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#debt is straight up not having a good time
everchased · 9 months
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this game makes me insane so i finally caved and sketched my two characters so far <3
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unloneliest · 6 months
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the problem of the matter is i did internalize so much of what ex friend believed about me. even though i knew he was wrong and knew what was happening and tried to stop it and if i took more action to stop it would have been abusing power i held in a way i couldn't live with myself for.
#A BAD PERSON TRYING TO RUIN YOUR LIFE WOULD'VE GOTTEN YOU FIRED AND EVICTED IN WINTER IN ALASKA YOU MOTHERFUCKER. WHICH I DID NOT DO#he was renting a room from my dad. for cheaper than he wouldve been able to find anywhere else. his brother was too#his brother didn't pay rent for over 6 months and my dad just forgave him the debt because my dad knew how much of a difference it wouldve#made when he was that age. and i had told him ex friend was family to me & my dad applied that to the brother too. bc he is a good person.#and one of the strongest parts of my support system. and i didn't say a word to him about what was happening until i knew he already had a#plan for when he would be ending ex friend's lease. so there would be no subconscious impact on ex friend's housing either#mgmt at work straight up asked me if i thought ex friend should be fired immediately multiple times and i'm in retrospect livid they put me#in that position but told them to go by the strike system in the employee handbook and to follow policy that ex friend knew perfectly. that#it couldn't be on me as acting assistant manager to choose#and after 10 months of workplace harassment i got a different job to save my life. ex friend didn't get fired.#he did saw trap shit to my brain!!!!!! jesus christ#he moved cross country to live with his long time gf he called his wife despite never having met irl. to a way more conservative state.#despite being gay. and she left him this summer lol#hadn't checked his twitter in over a year when it got pulled up frm an old link and i saw that. and when he was already at a low point too#me voice. oh no who could've seen this coming. from how you behave in every relationship in your life#may delete this in the morning. but i have to talk about it sometimes#i'm never reaching out for closure both bc he wouldn't give me any and because i know it would trigger him and i don't intentionally trigge#people. unlike him :)#vampire pit#like. i have to talk about it sometimes. i have to talk about it.#jam posts
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semercury · 4 months
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More than anything I want to go back in time and change how certain things went.
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autistic-shaiapouf · 7 months
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Crawling out of bed after an 11 hour shift only to realize that maybe. maybe I'm not exactly taking care of myself
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fatehbaz · 1 year
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Good question:
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In the United States, many jails and prisons can and will charge you money for every single night that you spend imprisoned, for the entire duration of your incarceration, as if you were being billed for staying at a hotel. Even if you are incarcerated for years. Adding up to tens of thousands of dollars. What happens when you’re released?
In response to this:
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So.
You’re getting charged, like, ten dollars every time you even submit a request form to possibly be seen by a doctor or dentist.
You’re getting charged maybe five dollars for ten minutes on the phone.
Any time a friend or family tries to send you like five dollars so that you can buy some toothpaste or lotion, or maybe a snack from the commissary since you’re diabetic and the “meals” have left you malnourished, maybe half of that money gets taken as a “service fee” by the corporate contractor that the prison uses to manage your pre-paid debit card. So you’re already losing money every day just by being there.
What happens if you can’t pay?
In some places, after serving just a couple of years for drugs charges, almost 20 years after being released, the state can still hunt you down for over $80,000 that you “owe” as if it were a per-night room-and-board accommodations charge, like this recent highly-publicized case in Connecticut:
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Excerpt:
Two decades after her release from prison, [TB] feels she is still being punished. When her mother died two years ago, the state of Connecticut put a lien on the Stamford home she and her siblings inherited. It said she owed $83,762 to cover the cost of her 2 1/2 year imprisonment for drug crimes. [...] “I’m about to be homeless,” said [TB], 58, who in March [2022] became the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit challenging the state law that charges prisoners $249 a day for the cost of their incarceration. [...] All but two states have so-called “pay-to-stay” laws that make prisoners pay for their time behind bars [...]. Critics say it’s an unfair second penalty that hinders rehabilitation by putting former inmates in debt for life. Efforts have been underway in some places to scale back or eliminate such policies. Two states — Illinois and New Hampshire — have repealed their laws since 2019. [...] Pay-to-stay laws were put into place in many areas during the tough-on-crime era of the 1980s and ’90s, said Brittany Friedman, an assistant professor of sociology at University of Southern California who is leading a study of the practice. [...] Connecticut used to collect prison debt by attaching an automatic lien to every inmate, claiming half of any financial windfall they might receive for up to 20 years after they are released from prison [...].
Text by: Pat Eaton-Robb. “At $249 per day, prison stays leave ex-inmates deep in debt.” AP News / The Associated Press. 27 August 2022.
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Look at this:
To help her son, Cindy started depositing between $50 to $100 a week into Matthew’s account, money he could use to buy food from the prison commissary, such as packaged ramen noodles, cookies, or peanut butter and jelly to make sandwiches. Cindy said sending that money wasn’t necessarily an expense she could afford. “No one can,” she said. So far in the past month, she estimates she sent Matthew close to $300. But in reality, he only received half of that amount. The balance goes straight to the prison to pay off the $1,000 in “rent” that the prison charged Matthew for his prior incarceration. [...] A PA Post examination of six county budgets (Crawford, Dauphin, Lebanon, Lehigh, Venango and Indiana) showed that those counties’ prisons have collected more than $15 million from inmates — almost half is for daily room and board fees that are meant to cover at least a portion of the costs with housing and food. Prisoners who don’t work are still expected to pay. If they don’t, their bills are sent to collections agencies, which can report the debts to credit bureaus. [...] Between 2014 and 2017, the Indiana County Prison — which has an average inmate population of 87 people — collected nearly $3 million from its prisoners. In the past five years, Lebanon’s jail collected just over $2 million in housing and processing fees.
Text by: Joseph Darius Jaafari. “Paying rent to your jailers: Inmates are billed millions of dollars for their stays in Pa. prisons.” WHYY (PBS). 10 December 2019. Originally published at PA Post.
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Pay-to-stay, the practice of charging people to pay for their own jail or prison confinement, is being enforced unfairly by using criminal, civil and administrative law, according to a new Rutgers University-New Brunswick led study. The study [...] finds that charging pay-to-stay fees is triggered by criminal justice contact but possible due to the co-opting of civil and administrative institutions, like social service agencies and state treasuries that oversee benefits, which are outside the realm of criminal justice. “A person can be charged $20 to $80 a day for their incarceration,” said author Brittany Friedman, an assistant professor of sociology and a faculty affiliate of Rutgers' criminal justice program. “That per diem rate can lead to hundreds of thousands of dollars in fees when a person gets out of prison. To recoup fees, states use civil means such as lawsuits and wage garnishment against currently and formerly incarcerated people, and regularly use administrative means such as seizing employment pensions, tax refunds and public benefits to satisfy the debt.” [...] Civil penalties are enacted on family members if the defendant cannot pay and in states such as Florida, Nevada and Idaho can occur even after the original defendant is deceased. [...]
Text by: Megan Schumann. “States Unfairly Burdening Incarcerated People With “Pay-to-Stay” Fees.” Rutgers press release. 20 November 2020.
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So, to pay for your own imprisonment, states can:
-- hunt you down for decades (track you down 20 years later, charge you tens of thousands of dollars, and take your house away)
-- put a lien on your vehicle, house
-- garnish your paycheck/wages
-- seize your tax refund
-- send collections agencies after you
-- take your public assistance benefits
-- sue you in civil court
-- take money from your family even after you’re dead
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ocdisgusting · 2 years
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Ill be honest if ibhad insurance my ass be hospitalized and monitored
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cameronspecial · 3 months
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At Her Beck And Call
Pairing: Rafe Cameron x Reader
Warnings: Swearing and Assault
Pronouns: She/Her
Word Count: 0.8K
Summary: Rafe may be out doing business, but he is never too busy for Y/N.
Masterlist
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Everyone in the Outer Banks knows about Rafe’s explosive personality, especially towards the Pogues. The only person who is never at the wrong end of his anger is Y/N. He would never dare risk losing her by unleashing his anger on her. At the moment, she is safely at home, resting with their darling baby girl growing inside of her stomach. He is finishing up collecting the money from people who owe him from his drug dealer days. When he started dating Y/N, he stopped dealing less often; however, with a baby on the way, Rafe is ready to hang up the towel completely. Therefore, it is time for him to gather all the debts obligated to him. He finally tracks down the last person, Tanner Barrois. The Pogue is hiding out at a friend’s house but for enough money, anyone can betray their friend. Rafe bangs on the door as loud as he can and steps away from it. “What the fuck do you wan-” Tanner complains as he opens the door. Rafe gives him a wicked grin, “I want my fucking money, Asshole.” Tanner backs up into the house with his hands in the air. “I don’t have your money, but I can get it to you. I-I just need a few weeks,” he offers. Rafe shakes his head, “No, I already gave you three months. So where is my money?”
“I don’t have it!” 
Rafe grips the front of Tanner’s shirt and slams him against the wall. His arm cocks, rushing towards Tanner’s nose at a fast pace. The room is silent, except for the sounds of Rafe’s fist hitting Tanner, until “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran begins to play out of nowhere. Something vibrating accompanies the song. Rafe keeps Tanner against the wall with one hand, while his other hand goes into his pocket for his phone. He brings it to his ear with a soft smile, “Hi, Dumpling. How are you and little dumpling doing?” “I’m hungry, Rafey,” the pregnant woman whines with her hands on her perturbing stomach. He chuckles, “And what can I pick up for you on my way home, Dumpling?” “I want Trader Joe’s French Vanilla ice cream, soya sauce, pickles and mayo please,” she pleads into the phone. He grimaces, “Please, tell me you aren’t going to eat all of those together.” “I don’t know yet. I guess you’ll have to find out when you get here,” she teases, knowing he gets grossed out by her weird pregnancy cravings. He sighs, “I guess I will. I’ll get those for you once I’m finished with my business. Okay? I love you.” “Thank you. I love you too. Bye,” she hangs up without another word. 
The phone gets slipped back into his pocket and his attention returns to Tanner. “Now, where were we?” He punches Tanner again, shaking his hand out to try to rid himself of the blood. “I’m going to ask you again. Where is my money?” Rafe growls. Tanner whimpers, “I can get it to you by next week.” Tanner receives another blow to the head. “Not the answer I was looking for. So let’s try this once more,” Rafe warns, but he is again interrupted by the chime of his phone. “Is everything okay, Dumpling?” he worries into the speaker.
“It needs to be the tiny pickles. I don’t want the large ones. I don’t want the zig-zag cut ones or the straight-cut ones. I want the tiny ones. Okay?”
“Yes, I know, Dumpling. I promise they will be the tiniest ones I can find.” 
“Good, thank you. I love you.”
“I love you too, Dumpling. Goodbye.”
Tanner’s face is in a bloody smirk. “What the fuck are you smiling at?” Rafe questions, digging his forearm into the Pogue's neck. Tanner gasps out, “You are so whipped for her.” Rafe’s eyebrows cave in and he strikes Tanner’s stomach. “Be careful what you say next, Motherfucker,” Rafe alerts. Tanner appears to have a death wish as he says the next sentence, “That bitch has your balls in a death grip and it’s pathetic.” His phone rings once more before he can reply. “Dumpling, you are really making me concerned about you,” he sighs into the phone. She pouts, “I’m sorry. I just wanted something to drink too.” “It’s okay, Dumpling. I want you to stay hydrated. So what can I get you?” he inquires. “Iced tea, please. And I promise this will be the last time I’m going to call. I’m going to take a nap while I wait for you to come home.”
“Iced tea, coming right up. Enjoy your nap, Dumpling. I’ll see you when I get home. I love you.”
“I love you so much, Rafey. Thank you. I can’t wait for you to come home. Muah.”
The line goes dead and he can’t help but put his phone away with a massive grin on his face. He weakens his hold on Tanner, “You better be thanking the lord that I am whipped for my girl because it is the only reason I am giving you another day to get the money. Don’t try to run because I will find you and your punishment will be so much worse than you can imagine. Now, if you would excuse me, I have to go to Trader’s Joe.”
Taglist: @winterrrnight @loves0phelia @thelomlisrafecameron @wickedlovely121 @thepatriarchykeychain @drewsmusee @starkowswife @maybankslover @forstarkey @loving-and-dreaming
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kamiversee · 3 months
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➶-͙˚ ༘✶ 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙁*𝘾𝙆 𝙇𝙄𝙎𝙏
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✧.* CHAPTER 33 || The Degrading Era (part 1)
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[ { SYPNOSIS } ] ➤ A tale in which Gojo Satoru blackmails you into seducing a list of people to clear his debt. Sounds easy enough, right?
[ { CHAPTER CONTENT } ] ➤ language & filthy smut. (lots of degrading, if it's not obvious by the chapter title lol)
[ { A/N } ] ➤ I was in heat when I wrote this chapter & the next btw...
[ { WORD COUNT } ] ➤ 5.3k
[ { PAIRINGS } ] ➤ jjk men x f!reader. gojo x f!reader. geto x f!reader. toji x f!reader. choso x f!reader. sukuna x f!reader. nanami x f!reader.
[ [ chapters mlist } ]
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——HE WASN'T LYING.
Sukuna meant every bit of that last statement to you and you'd soon figure out just how serious about it he was. After those words to you, he gave you one final heated kiss as he tugged you off the counter and to your feet.
His lips are removed from your own, just barely, "Starting with this mouth of yours first," Sukuna tells you before planting one last peck on your lips.
You felt like a mindless slut, dazed with lust already simply from his words and kisses combined. Sukuna took his hands off you and stepped back only slightly, his eyes taking in your body. A smile dawns on his lips before he tilts his head and moves a hand down to simply pull at the drawstring of his sweatpants.
It's so similar to the last time you were here, his tone deep and commanding, laced with lust as he voices the words, "On your knees."
