#you're being overcharged

[blackthornwren]

You don't need that monthly "witchy" subscription box either, I promise. It's not worth it.

No, it's okay, really. Put down the 20 different herbs and oils. I swear, you don't need them.

[dragonlights]

.

[sureuncertainty]

it's literally impossible to find a good dentist in orlando bc everywhere the reviews are all shit like 'i'm from some state really far away and don't live here and came in bc i had a tooth emergency and they did a great job with it!' like cool that literally does not help me in the slightest i wish i could filter out tourist reviews :/

[rabotimagines]

"Bottoming when they usually Top." GN BOT reader x Starscream, Megatron, Ironhide, Optimus

Summary: Topping them for the first time when they usually top you.

Warnings: None.

Genere/Theme: Smut 🔞 MDNI

G1 characters: Starscream, Megatron, Ironhide, Optimus

Notes: Bot reader uses their spike!

Pronouns: You, your, yours.

Starscream is a bit of a chaotic switch. He'll usually bend to fit whatever dynamic a partner has with him and also what he's feeling at the time. So when you first started interfacing, he was completely fine playing the role of a fixed top. It also does something to his ego that you enjoy his spike so much in the first place. So when you ask if you can top Starscream makes a stink about it, just to make you feel slightly guilty. Slightly anyway. In the bitchy "You're making me go off my regular schedule" sort of way he does when you ask him for anything. Starscream then turns around and declares "How lucky you are to have such an understanding and generous partner!" His servos digging into the seams of your waist. Starscream barely suppresses a shiver when you hum and start tracing his wings with already lewd intentions.

There is a fifty-fifty chance Starscream is going to ride you into the berth or just let you dom when you top. If Starscream gives you control, then he's a hundred percent expecting to be lavished with attention and praise. Which is how you wind up in between his thighs, pounding his valve as hard as you can. Starscreams digits are biting the paint off your back. You were a bit overcharged on Starscreams valve, your praising coming out like babbles. Starscream could feel his own overload creeping up his spinal strut. Your spike hits his ceiling node, and he cries out while you only rock into him harder.

You're telling Starscream how good he feels, and the comment makes Starscreams overload hit him sooner than he thought it would. His thighs clench around your middle, forcing you to fold harder against him when he tightens further around your spike. Starscream bucks when you start overloading inside him. Every pump of your spike had him clenching back down on you. Frag- You needed to work on how to praise correctly, but overall, you weren't terrible with your spike. Starscream vented heavily, taking in your post overloaded expression. The sight only made him want to push you down and take your valve next.

Starscream... supposed he will have to show you how you're properly supposed to praise a bot for taking your spike.

-

Megatron enjoys being in control, and he enjoys dominating other mechs both in the field and in the berth. Megatron fully expected to top without any pre communication when you entered a relationship with him. (Yes, he's a clown like that.) You could be a hulking triple charger, and Megatron would still be wordlessly expecting your obedience. He wants you to give yourself to him. Give him your everything. So he's always been content with you being a bottom the entire time you'd began interfacing with one another. So when you ask to top, Megatron is mildly surprised by the fact you'd waited this long to act on a sexual interest with him. But since Megatron actually holds affections towards you, he has almost no problem indulging you.

Almost anyway. He'll let you use his valve, but he's still going to be dominating you into the berth. He might just use the side of his arm and cannon to pin you further against the berth while he rides you both to overload. Megatron grinds down further against your pelvis, reveling in the noise he draws out of you. He chuckles at your sorry state even with his valve stuffed with your spike. Megatron only stops when you overload inside him and fill him up. He groans at the sensation and jerks his spike off to reach his own overload- Megatron cursed under his vents at the feeling of clenching down on you while overloading himself. His spikes transfluid ends up shooting you in the faceplate, dusting your paint with translucent pink.

The blessed out expression on your face and his own valve dripping with your own transfluid was definitely a positive gain. Megatron also enjoyed taking you apart in yet another way only for his optics and no one else's. He should've thought of this beforehand. Expect to be allowed to use his valve or be dominated by it after this. If you raise his affection high enough in your relationship, he'll eventually let you use his valve and dominate at the same time.

...

Eventually.

-

Ironhide was a dom leaning verse. He did enjoy control, and he enjoyed making a bot whine with how well he'd use their valve. But he wasn't so up tight he didn't know how good a valve overload felt like himself. He didn't necessarily mind only being a top for you. He was soft on you and couldn't get enough of you, valve included. But when you ask if he's okay with you spiking him, instead, he does feel a bit giddy.

Ironhides the type to bend over all pretty against the nearest wall as soon as you ask. Array already snapped back valve on full display with his hips jutting out like they were. You gape at the sight, and Ironhide just looks over his shoulder back at you. "Well? what are ya waiting for? Need a party invitation to spike a mech, right?" You calmered to your pedes and tried to work him open with your digits, which only made Ironhide scoff. "I'm not glass. Just put it in already."

You do, and you frag him against the wall then and there. Ironhide can hear your quick vents on his audials. Spike striking his ceiling node every time you bottomed out. You end up overloading before him but seem to realize Ironhide wasn't as close. You reached down and started stimulating his anterior node- Ironhide cursed and impatiently started stroking his own spike off. Ironhide groaned, focusing on the feeling of your spike still in his valve and the transfluid spilling down his inner thighs. You pulled back and hit his ceiling node once more, and ironhide is overloading on your spike with a groan.

You were a bit rough around the edges and needed some work, but-

You were panting lightly. Your digits were rolling tracing circles on Ironhides hips, like he'd do for yourself after he'd spiked you.

Ironhide would train you how to properly spike a mech just you wait.

-

Optimus just didn't have the spark to tell you no when you looked at him and told him to spike you. He loved you. Optimus wasn't too picky about positions or roles he just wanted your affection and to make you feel good. If you wanted to take his spike, then he'd help you take his spike right. Likewise, if you wanted to top him, then Optimus is all for it. He wants to make you feel good. And if you wanted to feel good using his valve? He'd let you do just that then. But well- you hadn't asked to just spike him...

How you managed to convince Optimus to let you spike him in his office of all places he still didn't know- (Yes, he did. it's because he wanted to make you happy.) But now Optimus is sitting on the ledge of his desk with you thrusting in his rather wet valve. His servos are gripping the edge of his desk hard enough that the metal starts to give- fighting to keep his palms off your frame because he'd dent your frame so easily right now. Every time you bottomed out, your pelvis ground down on his anterior node. Your spike hitting every pleasure node it could with every snap of your hips. Your optics are bright, and you look so- attractive between his thighs.

A strangled use of your designation tumbles out of him when you wrap a servo around his weeping spike and start stroking. Optimus has to fight to stay quiet while he's overloading all over your spike. His own transfluid shooting on his front with your continued strokes. You groaned and stilled, finally panting through your own overload. Optimus can feel your transfluid spilling out of his valve and onto the floor. Optimus finally allows his vice grip on his own desk to loosen and start touching you once more. He's petting you through your own post overload haze while you're nuzzling and sighing all content at his affections.

Optimus definitely wouldn't have any problems with you toping again.

... Just maybe not on his office desk next time. Optimus admitted, staring at the dents on his own desk.

[sanguineterrain]

I'm BEGGING for a continuation of the drabble where Reader breaks up with Jason

Thinking of him injured and alone after almost dying is killing me 😭

this got more serious than i intended lol but i hope you like it anon! finally there is resolution!

jason todd x gn!reader. tw jason almost dies, hints of self destructive behavior, guilt, communication (i am forcing the batboys to be good communicators!!!), injured jason, dick being the bestest goodest big brother.

pt 2 to this

****

It's extremely stupid for you to be out this late, but if you hadn't left tonight, you'd probably never leave. And you needed to leave. You can't sustain whatever you and Jason had.

Asking him to quit would've been unfair, and you know he won't do it. This city pulls him back in every time.

"Where ya headed?" the cab driver asks. He doesn't look too shady. He'll definitely overcharge you, but at this point, you don't care. You just want to go home.

"Gotham Heights." You don't give him the exact address, but someplace close enough.

