#I drew her kinda thinking of. a not human but humanOID Home.

[shmorp-mcdurgen]

Honestly that question made me remember you drew Home as a human(oid. Not human . Humanoid) once. Do you wanna dig it up-

(also side note my personal concept for humanoid Home when we were talking about it was something like an alt of Maria Torres that kinda yoinked its limbs from the guests. Eg it had Adams legs, Marks other arm, Jonahs other eye, etc)

YEAAAAAHHH YEAHYEAHYEAH

also uhhhh girlieeee

[insanitybl00m]

QSMP Player-sona lore

because I can

if you haven’t seen my drawings of these OC’s check them out!! (Should be the previous post assuming I don’t get distracted)

My pronouns are They/He/Ellé and those are the pronouns Q!Bloom uses as well. Both me and Q!Bloom are trans-masc. etc, etc. basically this is a sona, so if I Identity as something; so does q!bloom.

so. Q!Bloom is half demon. A born demon like Mouse not a fallen angel like bbh and Tina. I think their other half is human? Idk most of their lore doesn’t touch on that part so it’s kinda not solidified in my mind yet what their other half is but I’m guessing it’s human. They are also a pretty young demon. Maybe like 200-500? (Younger than Tina but idk Tina’s cannon age)

Going to touch on demon things and then get into like their character arc! Q!Bloom was taken by the Feds when they were a little demon. (As almost all halflings are (halflings being avians, shifters, anything that is only partially human or has a human form (foolish is a humanoid by my classifications so not a halfling)))

One of his few memories of this time period is when the Feds numbed his wings. (CW: non-con medical experiments). Avian wings can be clipped, demon wings can either be cut off or torn to shreds by tearing the skin like membrane. (Demons have bat wings so basically look up bat wings). The Feds didn’t want to “harm” such a unique “creature” so they put numbing chemicals into the muscles. Though q!bloom has done so much work to try and strengthen their wings the most they can do is move them. No gliding with them and you can forget about flying. Again, q!Bloom was an experiment to them.

Eventually the Feds told him that he should interact with the other islanders, (this is right after the eggs were kidnapped)

They are also the only living test subject of the happy pill trials. They gave q!bloom a higher dosage then they gave q!frvr or q!pac. They basically called Q!Bloom into the offices and drugged them, as they already needed more test subjects and what better than an islander who is used to being experimented on? The Feds were shocked when Q!Bloom lived.

Q!Bloom wasn’t given the antidote until he stumbled into the order with withdrawals; they were begging for cellbit to do something. They didn’t realize that Cellbit had already set up an intervention for pac and frvr. And they didn’t have enough of an antidote for q!bloom (they hadn’t even known q!Bloom was drugged). pac had to make another one when he snapped out of the happy drug infested world he was living in.

and that took hours. Q!bloom was left in a state of panic, with withdrawals from the pills. They got better with the antidote (very slowly). He still has flashes of these periods. Pac suspects that since q!Bloom was put on such high of a dosage, some of it will still linger in their system for years, maybe for their lifetime. (The amount would have been lethal to a normal human but q!Blooms a demon so they just suffer).

So they have days where they have all of the withdrawal symptoms for up to twenty hours at random. No particular trigger either. It just happens.

BUT

there was one good thing to come out of the drugs.

and that was flora.

Flora was another “mistake egg”, a “problem egg”. She was desperate to leave the Feds offices and when the Feds drugged q!bloom Flora saw her chance to escape and took it. Flora tucked herself between q!blooms wings and purple backpack. (Bloom’s backpack lies flat on her back between her wings, she can’t fold them up properly to fit in the backpack because of the fed experiments). She wasn’t seen as q!Bloom teleported away, briefcase full of drugs and dizzy.

q!bloom spent weeks in their home, drawing like a madman. They had vivid memories of their past at times and drew and drew and drew. Flora hid from them, it was terrifying to see.

—“Was this worse than the Feds office?” She thought at some point.

when q!Bloom was unconscious after getting the antidote Cellbit brought them to their house. Cellbit knew how they would feel about the sterile, white hospital of the order. It would feel too much like the Feds offices. (Cellbit and q!Bloom bonded over their trauma due to the Feds. Cellbit was the only one q!Bloom truly trusted.)

but that’s when Cellbit met Flora. He was making sure Q!Bloom was ok.

—“demons like the warmth right?” He questioned as he layered a fourth blanket over Bloom. Roier promised to be over with soup soon, right now all Cellbit could think about now was that his little brother was in a coma.

(Found family, Cellbit and q!Bloom are like brothers because of yk shared trauma (yes I said little brother, although q!bloom is lifetimes older than Cellbit, in terms of Demon lifespan and human lifespan Cellbit would be older, Bloom is still a young demon))

he saw Flora, a little egg, wearing a cape and with a small flower tucked into their hair. —C:“Hello?” The egg ran away. C:”I’m not going to hurt you, I just want to make sure you’re ok.” The egg was cowering in the corner of the kitchen, a small knife held out in front of them, shaking. C:”woah! Hey I’m not from the Federation. I hate those guys.” F: “you do?” C:”yeah.” The egg put down the knife. F:”who are you?” C:”I’m cellbit.” F:”who’s the crazy one?” C:”Bloom? This is his house, he was under the federations drugs.” The egg nodded. F:”I know, that’s how I escaped.” C:”so the Feds don’t know you’re here?” The egg shook their head. “Ok, we’ll figure that out later. What’s your name?” F:”the Feds call me Finn, but I hate that name. I’m a girl not a guy.” C:”ok, so do you want another name?” F:”I can do that?” C:”of course!” F:”what should my name be?” C:”if you want I could just call you flower until you decide, because of your flower in your hair.” F:”ok, I’ll think about one. How’s the insane guy doing?” C:”Shit Bloom!” Cellbit scooped up Flower and raced into Bloom’s room. He was still unconscious.

When q!bloom woke up they met Flower. q!bloom instantly berated Cellbit for giving them such a shit name. Like cmon, flower. That’s like calling richas shirt. Q!Bloom named her Flora. Q!bloom noticed that their transflag was draped around flora’s shoulders. Flora had been using it as a blanket when she was still hiding from Q!Bloom. After a bit Flora and q!bloom became really close. Q!bloom explained how they had also been an experiment of the Feds. After a bit Flora started calling q!bloom her Pa. (Like “my Pa Bloom took me…”)

And that’s all I have for now

I really want to write out his full story rn. Believe it or not this is a summary (with little dialogue bits because I couldn’t convey the interactions well by just explaining it)

yeah!

hope you enjoyed listening to my rambles!

[death-himself]

If a Karen Gives a Flower

Part of the Four Human-Eating Monsters and An Apathetic Florist AU!

Summary: When Virgil got a dying flower from an angry Karen, he wasn't expecting to also get his boyfriend's brother a boyfriend

Warnings: Enough fluff to kill an army

Word Count: 2,357

Previous Next  (AO3 Link)

The day started with a Karen giving Virgil a dying flower and ended with him being nearly hugged to death by a giant drider. How typical.

Virgil heard the bell jingle as a new customer stepped into the shop, turning to see a woman with a bob cut in probably her late forties walk in, holding a wilting potted plant.

“Good morning, ma’am. How can I help you today?” She huffed, setting the plant on the counter.

“Can you bring this thing back to life?”

“Excuse me?” She pushed the plant closer to him, looking him directly in the eyes.

“I found this flower at the edge of this forest I drive by every day to work. It had such beautiful petals, they were bright pink with white spots on them. I thought it would look nice on my desk, but then it just started dying. Can you fix it?”

Virgil took a deep breath, biting back his desire to point out that plants aren’t like cars; he couldn’t just fix it.

“Well ma’am, it looks like this might be a Deptford Pink. They’re somewhat easy to maintain, so I’m not quite sure what you could have done wrong. The pot looks a bit too small for it, though. And have you been keeping it in the sunlight?”

“Why would I have to?” She scoffed. Virgil wanted to slap her.

“It’s a plant, ma’am. It needs sunlight, and Deptford Pink’s need full sunlight in order to properly grow.”

“My desk isn’t in the sunlight, though! There has to be something you can do.”

“I mean...I guess if you want it to be on your desk you could maybe move it onto your desk whenever you’re working and then move it back into the sunlight when you’re done?” That seemed to properly offend her, and Virgil was happy about that.

“I’d like to speak to your manager, you have no right to talk to me like that.” Virgil nodded, walking into the back, biting back a grin. He opened and closed the door, waiting a few seconds. His coworker Thomas gave him a confused look as Virgil walked back out.

“Hello, I’m the manager, is there a problem here, ma’am?” Virgil asked with a sly grin. She scowled, walking out the door without another word.

Thomas came out from the back, putting a few flowers out on display. “What happened?”

“Karen.”

“Oh.” Virgil looked over the plant the lady had brought in. It was definitely dying, but it could probably still be saved. Virgil took it into the back, grabbing a larger pot for it and filling it with more nutrient-rich soil. He then reached for the flower and carefully took it out of its old pot, placing it gently into its new one.

It seemed to shudder. Virgil blinked, noticing how it swayed unnaturally back and forth for a moment, before seeming to relax and go still.

Virgil looked it over for a moment. Part of him told him that it was just his mind playing tricks on him. Part of him reminded him he was dating four supernatural creatures. How strange was it really for a flower to act a bit weird?

He placed the flower in the sunlight, and it seemed to shudder again. Virgil glanced at the door leading to the actual store. Thomas was still out there, out of earshot. He sighed. No harm in making sure.

“How are you feeling?” He asked the plant. It didn’t respond. “I’m talking to you, I know about beings like you.” It still didn’t respond. Virgil shrugged, giving up and walking back to the front. Guess it was just his mind messing with him.

He got home and carried the flower in, knowing Roman and Patton would probably like it. As usual, he took his shoes off, turned around, and there was Patton.

“Welcome home!” He cheered, coming in close and kissing him on the lips. “How was—” Then he noticed the flower. Virgil had expected Patton to get super excited—he always loved when Virgil brought home plants from his shop—but instead he looked almost freaked out and confused.

“Uh...what’s that you got there, Vee?”

“It’s a Deptford Pink, this Karen came in and started saying all this dumb shit, so—”

“That’s not a flower...” He spoke lightly, shaking his head.

“What do you mean?”

“I...I don’t know! It has a weird smell! It doesn’t really smell like a flower, but it also doesn’t smell like a human, or a vampire, or any species I’ve met!” By this point Logan, Janus, and Roman had come by to welcome Virgil home, but stayed silent to listen to Patton.

Roman tilted his head to the side. “It’s not just a flower?”

“Perhaps it’s another species we are unaware of, then. The only one that comes to mind pertaining to flowers are nymphs, specifically the Leimoniads.” Logan spoke, walking over and taking the pot from Virgil’s hands, studying it from every angle.

“That’s exactly what they are.” Janus said, grabbing the flower from Logan and holding it close to his chest. “I remember back when I lived in my forest there were dozens of nymphs and dryads. Particularly land and river nymphs, those were very common.”

Janus sighed as he looked down at the flower nymph. “Their life forces are connected to the kinds of areas they are born in. For flower nymphs such as this one, it’s valleys and forests. If they are taken out of those areas for too long, their plant will die, and with it, the nymph will die as well.” Patton whimpered.

“Can we just take them into the forest behind the house? Would that work?”

“Possibly. It’s not very common for a nymph to have to reconnect their life forces to another source.”

“Well, it’s worth a shot!” Roman declared, taking the plant gently in his arms and scurrying out the door. Virgil watched him leave for a moment, before remembering that he was the only one in the house who actually knew how to plant a flower. He cursed, gathering up whatever gardening tools he would need and running out the door after him. “Roman you fucking dumbass, wait up!”

Remus hummed to himself as he drew on the walls with animal blood. He was bored, and just couldn’t get to sleep. He was tempted to just break into Virgil’s house and mess with his brother and his soulmates for a bit, but resisted. Virgil would force him to clean up whatever mess he’d make, and for a human, the guy was surprisingly scary.

He groaned, lying back down on his stomach in his web. It was so boring in the cave without anyone else there.

His ears perked up when he heard in the distance two voices.

“You humans are so slow!”

“It’s not my fault I only have two legs!”

“But why are you so slow?”

“Hey, Jan is slower, so—”

“Don’t go comparing yourself to someone with no legs!”

Oh, Roman and Virgil. What were they up to so late at night? Remus shrugged, scuttling out of the cave, deciding to see for himself.

“You have four times as many legs as me, and eight times the amount Janus has, you’re an outlier that shouldn’t be counted in the whole “who’s slow test.” 

“How dare you!”

“I dare.”

“Maybe our new friend here can be our deciding vote, huh?” He leaned closer into the flower, raising an eyebrow. “Should I, the handsome and incredible Roman, truly not be counted in a test such as this one?” The flower shuddered. Roman squinted. “Is that a yes or a no?”

“I think they’re saying “Get out of my personal space” Prince Charming.” Roman huffed, moving away from the nymph again, holding them a bit further from his body.

“How come they haven’t turned into some like...pink humanoid person by now? I mean...that’s how nymphs are usually depicted in Greek myths.” Virgil shone his phone’s flashlight around at the trees, wondering if any of them were dryads in disguise.

“I think I remember back when I was very young.” Roman said. “I used to have this dryad as a friend. She said that since her life force was connected to the forest her pine tree lived in, if she were to somehow be disconnected from her forest for too long, her body would go into her tree and she would be unable to take any form outside of her tree until she regained her energy. This nymph is probably just too tired to take form.”

Virgil hummed, walking out into a meadow near the twin driders’ cave. “This place’ll probably work, right?”

“Maybe. Does this place look good to you, my flowery friend?” The flower swayed back and forth. “I’m assuming that’s a yes?” The flower swayed again. “Excellent!”

Virgil dug a hole deep enough for the flower to be moved into, pulling it out of the pot gently and placing it into the hole. The flower shuddered, before swaying back and forth again, seeming to be pleased. Roman smiled.

“Would you like us to leave you alone to rest?” The flower swayed and shuddered. They decided to take that as a yes.

“I guess that means we’ll be leaving, then.” Virgil yawned. “About time. I just wanna eat dinner and go to bed.”

“You and me both.” Roman waved at the flower as he stood up. “We’ll check up on you in the morning, alright? Sleep well!” The two headed back home, continuing their debate about who can be considered slow or fast as they went.

Remus slowly crawled out into the meadow as the two left. He had been too far away to understand what was going on, but apparently they had come out just to plant a flower. He laid down next to the plant, studying it closely.

“What’s so special about you?” The flower swayed without any wind to move it. “Huh. Weird. You some kind of nature spirit?” It continued to sway back and forth.

Remus reached out to touch it, before remembering a certain run-in he had with a dryad before. He had been picking pine needles out of his hair for weeks after touching her. “Can I touch you?” The flower shuddered. “Is that a no?” It began swaying again. “Okay.” He let his arm drop.

“So where’d my brother and his human find you?” No response, which made sense considering flowers can’t speak. “I think Virgey works at some kinda flower shop, right? I don’t get humans with that whole “flower shop” thing. If you want flowers, just fuck around outside, y’know?”

Remus couldn’t completely understand the flower’s swaying and shuddering, but the nymph seemed interested in what he had to say, and that was enough for him. He continued to talk and rant to the flower, appreciating any bit of movement he received.

With a yawn he finished up his story about the first time he killed a human with his bare hands, finally beginning to run out of things to talk about as the sun began to rise. His throat was a bit sore from talking all night, but he was satisfied. His eyelids slowly began to droop.

“Thanks for keeping me company!” Remus squeaked, his eyes flying back open and looking up. Sitting on the opposite side of the flower from him was a three-foot tall man with long, messy pink hair, pale pink skin, and white freckles, smiling at him.

“Woah.” Remus breathed. “You’re hot as fuck.” The nymph chuckled, looking down at the pure black palm of his hand.

“You don’t look so bad yourself!” He hesitated, looking at the handprint on Remus’s chest. “Is it alright if I touch you?” Remus’s face split into a grin, and he nodded eagerly. The nymph took his hand and gently laid it over Remus’s soulmark. The black from both creatures faded away.

