#yea; it's just them getting to know each other

[wren-kitchens]

i will hurt you, almost definitely (ask the people who have left me)

1454 words

the chests in the barn aren't the most comfortable of chairs, but gem is just making do, anyway. she's been staring at the scratch in the mangrove that she's pretty sure is from when mumbo took all their torches for about ten minutes now, mind entirely elsewhere. there's nothing- it- she's not sure. but.. she and joel seem to be on-track to winning this whole thing. so the question isn’t how will they win—because frankly she's pretty sure they've got it covered if they just keep doing whatever it is they’re doing—it's what happens next. because- it's terrifying to think that gem would have to repeat history, and she's sure- she's almost certain that she won't. they'd- if they both get to the end, they'll find a way to do it fairly. they'll- they could make another fight club. and then- then it's fair. neither of them will betray each other, she's- gem is almost sure.

yea I wrote this in about a day I think I was possessed by the spirit of toxic yuri

i'm not too great at writing arguments yet so if it feels awkward or rushed just pretend it doesn't tyty

here is part two!!

the chests in the barn aren't the most comfortable of chairs, but gem is just making do after all. she's been staring at the scratch in the mangrove that she's pretty sure is from when mumbo took all their torches for about ten minutes now, mind entirely elsewhere. there's nothing- it- she's not sure. but.. she and joel seem to be on-track to winning this whole thing. so the question isn’t how will they win—because frankly she's pretty sure they've got it covered if they just keep doing whatever it is they’re doing—it's what happens next.

because- it's terrifying to think that gem would have to repeat history, and she's sure- she's almost sure that she won't. they'd- if they both get to the end, they'll find a way to do it fairly. they'll- they could make another fight club. and then- then it's fair. neither of them will betray each other, she's- gem is almost sure.

gem never really.. forgot what that was like. the image of pearl's face, stony and serious in the way it never is, circles in her mind every minute of every day, coupled with that agonising aching in gem's chest as she realised what that expression meant for her- for them. the way pearl spoke- as if she didn’t even know- of course she didn't want to- how could she even think-

there's a kind of creaking that doesn’t feel familiar, and gem stays as still as she can, listening as the noise seems to move. it's above her, she realises with a jolt, in the attic. gem pulls out her sword, slowly and silently, tensing as she hears the gentle sound of footsteps descending the ladder behind her. she's died once today, and that is absolutely enough for her- whoever this intruder may be is in for an unpleasant surprise.

the sound of a sword unsheathed, and within an instant, gem's blade flies to meet pearl's- and something in her burns. gem pushes herself off the chests, fighting with an intensity she hasn't needed to use since secret life; pearl clearly wasn't expecting it, if the look on her face is anything to go by. it takes but a few moments for gem to disarm her, sword at her throat, panting.

"once wasn't enough?" gem says, and something shifts in pearl's expression. "or is this some kind of tradition now?"

pearl is grinning, as if she has any right. "c'mon, I had to give it a shot, didn't I? yellow and all- who else was I going to kill?"

anger bubbles up in gem's chest, and she swipes her sword at pearl's face- slicing a clean cut across her cheek. "you’re just asking to be red, aren't you?"

it appears that pearl didn’t expect anything other than banter—and maybe she didn't expect to win in the first place—because it takes her a moment to recover. she dabs a hand against the cut, and blinks in surprise when her fingers come back bloody. "I- y’know, I didn't do it to hurt you-"

"kill me?" gem says, voice sharper than she expected it to be. "you didn’t kill me to hurt me-"

"I didn't fight you because I wanted you to die, I fought you because I wanted scar to live." pearl pushes herself to her feet, grin gone from her face. "I couldn’t have both-"

"you could have let it be fair." gem's voice breaks a little, even as it rings through the still air. "you just- you just sacrificed yourself for him, you didn't let me have a chance."

pearl takes a breath. "I wanted him to win-"

"oh- and I bet he thanks you for that!" gem throws her arms out. "you- he was- do you even know?"

"so you wanted that fate?" pearl demands, and gem is pulled up short. "is that what this is about- you wanted to be stuck in purgatory for a year? is that it?" 

gem rakes a hand through her hair, shaking her head. "of course I didn't-"

"so why is it a problem?" pearl half laughs, and gem notices that the sword has left her hand. "you- you don't want to have won- what else is there?"

