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urlocallesbiab · 1 year

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ok folks, inspired by This Post (thank you for inspiration and ideas, @agent-p-94/@generalized-incompetence!), i present to you:

brotzly fake dating couple's therapy au; in the form of tumblr messages/a campfire story/an unwitten fic rundown

me: the thing is, they'd PASS

within 10 minutes of knowing each other they'd get so PISSED OFF it'd fill up an entire therapy session

just "YOU NEVER SHUT UP" and "YOU NEVER LISTEN TO ME" and "I'VE NEVER MET A DUMBER PERSON" and "I'M SICK TO DEATH OF YOU CRITIQUING MY MUSIC TASTE" and "YOUR DRIVING SKILLS ARE GOING TO GET US KILLED I SWEAR TO GOD" nonstop rapid-fire with therapist barely able to squeeze a "gentlemen, please!" inbetween

and then they'd stumble out of the building and LAUGH, laugh so hard they'd be clinging to each other near falling to the ground, todd croaking that this is the best stress-release activity he'd done in YEARS, dirk clutching his stomach and crying and highlighting the best of todd insults

both would admit this is the BEST first date ever and schedule the next therapy session

every time they'd spend like 10-30 minutes getting to know each other better, and then full 45 just kvetching, sometimes just YELLING at the top of their lungs to their hearts' delight at the therapist office

agent: The best of Todd insults!!! Omg

They just argue nonstop anyway it's just a space to do that

me: and one day dirk would bring in rings, just plain metal ones (but no one has to know), justify that well, if this is a marriage ruse we might as well up our game, right? but he'd be weirdly skittish and self-conscious about it, like he's overstepping an invisible boundary; but todd would be *down* for it — he would be down for most of dirk's stupid bullshit, it's been so long since he's done any proper good shenanigans, since his life was even half this fun!

and then he'd try on the ring and laugh again because it *doesn't fit*, and dirk would get half-jokingly defensive that he didn't know his size!!, and todd would let him take the measuremnts (bc for what purpose would he know his own ring finger size), and dirk's breath would catch holy and uncomfortably

next time, dirk would get him a good, fitting ring, and it'd make weird things shift in his stomach

agent: OR it would be the RIGHT size, holistically

And he's like well I have to wear it now

And maybe they actually stumble upon something real in the middle of it - Dirk is going full monologue about the dishwasher and he says something and todd stops yelling back and looks unusually affected and is like wait...really? And then they just stare at each other for a minute and Todd is like ...I never knew that. And then they stare some more. And then the therapist is like ummm our time is up? I'm just gonna... Go? And then they're really quiet on the drive home but the next morning they have a new understanding

me: DIRK LETTING HIS TRAUMA PEEK THROUGH AND TODD ACCEPTING IT WHOLEHEARTEDLY

it's silent the whole ride, but just before he drops dirk off (dirk had been BANNED from the wheel since their first date/session) he goes "so, this..... [dryly, as not to disturb, sums up dirk's thing] it's real?"

dirk, usually so talkative, just helplessly shrugs, then shakes his head at himself, then somberly nods a few times, confirming that yes.

todd puts a hand on his knee and goes "dude. this is messed up. i'm so sorry."

dirk just nods some more, tearing up, because even though the words are simple, he's never heard anyone say them, never dared to share, and it hits him so deeply and painfully to be finally validated

he stumbles home, and cries for the whole evening, and feels lighter than usual afterwards

agent: The tragicomedy of falling in love with your own husband...........

me: i think for WORST results they agree it's just a fun platonic thing for shits and giggles before they meet up for the first time

and like, in the therapist's office they're this TERRIBLE couple who HATES each other, and outside of it they're just two guys being dudes, and romance, even fake, exists only in glimpses and doorways, and when the pit of longing opens, there's utterly nothing to stuff in it but stolen glances.

farah is the same therapist's normal patient with actual mental health issues she's trying to work through, and when they meet her in the waiting lobby for the first time they UTTERLY FAIL to convince her that their shtick is real, so they resort to *begging* her not to sell them out, and even though she's really on the fence about the whole thing and is unsure if it's morally okay to do, she gives in to dirk's Professional Puppy Eyes

after a while she gets unashamedly invested and demands they fill her in on the newest lies

maybe in one of dirk's bluffs/"attempts to hone the backstory" he invites himself to todd's apartment to better learn his habits and where he lacks in his homesteading

("well, when do i get to learn what chores do *you* fuck up?" todd asks playfully

"oh, just all of them!" dirk answers nonchalantly

in truth, he just doesn't want todd to see his barely lived-in, depressinly dirty short-term rented apartment. in the time dirk's been here, this city hasn't started feeling any more like a home.

in truth, dirk posted that stupid craigslist ad on his first week here, drunk and lonely and in mood for hijinks and out of his mind desperate for human connection; todd was actually looking for some simple one-off jobs to earn some quick buck, but couldn't resist a Stupid Idea when it dangled itself in his face)

todd gives him a quick tour, dirk half-heartedly criticizes the 3 dirty dishes in the sink and the mildly overflowing laundry hamper, and then for most of the evening they drink beer and play card games with todd's trusty ratty 10 years old deck that misses a jocker and a two of hearts (they decide to forgo the twos altogether) but overall is fine, dirk teaches him a couple of weird local games he'd picked up over the years, then tries to do card tricks but gets half of them wrong, they laugh a lot, todd makes grilled cheese, dirk says that if they ever feel the need to add a dash of appreciation into their sessions — just for some contrast and zest — then he'll admit that he *adores* todd's cooking, todd smiles bashfully and says man that's just some grilled cheese it's not that big of a deal

they pass out on the couch together, and dirk wakes up with a sore neck, sour mouth, and entangled limbs, and feels so at peace and right, and doesn't move, wishes for todd to sleep for longer, just so they could stay like this

then they find out todd doesnt have a spare toothbrush, so dirk has to make do with some gum while todd apologizes profusely

todd's got a shift in the late morning, so they do an awkward half-hug with back-patting, and dirk leaves

when dirk's getting himself a late breakfast at the corner store, he almost buys himself a toothbrush to keep in todd's apartment; then discards the thought; then buys it anyway, but tells himself it's a spare one for his own home, for when he'll need to throw the old one out. he never brings up the toothbrush thing around todd.

also he thinks it's a shame he couldn't brush his teeth, because then he could've kissed todd without worrying about bad breath; he discards that thought even quicker and farther

during one of the sessions, todd accidentaly makes a comment that actually gets to dirk, that makes him feel self-conscious and inadequate and upset

after they've done for the day, dirk asks if this is how todd *really* feels about him?.. todd says no, of course not! all of this is in good fun, just a friendly yelling match. he'd never say *anything* with an actual intention to hurt dirk; now that dirk brought that comment up, todd's never going to repeat it

"you seem like a good guy, you know? i genuinely like you," todd says

dirk feels very very warm

and maybe they sometimes spend time after the sessions too, and sometimes even on free days, just hanging out, relaxed and having fun, enjoying the company

and maybe one day it goes a little too well, and dirk gets a little too brave, and admits to todd that he's started feeling some kind of romantic interest, and asks if he would maybe like an actual date some other time

todd snaps at him.

tells dirk that he's only seen glimpses of todd, that these joke-sessions and little hang-outs show almost nothing of the real him, that he's a *mess*, that dirk doesn't know what he's getting himself into and should back off, that todd's a horrible person who's not worth the trouble

dirk tries to get to him, but todd gets even more defensive, even more closed off, pushes him away, makes that awful painful comment he'd promised he wouldn't say.

they don't show up for the next session.

dirk mops by the building on the scheduled day anyway, because he dislikes his routines disrupted when it's not him doing that, and because he's got nowhere to go, and because he secretly hopes todd will come around anyway (he doesn't.)

he meets farah after her actual session: she's had a Bad one today and is distraught, and dirk suggests they get hammered together. farah thinks it's an unhealthy coping mechanism, but after all of 15 seconds of deliberating she agrees

then she cries into his shoulder about her family and expectations and failed police exams and that she's a *failure* and will never get better, and he shakes her by the shoulders and near-yells that she's AMAZING, and fuck her family, and all cops are bastards anyway! she gets affronted and mentions her brothers and father, then realizes those people Are fucking bastards, then laughs and agrees with dirk and cries some more

dirk spills his entire conundrum, start to finish, only 5 useless tangents for the length of the whole thing which is not too bad of a ratio by his own measures, and farah tells him that todd's bullshit is Bullshit, capital B! if therapy taught her *anything* is that any person is capable of change ("you don't need to change yourself though," dirk pipes up; "YEAH, IM FUCKING PERFECT!" farah answers triumphantly), that this is just stupid excuses for excuses! (yeah!) and if dirk thinks that *farah*, with All her failures and fuck-ups, is not a lost cause (of course not!), then neither is todd! (damn, you're making a point!)

they swap some more personal stories, farah almost has a lesbian crisis in front of him but decides to throw up instead, and they leave the bar mostly in good spirits

dirk sleeps all of it off, but the next morning, even though Severely Hangover, he is no less determined.

he stakes out todd's apartment building (he did drop him off the first time; and even though he doesn't remember the adress for shit after all this time, he Luckes Out [after stubbornly cruising the general area for two hours straight])

and confronts him. tells todd that their friendship has been meaningful for dirk, no matter how little todd might think of it. (todd winces. he doesn't say it, but all of this was close to his heart too; he never meant to come off like he did, save for coming clean as an asshole; he *does* care about dirk, rather unreasonably much.) that dirk doesn't ask todd to give *him* a chance, but give *himself* a chance. that no person is irredeemable.