It's begun to rain. You try not to think about how you just left Jason. You turned off your phone as soon as you closed the door; you know he's probably calling like crazy, but as soon as you answer, you'll go back.

And you can't.

You blink back tears. You can't keep watching him throw himself into worse and worse danger. Jason fights crime like he'd sooner let it kill him. One day, it will.

The car pulls up to a stoplight. You're dozing; it's nearly eleven o'clock after all.

Suddenly, something lands on the hood. You jump, heart dropping.

"What the fuck?!" the driver squawks.

Nightwing perches on the hood of the cab. He lightly taps the windshield.

"Evening. Mind pulling over?" he asks pleasantly. "I'm actually their designated driver tonight."

"Nightwing!" you snap, hot with anger. "Get off the car!"

"You shut off your phone and left," Dick says, those white lenses zeroed in on you. His tone is cutting. "He's losing his mind. You know we don't go dark."

You close your eyes briefly. "We almost lost him, 'Wing," you croak.

"So your instinct was to leave?"

"Alright, that's it! Get outta the car," the driver says, unlocking the doors. "Fuckin' crazies..."

Dick opens the door for you and tosses a roll of twenties on the seat. The cab speeds off. You wrap your arms around yourself as he guides you to the sidewalk.

Several emotions cross Dick's face, before he lands on one. Sympathy.

"What happened?" he asks softly.

Your face crumples. "He died, Dick."

"I know," he says, holding your elbow. "I was scared too. But he's okay. He's the toughest guy I know."

"How am I supposed to keep him alive?" you ask desperately. "I can't."

Dick frowns. "That's not your job. I wouldn't expect that of you, and I know Jason doesn't either. None of us do."

You press your palms to your eyes and start to cry for real.

"I just want him to be okay. Every time he goes out, I think it'll be the last time I see him. I love him too much to lose him, Dick."

Dick hums. "Have you told him this?"

You shrug, wiping your eyes with your hand. "Some of it. I-" You wince. "I yelled before I left. He was being so nonchalant about it, and I know it was so I wouldn't worry, but..."

"I know. He can be a real pinhead about some things, but Jason's on it when it counts. He loves you a lot, and I think he'd want to know you're feeling this way."

You rub your eyes so hard you see shapes. "I don't know, Dick. I don't know if I can tonight."

Dick sighs sadly. "Alright. Look, I'll take you home. But can you at least tell him you're okay? He called me up, terrified. Said he dreamt you were in an accident."

Nightmares. The guilt triples.

You turn on your phone. Ten missed calls and fifteen unread texts pop up.

[10:38pm] Baby please come back

At least text me you're okay

I messed up, and you can leave, but at least tell me you're safe

[10:42pm] I'm calling Dick

Sweetheart don't get into a car

[10:43pm] Please don't I have a bad feeling about it

Call me please

You sniffle and tap on Jason's contact. The phone rings once before he picks up.

"Baby? Hi, hi. God, fuck. Are you okay? Is Dick there?"

Jason sounds wrecked. His voice is raw like he's been crying. Tears start to build up in your own eyes.

"H-hey, Jay. Yeah, I'm okay. Dick is here."

"I'm sorry," he says. "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have scared you. Shouldn't have been reckless. I won't do that again. I won't patrol alone anymore. I'll-I'll work with Batman again. I called him just now. Told him I'd be at the Cave next week."

"Jay, don't force yourself to work with Batman for me," you say, your stomach a pit. "I don't want you to do something that'll make you miserable."

It's been better, lately, Jason's relationship with his family. It's not perfect, but then again, you wouldn't expect a family that dresses up in Halloween costumes every night to fight crime to be perfect.

"It won't!" Jason says. "Look, B and I have our differences. That's for damn sure. But I'm not so mad about it these days. And I should be safer. You were right. I want to come home to you, sweetheart, I do. If that means working in a team, then I'll do it. I'll do whatever will make us both happy and safe."

You squeeze your eyes shut. "I'm sorry I wasn't there sooner, Jay. I should've been."

"Oh." Jason sounds heartbroken. You can imagine him running a rough hand through his hair right now, tearing through the strands. "No, no, no. Baby, my love, listen. I don't blame you for any of this. That's not your responsibility. It's my job to keep myself alive. And Leslie's, once in a while. But I don't expect that from you. Never from you."

It's quiet for several moments. Then Jason speaks again, tone timid.

"Have I... did I make you feel that way?"

"No, you didn't," you say, opening your eyes. "Not directly. But... I don't know, Jay, I've just felt like there's nothing holding you back some days. You fight like you're fighting something inside of you." You bite the inside of your cheek. "I don't want it to burn you out for good."

Not again, you don't say.

Dick bows his head, and suddenly, you're there, watching them lower Jason Todd's body into the ground.

"I won't let it," Jason whispers. "I won't. I'm sorry I did this to you. Made you feel like this. I only ever wanna be good for you. I'm-I'm trying to be good."

Your lip trembles. "I wanna come home, Jay."

Jason makes a desperate sound, like a wounded animal. "Please come home, baby. I don't want you to leave. Wanna hold you so bad."

"Okay." You nod at the phone and look at Dick. "Can you take me home?"

He smiles, small and hopeful. "Of course."

****

Jason nearly tears the door off of its hinges before you can knock. He's probably been listening for your footsteps all evening. Your throat tightens.

"Hi, baby, hi, hi," Jason says, bracing himself against the doorframe as he pulls you into a hug. "Missed you so much. Love you so much. I'll be better, it'll be better. I promise."

You kiss his shoulder and bury your face in his warm chest, listening to his heartbeat. A-live, a-live, a-live, it says.

"Thanks, Dickie," Jason murmurs into your skin.

"Sure thing, Little Wing," Dick says, and you think he might sound a little misty-eyed. Sentimental sap.

"Thanks, D," you say softly, and Dick squeezes your shoulder.

"Get some sleep, both of you."

"You first," Jason says, and Dick laughs on his way out.

You help Jason inside, tucked under his arm, and this time, he lets you guide him to the bed. He allows you removal of your shoes and jeans before tugging you in with him.

"I'll be better," he vows, and rolls you over so you're face-to-face. "I promise."

"I believe you," you say, thumb brushing over his salt-streaked cheek. "I'm sorry I went dark, sweetie."

He shakes his head. "'S okay. Well, I mean, it's not, but I understand. I just want you safe. And here. But only if you wanna be here. I won't force you."

"Of course I want to be here, Jay," you say, kissing his cheek. "There's no place I'd rather be. I just... I want us to live."

Jason swallows and nods.

"I'll live. I will. For both of us."

[vexwerewolf]

God I wish IPS-N had an Artillery Mech.

I have mixed opinions on this. I think it's thematic and interesting that - in the core book, at least - each of the three commercial manufacturers had a missing role. IPS-N had no Artillery, SSC had no Defender and Harrison Armory had no Support. These absences felt like they kind of spoke to the values of each corporation.

Then in The Long Rim, we got the Sunzi, a Harrison Armory Support, and it was interesting to see what sort of thing the Armory considered to be Support - it's a fundamentally more selfish kind of Support, in that instead of repairing or removing conditions from an ally (like the Lancaster) or providing targetting assistance (like the Swallowtail), you're simply deciding where on the battlefield they are.

In Field Guide to the KTB, we got the White Witch, and again, we see what SSC feels like a Defender should be: one that reveres and pushes the boundaries of the human form by simply adapting to damage, becoming inured to it over time.

The problem with an IPS-N Artillery frame is twofold:

Core Bonus Lineup

Firstly, while they initially lacked a class of mech, there was nothing about SSC or HA that innately hampered the idea of one. There was nothing innate about the way SSC frames operate that prevented them from having Defenders, nor HA from having Supports.

IPS-N has one very serious issue when it comes to Artillery frames: its Core Bonus lineup. Two of its Core Bonuses (Gyges Frame, Titanomachy Mesh) are focused exclusively on melee combat, three (Briareos Frame, Reinforced Frame, Sloped Plating) are based around survivability, and the last (Fomorian Frame) is a niche option designed for certain builds. There's nothing in its CB lineup that an Artillery frame wants as a first priority.

