#you used to get to choose exactly what you were searching not just be forwarded to a general category of topics

[kirbyddd]

NOT WHAT I ASKED, GOOGLE

#please i wrote about this before but forgot to post i think #does anyone know a search engine that actually searches your keywords not this faux semantic search stuff 😭 #i thought duckduckgo was supposed to give direct results but it just gives the exact same results #I HATE IT I HATE SEMANTIC SEARCH KEYWORD SEARCH UNDERSTOOD SEMANTICS BETTER #you used to get to choose exactly what you were searching not just be forwarded to a general category of topics #the “ ” doesnt work anymore either #are there any good keyword engines left guys pls😭 #also yeah in recent years ive naturally come to love etymology these days ill often search the etymology of a word rather than its definitn #it helps my mind achieve better comprehension and more consistent and nuanced expression i think #but i cant find nothing abt how currency got to mean “in present” and “money format” on top of its original “running/forward motion” #maybe running/flowing as in the ongoing moment? thus the association of current with presence? i guess thats pretty self explanatory #and i guess it doesnt rly matter why current came to refer to inanimate fluids and run to creature locomotion #but how it came to be associated with the concept of an agreed trade credit format seems important to my instincts fsr #like there was a poetic connection there that would be good to remember #maybe... #well thats what im trying to learn i need a search engine pls😭

[oftenwantedafton]

Secret Santa - Steve Raglan/William Afton x Female Reader

rating - explicit

~ just a little fluffy Christmas smut ~

also on AO3

When you’d drawn Steve Raglan’s name for the secret Santa gift exchange, you weren’t sure how to feel.

The tall man was a complete mystery. He didn’t socialize in the office, refused to have lunch in the break room, and had never even acknowledged your existence beyond a nod if you directed someone to his office.

You have no idea what to get him that won’t feel completely generic and thoughtless. You refuse to go the gift card route. You know he drinks coffee, but, again, that’s such a boring present.

You’re hovering just inside his office one day, guiding a nervous looking young man searching for a job inside, when you notice the wire rabbit that holds outgoing mail envelopes and a set of car keys set to one side with a rabbit’s foot keychain on the ring. So he likes rabbits for some reason. Okay, you could work with that.

He waves the client forward, already dismissing you.

You spend the remainder of the afternoon thinking about what you could get him that was rabbit themed but also had a practical use. Another prospect led inside and you let your eyes linger on the man himself this time. He’s probably early fifties, dark haired with some white brushstrokes at the temples and through his beard. Creased laugh lines and crows feet on his face, but it suits him. Wide set eyes that you think you could get lost in if he spared you more than the occasional glance—

“Is there something I can help you with?”

You realize the woman seeking employment has already sat down and the pair of them were waiting for you to give them some privacy. You’ve been standing there staring at him like a display in a museum. You shake your head and look away, blushing, but not before you see the twitch of one eyebrow, the dimples creasing the corners of his mouth. Your eyes dart over his striped dress shirt and matching purple tie and you suddenly know exactly what it is you want to get him for Christmas. You murmur an apology and exit the room, a smile on your own features.

***

You settle a pewter rabbit tie clip into a box lined with tissue paper, letting it nestle securely among the soft folds.

You can hardly believe you found something so perfect in such a short amount of time. It’s classy without being too elegant or gaudy, just simple and refined. You settle the lid on the box and affix a bow to the top of the package. You can’t remember the last time you’d been this excited to give someone a gift.

The office party always transforms the bland environment into something special. You love seeing the splashes of color and festive decorations. People are relaxed and happy. There’s an array of treats to choose from but you’re not concerned with that right now, too eager to give Steve his gift.

Of course he’s not among the crowd of your coworkers.

You instead find him lurking in his office, a plate with a cupcake sitting on the corner of his desk, one hand tucked into a pocket while he stares through the open blinds at the gentle snowfall outside.

You knock on the door to get his attention.

“I’m sorry to bother you, but…well, I drew your name for the gift exchange. I’m your secret Santa. Merry Christmas!”

He turns to face you, withdrawing the tucked hand and accepting the gift box you hold out to him. He lifts the lid and removes the tissue wrapped bundle and you hold your breath, rocking on your feet in anticipation.

The pay off is so, so worth it.

His thumb gently smooths over the polished surface of the bar, then runs over the carved pewter rabbit seated in the middle.

“Do you…do you like it?”

He nods slowly, still studying the jewelry.

You exhale in relief. “I’m so glad. I thought you would. I know how much you like rabbits…”

“Shut the door.”

“What?” You blink at the interruption. “You want me to leave?”

He clucks his tongue impatiently, shaking his head and stepping around you to close the solid wood door himself.

“By some strange coincidence, I’m your secret Santa as well.” He moves to the office chair behind his desk and sinks into it, taking a moment to slide the tie bar into place and remove his glasses, tossing them lightly on the desk blotter.

“Wait…really?”

He nods. “And unlike yourself, I was not so certain of what to get for you. Why don’t you come have a seat?”

You move to sit in one of the padded vinyl chairs across from him but he sighs impatiently again, halting your progress.

“Not there. Here.” He points to the broad stretch of his long thighs. “And tell me what you’d like.”

Oh.

You suddenly feel self conscious in your pencil skirt and blouse, sitting side saddle gingerly across his lap, feeling ridiculous and aroused all at once.

One arm wraps around your waist to steady you, the other rests on your knee, drawing soft circles over the nylon covered joint. You clutch one shoulder, the other hand curled around the bicep of the opposite arm.

“I didn’t think you’d ever notice me. I didn’t even think you knew I existed,” you whisper, gasping when the hand on your knee slides between your thighs, his palm hot against you.

He chuckles softly. “Of course not. You weren’t supposed to know.” He smiles, a Cheshire Cat grin that has your heart thumping wildly in your chest. “So what would you like for Christmas?”

The probing hand wedges firmly at the fork of your legs and you gasp. He captures the sound with his mouth, his tongue parting your lips. He tastes like peppermint candy, sweet and strong in your mouth. You moan in frustration when he interrupts the kiss, the hand between your legs abruptly vacating the space of your desire. “Well? I’m still waiting for an answer.”

“You.”

Another dimpled smile rewards you. “That’s my girl.” He moves as if to stand and you follow his lead, sliding down from your perch. His hands reach for the curves of your buttocks, squeezing, kneading, his head tipped down and his mouth back on yours. He fumbles impatiently with the button and side zipper of your skirt and you help him tug it down, stepping free of it quickly, eager to be in his arms again. The nylons exasperate him and he tears them open, working on a run that’s started along one thigh. The material separates, surrendering to brute force and he tugs until he reaches your panties, fingers dipping beneath the crotch so he can touch you.

The career counselor’s fingers slip between the folds and you moan into his mouth, one hand at his collar, the other working on the fly of his pants. The sounds he makes when you finally reach inside his briefs are exquisite when hummed against your throat, deliciously needy and appreciative.

He lifts you easily and sits you on the edge of the desk, your legs automatically parting to invite him against you. One fingers works inside, then a second, stretching your opening further. You love the scratch of his beard against your face, the sloppy wet kisses he plants along your jaw and ear, that hitch of breath when you reach for him again and stroke the underside of his cock just right, smearing precum along the meeting curves.

He shoves your panties to one side and pushes into you without hesitation or preamble, one smooth strong stroke inside until he’s completely sheathed.

You curse, one hand knotted in his hair, the other clutching the edge of the desk for balance. He withdraws, waiting, teasing, watching your expression when he slams back in. Your eyes roll back and you say his name, legs wrapping around him, encouraging him to continue.

“William,” he corrects you, his voice low against your ear. “My real name is William.”

You frown over this information but fuck, does it really matter if he wants you to call him William or even Daddy or whatever, you don’t actually care right now, you just want more of that cock to pummel you, for that hungry mouth to feed off yours again.

You say this new name and he renews his efforts with a fury, the time for teasing long past. Every wet collision brings you closer and closer to release. He fills you so good and hits you in just the right spot, battering until your orgasm hits hard.

You feel the telltale shudder wrack through his body before he spills into you, so hot and Christ there’s so much of it, you can feel it oozing out in a steady trickle when he finally pulls out of you. You’re both panting, shaking, hair plastered wetly to skin. The air smells like sex and cupcake icing and fuck, you’ll never look at peppermint candy the same way again, it’s all you can taste in your mouth.

“William.” You say his name again, trying the sound of it out.

He holds a finger against your lips. You didn’t think eyes that pale glacier color could go so dark. “Keep it secret,” he warns softly.

You nod. “I promise.”

“Good girl. Merry Christmas,” he murmurs, his mouth covering yours once more.

#william afton x you #william afton x reader #steve raglan x you #steve raglan x reader #fnaf fanfic #william afton #steve raglan #fnaf movie

[ethankyou]

A while back I had a chance to play Cyberpunk Red, which is the 4th edition of Cyberpunk by Mike Pondsmith.

Red is also the successor to Cyberpunk 2020 which was the inspiration for the notorious Cyberpunk 2077 - haven't played, don't intend to, not the subject of my discussion here!

So how did it go?

Cyberpunk Red is a lot of crunch though plays really easy once you get past the initial learning curve of the rules.

But there are a lot of rules.

I find my go to when learning a new game is to find a video of someone trying to give a briefer on the game system and then go to the book to cement those ideas myself.

I found this video pretty helpful when researching character creation. XPLoveCat does a whole series guiding through the creation process. If you like to listen to someone explain things (it's a big help for me) this might be a great place for you to start too!

Once you pick your lifepath, if you're going with the beginner one (i don't remember what it's called it's been nearly a year sorry!) the creation process is pretty smooth, it's just following some steps. There's a medium and veteran version of the life paths that add more complexity to your character creation process and I feel like since our group was a bunch of RPG vets we could have handled that, but it does speed things up to go with the quicker start for a one shot.

Meanwhile Red is like "You have 60 skills and one of them is fashion and one of them is looking good."

Whenever I'm starting a new game I also like to have a character sheet handy so I can piece everything together. And once you get Red's character sheet in front of you, it really begins to feel like a game from the 90's with a modern coat of paint.

The character sheet in question. 3 pages!

There's a lot of fun to be had in older systems! But newer systems have opted to streamline things like skills and stats and stuff nowadays. I remember being glad that 4th edition D&D cut skills by more than half by just folding a lot of similar ones together, something that would continue into 5th edition as well. There were some casualties along the way though (rip use magic device, and all the extra knowledge skills!) and typically the stuff that got cut was stuff that would facilitate like... You know.... Playing a character? Not just murderhoboing your way across the country.

Pictured below, everything that is "Cool" in the year 2045 (taken from a custom character sheet)

Creating a character is an interesting process because it follows this lifepath system. So you choose one of several paths and the game streamlines the creation process by directing you which page to go to next in an almost "choose your own adventure" sort of layout. This is very helpful, but while it's easy to go forward, it's not so easy to go back. If you went to the wrong page or just didn't like what you read and want to try something else, you'll be searching for where you made that wrong turn. A lot of ttrpg books can be like this so this isn't exactly a new problem, but the way the book is laid out it really does need you to follow this path to new pages instead of discovering the information yourself by reading on. I guess just write down the page numbers of places you want to go back to before flipping forward.

Initially finding things on the sheet is tough because if you're told to make a "Tracking" check, you might not immediately assume that's an Int skill. Since the skills are grouped by attribute, you'll have to go through the process of figuring out what skill belongs to which group. I don't think this is a bad thing, because the alternative would be an alphabetical list of 60+ skills, which might make it harder to figure out their associated stat, or would just make the sheet more bloaty with repeated stats beside each and every skill. All games have an adjustment period to them and this is a pretty minor one. I remember this being a sticking point for our group after playing it originally but having some time to think on it I think there's a valid argument to be made either way. Someone in our group even mentioned this was one custom character sheet away from not being an issue and I agree. And apparently others do too because there's a lot of them out there! Many of which sort the skills differently and many also try to condense the 3 page sheet to 2. I know there's a lot of wasted real estate on the third page but it's pretty cool!

There are also apparently free quick start rules that come with premade characters and everything! Free is free and you can check that out on drive thru RPG! It's called easy mode but my understanding is this includes the core rules too. This would probably be the best choice for a one shot game to test the water but we just weren't aware of them at the time.

But a major part of creation is your role. This is the part I might be the most critical of. While they give you a lot of skills and everyone has access to the same skills, each role has basically one major ability that only they can do. The med tech can use medicines to help the groups, the netrunner can take more actions while in a netrun. That kind of thing. But that's pretty much it. Improving your role may allow you to use your role abilities better or more frequently, but there's not a lot in the way of new abilities.

And also the divisions between the roles feel pretty arbitrary. Like the med tech is the only one who can use a bunch of medicines. But why? Everyone has access to the first aid skill, which is something the med tech is also proficient in. What's stopping someone from taking one of their medicines and using it?

I think having well defined roles for each player is very important! And the roles do provide this, but I don't feel like they go far enough. We did only play one session though so perhaps this is something that would be more evident over time.