Remus cackled happily, pulling the nymph in close and holding him tight. “I’m Remus! I don’t think I introduced myself last night, but I’m Remus! We’re soulmates, holy fuck! Roman can fuck off with his four soulmates, you’re better than all of them combined! I love you, you cute little shit!”

The nymph laughed along, allowing himself to be twirled around and carried as Remus basically danced around the meadow. “I’m Emile! I thought you were my soulmate! While you were talking I saw the hand on your chest and it looked about the size of my hands so all I had to do is put two and two together and bingo bongo!” Emile hugged Remus tighter.

Virgil and his soulmates came out about half an hour later. By that point Emile had already told Remus everything that had happened. The moment Remus saw Virgil, he got up and scrambled over to him.

“Virgil!” He tackled the human, pulling him into a hug that could have very easily broken Virgil’s bones. “You saved my boyfriend’s life! I love you!”

“What?” Virgil choked out. “Lemme go!” Remus let go with a cheer. “I have a boyfriend and he’s hotter than all of you!” Emile waved.

“I’m Emile, I’m his soulmate! Can you believe that?”

“I’m assuming you’re the nymph Virgil and Roman brought out last night?” Logan asked.

“Yup! It’s good to meet you all! I don’t know how to repay you for what you did, but thank you.”

“It’s no problem. Just keep this idiot occupied.” Virgil jabbed a thumb at Remus, trying to regain his breath.

Roman came over to Emile, looking him over for a moment, before smiling and pulling him into a hug. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen my brother this happy so...thank you.” He whispered.

Later on they moved Emile’s flower to just outside of Remus’s cave, that way they would be able to properly live together. Whenever the two were invited over to Virgil’s house, Emile would pot up his plant and bring it with them, since he was tethered to the flower. They made it work, and Remus was excited the entire time.

[lavendertwilight89]

Head Full of Lies

Here it is!!!! Finally! Happy birthday @dangerouspompadour!!!!!

First part of the series is here: Evergreen

Head Full of Lies posted here!

NSFW--smut!!!! 

@dangerouspompadour @lemonlushff @willowandfog @cstormsinukagblog @littlestuffstohide @clearwillow @ruddcatha @hnnwnchstr @smmahamazing @wolverine1092 @inuyashaloverforever @xfangheartx @umacaking @bluejay785  @murdergiraffe @superpixie42 @shnuggletea @keichanz @shinidamachu @sapphirestarxx @nopenname22

“Ugh---damnit,” she groaned softly after being thrown to the ground by the wind. “Inuyasha!”

Jumping out from behind the trees, Inuyasha landed at her side, his demonic features showing brightly. He whined just loud enough for her to hear, but their enemy couldn’t.

“I’m alright, probably just got a wicked bruise or two,” she said as she grimaced when she tried to sit up all the way. He helped her up and brushed the hair from her face. Nuzzling her cheek quickly, he jumped back into action. 

How did she end up here? Fighting demons and creatures of the night? Well… it started last year when she went down to the basement of the museum she worked at to help map out the exhibit she was helping put together and study for school.

It was there she awoke Inuyasha. She offered him a place to stay and for weeks he gave her the cold shoulder--then something wonderful happened. OR terrible. It was a little bit of both honestly.

They met the demon that caused Inuyasha to be sealed in the tomb: Naraku. He was the one who made Inuyasha and his former Chosen become enemies--well not enemies but he broke up their team.

But, in their meeting with the demon, Inuyasha was able to get some closure from Kikyo when she possessed her body. Yea--long story. But, after Kagome reemerged, Inuyasha admitted his feelings for her. So, while they met the crazy asshole who was responsible for the deceit between Inuyasha and Kikyo and Inuyasha’s imprisonment, they were able to clear up the confusion between them.

The mate draw.

Kagome was actually Inuyasha’s real mate--his actual Chosen in demonic terms. Something they both felt fairly closely after meeting. They had taken things slowly, not wanting to rush each other. She still slightly felt inferior to Kikyo but Inuyasha consistently assured her Kikyo never held a candle to how much he cared about her.

They managed to obtain documents to prove Inuyasha’s existence with Totosai’s help. While Kagome was at work and school, Myouga helped him with his own schooling so he could get a job and blend into society.

It was something Inuyasha really wanted and Kagome supported fully; she wanted him to feel like he belonged. That he wasn't thrust into this era by force and that they were equals.

“Shit,” she cussed under her breath as her thoughts abruptly returned to the present and rolled out of the way of the stupid wind blades. Kagura’s signature move. Did this woman ever give up??

Kagome grabbed her bow and focused to try and find Kagura. She noticed she was just up ahead from the swirl of youki. She pulled back on the string and her reiki arrow appeared as she released it towards the wind sorceress. The crash echoed in the forest but what sucked was the silence that followed. Where was Inuyasha? Was he still battling Naraku?? 

Stepping forward as quietly as she could, she peered into the trees to see if her arrow had struck. As she turned her head she was wrapped up in strong muscular arms and launched into the sky. They landed in a tree and she was able to see where she originally was; she would have been impaled by one of Naraku’s sick tentacles. Barf.

"Inuyasha," she gasped, still letting her mind catch up to where her body had been dragged. "Where's--"

She was caught off guard by laughter from Naraku. This was the first time they had ever actually seen his true form. While they had seen his humanoid form plenty, his arachnid body was always just out of reach.  They caught a break when hunting him and finally were face to face with the real demon himself.

"You think you'll leave here with your Chosen intact, Inuyasha?? We both know you'll fail just as you did with our beloved Kikyo."

Kagome felt Inuyasha’s aura grow with anger and rage. He pulled her closer and snarled.  She wasn't sure if it was the blow that Kikyo died without Inuyasha’s protection or that Naraku was insinuating she wouldn't make it out alive.

She placed a calming hand on his chest just above his heart. Looking to where the tentacle retracted she shimmied her way out of Inuyasha’s tight grasp and grabbed her bow and drew back on the string until it was taught. Releasing her held breath, she let go and her reiki flowed out towards Naraku.

Totosai had found Kagome an unlikely teacher to help her learn how to control her dormant spiritual powers: Miroku. Her best friend's husband. Boy, was that a long discussion. It turned out Sango’s family had ties with the royals Inuyasha and Kikyo had served. 

Miroku's work was to recover an ancient artifact a demon had taken from the palace. It was humorous how small the world was… Once they recovered it they returned to Japan but had to keep it a secret until after they were able to recover the next item missing; that item was Inuyasha’s tomb. Once it was opened they had to wait until Naraku revealed himself in order to be reunited and begin training. After weeks of meditation and working on controlling her powers, she was ready to go. Ready to confront the man who destroyed her mate's life--though he said honestly he unwittingly only made it better.

Inuyasha only desired revenge for Kikyo. Without Naraku, he wouldn’t have met Kagome. He hadn't liked how they ended up meeting, but he was thankful nonetheless. 

There was a loud crash and an eerie silence that followed. Inuyasha gathered her up and leapt to the ground. Placing himself in front of her he sniffed around but came across nothing--or least that was all she could assume. She stepped around him and saw the item Naraku had tried to take from the museum in Kyoto--the Shikon no Tama. Picking it up, it glowed a bright light pink color. She placed it in the pack and then turned back to Inuyasha smiling.

“Looks like we won that round… do you think he’s--”

“I don’t doubt it. He’s powerful. I unfortunately doubt that arrow did him in fully,” he growled as his demonic features vanished.

“Let’s just count our blessings and head home,” she said walking towards him.

“Home is kinda far, Kagome.”

Oh. Yeah. They were in Kyoto. Damn. “Let’s find an inn then. We’ll catch the train back in the morning. How far are we out from the city?”

“Not too far if I carry ya.”

“Deal--I’m beat anyway,” she commented as she stepped around him to climb onto his back. He stopped her though and held her close. She sighed her approval and allowed herself to accept the warm embrace from her mate. 

He had been a little distant but no less gentle. They'd share dinner, conversation, but nothing more… intimate. They had kissed a couple times since their confession last year; but Inuyasha remained steadfast in wanting to take things slow since mating was a very large commitment. Lifetime. His lifespan. While she tried to assure him she was sure that this was what she wanted, he still hadn’t faltered. But she was positive. Ready. Horny. Needy. Desperate. Ok she didn't mention the last three, but she wasn't shy about making sure he knew she wanted more.

She had invited him to join her in bed; why sleep on the couch when they were basically engaged? But he didn’t see it like that. He saw himself trying to court her even though she told him he already had her.

But court her he did; she often came home to dinner prepared, a hot bath made, flowers on the kitchen table, cleaning all done… it was heaven. She tried to tell him he had done more than enough--but apparently he still felt he needed to do more.

Between his studies with Myouga, training with Totosai and Sango, and courting her she just assumed he was tired. Drained. He just needed time to unwind from all the stress he had. She could respect that--but she also felt like he was just holding back. 

Her own studies were weighing her down and between that and hunting artifacts Naraku was trying to gather, she shouldn’t have been so… pushy. Or demanding of his attentions. He never made her feel unloved; it was just that she felt almost undesired. As a woman. She had vaguely seen how Kikyo looked--was it possible she wasn’t beautiful enough?

Either way, they were going to have to actually share a room tonight. Tonight, she was actually going to make her move… It would be clever. Innocent. But deceptive. And hopefully, it would be enough to finally get the half-demon where she wanted him…

Inuyasha held his mate closely listening to her calming heartbeat. He was livid the bastard had gotten so close to what was his. Kagome was more precious than any stupid artifact or item Naraku was searching for. He honestly didn’t understand it all anyway--he was just a Guardian. The Chosens were the ones who were educated in the pieces of history. 

Sango had been training with him--not only in martial arts, but in testing his knowledge about the past. He didn’t give a fuck--he just wanted to be ready to fight the asshole who apparently had been the cause of his and Kikyo’s misunderstanding. Myouga handled all the education of the current time in teaching him how to actually blend in.

Using some shit called the fuyoheki so his aura will be invisible and he’ll appear human to others--yea, he guessed that was functional and important. 

But his main concern always fell to Kagome. He knew she understood the basics of mating--hell--he knew how badly she wanted him. But he was nervous. This era was different and he just--he didn’t feel ready. Which was stupid since he was basically ancient anyway. But still, he felt as a mate, he wasn’t a good provider. Even though all she did was protest that as well.

She pointed out he did everything in his power to make her evenings and mornings easier before she went to work and when she would return. He was also working hard to fit into society, again, something she pointed out he didn’t have to feel forced to do.

But therein lied the problem again; he wasn’t ready. Or he felt like he wasn’t. He was scared his other half would take her and rut her. She deserved to be loved, cherished, and worshipped. He tried to pull back a little. He still kissed her forehead goodnight, would often sneak into her room long after she had fallen asleep and just watch her. Frequently he found himself cuddling with her and then would forcibly pull himself away so she didn’t know.

He was nervous about staying at an inn. There’d be only one room. One bed. Fuck. How was he gonna control himself? He knew he wasn’t going to be able to… 

Before she was able to climb onto his back, he pulled her into a tight hold as he silently begged for her forgiveness. He finally relinquished his hold and knelt down. She mounted immediately and stroked one of his ears lovingly before pecking him on the cheek. Fuck. Why was she so amazing?

He took off in a steady run until they got through the trees into the busier streets. He reactivated the charm Myouga gave him and let Kagome slide off his back. She took his hand and led him to the first inn  they came across. Pulling out her wallet, she paid the attendant for the room and then walked with Inuyasha where the keeper directed them.

The keeper bowed and left them to their musing after informing them when dinner would be served and where to find the bathing room. Kagome told him that he should go first and she would get the room set up.

Nodding, he made his way to the bath. He wasn’t really sure what she was setting up for--or why it would take her an extraordinary amount of time to lay out the futon. But whatever. Maybe she had more planned.

He undressed, removing his slacks and then his shirt. Once he was bare, he dropped into the heated pool. He groaned as he closed his eyes feeling his tight muscles release a lot of their pent up tension. The door opening made his eyes shoot right back open. 

“Uh, occupied?” he called out snarkily. He heard the door lock but he couldn’t see past the partition but the steam was affecting his sense of smell.

“Hello?” he shouted  hoping to get an answer of what pervert was trying to peep. What he hadn’t expected to see was Kagome’s sheepish face appear out from behind the screen. “Kagome??”

“C-Can I join you? The other one is full…”

“U-uhm--I mean--I can get out--”

“No!! I mean, I don’t--uhm--I don’t want to make you leave--ugh! This was stupid! I’m so sorry!” She blushed madly as she exclaimed, turning around back towards the door.

“Fuck--wait!” He was already out of the bath and pulling on her arm to stop before he could think better of it. “I’m sorry, Kagome. If you’re actually okay with this, then who am I to say no?”

“If you’re sure--I mean--” she turned around and faced him and that when he realized he was totally naked. And she could see him. Everything. E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G. 

She rose her hand up to her mouth and bit her nail. Oh so seductively as she stared straight at his cock. That was twitching and rising rapidly from her intense gaze. He watched her eyes glaze over with lust, her breath quicken just enough to where he could notice with his ears, her lips moisten as she nibbled on that fucking finger, her nips tighten under her bathing yukata, and oh shitttttttttttttt. Her scent. Her fucking arousal was spicy. Ugh, it was so… naked because she wasn’t wearing anything underneath her robe.

Before he became aware he had pulled her close to him and his lips were pressed against her own and she was moaning. SIGHING PLEASURABLY INTO HIM. He was a stronger demon. He had a lot of self control. A lot. But at that very moment, it was flying out the damn window as he picked her up by her thighs and walked her over to sit her to perch on the tub.

“Fuck,” he groaned nibbling down her neck as she gasped. Her fingers wove into his hair as she pressed him into her.

“Inuyasha,” she moaned, grinding her hips against his hardened groin. 

“Kag--shit--wait--” he breathed trying to space between them. He deserved some fucking medal of honor. Shit. She was so fucking beautiful. Incredibly sexy and--he clearly was out of his mind trying to stop this fucking train from leaving the station. Figuratively. “A-are you sure? Because fuck-- I don’t know if I can stop again.”

“Gods Inuyasha, I have wanted you so bad it hurts. Please--I--I can try to be sexier. I can exercise more to lean out. I can watch what I eat--Uhm--”

“What??? What are you talking about??”

“I get you're not as attracted to me as I am you--I think--I don’t know honestly. You’ve just been so distant and--”

“Oh for fucks sake, Kagome!!! Are you fucking stupid?!? Are you comparing yourself to Kikyo again?!? God damnit! What do I have to say to make you stop doing that!!!?

“Kagome I love you! You! Not Kikyo, you! Did I think Kikyo was beautiful? Yes! You would literally have to be blind to not fucking see that! But trust me when I say this--she is nothing compared to you. Nothing. You are everything Kagome! Are you crazy??! I’m so fucking attracted to you, it’s fucking torture to not touch you. I just--I was trying to train hard with Sango, Myouga, and even Totosai to control my demon half. You deserve the world--to feel special and loved and I just worry--”

“--About your demon half… Inuyasha, your demon half is a part of you. Why are you scared of it? Why do you think I’d reject it--reject you?” she asked, looking deeply into his golden eyes, caressing his cheeks lovingly. He melted into her hands like goo. His ear lowered as his head tipped slightly in submission. 

“It’s not that--damnit--Kagome, I just--I don’t think you’ll reject me. I guess I’m scared of myself. I didn’t mean to make you think I was rejecting you. Please for the love of all of the Kamis out there do not alter your body. I’ll beg like the dog I am for you to stay as gorgeous as you are,” he said dipping his head back to capture her lips.

“Mmmmmm,” she sighed, moving her hands to massage his ears. “Show me,” she added breathily.

He growled and continued the hot trail of kisses down her neck once more and laved her neck making her breath hitch. His hands made it to her obi and before she gave permission, it was untied and floating in the bathing water.

Fuck. If his mate was not the most beautiful entrancing being on this planet. The Gods were definitely smiling on him. He took no pause after he had divested her of her clothing and latched onto her breast. The cry she made was fucking music to his ears and cock.

His tongue swirled around her nipple and then he lightly nipped. Her pants and pawing hands kept him going. His inner demon was purring, obviously happy to take the back seat and allow him full control. 

He switched breasts and dropped a hand to slide between her glistening wet folds. Shit. She was drenched. Her pulsing movements to grind against his hand almost did him in. 

