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dewdropdinosaur · 1 month

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Original Sin

LUCIFER x (GN ACE) READER

Summary: Lucifer really likes you and so flirts with you constantly. You like him too...just not in the way he thinks

Warnings: I am not asexual so I asked my ace friend for help on this but please let me know(kindly) if I need to change anything in order to more accurately represent the ace community

I can't remember who requested this - so if you did please comment below and I will tag you!

REQUESTS OPEN

In the bustling streets of Hell, where chaos and debauchery is always afoot, Lucifer Morningstar, the charismatic and mischievous ruler, was a force to be reckoned with. With his devilish charm and striking yet..short presence, he commanded the attention of demons wherever he went. But amidst the chaos, there was one individual who seemed immune to his advances—Y/N.

Y/N was unlike anyone Lucifer had ever encountered. They possessed a quiet demeanor that intrigued him, a calm amidst the storm of Hell's insanity. Despite his best efforts to charm them with his best sinful lines and flirtatious looks, Y/N remained seemingly unaffected, an imaginary barrier shielding them from Lucifer's flirtatious antics. Y/N's innocence and purity amidst the sea of sinners intrigued Lucifer, and he found himself drawn to them in a way he couldn't quite explain.

Yet, despite their differences, Y/N found themselves drawn to Lucifer in a way they couldn't put their finger on. His wit, his confidence, his undeniable allure—it all fascinated them, even if they didn't fully understand their own feelings. Despite Y/N's sexuality or lack thereof (which was something they were still coming to terms with), they couldn't help but feel a flutter of excitement whenever Lucifer flashed them one of his signature smirks or delivered a smooth line their way. They admired his confidence and charisma from afar, secretly harboring feelings for the devilishly handsome demon.

As days turned into weeks, Lucifer's advances grew bolder, much to Y/N's confusion and internal turmoil. They found themselves torn between their growing romantic affection for Lucifer and their uncertainty about how to navigate their asexuality in a world where desire and passion ran rampant and was ruled by the original sin himself! They enjoyed his company immensely, relishing in the moments they spent together that weren’t full of his attempts. Those quiet moments when he would let down the persona and be the kind, caring, and intelligent fallen angel. But still, Y/N couldn't shake the feeling of discomfort whenever Lucifer's flirtation veered into more intimate territory.

One fateful evening, as Y/N found themselves alone with Lucifer in the opulent lobby of Hazbin Hotel, the demon king seized the opportunity to make his feelings known in the only way he knew how - more flirting.

"Ah, my dear Y/N," Lucifer purred, his voice dripping with charm as he leaned in closer. "You've been on my mind quite a lot lately.~"

Y/N's heart skipped a beat at the sight of Lucifer's devilish grin, their cheeks flushing with a mixture of excited apprehension. "Oh, um, h-hi Lucifer," they stammered, their voice barely above a whisper.

Sensing Y/N's unease, Lucifer softened his expression, his eyes reflecting real concern as he reached out to gently cup their cheek. "Is something wrong Y/N? You seem...distant. Oh shit…did I make you uncomfortable?"

Y/N hesitated for a moment, their heart pounding in their chest as they prepared to reveal their truth to Lucifer. Taking a deep breath, they met his gaze, searching for any sign of judgment or rejection. But all they found was genuine curiosity and concern reflected in his eyes. Y/N swallowed hard, their mind racing as they searched for the right words to express themselves.

"I...I like you, Lucifer," they confessed, their voice trembling slightly. "But...I'm not like everyone else here. I...I don't feel...desire you the same way they do."

A flicker of understanding crossed Lucifer's features as he processed Y/N's words. Despite his reputation as the literal embodiment of sin and temptation, he was no stranger to the complexities of human emotion and nature.

"Ah, I see," Lucifer murmured, his tone gentle as he brushed a stray lock of hair away from Y/N's face. He lowered his voice to a calm purr as he gave them some space.

Lucifer's expression softened, a genuine curiosity replacing his usual playful demeanor. "I do believe the term is asexual?" he repeated, his tone gentle as he sought to understand.

Y/N's eyes widened in surprise, a wave of relief washing over them at Lucifer's understanding. "Y-yes," they whispered, feeling a weight lift off their shoulders as they finally spoke their truth aloud.

With a tender smile, Lucifer reached out to take Y/N's hand in his own, his touch surprisingly comforting despite the fiery aura that surrounded him. "There's nothing wrong with that, my dear," he reassured them. "You're perfect just the way you are."

With a grin and a twirl of his cane, Lucifer plopped down on a lush chair beside Y/N.

"Tell me more, my dear. I want to understand."

And so, Y/N found themselves explaining their asexuality to Lucifer, revealing the complexities of their identity and the emotions that accompanied it. To their surprise, Lucifer listened attentively and asked questions when appropriate, his curiosity evolving into genuine empathy.

As Y/N poured their heart out to him, Lucifer's admiration for them only grew. In that moment, he realized that their connection transcended mere physical attraction—it was rooted in something deeper, something far more meaningful.

“Thank you for trusting me with this knowledge my dear, I am very grateful you told me! But not onto important matters…what color should your rubber duck shirt be now? Would you like it to be your pride flag? OOooo that would be so FUN!”

In that moment, Y/N felt a wave of warmth wash over them, their fears and uncertainties melting away in the presence of Lucifer's understanding. And as they gazed into each other's eyes, they knew that their bond was stronger than any fleeting desire—it was built on a foundation of trust, acceptance, and unconditional love. All of Hell did agree, they did make the cutest couple in the end carrying those twinning pride flag rubber ducks around.

