pissed-off Lucius. If someone had asked me, before the season started, do you think Lucius will be pissed about what happened to him, of course I would have said yes, but I didn't really think about how that would play out. More aimed at Ed, I think. I love what they did here, love the pacing of bringing him back early (we all knew he was alive anyway, lol) and Nathan Foad is so, so good.

I know there probably isn't room for it but I would love to get Archie's backstory

If you don't know what the scrolls say, I would say filling them by weight makes as much sense as anything. On the other hand, Olu's been around, the map board with the little ships was clearly something sailing-related, I don't believe for a second he would have messed with it. My sis asked if I thought they'd dumbed Oluwande down a bit this season and I don't totally agree but I sort of see what she meant. He definitely seems way more out of his element than we've seen him so far.

Samba Schutte making the most of his moments :D

Lucius snapping at Pete just grabs at my heart

Still processing the Izzy stuff, probably not going to be ready to talk about that for a loooonng time

Lucius recounting his horrors shouldn't be funny, but...it's funny

Only just now noticed Ed's long coat, interesting how it's reminiscent of the one in Pete's fantasy in S1

You know things are going to shit when someone in a position of power starts trying to make people fight each other to the death

"Some people are just broken, no matter what you do" - oh help, I am having so many overlapping Ed and Lucius thoughts right now, all tangled in the above line of dialogue as well as "what if life just begins again," oh help

The whole sequence with the wave washing over the deck is gorgeous and I know Frenchie was just grabbing the capstan for something to grab but when you think of it as where we see the crew in S1 "living for each other, not just to survive"... *shivers*

"Indestructible little fucker" is an early favorite for best line delivery in S2

So Zheng has at least two more ships that are currently en route? Fascinating...

God, I just noticed the way Izzy's leaning on Fang when they're all looking down at Ed. I never, when I first watched this show, thought I would ever be this consumed with Izzy thoughts.

And there we have Episode 2! Thanks for bearing with me. One more to go and then NEW SHIT! Today I went back and watched the trailer and thought about all that's still to come...can't wait.

[whumble-beeee]

Whumptember 2023, Day 17

“Can you come pick me up?”

Sensory overload | Feeling like someone’s watching | Bad luck

The Bee's Whumptember Masterlist 

~860 words

CW: panic attack/meltdown, alcohol, noncon drugging, kidnapping, implied future torture

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

“AUGH, sorry! Bad luck, man!”

Agent looked down at the bright red spill running down their sparkly golden shirt.  Then at the person who spilled it on them. The smell was awful, the scent of… alcohol? Burning their nostrils.

“Uh!… it’s alright!”

The music around the club pounded into their ears, exacerbating the headache already spiking through their head. Why didn’t they listen about wearing the earplugs?

“SORRY?”

“It’s okay!”

It was not okay. Agent was already swaying dizzily from hours of lights flashing in their face and sounds and dancing and energy. And now this. They wanted to crawl up into a little ball and die.

But they had a job to do. They could pass out later.

The person leaned in and pulled Agent closer, their breath tickling the shell of Agent’s ear. No, no, stop, too much.

“CAN I DO SOMETHING TO HELP?!” Agent could feel their eardrums buzzing painfully. Too much too much. 

“NO! No, no, it’s fine! I promise! Was leaving soon anyway!”

“OH! CAN I AT LEAST BUY YOU A DRINK THEN?! TO SAY SORRY! ALSO BECAUSE YOU’RE CUTE!!” The person was fully leaning on Agent’s shoulder now, and the smell of alcohol permeating from them managed to overpower even the pungent mess on Agent’s shirt. Agent’s elbows retracted as far into their sides as they could physically go, fingers clutching at their thighs. Too, too, too way too much.

“NO, THANK YOU, I’M TAKEN!”

“OH! OKAY, JUST HAD TO SHOOT MY SHOT! BYEEEEEE~!!”

The person danced away as if they hadn’t just compromised the entire mission. And left Agent trembling in their skin. Another spotlight blasted them straight in the face.

