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dialovers-translations · 8 months

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DIABOLIK LOVERS ZERO Animate Tokuten Drama CD “A Vampire’s Late Night Snack Terror” [Kino ver.]

Original title: 夜更かしヴァンパイアの食テロ飯 [キノ編]

Source: Diabolik Lovers ZERO Vol. 7 Animate Tokuten CD

Audio: Here

Seiyuu: Tomoaki Maeno

Translator’s note: I went into this fully expecting a repeat of Kou with Kino setting the kitchen on fire but he’s actually a decent cook??? It was also really cute how he wants to be more independent and stop relying on Yuuri to do everything for him. I swear this guy keeps on winning me over again and again ever since I played his Lost Eden route.

Kino burst into the room.

*Thud*

“...God! What does he mean ‘You can’t do it, Kino’...!? Who does he think I am, huh!?”

You ask him what’s wrong.

“It’s very simple! I was looking for a change of pace and casually offered to make a meal...but what do you think Yuuri said in response to that? ...That it’s impossible for me! I can cook though! It’s just that I usually choose not to!”

You tell them it’s not good to fight.

“We’re not fighting or anything...Well, I guess it’s true that I don’t exactly cook very often. Yuuri does it for me after all. But he didn’t have to just flat out doubt my capabilities like that! Aah...It pisses me off! Can’t I get back at him somehow? ...Right! You’re a pretty good cook, aren’t you?”

You suspect that he might want you to teach him.

“Yes, exactly! ...Teach me! How to cook!”

You seem hesitant.

“...Are you going to tell me that I can’t as well?”

You tell him that it’s too late to cook now.

“Who cares that it’s the middle of the night? Besides, I’m a Vampire, so I’m active during this time of day. ...Ah-aah...That really stings. You’ll have to do something now to make up for this emotional pain.”

Kino approaches you.

*Rustle*

“So...Where do you want me to bite you? It would seem to me that you’re dying to have me give you a taste of pain, so I’ll gladly take you up on that offer?”

You protest.

“I won’t wait. So, where do you want my fangs? Ahー Perhaps I should go for your ear? It’s a very sensite spot, so I’m sure it’ll hurt a lot?”

You continue to fight back.

“Then...You’ll teach me, right? I don’t care about the dish itself.”

You agree.

“There we go. You should have just nodded in agreement from the beginning.”

*Rustle*

“Well then, let’s go to the kitchen then. Just a heads up, pick something fancy but possible for me to make, okay?”

*TIMESKIP*

*Rustle rustle*

*Thud*

“You’ve started...lining up some strange things. These odd vegetables and...cheese? What are we going to make with these?”

You refuse to tell him for now.

“That’s something to look forward to? Okay, sure. I guess I’ll follow your instructions this once. ーー So, where should I start?”

*Rustle*

“What...is this?”

You tell him.

“Eh? This is lotus root!? I had no idea it had this sort of shape...”

*Rustle*

“Oh, you’re right! Now that you mention it, the cross-section looks like lotus root! I should slice it, right?”

You tell him he has to cut it thinly.

“Eeeh? You have so many requests. Yeah, I know. I’ll cut thin slices.”

You tell him the amount you need.

“One hundred gram!? So what does 100 gram of lotus root look like exactly!? Could you stop giving me all the difficult tasks!?”

*Cling*

“Hmph...God. I’ll just wing it...”

*Chop chop chop*

“About this much?”

You praise his knifework.

“Guess so. I mean, obviously I know how to use a knife. So, what’s next?”

You turn on the stove.

“Ah...We’re going to bake these? ...You can hear the sound of the oil sizzling. Can I add the lotus root now?”

You give him instructions again.

“There you go asking complicated things again...Fine. I should line them up leaving as little gaps as possible...and bake them until the surface is crispy, right?”

*Pshhh*

*Rustle*

“Mmh! Looking good! It’s got a nice brown color and gives off a rich fragrance. What should I do next?”

*Rustle*

“Are these leftovers from dinner? Can I put them on?”

You nod.

“Then I’ll place these bite-sized pieces of bacon all around...and sprinkle the finely chopped pieces of tomato on top as well, okay? The rings of green pepper as well. ...Mmh! A nice array of colors! As to be expected of me! Why don’t we add in some konpeito as well while we’re at it? I really like these ones!”

*Cling cling*

“See? Aren’t they pretty? I’m very fond of the star shape as well. Let’s try mixing it in here!”

You stop him.

*Rustle*

“Eeh~? Party pooper! ...Fine then. ...So, what comes next?”

You had him a bag of grated cheese.

“Oh? This is...grated cheese, no? Eeh? But if we put this on top, it’ll ruin the nice color palate we had going on, no? ...Ah, right! The key is to put an even, thin layer! ...I’ll put it on top then, okay?”

Kino adds the cheese.

“Sprinkle it all over...”

*Rustle*

“There! It’s starting to melt, look! Uwah~! It looks really delicious already!”

You tell him that it’s not quite ready yet.

“Fine. I’ll put on the lid, okay?”

*Cling*

“Now we just wait, right? I’ve gotten kind of hungry even though I had dinner earlier. Well, I guess I don’t technically need to eat since I’m a Vampire but I can’t wait for the finished product!”

*TIMESKIP*

*Cling*

“Uwah! It looks scrumptious! Although you can tell by the scent alone that it’s going to be delicious. Is it done now?”

You nod and plate it.

*Cling*

“Hooray! It’s done! ...Quick and easy, lotus root pizza!”

You seem surprised that he could tell what it’s based on.

“It’s pretty obvious that it’s meant to be a pizza. This is the first time I’ve seen someone use lotus root for the crust though. Say...Why don’t we give it a little taste before we go show it to Yuuri? It’s really tempting me.”

You give him permission.

“Hehe~ Well then...Time to dig in~!”

Kino takes a bite.

“Mmh...Nn...Mmh~! What’s this!? Holy shit! It’s super delicious!”

You ask him if he really likes it that much.

“Yeah! It’s out of this world! The lotus root crust is really crispy! Even though it’s thin, because it’s been crisped up in the pan, it has a really rich flavor. Kind of like vegetable chips...?

I really like the melted cheese on top as well! You should eat it while it’s still piping hot. Similar to a cheese fondue, I love how the cheese wraps around the vegetables and brings out the sweetness!

Also, the smoky aroma from the bacon has seeped into the lotus root. The fat from the meat melts inside your mouth...”

*Crunch*

“Mmh...Delicious!”

You say that you’re glad he likes it.

“Mm~ Way to go! You hit the nail on the head by choosing this recipe! It’s easy to make and delicious. Just like what I asked for!”

*Rustle rustle*

*Thud*

“Huh? Is that...jelly?”

*Rustle*

“Uwah! There’s konpeito inside! So pretty...It looks like stars floating in the sky.”

You ask if he likes it.

“Of course I like it! I was wondering what you were up to earlier, but you were making this, huh? You really are a great asset with how you’ll take all of my requests into account. What more could a man ask for (1)?”

You get flustered.

“What are you blushing for? I honestly wouldn’t mind marrying you right here, right now?”

You panic even more.

“Hahaha! What are those weird movements for? Honestly, I never grow tired watching you. ...Oh well, let’s leave that topic for another day.”

*Cling*

“I’m positive Yuuri will be shocked when he sees this table!”

You agree.

“Mmh. ...Well, I know this all started after I got into an argument with Yuuri but I actually had one more reason to want to cook. I realized that I should start becoming more independent little by little...I decided to stop thinking in terms of ‘a master and his servants’, remember? I don’t want to use Yuuri as a personal butler forever, you see. That’s why I gotta at least be able to cook by myself.”

You chuckle.

“What are you grinning for? It’s creepy. Are you mocking me, perhaps?”

You shake your head.

“I wonder. ...This is your punishment for making me upset.”

*Cling*

“Here, say ‘aahn’.”

You refuse.

“I’m not taking no as an answer. Now open your mouth?”

*Rustle*

“Fufu, very obedient now, aren’t we? ...Here you go, ‘aahn’.”

*Crunch*

“Good, right? I made it myself, so be sure to savor it thoroughly, okay?”

You nod.

“Right? Come on, feed me some as well.”

*Cling*

“Aahn~”

*Crunch*

“Mm...Mmh...Yeah, delicious! If we eat too much, there will be none left but...Oh well! We’ve still got plenty of ingredients left, so we can always make a new batch! I want to share the very first dish I made together with you anyway. ...Right~?”

ーー THE END ーー

Translation notes

(1) Kino calls her a ‘ryousai kenbo’ which literally means ‘good wife, wise mother’ and which is kind of seen as the ideal for woman in Japan and a lot of East-Asian countries.

#diabolik lovers #dialovers #kino #diabolik lovers translation #diabolik lovers drama cd #drama cd

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bakubunny · 8 months

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let me hear you

pairing: bakugou katsuki x uraraka ochako

wc: 7.73k

tags: aged-up characters, dildos, dom/sub undertones, embarrassment, hair-pulling, masturbation, mutual pining, oneshot, praise kink, fluff and smut, texting, banter, vaginal fingering, orgasm delay, ochako is lowkey a size queen, bakugou is an asshole but also kind of soft, (slight) crackfic treated seriously, mina is sweet but has no filter and no chill

summary: Ochako moves back in with Mina after a busy five year contract abroad with a new hobby of collecting 'personal items,' i.e. fantasy sex toys. One day, Bakugou overhears her having some personal time on her day off. Stupidly, she invites him over to help when he won't leave her alone about it....

So Katsuki, the opportunist that he is, seizes an unconventional moment to try and show Ochako he’s changed since the last she knew him, at least a little… sort of.

preview:

“I can do that,” he said. “Sweet talk for a sweet girl….” Ochako snorted, finally freeing her face from his grasp. “You, sweet? Since when?” “I’m an asshole, not fuckin' stupid, Ochako. I can talk sweet for a pretty girl who wants to come,” he bristled as the intensity of his red eyes returned. “Could’ve fooled me,” she said playfully. “I’m not convinced.” “I think you are. You just want more of it,” he replied.

a/n: if you like this fic, i'm already working on a follow up, release date tbd. keep an eye out for it here or on my ao3, and thanks for reading!

“I don’t know if this is impressive or concerning,” Mina said.

Ochako turned around to see her friend and now roommate in front of an open box on her bed that was labeled DO NOT OPEN in multiple places while holding something very large, brightly colored, and phallic shaped.

“Mina, get out of there! What are you doing?” she said quietly. Red from her neck to her hairline, Ochako pulled the sex toy out of her friend’s hand and swiftly put it back where she’d found it. “I wrote ‘DO NOT OPEN’ in big letters all over the box for a reason.”

“Yeah, and that means it’s obviously the first box I’m gonna open when I see it,” Mina said.

“Or you could just, I don’t know, not open it,” Ochako said with exasperation.

Ochako loved Mina dearly. In fact, she was one of the few from UA she’d kept in contact with during her entire five year contract in the United States. But this was one of the moments she desperately wished Mina would utilize a little self control….

During her time overseas, Ochako had started a collection of ‘personal items,’ partly because she didn’t want a relationship or a hookup, and partly because they were all so pretty and enticing. Sure, fantasy sex toys from independent companies were pricey, but they were infinitely better than most of the generic, cheap ones she’d tried, and they looked beautiful. She didn’t really care as much for the ‘fantasy’ aspect as she did the feel of soft, smooth silicone and a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and textures, all custom poured into any color combination she could wish for. Beautiful marbles of pastels and fades of vibrant colors, ones that sparkled and others that glowed in the dark. Ochako knew from experience that they were worth every penny she paid, hence why she was unwilling to part with any of them when she moved back home.

“When the heck did you get so many dildos? And that one was massive! Is it even usable?” Mina asked way too loudly.

Ochako went red further.

“Shush, will you? Yes, they’re all usable. I started collecting when I went overseas,” Ochako replied.

“Why? There’s nothing wrong with it, and they’re pretty. But was it really that hard to get laid over there?” Mina said.

“No, I just… it’s easier. And I like them. That’s all there is to it,” she said.

Mina looked at her like she’d grown another head for indirectly suggesting her private ‘hobby’ was better than a hookup. (And truth be told, most of the time it was.)

“Where do you want the dresser, cheeks?” Bakugou said. He and Kirishima were carrying her dresser into her bedroom without drawers.

Ochako’s eyes shot wide open and she scrambled to close the box in front of her. She still hated when he called her that, and he knew it, too. After asking him to stop twice earlier that day, she gave up on it.

“Uh, the far wall should be fine!” she squeaked out as she shoved the box into her closet when the guys came in. She quickly closed the mirror doors behind her as Mina held back a snicker from the look on Ochako’s red face.

“To the far wall it goes,” Kirishima replied.

As they carried the dresser to the far side of the room, Ochako was silently cursing Mina for even suggesting she needed help moving to Kirishima, let alone insisting on it. She was Uravity. A bed frame, a dresser, and a few heavy boxes were nothing for her. It was just a thinly veiled excuse made by Mina to see her boyfriend in a cutoff shirt carrying heavy things. Kirishima, kindhearted and clueless as ever, agreed without a second thought about it, and he’d somehow roped Bakugou into helping, too.

Not that Ochako was complaining; he was still a hot tempered asshole that she wanted nothing to do with, but she wasn’t blind. Time had only gone in his favor, and he looked hotter than she’d ever remembered. He was slightly taller now and his muscular frame had filled out. Soft, baby faced features had started to fade, unlike hers. At twenty five, she still looked like a child, at least in her own eyes, with her mousy brown hair and round cheeks.

“Thanks again, I think that’s everything that goes in the bedroom. I should be able to take it from here,” she said with a bubbly smile when they’d set the dresser down.

“Drawers?” Bakugou said.

“Huh?”

“Don’t you want the drawers for your dresser, Ochako?” he replied with a cocked brow that only seemed to deepen when he saw the flush on her face.

Ochako.

It felt weird hearing her name come out of his mouth. Uncomfortable.

“Right. Of course,” she said. “Drawers in here, and then I think the last few boxes can go down the hall.”

With that, she nearly shoed everyone out of the room to get the drawers, making sure she was the last person out.

**** “I just can’t believe you genuinely think all of that would be better than the real thing,” Mina said as she took books out of a box and put them on the bookshelf near Ochako’s dresser. “I can hardly go two days without Eijiro.”

Ochako was unpacking her toy collection into proper closet storage; against the wall on the inside, she’d put a narrow, white bookcase where she could keep things easily accessible and visible but still tucked away from prying eyes. It was the only box left, and at this point Mina already knew about it and kept asking questions, so she had no reason to hide it. The most used ones were on a shelf at eye level; a variety of moderate to small sizes with different shapes. Smallest ones took up a portion of the top shelf, and larger toys were neatly arranged on the shelves below. Her collection wasn’t as massive as some she’d heard of and seen online, but it certainly wasn’t anything to scoff at either.

“I never said it was better. I said it was easier and I enjoy it,” Ochako replied.

“Okay but like. When was the last time you had a good fuck? You know I’ll happily be your wingwoman and we can solve that problem real quick,” she said.

Warmth bloomed in Ochako’s cheeks.

“I-It’s been a while. But you definitely don’t have to do that. I don’t want a hookup. Or a date,” she said with a laugh.

“How long, Ochako?”

“I told you, a while,” she replied.

“Weeks?… Months?…” Mina pressed.

Ochako was silent as the last item was set on the shelf. She started to pick at the tape on the cardboard box.

“Years?”

“…yeah,” Ochako admitted. She peeled off the tape and threw it away.

“Seriously, girl? Did you get laid at all while you were gone?” Mina said incredulously.

“I mean I tried at first. I just never found the time,” she said.

“In five years?”

“First it was the language barrier. Then after that, I was busy and tired from work. And when I did, it was so bad, Mina,” she said. Ochako flopped onto her bed.

“Yep, that’s what we’re doing. We’re fixing this like tomorrow,” Mina replied.

“Please, I don’t need anything fixed. And before you get so dramatic about it, it’s not like I haven’t done anything. I just haven’t…” she trailed off.

“Gotten dicked down?” Mina asked.

“Yeah…. The few times I tried, I somehow wound up with guys who couldn’t find my clit let alone get me off with a little guidance, and that just kinda ruined it for me. Either it didn’t go any further or I faked it before sex started. Then one year alone turned into two, and….” Ochako sighed.

The other part she didn’t say was that Mina had always been infinitely more comfortable talking about - and seeking out - sex than her. With her little hobby, every thought and desire stayed in her head. She didn’t have to tell a damn soul. And Ochako was more than okay with that.

“It’s okay, really. I’m satisfied now, so why mess it up? Plus, now that I’m home for good I’ll eventually start dating again…. Probably,” she said.

Ochako had longed for that for some time. Someone to be close to. Someone to care for who cared for her in return. But that was far more complicated than a simple hookup.

Mina stopped unpacking books and gave her a look between pity and horror.

“My god you’re worse than I thought,” Mina replied.

Ochako let out a laugh. “There’s nothing wrong with me. I just know what I want. So I’m not itching to hook up with anyone.”

She could practically see the wheels of scheming and mischief turning in Mina’s head.

“Don’t go getting any wild ideas,” she said.

“It’s not a wild idea. Just one you’re not gonna like,” Mina replied.

Ochako raised an eyebrow in question.

“Didn’t you see the way Bakugou looked at you the other day?”