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castiellesbian · 5 months

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Deangirls are my allies in the Destiel war but when they veer uncomfortably far into cascrit territory I start hovering my finger over the big red button labelled "DEAN'S SEASON 9 CRIMES" ready to detonate

#kidding none of this is important

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toskarin · 3 months

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Do you feel despair in your creative fields do to the recent AI boon? you think it's still at all worth trying at all to learn and improve given it's pretty much a lost battle?

despair? not especially.

is it still worth it? it was never worth it, but that hasn't exactly been a strong factor in stopping people, historically

I think that a lot of points raised about why people will still choose to pay for human-made art veer into uncomfortably spiritual territory, something about the essence of the designer, but I do believe that there will always be a market for that sort of thing as long as people like other people

while it can be kind of a comforting thought that the pursuit of higher skill equals higher reward, it really ends up being based more around how well you can network while being an interesting person (and generally not being impossible to work with). both matter of course, but you've gotta have people who want to buy things before you can hawk them

as long as people are fascinated with other people, they'll want to own things to feel closer to those people

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smytherines · 2 months

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Extremely specific neurodivergent curtwen headcanons that crack me like an egg:

ADHD Agent Mega is practically fan canon at this point, but I feel like we focus on him being bored & fidgeting more than other ADHD issues. Like I imagine so much of his macho guy bluster is 1. from being gay in a homophobic society, but also 2. From Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria. I dunno, something about the way he gets so flustered and defensive when people criticize him (which happens constantly)?

I've been thinking about maybe Curt being dyslexic? Like maybe he doesn't read briefings because they're already difficult to focus on, but also they're literally difficult to read? He mixes up information no matter how hard he tries. He's learned to stop trying and pretend he's just too cool for that nerd shit, but whenever someone gives him a hard time for screwing up he takes it really really personally? He has big emotional outbursts, which is especially tough as a closeted gay man in the 1950s-1960s

I have a lot of headcanon about autistic Owen Carvour, but it's kinda weird because he's canonically the villain of SAF, and that tends to stray uncomfortably into "he was always a monster" OR "the fall made him into a monster." So with autistic Owen headcanon it veers too close to saying that being autistic made him a monster (yikes, no) or that becoming disabled (no way in hell he doesn't have chronic pain issues after all that) made him a monster (also yikes, no).

So for me, the way that I frame it is like... okay so Owen is literally masking in the show, but I think about what that says about him that one of the major details we know about him is that he is very good at pretending to be other people. I'm a heavily masked autist myself, so this really resonates with me. With autistic men there are some very specific stereotypes like math, bad at social interaction, etc. But I think Owen would have a profile more stereotypically attributed to women: being hyper aware of everything around him, using "movie talk" or just remembering interactions with others and having a script. I don't know how to explain it exactly, but it's like you enter a situation and you can more or less suss out what people are expecting from you in that situation, so you just flip through your mental rolodex of phrases and deliveries and ways to stand and hold your face that align with their expectations of you. You become adept at blending in.

I would fully believe that Owen reads every briefing multiple times and has charts and diagrams, and maybe before the fall part of why he does that is that he knows Curt is a talented agent but just struggles with that part of the job, and Owen feels protective of him. Like he gets that Curt is impulsive and feels the need to be a counterweight to that. It feels like Curt blocks out information and takes in stimuli, and Owen blocks out stimuli but takes in as much info as humanly possible.

Then there's all the villain shit obviously. This is extreme headcanon territory, but one part of being autistic is what they call the "autistic sense of justice." That absolutely does not mean that autistic people have some preternatural ability to be eternally on the right side of history, we all have our individual identities and experiences coloring what we consider "justice," but just on a personal level being autistic and becoming disabled radicalized me. It led to me becoming anti-capitalist & anti-imperialist. It drastically changed my perception of right and wrong because I had to interrogate my own understanding of power, the way the concept of "crime" is created (like you get jail time for shoplifting, but your boss doesn't get punished at all for stealing money out of your paycheck).

I've already done ridiculous long posts about the political stuff, but I do think that an autistic person, especially one who has gone through a massive trauma, might come through it with a new understanding that the US/UK governments are actually pretty awful, that ignorant brutes shouldn't be in charge of politics and information.

I dunno I probably have more but I've already dumped too much here

#spies are forever #owen carvour #agent curt mega #curtwen #ND curtwen #autistic owen #adhd agent mega

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evilscuderia · 4 months

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yes i find the whole lestappen thing aggravating in general but what really doesn't sit right with me is the tendency to use their personal trauma and/or losses for what at the end of the day is personal enjoyment. i don't wanna go into rpf discourse territory but i personally find it uncomfortable when the exploration of certain themes goes beyond personal reflection and veers into examination purely aimed at manufacturing angst for online stories and/or edits. it feels exploitative and invasive and i'm not only talking about charles and his father and jules as i feel the exact same way about max and his abusive father.

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bratshaws · 7 months

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through the hourglass 254. brb x oc

a/n: sorry for no smut, just had...an off day and couldn't really write it :/ but i did enjoy this chapter a lot (comments and reblogs are super welcome and encouraged!)

pairing: plus size!oc x rooster

warnings: none uwu

goodness gracious (pls read this one to know more what this fic is about!!)

chapter

/210/211/212/213/214/215/216/217/218/219/220/221/222/223/224

/225/226/227/228/229/230/231/232/233/234/235/236/237/238

/239/240/241/242/243/244/245/246/247/248/249/250/251/252

/253

(pls let me know if you want to be added to the taglist! )

taglist: @mirandastuckinthe80s @roosterschanelslut @wiipes @lcahwriter @novastories @gretagerwigsmuse @frenchtoastix @lizzie-rdj @fanboyluvr @atarmychick007 @comebacktoearthpls

@peachiicherries @mak-32 @lizziespidiepridie @roosterswifey @ollyoxenfrees @piceous21 @sqrlgrl22 @hofficoffi @lexhalstead3 @lorilane33 @legendarydreamersharkparty @luckyladycreator2

@emilybradshaw @louisahale @leobabbyyy @booklover2sblog @winter-run @ktjmac @graciereads @bigpoppajes @taytaylala12

@caitsymichelle13 @becks-things @caatheeriinee07 @fanboyswhore9 @jesfreedark @katiemcrae @lilmonstrjedi @hobiismyhopeu @teacupsandtopgun @insominac23 @gh0stsgoodgirl @mygyn @chavivaelisheva @kmc1989 @enchantingharmonyalpaca

Call him protective but his hand hasn’t left Beatrice since they sat down. He either kept his hand on her thigh or on her shoulder or at her lower back. She appreciated it, because she was just quietly letting Miranda talk while politely nodding to everything that came out of that woman’s mouth.

She had no idea what was coming out of her mouth.

