#I love robie interactions

[corrodedcoughin]

Firmly believe that Robin wonders off when drunk and Eddie, is as always the worst enabler, just disappears with her. Steve is tearing his hair out (metaphorically, he can never do it literally) trying to find them as their sober driver and in the end he'll find them in the oddest places usually cus he can hear Eddie cackling but once because Eddie dropped out of a tree onto Steve because Robin had gotten stuck and couldn't get down after Eddie encouraged her to follow him

Okay I had an old flatmate who would go on nights out wearing trainers because she’d always end up genuinely running off and she’d gone over her ankle enough times to swear her off heels.

SO Robin getting drunk and full speed running home after eddie bets he can beat her there. They stop every so often to play ‘I spy’ or pet any cats they come across, Robin still steers clear of dogs, rabies will get you drunk or not

[robitherat]

Still constantly thinking abt the convo I had with my two cis girl friends abt t when I first went on it and how their reaction to me telling them about bottom growth (in the middle of a crowded and echo-y highschool hallway) was "You're growing a tiny penis? Awwww that's so cute!"

[batmanisagatewaydrug]

How do I talk to a fourth grader about sex Ed? Are there books or an online resource for parents you recommend?

hi there, thank you for asking!

the book that I use to teach OWL classes is Robie Harris' It's Perfectly Normal; I strongly recommend getting ahold of the revised & updated edition from 2021, which is more inclusive and queer-friendly, but even the older edition is a pretty good starting place.

it can be a great way to start the conversation if the fourth grader in question hasn't approached you with their own questions about sex and bodies, which can be daunting for a lot of kids, especially if that hasn't historically been the vibe when you interact! they may not know a lot at that point, but most kids have definitely absorbed that sex is something that they're not supposed to talk about.

if they're feeling up to having a chat beyond the basics (anatomy, reproduction 101, changes that come with puberty, squiggly crush feelings, consent and no means no, etc), that's awesome! I find most kids in the 4th-6th grade range already have a lot more information about sex than most people expect; they just have it jumbled up and out of order and lack the tools to make sense of it. ie, I've had students who know about periods but are under the impression that they come out of the butt, understand that a baby grows inside of a person but have no clue how it gets out, and make jokes about someone getting ejaculated on because they know it's Inappropriate and therefore funny but don't actually have any idea what ejaculation actually is or why it happens.

so, you know. much to work on there!

honestly I think the #1 most important thing for any adult trying to be a good ally and educator to young people is to kill the urge to cringe literally ever at all about anything, because the second you make a kid feel weird for asking a question is the second they start hesitating to confide in you with their questions. I've had to poker face kids asking me why someone would ever put someone else's penis in their mouth, what a harem is, and kids very earnestly describing their first wet dreams without having any idea that they were describing wet dreams. there cannot be any "no," it's "yes, and" from here on it. "yes that sounds weird to you, and it's completely fine to do that with people you trust if and when you feel ready to have sex" has got to be the constant refrain. be as rigorously open-minded and non-judgmental as possible establishes that you are a safe person to talk to honestly, and encourages your kiddo to be similarly curious and accepting.

if you ever find yourself really flustered by a question, or you genuinely don't have an answer, it's okay to pull a "I don't know! let me find out more information and get back to you." (also great behavior to model for kids, btw.) if you're ever stumped trying to figure out how to break something down into 4th grader-sized chunks, I recommend Scarleteen as a starting place - it's a sex ed forum run by volunteers for teens, some of them pretty young, so the answers are written very accessibly.

easing into the topic by discussing things like feelings and puberty can be a great way to ease in. have they talked about puberty at school? are their friends having any bodily changes? how do people talk about bodies? do kids get made fun of for developing breasts or growing body hair? does anyone at school date? how does the kid you're talking with feel about all of that? I might just be blessed with unusually gossipy kids, but they LOVE dishing about how other kids act. I learn so so much about my students by asking them to tell me how their peers behave at school; they love to narc.

also: it can be a huge bummer if YOU were really ready to rumble being sex positive and a source of info, but sometimes kids just aren't ready to engage with that. I've know 4th graders who are extremely at eases talking about the ins and outs of vaginal anatomy and 6th graders who would rather run away than even acknowledge genitals exist; there's no predicting when anyone will be comfortable with this. to a certain degree you might need to encourage a kid through initial awkwardness, but if they're reaching a point of serious distress and discomfort we've got to let it go. unfortunately I've taught kids who reacted to their parents' enthusiasm for sex positivity by wilting in exactly the opposite direction, getting anxious and confrontational whenever the topic came up. the majority of kids will become curious in their own time, especially as puberty and sexuality becomes more pressing to them and their peers, and sometimes the best thing you can do is leave that door open for them to return to in their own time.

also, hey! if you're ever really really stuck, I'm here on tumblr dot com :) I'm by now means an expert, but I've taught a LOT of fourth graders what a condom is.