Contrast this with SSC, which gets Neurolink Targeting (+3 range to all ranged weapons), and HA, which gets Heatfall Coolant System (Overcharge capped at 1d6), which are both great for Artillery frames.

Now, it's true that HORUS doesn't get any Core Bonuses directly useful for an Artillery frame either, but the one core Artillery frame that HORUS has is the Pegasus, which is extremely abnormal both by Artillery standards and by frame standards in general. (Also, it could be argued that Lesson of the Held Image is good as a way of applying free Lock Ons for yourself).

Not having any useful Core Bonuses is a problem for IPS-N that is compounded by the other major issue:

Combat Ethos

Each of the four core manufacturers is tied to a mech skill - Agility for SSC, Systems for HORUS, Engineering for HA and Hull for IPS-N. IPS-N hulls tend to be biased significantly towards high HP, Armor and Repair Cap, often at the expense of Sensor Range, Heat Cap and SP - the former grouping being stats that Artillery cares less about (since they tend not to want to be in the front lines), and the latter being stats they care more about (since Artillery frames tend to focus around one powerful gun backed up by a large number of support systems).

IPS-N frames are built to get up close and personal with the enemy, usually engaging at a maximum distance of 5 spaces. No ranged weapon that IPS-N makes shoots beyond Range 8.

I'm not saying that IPS-N couldn't have an Artillery, by any means, but there are more mechanical issues with it than any other class-manufacturer combination.

[intimidating-fettuccine]

This may be an odd request, but if you are into it, can I request headcanons of Smiley, Helen, and Jason (or characters you want to write) where their partner (reader) dies in front of them on a mission of something, but somehow and for some reason, time gets reversed to start at the beginning of the day, so their partner is alive and sleeping on their bed. Please and thank you!

I sort of imagined it as them going to sleep at the end of the day and waking up and it's the previous day, I hope that's okay <3 This request also made me remember Helen and his heart jar for his dead s/o so we're just gonna pretend that doesn't happen this time :p

This got so long I'm sorry I'm posting this so late-

Smiley:

He was never made for field work, with his preference for medical assistance at the mansion he was never meant to be standing out there in the field. He was never meant to watch you take that fatal injury, to do everything he could to save you out in the woods surrounding you and fail so miserably at it, much to his extreme distress. The following hours before he'd eventually passed out at his medical table had been a mash of absolute pain and misery, feelings he'd assumed he'd be waking up to once more the following morning, but instead, he was met with your beautiful face smiling at him. He'd thought he'd died himself for a moment, after all, he hadn't fallen asleep in bed, but here you are beside him, just as snug as you were the previous morning. It doesn't take long for him to realize what's happened, and Smiley isn't going to waste the chance before him. He's quick to come up with some bullshit but believable reason about why you can't go out on the mission you're meant to, citing doctor's orders and him needing to monitor a concern that came up on a pre-mission health check.

Nobody questions him, although you're left quite concerned by his actions. Nobody else can see it, but you can see the tenseness of his body, his eyes darting about anxiously, the heavy beating of his heart. You can tell he's worried about something, but he won't tell you what it is, he simply can't. He can't bring himself to admit what he saw, what he experienced, not when it's still too fresh in his mind. Perhaps he'll tell you later, but for now, he instead chooses to seek comfort in the fact that by the time the two of you go to bed that night, you're still safe and sound in his arms, just as you are the following, brand new morning, and nothing else other than that matters. It takes far longer than he thought to tell you what truly happened that day, why he refused to let you go on the mission, years down the line, and it's only with your comfort and love for him at that time that allows him to truly grieve and let go of those horrible memories. Suddenly all those days of him being more concerned about you going on missions makes sense, and you apologize for ever questioning his judgment or doubting him, promising to always come home safe to him, just as he does for you.

Jason:

The scream leaving his throat feels as though it should rip it apart, just as he feels like he's being ripped apart at the sight of your dying body crashing to the ground. Jason can barely tell what's happening in the next few hours, between trying desperately to resuscitate you, weeping for your death, and the others trying to keep him from doing something drastic. He barely realizes when he's falling asleep, his mechanical body simply powering off due to overcharge of his emotions, and when he awakes the next morning, he can't help but immediately begin sobbing once more when his eyes land on you. You're still in his satin sleep shirt, oversized on your body and revealing your skin just as it had the morning before, a sleepy smile resting on your cheeks as you gaze at him as he wakes up, but it's different this morning because now you're replaced with immense concern over his sudden outburst. You cradle him close and attempt to comfort him as best you can as he cries and crushes you against his body, so scared that any moment you could slip away again.

It must have been a dream, he reasons. A terrible, horribly bad dream, one that felt far too real, and so he tries to calm down, but he can't. Not when everything in the day progresses the exact same day, and so he shatters, begging you not to go on the mission. He tells you of his "dream", tells you of everything he saw, how he's scared it might actually happen, and you're so devastated by the clear distress he's in, so, of course, you switch out with someone else and stay home. He's so thankful you listened, so thankful a stronger creep took your place, considering the sorry state said creep was in when they got home. It could have been you, but it wasn't. Not this time, not ever again. Jason will never allow you to die in such a way, not now that he knows it's a definite possibility, no. He'll keep you safe and comfortable in his arms, safe from any dangers, just as he is right now, and will continue to do, for the rest of your life. He treasures you far too greatly to ever allow you to truly experience something like that again, and if he can help prevent it in any way at all, he will do so, for you, the love of his life, someone who deserves to live and die in peace.

Helen:

He had such an odd feeling. He'd elected to stay home last minute, as Slender had assumed not all of you would need to attend this mission. However, he felt this clawing, nagging feeling in his chest, and so he ran, ran faster than he ever had before, but he'd been too late. Your blood was fresh as you lay collapsed against a tree, your eyes unfocused as he sat before you. He tried everything he could to try and help you, but it was too late. Others had to find the two of you, as Helen had sat there before you for hours, crying and screaming, revealing emotions nobody other than you had ever seen before. He felt as though he should be dead, as though he should have died with you, but instead there he was, laying in your shared bed, now far colder than usual due to the lack of your body heat. So, if it had been so cold, why was it suddenly so warm when he woke up? Rare tears slip from his eyes as you snuggle into him, just as you had that morning, and he clutches you tightly. He feels as though some god out there must have finally taken pity upon him and done something good for him for once.

You ask what's wrong, and he simply asserts he'll tell you later, instead choosing to look after you that day, to be far more affectionate than usual. When Slender once again offers for someone to fall back, Helen disagrees, saying he has a bad feeling and that maybe someone extra should go to be safe, and so a few do, and Helen is so unbelievably thankful that he and the extra few went. He can't believe you were basically fighting all of these people by yourself, and he hates himself for so casually staying home. He kills the person who was meant to kill you with ease, and the mission is successful. You all make it home, and it's when you're cuddled up once more that night that Helen finally tells you what happened, how you had died, how it could have been his fault, how painful it was. You're momentarily confused, but with how earnestly he's retelling it, you feel as though it must have been true, and so you thank him for saving you this time, thank him for keeping you safe, and he swears to you that he'll continue to do so. For the rest of your careers for Slender, he'll always be there, on every mission, fighting to protect the one true blessing in his life.