todd is eerily quiet. he invites dirk in, makes him some tea. sits silently at the table for a few minutes. and then, it all spills out: what he'd done to his band, to his *sister*, to himself; what a true actual hopeless horrible Asshole he is. he gets almost angry halfway through, voice rising, — either at dirk or at himself, it's not clear. dirk sits it all out. tells todd that is isn't the worst it could've been. todd begins to snap at him, but bites his mouth, and just buries his head in his arms, hiding. his head is so very heavy. dirk gives him a small solemn lecture about how past perfomance is not a predictor of future results, how it's never late to just *stop* being an asshole. how he's dirk's friend, how he's been kind to him, and dirk trusts him to continue to be kind, to build his life forward. ("*kind* to you? after i'd said that [hurtful thing] — the second time, *deliberately?" todd is bitter and baffled. "i forgive you for it. that's what friends do." dirk says like it's obvious). dirk places his trust in todd. todd struggles to process all that, he just lies on the table neither crying nor breathing; dirk talks to fill up the space, and to make good use of his trust. he tells todd all about his childhood trauma, in great, visceral detail, like he's pulling his guts out; he starts crying halfway through. todd hugs him really, really hard, and doesn’t let go for a while.

todd promises he'll come clean to amanda. dirk promises he'll start looking into therapy for his cptsd. they promise to each other they're friends, best friends.

they come in for the last fake-session with that therapist, just to tie a pretty bow on this whole thing: to tell them they're finally getting divorced, and will not require their services anymore. poor person breaks with an actual heavy sigh of *relief*.

dirk starts seeing a new therapist — not this one, thankfully; farah recommends him an old one she used to work with. she couldn't quite find a good rhythm with him, but she thinks he might be a nice match for dirk. he ends up being exactly that.

todd isn't yet ready for therapy, and dirk is accepting of that. amanda's not talking to him anymore, and he's *not* taking it in stride, but he's holding up as best as he can, and dirk holds his hand through it.

they do have an Actual Date with Romantic Intenstions — it goes remarkably well, even though they bicker for half the duration of it. it's all in good fun <3

they don't wear the rings anymore, but keep them as a memento; both feel weirdly sentimental about them. dirk does finally buy a new toothbrush for himself to keep in todd's apartment.

farah does end up having a lesbian crisis in front of her therapist, the one that todd and dirk have been torturing. poor soul.

#dghda #dirk gently's holistic detective agency (tv 2016)#dghda au #writing #vika's personal dghda tag #vikarambles #dirk gently #todd brotzman #brotzly #farah black #<- only a bit tho; but she's plot-important!#long post #I Guess #fake couple's therapy brotzly au

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fefairys · 1 year

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2 11 12 14 15 17 18 20 21 23 25 26 27 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49!! 50 51 52

holy fuck juice i knwo u said u were sending a lot but damn. thank u i love u. ok.

under the cut because its so long <3

2. How quickly did you finish reading the comic? i dont remember... i think a few months??? i first watched all of the voice nexus videos (back when they were still collabHQ) and they were around mindfang's journal at the time, then i read the rest on my own. i think it was probably like. 3 months or so? maybe 4?? i know that i missed a new years countdown because i was busy reading homestuck LMAO.. but the fastest i've ever read it all the way through is 7 days.

11. Favorite Alpha kid? roxy :3

12. Favorite Alpha troll? porrim or latula.. or mituna... but porrim came to my head first so i guess she's the real answer

14. Least favorite Alpha kid? :( ...i guess dirk. but i still love him a lot.... i love the alphas...

15. Least favorite Alpha troll? cronus

17. Favorite Beta kid? rose or jade.. i relate more to rose but i am in love with jade

18. Favorite Beta troll? aradia probably..

20. Least favorite Beta kid? :( dont have one. i love them all too much i cannot answer this!!! if i must answer i guess i'll say dave since i've drawn him the least lol

21. Least favorite Beta troll? eridan

23. Favorite guardian? mom <3

25. Favorite Alternian ancestor? dolorosa... alternia's first mother. do u think about this? cry.

26. Least favorite Alternian ancestor? dualscar. im seeing a trend in my least favorite trolls SLDKFJ

27. Favorite carapacian? those random prospitians that meenah mistook for problem sleuth, pickle inspector, and ace dick

29. Favorite Friendsim character? oh god i dont know D: i like so many of them... fuck!!! i really like mallek tho... for gay reasons. also cirava. NEED to smoke a blunt w them.

30. Least favorite Friendsim character? zebruh. literally forgot about him and was like "oh i dunno i like all of them :) let me see" and looked them up and saw him and was like oh wait yeah. its zebruh.

31. Favorite sprite? davepetasprite^2 !!!

32. Least favorite sprite? calsprite lol

33. Favorite pale ship? ogh... i don know... arasol maybe.. i like them red also tho but theyre really cute pale :3 but i'll always have a soft spot for meowrails theyre probably the only ones i ship ONLY pale and not other quadrants

34. Favorite pitch ship? im trying to think of something that i ONLY ship pitch and not other quads... i dont think that exists for me lmao uhhh... vrisjade pitch is fun.. also solkat but theyre all quadrants but i really like them pitch theyre so silly hehe

35. Favorite flushed ship? ARAFEF !!!!!!!!!!

36. Favorite ashen ship? vriska, kanaya, and rose doing a gay little dance, taking turns auspisticing each other 😌

37. Favorite vacillating ship? SOLKAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯

38. OTP? right now im really feeling solkat. arafef and vrisrezi are up there though

39. NOTP? besides obvious incest and kid/guardian pairings, i think gamrezi is the one that makes me most uncomfortable when i see it. leave her alone!!!

40. BROTP? aradia and dave :) also karkat and kanaya friendship is everything..

41. Character you’d choose to be your moirail? ohhhhhh maybe nepeta :3

42. Character you’d choose to be your kismesis? karkat. (kins sollux)

43. Character you’d choose to be your matesprit? aradia <3333 or kanaya or rose or terezi or (continues to list every girl)

44. Character you’d choose to be your auspistice? hm. i dunno. i dont want an auspistice leave me alone SDLFKJ i can handle it 😤 besides, the "main" "purpose" of an auspistice is preventing infidelity, but aint no infidelity when ur polyam!!! ill hatefuck this entire town so help me jegus

45. Character you’d vacillate quadrants with? oh. karkat as well. also vriska. maybe i should change my kismesis answer but idk if theres a character i hate in that way that i wouldnt want to vascillate with :/ i'll just leave it idk

46. Character you’d be best friends with? jade :D or roxy!! :D yeah :D

47. Patron troll? Are you happy with them? equius. no.

48. Zodiac troll? Are you happy with them? aradia! yes!!! :D

49. One character you didn’t like at first, but like now? i HATED vriska on my first read SO MUCH!!! but now i love her shes in my top 5 :) and also i am her.

50. One character you liked at first, but don’t like now? does not exist if i liked them i like them still <3

51. One ship you didn’t like at first, but like now? OH solfef!!! i HATED solfef so much i was like this is stupid and doesnt make sense but now i think its kind of cute. but aradia should be there too.

52. One ship you liked at first, but don’t like now? again, if i liked it i like it!!! there are ones that i used to care about more, but don't anymore, but i still like them! :)

#homestuck #asks #answer meme #anonymous #(even though i know it is juice)

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superskaian · 2 years

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Now that you’re finished reading, care to give a brief (or not so brief) overview of your thoughts on each character?

i did try to answer this on my main but i got overwhelmed with describing all of the characters! i have a tendency to ramble and prattle so the only way i'm getting through with this is with very. brief thoughts.

[roxy lalonde voice] lightning round go!

john- that's my friend he makes me smile c:

rose- manufactured in a skaian lab to destroy me specficially

dave- i feel very proud when i see him near the end of the comic. he managed to escape all that and i love him for it

jade- one of the characters i've shed the most tears over i want her to be happy so bad

aradia- wrath! of! the! lamb! aradia's arc is so good i love seeing her smile

tavros- he's very pathetic (affectionate). cheered for his ghost getting that big moment at the end

sollux- i do not remember very much about sollux. the bifurcation theme fucking slaps though

karkat- THAT'S MY FRIEND KARKAT I AM NEVER GOING TO FORGET KARKAT. THERE'S ONLY ONE STEP AND IT IS CRAB

nepeta- she's adorable and i'm kissing her on the mouth for drawing vriska ♠ terezi on her wall-

kanaya- I Love Kanaya So Fucking Much

terezi- blorbo. i post about terezi at least five times per day my feelings about her are the worst kept secret of my life. she makes me feel every emotion on the hemospectrum

vriska- years and years before i read this comic i thought i'd be a fan of hers. i was right. i loooooooove vriska. i have absolutely nothing normal to say about her

equius- he's funny c:

gamzee- i'm pretty sure his role in the overall scheme of things went entirely over my head. will pay more attention on my new game+. i fucking owe him for his relationship with terezi though thank you gamzee

eridan- also did not make much of an impression on me

feferi- i have an irrational emotional attachment to her

jane- she's bigender for real i make the rules.

jake- fucking lvoe the brain ghost man keep up the good work. normal boy behavior (affectionate)

roxy- manufactured in the same lab as rose to destroy me but in a different color

dirk-fucking lvoe the splinters man keep up the good work. normal boy behavior (very affectionate)

calliope- ough callie's my special friend

caliborn- i'm putting him in time out (affectionate)

i'm not listing all of the ancestors and dancestors just the notable ones

meenah- rotten girl. i really really like her.

aranea- one of the biggest surprises in the whole thing (absurdly affectionate). i'm making a whole list of things about aranea to obsessively study on new game plus

damara- oh my god damara is fucking cool

mindfang- i have nothing sfw to say about marquise mindfang.

redglare- my neck is right here 😩

the condesce- hhhhhhh trolls who do war crimes have the best pussy

jasprose- we bingewatch nekomonogatari white together and cry over never having a troll wife together

davepeta- ough theyre so cute

arquisprite- vriska i'm sorry i dont think he's very funny but i made you a list of all the different ways you can punish me and also i made a copy of that list in case something happens to the first one-

#hope that was worth the wait

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sabotdrop · 2 years

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HandDave (or: how I found a way to make Dirk even more fucked up)

So apparently there was this old, pre-Act VI theory that Alpha!Dave would become Lord English’s new servant as a reflection of the Handmaid. I decided to try my hand at figuring out how this might have worked.

