#from the Dorito and the Pine Tree

[iam93percentstardust]

Treat treat treat!!!! 😍😍😍

Treat for bestie! <3 Thanks for playing! (and for suggesting this version of trick or treat in the first place) You get a fic from the upcoming pop star Tony au!

~

It isn’t long before they’re pulling to a stop. Obie is waiting for them just outside the doors, hand clasped on the shoulder of a tall, blond alpha with the shoulder-to-waist ratio of a Dorito and a guitar case slung over his back. Another guitarist for them to reject, Tony assumes, though he finds his eyes lingering on the alpha’s hips. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to give this one a little longer than the usual one-and-done.

“Tony, my boy!” Obie says as he gets out of the car. “I have someone for you to meet.”

“Sure, Obie,” Tony agrees, jogging over. “This is my mom, by the way. Trey said it was cool if she came along for the day.”

“Enchanted, truly,” Obie says, bending over his mom’s hand to kiss it. Tony tries not to be skeeved out by that and fails. It’s his mom. People aren’t supposed to flirt with her, and she’s definitely not supposed to giggle when they flirt with her.

He sidles a little away from that whole situation and winds up next to the blond guy, who exchanges a commiserating look with him. The guy is an alpha, Tony’s nose helpfully informs him, smelling like peppermint and pine, which makes Tony’s omega want to sit up and take notice. He loves things that smell like winter. It reminds him of the Christmas tree farm down the road from their house in the Hamptons. Before he went to school, he used to spend every single day of the holiday season at the farm, helpfully taking people’s tickets at the front desk. Those are still some of the best memories of his early childhood, and it’s a bit of a shock to find a reminder here, in this place so far from his farm, but not an unwelcome one.

“I’m Tony,” he says, sticking out his hand.

“Steve,” the alpha says, shaking it. He has a good handshake, nice and firm, with reassuring guitar callouses on his fingertips (one of the other “guitarists” Obie had introduced him to hadn’t had any at all, which had made Tony very nervous about his playing ability—and rightfully so since the guy had been a complete disaster). “Steve Rogers.”

#alle writes #alle answers #verse: this life is sweeter than fiction

[sparkyz-plug-writes]

🏵️?!Eye on you three?! Bill cipher x Elizabeth (Platonic)🏵️

!!Requested by @fanfics7283 also the oc Elizabeth belongs to her!!

Characters:

Bill cipher: He/They (still Maniac a little dorito dude but a little bit more kind)

Elizabeth Mayday: She/Her (main pep, symbol is Starlight)

Dipper pines: He/Him (tired boio, ofc pine tree)

Mabel Pines: She/Her (bouncing off the goddamn wall someone help her- da shooting star)

+ grunkle Stan, Soos and Wendy!

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Elizabeth woke out of bed from her alarm, Utterly a bit annoyed bc she was having a wonderful dream, one with the stars! But that stupid fucking alarm ruin that for me- I got out of bed and went to the bathroom to get ready. So after one hot shower later, a hair dryer Grunkle Stan got her (THANK GOD) And she put on her normal white sweater and Olive skirt with a pretty Olive and yellow headband and she was off, running into the living room smelling breakfast! She sat down

"Hey Elizabeth guess what?!"

"Hm? What is it Mabel?"

"I made MABEL JUICE!!"

". . . . Oh no-"

Mabel gave Elizabeth a glass, she was scared at what Stan said "Like coffee and nightmares had a baby" but she took a sip, instantly the flavor was too much for her and her face showed it

"g-great...!"

"Wow thanks so much!! But could you get Dipper, he's gonna help me with my puppet show!"

Mabel hugged Elizabeth but the taste of the juice was still getting to me- She then got up to go get Dipper because that worked her up!! But he was probably digging into that journal again, he's OBSESSED but that thing kind of scares her! But passing by Wendy and Soos she at least said hi

"Hey Wendy, hey Soos!"

"Hey" "Sup dog?"

"you know, gonna go get Dipper out!"

They laughed a bit, they knew about the mysterious things going on in this town but they still kind of joked about Dipper and his obsession with that book, but Elizabeth just took up to the roof, but Dipper wasn't there... It worried her bc she thought that he was up here but suddenly the world went dull, things stopped moving, what was going on-

"HeheheHAHAHA! Well aren't you back Starlight?!"

"Who are you?!

A triangle Man appeared it was Bill you know him for when Dipper and Mabel fought him, Elizabeth didn't get to fight him though, she was out of town for a bit but she was scared, TOO SCARED

"P-Please don't hurt me.!!"

"hey hey calm down kid I'm not gonna hurt you- YET, HAHA! Just kidding, but listen I've been watching you, Pine-tree and shooting-star for a while now! So I want to ask you for a FAVOR for me!"

"What is it..?"

"I just need a bit of a puppet! I've been soooooo bored in this realm so I wanna help you and you friends!" (He just wants to cause mayhem)

"Wait you wanna help? That's great!!"

Elizabeth tone changed, she was happy he wanted to help, poor fool, it was all a lie, or was it..?

"So if you're like a ghost and I can definitely get you something to possess and I have a lot of ideas I have in mind-"

Elizabeth started ranting about stuff that bill could do he was annoyed by it but never had the idea of different things to possess even though he was really just going to possess her but one thing stuck out

"-Also wanna be friends?"

"Friends? You serious?"

"yeah! We can help you and you can help us!!"

". . . Yeah we could be "friends"..."

"okay I'll get Dipper and Mabel!!! They'll be glad we can make amends and be buddies!!"

"WAIT KID DONT GET THEM-"

Elizabeth was already gonna get Dipper and Mabel, Bill trying not to, something tells me these four are gonna get into some trouble, but, what's a burned town between friends...? :]

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

OMG I ACTUALLY REALLY LIKE THIS AJSBSLANAKSNW

#oc x canon #gravity falls x oc #dipper pines #mabel pines #bill cipher #and ig: #gravity falls x reader #idk how to tag-

[skelegun]

When I was a lad before Redlettermedia and such, we had individual websites that would review bad movies, and the first one I discovered was called Stomp Tokyo. They used to have to type words because videos weren’t really a thing the internet could do well, you used to have to read those words with your eyeballs. Stomp Tokyo was part of a group they called The B-Masters Cabal which was a gathering of similar websites that would sometimes collaborate together and promote each other, and each of the B-Masters had their own gimmicks and niches that made them all kinda unique. Sadly most of the websites, while still up, haven’t updated in years, and are riddled with broken links. They are relics of a forgotten era of the internet when people had their own webbed sites, and not just a fucking discord server.

My favorite of the B-Masters was called Teleport City. Teleport City had a bit of different atmosphere compared to the other B-Masters. I got the sense, even as a kid, that Teleport City fucked. What sort of made them different from their compatriots was that Teleport City also covered music, like cool music I had never heard of, and they also covered alcohol. They would describe alcohol in intriguing and evocative ways, and while I couldn’t relate to these due to lack of personal experience, the way they were written always stuck with me.

I had always thought alcohol was just gross medicine tasting stuff people drank exclusively to get drunk, but here they were, a website I trusted to tell me which Godzilla movies to watch, was saying that there was a whole tapestry of flavors to explore when I was older.

I am older now, and truthfully I don’t drink that much. I haven’t had anything to drink actually in well over a year until today. However I am very bored, and I went to the liquor store today to try something new, so I thought I’d take a crack at writing a snobby alcohol review.

I went to the local discount liquor store and bought a mediumish sized bottle of Gordon’s London Dry Gin, I had wanted to buy the fancy blue bottle stuff but I’m kinda poor. After that I stopped at Taco Bell. They were out of chalupas so I got a Doritos Locos Supreme Tacos Value Meal with a Mountain Dew Baja Blast.

I don’t believe I had never tried Gin before, if I had I forgotten by now. I was intrigued by the promise of Juniper and Citrus. What the fuck is Juniper? Turns out it is like a pine tree. Why would British people in the 1700s riot over liquid trees? Surely trees must taste good, England is well known for having good taste in food and beverage. I had to know more. The anticipation was building.

I opened the bottle, and was greeted by an intriguing aroma. Christmas Tree, and nail polish remover. I poured some into a metal cup I had because I couldn’t find a fancy glass, added some ice cubes, and I took a swig… Then I realized I can’t beat around the bush anymore. I don’t know how people go on the tv and or the internet and tell lies about base spirits being anything other than toxic waste. Shits nasty on it’s own. Stuff tastes like floor cleaner. The vile taste of rubbing alcohol soon gave way to hints of licorish, orange rind, and car air freshener. The flavors call to mind a chilling holiday scene, Victorian London, Tiny Tim at the hospital, his leg freshly amputated. Watering that shit down with soda water and fresh squeezed lime juice made it more palatable, but still not ideal. I mean it’s like okay at that point I guess. What made it truly edible was mixing it with my half drank cup of Baha Blast, and like heaping helping of angostura bitters and a little orange blossom water.

I will say however, of all the base spirits I’ve tried, gin was not the worst, but at the same time it’s also kinda cheating in a way since gin is like a vodka tea from what I understand. My point being it’s already got shit added to it to begin with so it starts out with an advantage. Anyways, alcohol is gross on its own, don’t drink it, unless you want to I guess, whatever.

I’m gunna go watch a shitty Italian movie and maybe paint some Orks.

[fumpkins]

How to build a fire in the wilderness

Yes, you did begin that fire. And you kept it burning while the world kept turning. (LUM3N by means of Pixabay/)

Understanding how to start a fire in the wilderness can conserve your life.

Bud Ahrens understands this first-hand. A couple of years back, while leading a pet dog sledding journey in northern Minnesota with Outward Bound, an outside education and wilderness business, he saw as a colleague failed ice into a lake. She invested a number of minutes in the freezing water prior to the group might pull her out.