Heat flooded her cheeks. She shifted uncomfortably.

“Ohhh no. No. Absolutely not. You’re right, I hate that idea,” she replied.

“But he was practically eye fucking you any time you weren’t looking! And even when you were looking he still did half the time,” Mina said.

She snorted as her body grew hot. “Was that the weird look on his face? I just thought he was being moody.”

Okay, so maybe she’d noticed. He wasn’t exactly subtle. But Mina didn’t need to know.

“Chako. Really?”

“What? Yes, really,” she laughed. She was blushing so hard that she felt it creeping down her neck.

Mina shook her head.

“Okay, fine…. But just like you, he’s changed at least a little bit. Just think about it, okay?” she said.

“Sure, but my answer isn’t going to change,” Ochako said.

“Not if I have anything to do with it…” Mina mumbled.

“Mina!”

**** Three weeks later

Ochako held her breath as her hips rose and fell, hands pressed into the wood floor. She had to hold herself back from slamming down onto the soft, warm, deliciously full feeling sliding in and out of her cunt as she took it all the way to the base with each slow thrust. Try as she might, every now and then a whimper or moan would escape her throat.

Her phone buzzed, a text. She checked to make sure it wasn’t an emergency text from her agency. It was a number she didn’t recognize.

Unknown Number: what are you doing 9:33 PM

She put her phone down nearby assuming it was spam and went back to sating the desires of her body. Two texts came in shortly after.

Unknown Number: dont ignore me cheeks 9:35 PM

Unknown Number: i can hear you 9:35 PM

Ochako’s heart stopped when she saw the notifications. How was that even possible? Were the floors made of paper?

UO: Bakugou? I'm working on a project. 9:36 PM

UO: Put earbuds in or something. I'll be done soon. 9:36 PM

A stream of texts came back.

BK: thats me 9:36 PM

BK: must be some damn project 9:36 PM

BK: no if youre not gonna stop i wanna hear you finish 9:37 PM

BK: and dont be shy about it 9:37 PM

The blood drained from Ochako’s face as the text came in. She swallowed thickly trying to come up with a response, but ended up erasing every one as he watched her type.

BK: come on i know you want to 9:40 PM

BK: let me hear you angel face 9:41 PM

UO: I don’t know what you’re talking about. 9:41 PM

BK: you gonna keep going for me? 9:42 PM

BK: gonna be a sweet girl and make yourself cum? 9:42 PM

UO: Gross. When did you become such a perv? Get lost. 9:42 PM

Ochako could hear the teasing tone of voice he had through text. Palms sweating, she peeled the suction cup base off the floor with shaky hands and climbed onto her bed. She laid there for a minute undecided on whether to continue or not, heart racing with embarrassment and shame.

BK: thats ok i know youre gonna think of me anyways 9:43 PM

BK: have fun roundface 9:43 PM

UO: Ew. I’ll pass. 9:44 PM

She tried to ignore the thoughts swimming in her head as she started again, this time more to find release from what she’d started than because she really wanted it. But it wouldn’t leave her head. Thoughts of Bakugou listening to her through the floor. Of him blowing up her phone with those stupid texts. Of…. She pushed the thought away. Unfortunately, the thought of him was exactly what made her come, and hard. Miraculously she managed to do so in silence.

Ochako felt gross inside and out as she took a shower and went to bed.

**** Ochako had just started lunch when her phone buzzed. It was Bakugou. She sighed. Hesitantly, she opened the message. It was a photo of her bathroom. Specifically, it was a picture of one of her toys drying on the counter: a thick, smooth, gently curved S-shape that tapered into a slightly wider base, much bigger than any average person could logically be but not absurdly large, at least to her. It was a pretty color, too; a light lavender shade with glittering gold streaks and shimmering teal-blue marbled through it. Her newest one. She hadn’t even tried it yet.

BK: holy shit you need to get out more 12:02 PM

She nearly spit out her tea.

UO: What the hell are you doing in my bathroom?? 12:04 PM

BK: mina let me in 12:05 PM

BK: our waters turned off downstairs and i need a shower 12:05 PM

UO: I don’t care. There are two bathrooms. Use the other one. 12:06 PM

BK: no can do cheeks 12:07 PM

BK: kiri is in minas and i dont wanna wait 12:07 PM

BK: your toy is cute tho 12:08 PM

UO: GET OUT BAKUGOU. 12:08 PM

BK: makes me wonder where you keep the rest 12:09 PM

BK: is that the one you fucked on the floor last week? 12:11 PM

UO: OUT. NOW. 12:11 PM

BK: bet it fills you up good doesnt it 12:13 PM

UO: CREEP. 12:13 PM

She wished to melt into the floor or float herself all the way to space when a second picture came through. It was a quick, low effort selfie but it was enough to make Ochako nearly pass out in embarrassment. Bakugou was clearly naked in front of the mirror, the bottom edge of it stopping just above any improper places. Her sex toy was still openly visible in the corner.

BK: too late its shower time 12:19 PM

Ochako sent Mina a text. There’s no way she was innocent in this.

UO: Mina, what the fuck is Bakugou doing in my shower? 12:19 PM

UO: Did you look in the bathroom before letting him in? 12:20 PM

AM: Woah, calm down. Its okay, it'll only take a few minutes. 12:22 PM

UO: No, I will not calm down 12:22 PM

UO: Because it’s not okay 12:22 PM

UO: Okay is the last word I would use to describe anything right now 12:22 PM

AM: ??? 12:23 PM

After carefully deleting the text referencing last week, Ochako sent screenshots of the conversation she’d just had with Bakugou.

UO: I’m leaving Japan and never coming back 12:26 PM

UO: My life is over 12:26 PM

UO: Back to the land of the Free of Bakugou 12:26 PM

AM: OMG IM SO SORRY 12:26 PM

AM: RUNNING TO BR NOW 12:27 PM

AM: PLS DONT RUN AWAY ILYSM 12:27 PM

AM: WHERE DO I HIDE IT 12:28 PM

UO: I don’t care just get it out of the bathroom please 12:28 PM

UO: And for the love of all that is good make sure my closet is shut 12:29 PM

UO: And maybe just ask next time? 12:29 PM

She sighed and looked at the food in front of her, now having lost all appetite. This was not how she anticipated her return to Japan. Staring out the cafe window and onto the street, she observed the many passers by through the lens of Ochako instead of the vigilant eye of Uravity. It hit her just how much she’d missed home even though she suddenly had another anxious longing to leave.

Ochako had turned down a second lucrative five year contract in the US because she missed her family and friends back home. Luckily enough, all of her hard work was paying off. She was able to land a contract near home at almost the same salary with none of the extra living expenses or general barriers of life overseas on a working visa; now that she was home, she was being recognized for the hero she was. More than that, though, she was able to take care of her parents the way they had taken care of her for so long, especially now that her living costs were so much lower.

Being away from Japan had helped her grow tremendously; she was out of Deku’s shadow and able to come into her own, proving herself to be a strong and competent hero in both rescue and combat. No longer was she being offered sidekick roles for her peers. She was the one who could hire a sidekick now, if she wanted to, but it didn’t interest her.

Mina’s text tore her out of her thoughts. Ochako had fifteen minutes left before her lunch was over and she was back on patrol.

AM: Also like. This only confirms my theory that you basically have a good fuck staring you in the face and you’re gonna try to ignore it 12:45 PM

UO: I told you, being attractive doesn't mean anything. 12:46 PM

UO: He’s probably shit in bed like the rest of them. I think I’ll take solitude. 12:46 PM

AM: Oh come on Ochako he HAS changed some 12:47 PM

AM: He’s basically like my brother but I’m not above admitting he’s hot and a little less asshole-y than when we were younger 12:47PM

AM: And do you remember nothing about UA or the last time you lived with me?? 12:48 PM

Ochako remembered a lot about UA and the two years she’d lived with Mina before going to the US. She’d tried to simply forget that Bakugou even lived next door, the experience was so scarring. She ignored Mina’s question.

UO: You did this on purpose, didn’t you? 12:49 PM

AM: Okay maybe I did 12:53 PM

AM: But I’m only trying to helppp 12:53 PM

UO: Well stop. I don’t want help. 12:55 PM

AM: THATS ONLY WHAT LONELY PEOPLE SAY 12:56 PM

Ochako let out a sigh as she put her face in her hands.

**** This time, Ochako had a plan. It was her day off. She’d double and even triple checked for over a week that the apartment below her would be empty today with Mina and Kiri…. Mostly because she thought Mina might ‘conveniently’ not tell the truth. After preparing throughout the morning to make sure it wouldn’t hurt too much going in, she took her new lavender dildo and stuck it to the floor, checking to see that the suction cup base was secure.

Ochako felt a little more heat pooling between her legs as she generously applied lubricant. She hovered over it, slowly guiding it to her hot, wet core. Her eyes went wide as the head slid in easily, still much thicker than expected with a stinging feeling. She let out a moan that was louder and more lewd than she’d ever want to admit to herself or anyone else as she sank down about a quarter of the way and stopped to give her body time to adjust.

Leaning forward, she made herself comfortable realizing that even if this wasn’t the biggest one she had, this one was going to take work if she wanted a chance to use it at all. After several minutes of playing with her clit and gently moving her hips, she sunk down half way. Goosebumps ran across her skin when sparks of heat and electricity slid from her core to the rest of her body as she did. Her cunt clenched tightly in near protest as it wept with desire. It felt so unbelievably perfect. The sound it elicited from her lips almost felt wrong, how vulgar it was. The process of waiting and adjusting started again… and again… until her hips finally came close to reaching the base.

Ochako could have sobbed from the overwhelming fullness inside her once she’d taken the whole thing, and she all but did. Her breath was heavy and panting even as her hips remained still. Little groans left her mouth as she waited until she couldn’t take it any longer. Her hips slowly moved up to the head, then down slowly, slowly. She clamped a hand over her mouth to muffle a cry as she sank down a second time before a desperate sob bubbled up out of her chest.

She may not have gotten fucked in a long time, but even if the ‘real thing’ was better, there was no dick in existence that could give her this.

Ochako jumped when her phone buzzed with a text notification.

BK: fucking hell ochako keep it down 11:13 AM

BK: i know youre horny but have some decency 11:13 AM

Her stomach dropped as hot tears pricked the corners of her eyes. Of course. Of course. She was instantly mortified. Now her day was fucking ruined.

UO: ?????? 11:15 AM

UO: I thought you weren’t home?? 11:15 AM

BK: change of plans its my day off 11:16 AM

Tears spilled down her cheeks, quite possibly just from the overwhelming embarrassment and the growing heated need in her stomach she so badly wanted to relieve. She just wanted one day in solitude without having to worry about being overheard and promptly shamed for it. Ochako sat back and wiped her burning, flushed face, trying to shake it off.

UO: Well I planned today long in advance. 11:23 AM

UO: How about you be the one to have some decency for once and give me the privacy I planned on for an hour or two? 11:25 AM

BK: takes you that long to get off? 11:26 AM

BK: can you even find your fucking clit? 11:26 AM

UO: No. I’m going to edge myself and come until I can’t think if you really need to fucking know. 11:30 AM

UO: Now fuck off and let me have one day to myself. 11:31 AM

Ochako almost slammed her phone down onto the rug nearby and as she quietly sank back down, hips burying the achingly sweet fullness and let it sit inside her. Tears threatened to fall down her face again. She had to block it out. But he wouldn’t leave her alone and she was stupid enough (or horny enough) to entertain him.

BK: no wonder mina practically begged me to fuck you 11:32 AM

UO: I already told her I’m not interested. I said you were probably shit in bed anyways. 11:33 AM

BK: only one way to find out huh 11:33 AM

BK: let me hear you cheeks 11:35 AM

UO: No. I’m not here to fuel your wank session. 11:35 AM

UO: I’m sure you’re already stroking your dick. You have zero self control or decency. 11:36 AM

BK: quit being such a brat 11:36 AM

BK: youre the one that cant keep your fucking mouth shut for five seconds and im the one who has no self control? 11:37 AM

UO: I’m not a brat. You’re a presumptuous asshole. 11:37 AM

BK: get the hell over yourself and keep going 11:39 AM

BK: i know you dont wanna stop 11:40 AM

BK: let me fucking hear you damn it 11:44 AM

BK: or do i need to come up there and watch? 11:47 AM

Heat radiated out of her chest and down her spine as she stared at the blinking cursor. Ochako wasn’t sure if she was turned on or angry or nervous. He wasn’t even near her but she could hear the words in his voice. It might have been playful, but it wasn’t a question. It was a threat.

BK: come on stop staring at the screen and fuck yourself 11:53 AM

Heart pounding hard, desperation won and Ochako gave in. Just a little, that’s all she needed. Just enough to sate the ache of desire…. She gasped at the initial movement. Ochako slowly let her hips rise and fall once more. Her moans were soft and whining at the start, but they quickly devolved into something that was low and needy and impossible to hold back as she gradually increased her pace.

Ochako's phone was going off periodically. It went ignored until a call came through. She stopped and answered.

“What?” she said.

“I’m gonna help you, cheeks. I wanna fuckin' hear you for the slut you are.” Bakugou’s voice was heated and rough.

Ochako went weak and she started riding again.

“Then why did you call? And don’t call me that,” she said breathlessly. She moaned as another wave of pleasure hit her body. “Use the spare key before I change my mind.”

Ochako hung up.

**** Katsuki walked down the hall to her room and as he got close, he could hear her. Moans that were needy and lustful. The sound of her ass kissing the floor. Shit, he needed this so much. Don’t fuck this up, Katsuki.

The heady scent of her arousal hit his nose as the door opened and he swallowed a groan. Fear struck her eyes as he looked down at her. Bare from the waist down, Katsuki noticed her soft thighs twitching slightly as she sat back. Her cheeks were flushed, both with what looked to be nervousness and lust. Fucking adorable, that’s what she was.

Ochako froze when she heard the doorknob turn and click. The door swung open. Bakugou’s crimson eyes were dark and ravenous the moment he saw her. Now that he was here, she was panicking, kicking her stupid, horny brain for picking up the phone at all. She hadn’t had a guy in her room for years and Bakugou was her choice? This was possibly the worst decision she’s made in a long time.

“Hey,” he said.

“Hi,” she said quietly. Ochako smiled but swallowed hard. “You can come in I guess.”

Bakugou shut the door behind him as he walked in. She looked down and started playing with the hem of her t-shirt He knelt down in front of her but she didn’t look up. The warmth of his breath hit her face and the hair on her neck raised, a little shiver running down. Ochako was staring at his distressed black jeans where one knee met the floor in an attempt to find a focus point. Something about it, him kneeling to meet her gaze, filled her belly with warmth and made her blush. Even if she could pinpoint it, she wasn’t sure if she’d want to. Say something, Ochako, anything….

“I don’t know why I asked you over and I’m kind of regretting it,” she blurted awkwardly.

“’S okay. I won’t bite… unless you ask nicely,” he teased.

The heat and fullness between her legs was throbbing as he spoke. Ochako gripped the fabric in her hands so tightly her knuckles went white.

“And I don’t want to have sex or do anything like that. I… I just wanted you here, so don’t expect anything from me,” she said defensively.

“Never did. Just wanted to watch.” Bakugou lifted her chin, his face inches away from hers.

Ochako kept her eyes shut tight.

Oh god oh god this was absolutely a horrible idea, you dumb girl, she thought. The warmth of his fingers, his breath, the look she knew he likely had on his face, it made her ache for more of his touch and he hadn’t even done anything.

“Look at me, Ochako,” he demanded.

Fuck, her name sounded so good on his lips. She opened her eyes to find his full of heat, ready to devour her whole. He stared her down with crimson eyes in a cocky, hungry way that melted her fears into wanting.

“Gonna let me do that?” he said softly.

Ochako’s heart raced. She nodded.

Bakugou sat down with his back against her bed with his legs spread wide, one knee up. He patted the empty spot in front of him. She wasn’t sure how he made black jeans and a gray t-shirt look so damn good, but he only seemed to look better sitting that way with his eyes watching her intently, blond hair askew as always.

“Put that thing in front of the mirror and face me. I wanna see all of you,” he said.

With clammy hands and a wet sshhlick as she got up, Ochako did as he asked. Her cheeks burned hot. Now she was somehow more anxious, feeling so exposed as Bakugou intently watched her core meet the soft silicone as she slowly slid back down onto the brightly colored dildo stuck to the floor between her legs. The fullness of the head and then the shaft as it gently slipped in was dizzying, pulling another groan out of her body. Ochako gripped the hem of her shirt in one hand. Bakugou grabbed her hand and moved it to his leg, the fabric of his jeans smooth under her fingers.

“What the hell happened to you, cheeks? You’d fuckin think we were still in high school with how nervous you are. Relax,” he said.

That got a little laugh out of her.

“Get out of your damn head for once.”

“I don’t know how sometimes,” Ochako replied.

He scoffed and grabbed her face; his voice got darker.

“Yes you do. Don’t be shy. Do it,” Bakugou goaded.

Ochako flushed hard; the way he provoked her was so stupidly hot. Slowly, she lifted her hips and let them sink back down with a gasp and a quiet moan. “That’s it, keep going. Just like that…. So if you don’t wanna be a slut, what do you wanna be?”

Fresh heat crashed over Ochako’s face at the question. Little waves of tingling pleasure shot through her core and up her spine, drawing out a whine. She tried to pull away from his grip, but he didn’t let her.

