#sometimes I feel like they overdid it a little bit with Ace

[gemsofgreece]

This may be a question someone has already asked, but what are your thoughts on the landscapes in Assassin's Creed Odyssey, if you have played it?

I have answered a similar question but not this one! I have actually not played the game but because of the previous ask and the aesthetics and the frequent greece representation discussions here, I am somewhat acquainted with it.

AC Odyssey is actually quite accurate, with some pros and cons. One thing we can all agree upon is that the developers worked their asses off to create a beautiful world, genuinely inspired by or representing Greece. While watching it, I can also tell they wanted to show some little known facts about Greek geomorphology. In order to achieve this, they overdid a bit in some aspects and they deviated from other, more known characteristics, which they perhaps incorrectly ditched as stereotypes . In short, some elements are accurate, some are idealised and some are overlooked or undersold:

+ By watching relevant videos on YouTube, navigating your character does feel like exploring the Greek landscape. Many of the locations , although digital and fantastical, feel very oddly familiar.

+ The developers emphasized most on a little known fact about the country; it is very rugged, mountainous and rocky. This thing where your character goes up, down, up, down, up, down, up and again down and then up an irregular hill, well that's the genuine painful but also very rewarding experience of walking in the Greek countryside.

+ They nailed it with the vegetation, if they took inspiration from South Greece. This combo of sparse forest with low vegetation, sometimes interrupted by rocky terrain was beautifully done.

+ Some criticise it a bit for adding architectural elements of different ancient eras but I actually like this. It is a game, it blends elements beautifully and they are still Greek, so what's the problem... Although it surely could do with less wood and more stone in its place.

+ The light is beautiful in this game. They knowingly played with it as Greece promotes this as one of its attractions: the whole Greek sun, Land of Light etc. But, yeah, the way light is used in this game often reminds me of beautiful sunlit or sunset views in the country.

+/- It is beautiful but of course idealised how in AC Odyssey apparently all seasons co-exist in Greece. It's an eternal spring with spots of vibrant autumn and there's always winter in the mountains. Summer ironically got the short end, you can perhaps see it in the occasional brownish low vegetation at best. It is however a nice change from everyone thinking Greece is a tropical country. It's a temperate country, it's just that it doesn't experience the seasons all at once lol And of course if someone wants to visit the Greek countryside in its most AC-like time, they have to come to Greece in spring, ideally April and May, and not in July and August like most tourists. Someone might say "thanks Captain Obvious" to this but I have received plenty comments under photos wondering why the grassland wasn't flowery like in the image when they went in August so I feel like I have to say this.

(-) It is wonderful when you're navigating your character but I watched a video with the game's map in the eagle's eye view and I realised that the AC Odyssey Greece is a tad repetitive and less diverse. Essentially it's a bunch of islands that are VERY rugged with a snowcapped mountain and a few bays. While, again, this is part of what Greece looks like, the country is actually way more diverse.

(-) Namely, the rugged emphasis was overdone after a while. If Greece is over 80% rugged and mountainous, which is the official estimation, AC Greece is like 101%. Greece has flatter islands, wider valleys and smoother hills as well. Again, what AC shows is very accurate but overexaggerated. I already talked about how good the vegetation is. However, it resembles the south mainland. Some islands have less vegetation. Northern and central mainland as well as many islands have actually quite denser vegetation than the one depicted in the game. Again, the game is accurate but way less diverse.

(-) The map is not accurate. There’s just Athens, right? And then islands after islands, which all have mainland characteristics. But they clearly weren’t going for accuracy there.

(-) The biggest foul IMO was surprisingly the beaches. AC Odyssey did the Greek beaches no justice at all. The most accurate thing about them is that AC coastline is very indented with bays and coves. That's accurate. However, I was disappointed by the repetition again as well as the sea colour which I found nice but much plainer than that of the actual Greek waters. It was always a little turqoise in the first couple meters and then a regular blue. Greek waters can be turqoise for much longer distances or have a striking azul or sapphire or darker blue colour, all of which were greatly missed in the game. I missed the famous - if stereotype-y - blue and white aesthetic of the country. Of course the houses are modern so they couldn't be in the game but the blue&white also feature in the sea / waves and sky / clouds so...

Ignore the town but this type of blue is greatly missed in a game about Greece IMO.

Also some beaches looked way too tropical. Greece has a few subtropical beaches but the AC ones didn't look very accurate. Sometimes I thought it was a small bay in a Caribbean island. This is quite odd coming from the guys who worked so hard on other less known facts about the country's geomorphology.

(-) Elysium might be stunning but it is not Greek looking. Unfortunately, the Niagara falls are in Canada. The rock formations however, as well as several others in the game, seem to be inspired by Meteora.

So below I did some comparisons between AC Odyssey and real Greece. Keep in mind that these are just similar-looking images I managed to find on google. I do not know where the developers actually based their inspiration.

South Pindus

Ancient Olympia

Meteora

Mt Pelion

Cape Sounion

Dimitsana

Lake Plastira

Kerkyra (Corfu) island

Vikos gorge

Kalavryta

I found many other familiar looking locations but they were too generic i.e a small stream, a hill, a farm, and I got a little lost with all this searching because there are many places that could look like that. Lol I just realised I didn't use even one AC beach - AC beaches get rekt

Anyway, in short, I believe AC Odyssey does a very solid and hard work in its Greece portrayal - all my complaints are basically nitpicking that doesn't bother me (save for the beaches). Of course there is also the gamification and colour filters that create all these otherwordly vibes but those are to be expected from a game of course.

#greece #assassin's creed #ac odyssey #assassin's creed odyssey #video games #landscape #greece representation #mainland #greek islands #ask #long post #tw long #tw long post #mrcloudyfun

[reginrokkr]

FASHION/APPEARANCE STATS BOLD what applies to your muse.

⭑ BODY.

Long legs.   Short legs.   Average legs.   Slender thighs.  Thick thighs.   Muscular thighs.  Skinny arms.    Soft arms.   Muscular arms.  Toned stomach.  Flat stomach.   Flabby Stomach.  Soft stomach.   Six-pack.    Beer belly.   Lean frame.  Beefy/muscular frame.   Voluptuous frame.  Petite frame.   Lanky frame.  Thin lips.   Full lips.   Wide lips.  Small lips.   Short nails. Long nails.   Manicured nails.   Dirty nails.   Flat ass. Toned ass.   Bubble butt.  Small waist. Thick waist.   Narrow hips.   Average hips. Wide hips.   Big feet.   Average feet.  Small feet.    Soft feet.   Slender feet.  Calloused hands. Soft hands.   Big hands.   Average hands.   Small hands.   Long fingers.   Short fingers.   Average fingers.  Broad shoulders.  Underweight.  Average weight.  Overweight.

✩ HEIGHT.

Shorter than 140 cm.   141 cm-150 cm.   151 cm to 160 cm.   161 cm to 170 cm.    171 cm to 180 cm.   181 cm to 190 cm.   191 cm to 2m.   Taller than 2 m.

⭑ SKIN.

Pale.   Rosy.   Olive.   Dark.    Tanned.   Blotchy.   Smooth.  Acne.  Dry.  Greasy.  Freckled.

✩ EYES.

Small.    Large.    Average.    Grey.   Brown.   Blue.   Green.   Gold.   Hazel.   Doe-eyed. Almond.  Close-set.  Wide-set.   Deep-set.   Squinty.   Monolid.   Heavy eyelids.   Upturned.   Downturned.

⭑ HAIR.

Thin.  Thick.  Fine.    Normal.   Greasy.    Dry.    Soft.    Shiny.    Curly.    Frizzy.   Wild.   Unruly.   Straight.   Smooth.  Wavy.   Floppy.  Cropped.  Pixie-cut.   Afro.   Shoulder length.  Back length. Waist length.  Past hip-length.   Buzz cut.    Bald.    Weave.   Hair extensions.  past Jaw length. Mohawk.  Dreadlocks.  Box braids. Faux locks.  White.   Platinum blonde.   Golden blonde.  Dirty blonde.   Blonde.    Ombre.   Light brown.   Mouse brown.    Chestnut brown.   Golden brown.  Chocolate brown.  Dark brown. Jet black.  Ginger.   Red.   Auburn.  Dyed red.   Dyed any “unnatural color”.  Thin eyebrows.   Average eyebrows.  Thick eyebrows.   Plucked eyebrows.

✩ TATTOOS / PIERCINGS.

Full sleeve.    Thigh tattoo.    Neck tattoo.    Chest tattoo.   One tattoo.   Face tattoo.  A few here and there.   Multiple.  No tattoo.  Monroe piercing.   Nose piercing.    Septum.    Nipple piercing(s).    Genital piercing(s).    Industrial piercings.   Earlobe piercing.   Prince Albert piercing.  Eyebrow piercing(s).  Tongue piercing(s).  Lip piercing(s).  Top of the ear.  Tragus piercing.    Angel bites.    Labret.    Stretches out ears.    Navel piercing.    Inverse navel piercing. Cheek piercing(s).    Smiley.    Nape piercing(s).

⭑ COSMETICS.