Identical to the time prior, it's utterly embarrassing how you move to do as he says with little to no hesitation. Quickly finding yourself on your knees, the cold bathroom floor felt even through the fabric of your pants, not that you cared though.
Your eyes peered up at the man and even from such a low angle, Sukuna was as attractive as ever.
He chuckles, "Remember what I told you to do last time?" He asks.
You frown at the fact that he still wants to drag the whole thing out, "I still can't use my hands?"
A scoff leaves Sukuna's lips, "Nope."
You roll your eyes and adjust the way you're seated on the floor. Your legs spread a bit and you push up on your knees, crossing your hands behind your back and bringing your mouth to his pants. Sukuna swallows hard, his eyes never once leaving the sight of you.
Using your teeth, you mimic the same actions as the week prior, pulling down his sweatpants and feeling ridiculously embarrassed as you do so. Again, you're left facing his boxers, the prominent large bulge straining against the fabric in front of you.
Your eyes widen at how big his length is, your mouth almost even watering. You lean forward and Sukuna voices your name in a low tone, the sound making you freeze and redirect your gaze upward.
"Kiss it," He purrs with this little smile on his face. Oh, it's so obvious that he loves making you embarrassed, seeing as another flushed shade takes over your face.
You narrow your eyes at the man but lean forward, pressing your lips to his erection, to which he bites his lip.
"Good girl," Sukuna praises. His words go straight to your core, "But if you keep lookin' at me like that, I'll punish you."
You're pretty sure that's what you wanted so, you rolled your eyes and then moved to tug his boxers down. Sukuna smiles wickedly at your brattiness, moving his hand to the top of your head and pushing you away.
A pout takes over your lips, "C'mon, stop teasing me..."
The man frowns to mock you, "Or what?" Sukuna asks before taking his hand away from your head.
You don't respond and simply stay in place as he then works his cock out of his boxers, your eyes quickly dropping to the sight and widening further than they have thus far. You swallow as you stare because holy fuck is his dick big. And as for that tattoo he claimed to have, it's similar to the one he has around his wrists, just... wrapped around his cock-- near the base.
Precum oozes out of his tip and you can feel the way you're soaking in your underwear at the sight alone. Sukuna's hand suddenly moves to his member and you're forced to watch him stroke himself right in front of your face.
You patiently await his next words to you, comforting yourself on your knees as you just stare at the way his large hand strokes his cock, spreading his precum all over his length-- the sight making you ridiculously needy.
Your gaze shifts up to his face and his eyes are already on yours, his face exuding nothing but pure lust. "Spit on it," Sukuna orders, his voice driving you insane, "Get it nice 'nd wet f'me."
You don't have to be told twice, moving to well up water in your mouth and then just barely looking away from his eyes to spit on his length. He hums deeply at the contact, his strokes growing faster and you get more desperate for something as you watch.
"What a good slut you are," He comments, moving his free hand to the top of your head and forcing you to angle it back so that you can look up at him. Sukuna then smiles, "Stick your tongue out and maybe I'll reward you."
You do, neediness clouding your gaze as your tongue seeps out your mouth, your lips parting and your mouth wide open for the man. Sukuna jerks himself off a bit more at the sight-- turned on by the way you look peering up at him so desperately, the way you've got your hands behind you, and the slight arch in your back as you try to lean toward him.
The man moves to tap the tip of his cock against your wet tongue and you are almost to the point of whining for more. You then move on your own, shifting your tongue around to lick over his tip, to which his breath hitches.
Sukuna wasn't expecting you to move so he wasn't exactly ready for the way you push yourself forward, even against the hold he had on your head, quickly moving to suck on the tip of his leaking cock.
"Fuck," He curses breathily between a slight chuckle, "Wanted it that damn bad?" Sukuna asks rhetorically.
You don't answer, moving to tilt your head as your tongue swipes through the slit of his tip, lapping up every drop of his precum and causing the man to groan. Sukuna decides to let you do your thing, removing his hands from both himself and your head.
The man leans back only slightly, watching the way you happily attempt to take him into your mouth. Your eyes are up on his and it's cute to him the way his cock can hardly fit in your mouth. You made it about halfway before you pulled right off, rolled your tongue over him again, and then pushed yourself forward once more.
Sukuna found it entertaining more than anything how you bobbed your head back and forth on his length, not yet throating his cock and simply sucking about half of his length. Normally, for someone his size, you'd move to use your hands too but he told you not to so you did your best with your mouth alone.
He gives you about two to three minutes to suck him off as you wish, letting out slight and quiet grunts and groans, especially when you take a bit more of him. After that, he grows tired of seeing you struggle and debates on allowing you to use your hands.
Sukuna heaves out a breath of air but then a better idea comes to mind and you feel one of his large hands go to your head again, the other moving to the counter behind you as he holds himself up.
Sukuna groans as he suddenly pushes his hips forward and forces more of his cock down your throat, "Mmmgh... muuch better..."
He then forces your head further onto him, really making his length squeeze further into your tight throat. You moaned around the man and he had to bite his lower lip to conceal the sound the vibration almost made him let out.
Sukuna draws his hips back and then thrusts forward slowly. He didn't want to hurt your throat so he started out slow, allowing you the time to get used to his massive girth sliding in and out of your mouth.
"That's it," Sukuna praises, feeling the way you open up the back of your throat for him and begin to breathe through your nose, "Take it-, fuuuck..."
You worked your tongue over his dick as he picked up a steady pace into your mouth, trying your best to please him and keep your eyes open and up on his. The eye contact was what made the whole thing all the more stimulating since his eyes never left yours.
You gag a little when his cock pushes further into your mouth than you expected, to which he smiles at the feeling. Sukuna then loses his sense of control and goes to do what he's been wanting to do this entire time.
His legs part a bit further and both of his hands go to the side of your head, cradling you in his hold before he drew his hips back and then snapped them forward with a harsh thrust. Tears quickly prick the corners of your eyes as the tip of his cock knocks into the hilt of your throat, once again making you gag.
Sukuna speaks huskily through gritted teeth as he works up a mean pace, fucking his dick into your mouth and causing you to moan around him at the feeling. "So... fucking... warm..." He voices out in between thrusts, "You make a good cocksleeve, y'know that?" He chuckles.
The slick sounds of his member slipping and sliding over your tongue and down your throat filled the bathroom, drool and spit leaking out of the corner of your mouth as he face fucked you.
Sukuna allowed his head to fly back as he rutted his tip down your throat, listening to the sounds of your gagging and feeling how sloppy and messy he had your mouth as he fucked into it.
"Fuuuuck," Sukuna groans loudly, the sound making your cunt clench around nothing, "Had' me thinkin' about this all week," He grunts out to you before looking back down at the sight, "Fuckin' this pretty face of yours... shit..."
Your eyes are glossed in tears and there's even a few running down your face, along with spit dripping down your chin due to his harsh thrusts. You had shifted to squeeze your legs together, needing some sort of friction and your hands were no longer behind your back.
Instead, one was placed on his thigh as you tried to brace yourself and the other was on your chest and you gave yourself minimal satisfaction as Sukuna used your mouth to get off.
With a sudden smirk, "Touch yourself," Sukuna orders, his words bringing back a sudden memory of the time Gojo said those same words to you. The situation was much different but of course, it still aroused you the same way.
You didn't hesitate to drop your hand from your breast to your cunt, rubbing yourself just barely over your clothes and letting out a moan as you do so. Your lashes fluttered as you struggled not to choke over his size ramming into your mouth.
Moving your fingers a slow circle, you began to moan as you pleased yourself beneath him.
Sukuna releases that deep groan of his that gives you butterflies, making you squeeze your legs together. His lips then part and his brows push together, "Hah... Think' I should reward you for taking me down your throat so well? Hm?" He asks hastily, his thrusts growing harsher.
You nod as best you can as your eyes begin to shut, tears streaming down your cheeks and spit dripping off your chin and onto your chest. The sight was so messy and Sukuna loved every bit of it-- the sound of your gagging, your moaning, your whines, the way your tongue felt, how wet and sloppy your face had become, Sukuna was enamored by it all.
He tilts his head at you and shoves his length all the way down, to the point where your nose is pressed against his pelvis and your eyes shoot open, widening at the sudden stretch.
Sukuna smirks, "Look at me," He orders.
You struggle to do so, seconds away from choking around him as you lift your gaze to him. Big teary eyes stare up at the man and the sight does it for him.
Sukuna bites his bottom lip for a second, "Stay like that for a second. Yeah?"
Both of your hands go to his thighs and you try to keep your throat open for as long as you can, your nails digging into his skin as you try to breathe through your nose properly. Sukuna wanted nothing more than to capture the image of you like this, it was so sexy, so sinful, and he fucking loved it.
"Hah..." He lets out a heavy breath, "F-Fuck... M'gonna cum down your throat... stuff you nice 'nd full of me, okay? You want that?" Sukuna asks, though, his words came out as more of a low-toned warning than an actual question.
To respond, you give the man a whiney little hum, struggling to keep your eyes open at this point as tear after tear streams down your face, "Mm-mhmm..."
Sukuna finally slides his hips back and you get only a second to collect yourself before his grasp on your head grows tighter and he begins thrusting into your mouth again. The groan he lets out bounces off the walls of the bathroom, echoing into your ears and making you so stupidly horny below him as he fucked his orgasm into your mouth.
You felt it slide right down your throat, the feeling mildly uncomfortable but you accepted it nonetheless, swallowing as best as you could before Sukuna pulled himself out of your mouth for the first time in what felt like ages.
The second he's out, you let out a few coughs, moving your arm over your mouth to collect yourself as you gasp and scramble to properly bring air into your lungs. So distracted with that, you didn't even notice that the man was still hard, heavy pants leaving him as he too collected himself.
Once you caught your breath and wiped your face off, you dragged your sights up to the man again. Sukuna had a little smile on his face before he crouched down to you. A hand went to your jaw, his fingers pressing into your cheeks as he stared into your eyes.
"You look so fuckin' pretty like this," He compliments.
Unbeknownst to you, despite trying to wipe yourself clean, you still had streaks of tears running down your face and saliva was still sliding out of the corner of your mouth. Sukuna tilted his head and pulled your face close to his own for a second before you felt his tongue near your chin.
The same mess that had dripped out of your mouth, he was licking it up, dragging his tongue up along your skin before he got to your lips. Then, he pecked your lips for only a split second before moving to your cheek. Your eyes went wide when he licked the salty tears off your face.
"S-Sukuna," You whispered, your voice slightly hoarse from your actions.
He pulls his mouth away from your face and when he looks at you, his face is completely straight, "What?"
You swallow hard, "I..." You gazed back and forth between his left and right eyes desperately before taking one of your hands and grabbing ahold of one of his, moving his palm in between your legs, "I n-need you..."
A laugh spilled from his lips, there was nothing more that turned him on than seeing you needy for him. You feel his middle and ring finger press up against your pussy, moving to rub a slow and torturous circle.
"Getting your throat fucked wasn't enough, huh?" He coos, mocking you with his facial expressions.
You shake your head, completely void of embarrassment by this point and too eager to get something more.
Sukuna takes his fingers away from you and you whine. "Words." He hums.
"N-No, it's not enough-," You're cut off with a gasp when his fingers press into you again, "Mmh... I... I want you to fuck me..." You say timidly, watching the way his eyes dilate and deciding to continue with your pleas, "P-Please... f-fuck, I need it so bad..."
With a dramatic roll of his eyes, the man leans back a little and takes his hand completely away from you, "Fine, fine..." He sighs, lifting his fingers to his face and looking at them. Sukuna smiles at the way your liquid has seeped through two layers of clothing and onto his skin, "Holy fuck," He lets out that sexy chuckle of his, "You're fuckin' soaked..."
With that, the man stands to his feet and pulls you up to your feet along with him. There's so much heat in between your legs that you could feel what he was referring to, feeling the way every inch of you is heated and your wetness coats your crotch.
The male grabs your wrist and then tugs you along with him, pulling you out of the bathroom and heading toward his bed.
.  . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆ .  . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆
You didn't know what to expect.
There was nothing that could've prepared you for Sukuna. Everything about him aroused you. From the way he had you lay down on your stomach, to the way he ran his fingers over your body as he undressed you, and even to the sound of his commanding words-- he didn't fail to have you a wet mess.
"Arch that back f'me," Sukuna voiced out to you from behind.
Everything you'd previously been wearing was discarded completely, lost to the bedroom floor. It was like your body was moving on its own, your face rested against the mattress as you lifted your hips and then arched your back.
Sukuna let out a hum and then tilted his head at the sight, inspecting the curve of your back before he placed a single hand into your arch. You could feel the tip of his hard cock brush over your entrance before he pushed down on your back a bit.
He inhales sharply, "You can arch more than that, can't you?" He asks, his other hand going to your hip.
You let out a whine as you parted your legs further than they already were and then dipped your back into the mattress even more, creating a slutty arch for the man behind you.
"Thaaat's it," Sukuna praises, his hand leaving your back and going to his cock, "You better stay like that too." He hums, his fingers working to stroke himself at the sight.
You wiggled your hips back a little and then glanced over your shoulder and to him, "Sukuna please..."
"Please what?" He scoffs.
You forced your hips back slightly, feeling his tip brush over you again and using the motion to answer his question. Sukuna's eyes drop down to the sight and he smiles before pushing himself forward only a little bit.
The man rubs his tip in between your folds, teasing you and watching your moisture spread all over him.
"H-Hah... put it in, p-please?" You whined.
He smirked and then moved his hands, clasping them together and then placing them behind his head, "Do it yourself," Sukuna said.
You were so frustratingly aroused. An annoyed grumble left your lips as you shifted a hand under your body and back to him. You felt around for a second before you were able to grab ahold of his cock, shifting yourself backward and lining him up with your cunt.
You had to bite back a moan as you felt his tip press over your clit for a moment before you pushed him back into place. Sukuna watched the whole thing, smiling at the way you struggled.