Ahrens, the program director for Outward Bound’s winter season courses, understood simply what to do, so he and his group got to work. They had a fire burning in 20 minutes, most likely conserving his buddy from frostbite, or even worse.

As you can see, comprehending how to build a blaze in the wild, be it for heat or cooking, can make a substantial distinction when you’re far from civilization.

Discover your firestarter

An excellent fire starts with a quality firestarter. In many cases, that can indicate something as basic as a store-bought starter or lighter fluid-doused branches. However if you ever discover yourself without any gain access to to such tools, there are lots of other choices you can utilize to get some flames burning.

Aherns’ preferred is birch bark, and he typically loads a bag or 2 of the things prior to heading into the wilderness. It consists of a natural oil that’s waterproof, so it will capture fire even if it’s damp. Native Americans typically utilized the bark for baskets and canoes due to the fact that of its moisture-shedding homes. If you’re gathering bark in the backcountry, shot to discover some that has actually been blown off of trees. Each piece has numerous layers, so keep peeling till you discover a dry one.

Spruce sap likewise makes a terrific natural firestarter. The combustible compound exudes out of hurt trees and solidifies into a resin, which can be snapped off and fired. Still, Aherns cautions that it might take a number of matches to get it going. As soon as lit, however, the sap will burn for a number of minutes, making it a terrific resource in damp conditions. While spruce is best, any solidified sap will do. Simply discover a blob that’s about the size of a heap of chewing gum, pull it off the tree, location it on the end of a stick, and light it up.

Other compounds that make exceptional stand-ins for natural firestarters consist of cotton balls covered in petroleum jelly, hand sanitizer sprayed on little kindling, such as dry leaves and turf, or the fibrous within the bark of cedar trees. You can likewise make your own firestarters by melting candle light wax, including clothes dryer lint, and finishing a pine cone or 2 with the mix. And for a enjoyable method to start a fire and impress your buddies, you can utilize Doritos, Cheetos, or any kind of oily chip in a pinch. Just light a corner of a couple of chips and put them below your kindling.

Offer your fire space to breathe

“You need oxygen, fuel, and a sustained ignition source to have a fire,” Ahrens states. Those 3 elements form what he calls a “fire triangle”—disregard one side and the entire thing collapses.

Normally, fuel implies wood, and an ignition source is a match or lighter. The level of oxygen will depend upon how the wood is set up—if you stack it well, it will assist in air motion so the fire can breathe and grow.

Start with the kindling. Aherns recommends digging a trench a number of inches deep as your fire pit, then laying 3 little pieces of wood over the trench in a triangle that’s simply huge enough to support your tinder. Stack your tinder, location your firestarter of option in the middle of it, and build your structure around all of it.

Ahrens chooses the teepee approach—where vertical pieces of wood are tented over a main point above your kindling—however the log cabin approach—when wood is stacked in a square in rotating instructions, as if putting together a Jenga tower—works, too.

Behold: the log cabin approach of structure a fire. (skeeze by means of Pixabay/)

Start with smaller sized branches and sticks that will capture quickly, then include bigger pieces as the fire grows. Beware not to overcrowd the wood, or oxygen won’t be able to flow freely and your fire will go out. Stick with branches or logs no bigger than your wrist. Ahrens says larger logs don’t mean more heat energy, just a longer burn. And don’t worry if you can’t build a massive blaze—small fires are just as effective for cooking and heating as larger ones.

Light it up

Ideally, when in the backcountry or at a campsite, you’ll have access to a lighter or matches. If you’re relying on the latter, make sure to keep them in a watertight container in case of inclement weather or unexpected submersion. Ahrens also always carries a lighter on a lanyard around his neck, just in case. But those aren’t the only ways to spark a flame.

A flint and steel fire striker is a handy tool for the job. If you’re in a pinch, a knife, or even a hard rock with a sharp edge can stand in for the steel. To create a spark, strike the flint and steel together in a fast, slicing motion. With dry kindling, a spark is often all you’ll need to light a fire.

Set a fire in the rain

Building a fire when everything’s perfectly dry is one thing, but in cold and wet conditions it becomes exponentially more difficult. It can, however, still be done.

“There’s dry stuff somewhere,” Aherns says. You just have to find it.

Start by looking for dry wood and kindling at the bases of trees where branches and foliage may have protected it from rain. In an emergency, you can harvest small branches from the lowest parts of nearby trees. It’s not good Leave No Trace ethics, but sometimes you have to do what’s necessary to survive. Look for dead trees or branches and wood that’s fallen to the ground that might be soggy on the outside, but dry on the inside. When you do, carve off the wet outer layers until you hit dry wood.

Just because wood is wet on the outside doesn’t mean it’s wet on the inside. (LUM3N from Pixabay/)

If it’s raining when you’re trying to start a fire, protect it from above by building a tripod-like structure or two and stretching or draping a tarp or tent fly over it. Make sure to mount it high enough that the fabric will not catch fire or melt. To maintain a secure fuel supply, put damp logs nearby or over a fire grate to help them dry out.

Extra tips and tricks

When getting a fire going, patience and preparation are key, Aherns states. To make it less of an ordeal, he suggests gathering all the materials you’ll need (matches, kindling, wood, etc.) before you begin so you don’t waste energy searching for more materials once you spark a flame. You can save time by gathering downed wood and starter materials on the way to the campsite if you know you’ll soon be calling it a day. Use your environment for ideas—Ahrens has used everything from pine needles to cattails as firestarter because that’s what was available nearby. Trial and error is a great way to discover what works and what doesn’t.

Don’t expect there to be an abundance of perfect materials where you camp, so the best trick is to always be prepared with fire-starting kits. Emergency provisions, such as food that doesn’t need to be cooked, are also a good idea in case you can’t find any wood or do not have the energy to build a campfire. Waterproof and windproof matches are likewise quite useful in less-than-ideal conditions.

And if all else fails, Aherns says a gas stove you may have just intended to cook with will start a warming blaze. It’s somewhat difficult and not ideal (especially given the whole gas-canister-next-to-an-open-flame thing), however if you find out how to build a fire in the wilderness in any condition, it’s a last hope you’ll seldom have to count on.

New post published on: https://livescience.tech/2019/08/01/how-to-build-a-fire-in-the-wilderness/

[thecipherfamily]

Dipper, surprised: Bill! Why did you kiss me!?

Bill, frowning: Because you told me that told me if I wanted to kiss the stars, then I should just do it.

Dipper: Okay, but why did you kiss me?

Bill: ...Because you are my stars?

Dipper, inhaling sharply: Oh my god--

#gravity falls #cipher family au #bill cipher #cipher twins #demon #demon boy #human bill cipher #random quotes #from the Dorito and the Pine Tree #BillDip #dipper pines

[roboticspacecase]

wtfiswiththisplace replied:

Dipper bringing Bill shopping and Bill discovering Doritos and other triangle or cone shaped snacks

“You’re not going to stick your head that far out of the window, you need to have a seatbelt on!” Dipper reached over to the passenger seat of his car, gripping the front of Bill’s shirt and yanking him further into the car. “I’m not going to have one of our first trips out of the house together be you getting me pulled over.”

Bill blew a raspberry at Dipper as he settled back into his seat. “You humans and your horrible, boring laws. Can’t a guy have fun with his new body?”

Dipper rolled his eyes, trying to focus more on the road than Bill. “Sure, but it has to be fun that doesn’t get me in trouble. And they don’t know it’s a new body, so why would they give you that freedom? Hell, even if you told them it was a new body, they would wanna throw you in a home somewhere.”

“Yeesh, I know all that, I was just joking. Pull the pine tree out of your ass and relax, Pine Tree.”

The two of them stuck their tongues out at each other, mostly staying silent for the rest of the car ride to the store. Ford had trusted this simple task to Dipper and Bill mostly to see how the demon would react out in public. He had been in his body for several months, getting used to it and being held captive by Ford who watched him to be sure that he couldn’t cause any chaos while in it.

None of them were entirely sure how he even got the body. He just showed up one day years after he had tried to end the world, walking out of the woods naked and coming to the Mystery Shack for help. Bill claimed that he also didn’t know what happened, that maybe one of his deals had gone wrong or something, but none of the Pines bought that.

Which was why Dipper had basically become the babysitter for him when Ford was busy. And Ford happened to be busy often.

“I love that you humans keep things in big, concrete boxes,” Bill laughed as they arrived at the store.

While making sure he had everything he needed—phone, wallet, keys, all tucked in his pockets—Dipper gave a quick shrug to Bill. “They’re sturdy,” he reasoned, bewildered that Bill was even thinking of something so trivial. “Anyway, we have a list to stick to, so just follow me and don’t wander off or grab things that I don’t approve. Stan will kick both of our asses if we don’t stick to the budget.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll be good,” Bill huffed.

The two walked into the store together, Dipper grabbing a cart and silently praising Bill for not immediately walking off or climbing into the basket. He thought for sure the demon would cause him problems right off the bat, but it seemed that he was trying to behave. Which made Dipper wonder about his overall plans even more. Whatever Bill was going for, it was confusing as all hell.

Most of the aisles were easy to navigate through, Dipper grabbing everything Mabel had written in her crazy handwriting on the pink, bedazzled paper. Bill simply walked beside him, eyes wandering but his feet never once stepping too far from the cart.

Until they got to the snack aisle, that is.

The second the demon’s nearly golden eyes landed on the chips he bolted from Dipper’s side and ran right to the Doritos.

“You’ve gotta be kidding me! This is such an impractical shape for a chip, why would they do this unless it was influenced by yours truly?” Bill held one of the bags up to his face, smiling as if he had won some award.