Eyeliner.  Light eyeliner.  Heavy eyeliner.  Cat eyes.   Mascara.   Fake eyelashes.  Matte lipstick. Regular lipstick.   Lipgloss.  Red lips.   Pink lips.   Dark lips.  Bronzer. Highlighter. Eyeshadow.   Neutral eyeshadow.   Smoky eyes.   Colorful eyeshadow.   Blush.   Lipliner.  Light contouring.   Heavy contouring.   Powder.    Matte foundation.   Shiny foundation.   Concealer. Wears make up regularly. Wears it from time to time.  Rarely wears make-up.

✩ SCENT.

Floral.   Earthy.   Fruity.   Perfumes.   Aftershave.   Cocoa.   Moisturizer.   Shampoo.   Cigarettes.  Leather.   Sweat.   Food.   Incense.   Marijuana.   Cologne.  Shea butter.   Whiskey.   Wine.   Fried food.   Blood.   Fire.   Metal.   Rain.

⭑ CLOTHES.    

Jeans.   Tight pants.   Overknee socks.   Tights.   Leggings.    Yoga pants.    Pencil skirt.   Tight skirt.    Loose skirt.   Tight/formfitting dress.   Cardigans.    Blouse.   Button up shirt.   Band-T-shirt.   Sports-T-shirt (while training).   Sweatpants (while training).   Tank top (while training).  Cut off t-shirt.   Designer.   High street.   Leather Jacket.   Online stores.    Thrift.   Lingerie.   Long skirt.    Miniskirt.    Maxidress.    Sun dress.  Tie.   Tuxedo.   Cocktail dress.   Highslit dress/skirt. T-shirt.    Loose clothing.   Tight clothing.  Jean shorts.   Sweater.   Sweater vest.    Khaki pants. Suit.   Hoodie.   Harem pants.  Basketball shorts.   Boxers.    Briefs.   Thong.  Hotpants.   Hipster panties.   Bra.    Sportsbra.  Crop top.   Corset.    Ballerina skirt.   Leotard.   Polka dot.  Stripes.    Glitter.   Silk.    Lace.   Leather.    Velvet.    Chemise.    Patterns.   Florals. Neon colors. Pastels.   Black.   Dark colors.  Fur.   Faux fur.  

✩ SHOES.  

Sneakers.   Slip-ons.   Flats.   Slippers.   Sandals.   High heels.    Kitten heels.   Ankle boots. Combat boots. Knee-high.   Platforms.   Stripper heels.   Bare feet.   Loafers.  Oxfords. Gladiator shoes.

TAGGED:  I do what I want djfhjgh TAGGING: @vaenaera @kyecupio @mercifuldexth @sentofight @yuichiroswife @xkuja @kissafist @bloodcursed @pxlsian @divine-identite @krystallius​ @asterites @idno41269 @cardavem @catleha @fulgensun @kyouminaine @verumking @nirvanarth @magitekelite if anyone else would like to give this a try, just take it!

#✯⭒* ⭑┊We've no choice but to let go of the past and move forward. (Headcanon) #this boy is so romanticized when it comes #to his physical appearance #that it hurts #not to mention that he enjoys greatly #taking care of himself #not just to look presentable #but because it's a thing he likes to do #as part of his self-care #SE has tendencies of making FF boys pretty but #sometimes I feel like they overdid it a little bit with Ace #not that I'm complaining #I love how pretty he is

[robodaydreamer]

RadioHusk Week - #2 To Love A Dumbass

I meant to write a drabble and my hand slipped.

I’m sorry.

[ EDITED 4/5/20 ]

I want to do a drawing for every fic, it just takes my dumb butt forever to do anything. Forewarning, this was done at 2 am, so it might be a bit jumbled? I edited what I could to fix it. I hope you all enjoy!

To hell’s general population or the few who knew of him, Husk was a lot of things. Temperamental, apathetic, tired of everyone’s shit... the list could go on, but he liked to think he was a pretty simple guy.

Uncomplicated and easy to understand. You leave him alone, he’ll leave you alone. You get on his nerves, he’ll probably claw your eyes out. Maybe. If he actually had the energy for it. A fair trade if you asked him.

And he didn’t ask for much. To most, he didn’t like to be bothered, he enjoyed card games, he depended on alcohol to get him through the day, and he had a fondness for magic tricks.

That last one was a little-known fact to their small group of misfits. The hotel’s residents didn’t need to know about it. The only reason any of them had even found out was because of Angel Dust challenging him to a card game.

He was more than a little drunk at the time. Hah, he’d been fucking plastered.

Kicking that fluffy arachnoids ass was just a bonus. While he never doubted his own hand, being that uncoordinated never usually ended well for him. He tended to keep to himself when he was at his worst.

He was surprised he even agreed to do anything at all instead of telling that perverted walking stick to shove off! Even more surprising was as trashed as he’d been, he was still apparently unbeatable.

Husk wondered if he had an ace up his sleeve… and he didn’t even have sleeves… or wear clothes.

Yikes. Did bow ties and tophats count?

Hmmmm… wait. No. He wasn’t doing this to himself again. It was hard enough accepting he was an overgrown catbird. He’d leave this complicated crap alone. Besides, trying to wear clothes over fur was a pain in the ass. Not to mention extremely uncomfortable...

Lucky streak aside, Husk won whatever bet they’d made. He couldn’t quite remember what it was since he’d been blackout drunk, but he knew Vaggie had enough blackmail on Angel to get about a week’s worth of good behavior out of him.

That alone had made this whole thing an even bigger victory. The only problem was that with his drinking, while his gambling was on point, his mouth… wasn’t. 

Plenty of sinners gave away personal information when they were drunk. People did it while they were alive, so it wasn’t an uncommon thing down in hell. The only problem was where it ended up… or who it ended up with.

Long story short, he’d apparently let Angel Dust in on his appreciation for magic and had even shown him a trick or two with his cards while they were playing. He couldn’t remember jack shit, but it was possible.

How else would Angel have found out? The only other demons who’d know would be Alastor or Niffty and he doubted Alastor would randomly share something as insignificant as this. He may have a thing for pushing Husk’s buttons, but he didn’t think the other would just throw that out into the open without any context.

Actually, he probably would.

Either that or Niffty spilled the beans… she liked his coin behind the ear trick. She made for a great audience, even when she had to stop him to sweep up his stray feathers or dust the furniture in his room. He wasn’t a total slob, but he was rarely in his hotel room to begin with, so it wasn’t really his top priority.

Like right now. He could clean up the broken glass next to the bed, but he wasn’t going to. He drank often enough, so hangovers rarely bothered him, but sometimes even he overdid it.

His tolerance was absolutely phenomenal. A blessing and a curse. On the one hand, he could enjoy his booze and watch his drinking buddies fall over after a few shots of the hard stuff. On the other hand, it was tougher to get buzzed or even just flat out drunk if he wanted a quick way to escape his own mind.

Last night had been one of those times and he absolutely went overboard. The hangover he was nursing could definitely attest to that. If the pounding in his head grew any worse he’d probably die. Again.

With a sigh, Husk shifted into a more comfortable position, trying to keep his wings in mind. He didn’t need any other problems right now.

Speaking of problems, he hoped he didn’t do anything too stupid. How did he get back to his room, anyway? He tried to wrack his brain for answers, but all he got was a flash of white-hot pain radiating throughout his skull for his trouble.

This was the beauty of alcohol. It made you forget, even if it was only for a short time. He’d already made that mistake twice in one fucking day… One with Angel Dust, and the other with-

A knock at the door made him tense, the sound not at all helping his headache. Who was bothering him at this hour? Wait, what time was it? Shit… was he late for work? Most likely. He didn’t actually give too much of a shit, seeing as to how he worked seven days a week. 

The only one it would actually bother was-

//BANG//

The sound of the door slamming open and ramming into the wall made him jump so hard his teeth clacked together. 

A loud boisterous voice filled the quiet of his room moments later, “Ohhhhh Husker! Wakey wakey, my darling kitty cat! Your shift started hours ago, and our sour sinners are hankering for your testy temper. And quite possibly a beverage or two, but that is no concern of mine. Hahah!”

Husk groaned, curling into a ball. Maybe if he hid in his wings, the bastard would take the hint and leave. He was too exhausted to deal with this shit.

Of course, he wasn’t that lucky. Give him a deck of cards and you’d see him win the whole pot! But a radio demon that he just so happened to be in a relationship with? Not so much.

Hold on a damn minute… Was it a relationship? It was probably the closest thing to one. They never agreed on an actual title, but Alastor had been pretty pushy about them trying this… whatever it was out.

In fact, if he thought back to it, he hadn’t believed the guy at first, having been pining over said demon for years. Why would he come waltzing over to Husk, demanding him to be his significant other?

He’ll fucking tell you why. His own mouth betrayed him. With Angel Dust, he’d been very loose tongued thanks to his over drinking.

Alastor had come over to watch their game of cards, and by the end of it, had decided to poke fun at his old pal Husker. 

He’d given Husk a round of applause for his card tricks, but it didn’t matter. It didn’t matter that he’d won the game and left Angel Dust flipping the table in despair. None of it mattered because it hadn’t been enough to fill Alastor’s endless need to be entertained.

He just so happened to believe that ‘drunk Husk’ was an absolute riot. He’d told him as much in the past. 

Although, instead of the usual banter or wobbly cat behavior he would have normally provided, Husk decided to share an even more personal secret than his fucking magic tricks.

He’d told the cannibalistic serial killer he was in love with him.