Maybe she was dissociating again, hard to say.

She sent Rooster a quick look while she brought her straw to her lips, swallowing some of the cranberry juice quietly as she took in her husband’s reaction. His jaw muscle was jumping, he was annoyed.

“Oh but,anyway,” Miranda giggles, waving her hand, “You two, right, how do you deal with the whole deployment thing?” Bea tries to answer, but Miranda immediately cuts her off, ‘Because I have such a hard time with Mark,my goodness, he’s so handsome it’s sometimes hard to imagine women not throwing themselves at him.”

Beatrice felt a surge of annoyance rise within her as Miranda continued to prattle on, her words veering into uncomfortable territory. She couldn't help but notice the smug grin on Miranda's face as she mentioned her husband's supposed desirability, and it grated on her nerves.

Rooster's grip on her hand tightened subtly, his irritation palpable but still hidden. He shot Beatrice a quick, reassuring glance before turning his attention back to Miranda. "Well, Miranda," he replied evenly, his tone controlled, "it's all about trust and communication in our relationship. We know we can rely on each other, and that makes the distance more bearable."

Beatrice nodded in agreement, doing her best to maintain her composure despite Miranda's intrusive questions. "Yes," she added, "and staying connected through phone calls and video chats helps bridge the gap."

Miranda's smile remained in place, but there was a calculating glint in her eyes. "I see," she said, her voice dripping with faux innocence. "But it must be difficult, don't you think? The temptation is always there."

Rooster's jaw clenched, and he took a deep breath before responding. "Trust is a powerful thing," he said firmly. "And we have complete trust in each other. That's what makes our relationship strong."

Beatrice couldn't help but admire Rooster's ability to maintain his composure in the face of Miranda's probing questions. She knew he was fiercely protective of their relationship and their family, and he was dangerously calm now.

Miranda seemed satisfied with Rooster's response, at least for the moment. She shifted the conversation to another topic, asking about their plans for the future. “So you work at a bar.”

“Yes.”

“Hmmm,I see.” Miranda plays with her drink, “What’s it like? You like it?”

Beatrice blinked, then shrugged her shoulders with a small smile, “...yes,I love it, I’ve been working there for the past five years.”

Miranda raised an eyebrow, her gaze scrutinizing. "A bar can be quite the interesting place," she commented, her tone laced with subtle condescension. "I'm sure you have plenty of stories to tell."

Beatrice's smile remained polite, though her patience was beginning to wear thin. "Oh, there are always interesting characters and stories," she replied, choosing her words carefully. "It's part of what makes the job unique."

Miranda seemed unfazed by Beatrice's measured response, her eyes never leaving Beatrice's face. "And Rooster," she continued, "how do you feel about Beatrice working in such an environment? I can imagine it's not easy."

Rooster’s interest was brief, his eyebrow kicking up. "Beatrice is fantastic at her job," he said, his tone leaving no room for doubt. "I have complete trust in her."

Beatrice felt a rush of warmth in her heart and she smiles. She reached for his hand under the table, giving it a gentle squeeze and he squeezed right back.

Miranda, however, was not deterred. She leaned in closer, her gaze locked onto Beatrice's. "It's just that," she began, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, "working in a bar can expose one to all sorts of...temptations, don't you think?"

Beatrice’s teeth clenched and she was almost glad Rooster didn’t hear that conversation, but her hand squeezed his fingers in an almost painful way. Her husband's subtle wince wasn’t seen by her, but she did rub her thumb against his hand to apologize, “Excuse me.” she stands up, “I have to go to the bathroom. Roos,” he turns over to her, eyebrows low and eyes worried, “I’ll be right back.”

She hated leaving Rooster alone with those two, but she needed a break.

Rooster nodded in understanding, his concern evident in his eyes as Beatrice excused herself from the table. He watched her go, his gaze lingering on her until she disappeared from sight.

Beatrice’s heels clicked as she sped through the rich people surrounding her, eventually finding the large bathroom and locking herself in one of the stalls. She grounds, sitting on the closed toilet with her lower lip disappearing into her mouth as she tries her breathing exercises.

Smell the flower,blow the candle.

Repeat.

But she was so angry, she was so annoyed and they just got there. She didn’t want to cause a scene…so she decided to call Shells. Hopefully her friend could help in some way.

“Helloooo…”

“Hi Shells.”Bea whispers, keeping her head up with a hand on her cheek, “How’s Nikki doing?”

On the other end of the line, Shells's voice was warm. "Nikki's doing great," she replied, "Bob is keeping her entertained, and she's been such a little sweetheart today. How's everything going with you and Rooster?"

Beatrice let out a sigh, her frustration and anxiety bubbling just beneath the surface. "It's…complicated," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "We're at dinner with the Haltons, and it's just...unpleasant."

Shells's hum meant a lot, but especially meant a ‘no,really?’ "Well,wanna share, Bea?"

Beatrice hesitated for a moment, not wanting to reveal too much, especially over the phone. But she needed to talk to someone, to vent her frustrations. "They're prying into our lives," she finally said, her voice tinged with frustration. "Asking personal questions, trying to dig into our family and careers. It's like they're interrogating us."

"That sounds incredibly invasive," she replied. “Fuckin’ annoying too. You think they are up to something?”

Beatrice wasn't sure, but the unease in the air and the Haltons' persistent questioning made her suspicious. "I don't know," she admitted, rubbing her temples. "But I can't shake the feeling and it's making me so angry."

"Try to stay calm, Bea," she suggested. "Don't let them get to you."

“You are telling me to calm down?” the brunette chuckles, surprised, “That’s new.”

“Bea,hey,come on.I’m a good example….but really you can beat them up if you want.”

Beatrice couldn't help but chuckle at Shells's attempt to lighten the mood. "I'll keep that in mind," she replied, her tone softening. "Thanks for being a good friend, Shells. I just needed to vent a bit."

Shells laughed on her end of the line. "Anytime, Bea," she said warmly. "You know I've got your back. And if you ever need help plotting revenge on the Haltons, just give me a call."

Beatrice couldn't help but smile. "I might take you up on that offer," she replied. "Thanks, Shells.I gotta go now. See you soon,okay?"