[melverie]

Last post on the entire date ticket thing and then I will forever shut up about it, but I feel like most people arguing in favor of the price tag are just….missing the point on why people are so angry about the date ticket being $30

I think the one thing we can all agree on right from the get go is that everyone in the staff deserve to and should be compensated fairly for their work. And that obviously includes certain features and items having to cost actual money considering the game itself is free

But the thing is, that $30 price tag doesn't just exist in a vacuum

First off, we can all agree that charging something like $3 would have made the ticket sell far better, right? Several people have already pointed out that they can buy a week's worth of groceries with $30 and depending on how much you earn, the date ticket isn't exactly something anyone can just buy on a whim. Again, $3 would have been far more affordable for most people, and I'm sure many more people (myself included) would have been far more willing to spend $3 just to see what the date ticket is like, and maybe also buy the tickets of multiple other characters. But $30 for a single date ticket is a luxury a lot of people just cannot afford, or would rather put into something else. Even if they lowered the price, they'd surely break even and make profit with how many players there are

And judging by its contents, I think it's fair to say that the date itself is not worth $30. And I feel like Solmare themselves know this because why else would they have bundled it with 300 DP? The only reason is to justify this price tag because "look at how much DP we're getting with it tho!!" when that's not the point. It doesn't matter whether the DP are included, because there is a lack of choice here. We have other options to earn and buy DP, but we don't have a choice when it comes to the date ticket itself. Either you pay $30, or you miss out on a feature that many of us have wanted for a while now. And since it's the DP raising the price tag,what you are essentially paying for is 300 DP with a date ticket as your purchase bonus, even though it should be the other way round

And honestly? Considering the price, the only two times it would make sense to buy this bundle is if you were already considering buying DP anyway, or if you are financially well enough off that the current price doesn't matter to you. You won't convince most casual spenders, and you most definitely will not convince a f2p player to pay for this feature

The other thing is that we had no idea what the date ticket actually entailed because we weren't given any information on it. Thanks to people in the community buying and reviewing this feature for others we now know that the date consists of one phone call, a ~10 minute long, partially voiced date story-line and a Majolish background. Except, those are things that Solmare themselves should have told us right as they announced this feature, ESPECIALLY considering the price point. If you don't, you can't complain if people are accusing your company of trying to rip its player base off and of being greedier than the Avatar of Greed himself. But also, that's the thing!

We shouldn't have people in the fandom be the ones to go out of their way to give us basic info on new features, or to even explain certain business decisions in the first place. That's the company's job. Yes, certain explanations should be a given (such as microtransactions existing so that the staff can be paid the money they obviously deserve), but there are other things that should have been explained by Solmare themselves

Open communication with the player base is the key phrase here, and imo Solmare has been doing worse and worse on that front as of late, resulting in several unexplained choices that just seem questionable at best and scummy at worst, as well as a player base that grows more and more disgruntled by the day. And that frustration within the player base shows in the amount of people dropping the game, as well as in the amount of money it's making

People are willing to put their time and money into something they deem a good, quality product with a justified price considering the content. If your player base isn't putting in the money you are expecting, then maybe you should listen to their feedback and re-examine your product instead of overcharging a feature because "look at this thing you're getting extra that no one asked to be included in the bundle in the first place"

Literally part of the reason LaDS has grown to be so successful in such a short amount of time is because they keep making adjustments based on player feedback, even on some minor things. I mean they literally pushed out an update to correct the color of one of the character's tongue in the newest card because people were complaining, like hello!! Imagine Solmare listening to complains as minor as this

Anyway, whether intentional or not, this entire thing just feels scummy, and that's the problem. The choice we have is either "pay 30 bucks per character or miss out on this feature entirely", the price is artificially inflated with the inclusion of DP that we have other ways of getting, romance is slowly fazed out of the story only to now be put behind a heft paywall, we weren't told what we are even paying for exactly in the first place, and there has been a severe lack of proper communication from Solmare that have soured the relationship to the game's fanbase and, most importantly in this context, their customers

No, companies aren't our friends. Yes, they need to make money. Yes, they should pay their employees fairly. And no, we as consumers shouldn't expect nor are we entitled to everything about the game being free because again, the people working on this game deserve to get paid fairly for all the work they put into it

However, people are still allowed to be critical of a company and its decisions, especially when they feel like they are getting ripped off. The 300 DP might soften the blow, but that doesn't stop everything that has happened before from being a slap in the face. That's why people are pissed right now, and honestly it's been a long time coming

[libraford]

Okay so here's the rundown of everything that happened with the radio station because omg is it some drama.

In the 90's, there were a lot more independently-run radio stations. There wasn't IHeartRadio and there wasn't SiriusFM or JackFM. A dude could just have a radio station frequency and start a radio station as long as they complied with FCC regulations. And one of these radio stations in Columbus was an alternative station called CD101.

That frequency was sold to a classical station, which is fine because the exchange was friendly. And then the station moved to a different frequency, CD102.5.

So I know it may seem like radio DJ's are just weirdos with microphones and that's just not true- they are TALENTED weirdos with a microphone. You have to be personable, you have to know about the music you're playing, you have to be enthusiastic. And this station was pretty good about programming- they played local music, they played deep cuts, they played weird shit. There were programs for oddball and punk and goth music. They ran charities, they were at local festivals, they were in parades. Their radio station even had a small concert venue attached to it and they would invite visiting musicians to play. Like it really was about community.

But.

Radio stations are expensive, and they get more expensive every year, and in 2020 they were unable to renew their FCC license.

And then a couple months later, they were back again under CD 92.9. A radio station rented out the frequency to them and they were able to get back on the air. It was like nothing ever happened.

I'm not going to know what happened between the owner the frequency (Mark) and the owner of the station (Randy) because there's a lot of people talking about Mark overcharging on rent and Randy being late or short on payments.

An agreement was drawn up to have Randy buy the frequency over a period of (I think) 5 years. But the price was high and the terms of termination were brutal (if he was even one day late on a payment, it constituted termination of the contract). And Randy found those terms to be unreasonable.

So, they announced that the radio station would be going off the air February 1, 2024. And we're all pretty upset! Like, not to be like 'this station saved my life,' but this was a pretty consistent source of event news for me and its how I learned about a lot of concerts and artists. They played one of my friend's bands pretty often and its like 'hell yeah, I know that flutist!'

The DJs of CD92.9 said their good-byes on Facebook.

Meanwhile...

The new DJ of the new station announced that it was always his destiny run the station, and that the new station would be More local music, More deep cuts, More weird shit- and No Billie Eilish. "Out with the old, in with the new."

On one of the old DJ's good-bye posts, the new DJ tried to recruit him to the new station.

"Really? You're trying to poach me on my good-bye post?"

Mark makes a statement that the station will be committed to 'continuing the legacy of CD92.9' and will be using the same programming, the same music, the same DJ's.

Randy says 'the fuck it will, that wasn't the deal' and files a C&D. The DJ's are allowed to work for the new station if they so please, but the new station is not going to inherit shit. They cannot use the same programming, their staff, or any of the thousands of recordings they've use in the past 30 years. Any branding or attempt to brand as similar to CD92.9 is a breach of contract.

A facebook group formed around the support of CD 92.9. How to help, how to get their online stream onto your phone, upcoming events, sponsors to support, and a healthy amount of bitching. Admittedly, some of the posts were REAL stretches- like... I'm sorry darling, I know you want it to happen, but you are NOT going to get them on copyright infringement because their red X logo looks kind of like a similar red X logo from a radio station in Milwaukee.

CD92.9 goes down, 93X goes up.

He does play some more uncommon music, sure. But he doesn't announce who the artist is so its kind of like... what's the point in that? If you just play a local band, but we don't know who the local band is, how are we going to go to their concerts? He'd also talk smack about some bands and its like... don't? You're a public face now.

And then there's the radio edits, which he chose not to play on occasion, so the radio was full of f-bombs. FCC violation.

And as a DJ, simply not charismatic. Like I realize he's not Blorbo from my radio, but like I said- DJing is a skill.

So I just didn't listen. It wasn't worth my time to try. I found a different, less cool station to listen to in the car and I listened to the stream at home.

The mood of the facebook group shifted more towards support for the sponsors, events planned around 92.9, news about who is leaving and who is staying and we just kind of let 93X exist.

The promise of 'no Billie Eilish' fell through pretty quickly. Their music selection dropped to the usual 'alternative music' packet of Imagine Dragons and Twenty-One Pilots. And eventually...

They went off the air. After one month of airtime, it is now an oldies station.

93X DJ said 'well, congratulations you got what you wanted.' Which is half right. We wanted them to tank and our old station to succeed. We're still hopeful about the second part.

The Dispatch ran an article about the short-lived station. Ends with:

So just for like... summary-

Ya'll took over the station with a committed listener base, claimed that you'd be just continuing business as usual, tried to poach their talent, hired someone with no problem talking shit, and when your station failed...

... you want to blame a Facebook Group?

Are you a child?