I played a Netrunner (a hacker) which ends up also having to play a little minigame separate from the rest of the action. I knew what I was getting into but wanted to try it out to see how the game handles it. In previous games that I've played a hacker, it bogged down the game by either having an entire session play out for the hacker while everyone else waits, or does nothing while everyone else is in the middle of the action because they have to stay with their big cool hacker rig. Red deals with this in a really great way - your rig is a headset that has wifi. And if you want to hack a secure system, you need to be hardwired into that system. This means the Netrunner has to be on site and still has an opportunity to join the action. Or may even be forced to do both at once.

As far as the actual hacking game goes, I really like the implementation of hacking a cyber infrastructure. You bring programs that all serve different functions, such as attacks or other actions and then you have to fight your way up the digitial infrastructure, with each level offering more rewards, but higher threats. The programs all have a fantasy aesthetic and the architecture functions kind of like a dungeon in Netspace. You can take multiple netspace actions, but you're still able to act in meatspace as well during this time. Sometimes you'll have to balance your actions in and out of netspace.

The biggest problem I had with the Netrunner goes back to my problem with roles. There's a Tech stat and several Tech skills so what kind of check do you make? Why, you add your role to your roll! The Netrunner uses their role, which starts at +4. Compared to their Tech skills which are floating around a +10 or so. Now the DVs for these checks are all lower to compensate for this but... Why do we gotta do it this way?

There could easily be a skill that could have covered this and the DVs could have been comparable to everything else in the game. You might think, well if other characters were allowed to hack, they could prove to be just as effective as the Netrunner so it has to be a balance issue right? Well the Netrunner role allows them to take 3 actions a round in Netspace which would make them much more efficient than someone without the role. But also having the role is what grants the interface feature, which is required to take NET actions at all! But even though the Netrunner is obviously the best choice for the task, what's stopping someone else with a rig from attempting the same thing and just being less efficient at it.

The way I guess this is addressed, is that you can take on other roles potentially? You have 4 in your starting role, so I believe you'd start with 1 in a new role. But with a +4 in my Netrunner role I found that I struggled a lot, so I can't even imagine floundering around with just a +1. You'd be at the whims of the dice.

Despite that though, I appreciate the game does allow this sort of multi-classing. Especially since many of the roles seem to be very gear based, so it feels silly to not allow any crossover.

In the end, the hacking did feel balanced, which is important. But it didn't feel awesome, which i guess is what it came down to for me. But I also failed a lot of those checks Netrunner checks, which brings me to my last major gripe.

Rolling a single d10 for checks is fine, but if you critically fail on a 1, which is 10% of the time, that is lame. I don't mind using a d10 for checks but without some kind of way to mitigate 1's it makes things brutal, not in a fun or challenging way. I feel like if I was going to play again, I would need the crit fails to just be gone altogether.

Overall, I did enjoy Cyberpunk Red! I think it's a bit hard to dig into for a oneshot, but we managed just fine. If you really wanted to get a feel for it though, I'd recommend you play a 3-5 session arc. This game is definitely worth your time!

I'm also curious about going back to previous iterations to see how it's changed over time.

So, fun fact time, Cyberpunk Red was published in 2020, 30 years after Cyberpunk 2020 was originally published which is goes hand in hand with every scifi media that has predicted a date in the "far future" that we have now reached (and passed!).

See you in 2045 for the 5th edition of Cyberpunk I suppose!

#rpg talk #ttrpg #indie ttrpg #cyberpunk #cyberpunk red

[melanieph321]

Ruben Dias/Trent Alexander Arnold x Reader - Dark Rivarly Part 8/15

What a perfect day to release a chapter hahaha. 🤣 It's derby day between Man City and Liverpool and with the beef going on between Trent and the team my story becomes more and more unrealistic, or what do you think? 🤔

Could Trent ever make peace with somone like Ruben? Let alone allow Ruben to date his sister?

Part 9 and 10 are already out on my Patreon!

Reader is Trent Alexander Arnold's twin sister. The two have been inseparable since childbirth, more so now when Reader is fresh out of university looking for a job, crashing at her brother's place whilst doing so. One day Reader gets a job offer that she cannot refuse, however it would mean working for her brother's biggest rival in football, Ruben Dias.

Enjoy!

"These are actually pretty good."

"Really?" You perked up where you sat on the sofa in Ruben's hotel room. He was sitting next to you.

"Yes and the press seems to love the outfit you choose for Ruben, look."

Miranda turned her Ipad around, showing you the published images of Ruben, wearing the outfit you had picked out for him.

"I'll admit that I had my doubts at first, but the reviews have all been great. Good job Y/N."

"Um, thank you Miranda." A complement from her felt like a lifetime achievement.

"I'm gonna call the photographer that took these and see if he can send me the negatives. We might be able to use them on Instagram to summarize the weekend. Miranda left the room to make the call, leaving you alone with Ruben, who had barely acknowledged you this morning.

"I better pack my bags." You said, rising from the sofa. Ruben however, refused to move his legs out of the way to let you pass.

"Excuse me?" You groaned. It wasn't funny, neither of you were laughing. "Ruben?"

His legs wouldn't budge, and you were getting agitated. "What the he'll are you doing, move your..."

Ruben drew back his legs just as you were about to swing at them with your own. This caused you to stumble forwards, almost tripping yourself.

"What was that for?" You frowned.

Ruben's expression was emotionless as he stood, and for the first time the height difference between you was intimidating.

"I...I just wanted to go to my room and pack my bags." You stuttered.

Ruben exhaled. "We need to talk first."

"Talk about what exactly?" You crossed your arms.

"The way you left me last night, it was unprofessional." He said.

"Ruben, I told you that I came down with something." Which was a lie, but it was the best one you could come up with on such short notice.

"And what exactly was it that you came down with?" He asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Well you seemed fine when you left my side at the party. What made you suddenly wanna run off Y/N?"

"Ruben, for the third time, I wasn't running,  I just needed to get back to the hotel and lie down."

"So that's where you did it?"

"Did what?" You frowned, his tone spiteful to you.

Ruben shifted in his stance, crossing one arm over the other. "Y/N, I expect you to take your job seriously. For you to then run off with some guy...."

"I didn't run off with some guy."

"Don't lie to me Y/N, John saw you!"

The echoes of his words bounced off the walls. The room fell silent.

Ruben's eyes searched your face, he was angry and wanted answers, rightfully so. "Who is he Y/N, an old flame from your university days?"

"Ruben."

"No." He shook his head. "Don't tell me. It's none of my business." He walked over to the windows, running a hand through his hair.

"Ruben, it's not what it looks like. That guy, he is my...."

"Just know if you ever pull something like that on me again...." He said, slowly turning to you. "I won't be giving you any second chances, understood? Do your job from now on or the next time you're fired."

"There. The photographer gave me the thumbs up. He'll be sending me the...." Miranda stumbled into the room but paused at the sight of you and Ruben. "Everything alright?"

You were staring blankly at each other, something heavy forming in the base of your throat. Your voice shook when you spoke. "I have to pack my bags." You said and ran off into your room, gasping for air once you stood behind closed doors. You were gasping for air from the unstoppable flood of tears.

You were considering your life choices on the journey back to London. What if you just moved aboard and started a new life in some foreign country? No one would know you and you wouldn't have to lie about who you were. You'd be nothing and therefore be someone.

"Y/N! You're back early."

You stepped into Grandma's shop carrying your suitcases. You had forgotten your keys to her apartment but was glad to be welcomed by Jennifer at the front desk. However, her initial joy of seeing you quickly faded. "Oh my god, you're soaking wet. Is it pouring outside?"

"Just a drizzle." You murmured, as she rounded her desk to help usher you inside. "Is my grandma here? I forgot my keys."

"She's in her office, sorting out a golden suit. You won't guess who it's for." She giggled.

"Trent."

Her smile withered. "How did you know?"

You removed your soaked coat. Your shirt beneath had also been ruined.

"Oh my god, tell me about your weekend." She gasped. "London Fashion Week, was it as exciting as they make it to be? And your boss, was she happy with your work?"

"He." You corrected.

"What?"

"My boss is a he, and no he wasn't happy with my work."

"Oh my god. I'm so sorry Y/N. Is he high maintenance when it comes to fashion?"

"No, he's just a fucking dickhead."

"Language."

Grandma walked into the room, pinching a dozen sewing needles between her teeth.

"But he is a dickhead Grandma. And I don't care anymore, I'm not going back to work for him."

Grandma spat out the needles in her mouth, all the pins dropping soundless to the floor. "Well you're not coming back to work for me!"

"But where else am I supposed to go?"

"Home. To your mother, and tell her she's failed to raise her children."

"Ha ha, very funny."

"I'm serious Y/N, you're not staying with me. I'm getting tired of your tardiness, not to mention that furball you've got running around my apartment."

"What does Whiskey Jr, have to do with any of this?"

"He stinks, just like your attitude towards authority."

"I don't have an attitude towards authority. "

The bell above the front door rang in the distance. "Guys?"

"No, tell that to your current boss. I've overheard you talking, I bet he's done with your tardiness as well."

"Hey, guys?"

"What are you talking about Grandma, you don't even know my boss and if you did you would agree that he is a fucking piece of...."

"Y/N, please!"

Your argument with grandma was interrupted by Jenny's objections. She stood by the shop entrance, greeting the customer that had stepped through the door. He was soaked with rainwater from head to toe.

"You have a new client." She said, cheeks as red as they come. You on the other hand, couldn't find the words to speak and so grandma stepped in. "Can I help you sir, we're not open for much longer."

Ruben stepped forward.  "No....I mean yes. I want to speak to Y/N."

"My granddaughter?" She frowned. "And who might you be, young man?"

You shook your head as Ruben met your eyes. However he went ahead anyway. "I'm Ruben, Ruben Dias, her boss."

"Oh. My. Days!"

You saw Jenny bouncing up and down in the  corner of your eye.

"There's no way." She squealed. "There is no fucking way."

"Jenny please." You groaned, begging her to spare Grandma who hadn't been as quick to put two and two together.

"Your boss is Ruben Dias? Of all people." Jenny was clearly overjoyed by the drama unfolding before her. "Y/N, you're basically working for the enemy."

"Please don't be so dramatic". You sighed.

"Does Trent know? He's got to know, right?"

"Trent?"

You looked to Ruben as the name escaped his lips. His eyebrows furrowed. "Is that who you were with in London? Is that the name of your boyfriend, Trent?"

"Ha!" Jenny snorted, slapping a hand against her mouth. "You ran into Trent in London? Oh the drama. I can't."

"For fuck sakes Jenny!"

"Y/N!" The room fell quiet as Grandma's voice rose above all. "Language."

"But grandma..."

"No buts." She said, forcing your silence. "Now." She stepped up to Ruben, examining him. "This young man. Your boss? He has come here to speak to you, let's hear what he has to say."

It was a nightmare come true. Even Ruben seemed a bit taken aback by Grandma's demeanor. However he did gather the courage to address you as if you were the only two people in the room.

"I came here to apologize." He said. "For being a dickhead to you this morning."

Jenny snorted somewhere behind you,  however grandma shot her a glance that made her fall back.

"You have the right to do and see whoever you want. I was just jealous and upset that you chose to do so on the night of my friend's gallery opening. For some reason I really believed that the two of us were...."

"No way." Jenny gasped, once again interrupting you. "You're fucking him too?"

"Oh for the love of..." You grabbed Ruben's arm, pulling him aside, into Grandma's office in the back room. There the two of you were left alone, however this game was getting old, the game of Ruben hurting you then crawling back, begging you to forgive him.

"There's something you should know about me." You said, wanting to get it over with. Ready to get it over with.

"Alright." Ruben nodded. "Tell me."

It was now or never.

"That guy your friend saw me with last night wasn't my boyfriend, or an old flame from my university days."

"No, who was he then?"

Another one bites the dust, you thought. Telling the truth meant that you were going to lose Ruben, just like the truth made you lose your old friends. You sighed before you spoke.  "He is my brother Ruben, my twin brother."

"Oh, okay." There were clear signs of relief coming across Ruben's face, a slight twitch in the corner of his lips.

"His name is Trent, Trent Alexander Arnold. You might recognize the name since..."

"Wait." His expression went stiff again, carved by a deep frown. "Did you say Trent Alexander Arnold? As in..."

You nodded. "Yes, THE Trent Alexander Arnold. Liverpool's right back, however you might know him better as the guy that got booked for trying to punch you out the last time Man City played Liverpool."

Ruben's snort was unexpected. "Tried to, is the right word for what he did."

It made you gasp, as well as playfully nudge his arm. "I'm being serious."

"Trust me Y/N, I'm also trying to be serious. So you're telling me you're related to Trent Alexander Arnold, your twin brother to be exact?"

"Yes. I'm the oldest, if you must know."

Ruben's bright eyes searched your face. But it was unclear to you what had suddenly lightened his mood.

"Is this the reason?" He asked."

"What reason?"

"Why don't you want to be with me? Because of who your brother is. My "rival" in the football world?"

"Well that and the fact that you are my employer which would label our relationship as highly inappropriate."

"Yes, but it's mainly because of your brother, no? You worry about what he will think of you, of us. It's why you had him take you home the other night,  because you didn't want the two of us to meet, no?"

You nodded. "He doesn't know that I'm your stylist. And I don't think that I want him to. The truth would send him through the roof." You still wondered why it hadn't sent Ruben through the roof,  what was his angle?