[astermath]

hey aster, happy 1k!!! love your work and you fully deserve all the love💗💗

so i’m sending in a prompt from idiots to lovers (“you’re so cute.” “what did you just say?” “i said you look like a boot.”) for robin buckley because this literally SCREAMS her

aww tysm that’s so sweet, hope you enjoy and ty for sending in a request! <3

♡ aster's 1K celebration ♡

wc: 0.9K

tags: lovestruck robin, crushing, fem!reader (duh), just some pining lol, not rlly proofread! normal sized font below

Robin is a girl that tends to fall hopelessly in love. She can’t simply have a crush, or think someone is cute, no, she always falls head over heels, straight into a vat of hearts and sappy confessions.

And usually that’s fine, that works for her. Her crushes give her a reason to go to school, to get stuff done, to put extra effort into her appearance. But she tends to admire from a distance. She knows how much she talks, and how hard it is to stop talking too.

That’s why she usually just sticks to looking at you from a distance, cheek leaning against the palm of her hand as she daydreams about the dates you could go on. In the timeline where she musters up the courage to talk to you.

But it seems that the universe has other plans. The universe being your English teacher, and the plans being a duo project about a country of your choosing.

You couldn’t choose your groups, which you didn’t mind, you could work with just about anyone. You’re smart, you could probably do this whole thing by yourself.

But to Robin, this was a huge deal. She’d never even talked to you before, besides the one time she had to apologise for bumping into you in the hallway. She still dreams about that interaction.

And now she’s gone for embarrassingly daydreaming about you to sitting in your room, surrounded by books about Italy, writing down interesting facts and discussing the order of the presentation.

But her mind is only halfway there. It’s hard to focus on wine, Rome, and pasta when you’re sitting right in front of her like this. The sunlight coming through the window is hitting your skin just right, she can smell your perfume, and your PJ shorts are the cutest she’s ever seen.

“So, do you have anything to add, or can I start writing out my part of the presentation already?”

“You look so cute.” The words leave her lips before they can even register in her own brain. It’s like her body has decided it needs to tell you how adorable you look, without her mind being able to pull the brakes at all.

You look up, quirking an eyebrow, clearly confused by what you’ve heard. “Sorry, what did you just say?”

“Ah! I, uh—“ She sits up straighter, her eyes averting to the papers scattered in front of her, cheeks tinging pink from embarrassment. She’s not great at coming up with excuses, but she doesn’t exactly have a choice right now.

“I said you uh… You look like a boot.”

Shit.

She could have slapped herself right then and there.

'Seriously, Buckley? A boot? That’s the best thing you could come up with? Not fruit, or something else nice?'

“Oh,” You look up, scratching the back of your neck for a moment. “Well, like a nice boot?”

“What qualifies as a nice boot?”

“I don’t know,” you smile, leaning backwards onto your hands. “I like cowboy boots. And gogo boots are cute too.”

“Huh. I see.” She tries not to make it seem like a big deal, but she enjoys learning small things like this about you.

A few moments pass, and she’s already got her nose shoved back into a book while you try to write down a good introduction.

“Did you actually have something to add though?” You ask, looking up from your paper.

“To the presentation?”

“Yeah.”

“Oh, I don‘t know.” She puts the book down, thinking it over for a moment. “Maybe that the word America comes from the Italian language?”

"Huh, seriously? That's really cool." You smile, and it makes the blood rush straight to her cheeks again. You're already noting it down under the 'fun facts' section of the presentation, your pen scribbling away as Robin tries to compose herself.

"Yeah, uh, Vespucci came up with it. Italian explorer." She fiddles with the bit of frayed fabric at the hem of her shirt to keep her hands busy.

"You're really smart, aren't you?" You flash her another smile, and she thinks it actually might kill her this time. There's no way someone could look this pretty.

"Oh, uhm... I-- I guess." She chuckles bashfully. "You're pretty smart too, though. You always know the answers to like, every question in class. Even though you never raise your hand."

You grin, knowing damn well that's out of pure laziness and not shyness at all. "Yeah, I guess so. 'M glad I got stuck with you on this assignment though. You're full of interesting facts, Buckley."

She smiles, averting her eyes in hopes of not looking like the complete lovestruck fool she is. "Yeah, well, maybe I'll teach you some Italian here and there too."

"Wait-- you speak Italian?" You sit up straight, eyes practically sparkling after finding out this new juicy bit of information.

"Well, only halfway so, but I like learning languages. Keeps the brain juicy, you know?"

You chuckle at that, leaning your elbows onto your knees and letting your cheeks rest on your palms. "You're somethin' else, you know that Buckley?"

"You're one to talk."