"I thought we were friends." gem says, and it's not quite a lie. her chest aches as she watches pearl's expression shift into that stupid sympathetic look everyone has given her whenever she says that. 

everyone but joel. he gets it- more than she thought he would.

"we are friends, I just-"

"no, you don't- you don’t get to do that." gem takes a step forward. "you don’t get to- to spout the same shit i’ve heard from everyone else. 'it's just the games', 'you guys are still friends'- no, you broke my trust."

pearl gives a helpless sigh. "I don’t- what else do you want me to say? you’re-"

"if you say 'new' I will rip your throat out." gem says through bared teeth. "weren't you?"

pearl blinks, gaze darting to the side- to the exit. "I- what?" 

gem finds herself moving unconsciously- to block any kind of escape pearl might have. her heart claws at her ribs. "when scott left you? the person  you were supposed to trust- did that hurt? or were you just new?"

"gem," pearl takes a step backwards. "what- what are you getting at here?"

there are tears in her eyes, and gem blinks them away. "I thought you’d get it. you- you lived it, I thought you’d stay."

"it's not the same thing." pearl's voice is harsher now- gem hit a nerve. 

"it's close enough." gem says, fists clenched, shoulders tense. "it's close enough that you should know how much it hurts." 

pearl shakes her head, moving in a way that's almost pacing, but far too jerky and disordered to quite count. there's a stab of regret, and gem hates herself for it. "no. no, it's- that is not the same. he- he left me- i’d done nothing-"

"what did I do?" gem's voice wavers, and she can’t help it. "did-" she can barely finish, and she hates it. "did I do something to you?"

"it- we were soulmates." pearl says, a little more certain- a little more confident that gem can’t find an argument for that. "you and I.." she hesitates, no longer as sure.

gem exhales shortly. "did you- was I not as important?" 

all of a sudden, pearl snaps. "can you just let it go?" she demands, and gem flinches. "it was a year ago- that's just how it goes, okay? why are you so- so fixated on it?"

and before gem can even think about what she's doing- "because I love you!" she yells, and the words echo through the room as if they were in a cave. 

pearl is staring at her as if she'd just stabbed herself in the chest, and gem feels extinguished. "so is that- is that good enough for you?" there are tears falling down her face, and she can’t bring herself to care about it. "is that- is that close enough to soulmates? do you want me to elaborate about how it felt, or can you just agree that it fucking hurt when you killed me like I was nothing."

"so- so you can go back to your impulse, and your cleo, and your scott." gem spits, wiping her eyes. "and you can- you can pretend you’re their loyal dog, and you and scott can do what you always do and die before things get hard and call it a noble sacrifice." gem pushes the gate open. "but I don't want to see you again until i’m the one taking you out of the series." 

"I- gem-" pearl catches her wrist, and gem has her sword out before she's even fully turned around.

her hand shakes, but her gaze is steely. pearl is crying too, and a part of gem just wants to give in and pull her close- but it's only a small part. "pearl, you know me too well to think i'm bluffing."

pearl takes a short breath, and drops gem's hand. as gem lowers her sword, pearl slips out of the back entrance and disappears into the night. gem watches as she runs across the bridge, into the woods, until her silhouette is indistinguishable from the shadows cast by the birch trees- and gem crumples to the floor.

the moon is high in the sky by the time joel finds her there, and the sun is up by the time gem has stopped crying. but there's something in the centre of her chest, something burning red—and there's something else too.

gem is going to win this game.

[awsugar]

And I forgot about the DRUMS!!! I think this is an album they may have been working on for years. I think they are going for a magnum opus

yea so i read this went you sent it at 6am cause ive been out of work sick for a few days now and my sleep is allll messed up. and i tinhatted EXTREMELY close to the sun on this one. but i kind of think im cooking. so let me explain.

also ill just say i think because we know somethings coming but we dont know what BUT we know there are threads throughout somehow connecting things from years prior like. all tinhatting is plausible until proven otherwise. if we want to draw a connection between two things we CAN. and i think thats why im so on board with mcr5 now when i havent been since 2019. bc ive done this before. i was in the trenches for the danger days rollout/promo and the transmissions on the website and everything and THAT was one of the most exciting times of my life and THIS reminds me of that. im glad people never gave up on mcr5 but they never gave me ENOUGH before now to really run with. and now they have and its a free for all. THIS is what being an mcr fan is about. tbh. this is what this fandom has been missing for AGES. when they dont give us teasers and lore and crpytic messages we devolve into like theorizing and arguing with each other about who they are as people. but this is the basis of mcr community to me....getting together with your pals inside your phone and inside your laptop (who now have grown ito irl friends for so many of us) and dissecting every shred of info they give us. thank god for my chemical romance.

