#tagging it late bc it’s not really part of the story at the moment

[ageofzero]

Also curious about The arduous Task of Living and Child of light, what those ones?

Momo you get one per ask just like everyone else kjlahsdfj rulebreaker over here

I was thinking about the title the other day and I don’t really like it anymore so now it’s a working title, but Arduous Task is my post-Dirge of Cerberus “and they were roommates” Genesis and Cloud fic.

That’s uh. Oversimplifying it a bit but I think it’s funny.

I’m gonna push my ace!Cloud and ace!Genesis headcanons, they’re gonna bond over Shared Trauma, Genesis is gonna be such a little bitch and AVALANCHE is still gonna adopt him like he’s a feral stray cat, there might be a strifesodos smooch. I’m excited.

I’m supposed to be working on a scene involving Gen pissing Denzel right the fuck off because he’s an abject disaster, but I’m working my way to that. I have two chapters finished, the third I’m in the middle of, and three more chapter titles and descriptions planned out. But here’s a snippet from chapter 1

…

"But you intend to contain me?"

"It’s not about containment, it’s about keeping you out of trouble." Tifa chimed in.

"If you knew anything about who I was, who I am, you would know you'd be out of luck in that regard." This time, Genesis noticed both Tifa and Reeve seemed remarkably calm about his threat to escape. They glanced toward Cloud, sharing some communication he didn't know how to parse.

Fine, then.

He was still unsure of his strength after who knew how long being in this hospital bed, but he threw the blanket off and got himself out of bed within the space of a breath. The machines whined as he pulled away from them, and he turned toward the door.

He felt a hand close around his wrist, and he tugged with his not inconsiderable strength to break the connection. It didn't work.

He looked down at the gloved hand, appalled, and followed the arm to Cloud. Cloud, who was up and standing beside him despite him intentionally putting the hospital bed between them. (He was shorter than Genesis expected.) Glowing Mako eyes glanced up at him, and Genesis tugged at his wrist again in furious response. The man looked like this was hardly a feat, to be restraining him. "You said you weren't a SOLDIER." Genesis glared.

…

I can’t wait to watch Genesis spin his wheels and get fcking nowhere with Cloud. Unstoppable Force, meet Immovable Object

#Askbox meme #wip stuff #Tega’s art #Final Fantasy VII #FF7 #Asks and answers #characteroulette #I could’ve chosen several different parts as a snippet #But I like Genesis being confronted with Cloud as The Strongest too much #Genesis is a bitch and I love him so much #Strifesodos #tagging it late bc it’s not really part of the story at the moment

[loserdiaz]

fuck it inspiration saturday! 💌

tagged by a few for fuck it friday @wildlife4life @alyxmastershipper @jesuisici33 @bigfootsmom @honestlydarkprincess @spotsandsocks @disasterbuckdiaz @diazblunt @wikiangela thank u, lovelies! 💗

sooo for inspiration saturday part i decided to post the banner for my rwrb au + a tiny lil snippet. (kels, look away)

"Shouldn't you be, I don't know, doing royal duties or something?"

"Royal duties?" Eddie chuckles and raises an amused eyebrow at him. "And what would these duties entail, according to you?"

"Make a poor employer miserable, count your gold, play some boring sport like golf or something. Walk around having no fun at all and think everyone is beneath you." Buck shrugs. "Clean your crown for the hundredth time. How would I know?"

Eddie laughs ruefully. "I think the miserable employer would be cleaning my crown in this scenario you made in your head."

"Why are you talking to me?" Buck bites the bullet, not wanting to go through any more fake niceties.

"Well… Sophia and Philip are shaking hands with pretty much every member related to royalty or people in politics, which is boring and dull and not something I'd do unless I absolutely have to." Eddie shrugs. "And Chim is flirting with your sister, so I thought you and I could talk and kill some time."

"We're not friends."

"I know we're not friends. I'm just trying to have some civilized conversation, Jesus Christ."

and for the fuck it part, i'm gonna share a bit of reincarnation au bc i've been thinking about it lately. so here, have some moodboards and a lil teeny tiny wee snippet under the cut.

Buck's heard the legends and the stories about soulmates. About how, if you find the person you're destined to be with, at the first touch you will just know it.

He remembers in fifth grade, his history teacher talked about how, if you're lucky enough to have a soulmate, the first time you touch that person you will remember all of the lives past you experienced with them.

At the time it felt like this sweet and amazing fairy tale— but just that. It's always been this kind of myth, this sort of fairy tale that people tell but no one has really experienced so far. A kind of distant thing that Buck never ever thought he'd experience.

Until Eddie reaches for his hand.

The moment their fingers touch, it's like a big lightning strike going through him. It's fireworks and a rollercoaster and magic, all mixing and brewing inside his heart.

It's poetry and flashes coming at him, playing in his mind like a movie right in front of his eyes.

tagging (no pressure): @buddierights @monsterrae1 @elvensorceress @cowboy-buddie @cowboy-buck @the-likesofus @bekkachaos @thewolvesof1998 @devirnis @starlingbite @dijkstraspath @heartshapedvows @prettyboybuckley @exhuastedpigeon @messyhairdiaz @shortsighted-owl @giddyupbuck @spaceprincessem @hippolotamus @transbuck @transboybuckley and anyone else who wants to do it! 💗

#rwrb au #reincarnation au #evan buckley #evan buck buckley #eddie diaz #buck x eddie #buddie #buddie fic #buddie wip #911 fic #911 wip #my wips #911 abc #911 on abc #my writing

[carpooling-the-internet]

Star Trek fanfic recs

A long list of some of my all time favorite Star Trek fics. Not in any order. I just combed through my ao3 bookmarks for fics that still resonate with me and really blew me away. I will try to tag the authors if I can find blogs for them. If you know an authors blog I haven’t tagged, please tag them!

I dont have the spoons to write lil reviews for each fic bc theres toooooo many but maybe I’ll come back and edit some in sometime.

And eventually I’m gonna make a list like this for Sherlock Holmes and a few other fandoms. Also want to make one specific to podfics. We’ll see what happens first! This took me way longer than I thought it would…

Recs below the cut!

Star Trek TOS and AOS

The Thousandth Man (56187 words) by Ophelia_j In the wake of pon farr, the events on Vulcan are weighing heavy on Spock and his Captain. But will their attempt to fix the problem only make things worse?

The effect of sucrose on Vulcans (2290 words) by Ophelia_j After a successful diplomatic mission, Jim begins to suspect there's something wrong with Spock. Some Old Married Spirk Fluff for the 2019 OMS Challenge, for the awesome plaidshirtjimkirk.

The Eleventh Hour (8551 words) by Ophelia_j During a joint lecture at the Academy, Spock senses that Kirk is growing tired of the secrecy around their relationship and takes steps to resolve the matter.

A Crazy Little Thing Called Love (14940 words) by VTsuion The development of Kirk and Spock's relationship over the course of The Original Series, told in a series of off-screen moments.

The World Turned Upside Down (24777 words) by Jenna Hilary Sinclair On a planet torn by civil war, Kirk must battle insurgents, a Vulcan Healer, and his own heartbreak to find his way to Spock.

The Ren shat'var Trilogy (184,403 words) by CateAdams A split-second decision changes Jim's life forever, as he enters into a bond with Spock in the face of certain torture. Enemies to the Federation emerge from unlikely places, and the command team must contend with unexpected threats, as well as challenges within their own intense relationship. In this three-part series, the Enterprise races across the galaxy to confront the unknown, and Jim and Spock discover the true significance of their unprecedented connection.

First, Best Destiny - Parts One and Two (387733 words) by Ophelia_j A novel-length retelling of original Star Trek canon through the lens of one of the greatest relationships ever committed to film. Using missing scenes, episode tags, and original story-telling. Ultimately a Generations fix-it.

All the Time in the World (27856 words) by LSPINGLES The death of Edith Keeler affects Kirk and Spock in different ways. Spock invites Kirk to come with him to Vulcan to heal. Along the way the learn something about their feelings for each other.

Spice (276553 words) by eimeo It’s a question of biology. Vulcan biology. The problem with falling in love with a member of an insanely private species is that it just might take you the best part of a five year mission to work out that the feelings are requited. And then you might discover that he’s already decided that the two of you can never be together. And what are you supposed to do if he won’t tell you why?

Fulfilling the Needs of the One (Or the Both) (8741 words) by plaidshirtjimkirk Spock begins to wonder if his relationship with Jim has been one-sided in his own favor.

Touch Upon the Wonders that You See (4071 words) by waldorph Sarek does not always understand his son, but that does not mean he does not love him.

Entering Orbit (30957 words) by museaway Jim escapes to Iowa to avoid the media frenzy following the Narada incident, but a late-night miscommunication results in Spock turning up on his front porch.

Something Smart to Do (21322 words) by kianspo In which Jim finds himself fake-married to his first officer every other month. It's not his fault. Mostly. Dowries and Klingons are involved. Starfleet is decidedly not amused.

Don't Stop Believing (205901 words) by kianspo The story follows Spock from his own days as a cadet at Starfleet Academy to the ‘present day’ when he’s Kirk’s first officer and the Enterprise is on its five-year mission. Essentially, the story of Spock’s first real love followed by the story of him finding the love of his life. Ad astra per aspera.

And Then I Let It Go (10632 words) by kianspo Post-Star Trek Beyond. The crew of the Enterprise gets a breather while they are waiting for their new ship. Jim uses the time to do something he had sworn he would never do.

The Lotus Eaters (93594 words) by aldora89 Stranded on the planet Sigma Nox while searching for a missing away team, Spock and Kirk find themselves pitted against a disturbing native life form. With the captain out of commission on a regular basis and Spock struggling to preserve his stoicism, staying alive is difficult enough – but when a slim chance for escape surfaces, their resolve is truly put to the test. Together they must fight for survival in the heart of an alien jungle, and in the process, uncover the mystery of the planet’s past. Slow build K/S.

Atlas (135529 words) by distractedKat Between what was and what will be stands James Tiberius Kirk, in all his fractured patchwork glory. Because saving the Federation was only the beginning. A novel-length continuation of the 2009 movie told in four parts. Cross-posted from FFN. PODFIC AVAILABLE! https://archiveofourown.org/works/652116/chapters/1187249

The Word Withheld (12032 words) by j_s_cavalcante After retrieving Kirk from the interspatial rift of "The Tholian Web," Spock realizes his oath to Starfleet and his service aboard the Enterprise are in jeopardy because he has denied to himself—and withheld from Kirk—a certain truth about the nature of the Vulcan relationship called "t’hy’la."

this is what happens when you save earth, apparently (5454 words) by WerewolvesAreReal “So, why haven't you settled down with some lucky lady yet?” the interviewer asks. Maybe it's the blinding set-lights, or the fact that he hasn't slept in thirty-five hours. But for some reason Kirk blurts, “Honestly, they all end up getting jealous of Spock.”

Four times the Enterprise Crew didn´t realize that their commanding officers were married to each other and one time they finally found out (4130 words) by razzleberryicedtea In which Spock and Jim casually forget to mention that they are married, and the Enterprise crew is too oblivious to notice on their own

A Star to Steer By (32043 words) by Borealisblue Kidnapped, injured, and headed towards Romulan space, Kirk could only be grateful that his last act was saving Spock from the same fate. And all it had cost was a stolen kiss.

An Open Secret (3495 words) by TransScribe Amanda Grayson knew her son. She could read him, easily. That might've been why she had suspicions about his relationship long before he said anything. It was more likely because subtlety was not a trait Spock had inherited.

the book of love (7297 words) by miss_frankenstein When yet another away mission goes awry, Jim and Spock are left stranded on a hostile planet with nothing to do but talk. What follows is a conversation about art and literature, life and death, love and friendship.

Take My Hand (My Whole Life Too) (5981 words) by pastmydancingdays Whilst in one of the most dangerous situations of his life, Jim Kirk came to a realisation that he should have had a very long time ago. Two, in fact, and he was about to let neither go to waste. A potential epilogue to Amok Time.

Ashayam (3378 words) by Willowe Spock knows he has no right to refer to Jim as any sort of endearment, even in the privacy of his own thoughts. If he had only listened to this logic he wouldn't find himself in this position, standing on the bridge having just called his captain "ashayam".

@ophelia-j

@razzleberryicedtea

@vtsuion

@plaidshirtjimkirk

@cate-adams

@pastmydancingdays

@werewolves-are-real

@eimeo-blog

@aldora89-blog

@museaway

@kianspo

@lspingles

@waldorph

@miss-frankenstein

#Star Trek #tos #aos #fanfiction #fic recs #ao3 #star trek the original series #star trek 2009 #star trek reboot

[nakanotamu]

Alright so I finished watching a Stardom show and I had a lot of thoughts about it and stuff I wanted to say and normally I would dump this all in my discord server but rn I'd feel weird about spamming this in there bc of brain reasons so tumblr gets it instead. So here are my probably needlessly long thoughts about Stardom's 2023.09.09 5 Star GP show from Korakuen Hall:

Alright so just right off the bat I'll say that this show was pretty packed (~1300 people) and the crowd was very hot and that... did nothing for me. Moments that make me feel very alienated from what is apparently the average wrestling fan, let me tell you. People make such a big deal out of loud active crowds and idk I mostly just found this one annoying. There's something about them being so audibly almost exclusively men that is really not fun. Rossy spent 10 years being so bad at appealing to women that I think it's fair to say it just wasn't a concern of his at any point, and Harada was absolutely gunning for a product in that same vein and it SUCKS. Oh my god it sucks. idk why it bothered me so much on this show, it's not like it's anything new, but it was really getting to me. I'm looking forward to getting to the show from, I think late November, when Kid specifically commented on how many women were there and seeing if it feels any different. Shout out to the one very loud woman who was a huge Komomo stan though, mood.

This show was originally billed as the Generational Struggle Part 3, the culmination of the Generational Struggle stuff from earlier in the Summer, a storyline that nobody ever understood and none of the wrestlers had any interest in, ultimately just completely dropped by the time this show actually happened, really emblematic of Harada's era of booking. I think this show stands out in a similar way, a peak of popularity and hype during a period where the quality was already starting to steeply decline, but before people had really noticed in numbers and before things had really cratered, with the wrestlers still mostly able to cover up the increasingly obvious holes. As such I think it's worth talking about as a shining example of this incredibly weird and bad period for Stardom.

Lady C & Hina vs Miyu Amasaki & Hanako - I like the sort of QQ vs QQ feeling to this match, but iirc it was one of those matches that were frequent at the time that had to be changed at the last minute bc someone was hurt or sick. So idk it was a fine opener though, no strong feelings but like it's the first match it's fine.

Mariah May & Waka Tsukiyama vs Mei Seira & Megan Bayne - Okay I hate to say it but Megan is kind of growing on me. I still think the way they brought her in was all wrong, and trying to push her for singles matches again later was still a mistake, but I do think she found a pretty entertaining niche in these less important tag matches. A lot of it is everyone else figuring out how to play off of her, and I don't really think it's a *good* thing when one wrestler warps an entire match around her every single time like she does, but in a match that's not all that important so there's less to detract from, yeah it's actually pretty fun. I just like seeing Mei Seira get thrown you know? Or when Mariah tries to knock her off the apron and she just doesn't move. It's annoying as hell when it gets her title shots, but in contexts like this, it's a pretty good bit.

Natsupoi & Yuna Mizumori vs Syuri & Saki Kashima - I'll talk more about it later but this whole undercard felt really disposable to me, which is always disappointing, especially given how much character Stardom packed into even their smaller matches before this period. Yunamon was in the middle of her joining CA story (still, somehow) and Poi and Syuri are always entertaining together, and they still are here with some fun spots and stuff, but I just didn't care. Like I said though, broader issues going on during this period so we do know why it was like that and I'll get to it later.

Mayu Iwatani, Koguma, & Momo Kohgo vs Natsuko Tora, Fukigen Death, & Rina - Again, perfectly servicable undercard match that doesn't really have anything fun or interesting going on under the hood, but we know why now so I'm not trying to like, criticize, just saying yeah wow it was bad huh. This was Komomo's second last match before she got injured iirc which is incredibly depressing, I don't think she even tagged in once during this match so she was probably already hurt and I hate it.

Mirai vs Saori Anou - God, okay, this match was kind of the one that made me think about typing up my thoughts about this show. I did not like this match anywhere near as much as I expected to. It just was not clicking for me, like, at all. This felt like a very clear "first time singles match", especially between two wrestlers who I guess don't really know each other outside of wrestling and haven't trained together or anything. There's a reason first time singles matches are rarely actually all that good and I really felt that awkwardness and lack of chemistry here. Mirai and Anou are both good so it was like, fine, but I was really taken out of it and unimpressed after I had assumed this would be really good. I do like Anou winning the white belt, and I do think Mirai's run needed to end bc it was not... working, but man I would not have devoted like Mirai's entire Fall to this feud after watching this match. Shining example of why you should put wrestlers together with people they want to work with and not just whichever names you think sound good against each other.