"Well, you did say I looked like a boot. I guess that counts as 'something else'."

The both of you start laughing, and suddenly she doesn't feel so bad about her slipup from earlier anymore. Or this project. Bless the universe for putting her in your room that day.

-

-

-

[fairydares]

Gruvia Fan Content Prompt Idea List

well, some people seemed interested when i said i'd make a post with a list of Gruvia fan content prompts, so I'm making it! I'll warn you, though: I don't really like the way ideas are shared on typical prompt lists so mine might not be to you guys' tastes:

AU where Juvia joined Fairy Tail first and was the one to inspire Gray to join the guild. Some of you might recognize this as a previous post of mine, where the idea is more fleshed out, but I don't mind at all if anyone else takes it as a prompt and uses the idea to write their own story.

Gruvia-centric Stone Age Omake fic. There's tons for Nalu but only one I found that's Gruvia, Learning to Love by starryfairyjedi, which is excellent but the author hasn't finished it quite yet.

Pregnancy fic. ik ik, another unoriginal idea. There are tons of these, but I think that's true for a reason. A scenario where Juvia accidentally gets pregnant forces Gray to commit in a way he avoids throughout the series. Plus also that guy just has a ton of untapped worry-wort dad potential. It's tragic, really.

Forced to live together. Who doesn't love these kinds of fics? As for why Gray and Juvia have to live together...maybe Fairy Hills got destroyed during Alvarez or by another Dark Guild, and when Gajeel offered to let Juvia stay with him, Gray stepped in to offer up his own place in a moment of irrational jealousy. There's a lot of potential for humor with Juvia's various Gray paraphernalia, plus it would be a chance for them to address feelings about their previous cohabitation.

Playing off the last one: AU where Juvia's an informant targeted by the mafia and Gray is the FBI agent tasked with protecting her. Therefore, they are forced to live together in a safe house.

Grease-esque AU. Juvia could be one of those rollerskating waitresses and Gray and Natsu could be race car drivers/rivals. Sides of other pairings would work well with this one, like if Lucy and Erza were also waitresses.

Juvia meets Edo-Greige somehow. This would be so cute! How would she wind up meeting him? Well...i don't know, lol. It'd be interesting if she wound up in Edolas accidentally and Gray had to go rescue her. In the meantime, she could interact with Edo Gray and Juvia, also...that's a moment we never really got to see in the series.

Juvia and Lyon wind up paired for a mission and Gray follows them out of jealousy.

Assassin AU where Gray's the assassin and Juvia's the target. Good potential for a steamy fight scene and ultimate cuteness when Gray refuses to kill her.

Pirate and Mermaid AU. a lot of fics have elements of this dynamic but i don't think i've seen one that's really Gruvia-centric and about the love story. would make a great oneshot or short multichapter fic imo.

Juvia's a nymph who cares all alone for her forest since the other nymphs died, until one day, an Ice Demon Slayer, injured in battle, drifts into her forest via river on a slab of wood. The forest urges her to kill him, but Juvia is unable to kill the first man she's ever seen. While she nurses him back to health, they fall in love. Lots of potential for romance/humor with the whole "Juvia's never been around people, especially men, and doesn't get personal space" thing, a bit like the Stone Age Omake idea.

MHA/BNHA AU where they meet as heroes-in-training or young pro heroes in the field.

Fake Dating. Kind of a sucker for these, ngl. Would be even better (in my personal opinion) if it was an AU so this was how they met.

UFC/MMA AU. Few different potential ideas with this one. Could be Juvia falling in love with Gray from the audience while he fights Natsu, a mixed-gender version of the UFC where Gray and Juvia fight each other, or Gray gets a crush from the audience watching Juvia fight someone (I'd personally love to read this one).

Gray and Juvia meet as kids. Would be really cute if little Gray comforted Juvia about her rain.

Robin Hood AU. The Fairy Tail ethos goes well with Robin Hood's. You could have it where Juvia serves as a knight for King John (/Jose?) but abandons the kingdom for Robin Hood's cause when she meets Gray.

If I think of more, I'll add to this list or maybe make another one! Feel free to use any of these/apply them to any ship. I'd love if you lmk you used one of them or tagged me or whatever, but if you're not comfortable with that you don't have to. I may use my own prompts one day, too, especially the Stone Age Omake ones, the nymph one, and the Edo Greige one. I'm totally fine with us having written the same idea if you are.

See also this set of romantic prompt lists. Actually, just see their master post of prompts, literally my favorite blog for this sort of thing.

[kabigha-bighani]

Kabigha-bighani,

Greetings! Welcome to the circle of Bighani Everbrook, formerly known by the illustrious titles Ruekali, Arkiscya, Ikerihse, Idyraihse, and Casrileya EB. This serves as your key introduction to my domain. I urge you to peruse this information thoroughly, as it acts as a safeguard against any potential misunderstandings. Your adherence to these details is greatly appreciated, and I am eager to facilitate your understanding.