“The corners are meant to help with dip. People dip their chips into different stuff, y’know. And most of them come broken anyway.” Dipper nabbed the bag from Bill, tossing it back on the shelf. “And we’re not getting them if you were hoping for that.”

Bill gave Dipper a cartoonish pout, crossing his arms over his chest. “No fun! I find what is basically my children and you tell me I can’t take them home? You’re cruel, Pine Tree.”

“Your-? You know what, I’m not entertaining this. Let’s move on, please.” Dipper pushed the cart forward, grabbing the bag of tortilla chips Mabel wanted for nachos then leaving the aisle with Bill not far behind him.

The demon was calm again up until they got to the frozen treat area where a box of pre-made ice cream cones caught Bill’s attention. Yet again the demon held the product up to his face, that time making an incredulous look.

“C’mon! A bowl shape would be best for the chips and this, and yet they keep doing the triangle or pyramids. I didn’t know my manipulation of mankind went this far. You know you’ve done well as an influencer when even snacks take your likeness.” Bill looked so smug holding the box of frozen treats, Dipper couldn’t help but laugh because Bill had to be joking.

“Or,” Dipper started, grabbing the box, “they use it because regardless of what stuff you’ve messed up in human history, a triangle is still a shape. Same with pyramids. Not everything is about you, y’know.”

Bill snorted, leaning against the cart and getting right in Dipper’s face. “Everything is about me because what I perceive is what reality is, therefore if I can connect something to being about me, it is.”

Rather than try to offer a retort, Dipper simply pushed the cart forward, causing Bill to stumble. “Let’s get moving, we’re almost done.” Dipper kept walking, though he had to stop when a firm, tan hand gripped the edge of the cart and kept it in place.

“You’re not fun, Pine Tree. Can’t we just laugh about things like we do when we’re... Alone in your room?” The demon raised his brow and smirked, Dipper’s cheeks burning red from the look.

They may or may not have spent some time alone together, Dipper being a little more friendly with the demon than he ever intended to. It had never been anything too far, but they had certainly been more comfortable around each other than they were being in the store.

“Alright, fine, haha triangle funny. Just- Let’s hurry, alright? And we agreed not to bring that up.” Dipper pushed the cart again, glad that Bill let go of it.

“We’ll get you to loosen up more one day, Pine Tree.” Bill wiggled his eyebrows with his suggestive comment, Dipper’s face turning an even deeper red.

“Just- Just shut up, dude, c’mon let’s be done with shopping.” Despite the demon’s laughter, Dipper pushed on and kept his mind on the list so that Mabel wouldn’t scold him for forgetting something.

Bill was going to be the absolute death of him.

#billdip #drabble #my writing #fluff #drabble requests

[maximumjinx]

Steven Universe Gravity Falls AU

~Yknow what they say, if you run out of content, ya gotta make it yourself. This is a ? shot (I might continue or not who knows not me) please don’t ask for more I have 18 unfinished fanfics on this site.~

California was nice, Steven had to admit. The people were nice, the food was fantastic, and the weather was splendid. It reminded him a lot of Beach City. Though there were just so many people, and traveling north, Steven was beginning to long for something small and simple again.

Oregon was the perfect place for that, right?

“Ronaldo wants pictures of Bigfoot, and if anyone can find him, its you Steven.” Petey’s voice was faint on Steven’s phone speaker, tossed into the passenger seat as Steven blindly picked a highway exit.

“Sure Petey, but couldn’t Ronaldo just go to a circus?”

“Not big feet Steven,” Petey emphasized, “Bigfoot.”

“Saying it twice isn’t helping buddy.” Steven was half paying attention. He was focusing on the winding roads and the looming trees surrounding him. Deep, in the pit of Steven’s stomach, he felt something start to tug him toward one direction farther away from the highway. He wasn’t quite sure if it was a good or bad feeling yet.

“Forget it, I’m going to take a blurry photo of that mean Gem in the woods and say its Bigfoot.”

“Just don’t let Jasper catch you, she’s no joke when she’s angry.”

“I saw her ripping grass out of the ground I think I’ll be fine. Later dude.”

Steven heard a small click and smiled to himself. He’s happy to see how far the people of Beach City have come and how they’ve taken to the gems. He remembers when the Crystal Gems were once the outcasts of town that locals warned you to stay away from.

He looked up to see a welcome sign.

“Gravity falls. Well, that’s a funny name.”

—

Steven wanted small and simple but he feels he may have overshot it.

This small town had exactly three attractions. A town museum that mentioned marrying woodpeckers (Steven couldn’t figure out if that was a normal human thing, like taxes and velcro), a small diner, and as one local described it ‘some tourist trap’ deep in the woods. It was a sticky summer day and the former two attractions didn’t have airconditioning. Steven gambled on the last stop in hopes of stretching his legs and maybe finding a source to the strange feeling in his gut. It had become much stronger since he entered this small town. Alluring, but nothing related to Gems as far as Steven could tell.

He parked in the nearly empty lot and stepped out. Jacket wrapped loosely around his hips, Steven made his way inside.

A girl that looked about 13 was petting a pig on the front porch. She was incredibly reflective, and depsite the heat wore a knitted bedazzled sweater that made her glow like a disco ball in the sun.

She looked Steven up and down as he approached, a wide smile taking up her face and Steven saw bright braces with colored bands.

“Hi!” She launched upwards, startling the pig away, “I’m Mabel, but you can call me anytime.” The girl winked and stuck out her hand, palm facing the floor.

Steven blinked.

“Mabel, stop scaring away the customers!” A gruff voice yelled through the screen door, and soon an older man stepped out in a suit, wearing a fez and eyepatch.

Immediately the old man squinted at Steven, sizing him up.

Stanley Pines knew this teen wasn’t local, but he wasn’t sure if he had any money. For all he knew he was another boy trying to hit on his giftshop cashier, Wendy.

Oh well, a customer is a customer.

“Come in, come in, and see our mystical and magical wonders!”

“Magical?” This could be it, Steven could figure out why this town has felt off. Maybe it was gem related after all.

Quickly this older man who had introduced himself as Mr. Mystery gave Steven a tour of what looked like failed taxidermy projects. Now Steven may have a lived a sheltered childhood, but he felt pretty confident there was no such thing as a Sashcrotch. And so far, nothing had felt magical or mysterious.

“That concludes our tour! Here is our mistifying giftshop and it’s purchasable wonders!”

“Right...” Well, at the very least he was able to spend some time in airconditioning.

There was a girl behind the desk in plaid that looked about Steven’s age, and just a half inch shorter than him. She looked bored, flipping through a magazine as a young boy that looked a lot like Mabel made googly eyes as he swept by the door.

Steven guessed there was no harm in asking around.

“Hi, I’m Steven.” He smiled easily, walking up to the register.

“No refunds, even if an exhibit bit you.” She sighed, peeking up before turning back to her magazine.

“Oh no, nothing bit me, I just wanted to know something.”

She looked up to get a better look at Steven and gave a small smirk.

“Sure, but only because I like your shirt. Mr. Universe merch, now that’s a deep cut.”

Unbeknownst to Steven, Dipper Pines would had been watching the exchange felt a twinge of uneasiness as this out of towner talked with Wendy.

“Have you ever seen anything strange or weird actually happen in this town?”

Wendy’s smile dropped.

“Why do you ask?” Her eyes flickered to Dipper, just for a moment, and that was all he needed to rush over.

“Excuse me sir, please buy something or exit the store.” Dipper spoke in the deepest voice he could muster.

Steven looked over with a questioning expression.

“Oh sure uh-“ He blindly reached for the wad of bills that his dad had given to him before he left. Steven pulled out a hundred dollar bill and put it on the counter. Wendy looked up baffled as Steven stuffed the other cash back in his wallet.

“Boy was I wrong about you kid!” Mr. Mystery, seemingly materializing out of nowhere, now bounded over. He had loosened his tie and lost the eyepatch which turned out he never needed.

“Whaddya wanna know? I’ll tell you everything. There’s gnomes in the woods you know-“

“Grunkle Stan!” Dipper protested loudly, dragging his Stan away and harshly whispering at him.

“Did you steal that money?” Wendy asked as Steven watched the pair whisper fight in the corner. He turned back to the girl and gave a sheepish smile.

“Uh no, my dad gave it to me before this roadtrip. He’s actually Mr. Universe.”

Wendy lit up.

“No freaking way! Your dad is Mr. Universe? I only got into him since he managed Sadie Killer and the Suspects and they always perform covers of his songs on tour, I can’t believe he’s your dad!” She rambled, stars in her eyes. Steven beamed, he loved when people praised his dad’s music. Greg really deserved it.

Steven learned Wendy’s name and they swapped stories back and forth, only interrupted as the girl from outside slowly rose from the behind the counter beaming.

“A cute musician that loves weird stuff, take me now.” She swooned. Steven blushed profusely, not used to the attention.

“Sorry, my girlfriend Connie probably wouldn’t like that very much.” He said gently. Mabel looked him up and down and pouted.

“I can wait, but not forever.” She warned, and winked, bounding to break apart her grunkle and Dipper, who are now whisper screaming with arms flailing.

“I wasn’t going to mention that Dorito shaped jerk! Just the normal stuff!”

“It’s dangerous! He could be a spy, or government, or another stack of gnomes!”

Steven raised an eyebrow and looked at Wendy. She chuckled and shrugged. Steven carefully approached them.

“He can hear everything you’re saying anyways so might as well tell him!” Mabel interrupted, nodding towards Steven as he came up.

“If it makes you feel any better, I’m definitely not government.” Steven technically didn’t exist at all. He never had a social security card and didn’t have a birth certificate.

Dipper only glared. Rich strangers with an interest in the paranormal didn’t come through gravity falls without some kind of agenda.

