#which is way shorter and i could probably get it done during my break... ;o)

[clumsypuppy]

Tell me about a song you like right now, maybe an animation you just watched that made you think thoughts and feel things

Only Acting by Kero Kero Bonito!! I want to make an animatic for Macaque using this song and some parts of Shadow Play and the s4 special.. although im still mapping it and deciding whether I want to use the radio edit or not lol

[t0wnspersonb]

You’re Beautiful (Kuroo Tetsurou x Reader)

Word Count: 4,784

Warnings: SMUT, slight angst, bullying, my shit writing, Kuroo being too damn hot

Summary: Despite how much you loved him, you couldn’t handle the constant bullying that came with dating one of the most sought after males at your school. The constant harassment from Kuroo’s fans ended with you breaking up with him. But when Kuroo founds out the truth... well he does everything in his power to make sure you’re taken care of.

~~~~

Anonymous said:

Hiii 🦊 Rachel here! Could I please request a scenario in which kuroo s/o has been being constantly bullied by kuroo's fangirls during months to the point in which her self confidence is almost crushed but she remain silent and decides to try yo break Up with him?. She appears the Next day at school wearing sexy clothes and make up to make them believe she Split Up with him seriosly. But kuroo notices what's happening and reassures her? Smut ending please if possible!! Thank u so much!! 😊

~~~~

Anonymous said:

Can I please request a scenario where Kuroo helps his gf relieve her stress by giving her his full attention and worshipping her? She’s also very insecure. He walks in the room to find her staring at herself in the mirror, lifting her shirt up and looking sad (insecure about her body). No need for angst though! She beams the moment he flirts with her and call her kitten. Soft!dom vibes with lots of dirty talk and praise (and maybe cockwarming?). Thank you 🥺 ily and your blog btw

~~~~

I decided to put these two requests together since they both fall into the same category! I hope you enjoy this one Rachel and anon! 

Sorry it took so long for me to write! I think I do a terrible job at writing characters as a dom so I apologize in advance if it wasn’t what you guys were wanting! As always please let me know what you guys think:)

~~~~

“- I don’t understand.” Kuroo’s frown deepened, his fingers clenching and unclenching into fists at his side.

 You had an audience, the soft whispers of people passing by curled around your ear like the wind.

 You knew exactly what they were talking about, what they will be talking about for the next couple of weeks.

 “Y/n why are you breaking up with me?” he pressed further, his tall frame taking a step closer to you. 

 “I told you.” Your voice sounds strained, even to your own ears, despite the mental preparation you had to do before.

 Hell, there was no amount of mental preparation that could prepare you for something like this.

 Kuroo’s annoyed and calculating expression shifted dramatically, hurt and confusion clouded his face, his large hand reached out towards you, causing you to take a step back, your arms wrapping around your body.

 You wanted to curl into yourself, to disappear completely so you didn’t have to see Kuroo’s pained expression.

 “That doesn’t… that doesn’t make sense! We were doing great! You knew what you were getting into when you agreed to go out with me! So why… why all of a sudden -” 

 “I told you.” You stressed, cutting him off immediately. “I don’t want to be with someone who only focuses on their club activities. You never have time for me, you’re always so busy with your stupid club. I can’t do this anymore.”

 Lies.

 Lies.

 Lies.

 They were all lies.

 But you… you had to make this work, you had to make this hurt, or else… or else you knew he would never leave you alone.

 The whispering around you got louder, the large smirks from the girls amongst the crowd pierced into your heart.

 But not as much as this.

 Kuroo’s expression ripped your heart in two.

 This hurt like hell.

 “Your team is waiting for you Kuroo.” You said quietly, ignoring the ache in your chest as he visibly flinched at the use of his surname, something you never called him. “I’ll see you around.”

 You turned to walk away, resisting the urge to look back at the tall male. You could feel tears stinging at your eyes as you rushed out of the school gates, it was probably a mistake to do this right after class; catching him right before he went into volleyball practice. 

 It honestly was all a mistake but… you didn’t have a choice.

 You were suddenly yanked back, causing you to stumble about.

 “That was quite the show.” a familiar voice drawled out, you flinched as you scrambled away from the group of girls that were staring you down.

 The group of girls that caused this mess.

 “It was smart of you to break up with him. Kuroo-san belongs to all of us, not just you. You ugly girl.” She sneered. “Who would want you anyway? Kuroo-san was just dating you out of pity, I bet he just wanted a quick lay. Since you’re that easy.”

 You could feel your lower lip tremble, the tears that were already gathered in your eyes threatening to spill over. 

 “Well it’s done, just leave me alone now.” You mumbled, walking away. 

 As soon as you were a safe distance away, tears began pouring down your face. 

The flood of emotions you were experiencing was something like no other. The pain that you felt deep within your chest was excruciating, and all you could see behind your lids as you wiped at your eyes was Kuroo’s hurt expression.

 You were lucky enough that your mother wasn’t home, she wouldn’t be home for the next couple of days due to a business trip. 

 Which meant you could cry your heart out in peace.

 No amount of mental preparation prepared you for this. For the hurt that you had caused the person you loved the most, for the hurt that you were experiencing from the constant cruelty of those girls.

 It was all too much. 

 By the time you had finally finished crying it was late at night, and you found yourself in front of your bathroom mirror.

 They were right, you were an ugly girl, why would Kuroo want to be with someone like you? 

 It was always a question that lingered in the back of your mind when Kuroo confessed to you. It was strange wasn’t it? He was quite possibly the most perfect human being you had ever met, so why would he want to be with you?

 “Since you’re that easy.” 

 You shook your head from the comment, Kuroo was your first for everything; memories that you would cherish forever, even if you were no longer with him.

 You at least knew that comment wasn’t true, Kuroo wasn’t a cruel person, there was no way he would have thought of you that way.

 The person you were looking at in the mirror wasn’t someone you recognized. A stranger in your own skin, your eyes flickered to every inch of your insecurities, your body shrinking down.

 You couldn’t go on like this, something had to change.

 ****

 “W-What are you wearing Y/n-chan?” Yaku asked, face flushed, as he took in your uniform.

 You were lucky enough to have arrived at school without any encounters with those girls and Kuroo. But you were unlucky in the fact that you were in the same class as Kuroo and Yaku.

 “D-Does it look bad?” You asked, carefully tugging at the hem of your skirt.

 “No but… you never wear anything that short… I’m just not used to seeing you like that… are you wearing makeup?” Yaku looked at you in surprise, the pink in his cheeks never fading.

 You rubbed the back of your neck sheepishly, your head ducking down in embarrassment as you nodded.

 This was so uncomfortable; you were completely out of your element right now.

 You had opted for the shorter uniform skirt today, something that was completely different than your usual knee length one. Your legs had never been so exposed at school before.

 The makeup… well, you hardly ever wore makeup, it wasn’t like you were wearing a whole lot of it, but just enough to make you feel just a tad less insecure about yourself.

 “Kuroo is gonna flip when he -” Yaku shut his mouth immediately; eyes casting away from you.

 That’s right.

 He had almost forgotten that you had broken up with him yesterday, and from the slight fall of your face, maybe you had forgotten too.

 “You know… Kuroo was devastated when he came into practice yesterday, he made us do twice as many drills, got upset over the littlest things…” Yaku trailed off, glancing over at you briefly. “We didn’t know what had happened until Lev said something about it. News travels fast around here huh?” he joked weakly.

 “Just news that involves your golden boy.” you said quietly, your eyes trained on your folded hands that rested on your desk.

 Yaku turned his body completely towards you now. “Y/n-chan what happened? Why did you -” the classroom door suddenly opened, and in walked the golden boy himself.

 He looked… exhausted, sad. 

 The tiny piece that you were able to fix in your heart shattered once again, leaving you empty and achy inside.

 This was all your fault. 

 His exhaustion, his sadness, that was all you.

 You could feel his eyes flickering over to your form, but you didn’t dare meet his gaze, you settled for pulling out one of your books from your bag; eyes focused on the page, although, you couldn’t even comprehend what it was you were reading.

 His shadow loomed over you as he paused next to your desk. It was only for a couple of seconds before he sighed loudly, taking his seat behind Yaku.

 Fuck today was going to be a long day.

 ****

 The next couple of days were routine now, Yaku would attempt to make small talk with you, struggling each and every time to ask you what had happened between you and Kuroo, and each time it ended with Kuroo entering the classroom and standing near your desk before sighing loudly and leaving.

 Despite the fact that it was becoming routine, it still wasn’t easy. None of it was, the only easy thing was that those pesky girls in his fan club left you alone, at least you got relief from that.

 Until today. 

 Of course, it would be when you were walking home that they would approach you, no one in sight.

 “You really think that dressing up and wearing makeup is going to make you pretty?” one of them scoffed, a wicked smirk playing on her lips. “You’re still ugly, you did Kuroo-san a favor by dumping him, who would want to be with someone as hideous as you?”

 You gritted your teeth, your hands tightening around the strap of your bag as you attempted to step around them, only for them to get in your way once more. 

 They were cornering you now.

 “I did what you asked, why do you keep bothering me?” you asked quietly, pleading almost.

 “Because you took him away from us all those months ago. Kuroo-san has never and will never be yours. It honestly was such a bitchy thing for you to do Y/n. You really think that by just breaking up with him you would be let off the hook? Wrong.” 

 Your quiet demeanor never faltered; you were desperate to go home though. So you tried stepping around them once again, only to be shoved back into another one of the girls.

 They were laughing at you as they shoved you about, but you didn’t have the strength to fight back, to stand up for yourself.

 You just… you just let it happen.

 You probably deserved it anyway, right? 

 For breaking Kuroo’s heart.

 You deserved all of it, right?

 “Hey!” 

 Everyone froze, yourself included. You knew that voice all too well, and you couldn’t help the tears that began to pool in your eyes.

 Cool fingers clasped at your wrist, carefully yanking you away from the group of girls that were now cowering in front of the tall male that stood before them.

 “Are you okay Y/n?” Kenma peered at you in concern, carefully releasing his grip on you. You nodded, rubbing at your eyes with the sleeve of your sweater.

 “K-Kuroo-san! We were just teaching her a lesson! She hurt you, didn’t she? We were just trying to protect you!” one of the girl’s pleaded.

 You had never seen Kuroo like this. He was genuinely angry, his eyes all but turning into slits as he glared down at the group of girls who were nearly in tears at this point.

 “From what I heard, you guys are the reason that Y/n broke up with me.” he said, tone deep and dark. “From what I saw… well… girls like you absolutely disgust me.” he sneered. 

 “K-Kuroo-san.” one of them began to cry.

 “From now on stay away from me, and stay away from Y/n. If I catch you guys anywhere near her then we’re going to have some problems. Understand?” he stood incredibly tall; his arms folded across his chest as he stared down at the group of girls.

 It was silent for a moment and then whimpers and loud cries began to erupt from the group, all of them running off.

 As soon as they were out of sight Kuroo slumped down, sighing tiredly as his large hand ran down his face, rubbing off whatever emotions he was feeling. But then he was turning to face you, concern clouding his eyes as he walked closer.

 “Are you hurt?” he murmured softly, one of his fingers gently sliding against your cheek, his eyes flickering across your face.

 You shook your head, but you could feel oncoming tears beginning to pool. You desperately wanted to throw yourself into his arms at this point.

 But Kuroo knew you too well, he recognized the look on your face and his hand slid down to grasp yours.

 “Let’s go.” he said. “Kenma I’m going to take Y/n home. Walk home without me.” his eyes glanced over at his friend who nodded, waving goodbye to the two of you before taking his leave.

 For the most part, the trip home was entirely quiet, you two hadn’t addressed anything that had happened at the school, or what had happened in the days prior. It was mostly small talk, but you felt lighter somehow. 

 Kuroo brought the best out of you, he was your better half; his mere presence brought a sense of calm to the raging storm inside of you.

 He also had never let go of your hand.

 Maybe it was because of what happened earlier, or maybe it was an unconsciousness thing, but you were grateful for it.

 His hand was large and warm, his thumb rubbing gently against the back of your hand, it was entirely soothing.

 But now your anxiety was through the roof as you approached your front door, pausing to retrieve the keys from your bag.

 Would he go? 

 Would he want to come in?

 Would he want answers?

 Would you guys get back together?

 “Y/n....” Kuroo stared down at you intensely, his face nothing but serious. “Can we talk?”

 Fuck. Maybe it was all of the above.

 You bit your lip, nodding before you guys stepped into your house.

 “Where’s your mom?” Kuroo asked casually, slipping off his shoes.

 “She’s on a business trip, she’ll be back on Saturday.” you said quietly. Kuroo said nothing back as you guys made your way to your room. Silence engulfing you completely, the air thick with tension.

 “Do you really not want to be with me anymore?” Kuroo asked as soon as you guys got settled in. There was no room for small talk now, he had jumped to the point immediately.

 “Or did you break up with me because of those girls?” he asked, his eyes never leaving your form.

“They’ve been… they’ve been harassing me since we got together, it got really bad recently…” you trailed off, ignoring the dark look that crossed over his face for a moment. 

 “Why didn’t you tell me?” his voice was incredibly soft now, his expression gentle. “I would’ve done something about it.”

 “I don’t know.” you whimpered out, the tears that you had been holding back since school finally spilled over. “They were your fans… you’re so amazing, I didn’t want them to think badly of you. They’re right, you know. Why would someone like you want someone like me? I’m not very pretty or smart, I’m not passionate like you are… they said I was only dragging you down. I didn’t want to hold you back anymore. So, I - I had to break up with you, had to hurt you enough so that you wouldn’t try pursuing me anymore.”

 At this point you were full on sobbing, blabbering your confession. The words just leaked out, there was no point in stopping now, not like you could anyway. 

 “I didn’t mean what I said about the team either. I just said that to hurt your feelings. I love that you’re so dedicated to your team and volleyball, I love how hard you work towards your goals. You’re so good at what you do. I’m so sorry Kuroo. I’m so sorry.” you choked out, another sob tearing through your lips as you desperately tried wiping away the ongoing flow of tears.

 Your eyes were incredibly blurry, your loud crying and hiccups were the only sound that could be heard in the room. You hadn’t even registered that Kuroo had gotten off your bed until you were being yanked into a warm chest. His strong arms wrapped around you tightly, crushing you to his body.

 Warmth seeped into your being, radiated off of his chest and into yours. Your nose was filled with the scent of Kuroo, familiar and perfect as you buried your face deeper into his chest. 

 He caged you against his body, the strong grip he had only tightening further; his large hands rubbed up and down your back, soothing your hysteria until there were only soft hiccups and sniffles.

 You weren’t sure how long Kuroo held you for, but you didn’t care. You never wanted to leave his arms.

 He was solid, so strong and warm; grounding you to this moment. You could only think of him, as he was right now, and as you were right now. Right now, this moment was perfect.

 Right now, you knew that you would never stop loving Kuroo Tetsurou.

 “I wish you would’ve told me about those girls earlier.” he finally spoke, his voice was calm, the movement of his hands never stopping against your back. “At least you’re telling me now. But…” his hands gently pulled you away from his body. His eyes burned as they stared into your own, the intensity of his gaze took your breath away, he had never looked at you like that before. 

 “You’re seriously stupid if you think any of that is true. Not pretty? Not smart? Dragging me down? Holding me back? That’s not true.” He cupped your face carefully, titling your head back slightly, forcing your eyes to only stare at him. 

 “You’re the kindest person I know. You’re so beautiful, you have no idea how many of the guys at our school wanted to go out with you. You’re the top of our class, did you forget that you’re in the college prep class? You’re incredibly smart. You’ve never dragged me down; you’ve never held me back. You make me want to be better, you make me want to work harder. If I don’t have you by my side… then what’s the point to any of it?” his voice was deep and fierce, full of fiery passion as he stared down at you. 

 “Do you love me?” he asked.

 “Of course, I love you, I never stop-” Kuroo slammed his lips against yours, kissing you fiercely and urgently.

 You whimpered loudly, fingers gripping at the front of his uniform tightly as you surrendered yourself to his kiss. 

 Every ounce of his feelings for you were being poured into this kiss, it was searing, burning you completely as he nipped and sucked at your bottom lip, forcing his tongue into your mouth easily.

 It was wet and hot as he massaged the pink muscle in your mouth with his own, and you could only take it, clinging to him desperately as you tried to keep up with his pace.

 You hadn’t even realized that he was taking steps back until your world shifted, Kuroo easily pulling you down onto his lap as he sat on your bed. You held yourself up, knees pressing into the soft mattress on either side of his hips.

 “You’re mine.” he breathed against your mouth, the hand that was resting on your back trailed down towards your exposed legs. His fingers curled around the back of your upper thigh, skimming against the band of the thigh highs that you wore.

 “I can’t believe you started wearing these tiny little skirts to school. I hated the way other guys would look at you whenever you left the classroom… and the makeup? Who were you trying to impress?” he murmured, nipping at your bottom lip before trailing his mouth against the underside of your jaw, and down your throat.

 “I - ahh - I just wanted to…” your fingers slid into his hair; eyes fluttering shut as his tongue flickered out to taste your skin. “Feel good about myself.”

 He pulled away from you, his lips swollen, and pupils blown as he stared at you. “You’re gorgeous, you don’t need to make yourself up like that. I’ll make you feel good.” 

 Kuroo began tugging the clothes off of your guys’ body, easily tossing them to the floor until you were both bare.

 His lips parted as his eyes wandered to every inch of your skin, greedily taking in all of your pretty curves. You were his, he’d never let anyone else have you, he’d never let anyone else see you like this. Sprawled out on top of the bed, face flushed a beautiful pink, your knees bent as your feet sat flat against the sheets, your core entirely exposed to him.

 You were dripping, cunt glistening and begging to be touched.

 “It’s embarrassing.” you whispered, face heating up as you took in the way he stared openly at your exposed lower half. You moved to clamp your legs shut, only for his large hands to grab your knees, ripping them apart easily, exposing you further.

 “What’s so embarrassing about a boyfriend wanting to stare at his beautiful girlfriend?” he asked, eyebrow raising, a small smirk grazed his lips. “I’m going to make you feel so good, kitten.” 

 His face sank lower, the hands that were resting on your knees sliding down until they curled around the back of your upper thighs, pushing them further apart and up. 

His nose brushed against your mound and then you felt his hot breath blowing against your center, causing a loud whimper to escape your lips, your fingers gripping at the sheets below.

 “Thank you for the meal.” he smirked against you, eyes flickering towards you before his mouth enveloped you completely.

 You cried out.

 Kuroo’s mouth was like a furnace as he lapped at your cunt carefully, flattening his tongue against your soaked entrance before flicking it up towards your swollen bundle of nerves.

 The pink muscle easily swirled against your clit, lazy almost, before dipping back into your slit, moving in and out of you perfectly.

 Your chest was heaving at this point, your fingers reaching down to tangle into his already messy hair, urging him closer.

 His grip on your thighs tightened, his tongue moving against you faster as he felt you drip onto his tongue.

 “Tetsurou.” you whimpered. “I’m close, so close.” you slurred, the familiar tightness within your belly coiling rapidly.

 Kuroo pulled himself away immediately, a loud whine tearing through your lips.

 “N-No! Why did you stop?” You cried out, the tightness residing immediately, the dull ache of your cunt begging for more attention, for release.

 Kuroo stood above you, a devilish grin stretching across his face as you whined pitifully at him. One of the hands that was gripping your thigh suddenly came down, swatting at your swollen cunt with a sharp sting.

 You cried out in surprise as your body jolted with pleasure. His fingers gently running up and down your soaked folds, pressing down gently against your bundle of nerves.

 “I know I said I would make you feel good, but… there needs to be some kind of punishment too. Since you tried breaking up with me, and you kept secrets from me.” he chuckled, his eyes held nothing but warmth though, filled to the brim with love and lust. 

Suddenly Kuroo was hauling you up, easily pulling you back onto his lap, you could feel his hard member rubbing against the curve of your ass and then he was shifting you up once more and - another loud cry tore through your lips as he sheathed himself inside of you completely.

 The stretch burned as you struggled to accommodate his size, you would never get to this stretch, to him being buried deep inside of you.

 He hushed you tenderly, his lips pressing gently against your temple. His breath came out in hot, wet pants against the side of your neck.

 “Look at you.” he breathed, his eyes focused on the mirror that was propped against your wall, facing your bed. “Look at how fucking beautiful you are. Look at how well you take my cock kitten.” 

 Your eyes were screwed closed as you struggled to adjust to the new intrusion in your body. When you finally opened your eyes a loud mewl tore through your swollen lips.

 Kuroo had your back pressed tightly against his chest, your legs hung over the side of his muscular thighs, his thick member buried deep in your cunt.

 The scene before you was incredibly lewd. The way your pussy lips were stretched around his thick cock was on full display, your bare body covered in sweat and flushed red. The dazed look on your face and the tears gathering in your eyes; it was too much.

 Kuroo had his chin resting against your shoulder, his eyes never leaving the mirror as he took in every inch of you.

 “S-So embarrassing.” You whined again, attempting to turn your face away so you no longer had to stare at yourself in the mirror.

 Kuroo wasn’t having any of that, his strong fingers gripped your chin easily, forcing your head back towards the front. 

 “Don’t look away.” he commanded into the shell of your ear. “I want you to watch.” he began moving, his hips bucking up, sliding in and out of your velvety walls. “I want you to see how absolutely perfect you are. I want you to see how well you take my cock, I want you to see yourself cum. I want you to see how good I make you feel.”

 Your lips were parted, moans spilling out of your mouth as you watched the way your breasts moved with each hard thrust of his hips, the way your cunt stretched around his swollen member that continuously disappeared inside of your body.

 “You make the sweetest faces. Fuck look at how wet you are for me kitten.” Kuroo groaned lowly into your ear, his tongue flickering out against the skin. His eyes never left your form, cat-like and dangerous as you took what he gave you.

 “Do you hear that?” he murmured lowly. “Fuck you’re so soaked for me.” over the rustling of sheets and your moans the soft squelching noises of your soaked cunt could be heard.

 “Should I make you cum?” he breathed, his hand reaching down, his fingers brushing against your parted folds that were stretched tightly around his cock. His eyes were glued to the obscene image before him, memorized with the way you engulfed him completely. 

 “Please.” you sobbed, overstimulated tears now rolling down your cheeks. “Tetsu, please.” 

 He moaned softly, fingers reaching up to rub at your clit. 

 It didn’t take long before you began unraveling, from the quick swipes of his fingers against your bundle of nerves, from the way that his member filled you to the brim, reaching a devastating depth within you, it was no wonder you were reaching your end so quickly.

 You watched as your cunt gushed around him, trickling down his balls and staining the sheets below.

 “Fuck.” he hissed, teeth sinking into your bare shoulder as you convulsed against him. You were panting, crying at the rush of pleasure still coursing through your body.

 Kuroo stayed buried inside of you, waiting for you to catch your breath, your walls fluttering around him. He wouldn’t last long. But he needed you to cum again.

 “Give me another one kitten, I know you can do it.” he cooed, and then his hips started jack hammering into your core, hard and fast as his fingers worked against your clit once again.

 It was too much, overstimulating, sharp and biting, and you took it all. 

You sobbed loudly as your end approached, faster this time, but far more devastating. Especially when you felt his release, Kuroo painted your insides a beautiful white as he spilled himself deep within your core.

 You could feel your ears ringing, vaguely registering his gentle praises as he stretched you across the bed, sliding out of your puffy and swollen cunt carefully. You could feel his warmth seeping out, trailing down the length of your legs, but you were far too exhausted to care, to clean up.

 He pulled the sheets over your body pulling you against his sweaty chest, his strong fingers brushing away the hair that clung to the sides of your face.

 “I love you.” he breathed, a gentle smile covering his lips as he gazed down at you. “You’re so beautiful. I can’t believe you’re mine.”

 You sighed softly, a sweet smile grazing your lips as you stared back at him. “I love you Tetsu. I don’t ever want to be without you again.” you nuzzled your face into his chest, his arms wrapping around your body tightly.

 “I didn’t spend all that time convincing you to go out with me for you to leave so quickly. You’re stuck with me, and my stupid club.” he grinned at you.

 “That’s okay. I really missed spending time with Kenma.”

 “Oi.”

[fbfh]

“forever” paxton hall-yoshida x reader

genre: fluffy romance + mutual pining (not too slowburn tho lol)

word count: 3.4k

au: none?? jock x theatre nerd ig

pairing: Paxton x broadway baby!reader 

requested: yes !! i hope u like it uwu

warnings: one hell one motherfucking and i think that’s it for swearing?? um brief self deprecating/talking bad abt urself from paxton (bby boy needs a self love boost), reader and paxton are home alone together for a little while but nothing bad happens, uh,,, i think that’s it

summary: when Eleanor can’t run lines with you, she sends over a very attractive, mutually pining substitute.

reccomended songs: “Seventeen” - Tuck everlasting OBC, “The Kiss” -The Princess Diaries score

a/n: i’m p sure i kept the reader p gender neutral but there’s implied slightly long hair, and you play the lead (a girl named winnie) in ur schools production of tuck everlasting but like it’s theatre so anyone can play anyone lol,, this took so got dam long bc i’m fucking s o f t for jock x artist and it just sorta happened lol aLsO,, not super thoroughly edited so there might be a typo or two?? im tired lol

requests r open <3

You had only ever seen two athletes present during rehearsals. Once when Madeline (who at the time was playing Penny in your production of Hairspray) was dating a guy from the soccer team. The other was when the star of the basketball team had come in to give your choreographer pointers for the basketball scenes during High School Musical. 

Until now.

You had run onstage part of the way through “Live Like This”, which wasn’t out of the ordinary since so much progress had been made on the costumes. You were still tying the ribbon on your pinafore as you jumped into the song, but when your eyes met a face in the usually empty auditorium, you faltered. You almost sang the wrong verse, but recovered quickly, continuing with the blocking. What felt like a moment later, the number was almost done and you were nearing the end of your counterpoint with Mae Tuck - played by Eleanor, of course. Who could be better for the part? You held out the last note, trying to stay in character despite all the distractions in the back of your mind. You had to talk to Eleanor when the director called for 10; she’d started telling you how Devi was being weird recently. Also, what the Hadestown was Paxton Hall-Yoshida doing chilling in the auditorium? You shoved all that away, focusing on staying in character until the director called for a break. 

‘I want to go to the fair. I want to go so badly! I just need a change, need to get out of this house for a little while. I never do anything, so this can’t be asking for too much, right?’ 

You projected all that into your everything - face, voice, mannerisms, energy.

“Hold!” 

Everyone froze.

The director wrote a few things on his paper, sighed, and underlined something several times. 

“Okay, good job! I need to revise some of the blocking, then we’ll do notes, so take ten.” Your sudden nerves had definitely made you pitchy, you knew that would be one of your notes for sure. 

A chorus of “Thank you ten”s erupted, and you immediately ran to Eleanor, telling the others good job as you passed. 

You leaned in and started speaking to her, quietly.

“Okay you need to finish telling me about Devi, and that other news you’re being so cryptic about! Also, what’s up with Fierro over there?” you nodded towards Paxton hoping he wouldn’t see, and you noticed Fab is sitting near him. You realized they’re probably waiting for Eleanor and/or Devi. That must be it, he’s been hanging out with them lately, right? Eleanor gasped.

“You’re right! Paxton is such a Fierro!”

