#did you know i also shipped her with clockwork for a really short time :)))) like actually cringe lfskdhds

[storm-and-starlight]

I don’t even know what to title this, but I still can’t stop thinking about the end of Lost Light and particularly what happened to Rodimus (also I just really wanted to get something finished and posted for this fandom lol) so have this weird little ficlet, I guess.

The thing about quantum engines is that they sing.

Normal engines... Rodimus has been on enough ships, of enough different classes, been carried in shuttle cargo holds and clamped to flight-mode undersides and caught a lift in Sky Lynx, that he could probably tell you the ship's size and speed just from the sound of the engines. Which is a weird skill for a hotshot Autobot combat op to have, but hey, four million years of war and you learn some weird scrap. He's not a mechanic, by any means -- Nautica could probably tell you the exact ship designation, but when it gets down to it, the point is that Rodimus knows his spaceships. Grounder engines rumble, flight engines roar -- pretty much every single Autobot anywhere starts looking for cover when they hear the whistling scream of Seeker-class thrusters, even now -- and ship engines hum, so big and so powerful that you can't even hear it sometimes, just feel it rumbling up through the floor without end.

It's one of the comforting constants of life on ship, same as fueling in the common hall and late-night bridge shifts and the endless corridors of the hab sections -- the lights are always on and the bridge is always manned and the engines always send tiny tremors through the decking. Sublight engines you can hear, most of the time, especially if you're near engineering -- superlight engines only sound off during a jump, but it's a sound you can hear from the observation deck.

But quantum engines sing.

Nautica tried to explain it to him once, how they mess around with something something atomic resonance and other words that he never bothered to learn and probably never will -- once she'd reassured him that they weren't going to cause another weird duplication mishap, he'd left her and the techheads to it and gone back to avoiding Ultra Magnus and whatever he wanted to talk about this time, probably something like the paint on the rivets on deck ten was two shades lighter than the paint on deck four or something equally boredom-inducing -- but the bare basics of it that he did manage to shove through his processor was that because they weren't constantly on fire, the sound they gave off was different.

Quantum engines sing.

There's really no other way to describe it -- a constant, shifting hum, buried underneath the general sounds of shipboard life and the actual rattle of sublight thrusters, rising and falling with the movement of the stars and the planets around them, setting internal cabling buzzing in tune if you get too close. It's supposed to be unsettling, terrifying if you spend too long around it -- there's a reason quantum mechanics are rare, and it's not just the difficulty -- but Rodimus spent years aboard a ship with the most powerful quantum engines he'd ever seen and after the first, oh, month or so it had just been another constant, just like Whirl destroying things and Brainstorm exploding things and random shit happening like clockwork. It had even been soothing, to find somewhere quiet near the back of the ship and just listen.

Rodimus still dreams of it, sometimes.

Dreams of waking up in a captain's hab suite under the warm yellow-gold of on-shift lighting, of painted hallways and wide rooms, of the great sweep of the bridge viewport and the familiar metal of the captain's chair. Of letting the Lost Light sing to him, in the wide halls and the sparring rooms and the deep bell of the oil reservoir that never stopped rippling with the sound of the engines, of wandering the halls in the cool dimmed blue of nightshift and feeling those engines bearing him ever onwards, like a melody ever-rising. For the entire time that they spent aboard the Lost Light -- far, far too short a time, for how much he remembers it -- those engines never stopped.

Rodimus is not a poet -- never has been, never will be, and has no desire to even so much look at poetry, thanks -- but he still remembers how his ship sang to him, in the black and the void and the space between stars.

In the blank reddish dimness of the Exitus' nightshift, the sublight engines send their low rumble through the metal plating, a sound familiar from the first time he ever set foot on a starship. The Exitus is a small ship, the hallways narrow, the lighting tuned towards red and gold and not the high-energy blue. It's a good ship, with a good crew, and the missions are easy and reliable, without life-threatening danger.  He still gets a lieutenant's private berthroom, and a lieutenant's place on the bridge, and Thunderclash, being the insufferably perfect person he always is, gives Rodimus his full respect within his position, but it's not... it's not the Lost Light.

Nothing ever will be, he knows, and he's made as much peace with that as he can. Which isn't much, but, hey, he hasn't had the urge to throw himself out the airlock yet, so he's calling that a win. He'll work aboard the Exitus until the Exitus is gone, and then... who knows. Maybe he'll go hang out on Earth again, catch up on all the things he missed like giant planet-eating planets -- he still can't decide which is better/cooler/more terrifying, Unicron or Functionist Cybertron. Go racing. See if he can't find anyone he knows from the war and catch up. Get thoroughly wasted the way he doesn't in front of Thunderclash, because it's Thunderclash, or on shore leave, because he'd rather not come back to the ship and endure the pity.

But for now, the Exitus is still his best option, running diplomatic errands through near space and listening to the rumble of engines up through the deck plating and remembering the way the Lost Light sang.

#transformers #lost light #rodimus #transformers fic #storm's fic #fic #storm's writing #writing #storytelling

[blazingflareon]

clockwork was my fav character so that obviously meant my self insert somehow had something to do with him. hence star was literally the master of space (because ’time and space’. yknow.) which. didn’t even come out of nowhere bc star has always had space/dimensional magic of sorts but i really said ‘my oc is basically a god :)’ now to be fair i’d do something similar now bc cw is still my fave character but like. not on ‘master of space’ levels 

also they were a sonic/mlp oc back then which was explained away with ‘space magic = alternate dimensions = crossovers’ so yknow. all sorts of wack.

anyway i like the doodle so im posting it lol

#did you know i also shipped her with clockwork for a really short time :)))) like actually cringe lfskdhds #NOT SAYING SELF INSERT SHIPPING IS BAD #its just in my case looking back its cringe bc im aroace (and so is star since theyre my sona) #my art #blazingart #oc: star faux #YKNOW I JUST REMEMBERED I THINK I HAD AN AU WHERE STAR BECAME MASTER OF TIME #oh my god i forgot about that. do i still have the notes for it im pretty sure i wrote shit down #clockwork literally died like. i deadass killed off my fave character so my self insert could be MORE OP #why did i remember that at 2am now i have to find it fuck #wAIT DIDNT I ALSO SHIP T*MPORAL TR*ST AT THAT TIME #I REALLY WAS IN IT FOR THE ANGST HUH #sidenote that ships wack in hindsight #'yeah lets ship the 14yr old with the immortal time ghost thats not weird' #cw is much better off as a parental figure ngl #but the romantic ship makes me happy bc it made me happy when i was 15 and now its stuck in my head like that askdlfh #basically i am aware t*mporal tr*st is has uh. problematic undertones in terms of age but its pure nostalgia #uh whoops tag rant #if you read all of that. im sorry. #tldr 15 year old me was weird

[ecto-american]

The Half-Dead Kids Club

Phic Phight Oneshot for bibliophilea: (AU) Tucker Ghouly was looking for a relaxing weekend with his boyfriend. Too bad the halfa versions of his boyfriend, his boyfriend's sister, and their other best friend crashed the party. [Danny/Tucker]

Also if you've read my Tucker Ghouly AU fic, this is set in the same universe/using the same logic and same eventual ship, and there is a spoiler for things I have planned for that fic too.

On FFN and AO3

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

Tucker sighed, doing a cheesy yawn and stretch as he put his hand over his boyfriend's shoulder. Danny rolled his eyes.

"You don't have to do that every time," he told him. Tucker grinned.

"Yeah, but you're a sucker for it," he replied.

"Can't argue with that," Danny agreed, returning the smile. "Your parents are gonna be out for a while, right?"

"Yeah, and Olivia's sleeping over at her friend's," Tucker replied. Danny's smile widened.

"Sooo…" he said slowly. He leaned in to kiss Tucker instead of finishing his sentence. Tucker happily leaned in too, only to stop when he felt that familiar electrical tingling in his head. He suddenly stood up. Danny stared before snapping to his feet too. "Ghost?"

Tucker nodded as he looked around, going ghost. Danny reached into his pocket for a screwdriver sized-handle, pressing a button that made it spring out into the Fenton Anti-Creep Stick (Mobile Version).

"Can you tell where it-AH!" Danny screamed as a semi-familiar figure came out of seemingly nowhere and crashed into the coffee table. Tucker also screamed, turning on his heel.

The figure was a motionless girl with short black hair, one of the sides of her head shaved to expose an ear with multiple piercings. She wore a dark purple sleeveless shirt and a black skirt, with purple and black tennis shoes. The girl was laying on the wooden pile of the now broken coffee table.

"Aw, man! My mom's gonna kill me!" Tucker cried out.

Danny took a few deep breaths, clutching his chest before nudging the girl with his foot. She groaned in pain. He squinted his eyes at her voice.

"...Sam?" Danny asked. He clicked the button, and the weapon folded back together.

"...Danny?" she moaned softly.

The couple immediately reached down to help her up, setting her on the couch.

"Sam! What happened?" Danny asked. He cupped a bruised cheek, taking note of what injuries she had. "I thought you were going to Florida with your grandma." Sam stared at him, confused.

"What? N-no. No, I….I'm sorry, but are you wearing eyeliner? It looks rad."

"...Yeah? I always wear eyeliner?" Danny said slowly. "How badly did you hit your head? And how did you get here?"

Tucker had watched everything silently, but now he had to say something.

"...This isn't our Sam, dude," he told him. Danny gave him a weird look, and Sam did too, only for her face to drop in surprise upon truly looking at him. "Our Sam would never shave her head." Danny glanced back at Sam, and he had to nod.

"...Yeah, my Tucker's not...glowing," she stated hesitantly. Tucker saw his hand, and he remembered that he was, in fact, still in ghost mode.

"Sorry," he apologized, and the rings formed, but he stopped as his senses went wild once more. Black mist escaped Sam's nostrils as well. "...Hold that thought."

"There's more?" Danny asked, standing up again. Fenton Anti-Creep Stick (Mobile Version) was once again sprung out.

"Whoa, sick!" Sam grinned. She got to her feet too, wobbingly a bit.

"You should rest, you took a nasty fall," Tucker insisted. He took her hands, causing her to flush a light red. Slowly but gently, he made her sit back down. He looked to Danny, leaning in to give him a quick peck. "Make sure she's okay, I'm gonna go investigate."

"Gotcha," Danny confirmed. Tucker jumped up, flying straight into the ceiling and out. Sam rubbed her upper arm anxiously.

"So...you and Tucker, huh?" she asked slowly. Danny nodded.

"Yeah, for a while now," he replied. He raised an eyebrow. "Something wrong?"

"No!" she said quickly. "No! Uh, just kinda...weird to see, if I'm being honest. Um...So by now I'm pretty sure I fell into some kind of natural ghost portal to where Tucker's half ghost, and you two are dating….but um...where I'm from, I'm kinda half ghost, and I'm kind of dating Tucker. So! Uh!" She coughed nervously. "Just kinda...not something I'm used to seeing."

"Oh. Ah. Um...I see." Danny shifted from foot to foot before sitting down next to her. "Um. That's uh. Heh. Kinda funny."

"He also goes for the goth look," she continued. "Like, uh, like you. So. Um." She clasped her hands together, resting them on her knee as she crossed her leg. "Just uh...kinda weird." She paused. "Kinda really weird."

"Uh...yeah."

They sat in silence for a few seconds. Danny glanced over to her, clearing his throat.

"...Our Sam's dating Paulina," he suddenly blurted out. Sam choked on nothing.

"I'm WHAT?"

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

Tucker flew out of his house, and he immediately found what was looking for. Two figures, talking as they floated in the sky. A girl with bright blue hair, in blue and white, and a boy with white hair, in black and white.

"Hey," Tucker called out to them. They turned to him, and they stared.

"We're peaceful!" the girl called out. The boy elbowed her in the ribs, making her yelp.

"Who are you?" the boy asked.

"Tucker Ghouly, and you two?"

"Tucker Ghouly…" the boy repeated slowly. He glanced between himself and the girl. "...Wait. Tucker? Is that you? It's me, Danny."

Tucker blinked in confusion as he stared. He squinted, and he could finally sorta see it. If he dyed the hair black, made it a bit longer, added the signature eyeliner...this dude kinda looked like his boyfriend. Though of course, his boyfriend was of course much cuter.

"Danny...Fenton?" he asked slowly. The boy, Danny, quickly made a cut it out motion.

"It's Danny Phantom," he replied.

"And Jazz Phantom!" the girl pipped up. Danny put his hand on her face, pushing her back a bit.

"We're not related," he informed him.

"We kinda are!"

"Do you know where we can talk? Like in private?" the boy asked. Tucker gestured to his house below them.

"Come on, my house should be good."

The two followed him into the living room, and Tucker glanced between his boyfriend and the Not-Sam. His boyfriend had moved to sit in an armchair while Sam was whining and complaining about something he couldn't quite make out, sprawled out dramatically on the couch.

"What did you do?" Tucker asked. Danny shrugged.

"Told her she was dating Paulina here," Danny said, and Sam let out a dramatic shrieking noise. He nodded at the two ghosts. "So why aren't we kicking butt?"

"So, if I'm guessing right," Tucker said slowly, finally turning to the two ghosts that had been just standing there awkwardly. "Ghostly portal nonsense happened, and now we have a bunch of half ghosts here."

"Wait, what?" Danny spoke up.

"I think what Tucker's saying is that me, that Danny, and." Sam sat up, pausing as she stared curiously at the other girl. She cocked her head. "Jazz?" she guessed. Jazz nodded. "Okay, and Jazz, are all half ghosts from another timeline. We need to get back."

"Yeah, and like. Soon. My parents and little sister are gonna be back by Sunday night, and I'm already hiding one half ghost, me." Tucker gestured up and down at himself. "From a Guys in White agent."

"Whoa! Wait, hold up!" the Not-Danny said, holding his hands up. "Your dad's a GIW agent?" Tucker sighed.

"Yeah. He was a cop, but right around the time of the accident he got hired on with them," he replied. "Is your dad one too?"

"No! They're ghost hunters! They run and operate FentonWorks!" Not-Danny grumbled. Danny raised an eyebrow.

"Hey, my parents too," Danny spoke up. "Tucker got shocked when we were trying to troubleshoot it. We uh...we got it running."

Danny visibly sunk in his seat a bit. Tucker immediately turned human, walking over to the armchair. He sat on the arm, wrapping an arm around his shoulder and hugging him close. A reminder that it wasn't his fault.

"Yeah, I got shocked by Mom and Dad's portal too," Jazz finally spoke up. Since Tucker had gone human, she did too. She revealed herself to still be a redhead, wearing a light blue blouse and black jeans, with matching black flats. "My boyfriend, well at the time he was just my best friend, but Spike convinced me that I should check it out. So….I did."

"Spike?" Not-Danny echoed, staring at her weirdly. "Really?" Jazz nodded. "...Huh."

"Yeah, same," Sam nodded. She shifted to pull her legs to her chest. "I was trying to convince Danny to go into the portal, but he said if I was that curious, that I should just do it myself. So I got shocked to hell and back."

"Man, your dad's portal's really been fucking with us all," Tucker told Not-Danny. He made a bit of a face.

"Wait, are you two…?" Not-Danny finally asked. Tucker nodded, affectionately patting Danny's back.

"Yeah, for a bit now," he replied. Not-Danny stared for a moment, shaking his head.

"Kinda weird. I mean, just like, I'm dating Sam," he began, only for Sam to cut him off.

"God, I know right? I'm dating Tucker!" she exclaimed. "And he-"

"Sam looks a lot like me/him!" they somewhat finished the sentence together. Jazz snorted in amusement.

"Apparently halfas have a thing for goths," she joked. Everybody gave a small chuckle.

"But yeah, seriously, I need to get you all the hell out of here before my dad gets back," Tucker said. Sam frowned.

"How are we gonna do that?" she asked.

"Clockwork, duh," Jazz said, as if it was obvious. "We just go through the Fenton portal and find him. He'll put us back."

"Yeah, but um…" Danny paused. "My parents' portal is kinda...destroyed."

The other halfas immediately went into a frenzy of panic.

"WHAT?"

"How is that possible!?

"It's destroyed!? What!? How!?"

"Was it the ecto-filter? It was the ecto-filter wasn't it?

"What did you do!?"

"Hey, hey, hey! HEY!" Danny had to raise his voice to get everybody to settle down. "Look, they're still rebuilding from Uncle Nico destroying it. It's not going to be operational for another few months. I'm sorry."

"Uncle Nico?" Not-Danny echoed. "I don't have an Uncle Nico." Danny stared at him.

"Uh, you don't?" he questioned. "He works with Uncle Vlad?"

"Wait he's your Uncle Vlad!?" Not-Danny seemed to pale. Danny looked so confused.

"...Yeah? He's my godfather. My parents have known him since college, we have family vacations together. What's wrong with him?"

"He's a fruitloop!" Not-Danny nearly screamed, waving his arms dramatically. "He wants to marry my mom and kill my dad, and adopt me as his son!" He turned to Jazz. "Right?" She raised an eyebrow at him.

"I have...absolutely no clue what you're talking about," she said slowly. "Uncle Vlad's great. He bought my brother a car for his sweet sixteen."

"I don't even know a Vlad," Sam agreed. Not-Danny looked like he was going to have a stroke.

"Okay, okay then," Not-Danny scowled. "So who's the old half-ghost asshole that roams around trying to ruin your life?" The other three halfas all went "ohhhh."

"Oh, that's Spectra," Jazz replied, as if it was obvious. "She went to college with my parents. She got hit by the portal and became ugly as well as half ghost, so now she basically makes my life a living hell cause she's mad that I like? Have potential or something? She's my principal, Ms. Penelope Spencer."

"Mrs. Fenton," Sam nodded. "No ghost name. Cause, uh. Well. She got hit by the portal in college and hates herself for being a half ghost. Wants me for experiments so she can cure herself. Reaaal awkward to have dinner over there."

"Danny's Uncle Nico, or Technomancer." Tucker jerked a thumb at his Danny. "Vlad's business partner that got shocked while trying to fix their portal, is now pissy cause he thinks he's better than humans cause he's got ghosts powers. Wants me to join him and be my mentor."

"Okay, so." Not-Danny rubbed his temple. "This is really fucking weird and messing with my head. Can I just go home?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure my parents will start to worry about me soon," Sam agreed, looking at her watch.

"Does your Uncle Nico have a portal?" Jazz wondered. Danny shook his head no.

"He makes his own portals " he said, pointing to his wrist. "It's programmed into his watch."

"We need to take it," Not-Danny blurted out. Everybody stared at him. "What!? It's the only way to get home, I can't be crazy for suggesting that!"

"Uh, I think he might be right," Sam hesitated. "But I mean. This is your guys' world." She nodded to the couple. "Are there any other portals around?"

"Um. No? Not that I know of?" Danny admitted. Tucker thought hard.

"...Would Paulina have one?" Tucker asked. Sam visibly jerked in surprise.

"Paulina? Why Paulina?" she demanded to know. Tucker flinched.

"I uh...kinda ruined her life. So Uncle Nico...sorta...kinda...um...gave her weapons to use against me." He gave a sheepish grin. Sam gawked at him.

"...Paulina. Paulina is the Green Hunter. I don't get it, like. At all."

"Uh, Pink Huntress," Danny corrected. "But yeah."

"Wait, who the fuck could the Green Hunter be?" Not-Danny spoke up.

"Yeah, isn't it supposed to be the Blue Hunter?" Jazz seemed confused.

"No! Red Huntress!" Not-Danny scowled.

"Red?" Jazz raised an eyebrow. "Who's Red?"

"Valerie Gray?" Not-Danny stated as if it was obvious. Jazz had to think hard.

"You mean Danny's friend? Like my brother Danny? I barely know her." She shook her head. "No, the Blue Hunter's Mikey."

"Mikey!?" Sam snorted in amusement. "Oh my god, Mikey. He's seriously your hunter?"

"You never told us who the Green Hunter was!" Not-Danny pointed out.

"Oh! It's Kwan!"

"Kwan!?" Not-Danny was in disbelief. "But he's so sickeningly nice!"

"Oh my fucking god, we're going to be here all weekend if you guys don't stop comparing timelines!" Danny snapped. All the halfas stared at him, a bit guilty. They all murmured some sort of apology.

"So...should we try Paulina?" Tucker asked. Danny sighed.

"We know she has one, it's how she directly puts ghosts back into the Ghost Zone. So it's just a matter of if we wanna challenge Paulina or if we wanna challenge Uncle Nico."

Go up against a half-ghost billionaire tech genius or a weaponized high school cheerleader?

They all stared at each other.

The half-ghost billionaire tech genius was way easier.

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

Plan was in motion.

Danny glanced over his shoulder to look at all the halfas hiding (somewhat badly) in a bush outside of Nico's house. He had his messenger bag on his other shoulder, and a big tupperware container on his hip.

"So he's basically Technus?" Not-Danny whispered. Jazz elbowed him. "OW!"

"SHH!" she hissed back.