Primarily, I go by the name Bighani, and I prefer to be addressed as Hani or by any of my previous names familiar to you. The user is of age (19+), I identify as pansexual, using she/they pronouns. Born under the Aquarius sign in February, my personality is encapsulated by the INTJ classification in the MBTI framework. Notably, I proudly stand as one of the founders of Everbrook Ink-Garde, a sisterhood to which I exclusively align. I am a mother of 4 (Salome, Adroula, Aksrue, Robi), loving ate of 3 (Lualhati, Miuccia, Jaguar & the whole EB) and a non-dating.

Prior to our interaction, it’s crucial to acknowledge certain triggers that profoundly impact me. Please take note: (1) I navigate the challenges of anxiety disorder and PCOS, making any jests about these off-limits. (2) Steer clear of sharing images related to my fears: frogs, brutal murders, and cockroaches, as they may elicit a strong reaction. (3) I strongly discourage the use of ACER Terms; those employing them may face automatic blocking. (4) My timeline is a space of inclusivity, but those exhibiting homophobic, zionist, racist, colorist, sexist, insensitive, Marcos apologist, DDS, enablers, or apolitical attitudes are not welcome.

With this understanding, I eagerly anticipate our future interactions, hoping that this insight paves the way for a more meaningful connection.

sending love,

Bighani Everbrook

[cosmoschick]

I’m watching the reboot of CSI: Vegas. I’m on the 2nd episode of season one, and I’m really liking the show.

I noticed some chemistry between two characters. So I go look for fanfiction on the two and nothing. But of course, fanfic on the ones that people would ship the male character with but to me no chemistry.

Nothing new.

So yes, it’s Maxine Roby and Joshua Folsom that I see chemistry. Not with Joshua and Allie Rajan. JMO. But I know nothing will ever happen with Max and Josh because it’s clear they’re being super obvious that they want Josh and Allie together. 🤷🏾‍♀️

But I’m really liking Paula Newsome as Maxine. Usually when you see a Black woman in a leadership ship role on tv especially a police procedural, she’s usually stoic, not too friendly with the “underlings”, co-workers, etc., standoffish, and not shown much. It’s the opposite with Maxine. I’m loving her and her interactions with the others and she’s funny too. Loving it and her! Can’t wait to find out more about her and her relationship with her son. Hopefully we find out more.

I never was invested in the Grissom and Sara relationship. It’s good to see them back though along with Brass and even Hodges. Lol Considering the circumstances.

Anyway, already on the second episode and it’s becoming a favorite. Good to be back in Vegas.

[sttheorycraft]

I agree with you that Byler is probably not happening at this point, but I would love to hear your 10% reasons why it still might. I don't think you should be afraid of giving out false hope because 100k people in the Byler tag are already doing that anyway lol. It's okay if you don't want to share, though. I'm just curious to hear what you think.

I'm not sure that logic holds (about false hope) but hey, why not.

I've already said that S4 proved (through Hopper's survival) that the writers will ignore inconsistencies if it lets them tell the story they want to tell. This makes it really hard to theorize about what could come next, but also means everything is still on the table. If Byler is a story they want to tell, they'll tell it.

Their forgetting Will's birthday suggests they're not paying attention to small details, which calls into question a LOT of Byler "evidence." But there's still a little hope if we step back and look at some probable facts about the production. They seem quite pro-LGBT both from their social media activity and from scenes from the show. For example, Mike standing up for Will in S1, and how well they handled Robin's coming out scene. They have voiced a concern for protecting the little guy (I'm thinking of Harbour's acceptance speech) and one of the show's major themes is about "normal" being overrated and "different" being okay (and "different" is strongly tied to homosexuality in the show).

All of that is to say: I don't think they would want to queerbait fans on purpose. They knew Byler shippers existed at least by S3, if not S2 which is I think when it started (I wasn't around then). They were interacting with us on Twitter while writing S4. After a certain point, if you're not planning on Byler endgame you kinda have a responsibility to your fans to signal this unambiguously in the show, as early as possible. You could argue that Byler shippers are so creative in reading into things that it would be impossible for them to accept a non-Byler endgame until the end, if even then. But the writers definitely didn't shut the door firmly in S3, and while I can see signs I could interpret as shutting the door in S4 (most notably the speech), it really should've been done less ambiguously if that was the intent. Even people on Reddit were getting wind of an old-school queerbait in Vol 1.

