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#only mentioned tho
stacytea · 4 months
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Maedhros during the War of Wrath
I've been thinking a lot about it lately. Here comes a big hc drop: For starters let me say, I imagine the War of Wrath as maybe not a really long conflict, at least not very long for elvish standards, but a very devastating one. Beleriand was hardly liveable at this point, so I imagine that most of the supplies they had was what the host of Aman had brought with them. Considering that, they probably started running out of things after the first couple of years of war effort. Yes, the Balar island was still functioning at this point, but I don't think they had strong enough economy to do much more than sustain themselves and I think maybe there were some rare deliveries from Valinor from time to time, but I have this idea that it wasn't nearly enough. The war was consuming way more resources than could've been provided and as the time was going on it was getting gradually worse. Like I think that at the most critical point there were deficiencies of literally everything, from food & medical supplies to clothes & weapons. They stopped sending archers to fight, because there was no material to make arrows anymore, thousands of soldiers were dying from curable injuries, because the healers (there was a very strong shortcoming of them as well) didn't even have things as basic as bandages & maintaining hygiene was nearly impossible ( don't get me started on how it impacted Elrond who I headcanon to be one of the healers there and only something like 18 in human years and had to witness something like 5 out of 6 of his patients die and there was no time to even sleep, not to mention rest, because every wasted second is a lost life and there was just an overwhelming amount of death and despair all around him, and he wasn't able to do anything about it, wasn't able to really help) So let's imagine these thousands of exhausted, underfed, miserable, war-worn, I would even dare to say - halfway dead people, who just want this horror to end.... and then there's Maedhros. Maedhros, who had survived horrors far worse back when he had been a prisoner in angband, had survived hunger that could never be compared by any means to these little food deficiencies he had to deal with now, yeah, he didn't get to eat anything in three days, so what? This guy had watched his own downfall from the front row, had slayed civilians in Doriath and Sirion instead of fighting Morgoth... And now he was back where he belonged. On the frontlines. Leading armies against the enemy. Once again doing what he knew he should've been doing all that time. I believe during the War of Wrath Maedhros was more alive than he ever had been since his husband's Fingon's death. He was literally radiating energy and charisma, his mental state was very much improved. Once again he was Maedhros the tall, the Lord of Himring a Noldorin Warlord, not some heinous murderer, not a monster. For the first time in many years he was doing something that actually felt right.
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wolffoxnation2 · 1 month
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The Cupid scene but make it unrequited? Valgrace
Meant to finish this yesterday but couldn't get it done in time so heres it now. I'm not completly happy with it but im just glad its done.
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"You cannot lie to Cupid, Leo Valdez. If you let your shame and sadness rule you...well, your fate will be even sadder than mine," Favonius said, and Leo could have sworn there was pity in his eyes before the god disappeared in the wind.
Leo felt like he was back in Khione's ice palace. There was no way this wind god he just met knew his deepest, darkest, never-to-be-said-out-loud feelings. Right?.
Right?.
No, he must be talking about something else, and Leo is just being stupid and paranoid. He has to be.
Fortunately, or, more unfortunately, Leo didn't have the time to dwell on the ominous words of wind gods.
Because the ground was shaking. Why was the ground shaking?
So. A voice said.
Something zipped past his face and nicked his ear, throwing him off his feet and into Jason. Pain blossomed in his right ear, and he was pretty sure he was bleeding.
"You okay?" Jason asked, catching him in his strong arms.
Leo winced, holding a hand to his injured ear as he scrambled to his feet, trying not to think about the fact he just fell in Jason's arms. "Yeah, I'm good," he muttered.
You come to claim the sceptre. The voice said behind them, more like stating rather than asking.
Leo turned to where the voice was coming from, but no one was there.
"Cupid!" Jason called, standing at Leo's back with his sword drawn, "Where are you?".
The voice—Cupid laughed. It definitely did not sound like it belonged to a sweet baby angel's. It sounded rich and velvety but also threatening— like an ember in a fire before burning a house to the ground.
Where you least expect me. Cupid answered, As love usually is.
Leo's heart skipped a beat as something invisible slammed into Jason and hurled him across the street. He toppled down a set of concrete steps and sprawled on the floor of an excavated Roman basement.
I thought you'd know better, Jason. Cupid's voice circled overhead like a vulture. You've found true love after all. Or do you still doubt yourself?
"Jason!" Leo screamed, scrambling down the steps.
Jason took his hand and got to his feet. "I'm okay! Just sucker punched by an angel."
Oh, Did you expect me to play fair? Cupid laughed. Make no mistake; I am no angel, Jason Grace. I am Love. I am never fair. 
Oh boy, do I know that. Leo thought dryly before Jason swept him off his feet.
Literally not...not metaphorically.
Leo was swept into Jason's chest as Jason intercepted an arrow that would have gone straight into Leo's chest with his sword. The arrow exploded against the nearest wall, giving them a nice limestone shower.
Of course, Jason wasn't done giving Leo butterflies in his stomach and grabbed his hand, pulling him up the steps and behind another wall as another arrow rained down on them, shattering a column nearby into a thousand pieces.
"Is this guy Love or Death?" Jason growled, still holding Leo's hand.
Thanatos and I are often not so different. Cupid said from somewhere above, except Death is usually kinder.
Leo understood that more than he should: Death is just...well, death. The End. Just boom, you're dead! No more pain. No more problems. And if you're lucky, you get to chill in Elysium for eternity. 
While Love is...terrifying: It hurts, sometimes it doesn't last long, and some just don't get it (cough cough).
"We just want the sceptre!" Jason shouted, poking his head above the stone wall. "We're trying to stop Gaia! Are you on the gods' side or not?"
A second arrow shot at the air dangerously close to Jason's head, landing on the ground near Leo's feet and glowing white-hot. 
The arrow's temperature shot past 2,397 F (Hephaestus power.) before combusting into a geyser of flame. 
Love is on every side. Cupid said. "And no one's side. Don't ask what Love can do for you.
"Great," Jason said. "Now he's spouting greeting cards as well as trying to kill us."
"It's official. Queen was right; Too much Love kills you," Leo joked. If Love is gonna kill him in the end, then at least he wants to make Jason laugh before they both die.
Leo caught a ghost of a smile on Jason's lips before another arrow landed between them, ruining the moment.
You can't hide from Love. It will always find you no matter what. Cupid's voice said nearby.
Leo's hair sparked; the idea of burning the feathers off that smug, overgrown chicken's wings was getting more and more enticing. He knew Cupid was toying with them, enjoying their discomfort as he shot his stupid arrows.
Another arrow narrowly missed him, and something inside of him snapped.
He snatched the arrow up and threw it back where it came from. "Enough games, show yourself!"
Lucky for him, he had good aim. The arrow hit something and hung in the air for a moment before dissolving, leaving no trace: not even a spot of ichor that could help pinpoint his location.
"...Very good, Leo," Cupid said, though it was strained. There wasn't a wound, but it must have hurt. "At least you can sense my presence. Even getting a glance at true love is more than most Heroes manage. Maybe there's hope for you after all".
"So we get the sceptre?" Jason asked.
Cupid laughed. Leo was seriously getting sick of that laugh.
Oh no, there is still much you can do for me.
Jason started to speak, "But—"
An arrow shot through the air, zipping past Jason and hitting Leo square in the shoulder.
"Leo!"
There was a burst of pain in Leo's right shoulder, and suddenly, he was back at the Wilderness School again.
He had just met this cool guy, Jason. He was also a foster kid like him. Jason seemed too good for a school like this. He wouldn't tell him and Piper what he was here for, just that his case worker, Juna— Juno or something — sent him here.