Anyways, if you'd like to hear an alternative rock station in Columbus that's just doing their best, here's a link to the stream!

[fuck-customers]

Why on earth would you decide to complain that you were overcharged on shipping (you were not) on an order you received 10 months ago?? "I broke my arm, I was more worried about that, I just now remembered about the shipping" ma'am you paid $6 shipping (an absolutely average shipping cost for a package that size) most of a year ago, it is literally impossible to reverse a payment that old if we wanted to.

I spent a half hour being called a crook in the most annoying whiny voice ever over this while trying to explain that the charge was correct and we couldn't refund her anyway before she demanded a manager, and the manager spent another 45 minutes explaining it was not physically possible, there was no way in the system for us to give her money back after 10 months and the system doesn't know or care about her broken arm. At this point I would have given her cash out of my own pocket for her to shut up if I could have.

The manager ended up offering to set up an online account for her so we could give her store credit just to try to get her to leave and then the lady was like "well I didn't mean for you to have to go to all that trouble, I should learn to keep my big mouth shut I guess," and me and the manager both just stared. You have been blathering without stopping for breath for well over AN HOUR about how deeply wronged you were by our "dishonest" business practices. I have earned more money on my paycheck during the last hour while listening to you complain than the amount you're complaining about.

If you didn't want the only kind of refund we can give you (which we didn't owe you at all since you weren't overcharged in the first place) then what on earth did you want??? Someone you could vent at for an hour with no consequences I guess. Please find some other "cheaper than therapy" therapy alternative.

Posted by admin Rodney

[captain-huggy-bear]

I have my MOT and service coming up for my car and I hate booking it, I had doing it, I hate it all and Clay feels like the sort to 100% do it for you so his a short drabble/prompt thing... Totally happy to take requests/ideas/prompts at the moment in my ask box :) Writing Masterlist

You're sat staring at your phone in the kitchen, trying to work yourself up to do it, to just pick the phone up, call them and book it all in...but you really won't want to. Every year you hate the process of getting your car serviced. You know its important, of course, that's why you make yourself do it, but you hate it. You hate booking it, the fact it always has to be a phone call. You hate taking your car in, showing your service book and dealing with the overwhelmingly male environment. You hate how they always try to convince you you need more work doing on your car than you do, how they try to overcharge you, how they talk to you like you're an idiot and you hate the resulting bill and awkward pick up.

Clayton comes into the kitchen from the garage, a dirty rag being used to clean his hands of grease from where he'd been changing his car's engine oil. You're staring so intently at your phone that he thinks you might actually cause it to explode in a minute, your shoulders are tense as he turns the sink on to wash his hands.

"Why are you staring at your phone like that, baby?" He asks as he lathers his hands in soap, bracelets clinking, shirt rolled up to his elbows. How he manages to make washing his hands attractive you're not sure but he does.

"Because I have to call the mechanics about my car service and I don't want to..." You mumble, pouting a little as you look up at him from beneath your lashes. Even if you weren't he'd still have made the same offer.

"What's the number?" Clayton's drying his hands off and reaching for his phone within seconds of your answer, fingers hovering over the screen ready to type the number in.

"Huh?" The way you blink at him, pout still firmly in place, but brows furrowing in confusion is adorable and it makes him huff out a laugh. His smile, your favourite thing, all crooked and dimpled, teeth poking out from underneath his top lip.

"What's the number? I'll book it and I'll take your car in, you can borrow my car for work for the day." He comes to lean on the counter next to you, hip popped slightly, thumbs still hovering to type in the number of your mechanic.

"You'd do that?" It shouldn't make your chest ache with affection, it's a simple thing, but it does because you hate doing this and he's offered without hesitation to do it for you, to make your life easier. It makes you want to kiss him, something so simple, but so meaningful.

"Yeah, I don't mind. You know how I feel about cars, besides stops you getting swindled over your shitty Vauxhall." Clayton laughs, phone being placed on the counter, as you gasp in offense at his comment about your car, even as you do he's reaching out for you, hands landing on your hips to pull you close. It doesn't matter that you cross your arms over your chest and he can't get you as close as he wants, he can't help but have a hand on you.

"Gimli isn't shitty!" You try to defend your car, your car you've had for a decade, your first ever car. The red little car that's carried you through university, your big job, to now.

"He's 10 years old and creaks, baby...I wish you'd just let me buy you a new car." Clay's been trying to buy you a new car for almost as long as you've been dating, but every time you refuse. You're attached to your car and you hate the idea of Clay spending that much money on you. He hates the idea that you're driving a car that might break down at any second when he's not there to help.

"But, Gimli..." You pout, arms dropping so he can pull you chest to chest, one of his hands smoothing a path up your side to cup your cheek. His hand is almost as big as your face, a perfect resting spot for your cheek.

"...Gimli..." He sighs, "s'cute how attached you are."

"Shut up..." You mumble out.

"Oh, so you don't want me to take your car to the mechanics?" Clayton goes to pull away from you, inching back with an expectant grin. It works because even though he's joking, even though he's being silly you can't help but wrap your arms around his waist, chin pressing into his chest and look up at him with a sweet apology on your lips.

"No, please, 'm sorry...I love you."

He grins down at you all teeth and dimples, a strand of brunet hair falling into his blue eyes and it only makes him more handsome, the way he loves to tease even as you both know he's still going to take your car to the mechanics. Because he loves you and anything to make your life easier is worth it in his eyes.

"Love you too, even if you're using me for your vehicle check-ups."

"I'm not! I promise!" You laugh, cheek rubbing against his shirt, arms tightening around him as one of his own comes to rest at the back of your neck, kneading the tight muscle there. "I'm thankful though, thank you...I hate doing it."

"I know, that's why I offered, sweet girl." He says it so simply, like that's just something you do. That anyone would do. When you know it's not. Your ex had never offered, he never even considered it. But, Clay? It's like he lives to serve, to make your life as easy, as simple as possible and it makes you love him so much more.

He leans down all sweet, smiling as he kisses you. It's so utterly domestic, the idea that he's taking your car to get serviced, that he's being the man of the house in a very traditional sense. You can picture the rest of your life with him in that moment. The tasks he'd take on his shoulders, the burdens he'd lift for you.

Clay starts taking your car to the mechanics every year from that point, like clockwork he phones up, books an appointment and like clockwork makes sure your car is safe for you to drive.

The few times you go with him to pick your car up, it's an experience, the way he haggles down the price, the way he argues that a type of work was superficial and unnecessary or downright shouldn't cost the price they're setting.

It not only takes the weight and stress from your shoulders, but there's something about Clay, about the way he argues and haggles and knows his stuff that always makes you admire just how attractive he is and if you can't help but want to kiss his face off when the two of you finally get home? Well, that's his reward for always taking care of your car for you.

[ringleaderising]

PIGLET APPLICATION #01 TOOTH THE RESSURECTIONIST.

RULES OF ENGAGEMENT:

These Piglets are for lore clans with a tumblr presence (sideblog, FR posting on mainblogs, etc you simply have to be a lore clan who engages with the community here on tumblr.)

Other players with their siblings (and myself with their parents) will be not only welcome to but encouraged to write interclan letters/in character messages to their siblings, and you'll have to be okay with everything that comes with that (On-Site DMs, the potential of a message going unanswered/etc) I would also appreciate if you ping me for the stuff you do with them because I want to see what they get up to <3

If you win one of the siblings, please refrain from applying for another, this is so everyone interested gets an opportunity and a fair shake at taking one of the girls home!

If you're the selected winner, the dragon is yours to do what you please with! (Regene, change species, rename, change gender identities/pronoun preferences, etc) I ask only that you have a lore/character reason for breed or name changes, as they'll be connected to a wider group of dragons that would need to know these things (What kind of dragon their sibling has become, What to call them in letters, etc) and if you can keep them a modern breed so they can keep their cleavers, well that'd just be nice for their old man Pig.

Please honor the basic lore of the dragon you win, you're welcome to rewrite/reinterpret the lore they arrive with, but please don't eliminate that history entirely, since they'll be interwoven with other clans/players!