That was, until he saw you backing yourself up and he felt his tip pressing into you. His eyes widen, not expecting you to figure it all out so quickly, and then his hands shoot down to your hips to hold you. Sukuna didn't want you to think you won anything so he took control again and started to push his hips forward.
Your jaw drops as his cock enters you, the stretch causing whines and slight whimpers to leave your lips. "F-Fuck... you're so b-big... aah..." You moaned, your words going straight to his ego.
Sukuna continues to ease himself into your warmth, trying not to toss his head back or grunt as he squeezes into you. "You can take it," He claims, his grip on your hips suddenly growing tight as he pushes over halfway in.
Instead of pushing all the way in, he almost all the way out and then decides to thrust every inch of himself into you with a loud smack of his pelvis to your ass, along with a moan from you, filling the room.
Your hand instantly goes to grip the bedding beside you and your jaw remains dropped, a filthy moan pouring from your lips. His cock reached so deep into you, filling you up, stretching you out, and even nestling right against your g-spot.
"Oh m-my-," Your words fall off your tongue as he pulls out again and then slams right back in with ease, giving you barely any time to adjust to his length.
Sukuna's behind you with tense brows, breathing heavily as he adjusts to the way your pussy sucks every inch of him in like it's nothing, feeling the way your gummy walls clamp around him and losing himself in how good it feels. "So fuckin' tight..." He groans, his fingernails digging into your skin.
The man then works another slow pace, only for barely even a minute before he's thrusting into you harshly just as he was in your mouth beforehand. The loud squelch of your cunt gushing around his cock could be heard all throughout the room, sounds drilling into your ears and leaving you to only imagine the mess you were making.
Sukuna's dick was so damn big, hitting every mushy spot inside you without even trying, the sensation leaving you to bite onto the sheet below to conceal your sounds of pleasure. The tip of his cock would just ram into your cervix, kissing your insides so sloppily that it felt good and left you a moaning mess below.
Hell, it was so pleasurable that you didn't even realize you came until he said something.
Scoffing loudly, Sukuna'e eyes are down on his cock steadily getting smothered in your liquids, smiling at the sight, "Aagh... Fuuuuck... You're drippin' all over my cock like a fuckin' slut, shit..."
"S-Sukuna... feels s'good..." You mumble out to the man.
He smirks, "Yeah?"
You try to nod but your words lead him to go from harsh thrusts to pounding into your sopping hole, feeling the way he begins to pull your hips back to meet his thrusts. Your moans begin to come out broken and you could feel every vein of his cock sliding so perfectly against your walls.
Then, to make it worse, of course the man decides to taunt you, bringing a single hand to your hair and tugging your head up only slightly. Your eyes are hazily met with a mirror that's propped up not too far from the bed, seeing the way your body jerks forward with his every thrust.
"See yourself?" Sukuna hums, moving to lean down to your ear, "Look at how well you take my cock," His voice flows into your ears, making you moan and squeeze around him.
He releases your hair and then leans up again, moving to bring a hand down to your ass with a harsh smack. The loud slapping of skin echoes through the room and you think your legs are beginning to shake as his thrusts are relentless.
Sukuna moves his hands to your back, pressing into it and weighing his body over yours a little, forcing your arch impossibly further, "Mmmgh... look at that..." He comments, his eyes on the way your folds spread around his cock and watching the way he just fucks in and out of your hole, "Can you feel that, hm? Feel how deep I am?"
You're on cloud nine by this point, holding onto the bedding for dear life and barely able to respond to him with anything more than a weak, "Mmhmm..."
He smiles and then slaps your ass harshly, the smack loud as he continues to please you. In between thrusts, he speaks to you so lowly, "Use... your... words," Sukuna groans.
Your eyes roll to the back of your head and you moan, "Y-Yes, fuuck... You're s-so deep... p-please," You weren't sure what it was you were pleading for but you whined nonetheless.
His name began to leave your lips in whimpers as you experienced another orgasm.
Sukuna eases off you, only a little, his hips still snapping into yours and causing your ass to ripple with his every thrust. His hands relax off your body and he moves to wipe sweat from his forehead, biting his lower lip at the slick and filthy mess you were making of his cock.
He smacks your ass again and again, enjoying the sound of the contact and the way you whine and moan in reaction. "What a needy whore you are," Sukuna comments, "Squeezin' around my cock so desperately. Even when I'm this deep inside you, you still can't get enough, huh?"
You could barely voice a response anymore, too wrapped up in the way his tip kept ramming into your cervix. "Hhngh... a-aah... S'kuna... oh fu-uck..." You mumbled, the sound of your struggle making him toss his head back.
"You were so needy 'nd now you can't even take it?" He scoffs before rolling his head back into place. Sukuna looks over to the mirror, seeing the fucked out expression on your face. You can feel the way his cock twitches at the sight, threatening to spill his seed into you.
He then thrusts deep in, too deep. So deep that your jaw goes slack and you instinctively try to pull your hips away from him. The sight drives Sukuna mad, seeing the way you're trying to crawl away from him slightly for a break.
He shakes his head and grabs ahold of your hips, "Don't fuckin' run," Sukuna growls, "Take it, you slut. You begged for it 'nd now you have it so take it."
Again, your eyes roll back, "M-Mmgh... please, please... it's t-too mu-uch..." You whined, though, it was only becoming such because you were creaming around him yet again, forming a messy white ring around the base of his cock that covered the tattoo there.
Sukuna looks down at the connection, "Shiit... pussy's just leakin' f'me," He comments filthly.
"A-Aagnh..." Your eyes are just stuck in the back of your head, especially as he moves to grab ahold of your hair again.
He gives you a mean pull and your body lifts off the bed as he just pounds into your cunt, the wet, sloppy, creamy, gushing sounds loud and slick all throughout the room.
Sukuna moves to your ear and he wraps an arm around your body, his hand going to your clit and making you spasm in his hold, "You're so fucking filthy," He hums lowly into your ear, "Look at the mess you're makin'." The man says before releasing the grip on your hair.
You're forced to look in the mirror and you can see the white mess dripping off his cock as he thrusts into you. The sight is so lewd and obscene, making you whine while he starts to aggressively rub over your clit.
It's all too much for you. You couldn't even moan anymore, simply taking his cock with a slack jaw and slight whiney whimpers leaving your trembling lips. Then, Sukuna moves his free hand around your neck and forces you to look at him.
His eyes are so low on yours, so clouded with lust and desire that it's intoxicating. His lips press into your quivering ones and you gasp as he pinches your clit and knocks into you just right.
Your legs were trembling terribly, thighs threatening to draw together as he fucked you so roughly. Everything was too much and you were reaching a level of high only one person's ever been able to bring you to.
"S'kuna-," You moan, just barely into his lips.
He grunts in response.
"M'gonna... f-fu-uck..." You tried to warn him but he ended up ignoring you and dropping his mouth to your neck, biting and sucking on your skin.
He pulls away only a little to whisper to you in a surprisingly gentle tone, "Do it then," Sukuna says, knowing exactly what you were about to do, "Squirt all over my cock, c'mon, don't be shy..."
You shudder within his grasp just before he lets go of your neck and his fingers rub all too fast over your clit. You do just as he told you to, not exactly on command but, still squirting as your entire body quakes and you fall forwards, going nearly limp due to the sensation.
The bedding is an absolute mess as you come undone, all as Sukuna pulls out for only a moment while you squirm and gasp below him.
His brows raise slightly in amusement, "Good girl," Sukuna praises, "Think' you can do it again?"
Your eyes go wide and you turn your head back to him. Technically, you know you can, you've done it before, multiple times actually, with Choso. But even so, your high has just barely died down and you could feel Sukuna sliding right back into you.
He grins at you, "Hm?"
You shake your head no.
Sukuna chuckles, "That's cute but," He leans forward a little, "I know you can do it again."
"Hah... Sukuna, p-please..." You whine, feeling him slowly roll his hips into you.
He raises a serious brow, "Want' me to stop?"
You bite your bottom lip, hazily debating a few things in your head before whispering, "N-No... but... can you go s-slower?"
Slower? With the way you were squeezing around him? Hell no, Sukuna knew he wouldn't last long enough to go slow, that's why he never did to begin with.
He frowns, "Slower? S'that what you really want?" He asks almost agonizingly, pressing his pelvis against your ass and making your eyes widen at how full he has you and the way his cock is just jammed against your g-spot.
You were seconds away from spazzing again, quickly shaking your head no to the man.
Sukuna chuckles and draws his hips back before snapping them forward, "Make up your mind, woman." He teases, "You want me to go slow," He does it again, pressing into that gummy spot inside you before pulling out and thrusting harshly again, "Or fast?"
Your lips part and a shaky breath leaves you before you're able to properly say something. "Ha-ah... fuck... f-fast," You whimper.
He heard you perfectly fine but decided to taunt you further, moving his hands to the bed beside your waist and leaning near your ear, his breath hitting your skin as he spoke, "Speak up," Sukuna orders before he mashes into you again.
"N-Nngh... a-ahh... fast, Sukuna... fuck..." You moan out, earning a wide smile from him.
"Atta' girl," Sukuna purrs slowly before shifting his position.
You're quick to lose your mind after that.
The man has this stamina like no other and you simply sit there and take his mean thrusts and degrading words for the next hour or so...
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GOJO SATORU ✔︎ 𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘦 𝘋𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘺: 𝙀𝙖𝙨𝙮
GETO SUGURU ✔︎ 𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘦 𝘋𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘺: 𝙀𝙖𝙨𝙮
TOJI FUSHIGURO ✔︎ 𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘦 𝘋𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘺: 𝙈𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙪𝙢
KAMO CHOSO ✔︎ 𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘦 𝘋𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘺: 𝙎𝙚𝙢𝙞-𝙈𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙪𝙢 / 𝙀𝙖𝙨𝙮
ZEN'IN NAOYA ✔︎ 𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘦 𝘋𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘺: 𝙀𝙭𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙀𝙖𝙨𝙮
ITADORI SUKUNA ✔︎ 𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘦 𝘋𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘺: 𝙎𝙚𝙢𝙞-𝙀𝙖𝙨𝙮???
NANAMI KENTO ☐ 𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘦 𝘋𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘺: ???
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mlist || previous chapt || next chpt
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taintedtort · 1 year
Note
hi there, i love your writing and i’d like to make a request!!
i’d love to see a chronically ill reader who tries to hide their illness from their partner (xiao, wanderer) because the near constant comments about how wEaK aNd pAtHeTiC mOrTaLs aRe has made them insecure and afraid that their partner would no longer want to be with them if they knew how weak they truly were.
bonus points if they find out about the illness because the reader pushed themselves too far and could no longer hide the symptoms in front of them :) feed me the hurt/comfort :)
prompt ✧ sick reader
characters ✧ xiao, wanderer
warnings ✧ gn!reader, mentions of illness, hurt/comfort
a/n ✧ FINALLY writing this, sorry it took a minute… and thank you for the request!! (i literally hit the limit for words in one text box so these are cut up into sections)
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XIAO
✧ when he found out you were ill and that you weren’t able to be permanently cured, he felt like crying. which is big for xiao, he doesn’t feel many emotions, especially sadness, and he doesn’t know how to cope. so he did what he thought was best.
you were trying to help him in his demon hunts, something he told you over and over was a bad idea, but he let you come anyway after you insisted so many times. he couldn’t really say no to you about most things, so he just decided to be extra careful and on guard. he steered clear of spots he knew were way too dangerous and let you follow him around to watch.
eventually, you told him you felt lightheaded right before passing out. he, of course, caught you, but at that exact moment he felt his world fall apart. automatically assumed you were feeling side affects from his debt, which caused him to blame himself harshly. swore that when he knew you were alright, he’d leave so he didn’t harm you anymore.
when you woke in your bed at the inn, he was laying right beside you, waiting for you. it made you smile, the fact that he stayed with you, but it faded when you saw the look on his face. you asked him what was wrong but got no answer, he just placed a kiss to your forehead and whispered a quiet apology before he vanished. confused and still in a sleepy daze, you didn’t think much about it and assumed he was apologizing for having to leave for his duties.
a week passed and you didn’t see him, you grew achingly worried. you asked everyone around town if they’d seen him, but you only got apologies in return. you tracked him down for days, hurt and confused, and he knew that of course, he was watching you. he couldn’t be near you, but he had to know you were alright. you seemed upset at the absence of him, but xiao knew you’d be better off. he ignored the desperate calls of his name from your lips, breaking his promise that he’d always be there for you. it shattered him, and it shattered you.
after weeks of your voice calling out to him but getting no answer, you started to feel dejected. you didn’t want to face the fact that he may really be gone for good. you knew why too— he couldn’t be seen with such a weak mortal. his apology was out of pity for your poor state, not because he felt bad for leaving. with that conclusion, your heart was no more. you fell out into sobs, stomach wrenching sobs that left your head aching. with a final attempt, you choked out xiaos name and a plea followed close behind it.
you aren’t sure why he decided to show up that particular time, but he did. you saw his feet materialize from your spot on the ground and your head shot up. when he saw your face, your tears, he knew he’d caused you the most amount of pain possible. he tried to keep a straight face so you wouldn’t see how much this was hurting him, it was for your own good, but he couldn’t push you away when you leaped up from the ground and brought him into an embrace. you clutched onto him, your tears wetting his shirt as you kept repeating questions as to where he’d been and why he left. he thought he owed it to you to at least give an explanation, so he told you. he told you how he had hurt you with his debt and that he never wanted to harm you ever again, so he had to leave. he told you how much he loves you and how he couldn’t live with himself if he put you in pain. while he spoke, he realized that he’d done what he was trying to avoid doing in the first place. the pain of him leaving you was much greater than any pain you could get from his debt.
when he finished with tears in his eyes, you told him the truth. the truth about your illness and why you had passed out that day. you let him know of your fears, the fear that he thought you were too weak, that you were just as pathetic as the other mortals he always spoke of. he was already shaking his head as you were talking, trying to deny those words before they entered your mind. he knew it may have been too late, but he asked for your forgiveness anyway. you called him an idiot and kissed him, both of your cheeks still wet.