-First off, I’d like to thank this post for introducing me to this theory (MAJOR EPILEPSY WARNING) https://www.deviantart.com/elycien/art/The-Emissary-262571445

-Second off, for reasons I’ll be merging this with one of my big headcanons; that being Alpha!Dave and Alpha!Rose being in the future with their descendants, raising them directly in this version. Broadly, I think it’s more logical than the canon version and it sets up some important stuff latter on.

-So, the big divergence here is that when Alpha!Dave & Alpha!Rose square off against the Condesce, she allows Dave to kill her. This results in Dave inheriting her curse, gaining immortality and immense power in exchange for eternal service to Lord English. As Dave loses control, he tells Rose to flee, and she promises to keep Dirk and Roxy safe before escaping; just before LE assumes full (if indirect) control.

-Dave, freshly dubbed “The Emissary”, assumes control of the Condesce’s schemes on Earth-B, running things from the shadows, setting the stage for SBURB. Alpha!Rose, after taking temporary custody of Dirk, dies fighting off Imperial drones in attempt to protect both a group of Human survivors and her children. In the process, the twins are split up, Roxy flees with the main group while a freshly activated Hal guides Dirk to safety. It’s almost a year before the soon-to-be heroes of Heart and Void are able to speak to eachother again. -Now, imagine, for a moment, that you are Dirk Strider. You remember your Bro, quite well as a matter of fact. He raised you, trained you, taught you, cared for you more than anything else in the world. Good Bro, best Bro. For all you know, he died years ago, and as a hero for that matter. - Now imagine, yet again, that you are Dirk Strider, only slightly further along in the timeline. You’ve been in the game for a while now, and nothing’s really going anywhere. Apparently you’re gonna get to meet an alternate universe version of your Bro at some point. That sounds pretty neat. -Now imagine, for a final time, that you are Dirk Strider. You’ve been sitting in a Dersite cell for hours now and it’s starting to get to you. You hear shuffling outside your door, the Carapacian guards making way for the Empress herself. “Ahh,” you think, “it’s just like her to come torture her captives personally, isn’t it.”. The cell doors part, and you see…

…

N-No. This, this cant be right. “B-Bro?” -Jesus, when I was drafting this in the discord I swear I made at least 2 people cry. I don’t think you could make an AU that fucks up Dirk more if you tried (or at least, you’d have to try REALLY hard). I mean, Christ, the way Dirk talks about Bro in canon, he makes him sound like a damn Saint. Bro meant everything to him. Just imagine how messed up Dirk would be by all this. And gog help him if The Emissary goes down fighting like Condy did in canon. And if Dirk has to be the one to do it… fuck, man. -And that’s not even mentioning how Beta!Dave would react to this. In canon, Dave is pretty damn unnerved by the mere thought of his Doomed Timeline clones, so having a superpowered evil version of him running around probably wouldn’t help cool his nerves. But beyond that, Alpha!Dave is everything Beta!Dave wishes he could’ve had. He’s smart, he’s funny, he’s caring, he’s compassionate. He’s everything Dave wants to be, everything he wishes his Bro could’ve been. But seeing all this happen… I shudder what it would do to him.

#homestuck #homestuck au #alpha dave #dirk strider #alpha rose #roxy lalonde #the condesce #dave strider

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evilphrog · 2 years

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congrats to Wheel of Time for making so many of my top spots even though I only started posting about it 2 weeks ago. I should have known that the only people who would appreciate my tendency to write entire thesis papers on character analysis would be the fans of the million-page-long book series.

I posted 718 times in 2021

113 posts created (16%)

605 posts reblogged (84%)

For every post I created, I reblogged 5.4 posts.

I added 459 tags in 2021

#dirk gently's holistic detective agency - 121 posts

#loki - 115 posts

#wheel of time - 64 posts

#good omens - 40 posts

#wot prime spoilers - 30 posts

#parenting - 21 posts

#loki spoilers - 21 posts

#foster care - 20 posts

#lgbt - 14 posts

#adoption - 13 posts

Longest Tag: 136 characters

#i don't know todd. maybe an overlarge beaver knocked him into the water and he got his foot stuck in the mud and then high tide came in.

My Top Posts in 2021

I want to say thank you to everyone in this fandom. I have never before had such a positive, welcoming experience when joining a new fandom. All of you who come onto new fan blogs just to let us know which spoiler tags you use, which blogs are and aren't safe to visit, encouraging us, and just generally being excited about getting to share the story with us. I have not once been accused of being a "fake fan" or told that I need to read the book before participating. You guys have created something special, and I couldn't be more thankful.

163 notes • Posted 2021-11-27 14:44:57 GMT

Mat: I don't know how I'm going to be able to afford lanterns for my sisters

Rand and Perrin, already reaching into their pockets:

255 notes • Posted 2021-12-04 22:01:32 GMT

You know, I have to hand it to Amazon Prime original shows. They do not dance around the queer subtext. Wheel of Time really said "in episode one the only possible straight pairing is already broken up. The only other straight seeming couple is actually strictly a friendship. During the scene where the woman bathes naked, the only ass you're seeing is the dude's, and this scene is strictly to establish how very not attracted to each other these two are. Episode two, the male lead confesses his love to the other male lead. Episode three, we have a character confirm onscreen that homosexuality is normal and accepted in this world. Episode four, canon bisexual triad, and please do not think it is up for interpretation that the men are fucking each other as well as their girlfriend. They snuggle in each other's arms casually in public for an entire scene."

I have to respect that level of overt representation.

248 notes • Posted 2021-11-29 03:07:58 GMT

The scene where Mobius has to go in to Ravonna's office to try and talk her out of getting him and Loki into trouble after the Ren Faire mission and Loki is waiting outside awkwardly on the chair is like a thousand times funnier when you realize she used to be a high school principal. Very "teacher's pet got dragged into trouble with the class delinquent and is now trying to smooth things over using his own reputation, and she's clearly concerned and wishes his first crush wasn't on such a troublemaker" vibes.

306 notes • Posted 2021-07-20 11:30:44 GMT

It's a bit bold of the Loki fandom to be crying out against "incest" now when the top ship under the AO3 Loki tag has been Loki/Thor for over a decade.

Just admit you don't like M/F pairings and move on. It is totally okay to not like M/F pairings. It is totally okay to prefer your ship over another. But anyone who tries to make this a moral crusade is just going to make me laugh forever.

358 notes • Posted 2021-07-16 00:56:43 GMT

Get your Tumblr 2021 Year in Review →

#my 2021 tumblr year in review #your tumblr year in review

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trumpets0ng · 3 years

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183 - “Leap Year”

Beginning / Previously / Next

((Joy Ride- Mariah Carey))

For easier reading, please see transcript below:

It felt so good to be home. The holidays gave us a new lease on our relationship and we’d barely put our bags down before we began rechristening every flat surface in the apartment. On the off chance my neighbors didn’t know Obie’s name before, they certainly knew it now. Honestly, were we not taking “precautions”, I have no doubt we’d have accidentally started our family early that night.

We visited with his sister Clem and brother-in-law Martin, the following weekend as he was the contractor handling our kitchen reno. And just like that, life picked up quickly and the balls were rolling.

I had so much going on in the lead up to the photoshoot with Dirk and Izzy. It went far better than any of us could have expected; even better than I dared to dream and suddenly, business really picked up for me!

Before we knew it, winter gave way to spring and we were prepping for Sulani swimsuit season in full force!

With the renovations finally wrapped up, my nearly empty condo was now beginning to feel like our new home. Obie’s old lease was finally up, and he was officially moving in. We were looking forward to being that couple: the game night hosting, happy to watch the kids, nauseatingly in love couple you try your best to avoid. Life was humming along and I couldn’t imagine it getting any sweeter…

D: Emmy’s arriving on Tuesday evening.

P: I thought she was meeting that vendor in the afternoon?

D: She is. She’s going straight from the airport, and I’m picking her up after. *shrugs in exasperation* She says once she gets to the house, she won’t wanna leave.

W: Can you blame her? Frankly, I’m surprised you haven’t moved in yourself. *Penny laughs abruptly*

D: *rolls eyes* I value my independence unlike some sims… *laughing*

W: Obie and I are perfectly independent together, thank you very much. Besides, in a house that large you can never see each other at all if you so choose. *laughing*

P: Wawa has a point, Dev. You can open up your own practice out here like you’ve dreamed.

D: First of all, I’m still learning the ropes. Opening up a practice is no small feat. And even if I wanted to, that’s hella expensive!

W: Says the woman with an all-star boyfriend in the SimBA.

D: The keyword being boyfriend; not husband. And as a general rule, we don’t mix business with pleasure.

P: Which is sad considering your businesses are fairly symbiotic.

W: Are you two considering marriage? Have you discussed it?

D: It’s… come up.

W&P: And…?

D: And it’s on the table… *squealing* Oh, for crying out loud! I’m not engaged!

W: No, but you will be!

#always Walker #obie tremblay #sim spice #Clementine Tremblay Brenner #Martin Brenner #Schuyler Brenner #Penny Pizzazz #devon lane #Dirk Dreamer #izzy fabulous #sims of color #black simblr #Trumpets0ng

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bi-naesala · 3 years

Text

Blood is the currency of the soul

Dismas goes to find an old friend with a specific request.

(Also on AO3)

(Spicy content up ahed!)

The way Dismas’ steps echo through the empty church hall will never stop being creepy, no matter for how many years he’s heard them. That’s something he doesn’t think he’ll ever get used to.

It’s not that he’s not used to creepy things, not when his job is to hunt down and kill all the monsters that fester the land, it’s just that this is supposed to be a place of worship and light but now it’s cold, dead and abandoned.

It’s such a weird place to be used as a house, especially if you are a vampire.

“Hey.”

He cringes at the sound of his coarse voice; it’s certainly not something that should be heard in a church.

That simple greeting serves to warn the creature living here of his presence, creature that’s hiding behind the altar like he always does.

The first thing he sees are a couple of red eyes peeking from the stone surface, but they’re soon joined by a familiar head and a familiar body.

“Good evening, Dismas,” the creature says. He looks happy to see him, like he always does.

He begins to slowly walk towards him, until they meet halfway through their steps. The creature is imposing, but Dismas knows well that he poses no actual threat, especially to him.