[and a big thank you to Khadjin for reminding me I never mentioned this yet!] my lore deviates pretty substantially from site lore. however every aspect can be explained within the context of the site, please don't feel like you have to adopt my headcanons to participate in these!- my "Lesser Gods" are nothing more than magically afflicted/overcharged spirits or magically mutated dragons created in a reactor explosion somewhere in Lightning and some timeloop silliness, and the 'Gaps' are highly concentrated leylines caused by this incident. the eleven gods of sornieth remain the only true gods in my lore much like the site on the whole!- the Piglets and their parents simply lived under the affliction of spirits, cults, and mutated dragons and contextualized them as "Gods" the very same way we create urban myth/legends. While they would know of The Host and the Gaps because of the direct effect both have had on their parents, they are not required to have continued to believe in them as "Higher beings" and can have learned in their time away from their family that these things are likely, little more than the arcane gone haywire.

BLANK APPLICATION

Please copy/paste and fill this out in a Reblog here on tumblr or send it to me through my submit box here so I can keep track of things on a per-dragon basis for the course of the 48-hours each application will be active!

FR Username/Numbers: Basic Clan Lore: (just a general description of the lore/area of your clan you intend to place this hatchling in!) Plans For Dragon: (A little description of any of your ideas, headcanons, story beats, etc you're thinking of for the dragon you're applying for! This can be anything you've got in mind, scries, outfits, etc, feel free to go as big or as little as you want, I wanna see what's going on in your head!) Intended Payment: (These dragons will be PWYW, but I need everyone to acknowledge they're not free, so whatever you're planning on paying/trading for them, even if you change your mind when the time comes, stick something here.)

RINGLEADER'S HEADCANONS

These are just some smaller lore bits and pieces you're welcome to use or disregard for each child, things that I couldn't fit into the bios in a way that made sense. much like the example outfit photo up-top, this is for fun or stuff to help get ideas flowing, if you're stuck!

Tooth has horrible first-child syndrome despite being the third-born, she wants her parents' (and others, really) approval in any way she can get it, which has led to a deathly competitive streak- dangerous in a dragon closer to a horror slasher than anything else.

Tooth is the child with the most heavy proclivity toward plague's flesh and bone sensibilities, and while this is fitting for a necromancer, it makes her look odd when engaging with hobbies that aren't hunting, killing, or doing strange magic- she's mildly self conscious about this.

Her tendency to pull her own teeth to create resurrection daggers has led to her using her mouth as an odd accessory, adorned with teeth carved from precious stones, metals, and various other souvenirs she's chosen.

She's one of the few members of the Piglets who actually has an innate sense of magic, as her talent with resurrection does not require any outside intervention beyond a focus for her powers!

THIS APPLICATION IS OPEN FROM 3 PM DECEMBER 2ND, 2024, TO 3 PM DECEMBER 4TH, 2024. REBLOGS AFTER THIS TIME WILL BE DISQUALIFIED FROM THE RUNNING.

Annnnd the auction pings for my tumblr lovelies!~:

@hor-wod-flir @harpyartisan @fuiran @terra-tortoise @bawkrya @pocketmouse-fr @spongyspingy-rising @avalonianrising @clansunsharp

[bonesandthebees]

I thought you might enjoy this very funny coincidence on my dash

omg what a perfect coincidence on the dash

but also that post is very true!!! there's so many perfumes out there in such a wide range of prices, you absolutely do not need to be dropping hundreds to try out some fun scents. something else I've learned through getting into the fragrance community is that there are a ton of third party seller sites dedicated to selling samples of specific perfumes in case you can't find free samples of fragrances you're interested in. the prices of these samples vary based on the website/how expensive a full bottle of the perfume is so sometimes you are still being overcharged for a 1 mL sample but it's a fun way to try fragrances you wouldn't get to try out otherwise

like for ages I kept hearing about this incredible spicy vanilla perfume from yves saint laurent that I wanted to smell so badly, but it's actually next to impossible to find in the US so it's not like I could just go to a perfume counter and test it. also, a full bottle (at the time) was over $300 (though now I think they reduced it so it's closer to $250? I'd have to double check). I ended up ordering a 1 mL sample of it off of a third party site for, like, $10. overpriced for 1 mL? kind of yeah. but better than spending $300 on a full bottle yknow? now it's my special occasion perfume. I've worn it a few times and I still have plenty left. also, now I know that I don't need a full bottle of it because I love it, but I don't love it enough to spend that much on it.

(if anyone is interested I'd be happy to list some of the sites I've ordered from/heard of and also some fragrances I've tried out myself)

[oneforthemunny]

the modern!eddie blurb. contains: drug use, language, mature themes, 18+

eddie sat on the leather couch of steve harrington's mcmansion, bass booming from the bluetooth speakers, blunt hanging loosely out of his mouth. his eyes were half lidded, drooping with every inhale of the weed, inked fingers wrapping around the rolled blunt, exhaling a thick cloud of smoke in front of him.

eddie had been selling in hawkins since he was fifteen. since rick approached him in the park, and offered to help him make some money of his own, selling to some high school kids. he'd get in a lot less trouble if he got caught than rick, plus with the cut he was getting he couldn't turn it down. plus, it was easy. eddie would post a snapchat, a bag of weed and some rolled joints, and his phone would blow up, everyone begging to buy some from him. he'd always charge the rich assholes, like jason carver, more and they were too stupid to know they were being ripped off. most high schoolers were, honestly. he used to overcharge steve too until they became friends, then he sold it to him at regular price, telling him he gave him a 'discount' and steve thought he was the greatest.

eddie had stuck around high school, purposely flunking twice his senior year to keep up his clientele. eddie genuinely believed dab pens were the greatest invention on earth since pornhub. he sold carts left and right, all over hawkins and beyond, making enough money to set him up and keep him rolling steady. once rick started dealing in with some heavier shit, eddie's bank account just kept climbing, venmo balance always full.

that's why he was here tonight. surrounded by a bunch of his 'friends' and people he didn't know or care about. they wanted drugs, and that he had. weed, molly, oxy, adderall- whatever, he had it.

he felt the couch move, a figure moving out of the corner of his eye. he turned his head slowly, exhaling his blunt, eyes trained in a daze on her. he didn't know her, had never seen her before- which was weird for hawkins. she was pouting, nose scrunched in displeasure, furiously typing on her phone, acrylics clacking against the dim screen.

"hey," eddie called. she ignored him. he groaned slowly, scooting down the couch, towards the opposite end where she sat. "hey." he repeated.

"what?" she snapped, eyes narrowed and furious with irritation.

eddie grinned, lazy. "what's the matter, huh?" he asked, throwing his hands out. "you look upset. are you upset?"

she scoffed, rolling her eyes. "do I know you?"

eddie let his eyes roll over her frame, slowly, taking in her features. her little black dress that rode up her thighs. he shook his head, curls bouncing. "nah, I don't think so. do I know you?"

she snarled, looking back down at her phone. eddie smirked. she was mean. god, he loved it. "you're not from here, are you?" he asked.

"obviously not." she huffed, not looking up from her phone.

"where you from?" eddie asked, inhaling his blunt slowly. he offered it to her.

she blinked up at him, unimpressed. "not from here." she scoffed, looking around.

eddie grinned. "yeah, I can tell." he muttered slowly. "you don't look like you're from here." she ignored him. "but you look familiar. like I've seen you before."

she rolled her eyes. "look, I'm just trying to find my friend, alright?" she huffed, looking around. "she's giving me a ride home."

"who's your friend?" eddie asked, inching closer and closer.

she eyed him carefully. "shina." she snapped.

eddie grinned. "I know shina." he smirked. "I know shina real well. went to high school with her."

"yeah, so did everyone else here apparently." she scoffed. "god, is this all you guys do? just hang out with the same people all the time?"

eddie shook his head slowly. "nah. not always. I'm hanging out with you tonight. you're new."

her lips twitched, pressing them together in a tight line. "we are not hanging out."

eddie held his hands out. "I think we are." he grinned.

she snuffed, turning away with a little huff but she didn't get up, din't walk away. eddie grinned, he knew he had a chance. chad walked up before he could continue, wad of bills extended towards him, begging for a cart.