"i never meant for this to happen, please forgive me, i’m so sorry."
WANDERER
✧ when he found out you had kept such a big secret from him, he was broken. why wouldn’t you tell him you were sick? he was your partner and you loved him, so why would you keep this from him? he started to doubt if you actually felt the same feelings he felt for you. that was until he saw your face after you told him your little secret.
you two had been exploring a new patch of forest you found. he was on guard, as were you, thanks to the unfamiliar land. you both went a long way before turning back, but by that time you already started to feel dizzy. you grabbed onto his arm and muttered his name, right before seeing black. he caught you, somewhat ungracefully, but your head didn’t hit the ground. he was literally stunned, just stared at you with his mouth slightly agape. he assumed either you got too hot, there was something in the air over in this area, or you hadn’t eaten. he ruled out the second one, he wasn’t feeling anything, nor did he notice anything different about the air. chalked it up to it being your fault and carried you back to your campsite.
he monitored you while you slept, which wasn’t very long, you woke within an hour. when you opened your eyes and glanced around, you were met with a sour faced wanderer. he was scowling at you with his arms crossed, and you just smiled back. once you sat up, he started demanding answers to his questions. what did you eat today? have you drank any water? did you walk for too long? did you feel hot? you knew he was just worried, and you didn’t want to lie but also didn’t want to tell him the truth, so you just nervously laughed and tried to wave him off.
he obviously continued to pester you, refusing to let you wiggle out of this one. as your loving partner it was his job to make sure you took care of yourself, so he wasn’t letting this go. you had passed out, he needed to know why.
you, very reluctantly, told him about your sickness. you tried to keep it brief and make it sound less than it was, but he heard the words 'permanently ill' and his stomach dropped. you saw the look on his face and wished you could take it back, wished you would’ve just lied to him, wished you were strong, wished he’d see you the same.
he was already marking you as his fourth betrayal, you could tell. the pain in his eyes was clear, the sheer hurt clearly visible to you. it was you that had caused that look, and if he chose to leave you, you’d spend eternity with that image burned onto your eyelids. you already felt the stinging in your nose and the familiar tears forming at that thought. the thought of having to live without him, the thought of him resenting you.
when he noticed your lips trembling, his brows drew together. why were you crying? were you embarrassed? he truly didn’t understand human emotions sometimes. and because he didn’t understand, he asked you, that was the only way he knew how to get answers. when he saw your face carry confusion, he became truly lost. he asked why you were crying, what was so confusing about that? why do you have that look on your face? he knew he liked your smile best, but he wasn’t aware of how much he hated it when you were upset. he’d do anything to get that expression of your face.
so he did what he thought would help… he hugged you. he was aware that humans craved physical contact, especially when sad, and since he wasn’t very sure what helped you, he went with a hug. he was unaware of how to fix this because you rarely got sad around him. he brought you pure happiness with just his presence, so you’d never had the chance to cry with him around.
he got a bit nervous during his approach. usually when he’s going to initiate physical affection, you meet him halfway, but you stayed still while he got closer. it wasn’t until his arms were halfway around you that you allowed yourself to hug him back. your grip was strong, and you wouldn’t let him go ever again if he let you.
when he heard your pleading whispers of him not to leave you, he reeled back completely stunned. him? leave you? he wasn’t capable of doing such a thing. and he told you that. he told you how much he loves you, how he can’t live without you, and how you’re the light of his being, his reason for living.
"i’d never leave you, i wouldn’t be able to bring myself to even think of it."
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unrealcity-if · 8 months
Text
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a cyberpunk interactive fiction
demo: prologue 1&2, 20k. play here.
Streets, empty - gnarled roots burying deep below the city. The gleam of teeth, an endless buzzing like flies. Dry, dead rock. There was water here once. Now toxic sludge seeps into the dirt, leeching life from the land. They staked metal, twisted it into the dead earth to block out the sky. They know that is too late, but they try to defy fate all the same.
Esurio is a city divided. You know this all too well. As a smuggler of black-market tech into the city from the outlands, you would like nothing better than to be free of Esurio once and for all. Yet the city seems to pull people in, and after a job gone wrong you find yourself entangled in a net of lies, inexplicably strange murders, and the one question that no-one knows the answer to -
What lies below Esurio?
[features]
pay off your debt through smuggling goods into the city
run from law enforcement
investigate strange murders, while trying not to end up the next victim
regret every life decision you have made
uncover what lies below the city?
meet (and optionally romance) 5 companions - 2 gender selectable
finally free yourself from Esurio?
[companions]
[ros]
Argo [nb] they/them, asexual :
If there's anyone in Esurio that you trust, it would be them. They've been by your side since you were young : first as friends and then (literal) partners in crime. When they were younger, they dreamt of changing the world. At some point they buried that dream. For now they keep to smuggling, hacking, and breaking every speed limit possible.
Appearance - shoulder-length coily dark brown hair, medium brown skin, dark brown eyes. prides themself on wearing the most colourful jacket they can find, and wouldn't know colour or outfit coordination if it hit them in the face.
Sora [f/m] she/her or he/him :
A private investigator with a moralistic streak. They attempt to fill in the gaps left by law-enforcement, dealing in all kinds of information, and know practically anything on anyone, while remaining a perpetually shadowy figure themselves. Motivated by curiousity and an alarming lack of self-preservation instincts, they're determined to uncover the truth about Esurio at all costs.
Appearance - straight, dark brown hair that flops over their brown eyes. olive skin. always wears a leather jacket and heavy boots: dresses practically. carries gadgets + a notepad in their bag: they are prepared for anything, especially a high speed pursuit across rooftops.
Brontë [f/m/nb] she/her, he/him, or he/they :
A failed musician with a trail of poor decisions behind them. They were going to make it big in the underground music scene, until, one day, they weren't. Cast-out and adrift, they're cynical and conflicted, a perfect example of a delicately poised balancing act. It's only a matter of time before they fall.
Appearance - wavy blond hair, dyed purple at the ends, reaching about chin length. pale, freckled skin and green eyes. wears light jackets, oversized tshirts, boots that are falling apart, and as many bracelets as possible.
Asha [f] she/they :
She ran with Argo, Jaya and you for several years, after her illustrious political family abruptly fell from grace and she had to look out for herself any way she could. A skilled mechanic, and never one to back down from a fight, she bounces from person to person, always living life at high speed. After Jaya's disappearance, she split from the group, and you haven't spoken to her since.
Appearance - straight, shoulder-length black hair. dark brown skin and dark brown eyes. wears work overalls most of the time, and is frequently covered in smudges of oil fromch her work as a mechanic. else, she dresses casually and comfortably - loose shirts, ripped jeans and a necklace.
Cas [m] he/him :
An artefact dealer in the outlands. You know his name, and not much else. He seems to float from place to place, avoiding strong attachments. Never talks about his past, his strange dreams, and pretty much anything personal. Knows what to do in a crisis, though, and is frequently the voice of reason.
Appearance - straight, short light brown hair, fair skin, eyepatch over his right eye - his left is brown. wears glasses. Always in a fashionable long dark coat and heavy boots: somehow manages to look constantly poised and well put together despite Esurio's characteristic humidity.
[other]
Acheron [nb] they/them :
They control much of what flows from the outlands into the city. After they rescued Argo and you from capture by law enforcement, you have been working for them in order to pay off your debt to them. They're level headed and ruthless, and you can't work out what makes them tick.
Jaya [f] she/her :
She was part of the underground smuggling group involving you, Argo and Asha, until she disappeared abruptly and everything went to shit. To this day, you've been unable to find out what happened to her. But thats in the past, right? [option to have been in a past relationship with her]
Valentine [nb] she/her and he/him :
Practically anyone in Esurio knows Valentine, or has at least heard of her. She's the person to go to for weird tech, fast cars and a way to vanish quietly. Despite her notoriety, and her fame as a guitarist, she always seems to be able to work just under the radar of the authorities.
[content warnings]
17+ (may be subject to change). violence, slight gore, horror aspects. implied sexual content.
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upon-a-starry-night · 2 months
Text
Love Favors The Misfortunate
Natasha Romanoff x Gender-Neutral Reader
Natasha Masterlist Main Masterlist
Word count: 3.2k
Warnings: Minor Violence
Summary: Misfortune always seems to follow you no matter what you do. But where there’s trouble, Nat often follows, maybe love was on your side after all?
Disclaimer: This was part of a writing exercise I did so it’s kind of silly and unedited but enjoy!
~~~~~~~~~~~
Somehow you always managed to wind up in the worst situations that Earth could possibly experience. You wondered if you were just cursed or something considering last week you were present for not one but two bank robberies. 
Maybe that was just the life of a delivery driver?
You hoped the lady behind the bank counters Caesar salad tasted better after death threats and salty tears of desperation.
This time, however, in the middle of checking the GPS during a stoplight, the sound of screams alerts you to the number of people ditching their cars and running past your motorcycle in fear.
Looking up you see the giant rip in Earth's atmosphere, monster-looking creatures spilling out of the hole. 
Oh, Good.
You immediately kick your motorcycle into gear, walking the bike through the crowds of people until you can manage to make a U-turn and speed off, weaving your way through the panic.
You spare a few glances into your mirrors as more flying monsters spill out of the sky and it's during one of these glances that you fail to notice the giant alien who has just landed in the street a few feet ahead of you. By the time you notice him you only have enough time to attempt a full stop which results in your bike sliding from under you and skidding across the pavement. Ouch.
Much to your luck, however, the bike collides directly with the monster and sends it straight into its own spear. A weird purple liquid oozing slowly from underneath the unconscious body. 
You frown, it was going to cost a pretty penny to get your bike fixed if it was even salvageable and now you definitely weren’t getting paid for the hamburger and fries that were probably still warm in your delivery bag.
Maybe you could see if french fries taste better after near-death and motorcycle debt.
Wincing, you feel your arms already bruising and your jeans have ripped through to your thigh, you're not bleeding as much as you probably should be from that slide but it still hurts like hell. Thank god you were wearing all your safety equipment.
A hand is extended out to you and you graciously take it, looking up to meet eyes with the prettiest redhead you’ve ever seen. She’s giving you an impressed smile and you feel like you could melt right then and there. Although that might also be from the burning pain in your leg. 
You probably need to find a hospital. Or maybe you were dead and this was an angel.
You always figured they’d look like the horrendous abomination of eyes and wings that they were described as, not as pretty redheads with striking green eyes but you weren’t complaining.
“That was a good move” There are still people running past you screaming but it feels like time stops when she speaks to you. 
“Yep. that was definitely something I did on purpose” Drumming your fingers on your thighs you watch her chuckle and give you a look that tells you she knows you did not, in fact, do that on purpose.
You glance between your bike and the woman in front of you, screaming civilians making the moment almost comical. You felt like you were in some kind of rom-com apocalypse.
Despite it being the last thing you should probably do, you extend your hand out to her and tell her your name. She gives you a very amused look and you shrug your shoulders as if to say ‘Why not? We’re here aren’t we?’ 
She chuckles again as she takes your hand, introducing herself.
Natasha. Derived from the Russian name Anastasia, which means resurrection. Maybe she was an angel. Damn.
Natasha nods her head in the direction of the crowd and smirks “Shouldn’t you be joining them?” You shrug. “Unless you know more moves like that?” She gestures toward your beat-up bike and you shake your head
“No. Unfortunately, I haven't mastered the art of more than one motorcycle trick yet” Not that you could get that thing to start back up again after that anyway.
She shakes her head with a laugh, glancing over her shoulder at the mess the city is becoming before turning back to you. “ Well I guess until you learn you should probably get running”
You nod, a little dejected, your calmness in relativity to the situation was likely the result of a concussion but you weren’t worried. Unless Nat was not real, in that case, you should be worried. Very Worried.
“Will we meet again?” it’s cliche and you immediately feel like a protagonist in a Disney movie but it’s a genuine question.
She smirks and looks around at the city again, gesturing to the absolute clusterfuck that New York had become “For your sake, I hope we don't” 
You know she doesn’t mean anything bad by it and it’s your turn to smirk when you say “Knowing my luck, we will” You hope she finds herself near a few banks in the upcoming months…
She smiles at you and nods her head in the direction of the crowd and you understand what she’s trying to tell you. With one final wave and a small “good luck” you run in the direction of your fellow New Yorkers, occasionally glancing back to see her running in the direction of the main battle.
You didn't know who she was but Damn did you want to. 
~~~
The next time you find yourself in a particularly unfavorable situation is not for months later. Minus that one time you witnessed two old ladies get mugged and that time you almost got hit by an ice-cream truck. But you got free ice cream from the second one so you weren't counting it.
You’d taken up a job in a small pizza place to pay for your bike repairs. It didn’t pay much but you didn’t have that many options after New York got attacked by aliens and half the businesses were destroyed or temporarily shut down. This is one of the few places still open which means on Friday nights you were busy as hell.
It was not a Friday night. It was a Tuesday afternoon and your coworker who was supposed to be on shift with you called out sick which meant you were manning the shop by yourself. Your stupid coworker was probably just off cheating on his girlfriend again but you didn’t care because the shop was empty which meant you could play games on your phone without his judgmental stare.
You’re struggling through level 5 of Candy Crush when the sound of breaking glass comes from the front of the shop and you sigh. You would be surprised but it was New York, more specifically it was your life in New York.
What you are surprised by, however, is the sight of familiar red hair covered in glass in the entryway, and you really want to rub your eyes with the squeaking sound effect like in the cartoons but the amount of microfibers that just got released into the air would suggest not doing that.
“Well well well” You realize you sound more like a supervillain than you intended and you freeze when she stands and sharply turns in your direction, gun pointed directly at you. You throw your hands up in surrender immediately. Goddamn supervillain catchphrases always making pretty girls turn their guns on you.