As an elected Guardian he didn't have 'experience'. Not that his instincts didn't guide him and to his advantage, she was very vocal as he was a very fast learner.

It also helped when she sighed out her words such as 'right there' and begged 'oh please.

There was a little nub she particularly swooned over when he grazed it. He focused his fingers there as he kissed down her body. 

Either she didn't notice or desired his face down at her core, she didn’t put up resistance as he licked a teasing pressure around her center. She swayed as she was losing herself but he luckily could keep her upright with just one hand as the other delicately made its way to thrust inside of her.

“Gods!!! Inuyasha,”she moaned.

“You like that, Kagome?” he said hoping it would come out haughtily rather than nervous like he felt.

“Yes, please--”

He wasn’t quite sure what she was begging for--but he swore she would get it. He found the enlarged pearl again with his mouth and used his tongue to circle it. His fangs grazed it which seemed to drive her the most frantic; her hands were pressed hard against his head, as if she wanted him to go even deeper. By Gods, he was going to.

Honestly he felt kind of foolish in the heat of the moment, bringing the sweet feisty young woman to her peak. She honestly didn’t care he was a half-demon let alone that his demon half might emerge mid fuck. If anything she encouraged him to be himself. Encouraged him to allow his instincts to press him forward.

Shit. Why hadn’t they done this sooner?

He dipped his tongue into her opening and groaned at the taste of her sweet nectar. His dick was as hard as a rock and more or less foaming at the mouth. Literally actually. The precum was oozing out just from tasting her. Thank Gods they were at an inn. They were gonna fuck until the sun came up and then sleep on the damn train back home.

Continuing on his mission, his head as close as possible as his tongue delved deeper into her and she screamed, cried, moaned, struggled to catch her breath---fucking hell. It’d be only right to put her out of her misery of being so far off the ledge right?

He pinched her clit and that was when he almost came. Almost. Literally he had to almost remove himself as he felt her walls clamp down on his tongue as he slowly withdrew and her juices flowed into his mouth. Jesus Christ. Or whatever those Catholic’s say about their God’s son.

She seemed weightless as he kissed back up her body and pulled her into his arms kissing her soundly on her lips making her taste herself. Her hum in approval only slightly killed him. The thighs wrapping around his waist and her wet core right at his tip did.

“Damn--Kagome--”

“Should we keep going here?” she panted.

He looked back to the door waiting to see if he could smell anyone but the scents were now not only indiscernible by the steam, but the hot spicy cinnamon scent rolling off Kagome.

“We should probably go back to the room; I can’t smell worth shit.”

“I did lock the door; I just meant would this be easier on a bed rather than the surface of the tub.”

“Oh--uh--u-up to you,” he blushed.

“Why don’t we… bathe? First?” she offered as she bit that kiss-swollen lip.

“Sure,” he groaned out unsure if she realized how fucking hard he actually was and how bad it was gonna hurt not taken care of. But whatever. This was his mate. He would make sure she was settled, ready, and not pushed. Fuck his comfort. He’d tough it out. Wouldn’t be the first time in his life he couldn’t act on such pleasures.

What he hadn't expected when he sank into the water next to his mate was that she would straddle him. He was sure his eyes had popped out of his head as she descended on him and set forth to pay him back for the pleasures he had given her.

Kagome had been nervous when she entered the bathing room; but her anxieties were definitely put to rest after the amazing orgasm he had given her with his tongue. She had heard about it--a couple times from friends. Some thought it was icky, some thought it was weird; but to her, it was absolutely mind altering. The fact a dog-demon wanted to taste her only sent shivers of excitement down her spine. 

She figured the water might help her be able to repay him for the gift he had given her. She could tell he was uncomfortable but didn’t want him to feel awkward walking back to their room sporting such an erection. 

Straddling him, she claimed his lips with her own and rubbed her nub against his tip. The fact she could make him this weak, this powerless under her was all the confidence she needed. She lined herself up to devour him in her opening when he paused her movements as his hands took hold of her hips.

“Are--Are you sure?”

“I’ve never been so sure of anything Inuyasha,” she said as she gazed into his golden eyes. She leaned in and kissed him gently, lovingly, coaxingly. It seemed to disarm him as his grip loosened and she thrusted downward to take him all in.

The water jarred from her movement and splashed over the rim. Her head sunk into his shoulder as she tried to control the ripping searing burning from where they were locked together. His rumble and soft ministrations of his claws running up and down her sweat mixed with water covered back.

“Let me know when you’re ready, Kagome,” he purred, nuzzling her cheek.

“Mmmk,” she whined. Maybe water wasn’t the best idea. It seemed to dry her out more than anything; it was a contradiction. But they were there. Intertwined and joined. She couldn’t say she would beg him to do it again immediately if the first time didn’t get better.

“Are you okay?”

“Y-yes, just stings,” she cringed as she tried to pull up as she cursed her idea. What she hadn’t expected was Inuyasha to rise out of the water and dislodge them. She shuddered at the loss of him and then locked eyes with his.

“Come on--let’s try this somewhere more comfortable.”

Smiling softly and slightly embarrassed at her brashness she nodded. She was thankful she had such a sweet guy. She’d heard horror stories where most of her friends' husbands just took and didn’t care about their pleasures.

He toweled her off and redressed her in his shirt as he put on his yukata that was hanging on the partition. Scooping her up suddenly, he unlocked the door and peeked out the room then proceeded to dash down the hall to their room. Her giggled bounced around the walls until she was breathless in their room where he resumed their kissing.

His tongue brushed against her own and she backpedaled to the screen for balance. She was officially drunk off of him. He hoisted her up and she wrapped her legs around his hips. She felt they were moving and then she was placed onto a soft comfy surface--the futon. Suddenly she grew nervous again but as the dog demon he was, he must’ve smelt it as his rumble in his chest resounded--calming her anxieties. 

“It might feel better if we try it like this, Kagome,” he said softly.

Nodding she let him lift up his shirt from over her head and then she untied his yukata. He lined himself up at her entrance and rentered. He was definitely right; it didn’t hurt. It felt amazing.

She couldn’t control the sounds emerging from her kiss-swollen lips even if she wanted to. He paused briefly until she rotated her hips and pushed against him to feel him deep inside of her again. The groan he made was worth it.

“Better?” he moaned cockily with that beautiful golden-eyed smirk.

“Gods yes--now please--” she didn’t get to finish her though as she found her mouth engulfed with his tongue and his hips pounding into her. She was wet now with need, want, and desire, not with bathing water.

She tried to match his pace by raising her hips, circled her hips to hit new angles, and scratched up and down his back trying to bring him as close as possible. A particularly hard thrust caught her breath and attention. She forced her eyes open and was met with the crimson she had begun to get to know during battle.

“Hey there,” she said, stroking his cheek.

“It’s still me--kinda--it’s weird,” he growled, kissing the palm on her hand.

“I’m glad you two are, ugh, Gods, sharing,” she moaned, writhing beneath him as his speed increased. 

His growl vibrated through her body as he fed into her aching core for more. She felt the tightening of her coil like the first time when he had laved her center. So close, she heard herself begging--probably not as coherently as she thought she was in her head, but it seemed like he got the picture as he dipped his head to lick across her collarbone and a hand snaked between them and began pinching her clit.

And that was all she needed before she felt the snap of her release. Crying out, she felt her walls grabbing him, pulling him in further, if that was even possible. Her juices soaked him and the bed beneath them as she tried to catch her fleeting breath.

“Kagome,” he growled.

“Inuyasha,” she whispered.

“I’m gonna--”

“Do it,” she encouraged.

As he slammed into her one final time, she felt his member pulsate inside her, filling her with his warm milk. She also felt the sharp sensation of his bite on her shoulder making her cry out again as she felt a spontaneous third orgasm make its way to her center.

They slowly ground into each other until they were both still, but still linked together. His beautiful now-amber eyes gazed into hers and all she could think about was forever as they shared a loving kiss together. 

[athingthatwantsvirginia]

Holden Caulfield or Nancy Drew

PART THIRTY-ONE OF THE DO YOU SEE HER FACE? SERIES

Pairing: Jess Mariano x Original Character (Ella Stevens)

Warnings: nightmares, anxiety/panic attacks, mentions of domestic abuse/violence, plentiful pop culture references

Word Count: 7.5K (this is long for some reason idk lads)

Summary: Jess and Ella return to Stars Hollow for Liz’s baby shower.

“So, how do you feel about artificial intelligence?” Ella asked, unprompted, finishing a drawing of some ducklings feasting on a vulture. Her sketchpad sat to her right on the arm of the couch. She was working with the new theme of opposition.

Jess looked up from his book, his head lying on her lap, and furrowed his brows. “What?”

She shrugged. “I read about some guy in the woods of Montana creating an AI all on his own. I think it’s a recipe for disaster.”

“How so?” Setting the book on his chest upside-down, Jess glanced at her inquisitively.

Her eyes were still trained on the drawing she was completing with only one hand. “Well, once they gain a more humanoid form, will they assimilate completely into the human race or will they be distinct from us? I mean, will they enact some revenge plot on us or will we coexist peacefully? We’re not the first humans who’ve had to think about this, but it’s the new millennium. Seems like that kinda stuff is closer than ever.”

Breathing a long sigh, Jess let a smirk cross his face. He peeked at his watch, and found it was only half past five. Chris was due home soon, having gone to do some PR business. Matthew was staying at Mabel’s place for the weekend. The apartment, silent save for their voices, was bathed in evening light. It had been warm for a February day, but a cold front was set to arrive very soon.

“It’s not even six yet. And already we’ve arrived at Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” he asked with a doubtful chuckle.

Finally, she did the last bit of shading on her sketch and shut her book, her pencil saving her place. Her smile was small and sardonic. “You mean Blade Runner? Or are you actually insinuating that the book was better than the movie?”

“I’m not insinuating, Stevens. I’m stating a known fact,” he argued flatly.

She rolled her eyes. “Are you ever gonna get some taste?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” he shot back.

Ella scoffed. “Says the man who honestly believes Coldplay could be described as an alternative band?”

“I’m not having this conversation again,” Jess deadpanned playfully, picking his book back up.

“Because you know I’m right.”

“Because you’re relentlessly stubborn.”

“On this particular topic?” Ella said, eyebrows raised. “Any sane person would be.”

“‘Sane’ isn’t quite the right word,” Jess muttered, pretending to ignore her.

She narrowed her eyes at him for a moment, then gave a curt nod and snatched the Kesey book from his hands before he could even react. Sitting up instantly, Jess eyed the book where she held it over the arm of the couch. Certainly, it was in his reach, but that wasn’t the point.

“You know this means war, right?” he asked.

“I’m aware,” she replied coolly, mocking. “But you’ll just have to try to come over here and get this back.”

“If you insist,” he shrugged, sighing slightly.

He launched forwards and began tickling her sides. Eyes widening, Ella dropped the book. The paperback fell with a small thud on the cracked hardwood on the other side of the couch, forgotten. Her sketchbook also slipped off the arm of the couch, the pencil falling out and rolling underneath the chair nearby. Jess had gone straight for the jugular. It had only taken sleeping in the same bed with her a few times for him to realize Ella was one of the most ticklish people he had ever encountered. She laughed loudly, openly, throwing her head back. Her hair splayed behind her as she laid her head against one of the throw pillows and Jess ended up on top, straddling her.

“This is what you get for being a book tease, Daria,” he said.

Her smile was wide, hurting her cheeks, as she pleaded through breathless giggles. “Fuck you! Stop!”

After a few more seconds, he obliged, his hands going slack and gripping her sides gently instead. The grin remained on her lips, her cheeks a lively pink. She caught her breath, dreamy eyes softening as her gaze lingered on his face. “I hate you, Mariano.”

He chuckled in disbelief. “You love me.”

Ella shrugged as Jess leaned in closer to her, breath hot on her face. “Close enough.”

As he went to kiss her, she placed a hand on the back of his neck, cool against his flushed skin. Her lips were soft but firm, needy. She was just wrapping her legs around his waist as he sat up, preparing to lift her up and take her to their bedroom, when Chris walked in. Immediately after tossing his keys on the kitchen counter, he staggered back and clamped his free hand over his eyes.

“Ugh, c’mon guys!” he whined.

Ella gasped and pulled away, hiding her face behind Jess, who turned to his friend with an annoyed stare. About a minute more and they would’ve been in the clear.

“How many times?” Chris continued, glancing through his splayed fingers to ensure it was safe before removing his hand again. “This is a communal living room! Communal!”

“Sorry,” Jess said lightly. “Next time, we’ll hang a sock on the door.”

Ella shoved his shoulder playfully, embarrassed. “Shut up!”

Chris grimaced in distaste but let it slide. He cast a stack of envelopes on the coffee table in front of them before going to hang up his things. “Some mail came.”

Swallowing thickly, Ella climbed off of Jess and began sifting through the mail. Jess watched her go through the envelopes, his chin resting on her shoulder. She tossed a few his way, some bills and some author inquiries.

Only two of them were for her, one being a check for her teacher’s assistant services. The spring semester was going considerably better than the fall, as Ella got the hang of the program. She smiled down at it and picked up her sketchbook again, tucking the check inside and making a mental note to cash it on Monday. Underneath it was a larger envelope, addressed in delicate, handwritten cursive. The return address was for a woman named Carrie from Stars Hollow. For the life of her, she couldn’t produce a face to match the name. Furrowing her brows, she ripped it open and read the stiff card which fell out.

“Hm,” she hummed, beginning to chew at her thumbnail as she looked it over.

“What’s up?” Jess asked absently, flipping through his own pile.

Biting the inside of her cheek, Ella took a hesitant pause before she spoke. The door shut behind Chris as he disappeared into his own room, and Ella was glad the inquiring ears were gone. “I got invited to Liz’s baby shower.”

“Huh,” Jess chirped, indifferent. “When?”

Her eyes landed on the date and she smirked bitterly. “Tomorrow. What a master at planning, your mother.”

“It’s what she’s famous for,” Jess quipped, finally setting his mail back on the coffee table and meeting her eyes again. “You wanna go? There’s no other plans this weekend, right?”

“I don’t know,” Ella shrugged. “Obviously, you could come with. Maybe catch up with Luke or something. He’s probably not doing so hot since everything with Lorelai. I mean...do you want me to go?”

“Not my decision to make,” he said in a clipped tone. He ran a hand over his mouth and peeked down at the invitation. It was pink and glittery. He snorted a bitter laugh. “If you wanna go, I’ll come with.”

“You have no opinion on this?” she asked. “None at all?”

“Nope,” he answered, shaking his head. “No opinion at all.”

She blew a breath out her nose, eyes calculating, as she read the invitation over again and considered the options. Jess didn’t seem thrilled about it, but didn’t seem enraged either. It was nice they had thought of her at all. And Ella had been worrying about Luke in the back of her mind quite a bit as of late. She’d heard through Lane that Lorelai had somehow ended up marrying Rory’s dad, Christopher, in Paris. Besides, Jess spoke with Liz on the phone at least once a month. They weren’t estranged. It would be good, she told herself. Mature.

“Might as well,” she said with finality, adding her own envelopes to the madness on the coffee table. She would have to grab her lone, neat stack later. “Since they remembered to invite me. Feels like I should go.”

Jess nodded. “Okay.”

“Okay,” she echoed, tugging on her earring. “We can take my car. And we’ll have to stop and get a gift on the way, I guess. But the party’s not until four, so we can definitely swing it. I guess you’ll have to hang out at Luke’s or something while I go?”

“Sure,” Jess said, aloof. “I’ll call him later and let him know we’re coming. We should probably stay with him. There’s no telling what kind of state Liz and TJ’s house is in.”

“Yeah, I think that’s a wise choice.”

“Agreed.” He ran an anxious hand through his hair and straightened up slightly, then seemed to lose some of the tension in his shoulders. The small smirk reappeared on his lips. “But, in the meantime, you wanna finish what we started?”

Ella grinned wickedly and grabbed his hand, leading him towards the bedroom door. “No time like the present.”

.   .   .

Usually, when Jess emerged from a nightmare, a big gasp brought him immediately back to reality. He would jolt physically as soon as his eyes flew open. But, this time, he found he couldn’t get quite as much of the dry central heating air as he needed when he reentered the waking world. His chest felt tight, as it often did in a bad dream’s aftermath, but his throat also felt impossibly small. His breathing came in short gasps. His heart beat hard against his ribs, making him feel almost nauseous. Though he was sticky with sweat, shivers rolled through his body, making his hands tremble. And for just one moment, he feared he was so lightheaded he would pass out.

Ella didn’t feel his movements so much as hear his shuffling around. When she cracked her eyes open, and blinked away the first few seconds of blurriness, she found him leaning up against the wall behind the bed. His eyes were wide and terrified, and he couldn’t control his breathing despite the hand he held desperately to his chest.

“Whoa, hey, Jess,” she murmured softly.

Sitting up, she immediately went to bring a hand to his shoulder, but he flinched away from her.

“I won’t touch you if you don’t want me to, okay?” she told him.

He nodded weakly.

Worry crept up her throat, but she did her best to keep her voice calm. She had seen shades of the same reaction each time he had a nightmare, but it had never been quite so extreme. His pupils had never been blown-out, as she could see in the grayish light of the early morning, and he had never had trouble breathing before.

“What do you need?” she asked, trying to get him to meet her gaze. When he finally did, she could see tears just about to spill over.

“Elle, I...I don’t…” He struggled for words, panting.

“Alright, that’s fine,” she whispered. “It’s fine if you don’t know. Everything is fine, Jess. But let’s just breathe, alright? Breathe with me.”

She took a long, loud breath in through her nose, then let it out through her mouth.

“Do it with me, James Dean. In and out, huh?” she said.

Though he raised a doubtful eyebrow, eventually, he did as she instructed. His hands almost felt numb, pins and needles, but they stopped shaking after a few minutes of slow breaths. He grabbed her hand in his own, squeezing tightly. He wondered instantly why he had withdrawn from her before. The feeling of her skin against his did perhaps more to soothe him than the breathing did.

She offered a tiny smile as he interlaced their fingers, and squeezed back. “Good job, Jess. Everything’s fine. I’m right here.”

Again, he nodded, more emphatically. There were glistening tear tracks running down his cheeks. He sniffled as his breathing became regular again, and he bit down hard on his bottom lip to maintain whatever semblance of control he could.

“You okay?” she asked, watching his muscles begin to ease up.

Releasing her hand, Jess averted his gaze and felt a blush heat his skin. “Yeah. Yeah. Fine.”

Ella said nothing more, instead gently laying him back down. She tugged the covers over them again, though she knew the alarm would probably go off in less than an hour or two. She brought his head to her chest, running her fingers through his hair and pressing a kiss to the top of his head. Wiping some of the dampness from his face with her thumb, she rubbed her free hand up and down over his back.

“One of those dreams, cutie?” she asked quietly.

He hummed in confirmation.

“You wanna talk about it?”

“No,” he said, and she thought she heard his voice becoming watery again.

“Okay,” she replied, soft but resolute. It was the response she had expected, but it seemed worth asking for such an acute reaction.

A calm, comfortable silence passed between them. Outside, the birds were chirping, and the traffic noise had already started. Slats of light snuck through the closed blinds and cast white strips over the gray comforter. Reaching over, Jess began to trace a fingertip over the tattoo on the inside of her left forearm. He did it often with her body art, after having watched her run her hands over her sketches so many times.

“Remind me about this one,” he said softly.

She smiled. He’d asked her more than once after a nightmare. She only had two tattoos so far, though she had plans for a third. Quality meant money, and she was still saving up. Sometimes he asked about the one on her leg, an antique bird cage with an open door. Neither of her tattoos had any color, drawn in a delicate, shaded style by an artist in New Haven. She was talented, and Gil knew her through his sandwich shop connections. She was still apprenticing, making sandwiches to get by before she could open her own shop or get permanently hired at one.

The birdcage had actually been Lane’s idea, after Ella moved in with her. Partially inspired by Keats’s odes, Ella had thought of getting a simple bird tattoo. She’d mentioned it to Lane, who lit up immediately at the mention of a rebellious act, and suggested something a bit different. The metaphor was clear, the tattoo was beautiful. The experience was better than she thought it would be, and she’d gone back for her second only a few months later, on Mother’s Day.

As much as Ella loved the birdcage, the tulip on her arm was her favorite. By the same artist, it had the same style. It was delicate, the bloom near the crook of her elbow and the stem tapering off and disappearing gracefully a little above her wrist.

“When I was a kid,” she began, “my mother had a kickass garden. I always wanted to help her, planting and watering and everything. But, as we all know, I kill everything except cactuses. She gave me a bunch of tulip seeds for my birthday once, and I made them my project. Got some books about flowers from the library, and everything. Only one ended up growing, anyway. But I was proud of it. And my mom was proud of me. And now I remember every time I look at my arm.”

Jess could feel the vibrations of Ella’s raspy voice in her chest, his ear pressed against her t-shirt as he listened. His eyes were getting heavy again, his body stressed from the rude awakening. It made him feel silly, but it had always so easily put him back to sleep. Not having to talk. Just listening to her.

“Pretty sentimental of you, Stevens,” he joked.

She chuckled. “Hypocrite. Love at first sight much?”

“Who am I to deny a law of the universe? Not like I could help it. I saw you and it was done,” he argued impassively.

“Guess I’m just irresistible,” she teased.

“Seems that way.”

Her own eyes fluttered shut. She was warm but not uncomfortable. Cozy, she supposed, was the word for it. Jess on her right side, with his head on her chest, seconds away from snoring.

“Hey, I do love you, Mariano.”

One corner of Jess’s mouth quirked up in a lazy smile, as he dozed despite the uneasiness and embarrassment still sitting in his stomach. “I know, Stevens. Love you back.”

.   .   .

Humming along with the CD, Ella cast nervous glances Jess’s way. His scowl was near permanent as he stared out the window at the passing scenery. The breeze was frigid as the sun beat down on the Connecticut streets. They were only five minutes away from Liz and TJ’s house, and Ella felt far less nostalgia than she was expecting. Fiona and Adam both had plans for the day, and said they simply couldn’t carve out the time to see her. Not one minute. Adam had some project he was spending the weekend at a friend’s house to finish. And Fiona had hair appointments booked solid. Ella knew it was naive to think they would fit in time for her on such a spur of the moment visit, but the disappointment remained. Stars Hollow didn’t look the same to her, feel the same to her, no matter how identical it seemed. Colorful decorations popped up on the sidewalks and there was a banner for some random town holiday above Taylor’s store. She didn’t bother to read it; next weekend was Valentine’s Day and she knew whatever the town was currently celebrating would just be an excuse to drum up business for the actual calendar event. As soon as “Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters” ended, she pulled her station wagon over to the side, outside Liz and TJ’s modest ranch-style, adorned with lawn ornaments and wind chimes and other kitschy decorations. A bunch of pink balloons streamed from where they were tied to the mailbox, which was shaped like a fish.

“Okay. Out with it,” she said, turning to him just as she pulled the parking brake.

Jess faced her, furrowing his brows. “What?”

“What’s with you?” Ella asked. “You always sing along to Elton John. At least, when it’s just the two of us you do. ‘Mona Lisa and Mad Hatters’ is your favorite. You’re not singing so...what’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Jess said shortly, arms crossed over his flannel.

Ella blew her curtain bangs from her eyes in frustration, the rest of her locks pulled back in a low bun. She pulled the keys from the ignition. “Can we just skip this whole denial part and get to the part where you tell me what’s going on with you?”

“This isn’t the denial part,” Jess said, rolling his eyes. “This is the part where I tell you nothing is wrong because nothing is wrong. Two different parts entirely.”

“I asked you if you still wanted to come after everything that happened last night. And you said, and I quote: ‘Yes.’ And you didn’t want to talk about it, which is totally fine. But you seemed so out of it this morning, and-”

“This isn’t about last night,” he interrupted, a defensive bite in his voice. His muscles were tense.

“Alright,” she nodded, eyebrows raised. “Then what the hell is it about?”

“Nothing. I’m fine.”

“I think you might be a worse liar than me,” she mused peevishly. “Just give it up, Mariano. What is wrong?”

“The third degree is getting a little old, Nancy Drew,” he shot back, raising his voice slightly.

She spoke with her hands, a small, bitter, sarcastic smirk on her face. “You know what I think is getting old? The Holden fucking Caulfield act, which I haven’t seen in, like, three years. Now, you obviously don’t wanna be here, jackass. You obviously didn’t want me to go to this thing. Which you could’ve mentioned about two hundred miles ago. But I guess I wasn’t worthy of that courtesy. I’m only your girlfriend and your best friend, but who am I kidding? There’s no one on the planet who could possibly be privy to the thoughts of tortured genius, Jess Mariano! Excuse me!”

Grabbing the present and her purse from the backseat and shutting the driver’s side door behind her harshly, she began trudging up the cobblestone path to the house.

Jess sighed heavily as he got out of the car and leaned against the passenger side. He watched as Ella stopped abruptly and turned on her heel, fire in her hazel eyes as she doubled back and held the keys out to him.

“For you, Caulfield. Avoid the phonies on your way. I hear they tend to jaywalk,” she snapped as he took the keys.

“You’re so fucking hilarious,” he retorted, eyes narrowed.

“And you are so fucking annoying,” she shouted over her shoulder as she neared the front door.

“Right back at ya, Stevens!”

Jess ran a hand over his mouth as he saw Liz come out to meet Ella, enveloping her in a warm, cheerful hug. Her baby bump was round and visible from the street, and she offered her son a wave from the distance. He returned it begrudgingly. Feeling his stomach do a flip, his eyes followed Ella as she vanished into the house and didn’t turn back for a final look at him.

.   .   .

Evening had darkened to a deep, silky blue outside. The air was icy and thick with the promise of forthcoming snow. Ella sat on the porch with Miss Patty as she smoked from her long cigarette holder. The day hadn’t been her happiest, but Ella was glad to have a chance to reunite with the best dance teacher on the East Coast. Babette had left earlier, something about a gig for Maury’s jazz group. Carrie, who Ella had recognized as one of the crazy guests from Liz’s bachelorette party upon seeing her face again, was inside with Liz and TJ. And, Ella couldn’t think of anything she wanted to hear less than the story TJ was currently telling of the fight he and Jess had gotten into at a strip club. The father-to-be had shown up halfway through the party to be present when the gifts were opened, wearing an ostentatious Hawaiian shirt, inexplicably.

Ella’s glass was filled with watery orange juice, the ice cubes long since having melted. The drink was tangy, sour, and she had downed at least four of them over the course of the past three hours.

“And I told Marlene I simply couldn’t take her place,” Patty said, words snaking out of her mouth in white clouds. She was draped in velvet shawls and several long necklaces. “But she insisted!”

“I never knew you were a Dietrich stand-in,” Ella said, head buzzing and airy.

Patty nodded, an eyebrow raised suggestively. “I was her stand-in in more ways than one. Rudolf Sieber was a hell of a man.”

Snorting a laugh, Ella half-listened as she leaned over to get a better view of the full moon and the bright stars. She slid right off the porch swing and landed directly on her ass. Bursting out in drunken cackles, she somehow managed to keep the drink gripped in her hand. She gulped up the rest of it, then placed it down on the painted wood floor next to her. Patty laughed along suspiciously.

“Darling, are you alright?”

Ella nodded through her sloppy giggles, licking her lips. “I’m great, Miss Patty. Y’know, I don’t usually like orange juice too much, but I love it tonight. And Liz loved the pajamas we got. I thought the piglets would be better, but Jess insisted we get the sheep. He was right, I guess. It’d be nice if he was so open about more than just his onesie opinions.”

“My dear,” Patty began, stubbing out her cigarette, “that’s not orange juice. That’s a screwdriver.”

“Hm?” Ella asked, looking up at her from her place on the floor with large, glassy eyes.

“A screwdriver. It’s orange juice and vodka,” Patty explained, half-amused and half-concerned. She went and shouted something through the front door to Liz, TJ, Carrie, and the rest of the crowd. Ella said nothing, only looking down in confusion at her empty cup.

Liz appeared next to Patty in a second, both of them coming over and lifting Ella by the upper arms. Smiling widely, Liz gave Ella a hug goodbye. Ella laughed in her grasp, more receptive to the contact than she was when she first got to the shower.

“I had so much fun! Thank you for inviting me!” Ella exclaimed, her voice high and intoxicated.

Grin ever-present, Liz pulled away from Ella and held her by the shoulders. “Aw, thank you for coming. I love the onesie! Patty’s gonna walk you back to my bro’s diner, alright?”

Ella paused for a long, apprehensive moment, then nodded happily. “Okay, sure. Hey, did Carrie give me vodka? Patty said something about vodka. But Carrie said it was orange juice and I couldn’t taste anything else!”

“You’ll be fine, sweetie,” Liz said calmly, then turned Ella back to Patty.

Ella was about to question her further, but she was already being whisked away.

“C’mon, let’s get you back to the diner,” Patty said, pushing Ella forwards by the shoulderblades.

Babbling on about whatever passed through her brain, Ella appreciated the cold air on her flushed skin as they strolled through town on the five-minute walk back to Luke's. At some point, she shed her black peacoat and slung it over her shoulder. There were rosy patches blooming on her chest, exposed in her floral black dress. Her tights had somehow sustained more than one rip and her Doc Martens felt leaden on her feet. The lights of the diner were a beacon against the dark backdrop of town at night. She saw Jess, all broody on a stool at the end of the counter, through the front window.

“Ugh, Jess is such an asshole sometimes,” she muttered, her words thick like molasses.

Patty chuckled, walking her up the concrete steps. “He’s a man, honey. What did you expect?”

The bell over the door jingled jovially. Luke was cleaning up the counter as the Saturday dinner rush died down. The aroma of salt and grease was potent. Finally, the wave of nostalgia hit Ella as she hung her coat and bag by the door. She almost knocked the rack down as Patty’s hands hovered over her form cautiously.

“Yes, everyone, your eyes do not deceive you,” Ella announced. “Luke’s best waitress has returned to her humble beginnings in Stars Hollow.”

At the sound of her voice, Jess turned and his eyes widened. He abandoned his book on the counter and hopped up from the stool. Luke, equally startled, could only stand there with his mouth agape.

“What happened?” Jess asked, rushing over to Ella. His hands went to her waist to guide her, but she swatted him away with a heavy sigh of frustration.

“Get off me, Holden Caulfield,” she mumbled, wobbly on her feet.

“Carrie gave her five screwdrivers. She thought it was orange juice,” Patty said shortly, offering some greetings to the stray customers sitting around and looking on in curiosity. “You got her, Jess? I have a midnight sauna salsa class to set up for.”

“Yeah. Thanks, Patty,” Jess said, taking over for her.

Ella ran right into one of the tables. It screeched across the tile floor, leaving a dark mark. But Jess caught her before she fell on her face. Patty offered Ella a final kiss on the cheek before making her exit.

“Dammit, Crazy Carrie strikes again!” Luke exclaimed. Jess sensed a rant coming. “I never would’ve let her go if I knew that’s who was throwing it!”

“You think you could stop Eleanor Stevens from going anywhere?” Jess asked doubtfully, continuing his failed attempts to direct her.

“Luke, your nephew is a jackass, did you know that? And such a dork,” Ella said, coming behind the counter and learning her elbows on it tiredly. Luke could smell the vodka, strong on her breath. “I mean, he loves broadway. I’m serious. And Elton John. And Nora Ephron. And remember when we were in high school when he got that black eye from-”

Jess finally managed to clamp his hand over Ella’s mouth, as she had been shoving his hands away during the entire diatribe. She was surprisingly strong while drunk, even though she was such a lightweight. Licking his hand, Ella managed to get her mouth free again. She laughed at Jess’s grimace as he wiped his palm on her sleeve, but pressed her back against him nonetheless. She felt some stability returning as he began to support her weight.

“Okay, I think it’s time we get you to bed,” Jess said. His cheeks were flushed and there was crease of concern on his forehead. “Don’t you think so, Luke?”

“Yeah, Ella, the sheets are clean. You guys can take my bed tonight,” Luke said, nodding along as he went over to the cash register.

“But I don’t wanna take your bed. Who are we to take your bed?” Ella argued, as Jess led her back towards the stairs. She stumbled over her words, and swayed as she tried to walk.

“It’s fine, Ella,” Luke insisted warily. “You’ll take the bed.”

“But-”

Jess uttered a long sigh, then hoisted her up bridal-style, fed up with struggling. Groaning dramatically, Ella stiffened for only a moment, then relaxed in his arms. Her head lolled drunkenly against his shoulder.

“Oh, look, my jackass in shining armor,” she spat out, eyes closed.

“Yeah, I’m the fourth horseman of the apocalypse, I know,” he replied, finishing his climb up the stairs and managing to open the door to the apartment with only one hand.

“At least you’re self-aware.”

She was already drifting off, and he set her down atop the soft orange cover on Luke’s double bed. She rolled over onto her side and grabbed a fistful of the sheets sleepily. By the time Jess returned to her with a glass of water and some aspirin, she was beginning to snore. He set the glass and pills on the bedside table.

“Elle? Wake up for just a sec,” he whispered, shaking her shoulder gently.

She gave another petulant moan, but opened her bleary eyes and sat up against the headboard.

“Take these,” he said shortly, giving her the glass and the aspirin.

Shooting him a scornful glare, she knocked them back without a word.

“You want the Led Zeppelin t-shirt or the blue flannel?” he asked, going over to the duffel he’d brought up to the apartment earlier.

She pinched the bridge of her nose, feeling the headache already. “Fuck, I wish I brought the KISS t-shirt. But if I brought it, I would definitely forget it. I can see it already. Led Zeppelin, please.”

He nodded, then came back to the end of the bed and began untying her shoes for her. Her eyes fluttered shut again. The smell of pine in the apartment was old and comforting. The covers were soft against her skin as Jess tugged off her stockings, leaving her legs bare. He swapped them for a pair of plaid pajama shorts, which she actually tried (unsuccessfully) to help him put on.

Suddenly, she began to clutch at the leather cord around her neck. On it, there hung a heavy, blue geode, flat against the exposed skin of her chest. She tried twice to get it off herself, before Jess finished with her shorts and pushed her hands aside. He raised it up and off of her carefully.

“Your mom put that on me. I might’ve given her twenty bucks for it? I don’t remember,” she told him, surly.

Jess cracked a joyless smirk. “How mercenary of her.”

“I wish I wasn’t drunk,” she murmured as he instructed her to raise her arms so he could get her dress and bra off.

“I know,” he replied.

“Being drunk fucking sucks,” she continued as he slipped the worn cotton t-shirt over her head.

“I know,” he repeated. Jess scooted up closer to the head of the bed. “Turn around.”

She did as he said, though not without sulky huff. In measured, delicate movements, he undid her hairdo, taking out the bobby pins and the elastic. He ran his fingers gently through her hair, untangling it.

“Okay. Do you wanna brush your teeth first?” he asked quietly.

She shook her head, burrowing beneath the covers and turning away from him. Swallowing dryly, Jess gave a curt nod and was about to turn and leave when Ella flipped suddenly onto her back.

“Hey, you have to stay on your side in case-”

“I just want you to talk to me,” she interjected, reaching up to stroke his stubbly cheek with her thumb. For a moment, as she continued, he thought he saw the shine of tears in her eyes. “We need to tell each other everything. I’m really fucking worried about you. And I just...I love you and...maybe I was being too aggressive. I don’t know. But I really, really wish I wasn’t drunk and my head hurts and I wish we could go home and-”

“Hey, Eleanor, just go to sleep,” he said softly, taking her hand from his face and running his thumb over the back. She was rambling, eyes red-rimmed, beyond exhausted. Tucking her in tightly, he pressed a kiss to her forehead. “We can talk about this tomorrow.”

Irrational hurt passed over Ella’s face and she scoffed angrily. She faced away from him again, the cold shoulder. “Whatever. Holden fucking Caulfield.”

.   .   .

It was past eleven when Luke finally closed up for the night. He had no place to be, and let Caesar go early. The diner was completely silent as he scrubbed away at smudged surfaces and swept up crumbs. He wished for Lorelai, could picture her at home with Christopher. Around the kitchen table where he used to sit, with Rory and Christopher’s own daughter, Gigi. Luke wondered at it in the back of his mind. Christopher had a daughter, just like him. But he’d made it work. He’d figured it out, and gotten Lorelai in the end. Why hadn’t he been able to? What was wrong with him?

He pushed the thoughts away again, shaking his head. They did no good. What’s done is done, he told himself. Maybe one day he would find someone again. But he had never met anyone who made him feel the way Lorelai did. No one else in the world. He wasn’t optimistic he’d honestly be able to come across true love again. He trudged up the creaky back stairs, his brow heavy with anguish, after shutting off the downstairs lights. Opening the door to the apartment, which still read ‘Williams Hardware’ all these years after his father had died, he was surprised to see Jess at the kitchen table, book in hand. The light over the sink was the only one left on, creating a dim glow.

“Hey,” he said quietly, locking the door behind him, even though the front door of the diner was locked as well.

Jess’s eyes lingered on the page for a moment as he finished a sentence, before he saved his place and looked up. “Hey. You finish closing?”

“Yep,” Luke said, placing his keys down near the door and immediately going to grab a beer from the fridge. He held one out to his nephew. “You want one?”

Not even considering it, Jess shook his head. He tossed a nervous look at Ella, who lay snoring and tangled up in the orange sheets. She was talking nonsense in her sleep, had been for the past two or three hours as Jess attempted to finish his Kesey novel. He was having trouble concentrating.

“No, thanks,” he said. “I think at least one of us should be sober tonight.”

“Suit yourself.”

Luke came to sit beside Jess silently, sipping his Heineken and waiting for whatever story was to come. It was only the second time in his life he had seen Ella drunk, and it was making him feel an odd sense of deja-vu.

“I wanted to help clean up downstairs, but I was worried she would flip over onto her back. I figured I should stay here and...make sure she was okay,” Jess explained, apologetic.

“Don’t worry about it.” Luke shrugged it off dismissively.

“She hates being drunk,” Jess said, eyes still on Ella. “I mean, on her twenty-first birthday, we didn’t even go out. We just watched Goodfellas.”

“Why?” Luke asked, tilting his head in confusion.

Jess smirked. “She said it was a makeshift rite of passage, since she didn’t want to drink. Because they say ‘fuck’ exactly three hundred times.”

“Sounds like her,” Luke said fondly.

“Yeah,” Jess replied, looking down at his lap and breathing a sigh.

“She didn’t seem too happy with you earlier,” Luke said pointedly, eyebrows raised. “Or was that just the booze talking?”

Jess uttered a bitter chuckle. “I’d say a sober woman’s thoughts are a drunk woman’s words, but she sounded pretty much the same level of pissed in the car on the way up here as she did after five screwdrivers.”

“What happened?”

“I don’t know,” Jess said, his words a sigh. “I thought I’d be okay with all this. The baby shower and everything. But I got to thinking about it more and more and...I just don’t know. Do you think Liz is ready for another kid?”

Luke paused a moment, appraising Jess’s face. He saw sincere fear in his nephew’s features, taking him slightly aback. “I think so. And TJ’s not the sharpest tool in the shed by any means, but I think he’s even less of a flight risk than your mom. And they live right down the road from me, Jess.”

Jess hummed. “I guess that’s true. I just got to remembering some things about Liz and...Ella could tell something was up. She can always tell. But I guess I didn’t feel like talking.”

Blowing a long breath out through his nose, Luke nodded. “Well, you don’t have to worry about this kid. I promise. I won’t let anything happen.”

“Thanks.”

“And Jess?” Luke began, meeting his nephew’s eyes. “Talk to her. Tell her everything that’s on her mind. There’s no point in hiding things. It’ll drive her crazy, and it’ll drive her away. We’ve had this conversation before. Open two-way communication is-”

“The foundation of love, I know, Dr. Phil,” Jess grumbled, rolling his eyes at the self-help jargon. But, inside, he stored the sentiment away for later. “Old habits, I guess. I’m working on it.”

“Good. That’s all that matters,” Luke said, offering Jess a hopeful smile and finishing off the last of his beer. He tossed it in the recycling and retreated to the bathroom to get ready for bed.

Jess ran a hand over his mouth and then rubbed at his tired eyes with the heels of his hands. His dream from the night before flashed across his mind quickly, and he tried to lock the images away. The thought of curling up on the old leather couch made him grimace. He wasn’t eager for a repeat. One more chapter, he told himself. Then he would be ready to try and rest.

.   .   .

Whatever possessed her to wake up at five in the morning on a Sunday, she wasn’t entirely sure. But the pounding headache in her temples probably had something to do with it. Luke was already gone, the twin bed on which Jess had once slept made neatly and left empty. Early morning deliveries perhaps. Or maybe he was getting ready for the brunch crowd. It was his least favorite group of customers, Ella remembered. As she awoke and saw Jess was asleep beneath a throw blanket on the couch, book on the floor next to him, she hopped up from the bed. The weathered hardwood was cold beneath her bare feet, and she wished the room wasn’t quite as awash in morning light. She had to squint against it as she padded over, sitting on the edge of one couch cushion.

“Jess?” she whispered, groggy. She raked her hands through her messy hair and tucked it behind her ears. Goosebumps rose on her arms after having left the warmth of the bed. “Jess?”

He stirred on only the second try, scrunching up his face. He was still dressed in his clothes from the day before. Eventually, his brown eyes were open, and surprised to see her up before him. “Hey, Elle. You okay?”

“Yeah. Why are you on the couch?”

“Oh,” he said, throwing an arm across his eyes and yawning. “You were pretty mad last night. I didn’t know if you’d want me to get in with you.”

She shook her head, a small smile ghosting over her lips. “I always want you sleeping next to me, cutie. Even when I’m mad. I mean, we’ve got sides of the bed now. There’s tradition to maintain.”

“Like you’ve ever cared about tradition,” he chuckled, blinking away the sleep in his field of vision. She looked pale, almost a sickly green, but her eyes were clear once again. And her speech was no longer drunkenly strung together.

“Fair enough,” she replied. “But I wasn’t sleep-in-separate-beds mad. I was just I’m-wasted-and-annoyed mad.”

“How the hell did you not know you were drinking screwdrivers?” he asked, a teasing smirk appearing on his face.

She rolled her eyes, mostly at herself. “I don’t know, Mariano. I don’t ever drink. How am I supposed to know what alcohol tastes like? And I don’t know what the fuck Carrie did to those, but I swear they were a dead ringer for straight orange juice.”

“Whatever you say, Stevens.”

“Shut up,” she quipped with good nature. “Did I try to sing Rumors or anything? I don’t really remember.”

“Mercifully, no,” he said, sitting up against the arm of the couch. “Nothing crazy. You are a bit of a weepy drunk, but who isn’t?”

“Jesus,” she murmured, blushing slightly.

He chuckled half-heartedly, then his face grew more earnest. “Hey, Elle?”

“Hm?”

Pausing to heave a heavy sigh, he raked a hand through his bedhead.

“I didn’t want to come here because of the dream I had,” Jess spit out, before he could lose his nerve. “Nothing specific...just a bunch of stuff from when I was growing up. It just...Liz wasn’t the best mom and I was remembering...a lot. And I was nervous about her…”

“Screwing up that kid’s life?” she asked.

He nodded shyly.

“Okay. I get why you’d be nervous. But she’s with TJ now, and she’s older. And, plus, the day Luke lets anything happen to that baby is the day Coldplay is classified is an alternative band,” Ella said. At some point, she began running her fingers through his hair in reassurance. “I really, really think it’ll be fine.”

“I know. I talked to Luke last night.”

“And you’re feeling better about it?”

“Yeah,” he nodded, feeling a small weight lift from somewhere inside him. “But I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I just...I don’t know. I was...scared. It was stupid.”

“It’s not stupid, Jess,” she shook her head, gaze softening. “It makes sense. I’m sorry if I pushed you too hard. I didn’t mean to. You just...you scared me. And I was going insane because I knew something was wrong and...I was just worried about you.”

“I know, Daria,” he said fondly.

“I mean, you had a panic attack, Jess.” Her voice was deep with fatigue, and had pleading quality which struck Jess’s heart. “You couldn’t breathe. I didn’t know if I was gonna be able to help and...maybe you should see someone? My brother’s therapist helped him a lot after my mom.”

“I’ll think about it,” Jess replied, shockingly genuine. Ella didn’t think he would be entertaining the thought of getting help so easily.

“Good.”

“Not like I’ve got the best insurance though.”

Ella sighed. “Yeah. Fucking capitalism.”

“It’s a little early to be going Marxist, I think,” he said, laughing breathily.

“Oh, it’s never too early,” she shot back.

“Duly noted,” Jess replied. Then, after a hesitant pause: “So, we’re fine?”

“Everything’s fine, James Dean,” she said, nodding. “Thanks for telling me.”

“Don’t thank me,” he said with a bashful laugh, bowing his head.

Ella’s smile grew at his shyness, and she pressed a brief kiss to his forehead before he lifted his head back up and their lips met. As they pulled away from each other, he placed an affectionate hand on her cheek.

“How’s your head?”

“I’ll survive.”

“I’m glad,” he quipped. “You think you can handle some breakfast?”

“Worth a try.”

“Okay, once Luke opens up, we can head downstairs. Then let’s go home?” he proposed.

“Yeah. Sounds like a plan,” she said, almost wistful. “Let’s go home.”

[minidigidestined]

Coiled Hope Part 1

This is mostly just worldbuilding and first-meeting explanation kinda-sorta-diary-style-ish thing for my very self indulgent fair folk/magical creature story featuring my darling and I’s nagasonas. I was thinking of rewriting it since it’s kinda blocky, but I like this diary first person pov for my planning and plain ol blurb stage. I’m excited to do more with this and other ideas, vore and otherwise–but first I’m excited to figure out the magic system and history of this world.

Anywho, a sand boa is brought to a remote mountain forest after keeping fair folk in captivity or servitude has been outlawed, whisking her away from a contented life with her human master. The small, pampered naga reminisces on life as she tries to figure out what to do next, and is shocked when she comes face to face with a wild fair folk–a massive rainbow boa many times her size.

I huddled, cold and silent, within the gnarled roots of an old willow. The ground was still damp with yesterday’s rain and the croaking of toads rung out like some sort of haunting choir–the realization that I had never been so alone seemed to smash into me face first. Like a sack of bricks.

Just yesterday, life was perfect. My Master had been stern, but she was kind. She adopted me from a lab study when I was still a juvenile–when the laws restricting the lab testing of fair folk became illegal–and had nurtured me in her home ever since.

I had become accustomed to human food, neverending warmth, and plenty of nice plants, sand and shredded bark to burrow through and had not wanted for anything since my youth in the labs. I had an entire room to myself in her home, and though I was never allowed out, I knew to be grateful to have come into the possession of such a wealthy and caring woman. I never asked many questions, but there wasn’t much I wanted to know anyways. I was just happy to be safe and content.

…Perhaps I was isolated too, but I certainly didn’t mind–nagas, after all, are solitary in nature, and so long as I had good food, a few books and a constant hot spot? Bliss.

Now that was all over though. Keeping the fair folk as pets or slaves was outlawed mere days ago, and my kind were granted citizenship in the human world–both captive and wild roaming “renegade” folk alike.

Thinking of my days back at the lab made me glad to have my “humanity” realized for sure, but… I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy being with my Master. Even if other humans may have deemed me a mere pet, she always treated me like something more, something precious and worth protecting. She gave me humanity after a childhood of being nothing more than a beast, desperate to survive test after grueling test.

A wash of cold dread came over me in a wave, a lump forming in my throat. I clenched my jaw and desperately willed the old memories away, scratching at the skin of my arms anxiously with my stubby claws. Not here, not now… I couldn’t afford a meltdown, especially since I wasn’t sure if the tranquilizer the FFC–Fair Folk Control–officers had used on my last fit in the van would still affect me if my blood pressure rose or if adrenaline started to flow. I imagined the drug turning my blood syrupy and blanketing my brain, hissing through my teeth and forcibly controlling my breaths. Think of Master. She was always so sad when you got like this.

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss her silent appraisal and warm smile with all my broken heart, for sure. It was certainly better than this miserable mountain forest those FFC officers dumped me in after seizing me from my master, whisking me far away from human civilization. It was starting to sound a lot more like segregation than freedom the more I thought about it… I don’t think they even realized this was nowhere near my “natural environment”. Citizenship my tail.

For a small-sized sand boa like me, the damp air seemed to chill with a vengeance. I anxiously drew my chubby fingers over the nubby end if my tail, a nervous habit I formed in the labs. I distantly remembered both my master and scientists discussing portals to the Other–my birthright as fair folk, but a world I had never seen since being bred on Earth. Was that an option for me now?

My stomach began to knot painfully during my pondering, and I nearly keened with distress from imagining my master serving me my favorite dumpling soup in my flower bowl with the chipped paint.

No more dumplings. No more bowls. No more Master.

My senses seemed to heighten with my sharpening hunger, my tongue flicking out to scent the air. As much as the idea distressed me, I could smell the breathing creatures around me and knew that my wild kin would already be hunting… But I had only ever fed on pellets or human food, and though the idea of a full belly sounded nice, a belly full of cold, wriggling toads did not.

Miserable, I forced myself to slither from the roots. Maybe there would be another fair folk in these woods–if Master had thought so highly of my kind, then surely they would be willing to band together? Perhaps we could even talk about how much we loved our Masters together! Maybe we could find our way back. Maybe I could even learn more about the Other! For the first time since being taken away, I let myself begin to hope.

I winced at the mud caking on the pearly white underbelly of my tail and made a note to take a bath–or at least find a lake. I slithered along, clutching the hem of my baby pink dress tightly, my nerves utterly shot. I had always loved my adventure books, but going on an adventure myself? Not as exciting as I had dreamed.

I lost myself in the twisting anxiety and hope of my thoughts, barely registering twigs snapping loudly beneath the bulk of my tail or sharp stones scraping against my scales. I twisted the fabric of my dress thoughtfully over my knuckles, contemplating the fact that this was the last piece of my Master I would ever have, hand sewn and worn thin with love.I stopped, forcing myself to breathe evenly again.

I looked down into a muddy puddle, smiling sadly at my full-moon face. Even in my despair my eyes twinkled a soft pink, my round cheeks flushed and tangled brown curls tied to the side of my head, spilling over and hiding one of my pointed ears. I flex my tail and lift upwards a little to inspect my dress, pulling off stray leaves and admiring the roundness of my fat frame, all soft without an edge in sight.

My hips slipped seamlessly into a serpentine tail, in particular, the sausage-like shape of a sand boa. My scales are patterned pale brown and white with speckles of soft pink, the trio of colors almost like delicately flicked paint splatters. Master always told me I had the look of sweetness, if not a bit ditzy–but she always said it with a smile.

I tighten the band holding my curls together, ensuring the volume of the small poof at the crown of my head. I’m so utterly focused on my simple task that I almost blacked out in pure fear when another face appeared next to mine in the muddy pool.

I scramble forward with a cry and twist around, thrusting my hands out in a questionable showcase of self defense. I slap against something soft but firm–the slight yield of the intruder’s belly?–and jerk my hands back with a squeak as I look up to face the forest-dweller.

And up, and up, and up…

The creature before me is looming and massive, but sleek at the same time. I realize with a start that he’s a naga like me, but that seemed to be where the similarities end. Whereas my humanoid half is smaller than the average human, he was much, much bigger. His tail, though thin like the rest of him, is coiled with lean muscle and a deep red color like an apple, a few ebony markings ringing his spine.

“Hey, sorry! I didn’t mean to scare you.” His smile was easy and genuine, but fear still made my heart race. “Are you okay?”

He was thin, a deep red cape draped across his shoulders and trailing the ground, its edges dirty and worn. Red scales speckled up his hips, torso and chest like freckles, blending in with the fuzz on his belly. His fingers were tipped by deadly sharp claws, his earthy brown hair long and messy. He looked equal parts ridiculous and regal, wild and in control.

I gaped like a fish out of water, pressing a hand to my chest when the clouds shifted and light came pouring over us… The massive naga seemed to suddenly swim with colors, his tail glittering and iridescent. I locked eyes with him and felt myself growing lost in the golden pools. “What are you?” My voice was a breath. Even in the labs, I had never seen another fair folk who…who shined. Not like this.

He smiled gently, opening his mouth to speak when a low grumble, slipping into a sharp growl, interrupted him. “Sorry, I’m starving,” He explained sheepishly, his long fangs glinting.

A chill ran down my back when I remembered the huge pythons back at the lab at feeding time, how they’d swallow human or fair folk prisoners whole since they couldn’t subsist off of engineered pellets alone. This guy definitely looked like a snake that would choose a whole person over a bowl of soup for a meal–but I wasn’t about to stick around and find out, pretty as his tail was.

It was as if my flight response finally kicked in as I whipped around to flee, but I was quickly halted by a glittering wall of scale and muscle. White noise filled my brain, my vision, my entire being.

Master… I thought. Please help me. Please save me again. I pressed the heel of my hands into my eyes, both trying to stop the tears and deluding myself into thinking I could hide.

“Yo, wait! You don’t wanna run that way. There’s some big gators there, they’d have you for a snack. You aren’t from here, are you?”

I still didn’t turn to look at him, but the naga’s voice held both concern and a trickle of amusement. He… he didn’t seem like a predator…

I tried to steady the stream of tears, turning to face him once more. “No, I’m not.”

His eyes widened at the glimmer of tears on my cheeks. “Hey, what’s wrong? You’re okay here, I promise. It’s okay.”

And before I knew it, it all came pouring out–both the unrelenting tears and my story. The huge naga listened intently, his lips pursed into a line of concern and his golden eyes focused right on me. I felt embarrassed by his rapt attention, but at the same time…seen. Really, truly Seen.

“I’m really sorry.” The larger naga reached down, his huge hand hovering inches above my plump little arm. “Is it okay if I touch you?”

I stared up at him with bleary eyes. “I’m so sorry. That all just burst out and I couldn’t stop and I just… You don’t have to comfort me.” I paused, heart twisting with a cocktail of shame and sweetness. “But uh…you can. Thank you. For being here. You don’t even know me and you’re…”

His hand was cool and firm, the skin rough. He gently stroked my arm with the pad of his thumb, his eyes looking far away. “You don’t need to apologize. Humans do bad things. They make bad choices, and then good people are left to pick up the pieces.”

His attention snapped back, his lazy smile returning as if he had never frowned in his life. “That’s why the forest is better, especially up on a mountain like this. I’m glad your…caretaker was good, but I promise a friend is even better.” The world ‘caretaker’s rolled off his tongue like a poison. Odd.

I couldn’t stop the rush of heat to my cheeks. “Thank you… Who are you, actually? I’ve dished out my whole life story and I don’t even know your name!” Now that my meltdown and blubbering had faded, I felt as if I could curl up into a ball and roll right away into nothing.

“Spectrum Maximus.” He grinned at my cocked eyebrow, flicking his lengthy tail to show off its iridescence. “I chose it myself! Now, who’re you?”

“You can do that?” I asked shyly, giggling at the name. “Well, in the study labs I was 42… My Master liked to call me Clover.”

Spectrum’s eyes fluttered with mischief. “I guess it’s appropriate, since it’s good luck that I found you here, but it sucks you never got a say. Who do you want to be?”

I couldn’t halt the flustered blush spreading across my face, though I couldn’t understand why. Who…did I want to be?

I looked downward, fiddling with the hem of my dress. I thought of every book, play and poem I had ever read, every bird and bug at the window, every season and holiday. Names and words flashed through my head, but still I came up blank. What in the world is a name? I never cared that Master called me Clover, but it didn’t feel like…

Home.

Maybe that’s what a name was–home. I thought of soft evenings in my room, Master smiling as she set down a bowl of homemade soup or curry or pasta on my desk and flipping open my favorite book. I thought of curling up next to her legs to eat, her slender fingers playing through my curls as she read to me. I thought of her teaching me how to read, how to write, how to sing along to a melody… I thought of one of our favorite treats to share together beneath my heat lamps, hot cocoa with peppermint chips and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Cinnamon. Warm, cozy and inviting.

“I’m Cinnamon.” I felt a warmth spread through my chest. Maybe those days were gone, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t carry them with me. That didn’t mean I couldn’t define who I was today. Who I wanted to be today.

“Cinnamon,” He repeated, speaking my new name as if it were something holy and special. “I think it suits you.” I felt a different kind of warmth surge through my cold blood at the way the corners of his mouth dimpled.

“Please, you barely even know me! You’ve just seen me a blubbering mess.”

“Well if that’s your worst, you must be pretty great,” He grinned, eyes twinkling with mirth. “I really hope you never see me cry. It’s about as gross and snotty as a snake can get.” His stomach snarled pitifully once more and he slapped it, brow quirking. “Shut up, you! You’re scaring our new friend!”

I winced. “Oh… You noticed?” At the rate my blush was growing, I might’ve well have been a rosy boa!

“You gasping in fear and trying to run away right into a bog? Yeah. It’s fine though, I usually have that affect on ladies.”

I rolled my eyes, unable to stop the smile bowing my own lips now. “So… You don’t y'know…eat people?”

“I’m not going to eat you if that’s what you’re asking. I am hungry though–I can take you back to my cave if you’d like. I cook a mean stew.”

“I could actually cook for you if you’d like. My Master taught me a few things for fun. It’s the least I can do.”

Spectrum smiled, his eyes the color of honey dripping from the comb and just as warm. “If it’ll get you to stop thanking me over and over when I’ve literally done nothing but sit here? Sure. Plus the mean is literal. I’m a really bad cook, so maybe it’s better if the homebody cooks something instead of the weird forest hermit.”

I couldn’t help but smile back even wider–the man’s mirth was positively infectious. “Well, you did keep me from being eaten by a gator.”

“Don’t thank me yet,” He slithered around me, coils whispering across the ground. How was such a massive creature so silent–if not in voice, then in movement? “Sometimes they like to visit my cave.”

I scrunched up my nose and flicked my tongue out instinctively as he passed. He smelled wild–dirt, sweat and trees. So different from my old homes, but welcome all the same. Maybe this wouldn’t be the end of the world after all.

And so, I followed him.

[cherry-doesnt-draw]

A Happy Future

Happy birthday to our favorite broccoli boi! Take this fic with you on your quest :)

__________

"Momm!" Izuku groaned, his face red from embarrassment as his friends huddled around Inko in the dorm living room. "Stop showing them those pictures! It's embarrassing!"

He was ignored though, as his mother pointed out another baby picture from the photo album she brought along. "And this was the time Izuku made his first drawing! It was such a mess and it took a long time to clean up," Inko said with a soft smile.

The picture had a young Izuku, maybe four or three, surrounded by colour pencils with his tongue stuck out as he drew something with the utmost concentration a child could muster. There were other loose papers scattered about, some crumpled and others torn.

"Aww! Baby Izuku is soooo cute!!" Uraraka exclaimed, gushing about the small Izuku with the other girls.

"You haven't even seen the bathing pictures yet! Now those are the definition of cute," Inko added with a teasing tone.

"Mom no!" Izuku shouted, his face red with shame. "I'm going to train!" He yelled as he speed-walked away from them and towards the elevator.

"By the way dud-," Kirishima appeared next to Izuku, receiving a screech of surprise from the green-haired boy.

"Ow ow ow! My poor eardrums," Kirishima muttered, covering his ears. "Guess I deserve it though, for scaring you."

"Ah! I'm sorry, Kirishima! Y-yeah, I guess you did surprise me but sorry for hurting your ears!"

"Don't sweat it dude!" Kirishima gave a thumbs up and grinned. Izuku smiled awkwardly. They both entered the elevator and Izuku pressed a button.

"Anyways, you were going to ask me something?"

"Oh yeah! I was going to ask why your mom's here. It just seems a bit odd."

Izuku shrugged, pursing his lips. "I'm not sure either. She got permission from Aizawa-sensei though. It might be something important like a meeting?"

Kirishima nodded. The elevator chimed as they reached the ground floor. "Oh, I see. Though, I gotta ask, I wonder how a meeting means bringing a photo album of your baby pictures to show off to your friends?" Kirishima smirked.

Izuku sighed. "Don't remind me, please." Kirishima laughed. Izuku playfully glared at the red-haired boy. "You're just enjoying my suffering, aren't you?"

"Well I mean, should I not?" Kirishima put his arm around Izuku's shoulder as they headed toward one of the UA training facilities. Izuku fake-scowled and Kirishima laughed loudly. The two boys continued to laugh and joke around as they entered the facility. 

A distant FUCKING DIE could be heard followed by a series of explosions and a high-pitched scream and zapping sounds.

"Looks like Kaminari and Kacchan are at it," Izuku muttered. Kirishima nodded, wincing slightly when seeing Kaminari's clothes burnt in some areas.

"Midoriya-kun! Kirishima-kun! How nice of you two to join us!" Iida's voice grew louder as he zoomed closer with his quirk before coming to a halt right in front of them.

"Yo, Iida! Speeding around as usual, I see," Kirishima greeted. Izuku simply gave a hello.

"But of course, Kirishima-kun! I must keep in shape in order to use my quirk to the best of my abilities!" Iida said while hand-chopping the air.

As Kirishima and Iida conversed, Izuku headed towards the changing rooms to put on some sportswear. After that, he immediately began stretching and doing some laps. He was soon joined by Iida and Kirishima (and it somehow became a race, Izuku's not sure how. Iida won though).

He practiced his quirk for a while and sparred with a Class B student who was also there. He spent roughly two hours training with breaks in between.

Back in the changing room, he wiped the sweat off his face, making small talk with Iida.

"By the way, Midoriya-kun," Iida started, as he drank orange juice from the juice box. "I'm heading to the mall afterwards to buy some new shoes and tailored pants. Uraraka-san and Todoroki-kun already agreed to come with. Would you like to join?"

Izuku paused for a second. Well, he had nothing else to do for the rest of the day, so maybe it'll be alright? Though he can't help but feel as though he forgot something. It's probably nothing, though.

"Sure, Iida. Plus it's a good way to kill time, and I could probably also buy some new shirts as well, a lot of people had been saying I need more variety of clothes, and I don't want to bother mom since she's with the others, and maybe I could buy lunch there? But I have to be careful not to break my diet and-" Izuku's voice grew softer as he began mumbling.

"That's great then!" Iida interrupted, far too used to this happening. "We shall leave in the next twenty minutes or so! Make sure to be on time!" And with that, Iida left.

*****

"Are you sure, Midoriya?"

"Yes, I'm sure Todoroki! I would know if All Might was my dad!"

Todoroki gave him a blank, yet a determined look. "You do know I can make a list of every reason why you two are father and son AND as to why you didn't know."

Izuku groaned and laughed. "What's with you and conspiracy theories, Todoroki?"

"It's not a conspiracy theory if it's the truth, now is it?"

The two continued to bicker as they waited for their meals to arrive.

The Dekusquad ("Uraraka we are not calling this the Dekusquad-" "We are and you can't change my mind!") had arrived at the large mall. Even though Iida took charge, there were a few setbacks.

From distractions of silly action figures and merchandise ("they're not silly they're genuine All Might products, Iida! Plus, they're 20% off today!" "Midoriya-kun, PLEASE.") to minor fire hazards ("Todoroki, you can't burn a building just 'cause they're selling Endeavor merchandise!" "I beg to differ, Uraraka.") It was certainly a hectic time.

Iida and Uraraka said they had to buy a few more things by themselves. Iida quickly assigned the remaining two to order food for them for the time being. Which leads to now. While waiting for the ordered meals, Todoroki decided to share his lovely theories of his classmates.

"I'm just saying, Midoriya, Aizawa-sensei seems awfully interested in training Shinsou. Not to mention the similar sleeping patterns. Coincidence? I don't think so."

"Oh my god, Todoroki," Izuku huffed, smiling slightly. "Now you're dragging our teacher into this. What's next? Uraraka is an alien from outer-space trying to blend in as a human?"

"It's completely possible and we both know it."

Izuku laughed. "Why do you… sound so serious… saying.. that?!" Izuku wheezed through breaths. Todoroki shrugged.

"We're baccck~!" Uraraka called in a singsong voice. She skipped towards the two with Iida following right after. Uraraka slid into the seat next to Izuku, and Iida by Todoroki. She had a different plain bag with her (as did Iida) filled with something. Izuku tried to peek in the bag.

Gift wrapping?? What was Uraraka going to use that for? Perhaps she has a relative whose birthday is coming up.

The feeling of forgetfulness returned, but Izuku still wasn't sure what he had forgotten.

However, he cast that aside as he was served a bowl of hot and delicious katsudon. Todoroki slurped his cold soba with a passion, and Iida had beef stew (Uraraka also settled for this as well).

The four conversed as they ate, with Iida's input every now and then of No speaking while chewing!

Izuku checked the time on his phone. The four had finished and paid for their meals and were now wandering the mall for the time being.

"Ah, it's 5:30pm. Maybe we should head back?" Izuku suggested. A flash of panic seem to pass through the other three. How odd.

"Y-yeah Deku! But there's one more thing I want us to do before we go back to the dorms!" Uraraka stuttered. 

"O… okay?" Izuku responded, a bit confused.

"B-but let's pass by UA first! So we can drop off our stuff! I'll text Tsuyu-chan to meet us there!" Uraraka added, pulling out her phone. She seemed to send a quick message.

"I still don't understand but… okay?" 

"Great! Let's go!"

*****

"-and they were roommates!" Uraraka said dramatically.

"Oh my god, they were roommates!" Iida gasped.

Laughter passed through the group as they all walked side by side to UA's entrance. Tsuyu and Sero waved to them.

"Yo dudes! Had fun at the mall?" Sero asked as they got closer.

Izuku nodded, smiling from ear to ear. "It really was! I kinda wished we have more days like these." Sero's smile widened a bit.

The Dekusquad then gave all their bags to Sero and Tsuyu. They chatted a bit with the two before the tapeman and frog-humanoid went back to the dorms.

"So," Todoroki drawled, "where are we heading next, Uraraka?"

Uraraka gave Todoroki a slight look of betrayal. "U-um, well you see…" Uraraka smiled awkwardly and fidgeted. "I was hoping we could, uh, visit t-the, um, the beach??"

 Izuku raised an eyebrow at her. 

"I was hoping we could s-see the sunset! Yeah!" She said nervously.

Iida snorted and covered it up with a cough. Uraraka glared at him. Todoroki simply observed. 

"Sounds cool to me," Todoroki finally added. Iida nodded with approval and Izuku grinned and gave a thumbs up.

Uraraka beamed. "Then let's hurry before it starts to get dark!"

She marched on ahead and the others followed.

"I know a really good beach! It used to be a dump but someone cleaned it up! It's really beautiful!" 

Izuku swelled up with pride. Had he not been in front of his friends, he would've cried, knowing people appreciated what he did.

Iida hummed. "Are you speaking of Dagobah Municipal Beach? It is indeed beautiful. I've seen it when passing by."

"I haven't seen it," Todoroki spoke up. "I didn't really used to go out a lot so I guess I wouldn't know."

"Well, I've been there many times, since my home was close by," Izuku joined. "I still go there. It's relaxing."

The four continue to chat as they approached the beach. Just in time too.

The water glistened, reflecting the rays of the sun. The sky seemed to burst in an array of colours of orange and pink and blue and red, extending past the horizon. The illusion of the sun moving downwards into the sea that was ready to swallow it whole was like a beautiful display of artwork. The sky then flickered into darkness.

"Woah.." Todoroki muttered, gaping. Uraraka grinned widely.

Izuku smiled slightly. "It's one of those things you won't really see anywhere else."

"Very impressive, indeed," Iida said, adjusting his glasses.

The four stood in silence as the last remaining colours drained from the sky. They spoke softly with each other as they returned back to UA. Iida sent a text on the group chat that they were returning.

As they approached the dorms, Todoroki sighed. "I really can't believe you forgot, Midoriya."

Izuku blanched. "So I was forgetting something..?"

Todoroki nodded and Uraraka huffed. 

So now Izuku was worried. Was it something important? But then why did they wait to the end of the day? Maybe they were expecting him to remember but he didn't for a whole day. Oh god, were they angry at him? Maybe he should apologize? But then that might make it worse and they might get angrier and it could all go so wrong-

"SURPRISE!!" 

Izuku shrieked. Had he walked in without realizing? 

The room was colourfully decorated with streamers and balloons. Izuku looked around questionly. The feeling of forgetfulness returned.

His mother walked up to him with a watery smile. "Happy Birthday, Izuku."

And then it clicked.

"How did I manage to forget my own BIRTHDAY??!!!"

Iida shrugged, shifting his glasses. "While it certainly helpful for us to plan this party, it was a bit hilarious seeing you trying to piece things together sometimes."

Izuku sighed. "Still, how does one forget their own birthday! The signs were there!"

"Plot convenience?" Kaminari suggested, to which Sero hushed him, as if it was a big secret.

Ashido joined in. "Well, that was then! This is NOW! And I believe it's time to PAR-TAY!!" She whooped.

"Until 10 minutes before curfew hours of course, so we can clean up," Iida added. It was questionable to say whether the rest heard, as they had joined Ashido in whooping.

Izuku was dragged about the dorms but has the time of his life. From playing board games ("I am never playing Monopoly ever again.") To the classic truth or dare ( Izuku was having a major conflict. He was dared to kiss the cutest person in the room but he couldn't decide because everyone was cute!) There never seemed to be a dull moment.

Izuku sat on the ground, watching with amusement as his friends played the hell-spawned game: Twister.

"Left foot, blue," he said, a chuckle following as he watched Mineta completely and utterly struggle, while yelling I'M AT A DISADVANTAGE HERE (the small boy is surprisingly competitive) and Jirou yelling back to SUCK IT UP, LOSER. (In the end, no one won as they all topple over each other).

"Izuku!" His mother called. He turned around to see Katsuki holding a chocolate cake (begrudgingly) and setting it down on a table. Inko lit the candles. 

"Happy Birthday, nerd," Katsuki said, glaring at the boy (he was getting a lot of mixed signals. Was Kacchan being nice, or planning his execution for being dragged into doing this?).

"Kacchan," Izuku's eyes widened.

Katsuki tched and stomped away. This was somehow good enough for Izuku, as he smiled at the leaving boy.

Inko beckoned her son to sit at the table in front of the cake. Izuku stood up and went over to his mother.

"Look at you, you're all grown up now," Inko sniffed and smiled, wiping a tear from her eye. "Soon you'll be saving so many people, just like you always wanted. I'm so happy for you, Izuku!" Inko held his hand. "Just know that I'll always support you, no matter what! But I better not get anymore calls that you're breaking bones again!"

Izuku smiled, chuckling. "You don't have to worry mom. I'll make sure I don't break anything as much as possible."

Inko smiled. "I'll take your word for it. Now sit! You need to blow out the candles!" Inko ushered Izuku to sit.

His classmates surrounded him and began singing Happy Birthday to him, though at various pitches, so the song sounded like a mess.

"Make your wish!"

"Hurry hurry! I want a slice of cake already!"

"Stop rushing him Jammingway. I'm still surprised you haven't accidentally fried your brain when we played Scrabble!"

"Hey! I'm not that bad! I don't work good under pressure!"

Like little kids, they ushered the birthday boy to make his wish. Izuku thought for a moment on what he wanted to wish for.

He never really had these kind of birthday parties growing up. The last time he had one with other people was when he was four. After that, people rejected his invites and he would just spend the day hanging out with his mom.

But now, he has friends (that alone is almost enough to bring him to tears), classmates who actually want to get to know about him and hang out with him.

Izuku closed his eyes and blew out the candles.

His friends cheered and joked around and the cake was cut.

"What did you wish for, kero?" Tsuyu asked Izuku, holding her slice of cake.

Izuku grinned, "Well, that's a secret!"

Everyone munched on their cake and had an enjoyable time. There were nice, long conversations, embarrassing stories ("MOM!" "Oh Izuku, I just couldn't resist."), and other simple yet fun games.

Even so, everything must come to an end. Inko soon left and the students had to clean up and get ready to go to bed by curfew.

Izuku looked at his friends, who chatted quietly yet actively. The happy smiles on their faces made him feel warm inside. He thought back to what he wished for.

I wish for more happy moments like these. Hanging out with my friends, sparring together and becoming heroes together. Yeah, I wish for a happy future with everyone.

Izuku smiled. This will do just fine.

___________

Happy Birthday Izuku :')

[muses-run-wild]

So i’m going to test muses out on this blog and my OC blog because i already have so many muses on other blogs i think i’m going to make a mulit-muse blog. So here are the test muses i’m putting opens up for and a short bio. I’m putting this under a read more because it’s so long.

Red Dwarf fandom

Dave Lister - He the only human aboard the mining ship Red Dwarf. (Which is in space but i have a way to get him (and anyone else on this show) to most earth settings)  Now he spends most days with his Hologram roommate(rimmer). A humanoid mutated version of his cat. Also a mechanoid named Kryten they picked up along the way. He loves beer and curry. he thinks he's a great guitar player. He’s also kinda lazy.

Arnold Rimmer- He was a second technician on the mining ship red dwarf.  Now he is a hologram (hard light) brought back to keep Lister company. He loves the military. He can be self-loathing but also think he's the greatest thing around.  He’s annoying and has not really had any relationships. He’s got a lot of issues but he can be very interesting.

The drew carey show

Lewis kiniski-  He’s a janitor at DrugCo (though he has an IQ of 162). He’s kinda of a creep sometimes but has a great heart. He goes to Warsaw bar a lot with his three friends. He also is a Co-owner of buzzbeer. His best friend is Oswald.Lives above the Warsaw with Oswald

Oswald Harvery- His best friend would describe him as a man child stuck in a prolonged adolescence. He’s a Delivery driver for Global Parcel. He’s also a co-owner for Buzz-beer and a mess he Lives above the Warsaw with Lewis.

Drew carey- He has a sweetheart and works in an endless job going nowhere. (Human recourse at Windfred-louder a department store, He is the founder and co-owner of buzz-beer. He is constantly fighting with his co-worker MiMi pulling mean pranks on each other. He lives in the house he grew up in and sometimes wonders if his life is going to go anywhere.

Judging Amy

Sean potter- He works DCFS. He’s a hard-working guy who is also at odds a lot with his employee Maxine sometimes. Yet he regards her as a close friend. He is a sweet guy trying to find his backbone at work.

Maxine Gray- She is a mother of grown kids. She is a social worker at DCFS.  She is opinionated, strong-willed and kinda has anger issues. She does what she needs to do to help the families and kids even if it means bending things.

Community

Jeff winger- He was once a smooth-talking Lawyer and after he was found out for a fake degree he ended up at Greendale. He can bullshit the day away. He egotistical and can come off as a d-bag but there is a heart under there. He will hit on anything thats hot.

Friends

Chandler bing -He had a boring job that he isn’t exactly a fan of. He lives with his best friend Joey. he is a  very sarcastic person with self-loathing tendencies. He childish at times. He freaks out pretty easily. He has an effeminate nature.

Buffy the vampire slayer

Spike- He is a vampire. He’s British a bit punk and can be a sarcastic ass. Depending on when you find him he’s obsessing over his love Drusilla or planning on taking down the Slayer.  He tends to let love control his life at times. If he cares about you he’ll do what it takes to make sure you’re ok.

Buffy- She was picked as the chosen one in high school. Now she’s buffy the vampire slayer. Her best friends are always there backing her up. She can be very sassy. Almost always had a one-liner. She had amazing strength and can kick ass. She falls in love hard and when it goes she tries to show it doesn’t hurt as much. She’s got a good heart.

Xander- He grew up being best friends with Willow. He was a basic horny teenager. He makes jokes constantly and is awkward.  He has gained a lot of confidence while working with buffy. He is always hitting on girls who are usually ones he can’t get. Yet being shot down never stops him. He’s usually seen as the loser of his friend group even though he has great skills.

The golden girls

Blanche-shes a southern bell. who is very much a daddy's girl. She can be very promiscuous. She tries her best to be the classiest person in the room. Even if her actions sometimes don’t prove that. She is the owner of the house that all of the girls live in. She is always lying about her age and does a lot of beauty treatments to keep herself looking young. She has 5 children. She loves doing things like dance class, plays, and community service projects. She was a Southern Baptist girl.

Dorthy-Shes a substitute teacher. She's strong, sarcastic, grounded and she also can be intimidating, Shes very smart. She was knocked up in high school by Stan and married him. She had 2 great kids. They got divorced later after stan cheated on her. She's very tall and had a deep voice. She can sing and is very funny.  She lives with her mother along with the other two roommates.

Rose- She is from St. Olaf and will never shut up about it. (Much to her roommate's dismay) She can seem naive and plain. Shes very kind. She can talk all day about the most bizarre stories. She’s crazy competitive.  She can take charge here and there. Shes easily scared. She’s also pretty agile. She’s good on the piano. she can be a push-over. she has trouble lying.  Shes Lutheran. She absolutely loves animals mostly from growing up on a farm. She had 5 kids with her husband Charlie. She’s worked at a grief counseling center. She loves doing charity work. She loves the tv show Miami Vice

Sophia- She was born in Sicily and references it a lot. She has no Scillian accent. Instead, she’s got a thick Brooklyn one.  She has 3 children. She had a stroke which is what everyone blames her uncensored comments on) She hates Shady Pines retirement home.  She sometimes hints that her family had Mod connections.  She believes strongly in ancient Scillian customs and traditions.  Also in the power of the Scillian curse.  She makes wise-cracks and brazen remarks.  She loves her roommates very much but they aren’t safe from her comments. She's the oldest in the house and everyone tends to see her as a mother figure. She loves giving advice which usually starts with “Picture it...”

Scrubs

J.D- A doctor at Sacred Heart. He tends to keep his head in the clouds daydreaming a lot. He’s obsessed with his hair. He’s very outgoing despite being physically and socially awkward at times. He’s clumsy. He loves Appletinis, Pirates, unicorns and cute things. He can come off Feminine.   His best friend is Turk who works in surgery. They are constantly doing stupid stuff together and have nicknames for each other.  He’s constantly out for Dr.Cox approval (Who mostly calls him girls names) His enemy is the janitor. Her got one older brother.

Perry Cox- A doctor at Sacred Heart. He tends to teach with tough love. He’s sarcastic and can be animated.  He’s bitter and more emotional then he’d like to show. He rants constantly and belittles people. He actually does care and wants to push people to be better. He even goes behind the Chiefs back to make sure people get the best care. He has a sister a born again Christian. He grew up with an abusive alcoholic father. He has intimacy issues.  He’s dedicated to his job so much it can cause problems. He works out a lot. Usually hates listening to peoples personal problems. He has a crush on a nurse Car;a probably cause she’s not afraid to push back. She's very strong-willed and empowered (Something seen in his ex’s) He does come to her for advice sometimes.  He likes nicknames that make him seem more important than he is. He likes Scotch on the rocks, the red wings, days of our lives, He hates a lot of things lets put it at that. He’s a leo. He stretches words.

House MD

House- a sarcastic and usually not so caring doctor (head of the Department of Diagnostic medicine) He knows many languages. (Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, French, Latian. He can also read some Hindi and Portuguese. He believes everyone lies. He can play the piano and guitar. He’s anti-social. He’s cynical. His closest friend is Wilson. He’s also showed some caring for his roommate at ward 6 Alvie. He belittles pretty much everyone. He walks with a cane after an incident that left him with dead muscle in it that they had to remove. This has caused him to abuse Vicoden.  He rides a motorcycle.  He hides from patients. He also takes crazy risks with them. He’s even used himself as a guinea pig for drugs and medical test. Some of these were to try to help his leg. others are to help patients or help with his curiosity. He is self-destructive. He tries to hide parts of his personality with his sarcasm. He seems like a narcissist. he hates most people. He is an atheist and has a lot of issues with religion. If he cares about people he tends to consider them idiots but kinda his idiots.  He doesn’t like showing affection. He’s shameless. He’s more concerned with the cases than the actual people. He likes only going by House. he’s constantly in the HR department for things he has done. He loves sneakers. He likes video games.

alvie- Juan Alvarez prefers to go by Alvie. He is Puerto Rican. He met House in the Mayfield psych ward. He is bipolar and when he's on the up he’s a chatterbox that likes to rap. Which is why he occasionally goes off his meds because it slows him down. He is very social and bonds to people fast. He makes impulsive decisions and will do a lot for his friends. (There isn’t much canon about him as he was only in two episodes. Also, i play him as trans)

Veronica mars

Veronica mars- shes a highly intelligent young woman. who helps her dad at his PI  work.  using the skills shes learned from her father she helps friends with cases and is sometimes hired by others.  She at one point was the most popular kids. thought she wasn’t really wealthy like them she was accepted because of who she dated. Her friend's mysterious death sent her into full PI mode.  She quickly became a “loser” After all the drama.   After a drama-filled party that really messed with her, she went from bight kid to cynical girl with contempt with fellow classmates.  She does eventually grow out of her cynicism a bit.  every time she thinks she can leave the sleuth life behind it pulls her back in. She has a sheriff at the Neptune police department that helps her get info. Shes sarcastic and always has something to say. Yet she has a good heart.