“Good evening,” Dismas echoes him. When the creature steps into his personal space, he doesn’t move away not even an inch, and when he cradles his face in his hands - movements so tender for such a deadly monster - he can’t help but to smile.

“I missed you,” the creature says then, so earnest. Dismas rolls his eyes, though the smile doesn’t disappear from his face.

“You always miss me, Reynauld,” he replies, amused, though despite everything deep down he’s glad about this. It’s nice feeling wanted by someone, even if that someone is a vampire, but well, Rey is a special case.

Dismas still remembers their first meeting quite well, despite having been more than a couple of decades ago already. He was but a novice in the monster hunting business, maybe that’s why he let him live.

Reynauld looked so pitiful as he approached him - and what kind of vampire would voluntarily approach a hunter? - begging to be killed, that Dismas just… He didn’t have the heart to do it.

No matter how much he begged him, Dismas was paralyzed. He couldn’t bring himself to harm him! It was something so weird and unexpected that for a moment he feared that it was all a trick, a way to make him lower his guard, but no: Reynauld was being honest.

That day, he left him where he found him, right there, in that wretched church.

The next day, however, he came back, and the day after again. The creature was still there, barely reacting to his presence if not to ask him to put an end to his life - or unlife, Dismas guesses - but the young hunter still couldn’t bring himself to do it; it should’ve been easy, right? The easiest kill in Dismas’ life, and yet he couldn’t help but to pity this creature who so much wanted to die. Hell, he never even attacked him! He never tried to take his blood despite the fact that he was clearly starving.

Eventually, he did something he knew he should’ve never done, something that goes against everything that had been taught to him: he got closer to the creature, removed one of his gloves and he sliced his wrist.

As soon as the smell of dripping blood hit the creature’s nostril, he recoiled like he’d been hit, crawling away from Dismas and muttering something that he wasn’t able to catch amidst as series of “no, no, no, no”.

“I’m giving it to you,” Dismas said then. Those were his first words towards the creature. “Take what you need.”

The creature made himself smaller on the ground.

“I can’t… No… Light please…” He began to crawl towards Dismas. “… NO!”

Before Dismas could react, the vampire lounged at him, making both of them fall on the cold ground. Dismas tried to move but all he could feel is extreme pain, like someone was sucking the life right out of him.

Then everything went black.

When Dismas came to, first of all he was surprised by still being alive, secondly, he couldn’t believe that he fell for such an obvious trap.

Where was he even… Oh, he was still here.

Just what was exactly that creature’s plan?

He heard the sound of sniffles coming from behind the altar. It must’ve been him.

Slowly, ever so slowly, he got up, trying his best to ignore the feeling of nausea that almost made him throw up. This time he didn’t move unarmed, dirk already in hand in case the beast tried some funny shit.

He walked with caution, measuring each step, circling the altar, until he got a view of the creature hiding under it. He was curled up around himself - almost like a baby - and there were crimson streaks across his visage.

Was the beast… crying?

“Hey.”

Immediately the creature’s gaze snapped up, looking at Dismas with incredulous gaze.

“You!” he exclaimed. “You’re alive!”

Weird: even though he was clearly surprised, he hadn’t assumed any defensive position at the reveal. Actually, he even looked relieved.

“I am.”

Immediately the creature pathetically groveled at his feet, blabbering so fast that all Dismas could understand was “forgive me”. Alright, he had gotten enough of this story; he crouched down, putting himself at the same level of the beast, and put his hands on his shoulders, stopping him.

“Yeah, yeah, sure, I forgive you,” he begun. “But what exactly are you?”

“What do you mean?” the creature asked, confused.

“I mean, what happened to you? Why do you act so weird?” Dismas replied. “What kind of vampire begs to be killed, then eats, then asks for forgiveness?”

The vampire didn’t reply immediately; he still looked confused. Maybe, Dismas realized, he didn’t know it himself; it’s rare, but he’d heard tales of certain victims that don’t end up quite dead as the vampire feeding upon them thought. A mistake in carelessness.

In these situations, there’s only one way to act: grant mercy to the newborn creature and kill it before it can become something dangerous. Still, with what heart could he do that?

He tried his best to appear non-threatening, which might’ve been a bit hard considering that he was still holding his dirk in hand, but whatever, he was never good at this stuff.

“Listen, how about you and I have a chat,” he begins, “You seem in trouble and I might be able to help you.��

He could see the conflict in the creature’s eyes; he was clearly having a hard time deciding what to do. Well, Dismas didn’t blame him: if their positions were switched, he would’ve had a hard time too for sure.

Eventually, however, he weakly nodded.

“If you’re offering, then I suppose I can accept it…”

“Dismas?”

He shakes his head, coming back to the present and - most importantly - to the amused Reynauld in front of him. He looks so different from the first time they met; he looks definitely better: with time he managed to accept his new condition as a vampire, also thanks to Dismas’ help. Dismas has no idea how he manages to balance the nature of his new existence - or un-existence he guesses - and his religious beliefs, but hey, whatever works for him.

“What?”

“You were spacing out,” Reynauld replies, tilting his head. “What were you thinking about?”

“Will you laugh if I say I was thinking about you?”

Reynauld’s smile grows larger at those words; Dismas finds it beautiful. When he closes his arms around his waist, pulling him closer, he rests his hands on his chest in order to keep himself uptight.

“No, but I can say that I’m flattered.”

They kiss, softly, Dismas humming against Reynauld’s lips a reply that is soon forgotten.

Oh, how long it took Reynauld to accept his touch: at first he was too afraid for them to stand close to each other, afraid that the mere contact would be enough for his worse instincts - the one he always tries his best to keep in check - to resurface and take control of him, like when Dismas sliced his wrist to feed him.

With time and experience, however, he managed to keep himself in check, and of the fear that was holding him back there is no trace now.

He can’t help but to roll his eyes when Reynauld pulls him up - an easy feat for him - and takes him to a familiar place, though the gesture is half-hearted at best.

“What would your god say if he saw us defile his church like this?” he teases as Reynauld lowers him onto the altar. Despite still wearing his clothes, Dismas can’t help but to shiver at the cold.

“’My God’, as you call him, has sent you to me, so I don’t see why I shouldn’t honor you the way you deserve,” Reynauld replies, before cutting off any possible reply from Dismas with another kiss.

Yes, in the years they’ve known each other, Reynauld has convinced himself that Dismas is some sort of godsend or some bullshit like that. He’s still unsure of how he feels about it, but he’s figured that, for Reynauld’s sake, he’ll put up with it.

This doesn’t mean that he can’t tease him about it, however. As Reynauld had learned in the years they’ve known each other, nothing is sacred to him, not even religion. It’s a wonder how patient he is with him in this regard; Dismas has always wanted to ask him about it, but each time he decides to do it, he stops himself before any word can leave his mouth. Things have always been like this between the two of them: they talk about their past, but never enough not to sound vague. To be quite honest, it’s one of the things Dismas appreciates more about this relationship: the ability to mind your own business; they both understand that the past is a tricky thing, so why suffer because of it when they can just focus on the present, on each other?

Dismas’ train of thoughts is forcibly interrupted when Reynauld kisses him; Dismas chuckles, keeping him close with his arms around his shoulders, and returns the gesture in kind, parting his lips to sneak his tongue between Reynauld’s, caressing his fangs with it. He’s tempting fate like this, he knows it, but what’s life without risk? Boring, that’s what it is.

He’s rewarded by an animalistic growl from Reynauld, a sound he makes only when the most bestial part of him takes control, and he’s pushed with his back against the altar by the same Reynauld who’s now pressing his body against his, leaving him with no way to move. It’s like Dismas is trapped, and he loves it.

This aggression doesn’t last long, however, and soon they’re back to exchange soft kisses and caresses. Dismas has always liked it when Reynauld goes hard and fast, but lately he’s finding himself enjoying this side of him too; maybe he’s mellowing out with age.

He can’t help but to cringe at that thought. Yes, he’s getting old, while Reynauld…

Dismas has never been one to care about looks. It just never was his priority.

Now, however, he can’t help but to be a little self-conscious about his aging body, about the wrinkles that are starting to appear, at the gray that has begun to pepper his hair, at the loss of muscle mass.

Reynauld is always quick to shut down his insecurities whenever they come up, even when Dismas doesn’t voice them - by now they know each other pretty well, enough to know what they’re thinking.

He always takes his face between his hands, caressing his cheekbones with his thumbs, kissing each and every wrinkle, caressing his graying hair.

“You’re as beautiful as the day we met,” he always says, and what can Dismas do, if not to believe him?

Still, he likes it less and less to be naked in front of him. He doesn’t feel adequate, that’s all: Reynauld’s beautiful, powerful, and he’s not so thin that he might snap like a twig if someone blows his way. How is he supposed to compare?

Things are going to get worse and worse as he gets older, he knows this. On one hand, it’s reassuring to know that Reynauld would never dream to abandon him just because he doesn’t look as young as he once did, but on the other…

They have talked about it once, during a moment of weakness on Reynauld’s part: the pain of knowing that eventually he’ll lose Dismas was too much to bear, and he asked him to allow him to turn him. He begged even, on his knees, something that took Dismas so much by surprise that he couldn’t find the words to say.

After that episode, they never spoke about it again, but as of late Dismas has been wondering, wondering a lot. Most importantly, he’s reached a conclusion, which brings him to the main reason why he’s come here in the first place.

“Reynauld,” he calls him in fact, taking his face between his hands. “I want you to turn me.”

He hears the way Reynauld’s breath hitches at those words, how it quivers into something resembling a whine. How much as he thought about this?

“Are you sure?” he asks, voice trembling, despite the fact that he looks eager to do it, he still waits, he still wants to make sure. Dismas loves him so much, though his consideration this time is pretty useless. He nods.

“I think I’ve waited too much…” he mutters then. It was supposed to be a joke, but of course Reynauld takes it seriously.