Steven hated the conflict he was starting. No information was worth this family fighting.

“Okay,” he surrendered, hands up, “I’ll just go. I’ll stick around town until tomorrow if you change your minds”

“Wait Steven-”

“Let him go Wendy,” Dipper glared as the boy in pink walked out, “We can’t trust him.”

“But I was going to ask for Sadie tickets...” Wendy groaned, defeated.

“There’s something weird about him.”

“Great!” Mabel beamed, “He’ll fit right in.”

~.~

Steven wasn’t crazy about sleeping in his car, but was seriously considering it after seeing the state of his motel room. It looked like it hadn’t been used in decades, a thin line of dust covering every surface. He was also pretty sure they didn’t even have free ice. 

“Wish Pearl were here..” He mumbled, exhausted. He curled up on top of the covers, fully clothed, and let sleep take him.

Being Steven Universe however, meant rest was sure to allude the half alien. 

Steven found himself in a dark space, fog all around him. Before a word could come out of his mouth he heard a fast, repetitive muttering. 

“Stranger...Wendy looked pretty today..Can’t trust...Tell no one...Ford isn’t here..”

“What, the-” Steven quietly walked toward the source of dialogue, and saw the faded silhouette of the boy from the Mystery Shack. His back was turned to him, but Steven recognized the blue vest and mosquito bitten legs. 

“I thought I was over the dream hopping.” Steven spoke a tad too loudly, starting the young boy - Dipper.

“What-” Dipper’s eyes grew wide in panic, and the boy fell back harshly.

“No, no, you can’t be in my head!” 

“Wait, I’m not-” Steven tried to reassure him, stepping carefully towards the boy but Dipper let out a screech of terror, sweat gathering around his temples.

“Bill sent you didn’t he?! He’s not really gone- he’s going to hurt Mable again-” Dipper began to hyperventilate. 

“Dipper please,” Steven took a step back, arms in the air in surrender. 

“I-”

“I’m not going to hurt you I swear on the gems.” He placed a hand over his heart. “This is a total invasion of privacy but it’s something that happens when someone’s emotions are out of control-”

“How are you here?” Dipper demanded, scrambling to his feet. “Tell me what you are and what you want.”

“I’m just passing through!” Steven insisted, then lowered his tone to calm the younger boy. “I’m kinda of magnet for weird stuff. I just wanted to help in case anything was going on.”

“We deal with things just fine around here.” Dipper spat, then watched as Steven deflated. He seemed tired, like he hasn't slept well in a while. 

“So what are you anyways? How can you be here?”

Steven winced, and laughed nervously. “It’s kind of a long story..”

Dipper raised and eyebrow and swept his arm around the void dramatically. 

“You have until dawn.”

~

“I thought that was a conspiracy theory, it wasn’t even covered by major news outlets.” Dipper look exhausted, cross legged on the unseen floor as he ran his hands through his hair. 

“I think Garnet is pretty persuasive when it comes to government and reporters. They all kinda fall in love with her.”

“She’s the one that’s really two aliens?” 

Steven shook his head with a small smile. “It’s hard to explain but yes, I guess that comes close.”

“That’s actually insane. I’m insane, aren’t I?” Dipper stood up, leaving Steven on sitting next to an empty space. “It’s been too quiet around here and now I’m so desperate for weird, that I’m making it all up in my head.”

“I get that feeling.” Steven smiled without humor, “but no, this is real. I’ll prove it when you wake up.” Steven felt a shift, the fog in the void getting denser. 

“Sooner than I thought, you’re an early riser huh?”

Dipper looked back at Steven, panicked. “You’ll come to the Shack again right? In just a bit?”

Steven smiled. “Promise.”

~

Dipper woke up to his sister braiding his hair. Mabel still had her pjs on, and a make up kit next to the bed. Dipper frowned, tasting strawberry shortcake. 

“Stop testing party looks on me, Mabel.”

“Stop having my face structure and maybe I will.” She grinned, covered in blue glitter. 

Dipper quickly washed up and got dressed for the day, feeling like he was anxiously waiting for something but not quite remembering what. 

He felt like he had a strange dream last night...

He quickly remembered, choking on cereal as Steven walked into the shack right as it opened. Hair slightly frizzy from the heat and eyes strangely tired. Maybe dream hopping took energy that he anticipated. 

“Steven!”

“Meal ticket!” 

“Grunkle Stan.” Mabel chastised as Dipper rushed over to the older boy. 

“Good morning everyone.” 

Dipper stopped short, slightly hoping that everything he experienced wasn’t just his imagination. That everything exciting and weird and interesting wasn’t always trying to kill him, ruin his life, or steal his candy. 

Steven looked tired, like he had been doing this much longer than Dipper, but he had still come out with enough energy to smile. 

“Not insane?” Dipper asked hopefully, quietly. Steven snapped his attention from his Grunkle and Mable bickering down to the Dipper. He gave a reassuring smile, eyes quite serious. 

“Not insane.”

#I feel like I made up a strange tension but please don't ship them THEYRE FOUND FAMILY #Steven universe #gravity falls #universe falls #??? #what's the tag? #dipper pines #Mabel pines #grunkle stan #stan pines #bill cipher #this is something or maybe nothing idk people need to give me plot ideas #probably no plot just one shot series

[a-solitary-marshmallow]

Rewind Chapter 8 - It Gets Worse

We're coming into the endgame, boys! Not much more of the story to go. As always, hope you enjoy!

(I wrote this in a fit of inspiration and it hasn't had much editing, so let me know if you see a typo!)

______________________________________________________________

It took Ford a moment to realize he wasn’t in his body anymore.

He blinked his eyes open, groaning, foliage swimming above him. He couldn’t feel the snow gathering on his skin. He pushed himself up, running a hand through his hair-

And noticed that his body was still on the ground.

Ford cursed and scrambled away, hands scrabbling through snow without disturbing it. “No, no, no-” If he was out here, then Bill-

His body opened one yellow, slitted eye and grinned.

Ford jumped to his feet and stabbed a finger at the demon in his body and tried to control his trembling. “Get out of my body, you- you- monster!”

“Come on Sixer, be creative! Get some new insults.” Bill rose with unnatural jerky motions, one eye still closed and the other a jaundiced yellow. He dusted snow off Ford’s jacket. “Clumsy much? I had a whole plan to lure you outside the barrier but thanks to you fleshbags, I don’t even need it. A waste of perfectly good gasoline, is what I say.” He blinked with one eye, then opened the other one again with a laugh. “Ah, there’s the depth perception! You beings are so primitive.”

Ford ran a spectral hand through his spectral hair, panic rising in his throat and making him want to hurl, if spirits could throw up. “What’s your plan now? Fiddleford will stop you from sabotaging the portal, you can’t hide those eyes!”

“True.” Bill pulled himself to his feet. Even after weeks – months – of piloting Ford’s body he still looked just a little wrong, movements jerky like that of a marionette’s.

“Then – then what do you want from me?”

“What makes you think I want you?”

What? Of course Bill wanted him, Ford was the only one he needed for his plan! Besides, there was no one out here except for Ford, and-

And-

Oh. Oh no.

“You stay away from my brother!” Ford tried to dive back into his body but he merely went straight through. Bill laughed and dusted himself off.

“Jeez, Sixer, paranoid much? I’m not gonna hurt the little brat. Not right now, anyway.” He grinned too wide. It made his face look stretched and wrong. Ford threw a wild punch that phased right through him. Bill let out a laugh and started walking deeper into the forest, whistling a merry tune.

Ford ran.

He didn’t know what else to do – what could he do? He was a specter, only able to watch the proceedings in the physical plane. So he pelted away from Bill’s cheerful whistling in search of his brother. He had to – to warn Stan of what was coming, to do something.

Not having a physical form did have its advantages. Ford didn’t bother to duck around trees and brambles that were in his way. It was only a matter of time before he caught up with his twin. Stan hadn’t gotten far, after all.

“Stanley!” Ford rushed towards the boy-sized lump huddled against a tree trunk. His hand plunged right through Stan’s shaking shoulder. “Oh, curse it – Stan, listen to me! You’re in danger. Bill has my body and he’s coming after you, you have to move!”

Stan mumbled something and for one giddy moment Ford thought that he’d been heard, until he listened closer and understood the words.

“Stupid. Watcha gonna do now? Y’made both of ‘em mad atcha. Ruined everythin’ again. Ugh, what’s wrong with you?” Stan ground the heels of his palms into his eyes and hiccupped. Ford tried to grab his brother’s hands, but he only managed to grasp air.

“Stan – Stan, listen, please – oh, you’ve got to have something I can use!” He looked around for something he could use as a puppet, an avatar, anything. His search came up empty. Damn it, what could he do-

“Stanl-ley!”

 “Oh Stan-ley!”

Stan jerked up the sing-song voice in the distance. His feet hurt and his head was throbbing from crying and he was lost in the snow but that didn’t matter, not when he could hear his brother’s voice calling him. His brother who didn’t sound mad anymore!

“F-Ford?” His voice wavered. Dang it, he had to stop acting like a kid! “What are ya doing out here…? Ya came after me?”

Ford did care! He’d come for him! And by the tone of his voice he didn’t seem mad, either. Stan almost tripped in his haste to get to his feet. He scrubbed at his face to get rid of the tear tracks before Ford could see how much of a baby he was being.

Heavy footsteps sounded through the bushes nearby. Why hadn’t Ford called out again? Maybe he was still mad? Stan had hit him, after all.

“I, I’m sorry I was stupid!” Stan searched frantically for his brother in the trees. “I promise I won’t touch your lab space anymore. I’ll be good!”