When she seems to recognize you she relaxes only for a man to jump through the already broken glass window and tackle her to the ground again. You want to help but considering you still haven't learned any more motorcycle tricks(or any tricks in general) you figure you would probably be useless.
You watch helplessly as she disarms and renders the guy unconscious in a matter of seconds and then stands and dusts herself off. The guy on the ground looks like some old-timey variation of Hitler and you're pretty glad she knocked him unconscious before he could even notice you. 
You focus back on Nat who's looking at you like a wounded animal that could run away at any moment and It’s then that you realize that most people are not quite used to these kinds of situations. Clearly, you weren’t like most people. You point to the body in a trenchcoat on the ground as you crinkle your nose
“Are you taking that guy with you when you leave?” She huffs out a laugh and you feel yourself smile at successfully getting her to laugh again.
You, one.
Hitlerman, zero.
At least you were winning one game. Stupid Candy Crush.
She looks around the shabby pizza place and then zones in on your nametag, only them seeming to realize you worked there. She tilts her head, nodding to your flimsy little name pinned to your T-shirt. 
“Why are you working here? Where’s the bike?” You sigh, you knew the question was coming but it’s still a sore subject for you. You internally punch a wall but on the outside, you frown just a little. It’s the saddest expression Nat’s seen on your face so far.
“She’s in the shop. Repairs are taking longer than I thought and now I’m forced to conform to my least favorite type of work just to get her back” Nat gives an understanding nod and then cringes a little, walking towards you until she’s right in front of you. She places a hand on your head and you inhale sharply.
A small frown forms on Nat’s face “You’re bleeding” 
The feeling of her hand on your face confirms that she’s not an angel or a figment of your imagination and you don’t realize you’ve voiced that thought out loud until you hear Nat barking out a laugh.
“I’m flattered but, well-” She glances up, then behind her, then back towards you “I wouldn’t be so sure just yet” She smirks and removes her hand just as a ceiling panel falls from the roof. Dust flies into the air and you cover your face to avoid getting more shit in your eyes.
When the room finally settles Natasha is nowhere in sight but there’s a Captain America band-aid on the serving counter and you feel a small smile across your face. What a dramatic exit. Now who was the supervillain?
You take great notice of the fact that Hitlerman is also gone and you wonder how the fuck she managed to do that. But more importantly, you hoped this wasn’t coming out of your paycheck.
~~~
You can’t emphasize enough to most people how much you’re not even trying to be in the situations you get caught in. In fact, the one time you stayed home for a week you ended up catching the Flu. How the hell do you catch the flu from staying home? After that, you just accepted that you were a magnet for misfortune and there was nothing you could do about it.
Although, after meeting Nat you found yourself a little excited anytime something misfortunate happened and that was probably psychotic and you should definitely check yourself into a psych ward but you’d probably end up choking on a crayon and getting deemed a risk to those around you so what was the use?
Still, of all the robberies you’d been a witness to you’d never been a part of a hostage situation. Until now. Stupid Banks! 
Usually, you’d assume that the police would handle a situation like this and you’d be stuck in this bank for hours until someone grew a dick and negotiated something but this time circumstances were a little different. To start, the guy who was currently robbing the bank was holding some type of gun that was the equivalent of real-life freeze tag. 
Anyone who got zapped by the oddly blue glowing gun was frozen in place, which led you to problem number two. 
The police had shown up nearly half an hour ago and someone must not have briefed them on this wacko holding you hostage because the second one of them snuck in the back door with a gun he was frozen in place looking like the idiot that he probably was. 
You would attempt to grab his gun but you didn’t feel like doing that shit. Who were you to risk your life and try to be a hero for some money that this poor fellow probably needed considering New York's rent cost.
Maybe if the stupid fucker hadn’t frozen the one lady who knew the code to the very comically large bank safe he wouldn’t be stuck making stupid negotiations and holding people hostage.
Instead, you settled against a wall near a bunch of crying civilians and attempted once again to beat level 10 of Candy Crush. You give up after ten minutes and delete the app. Really you were just trying to kill the time until you-know-who showed up.
She and her band of merry men had grown a reputation for taking care of situations that the regular authorities couldn’t and that’s why you weren’t the least bit surprised when the room began to fill with a cloudy white smoke.
Others began panicking, fearing that it was some sort of poisonous gas and you rolled your eyes. This was not poisonous gas, you’d seen poisonous gas and this was not it. 
This was a very dramatic entrance formulated by your absolute favorite redhead. God, you felt like you were in a spy movie. Any second now you’d see a faint figure slowly descending from the ceiling in all black with a gas mask on and spy music would start playing.
Any second now.
Aaaaaany second now- 
A scream from beside you makes you jolt and you find the sobbing woman next to you with a hand over her mouth. A gruff-looking man is telling her to keep quiet and your eyes widen for a second as you think ‘Oh shit. Double robbery.’ But from behind the gruff-looking man walks a familiar figure and she pats him on the shoulder as she passes him. 
You squint your eyes, what an oddly metal-looking shoulder. Perhaps you were hallucinating. Stress and all that.
By this point, enough white smoke has filled the room that the bank robber is wildly swinging around in fear as he squints to see. He’s probably more on edge after that woman's scream as well. Yeeeeah more of a horror movie than a spy movie now. 
The reason you can see everyone so well is due to your superior eyesight and definitely not the science lab goggles that you had in your bag for no suspicious reasons. Hey, you had to be prepared for literally anything considering your luck.
Nat’s wearing some kind of night vision-looking goggles and a mask and when she passes you you poke her leg. She jumps a little, glaring at you until she seems to recognize you despite your flawless Lab Scientist disguise and her eyes widen. Her eyes seem to scream ‘What are you doing here’ but you feel it’s too obvious of a question to bother answering. 
Instead, you give her the biggest smile you can muster and a friendly wave, mouthing “Hiiii Nat!” 
She rolls her eyes but you can see the smile she��s hiding under her mask and you mentally fist pump. Three for three.
You point to the man wielding the gun and mouth to her “Go! Team go!” 
She shakes her head, exasperated by your lack of fear and self-preservation but holds her finger up to her mouth telling you to be silent as she turns to sneak up on the man. 
Your body does so love disobeying orders though, so it chooses that moment to sneeze, which has the man pointing the gun in your direction (not that he can see as his eyes are practically watering now) and Nat turns to you with a glare.
You raise your hands up in surrender and in an attempt to help, you throw the nearest object on the floor across the room. Oh, that was your phone- well, okay. Either way, it helps, the man swings back in that direction, blasting his gun in the air and Nat takes the moment to attack him from behind. 
She disarms him easily, taking him to the ground and placing him in handcuffs. She inspects the device carefully, flipping a switch and aiming it at the closest frozen person. With a bolt of light, they unfreeze and gasp for breath. Good, at least the idiot had created some sort of Ctrl-Shift Undo button.
You're part of the first few escorted out of the building considering you weren’t frozen or in hysterics and the paramedics look at you a little funny but wrap a shock blanket around your shoulders.
Yes, shock. That's what you were experiencing. Normal people things. You twist back and forth and watch the shock blanket sway as you wait for Nat to be done with her serious business. God, serious business was boring and took forever.
When she finally emerges from the building she ignores the press and police that come up to talk to her and heads straight for you. Ha! Eat shit losers.
She doesn’t bother with formalities, why would she? It's you. Instead, she hands you a small black box as she takes in the shock blanket you’ve tied around your neck to look like a cape.
“Here’s your phone” You take the object from her hands and inspect it.
Oh wow, No cracks, that's great. Wait- “This is not my phone” You turn it over and inspect the Stark logo on the back of it. Yeeeeah definitely not yours.
“No, it’s not” She doesn't bother lying to you at least, and you hum in acknowledgment. Well, you weren’t one to pass up a free upgrade. You pocket the phone and stick your hands in your front pockets, flashing her a smile
“So… you come around here often?” She rolls her eyes at your stupid attempt at a joke. Or flirting. Either one works.
“How do you keep ending up in these situations?”
It’s your turn to smirk “Maybe it’s just an excuse to see you?” 
She gives you a look that says ‘It better not be’ and you just shrug, your shock blanket falling to the ground. Fucker. Making you look uncool. You refuse to bend down and pick it up. Recovery blankets were for losers anyway.
Still, she smiles at you anyway and crosses her arms “I’m beginning to think the only way to keep you safe is to keep you with me”
Your heart leaps but you pretend to be nonchalant. You're only blushing because of shock or whatever. Play it cool “That doesn’t sound like a bad idea” A stupid smile forces its way onto your face despite your best attempts to repress it and Nat laughs at your stubbornness.
“But first I think we’ve got to teach you some self-defense” She nods her head indicating for you to follow her and you both begin walking in step to an unmarked black car. 
Kidnapper car.
Cameras are flashing around you and you think about how cool you’ll look with Lab goggles atop your head and white smoke in your hair on the news tomorrow morning. The media was going to love you.
Turning to Nat on your way to the car, you have a question that’s been itching at you that you feel the need to ask 
“Do you think your sugar daddy can help me fix my bike?”
She punches you in the arm.
A/n: This was initially a writing exercise to write the silliest short story I could think of, but I thought it was cute so I decided to post it~ Starry
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satansdarlin · 11 months
Note
can i request headcanons for the monster trio plus ace with a Fem!reader on her period?
Sure! Some of these are based off of personal experience of what my boyfriend does for me
Period headcanons (monster trio, plus ace)
Warnings: talk of blood (obv), slightly suggestive in ace's part.
Masterlist
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Luffy
Man does not get it at first. Straight up thought you were dying.
But after some explanation from Robin, you, and Nami beating him, he finally gets it.
Still doesn't understand it in full but gets the most part
This man is now glued to you hip, even going as far as to deny playing games with usopp and chopper.
He kinda treats it like you are recovering from a injury
So obviously you need help with everything in his mind
Taking a bath? Now luffy has to sit in the bathroom and make sure you don't hurt yourself
Hungry? Omg so is he!
You wanna lay in bed all day? He's gonna cuddle you for most of it
Once he discovered the chocolate thing he made sure you had what kind you wanted.
In short luffy is the kind of boyfriend to constantly be beside you during your period if he can help it.
"Y/N can bleed for days and still be able to work! She's so cool right?!"
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Sanji
Ngl man has been prepared for this day
He knows your cycle better than you do man
Like he is prepared with extra blankets
Red meats to help you recover the iron you loose
Mentally prepared for any mood swings you might have
And has stocked up on a stash of snacks just for you during this time
While he is the most attentive and loving during this he is also the absolute worst in the best way possible
He's just trying to be helpful and you know that
But he is also making you eat liver and kidneys because you need the protein and iron
Also the type to just straight up scream at anyone who bothers you during this
You are his baby. Gotta keep you safe and happy especially when you are aching
"Come on, sugar. Eat the kidneys it's good for you- LUFFY DONT YOU DARE EAT THAT"
"But she doesn't want it"
"Shut up stupid. Come on now honey eat the food I even have some chocolate chip cookies waiting after you finish this"
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Zoro
Unbothered king
Straight up just doesn't care about bloody sheets or mood swings
He kinda thought you had a wound at first that you had hidden from him and freaked the fuck out
But after some explanation and him examining you just to be sure, he understood.
Makes you drink water the whole time
Does not care if you complain about being bloated. you are drinking those eight glasses a day
Naps with you during your sleepytimes
Will hold his hand on your stomach to apply pressure when you ask
But will also make jokes about you being his ketchup packet
Will go shopping for your tampons, pads, period cups. Doesn't know what any of them are so he asks Nami and robin for help
Comes back with something from every brand he could find and is now deeper in debt to Nami
Also straight up growled at someone when he could see they were annoying you???
He is now your social shield. Will tell someone where they can shove it if they don't fuck off and let you rest.
"607...608...609....610- oh. Nap time already? Alright alright I'm coming woman- did you just call me your cuddle bear? No I'm not blushing shut up"
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Ace
Ahem. Ace? More like living heating pad.
More than happy to hold you the whole time
Nice and cozy against those warm man titties 🤌
Anyway. He is absolutely one of the best about things
Completely indifferent if you snap at him. Understands that you are just easily frustrated and also sympathizes with you cause he can't imagine feeling like he wasn't in control of his own emotions
Nap time? Great! He sleeps more than you.. actually he might have a iron deficiency now that I think about it
Warm hands on belly at all times
Will knead at your belly to help soothe out any cramps
None of these men care about blood. It's just the pirate way.
Has his red wings. You know what I mean ;)
"Here, lemme warm you up. Sh sh don't cry, you aren't bothering me at all baby"
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gallusrostromegalus · 6 months
Note
all the captains and lieutenants accidentally get slipped some of ukitake's fucked up gigaweed edibles, what happens
First of all, it's not an accident, they straight-up plan a Friday-Night-Of-A-Three-Day-Weekend event of this. Everyone is curious, and Ukitake thinks it will be a funny way to celebrate his Birthday. He is correct: Yamamoto: Veteran of The Dank Arts, gets real high but not unpleasantly so. Would do it again next time he has a long weekend to enjoy it!
Sasakibe: Claims Ludwig Wittgenstein makes PERFECT sense now, attempts to write this philosophical revelation down but is thwarted by the jammed machinations of a clicky pen.
Soi Fon: Gives herself a hernia laughing at one (1) bad pun.
Yoruichi: Used to Urahara's Megaweed Edibles, so approaches the Gigaweed with undue confidence, declares This Edible Ain't Shit five minutes in and eats a second one. She has to be coaxed down from the top of the fridge where she's hiding from The Hatmen by bribing her with a can of Tuna. (Ukitake keeps the $21-a-can Good Shit in the house)
Omaeda: Creates a God-teir marinara Sauce, AND has the good sense to have Nemu pause her Game of Go and come into the kitchen to write down what he did.
Rose: Writes a magnificent new symphony, it's his best work ever, it's life alteringly beautiful, it's effervescent- When he sobers up, it's half a piccolo solo that barely qualifies as a ringtone.
Izuru: In the kitchen crying while eating an inadvisable amount of Omaeda's Spaghetti Marinara.
Retsu: Category Five Mukbang Incident
Isane: Thinks she's filming the Mukbang Incident, actually has her phone open to the calculator app.
Shinji: refuses to touch the Gigaweed because he "Owes The Hatmen Money" and nobody can tell if he's joking or not (he's not).
Momo: Literally Everything is HILARIOUS
Hiyori: Did not know it was possible to have a bigger, gayer crush on Momo, but she somehow opened up a new level of lesbianics. She calls it Gay 2.
Byakuya: Couchlocked for 24 hours straight.
Renji: Couchlocked right there with him, but able to text Izuru to bring them Spaghetti.
Komamura: Can't. Canine Weed Toxicity. (Relieved, offers to spend the weekend watching Toshiro and Yachiru so he has an excuse to go winter camping over the weekend)
Iba: Got High as FUCK. Found out later that the thing he actually ate was a Little Debbie Cosmic Brownie.
Shunsui: his alcohol tolerance actually makes his weed tolerance terrible so he's on the floor from jokingly licking the wrapper.
Nanao: Challenging people to knife fights (Romantic Intent).
Tousen: Immediately passes out because he managed to get his blood pressure down to normal levels, sleeps for 26 hours straight and wakes up feeling genuinely well-rested and in a good mood for the first time in two centuries.
Kensei: Gets his hand bitten at the Category 5 Mukbang Incident because he thought it would be funny to try to snitch off Retsu's plate.
Shuuhei: Attempting to refinance Shinji's debt with The Hatmen. Possibly succeeding?
Mashiro: Said "This Edible Ain't Shit", took a second, and appears to be unaffected. Playing Go with Nemu and winning.
Matsumoto: Makes the Hernia-inducing Pun. Will not STOP making Puns.
Hitsugaya: Being babysat by Komamura, would be madder about this if he wasn't also having a blast doing wintertime camping.
Kenpachi: Attempts to fight his own shadow, loses.
Yachiru: Also on the Wintertime Mountain Expedition, trying to talk Toshiro into joining her and Komamura on an Elk Hunt.
Ikkaku: Has done weed before, but only smoked it, but has a naturally suspicious nature and waits to see how Yoruichi does on her second edible, and avoids running afoul of The Hatmen.
Yumichika: Stays sober to collect blackmail on everyone. Actually films the Mukbang Incident for Isane
Mayuri: This is NOTHING compared to the Quantum Formaldymeth shit he's been on for the last century.
Urahara: from a prominent weed-growing family and lifetime connoisseur of The Herb. Takes one bite and realizes he's in deep shit, lies down on the floor next to Shuuhei and gives him terrible financial advice.
Nemu: Not chemically effected by The Edible but she loves A Group Social Activity so she's a little crunk on Social Recognition Euphoria and it's interfering with her game.
Ukitake, peeling his lieutenant off the floor: Y'all are wimps.
Rukia: has to be peeled off the floor, is affectionately dumped in the laps of Renji and Byakuya, where she forces them to have an emotionally honest and borderline normal conversation.
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70sscifiart · 6 months
Text
The Last-Minute Sci-Fi Gift Guide
There's only one thing worse than procrastinating on getting gifts for your loved ones, and that's procrastinating on putting together a guide to help out everyone else with all those gifts. It's Dec 12, so you can decide for yourself which I'm doing.
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Art book: Worlds Beyond Time, $32
If you follow this blog, you might have heard of this one. I published Worlds Beyond Time: Sci-Fi Art of the 1970s this year after five years of work on it, and I think it's really good! 400+ images, 100+ artists, with lots of fun art history and jokes.
Also, it's just $20 right now if you order through my publisher and use the code SKIPTHELINE! Cheapest it's ever been!
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Card game: Coup, $14
In this "social deduction" card game, you play as a government official in a future dystopia who needs to backstab their way into power. Everyone starts out with just two cards in this bluffing game, so the tide can turn pretty quick when players start assassinating each other's cards. The fast pace makes it a good gift for someone who loves spies but thinks they don't like card games.
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Game to play over Zoom: Bad Spaceships, $3
If a bluffing game stresses you out, try Bad Spaceships: It's a collaborative world-building game in which you roll dice to see what area of your spaceship connects to another, forcing you to spitball exactly why this is the case. As the game puts it, you might fix the hull by playing Tetris, or charge your weapons in the swimming pool. You're basically getting weird prompts to tell a story that can evolve over the course of the game.
It's such an indie game that it comes as PDFs you download from itch.io, but you can play it just as well over Zoom, if you're looking for an excuse to catch up with your old digital nomad college friend.
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Movies/TV: Streaming service gift card
Gift cards are all well and good, but you can personalize them by recommending a few of your favorite shows as well. I suggest:
Hulu: Cowboy Bebop
Apple TV+: Severance
Criterion Channel: Ravenous, Paprika, Strange Days
Paramount+: Yellowjackets
Amazon Prime: The Devil's Hour
But to be honest, this entry is just an excuse to talk about the new Max show Scavenger’s Reign. Inspired by the work of French artist Moebius and with a clear debt to famed 70s animated film Fantastic Planet, this stylish sci-fi show features a bunch of humans trying to survive on a beautiful but hostile alien world. Perfect for lovers of fictional nature.
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Vintage sci-fi
This Etsy shop has some good stuff, like the 1971 Frank Kelly Freas NASA poster above, a bit of history that I even mentioned on page 167 of my art book.
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Penguin science fiction postcards, $28
These postcards have a ton of very cool sci-fi covers I've blogged in the past – great value if you want a lot of art for a low cost.
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Meteorite pendant necklace, $34
I think we all know what kind of rock your loved ones need around their neck: A chunk of meteorite straight out of the 1576 Argentinan meteorite fall.
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Book recs
For astronauts: Packing for Mars by Mary Roach, The New Guys: The Historic Class of Astronauts That Broke Barriers and Changed the Face of Space Travel by Meredith Bagby
For comedians: Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir, Even Greater Mistakes: Short Stories by Charlie Jane Anders 
For sleuths: Six Wakes by Mur Lafferty, Drunk on All Your Strange New Words by Eddie Robson
For crafters: Knits of Tomorrow: Toys and Accessories for your Retro-Future Needs
For the resistance fighters: The Light Brigade by Kameron Hurley, An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon
For slasher movie fans: Clown in a Cornfield by Adam Cesare
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Syd Mead "Biomorph Vehicle" button down shirt, $49
T-shirts aren't classy enough for the world's coolest visual futurist, Syd Mead. I haven't actually bought this incredibly odd shirt, but I really need to.
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Art prints (and more) from 70s sci-fi artists
Artist shops can be surprisingly hard to track down on the internet, but here's a short list of ones I've come across. All of these artists are featured in my book (except one), so you can read up on them before you commit to a print.
Michael Whelan 
John Harris
Syd Mead
Don Maitz
David B Mattingly
Peter Andrew Jones - Jones was one of just a few artists who declined to be included in my art book, but he has a distinct, colorful style that I would have loved to have featured!
Finally, here's one extra bonus, just for everyone who made it to the end of this article: The UK-based educational charity Centre for Computing History sells three big officially licensed John Harris posters featuring these three artworks, famous for their use as covers for Sinclair programming manuals.
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It's a great deal that I've never seen mentioned anywhere, and Harris' work has a timeless quality that makes it great for an unassuming wall decoration. If you're outside the UK, the shipping costs will be a pain, but there's no better deal for a classic sci-fi poster.
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whispereons · 10 months
Text
Oracle!Reader Part 11
Masterlist - Part 1, Part 10, Part 12
As always this is your warning! This au is dark, violent and sad at times. It's imposter sagau which is already yandere and stuff. Blood, graphic description of violence is in it.
The flower pin was rough under your fingertips as it's stashed away into your bag. A keepsake for Kuan now that the chances of her body being found without life were higher. If not certain already.
"The meeting must have gone poorly to say the least. Treasure hoarders are greedy by nature, they must have spiked the price to insane heights."
Xingqiu pushes the chunks of metal off the road as he comments on his theory. Tracks are slowly revealed leading both ways of the path.
"Which way now? They probably kept the victims together so should we split up or stay together?" Chongyun asks as you all stand together looking at the split path.
Both paths had multiple footprints, but it was hard to tell which were from fighting or fleeing. Xingqiu opens the tracking and hunting book as he flips through it.
"There was a chapter on footprints, it can probably help us know which way to go. And hopefully how long ago too."
Nodding absentmindedly, you carefully step around the tracks and compare the amount of child-sized on the left to the ones on the right. There were at least twice as many on the left than the right.
"Hey Chongyun I think they went left; can you see if the smaller footprints fade out or turn around on the right path?"
"Sure" He's gone quickly and Xingqiu joins you in the left path as he compares the text in the book to what he's seeing.
"The small tracks are digging deeper at the front meaning they must have been running. If they were just fighting, there would have been more of a bump. It would be easier to tell if there was less blood, but our best bet seems to be the left path."
"The left leads deeper into Liyue to the Minlin region, right? That's good since the mountains are too tough to get off the path with that many children but the path leads to Jueyun Karst too."
"Should I even ask how you're so familiar with the Minlin region?"
"Do you really want a repeat of the event earlier?"
"You both better not be fighting again." Chongyun butts in as he jogs back. He's holding something in his hands and stretches them out revealing the item.
"The footprints there were all grown so you were right about it being left Y/N. I also found this Fatui insignia." The blue and gold design of a sergeant insignia was stained with dried blood and dirt.
"I believe there's a good chance that the treasure hoarders managed to escape with the hostages. That would explain why the fatui agent tried to settle a 'debt' with us before."
"Then let's not waste any time, if we don't hurry, they might try to get off the path." Picking up the pace you all follow the left path and keep quiet for any signs of the victims.
As you continue past the scenery and occasional animals your mind lingers on the possibility of them going off the path or not. They definitely could if they knew the area well enough, but something is nagging you that you're missing something.
If the deal went well, the hoarders would have used the cart to drive away. It's doubtful that they would go back to the harbor with their crime so recent but going on the right path wouldn't work either.
The right path would have led them past Wangshu Inn which was like a game over since Xiao isn't all that subtle. Or to Mingyun village which was where the Fatui would have left to. They would have met up in that village and fight there instead of here so that's out too. That leaves only the left path which leads straight to Jueyun Karst.
That would be a bad option but unlike Wangshu Inn that's surrounded by water, they could escape south to the ruins. So, the hoarders would be going left either way. So whatever way they planned on escaping is canceled due to the hostages. Why did you still feel like you were forgetting something?
Your hand tightens around the strap of your bag as the path gets rocky. Maybe if you reread the commission you could remember?
Not slowing down you dig the handbook out and read the commission list. Your eyes stop on the commission that stands out the most.
Full Speed Ahead - The path is needed for a transportation vehicle moving people. Make sure the path is clear within the time limit. Defeating enemies may be necessary.
The path needed is the bridge that leads into Jueyun Karst. The vehicle in the commission isn't specified nor the reason. Did they plan to cross that bridge before escaping through the bottom mountain?
Right now, it was the only idea of what direction they could be taking, you had to get to that bridge. Stuffing the handbook back into your bag, you start to speed up.
"I think I have an idea on where they went! We need to get to the bridge that leads to Jueyun Karst."
The look they shoot you is ignored as you draw closer to the bridge. Even still, they match your pace before you all slow down at the sight of the bridge.
The bridge had multiple slimes crowding it as it swayed at the weight. Wasn't this bridge a safety hazard? Those gaps are big enough that a whole person could slide out.
"I see a group on the other side!" Xingqiu says loudly over the sound of the bouncing slimes. You look where he's pointing and can see a rough group of six people.
Chongyun takes a step on the bridge but is instantly pushed back by the slimes. Frowning he speaks with the slightest hint of worry.
"We can't cross with all those slimes but if we fight them, the bridge might collapse. We would need to go all the way around and that would not only put those people in danger but let the hoarders get farther."
"Then let's think outside the box, who says fighting is our only option?" Grinning with confidence you push past the guys and step on the bridge.
Trying not to look down the bridge you grip the rope tightly and watch the slimes start to crowd you. Unlike with the geovishap hatchlings, you didn't plan to just stay still.
Three cryo slimes tackle your legs at the same time but miss as you dodge it. The slimes fall through the wide gaps giving you more leg room.
With that you begin to quickly pick up the 'safer' slimes like the hydro and geo slimes before chucking them off. You were careful not to let the pyro or electro slimes touch you and simple dodged them.
"What are you two doing standing there?! Come and help me already!"
Your words seem to snap them out of whatever daze they were in before they ran to join you. As vision holders their bodies had some natural resistance to the slime's elemental bodies. You witnessed Chongyun pick up two pyro slimes with ease as you kicked a dendron slime off. He didn't even get a single burn!
The number of slimes dwindled down quickly till there only a handful of hydro slimes. You expected them to try to run away or charge at you but instead they simply circled you before gurgling happily.
Throwing off one of the hydro slimes you finally looked down to see that all the slimes were safely at the bottom. You did have the maximum world level 8 so fall damage must not be enough to kill them.
In your confusion you picked up the next one and bluntly asked. "Do you guys enjoy being thrown off like this?"
It smiled with 'closed' eyes almost exactly like you would see in the game as the last two hydro slimes jumped around happily. You looked up at Chongyun and Xingqiu who gave you an equally confused stare.
Shit this might have been another creator perk. If the slimes don't enjoy being thrown by them, then the guys will start to suspect you again. That means precious time and energy wasted, Yiran can't afford that.
"Can you both check up on the group while I finish these slimes. Clearing this path was also one of my commissions."
Chongyun stops mid-grab before nodding. Xingqiu is unfortunately less cooperative.