“We waited until you were ready,” he replies in fact, going back to mouth at his neck. “If you’re worried about your appearance, you should know that--”

“That I’m beautiful as the day we met, I know, you always tell me,” Dismas interrupts him, unable to hold back a cheeky smile that Reynauld immediately kisses away.

Dismas thought that he would’ve gone straight for the turning, but he doesn’t. Actually, Rey’s acting like this short conversation never happened, beginning to tear Dismas’ coat open and then his shirt, kissing every inch of skin he uncovers. It makes Dismas almost forget about it too.

“R-Reynauld!” he manages to mutter however, once Reynauld has unbuttoned his shirt and is not getting comfortable with his head between Dismas’ legs. He raises his gaze to look at the hunter; his eyes are ravenous, but not in the dangerous way, it makes Dismas shiver.

“What?” he asks then. Did he truly forget?

“Didn’t we say…” Dismas begins, but thankfully Reynauld understands immediately what the deal is; so he hasn’t actually forgotten. Good.

“Let me have you as you one last time.”

… As you? What…

“Rey, I’m not going to turn into a monster or something. I mean, you haven’t, so why should I?” Dismas points out. Is there something about the turning process he’s not privy to? Something Reynauld hasn’t told him?

“I know, I know, but…” the other replies, succeeding immediately into calming Dismas down - he doesn’t have to worry about too unpleasant side effects at least - but then he continues. “Let me just have this, please?”

Oh well, if he puts it that way…

“Fine,” he says, but when Reynauld still doesn’t move, he adds: “Are you going to ravage me like the big boy that you are, or are you just going to stand there all night?”

At those words, Reynauld rolls his eyes, though there’s a fond smile on his face. Dismas is about to say something else, but he’s quickly shut down by a kiss.

When Reynauld lowers himself between Dismas’ legs again, the other also sighs for the relief; he’s been building up more and more tension without any way to release it, but now hopefully Rey will put a remedy to that.

He shivers at the light bites Reynauld presses into his thighs; in all the times they’ve known each other, Rey has always tried to keep himself in check when it comes to biting, aware that if he lets go even just one bit, it might lead to some unpleasant situations. This time, however, there’s none of his usual hesitation in the way he covers his skin in red marks.

A moan leaves Dismas’ lips when, once he’s satisfied with his work, Reynauld immediately takes him in his mouth, without any kind of warning. He bucks his hips up, surprised, but Reynauld keeps him still as he begins to suck him off with a speed and vigor that Dismas is now mad that he’s always withheld from him.

Still, he’s ever so careful in the way he moves his mouth, mindful not to brush his tusks against the sensitive skin; not that Dismas wouldn’t like it but, judging by the time in which he came immediately after he had accidentally grazed against his cock, he would like it too much, and Reynauld wants this to last.

Apparently, however, that doesn’t go along with Dismas’ plan, who begins to grind his hips against him, trying to get more.

“Reynauld… Rey, c’mon,” he moans, impatient as ever. Were Reynauld free to move as he pleases, he would’ve shaken his head.

In the end, if he has to be honest with himself, he doesn’t really mind it, quite the opposite actually. He knows he just gives more voice to the most egocentric part of himself, something that he shouldn’t do, but hearing, feeling, how much Dismas wants him is something that he’s come to need the more time they’ve spent together. The thought of someone needing him, still wanting him despite his nature, has kept him from making very displeasing thoughts, and helped him come to terms with the fact that, even if his life has been irredeemably changed, this doesn’t mean that he can’t try to make the most of it, even if he keeps staying hidden from everything and everyone, except Dismas.

That’s why, once Dismas begins to beg, he gives in.

He gets up, already taking care of his pants, lowering them enough to pull his cock free, giving it just a few tugs.

Oh, he can’t wait to be inside Dismas. What? He’s not the only one with an extinguishable desire, even though Reynauld has a habit to hide it; after all, Dismas acts enough for the two of them already, there’s no need for him to give his contribution too.

“Oil… Do you have oil?” he asks before he can do anything though. It makes Dismas rolls his eyes - he’s not made of glass for fuck’s sake - but he guesses he appreciates his care.

“Pocket…” he mutters, reaching for the jacket that Reynauld has left on the altar. After fumbling a bit, he manages to procure himself a small vial of oil, and to offer it to Reynauld. “Here.”

Reynauld takes it, opening and beginning to smear some on his fingers, only for Dismas to stop him.

“There’s no need for that…” he says, making a meaningful pause as the meaning of what he said sinks in. Oh…

“You scoundrel…” Reynauld mutters, though there’s no heat in his voice. He’s smirking, actually. “Did you want me that much?”

“Of course, you old fool,” Dismas replies through gritted teeth. He never liked having to openly admit this kind of stuff, which makes extorting the truth out of him a huge pastime of Reynauld, though he usually has to work harder than this to obtain some resorts; he must be very desperate.

Oh well, it is what it is. There’s something more important to think about, now.

As he pushes his oiled cock against Dismas’ rim, Reynauld can’t help the shaky moans that leaves his lips, not that Dismas is quiet, quite the contrary actually. Yes, they make quite a pair, the two of them, with how loud they are. Good thing they’re in an isolated place, right?

His voice trembles once Reynauld bottoms out, and he tells him to get a move on.

“We don’t have all day!” he says, which, as a matter of fact…

“We do, technically,” Reynauld retorts, although he gently begins to rock his hips back and forth, finding it hard to remain still, not when Dismas is so warm and inviting. He always talks big game about patience and all that bullshit, but then he’s the first one who can’t resist the temptation of a warm body beside his; not that Dismas is complaining of course. Whatever floats his boat.

Frankly, as long as he doesn’t stop moving, he doesn’t care.

Gods damn it, he really isn’t young anymore, not with the shitty stamina he has nowadays, because he already feels close to coming. Thankfully for him, Reynauld isn’t that far off himself, so at least he doesn’t have to be too embarrassed about it, but that’s just because Reynauld gets overwhelmed easily during sex no matter how many times they’ve done it.

“Fuck…” he mutters, gritting his teeth.

“Language,” Reynauld reprimands him, but Dismas doesn’t let him utter another word as he grabs him by the hair and draws him closer for a kiss, clashing their mouth together. For such a big bad vampire, he sure can’t handle a few swear words here and here.

At least he seems to get the message and doesn’t stop pounding into him. Dismas’ back is beginning to hurt, but he sucks it up, not wanting to interrupt the moment. Besides, the pleasure he’s feeling is far greater than the pain.

He has no problems digging his nails in Reynauld’s back, leaving red marks, keeping him as close as he can. It makes Reynauld shiver, but he keeps going. Thanks to his vampiric abilities, besides, those wounds heal quite fast, though Reynauld would lie if he said that he wouldn’t mind if he could be able to wear them for longer, just like Dismas wears his. Would Dismas feel the same way he does if he could see the visible signs of what he’s done on Reynauld’s skin? He can’t help but to wonder, though now he should be focusing on something else, shouldn’t he?

Dismas’ voice echoes through the empty church, filling it with his moans as he comes. It would probably be considered a sacrilegious act if only someone else was there to witness it; hell, Reynauld might’ve thought so at first, but after years of being together he’s gotten more tolerant to it, still without losing his faith, even if for the people who share it he’d be considered a monster. And yet, Dismas can’t help but to think, Reynauld is way more human than some of the people he’s met throughout his life.

“Gods above, I love you so fucking much,” he can’t help but to mutter before he can’t stop himself. He’s usually not one for these kinds of words: he’s more of a man of action, not words. Even when sometimes he says them, it’s mostly in response to something that Reynauld tells him first; sometimes he’s wanted to be the one pronouncing them first, but there’s always something that blocks him, a sense of shame that he’s never entirely gotten rid of, not towards his feelings per se, let’s be clear, but about having to voice them.

There’s nothing of that hesitation this time. He’s saying it with a sincerity that he hasn’t managed to reach since forever. All because of this man in front of him, a man that has become the most important part of his life, the man he can’t live without.

He can’t help but to smile, seeing Reynauld being thrown off his rhythm by that quiet admission, but he soon recovers.

“Me too, Dismas,” he says then, pressing his forehead against Dismas. “I love you too. Dismas… I love you so much.”

He comes. It makes Dismas squirm as he gets filled up, but it’s not unpleasant, not at all. He doesn’t have the time to say anything else that Reynauld’s back to kiss him with a softness that it almost hurts; it used to hurt once, when Dismas was still young and angry at the whole world, but not anymore.

Still, there’s something else Dismas wants, and he wants it now, during this moment.

“Rey, c’mon… I’ve given you what you wanted. Now it’s my turn,” he urges him, eagerly baring his neck to him. This is something that goes against every lesson he’s been imparted in his youth, but the tiny scars that Reynauld’s fangs have left time and time again demonstrate that there isn’t really a risk behind it, not with Rey at least.

However, Reynauld still hesitates. “Are you sure? You won’t be able to go back to how things once where if you do it.”

“I know.” Dismas rolls his eyes. “Just do it already.”

Reynauld kisses him, just a soft peck on his lips, then he bares his fangs. This isn’t the first time this happens, but never with such intent. It sends a shiver down Dismas’ spine.

He leans closer, always closer.

Dismas’ breath begins to itch.

He wonders if he’s making the right choice. What if he regrets it?

Ah, to hell with that. He wants to be happy, and he knows that Reynauld makes him happy. Besides, who would keep him company if he died?

Then Reynauld bites him.

The sharp pain is familiar - it always happens during the biting - but soon Dismas is overwhelmed by a new sensation, something he’s never felt.

He wants to scream his pain out, but his throat burns, just as the rest of his body, and not a sound manages to get out.

It feels like he’s being burned alive. Did someone accidentally start a fire?

He can barely see Reynauld with how clouded his vision is, and he can barely hear him call his name.

It burns and burns and burns and burs…

Until Dismas dies.

It’s like being in a dream.

Dismas feels suspended into a sort of limbo.

He can’t see anything but he feels.

His body is changing, and he can’t stop it.

It’s getting colder and colder, almost soothing after the sensation of being burned alive he felt a mere moments ago, or is it more than just seconds? He has no way to precisely tell how much time has passed. For all he knows, it might’ve been centuries.