"Y/N, I don't give a fuck about who your brother is?" He said this in a way that shook your core. Ruben then stepped forward, grabbing your face between his hands, tilting your head upwards. "Can we stop pretending that what we have between us isn't real?" He chuckled. "Can you just accept the fact that I want you and you want me Y/N?"

"You want me to run into your arms?"

He frowned. "What?"

"Like the girl in the painting." You smiled. "He's waiting for her to run into his arms."

"Yes." Ruben nodded. "Exactly. Come to me, run into my arms."

You crashed into his lips instead, with Ruben initiating it by pulling your face towards his. Just like that you we're back to square one, the game between you having stepped into a second round. And the next round was guaranteed to involve less tears and more fistfights.

#fanfiction #football imagine #ruben dias #man city #manchester city #footballer imagine #footballer x reader #ruben dias x reader #football angst #ruben dias imagine #trent alexander arnold x reader #trent alexander imagines #trent alexander arnold #liverpool fc #liverpool football club

[youngroyals-hc]

The boys are at Simon's house, lying in bed after some particularly enthusiastic sex. Simon knows they've dirtied the sheets and he'll need to wash them but he can't bear the thought of moving just yet. Not when Wille is clinging on to him so tight, drawing patterns on his chest and blinking sleepily as he follows his fingers. Eventually, he finds the energy to check the time. His mum will be home on a couple of hours, so if they put the sheets on to wash they should have time to put them in the dryer and redo the bed without her noticing. He sighs softly and kisses Wille's forward who practically keens and snuggles impossibly further into Simon's shoulder.

"Baby, we need to wash the sheets now if we have any hope of getting them done before Mama comes home."

"But Simme, I am so comfortableeee"

"I know, so am I mi amor, but do you really want Linda asking why we are washing the sheets when I haven't been sleeping in this bed the past week?"

"... Okay, you present a very convincing argument."

"How about I go make us some hot chocolate while you put on the sheets as a reward for being so responsible?"

Wille perks up at that and starts searching through the bedding for some underwear, grabbing the first pair he finds and chucking them at Simon (Wille had been wearing them earlier but they were originally Simon's, and he knew he should be weirded out by their habit of sharing underwear but he couldn't help but love it and the domesticity it implied).

They dress and Simon goes to the kitchen, leaving Wille in the laundry with the sheets and humming to himself as he prepares the drinks. He walks back into the laundry five minutes later, only to find Wille cautiously inspecting all the buttons on the machine. He had placed the sheets carefully into the basket and was now desperately trying to work out where to put the washing powder. Simon places the drinks on the bench before stepping to Wille's side and brushing his hand of the small of the Prince's back. He feels bad having left him; he had momentarily forgotten who his boyfriend was and the fact that he'd probably never had to use a washing machine before.

Wille says in a small voice "you must think I'm so pathetic. I don't even know to put bedsheets in a fucking washing machine."

Simon turns to him, and Wille's eyes are downcast so he gently reaches out and holds Wille's chin, turning his head until their eyes met. He strokes over his jaw as he speaks. "Mi amor, why on earth would you know how to use a washing machine? You have never had to use one. Yes, it's a little unusual for most people of our age, but it's not like you've had the most typical upbringing. I promise to never get upset about this kind of stuff Wille. You didn't choose this life or your upbringing. All you can do is ask questions and learn now, and that is enough for me. What do you think?

Wille closes the gap between them, kissing Simon firmly, cupping his hand around his neck.

"Every day, I feel so, so lucky that someone as incredible as you chose to love me." Wille stays close as he says this, staring into Simon's eyes with his intense eyes, the look that could pin you against a wall it is so strong and focused.

"I'm just treating you how you treat me Wille. You never chastise me about not knowing what fork to use or not knowing how to engage in small talk with the princess of Thailand." And Wille grins at the memory of walking up to Simon and the princess only to find he'd just asked her what she thought of the new Zelda game.

"Okay. Thank you Simme."

"Always, Wille. Now, watch closely."

And Simon goes over all the steps, showing Wille exactly what buttons to press and why, and where they keep the washing powder and how much to put in, and Wille listens with the same focus as if he was being briefed about a national emergency. When the machine sings it's little song, they jump off the bed where they have been playing a computer game and Simon shows him how to set the tumble dryer and explains how long different items generally needed.

Later that night they are chatting with Linda at the dinner table when she asks if either of them have dirty laundry as she's about to do a load and Wille quickly says "Oh, we'll do it!" And Linda tried to protest but Wille just tells her he wants to learn how to help out and she can't argue with the precious boy sitting in front of her, so earnest to be liked and accepted. So she lets them do it, Wille practically bouncing as he picks up the basket full of the family's clothes and Simon follows behind him, throwing a smile back at his mum as they leave.

(Wille remembers everything that Simon says, and asks how he should sort the clothes and does he use the delicate setting for this load or is a warm wash okay? And Simon smiles more than is appropriate for laundry.)

#young royals #yr s3 #wilmon #prince wilhelm #simon eriksson #wilhelm x simon #wille young royals #yr #domestic babies

[stepbackattack]

please pretty please tell me more about the wilson's cancer turned zombie au im already invested from the one strip you posted

House MD Zombie AU Plot:

Basically with the plot I originally had set out. This AU take places through the run of the show, the apocalypse happening around the first-second season.

House is out during a conference of some kind he was forced to attend and only was convinced to go if he could take Wilson with him. That’s when the breakout originally happens. At first the husks (basically zombies) are fast deteriorating and very violent, attacking bystanders and causing mass panic. The husks themselves spread after being bit, and after 3/4ths of their body decay they basically lose consciousness and are mindless. Which is very evident on the first wave which leaves them both trapped miles away from the hospital and they have to fight their way back.

House and Wilson take about two years to make their way back to PPTH. The first wave of husks are out and now most affected individuals are slowly deteriorating over a course of five months, house lacks equipment but is trying to logically look for a way to cure the disease. Wilson thinks it’s a waste of time but refuses to argue with House regardless.

They make it back to the hospital which has now been weaponised and turned into a fractioned government research facility that Cuddy runs alongside Forman. At this point everyone basically thought they were dead, but reluctantly accepts both of them back into the Hospital after some convincing.

This is where they find out what the facility does to exactly study the deterioration process. If anyone in the facility is bitten they get one of two choices, they get to either be studied until 3/4th deterioration and then are lethally injected or they can choose to be immediately injected.

Upon further inspection House learns in his absence that they basically are living tyrannically underneath this fractioned government. Cuddy and Forman don’t really control anything at all. (They are just figureheads) House doesn’t adapt well to these new heavily implemented rules and curfews by the guards. Also to his dismay he finds that no one is allowed outside the facility. Wilson adapts well to the change, House does not.

Fast forward a few years Wilson meets Amber and falls in love with her but one night house breaks the rules and goes out of the facility searching for something that he is using to experiment. She follows him and is bit and then shot by one of the guards. House lies about it until he basically can’t take it any more and tells Wilson what happened. Wilson becomes heavily depressed and breaks out frequently to go to her “grave” which isn’t much more than a ditch full of remains.

One day months later, Wilson goes out drunk. While looking over amber’s grave he is bit, but he successfully hides it until he is back in the facility. Not wanting to be one of the inhumane test subjects he asks for Cuddy to just inject him until she basically admits there was really no choice after all. That he would have to go through testing. This is where the first comic comes in and Wilson asks house to shoot him and effectively get out of being quarantined. House refuses.

News of Wilson is soon found out and he is hunted down to be taken to containment. Wilson has a panic attack and has an even worse breakdown as they try to restrain him. House yells for them to stop so Wilson can calm down, but they refuse, so he shoots them. He and Wilson escape the facility to live out Wilson’s “five months” in the wastelands around the facility. All while House continues his experiments in even less ideal conditions while watching over Wilson’s health.

#sorry if this is a bit scattered #but this is what I’ve kind of been going with when drawing the comic strips #I also want there to be a subplot that follows House’s OG team + the new team as well #house md #house md au #alternate universe #hatecrimes md #gregory house #james wilson #lisa cuddy #hilson #house md zombies #god I hope this has a semblance of coherency

[oh-no-my-hand-slipped]

A Sneezy Season at Santa’s

Chapter 12: Pabers, Pblease

Info About This Choose Your Own Adventure

Niamh takes a neatly folded handkerchief out of the front pocket of his suit and holds it to his nose, not blowing.

“Perfectly. Nod that it’s any of your concern. And you’d sound awful too if you were the only one on call in the entire Ndorth Pole.”

He cleared his throat, then cringed. Cherry cocked her head in sympathy.

“It’s okay, Niamh. It seems like everyone isn’t feeling well today. And we’re here to figure out why. We just need to-”

“Nod feeling well? Is that whad they told you? Please.”

Niamh sniffled, his wry smile visible even from under his handkerchief.

“I kndow exactly why they’re ‘sick’. It habbens every year. Elves get a liddle ahead of schedule, and they thingk they can just - koff! - call in, leaving us to pick up the slack. Then we scramble to bake deadlines, but they still get just as buch credit as the few of us thad actually stayed in the office.”

“No, you don’t understand, there’s-” Cherry began, but Niamh cut her off.

“So I have to be here, calling the transbort, the communication, the sister worgkshops. Every steb of the process is mby job. Mby responsibility.”

Niamh stood up at his desk, his voice rising.

“And do I ged any thangks? No! Because everyone else comes screeching in at the last second lige they never left! Sure, we get the end of the year pat on the back, but whad about the elves that took every day we could to…to…o-oh…”

Niamh’s face, which had grown red during his tirade, suddenly became very pale, and he quickly sat down again. He leaned over his piles of paperwork, swaying. Cherry was soon at his side, one hand on his shoulder and the other on the arm supporting his head.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay. Can you hear me? Niamh?”

Niamh mumbled something, but you could only hear “un…professional…” before he suddenly lurched forward, unconscious. Cherry was there to catch him, and she slowly lowered his head onto the desk, cushioned by his arms.

“He’s boiling,” Cherry murmured, feeling his cheeks and forehead. “Poor Ni…he needs a few ice packs and some soup. If I know him, he probably forgot to eat lunch. That’s probably why he passed out…”

You asked her how we were going to get the records we needed with Niamh out cold. Cherry gave the passed out office elf a nervous glance.

“I know he probably won’t like this, but this is an emergency.”

She leaned over him, reaching into his coat pocket. After rummaging around for a few seconds, she fished out a small green key. Cherry handed it to you.

“See that big drawer on the left side? If you unlock it, they should be in there…I think. This isn’t exactly my department.”

Even if you weren’t technically authorized, Cherry was right — this was an emergency. You found the old, wooden drawer with a scratched lock, then used the key to open it.

Luckily for you, the piles upon piles of paper in the drawer were neatly kept, even with tabs on certain dates, with today’s being at the very front. Not so luckily, the section was already as thick as your thumb.

With a deep breath, you began to parse through the documents.

Unfortunately, moving the front caused the older papers to move as well, knocking off clouds of dust that had built over the years. So, when you weren’t searching, you w-were -

hhh’PTCHIEW! PSHIEW! SHHHIEW!

“Shhh!” Cherry hissed. “He’s got to stay asleep until we find them, or he’s going to call security!”

Finally, through a wave of itchy tears, you were able to find what you were looking for — a packet with a list of departments and names, each with a green check or a red X. You handed them up to Cherry to read, hurriedly closing the drawer before any more dust could irritate your sinuses.

“Okay, Construction Department…Cooking…Animal Care…”

Cherry flipped through the packet, silently mouthing the employee’s names. For each page she read, her eyebrows moved higher and higher on her forehead.

“Holy mother of mistletoe…”

You asked her what she found.

“Most of the departments are severely understaffed — it isn’t just the Cooking Department that just has one elf working. Construction just called out a half day…Andre called out an hour ago…Cam and Belle are in the infirmary…Wrapping only has three elves stationed against medical advice…”

Cherry rattled off more and more departments, each of them with barely or no elves stationed. She laid the packet of the table and began rubbing the tips of her ears.

“This isn’t just a department bug. This is a workshop epidemic! Why hasn’t anyone called, or made an announcement…it happened so quickly…”

She paced in front of the desk.

“What are we going to do? What if it’s still spreading, and it’s only a matter of time…?”

Cherry took a breath, rubbing circles on her earlobes. Reluctantly, her aura brightened again.

“It’s okay. We’ll figure this out.”

She turned to you.

“You’ve had some pretty good ideas so far. What do you think we should do now?”

Though you had made some of the decisions thus far, you certainly weren’t used to considering something so important. But, despite the rising queasiness in your stomach, you were able to make a plan.

#snz #snz kink #snzblr #snz things #snezblr #snzario #snez kink #snz scenario #snezario #snz fic #snzzzzz #snzfucker #snz fet #snz thoughts #snz blog #whump

[yikesharringrove]

trans!steve who kinda loves and hates the way billy exudes masculinity, (the kinda 'do i want to be you or do i want to fuck you' feelings haha) right until they get closer and he realizes a lot of it is billy overcompensating and just trying to fit into the expectations others have of him. and the fact that some of his confidence is fake, that a lot of his real confidence came from kinda faking it, it makes steve feel so much more heartened in his own search in what it means for him to be a man.

and so while billy allows himself to be a little more vulnerable around him, steve chooses the clothes he wants to wear because that's the kind of guy he wants to be. they work out together and heckle each other when they play basketball and it makes him feel so present and real in his body for once. and he acts goofy and funny and a little fruity because honestly, that's all part of being the guy he wants to be.