Danny rang the doorbell, and everybody waited. A minute passed before the door opened, and the familiar black man with long braids opened the door. He was wearing his dark green shirt, the sleeves pushed up to his elbows.

"Hey Uncle Nico!" Danny smiled. "Are you free? I've been really struggling with this robot." He used his free hand to pat the top of the tupperware container. "Can you help?"

Nico grinned warmly.

"Course kiddo!" he boomed excitedly. "Come on, come on!" He moved to the side to let the teenager in. Danny thanked him, and they both went inside. Even from the bushes, Tucker could hear the tech genius talking a mile a minute in his outside voice.

"Okay. Danny's gonna try and get Nico into a position where he'll take his watch off, and when that happens, I'll grab it," Tucker told the others. "You guys stay here, I'll go get it."

"We should come with you," Sam Specter replied, trying to take a step forward. Tucker put a hand out to stop her.

"No, you guys really need to stay out here. Nico's got one hell of a ghost system, and he's incredibly powerful to boot. I know how to slip around it, and it's a very delicate procedure," he explained.

"Shouldn't we stick together?" Jazz questioned. Tucker shook his head no.

"No, trust me on this."

"Are you sure?" Not-Danny asked. Tucker scowled.

"Just! Stay here!" he said. He floated towards the property, turning human on the front steps but phasing into the building.

The other three halfas stood around in a semi-circle, staring at each other. Sam broke the stare to look at the ground, lightly kicking at the dirt. Not-Danny sighed impatiently. Jazz looked up at the sky.

"It's just Technus," Sam spoke up.

"Yeah! He's so easy!" Not-Danny scoffed. "He literally shouts his plans all the time."

"I can beat him with one hand tied behind my back!" Jazz agreed.

"So we'll just go in and strongarm it from him, kick butt, and go!" Not-Danny reasoned. Sam smirked.

"Yeah, of course! We'll just speed up the ass-kicking!" she said, punching her fist into her palm confidently.

"Tucker doesn't know what he's talking about," Jazz smiled.

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

All four halfas were spread out in Tucker's living room. Tucker was on the couch, arm over his stomach as he stared blankly up at the ceiling. Sam was face first on the floor, grumbling in pain. Jazz was curled up next to the armchair, on and off grumbling about chest pains. Not-Danny was in said armchair, mirroring his not-sister by being curled up and holding his head.

Danny came into the living room, balancing three pizzas on one hand with four sodas underneath his other arm. He frowned at the three strange halfas.

"Tucker and I told you to stay outside," he rubbed it in. Not-Danny groaned.

"Man, we get it," he complained. Danny rolled his eyes, setting the food on the impromptu coffee table made up of Amazon boxes.

"Well I hope so, cause now we gotta go through Paulina," he replied. He glanced over to Sam. "So hope you're ready to go on a date, Sam."

"Wait, what?" Sam pulled her face up to look at him in disbelief. "You can't be serious."

"I am. It's the only way to get her guard down so that Tucker can get her watch so we can find Clockwork and send you guys home." Danny frowned at her. "I'm pretty sure I can make you look like our Sam. Olivia may have a cosplay wig you can borrow, so she won't question why her girlfriend suddenly shaved and somehow unshaved her head. You're going to be the only one who can convince her to take that watch off."

"How on Earth am I supposed to do that?" Sam frowned, rolling onto her back. Danny threw his hands up in the air.

"Figure it out," he scowled. "You guys got yourselves into this mess! We don't have to help you, you know." Sam made a face at him. Tucker reached up to grab Danny's hand.

"Babe, chill. They were just trying to help," Tucker sighed. Danny exhaled too, squeezing his hand.

"We warned them that Technomancer was dangerous," he frowned.

"What's done is done, let's just focus on Paulina."

"...You're right."

Tucker smiled at him, and Danny gave a half-smile back. He let go of Tucker's hand to open the top pizza box.

"Alright, who wanted what?"

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

That next morning, Tucker nearly forgot that he had three other random halfas crash that night in his living room. Jazz and Danny had decided that they could tolerate sleeping on the queen sized pull out sofa together with their not-sibling, leaving Sam free to have the twin air mattress to herself.

He didn't wake them up when he saw them though, instead silently making his way towards his kitchen to get himself a bowl of cereal. Not too long afterwards, he heard Danny come down the stairs and come into the kitchen too.

"Hey," he greeted warmly. Tucker smiled, feeling his stomach flutter a bit.

"Hey, morning," he replied. He held up his box of cereal. "Want some?" Danny shook his head no.

"Nah, I'm gonna raid your poptarts," he replied. He opened the cabinet for them, fishing a packet out to unwrap and toss into the toaster. "When Sam wakes up, we need her to call Paulina and invite her out somewhere."

"But we need to take her someplace where she'll not wear that watch," Tucker mused, opening his fridge for milk. He poured some into his bowl. "She wears it everywhere though. How's she going to get Paulina to take it off?"

"That's why we emphasised so fucking hard to them the other day that Uncle Nico was the better option," Danny grumbled.

"Hey, it's okay," Tucker tried to sooth.

"No it's not," Danny insisted. "They wouldn't listen to us!" Tucker put the milk away. "They said it ourselves, that this is our timeline, and we know our timeline, and we know our rivals. So why did they just ignore everything we said about how powerful and dangerous Technomancer is? It's frustrating, it kinda pisses me off still.

"It's okay," Tucker repeated. He took a step forward to be closer to his boyfriend. "They made a mistake. Our timelines are so similar that they probably just underestimated him. Especially if he's supposedly such a joke in theirs." Danny let out an annoyed huff. Tucker cupped his cheek. "We'll figure it out. We always do."

"...I know, just." He paused, sounding emotionally exhausted. "They should have listened."

"They'll listen now," Tucker smiled. Danny couldn't help but give a small smile back. "We'll likely be able to get them home by dinner at the latest, and we can go out."

"I guess…" Danny took a deep breath. Tucker leaned in and gave him a kiss, and he could feel Danny finally relax.

"Oh, whoa. Um. Sorry," Sam's voice made Danny tense up again, and the couple pulled away from each other. Sam was staring at them, standing awkwardly in the kitchen entrance, looking a bit flushed. "I was uh. Hungry. Um. Sorry, just that you look so much like my Danny and Tucker, and the whole um. Yeah. I'll just..." She reached for the sole remaining pizza box, quickly opening it and grabbing a leftover slice and hurrying out of the kitchen. Danny huffed again.

"This is our timeline," he grumbled, his frustrations turning into inaudible mutters. The toaster popped, making them both briefly jump. He grabbed his poptarts, and Tucker collected his bowl and a spoon. The couple went into the living room.

Not-Danny and Jazz were both awake by now, sitting cross legged on the pull out bed as Sam sat in the armchair.

"Okay," Danny began as he stepped into the living room. He pointed to Sam with his poptart. "You can use my phone to call Paulina and ask her to meet you today." Sam looked physically pained at the idea.

"Do I have to?" Sam whined. Danny frowned, taking a bite of his poptart.

"If, uh, other me, is right, you're the only one who's going to be able to convince her," Not-Danny spoke up. Jazz nodded in agreement. Sam dramatically slammed her head against the cushiony back of the armchair.

"...Fine." She held her hand out, and Danny pulled his cell phone out, pulling up Paulina's number. He put it in her hand, and Sam stared at the contact. She took a deep breath before pressing the call button. After a few rings, somebody picked the phone up.

"Um? Danny?" Paulina sounded confused. Sam gave a pained grimace.

"Hey...uh...baby?" Danny waved his poptart in the air in a what the fuck motion. Sam mirrored it back to him.

"...Sam? Is that you? I thought you were in Florida with your grandma this weekend? Why are you calling from Danny's phone."

"Um. No? I lost my phone," she awkwardly replied. Danny motioned for her to keep talking. "Uh, hey! Wanna meet up today?"

"Sure! Do you wanna go mall cruising?" Paulina asked.

"Uh yeah! Sounds fun! How about?" Sam paused to glance at the wall clock. "Say in an hour?"

"Sounds perfect! I can't wait to see you!"

"You...too." Everybody could tell that it took everything for Sam to force that sentence out. "Goodbye. I miss you."

"Byebye!"

Sam hung up the phone, handing it back to Danny. He was frowning at her.

"That was terrible," he told her. Sam scowled. "Come on. We need to get you looking like our Sam."

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

"Ugh, why is there so much hair?" Sam complained. She pulled on the wig to adjust it some. Apparently the Sam here had long hair, and it felt so heavy. And this outfit was so...nerdy. This was going to be a terrible day.

"Stop pulling on it!" Danny hissed. "We can't afford to blow this twice."

"Here," Tucker spoke up. He handed her a watch. "Just try and switch the watches if you can." Sam hesitantly took it. She turned it over in her hand.

"Once you switch, give us some kind of signal," Not-Danny added.

"And we'll make a distraction," Jazz chimed in.

"Won't she notice if I switch it then?" Sam asked. Danny shook his head no.

"No, her bracelet is her ghost hunting gear, the watch is just a portal device."

Sam glanced between all of them worriedly as she pocketed the device.

"You got this," Tucker smiled. She reluctantly nodded.

"Pink Huntress, coming right for us," Danny said, nodding ahead of them as he lightly slapped Tucker with the back of his hand. Not-Danny and Jazz immediately rushed away.

"Good luck!" Tucker whispered to her as he and Danny grabbed each other's hand, quickly walking off to pretend that they just happened to be having their own date out at the mall.

Sam smiled weakly as Paulina bounced up to her. She wasn't in the dark pink and black attire Sam was used to, but a long sleeved light pink shirt with white shorts, hair pulled back in a long french braid.

"Hey!" Paulina greeted her warmly. Sam forced a bigger smile.

"Hey!" she replied.

"Where do you wanna go first?" Paulina asked, immediately reaching to grab Sam's hand. The halfa flinched at first, jerking away before quickly remembering, and she took Paulina's hand. The huntress raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment on it.

"Uh, wherever you wanna go!" Sam replied lightly.

"Hmm," Paulina lightly mused. "How about Sephora?"

"Uh, sure," Sam agreed.

Thankfully Paulina was still chatty, and so Sam wasn't forced to make conversation, but simply just listen as Paulina talked on the walk towards the store. She mostly talked about her Starbucks job, since she had apparently come straight from there to the mall. Sam couldn't imagine her own Paulina actually working at all, but she guessed it seemed to make sense that this Paulina did. Sam kinda...fucked Kwan over, even though it was unintentional, and he had to take up a part time job at the Skulk N Lurk because of it.

The store came up, and Paulina broke away from Sam to excitedly hurry in.

"Ooo, Sam! Look!" She smiled, pointing out a display of bright pastels, primarily warm tones. "These are so pretty!" Paulina opened the display palette, looking at the colors. Sam came up next to her, studying the colors.

"Oh wow, those look so pretty," Sam had to admit.

"Yeah, but I don't know if they'd look too good on me," Paulina mused. She took the test brush, and she applied the color to her inner arm. Sam watched, and the idea hit her.

"...Hey, Paulina? Do you wanna take your watch off so you don't get makeup on it?" Sam questioned. Paulina glanced at it, thinking for a minute before nodding.

"Yeah, probably a good idea," she agreed. She slipped it off, handing it to Sam. "Can you hold it for a moment?"

"Of course!" Sam smiled. She accepted it.

Paulina returned her attention to the sample palette, and she began to swatch her arm with it. Heart pounding, Sam quickly made the exchange, putting the real one in her pocket and holding the fake one while Paulina was distracted. She glanced over to see Danny a few isles over, watching her from the corner of his eye as he looked at makeup. She gave a small nod. Danny gave a short nod back, and she saw him exit the store.

Sam returned her attention fully to her

A small beeping came from Paulina, and Sam raised an eyebrow at her. It was still...weird to think of her mortal enemy as being the hunter-er, huntress. Paulina glanced around worriedly.

"Uh, hey Sam? I totally forgot, my papa-," she began, pulling her phone out. Sam could see that obviously, nobody was calling, but she nodded anyway.

"Oh, don't worry! Go on, I understand!" she said. Paulina smiled in relief. Sam held up the fake watch. "Don't forget this!"

"Oh, right!" Paulina used one of the free wet wipes, quickly wiping the swatches off before putting the watch back on. "Thanks! You're the best!" she chirped. "Call me when you find your phone!"

Paulina exited the store in a hurry, and Sam followed. She saw her already near the exit of the mall, opening the door and leaving. The halfa jumped when a hand rested on her shoulder. She turned to see Danny.

"Hey, you get it?" he asked. She rolled her eyes.

"I gave you the signal, didn't I?" she said. She reached into her pocket to pull the watch out. Danny plucked it from her fingers, turning it over. He sighed in relief.

"This is it," he confirmed. "The other Danny and Jazz went to wait for us outside. Tucker's making a distraction, and once he's done, we'll finally get you guys home."

A rush of air blew hit them as Tucker Ghouly flew by. A feminine figure in pink, riding a skateboard style hoverboard, was close on his heels.

"...Assuming Paulina doesn't finally get him."

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

"I'm so glad that's over," Danny sighed as they plopped onto Tucker's couch. Tucker gave a small hum. Luckily it took no time to find Clockwork and send everybody home.

"Yeah. Just gotta figure out what to do about this," he mused, pushing the Amazon box coffee table with his food. Danny waved it off.

"We can go to Ikea tomorrow," he replied. He held his hand out for Tucker to take, and the halfa immediately did.

"We also need to call Sam and let her know what we did in case Paulina asks," Tucker said. Danny grumbled tiredly.

"...We'll call her in a bit," he promised him.

"At some point we need to find a way to slip that bracelet back to Paulina."

"Problem for another day."

They sat in silence for a bit. Just resting. Just chilling, until Danny finally spoke up again. "...you know what's kinda cool?" Tucker brushed his thumb over the back of Danny's hand, giving a curious hum in response. "...It's kinda nice to know that it's seemingly meant to be. You know. Us. Halfas and goths getting together." Tucker grinned.

"Yeah, that is kinda nice," he agreed. He let go of Danny hand to stand up. "Come on. I promised you some food."

"Finally."

#phic phight 2021 #my phics #the half-dead kids club #tucker ghouly

[shenanigans-and-imagines]

Zena Lorell

Basics

Full Name: Zena Lorell

Age: 29 as of The Mandalorian: Season One

Sexual Orientation: Demisexual

Appearance

Species: Human

Skin Tone: Medium Tan

Eye Color: Hazel

Hair Color: Black

Hairstyle: Short curly bob

Build: Wiry

Height: 5’ 9”

Style: Usually seen in green work coveralls and boots; rarely ever completely clean

Personality

General Personality Traits: Stubborn, Compassionate, Guarded

Strengths: Intuitive, Dependable, Resourceful

Flaws: Abrasive, Stubborn, Withdrawn

Habits And Mannerisms: Always has to be fiddling with something be it tools, a loose coin or even just her hair

Secrets: There was a time, right when everyone her age was leaving either enlisting in the Imperial army or running off to the rebellion where she wished her father would just die already. She felt awful thinking it. Her father wasn’t a bad man, but he was a drunk a couldn’t look after himself. There were times he’d go on a bender and she hoped maybe she’d wake up, somebody would knock on her door and tell her, her father was gone. But it didn’t happen, and she would get this twisting feeling in her stomach every time the thought crossed her mind.

Regrets: Not leaving Mir years ago

Skills/Talents: Brilliant mechanic, excellent judge of character, able to contort herself into small spaces despite her height

Likes: Puzzles, Open skies, Exploring new planets

Dislikes: Alcohol, Thunder, Having to wear anything with a skirt

Guilty Pleasure: Doesn’t have many pleasures to feel guilty about; however I do see her having the equivalent of basic bitch music taste, will listen to any bad cheesy pop song that comes over the airwaves in a galaxy far far away

Defining Moment: Realizing the money doesn’t really matter to her anymore and she just wants to stay on The Razor Crest

Relationships

Friends: None really, she has acquaintances and not much else. But, Din gets there eventually.

Enemies: Imps (Imperials)

Rivals: She’s always in friendly competition with fellow mechanics to find the quickest and more efficient solution, but that’s all business. No personal rivals to speak of.

Lovers: She has an ex-boyfriend who went off to fight in the rebellion and never came back. She doesn’t know if that means he’s dead or just never wanted to come back. Other than that, nothing.

Relationship Status: Single and not interested in mingling. (At least at the moment)

Reputation: Doesn’t flirt and has a hard time recognizing when she’s being flirted with; has been called the equivalent of “fringed bitch” in a variety of languages over the years

Miscellaneous

Current Residence: The Razor Crest

Collections: Various fine tools meant for a variety of droids, ships and so on

Accent: Standard American

Voice: Low and a little husky

Signature Quote: “You owe me.”

Song: TBA

Backstory

Zena was born in a small outpost on the plateaus of Mir, a small planet in the far most reaches of the Outer Rim. Living so far from the core worlds, the population of Mir was able to stay out of The Clone Wars since neither the Republic nor the Separatist thought it held any strategic value. If was only after the end of the war did the population start to feel the reach of the Empire. Zena spent her early life following her father around in his workshop, asking questions when she could and staying quiet when men in uniforms and white armor came in to make special requests.

It was also during this time, she started to become aware of her father’s problems with alcohol. While he was functional for the most part, there was more than one occasion where she and her mother would have to go into the shop and finish wiring on a droid or ship just before the costumer arrived. Between her and her mother, they were able to keep it all together. Her father had a better grip on himself and was always loving and supportive when he was sober. But, things took a turn for the worse when Zena’s mother died unexpectedly leaving it just the two of them when she was seventeen.

Her father took it badly and Zena essentially inherited the business, working hard to keep them afloat. It was also during this time a lot of her friends were leaving Mir. The Imperial Academy was a guarantee ticket off world and promised a steady paycheck to send back to the folks and the ability to see the galaxy. A lot of people took it, despite a lot of grumbling about “core world folks butting their noses into people’s business”. Others still were starting to get wise to what a threat the Empire was. Rebels cells were growing on neighboring planets and some left without a word.

Zena wanted to join them, but she knew she couldn’t leave her father all on his own, even if she could send him money. So, she stayed and soon enough, she was left behind. She honed her craft, gaining a reputation of being one of the best mechanics in the system. There were still moments where her dad would sober up long enough to help in the shop and the two of them could have long conversations like they used to, but like clockwork he’d find himself in the cantina again and Zena would be left on her own.

She kept on like that until finally the alcohol finally took its toll. Her father died in his sleep when she was twenty four, just after Mir had gotten news of the destruction of the second Death Star and the death of the Emperor. She was free.

For the next five years, she started saving money. Every little bit of credits she could hoard together, she kept hidden all over her house. She was going to leave Mir. She was going to get her own ship, be her own Captain, and fly away from that hellhole and never look back. Finally, she was going to do what she wanted to do. That is, until a Mandalorian came into her shop asking for information.

#star wars #the mandalorian #din djarin #star wars oc #sw oc #the mandalorian oc #zena lorell

[paladin-lynx]

SquipJere Week 2020, Day 6: Sexy Anime Cat Girl With a Tail

@squipjerebmc’s SquipJere Week 2020 Day 6: Sexy Anime Cat Girl With a Tail

Ships Involved: The SQUIP x Jeremy Heere (Technical Difficulties/Squipemy/Squeremy/JereSquip/SquipJere)

Setting: Canonverse, set in the time interval between “Loser Geek Whatever” and “Halloween”.

Trigger/Content Warnings: non-graphic mentions of masturbation; sexual situations and implications but no graphic depictions of sex; anthropomorphic/furry characters; tail kink; kissing; grinding; groping

Author’s Notes: Am I posting this weeks after the event already ended? Maybe. I ended up starting this piece when SquipJere Week was still happening before I fell out of my groove, so hopefully I managed to pick up where I left off well enough. This one’s a little spicier than the others, as you can probably tell from the warnings, hehe. Enjoy!

The SQUIP had been working long and hard to condition Jeremy to not think about sex nearly as often as he used to, and the fact that it seemed to be successful thus far in its efforts was nothing short of amazing. Jeremy had gone from feeling the need to jerk off every morning like clockwork to actually being able to get through an entire day without thinking about something lewd. The only time he ever got a pass was when he was with Brooke, but he hadn’t been seeing her much outside of school lately. She was just a stepping stone to get to Christine anyway, and while she was attractive and sweet, Jeremy wasn’t really all that into her. And that made him feel bad about using her as some kind of practice dummy.

“She’s used to it,” the SQUIP would say while squeezing his shoulder reassuringly. “She’ll move on to someone else quickly enough. You don’t have to be concerned about hurting her.”

That didn’t really make Jeremy feel much better, but he had always been someone who worried constantly about what others thought of him or how they felt about things he’d done. It was a big part of why he’d gotten the SQUIP in the first place – no one would ever see him as anything more than the awkward cardigan-wearing loser who spent all his time playing video games and getting high in his only friend’s basement. Michael had always been perfectly content to march to the beat of his own drum and didn’t seem to really care about anyone’s opinions of him, and he seemed to just assume Jeremy felt the same.