“Agent!” A voice crackled in through the small device hidden in their ear, and Agent flinched, getting halfway to the fetal position and clutching at their hair before they managed to stop themself. “Target just entered the club. You know the drill, standard tradeoff interception, get the drive, easy peasy.”

“Comm, can you come pick me up?!” They whipped around, suddenly feeling eyes watching them wherever they went. The only person they recognized at all was the person who just spilled their drink on them, still dancing loosely halfway across the club. And why was the floor tilting?

“...Did– Did you just ask me to pick you up? This isn't junior prom, agent. This is a very time-sensitive field assignment.”

“I– I– I– S-someone spilled something on my shirt, and it burns but it’s cold and wet, and– and all the lights and the sound and the touching and I think someone’s onto me, I’m paranoid, there’s no way I’ll be believable, I can’t do this. Can someone else do the interception, please Comm?”

“... Look, Agent, I would, but you’re the only–”

Agent fumbled their balance and tipped forward, right into the back of yet another person. They turned around angrily, only to melt into a confused worry when they saw the ghost-white complexion and glazed-over eyes of Agent half doubled over before them. They grabbed Agent by the shoulders and straightened them up. nononoNONONO TOUCH BAD TOO LOUD TOO MUCH STOPSTOPSTOP.

“YOU OKAY, MAN?”

Agent flinched violently away from them, only to be grabbed once more by someone behind them. They wouldn’t let go. Agents squeezed their eyes shut as tight as possible and caved in on themself. A hand came up to their ear and expertly pulled out the comm, but they couldn’t breathe, their brain was full of angry bees, everything please stop.

There was some indiscernible shouting over their shoulder, something to the tune of “SORRY, I GOT ‘EM, THEY’RE MY FRIEND!” and “OH OKAY, STAY SAFE!” before Agent was being led through the crowd of people, pressed up against someone whose fingers dug into their arm. Nononono stop touch notouchNOTOUCH–

That wasn’t right. They–... They didn’t have any backup on this mission… 

They wrenched their head up just enough so that their eyes could focus on whoever it was that was quickly leading them to a quieter, unpopulated space, and they saw… the ass who spilled the drink on them. 

They smiled. Then pressed Agent’s wet shirt up over their mouth and forced them to breathe in something that was so much stronger than alcohol. Their fuzzy head lolled into the crook of their aggressor's shoulder. They couldn’t stop walking.

“Sorry, agent.” The person whispered in their ear. “But I have interests that need that handoff not to happen, and some fetters at home with your name on them. So just come along before your friends realize what’s up.”

Agent finally managed to put up a struggle, elbowing their aggressor in the ribs and trying to dive away. 

They ended up face-up on the concrete, the person’s unamused face blotting out the stars. They pulled Agent's shirt up over their nose again. Agent swatted at them clumsily, but it didn't even seem to phase them. It burned, it burned, they couldn’t think, they couldn’t breathe their body was buzzing everything was buzzing and they still had a mission to finish but they were ABOUT TO DIE LITERALLY DIE ACTUALLY GET TORTURED AND DIE WHERE WAS COMM PLEASE HELP THEY COULDN’T DO ANYTHING ONLY DIE ONLY BUZZ ONLY BUZZ ONLY BURN COMM HELP HELP–

Then nothing.

@whumptember

[bitterarcs]

Out of all the places in Midgar, peace was found floors above where both the rowdy and the polite indulged in liquor and the company of costumed-dressed women. The wealthy made fortresses to keep out the world while simultaneously isolating themselves in the warmth void state of their personalities. Personally, Reno liked the distant vibration of a city and its people animated in sin; most of all, he liked the bright and personal decor which reflected what the city really meant and how human his company was.

The Turk could sleep anywhere, but he rested more easily and comfortably where life was happening. A rooftop was oddly favourable over the dead silence of a backwoods camp. In this situation, having someone he genuinely trusted did the bulk of the work to place him in such a relaxed state. While he was not asleep, all it would take is submitting himself to slumber, and it would come with ease. Really, Reno did not know what Melissa got out of the it. He was like a slug on a tree, or a stray cat coming for a pet and saucer of milk . . not that Reno liked comparing himself and having him compared to any animal.