You cringed inwardly a little bit as her voice carried through the auditorium, mixing with the others. Your eyes darted over to him for a fraction of a second. Oh god. He was looking at you. Or in your general direction at least. Lena, the costumer, walked around the set gingerly, following you around and getting you out of your dress incredibly carefully as you and Eleanor walked off stage. 

“No! Well, yes- but no. What’s he doing here? Jocks never come here during rehearsals. I saw Fab too, are you guys and Devi getting dinner or something?” You said, entering the auditorium, and stepping out of the dress. You grabbed sweatpants and a silky, floral kimono jacket from your bag to throw over your leotard and tights. She waved back at Fab before sitting down in the front. You both grabbed your fans and dramatically flicked them open in sync. Your wrists fluttered, cooling both of you off.  A knowing, and slightly mischievous, look came on her face. 

“Devi and Fab and I are. Paxton must be here for something… else.” she shrugged, nodding towards Paxton. You looked over again. He was staring at you. You did a double take and tried to hold back your smile. 

“Wh- I do not know to what you are referring.” 

“To what I am referring is the blush on his cheeks.”

You barely held back a nervous, bubbling laugh.

“He is not blushing! Why would he be blushing!”

“I don’t know,” She shrugged, “Just like how I don’t know that he’s been loitering in the halls outside the music room during your last three solo music rehearsals.”

You struggled for an answer. Before you could form one, you were interrupted.

“Okay, okay what is the best Lin Manuel Miranda musical? Because Kathryn thinks it’s Hamilton-” 

“Duh!”

“-But I think it’s In the Heights! It’s an underrated jewel!” Jonah interjected, still wearing his Jesse Tuck hat. 

You considered for a moment.

“I mean, they’re too different to compare. In the Heights has the same energy as Rent - showcasing what goes on in ordinary people’s lives, and how love ties us all together,” he nodded in agreement, “But Hamilton is on a way larger scale, almost Les Mis meets Fun Home vibes. But in terms of personal preference…” Eleanor scoffed at your answer, and Jonah went back to debate further with Kathryn.

“Anyway,” you turned back to Eleanor to ask her what the hell she meant by Paxton Hall-Yoshida was blushing. But before you could-

“Eleanor, we need you to try on your blue dress again,” Lena was already pulling her away, “I had the empire waist in the right place but half the pins fell out, and it’s just...” And she was whisked away before you could finish the thought. You just had time to help Holly get out her wig pins and drink some lemon water before notes. Eleanor still wasn’t back, so you made sure to write down hers for her. It was pretty standard; be quiet backstage, go over your lines, don’t touch props that aren’t yours, don’t eat in costume, and a couple blocking changes you made note of. After your end of rehearsal warm downs and huddle, everyone left relatively quickly. You ducked into the bathroom to freshen up a little. Sometimes it was hard coming down from such intense energy after rehearsal. You mentally ran through your to do list. You needed to get some more tea, write that essay when you got home, go over your notes- You gasped, cutting off your own train of thought. You ran out of the bathroom to look for Eleanor, still clutching her notes in hand. 

~

Your voice still echoed in Paxton’s ears. He wished he had a whole album of you singing. Your voice made him want to ruin his spotify algorithm by listening to nothing else. You had looked at him a couple times, and his heart had almost stopped. He didn’t know eye contact could be so intense. It’s probably just cause you’re like, the only person in the audience. Where else is she supposed to look? He deflated a little. He heard his name and looked over to you and Eleanor talking together. Hopefully it was about him. Hopefully it was good. He checked his phone, trying to look busy. When he glanced up to see if you were looking, you were gone. He started to look around for you when he saw Eleanor waving at Fab, and sure enough, you were next to her. What he didn’t expect was you dropping your dress to the ground. Time slowed down (and his heart sped up) as you stretched a little, and pulled out sweatpants from your bag.

Wow.

 You had on what looked like a bathing suit on underneath, and a few other people had done the same, but he knew that image would be in his memory, probably forever. His heart was beating in his ears and he knew he must be blushing.

“You okay, Paxton?” Fab asked, a seat or two away. Oh god, he didn’t want people asking why he blushed every time he looked at you! He muttered something about needing to make a call and headed for the doors. Don’t look back at her, don’t look back at her… His eyes involuntarily darted in your direction right before he left. You had on a flowy translucent jacket, your hair thrown back supermodel style as you fanned yourself to cool down. He needed to cool down too. Maybe a cold shower, a really cold shower.

~

You managed to find Eleanor just before she left. Two girls were with her, you had seen Fab once, and you’d heard a lot about Devi, but had never been introduced. 

You gave Eleanor her notes, and she hugged you.

“You’re a lifesaver!” 

“Of course, I-”

“Uh, who’s this?” you looked over, and the shorter girl - Devi, based on what you’d heard about her -  was giving you a weird look. You introduced yourself. 

“Nice to meet you. How do you know Eleanor?” said the taller girl - definitely Fab.

“Oh,” you smiled, “she’s my almost mother in law. And my arch rival,” you counted on your fingers, “my sister, my niece, my lover, my husband, and…” you trailed off, trying to think of the other dynamics your characters had had in past shows.

“Your co-conspirator.” 

“Right,” you laughed. Devi and Fab looked at you two.

“We’re in the musical together.” you clarified. You were about to part ways when you called to Eleanor, “Hey, we’re still on for running lines tomorrow night?” 

“Uh… Sounds good!” she walked away quickly, speaking to Devi and Fab in hushed tones. Something was definitely up. That was typical Eleanor Scheming behavior. 

~

That night, you almost couldn’t sleep. This wasn’t the normal post rehearsal can’t sleep. In fact, Tuck Everlasting was the last thing on your mind as you readjusted your pillows and snuggled into your duvet. You stared at the neon blue stars projected and swirling on your ceiling. You sighed. Again. Your brain was a 24/7 livestream of Paxton Hall-Yoshida to relax/study to. You saw him again, his face in the dimly lit auditorium, Adonis in a sea of faded seats. If you hadn’t been sure before, you knew now that red was definitely his color. You rolled onto your side. Your heart picked up speed as a thought crossed your mind. You could almost see Paxton now, kneeling next to you, his fingertips brushing your cheek. The piano underscore to “Seventeen” ran through your mind. You could imagine him saying “Wait with me, we could share the world…” so vividly it almost hurt. He leaned in, and… 

You let out a loud sigh and rolled over again. Your heart was fully saturated. That’s more than enough pining for tonight. 

~

“Paxton!” 

He was a little surprised when Eleanor just walked up to him at lunch the next day. Most people were too intimidated to approach him out of the blue. 

“I have a plan.”

“Uh, I don’t know what you-”

“Cut the crap, I know you like her.” 

His face blanched. Well, yeah of course he did. Who wouldn’t? He was going to ask Eleanor if there was something he could do to win you over, just not here, not now. Not where everyone could watch and jeer and rib him for it. Just like they were doing now. 

“Woah, dude, who is it?” Trent asked. He fumbled for words. He couldn’t believe this was happening. He hadn’t kept his crush a secret because he was embarrased of you, he’d kept it a secret because his dumbass friends wouldn’t get you. Hell, he barely got you. You were so deep, and emotive, and artistic... 

“Bro, if you like her as much as it seems like you do,” Trent continued, “you gotta win her over.” He was a little shocked at the agreement murmuring through his group of friends. He didn’t know how to respond. Trent turned to Eleanor.

“What’s the plan, drama mama?”

“First of all,” she said, an almost humorously dangerous look on her face, “never call me that again. Second,” she shoved some papers into Paxton’s hands, “meet me in the music room immediately after school.” She started back for her table. Trent looked back over to Paxton. 

“You gotta do it, dude. We’ll cover for you at swim.” 

The rest of his friends agreed. He was pleasantly surprised at how supportive they were being. 

“Yeah, I guess... we’ve got a plan.”

~

The next day went by pretty smoothly. No rehearsal was scheduled since they were finishing construction for some of the sets, but everyone was instructed to do a couple read throughs of the script, focusing on scenes they’re still forgetting, to make sure everyone’s off book. You stopped by 7 Eleven to get a blue slurpee (for homework) and a couple coconut waters (for run throughs). You texted Eleanor on your way to the slurpee machine. 

okay so do you like the mango coconut water or the pineapple one?? It’s the mango one right?? i always forget lmao

sent at 4:16 pm

btw I don’t have that much homework so you can probs come by around 5:30 if you’re ready by then

sent at 4:16 pm

Bae Tuck

OMFG!! I totally forgot about running lines tonight, I can’t make it! :( but I’ll send someone over to help you out. :)

sent at 4:17 pm

You squinted at your screen. That was weird. Eleanor never used colon parentheses smilies. Like, ever. She always used emojis, and usually way more than two per text. 

yeah np, are u good? ♡

sent at 4:17 pm

Bae Tuck

Yes :)

sent at 4:18 pm

Bae Tuck

Also get the passionfruit one 🥥🍠 👀

sent at 4:18

that’s,,, el that’s a sweet potato,,

sent at 4:19 pm

Bae Tuck

Close enough 🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️

sent at 4:19pm

...Okay? That was definitely weird. You shook it off and headed for the counter to pay. You stopped half way there, and turned back to swap the mango for passionfruit. 

Not long after you had finished your homework and tidied up your room a little, the doorbell rang. You exited the kitchen, drinks in hand, and opened the door. Your heart caught in your throat. Paxton Hall-Yoshida was standing outside. And you were pretty sure he looked nervous. You both just stood there for a second. No one breathed, no one spoke. 

“Uh, hi, do you want to…” you backed up, motioning for him to come inside. 

“Yeah, thanks,” he said, entering the doorway. Paxton motherfucking Hall-Yoshida was in your living room. You held out a hand to him.

“Coconut water?” he took the box, looked at the label, and smiled. 

“Yeah, thanks,” he said again, this time a faint, yet unmistakable note of joy in his voice. He took a sip. He smiled.

“Passionfruit’s my favorite.” You silently thanked Eleanor, who you knew must have planned all this. Most of the evening was a blur, and you thanked god your family wasn’t home right now. You went upstairs, texted Eleanor asking what the actual fuck, made some surprisingly comfortable small talk, then filled him in on how to run lines. 

“Do you think playing the soundtrack would help you… get into character?” he asked. 

“I would probably just end up singing the whole thing,” You laughed and tried to ignore the butterflies in your chest. The main scene you struggled with was before “Seventeen”. It was harder to get into Winnie’s head because you had no romantic feelings for Jonah, and you always just made each other laugh. You had started with a few easier scenes of Winnie and Jesse, like the fair, and the dialogue before “Top of the World”. 

“That was really good,” he said, and you felt the sincerity of his words. 

“Thanks…” you smiled and took a sip of coconut water, hoping you weren’t blushing too hard. 

“So what next?” he asked. 

“Probably the scene before ‘Seventeen’,” you said, giving him the page and scene number, “it’s one of the hardest ones for me. I guess I just can’t connect to Jonah the way Winnie does.” 

“Huh,” he said, skimming the page. When you looked up at him, he had something between a smile and a smirk playing at his lips. You made yourself look away before you got too distracted. You refused to think about the fact that you were sitting across from Paxton Hall-Yoshida on your bed, in your room, like you were… close with each other. His eyes skimmed the script, finding the dialogue. He glanced up at you and nodded, indicating he found his place. You began.

“I was so afraid you wouldn’t get away,” you said, jumping into character.

“I may be 102, but I can still outrun anyone,” a smile played at his lips. You smiled, then let your face fall.

“I’m so sorry, I-I tried to warn you-”

“No, no,” he interjected almost seamlessly, “It’s okay, it’s… refreshing having someone look after me who isn’t my mom.” His eyes flickered between your face and the page. You smiled with him for a second, then let distress cloud your face.

“Jesse… that man came by my house today. He heard the music box, he knows about you-”

“I know he knows…” 

You continued on with the scene and he trailed off when he came to the sheet music for the song Seventeen. You took in a breath to start the dialogue in the middle of the song, but before you could…

“Six years from now you will turn seventeen,

Turn seventeen,

The same age as me,

Six years from now,

Go to the spring,

Go to the spring and drink…”

He was singing to you. He was looking at you and singing to you. His eyes only flickered down to the page to confirm the lyrics. He was nervous, you could tell. But through his hesitance, the emotion in his voice was sincere. Your heart was beating faster. You didn’t even notice your pulse was ringing in your ears, you were too focused on Paxton. 

“I'll wait for you till you turn seventeen,

Turn seventeen,

The same age as me,

Six years from now,

Go to the spring,

Go to the spring and drink…” Your hand rose to cover your mouth. He hesitated, and you remembered your dialogue.

“Uh, wh-what if I… forget where the spring is?” He reached out and took your free hand in his. Your pulse was off the charts. “I’ll go get you some water. Just… remember to keep it somewhere safe. Somewhere no one will find it.” You got the feeling he wasn’t just talking about the water. You knew he had never really been in a serious relationship before, and it clicked suddenly - if he learned an entire song to duet with you, just how much he must like you. You exhaled a breathy laugh, unsure how to process the sudden euphoria you felt. 

“You make the world sound so… exciting. I just want to drink the water right now!”

“Uh, no. You have to wait.” you both smiled, anticipating the upcoming joke.

“Why?” you ask, “What’s the difference?” You held your breath as he tried not to laugh through the delivery of the punchline. 

“Believe me,” he rubbed his thumb over your hand, “there’s a difference.” You both chuckled, and he continued singing. You were so focused on him, so… touched that he would do all this for you. 

“Winnie, wait with me,

And we could be married,

Winnie, wait with me,

And we'll share the world,

Winnie, you can stop time,

And live like this,

Forever…”

“I could live like this forever,” you echoed.

“Live like this...” you sang in tandem.

“What do you say, Winnie? Do you want to…” he broke character suddenly, and asked, his eyes boring into yours, “Do you want to go out some time?” 

He could see the adorable smile blooming on your face, even from behind your hand. You nodded.

“Yes, I-I would love that,” and you began to sing the last line in the song, “Forever-” 

But before you finished holding out the note, his lips were on yours. His mouth moved slowly, intentionally, against yours. You followed his lead, flustered. He leaned further forward, his palm caressing your cheek. It was everything you imagined it would be, and you had quite the imagination. Your head was angled up and your hands rested themselves on his back, one tracing little shapes. Your shoulders were pressed against each other and neither of you could think. He was so warm. He tasted like coconut and passion fruit, and a distant part of your mind silently thanked Eleanor again. 

You really could live like this forever.

[gumnut-logic]

Callisto (Arrival - Bit 2)

Prologue Incident - Bit 1 | Bit 2 Fallout - Bit 1 | Bit 2 | Bit 3 Voyage - Bit 1 | Bit 2 | Bit 3 Arrival - Bit 1 | Bit 2

Well, these posts seem to be getting longer. I’m pondering if I should make them shorter and more often.

As always, many thanks to @tsarinatorment​ @scribbles97​ @janetm74​ and @onereyofstarlight​ for their amazing support and who without putting up with my crazy this fic would likely not exist.

We are finally there and things can start happening. Wow, planning makes for longer fics apparently.

I hope you enjoy it ::hugs you all::

-o-o-o-

As the rest of the family exited the cockpit, Michael watched John deploy the last of the long chain of communication buoys into orbit around Callisto and held his breath.

The space monitor was frowning at his console as they both waited for that final connection to click into place.

A moment and John’s face relaxed.

And Michael with it.

His own board flashed up with a connection confirmed through the chained micro-tunnel drives.

John hit his comms. “Tracy Island, this is Thunderbird Excel. Do you copy?”

They waited.

A heartbeat.

“Thunderbird Excel this is Tracy Island. Great to hear your voice, John.” Even Michael could hear the smile in Kayo’s voice. “I have a lot of green and pretty lights here. Send me the tests and I will bounce them back.”

“Sending now.” John’s fingers darted across his board and Michael watched the system take on the workload and churn data all the way back to Earth. “And I must say, Kayo, it is lovely to hear your voice, too.”

“Looking forward to hearing yours often. Data incoming. Will apprise results.”

“Looking forward to it, Thunderbird Excel out.” John’s fingers flicked again and the comms signal closed.

“Thunderbird Excel?” Michael arched an eyebrow at the astronaut.

John shrugged. “Well, I think she’s earned it now, don’t you?”

“Mmmm.” He looked back down at his board. The thought of having contributed to creating an actual Thunderbird...

He was startled when a shadow passed over his hands. “You’ve done well, Michael. Thank you.”

He looked up at the red-headed Tracy floating beside him. John was an enigma. He was a brother like any Tracy, but unlike the eldest who hated him with a passion that saw no border, John was quiet, even kind. Michael had been working alongside Brains and John and occasionally the youngest, for over a year now, and while he doubted he and John would ever be close friends, there was a mutual respect.

Plus, the distinct feeling that if Michael ever laid a finger on any of John’s brothers ever again, he would not survive the attempt.

It was definitely the quiet ones who should be worried about.

Not to mention Eos.

Michael really wished he could get his hands on that piece of code.

But again, he felt that it would be his last action in this universe.

Not that John had ever threatened him.

He didn’t need to.

“Are you feeling okay?” Turquoise eyes were peering down at him.

“I am well. No need to worry.”

The astronaut smiled. “Good. Monitor the comm network and liaise with Brains regarding the T-Drive’s performance. Let’s see if we can cut down on the jumps on the way back. I’d prefer to go through as little of the nausea as possible.”

“Agreed.”

John arched an eyebrow and his lips curled up. “I’ll be in Thunderbird Five assessing the danger zone and coordinating with Thunderbird Three.”

“FAB.”

The astronaut stared at him for just an extra moment longer before pushing off Michael’s console and throwing himself towards the cockpit exit.

“Thank you, John.”

A flicker of a smile and the last Tracy disappeared through the door, leaving Michael alone.

-o-o-o-

Virgil hated the IR spacesuits. They were far too tight and left nothing to the imagination.

Also, the red baldrics clashed horribly with his green stripe enough to rip his eyeballs out.

But although his standard uniform was satisfactory for short forays into space, it was not enough for a space mission of this magnitude as it did not have the survival and safety mechanisms needed in an emergency. So, here he was dressed like some kind of spandex wearing superhero, his heavy lifting muscles providing a great anatomy lesson to any within eyesight.

“Looking good, Virg.” Gordon’s eyes were laughing.

“Shut up, Fish.” The aquanaut was used appearing all but naked in front of thousands. Hell, Virgil had nothing to be ashamed of, it was just difficult to keep a straight face in a professional capacity.

How the hell John lived in one of these things was a mystery Virgil had no interest in exploring.

The alternative was wearing something like Alan’s spacesuit, but that had its own issues regarding his exosuit and despite the...exposure, this was the best option.

At least he had a little security with the addition of his exosuit support padding and his harness – never leave home without it. That and his baldric covered a little of his modesty.

Didn’t stop his brothers’ comments though.

Alan actually snorted in laughter.

Scott raised an eyebrow, but then their commander was dressed the same and, much like John, was giving the Greek gods a run for their money in the process.

Virgil felt like a dwarf from The Lord of the Rings. What was his name? Gam? Gim? Gimli? Standing next to that bleached elf.

Virgil grunted. “Let’s do this, already.”

Okay, the grin on Scott’s face was both worth it and damned annoying.

Dad had chosen a version similar to Alan’s suit. Due to his health concerns, Virgil had recommended extra support with arm guards and greaves built into his boots. He had glared at Virgil, but Virgil was a Tracy and just as stubborn as his father and if he wanted to go on this mission he could damn well meet him halfway.

Dad wore the protection.

They had Uncle Lee’s ‘space skivvies’ measurements on file and the IR fabricators had churned out an IR uniform echoing their father’s. Considering the astronaut’s skillset, Virgil had coloured his baldric stripe as green as his own and thrown in some of his own kit.

The colour combination still ripped out eyeballs.

Thunderbird Three was nestled into the Excel much like she had been into the XL, but higher up, leaving the massive thrusters behind her and nestling instead of providing the main superstructure of the craft.

To compensate for the loss of One and Two, the Excel now had a third engine on her dorsal plane to offset the two massive pectoral lightspeed engines. Together the three engines provided the huge ion thrust needed to propel them vast distances. And when the T-Drive was required, the third would go dark, the original two engines would flare up and give him his next case of nausea.

Three still connected with Five for extra stability, but she was no longer mandatory for the Excel. Where the XL had basically been an exosuit for Three to break the lightspeed barrier, the Excel was now more Five’s exosuit as she was the one Thunderbird the Excel needed to operate at her best.

Johnny’s ‘bird now had wings.

Very, very big ones.

The cockpit was crowded but quiet as Alan smoothly disengaged Three from the bigger craft, spinning her in space and pointing her towards the moon.

Virgil shifted in his suit, uncomfortable as hell. Not enough to be world ending, but annoying. Beside him, his father glanced in his direction with a concerned frown.

“Are you okay, son?”

That, of course, prompted an equally concerned frown from Scott in front of him.

“I’m fine.” It wasn’t a complete lie, he could live with the suit. His arm was still aching and his stomach had yet to forgive him despite the food he had shoved into it, but he could probably get away with that.

The worst of it was the lack of sleep.

Scott’s eyes were far too knowing.

The medic in him knew that they were going into a potentially dangerous situation. Hell, they were in space right now, not exactly Tracy Island’s pool patio for relaxation. They needed to be alert and ready.

He had tried to sleep. He had sent all of his brothers to nap during the voyage out here. But he doubted any of them managed much.

He certainly hadn’t.

Scott knew because Virgil could see it reflected in those blue eyes of his. He still looked worn, though he tried to hide it, ever the professional.

Dad.

Dad was still looking at him with questioning eyes.

Virgil sighed. “I’m just tired. I can manage.”

Those lips pressed together, obviously displeased.

Typical.

His father was so like Scott in so many ways that having both of them to contend with on this mission was going to send Virgil grey.

It was okay for them to go out on a limb, risk their lives for the greater good, but if someone they cared about did the same, they were all worry and you can’t do that.

As if to emphasize that thought, his father’s frown fixated on Scott. Virgil followed his gaze, but from his angle could only see the back of his brother’s head.

Another glance at his father and the concern was clearly there.

Perhaps something was starting to sink into Dad’s head. Maybe he was realising what he was risking.

Who he was risking.

Three shook a little as she breached the minimal atmosphere of the moon. Alan was muttering orbital calculations. Each large planetary body was different and required a catered approach.

The Base had sent vectors and the conditions that constituted ‘weather’ on the barren moon, but there were many firsts in this mission and this was one of them.

For the benefit of the rest of them, Alan threw up a hologram of their approach.

The massive crater known as Asgard swelled on the screen. It was very bright, even in the weak sunlight. Probably ice. To the north of it lay an even brighter splash of white, rays extending out across the heavily cratered surface for miles.

As they sank, the horizon formed in a sharper curve than Virgil was used to. Sharper than Mars which was the only other planetary body beyond Earth’s Moon Virgil had ever set foot on.

“There it is.” Alan, ever enthusiastic in his element, pointed out a spot quickly growing on the display. “Callisto Base.”

It was a white cross with a massive airlock at its centre. Surrounding the arms of the cross was machinery, storage tanks and energy production facilities. It shone ever so bright, like a blunted star plastered on the side of the moon.

As they drew closer, the Tracy Industries logo could be seen branded across the airlock doors.

The base was a massive endeavour. Almost entirely underground taking advantage of a small crater in the Doh crater wall, it had capped the landform and sealed off the space creating a series of caverns to house the transport ships moving between the Base and the Jefferson or any other destination they chose.

Entirely self-sufficient, TI’s hydrogen technology gave it power, TI’s heavy duty excavation equipment gave them the power to dig the base out of the rock and ice. It had helped to find unexpected caves under the surface. All and all the Base was a robust structure, protecting its fifty-odd inhabitants from the hazards of living on an exposed and radiated moon.

“Callisto Base, Thunderbird Three requesting permission to dock.” Virgil was suddenly irrationally proud of his little brother.

Commander Walters answered immediately. “Permission granted Thunderbird Three. Hold in the airlock for repressurisation and permission to proceed.”

“FAB, Callisto Base.”

“One of these days, Jeff, you are going to tell me what that means.”

Both Alan and their father snorted.

As they approached, the big airlock doors slowly began to open, splitting the TI logo in half. The hologram stayed fixed on their destination, but Three pivoted her nose to the darkness of the sky bringing the ever-hovering presence of Jupiter back into view through Three’s windows. Alan flicked a wrist and the Thunderbird started lowering into what was now a gaping maw below.

Three slipped into the airlock and the doors closed behind them.

-o-o-o-

Alan was a professional, but he had to admit that he was internally bouncing around in joy. The air was still thick with tension, his family caught up in this thing with Dad, but Alan was doing his best to ignore it and focus on his job.

And oh my god, he was landing on his second moon of Jupiter! This had to be a first. He could go down in history as the first person to land on several moons, another planet and multiple random comets and asteroids.

Okay, so Virg and Scott had been with him, even Gordon on Europa – that had been one hell of a mission that still gave him both dreams and nightmares – but he had been the only one to land on all of them.

Alan Tracy, astronaut extraordinaire. He couldn’t help but grin as the airlock repressurised and the Callisto Commander finally gave him permission to land.

He slowed his ‘bird to a perfect touchdown as the secondary airlock doors closed above him.

He killed her engines and let her begin her cool down sequence.

The whole cockpit sighed a little in relief. A pause as if to reset and then everyone was moving.

-o-o-o-

Gray Walters rubbed the back of his neck as Thunderbird Three coasted smoothly from the decontaminating airlock into the main hangar. The pilot of that ‘bird had to be a Tracy. The huge red rocket barely fit nose to tail with only inches to spare between the two massive sets of doors. After all, they had never expected such a large craft needing to dock.

He had Kate to thank for arguing the hangar’s size...with Ju backing her up as usual.

The thought of his wife froze him for a split second. Ju was going to be okay. Jeff was here now. He had always been their good luck charm. Hell, the guy had survived eight years in space alone. Ju could manage a few days.

Couldn’t she?

“She’s docked.” Mary, his second, looked up from her station. “Shall I shunt her into a bay?”

“Leave her in central for now. We’re not going anywhere and they may need to leave in a hurry.”

“That will piss Benji off.”

“Benji can stew. His team still has a week left of their Jefferson rotation.”

“He will cite regs.”

Gray turned away. Let him cite regs. “This is an emergency and takes priority.” He sighed. “Run decon in the central core. Anyone not crucial to this operation is to steer clear of International Rescue. Lock off environmental systems. Keep the two crews contained to keep the risk of contamination as low as possible. We can’t afford an accidental bug in the system.”

“Will do.” She paused before bringing up the topic he knew she would. “What about Jeremiah?”

“What about him?”

“You need to tell them.”

“One thing at a time, Mary.”

“But-“

“First we find Kate and Ju.” He swallowed. They had to find Ju.

They had to.

-o-o-o-

Stepping onto a new world was never as grand as it appeared. Hell, landing on Mars for the first time had been a trip over his own toes’ moment.

Stepping onto Callisto was no different.

It was Scott who grabbed him before he could flip head over heels across the gantry. Changes in gravity always took time to get used to and less than twenty-four hours ago, it had been Earth oppressive.

Callisto gravity was a relief…if a little disorientating.

His eldest’s strong grip wrapped around his arm and held tight. Jeff looked over at Scott and was pinned with such worried bright blue eyes that his heart clenched.