But Jeremy yearned to be somebody. He didn’t want to just survive every day and wait for the next day to be exactly the same. He wanted to live and have a life.

And so the SQUIP helped him to thrive in all areas. He dressed better, he walked more confidently, he was doing well in school and in the drama club. He was getting closer every day to all the cool kids and Brooke seemed completely enamored with him.

Of course, he was still a teenage boy. And teenage boys had urges. And while Jeremy could rein in those urges when he was awake and alert, that most definitely wasn’t the case when he was asleep.

He hadn’t been thinking about anything particularly sexy in nature before going to bed – at least, he was pretty sure he hadn’t, or else the SQUIP definitely would’ve had something to say about it – but that didn’t seem to matter. The dream had started out simple enough. It was almost boring, really. He was lounging on his bed, playing around on his phone, with the SQUIP laying beside him and watching quietly. The SQUIP as of late had been indulging itself more in the simple pleasures of human life and seemed content to observe Jeremy just existing rather than criticizing his every thought and action. Ever since it had realized it may be able to feel and Jeremy had assured it that he did really like having it around, it had taken to merely being near him when things were calm.

But all too quickly, the dream shifted away from the PG. The SQUIP smirked and reached over to take his phone – something that dream logic apparently decided was a thing that the SQUIP could actually do – to set it aside, and then didn’t hesitate to climb on top of him and straddle his waist. The SQUIP felt surprisingly more solid than normal, and while it was normally a bit cold to the touch, it actually felt rather warm now, like it was flesh and blood and not just a projection from Jeremy’s mind.

There was soon a hungry mouth on his and they were kissing, Jeremy wrapping his arms around the SQUIP and curling his fingers into the back of its cloak. However, when he pulled back, he realized the face looking at him was not that of Keanu Reeves, but instead a rather well-endowed girl with big, unmistakably anime-styled eyes, shining an ever familiar bright blue. She had long flowing black hair and atop her head proudly sat a pair of cat ears, and the cloak Jeremy had been holding onto was replaced with a rather short dress covered in a circuitry pattern. And Jeremy was pretty sure he could see a long black tail waving behind her.

Jeremy gawked for a moment but he did seem to have enough brain power to comprehend that this was still his SQUIP – he remembered way back when it had said one of its potential forms for him was that ‘sexy anime cat girl with a tail’ – and that seemed to be all the go-ahead the SQUIP needed to dive back in and kiss him again. Jeremy felt like there was fire under his skin as he kissed back, one hand shifting down to toy with the SQUIP’s new tail, causing it to mewl into his mouth. And of course that only spurred Jeremy on more.

The dream only escalated from there. Clothes disappeared at some point and the SQUIP’s mouth was everywhere on him, skilled and teasing. Given that the SQUIP was in Jeremy’s mind, it of course knew all the right ways to get him to writhe and moan. It could have only been a few seconds or it could have very well been hours when the SQUIP finally climbed back into his lap, a grin on those feline lips, and sank down onto him.

Jeremy woke up choking out a gasp, gripping his sheets and realizing rather quickly that both them and he were drenched in sweat. He had to take a moment to catch his breath, feeling as though he had just run a mile, and when he noticed that his pajama pants were feeling rather sticky, he quickly realized what had happened.

“Oh my God…” he mumbled, rubbing his hands over his face before pushing back the hair slicked to his forehead.

“I see you had quite the dream.”

Jeremy yelped at the sudden voice, scrambling to sit up and ending up tangled in the blankets for a moment. He stared with wide eyes at the SQUIP – in its usual form, thankfully – sitting in his desk chair, glowing that gentle blue against the darkness of the room. It was the middle of the night, judging by the fact that it was still dark outside, as well. The SQUIP was grinning slightly at him, looking thoroughly amused.

Jeremy just blinked dumbly at it for a moment, his mouth dry. “D…did you do that?”

“Oh goodness, no, Jeremy. I may be inside your brain, but the subconscious is not a realm that I can delve into. It’s much too complex and I wouldn’t want to potentially damage your mind by interfering with it.”

“But…you still saw it?”

The SQUIP hummed. “Bits and pieces. And, well, clearly you have a pretty vivid memory of it, so…” Its grin widened a fraction. “I can see it all now as you think about it.”

Jeremy’s entire face burned and he quickly tried to put the dream out of his mind, although he knew how this worked – now that he was actively trying not to think about it, it would result in him just thinking about it more whether he wanted to or not.

“Are you gonna shock me or make me do push-ups?” he asked warily.

The SQUIP tilted its head to one side, gaze sweeping up and down Jeremy’s body in a way that made him swallow a lump in his throat.

“…I’ll let it slide this time,” it murmured, chuckling. It smiled at him again, waving a hand dismissively. “Change out of those clothes. You’ve soiled them.”

Face still feeling hot, Jeremy slid out of bed and went to grab a fresh pair of pajamas, trying to ignore how he could feel the SQUIP’s eyes still on him. He did take a moment to grab some tissues and clean himself up and soon enough he was changed, although he frowned as he looked back at the bed and realized his sheets were still soaked. He didn’t like making the bed on a normal day, let alone in the dead of night. He could probably just deal with it, or sleep on the couch, although the latter option would raise some questions from his dad in the morning – if he cared enough to be inquisitive, anyway.

“Whatever,” he sighed, pulling the blankets up so they covered the dampened sheets and he could lay on top of them. He shifted so he could flip his pillow over, as well, humming contently at the cooler side pressed against his cheek and closing his eyes. Everything was peaceful.

“Jeremy…”

His eyes shot back open when the SQUIP’s voice came out much higher-pitched and sing-songy than normal. He was about to sit up when he felt himself pressed back onto the bed, weight pushing against his shoulders and waist. The SQUIP suddenly appeared atop him, grinning wickedly as it took the form of the very same cat girl he’d seen in his dream. The only difference now was that its touch was cool against his skin rather than warm.

“L-Ly?” he managed, blinking up at his SQUIP with wide eyes. “Wh…what are you doing?”

It chuckled – more like purred, honestly – and leaned in close. “You keep telling me to find things that I enjoy,” it murmured, tail flicking in amusement. “And I’ve come to conclude that I do very much enjoy seeing you all flustered like this. Do you like this form of mine, Jeremy? We both know about your attraction to anthropomorphic characters and…well, I believe you also have an affinity for tails, right?”

Jeremy tried to say something, to retort, but he just ended up letting out a rather pathetic squeak because of course the SQUIP was right. Michael teased him all the time – lovingly, of course – for being a furry, and he was never going to let Jeremy live down that one time he’d accidentally admitted that he thought Thalia would look cute with a tail.

But the SQUIP had worked so tirelessly to keep Jeremy from doing anything that would incite sexual thoughts, and yet here it was, seducing him. Was it seducing him? Jeremy wasn’t completely sure he was actually awake yet, to be honest.

But even if the SQUIP wasn’t nearly as warm as it’d felt in Jeremy’s dream, this did feel much more real in a way he couldn’t quite figure out. Maybe it was simply because he was, in fact, no longer dreaming and his brain could better process the situation – although he definitely still felt like he was at a loss.

“I…” was all that fell from his lips when he tried to speak again.

The SQUIP grinned, eyes bright with amusement and mischief, and it closed the gap between them. The feeling of the SQUIP kissing him was tingly and, dare he say, electrifying. It wasn’t like kissing Brooke, which was all warm and wet and messy. Even while insistent, every move the SQUIP made was precisely calculated and its lips were still cool against his, firing off all the right nerves to make it feel like there was something actually there.

It was so obvious to Jeremy that he was kissing nothing more than a glorified figment of his imagination, like this was just another fantasy. But he didn’t care. He liked it. His chest bloomed with warmth and his stomach was doing somersaults, and he couldn’t help letting out a soft whine against the SQUIP’s mouth. He wasn’t entirely sure why the SQUIP was doing this or if this was all some elaborate trick, but he threw caution to the wind and gripped onto the back of that dress like he had in his dream, pulling the SQUIP more against him. Their chests brushed and the SQUIP’s hips slid against his in a way that made Jeremy arch up with a gasp, and the SQUIP didn’t hesitate to take the opportunity to slide its tongue into Jeremy’s mouth. It was a little weird since it wasn’t wet and gross like a human tongue would be – Frenching was still something Jeremy was getting used to when it came to Brooke – but he could taste the SQUIP all the same.

It eventually pulled back and Jeremy sucked in a breath, having apparently forgotten that oxygen was a thing that he needed. The SQUIP looked entirely unfazed, still sitting triumphantly atop him with that wide grin. Jeremy’s chest heaved, his body growing warmer, and while he still wasn’t sure if this was some weird test, he gave in to his desire and tugged the SQUIP down again, kissing it once more. He felt the vibration of a chuckle against his mouth and for a moment Jeremy thought the SQUIP might just stop and leave him yearning, but then it was kissing back with just as much hunger.

Whining again, Jeremy let his hands drift down. He could feel the soft, silky fabric of the SQUIP’s dress as if it were really there, although there was a slight buzz at his fingertips, as if he was touching active wires. No one else would ever feel like the SQUIP, and that sent an odd sort of thrill through Jeremy. He couldn’t help wondering, in the back of his mind, if some people got SQUIPs for things like this. After all, if something was inside your brain, it knew exactly how to make you feel good, right? Although he supposed there were probably some drawbacks to SQUIPs only being able to project a holographic form. It wasn’t an actual, physical body like an android or something would have.

But those thoughts were hardly present in Jeremy’s mind as he lost himself in the moment. The SQUIP’s hips gave another teasing little roll that had Jeremy whimpering and on a whim he let his hands slip down to the SQUIP’s ass, wanting to pull on its tail.

So he had a kink. Sue him.

However, as he felt around, kneading at the soft skin, his brow furrowed when his fingers never found a tail. He pulled out of the kiss and opened his eyes, squeaking and turning bright red when he realized he was no longer looking that cute cat girl in the face, but instead a familiar Keanu Reeves lookalike.

The SQUIP, naturally, was still smirking like it was having the time of its life. “Problem, dear?”

“Y-you…” Jeremy tried, but he had no retort. He would’ve thought that the want – the need, nearly – to have the SQUIP close, kissing and touching it, would instantly fade away upon seeing the SQUIP’s usual form. After all, Jeremy saw it all the time and while it was an attractive face, it wasn’t one that Jeremy had thought about kissing – okay, well, maybe a couple of times, but that was just because his mind liked to imagine most things in a sexual way, horny teenage boy that he was. The cat girl had made him feel so many things and he hadn’t been able to help himself.

However, to his surprise, he found that even looking at this face he’d been seeing every day, 24/7, for the past few months, the urge to be close wasn’t going away.

“I…” he mumbled, suddenly feeling very small, his hands hurriedly falling from the SQUIP’s back where they’d been lingering. He shouldn’t be feeling this. He shouldn’t have felt it before even with the SQUIP’s rather sexy new form, but he definitely shouldn’t be feeling it now.

The SQUIP definitely sensed his hesitation and seemed to soften up a bit. Jeremy swallowed the lump in his throat as he felt a wave of calm wash over his mind and he sighed quietly, his muscles relaxing against the bed beneath him.

“There you go, love,” it cooed and, after giving Jeremy a moment to process, it leaned down to press their lips together again. This time it was gentler, more a brush against his mouth than a kiss proper, and Jeremy felt the weight against his waist lift slightly. Jeremy just lay there for a moment as the SQUIP kissed him before his eyes fluttered shut and he almost shyly kissed back, like it was his first time.

It only lasted a few seconds and then the SQUIP pulled back, shifting to move off of Jeremy and lay beside him on the bed. It gently ran a hand up Jeremy’s arm, and Jeremy felt the hairs there rise up at the cool, slightly static-y touch. “Are you alright?” it asked.

Jeremy blinked and ended up coughing out a laugh. “You’re asking that now?”

It frowned, eyebrows furrowing. It tilted its head slightly – analyzing, calculating, predicting. “…I apologize,” it murmured, still tracing along Jeremy’s arm. Jeremy almost wondered if it was fidgeting like that. “I suppose I got an…impulse and I got carried away with it. I shouldn’t have pinned you down. And I shouldn’t have kissed you or moved against you like that. It was highly inappropriate.”

Jeremy just stared. The SQUIP had definitely been acting more and more like a human lately as it explored what it wanted outside of just being Jeremy’s coach, but never had it sounded so ashamed, like it truly thought it had done something wrong. Jeremy’s mouth fell open slightly in surprise and he scrambled for something to say.

“I…I mean…” he started. “You…would’ve known if I didn’t want it, right? You’re in my brain. You…knew I was enjoying it.”

“I believe most would call that ‘taking advantage’ of you, Jeremy.”

“I could’ve told you to stop. Even if my mouth was, er, preoccupied, I could’ve thought at you.”

“Would you have done that, though?”

That had Jeremy faltering and he had to consider it. And he realized he wasn’t sure. Even if he had been uncomfortable, he’d been so overwhelmed by all the sensations the SQUIP was making him feel that he wasn’t sure he would’ve been able to properly convey that he didn’t want it. And even if he could’ve, he might’ve ended up being too afraid of the SQUIP’s disapproval that he wouldn’t have said anything at all and just let it happen.

The SQUIP, of course, could hear all of his thoughts on the matter and huffed softly. “Exactly.”

Jeremy’s brow creased. “You’re acting like I’m mad at you.”

“You should be.”

“Well, I’m not. I’m…confused, really, more than anything else.”

The SQUIP sighed. “I would imagine so.” It paused, processing once again. “…I’m honestly not…entirely sure why I did that. Like I said, it was an impulse.”

Jeremy raised an eyebrow. “But you always run predictions and stuff. You had to of seen what would come after if you acted like that. Was this…all because of my dream? Did it like, mess with your code or something because I dreamed about you?”

“You’ve dreamt about me before, Jeremy, that isn’t how this works,” the SQUIP scoffed, and Jeremy was glad that it was at least well enough to criticize his lack of knowledge about supercomputer pills. “…I suppose I wanted to tease you a little, as it were, about this particular dream, but that was all. I had only planned on changing my form for a brief moment, but once I was on top of you…” It trailed off and Jeremy felt a buzz at the back of his head that he was already learning to recognize as the SQUIP’s version of being flustered.

“…Yeah?” he prompted.

Its form flickered for a moment. “…Nothing else mattered,” it murmured. “Of course I saw the plausible futures. Of course I knew what a bad idea it was. But…I didn’t care.” Its expression twisted in frustration. “Why didn’t I care…? Am I defective?”

Jeremy wished he could answer, but he truly didn’t know. However, he’d learned a fair bit about the SQUIP in these last few weeks. Maybe he still didn’t completely understand how its programming worked, but he knew what he saw and he could sometimes feel things through their connection, even if it was difficult to discern exactly what it was he was feeling. And while Jeremy had never been the best at puzzles, he could still recognize patterns when he saw them. There were sensations he’d feel when the SQUIP seemed happier than usual, and on the opposite end of the spectrum there were things he’d feel when it was particularly agitated.

So, he had a theory. “Maybe you wanted it.”

The SQUIP blinked at him before tutting. “I’m a mach—”

“Yeah, yeah, you’re a machine, you don’t feel, you don’t ‘experience emotions’ like I do. You’ve told me that a gazillion times, but I’m starting to think it’s just bullshit.”

Jeremy almost laughed at how scandalized the SQUIP looked. “Excuse me?”

He sighed. “You obviously feel things, Ly. You sing because you think it’s fun. You get annoyed when you find stupid bugs in the video games you run around in. You like to poke fun at me and call me things like ‘love’ and ‘dear’ because you think my reactions are funny. So…so maybe you wanted to kiss me because, I don’t know, you thought you’d like it?”

The SQUIP’s gaze swiveled back down and Jeremy once again felt that buzz as it considered his words.

“…Did you like it?” Jeremy asked after he didn’t get an answer for a bit. It had definitely seemed like the SQUIP had enjoyed itself, acting like it owned him, but then again, the SQUIP also did things to experiment and test results, so it could have just continued on to see what would happen.

“…I did,” it finally said, whispering so quietly Jeremy almost swore he misheard it.

The buzzing at the back of his head was growing more insistent and Jeremy could tell that the SQUIP was trying to make sense of this entire situation. It was strange, because Jeremy figured that by now the SQUIP would’ve come to accept that its A.I. had evolved to the point where it could actually experience things similar to how a human could, since they’d had so many conversations like this before, but it seemed that it still had its limits on what it deemed acceptable. And while his SQUIP definitely had its quirks, Jeremy doubted that there was anything inherently wrong with it. After all, it scanned itself regularly for problems in its software, so it wasn’t that – unless something had slipped under the radar, but Jeremy doubted that, too.

Deciding to take initiative for once in his life – although he supposed he had the SQUIP to thank for that, with all its work to boost his confidence – he gently put a hand on the SQUIP’s cheek, turning its face to him. He was a little surprised that it actually worked, considering that he had no real control over the projection, but the SQUIP still blinked at him.

“Remember what you said, that you just acted without thinking about the consequences?” he asked. “We’ll worry about all this later, just…for now, go back to that. Do what you want to. Don’t think about what it all means.”

The SQUIP looked like it wanted to protest for a heartbeat but then its expression softened and it nodded, leaning in and kissing Jeremy again.

Jeremy, of course, gently pulled the SQUIP closer against him, glad when he could feel the press of its form against his chest. They both knew that this probably wasn’t wise of them and they’d have to really look more into it when they had the chance, but for now, Jeremy was content to focus on how nice the SQUIP’s lips felt on his and how good it felt to have those cool, strong hands on him.

And from the static against his mouth and the warmth in the back of his mind, he was pretty sure the SQUIP was okay with that, too.

#SquipJere Week 2020 #lynx tales #mine #writing #Be More Chill #BMC Jeremy Heere #BMC SQUIP #Technical Difficulties #Squipemy #Squeremy #JereSquip #SquipJere #Jeremy Heere #SQUIP #would you believe that going into the event this was actually the only day i had an actual plan for? lol #hopefully it turned out okay i feel like stopping partway through left it a bit all over the place #BMC #fic #fanfiction

[komahinasecretexchange]

Title: Visions

Author: @nadisabug

For: @cellophanerose

Pairing: Hinata x Komaeda

Warnings: mild language, other than that none

Prompt: I used two of the three prompts: Hinata being ‘haunted’ by Komaeda, who is still in a coma post sdr2 (whether the hauntings are real or not is up to you) AND Komaeda tracing Hinata’s “Kamukura project” scars when Hinata is overwhelmed with self-identity issues

Author’s notes: I really enjoyed writing this, I hope you like it! I will also be posting this to my AO3 so look out for that link later!

“Hinata-kun.” Gorgeous green eyes smiled at Hajime, arms open wide in an invatation that made Hajime’s heart ache.

Hajime was tired. That had to be it. He had just been relieved from duty by Fuyuhiko from watching over the program because he “was no use to anyone sleep deprived.”

It was a twenty hour shift he had just taken, marked only by the fact that Fuyuhiko worked four hours each day at the same time like clockwork. Everyone gave into the structure Fuyuhiko demanded, knowing that it was more for his wellbeing than anything. Nevermind, Kazuichi, Owari, and Fuyuhiko each watched over the simulation for four hours in rotating shifts, the last eight hours of the day designated as Hajime’s watch. Hajime usually did not abide by the rules, staying past his shift, and only Fuyuhiko had enough strength and little sympathy to tear Hajime from the monitors.

They knew once their peers began to wake up from the simulation - if they would wake up, Kazuchi was always wont to mention - their shifts would become shorter and shorter. However, they all knew Hajime’s would get longer and longer until he woke up. Hajime was obsessed with waking them up, using all of his talents and skills to manipulate the system into releasing them. He worked with the AI he met inside the simulation, Alter Ego, unlocking firewalls that barricaded them from previously accessing certain areas. He knew that they were so close. So close to waking them up. To waking him up.

So Hajime wasn’t sure if it was because he hadn’t slept in the past twenty-eight hours, or if it was because he was actually going crazy, but Komaeda was standing in front of him.

Crazy as it may seem, this was not a rare occurrence by any means. He had been seeing Komaeda everywhere, his eyes chasing his silhouette in peripherals, a flash of cream coloured hair when he opened his eyes in the morning, honeyed greens smirking at him in reflections.

But this, this was the first time the apparition had spoken.

Maybe Fuyuhiko is right, I am overworking myself, Hajime thought to himself. He squeezed his eyes shut, shook his head quickly, then opened them back up, expecting his vision to be gone.

But it wasn’t.

Komaeda was still standing there.

Arms open.

Hajime couldn’t help but imagine himself running into them. He had much clarity since he woke up from the simulation. He had regained his memories, and with that, clarity on his feelings, on how he always felt, about Komaeda. The moments they shared in the simulation were some of his most treasured memories now, seeing as they did not interact much before the simulation. He knew that Nevermind still clung to her… what was it called, boat? No, a ship. Her “ship” of Hajime and Chiaki, but everyone else was aware of how Hajime felt. It was hard not to - Hajime was on his last thread of sanity, so keeping his mouth shut was hard. Not like he cared either. They could know or not for all he cared. He just knew that they knew and they knew that he knew they knew and no one really spoke about it. Well, except for Kazuichi’s occasional lighthearted jabs. They never quite landed right though.