It was a pretty shocking revelation.

Steve had it while he sat on his bed, his legs swinging against the mattress, feet shuffling along the carpet.

Billy took nearly forty-five minutes to get dressed.

And that doesn’t include the time he spent on his hair after a lengthy shower in Steve’s adjoining bathroom.

He had to make sure his shirt was sitting just so, that the collar looked exactly right, that his jeans were tight enough, and his jacket wasn’t slumped too far forward over his shoulders.

Steve always thought Billy was just effortlessly hot, and that he knew it.

But, he wasn’t. He tried hard.

That had bothered Steve, thinking that Billy was just a cocksure bully that used his hit, muscled body and his stupid perfect face to his advantage.

But, he wasn’t. He knew Billy worked out for hours everyday to look as good as he did. That he ate certain things, and didn’t eat others.

He was just as insecure as Steve.

Underneath it all, anyway.

“I always thought you just kind of woke up perfect. I didn’t think you took more time getting ready than I did.”

Billy winked at him in the mirror, patting some of Steve’s cologne on his neck.

“Yeah, that’s the idea. I don’t need everyone else to know I primp like a girl.”

Steve slid off the bed, walking up behind Billy as cologned fingers disappeared under his belt.

“What? Can’t let them know that big, bad, Billy Hargrove is just as worried what people think as the rest of us?”

“Exactly. Gotta shove all that shit down. People don’t fuck with you if they think you don’t even realize they exist.”

He had a point.

Pretending like everything simply rolled off of him, worked. People thought Billy was better than them. Hell, Steve thought that, until he realized it was an act.

“But what if they can see through it?”

“You pretend long enough, it starts to be true. You think I care about any of those suckers? I don’t. Because I told myself I don’t. I only give a shit about you, and sometimes Maxine.”

Steve wrapped his arms around Billy’s torso, his cheek resting on the soft leather of his jacket.

“I wish I could do that. Not care that they think I’m weird, or gross, or just a girl.”

“I don’t think any of that shit about you. And if anyone does, then they aren’t worth a second fucking thought.”

“Easier said than done,” Steve muttered against the brown leather covering Billy’s shoulder.

“I know. It just takes practice. Tell yourself everyday that you don’t care, and pretty soon, you won’t.”

“I think you’re a little bit of a genius, Billy Hargrove.”

#steve harrington #billy hargrove #harringrove #yikes writes #very short but here you are! #I loved this prompt fake it til you make it is SUCH a real thing #projected confidence can do wonders for you tbh #trans steve harrington #I REALLY wanted to write them working out and being dumb boys but I’m sorry I’m so low on juice rn :(

[queerxqueen]

Fool Me Once: A Byler High School AU

Senior year. It took nearly three years of growing apart, but Will Byers has finally gotten used to life without Mike Wheeler. He has El, he has Max, he has his art, and, as of two days ago, he has a full ride to art school in Chicago, so things are good. Right? So when Mike climbs through his window one night and stumbles back into his life, Will’s not prepared for the resurgence of old feelings—and even less prepared for the possibility that they might not be as hopeless as he always thought. With the expiration date of graduation looming, Will has to figure out not only his future, but what exactly he and Mike are to each other.

Since it's almost time for posting, I thought I'd share a short excerpt from the first chapter! Can't wait to share this story with y'all.

Excerpt:

Mike looks down for a beat before turning, slowly, back toward the window, as if hoping Will might stop him. But Mike stops himself and whirls back toward Will and Will tenses.

“Look, I’m sorry, you know?” says Mike.

It’s the last thing Will expected to hear from his mouth. But Mike’s eyes are wide and earnest, his expression pleading, and he looks so much like the Mike that Will had really fucking loved, once.

“We used to be—like, best friends. And I know it’s my fault we’re not anymore but—” Mike breaks off and exhales. “Just—happy birthday, yeah?”

He moves to duck out the window, shoulders hunched, and Will is frozen, the moment splitting into two choices. Like a choose-your-own-adventure book. To protect your heart and let Mike walk out of your life, possibly for good this time, turn to page 3. To risk getting your heart stomped on again and stop him, turn to page 7.

Will jolts forward. It was never really a choice.

“Wait!” Will says, and Mike turns where he’s halfway out the window, crouched, perfectly framed by it, searching Will’s eyes with something adjacent to hope. Will sighs. “Do you…”

Mike is silent, still hanging out the window.

No turning back now.

“Do you actually want to be friends again, or are you just—drunk, and nostalgic?”

Mike’s brows furrow, not confused, but almost hurt. But then the pinch between his brows smooths and Mike looks him dead in the eye.

He seems stone cold sober when he says, “I want you in my life again.”

Will exhales, not having realized he was holding his breath, but it comes out a sigh. Which is good, because it makes him sound like he’s annoyed or exasperated, which is a lot safer than the truth. That Mike coming here, saying this, feels like a dream, and he doesn’t trust it, but god does he like it.

“You shouldn’t go all the way home this late,” Will said. “If you need to crash—”

Mike surges from the window. “Yeah? A sleepover, like old times?”

Will nods, not trusting his voice when Mike is suddenly in his space again, eyes bright, smiling. Will turns away to get the spare blankets and pillows down from his closet.

They don’t say much as they awkwardly dance around each other in the small space. Mike settles on the floor next to Will’s bed, just like he used to when they were kids and they would stay up late talking until the dark outside turned bright again.

This time, Will just asks Mike if it’s okay to shut off the light.

Once Will is tucked in bed, he listens to Mike breathing a few inches and several thousand miles away.

“Goodnight,” Mike whispers, shortly before his breathing evens out as he's lulled to sleep.

Will stays awake for a long time.

#byler big bang #byler #byler fanfiction #byler fic #fool me once #my fic

[robotlesbianjavert]

🤚Spinaraki🦎 14, 20, 39!!

yes. thank you. spinaraki forever.

14. How do their personalities compliment each other? How do they clash?

in regards to how their personalities complement each other, this is an aspect of my ideal leader/second-in-command dynamic: i feel like shigaraki is more of a 'big picture' kind of person. he knows what he wants (the destruction of hero society - you can debate about the underlying desires there, like his victimhood being recognized or what the fuck ever, but it all feeds back into he does genuinely want to see hero society destroyed), while the specifics of how he gets what he wants are more come as they may. (twice was the one who brought overhaul to the league and therefore the quirk-erasing bullets, ujiko and machia were already on tap waiting to be unlocked, the mla made the first move). it's not that he's lazy, but he's more about turning the situations that land in his lap to his advantage rather than proactively pursuing them. he deals with his emptiness with a future-forward focus.

on the other hand, i believe that in a situation where he could truly flourish as a second-in-command, spinner would absolutely love to deal with the details and logistics of reaching that 'big picture'. i think he's more in need of something to do NOW, hence doing something crazy like running away from home to join a terrorist group with only being a hikikomori on his resume after seeing a serial killer on tv. he needs something to fill up his day in between big inspiring moments like 'whoa so true fake heroes should be murdered' and 'whoa so true society should just be destroyed entirely'. so between the two of them, you get shigaraki providing a big picture for spinner to actually concentrate his energy on, and you got spinner gearing to do the dirty work to ensure shigaraki can actually craft that big picture.

that's also a central clash between them, which i think 220 demonstrates. shigaraki's not exactly being lazy in searching out the doctor to try and hit a new phase in his 'destroy society' goal, but he's not exactly turning over every rock to find the doctor either; they're surviving day to day. and i've expressed this before i think, but i strongly believe that spinner's outburst is partly because not being able to constructively work towards something, being stuck in a rut is too familiar to his empty hikikomori days. so you get that friction during periods where forward momentum just is not happening.

another personal headcanon for them that i think fits for this question (and is kinda at odds with my prior answer) is in regards to their gaming habits. i feel like shigaraki is a more structurally-focused gamer, wants to 100% the game and manipulate the mechanics to their fullest extent. even when he talks about the newly-formed league as a sims game in the forest training arc, i think he's conceptualizing it as using people's skills appropriately. conversely, i think spinner is more interested in the lore of a game, or the ways that games can be considered art. not that he's not up to snuff on game mechanics and everything, and he'll still play a beat 'em up to pass the time, but he gets more excited when there's some element worth getting passionate about.

in this headcanon, there's a lot of room for shigaraki and spinner to talk to each other about games and have rigorous discussions about each other's perspectives and preferences. but alternatively they can also think the other is an IDIOT and a CHARLATAN and a FAKE GAMER and mercilessly rib each other about it. <3

20. Choose one song that perfectly describes their relationship.

ohhh boy. oh boy okay. man this is always a tricky question cuz it's so easy to just relate whatever good song to your otp. i did have this lil playlist from like 2019-2020 where i still really the songs to them, but i'd have to really sit down and consider this considering how much of my spinaraki understanding has evolved since then.

until then. crazy ex-girlfriend 'i hate everything but you' will never let me down.

39. Who would rescue an injured animal and nurse it back to health? What would the other think?

see now this is a tricky one cuz i don't think either of them would go out of their way to rescue injured animals. but i'll give it to spinner because a project like that would really help him feel good about himself. and shigaraki would see spinner taking care of this lil thing that everyone else has abandoned and ignored and resolutely be like i'm NOT mushy about this you cannot trick me into being mushy about this. me wanting to jump his bones and also fantasize about domestic life with him is unrelated.

i know that a lot of people take tenko's history with mon-chan to give him pets that he can love and therapize about, but as a jaded adult i think it would be a lot harder for him to bond with an animal. but that's all lead up to my secret true headcanon where he's like one of those dads who's like "no we don't need this pet i don't want this pet" but as soon as they get that pet it is napping on his lap and he's letting it and they are napping together. in that dad way. i assume for other guys' dads. it's a stereotype.

#thank you for the ask. my friend. #bnha bloggin #spinaraki #ask meme answer

[mxrp-official-steve]

Your Msparp re-build update: Your Feedback edition!

So! Over one week ago, we dropped the early beta for the msparp rebuild. We let it run for a week, and then we begged with napkins tied around our necks for you to FEEDBACK US.

I now stand before you with a suspiciously feedback-shaped belly ready to go over the data! If you want to see the changes we're gonna be implementing going forward in reaction, scroll right to the bottom!

THEMES

Ok so this is genuinely pretty funny to me. You guys really like the themes despite them being almost entirely unedited defaults that came with the assets we're using. Good to know, though! I was kind of considering deleting this question. Of note many of you want better dark themes and less bright ones, which me and Hex took note of.

LAYOUT

Despite the website being almost exclusively canned assets right now, I figured I'd gauge reaction to the style. As you can see, it's a positive-leaning 'meh'. This is pretty understandable. I did however notice that many of you were asking for a theme more similar to the most-recent MxRP layout in the open forum segment here.

I have an idea for this. A shoulder to tap on, you might say. Keep your eyes peeled in the future- specifically when we get all the features put in and can start putting the makeup on this pig.

THE NEW CHATBAR

Pretty heavy 'meh' present here again- just with a heavy lean towards positive. This is good! Especially since the WYSIWYG editor launched with the bugs we were initially delaying it to try and avoid- of note most of the changes Hex made during the week were Workarounds. Editing this thing is a bitch and will continue to be up until the bugs are patched up- after that Hex can REALLY cook with fire and mold this thing to our liking. The new editor was one of the main things we were taste-testing you guys on here- and with this we've made the decision to keep it barring any like, completely catastrophic incompatibilities or bugs that like, completely break it or something.

POLL; BBCODE OR HTML/MARKDOWN

This one's pretty clear cut, don't you think? You guys want your BBCode back.

So we're gonna work on that!

When the chatbar bugs are fixed, Hex is going to start looking into converting things so they run BBCode instead. It's gonna take a lot more custom work (because BBCode is, to be blunt, ancient) but it's not nonviable. Don't worry- the shortcut buttons will be staying, and ideally so will the the ability to linebreak (because it rules)

It would also be smart of me to bring up that choosing BBCode over HTML actually makes a lot of things a ton easier- for example! Quirks were gonna be a bitch fuck and a half to integrate under an HTML standard. But if we swap back to BBCode, it's gonna be, to quote Hex, trivial. Hopefully it'll save enough time to outweigh the custom work!

GITHUB USAGE

Lol no y'all didn't. No y'all didn't y'allre goofy that 9% is fake only like four of you have lmao.

WHAT COMES NEXT

Unsurprising numbers go brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

We have nothing to report on this yet. BUT it's nice to know that my guess was on point- Presets came out by a FAT lead, with random search in the immediate second place. The random search feature is intrinsic to how parp works and its identity as a website, but it's also gonna be difficult to implement and test (expect a big announcement when it's ready so we can stress it against y'all). This is gonna be our guide going forward, though we wont be following it exactly (as mentioned above, some things are gonna be easier than others, and if Hex wants those to take priority to get them out of the way I'll trust their judgement on it.