“I-I don’t know,” she whispered, trying to escape his intense gaze. She did know; she had plenty of ideas. But all of it was going to stay in her head.

“Gonna have to find out together then, huh?” he said as he stroked her cheek.

“Y-yeah.”

“You’re doing a good job, angel. You look so pretty…. But I think you can do better for me, can’t you?” he said.

Ochako’s eyes got a little wider. She stopped. A shudder rolled down her spine. His voice was soft and low, almost sweet; it jumbled up her insides and scrambled her brain. This was not the Bakugou she remembered.

He grinned slightly. “You like that, huh? Want me to keep being a little sweet, princess?”

Ochako’s reply was instant.

“Y-yes, please,” she said sheepishly.

“I can do that,” he said. “Sweet talk for a sweet girl….”

…sweet girl…. Something in her mind went a little fuzzier when he said that….

Ochako snorted, finally freeing her face from his grasp. “You, sweet? Since when?”

“I’m an asshole, not fuckin' stupid, Ochako. I can talk sweet for a pretty girl who wants to come,” he bristled as the intensity of his red eyes returned.

“Could’ve fooled me,” she said playfully. “I’m not convinced.”

“I think you are. You just want more of it,” he replied.

The Bakugou she had in her head was grumpy and loud and aggressive. He was simultaneously full of himself and anxiously insecure. He was impatient and did what he wanted. And in the few weeks she’d been home, she’d seen that in many ways he still was all of those things… just less so than before. But this Bakugou almost had patience and a hint of softness and it made her thoughts sputter.

“Come on, angel face. Fuck yourself for me. Show me what you really want,” he said quietly.

Goosebumps washed over Ochako’s skin as he spoke and she whined, pushing herself down just a little harder and faster with each thrust. The thick and gentle curves of her toy teased every little tender spot in her cunt just right; shudders rippled down her back as the tension in her body grew. The needy moan that ripped out of her chest from the overwhelming sensation felt embarrassing as he stared at her face. She wanted to hide, but Bakugou only encouraged it; the look he had as his eyes went from her face to the mirror behind her and back was almost reverent.

“Fuck, you look so good, Ochako. You take that toy so well for me. I love the way it fills your pretty cunt and makes you so damn wet. Makes me wish I could be the one making you feel good. You’re perfect. Don’t stop sweet girl, I wanna watch you all fuckin' day,” Bakugou said.

Ochako moaned under his praise as heat slid over her body, causing her cunt to tighten and flutter. Every sensation was dialed up to ten with how achingly, wonderfully full she felt. Pleasure licked her back and legs with every movement she made.

“That’s it… just like that. Make yourself feel good for me. Your voice is so pretty when you moan, angel…. So damn cute,” he said.

The look of lust and flushed cheeks on Bakugou’s face only made her want him more. She broke her gaze from his and chanced a look down to his lap, gripping the fabric of his jeans tighter with wide eyes when she did. His cock was hard and it was big, but in that perfect way where it was thick and just long enough to make her ache for it. Ochako groaned with want and cursed at the sight.

“Katsuki…” she whimpered.

Bakugou smirked.

“Like seeing what you do to me, cheeks?”

“Yes,” she said.

“Good. ’S been that way for a long fuckin time,” he said.

Before she could process what he’d said, he took her face in both hands and kissed her hard and fast.

**** Katsuki was already really fucking impatient. He wanted to rip Ochako’s shirt off and run his hands and mouth over every part of her body, kiss her until she couldn’t breathe, make her look up at him with that little bit of fear mixed with desire, make her ride his face until she couldn’t fucking string words together, hold her down and fuck her until her mind went numb. But he could see that patience was what she needed, and that was the one thing he never fucking had. All of that would have to wait for another day, no matter how bad he wanted it. If there even was another day.

Somehow, watching Ochako gave him the patience he needed if it meant he got to see her like this…. The way her bottom lip quivered and her breath went shallow and quick before letting out a whining moan. The way she pushed her face into his hand when he stroked her cheek, yearning for his touch. How she flushed and got a little closer to coming when he said something she really liked. How she sobbed when his hand slid back, gathered a large fistful of hair, and gently pulled, and she begged, “harder, please Katsuki,” with her brown doe eyes staring back at him, full of want and desperate need. The sight of her thighs quivering a little every time the pleasure seemed to be overwhelming, and the feeling of her gripping tighter onto his thigh when it happened…. Hell, just the sight of her ass moving in the mirror, the lips of her dripping cunt gripping and swallowing her dildo whole with every thrust, getting filled and stretched so good would be enough to make him bust if his cock was out.

But not today. Today was for her, he’d decided, not just some girl who could get him off.

Maybe proving that he’d grown some amount of self restraint over the years would be enough.

Maybe then she would finally fucking get it.

**** If Ochako thought she needed to come before, it felt nothing like the need she had now. Every time she got close, he told her to stop. Whenever she tried to reach between her legs for that last little push, he grabbed her hand and pulled it away. And stupidly enough, she listened.

The look on Bakugou’s face grew more sadistic the more restless she got.

Ochako whined as he snatched her hand for the fourth time.

“You told me you were gonna edge yourself. Just trying to help, princess,” he said with a grin. “Can’t have you thinking I’d keep such a sweet girl from getting what she wants.”

“Katsuki, please,” she begged, “I need it.”

A thin film of sweat was on her back. She couldn’t think as she continued to thrust; everything inside her was so mixed up and horny and achy and needy. Her breath was heavy. Her clit throbbed. The down hairs on her skin raised as shudders and shivers danced across her skin only reminding her of what she wanted.

“But you’re doing so well, angel. You’re being such a good girl, making me so proud…” he purred.

Ochako groaned. He’s getting too good at that, and way too quickly… she thought, as a shiver slipped down her spine.

She took his hand and guided it to her wet cunt where her hips moved, eyes glossy and desperate as she looked back at him.

“Please, Katsuki,” she said softly.

Katsuki caved. Either he was some kind of weak little shit, or a fucking goner. It was her damn eyes that made him too soft; he would give her anything if she asked, at least right now.

“You want me to make you come, pretty girl?” he said.

“Yes, please,” she replied.

The heat of his rough, calloused hand met with her hot, slick skin where he rubbed firmly. Ochako cried out and grasped his wrist tightly.

“G-gently,” she stuttered.

His touch lightened and she felt her body relax a little. A wave of relief washed over her skin.

“Slower…”

“Like this?” he asked.

Bakugou’s movement slowed and Ochako moaned, her body beginning to tremble as he stroked her clit softly with the pads of his fingers. She leaned more of her weight into her hands to support herself as the tension in her body unraveled at his fingers; her legs quivered with weakness.

“Shit, yes, fuck,” she babbled. “That’s perfect, please don’t stop.”

“Good girl, you asked so nicely. That's exactly what I want,” he said.

Ochako’s climax built as her body unwound and she groaned. She looked at Bakugou to take in the lust on his face; his breathing was ragged, his eyes dark with want, his face and neck flushed. Seeing his desire for her drew a whine from her throat, her breath heavy and panting.

“You’re so damn gorgeous, you know that, Ochako? You’ve been so fucking good for me, listening so well. I love how wet and desperate you are,” he said, voice wrecked with desire.

Bakugou’s words made her moan as he stared back at her. The muscles in her core fluttered erratically as chills ran down her spine. Ochako clamped a hand over her mouth in an attempt to quiet herself, her moans increasingly wanton and unhindered as her mind slowed down to feel every little thread of pleasure radiating from her cunt, weaving itself across her skin.

Bakugou took his free hand and pulled hers away.

“No. Let me hear you.”

“There are other neighbors, Katsuki,” she said with a hint of anxiety.

“So? Who gives a fuck?” he replied. “You want me to make you come, and I wanna hear it. You gonna let me do that?”

Ochako went back and forth in her head for a moment before she gave in. “You better make it fucking worth it.”

“You’re damn right, I will,” he growled as his eyes flared.

Bakugou slid his fingers across her scalp through sweat-dampened hair to the back of her skull, gathering as much as he could and pulled her head back with a firm grip. Ochako’s mouth fell open and her eyes rolled, a deep, heated groan bubbling up out of her chest. His tone was low and rough as he spoke, the heat of his breath on her ear making her tremble as shivering goosebumps raced across her skin.

“You’ve been so fuckin' good, Ochako. I’m gonna make you come so hard you see stars. I can’t wait to see how perfect you look when you come. You’re gonna sound so pretty for me and I fuckin' love it,” he said.

The steady pace of his fingers on her clit pulled her deeper into ecstasy as each thrust of her hips sent toe curling pleasure radiating down her legs to the soles of her feet. Ochako moved harder and faster, chasing her impending release.

“Just like that, keep going. You’re so beautiful like this. Given in, let yourself feel good…. You’re doing so well,” he said.

The number of different pleasant sensations firing in her body was dizzying as she lost herself in it.

“Katsuki, I….” Her thoughts trailed off into a moan when another wave of mind numbing pleasure hit and her legs began to shake.

Bakugou gave her the final push she desperately craved. “That’s it, babygirl. You’re so fuckin' close, aren’t you? Don’t hold back, give it all to me. Come for me, angel….”

Ochako came with a loud cry, orgasm crashing down on her body as she shook. Her eyes went white and her mind blank; pleasure hit again with intensity that made her legs give out.

“Good fucking girl, fuck…. That’s it, princess. Don’t stop. Don’t stop coming for me. I want it all. You’re so pretty when you come.” Bakugou wrapped an arm around her and she braced herself against the support as his hand between her thighs carried her through the rest of her climax.

She reached down to grasp his hand when it became too intense and he stopped.

“Good girl…. That was perfect. I’m so fuckin proud of you, angel face,” he said.

Ochako whimpered in his arms, little shivers still coursing through her veins. As she came to, the weight of what had transpired hit her. Her eyes went wide. She froze, trying to think of what to say.

Bakugou interrupted her thoughts.

“Don’t overthink it, cheeks,” he said. “I sure as hell don’t regret it and neither should you.”

Her ears grew hot.

“Right. You’re right,” she said stiffly. “Um. I - have to shower and clean up. But you’re welcome to stay for a little while… i-if you want.”

He scoffed. “You think I’d just leave?”

“I don’t know,” she admitted. “We’ve never been that close. I don’t know what kind of person you are outside of what I remember.”

He crossed his arms with a grumpy look. “Give me some credit, I’m… not like that,” he grumbled.

Ochako couldn’t help but grin a little at his attempt to display some modicum of kindness. Wincing slightly as she pulled off of the toy between her legs, her body quickly started to feel the aftermath of it all. She fumbled trying to peel the slippery dildo off the floor.

“Leave it. I’ll take care of it,” he said.

“You don’t have to-”

“I know,” Bakugou replied.

He was met with silence as Ochako processed her next thought.

“Okay. Um. There’s mild soap in the top right drawer in my bathroom. Wash with that and leave it to dry,” she said.

“Got it. Now go,” he said.

Ochako didn’t have to be told twice; her mind was reeling with a million thoughts after a decidedly strange day, unsure if she wanted it to happen again. With clean clothes in hand, she closed the bathroom door and turned on the shower.

**** Katsuki ruminated on the day while he laid in Ochako’s bed with her nodding off in his arms. The sweet, floral scent of her shampoo filled his nose as his fingers ran through her hair.

“This isn’t going to happen again,” she’d insisted when she got out of the shower.

“Didn’t plan on it,” he’d replied as he laid back on her duvet.

“You don’t have to stay to be polite,” she’d said.

“I’m not,” he’d said as he got under the covers. “Relax, cheeks. I’ll leave soon.”

He’d locked the bedroom door to keep out a nosey Mina, though with luck, he’d planned to be home before she or Kiri ever found out.

After several minutes, faint little snores filled the quiet space. Katsuki didn’t want to go, but he did want a chance of Ochako not being pissy with him later because he got caught in her room. Slowly and carefully, he got out of her bed and pulled up the covers.

Katsuki grabbed the spare key he’d left on her nightstand, slipped his sneakers on at the front door, and locked it behind him.

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m-y-fandoms · 1 year

Text

COMMISSION: Nagito Komaeda x Reader - Love Hotel

Details: V3 has the Love Hotel/Love Key scenarios - I’ve been asked to make a version for SDR2 as if it were canon in the second game as well. If you didn’t play V3 and aren’t familiar with the Love Hotel scenarios/scenes, don’t worry, Monokuma will explain the concept early on in the fanfiction below! Also, I don’t think I used any gendered terms for the reader, it just didn’t come up/wasn’t necessary with the details I was describing. So, anyone can read this with themselves in mind.

Warnings: Spicy but not NSFW - mature themes and romance into a fade to black/implied at the end just like the actual V3 Love Hotel scenes. Would probably be Mature but not Explicit on AO3 - Also SDR2 spoilers!!!

Word Count: 4k words

When hanging out with your peers and exploring the island, you often found these little Monokuma coins tucked behind objects or hidden under things. These “Monocoins” could be exchanged at the Monomono gacha machine for prizes. Some were tiny, and some had no business even fitting inside the machine. It was a wonder how they got there. In between the stress of the killings and trials, it was nice to exchange little gifts that said “I see you, and I trust you, and I want to be closer to you” with the friends you had left. The Monomono machine often rewarded you with intriguing and seemingly targeted items. For example, when you got a magazine on beast breeding and taming, it was clearly meant for your exchanges with Gundham Tanaka. When wound gauze or a nurse’s apron dropped from the machine, it was obviously a sign to get to know Mikan.

Today’s trinket was a mystery to you: an ornate key - golden with a pink heart-shaped gem embedded onto its handle. It dropped into your hand as you popped it out of the gacha capsule that protected it. It was a nice size, probably to a door rather than say, a locket or jewelry box.

Immediately upon receiving it you began to look for what it unlocked. It didn’t seem like a gift subliminally meant for any of your friends, so instead you chose to find a little adventure in all the chaos, a treasure hunt of sorts. You’d tried little tool sheds or abandoned buildings around the first three islands, back doors or closets inside places like the market or pharmacy. The pink gem made you think of Monomi - or rather Usami. It matched her aesthetic and color scheme. You’d questioned her about it, and she seemed to draw a blank. You felt like she was being honest with you, so you moved on. A frustrating thought began brewing in your mind: maybe the key went to a door on an island that was still locked away from you and your peers. Perhaps the bridges guarded by Monobeasts blocked your path. Unfortunately, following the ongoing pattern, someone would have to die for a new island to become accessible, and that was most defintiely not worth sating your burning curiosity. And so, you asked your closer friends, such as Hajime and Chiaki, to keep an eye out for a possible clue, but ultimately let it go, tossing the key into a accessory dish on the beside table of your cabin.

Speaking of your cabin, there you were, winding down for the night in your customized little cottage in the lineup of huts at the resort. It was cozy, a personalized type of dorm room substitute decked out with items to serve and encourage the development of your Super Highschool Level talent. The cream-colored canopy bed was pretty large for single student and super comfortable, and so on days when the survivor’s guilt wasn’t weighing on your mind like a plague, it was very easy to fall asleep quite quickly.

You’d been asleep for what must’ve been at least a couple of hours when a noise startled you awake. Still groggy and half-asleep, you spot the black and white bear you all hated so very much standing in the middle of your cottage.

“What the…” your words slurred, eyes barely open. You would’ve been freaking out at his appearance, had it not been extremely normal for the bear to pop up out of nowhere. That and the fact that it was against Monokuma’s rules for him to ever hurt a student on his own left you at ease and not fearing for your life.

“Oh, great, you’re awake! Would’ve been awkward if I had to crawl up on the bed and shake ya’ to life! Phew, saves me the trouble!” He giggled in his own little mischievous way as you sat up, giving him mostly your full attention. He never left until he made his point anyway, so why waste time arguing with him for interrupting your beauty sleep?

“Alright, alright what do you want? I’m still tired! Unless someone is dead, say what you need to say and leave…” you grumbled. Monokuma bristled at that.

“How rude! My time is very valuable, you know! Since you’ve been hurting your puny little brain trying to find the solution to that Love Key over there, here I am, going out of my way to help you! You should be more appreciative!” He growled, claws displayed.

“Love Key…?” You looked to the key on your bedside table, still in a bit of a daze. “So that’s what it’s called…” Still not much of a hint, you thought.

“Yep, yep! I’ll tell you how to use it!” He perked up once again. “You see, it opens the way to a very special place! A place you’ve searched many times before… however, it’s form has now changed!”

“Hmmm…” How curious… since you had in fact checked every available area multiple times over.

“You see, if you go visit the motel on the third island right about now, you’ll find it buzzing with an aura of lust and romance!” Your brow raised as he laughed impishly. “That key you got transforms the motel into a place you can clear out some of your most carnal desires at night, but… only the one with the key and… one other person will see this change!”

“What are you talking about?!” You were only half-awake before, but now you were sure you had to still be dreaming. What an insane concept. This is what he came to say? This nonsense?

“Oh, are you starting to get worked up? Are you ready to let it all hang out?” He began to sweat, a wicked, messed up grin on his face. “Your key will unlock a particular Love Suite at the motel,” he continued, barely containing his excitement, “and you and one other person will be invited to spend the night. There, you will be a part of that person’s fantasy. They will see you as their romantic ‘ideal’ and basically just swoon all over you. Think of it as a kind of sexy dream that lets you escape the cruel reality of the killing game! It’s their escape, too though, so it’s important for you to play the role your Love Suite partner wants you to! If you break character, your dear partner may very well wake up in anguish, all pent up and frustrated! And you wouldn’t want that, would you?” He snickered.