"this is a good strand?" chad asked, slurring slightly.

eddie nodded slow. cool. "yeah. fresh one. new from out in oregon. gotta lot of good feedback. shit's strong tho. cost a little extra tho."

chad shook his head, fisting out more bills. "that's fine. I-I just need something. thanks." he grabbed the pin, hurrying away as eddie pocketed the bills, sliding them in easily into his pocket.

he could feel her eyes on him, trying not to make it obvious that she was watching him. he turned back to her, small grin on his face. she looked over at him, meeting his eyes for the first time of the night. "so you're the drug dealer around here, huh?"

eddie shrugged. "gotta make a livin' somehow baby. only fans wasn't cutting it, had to go to this."

she snorted, a small smile pulling on the edge of her lips. "I'd say so." she bit, but her eyes trailed down his physique, grazing a bit longer than she should.

eddie bit back a smirk, arms spreading on the back of the couch, hand near her shoulder. "so what do you do, huh?" he asked sweetly. "what brings you here?"

she rolled her eyes heavy, grunting. "I work at the mac store in starcourt." she grumbled.

eddie's brows lifted slowly. "the makeup store?" he asked. she nodded. "that's cool. went in there once to get eyeliner."

she lifted a brow, curious and eddie felt himself blush. "I-I mean not that I wear makeup all the time, obviously." her brow lifted even further, accusation. eddie grimaced, straightening his posture. "wait, not that there's anything wrong with guys that do. I- fuck, I'm in a bad and I needed it for my band."

"a band, huh?" she asked, tongue rolling on the inside of her cheek. "eyeliner wearing drug dealer in a... my chemical romance cover band?"

eddie laughed loudly, head tipping back onto the couch. he could see her grin through his lidded eyes, trying to bite back her own smile to keep up her tough, mean appearance.

"shit, that's funny. you're funny." eddie pointed at her playfully with a lopsided smile. "nah, it's called corroded coffin. we play like every once in a while for shits and gigs, honestly. nothing serious just for fun, but... we are on soundcloud so." he shrugged playfully.

she sputtered out a laugh, mean girlish and nasally. he'd gladly be the butt of the joke if it meant she'd stay talking to him. that's why he loved the mean girls, because once you got them laughing they were always so sweet.

"oh god, not soundcloud." she cringed.

eddie smirked, tongue rolling in his mouth. "so, you're a makeup person?" he asked, she nodded. "I can tell. your face looks real pretty." he bit back a smile when she blushed, pretending to look at someone behind her to hide it. "your eyeliner looks a hell of a lot better than mine. I watched a million fucking videos on youtube, and I don't know how they do it. I always stab myself in the eye or my eyes water the whole time after." he was talking exaggeratedly, bubbly and funny in a way that had her smiling, reluctant and a little guarded but genuine.

she was relaxing a little more, moving closer so he could hear her better. "you gotta pinch your nose and sniff." she said simply, tilting her head to the side. "stops the eyes from running."

eddie's brows furrowed, plugging his nose with his fingers. "like this?" he asked, voice nasally and a little high pitched from pinching his airway shut.

she laughed, shaking her head. eddie grinned, dropping his hand. "no, dumbass, you have to... here," she took her manicured nails, reaching over and pinching the bridge of his nose, right on the bone, she squeezed lightly as eddie didn't take his eyes off her, trained on her concentrated gaze. "then you sniff." she said, applying a little bit of pressure.

eddie sniffed hard, making her laugh. "wow, you really are a pro." he grinned. his face was close to her, her full lips nearly touching his.

she shrugged, eyes darting from his lips back to his eyes. "I guess."

eddie could feel his phone buzzing in his pocket, knowing it was probably max asking him where he was- she probably sold out of her supply already-but he ignored it. "you want me to give you a ride home?" eddie suggested.

she scoffed, pulling back. "no thanks. I'll uber."

eddie laughed loudly. "jesus, you really aren't from here are you?" she furrowed her brows. "baby, there is one uber driver in this whole fucking place and he," eddie pointed a long, tattooed finger towards the man, propped against steve's wall, struggling to stand while his friends filmed him. "is right there."

she pouted, hesitating for a moment. eddie stood. "c'mon, I'll give you a ride. pretty sure shina left an hour ago anyways."

she looked at him carefully. "you don't need to stay here? do more business?"

eddie shook his head. "they can come to me if they need it that bad, but I'm straight for the night." he stood slowly, reaching out his hand to her.

she looked at it, unmoving. "I don't even know your name."

eddie grinned. "I'm eddie. what's your name, angel?" her movements stuttered for a moment before she reluctantly told him. "pleasure to meet you. now, you gonna let me give you a ride home?"

she narrowed her eyes at him, glaring before reluctantly taking his hand. "I have my location on, just so you know." she snarled. eddie laughed, leading her through the crowds. "and I'm texting my group chat right now. if I go missing, I'll make sure they go on all the true crime podcasts and make the world hate you."

eddie laughed. "alright. fair enough. you want me to text shina for you? would that make yo feel better?"

her eyes squinted, lips rolling slightly. "maybe." she admitted.

eddie grinned, pulling her out towards his mustang, all black down to the rims and seats. he'd given the van for max when she started working with him, he knew she'd earn herself up to a spot like he did, the way she was raking in cash right now, he was sure she'd pass him.

eddie opened her door, watching her slowly climb in. his phone plugged into the aux, ozzy osbourne's war pigs screaming through the speaker. she lifted a brow again. "wow, I'm shocked."

eddie mimicked her reaction. "yeah? what'd you think I'd listen to?"

she scoffed. "I thought you'd play drake for sure." her eyes rolled over his frame again, legs pressing together at his arm, inked up and flexing against the wheel. "you give kanye vibes honestly."

eddie winced exaggeratedly. "ouch. that's a low blow, baby." he grumbled. she grinned wide. she liked that response. "is it at least old kanye?"

she grinned. "sure."

"graduation?" eddie asked hopefully.

she snorted. "you wish. 808, maybe, that's being generous."

he smirked, looking over at her. she looked back at him, her eyes were softer now, sweeter. they were pretty, lashes framing them through heavy eyeliner. "am I taking a left or a right?" eddie asked at the stop sign.

she shook her head slightly, blinking a few time before turning forward. "right." she pointed.

eddie turned the wheel slow, engine purring when he pulled out. she pursed her lips, studying him for a moment. "you do this a lot, huh?" she asked. he looked at her. "you usually pick up girls at parties, or are you more of a tinder guy?"

eddie barked out a laugh. "baby, I'm only a tinder to sell molly to the sorority chicks before formal and spring break." he purred easily. his eyes met hers, she wasn't convinced. "seriously. I-I don't do this, really."

she hummed, unconvinced. eddie shrugged. "I don't. I don't even let anyone in my car." his eyes cut to hers. "you should consider yourself lucky."

she nodded slowly, contemplating. "I ask shina, is she gonna tell me the same thing?" she challenged.

eddie snorted. "ask your whole little group chat, they'll tell you the same thing." he said.

she scoffed. "what's that?"

"that they buy weed from me. I'm nice, not scary or creepy. I'm sure you'll ask them if I fuck around or if I've ever hit on them, and they'll say no. you'll ask if I have a girlfriend or some other girl, and they'll say no. you'll try to stalk me on instagram or get one of them to send you my shit, because I'm private, and then you'll still be unconvinced." eddie rambled, head rolling to look over at her. "left or right?"

"right." she said, tone back with an edge. he could see her blush in the dim street lights, even through the tinted windows. "so you are a psycho killer then?" she asked, but her tone was playful, teasing. eddie looked at her curiously. "private accounts? what kind of psycho is private on insta?"

"the kind of psycho who doesn't want people in his shit." eddie grinned.

she smirked back. "so if I requested to follow you, would you accept my request?"

eddie snorted. "how do I know you're not the psycho?" he teased.

"because my insta isn't private." she laughed.

eddie smiled. "yeah, I'd let you follow me." he nodded, hands gripping the wheel tight, he felt his heart race. "I'd even follow you back."