TL;DR

You guys like the themes, like the WYSIWYG editor, and you want BBCode back and character presets. These are things that're being worked on once the big with the WYSIWYG editor is resolved!

Again, thank you all so much for your support. We know the beta was rough, but you guys stuck with us and gave us your honest feedback! The beta will be staying up for the foreseeable future so we can live-deploy features and let you guys test them out.

#mxrp #msparp

[anyakined]

to my gothic king, @bowerhqs

my love,

i've been trying to find the right words about how i feel about the fact that we're celebrating our first christmas together, and the words i come up with the most are just how lucky i am. i'm lucky that you came into my life, someone who fits me in a way that no one else ever has. never in my life have i known someone who is so like me, who gets me in ways that no one else ever has and who makes me feel so complete and happy that sometimes i have to question if it's a dream. because how could i be so lucky to feel this way with someone like you, or be lucky enough to be loved by someone like you. all i know is since the moment you've come into my life i'm the happiest that i've ever been. you make smile in ways that i didn't know was possible, and you make me feel like true love really does exist because there is no truer love than ours. i can honestly say that santa doesn't need to bring me any gifts this year, because the greatest gift i got was when i got you and nothing else will compare to that. i look forward to spending many more christmases with you, because i know you're the only one i want to spend them with, who i want to spend forever with. you're truly the love of my life, and you have my heart, always.

when it came down to finding the perfect gifts for you, i'll admit that i spent far too much time searching because i wanted to make sure that you felt truly spoiled as that's what you deserve. so i really hope that you like everything that i've picked out, and know that i picked them all out with a whole lot of love in my heart. and i do love you, more than i've ever loved anyone else.

merry christmas, mi querido, and i love you.

your anyabee

i'm not exactly the worlds best baker, but i took an online class while you weren't looking to make these vegan cookies and frost them as well. thankfully they turned out pretty good and hopefully you enjoy them because i put a lot of love into them.

did i look through your closet to make sure you didn't have this t-shirt in your collection? i did, and i really hope you like it because i know you love hellraiser about as much as i do!

when i came across these two classic snowboards there was no way i wasn't going to get them for you, especially the ouija board one since that's kind of our thing. i really hope that you like them though, even if you don't use them i think they'll make a badass decoration somewhere!

look it's a pair of cowboy boots with a skull on them, and i figured they would be perfect for whenever we get our gothic farmhouse so i hope that you like them.

i know that you have a weakness for skulls, so when i came across this watch i just had to get it for you and i hope that you like it, darling.

the minute i came across this valentino suit i knew that you would look fantastic wearing it, so of course i had to buy it for you. i figured you could either wear it on a fancy date night with me some night, or one of the award shows you'll be going to as my arm candy.

i remembered that you were a big fan of the cure, and when i came across this guitar that was signed by all of them i just knew that i had to get it for you!

when looking to book us our first jumping experience from a hot air balloon, i came across this website and the minute i saw this balloon i knew it was fate for us to jump from this one. it's an open ended booking, we can choose when to go at any time as i figured you'd want to jump out of a plane first. but i'm pretty excited that our first jump from a hot air balloon will be on this skull one and i hope you like it too.

you know i'm a sucker for a spooky holiday and i know that you are as well, and i've recently learned that you can spend a few nights at bran castle in transylvania if you pay enough, so i reached out and was able to get us a week there. again it's open ended because i know our schedules are going to be a little up in the air soon, but i just know that it'll be a holiday that we'll never forget and we'll get to stay where the real dracula stayed!

#( gifts to — jamie. ) #( jamie — goth boy and the light in the darkness. ) #( event — 2023 christmas. )

[laxmiree]

[CN] Journey to Wonderful Fairyland: Amusement Rides- Lucien’s Part translation

“But today, I want to be the little fox!”

After quickly putting on rabbit ears for Lucien, I grinned and put on little fox ears for myself.

~

“Because I'm afraid that once I let go of your hand, I won't be able to remember again.”

~

✧ Love and Producer X Shining Nikki Collab Event ✧ Prologue | Amusement Park Rides (You’re here!) | Small tidbits from Shining Nikki event (check blog for update)

[Pixel Maze-1]

Lucien and I were guided by the staff and entered the first station to search for clues - the pixel maze.

This maze of stacked pixel blocks is full of hidden things.

Although Lucien said he wasn’t good at playing games, he unexpectedly solved the events on the way without any problems.

MC: Maybe you have more talents in games than you think..!

MC: But then let’s see how well I play!

One of the joys of walking a maze is getting lost. But now it seems like the original fun has been gone in the smooth sailing.

I secretly plotted to let Lucien feel the true essence of a maze- walking into a dead end.

Yet I seemed to be getting through it like a miracle, and countless question marks kept popping up from the top of my head.

Lucien: MC is really talented. I believe we will be able to go out soon.

MC: Hahaha… Yup.

But… I must find a dead end!

Finally, after counter-intuitively choosing a path at a crossroads, a wall appeared in front of us.

MC: Lucien, look! We walked into a dead end~

MC: It can’t be helped. This is the usual way to walk through the maze.

I pat Lucien on the shoulder, only to find him looking forward with interest.

Lucien: Well, there is indeed a wall. But I don’t think you’re going the wrong way.

Lucien fumbled around on the wall and pressed hard. Then, the initially closed wall showed a path.

Lucien: Under your guidance, I don’t think I will ever get lost.

[Pixel Maze-2]

As we went deeper into the maze, it seemed that Lucien and I walked into an area similar to a haunted house.

Cute little pixelated ghosts draped in sheets drifted silently past the path ahead with their loose teeth and claws.

MC: The ghosts here are so cute. They are not scary at all.

Lucien: Well, should I try to add some horror to the mix?

Lucien: For instance… Continuing the ghost story we didn’t finish last night.

Lucien bent down a little. His warm breath enveloped the tip of my ear.

MC: I was too tired yesterday and fell asleep before I heard the best part.

MC: I think I remember you telling me about… Where was it again?

Lucien: Don’t worry, I know exactly where to start.

Lucien slows down his pace and continues his unfinished bedtime story in a low voice.

It was a strange ancient Chinese tale but unexpectedly suited to the pixelated atmosphere in front of him.

Lucien: The fox spirit had set up a trap for a long time, but a rabbit accidentally destroyed it.

Lucien: Say, what should I do with this rabbit that has fallen into a trap?

Lucien’s slightly invasive voice teased in my ears.

MC: A-are you going to eat them?

Lucien: Of course, I’m going to eat them.

Lucien: But there are more important things to do before eating them, aren’t there?

Lucien turned his head, unable to stop the smile in his eyes.

Lucien: For example, enjoying the cute expression you are making right now.

[Animal Castle-1]

We saw a huge castle looming on the horizon after exiting the pixel maze.

“Only Mr. and Ms. Animal are allowed inside. Human friends, please look to your side.”

A small arrow points to the shelf on the right, decorated with colorful animal outfits.

Lucien: Looks like we have to change our clothes before we can get permission to enter.

MC: Hehe, I already picked it out just now.

I shook the rabbit and fox hair bands in my hand. The fluffy ears looked especially cute.

MC: But today, I want to be the little fox!

After quickly putting on rabbit ears for Lucien, I grinned and also put on little fox ears for myself.

Lucien: Why do you want to play as a little fox today?

MC: Because today, the clever little fox is going to teach the little rabbit a good lesson.

Although my mouth speaks with conviction, honestly, I just want to see Lucien with rabbit ears.

Lucien: So, what are you going to teach me?

Facing Lucien’s gradually approaching and pressing figure, I raised a small protest flag.

MC: F-foul! According to the food chain… how can there be a rabbit that moves so close to the fox!

Lucien: But in my world, the rabbit is the one who has the upper hand.

[Animal Castle-2]

After entering the animal castle, we were invited by the fox club to participate in a quiz with prizes.

Lucien: To be precise, this question has no answer.

Mr. Fox: Mr. Rabbit got the correct answer. Congratulations on your special prize!

Mr. Fox: The two of you asked how to get out before. You may need to take the magic rowing boat across the water to find out.

Lucien slowly walked down the steps, with his long rabbit ears swaying in the air.

MC: Excellent! Now we’ll get the grand prize!

Lucien: Unfortunately, not all the answers were correct.

MC: It can’t be helped. Who can answer to the kind of questions like what Phoenix likes to eat?

MC: However, I didn’t expect you to get the correct answer to the question of “What is the essence of the world?” just now.

Lucien: That’s not hard to guess because it’s not easy to define any world, no matter what kind of world it is.

Lucien: Just like you, there will always be something I don’t understand.

Lucien: I couldn’t help but want to know more.

Mr. Fox, who was in charge of the questions just now, came over with a badge.

The little fox on the badge is beaming with laughter. His eyes closed peacefully as he leaned against the rabbit sleeping sweetly in his arms.

[Magical Rowing Boat-1]

Following Mr. Fox’s tip, Lucien and I arrived at the big lake.

After renting a “magic rowboat” on the shore, Lucien and I started the boat tour mode.

Lucien: It’s been too long since I’ve rowed. I think I kind of forgot how to do it.

Our boat started to spin in place shortly after we rowed out.

MC: I didn’t know that Professor Lucien could forget something.

MC: In that case, let me show you how to do it!

I slowly swayed the oars. The rocking waves stirred up a pleasing sound in my ears.

MC: You don’t have to row too fast. The boat will move with a little force.

Lucien: I don’t have to use too much force. Is it like this?

Lucien leaned down and put his hands on the back of my hands, gently pushing the oars.

The boat moved forward smoothly, even better than I had just demonstrated.

MC: You haven’t forgotten at all, have you?

Lucien: I didn’t lie to you. I did forget about it just now.

MC: Well, it’s good that you can row properly now.

Lucien: Not yet.

Lucien: Because I’m afraid that once I let go of your hand, I won’t be able to remember again.

[Magical Rowing Boat-2]

After rowing on the lake for a while, I wondered as I watched the boats around me pass by with a bit of foam.

MC: Why doesn’t our boat puff bubbles?

Lucien thought for a while, then bent down. He fumbled at the back of the boat, and then there was a crisp snap.

Lucien: I guess the staff forgot to turn the switch for us, but it should be okay now.

He gently swayed the oars, and a blanket of foam emerged from all sides of the boat.

The view reflected on the crystal foam made me rush over to it.

MC: Lucien, look, we’re on the bubbles!

The lingering sunshine on the rising foam makes me want to touch it with my fingertips.

But before I could touch it, the bubble broke into tiny droplets in the air with a “pop”.

MC: It burst… What a shame.

Obviously, only a bubble is popped off, but my heart is painted with the color of loss.

Lucien: There is no need to be too upset.

Lucien pulled my hand over and placed it on his broad, warm chest.

Lucien: You can poke and prod at this Lucien.

Lucien: I’m very curious to know what kind of me will be revealed when you ‘pop’ me open.

(t/n…reminds me of the little mermaid that turned into sea foam :”)

[Aquarium-1]

After getting out of the magic rowboat, we entered an underground aquarium through a tunnel on the shore.

Countless sea creatures are dancing through the glass windows, showing their most free form.

MC: Lucien, what is that?

I pointed to the tiny dots of light clustered in the deep end of the water and excitedly asked Lucien.

Lucien: Those should be luminous jellyfish.

MC: How amazing… I can’t believe it can emit such a bright light.

Lucien: The smaller the creature, the more severe the survival pressure, and it may not be discovered for thousands of years.

Lucien: But having this glimmer of light is enough to prove their existence to the world.

Lucien: You can look a little closer.

As soon as he finished speaking, the group of jellyfish swam towards a more profound place and was invisible for a while.

MC: I remember that the last time I went to the aquarium, the jellyfish also swam away very quickly…

Lucien: Mmm… But it seems to be a long time ago since we last went to the aquarium.

Lucien looked at me, the fluctuating water waves swirling in his eyes.

Lucien: Actually, I’ve been looking forward to going to the aquarium with you again.

Like a shell suddenly falling into the deep sea, my memory continues to stir up echoes of the past in my ears.

The shark in front of the huge viewing glass. The dark and deep water. And the kiss that I initiated.

MC: Next time, let’s go to the aquarium to see jellyfish!

I tried to hold back my blush and tried to change the subject.

Lucien: There is no need to wait until next time.

Without changing his face, Lucien pointed to the billboard at the passage’s entrance, which reads “Mermaid Experience Event”.

———————————————————————————————————-

Half an hour later–

Staff Member: All right, the oxygen coating can provide a three-hour swimming experience.

Staff Member: Don’t panic when it automatically returns to the surface with ten minutes left to use.

After finishing the preparations, Lucien and I swam side by side toward the bottom of the water.

The magical coating that covers the skin provides the necessary oxygen and allows us to swim underwater easily.

We followed the path the jellyfish had taken before, but the scenery around us became darker and darker.

MC: Why is it so dark here? Did we go to the wrong place?

Lucien: Shh… Here they are

Lucien gently pointed with his finger, and something seemed to move around me.

Fluorescent dots diving in the dark, the big school of jellyfish swirled around us like a fluttering green ribbon.