All the tension, the argument, the resistance to his presence on this mission boiled down to the emotion in those eyes.

Love.

And fear.

Scott was terrified.

Jeff did it without thought or care for what anyone would think. He grabbed his son and yanked him into a hug, holding him close. The squawk across comms and the scrape of their helmets against each other did nothing to stop him.

“I’m sorry, son.”

“Uh...”

Scott’s arms wrapped around him, ever so hesitantly.

That hesitation hurt almost as much.

He clung that much tighter.

“Dad?” It was breathless.

He clung a second longer, but… Yes...right.

It was a moment stolen.

Because they were on a mission.

Jeff let Scott go.

His son pulled away slowly, not quite fully releasing him, and again those blue eyes were fixated on him in worry.

So much worry.

“You okay, Dad?”

Jeff straightened with more ease than he had managed in a long time and became aware of all the other eyes on him.

The ever-present echoes of Lucille’s beautiful brown eyes were assessing him. That was a given. But another two pairs of blue and a frowning fishy amber had him targeted as well.

He looked at each of them before turning back to the massive cavern around them. A mix of rock wall, structural support and storage, the docking cavern was lit with strong lighting, the red of Three reflecting on patches of frozen water embedded in the walls.

They were standing on a walkway that had been extended out to Three’s hatch. It was obviously of variable height and length and Jeff couldn’t help but admire the design.

He wondered who was responsible.

He wondered if it was Kate.

Her green eyes smiled at him at the back of his mind.

His lips pressed together as his sons and brother-in-law continued to shoot concerned expressions in his direction.

A breath.

“Let’s do this.” And he led them out and into Callisto Base.

-o-o-o-

Next

[mariposalass]

Sora’s Time to Shine

Summary: Mari is already not putting too much expectations going into watching the Final Smash Presentation when someone close to her besides Kirby and Edelgard’s beloved Professor pops out of nowhere in said Presentation. All hell breaks loose (but in a good way).

Setting: Mari and co.’s house in Daly City, California; October 5, 2021

Notes: I was pretty behind in seeing the reveal since I was pretty tired when it came out and I had to check a friend’s post on Plurk to make sure that it was not all for the jokes before watching it on Gamespot and writing this story down. And yes, the Byleth in my S/I verse is the female version in case anyone is curious. And yes, it took me until around 8 AM to write this up. Featuring Luther Vandross. Here is an ask I made on Sora’ behest during a F/O takeover long before he got confirmed recently. #SakuraiHasReachedtheImpossibleDream #Sora4Smash

Tags: Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Super Smash Bros., Swift Keyblader, Smash Reveal, Sakurai has reached the impossible dream!, Sora for Smash, #Sora4Smash

“Hurry Mari, you’re about to miss it!” Kairi is dragging me out onto the sofa to see the final Smash Ultimate Presentation on the living room pretty early before plopping ourselves onto the sofa.

“Look, Kairi, guys. I hate to be a party pooper, but I have no clue about who could it be,” I try to be realistic in my views.

“Well, at this point, my beloved, it could be anybody from the video game world,” my dear Philip chimes in while trying to reassure me, “Besides, as soon as it is done, we shall try to reply back to this non Smash invitation that El had found in the mail today.”

“Huh, is that correct, El dear?” I asked my regal adopted daughter for confirmation.

“Why yes of course, Mother,” she replies as she passes me the invitation, “I believe that a friend of yours has sent us one, but I didn’t want to open it immediately since this is addressed to you.”

“Okay then, I will get to read it and reply back once the Presentation is over and see who gets to fight with Kirby and Professor Byleth,” I smiled back at her.

“I couldn’t believe that there was a leak that just came out before this Presentation video and it is about music. Who was that dense enough to do it at a time like this?” Riku mumbles as he gets the video streaming on the Nintendo Direct page in his laptop.

“You know, Riku, sometimes people can act very idiotic at times, so there isn’t much we can do besides ignoring and avoiding that as much as possible,” Harry sighs as he is bottle feeding and gently rocking Serena as she had cried a while ago to be bottle fed.

“Guys, have you guys seen Sora lately?” Issa asks us while carrying Chris in her arms, “I haven’t seen him in the last few days. He didn’t even reply back to either my or Kairi’s texts and calls. Do you think he’s off to visit Jack and Sally in Halloween Town? It’s nearing Halloween soon.”

“That’s really a good question, Issa,” Ahk agrees, “I had given up trying to find him by calling over on the phone since last Thursday. All I have gotten from it were many ‘The subscriber could not be reached’ messages.”

Even Riku and Kairi are in a loss for words as they turn to each other and wonder what is up with our friend lately. Did he just went poof without us knowing? Kirby always informs us through his many Poyos that he would have to head off to Smash whenever a new tourney starts or a newcomer arrives and Edelgard’s class often gets shorter class schedules or early dismissals whenever Professor Blyeth gets to fight in Smash: she is the professor handling the Black Eagles class. Sometimes even El, Petra and Dorothea along with a few others (and yes, that includes the Gatekeeper) would come over to Smash to spectate from the sidelines and support their beloved Professor.

There is a long silence when the Nintendo Switch title card plays in the laptop and Karina directs us all to watch the screen to see many clips featuring many Smashers in the current tournament before it transitions to Sakurai-san in the studio explaining about the video as well as showcasing the Mii Fighter costumes.

“Hey look, Isabelle the Dog’s demon slaying friend from Bethesda is now coming to Smash to rip and tear up the competition!” Moana screams when the Doomguy Mii Gunner costume appears.

“Good for him; I know that many fans really did want him to be in Smash, though the costume is a nice addition,” Issa agrees. “That now makes three Bethesda franchises represented in the costumes.”

“Even the Octolings and Judd the Cat got hats based on them too,” I chime in as well.

“Oh hey, guys! Sakarui’s about to reveal the last fighter for the Second Fighter’s Pass, so keep down it and don’t expect too much,” Karina informs as Sakurai transitions to the main event and we all stay silent and stay glued to our seats.

The screen turns black before the usual Smash logo opening shows up, but instead of the usual zoom in, it then turns into a flaming Smash logo with all the Smashers up until Kazuya Mishima (yeah, the guy who tried to drop Kirby off a cliff) looking at it and covered in the shadows. Did MH decided to get them to show up in there and meet the last fighter in the dark? Probably, I bet that he might be keeping it as a surprise and possibly even conserving electricity at the same time. Then cut to Inkling Girl looking in awe with the Smash logo reflecting onto her pupils as a nice ode to the first reveal trailer for the game/tourney, I honestly love this shot.

Wait a minute, the logo turns into stars and the next scene shows everyone frozen in place as toy-like ambiios?!? How is it even possible? Well, it does certainly confirmed once again that the video game version of the tourney is set in a world of make believe after all. I could swear that a lot of people crying their eyes out as they are watching this. It looks like this is the end of one great video game series about mascots fighting among each other. Or is it? Because the camera is aiming at Mario as if he looks like he’s trying to take a nap while standing up.

Riku then proceeds to mumble some words to me incoherently that something big is coming the moment Mario wakes up to see a glowing light to see the last remaining flame glowing on the floor, which I do agree with him. Suspicious right? Oh God, Mario no! Please don’t touch the fire for everyone’s sanity. Wait, hold on a second: that isn’t not just fire that he just grabbed on and then tossed it into the sky like a boomerang: the mystery object looks like a Keyblade and there’s that Mickey keychain! Yep, that’s a Keyblade alright. Could it be...

I could recognize that beam of light that Keyblades often produce whenever they lock and unlock Keyholes to other worlds, so does everyone in the room. Riku and Kairi hugged onto each other as if we’re about to brace for an emergency (Karina and Moana also did the same), Ahk stares at the screen to see if he’s not imagining things all the sudden, Issa has her mouth drop in shock, Chris and Serena didn’t cry throughout this entire presentation, Harry gasps and nearly drops Serena’s bottle, Philip turns to me for answers while Edelgard begins to sweatdrop in concern.

No words are exchanged as the light grows and shines brighter before it proceeds to shoot itself away from the Keyblade to reveal a Keyhole on another part of the room. It then glows bright within as the camera switches back to the rest of frozen Smashers as the light begins to fill the room and revives Link, Cloud, Incineroar and Mewtwo as they all gawk at it as it reveals something from the World of Light with the orchestral rendition of Simple and Clean playing in the background. And that’s when it hits us right at the gut: the familiar spiky brown hair poking out from that Keyhole.

“What!?!” Kairi shouts as the Keyhole ‘spits’ out Sora from the World of Light.

“H-h-he actually got in, for real?” Riku squeaks up.

“Oh my…” I gasp in pure shock as we watch the whole thing played out.

“Sakarui finally did it?” Issa adds in to the discussion.

“Well, it’s about time that they managed to get his darn behind into the tourney,” Karina seconds in.

Soon enough, Sora finally wakes up from his nappy time and takes notes from Peter Pan and Tinkerbell as he flies around, sprinkling fairy dust all over the other Smashers, before landing on the floor and the Keyblade flying back to his hand.

“Damn it, Sora!” I scream as the splash screen pops in.

“Kai, your boy has finally made it big time!” Moana shakes Kairi in congratulation rather rapidly that it nearly gives my lil sis a dizzying spell.

“Moana, please don’t make Kairi that dizzy,” Harry had to tell her that.

“Whoops! Sorry Kairi,” she apologizes to her which she accepts.

So with that, we switch back to Sakurai going in depth with Sora’s moveset after he discussed about the Kingdom Hearts games and world. And he has gotten 4 costume changes, man Sora, that’s a big wardrobe you’re bringing in, oh wait, he even got the Timeless River costume too. That makes it 5 then.

“Oh gods, Sakurai is making us suffer by watching Sakurai using Sora to beat up everyone,” Ahk tells us as the Sora moveset showcase begins.

“No kidding,” Harry muses as we see Sora beating everyone in Battlefield.

“Whoa, they went for Sealing the Keyhole instead of having Trinity Force with Donald and Goofy? What a bummer,” Karina bemoans in dismay.

“Well, you know modern Disney: too overprotective of their IPs,” Philip reminds her.

“Oh new stage, what could it be?” Riku gleefully chimes in before they reveal Hollow Bastion as the stage, “Whoa, Hollow Bastion. I never thought that you will return again.”

Then the stage changes into Dive to the Heart and it had Riku and Kairi in the stained glass in one, Riku being the main focus of the second one, Roxas in the middle of the third, Xion in the fourth, Terra for the fifth, a sleepy Ven in the sixth, and Aqua’s in the seventh.

“Pretty!” I complimented the look of each stained glass.

“Quite impressive I will admit,” El agrees with me too.

Then Sakurai begins a playthrough with Sora facing Cloud and Sephiroth in Hollow Bastion, for a while, we all thought that he’s going to be a goner with Cloud and Sephiroth beating him up in the Stamina match but then the tides begin to turn in his favor after Sephy lost his full stock and with Sora having to take down Cloud next. When he did, the scene begins to go into a slow white fade out with a Game!

“Alright! Sora did it! He defeated both Cloud and mean old Sephy,” Riku cheers on.

“Woo! Go Sora!” me, Kairi, Moana, and Karina screams aloud.

“That was brilliant!” Harry agrees before he turns to Serena, “Did you hear? Uncle Sora managed to defeat two opponents in a Smash Ultimate playthrough.”

“9 songs is better than nothing at all,” Issa observes, “It would be a licensing nightmare to talk to Disney if they can borrow a couple of songs from them and they straight up refuse to assist, oh well. Oooh, a Dearly Beloved Swing arrangement, nice! I better get that save file on the Switch prompto!”

“And check out that Spirit Board: Aunt Kairi has a Spirit of herself,” Edelgard informs us as the Spirit Board for KH is revealed.

“Oh gee, never thought that it could ever happen, but thanks,” she blushes.

“Hey, I got one as well, same with Axel, Xion, Roxas, Aqua, Terra and Ven,” Riku joins in, “Marina is so going to be happy to see her boyfriend as a Spirit. She will probably try to get him real soon.”

“You bet it right, Riku, you bet it right,” I nod and agree with that last statement.

“Oh hey, he’s going to be ready within a few weeks’ time,” Karina speaks up, “Neat! The roster is now complete.”

“Even Steve and Alex have amiibos of themselves being made, that’s even more wonderful,” Ahk takes note of it, “I’m pretty sure that Sora will have one of his own along with Pyra, Mythra, that jerk who tried to threw Kirby off a cliff, and even Sephiroth soon.”

“WHAT?!? Kingdom Hearts are coming to the Switch too!?!” I am surprised to hear the news as Sakurai reveals this new information, that is so mind-blowing.

When it fades to black then to the Ultimate mural, the camera then goes for the space between Ganondorf and Dark Samus to fill in Sora’s spot before panning back. Man, this Presentation is long and is finally ending, thank God; it must be tiring to sit down and watch a nearly hour long video as Sakurai showcases the screenshots he has made and showed off in Twitter. Man, so many memories and montages. And the achievements, wow, that is a lot of them, it will be a game feat that I don’t think it will be broken for a long time.

Man, I will miss the presentations and Sakurai’s corny jokes for sure. I wish him a nice deserving break from all the game development for sure as he gives thanks to everyone from the devs to the players to the people prompting the game and ends it off with a heartfelt goodbye as it fades to back into the full reveal trailer.

“Oh gee, I’m going to miss the Smash Presentations,” Kairi sighs, “I can’t believe that we’re coming to an end.”

“Man, it’s finally over,” Riku gasps in remark as the full trailer plays out, “I don’t think that there will be a game like Ultimate for a very long time. That’s for certain.”

“I agree, Riku. It’s to going to be a tough act to follow up on,” I add in before I look up at the ceiling and murmur some words, “It’s been a long time coming, Sora. You truly deserve that last spot, you really do. Have fun in the tourney and Smash Mansion, buddy.”

Sora is Finally Here!

The End

[thiswasinevitableid]

hello! Not sure if you’re still taking winter prompt requests, but 34 seems like it has strong NSFW OT4 potential :o)

Here you go! It is indeed NSFW

34. we’re stuck together on a group project and everyone is tired and frustrated so you suggest we take a break and build a snowman 

There are lots of things Joseph likes about attending UWV Kepler. For starters, it’s one of the oldest schools on the Interplanetary University System, meaning he’s surrounded by students from Earth and its sister planet, Sylvain. The first gate between the two worlds appeared in Kepler, giving the whole area an air of mystery that he relishes. And, at the start of the summer, the cute Sylph in his lit class asked him out. 

Barclay is soft spoken, an amazing cook, and part of a whole community of Sylphs who live on Earth full-time. Sometimes, when they’re cuddled up watching the X-Files or he’s helping Barclay in the kitchen, he looks at the other man and is awestruck that he’s chosen Stern as his boyfriend. 

As much as he loves being at school, it has downsides. For instance, while the spring semester on Sylvain uses more experiential means of testing students, the fall semester on earth ends in finals weeks, just like high school did. He’s good at tests, so while they’re a pain he doesn’t hate them. Projects don’t often bother him, but when they’re group projects he gets flashbacks to his junior year of high-school and develops a sort of pre-emptive anger at the people he knows wont pull their weight. 

The final project for his Community Development class started off well. Barclay was in the class with him, and is one of his partners. The other two in the group are Duck and Indrid, another Sylph/human romance, and in the midst of their first planning session Indrid let it slip that he and Barclay hooked up during the Sylph equivalent of high school. Duck was wholly unbothered, though that may be more to do with him being even-keel in general, and Joseph got a little distracted imagining the two of them together. 

Between his organizational skills, Duck’s environmental knowledge, Indrid’s knack for art, and Barclay’s ability to incorporate different elements, their plan for the hypothetical sustainable community center on Sylvain was chugging along. Even if Duck and Indrid kept cuddling up or stealing kisses whenever they could. It’s just a little much, in that it makes Joseph wonder what it’d be like to be between them, Indrid’s wiry frame wrapped around his back while that wide smile pressed into Joseph’s neck while Duck gave him that crooked grin and pushed his legs apart with strong hands…

Focus. He needs to focus. 

Because they have been trying to put it all together for two hours straight and have made no progress.

“...just think this bit is gonna read as convoluted. What do you think babe?” Barclay points his pen at the section in question.

“We could probably do without it.”

“Maybe” Duck pulls up the directions for the fortieth time, “I’m worried if we over-edit we’re gonna fuck up section five on the rubric. I still don’t know what he means by those last two bullet points.”

“Not sure reading them over yet again will reveal anything new.” Joseph rubs his forehead, “Indrid, what do you think.”

No reply, just a scratching pencil. 

“Indrid?”

“Earth to ‘Drid.” Duck nudges his boyfriend, who abruptly shakes his head. 

“Apologies, I got caught up in a future. How can I help?”

“Does this need to be cut?” Even Barclay sounds on edge.

“...maybe.”

“‘Drid!”

“It does not strike me as having a large impact on the grade either way.”

“Someone please just make a decision.” Barclay groans. 

“Hold on” Duck leans back to look out the window, “it ain’t snowin as hard. So, here’s what I’m thinkin; how about we take a break and get some fresh air. All four of us.” He looks pointedly at Stern, “seriously Joe, you been outside in the last two weeks?”

“Only to get from point A to point B.”

“C’mon” the shorter man hops up, heading for his coat, “last one out has to make the next pot of coffee.”

Soon they’re tromping across the lawn near Indrid’s house; because he’s a seer, the silver-haired man is in high demand by universities, governments, and businesses, which resulted in one paying his tuition and another for his house. 

“I have to do a stint as court seer anyway, I may as well take advantage of it.” Had been his explanation the first time he showed them the building, so at odds with his unkempt appearance that Joseph wondered if it was a practical joke. 

He still has no idea what kind of Sylph Indrid is, as he keeps a human form at all times. Barclay also leans that direction, but when he’d offered to show Joseph his Sylph form and Joseph practically jumped for joy before, during, and after the reveal, he became more comfortable wandering around as Bigfoot (“a bigfoot, babe”) at home. 

Indrid pauses mid-stride, turning to Duck, “An excellent idea, love.”

“Gotta let me say it first, sugar.”

“Apologies” Indrid kisses his cheek. 

“The snow ain’t turned to horrible slush yet, so: who wants to build a snowman?”

Twenty minutes later, they’re standing before a six foot tall snowman. It’s very well engineered, if he does say so himself. 

“Wonder if we can get it higher.” Duck contemplates the structure. 

Barclay winks at Joseph, slipping off his bracelet and rolling up another ball.

“Hell yeah!” Duck whoops and Indrid claps with an appreciative chirp.

“I’m going out on a limb and saying we’ve maxed out height.” Joseph shields his eyes as the snow falls in larger clumps. 

A wide grin cuts across Indrid’s face, “Not necessarily. Allow me.”

He hands his glasses to Duck and Joseph gasps; standing before them is creature coated in black and grey speckled feathers, save for his arms that are a smooth, dark grey chitin. Feathery antennae and glowing red eyes complete the picture.

“Holy shit.” 

Indrid trills, seemingly pleased by Josephs awe, and gathers a ball of snow before flapping into the air. 

“Ta-dah!” He bows, still flapping, having brought their sculpture to what must be closing in on nine feet. 

“It look a little rickety to you?” Duck whispers to Joseph.

Barclay, yelling over the sudden burst of strong wind, calls, “Indrid? You might wanna land buddy.”

“I suppose you’re--oh damn it.” 

The storm picks up, sending the top layer of the snowman straight onto Indrid, knocking him the rest of the way to the ground. 

“Fuck” Duck moves faster than Joseph’s ever seen “you okay ‘Drid?”

“C-cold, b-but otherwise f-fine.”

“Thank fuck.” With that Duck wheezes, shaking with laughter, “you shoulda seen your face.”

Indrid snickers, then sneezes. Which they all take as a sign to head inside. Having been the last one out the door means Barclay goes to start coffee, while Duck steps away to call his friend Juno to be certain she has a safe way of getting back to their shared apartment in the storm. Which leaves Joseph to be the one helping a very damp mothman dry off. 

“Why not just take your human form?” He scrubs the fantasy wicking towel along Indrid’s back.

“It would probably let me dry faster, you’re right. But I’m nervous that water droplets would stay in the feather somehow and freeze, which is unpleasant.” When Joseph finishes his head and back the Sylph poofs up, then  shakes his feathers back down. 

“That got a great deal of it, thank you. I can do my inner wings, if you’d rather go warm up.”

“It’s alright, I’m happy to help. Same motion?” He takes up position by Indrid’s extended right leg as the Sylph spreads his wings.

“Yes. Ah, be careful towards the innermost fourth. They’re sensitive.”

He nods, sets to work. As he glides the towel over the eye-spot, he murmurs, “I’m amazed you keep this form hidden.”

“It tends to alarm people.”

“Even Duck?”

A small laugh, “Only the first time, because he wasn’t expecting it. And I turned up at his window to warn him about a fire that was about to start in the dormitory.” 

“I think you look incredible.” The sincerity in his tone registers at the same instant their physical closeness does.

Indrid smiles, “So you do share Duck’s proclivities.”

“I, um, I’m not sure what you mean” He busies himself cleaning.

“You are attracted to me.” Indrid replies, folding both sets of hands in his lap. Startled, Joseph moves his hand too far in and Indrid chirps, higher than normal. 

“I’m sorry!”

“It’s alright, as I said they’re sensitive, but that does not mean they’re painful to touch.” The smile tinges with mischief and Joseph is ready to toss the rag aside and ask Indrid to let him put his fingers there when a drawl comes from the doorway. 

“Makes an even better sound if you play with his antenna.” Duck pushes off the doorframe, sauntering over as red eyes stay locked on him, “see?”

Indrid trills as Duck rubs the tip of one antennae between his thumb and finger. 

“Careful, sweet one, don’t get ahead of yourself.”

“You’re one to talk.”

Joseph doesn't know if he wants to take Indrid’s place or Duck’s, just that he’s wringing the towel so tight it’s tearing. 

“Coffees ready.” Barclay pokes his head in, chuckles, “or do you two need me to put it in hold until you’re done fucking in front of my boyfriend.”

“We would do no such thing without permission. Yours and his.” The way Indrid says it, as if Joseph is merely something can give or revoke access to, makes him cross his legs in a hopeless attempt to turn himself off. 

“Joseph?” Barclay’s voice is gentle as he joins him on the floor, “it’s up to you, babe. I’m happy to get my hands on some feathers again while you get your hands on those two but, uh, if you don’t want to or, uh, or need time-”

“I…”

Duck, blushing, sticks his hands in his front pockets, “Sorry, didn’t mean to come on too strong, was tryin to flirt a little-”

“Yes.” Joseph tosses the towel into the laundry hamper, “yes, I want this, you, all off you, oh my lord I haven’t been this turned on before. And that’s saying something” he turns to Barclay with a smile and gets a kiss in return, beard scratching his skin as the other man trails his lips down his neck. 

“That worked out nicelEEEEH, ohohyes” Indrid leans against Duck as the human plays with his antenna. Joseph crawls forward, eager to get his hands on Indrid’s wings, only for a clawed hand to come palm-up towards him. 

“Ah-ah, I didn’t give you permission to touch me, pet.”

He moans, hears Barclay growl, pleased, as Indrid chuckles. 

“Goodness, Barclay, you didn’t say he was that submissive.” Clawtips rest under his chin as Indrid keeps him in place. 

“Hold up, you two been comparin notes on fuckin humans?” Duck raises an eyebrow as Indrid nods, unashamed and Barclay goes bright pink. 

“Oh yeah? What’ve you been sayin about me, sugar?” He teases, tugging on the antenna. Indrid releases Sterns face and growls, pivoting onto his knees to trap Duck against the wall.

“That you are the finest, most accommodating human in either world and you make such lovely sounds when I bite you.”

“Sounds about right.” Duck kisses Indrid’s forehead, “but if you wanna see how Joe stacks up, I ain’t gonna complain. Long as I get a turn with him too.” He looks past Indrid to Joseph, “been wantin to know what you look like under the whole buttoned-up nerd thing.”

“No time like the present.” Joseph pulls his sweater off, grumbles as he remembers the shirt beneath it has buttons. As he undoes them, Indrid cocks his head. 

“I have an idea. Duck, remove your pants and underwear and whatever else you see fit. Barclay, stay clothed for now. Joseph, take everything else off.”

“I’m working on it.” 

“Then work faster, pet. I’ve been wanting to do this since you first touched my wings. Ah, there we are.” He purrs as Joseph kicks his boxer briefs away, “come sit in my lap.”

He does as he’s told, sighing as feathers tickle and caress his skin, “this form is even better from this angle.”

Indrid chirps softly, tongue darting out to lick his cheek as he closes his wings around him, “there will be ample time to explore it later, I promise. Right now, there is something that requires your attention.”

“OHmylord” his fingers sink into Indrid’s chest feathers as something thin and undulating teases between his legs. Two more appendages join it, one the same size and one thicker.

“To answer the question you’re about to ask, the shape has various, ah, biological functions.”

“And means you can get fucked more’n one way at a time.” Duck chimes in with what is obviously a happy memory. 

“Very true. However, for your first time, I think you can be a good boy and take the whole thing.” 

“FUCKohmyfuckinggod.” Down comes loose in his fingers as all three tendrils thrust inside him at once, twining into a single, ridged form that wastes no time in fucking as deep as it can manage. 

“Good boy.” Indrid tips his head back, purring louder, before turning his attention to Barclay, “Enjoying the show, sunburst?” The Sylph term of endearment gets a pleased rumble in reply, and Joseph steals a glance behind him to see his boyfriend palming himself through his jeans. 

“You know it, gorgeous. Seems like Duck is too.”

“Hell fuckin yeah I am.” Duck is rubbing his dick, the sight making Joseph lick his lips.

“Such an eager little human, my sweet.” Indrid glances at his boyfriend, “I think that deserves a reward.” He grips Josephs jaw with an upper hand, forcing his lips apart and his face up, “come and get it.”

Joseph moans, wiggling his hips as Duck’s two hands replace Indrid’s one. 

“Fuck, you look so goddamn good like this Joe.” He strokes his cheek, cock temptingly close.

“I don’t know, the view fromAH god, from down here is great.” He kisses Duck’s thigh, relishing the sweet smile the compliment gets him. 

“Gonna look even better in a sec. Now” he shoves his head forward, “suck my dick, pretty boy.”

He whines against slick skin, brings the hand keeping him balanced up and around to grope Duck’s ass. He loves the shape of it, and will tell the other man as much the moment his mouth is free. 

“Barclay, come here dearest” Indrid’s lower hands remain on his hips, but the upper two lift to do something he  can’t discern until there’s a zip of metal and an appreciative trill. 

“Yeah, you like the look of it little moth? Ohfuck, Indrid, baby, fuck that feels good.” A wet, rythmic sound suggests Indrid is blowing him, but when Joseph turns to look Duck jerks him back, fingers tightening in his hair. 

“Uhuh, ‘Drid gave you to me as a reward, so you’r gonna fuckin focus until I cum. Fuckin christ, wanna see just how good you look when I cum on your face, pretty boy. Nnn, fuck, bet your mouth feels even more amazin when your cummin. ‘Drid?”

“‘On ‘oment” 

A high, sharp chirp echoes through the room and Joseph can see Barclay’s hand from the corner of his eye, jerking up and down near the base of Indrid’s antennae. 