"Oke doke, Bumblebea," Shells said. "Take care.You and Rooster will get through this. Peace out."

With a final exchange of goodbyes, Beatrice hung up the phone and turned her attention back to the bathroom door, inhaling shakily and trying her best to go back to them without losing her mind. The prickling of her anxiety appeared, but she was going to be okay.

Beatrice took a moment to compose herself, taking a deep breath and running her fingers through her hair. She couldn't let the Haltons' intrusive questions and condescending attitude get to her. They were guests at this dinner, and she and Rooster had the upper hand in controlling the situation.

As she reentered the dining area, Rooster immediately looked back at her, his conversation with Mark forgotten for a second as he waits for her. Beatrice took her seat next to him and gave him a reassuring smile, placing her hand on his thigh under the table.

Miranda seemed to have picked up on Beatrice's momentary absence, and her gaze lingered on her as she returned to the table. "Is everything all right, Beatrice?" she asked, her voice dripping with faux concern.

Beatrice met Miranda's gaze with a cool, composed expression. "Everything's fine, Miranda," she replied, her tone calm and measured. "I just needed to use the bathroom." she turned to Rooster, “Did I miss something?”

Translation: did they do something?

Rooster gave Beatrice's hand on his thigh a reassuring squeeze under the table, his eyes never leaving hers. "Nothing important," he replied, his tone casual. "Just some small talk."

Beatrice nodded, her smile remaining in place as she turned her attention back to the table. She couldn't let Miranda's probing questions or her condescending attitude get to her. “That’s good.”

The dinner conversation continued, but the tension between Rooster, Beatrice, and the Haltons remained palpable. Miranda seemed to take the lead in directing the conversation, while Mark chimed in with his own comments, all carefully veiled with passive-aggressiveness.

Miranda's tone turned even more condescending as she addressed Beatrice once again. "Beatrice," she began, her voice dripping with sweetness, "I couldn't help but notice the lovely family photos in your home. You must cherish your role as a mother."

Beatrice maintained her composure, though her grip on Rooster's thigh tightened slightly under the table. She knew Miranda was trying to provoke her, but she wasn't going to take the bait. "I do," she replied evenly, her tone unwavering. "My family means the world to me."

Miranda's smile remained in place, but her eyes gleamed with something that made Beatrice uneasy. "That's wonderful to hear," she said, her words laced with hidden meaning. "It's important to have priorities, after all."

Beatrice’s eyes squinted, “What’s that supposed to mean?” and Rooster had to bite back his smirk because that was usually his line.

Miranda's smile widened, her tone still sugary sweet. "Oh, Beatrice," she replied, her voice dripping with condescension, "it's just an observation. Family is such a precious thing, isn't it?"

Beatrice kept her eyes on Miranda, tapping the bottom of her glass repeatedly against the table. The little string that kept her anger in check snapped and her smile turned predatory, “Why are you asking me that?” she tilts her head, “You seem very interested in our family. Just like your husband is interested in my husband’s family and my job at the bar?” her smile widened, “Why don’t we talk about that?”

The air in the private dining area seemed to grow heavier as Beatrice's words hung in the space between them. Rooster couldn't help but feel a sense of pride in his wife for standing her ground and confronting the Haltons directly. He kept a watchful eye on Mark and Miranda, ready for their response.

Miranda's smile never wavered, but there was a glint of annoyance in her eyes. "Beatrice, dear," she replied, her tone still saccharine, "you seem to be misunderstanding our intentions. We're just trying to get to know our neighbors better, that's all."

Beatrice tutted, “Oh no, getting to know your neighbors is one thing," she said, her voice firm, "but prying into their personal lives and making veiled insinuations is another." she smiles more, “I can read people well.”

Rooster watched as Mark, who had been relatively quiet during the exchange, finally spoke up. "Beatrice," he said with a smooth smile, "we apologize if our questions came across as intrusive. That wasn't our intention."

Rooster couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at Mark's response. It was clear that the Haltons were trying to downplay their probing questions and the underlying tension in the room.

Miranda, however, wasn't about to let the matter drop. "We're just concerned, that's all," she added, her tone faux-concerned. "We-”

“Your concern is gathered but not welcome.” Beatrice’s voice turns firm, in a way Rooster had never seen before…and it was really attractive, “We have a very,very good life.” her voice shakes a bit, “And my husband is really good at what he does…Miranda were you a bully when you were younger?”

Miranda's smile remained in place, but her eyes glittered with irritation at Beatrice's boldness. "Beatrice, dear," she replied, her tone still sugary, "we're only looking out for our neighbors. It's natural to be curious, don't you think?"

“You said that before. And you didn’t answer my question.” she taps her glass a bit harder, “Because you remind me a lot of my former bullies.”

The tension in the private dining area grew thicker with each passing moment. Rooster could feel it coiling around them, a palpable force that hung in the air. Beatrice's direct confrontation had caught the Haltons off guard, and they were struggling to maintain their facade of politeness.

Mark cleared his throat, his smile still in place but strained. "Beatrice," he said, his tone attempting to regain control of the conversation, "we certainly didn't mean to offend you. We're just curious about our new neighbors, that's all."

Beatrice leaned back in her chair, her eyes never leaving Miranda's. "Curiosity is one thing," she replied, her voice steady, "but prying and insinuations are another."

Miranda's eyes flickered with annoyance, but she maintained her composure. "We apologize if we gave you the wrong impression," she said, her voice icy. "We only wanted to make friendly conversation."

Rooster could see the thinly veiled frustration on Miranda's face, and he knew that their direct approach had rattled her. But Beatrice could be even more protective than he was,especially when it came to them and their family, “You were almost asking if we ever cheated on one another.” Rooster chokes on his beverage as Beatrice says that, “And that isn’t friendly conversation.”

He was having a hard time holding back his laughter, those two looked absolutely gobsmacked.

Mark and Miranda exchanged glances. It was clear that their attempts to steer the conversation back to a more polite tone were failing. Miserably.

Mark finally spoke up again, his tone strained but still attempting to maintain a facade of civility. "Beatrice, we truly didn't mean to overstep," he said, "and we apologize if our questions were intrusive."