There! Stan bolted towards the familiar figure that had finally came into view. Ford laughed and knelt down to catch him, holding tight as Stan buried his face in his twin’s coat. Stan sniffled and tried to stop himself from crying again.

“You… you’re not mad at me?”

“Stanley.” Ford pulled back to smile at him reassuringly. “Of course I’m not mad. I’ve long since stopped expecting you to be anything but a dead weight.”

Stan stiffened. His brother’s arms suddenly felt a lot less warm and comforting. He forced a brittle smile. “…what?”

“You were just messing things up like you always do.” Ford continued conversationally. Stan tried to pull away but Ford’s grip was like iron, fingers gripping hard enough to leave bruises.

Stan had gotten plenty of bruises before, but never six-fingered ones. He tugged against the hold, chest heaving with panic. “Let go – Ford, lemme go-”

Ford’s grip loosened, letting Stan yank back to fast that he slipped and hit the ground. He scrambled away from his brother, heart racing, as Ford stood. The man loomed over him.

“You know, it’s actually pretty funny.” Ford said as Stan got his frozen feet beneath him and stumbled backwards. Ford’s eyes looked almost yellow in the morning light, and the worst thing was that Stan couldn’t even see any anger in them. Just pleasantness, evident in his eyes and his smile. “How you destroy everything you come across.”

“Ford-”

“Like my science project!” Now, finally, Ford’s face twisted in anger. “I know you remember it, Stanley. I know you know what happened. Tell me, did you plan it in advance? Or was it a spur-of-the-moment sabotage?”

“I didn’t mean to break it!” Stan all but screamed. He balled up his tiny fists and shook. “I didn’t – I didn’t, I wouldn’t! You’re a liar! I didn’t, I didn’t, I didn’t!”

“Oh, but you did.” Ford snarled. “You did and you would do it again, and do you know why? Because you’re a parasite, Stanley. You’re a leech, and that’s all you’ll ever be.”

A breeze ruffled Ford’s hair but nothing else, like an intangible fist passed through his face. Stan’s eyes were too full of tears to see it. He could feel Ford’s eyes burning into him, stripping away his defenses and angry words, leaving nothing but the thought that maybe, just maybe, Ford was right.

“J-Just leave me alone!” Stan sniffled and scrubbed at the endless tears pouring down his face while Ford watched with a sneer. “G-Go away and – and-”

“And what? Go back to my project? Let you wander around, making even more messes for me to clean up? No, you’re coming with me.”

Ford reached for Stan’s arm but he yanked it back, stumbling away. Ford’s lip curled and he lunged.

Stan turned on his heel and bolted.

His heart pounded in his ears and breaths rasping in his throat, burning with cold. Ford shouted angrily after him but this time Stan didn’t stop.

He didn’t stop running when Ford faded out of sight, or when he stopped being able to feel his feet, or when he was gasping for breath. He didn’t stop until his chest burned like it was going to explode. Stan staggered to a stop, catching a tree to stop himself falling into the snow. The cold hair burned against his skin.

Why didn’t he bring any warm clothes? His teeth were chattering in his head, he couldn’t feel his fingers anymore. His feet were blocks of ice and he was so, so tired.

Stan wanted to go home.

But Stanley pines never got what he wanted. Behind him, a low growl sounded.

Stan’s head whipped around to catch sight of the grey-furred creatures stalking towards him – three of them, ears pressed tight to their skulls and hair bristling, white teeth and yellow eyes glistening. Stan’s scream caught in his throat and came out as a squeak.

“Nice – nice doggies?”

The lead wolf let out a snarl. Stan crouched down and fumbled through the snow for a weapon, eyes pinned to the wolves. He grabbed something solid only for the chunk of snow to crumble in his grip.

What were you supposed to do with wolves? Play dead? Or was that bears? Make yourself bigger to scare them away?

One of the wolves tensed to lunge, but before either it or Stan could make a move a piercing whistle sounded. Stan clapped his hands over his ears to block out the ringing noise. One of the wolves leaned back on its haunches.

“Oi! Get away from that kid, you big lumps.” There was a flash of yellow and then something was floating between Stan and the wolves, making the creatures cower and whine. The giant yellow – dorito? – waved its hand, sending the wolves scattering like ants. They scampered into the undergrowth and were gone in seconds.

 Stan’s savior leaned forward, as if checking they were truly gone. Stan tried to step towards the floating thing but hissed as pain lanced through his feet. The triangle swung around. It looked… kinda ridiculous. One huge eye took up most of the space on its form with a little glowing bowtie pinned underneath, a tall tophat hovering above its highest point. Its voice reverberated in his head.

“You must be freezing your toes off! Here kid, on the house.” The triangle summoned a cane to its thin black hand with a flourish. Stan’s feet tingled.

He yelped as cloth wrapped around his feet, and before he knew it he was standing in a pair of thick, warm fur boots. The triangle’s eye crinkled up happily and he floated over.

“…cool.” Stan’s voice came out as more of a breath, and the triangle let out a laugh. It didn’t have a mouth to move but the sound echoed inside Stan’s skull, overlayed like a dozen people were speaking at once. A dozen nasally people.

“Don’t mention it! How ya doin’, kid? My name’s Bill.”

“…Bill?” Stan echoed, wiping half-frozen tears from his stinging face. The same sounded familiar.

“Yeah, that’s my name. Got a problem with it?”

“It’s just… ‘Bill’ is such a normal name. I thought wizard triangles would have fancier names. Like… Xanthar. Or something.”

Bill waved his hand dismissively, shrinking a little bit so that he could look Stan in the eye without his dangling feet touching the ground. “That one’s taken, but we’re getting sidetracked here. I’m no wizard, kid! I’m a muse!”

“What’s a muse?”

Bill let out a huff. “It’s a – you know what? Just think of me like a genie.”

“Holy – a genie?” Stan’s mind raced and he counted off on his fingers. “Okay, my first wish is to have a million dollars. No, a billion dollars! And then-” Bill clapped a hand over his mouth before he could continue. The skin had a weird texture, smooth and glossy like plastic.

“It doesn’t work like that, Stanny boy! You gotta make a deal. More of an ‘I scratch your back, you scratch mine’ kinda thing. How about it?”

Making deals… Stan’s eyes widened with recognition and he batted the creature’s hand away.

“Hey, you’re no genie! You’re that Bill demon Ford was talking about!” He stabbed a finger accusingly at the creature, who tilted sideways with a little giggle.

“You got that right! I am a demon. But demons don’t all have to be bad, you know.”

Stan frowned. “Bad is exactly what demons are! You’re trying to hurt Ford!”

“I’m not trying to hurt him!” The demon pulled a hand to what could be its chest, lashes fluttering. “Stanford and I were old friends you know, before he betrayed me. He had the nerve to call me useless, you know. I’m sure you know how that feels.”

“Wha-”

Bill zipped forward to sling an arm around Stan’s shoulders, making him jump. “But you see, I’m actually pretty powerful! Enough to grant wishes, even. Not that Ford cares – he’s selfish, Stan. He’ll use you up until he has what he wants and then he’ll kick you to the curb, all in the name of ‘science’. No one knows that better than you and me.” Bill snapped his fingers. “Oh, I have an idea! Why don’t you make a deal with me? I could make all your dreams come true if you just ask!”

The demon spun away and extended an arm.

“So kid, waddya say?” Stan goggled at the cartoonish black hand stretched out towards him. Bill grinned a salesman’s grin – or as close to one as a triangle with no mouth and only one facial feature could.

“Ford said you trick people.” Stan protested, and Bill shrugged.

“Eh, nothing against old six-fingers, it’s just business. Or it was. See, that was before I knew we could join forces and both get what we want! Picture this, Staneroni – you open the portal and let me into this dimension, I get to start the party, and then I make you a whole new family! I’ll even throw in a Ford 2.0.”

“Uh, what-”

“The brother you’ve always wanted! A Ford that appreciates you, parents that love you, maybe even a promising career in treasure hunting?” Bill swooped down to elbow Stan playfully. “I’m like a genie in a bottle, kid, all you gotta do is let me outta the lamp. Then it’s sunshine and rainbows, or – whatever you fleshbags like. So, have we got a deal or what?”

Stan frowned, rubbing his cold nose. The demon’s words were quick and constant, and rung in his ears, making him dizzy. “What do you want in return?”

“Oh, just a little favour.” Bill seemed to be checking his nails, despite not having nails. “You know that big old machine in your brother’s basement? That’s a portal. Ford decided he didn’t need me anymore so he locked me out of this dimension. All I need is for you to open it so I can come back home!”

“But you’re here right now.” Stan argued. Bill rolled his eye.

“Not really, kid. I can interact with objects and make myself somewhat corporeal, but I don’t have a physical body! I’m weak like this. But if the portal was open and I could come through I would have all my power back! Enough power to give you anything you want.”

Stan’s heart was pounding in his head, making it hard to think. The triangle leaned towards him.

“What do you think, shortstack? I could give you ultimate power. Wanna be president? Or king? Your family would have to love you then! I could give you a new brother, heck, even a whole galaxy all of your own! All you gotta do is open one teensy little portal.”

“STAN!”

#gravity falls #rewind

[epicstuckyficrecs]

2020 Half-year fic rec for Steve Rogers’ birthday!

I made a poll on Twitter to know if people would be interested in me doing a half-year “best of” fic rec like I did last year , and the response was overwhelmingly positive, so here it is! 😊 These are my favorite fics of the year so far! (in no particular order)

Complete

Two Colors, White and Gold by Carelica (Canon-Divergent | 36K | Explicit): He’s here, he’s alive. His hand is on a tree.

Deep Sea Diving by AidaRonan/ @bisexualstarbucky​ (Shrunkyclunks | 5,4K | Explicit): Steve’s wallowing in heat-related misery under a shade tree in Central Park when a man walks by in bright red booty shorts and a crop top. RIP Steve Rogers. It was nice knowing you.