Then, a pull, towards something that Dismas doesn’t know.

Maybe it’s…

He opens his eyes.

The first thing he sees is the church’s stained glass, or at least what’s left of it.

How long…

Mmh, he’s on the ground; he can feel the cold stone pavement freezing his butt off. When he tries to move, however, he finds himself unable to. At first he fears he’s been tied up, but he soon realizes that the reason is far different from that: he’s being kept in Reynauld’s arms, which are squeezing him so hard that he feels like he’s going to break him.

As soon as he notices that Dismas is awake, Reynauld softens his hold on him. When he turns towards him, he’s smiling, though Dismas can see the faint red marks on his cheeks that indicate that he has cried while he was asleep. Did he think that he had killed him as he cradled his body? Did he think he made a mistake?

“You’re awake…” is all he’s able to say, and Dismas nods. He reaches out for him and rests his hand against his cheek. For once, he doesn’t feel cold.

Actually, now that he pays attention to it, his hands, and therefore his skin, are visibly paler than how they used to be. Does that mean that…

“We made it?” he asks, half-incredulous. Did it really work then? He can’t lie, he’s had his doubts right at the end, but not about the thing as a whole: it’s just that it hurt so much that Dismas thought it hadn’t worked, but apparently it’s part of the experience. “You could’ve warned me about the excruciating pain,” he points out then, without any real bite in his words.

Reynauld’s smile becomes more sheepish as he replies. “To my defends, I don’t remember much of how it felt when I turned…” He rests his head over Dismas’ shoulder and he’s back again to squeeze the life out of him, but hell, he doesn’t mind at all.

A new beginning. New chances. Reynauld.

He can’t wait to get started.

#reymas #darkest dungeon #dd #highwayman #crusader #dismas #reynauld #dd highwayman #dd crusader #my fics #mine

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1800redpop · 4 years

Text

ao3 homestuck literature roundup

ok so honestly some of the most impactful pieces of literature I’ve ever consumed... have been fanworks for the web comic Homestuck. while fanfiction in general has the potential for greatness, and there are definitely some non-homestuck works out there i that i’ve enjoyed, Homestuck has a unique potential for spawning creative, original and daring stuff! and there are so many new fans who didn’t even experience the first wave of ao3 webcontent. sadly the site has not proved archival quality when it comes to preserving content, and many fics I’m linking feature broken links/images or have been orphaned by their authors. I’m posting only what I consider to be Good Literature. these are pieces of writing that have struck me, haunted me, and made me cry. Thank you to the writers, and please enjoy! the full rec list is under the cut >:)

old but gold

The Serendipity Gospels by urbanAnchorite (tzm) M

What is there to be said about The Serendipity Gospels? this illustrated fanfiction epic is a true classic. The use of Homestuck language and troll terminology on this fic is exploited to its utmost poetic potential, and every sentence is lyrical. While the story itself is original (and extremely well plotted!), events from the plot of Homestuck are echoed throughout, and it makes for a really satisfying read. This fic was published before Gamrezi was something that happened in the webcomic and gamzee had his downfall, if you’re hesitant to read it on account of the Gamzee<3<Terezi tag. Both of them are extremely well characterized. man... serendipity gospels gamzee is the best gamzee you can find on the market. definitely better than canon gamzee. And the pairing really works. The sad part is that this thing was supposed to be in three acts, and only two have been published. Since 2013... this shit sucks. i want act 3 so bad i’d commit heinous acts to receive it >:0

Cities in Dust (shit let's be hardboiled) by Cephied_Variable T

I’m not finished reading this yet but by now the ao3 handle Cephied_Variable has become a household name. This fic is... heterosexual. and where there were once illustrations, now there are empty white boxes. But the noir setting is played juuuust right, the soundtrack goes hard and it’s really fun to play the music in the next tab while you read, the writing is amazing (obviously) and... not to spoil anything, but it isn’t as much of an AU as it seems. really wish i could see the illustrations, bc the story is told through chatlogs like the source material.

Rule #2 by universe_c E (you can skip the sex scenes tho)

A super imaginative take on what Earth C might have been like. this fic was published while the comic was still updating, so earth c was a very distant possibility in the minds of fans, and in this work, all the players (every single troll, dancestor, human and cherub) are dropped on an uninhabited planet as an entirely new species with varying levels of godpowers, and they have to build civilization from scratch. It’s such an ambitious idea, and it was pulled of brilliantly! the author has more fanfiction online in that takes place in this universe, as well as selections featuring pairings such as Caliborn/Kurloz, an unexpected delight, and GamTav, a charming holdover from simpler times. This story in particular however focuses on Caliborn right after he passes through the gate. He doesn’t have a very easy time adjusting, poor guy. The narrative follows him as he rage-flees from his emotions to nonlinear points on the timeline of Universe C. Along the way he meets the family who he will someday love, learns about the civilization that will develop on their planet, gets laid, and matures a whole lot as a person. This fic is just.. really amazing. Read it!!!

Lost Teeth Like White Jewels by roachpatrol, urbanAnchorite (tzm)

Ok, so roachpatrol used to be a really big name in Homestuck fanfiction, but her stuff has... not aged well, and generally she is regarded (or at least she is regarded by me) as a pedophilic porn peddler, and she’s written a lot of nasty, scandalous smut. but you don’t have to read that stuff! This fic and this fic ONLY (don’t even read the other ones in the series, bro) is just a really nice soap opera. Bodices are ripped, eyes are gazed into in close proximity to an ocean. And the hemospectrum has been inverted. All in all, if you want something dramatic and romantic to read on a rainy day, this fic is where it’s at.

signalbeam is an author that wrote a lot of lesbian fanfiction in 2012. I haven’t personally read all their stuff but it’s all f/f and it’s fun to browse :~)

****DIRKJAKE CORNER******

a thousand years by venusianEye (orphan_account) T

Everything’s set for the surviving players to pass through the gate and claim their Reward... the only problem is, dirk has lost the will to live and is in some kind of mystical coma. Jake is the only person who can save him, by venturing into his mind-palace and solving puzzles that serve as metaphors for everything Dirk can’t express. It’s kind of like inception wrt to the dream mechanics, but the author uses folk tales as settings, and it’s all very poetic, and very well done. this author deleted her account. i watched all the drama. however all her work is still online on the orphan_account. she wrote this series (people who like dirkjake and artistic pornography, give it a read!) and also a medievalstuck au i remember reading and loving, but cannot for the life of me seem to find :( it was about eridan and kanaya and it was good. rest in peace, venusianEye!

A Spark, A Flame, A Fire by callmearcturus E (one skippable sex scene)

The best kingdomstuck ever!!! \(^o^)/ ugh this fic is everything... the author has another kingdomstuck dirkjake multichapter novella online that is also very good, but this one’s my absolute fave :,] the strilonde fam is so cute, and dirk&jake’s blossoming romance (oh, yeah, you BET it’s an arranged marriage AU!) is so romantic it literally makes me clutch my chest and sigh. also the writing and worldbuilding are just IMPECCABLE. another lovely romance for a cozy night.

***JOHNKAT CORNER****

remember johnkat? well,. it’s good.

General Vantas Gets Hitched, or, The Limits Of Bilateral Diplomacy: A Black Powder Romance by JumpingJackFlash M

another arranged marriage fic! seriously, when it’s done right, there can be nothing better. John is the king of Skaia and Karkat is a political insult disguised as a peace offering. No better way to ruin your chances at diplomacy than offer an arranged political marriage between the literal king and a mutant military grunt who isn’t even the right gender. But... what if the king accepts??? omg guys they fall in love... and everyone’s a badass. another notable johnkat offering from his author would b Hurricane , wherein everyone’s punks and dave and tavros are gay rappers. there’s also Space Bro and California Dreaming , which feature karkat/sollux and eridan/equius respectively, and are humanstuck au with vague game memories and are both very sweet and romantic <3

The Only Recipe For Lasagna You'll Ever Need by urbanAnchorite (t_ZM) G

Oh man.. this one’s just really cute.

No Quiet Sleeper by cest_what T

The premise of this fic is a stable little timeloop, so homestuck i could cry, and what occurs therein is extremely adorable :3c

modern fanfiction (post epilogues)

Pilot Light, Pale Rapture by purplebard G

Excellent post-epilogues Jade fic! The writing is beautiful, it’s a really genuine and melancholy work. A masterpiece in JadeDavepeta. I also give a blanket recommendation for all of this author’s fanfic -- it’s deeply original and flawlessly written, every piece!

House of Dirk by IMAC T

If you haven’t read House of Dirk... seriously, read House of Dirk. It’s a modern classic. A dadaist, genre-reconstructive, trope-subverting and absolutely hilarious MASTERPIECE!!! and the characterizations are pitch-perfect. this fanfiction can be cited as the spark which ignited the roaring inferno of Dirk/Caliborn shippers who can now be found online ^__^

mare in ossibus nostris dormit (in our bones sleeps the sea) by liobi

Just some really awesome scourge sisters :,) i love a nice romp through troll mother planet, and this is a flawlessly executed no-game AU.

JADE ROUTE by spicyyeti/muthahomestuckah T

Not technically a fanfiction, because this is 100% a comic, but if you want to read about Homestuck characters in a way that is engaging, innovative, touching and hilarious, you gotta read Jade Route! It’s the best thing that happened to jade since squiddles! the art is REALLY GOOD the characterization is REALLY GOOD god.. i love jade route.

BONES OF BLACK MARROW by oxfordRoulette E

an innovation in dirkjake pornography. this fic will make your head split open, and most of it is pornography of an exceptionally raunchy color. Basically, Dirk summons a demon (Jake) for stupid reasons and it fucks both of their lives up. Incredible work with formatting by the author, seriously who can even code like that, and i love the magical mechanics :) it’s very well researched and it really tears both Dirk and Jake to pieces psychologically. through porn.

Timaeus, Testified by sendificating NR

another fic that uses experimental formatting. It’s all about Dirk and it’s REALLY SO AMAZING.... a detailed and inventive psychological opus.