Hazuki vs Starlight Kid - This match on the other hand totally lived up to expectations. Hazuki and Kid obviously know each other super well and are both freaks, it was great. Brawling through the crowd always gives me kind of, idk, a sort of secondhand embarassment feeling? It just feels wrong my brain doesn't like it but I still appreciated what they were doing with it, with Kid angry and desperate and trying to prove herself more intense and bad than Hazuki. Hazuki always looks amazing getting tortured in submissions, and Kid's whole gameplan being trying to build to the Black Tiger Leg Killer makes sense. I couldn't actually remember who won this so I was even biting on the near falls at the end and liked Hazuki's quick, desperate win. They're both so great and I liked this a lot.

Tam Nakano vs Suzu Suzuki - This was like, the exact opposite of Mirai vs Anou to me. It still had a little bit of that first singles match awkwardness I think, but the amount you would expect given that's what it was, and they both brought enough to compensate for that. Tam really does have the same chemistry with "mini Giulia" as she does with the big sis herself and this match was really great for it. Again exactly opposite to Anou vs Mirai, this match totally would have left me excited for a title match program between these two - which ofc unfortunately never actually happened. I think the booking was incredibly stupid though, because of course it was, but why give Suzu the win over the champ to build to her winning the tournament and... earning a title match she already earned with this match? I guess there is the possibility that as people seem to believe Utami was meant to win and Suzu was an audible when Utami got hurt, which would make some sense booking wise. I still think Utami winning would have been extremely nonsensical from a story standpoint, but all the rest of Harada's booking was disjointed and very obviously ignored story too, so it would be consistent in that way at least. But anyway, I really enjoyed this match.

Giulia vs Maika - Wow, man, I liked this match so so much more than I was expecting to. Idk why it quite feels like this because I haven't skipped any of these shows, but if 2023 was the Maika starmaking year, this was the match where her popularity really felt like it exploded basically overnight. Like she was already liked, but this match out of nowhere was where it was suddenly like, oh my god Maika is SUPER popular, god damn. I think all of Giulia's singles matches have some holes, like, I wouldn't exactly say she is "good" at "selling" even at the best of times, but Maika is really good at compensating for her weaknesses, and most importantly the match really really excels at her strengths, namely intensity and homoeroticism. Given the things I've heard or seen I think this might be the last Giulia singles match I really enjoy, uh, either in her time in Stardom or possibly ever, but still if it does turn out that way for me, what a note to go out on. Really really fantastic, I thought this match was great, even if the story stuff and the booking around it was extremely inconsistent and stop and go with a whole Giulia vs Maika storyline they teased repeatedly and clearly wanted to do and never actually got to. At least they got to do this one.

Which I guess brings me to how weird this period of Stardom was. There have definitely been times I've wondered myself why I'm so dedicated to not skipping anything even when I don't exactly think it's fantastic, but I don't know, I still want to see what it was like, you know? I want to see what the wrestlers cared about even when there was no guarantee at all the booker would pay attention to any of it. There are definitely still good moments, even if there are a lot of bad and a lot of it is disjointed and weird around it. I just want to see it for myself.

I did improv in high school, and I remember after regionals one year we tried to do our regular weekly practice the next week, and it was terrible. Everyone was just creatively tapped and needed to recharge too badly, but we didn't realize that at first, and there was just this feeling of like, "we're doing the same things we always do, why isn't this working?" A lot of stuff from this period gives me the impression that that's how the wrestlers were feeling during this time.

The next show, on September 10th, was Dream Tag Fes, which seems to me to sort of be when this era of Stardom jumped the shark. (And I say that as someone who used to be way too much of a nerd about sitcoms and is extremely specific about what that term means.) The one last truly top to bottom great show for this era of Stardom, amidst some decline already starting to show, before the management issues and terrible schedule would become too much to ignore and they wouldn't be able to reach those heights again. I mean I think they're already on their way back up, I'm glad Harada has already been fired and Rossy being gone too is a bonus, but for this period at least. I might skip some stuff in the future, I know at least the Money Ball Scramble that was a mess where they didn't even run by the wrestlers what was in the boxes for sure, but I don't know, I still worry about missing out on the good stuff too, you know? That's my problem with wrestling, I'm so quick to tell others there's no actual obligation to watch everything, and yet I feel it myself. But even if it was another one that was all over the place, I'm still glad I watched this show.

#kind of been missing talking about wrestling and blogging so ig this is a little bit to scratch that itch

[hircinesanters]

One Kiss (Miraak x LDB)

Hiii so I wrote a bit of a warmup (that turned out really long oops) about my Dumner LDB Falas, a priest of Mara who took a vow of chastity and Miraak having their first kissy kiss.

Tagging my mutual @argisthebulwark bc they wanted to read abt them if/when I did write abt them so

Also @maldov bc they love Falas :>

[NOT PROOFREAD]

It was late, and for one reason or another Falas couldn’t sleep. Usually after even the most stressful days he could sleep rather well after a few repeated prayers. But tonight seemed to be a different story.

Falas simply chalked it up to stress, but part of him knew it went much deeper. He knew, in the strange uncharted and repressed recesses of his mind…it was something else.

No, not something.

Someone.

He had decided to try and read to pass the time, but his gaze as well as his focus always found its way back to the small tent just a few feet away. Specifically upon the Altmoran who slept there. Miraak. His cheeks would redden if he looked too long, shame gripping him as he turned back to his dull reading. Sometime ago he decided to recite a prayer every time he looked.

The heart of Mara beats within my breast. Keep me and sustain me. Keep me and sustain me.

It was this quiet prayer that awoke Miraak. Falas hadn’t noticed just how loud and desperate the prayer had become. Not loud enough to wake Erandur or Lydia…but harsh enough to wake a man who had not slept in centuries. Falas’s ears twitched when he heard the rustling of furs, eyes bolting away and back down to “The Age Before Man.” But his hands were shaking, shaking with fear of being discovered. He didn’t know if he could handle Miraak’s teasing, he could feel his heart racing and his soul tug against his stomach. A fire in the pit of his stomach, a fire that hailed horns and wings and power that only something ancient could ever know. It stirred inside him whenever Miraak was near, stirred dangerously. It stirred away from Mara.

Once again he repeated the prayer, under his breath. All the while Miraak simply watched from his bedroll, not amused, not jeering, not even threatening. He just…watched him. Watched him with a concerned look Falas didn’t see.

When Falas opened his eyes, Miraak then frowned. His gaze seemingly annoyed.

“I do not believe watching me would defy your lady’s wishes.” His voice was just loud enough for Falas to hear.

Falas gritted his teeth, taking a deep breath. He must remain calm, he must allow the grace of Mara to flow through him. Let her warmth extend onto the world through him.

The Dunmer’s face placated, eyes serene with nothing.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you.” He answered, his voice was a bit more harsh than he would’ve liked.

“Nothing is wrong, I’m just reading a bit of history.”



“That is a lie and you know it, Dragonborn.”

He was already standing before Falas could muster up a response. He never minded being called Dragonborn, but when Miraak said it, it made them seem so distant. So formal and unfriendly, like they were still enemies.

But Falas could do nothing about it, and he deliberately averted his eyes when he caught a glimpse of his under tunic. Thin and barely covering his truly magnificent chest and broad shoulders. He had allowed himself to admit that Miraak was handsome, with constant reminders that his will and devotion to Mara was strong enough to make peace with the thought. But the dragon stirred nonetheless, and he felt that strangeness of their souls entangling around each other like vines. This pull, this…instinct. It was unlike any kind of feigning surface level attraction he had ever felt. Every moment around him was a battle within himself, and at times…his will had almost succumbed.

Still, he wished them to be friends. Dinya’s preachings of kindness and mercy echoing in his mind. It hurt him for Miraak to still be so hostile, but he understood. And there was no inner turmoil in his desire to help him in any way he could.

“I wish you wouldn’t say such things.” He said. “You know it hurts me.”

There was a truth in that, but only a partial one. The rest of it was that Miraak’s words, his banter, his accusations- they sparked something in him. It sparked up a pride he hadn’t ever felt since before he had been saved. His greatest sin Mara had said, was pride. It had taken decades to tame his ego, but he had done it all the same. But with Miraak, he could feel it puff out- becoming like that of the very thing his soul resembled. Haughty, selfish, cruel. But powerful, feared, ancient, beautiful. It took effort to remain true to himself when Miraak challenged him like this.

Miraak sighed, massaging his temples.

“Fine.” He sounded tired, too tired to fight.

Falas closed his book, pushing down the satisfaction that his submission rendered. He focused on his desire to help instead.

“Is there something you need?” He asked genuinely, already going to stand to assist.

Miraak shook his head, holding out his hand to stop him.

“No, no…” He ran a hand through his hair. “But, your company would be…appreciated.”

Falas couldn’t help but blush. Even if the request sounded rude, it made his heart warm all the same. Silently he thanked Mara for allowing this moment, and for the softness of Miraak.

He then gestured to the grass beside him.

“Please, feel free.”

Miraak sat down, the warmth of him radiating off onto Falas almost like a flame itself. It was still surprising how large Miraak was- even if Falas read of the differences between the Altmorans and Nords, it was a whole different affair to be in the presence of one; something he still wasn’t quite used to. His hands were practically the size of Falas’s face, and his body reminded him very much of the strength and prowess of the Gildergreen tree in the square of Whiterun. Looking at him was like staring right back into history itself, impossibly old- living and breathing history.

For a moment they simply sat there in silence, listening to the soft wind and rustle of the plains around them. Under the soft pale light of Secunda and Masser, the warmth and crackle of the fire. A rare moment of peace between the 2 Dragonborns.

“The stars have changed.” Miraak then remarked.

Falas glanced at him, following Miraak’s gaze to the sky. Countless stars twinkled back, The Warrior almost at its zenith.

“How so?” Falas asked, turning back to him.

Miraak pointed to The Warrior, brandishing its shield and axe tothem.

“In my time…” His voice faltered, as if the words seemed foreign.

“It has shifted forward. Now more to the left.”

Falas looked up again, squinting and tilting his head a bit as he tried to get a good look. But he couldn’t see it, The Warrior had always been the same to him. Their movements are constantly and carefully tracked by astronomers as well as farmers.

“I think that’s just our perspective here on the ground.” Falas comforted.

“Perhaps.” Miraak responded.

He then sighed once again, eyes falling to Falas. Trapping him almost in his gaze. The mer’s heart began to beat heavy and hard- uncomfortable now with what was to come.

The heart of Mara beats within my breast.

Miraak looked away for a moment, freeing Falas from his gaze finally. Like he had decided against speaking. Falas felt himself let out a breath of relief, turning back toward the fire.

“I do not wish to fight you anymore.” Miraak then said, he said.

“As do I.” Falas agreed.

Miraak huffed. Then shifted a bit where he sat, clearing his throat a little.

“But, I have something to ask of you.”

Falas immediately turned to him, already preparing to assist. But the look Miraak gave him sent a shiver up his spine. There was an untapped softness in them, a quiet yearning almost found in those strange green eyes. It was almost totally unfamiliar from the crudeness and haughty smirks he would usually regard him with. It felt vulnerable, and yet sinful all the same. It made him flush and struggle to look back, the war once again beginning to rage in him.

Keep me and sustain me.

“What is it?” He answered gently.

“Kiss me.”

Falas almost physically lurched backwards, gasping in both shock and horror. He wanted to cry and scream, scream for Mara for protection- for strength. For anything to make the dragon sleep again, to keep his thoughts pure- to keep his thoughts of her. To not stray from her guiding love and light, to not stay awake at night pondering Miraak’s flesh and lips and eyes and-

He couldn’t form any words, just shaking his head. He needed to go to bed, he needed to go to bed now. In the morning he would repent. In the morning this would have never happened.

But just when he went to stand, Miraak grabbed his hand. Tight enough to keep him from leaving but not pulling him back.

“Falas, hear me.”

It was so rare for Miraak to use his name. It made the priest’s heart race even faster, his soul tugging against him. It was as if half of him was tugging back toward him; his body, his soul, even his heart. But still he didn’t move, he didn’t turn.

“I implore you.” Miraak then urged.

Falas’s brown was knit tightly, facing away from Miraak he looked as if moments from crying. Crying in his defeat. If it would help him. If it would end the violence between them, heal Miraak and placate him enough…

Falas sat back down, not meeting his eyes.

“Why?” He asked.

Miraak scooted closer, thumb stroking the back of his hand.

“Because, it’s me,” He said quietly. “Because it’s your destiny.”

“Mara forgive me.” Falas whispered, almost in utter despair.

Miraak hushed him, his other hand gently pulling his chin up to look at him.

“Just one kiss, nunon gien, mal dovah.” His voice was intimate in ways Falas had never known, in ways that he should not know.

“Surely your lady would understand..”

But it was smooth, and he was warm, and inside him Falas felt the dragon pacify. He could not disagree, nor could he deny. Lady Mara would understand, she would…she must. Their souls were intertwined, tangled within each other- and until Falas found a way to untangle them, he had to do this.

Just one. Only one. Just this once.

“Alright.” Falas said, his voice shook. “But only one.”

Miraak nodded, the hand that was on his chin moving to his cheek.

“Nunon gien.” He repeated.

Slowly Miraak leaned in, Falas not pulling back as their lips met. Soft, pure as a white dove. But Falas found himself not letting go for a moment- not even when Miraak began to pull away. He preserved the moment longer than he should’ve, getting lost within his own sinful indulgence.

When they did pull away, Falas couldn’t look him in the eye- flustered and ashamed beyond anything. And quickly excused himself off to his tent to sleep. Tomorrow he would head to Whiterun to repent, and would ask for Mara’s mercy and help to guide him back to her path. He had failed her test of loyalty, and he would not rest until he had redeemed himself.

#tesblr #skyrim #the elder scrolls #tes v skyrim #tes v #skyrim oc #falas #skyrim npc #miraak #miraak x ldb #miraak x dragonborn #miraak x reader #skyrim fanfiction #my writing

[forabeatofadrum]

Hello folks! Happy Out of Touch Thursday. I am a day late, because yesterday I was out and about all day, so thank you @facewithoutheart​, @confused-bi-queer​, @wellbelesbian​ and @artsyunderstudy​ for the tags.

It is actually a great timing, because today I found out that I have passed my thesis! Guys, I think I just kind of graduated university. My advisor sent me this:

Not going to lie, I expected a better grade (I got a 6.5), but you know what, I accept it. I had a lot of problems with my thesis and I most of the time felt like I had no clue what I was doing, so I am glad that I made it. Not only that, but I had fun doing it, most of the time. The real grade is the friends we made along the way or something.

I will make sure y’all can read it if you want. As mentioned, I can put it in my university’s thesis repository, but then it’ll be in Dutch so I will translate it for my “international audience”. I do want to come back to this question: do you guys think it is allowed on AO3?

Anyway, the moment I handed in my thesis on Sunday I just started fic writing. I even made a meme about it, because of course I did. I’ll put the snippet under the cut with the weather.

So yeah I just finished 6 chapters of Ljubim te but not the upcoming one. Fun. I also worked a bit on the Quinn side-story, because yes, there is a Quinn side-story. Not only that, but I have gotten ideas for the final chapter and then it’ll be over.

I actually hope to have this fic finished before I go on vacation, because that would be lovely, but I am not going to force it. I’m glad I am finally seeing the end, because I am excited to share the story with you.

Here’s some stuff from Ljubim te to begin with:

“Oh, there is a hat shop over there,” Kurt says after Quinn’s detailed everything about her fancy beret. It’s a bit on the nose, but it is stunning and it keeps the sun out of her eyes. “You should check it out.”

Kurt gives Quinn the route towards Rikoma, Miha Kotar s.p.

Quinn beams towards Blaine.

“Oh babe, I keep telling you to not slick back you hair, so that you can wear a fancy hat as well. We should go there!”

Kurt’s stomach churns when he hears the term of endearment.

Kurt and Quinn await Blaine’s reaction. It’s an out. They’ve had their dinner and they can go. Kurt has given him a way out, and he didn’t even mean to. But to Kurt’s surprise, Blaine declines.

“How about you check it out,” he says to Quinn.

“Oh. Okay.” Quinn seems as surprised as Kurt.

Yes, Quinn is a hat person in this fic. I don’t know when that started, but it first because the hat shop is actually really nice. AND the new VIGÒ store is apparently next to it. In fact, when I saw the location of the new VIGÒ my first thought was: “No, the hat shop is gone???” but it isn’t. They’re neighbours.