Some things you do for money by pushdragon (BDSM AU | 72K | Explicit): Steve’s wholesome take on domination has suddenly become the hottest thing in the business. He should be cashing in on his newfound celebrity, but instead he’s distracted by the guy who works odd shifts in the club’s bar, fresh out of prison and damaged in ways that don’t show.

the hand you want to hold is a weapon (and you’re nothing but skin) by voxofthevoid/ @voxofthevoid​ (Post-WS, Sex Pollen | 13K | Explicit): Steve gets sex-pollened. He handles it just fine, and then Bucky shows up.

Dear Mr. Postman by odetteandodile (Modern AU | 52K | Teen): “I’m um—your mailman,” Bucky says, lamely. Or—Steve and Bucky revive an old friendship, get married (but totally just as friends, for reasons), and navigate a few of the many trials of the heart that come with falling in love with your best friend. 

good on my own (needed me) by mcwho (Modern AU | 12K | Explicit): There are some mistakes that could be made by anybody. Anybody. Bucky taught high school pretty much his whole life, and that was fine, those were kids, and he knew all of them anyway, which meant there was very little chance of him accidentally fucking any of his students during an impulsive post-marital-breakdown Grindr hook-up. Which is exactly what he had done with Steve.or: bucky has not let steve rogers fuck him since his sophomore year (Part 1 of himbo-verse)

Latte Art and Slow Dancing in the Dark by deadonarrival (Modern AU with powers, Daddy kink | 89K | Explicit): Bucky is a somewhat well-adjusted former army sniper that got his shoulder blown out. He took his discharge and went home to finish school. His best friends and roommates (Nat & Clint) are CIA agents and tip him off that their local Sbux is hiring. He gets a job there and meets none other than the hottest guy on earth. So how does one get a date in the most top secret government location in the US? What happens when that guy is more than just a hot dorito and wants to give Bucky everything he wants? 

That Boy Is a Problem by 2bestfriends  (Modern AU | 10K | Explicit): In which a twinky little goth punk named Bucky puts a leash around Steve’s dick and he’s really into it. (The leash is a metaphor. For now.)

bullet in a gun (but in the end, my time will come) by voxofthevoid/ @voxofthevoid​ (Post-Endgame, Canon-divergent | 25K | Explicit): Post-Thanos, Bucky Barnes has happily settled into a life of peace and pining. That’s when alternate versions of the best friend he’s secretly in love with start showing up.

Like it’s the Only Thing I’ll Ever Do by howdoyousleep/ @howdoyousleep3​ (ABO AU | 39K | Explicit): When Steve opens the door, Bucky feels like he’s been living in clouds for the past few days, maybe even his entire life. Steve is life, Steve is happiness, Steve is the sun. He has such a visceral reaction to seeing the Alpha that he feels his knees go weak, feels his body draw tight towards the other man, pulled in. Or big Alpha Steve moves into sweet little Omega Bucky’s apartment building and a roller-coaster build of a romance ensues.

A Company Man by mambo/ @whtaft (Modern AU | 75K | Explicit): No matter what it is, the truth is the same: Steve Rogers is in love with Bucky Barnes, a married man.

How to Fuck With (and Feed) Your Soulmate by BlueSimplicity/ @bluesimplicity73​ (Soulmate AU, Shrunkyclunks | 114K | Explicit): It’s called the Grey Space; a patch of skin marking you as blessed and the first sign you have a soulmate. Steve Rogers didn’t have one when he crashed into the ice. But he did when he woke up in the future. The second sign is the Sense, a sharing of one the senses to help soulmates find each other. Steve’s Sense, taste, is rare, but he loves a challenge and a soulmate is a gift from the Fates. Except instead of a blessing, it’s a curse, since his soulmate is a dick. Bucky Barnes loves food and a homecooked meal is something he cherishes. When his Grey Space starts to itch, Bucky can’t help his excitement, since the Sense he and his soulmate share is taste. But not for long. Whoever he’s bound to has the blandest diet in the world, ignoring all Bucky’s messages. After weeks of putting up with tasteless food, Bucky decides to strike back.

Strangers in the Street by crinklefries/ @spacerenegades (Canon divergent | 15K | Teen): Every five years, Bucky meets the same tall, blond stranger.

Departure by Nejinee/ @nejineeee (Arrival AU | 80K | Mature): Captain America is recruited by the U.S. government to assist a linguist and her team of scientists in communicating with aliens after twelve mysterious space ships appear across the globe overnight.

Compatible - A Romantic Science Fiction Thriller in Four Parts by the1918/ @the1918​ (Shrunkyclunks, ABO AU | 33K | Explicit): When young nanotech engineer Bucky Barnes finds himself falling head first in love with none other than Steve Rogers, he ends up getting a lot more of the Alpha than he– or science– could ever have imagined possible.

WIP

four dreams in a row where you were burned by voxofthevoid/ @voxofthevoid (canon divergent, post-Endgame, 1945 alternate timeline | 10/? | 58K | Mature): When Steve uses the last of his Pym Particles to travel to 1944 and save his best friend, he doesn’t have a plan beyond leaving behind the battlefield and living his life alongside the people he loves. But the life that finds him is not the one he expects.

A Matter of Trust by chicklette/ @chicklette​ (Singer Bucky, Fake relationship | 7/13 | 26K | Explicit): At 43, James Barnes is a washed up old man. He’s got a dozen Grammys in the hall closet, an agent that can’t get him a deal, a decade-old case of writer’s block, a moody teen-aged daughter, and the gorgeous actress Natasha Romanova for an ex-wife. Enter Steven Grant Rogers, struggling twenty-something, orphan, and someone who has no idea who Barnes is. The two men meet by accident, doing nothing more than passing the time in a quiet bar. But when a pap gets a shot of the two men embracing, Bucky takes it as a chance to finally come out as bisexual, and his agent makes him a proposition: Ten new songs and one very sweet boyfriend will get him a new record deal that will maybe, just maybe put him back on top. Now all he has to do is write the songs, convince the kid, and not fall in love. Should be easy, right?

Bespoke by the1918/ @the1918​ (Shrunkyclunks, ABO AU | 6/10 | 61K | Explicit): “I love you, too. So fucking much,” Steve answered. His voice sounded cracked and exhausted, an exposed nerve ending in the shape of a man. “Some days I still don’t believe you’re real. Feels— feels like somehow, I’ve always loved you. Even when I didn’t know you.” Bucky smiled softly at that and felt his heart threaten to explode. Still straddling his lap, he reached a hand up to cup Steve’s cheek. “You’ve always known me,” he stated, simply. “I was made for you, remember?” (Part 2 of Compatible)

Series

couldn't get the boy to kill me by voxofthevoid/ @voxofthevoid (Shrunkyclunks, SHIELD Agent Bucky | 12 works, complete | 74K | Explicit): Captain America and the Winter Soldier are a terrifying duo on the field, working together with a well-oiled precision that tears through their enemies. Captain Rogers and Agent Barnes are distant coworkers, all polite nods and mission briefings. Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes are fire and gasoline; it never ends well.

the hero's shoulders by voxofthevoid/ @voxofthevoid (Shrunkyclunks, Post-CW, canon divergent | 3 works, not complete | 32K | Explicit): Sequel series to couldn't get the boy to kill me

~

Honorable mention for Where The Interstate Ends by paperstorm/ @paper-storm​ because it was posted last year but I only read it recently!

#stucky #stucky fanfic #stucky fanfiction #stucky fic #stucky fic rec #half year fic rec

[seaofghouls]

Gravity Falls Iplier AU [ Dark x Reader ] Part 6

Hello! It’s the first encounter with the dorito! Taglist: @a-frozen-bag-of-corn @crazy-obsessed-fangirl @lunariasilver Episode: Dreamscapers Dark, Y/N, Mabel, and Soos were all walking in the woods, laughing, when they heard strange things. 

Running over to the direction of the noise, they found Gideon summoning a demon, using a summoning spell. He seemed to be in immense pain.

Y/N bit their lip nervously, as they knew that once a summoning started, it couldn’t be interrupted. 

Everything was grey and time seemed to slow. A triangle figure lit aflame and started to laugh maniacally. “Gravity Falls, it is good to be back!” He exclaimed.

He flew in front of Gideon. “The name’s Bill Cipher! I take it you're some kind of living ventriloquist dummy? Kidding! I know who you are, Gideon.” 

“What are you? How do you know my name?!” Gideon exclaimed.

“I know lots of things! LOTS OF THINGS!” Bill said.

“Listen to me demon! I need you to enter the mind of Stanford Pines and steal the code to his safe!” Gideon ordered. 

“Hm, Stanford Pines. Ah! I’ll help you kid! As long as you give me something in return! Deal?” Bill stuck his hand out, blue fire coming from his hand.

“Deal!” Gideon said, shaking the demon’s hand.

“Welp! Time to go invade Stan’s mind! Remember, reality is an illusion, the universe is a hologram, buy gold, BYE!” Bill said before vanishing.

“It worked!” Gideon laughed before taking off.

“What are we going to do??” Mabel asked.

“The only thing we can do. Face the triangular demon.” Dark said.

Y/N nodded, sighing.

“So, we gotta enter his mind and go after that dorito?” Y/N asked.

“Yeah. Let’s get Dipper, as well. He’s got the journal, so he’s our best bet. Besides, this is his uncle we’re talking about.” Dark said.

Y/N nodded as they walked back to the shack.

Mabel and Soos explained the situation to Dipper, but he wasn’t the most willing. 

“Why should I save him from a demon? I’ve done nothing but work for him all day.” Dipper groaned. 

