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shu-box-puns · 4 months

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I've got this image of Dad!Tsu’tey from my Father-son-shenanigans AU turning up in ATWOW during the aftermath of the SeaDragon, specifically on that one rock. And he has no idea how he ended up there, but whilst Jake and Neytiri are quaking at the sudden appearance of their dead friend (visibly aged from the joys of fatherhood), Spider pops out of the ocean.

Naturally, Tsu'tey only has eyes for his son, and immediately gets launched head first into Protective!Dad mode at the state of him. He looks like a drowned rat, has several sluggishly bleeding cuts along his body, his stripes are faded more than his Spider ever allows. Not to mention, his dreads are matted at the scalp and are in desperate need of a retwist. But most alarming of all, none of his other family members (The Sully's) seem to remember to check on him in their shock of discovering Tsu'tey's presence.

Since no one else seems to be bothering, Tsu'tey helps Spider out of the water, noting the shock on the boy's face as he hesitantly takes Tsu'tey's outstretched hand.

<"Are you okay?"> Tsu'tey asks, as he has done for countless years. And horrifyingly, instead of Spider replying with "yes Dad," or "no Dad" Tsu'tey gets a-

<"Yes sir.">

Spider has never referred to Tsu'tey as 'sir' before. It's either 'Olo'eyktan' when he's in a mood and wants to get under Tsu'tey's skin, or 'Dad'.

<"Sir?"> Tsu'tey repeats with a curl of his nose. <"Who the hell is sir? I am Dad to you. I have always been Dad to you."> And of course, Tsu'tey is dead in this universe, and Spider has no clue who this strange forest na'vi is. Not to mention he's had a very long and emotional day surrounding another father figure.

<"Dude, I have no idea who you are.">

Cue:

Tsu'tey from my Dad!Tsu'tey AU looking at Spider in our ATWOW: "Watch out kid because you're about to get the strongest and most stable support system any clan has ever seen."

BONUS:

If Spider were to admit to Tsu'tey that Quaritch is alive (he's only known the man for an hour but Eywa does he trust him to keep Neytiri from mauling him):

Side Note: Tsu'tey has it all under control, and now has recruited Neytiri to go hunt down that dead beat dad.

#I feel like he would just be really sad to see himself dead in this universe and realise that Spider had no one because of it #our Spider would be so confused #Tsu'tey is a good Dad #happy to give him his space when he needs it #content to cook for him and ask about his day #scarily protective when Spider is in even a lick of danger #it's nice to have a father figure turn up after sixteen years and it not be awkward #meanwhile Neytiri and Jake are having emotional breakdowns because thier dead friend is just THERE #Only for Tsu'tey to immediately start chewing them out for neglecting HIS son #cue confusion and chaos the entire ilu ride back to the villagr #dad tsu'tey #he'd come around of course #dad!tsu'tey #son!Spider #Spider Socorro #Father-son-duo #Father-Son-Shenanigans #jake and neytiri #atwow #fix-it #Neteyam is fine #he's just resting

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stiffyck · 2 months

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Grian desperately trying to flirt with Scar because he likes him. Grian trying different pick up lines.

Scar flirting back thinking it's just jokes. Scar doing terrible pick up lines because he thinks they're funny.

Grian who's very gay and desperately in love and has been trying to deny it but Scar keeps flirting back and Grian thinking he should just ask scar out.

Vs Scar who's aroace and just thinks grian is joking the whole time. He never realised people actually flirt and try pickup lines for real.

#what will they do thats the question #i feel like itd be real awkward for a bit after grian asks scar out #but they stay friends and joke about it later #im off to sleep now for real dkfskgiejg #stiff talk #gtws #grian #desert duo #hermitshipping #one sided but its there #aroace scar

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crownedcrowrow · 1 year

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Pretty sure Mikey only bragged about being the battle nexus champion because he was hoping he would be congradulated by his family.

#pixelcrowart #tmnt #tmnt 2k3 #tmnt 2003 #teenage mutant ninja turtles #tmnt fandom #TMNT 2003 #tmnt michelangelo #tmnt mikey #tmnt leo #tmnt leonardo #brotherly comfort #ig this could be an alternate ending to grudge match #god i hate backgrounds #i got lazier as i drew this #idk how to draw turtle hugs withought it looking awkward #my favorite duo

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echo-goes-mmm · 5 months

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Silas and Wren #9

Masterpost

Warnings: none

Note: Felix (Silas’s brother) uses they/them pronouns and masculine family terms

The doorbell rang, and Wren’s blood ran cold. Master was out, and he hadn’t been told what to do when someone came to call.