Also.... i write fanfiction. sometimes. can’t vouch for the quality but i would be remiss as an author if i didn’t plug . well, that’s all for tonight, folks! hope u find something to read!

#homestuck #fanfiction

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notameeksassenach · 5 years

Photo

Many many thanks to @thefraserwitch for cleaning this mess up and helping me make sense of my never-ending train of thoughts. This fic was inspired by the song “Marry Me” by Thomas Rhett.

Marry Me

For as long as Jamie could remember, he had envisioned what getting ready for this day would entail. The day that he would commit himself to the woman he loved more than anything on this earth. The endless planning to ensure that everything was absolutely perfect. Knowing that family and friends were gathered to watch them take the next step, vowing before God to love and honor one another. In sickness and in health, for better or for worse. When at last they’d seal themselves to one another. With the example that his Mother and Father had provided him with, there was little question in his mind on how a man must care for his wife. Ranging from simply opening a door and pulling out a chair to providing for the family’s welfare. Being the rock that formed the sturdy foundation on which the family grew and thrived and the soft hug that was needed to chase the storm clouds away. Being the hand to hold and the shoulder to cry on.

Jamie knew that the vows he would make would not be taken lightly. He would be offering his bride not only his name, but his family, his name and the protection of his body should it come to that.

Ye are Blood of my Blood, and Bone of my Bone. I give ye my body, that we Two may be One. I give ye my spirit, ‘til our Life shall be Done.

Methodically, Jamie slowly took stock of his wedding day attire before him. Fraser tartan with its accompanying broach - perfectly cast to proudly proclaim the clan's motto Je Suit Prest. Cleanly pressed dress shirt with a tan vest, completely neutral so that the vibrant yarns of his tartan would certainly pop. A traditional Scottish sporran firmly attached to his belt. An ornamental dirk at his waist to complete the look.

Continuing his inventory, Jamie pulled a strand of Scottish pearls from their home nestled within the sporran. He smiled, the last physical link he had to his mother calling to mind the many happy memories they’d shared. How many times had he seen his mother’s pearls and thought about the day that he would give this most precious heirloom onto his own wife? He couldn’t help but think of how bonnie she would look wearing these, a perfect addition to her alluring beauty as she made her way down the aisle.

They had been friends for as long as he could remember - best mates, inseparable - ever since the day she moved to the sleepy town of Broch Mordha when she was 16.

The change had been hard on Claire. She was the new girl in a close-knit community where most people knew each other generations, but furthermore because she was English (a Sassenach) in a place where English wasn’t a pretty thing to be. Jamie could clearly recall the lost look on her face as she made her way through the hallways of the school. He noticed that she consistently had that same sullen expression upon her face day after day (whether she was in study hall twisting a pencil between her fingers as she read, in passing as he overheard Leoghaire making snide comments about her hair loud enough for Claire to hear, sitting alone with her lunch tray in the cafeteria). The urge to comfort her had been strong even before he gathered the courage to introduce himself. Something about her drew him to her, like a moth to a flame.

He would never forget the smile on her face when he walked up to her and asked if he could join her. Tucking a stray curl behind her ear as a small blush setting up shop on the apples of her cheeks. The minute her face lit up was as if the sun had come out, clearing away the dreary clouds of a dismal day. And from that moment on, Jamie had made it his personal mission to ensure that Claire Beauchamp smiled often - and always because of him.

Jamie carefully laid out his tartan, smoothing any wrinkles that formed with this hand. He was always so proud of being a Fraser. There was a sense of honor he felt when he was able to display the loyalty he had for his family in this traditional manner. After carefully folding the pleats of his kilt, he made quick work of making himself presentable. With a glance at his watch, he made a mental note of the time. The last thing he needed was to end up late.

“Well Fraser,” he said taking one last look at himself in the mirror. “Here goes nothing.”

It was supposed to be the best night of their young lives. The culmination of years of schooling, their chance to face the real world. They were finally free to pursue their dreams. His - moving to London and attending the AA School of Architecture - to learn from some of the country’s top architects. To one day see his designs decorate the skyline. Hers - heading to Oxford Medical School - to one day heal by means of a knife and become the trail-blazing pediatric surgeon she had always dreamt of becoming.

Their classmates had all gathered at Lallybroch - which with its vast acreage - was the most convenient place to throw any party. One final chance to see old friends and prepare for the next chapter in their journeys. As the festivities continued to escalate around them, Jamie had grabbed Claire by the hand - opting to relocate to a quieter area, one where he could have a conversation with her without resorting to a shouting match.

“I canna believe we’ll be leaving for university in the morning,” Jamie noted wistfully as he seated himself on a bench, with her hands still in his as they hid away in the solitude of the garden - Claire’s favorite place.

“I know what you mean. It hardly seems possible that we’ve finished our A-Levels.”

“Claire, may I ask ye a question?” There was a hint of nervousness in his voice, as he gently ran his calloused thumb over the peaks of her knuckles.

“Of course.” Claire hadn’t made a move to remove her hand from his.

“Well, my question… I don’t wish to...”

“Jamie,” Claire sighed as she looked at him with deep concern. Jamie had never been one who couldn’t find the words to express himself - his stammering was very unlike him. She wondered what he could possibly need to ask her if he was getting himself this worked up.

“Don’t forget about me aye. Just because yer in Oxford and I’ll be in London.”

Releasing his hands, Claire brought hers to frame his face, forcing him to look at her. With their eyes locked on one another, the world around them faded. All that mattered was that they were here in this moment together.

“How could I forget you, you bloody Scot?” Claire questioned breathily, closing the space between them.

The musicians began to play the first few notes of the Wedding March, and all the guests turned towards the doors to the back of the church. As the doors opened, Jamie stood with the rest of the congregation, his left hand beating out an erratic tattoo against his leg to match the frenetic pace of his own heartbeat. A nervous tick he had never grown out of. Jamie knows that she’s on the opposite side of the church, waiting to walk down the aisle. As the music swells Jamie tries to steady himself with a deep breath - waiting for what is yet to come.

“Do you think Jenny would help with wedding decorations?” she mused while absentmindedly flipping through the pages in her wedding binder. She didn’t need to ask, knowing full well that all the Frasers would be glad to help in any way possible. They’d welcomed her as part of their fold long ago.

“Are ye daft woman? You ken she’d help ye with just about anything relating to the wedding.” Jamie quipped. It seemed like the only conversations they’d had lately revolved around this wedding and the extensive planning of it.

“I just don’t want to spend a lot. I want a simple wedding - small just close friends and family.”

He could tell she was over the moon about getting married. Just seeing the way she would light up just talking about the big day. He smiled knowing that all of the dreams she shared with him over the years were finally going to come true.

In an instant, Jamie was seeing the world around him for the first time. Colors were brighter, details he would have otherwise overlooked became clearer. It was as if he had stepped outside on a cloudy day and suddenly the sun had come out.

Her normally riotous curls piled neatly on the top of her head, with a scattering of loose tendrils framing her face. The glass face that failed to keep her feelings hidden was draped in a sheer veil, allowing just enough of her beauty to shine through so that Jamie could tell that Claire was nestled beneath the fabric.

Jamie took one final deep breath as she arrived at the altar, handing off her bouquet before turning her attention to the priest.

“If there is anyone here with a reason as to why these two shall not be joined in matrimony, speak now or forever hold your peace.”

“Dinna do it,” Jamie called out from the safety of the last pew. He truly hadn’t thought through the ramifications of his speaking out. It only took a matter of seconds before every eye in the church was trained on him, Claire’s included. There was no way for him to hide, with his size and blazing red hair preventing him from blending in.

As the murmuring began to quiet down around him, he knew he was running out of time. He had to make his next move. Taking a step into the aisle he pleaded once more. “Please, Claire…Dinna marry him.”

#Outlander #Outlander Fanfiction #Jamie Fraser #Claire Beauchamp #Song fic

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riverboundao3ff · 4 years

Text

Riverbound, Chapter 1

Your name is MSPA READER, and you are currently vibing outside of the known multiverse.

Well, you don’t really use that name anymore, on account of it not actually being a name. Names sound something like Emily, or Muhammad, or Patrick, or Shamita, or a million other put-together syllables and sounds.

Names are something personal. A title is anything but.

You do have a new title, though, one you like much better.

The Guardian.

Because that’s what you became when you yoinked the timeline away from the control of Ultimate Dirk and that Director lady, whoever she was. You looked Canon-With-A-Capital-C in its ugly face, spit on it, and then bent over to wipe your ass with the fabric of reality itself. Out of desperation, love, and most importantly sheer spite, you took it upon yourself to defy fate so that there is at least one timeline where everybody gets to live happy lives. This was victory at its finest. This is what it felt like to finally get everything you wanted. Your friends? Safe. Multiverse? Secure. Hotel? Trivago.

In the vast and rich history of pro-gamer moves, you believe you might have made the most powerful move of all.

After using the Green Sun- no, sorry, the Green Sun to make your own timeline, you did what any other person would do and took a big fuckin’ snooze, curling up around your universe like a mama cat protecting her kittens. You earned it.

And, if you were being completely honest with yourself, that’s how you would have spent the rest of time.

It’s not like you didn’t want to live. No, living was good. It’s just… you were so damn tired. You’re tired of always running from place to place, person to person, era to era. You’re tired of being injured, scared, and alone no matter how many friends you made. All the gods of the Furthest Rings know you’d gone through more in like a year than most people go through during their entire lives. Couldn’t a bitch just enjoy eternity in the void?

Apparently not.

The dreams began innocently enough. Playing video games with Dave, John, and Karkat. Exploring Jade’s island with Jake and Bec. Baking with Jane. Kanaya teaching you and Sollux how to sew. FLARP-ing with Vriska.

Laying side-by-side with Roxy as you two watched the sun rise. Role-playing with Nepeta. Movie night with Eridan. Getting high off your ass with Gamzee and scaring the shit out of some teal visiting their kismesis a few hives away. Discussing politics with Feferi.

Escaping that hellhouse the Soleil twins called their home. Watching those eerie lights in the corpsefield beside Fozzer. You and Remele beating a purpleblood to death.