But, despite the fact that everything was so peaceful and no one cared about anything here, Hajime felt himself growing angry. He had been working his ass off all day and all night to bring everyone back, to bring him back, and he had the gall to show his stupid sexy face all smiling and offering something that Hajime wanted so fucking bad but knew he could never have. It was just so…. so… infuriatingly Komaeda.

So he did what an overworked, stressed, tired, angry, and quite frankly horny person would do.

He briskly walked past Komaeda, flipping him off on his way.

After the initial acknowledgement, Komaeda became more talkative. He would chatter while Hajime worked, while he ate, while he pretended to sleep. Komaeda would just follow Hajime around, talking to him, and Hajime would ignore him. He figured out that only he could see him - not that it had been confirmed or denied at this point - and as a result wrote it off as a hallucination from being over worked. Playing into it would only make it worse, he reasoned.

“You should take a nap,” Komaeda murmured, reaching out to stroke Hajime’s hair. Hajime didn’t so much as flinch at the action. He knew Komaeda wouldn’t touch him. He hadn’t yet. And Hajime couldn’t let him know that he wanted it. Even if it was fake Komaeda. At least it would be good practice for when real Komaeda woke up, pretending not to crave his touch. If he woke up. “Or just rest even a little. Just because no one has woken up yet means you are a failure.”

Hajime continued to type on the keyboard.

“Such… such hope…” Ah, here he went again. “You could have left them. You could have left us all but you haven’t. There is nothing saying that we will wake up. Honestly, everything is pointing towards us not waking up. And yet still you persist, you push on, you have such hope that we will wake up. Quiet foolishly actually. Idiotic really. Sacrificing everything for just your bizarre hope that something-”

Hajime was glad Komaeda abruptly stopped talking. He wasn’t sure he would be able to keep up his regimen of ignoring him if he hadn’t stopped speaking. However, he was concerned about why Komaeda stopped talking. He looked over at Komaeda and saw his eyes fixated on a single monitor, his mouth slightly ajar. Hajime stared at Komaeda a second longer than necessary before turning to the monitor he was observing. The displays for the still eleven occupied pods held a steady green light-active. Well, all except for one. Pod four was blinking orange. Deactivating.

Hajime ran to the pod room as fast as he could, completely forgetting on his way to notify the others.

He ended up not having to tell the others, as they ended up walking into the cafeteria where he was catching up the Ultimate Imposter to their situation. They were not happy they were left out of the beginning of the celebration, but they seemed to understand because of Hajime’s mental state at the moment.

During the celebration, Komaeda made only a short appearance. He strolled up to Hajime while he was alone at one point, leaning up against a wall next to him. Hajime gave him a smug look, then turned to the Ultimate Imposter. I told you so. I fucking told you so.

Komaeda just laughed. “Your hope was always stronger than any reality.”

Hajime wasn’t sure what it meant, but it made him feel warm for some reason. It wasn’t a normal compliment, not by any means, but it was a compliment by Komaeda’s standards. And for some ungodly reason, that was enough for Hajime. The vague but positive comments on Hajime’s hope still made Hajime feel happy, just as if Komaeda were telling him his hair looked nice, or his face was attractive or something.

…Maybe it was Hajime’s inexperience in dating. That definitely had to play a part, but it still took a certain kind of person to actually listen to Komaeda’s comments and hear them for what they actually are.

You were always strong. Stronger than anyone and anything.

That’s what he really meant. And it made Hajime feel good, even if it was just Hajime’s delirious hallucination of Komaeda.

And with the awakening of the first classmate, everyone else’s hope began to burn brighter. While they had been skipping out early on shifts before the Ultimate Imposter woke up, now they stayed late and even doubled up. They did make comments every once in a while that because they were six now Hajime could take four hour shifts as well, but those comments flew in one ear and out the other. As more peers began to wake up, Hajime began to work more and rest less. The World Destroyer Program he created was working, it was waking up classmates, but it still wasn’t waking up him. It wasn’t working enough. With each passing day he worried that somehow Komaeda was different, that maybe he wouldn’t wake up like the rest. And with each passing day, his theory only seemed stronger. Koizumi woke up, and Hiyoko, and Nidai, Teruteru, Pekoyama- and the rest. Next thing Hajime knew everyone except Komaeda was awake.

It stayed that way for a few days, which was not too abnormal. After the Ultimate Imposter woke up, it took a week for Teruteru to wake up. Yet, every single day that Hajime was awake and Komaeda wasn’t was one too many for Hajime. It was pain. Not to mention that when he did sleep he had terrible nightmares of the simulation. Visions of Chiaki being crushed all over again. Scenarios of Junko surviving despite all that everyone had done to prevent it. Images of Komaeda dead, blood everywhere. In every one, Hajime was just helpless. Useless.

Though those were the best dreams compared to the other nightmares Hajime suffered from. The ones about… the project. The worst part about leaving the simulation was regaining his memories of what happened at Hope’s Peak. And what happened when Kamakura was in control.

It was during one of these dreams when Hajime woke up screaming. He shot up in his bed, clutching at the sheets that were soaked with his sweat.

“What’s wrong?” A worried Komaeda fluttered to Hajime’s side. But he did not soothe Hajime.

Anger boiled in Hajime’s veins. Anger at Hope’s Peak. Anger at the ones who created the simulation. Anger at the people who created the Kamakura project.

Anger at himself.

So much anger towards him and only him. None of this ever would have happened. The biggest, most awful, most tragic event in human history would have never happened. Nothing would have happened if Hajime just wasn’t so weak. So unhappy with his pathetic, talentless self. Kamakura wouldn’t have taken those lives. Junko would have never gotten the firepower Kamakura provided. The uprising would have never happened. Nothing would have happened.

It was all his fault.

He let out a strangled scream and stood up, kicking the sheets off of him, and stormed to his bedside table. Then, in one fell swoop, he threw the bedside lamp onto the floor. It shattered into a million satisfying pieces, the lightbulb letting out a little pop. He stared at the broken mess for a second. Then, suddenly and all together, all the rage that he had been seething drained from his body. He felt like an empty shell. A ghost.

He collapsed back onto the bed, elbows on his knees, back in a tired hunch. His scars hurt. He hurt.

He felt the bed shift next to him.

Hajime cleared his voice, hoarse from screaming, and spoke. “I hate how weak I was. How weak I am still-”

“Bullshit.”

Hajime looked to Komaeda. His eyes were hard and his face stern.

“I didn’t know you were that deluded to be honest. To think that Hajime Hinata is weak- hah! You are anything but weak. At the last trial, you were given two choices. What did you pick? Neither. You made your own choice. When you woke up from the simulation, Makoto told you to leave, Byakuya told you to leave, Kirigiri told you to leave. Did you leave? No. You stayed and created a program to wake us up. You are strong Hinata, you just don’t believe you are."

"But the mistakes I made-”

“Everyone makes mistakes! And I know everyone says that but its true. We are imperfect creatures. We speed, we cheat, we lie - everyone does wrong in their life. Just because you think your wrong that you did is the worst possible one out there doesn’t mean that you should hate yourself for it. Someone else has probably made the same mistake before. Its how life works. We make mistakes. We stumble. We fall. And when we do, we don’t hate ourselves for it, we push through and become better. Because we have hope for an even better future. We have hope for a future that is perfect because it is imperfect.”

“I don’t want to have hope for a better future, I want my life to be better. I want to not have made these mistakes. I want to not hate myself.”

“Well, no one can take back what has been done,” Komaeda reached out and stroked the scars on Hajime’s head. “We can only make the best of it.”

Hajime leaned into the touch, forgetting for a moment that this was a hallucination.

“How can I do that when I don’t even know who I am? I am not Hajime Hinata, and I am not Kamakura. I am some sort of freak in-between and I hate it.”

“Does it matter who you are?” Hajime didn’t know how to respond. But he did know what he wanted Komaeda to say. I still love you, either way, whoever you may be.

“And just for the record, I don’t hate you, whoever you may be.”

Hajime smiled. That was enough for him, for now.

“Thank you, Komaeda,” he murmured. And he meant it.

“Even the strongest have their moments,” Komaeda agreed. “And you are strong,” Komaeda asserted.

Hajime smiled and turned to face Komaeda. In the dim lights his eyes shone like beacons of hope, of acceptance, of… love. Before Hajime could even think he was leaning toward Komaeda his eyes closing his heart beating his mind swirling his-

“Hinata-kun!” Fuyuhiko burst into the room snapping Hajime out of his trance. He was still sitting on his bed, leaning towards an empty space.

“What?” Hajime responded to Fuyuhiko’s curious gaze. “I couldn’t sleep. Now what is it?”

Fuyuhiko seemed to shake his confusion off. “Get dressed. You’re gonna wanna see this for yourself.”

Hope burst in Hajime’s chest. He couldn’t wait to know. “Is he…?”

Fuyuhiko nodded.

Hajime never got dressed faster in his life.

When Hajime made it to the pod room, he was breathless. He ran up to Komaeda’s now-open pod and leaned towards it. Komaeda was still asleep, eyes firmly closed, which allowed Hajime a moment to catch his breath. About once he did, he saw Komaeda’s eyes begin to flutter.

“Hey! Can you hear me?” Hajime called out to his peer.

It took a moment, but then Komaeda responded. “Ahh… Izuru Kamakura?” Komaeda held out his hand towards Hajime. “No, you’re, uh, Hajime Hinata, right?”

Fueled by his earlier revelation, Hajime responded confidently. “They’re both me.”

“I suppose I should thank you for waking me up? I knew you’d make it to the lowest stratum- I believed in you." Komaeda lifted his head, seeming to remember something. "How are the others?”

Hajime just smiled as the door behind him opened, revealing the rest of their peers waiting outside the pod room. “You’re the last one out.”

Komaeda smiled. Then, he looked pointedly into Hajime’s eyes, a small smirk present on his face. “You’re hope was always stronger than any reality.”

#komahina secret exchange #komahina #fanfiction

[dxmichelle]

🌟  2020 fanwork highlights 🌟

Rules: It’s time to love yourselves! Choose your favourite works you created in the past year (fics, art, edits, etc.) and link them below to reflect on the amazing things you brought into the world in 2020. Tag as many writers/artists/etc. as you want (fan or original) so we can spread the love and link each other to awesome works!

I was tagged by both @atembomb and @rainstormcolors! 

2020 was wild. As I mentioned in my year-end wrap-up post, I wrote a ton of things, and since you can always check out the post through that link, I’m only going to share a few snippet quote here. 

From Nerdshipping Shenanigans, I present passages from both “Blind Date” and “Weekend Getaway”, which I think were the two best ship pieces I’ve done this year.

In “Blind Date”, Ginny coaxes Hermione to attend Hogwarts’s winter formal, and sets her up with a date in the process.

Ginny turned the page in her book. “Is he stopping by Hogsmeade in two weeks?” There have been three Hogsmeade weekends so far through the year. Each time, Seto had traveled from wherever he was working to see Hermione, and she had never seen her friend so eager to visit the village before in all the years she had known her. One time, he even brought Yugi, and the three of them spent almost the entire afternoon at one of the outside café tables next to Wermes Bookstore.

She looked up to see the smile slip from Hermione’s face. So he wasn’t coming this time…interesting.

“He’s going to be at a convention that weekend,” Hermione said. “But he has the rest of them in his calendar. That was the only one he won’t make.”

“Oh, that’s too bad,” said Ginny. Her face softened and she smiled sadly at her. “It must be really hard being so far away all the time.”

Hermione sagged back against her pillow and looked away from her.

“…So where is he these days, anyhow?”

“Right now, San Francisco,” said Hermione, and she leaned forward to pet Crookshanks. “He’ll be in back in Japan during Hogsmeade weekend, promoting a new video game for his company.”

“Guy sure does get around,” said Ginny, “How do you keep track of all the places he keeps going to?” She then smirked over at Hermione and cut in before she could respond. “The answer is – you can’t. Like that one time when –”

Hermione’s face reddened. “It was one time!”

“Weekend Getaway saw Hermione sneak Seto out of the office to celebrate his birthday. 

Seto woke to the faint sound of squawking seagulls and his eyes slowly opened to the darkened bedroom. Hermione was snuggled in, sharing the other half of his pillow with her head resting against the crook of his neck with one arm draped across his chest. He could feel her slow, deep breaths; each exhale a puff of air that warmed his skin just above the collar of his pajamas.

Of all the places she could have taken him, he did not expect a quiet coastal town off the eastern shore of the United States, in a little rented house that sat right along the beach, and the front steps led right onto the boardwalk that seemed to continue on forever in each direction.

“This place is charming,” Hermione had said when they first arrived. “Someone from the Department of International Magical Cooperation mentioned this town to me when I was trying to make plans for the weekend.”

They had spent the better part of yesterday exploring the town. The summer tourist season had ended last month, clearing most of the crowds from the beach. Cool crisp air rolled off of the water to counter the unusually still warm autumn weather. They had to have walked up and down most of the quaint little town, and wandered into a number of tiny little shops.

The longest brunt of time was spent in a hidden gem of a bookstore, four blocks from the house.

“I swear I didn’t know about it when I made the reservations!” she had said. Did he plan on spending half his vacation day in a bookshop? Nope. But was he going to begrudge her the chance to find something to take onto the beach, after seeing how much her eyes lit up once she saw the sign above the shop door? After seeing the pleading look of ‘can we please detour on our way to the museum, just for a few minutes?’ Absolutely not.

It didn’t matter that five minutes turned into a couple of hours.

Sufficed to say, wandering all over town on foot had tired him out more than he expected, and he felt he slept better than he had over the entire last week.

Despite waking up at six in the morning, like clockwork. Hermione seemed to be still asleep.

He shifted, to try and get out from under her arm when she suddenly let out a sad, whiney sort of noise, and she tightened her hold on him.

I also had the fun of writing a gift fic during this year’s YGOME exchange and had the most fun diving into Yugi’s headspace as he returns home from Egypt. This is from Guilt.

Yugi didn’t talk for the majority of the plane ride home, but did manage to give a small smile and a wave to his grandfather at the airport. Grandpa naturally pressed for details but only received short, clipped answers in return: what happened to the Millennium Puzzle? (“Gone.”) Did they get to finish what they set out to do? (“Yes.”) Did he still have the God cards? (“No.”)

Though he had to check himself on the last one. It was no secret that his grandfather loved to admire them, but Yugi vaguely remembered the tomb taking back the God monsters, just as it did the Millennium Items, as if to say the Pharaoh has left. The Millennium Items are gone. Their work is done, they can all finally rest.

Yugi sank down onto his bed and, with a shaking hand, pulled the golden box from his bag. Inside sat both his new Duel Monsters deck, and the one he used to share with Atem. He removed his deck and put it safely away in his deck box. But he couldn’t help but stare at the set of cards he left inside.

Ten years…

Yugi scooted back against his headboard and clutched the golden puzzle box tightly against his chest, eyes closed.

If he went back in time ten years to the date Grandpa handed him the Millennium Puzzle, broken apart in this very box and told his younger self of all he had to look forward to, both the good and the bad, he would have thought himself mad. Eight years to complete a simple puzzle? Ridiculous! Magic? Come on!

Gonna cut it off here because otherwise I will be dropping fic snippets for the next week. OLSSM, Sapphire Road, Ghost in the Machine, and Murder Most Foul all have too many great moments and I love them all equally. 

Continuing forward, I’m going to tag @darksidechick823 and @bellamy-taft! But if you see this post and are a writer, consider yourself tagged too! :D

#michelle replies #michelle writes fic #ask meme #tag game

[judgmentofcorruption]

Episode 6–The Sinking Story; Scene 3

Judgment of Corruption, pages 189-196

After that, Ma formally came to assist the USE allied forces as per Tony’s request.

“Though I don’t know how much help I’ll be.”

Tony grinned at Ma’s remark. “That’s alright. If you need anything at all, just let these two know.” He introduced two young soldiers who had similar features to each other. “This is second lieutenant Nyoze Octo and sergeant major Gammon Octo. They’re brothers. Nyoze is the older, and Gammon is the younger. They have Jakokuan ancestry, so you might find them easier to deal with.”

The Octo brothers saluted Ma.

“Pleased to meet you.”

“—Oh yes, the pleasure is mine. I’m quite happy to have such attractive young men at my side.”

Some lodging that was one of the military facilities was set aside for Ma’s new place of residence.

.

At Gallerian’s estate, Michelle was proposing an idea to her father in the living room.

“A trip?”

“Yeah. I was thinking we could go during break. Since I’ll be really busy once college starts up.”

“Is Mama going to go with you?”

“Yeah. So—I was wondering if you could come along.”

But Gallerian regretfully shook his head.

“I can’t just take time off work. Papa has only just become the director, and he’s very busy.”

“Alriiight…I guess it can’t be helped.”

“Where are you planning to go for the trip?”

“At first I thought it would be nice to go to Maistia where Bruno’s from, but Mama said that would be too far.”

“And they’re in the middle of a civil war right now.”

“Right. So I thought we’d go instead to your homeland of Marlon, Papa. I wanna see Grandpa, since it’s been so long.”

“That sounds fine. I’m sure he’ll be happy to see you.”

“We’re planning to be there about two weeks, so we’re going next week.”

“—I’ll be lonely while you’re gone.”

“You’ll be alright. You’ll have Bruno and the other servants with you.”

“I’ll still be lonely.”

“I’ll call you every day.”

“And you better not get mixed up with any strange men over there.”

“Aw, come on. You’re always saying that, Papa.”

As the two of them laughed together, they could hear the doorbell ring outside.

After a short while, Larisa appeared before them.

“Begging your pardon, Sir—Lady ‘Ma’ has come to see you.”

“I see. Send her in.”

Michelle asked Gallerian, “Is it a visitor? Maybe I should head out.”

“No—Stay here. She might have come to see you.”

Ma appeared in the living room, brought along by Larisa.

“Good day.”

When Michelle greeted her, Ma broke into a grin.

“Good day, young miss—I’m a friend of your father’s, and the screenwriter named Kayo Sudou. I’d like it if you called me ‘Ma’.”

“Uh huh…” While making a half-hearted reply, Michelle gazed intently at Ma.

“Is there something on my face?”

“No—I mean, I’ve only seen her in photographs, but…You look a lot like my late grandma.”

“Oh my, heh heh…It’s a bit of a long story, but I changed my face out of admiration for your grandmother.”

“Wow…That’s amazing.”

Gallerian butted into the conversation, “Even so…It’s odd you haven’t aged at all, despite fourteen years going by.”

“You know of the facility ‘Lunaca Labora’, yes? This is a gift from there.”

“So you’re saying there’s a device amongst its machines that can preserve beauty.”

Being an adolescent herself, Michelle reacted sharply to the mention of the word beauty. “That’s curious. Maybe you should take me to this facility.”

“Hahaha, I think that would be unnecessary for you, Miss Michelle. You are quite lovely enough without using such means. –You look exactly as I thought you would.”

“…?”

“Though whatever the case I’d like to take a day to talk to you, if I may.”

“I’m curious about you too. Including the matter of this beauty machine. But I’m planning to leave Levianta on a trip next week.”

“That’s unfortunate. Then I suppose we’ll have to save it for another day, after you get back.” Ma then turned to Gallerian. “I did come here to see your daughter today—but I also have a favor I would like to ask of you.”

“What is it? I’m all ears.”

“Since I’ve returned to society after so long away, I was thinking that I might make a new movie soon. My occupation is that of a screenwriter, after all.”

“A movie, huh—But you would need a lot of money for that.”

“Indeed. Therefore…I need to ask someone wealthy to provide the funds.”

“You’re asking me to be your sponsor?”

Michelle laughed and clapped innocently, listening in from the side. “A movie! That’s great! It sounds like fun.”

“Hmm. I don’t know…” Gallerian’s brow furrowed. “It’s not like I don’t have money to spare. But in all honestly, most of it is my wife’s money—or, more accurately, it’s assistance from her family. I myself have only just become director, so I haven’t been able to save all that much yet…”

As Gallerian was faltering, Ma shoved a book before him.

“What’s this?”

“It’s the ‘Daughter of Evil’, penned by Yukina Freezis—I was wanting to use it as the basis for this movie.”

“The ‘Daughter of Evil’…That’s the story of the princess who set the stage for the Lucifenian Revolution—But I’m quite sure someone’s already made this into a movie.”

“That’s true. But the ‘Daughter of Evil’ that I have has slightly different contents than the version that is widely known. It is the true story of the ‘Daughter of Evil’, that Yukina Freezis wrote in secret—I’m positive that it will be the subject of much conversation once it’s been screened.”

“Hum…”

“In either case, this book was written pertaining to both your ancestor, ‘Kyle Marlon’, and the ‘Elluka Clockworker’ of the time, someone that I and your mother idolized. I was thinking that you might still enjoy it even as mere reading material. We’ll leave the matter of funding for after you’ve read it—just so long as you give the matter some thought.”