“This all sounds very inappropriate and embarrassing, so I think I’ll pass.” You grumbled, shuffling uncomfortably in your sheets. At this point, you just wanted him to go away.

“Oh, don’t worry! What happens there, stays there. Memories are wiped when you exit. Oh, and one last thing: anyone can show up there. Any of your classmates, even those who’ve passed on.

Well now, you had to be dreaming. Memories wiped, the motel transforming, and not to mention four of your classmates were very much dead… how could they show up? Seeing the look on your face, incredulous and lost in thought, Monokuma gasped softly to grab your attention, speaking up again:

“What’s wrong? You seem skeptical. Why not try it out for yourself, then?” If Monokuma were allowed to cause a killing, you’ve sworn this was a plot to set you up. Not that it mattered in a dream, anway. “Let love take hold! Take that ol’ Love Key for a spin!”

After much hesitance and with Monokuma having left your cabin nearly a half hour beforehand, you were now out walking alone, leaving the resort and making your way to the third island. You tried not to disturb your other classmates in their cabins, being sure not to make any noise as it must have been well past one in the morning. Sand and gravel crunched below your shoes as you walked rather hurriedly to the long wooden bridge that connected the islands. Moonlight shined off of your pajamas in the cool tropical night breeze, giving a small relief from the usual humidity, and if you weren’t sure this were a dream, you would’ve felt like an idiot, opening yourself up to being an easy target for a killing.

You wrapped your arms around your waist nervously. In the end, you were too curious not to try it out, but you had to admit, you were still mulling it over in your brain:

Their ideal… a shared fantasy… So they wouldn’t really see you as you are per se… but what did that mean? Did that mean that if they liked submissive cute pretty boys, that’s how you appeared to them? If they wanted a buff aggressive woman, you’d suddenly grow muscles? Would it all be an illusion? Maybe just your personality would change…

Play along, Monokuma had said…

Passing the hospital and music venue, you approached the motel and immediately noticed the change. The retro sign out front was now decked out in pink and red neon lettering boasting the words Love Motel. The building itself, once dingy, dirty and forgettable, now had spotlights and strobes out front and the yellow, beige and brown chipped paint had transformed into a Valentine’s-type aesthetic. Pinks, reds, whites, the typical colors of the heart and romance surrounded you and gave the motel a whole new vibe. The line of ground-level rooms were still present, and though you assumed your key only lead to one of them, you’d have no trouble figuring out which. One door in particular, smack dab in the middle seemed to be pulsing with life. The paint seemed to be a shade darker on this door, and pink smoke spilled out from underneath the crack. It was like it was luring you in, tempting you to enter. It was as if pheromones leaked from its crevices. You placed a shaky hand on the door knob, entered the key with the other, and gave it a twist. It opened with a hiss, like pressure releasing. You stepped inside, the door closing on its own behind you.

The room around you was mesmirizing, unlike anything you’d seen on Jabberwock Island before. Scattered around were velvety plush love seats and cushions in crimson reds and deep pinks. The carpet was luxurious and pink lava lamps stood nearly five feet tall in the corners of the room. Soft lighting set a dreamy mood. The floor underneath the carpet was checkered tile like a chessboard. Above you dangled a large, expensive-looking crystal chandelier with heart-shaped accents. In the middle of the room was a round, almost comically large bed with a thick red duvet and a mountain of pillows. Your eyes bounced around the room, taking it all in with wonder, until they settled on the area just beside the bed.

“No way…” You gasp lightly, hands coming up to cover your mouth.

“Hello there, (Y/N),” Nagito smiled back at you: genuine, warm, welcoming. His eyes creased into little lines with the expression. Dressed in his usual attire, he raised a hand to wave gently.

It was like every step of this journey, every new discovery proved over and over to you that this was in fact, a dream. You had to be asleep for Nagito to be here. Nagito… Out of all of your classmates, fate chose your crush to place upon you. It felt like an ambush, like a trap.

Your feelings for Nagito had blossomed almost immediately upon meeting him. There was physical attraction at first sight. He was tall, thin, with a pronounced Adam’s Apple and veiny arms. His pale skin was vampiric almost, translucent in the bright sun, especially when he went swimming with little on but his trunks. His hair was wispy like cotton candy, soft and full. You imagined running your hands through it often. You were lured in by his kind and helpful personality. After the first class trial, when you all learned of his true disposition, you fought to keep your feelings under wraps. He was dangerous, volatile, unstable, and a whole lot of other negative adjectives, so you held it all in.

Still, you couldn’t deny your attraction to the mystery that came along with him. He was obviously extremely intelligent, often moving behind the scenes and one step ahead of everyone else. His mind and the way it worked, just the way he talked was alluring to you. It often felt like he was flirting with you when you were around him. You just assumed he was just trying to butter you up to use you, trying to get closer to further his goals of “hope.”

You tried to be around him as little as possible, though… or that’s what you wanted your peers to perceive. You tried to only hang out with him when you had an excuse: looking for clues and evidence, during investigations, interrogating him, trying to get closer to him under the guise of wanting to control his crazy so he wouldn’t hurt your friends. In reality, you enjoyed every moment spent with him. He could be scary at times though for sure, getting all wild and frantic when speaking of the future and his plans for hope, or even knowing he was plotting when he was quiet. Which is why it was so odd that he was almost… shy at the moment?

“(Y/N)...?” He cleared his throat, gaining your attention once again. Shaken out of your trance, you made eye contact with him, feeling instantly a bit shy yourself.

“Yes, Nagito?” You speak softly, never moving an inch. This felt surreal.

“I knew it would be you…” He smiled just barely and took a step forward, a gleam in his eye.

“Nagito… do you know what’s going on here?” You inquired, and he nodded enthusiastically. Always a step ahead.

“When I learned of this place, I just knew it would be you that showed… after all, you’re the ultimate shining hope that eclipses all others! It could only be you!” His arms were outstretched as if to embrace you, or welcoming you to embrace him, but yet he didn’t step any closer.

Ah, yes, his ideal… you think to yourself. He was obviously very mentally ill, you’d gathered, obsessed with the idea of hope even if there had to be an event of despair that preceded in order to propel forward such hope. Sometimes it was vague, to you at least, what hope meant to him. He seemed to know very well what he meant, though nobody else did. Not one hundred percent of the time, anyway.

“So, where should I begin? Tell me how best to serve you! Let me please you!” He took a large stride forward, grasping your hand in his own and bringing it to his lips in a gentlemanly gesture. Like some victorian nobleman greeting a lady, he kissed the back of your knuckles as if he revered and respected you highly. Taken aback by the sudden action, you jerked your hand away.

You felt hesitant… Weren’t you supposed to be his ideal? Why is he all up on you, then, asking to serve and please you?

“Please, allow me to be your stepping stone. Use me, let me be your tool for hope! I know I’m less than nothing, but if I can help you even a microscopic amount, I can die happy!” He fell to his knees, wrapping around your legs like a child latching onto their mother. He looked quite pathetic, actually. He ran a cold, pale hand up and under the pant leg of your pajamas and you shivered. Your heart rate began to pick up at the skin to skin contact. “Whip me if it pleases you, if it feels better and relieves your stress. Hit me! Take out your build-up from the day on me, so you can continue to work hard for the cause of hope!”

This is wrong… You shook him off gently, backing away until your back hit the door. He stood, a displeased look across his face.

“Nagito…”

“Am I fucking it up? I can do better, please. I’ll do anything for you!” He began to shuck off his outer layer of clothing, his green coat. You found your eyes instantly glued to the veiny expanse of his ghostly white arms, the callous of his knuckles, the way his Adam’s Apple bobbed when he swallowed nervously and-

No… this is wrong! You repeatedly to yourself mentally. Reluctance, sweat running down the back of your neck, this awkward knot in your stomach. You felt confused. This had to be wrong. He probably didn’t really feel this way. Not about you, anyway. Monokuma influenced this for sure… obviously. How could he see you as an ideal? There was no way… you had to get out of here… back to your room and…

But then again… this was a dream. Your mind wandered. This was some kind of freakish lucid dream that you could be aware of and be in control of. Who could fault you for enjoying a dream? When would you ever get an opportunity like this - with your crush of all people - ever again? Maybe you should just… let go… enjoy the night.

Nagito, now devoid of his coat, crossed his arms at his pelvis, taking up the bottom hem of his white t-shirt and began to lift it with the intent to remove it altogether, exposing his belly button and the veins that ran down his lower abdomen. He looked to you for approval. He couldn’t help but notice that even with his eagerness to please, you had a twisted expression on your face. It was uncertain, puzzled, maybe upset with his efforts? You certainly weren’t paying attention to him, that was for sure. He let go of the shirt, and it fell back into place.

“Am I still disappointing you?” His words brought you back to the present, and you looked him up and down once again, stepping a bit forward and back fully into the suffocating ambience of the suite. You were tempted, so very tempted by the mere sight of him. Monokuma had said this was a building of lust and romance. “It is to be expected. I am a total filthy useless loser, and you are the epitome of goodness and cleanliness in this world.” He spoke matter-of-factly, now approaching you again, circling you like a hawk with it’s prey. “Hmmm… well maybe, you aren’t as clean as you’d like people to think?” Suddenly, more forceful than you’d ever seen him, you found yourself pushed back, up against the wall, and he held you there, pinned by his own body weight.

“N-Nagito!” You sputtered, more shocked by the position he now had you in than than anything else so far on this very strange night. But wasn’t he all submissive just a second ago? This is what you meant by volatile, unstable…

“Ah well, that’s fine with me, as long as you’re the ray of hope the world needs you to be outside of the bedroom…” His thin fingers trailed up your forearms until they met your hands. Interlocking your fingers with his own, he forced them up and beside your head, locking you into place against the red wall. You swallowed, suddenly feeling very small. His eyes seemed dreamy, lazily glazed over and sultry. A crooked smirk formed upon seeing your flustered reaction. “I have no issue changing strategies…” He leaned forward, whispering suggestively into the shell of your ear. He could feel you tremble at that, content to let him take over. “Your reactions are quite telling.” His grip slipped down from your fingers to your wrists. There was a shit-eating grin, a condescending tone behind his seemingly effortless bravado.

What you were starting to realize was that Nagito could be whoever he needed to be at any given moment in order to meet his goals. In an instant, he could change and adapt. His personality shifted just like that. You questioned how the groveling servant-like act from before could flip into this dominant, aggressively contrasting performance, but that was just it. Nagito’s fantasy was to be the stepping stone that would support and propel the greatest hope the world had ever seen to glory, to have that beacon of hope see him as useful and genuinely feel like he means the world to them. He did this by enabling them to do their best, whatever the cost, therefore, their fantasy was his fantasy. Being what they needed and wanted, that was all he wanted. Their pleasure was his pleasure, like an endlessly looping cycle. You didn’t seem to respond well to the sniveling slave character, so now, he would show you that you could be made to submit to him, that he could be your ideal and force you to relinquish control. If that’s what you wanted, he would fill that role.

His grip on your wrists tightened, a bit painfully. You sucked in air through your teeth at the pressure. He was so lanky and thin, you’d never guess he was this strong. You probably couldn’t shake him off unless you used your full strength and and the boost of an adrenaline rush. Your eyelids fluttered closed, finally accepting the blissful feeling this dream could provide.

“I can tell you like this… You’re trying to hold back all reactions and sounds, but you should just let go… I know already… I know~” He teased, leaning in until his forehead touched yours. The closeness, the invasion of your personal space excited him. He truly didn’t have many opportunities for physical touch in his life. Knowing it was with his ideal match, this experience, all of it set his heart ablaze in his chest. “Who would’ve thought? Heh, wait until the others hear you’re not so innocent…” You knew Nagito as one who never missed a beat, that’s why he was so useful in class trials and during investiagations. So of course he noticed when your bottom lip quivered and the tiniest, quietest moan escaped the depths of your throat. He exhaled amusedly, a puff of satisfaction through his nostrils. A checkmate of sorts. “Oh? You seem to like even the threat of me telling…” He was smug, so very smug.

“N-No, that’s not true…” You breathed out an overstimulated, constrained response.

“You want me to be meaner to you?” It was posed as a question, but he wasn’t asking for permission. Without waiting for a response, he firmly pressed his mouth to yours, lips enveloping your own. Your head tilted to meet his, melding perfectly into each other. Your hands itched, begging to be allowed move, to run your fingers through his hair, but he wouldn’t release his grip on your wrists. He loved to feel you struggle against him. Pulling back from the kiss, he allowed you a moment of air. “Okay, okay… I’ll extend this one little kindness…” he whispered, throaty and intoxicating. He let go of your left wrist, using that hand instead to move to the front of your pajama shirt. He popped upon the first button with a single graceful movement. With your newly freed hand, you savored your first little taste of the cloud-like texture at your fingers. You were in heaven. His hair was just as fluffy and soft as you’d always imagined.

As his fingers descended down and down, removing the obstacles of every button in his way, you looked over his shoulder at the expansive, lavish bed behind him. It seemed a very long night was ahead of you.

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errorryx · 6 months

Text

blood moon – part two

read on ao3 | read part one | gemcyt / life series, 2.5k words

An AU-within-an-AU of the wonderful gemcyt AU by @chrisrin, and the fic series by @sixteenth-days!

This part introduces two more characters, Mumbo and Lizzie, but since they're Homeworld gems, they don't use those names yet, and Lizzie doesn't use she/her pronouns yet. All that will change in the next chapter, but in the meantime, Mumbo is Peridot and Lizzie is Rose Quartz.

—

“I can’t believe this,” Grian said, looking at Pearl with a new eye. Now that he knew it was his old friend, he could see the resemblance, though it was mostly in Pearl’s expressions—her new form bore no resemblance to her previous one. “What are you doing here?”

“Looking for you, obviously.” Alex gave him a gentle bump with her shoulder. It hurt a lot less than usual now that she was only twice his size.

“I have so many questions.” Grian tried to organize his thoughts, but it was a hopeless task. “Why do you look like a pearl? Should I be calling you Pearl now, or Alexandrite? And why are you red?”

“I don't care what you call me, Gri. I’m just glad I finally found you,” Pearl said. “The pearl thing started out as a disguise, but I have no idea why I'm red. I was actually hoping you’d know.”

“I've never seen a gem change color before.” Grian landed on Alex’s shoulder and took a closer look, poking her arm in curiosity. “Maybe Scott or Cleo would know something, but I haven’t got a clue. Is this the first time it’s happened?”

“As far as I know. We landed last night, but I didn't leave the ship until morning because—”

“Hang on,” Grian interrupted. “Who’s ‘we’?”

“Me and Peridot,” Alex said. “Oh, and this rose quartz we picked up on the way, but he ran off the second we touched down. Haven't seen him since. He was such a ditz, he probably tripped on a rock somewhere and shattered himself.”

She laughed, but Grian didn’t join her. His days of considering quartz soldiers expendable were over now that he knew some of them personally. If anything happened to BigB, he’d be inconsolable.

“How did you convince Peridot to come with you?” he asked. “I figured he’d never leave Homeworld again after hearing that I disappeared.”

“He’s currently refusing to leave the ship,” Alex admitted. “But he came because he had to, Grian. We both did. We couldn’t just not look for you, knowing you could still be out there.”

A horrible thought occurred to Grian. “This isn’t a Homeworld mission, is it? You’re not reporting back to them or anything?”

“Course not. We left the main ship three solar systems away and took an escape pod here. They can’t track us.”

Grian breathed a sigh of relief. If there was one thing Alexandrite was good at, it was hiding things from the diamonds. He should have more faith in her. “I thought I’d never see you or Peri again,” he said. “I still can’t believe you’re just here.”

“I’m here,” she said. “Come on, bring it in.” She spread her arms open, and Grian moved forward to let her hug him. He could actually sort of hug back this time, since she was smaller than usual. “I missed you so much, Gri. I wish I could have come sooner.”

“I missed you too,” Grian admitted. “Living with Scar is kind of a nightmare. Makes you seem level-headed and rational in comparison.”

“Me? Level-headed?” Alex laughed. “I get it, though. Peri’s been driving me up a wall with how much he talks about you, but I can’t blame him. We were so worried you’d been shattered, but I kept telling myself, Gri’s a survivor. He’d never just die on an alien planet like that. And I was right!” she crowed. “He’ll be thrilled to see you.”

“You think if we’re both there, we can convince him to leave the ship?”

“Who cares about that? We can catch up on the way back, right?” Alex said, her red eyes shining. “Come on, Gri, let’s get out of here!”

“Wait, what?”

Grian stopped dead, replaying the conversation they’d just had in his head. Alex had been glad to see him, she’d been shirking her responsibilities to come find him, but she’d never said anything about staying—in fact, the first thing she’d said to him had been the exact opposite.

“We’re going home, silly.” Pearl tilted her head in confusion. “Don’t you want to get out of here?”

Maybe if she’d come earlier, Grian would have jumped at the chance to get off this planet and return to Homeworld. But now, he’d gotten used to the freedom of doing whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted to do it. He couldn’t imagine returning to his old life just to have the Diamond Authority constantly breathing down his neck.