Lucien gathered the jellyfish, and the light floated in my neck, forming a jade-like necklace.

Lucien: They seem to like you so much that they want to stay by your side.

MC: If you like someone, would you want to get close to them?

Lucien gently leaned to my ear and said in a non-committal voice.

Lucien: People are naturally attracted to the things they like, and I am no exception.

[Aquarium-2]

After the “Mermaid Experience”, we sat on the seats in the corridor and took a break.

I leaned on Lucien’s shoulder and drifted off to sleep, but a young girl’s voice suddenly appeared next to me.

??: Momo, where have you been?

??: Momo was admiring the giant colorful octopus up close.

I slightly opened my eyes and found a pink-haired girl and her friend sitting on the right seat. A cat with a yellow cloak jumped into her arms.

MC: A talking…cat?

Lucien: Hmm… It sure looks like it.

The pink-haired girl heard our voices, turned her head, and spoke slightly apologetically.

Nikki: I’m sorry. Did I wake you up?

MC: It’s okay. Are you also a visitor of Paperland?

Nikki nodded with a smile.

Nikki: My name is Nikki. I’m here with Momo and my friend. We’re designers from Miraland.

Momo: I am the Great and Handsome Momo!

Miraland?

Lucien and I silently exchanged glances. It seems that this space does pull a lot of people from other spaces to come here.

MC: We come from a place called Loveland City.

Lucien: And if we find the mystery man, we can return to the original world.

MC: That being said, we’ve actually been concentrating on playing until now…

After hearing my words, Nikki seems to be thinking of something.

Nikki: Earlier, we heard that the mystery man seems to be in a place called the Puppet Theater.

MC: Really?

Nikki: Um! But my friends and I have also collected some other clues and intend to look at them first. Let’s meet again at the puppet theater.

[Lake Expressway-1]

After parting with Nikki’s group, Lucien and I waited for the train to arrive at the small store at the departure point of the Lake Expressway.

The neat window sill was filled with postcards of different designs accompanied by a tiny poem in them.

MC: To gather reed goes she, when her I do not see, one day seems long as seasons three.

(T/N: the poem that Lucien read in Winter Farewell Date!)

I picked up a postcard with a poem that Lucien had recited.

Poems always have a kind of time travel magic. As long as I read it, the scene will appear in front of me.

Lucien: Time is much faster now than it was then.

MC: Why do you say so?

Lucien: Because for me at that time, one day is like three years long.

Lucien: When I don’t see you for a long time, time will naturally slow down.

MC: And what about now?

Lucien: The words that can describe me now…

Lucien gestured to the wall calendar placed in the store. A small line was written next to the distant snowy mountain scenery.

If you look at me, I will softly melt, just like the snow in a volcano.*

Lucien: For snow, there is no place where it melts faster than in a volcano.

Lucien: Just like me with you by my side.

(*T/N: This line is not from a poem but rather from the song “Templo” by Chico Cesar)

[Lake Expressway-2]

Conductor: In front of us is the famous “Long Promenade”, which provides a good view of the lake.

Conductor: The train will be slowed down to allow passengers a chance to enjoy the view.

The train conductor drove the train, and the crisp announcement echoed in the compartment.

Lucien: ….

Lucien examined the camera in his hands. His brows frowned slightly.

MC: What’s wrong?

Lucien: The camera is out of power, and there seems to be no charging port here.

Lucien: Now I can’t shoot the promenade around the lake.

Lucien reveals some regret in his tone.

MC: It doesn’t matter. Haven’t you taken so many photos before?

MC: It was a bit of a shame, but we could still enjoy the scenery.

MC: If we want to take pictures, we can do this!

I used my hands to make a picture frame, then framed Lucien and the scenery outside the window.

MC: Mm-hmm, this pose is perfect!

Lucien faintly lowered his head, thoughtfully looking at me.

Lucien: We do have other ways of recording.

Lucien gently called the staff over to buy paper and pencils from the carts.

MC: Are you going to draw it?

Lucien: Although it is not as good as the camera, sometimes a drawing can express a person’s feelings better.

Lucien lowered his head, his slender fingertips wielding a pencil, silently drawing.

At the end of the whistle sound, he slowly raised his head.

Lucien: The drawing is finished.

I took the paper, and unexpectedly it was not the realistic scene that I had imagined back then

In the picture, we stand above the water surface in the middle of the lake. We pressed our foreheads together. It was as if we were the only two people in the world.

Lucien: Now, there are no regrets on this trip.

[Colourful drink stand-1]

MC: So tired, I feel like I’m going to be paralyzed….

Exhausted, I collapsed on a seat near the drink stand, sheltering from the sun’s rays.

The sign for the Puppet Theater is not far away, but who knew it would be so hot at this time of year?

MC: It would be nice to have Mr. Air-Conditioner suddenly appear before me.

The moment my forehead became cold, I knew the person who could fulfill my wish had appeared.

Lucien: This is the first time I have seen this way of making a wish.

Lucien put his hand near my forehead, spreading an immense feeling of coolness.

MC: But super effective, isn’t it? The air conditioner that’s exclusively mine has already shown up.

I leaned back in my seat and gave Lucien a big grin.

Lucien: I just bought two novel-looking drinks over there.

I raised my body and followed Lucien’s gaze, then landed on cups of brilliantly colored drinks on the table.

MC: It looks delicious!

Lucien: So do you want to have a drink first, or do you want to continue enjoying yourself like this for a while?

I reached for my drink, tried to adjust my body to a comfortable position, and leaned on Lucien’s side.

MC: Of course, I want both~

(t/n: I will never get over how mc also slowly gets ‘infected’ by his greediness ahah-)

[Colourful drink stand-2]

I decided to exchange drinks with Lucien to taste a greater variety of flavors.

With one sip, the purple drink with bubbles spreads a refreshing flavor in my mouth.

MC: Although it is slightly bitter, it has a pleasant refreshing taste.

MC: And, amazingly, I always feel calm after drinking it.

I nudged the nonexistent glasses on the bridge of my nose and tried to imitate Lucien’s usual way of reflection.

MC: After drinking it, there is an illusion of “Being possessed by Lucien”!

Lucien: Perhaps this drink’s theme is based on emotional colors.

Lucien lazily propped up his head and slowly poured the drink from my cup into his cup.

The two different colors are beautifully blended together to form a new and indescribable color.

Lucien: If I am right, we should be able to drink the taste of “ happiness” now.

Lucien: Here, try it.

I just took a sip from the straw, and an overflowing wave of emotions captured my heart.

MC: I can really drink the taste of happiness!

Lucien: The feeling of happiness often needs bitterness to be more pronounced.

Lucien: Just like a particular emotion that I can only show when I’m by your side.

[Puppet Theater-1]

When we arrived at the lakeside theater, we didn’t see Nikki and her friends, so Lucien and I decided to look at the theater first.

MC: 14, 15… Eh?

The number on the backrest finally stopped at number 14.

Lucien: I’m number 15, and it appears to be just on the other side.

MC: Should we go to change seats?

Staff Member: Please take your seats as soon as possible. The show is about to start.

The staff’s reminder dissuaded me from changing my seat.

Lucien: Don’t worry, we can wait for the intermission and then try to change seats.

MC: Okay then, you go ahead.

Lucien gently stroked my hair, then walked to the distant seat.

I was staring at the stage in boredom when suddenly a soft call came from my right side.

Nikki: MC?

Nikki and her friend sat in their seats and looked at me with surprise.

Nikki: This is great! We didn’t see you outside and thought you weren’t here.

Nikki: We almost missed the sightseeing train just now.

MC: It was great to catch up, though.

Nikki smiled and turned her head. She handed over the popcorn in her arms.

The shimmering light from the stage made the tips of her pink hair look extra bright.

Nikki: Momo bought popcorn at the entrance, which was unexpectedly delicious. MC, do you want to try it?

[Puppet Theater-2]

During the intermission, I went over to Lucien’s side, ready to change seats with Momo.

After the seat exchange, the second performance began.

Although the story is still the same as before, the mood of the stage has changed from joyful to melancholy.

The protagonist is moving on a dark stage, singing a tragic soliloquy in solitude.

The spotlight swept over one character after another, but it missed his presence.

MC: This would not be a tragedy, right….

After the second act, I leaned on Lucien’s shoulder and pouted in dissatisfaction.

Lucien: Don’t worry.

Lucien: I believe that his moonlight will come as expected.

MC: Professor Lucien spoke as if he had seen through the script.

Lucien lowered his voice, as light as moonlight flowing through the twilight.

Lucien: Rather than seeing through it, I would say that this is the experience I have learned from being on it myself.

The curtain rises again, and a youthful female voice comes out from behind the curtain.

Actress: Is this the paintbrush you lost?

(T/N: not sure if it’s related, but here a small translation of a play about Lucien in Shining Nikki part of the event)

With the lively sound of the piano, the curtain slowly came down.

MC: Great! It really ends on a good ending!

Lucien: It seems that the tragic element in the middle is designed to move the audience’s emotions.

MC: This is the so-called “eat a bit of bitterness to make the sweet taste more accentuated”, right?

Lucien: When you put it that way, it does make it more understandable.

??: It seems that the two of you enjoyed the show at Paperland.

The sounds came down from the sky. I looked up but was dangerously close to being swallowed by the colorful balloons.

Lucien: Watch out.

A slightly hurried shout passed by my ears. Lucien wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me to the side.

Pop, pop, pop - when the balloons have burst apart, a man stands in a hood.

Mystery Man: I’m sorry, Paperland’s way of traveling is always somewhat unconventional.

Mystery Man: But just as you two said, a quiet life always needs some turbulence to be interesting, right?

The mysterious man looked over with a smile.

Mystery Man: But as long as you spend time with someone important to you, there will always be happy experiences.

Lucien: So, is that the only justification for bringing us into this?

Lucien still maintains a smile, but his imposing manner does not give the other side a chance to breathe.

The mystery man softly coughed twice, trying to change the subject.

Mystery Man: I better take you to the exit of Paperland.

He soon led us to an enormous gate in front of the square.

And at this moment, in addition to us, Nikki and her friends also came to the square.

Nikki: Looks like you guys found a way to leave too~

Momo: After shopping for so long, we can finally go back!

Momo: But the food here is so good, it would be nice to bring some more back.

The big meow patted his round stomach. He must have eaten a lot of good food.

MC: Hey hey, next time, if I have a chance, I welcome you all to play in Loveland City.

Nikki: I’m looking forward to it, and if there’s a chance, I’d like to invite you to Miraland and introduce you to my friends~

Mystery Man: Once you walk through this door, you can return to your world.

Lucien and I waved our hands as we watched Nikki and her friends walk through the door and disappear from view.

The unexpected events that took place during this time are a collection of unforgettable memories.

MC: I didn’t expect to encounter so many things, and the saying “life is full of surprises” is true.

MC: I’m afraid it will be a while before we can continue with the photography experiment we wanted to do at the beginning.

Lucien: About that experiment, actually, I already got the answer.

Lucien waved a picture in the air, on which I was smiling with my eyes closed, but the shot was somehow shaky.

MC: Wasn’t this photo not appropriately taken?

Lucien: It can be said that it is not a good shot, and it can be said that the shot is out of panic.

MC: Out of panic…?

Lucien: When I just pressed the shutter, the park’s tunnel appeared.

Lucien: Perhaps this is also a kind of fated “accident”.

It was then I realized that the shaking on it resulted from Lucien’s hurry.

I don’t know why, but I felt a little bit of triumph and happiness in my heart.

MC: Then this glimmer of haste will be saved by me.

Lucien: Would that be enough?

Lucien spread his slender fingers and grabbed the camera in my hand.

Lucien: I have a lot more emotions that I want to show only to you.

———————————————————————————————————-

#THIS IS SO GOOD #personally one of my fav mini stories tbh #those little references to past dates :" #mlqc lucien #mr love queen's choice #mlqc #mlqc translation #mlqc cn #mlqc spoiler #love and producer

[thebeginnersguide-mkg]

"Thank you, Azalea."

"Indeed. It is time to give up the ghost."

"You came to me as a lover, and I came to you as an executioner, my sun. And you did not know until the end. But… gods, I am sorry that we did not find each other in a kinder universe. One where I did not kill you, or Meena, or…"

"I do not anticipate apologies with words will mean anything. You all deserved better, and you will get your just deserts. To Zach's point - allow me to speak on that."

"My purpose is not to change the order of nature - no, I will rebalance it."

"I can rebalance it. When I claim the Heart, I can give Mother Nature the voice she never had. Across the entire multiverse. I do not exactly know how that will manifest until I claim the Heart, but my wish… my deepest desire is to become Enough to stop anyone’s planet - anyone's - from experiencing the world ending as mine did. Too soon."

"Then, I will send you all home."

"Dear friend - hold my hand?"

It's all over. Balance is restored. It's time to go home.

And with your friends in tow.

We're at the end of the road. A road of many that took you here. A road that now stands out, strongly gazing into beautiful, infinite space. With unlimited horizons in front of you. It's been a long and confusing journey that's taken you here.

But, to state that as if it were some grand realization would be as useless as to ignore the odds you've overcome, to really make it to something that can be called, the end.