Piper told him later on that she thought Jason was kinda hot.
Leo thought so too but he didn't tell her that. 
Another arrow hit him in the back this time. 
He wasn't sure when Piper and Jason started dating; it had only felt like a day had passed since they met.
He pretended it didn't hurt.
He didn't dare ruin their happiness.
So he just smiled and bared it every time they flirted with each other and told jokes every time they kissed.
"Stop it!" Leo shrieked, "None of it was real! Hera faked everything!"
Not everything, Cupid said softly, and a third arrow dug into his skin.
This time he was on their first quest in Boreas's ice palace.
Khione told them he couldn't come with them to see Boreas because of his fire.
He played it off that he wasn't hurt about it, even though it did. It wasn't the first or last time someone was scared of him.
Jason tried to defend him at first with his hand on Leo's shoulder, which only made him love him more.
And it sting more when Jason walked away holding hands with Piper, leaving him alone with Cal.
It was fine. None of it was real, not even his feelings were, and even if they were, it's not like he could act on them. He was just the funny guy, the mechanic, the seventh wheel. He wasn't supposed to fall for his male best friend, who was already dating his other best friend. He wasn't supposed to want something more than friendship with Jason.
He bit back the tears that were already threatening to fall. The grass at his feet was starting to smoke. "Show yourself!" He screamed.
It is a costly thing, Cupid said, looking on the true face of Love.
Another column shattered. Jason barely scrambled out of its way in time.
My wife Psyche learned that lesson, Cupid said, She was brought here aeons ago when this was the site of my palace. We only met in the dark. She was warned to never look upon me, and yet she could not stand the mystery. She feared I was a monster. One night, she lit a candle and beheld my face as I slept.
Jason said something, but Leo couldn't hear him over the sound of his own heart pounding in his chest. He could still somehow hear Cupid though. Of course, Love was the only thing he could hear other than his heart.
Cupid laughed from somewhere at the edge of the Amphitheater. I was too handsome, actually. A mortal can't look upon a god's true appearance without suffering grave consequences; just look at poor Semele. My mother, Aphrodite, cursed Psyche for her distrust. My poor lover was tormented, forced into exile and given impossible tasks to prove herself. She was even sent to the underworld on a quest to show her dedication. She earned her way back to me, but she suffered greatly.
Leo had no clue what he was talking about, but it sounded like he was a terrible husband.
Jason thrust his sword into the sky like he was a demigod He-man and was about to yell, 'By the power of Jupiter!' and beat up Cupid.
Unfortunately, he did not do that. 
Instead, the ground shook, and lightning blasted a crater where Cupid's voice was coming from.
There was silence, and for a moment Leo thought it was over and that they could get the sceptre and leave. And hopefully, never speak of this day again.
Leo should have known they were never that lucky.
An invisible force—Cupid, knocked Jason to the ground, sending his sword skittering across the road.
A good try, Cupid said, his voice already distant. But love isn't so easily pinned down.
A wall collapsed, Jason barely managed to roll out of the way.
That was enough for Leo.
"Hey!" Leo yelled, waving his arms around. "It's me you want! Not him!. Leave him alone!"
Poor Leo Valdez. The god's voice was patronizing and tinged with disappointment. Do you really know what You want, much less what I want? My beloved Psyche risked everything in the name of Love to win my trust back. And you — what have You risked in my name?
"I'm literally saving the world!" He yelled, clenching his fists, "I've faced way worse! You don't scare me!"
I scare you very, very much. Face me. Be honest.
Jason struggled to get up off the ground, and a piece of Leo's heart broke. This was all his fault. He knew exactly what Cupid wanted. But he didn't want to admit it just yet.
All around Leo, the ground started to heat up. Grass smoked, and stones steamed.
"Give us Diocletian's sceptre." He said, trying to put his best brave face on. "We don't have time for games."
Games? Leo's breath was knocked away as a hand slapped him sideways into a granite pedestal. Love is no game! It is no flowery softness! It is hard work — a quest that never ends. It demands everything you have — especially honesty. Only then does it rewards.
Pain blosomed from Leo's...everywhere. His head spun from the pain, and the ground started to heat up more. Stones were starting to crack, and the grass was starting to spark. All it would take was one more push, and everything would burn.
Jason was up now and had retrieved his sword, "Leo!" he called, "What does this guy want from you?".
Leo's lip trembled. Everything was going so wrong. He didn't want to admit it. He didn't want to tell Jason. "I don't know!" He yelled back, and an arrow embedded itself in the pedestal, inches away from Leo's face.
Tell him, Leo Valdez, Cupid ordered. His voice was starting to get less patient now. Tell him you're a coward, that you're afraid of yourself and your feelings. Tell him why you hide among your machines like your father. Tell him the real reason you run and why you're always alone.
Leo gritted his teeth, his entire body trembling with pain and frustration. Cupid's words cut through him like a knife, exposing the raw truth that he had been desperately trying to bury.
The grass started to burn and the stone's cracks got bigger.
"I... I can't," Leo stammered, his voice barely above a whisper. "I can't tell him."
Cupid's laughter echoed around them, mocking and cruel. "You see, Jason Grace? Your friend is afraid. Afraid of his own feelings, afraid of the truth. He hides behind his jokes and his bravado, but deep down, he knows."
Leo let loose a guttural scream, and like a volcano erupting; everything exploded at once.
Magma burst from the rocks, splitting them wide open. The grass combusted into green flames — Greek fire —he really is going to burn everything down.
"H—haaa"
Leo laughed through the tears. It was really all he could do and all he really ever did. It was funny really; he'd worked so hard to shove everything down, yet it was all destroyed in a fiery explosion in less than an hour.
A nearby tree collapsed dangerously close to Jason as the fire consumed it. "Leo! What is he talking about?" He almost couldn't hear his voice over the fire.
Will you hide forever, Leo Valdez? Cupid taunted, who unfortunately can still be heard because not even fire can shut him up. Will you let fear rule your heart, or will you finally have the courage to face the truth?
He didn't want to face the truth. He was too scared of what would happen. What might Jason say. How he'd react.
He just wanted to keep things the same.
Even if it kills him.?
Leo sobbed, and the flames burned brighter. If this was love then he didn't want it. Or maybe if love was this painful then he deserved it. Another arrow pierced his back—or maybe that was the feeling of his heart breaking more—and more images flashed through his mind.
He was back on that mountain in Colorado. Jason had his arms around Piper, his face scrunched up in concern. Leo pretended it didn't bother him. It was cold, and Piper ended up getting hyperthermia. He had tried to ignore the aching in his chest. He didn't want to think about how much he wanted to be in her place.
After their quest, they left him alone while he worked on the Argo II. He named it after the ship the first Jason sailed on.
It was all for Jason.
He was back on the Argo right after he had fired on New Rome—Jason's home. Everyone was angry with him, and Jason was in the infirmary; some asshole threw a brick at his head. 
He didn't go down to him. He couldn't face Jason.
It was all his fault.
Jason got hurt because of him.
And he didn't even have the guts to face him.
There were more scenes like this flooding his senses. At some point, his brain switched off, and he was just drowning in agony. He couldn't move or speak.
He was weak.
Meanwhile, the flames grew to an inferno of green and reds, drowning out everything. Leo's hair was a white flame. An outline of wings caught fire for a moment before being put out again.
"Interesting!" Cupid's voice said from somewhere above. Do you have strength after all?
"I...I can't," Leo said, though it sounded more like a whimper. He was on his knees now. 
Heh, too weak to admit your feelings and too weak to stand, his mind mocked in Cupid's voice.
Still hiding, Cupid said above, a flame burned an outline of a wing tip before going out again. You do not have the strength.
Leo sobbed. He really was weak. He was going to burn everything down just because he didn't want to admit his feelings.
"Leo" Jason yelled from somewhere. "It's okay! I get it!"
Leo stared at the burning grass below him. It was too hot for tears to fall. Only steam came from his eyes. 
"No, you don't," He said defeatedly. Jason didn't understand. He couldn't understand. If he understood, then he wouldn't be so nice to Leo. "There's no way you understand. If you did you'd hate me".
And so you run away again, Cupid chided, From yourself, from your feelings, and from your friends.
The fire had engulfed Cupid's wings now. But the god laughed cruelly and blew it away.
"Leave him alone Cupid," Jason croaked somewhere. "This isn't your..."
Oh gods, he was hurting Jason again. The smoke is choking him.
Cupid's laugh echoed from above the flames. But oh, it is exactly my business, Jason Grace. Love is me. I am love.
"Leo!" Jason choked out through the smoke.
Oh, you're killing him, you're killing him. Leo's brain screamed. You're a monster, you're such a fucking monster, and you're weak.
"Look, I don't care if you're in love with Piper!" 
He doesn't understand. He doesn't. He doesn't. Leo's brain screamed over and over again.
Cupid laughed again, and Leo's will broke.
"I—I'm not in love with Piper," Leo said, and everything seemed to go silent.
The fire subsided and all of Leo's fight and denial went out at once.
Cupid circled Leo like a shark. His form was visible now—long blond hair, muscular in a simple white frock and jeans, snowy white wings that were singed at the tips. The bow and quiver slung over his shoulder were weapons of war—not toys. His eyes were as red as blood, as if every heart in the world was broken and squeezed dry into one poisonous mixture.
Leo vaguely recalled that some think that Eros was a son of Ares and Aphrodite. And he could see why:
Love and War were the most painful things in the world.
He gestured for Leo to continue.
"I have a crush on you, Jason." Leo said.
The fire died down so Leo could see Jason's face.
And he swore he saw pity in his eyes.
The End
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j3llyf1shdust · 1 month
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a drabble of some angst (?) I’ve been planning. the AU does NOT start happy. I got too silly.
i just threw up on the paper kinda. I’m better at writing out scenes rather than comicing them. storyboards it maybe the best i cand so, aside from some messy stuff like this.
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dungeonmessy · 1 year
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 i forgot i was supposed to be using tumblr
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cod-dump · 9 months
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au where ghost, gaz and soap are all price's adopted kids and when price finally decided to introduce them to his new boyfriend soap goes ballistic because it turns out to be his very secret older ex - phillip graves who he had nasty break up with and now everyone have to digest two things: that soap apparently had secret older boyfriend and that price apparently had and still has secret younger boyfriend. it's all crack, everyone loses their shit at some point except for nik who is price's very chill ex husband who visits twice a week.
Father's Boyfriend
Fam 141, PriceGraves, past SoapGraves, past PriceNik
TW: Past Abuse, Past Domestic Violence (both are only mentioned a couple times and it doesn’t go into detail)
Ages: Soap- 24, Ghost- 29, Gaz- 26, Price- 56, Graves- 38
(Soap and Graves started dating when Soap was twenty, they broke up after being together for three years)
___
They had a suspicion that their father was seeing someone. It's been a few years now since he and their other dad, Nik, split. Though it was peaceful and mutual, John still chose not to date anyone. So when the late night phone calls started, John being more private about his phone in general, they knew something was up.
"He's definitely dating someone," muttered Kyle.
Johnny hummed in thought, stretched out across Simon's couch. They all had their own places but enjoyed hanging out together. Well, Simon was okay with hanging out with the other two on his terms. Those terms included never being at his house, especially when he wasn't there. But that didn't stop them from copying his key and 'breaking in' to chill and hang out.
The jingling of keys and the front door opening before-
"You fucking assholes."
Johnny and Kyle are unfazed by Simon.
"Hey, Si! Do you think Dad is dating someone?"
Simon walks past them to go into the kitchen, "He's on drugs."
"See, that's what I thought but Kyle says he has to be dating someone."
Kyle scoffs, "The fact you two immediately think our beloved father is on drugs- You're both horrible people."
Simon walks into the living room with a bag of crisps, "Thanks I'm trying."
Johnny laughs as Kyle rolls his eyes. Simon gets a handful of salt and vinegar crisps in his mouth before he speaks.
"I mean, he probably is dating someone. He's been a lot happier lately so we should be happy for him for getting back out there."
"He hasn't introduced us yet."
"Probably wants to make sure this guy is a good fit before introducing him to us. I wouldn't take it too personally."
Johnny crawls over to Simon, "You're so wise, big bro."
He grabs the bag of crisps and darts back to where he was sitting. While Simon and Johnny fought over the bag of crisps, Kyle was in deep thought.
"Do you think we know him?"
Johnny gets shoved to the floor, Simon claiming victory as he settles back down with the crisps, "Maybe. Wouldn't put it past him sneaking his new boyfriend around in plain sight."
Soap gets off the floor, "What if it's someone like our old coach?"
Kyle laughs, "He's so not Dad's type!"
Simon was quiet before he shudders, "Uh, no to that. That guy's a creep."
"The mailman?"
"Oh yes, our father fucking the mailman and it turns out he's our actual father. What a cliché."
Kyle snorts, leaning over to try to grab some crisps.
"Dad has a better taste in men than the mailman or our weird coach from when we played football."
Johnny rolls his eyes as Simon holds the bag of crisps away from Kyle. He gets on his phone to scroll and sees an update from an account on Facebook that he thought he had blocked.
His ex was in town.
"Fuck!"
Simon and Kyle turn to look at Johnny, who froze when he realized he had said that out loud. He slowly looks at his brothers, both staring at him in concern and confusion. All he could do was smile before getting up and running to the bathroom. Johnny locks the door, leaning on the sink as he takes a deep breath. He looks back at his phone, scrolling through the man's profile, which had previously been empty after their breakup. He deleted pretty much everything that had Johnny in it and disappeared.
And now he's crawling back out of the woodwork.
Why is he coming here? What reason does he have to come back here if not to talk to Johnny?
"Fuck fuck fuck-"
"Johnny? You good?"
Johnny stiffens, "Uh, fine! Just, uh- Feeling sick!"
"That's what you get for trying to steal my food," Simon joked even though it was obvious he was worried.
"Need anything? Medicine?"
"Antacids would be great."
Thankfully Simon was the type to just not have basic things like Antacids (because he's weird) so one of them would have to go out and get some. Hopefully Simon was the one to go out because Johnny knows if/when he finds out about why Johnny is freaking out he'll be met with judgement. Kyle was more understanding. There was some muttering outside before one of them walked off. Johnny sighs, not sure which left.
"So... are you actually sick or is this about something else?"
Oh good, Kyle stayed.
Johnny cracks the door open, making sure Kyle was alone before he opens it all the way.
"Don't get mad."
Kyle narrows his eyes, "Why would I get mad?"
Johnny fidgets his hands together, "Remember when we said we wouldn't keep secrets from each other?"
Kyle glares, "Yes..."
"Well... I may or may have not, uh, kept a pretty big secret from you."
Kyle pinches the bridge of his nose, a habit the three brothers shared after watching their father do it for so long.
"Fucking hell... Alright, what is it?"
Johnny braces himself for Kyle's reaction.
"My ex is in town..."
Kyle stares, "Ex? Which one?"
"The one I knew you wouldn't have approved of so I never told you about him..."