And now, the weather: @quizasvivamos @blurglesmurfklaine @coffeegleek @esperantoauthor @otherworldsivelivedin @caramelcoffeeaddict @sillyunicorn @bazzybelle @dragoneggos @raenestee @tectonicduck @nightimedreamersworld @urban-sith @thnxforknowingme @captain-aralias @you-remind-me-of-the-babe @takitalks @justgleekout @cerriddwenluna @tea-brigade @ivelovedhimthroughworse @moodandmist @whogaveyoupermission @bookish-bogwitch @aroace-genderfluid-sheep @ionlydrinkhotwater @1908jmd @special-bc-ur-part-of-it @larkral @chen-chen-chen-again-chen @cutestkilla @martsonmars @shrekgogurt @boyinjeans @rockitmans @bitbybitwrites @whatevertheweather​ @nightimedreamersghost​

#thesis lol #wip wednesday #tagged in

[elleloquently]

hi guys <3 since invisible string has wrapped up, there's been some things on my mind lately that have made posting a little less fun than i would like... i figured that i sort of just wanted to get it off of my chest before i dive into my next fic. i sort of feel like an ass for even mentioning this stuff but i've seen so many other writers having the same issues as well.. nobody has to read this at all - i guess this is just a clue to where i'm at and my relationship with writing on tumblr right now. this might be a bit of a doozy so i do apologize, i don't mean to sound whiny but truly i just want to get it off of my conscience.

also i want to stress that this has nothing to do with the people that have been continuously kind - i've been reading ur messages and comments regarding the final part of invisible string and i am quite literally over the moon with happiness, ilysm

firstly i want to say that you, my readers, have been so lovely. i know my account is not huge and i do not complete requests in a timely manner, but you all have shown me so much love and positivity that i cannot even fathom. i feel silly talking about "negative" things bc all of the love and support that i receive significantly outweighs the bad, but unfortunately i'm only human.

i've seen countless other writers talk about this as well, but the interaction blues are so real. it feels so contradictory to say this because all i'm doing is typing a silly little story, a fanfiction, at that, so i am absolutely nowhere near being a sophisticated writer... therefore i do not at all feel entitled to reblogs or comments or anything of the sort. but at the same time... it is so discouraging to work so hard on a piece, trying to frame it just right and even adding moments thinking, they'll love this... only for the notifs to be flooded with only likes and demands for a next part. and i absolutely know that these readers mean no ill intent whatsoever, it just feels disheartening at times, like guys can we please just appreciate one thing at a time? it almost makes the writer feel like they haven't done good enough, and it's such a shitty feeling after working so hard. just please remember that tumblr writers are people, we're doing this in our free time and writing for free (despite the silly little tumblr tip jar feature) - if there's a piece or a writer that you enjoy, please let them know! comments, reblogs, messages, all of those do so much to help support the writer and it's so encouraging.

the next point being, the echochamber that is fanfiction. i've pretty much fooled myself if i thought that i could come on here and have a solely original idea. it is still so frustrating sometimes despite how hard i try not to take it seriously. it does feel stupid to take fanfiction seriously but anyway... lately i've been torn between supporting all of the amazing writers on this app and the feeling like i don't want to read anything that appears in the ellie tag anymore. i can be working away at a piece for weeks, and then read someone else's work that has something similar and i feel like i have to delete the things that i've worked on because i never want to seem unoriginal, especially when you're on the flip side of it.. it sucks. it feels like you have a special idea, no matter how big or small, and the second that you post about it, it's everywhere. again, the echochamber. i'd be hard pressed to be able to put something out that someone else hasn't also done, or to put something out and not have other people use it too. it still just feels stressful sometimes, trying to make something about your work special so other people want to read it.

which brings me to my next thought... writing for engagement versus writing for fun. obviously we all want our work to be supported. it's sad when you work hard and it's just not. so yes, always support your writers. but with that, i really want to try to keep that joy in writing, and to not get overwhelmed. my next fic is going to be purely for fun. it is frankly so annoying to research the game or replay it over and over just to make sure every single detail is perfect. that isn't fun to me, i don't want to make something that is word for word and scene for scene something that already exists. i want to make it my own, with different worldbuilding and details for my own storytelling. if you're someone who has an issue with creative changes or inaccuracies from the game- my works may not be for you, and that's okay. i'd rather miss out on some readers than have people comment about something that is wrong.

i know this is all so much and it is a bit ridiculous, i don't think i'm the only one though. it gets a bit much to play into the social aspect of this community, not just writing but trying to appeal to everyone or making sure that all of the other accounts like me.. which just, isn't always going to be the case. with that being said, please remember that i'm a person and i have a job and i'm in college, it's hard to get on tumblr and write when i have huge essays due every night. just keep that in mind, if it takes me a long time to update or post it's not because i'm purposefully trying to make you suffer, there's just other things going on. please have courtesy for writers, please support writers. with all of that being said, i do hope i don't come off as a total drag. again- to all of you who have been nothing but kind and supportive, i love and appreciate you all so much. you are actively making this community and this hellsite a better place, so thank you for that.

much love,

<3 elle

#elle 💭💌

[ashes-writing]

wild one pt four | stranger things ; g.emerson

tag list babes || req rules + fandoms/characters; reqs open hcs nsfw/sfw abcs || got a req or ? || masterlist

CHAPTERS ; 

one - two - three - can all be found by clicking. stranger things masterlist -that needs to be updated just a lil bit oopsie, that's here.

AUTHORS NOTES;

So this chapter kind of.. came out of several different ideas I had all at one time so I just combined them. I hope nobody wanted a really slow paced story because this one might not be that. Like I said yesterday, oops rip, this story has me in a chokehold rn. BUT.. i will be posting / updating other ones and uploading other content soon, I s2g. Also, the next chapter I'm seriously gonna try to do some of Gareth being a big brother bc I enjoy doing that.

I love you all so fucking much, you really don't know how much your interactions with my bullshit truly mean to me, I swear. You don't know how much the comments / reblogs and reblogs with tags / likes really do keep me motivated a lot of the time and I can't thank you enough. Thank you so so so so much.

SUMMARY;

-- cheerleaders and drummers don't mix... or do they?

PAIRING;

Gareth Emerson x Fem!Reader, (beyond outfits / personality and having female parts currently and at birth, reader has no physical description)

Reader is a cheerleader / badgirl hybrid.. kinda?

WARNINGS;

Reader's car does do pretty well at throwing these two together here, swearing -lots of it, girls fighting / arguing + some really shitty takes on what's acceptable for reader to do as a cheerleader, it's hinted that reader has / does hitch rides now and then and all I can say is that it's the 80's and it was a different time / a small town.. Do not do this shit though it's dangerous, the world is definitely not the same as back then and I do not endorse hitchhiking. Mentions of an injury. Awkward flirting / little moments, if you squint, smoking -nicotine,rn and that's it.

TAGLIST;

@aurumbelis

@allelitesmut

@aries-arcade

@cole22ann

@ebonybloom

@heyaitsklaudia

@hcloangcls

@hoeshii

@icequeen1371

@krys-orion

@letsbedragonstogether

@louderfortheback

@musichealsscars

@secretsicanthideanymore

@scoobiessnacks

@thechoiceslookgrimm

@untitledarea - these are all the names on my stranger things taglist. if you'd like to be added, please click the link at the top of the post.

OTHER STUFF;

set in S4 but the Upside Down / Vecna / the other stuff and the deaths do not take place here. Gareth is 18 here, also. So is reader. This is slice of life -but I might take inspiration from some of the other parts of the show that happened (ie, the fight in Gareth's garage, maybe, idk yet.)

The loose timeline here is that this chapter is two/three days after the previous one. Oh and and.. my own bit of a turn on personally is in here. When a guy backs out a vehicle like this kinda.... iykyk.

The car absolutely won’t start. You’ve tried jumping it off, you’ve tried cranking it numerous times and nothing. You’ve threatened it, you’ve pleaded with it and still nothing…Not even the smallest hint of a sign of life from the engine. And any other day, this would be totally fine. But today is your fifth day of cheer camp and you woke up late to begin with.

You’re poking around under the hood and grumbling, with your dad’s wrench set open and  sitting under the hood, one in your hand. Parts of you are just tempted to start wailing on the engine with the wrench in your hand, but you decide against it.

You’re already late enough. If you just go ahead and walk to Hawkins High now, you might not have to run until your legs fall off for the second day in a week. But you are your father’s daughter and you’re determined. This car is not going to best you.

You’re standing there with the wrench in your hand, raising swearing to an art form when a throat clears from nearby. When you go to look up, you hit your head against the raised hood and raise a hand, resting it against the top of your head.

Gareth Emerson is standing there, leaned against the streetlamp right beside your trailer. He nods to the car. “Something wrong?”

“This whole fucking car, basically. Having thoughts about just shoving it over the cliff up at the quarry.” you answer, dragging your hand against your forehead to wipe away sweat already starting to gather as you sit down the wrench and grumble to yourself that it’s totally fine, you never wanted to feel your legs again anyway.

Gareth doesn’t say anything, but he does chuckle to himself. You wander over to where he stands, leaning against the back of your car for a moment before hoisting yourself up to sit on it, packing the cigarettes you’d grabbed from beneath the hood and tearing the wrapper open with your teeth.

You hold out the pack to him and he takes one. You dig around until you find your red Zippo and flick it open, striking up a flame to light it. You slip off the hood and stop in front of him, lighting the cigarette between his lips. You put the lighter on the back of your car and exhale a plume of smoke as you lean back against it a little.

For a few seconds, neither of you really says anything.

“I should probably start walkin.” you say it with a laugh, “Because between the walk into town and the laps I’m going to be given for a second time this week, yeah… I’m gonna want to saw off my own legs.”

“I’m going that way.” it’s out before Gareth can stop it or take it back.

Your brow raises and you bite your lip, gazing at him. “It’s probably out of your way.”

“Just c’mon. So you’re not trying to hitch a ride again like I saw you doing outside Starcourt.”

And that damn tone. He says it so firmly. Blue eyes fixed on you expectantly. You can’t help but squirm a little as you feel your legs clench and your panties start to get just a little wet.

That fucking tone he's using on you, it’s a weakness you didn’t realize existed for you, it has to be because when you open your mouth with every intent to protest again -because you don’t want to further annoy him or anything like you seem to be so good at, instead of your usual resistance or the polite protest you intended, what comes out instead is a quietly uttered and softer spoken, “‘Kay.” as the bubble you’ve blown with the slice of gum you slipped into your mouth seconds ago pops loudly.. The answer you’ve just given him sounds more like Chrissy or Em than you and this has you blinking at yourself as you try to puzzle out where it came from exactly.

One of you has stepped closer to the other too, and you don’t remember moving at all. He makes himself taller and it feels like he could easily engulf you and you’re noticing how your forehead stops just above the center of his chest and this sends your mind racing. You’re trying to pull it together but nothing’s working because you’re too distracted by the scent of his shampoo, the way he keeps stepping closer, him, to really accomplish anything.

He reaches out before he can stop himself and he drags his hand across your forehead as he turns red in the face, flustered at the feel of your soft skin under his hand for a second time this week. 

“You had grime on your forehead.” he clears his throat and then nods to his truck still sitting in Eddie’s yard. “C’mon. I was leaving anyway. I uh..” he raises a hand against the back of his head  after thumping his cigarette into the middle of the rocky dirt road that leads into and out of Forest Hills and he stares at you a second or two, distracted, “I saw your hood raised.”

You swallow down a lump in your throat and again, you find yourself just full of compliance and it shocks you a little.

Chrissy and Em are the sweet little docile ones. They’re sugar, you’re spice. What you’re doing now isn’t what you’d normally do and the fact that somehow, you are, that has totally thrown you for a loop. He stops to glance back at you after realizing you’re still standing in place. “You comin?” he asks, a brow raised.

In that same tone. Firm. 

Before he even realizes that he’s done it again, he’s said it just a little too firmly, a little too tense and he wants to kick himself because he doesn’t want you to think he hates you or anything and yet, every time he’s around you, he gets tense and it just happens. If it’s not his face, it’s obviously going to be the tone of his voice.

You’re walking over to his truck on autopilot and it registers that he’s done it a second time somehow around the same time your hand closes around a hot metal handle and you yank it away, hissing and shaking your hand, opening and closing it as you glance up and scowl at the bright blue sky overhead. “I miss the rain. And fall. I’d even be okay with snow right now.” you mumble, mostly to yourself and mostly because you’re still wrapping your head around what’s going on right now.

“Burn your hand?” he asks, gazing at the way you still have your hand against your chest while trying not to let his gaze linger a little too long or anything. You nod. “Yeah. It’s fine.” you shrug it off and get into his truck, settling into the passenger seat with your head leaned back against the headrest. 

The truck starts and Gareth backs out of the driveway, not thinking about what he’s doing as he does it, slipping an arm across the seat so he can glance back instead of using the mirror. You’re trying not to stare or anything, but you can’t help it. A finger catches in the bottom of your left ponytail and you pop another gum bubble. He happens to glance right at you and you want the floorboards to open and suck you through, burning hot under his gaze. You’re quick to look down, staring intently at the short orange shorts  you’re wearing for cheer camp with their green banding around the legs. Toying with the green strip quietly.

The tension is thick, it’s almost so that you can’t breathe. And it’s driving you crazy. The local rock station finally comes in clear enough that you hear one of your favorite Motorhead songs playing and you’re humming along, even thrashing your head around a little and you can feel the exact second his eyes fix on you beneath that one red light a block away from Hawkins High. He reaches out to lower the radio and you pop another bubble loudly. “Hey! Rude, I was listening to that.”

“You actually like this? It’s not just a defense mechanism?” Gareth questions, gazing across the seat at you, curious. He’d been wondering. He got the sense that maybe a third of the way you were was defense, it was posturing. The fact that you liked the same music only made that pesky little crush he’s been trying to fight off grow that much more.

You nod. Tense up a little, because you’re used to comments being made whenever you even hint you don’t like pop. Or pink. Or glittery and girly shit. What do people expect out of you? You were raised by a single father. The closest to a female influence in your life has been Angel, a bartender who works at the Hideout or Susan, your stepmother. You haven’t seen or heard from your actual mother since you were about two and you barely remember her. While other girls were playing dress up and dolls, you were fishing or playing by yourself in the woods near the trailer park. Out at dirt tracks with your dad when he worked in the pit for a year or two there  or down at the Hideout watching your dad play in pool tournaments every weekend.

You don’t know any other way to be and you’re not interested in trying to figure one out, either.

Gareth would die before admitting it, but the little crush that’s been coming back lately grows even more. He studies you intently. “I thought you liked Cyndi Lauper though.” he laughs quietly.

“Nope. Untrue. False. I like one song only because it’s in that movie The Goonies. I also like Corey Feldman but that’s neither here nor there.” you’re rambling because you’re distracted. Staring. Thrown into a total uproar and it’s new to you. “What part of me looks like a lil pop princess anyway, huh?” you pout a little and he chuckles.

“Yeah. I guess you’ve got a point.” he answers, going quiet. Hawkins High and it’s football field comes into view and you pinch the bridge of your nose. “Maybe I won’t strangle anybody today.” you mumble, mostly to yourself. Gareth hears you and before he can stop himself, he’s asking what is probably a really nosy question.

“If you hate it, why not quit?”

“Because if I quit, I’m trash and they win. I’m too petty for that.” you give him a little smirk as you reach for the handle in the door. You’re about to get out but Gareth grabs hold of your wrist gingerly to stop you. “Hey.” he speaks up. “Get a ride home. Don’t fuckin hitch.”

You let go of the door handle and lean across, fluffing his hair, sitting in the middle of the seat for a few seconds, close, but you wouldn’t mind being closer and you absolutely do not dare attempt it. You laugh and shake your head and you tell him “Relax! Even if I do, if anybody kidnaps me, they’ll bring me back in like… ten seconds.” you laugh again and go quiet when you see him giving you that warning look. You bite your lip and giggle. “You’re too easy to mess with. It was a joke, Gareth. I can call somebody or something. Or I’ll walk.”

“No. Get a ride. It’ll be hotter than this when you’re done here.”

And there he goes again with that firm tone. He wants to kick himself because one, he has no idea where it’s coming from and two, he’s pretty sure if you don’t think he hates or is annoyed by you now, the tone he’s used at least four times on you by now is gonna be what does it.

Your breath hangs in your throat and you nod. “Yeah, okay. Alright. I’ll get a ride.”

He seems to relax at hearing this and you fluff his hair one more time before crawling across the seat away from him and climbing out of the passenger door. You rush through the chain link gate and slip into the circle beside Emma and Chrissy.

“Did you just get out of Gareth Emerson’s truck?” Megan’s obnoxious when she asks, loud. Calling attention to both who you arrived with and the fact that you’re late. But she’s not done. “He’s a freak. We don’t mingle with them.”

You roll your eyes and you try to just ignore her. But she’s determined to keep going. “You looked a little too cozy too. You’re one of us. We have an image. Being seen with Gareth Emerson is an image problem. We don’t mingle with freaks.”