And it didn’t end there. To make it worse, since he’d been three sheets to the wind, he ended up forgetting everything that happened.

Angel Dust finding out about him being a magician was fine.

Alastor finding out about his undying love for him?

Husk would sooner have jumped in front of an Angel on extermination day than to have revealed his feelings to Alastor.

When he’d found out about what he’d done, because of course the insufferable jackass had to bring up his mistake as soon as he was sober, he may or may not have tried to jump out of the nearest window.

That was a tough feat to accomplish considering his bar was on the first floor. Had he done it anyway? Well, he tried to, but the other put a stop to his attempt so he hadn’t gotten very far.

In the end, Alastor had told him he should’ve confessed sooner because they could’ve been spending quality time together. He may have spaced out after that due to his brain short-circuiting.

It was almost too good to be true.

Husk agreed to Alastor’s demands, feeling like he would’ve been an idiot to refuse an opportunity to spend more time with the demon that held his heart in the palm of his hand.

Should he have paid more attention to what those demands were? Hell yes. His impulsive decision left him with more questions than answers.

After all, making deals with demons was a dangerous game.

The lowlifes he used to play poker with regularly would’ve told him to suck it up and take the offer for what it was worth. Taking chances was their shtick. 

Jerry, the cheating piece of shit, would have asked, “Why look a gift horse in the mouth?”

This was why. He had so many regrets. 

Husk heard the tapping of hooved shoes making their way toward him and scowled from beneath his feathery shelter. If Al did what he knew he was absolutely going to freakin’ do, he’d give him the silent treatment for the next three days.

He’d say a week, but Husk would cave long before Alastor… He may like his space, but he liked Alastor more. The guy had a way of making him crave for his attention, even if the radio demon himself didn’t always want it in return.

Hell, Alastor rarely showed any interest in him to begin with. And no, having an interest in causing him constant aggravation did not fucking count. He was busy with the hotel and all of the ragtag tenants he got a sick pleasure tormenting. 

It was hilarious. Honestly, it was, but he wanted more… It was selfish, especially since he fell in love with Alastor for who he was and not for some warped soap opera version of himself that he was sure plenty of demons daydreamed about.

Eugh...

Husk was guilty of daydreaming. He daydreamed plenty when it came to his ‘partner.’ Husk would be the first to admit he was a hopeless romantic… well. Maybe not out loud. 

He liked the thought of tender touches, passionate kisses, and appreciative glances. Did he need them? No. Did the thought of them make his heart race? Fucking Christ, yes they did.

He knew Alastor wasn’t interested in any of that. It wasn’t who he was and Husk could accept that, selfish desires be damned. He just wished someone would give him a hint as to what exactly Alastor was playing at. 

Was this something he actually wanted? What was he getting out of it? Why would he even bother with something he usually thought was so ‘tedious?’ He’d said so plenty of times to Angel and Charlie.

It’s already been a few weeks since they’d made this little agreement. Now that he was thinking back on it, it's almost been a month! You’d think he’d know the answers to all of these questions by now, but he was left in the dark when it came to Alastor’s intentions. 

He was torn from his thoughts when a hand gripped his furry ankle and dragged him to the end of the bed. 

Husk let out a warning growl to try and ward off the other from his oncoming attack, but it was useless.

Alastor only chortled in response and Husk felt the hand wrapped around his ankle tighten briefly before moving away. He knew better than to believe that was it. This was only the beginning.

He was proven right when his wings were forcefully pried apart, revealing him to his attacker who looked way too smug for his own good. “My Dearest Husker, why must you hide from me? You know, while I do love your volatile personality, I’m only here to help!”

Holy shit… 

Had he actually fallen in love with this dumbass?

Husk sneered, the stabbing pain in his head only growing worse as he locked eyes with Alastor. “Help? How is this helping?”

He watched Alastor’s brows furrow for a split second before his grin stretched impossibly wider. “Why, of course it is! You would have missed your shift, otherwise. After all, your job is crucial! You’re the first face our lovely residents see!”

Sitting up, Husk felt his wings fluff up. This was getting ridiculous. He was hungover and more than a little unstable in the feelings department. Alastor was only making things worse, seeing as to how he was the main cause of his emotional turmoil. 

He could start yelling and throwing a tantrum, but that would only amuse the bastard and leave him with an even bigger headache. 

No. He had to catch him off guard.

Maybe he’d try something new… he had nothing to lose except his dignity and he’d lost that years ago.. 

Fuck it.

“I want a divorce.”

He felt a swell of pride at Alastor’s blank stare. So that actually shut him up, eh? Sure, this didn’t at all make any sense, but if he had to deal with Alastor’s bullshit, then the idiot was going to get bullshit thrown right back into his stupidly handsome face.

“Pardon?”

“I want a divorce.”

Alastor’s smile waned as his brows went back into a furrow, his head tilting to the side. “Husker, my good man… we aren’t married.”

Husk felt himself relax. Al’s voice had quieted immensely from his earlier shouting. He always had to project his voice, no matter where he went. This was a hell of a lot better for his head. He could already feel the pain lessen.

With a distracted nod, Husk huffed out, “I know. I still want a divorce.” He watched as Alastor’s grin strained, eyes narrowing as he studied him. He felt a shiver travel up his spine at the others searching stare.

Unsatisfied with what he seemed to not be able to find, Alastor released the firm grip he had on his feathers only to move those deft clawed hands behind his back. Husk was sure he was clenching them tight with frustration. 

He couldn’t tell if this was funny or sad. He didn’t want to piss off his ‘steady,’ but he also wasn’t in the mood to be pissed off himself.

Looking at Alastor, he had to admit it was actually pretty damn comical.

“No.”

Husk blinked, feathered brows raising high in confusion. “What?”

Alastor’s expression morphed into a sharp smile, his glowing red eye’s staring unwavering into Husk’s. He seemed to radiate extreme disapproval. “No. We aren’t getting a divorce, Dearest.” His smile gave an irritated twitch.

Holy shit. This was unexpected. He hadn’t actually thought something like this would upset the overlord so much. This should be funny. He should be laughing…

It wasn’t funny. He loved Alastor too much to keep this up, but he also didn’t understand. Why was Al taking this so seriously? The radio host would usually have laughed something like this off or made an even bigger joke out of it… so why wasn’t he doing that now?

He really needed to get answers. If they were going to be anything they needed to start by finding common ground.

Mind made up, Husk stretched. If he was going to do this, he might as well be comfortable. He let out a pleased hum at every pop or crack he worked out of his spine. That felt so much better…

He glanced back up at his uninvited guest, only to pause. Alastor’s previous expression was gone. Husk wasn’t sure if he could put a name to it… but it was softer. Not a word he was used to using when it came to this particular demon. He looked downright distracted as his eyes traveled along the length of Husk’s body…

There was absolutely no fucking way this was happening right now.

He felt hope well into his chest, but he buried it down deep, he had some questions that needed answering. “Okay. We won’t get a divorce… we can still be friend-married or whatever. I didn’t think you’d take what I said so seriously...”

Alastor seemed to tune back in at the sound of his voice, his smile taking on a more satisfied curl. “I’m glad you’ve changed your mind! A divorce, hah! How silly…-” He stilled, a record scratching sound following his abrupt pause as one of his brows raised in question. “Friend-married?” 

He grimaced, “I do believe we have taken the next step in our relationship to a status higher than mere friends. Though I suppose that wouldn’t take away our actual friendship, I was hoping for a more committed type of companionship.”

Husk felt his jaw drop in shock. Hold the fucking phone, what? 

Alastor didn’t seem to notice his surprise, carrying on with a look of distaste. “Honestly, Husker… friend-married? Is that a word young folk are using these days? Taking two separate terms and mashing them together?” 

He let out an exasperated sigh, shaking his head at the thought. “I miss the days where words were used more appropriately.” Another twitch of his wide grin. “Besides, why crush words together when you can crush skulls?”

Husk gave a hard blink, his tail thumping on the sheets behind him. Holding up a clawed paw, he cut off the other’s rambling. “You… Do you seriously want to be in a relationship with me? You’re not just pulling my leg for a laugh?” If he was, he’d kill him. He’d probably be the one killed, but he would die trying.

Alastor’s confusion was palpable at this point as he tilted his head for a second time. “... I do believe I asked this of you before we began our partnership, yes. Besides, I may have just literally pulled your leg a short while ago, but that doesn’t necessarily mean I would spend so much time doing all of this just to cure my boredom..."

Husk felt like he was going to pass out. His heart was hammering so hard he thought it was going to beat right out of his chest. 

He was serious. Alastor wasn’t doing this for a laugh. He was actually interested in some form of relationship with him that wasn’t just friendly or work-based. 

Holy fucking shit what the fuck?

Husk’s ears were swiveling about, his fur was bristling, his tail was curling, and his wings were poofing out. He wasn’t sure what kind of fucking response his body was having to this unexpected situation. 

Was he confused? Was he flustered? Was he offended? He had no clue because he was feeling too much at once to comprehend a single thing.

He was able to stutter out a rushed, “Me? You want to be with me? Of all the demons in hell, you chose me?” 

Alastor gave a slow nod, regarding him with a curious gaze. “Why waste my time lavishing affection on just anyone when I can focus my attention on one demon in particular?” 