“I can’t just up and leave,” he told her.

“Why not? We’ve already come up with the perfect cover story.”

“That’s not the problem,” Grian said. “I’ve got a whole life here now. I’m making new friends, fusing, working on this base—” He gestured behind him. “I just put in a chimney. You don’t even know what that is! I don’t even know what that is, but I’m not going to find out if I return to Homeworld.”

Pearl just stared at him. She clearly wasn’t getting the message. “So…you’re not going to come back with us?”

“No,” Grian said firmly. “I’m not going back to Homeworld.”

“Oh.” Pearl stepped back, her eyes going blank. “Okay then.”

“It’s just—” He sighed. “I thought you liked it here. I thought this place would be right up your alley.”

She shrugged. “It’s alright.”

“I was hoping you’d want to stay.” Grian couldn’t blame Pearl for having reservations. He’d had plenty of his own, and it had taken him a while to shake them. “I know it sounds insane.”

“It does,” Pearl agreed. “I’ll have to think about it.” Her voice was flat and unconvincing. She was upset, Grian realized, and trying not to show it. She took a few steps back, glancing off in the direction she’d come from.

“You don’t have to decide yet,” Grian said. “I know it’s a lot.”

“I get it,” Pearl said. “I’ll just—I’ve got to work on some things. I should go.”

“You’re not going to tell anyone from Homeworld that we’re here, are you?”

“I wouldn’t,” she said, sounding offended. “We’re still friends, Gri. I’d never get you in trouble.”

“Or anyone else,” he insisted.

“Or anyone else.” She started walking away, but stopped after a few steps. “You’re not going to blow my cover, are you?”

“You mean tell them you’re not really a pearl?”

“I am a pearl,” she said, but faltered. “I mean—yeah.”

“We’re still friends,” Grian echoed her. He still didn’t know why Alex was in disguise, but he’d get it out of her eventually. “I won’t tell anyone.”

Pearl nodded. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” she told him, and left.

—

Pearl’s return to the ship was concerning, to say the least.

When she left, Pearl had assured Peridot that she’d be back with Gri at her side. Not only was Gri nowhere to be seen, but Pearl had somehow managed to turn herself an entirely different color.

It may have been a trick of the light, but Peridot wasn’t willing to leave the ship to get a closer look. He hit the button on the wall to deploy the landing bay so she could come in.

“Don’t just stand there,” Pearl said, gesturing for him to join her. “Get out here.”

“I thought you said I wouldn’t have to leave the ship.”

“Change of plans.” Pearl crossed her arms, fixing him with an exasperated glare. “It’s perfectly safe, Peri. I’ve been out here for hours now without a scratch on me.”

“But—”

“Do you want Gri back or not?”

“I don’t want to change color,” Peridot said. “Can’t you just come in here?”

“Nope. You’ll be fine.” She walked up the ramp and grabbed him by the elbow, pulling him down with her. “See? Look, you’re still the same.”

Peridot winced as his foot touched the ground, but nothing happened. Pearl had told him the truth. His usual shade of green had gone a little dull from the dim light, but it was nothing like Pearl’s dramatic shift in hue. “Goodness,” he said, staring down at the earth beneath him. The soil was obscured by a thick layer of organic matter. “What is this stuff?”

“Don’t scan it. You can’t access the database here,” Pearl reminded him.

“I know, I know.” His arms stayed in place, his fingers tapping nervously against his elbows. “So what happened?”

Pearl let out a loud noise of frustration, making Peridot jump. “It went horribly,” she said. “I don’t know what Gri’s problem was. I showed him my gem and everything, and I even told him you came with me, but it was like he didn’t even care.”

“Even though he knows I’m here?” Pearl nodded, and Peridot pulled his arms a little closer around himself. “Oh,” he said softly. “I see.”

“I asked him to come back here with me,” Pearl said. “I told him you were waiting for him, but he refused. He wants to stay here, Peri. He doesn’t care about us anymore.”

Peridot didn’t think Pearl would lie to him, but he couldn’t bring himself to believe that Gri would have rejected them so harshly. “There must be some kind of misunderstanding,” he said. “Maybe he was just upset over something else. We can’t give up after getting all the way here.”

“I’m not giving up on him,” Pearl said. “That’s why I called you out here. We’re going to march right back over there and get this sorted. He can’t say no to us both.”

Peridot stared out into the darkness. Other than the light from the ship, their surroundings were rather dim. If he were to follow Pearl to wherever Gri was, he might risk unwanted contact with all manner of unseen creatures. “Can’t we wait until morning?” he asked her.

“I told you, there’s nothing to be afraid of. Besides the other gems, I haven’t seen a single motile organism since we arrived.”

Right as she finished speaking, something began rustling around in the greenery close by. Peridot immediately ran up the landing bay to hide inside the ship, but Pearl didn’t move. Instead, she drew her gem weapons, a pair of curved blades as long as her forearms, and held them aloft, ready to strike.

“Reveal yourself!” she shouted. “Who’s there?”

“What are you doing? Don’t draw its attention over here!”

“Guys, relax! It’s just me.” A few more branches snapped, and the bushes parted to make way for Rose Quartz, dirty and disheveled but no less chipper than the last time they’d seen him. “Did you find your little friend yet?”

Peridot had never met Rose before this journey. The only reason Rose was here was because he’d overheard Pearl and Peridot discussing their plans. Instead of ratting them out, he’d asked to join them, and they hadn’t had much of a choice but to agree.

“Where have you been all day?” Pearl asked Rose, letting her weapons vanish.

“I was looking around for other gems,” Rose said. “I followed the sun like you told me, but then it disappeared, so I turned around and came back.”

Pearl pinched the bridge of her nose. “Rose, I told you that the previous mission landings were in that direction,” she said, pointing east.

“You said they were towards the sun,” Rose said. “And the sun moved, so I followed it.”

“Are you like this on purpose, or are you really just that stupid?”

“Hey!” Rose crossed his arms. “Don’t call me stupid!”

“I’m glad you’re safe, Rose,” Peridot said, trying to steer the conversation away from an argument. He couldn’t make sense of why Pearl was acting so hostile. Until now, she’d had no problem being kind to Rose, keeping all her frustrations with Rose’s cluelessness between the two of them.

“Oh, I’m fine,” Rose said with confidence. “I’m a lot stronger than I look. Hey, Pearl, why are you red now?”

“That’s not important,” Pearl said. “What matters is that I saw all the missing gems today, Rose. None of them were shattered.”

“Wait, all of them? Really?”

“I cross-referenced every gem I saw with the reports of gems that were lost on Life. Everyone was accounted for.”

“What about Pearl? Where’s Pearl?”

Peridot pointed at Pearl immediately, only to find that Pearl was also currently pointing at herself. Rose laughed, waving them off.

“I know about that pearl, don’t worry,” he said. “I’m talking about Pink Pearl.”

“Wait, that’s who you’re here for?” Pearl asked. “Not one of the quartzes?”

“You know,” Peridot reflected, “maybe it would have been a good idea to ask that question before we let a random gem join our illegal top-secret mission.”

Pearl ignored him. “What do you want with Pink Diamond’s pearl?” she asked Rose.

“Erm.” Rose looked stumped. “That’s…classified?”

“We’re not playing by Homeworld rules anymore,” Pearl said, drawing her gem weapons once more. “You agreed to be a part of this mission, so you’d better tell me the truth.”

“Hey, woah, no need for violence!” Rose threw up his hands in surrender. “I kept seeing Pink Diamond really sad without his pearl, so when I overheard you guys talking about Earth, I figured I’d come too! That way I could bring the pearl back and make my diamond happy.”

“You didn’t tell anyone, right?” Pearl asked, stepping closer. “You’re not in contact with anybody from Homeworld?”

“No, no, of course not! Nobody knows I’m here.” Pearl took another step forward, undeterred, and Rose began backing away. “I’m telling the truth, I swear!”

“Pearl, what are you doing?” Peridot asked, his voice betraying his panic.

“Come on, Peri. You don’t find it suspicious that Rose is here for a diamond’s pearl?”

“I suppose, but…” If he was being honest, Peridot thought Rose’s story made sense. He’d never seen Pearl like this before. “I don’t think this is going to help. Please just put the knives away, Pearl, you’re—” You’re scaring me.

“Fine.” Pearl rolled her eyes and let her weapons dematerialize. “But if I find out you were lying, Rose…” She gave Rose a death glare, and Peridot shivered.

“Well, I’m not.” Rose briefly met Peridot’s eyes, but all Peridot could offer him was a helpless shrug. “I just want to find my—my diamond’s pearl. That’s all.”

There was a long, uncomfortable pause before Pearl broke the silence. “I’m taking Peri to see the other gems in the morning,” she said. “You might as well come with us if you want to see Pink Pearl.”

“I never agreed to that,” Peridot said, before he could think better of it.

“Well, there’s always Plan C,” Pearl said. “Where I go out and poof Gri and take him home with us by force.”

Peridot grimaced, imagining Gri’s reaction when he reformed on the ship back to Homeworld. “I don’t think we should try that one.”

“Then it’s decided.” Pearl gave him a dangerous grin, and Peridot shuddered. He was not looking forward to this.

—

if you read this all the way through and enjoyed, please consider reblogging!

#gemcyt #pearlescentmoon #grian #mumbo jumbo #ldshadowlady #3rd life series #traffic series #my writing #my stuff

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samuel-de-champagne-problems · 2 years

Text

You Can Get High On The First Kiss

Summary: Spencer Reid's perfectly perfect first date

Word Count: 3407

CW: Kissing, implied sex

Pairing: Spencer x Female Reader (I can't help myself so this is another librarian!reader)

Note: This is for @reidsbookclub 's 1 year anniversary. Grecy is so amazing. I'm very lucky to call you a friend <3. And on another note, I realized that this has 2 perspectives. That was an accident so let’s just ignore that and know that it’s reader pov and then Spencer pov. Also if you know what song the title is referencing you win a gold starv

The fifth time she threw yet another shirt on the floor was the moment she acknowledged that her dislike of every sweater or blouse in her closet stemmed from her nervousness. All she could think about as she searched for the perfect outfit, was how cute her date was. Every Tuesday and Thursday, the Analytical Mathematics course he was a teaching assistant for reserved the computer labs. It was part of her responsibility as the librarian to have the professor’s printouts ready and other research materials for the students.

Professor Norton, a man who, in all senses of the word, had at least one foot in the grave, let Spencer pretty much run the course on his own. Y/N, who admits she’s pretty biased, would wager a hefty amount of money on Spencer being the best TA the university had to offer. Despite his shy exterior, Y/N found him quite funny in an understated, demure sort of way. And the fact that he has ridiculously sharp cheekbones and sweet brown eyes just made it easier to fall for him.

As she selects a deep mauve cardigan and a simple gray blouse, Y/N remembers how sweetly Spencer approached her. It was a Wednesday, not a day she normally saw him in the library. He stood by the circulation desk, waiting patiently as she helped a couple of freshmen find the history section of the library for the term papers. He smiled, but it was a twisted smile that made him look uncomfortable.

“Having a good day?” he asked, a clear attempt to make conversation. Eager to see where this led, she gave into his question.

“Well, I helped Professor Patel in the English department set up a new syllabus and a history professor needed to order new textbooks for the spring semester. Now I’m about to send out emails for finds. Just a normal day, that totally got better all of the sudden. Not sure how, though,” Y/N said, attempting, despite her own nerves, to flirt.

Spencer blushed. It was either a good thing or a terrible thing. Either he enjoyed the flirting and was just too nervous to reciprocate. Or he hated it and his physical response showed just how much he hated it.

“Mine got better too,”

Maybe he did like it. Maybe?

Y/N smiled, continuing to collect the books from the return bin. Spencer watched, looking like he was here to say something more than to see how her day was going.

“I’ve been meaning to ask you,” Spencer said, fidgeting with his oversized button up. It was a dusty tan with plastic buttons. He paired it with a gray cardigan that was also two or three sizes too big for him.

“There’s this cafe that I go to. It’s near my apartment. I was wondering if you’d like to go. Go with me that is. I mean you don’t have to go with me. There’s no rule about that. You can go by yourself, obviously. You don’t need me to tell you that, of course. But I like you–no! Well, not no. But I’d like to take you. With me. To the cafe, I mean,”

Breathless, Spencer must have bitten his lips during his long winded ramble because they were colored a reddish pink. It was utterly distracting. And, Y/N thought, would be a problem if he continued to have that blush coupled with his swollen lips.

“Uhh,” Y/N stammered, her heart thumping in her chest as the moments flew by. “As a date?”

“If that’s okay,”

She remembered having to contain herself. It was difficult, when she had been crushing on the TA that visited her in the library for an entire semester now. Y/N needed to maintain some semblance of control in the face of what she’d consider her wildest dreams.

“A date with you sounds like a dream,” she said, cringing because she totally went overboard with that.

The very thought of it still gave her butterflies. Spencer was just too cute, with his funny if you think about it jokes, amazing book recommendations, and ability to always compliment her homemade desserts. If dreams could come true, it would be him, in a heartbeat.

But Y/N doesn’t want to get ahead of herself. Standing in front of the full length mirror with Chester, her brown tabby lounging on her bed, she told herself to keep her head. Spencer’s dreamy and cute and charming. And after years and years of loving people from afar without the thrill of reciprocation, she found herself getting more and more okay without romantic prospects. Yet, she yearned for someone. She deeply desired another person to spend Friday nights cuddling on the couch reading books to each other. All she wanted was another person to come home to and to be the person someone comes home to.

And maybe, just maybe that someone could be Spencer.

***

Spencer Reid was, to put it mildly, terrified. From the moment he went into the library that fateful Wednesday to even now, his palms were sweaty with anxiety. He paced back and forth the small hallway that led up to the front door. Y/N emailed him last night, telling him thanks for the book recommendation and that she’d be at his place at 7 pm for their date. The little coffee shop was only two blocks, a perfect walking distance for a mild night in October.

He continued to pace, thinking horrifyingly embarrassing possibilities of what could happen on this date. His entire life, Spencer found himself thinking about this night. He didn’t always dream that it would be with Y/N, even if he had been dreaming of it with her for the last couple of weeks. No, Spencer, for as long as he could remember, dreamt of his first date. Maybe it was all the romantic poems he heard in his mother’s lectures when he was young or maybe it was the secret stash of bodice rippers that made him yearn for a person to share his life with. Whatever it was, Spencer dreamt of this day. He dreamt of the day that someone would whisk him off his feet. Spencer, admittedly, understood that his dreams, birthed through 14th century poetry and 1970s softcore erotica, were a little fantastical. But then again, he liked a little fantastical one in a while.

He changed his sweater, torn between the brown one with olive green stripes and his dark when one with mustard yellow stripes. Deciding on the red one before he changed his mind, Spencer pulled it over his head. He looked in the mirror, neither displeased or pleased with how he looked. Spencer found it easier to be ambivalent to his appearance. This way, he wasn’t set up for disappointment when people who caught his eye didn’t show the same attraction in return.

He let Junie, his ancient gray cat, use his discarded sweater as a bed, despite her having a cat tree and three cat beds (and his bed) to sleep on. Of course, Junie wanted to sleep on the sweater that smelt like Spencer, she was a sweet cat. He crouched down, sitting criss-cross as he scratched her ears.

“Wish me good luck, Junie-Bug,” Spencer whispered to his cat. She purred and Spencer decided to take that as an answer in his favor.

The bell rang, alerting Spencer that his fate, whether he liked it or not, was her. Summoning his courage, Spencer answered the door.

“I know I’m probably early, so I’m sorry. I already waited in my car down the street for like fifteen minutes. Oh crap! You aren’t supposed to know that. God, I’m ruining this, aren’t I?”

Spencer, never truly understood when people say they are stunned into silence. But standing there with Y/N in his doorframe, he completely understood the meaning. Y/N, to put it simply, looked beautiful.

“You look…”

“A mess, I know,” she laughed, a twinkling chuckle that forced a shy grin on Spencer’s face that instantly flooded into confusion, “I had no clue what to wear to a coffee shop date? So I wore this, but I’m still not sure if it was the right choice,”

The right choice? Spencer thought silently to himself. It didn’t matter what she wore, he didn’t care about that stuff. It didn’t matter in the slightest because she was already the most beautiful person in the world to him.

“That stuff,” Spencer started, unsure how to word this. Girls in movies and soap operas he watches are often insecure about their looks. It would be strange for Y/N to be insecure with her looks, considering how stunning she looked to Spencer, “Doesn’t matter to me. I don’t care what you wear, you could wear a chicken feed sack dress for all I care. You’re perfect how you are,” he said, wondering if he came off too strong. He supposed that it was okay if he did come off strong, because at least he was being truthful.

“You’re pretty perfect yourself, Spencer Reid.”

Spencer felt his cheeks heat at her compliment. It wasn’t everyday that Spencer found himself getting compliments from pretty girls. And it certainly wasn’t everyday that pretty girls were calling him perfect. He attempted to play it cool, even if he knew he was just making a fool of himself.

“I thought we could walk.” Spencer suggested, grabbing his keys from the rack. “It’s a nice night and it’s not too far away.”

“Sounds perfect,” Y/N said. She stuck her hand out, signaling for Spencer to take it. He did, even if it nearly caused his heart to burst out of his chest.

There was that little word again. Perfect. He was perfect. She was perfect. This night was perfect.