Your jaw clenches at the same time as your fist. You almost feel like you’ll have to sit on your hands to keep from just taking a swing. You raise a hand and rub the bridge of your nose. “One, he’s not a freak. Knock it the fuck off. Two, he gave me a lift because my car wouldn’t start.. Not that it’s any of your fucking business,” and you trail off, laughing. “I mingle with whoever I choose. You don’t own me. Got it?” you glance at her with a smirk, “Next time, keep your mouth shut until I tell you I want your opinion.”

The second that cheer camp is over for the day, you’re just ready to leave. You’re exhausted, your legs feel like they’ll fall off and they’re made of rubber because Megan blabbed to the coach about you being late and you’re covered in sweat. All you want to do is get home and shower.

You glance up at the road in front of Hawkins High and kick at gravel, grumbling to yourself. You wander over to the payphone and vending machines in front of the gym but about halfway across the lot, you spot Gareth’s truck sitting in the parking lot.

Emma nudges you. “Ooh la la.”

“He’s not here for me.”

“Why else would he be here, hm?”

“Hellfire? That game club… that’s it, yeah.” you mutter. Emma laughs, shaking her head no. “Sweetheart, there’s no way in hell they’re doing Hellfire meetings in this hellhole during the summer. They probably play at each other’s houses.”

You knit your brows together and mull it over. “The guidance counselor called him.”

“Yeah, if she wants to praise him for having good grades and perfect attendance, maybe.” Emma laughs as she shakes her head. You rub your forehead, wiping away sweat and grimacing because you’re practically soaked in sweat. You grumble quietly. “I’m telling you, he’s not here for me. I bet he’s not even in his truck. He probably ran into Jeff or Grant when they were done with band camp earlier and caught a ride. Yeah, that’s it. It has to be.”

“Okay, fine. But I’m telling you, he’s here for you.”

“And I’m telling you, he’s not.” you dig around in your pocket for the few dollars you’d shoved down into them earlier in the morning before leaving your trailer. You and Emma wander past Gareth’s truck and you happen to glance over and you see him sitting inside.

Ranting to himself, which makes Emma laugh and you stare a little bit, twisting the end of one of your half up and half down ponytails around your finger. She grabs your elbow and drags you over to the vending machine as she laughs. “The look on your face right now, oh my god.”

You flip her off and pout at her. “Oh fuck off.” you pop the tab on the soda you’ve gotten yourself when the machine finally spits it out. “I’m gonna go. Patrick should be out of that team meeting by now. I’ll call you tonight!” and Emma disappears, leaving you to stare intently at the road that runs in front of the two schools.

“He’s not here for me, there’s no fuckin way.” you tell yourself as you start to walk towards the road in front of the school. Every intention to walk home.

You’re just about to step onto the sidewalk when you feel someone grab your elbow from behind. You whirl around and find yourself looking up at Gareth.

You swallow hard and raise the soda can to your lips. “Hey.”

“Tell me you weren’t about to walk..Or hitchhike.” he’s stepping closer. Staring down at you, the way sweat makes your hair cling to your forehead. He knows he should probably step away, give you space, but he just can’t. Every time he’s tried, he only winds up stepping close all over again a second or two later. 

You laugh softly and shrug, taking another sip. “If you don’t ask, I won’t tell.” you answer, gazing up at him as you tilt your head to one side just slightly. His eyes settle on the way this makes your hair fall to one side, exposing your neck.  He grumbles to himself, you can’t really understand what he’s saying and honestly, you’re too busy staring too.

Which yes, you want to kick yourself for.

“C’mon. I’m going back to Munson’s anyway. Since Grant actually drove himself here today.”

You feel a little let down and you’re annoyed with yourself because of it. You’d tried to tell Emma that Gareth wasn’t here for you. You were right after all.

It was honestly kind of disappointing.

“It’s too hot to walk all the way back. Your legs have to be killing you anyway, I uh… Saw you running around the field when I pulled up again earlier.” he gives you a little smirk when he says it, chuckling quietly as he gazes down at you.

What he’s not saying is that one, he didn’t really have to pick Grant up because he knew damn well Grant drove himself to band camp, he always drives himself, and two, he may have gotten to the parking lot just in time to watch you when you were cheering. 

He tried to resist the urge, but when you made the little joke about hitching a ride later or walking in the heat, he couldn’t get it out of his mind and he grumped around all damn morning until Jeff threw his keys at him and told him to just show up before he drove the rest of them crazy. Which of course, he tried to argue his way out of, but he found himself coming by anyway. Because he just couldn’t fight the urge to do it, no matter how hard he tried to do so.

You nod, popping another gum bubble. Laughing softly. “You saw that, huh?”

“What happened?” he asks as the two of you begin to walk down to the parking lot where his truck is waiting. You laugh and shrug. “Megan Connor and I had a teeny difference in opinion. Then she decided to be a fuckin tattletits and ratted me out for coming in late.”

“What about? The difference in opinion, I mean.” Gareth asks before he can stop himself. You swallow hard and shrug. “Just dumb stuff. I handled it.”

“Yeah, I can just imagine.” he mutters. You pretend to be upset, pouting up at him with big eyes and a finger wound in the end of your ponytail. “What the hell’s that mean, huh?”

Gareth laughs quietly and shrugs. “I’m starting to see exactly why people call you fireball or trouble instead of your name now. But it’s..” he wants to kick himself because it’s not an insult, it really isn’t, it’s actually one of the things he finds really hot about you now, “It’s not a bad thing. I mean it, okay?”

You’re staring at him just a little too hard. His cheeks are flushed. You shrug and give him one of your little grins. “It’s really not. Nobody hurts me anymore.” you admit, going quiet. 

His truck comes into view and you stop on the passenger side. You lean against the door, gazing up at him. You spot Megan wandering past with Caroline Owens and Lynette Mercer and when Megan sees you both together, she gives you a disgusted look that has you grumbling under your breath, “Keep walkin. If you’re smart, you’ll keep walkin.”

Gareth glances back and chuckles. Catching the three girls glaring a hole through him and for some reason, it doesn’t bother him as bad as it normally would, he just rolls his eyes and turns his attention back to you. When you step even closer, a hand palm down against the front of his flannel shirt, he nearly chokes on air but he steps closer too, reaching an arm around you to feel around for the door handle.

Your breath hangs in your throat when you feel his hand against your exposed back.

Megan glares even harder and all you do is smirk at her calmly. “She thinks she’s gonna tell me what I can and can’t do. She’s wrong and an idiot.” you say it as you tear your eyes off of her and fix them on Gareth again. “I owe her one, she’s the whole reason my legs feel like jello right now.”

“Do you wanna sit?” Gareth laughs it out. “Didn’t you already have to run once this week?” he asks, gazing down at you. Gulping because it’s like that day in the pool when he got you out of the deep end all over again, body to body with you and it’s driving him a little crazier than he’d like to admit.

“Please?” you give him this cute little pleading look that he quickly realizes he is not as immune to as he thought up to this point. At least, not from you.

He opens the door and you climb into the truck, falling back against the seat. He laughs and starts the truck, slipping an arm across the back of your seat to back out again and you bite your lip as you watch him do it because there’s something hot about it. And the instant this crosses your mind, you’re trying not to actively think about it or anything.

When he glances over under the red light on the way out of town, you’ve got your head back against the seat with your eyes closed but you’re moving your fingers around to the beat of the song just barely heard through the static on the local station and humming along. He can’t help but smile a little. “Are you that tired?”

“Hm.” you mutter, opening your eyes. “I swear my coach actively tries to kill me.”

He snickers when you say it and you pout a little, reaching out to lightly swat at his upper arm. “Rude. It’s not funny.”

“Kinda is, when I’m at least halfway sure that you don’t try to avoid it.”

“Bite me.” you stick out your tongue at him. 

He almost responds with something clever, something bold like “Where?”, but he keeps himself from doing it. The dirt road leading into the trailer park comes into view and you really don’t want the ride to end. But you know he’s probably had more than enough of you for one day, so you fluff his hair and thank him for the ride back and you get out of the truck, wandering up the front steps and into the house.

Max and her friend Eleven pop up out of seemingly nowhere and you jump a foot in the air, the floor rattling just a little as you do it. You pout at them both.

“He gave you two rides.”

“One of them was probably because he thought you were going to hitchhike..” Eleven says it and Max nudges her, shaking her head.

“Wait, huh? No, he was supposed to pick Grant up but he drove or something.” you laugh softly, making your way over to the old puke green fridge to open the door, digging around for a Tab, a Sprite, something. You find a strawberry yogurt and you begin opening drawers to try and find a spoon.

“Grant always drives. His mom gave him her old car.” Max is looking at you with a brow raised. Eleven giggles at the confused look on your face. You peel off the foil wrapper on the yogurt cup and pull yourself up on the counter to eat. “Okay, no.. But he told me specifically, out of his own mouth that he came to pick up Grant this time. And he realized Grant drove.”

Max laughs and nudges Eleven, nodding at you. “See? See how oblivious?”

“Hey!” you exclaim, laughing. “I’m not.”

“You are, oh my god!”

“Okay, fine.” you pop the spoon into your mouth, “Set me straight. I’m assuming whatever you know was overheard at some point while you were with Lucas.”

“Okay, so.. Y’know how they get together in Mike’s basement to play DnD on Saturdays, right?”

You nod.

“Today, Lucas did it at his house. In that old treehouse out back. And at some point, he walked over to Gareth’s house to get a rulebook or something because Mike was being an ass again,--” Max pauses to laugh when Eleven frowns and nudges her and then she continues, “And while he was there, he happened to overhear Gareth going on a tangent about how crazy it is for you to hitch rides or walk. How it was too hot and lately, people have gone missing because they hitchhiked.”

You bite your lip. Listening intently, but with everything your step sister tells you, you’re trying to prepare a counter argument as to why it can’t be so.

“Apparently, he drove the guys crazy enough that around lunch, Jeff threw him the keys to his truck and told him to come and get you and that would solve all of his worrying and ranting.”

You nearly choke on the bite of yogurt you’ve just taken. “Wait.. huh?”

“He wasn’t ever there for Grant to begin with, Grant was with him the whole time. Will said the band director called it today because it got hot enough that one of the other freshmen in percussion just dropped on the field.”

“Okay, so he was just being nice.”

“Ugh! Seriously?” Max throws up her hands and Eleven laughs. “You were right, Max. She is oblivious.”

“No, I’m not. He’s just… he’s sweet, okay? That’s it. That’s all.” you insist, popping the spoon back into your mouth. Licking it clean as you swing your bare feet against the counter below where you sit. 

“Okay, what about the drowning incident, hm? Explain how that jerk Andy was literally right there and yet, Gareth, who was at least halfway across the pool, got to you when you screamed like a banshee.”

“How’d you..”

“You’re loud. The walls are thin. I heard you when you were talking to Emma about the way his hands felt.”

You groan. “Kid, you have got to stop listening through walls and doors.”

“No, actually, I don’t. You need to learn the difference between indoor and outdoor voice if you don’t want your stepsister to know that you think some guy’s hands feel amazing.”

“Jesus christ.” you laugh out, shaking your head. Stealing a look through the window facing Eddie Munson’s trailer. They were all out on the lawn now, passing around a cigarette.

When Gareth happened to glance right at the window you were staring in, you quickly step away, flatten yourself against the walls and laugh at how stupid you are to do it to begin with.

The dryer buzzing loudly drew you out of your little daze as you tried to both process what Max was suggesting and convince yourself that somehow, you were right and she was wrong. “Did you do laundry?”

“Eddie had to put a load on.” Max goes over and heaps the clothes into a basket that’s falling apart and is literally being held together by duct tape and hope and after she’s done this, she shoves the basket at you with a shit-eating grin.

“Go.”

“Maybe he’ll come get it.”

“Go, oh my god.” Max shoves you at the front door and you grumble, but you take a deep breath and step out. Walking across the hot dirt road barefoot. About halfway across, you feel something stab against the bottom of your foot and you put the basket down, picking up your foot.

It’s a little shard of glass.

You pick the basket back up and make your way over, knocking on the trailer door because Eddie and the others have all gone in by now.

Eddie throws open the door and you hold up the basket to him. Then you sit down in the doorway and lift your foot. “Damn it, ouch. Somebody’s gotta tell Dale and those other idiots to stop throwing their bottles out on the road.”

“Maybe if you wore shoes instead of walking everywhere barefoot, fireball.”

“Oh fuck you, Munson.” you grumble as your tongue settles between your lips and you try to pinch and push to get the little glass shard out of your foot.

“If you come inside, you can probably see better..”

“I’m fine, thanks.” you mumble, glancing up to bite your lip because you wind up locking eyes with Gareth, who was watching you with a raised brow. When he wanders over and nods to your foot you manage a sheepish, “Glass?” with a shrug before calling out to Eddie, “Still have that needle you borrowed to sew a patch on your vest, dude?”

Gareth sits down next to you. “Let me guess. You were barefoot.”

“Mhm.” you answer as he takes your foot into his lap and chuckles quietly. “I could’ve got it. Just needed a needle.”

What you’re not saying is you are a huge baby when it comes to pain. And you’re so used to patching yourself up it feels a little… strange to have someone else do it at this point. Eddie comes back out with the sewing needle you loaned him.

You go to reach for it but Gareth gets it. “It’s fine.”

“Just be still.”

“Gareth, it’s fine. Really.” you gasp when the needle’s sharp tip scrapes right against the tender skin that the little sliver is lodged below.

And you’re trying not to look like a giant baby or anything, but you can’t be still.

Gareth glances up at you and you try to go still. He ducks his head again, brows knit. Tongue jutting out between his lips as he focuses on getting the glass out more carefully.

You let your head fall back and tense up. “Ouch! Hey, can’t you do it less poke-y?” you whine.

“Sorry.” he mutters, glancing over at you. “Close your eyes and count to three, alright?”

“That’s not gonna–” you trail off  with your argument because he’s giving you that look again. You wind up closing your eyes and doing what he says and he laughs. “Got it.” he holds the tip of one of his fingers out to you to show you the tiny shard of glass he’s worked out with the needle a few seconds later.

You swallow hard and nod. Eventually removing your foot from his lap and leaning in just a little to fluff his hair again. “Thank you.”

Before he can respond in any way, you’re about halfway back across the road again.

And inside the living room, Eddie, Grant and Jeff are doubled over, nearly shaking in laughter. As their laughter dies, he gazes at Gareth.

“How’d you do that?” Eddie questions.

“What?” Gareth has a blank look as he stares up at Eddie, standing in the middle of the living room.

“You looked at her and she didn’t argue. Pretty sure her dad would like to know that one, buddy, because when those two get started, holy shit..” Eddie is amused. Studying Gareth intently as he rubs his chin. He has his suspicions but somehow, he doubts Gareth would believe him if he said them out loud.

#gareth emerson #gareth the great #gareth emerson imagine #gareth emerson fanfiction #gareth emerson x reader #gareth emerson x fem!reader #gareth emerson x reader imagine #gareth emerson x fem!reader imagine #// reader is a little handful here. #// oopsie daisy

[cryptids-lobelia-garden]

Lol sorry this is a day late I was honoring the April 1 strike for Palestine and then yesterday my internet was really slow and Tumblr draft edit wouldn’t work

Anyway.