Miranda chimed in, her voice dripping with insincerity. "Yes," she said, "we simply wanted to get to know our neighbors better, that's all."

Beatrice sighed, “You keep repeating that.” and she sips her drink, smacking her lips, “And I keep not believing it, so here’s my little something I kinda gathered: you were a queen bee back in Virginia, probably one of the best - in your mind - military wives in your neighborhood.” Miranda’s smile finally dropped, she got her, “And you don’t like how I manage things with Rooster so well, because we have great chemistry.”

She pauses, looking down in her glass. “Damn is there alcohol on this,Roos?”

“I don’t think so,gorgeous.” Rooster couldn't help but smirk as he watched Beatrice deftly navigate the conversation, exposing Miranda's thinly veiled attempts at politeness for what they truly were. It was clear that Miranda was growing increasingly uncomfortable with Beatrice's directness, and he couldn't blame her.

Mark cleared his throat, attempting to regain control of the conversation. "Beatrice," he said, his tone carefully measured, "we appreciate your insights, but I assure you, we have no ulterior motives."

“I mean you did kinda hound my uncle at the base.”Rooster finally speaks, “You also ask some weird shit,Mark. So, to us, this whole dinner seems like a reason to ‘know your enemy’ than anything else. I mean,dude, we are both in the Navy, both pilots…I didn’t even know you until a few weeks ago.”

Mark cleared his throat again, his tone forcedly pleasant, voice raspy because the saliva was gone from his mouth. "Rooster, Beatrice," he began, "we may have had some misunderstandings, but we truly want to put them behind us. We're neighbors, after all."

Both Bradshaws stared at them, then Rooster placed his glass down, “You know, I think you two are just too…what’s the word,gorgeous?”

“Intrusive.”

“Yes and very,very strange. So…” he taps his hand on the table, “I don’t think there’s…anything else to talk about, so we just might go,huh Bea?”

Beatrice nodded in agreement, a slight edge to her smile. "I think that's a good idea, Roos," she said, her voice polite but firm. "We appreciate the dinner invitation, but it's getting late, and we should head home."

“But–”

“No buts.” Rooster says firmly, “This dinner was…interesting. But let’s keep this professional.” he snaps his finger, “By the way, we’ve been here before. We know the owner.”

Neither of them said anything. Rooster pulled a few dollar bills from his wallet, then placed it on the table, “Here, our share.” he leans back and placed a hand on Bea’s waist, “Good evening.” luckily, the people inside Oda were too busy with themselves to notice the tense conversation they were having and if they did, they didn’t care.

Beatrice let Rooster guide her down the stairs towards the entrance, thanking the hostess who was nothing but kind to them - although she seemed upset she’d have to deal with only the Haltons now.

The brisk night air greeted Rooster and Beatrice as they stepped out of the restaurant. They walked in silence for a few moments, the weight of the evening's encounter still heavy on their minds as they waited for the valet.

Finally, Beatrice spoke, her voice reflective. "That was...strange," she said, her brow furrowing. "I've never felt so scrutinized during a dinner."

Rooster nodded in agreement, his expression serious. "Yeah," he replied. "It was like they were trying to dig into our lives, figure us out."

Beatrice glanced over at her husband, "Do you think they're going to stop, Roos?" she asked quietly. "I mean, they kept pushing…"

Rooster considered her question carefully "I don't know,gorgeous," he admitted. "But I think for now, we are done with it."

“Hm…okay.”

“By the way,” he whistled low, “Damn…damn that was hot.” she blinked up at him, “I love when you get all protective of me, it’s so hot, baby.” he looks around to check if anyone was close by, leaning down once he noticed the street was empty, “I gotta say…” he gently drags his finger down her cleavage until it reaches the fabric of her dress, “Kinda…made me hungry for a little snack.”

Her pupils dilated and her lower lip slid into her mouth, “...oh?” “Yeah…I really,really want a taste.” he smirks, kissing her lips briefly, thumb gently rubbing her lower lip to expose the soft pink underside, “Been cravin’ some peaches lately.”

#bradley rooster bradshaw #rooster bradshaw #bradley bradshaw x oc #top gun maverick #bradley bradshaw x reader #bradley bradshaw x female reader #bradley bradshaw x named reader #tgm oc #tgm fic #tgm fanfiction

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allthelittlecreepycrawlies · 1 month

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OK big thanks to @micchikureshima for letting me rant this concept out in discord because otherwise I probably never would have gotten it typed.

This is basically throwing together multiple ideas i've already posted (the meng yao has serious misconceptions idea and the tumblr post about the sect rejecting huaisang as heir and him leaving to keep from forcing mingjue between a rock and a hard place) into one vaguely coherent storyline.

Also it's gonna be long, so some of it will go under a cut.

Starting with that fic where Meng Yao wakes up to find Nie Huaisang burying a bird he couldn't save, slide to the left into a timeline where Meng Yao didn't go outside and thus never got his POV recontextualized. Having only his preconceived notions and gossip to go on, he starts quietly developing a resentment against Huaisang.

It kind of comes to a head when he's convinced to accept some local wine at a dinner and is so not ready for the paint thinner they drink in Qinghe. In vino veritas or a reversal of the 'confessing to a crush while drunk' trope where he says some very uncharitable things about Huaisang while plastered.

When he wakes up the next morning with a massive hangover and remembers what happened, he's mortified and convinced he's in so much trouble.

But... he's not?

In fact, his insults towards the sect heir seems to have actually gained him some popularity, even among disciples and soldiers who didn't like him before. And while Nie Mingjue isn't among the ones who outright thought it was funny, even he says his silly useless brother brought it on himself, and maybe he'll learn from it.

And Huaisang definitely learned from it, even if the only lesson he took was to avoid Meng Yao completely to keep from being further humiliated. The only time they're in the same room together after that is if Huaisang can't get out of it.

Like when Nie Mingjue sends Meng Yao along with the prospective students to make sure there are no Incidents, not caring how uncomfortable his brother is about it. Grow up, Huaisang, you're going to be dealing with people who don't like you your entire life, it's just a thing people expected to work in politics have to live with.

On the trip, Meng Yao notices that while he doesn't keep any, Huaisang seems to be able to charm wild birds with ease. It briefly makes him wonder about the aviary… but no, not important.