His hand rose from behind his back, cautiously reaching out towards Husk only to let it hover in the air between them as if he were worried about spooking him. He continued, “And who better than one whose company I enjoy… and one who I am so very fond of?”

Husk couldn’t fucking believe this. Alastor liked him. Alastor liked him to the point of wanting to be with him. Not just to terrorize him to get a reaction out of him. This whole time. This whole god damned time he could have been getting to know this crazy sonofabitch and here he was, wasting his only chance to do exactly what he’s wanted to for fucking years because he couldn’t just get over himself.

Husk shrunk in on himself with a horrified gasp, “Oh no. I’m the dumbass.” Before Alastor could question him, he ran his paw down his face, groaning out, “This whole time I thought you were just doing this because you were bored. You like pissing me off to the point of me ripping my own fur out!” 

His wings moved to cover him back up, he couldn’t bear to look at the demon in front of him anymore. This was too embarrassing. “I’m a fucking dumbass.” he muttered dejectedly.

The room was quiet for a few moments. Hell, Alastor could have vanished and he wouldn’t have been able to tell from beneath his feathery cocoon. This was amazing and awful all at once. He was an idiot, but he was a happy idiot.

He jumped at the feeling of gentle hands resting against his wings. He felt them hesitate before they began to caress him, palms moving in long even strokes. When Husk didn’t move to pull away or stop him, Alastor began to alternate between petting and running his claws soothingly through his feathers.

It felt nice… 

Husk felt himself begin to relax, not at all realizing how wound up he’d actually been. This was ridiculous. He needed to get a hold of himself… well. Maybe after a few more minutes of Alastor touching him like this... Alastor was comforting him. Would this ever happen again?

He really hoped so.

“Husk?” He felt his eyes snap open at the other’s hushed voice. He’s never heard Alastor so quiet before. They’d known each other for decades and not once has Alastor gotten even close to speaking in a volume this low that wasn’t a sinister threat. This was a soft plea for his attention.

Well, if he hadn’t had it before, he certainly had it now. He mentally prepared himself as best as he could before he shifted, immediately mourning the loss of the other’s hands as they retreated from his wings to give him space. 

Crossing his arms, he sat up and allowed his wings to part open, folding them down to rest over his legs and along the bedspread. Seeing as to how he’d let them drag across the floor plenty of times in the past, letting them hang off of the bed wouldn’t hurt them.

He glanced up toward Alastor, taking in his surprisingly patient smile and couldn’t help returning it with a smile of his own. Husk’s smile only widened as he grumbled, “You’re stuck with a dumbass for a partner. Hope you’re happy, ya wiseguy.”

Blinking owlishly, Alastor took on a more bemused grin. “Well… while there are several names I could call you, that one definitely wouldn’t have been my first choice. I prefer goofball!” He leaned down to get into Husk’s space, their faces only a few inches apart. “You’re a goofball, my Dear! But you’re my goofball.” 

Husk was glad he had fur because he felt his whole body heat up at just how close their faces were. It was harder to deal with his feelings when he was able to see Alastor up close. And this was really fucking close.

Alastor took notice of the change and seemed to study him, though he’d probably been doing that the whole damned time with how stupid Husk had been acting. Embarrassing. Absolutely humiliating. He was going to pretend this never happened. 

He was hungover. That was his excuse and... why was Alastor giving him that look?

Said overlord was giving him a large smirk, eyes lidded and teeth glinting from the minuscule light coming in from under his hotel’s door. His expression was one that told him he was about to get on Husk’s last nerve… he wanted to kiss that look right off his face.

Alastor closed the gap between them, purposely bumping their noses together. “My Dear sweet Husker. There’s no need to be shy! I had no idea you were so insecure. I’ll make sure to be more considerate of your feelings in the future.”

That little shit. He was teasing him! He had some fucking nerve.

Husk wasn’t about to let Alastor make fun of him. He was purposely trying to rile him up because he went all googly-eyed over him. It wasn’t his fault he fell in love with the guy! What right did he have to take advantage of that?

He made sure to give Alastor the stink eye and a very displeased noise that was definitely threatening and not at all pathetic. Okay, it was kind of pathetic. He was flustered, okay? It was tough to control his body when his instincts had a mind of their own!

Alastor beat him to the punch, making any thought of retaliation fly right out the window by gently nudging their noses together. “My Darling, don’t look so cross. I’m only teasing you!” 

Hah, Husk fucking knew it! The bastard.

The radio demon moved to press his face into Husk’s neck, his shoulders shaking with his laughter. 

Husk would have throttled him if he wasn’t currently trying not to combust. He was used to Alastor touching him, but this felt different. They were dating. It felt intimate when it really wasn’t. Was it? Oh shit… 

Normally he’d push him away, but it suddenly felt like the wrong thing to do. As if this was a moment he shouldn’t… couldn’t ruin. 

It was getting increasingly hard to not do anything, especially when the huffing breath against his neck was making him twitch. He was ticklish, and if Alastor ever found out he’d be screwed.

Okay, he had to move. He didn’t have to stop touching him, but he did have to stop chuckling into his neck. “Al, buddy. Don’t take this the wrong way, but you gotta stop.” He leaned back, arms moving behind him to support his weight. 

Alastor let him go, laughter dying out as soon as Husk had distanced himself. “Oh? Have I gone too far? Did I offend you?” 

Husk shook his head, “Nah, not that you’d give two shits about offending anybody. Too far is never far enough for you. I’m just gonna have to get used to all of this…” He quickly cut the other off when he saw his mouth open to question him. “I’m not used to all this touchy-feely crap!”

Alastor gave him a wide-eyed stare. “I’m quite certain I touch you very often, my fine feathered feline. I’ve always been very affectionate with you. What is making this so difficult for you?” 

Well, he had a point. “Okay, look. I know nothings actually changed. It just feels different now that we’re together. I don’t know how else to explain it… Like I said. I just have to get over it.”

“Hmmmmm… Righto! Then I suppose we’ll just have to get you used to it!” Alastor leaned forward, his knee coming up to rest on the mattress between Husk's legs. The mattress dipped at the added weight, bringing Husk up slightly.

Husk blanched, too startled to question what Alastor was doing as the overlord wrapped an arm around his waist. “Stay still, my Dear. We’ll solve this little dilemma of yours in no time at all!” As he spoke, his head came down to nuzzle his face into Husk’s chest fur. 

This resulted in Husk arching his back to better accommodate for the body suddenly clinging to him.

Why was this happening to him? Was he being blessed or punished? 

This felt an awful lot like a fucking punishment. 

Is this what he got for being a dumbass?

Alastor's free hand moved to rest on top of his own. “Husker, my Darling… your heart is beating very fast.”  He could practically hear the smug smirk in his sweetheart's tone.

He could live with it...

#radiohusk #alastor x husk #hazbin hotel husk #hazbin hotel alastor #hazbin hotel #its longer then i meant to make it oh my god help me #i have work in three hours #what am i doing augh #im sorry this is so late #i posted this before i edited it

[sneezehq]

Practice Makes Perfect

Ruby practices using her silver eye powers while in Atlas.

Me? Adding sprinkles of plot to my fics so that I can pretend that they're not just shameless hurt/comfort? It's more likely than you'd think. Anyway the majority of this is set during the early part of volume 7, during the time that elapses during Sparks. Content warning for brief mentions of vomit. Enjoy!

It's a relief to have finally arrived in Atlas. They're all grateful to have a break from traveling, as well as a place to hunker down and rest for a bit. But they also need to take advantage of this downtime to train and get stronger before they're forced to face Salem's forces again. And Ruby is determined to make use of every tool that they have access to.

So, after they've discussed the rest of their training plans, Ruby makes an announcement. "I want to practice using my eyes to take down Grimm. We need to take advantage of everything we can do to fight back against Salem, and I can't rely on just hoping that they work like I did back in Argus."

Her team is quiet for a moment, exchanging a few small glances before finally Blake pipes up. "That sounds like a good idea, Ruby. But." She looks firmly at her leader. "How exactly do you intend to do that?"

"Yeah," Weiss chimes in. "Did Maria tell you how she trained to use her powers?"

"Not really," Ruby admits, running her hands through her hair with a sigh. "Maria basically told me that the only training I would get would be on the battlefield. I figure that while we're here, fighting Grimm down in Mantle is the best opportunity I'm going to get."

"That sounds reasonable," Blake says. Weiss and Yang nod in agreement.

"Well, that's settled then." Ruby lets some of the tension seep out of her shoulders. "The reason I wanted to give you guys a heads up about this is I don't exactly have a lot of practice using my eyes, and sometimes it has kinda weird effects. Remember how sleepy I was after the Battle of Haven?" she reminds them, chuckling a little. "I'll need you guys to watch my back, just in case something goes wrong."

"Of course, sis."

"You can count on us," Weiss says instantly. Blake nods.

"Thanks, guys." Ruby smiles gratefully, but it fades when she thinks about what she's going to tell them next. They're probably not going to like it at all. "I also wanted to tell you guys because I don't want to tell Ironwood or the Ace Ops about what I can do just yet."

"Great, more secrets," Yang grumbles.

Ruby sighs. "Look, I don't like keeping things from the General any more than you do, but there's just so much we don't know right now. Plus, it's not just my secret to keep, it's Maria's as well. So for now, let's just keep this between us, okay?"