"how sweet." she cooed playfully, pointing towards her apartments.

eddie pulled into the spot in front of the building, putting the car in park. she hesitated for a moment, looking down at her hands. she didn't want to leave, he could tell. it made his heart leap a little, he didn't want her to leave either.

"thanks for taking me." she said, eyes meeting his with a softness he was surprised to see. "thanks for not killing me too."

eddie grinned. "you're welcome." he tilted his head to the side. "you need a cart, a blunt, anything before you go? last chance before me and my goodies are gone for the night."

she smiled. "would you roll it for me if I got a blunt?"

eddie swallowed hard. her voice changed into something sweet, intoxicating. her eyes rounded, batting when they met his. he was sure she was trying to get something for free, that's what the rational side of him screamed, but his heart was hammering.

"I'll roll it for ya, yeah." eddie nodded.

she giggled, looking up at the apartments. "you wanna come up with me? we can share it if you want." she offered. eddie froze. "if you don't have other girls or drug lord things to get to, I just..." she sighed heavily. "I like talking to you. you're like the first guy I've met here who isn't a total gross loser fuckboy." she snarled her nose.

eddie smirked. "that's high praise coming from you." she giggled again, and eddie's stomach turned. "I like talkin' to you too." he admitted, head tilting to the side sweetly. he could see her blush.

eddie pushed out of the car, quicker and more eager than he meant to, waiting for her to get out before he locked the door, following her up the creaking wooden steps.

they sat on her couch that night, he rolled the blunt and she opened the windows, passing it back and forth slowly, exchanging little stories and details about each other between them. she put on rick and morty, and eddie was sure she was his soul mate.

when he kissed her that night, slow and sweet on her couch, the glow of the sunrise peeking in through her shades, he was sure she was his soul mate. his twin flame or whatever weird shit machine gun kelly said; he kinda got it now. she fucked him nice and slow, riding him on her couch before she brought him to her room, letting him sleep there for the night, their shared blunt dwindling down in the living room, her back on his chest in her small bed.

[rita-repulsa-ke]

the apple

"Do you want to buy an apple? Ha'f-penny for one, the freshest you'll find." The little girl offered Rio a shiny reddish fruit with a gap-toothed smile.

"Yes I do," Rio said. "I love apples." She fished out a coin and flipped it to the girl, aware of Agatha somewhere behind her, watching the interaction. "They're my favorite." Untrue, but it was a gentle lie to tell a perfectly nice child who would sicken and die in a few years from eating spoiled grain, never to see adulthood.

The girl giggled, took the coin and then glanced at Agatha. "Does your friend want one?"

"No, her friend does not," Agatha snapped, making the girl flinch back. "You're overcharging for a mealy, half-rotten fruit I wouldn't make cider out of."

The girl's eyes widened like she might cry. She turned and fled.

"Mean," Rio said, taking a bite out of the apple. It was perfectly fine, crumbly and overripe in a way she found pleasant, closer to death than life.

Agatha held out her hand imperiously, and Rio handed her the fruit, watched the other woman take a bite, grimace and immediately hand it back. "I don't like children. They're too small and they can't speak properly," she said.

Death had no great gift for foretelling. Her magic was of the green, the cycle, life and death, the natural order of all things. But as soon as Agatha finished speaking, she felt the noose of prophecy loop tight around her neck and the ground disappear from beneath her as the rope snapped taut, choking her with unwanted knowledge. The apple fell from her hand, hit the ground and rolled away while she stood motionless, trying to deny what she had been shown.

"Rio?" Agatha asked, her voice filled with genuine concern and she could only imagine how she must look for Agatha, self-centered creature that she was, to notice her distress.

She did love Agatha for noticing, though. "Ags," she gasped, her voice very small, shaken back to the present, breathless and beginning to tremble.

Tell me more, she begged of the universe. Tell me how it happens. Tell me how to stop it.

It did not answer her, nor did she expect it to. If there was anything Rio knew about the universe, it was that it did not move at her whims. She was nothing more than a tool of the natural order, an incarnation of green magic and the cycle, a psychopomp meant to guide souls to their natural place.

She begged anyway. That was what love was, to know she could change nothing and try anyway.

And then Agatha was there, arms around her, pulling her into a tight, protective embrace, certain that she could shield Death regardless of the cause of her distress, for Agatha had always believed that the universe would bend to her every whim if she merely insisted forcefully enough.

It was one of the things Rio loved most about her.

"What is it?" Agatha asked, warm hand against the back of Rio's neck, gathering, stroking, soothing.

"Tell me you love me," Rio whispered, suddenly frantic with the need to hear it, to be reassured of something she rarely doubted, for all that Agatha hated to say it. "Please."

Agatha pulled a slightly disgusted expression, the same one she'd had upon taking a bite of the apple, but for once, didn't protest or complain about being asked to admit her feelings aloud, a sign of how seriously she was taking this. "Of course I love you," she murmured. Her hand cupped Rio's cheek, meeting her eyes and there was an intensity to Agatha that could drown even Death. "Above all else, my heart, you know that. What is it, what do you see? Tell me and we'll face it together." Her lips quirked in the smile Rio loved so much, the smile of a madwoman who believed with complete certainty that she could do anything she set her mind to.

Rio believed that too.

"It was nothing," she lied. "A small premonition, nothing more." It was one of the few times she'd ever lied to Agatha, but she couldn't bring herself to say the words out loud, for fear of speaking truth into the world. She could tell the other woman didn't entirely believe her, but she only squeezed her hard, pressed nose and lips to Rio's cheek, a wordless reassurance that threatened to crack something in Rio's soul.

"It's all right," Agatha murmured. "I've got you. I'm right here and I do," even now she struggled to say it, but she did manage, a sign of how much she did care. "I do love you so."

Rio pressed her lips to the other woman's hair, fought the chill with the warmth of the person she loved most in the world, but she could not fully suppress the thought that sprung to mind, unbidden and awful, never to be spoken aloud.

Tell you love me now, beloved, for there may come a time when you no longer will.

Want something cute? Try conversations in the dark

Want something older and written pre-finale, but very romantic? Try scars

[pixelsinmyveins]

"I'm not having this conversation with you again, Glim. Your mother died of an overcharge due to her illness, she was reckless with her magic."

"But we both know she wasn't reckless. She was always mindful of it, scared of the burnout. There's no way she'd,-"

"-Enough, Glim."

Of course she knew of her mother's illness. After all, it had been passed down to her. It was a rare thing amongst magic wielders to have a burning soul, the most cruel of fates they'd say. As a caster, she was always feeling the need to use her magic, to release the energy burning in her fingertips. But because of the burn, the most simple of spells caused her to near an overcharge. Over time, the illness would eat away at her soul until at some point, there'd be nothing left of it, of her. Even the damned Grim reaper couldn't save her.

But the mystery surrounding her mother's passing ate away at Glim. There was more to the story, she was sure of it. And the scythe had something to do with it. If the stories her parents had told her as a child had any truth to them, her mother had been wielding that blade for a cause. What that could've been, she didn't know, but for some reason her father refused to talk about it.

She huffed in annoyance at her fathers strict tone. She deserved to know, she wasn't a child anymore. Her father could be overprotective, that she knew. She'd grown used to it over the years, of not being allowed to use much of magic. But this was different, she had the right to know whatever information he was holding back about her own mother.

"Fine. If you're not going to tell me, I'm going to find out for myself."

He sighed deep, pinching the skin between his brows. "I know you miss her…I do too, but we cannot change the past."

"I'm not trying to change it, I'm trying to understand. I know you father, better than you might realize and you're hiding something from me. Something important."

"My dearest…there's nothing I can,-"

"-Then I have nothing else to say, either. We can continue this conversation when you decide to put some faith in me."

He looked like he'd been struck, an expression of conflicting thoughts mirrored on his face. But before he could muster up an response, she stormed upstairs. A plan formed in her mind, and she would waste no time in executing it.

Ravenwood. Her family's old house. Her father had been too emotionally attached to the house to sell it, but it'd been to painful to stay. So the house sat there, empty and forgotten. If she was going to unravel the mysteries of her mother's life and death, that was a good place to start. It was time to pack up her things and go.