“Yeah, fuckyeah, Indrid, that’s it, fuck, can’t believe you’re lettin me cum on your feathers, god it’s gonna look so good, fuck, fuck, yeah.” Drops of cum hit the back of his next as Barclay howgrowlpurrs, Indrid’s tongue-tied reply sounding pleased with itself. 

A thud as his boyfriend drops to the floor, “Fucking-A, forgot how fast I cum from that.”

“It’s very gratifying. As for you, sweet little pet” all his claws dig into Josephs skin, the delicious pain sending whimpers up his throat, “I believe it’s time I made you cum.”

He yelps, muffled, as Indrid fucks him roughly, one tendril slipping out stroke his dick.

“Here, let me help.” Four thick fingers push in and he whines, Barclay kissing his shoulder and still letting out little growls of effort. 

“How’s that, my sweet?”

“So fuckin good, goddamn Joe, you feel fuckin perfect when you scream, heh, someone’s got a praise kink” he smirks as Joseph grabs him harder at the word ‘perfect.’

“C’mon babe, take it, you wanted all of us, remember?”

“Oh, I’m certain he does. And he’s going to feel it in the morning, I’ll make sure of that.” The tendrils still inside him curve just right and he cums, clinging to Duck’s legs as it ripples through him. Barclay pulls his fingers back, but Indrid continues fucking him, thrusts turning short and erratic as Duck grinds into his mouth. The other human cums with a groan and a string of curse words, stroking Josephs hair as he finishes. 

There’s a trill and Indrid’s wings flex, sending Duck stumbling backwards and Joseph pitching against the Sylph’s chest as he spills into him. It takes longer than usual, even accounting for the times it’s been with Barclay in his Sylph form. Just as some it drips out and down his thighs, there’s a final pulse and then the tendrils retract.

“Mmmmmmm” Indrid closes his arms and wings around him, “that was spectacular, pet.”

“Goddamn, came so hard I can’t feel my legs. You okay, Barclay?” Ducks fingers appear under Indrid’s...armpits? Wingpits? He’ll have to ask later.

“Uhuh.” A scuff as his boyfriend cuddles up with them. 

“......wait, we don’t need that section, we cover the rubric points Duck’s worried about in our ‘considerations’ portion.” Joseph sits up.

Duck guffaws, Indrid gives an amused tilt of the head, and Barclay leans over Indrid’s wing to kiss Joseph on the cheek. 

“What? Post orgasm clarity is a documented phenomenon.”

“We can fix it soon.” Indrid rubs his face, “I for one need to bathe, and given the storm will only intensify overnight and leave you all stuck here, we have ample time to fix it.” He flutters his wings shyly, “would anyone like to join me?”

An hour later they’re all clean and dry, the project is at a stopping point, and Barclay’s made fancy coffee for three of them and eggnog for Indrid. They settle in on Indrid’s nest of a bed to watch T.V, Duck in Indrid’s lap and the Sylphs wing draped over Barclay and Joseph. The weather outside chills and darkens the world, but as he nestles against soft feathers and warm fur, Duck’s hand in his, he’s got plenty of love to keep him warm. 

[ramblings-of-a-mad-cat]

Fluffabet! - Tulula

@dat-silvers-girl you tagged me in this I don’t even know how long ago. You probably don’t even remember, that’s how late I am. Nonetheless, nonetheless! I recently got an anon asking me about Tulula as well, and so I shall heal two birds with one veterinarian! (What, what do you mean that’s not the phrase? I like it better this way.) Let’s go ahead and tag @weirdcursedvaultkid @carewyncromwell and @carmilla-the-bird if you’ve already done it and want to do it again you could totally do a different ship? Or anything you like. Let’s go!

A= Attractive (What do they find attractive about the other?)

Merula is attracted to Tulip’s outlook, her tendency toward chaos and ability to plan such chaos so meticulously. That smirk is a killer as well. Tulip, meanwhile, is attracted to Merula’s unwavering ambition and her dominant personality. Her eyes are pretty captivating, too. I think Tulip’s passion for mayhem rubbed off on Merula, and I think her taste for glory rubbed off on Tulip. So they became a little bit like each other.

B = Baby (Do they want a family? Why/Why not)

I feel like Tulip would love the idea of having a youngin’ that was theirs, that she and Merula could train as their apprentice in the ways of trouble - and with how Tulip was raised, you know that’s exactly what she would do.  Merula is a tricky case...I feel like she’d be conflicted about having children. I think having a family environment would definitely help her mental health thrive, but I also think she wouldn’t know what to do with a child. She hasn’t exactly had the best examples to go on with motherhood. 

C= Cuddle (How do they cuddle?)

Merula reads to me as someone who would hide her face while cuddling, like in Tulip’s hair, neck, or chest. I also definitely see Merula being shorter, so I can just picture Tulip pulling her into her lap all of the time. It reminds me of that meme. Tulip cuddling Merula and gushing about how cute she is, and Merula sleepily muttering that she could kick her ass. 

D= Dates (What are dates with them)

They’re adventures, for sure! These two little delinquents are going to go off to explore the Forbidden Forest, check out all of the abandoned corridors and rooms in the castle, probably searching for a Cursed Vault. Or else just planning a big prank on someone they want to get back at. Competing with others and (playfully) with each other, they’ve definitely got a scoreboard.

E= Everything (You are my ____ (e.g. my life, my world…))

“Merula, you are the one who makes it worth it. The chaos in the world is a wonderful thing, but I can’t imagine experiencing it without you. It all seems so dull and pointless. You invigorate me, you motivate me.” 

“Blimey, you really are mad for me, aren’t you? Hehe. Well, I suppose...you mean a lot to me too, you know? I know I don’t normally say it, talking about this kind of thing is awkward. But even if I’m the most powerful date in Hogwarts...you could give me a run for my money.”

“Do you really mean that?” 

“Of course I do. And I’m not saying it a second time, so savor it.” 

F = Feelings (When did they know they were in love?)

I so firmly and sincerely believe that Tulip knew as soon as she betrayed Merula. I feel like they would have been somewhat open with each other about having more-than-friendly feelings, but it wouldn’t have been anything official, since, y’know, they’re preteens at this point. But when Tulip leaves Merula, it truly sinks in just what she’s lost. Merula would shrug it off and try to tell herself she’s over Tulip - but seeing her working with MC and being friends with them...yeah, that would be the moment Merula realized and probably skulked off to hex a training dummy and cry. Mutual pining and mutual pain, be still my heart. 

G = Gentle (Are they gentle? If so, how?)

As much as we all snort at the idea of Merula being gentle, I think she can be, given the right context. It’s not a side of her that anyone would see very often, so even Tulip would normally get her default personality. But when they’re alone and at peace, I could see Merula softening. For Tulip, I think it would be far easier. I think she actually adapts herself to be less gentle for Merula’s sake, since Merula tends to respond more to power.  One of Tulip’s greatest strengths as a partner is the ability to adapt.

H = Hands (How do they like to hold hands?)

I feel like Tulip does this thing where she embraces Merula from behind and grabs her hand. Not to mention grabbing her hand when they’re running from Filch. And it just becomes a habit for her, so that even when Merula is hugging her, Tulip holds her hands. But it would be a much bigger moment the first time that Merula actually reached for Tulip’s hand of her own accord. Whatever you do, don’t imagine Tulip tearing up when it happens.

 I = Impression (What was their first impression?)

I think Tulip made it her mission to prank everyone in her class before the first year was over. If you want to get into head-canons, that could mean that any number of hijinks from Year 1 were actually caused by Tulip, including the “You are a [House]” schemes. But Merula was the one person that she failed to prank, Merula caught the act before it was complete. Which probably led to them developing a mutual admiration for each other, after the initial conflict. 

J= Jealousy (Do they get jealous?)

Merula does. Boy oh boy, does she get jealous. I feel like Tulip wouldn’t necessarily, but it could depend. Merula is highly insecure and I think she very much was jealous when MC and Tulip started hanging out. Likewise, I also think that Tulip was jealous of Merula and MC in Year 5, and Merula even taunted her about it during that scene in Jacob’s Room. But I think Merula wants Tulip all to herself. Tulip, I think, wouldn’t be that strict...but she would hate the idea of Merula just completely moving on to someone else and having no room left in her heart for the rebellious ravenclaw. Which is probably what’s happened by Year 6...

K = Kiss (How do they kiss? Who initiated the first kiss?)

Not really sure. All I know is that Merula really wants to snog Tulip but is awkward about it. So either because it’s her nature or because she knows Merula is insecure, Tulip is probably the one to pull her in. I’d imagine that Tulip initiated the first kiss as well, or it might have been a same/time thing. If we want to have more heartbreaking fun, just picture Tulip wishing Merula luck before the Portrait Vault and asking her to be careful. And then blindsiding her with the first kiss. What if Merula wasn’t just being all shy and sheepish early on in that chapter because she was connecting with MC, but because of that too? 

L= Love (Who says ‘I love you first?)

With how emotionally guarded and repressed Merula is, it was definitely Tulip. I also feel like neither of them would really have verbal expression as a way of expressing their feelings, because they’re both awkward as all hell. Merula shows her affection through expressions of power, and Tulip with her pranks. They’re in a constant effort to prove themselves to each other when there’s no need, always missing the point ironically at least until they're older. 

M = Memory (What’s their favourite memory together?)

Going off the idea that they became partners in crime after Tulip tried and failed to prank Merula, I feel like they became similar to the Marauders and explored the Castle for Cursed Vaults. I have this headcanon that they discovered the Room of Requirement at this time and initially investigated it just in case it was a Cursed Vault. It wasn’t, but it became like their sanctuary for a while before they moved to Jacob’s  Room. In my head-canons, when they eventually reconcile (they will, damn it!) they’ll return to the “sanctuary” room as neither has ever been able to open the Room without each other.

N = Nickel (Do they spoil? Do they buy the person they love everything?)

No idea if either of them is particularly wealthy, but I like to imagine that when it comes to love languages, Tulip is more of an “acts of service” sort of person. She’d pull off all kinds of schemes in the hope of making Merula smile or laugh. Merula strikes me as a physical touch sort of person, and I feel like she wouldn’t be much of a gift giver either, but they could definitely go all out given the right circumstances. I feel like Tulip, post-graduation, would engineer a scheme to try and break Merula’s parents out of Azkaban. She would of course, fail, but imagine Merula trying not to cry as she realizes how lucky she is. 

O=  Orange (What colour reminds them of their other half?)

This one is rather simple, but I feel like the colors that remind Tulip of Merula is either emerald green, or violet. To match either her House, or her eyes. The colors that remind Merula of Tulip are crimson red (for her hair) and midnight blue, because she’s a Ravenclaw and also because it would resemble her Celestial Ball dress. Did these two go to the Celestial Ball together? Unlikely, given that they were at odds, but still possible. Otherwise, one of them could have looked on forlorn as the other danced with MC. 

P = Pet names (What pet names do they use?

Merula has a tendency to refer to people by surname, and only use their first name if it’s a serious moment or if she’s grown to care about them. I feel like the opposite would come into play with Tulip. Most of the time she just calls her by her first name, but in more serious moments, she playfully calls her “Karasu.” Likewise...ever notice how Tulip, notorious for referring to people by first and last names every time...has only ever called Merula by her first name? Just saying. Other than that, I’d imagine she tried to use some nicknames for Merula playfully, stuff like “Meru” or “Ruru” or “Rula” and promptly dodged the incoming hex at the idea.

Q = Quaint (What is their favourite non-modern thing?)

I mean, they’re witches, so most of the hobbies and everyday things they come across aren’t going to be modern, especially in Merula’s case. But Merula appears to be a Quidditch fan, even if she doesn’t always let on. I feel as though Tulip doesn’t care about that, but could gladly get on board with playing alongside her. Meanwhile, Tulip strikes me as the kind of person to enjoy Wizard’s Chess. (EDIT: Apparently, this is straight up canon. Yay!) She would pull out victory in unexpected ways, make different plays that her opponents question as cheating or risque, but never be able to prove anything.

R = Rainy Day (What do they like to do on a rainy day?)

I think this is where Tulip being more well adjusted than Merula would come into play. A rainy day would be the perfect chance to write some letters to folks they know and care about, that they could catch up with. Merula would scoff at the thought, wanting such people to contact them first. Tulip would talk her into helping or, if nothing else, sign the letters from both of them, bless her heart.

S = Sad (How do they cheer each other up?)

Merula only knows how to measure things in terms of power and success. She would learn to translate that for Tulip, who is constantly insecure, I think, about who she is. I feel like the lack of love Tulip got from her parents affects her, and that she sees far too much of herself in Rakepick. Merula attempts to comfort her by reassuring Tulip that she is her own person. Unique and better than any of them. Likewise, I think Tulip very much imbibes negative energy from those around her, so Merula working on herself also helps, and just generally being nicer. Tulip, meanwhile, is good at adapting, like I said earlier. She learns quickly how to console Merula and feed her ego, understands when to be blunt and when to just let her win. 

T = Talking (What do they like to talk about?)

I feel like Tulip always has a funny story to share, but winds up telling it in a way that the joke doesn’t land. I think Merula likes to boast about her adventures, but her self-praise rings hollow since no one else was there. In both cases, it’s an example of “you had to be there.” hence these two always prefer to stick together when they can, but are always willing to listen when the other needs to vent, and they often trade clever quips and one-liners, just overall a lot of fun banter.

U = Unencumbered (What helps them relax?)

Merula almost never relaxes. I think having Tulip around in general would help with that. I can imagine the two of them kicking back after a long day of adventures, sharing a pot of tea and chatting about the different antics they shared, as well as bringing one another up to speed on what the other missed. Bonus points if they’re cuddling on the couch. Again, I’m a sucker for that whole setup? Is Merula a big spoon or a little spoon? She’s obviously a knife. Just kidding, she’s a little spoon.

V = Vaunt (What do they like to show off? What are they proud of?)

This is Merula we’re talking about. She is constantly showing off and enjoys the attention because Tulip will inevitably get heart-eyes, every time. Whether it’s mastering a new spell, bullying and/or “standing up to” someone she had a quarrel with, or even just a new style for her hair, Merula would always want Tulip’s attention. I feel like Tulip is mostly proud of her schemes and ability to plan big events, usually ones that cause mayhem, and those are her proudest accomplishments. 

W = Wedding (When, how, where do they propose?

So, my vision is that Tulip’s initial prank that she planned on Merula, who she saved for last, involved knocking her into the fountain of the Hogwarts Courtyard. Merula saw this coming and dodged at the last second, instead pushing Tulip into the fountain. To her immense surprise, Tulip was not angry, she was delighted at having been outsmarted. My belief is that some time after Hogwarts, maybe after the second war ends, maybe before it starts...Tulip takes Merula to some garden where there’s a fountain, and abruptly knocks both of them into the water. Once they’re in there, Tulip pulls out the ring. Obviously, Merula says yes, before security chases them off. 

X = Xylophone (What’s their song?)

Oh I’m so glad you asked, my friend. Their song, in-universe, is the Celestina Warbeck song called “You Charmed The Heart Right Out Of Me.” This is something that I believe they shared, a love of Celestina Warbeck and of singing in general - though Merula was the only one who was good at it, of course. Seriously, this one would have been in the songbook, and circled with a bunch of hearts. Don’t @ me. It just would have. Additionally, if we’re talking about out-of-universe, this song reminds me a lot of the storm that Tulula would be.

Y = Yes (Do they ever think of getting married/proposing?)

Yup! The fountain incident is the proposal, and I think Tulip knew she wanted to marry Merula for years, even before they left Hogwarts. Likewise, I think that Tulip’s attempt to free Merula’s parents clued Merula in to how she was really feeling as well, which previously she wasn’t able to access. So she would have secretly wanted to marry Tulip as well, but not had the guts to propose.

Z = Zebra (If they wanted a pet, what would they get?)

They already have a pet and he is the magnificent Dennis. He is their son, and always watches over them, being just as much of a trickster as Tulip. Likewise, my interpretation is that Merula has a black cat called Bitten who is just as much of a grumpy ass as Merula. Bitten and Dennis have a close friendship, even if it’s unconventional and Bitten refuses to let on that he cares, he will allow Dennis to sleep in his bed without biting him.

[himbowelsh]

Hello Darling! I just read the valentines alphabet you wrote for Shifty and omg I absolutely loved it! So, if it’s not too much to ask, may I request the same for Bull Randleman? Thank you and have a wonderful weekend 💛

@noneofurbusinez asked:   balentines balphabet for my man bull blease ,,,

here’s the big boy

valentines day alphabet  ( accepting! )

A   :   AFFECTION.   how does your muse show affection?

Bull’s love language is very much acts of service, so that’s what he’ll do, all the time. He’ll fix something before the person he cares about realizes it’s broken; he’ll do favors, help them with simple tasks without saying a word, and generally be there when needed. He’s not too liberal with words or touch, so Bull says everything through what he does. If he’s really feeling affectionate, he’s got a tiny smile that could melt butter, and only the people closest to him have it directed at them.

B   :   BOUQUET.   does your muse like flowers? which ones are their favourite?

He enjoys flowers in a purely aesthetic sense, but could name...  daisies and roses, probably. That’s it. He likes them, but does not understand them. The sort of man to pick a lone-ass flower and give to someone, like that’s an acceptable thing. It’s kind of cute, but also goofy. (He’s always had a soft spot for buttercups.

C   :   CHOCOLATE.   does your muse like chocolate? which one is their favourite?

If he is hungry, and a chocolate bar is in front of him, he will eat it, but there are about two dozen snacks he’d enjoy a lot more.

D   :   DATE.   what is your muse’s ideal date? where / who with / etc?

Give him a country fair and some carnival games any day. Watch him win everything, eat multiple corn cobs, go on the ferris wheel just because it’s his favorite, and have a lovely night. If he’s got good company with him, well, that’s all the better.

E   :   EMBRACE.   does your muse like hugs? what are their hugs like?

It’s like hugging a bear, but...  in the best way. Bull gives Dad Hugs. Absolutely reassuring, wraps you up completely, kind of hard to breathe but it feels good...  if Bull Randleman’s hugging someone, a bomb could drop directly on their heads, and they’d be perfectly safe. Nothing can get through a Bull Hug. People miss it after it’s done.

F   :   FLIRT.   is your muse good at flirting? how do they flirt?

Umm...  flirt? Bull? Bull flirt? Nah, man, he...  he’s, uhh...  he’s a big guy. He’s got eyes. He can make eye contact sometimes. That’s the best he’s got. This man flirts like a brick.

G   :   GIFT.   is your muse good at gift - giving or do they struggle to get it right?

Look. Bull’s out here trying, okay? He really does put a lot of thought into gifts, because it’s important that he gets something his loved one is going to appreciate. This does not make him a...  “good” gift giver. Bull’s gifts tend to be very practical, very small  ---  he’s not going out to buy jewelry or putting a bow on anything, because he will have no idea what he’s doing. Somebody needs new oil for their car, or they’ve been looking for grill charcoal? Someone wants a particular shade of paint but has no clue where to get it? Bull will get it for them, and paint their house on top of that. Honestly, he’s better at doing things than giving things, so his gifts tend to be favors.

H   :   HEART.   is your muse quick or slow to give their heart away?

For Bull Randleman to fall in love, he first has to trust someone completely. That’s no easy feat. He also needs respect in a relationship, and if he hasn’t built that up, he can’t really give his heart to anyone.

I    :   I LOVE YOU.   does your muse find ‘i love you’ easy or hard to say?

Shhh. Nah. He’s maybe said it...  four times??  In as many years, once he’s been in a long-term relationship. Possible less than that. Bull doesn’t say “I love you”, he shows it. If he’s not able to do that, then he doesn’t deserve to love the person he loves.

J   :   JEALOUSY.   does your muse get jealous in a relationship?

He’s really not a jealous guy. If someone tries to flirt with his partner, he’ll be overall unimpressed by it, and step in if needed, but he’s not hot blooded like certain people he knows.

K   :   KISS.   is your muse a good kisser? why / why not?

Shy boy. Unexpectedly shy, but he doesn’t have a lot of experience. This is the one time when he doesn’t quite know what to do with...  all of himself. There’s a lot of Bull, and when you’re kissing you have to know exactly how to move, how to match your rhythm with someone else’s...  he’s a bit of a clumsy kisser, and would appreciate someone else taking the lead. Quite soft, won’t use tongue at first; prefers to put hands on his partner’s upper back / shoulders; if he can lift them up and put them on top of something, like a tabletop, so they’re at an equal height, that’s just perfect. Not above lifting his partner up while they’re kissing.

L   :   LOVE.   who does your muse love?

His Mama has to take first place here, forever and always. Bull would move mountains for that woman. He’s very devoted to his family overall; he’s got friends he’d drop anything just to help. In general, when Bull decides to love someone, it’s long-lasting and steady. He’s not fickle with his affections, and definitely not into second-guessing. Even when they say hurtful things or quarrel, he won’t stop loving them.

M   :   MOONLIGHT.   is morning or night a more romantic setting?

He’s a morning person. Always has been, always will be. There’s something about early morning that Bull just finds peaceful, and he’d love to share it with someone he cares about.

N   :   NAUGHTY.   what is your muse like in bed?

Again, you gotta understand...  there’s a lot of Bull to go around. And he knows what to do with exactly none of it! At first, he’s definitely uncertain of himself, prefering to let his partner take the lead and guide him how they want. A very physical lover; all about body movements, instinct and rhythm; breathes heavily. As he gets more into it, he’ll gain enthusiasm; at this point, he can sometimes get rough without meaning to, though he tries to be mindful of it. Once Bull works his confidence up, he becomes quite an intense lover. This is an intimate experience for him, and he wants to savour the sensations...  but he’ll always be focused on his partner, to ensure they’re enjoying it too.

O   :   ODE.   does your muse have a way with words?

He has a way with word. As in, like...  one word. He can shoot out monosyllabic answers really well. Bull’s not a talkative guy  ---   very much an “talk less, do more” type.

P   :   PARTNER.   what does your muse look for in a partner? looks / personality?

Well, he’d like someone shorter than him  ---  that’s not hard  ---  preferably someone he can pick up easily. He wants someone...  gentle isn’t the right word, but someone who’ll be gentle with him. At the same time, not someone delicate, who’ll break easily. If they know their way around a horse, that’s downright perfect. He’s got a thing for eyes  ---  expressive ones, eyes that dance, eyes that laugh, eyes that sometimes tease. He likes brown ones most of all. And any partner Bull chooses is going to have to be way more talkative than him, sorry  ---  while he doesn’t dislike silence, he also enjoys having that silence filled, and not having to carry a conversation is a massive weight off his shoulders. He’s more than happy to just listen to the person he loves chatter, smiling benignly at their thoughts.

Q   :   QUESTION.   would your muse ask the big question or expect their partner to?

He’s neutral either way. While he wouldn’t mind if his partner asked him first, if he’d already decided he wanted to marry this person, he’d definitely muse on different ways to do it. Nothing elaborate, that’s not Bull’s style  ---   maybe a proposal during a quiet countryside walk, or after going for a swim, or even at the end of a big day, during the quiet moment when all the festivities are dying down. Bull wouldn’t make a scene out of it; his proposal would be simple, soft, and very sincere.

R   :   ROMANCE.   is your muse a romantic or a cynic?

Not a cynic at all. He’s a practical guy, but he’s got a tiny romantic streak buried deep down in there. A part of Bull just really liked the idea of getting to love someone. He’s lowkey about it, but has a definite romantic side.

S   :   SWEETHEART.   did your muse have a childhood sweetheart?

He had a crush on a little girl in his class  ---  Wendy something-or-other  ---  for a solid few months, because she had beautiful red curls, tied up in bouncy pig tails. Honestly, Bull might have been more in love with her hair than Wendy herself, but they promised to marry each other under the oak tree outside school. Wendy got cold feet the next week, broke it off, and gave Bull back the straw ring he made for her. It didn’t break his heart, but it taught him a valuable lesson: never fall for anyone just because they’ve got nice hair.

T   :   TRUE LOVE.   does your muse believe in true love?

Nah. That sort of thing belongs in fairy tales. Love has to build itself up in order to really matter.

U   :   UNREQUITED.   has your muse had their heart broken?

Bull’s heart is like a slab of steak. Very beefy, very tender. He doesn’t give it away easily, but it would break easier than he likes to admit. Hasn’t happened yet, because he hasn’t found the right person to hurt him yet.

V   :   VALENTINE.   how does your muse feel about valentine’s day?

Honestly? Not a fan. Look, if Bull wants to go on a date, he’ll go on a date  ---  they can do that any night of the year. If his partner’s into Valentine’s Day, he’ll try to make it special, but otherwise he doesn’t have a problem ignoring the holiday.

W  :   WEDDING.   would your muse get married? why / why not?

Yes! This is actually something he feels quite strongly about. He wants to have a traditional relationship/marriage; he would really like to be a husband one day, to have a ring on his finger and dote on his spouse. It’s not about starting a family for Bull (he doesn’t have any strong feelings about having kids, though he’d be a great dad) but very much about...  stability. About someone loving him enough to tie the knot. and getting to love someone that much in return. It’s hard for him to articulate, but he’d really want to get married.

X   :   XOXO.   does your muse use / like pet names?

He’s not really the pet name type...  so on the rare occasions he does use them (simple one’s  ---  “darlin’” is his go-to) it stands out that much more.

Y   :   YOURS.   does your muse get protective easily?

Look, no one’s gonna mess with Bull. He’s a big dude with a withering stare, and could probably flip most people over his shoulder without trying. Bull doesn’t need to put on a show; if someone’s messing with the people he cares about, he’ll stare them down, decimate them with a well-timed remark, and that’s usually all it takes to break up the situation. Not afraid to use the old “arm-around-the-shoulder” trick to show he means business.

Z   :   ZZZ.   how many people has your muse slept with?

Not many! He’s a conservative guy in bed  ---  he’d prefer one steady partner whom he knows well to a series of strangers. He probably had a girlfriend or two when he was younger, but even then they didn’t do it much; Bull was quite careful, and always respectful.

[ishgard]

► Name ➔  “Mana... of the Dotharl,” she give a short, bitter laugh, shrugging. “But... it’s not like any of them would actually recognize me.”

► Are you single ➔ “Nope!” Beaming, she rocks on her heels a little.

► Are you happy ➔   “In spite of everything? And believe me, there’s a lot - very much so.”

► Are you angry? ➔   “Uhh...” She arches a brow, a bit perplexed with this question on the heels of the last one. “Well... actually, yeah.” Despite that, she smiles, laughs, and shrugs. “Quite a lot, to be honest.”

► Are your parents still married ➔  “Hah, well... I’ve never really known my parents very well. Or... at all, really. I don’t know if they were ever technically married by standard terms, even. But... I do know that they love each other. Or did at some point in time... And very, very much. I guess that’s something...”

NINE FACTS

► Birth Place ➔ “The Azim Steppes, if you’d take Hydaelyn’s word for it.” She snorts and shakes her head. “But in truth, a place very far from here.”

► Hair Color ➔ “Blond,” she says, giving her hair a light tousle.

► Eye Color ➔ “Warm, like amber dripping with honey~” she gesticulates dramatically like some romantic pleading to the heavens, then gives a boisterous laugh and shrugs. “Brown.”

► Birthday ➔  “July 17th- er... ohhh uhh... the... seventeenth sun of the...” She winks one eye shut in thought as she folds her fingers in counting. “Fourth? Umbral- no, Astral Moon? Yeah.”

► Mood ➔   “What, like... right now? Uhh... Hm... Curious enthusiasm? Or maybe enthusiastic curiosity...?” She shrugs. “Good though, feeling pretty good.”

► Gender ➔  “Oh, hm... well,” her face scrunches up a little. "I guess the easy answer is ‘female’, isn’t it?”

► Summer or winter ➔ “Hmm... and I can’t say both, huh? That sucks... I guess summer, if I had to choose.” Mulling over it a moment longer she quickly adds; “But like, if I had to live somewhere that was perpetually one or the other, I’d probably choose a winter place.”

► Morning or afternoon ➔ “Heheh... mornings, I think.” She nods to herself, caught up in some seemingly pleasant reverie. “Nice, lazy mornings.”

EIGHT THINGS ABOUT YOUR LOVE LIFE

► Are you in love ➔ Laughing, the mirthful glow she keeps seems to burn even brighter as she shoots a toothy grin. “Death-defyingly so.”

► Do you believe in love at first sight ➔ “Hah! Hmmm, I believe in... attraction? At first sight. Which could be love, I guess, or anything else, huh?”

► Who ended your last relationship ➔ “There wasn’t anyone else before Bel.”

► Have you ever broken someone’s heart ➔  “Huh...? Not that I’m... particularly aware of. I sure hope not...” Pensive for a moment, she then breaks into a mischief little cackle. “But I sure did break my poor brothers heart when I told him I was dating Bel. You should have seen him.”

► Are you afraid of commitments ➔ “Hmm, no? I guess... I might have, kind of been, before I fell in love with Bel. But it was more like... I didn’t want to get too close to anybody, on any level. Felt safer that way.” There’s an air of gravitas around her words, but then she shrugs and it dissipates nigh-instantly. “But that’s in the past now, so. No.”

► Have you hugged someone within the last week? ➔ “Oh, for sure.” Her grin is absolutely shark-like. “Within the past hour. And then some.”

► Have you ever had a secret admirer ➔ “Hmmmmmmm~” With an exaggerated hum she taps her chin. “I guess if I have, they’ve done a good job keeping it secret!”

► Have you ever broken your own heart? ➔ "Hah! ...Yeah. That whole, keeping a distance for everyone’s own good B.S.? Good way to fuck yourself up.”

SIX CHOICES

► Love or lust ➔ “As far as I’m concerned, the perfect love is a perfect union of both.”

► Lemonade or iced tea ➔ “Both! Lil’ bit of lemonade, lil’ bit of tea, an absolute monstrosity of honey. Vwa-lah! Refreshing summer drink. If I have to choose though, uh... Lemonade.”

► Cats or Dogs ➔ Her whole scrunches up as she deliberates this most important of questions, rubbing her chin. “Ca-... hmmm... But dogs? ...Mrrr...” Slowly her attention slips over towards Belial. “Snakes.”

► A few best friends or many regular friends ➔ “Listen, I know I’m supposed to choose one or another - and that I’ve been doing a really bad job of that so far - but this is silly. I have a ton of regular friends, and among them I have a few who I’m much closer with than others, and I love all of them so very much.”

► Wild night out or romantic night in ➔ Pursing her lips in a cheek-puffed pout, she lets out a very low murmur that sounds almost like a growl in the back of her throat. She knows what her track record is looking like and at this point there’s just no going against it. “B o t h.”

► Day or night ➔ Exhausted, she hangs her head. “Listen... we both know how this is gonna go.”

FIVE HAVE YOU EVERS

► Been caught sneaking out ➔ “Hah! Oh yeah, definitely. Many times. Used to sneak out to run in the woods, and Soma would catch me, but I mean... He’d do the same thing!” Swaying side to side a little she thinks about it further. “And we’re pretty good at sneaking around, but there have been a few times Bel and I have gotten caught.”

► Fallen down/up the stairs ➔ “Not uh, without assistance, yanno? I mean... fighting in the streets during like, coup’s and calamities and shit comes with a lot of perils.”

► Wanted something/someone so badly it hurt? ➔ “Whew, boy. Yeah. Funny thing is, even when you get it sometimes it still hurts? It’s not... bad...? It... I think that’s what ‘love hurts’ is supposed to mean. A feeling so strong, so good, it’s like your heart could burst.” Her cheeks redden a little and she gives an awkward laugh, waving her hand dismissively. “Ah, but I’m running off track.”

► Wanted to disappear ➔ “...Very much so. And... desperately, not at all. S’a funny thing about having death looming over your head. Wanting to defy it. Wanting it to just... be over.”

FOUR PREFERENCES

► Smile or eyes ➔ “Smiles that show in the eyes?”

► Shorter or Taller ➔ “Taller. Hah!” She beams way too proudly, cheering quietly beneath her breath. “Chose one.”

► Intelligence or Attraction ➔  And then she blanches. “Aughhh... both. I mean, intelligence is plenty attractive.” And Bel has it in spades, she thinks to herself. “Anyway, I’m back in my indecisive hole.”

► Hook-up or Relationship ➔ “Relationship,” again, she beams proudly, again because she could pick one rather than the answer itself. “I mean, hook-up’s are plenty hot, but like, if they lead into a relationship?” her head bobs slowly. “Yeah, that’s some good shit right there.”

FAMILY

► Do you and your family get along ➔  “Weeeell~ My brother, Soma, and I get along fairly well. Though... we do butt heads on occasion. I consider a lot of the crew my family, and some of the Scions, too... and we all get along pretty well or else... why would I? As for my parents... meh.” She shrugs, and in lieu of continuing, leaves it at that.

► Would you say you have a “messed up life” ➔ “Pffp! I guess to most that’d be ‘putting it lightly’. And there’ve been times I’ve kinda looked back on it all and been like... really? Yanno? But... most of the time? It’s not so bad, not really. Yeah it’s ‘messed up’, but it’s been pretty damn good, too. All the messed up stuff, I’d go through it again in a heartbeat.”

► Have you ever ran away from home ➔ “Mmmmmmm, mmhm? I... hm. I guess not really, but we were kind of ‘on the run’ when we left?”

► Have you ever gotten kicked out ➔ (Insert the math face lady meme here) “....Probably? I... I dunno, a lot happens!”

FRIENDS

► Do you secretly hate one of your friends ➔ She slowly arches a brow. “I mean, we have a big crew, there are definitely some I don’t vibe with quite as well, but definitely not anyone I hate. And among the Scions...? No, no one like that.”

► Do you consider all of your friends good friends ➔ “Some more than others. Which isn’t anything against those I’m not as close with, again, there’s just... a lot of them, and I do cherish them all. It’s just not always possible to get good and close with that many people, sadly.”

► Who is your best friend ➔ “Bel,” she looks practically tickled when she says this, but then her eyes widen with realization. “Oh shoot, Caglio would kill me if she heard that. Both of them, okay? Obviously Bel is my world, but Caglio is... I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for her. I owe her so much, and I hope she’ll always be a part of my life.” For a moment her gaze lingers far off on the skies, before she continues thoughtfully. “Oh, here, though... Alisaie, Lyse and I are pretty close. It’s fun going out and finding new treats to try with them. Kind of feels like being back home.”

► Who knows everything about you ➔ “Hah, those two. Caglio and Bel. I think she’d have to defer to Bel in this case though,” she chuckles, grinning mischievously, “since there’s a lot that goes on in the bedroom and she’d kill me if I regaled her with the tales.”

[ethanishere27]

Until Someone Gets Hurt

Summary: Techno takes the bois on a field trip and yells at Wilbur :)

(some hurt/comfort after the storm but mainly more hurt :'))

(tw: a bit of crying and yelling and swearing)

  ~*~

The front door violently swung open, making Techno jolt up. He glanced up from his phone just in time to see Tommy storm into his room and slam the door close. Techno raised an eyebrow, confused, and looked over at Wilbur who hadn't even seemed to notice.

"Hey Wil?" The brunette looked up with a slight hum to let him know he heard him. "What's up with Tommy?"

Wilbur shrugged, leaning back in his chair. "Probably still baby-raging over his broken gun," he snickered. "Did I tell you about that? I broke his Vlog Gun during MCC, it was hilarious."

"Vlog Gun?"

"Yeah, it's just one of those Nerf guns." Wilbur set down his phone and whipped a plastic gun out of his inventory, spinning it around in his hand. "He got two at the arcade but I broke one of 'em."

Techno gave him a confused look. "Wh- Wait why'd you break it?"

"We made a deal for MCC; if we got above fifth place then I'd give it back him. If not..." Wilbur pulled back the loading trigger and fired a foam bullet across the room, grinning. "Then I'd get to break it."

Techno hummed to show that he heard and turned to glance back at Tommy's room. "Well... I'm gonna go check on him."

"Okay then," Wilbur shrugged, getting back to his phone. "But don't blame me if he yells at you."

Techno got up, shoving his phone into his pocket, and went over to lightly knock on Tommy's door. "Tommy?" He opened the door and was almost immediately taken back.

The blond was crumbled on the floor next to his bed, face buried in his messy blanket and chest heaving for air. As Techno approached, he could hear quiet sobs that were muffled by the sheets and broke Techno's heart.

"Hey, Tommy?" He knelt beside the younger, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder. "You okay?"

Tommy snapped his head up, glaring with bloodshot eyes and tear-stained cheeks. "No, of course I'm not you idiot!" he snapped, voice cracking in the middle of his words. "I'm not fucking okay!"

He shoved his face back into the blankets, his voice breaking into sobs once again. Techno was never good at comforting people, but he at least knew when someone just needed to vent.

"Tommy. Look at me."

The blond lifted his head with a weak glare and Techno immediately pulled him into a warm hug. Tommy was frozen for a few moments before instantly breaking down in his arms, grabbing at the back of Techno's cape and burying his face in his shoulder.

Techno waited quietly, letting the younger cry in his embrace until he was ready to speak. Tommy's sobs slowly stifled to sniffles though he was still shaking slightly. Techno gently tugged away from him and gave him a soft smile.

"You okay now?" he asked, trying to keep his usually monotone voice gentle.

Tommy sniffed and rubbed his eye, wiping away some of the tears. "K-kinda..." he murmured, his breaths hiccuping slightly.

Techno smiled. "Good. Now, what happened?" he asked, before tentatively adding, "I heard Wilbur broke your gun."

That seemed to trigger something because Tommy's expression twisted into a glower and he looked down, blue eyes burning with anger. "Yeah, that... bastard destroyed my fucking Vlog Gun," he spat in a hoarse voice, almost making Techno wince at the amount of venom in his voice.

"Is that what you're mad about?"

"I- Well- Kinda!" Tommy exclaimed, barely able to form any words let alone a sentence. "But also not really... well no, yeah! Kinda? I don't know!" He huffed in frustration and crossed his arms.

Techno nodded understandingly. "What happened?"

"Wilbur broke my Vlog Gun, that's what!" Tommy yelled. "And now I can't team with Tubbo next time and we're gonna have to fight and I don't wanna fight but fucking Scott didn't quit the team for Tubbo and now Wilbur has my fucking Vlog Gun! I don't even know if I still want it, I just want Tubbo on my team..."

The blond sighed, hugging his knees. "I just... I wanna play with Tubbo... it's gonna be his first MCC but..." He trailed off, looking away.

"But what?" Techno tilted his head slightly, scarlet red eyes soft despite their glaring color. "We can always get you another gun you know-!"

"I KNOW I KNOW!" Tommy snapped. "But it's not about the stupid gun anymore!" He sighed and rested his head on his arms. "It's about winning. If I let Wilbur win he'll never let me live it down..."

Techno couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy. Tommy's round face, glowing with tears and bloodshot eyes, made him look so much younger and smaller in his arms. It made Techno realize that he really was still a child, no matter how mature he acted at time or how many "adult" jokes he made, he was still only 16.

Techno reached out and gently cupped Tommy's cheek with his hand, wiping away some of the tears and lightly brushing over the scar under his eye. Tommy had never told him how he got the scar, but he was certainly proud of it, showing it off to him all the time like it was a trophy.

"Tell you what Tommy," he said, breaking into a grin. "Call Tubbo and tell him to meet us outside the house. I'm taking you two on a field trip."

Tommy looked up at him, confused, but nodded. "O-okay... where're we going...?"

"It's a surprise," Techno explained with a small wink that made Tommy giggle. "But I'm sure you'll recognize it." He stood up and gestured for Tommy to follow, and the two made their way to the front door.

"You finally done baby-raging?"

The voice made Tommy physically flinch and pause in his texting, looking up to glare at Wilbur who sat snidely across the room. "Piss off Wilbur," he growled, his throat still raw from crying.

Wilbur rolled his eyes, seemingly not having noticed his hoarse voice. "Typical Tommy," he teased, sticking his tongue out with a snide grin. "When you gonna stop baby-raging over your toy?"

Tommy gripped his phone so hard his hand started to shake and Techno quickly stepped in. "Tommy, go wait for me outside," he ordered, casting a glare Wilbur's way. "I have to get something."

Tommy seemed to pick up the hint and snapped his head towards Techno. "I can't handle him myse-"

"Tommy." Tommy winced slightly and nodded, silently slipped out the door to go wait for Tubbo.

"So what'd you need Techno?" Wilbur's voice was cool which only fueled Techno's anger. How could he be so calm when Techno clearly wasn't happy with him?!

"What the fuck Wilbur?!" he yelled, red eyes glaring at the brunette.

Wilbur jolted, putting his hands up in defense and nearly throwing his phone in surprise. "What did I do?!" he exclaimed with a bewildered expression.

"Are you serious?!" Techno spat, stepping closer to him. "You made Tommy fucking cry, that's what!"

Wilbur froze, brown eyes going wide. "I... I did...?"

"Yeah you fucking did you asshole!" Techno's words were dripping with venom that made Wilbur physically recoil. "He was fucking crying in his room and it's your. Fucking. FAULT!"

"I-I'm sorry-"

"DONT SAY SORRY TO ME!" Techno yelled. He could feel his throat tightening and tears pricking t his eyes but he didn't care. "SAY SORRY TO TOMMY YOU DENSE IDIOT!" He sighed, putting a hand over his eyes. "Why would you do this Wilbur? He's your fucking friend, not to mention a child."

Wilbur looked down guiltily, clasping his hands together. "I didn't... I-I thought-"

"No you didn't," Techno interrupted, his tone cold and harsh. "You didn't think and that's the problem. You better fix this or else there will be consequences. Hell, there already are consequences but there'll be more."

There were tears in Wilburs eyes by the end he finished speaking and when Techno turned to leave, his last words completely broke him.

"Wilbur, I mean this in the nicest way but... you fucked up."

Wilbur was sent into sobs, hands covering his mouth to try and contain them. Techno's cold gaze wavered slightly but he didn't linger any longer and closed the door behind him. Wilbur reached into his pocket and fumbled for his phone, quickly dialing the first name he saw.

"Ph-Phil- *hic* I-I messed up..."

Techno closed the door, trying his hardest to ignore the sobs behind him that poked at his heart. Wilbur deserved it, he thought as he made his way out the house. There were tears in his own eyes, but because of his own anger. He cried because of Tommy's anger and the betrayal he felt.

Tommy and Tubbo were stood outside the house, talking in a way that probably could've been as arguing to an outsider. Tommy was the first to notice Techno and greeted him with a grin.

"Hey Big Man!" he exclaimed.

"Oh hey Techno!" Tubbo greeted, smiling. "Congrats on the win, Tommy was telling me all about it."

Tommy scoffed, muttering under his breath something along the lines of, "green bastard."

"Where were you taking us?" Tubbo asked, ignoring Tommy's grumbles. "Tommy said you had a surprise or something?"

Techno smiled at the two. "Yeah I did," he admitted. "I'm taking you two to the Minecraft Championships."

"WAIT WHY'D YOU TELL HI- Wait the championships?" Tommy cut off his own rant, confused. "What do you mean?"

Techno shrugged. "Well I thought we could get some practice in. Everyone's probably tired so it'll be empty anyways."

Tubbo stared at him for a moment before breaking into a grin. "Hell yeah! Thanks Techno!" he exclaimed. "I haven't even seen the place in person before, this'll be awesome!"

"Hey, I'll show you around!" Tommy said, slinging his arm over the shorter's shoulder. "Show you all the bastards we have to beat!"

"Yeah, bastards!"

Techno smiled as the two bantered about the championships. He was just happy to see Tommy finally smiling again.

[evakuality]

Druck: my complicated feelings

First, I really do have to preface this by saying I haven’t watched much of this season.  Watching s4 of the original in real time was probably one of the hardest experiences I’ve had in fandom.  It was so good and so promising and then ... well, we all know what happened.  So after watching episode one of Amira’s season, and wary that it could all happen again, I made the decision to back off.  The plan was to watch the entire season when it was over so long as it had gone well.  That means that I know what happened because I still follow blogs and see gifsets, and I sometimes go into the tag because I needed to know if it was going badly.  But I’m insulated in some ways because I didn’t have to see this happen ‘in real time’ so to speak.

I’ve seen so many different reactions to this week’s episode and, as with everything, they’re all valid because they’re all people’s valid personal feelings.  Still, I’d like to give my perspective as something of an outsider but one who has been following along.  So under the break (because as usual I can’t be concise), are my thoughts on this whole business and why what I feel is complicated.

So, the way I see it, there were several complaints about Sana’s original season.  

1.  She wasn’t the focus of her own season, constantly overshadowed by other characters’ drama, particularly Noora and whatever was going on with William.

This one, I think Druck did a pretty good job of addressing in the bits of the season that were Amira’s (we’ll get to the other part of that when we get to another complaint).  Mia was gone and the bits we saw with her were all in support of Amira and Amira’s plot.  That plot was organic and built fairly well, from what I could tell.

2.  Other characters’ drama was used to exploit emotion in a way that was insulting to the groups represented (eg Even and his backstory)

This one, again, was dealt with well.  That whole side plot disappeared and Mohammed’s reasons for losing his religion were based in more personal things.  It stopped the weird ‘why did Even’s story affect Yousef that much?’ stuff and made Mohammed a seemingly more rounded character (lol, says me, who hasn’t actually watched it) with an interesting backstory of his own.

3.  The love triangle was nonsensical and didn’t really serve any purpose except to make Sana jealous and push her into some very bad behaviour.

Again, dealt with well.  This whole plot again dropped away pretty quickly, and the confusions of her relationship with Mohammed were things that came from their own merits.  It was Amira and her own hangups that caused the issues and the distance.  

4.  Sana’s world was quite narrow.  The only Muslim people she really interacted with were either family or related to their friends.  She didn’t seem to have a friend group of her own.

Spectacularly destroyed.  We see (or hear about) various different people from Amira’s circle all in various stages of life and all with different takes on what it means to be Muslim.  This helped shape both Amira and her story and how she felt, and also gave a lot more nuance to Mohammed and how or why he might have come to the feelings he did about religion.  It showed a complex, diverse group of people and gave Amira’s story complexity and interest.

5.  In order to really hammer home Sana’s feelings of isolation, the development of the girls was regressed so they could be ignorant, particularly Vilde.

This was mostly also dealt with well.  The weird bit with Kiki seemed a bit off (and it may be because I didn’t watch but it seemed the resolution to that was ... also strange), but mostly the girls were pretty good and the friendship they’d built wasn’t sacrificed for pathos and drama.  The biggest problem here is that some of the girls were sidelined in favour of others.  But overall, pretty good.

So far, so good, right?  It all looks pretty cool.  Not perfect, but doing quite well.  So why did I call this ‘my complicated feelings’?  Well, the big problem is that there was other stuff that added some problems or made others worse.  So let’s look at those now.

1. Mia gets an entire episode to herself in a season that should be about Amira and worse, this pushes the ‘Sana only got 9 episodes!’ complaint to ‘Amira only got 7!!!!!’

So, okay.  Druck did a good job of focusing on Amira during those seven episodes, and that’s great.  It really is.  But the problem here is that because they dropped some of the plots (thankfully the stupid love triangle thing but also the bus and cyberbullying things) they were left with less material to work with.  Instead of actually filling that with things relevant to Amira (more discussion of Mohammed and his home, some more development of helping Amira reconcile her Muslim side with her German side, better preparation for her tript o Australia and all that means for her), they chose to return to a main from a previous season with clips that were almost entirely unnecessary.  Amira’s story got told in messages and Mia’s (which could and should have been in messages) was told in clips.  It’s a baffling decision ad it’s no wonder people are unhappy about it.

Some uncharitable parts of me wonder whether writers just have no idea how to write a romance after they ‘get together’ if they can’t show a physical relationship.  Both Sana and Amira’s stories were cut off once they got their man.  Yousef was sent away so it didn’t have to be dealt with, and with Amira we get this strange shift into Mia’s PoV.

2.  Depending on how many episodes there are left and how they are split we get either some mains with far fewer (and shorter!!!) episodes, or we get mains that aren’t Amira get fully fleshed out ‘goodbye’ episodes when she doesn’t.  

So either Mia gets 11 episodes and the final one is split 3 ways between Hanna, Matteo and Amira (so they get 10 1/3, 10 1/3 and 7 1/3 respectively), or Amira gets the final episode which still means 11 for Mia, 10 for Hanna and Matteo and 8 for Amira - still vastly different and still a problem.  OR, probably worst of all, there are two left and Hanna and Matteo get them and so they all get 11 and Amira gets 7 (or potentially one of them gets one and Amira gets one and the numbers are still completely out of whack).  The biggest complaint about Sana’s season was that it was Noora 2.0.  And while Druck did a good job of avoiding that in the seven episodes that Amira got, this is still a huge problem.  No matter what they do, they can’t balance this out in any way that doesn’t make Mia ‘the’ character of Druck in the same way that Noora was ‘the’ character of Skam (or at least in a way that doesn’t make it obvious that Amira is the ‘lesser’ main in her own season!!!!!).  And either we get a ‘goodbye’ to the other characters as well and thus make the inequity between the numbers worse, or we don’t and Mia is the total focus.

For the record, for those who are all ‘no-one would complain if this was Matteo or Hanna’ - this is why it’s worse that it’s Mia.  Noora was the problem in Sana’s season, so for this to be Mia rather than one of the other two ... it’s salt in the wound of the seven episodes.

3.  Druck hinted at wlw representation, but it seems like it’s being given at the expense of Amira and her story.

This one is just baffling.  If they really are going with Mia ‘getting’ a girlfriend at this point, then it’s weird.  First, a rebound relationship is just not great rep.  They don’t usually last and that’s a weird message to send about wlw.  Also, Sara and Leonie were right there.  So much has been playing out on instagram that it could even have been done there if they didn’t want to ‘waste’ clips on it.  But this feels like a cop out, and worse, it feels bad that it’s been done at the expense of more time with Amira.  Again, the fact that it’s Mia pulling this focus away from Amira is salt in the wound.  For a show that seems to realise just what issues people had with the original, and has mostly reacted well to them, this is all so tone deaf.

Obviously, it’s not over yet.  But the thing is we can see what’s happening here and at the very least the imbalance is upsetting and nothing that happens in the next week or two can change that.  Even if there’s one last episode and it’s Amira the whole way we can’t just ignore the fact that one character has been elevated.  And that character wasn’t Amira in HER season.

So that’s why my feelings are complicated.  I will probably still watch Amira’s 7 episodes when this is all done.  I think they look good enough that I want to.  But.  There’s a sour taste because of how this last part is playing out and I’m not sure that I can overcome that enough to watch even if the next week isn’t about Mia.

[ricky-corderbro]

Raindrops keep falling on my head || Ricky & Orion

In which driftwood is collected, thoughts are scattered, and everybody get too wet for their own good. 

Ricky was, by his very nature, a social creature (literally). He loved being around other people, loved feeling that energy, but even as social and extroverted as he was, there were still moments when he just needed to be by himself. Which is why after his morning run he’d found himself down at the beach near his house. Since Harris Island catered to the upper crust, the beaches were generally deserted in the morning, since it was more of a “martini lunches” kind of community. It gave Ricky ample opportunity to prowl the beach in search of some driftwood he could use in his art. People online paid what was truly a ridiculous amount of money for driftwood sculpture and “conversation pieces” and Ricky found a decent enough supply of it on the beach outside his home to keep his bank account pretty nicely stocked. It helped his state of mind that the February morning was cold, with a decent wind tousling his hair. He naturally ran hot, because of Selkie biology, and he preferred being outside in the cold, feeling the cold sand between his bare feet and the wind against his bare arms, only clad in the tank top he’d done his morning run in. He sang softly to himself as he gathered up the wood the storms had tossed on shore, an old lullaby his mother had sung to him when he was young. “A leanbh mo chléibh go n-eirí do chodhladh leat. Séan is sonas gach oíche do chóir.” He was not that close to on key, but, he’d never been a strong singer, bad hearing prevented that, but as the wind carried the soft words of his song away the crashing waves also served to stop him from hearing someone else approaching on the sand.

Orion was avoiding his family. He had slept at the abandoned Scribe Headquarters the night before, something that had become more and more frequent. His family barely even questioned it anymore, buying the all nighter at the library excuse because honestly, what else would someone like Rio being doing? As far as they knew, he didn’t have any friends. He barely did. As long as he showed up for training and lessons, they didn’t seem to really care where he disappeared to. So while he had some time to kill before he had to be back at the Quinn household, Orion avoided his home by strolling down to the beach on Harris Island. During the summer, this place would fill up quickly and stay busy for the majority of the day. But this was the early hours of the morning in February. The wind blowing off the water made it feel even colder and Rio clutched tried to sink deeper into his hoodie to shield himself from the morning air. He had expected the place to be completely empty but was surprised that someone had already beaten Orion to the beach. The closer Orion got, the more details he could make out about the man. For how cold it was, the man was barefoot walking through the sand with nothing but a tank top and skinny jeans to provide shelter from the winds. He didn’t even look cold. Orion was already curious about the man before he could got close enough to get a better look. The man was… really attractive, for lack of any coherent thoughts that Orion seemed incapable of forming at the moment. Maybe it was for the best if Orion forgot about the beach and just went ahead and headed home. He could grab a shower before training. Unfortunately for Orion, he had been too busy staring at the stranger that he hadn’t been looking where he was going. His fought caught against something on the ground, and with a yelp he felt face first onto the cold, frozen sand.

It wasn’t until someone tripped and fell flat on their face that Ricky’s terrible hearing told him he wasn’t alone on the beach. He turned to see someone trip and hit the hard sand and tossed his bundle of of driftwood to the side “Oh shit!” Running over he offered a hand to the young and admittedly cute as hell man to help him up, “Definitely not the kind of weather you wanna be rolling in the sand in. Warm sand is better than icy sand for sure.” The guy looked vaguely familiar, and Ricky couldn’t quite place where he knew him from, racking his brain as he waited for the guy to grab his hand, “Definitely thought I’d have the beach to myself this morning. Usually people avoid it during the winter, so it’s the best time to wander it.” He did a quick once over to make sure the cute brunette hadn’t cut himself on something before offering up his most glittering smile, “I’m Ricky, by the way. Welcome to the wonderful world of getting sand outta your hair!” 

Orion should have known that he couldn’t get out of the situation without finding a way to embarrass himself. Though he wished he could have done it less painfully. The sand was cold and hard, packed so tightly together that it refused to budge when Orion’s face collided with it. Even worse, the man had witnessed it happen and ran over, handing out a hand as an obvious offer of help to Orion. Up close, the man was even prettier, which made Orion want to bury his face back into the sand. Orion sighed deeply, trying to avoid driving himself into complete panic mode, he grabbed onto the man’s hand and let him pull Orion back up onto two feet. “It’s not as soft.” Orion agreed, wiping at his face to try to wipe away any grains of sand that may be sticking there. At least there were some perks to face planting at a beach in winter. The frozen sand made less san stick to his face, and the cold air made it less obvious how hard Orion was blushing. “Um. Same here. It’s a little…” Orion took stock of the man standing in front of him, probably about half a foot taller than Orion himself. He was barefoot with a tank top on. Not exactly February attire. “Uh cold. Aren’t you freezing?” Orion was freezing in a long sleeve shirt, hoodie and track pants. “Ricky?” Orion questioned, immediately picturing his online conversation with the master of self-confidence, “Like, three nice things in a mirror Ricky? I’m Orion! Or Rio. Uh… we talked online. About self-confidence.”

Feeling his smile grow even brighter by several orders of magnitude, he nodded vehemently, loose curls flying around his face, “Three things in a mirror Ricky! And you’re my fucking favorite constellation dude! Are you saying the nice things? Do I need to pull my Ricky magic and just fucking teleport and make you say them?” Rio’s hand was shockingly warm as he dragged him back up to his feet. He wanted to brush some of the sand from the other man’s hair, but, remembering the difficulty with which Orion had even agreed to saying nice things about himself, Ricky thought that physical contact was probably a big no. “Huh?” He looked down at the torn black jeans, tank top, and bare feet and realized that to a normal human, like Orion apparently was, and not somebody gifted with Selkie biology and body heat, he looked like a crazy person. “Not really. I love the cold. If it’s too hot I just feel gross and lethargic. Cold always perks me up. It’s like my gramma always says, craiceann fuar, aigne gear… cold skin, sharp mind.” He scratched idly at his shoulders, fingers tracing the whorls of the tattoo that poked out from under his shirt without really thinking about it, “Do you need something to wipe the sand off your hoodie? You can use my shirt. I promise I put it on right after my shower this morning, it’s not like gross or anything.” The smile stayed bright, if a little less manic as he beamed down at the shorter man, “What brings you to my beach this blustery day?”

“Oh uh that’s me! I’m saying them, I promise.” Orion laughed nervously. He had been trying, truly. Though usually he could only think of basic things, like ‘your hoodie looks nice’ or ‘good job surviving training’. But it was a start. He was mostly surprised that Ricky had actually remembered him. As the two talked, Orion casually wiped at the sand that had stuck to his hoodie and pants. Orion understood preferring the cold to the heat, but there was still a line to be drawn. But he figured that was Ricky’s business, not his own. Orion couldn’t quite catch the words spoken until Ricky said translated them, but the foreign language made Orion perk up. “I love that! Was that… Gaelic?” He guessed, unsurprised by the fact that a foreign language was what could work to break Orion out of his shell. But Ricky offering the shirt off his back was just enough to shove him right back into said shell. “Oh uh no, no! I don’t want to do that. It’s fine it’s just sand.” Orion shrugged and chuckled through gritted teeth. His arms were bad enough, he didn’t need the whole package to have to avoid staring at. As things were now, Orion was trying to focus on a particularly dark patch of clouds drifting towards them instead of making eye contact. “I was just killing time before heading home. Nothing exciting. You?”

“Good. Nobody wants to see me in the mirror behind them in the morning…. Well…” Ricky scratched the stubble on his chin thoughtfully, “They do… but not like that.” he had to admit he was a little surprised that Rio could pick Gaelic up by sound alone. Most people forgot that it was an actual language, “It was! My mom was from Ireland so I grew up speaking it, and since my dad’s from Venezuela I grew up speaking Spanish at the same time. Son of two immigrants I’m just like the walking American dream.” Rio’s body language and tone took a sharp turn after he’d made the offer of the shirt, and Ricky quickly pivoted the conversation, “Collecting driftwood.” he gestured to the pile left abandoned behind him, “Got some orders to fill. Middle class folks just love driftwood home accessories. GIves them that whole ‘on this is only my summer home’ vibe and they’ll pay well for it.” He felt his eyebrow raise a little before chuckling, “Killing time on the beach in February. Sounds like a damn cold escape. But it is nice to see a friendly face out here.” 

Orion’s eyes widened at the obvious innuendo and a nervous laughter escaped his lips. He had to admit that the self confidence was impressive. After Orion was done laughing, a genuine smile rested in its place. The confidence was endearing and not something he was used to. Except on Athena, where it was not nearly as appealing. “I love that! That’s so cool. I’m really interested in learning about different languages. Spanish is actually on my list. I mean they’re all on my list. But since I can’t feasibly learn all the languages, I have a top five that I want to start with.” He realized that he was rambling now. Something he tended to do when he was nervous or overexcited. In this case, both. “Orders to fill?” Orion asked curiously, eager to shut himself up, “Oh? For the art? I think it’s really cool that you make things for others and sell them. That’s impressive.” Orion gripped at his hoodie, scratching at his arm nervously and eventually crossing his arms to stop himself from fidgeting. He couldn’t help how awkward he got around people, especially attractive people, but he had practiced ways to make him appear a little less awkward. Or at least he hoped that it did. “What? No! Not escaping at all. Just uh wasn’t ready to go home yet.” Orion was back to laughing nervously, searching for something else to say. Anything else to say. “Homework! Once I get back to the house I gotta start on classwork and I’m avoiding that like the plague. But I agree! About the friendly face.  Oh and thanks for helping me up by the way… I don’t think I said that before.”

“Well hey! If you ever need someone to practice your Spanish with, I’m around!” It was nice to see what appeared to be a genuine smile come to rest on Rio’s face, “It’s also cool that you have a top 5 list of languages to learn. I just speak like…. three and a half and I think that’s probably where I’m gonna stay.” Ricky chuckled a little as he started to pick the pieces he’d left on the sand “yeah. People need their decorative driftwood candle holders or side tables. Though it’s not nearly as impressive as you’re making it sound. It’s just what I do. Some people teach. Some people are scientists. I’m just a dude in a workshop playing with some wood… which came out wrong I’m so sorry.” Rio practically radiated a nervous energy, which wasn’t what people usually were like around Ricky. It was a little unnerving, and a little upsetting if he was honest. So much of Ricky’s energy and life was spent making the people around him happy and comfortable, not being able to do that here made his brow crinkle slightly. “I don’t fucking miss homework. God. I’m almost done with my masters and it’s mostly practical assignments now. If I ever have to write another paper again I’ll cry. I was…… not a strong student. Shall we say. Pretty much the opposite. School was always super hard for me.” His laugh cut through the wind and the waves brightly “you don’t gotta thank me for that my dude. Just what I do…” the thought trailed off as he looked up and saw some pitch black clouds he hadn’t noticed before coming in very fast from the East, “huh……. that’s…… not great”

“Really?” Orion asked, a bit of wonder apparent in his voice. There was no faster way to learn a language than immersing himself in the language and culture. He started in baby steps, listening to the music, changing the languages on movies to the language he was learning. Eventually working up to changing his phone and laptop languages to his language of choice. But having a practicing partner would be even better. “I would love that. And three and a half languages is super impressive. Uh- What other languages do you know? English, Spanish… Are you fluent in Gaelic?” Orion asked, immediately excited. Certain languages were pretty common around the area now, so seeing one of the rarer languages was incredibly exciting. “Don’t sell yourself short. I bet your art makes a lot of people super happy. Their days are better because of the art you make. That’s gotta be pretty cool.” Orion’s breath caught at the accidental innuendo and he scratched nervously at his neck. For how cold it was outside, his face was surprisingly warm. The blushing must be intense, but he hoped that Ricky just assumed it was the cold air on his cheeks that was making Orion flush. “Schooling isn’t easy. I think having a good professor makes a huge difference on the level of difficulty a class is-“ Orion was interrupted by Ricky’s statement, noticing the dark clouds rolling up against them. The wind had picked up as well, and Orion could tell that rain wasn’t too far behind. Scratch that, just a few moments later Orion felt the first few drops against his skin. The rain was here now.

“Oh yeah dude. I mean half the time I talk to myself in not-english and I talk to myself a LOT. A partner wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. At least somebody would be talking back. He fiddled with the bundle of wood in his hand as he listened to Orion ramble, which he seemed to do a lot. Ricky wondered if it was nervousness around a stranger, nervousness around a hot stranger, or just a general state of being, “I am. I’m fluent in Gaelic, Spanish, and English… and I’m like…. Moderately passable at ASL. I’ve got pretty terrible hearing, and I can read lips really well, but one of my other friends who’s also hard of hearing uses ASL a lot and I’m trying to get better at it for her.” He couldn’t help but laugh at Rio’s incredibly earnest compliment, opting for a gentle shoulder punch as the safest form of physically expressing his thanks, “That’s real sweet of you, Rio, but this shit doesn’t make people happy. They just feel momentarily fulfilled because they bought something and they can brag about it being artisanal. Some of my stuff makes people happy. When I make someone a piece of furniture. Or carve them a box in the shape of a weeping willow that they put pictures of a loved one in because they’d spent a lot of time together under a tree like that. Something make people happy… just not driftwood shit.” When Rio started talking about professors and helping make classes easier Ricky had been about to interject that no, he was just legitimately not that smart when he felt the first drops. “Fuck.” Before the word was even fully out of his mouth the gentle hiss of a drizzle on sand had turned into the sound of full-blown torrential downpour, interjected with peals of thunder and flashes of vivid lightning. “My workshop is right up the bluff!” He pointed towards the stairs leading back up, and the peak of the roof just barely visible over the edge, “We can wait this out there if you want!” Without really waiting to hear Rio’s response he started running towards the safety of the workshop, and the warm dryness it represented. 

Orion was so excited to be talking to someone that knew so many languages that he was actually passionate enough to talk to this complete stranger. The rambling wasn’t exactly ideal, but it was better than the alternative. Curt responses and stuttering. A staple of Orion’s conversations and one of the many reasons that he spent most of his time hiding out in a building that had been abandoned for forty years. He was even more excited to hear that Ricky was also learning ASL. He briefly wondered if the friend he was talking about was Skylar, but she had mentioned that multiple people had expressed interest in the language to her. Maybe there were just a lot of ASL users in this area. Regardless, it was exciting to know someone else that Orion could practice with as well. Though, he didn’t like hearing about Ricky’s theory about the furniture. Regardless of the source, whether it was driftwood or the weeping willow box. It all sounded beautiful. But Orion didn’t get much of a chance to tell him that, since the rain came rolling in way faster than expected. Ricky shouted something about a workshop and then took off across the beach, Orion following behind as quickly as he could. The rain pelted against Orion’s clothes hard enough to bruise. Ricky was just a blur in Orion’s eyesight, but Orion followed behind, leading up to the workshop and rushing in with Ricky. Despite what must have been only a minute or two out in the rain, water poured off of Orion’s body as if he had suddenly decided to hop into the shower fully clothed. He was shivering, the mix of cold and the pelting rain turning hands almost a purplish color, he could only imagine what the rest of him looked like. But after getting over the initial shock of the sudden change in weather, Orion finally glanced around the workshop. It was filled with art, works in progress and some that looked completed, or maybe they still had some work to go as well. But it was all incredible. “Holy… woah.”

It was…. Slightly uncomfortable having somebody in his workshop. Even Winston hadn’t seen it for the first month they’d lived together, and they lived together. Inviting someone who was a total stranger into it made Ricky nervous and as someone who didn’t get nervous… he was uncomfortable with the situation. “Uh… sorry about the mess.” He quickly turned on the space heater in the corner; while his ongoing curse meant he was cold as the grave constantly, he could see Rio’s hands literally starting to turn so pale it was worrying. He rooted around on a shelf in the back and pulled out an old sweatshirt proudly emblazoned with UMaine’s mascot, Bananas the Bear, and the words “Swim Team Captain” and “Cordero” on the back, “Here. you can put this on til your hoodie dries. You’re gonna freeze to death if you keep that thick wet thing on… like legit.” He awkwardly squeezed water out of his curly hair and shuffled his feet on the ground, “So uh…. Yeah. Workshop.” It almost felt like Rio could look directly into his soul. This room didn’t just house the things he made for others, it also housed the things he made for him. The schematics for his new hopefully-unsolvable-by-genius-draugrs puzzle box were scattered about a table, meticulously labelled. An unfinished sculpture of a man carrying a giant torch sat on the back bench. It was all, frankly, a little much.

The change in attitude was almost immediate from the moment that Orion walked through the door. The Ricky here in the workshop was a completely different person than the one that Orion had talked to online and the beach. He seemed nervous and a little more stiff in his movements. Orion got the impression that wasn’t used to others being inside his place of work, and didn’t seem to like it much either. Orion didn’t take it personally, of course, but decided that it would probably be best to leave as soon as possible. A loud crack of thunder from outside made Orion second guess himself. He would leave as soon as the weather cleared up. Soon, Ricky was handing off a shirt, way too large for Orion himself, and telling him to change into it to get into something dry. The shirt was from the college and had Ricky’s last name embroidered on the back, which he remembered had certain implications in high school that Orion would choose to ignore. But Ricky expected Orion to… change into this? Now? In front of him? Orion immediately stiffened up and felt dizzy. “Oh uh – Thank-thank you.” He laughed nervously, though the laugh came out more pathetic than he had hoped, “Do you uh.. have like a bathroom or some place that I can change into it?”

If Ricky was uncomfortable with having Rio in his studio, at least the other man looked just as uncomfortable. When he mentioned changing into the sweatshirt Rio’s entire body language and tone suggested he hadn’t had a high school experience filled with locker rooms. When he asked about the bathroom Ricky couldn’t help but smile weakly. “Uh not in here. Sorry. I just converted the garage. But um… “ he quickly scrambled for something. Rio couldn’t stay in the wet hoodie. It might legitimately be the death of him. “Oh!” He perked up slightly as his brain prevented what should have been the immediately obvious solution, “I’ll go outside!” He had a hand on the door knob before it clicked that this would mean leaving Rio alone in his workshop. With his art. His secret art. That he never showed anyone. And would probably burn before anyone saw it. But Rio was seeing it. Before he could burn it. Fuck. “Just like. Uh. There’re towels on the shelf there. If you wanna dry off. Use the ones on the shelf. They’re clean. Ones on the bench probs have varnish or stain on them. Just like, holler when you’re done.” Before Rio could object, which Ricky was sure he would, he dashed through the door, standing back in the brutal downpour. 

Orion was perfectly fine with freezing to death in his hoodie, rather than change in front of Ricky. And yet, the idea of Ricky willingly walking back out into the rain just to let Orion change in solitude was even more embarrassing. How selfish did Orion have to be to make Ricky do that? He tried arguing against the man, but Ricky was already fumbling with the door knob, yelling about towels and rushing out into the rain. As if it wasn’t just as dangerous for him to be out there, barefoot in the freezing rain. Orion sighed... it was too late now, he supposed. Orion grabbed one of the tells Ricky had pointed out before making his way over to stand by the space heater. Even alone, Orion was uncomfortable getting changed in this small space. But slowly, he peeled off the soaking hoodie, followed by the long sleeve shirt underneath that refused to unpeel from his skin. One strip pulled against a fresh bruise and Orion winced in pain but remained careful not to make any noise. The last thing he needed was Ricky rushing back in because he thought Orion had hurt himself. Once both were off he patted gently at the skin with the towel. As he did so, a couple of pieces from across the room. Charcoal sketches of Ricky, as well as a sketch of a child with a woman. Maybe Ricky and his mom? A chessboard that Orion had noticed when he first walked in (as a fan) but was just now realizing that it was a board that Ricky had built himself. There were also a few sketches of people that Orion wasn’t familiar with around the room. He finished dabbing at the cold skin and crawled into the sweater. It was massive on Orion, who was practically swimming in the material. The sleeves hung past his hands and the shirt went down to his mid thigh. But it was dry and warm and comfortable, so Orion couldn’t complain much. He was walking back towards the door when he stopped at the torch statue. From afar, it was a pretty immaculate statue. But closer it was even more beautiful. He could see the man rising from waves and tears falling from his face. It was hauntingly beautiful, a surprisingly sad sight coming from someone as confident as Ricky. Speaking of, he realized that he had spent too long snooping through the man’s personal art and leaving him alone in the rain. “Uh- Hey you can come in.” Orion yelled out towards the door, hoping it was enough for Ricky to hear him.

The rain was cold, so cold it almost felt like burning, in a weird paradoxical sense. But then again, that could have just been Ricky himself. The curse had stretched on for over a month now, and there hadn’t been a moment’s respite or warmth the entire time. Morgan had said that they were close to breaking it, and he believed her, it was just a little hard to see the silver lining when his very core felt frozen to listlessness. The garage lacked eaves, and therefor any way of protecting himself from the rain, but the force of the deluge was such that he honestly didn’t think it would matter. His teeth began to chatter, and all he could think to do was just start talking. Ghosts were real, maybe his mom was listening. “Not really a fan of leaving him in there, ma. But. Man’s clearly got some body related issues and far be it from me to judge any of those.” He continued his conversation with the empty air, fluid Gaelic slipping in and around the interruptions of the thunder until he heard Rio yelling from inside. Quickly ducking through the door he stood just inside, shutting it behind him and dripping onto the floor. The sight of Rio drowning in his hoodie was…. honestly a lot more adorable than it should have been, but Ricky quickly pushed that thought from his mind as he shot the other man a crooked smile. “Uh. Hey. So. I’m gonna take my shirt off. Because it’s cold and wet af… I just wanted to like…. forewarn you or something.” Turning back towards the door so his back was to Rio, Ricky stripped off the sodden tank top and let it fall to the floor. He knew either side of him that faced Rio there’d be things to raise the other man’s eyebrow. Ricky had a fair number of scars on him from misadventures in the ocean, it was just a matter of which ones he was showing off. “So……….. yeah. I’m gonna be honest with you man. I’m at a bit of a loss as to what to do here.”

Orion couldn’t help but feel miserable watching Ricky walk back into his own workshop dripping wet from the storm that Orion had inadvertently sent him back out into. Orion grabbed another towel from the stack and began walking towards Ricky, freezing when Ricky warned him about taking his shirt off. “It’s fine. It doesn’t bother me.” Orion claimed. He was only partially lying. An attractive guy taking his shirt off in front of Orion was bothersome, but not nearly as bad as the idea of Orion himself exposing his body. He could survive as long as he stayed clothed. Ricky turned his back, pulling the tanktop off. Orion went to look away, but the sight stopped him short. There were scars lining his back, not unsimilar to the ones on Orion’s. His head tilted curiously, focusing in on the wounds and wondering how Ricky had gotten those scars. But Ricky speaking finally snapped him out of the spell and Orion quickly looked away from Ricky’s body. “Uh, I grabbed you a towel.” Orion threw the towel over to Ricky and realized that though he was technically here by invitation, he wasn’t quite sure he was welcome. Orion wanted to talk about Ricky’s art, tell him how cool and beautiful it was. How talented Ricky was. But wasn’t sure if that was the right move considering it hadn’t been Ricky’s intention to show the place off. “Uh – Thanks again for letting me come over and wash it off. I don’t think the rain is that bad anymore. So I can probably head out now. Thanks again.” Orion awkwardly grabbed for his soaked hoodie and long sleeve shirt and then began heading towards the door.

As soon as Orion mentioned that it didn’t bother him if Ricky took his shirt off he could immediately tell that it did. Which was unfortunate because Ricky had been seriously considering ditching his jeans too, but it seemed like the sight of a guy only in some black boxer briefs might be more than the nervous young man could handle, “Uh huh…” as he slipped out of the shirt he couldn’t help but call Rio out on what was obviously a lie. “Thanks for the towel.” He turned to face Rio and catch the thrown towel before using it to dry his still sopping hair. When he was finished he draped it over his shoulders, using it to cover as much of himself as he could. Jagged scars stood out bright white against the darker skin he’d inherited from his father, and some of them involved stories he couldn’t really tell. Luckily, he didn’t feel the need to explain as Rio made some motion to start heading out into the deluge. Before Ricky could respond, a crack of thunder shook the small building and he looked through his damp curls at the other man, “Bullfuckingshit you are, Orion. It hasn’t let up a single goddamn iota and if you think I’m letting you go out in that you have another thought coming. I will strip goddamn naked and stand in front of this door to stop you but you’re definitely not leaving yet.” His inborn protective streak overrode his nervousness at having someone in his most secret sanctum and he tried to give what he hoped was a reassuring smile, “Do you like tea? I’ve got an electric kettle out here. And some really fucking dope lapsang suchong that I got from town the other day.”

Orion was being threatened, so apparently he wasn’t leaving the workshop. Not until the rain actually let up. Orion held his hands up in surrender and backed away from the door. He supposed he could hang out here a bit longer. “Uh sure, tea is fine.” Orion didn’t have much experience with tea, his family preferring coffee to anything else. But he could give it a try. He wasn’t sure that either of them were particularly comfortable with the choice, but it had been made. So Orion awkwardly set the wet tops back down and awkwardly strolled around the place as Ricky worked to get the tea ready. This time, he tried to be more subtle, not full out gawking at the art. He didn’t want to make Ricky uncomfortable. But he decided that if he were staying any longer than it was worth the risk to at least tell Ricky how great his art was. “Um…” Orion spoke aloud but couldn’t quite find the words to say. Instead, he began talking with his hands, putting together a few words that he had learned in sign language. I think your art is really beautiful. Suddenly, he realized that Ricky had said he just barely knew ASL. So he finally spoke, “Um… I think your art is really beautiful.” Orion repeated himself, speaking slowly and signing the words again as he spoke.

“Tea is always good. You’ll like this. It’s smoked over pine needles so it smells literally like a cup of campfire.” Ricky turned on the kettle and pulled two mugs down, carefully spooning the loose tea into a steeper. He watched out of the corner of his eye as Orion made his orbit around the room, obviously looking at everything. It couldn’t be helped; he knew he was at least passably talented and he’d invited the man in, but when Rio turned and signed out that he thought his art was beautiful, for some unknown reason Ricky felt a lump in his throat. He chuffed a laugh and nodded gratefully when the other repeated his phrase out loud, Thank you. He signed back, But beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I think I see more flaws than you do, you might be...  his knowledge failed him for a moment as he tried to remember symbols “Claonta.” he finally muttered out loud, his brain having to click through several languages to get his meaning across, “Biased.” He poured the water over the tea leaves and offered a mug out to Rio, “you should let it steep for five or so minutes, but it’ll be nice to hold. Warm you up. Plus it smells good.” 

Luckily, it seemed Ricky could recognize Orion’s signing. He signed back towards Orion, the boy being pleasantly surprised that he was able to follow the conversation. He was picking up quickly on the language. “Claonta” Orion mumbled to himself, wanting to hear the word from his own lips to get a feel of the language. Orion assumed that it was Gaelic. He would need to consider adding the language to his current list. After all, a lot of history behind Fae fell within Irish and Scottish mythology. If he was going to protect the creatures from his family, it couldn’t hurt to learn a language that some of them may still comprehend. At the very least, he could use them to help translate some of the older journals in the Scribe library. “I don’t think I’m biased at all. I don’t even know you.” Orion claimed, walking to Ricky to gently grab the cup from his hands. The mug was hot, but Orion welcomed the warmth, maybe it would give some color back to his skin. Not that he had much to begin with. “If anything, I’d say you’re the one who is biased. Spend too much time on something and you begin to obsess over every little flaw.” As he waited for the tea to finish steeping, he listened towards the walls, waiting for the rain to let up. He had bothered Ricky enough. Now it was time to go. “Are you selling any of this stuff? Or is it just for you?”

It brought a smile to Ricky’s face to hear someone, even somewhat clumsily, speaking the language of his heart, “That was surprisingly not terrible.” Their fingers brushed briefly as Orion took the mug, and Ricky found the somewhat strange and unwelcome thought in his head that he was sad he was still cursed, because he couldn’t actually feel what they felt like. That was absolutely not where his mind needed to go right now. “It’s my livelihood. I have to obsess over every flaw. If stuff starts going out flawed then… I’m up shit creek.” He took a slow orbit around the room, tea abandoned on the table as he looked over what Orion was seeing (not that he could even feel its warmth anyway). “It’s a little bit of both. Some commissions. Some just... “ His voice fell uncharacteristically silent, because it wasn’t used to speaking about these pieces. His hands haltingly rose to finish the sentence, Working some things out. He tried not to look at what was very clearly a self portrait in wood and metaphor but his eyes glanced over it quickly, “But. Enough about me. My heart’s pretty clearly and embarrassingly laid out here. Tell me about you. Why such trouble with being nice to yourself in the mirror?” 

Flattered by the comment, Orion scratched at the back if his neck nervously, “I’ve been told that I pick up on languages pretty quickly. But I am familiar with Gaelic a bit, so I know about the pronunciations.” Orion shrugged, trying to not make much of it, “Some of my favorite pieces of history come from mythology, and European mythology has all kinds of fascinating folklore, so I’ve come across Gaelic a few times while learning about those stories.” But the last thing Orion wanted to do was bore Ricky to sleep with boring history crap. And clearly, the last thing Ricky wanted to do was talk about his art, as he changed the subject pretty quickly. Message received. Even if Orion had no interest in talking about himself, he would bite. He was the guest after all. “Um, honestly I’m pretty boring. Nothing super exciting about me.” Orion started, finally taking a sip of the tea. The taste was a lot stronger than he had expected, but not hating it. It had an earthy taste to it that Orion couldn’t exactly pinpoint. “I’ve lived here my whole life. I live here on Harris Island with my parents and twin sister. Uh, and I’m in college right now. Double majoring in history and computer science. Honestly, there’s nothing else even remotely interesting about me. I just have never had a ton of self-confidence. What do you want to know?”

“That’s beyond impressive. It’s one of the harder European languages. Maybe I’ll have to recruit you to be my language buddy. I can teach you some Gaelic so I don’t have to call my gramma for a decent conversation.” Rio seemed to have a mean investigative streak if he was reading deep enough myths to need any sort of scrap of Gaelic knowledge. Listening to Rio talk about himself was, in a way, painful. Every statement was colored by some caveat about how he was boring or uninteresting and Ricky couldn’t stomach hearing it. It hit some deep part of him, something inherited from his mother and her bottomless capacity for good, and he wanted to help fix it. “Surprised we haven’t run into each other on the beach before. I’ve lived on Harris Island since I was ten after… yeah since I was ten. But history and computer science is really cool dude. That’s like… Jesus. That’s way above my intelligence level. Like. Miles above it.” He took a sip of his own tea. “Here’s your first Gaelic lesson. Repeat after me. Taím cliste. Táim suimiúil. Is fiú a bheith ag caint faoi.” It might have been a dirty trick. But. It wouldn’t be the first time Ricky had conned someone into being nice to themselves. 