To learn, is to grow. To live. Perhaps, the real beginner's guide really is the friends you made along the way. To survive, to live, you need other people. And as hard as it can be to understand in the darkest moments, you need struggle, as well. Conflict can push you to be better, but it can push you too far too many times, as well. But here, as you stand no longer alone, whoever you are, you know that any direction you now choose to go…can be forward.

There's been death here, and life as well. You've lost, and you've found. You've learned more about yourself than you could ever have possibly hoped, or feared. And you've been given new viewpoints. You've had to accept, easy or not, how large the worlds truly are.

At the end of the day, perhaps there is no good, or bad. Perhaps, there's no use in labels, when real crimes, and real acts of heroism, do exist. But even going that far, the only things that are truly real are actions, and the judgments you make of them.

There are things in the multiverse you've never considered, and never thought real. Reality is just a state of mind, and a matter of opinion, of course. You've learned in your time here. You're a beginner, no more.

You've learned that you have to protect those you care about, no matter what.

You've learned not to let your past stop you.

You've learned to embrace who you were, all along.

You've learned to stay bright.

You've learned that even what is lost, can be restored.

You've learned you can't stop searching for the truth.

You've learned that who you are, can be fluid, and you'll figure out who it is eventually.

You've learned you're not the only you, and that's okay.

You've learned you're not the only you, and there's nothing wrong with that.

You've learned everyone can have a purpose.

You've learned that the world is much bigger than you saw, and wider as well.

You've learned it's okay to let people in.

You've learned sometimes, you just have to be yourself, even if people don't get it.

You've learned that others can accept the dark isn't so scary, too.

You've learned you can always come back.

You've learned never to judge too harshly, but to not stop yourself from believing in what you know to be true.

You've learned to trust your instincts, sometimes, above all else.

You've learned that a curious mind is rewarded.

You've learned to let the love of a friend never fade in your mind.

You've learned that there's always someone new who can understand.

You've learned that you're not alone.

You're here, now. At the end of it all. As Game Master sits in her wagon at Xertz's side, and Puzzle Master flits around the scene offering his own last goodbyes, you look into the shining sky in front of you once more, and perhaps wonder what the purpose of this all way. Did so many really have to die, just to learn a lesson? Was there another way this could have gone? Was there a point, to all this? Is there a point to anything, going forward? Was there ever a point, in the past?

There are many questions you can ask, but you don't have to ask what's next, for you know that, right now. You get to go home, or somewhere else. You get to explore, and you get to live, if you wish. You'll get to see new spaces, now. New places, and new faces. You get to make your own future, and experience things you could only have once barely dreamed of.

You look around at these familiar faces, knowing some you'll see again, and some you'll never cross paths with once more. But, what's the most important, is that you know you have the choice on what you want to do next. With the tech they've promised you, you can see any of each other once more, whenever you'd like. But you know, as life knows itself, some of it you see, and some of it you pass. But you know, truly, that those you wish to see again, you won't have to be apart from.

Now, truly, you can go anywhere. You can go, and travel, and see, and live.

You can see what the world truly has to offer, and you can see parts of yours you've never gotten the chance to, as well.

You've got family at home, most likely. And you've likely had family you haven't seen in eons, either.

They have much to learn, as well. Will you tell them what you've been through? Will you return simply to the way things once were, and let this all fade as a dream?

You can decide that.

And you can teach, as well. Now, your life is forever changed. For better, or for worse. There's a whole universe outside for you to understand now.

When you eventually return home, if you choose to do so, you'll get to rest. And you'll get to sleep. But when you wake up, you'll still be you. And you'll have all the time in the world.

You can do whatever you wish, now.

You don't need a guide anymore.

You are truly free.

The universe may be cold and unforgiving.

But you're not.

MM reveal by Charlie and Knightly Escape by Knightly Ending by Star, Knightly, and Charlie

#danganronpa rp #danganronpa oc #fangan rp #danganronpa #fanganronpa #mkg rp #mkg roleplay

[abbatoirablaze]

Heaven's Demons, Chapter 30

Word Count:  1.9k

Warnings:  manipulation, jealousy, noncon relationship, forced drug use, knife violence, character death, mentions of being a junkie/using drugs, homosexual relationship, male on male, implied smut, homophobia. 

“Where is she?”

The person laughed, half torn between the festivities going up on the mountain, and half just far too high to think about anything logically.  Charles pushed them away from himself, moving onto the next group of junkies who were dancing around a fire. 

His heart raced in the worst of ways while he searched.  He wanted to have as little as contact as he could with any of them, having been all to familiar with the pull of the mountain once it had it’s hands on you.  But more importantly, was who he knew had control of that pull.  He wanted to get in and out, knowing that the longer he was there, the more potential there would be for him to run into someone that he knew.

“Well, well, well, would you look at who’s back?”

Charles whipped around, coming face to face with one of the men he’d remembered from his time on the mountain.  His heart ached in the worst of ways, as memories in the form of glass shards were pushing forward in his mind.  His jaw tensed and he looked at the man he once loved. 

He was still covered in tattoos, and had a lean appearance.  The man was lithe and tall.  He frowned, remembering a time when his shaggy blonde hair and piercing green eyes would literally melt him; when nights in front of the fire, with his arms safely wrapped around him were all that mattered while he got lost in his own high. 

“Nigel…”

“You’re looking good, Blackwood…”

“Where is she?”

He smiled, “where’s who?”

“You know damn well, who…Hope.  She’s on a binge, and I know you know exactly which of these fucking junkies is holding her.”

“No one is forcing her to be here, Charles,” he smirked deviously as he stepped towards the biker.  He held out his arms, open towards the man, “everyone is welcome up here on my domain.”

“Your domain?” he growled, “the mountain doesn’t belong to anyone.  We all come up here because no one else will deal with us…”

“You’re right.  No one does want to deal with us.  Especially my little girlfriend…” he grinned, finishing the sentence.  Charles’ jaw ticked and his grin only turned more wicked, “didn’t she tell you? Hope is my girl…or, well, at least my little toy for now, Blackwood…she’s been my girl for years…you know…when she comes back on up here.  Was hard enough getting her off the reservation, but she’s finally close by.  It’s been…a very light switch relationship.  On.  Off.  Will they?  Won’t they?”

“Hope isn’t-“

“Isn’t what?  Seeing anyone?  She doesn’t tell anyone about me because I choose for it to be that way.  My little playthings don’t need to go broadcasting what we do.”

“Where is she?”

“Follow me,” he offered, turning on his heel, “she’ll tell you that she doesn’t want to leave though.  That she wants to stay with me.”

Charles jaw clenched even more as he listened to the man who controlled the mountain, following him into a torn-up RV.  One he’d remembered all too well, having spent many nights in its confines, spread out, naked on its bed.  His breath caught in his throat when he saw her through the window, and he immediately rushed past Nigel, into the vehicle. 

She was on the bed, mostly naked; and definitely drunk beyond all belief. 

“Hope…”

“Charles?” she asked softly, “Charles, come to bed, baby…touch me…”

“This isn’t you, Hope,” he murmured, feeling upset that he’d found her in such a state.  She giggled, and reached out, touching his arm, “Hope…stop.”

“Wanna feel you,” she giggled, “I’m not afraid of being with you, Charles…t-touch me.”

“I need to get you out of here!”

“No,” she whimpered softly, her eyes closing again as she swatted lightly at him, “Stay…stay with us.”

“We could share her you know,” Nigel offered.  Charles paid the man no mind as he tried to lift her from the bed, “I wouldn’t do that if I were you…she’s very aggressive when she’s drunk and in bed.”

She barely seemed to be aware of what was going on, her eyes rolling into the back of her skull.  Charles heart raced even more as he looked at her, “s-she’s got alcohol poisoning, Nigel.  We have to get her to a hospital.  We have to-“

“She’ll be fine,” Nigel laughed airily, “she knows her limits.  Just like I know yours.”

“What are y-“ But Charles cu himself off when he felt a pin-prick in his neck.  He whipped around to see Nigel, that same devious smirk on his face, an empty needle in his hand. 

He shot Charles a wink, “oops.”

“N-No…” Charles said nervously, his hands racing up to his neck, where he already felt the burning sensation of the drug entering his bloodstream, “no.  What did you give me?  Nigel, I’ve been clean for-“

“Not anymore,” he teased, tossing the dirty needle onto the counter beside himself.  He took a few steps forward and pressed himself against Charles’ body, “come on, Charles…I remember just how you liked it…and I know you remember just how much I missed your cock…come back to me, baby…you were always my favorite…my little crowned prince.  I gave you the world before your little friends came and pulled you from it.”

“I’m not-no…Nigel…I-“

“Your little friends aren’t around to protect you, Charles,” he tisked, his hand snaking down to the bikers’ jeans.  He gripped Charles already hardening cock, “come on baby…just one more time…and I’ll let you go…I won’t even fight you when you take her either…just tell me you don’t miss this.  Tell me you don’t miss being my little prince?”

“Nigel,” he slurred, the drugs starting to affect him, “Nigel..wh-what is this?”

“What, don’t you remember your favorite little cocktail?” he smirked, stroking Charles through his denim, “a little something for you…and a little something for me so that you’re hard as a rock for the next few hours…god…I miss how you could go all night, baby…You’d stretch me so well…my mattress has our collective juice engrained in it…wonder if you can still fuck me into the mattress after all these years…”

“Y-you’re sick…”

“I’m what you need, Charles,” he growled, cupping his exes manhood, “I’m what you dream about.  I’m what you miss.  You don’t need those fucking biker friends of yours.  They’re worse than me…they’ve been taking product off me and testing it out before they sell it.  How is Jensen doing?  The mood swings gone?  The memory loss?  Or did they still not figure out proper doses and just kill the kid?”

“Y-you…”

“It’s always me, Charles,” he said softly, his lips grazing the bikers, “everything in your life revolves around me, baby…they might have taken you from me, but they also gave me a way to get back into your life.  They’re selling my product…so just accept it.  Come back to me, baby.  I’m not even mad…I just want you back.”

Charles had barely noticed himself being pushed back onto the bed, Nigel’s lips desperately attacking his own. 

“Did I do good?”

Nigel growled, breaking the long past due kiss from the man he craved to look at the junkie beside him.  She stood stock-still, nearly naked, and waiting for him.

“Get out, Hope.”

“Hope?” Charles asked desperately, looking up at the woman in a confused manner, “wh-what are you doing here?”

“I want my payment,” she said quickly, changing the subject.  Nigel growled, placing another kiss to Charles lips, but she pushed the king of meth mountain, “hey…a deal’s a deal…you wanted your little boyfriend back…I want what you promised me.  I had to go to NA meetings.  Had to pretend I was sober so I could-”

“One second baby,” Nigel said with a frown, breaking away from Charles as he cut off Hope’s diatribe.  He pulled away, but Charles, already lost in the cocktail Nigel had given him was leaning up, chasing after his lips like they were his new high.  Nigel smiled, his finger grazing over Charles plump lip, “there’s my good boy…I missed you, my sweet prince.”

“Don’t leave me daddy,” Charles begged, reaching out to the man he loved.  Nigel was lost in his own high of having his lover back, already caving into his playful coo to come back to bed, “wanna feel you Ni…”

“Nigel!”

“God damn it,” he growled, pushing away from Charles.  He got off the bed and reached into the closet, “baby…strip down for daddy…I’ll be with you in a second…and then I’m going to take that gorgeous cock and empty your balls for weeks.”

Charles moaned, fighting lazily with his clothes from the bed.  Hope watched him, disgusted with how he was attracted to both men and women.  She fought the urge to hit him, “I fucking kissed him, you know…you could have told me he was a fag…could have told me that you took it up the ass from him.”

“Don’t talk about my baby boy like that,” Nigel growled, reaching past the product, “he’s my world, and you’re lucky that he was even attracted to you.”

“He’s desperate and disgusting.”

“He’s the god damn love of my life, Hope…” he seethed, pulling the gun from his drugs.  He aimed it through the closet and shot at her.  Charles barely reacted, still fighting with his clothing so that he could be prepared for his ex.  Hope fell back against the counter, “I’d do anything to have him back…”

Pain emanated from her chest and looking down at her stomach scared her.  There was a bullet hole, dark red blood pouring from it.  Her eyes went wide, “Nigel…wh-what the hell?”

“Don’t talk bad about my prince,” he growled dangerously, taking a few steps forward.  He put the gun on the bed next to Charles and tipped his face up towards him, “I don’t let anyone talk about my prince, do I?”

“Ni-Nigel,” he said in a daze.  Nigel smiled, pressing his lips to Charles once more.  The biker moaned against his lips, “wanna feel you daddy…wanna be buried in that perfect ass…”

“Soon, baby boy…just have some business to take care of,” he replied softly.  He pushed Charles back on the bed, his eyes gazing over his naked torso for a moment before sliding down to his boxer clad core, his erection straining desperately against the fabric.  Nigel could practically feel himself drooling, his hand grazing over the fabric.  Charles moaned, “that’s right…you love daddy’s touch, don’t you?”

“More…”

“Soon.” He promised, before shifting his attention back to Hope, “just let me take out the trash, and then you’ll have all of my attention…and you won’t ever have to leave again baby boy.  I’ll treat you right this time, I promise.  I had Barber’s word…I have you all to myself now…be a good boy.”