It's not enough for him to start questioning his earlier opinions.

Veering fully into CQL-territory for a moment, Huaisang gets home on time this go around instead of making the long detour because he doesn't want to be stuck with Meng Yao any longer than necessary, but the Yunmeng group still arrives with Xue Yang in tow, the Wens still show up, Meng Yao still gets injured, Xue Yang still gets freed, and the captain still gets killed.

When Meng Yao finds himself banished, he is caught off guard when Nie Huaisang is angry about it (this time entirely because he thinks it's bad form to exile someone who's still badly wounded, especially when they got that wound in the line of duty), but he correctly believes nothing will come of it when Huaisang says he'll talk to his brother, so he leaves while Huaisang is gone. Back to MDZS canon but with a bonus character, It's not until the Phoenix Mountain Hunt, when Jin Guangyao is having to put up with his family's general everything that the situation changes.

Shortly after his father has read him the riot act over the Jiang sect's behavior during the hunt, he comes across Nie Huaisang and Nie Zonghui quietly talking on one of the guest balconies.

"It's probably just different when it's family. Or else I'm just that much of a monster, if I'm less forgivable than someone like Jin Guangshan."

…Oh.

Jin Guangyao doesn't stick around to hear what Nie Zonghui says in response, but the short exchange haunts him as he goes back to his duties.

What has Huaisang done that's in any way comparable to his relatives' behavior?

Now that he's trying to actually think of anything, he can't find an answer.

In fact, he can't stop wondering if he hadn't been coloring Huaisang's behavior with Jin gold the entire time, his first encounter with his father's sect having tainted his opinion. He'll apologize, he decides.

But he doesn't get the chance before the conference is over, kept so busy by everyone's demands that he can barely catch his breath. and even after the other sects are gone, his father constantly has new tasks and orders and creepy little plots for him to carry out.

Before he realizes it, it's been almost a month.

And then his spies in Qinghe tell him about the inheritance chaos going on in the Unclean Realms.

And then Nie Huaisang is gone. Walked out into the night and vanished with only a letter to his brother left behind.

Nie Mingjue of course doesn't bring it up with him, why would he? Even if they've sworn brotherhood, they're still mostly on the outs. but he hears from er-ge that Nie Mingjue won't talk about it with anyone, not even him. Just keeping it all bottled up and boiling.

He should be relieved, even with this new source of tension. Now it doesn't matter if he apologizes or not.

That doesn't make the discomfort go away, though, because he's plagued by the same doubts as Nie Mingjue, wondering how much he contributed to public opinion eventually forcing Huaisang out.

Months later, just after Jin Ling is born, Jin Guangshan is already expecting to throw a massively extravagant hundred days celebration and has Jin Guangyao making all the arrangements and gathering all the necessary supplies.

His current assignment is to visit some merchants the Jin sect occasionally does business with in a little port town in order to arrange some expensive future kitchen deliveries.

There's a painter doing portraits for a tourist couple on one of the piers.

Nie Huaisang is almost unrecognizable. He's thinner, his clothes are plain and unadorned, his hair pulled up into a bun with no braids. If it weren't for the black and gold bird singing on his shoulder as he works, Jin Guangyao would have overlooked him entirely, and even then, it's only the green eyes that make him realize just who he's looking at.

He watches as Huaisang chats amiably with the couple, all bubbling cheer like he used to be whenever trying to win friends, and Jin Guangyao wonders if leaving the sect has really had any effect on him at all. And then as soon as they walk away, happy with their souvenir, the mask vanishes and he looks so tired and withdrawn, even as the bird comforts him by pulling at his hair.

Ah. Jin Guangyao knows all too well what it's like wearing that mask.

It looks like the apology will still be necessary.

Jin Guangyao manages to coax huaisang into at least meeting for dinner if only for a free meal, and it becomes clear as they exchange (mostly) meaningless small talk that while Huaisang has a lot of 'neighbors' because he does a lot of small clerical or scribing jobs here and there, he has completely given up on any actual social relationships and mostly keeps to himself.

And he doesn't really believe the apology, mostly because it seems everyone else agrees with Jin Guangyao's original opinions of him, so why would he walk it back? But he's grateful for the food anyway, so Jin Guangyao decides that has to be enough for now and he'll work on proving his change of heart in other small ways when he's not as constrained by having to conduct sect business matters on this trip.

With the hatchet sort of buried, Jin Guangyao will report on what he's seen to Nie Mingjue.

It turns out Mingjue hasn't even opened any of his brother's letters, though he's been keeping them all. He's convinced himself they'll just make him madder and he's barely holding it together as it is. But whatever Jin Guangyao tells him makes him finally read them, and when the last one mentions giving up on writing, he realizes it's been almost a month and a half since it was sent, when before, the letters had been arriving practically weekly.

Fuck. Huaisang really did give up. All he's been doing by keeping this bottled up is pushing his brother even further away.

He decides that a response letter at this point won't do, and besides, he wants to see for himself this new (difficult, if Jin Guangyao didn't lie) life Huaisang's been living.

The resulting…. not a confrontation, but not exactly a reunion in the seaside town is super awkward and uncomfortable for both Nie brothers, but at least it ends with them understanding each other a little bit better? At least they'll start writing each other properly, as will Jin Guangyao and Huaisang.

(And that's pretty much as far as I got on this idea, so it'll stay pretty open ended.)