Warnings: idk how these work please lemme know if I need to tag anything else but uh. Manipulative/kinda creepy whumper, a conditioned whumpee and his self destructive/self sacrificial tendencies, caretaker was hurt by whumpee in the past (not in a whump way just in a whumpee tried to destroy the world and caretaker had to stop him way) but he’s grown over the time they’ve been apart and come to understand the whumpee’s actions, uh. This is Pokémon and I’m going with a nuanced take of some of them are sapient and some aren’t and caretaker is very much a Pokémon, also whumpee is a canon character and might act OOC for. Reasons that will hopefully be revealed over the course of this month if I can get this challenge done :D oh also I follow canon VERY loosely bc there’s like three different canons and I’m here to have fun not to police my story writing so uh. Ye

Anyway, there’s also some mind control in there, some frostbite, some.. It’s like a chemical burn sort of, some dissociative panic attack flavored stuff, uh. Animal attack? Oh yeah and dismemberment lol- this one is. A little. Uh. Yeah

Oh and if you see these characters on another account ask that account if it’s me before getting upset bc uh. I have posted abt them on my main before

Anyway. Yeah. Enjoy this, uh. Please don’t judge me I can’t get these freaks out of my head hsjdjdjd

Day 1: Limp

Reunited Arc Part 1

~~~~~

It was supposed to just be a normal day off.

Cheri was headed to Celestic City to meet with a historian, to answer questions about Dialga and the Diamond Clan.

He’s taking the train, since he didn’t feel like walking all that way or making any of his Pokémon carry him.

It was supposed to be a normal day, but he sees a familiar face, and he has to do a double take.

Long blond hair, one eye covered, tied in its usual messy bun in the back. A shining silver eye, which is currently focused on a watch on their own wrist. Cheri would’ve guessed that was Cynthia, but he’s a guy, and he’s wearing a form-fitting black turtleneck tank top, a denim jacket over it.

The modern clothes on him are such a foreign sight.

But there’s no mistaking it.

Volo.

Cheri feels his blood freeze near instantly. A few people step away as the space around him begins to grow cold, a breeze of malice brushing through the air.

Volo hasn’t noticed him yet, and Cheri’s debating between just leaving and confronting the man.

Celestic Town is pretty close to Mount Coronet, but Cheri has prior arrangements. If he decides to go after Volo, he might not make it to the city on time, if at all. And someone guards the mountain now after Cyrus, right? So it’s not like Volo will be able to actually get there.

Unless he takes a path that isn’t through the caves. But even then, Arceus will be fine, they’re a god, it’s fine.

Maybe Cheri should just avoid all this and ride a bike to town. He left himself enough time to, after all.

But the train doors close, making Cheri’s choice for him. He can’t just say nothing.

So he steps forward.

“Hey.”

Volo looks up from his watch, eyes wide. “Hello- I’m sorry, am I in your way?” Who is this? He looks familiar..

Cheri shakes no. “You shouldn’t be here.”

Volo stops, staring at the stranger(?) for a moment. He knows me. Who is this? Usually, when people are angry at me in this time, it’s because they’ve mistaken me for Cynthia. But it seems like this one’s here for ME, not her-

His eyes widen. He goes pale. Takes a step back, his voice quiet enough that only the man in front of him hears it. “Cheri.” The one of the siblings I ESPECIALLY did NOT want to run into.

I don’t have time for this! Not now- of all the times I could have run into him, it had to be this last mission?

He pushes his thoughts aside, putting on a grin and trying to act like everything’s fine.

“Haha, it’s fancy seeing you here! What a coincidence!” I can’t do this right now! I’m on a time limit- this is THE WORST possible timing for this to happen, so of course it does.

“What a coincidence indeed,” Cheri says, voice low, taking another step forward as Volo takes a step back.

Volo’s smiling, that same pleasant grin Cheri remembers from all those years ago. But Cheri knows it’s a lie, can sense the fear coming off the man.

“Why are you headed to Mount Coronet? You and I both know you shouldn’t be there.”

“Listen, I can explain, but I don’t have much time- but I am not here for Arceus.” Cheri doesn’t seem convinced, so he keeps talking. “I’m here to protect Arceus, actually, from someone much worse than I am.”

“Hm. A likely story.” Cheri starts reading his emotions a little more.

“I swear on my life, that’s behind me.” Please, please, please please PLEASE believe me. I know you have every reason not to, after what I’ve done, but please just listen.

Cheri hums, thinking this over for a moment.

He doesn’t sense any lies from the man, strangely enough. He lets his magic push forward a little further, sensing for Volo’s intentions.

He doesn’t sense anything to do with Arceus at all, actually. No lies, no deceit.

Interesting..

Volo shivers as he feels a cold chill brushing through him, though the pleasant mask of a smile stays firmly in place. They reach their stop. I need to get away. He turns on his heel. “Well, I’ll be seeing you around-” Cheri’s hand is on his shoulder, and he tenses, breath catching in his throat. Please have mercy. Whatever you’re about to do, just don’t hurt me too badly.

Cheri’s voice is quiet, his expression grim. “You’re on a suicide mission, aren’t you.”

Shock, surprise. He shakes his head, smile growing strained. “Wh- how did you-” Volo clears his throat, turning back to smile at Cheri. “It doesn’t matter. No matter what happens, whether it’s him who dies or me, the problem will be over. And I’m probably not going to die anyway. Why?”

Cheri frowns, thinking that over for a few moments. Him? I’m assuming that’s who he’s saying he’s protecting Arceus from? If Volo dies, doesn’t that mean the problem isn’t technically over? Because we still have someone out there who’s willing to attack Arceus to further a goal. And if Volo, of all people, thinks this guy could KILL him, with Pokémon as powerful as his.. “..I’m coming with you.”

Why? What does he want out of this? “He is dangerous. You shouldn’t come with, he could kill you, and I am not worth it.” How much does he know? How did he know?

“Well, that’s all the more reason for me to come with.” If this guy really is as much of a threat as Volo says he is, I need to make sure this guy doesn’t get anywhere near the creation quartet. The two step off the train, and Cheri crosses his arms, head tilting to the side. “If you’re telling the truth, it sounds like this guy needs to be taken out.”

Volo looks up at Cheri for a second, opening his mouth to argue, and Cheri ignores his own annoyance, interrupting before Volo starts.

“I’ve fought gods. I’ve fought you. I’m sure I can take this guy out just fine.”

Volo frowns. “You should want me dead, you know-”

“No. Nope.” Cheri pinches the bridge of his nose. “Shut up with that, I’m not gonna listen to you talk about yourself like that.” Because as angry as I am at him for everything..

I can’t bring myself to hate him. Can’t bring myself to hate anyone, really, but ESPECIALLY not him.

We’re the same, after all.

Volo shuts his mouth, keeping the surprise off his face. I betrayed him and his siblings. Am I not just speaking truth? “..okay. ..I’ll explain while we walk, but we need to hurry.” I really am not worth it. But.. I doubt I’ll be able to talk him out of this. He always was stubborn, even more so than his sister at times..

What does he want, coming with me on this? Perhaps he’s just making sure I’m telling the truth about not being after Arceus, but then if he knows how dangerous this mission is..

..What should I tell him? What should I leave out? He needs to know at least some of the situation. Maybe if he knows it’s no real threat to anyone except me, he’ll leave the situation be? He knows I deserve this, after all, was on the receiving end of my worst mistake..

Cheri follows the man, who seems to be lost in thought, and he soon gets lost in his own. Who is “he”..? I could look into his fears and see.. no, that’s too invasive. Even for Volo.

..I really don't know much about him, Hisui was so long ago.. And even back then, he tried to avoid being around me as much as he could. He could tell I didn’t trust him. He hung out with Ana and Keyo much more often. But..

He looks up at Volo. Volo looks back, smiling that pleasant smile again. But it’s tense. Almost strained. Cheri gives as reassuring of a smile as he can, but it only seems to make the guy more tense, so Cheri looks away.

I’m pretty sure that this isn’t like him. He manipulated my siblings and I into helping him collect the Plates, avoiding the dangerous work for himself; it isn’t like him to do something so dangerous like this.

Cheri carefully looks at Volo out of the corner of his eye, studying Volo’s face for a moment. His eyes glow as he looks into Volo’s emotions, grimacing when he feels a wave of anxiety and self hatred and quickly stopping, pulling his magic away.

Whoa..

..He doesn’t feel the same. I don’t feel the sense of untrustworthiness I did back then.

I wish I had a hold on my powers then, because I don’t have any idea how different he truly is, I have no clue if that self hatred was there before, but I know for a FACT the anxiety wasn’t. I can see it even without my abilities.

Volo’s looking around at every face as they walk. It’s hard to notice the nerves behind the pleasant smile, but Cheri can tell from how tense he’s holding his shoulders, a tenseness that didn’t exist back in Hisui.

And his eyes are.. darker, somehow, and his breath hitches every so often as people look at him.

And he looks sick. He has eyebags dark enough they almost look like bruises. He’s pale- even more so than he was back then.

He’s still smiling, but something about the smile is even more fake than it used to be; at least in Hisui, the confidence was real.

What happened to take his confidence?

They’re around less people now, and Volo takes a breath, turning to look at the trail. “So!” Volo claps his hands together with a fake chipper attitude. “The man we’re going after.. His name is Eclipse.”

With the name, Cheri notices fear.

Memories.

He doesn’t look into them, that’s invasive, but he can tell they’re there. That’s not good.

“He’s..” Volo thinks for a moment. “..Not a good man.” Then he points into the air, finger wagging as he talks. “And he’s leading me straight into a trap! And he likely knows that I know that it’s a trap. And he also knows that I’m going to come anyway, whether I know it’s a trap or not. But!” Volo turns to Cheri suddenly, pointing at him with a smile. “If I walk into the trap, he’ll stop everything he’s doing. He only wants me. I mean, he also wants to take revenge on- well, that doesn’t matter, but he’ll stop if I give myself to him.”

“If you what?” Cheri’s staring to get genuinely worried, eyebrows furrowing. “Volo, who is this guy?”

“Someone who gave me what I deserve,” Volo says quickly, then he shakes his head. “It really doesn’t matter. Go home, this doesn’t concern you.”

“Arceus is part of it, and you are too, so uh. Yeah. It does concern me, actually.” Damnit, that wasn’t supposed to sound so pointed. I’m WORRIED, about HIM, not about Arceus.

Volo shakes his head. “Really, it’s fine. I’m not here to do anything to Arceus. No plates, no flute, you can check my bag if you want. I’m just here for Eclipse. I’m here to try to take him down, and if that doesn’t work, well.. The problem will be gone either way!”

There’s a sour taste in Cheri’s mouth. Something’s very, very wrong here. “So, what, you’re just gonna let this guy take you and do Arceus knows what?”

“It’s deserved.” Volo smiles at him again, though it’s more strained and looks much more like he’s pleading. “Please, just leave, this is not worth your safety.”

“Nope. No, not happening. I’m coming with you whether you like it or not, you’re not gonna talk me out of it now.” This whole situation.. Whatever’s going on, it really seems like it’s MUCH worse than he deserved. Prison maybe, I could see that. Maybe getting grabbed by a time traveler who could teach him about exactly why what he did was dangerous.

But something tells me someone went way too far.

Volo’s smile grows more strained. “..I was afraid of that,” he murmurs, then he shakes his head. “Well. Hm. ..okay. I.. suppose this might be a good thing. He probably thinks that I’m not coming with backup- I wasn’t planning to, so.” Volo shakes his head, smile fading entirely as he turns back to the trail up Mount Coronet. “Anyway.. He has been collecting legendary and mythical Pokémon from different times and places. We’re not sure what all he has- we know for sure he has Regiice, Azelf, and possibly the other two lake spirits, as well as the Red Chain.”

Who is “we”?? Wait. SHIT. Cheri’s neck snaps he turns to Volo so fast. “He has the red chain?”

Volo, fairly used to ghost-type shenanigans, barely bats an eye. He just nods, a grim look on his face. “And he’s going after Arceus with it.”

“That’s.. not good.” Cheri turns back to the trail, frowning down at it and kicking a few pebbles forward. “But if he takes you, the problem’s over? Why?”

Volo thinks for a moment. “He’s.. very angry with me, and it’s me specifically that he’s after, despite the situation,” he says. Cheri can tell Volo’s verbally stepping around details, so he stays quiet, waiting for Volo to explain. “..I caused him to lose everything he had.”

“..with the rift, or..?”

“Oh, no, not like that.” Volo quickly shakes his head, hands waving. “No, he just..” Volo grimaces, looking away, what Cheri would have been able to see of his face hidden behind his hair. “He.. Well. He did some pretty bad things to me. Which! That was deserved, really, you know I deserved them.” Cheri grimaces. He keeps saying that it’s deserved.. it’s putting a bad taste in my mouth. Before Cheri can say anything, Volo keeps talking. “But when Management saw what he did, they kicked him from-” He shakes his head. “You know, I actually don’t think I’m supposed to talk about that. Forget I said anything about Management.”

“Okay.” So, he was in some secret club or something, and this Eclipse guy hurt him and got kicked out over it. “..the hell you mean ‘it’s deserved’? What did he do?”

Volo’s lips press into a thin line for a moment, then he glances at his watch. “Oh, look at the time!” Volo grimaces as he looks at the cave through the mountain. “We should hurry, let’s leave the path and just climb it, this cave system must be new; I am unfamiliar with it.”

Okay, he’s avoiding the question. Cheri frowns, ignoring the annoyance stewing in his gut and following Volo off the path. Then Eclipse must have done something pretty bad.

Or maybe he’s just a very private person. He avoided questions a lot back in Hisui.

Then again, in Hisui, he had a lot of things to hide.

..What is this club he was in? Some sort of evil team? But if it is, why would they have sent him to PROTECT Arceus from this Eclipse guy?

Given our past, I’d think he was lying if I couldn’t tell. He is so incredibly lucky I have the ability to tell.

“..so. He’s got a bunch of legendaries. Why are they with him?”

“They’re not with him willingly,” Volo explains, finding a good spot on a cliffside to start climbing. “He has this device, it’s from the future- Ah! Did I mention he’s from the future? Anyway, he has this device, which is controlling them through technologically created psychic power. They don’t want this, so we need to try to avoid hurting them, so the hoppers can bring them home- they’re from different times, he’s been jumping through time to take them.”

Cheri blinks a few times, head tilting to the side in confusion. “Hoppers?? Jumping through time???” Holy shit, wait, was I accidentally right about a time traveler grabbing him?

I guess it makes sense how he’s here then.

“It’s a very long story.” One I am probably not allowed to tell you. Well.. I might be able to, considering the fact that technically, you’re a time traveler. One chosen by Arceus, no less. But.. I don’t want to drag you into this mess. Not any more than I already have, anyway. Volo shakes his head. “Anyway, we’re not sure what exactly he’s controlling them through, but we believe it’s his bracelet.”

“Gotcha.” Cheri frowns. “So, don’t hurt the legendaries, break his bracelet.”

“Exactly.” Getting to the top of the cliffside, Volo turns around to pull Cheri up, though Cheri waves him off, he doesn’t need the help. “And try not to get hurt yourself.”

Cheri nods, smirking. “Thanks, Sherlock.”

Volo blinks a few times in confusion. “..Sherlock..?”

“It’s a reference- there’s this book-” Cheri shakes his head. “Nevermind.” Noticing a sneasel sneaking up on him, he snarls at it, letting an illusion lash towards it. It squeaks in fear, running off. “Sorry, can’t risk it with dark types.”

“No, that’s fine.” I already knew he wasn’t human anyway, though it’s interesting to see him actually use his abilities.

However, it IS a little frightening.

Was that meant to be a show of power, or was he genuinely just scaring it off?

What exactly does he want with me?

Volo turns, and they keep walking, an uncomfortable silence falling between the two.

“..you know.. I have time.”

Volo looks over at him in confusion.

“For a long story I mean.”

“This isn’t one you want to hear,” Volo quickly says. Please don’t ask again.

Luckily for Volo, Cheri just looks at him for a moment, almost seeming to study him. Volo shudders at the way Cheri seems to be staring straight into his soul.

Then Cheri nods, turning to the next cliffside to climb in silence.

Volo watches him for a moment longer before turning back to climb. ..He doesn’t trust me. I can tell. He might never trust me again, and honestly, that would be warranted.

It’s really unfortunate timing, that this has happened now, of all times. Right now, when I’m doing something important. One last thing before there’s nothing left for me to do, nothing left that I can fix.

..I suppose if I survive this, I can let him and his siblings decide my fate afterwards. Those three were the ones most directly affected by my actions.. Then they’ll get the final decision, if it isn’t made here.

..for now, though.. I can, at the very least, try to give him closure.

“..I.. want to apologize,” Volo mutters.

Cheri turns to look at him, subconsciously checking his intentions, and oh, this is a genuine apology. “Hm?”

“For.. Not only the rift, and pulling you and your siblings from your home, but also for betraying the three of you. ..I hope you know it wasn’t just.. It wasn’t all just manipulation. You three were some of the few people I could genuinely consider friends, had I not been holding you all at arms length.” I might as well be genuine. Maybe in return, he’ll do the same..

No. I shouldn’t hope, I don’t get to hope, but..

It would be nice, if it was something I deserved.

Cheri blinks a few times as he feels the sincerity. Interesting.. “..They’re going to want apologies too, you know. ..thanks, by the way, that.. actually means a lot.” He looks up the mountain, thinking for a moment. “..You really have changed, haven’t you.”

Volo hums, making a so-so gesture. “I’d like to think so.”