None of them look very enthused at the prospect, but when she looks at them firmly, they all nod begrudgingly. Ruby figures it's the best she's going to get.

"Okay, glad we could get that settled," she says, deciding to change the subject. "Now, who's ready for some breakfast? Go team RWBY!"

And so, her practice begins.

It takes some thinking to find a good window for using her powers, because she has to find an opening where they're both fighting Grimm down in Mantle, as well as either patrolling alone or far enough from the Ace Ops that they won't notice what she's doing. She gets her first chance about a week later when she and Yang are checking Mantle's defensive walls and they happen to stumble across a huge pack of Beowolves.

"Cover me!" she calls to her sister, scaling down the side of the wall until she has the entire group within her line of sight. Ignoring the sound of her sister firing rounds from Ember Celica, Ruby takes a deep breath and closes her eyes, concentrating on thoughts of protecting her sister, her friends, the people of Atlas. When she opens her eyes again, the world is engulfed in a flash of silver light, and she can hear the monsters howling in pain.

Her eyes sting at the too-bright light and her head throbs in pain, leaving her weak and dizzy, but she grits her teeth and forces herself to scramble back up to the top of the wall before collapsing to her knees. "Did I get them all?" she asks hoarsely.

"Yep." She feels Yang's hand on her shoulder, but her head is spinning too much for her to look up at her sister. "You smoked them all, sis. We're good. How're you feeling?"

Ruby can see her sister's worried expression without even opening her eyes. "Not—not so great," she admits, swallowing hard and shivering.

"You look like you've got a killer headache," Yang says, keeping her voice mercifully quiet as she crouches next to her in the snow. "How about we get you back to the dorms?"

"Okay," Ruby mumbles. Heading back sounds like the best idea she's heard all day. It sounds less appealing when she realizes that it involves moving from her current position, crouched on top of the outer wall of Mantle. Yang is gentle as she hoists Ruby into her arms and stands slowly, but the change in elevation still makes her head ache in protest. She swallows hard again to keep from throwing up, taking several deep breaths and letting her head fall back against Yang's chest.

"Hey, Ruby?"

"Yeah?" she mumbles, voice barely audible.

"I think you overdid it a little for your first time out." A pause. "Also, if you puke on me, I will kill you."

"Right." Too exhausted to respond further, Ruby lets the steady rhythm of her sister's heartbeat lull her to sleep, letting the pain and fatigue wash away in favor of unconsciousness.

When she wakes up that afternoon in her bunk, swaddled in blankets and with a cool cloth on her forehead, head still pounding faintly, she has to agree with her sister. Maybe she should start a little smaller next time.

Her next opportunity comes when she's working with Blake, helping vendors set up their wares down in Mantle when a pair of Ursai appear out of nowhere. How they even got there is a mystery, given that they're practically in the center of the city. They should have been long since taken out by the city's defenses.

Apparently, nobody told the Ursai that.

"It's like that wall isn't even doing anything!" Blake growls in frustration, standing between the helpless citizens and the roaring Grimm. "This is ridiculous!"

One Ursa would be easy enough to handle, but a pair of them might be tricky with just the two of them—unless. Out of the corner of her eye, Ruby spots that the vendors are far too busy trying to protect their stalls to pay any attention to what the pair of huntresses protecting them are doing. It's now or never.

"Blake!" she calls to her friend, tapping into her desire to protect her friends and the people of the city around them. The power builds more quickly this time, bathing everything in front of her in radiant light. The Ursai don't even have time to scream before they vanish.

"Great job, Ruby!"

Ruby nods in acknowledgement, wincing and rubbing at her forehead in an attempt to ease the now-familiar ache that's started up again behind her eyes. "Are the vendors okay?"

"Everyone's fine, Ruby. The Grimm didn't get anywhere near them."

"Good." Ruby forces herself to straighten up and smile at Blake. "What else do we need to do?"

"I think we can be done here, if you want. We've gotten everything set up, and I messaged the others to let them know that we're finished." Blake bites her lip as she looks Ruby up and down. "Why don't we head back?"

This time, Ruby makes it back to the transport ship before passing out. Progress!

Gradually, Ruby begins to find using the power of her silver eyes to be less draining. With every bit of practice, she finds herself becoming more confident in her abilities. The protective mindset that Maria had told her about is becoming more natural for her, and she finds herself slipping into that frame of mind whenever they go out on patrol.

But those aren't the only things she's learned how to do. She's also figured out how to adjust the strength of her powers, to stun or merely injure the Grimm instead of outright vaporizing them. You can never have too many tricks up your sleeve, after all.

With a brilliant flash of light, Ruby leaves the Nevermore frozen in its tracks, allowing Weiss to scramble out of its path just in time. "Thanks!" Weiss calls over her shoulder, glancing back at Ruby. When the younger girl stumbles slightly, Weiss is there in an instant to steady her partner. "You okay?"

"I'm fine!" Ruby reassures her partner, eagerly charging back into the fray. "Let's finish this!"

All her hard work pays off when they come face-to-face with Cinder once again. Ruby doesn't allow her worry for Penny and Weiss and Winter to make her panic, instead channeling her fear into her desire to protect her friends. Silver light washes over the icy cavern.

They might be surrounded by threats on all sides, but for now, at least, Ruby's friends are safe. They can deal with the rest.

#rwby #ruby rose #yang xiao long #weiss schnee #blake belladonna #fanfic #hurt/comfort #my writing #headaches

[curls-and-crosses]

Mad Issues Part 1.5

(Erik “Killmonger” Stevens x black!fem reader)

Slightly under 2k words!

Prompt: A sweet Father's day moment with parents to-be, Erik and the reader.

CW: Fluff and slight angst.

A/N: Since Father's day was upon us, I wanted to depict Erik differently before pt 2. Remember, you and Erik weren't always at odds.

P.S: If you are wondering, you are currently 8 months pregnant now.

I did minimal editing, oops. Other than that, enjoy this! Please give me feedback! 💕

~~~

"Fuck! Turn the AC on. I'm dying over here." You complained as you desperately fanned yourself for comfort. It seemed to only make matters worse since there was little to no relief.

"Babe, I'm tryna to save my money and gas since we just bought the house. Plus I just became Wakandan Ambassador. "He said patiently as he reached behind his seat to pull out something. A bottle of water.

"Here, drink some of this. You and the baby need it the way you sweatin'." He jokingly advised, concentrating on the road.

"I wouldn't be sweating like this if you would blast some cool air. Cheap ass. We have money." You sassed, taking a swig of water before choking because it was so hot.

"This water is piss temperature, Erik." You grimaced, twisting the cap on the bottle and throwing to the back. He chuckled as he drove. His eyes crinkling at the sides, his shoulders bouncing a bit as he began to heartily laugh at your response.

"Well, it's not like you haven't swallowed anything else equally as warm...like the other night." He chuckled, giving you a side eye as he calmed down from his little laughing fit.

Your eyes widened and your jaw dropped in shock. "Erik! Stop it. The baby may hear you talking all nasty!" You gawked, smacking playfully at his arm before rubbing your large, clothed belly on each side to soothe your little girl from his explicit words.

"Our baby needs need to know how she got here sometime." He smiled, gripping your thigh almost to persuade you he was right.

"Not before she can walk! Not like that." You began to laugh at him, realizing what he was trying to do. He was distracting you from the sweltering heat that flooded the car by his entertaining conversation.

It was working for a little bit until you were reminded of a potential heat stroke as sweat rolled down your temple. You didn't understand how he wasn't sweating. Maybe it was the power he still held from the heart shaped herb.

His skin was maybe glistening with the thinnest layer of sweat, but nothing more. Meanwhile you were profusely sweating like you had just went for a run in the Sahara desert.

Your obstetrician has discussed with you that excessive sweating and having hot flashes was common with pregnancy. Your doctor had also warned you that it could get worse as your pregnancy went along. The way you were feeling, you knew that those symptoms were in full effect now.

You were growing more irritated at the heat drove on. As Erik drove on. He kept it a surprise where you were going but you had an idea.

It was Father's day weekend, you knew it had to be somewhere related to his own father. You were happy to share this moment with him, if that was truly the case. For the longest time, Erik had hated this holiday weekend because it reminded him of what he didn't have.

What he lost.

Since you've known Erik, all Father's Days had been terrible for him. Well, for you too because he was so emotional every year.

The first holiday, you wanted to make sure he was doing okay and tried to call him. You got no answer to your calls and no replies back. Nothing.

You didn't want to seem needy, so you let him be and did your thing.

A week went by when he finally reached out to you. You later asked him why he didn't call you or anything. All he said was "I wanted to be alone." You didn't want to push the issue, so you accepted his answer and left it alone.

The second Father's day was a bit better. You remember he called you that day to ask how you were doing. You said you were doing okay since you were spending time with the most important male figure in your life.

After that reply, Erik remained silent for a few seconds so you called his name, waiting for an answer back. He only said "Listen, I'll call you tomorrow. Okay?" and quickly hung up on you. You felt terrible and took pity on him. You wanted to go by his house or call again to make sure he was alright, but you continue your holiday without him.

The third Father's day was definitely a memory. You spent the day with Erik because he asked you to and you knew he needed someone with him. You were engaged at that point and thought spending time together was the best thing for the both of you.

You smiled out the window as you remembered how Erik was trying so hard to be happy and attentive with you that day.

You made him a large, but late lunch with all his breakfast favorites: pancakes, biscuits, seasoned eggs, grits, bacon, and sausage, along with juice and coffee. He said you might have overdid the food, but he was very grateful for the gesture.

Erik showered you with kisses while you cooked, put his hand over yours at the table as he talked your ear off, and held you close as you watched a movie on the TV screen until you fell asleep on the couch.

That day was going well until you were woken up hours later by sniffling sounds coming from his bedroom.

You hadn't heard Erik cry in your 3 and a half years of being together at that point, so you sprang up to get to him.

You remember that you had stopped in the doorway, knots forming in your stomach at your fiance's appearance as he sat on the edge of his bed. He slowly looked up at you when you approached the door. His eyes bloodshot, glazed over with sorrow as tears fell down his cheeks. A frown on his face with his lips slightly pouted. His dreads were sprawled across his forehead making his overall appearance even more melancholy. He sniffled once more before he spoke.

"Get out..." He said with a soft, pleading tone as he looked down at a picture frame in his hands. It looked a little worn: much like him in some ways. You had never seen him so broken. You didn't really know what to do or say. You were going to follow his request to leave him alone, but your feet didn't move. A part of you didn't want to leave. You wanted to let him know you were there for him.

"But Erik, I want to help you."

You replied carefully, watching as his breathing picked up and he gripped the picture frame harder.

He shot up from his spot on the bed and threw the picture frame across the room, hitting the wall across from him. As a reflex, you flinched and shielded your head.

"I said GET OUT!! I know you don't want to be here with me. FUCKING LEAVE!!" He yelled as he dropped to the ground in a sobbing mess.  

Your heart had broke seeing him like that...so, this is why he didn't want you around.

His shoulders slumped in defeat and despair as he quietly sobbed. You looked at him with concern as he stared through you with a numb expression.

"Why won't you leave me? My father already has." He said through sniffles and obvious irritation.

You sighed and walked over to kneel down with him on the floor. You took his cheeks and thumbed away his tears. He lifted his head once more to stare into your eyes for  comfort.

"He left me. Both of them did." He dejectedly murmured.

"Erik, listen to me. I'm not going to fill the void of your parents. Please don't hold me to that standard, baby. All I can be to you is the woman you need in your life to support you and love you the best way I know how. You hear me?"

He responded by nodding and giving you a slow kiss. No other words had to be said.

You came back to reality and realized Erik was parking on the side of the road near an open field.

"Erik, where are we?" You wondered, the words slowly coming out of your mouth.

He shushed you as he held your hand. He turned to you with a full smile and kissed your hand.

"It'll be fine, just follow me." He simply replied before stepping out the car to open your door on the other side. Your eyes widened in surprise at your current location before you furrowed your eyebrows in confusion.

"Come on baby, hurry up." Erik chuckled, as he helped you out. He saw your feet touch the ground and left you to get out fully by yourself. You looked at him, baffled as he excitedly jogged to the back of the car.

"Thanks for helping me out, hun." Sarcasm got the best of you and you laughed to yourself as you tried to get out. You were sure you looked like a beached whale attempting to get out the car.

Your eager husband walked back up to you holding a small...cooler?

"So while I was dying in the car, you had something cold to drink this entire time?" You questioned. You were almost ready to take his head off at this point and you weren't a violent person. It had to be the heat and the hormones.

Erik didn't say anything initially as he closed your door. You looked at him, expectant for an answer as he locked the car and started walking while holding your hand.

"Yeah, I'm sorry baby...I was trying to keep the surprise a surprise." He sheepishly grinned, scratching the back of his neck before taking your hand again.

"But you know I don't really care for surprises..."

"Just come on, you're going to like it."

"Okay, well. What is this grand surprise that almost caused your wife to pass out in thirst?" You sassed, walking through weeds and looking down for any wildlife you weren't too fond of.

"Just wait, we're almost there."

"Erik, you know surprises give me anxi–" Seeing that he had stopped, you looked up and saw a small picnic table under a tree with a basket, flower vase full of your favorite flowers, balloons, and presents.

You stood there, frozen. You didn't know what to say. Was this for you?

"What is all this? It's not my birthday or Mother's day." You spoke, unbelieving of what was in front of you.

"I know baby girl, but without you I wouldn't be a father. I wouldn't be a better man. You have decided to love me even when I thought I was unlovable. Thank you." He said, turning to kiss your forehead and put his hand on your belly.

You put your hand over his and leaned up to kiss him. He gladly returned your soft kiss and grinned.

"I don't know what to say Erik." You confessed, feeling tears beginning to well up in your eyes.

"Don't say anything, y/n. Just know I love you." He whispered before kissing you again.

As you kissed once more, you both felt your little girl kick. You chuckled and put both of your hands on your belly.

"I think she's saying I love you too." 

Mad Issues Taglist

#mad issues erik fic #erik can get it idgaf #erik killmonger imagine #erik killmonger x reader #erik killmonger x plussize!reader

[randomlifeunit]

“Paralyzed”

Ratings: Teen and up

Part: 16/?

   Sean wasn't sure when his mood had begun to lighten a bit. Things were looking up. He had a good friend who supported him, he had started online classes to continue his education, and his dad had been taking him out to begin practicing driving again. His confidence in himself was beginning to return. It felt good.    All these changes had been so gradual, that he hadn't realized just how well things were going until he hit a bump in the road. It started when he woke up feeling sore across his midsection, in the same area as the long scar which now decorated the surface of his skin. He'd tried to ignore the scar in the past, preferring not to even look at it, but today he laid in bed, tracing a finger across the marks in remembrance.    He figured the soreness was likely from helping his dad move all those boxes in the garage the day before. He wondered if his abdominal muscles were scarred, too---maybe that was why the heavy lifting had left him so disproportionately sore. The scars up until now hadn't been bothering him much. After they had healed, there had been the itching, which had nearly driven him crazy. But all that had subsided, aside from the occasional pulling sensation when he stretched the wrong way. This soreness was too much like how it had felt when he had still been healing, and it was difficult to be faced with it again. Now, as he felt the familiar sensation of pain and took the time to really look at the scars that tracked across his belly, sadness welled up within. It was more like a bittersweet longing---a wish that things could have gone differently, that day. It felt like it had just happened yesterday, yet also a lifetime ago. Things were so different now. 