#mdzs #ideas #nie mingjue #nie huaisang #jin guangyao #nie sect #possible future sangyao? i mean not guaranteed but it IS me writing this

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incensuous · 4 months

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apo//thecary diaries spoilers/rant

i just finished vol5 of the light novel and im bursting at the seams, dont mind me im just rambling to myself

i LOVE jinshi and maomao, i ADORE them to bits and pieces, both of them have deeply endeared me.

however, i'm seriously questioning a handful of noncon moments where jinshi is more or less "gently" forcing himself onto maomao. who clearly and abundantly shows her disinterest, often physically and verbally. and usually i'm whatever about noncon in fics and can enjoy it, but to see the really bizarre noncon in this series that isnt... really... about that? it feels so strange.

the romance is veering into territory i am disappointed by because it does feel a bit cliche and has the classic whiff of "kinda rapey male lead noncons his way onto female lead, sexy!" which... part of me understands since maomao is SO obstinately ignorant (willingly so, typically)

it starts from when jinshi pins maomao down in a cave, when they're alone, in a very sexual way. they are interrupted by being rescued, and he is frustrated she tries to play dumb about him not being a eunuch, considering he was trying to tell her his real identity.

he seems to apologize for it, offering her an extremely rare medicinal ingredient which she is over the moon for and promptly ignores whatever the hell he's trying to say lol

2. as they are concluding an INSANE non-romance plot arc, the two of them are resting (amongst a bunch of seemingly dead children), he attempts to corner her and kiss her. they're conveniently interrupted when the children RESURRECT LOL she's trying to warm up the UNDEAD children and he's all *bedroom eyes* "can we continue this later?" time and place, jinshi!!!

3. in a different moment, he, i'm not kidding, BITES her. he just bites her goddamn neck. she smacks him across the shoulder. then he falls asleep in her lap which is cute but ... HELLO??? JINSHI????? WHY THE BITE???? i think that is singlehandedly tHE most out of pocket thing he's fucking done yet. it's also just so smutty the way it's described, there's a string of saliva as he pulls back from her neck????? am i on ao3 by accident?!

4. there's PLENTY of very very cute iconic moments too, don't get me wrong, it makes me squeal like crazy. but vol5 ends with jinshi finding maomao outside of the party (classic), and then gets frustrated with her suggesting he marry a "safe choice". then he cHOKES her. HE STRAIGHT UP JUST TWISTS HER ARM AND CHOKES HER. she tells him, "it hurts" and he just says, "oh, does it?" of course, he eventually stops and then holds her until she gets mad at him. and then he is pushing her back down towards the bench, laying on top of her.

after the first instance in the cave, i kind of brushed it off like. that was weird, but i was extremely delirious over jinshi's whimpering and that totally clouded my judgment lol.

but now with all of these other scenes, i'm still in love with them but i have to admit i'm feeling a little conflicted. maomao's pov is always that he looks at her with eyes like a "feral dog", and that she is trying to get away. it kind of breaks my heart. she says "He will devour her, all in the pursuit for something that wasn't even there." like, YES i am thirsty for jinshi so the idea of him having bedroom eyes is hot, but the way maomao is so uncomfortable with it genuinely upsets me...

#incensuous personal #im still utterly invested in them but im a bit worried now #its 3am.. i gotta wake up early to finishing cleaning before my friends come over #i want to keep reading it but good god i need to sleep

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live-from-flaturn · 9 months

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Number 25: Wrapping arms around them when they make breakfast. Bonus points if whoever's cooking is terrible at it.

somehow this thing started off with vaguely horny vibes and then, as per usual, veered directly into character study territory and got sickeningly soft. thanks for the lovely prompt, darlin'!

tw: references to Korn in passing

wordcount: approx. 700

Title: "Tasting Sunrise"

Chay slips his arms around Kim’s waist and hooks his chin over his boyfriend’s shoulder. He watches as Thailand’s current indie sweetheart and rising star stirs wayyyyyy too much chili paste into the soup he’s making. “Whatcha doing, Phi?”

“What does it look like?” Kim sniffs. “I’m making us breakfast.”

“Are you secretly trying to kill me and collect my hefty life insurance policy?”

“Wh– Why would you ask that?!” Kim spins around in his arms, looking so completely horrified that, for a split-second, Porchay feels kinda bad…

Then he takes in the ‘Fuck You, it’s MY Kitchen’ apron (which Tankhun had special-ordered when Kim nearly burned down the house last summer making grilled cheese), Kim’s untouched bedhead, and his own rumpled Wik tee covering Kim’s chest. A smile blooms softly across his face. There’s no urgency in the gesture, no driving need to ease Kim’s worry – because Kim is already calm again. One look is all it takes now that they’ve learned how real communication works.

“That’s a lot of chili, P’Kim.” Chay noses along the hinge of Kim’s jaw until Kim finally relaxes back against him and exposes his neck for more. “Are you feeling congested, or did I snore last night and you’re trying to fix the problem with folk medicine?”

“Is it really that much?” Kim blinks at him innocently. Chay still can't believe that for all his ferality, all his killing and maiming and committing violent crimes on a near-weekly basis, Kim has no fucking clue how to read recipes. Something about cooking simply doesn't click; and that's fine with Chay, because cooking is his happy place.

Therapy rocks and he’ll always be grateful for his access to solid mental healthcare – but sometimes, in the quiet of their kitchen, nothing soothes him faster or better than slicing up vegetables and mixing the correct ratio of seasonings into his broth base. He makes Kim a variety of healthy food and takes great pride in doing so.

“I love you so much, P’Kim… But there’s a reason I make breakfast when we have the time to eat together.”

Kim pouts cutely up at him in disappointment so Chay smacks a kiss to his forehead. Totally fair compensation, in his opinion. “How about we go out for food, instead? There’s a new crepe place down the block that looks awesome and the reviews are good.”

“I like crepes.”

“Precisely my point.”

“Alright,” Kim smiles and turns off the stove. Chay follows him into the bedroom, pinching at his hips to keep them from getting distracted on the way.

“Thank you for taking care of me,” Chay whispers, just before they leave the apartment. He takes one of Kim’s hands in both of his and presses several kisses along the ridge of Kim's knuckles. “But please don’t push yourself to do things that make you uncomfortable for my sake. We both make up each other’s slack, right?”

Kim looks apprehensive at this request. Wary. Almost as if he's been cornered.

Chay wonders darkly if he’s been to visit Korn in the last twenty-four hours.

“I make us healthy, tasty dinners and sometimes breakfast. You check the deadbolts every night and keep a holster under your bedside table,” Chay ticks the items off on his fingers as if he’s making a numbered list. Mostly he wants Kim to understand his point. Kim nods along, so he continues:

“I keep track of our toiletries and resupply when we’re at the store. You have a cool sixth sense about when we’re low on coffee beans, so we never run out. Cats come up to me on the street so we can both pet them. Your fans take candids of us petting cats together on the street and post them online for me to collect. We’re symbiotic, Kim. Not like Venom, I mean, but like two separate people who fit very well together.”