Just some questions in S4 that could be nothing but why are they even questions if they're trying not to queerbait:

Why is there a one-way sign in Mike's room pointing to an open closet in S4E1? If that was accidental it was a huge oversight

When Mike meets El in the airport, he picked his clothes because she liked those colors. I get Mike is supposed to be awkward but Mike's views on their relationship sound incredibly juvenile. Compare to Lumax throughout the season, or El's complaint to Mike about never saying "Love." Or even Mike and Will's conversations, it's not like Mike can't have mature conversations

Why does Mike act so weird when greeting Will at the airport? Could be to emphasize Will's emotions, but it's still odd

Why does Mike get weird with El after the roller skate incident? Serves the plot but seems out of character and is unnecessary Mileven tension

The El/Superhero thing. Mike really does refer to El primarily as a superheroine throughout the season. Including to Dustin when Dustin is bragging on his girlfriend. He's never really that romantic

It's clear why Will's eyes get shimmery during Mike's apology but why do Mike's? It seems a little over the top if nothing is going on there

Why is Will so practically psychic with Mike? And a little bit in reverse but Mike is oblivious sometimes too. Selectively, it feels like

When Mike confesses his "feelings" to El, it's spurred on directly by Will (it's almost peer pressure) and it comes out juvenile/awkward again. Could be Mike's personality, but again he's demonstrated he can do better. (I do need to rewatch this, have only watched Vol 2 once through)

Robin and Vickie (not sure if I've stated publicly but I see Vickie as bi from a million miles away) getting together at the end could be foreshadowing apparently hopeless relationships coming to be??

Other things that I can't forget:

Will's favorite song is "Should I Stay or Should I Go" which is about a push-pull relationship, much like Will is experiencing with Mike

The whole "keep the door open 3 inches" meme from S3

Unfortunately, all the above doesn't add up to anything ironclad. I think it's important to test your beliefs. I came up with a couple of checks before S4 came out, basically how could I tell if they were trying to shoot down Byler:

Attempts to define the relationship with Byler. Mike does twice: as best friends.

Strengthening Mileven. Mike arguably does in his speech.

These are both surface-level and handled poorly, but unfortunately since both came true I'm left with 90% likely that they're trying in good faith to avoid queerbaiting but just not handling it very well (underestimating Byler shippers' ability to rationalize basically). Or a 10% chance that they're still up to something based on the above.

Hope this helps and doesn't give anyone TOO much hope. I really want to emphasize: it's not queerbaiting if your fans are so adept at reading into things that anything you do is construed as evidence for their ship. But at the same time if Mileven endgame was the plan they really should've shut things down harder than they did.

[paleangels13]

Tagged by @mondscheinprinzessin and @rosalba-robi 💖

rules: list your top 5 favorites of your fics, what they're about, and why you're proud of them, then tag some fic authors to do the same!

I won't tag anyone because I don't know who's done it by now and who hasn't ^^"

Baby, if I let you in, I know I'll be falling

This is basically just about Aleksi visiting Robin for a hook up but there is a very obvious hint at idiots in love at the end ^-^

It was the first fic I wrote after I think 2 or 3 years and started my whole journey as a writer in this fandom so it holds a very special place in my heart ☺️ I also found my amazing beta-reader (@bc-sideblog) thanks to this fic and I wouldn't want to miss her 🥺🥺❤️ there is a whole universe created around this story btw, I just need to write it down eventually... Maybe ✨

Sharing is caring

Well, this is omegaverse and besically it's about Joonas getting into his heat on the tourbus and the others (all alphas) helping him get through it. There is some tenderness and actual love going on in the last part so it has some sweetness and feelings to it 🥺👀

This was the second biggest fic I've ever written and it was so, so much work which I totally underestimated but I'm super proud about actually finishing it and yeah. Also went completely out of my comfort zone with this because I never planned on writing omegaverse... :) (also btw really like the difference between each of the guys with Joonas and especially the interaction between Joonas and Niko in the end!)

After the battle

Fantasy au with the boy being... Well, who knows ✨👀 Tommi is a werebear but that's the only thing that's very safe just from reading the story :D And aside from that it's about them being involved in a battle where one of them gets injured and doesn't come back to their safe house immediately so there is some drama and angst in this.

I just really love this AU and I definitely want to explore this some more! I like the way I wrote this not jumping straight to the point but rather giving more and more hints throughout the story ^^" I was super fun to write and I love the whole group-dynamic in this 🥰

More beautiful than the night sky on New Year's Eve

Robin invites Aleksi to a NYE party and they have some stuff to talk about with some realization hitting in (cute ending!)

First fully "fluffy" fic I ever (?) wrote and I like the setting a lot and it's idiots in love and dude you two are so stupid 😭🤲🏻 please just get your shit together everyone can see you're on love 😔

When he comes home... (/the whole Toxic Series in general)

Well the one I specifically mentioned is what it says in the title... Aleksi coming home to Joonas and Rilla. It just isn't a happy reunion.