“…Alright. I’ll read it on my day off. Do you mind if I borrow the book?”

“Go ahead. But you must make sure to return it once you’re done reading. There are some records on ‘dead soldiers’ in the book as well, so I want to lend it to General Tony later.”

Gallerian nodded and started to flip through the book that had been handed to him.

“…This book seems to be written in Yukina Freezis’ own handwriting. It looks to have a great deal of historical value. I’ll treat it carefully.”

Michelle peered at the book from the side with great interest.

“The ‘Daughter of Evil’. I read that when I was a kid.”

Ma smiled again at the sight of that. “In the event that the movie is made, perhaps you could play a part in it, Miss Michelle. I think you’d be perfect for the role of ‘Michaela’, the woman with whom King Kyle falls in love—Now then, I’ve got some other matters to attend to, so I’ll leave it there.”

Ma bowed her head a touch, then left Gallerian’s estate.

.

--But in the end, the “Daughter of Evil” movie was never screened, nor was Michelle ever to play a role in it.

Three weeks later, an event occurred that caused a rapid transformation in Gallerian’s life.

To a man like him who led an unsatisfactory married life, his daughter Michelle was the sole person to whom he could devote his affection.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that now that he had fulfilled his personal goals to a certain degree, Michelle was everything to Gallerian.

.

Midway through its return voyage from Marlon, the ship that Michelle and her mother were riding on, the “S.S. Titanis”—

Met with an unexpected event, and sank to the bottom of the sea.

<<prev------directory------next>>

[sonicringbond]

Sonic Ring Bond: The Journey - Scene 42

With character mindsets out of the way, it’s time to set the stage. Well, Blister’s mindset still needs to be set, but right now they have arrived at the peculiar city in the sky. What will they find there? Well, find out for yourself in...

    “Really, a creepy place like this would do a lot better with some ghosts,” Rosy teased as she jumped from Blister’s ship to the stretch of concrete and asphalt that they docked at, “then we could make a test of courage out of it!”

    “I’d rather not have more ghosts after the last time we met some,” Draw tried as per usual to put a damper on Rosy’s enthusiasm as he walked down the gangplank with Sonic and Blister. For his efforts Rosy stuck her tongue out at him.

    “You’re being no fun today,” Rosy teased her koala companion and he rolled his eyes.

    “Whatever, you weirdo girl.”

    “It’s Rosy!”

    There was a comfort that Rosy found in the exchange with Draw and she smiled brightly even in the dreary place. Sonic and Blister were both being more careful than Rosy was though.

    “Be careful while having fun,” Blister warned as she tested the weight of her backpack. “My instruments were acting weird as we approached. I couldn’t rely on them to dock at all.”

    “You were able to dock an airship on your own? That’s amazing!”

    “Well, I don’t really have any choice with a golem hunter on board,” Blister gave Draw a weary glance. “It’s not like I can use my autogolems if they just get broken for coming out.”

    “So, the Engineers do use autogolems too,” Rosy acknowledged thoughtfully, before switching gears and spinning over to place her hands on Draw’s shoulders. He gave her a look, but Rosy continued unbothered. “But I’m sure Draw wouldn’t break yours. Well, as long as they aren’t powered by fairies.”

    “Everything the Engineers make are powered by Rings or steam, so no exploiting any mythical creatures,” Blister assured Rosy, Draw, and the fairy in the group, Mote. “Besides, the way Preserver autogolems work is a total mystery. It doesn’t make sense how the energy of a living thing is converted into a kinetic energy.”

    “Sounds like the type of guys Eggman would get along with,” Sonic finally added his voice to conversation as he strolled off the gangplank and looked around.

    Rosy noticed Sonic was rubbing the underside of his nose with his pointer finger and wondered if he was sensing danger. She couldn’t leave him worried though and risked getting teased herself to lighten his mood. “Oh~, forget that mean old man. I’ve gotten over being embarrassed by you talking like that about us and want to hear more! Come on Sonic, say something romantic~♥”

    “Keep dreaming, kid,” Sonic winked at Rosy and made her puff up her cheeks as she knew exactly what he meant.

    “Ooh~! Why couldn’t you play along nicely this time now that I’m ready for you!”

    “Instead of play, perhaps we could get to work looking for a Ring Radio for my ship,” Blister suggested, walking away from her vessel. Sonic eyed her curiously and took up pace beside her.

    “I’m all for getting this over with, but I thought we were supposed to do the dangerous stuff while you stayed back on the ship?”

    “Don’t worry, I won’t slow you down.” Blister smiled at Sonic confidently. Her confidence did not last however as she lifted her left hand up and stared at it as she flexed the flat fingers of her clockwork arm. “Though I haven’t gone for a run myself since before I lost my arm. I hope I’m not too rusty.”

    “You don’t mean to say you can keep up with us, do you? Sonic asked having a hard time believing it. “There aren’t too many who can, and even out of those with my speed few who can match my pace.”

    “Just check your radio for a signal and I’m sure we’ll be fine. I think I might actually be excited for the first time in a while. A shame it’ll be best to split you flowers up for this little trip.”

    “Flowers?” Sonic asked while checking his wrist device. The detected signal on the device told Sonic all he needed to know, and he was distracted from his question. “Well, sure enough there is a signal here. And not one we recognize.”

    “I wonder if there’s anyone using it?” Rosy pressed her finger to her cheek and mused a moment. That moment was short lived and quickly followed up with her deciding to check as she worked her wrist device and cheerily called into it. “Hello~! Is there anyone home!”

    “You’re going to get us killed, you weirdo girl!” Draw snapped at Rosy.

    “Don’t say that!” Rosy chided him, but as her energy was spilt between her wrist device and him, she wasn’t overbearing. The lack of a response from her device though made her puff up her cheeks. “Phooey! I guess no one lives here either.”

    “Gotta admit, it’d be kind of hard too.”

    ~Sonic wasn’t wrong. For the first time since I had been exploring the lands under Yolk, there were no plants growing over everything. They had been at one point in time, but they had all withered and died, only a thick layer of yellowed leaves that lined the streets and building floors showing they had once lived. It was kind of creepy in a different way than the rest of the weird little city as well since leaves don’t usually last like this. They crumbled easily enough to the touch, but the wind left in our wakes as we ran through the twisted city streets didn’t seem to hurt them and they simply would settle back down were they had last been.

    ~The leaves weren’t the only creepy thing. Yolk seemed even bigger from the city than Blister’s airship, and no matter where I ran it seemed to watch me from behind the clouds just above the horizon. And the storm clouds didn’t bring rain and thunder, but rather a snow of ash. I’m starting to think this place might be cursed. At the very least, it’s weird and unnatural.

    ~How unnatural? I wanted to check the size of the city when we first set out, so I ran a lap all the way around it with Draw clinging to my back and the location of the horizon never changed. And I came back around from what should have been the city’s underside. It’s not right here. It really isn’t.~

    “What now,” Draw asked as Rosy stopped atop a skyscraper that tilted a full thirty degrees off its axis.

    Watching the storm clouds and the ash that fell silently from them, Rosy puffed up her cheeks and exhaled sharply from her nose. “This place is way to dreary to be any fun. So how about we see if we can’t find any beneath the surface. Does that sound good, Sonic?”

    -Just keep your radio channel open,- Sonic’s voice came across Rosy’s wrist device. -This place is a lot larger than it looks. Like several places are trying to fit in one spot and not pulling it off.-

    -I’ve also seen signs of golem activity,- Blister’s voice came across after Sonic’s. -Probably more than enough for our little hunter to earn his keep.-

    “Don’t talk like that about me!” Draw complained from Rosy’s back. “I’m not a kid!”

    -Yet you were clinging to Ms. Rose’s back when we agreed to split up…-

    “That’s because it’s the easiest way to not lose her.”

    “I’m not that bad,” Rosy laughed, but she smiled brighter as she looked down at the decayed city that awaited her challenge. “But at least it sounds like this adventure is going to be exciting!”

Scene 42 · CLEARED Snowflake, to be continued

-----

On the shorter side, but now the exposition is done and it’s time to start elevating the series of events. A Ring Radio is here, and it’s on, but why? And Golems here as well. Mysteries, mysteries. If I do this right, this set of “episodes” will be some of my most important at this stage of the story yet. I hope everyone is as excited for them as I am!

-----

Special Thanks to Cutegirlmayra Story by @JoshTarwater/SonicFanJ Inspiring Song – Lost in the Snow – Yoshitaka Suzuki – FINAL FANTASY XV Original Soundtrack (Volume 2【1/2】)

Fair Use Disclaimer

Sonic the Hedgehog and all affiliated characters and logos are the express property and Copyright© of SEGA SAMMY HOLDINGS used without permission under Title 17 U.S.C Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976 in which allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. “Fair use” is use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be considered copyright infringement. The Sonic Ring Bond: The Journey alternate universe (AU) consumer written work of fiction is a non-profit transformative work primarily for personal use and can and will be taken down without warning or prior notice at the request of the copyright holder(s) should it not be recognized under “fair use”.

*Sonic Ring Bond logo created by DEE Art – twitter.com/daryliscute.

Sonic Ring Bond AU and Sonic Ring Bond: The Journey are the creation of Joshua David Tarwater/ynymbus/sonicfanj/@Joshtarwater and is to be, including all contents herein considered for all legal purposes the property of the Sonic the Hedgehog intellectual property (IP) and copyright owners, SEGA SAMMY HOLDINGS. All story contributors via prompt, suggestion, written scene, art, and all and every other contribution acknowledge that all contributed material is forfeit for legal purposes to SEGA SAMMY HOLDINGS upon official request from SEGA SAMMY HOLDINGS.

#sonic the hedgehog #sonic fan fiction #sonic au #sonic au series #sonic ring bond #the journey #classic amy #amy rose #rosy the rascal #au amy #amy redesign #sonic oc #patch #draw the koala #blister the mouse

[bitofthisandthat]

[ Sleeping Patterns ]

Tagged by :  @heedingcalls​ Tagging:  @iim-a-pilot​  @feathersandforests​  @gamblealife​  @ducktales-wco-oo​ @anthropolite​ @womenofice​ @warraigoe​ ( That...that’s enough people to bug )

Gabby.

Name: Gabby Mcstabberson Ethnicity: ( Eagle/peahen half-breed ) Probably East Indian & White; but what specific white culture is a ? to her given her orphan status. McStabberson isn’t a real surname, but code.  Country:  She was raised/dumped off in central Japan, but has been all over. She has no one country that she belongs to. She’s lived in Europe, Asia Major, and US all at different times. Residence:  Calisota, Duckburg and St.Canard. ( currently ) Average hours of sleep: 6-8, but if on watch or a mission, she sleeps in 2-3 hour shifts. Type of bed: Anywhere between a luxury hotel bed queen-king, to crashing in the wild/caves with just a bedroll. She’s slept in temple/church attics when on the road. She’s even slept in trees if it meant safe hiding. But if she’s in one of her safe houses, it’s a wide square free-form cushy double mattress no frame, ( futon style ) just loose cotton sheets & memory foam. Amount of blankets: If she’s indoors, she usually just needs a couple high count cotton/bamboo sheets, and cocoons herself with those plus a light throw. If it’s cold, she will bury herself under the usual sheets plus a luxe down blanket. If outdoors, it’s just an an insulated camping roll that can withstand the elements. Amount of pillows: Indoors? she will usually build a curved pile of 2-3, and plant down in the middle, or use the excess blanket as added padding. Outdoors, she usually has no pillow, but she was accustomed to sleeping with none when she was raised among her syndicate/temple. So, she CAN do without any headrest if on the road, but once she has cover or access to indoors, she’s using whatever padding she can.  Type of clothing: If outdoors or on the job? Her clothes remain on, obviously. She MAY take off her boots if the terrain isn’t too dangerous. Indoors, she really would rather sleep nude/panties. Sometimes it’s just a crop-tank and panties. She’ll walk around in a short robe or shorts if she’s out of bed, though. Sometimes a slip. But honestly she’s all about as little on her as possible when indoors/safe. Do they sleep with company?: Verse dependent. Otherwise, she does not sleep with anybody out of peace of mind and safety. If she’s indulging in sexual company, after they’re done, she’s out the door, sometimes sneaking out while her partner’s asleep. Yeaaaaah. Do they sleep with plushies?: Nope. Not even as a kid. :/ However, the monkey she had then would sleep near her. Though in Lola’s verse, ( @hoopsheartthrob​ ) if she crashes on the sofa from exhaustion, she has woken up with a blanket over her and one of Lola’s plushies wrapped in her arms somehow. Do they sleep better with company?: It doesn’t make a difference to her at all. Though in her ship verses, she is alarmed at how much harder it is for her to fall asleep and stay asleep without her lover there. If she’s in their bed together, she will nuzzle up and cocoon on THEM more than her usual blanket fort. Does it matter where they sleep?: Noooooo. XD If she can sit up in the crotch of a tree or lay down on a cave floor I think she’s okay. Though she sleeps lighter outside because of her light sleeping/vigilance. She obviously MUCH prefers nice bed and fine linens; after leaving that syndicate/temple lifestyle, she never looked back to the days of sleeping like a dog in a barn ever again. If on a mission, she does what she has to do to sleep wherever. She can usually count down and fall right to sleep instantly. Consider it her martial-monk training. Frequent dreams, nightmares?: She has either NO recalled dreams at all, or vividly surreal ones that may disturb or confuse her, but not scare her. What do they do if they cannot fall asleep?: She’ll try mediating first, but if her mind’s racing too much and it’s impossible to sleep, depending where she is, she’ll give into the alertness and either go out in the night to walk, look at the stars, or cityscape. Sometimes she looks up an old hook-up and attempts to wear herself out that way. But most of the time, the meditation works to calm her down. Deep slumber or naps?: She’s a light sleeper, so deep sleep is relative. If she can’t get 6-8 uninterrupted hours of slumber, after a long night mission with little to no sleep, she’ll make up for it after she’s “off the clock” by taking a few isolated naps at her safe house. She won’t ever do without rest!!! When do they wake up?: Depends entirely on her job du jour. But normally, she’s an early riser, not just out of habit, but she HAS to start her day with meditation and some kind of stretching/low impact work out. Then her breakfast, etc. In ship verses she’ll stay in bed a bit longer if it means she’s comfortably curled around them. When do they sleep?: She’ll stay up pretty late to the wee hours of the morning if she’s on a mission or fun night out, but normally she tries to be in bed by 11-midnight. Seeing is how she’s up like clockwork around 6:30-8am. What could wake them up?: She’s a light sleeper, so a lot, pfft. On the road, it just has to be subtle shuffling or murmur outside her campsite or hotel door, and when she’s outdoors, she does NOT sleep deep. A frog hopping into a puddle could wake her. If she’s in one of her safe houses or ship-verses, any noise from a drawer opening/closing or a deep mattress bob will do it, and when she wakes, she’s either ready to fight off whatever’s there, or annoyingly ask with bleary eyes what they’re doing ( if a friend/lover ). But then, she’ll slip back to sleep instantly with an exasperated sigh. So partners gotta leave the bedroom if they can’t sleep and do things like pace around the room or watch TV. JUST SAYIN’. She’s been conditioned since a child to always be ready to fight someone off if they sneak in on you while you sleep.

Gladstone.

Name: Gladstone Gander Ethnicity: ( Sebastopol goose-pecking duck half breed ) Culturally wise, whatever his fam is? Scottish-English-French?  Country:  USA Residence: Duckburg, Calisota--currently. Though canonly he’s lived in the countryside outside of Duckburg with his grandma and cousins after orphaned as a small child. He’s also lived in other glamorous or exciting cities at random stints given his gambling, stage career, and due to wherever Lady Luck has sent him. He always ends up back at Duckburg, though! Average hours of sleep: 8-10, sometimes 12 if he’s been out way too late and partied way too hard. Some of those hangovers are a bitch. He also surrenders to jet lag with no objection after long trips and just HIBERNATES. The man does love to lounge and sleep in finery. Type of bed: King, and of course, top of the line. He did try out waterbeds and other bizarre bed trends here and there just to see how comfortable ( or sexy ) it was. He is the first to go for gimmick style sleeping if it means a new way to experience comfort. Currently, he has a purple mattress-sleep number type deal he’s very proud of. 🙄 And his frame, of course, is imported and a high-end style. Amount of blankets: He does go full luxe, so the finest sheets plus at least 2-3 blankets; one thinner cashmere, one medium thick plain white down quilt, and finally, one thick, “royal” style comforter that usually is just rolled back off the foot of the bed if he’s got company. But usually it’s just the sheets and the down quilt covering him. Amount of pillows: 2 king sized ortho pillows side by side, so he can roll to whatever side and have the same level of comfort. He does have some random pillows at his sides also, as he shifts around in his sleep and ends up in different positions if he’s sleeping alone. Type of clothing: He sleeps totally nude, let’s be real here. He may saunter around his place in various luxe robes, or if he’s got family or friends over, he’ll wear pajamas around them out of courtesy, but once he’s in his bedroom and the door’s shut? 100% naked as a....jay...bird. Do they sleep with company?: Yesss...whether we’re in a ship verse or not, he’s pretty canonly...uh...popular. He gets around. He doesn’t think it’s gentlemanly to send a lady home right after they’ve done the deed, and his bed is huge and amazingly luxurious, so he’ll offer her “breakfast and coffee” as the quintessential code. Do they sleep with plushies?: Ha, no. “Not sexy, folks.” As a kid he had a couple, obviously. He’s woken up with a random plushie or action figure on his chest or head posed in hilarious ways whenever he falls asleep babysitting the kiddos, but other than that, nope. Do they sleep better with company?: Yes, actually. He does sleep alone more than you’d think, which when he does, he’s all over the place in his own bed. After all, he IS lonely under that bravado and vanity, so half his conquests may be some underlaying need to wake up with someone at his side. He doesn’t toss and turn at all if he’s got company---be it romantic or familial.  Does it matter where they sleep?: YES. Glad is a creature who loves his comforts. If it’s not just so, he’s a cranky bastard the next day. He’s extremely picky about where and how he sleeps if he’s on vacation with family and friends, infamously so. His bed at home is already tailor made to his specifics, and he knows which hotels fit his standards. Frequent dreams, nightmares?: He gets very vivid, happy, beautiful dreams. Of course he does. He also gets a lot of er...sexy dreams, too. But I digress. When he DOES have nightmares they are incredibly disturbing and horrific, showcasing family hells they’ve all endured or curses on the horizon, some are supernaturally caused nightmares. When he gets the rare nightmare, he ain’t falling back to sleep any time soon.  What do they do if they cannot fall asleep?: He’ll watch some late night TV like shopping networks and infomercials while sipping some liquor. Sometimes he’ll read through some biography books he has or magazines...Sometimes he’ll call an old girlfriend up and bug her, or try and get a booty call out of it. Or he’ll call a family member or friend that may be up or not, and fein false shame and be all: “Oooooh did I wake you?” and then go on to chat until he hears them fall asleep on the other line. Then, usually he can fall asleep again.  Deep slumber or naps?: Depends; he is a cat napper if it’s midday, he’s on a boat, an outdoor chaise, or hammock---and the sun’s warming his face and he has a cocktail or lemonade in hand. Because, hey, he can’t help it with THAT kind of set up. But, since he already gets an obscene amount of nightly sleep, cat naps are totally accidental and rare. When do they wake up?: Around 9 or 10am if it’s a normal schedule, but noon-2pm if he’s been out all night partying or on the gambling circuit. When do they sleep?: Whenever he feels like crashing. He doesn’t have a same-set time every night. Sometimes he turns in early around 10, sometimes he glances at the clock and it says 4am, and he’s just “WHOOPS. Bedtime.” What could wake them up?: He sleeps like a log once he IS out, so a lot of shoving or shaking ( or “adult contact” if you’re one of his ship verses ). But, ultimately, he has an alarm like anyone else. 

Negaduck.