ANYWAY sorry that. went down a path i didnt intend when i started. so yes um so what you said about them going for a magnum opus. let me tell you a little story. when i was in my first year of being a my chem fan, i was 13, i became QUICKLY obsessed, first with the black parade and then after i spent i think 2 months straight listening to nothing but the black parade on repeat all day every day (literally) i ventured into their other stuff and got like really sucked in to everything else, reading articles and interviews and watching every video of them youtube had to offer and talking about them 24/7 on the forums instead of doing homework, i would sneak the family laptop into my room at night so i could keep reading about them and talking about them instead of having to go to sleep it was THE most exhilarating and exciting time of my life. anyway. i remember (16 years later) reading a specific review of the black parade that said something like "my chemical romance will never top this album and they know it" and i STILL REMEMBER sitting on the couch and crying over it. because i had never listened to music that had made such an impact on me as the black parade IN MY LIFE. nothing had ever made me feel that way and that strongly as listening to that album. you know how we all always say we wish we could listen to my chem for the first time again just to have that feeling again. that was me. i had never experienced an album of their when it came out and i felt like the author of the article was telling me that i would basically never acheive that high again. it was devastating. i promise this is relevant. bc regardless of your PERSONAL FAVORITE my chem album, it is generally agreed upon that the black parade is their magnum opus. it just is. both in scale and musically and its impact on pop culture and its the best known to a general audience.

so you say they're going for a magnum opus. when the black parade is DEAD. they killed it. (in the new lore they were sent to the MOAT which i assume is some kind of exile and stripping of their status as the national band)

and so i started thinking about "in the face of extermination say FUCK YOU" and i think this applies here two-fold actually. MAYBE 3-fold. on one hand, in-universe. extermination being the concrete age, the dictator holding the people down and exterminating their livelihood. but also the extermination of the black parade! and then - irl - we have the extermination of mcr's chances of doing something huge again like this. music publications resigning them as soon as the album came out to never achieving something as epic and grand as that again.

and the FUCK YOU being, the opposition of the dictator from the people, the black parade being reinstated but? maybe they have plans to overthrow the dictator? IRL mcr saying fuck you, we can actually use the concept that you said was the best we would ever do, completely turn it on its head, and make something even more grandiose and epic and MAGNUM OPUS.

and also hail just reminded me obv of the UNKILLABLES drumhead in sydney. which both relates to franks personal experience there but also like. with this concept of in the face of extermination say fuck you. along with his end of tour post being a cockroach, notoriously unkillable! notoriously a target for extermination!!!!

god theres so many layers to this but i needed to get it off my chest do you still like me

[soundcrusher]

Making a new friend, maybe even friends?

Part 4 of the Spinoff set in the normal sentient Lost Light au from @cuppajj is out and I gotta say, the crew of the Lost Light better watch out, because reg/Phoenix just found a new friend in sg/Phoenix.

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When Phoenix woke up again, he found himself alone. Well, maybe not completely alone, there was an orange mech with glasses sitting next to the berth he was laying on. But even with the company, the youngling still felt alone. A feeling he started to dislike ever since he was locked into that one empty hab-suit, after angering Lightlost.

“Ah, it seems you’re awake now.” Said the orange mech with a smile, before adjusting his glasses and looking down at the data-pad he was holding. “My name is Rung, and you must be Phoenix, if I am not mistaken?” Phoenix only nodded as an answer, before looking down at his servos.

A long moment of silence passed between them, before Phoenix tried to open his mouth to say something, but all that came out was a choked sob. Prompting the youngling to bury his face in his servos, while Rung let him cry. From what the other Rodimus told them, the psychiatrist could tell that this situation wasn’t ideal for the young spark. So, he let him be. Although seeing Phoenix trying to hold back his tears and swallow his pain wasn’t helping him, Rung thought, it was only adding to the already present stress of being confronted with a place holding both good and traumatic memories.

So, he stood up and placed a servo on Phoenix’s shoulder. Gaining the younglings attention. And as he saw the teary red optics of the youngspark look at him, the orange mech simply smiled. “It’s okay to cry. You don’t have to hold anything back, especially after everything you went through.” Hearing those words only caused Phoenix to let out a small whimper, before his cries turned into loud sobbing. "That's it. Let it all out. You don't have to keep your tears back. You’re such a strong youngling for making it this far Phoenix, you don’t have to be ashamed of your tears.”

Phoenix doesn’t know how long he cried, or when he started hugging Rung, but he didn’t care. It felt freeing, letting everything out, no matter if it came out as tears or an incoherent mumbled mess. He was able to express how he felt, and that was all that mattered. And when he was finished crying, he and Rung had a small conversation. Not about the things he went through, but rather about the things he liked to do.

And Phoenix found himself getting really excited, as he told Rung about the small adventures he and his Rodimus had. Telling the orange mech about the first time they went to an amusement park, to the christmas market they visited before they ended up in this universe, and Rung listened. Asking small questions then and there, or writing things down on his data-pad. Although, after a while, he had to go again. He had patients to attend to, and Phoenix understood. Saying his goodbyes to the psychiatrist and watching him leave.

After Rung was gone, Phoenix swung his legs over the edge of the berth and slowly stood up. Using it to stabilize himself, before taking a look around the hab–suit he was in.

He could already tell that it was different from the ones he was used to. This one was a lot lighter, not as dark as the one he was forced to spend his time in and, for some strange reason, it felt a lot more welcoming. Kind of like his mothers home, whenever he came back from school crying, because the meaner older kids or his classmates decided to hunt him down after their classes were finished only to shove him into a dumpster or kick him. Yea, those kids were true afts…

The hab-suit was also a lot warmer than the ones he’s used to. Maybe that’s why they feel so welcoming? Either way, Phoenix was pretty sure that if he laid back down on the berth and curled up underneath the blanket, maybe even get Mister Sharky out and cuddle with him, he would fall back into recharge right away. Which didn’t sound like a bad plan. Although, before Phoenix could get out his shark plush, a sound from within the ceiling got his attention. Causing him to slowly back away from where the sound was coming from, in fear that either the ceiling started to come down, or that cables would start pulling him into the walls again. But the only thing that popped out was a vent cover and a head.

And Phoenix found himself staring into his own face.

“Are you coming? I bet being locked up in a hab-suit all by yourself isn’t fun.” Said the black and red version of himself as he reached down a servo towards him. And Phoenix reached up. Getting pulled into the vent by his own doppelgänger, before he led him down some twists and turns and together, they emerged somewhere Phoenix wasn’t before. Although, before he could even ask where they were, his doppelgänger grabbed his servo yet again and pulled him down the hall. Striking up a small conversation about some things. Confusing Phoenix a lot.

“Alright, so, I think we already know each other's names. I mean, I’m Phoenix and you’re Phoenix too.” Said the black and red youngling with a slight smirk. “But I kinda want to know if these are the only similarities between us. And we don’t have to count our frames, because they’re obviously the same.”

“I….” Phoenix was at a loss of words. How was someone supposed to answer this, especially when it came from another version of himself? But it seemed like he didn’t, because the other youngling was quick to pick up on the confusion and change his question. “So, Runningway, huh?” Now that was a question Phoenix knew how to answer, and it led to a conversation between the two, that was mostly made up of them telling each other what Runningway, and their past crew, did to them. With both of them coming to the conclusion that both of their crews were messed up for taking their resentment out on younglings that just happened to look like Rodimus Prime.

“Like, how cowardly do you have to be to not hunt down the one mech you hate, but rather beat on your crewmember who simply looks like him? Tch, as if I wanted to be born looking like this…” Muttered the darker youngling, which got a nod from the lighter one. “I know what you mean, but with me, it was even worse. Everyone thought that my Roddy was dead. So, some thought I was just very unlucky for looking like him, while others thought I was him reborn! But I am not. I’m very much my own self, and not like what they thought I was!”

“Tch, our crews were all fragged in the head.”

“I wouldn’t say it like that, because it sounds mean, but… yea…”

They continued talking with each other, even as the darker youngling convinced Phoenix to come with him to Swerve’s, despite him not being sure if he wanted to be somewhere where a lot of the crew was. But his doppelgänger still convinced him. That’s why Phoenix found himself sitting in a booth at Swerve’s with the other youngspark sitting across from him, after he got them their energon, before both of them continued talking. Picking up another conversation topic, because talking about their past crew was slowly hitting too close to their spark.

“Okay, so, we need a different name for you.” Said his doppelgänger, after they just finished a conversation about baking. “I’m pretty sure that it’s going to be confusing if we address you with Phoenix, when I also have that name. Sooo… hmmm…. How about White? Because of the white parts of your armor?”

“Only if I get to call you Red, because of the red parts of yours.” Countered Phoenix, which earned him a small disgruntled look from the other youngling, before he shook his head. “Yea, okay, I get it…” He muttered, before snapping his fingers and grinning, pointing at Phoenix. “Okay, so, I think I got a better idea. You’re from a different universe, right? One that’s like a mirror version of this one, just twisted. Kinda like Shattered Glass, right? So why not call you Shattered Glass Phoenix with sg/Phoenix being the shortened version?”

“But what if your Rodimus doesn’t want all of his crew to know that my brother and I are from a different universe?”Asked Phoenix, which caused his friend to hit himself on he forehead, before muttering something like ‘You’re right’. “Also… I don’t know how things are going to be now… Maybe mister suitcase mech and his friend will get us back home tomorrow, maybe in a week, maybe a year, or maybe even today. Trying to figure out something like an alias for me sounds like too much work…”

“Hmmm… Maybe I should ask Lightlost for help. They usually know what to do in unusual situations…” Muttered the youngling, and as if said mech heard them, Lightlost was walking up to their booth. Greeting both of them, before sitting down next to this universe's Phoenix. With said youngling giving them a happy ‘hello’ in return, while Phoenix only flinched and made himself slightly smaller. His doppelgänger might have reassured him countless times that his Lightlost had a kind spark, but Phoenix still didn’t believe him. So, he opted to make himself as small and as unthreatening as he could, while still looking fairly normal to this universe’s version of himself.

And while the black and red youngling didn’t notice the slight change in his doppelgängers posture, Lightlost did. But they didn’t comment on it. Not when the other youngling at the table looked like the slightest movement of the servo could send him bolting out of the bar.

“Phoenix, I thought Ultra Magnus told you not to seek out our newest guest after what happened yesterday. He needs his rest.” They said, which got them a small scoff from their Phoenix. “Yea, but locking him up in a hab-suit with only Rung visiting him isn’t fair either. I know what it’s like when you’re stuck in one place for way too long. It makes you start scratching your plating in boredom.”

“Or it makes you tear apart the hab-suit, because you feel way too angry… even though you shouldn’t feel angry, and then, when you distract yourself with singing, you can’t talk anymore, because you overused your voice box.” Chimed Phoenix in. “EXACTLY! And then you get told that it’s your own fault, because you could also just have shut your mouth and not sing and scream your spark out.” Continued the other one, which only added to Lightlost’s concern for not only their Phoenix, but also the one brought here by Brainstorm’s newest invention.

But before they could even say anything, the two younglings have already changed the topic back to the issue about their names. Talking a little bit about it in hushed tones, before looking up at the cartographer and explaining their issue. With this universe’s Phoenix doing most of the explaining, while Phoenix would say something then and there. And as they were done, both of them looked again at Lightlost, with the black and red youngling looking for advice, while the blue and white one’s body only seemed to tense even more under their gaze.

“So, yea. That’s our problem. We can’t really call him sg/Phoenix, but we also can’t call him White, because he doesn’t want to be called that.”

“And your Phoenix doesn’t want to be called Red either. Which I can understand.”

“Hmmm… Let me think for a moment, sweetsparks, I think I might come up with an idea.” Said Lightlost, after listening to the two younglings’ dilemma. And while the two captains and their second in command, together with Rung, Brainstorm and Perceptor decided that it would be best not to mention that their two new guests are from a different universe, they could also see the problem both Phoenix’s were trying to solve. Although, considering the fact that sg/Rodimus had already told them what has happened in their universe, Lightlost was quick to find a solution. And with a soft, warm smile, that seemed to somehow help sg/Phoenix relax a little bit, they told the two their answer. “Sweetspark, have you asked our guest if there was another name we could call him? I am sure that, with how his and his brothers' travels went, he surely was given a nickname, or something aching to one.”

And they could see the two younglings’ minds work, before sg/Phoenix let out a small chuckle. “Of course, why didn’t I think of that?” Asked the youngling no-one in particular, before answering. “Snow. You can also call me Snow, it’s the alias my Roddy came up with, when we were traveling on a planet. Granted, it’s not as great of a name, but I think it will work well enough.”

“Snow… huh?” Asked Phoenix as he looked at his doppelgänger, no, wait, as he looked at Snow, before grinning. “Yea. I think that will do. It’s nice to meet you Snow, I’m Phoenix and this is Lightlost. Welcome to the Lost Light!” Said the youngling, as he grabbed Snow’s servos and shook them.

Lightlost waited till Phoenix was done with his small ‘introduction’, before slightly bowing their head and giving their own small welcome. “Yes, welcome to the Lost Light, I hope you’ll like it here.” But differently to their young friend, they refrained from shaking the youngspark’s servos. They didn't want to cause him to be reminded of something their counterpart did to him.

And with the ‘introductions’ out of the way, Phoenix started up a new conversation about how live on the Lost Light was and the pranks he pulled, while Snow listened closely with, from amazement, wide optics. All the while Lightlost kept an optic, or two, on the pair of younglings.

[buglaur]

[perilegs]

i know astrology is fake but i'm not too keen on how a lot of people on this website seem to be clowning on it as a hobby a bit too hard. i swear the woman who thinks it's neat how she and her friends with the same sun sign are all similar isn't trying to say that you are who you are born as and there is nothing you can do to change it. it's a hobby. an interest. what happened to finding meaning and joy in the small things. does it affect you if someone enjoys tarot reading or crystals. does it make you upset someone has interests that they enjoy.

[kyurochurro]

💚💍💛 married zosan because IN MY HEAD. they end up married OKAY

[foxstens]

this is just me but i think andrew and neil miss kevin like a limb after he graduates

[skwivr]

-

[unwellwoman]

i know my family doesnt mean any harm but i wish the tendency to make fun of someone was less. like is it a joke really....

[doctorwhoisadhd]

who in the torchwood team would hate nardole the most.

[aria0fgold]

A confession of wishes for a future without you.

Ren sat up from the bed, he couldn't sleep. He's been lying down for hours now, eyes closed even, and yet he still couldn't find his own sleep. Morgana laid beside him, sound asleep. He carefully got up, so as to not disturb him. Making sure to walk quietly in his room while looking for something, anything to help him sleep. A book, a distraction, whatever it is that he can find. So he began his search and not even a minute later, stumbled upon a box. One far too familiar that he froze when he saw it. How many months had it been since he had that box now? He doesn't know, didn't want to keep track of that time, didn't even want to think about anything in regards to it at all.

A small black box with intricate designs painted in red, it wasn't locked, in fact, it can easily be opened. But Ren never did open it. He didn't want to, he didn't want to know what's inside it, didn't want to face the reality that Kaito— that he— that his friend is… He wanted to bathe in the pool of lies he made for himself, that Kaito's sudden disappearance isn't too much of a big deal, that someday, maybe just maybe, he'll come back again. He continued to lie to himself like that, ever since Kaito disappeared.

Perhaps, it's time to face reality once more.

Ren took a deep breath, opening and closing his hand in an effort to steady its trembling, in an effort to gather enough courage to open the box he had been avoiding ever since he first saw it, days after he lost all contact with Kaito. It was hidden underneath the bed, Ren moved it somewhere else, farther from him yet in its own safe place. Just like what he wished and hoped for Kaito as well, far from him yet safe. So he kept wishing, over and over again.

Please be safe, please be safe, please be safe.

That's how wishes work, right? To think it three times, say it thrice, and believe with all your heart for it to be real. So he held onto that hope. No matter how small it was, he held onto it like a precious gem nestled within his palm, threatening to shatter at the slightest jolt.

Ren took a few more deep breaths, until finally, he reached for the box and lifted its lid. In it was a letter, white with a blue ribbon, and a monocle beside it. Ren can feel the gears in his brain coming to a halt, slowly… slowly… it'd freeze in time, but not now, not yet. Mechanically, Ren stood up and walked towards the bed, he sat by the edge, near the window to put an arm on, to lean his body on. For support maybe, for a hope perhaps, that once he's finished reading the letter. Kaito would appear in his white suit with his cape flowing in the wind, the magician in the moonlight.

That's what this is, isn't it? A confession of secrets. He had an idea about it, infamous internationally wanted criminal, Kaito KID was Kaito Kuroba's other identity. He had a feeling that was the case but never pursued the thought, it'd be unfair, won't it? For Ren to intrude into Kaito's secret when he has his own secrets to hide. So it'd just be fair, to not know. To pretend to not know anything. To pretend that the thief he saw on the rooftop that day isn't someone he knows even though he's so painfully aware of it. It's only fair that way.

Ren took another deep breath, swallowing hard as he prepared to open the letter, setting aside the box with the monocle still inside by the window sill.

His heart skips a beat at the sight of his name, written by Kaito's hand.

“Dear Renren,” it starts, “How are you? Knowing you, you probably didn't open this letter until months had passed, I bet! ”

Ren quietly chuckled at that, he was right. Kaito was always too good at reading people. “That's alright though, I won't blame you because I'm such a gentleman,” A small face was drawn there, it looked like Kaito smirking at him, how cute. “I'm sure you've already seen the other item in the box, it was right on top of the letter you're reading now after all! ” He drew a monocle then. Ren held his breath as he read through the next passage.

“What I'm about to tell you, is a confession of a secret! You can't tell anyone about this! This is our own little secret.” A winking Kaito was drawn there, adorable. Ren giggled as he whispered to the wind, to himself, and to the Kaito that wrote the letter.

I promise.

“I'm Kaito KID.” Party poppers were drawn on both sides of that phrase, confetti doodled around it, he really was adorable… “Although… I had a feeling you already knew about this.”

He really was good at reading people.

“It's so anti-climactic doing this on paper too. I wish I could tell you in person instead, I'd love to see your reaction.”

Ren's breath hitched then. His mind slowly drawing a blank, please be safe, please be safe, please be safe. He repeated in his head. Like a chant, a good luck charm, filled with the hope burning his chest, threatening to explode.

“Renren… I know this is kinda cliche but by the time you're reading this, I probably didn't make it after all.”

Ren gripped the paper tightly then, and immediately let go. He shouldn't… ruin Kaito's letter. There was… there was still more to read through… A prank, maybe, a mistake perhaps, please let this be a nightmare he can wake up from. Ren took a deep breath, gathering himself to continue reading once more.

“Hey, Renren, I may not be there while you're reading this but I can tell you're sad right now! Come on, turn that frown upside down! You know I don't like seeing you sad, right…?

…I'm sorry.”

Ren inhaled sharply, pinching the bridge of his nose to stop the urge to cry growing deep inside him, like a dam waiting to burst, a pipe waiting to break, a heart waiting to shatter. It took him a moment to continue reading it.

“I know, I know... there's a lot of questions you want to ask right? And I… I don't think I can answer any of it, after all...

Hey, Renren… How about a magic trick? It'd be hard to pull this off in a letter but here! ” In the next part, four cards were drawn face down, or rather, drawings of four small face down cards were partly glued to the paper, a small tape keeping it shut. “Pick one!”

Ren reached for the second card, carefully peeling off the tape, behind it revealed an 'Ace of Hearts'. Ren bit his lip then, to stop it from trembling.

“Hehehe, You chose the second card, didn't you? And no! Before you start thinking, 'it doesn't matter what card I pick, all of them is the same.' Well, then mister! You can open the other cards to double check it! I assure you that they aren't all the same! ”

And so Ren did. He carefully peeled off the tape from the rest of the cards.

The first card revealed an “I”

The third card revealed a “You”

The fourth card revealed a “Forever”

The last card, was stained with a droplet.

The droplet, was accompanied by another then.

Ren couldn't stop himself anymore. He put the letter on the window sill, slowly, carefully, with a trembling hand, he reached for the box, brought it on top the letter as weight. He reached inside it, for the monocle for him to hold, to steady his trembling hands. Ren sobbed, quietly, soundlessly, he cried in silence so as to not disturb anyone.

“…Ren?”

But that was all in vain at the sound of Morgana's voice.

“Are you… crying?! What happened?! What's wrong?!” Morgana shot upright at the realization, immediately running to Ren's side. Ren couldn't really answer him even if he wanted to, so Morgana looked around for answers. He didn't need to look far.