I like the atmosphere in this one I think? Like nothing actually happens but it's still super obvious that something is incredibly wrong and also Rilla 🥺 being there comforting Joonas and probably being the main reason why nothing happens 🥺

About the series in general I can just say that I'm kinda proud of the whole atmosphere I created in each of the 3 stories so far and idk... I really went out of my comfort zone with this one when it comes to actually writing something in this direction down and not just having the idea but being too...scared? of actually putting it into a fic. But I also had a hard time writing the first part because I didn't want to go into too much detail about what's happening but also didn't want to skip it all together so I had to find something in the middle which was tough. There is at least one more (maybe two) part coming for that one in case anyone cares 😅🙈

Bonus: I can feel you looking at me

Aleksi and Olli work at a...bar. And finally Aleksi gathers the courage to talk to Olli about some things he had noticed during the past few weeks (idiots in love but with a little...twist..??)

I like this and I can't tell y'all why. I just do. Also got to write this into a little different setting thanks to a certain someone but you'll get to read that in the next few days (I hope) 🥰

[heeracha]

ROBI I JUST SAW ITS YOUR BDAY SO HAPPIEST BIRTHDAY !!!! ik i called u a bat but you're a very sweet and nice person ( and a bat too ) you're so nice i genuinely feel bad after being sarcastic to you / being rude ( ???? ) satirically ( help is my lack of vocabulary showing 💀 ) KSJDF ANYWAY HOPE YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY, ENJOY A LOT !!! ps. im salty u didnt say you'd leave hee for me :/

love u bae <33333

CAELIN !! THANK YOUUUU !! <3 hkbfsjhsd dont feel bad !! i enjoy interacting with you, oki? dw about it <3 thank you sm bae <3 ignoring the ps part btw,, jk,, i'd leave hee for u too (i think)

love u more <3

[i-am-robie]

hi robie! quick question, were you the one who had beef with kara's s5 and s6 lipstick? or am i mixing it up with someone else? i remember seeing someone's tag and was inspired so i wrote a little fic, but now i can't remember who it is and i wanted to give credit:/ thank you! hope you're having a lovely day:)

A fic? Awesome!!

Honestly I can’t think of a person on my dash who DIDN’T have beef with that lipstick (cw don’t interact)

[rottenwoodandwiltedsunflowers]

2/2-2/5 Recaps (Kae)

A recap post?! From moi?! 

I stopped writing recaps somewhere before I hit triple digits, pre-global pandemic. At our very last pre-pandemic show, in October 2019, I was at that place where I was not quite as into the show. Or rather, wasn’t appreciating it in the same way. It was like a nice trip home, but I was increasingly interested in exploring other shiny, new immersive shows and didn’t find myself as connected with the actors or characters as I once had been. Coupled with parenthood and a job change that meant fewer trips to NYC generally, my relationship with SNM became very casual.

As the pandemic stretched time into a red thread of meaningless nothingness, I was so frustrated with myself that I didn’t take stock of my last show in Oct 2019. I can’t remember who I saw or what I did. As months became years, corners of the building faded from my mind’s eye. I wasn’t sure if the doors would ever reopen or if this world would be disassembled and disposed of before I could experience it again. I wished I had taken the time to pay attention to that last show. Or at least to jot down some notes. So here I am, jotting down some notes. I’ll keep it quick, but these little lockets of memories are for me as much as for anyone who wants to read along. (If you’re wondering about show logistics, Waffle covered that really well in his 2/2 recap.)

Putting my mini-recaps below in case you don’t want any so-called “spoilers.” Everything happens in full view so it’s not really a spoiler, IMO, but I know there are a lot of people planning to go back over the next few weeks who may want to explore on their own.

2/2

It was a goddamn family reunion in line. Including many corners of the SNM fandom from original tumblr bloggers to Discord and Reddit folks, our Tumblr crew, and several fellow out of towners who made a trip just for this night. Ironically, I became closer to many of these SNM super fans during the pandemic either because of Lost Immersive or Eschaton or both. All in all, I couldn’t and still can’t believe this place is back.

To be greeted by Dewey Danger Flynn (JWW) with a microphone in hand. My heart. Just. Fuck. Then, when Waffle and most of my pals disappeared with Stella Sinclair (Karen Marie) for the first entry, I was a little disappointed because of course I had dreams of getting to that first ballroom. June (Robi’s WIB) popped through the curtains and took a small group of about six of us to, lo and behold, the ELEVATOR. THE ELEVATOR. Any FOMO I had disappeared. To be back with James (Jamal) on that first elevator again…whew.