“..I forgive you, you know.” Cheri shakes his head. “Honestly, I did a long time ago. What you did was fucked up, don’t get me wrong, and a LOT of people got hurt that shouldn’t have. But.. I dunno.” He shakes his head. “..I can understand your reasoning.” What I learned about him, about his people..

Volo stops, looking over at Cheri with confusion. He forgives me..? Why? It doesn’t make sense to me. What does he have to gain? I don’t know if I should trust this, that might be exactly what he’s aiming for. “Really?” Volo looks up to meet Cheri’s eyes.

Confusion, a hint of fear, and Cheri realizes he should explain. “I wouldn’t ever do the same thing you did, don’t get me wrong. But the world really is full of unnecessary suffering.” Cheri shakes his head. “And.. if I’m right about where you came from, you’ve dealt with a lot of it, right?”

How much does he know about me? And how does he know it? Why does he know it?

Volo doesn’t let his uneasiness show on his face, humming noncommittally. “It doesn’t excuse my actions. I ended up bringing harm to a lot of people.” I don’t deserve forgiveness. “..Thank you, though,” he murmurs.

Cheri studies him for a moment. So, the self loathing is probably from the rift and everything surrounding it, at least partially.. Not sure what the uneasiness is about, but he doesn’t like something about me. It might just be the whole zoroark thing, but it’s been growing, so maybe it’s something I’ve been saying or something? “Don’t mention it.” He looks up, getting to the top of the cliff they’re climbing and offering a hand to pull Volo up, which Volo takes.

They’re about halfway up the mountain now. The air’s growing colder- though Cheri can’t really feel the cold himself, Volo’s pulling his clothes a little tighter around himself.

..conversation topic.. Oh, the plan. “So.. About this Eclipse guy..”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Volo says quickly.

“No, I wasn’t asking what he did, don’t worry.” I don’t want to push him too much, he’s wary. “I just want to know, he’s trying to kill you, right? Do you want him alive, or? If you’re, uh.. taking him out, what’re we doing with him after? What’s the plan?”

“You don’t have to worry about that, he’ll be taken care of either way, and.. alive would be preferred, but if he dies, I.. don’t really care.” Maybe that’s a little harsh.. Well. Maybe I’m allowed to be a little harsh. Volo shakes his head. “However, I would like to be able to capture him and bring him in. I.. have some questions that I want to ask him, with prison bars separating him from me, of course.”

Cheri hums, studying Volo’s expression for a moment, sensing the emotions behind it. Is that.. Pain? Exhaustion?

Concern? ..Overthinking, maybe..?

“..What sorts of questions?”

Volo shakes his head. “..I just.. hm.”

I don’t know how to word this. I want to know why he did it. I want to know why, out of EVERYONE he could have chosen, every timespace criminal he had access to, he chose ME to hurt.

“..I want closure.”

Cheri hums, looking away. “..He might not give you that. Talking to him might make it worse, you know.”

Volo turns to Cheri with a glare, hissing “You know nothing about him, or my situation.”

Cheri’s a little surprised by the sudden anger in the air, though it’s understandable, he doesn’t blame Volo for it. After a moment of thought, trying to figure out what to say, he shrugs. “I might know next to nothing about the situation, but I know trauma when I see it.” He glances over at Volo, letting his eyes flash, a subtle reminder of his abilities. “He hurt you, yeah? On purpose, I’m guessing.”

..Just how much does he know..? And what is he trying to get out of knowing this about me?

He’s right, and it scares me. Does he know because of an ability? Did he look into my fears? Or did he figure it out on his own?

Volo turns away, the silence giving Cheri all the answer he needs.

Shit. It seems like trying to bridge the gap is just making things worse.. Honestly, I should’ve expected this, got too personal too fast.

Well. There’s no point in dropping the conversation at this point. He can try to make me leave, but it’s not gonna work, I need to make sure this Eclipse guy doesn’t fuck with Arceus. And besides..

I’m worried. About Volo, of all people. That’s saying something. “..And he’s trying to kill you even now.. I doubt he’ll give you closure.” Cheri turns away, frowning. “If anything, talking to him might make things worse.” It made it worse when I talked to Keyo’s bio parents, after all. Dickheads will be dickheads, it’ll always hurt to talk to em.

“Perhaps.” Volo shakes his head. My pain shouldn’t matter to you. You can’t actually care, especially not with everything I’ve done to you, so..

It must matter to you because you want me hurt.

“..Let’s talk about something else, shall we?” And if you do somehow care, you shouldn’t get attached to me anyway, you shouldn’t get attached to someone who deserves a bad fate. It’ll only hurt you.

“Hm.” ..yeah. He’s probably done talking now. Cheri looks up the mountain, squinting as the sun hits his eyes. “..Not much further now.”

Volo nods, checking his watch. “The readings said he will appear in the cave that leads to Cloudcap Pass.”

“Alright. So we get to the pass, then go to the cave from there?”

Volo nods. “And then we’ll wait until he arrives.”

“Right.”

They climb in silence until they reach the top, coming out near the destroyed temple. Cheri takes a deep breath, taking in the air.

This place feels as holy as it always did, the presence of the gods closer here than it is anywhere else in the region, and he feels the power of Arceus’s blessing within him shift.

They’re watching.

Volo glances over at the spear pillar, an unreadable expression on his face, and Cheri senses a spike of guilt. Then he turns away from it, wordlessly heading to the cave, a grim determination filling his gut as he lets his Pokémon out.

Cheri lets his own Pokémon out too. He hadn’t been expecting a battle today, but most of his Pokémon are pretty strong anyway, so it should be fine. He’s got Sprigs with him, and Sprigs doesn’t fight, so he was left in his ball. But Cheri has a few with him that do fight, some of the ones that he hasn’t spent much time with recently. Hydra, Eelectra, Zigzag, Tiktok, and Sylvie- his hydreigon, eelektross, linoone, galvantula, and sylveon, respectively- all can fight. And in the worst case scenario, he can fight too.

Recognition. Feeling a pulse of emotional energy towards him, he turns to look at Volo’s Lucario, who’s staring at him with confusion and a little bit of fear. Cheri takes a breath, summoning up feelings of forgiveness, knowing the other Pokémon can read them. After a moment, the Lucario nods, pushing another feeling towards him. Friendliness, a gesture of goodwill. That is SO much better than what I got from his trainer. Cheri smiles, letting the feeling rise in his chest and sending it back, then he looks over at Volo.

Volo looks normal on the outside, but Cheri can tell he’s terrified, can feel the feeling seeping off him even without reaching towards him with his abilities.

“Hey,” Cheri says, resting a hand on Volo’s shoulder.

He nearly pulls away when Volo flinches, but then Volo leans slightly into the kind touch, looking up at him with wide eyes.

He’s touching me. Why is he touching me. I..

Why am I.. not all that scared of it..?

“I’ve got your back. You’re gonna be okay,” Cheri mutters. If you’re gonna die, he’s gotta get through me first.

Volo stares at him for a moment, then nods, his smile becoming a bit more genuine, though there’s sadness in his eyes. Oh. This is genuine kindness?

I should have expected it from Arceus’s chosen.

..I really don’t deserve this. You shouldn’t get attached to me. He opens his mouth to speak, but then his watch starts to blare, an alarm that he quickly moves to silence, expression hardening. “He’s coming,” Volo says, pressing a button on his watch. A hologram pops up, indicating a specific location, and Volo turns it off and takes a step away from there, staring at it, getting low to the ground, ready to dodge at a moment’s notice. Okay. I can do this. All I need is to last long enough to break that bracelet. His Pokémon quickly surround him, protective. Cheri motions for his own to do the same, and they quickly get into battle-ready stances.

The group stands in silence, staring at the spot, waiting with bated breath.

And then a portal opens, and Volo’s garchomp snarls, dashing forward.

“Ah- Shark, wait-!”

But it’s too late. Shark is thrown into the nearest wall, a Mewtwo holding him there. He snarls, kicking at the walls, the ground, trying to escape the psychic grasp, but it’s no use. Should I recall him and let him back out? I don’t know if that would work, don’t know if I could move quickly enough-

“Well, hello there,” someone says.

The voice is unfamiliar to Cheri.

But Volo stiffens even further.

Goosebumps rise on his arms.

Cheri can feel the fear seeping off him as he turns to stare into the portal.

The strange man steps forwards, grinning. “That’s not the friendliest welcome.”

“Eclipse,” Volo mutters, shrinking back. Shrinking back.

What the hell did he do, to make Volo react like that? Cheri looks over to Eclipse, taking in the high-tech bracelets on his arms, the look in his eyes.

He’s immediately hit with the man’s aura as he reaches his powers out, a sense of complete malice washing over him, and his eyes narrow as he braces himself against it, subconsciously baring his teeth.

“I can’t let you near Arceus,” Volo says, taking a step forward despite his fear, his Pokémon moving with him.

Eclipse waves his right hand, and a few more legendaries appear.

Volo stops moving forward. The whole cave is at a standstill.

Cheri notices strange yellow wires around the legendaries’ forms, feels psychic energy coming off of them, and then his eyes narrow as he notices a small yellow bracelet on Eclipse’s wrist. It’s barely noticeable, but it matches the wires. That must be the one.

“You know what I want,” Eclipse says. Volo’s Pokémon growl, protectively moving between the two. “All you need to do is come quietly, and all this can end. You know you deserve what’ll happen to you. It’ll save the world, even; it’ll finally redeem you, to prevent the same thing you did from happening again.”

And his grin widens, the malice surrounding im grows stronger.

“Don’t you want that?”

The manipulation leaves a bad taste in Cheri’s mouth, but he looks over at Volo, waiting to see how the interaction plays out.

“..I..” I do deserve it, but I still have my Pokémon to take care of. I don’t want to leave them behind, but if this doesn’t work, if I attack him and it ends up being for nothing, will he hurt them as retaliation for my actions?

..If I just go with, I won’t have to worry. They will be at least a little safer. The land may be different in this time, but it’s still their home region, and I trust they’ll be able to take care of themselves if needed, but..

“Are you going to return the legendaries to where you got them if I do?”

Volo’s pokemon make sounds of protests, but he holds up a hand to keep them quiet.

“Of course. I only needed them for this, after all.”

Okay. Fuck this. Cheri steps forward suddenly. “He isn’t going anywhere with you,” Cheri spits, moving between the two himself.

“And who are you? His new toy?” Eclipse sneers. “He’ll only betray you, you know; he’s betrayed everyone he’s ever gotten close to. He’ll manipulate you and then throw you aside, like he always has.”

Cheri feels the way Volo shrinks back, feels the guilt pooling off the man, and he snarls. Gods. Why does every powerful man I meet have to be SUCH a DICK? “Shut the fuck up. You think I don’t know the risks? I’m one of the guys he betrayed, and you’re still wrong for treating him like this.”

Eclipse raises an eyebrow, a spark of curiosity in his eye. “Oh really?” He tilts his head to the side. “Haven’t you noticed he’s better now? Haven’t you noticed he’s not going to try anything anymore? That change is because of me. Really, the world is better off with him in my hands-”

Cheri rushes forward. He’s reaching for the bracelet on Eclipse’s wrist, aiming to break it, and the other Pokémon in the cave rush forwards with him.

Within seconds, Mewtwo flings a bunch of their Pokémon out of the cave. Zigzag, Hydra, and Volo’s Spiritomb are frozen in a huge block of ice that Cheri narrowly avoids himself. Galarian Moltres flies past him as he dodges another blast of ice. There’s something glowing electric blue over there, but Cherry doesn’t see what it is before another ice blast blocks his vision.

Cheri can’t see Volo, but he knows Volo has Sylvie and his lucario with him, so he focuses on dodging Regiice’s attacks. With an angry scream, fire blasts from his throat, knocking Regiice out cold. One last blast of ice manages to catch his arm, and Cheri yelps as frostbite sets in-

Volo screams, a sound that reeks of agony, a bloodcurdling sound that makes Cheri’s heart drop, and he turns to Eclipse, letting his true form show, ten feet of pure protective rage aiming for Eclipse’s wrist-

Mesprit. Blast of emotion. Panic.

Frenzy.

Magic rushing in his ears. Time blurring together. Screaming, sounds so far away.

Blood flying through the air. An arm, mangled human arm, on the ground, blood pooling, blood in his mouth, between his teeth, on his hands, broken bracelet, mutilated flesh.

He tries to breathe. Everything sounds underwater, the world spinning, spinning, out of his control.

Out of control.

Out of control.

Out of control, he’s out of control-

Ribbon around his arm. A sense of calm pushes the panic away. He’s left on the ground, gasping, catching his breath, residual shakes leaving him exhausted, shifting back to his human form on instinct.

He looks up after a few moments, looking up at Sylvie, who’s staring at him with wide, terrified eyes.

“h.. Hey, buddy,” Cheri murmurs, gently scratching the top of Sylvie’s head. “You okay?”

Sylvie makes a sound, butting his head against Cheri’s chest before pulling away and dashing around the chunk of ice.

Cheri recalls the Pokémon who are still stuck in the ice, then stands on shaky legs, hurrying after Sylvie- Oh no.

Volo’s on the ground.

Cheri can’t tell if he’s conscious or not.

He rushes to Volo’s side, his uninjured hand hovering over the man, trying to figure out what’s wrong-

“Cheri,” a weak voice, and Cheri looks up at Volo’s face.

Contorted with agony. He reaches out with his magic to see where the pain is, burning blasts through his side. He pulls back.

“Is- is he gone?” Volo asks.

“Yeah, I- I think I got him, I think he’s gone,” Cheri mutters, rolling Volo over despite Volo’s cry of pain.

His shirt’s stained black in a large spot on his side. Cherry pulls it up to see a huge burn. It’s.. odd, though, it’s not a normal burn. The area around is stained black, but it isn’t charred, nothing is charred. It almost looks more like a poison than anything.

Cheri can feel the dark-type energy coming off it, sapping his own energy, and he takes a shaking breath through his mouth, trying to will away the feeling as he scoops Volo up. Volo lets out a pained sound at being moved. “Sorry,” Cheri mutters with a grimace, trying to ignore how hard it is to move his hand, how numb his arm is. Once he’s sure Volo is securely in his arms despite that, he gets Volo’s Spiritomb in its ball, then runs out of the cave.

“‘S fine, deserved,” Volo mutters, eyes slipping shut as he leans into Cheri. Cheri takes Volo’s pokeballs and recalls the injured Pokémon he finds scattered around the outside of the cave. “Can.. can you take care of them for me..?”

It’s all Cheri can do to not scream, shakes running through his entire body. “Shut up. Don’t do this shit, you’re not dying on me.” I came here to protect you, and by Arceus, I’m gonna do it.

Volo laughs, an exhausted, mirthless sound, even as a tear slips down his cheek. “It’s okay,” he whispers. “It’s okay. I deserve this. It’s okay.”

“Shut up!” Shit, I’m being a little harsh. Gods. Fuck. “Sorry, actually, don’t shut up. But stop that. You don’t deserve it.” As he talks, Cheri quickly recalls the rest of their pokemon, then he gets back to running down the mountain, not even bothering going through the caves, he knows where he’s going. He shifts back to his true form so he can jump down cliffs and land it, jumping over tree roots and fallen logs, trying his best not to jostle Volo too much.

Volo’s taking shuddering breaths, silent tears slipping down his cheeks, but he doesn’t complain at all. Self hatred, agony, and a sense of utter hopelessness is coming off of him, all of it is mixed with acceptance.

He genuinely believes he deserves this, Cheri realizes, a sick feeling building in his gut. Fucking hell.

“Why’re you doing this?” Volo murmurs, looking up into Cheri’s eyes. “You can’t seriously want to help me. What’s your motive? ”

“Is it so hard to believe I could genuinely like helping people?” Cheri spits.

He was aware of the way his voice echoes in this form, but Volo flinches at the sound.

And it reminds him that, yes, it is.

He isn’t human, after all. He isn’t even living.

He’s a vengeful spirit.

And sure, he chooses not to indulge that side of himself.

But how is Volo supposed to know that?

“Sorry, sorry,” Volo murmurs, breath hitching slightly as Cheri jumps down a cliff. Blood starts to drip down his side, and Cheri internally curses.

“It’s fine,” Cheri says, setting Volo down and tearing off pieces of his own shirt to start packing the wound and make a quick makeshift bandage. “Talk about something, anything, just.. Just keep talking.”

Volo winces in pain. “..You know the Pokémon that got me? Galarian Moltres?” He looks away, eyes unfocused. “Some say it burns your very spirit away.” He laughs, though the laugh turns into coughs. “I must be very lucky that mine’s still intact, ahaha- Ow!”

“Sorry.” Having tied the makeshift bandage tight, he quickly scoops Volo back up. “What else about galarian Moltres do you know? Any interesting legends? Anything?”

“G-galar was never really my focus,” he mutters, taking a few steadying breaths- they’re shallow, it hurts him to breathe. “I’m just..” He lets out a quiet wheeze, resting his head against Cheri’s shoulder.

There’s exhaustion radiating off him, Cheri realizes, and Cheri gets running again.

“Don’t go to sleep, I don’t know what happens if you do,” he mutters.

“Mmh..” Volo shakes his head. “Trying..”

“Good. Keep talking.” Cheri takes a shaky breath. “What about normal Moltres? Any cool legends?”

“..they’ll dive into volcanoes to heal themselves,” Volo mumbles. “And they.. bring an early spring, to cold places..” His eyes slip closed.

Cheri nods. “You know the Indigo League Flame is said to have been lit with their flames?”

“Oh yeah.. I.. I remember that.. s.. Sorry, I can’t..” Volo goes limp in his arms.

“Hey, Volo, keep talking! Volo!!” Not sensing anything from the guy at all, Cheri grimaces. “SHIT!!!” Cheri moves faster, shifting back as they get to the bottom of the mountain, not wanting to be seen by anyone who doesn’t already know in any form outside of a human one.

shit shit Shit SHIT SHIT!!! Cheri bursts out of the trees, running into Eterna City, dodging around people as he heads to the nearest hospital.