You barely realize how nightmares had invaded your mind until you woke up with Karako’s yowls of terror in your ears. You didn’t have ears anymore, though, or a physical form, so it just sounded like your favorite clown son was screaming all around you in the abyss.

Okay. This was fine. This was fine, you kept telling yourself. After everything that’s happened to you, you were bound to develop PTSD at some point. That was completely natural.

Except this wasn’t just PTSD. This was something else entirely, because even when you were awake you saw the faces of your oldest friends burning in your mind’s eye. Something churned in your gut, ancient and primal. It was a feeling you knew well, and was usually accompanied by you launching yourself into whatever stupid shit you found next. The longer you tried to ignore it, the stronger it became, until you were permanently wrapped up around yourself like the most pathetic ball of Guardian that had to have ever existed.

You knew long before you actually put words to what was going on.

Of course. Of course it wasn’t over, because why would you ever get to have anything for yourself? Why would you ever get to just rest? For the first time in… who even knows how long, you sob hysterically into the sleeves of your hoodie.

A galaxy twinkles in the outer shell of your universe, lighting up the zig-zag sign on your chest. Mallek’s lazy smile fills your thoughts. If at all possible, everything hurts even more, until you can’t even cry to let out the pain.

Did he miss you? Did all of them miss you?

Oh, God, Daraya. You promised her you’d take her to Earth sometime, and then you just totally fucking vanished from the face of Alternia. What a fucking dick move. Granted, you hadn’t meant to do it, but still!

Your traitor-asshole brain reminds you of the fact that all of them are dead now. As in, Tyzias tried to lead a rebellion against the Alternian Empire, and then they all got killed. Your traitor-asshole brain also notes that it’s all your fault for encouraging those kinds of ideas.

Way to go, you absolute tool.

Except… they don’t have to be gone. You are the Guardian of your universe, and you make the rules. It feels so wrong to even think about it, but… yeah. You’re basically a god now. You can do what you want and nobody has the power to stop you.

Which brings about a whole new plethora of fuckery. If you were to go back, if you were to rewrite history… are you any better than Ultimate Dirk? Granted, you’d do it out of love, not because you’re a power-hungry bastard, but still. Shenanigans of this level are not to be taken lightly, even by sad Guardians with absolutely nothing better to do.

You sleep on it, which of course results in you waking up bawling like a baby as you remember the best roleplay sesh of your life, which was when Wanshi proudly gave your Soldier Purrbeasts OC her full name: Twinklemoon. You had a Soldier Purrbeasts OC named Twinklemoon. That’s why you were crying.

That’s it. You couldn’t stand it anymore.

You need advice, and you know exactly where to get it.

You find her on the 8rigantine, furiously scribbling something down on a chart with a bunch of little figurines in the middle of it. You know better than to just haul your little friendslut ass up there while Vriska Serket is in the zone, so instead you knock on the hull and call up to her.

“Hello! Lady Spinneret, an old friend is in dire need of some advice!”

It takes about two seconds for a familiar spiky head to poke over the side of the deck. Vriska’s one dark eye lights up upon meeting your gaze, followed by a toothy grin that’s both menacing and completely genuine. She reaches back to grab something behind her. A rope ladder drops down and nearly nails you in the noggin, just like it did whenever you dropped by to FLARP with her.

“What the hell, bitch! I missed you!” she yells. Despite everything, you can’t help but smile. Vriska’s wild personality and no-bullshit attitude was just what you needed.

You’re very proud of yourself when you scale the ladder with ease and scramble up onto the deck without getting too much out of breath. With the amount of insane shit you’ve gotten yourself into during your travels, getting into shape came pretty easily. You’ve been told by several reliable sources that your legs are to die for.

“The 8-ball foretold your arrival. I brought snacks.” Vriska points to a bag next to her chart, not looking up from where she was drawing an impressively detailed kraken-looking thing. “Eat something before you start gabbing.”

That was sound logic, so you drag the back closer to you and start rooting around for something good. You find a bag of stinkroot chips, open that bad boy up, and start munching. Damn, did it feel good to eat something, and to also have a corporeal body to eat things with.

As you gather your thoughts, the hairs on the back of your neck prickle with the sensation of somebody’s eyes on you. You instantly look up to see Vriska staring at you. Her expression is blank, but her good eye held all the energy of a thunderstorm.

You swallow your chips. “What is it?”

“You look… different,” she says, setting down her pencil. “It’s like I can really see you now.”

“Huh?”

Vriska huffs, but she still doesn’t take her eye off you. “Before, you kinda looked like… I dunno, like somebody cut out a whole in reality and shoved the silhouette of a person inside? Like, I know what you looked like, but I couldn’t tell you the color of your hair, or what facial structure you have, or, like… dude, you have freckles.”

“I have freckles?” You reach up and touch your cheekbone, feeling the soft skin. Oh, hey, there’s some acne. Dammit. “Are they cute?”

“Sure? I think freckles are more of a human thing, so you’d have to ask John or Jade or whatever. Also you’re blonde, like Rose,” she tells you, thoughtfully scratching at her chin. “You’re still short as fuck, though. I could probably punt you off the poop deck.”

“Thanks.”

“You’re welcome. Congrats on not looking like a hole in reality.”

You finish off your chips and flop back to stare at the night sky. With all the time you’ve spent on Alternia, you can now name a lot of the constellations. Right now, the Empress’s Trident poked up at a forty-five degree angle behind the pink moon. “I think I know how we can overthrow the Alternian Empire.”

Vriska’s pencil falls out of her hand.

You continue. “Have you read any records on a rebellion that occurred about… like, fifteen sweeps ago? I don’t know the exact date.”

Vriska’s mouth opens and closes a couple of times, and then she nods. “I sure fuckin’ did. Sollux did some of his mumbo-jumbo and got me some documents. He called it an early wriggling day present, but I know he wants to help my little… agenda. How do you even know…?”

“Because I helped encourage the right people to do it. I was there, Vriska. Those kids were my friends, and now they’re dead.”

She’s silent for a moment. “The leader was a teal named Tyzias.”

Your eyes are hot with tears. “I knew her. We met because she tripped on the sidewalk while carrying a shitload of her homework, and I helped her pick it all up when it went everywhere. She had a matesprit named-”

“Stelsa,” Vriska mutters. “Holy shit. She worked closely with some jades who lead their little army. They caused a hell of a lot of damage to the Empire before it all went down, I’ll give them that.”

Neither of you speak for a long moment, which you appreciate as you try and hold your messy self together. The longer you think about your old friends and all the good times you had with them, the more you’re certain about what you want to do.

They deserve to be here.

Your blood pressure spikes just thinking about it.

It’s Vriska who puts your thoughts into words. “You want to go back and help them win the rebellion.”

“Yeah.”

“That’s fucking crazy.”

“Yeah.”

She scooches over to you so she can stare down into your soul. “If we combine our resources and collaborate back and forth between the past and the future, we can make it so less people die. We could even take out that pathetic bitch of an Heiress they had back in the day. With your powers…”

“It’s possible I could compact time itself to create a world where we… where we can make things right. We could even help Feferi…”

You can’t bring yourself to say it in case you jinxed something, but by the look on Vriska’s face, she knows what you mean.

“It could work,” she breathes.

Slowly, you sit back up. Your heart was pounding so hard you felt it in your skull. “How do you think the others would feel about it?”

“Oh, they’d shit themselves,” Vriska snorts. “A full-scale rebellion across time and space?”

“True.”

“But it could work!” she repeats, staring into empty space.

“And they’d have a huge advantage they never had before. Me,” you say, talking to yourself more than to Vriska. You’d created this universe with your own power. It was time to protect it. “Vriska, I need to go before I chicken out. Tell the others what’s happening and that I’m sorry if this all goes to shit.”

“Wait!”

You look back at her as she grabs your arm, claws digging into the fabric of your hoodie. “I… you need supplies. No frickin’ way you’re going anywhere without at least a hydration flask.”

You know what she’s trying to say, and your chest fills up with all the warmth of a bonfire. God, you love this absolute bitch of a kid.

Vriska drags you to your feet, and then you’re both sprinting for her hive.

Amazingly, you don’t die trying to keep up with the cerulean as you charge up the stairs to her respiteblock together. You’re still out of breath by the time you reach the top, though, but Vriska’s already grabbing a backpack and tossing shit into it.

“Get me that jacket off the door,” she orders as she tosses in what looks like a small medical kit. You obey and throw her the jacket, the black leather one with the bright red hood.

She then waves you over, and you slip around her desk to see what’s up. In her hands is a black sheath, with a matching handle sticking out at the top.

Vriska pulls the sheath off to reveal the blade: a brilliant silver-blue metal that nearly glowed in the darkness. It’s incredibly beautiful and very scary to look at.

“I’ve had this thing forever, so I’m giving it to you, okay? Don’t fucking lose it. Press that little gray button at the top of the handle to heat up the blade. Good for starting fires and cauterizing wounds.” She shoves the jacket into the backpack and hands you the dagger.

“Vriska, I don’t know what to say,” you begin, but she smacks you.

“Shut up and strap it to your belt. You better come back soon. I want a detailed report on everything. Single-spaced,” she snaps.

You grin. “Yes, ma’am. I should be back, in like, ten nights. Maybe eleven.”

“Ten,” Vriska growls. “I’m coming for your ass otherwise.”

“Noted. Tell everybody I said hi.”

“Obviously.”

You reach into that little part of yourself, which in turn reaches back out into that chaotic river that is the flow of time. You throw the anchor down and wade upstream. It’s a little rougher than usual, but you won’t let that stop you. There was no turning back now.

Time travel is always like trying to hit a moving target, but you have great aim, and when you find what you’re looking for you feel your face split into another huge smile. There’s nothing different about this part of the river than any other, but you know. When it comes to the people you care about, you always know.

Everything feels more real to you than it has in years. Two moons shine even brighter in the sky, the chilly air stinging your face, and you’re no troll but it still feels like you’re going home.

You open your eyes.

“Ten nights,” you say to Vriska, and you let yourself fall through the current.