“So good, daddy.”

“I know baby,” he smiled.  He took a few steps towards Hope, his boots clicking across the broken glass and debris in the RV.  He knelt down and looked at the woman, a grimace taking place across his face, “this is what greedy whores get, Hope…I hope you remember that in the next life.  But I owe you a debt of gratitude for bringing my boyfriend back to me…so I’ll make this quick.”

His hand slid across her neck at lightning speed.  She hadn’t noticed that when his hand grazed across the counter, he’d picked up the knife.  Only when she’d felt a warmth across her neck, and her lips parted but nothing came out did she realize that he slit her throat. 

“Thank you, Hope,” Nigel smirked as he tossed the knife outside the still open door to the RV, “now go to hell, you homophobic bitch.”

Chapter 31

Tag list:  @lohnes16, @elbell20-blog, @stockholmdolly, @terrormonster55, @dontbescaredtosingalong, @tenaciousperfectionunknown

#heavens demons #motorcycle clubs #motorcycle #mc #charles blackwood smut #charles blackwood #we have always lived in the castle #sebastian stan characters

[panda-writes-kpop]

Chapter Twelve (Avengers AU): Be Running Up That Hill

A/N: Hi guys, girls, and non-binary pearls! Hope everyone's doing well! 💖

Avengers AU Masterlist | Masterlist

TW: Bows, arrows, target practice, Y/N has a severe case of deja vu, implied black out (?), cursing

Life had been much slower after you came home from New Asgard, and to be honest, you weren’t complaining, at least for the first few days. Without major superheroes breathing down your neck or the pressure to keep a room above your head, you finally had some breathing room to do as you pleased.

Doing as you pleased turned out to be very boring and uneventful, and you hated it. All of that time you spent wishing that life would slow down was wasted, apparently.

It was the same old routine every day. You’d wake up at around the same time, wear one of the same fourteen outfits, get something decent for breakfast, and then head out to wander the streets of New York City. This was fun at first, but it quickly grew boring once you realized that the limitless city did have limits to it, after all.

You were tempted to pick up your phone and call someone, but what was the point? Yoohyeon, JiU, and Siyeon were searching for an M.I.A. Handong, Gahyeon was busy being “The Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Girl!”, and Lia, Irene, and Dami, of all people, were working together to keep “the order of the natural and cosmic world as it should be”.

As you scan through your phone contacts, you notice that there is one name that has yet to give you any sort of update on their condition: SuA.

As any curious soul does, you send a quick text to make sure that she’s alright.

Y/N: Hey, SuA, I haven’t heard from you in a while! I know you’re supposed to keep a low profile after everything that has happened, but I wouldn’t mind seeing you and catching up for a while!

You set your phone down for a moment to think about what you might want to prepare for dinner, and as you figure out what you want, you hear your phone go off.

SuA: I missed hearing from you, or from anyone else, to be honest. It’s a little boring where I’m at, if I’m being honest. I have to check it over with the person who’s safeguarding me, but I wouldn’t minding seeing your beautiful face~

Y/N: Let me know when you hear back from them. I also look forward to seeing your beauty in person once again. <3

~

As you’re preparing to head to bed, the phone on your nightstand buzzes.

SuA: She said it’s okay because she ran it past Irene, and Irene said that it would be good for me to have a bit of company, and she said you could use the company too.

Y/N: I guess she could tell that we’re both going a bit crazy due to the lack of anything happening? XD

SuA: I don’t know, I really don’t mind being out here. It’s peaceful and serene. Reminds me of life before my powers.

Y/N: Do you ever wish that you didn’t have powers?

…Don’t feel pressured to answer that, it was a bit forward on my part.

SuA: No, I don’t mind answering it. It’s only natural that you’d be curious about my powers. You’re not the first, and you most certainly will not be the last.

To be honest, I do sometimes wish that I did not have my powers, but again, I know that my life would be completely different than it is now. I wouldn’t have met wonderful people like you, who remind me of the goodness in the world.

Y/N: Me and goodness?!? That seems like a bit of a stretch, but I appreciate the flattery.

SuA: You deserve all of the flattery that anyone in the world could ever give.

Y/N: Aww, SuA, I’m blushing! That’s very sweet of you to say. <3 Do I need to worry about plane tickets or anything, assuming that you’re about as far away as I think you are?

SuA: I heard that Irene would take care of everything, so you’re all good.

Y/N: Can I ask you one final question?

SuA: You already did! :D

Y/N: I’m going to choose to ignore what you just said.

Who exactly is safeguarding you, if you’re able to say?

SuA: She’s a friend of Siyeon AND Irene, believe it or not.

I believe her name is Chaeryeong, but I could be wrong. She’s not exactly the friendly type, and I haven’t been here long enough for her to trust me with more than simple tasks and small talk.

You might know her as Hawkeye, though.

Y/N: Yeah, that name certainly rings a bell.

I should go to bed soon, and I encourage you to do the same! Goodnight, SuA! Get lots of rest.

SuA: Goodnight, Y/N!

~

This part of Iowa looks a bit different than you would have pictured it, but you didn’t mind the endless seas of cornfields with the occasional green John Deere tractor scattered across the field.

You did have to pay the airport taxi a nice chunk of change to get you out this far, but the money would be well-spent if you got to see a friend once more.

Based on her texts, I would say that SuA has missed me as much as I have missed her.

You chuckle at the thought as your taxi driver takes a sharp left turn onto a dirt field that appears to lead to nowhere.

“Are you sure this is the right way?” The taxi driver asks as the road becomes bumpy and nearly undriveable.

“It has to be.” You look at your phone as you double-check the address that Irene sent you.

Yeah, this is the road that Hawkeye lives on.

“There was a mailbox back there with a matching house number, so I can only hope that you’re right and that you’re not trying to kidnap me.”

If I wanted to kidnap you, I would’ve done it much sooner. Believe me on that one.

“There, in the distance!” You point at a very tiny building that pops up far in front of you. “That has to be it!”

“I hope you’re right.” They grumble as they continue to drive towards the home.

~

“Y/N!” SuA yells as you unload your luggage from the taxi. You’re able to get your things and wave off the taxi before SuA attacks you with a hug.

“SuA! I missed you.” You say as you wrap your arms around her.

“You’ve been well, I assume?” She asks before letting you go.

“It’s been an interesting past couple of days.” You admit.

“You’ve got to tell me everything, but first, I should introduce you to Chaeryeong.”

~

As you walk up the grass hill, you can hear the very quiet yet noticeable sound of an arrow whizzing through the air.

“You’d think that a house far off the beaten path would be enough for a reclusive person like Chaeryeong, but she still walks all the way out here to practice shooting.” SuA jokes as you reach the top of the hill.

“Well, for some people, far away isn’t far enough away.” You try to explain as you observe Chaeryeong as she watches the arrow hit a tree in the distance.

“She won’t notice us unless we say something.” SuA explains, and you nod your head.

“That’s alright. I don’t mind watching her for a while. I don’t want to interrupt or anything.” You plop down on the grass, and SuA does the same as Chaeryeong prepares to fire another arrow.

“So… you never exactly told me how you knew Siyeon, JiU, or Yoohyeon.” SuA says after Chaeryeong pulls the bow back before taking a deep breath.

You watch in silence as Chaeryeong lets the arrow fly through the air.

“Believe or not, I met Siyeon while I was grocery shopping in my hometown. As for JiU, I met her about twenty minutes before we were taken by Irene. Yoohyeon, on the other hand, was my childhood best friend growing up. We did everything together. She even dragged me to an archery class when we were in middle school. She never was any good, but neither was I.”

The arrow perfectly slices through the one that was already embedded deep in the tree, and without missing a beat, Chaeryeong turns to you.

“You took archery classes with Yoohyeon?”

Your head snaps over to SuA.

“I thought you said she wasn’t listening-”

“Whoops, my bad!” SuA giggles as Chaeryeong walks over to the both of you.

“I can multitask, believe it or not. Being an Avenger taught me that.” Chaeryeong offers you a hand. “I brought an extra bow over that needs some adjustments made to it, but I need someone else to shoot it first so I can see what’s wrong with it.”

“And you want me to do it?” Your eyebrows scrunch together, which causes a slight smile to appear on Chaeryeong’s face.

“If JiU trusts you, then I do.” Chaeryeong calmly says.

Well, I guess I can’t argue with that reasoning.

You take her hand before standing up.

“You’re not the first person who’s spoken highly of JiU.”

“You’re talking about Lia, right?” Chaeryeong asks as she grabs the bow and hands it to you.

You let go of her hand, and you gently run your hand over the lower limb of the bow.

“Yeah, I am. Didn’t think I’d get the chance to meet all of the Avengers in-person, but here we are.” You mutter under your breath as you grab an arrow off of the ground.

“JiU’s a good person. Too good for the world, if you’re asking me.”

“Sweet yet deadly, right?” You ask before taking a deep breath.

You can do this, Y/N. You just have to draw the bow back and release the arrow from your hand.

You don’t have to think as you pull the bow back with the arrow securely in your grip.

One chance, Y/N, you can’t mess up.

You blink, and for a moment in time, the world around you slows down. Chaeryeong is only a foot or two away from you with an unreadable expression on her face, and SuA is sitting on the ground while silently cheering you on with an infectious smile.

“Y/N-ah, don’t tell me you’re scared~” A familiar voice taunts you from inside of your head.

You do your best to not react as you respond to the voice.

“Yoohyeon? What are you doing here?”

You don’t break focus as your eyes focus on your target.

Hit the tree. It’s no different than a standard target.

“We were supposed to walk home from school together! Don’t you remember, or did you already forget? And I thought I was the ditzy one-” Yoohyeon teases, but her voice sounds different from when you last spoke to her.

It’s as if we’ve gone back in time. She sounds youthful and hopeful, like the world hasn’t had the chance to crush her dreams yet.

“Tch, as if.” You brush off her teasing, just as you’ve done a million times before.

It hits you that you’ve quite literally had this conversation before.

~

When you were in middle school, you decided to stay after school one day a week to try and improve your archery skills. The range was always open to members and non-members to use, so you took advantage of that.

You, apparently, had forgotten that Yoohyeon had asked you to walk her home that day. She usually walked home with the girl that lived right next to her house. That day, Yoohyeon’s neighbor was sick, so apparently you were a good substitute because her mom didn’t trust her to walk home alone. You didn’t question it since you wanted to be on her mom’s good side, after all.

You were preparing to fire the last shot of the afternoon when Yoohyeon ran into the practice range. You didn’t notice until she spoke to you, and to be honest, she was lucky that you didn’t overreact or get scared. Moments like this usually caused you to be completely focused, and you didn’t tend to notice the outside world until you had to.

“What are you up to?” Yoohyeon cocked her head as you subtly rolled your eyes.

“What do you think, Einstein?” You sassed back to her as she huffed and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

“The sarcasm is unnecessary-”

“You came and interrupted me, so yes, Yoohyeon, I do think it is necessary.”

“Okay, well, if you want me to leave so badly, then I will.” Yoohyeon sighed heavily, and you turned your head to her for a moment.

“No, you should stay. You’re my lucky charm, after all. Maybe I’ll finally hit the bullseye when you’re here.”

You watched as Yoohyeon turned red at your words.

“You really think I’m your lucky charm?” The softness in her voice was unmistakable, as was the tension between the two of you.

You turned your head back to the target as you finally felt ready to release the arrow.

“No, I know that.”

You had let go of the arrow, and you watched as it whizzed through the air and landed directly in the middle of the board.

Bullseye, you thought, and it sure did hit where you aimed it.

You remembered how Yoohyeon screamed and gave you a big hug while you were still in shock.

“Y/N!! You really did it! I’m so proud of you.”

After she finished speaking, she pressed a soft kiss to your check. You were extremely flustered, but you tried to play it off in the best way you knew.

“It was all thanks to you, Yooh.”

Her warmth was the best part of that whole day. You weren’t sure if it was because of your aim, or because she kissed you, but you replayed that day over and over in your mind for many years to come.

~

You blink again, only to realize that you’re not at a practice range in your hometown, but rather on a grassy hill in the middle of Iowa.

What did I-

You realize that the arrow had already left your hands, and it had indeed hit your mark. A few inches below Chaeryeong’s arrow was your arrow, firmly lodged into the tree.

Did I really zone out that bad, or was the memory so strong that it took over my consciousness? How the hell did I do that?

Your thoughts continue to race as you tightly grip the bow in your hands.

“Nice shot, Y/N.” Chaeryeong says before taking the bow from your hands. “Let me know if you ever want to practice while we’re here. I wouldn’t mind having someone to shoot with every once in a while.”

You blink at her for a moment before you respond.

“Yeah, that sounds good.”

I really should go to bed soon. Maybe I’m just really tired, and I was daydreaming. While I was daydreaming, I managed to launch the bow. It’s an unlikely theory, but it’s the best one I have at the moment.

You turn to SuA as Chaeryeong grabs her bow and another arrow.

“You wouldn’t mind giving me a tour of the place, would you?”

SuA scrambles to get off of the ground, and you chuckle at her.

“I’d love to, Y/N!”

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