“Please, Dipper. This is a demon we’re talking about. We need your help.” Y/N said.

“..Fine.” Dipper sighed. 

Dipper recited the incantation to enter Stan’s mind and they all blacked out. When they woke up, they were in Stan’s mind. 

“Ugh..” Y/N groaned, rubbing their head.

It was a grey version of the Mystery Shack, just like how it was when Gideon summoned Bill. 

“Remember guys, we gotta look out for the triangle guy.” Mabel said.

“Yeah, look out for the triangle guy!” Bill copied.

“It’s him! It’s the guy!” Soos said. 

“You leave our uncle’s mind alone!” Mabel cried before trying to tackle Bill. It didn’t work.

“Ah, Stan’s family and friends.” Bill said.

“Shooting Star, Question Mark, Pine Tree, Mirror, and Darkness.” Bill recited.

Bill went on a tangent about how he needed the code to Stan’s safe to complete his deal with Gideon.

“Well, guess we better get to the code first, eh?” Y/N said after he left.

“Yes, that would be wise.” Dark said.

They searched through the memory doors for what felt like hours.

They eventually found the code to the safe, but unfortunately they didn’t realize that Bill was disguised as Soos until a second Soos walked in.

“Hey guys! I just found a memory of Stan roller skating and wearing short shorts! Wait a minute, something weird is going on here.” Soos said.

Bill laughed as he transformed back into his original form.

Looking over at Dark, Y/N knew he was beating himself up for not being able to find Bill out.

They took his hand, attempting to comfort him.

“It’s funny how dumb you are.” Bill said.

He ran off and Y/N ran after him.

“Y/N!” Dark called out, following them.

The rest soon followed after, after a confrontation from Dipper.

Mabel waited until Bill was distracted on a call with Gideon to shoot the combination into a bottomless pit.

“No!” Bill cried.

“Yes!” Y/N cheered.

“You! You have no idea what you just cost me!” Bill started to turn red.

“Do you have any idea what I’m like when I’m mad?!” He seethed.

He used his powers to lift everyone into the air on top of a monument.

“Woah!” Y/N cried.

Bill grew 100 times his size.

“Eat nightmares!” Bill cried.

He ruined Mabel’s cuteness and summoned a british bulldog for Mabel and Soos.

When it came to Y/N and Dark however, he summoned an illusion of Actor.

“Please! Anything but that!” Y/N shook, while Dark tried to stand his ground.

“Ah, hello old friends! You’ll be wonderful subjects in my story~” He laughed, in a distorted tone.

Y/N couldn’t move out of fear.

“Hey Bill!” Dipper called out.

“What?!” Bill cried.

“Nice bowtie!” Dipper used laser eyes to incinerate his bowtie.

Dipper explained the powers of the mindscape while Bill was down.

Mabel and Soos attacked Bill with their powers, he was eventually forced to retreat.

“Enough!” Bill cried, turning everything white.

“You guys have impressed me. You’re a lot smarter than you look. You might come in handy later. Just know, I’ll be watching you~” Bill said, vanishing again. 

The white faded out and Y/N and Dark shot up in their cabin. 

“We.. we did it!” Y/N exclaimed. 

They hugged Dark with a grin.

Dark hugged them back, with a smile of his own.

Walking outside, Y/N’s smile dropped.

Gideon had the deed and was destroying the Mystery Shack as the Pines family stood outside with shock.

“There goes my job.” Y/N frowned.

“How are we going to be able to pay for rent now?” Y/N said sadly.

“Don’t worry, dear. We’ll figure something out. We always do.” Dark tried to comfort them.

“Even in the darkest hour.” He sighed.

...

#actor mark #markiplier egos #who killed markiplier #markiplier #gravity falls #darkiplier #y/n #darkiplier x reader #mabel #dipper #bill cipher #soos #stan #au

[mystieris]

Ford: I don’t know what pisses me off more; the fact that he’s toying with your emotions, or the idea that his feelings may be genuine.

Bill: You’re just pissed off that I moved on from you! :P

Ford: WE WERE NOT A COUPLE!

Bill: Oh! I’m hurt, Fordsie…! What about all those late nights we spent together…!

Dipper: >.> Yeah… He’s definitely just toying with me…

Bill: *nuzzles Dipper* Oh, Pine Tree, I may toy with Sixer, but what’s between us, that’s real.

Dipper: Screw off, you deranged Dorito!

#gravity falls #conversation #billford #billdip #ford pines #dipper pines #bill cipher #EVIL DORITO

[buckysforeverprincess]

Winter Wonderland-Christmas Tree

Steve Rogers x Reader

Words: 486

Warnings: More fluff

A/N: Welcome to day 16!!!! I’m super excited that I’ve kept up with this challenge. And thank you to all that have kept up with the fluff that is Steve Rogers and Reader. The tree in this fic is based off my own Christmas tree, which this year we decided to get a real one for the first time in 10 years.Enjoy!!

“Oh, Christmas tree… oh, Christmas tree…,” you sang as you walked through the large tree lot, bundled up from the cold.

 “What about that one?” Steve pointed to a tree that was about six feet tall. From a distance it would appear there was some space between the branches that made for some large gaps and that didn’t fit your idea of a perfect tree.

 “Nah, not that one. Let’s keep looking.”

 The two of you continue to walk around hand and hand, searching for the perfect tree.

 “You know… I find this ass backwards.”

 “Oh?” You ask and stop in front of another tree with a little more definition than the last one. “How so?”

 “Well…,” Steve begins assessing the tree, trying to determine if this one’s any better, “... we decorated on the first of December. You’d think we would’ve gotten a tree first before doing so.”

 You walk around the tree and see this one is a lot more promising than the last, but it doesn’t quite sit right with you.

 “No one ever said we’re traditional. Let’s keep looking but come back to this one if we don’t find anything.”

 Your husband nods and you walk off hand in hand, scoping out the trees in the next row. There’s a couple that could potentially be good but neither Steve or you were feeling either of them would be a good fit in your decorated living room. Honestly, you were ready to give up and go somewhere else. You did pass a ‘U Cut’ sign on the way in and you’re pretty sure your husband would look sexy af swinging an axe.

 There’s a tugging on your hand, and you turn back to see Steve stopped, eyes wide staring at a tree.

 “This one…,” he whispered, “... this is our tree.”

 In front of Steve is a perfectly shaped six-foot-tall tree. Stepping back to look, this tree is picture perfect and needs no trimming. It’s full at the base and has the shape of a Dorito, reminiscent of your husband's body. Steve was right… this was your tree.”

 “It’s beautiful!” You lean in and wrap your arm around Steve’s mid-section. “Let’s take this one home.”

 “Stay here and guard our tree. I’ll go find the guy!” He kisses you on the head and takes off to find the attendant.

 With Steve gone you step closer to the tree and inhale a deep breath, taking in the scent of the pine. “You’re gonna make the best addition to our home this Christmas. This will be the bestest Christmas ever!”

 “What was that?” Steve comes up behind you with a man in tow.

 “Just saying this is gonna be the best Christmas ever!”

 Steve bends down, his lips connecting with yours in a soft kiss. “Every Christmas is spectacular when I’m with you. Now let’s get this home… we’ve got some decorating to do.” 🎄

Tags:

@thefanficfaerie​

Forever Tags:

@jamesbarnesappreciationclub​ @kruscht​ @palaiasaurus64​ @breezy1415​ @sarahp879​ @supernaturaldean67​ @averyrogers83​ @scarlettsoldier​ @lovely-geek​ @titty-teetee​ @patzammit​ @geeksareunique​ @peaceinourtime82​ @leosandbuckysgirl​ @the-goddess-of-mischief​ @mychemicalimagines​ @awkwardfangirl2014​ @collette04​ @notyourtypicalrose​ @onebatch--twobatch​ @miraclesoflove​ @kcd15​ @xxloki81xx​ @death-unbecomes-you​ @thatfanficstuff​ @hotoffthepressfics​ @chuuulip​ @unlikelygalaxygiver​ @lancetuckershairgel​ @babypink224221​ @shield-agent78​ @the-real-kellymonster​ @caplanreads​ @inkedaztec​

#Steve Rogers #steve rogers x reader #winter wonderland challenge #thefanficfaerie #christmas au #christmas fic

[hettiesworld]

Fic title: Lessons in Love

Pairing: Chris Evans x reader

Based on the song: Lessons in Love by Level 42

Warning(s): Fluff, first kiss, friends to lovers.

Plot summary: Robert suggested a game of ‘Spin the Bottle’ at the Avengers premiere and when Chris spins it, it lands on the reader. Will he kiss her?

Author’s note: This one-shot took all of my brain work to write for the weekly challenge by @donutloverxo​, @captain-a-rogerss​ and @optimistic-dinosaur-nacho​. This is inspired by the moodboard above.

I'm not proud, I was wrong And the truth is hard to take I felt sure we had enough But our love went overboard

You were a makeup artist, was invited to the afterparty of Avengers: Endgame which were chaos itself. It was anything you imagined. Especially that the fact that RDJ, the godfather of the MCU, was the one who suggested the childish high-school games that students play at parties.

And that was everyone did. For fun. A game of Spin The Bottle.

“Can someone kindly explain the game to me?” Hiddleston asked to the group.

“What? You haven’t played this in high school? Or ‘secondary school’ to you Brits.” Implied Robert, doing bunny ears around the words, secondary school.

“Well, I wasn’t childish, unlike you.” 

Everyone else oohed and saying things like “You just got burned!” and “Damn!!!” as Robert rolled his eyes. You chuckled behind your hand. You were sat between Renner and ScarJo as you knew those two the most.