Yeah, there were days where he spent an absurd amount of money on the honeybees with no ulterior motive, but there were more days where he took the private route directly to Melissa's quarters just for a chat or a drink. Only wearing his Turk issued slacks and black socks, having done away with the excessive layers, including the stiff leather of his belt, he carved a spot among the pillows and blankets to decompress from a long work week.

Feeling how comfortable Melissa's bed was, it really made Reno question e should dump his own bed, of which he spent thousands of gil on, for a replica of the woman's. Reno smothered his face closer to a fluffy pillow and exhaled like a content pet under the ministrations of hair touching, only blinking quickly when her voice gently cut through the sleepy fog taking root in his mind. Reno squeezed the pillow tighter and allowed turquoise hues to look around, almost as if mimicking he turning of gears in his mind.

(  ❛ You've never asked me that before. ❜  )

One thing was talking about Rude or Hojo or even Scarlet, another thing was discussing the President of the electric company. Reno trusted her fully, yet there was something of an uncomfortably stir in his belly. Whether it was from a deeply hidden distrust or the conflict of his own opinions, who was to say. He shifted his head to get more comfortably but still kept it in similar position so that Melissa could continue petting his hair. She seemed to like it a lot, and Reno would be lying if he said he only did it for her.

(  ❛ He is different from his father, more personable, maybe it's because he's so much younger. Like, the old man saw everyone was only tools. I don't think he saw his employees as living, breathing people, y'know? The Turks are weapons. We live and die for the President, but . . Rufus doesn't just look at us like parts of a machine. ❜  )

It was difficult to describe. At the end of the day, he did not doubt that Rufus was capable of condemning them to death if he saw fit. ShinRa Senior demanded respect and one had to give it to him, but loyalty was just a job description and was not inspired from the heart. Rufus, on the other hand, did inspire genuine loyalty. To say Reno felt entirely comfortable around Rufus would not be the truth, but he certainly felt more comfortable showing parts of his personality than he ever would have with his father. t was an odd thing. Reno never worried about disappointing the old President, but he did worry about disappointing Rufus. He did not know how to put his thoughts into words much less make sense of them.

(  ❛  I didn't like him at first . . ❜  )

After the messy business with AVALANCHE and the Turks nearly getting killed, but he was not about to share that piece of history with Melissa.

(  ❛  He's grown on me. He's a good leader. You'd hope as much considering I'll eventually die for him and his goals. If I'm going to die for someone, I should at least like 'em, right? ❜  )

Reno rolled over on his other side, enabling him to look at her with a trademark, toothy grin. What could have been perceived as a macabre joke was entirely the truth, and a truth he was comfortable with.

(  ❛ Rufus is definitely better. Sometimes I, uh, get a weird tingling in my stomach when he looks at me with that stare a'his. ❜  )

The Turk folded his hands upon his abdomen as if just thinking about it brought forth that weird tingling sensation.

Her fingers carded through flaming red strands, enjoying the softness they offered in return - for one with such a brutal job, Reno's hair was incredibly nice to the touch. It went hand in hand with the Turk's general appearance - he took good care of himself and it was no surprise he easily turned heads whenever he walked through the inn's main doors.

But right then, they weren't after a show or anything to feed their egos - it was a rare moment of peace behind closed doors, public-facing personas discarded in exchange for some genuine affection. True, their relationship had been born out of mutual interest, but right then... Melissa didn't need anything from Reno. She just enjoyed playing with his hair, watching it fall down when she removed a hand and occasionally making the smallest braid ever to the longer strand originating from the back of his head.

"Do you like Rufus?" Melissa asked quietly, at some point - she knew he wasn't sleeping, at least not yet, "How is he away from the press conferences and public statements?" a sigh followed, "I can't decide if he's better or worse than his father. It's not like he visits - at least he's different... I suppose." @stingslikeabee         (   is this a love confession, melissa ?  )