Kim pops onto his toes in order to bestow a pleased kiss to Chay’s lips. Chay can feel Kim's smile beneath the pressure of skin meeting skin and it makes him smile right back.

When they pull back for air, Kim gasps, “I love you, sunshine.”

“I love you, too, Phi.”

“Breakfast?”

“Breakfast.”

The crepes, while delicious, don't hold a candle to the taste of Kim's early morning smile.

#kimchay #kimchay ficlet #kimchay fluff #kpts fanfic #kimchay fanfic #kimchay prompt fill #prompt fill #fluff #breakfast #kim is a terrible cook bless his heart #chay loves him anyway #how do i keep doing this send help please

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cantsayidont · 6 months

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I see a lot of intense fan hatred for this or that creator, which often veers into hyperbolic "x kill yourself challenge"/"hunting y for sport" territory, and it strikes me that there's often no distinction drawn between not liking someone's work, thinking their work is bad, and disliking the creator because they're a terrible person or were rude to your friend at a convention once. Astonishingly, there IS a meaningful difference between the following criticisms of a given creator:

Their work is inept (poor craft, poor execution, fails on its own terms).

Their work is not to my taste or makes creative decisions I dislike.

Their work is boring to me or makes me uncomfortable.

Their work is aimed at a specific audience that doesn't include me.

Their work is ideologically objectionable to me.

Their work has negative associations for me.

Their fan base is infuriating and off-putting to me.

They are/were a jerk or I dislike them personally.

They are/were a vile person with abhorrent behavior and/or beliefs.

They are/were associated with other people with abhorrent behavior and/or beliefs.

Of course, in some cases, several or all of these things may apply in equal measure, and any of them is a perfectly valid reason for disliking someone! However, the vitriolic reactions often put "wrote some stories about my blorbo that I don't like" in exactly the same category as "is a notorious predator or sex pest," which does no one any good.

#this is not about anyone in particular #but you can doubtless think of many examples

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muzzleroars · 8 months

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I like to think that when V2 gets revived, it just takes over the neighbouring apartment, claiming that there is no way its living under the same roof as V1 but it ends up spending most of its resting time hanging in their living room anyway because it gets very lonely in its own space and they are the only ones that talk with it because it wants to use their terminal to cybergrind.

OK can use this opportunity to talk about v2's relationship with v1 and gabriel after the initial phases that i've already gone over a bit!! v2 definitely does have an apartment right by theirs in fraud and while it's fairly icy with them at the beginning, it also finds having company much better than nothing and this becomes especially true as it gets more comfortable with gabriel. there's a lot about him that it understands, and he's the most human thing that will interact with it besides. and like. it GUESSES it owes him its new life or whatever. they begin talking fairly regularly, mostly about things that don't particularly matter but that they both have no one else for - much about aesthetics and the natural world (although v2 finds gabriel is much less philosophical than it would have thought an angel would be. so it goes). sometimes, given their verbosity, their conversations carry on and veer into deeper, more uncomfortable territory (their lost place, their respective falls from grace), but one or the other will find a reason to leave before it gets anywhere. v1 is a more complicated issue though.

despite gabriel's insistence that they're like family, v2 not only believes their objectives to be fundamentally at odds, but it also just. hates v1 for what it did. not just killing it, it could rationalize that out to it's own failure, it's own fault, but that it stole from it twice, that it destroyed the dreams that had carried it so far through hell. it knows as a machine, personal grudges like this are an oddity and likely show its ever-multiplying coding quirks, but its psychology has never aligned well with its kin. it does note v1 has changed with its exposure to gabriel, and it easily recognizes that it does love him, it shows him affection, care, and admiration in a way v2 never would have predicted. he changed something in it, it can see how they've moved each other and now are a part of one another...and v1 is making an effort on his insistence. it's certainly not being kind to v2, but it would hate it if it was - they trade sniping insults and constantly get into little scuffles, but the unfeeling hostility once present in v1 is gone. they can exist side-by-side, even swapping some inside jokes between them, and over time v2's reaction to it isn't so visceral....but there's a wall it refuses to take down. it doesn't trust it. maybe it does love gabriel and maybe it will keep loving him, but that's an extreme exception for v1, it knows that better than anyone. it knows how hard it must work against its own code to treat him the way it does, and it can't imagine it ever making so much effort for anyone else. it's inefficient. it's pointless. and so v2's convinced that thing would kill it still if it came to it. if it or v2 let their guard down.

still, it begins coming over more and more as it reaches a level of comfort it can accept - watching its back always, but spending entire afternoons or nights over at gabriel and v1's apartment. i like to think it gets them access to more human entertainment, bringing them movies and video games as an excuse for its presence (or otherwise definitely saying it just wants to cybergrind). it's sometimes gone for a few days at a time, off to a different "home" it has on one of the higher layers or even popping up to the surface, but it inevitably returns...and gabriel's glad to see it's ok every time. this leads to some concern on his part when v2 begins seeing michael more regularly, leading to much more significant lengths of time before it shows back up in their living room. v1 personally doesn't think much about it - maybe it's bored of them lol but gabriel pesters it a bit, making it realize that maybe it actually like. has a friend in gabriel. he worries about it, thinks about it when it's not there, and wants to know if it's ok. it's a weird feeling for it, but nice to consider. well. nice until gabriel comes poking around one of its other properties just to "check in (because it's been awhile and even v1 is wondering if you're dead so!!!)" and mike needs to immediately teleport while v2 tries to keep gabriel from coming in so it doesn't have to explain why it's growing multiple test fungal colonies!!

#tho gabriel would probs just be like 'oh!!! you have a hobby up here ok i understand you want to take good care of them after all!'#the gabe and v2 friendship is so cute to me!!! he worries about it ;o;#v1 is just inherently more complicated though....#i think they do get closer but v2 needs to work a lot out about its dead dreams #i do like the idea that at some point v1 does offer it the knuckleblaster #SO LONG as they can make one for it that's just as good #cake answers #v2 #fallen gabriel #v1 #rise and fall au

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