He stared at the box, at the letter, and at the monocle Ren was clutching. It was enough.

“…Oh.” Morgana's ears drooped and twitched, he didn't quite know what to do, Ren's cries makes his heart ache, he wanted to comfort him but how? Grief isn't so easily comforted. After thinking awhile, Morgana settled upon sitting beside Ren. “I'm… I'm here for you, okay?”

Ren couldn't answer still, but he was grateful for it. Grateful for Morgana, grateful that there's someone there for him while his world was breaking. Kaito was so unfair… selfish…

. . .

Seconds passed, and then minutes, Morgana had found where the tissue box is and moved it near Ren, he had found a water bottle nearby too, placing it just beside the tissue box. Minutes passed, and then hours. The empty trash can that Morgana moved near Ren as well now contained tissues, the water bottle that was once full was nearly empty. And the quiet cries that filled the room turned into quiet sobs.

Morgana rubbed Ren's back with his paw, in hopes of comforting him further. Until finally, Ren calmed down. Enough to take deep breaths to compose himself.

“…Thanks…” He whispered, voice hoarse.

“Mn… How are you feeling now?”

“…Tired.” Ren glanced at the letter.

“Why don't you wait until tomorrow to continue reading it?” Worry was evident in Morgana's voice.

He should, he really should just wait a bit before reading again, that fit of crying made him tired enough to want to sleep already but… He wanted to finish reading it tonight.

Ren gazed out the window, he stared at the sky, as dark as it was that faithful night. He stared at the stars flickering on and off, he remembered the split second he saw the stars reflected in the eyes of that magician as he turned to face them. He stared at the moon, peeking through the buildings, it was a full moon, much like that night. The view of the moon behind a mysterious magician donned in a white suit and top hat with a cape flowing behind him. It was a magical sight that Ren will remember no matter how much time has passed.

Ren took a shaky breath. He reached for the letter, the monocle in the other hand.

“I'm sorry…” Ren's eyes stung, “I deserved to be yelled at right now, you can call me unfair, and selfish, and stupid! You can shout it to the sky, I'll be sure to hear it. But Renren…

Ren. I wanted to tell you how I felt, because I doubt I'd have a chance to say it to you if not now. I'm sorry, maybe I should've told you about it before… this. But then I think, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself for hurting you way more than how you're hurting now, all because of me. Just know that, I love you, and I want the best for you, even if I'm not around you anymore, even if I'm not there anymore. I'll always love you forever and ever! All the times we spent together were the most precious memories I have… Well, had.

Hey, Renren… Promise me you'll find someone else to make you happy, alright? Someone, something, anything! I want you to be happy. You better be looking up at the night sky with a smile! I'll be sure to see it.

I love you, Ren.”

[nerves-nebula]

Anything on Neglected Karai at all? Is she Splinter’s daughter? Personality, skills, relationships, pronouns, or anything at all?

nah she's a 404 imagine not found screenshot and she doesn't exist she has no pronouns skills relationships or personality and she isn't anyone's daughter she came from the void and to the void she will return. amen.

[rawliverandgoronspice]

oh no I stopped working for five minutes and remembered I love he...................... ;;

[hexados-on-a-string]

spectragus dont get enough credit for being a sun and moon ship but like. destructive sun and moon ship. sun and moon ship but they're the forces of nature the sun and moon actually are. the sun is harsh and relentless and unpredictable in its evil but also it's kindness, the moon is sharp and cold and cruel, a harsh light that doesn't allow you peace, but can also guide you, a light in the darkness. even on nights with a new moon, with no light in the sky, the moon is always reflecting the sun, and it'll be that way until they come to their end.

[keeps-ache]

ggghhg i hate vehiclessssssss ghghghhghhhhh [dies dies dies forever]

[official-nina-hopkins]

ACTUALLY, Being a Spanish-English speaker that loves Pokepastas/Creepypastas is suffering because the Spanish side of the fandom has such fucking good rewrites and reimaginings (Seeth and Sonic Pizza and las cartuchos de Marcos/Marco's cartridges saga by Rocket Chunk) that no one outside that sphere will be able to enjoy because of the language barrier, it haunts me frankly, no one but me and 37 k viewers will know about Dolor Encarnado and how hard it goes.