There was very little time to decide, so he summoned up all his courage and opened the door. Two people were on the step, a man and a woman.

‘Master is out, but I can pass on a message for you’, is what he would have said, but the man at the door pulled him into a hug.

“Thank you for protecting my brother,” said the man, stepping away.

“Uh-”

“May we come in?”

“Um-”

“Great, thank you.” They pushed past him, and Wren awkwardly shut the door behind them.

As they put their coats in the hall closet, Wren had the opportunity to actually look at them. The person who hugged him must be Felix, and the lady their fiancée (wife?).

Felix did actually look like a younger version of their dad, and it was eerie how similar they were. The woman was blonde and pretty. She had a diamond ring that must be incredibly expensive.

He wasn’t quite sure what to do. Master was gone, and had been for hours. Maybe he’d come back soon, but Wren wasn’t even a house slave. He had no hosting experience.

“Could- could I get you some tea, or- um-” he wrung his hands as they turned to look at him. Heat rose to his face; vampires didn’t drink tea.

“How about you show us to the sitting room?” said the woman, gently.

“Right- sorry.” He led them in, trying his best to seem put together despite the fluttering anxiety in his chest.

“You know,” said Felix with a little laugh as they sat on the couch, “I’ve never actually been to my brother’s house. It’s quite nice. Where is he, by the way?”

“He’s uh, out running errands.” Wren wasn’t sure if he was also supposed to sit down or not.

“Oh.” It was Felix’s turn to be embarrassed, and Wren could see the charming family resemblance. They made the same face as Silas when he was awkward.

“Darling, you didn’t ask ahead?” The lady shook her head. Sheepishly, Felix rubbed the back of their neck.

The lady turned to him and offered a smile. “I’m sorry my silly fiancé forgot to warn you, and I’m very sorry we haven’t introduced ourselves. I’m Elisa, and of course this is Felix.”

“I’m called Wren, but um, I guess you knew?” Wren sat down in Master’s armchair, curling into it. He tucked his branded hand under his leg. Maybe they wouldn’t notice, or at least hadn’t yet.

“Ehh, not really,” said Felix, “I knew you were living with Silas, and I know you made my father very angry, but he neglected to mention your name.”

“I’m afraid he doesn’t care much about the details of most people. He didn’t bother to learn my name for the first three months I was courting Felix.” Elisa placed her hand on Felix’s. Wren tried not to feel jealous that they had the luxury of being in love and he didn’t.

“How did you meet?” he asked, as politely as possible. People did small talk, right?

“Oh, well,” Felix glanced at Elisa, and it was probably the wrong question to distract himself from his own longing. “I was at a housewarming party for a business acquaintance, and Elisa was wearing this eye-catching gorgeous dress-”

“Oh stop it, you,” blushed Elisa, smacking their shoulder while smiling.

“-and it was love at first sight. I thoroughly seduced her that night.”

Elisa leaned in, a mischievous glint in her golden eyes, “They spilled a glass of wine on me,” she whispered conspiratorially. “And could barely stutter out an apology. My mother was quite offended on my behalf. It was adorable.”

“Don’t tell him that bit,” protested Felix, “Let me have my fairytale.”

Wren felt himself smile a bit, despite the sick pool of envy in his stomach. He couldn’t help but be happy for them.

“How did you and Silas meet?” asked Elisa, and Wren tried not to panic at the question.

“Oh… um…”

“It’s alright,” reassured Felix, “I am a bit curious about how my brother managed to meet a partner- especially a human- but you don’t have to say.”

“Thank you,” he said, immediately feeling guilty. He was lying to Silas’s beloved brother, and sooner or later it would come out. But the lure of pretending- he couldn’t pass it up.

“How’s he doing? We… haven’t spoken in a while.”

“He’s fine. A little shaken after his father visited, but he’s mostly okay. He worries, though.”