First loop with Layne’s bald witch, who immediately pullled me in with her ballroom solo (and surprisingly did all the typical bald witch interactions). Second loop was all about SJL’s Hecate, which was full of surprise content and trips around various spots on 4. There’s a lot of new Hecate out-of-boudoir out-in-the-open scenes to make up for the time she usually spent in 1-1’s, as well as a way to get the porter note circulating without the 1-1. The modified interaction version of the post-dinner cabaret works brilliantly, IMO, and SJL is a treasure and has there always been a mandrake root there?! Has it been there this whole time or is it new?! The not-knowing is part of the fun.

Stood back for the final banquet to take it in with fresh eyes. How many times did I intentionally skip the banquet? 100+? And yet it was one of the things that deeply moved me at my first show. Was surprised that an audience that was 90% super fans had very few people “waiting in the wings” off of the sides of the banquet table. (Yes, walkouts are happening.) The overall vibe all night was that we were all just happy to be home and appreciate the people and the place.

2/3

Stair entry with Stella and she’s a HOOT. Rumors flying from last night that the elevator entry isn’t happening post-covid. It is, obviously, but the staggered entry is sneaky. Love that we already have disputed facts and FOMO feelings less than 24 hour into the doors opening. Welcome back, super fans, with all my love. :)

Joy Marie Thompson is already iconic. I… Her bald… I don’t really have a good comparison point. She fully owns the role and it’s so, so good. I love that she flirtatiously mocks Banquo when he does his little show off move in the ballroom. She smirks and does a hand motion like, “Ehhh…it’s so-so,” that made me laugh out loud.

I planned to intentionally loop other characters so I forced myself to peel off from Joy immediately after the first rave. Something about being back made me want to loop again, especially loop the residents I hadn’t watched in a long time pre-pandemic.

Cut to a full loop with Michael Bryan Wang’s Fulton. The graveyard set is updated and refreshed and it’s gorgeous as well as more covid safe for the performers. I enjoyed this loop and saw some small stuff that I either forgot about or is new…unclear. Has that thing behind the door behind the curtain always been there? My Fulton loving friends would know, but I truly have no idea. MBW and Elias Rosa’s taxi danced beautifully together.

Wandered 5 because Waffle was freaking out about the new content on 5 the night before. Didn’t see it, but caught some of the new Orderly/Nurse (Brandon Coleman) and Matron (Aliza Russell) stuff that happens in the room with beds. Really fun if you have had the 1-1 and get the references and also works great as is with the other new content on 5, especially (which I saw on a later night). No regrets. Also, the whole floor is replenished and freshened up. It even feels like the maze is more thick with pokey branches to get stuck by and on.

2/4

Waffle was about to burst from not telling me about 5, so he cajoled me into agreeing to start the show on 5 instead of going down to the first ballroom. We did. And I did a really lovely whole loop+ with Joy’s nurse as a result, who now has “filling the bathtub in the Macbeth’s room” as part of her job description. #1: I didn’t realize that was a working bathtub with plumbing. #2: I was very concerned about timing. Like, did we really have time to fill the whole tub?! We did. #3: Macbeth had a nice fresh warm bath, unlike Lady M’s room temperature prefilled bath, which is blatant sexism if you ask me.

The thing on 5 is FUCKING PHENOMENAL. Best “new thing” I’ve seen in a long time. Maybe since Caroline/Rev content was added? I hope they keep it in even if 1-1’s come back. Choreography: A+ Dramatic tension: A+ Slightly terrifying: A+ Build on the narrative on 5: A+ It was worth spending half of my show and more than a full loop on 5, for sure. I highly recommend. It’s one of those things that is either complete luck to stumble upon or a wonderful reward for following for a whole loop, which is exactly what I want in 1-1 replacement content and just like...new SNM content in general.

Hadn’t spent any time with my old pal, the Porter, so I spent the rest of the night with Andrew Pastide’s Porter. He’s a lovely, tender Porter that hits the emotional high and low notes in a way that works and he leaves salty tears on the boat note, which is the type of Porter vibe I like most. “Moonlight” still gets me every time. Andrew literally hangs from the rafters during the reset dance. Fantastic. The 1-1 alternative content is somewhat unexpected and works well at relating to the 1-1 if you’ve had it while being interesting if you haven’t.

By this point, I’d figured out that many characters who had 1-1’s now have new content, so I doubled down on my commitment to full looping. Both to possibly catch new scenes and revisit ones I hadn’t watched in a long time. There are also many little covid-related changes that are fun and reassuring to see (like Danvers keeping her drink supplies under lock and key and Speakeasy knocking on Hecate’s door to get the food for her dinner scene).

Met the great and powerful Oz (Miguel Anaya) in the hotel lobby bar. (They’re calling it “Porter’s Corner” which I think is hilarious.) I’ll always miss Max, and I’m so happy for Miguel in this role! The band has been renamed the Oswald McKittrick Trio!

2/5 Early

Holy empty show. It seemed like there were less than 100 people. It was like Sunday matinees of old on a very light day. Mostly people who looked confused about where to go and everyone gave the performers lots of space. Covid anxiety has its silver linings, I suppose.