Robert sighs. “So let’s say Scarlett spins the bottle and it stops on Jeremy, I hand Jeremy the bag and then he picks out a card. He then does whatever it says on the card to Scar. Got it?”

“Sounds boring. Not like what you did last time.” Tom analysed. 

“Yeah... Well here’s the twist, they all are adultery dares. Like...” Robert plucks out a card from the bag and read what it said.

“...French kiss your opponent-”

“Isn’t most of us married?” Renner interrupted him, crossing his arms and pointing towards Hemsworth, Ruffalo and then Robert himself.

“Who cares? Just spin the bottle, someone!” Scarlett commanded to the group as she put the empty bottle down, which was hers in the first place.

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

Lifeboat lies lost at sea I've been trying to reach your shore Waves of doubt keep drowning me

It was finally your turn as you spun the bottle. You could hear the laughter and wolf whistles from the others (except Scarlett) as it spun quickly on the wooden floor. It began to slow down as it landed on...

Chris Evans.

He was shocked at first but he then stuck his hand in the bag and shuffled the cards in around there. He took his time but finally pulled one out.

“What does it say, Evans?” Scarlett shouted from the other side of the room. You covered your ears to how loud it was in your ear. Jeremy was laughing from both Scarlett’s shouting and the fact, the bottle landed on your crush.

You could see his face turning beetroot red as he read out the card...

“Do Seven Minutes in Heaven with Y/n.”

Everyone oohed again.

By now, everyone was drunk. And was egging Evans and you to go into Robert’s master bedroom. And you did.

The bedroom was furnished on a meagre budget but if was full of more warmth than you had seen in many years. On the back wall was a mural, a tree with every colour of fall leaf imaginable and a few more besides. On the crude pine bed was a hand embroidered orange cover. From every wall smiled black and white photographs of Robert and his family.

Chris sat onto the four poster bed, the mattress sunk under his weight. you just stood next the closed door, his sight stuck to the floor.

“Chris. You okay?” You asked him as softly as possible, trying not scare him off (or something like that).

“Yeah. I’m fine.”

You walked towards him, his muscles tense at this, and he fell back onto the bed even more. Why would he want to be away from you this badly? Maybe his anxiety. You understood and stood where you are, for now.

“Chris, are you sure you’re alright?” You asked again, getting even closer to the Dorito, carefully and slowly. He muttered under his breath and then looked up, into your eyes.

He swiftly placed one arm around your waist, pulling you closer to him, making you fall onto the bed as well. You were on top of him. He then lifted up to push his lips onto yours. He slowly moved his hands down your thigh.

You don’t object as you replied his kiss, moving in sync with his. You both fitted, like two puzzle pieces.

“I like you a lot, Y/n. And I wish you to be mine and like me back. If you do, of course.”

“Of course I do, Chris. I like you a lot.”

“Good.”

All the dreams that we were building We never fulfilled them Could be better, should be better For lessons in love

Chris kissed you again, this time deeper and aggressively, nothing like you’ve ever imagined.

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

@optimistic-dinosaur-nacho​ @captain-a-rogerss​ @donutloverxo​ @jeremyrennerfanxxxx123​ @yavanna80​ @lostinthoughtsandfeelings​ @averyrogers83​ @pegasusdragontiger​ @katiew1973​ @princess-evans-addict​ @iguessweallcrazyithinktho​ @nickysurfer28

#chris evans #masterlist #nbarnes #chris evans x reader

[thecipherfamily]

Bill: *kisses Dipper*

Dipper: *pushes him away* Eugh, Bill! Not now! What was that for!?

Bill: Well, you said I could kiss my ass goodbye to the world if I ever thought of reading your diary.

Dipper: ...Sooo, what are you doing now then?

Bill: I'm kissing goodbye to the world. You are my world!

Dipper: *smiles* Aww, that's so swee-

Dipper:

Dipper: Wait, you rEAD MY D--

#gravity falls #cipher family au #bill cipher #cipher twins #demon #demon boy #random quotes #from the dorito and the pine tree #billdip #human bill cipher #dipper pines

[roboticspacecase]

themysteriousauthor18 replied:

Like one shots? Hm.. (￣ヘ￣）ᵁᴹᴹ Human bill or triangle? I'm gonna say some kinds human form? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ᵐᵃʸᵇᵉ Bill getting used to acting like a human and being curious or fascinated by the simplest things like pain or Doritos. And Dipper is just trying to deal with this hot mess

“That isn’t going to taste very good,” Dipper groaned, peeking over the edge of his book.

Bill had a chip that he had dipped in sweet and sour sauce dangling over his open mouth, his sharp canines showing thanks to his wide smile. “We’ll see about that!”

The chip dropped into the demon’s mouth and a loud crunch followed.

Dipper cringed and shook his head, looking back down at his book. Just as he thought, moments later he could hear the demon coughing and sputtering, desperately trying to spit the nasty mix of flavors out.

“I told you,” he hummed. “You’d better clean up any mess you make. I already taught you how to use the mop and vacuum, so you have no excuses.” Ever since Bill had come back into his life, the demon getting a body from some mysterious deal he refuses to talk about, Dipper has had to babysit him and make sure he doesn’t do anything too crazy.

He might not have known everything about the deal, but he’d heard enough to know that Bill’s magic was either totally gone or just really hard for the demon to access in the human form. The only way he could be a threat to anyone as a human was if he committed arson or something, and all of the Pines knew that he would do that if given the chance.

So, Dipper was tasked to make sure the demon didn’t do anything too stupid or crazy while they tried to figure out why he had made the deal, who he made it with, and what his general plans with it were.

Bill always gave them some weird, out-of-pocket answer when they asked, though, so after a while, Dipper had given up on trying to crack him and instead just spent time with him, trying to teach him about being a human.

Mabel had the hope that he’d eventually like being a person and want to renounce his evil ways to stay a human, but Dipper had some pretty strong doubts about that. Especially since Bill had told him several million times that he never felt like he could stretch out enough in the body and that he wondered if cutting off his fingertips and toes would somehow allow him to make more room. It didn't seem like he was very comfortable, to say the least.

"But what if I clean up the mess after I make more of one? So that I don't have to keep cleaning. Like, at the end of the day I go around and clean up everything." Bill came over to Dipper, his fingers creeping over the top of the book before moving it down so that he had to look at the blond.

"How about you clean it right now because if Stan or Ford come in here and see half chewed up chip on the floor, they're going to be upset. Besides, the longer you let a mess sit, the harder it is to clean later." Dipper stuffed his bookmark between the pages he was on then set the book aside. "Go get some paper towels from the kitchen and wipe it up. Now." He pointed sternly to the kitchen.

Bill raised a brow, staying still for a moment then leaning in closer to Dipper. He continued to press forward until their noses were touching, Bill's scrunching in anger. "Who said you were suddenly the boss of me, Pine Tree? Just because you people won't let me leave doesn't mean you're gonna sit here and tell me what to do."

The demon's warmth right in his face sent a shiver down Dipper's entire body, the feeling settling in his gut and turning into a ball of heat that he's hated ever since the demon showed up at their door. They had no idea why he came to them when he had to have known that they would have kept him there or possibly sent him off to die, but Dipper did know that the human form Bill got was hot. Bill had no right being attractive, not when Dipper knew his insides could never match the outside. And it wasn't fair that he not only had to babysit some ancient demon, he also had to refrain from having any... thoughts about him, too. Dipper was an active young man, of course his brain would put some unwanted thoughts in his head at the worst times.

"I get to be the boss of you because if you don't listen, Ford will lock you up and make your time here much worse." Dipper held his ground despite his thumping pulse. Ford had told him time and time again that confidence, even if faked, would always help him deal with Bill. "So go do what I asked, please." He stressed the last word, hoping that Bill would just do it and not press the issue anymore.

Bill hummed, still not moving away from Dipper. It seemed that he might back off, that the tension had lifted a little, but then the demon licked his lips and his tongue very lightly brushed Dipper's lips.

He gulped, trying not to let his eyes show how badly he wished the contact had been more. Stupid, horny, useless brain. He wished he could just throw the thing out while dealing with Bill.

"Alright, fine," Bill drawled. He finally moved back, a devilish smile on his lips. "But I think, in the future, you and I might need to figure out some... Different, arrangement with who tells who what to do."

There was no way Bill didn't see right through him. Dipper snatched his book up and threw it open, not even to the right page, covering his reddened face. He hated Bill. He hated his body. And he hated that he had no idea what to do with his feelings. Living with Bill would be Hell for sure. A hot Hell, but still Hell.

#drabbles #billdip #idk I really felt this while I wrote it so like #I hope people like it #even tho it's short and opens up a world I have no intentions to build on lol #oh whale #my writing

[kenyatta]

Here and in communities across the country, the dollar store has supplanted the grocery store as the place where many Americans buy their food. Dollar General and its rival Family Dollar (which was acquired by Dollar Tree in 2015) have scattered 24,000 stores across urban and rural landscapes, more than 8,000 of them opened in the last decade alone. The chains draw an ever-growing percentage of their sales from food, much of it high in calories and low in nutrients, like the Doritos in the central aisle at the store on Pine Street. Stores that were once conveniences are now the only places to buy food in some communities. Cities often accept this fate. In fact, they encourage it. Since 2001, Dollar General and Dollar Tree have received more than $130 million in tax breaks and other financial incentives around the country, according to Good Jobs First, an organization that tracks government subsidies. Tulsa decided to fight. “When you let the market dictate, that’s how you end up with poor, disenfranchised communities,” says Vanessa Hall-Harper, a councilwoman representing this largely black area of the city. “Because if the market is dictating, then there’s no soul in that process. It’s whatever makes money.”

Opinion | How a City Fought Runaway Capitalism and Won - The New York Times

#dollar stores #disenfranchisement