–

“Coffee beans are basically seeds. They are pits in this cherry-like berry. You know you can actually eat the berries? They’re a little tart, but anyway the only reason we call them beans is because the end result resembles legumes.” Spencer said, continuing to swirl his small stick in his extra large coffee with cinnamon.

“I did not know that, hmm. That’s interesting, Spencer. I wonder if you could fermement the coffee berries? It would be interesting to say the least,” Y/N conversed. She gripped her iced latte, holding it so tightly it was like she was worried it would escape.

“Sorry,” Spencer apologized, “I’m not really a good dater. I just. I am so well aware that it’s glaringly obvious this is my first date,”

“Oh.”

“Yeah, totally killed the mood.” Spencer lemented. Dramatically, he put his forehead in his hand. Sitting there, in the silence, Spencer felt a warm hand creep up on his wrist. He looked up, his eyes meeting Y/N’s in the dimly lit coffee shop.

“Not at all.” Y/N said. She shook her head, a slight smile popping out of the corner of her mouth. “You’re too charming and handsome for your own good. Plus,” she gestures to her latte and the cases and cases of books that surround them, “Coffee and books are quite literally the way to my heart. And, who cares if this is your first date? That’s actually better for me because it means I get you all to myself.”

Spencer, sputtering and flustered, made himself busy with his free hand. He sipped his coffee, perfectly sweet with a hint of spice from the cinnamon. As he sipped, Spencer’s attention was drawn to their joined hands. It seemed so….perfect. Their hands perfectly linked together with their fingers weaved in between.

“Coffee and books are the way to my heart too,” Spencer commented, offering a timid smile. It was easier than he thought, but his heart still thumped frantically in his chest, “Would you like to check some out? I figured you’d have a couple recommendations being a librarian and all,”

“Well,” Y/N started, standing up but still holding Spencer’s hand, “I’m a research librarian, but I do read like 200 books a year so I’m sure I can muster up a recommendation or two,”

“I read 500,” Spencer said. His eyes were sheepish, but his lips curved up in a playful smile.

“Really? That’s so impressive?”

Spencer shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. He wasn’t quite used to people being impressed at his hefty reading load. Most people were either sympathetic or concerned because to most people reading 500 books a year must mean you’re rather lonely. But, Spencer supposed, Y/N wasn’t most people.

“I-I can recommend some,” Spencer says. He let Y/N take his and lead him to the stacks of books, with the hope of this turning more and more perfect than it already was.

–

Spencer, sitting on the couch with Y/N’s body pressed into his, was acutely aware of how fast his heart was beating. He, again, was also acutely aware that it’s the first time someone so stunning has entered his personal space like this. His heart, figuratively his on his sleeve, but Spencer swore that it’s bound to leap out of his chest. Y/N’s head rested on his shoulder and her eyes were fixed on glowing television ahead. Spencer, despite having picked the television program, couldn't give even the most rudimentary of summaries. In fact, Spencer was pretty sure he couldn’t name the main character, even if this is his favorite show.

“Does your impression of me deteriorate if I tell you that I’ve never watched an episode of Dr. Who?” she asked. Y/N’s voice vibrated against Spencer’s upper arm. He wanted to fold himself into her, to let his thumping heart steady with the smooth sound of her voice. Spencer, unable to find words, somehow found the courage to move his arm behind Y/N’s back, effectively pulling her in closer.

“I’ll take that as a no,” Y/N said, a smirk, unseen, but evident in the playfulness of her voice.

“Well if you told me you like Star Wars better than Star Trek,” Spencer joked. He silently counted how many beats his heart had made during their exchange. Y/N’s hand, which laid carefully against her lap, moved it to link her fingers in with Spencer’s. It was like a massive dose of adrenaline that flooded his entire system, bringing him, somehow, solace and energy in the single wave.

“Hmm, well what if I’ve never seen either. Not really a sci-fi person,”

“Then we’ll just have to go on another date,” Spencer said, surprising himself with his guts, “You know Star Trek is actually not scientifically inaccurate. More improbable, but given the decade in which it was originally conceived in, it’s pretty astounding,”

“Another date it is then,” Y/N smiled, scooting in closer to Spencer. Suddenly, he’s grateful for the bone-chilling winter. He wore layers of button-down shirts and cardigans, a protective which acts as a protective barrier between their bodies. Spencer could hardly imagine how fast his heart would be beating if there were less clothes (or even no clothes) between them.

“At a risk of sounding pathetic, Spencer,” Y/N started, the shake in his voice making Spencer realize that he just might be falling in love with her, “I really like you. I really do. You’re the kindest, most gentle man I’ve ever met. You’re just..”

Y/N stopped, clearly at a loss for words when it comes to him. Spencer’s heart, already on the verge of stopping, realistically may not be able to take more compliments.

“I envy everyone who has had the privilege to be loved by you" Spencer whispered, terrified to have someone this close, let alone someone as magnetic and perfectly perfect for him.

But, she just about incinerated his highest expectations when she leaned in close, her head eclipsing the low, yellow light. Her lips were soft and warm. He wanted to melt into the kiss, let himself find peace in the way her hand rests against his elbow, gently coaxing him out of his shell. Spencer felt that familiar ache in his heart build, it’s a combination of adrenaline and serotonin and all those wonderfully potent drugs brains make when they’re happy.

“Perfect” Y/N said. Her lips still brushed against his lips. It was like she didn’t want to break the kiss yet and the very thought of that sends shockwaves down Spencer’s spine. He smiled, deciding that he too doesn’t want the kiss to end. Spencer brought his hands to the back of her head, pulling her in closer than she’s ever been.

Their knees touched.

He caressed her face with a single finger, afraid that if he touches her too rough, too fast, too much she’ll disappear into whatever magical place she came from.

She bit his lip gently. Perhaps she’s the opposite. Maybe she needed to feel him whimper underneath her for her to realize it’s real. Her breath is hot against his skin, drawing him in. She smelled like coffee and vanilla. It was heavenly. It was magical. It was perfect.

Spencer, brazen, threaded his fingers together behind her head. He drew her in close, desperately chasing the one thing he’s been craving for ages. He had it now. He had it now and he wasn’t going to let it go now.

“God, you don’t kiss like it’s your first date.” Y/N cursed into Spencer’s lips. Emboldened by her teasing, Spencer pulled her in close, guiding her to sit on his lap. Thrilled, Spencer’s mind was ready to short circuit. He never felt this electric before. It was like he was wonderstruck. His blush burned into his skin and his hands shook as he ran them up and down Y/N’s back. Her lips felt like puddy against his, warm and soft. She groaned into his mouth, just as eager as Spencer was to have someone close to her body.

In a flash, Spencer felt something soft against his leg. It wasn’t Y/N, who’s attention was squarely on kissing Spencer. It was Junie.

“Junie!” Spencer shouted. He immediately regretted it. Even Spencer, with one date and one half of a makeout session under his belt, knew that calling another “woman’s” name out while with someone was the worst thing he could do. “Oh, shit. No, not that. It’s not that. It’s Junie. The cat. My cat,” Spencer explained, attempting to save himself.

Y/N looked to her left and was greeted by the bright green eyes of an all gray cat. Spencer, mouth hanging open and half terrified, realized that Y/N wasn’t weirded out or hurt by the incident. Somehow, she found it rather hilarious. Laughing, Y/N was still perched in Spencer’s lap. She placed her hands against his shoulders, clearly finding humor in his cat interrupting their date.

“And who might this be?” Y/N asked. She held her hand out, letting Junie sniff her. The gray cat, although old and particular in the people she likes, took an immediate liking to Y/N.

“June. But she’s ridiculously stubborn and will only answer to Junie-Bug.” Spencer said. He picked June up, handing her to Y/N, who climbed off his lap, “She’s like my best friend.” Spencer admitted.

“Spencer,” Y/N said. She said his name like an exclamation and immediately, Spencer knew it was a sound he could hear for a very long time, “That is the sweetest thing in the world. I have a cat too. His name is Chester. He’s my best friend too,”

“I’d love to meet Chester, and maybe Junie-Bug can get a friend too,” Spencer said. He placed June on the couch next to them. She curled up on the couch, already comfortable near Y/N.

“Well, I’m hoping you’re more than a friend to me,” Y/N teased. She nudged Spencer’s shoulder and kissed his cheek.

Spencer, finally finding himself his footing, grabbed Y/N’s hand and gently kissed Junie on the forehead.

“Sorry, Buggy. I think I’m going to have to lock the door for a little bit,” he faux apologized, smiling and winking brazenly at Y/N, who happily let Spencer lead her to his bedroom.

“Only if she can come in later,” Y/N said. “She’s just too cute to not snuggle,”

@reidslovely @reidsbookclub @spencerreidat3am @fightingdragonswithreid @hotchandspencearedilfs f@sadgirlml @spencerslibrary @foxy-eva @paperbackprettyboy @reidselle @alexxavicry y @justlivinginadaydream @reidsmilf @mrs-dr-reid @spencerreidsmommy @reidslibrarybook @sleepyspencer @goldentournesol

#spencer reid #spencer reid x female reader #criminal minds #criminal minds x reader #spencer reid x reader #spencer reid x you #dr spencer reid #spencer reid fluff

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sunflowercider · 2 months

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Back at it again thinking about those magic identifying necklaces that never get used. Also I finally decide what the Frontera symbol is lol

(aka tumblr user sunflowercider be like "is anyone else gonna do anything with that lore?" and not wait for an answer)

Why are identifying necklaces a thing?

Okay, like I've conjectured before, the identifying necklaces probably come from the palace, similar to how a normal card ID is issued now. Though in Lorasia, it's only for nobility, which honestly makes sense. Lorasia is a feudal monarchy still, so nobles have some significant power; having a way to identify a true noble both helps a noble prove their legitimacy to those who speak to them, as well as prevent bad actors from pretending to be someone with that kind of power.

The palace probably issues the necklaces for the above reasons, but additionally as a sort of census of the nobles. Unlike modern representative governments, nobility is based on birth (or occasionally you can be granted it, like Lord Nort), and so thats a lot of people running around with power. Nobles are in charge of the lands given to them and are taxed (aka they definitely have someone keeping an eye on them), so that's less to track, but what about their numerous kids? How does the palace guarantee that some rando saying theyre related to Lord So-and-So is real? ID necklaces!

Who gets them, and when?

Sorry, gonna be briefly grim here - I don't think a born-noble gets one immediately upon birth partly bc duh its a baby but uh. Mostly because babies surviving in olden times was harder (._. ;) Sorry, sorry, that makes me sad. But probably the moment a noble announces to the palace that they have a child, the palace will whip up a new necklace. The child doesnt have to wear it obviously, but remember, its like an ID, so it needs to be something the noble child (or the family) has in possession.

The necklace has a little hologram of the person's face too, so potentially there's a small faction of palace magicians who go to visit the new child to use their magic to essentially take the kids "picture" lol. (I cant imagine the palace would make a family with a newborn travel to the palace just for a necklace. Gotta make it convenient for people or else they might not do it!) Lorasia has magic tho, so I imagine "picture" retakes are not needed - the magic image reflects the owner as they age!

If someone wasn't born into nobility, the moment they are either awarded it or marry into it, the palace issues a necklace for them. It might even be a little more ceremonial, since both of those ways would already have even a small ceremony anyways.

Okay, but what do they look like?

The only description we have is that it's a necklace "engraved with a symbol of the [noble house]". Wow. Let your imagination run wild.

My guess is that these mf necklaces are expensive to make, so they're not made too over the top, but I mean. They are for nobles, so theyre probably still made of gold or silver as a base. The description also just says "engraved", but symbols of nobility often have color that's important too, so there's probably some pigment involved on the pendant part. (The fancier nobles probably wanted jewels instead of pigment but good lord that'd be expensive and difficult). The shape of the pendant part probably depends on your house crest, but the size would probably not be very large, for convenience. Probably around an inch (3 cm) in diameter? Legible but small.

Any random cultural notes?

You bet!!

There's no way altering your necklace is legal without consent, so I imagine the nobles who find the necklaces boring to look at will dress them up. Add some ribbons, tie on pretty charms or gems, weave them onto fancy hats - who knows! I bet there's plenty of trends that come and go over the years for those who care about it.

Losing your necklace is a grave error, but more terribly, if any other nobles find out, you will be considered a huge idiot for quite a long time. The parties with nobles will suck.

If you have twins, they will get different colored metal bases. The magic activation will only work for the correct person either way, but imagine having to scan your ID every time you and your twin need to remember which is theirs. Twins will often join in the decoration trends anyways to be safe.

While frowned upon by the palace, intense young lovers will exchange necklaces to prove their commitment. (Exchanging their family's crests, an item meant to be worn close to your heart, an important item that needs careful cherishing, oh my!) More commonly, people will just exchange or purchase decorations for their lover, if they do anything at all.

Common folk sometimes whisper that they're chains for the nobles, but in kinder terms, theyre pretty happy they can ask for a necklace for proof of trust if they feel someone's trying to trick them. It's written in bold letters in the palace law books that a commoner has the right to ask for proof of nobility, and if a noble rebukes, they will get in serious trouble. Like, potentially stripped of your title kind of trouble. And anyone who is caught pretending to be a noble? Oh dear.

Okay, most important question - what the hell is the Frontera's symbol?

IM SO GLAD YOU ASKED

After chewing on it for a while, I think it's a white shield, with the two (blue) rivers converging on it at an angle, and bluebells sprouting from them.

White for a peaceful land, the dual rivers that bend around the barony/county and blue meaning loyalty, with the main symbol being bluebells meaning humility, gratitude, and love. (Also im amused at the association with fairies stealing people to another world if you pick one hahaha)

#tged #this took an embarrassingly long time to write out

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the9mm · 1 year

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I can't seem to find anything about this, but I have convinced myself that Vash's new design in Trigun: Stampede is complete with 2 under-the-knee prosthetics. Here's why I think this (spoilers from the original anime and potential spoilers ahead, you have been warned):

Now, Vash having prosthetic anything really isn't a surprise at all (clearly he has his prosthetic arm) so when I first saw his new design, and the trailer, I went, oh he's got two prosthetic legs! That's neat!

But now, as I'm researching his actual design and trying to figure out what things look like at different angles to draw him, I'm wondering... Are they prosthetics? If you've watched this far in Trigun: Stampede you know they haven't mentioned it at all (ep 7) or shown anything regarding that, but that shouldn't surprise anyone. We don't see how bad of shape Vash's body is in the original anime until pretty far in, when it is literally shocking to Meryl (and everyone) how many scars, marks, fabricated parts, etc he has. However, in the original anime, as far as we know he's mostly original except for the arm and some spots. We do see him naked after all.

If in Trigun: Stampede they are trying to shock factor us old fans into amping up this "hey yeah, Vash has taken quite the beating from humanity and is still positive, here's how you can tell" by revealing that x amount of him is actually prosthetic at this point later on in the show, giving him additional (hidden) prosthesis makes sense. We know what we know because of the original anime, and they're giving us parts of the original, things we didn't see that were in the manga, and a fraction of unique ideas.

In terms of fitting with the storyline, having additional prosthesis makes sense and fits.

The only thing I can find against this idea is that he can very clearly bend his foot in a way a prosthesis in our world could not. Obviously this is not very convincing because in his world, his prosthesis mechanisms are very complex, have fully articulated wrists and fingers, and even convert into a firearm when necessary.

Now onto the visual, design reasons why I think he has below-the-ankle prosthesis:

Look at his legs where the pants stop and the grey part starts. They look skinny, don't they? Whereas his arm prosthetic is big and bulky up at the shoulder and goes down to what looks more akin to bone size by the wrist, this same sort of shape would make sense -- but he doesn't need as much because they don't convert into guns or anything like that. The thinnest part of the leg is usually just above the ankle, and since his ankles are in his (high top) boots, you would think his legs would be a bit thicker there if you were to believe they are organic.

When seeing him from this angle, you can see that there's a lot of play between his leg (the grey) and his boot. If they're tied tight (and up to the top like we see in the first photo) shouldn't they press a bit more against his leg?

Let's compare him against one of our other characters. Wolfwood clearly has organic legs (as noted by the color and ankle etc, as far as we know there aren't all organic looking prosthetics in this world, it's not GitS after all), but our twink boy Vash still has skinnier legs than him -- and even Meryl.

But, when compared against Livio who is ???? prosthetic, I mean Livio has tiny ankles. We assume that his legs aren't prosthetic, though, so we'll put a point down for "stylistic choice."

Note also the play between his pants and the grey part on his leg. There does seem to be a gap there. Additionally, based on the shaped beneath the pants, it doesn't feel like "extra gathering of cloth" but instead cloth set over something slightly bulkier than his leg.

Now again, this is all just conjecture on my part -- it is entirely possible that it's just "skinny anime guy drawn skinny" and the grey is actually like, knee high socks or something. But I am totally convinced that new Vash has two amazing prosthetic legs too, and maybe I can convince some people along the way.

#vash the stampede #trigun stampede #spoilers #thoughts #thoughts on trigun #trigun

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sapphirefallschronicles · 1 year

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- ̥۪͙۪˚┊❛ Welcome to Sapphire Falls - chapter 5 ❜┊˚̥۪͙۪◌

Basketballer!Chris Evans x Abigail Syverson (plus size!ofc) & Farmer!Syverson x Livia Darmandi (Asian ofc)

Summary: Livia gets herself ready for dinner at the Honey Bee Ranch, while Abigail worries a little.