Robi’s Lady MacDuff first loop and Kelly’s Danvers second loop, followed by the final partial loop with Jeffrey Docimo’s Porter (OMG).

Had no idea who Porter was as I apparently don’t recognize Jeff without bushy facial hair. When I found out who it was, his literal backstroke and breaststroke across the hotel lobby desk during his INSPIRED reset dance, during which he also held himself up horizontally parkour-style off of the pipe by the pillar near the phone booths, made sense.

Kelly’s Danvers has a vindictive moment while she’s making the milk at the top of the loop. She added all the spells and potions to the milk, including a drop from her vial of pocket poison. Then, the Duncan bell tolls and she looks up, pained and steeling herself. Her mood visibly shifts and she takes out the vial and adds two more drops of poison, emphatically. If she loses Duncan, she sure as hell is going to make sure the MacDuffs suffer, too.

Robi and Ernesto Breton make the most earnest MacDuff couple and I forgot how wonderful the pre-ballroom duets in their apartment are, in general. What a joy to see these dances performed by these people. These two had great chemistry and really nailed the, “We’ve been married a long time and we know each other too well” couple energy. Seeing performers who have been in the show for a long time or were in the show a long time ago, together in this amalgamated 2022 cast of older and newer residents, is DELIGHTFUL.

It was at this show that I declared that golden age of SNM and second golden age of SNM be damned. The show is good right now, objectively fantastic. This is, officially, the third and current so-called Golden Age and I’m confident that’s not just deprivation bias.

2/5 Late

Final show in our run and the last for some time—we won’t be back for the Feb 14th Grand Reopening. I’m glad we did a whole run of shows. There’s more I wanted to see and do and even some new content I didn’t catch yet, but I feel content. My cup is full. And I’m so excited to hear what else changes over the next few weeks and months. I’m so happy we can finally go back.

The full first elevator spiel was back for this show! With more people inside the elevator and letting the first person off, distributing guests across floors, the whole usual elevator script. De-fucking-lightful! Evan Fisk as James also cracked a joke and asked me a question about my t-shirt and I responded with verbal words without thinking, which felt like a possible trap as soon as I spoke, but he just laughed. I don’t know if they kept using the elevator or broke the crowd into two entry groups again, but wow it was good to experience the first elevator just like I remember it!

Ernesto’s Speaks is just as good as I remember, with a couple small surprises. The new card game has major WOW factor. I have no idea how it was done and Ernesto showboated the hell out of it. I heard from someone else who played the card game and had a totally different ending, which makes me wonder even more how it all works. Are there multiple possible outcomes?! Must investigate in the future.

Evan Fisk’s Taxi was having the best time being a weirdo with little taxidermy friends and dreams of hammer murder. He played a little game with an audience member and just slightly threatened them with the hammer. (Don’t worry. They were rewarded in the end.) The 5th floor stag dance is one I haven’t seen in...I don’t know, a long time, and it was wonderful to see Evan performing the hell out of it. Especially having watched Camara’s Matron watch Taxi perform this piece just a day before. I was reminded how fun it is to unlock deeper understanding as you unwrap and piece together the show over your first visits.

This is one of only two shows during which I went out to the bar. That said, there are 3-5 bar characters milling about every night, for this week at least, so having a “dance or a drink” is very possible if you’re game. One night, I had an extended convo with Alec Funiciello’s Jimmy about his backstory, during which Robi’s June sidled up and asked me to pass a note written on a bar napkin to Jimmy for her. (Apparently, she stole his fortune and is willing to give no more than half of it back. I feel like I missed some Folies backstory or something here, so if someone knows the extended context for this interaction, do let me know!)

All in all, I am so glad to have spent this time during the first week of previews getting reaquainted with the old building and old friends. It’s clear the cast and crew are glad to be back, too, and there is more care between fans and staff/cast than I’ve felt in a long time. I think it feels a bit more reciprocal, not just transactional, or at least it feels that way to me. Here’s to many happy returns, yours and mine. - KaeLyn

[i-want-all-the-cookies]

"Hey Rob."

"H-hey Forrest."

I looked up in time to see Robie glancing worriedly my way, before he quickly averted his gaze, and looked back down as Forrest approached him.

"Did you guys get your shipment in yet?" Forrest asked as he looked at the items on the nearby shelf with detached indifference.

"Yeah, we did actually. The drinks you like are in the refrigerated section if you want to go check out our selection." Robie answered as he descended the step ladder so he could stand next to Forrest. Even though once he was at floor level, Robie had to crane his neck up to look at the redhead in the face.

I watched as Forrest smiled widely, and patted Robie's back with enough force to make Robie take a step forward to balance himself out. "That's fucking great man! I really love that stuff. