#Elaini

[spopsalt]

https://www.tumblr.com/elainiisms/726404853028569088/you-all-say-you-like-villains-but-then-the-second

I think it’s ridiculous that OP tagged Catra in this post. I haven’t seen one person get mad over Catra being liked- in fact, her stans are some of the most vile bullies on the internet. No one has an issue with people liking Catra- in fact, I myself used to like her. We have an issue with those who bend over backwards to defend her villainous actions and harass anyone who doesn’t like her or how she was written. OP has no clue what they’re even talking about.

Exactly, I liked villain catra, I think she should've been redeemed I just have a problem with how die hard the fans are and with the way she was redeemed

[hestiashearthfire]

Tips for nervous worshippers?

Hi there, Anon! As a former “nervous worshipper,” I totally get where you’re coming from. Here are three tips for calming those nerves and hopefully getting you started on the path to worship.

First, look for examples! When I first started praying to the gods, it felt so overwhelming and I wasn’t sure where to begin. Seeing other people actively worship helped me understand praxis better, and that’s so very important! Sure, the key is to get out there and do worship, but if you don’t know what you’re doing or have no idea where to start, it can be scary. YouTubers like Pic the Pagan, Chris Aldridge, and Elaini Temperance all have videos showing simple offerings and prayers. My favorite beginner book, Labrys’ Hellenic Polytheism: Household Worship, also has excellent example ritual scripts you can use, as well as information on setting up an altar. Even if you’ve already got going, seeing other examples of practice can help calm that anxiety we all have about doing something “right”; you’ll see how varied praxis can be.

Second, start small. If like me you’re looking to the Attic Calendar for inspiration, don’t feel obligated to celebrate every holiday or occasion. Don’t even feel obligated to worship every god. Start with who calls to you. For me, that was Hestia. Naturally, I began slowly incorporating other gods into my worship. However, it’s taken years to get to where I am and I’m still not consistent. Don’t beat yourself up; just do what you can. Keep things basic as you build confidence in your worship. Your kharis will grow, and things will become easier.

Third, remember the gods love you. They understand you’re nervous, and they won’t “get mad” or hate you for it. The gods, close as they are to the good, will appreciate your efforts. As my good friend Aria says, “The gods know you’re nervous. They understand why, and they are patient! They see how you’re conquering your anxiety and appreciate the nature of your struggle.” Don’t see the gods short. Remember, they are not humans, and though the poets may depict them with human traits, they are still gods. Trust in their guidance and care, and you’ll do fine.

[cavenewstimes]

How Do I Handle a Bad Boss?

September 13, 2023 You have your very first bad employer. How do you secure yourself? Today on New Herewe discover how to handle a hard supervisor and recover later. Management coach and TikTok developer Robyn L. Garrett assists host Elainy Mata comprehend the number of supervisors believe– and shares how she managed a bad employer early in her profession Plus, Elainy’s own previous manager Anita…

[lifeofuga]

Control your destiny! Control your mission! You have the power! You are the key to shaping your reality however you see fit! U.G.A. Fate Shapers: The Live Band Experience + Producer Showcase Beat Auction Organized By: Underground Advocatez (@undergroundadvocatez) Daddy Good Vibes (@iamdaddygoodvibes) Hosted By: R.Q.Tek (@rqtek) Performances By: Frank Knight (@frankknizza) JoethePoet (@musicbythepoet) Johnnie Floss (@mrjohnniefloss) Sheri John (@sherijohn_) STL GLD (@stlgld) Wray Clouds (@wray_clouds) Production By: 9to5 Th3 Producer (@beatzby_95) Elainy Mata (@elainymata) GoodWolfBeats (@loststudiostrev) MPC Sauce (@mpcsauce) Sadboymike (@s.adboymike) Uni’May (@unimay._) U.G.A. Band: Franky Payne (@franky.payne) (Guitar) Jay Are (@jbeatgroovermusik) (Drums) Junichi (@junichiarima) (Bass) Sound By: Durieux (@durieuxmusic) Live Body Painting By: Chaz (@chazsfx) Body Painted Model: Gigi (@laverdaderagigi) 📸: @mcelectricartistry If you’re interested in performing, vending, modeling or even sponsoring us please don’t hesitate to reach out. We have our email address in our bio for all inquiries that you may have. #undergroundadvocatez #lifeofuga #uga #liveart #visualart #nycart #vendors #fineart #nycpopup #performingarts #newyork #nyc #music #visualartists #livemusic #artshow #vendorswanted #performance #musician #underground #artvendor #nycartvendors #festival #bodypaint #bodypainting #modelswanted #liveband #producershowcase #beatbattle (at Things To Look At Studio) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cpm-y2OuOUe/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[misselainie]

My (Miss Elainie's) "Spicy Chicken Burgers" are so easy to make. All you need are a few ingredients and a blasé attitude. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 😉

Spicy Chicken Burgers with Celery Slaw

Serves 4 (find a list of the ingredients at the bottom of page)

For the Celery Slaw: •4-5 Stalks of Celery, thinly sliced, about 2 cups •2 Tablespoons Blue Cheese Dressing, more or less — your choice Mix all together; chill in refrigerator until burgers are ready.

For the Burgers: •4 Brioche Rolls Preheat oven to 400˚F •1 lb. Ground Chicken •3 Tablespoons Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning •3 (generous) Tablespoons Wing Sauce (NOT HOT SAUCE) Mix all together. Form 4 patties, and place on a baking sheet. *Bake in a preheated 400˚F oven for 20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165˚F.

Place each patty onto a Brioche roll; spread some wing sauce (about a couple of teaspoons or more, if you DARE) on top of each patty, add celery slaw and enjoy!

*You can also grill these outside until the internal temperature reaches 165˚F.

I didn't add salt to the chicken mixture because I believe the Ranch seasoning has enough.

You will need: •4 Brioche Rolls •4-5 Celery Stalks •Blue Cheese Dressing •1 lb. Ground Chicken •Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning •Wing Sauce (NOT HOT SAUCE) Click link to see example(s)

[felixvictorinodonfelix]

Niño de 2 años y su madre mueren en accidente de tránsito en Dajabón

Niño de 2 años y su madre mueren en accidente de tránsito en Dajabón

Dajabón.- Aún se desconocen los motivos que causará que el vehículo en que viajaba una familia hacia su hogar se descarriló e impactara una mata de mango.   Causando así la muerte de un niño y su madre e hiriendo a su padre y su hijo más grande, este último viajaba en la parte trasera. Los occisos fueron identificados como Adriel Martes, de 2 años y su progenitora Elainy Martínez, mientras que…

[kettlehead-comics]

3rd D&D initiative tracker of the set! It’s Elaini, big dumb bear barbarian. She’s good! She likes to fight! She was raised by bears! Lots of fun to draw. 

This campaign’s trackers are art-deco themed; the others were art-nouveau themed. I’m currently thinking of other styles for the tracker backgrounds, so send me ideas if you have any. 

[nikethestatue]

I saw a gwynriel post saying that elriel stans wouldn't like elain if she didn't end up with AZ but my real question is would they ship gwyn and AZ if gwyn wasn't a warrior ( have we even see her fight ?? Anyway to them she is the most unstoppable warrior ever ) and she didn't have the ability to birth illyrian children ? I don't think so

That's actually not true.

Most Elriels that I know, like Elain outside of any ship.

WE. LIKE. ELAIN.

Yes, to her antis it's almost unfathomable as to why we would, but we genuinely like Elain. Not necessarily Elain and Azriel, or Elain and Lucien. And we want Elain to be happy. Hence, many Elriels, while very much invested in the Elriel ship, would say that they would accept Elucien as endgame, if that's what Elain chooses.

Elain is an interesting, unusual character, and most of us like Elide from TOG too, and they are quite similar in essence.

That's why most Elriels will insist that the next book is ALWAYS, ALWAYS Elain's. Not Azriel's. Azriel is a handsome love interest/sidekick. He is not the main driver of the story and we want Elain to shine. We want her to show her wits, her claws, her cunning, her strength. We already know that it's there. We want a revelation of all of it.

We already know that Elain is capable of amazing feats of resolve and strength--we just want more. We'd never sacrifice Elain for Azriel.

That's why the idea of pliant bones is abhorrent to us--to reduce Elain, or any being, to just their biology, is gross. That's why we want Elain to choose her path, and her love. I haven't met Elriels who hate Lucien, for example. I am sure some do, but generally, we either like him or are neutral towards him. Why? Because honestly, he is not that important, since to us, Elain's choice is more important. Just like Azriel. We like Azriel because Elain likes Azriel. We like the mutual affection and attraction of the two of them. We like the contrast between the Death and the trembling fawn.

We are not a ship that's driven by the male. We are a ship driven by the female.

Sure, I am a massive Elriel, but frankly, I am primarily an Elainier.

I want her to find her happiness and her path and her place in the world. Elian, not just as part of a couple, but as herself. I want to see her self-realized.

[mirmidones]

some of my favorite ig nobel prizes concerning animals through the years

transcription under the cut

[ID: 10 screenshots from a Wikipedia article on Ig Nobel prize winners. The images are not in chronological order, nor is the trascription.

Veterinary medicine: Catherine Douglas and Peter Rowlinson of Newcastle University, UK, for showing that cows with names give more milk than cows that are nameless.

Biology/Astronomy: Marie Dacke, Emily Baird, Marcus Byrne, Clarke Scholtz, and Eric Warrant, for discovering that when dung beetles get lost, they can navigate their way home by looking at the Milky Way.[191]

Anthropology: Tomas Persson, Gabriela-Alina Sauciuc, and Elainie Madsen, for collecting evidence, in a zoo, that chimpanzees imitate humans about as often, and about as well, as humans imitate chimpanzees.[246]

Physiology: Anna Wilkinson, Natalie Sebanz, Isabella Mandl and Ludwig Huber for their study "No evidence of contagious yawning in the red-footed tortoise Geochelone carbonaria".[176]

Medicine: Masateru Uchiyama, Xiangyuan Jin, Qi Zhang, Toshihito Hirai, Atsushi Amano, Hisashi Bashuda, and Masanori Niimi, for assessing the effect of listening to opera on mice which have had heart transplant operations.[193]

Interdisciplinary Research – Presented to Stefano Ghirlanda, Liselotte Jansson, and Magnus Enquis of Stockholm University, for their inevitable report "Chickens Prefer Beautiful Humans."[84]

Aviation: Patricia V. Agostino, Santiago A. Plano and Diego A. Golombek, for discovering that hamsters recover from jetlag more quickly when given Viagra.[115][116]

Linguistics: Juan Manuel Toro, Josep B. Trobalon and Nuria Sebastian-Galles, for determining that rats sometimes can't distinguish between recordings of Japanese and Dutch played backward.[120]

Peace – Presented jointly to Claire Rind and Peter Simmons of University of Newcastle, in the UK, for electrically monitoring the activity of a brain cell in a locust while that locust was watching selected highlights from the movie Star Wars.[104]

Physics – Presented to Andre Geim of the University of Nijmegen, the Netherlands, and Michael Berry of Bristol University, England, for using magnets to levitate a frog.[63] Geim later shared the 2010 Nobel Prize in physics for his research on graphene, the first time anyone has been awarded both the Ig Nobel and (real) Nobel Prizes. And by 2022 their magnetic levitation of a frog was reportedly part of the inspiration for China's lunar gravity research facility.[64][65]

END ID]

[shadowsingerspriestess]

I'm afraid the book doesn't get gwynrielnot that i don't like elainI get discouraged knowing it could be hers and Az'sI will cry if you stop.

I am 95% sure Gwynriel will be the next book’s couple. The way they are written is Sarah’s endgame style.

In the end, she is the author and she decides. I used to be very afraid when I first started shipping them in April, now I am not. I do get worried sometimes, but I think about the reasons I believe Gwynriel will be endgame, all their moments that make me be almost certain they’ll be endgame, and the worry is gone. I focus on Gwynriel strictly, and avoid anything Elriel related (because I don’t see the point in caring about a couple I never shipped).

I respect everyone’s preferences, and I don’t care if someone ships Az with Gwyn or Elain as long as they stay respectful. Both sides have their toxic fans, and we should learn how to respect each other and mind our business.

[helion-ism]

I wanted to write about something that is very important to me: the way people perceive nesta and elain in this fandom (I know that a lot of people have valid reasons to criticise them and I’m not doing this to say they are perfect because how boring would that be.) and an important part of that is nesta‘s trauma vs elain‘s trauma

I think it’s self-explanatory when I say that obviously everybody deals with trauma differently, in fiction and in real life, but I got intrigued by how different elain and nesta seem to be dealing with that, so I looked it up and found something very interesting so this is kinda a long post

nesta

there is something called emotional dysregulation, where trauma survivors have difficulty regulation emotions like anger, anxiety, sadness and shame (even more so when the trauma occured at a young age). one of the methods these trauma survivors use to attempt to regain emotional control is “self-medication” or rather substance abuse, even though it is more likely to further emotional dysregulation. others are disordered eating, compulsive behaviour (like overworking), denial of emotions, and so on. (though there are more positive behaviours to regain emotional control such as physical activity) 

traumatic stress leads to two extremes: you either feel too much or too little. I think with nesta it is pretty much clear that nesta has always been the kind of person who feels too much, it’s why feyre painted those flames on her drawer, because she was always burning. what did feyre say about her in acomaf?

“I think Nesta feels everything— sees too much; sees and feels it all. And she burns with it. Keeping that wall up helps from being overwhelmed, from caring too greatly.”

a big part of nesta’s personality is who she was as a teenager and young woman, before she got made. she blamed her father for what happened to their family, she was furious with him and wanted to make him suffer. she got consumed by it, which is why in the end it was feyre who had to provide for the family. (I’m gonna be real honest here, how were so many of you guys reading the books and blaming nesta and elain for making feyre go out and hunt when her father was literally right there lol. like ... why blame the parent when the sisters are right there, huh?) being thrown into poverty, when she lived a comfortable life and was always made to believe she’d marry a prince or lord some day, it must not have been easy for her as she was the oldest but still a child. you guys, she was a kid. how can that not leave a lasting impression on her? and how can anyone blame her for that?

what do we see in acofas after the war ended? nesta fucks strangers and drinks a lot, maybe too much, doesn’t eat enough, to cope with what happened to her. so why does she do it? do distract herself from her memories, from her nightmares, from every sound that reminds her of what happened when she was thrown into the cauldron and what happened during the war. she spins out of control with her body to stop feeling too much and start numbing the pain (which I assume is why she drinks so much, it’s a great way of making you forget your problems and sleeping with strangers is a way of numbing any emotions too). 

in acosf, we see her choose a family, we see her find gwyn and emerie and we see her accept cassian as a friend (and more), but we also see her start training with him, we see her challenge herself to go down those stairs and eventually, she does not only get physically stronger, gains weight, but she also becomes more confident internally. I feel like a big part of nesta was always to come off as cold and unapproachable, but this is not at all how we see her with gwyn and emerie, and cassian notices too:

With Gwyn … he wondered whether Nesta liked the girl because with her, she was simply Nesta. Perhaps she felt that way around Emerie, too.

obviously, I feel like this is not something that one can overcome within just one book and there’s more for nesta to learn. do I think she’s completely healed? no, but when is one ever? she has started to heal and that’s good enough for me. but I’m just so annoyed when I see people call nesta abusive and other things when they’re not even trying to understand her. 

elain

in acosf nesta says elain just needed time to adjust to the world and person she’s become, but is that it? I don’t think so, not when it is so clear to me that she has not in fact adjusted to this new life.

initially, in acowar, elain is the complete opposite to nesta. which makes me believe she’s dealing with her trauma by numbing, a biological process where emotions are detached from thoughts and behaviours. elain is basically described to be this shell, doing nothing but sitting in her room and craving sunshine. I think she was mainly in a state of shock until things started changing a little bit. (and she was also probably overwhelmed because of her seer abilities)

elain has been sheltered her entire life, first by her family, especially father & nesta and feyre who never once blamed elain for anything but rather focused on nesta, then she met graysen & got engaged and their relationship was apparently very strong (she seems to have loved him and also she gave her virginity to him), and then she went to the night court where she‘s basically been underestimated and coddled the entire time AND she lets them do it most of the time 

“But I wonder if everyone has spent so long assuming Elainis sweet and innocent that she felt she had to be that way or else she'd disappoint you all.” 

that’s what rhys says about her, like he knows there is more to her when even feyre and nesta don’t seem to see it, but this has changed in acosf, not only from rhys’ pov, but also during chapter 58 when nesta tells elain to fuck off

Elain blinked. Nesta blinked back, horror lurching through her. And then Elain burst out laughing. Howling, half-sobbing laughs that sent her bending over at the waist, gasping for breath. Nesta just stared, torn between questions and wanting to throw herself into the icy Sidra. “I— I’m so sorry—” Elain held up a hand, wiping her eyes with the other. “You’ve never said such a thing to me!” She laughed again. “I think that’s a good sign, isn’t it?“

look at her reaction when somebody is finally saying something to her but not sugar-coating it. she laughs. there’s no way of knowing what elain really feels all the time, but you have to admit, this reaction hints that that’s something elain has wanted for a long time. like she’s surprised that nesta is so bold and harsh with her, she says that nesta has never spoken to her in such a way and she’s not actually offended by it. to me it seems like she’s tired of everyone treating her like a child and maybe that scene was somewhat of a revelation to her. 

she’s been so passive for a majority of the series that fans have started calling her useless and plain, but man, I just disgree. as I said, there is valid criticism to be found everywhere (like the way she treats nesta in acosf, but in the end, I don’t really blame her for it when I think she’s still dealing with her own problems). but elain has started to make use of her agency when she helped kill the king of hybern or decided to give azriel back that necklace (for whatever reason, we don’t know yet) even though it seems like she’s still primarily passive most of the time.

so this leads me to hope that things will improve greatly for elain in the following books, especially in her own book. 

basically we have two opposites here in how people deal with trauma. elain is passive and quiet, I believe she still suffers a lot, there might be more to her abilities and that might be a part of why she’s changed her behaviour so drastically to lucien since acowar and all that. but a huge factor is also the way people treat her and implicitly force her to just continue with this coping mechanism. she’s a people pleaser and if that’s what people expect her to do ... then that’s what she’ll do until something eventually happens.

nesta is very wild and bold in her behaviour. we’ve seen her regain control over her emotions in acosf and we’ve seen her accept her new body, her new self. when cassian told her that there is nothing broken to be fixed and that she has to start forgiving herself too, I think that was a gamechanger for her. because when nesta started to forgive herself and deal with her own guilt and shame, that’s when she could truly begin healing. and I love that for her. 

[cavenewstimes]

How Do I Set the Right Boundaries at Work?

September 06, 2023 You’re in a brand-new task. Do you understand how to set healthy limits? Today on New Herewe find out why it’s essential to set your borders at work from the first day– and how to do it. Host Elainy Mata talks with her own therapist about how limits enter play at work, how to specify them on your own, and how to manage the pain you feel when a coworker crosses your…

[lifeofuga]

Control your destiny! Control your mission! You have the power! You are the key to shaping your reality however you see fit! U.G.A. Fate Shapers: The Live Band Experience + Producer Showcase Beat Auction Organized By: Underground Advocatez (@undergroundadvocatez) Daddy Good Vibes (@iamdaddygoodvibes) Hosted By: R.Q.Tek (@rqtek) Performances By: Frank Knight (@frankknizza) JoethePoet (@musicbythepoet) Johnnie Floss (@mrjohnniefloss) Sheri John (@sherijohn_) STL GLD (@stlgld) Wray Clouds (@wray_clouds) Production By: 9to5 Th3 Producer (@beatzby_95) Elainy Mata (@elainymata) GoodWolfBeats (@loststudiostrev) MPC Sauce (@mpcsauce) Sadboymike (@s.adboymike) Uni’May (@unimay._) U.G.A. Band: Franky Payne (@franky.payne) (Guitar) Jay Are (@jbeatgroovermusik) (Drums) Junichi (@junichiarima) (Bass) Sound By: Durieux (@durieuxmusic) Live Body Painting By: Chaz (@chazsfx) Body Painted Model: Gigi (@laverdaderagigi) 📸: @mcelectricartistry If you’re interested in performing, vending, modeling or even sponsoring us please don’t hesitate to reach out. We have our email address in our bio for all inquiries that you may have. #undergroundadvocatez #lifeofuga #uga #liveart #visualart #nycart #vendors #fineart #nycpopup #performingarts #newyork #nyc #music #visualartists #livemusic #artshow #vendorswanted #performance #musician #underground #artvendor #nycartvendors #festival #bodypaint #bodypainting #modelswanted #liveband #producershowcase #beatbattle (at Things To Look At Studio) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cpm-Xc6OYt7/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[ko-chan-the-blueberry-donut]

Always Led Back to You chapter 2, a John Doe/Seraphina from UnOrdinary fanfiction [FASTPASS SPOILERS for 212-214]

Hey guys here is the next chapter! Since only fastpass people only have access to the content in UnOrdinary’s chapters currently, I will be spoiling some stuff, but it won’t be word for word from the chapters either so no one will get bored. Just a warning there IS spoilers for fastpass 212-214!

Thank you for all who liked, commented, and favored this story so far!

Disclaimer: I don’t own UnOrdinary

--------------

Seraphina quickly changed out of her uniform, a frown marring her features.

“Are you crazy, Seraphina? Why would you go meet this person? It all just sounds so shady.” Isen voiced, looking at her like she was out of her mind. Maybe she was, but Seraphina could no longer stand on the sidelines as John self-destructed and everyone would pay the price for it.

“I won’t be alone. You both could go with me.” Seraphina reasoned.

“But last time you met these people, Arlo was with you! I’m not as strong as him.” Isen argued.

“Isen is right, Seraphina! You’d just get hurt and we wouldn’t be able to protect you.” Elaine tried to reason with the magenta haired girl.

“We need to do this, Elaine. John’s going to destroy us all if we don’t do something.” Seraphina was losing her patience, tired of feeling useless in the wake of Ragnarok.

“We’ll find another way.” Isen placed his hand on her shoulder. Elaine nodded.

“Seraphina, please…” Elaine beseeched her.

Seraphina stared at them. She was silent. Isen and Elaine waited with baited breath.

“No.” Seraphina was firm, her eyes filled with determination. “I’m sorry, Isen… Elainie.” She then turned away from them, walking away. “If you won’t go with me, I’m on my own.”

“This is the only way. I have to do this.” Seraphina told herself, straightening out her jacket. She glanced at herself in the mirror, satisfied with her attire, and took a deep breath before exiting her bedroom.

“Seraphiina.” Arlo was there with Elaine, who looked absolutely panicked. Seraphina locked eyes with the former king.

‘Elaine must’ve gotten him to reason with me.’ Seraphina concluded.

“I’m not backing down from this Arlo. If you’ve come here to stop me, it’s useless. I refuse to watch everyone suffering anymore and me not being able to do anything about it.” Seraphina told him.

“I know.” Arlo replied, crossing his arms. “That’s why I’m coming with you.”

“W-What?!” Elaine looked like she was about to faint, not expecting this plot twist from her former king.

Seraphina and Arlo examined each other for a brief moment, neither speaking, before Seraphina smiled, patting the blonde’s shoulder.

“Well, whaddaya know? You came through after all, Arlo.” Seraphina teased. Arlo tensed and Seraphina couldn’t help but picture him as a bristling cat. As if Arlo could sense she was picturing him with cat ears and a tail, he frowned.

“If you weren’t a cripple, I’d teach you not to tease your king.” Arlo huffed.

“Ah, but as I recall, you are no longer a king, and I shall hopefully no longer be a cripple if my instincts are right.” Seraphina’s smirk was absolutely fox worthy.

“Tch. Let’s get this over with.” Arlo dismissed her statement.

“H-hold on here! You two can’t be serious!” Elaine fretted.

“Elaine, if we’re not back by curfew, tell the school.” Arlo commanded. Elaine could swear her soul was leaving her body from fear.

“Arlo! What do you mean if you’re not back?! Why are you two walking away from me?!” Elaine cried as Seraphina and Arlo hurriedly made their way out of the school.

------------

They arrived at the café that was designated as the meeting spot for Seraphina. Grabbing a table, the two surveyed their surroundings.

“You see anything suspicious?” Arlo asked.

“Nothing really. Just people having fun.” Seraphina answered. Arlo sighed, leaning back into his chair, his arms crossed, finger tapping against his bicep. Seraphina watched him closely.

“You seem nervous.” Seraphina noted.

“Should I not be?” Arlo asked her, his eyes stern, reprimanding as if she was the cause of his worry. “We don’t know anything about these people, and we’re going in blind. How can you be so cool about it?”

“I guess remaining cool is all I have going for me right now.” Seraphina shrugged. “I’m a cripple now. I can’t do anything about what’s happening, but maybe if I remain level-headed, it can help soothe everyone around me in some way.”

Arlo studied her, not saying anything. Then, a waitress approached their table.

“Hi! Would you like to order anything?” the waitress was all smiles, especially at Arlo, who paid her no heed. If Seraphina was in a mischievous mood, she probably would’ve stirred some trouble to tease the blonde.

“I’ll have a mango boba.” Seraphina smiled. The waitress nodded and then focused on Arlo, blushing a bit.

“I’ll have a black coffee.” Arlo stated. “No cream. No sugar.” His commanding tone startled the waitress while Seraphina, who was used to her surly friend, hid a smile.

“O-oh! Okay! Coming right up!” with that, the waitress left, and Seraphina found her opportunity to pounce.

“You know, you’ll never get a date if you constantly scare people away, Mr. Serious.” Seraphina pointed out lightly. Arlo raised an eyebrow at her.

“How could I be thinking of dating at a time like this?” Arlo was flabbergasted, or at least as much as the serious blonde would show. “I have no use for dates.”

“And that’s why you’re gonna end up an old man who never married with Elaine banging her head against the wall because you’re so dense.” Seraphina quipped.

“Elaine? What does Elaine have to do with this?” Arlo asked. If Seraphina wasn’t so composed, she would’ve burst out laughing.

‘Poor Elaine…’ she thought. ‘She surely likes someone who’s denser than a boulder.’

“Nevermind. Maybe try smiling once in a while? With all your frowning you’re going to lose that handsome mug from wrinkles.” Seraphina dismissed his question. The image of a cat bristling came to her mind once more when she saw Arlo’s expression.

“Well, what about you, Seraphina? You haven’t been on a date either.” Arlo pointed out, and Seraphina raised an eyebrow, surprised he’s even entertaining this conversation more.

“In case you’ve forgotten, Arlo, I’m not exactly a prize.” Seraphina replied. “Being a cripple hasn’t really endeared me to anyone as you have noticed.” She gestured to herself.

“John didn’t seem to mind.” Arlo replied, not maliciously, just stating as if it was a fact.