"We helped you with your commission, surely you'll let us take some of the prize too."
"Aren't you all for justice and chivalry? It's very unrighteous of you to try and steal from the poor and needy." You respond with a shrug as the last slime gets happily thrown off.
It may come from the perk of being the creator but it's still a bit creepy how much they like being thrown off the bridge. But the slimes are also quite cute, so it's forgiven.
The whole creator cult thing was a different story.
"Well then shouldn't you-" "That's enough, the bridge is clear let's get going."
Cutting off Xingqiu you begin to lightly push him across the bridge. Although he does stop talking, he begins to lean even more on your hands.
Man was he heavy, the game didn't exactly give the best body portions. Xingqiu looked quite slim, but sword training gives muscles and Xingqiu is not exception.
He even had the nerve to take out a book and begin reading leaving you with the job of pushing him.
A nice little prank is schemed as you pushed him quietly to the end of the bridge where Chongyun was waiting for you both.
Chongyun turns in your direction and sighs tiredly at Xingqiu's antics. Xingqiu begins to close the book and you smile secretively. With a quick sidestep, your hands leave his back and he falls backward onto the bridge.
The teens begin to laugh as the adults control their laughter better. You smirk down at the annoyed Xingqiu as he moves his book off his face.
"Since I did the manual labor of pushing you all the way here, I'm sure you'll let me keep the full reward."
"Fuck you" You simply flip him off before turning to the elderly man and adults with a pleasant smile.
"Hello, which one of you had filed this bridge as a commission?" Money came first, you didn't want the commissioner to slip away. You didn't even have to worry about the time limit due to the amount of slimes you had to throw off.
"That would be me, thank you for your work." The elderly man hands you the bag of rewards. You turn around to where Chongyun was helping Xingqiu up.
"You did help so do you want a portion of the rewards?"
"I only accept the base fee for exorcism jobs. It was your idea that made it possible to cross so I don't need any mora." He shakes his head firmly and you nod in acceptance.
More mora for you after all! Pocketing the money, you ignore Xingqiu who's holding out his hand for some of the reward. He tsk'd at your action as Chongyun sighs tiredly at the conflict between you two.
"I do have another commission about a kidnapping case. A group of treasure hoarders kidnapped two adults, some teenagers, and children. We followed the path here, are you part of the group that were kidnapped?" You direct your question to the adults and teenagers as they begin to sigh in relief.
"Yes, but we're only part of the group." The first adult who looks to be an older woman speaks with tears of relief. "After we were taken, we got to a clearing of some sort in Guilt Plains and the Fatui were there. We tried to escape when they began to fight but we were caught."
"When we got to the bridge the slimes were starting to crowd it, so they tied us on the other end and crossed the bridge with the children and a few teenagers. Thankfully Mr. Dao untied us, and we helped him cross the bridge." The second adult a man who couldn't be older than 20 explained with a hoarse voice.
"There's no way we could defeat the hoarders to save the children and the bridge was overfilled with slimes. But not only did you clear the bridge, but you all seem strong enough to save the kids. Please save them, my son is still with them too." The woman clasps her hands with budding tears as she looks at you.
"The information you gave us is invaluable. I can assure you that we'll keep working on this case." Carefully picking your words, you do your best to comfort the mother. Her gaunt figure and poorly maintained features are a clear indicator of her poverty. She's not the first mother you've seen suffer like this in poverty.
"May the creator bless you with luck in all that you do." She whispers pressing her lips against her hands. Muttered prayers are carried by the wind as you begin climbing up the path with the quiet vision holders.
The mood in your group is somber from the earlier conversation. Leaves flutter in the air with the rising height and birds circle the mountain. After crossing a small wooden bridge, you all get to an archway with a blue tile roof, and a large bell hangs motionlessly above. Small statues of frogs litter the area seeming to watch you.
There were also mini stone statues of you too. Fancy clothes adorn the small statues with a matching hat. It was cute but it seemed to remind Chongyun and Xingqiu that you were all entering the adepti area.
They both hesitate at the gate with conflicted expressions. Neither of them have the sigil of permission and you sure as hell don't have one. They probably could enter while you were playing as it was under the creator's command but that didn't apply here.
Even still you grab their hands and drag them past the gate. "Why are you two standing there like idiots? There are children scared out of their mind with no clue on whether help is coming or not."
"This is the home of the adepti, without a sigil of permission we aren't allowed to enter less we face punishment." Xingqiu speaks but he still allows you to pull him.
"What's more important? The lives of innocent children or the privacy of beasts that are meant to protect the lives of people of Liyue which would include those children. If the adepti can't forgive our intrusion, then they are shameful to the creator. And the creator's will overpowers all others."
You release their hands and continue hiking. Both boys walk at your swift pace with a seemingly fond look. It seems that creator perk of them becoming inclined to you is starting to affect them.
After a while you all find a man sitting on a small structure with an axe by his side. The sun is already starting to creep down, but you need a break. Chongyun starts walking to the man but not before saying, "I'll ask him for any information. You aren't used to this terrain yet Y/N, rest up in the meantime."
Were you really that obvious? In embarrassment you pat away the dust and dirt from your clothes. The snicker from Xingqiu makes you glare at him with a flustered face.
"Quit laughing before I push you off this mountain." Your mumble only makes him laugh at you more. Fed up, you shoulder him making him stumble at the unexpected action.
Now annoyed he moves to shoulder you back, but Chongyun is already pulling you behind him.
"Xingqiu can you stop fighting with Y/N?"
"Chongyun it isn't good to misunderstand situations like these. They really started it this time."
"I have no clue what he's talking about. I was tired and started to lean on Xingqiu. It's not my fault he wasn't strong enough to hold up my weight."
Xingqiu chuckles in disbelief at your innocent words as Chongyun shakes his head. "Xingqiu, you can't really expect me to believe you. You do stuff like this all the time to me."
You stick your tongue out at Xingqiu over Chongyun's shoulder as he smiles sharply at you. He silently fumes as you grin mockingly at him.
"Now back to the mission, the man Pan Guan'er is a lumbar jack looking for his axe. He said that he only sat down to rest recently and hadn't seen anyone passing by. We should keep hiking up and maybe we'll find more clues."
Nodding you all keep hiking but again you feel that sense of unease. It seems you aren't the only one as Xingqiu starts questioning Chongyun as you all cross a pond.
"A lumbar jack in the adepti area? How strange. That job requires a lot of strength so what kind of build did he have?"
"He was more on the slender side with muscles on his legs being the most prominent." Chongyun recalls as he stares down at the floor.
Muscles on the legs rather than the arms? There's no way he's a lumbar jack. You turn around first and freeze at the sight of Pan and two treasure hoarders sneaking up.
"Watch out!" One of the hoarders already has a crossbow about to shoot and you react quick enough to tackle both guys to the floor.
An arrow may have only done some damage while you played the game, but this was real life. You weren't sure if you could save either of them if they got hit in a vital spot. Let alone an organ like an eye.
The situation dawns on them as you all scramble up to avoid the attacks coming your way. A masked hoarder begins to load up another arrow as the biggest man charges with a hammer. Pan Guan'er slips a mask onto his face and readies a pair of throwing knives.
Chongyun defends you and Xingqiu from the hammer by blocking with his claymore. The heavy clang and subsequent swings of the hefty weapons in combat let you and Xingqiu go around and battle the others.
Xingqiu follows the crossbow hoarder as he backs away tactically from the agile boy. Your sickle is summoned, and your swing is electro-charged against Pan if that even was his name.
He dodges at the last minute and kicks your side making you bite back the groan. Knives slash at your clothes and are thrown at your neck as you dodge them all while being careful to avoid his legs.
You're unrelenting once you get an opening to attack. The blunt side of your sickle leaves bruises on his body as you cautiously leave shallow cuts. You can't let him die just yet.
The fight is so familiar that your body follows the movements easily. Reminiscent of all the street fights you participated while homeless. It's the jobs from your old boss that would get physical that seem to crowd your mind the most.
The fight is over before you know it with your sickle on his neck keeping him pinned down on the ground. Xingqiu climbs back up with a frustrated expression that softens at the sight of your victory.
"He fell off the cliff while I was chasing him. Who in their right mind backs up without checking?" He sighs as Chongyun comes over with blood staining the end of his pants.
"He lost too much blood and couldn't answer any questions I had. Hopefully, we get more luck with Pan." Pan gulps nervously at the sight of all three of you staring down at him.
"Why did you kidnap those people? What happened with the Fatui? But if you can't answer those questions then you better be able to answer where those children are now." The sickle presses against his neck harder letting a stream of blood trickle down.
"We heard that the Fatui needed people, so we agreed to kidnap some for them! The money they brought wasn't to the bosses liking so we fought. For some reason they retreated, and we took the people here to escape."
"And where are they now?" Pan avoids your eyes as he sweats. If he wasn't going to say more then you'll have to force it out of him. The loud crunch of bones breaking can be heard alongside Pan's screams.
Chongyun lifts his claymore and slams the dull side onto his leg mercilessly. It's surprising to see this sharp chilliness from him but it saves you the trouble.
Pan's arm swings up to hit your side, the knife glinting in his hand as he grunts angrily. "I'm gonna-! Hurk-"
His words are cut off as a sword stabs his arm back into the ground. The blood seeps through and spills onto the grass and pond as tears and snot dribble down his face.
Disgusting
What right does he have to cry? He's not the parent who's worried over their child with a dangerous fate. He's not the child stolen and at the mercy of adults with malicious intentions.
"We split up! I was staying here on Qingyun Peak to throw off any Fatui members that might come while the prisoners were taken to Mt. Hulao!" He sobs out and you draw your sickle back in disbelief.
Mt. Hulao? That was the mountain right across from here! You would have to climb down, cross the river, and then climb back up. They could go anywhere by then!
Shit, shit. What were you supposed to do?
Chongyun and Xingqiu seem just as conflicted as the draw their weapons away. Now free and bleeding, Pan begins to crawl away. Chongyun moves to detain him again, but you stop him with a hand on his shoulder.
"Leave him be, we got the information we needed. Besides, he'll bleed to death before he finds any help."
Xingqiu seems to be deep in thought as he stares off the cliff in the direction of Mt. Hulao. He talks with Chongyun about any possible paths to it as you stand a little farther on the side.
Warily you bring up the game screen and press the map quickly. You didn't have enough privacy or time to control one of your characters to save the children, but you could zoom in on the mountain through the map.
There you spot a flat area on Qingyun Peak facing Mt. Hulao. If you could climb higher, you could glide to the mountain saving loads of time and energy. You let that little flame of hope ignite and close the game window in a hurry.
"I have an idea, you both have gliders, right?" You ask with an excited smile as they nod in unison. Wordlessly they understand your plan and follow you up the mountain.
The path is littered with flat rocks and plants that your feet carelessly trample on. Trees, lamps, and archways are ignored as the sky starts to turn a soft shade of orange. Time is running out.
The clearing comes into view as the amber-imbued mountain stands proudly across. A huge stone circle is nearly consumed by the wildlife as you all walk to the edge.
Red ropes tied to the trees holding small signs are on your left and on the right is a strange device with two of your mini statues guarding it. A mechanical stone doll of yourself stands there with gold rings around the joints. Was that a pull-apart and put-back-together statue of yourself?
This was Moon Carver's Mountain, so it belongs to him. Maybe Cloud Retainer made it for him. You eye the path on the right that leads further up the mountain to his home. It was weird to think that even the high and mighty acting adepti worshipped you too.
The edge of the mountain makes your palms sweaty as you peek down. It's a long drop. Forcibly you activate the glider as Xingqiu and Chongyun stand next to you calmly.
"You look quite nervous Y/N, this must be your first time using one. Did you not get your license?" Too nervous to be annoyed you answer with a chuckle.
"Nope, but what the Millelith doesn't know, won't hurt them. Besides they're pretty crappy anyway." The soft breeze helps cool you down as you stare straight ahead.
"Just hold onto us if you're that nervous. If you're really scared, then I can just carry you." Xingqiu replies as he holds his arms out. It's teasingly in your eyes but he's very serious.
"Can't do that, I have to learn to glide by myself ya'know? But I will take you up on the first offer." You grab Xingqiu's right hand and turn to Chongyun.
His glare at Xingqiu softens when you look at him. Wordlessly with a shy look he holds his left hand out. Internally he's relieved that you didn't accept Xingqiu's offer to carry you. He knows him well enough to know that he was serious about that offer.
Hyping yourself up that this cliff wasn't as terrifying as you thought, you jumped off the cliff gripping their hands tightly. It's just like building parkour, it's just like building parkour. The chant is repeated as you keep your eyes closed from the wind.
"You can open your eyes now, Y/N." Chongyun's calm voice coaxes you as a playful voice continues. "Just don't flail around too much."
Slowly you open your eyes to the sight of the passing birds and Mt. Hulao slowly approaching. The wind is soft as it caresses your face while the wind pushes you all higher into the air.
"As long as neither of you let me go, then this will be a nice and easy flight." You direct your quip to Xingqiu. "And if someone does decide to be a dick then I'll let go of Chongyun and bring Xingqiu down with me."
"Real subtle Y/N."
"Aren't I always?"
"I have to thank the creator for keeping the wind in the direction we need. The faster we get to the mountain, the faster we can search for the kids. Plus, you two can stop fighting for at least 5 minutes."
"Y/N, do you see what kind of bad influence you are? Chongyun never acts this way."
"Don't blame me, it's not my fault he's sick of your antics."
Chongyun sighs softly as you and Xingqiu continue bickering until you all land on Mt. Hulao next to a chunk of amber. You mimic Xingqiu and Chongyun who mutter a prayer of thanks to the creator.
The orange-pinkish hue of the sky is now a soft purple as the amber seems to glow. You knock on the tall amber and listen to the hollowness of the mineral.