Felix nodded. “That sounds like him, alright. Father is an intense man. I’m fairly certain he’s to blame for my brother’s nervousness.”

“He was adamant we didn’t invite Silas,” added Elisa. “We didn’t want to make a fuss, but it is unfortunate.”

“But tell us about you,” smiled Felix. “I’d like to know about my future brother-in-law, instead of lamenting my subpar family. Do you have any siblings?”

“Not that I know of. I, uh, don’t really know my dad,” he said truthfully. “I’m an only child as far as I know.”

“Oh… my condolences. I couldn’t imagine. I have three siblings, all older than me,” said Elisa. “It must be lonely. How’s your mom?”

“We don’t really talk. She worked all the time, and I left home pretty young,” lied Wren. It was true up to a point, but he was really talking out of his ass.

Silas was going to be furious. And his hand was falling asleep.

“I’m sorry to hear that. Have you two been together long?”

“A few months. A little fast, I know, but he’s so sweet and we just sort of happened.” Wren desperately tried to get back on familiar territory. Talking about Silas was easy.

“We can hardly judge,” waved off Felix. “Elisa and I have only been together two years and look at us! Married in a scant few days.”

“Silas has gone nearly crazy with deciding on a wedding gift. He even asked my opinion on vampiric wines, as if I knew anything about that,” he joked.

Felix snorted. “Typical. He gets caught up in his head sometimes.”

“I’ve noticed,” he grinned. “He sent you a letter, by the way. I’m not sure what all he said, but he was, well, nervous.”

“I haven’t gotten it yet, but I’m sure I can guess. Aside from the wedding fiasco, is he… happy?”

“I think so. Or at least, happier than when we first met.”

“Thank you,” said Felix, genuine and sincere. Guilt swirled in his gut. “Really, thank you. It was tough for him when Father tossed him out.”

“I-”

The front door opened and closed. Felix and their fiancée turned toward the doorway.

“Wren?” called out Silas, wandering into the room, “I need your opinion on-” Master froze at the scene. He dropped the package he was carrying.

“Felix?”

Felix stood up from the couch and wrapped their arms around Silas. Silas melted into their embrace.

“I didn’t know you were coming,” he sniffed. He stepped away, wiping his eyes.

“I know, it's my fault. Sorry about that.”

“No, no it’s fine.” Silas glanced at Wren. He looked away, and Silas furrowed his brow.

“Silas, this is my fiancée, Elisa.”

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you,” said Elisa, standing to shake Silas’s hand. “Felix has told me lots of stories.”

“Oh, um, all good things, I hope?” Elisa smiled at him.

“Of course.”

“I’m really sorry I didn’t tell you about the wedding,” said Felix. “It happened rather quickly, and Father, well. You know how he is.”

“Right,” muttered Silas, leaning over to pick up the package he dropped. He set it on the table beside Wren.

“To be fair,” pointed out Felix, and oh no- “you didn’t tell me about your beau either.”

“Beau?”

“You know,” winked Felix, “Partner, lover, whatever you want to call him. I never thought you’d meet such a lovely man. No offense.”

“None taken, but what the hell are you talking about?”

Wren sank further into the chair. Felix turned to him, confused, and Silas followed their gaze. Even Elisa was looking at him.

“Wren,” said Silas, and he couldn’t read his tone, “what did you say to them?”

He bit his lip, trying to keep from bursting into tears. There was no way Silas would love him after this.

“I- I just-” best to get it over with- “I just wanted to pretend for a little while.”

“I’m a little lost here,” said Elisa. “Pretend what?”

“I think I’ve made a critical error of assumption,” said Felix. “And my brother is actually single.”

Wren nodded, and he pulled out his hand, showing off his damn mark. “I’m really, really sorry.”

Felix’s eyes went wide, and they turned on Silas, snarling. “What the fuck did you do?”

“Nothing!”

“You own a person!”

“If it makes you feel better, I’m not a person,” he offered, but they didn’t seem to hear him.

“Well maybe I was just tired of being alone! Sorry you can’t understand that with your perfect life!” hissed Silas.

“Oh that’s a laugh! You think I want to be the golden child? It’s fucking exhausting! You can do whatever you want now! And I have to put up with Father’s orders all the time!”

“You can just say no! It’s easy! No! See?”