Word count: 2.5k

Warnings: None

The Advent Calendar (a.k.a. the masterlist)

●・○・●・○・●

After carefully thinking about what to wear (and my options were limited since I couldn’t fit a lot in my suitcase, even after using Marie Kondo’s magnificent tips), I finally found the perfect outfit.

High waisted jeans, paired with some platform boots to give me some added height (considering I’m meeting the Syversons and an NBA player) and a green cardigan like sweater, should suffice.

I know that back in the day, Sy would always compliment me whenever I was wearing green. He never stated his favorite color, but he did mention something about how I should wear more green. I even wore green for my prom, as it matched his tie.

The walk from my hotel to the Honey Bee Ranch isn’t too long, but long enough for me to thoroughly enjoy the scenery. I take in a deep breath, as I can look miles ahead of me, without it being ruined by traffic and other typical New York City things I have grown so accustomed to.

The closer I get to the place, the harder my heart starts to race. I wonder if a lot has changed, but knowing Sy, I bet he kept everything the way his mom left it.

When Bernard Syverson died, Sy barely spoke two words about it. Instead he took on the role of the man of the house, all while he was still a teen. He grew up way too fast and sometimes I wondered whether or not the pressure was too much for him. The loss of his dad was hard on him, but I just know losing his mother had to be harder for him to deal with.

And this time around, I wasn’t there to keep an eye on him. When we were teens, Chris and I went out of our ways to take care of the twins. Chris took care of Abigail, I made sure Sy wasn’t doing stupid stuff, kept him up to date with school and tried to be there for him.

Once I’m closer, I see a very familiar figure. ‘Oh my, is that Chris Evans, the star player of the Chicago Bulls? Right here in Sapphire Falls?’ I say, pretending to be a very hysterical fangirl, though I burst into some sort of laughter halfway through.

The tall and handsome basketball player I’ve known since he was just a cute middle schooler, turns around and smiles widely when he sees it’s me. Back in the day he couldn’t grow a beard, but now I see some facial hair. Looks good, I think to myself.

‘Is that Livia Darmandi, the best selling author?’

That comes as a shock. ‘What? You knew?’ I ask as I approach him. ‘I thought you didn’t read!’

‘I don’t, but when I recognize the name of my friend, I obviously read it.’ He walks up to me and pulls me in a bone crushing hug. ‘And I have to say, GAME OVER book one might be my favorite read.’

What a sweetheart.

‘How have you been?’ I ask, once he placed me back on the ground again.

‘I’m alright,’ he says, while we make our way towards the ranch. ‘Just a damn injury.’

‘Yeah, I’ve heard something about that. That must suck.’

He shrugs. ‘Well, next season I’m back. Stronger than ever. What brings you to Sapphire Falls?’

‘I’m desperate for some inspiration,’ I say, because it’s part of the truth. That I’m escaping a very lonely December month in New York City, he’ll discover that sooner than later. ‘So, you bumped into Sy, right?’

‘Yeah, but I just know he is a lot happier that you’re in town than me being here.’ Chris lets out a chuckle as we can already see the ranch come closer and closer. ‘Crazy right, how nothing has changed.’

‘It is beyond crazy,’ I admit, realizing he is totally evading my very obvious next question, whether or not he has seen Abigail. ‘Strange how I feel right at home after so many years.’

‘Mhm.’

‘You okay, Chris?’ I ask. ‘You seem… A bit nervous if I’m being honest.’

‘I’m fine,’ he says, forcing a fake smile on his attractive face. ‘You know, if we’re ever playing against the Knicks, I’ll arrange free tickets for you. Or, is that considered adultery, because I am playing for the Bulls and you’re probably a Knicks fan?’

Classic Chris, turning the conversation into a different direction. I decide to be the bigger person here and not to pry for information he isn’t willing to share just yet. ‘Bold of you to assume I’m a fan of the Knicks, solely because I live in New York.’

‘Aren’t you?’

I chuckle. ‘Sweet, oblivious Chris. I’m a Chicago Bulls fan. Wherever you go, my loyalty follows. Can’t believe you thought I wouldn’t support my friend. Deeply disappointed in you.’ I smack him in the stomach. ‘Now hurry up,’ I say, picking up my pace, ‘we can’t be late. Dinner at the Syversons is always six thirty sharp.’’

●・○・●・○・●

‘You did what?’ I ask Sy after he casually tells me he bumped into not just one, but two of our long lost friends. I knew about Chris, but I had no idea Livia was back. Of course Sy already spoke to both of them.

‘Ya heard me. They’re coming over for dinner tonight,’ he says. ‘I think it’s nice to have a lil’ reunion.’

I hum in response, but my head is spinning. Chris is coming over. And we are gonna have to talk. I pinch the bridge of my nose. ‘But you ran into them yesterday? And you’re only telling me now?’

‘The later I’d tell ya, the less time you’d have to go nuts,’ Sy snickers as he grabs his car keys. ‘Have fun freaking out about Chris while I’ll go get the groceries.’

Sometimes I hate my brother.

●・○・●・○・●

I cast one last glance in the mirror, and am pleased with the outfit I pulled together while mentally preparing myself to talk to Chris again. Plaid gray trousers, a white tank top with a gray cardigan on top and flat black loafers. Livia always pleaded for me to wear flat shoes so our height difference would be minimized, but we both knew that issue could never be avoided. Yet, I always tried to wear flat shoes and she would wear heels or platforms, because that’s what friends do; at least that is what we used to do.

The clock on the wall tells me Livia and Chris are gonna be here soon. To calm my nerves I decide to go to the stables, the goat enclosure to be precise. A few minutes with Honey might be exactly what I need.

The baby goat is happily hopping around as I come closer. The minute she sees me, she bleats loudly, and scatters away from her mother towards me. ‘Hi Honey,’ I say, scratching her behind her little ears.

‘That’s a nickname you haven’t called me before, but I’m digging it.’ I shriek loudly as I hear a deep voice behind me.

‘For fuck’s sake, Chris! Did you have to scare me like that?’

‘Wasn’t necessary, but I was kinda funny,’ Chris smirks. ‘Sy told me I could find you here.’

He looks even better up close, damn it. I spent the second I saw him in town investigating his Instagram. Whoever takes his pictures should do something else with their life, because the pictures he posts are not doing him any justice.

‘For you maybe,’ I smile. I look at the goats, but Honey and the others fled to the other side after my inhumane sound. Silence fills the air, and I hear Chris’ footsteps coming closer.

He places his hand on my lower back, and smiles softly at me as I look at him. ‘It’s good to see you.’

‘It’s good to see you too, Chris.’ He pulls me in for a hug, which turns into an awkward side hug as we both struggle with where to put our hands. We both chuckle stiffly as we turn our attention to the goats again.

‘Someday I need you to tell me how you convinced Sy to get these animals. If I remember correctly, he hates these immensely.’

‘Oh, he hates them, and they hate him. Which might be half the reason I wanted them,’ I say. Not knowing what to say to him any further, I decide to redirect the conversation. ‘Why don’t we get inside first?’ I suggest. ‘Is Livia hear yet?’

‘Abigail!’ I hear a sweet voice behind me say. ‘Speaking of the devil, or angel, yes she is here!’

‘Livia!’ I manage to say before she throws herself in my arms. Her tiny figure wouldn’t tell you, but that girl can give firm hugs. ‘It’s so good to see you!’

‘You look amazing, Abigail, I love those trousers. You can never go wrong with plaid.’

I look down, and see she is wearing platform shoes, something might never change, and a smile forms on my face.

The clan is all back together.

●・○・●・○・●

The four of us are back in the main house, and I take a moment to myself in the kitchen.

Deep down I think: what happened to me and how I feel about everything, is none of their business. It’s clear that there are many unspoken truths between us. Seeing Livia and Chris sitting in the living room where it’s usually just Sy and me, is odd, yet awfully familiar.

To say we all have matured, is an understatement. To see the entire gang took me back. My brother has grown up, from a teen who took on the role of the man of the house to a secure grown up, who has many things hidden in his heart.

It takes no genius to see how Livia, despite her eleven year absence, still has her special effect on him. Mom always joked about how they would get married, but the jokes became less frequent the longer Livia stayed away and the more hurt Sy got whenever she mentioned Livia’s name. But here she is, our tiny baby of the group. Not only was she the youngest, she was also the smallest of us all, but she always stood her ground. Managed to wrap Sy–of all people–around her finger.

And then there is Chris. Our famous, ever so handsome Chris. The one who carried his basketball around everywhere he went. He always held up his sporty, bad boy attitude, but he was always the sweetest to Livia and me.

Last but not least, there’s me, the other Syverson. I always felt like the outcast of the group. I wasn’t like Livia, who could wrap people around her finger like that. Unlike Sy and Chris I didn’t have a clear path in life. I was the girl who hid behind her camera and preferred to not be in the spotlight.

‘You coming Abi?’ Chris asks as he, Livia and Sy make their way to the dining table. Abi. He was the only one with permission to call me that, and it’s been ages since he said it. It felt good, and weirdly familiar. Maybe it was nice to have him back in my life.

‘Yeah, sorry.’ I make my way towards the table and take place next to Chris. Livia and Sy are already sitting opposite of us, both of them unknowingly scooting their seats closer to each other.

Nothing truly has changed.

●・○・●・○・●

‘So, yeah, an injury and a broken engagement are the reason I’m back in town,’ Chris finishes his story. We needed to catch up with each other, so we took turns telling how our lives went the last few years. Sy and I were quickly done, as not much had changed for us, except the death of our mother. But we stayed in Sapphire Falls, on Honey Bee Farm. No big city or exciting careers for us.

Chris just told us his story and I’ve got to say: that’s kinda sad. I feel sorry for him, but I also know he isn’t telling the whole story. His fiancée and him suddenly figuring out they aren’t a match? There is more to that story, but I know he will share that whenever he’s ready. ‘I’m sorry that happened to you Chris,’ I say.

‘Thanks, but it’s fine,’ Chris responds. He fiddles with the empty glass in his hands, and Livia exchanges a look with me. There is definitely more to this story.

‘What about you, Livia? What brings you back to this boring old town? I can’t imagine leaving the big city behind for this,’ I ask, deciding changing the subject would be best.

‘I needed a change of scenery. New York is amazing and I love it, but I need the peace and quietness of Sapphire Falls to get some new inspiration.’

As the conversation continues, I know no one is telling the whole story. Don’t get me wrong, the conversation is flowing. It feels like it was only yesterday we saw each other, but we all are keeping out the details of what happened the past years.

Sy pretends that he’s not hurting. Livia makes us believe that all she needs for inspiration is a change of scenery. Chris puts on a front that discovering that he and his ex-fiancée weren’t a good match was reason enough for a broken engagement. I’m faking that life here in Sapphire Falls is everything I want.

I glance at Chris, that beard looks damn good on him. And his thigh, accidentally or not accidentally, touching mine every now and then is sending shivers down my spine.

This is gonna be a long night.

●・○・●・○・●

It was a long night, however we got through it. Sy is gonna drive Livia and Chris back, while I’m staying here. I say my goodbyes to them and watch them get off the porch. However Livia turns around and rushes back to the front door.

‘Abigail,’ she says, ‘what do you say about a girl’s day tomorrow? I already cleared it with Sy: you are not needed on the farm.’

That actually does not sound that terrible. Besides, there are many things I want to know. Maybe it’s easier to talk to a girl. Growing up, there was a clear division in our group. Sy and Livia, Chris and I. But there were moments where boys need boys and there are moments where girls need girls. Getting ready for prom? That was a job she and I needed to do. Talking about our deepest fears? That was reserved for either Sy in Livia’s case, or Chris in mine, though I never totally bared my soul.

‘That sounds nice.’

‘Fantastic,’ she says. ‘We should get some coffee and stroll around. It has been ages since I had such a beautiful walk. In New York it’s all people, cars and rats.’

‘A scenery walk it is,’ I chuckle.

‘Liv, hurry up,’ Sy says to her, who is already waiting by the truck, together with Chris. While he is very keen on the orders and commands, I can already tell there is a very special layer added to it, one he specifically reserves for Livia Darmandi.

Great, with her around, my brother will be absolutely useless again.

‘I’ll see you tomorrow at the cafe,’ I say with a smile and Livia gives me a quick hug, before rushing back to the truck.

#Welcome to Sapphire Falls #Welcome to Sapphire Falls Masterlist #diegos-butt & keanureevesisbae advent calender #Chris Evans #Henry Cavill #Syverson #Basketballer!Chris Evans #Farmer!Syverson #Plus size!ofc #Asian!ofc #chris evans x plus size ofc #henry cavill x asian ofc #chris evans x ofc #henry cavill x ofc

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antiquatedplumbobs · 1 year

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Tag Game for Historical Simblrs!

I initially made this tag game over a year ago at a point when I felt like there were a lot of new people on history simblr I didn't know. I was chatting with some friends and thought now might be a good time to revive it!

1. What has been your favorite time period to play in or which one are you most excited for?

Right now I'm very excited for the 1920s, I have a lot of plans and some unique story lines I feel coming up. It's also feeling like I'll actually get there soon!

2. Do you have a favorite piece of historical cc? (CAS or BB)

Last time I did this I chose a BB piece so this time I'm going CAS, happylifesims recently made a victorian workers outfit with these adorable rolled sleeves and it just looks so good on guys. It's the current darling of my heart.

3. Who is your favorite sim currently?

Right now it's Willy, I'm really excited to get back into the Sewell's and really start exploring his story in earnest.

4. What is your favorite world?

Still Brindleton Bay, always has been, always will be.

5. Are you more gameplay or story focused?

I like to think I mix these two mediums pretty well, I plan big story arcs but tend to let gameplay influence day to day, and if something interesting gameplay wise happens I try to include it!

6. Do you like to play with pets in your historical saves?

I do! I think they add a really fun dimension to the family and are great for social needs.

7. What’s your biggest immersion breaking pet peeve with the game?

All the townies with the strangest colored hair and body types. And names. I just wish it wasn't all so discordant.

8. What’s your favorite in-game historical item? (CAS or BB)

I really like the items that came with the country kitchen kit, the bucket of fruit and vegetables just makes me so happy.

9. What would you like to see as a new pack or asset to the game?

I'm at the point where I just want a historical pack. I know it's not gonna happen, but gosh a girl can dream.

10. What pack do you think is invaluable as a historical simmer?

I think that Cottage Living is amazing all around, but I'd put Cats and Dogs second, perhaps tying with Get Together. They both have amazing BB and CAS and i prefer the worlds to Henford.

11. Do you have a favorite mod to enhance historical gameplay?

Mizoreyukii has a functional broom that works like a vacuum and it just makes my little historical simmer heart happy to see my sims sweeping away.

12. What’s your ideal family size for playing?

I like having enough to keep it interesting, but not so many that it's overwhelming. I think maybe five or six but obviously the ages influence things too.

13. Do you use poses?

I do! I like to use in game animations whenever I can because they feel a bit more lively to me, but sometimes you need to track down a pose or wrestle with blender to make one when you need something specific.

14. Do you use any overrides in your game?

Yes, I love overrides. I use moonsims historic book override, a mop override, a dish override, a fireplace light override, a dog leash override. Big on overrides here.

15. Do you, or did you, play off-the-grid during your game?

I usually don't, I find it a bit too limiting for what would have actually been historically possible at the time.

16. What lifespan do you play on?

A slightly tweaked version of normal, but some people have been sort of convincing me to potentially try a longer one.... We'll see...

17. What inspired you to start playing a historically?

A reddit post about the decades challenge, which was just a completely new way to think about playing to me. I'd never really done any kind of challenge before at all and I think the combo of passage of time, goals, and so much fun new cc just absolutely hooked me!!

See how my answers have changed in the past year and a half

I geared it towards historical simming, since that’s what I do, but please feel free to partake even if you’re not a historical simmer and just adapt for regular gameplay or whatever you do!!

I'm going to cast a wide net here with my tags @aheathen-conceivably @cowplant-snacks @simadelics @thistleflower-sims @carousel-of-sims @stargazingsims @gilded-ghosts @simming-in-the-rain @scythesms @surely-sims @historysims4 @sasaofastora @javitrulovesims and anyone else who would like to take part!

I really like these because it helps me get to know everyone I see on my dash and sometimes find new people to follow, so don't be shy about taking part!!

#ask game #tag game

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gachastranjr · 2 years

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SPOILERS Sumeru Archon Quest and Tighnari's Quest

Warnings: Spoilers, Cursing and LONG LONG Rant

First off, I really love Sumeru. The music is amazing and the colors are so nice to look at. Still so many tall climb but that's nothing new. Also, there's lots of mushrooms.

Collei is precious. She's such a sweet girl and I have yet to read the manga but Dottore is such a hoe. How dare he touch a precious bean. Her reaction to Paimon just jokingly attack her is so sad and her being sickly as well. Honestlyyyy, too many good characters and she's the first of many in Sumeru.

I'll save Tighnari for later. For now, I'm going to talk about Dori. She is shorter/younger than what I expected lol. I thought she was going to have the female "teen" size. Also having seen a lot of the other characters, I'm more torn on who I want. I still like Dori but my eyes are shifting to different characters.