Name: REDACTED. ( J/K: Drake Mallard, of course. Nega-versed but same name ) Ethnicity: ( Pecking duck ) “Euro-mutt.” Country:  USA ( Negaverse version ) Residence: St.Canard, Calisota ( Negaverse ) as well as St.Canard “Prime.” Average hours of sleep: 6-7. For an ornery bastard when he lays down, he conks out. Type of bed: Sometimes he falls asleep sitting up in his recliner watching TV, or if he’s too beat up and injured to lay down on a bed, and needs to keep his feet up. ( Like if his ribs are bruised too badly to lay flat. ) But when he sleeps in bed, depending on if he’s in one of his hideouts, hotels, or the Negaverse, it’s either a queen or king with loose, messy sheets and a couple mis-matched blankets and a 2 pillows that are not the same size or quality. If he’s in one of his fancy hotel spreads, obviously it’s super luxe accommodations as he smokes a cigar while wearing a haute bathrobe. Though, in his abandoned subway hideout, it’s just a twin-sized mattress on a prison-style cot with a fitted sheet and one blanket with a mushed-up small pillow. Honestly, he can fall asleep on concrete. Amount of blankets:  He can’t stand to be covered with more than a rumpled sheet unless it’s freezing, then he’ll also use one oversized thick comforter/quilt. Ship-verse wise, whatever her bed is like, he’s adjusted to THAT, and little else. But he will end up kicking the blankets off of himself some time during the night, regardless how many she uses. Amount of pillows: Honestly, it starts off with one, but he always ends up with his head flat on the mattress...In ship verses? Her chest. 🙄 Type of clothing: Boxers only, but if he’s with a lover, that’s nixed for nekkid sleepin’. Back in the Negaverse, he’ll fall asleep with his boxers and his robe on. Sometimes Gos crawls into bed if she had a nightmare, so he’s always dressed just in case. Do they sleep with company?: Sometimes....Ship verses, yes. Everywhere else, IF he’s worn out after a romp, he’ll stick around. But usually he vamooses after he’s sealed the deal, so she doesn’t get any bright ideas about them. If she’s sleeping over one of his hotel stays? Sometimes he’ll let her stay over...but he makes it pretty clear she better not stay past morning coffee. Cab faire is SOMETIMES provided. Otherwise? HE SLEEPS ALONE, DAMNIT!! Do they sleep with plushies?: Only if Gos left hers behind and got out of bed first. XD Do they sleep better with company?: It really doesn’t matter to him. Once he’s out, he sleeps like a rock. In ship verses he’s gotten used to his dame so he’ll begrudgingly admit to himself he’s gotta crash with her. That is, unless they’re fighting, then he’s staying the hell away from her. And probably sleep on the sofa. Does it matter where they sleep?: Nope! After being in prison where you sleep on terrible cots and have to watch your ass ( literally ) constantly, or being knocked out after a caper and waking up in filthy, uncomfortable places like warehouse floors or alleyways, he can pretty much fall asleep anywhere. Though, it IS nice to have his comfy chair or lady friend’s bed. Frequent dreams, nightmares?: Half the time he has NO dreams/nightmares, just black, blank sleep. The other chunk of time ( about a quarter of the time ) he has nightmares, which he takes to be “his normal” dreams. They involve a lot of his life in symbolism, disturbing metaphors, and warnings, and replays of past traumas that still haunt him. He denies openly that he has PTSD, even as it effects his dreamscape. When he has truly normal or pleasant dreams, he wakes up suspicious.  What do they do if they cannot fall asleep?: He takes a hot shower or bath, smokes a cigar while in the tub, maybe has a tumbler of whisky too. He’ll probably jack-off later if he’s still awake. Sometimes he’ll take a sleep aid or medication, because he will do whatever it takes to knock himself out without actually knocking himself out... Deep slumber or naps?: Deep, deep, deeeeeeep sleeps. Most of his naps tend to be “involuntary,” post fight. When he does nap it’s only because he’s had a LONG, hard job and he just CRASHES. If he crashes at home in the Negaverse on the sofa, Gos usually covers him with one of her princess blankets and puts a few of her plushies around him. When do they wake up?: Depending on the scene! On a job he pulls sleep shifts and wakes up as needed to his schedule. Normally, he’s up by 8 am, unless he’s been injured and accidentally finds himself in bed all day. Or, if a job made him crash in at sunrise, he’ll be up around noon. When do they sleep?: Whenever needed according to his work schedule. Sometimes he has to be asleep by as early as 7pm if he has to pull a big job by midnight, sometimes he IS in bed by midnight. If he’s on the run or a job is taking forever, he’s collapsing in bed around 4-5 am. He has the most chaotic sleep schedule EVER. What could wake them up?: Remember, he sleeps the sleep of the dead, so he needs ceremony. Soooo if you’re his squeeze du jour or a ship verse? Sex. Or, just violently shaking him awake, jumping ON him roughly, slapping him awake, having his alarm at high volume, or if you’re Gos, prying his eye open with her fingers and saying “DAD!...oh! Are you up?” while in his face...Also, brewing strong, good coffee down the hall will magically do it. Otherwise he has an internal clock that just wakes him up without an alarm. 

#HEADCANON || GABBY #HEADCANON || GLADSTONE #HEADCANON || NEGADUCK #DIRTY DEEDS #{ Only tagging it DD because these 3 have a few methods to fall asleep/get up that aren't sfw XDD } #{ SO long tis why it's under a cut YEESH. }

[bisexualterror]

(banner not mine, simply copied from @ao3commentoftheday)

so i have a lot of bookmarks saved on google chrome (hmu if you want me to do a writing resources list or a second fic rec), and i thought might as well do a fic rec! i seperated them by fandom’s and i did my very best to tell you why i love the fic, but i think i just rambled lmao

tagging my friends who i think might b interested: @ocfairygodmother​ @phoenixwench​ @leftzonkpsychicland​ @artish-calamity​ 

minor warning, this is a long list~

Vampire Diaries:

Bits of Sunshine is my favorite Vampire Diaries fic, it has a really funny and charming OC and gives you a different perspective of the main characters and it really inspired me with my own TVD fanfic, it’s still on hiatus but it’s nearly 500k makes up for it 

The Bystander offers a unique view to OCs, where the OC is separated from the main plot for the most part but interacts with main characters that eventually pull her in

Crimson Peak is really good if you love a powerful Bonnie Bennett, it explores the magic of Expression more and her family background and OC Bennetts and it offers a interesting plot and a rare pairing of Klaus/Bonnie

The Next Chapter is a Buffy crossover fanfic, it puts Buffy in the Vampire Diaries, and though I still haven’t finished it was pretty good at meshing the two shows and exploring more of an older Buffy ~

My Paper Heart is really good if you’ve been trying to look for f/f in this fandom and haven’t found it, it not only explores the oc’s sexuality but also their supernatural identity

beneath the steady waves of fearless hope and grace is also a really good queer bennett witch oc, the oc wakes up in TVD in the body of her parallel fictional universe self I guess you could say, and it has a lot of angst like whoo boi, prepare yourself, it’s so good! 

Human is pretty good, love their oc, it hasn’t been updates in a very long while but it has 100k+ and it’s 100% worth it if you’re looking for something different

Harry Potter:

Changes Everything is really good at addressing the potential problems in the Wizarding World through the lenses of an OC, and it has Harry getting the family he fucking deserves sooner rather than later, and it goes into amazing detail and depth over the magics of the universe. also, lots of lgbt+ characters~

@nonchalantxfish ‘s Rose Petal Red is so good, like, you want Slytherins being amazing and devious, this is the fic for you! you want ocs galore?? this is for you! you want changes to the plot but with serious consequences?? this one is for YOU! Although it’s on haitus rn, it has a shit ton of words, like 500k+ and it’s 100% worth it~

The Clockwork Locket is so good guys, it’s an Marauder era fic, and it has an amazing mix of humor and mystery and romance and friendship and by the end you’ll be shipping the oc with literally everyone lmao, but overall it’s just really good if you’re looking for a Sirius/OC but still want to read about the mysteries in Hogwarts and the OC has her own plot and storyline. The second installment is still in progress but the first installment is like 270k words

Daphne Greengrass, Side Character is what it says on the tin, it’s about daphne and takes a different approach to the character with humor and wit, it’s very enjoyable, still not finished but it’s at 100k+ words

To Be a Slytherin, pretty sure everyone’s seen this one at one point, it’s a really good oc potter twin fanfic, goes into detail with magic and it’s just really good and has one of the longest word count i’ve ever seen at 1,166,349 

The Observer Effect is a MCU crossover with adult fem!Harry, it hasn’t been updating in a while, but from what I remember it’s super good and funny!

Naruto:

A Holmes in Konoha is super good, an Holmes OC is reincarnated as a orphan in Konoha, it explores the Nara’s more and it’s just so good at meshing investigation, friendship and relationships, action and drama~ 

Deja vu no Justu is a time travel fic, it’s really good, have not caught up to it since it first started but it has 500k+ words written and from what I remember it was very well written, like holy shit that was good writing ~

How to Obtain a Reverse Harem in Naruto by @burntpetal16 is pretty freakin good at making me laugh, it’s a remake of their finished fanfic, Sakura, which is equally as good, it’s about an self-insert OC suddenly waking up as Sakura, and Sakura def does what it says on the tin but also there’s an air of mystery surrounding the OC and how they got in the universe who she was before

The Yondaime’s Assistant is finished at 165k+ words and it’s good, like so good, it’s an OC reincarnated into Naruto fanfic, and it’s different from a lot of other OCs in the fandom because the OC goes into the Genin Corps instead of going out into the field, the writer manages to enthrall you with paperwork basically as the OC saves people from the background, it’s also endgame poly relationship between her, Genma and Kakashi!

After the Rain is a fem!Naruto time-travel fanfic, another fic which i haven’t finished, but from what I remember it was it’s done really well and has a lot of angst and drama and action and it’s just, prepare YOSELF for HEART wrenching ANGST!! also it’s 500k+ words!

The Witcher:

The Sorceress, The Witcher, The Bard and a Girl is what it says on the tin, it’s AU and an established ot3 situation w Yen/Geralt/Jaskier and it’s just,,, family fluff, disgusting domestic with all the drama that comes with three emotionally... complicated people trying to raise a young girl who has powers, starts off in a small town

Lullaby of the Isles is more so the game/book fandom, but it’s so good that I just didn’t care about that small fact, it’s still only four chapters but all together those four chapters have 17k+, and it’s about an OC suddenly waking up as a siren, a boss monster siren to exact, right after the siren had killed someone, and it’s just really good and different

And Yet Here We Are  is a collection of more ot3 fanfic of Yen/Geralt/Jaskier, it’s basically a lot of sexy times, but also some funny situations

to grow in adversity is the only fanfic that on this list i haven’t actually read, but the premise seems interesting enough, it’s about Renfri surviving and it has Jaskier as her baby bro

Better Love is surprise! another ot3 fanfic, only this time, you get to feel the pain of an unestablished relationship, it’s basically just Yen & Jaskier bickering while Yen tries to get Jaskier to fuck Geralt. It’s v horny, with a big hunking side of angst and some fluff. Completed and waiting for me to finish the last two chapter!

Teen Wolf: 

Sonder is @musiciatee​ ‘s OC fanfic, and it’s so good??? like every update I get to read blesses my imaginary crops, cures my depression and makes my skin glow like an goddess. If you’re looking for a good POC OC in this fandom, this is it okay. 

Kerosene Hearts and Matchbox Bodies is an OC fanfic, by @thegalanerd​, it’s being reworked right now, but 100% worth the read, but like, I would recommend any of their fanfics, it’s all very good like HOLY SHET it’s good. 

Red Rover, Red Rover is a pretty damn good OC fic, it’s on hiatus but it has 73 chapters and like nearly 500k words, it’s very dramatic, angsty, slow burn, mysterious, and the OC has their own little drama to deal with outside of the main plot

The Unconventional Life of Abigail McCall is probably one everyone has read by now, but if you haven’t, give it a shot, it made me smile a lot

Doctor Who: 

Three of a Kind, The Stuff of Legends is an male OC Tyler fanfic, and by god it is so good, very angsty, lots of drama, very AU, lowkey domestic, this drama gay OC must be protecccted at all costs

London Born is another Tyler OC, but Rose and her have different dad’s and she’s a character of color and bisexual, it’s just such a good fucking story and a favorite of mine, it’s also very AU and has a lot of original stories that the OC goes on, sometimes by themselves. It’s the first in a series, but this first installment is finished so I’d suggest subscribing to the collection for the second installment~

The Blonde Girl is the first installment of an AU of Rose’s start in the Doctor’s life, starting with them meeting randomly during different parts of their life and it basically slowly weaves Rose into the Doctor’s life/past. It’s really good, haven’t finished it yet, but I liked how they changed/expanded Rose’s character. Once you finish that you’ll want to start Defender of the Earth and The Companion Connection, the other’s I haven’t read yet so I don’t know the order they go in, but they’re all like 100k+ words and the author is still regularly updating their newest installment so enjoy~

Alexander-The Seer and Changer of Time is probably the longest DW OC fic out here, and was only last updated early last, but at a word count of  1477k+, I’m sure we’ll survive. This is another fic I haven’t finished reading, but one I’d high recommend either way. If I’m remembering correctly, don’t like quote me on this, but I believe their OC was non gender conforming.

The Dread of Tomorrow and Yesterday  was sadly cut short before the author finished, but the OC is so amazing and just my hero, and a character of color, will fight everyone and probably win, and just I love this OC so much and even though it probably won’t ever be finished it’s worth the read and it’s at nearly 800k so, enjoy each word~

Sailor Moon:

Rabbit of the Moon, is literally the ONLY fic I’m rec in this fandom, mainly because it’s the only fanfic I’ve ever read in this fandom, but it’s so good, like I was just feeling nolgastic over what was my first anime, but the OC is so...scary and smart and cunning and intense af

Twilight:

Twilight'd is a really good OC, it made me laugh a lot, and it makes you love the characters more than the actual writer made you like them

A Hundred Winks of Sunshine by @tsume-yuki​ is so good, like, I don’t know how to articulate how much I love their SI!Bella, like, I don’t read these types of stories a lot, but, tbh any story made them is just worth taking the risk to read because you won’t be let down. It’s very funny and charming and so good!

GOT/ASOIAF:

How To Lose Your Dragon is not really what it says on the tin, trust me I would never read a fic that would have anyone steal Dany’s dragons, it’s just the dragons like Jon, hmm I wonder why?? kind of fic, and I really love the way the writer writes Dany 

Can beauty come out of ashes is another Dany-centric fanfic, and it’s really good so far, but I’m only on the second chapter so I can’t say much but I like the idea of the Starks and Dany becoming pack. It ignores s7-8, so we already love~

MCU:

The Scientist is a good Loki/OC fanfic, like it’s so good because the OC doesn’t put up with any shit, and is very smart and it’s just so freakin good and cute and such a fucking slow burn, like get ready for some slow burn

Just An Old Fashioned Love Song by @izhunny​ is such a good Frostiron fic, like, so fucking good, just THE FLUFF~ THE DOMESTICS??? SO GOOD!! ALSO!! ALMOST ALWAYS MAKES ME FREAKING HUNGRY!!! haven’t finished this, but I’d highly recommend it 

Code Blue by @jarvis-is-my-copilot​ likeee, I haven’t finished reading this either, haha sorry, but I really like the OCs and it’s just.....SO....GOOD!!!

The Wooden Puppet is a really good OC fanfic, very different from ur usual OC, love the way the OC interacts with the characters and I love the way it started, it’s hilarious

Archaic Kinds Of Fun is like, all of my dreams and hopes for the Avengers put into one fic with an amazing OC, like did you want the team as a family, or hell even friends??? do you want them to get fuckin therapy??? HERE YOU GO! It hasn’t been updated in a while because the author has been through a tough time, but it’s at 370k+ and it’s just really good. an inspiration to me. Bruce/OC too, which is rare, but like, it’s just so fuckin cute and the OC is super fucking close w Tony too and Loki joins in later in the fic and it adds some comic book characters but, WOO, it’s just...SO GOOD!

Lilies Say Sorry is another Loki/OC fanfic that I liked that didn’t make me concerned over the power dynamics of Loki being a, well god. It’s the first in it’s installment, still haven’t finished the second installment, shocking, I know, it’s almost like I have a habit of doing that. But I’d highly suggest reading this, it’s just so good and the DRAMA!

I Need You is a Tony/Reader, and like, I usually don’t read Reader fics, but holy shit this is so good and the Author doesn’t do Y/N to address the character, but like, it’s just really good at drawing you in and it’s good at putting the character into the movies in a fresh way. It cured my acne. Very regular updates. almost at 400k. 

Caught Hot-Rod Red Handed is a Stony fic, it’s really fucking good at making me laugh so I’d highly suggest reading this if you’re feeling low, but also don’t read this late at night, you’ll wake up ur family and make them think ur laughing in ur sleep

Life In The Fast Lane is a Fast and Furious crossover fanfic, it’s the first installment, but you don’t need to know anything about the movies to be able to read it, it’s Tony/OC, (hahha you can literally see who I favor from my recs), and it’s so good, and the OC is bisexual and I love her and more people need to read because the author writes romance and action so freaking good

ps: please leave a nice review on their fanfics if you do read and enjoy some of these, because just one nice comment can make a fanfic writers day if not week, it lets them know that real people really are reading their stuff, even if it’s just a ‘good chapter’

#lol what is life?? #i've been doing this for days/hours #ocappreciation #like holy shit a lot of ocs #fanfiction recommendation #fanfic rec list #fanfiction rec #i'm a fuckin zombie rn guys #and this barely fuckin scratches the surface of my bookmarks #if i made a mistake pls forgive me #might reblog this early tomorrow so this won't flop #long post

[annoyinglyjovialbird]

Voltron: Next Generation

Nuclear Decisions: I

Word Count: 2881

Keith glared at the window. Shadows moved across the window, but they didn't stay for long. The lights were glaringly bright, the bed had been bolted down, and the door can't be opened from the inside of the observation room. 

He was a prisoner on the ship that found him.

"I still think we should eject him out into space," Caleb said, arms crossed. Liz nodded her head in agreement, but the other three teens ignored the pair. The team was in the transport bay, mostly standing around watching Kova work on the training bot they brought on ages ago. 

Caleb was leaning on a wall, Liz stood on two feet next to him. Cake was at the base of the limp bot with arms outstretched. Allie looked between Cake and the mouth of the mecha, hanging from a swing.

Muffled noises came from inside the mecha's chest, along with a couple of bangs. 

"'If we did that, we'd be grounded for life'," Allie relayed, looking down at Cake. "The flashlight died again and she can't use the crescent wrench."

"What size does she need?" Muffled noises came from the inside again. 

"'If I knew what size, I'd tell you'," Allie stared at the mouth, repeating what she heard. "She sounds mad."

"When doesn't she?" Caleb retorted, leading to louder sounds from the mecha's stomach, including some bangs. 

"I am not repeating that," Allie said, leaning away from the mouth. The team was all dressed in their paladin armor, save for the helmets, in case of accidental launch. They also didn't want Kova to feel left out. 

"What's going on here?" Shiro asked, walking into the transport bay. Cake, Liz, and Caleb briefly stiffened, then relaxed as his words sunk in. 

"'Impromptu meeting'," Allie stared at the mouth. "Yes, I heard you. No, I didn't repeat anything you said to Caleb. Including that one, yes."

"Uh, Allie?" Shiro stared at the Blue Paladin on the swing. She turned to look at him with big eyes. "Who are you talking to?" 

"Kova." Everyone else in the room said at the same time. 

"And she's?"

"In there." Caleb thrust a thumb at the mecha's stomach. A thud from the inside confirmed Caleb's word. Shiro stared at the mecha with confused surprise. "She thinks we're being tracked, so she's trying to find the tracker."

"In the stomach."

"Yeah."

"'I already checked the perimeter of the ship and the outside of the mecha.'" Allie began to relay. "'I wouldn't put it past Yorak to put a tracker inside the machine.'" Allie was half-inside the mecha's sharp-toothed mouth, barely on the swing holding her. 

"That, uh," Shiro stammered. Poor man. He's still trying to comprehend his daughter inside the bot's stomach. "If there was a tracker, wouldn't it be in the head?" Kova's thudding stopped, then furiously pounded on the cavernous inner body. They thuds traveled to the other side of the bot, where its spine would be, and it slowly climbed upward towards the head. The muffled sounds of Kova's voice became less muffled as she passed the mouth to enter the head. 

"...so much time wasted! 'Wouldn't it be in the head?' Of COURSE, it would be in the head! That infuriating sack of..." Her voice became muffled again as she fully entered the head. 

"Can you still hear her, Al?" Liz asked, staring at the young girl inside the mouth. Allie scooted herself further inside the mouth, further falling from the swing. Cake retook his outstretched stance, bending his knees. 

"Just enough to know I'm not repeating anything she is currently saying." Allie crawled out of the mouth, regaining her original seat on the swing. "Bring me down, please." Cake nodded his head and got to it. Caleb walked over to help Cake and Liz took Cake's original position under Allie. Shiro watched as the boys untied a long rope from the Blue Lion's leg and carefully released it until Allie was safe on the ground then let go entirely. Caleb got busy winding the rope, and Cake dismantled the swing. 

"Why are you coming down? Isn't Kova going to need to get down?" Shiro asked. 

"She'll be coming out from the top. There's a hatch." Allie stared at the Colonel. Like clockwork, an old-school hatch opened from the top of the head. Kova's hair had become messy, revealing her pronged bangs. She climbed onto the head and jumped off. Shiro lunged forward, but Kova floated safely to the ground. She figured out how to use her jetpack. When did that happen? Brushing her bangs back with her fingers, Kova held a metallic box the size of her hand. On one side of the box, a purple V with a curved tail was engraved. 

"I found it. Now, I can mess with it." Kova turned to walk away. 

"Oh, no you don't." Shiro grabbed her collar, pulling her back. "Why is Keith in the observation room and why is Caleb saying he should be ejected?"