They were a scant foot away from each other, shouting and hissing, like two cats with hackles raised.

Elisa grabbed his hand. “Let’s leave them to it,” she whispered. Wren followed her out into the main hall.

“How about you show me the rest of the house?”

“Oh, uh, sure, ma’am.”

“Just Elisa will do.”

“Right, sorry.” They wandered around the house. It wasn’t much of a tour; he was too tense from the distant argument.

“They’ll get over it,” she assured him after a moment. “Felix loves their brother.”

“I’m not worried about that. I lied to you two, and made him look bad. He’ll be angry with me.”

Elisa paused, looking at one of the paintings. She traced the golden frame with a slender finger. “Does he mistreat you?”

“There’s not really a way to mistreat a slave. By definition. We’re meant to accept anything.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

Wren stared up at the painting. It was one of his favorites.

“He hasn’t hit me, or anything like that.”

She turned to him. “You think he will?”

“No,” he said immediately. Silas wouldn’t. But there were a variety of ways to punish slaves. It didn’t have to involve a fist.

They moved from the library to the wing where he lived.

“Tell me, what do you do for Silas?” she asked, leaning against the kitchen counter.

“Not much,” he admitted, grabbing some orange juice from the fridge. “I just keep him company really.”

“Sexually?”

“I was sold to him for that, but he’s not interested. We just talk. Play board games and cards.” He poured a glass of juice and put the jug back. “He’s been teaching me to read.”

“Oh?”

___________________

“You of all people should know it’s not that simple!”

“Then why do you think it’s easy for me? I lost everything when Father threw me out! No one wanted to talk to me, not even my own brother!”

“I-” Felix deflated. “I’m sorry. I should have gone with you.”

“I never wanted that. I just don’t understand why you didn’t talk to me,” he said, quiet. It still ached, like a bruise on his heart.

Felix sat on the couch. “I don’t have a good explanation. Guilt, I guess? I’m just sorry, Silas.” He looked down at his hands.

Silas sat down next to him. “I forgive you. As long as I’m still your brother, right?”

“Of course. But Silas, why did you buy a slave? It’s not like you.”

Silas looked up at the ceiling. “It’s just like I said before. I really needed someone in my corner. Don’t laugh.” he nudged Felix.

“I wasn’t laughing! I might not… really get it, but if it makes you happy then that’s fine with me. Just as long as you aren’t too mean to him.”

“I would never!”

Felix snorted. “I know, I’m messing with you.”

Elisa and Wren walked into the room, and Silas immediately noticed that there was something wrong with him. Wren was lingering half a step behind Elisa, eyes trained on the floor.

Elisa kissed Felix on the top of their head. They tilted their head to the side, a smile gracing their face.

Silas caught Wren looking, something strange in his expression before he turned back to the floor.

They exchanged goodbyes and I-love-yous and well wishes.

“Hey,” he called to Wren, low and calm. “Come here.”

Wren miserably made his way over. He did not sit down, instead opting to linger with his head hanging low. Silas took his hand in his own.

“What happened? Did Elisa say something?”

“No, Master,” he whispered. “She was nice.”

“Then what’s wrong?”

Wren sank to his knees, tears streaming down his face. “I lied to your brother, and I’m so so sorry.” Wren looked up at him, and he looked terrified.

“I’m not mad.”

“Y- you’re not?”

“No.” Silas stroked his thumb over the back of Wren’s hand. “You just didn’t want to be judged. I get that.”

Wren looked away.

“Really. I’m not upset.”

“Okay.” Wren wiped his tears. “Can I go? Please?”

“Yeah, uh, sure.” Silas felt wrong footed, like he just messed up somehow. “I’ll see you later, I guess.”

taglist: @just-a-whumping-racoon-with-wifi @secretwhumplair @freefallingup13 @mylovelyme @whumpzone @paintedpigeon1 @haro-whumps @whumpthisway @fanastyfinder @extemporary-whump @susiequaz12 @keepingwhumpwiththekardashians @the-cyrulik @morning-star-whump

#Name a more dynamic duo than the Raventooth siblings + social awkwardness #trick question you cant #actually... maybe Wren + assumptions #or Wren + misunderstanding #Silas and Wren #my writing #whump #slavery whump