[iriscasefiles]

The Strange Case of Starship Iris: AUDITIONS pt 2: INFO & ROLES

All actors must be at least 18, as per Procyon Podcast Network guidelines. Beyond that, you are not required to be the exact same age as the characters, as long as you can credibly sound like you are.

You are more than welcome to record a couple of different takes, with different interpretations!  You are more than welcome to try out for multiple roles!

Send an mp3 file of your audition(s?) to iriscasefiles at gmail.com, along with the following:

1.       Your name (a pseudonym or online handle is fine) ETA: and the role(s?) you are trying out for

2.       Are you potentially okay with being cast in a role besides the one you auditioned for?

3.       Are you potentially okay with being cast as a morally ambiguous person, and/or villain?

Auditions go from January 23 to February 2. Callbacks are February 3 through 6. My goal is to have all the roles listed here cast by the end of February 6.

There will be another round of auditions for a few more roles in April.

For now, available roles are below!

MAIN CAST

 Brian Jeeter

He/him pronouns. A trans man (seeking trans actors only, please!)

Note, because this is something I’ve been asked: I don’t have set headcanons about where Brian is with regards to transitioning; if you wanna try out and you’re not on testosterone, you should still totally try out!

Any race

Sounds to be in his mid-twenties to early thirties

A laidback, friendly affect, to the point of maybe coming off like a slacker. You’d probably need to talk to him a few times to realize that he is deeply loyal, and intensely passionate when it comes to his areas of expertise (xenolinguistics, making pizza bagels).

To audition, perform this section:

(Laughs) I dunno, though. Wasn’t all bad. I made some cool friends. That’s how I met Krejjh, actually. I’d been doing fieldwork out in Neuzo, and— (realizes the word and the place are both going to require explaining) Sorry, the Neutral Zone. It was a cluster of planets and stations, kinda out by Telemachus, founded by this very weird Libertarian billionaire. Technically outside any government, so it was one of the few places humans and Dwarnians could trade, talk, whatever.

Shady place. We’re talking arms dealing, gambling, drugs you’ve never heard of. Like, name a vice, you know? Crawling with spies, too. People used to say that’s why both sides kept it standing; they had, like, intelligence assets or something.

But it wasn’t violent. Not like you’d think. Not at first. There were these rival mafias, and they kept the peace? Kinda. I mean, everyone’s fortune was built on keeping Neuzo out of the war, keeping the war out of Neuzo, so there weren’t, like, laws, but nobody was allowed to kill anyone. At first.

Sana Tripathi

I wrote the character with she/her pronouns but I’m flexible on this if a nonbinary and/or genderqueer person wants to audition

Any actor trying out for this role should be of Indian ancestry (Indian-American or Indian-British, etc, is totally fine) ETA: Changing this more generally to “should be of South Asian ancestry.” (ETA2: Elsewhere in a different post, I mistakenly said “Southeast Asian” but I meant more generally South Asian: India, Nepal, Pakistan, etc. The moral of this story is I need to actually look at a map before I type words. I’m so sorry.)

Sounds to be mid-thirties

Warm, decisive, and extremely competent. Comfortable being in charge, but prefers to work via consensus when possible, if only for ideological reasons. A certain daredevil streak surfaces every now and then. The sweetest person you’ll ever meet, until push comes to shove and you see the core of steel that’s been there all along.

To audition, please perform this section:

You’re right, Brian, I’m not your mom. I’m your captain, and I’m your crewmate. And that means I am depending on you to take care of yourself so you can do your part to keep us safe.

(Weighty) Look, you know how tenuous it can get in the deep. You know how much more life is worth out here. That includes yours. We need a translator, Brian. We need a translator and we need a guy who has our back. We do not need a martyr. (A beat, and then, lighter) Also, I’m the boss, and you have to do what I say.

Krejjh

Seeking a genderqueer and/or nonbinary actor of any race

Note: the character is part of an extremely humanoid race of space aliens whose culture finds the whole notion of a gender binary confusing and goofy. Obviously, this is not a perfect analogue to being a nonbinary human; I mean, we are talking about a purple space alien. But the character definitely doesn’t identify as cisgender, and after a lot of discussion and soul-searching, this seemed like the most respectful option.

Sounds to be mid-twenties to early thirties

Concept: Dashing, silly, and generally in love with life. Fun at parties. Has more than a little classic fighter pilot swagger. A sucker for compliments. Adrenaline junkie. 

Note: in a later episode, you are gonna have to speak in a made-up alien language, but I’ll try to write it out phonetically. No big deal.

To audition, please perform this section:

(making an announcement over the ship’s PA system) Folks, I wanna apologize for the turbulence. We are currently flying at—downright unsafe speeds through a debris field that is—taking some damn impressive stunts on my end. Gonna advise that you all make your way to the nearest secure spot and—WOO!!! Yeah! (triumphant laughter)

If conditions persist, you might wanna take a sec and pray. Deity of your choice; I figure, cover as much ground as we can. And if conditions get much worse, I’m gonna need Crewman Jeeter up here, pronto, for a little good luck kiss. Can’t hurt, right?

In the meantime, I advise you to remember that the closer we are to danger, the more clearly we can hear the elemental thrum of our own vitality! In this moment we are living!

…Kids, you are gonna want to hold onto something.

SUPPORTING CHARACTERS

Alvy

He/him pronouns

Any race

Sounds to be mid-twenties to early thirties

A chill and fun dude.

To audition for this part, please perform the following section:

Jeeter, my man, my pal! What is up? No doubt this message will be unexpected. Get in line! Surprise assignment. A short vacation from the lab. Safe to say I’m living large. Of course, the mission’s secret but: exotic locales? Limited work? Seems almost designed for me.

Eejjhgreb

Seeking a genderqueer and/or nonbinary actor of any race

Note: the character is part of an extremely humanoid race of space aliens whose culture finds the whole notion of a gender binary confusing and goofy. Obviously, this is not a perfect analogue to being a nonbinary human; I mean, we are talking about a purple space alien. But the character definitely doesn’t identify as cisgender, and after a lot of discussion and soul-searching, this seemed like the most respectful option.

Ideally, sounds to be about forty or older. I am willing to be a little flexible on this point, though.

Concept: A diplomat. Stately, commanding, traditional. Not unfeeling, but emotionally repressed like it’s a period piece.

To audition for this part, please perform the following section (that is not in the podcast because most of Eejjhgreb’s actual lines contain spoilers)

There’s not much more to be done about it. The agreements were reached, the papers were signed. Do I wish it had gone differently? Perhaps, but it’s a matter of obligation. It’s a matter of loyalty. I know you don’t think so right now, but it is possible you’ll understand someday. Assuming you don’t get yourself killed in the meantime.

Campbell

Any actor trying out for this role should be of African ancestry (African American, African British, etc, is totally fine)

I wrote this character with he/him pronouns but I’m flexible on this if a nonbinary and/or genderqueer person wants to audition

Sounds to be between late twenties and mid thirties

Concept: A brilliantly talented forger and counterfeiter. Easygoing, charming—that rare person who seems to be friends with everyone. Definitely friends with the crew. Good in a crisis. Hard to really shock.

To audition for this part, please perform the following section:

Tell you what, send me your info. I’ll work on it remotely and pass it over to my contact in Elion for printing and pickup. How many IDs do you need? Four? We can have them done in two hours.

Yeah, I know that’s probably longer than you want to wait, but uh. It’s getting scary out there. You don’t wanna cut corners on this.

Don’t worry about payment, we’ll handle it later. I’m guessing you’re too nervous right now to really try that hard at haggling anyway, takes all the fun out of it. Sending you my guy’s coordinates for when you land. Ask for Red Gregor.

Guard

Any race

Any gender

Any European, Australian, or distinctly regional American accent

Just trying to do their job out in space, far from home

To audition for this part, please perform the following section:

Attention! We’re conducting a sweep of all interstellar vessels. I’m going to need you to comply with the following instructions. (Pause) Attention, attention! Rumor, do you copy?

Ricky

I wrote this character with he/him pronouns but I’m flexible on that if a genderqueer and/or nonbinary person wants to audition

Any race

Sounds to be late twenties to mid-thirties

Persuasive, self-centered, one of those people who considers themselves to be extremely rational and reasonable.

To audition for this part, please perform the following section:

Listen, that’s the nature of the beast. You don’t always win. It’s not my fault if you drew a weaker hand. You’ve got the option of not blaming me for it, you know? Take it or not, but you’ve got that option.

Junior Agent

Seeking a genderqueer and/or nonbinary actor 

Any race

Sounds to be early twenties

Unlike Agent Park, hasn’t yet reached burnout in the job. Might get there pretty soon, though.

To audition for this part, please perform the following section:

I’ve taken the liberty of trimming about an hour of audio from this portion of the transmission, all available in the archive in the, uh, in the honestly pretty unlikely event it is needed? Resuming in the cockpit, forty-four minutes after the Rumor touched down on Elion. On-ship time estimated to be seventeen hundred hours. 

[clickclackadinfinitum-blog]

Gregor-ton

Twenty years of indignant stares and stilted, non-verbal correspondence made short work of any goodwill Karmen held toward her neighbors. Her home wasn’t the most presentable, certainly; but she at least had the decency to clean up the corpses when things got hairy. The brutes across the street never bothered to trim the grass, let alone aid in the composting of the roaming beasts that would fall victim to their security systems and flop over like a well-baked slab of meat right onto their lawn. It was barbaric to leave one’s home surrounded by such grisly corpses, no matter how exciting it was to watch the foul things die.

It certainly didn’t help that events in the more rural districts of Morlin City were starting to get out of hand. What once was a brief crossing generally involving one herd of long-haired Dripbones became an absolute horde of various beasts that required strong buildings or smart planning to ride out. Karmen had lived in the city for more than forty years, yet all she felt was contempt for time’s passing. It hadn’t been long since the cities surrounding her country’s capital, Vilnaril, began to modernize their buildings and services to match the increasing pressures of survival in the face of booming beast populations. While these enhancements were necessary, the changes brought with them an unsettling monotony to life.

Clean the security systems, remove any and all beast corpses, go to work, maintain composure during the rolling blackouts, ensure generators for security systems are secure in both the workplace and the home, return home before 7:45 PM unless your work takes you to the ‘Bestial Beachhead,’ then activate your security systems when the automated alarm blares from whatever device is connected to your government provided cable box.

Karmen had grown tired of it. She was used to enjoying the ocean waves crashing against rocky crags as she camped outside of town with her friends; fires being snuffed out and bodies being drenched by large waves generated by the movements of the local Gregor-ton on the horizon, forcing them to move to higher ground as they chortled over their luck. The towering, all-seeing Gregor-ton brought an element of excitement and uncertainty wherever it went, even if it could sometimes be inconvenient to those it protected. That all ended twenty-one years ago. It was hard to forget the sight of a Gregor-ton doing its best to work up a lumbering sprint as it made its way to protect Morlin City directly. Its debilitatingly large, seven-hundred meter tall vessel prevented it from properly moving through the deepest sections of the ocean fast enough, even with decently humanoid proportions. While the Gregor-ton was an excellent mass-defense automaton for ages gone by, it simply could not do its job fast enough to destroy every one of beast nests that had fallen from the stars. She could still hear the Gregor-ton attempting to shout its last words to the city as it finally jumped out of the water and dove to grab at one of the rocky, blood-soaked nests. “The body will rust, do not attempt to aid-” Even as it sacrificed its structural integrity so carelessly by purposefully falling over, it tried to assure the populace that attempting to save it was frivolous. The body would rust, certainly, but what of the essence of the proud warriors who had given their lives to protect their homes as one? What of the other Gregor-tons? Would they too ruin themselves in futile attempts to delay the inevitable? The most pressing question was one that only Karmen had ever thought to ask, at least in Morlin City. “How much do the Gregor-tons feel? Do they have the capacity to be angry at themselves, or was the Morlin Gregor-ton just barking an order?” Karmen was having the conversation of the century with her Petite-breed Dripbone. “What do you think, Whorl?” A raspy bark confirmed Karmen’s suspicions-- It was rather hard to have an existential conversation with a domesticated beast. The wisps of water vapor emanating from Whorl’s diminutive eye sockets were beginning to condense against the chilled window of Karmen’s bedroom, making her usually perfect view of the ‘Bestial Beachhead’ somewhat obscured. When the diverse range of nests had first landed just outside of Morlin’s sand strewn shores, the flood of truly nightmarish creatures made the once quiet city almost uninhabitable. Those in power across the nation of Vilnis did their best to send warriors to drive back the innumerable horde of beasts until a more permanent solution could be found, but the inactive Gregor-ton broke the spirits of many just as effectively as the beasts themselves.

Since the day that Morlin’s Gregor-ton fell, its body has laid atop the massive forest next to the city center; oxidation claiming it over the years until it finally began to lose parts of itself to the elements. A more recent restoration effort turned the Gregor-ton’s vessel into a habitat itself, Its remaining pieces being joined together with glass and heating installations in order to create a massive greenhouse to house the sort of tropical flora and fauna the unlucky people of Morlin almost never got to see. For a time, even Karmen took great pride in the turn around of morale this installation brought, but as the warriors of Vilnis were thinned in number to slowly introduce the ‘modern security,’ she could feel the city’s soul dying.

Why must I contemplate these things at a time like this?

Karmen was merely distracting herself. Trying to search through the past to justify the state of the future, pinpointing the exact moment it became okay for these laser-based, tag-reading defense systems to practically flame-broil every passing animal; the day it became acceptable to leave the dead on your lawn in the hopes that a passerby may take interest in their carcass for valuables or food. The day she bought Whorl she had to race down to the local vet, hugging the beast to her chest as she ran through sensor grids, just to get her tagged for safety’s sake. Even if the defense system was unable to hurt humans by their very design, it still made her feel trapped; not because she feared the system, but because she feared she had become unable to live without it.

The point these lamentations drew Karmen to were always vague. Or, in her own words: “I keep thinking of this bullshit, but I can’t bring to mind the bull.” In the forty-four years she’s seen, from her raucous birth to her quiet rumination of the past in the present, the only thing that she was unable to figure out that truly frustrated her was the inability to decide what action she figured ought to be taken. As she eyed the slightly fogged window of her room, she could see the beast’s nests wriggling with activity, their grey, flared tops poking drably just above the water’s surface. But just to the right… laid the Gregor-ton. Teeming with life just behind the glass. The beasts from the stars never seemed interested in the more tropical creatures so plainly inhabiting the soulless vessel, it seemed so pleasant inside. Perhaps tomorrow Karmen would visit the Gregor-ton Habitat, just for a little while…

Karmen shrugged off the faint chill running through her body, noting that the air seemed to be getting cooler. Whorl didn’t help things one bit, clacking her frigid skeletal head against Karmen’s chin for warmth. Maybe Whorl might like to come, too. Now that she thought about it, Karmen had no idea how well a Dripbones could handle truly warmer climes.

So hey, if you read this whole fuckin’ thing, thanks! This is among my oldest pieces, yet I’ve come back to it time after time, and I have a feeling it might be easy to pinpoint where I’ve come back to add in or change things. Or maybe not, who knows? Either way, this was the first time I tried really putting my heart into writing a new world, and I’m honestly still interested in trying to expand it. Maybe if this hobby of mine expands out, it might just end up being something I try to publish! Those are big dreams for later though. For now, hope you liked it!

Also, sorry about the abrupt ending. I tried to think for a while how to continue it (this being about five months ago) and work got in the way, so I’ve just kinda let it sit.