A few tears escaped his eyes as the memories again washed over him. He felt the anxiety of those painful moments. They were there, and they hurt. He wished he could go back and change the course of time, but he knew that was impossible. His hand instinctively reached for his phone. Rebecca's number was there, and he hesitated a moment before typing out a message to her. Hi, Rebecca. I hope you're doing well today. Just having a bit of a rough day. Take care. Sean He hit send and dragged a hand over his eyes. Easing out of bed, he headed for the bathroom, hoping a hot shower could dispel these feelings. Half an hour later, moving slowly, he made his way downstairs to get some breakfast. His father greeted him, offering Sean a smile as he readied himself for work. "How are you this morning, Bud?" Dennis asked. "Sore," Sean replied, as he rubbed his midsection, a small frown on his face. "From yesterday? Hmm, maybe you're a little out of shape, eh?" Dennis teased with a wink. "Yeah, maybe," Sean answered without conviction. He thought for a moment before deciding to confide in his dad. "I think it's my scars," he said, looking at Dennis seriously. "Oh, well, that's different," his dad replied, all humor gone. "It's really bothering you, huh? I'm sorry," he said, giving Sean a quick hug. Sean sighed. "Thanks, Dad," he said. "It just...feels a little too much like...before, you know?" "Ohhh, I think I understand," Dennis nodded. "How bad is it? Does it need looked at?" He asked with some concern. "I don't think so," Sean answered. "I don't think it's serious." He frowned, feeling unsure. "How about you let me know if it gets worse, huh?" Dennis put a hand on his shoulder comfortingly. "Sure, Dad, that sounds good." Sean smiled slightly, feeling some better about it. "I've got to get to work now," his father said, checking the time. "Give me a call if you need me," he reassured Sean. "Thanks, Dad, love you," he responded. "Love you too, Son." Dennis shut the door behind him. Sean watched their vehicle pull away, then grabbed some cereal and eased into a chair. He checked his phone and had a message waiting from Rebecca. Sorry to hear you're having a rough day. Wanna talk about it? I can come by after my last class and we can chat. Sean smiled. He didn't want to impose on Rebecca, but it felt good to know she was there for him. He was about to decline, but something prodded him to accept her offer. Thanks, he typed back. I think that sounds good. We've got plenty of food here if you want to stay for dinner. Sure, I'll see you around 2:30, she responded a few minutes later. Sean smiled, feeling lighter already. See you then, he sent. Later that day, Sean had completed his schoolwork online, and was just easing down onto the couch, when he heard a knock at his door. A small grunt escaped him as his muscles protested, but he stood and made his way to the door. Rebecca's smiling face on the other side of it caused an answering smile of his own. "Hi, Rebecca," he said as she stepped inside. "Hey, Sean," she smiled. He took her coat and hung it up, and then turned and impulsively gave her a quick hug. Blushing slightly, he stepped back and absently rubbed his stomach. Rebecca's smile deepened, and she led the way into the living room. Sean followed her and they sat together on the couch. "Are you hungry?" he asked. "No, not yet," she replied. "Let's talk first, then eat. How does that sound?" "Okay, sure." Sean fidgeted, anxiety creeping in. "How were classes today?" he covered his nervousness with small talk. "Just fine," she responded. "We had a pop quiz in biology, but I think I did okay on it." "I'm sure you aced it," Sean nodded. "So what's up? You said you're having a rough day." Rebecca didn't waste any time getting to the point. Sean sighed and looked at his hands. "Yeah. I overdid it working with Dad yesterday, and now I'm really sore. It's...the scars that hurt." Rebecca nodded. "I'm sorry," she responded. "I feel silly for even letting it get to me. It's just sore muscles. But the hard part is that it feels so much like how it was when I was still healing. And even though those memories aren't as difficult to revisit as they used to be, it's still...painful." Rebecca tentatively took his hand. "I can imagine it is. But I'm glad you feel like you can talk about it. It's good to reach out when you're hurting." "Thank you," he said, giving her hand a squeeze. "I used to always avoid even looking at those scars. Sometimes just seeing them in the mirror was too much to handle. But today I felt like I wanted to look. I wanted to remember." "That sounds like a good thing," Rebecca said. "It sounds like you're making peace with what happened? At least a little bit," Sean nodded. "I think so, maybe a little." Rebecca looked uncertain for a moment, then asked hesitantly, "Do you...want to show me the scars? You don't have to, if you don't want to," she quickly added. Sean gulped, his face paling. "Uhh...I'm not sure," he stammered. Part of him felt like sharing it with her, but he felt incredibly self-conscious at the same time. She squeezed his hand. "It's okay if you don't want to." Sean blew out a breath. "It's not that I don't want to..." his voice trailed off, then he cleared his throat nervously. "I just...haven't really showed anyone before. I mean, my dad might have seen, in the hospital, but I don't know." He frowned. "I wasn't awake when he got there. My memory's really fuzzy for that part. I'm guessing I was already stitched up and bandaged when he saw me." Rebecca nodded, watching his face, her expression solemn. Sean knew he was rambling---and putting off the question. His mind raced. His heart pounded, but he steeled his nerves and took the plunge. Eyes averted, he lifted his shirt, his hand shaking slightly. A soft gasp escaped Rebecca's lips, but she quickly apologized. "I'm sorry, it's just...imagining what this looked like, when it first happened, it's..." she subsided. She reached out tentatively and began to trace the longest scar with a feather-light touch, but Sean flinched away involuntarily. She quickly pulled her hand away, and he chanced a glance in her direction. When he saw tears glistening in her eyes, he swiftly pulled his shirt down and put his arms around her. "I'm sorry," he said, his breath catching. "I didn't mean to hurt you." She scoffed into his shoulder, her voice slightly muffled. "You were the one who was hurt, not me," she said, getting choked up. "It just makes it so much more real seeing the scars. That's all." Sean held his breath tightly, trying not to break into tears, himself. His shoulders shook slightly as he rasped, "Yeah. I know what you mean." Hearing her softly begin to cry made him lose his composure, and he held her tighter as they both wept together for a few long moments. Rebecca recovered first, and sat rubbing Sean's back as his own tears subsided. He let out a shuddering sigh and she hugged him tightly before pulling back a bit. "I hope I didn't embarrass you by crying," she said, wiping her eyes. "I don't want you to feel like you need to be ashamed of your scars. I'm glad you felt you could share it with me. I wanted to understand what you were going through, where you've been. It means a lot to me." Sean scrubbed a hand across his face. "Thank you. I'm..." he searched for words. I'm really glad to have you here with me. It means a lot to me, too." Rebecca squeezed his hand, and then stood. "I just need to go fix my face up a bit. I'll be right back," she sniffed and threw a smile back at him while she stepped towards the bathroom. Sean headed into the kitchen, and splashed his face with some cold water in the sink. He was drying off with a towel as he thought about what to make for a meal. Rebecca stepped into the kitchen a few minutes later. "You getting hungry?" he asked her. "Definitely," she nodded. "What about some fried chicken?" he suggested. "That sounds wonderful. I'll help," she responded brightly. "Thanks," he smiled. "Want to grab the chicken out of the fridge while I get the spices out?" "Yes, sir!" Rebecca saluted smartly with a giggle. Sean couldn't hold back a snicker, and they both dissolved into laughter.

#paralyzed #Don't move #scars #tw: ptsd #ptsd recovery #ptsd #ptsd problems #tw: anxiety #tw: scars #tw: body image #sean #rebecca #angst #emotional h/c #comfort

[magiemagie]

Sooo i know i'm gonna be mostly screaming into the void but i need to air this out of my brain without wanting to bother my friends so tumblr it is

I'm kinda struggling lol

I spent so long identifying as ace and thinking i'd spend my life having sex for other people's sake that since i found someone i enjoy doing things with, i kinda did a complete 180 and maybe even overdid it a little. Which normally would be okay i guess?? Except my bf has kinda been having a tough time with matching my energy. I feel terrible cause now i feel like he had to force himself and didnt feel comfortable telling me he wasnt in the mood sometimes and i hate hate hate hate that. Ive been on the other end of that and it sucks and i dont want that for him and i def dont wanna be the person to cause these feelings. I just am having trouble kinda finding my footing i guess and not going overboard since i have never experienced anything like this before. But i would 10000% rather not have sex with him than him still pushing through and doing it for my sake only. And as someone who identified as ace for so long its such a weird position to be in??? Like its completely the reverse of my previous relationship and its not something i ever thought possible so it almost feels like he doesnt want me?? Which is ridiculous cause hes proven a million times he does. Hes got some stuff going on and if hes not in the mood that is totally okay!!! And it should be okay. He should feel comfortable telling me he's not in the mood. There is no pressure from me i will not die from abstaining from sex i just am having a hard time with 1)voicing my own desires without feeling pushy 2)not feeling like him not wanting it is because im not good enough/hot enough/desirable enough and its so silly and such a ridiculous thing i just want us both to enjoy ourselves and i like sharing these things with him but its not like im only with him for that reason. I legitimately enjoy being around him and even just like hanging out while we both do our thing is great. I just am gonna have to adjust i guess? Which is such a funny thing to think about. Six months ago i thought id have to feel guilty for refusing sex if we were in a relationship and now im the horny bitch who wants to sleep with him all the time lol. Idk this is dumb and its not like we didnt talk about it i just feel bad for putting pressure on him and making him feel like he constantly has to go with it if he doesnt feel up for it!!!!! Like its fine that im trying to enjoy myself but i dont wanna do that in spite of him. I love him to bits and i want this to work so i dont want to make him feel inadequate or burnt out or whatever it is

#lol this turned into more of a ramble/rant than i thought it would #sorry my thoughts dont make sense yall

[sending-the-message]

In The City Of Meatbot-Powered Killers (part 8) by molotok_c_518

Table of Contents

Part 7

(WARNING: Due to the graphic nature of this series, reader discretion is strongly advised. Contains cannibalism, strong language, violence, and a mention of suicide.)

A bit of dark web wizardry to fill in the gaps...

Video footage from a Reaper drone, designated RB-4, on station over [REDACTED]:

A Chinook twin-rotor cargo helicopter comes in from the south, towing a huge crate underneath, roughly the size of an industrail AC unit. After some fancy piloting, it manages to set down the crate with minimal swinging. The sides drop, revealing a pile of beef sides, enough meat to start a Texas-style barbecue for 1000 guests, give or take.