He rushes into the emergency room. “We need a doctor, now!” It comes out louder than he meant it, almost echoing, though for some reason, it’s hard to hear himself anyway.

Everything feels so far away as the emergency room suddenly turns into a rush, a stretcher coming out to take Volo away. People ask what happened, and he explains as best as he can, telling them Volo got hit with a powerful dark-type attack that sapped his energy, leaving out the legendaries and the reason for the blood staining his hands and teeth.

He.. doesn’t entirely know why that’s there. He has a faint idea, but he blocks that out on purpose.

He can process that later, he can process that he probably killed a man another day.

The doctors are concerned about it, though, so he tells them it’s from the one who attacked the two of them, and they accept that answer, bringing him back soon after for his frostbitten arm.

Time seems to stretch to forever as his injury is treated, but when he’s finally left alone, allowed to leave, it feels like no time’s passed at all. He leaves the hospital, heading straight for the Pokémon center to drop off his and Volo’s Pokémon.

Relax. Just breathe, Cheri. Just relax.

Breathe.

He takes deep breaths as he walks, wrapping his arms around himself and closing his eyes, sensing people’s feelings to determine where they are so he can avoid them.

Thankfully, he makes it to the Pokémon center without an issue, setting down the pokeballs on the nurse’s desk.

“Those six are unregistered, he- he made their balls himself,” he explains, trying to ignore the shake in his voice.

The nurse scans the pokeballs. “They look registered to me..”

Sure enough, they are registered, under a Volo Discere.

“Huh.. interesting,” Cheri mutters. Did he always have a last name? I know Volo means to want. What’s Discere..? “Okay, nevermind, then. Um- I’ve gotta go, he’s hurt. Can you take care of them while I’m gone?”

“Of course, but- Wait-!” She looks up in worry as he leaves, but he doesn’t have time to chat, making his way back to the hospital.

I need to see if he’s okay.

He heads to the nearest waiting room. Someone passes by in the hall, he recognizes her as the nurse who treated him.

“Hey!” He rushes over, catching her attention. “Volo, uh, Discere- is he okay?”

“Huh? Are.. you asking about the one you came in with?” She gives a weirdly strained smile. “They’re still fixing him up, but it’s looking like he’ll pull through.”

“Okay.. okay.” Cheri lets out a sigh of relief. “Thank you.”

She nods, rushing off, and he finally lets himself relax.

Okay.

Okay, we’re okay.

Not sure what she was freaking out about, but it should be fine..

..they’ll come to me if anything happens with him, right..? I’m probably not on his emergency contacts- he probably doesn’t have those, actually- but I AM the one who brought him here..

WOULD he have emergency contacts?? His Pokémon are registered, so maybe???

Cheri sighs, sitting in one of the chairs, leaning back with his hands clasped together behind his head. He lets his eyes slip closed, taking a few deep breaths.

Whatever the case, if he needs me, if he asks for me, I’ll be here.

After a few moments, the exhaustion of the day catches up to him.

And finally, he slips into sleep, all his day’s plans forgotten.

#whumpril2024 #whumprilday1 #Whumpril #riftshipping #is what i call these two #please don’t judge me ahaha #I had this one planned out already can you tell? #anyway sorry this is late lol #not putting this in the main tags but #volo is from Pokémon legends arceus #Cheri is the protagonist but he fell with his siblings #and they haven’t seen each other in years and Cheri thought he’d never see Volo again bc cheri and his siblings went back to their home tim #so. yeah #pokemon whump #🤍Cheri #🌻Volo #🗡️Eclipse #< blog sorting tags #oh Cheri’s a Hisuian zoroark btw and I played around a LOT w zoro abilities #especially since he’s also Blessed By Arceus #so he can straight up shapeshift instead of just illusion #and his illusions are really strong anyway since he’s had a LOT of practice with em #he can sense intentions emotions and fears. the first two are a survival mechanism and the last is a vengeful spirit thing

[borreloadsavagedragon]

Guess whoo, our butterfly girl Droite/Dextra for the ask meme 👀🦋

DROITE!!!! I'm so sorry this is so late omfg, I have the attention span of a squirrel gdjsakljkg

First impression: I'm the worst so when I first saw her, I was like 😳😳😳 Oh she's gorgeous Her design and color palette both are impeccable I needed to know more about her immediately

Impression now: Oh my god I love her, I was not disappointed for what we were shown, in fact I'm rage-induced because of how LITTLE we saw her One, her design is SO good, I've considered cosplaying her before omg I love how strong-willed and all business she is, I know it's like trope-y that the one woman is the voice of reason between all of the just unhinged members of the Heartland government but she also gets things done, she's got a coldness to her, I really vibe with her gjdsklaj I'm also so unbelievably salty she only got so much screentime to show off!!!!! Like honestly the Zexal girls were too strong and got shafted too quickly for the plot's sake bc it would be 100 episodes lighter, but Droite especially felt cruel because she was shown to be SO smart and cunning, but she wasn't allowed to show it off more and of course one of the duels where all of her tactics were on full display had to be against the main villain of that season, agh In a perfect world, she put Tron in the hole <3 Also she can just casually fly a helicopter? Sign me UP

Favorite moment: God, her duel for Gauche is just so touching, genuinely that tag duel is one of my favorites in all of Zexal, and the Spartan city episodes in general are some of my favorite to rewatch anytime I feel like throwing on some Zexal because you see how far the pair of them both come from their backstory, their shared trauma being under Heartland's training, and then also the stress of being put under government operations It's her push that is the first true crack in Alito's hold on him The only thing I'd change is having her win, but it's a yugioh show so we can't have that, aggressive side eyes at gallop

Idea for a story: I'm a sham and I don't have any ideas for her specifically at the moment BUT I need to find an excuse to put the three of trainees somewhere..........

Unpopular opinion: I think we all agree she was shafted and underappreciated so I'm not sure omg I guess I as a person am afraid of butterflies and therefore am creeped out by her deck so that's... a thing We're not gonna dissect that today GJSDAKLGJAGK

Favorite relationship: I LOVE her dynamic with Gauche, I absolutely love them, I love that she went with him and how much he cares about her in return, I love how clearly you can see what they've endured as a pair, like they're the definition of soulmates and that's without giving a romantic context, while I'm also on board with them as a pair, I also love that without needing to label anything, they're just two people who will find a way and will stay together in any lifetime I also like where her and Kaito end up after the fact, I wish they'd somehow squeezed one last private conversation into the Spartan City episodes like in the WDC when she calls him out, but I do love he came around on her and Gauche both and how he recognizes her strengths and her spirit, like even vocally defending her skill to Rio and Ryouga is a huge step for him since the last time we saw Kaito consider Droite, he was relatively in different, because even when he was playing the part of the aloof, distant soldier who didn’t need help, he was watching and taking note of her in his own little gremlin way However I'm also beating Kaito with my bare hands for his initial treatment of her, he literally fumbled the bag

Favorite headcanon: Oh you KNOW she keeps in contact with Kaito, she'll video call him when she knows he's working long hours in the lab, sometimes to vent about Gauche, sometimes to make sure he's not spending his entire life working

#THANK YOU #I'm beefing with yugioh writing today #asks #answered

[blucassiopeia]

hi! so in your main fic masterlist the preludes have a star next to each spinoff BUT Kuroo and Osamu have two. Osamu’s prelude is a two part story DOES this mean Kuroo has another part -yet to be released- too? 🤔🫣

also in the chapters list, after ch15/ch16 (don’t remember) all the preludes boys are listed: does it mean that’s where part of all the preludes stories take place (chronologically speaking)?🤔🫣🫢 Is that chapter Ran’s wedding?

i have yet to read Osamu’s prelude, but excluding Kags’ and Sakusa’s ones, Ran’s wedding day is one of the main topics on the spinoffs…

does it make sense? i dont know how to english anymore 😑

Also, while reading the warnings/tags i saw something interesting 🤨: Ran’s illness(?)…Is that why Kuroo is going to be up Ran’s ass so involved in Ran’s life even after she’s happily married with kids? at a certain point in her life, Ran was/is/will be ill 😷

im the anon that a while ago sent a long ask about the spinoffs and i was lowkey happy to see kuroo suffer 🤭

…so, im about to get - once again - in my kuroo angst hole 😬😬

reader (kuroo’s story) is not dying, bc you said she won’t. but she will get into an accident (saw your ask about your 2nd fic + the ideas you have for the plot - kuroo’s war flashbacks 🤭🫣). In the end of the kuroo spinoff i got a feeling that he realised he MIGHT be a little too late in accepting his own feelings towards reader (that’s why i thought she was dying) like they were already there but he REFUSED to accept them and at the same time by being so present in Ran’s life he kept fuelling his one-sided love towards Ran EVEN tho he knew from the beginning that he never had a chance with Ran (he asked this question to kenma if im not mistaken)

so giving my two cents to this 2nd story: the main couple is going to be kuroo x reader and time wise is going to be AFTER reader’s incident and we (readers) are going to know what happened through flashbacks (possibly from kuroo’s pov bc he saw with his own eyes what happened to reader) 🫣🤭

last thing: gut feeling (don’t know if it’s because you have hinted something/replied to someone) but Kuroo not so lowkey hates Osamu. Imagine if Ran got ill bc of Osamu 🤔🫣 like what has Osamu done to make him feel so guilty and wanting to redeem himself towards Ran 👁️👁️

sorry for the long ask

ps. wishing all the best to canon!Kuroo BUT the kuroo in your universe deserves all the angst until proven wrong (just bc he make reader suffer) 😇

oooooHhh the starss, you should listen to them, those are the soundtracks i listened while writing the preludes. you noticed the c2:saitama skies? it also has one already too.

the boys are listed because they'll be playing a big part of that scene after what happens there (also in Ran's life hskshwkhl), it'll be like a "breather" because the following chapters are heavy angst so i needed my readers to relax a lil bit then hit y'all in one go. noticed the last one being still empty? that's ran's hubby's special chap. so the scope of those chapters are from the moment they met ran, to the present [5 years after she got pregnant and got married].

yep, ran has illness, you should really read sakusa's prelude to give you a heads-up 🤣 and yes, that's one of the reason why kuroo's so involved, and i mean all of them too. but that's just not all of it. you'll know sooon.

OKOK, ill make myself very very clear, maybe i said kuroo's yn will die or she won't, just y'all to keep thinking about what i truly mean in that last scene of kuroo's. that last scene is in the last chapters of the fic. it'll be branded heavy angst so you should expect some.. ykyk.

AND OHHHHH, the 2nd fic [EIGHT] is relatively different. it's apart of the 1st fic in some sense but still connected. it's not a continuation of falling stars. you shouldn't confuse yourself with that for a while. we still have 20ish chaps before that. 🤣

[1st fic] i might've mentioned kuroo being on the same stage as osamu. so that's maybe a hint of what really happened/will happen. both of them deserves all the angst i have. ✌🤭 if you ever read vanilla twilight, you'll have a huge idea what their relationship with each other and with ran is.

about EIGHT [2nd fic], it's still ran x her plushie, but in a diff sense. kuroo and the others will still be there, and kuroo and osamu will still play a bigger role than the rest, and some of the characters too.

and kuroo hates osamu because of something that i made a fic about......... or something 🤭 and i just answered something related to this. osamu made a grave mistake, and kuroo knows about it, shirabu knows about it, tooru too, and maybe yuki too. the last line in osamu's prelude is a hint. and noooo, ran didn't get ill because of osamu 😭

you'll know in the ficcc, i'll be back after 1-2 months because i'll be away with no wifi access with me so....

thanks for collating your queries agaiiin. i had fun answering and spilling some infos for ya guys ❤

#fs spinoffs #kuroo angst #osamu angst #WAHAHAHAHAHA #😈 #okay #so evil #haikyuu angst

[last-flight-of-fancy]

You seem like a good person to ask. Do you have a particular list of longer "Kingdom Hearts" fics or series that you would recommend that have a focus on either the Sea-Salt Trio/Family or the Destiny Trio (or both)? You tend to have a lot of good art and theories here, so I figured you might have some good fic recommendations too. (Self-promotion is absolutely acceptable)

*slams hands on table* my time has come

though as a pre-note i will say that everything i have is at least a few years old, not because i stopped loving fanfic, but bc my specific brand of adhd hyperfixation doesn't allow me to actively read much fic while i'm writing my own.. and anyone who's been following me for a while knows how long i've been working on Stand AU ^^; it sucks but so it goes. i've been trying to catch up before i start my next big AU, but man... adhd brain has not been co-operative -_-

Instinctively Family - Bookwormgal - Kingdom Hearts (Video Games) [Archive of Our Own]

First up is the Instinctive Family series by Bookwormgal, which i've been following for a long time (one of the few i manage to keep up with while working on stand au) and absolutely adore. part one is set during the games and is focused on axel/lea's developing role in roxas and xions lives. it's canon divergent, and part 2 focuses on lea (and isa) learning how to parent a pair of superpowered teenage toddlers while also managing their own boatloads of Trauma. it's a great read and i can't reccommend it enough.

Build a Home | Archive of Our Own

cute sea salt snippets about them building their new home in twilight town

Drops of Blue, Sky of Red - Chapter 1 - spiffyperson - Kingdom Hearts [Archive of Our Own]ks

incomplete, but really fluffy and cute. leaisa with bonus terrqua and of course the various kids doing what nosy kids do best.

From Radiant Garden With Love - BigDykeEnergy - Kingdom Hearts (Video Games) [Archive of Our Own]

a series of postcards sent between leaisa and the kids while leaisa are off on their honeymoon. extremely cute

(also just... everything BigDykeEnergy writes is phenomenal. seriously give their works a scroll)

The Stories We Tell | Archive of Our Own

dealing with axel and saix's past, ranging from radiant garden, through their horribly traumatic time in the organization, and then finally to the found family light at the end of the tunnel.

this one is very heavy, with topics and themes around neurodivergence, ptsd, failing friendships, and mental illness, and as such can be a little rough to get through. i definitely had to take breaks while reading it, but it's a great story if you don't mind a lot of angst before your happy ending.

Love In Every Moment | Archive of Our Own

its been a while since i read this one so the adhd has deleted it from my memory but its in my bookmarks and its tagged sea salt family, so that's a pretty good start i think

Life's Little Lessons - Inarchem - Kingdom Hearts [Archive of Our Own]

modern au! oneshot. isa is a kindergarden teacher and lea is a single dad. isa is his typical ornery self

late night in twilight - rivtco - Kingdom Hearts [Archive of Our Own]

cute little oneshot where axel helps comfort xion after a nightmare

A Grasping Hold - Chapter 1 - Splintered_Star - Kingdom Hearts [Archive of Our Own]

destiny trio and various parents deal with certain ways their journey's have changed them.

and by that i mean things like roxas and namine.

an old one (2013, so it's a post kh2 era fic), but one i still think about fairly regularly tbh.

Sora's Groupchat - Chapter 1 - Dragon_boi - Kingdom Hearts [Archive of Our Own]

i know chat fics can be hit or miss with people but i like this one, it's fun. low-stakes khverse where they're all hanging out at Keyblade School. silly and lighthearted

Stillwater - burymeonpluto - Kingdom Hearts [Archive of Our Own]

less destiny trio and more a kairi introspective character study, but a really good one imo. exploring kairi's feelings and her (very strained) friendship with riku after sora's dissapearance after kh3.

Suppose You Get to Another World - Chapter 1 - illa_dixit, Luxord52 - Multifandom [Archive of Our Own]

incomplete, but a fun read and concept! what if the destiny trio was raised by moogles? also features genderfluid riku and nonbinary sora, and a bunch of worldbuilding with the final fantasy characters



and of course i'm gonna self promo bc im shameless~

StandAU | Archive of Our Own

Stand AU!! my pride and joy <3333 definitely more heart hotel focused than destiny or sea salt focused specifically, but at 500k there's definitely plenty of both of those in there too. slooooow burn sorikai, themes of mental illness, trauma, and most of all healing from it.

all of which somehow sprung from the single prompt of: what if sora's heartmates could manifest themselves like jojo stands?



finally, cometverse

Cometverse | Archive of Our Own

and i'll be real with you, cometverse was both me and orion's first fic writing in decades, so it's a bit rough around the edges in places. but that being said it was written with a whole lot of love and even more hyperfixation, and i still reread parts of it from time to time bc it's just so perfectly self-indulgent to our specific interests.

so what is cometverse?

it's an outside-looking-in OC story where said OC a tendency to adopt every kh kid they come across. and ends up in a throuple with lea and isa. and also there are were-creatures everywhere.

it IS cringe, and we ARE free.

#me poking at tumblr: hey you gonna post this time? #god i hope the links work idk what's up with tumblr rn but it does not like me answering this ask akjfkjfsdjksdf #anyway!! thank you for thinking i have taste omg #i do but also sometimes i don't #i tried to sample a bit from different genre's and tone. yknow. for variety's sake #i had a bunch i would have linked but have updated since i read them last #and i'm not in the business of recc'ing things i haven't read myself yet #hopefully some of these catch your fancy #i was not very thorough going through my bookmarks bc uhhhh... well my bookmarks are kind of a mess tbh #i should fix that at some point (i wont) #flights tag for replies and stuff #fanfic #fanfiction #kingdom hearts #long post