There was a good bit of silence before Kyle turned and walked back down the hall, not saying a word. Johnny winces, slowly following him. When Kyle goes into the kitchen and grabs Simon's whiskey, Johnny knew that his brother was holding back on saying something potentially hurtful.
"I don't think Si would appreciate you drinking his good stuff."
Kyle glares at Johnny, "I think he would rather me not kill you."
Simon came back around twenty minutes later and immediately notices that Kyle was drinking his booze. He glares at while dropping the bag of medicine on the counter.
"I was saving that for a special occasion."
"Think this qualifies as a 'special occasion'. Right, Johnny?"
Simon turns to Johnny, who was sitting on the couch, trying to appear as small as possible.
"It's not that big of a deal..."
Kyle scoffs, "You dare to say that after what you told me?"
Simon looks between Kyle and Johnny before finally just stopping to look at Johnny.
"What's going on?"
Kyle stares at Johnny, giving him a chance to tell Simon himself. But Johnny didn't, only stumbled over his words while he tried to defend himself from Kyle's judgement. Kyle turns to Simon, taking a sip of whiskey before he speaks.
"Remember when we told each other we would always tell one another about our relationships? You know, the promise we made after you were hospitalized by your shitty ex?"
Simon snaps his head towards Johnny, "Johnny..."
"Oh, and remember when Johnny 'lost' five hundred pounds from our savings?"
"JOHNNY-!"
Johnny throws his hand sup, standing, "Look! I knew you guys weren't going to like him but I did like him! So I held off on telling you guys about him!"
"You stole money for him-!"
"Also went street racing with him, illegal boxing matches, did drugs-"
"It was just weed!"
Simon was so angry about what he was learning that he was unable to speak. He just throws his hands around while strangled sounds escaped from his mouth. Soap genuinely feared for his safety. He's seen what Simon is capable of. But, Simon does nothing. He calms down enough to grab Soap and forces him to sit back on the couch, sitting next to him while he does.
"Johnny... we made that promise for a reason."
Johnny remembers what happened to Simon, what he looked like in that hospital bed, black and blue.
"I know..."
He figured he would never have to come clean about his dirty secret. But here they were, his brothers staring in disappointment and guilt practically drowning him.
"I wasn't worried anything would happen. He did crazy things but he wasn't that kind of person."
"You think I was worried? That shit happened overnight, Johnny."
Kyle sighs, "We're upset because we care, Johnny. You're our baby brother."
"I know... Don't tell Dad."
"Not in a million years. He's been watching me like a hawk since that day. Don't want to put you in the spotlight... Unless you give us a reason to."
"No more secrets, got it?"
"Yea. No more secrets."
Johnny was hoping that would be the end of it. Other than watching his surroundings more and being very careful about where he was and when (matching where his ex's updates told him where he was), things went back to normal. No weirdness from Simon (more than usual) or further questions from Kyle. Nothing. Just plain old normalcy.
That didn't happen. He didn't know what to expect when they were heading to their father's house for a family dinner. He assumed it would be like all the others so he just grabbed some drinks to bring.
"When's the last time we had a family dinner at Dad's?"
Simon hummed as he thought, "Been a good couple months. He's been pretty busy lately."
"Yea, he has been pretty busy," Kyle says in agreement, eyes flickering from the road to Simon.
Johnny, as usual, was in the backseat. It was Kyle's car (he refuses to let anyone drive it) and Simon also gets shotgun (because he will bully Johnny out of it if Johnny doesn't let him have it). So, he sat in the back, stretched out.
"What if he wants us to finally meet his boyfriend?"
Kyle and Simon blink, apparently that hadn't crossed their minds.
"Holy shit-"
"If I don't like him I'm going to fight him."
"Simon-"
They noticed a car parked next to their father's SUV that none of them recognized.
"Oh shit-"
They got out of the car and Kyle ran around and grabbed Simon before he got to the front door.
"Behave."
"I always behave!"
"No, you don't!"
Johnny walks around them, snickering. He looks at the car as he passes it, seeing something faintly familiar inside it on the passenger seat. It was a shirt with a logo on it but he didn't stay long enough to figure out why it was familiar. He didn't want to seem weird by staring into the car of their father's guest. They got to the front door and Simon bangs on the door excessively.
"Dad! Hey Dad? Dad! Father! Father- Hello!?"
Kyle glares at Simon while Johnny laughs, "You're going to be insufferable tonight, aren't you?"
Simon stops and looks at Kyle, not saying a word but the smirk on his face said plenty. The door opens and there stood their father, glaring at Simon with little to no heat.
"You boys don't have to knock."
Simon shrugs, "Don't have to but I wanted to."
John rolls his eyes before pulling Simon into a hug. He grabs Kyle next, squeezing him, before pulling Johnny into a hug.
"Been too long since I've last seen all of my boys in one place."
He ushers them all inside but keeps them in the front parlor. This only confirmed that he had a very special guest over, somewhere else in the house. Also going off of how nervous their father seemed to be helped enforce that. Simon was the one who decided to say something as John took the wine that Johnny brought.
"Sooo... where is he?"
John freezes and Kyle smacks Simon's shoulder. Johnny could see the panic in John's eyes, something he can't say he's ever seen on his father before.
"Uh-"
"You know, the owner of that shiny, new BMW?"
John takes a deep breath, "Can't hide anything from you. Never could..."
Johnny last heard John say that when Simon uncovered that him and Nik were getting a divorce. Simon has always been good at finding out things, which why it was a miracle that Johnny managed to hide a whole relationship from him. He figured once the money went missing that he would've started snooping.
"Have a seat, boys."
Simon plops down, keeping his eyes on their father. Kyle and Johnny sit on the loveseat, eyes darting between Simon and John. John gave himself a moment to think about what he was going to say before he looked up.
"I've met someone."
"We know."
John narrows his eyes, "How long?"
"Dad... you have been the opposite of subtle."
John snorts, "And here I thought I was doing a good job of keeping quiet."
Kyle makes a error sound which makes Johnny and Simon laugh. John shakes his head before he sighs.
"The... guy I've been with is... a little younger."
The three gasp dramatically, "Dad!"
"It wasn't like I was expecting a relationship to happen!"
Kyle points at John, grabbing his attention, "How young are we talking?"
"He's thirty-eight."
"Wow-"
"I wasn't aiming to start anything with him!"
"How'd you meet him?"
John seemed thankful for Johnny changing the subject, "Met him while out on a company retreat. He was from some firm in the US and they flew out and joined us."
"Ooh! Romance with the enemy?"
"Shadow Co. is freelance. Not exactly our 'enemy'."
Johnny blinks, feeling panic swell up in his chest. Shadow Co.? The guy's age--
Nope! Just a coincidence! There is no way-
"So scandalous~"
"Have you snuck him around us?"
"No, I didn't sneak him around. Didn't really have to since you boys moved out."
Johnny swallows, "What's his name?"
John seems to not notice the shake in Johnny's voice. But Simon and Kyle do, the two turning to look at their brother in concern. John gets up, heading to the hall. He calls for the man who Johnny was praying that didn't turn out to be who he was thinking of.
"Phil! Mind coming in here?"
His heart drops, Johnny feeling lightheaded as he sees his ex come around the corner into the room. He's smiling at John, practical hearts in his eyes. Then he turns and he spots Johnny, those hearts popping as he pales in shock and horror.
"Boys, this is Phillip Graves. My boyfriend."
Simon's eyes widen and he looks to Johnny, jaw dropped. Kyle covers his mouth, cursing as he leans back against the loveseat.
"Johnny? Is there something wrong-"
John notices Phillip's face, the man rubbing his eyes, shaking his head-- Doing everything that he can to change what he was seeing. Finally, Phillip stops, turning to John.
"That's- He's your son!?"
John stares into Phillip's eyes before horror comes across his face, "You-You said your ex was Johnny MacTavish!"
Simon practically screams, "YOU USED A DIFFERENT NAME!?"
"JOHNNY!"
Phillip, unable to say anything else, turns and walks out of the room. John leans on the wall, taking several deep breaths in a attempt to calm himself down. Johnny was full-blown panicking at this point, unsure what the hell is going on.
"This is a joke- A prank! He's not your boyfriend!"
"You dated a man fourteen years older than you!? When did this happen!?"
John looks between Kyle and Simon, "Did you two know about this!?"
"Only recently."
John gaps, throwing his hands in the air, "Fucking hell!"
Johnny was borderline hyperventilating. At least he thinks he is, he's never panicked like this before. Johnny felt his vision start to go black.
"Johnny- Breathe. Easy-"
He felt Kyle hold onto him. Johnny was unable to say anything or see anything due to his blurry vision-- Which added onto his panic. Kyle coached him through his panic attack (he wasn't sure if that was one or not, he's never had one before), helping him regain his ability to breathe. His brother rubbed his back as he slowly calmed down, now able to see again.
"Where's Dad and Simon?"
"Si stepped out with Dad. He wasn't processing this well, either."
Johnny let's out a shaky breath. They sit there in silence before Kyle finally speaks.
"This... is a lot... God, feel like we're on some drama TV show."
Johnny laughs at that, unsure of what to do. This did feel like the plot of some low budget soap opera.
Some god is laughing their ass off right now...
Kyle stands, Johnny turning to look at him.
"I'm going to go check on Phillip."
"You are?"
"This has to be as much of a nightmare to him as it is to you."
"Right..."
"I'll be... somewhere. Don't know where he went. Call me if you need something."
Kyle leaves and Johnny was alone. He puts his head in his hands, cursing at his shit luck. He was beyond shocked by how something like this could happen. His father is dating his ex.
"Oh my god..."
Someone walks into the room and he braced himself. He looks up to see his father standing there, clearly processing this as well as him. Simon was standing in the doorway.
"I'm going to grab a beer. God this is some wacky shit-"
With that, he left. John sighs and walks over to the couch and sits. He rests his arms on his knees, staring intently ahead of him. He clearly wanted to say something but couldn't figure out how to say it. Johnny swallows, never in his life did he think he would end up in a situation like this. They sat there in uncomfortable silence before Johnny finally couldn't take it anymore.
"So... how did you, uh, get with him?"
John turns and stares at his son, blinking, "Are you asking me when I hooked up with Phil?"
Johnny cringes, "No! I meant like, when did you two start going out? How did you get with him?"
"You act like he's a bad guy."
"He's not! He-He's just- UGH!"
Johnny holds his head in his hands, frustrated by his inability to say what he was thinking. John, externally, kept calm.
John sighs, "He told me that his last relationship didn't end well... which was a year ago..."
Johnny slumps against the back of the couch, "Yea... we got into a fight..."
"Phil told me it was because his ex lied to him about something... that something being how old he was."
Johnny winces, "Yea... Kind of told him I was older than what I looked... Even made a whole other Facebook account to trick him into believing me."
John blinks, "You... Johnny-"
Johnny stands, pacing the room, "Look, this is fucking weird as shit, okay. You're dating my ex! How the fuck does something like that happen!? How do you manage to get with my ex- Why didn't he break up with you when you showed pictures of us!? You had to show him pictures of your sons, right!?"
"I-I didn't exactly get around to doing that... I didn't want to scare him off."
Johnny stares hard at his father, "WHAT!?"
"Johnny, he's only nine years older than Simon! I told him about you boys and if he wanted to know more about you guys I would tell him! If he wanted to see pictures I would've shown him! I was following his lead, going the pace he set."
John takes a breath, "This is a very... interesting situation. One I didn't think I would ever be involved in."
Johnny stops by the window of the parlor, looking outside. He tenses when he sees Phillip out there, leaning against his car with Kyle talking to him. They both seemed relatively calm, though Phillip had a cigarette between his lips.
"I don't remember him ever smoking..."
John walks over by the window, "I kind of got him hooked... never did say I was a good influence."
Johnny snorts, "And you wonder why we're all menaces…"
"Hey, it wasn't all me. Your father doesn't exactly have the best track record, either!"
"Does... does Dad know you're dating?"
"He's the one who finally pushed me to getting back out there. Said that I was 'keeping myself miserable'."
"Does he make you happy?"
He already knew the answer to that. They've seen how much happier their father had become since 'sneaking' around with his new boyfriend. More genuine smiles. Deep, hearty laughs (laughing in general had cut back after him and Nik split). He was happy, he acted happy. But Johnny needed to hear him say it.
"Yea... I am happy. Even if this whole situation is weird- If he chooses to stay... I'd still be happy."
Johnny didn't even think about Phillip possibly leaving his dad over this. If he did he couldn't blame him. Johnny could see fear and sadness cloud over John as he watched Phillip through the window. If Phillip left... he'd be sad again.
Johnny steps away from his father, leaving the parlor.
"Johnny? Where are you going?"
"Gonna have a word with Phillip."
Johnny goes outside, Phillip visibly tensing when he saw him. Kyle turns and is surprised to see him.
"Hey, Johnny... Uh, is everything okay?"
Johnny keeps his eyes on Phillip, "Yea... go talk with Dad. And make sure Simon hasn't drank all the beer. I'm definitely going to want one."
Kyle blinks before stepping away, heading back into the house. Phillip avoids eye contact, reaching up and taking the cigarette from his lips.
"When did you start smoking?"
Phillip still isn't looking at him, "Two months ago... kinda started stealing them from John..."
Johnny takes a breath, looking towards the window he and John were staring out of and was glad to see that no one was looking out of it. The tension in the air was suffocating, he couldn't handle having eyes on him.
"Did you know who he was?"
Phillip finally looks at him, "What?"
"Did you know he was my dad?"
"Pff- Fuck no. I've done some weird shit but I've never went out and purposely dated one of my exes' parents!"
Johnny rubs the back of his neck, "Fucking insane shit here..."
Phillip hums in agreement. There was awkward silence, Johnny trying to urge himself to break it and say what he needed to say.
"I'm sorry about what happened."
"Which part? You lying about your age? Stealing shit from your family for me and making me feel indebted to them despite having never met them? What about you using me to get weed or get into illegal fights so you could gamble? Or, is it you lying about who you were? You're not Johnny MacTavish! You're fucking Johnny Price. And, if I had know that, I wouldn't have started fucking your dad!"
Johnny winces, the anger from what happened still very much there. Johnny knows he hurt Phillip. He couldn't argue with it, either.
"Did you tell him all that I did?"
"Parts of it. Didn't feel right bashing some immature kid who fooled me in front of a potential new partner."
"Right-"
"Why'd you come out here?"
"I wanted to apologize..."
Phillip scoffs in response to that.
"And... I wanted to ask if you would stay with my dad."
Phillip blinks before he looks back to Johnny, "What?"
"Look, he's been miserable and lonely since him and our other dad split. Ever since you two started seeing each other he's gotten so happy! Yes, it's fucking weird as hell that you're the guy he's dating, but you're also they guy that makes him so happy. He'll be crushed if you leave."
Phillip looks over Johnny, seeming genuinely surprised by what he had said. Johnny turns his body so he's facing the house rather than facing Phillip. He could feel the man's eyes burning into him, making him feel so small.