Immediately, a swarm of little stick figures, like ants at a picnic, converge on the beef. They nearly trample the small know of people at the site that have been eating each other for the past several days.

The frenzy goes on for about a half hour.

Suddenly, the focus of the video shifts upwards, to an incoming A-10. It comes in low and slow, and drops...something... from underneath.

RB-4 tracks the dropped item... a canister? a bomb?... all the way to the pile of beef and bot-ridden.

Just before it would hit, it explodes, throwing fire in every direction. The little bug-people right underneath are incinerated immediately; others take longer.

Like the downtown attack, some of the infested run like hell away from the flames; many, many more run towards them, throwing themselves on the pyre, in defiance of survival instinct.

RB-4: God... damn... that's gonna need some serious brain-bleach to scrub that shit away. Good hit, sir.

A-10 Pilot MAJ {Brown}, call sign "Anvil": Roger, RB-4.Feels fucked-up to be dropping on US civvies.

RB-4: They ain't exactly human anymore, sir. Some Ebola shit or something.

Anvil: So I heard. Do you actually believe the White House on that?

At that moment, a burning man breaks loose and begins running towards a long, two-story building in the background.

RB-4: It may not be Ebola, but... we Chair Force guys have seen some serious shit, sir. One of my buddies just checked out... ate his sidearm.

Anvil: Fuck... condolences.

RB-4: Thank you, s... whoa!

The burning man reaches the building. He slams his fists against a door, and the whole top of the building explodes.

Anvil: Shit! Shit! Shit! We were supposed to be careful not to hit that complex!

RB-4: The explosion was from inside, sir. Glass all blasted outwards.

Anvil: Gas leak? Triggered by the burning idiot?

RB-4: Unknown, sir. I will say it doesn't look like anything you could have anticipated.

Anvil: ...fuck.

RB-4: Hope you brought marshmallows, sir,

We ran.

The double doors opened on a wider tunnel, brightly lit, that ran for 1000 feet, terminating in another set of doors. It was deserted.

Halfway down the tunnel, my email reached the phones. The whole tunnel shook like Richter's best wet dream, and we were thrown to the tunnel floor.

"I... I think I overdid it," I muttered.

We got back to our feet and ran for it again.

{Jane} was a bit faster than me. As a result, she hit the doors a few steps ahead of me, and got ambushed by the four infested on the other side.

She yelled as she was dragged to the floor, but managed to get the machete into the head of the first one as she fought. It jumped back screaming.

I got there a few seconds later, and slammed the axe into the head of another one, throwing it back into a wall. Another swing removed the top of a third one's skull.

This gave {Jane} enough room to slam the last one into the first one, and the two went down in a tangle of limbs and a spray of meatbots from the head wound of the first infested.

The second one had recovered enough to come charging at me. I swung upwards, taking it in the gut with the poll of the axe and putting that spike right into its ribs. Intestines unraveled and spilled on the ground; the last infested jumped on them and began to devour them while the badly wounded one tried to shove him off.

"C'mon!" I said, grabbing {Jane}'s arm and dragging her to her feet, then propelling her to our right, and another tunnel.

The lights had flickered a few times as we fought. Now that we were free, they threatened to go out as we escaped.

Another infested came out of an alcove to our right. {Jane} took it high, lopping its head off with one clean stroke.

"A little further up, we take a left," she panted. "It will take us across campus."

"Are you hurt at all?"

"No. Looks like they couldn't get a grip or bite on me."

"Okay. If you are, let me know... I brought some more anti-bots with me."

She stopped. "Wait... you have more of those things?!? And you're willing to actually use them on us?"

"Well... yeah. I mean, that's how I recovered you in the first place, and kept myself from getting infested when you attacked me."

{Jane} grabbed me by the lapels and slammed me into the wall. "DO NOT PUT THOSE THINGS IN ME," she growled. "If I get ridden again, just burn me."

"Okay, okay," I whispered. "I get it."

I didn't, really. I also didn't mention that she might still have some dormant counter-bots in her system.

See, the actual programming called for a short "maintenance" period, where several classes of 'bot would go into "sleep mode," as it were, awaiting the chemical trigger to awaken (wounds, cancer, etc.). After a while, they would run out of fuel, deactivate entirely, and get flushed.

Sometimes, ignorance is the best policy.

We set off again, taking that left and charging into increasingly more dimly-lit sections of tunnel. We got hit a few more times, but it seemed like they had all gone above-ground and joined the cannibal bonfire.

Then a familiar smell hit me: raw meat, unwashed bodies, spoiled flesh, blood, cake frosting.

"Stop," I said.

{Jane} looked at me funny. "What?"

"There's an orgy of infested ahead."

I could hear it now, too: That squishy, slithering, chewing sound.

"Is there a way out of these tunnels and back to the surface from here?"

"Just around that corner ahead of us. Probably through the orgy."

"Backtrack?"

"We'll be out in the open, visible to any recon drones, for about a half mile."

"Fuck."

"We can take them," {Jane} said confidently. She swung the machete like a pro now.

"No. We try to get around them. A few, we can deal with... more than 20 or 30, and we could end up like them."

{Jane} looked me in the eye: a hard stare, more than a little bit homicidal. "Maybe I should push you in. Serve you right for making them like that."

"I thought we were past this."

"...wait..."

"...what?"

The sounds had stopped.

"Uh-oh."

"Run through them," {Jane} mumbled, swinging the machete.

"Wait..."

"NOW."

And she charged.

"Fuck." I hefted the axe and followed.

Around the corner was a knot of infested, slowly disentangling themselves from each other as they heard {Jane} running around the outskirts of them. She was swinging at limbs that reached out to her, lopping them off, as other hands reached out to grab the newly liberated snacks.

I followed at a bit of a distance (I deemed it unsafe to get that close to an angry woman with a big knife), kicking severed hands into the pile, swinging at any arms that got too close.

One hand reached out and grabbed her pants leg, and she went down hard. I chopped into its wrist, and the hand flew across the tunnel into the wall, tangling in a small nest of cables.

I ran past, grabbing her by the collar and hauling her up. She limped on, and I supported her weight as we passed the feeding frenzy.

"To our right. Up those stairs. I think it's the chem building."

"I thought we were going to the dorms."

"No. Mall."

We slammed through a door. The stairwell beyond was empty and dark, and utterly silent once the echoes of our abrupt entrance faded.

I lugged her up the stairs. She weighed a bit more than she had when I rescued her, but I felt it was wise not to mention that.

"Why are we going back to the mall?"

"Food. Shelter. Real clothes." She gestured at the mish-mash of men's clothes I had scrounged up for her. "Hair dye, so I can go blonde again and hide the grey."

"What grey?"

"Plus, we have a plausible story to tell the Army if they roll through asking survivors how they kept from getting infested: 'We locked ourselves in the mall and stayed put.'"

"You know that most of them will have seen Dawn of the Dead, so they'll know it's reasonable..."

"Right."

"I just came from the mall, though. Locked myself in there after Bobby and his wife got taken in."

"You mean Ricky."

"No, Kentucky Bobby."

"It was Ricky. Bobby was the one that was always in the bathroom."

"Really?"

"Are we going to the mall or not."

"Car."

"There's a lot full of them."

"No keys."

"I can hotwire one. My ex taught me. It's apparently a big thing in Russia to know how to steal a car."

"I've never heard that."

"You have now."

I sighed. "Let's go, then. I duct-taped a latch on the south side. We can get in there. Also, we should snag an electric or hybrid. Quieter. Won't draw as many."

"Let's roll."

She seemed a little better on her feet as we climbed the stairs to the first floor and went out into the bright, late-summer sunshine. I didn't comment on it, figuring she'd put it down to just twisting her ankle.

Outside, the way was clear, right up to the cars in the parking lot. A good half-mile walk.

Right out in plain view of any drones or satellite coverage.

"They'll see us if we go out there," I said.

"They'll be distracted by that," she said, pointing back at a pair of thick columns of black smoke.

"Good point."

RB-4: This is RB-4 to RQZ Six.

RQZ: This is Six, go ahead.

RB-4: Sir, it appears that our target has been heavily compromised. Seems that there was some kind of gas leak at objective 2, and it... well, it exploded. Sir.

RQZ: Can you confirm casualties from up there?

RB-4: Negative, sir.

RQZ: I would hate to have lost our best chance at curing this damned thing.

RB-4: Is it that bad, sir?

RQZ: Officially, it's contained.

RB-4: ...officially, sir?

RQZ: Unofficially, we may have a few isolated cases in an outlying suburb.

911 (dispatcher, just outside [REDACTED]): 911, what's your emergency?

Man: Help, my wife's gone fuckin' bonkers!

911: Where are you?

Man: I'm in my house, at [ADDRESS]. My wife brought home a stray dog, nice animal, collar and everything... it bit her, and she started... well, eating everything (BANG BANG BANG in the background) in the house.

Woman: LET ME IN, JERRY. I JUST WANT TO TALK!

Man: You already stabbed me with a fork, Ethyl, I'm not falling for it.

911: Officers en route, sir, stay on the line.

BANG BANG BANG

Woman: JUST OPEN THE DOOR, JERRY, WE CAN WORK THIS OUT.

Man: You've got rabies or something... I'm just getting you an ambulance.

Woman: I DON'T NEED A FUCKING AMBULANCE! YOU WILL IF YOU DON'T OPEN THE FUCKING DOOR!!!

911: Where is the dog now?

Man: She ate it.

911: I... see. Hold for a moment, please.

Man: Wait...

bang bang bang

Woman: Honey, I'm sorry. Just come out and we can have a nice dinner.

CRASH!

Man: Fuck, Ethyl, how did you... AHHHHH!!! THAT FUCKING HURT!!!

The car we managed to snag was a Honda hybrid. Silent as the grave. {Jane} drove.

We went out the north entrance of the campus. Along the way, we saw sporadic knots of infested laying very still, with only a cursory glance at us as we drove by.

"Probably almost starved to death," {Jane} muttered.

"Yeah," I said.

"So you're just... letting the Army kill them all?"

This again.

"Yes. Better that than put the nanobots in the hands of anyone else."

"And you're okay with that?"

"No. I'm not. It hurts that I can't cure them. It would take more than I believe we have to cure them all. Plus, they did... things. We've seen them burn themselves to death rather than run from the fire. It's a good probability that most of these people would prefer to die."

{Jane} navigated to the entrance of [REDACTED] Mall and drove to the back side, where I had taped the door open.

She shut off the car, and stared out the window for a moment.

"I still need to figure you out. I'm not sure I totally trust you."

"Okay..."

"I know these... things... can affect the brain. They made me okay with killing and eating people. How do I know that you didn't program them to make me follow and obey you?"

"I wouldn't... couldn't... do that. How about, I take one end of the mall, you take the other..."

"Okay."

"If we stick together, we can get out of this. It's entirely up to you."

"Okay."

"Go think on it. Get real clothes. Get whatever food you want. I'll be in the electronics store."

An hour later, and I'm hiding in a mall bathroom with a fire axe. Again.

One last step, and we can be free of [REDACTED], out of the quarantine zone, and on our way.

#reddit #nosleep #scary #story