[breathplayed]

17, 29, 48, & 55 😁🫖

oh u GOT me got me lets go

(17) what is your favorite line you’ve ever written? babe plz this one is too hard..... there's too many...... I HAVE 920K WORDS ON AO3 AND ~50K INCOMING I DONT EVEN REMEMBER THEM ALL......... uuhhhhhhhh ok ok ill try to narrow a few down. it's all gonna be recent tho bc that's what i remember most + i have rly been indulging myself stylistically as of late lmao

for just ~pretty language~ my favorites rn are

"Jimin is almost too pretty to mar with mortal hands, but Jungkook finds desecration is half the fun when his hands slip lower" (folie à trois)

"Some floodgate inside him has broken, the last bastion of resistance crumbled, and now he’s a drowning man in the dead waters" (folie à trois)

“I love you,” he whimpers into Taehyung’s kiss like a prayer. Too devout; Taehyung’s hands and lips pause. Jimin’s own lip is already trembling, caught, so he lets the confessional spill like it’s the last Sunday he’ll ever see." (the losing game ch17)

"[Taehyung] used to dream, sometimes, after Jimin was gone, that he was holding him again, that he could crack open Jimin's ribcage and crawl inside to make a home beside his heart before they burned together." (the losing game ch5)

"Sometimes—in his darkest moments, on his worst nights—Jimin dreams about Taehyung carving over each and every one of his scars. Creating clean new edges to each of them, prying fingers in the wound to be as close as possible, rewriting their memories and meanings with a jagged, almost unbearable intimacy." (the losing game ch17)

"The graves we dig ourselves are often the deepest." (the graves we dig..... now thats a real throwback huh)

there's too much i could say for dialogue but.... i'm super fond of the hurtful conversations present!vmin have in tlg (especially ch14, i reread that a lot), ignite the stars ch5 (also reread that a lot), and also i love pretty much everything that comes out of taehyung's mouth in folie à trois lol

(29) give us a spoiler for one of your stories. answered here, but since this one could be answered multiple times i'll bite......... my queue tag ("i'm glad it was queue") is a play on one of my favorite lines in all of tlg that i have been excited about getting to for yeaaaarrrssss. no one but me knows the line yet (or how hurtful its context is) bc it's in one of the final chapters hehehe but it's "i'm glad it was you" ..... :')

(48) do you reread your own stories? the answer to this used to be a strong NO!!!! but that has actually changed in the last two years! i don't rly reread anything older (my writing style has changed so much + there's things i'd change about older fics esp <2020 so it's not an enjoyable experience to me, i'd just fret over editing it) but there's some newer fics i reread bc they are So written to my own taste. i think i really improved a lot getting to write a bunch in lockdown lol + started caring less about whether ppl liked the fic and just wrote for ✨Me✨ so several of those recent fics i'm happy with and do reread sometimes like a stupid idiot narcissus

The ones i've reread the most are "sit, stay" + "sea legs" + favorite parts of "ignite the stars" and my favorite parts of "the losing game". the other scattered pwp's since 2020 have gotten reread about twice each. and i recently reread WBIO for the first time since writing it in early 2020!!! mixed feelings on that one bc i felt like i would change some parts of it if i wrote it today but that's a sign ur growing and improving i suppose

(55) do you have any abandoned WIP’s? What made you abandon them? oh i have so fucking many 'WIPs' it's not even funny. there's probably like ~12 completely bullet point outlined medium length / longfics in my docs down to exact dialogue i'd write, and dozens more fic attempts that have a whole plot and ending. bc as soon as i come up with an idea i already immediately know how i want it to end. which gives me way too many Plot Bunnies that are viable to be turned into fics!!!!! two years ago i made a list of every idea i thought should at least see the light of day in threadfic form if not an actual fic and it came out to 30 fics lol (and that was cutting it down to the essentials)

the thing is, very few of my WIPs are ever 'abandoned' in my mind, it's more like... i put them in my mental freezer. on hold / on ice. and some of them are closer to the front and get taken out and rotated around and worked on more often, while others are shoved to the far back of the freezer as i say "i'll make that someday" and forget it exists til the next time im reminded of it. there's only a few that i'd actually toss in the trash (aka truly abandon and never work on again).

the ones that are definitely abandoned in that i know i dont Want to write them are all on the more domestic romcom side (think like 'meaner than mean' or 'i like us like this') i know people like those but they're the hardest thing for me to write, those were the most annoyed i've ever felt while writing, i would literally groan out loud working on them, i am rly only happy writing conflict/angst or pwp lol

tbh, if i were to be realistic with myself, i'd say most of these wip's are 'abandoned' in that i probably will never get around to finishing them. but i dont want to call them abandoned because i do like the plots, and think ppl would like them, and want to share them!!! i just think they would suck / not be fun to write. Maybe Someday i will do an archival effort and work on translating as many of them as i can into threadfic form so they see the light of day in some format and are no longer abandoned to rot in my docs... bc there's no way that most of them are ever going to be written the way i wish i could do them justice :') and then i can abandon them knowing that ppl at least got to read a vague outline of what could have been

fun fact: i opened the aforementioned list of all these ideas to count and on one of them, a fic i've been poking at since 2018, i have the note "finish this or die" next to it. guess i know which one i've picked atp 🪦

#ask game

[wurmzirkus]

I posted 10,179 times in 2022

50 posts created (0%)

10,129 posts reblogged (100%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@agentmika

@udonthreens

@nazguldivorce

@otterass

@southbreak

I tagged 4,027 of my posts in 2022

#star trek - 269 posts

#words - 249 posts

#wolf 359 - 185 posts

#ds9 - 165 posts

#german stuff - 163 posts

#the locked tomb - 106 posts

#eurovision - 72 posts

#writing - 61 posts

#severance - 51 posts

#babbling - 43 posts

Longest Tag: 139 characters

#leo and uh. i like them. also i can barely watch movies where people shoot guns or hit each other without going 'oh my this is so violent'.

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

rina sawayama really said every single song on this album will either be the banger of the decade OR make you genuinely cry on public transport while also being the banger of the decade

69 notes - Posted September 20, 2022

#4

this probably has no real basis in canon (aside from jacobi being whiny in 70% of the precanon content we got within the show) but i feel like lots of people don't appreciate the potential of maxwell and kepler as a comedic duo enough.

i think everyone within si-5 is kind of a clown but the way jacobi is just so. loud about it makes maxwell and kepler (as genius ai specialist and master tactician respectively) take the place as the Sensible Part of the team but can you imagine them bonding together through chaos. bullying jacobi together by committing to some shitty little bit.

i think as they get more attuned to each other that would be something they'd enjoy leaning into every once in a while, if only bc of how it catches people off guard. kepler doing a stupid joke? okay sure. maxwell doing a stupid joke? makes sense. both of them pulling your leg TOGETHER? horrifying. you'll never see it coming

and they're soooo similar too. you KNOW they'd be on the same wavelength, running a joke so smoothly you wouldn't even notice what's happening until it's too late. they're both already so good at playing with people's expectations i think they should abuse that power more

96 notes - Posted July 26, 2022

#3

See the full post

97 notes - Posted August 17, 2022

#2

the reason kepler is so fascinating to me is that what intrigues me is how a character is made. what do you get when you pick them apart? how do they find their place in the plot and change its course? what were the writers thinking?

and with kepler it's like. all those question lead back to him? he's so much a creation of himself it's like he almost exists outside of the story, or maybe inside his own.

warren kepler is a performance, a collection of skills that does what the plot (or his perspective of it) needs him to. and the thing is... *he* did that. if he’s a construction that’s a construction *he* made. it sets him apart from everyone else. he enters like an actor walking on stage, observing from the outside and planning his next move accordingly and completely deliberately. which is exactly what a fictional character is: something constructed that fulfills a specific purpose within a story.

kepler always has that goddard-sanctioned performance on his mind and it makes him seem so detached from the rest of the cast. they’re hit so hard by everything that happens: they get hurt, change, or straight up die. even within si-5: maxwell is killed by the story. jacobi is changed forever. 

for most of the time, kepler is barely touched in such a deliberate way. he loses his hand in the most painful way possible and it SHOULD be a way the story touches him. but he just doesn't acknowledge it and so he almost exists separately from it, still pursuing his mission.

but here's the thing: he's not a detached character. he's actually a PERSON and his performance doesn’t free him from the weight of the plot, it's actually just an additional thing for him to carry. he does such a good job fooling the characters around him and fooling US that it doesn't show, and maybe he's got himself fooled too. 

but there's one moment the performance ends and he comes back to the ground, and the story reaches out, touches him, makes him face consequences, which is in the finale when he dies.

and what’s one thing that happens just before that, that has nothing to do with his mission or his creation of himself? it's admitting that he's a person. it's taking a dive head-first into the narrative and facing the consequences, because you know what? they're worth it.

which is to say can you IMAGINE the kind of identity crisis he’d go through if he made it out of the whole thing alive holy shit

123 notes - Posted April 10, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

niederlande in english: netherlands (sexy, mysterious, sounds like a dangerous area in a magical realm)

niedersachsen in english: lower saxony (just like. the shittier version of saxony i guess)

205 notes - Posted February 23, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

#tumblr2022 #year in review #my 2022 tumblr year in review #your tumblr year in review #false #man. i was really onto something with that kepler post actually #babbling

[solarishashernoseinabook]

What part of writing is the most fun?

Thanks again for all the asks!! :D

3. What is that one scene that you’ve always wanted to write but can’t be arsed to write all of the set-up and context it would need? (consider this permission to write it and/or share it anyway) Do not underestimate my willingness to write set-up for events, it's not for nothing that my friends tease me about The Solaris Effect (when what was supposed to be a fluffy fic becomes overloaded with plot, but lately we've been extending it to any minor point that ends up having a lot of set-up given to it so that it works properly)

Nevertheless! Have a short exchange that I might not be able to include in The Ward Ghost due to the timeline not quite working (scene contains implications of a past abusive relationship):

Ten Tooth Joe watched Horace and Will for a moment, then spoke in a low voice to Travis. 'And this new young man Ghost is with - he treats him better than his last boyfriend?' The memory of Will, injured and alone in the woods after his ex had taken out his anger on him, flashed in Travis's mind. His hand balled into a fist. 'Yes. He does.' Ten Tooth Joe noticed Travis's anger. 'So you know the story?' 'I do. He told us a couple weeks ago. You knew about it?' 'Found out just before the bastard left.' 'Did you do anything?' Travis asked. 'I would have, but at the time I had no idea...' 'Found out too late - by that time Ghost had broken it off himself.' Ten Tooth Joe broke out into a grim smile, his eyes glittering angrily in the firelight. 'I might have met that bastard before he hopped a boat to the continent.' Travis's blood ran cold. 'Did you--?' 'Oh, he got on the boat all right,' Joe said, waving one hand. 'But let's just say I have him a little taste of what he gave Ghost.'

8. Is what you like to write the same as what you like to read? Mostly! I love fluffy one-shots, which is most of what I've written lol

9. Are you more of a drabble or a longfic kind of writer? Pantser or plotter? Do you wish you were the other? I've written more drabbles, but I absolutely love doing longfics. As for pantsing versus plotting, it's a mixture! One-shots, I'll have a very vague idea of what I want to do, but mostly pants it. My longfics are slightly planned - I get the beginning, the end, and some scenes I must include, then leave things flexible so I can rearrange or expand things as needed :3 I'm happy with what I do, no need to change!

14. At what point in writing do you come up with a title? When I'm staring at that ao3 title box in despair just before I post the fic slghslgh. But I came up with the title for The Royal Ranger early (purely as a joke that my friends enabled me on)

15. Which is harder: titles or summaries (or tags)? Titles oh my god. If Beethoven could get away with calling his work shit like Fifth symphony in C minor why can't I just call my shit Fluffy gay with side angst and found family no. 12?

20. Tell us the meta about your writing that you really want to ramble to people about (symbolism you’ve included, character or relationship development that you love, hidden references, callbacks or clues for future scenes?) *vibrates in autistic excitement* okay so I've talked about this a lot in other places but writing The Royal Ranger has been huge for me becoming more comfortable in myself. Giving Halt so many of my own autistic traits has meant I'm doing a lot of self-reflection and after a while of writing him I feel a lot better about stimming and my sensory issues :D It's also hugely validating to write people supporting Halt when he needs it bc his autism is causing a problem, or getting to call out characters who treat him poorly.

On a more story-focused level, writing Halt has been fun so far bc he's currently 20 years younger than he is in the main series, and I've written a lot of flashbacks to him as a kid where he was care-free and happy, whereas at the time the fic happens he's more reserved. It's been really fun writing him slowly becoming the version of him we see in canon! And chapter 23 plants a little seed that's gonna come back much later, in a light-hearted context that's nonetheless gonna be meaningful to him ❤

21. What other medium do you think your story would work well as? (film, webcomic, animated series?) I think a webcomic would be interesting! I could visually indicate that Will doesn't emote much in The Ward Ghost that way, or try fun things with panels to show how Halt perceives the world in The Royal Ranger. But I don't have the artistic skill to pull it off, nor do I want to put in the years of work to develop that at the moment lol

25. What part of writing is the most fun? Dialogue exchanges! Especially when characters get to tease each other, but also when they get to really be emotional and sincere. And I'm an absolute sucker for writing scenes where a character promises to support another ❤❤❤

Link to the ask game if you want to play!

#asks #ask games #writer meta ask game #the ward ghost #the royal ranger #my writing #you've gotta read ranger's apprentice so you can understand what i'm talking about friend (no pressure) #ALSO. ALSO I JUST EDITED A TAG. WITHOUT HAVING TO DELETE ANYTHING. AND I FEEL POWERFUL.

[ensrensage]

Fanfic asks 7, 28, 35

7: Your favorite AO3 tag

Every fandom/micro-fandom variation of “no beta, we die like [fill in the blank]” makes me laugh and i have a handful that I use for my own works (“no beta we die like saiev” for my Zelda fics bc of Red, and “no beta we die like phandalin” for my TAZ: Balance fics). As for faves for things I like to read, Everybody Lives tends to be my go-to. I don’t actually have any tags favorited that aren’t ship tags

28: Any writing advice that works for you and you feel like sharing?

SO the answer to this one is yes and no. I have ADHD and I’m autistic - I’ve not yet found a method that works for me when it comes to writing consistently, keeping focused, etc, because habit forming is very difficult for me and so is keeping to schedules (this is why Habits hasn’t been updated in over a year, I think? And fuck knows when I updated Notos last)

For me, the main writing advice I both give and follow is “Just write the thing, stop thinking so hard”, “write the stories that you want to tell”, and “write it, even if you think it’s shit; you don’t get flowers without fertilizer”. These are all things I’ve had to learn for myself after years of having shitty fandom experiences. I sat back one day and realized that I write because I’m writing for myself, I’m writing the stories I want to read as well as tell, and told myself to stop caring about my numbers. I objectively don’t give a single solitary fuck about comments, hits, or kudos, outside of the fact that one of my rarepair one shots has way more than my long fic because it makes me smile - I don’t get a lot of engagement from what I can tell (I also dont have an active posting routine so lol), but I’m a lot happier creating this way.

One of the other things that I’m doing lately is just writing the fun part. Not “write the fun part first”, but just writing the fun part that’s grabbing me completely unconnected to whatever greater thing might have spawned it. Now, combining this with the [get there] method, which is what I do for the connective tissue scenes between the moments/beats I’ve written, this leads to not finishing a lot of things, but that’s between me and my ADHD.

35: Thoughts on writing challenges/contests

The only challenge i ever really partake in is NaNoWriMo. Knowing how my brain works and how I struggle with consistency and finishing projects, I don’t particularly feel comfortable doing things like big bangs, fic exchanges, or applying as a contributor for zines? I also don’t write for contests just because writing contracts adjacent to that stuff can get janky fast. It’s always super fucking cool to see what challenges produce, though, and I love seeing when a collection goes up that compiles everything from an exchange, bang, or challenge. It’s just not for me as a creator, which is lowkey a lil heartbreaking for me.

#ask game #writing