"Don't get distracted Y/N! We have to hurry or else they might get away." You jump at the sudden call and catch up with the duo. The cold air is starting to make you a bit cold as you follow the path.
"Isn't it a bit strange that there aren't any monsters here? I mean the adepti wouldn't bother killing elemental creatures or even any monsters unless they actively disturbed them."
"I think that's the answer," Chongyun responds quietly to Xingqiu's question as he points ahead.
Right at the edge of the giant hole in the middle of the mountain was a few bodies. No, a few corpses.
Treasure hoarders lay on the ground, against the wall, and even in the bushes with battered bodies. Claw marks, arrows, puncture wounds, and even arrows are inflicted on the bodies. The only explanation would be that a group of hilichurls attacked them.
Walking closer you touch the blood and let it drip off your finger. "It's cold but not dry. They were here not long ago; they must be up the mountain."
Walking up the mountain with the guys in tow you wipe the blood off on an amber chunk. As you all keep climbing, more and more bodies are found, thankfully none of them are of kids.
As the path turns to stone staircases amber chunks become more frequent. Xingqiu peers into one and bites his lip.
"The amber is also encasing some of the hoarders. That's usually the fate for anyone who climbs Mt. Hulao."
"We should leave them to the creator's mercy. They're either dead or going to die. Not to mention Mountain Shaper isn't known for his grace." Chongyun responds as you glance at the passing amber coldly.
Finally at the top of the mountain you stare at the big trees with burgundy leaves, Cor Lapis are rooted around the trunks. Yelling and crying can be heard as you climb the last few steps to finally see the situation.
Mountain Shaper stands in front of his cave in the usual form of a crane as he stares down at the only standing treasure hoarder. Multiple dead bodies lay in the shallow water as the water changed to red. The hoarder is yelling something but the soft cries on your left are the only thing you hear.
Yiran is kneeling in the water as she sobs clutching a boy's hand. His features so similar to the woman you met at the bridge. Yet the pink hue of the water and dull eyes make your heart clench at having to present her with his body.
"Mortal of treachery, you and your kin invaded my mountain seeking to hide your crime and escape with your lives. Let the amber of my mountain encase you till only dust remains!"
With a flap of his wings, the last hoarder is consumed by amber with a horrified expression clear. You stare in awe at the display of power as the amber crumbles into dust and scatters among the water.
Mountain Shaper turns his attention to your group with irritation. "Intruders left to right. At the very least you three have no scent of corruption and evil, I'm sure you came for the children. The others are on Mt. Aocang under Cloud Retainers care."
The mountain seems to rumble as he walks slowly towards you all with glowing red eyes. "Yet you all trespassed on my and Moon Carver's residence. Foolish and arrogant mortals you all are, your punishment will be swift and painless."
Your heart pounds in your chest as you promptly reply but not toward Mountain Shaper.
"Yiran! Your father Kuan is waiting for you at the city. He's been worried sick about you, he commissioned me to find and save you."
"Really?" She quietly replies, "Daddy sent you? I-I want to go home! I wanna see Daddy!" She sniffles before bursting into tears.
Mountain Shaper stands in front of you with narrowed eyes. "What caliber of schemes did you plan to follow through with such an action?"
"Do you or the other adepti plan to come to the city and find the people those children belong to yourself? How do you plan on calming down traumatized children?" He scoffs at your questions and glowers at you.
"The sole reason I have not imprisoned your form despite your conceited words is due to the scent of Teyvat that surrounds you. Your comrades will care for the children while we can investigate you."
He spreads his wing into Yiran's direction silently commanding the guys to care for her. Warily they move away from you and tend to Yiran trying to calm her down.
"Answer my questions and you and your team may live. Who are you masked trespasser and why does the scent of Teyvat surround you?"
It's strange, why doesn't he recognize you? They never accepted any gnosis so the corruption from Celestia should never have affected them. Nor would they ever forget the elemental worship due to their distaste for human culture, but wouldn't they remind Morax of it too?
The adepti are under Morax's command as they all fought under him. Plus, they must all have their own contracts with him. What if that was the reason? Maybe the corruption affected them on a subconscious level leading them to not realize how they were affected by the gnosis.
"I'm Y/N, and that scent is from my occupation. I'm the creator's oracle and as the creator's vast powers protect me, Teyvat protects me under the creator's orders."
Mocking laughter echoes around the area once you finish explaining. You already expected this reaction, what thousands of year-olds mystical beings would believe a mortal would be made into an oracle? Instead, you focus on Yiran's softening cries as she's comforted by the duo.
They seem to be instructing her to pray to you. Chongyun shows her a form as Xingqiu recites a prayer that goes unheard. It's something about protection, healing, and thankfulness. It almost makes you want to laugh if the situation wasn't so horrible.
"He protected me and now he's dead. It's all my fault, it's all my fault!" She breaks down again during the prayer as they continue trying to soothe her. This memory will stay with her forever, Kuan isn't going to get the same daughter back. If she wasn't traumatized by the kidnapping, this preteen's death will.
Doesn't make it any less fucked up that when something like this happens, everyone's first thought is to pray to you. That's probably why everyone is so fanatic about you. It happens on Earth with minor obsessive religions but here in Teyvat it's widespread.
"Interloper or rather Y/N the teller of falsehoods, the adepti as a group will decide whether you deserve to live in shame or die for your crimes." It's a shame that the fan won't work in this case but that never stopped you before.
"And what about my friends? You said that they may live if I answered, which I did, but I don't believe you're that generous. If anyone must face punishment for trespassing, it should be me as I dragged them along. They're not the ones who are receiving payment, I am."
It was the least you could do, they helped you a lot and they didn't deserve to die for your reckless decision. Even if you don't regret it.
"How noble of you falsifier. Those acolytes may live and bring those children back to their homes. I'll even wrap this body to be presented to whatever careless parent that let their child be taken."
Oh, hell no
"With all the disrespect I can muster, shut your damn trap. What right do you have to speak about careless parents? That boy's mom was taken alongside him, you have no idea what kind of sacrifices she may or may not have made for him! If we're going to speak about carelessness, why don't you explain why all you adepti thought it was right to fill Qiqi with enough adepti energy that it harmed her to such a horrible degree?"
The air went cold and amber rose around you in a cage-like form. He was furious but you were too.
"Oh, I will rejoice once your little story is exposed as the fabrication it is. I'll decide your punishment and seek out how you learned about this. I pray to the creator of all beings that your death will be as painful and long as when I was forced to incase that dying child in amber to prevent her destruction."
His condescending tone is paired with a fiery glare that you deliver right back. Chongyun carries Yiran who passed out from exhaustion. Xingqiu carries the now mummified body of the dead boy with a troubled look.
The heron stands in the middle of the pond and spreads both his wings. The pond alights with yellow and red forcing you to close your eyes.
When your eyes reopen, you find yourself in a different body of water. A small table in the middle, lily pads between the rocks in the water and the multiple eyes staring at you are a near comfort.
What a familiar scenery.
Chongyun and Xingqiu are surrounded by the rest of the missing kids as the stumble from the sudden teleportation. Hurt but thankfully unharmed, the children light up at the sight of the famailair Liyue figures.
Two cranes, a stag, and a very familiar goat-featured lady stand around you. You always wondered how Ganyu's hair stayed in a ponytail look without a hair tie.
"I regret to inform you all that this mortal has claimed to be the creator's oracle."
Shocked eyes are drawn to your imprisoned form with the exception of your teammates. The rising moon seems to shine on the water around you like a spotlight. Your face is neutral as your sharp smile hides in your heart.
Yet another situation where you'll make best with what you have. The more untrusting eyes, the more relief you'll feel when you trick them with convenient words painted under the guise of truth.
It has always been like this, and even if you're sick and tired, you'll still do it. At this point, it's the only thing that you trust. So, you'll keep spouting lies until even you believe them. Besides...
Lying always was your best skill.
I finished!!! There was so many obstacles! My house started going under construction so I took off work and spent this whole week moving stuff. Then moving it back, And then cleaning it. And then restocking it. You get the idea. The beginning of this chap is really rough due to me switching between moving and cleaning plus being a lil rusty. But I think I got back to the flow as it went on. Everything sort of worked out in the end but Y/N just can't catch a break. Now the whole kidnap case seemed maybe random to ya'll but how else was I supposed to bring Y/N into adepti territory? It's a fact that travelers are encased in amber or punished for going to Jueyun Karst. I just hope I fleshed it out enough that it was enjoyable. Oh and that scene with Pan Guan'er was inspired by the actual NPC that sits there. When you walk by, two treasure hoarders spawn behind you. I genuinely think that NPC is sus as hell. I also wanna direct anyone interested in what the mask could look like to this post. The wonderful @the-dumber-scaramouche made fanart of her version of Y/N! It's so beautiful! Taglist: @vvyeislazzy, @nikqi, @the-dumber-scaramouche, @etherisy, @yourlocalstranger123, @ra404, @iruiji, @goldenglow149, @haru-tofuu, @lsleepysimpl, @bebobeboben, @yuyuzi-ling, @amidst-the-tempest, @resident-cryptid, @mxd1zzy, @mochicurls21, @nervouseaglelover, @thedevioussmirk, @yumuramma, @kwqsla, @undecidingfate, @ehjane, @game-savvy, @akiramirae, @sielt, @fluffy-koalala, @formacoon, @sxftiebee, @khxii-i, @ursinaw, @chuuya-brainrot, @sweetbills, @kazuchaos, @snowfoxnix, @bluebelony, @conspicuous-mayonnaise, @pencil-of-ashes, @ghostlyintervention, @taiformaifoe, @sielt, @goaudduck, @carminerin, @maddysflowers, @zenith-of-all-zeniths, @crazydreamcat, @leafanonsforest, @grimreapersscythe, @leylanx, @undecidingfate, @sapphireknown, @help-whatdoimakemyusername, @zhonglisfruityass, @fluffy-koalala, @mer0n37, @victoria1676, @mochinessss, @sinnful-darling, @emilymikado
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one-vivid-judgment · 4 months
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You know what I love about the Ichigang? That they were all alone and at rock bottom at some point, with no one to rely on for support:
- Nanba wanted to be like Nightingale, but then got fired because he took the fall for someone else, who ended up having lied to him for her own benefits. His brother was being watched by the Geomijul and then disappeared; Nanba spent a long ass time homeless and not knowing if his brother was alive or not. 
- Adachi lived with the Kusumi incident in his conscience for years, hating Horinouchi's guts and hoping to find something to take the guy down. First he's demoted to the license center, then he's straight up fired. No job, no retirement, man never got married or had a family. The Barkeep even says he's "not usually a happy drunk" and that "it's the first time in a long time I see him smile like that".
- Saeko's family life is a DISASTER. Her mom died, her sister wants nothing to do with her (to the point where they were both working for the same guy and Nanoha EXPLICITLY told Nonomiya not to tell her sister about it, even when things were tough and she could've used Saeko's help), her dad is old and dying. She is on her own and basically only has her girls and Nonomiya—until Nonomoya dies, and she's conflicted cause sure, he wasn't the best guy around, but he was still there for her when she needed, and now he's gone. 
- Yeonsu's life, man. Yeonsu's fucking life. His dad was a drunkard who abused his son and cared about him so little that he had no qualms basically giving Yeonsu up as tribute to the Jingweon mafia to turn him into their leader's double—mind you, this means he could've been killed at any point. He basically lived as the shadow of someone else for years, never being seen for himself but for Joongi Han. 
- Zhao's Liumang leader status was passed down from his dad. He was doing a good job although he's clearly more passionate about cooking and having his restaurant—that he doesn't mind a simpler life and even EMBRACES it and gets angry when anyone suggests he's "just some chef". He still lead the Liumang though. And then his men and right hand turn on him and try to get him killed and what do you know, suddenly there is nothing anymore. 
- Seonhee was a kid when the whole Jingweon mafia shit show happened and then it all came crashing down. Her people who managed to escape alive were left on their own and abandoned until the Geomijul was created. 
- Even Eri, the optional party member, was in a similar situation. She was tricked by Hosho and her company was at the verge of shutting down, and when she thought she had a chance to get back on her feet thanks to Nonomiya's help, she finds out he died, and basically, as far as she knows, all hope is lost. 
And then, Chitose and Tomizawa. I feel they are the perfect example of how easy it is to stray and go down the wrong path when you are in that type of situation, and how even the tiniest kind gesture can do wonders to you:
- Chitose was a sheltered rich girl whose whole life was dictated by her parents. She craved the independence and the freedom and she wanted CONNECTION—which is how she ended up falling in Eiji's trap and being blackmailed for years and manipulated into using people who actually cared about her and with whom she was finally developing that connection she always yearned for. As far as she knows, said people will push her to the side as soon as they find out about her betrayal, and then she'll be alone again. 
- Tomizawa was living the live with his girlfriend, a nice job and a kid on the way—until Dwight and the Barracuda pinned their crimes on him. He went to jail, Marie lost the baby and then disappeared, he's blacklisted from every bank and had to go to Yamai for help with his debts, and after that, he basically became a puppet who did everythint Yamai asked him to out of fear. He hates himself for being a coward who's not able to pull the trigger even when it's necessary, and he blames himself for everything that happened. He is a horrible person in his own eyes, and as far as he knows, there is no getting out of this situation. 
And then there is Ichi, who has seen nothing but rock bottom for so fucking long but still manages to see the bright side of things. He is a good person, sometimes borderline stupid and his choices end up making his superiors (aka Sawashiro) mad. But it doesn't matter how much life beats him down, he always gets back up because he has that "once you hit rock bottom, the only way is up" philosophy. And, although some of his friends have used him for their benefit or straight up assaulted him, Ichi never turns his back on them. Because he KNOWS how it feels to be alone and to not have anyone there for you, anyone that you can rely on, and if he can be that someone, then he WILL be. If he can change a single person's life, he WILL. 
Anyway, I love the Ichigang so much and these are the kind of thoughts I have about them at 1 a.m
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