"You really care about him..."
"Yea, he's my dad. Been there for me during the roughest points in my life. I want him to be happy."
"And... you think he still wants to be with me after learning about what happened between us?"
"Yea, I do."
Johnny looks back to Phillip.
"You grew up."
"Only been a year."
"Not like that."
"Oh..."
Phillip finishes his cigarette, leaning down and stubbing it into the driveway before he puts the bud in the ashtray in his car. Without saying anything else, he walks past Johnny and goes back to the house. Johnny breathes out, wondering the future would bring them.
___
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imtheeweirdo · 9 months
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Idk, I saw ppl talking about the "dadbastion" thing and decided to draw this crap thing w/Grell lol
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k1tz · 2 months
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Hi i wanted to animate so have mgs characters flail around :3
the original audio is here!! (Its only in the beginning so yeah,,,)
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yourclownpal · 2 years
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THE PATH WEEK 2022!
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Day 2 : Favorite Wolf
My favorite wolf is Gingers wolf the Girl in Red! Similarly with Ginger being my favorite of the Red sisters, her being apart of Gingers story is what makes her my favorite.
Here ive drawn her in the flower field shes found in, Spinning/dancing with flowers and barbed wire spiraling around her. The lighting is warm but ive perposly made the shadows colder.
The only things ive changed from her original design is adding the bow at her waist, freakles and the beaded hair-ties, along with making her hair textured with layed edges.
Ive seen a few different interpretations of what she means in the conext of gingers story but honestly i think all of them have the potential to be true. The period allegory with the flowers and the barbed wire makes alot of sense, and ginger running from/not wanting to conform to femininity also makes sense to me, but i do also like the idea that the GiR is someone ginger had a crush on perhaps offering him pads? Either way i dont think that the GiR is bad sure the experience of growing up and puberty can be. But I think that maybe the GiR was the only good part about that to ginger, with growing up comes sexuality, and sexuality becomes friends and partners(or lack there of ofc). While others may find ginger weird or judge them i think the GiR doesnt.
Its stated that ginger is a bit of a loner a lone wolf if you will. But maybe the GiR is their only friend, perhaps the GiR is the only person she feels gets them.
I may be projecting a little bit at the end there but its a nice thought
(side note if i used any terminology wrong specifically about her hair please correct/inform me im fairly certain i got things correct but if i didnt i wont hesitate to fix it : -) )
REBLOGS WOULD BE NICE : -)
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kiunlo · 7 months
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People always say shit like "it's more afraid of you than you are of it!" when it comes to creatures people find scary or have phobias of, and while I kinda understand the reasoning behind it, when it comes to my personal fear of spiders, it is just blatantly fucking untrue.
Like...do spiders have emotions? Aren't they supposed to be really simple creatures? Do they feel fear at all? I don't know and I will never pretend like I know shit about spiders, but if they do feel any type of emotion, I promise you it is nothing in comparison to my own long-term, dibilitating, fucked up terror. Do you think spiders are having nightmares about humans for their entire lives that scare the shit out of them and wake them up out of their sleep? Are spiders avoiding people's homes because of how terrified they are of humans? No, because if they were as scared (or even more scared) of me as I was of them, I'm not sure I'd even have such a massive deal with spiders because they would fucking run away from me the moment they saw me! In fact, given how many spiders like to come into my room and chill out, I'd say they don't give a goddamn shit about my presence until I actively interfere with their business. But me? I don't even want them anywhere in the entire house, let alone my own room. So no, Janet, the spiders are not fucking more scared of me than I am of it. I promise you I'm the much more scared one, here.
[OP may be terrified of spiders, but he also understands that his fear does not mean he should hurt or kill an innocent creature, and OP would ask that YOU keep any violent desires to hurt spiders or other "gross" or "creepy" animals to your fucking self.]
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warcats-cat · 1 year
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Yuletide Glow
A/N: My very *very* late gift exchange fic for @muppenthings is finally here! I really hope it was worth the wait. Her half of the trade is here; my little Floof AU OC playing with the other Floofs. I treasure it.
For my part, I wrote a little blurb about two of her beloved OC’s, Snuffy the Dragon and his old lady friend Hilda, celebrating Yule. (And I added in a handful of surprises for my fellow long-time Muppen fans.) I did a moderate amount of research, but I’m sure there’s still stuff I got wrong so feel free to leave comments and tell me more about your traditions! Also as always, please shoot me a message/comment if I missed any tags! Anyway, on with the fic!
Alternatively read this on Ao3
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Snuffy felt a firm pat on his nose as he was sniffing at the wooden bowl Hilda had set out. It was a funny shape; oblong, slightly pointed on one end and curved up on the other. It looked like a weird shoe. His ears twitched down slightly at being caught mid-investigation, but Hilda was smiling at him anyway.
"Don't move that. That's your shoe for the Yule Lads." She said gently as she carefully hung a long branch of pine across the top of the window. Snuffy moved and carefully grabbed the branch with his claws, lifting it the extra few centimeters to the hook.
"My what for who?" He rumbled, picking up another branch to hang over the farther window.
"It's an old tradition. You set out a shoe for thirteen nights and if you've been good, the Yule Lads will leave you gifts. And if not, they'll leave something else…" Hilda replied simply. It only left Snuffy more confused.
"Why a shoe? And who're the 'Yule Lads' "
The old woman's smile turned from fond to a touch mischievous, and Snuffy quirked his head.
"They're kind of like elves that like to cause trouble. They're watching to see if children are behaving and doing things like cleaning up after themselves."
"Why do they care, though?" Snuffy's ears perked up, watching as Hilda disappeared back inside the house with a little pine tree in a pot, and reappeared with a very thick oak log, which the dragon carefully took from her as well.
"Well, their mother eats the naughty children." Hilda motioned for Snuffy to put the log down in the little fire pit structure near the cabin, and when he did, she spread some black ashes over the top.
Her explanations weren't making anything clearer for him.
"But why do I have a shoe? I don't wear shoes. And I'm not a hatchling anymore."
Hilda huffed, but her fond smile didn't waver, and she gestured for Snuffy to set his head back down and settle; which he obliged, if for nothing else than to receive a scratching on his nose.
"I thought it would be fun to include you in my Yule celebrations this year, but if you're not interested I can put everything away. The shoe is an old decoration I found in the attic, and it's big enough to plausibly belong to you." She pondered for a bit, and Snuffy rumbled happily at the feeling of her little nails on the soft scales of his snout.
"I didn't say it didn't sound like fun." He replied, after a few minutes of scratching. Hilda perked up and gave him another pat, before going back into the house for another box. "So what do I have to do to be 'good' ?" He asked when she returned.
She chuckled, and began hanging funny looking ornaments on some of the lower trees and bushes. "Oh, you're already good. You'll just have to wait and see if you get any presents."
Looking closer, the ornaments were all simple and covered in seeds and dried berries. Snacks for the other, much smaller wildlife in the area. There were four that were hung very low on the bushes closest to the front door, along with dishes of water that looked to be mixed with honey.
A bundle of fresh daisies from the store in town, catnip, sweet berries, and small strips of dried meat: gifts for the funny spirits that had been wandering around the cabin lately. And sure enough, each ornament had a little scroll with their (assumed) names: Bee, Cat, Raccoon, and Fox.
Snuffy hadn't seen them much this winter. He hoped they were doing well.
They spent most of the afternoon like that; decorating the cabin with the rich greens of pine and holly, placing bundles of mistletoe and colorful candles on a little altar. Hilda finally declared the decorations complete by clipping bells to each of the four corners of the altar cloth.
"There," she said, brushing her hands clean on her skirt.
Watching her, Snuffy rumbled again, "Are you sure the other villagers won't mind me coming tonight?" His ears lowered a touch, betraying his nerves.
Hilda simply flashed her mischievous grin again, "Well, they don't really have a choice. You're my family now, so you're coming. I'm the crazy old lady who lives in the woods. It's not like they can stop me. Unless, of course, you don't want to come?"
He offered her a hesitant smile in response; he couldn't say he wasn't nervous about it. He liked the other people he had met so far, and of course, Hilda would be there the whole time. He'd even been getting more practice at shape-shifting and changing his size.
But all of the times Snuffy had met new people had been only one or two at a time; this would be the whole town. And there was going to be an even bigger Yule log burning in the town square, lots of tables and decorations.
Lots of things to trip over.
Snuffy shook his head, and perked his ears as Hilda finally returned with the last of the evening's necessities: a big pot.
Everyone in town was bringing food tonight; the main event was a big feast in celebration of the gods. Hilda had spent almost all of yesterday cooking something incredibly savory-smelling, and hadn't even let the dragon lick the spoon! 'A surprise,' was all she had said, as she set the kettle aside for the night; the pot stayed warm by the fire and never ceased its temptation of Snuffy's tongue.
Snuffy concentrated hard, closing his eyes. Slowly, he felt magic from the world around him wrap along his body, and he could feel the rushing sensation that came with changing from the size of a house to (roughly) the size of a human.
Even like this, he was well over a foot taller than Hilda, and most of the rest of the town...
He bent just slightly and carefully took the handle from the old woman's grasp, carrying the hefty metal and hearty stew with little effort. Hilda gave him a look, which he knew meant 'I was carrying that just fine'; he responded by raising his eyebrow and one ear, matching her gaze to convey 'I know, but you don't have to carry it when I'm here'.
One of Snuffy's favorite things about living with Hilda was how easily they could communicate without words. So much of dragon language was in face and gesture. It had been an exciting surprise to learn that humans could talk with just their eyes or postures too!
He swished his tail and rolled his shoulders, enjoying the quiet of the forest and the crunch of iced over snow under his feet. Hilda was covered head-to-foot in warm furs and knitted scarves, and her boots made much lighter prints behind them. The silence of their walk was comfortable; friends simply sharing space.
And if the dragon kept his tail loosely circled behind his old friend to catch her if she tripped, that was simply his own secret.
Several minutes of walking finally bled the dark, quiet forest into a warm, glowing town; the edge of the trees gave way to soft flickering torches and candles, and there were ribbons and wreaths and ornaments everywhere.
Snuffy stopped at the tree line, in awe of the sights around him. The center street had been cleared, and the town square held a massive bonfire surrounded by tables and cauldrons. There was more food than Snuffy thought he could eat, even in his massive true dragon form. The whole town had come out to celebrate, people dressed in warm reds and off white, carefully embroidered coats and long twirling cloaks. Several people were wearing wreaths on their heads, decorated with ruby red and sparkling gold flowers.
Hilda must have noticed his pause, and he felt her hand on his back.
"What do you think?" She asked softly.
"It's really beautiful." He replied earnestly.
With a gentle nudge, they began walking again, down into the center of town. The dragon couldn't help feeling a little self-conscious with all the staring, and he felt his ears tilt down slightly without meaning to.
Oh well.
A few townsfolk came to meet the pair, and carefully showed Snuffy where a much smaller fire had been started, to keep the stew warm. As he passed, his nose twitched at the familiar smell of apples and cinnamon, strangely coming from the cauldron next to their own. The girl stirring this cauldron barely looked up as he came over to investigate, and he took a deep breath of the sweet steam coming from the liquid.
"Would you like some?" The girl asked; her voice was unwavering, and she looked back up at him with a cheery smile.
He hesitantly smiled back, moving a little closer. "What is it?" He asked softly in response.
"This is Wassail," the girl replied, giving the pot another stir, "this one is for the kids, but on the other side of the table there's one made with alcohol."
Snuffy tilted his head in question, prompting her to continue, "it's apple cider with honey and a bunch of spices. It's really good for warming up, and it's really sweet."
Well, the dragon didn't have to be asked twice when it came to sweet things made with apples, and his tail swished in excitement as the girl handed him a wooden mug filled with the drink, offering him another smile as she did so.
Snuffy spent a good amount of time just enjoying the smell, remembering Hilda's baking sitting out on the window sill in summer. He turned to comment on the memory, but found the woman no longer at his side. He startled, more than he cared to admit, looking for her, until the girl simply pointed in the direction over his shoulder.
Turning, he saw Hilda standing next to the stew pot they had brought, stirring and adding last-minute spices.
Right. All of the food for the feast was being blessed for the gods, and everyone was putting their best cooking forward to bring a bountiful new year. There had been a ceremony earlier in the day for a sacrifice, a goat being ritually dressed and led through town before being killed in the name of the gods. Part of that offering too was now roasting, being readied for the feast they were about to have.
Not to mention, Hilda had lots of other people she wanted to see tonight, too. Holding the mug protectively, (perhaps tighter than normal,) he wandered back over to her slowly, watching her chat with other older townsfolk. But the second she looked up to see the dragon, her face lit up and she waved him over.
"I see you found the sweets right away," Hilda teased. Snuffy offered a mildly embarrassed smile, and his ears bent down, but he knew she was happy to see him trying something new.
"Did you want one?" He asked, watching the other townsfolk wander away again, over to the tables.
Hilda merely waved him off, "No, no, I'll get something to drink a little later. It's just good to see you enjoying yourself. I really do want you to have fun tonight." She spoke with a warm smile, and he settled himself next to her in the snow, sitting and lightly waving his tail, watching the town.
It was a peaceful night; the sky almost on fire with glowing stars. The dancing bonfire lights reflected against the snow and ornaments, bouncing around the town merrily. There were some more children a little ways off, having a snowball fight.
Someone dropped something itchy over his ears.
His head darted around, moving much faster than he would have intended, to see the girl from the Wassail cauldron standing next to him with her hands out but empty.
Her face was red with embarrassment, but thankfully, she didn't look scared.
"Sorry," she stammered, "I thought you might want something festive to wear too…"
Snuffy's face tilted again, and he reached up to lift the thing from his head - it was a wreath, like he had seen some of the others wearing. Carefully braided branches of holly and pine, tied with the same red and gold flowers, which turned out to be made of fabric.
He smiled back at the girl again, carefully placing the wreath back on and balancing it between his ears.
It fit perfectly.
"You just surprised me a little," he admitted with a shrug. "I'm not usually so easy to sneak up on."
The girl beamed, swinging her arms slightly, which waved the bottom hem of her long red dress. "Good then. I hope you have fun tonight! I'm really excited for fruitcake!"
His ears twitched up again in excitement, and Hilda gave him a light clap on the back, "cake is for after dinner."
Snuffy responded to her quip by sticking out his tongue playfully.
He trailed along behind Hilda for the most part; there were, of course, lots of wintery things to taste and smell, and a handful of people exchanging gifts and other displays of affection. At one point, Snuffy shyly asked Hilda if they could get one of the little knitted bears on display, so he could give it to the Wassail girl as a thank-you.
The dragon spent a long time just staring up into the night, marveling at the dancing colors that the town was dressed in. There were little lights of every color spilling over windows and along houses, twinkling and chasing each other like snow-pixies in the night.
As he wandered behind Hilda, the warm smells of roasted meat and hearty spices filled the air. All around, offerings were left on little altars or hung on evergreen trees. Candles flickered as some humans knelt to pray.