“That John isn’t here anymore.” Seraphina responded. She blocked out that fight where John was completely shattered in her eyes. His voice still rang in her ears when she slept.

“Seraphina, if you think John was putting on an act for you, you’re denser than me.” Arlo told her sternly. “He may have lied to you about being a cripple, but John would’ve conquered the world if you asked. He would’ve done anything just to make sure you were happy and safe, and has done things to do so.”

“I didn’t need the world.” Seraphina griped back, bitterness taking over. “I just needed him to be there.”

“And he was.” Arlo countered back, not bothered by her tone. “Why do you think he became Joker?”

“To punish people.” Seraphina was quick to respond, knowing the answer.

“To punish people who were harming you.” Arlo also was quick to respond. “Personally, I think John should’ve just came clean to you and protected you himself instead of relying on masks or us to do so, and I hate the guy for all he’s doing, but I can’t in good conscience deny his motives anymore or else I’ll be a coward just like him.” Arlo explained.

“What… what do you mean?” Seraphina asked, almost afraid to hear more. Arlo sighed, the tapping of his finger against his bicep increasing in speed.

“John’s priority was and has always been you. Everything he did, he did because he thought it would keep you safe. Seraphina… he’s nearly killed someone just for threatening you while you were unconscious.” Arlo confessed. “Now, you can tell me that John is gone, but you can’t deny he was never there. Personally, I’m glad you kicked him to the curb because he’s become too unstable and nearly hurt you, but you can’t really go on believing you were never his entire world.”

“I wasn’t…” Seraphina tried to defend, the reality of Arlo’s confession washing down on her like a thunderous waterfall.

“You were. You may have thought you were just his best friend, but John, even if he never admitted it or realized it, saw you differently.” Arlo concluded with her, the tapping calming down, relieved he could finally say what he’s been keeping to himself since John threatened his silence. It was soothing to finally tell Seraphina what John didn’t want her to know, to finally be honest with a person he respected.

“Well…. That’s…. shocking to say the least.” Seraphina finally spoke. Arlo shrugged. “Is… what he became… is this all my fault?”

“No.” Arlo responded, not even needing to think about it. “All the fault is John’s. He should’ve just been honest with you in the first place.”

“But… if I had done things differently…” Seraphina was consumed by what ifs and should haves. What if she pushed harder? What if she let him know she was there? Would John be the way he is now if she had done things differently?

“No. Don’t think about those thoughts, Seraphina.” Arlo commanded. “It will do you no good. You cannot change the past. Now, we’re going to see if your hunch is right and you can change the future.”

“Arlo…” Seraphina paused. “Could I… is it possible you think I can save him? Even now, when he’s gone?”

Before Arlo could answer, the waitress brought them their drinks. Arlo paid the waitress no heed, watching Seraphina, his friend, struggling with her demons.

“Oh! By the way, there’s someone who has arrived for your table! I’ll be back with her order as well. Sorry about that.” The waitress announced, taking her leave. Arlo tensed, and quickly turned his head towards the door where the mysterious person they would meet was standing.

“It’s a woman.” Arlo whispered. Seraphina was roused from her inner turmoil, turning her head to look in the direction of the door as well.

Her heart stopped cold.

“Leilah...?”

------------------------

So there you have it! I did add a lot more content than the original episode and changed the conversation a bit, but I hope you still enjoyed. I was going to have Arlo originally say it was his fault John went crazy, but then I realized that wouldn’t be in Arlo’s character to admit he fucked up.

[burlveneer-music]

Music from SEAMUS, vol. 29 (New Focus Recordings)

SEAMUS (Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States) releases its newest recording in an ongoing series featuring works by the organization's member composers, under the curation of SEAMUS Director of Recordings, Scott L. Miller. EAM2020 contains works by Elainie Lillios, Alex Christie, Ioannis Andriotis, Elliott Lupp, Chris Lortie, Nicole L. Carroll, Panayiotis Kokoras, Per Bloland, Leah Reid, and Nathaniel Haering.