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void-chara · 1 year

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My gift for the @technoblade-gift-exchange !! i was assigned to @simplepotatofarmer who asked for dsmp rivals duo. i hope you like it Loyal!

rambling about headcanons, designs, and my process and stuff under the readmore, because i wanna talk about it but dont want the post to be super long !!

i had originally planned to not have a background and then at the last second i decided to speedrun drawing one in a few hours so um. quality difference but its fine. also unrelated but im pretty sure everything about how i draw animals and anthros makes it very obvious i used to be in the warrior cats fandom lol. anyway onto the designs!!

the gold on techno is scars from the totem at the execution, which i think is a pretty common thing for techno designs. he isnt supposed to be a piglin, but rather similar species of anthropomorphic pig. also his mane and tail fluff are naturally brown but he dyes them pink ^_^ so cool !! um. i maaayyy have forgotten the crown until i was way too far into the piece to add it. haha. oops. pretend its missing because. uuh. hes in a casual outfit. "but he still has the cape" yeah its comfy. "but dream has a mask thats not casual" dream is dream he does Not relax fully ever. see entirely intentional i would never make a mistake.

dream is an original shapeshifter species i came up with because i couldnt decide what i wanted him to be. i havent decided on a name for the species yet but i plan to make almost every solid-color or nearly solid color mcyt into this species. theyre mostly involuntary/unconscious shapeshifters. so like they change slowly over weeks or months to adapt to their surroundings, with little conscious control. basically i wanted him to be like five different things so i shoved them together lol, rabbit ears but in a pattern that looks like an axolotl, a cool tail, TOE BEANS tho you cant see them. this was actually the first time ive ever had a dream design im happy with so thats really nice.

i um. i made full use of my time lol, i spent a bit over a week on the lineart, another week on the coloring, and maybe a week and a half on rendering. unless i suddenly became shit at math(which is possible) that adds up to roughly the amount of time i had to work on it. im really proud of myself actually since i usually take a while to do art, and i wasnt sure i would be able to make something id be happy with in this amount of time. but i did! woah!! this was my first time participating in a fandom gift exchange and it was so fun, and also helped motivate me to draw more instead of getting distracted like i usually do (classic adhd moment) lol. anyway super cool!!

Loyal if u decided to read all this for some reason then again i really hope u like it!! u are so cool and i really love ur rivals duo opinions and creations so i hope u like this! i know theres been shit happening lately, i hope ur doing ok!!

#technoblade #dreamwastaken #rivals duo #dream smp #dreblr #technogiftexchange #<- thats the tag right?#also wow i think i said too many words. i dont think anyone else rambled that much about their gift. um. in my defense the only thing more #powerful than my written language learning disorder is my adhd and autism. so. yeah. lots of words.#aaaaaa i feel like how i wrote everything is so awkward. i am just a creature imitating others i have no idea how to interact with people..#hmmm. posting now before anxiety gets the better of me!#edit: wait fuck i forgot my art tag. how do i ALWAYS forget my art tag.#chara makes things

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panevanbuckley · 8 months

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as a new fan of f1 i genuinely feel so privileged to be able to watch the friendship between lando and oscar form

#like everyone else was already close when i got into it. and then there's these two #and there was that awkward beginning where we weren't sure if they'd gel but now look at them! bringing out the best in each other #and depending on how long they stay teammates it's pretty sweet to say we were there since the start #f1 #formula 1 #landoscar #lando norris #oscar piastri #they just have such a cute friendship y'know?? they're my favourite duo on the grid aside from maxiel

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inamindfarfaraway · 4 months

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I love that we're getting focus on Chris Rodriguez early in the TV show, so that we have time to get invested in him before he a) betrays the camp and b) is driven so insane that only Dionysus can cure him. Knowing him beforehand will also make his relationship with Clarrisse, friendship and romance, feel more interesting.

What other cool, fun, not-heartbreaking characters will the show give more attention and depth? Silena Beauregarde? Charlie Beckendorf? Micheal Yew? Castor and Pollux? I can't wait!

#can you imagine the gut punch of having castor and pollux be recurring minor characters #always together #the classic either very similar or very different twins trope #with jokes about dionysus being their dad and more insight into that awkward relationship #that's their shtick like the stoll brothers except the comedy premise is 'mr d is their dad' which really does write itself #they're well-established as both part of the camp's normal and one of those 'two-in-one' side character duos #then after over three seasons of this castor dies in battle #and we don't see the death but when we next see pollux castor just. isn't there #and we Know #only one thing could have separated those two and it looks like pollux is missing at least an arm (and hurts accordingly)#and when we next see dionysus he's exactly as broken as a father who's lost a son would be #so different from how we've seen any other god emote about their children #and it sinks in that he actually was present in castor's life for years and now that's gone #it isn't 'well the view from olympus is different now and my name is stained with failure. drat' but the weight of #'he won't sit at my table tomorrow' 'he will never play pinocle with me again even though it bores him because he secretly likes me'#and so on and on and on forever #because he's never coming back. we will never see castor AND pollux again #enjoy your fantasy series kids! war is worse than hell because it hurts the undeserving!#pjo tv show #pjo tv series #pjo disney+#percy jackon and the olympians #percy jackson #pjo

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fishing-lesbian-catgirl · 10 months

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I’ll be honest, whenever I start enjoying a fictional lesbian couple I start to ask myself which of them seems more transgender that I can project trans headcanons onto. Usually it’s not that difficult, but for both Marcille x Falin and Sorawo x Toriko I’ve flip flopped multiple times

#for the record I’m now firmly on the trans toriko side. not only is she taller and relatably awkward but she had queer parents #who would’ve accepted her #meanwhile Sorawo is the most autistic person in fiction so I really relate to her #but I think she was too busy with the cult thing to change her gender #Or alternatively ‘running away from my family in a cult who wants to kidnap me and make me one of them’ does embody trans themes #see this is why I flip flop #as for the dungeon meshi duo. Marcille has pathetic girl swag but Falin has autistic girl swag #however I very much relate to Falin not being particularly feminine in her wardrobe and having broad shoulders #now if you read this far you might be thinking: why not both? and you’re right #i mean I’m already projecting my gender into fictional characters why not go wild with it #and again you’re right I have no counter point

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if-loki-was-a-fox · 1 year

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I was just rewatching an old Ranboo and Technoblade VOD from way back just after Doomsday, and I don't think it is possible for anything to be funnier than Technoblade and Ranboo both mutually turning into bundles of social anxiety and dancing around each other

#to clarify: what I mean is how they both are just super awkward and shy and sometimes try to avoid each other #early on in their friendship they were both just equally afraid of talking to the other and it was so funny #and in fanfics where they're teying to bond but have no freaking clue what theyre doing and both have such vastly different social cues #I just love watching these two socially anxious dorks try to coexist #they don't know what theyre doing at all #dream smp #ranboo #technoblade #peerpeessureduo #peer pressure duo #dsmp ranboo #dsmp technoblade #rambling about blorbos

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aphsillyos · 1 month

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ezreal top is a new thing im trying out actually

#me arts tag #ezreal #senna #lucian #the realization of ''oh no i think theyre a duo'' and then them locking in matching high noon was hilarious #i fELT SO AWKWARD LIKE OH GEEZ OH GOD IM SO SORRY I DIDNT KNOW........ NOBODY CALLED ADC..... OOPS

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barbiegirldream · 3 months

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why do you say q didnt like dream? i thiught they really vibbed when its wasnt a loud ass lobby /genq

Not that Q was actively plotting his downfall. Just that it was a business friendship. the way you enjoy working with some of your co-workers but not like you're actually gonna hang once you get a new job

#also i never thought they vibed #tbc it was awkward and stilted and he pushed for 'funny' mean constantly #fans pushed the duo i think they just wanted q to be nicer

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incorrectgundamwingquotes · 1 year

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Duo: Do you like men?

Wufei: Man is a hopeless creature and I don’t like much of anyone.

Duo:

[later]

Wufei: Oh, if you meant sexually then yes

#awkward convos on the Lunar Base #duo maxwell #wufei chang #gundam wing #incorrect quotes #2x5 #5x2 #2x5x2

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revelisms · 9 months

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Little Numbers

Jinx has a lot of things she doesn't like—and, mainly, she doesn't like thunderstorms. Silco, slowly, is learning how to navigate that.

Rating: G | WC: 1.5k | Oneshot A lil' semi-sweet morsel of a character study, set early after Act 1. Features Jinx brainstorming a new invention, talking about her and Vi's papa, and asking Silco about his past. Silco is still figuring out how to be a Dad™️. Full story below and on AO3

They've something of a routine, in this.

He's come to expect it, over the months; on days like these, most of all. Past a spider-spiral of jade glass, glossed with gold, brews a storm: the rains speckling off the windows and battering over the roofs, a haze of gloom laid about their streets, like an old god stirred from the tides. It rakes its claws off every storefront and tile; leaves its footprints in polluted pools on the cobbles, with each howling stagger through the Lanes. It skews his office to gray tones, and ripples the walls with water-shadow.

A kindred spirit, in its own way. A comfort. But not for her.

The child dislikes the rain—much as she dislikes sunlight or the color lemon or the feeling of water in one's boots. Those menial things, though, can be corrected: a change of environment, new paints, fresh clothes. Contrary to the superstitions of those paid by his coin, however, he cannot control the weather.

A storm will oft send the girl into a reclusive fit. Ill associations, perhaps. He knows, best of all of them, that memory's a wry devil. With a sorceress's charm, she weaves sensation into the most stubborn edges of one's nerves; she steals things that were once cherished, and tarnishes their taste to rot; she encases, cages, and gnaws at the mind.

In his case, the work and the drink and the walks through the night's chill do enough to abide her.

Jinx—as she is now asking to be called—is still finding her ways.

On the rare, rain-drenched instances she will emerge from her den, brave the firecracker of the thunder to peel up the bar's varnish-slick steps, he's learned to find her here: her quiet tinkerings echoing from the underbelly of his desk, her small head at his knee, a gargoyled hunch in the cave-cover it provides.

He tends to think of the girl in feline terms: a spatting kitten clawing up the curtains. On these days, she's more akin to a pup at his feet—one he has to remind himself is there.

He shifts in his chair, pen in hand. She's brought a closet's worth of crafting supplies with her: papers, pens, metal parts, screws. His own work, housed in a series of reports, is similarly cluttered: steel mills, imports, distilleries, bullets. Cogs and wheels of his own toolbox.

"I see you're...working on something new." Rain smatters; his pen scratches. At his knee, the girl rifles through a set of oil-crayons. "Another invention of yours?" he wonders slowly, slicing the quill into three sharp lines.

1-5-7.

A code for Sevika: a blessing in order, with a red string. The mills were up thirty percent from the last quarter, but their chief of operations was getting skittish. Not all saw the promise in supplying disputes across the water.

He could bend their workers' ears, differently.

A small, paint-spackled hand twists around the front of his desk. With it, a splatting page.

The girl has her own codes, he's found. Music or mantras or poems, when the words won't seem to come to her. A color palette of emotions, when she isn't quite sure how to box them in, herself. He's picked up enough on their patterns. Blue means happy; yellow, sad; green, nervous.

She retreats her hand, quickly. In silence, he muddles over what he's left with.

No talking today, it seems.

Scrawled on the page: a flash of neon-pink.

Her penmanship spears through the paper, jagged lettering and punctuated swirls. It has a touch of carnivalesque charm about it. Bold, vibrant, uneven.

Gilby — Gilbert — Gilly? Like a smokie bear-BOOM! He's gonna be pink and red. See?

Underneath, she's drawn a ghoulish rendition of what appears to be a pipe bomb, with extra wires atop the head and a set of welded ears. The face wears the signature scowl she so seems to favor. Scribbled along the sides sit two claw-tipped paws.

Curiously, Silco cocks his head. She's gone so far as to outline the very chemistry she intends to use to stage the explosive. A viper-sharp mind in that little head of hers.

He hums. His pen scratches in a quiet response. A line jetted through smokie—above it, a thin respelling. Beside her drawing, he leaves notes of his own, in his sliced, sloping script.

Lovely colors. Consider a chlorate mixture — will better suit the size.

He slides the page back towards the edge of his desk, and returns to his reports. A thin set of fingers tiptoes over the varnish: slips the paper back out of sight.

Another rumble of thunder bleeds through the streets. His pen sweeps down a second sheet. Not a moment after, he finds his work again interrupted. A series of stars have been added across her page.

Sawdust or sugar? Why is it better? How did you learn about chemistry?

Silco leans into one elbow, with a low breath. He has half a mind to send his reports to the girl; see if her sharpness for equations extends to analytics.

Instead, his thumb slips her candy-colored questions farther over his wall of numbers, careful to avoid smudging her work. A gust of wind batters the rain against the windows. Beneath his desk, an incessant tick-ticking of metal. He scratches in his responses, lamplight glimmering on still-wet ink.

Sawdust. This design will have a greater reliance on pressure than combustion. From working the tunnels, then the doctor, then the tutors he knew of.

And so their routine begins: a question to a response, a response to a question. With each tradeoff, another smattering of doodles appears—some pink, some blue, some black.

Did you like school?

She's drawn a small galaxy, now, complete with star-shine and moons. He does his best to write around them: neat boxes of black lettering.

What I could get of it, under the company allowances. They hadn't much care for an educated workforce.

The company hadn't much care for anything, beyond bodies sloughing through that black earth, doing as they were told. Huddled in the barracks, his lamp tucked beneath his sheets, he used to read stolen books cover-to-cover and back again: histories, economics, folktales.

What was your favorite part? Literature.

The girl scribbles a violent response, to that. He lifts his brows, patiently, fingers laced. Gives a dull huff to the slash of pink she slides before him.

UGH!! Borrring! Did you ever write anything? Boring for you. Started with union pamphlets. Some essays stuck in the press.

A light thwunk of her boot hits the floor.

What about geology? I like geology. What's your favorite rocks? Consequence of the trade, less than like it. Minerals, not rocks. Covellite, jasper, bloodstone.

Each mineral hosts their own illustrations, by the time she turns the sheet back to him: a blue comet, a red heart, a green hand.

What were the mines like?

His pen idles on the page.

"Am I to answer that in stanza, or in a speech?" he muses, dryly.

Beneath his desk, a small sound, like an animal stifling a hiccup. After a moment, Jinx speaks. "Papa worked in the mines."

She hardly ever mentions her parents. When she does, it is with the same veneration that she speaks of her sister: like something too far gone to touch; something feared and worshipped, in turns.

Silco thinks of his own father, nigh-nonexistent father, with a lineage stripped from him since birth, and feels his nail bite into his thumb.

He thinks of Vander, for a short, vile moment—and then he doesn't.

"Then you know of it, enough," he mutters, regathering himself.

A feather-light touch toys at the clasps of his boot. "Papa hated them."

He is back in them, briefly. Back in that hellish chill, dry as death; in the red-lamped glow signposting ten-meter intervals in the pitch; in the feel of the rock at his back, a crawlspace of a work path, ore and diamonds rattling in his carts; the smell of sulphur and sweat and dust in his lungs, thick as sludge in his throat.

His pen twitches.

"Most the lot of us did, child," he says, far quieter than he intends, "and most hadn't a choice."

Jinx says nothing to that, for a long moment. She makes no move to retrieve her sheet, either. But he feels her shift: a firmer pressure at his knee, her tinkerings forgotten.

He lingers over her drawings.

Pink. The color of her shame and anger.

Silco drags his thumb against the ridges of his fingertips, worries over the hard calluses the years of that labor had left: scar tissue too deep to fade. In the silence, his reports tether back his attention. Still, Jinx sits.

He marks three sharp lines: another code for his right-hand. A gloss of green light begins to break through the gray. "These wretched things in life," he finds himself murmuring, "we all must endure. But we are stronger, for having endured them." His other hand loosens from his temple, finds the soft crown of the girl's head, and rests there. "Remember that."

Jinx draws in a small breath, picking at a piece of tin.

For minutes, she doesn't say a word. Then, quietly: "Okay."

The rains lighten. He returns to his work, leafing through new proposals and policy drafts.

At his feet, the child scribbles.

Pink and blue, and pink and blue.

#arcane #arcane fanfic #silco arcane #jinx arcane #silco & jinx #crime dad daughter duo #these season 2 tidbit ideas hit me like a truck #listen i just hhlskfj #i love lil jinx so much #and complete awkward crime boss dysfunctional dad silco #totally at a loss for how to Do This #but also just seeing so much of *himself* in her #and almost reapproaching his inner child as a result #writing

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