Al Haitham, what the fuck you up to? Breaking agreements that's enough to earn the wrath of the rock, if Zhongli were the traveler. This man's I want now more that I saw how he look in the game. He's giving me the feelings I had when I pulled on Ayato's banner. Ngl tho, being the only character that's entirely affiliated with the Akademiya is also giving him the untrustworthy guy vibes like Tartaglia.

Dehya and Nilou, both of them I can't shake of the thoughts that they could like Dunyarzad more than a friend. Dehya's design I stared for a while before concluding that those "ears" are just her hair shaped like it much like Keqing's. Ngl, I wasn't able to pay attention much to Nilou other than the scenes of her with Dunyarzad so idk what else to think about her yet.

For Nahida/Kusanali, Sumeru doesn't deserve her or at least the sages and certain people don't. She's such a sweet and good archon. She's been around for 500 or so years and she's just been in house arrest the entire time? She's literally the nature god but isnt even allowed to be in nature.

In regards to that, I can see the Sumeru's issue is because they've yet to accept that Greater Lord Rukkhadevata is long dead and hinders letting Lesser Lord Kusanali be the "proper" archon of Sumeru. Ykno? It's something sort of similar to Liyue's issue. Sort of.

Now the Sabzerus festival, holy shit. It's inception. Well, it's really not but it was what I was saying the entire time during it lol. But the dream thing, caught me off guard cuz I never would have thought that figments of imagination when you sleep can be connected to wisdom. It's kind of smart. I like it lots.

I loved Paimon a lot more during the bit where Traveler had to leave Paimon within the wall. I dont get people who don't like Paimon. They're the best emergency food travel companion in all of Teyvat. I love it when Paimon and Traveler banter. Like in the new Voice-overs. Speaking of, Traveler having a bit more lines in during that quest made me so happy.

The jebait on Dunyarzad holy crap. Tho ngl I would be ok with her just also having died during that for the angst but the current outcome is great as well.

Again with the cutscenes. It so beautiful. What I loved the most is seeing Dunyarzad when we thought she was dead get to see the dance. The dance itself was beautiful but that scene of like being able to fulfill her dying wish was just so nice to like see and gave me like a peace of mind. Nilou dancing was indeed gracful and the effects were also a nice addition but story wise I just loved seeing the Dunyarzad bit more.

Then we have the Katheryne being a puppet reveal which was sort of expected but I never have realized or remember that she was made in Snezhnaya. That small bit surprised me. Like maybe... a spy?? Its just a thought.

Now, I can get to Tighnari and he's quest. He's somewhat a merge of Heizou and Albedo. Obviously he's his own person but for comparison ykno. I like Tighnari. He's like "I don't care if you eat that mushroom. Go ahead try it. I do have a medicine for it but I want you to learn the consequences of your actions first." He's unexpectedly more stern and collected than expected but it makes it more satisfying when he becomes soft with Collei or frustrated with the Akademiya.

In the quest, I liked him even more. I love that he's aware of how Traveler wanders off out of the mission a lot. Him calling out to me when I was about to go wander off instead of setting up camp is gold to me and also him going "You're still awake" or "You’re still here" when I try to chat with him is so good. It's not some dialogue of him describing what he plans to do but just him lowkey shooing me. Also never thought I would want a mechanical crab as a pet but here we are. The thing with Karkata is so simple and yet it was so well done anyway. I would have loved to hear more of Tighnari's time at the Akademiya though. Actually most of the characters, I would love to have to see their Act 2 in the Story Quests. Anyway, I'll be waiting for Tighnari in the standard banner so I can save the intertwined fates for the limited characters like Nahida, Al Haitham, Dori and Cyno.

Hi to those who read through the entire rant. Best of luck on your wishing.

#genshin impact #genshin spoilers #genshin collei #genshin dori #genshin alhaitham #genshin dehya #genshin nilou #genshin npc #genshin nahida #genshin kusanali #genshin paimon #genshin traveler #genshin aether #genshin lumine #genshin tighnari #long ass genshin rant #these characters are literally too good #i want to listen to their voiceovers in game

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where-the-flash · 4 months

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"The Henpecked Duck": A Morbidly Intensive Reflection (Part 1)

(image: vcrfromheck.tumblr.com)

What you see before you is a facsimile of a VHS tape my grandmother mysteriously owned in the early nineties. The tape was specifically for my older sister and myself in the hopes that it would pacify us if we got too rowdy. My grandmother eventually donated it once we were older....without asking my permission. We're not on speaking terms at the present moment.

The videotape was entitled "Cartoons R Fun", which is embossed on a rainbow you might see arched over Mount Ararat post-Deluge. Indeed, cartoons "r" fun, if you forgive the juvenile usage of a homophonic letter as a plural present tense of the verb "to be".

Daffy Duck, proudly standing on a tan blob with thin pencil lines to signify a nest (one that's peacefully floating on a violet overcast sky), is holding a freshly-hatched, over-sized duckling in his hand, as a quaint HOME SWEET HOME knick-knack looks on lovingly. Not an accurate depiction of the advertised short, but we'll cross that poorly-drawn bridge when we get to it. However, the tilted Dr. Caligari-esque shadow of a window in the background is indicative of the mood of the short in question.

(image: vcrfromheck.tumblr.com)

The tape was top-loaded with four chortle-filled public domain follies produced between 1937 and 1941. Those amusements being, The Henpecked Duck, I Wanna Be a Sailor (see?), Robinson Crusoe Jr., and A Coy Decoy, as the tape advertises in a tacky brush font, on a showbiz marquee being lugged about by two (presumably) unpaid simian laborers, "Henpecked Duck and MANY MORE..." ("Henpecked Duck", as you might have noted, is missing a definite article, adding to the lackadaisical charm of the proceedings).

These tapes were not the best quality. I know this because the last ten seconds of A Coy Decoy are cut out, missing the all-important punchline of Daffy procreating with a toy duck. (it took me fifteen years to discover this, thanks to the miracle of www.youtube). The tape was too short so it ended on a blue screen of death. The shorts were not in black-and-white, nor are they in color, as the box cover deceptively advertises with its omnipresent "all color" rainbow. Rather, it's presented in a dusty sepia-tone (the shorts fell into public domain so I can incorrectly presume that the sepia is an after-effect of neglected film preservation). This in itself is not a bad thing. I like my cartoons to look like the first act of The Wizard of Oz. They look pristine and well-preserved, like something perfectly bronzed to a fine sheen. If I were to flick my finger, the film would make an audible 'ding'.

Anyway, the cartoon that sticks out the most (obviously, it's the main feature) is The Henpecked Duck. Released on August 30th, 1941 (about three months before the United States entered World War II....this was back when the epidemic of housewives battering their husbands with frying pans was of more pressing concern than Hitler), it was directed by Bob Clampett (the insane bad boy of the Warner Bros. animation department) and written by Warren Foster. It concerns a married Daffy Duck getting into some hot water after accidentally misplacing their unborn child. It is an intense piece of marital melodrama framed through the irreverent filter of Looney Tunes.

I've always been drawn to it. Not in any sort of substantive way (I'm not a child of divorce or anything of the sort), but in the sense that it's a piece of media that I've consumed to such a inordinate degree that it gains a kind of vague meaningfulness. It's also an overlooked short that I feel should have a little light drawn towards it, as a way of saving it from the gaping maw of obscurity. And since every piece of media has been discussed to death on the internet, I thought I could annoy you and place my minuscule stakes on this 7-minute short from 1941. Hopefully, this will be the final, definitive word on the subject. My legacy depends on it.

Let's examine this short in embarrassing, navel-gazing detail, shall we?. Not just gazing, mind you, I mean gripping my hairy belly between my two mitts and, depending on how much bendable flexibility I still have stored in my rapidly fading youthful figure, blow into my umbilicus scar, until you hear an audible plop-plop-plop.

(note: I put a sepia filter on these black & white screencaps to simulate how I experienced The Henpecked Duck as a child.)

WAH WAH WAH WAH WAHHHHHHHHHH. Doodly-doo, doodly-doo, scattily woo woo woo woo doo, doodly-doo, doodly-doo, doo doo. (That was obviously Mendelssohn playing over those overlapping rolling pins.)

The short opens on darkness, a cacophony of plaintive whinging blooms on the soundtrack. People are demanding divorces left and right. The camera suddenly springs back from the darkness to reveal the shadowy entrance of what appears to be a ramshackle barn or chicken coop. It's hard to tell considering the entrance takes up the entire frame. The lack of a proper wide establishing shot and the numerous disembodied voices only adds to the feeling of anxious dislocation. A wooden plank leads forbiddingly into the darkness. A crudely written sign hangs over the entrance, "Court of Inhuman Relations."

(A small reservation I have is the sound mixing on the voices being too loud. You can almost hear Carl Stalling's score which, from the few strains that I'm able to eke out, carry an foreboding menace).

Transition to a close-up of Porky's gavel (Porky is presiding over this raucous kangaroo court) rapping on the judge's stand with an aggressiveness too intense for the viewer to even process in these first few seconds. The camera rapidly pulls back from the gavel, to a wider shot of Porky, to an extreme low-angle long shot of the aisle as the crowd quiets down. Already, we have two instances of the camera springing back rapidly from close-ups to establishing shots, as if the cameraman was suddenly dropped out of the sky and is quickly trying to adjust to the foreign scenario he has just encountered. Needless to say, it has a startling effect.

Porky Pig announces the first case of the day: Duck vs. Duck. He orders Mr. Daffy Duck to approach the stand. There is a shot from Porky's perspective where we can see the entire courtroom with Porky's gavel and water jug hugely prominent in the foreground (they take up almost half of the frame, symbolizing the firm grip that the rural judicial system has even over the lowliest waterfowl). The courtroom is a surreal scene indeed. It consists of barnyard animals, from a duck with an abnormally long neck, to a dopey-looking black mutt, to a fat hog sitting uncomfortably on one of the benches, and a snoring elderly hen (who provide a few visual gags near the end of the short).

Daffy Duck slowly shuffles up the aisle. His overbearingly grim disposition are not unlike a POW during the Bataan Death March, with his slouched posture and hangdog eyes. Stalling's score is just as slow and methodical; a prominent trombone emitting a onomatopoeic 'wah-wah'. He walks past the onlooking crowd, eerily still and blurred in the background. The few figures he walks past in the foreground are featureless and emit a dull glow like bronze statues. The stillness of the crowd make Daffy's isolation unbearable.

Daffy approaches the stand as Porky calls up Mrs. Daffy Duck. Before I move on, I must point out a glancing detail and a naggingly under discussed trope of old 30's-40's cartoons: glassy eyelids. Daffy blinks a few times as he looks up at Porky on the stand. His eyelids have a glassy, polished tint, as if run through a shoe buffer. It is an unsettling detail, adding to the surreality of the mise-en-scène.

Mrs. Duck, unlike Daffy, charges up the aisle with a straw boater cocked at an angle, in the manner of old-time gangsters, and a ridiculous poofy ball bouncing from it (what else could one call it but a 'poofy ball'?), giving off a unexpectedly violent energy. Unlike the pathetic trombone used on Daffy, Stalling utilizes blaring trumpets, giving her entrance a martial air. I must amusingly point out that Mrs. Duck is essentially Daffy with a hat and skirt (no pronounced Minnie Mouse eyelashes either).

Shot from an intense low angle close-up, Mrs. Duck, the perennial battle-ax stereotype, chants the four most iconic words of my salad years: "I WANT A DIVORCE! I WANT A DIVORCE!" It's amazing how a single moment can be so easily etched into such an impressionable young mind. The immediacy of it (no one in real life can shout banal declarations with such dramatic relish) and its startling bluntness struck me as unusual in a Looney Tunes short. It's so dramatically heightened when compared to the more relatively light-hearted tone of other Warner Bros shorts. Though as I've grown older, I can't help but see a bit of the parodic in it; melodrama bursting to the brink of burlesque. Not to mention the almost shrill string section that accompany these outbursts.

Mrs. Duck rains a flurry of invective on Daffy (with a couple of thwacks on the head from her vanity parasol). We get a closeup of Daffy, where we get some fine acting on his end. As she twaddles on, he winces and grimaces, being verbally battered into submission. At one point, she commands him to respond. In a subtle bit of comic acting, Daffy opens his beak in an air of sarcasm (noted by the over-exaggerated intake of breath), and just as he's about to speak, he automatically snaps his beak closed just as she tells him to shut up. Henpecked, indeed, if you are unironically tickled by the avian-adjacent pun of its title.

The Honorable Porky Pig orders Mrs. Duck to calm herself and explain the origins of this particular domestic strife. I must point out that as Porky speaks, we get a two-shot of Mr. and Mrs. Duck. It's almost a still shot, except for the poofy ball on her hat, which slowly bounces until it comes to a stop, like a toy soldier winding down. It's a minute detail that adds to her energetic characterization. Even when she's still, she's moving.

At this point we are launched into the dramatic thrust of the short. We are spirited backward into the past by way of flashback. This is where the real fun begins.

We arrive at the abode of the Ducks (we get no exterior establishing shot) where silhouettes (projected on a wall of two by fours, adding to the rural decrepitude) of the couple hover over a nest with a plump half-oval of an egg nestled on top. A framed embroidered artwork of the words "Home Sweet Home" adds a touch of ironic bonhomie (the music of "Home Sweet Home" is gently playing in the background). Mrs. Duck is lovingly instructing Daffy to manually incubate the egg while she goes to visit her mother. She walks past the camera and out of frame. She then violently (and comically) juts her face back into frame (her beak thrusting like a dagger) with an idle threat of strangulation (the music suddenly turns menacing).

Daffy sits obediently on the nest, replying to every matrimonial trumpet blast with the soft-spoken yet seethingly sarcastic, "Yes, m'love." Daffy's comic acting is brilliant here. The frozen smile, the disingenuously coy eye-blinking, the listless, non-committal head nodding. Not to mention Carl Stalling's expressive soundtrack, with Mrs. Duck's dialogue highlighted by stormy percussion and Daffy's highlighted by softer staccato variations on the "Home Sweet Home" theme. When Mrs. Duck leaves, Daffy gets up off the nest and vents out his frustration, mocking her with multiple "Yes, m'love's" (we also get a sense of the wide space of their sparsely furnished house, giving it the feeling of a stage). The omniscient Mrs. Duck suddenly bursts through the door screaming, "What's that?!" Daffy springs back to the nest (the music oddly spring-like itself), a eerie moment of silence before Daffy quietly, obediently says, "Yes, m'love." Mrs. Duck leaves.

After an indeterminate passage of time, Daffy is still sitting on the egg (his arms uselessly crossed as opposed to the demure limpness he expressed when the missus was about), looking bored and restless. Carl Stalling's score here is particularly striking, giving this little interlude a weird note of foreboding. Daffy decides to examine the egg, shake it, and balance it precariously on his digit. How I relate to Daffy's fascination! There is something miraculous about that ovoid vessel. Its perfect shape and dimensions. Its firm yet fragile shell, its smell reminiscent of sticking your hand out of a speeding car window, then smelling the palm once retracted. When you put a knife to a boiled egg, you see its uniform circularity with its white outer layer and its yellow yolk (sans zygote, of course).

Daffy, in a fit of pure sponteneum, lays to rest the age-old chicken-or-the-egg conundrum by rendering it moot. We get an extreme close-up of his hand fondling the egg then pressing the egg between his palms until it is squeezed out of existence. Even Harry Handcuffs couldn't pull off a feat of such trickery. Daffy, standing confidently on his nest like a master sleight-of-hand, chants some magical hoodoo ("Hocus pocus, flippety flam, razzmatazz, and alacazam!") and the egg reappears between his two fingers (with an amusing "boing", clearly a human's voice).

He is amazed by his newfound abilities and addresses the audience with cross-eyed relish. Notice that the borders of the frame move inward so there there is a thick black outline underneath and to the sides. We cut to a wide shot of Daffy stepping off his nest (making a hearty reference to Major Bowes, an old "Gong Show"-esque radio program) and then stepping forward and out of the frame, his feet planted on the black. It's meant to be a fourth-wall gag but it's awkwardly executed because you notice the frame retracting in preparation for the gag. Frankly, I'm not quite sure why they had to break the fourth wall at that particular moment.

Daffy makes the egg disappear again. I must point out Stalling's lovely rendition of Juventino Rosas' waltz, "Sobre las Olas" (Over the Waves), a calming Wurlitzer standard, but like its title, suggests that Daffy is heading into choppy waters. He repeats the magic words and, lo and behold, the egg does not reappear. Daffy's eyes bulge out of his head and looks at the audience, shrugging with uneasy reassurance. He tries again. Same result. The tempo of the scene steadily grows faster (along with the score) as Daffy desperately tries to make the egg reappear. Daffy is now hysterically banging the floor, imploring an indifferent deity to make his unborn child whole again. Of course, it wouldn't be Looney Tunes if they didn't make Daffy break the fourth wall ("Say, is there a magician in the house?"), then immediately falling back into character (now that felt like a more appropriate fourth-wall gag than the previous one). A clock ticks on unrepentantly.

(continued in Part 2...I hoped to fool you and claim it's Part 1 as a dramatic cliffhanger for this intense marital thriller...it's only because Tumblr allows 30 images per post so I had to break it up into two parts....I apologize if I have completely demystified this [allegedly] mature and thoughtful examination)

#looney tunes #movies #henpecked duck

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