“Oh! I’d love that.” Orion agreed a little too quickly. “I mean, if you’re serious. I am always interested in learning more about languages.” Not that he didn’t have enough on his plate already, but it was just another language. What could be so bad about learning the basics? Besides, if he befriended Ricky then maybe Rio could convince him to help translate some of the journals at the Scribe headquarters. He would just need to figure out how to explain that to him. “Yeah, that’s crazy. Small word I guess.” Rio of course knew why they hadn’t run into each other. Orion’s childhood was filled with training, studying and school. No time for distractions or useless hobbies. It wasn’t until just a few years ago that they were granted a few new freedoms. But that didn’t matter, not anymore. “It’s not. I mean, it’s-“ Orion cut himself off. He wanted to say the majors were nothing special, but he couldn’t say that without Ricky defending Orion’s honor or something. Better to just ignore it and speak some Gaelic. Orion repeated the words back to Ricky slowly, knowing enough to understand that Orion was saying something about himself. “Wait… what did you just make me say about myself?”

“I’m absolutely serious. I can only handle hearing someone ask me why I don’t have a husband yet and when I’m going to adopt her some grandkids so many times before I seriously consider throwing myself off the bluff outside. Someone who can talk to me about other things in my native… well… at least what I consider my native tongue, is always welcome.” Ricky returned to his tea, holding it loosely in one hand as he listened to Rio, enjoying the smell of smoke that wafted off the warm liquid, “Though to be fair I think I’m a couple years older than you, and I spent a lot of my time out in the woods being sullen and a grump and one eyeliner pencil away a poster child for behavior issues. Didn’t really take the time to get to know the rest of the island.” It was actually legitimately impressive that Rio could even pick up that he was talking about himself. It indicated more than just a passing knowledge of the language, “you know, sometimes affirmations work better if you don’t know you’re saying them. But, you were saying that you were smart, that you were interesting, and that you’re worth talking about. Which are all incredibly valid statements.” 

Orion gulped at Ricky’s statement. Had he just said husband? That was a twist that Orion hadn’t necessarily expected. He had just expected the muscled, ridiculously tall and attractive man was straight, like everyone else. But Orion needed to get a grip on himself before he ended up having a panic attack or passing out on Ricky’s floor.  “Uh- yeah. Well I’d be honored. I love having someone else to practice with.” He took small sips of the tea to avoid it burning his mouth. “Yeah well, I didn’t get out much. So I guess it makes sense that we missed each other.” Orion wasn’t sure how much older Ricky was than himself, but wondered what it might have been like if the two had met each other years prior. Maybe Ricky would have been able to force his self confidence on Orion back when it could have actually fixed him. “Wow. Cheap trick dude.” Orion laughed, cursing himself for actually saying the word dude out loud. To another person. Jesus he was awkward. “Is this what practicing languages will be like? Just you trying to trick me into compliments?”

It didn’t seem like Ricky could make a statement without Rio looking like he was about to pass out from the shock of it, and somehow it seemed like the revelation that he was gay was another thing added to that list. Ricky didn’t think it was a homophobia thing, he’d seen some of the glances the other man had given him when he’d taken his shirt off, but either way, it probably wasn’t a good look if a near-stranger passed out in his workshop. “I think it’s easier. My gaelic got rusty after my mom died, and it wasn’t until I went over to Ireland to meet her family and see the village she grew up in that it really got strong again, and that’s because they prefer to speak Gaelic. Gramma legit refuses to speak English.” He almost snorted tea out of his nose when Rio called him dude, if only because it seemed like the most out of character terminology for the man to use, “Is it a trick if I’m just getting you to speak the truth in a different way?” He sat at one of the stools in front of his workbench and pulled a piece of paper towards him, idly sketching as he talked, “We had to read The Picture of Dorian Gray in high school and like, oof, not my fav, but, at some point someone says something about how an object of beauty can’t ever truly appreciate itself because it can’t accurately grasp the entirety of its own beauty. Think of it that way. I’m just like… filling you in on the beauty you’re missing.” 

Orion hadn’t expected to hear that Ricky’s mom had passed. He supposed Ricky had seemed too positive for something like that to have happened to him. Though the fact made a few of the art pieces around the room make a bit more sense. The portraits of his mother and himself, never past a certain age. Orion could only assume that those pictures were from around the age that his mom had died. It also helped explain some of the sadness that emanated from the torch statue. “My parent’s don’t see the point in learning another language besides Latin. Which they only made us learn so we could read the bible.” Orion blinked a few times after saying it, surprised by himself that it had come out of his mouth. “But my sister and I both love them. Of course, she’s better than me at it. She’s fluent in quite a few languages already.” It was too late now he supposed. He was careful not to expose too many secrets about his family. Too dangerous for all parties. “It’s definitely still a trick. Regardless.” Orion giggled. “I can’t believe I just got compared to an Oscar Wilde character. I mean, that’s like every literary college student’s dream.” Orion’s hunter hearing picked up on the changes outside, the pounding of the rain against the workshop lessening, the sounds of thunder further and further away. He scratched at the back of his ear instinctively. “Uh, sounds like it’s finally letting up. So I can get out of your hair soon.”

As far as sentences that made it sound like you were raised in a cult went… revealing that your parents only allowed you to learn Latin so you could read the bible was right the fuck up there, “Well…” Ricky attempted to be as tactful as he absolutely could, which was a stretch for the normally blunt if charming seal, “There’s certainly something to be said for reading the classics in their original language.” Which was technically going to be Aramaic or something along those but Ricky certainly wasn’t going to split semantic hairs like that. He was just going to take this victory and keep on going. “Never really had much religion when I was growing up. I think my dad was raised Catholic, but my mom wasn’t, so it really wasn’t around much. Then, you know after she… and then he left… so not really much church going in my childhood.” The series of truncated phrases had left an awkward feeling in the air that Ricky quickly attempted to cover up as he scrambled through one of the drawers looking for something, “Well then I guess I’m just going to have to start reading a lot more, if that’s the key to getting you to accept compliments.” When Rio made the comment about the rain letting up, Ricky laughed, straightening as he found what he was looking for in his desk, “Well, this isn’t Phantom of the Opera, Rio. I’m not holding you captive in the catacombs, you’re welcome to leave whenever you want, though you being here definitely isn’t you being in my hair. My hair is way too nice for that.” Not strictly true, he was still about ten seconds from an anxiety attack with Rio seeing all of his art, but Ricky had a feeling that if Rio knew that there’d be an explosion of mutual anxiety. “Well. Here’s my card.” He held out what he’d been looking for in his desk, one of the many cards he’d had made when VistaPrint was having a sale. “Ricky A Cordero, Woodwork and Restoration” Printed in bold font in bronze on a black background. It looked far fancier than Ricky himself was, but, it had definitely gotten him some business. “I’m serious about the language thing. I can teach you Gaelic if you want, and I’m down to practice Spanish whenever you get a handle on it.” He also grabbed the piece of paper he’d been sketching on, folding it into quarters and passing it over to Rio, “Open it when you’re out of the rain. But. To help with the mirror affirmations in the morning. You know, I’m really glad that we got caught in the rain together.” 

Orion wanted to tell Ricky that he wasn’t religious either. To have something in common. That he could never feel the pain of losing a parent, let alone both. But he could relate to parental issues in an entirely different way. But Orion had already said way too much. He had an image to uphold. His family was too dangerous on their own, and Orion wasn’t strong enough to stop them. Not yet at least. So, for now it would have to be left at that. He could read between the lines of Ricky’s statement. He knew what it had meant. “There are a lot of books I’d love to be able to read in their original texts. Just to see how much the translations differed.” Ricky was being nice obviously, offering Orion the chance to stay as long as he wanted. But Orion could tell that he was still on edge about someone he didn’t know well being inside of his workshop, so Orion decided it was time to take his leave and ease both of their minds before one of them lost it. But Ricky won a laugh out of Orion for the laughed at the hair joke at least. “Thanks. It’s fine. I need to get back soon anyways.” He grabbed the card from Ricky and inspected, noting the number on the card. Was Ricky just giving Rio his number? Definitely no time to explore that without freaking out, so Orion moved on. “I will definitely take you up on that! Once I get settled with my other classes.” Orion awkwardly took the scrap of paper and glanced at the outside of it, stuffing it into his jean pocket when he couldn’t make out any of the details from the outside. “Uh – yes. You too! It was nice meeting you.” Orion didn’t know how to take anything about Ricky’s statement, and was too afraid to think any deeper into it. Not right now at least, so he finished off his tea and handed the mug back off to Ricky before walking towards the door and giving one last awkward wave, “Welp. Bye then.”

When Orion got home, he went up to his room and immediately dug the paper out of his pocket and set it on his dresser. He began changing into different clothes but stared at the folded piece of paper the entire time. He slipped out of his soaked track pants and into a pair of dry joggers. Then he gently took off Ricky’s hoodie and folded it to add it onto his dresser next to the folded-up piece of paper. In Orion’s mirror, he examined the scars and bruises that riddled his body. Though not very similar to Ricky’s own scars, it was strange seeing someone else with their own wounds. Like the two shared a connection, even if Ricky couldn’t know about Orion’s. Orion was not brave enough to show the world what Ricky was willing to. He slipped on a short sleeve shirt, the training coming up being the only time he was willing to do so. The shirt would end up getting torn anyways, so no need to waste a long sleeve shirt. Before heading down, he finally grabbed onto the piece of paper and began unfolding, unsure of what to expect. But of all the ideas, he certainly hadn’t expected the portrait of Orion that Ricky had drawn. He recognized the stance as the constellation and he recognized the hunter’s face as his own, but other than that there were so many differences between Orion and the portrait in front of him. The hunter stood tall, not slouched as Orion so often did. The look on the hunter’s face wore confidence and determination, something that the anxiety ridden Orion did not have. ‘To Help with the Mirror Affirmations in the morning’ Ricky had said. A view that Ricky had wanted Orion to see for himself. Jesus. What did that mean? Orion had stared at the picture for a long while before he finally heard a voice yelling from downstairs. “Orion! You’re late. Let’s go. Practice is about to start. Athena is already in the guest house” He could hear from his mom’s tone that he shouldn’t make her wait any longer. He folded the paper back up and stuffed it into his top drawer. “Sorry! Coming now.” He yelled back down, before rushing into the hallway and pulling the door shut behind him.

[13parkfilter]

a wangxian playlist no one asked for

These are track notes for a wangxian playlist no one asked for, because CQL / mdzs fandom ate my life and I somehow needed to make a super dramatic 28 song playlist that follows wangxian’s love in (extremely loose) chronological order, from their first meeting as cute battle teens all the way through the depths of angst and eventually to becoming cultivation partners and (I’m positive) really great co-parenting dads. 

Because I’m like that ™ , you can find notes for each and every song below. Any weird song choices are entirely my fault. Spoiler alert: Frank Ocean.

This is a real long playlist and you could definitely break it into shorter stretches by mood. For the happiest and most in love vibes, hit the first 6 songs and the last 6 songs. Dramatic Burial Mounds vibes are from 7 to 13. It may be very satisfying to go from the depths of sadness and grief (~16) through to the end. 

1.  Don’t Know What to Do | BLACKPINK

Inspired, of course, by WYB and XZ’s demonstrated love of Blackpink in the CQL BTS videos. For a little while Stay was on this list instead, but I kept coming back to this song because to me it gets at that excited “everything is new and I’m young and so in love” feeling. Two people could certainly have a playful duel under the moonlight to this song, if they wished.

2.  A Loving Feeling | Mitski

Something about Mitski’s melancholy, slightly maudlin and self-deprecating vibe in this song is just peak “I wasn’t flirting… unless…?”

3.  Self Control | Frank Ocean

Somehow this playlist ended up structured around two overlapping arcs carried by Frank Ocean and Lykke Li, respectively, which makes no sense in theory but maybe kind of works? Idk, let me know if it works. If it does, maybe it’s because so many Frank Ocean songs are incredibly raw love songs about loss and the work that memory does to keep your love alive, and so many Lykke Li songs are about trying to slog through all the pain and bullshit without losing sight of that kernel of untarnished brightness, whatever it was that made you want to love in the first place.

I love this song for many reasons, but in no small part for the sorry-not-sorry vibe of apologizing for making someone lose their self control.

4.  Look After Me | Cub Sport

This song is real honest and tender about people taking care of each other and it messes me up. 

“There's something in the way you look at me

Like I've never done wrong

There's something in the way you look at me

When I was wrong all along.”

5.  We Could Run | Beth Ditto

Ok, imagine this playing in the background during LWJ and WWX’s first meeting with Xiao Xingchen and Song Lan. A good song to play as you run into the sunset holding hands with your cultivation partner, is what I’m saying. 

6.  Unconditional Love | 椎名林檎 (Shiina Ringo)

This is just a super sweet and painfully dramatic love song, the kind of song that plays for a man who makes grand unsung gestures like composing magical love songs and secretly adopting your child after you’ve died. This is before the latter part of that, though.

7.  Bad Religion | Frank Ocean

This is the first turning point on the list, the fading of youthful optimism and the start of choices that there’s no going back from. This is when you start to realize that you really can’t please everyone, and you can’t do what you believe is right without someone hating you for it. It’s also the point at which your neuroses and blind spots start to go from being quirky and cute to a cage of your own making. You have to deal with the bad shit you inherited from your parents eventually. If you don’t you’ll either make the same mistakes they did or make different mistakes because you’re fighting so hard to keep your head above water. 

I really like the part when Frank Ocean asks his taxi driver to outrun the demons. Feels like something a modern AU WWX might say. 

8.  Silent My Song | Lykke Li

I didn’t want to go full angst here because this playlist is about *cue Westley bellowing in the Princess Bride* TRUE LOVE and so I didn’t go as hard as I could here, but this is the start of the golden core +  first Burial Mounds arc. 

9.  Figure 8 | FKA twigs

I can hear the resentful energy swirling in this one. This is probably the most abstract choice on the list but to me something in it evokes the curdled rage and seething of an unquiet spirit. 

10.  Fantasmas | Ambar Lucid

This is a song about living with ghosts: of a failed relationship, and the mistakes that it took to get there. 

11.  Green Grass | Cibelle

I love this song because it’s a little sweet and a little scary at the same time. It’s gentle and haunting and the lyrics are as unforgettable as poetry. 

Is this a love song that a corpse is singing to someone visiting their grave? I like to think so. 

12.  I Bet on Losing Dogs | Mitski

In spite of the dog reference (lol) this whole song is a super WWX trying to live with the Wens in the Burial Mounds mood in my opinion. It has turnip energy. Trampled yet undefeated lotus energy, if you will.

13.  Godspeed | Frank Ocean

This song is the essence of heartbreak and knowing that you have to finally let go of someone. Am I imagining LWJ and WWX singing this back and forth to each other at the Burial Mounds, depending on which line it is? Am I crying about it a little? Maybe.

“I let go of my claim on you.”

“There will be mountains you can’t move.”

14.  I Know Places | Lykke Li

This is the “Come back to Gusu with me” song, even though it’s coming later in the timeline than it should. (I sort of compressed all the Burial Mounds-set songs together for a better flow). Anyway I feel like this captures all of those unspoken desires, that frustrated feeling of caring about and believing in someone so much without being able to protect them from all the people and powers that want to hurt them. But you have to try.

15.  Deeper Than Love | Antony and the Johnsons

This song is almost. Too dramatic. This is meant to be at Nightless City / WWX’s fall. I originally had 2 completely different songs here but I ended up liking the arc of this song and where it ends up. The two songs I originally had here were a much more bitter feeling, but I like that this song is tragic and painful and is still a kind of love song at the same time. I really wanted this playlist to be all love songs, some very different from each other, some more about pain and loss and regret than the good parts of love, but still love songs.

“And I have tried to shine in the darkness

Entertaining vanities in vain…

Hold on

And hold on

And let go

Let go

And fall deeper

Even than love.”

16.  Days of Candy | Beach House

To me this song is very evocative of the mingled feelings of grief in the immediate aftermath of a loss. Grief is never a pure, singular feeling, but a sticky amalgam of missing and wanting and sweet memories and a deep pit of pain. The sort of slow, half-asleep sadness full of watery light that this song evokes really takes me there, to the place where the grief is real but the loss is still almost unreal, where the feeling of that person still hasn’t left, your senses are still full of them, you just heard their voice yesterday, they might come into the room at any moment. It’s the almost— joyful?? part of grief that you don’t realize has any joy in it yet because you haven’t yet started to forget. You can’t imagine being able to forget, and you have no idea how much worse it will be when you can’t immediately evoke their presence anymore to comfort yourself. When you can’t pretend anymore that you’ll be able to see them again.

17.  Last Song | Gackt

Idk why exactly but Gackt is very yearning LWJ vibes in this song. Is it the earnestness? The intensity? The incredibly romantic lyrics? The deep, smooth voice?.. All of the above?

Anyway, if the previous song was nonverbal grief, this song is the start of the solidifying of grief, moving past rage and disbelief and self-destructive denial and gradually into a crystallization, a narrative of what the loss meant. Instead of a great crushing thing that blots out the sky and swallows your entire life, the grief becomes just another part of you— a defining part, maybe, but still part of a greater whole. And you move on. Or you try to. 

18.  Sleeping Alone | Lykke Li

This is 13 years of going where the chaos is, searching and playing Inquiry and never giving up, resigned to sleeping alone in strange places but still just never ever giving up. 

“Now was not our time, no, I let you down. 

Someday, somehow, somewhere down the line… we’ll meet again.”

19.  Busby Berkeley Dreams | The Magnetic Fields

Does every deep-voiced man singing a dramatic love song remind me of LWJ now? Maybe. At least I refrained from filling the entire playlist with Stephin Merritt songs. 

“I should have forgotten you long ago, but you’re in every song I know” is just… the most Wangxian sentiment. 

This is a bit of a modern AU LWJ, one who would definitely cry into his True Romance magazines. I do still think that this song very much captures how he must have felt hearing the song he wrote played on a terrible flute after 13 years, though. It definitely doesn’t have a flute solo in it, either.

20.  Ivy | Frank Ocean

This song is peak WWX in a mask, trying to hide from LWJ and his own emotions at the same time. But also, maybe, the start of some emotional awareness and genuine communication. Thanks to Frank Ocean for this entire playlist, practically.

21.  Fireworks | Mitski

Another song about memories and dealing with the past even when it comes back to stab you in the side. (s/o to Jin Ling, low key my favorite character, never afraid to cry in any situation) 

“I will be married to silence

The gentleman won't say a word

But you know, oh you know in the quiet he holds

Runs a river that'll never find home.”

22.  Hell | Waxahatchee

This is a song about apologizing to someone for putting them through hell. To me it’s a very adults-in-love song, and there’s a sort of gentleness to acknowledging the pain and mistakes of the past while still having hope that maybe love is really worth it after all— especially if you’re “one of those who canonize a love so true it never dies.”

23.  A letter to my younger self | Ambar Lucid

I have to admit that the title of this song makes me think of yiqie’s truly excellent time travel fic that is very heartbreaking and very beautiful. I don’t want to spoil it if you haven’t read it (go read it), but it’s safe to tell you that it grapples with and transcends all the reasons I usually avoid time travel fics, like the idea of helplessness in the face of fate, and how much control we really have over our own decisions, and what it means to let people make their own mistakes. 

24.  Let’s Pretend We’re Bunny Rabbits | The Magnetic Fields

This one really speaks for itself. 

Besides, “Let’s pretend we’re bunny rabbits until we pass away” is just a cuter way of saying “Everyday,” right?

25.  ”愛してる”からはじめよう  (“Let’s start from ‘I love you’”) | Miyavi

I personally feel that Miyavi has big sunshine WWX energy. This is just. A very cute and soft love song. Feels like napping in some tall grass in the summertime. Waking up next to your lifelong crush and remembering how lucky you are. Wandering from town to town with your true love and your donkey. That type of energy.

26.  Angels | The xx

The last three songs on this list never fail to give me Big Dramatic Feelings. 

I think what this song captures well is the feeling of just drifting along, lost in your thoughts, showing up somewhere— and suddenly seeing the person you know to be the love of your life at an unexpected time or place, and being struck all over again with… all of it. Your heart stutters, everything slows down, and for a second you forget to breathe. Like: Oh yeah. Oh shit. I remember why I love you. I remember how it felt when I was first falling in love with you. And I never want it to stop. 

“And with words unspoken, a silent devotion. I know you know what I mean.”

27.  Love Me Like I’m Not Made of Stone | Lykke Li

I think of this as the quintessential WWX love song, from the title to the sentiment of the lyrics to the moody burning joy of the sound of it. It’s demanding and soft and confident and raw all at once. 

Props to Lykke Li for the redemption arc of this playlist.

28.  Good to Love | FKA twigs

MAKE MY BODY COME ALIVE. This is the song that really says the most to me about the pain and beauty and the vulnerability and intimacy of being in love. What I love about all of FKA twigs’ music is how beautifully she merges and intertwines the messy physical and spiritual aspects of love. Her music is a sexy secular prayer to Eros imo and I’m here for it. 

[gumnut-logic]

Fanfic Asks 5

This one is for @louthestarspeaker who asked for D U X, @misssquidtracy who asked for H M O and @janetm74 who asked for W. Thank you for your kind questions ::hugs you all so much::

-o-o-o-

D. Do you prefer gen or romance?

If you asked me this two years ago, I would have said gen. Now…I see value in both. There is something just nice about having a couple who know each other so well that they can just fall into each other’s arms at the end of the day.

But I’ve always been a fan of bromance, two guys who will do anything for each other whether they are related or not. I’m a child of eighties TV and grew up on those kinds of relationships. Kirk and Spock are a prime example (yeah, I know they are from the 60s, but I didn’t exist then and the most of the movies came out in the eighties) .

Which leads onto the question of slash. I do read slash, but not so much in this fandom beyond a little Virgil/Brains. My heart truly lives in the friendship or family department. Even my ship could be considered monogamous happily ever after. This is not because I have any objections to one night stands or flings or whatever anyone enjoys, more of a case of I enjoy it (and Virgil’s character calls for it).

I’m a long term fanfic reader and have stumbled across a lot in my time in fandom. I just choose to read what I like and let everyone have their fun their way. I like a little whump, comfort and loyal and devoted friends. I guess I love the idea that people can stick together through anything.

As for writing, I like a challenge and will step outside my comfort zone time to time just to see if I can do it. However, you will always find a brother hanging around when Virg gets injured :D

 U. Do you prefer AUs or canon compliant fics?

I’m pretty open to all sorts of things…except for character breaking. If the character isn’t in character then it is no longer the character.

::chews nails worrying if I’ve broken Virgil’s character beyond redemption::

If it is well-written and hooks me, I’ll read pretty much anything (within my limits).

Writing…AUs require a lot of world building. My AUs tend to be branches off canon that diverge away, taking the built world with them. Things like coffee-shop AUs are a bit beyond my interest level (especially since I don’t drink coffee).

Marks & Wings is my first completely AU fic series. I did have to do some world building, but they are basically the Tracy bros with wings (except for Gordo, he is considerably different). To be honest, I use that universe as a place to write when I’m completely stuffed. The writing is more sensory than my other fics and I can just get arty farty and play with words.

But, as always, whatever I feel like at the time is what gets written.

 X. What fandom have you written the most fics for?

That would be Thunderbirds fandom. According to Ao3, I’m at 132 Thunderbirds fics with 750,000 words. Reactions plus a few other fics/chapters are yet to be posted.

That is over twice my combined other fandoms, heading toward three times. In two years.

You guys have just inspired me so much. Look what you’ve done! ::hugs you all like crazy::

 H. What is the longest fic you’ve written?

Written in 2003, The Asgard Sequence at 80,000 words (I thought it was shorter at 75,000 ::frowns at FF.net::) was my third Stargate SG-1 fanfic. Full of cliffhangers, it basically whumps Jack O’Neill within an inch of his life while exploring the Asgard people. Lots of plot written by the seat of my pants and nowhere at the quality I’m achieving today, but it remains my most popular fic on FF.net and I still get the occasional comment even 17 years after it was published. It was a landmark fic for me.

The question is…is there enough plotline left in the Kermadec Fic to overtake it? I don’t know. Possibly not, but we’ll see. I do have the tendency to ramble nowadays :D

 M. How do you come up with titles?

Write fic first and work out what to call it when at least partly written. I usually look for something short that sums up what the fic is about combined with an inkling of interest that might help draw the reader in. Sometimes I structure the fic (if I’m planning it) in a certain way that leads to the title.

Here are some working titles versus the final titles just for a little fun (the file names are all that remains – first name first, final name second):

Scott and Jeff – Suits

Riguadagnare – Il Mago

Virg and Gordo – A Good Day

The Visitor – Sky Candy

One of the brothers being ticklish – His Part

Marry Me – The Proposal

Hold Still – Lucky Shot

Gentle Showers – Gentle Rain

The Glacier – Access Denied

Tired Virgil – Tick Tock

Tropical rain is warm – Warm Rain

Veggie’s shower fic – To Hurt Us

Just a few from my computer. I still have several that don’t have titles at all.

 O. Is there any fandom you’ve been into that you haven’t written fic for? Why not?

Definitely. I’ve read:

Farscape

Avengers

How to Train Your Dragon

Arrow

Stargate Atlantis (did start a fic, haven’t finished it – also roleplayed a bit as Rodney McKay)

Sherlock

All the Next Gen Star Trek series (did dabble a little, but never finished anything, my heart lies in TOS)

There are probably more that I can’t think of at the moment. With the exception of Farscape and the Trek series, all of the above were read in the last ten years. They were simply relief from motherhood really. I love fanfic in general, hardly read anything else nowadays, but I wasn’t in the right place to write during my forays into the above fandoms. I was also very focussed on my professional art business.

TAG hit me at a point where I was struggling, in desperate need and I went down like a ton of bricks.

 W. Have you ever written anything that you are embarrassed by today?

Considering the thirty years since I started, sure, there are some fics that are a bit crappy. Heh, I still write crappy stuff from time to time ::eyes Reactions and kicks it with a toe::

But embarrassed? I may have been when I was younger. Especially outside of fandom. But now…I’m a perfectionist who has come to terms (mostly) that my stuff is never going to be perfect. All my stuff has had its purpose and is a step up the learning curve – that goes for everything.

Having said that, I do find myself hesitating to mention the one or two slash fics I have written in the past in other fandoms.

Mentioning that I wrote for Knight Rider gets the oddest looks. I wrote two slash fics in that fandom, but they are close to what I write here in content and plotlines.

I have also written a few explicit scenes in this fandom (of varying quality ::rolls eyes:: ).

Mentioning fanfic outside of fandom has its challenges and when it comes to the above mentions, these are likely not the ones I’d highlight to my workmates (though they all know I write fanfic). I had to stop myself from posting a link to Gentle Rain on Facebook a while back because while I’m happy with its novelish length and content, it does have that one scene…

So, yeah, maybe a little wary of what other people might think of things content-wise. Writing-wise, I’m fairly confident, except when I get the wibblies ::eyes floppy Virg and John…just John…no other Tracy gives me as much strife as Johnny::

-o-o-o-

Thank you to all the wonderful peeps who asked me all these questions. I hope I haven’t bored you silly with my answers (or scared you off with the last one ::chews nails:: ).

I also hope I haven’t missed anyone. Poke me if I have and I will apologise profusely and answer asap.

::eyes word count on questions:: Well, I’ve written 3,500 words about myself ::gulp::

And it is heading toward 1.30am with work tomorrow.

Nutty

(saluting off)

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #265

“all is fair in love and war, i’m still rotten to the core.”