"I told him we'd be grounded if we did that!" Kova protested while Caleb stared with big eyes. 

"Kova!" 

"Keith deliberately hurt Kova to veto our decision." Caleb stepped in, getting Shiro's attention. He wasn't letting go of Kova, though. "I don't agree with it, but I was outvoted. He should've accepted that instead of taking control."

"He didn't hurt me." Kova pointed out, pouting. "I hurt me. I pulled a muscle when I directed the Coeus into the wormhole. I had to take full control over the steering so Kenny could focus on the barrier and wormhole jump."

"You have a bruise."

"I landed on the step hard."

"He pushed you down the stairs?" Caleb was furious, storming out. Shiro's robotic arm followed Caleb, grabbing his collar and pulled him back. 

"Both of you to the bridge to talk to Pops and Cyrus." Caleb and Kova grumbled compliance and stalked off. Caleb tried running to the observation room, but Shiro's arm stopped him, tripping him. "You're free to do as you wish, but stay away from the observation room. Alright?"

"Yes, Colonel." The three teens replied dutifully, watching as the Colonel walked away. They looked at each other and smiled evilly. At least, Liz and Cake did. Allie stared at them confused. 

The pair entered the bridge, sighing and laughing. The screen was up, projecting an empty office. Barely audible grunts and a chair squeaking on the tile floor was the only indication there was anyone there at all. With small yelps and grunts, Cyrus appeared on screen, holding onto the surface of the table. The poor dark-haired boy seemed to be panting. The sound filled the space. Cyrus looked up, dark eyes sparkling as he saw the pair of teens on screen. 

"Kova! Kova! Kova!" He yelled, jumping up and down. "Caleb! Caleb! Caleb!" His foot might've slipped from the chair he was standing on, nearly sending him crashing to the floor. The teens let out their own version of a warning to the young boy, lunging forward. "I'm okay! I'm okay!" The young boy held up his hands, completely outstretched. 

"Be careful, Cy," Caleb said, leaning into his chair. 

"Yeah, you don't wanna get hurt." Kova continued, resting her arms on the railing around her console. 

"I'm fine!" Cyrus repeated, waving off his siblings' concerns. "Oh, guess what?" He turned to stare at the camera with sparkling eyes. 

"Chicken butt." The older pair responded, earning them a look of annoyance. 

"The kids at school are mean!" Cy crossed his arms angrily, pouting. Caleb smiled, while Kova tilted her head. 

"How mean are they?" 

"Super mean!" Cyrus made a large arm gesture, almost toppling the chair again. "They don't believe me!"

"What do you mean, Cy?" 

"I told them that my big sister and brother are Voltron!" Caleb snickered while Kova's concerned look softened. 

"Oh?"

"Yeah!" Cyrus got lost in his little world, explaining the day like he used to do with his sibling's face to face. "They're so mean!" He ended his long tangent, pouting and crossing his arms over his chest. 

"Aww, Cy," Kova started, staring at her little brother. 

"Those kids are so mean!" Caleb spoke over Kova, agreeing with Cy. 

"Caleb, they don't believe him." 

"Who would lie about their family being part of Voltron?" 

"Um, your ex." Caleb's eyes widened, turning to stare directly at Kova. 

"She was not my ex!" Caleb pointed out, cheeks turning red. "We weren't even dating!"

"Really?" Kova tucked her hand under her chin. "I seem to recall you thinking she was really pretty, and that—"

"Nonono, stop that!" Caleb jumped out of his chair. "Stop talking or I throw you off the ship!"

"You can try!" Kova stood up, planting herself on the ground. Cyrus looked on with excitement as Caleb tried to beat Kova up. Even Cy knew Kova always won. Something off-screen caught Cyrus's attention, while Kova straddled Caleb's back, pinning his hands. 

"Hey, uh, Kova?" Cyrus said, trying to get her attention. His voice was drowned out by Kova's gloating and Caleb's protesting. "Kova!" He yelled a little louder. Cy glanced off-screen, staring at someone and smiling sheepishly. "Kova!" He all but screamed directly into the microphone. The noise jarred Kova enough for Caleb to jump out from underneath her, but he was distracted, too. 

Curtis stared at the teens with a gaping mouth and wide eyes. The teens bore similar mortified expressions. Cyrus, for his credit, had begun to look between his papa and his siblings, wondering which one was going to pop first. 

Short answer? Curtis.

“Kyla Hannah Kogane, what do you think you’re doing?” Curtis sputtered, turning purple. I’m sure he’d be red if he were lighter. He also busted out the real name, too. “Is your hair green? Caleb, what the quiznack did you do?” As Curtis continued his wrath, Kova and Caleb hid behind Kova’s console, holding each other tightly. “What in Allura’s name is going on up there? What is your father letting you do?” Curtis’s voice became louder and much clearer as he continued his rant. “When you’re back on Earth, the three of you are grounded! You hear me? G-R-O-U-N-DED!” Thank Allura the bridge had soundproof walls. “No hugs for Takashi! No boyfriend for Kyla! No human interaction for Caleb!” 

"That's not fair!" Caleb shot up from his hiding spot. Kova tried desperately to hold him down, but it was too late. Curtis had seen him. 

"Oh, it is fair!" Curtis shot back, holding the microphone in his hand. At some point, Cyrus disappeared off-camera and was replaced by a shouting Curtis. "Why is Kyla's hair green, Caleb?" 

"It was a prank!" 

"A prank?" Kova silently shouted, getting Caleb's attention for a brief moment. 

"Caleb [middle name] Shirogane." Uh oh. "When you get back to Earth, you are grounded for two weeks." Curtis was now scary calm, staring into Caleb's eyes to drive his point home. 

"I'm human." Caleb placed an open hand on his chest, using the other to lean on the railing. "I need social interaction to live."

"I never said you couldn't have social interaction. I said human interaction."

"It's the same thing." Caleb stared at Curtis confused. Kova stood up in a huff. 

"Peaches is mine!" Caleb stared at Kova standing beside him, then her words sank in. 

"Peaches doesn't even like me!" 

"Too. Bad." 

The teens and Curtis would continue arguing back and forth for a solid few minutes without interruption. 

Down in the med bay, Shiro hid behind a wall. Two drones and a person wearing Fire armor were trying to break into Keith's room, watching him carefully. There was no way Shiro could take three enemies at the same time. 

Pfft. Who am I kidding? It's Shiro the hero! 

Shiro remembered that one of the teens had left their Garrison-issued weapons on the counter on the other side of the wall. If he could get to it without getting too much attention from the bots, he could potentially hold the Fire member hostage. 

Shiro's robotic arm slid along the floor, barely an inch from the ground. It thudded into the counter, getting a glance from the Fire soldier. Shiro held his breath for a few minutes before continuing his hunt. At least his arm found the counter. It slowly crawled along the counter wall, creeping upwards towards the countertop. The forearm piece collided with the edge, making another noise. The Fire soldier brandished his weapon, wildly looking for the source of the noise in the spacious med bay. In his fear, he didn't seem to notice Shiro's arm laying flat on the counter top. With heavy breaths, he returned to his work, banging on the door. Like that will work. 

Shiro's arm creeped forward, only a few inches at a time. Metallic fingers wrapped themselves around the grip and slowly floated directly upwards so the gun was floating above the countertop. Shiro himself creeped around the edge of the corner of the wall, inching itself closer to the Fire soldier. 

"Put your hands up." Shiro ordered, pointing the barrel at the back of the soldier's head. The soldier, to his credit, did it immediately. "Step away from the door." Shiro kept the weapon aimed at the soldier's head as the soldier stepped away from the door. Shiro pushed the soldier back, further and further until he was inside the other observation room. Quickly, Shiro shot down the drones and closed the second observation room door. 

"W-wait!" The soldier cried. He still wore his helmet, making his words hard to make out. "I can explain!" Shiro ignored him, opening the first observation room door. Keith glared at Shiro until he noticed the weapon in his hand. "Please! I'm on your side!" 

"Who's that?" Keith asked, standing from his bed. Shiro led him out to the room next door, where the soldier was now furiously banging on the window. 

"My name is Darrar, and I must speak with the half-Galra!" 

"Why?" Shiro asked, voice rough. "What do you want with them?" Darrar paused his banging as Shiro responded. Darrar then pulled off his helmet, revealing his features. Specifically, his pointed ears and bright red Altean markings. His skin, however, was lilac in color, matching his violet hair. From a side pouch on his suit, Darrar pulled out a screen, showing it to the men. It was barely visible to the men, but it wasn't unreadable. 

'MISSION: RECRUITS'

'TARGET: HALF-GALRA HUMANS'

Shiro and Keith looked at the top of the screen, completely baffled as they turned to each other. This was bad.

On the bridge, Caleb sat pouting outside the bridge door while Kova talked with Pops. Caleb couldn't stand him anymore. 

"So," Curtis started, much calmer than he was before. "You're staying in space." 

"That's the plan." Kova nodded. Curtis leaned over a chair, putting hands over his mouth. 

"With Voltron."

"Uh huh." Kova nodded again. 

"Remind me why you don't wanna come back to Earth?" 

"The council." 

"Ah." Curtis tucked his hand under his chin. "Right. They wouldn't meet you, much less interact with the rest of the team."

"Have you told the council?" Kova sounded worried. Who could blame her? If the council knew, they would either demand the Coeus return to Earth or they would send an under-trained fleet after them. Thankfully, Curtis shook his head. Kova sighed in relief. 

"Anything interesting happen lately?" Curtis asked. Kova's eyes widened. Does she tell him about the kidnapping, Yorak and Vhix's true identities, Keith's reawakening, and the discovery of Pidge's still active navigation system? 

"I'm gonna let you ask Dad about that." Smart choice, Kova. Shiro's already on 'No hugs.' Imagine what would come next. Out of the corner of her eye, Kova saw a truly scary sight. 

Yellow and Blue were flying around the functional MFE fighter jet, narrowly missing its shots. 

"Uh, Pops, I gotta go!" Kova said urgently, grabbing her helmet from the floor. She had left it under her console before her journey into the mecha's stomach. 

"Uh, Kova, I'm not—"

"I gotta go!" Kova yelled again, running out the door. She jumped over Caleb, proceeded to slam her shoulder into the wall, and continued running.

"Guess that's that," Caleb said, stretching his arms as he stood. Caleb stared at Curtis with a half-smile. "Talk to you at the next team meeting."

"Yeah," Curtis smiled back. "See ya." 

"Bye." 

The screen turned dark and the audio cut out. Cyrus was playing pattycake with a dark haired teen on the floor of the conference room. Arthur had kicked his stomach bug a few days after the launch, but the past few months were hard on him. Without a team, he couldn't fully participate in any classes. He started getting flack from the other students about being the seventh wheel, so Curtis took him as an assistant. More like a babysitter since Cy's classes had been cut short due to a water issue in his school building. Curtis walked around the playing boys and sat at Takashi's desk, opened up a screen, and began to write out a script. 

It's nothing too interesting. Just a reference sheet for the things Takashi let slip while they were in space, starting with the accidental launch and Kova's hair.

#voltron #voltron: next generation #next gen #voltron lions #blue lion #green lion #yellow lion #red lion #black lion #takashi shirogane #curtis x shiro #allie smythe #kova shirogane #vld keith #keith kogane #caleb shirogane #cyrus shirogane #cake garrett #liz griffin

[velvetinewitch]

ahhhh colours!! #2E294E #7C7C7C #52DEE5?

i love this color palette so much! definitely pirate vibes, although how could i write anything less haha. i had fun coming up with a crew for this, thank you!

[send me three hex codes and i’ll write something for them!]

They were nearing the end of the world and the sky was grayer than the floors of any city she’d torn down, but Danu had her crew and her sword, so she knew she’d be fine. She stood at the edge of their ship, where the magical barrier, invisible if not for a mother-of-pearl sheen, stretched upwards from the wooden dock and into the sky. When her clumsy first mate tripped over their own feet, it was the barrier that kept them from tumbling over the sharp edge and into the merciless waves beneath them. They’d always complained to Danu that she needed to add a visible railing, but she preferred the adrenaline rush that swept through one's body when they thought they would fall, only to hit the invisible wall like it was a glass window and they, a bird.

The water splashed up against the wall and receded down its side, leaving a trail of droplets that began to evaporate. Danu turned away and found herself face to face with the devil themself- Seith glanced over her shoulder at the ocean wearily, then offered her a half-hearted grin. There was little humor behind it, and it came off as more of a grimace. “Good day to fall off the edge of the world, isn’t it?”

“There will be no falling,” Danu assured them. Her hand had slipped to her sword by reflex, but now she let it fall to her side and lay lax, knowing that if there was one person in the world she didn’t need to fight, it was Seith. There had only ever been one exception, and she’d been mind-controlled at the time, so they tended to overlook it, unless Seith wanted the upper hand in an argument.

“Slip,” Seith said instead, although the euphemism was worse than “falling,” in Danu’s mind. “Trip. Tilt. Dangle. Sink. Toss ourselves off and hope the ship grows wings.”

Danu rolled her eyes. “No falling,” she said again. She crossed her arms. “Shouldn’t you trust me by now?”

“I will never trust you,” they promised. They both knew it was a lie, but she didn’t cut them off, and instead waited patiently for the long tirade they were about to go on. Like clockwork, they took a deep breath and began to ramble. “You’ve nearly gotten me killed at least a hundred times. There was that time in Pirus, with the man-eating butterflies, or when you broke into the Museum of Glass in Charvetica, and the sphinx guarding the one section tried to chew on my legs. Remember when you sacrificed me to the volcano while we were in the Hashait Islands?”

“Good times,” Danu said, and she couldn’t help but laugh at their disgusted expression. The ocean roared in her ears, and she linked her arm through theirs, guiding them to where the crew members had gathered at the forecastle deck. Each person there, staring out at the ghastly grey water, was a member of her family, and she theirs. They had a hundred stories between them. Advara had been a guard who’d let Danu slip past her and, after being fired, and slunk back to the ship and demanded they let her join them. Gigi was once the primadonna daughter of a rich noble before she refused an arranged marriage and ran off, surviving a month before she heard of a band of misfits who’d take her in. George and Jane were twins that had never known how to use their magic before Seith offered to teach them, and they finally learned how to stop blowing things up. Or rather, blow things up in a more controlled manner.

Advara turned her attention to Danu and Seith as they joined them. “What’s our plan?” she asked briskly. Her eyes were yellow and owl-shaped. She’d used them to spot treasures at the bottom of the ocean floor before, but she was also perceptive enough to notice when Seith was injured. They tended to be quiet about their wounds, and Advara kept them from bleeding out. “If we don’t have one I’d like to know now.”

“If we don’t have a plan I’m jumping ship and swimming away,” Gigi said. She stuck her nose up haughtily, her cheeks powdered with a dark purple that showed on her tanned skin, eyelashes covered in speckles that were crafted from shards of stars. Jane had won her those stars fair and square- a game of poker years ago. “A cute mermaid will find me and bring me to shore and we’ll fall in love while the rest of you slide into the abyss.”

“You’d never ruin your makeup,” Jane told her. Her crush on Gigi was obvious to everyone except them. Even a Red Queen’s soldier had once told them they were a cute couple, during the midst of a fight. George had never laughed like that before, certainly not as hard, until Jane told Seith to take the barrier down so she could toss him overboard.

“We aren’t sliding off the edge of the ocean and into the abyss,” Danu said. “We’ll slide over it.”

Seith turned to her, aghast. “I don’t have that kind of magic!” they said, giving her a scandalized expression. “I can’t just make us float over nothingness, Dan, I’m not a god.”

“No,” Danu said, giving them a reassuring smile. She swept a hand through her hair- even with Seith’s barrier against the elements, it was always wet, but she tended to slick back the short cut. It was one of her lovely quirks. The missing eyes, the slicked-back hair, the way she always smelled the seas salt. They all added together and made a fine pirate, if she did say so herself. “But that’s another one of my secrets: I am.”

Each of her crew mates stared at her, and then Gigi let out a sharp laugh, breaking the silence. “I knew it!” she said. She flipped her hair back and looked smugly at Jane, who sighed. “I told you all I saw her bleed gold once, and none of you believed me.”

“Is this why you flirt with everyone?” George asked. He peered at her over his half-moon glasses. Danu might have been as old as the ocean beneath them, but it was George who looked it. His personality matched; he was the smartest of them all, always suggesting they steal books or scholarly artifacts. “I hear that’s a trait of gods.”

“That’s why you meddle with everything,” Jane realized. “Gods do that too.”  She hid a smile with her hand.

“And why you have no care for your own safety,” Seith said. They rolled their eyes. “Oh my go- I can’t handle this right now. Show me godly magic though, after I finish brooding.” They turned and marched dramatically down the stairs. 

Danu watched them go with a faint fondness. “They’ll be back,” she said, smiling. “Who’d want to miss seeing a god manipulation the ocean for one small, dingy ship?” The ship was more than a dingy one, though. It was the one she and Seith had stolen together all those years ago, the one that had survived canons, dragons, fires, storms, and every other enemy that came with being theirs. It was home.

Advara punched Danu’s shoulder lightly. “The world really is ending, huh,” she said. It wasn’t a question- they’d all heard the prophecies. Oracles had been everywhere they went, spewing poetry about how the sky would fall into the ocean and the ocean would drain off the edge of the planet, like a melting painting. A chosen one, out there somewhere, who’d have to rise to the challenge and defeat the mother of the big five gods. Danu shivered to think of her mother, or the chosen one. Whoever they were, they were in for a grim future. Her crew would be left out of it, though. She’d rather the world end then they have to tear themselves apart to save it. Advara looked at her, tilting her head. “So tell us, oh powerful goddess, why aren’t you off causing chaos in the heavens?”

Danu grinned and met her eyes. “So I can be here with you guys, causing chaos on the seas and in the streets.”

Gigi whooped and threw her arm over Danu’s shoulder. “Let’s go find out what’s beyond the edge of the world,” she said. “This is almost better than mermaid romance.” And they laughed and traded stories, and when Seith finally returned from brooding, she showed them all how to whisper to the waves and taught them to build a bridge across the sky, so they could sail right over the end of the world and into something beyond it.

#pirates! #long post #i love writing chaotic crews who have too many stories to go into detail about lol #ask game #quilloftheclouds #my writing

[winke77e]

Spooky Army Story

TW for mentions of murder, death, bombs, war, body parts, disassociation

So, I believe I first heard this story during my deployment to Afghanistan in 2009, but if anyone else has heard it, please correct me <3

Anyway, While I was in Afghanistan, I stayed at one of the larger main bases, the ones with NATO forces and an airport. Big Bases like these were basically like visiting New York from some farm town. A lot of soldiers saw bases like these as the ‘easy’ spots to be deployed but it also left us a larger target. 

In 2009, the Kandahar province was the second most dangerous place to be deployed, and this base was the biggest base of that whole province. Big, Bad Target. We had rocket attacks so often, every day, like clockwork that you could literally tell time by them. 5pm, 7pm, 9pm, 11pm, 2am, and 4am. Every day. For 10 months of the year. Naturally, soldiers had some PTSD trauma from the constant attacks. 

The few (yes, few) soldiers who took PTSD seriously and didn’t brush off the stresses of the attacks, tried to explain to other soldiers how the bombings could effect them once they get home. 

See, the United States is terrible with their soldier’s health. When we arrive home, there is no ‘reintegration’ to society. You spend a week filling out paperwork and convincing some half-assed doctors that you’re fine and then you go home. Good luck. 

So the story the Base doctors or trained Psychologists would use to explain what you could experience as PTSD after such events was fully true, and nothing short of a psychological horror story:

:: Story Start :: Morgue Soldiers.

You never really think of the jobs in the military, but there is a full division of Mortuary Affairs jobs. The story was about a group of 92M (Mortuary Affairs job code) who worked a year in deployment at a heavily trafficked base. They would receive the bodies and pieces of fallen soldiers to mark, piece together and then put in an appropriate sized box to be shipped home. 

The area these soldiers worked was heavy with mines and other explosives, so a large amount of their work was identifying parts and pieces of human bodies and matching them together in their best attempts to put a full human back together for their families. They did this often, every day, for a full 12 months (a full US Army deployment length).

Now, Like my Big Base, these soldiers got bombed and raided a lot. And, like my Big Base, they had a protocol to follow. For me, I was an Artist (In the Army! Yup!) A ‘desk-job’, so I wasn’t top priority for front line fighting. I was, like, sixth in line. The base would have to be overrun before I had to pull and load my pistol. The 92M soldiers would be lower on the list than that, maybe even the last line. 

This matters because your job dictates how you are told to move and act when under attack. I had to go to a nearby bomb shelter after locking everything in my office plus the office itself. Lock Office, Leave Office, Go to a community bomb shelter. Done. Sit and wait until the attack was over, which could last up to three hours. 

For the 92M guys, they weren’t allowed to leave the Morgue. So, when under attack, they had to lock themselves in the morgue, limit the lights and huddle down. Unfortunately their base frequently experienced over-night attacks, so they could be locked in a morgue with trays and tables full of bodies and parts. There was one night when the soldiers reported hearing people speaking from the drawers where the bodies were kept.