At one point, they came up to a small group of people before the fire, singing merrily. Though he didn't know the words, Snuffy's tail began to sway lightly to the melody.  He closed his eyes and let everything wash over him, then.
The night was crisp and cold, but the glow of the little town felt warm against Snuffy’s soul. This would be nice, after all.
The little town had welcomed the dragon with open arms.
With Hilda’s hand on his back, Snuffy took a seat at the long table, and took a deep sip of his Wassail, smiling.
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nebulous-shatin · 1 year
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Those days when he dreams - A Sonic Fanfiction
Ao3 Link I did this spontaneously and honestly? I love how it came out.
Dreams. If you were to ask Sonic what he dreaded more when sleeping, it would be dreaming. Nightmares hit hard in the moment and can stay in the back of your mind like a leech, but they never stay forever. They are, after all, only Nightmares. But Dreams… Dreams can be many things; silly things, and weird things. Or they can be hopes, wants, or secret wishes you would never admit to having. While Nightmares show you your fears, Dreams show you your wishes. One you can soothe while the other rots in the back of your mind.
Waking from Nightmares, Sonic could just easily do what he does best. Run. Run until those fibs lose meaning. Until the wind whispers its reassurance of his speed, his strength to protect and defend. All it took was going on a run- varying in its length- to help him wind down and move on with Life as if it had never happened. Waking from Dreams, however, was different. The silly, weird, and unmemorable dreams are easily forgotten and, at most, an easy laugh. But the other kind, the kind of dreams of things you want, long for, desire so desperately, your heart feels like it is breaking to pieces without it- those kinds of dreams seem to linger much longer, hanging over his mind and coating it like honey and showing him things he cannot have, knows he should not want to have. Not him. Never him. Dreams of a cosy house standing steady on a wide meadow, the wind caressing the tall grass surrounding it and flowers dancing with the leaves of the trees. Dreams of lazy mornings, slowly waking up and a warm breakfast with a Brother with no worries. Dreams of stability, safety, warmth, and freedom to live and do what he wanted to since he was a little hoglet. Dreams of running away from the Responsibility of a Hero, a duty he was far too young to bare but no one around able to lift it off his tired shoulders. Dreams of leaving everything and giving his little brother- someone abandoned by the people who should have cared- everything. Everything Sonic never could give; only giving him a war to fight and hardships he never should have to carry in the first place. Those kinds of dreams, the kind he is so ashamed of having, leave him drained. Apathetic. Emotions leave him through the gaping hole where his heart bleeds out, a melancholy draping itself all over him, unescapable no matter how far or fast he runs. No one ever saw him on those days, the days when he questions if it is still worth it. Only Tails has seen him like that, when emotions become unbearable. Tails assumes that he had a nightmare those days, giving him sympathetic eyes and trying to shyly ask what the nightmare was about without pushing him. Sonic lets him assume. His voice escapes him those days- chokes on them-, Tails knows, so he pushes anything they might have planned that day aside and have a rare day just to themselves, where they simply bask in the other's presence, without responsibility or expectations, and simply be brothers. Sonic never corrects him. Besides, those special days are the only thing that helps him those days. Only his dear genius little brother can fix him those days. Those days, a secret held near and dear to his heart, are sometimes the only thing still keeping him together. Sonic never regrets becoming the hero he is today. Nor would he regret meeting the people he had through his adventures and the friends he made along the way. But he can mourn what never can be. Mourn the Life he yearns so strongly for sometimes. Mourn the Life he can never give Tails. Those days when he dreams, all he can do is mourn.
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inkskinned · 8 months
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you're in the habit of denying yourself things.
if someone asked you directly, you would say that you love a little treat. you like iced coffee and getting the cookie. you drink juice out of a fancy cup sometimes, and often do use your candles until they gutter out helplessly.
but you hesitate about buying the 20 dollar hand mixer because, like. you could just use your arms. you weren't raised rich. you don't get to just spend the 20 dollars (remember when that could cover lunch?), at least - you don't spend that without agonizing over it first, trying to figure out the cost-benefits like you are defending yourself in front of a jury. yes, this rice cooker could seriously help you. but you do know how to make stovetop rice and it really isn't that hard. how many pies or brownies would you actually make, in order to make that hand mixer worthwhile?
what's wild is that if the money was for a friend, it would already be spent. you'd fork over 40 without blinking an eye, just to make them happy. the difference is that it's for you, so you need to justify it.
and it sneaks in. you ration yourself without meaning to - you don't finish the pint of ice cream, even though you want to. the next time you go to the store, you say ah, i really shouldn't, and then you walk away. you save little bits of your precious things - just in case. sometimes you even go so far as putting that one thing in your shopping cart. and then just leaving it there, because maybe-one-day, but not right now, there's other stuff going on.
you do self-care, of course. but you don't do it more than like, 3 days in a row. after that it just feels a little bit over-the-edge. like. you can't live in decadence, the economy is so bad right now, kid.
so you don't buy the rice cooker. you can-and-will spend the time over the stove. you can withstand the little sorrows. denial and discipline are practically synonyms. and you're not spoiled.
it's just - it's not always a rice cooker. sometimes it is a person or a job or a hug. sometimes it is asking for help. sometimes it is the summer and your college degree. sometimes it is looking down at scabbed knees and feeling a strange kind of falling, like you can't even recognize the girl you used to be. sometimes it is your handprint looking unsteady.
sometimes it is tuesday, and you didn't get fired, and you want to celebrate. but what is it you like, even? you search around your little heart and come up empty. you're so used to denying that all your desires draw a blank.
oh fuck. see, this is the perfect opportunity. if you had a mixer, you'd make a cake.
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arcaneacension · 4 months
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Announcement
638studios in association with lambshwarma have officially launched Arcane Productions.
Our first project will be a completely original superhero fanfiction universe titled Arcane Ascension, with the first ARC releasing in late February/March.
This will be the first of many projects from the Arcane Productions team which is not limited to just the 638studios and lambshwarma writers (even though they will be the only ones publishing).
ARC 1, titled Heroes Unite, will be released in six chapters, one for each superhero and a final two-parter to finish the ARC, although that may increase depending on conveniency, with one part releasing each week.
If a chapter has to be split down into multiple parts, each part of the chapter will release daily before moving back to the weekly release schedule.
ARC 1 production is currently underway, with around 1/3 nearing completion.
It will consist of the following.
2 stories by 638studios
2 stories by lambshwarma
One two part crossover finale written by both 638studios and lambshwarma
Some of the OCs have featured before in the author's stories.
Examples include:
Idris Maverick from lambshwarma's Gang Wars series (go to his account and read it as well as the prequel series, Maverick Races!)
Claire Carlyle - see above
Crimson Aquilon from 638studios Pokemon Legends Universe (Undergoing a rewrite but the later chapters of the original are a lot more in sync with the current writing style)
Melody Blade - see above
It will also include some new characters created specially for the Arcane Ascension universe!
Updates will be posted on this blog as well and the 638studios blog @the-great-knight-gay
Links to all the accounts will be below 638studios - Wattpad
lambshwarma - Wattpad
638studios - Ao3
lambshwarma - Ao3 - No acc yet because we're still waiting for Ao3 to approve it for him. You know how it is.
Arcane Productions - Wattpad
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love making genderbend aus one of my favorite things
best past time fr
(besides shipping of course)
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queerdraws · 7 months
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projecting on luffy again. get bited.
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asbestos-11 · 3 months
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they're so sick and disgusting, i need to shoot them on sight (said lovingly)
reblogs highly encouraged *cocks gun*
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