What's the latest youtube channel you've discovered and binge-watched? Ha, a WoW channel that basically gives advice and tutorials on stuff. She doesn't have many videos, but she's pretty successful already and chill as hell. Kraken Latte. Does it snow where you live? Occasionally. Very rarely does the snow stick, though, because the ground will be too warm. Do you think your hair looks better long or short? Short. Do you look best with or without bangs? Bitch I loved my emo bangs fuck off. Well, they weren't technically bangs, my hair was just parted far to the left. Do you enjoy editing photos on your phone? Well, my phone doesn't have GREAT camera quality, but I usually do some subtle edits if I take a pic on it. What's your favorite thing to do on your phone? Play Pokemon GO REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE Which season do you wish would last longer? Shit man, fall. At least here, the phase of colorful leaves is VERY short. Goes from green to totally bare in what feels like just a couple weeks. How many outdoor birthday parties have you had? Hell if I know. How much taller or shorter are you than your mom? We're the same height. Who is your favorite sibling? Lol wow that's mean. Do you have neat handwriting? Yeah. Do you like sushi? I've actually never tried it, but I'm quite certain I wouldn't like it. Have you ever tried seaweed? Actually yes, I believe in the 4th grade? We had I think authentic Japanese (or Chinese, idr) food, and I recall there being seaweed. I didn't like it. The only thing I liked was the white rice, I think. Do you have an actual pig-shaped piggy bank? No, but I think I may have as a kiddo. Did you dream of becoming famous as a kid? No. Have you ever been to a gynecologist? I actually haven't because I've always said I wasn't sexually active (back then it wasn't a conscious lie, I just genuinely didn't realize what we were doing was just shallow sex). I'm absolutely terrified to go anyway because I'm just very very very private about this sort of thing and honestly think I'll have a panic attack when I do have to for the first time anyway. Name three games that you are good at. Shadow of the Colossus, Silent Hill, World of Warcraft. What was your favorite board game as a kid? Ha ha, somehow, it was this shopping game called "Mall Madness." Veeeery unfitting of who I was and what I enjoyed as a kid. Do you get on Facebook every day? Pretty much. Did you watch the Kids Choice Awards when you were a kid? No. What was your favorite girl group when you were growing up? Spice Girls, I think. Do you have memories that still make you cry? Yes. Have you made your own mask to help prevent the spread of the virus? No, considering I don't leave the damn house like ever. Do you know anyone who has the virus? Yes. Not personally, but distantly. Are you proud to be an American? (if applicable) Sometimes. What countries have you visited? I haven't left America. Have you ever had a controlling boyfriend/girlfriend? No. How many true heartbreaks have you had in your lifetime? Romantically, I only consider one to be a *real* heartbreak. Have you ever cut yourself? Yeah. Do you feel like everything is falling apart around you? BOY DO I!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Was your first kiss romantic? Yes. Do you miss any of your exes right now? My PTSD has been awful awful AWFUL the past few days, so yes. A lot. Have you ever overdosed on anything? Yes. What would you say if you found out your last ex was in a relationship? I'd be happy for her of course, but I'd also be very confused. She's made it clear she doesn't believe a relationship is the best idea for her right now. Who was your date to prom? Jason took me to his senior prom, and I took him to mine. Do you still talk to your first love? No, I haven't spoken to him in over three years now. Wow. Whose wedding did you go to first? I don't remember. I'm sure it wasn't the first, but ONE of the earliest that I do remember was when my friend Summer's mom got remarried. He sadly passed away a long while ago though. Are you ashamed of anyone you've dated in the past? Tyler, yes. It was so pointless and a "let's see how this goes" versus a "I really like this guy and really want this relationship" thing. I honestly think I only said yes to dating because I didn't want to hurt his feelings and I was lonely. What about anyone you've been friends with? There were certainly times it felt very weird calling Colleen my best friend with how bitchy she could be. Especially when you consider how non-confrontational I am, while she charged like a goddamn bull into arguments. Have you ever made out with someone in a pool? Uhhh I think that one night when I lived at the apartment and it was just us out there late at night. He and I went back inside before Jacob and Amanda TO hardcore make out because we both way too obviously wanted it so I wouldn't be remotely surprised if we snuck in some action at the pool oof. Who’s the last person that slept over your house? Sara. Do you still talk to the last person you kissed? Yes. Have you ever kissed someone with a tongue ring? No, I was the person with the tongue ring. I actually took it out a little while back because I was tired of accidentally chomping down on it when eating and chipping teeth. I'd already told myself if I did it one more time I would, and especially right now, we can't afford to keep filling cavities that have come from it. I don't at all regret getting it and it'll always be one of the cutest piercings I think I've ever had, but it was just time for it to come out. Is it hard for you to get over a lover? I THINK I'VE MADE THAT!!!!!!!!!!! O BVIO US S!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Have you ever tried making someone jealous? Not to my recollection. Did your last relationship end because of you or the other person? Both of us really, but she initiated the breakup, you could say. Who is the last person you flirted with? Sara. Who's the most racist person you know? Jesus Christ, I live in the South. I know dozens of racists. I guess the worst is uhhh OH the aforementioned Colleen, holy fucking shit. I highly highly highly doubt that has changed at all since we last associated with each other. If you could be a film character, who would you be? Let me be Alice Liddell. Crunchy peanut butter or smooth? Smooth is the only way to go with pb. Would you rather always be in a crowd, or be the only person on earth? "Always be in a crowd. It wouldn’t be fun, but I think it’d be better than being that alone." <<<< This. I legitimately think I'd wind up killing myself in the other case. Would you rather be rich, or famous? Why? "Rich, because...what’s the point of being famous if you’re not rich? Just everyone knowing all of your business?" <<<< Also this. Do you squeeze the toothpaste from the top or the bottom? "I start off from the top until it gets used enough that I have to squeeze up from the bottom." <<<< Lemme just steal all this person's answers lmao. How many children do you want? Girls or boys? None, but if I was to have kids, I'd definitely want a girl. Is there a story behind your name? What is it? No. What was one of the most fun things you and your college roommate did together? I didn't have a college roommate. Well wait no, during my first college attempt is when I lived w/ Jason, Jacob, and Amanda. I'd honestly prefer to not think too hard back on it to answer this. Does anyone know your bank pin number other than you? Who? I don't even have a bank account. Have you ever had a boyfriend/girlfriend who was depressed? Yeah, multiple. Would you be embarrassed to buy pads/tampons/condoms? Which one more? Pads or tampons, nah. I'd feel awkward buying condoms though. Are your parents gullible? Dad probably is; he has very little common sense. I got it from him lmao. Mom, heeeeell no. Do you still own a VCR? No. What color is the computer/laptop you’re on? Did you buy it yourself? It's black. No. Does the smell of cigarettes, weed and beer repulse you? All three do. Was the last person you kissed younger or older than you? Younger. Have you ever purchased Girl Scout cookies? Yeah. How often do you drink Monster? Never, because I don't like it. Have you ever made totally pointless videos with your friends? HAHA I was a cringy teen once, my friends. Do you like sitting on the inside or outside of a restaurant booth? Inside. I feel safer. Do you own a nightgown? No, I haven't worn those since I was a kid. Have you ever worn fishnets? Fishnet gloves. I WISH I could pull off fishnet pants. Would you rather go out to eat or be eaten out? In times like THESE???????? Bitch I wanna go eat out at a yummy restaurant. Do you always wear your seat belt? ABSOLUTELY. I get so stressed out when I see people not wearing one. Have you ever liked someone much older than you? Not much older. Have you ever been in a play? Just school ones as a kid. Is there ice cream in your freezer? No, but there's popsicles from when I couldn't get my tongue ring out and it was massively swollen and in terrible pain. Thank God I finally got it out. Have you ever liked the lyrics of a band but hated the music? Probably. Does your bathroom have a window? Yeah, but it's very small and up kinda high. Do you go somewhere to get your eyebrows done? I used to, but I don't anymore. I just leave them be. Do you believe prayer really works? Nope. Have you been on a date in the park? No. Are there any diseases/health problems that run in your family? A whole. Fucking. Lot. To just name a few, depression, high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer, diabetes... Do you have asthma? No. Last person to take off your pants, besides you? Jason. Least favorite alcoholic drink? Mother of God, this white wine I tried at Colleen's forever ago. It was fucking repulsive. How did you meet the last male you texted? I mean I literally came from his balls so like Have you ever had an embarrassing email address? Ha ha yeah, the one I've always had. It's not very adult-ish or "serious"-sounding, but I don't want to change it now. Do you put shampoo in your left or right hand? Left. I squeeze with my right. Do you have a bull ring through your nose? No, I don't feel that would look good on me. Do you and your dad get along? Yes. When was the last time you did clay work/pottery? My last year of art in high school. I made an anatomical heart for Jason. I wonder a lot if he still has it after how much work I put into it. Do you like art, hate it or just not mind it? I adore art. The world would be so much more boring without it. If you had to choose would you prefer dull pain for 12hours or sharp for 2? Ew, dull. Two hours with sharp pain sounds awful. Do you know the words to the national anthem of your country? Yeah. Would you rather be a Model, Famous Scientist, Singer or Chef? Scientist, probably. I'd love to be a biologist anyway, and that's a type of scientist. Would you rather be a pilot, crime scene investigator or estate agent? Ohhh, crime scene investigator. Does making others happy really make you feel happy? Yes! Did you ever swear at a teacher in school? Why? No. Have you ever pricked your finger on Holly or another ‘sharp’ plant? Yeah. Have you ever written your own short story? Yes. What about a novel? Or perhaps you started and couldn’t finish? "I started writing several novels, but abandoned them all." <<<< Same yo. Either of the above, if this was the case, place short synopsis here: The first one was about a very close meerkat family, divided into elemental "breeds," and the prince falling in love with another of his kind. His father had a stray brother who constantly aimed to destroy the family, but he was converted towards the end. That's all I can really remember about that one. There were others like two species of animals I made also falling in love, despite being predators and prey of each other, and fulfilling some sorta prophecy with their offspring. The other two I recall- yo fuck it I keep remember more and more okay I wrote a LOT. Do you prefer SciFi/Fantasy/Action/Horror or Rom/Com/RealLife? I'm guessing you mean in books, given the last three questions? I have a strong preference for fantasy. What do you have a lot of faith in [note: can be anything]? Hell if I know. Would you rather have a big house, a lot of kids or a high flying job? High flying job, easily. I don't want kids, nor do I need a large house, especially considering I hate cleaning even this tiny one. Have you ever been to a creepy/haunted/abandoned place? Yeah. What did it look like and what were the circumstances? It was this really old, mostly dilapidated shack full of cool stuff. It was by the field near our old house. Me, my sister, and our friend hung out there and explored all the time until this freaky woman showed out and told us we shouldn't be there. Do you know a Jack? What’s he like? Yeah. I don't him that well though, so idk. How about a Lisa? What’s she like? Yeah, she's one of my WoW friends that I've become really close with. She is an absolute sweetheart, but talks about herself way, way too excessively to the point it's hard to have a conversation sometimes. I know she doesn't realize it, though. When you have children, would you like twins? I say enough that I don't even want kids, SO FUCK NO. Do you know any twins? If so, what are they called? Yes. Tyler and Taylor. I know others, but idr their names. What personality trait does nearly everyone in your family seem to have? We're stubborn as all fuck hell. Do you have any nicknames that aren’t derived from your actual name? Yeah, some online ones and then my mom has called me "Twinkie" since I was a baby. Do you have any allergies? Yeah, of pollen and silver. What is the longest your hair has ever been? To or maybe even past the small of my back. Have you ever been on a blind date? No, not my jam. What is the oldest piece of clothing you still wear and how old is it? I really don't kn- oh yes I do. I have these oooold old thin and sewn-back-up-fifty-times Batman pj pants from when Jason and I were together, so maybe like... seven years? Thanks PTSD, I'm attached to them because Batman was his thing. How often do you eat out at a fancy restaurant? Just about never. Nutella or peanut butter? UGGGGGHHHHH I've been on a nutella thing lately. Have you ever hosted a wild party? Definitely not. Name/author of the last book you read cover to cover. Do you recommend it? Wings of Fire: The Lost Heir by Tui Sutherland. Yes, it was very good. How many of your Facebook friends do you actually hang with? Besides my immediate family, like... none anymore. Have you ever donated blood? Yes. From 1-10, how much do you like decorating for holidays? This is hard to gauge. I've never seriously done it myself, and I don't really have the motivation to do it just to take it all down a month or so later. I love it in concept, but yeah. Favorite animated Disney character? Probably Kiara from TLK2. Have you ever cooked a big family meal by yourself? Ha, no. Favorite winter activity? TAKING PICTURES IN THE SNOOOOOOOOW. Do you consider rapping singing? I mean I guess? Does your home have a fireplace? No. Do you listen to any religious music? No. Do you drink soda? If so, which one is your favorite? Ugh... soda is my weakness. I'd probably lose weight easier if I just stopped drinking it. Mountain Dew Voltage is my favorite, and I've also been on a serious strawberry Sunkist thing lately. How easily do you cry? I cry very, very easily. Can you handle spicy foods? What is your spice limit? Oh yeah. The only way I know how to gauge this one is that I enjoy the "hot" sauce at BWW lol. I've actually kinda cut back on HOW much I enjoy it, though; like I'm more into enjoying my food thoroughly lately than the adrenaline of spicy food. What day of the week is laundry day for you? I personally don't do the laundry because Mom prefers to just do ours together, so. It varies, I think. Have you ever played spin the bottle? No. Do you have any stickers on your laptop computer? If so, what are they of? Not on mine, but the one I currently have to use has tooons. I don't feel like looking at the lid trying to list what they are tho. How often do you say "y'all?" It's pretty much in my normal vernacular due to where I live. Do you believe in evolution? Yes. I have questions and curiosities about it, but when you consider how truly short it has been since considerable natural selection has been observed, why couldn't it exist on a bigger scale? Do you live in an apartment or a house? I live in a house. How long have you been at your current job? I'm unemployed. Have you ever ended a romantic relationship? Yes. Phrase you say the most? Probably "oof" lmao. Have you ever kissed anyone of the same gender? If so, did you like it? Yes and yes. Have you ever given anyone CPR? No. Have you ever learned to do anything from a how-to video on YouTube? Yes, mainly just editing stuff. Have you ever auditioned for a reality competition show? No. Have you ever been in the audience for the taping of a TV show? No. I've been at hockey games with Dad, but I don't consider those "TV shows." Have you ever given money to a street performer? I've never even seen one. Do you own any homemade clothing? Not that I know of. Have you ever bought anything from a flea market? Yeah, decorations 'n trinkets and stuff. I love flea markets. Have you ever quit a job? Yes. Are your birth parents together? No. Do you or have you ever worn glasses? I've worn glasses for years now. Have you ever been broken up with? AKA died in spirit? :^) Have you ever been the victim of a nasty prank? Not to my recolleciton. Favorite fandom? Y'all been known, the Markiplier fandom is a goddamn family. Can you surf? No. What motivates you to do well in life? The knowledge that I've most likely only got one life to make something of. How lucky do you consider yourself? I mean, ALL things considered, I'd say I'm at just below the baseline, maybe? I mean I could be homeless or dying of malaria or something. Have you ever been summoned for jury duty? No. Favorite summer activity? Swimming! Have you ever lived on a farm? No. I wanted to for years as a little kid, though. How often do you get mad at yourself? I've lately been in an almost constant state of anger regarding myself, honestly. Have you ever gotten any stitches? Yes. Favorite YouTube channel? The Marker Plier guy. Do you have a pool at your house? No. Last thing that made you laugh? Something on Game Grumps. Earbud or earmuff headphones? Earbuds. Earmuffs hurt my head and ears. Have you ever been a bridesmaid or a groomsman? Yes. Have you ever gotten a New Year’s kiss exactly at midnight? I don't think so. Have you ever voted for a reality competition show? The only time I did that I remember is when Landau Eugene Murphy Jr. won America's Got Talent. I adored him and voted like mad. Does anyone in your family currently serve in your country’s military? Ummm maybe distantly? I don't know anyone off the top of my head. Are you comfortable with watching rated R movies? Well yeah.

[itsthatsillygoose]

Kit, a raggedy ass analysis

I wrote an analysis of forthbeam last week and y'all we're dragging the others to hell saying they weren't as complex so let me prove you wrong starting with Kit ft. a lot of Ming. If u want my summery Mingkit analysis it's the last paragraph on this post but I'll post it separately too:

Something that really intrigues me about kit is his capacity for other people’s attention. We see through out the first series that Beam is quite a ladies man and is seen many times trying to hit on the stars of the university but for Kit this is rare. Aside from Pha, Beam and Forth, Kit is rarely seen interacting with anyone one else closely and think that speaks volumes of his personality. He may be stubborn and sometimes aggressive but I think deep down he's compensating for a lack of security, all he really wants is that resounding feeling of safety and he finds that with in the tight knit friendship between him, Beam and Pha; and perhaps that’s what makes his relationship with Ming so infatuating.

Ming is the very definition of what Kit seems to avoid, he is bold and loud, clumsy with his feelings, a stranger. He's a player and doesn't need that sense of security like the other which seemed to be the biggest red flag to kit during their development. Imediately when the two first properly meet there’s a sense of surprise from the shorter when he finds that Ming still remembers him, and straight away he throws up his guard. Through out at least the series so far it's almost like Kit wants himself to hate Ming or at least he feels like he should; he knows Ming is everything he seeks to avoid and so he tries to act accordingly. He constantly seems frustrated around him but rather than being agitated by Ming, I think what's really bothering him is himself and the way he can't help but yearn for these moments of having the other around. Doesn't make sence right? Surely he'd be happy if he actually wanted to see him? Well you'd figure, but perhaps it causes Kit such anguish as he knows while having Ming around he loses control and he doesnt want to give him self the oppertunity to get to know him or like him as even just a friend,,, and so instead he snaps at him. Again I think this was a really subtle and lovely way of displaying Kits issue; he truly is an increadible example of head vs heart.

I loved looking deeper into these two as they appear to have such a typical dynamic of cat and dog, but I really think the second series explored so much deeper into their personalities and character. I think what is really being portreyed by these two is so much more than just a spunky journey of two boys in love. Really I think that we delve into dealing with the concept of searching for trust and a sense of clarity in not only someone else but yourself too. I do think that kit is perhaps the “protagonist’ of this idea. Ming is very much the big scary monster in the dark for him. Whether Kit had had partners before or not I'm unsure but I think the reason why Ming really affected him so incredibly was that he’d never been loved in such a way, so shamelessly and intensely, especially by someone like Ming. Someone he’s so unalike in so many ways. Really I think their arch isn’t about Ming breaking into Kit's abrasive character but rather Kit searching for truth and a reason to believe in ming and the insecurities on both ends of that.

We see many times that kit is appalled by Mings ways, for example the way ming had so many ex partners, this was such a big piece information to just be brushed over; infact its exactly what knocked kit so far from feeling like he could reach out and grasp onto Ming. Again referring back to before, I think kit really yearns for a sence of safety in everyone he brings close to him, a place to relax, someone he can trust enough to not hide behind his front; he doesn’t care to be played with or used so seeing that ming would throw away his past relationships so readily perhaps triggered that insecurity as he rightly so doesn't feel that sense of security with ming. He appears unpredictable to Kit, almost as if he throws his feeling around carelessly, but we know this isn't true and that in fact Ming is increadibly predictable.

We see more of this when Kit storms away at the beach telling ming to stay where he is (which he does). Personally this is still one of my favourite scenes as it's fucking bursting with emotion and crammed with developing concepts i've already mentioned but it really does just get me every time. There's so much to unpick, it really was the turning point for the two- at least in my eyes. It admittedly does just appear as if Kit got short tempered and barked at Ming who then got upset and sulked, but really the scene is a lot meatier. It was really a big eye opener for kit as though neither of them spoke about what happened, it really felt like they both knew Ming was proving to kit that he takes his word seriously, and isn't afraid to commit to him. Kit seemed guilty when the scene returned to him and the others drinking but when Ming was dragged in by another friend Kit seems shocked realizing he probably would have sat there all night if it had played out that way. Maybe he assumed ming had gone back to his room but the fact he didnt was such a slap in the face. I love this cause Ming stares at him sadly, knowing full well he's proven a point. Kit knows he's upset Ming and realises that rather than Ming not taking the idea of a relationship seriously, perhaps he himself was the one dismissing any chance of something real, some clarity. Maybe he was his own scary monster in the dark. He knows full well that Ming is harmless or else he wouldn't have appeared so guilty when returning to the hang out without him.

The whole beamkit scene where beam pulled a doozy on us and pretended he and kit were dating is another obvious telling of his character, (nines expressions in those few seconds were fucking ace btw, the absolute utter panic swirling into sorry eyes, then a punch in the gut and finally regret) in those few moments alone its obvious that he knows he's done Ming wrong, but if you really look closer there's a whole ugly ass betrayal hiding in there. In the chat they just had in a prior scene, Kit makes a point out of not wanting to get hurt by Ming leading him on only to ditch him for another person, but what did kit just do to Ming? Huh?¿?? Exactly, its easily missed but it's an awesome detail i picked up when diving into this and i have to say it was another perfect example of Kit being flung between head vs heart. Kit's been trying so hard to get Ming to use his head rather than his heart, but by using his own head to try and protect him self Kit's only gone and done the exact thing he was so afraid happening to himself to Ming. I think realising this he understands that even though they're so different and worlds apart, they're both just dumb fucking humans and he shouldnt be so hard on Ming, especially when Ming's been nothing but loyal and honest. Perhaps Kit is scared of committing but he's projecting that onto Ming because he doesn't want to admit it, he only sees what he wants to see because thats all he knows after putting up a front for so long when ever his emotional well being is threatened.

Honestly Kit's really just been his own problem this entire show and he really ought to sit the fuck down and let him self live 👏🏻

Thought it was endearing when he took Pha out so he could get drunk. Obviously getting wasted to forget your problems isn't particularly endearing, but like i said about Beam last week, it makes him feel more human. Especially when Beam shows up acting like the whole beamkit couple thing was a joke (when it clearly wasn't) and Kit's just like fuck you you're so annoying. Smh he really is boo boo that fool. He's just so completey oblivious that his best friend in the entire world is head over heels in love with him, so gullible just believing what ever the fuck anyone says. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt seen as he was drunk but Idk it just tickles me that he's always so tense and always so on guard yet the level of dumbassery is just,,,, how's he gonna be a doctor when he's literally a raw nerve on fucking legs. Bless.

He really lets things bother him, but he's much more readable than beam which we know even just from Phana knowing right away what was up. The fact he hid from Ming when Ming entered the bar(?) too really emphasized how completely not as hard as nails he is despite how he tends to act tough. Thought that was a sweet detail in unravelling Kit's personality and how Ming seems already to have completely knocked his walls down; Kit's not even trying to act like he's unaffected anymore.

We all joke about Beam being an emotional wreck but fr kits really not that far behind. He deals with everything horribly and always seems to make shit worse for both himself and Ming. He just wants what's best for everyone but sometimes that's harder than it looks and he really proved that. He goes into panic mode if Ming so much as breaths in his direction which actually does the complete opposite of intended as rather than seeming tough and cold, it just shows Ming that Kit's easily flustered around him, EG, HE FUCKING LIKES HIM, KIT JUST WRITE IT ON YOUR FOREHEAD AT THIS POINT. He thinks he's so mysterious fr, boy the whole world and it's goldfish has you sussed, who do you think your fooling with that attitude?

Can't not mention the kiss and how sweet that was on Kit's end. After all that mess and acting unaffected, as soon as he sees Ming move towards him he imediately melts back into his big softie boyf as if he'd been waiting a life time to kiss him. He literally called him a 'bastard' seconds before, if that ain't some sort of chaotic then what the fuck is he. Jkjk, back to the point, Kit does this thing where he lies to him self, C O N S T A N T L Y. He's forever telling himself that he's in control, he's forever telling himself that Ming's out to get him, he's forever acting as if he doesn't want anything to do with Ming, but this scene was so satisfying cause it really just ripped everything he'd been pretending to be from right underneath him. He kissed Ming so readily and for the first time in the relationship he actually seemed put together and calm and in control. He's never known what to do with Ming's attention yet here and now with his lips on his all he could do was reach out and grasp on to his 'scary monster in the dark' (Side note i absolutely fucking adore how Kit's gone from being so rough and brash with Ming to being so ridiculously shy after the kiss. I think it's forced him to face facts and he finally realised there was no point in keeping up his walls. Ming knows now, theres no need. It's sweet showing his vulnerable side for once, this is some healthy character development i can get behind.)

You'll have noticed this gradually got less formal and is slowly making less and less sense. That's because as i'm writing this it's 5:40am and the brain juice is running low but the next bit should be a pinch more coherent sorry,

What i love about Kit and Ming's relationship is the whole role reverse as the series progressed. At the beginning we see Kit, part of a solid group of friends and he's comfortable and confident where as Ming's just a new student at the university, finding his feet. We expect him to perhaps be naïve or immature, and yes he's a little clingy but really Ming is one of the most stable characters going and exactly what kit needs despite how he first appeared. Not once has Ming changed his goal of pursuing kit, not once has he fucked up, not once has he ever panicked. Ming- even though he's sulky- is really quite mature with his dealing of Kit. He's honest and really does what ever he can to make it work. I loved the example of this where he backed off after the kiss. It was so so sweet considering how clingy he usually is, and it really shows he takes great time and contemplation when considering Kits feelings and that he has a really deep understanding of how Kit's mind actually works and how he may react. He backs off knowing Kit likes his space and that maybe he over stepped the line pretending to be black out drunk, but again i really love this as this creates that safe space and feeling of clarity that i keep bringing up as it meant kit could reach out in his own time and really come to terms with things without any pressure. It meant that for once Kit would have to make the move to communicate and take a step in their relationship and i think for Ming to take that initiative to really somewhat place their fate in Kits hands for a while was really quite sweet and mature of him. We stan our emotionally healthy engineering boys fr. We come to realise by now that perhaps Kit is actually quite bashful and somewhat of a baby dear when it comes to emotions, charging head first into anything but initially losing his footing right off the get go. But Ming is stable, he is collected and cool and surprisingly gentle. Its really quite tell tale that kit spoke so much about ming maybe lacking in commitment when really he was the one too afraid to commit, he was clearly insecure. This arch really was kit heavy and though i already said what i think their arch focuses on, i just want to add that it also explores growth and becoming a better person because of a relationship. They bounce off eachother in such an interesting way, and so intunely that they cant help but work. Kit never knows what to say or how to approach ming but its okay, Ming has that covered and always comes to find him. Ming's very flirtatious, and kit and easy to fluster. Kit needs time and Ming is patient. All these little north and south traits really just pull together and i love how these two were written with such harmony. I know I've delved way deeper than was ever intended for these characters but i think we shouldn't take for granted the complexity of such a wonderful thing.

This is the reason why i think 2moons2 is miles ahead of 2moons the series. Aside from the cringe music, over dramatic zooms and lingering shots which can sometimes make it difficult to watch, 2moons2 really seeks complexity in each character and i admire that itch to bring them to life as i feel 2moons was increadibly 2D in this aspect. I only really believed in Kit when i watched that series, but 2moons2 really forces you to believe and invest in every main character and i just think as someone who writes that it's rather lovely.

What are your thoughts? Do comment if you have time, I'd love to hear more on these two :)