Then, their deployment was over and they were sent home. Paperwork, quick doctor visit, home. 

When my deployment was over, we got home just a month before 4th of July. Explosions... I spent it curled in a ball in front of my mom’s tv crying with her draped over my form and covering my ears. Emotionally, I wanted to find a bomb shelter, logically I knew there wasn’t one.

When these Mortuary Soldiers returned home, they were still mentally cataloguing body parts. Their friends, family, strangers on the street. They didn’t ‘see’ people. They saw parts. How a scar or birthmark would identify this person’s arm with their legs. How to match their ears with the skin of their scalp. One soldier reported staying awake all night just staring at his wife and memorizing all the pieces of her body so he would know how to put her back together. 

People weren’t ‘people’ for a long time for these poor guys. They were ‘pieces’. ‘Parts’. Puzzles. From full limbs to single finger knuckles. A few of these soldiers finally went to see a therapist. One reported he was afraid his ‘cataloguing’ would drive him to kill his family because he kept feeling like his kids had the wrong arms. He didn’t. It was a type of disassociation; like when you get a feeling that your left hand isn’t your hand. Like it’s wrong somehow. 

So, there you are; spooky scary Army Story. I share it for several reasons, but the top 3 are: It’s spooky season, PTSD isn’t all violence and screaming, and to share with other artists here. 

It might sound crazy, but true stories like this one could make good inspiration for someone’s next book or art piece. It can also be used to help people understand PTSD in another way. 

People experience things differently. I found this story humbling and comforting, because it gave me a sense of control and understanding of my own PTSD after deployment. I didn’t wait for things to get bad before seeing a therapist. I found one just two months after getting home and helped to heal before anything could get out worse. It also took away the false sense that I might be crazy. 

That was my only deployment while in the military, and it took me three years to get through therapy for a 12-month deployment. There were more problems than just the rocket attacks, but still. I can’t fathom how much soldiers who deploy every other year could be suffering. 

#wink speak #story time #united states army #ptsd #mental health #scary #horror #psychology #psychological horror

[poiregourmande]

could we get some shyanara (or for extra bonus points shyanara + standrew) headcanons?

headcanon requests are open - put a ship & theme in my ask!

okay so was i wondering if you meant shyanara w/ background standrew or if you meant all of them together? yes

does that mean i shoved them all together? you should know by now that the answer is yes

did i sprinkle adam all over this? of course, it’s written in my contract that i cannot ignore adam

right. to the coffee shop au then!

andrew and steven are baristas at this coffee shop, adam is the guy in the back who keeps baking the best treats

a lot of said treats don’t even make it to the window display

steven and andrew both swear they had nothing to do with that

but steven’s got powdered sugar on his nose

sara’s a struggling artist who comes in to sketch because the coffee shop has amazing natural light

she often comes in straight from the art studio covered in paint splatters

adam always arranges to be in the front when she comes by

he’s got a thing for the rainbows of paint in her hair

and that one fleck on her nose that’s all kinds of adorable

shane is a photographer who needs copious amounts of caffeine to function

at one point they hire him to take pictures for the coffee shop’s instagram

most of the pics he ends up with are of sara

there’s just something in the way the light hits her just write, the way she chews on her pencil

shane often gets into long conversations with andrew about history until steven pokes andrew in the ribs because he’s holding the line

shane at that point suggests that andrew and he finish that conversation at the museum? say, seven thirty?

andrew’s cheeks stay red all day after that

ryan comes in every day at the same time like clockwork, always a bit out of breath, always a bit sweaty, and he asks for a smoothie

turns out the coffee shop is on his way back from the gym

steven tries to get varied fruit everyday at the market because he knows ryan likes to switch it up

for some reason he kinda likes the way ryan’s face lights up when steven announces he got mangoes today (or raspberries, or blueberries, or)

sara’s sketchbook quickly fills up with the way sweat glistens on ryan’s biceps; the look of concentration on shane’s face behind his camera; steven’s swoop of hair in disarray at the end of a long day; adam’s fond look when he thinks the others aren’t watching; the floury hand prints on andrew’s apron (adam thinks they’re being subtle when they go in the back but sara knows better)

sara is very much not someone who goes towards others

but when ryan comes over and asks if that seat is taken, she’d be a fool to turn him away

he sweeps her up into a conversation about movies

halfway into it shane walks in from the rain, a white button-down plastered over his skin because his raincoat is wrapped around his camera bag to protect it

ryan’s words trail off and sara realizes he’s looking at shane with the same slack-jawed expression as her

adam walks in at that moment and drops an entire platter of muffins

andrew doesn’t even realize because he is also staring at shane

steven is pouring water into a french press. and pouring. and pouring. the water is spilling all over the counter, but does anybody notices? nope.

shane shakes the water out of his hair like a dog and it should look stupid

it doesn’t

droplets trail down his neck, down his collar, two buttons undone, down his forearms

ryan’s the first one to react - he pulls a towel out of his duffelbag, it’s clean, he says, i haven’t gone to the gym yet

he also offers a t-shirt, says it’s fine, he can just skip the gym today (it’s not like anyone feels like leaving this scene, and ryan’s not especially eager to go out in the downpour) (plus it’s leg day)

shane unbuttons his shirt, peels it off, they shouldn’t stare

they do

shane doesn’t notice - or pretends he doesn’t, pulls ryan’s shirt on

it’s a bit short, there’s a good inch of skin showing if he lifts his arms

sara offers her scarf, a big thing, more of a shawl, really, because he’s still shivering, and tries not to notice - not to delight in - the way shane is wearing both hers and ryan’s clothes

andrew comes in with the tallest black coffee he can make

he awkwardly rub at shane’s shoulder to, what, warm him up? comfort him?

shane gives a soft smile, says, appreciate it, buddy

andrew might blush?

adam comes in with a big bowl of soup

and steven looks around wondering what he can do

so he turns the heater up

because god forbid he’s the only one who doesn’t try to help shane

anyway so andrew decides to close the shop because who’s gonna come in by this weather

and they just all sit together at sara and ryan’s table with coffee or tea and a plate of adam’s turnovers

and sara keeps rubbing shane’s back

and at some point he stops shivering

but she keeps rubbing his back

and he looks so fond

but they all do tbh

and it feels...

it feels like a date but there’s six of them

it feels like the start of something new

#shyanara #stadamdrew #headcanons #buzzfic #anonymous #em answers

[jdrizzle15]

Hiccups

a RWBY fanficiton.

The date that isn’t a date. Nope, totally not.

If you enjoy this story, please feel free to leave comments here or on the following sites: AO3 | FFN

Chapter 1: Ruby’s Routine Readiness

Author Note: This story takes place as if the attack on Beacon never happened.

They usually meet at a small coffee shop in the center of Vale, right across from a little park. On days that Ruby is able to meet up with her metallic friend, it has become a sort of custom for the young girl to arrive early enough to order a warm, sugary drink while she waits. Not coffee, of course. Ruby only drinks that stuff when the need to stay up late and study arises, or - more often than not - to finish forgotten homework assignments at the last moment. If there’s a choice though, her pick would be a large cup of hot cocoa with as many marshmallows she could possibly get to fit. 

Ruby tries to get an extra early start to make the most out of the day she has with Penny, and today is no exception. Wake up at 5:30, be showered and dressed by 5:45, and rushing out the door to make it to the first airship into the city by 6:00, making a short stop by the mess hall for a small breakfast to eat during the flight. By now, this was her routine Saturday. Getting up so early on a weekend does have its perks; the mess hall is never out of her favorite things. 

Early-morning flights are usually empty for the most part, so being on a first-name basis with the pilot Sapphire makes for a nice little chat during the short trip as she eats her cream cheese bagel breakfast. This time, the two talked about the difficulties of maintaining an airship, a conversation lasting until their touch down in Vale. Before disembarking, Ruby cleans up her mess of crumbs and says goodbye to Sapphire before hopping out into morning sun. Waving as the ship continues on its route.

Practically skipping her way down the sidewalk, Ruby checks her reflection in the storefront windows as she passes, making sure everything is in order. The coffee shop is only a few blocks away from the air station, not a long walk, even for someone of Ruby’s stature. Though the urge to use her semblance to shorten that distance in an instant is ever-present, she manages to contain most of her excitement, somehow.

Upon entering the whimsical shop, the man at the counter brightens, “Hey there, Ruby, good morning! I was just thinking it was about time you show up!” He is the shop’s owner, Markus Sorrel. In his early 40’s, perched upon his nose are thick black rimmed glasses with round lenses, he has short brown hair that he keeps nicely combed, and often wears a nice dress shirt with jeans, though he wears a navy blue apron while at work.

”You know I like to be punctual!”

It’s a very inviting and warm shop, something one would imagine seeing in a fairy tale. An old, dark-wood shingle roof with a spiraling copper chimney, built on walls of stone. A large circular window takes up most of the storefront, just to the right of an arched entryway with a very heavy wooden door. An intricately carved wooden sign is hung just above the door displaying the words “Soul of the Seasons: Coffee and Cookies.”

Over the months of coming here, Ruby had become well acquainted with the staff of the small shop. They’ve gotten to know her so well that by the time the girl walks in, they have her regular order waiting at the perfect temperature: two large chocolate chip cookies and a 20oz Hot Chocolate with a large scoop of mini marshmallows, a layer of whipped cream, milk chocolate candies use as sprinkles, then finally a squeeze each of strawberry and dark chocolate syrup on top to finish it off.

“Here’s your regular, kid,” he says, placing the cup and fresh-baked cookies on the counter. “Do you ever get sick of eating all this chocolate?” Markus quizzed.

“Of course not, I would die before giving up chocolate!” Ruby proudly affirms.

“You think maybe it could be stunting your growth a bit?” He says through a smile.

“What are you implying?” Ruby questions, putting her hands on her hips. “I’ll have you know that my height is perfectly suited to my weapon and fighting style.”

“If you eat fewer sweets, maybe a certain icy friend of yours would treat you less like a child, too?” He chuckles. 

“…Touché old man.”

She picks up her treats, finds a seat, and takes a big disgruntled bite out of a cookie.

“You’re meeting that little redhead again today, right?”

“I am! We can only really hang out on Saturdays, so we try to make the most of it.”

“That’s nice to hear; you’ve certainly gotten yourself a really cute girlfriend. I’m kinda jealous…”

Her cheeks began to burn a little, a deep crimson red spreading like a fire across her face and out to the ears, “Gir-girlfriend!” Ruby spluttered, spraying cookie crumbs everywhere. “W-w-where did you get that idea?!”

“Well...” Markus tilts his head, moving a hand to his chin contemplatively. “You’ve been meeting her here for quite a while now. Like clockwork every Saturday, you show up around the same time to wait for her. And you always get a little fidgety when it gets close to the time she usually arrives…”

“Have you been spying on me?” Ruby asked suspiciously, the blush still persisting.

“It’d be weirder if I hadn’t noticed seeing as you always come here to wait for her.” Coming out from behind the counter with a cloth, Markus begins wiping down tables as they spoke. More out of habit than necessity.

“We aren’t dating! This is the only day we get to actually see each other on a regular basis. In school, we aren’t in any classes together, we don’t even have the same lunch period! I love that she was allowed to transfer from Atlas, I just wish we had more time together. There’s a lot we miss out on with each other, being apart all week…” Ruby paused, looking a little disheartened, “I feel lonely without her…”

“What was that last bit?” he said, through a toothy smile.

Ruby flails her arms. “Nothing, it was nothing!” she says, her cheeks returning to their rosier hue. She looks out the window trying to hide her blush as Markus laughs.

“In all seriousness though, I’m sure she feels the same way, wishing to spend more time together I mean. But anyway, to the main point. You do like her right? More than a friend I mean. If you like, I could give you some advice. I’m sure you have family and friends to confide in, but if you don’t mind me, I’ll help if I can.”

Ruby pauses for a moment, thinking to herself. “I can’t exactly ask any of them, I haven’t even told anyone I like girls yet…”

“So I was right!” He chuckled, while Ruby slumped to the table in front of her, burying her face into her arms.

“I know my relationship experiences are different from yours, but I do have some advice you may find useful. First, have you said out loud how you feel? I’ve found that thoughts alone are quite a powerful thing when it comes to love, but expressing that love aloud, even if it’s just to yourself, can help you to understand just how strong your feelings truly are.”

Ruby lifts her head from the table. “N-no, I haven’t actually said it out loud yet…”

“You have time, but I wouldn’t wait too long to actually tell her, a girl that sweet is bound to get others interested in her. They may try and steal her away. Trust me, I know how it feels, that hurt is not something easily gotten over.”

“NO!” Ruby shouts, jumping to her feet. “No, no, I don’t want that,” she said quietly, almost in a whisper, as she slowly takes her seat again.

Noticing her sudden drop in spirit, Markus comes over to her table and takes the seat across from Ruby. “I didn’t intend to put a damper on your mood, but I feel some things shouldn’t be left unsaid.”

“No, you’re right, I know you mean well. The thought of that just… It just struck me really hard…”

“Would you like some more advice?” Markus asks.

“But you have a shop to run, I can’t take up all your ti—“

Markus interrupts, gesturing around the empty store, “Look around you, does it seem like we’re swamped right now? There’s nothing to worry about. You’re basically the only one who shows up this early, but if someone does happen to show up, the others can handle it. Besides, this is much more important.”

“Well if you’re sure, more advice would be great,” Ruby said, trying not to sound hesitant.

“Okay, have you given any thought to how you’ll tell her? Having some kind of a plan can help keep the nerves down, at least a bit.”

“Of course I have, but I’m not really sure if she’ll understand what I’m trying to tell her…”

Markus gives a look of total disbelief. “Are we thinking of the same girl here? You know, redhead, big pink bow, thin, pretty pale, green eyes and lots of freckles?”

“Y-yeah, that’s her…”

“Oh come on, are you kidding me? That girl is head-over-heels for you! She might not be able to explain the feelings she has for you, but when she realizes that you feel the same for her, she’ll understand. Even if she doesn’t entirely, you will be there to help her.”

“How can you tell? You only see us together for a few minutes at a time.”

“The moment she walks in here and sees you, her already happy face brightens even more. She practically radiates happiness. Not to mention the fact that she always, always hooks your arms together and squeezes as close to you as physically possible while you cross to the park over there.” Markus points out the front window.

“That’s just her being friendly! ...Isn’t it?”

“Also, when you go sit on a bench over there to finish your chocolate stuff and chat, she lays her head on your shoulder, every time! I could name more, but those examples alone should be enough for you to realize she’s in love with you! I don’t know why you’ve convinced yourself otherwise, but I’m sure deep inside you know this.”

Ruby’s eyes widen in realization, “I... don’t know… I must have blocked it out subconsciously. I was afraid of taking advantage of Penny’s innocent nature and affection. As cliché as it sounds, I didn’t want to mess up what we already have…”

“Being in love and wanting to start a romantic relationship with someone, it takes risking the current relationship you share to an extent. Worst case scenario it could destroy your friendship,” Markus warns, and Ruby’s heart drops. “But from what I’ve seen, you have very little to worry about in regards to that. And since she hasn’t told you anything yet, I’m sure she’s feeling these same doubts. I think when you tell her, be sure to also tell her what you just told me, I’m sure her doubts will all but disappear hearing that.” He said, with a soft smile.

“I definitely will. I don’t know if I can do it today, but if I feel the mood is right, I’ll try my best!” she says, determination filling her voice.

“Good, that’s the spirit! It’s somehow very unnatural to see you so down… Now, since we still have a little time until she gets here, why don’t you tell me some things you like about her?”

“Is this to help with my confession?”

“There is that, but I’m also really curious! As you said, I don’t really see you two together that much, and I see even less of Miss Polendina. I want to know some of the reasons you fell in love with her.”

Ruby flinches slightly at the word “love,” again reminded that she hasn’t let her feelings out into the world. “That’s a little embarrassing. But you are trying to help me out, so I don’t mind telling you some things.”

“If you’re worried about it, this conversation never happened! My lips are sealed.” Markus mimes the motion of pulling a zipper across his mouth.

She shrugs. “I’m not really worried. I am gonna tell everyone eventually, so you don’t need to keep it a secret or anything.”

“I see. Well, even so, I’ll keep it to myself. Anyway, you were about to tell me some things about Penny? I won’t interrupt this time.” Markus weaves his hands together and places them in his lap, leaning in to show interest.

“When we first met, I thought she was a real weirdo. Yet, the more time we spent together, the less I thought of her as odd. She was so endearing and kind, I couldn’t help but want to be friends with her, despite my team’s objections. Looking back, she was adorable, when she got in my face after I called her a friend,” Ruby explained, her eyes sparkling as she recalls happy memories. “When we were looking for my teammate, Blake, I bumped into her again. Yang and Weiss bailed on me as soon as there was a chance. I didn’t know what to do, so I reluctantly spent some more time with her,” Ruby continued.

“Did you do that out of charity?” Markus inquired.

“I guess you could say that, I just didn’t want her feelings to be hurt. After a while it just began to feel right, you know? The two of us just chatting about nothing in particular. Spending time with a new friend also helped ease my worry about Weiss and Blake’s argument. It was thanks to Penny that we got Blake out of the docks in one piece, she kicked White Fang butt that night! She was so awesome, mowing them down with her swords! She split two Bullheads in half and actually pulled a third one out of the air!!” Ruby shouted, pumping her fist excitedly while recounting that nights events, “I was baffled at how she was doing those incredible things, but I was in complete awe.”

Markus looks shocked, “Penny was the one who did that? That’s astounding! I remember reading about that incident in the paper. To think someone as dainty looking as Penny could do so much damage. She going to make one heck of a huntress,” Markus remarks.

“She’ll be a top class huntress for sure, I have no doubt about that!” chirped Ruby. “Well anyway, after the police arrived and everything was settled that evening, Penny had basically vanished without a trace. She didn’t say anything and none of us even saw her get up to leave.”

“Were you worried about her?” Markus questions.

“Of course I was!” Ruby affirms. “I thought she was kidnapped or something! In hindsight, thinking she was kidnapped was ridiculous after seeing how she handled the White Fang. It would be a few weeks or so until we would meet next. My mind was swirling that whole time, my worry about her made focusing in class difficult and sleeping nearly impossible!”

But then Weiss and I went to do some research at the CCT, there she was! Turns out she was asked not to talk to me or anyone; Something to do with the worry of an overprotective parent. Being a part of the Atlas military, her father asked for a few soldiers to keep an eye on her. We were spotted together so Penny ran, not wanting me to get in trouble. Two soldiers started towards us, so I followed after her. I was nearly hit by a truck catching up with her, but Penny saved me! She stopped a cargo truck bare handed!”

“A good use of her incredible strength,” Markus comments.

“When we put enough distance between us and them, we stopped to rest a little. I think that moment, there in that alley, was when my feelings for her really started to bloom into what they are now.” Ruby said bashfully.

“What happened?”

“Penny told me about her insecurities, the things she worries most about. She bared her heart to me, really made herself vulnerable. I reassured her the best I could, which seemed to make her feel a lot better. We’ve been very close ever since.”

“You two went through a lot when you first met huh? But that’s not exactly the info I was hoping for. I want to know some of the things you love about her! The things that made you fall for her!” Markus exclaims. 

“Yeah… I know... I’m stalling okay! It’s gonna be embarrassing for me, so if my face starts going red you gotta promise you won’t acknowledge it, deal?” Ruby says, extending her hand for a handshake.

He grabs her hand, giving a firm shake, “Deal.”

“Okay, well, first of all she is the nicest person you could ever hope to meet. Her sincerity is incredible, she’s loyal to a fault, and her personality is so bright that even on your darkest days just seeing her could cheer you up. She’s really strong in a fight and will not stand for her friends being hurt. She’s got her quarks but one of my favorites is when she lies or tries to hide something, she hiccups! It is by far the cutest thing I’ve ever seen! I don’t know if she’s realized that trigger yet, but it kinda makes me want to test it out…”

As Markus listened, he noticed a redheaded girl with a crooked pink bow exiting a big black car on the other side of the street. Immediately recognizing who it is, he decided to let her get within earshot before letting Ruby know. His smile turning mischievous.

“She’s also beautiful,” Ruby continues, “Her freckles are super cute, and I love that curly hair of hers! There’s just so much of her to fall for.”

“Alright! Sorry to interrupt your gushing, but I think we’re out of time today.” Markus said as he gets up from his seat. “Someone’s waiting for you!”

“What are you talking abou-OH! She’s here isn’t she!” Ruby spun around in her seat to find a cute freckled face peeking through the shop’s front window. “Pennyyyy!”

More notes: This is the first story I decided to publish, so criticism is welcomed. I hope you enjoyed it! Look forward to the next part~ I wasn't very happy with the original version of this chapter, so I extended it and changed a few things. Thanks for reading, hopefully I'll get the next chapter out soon-ish!

#fanfiction #rwby #ruby rose #penny polendina #nuts and dolts #mechanical rose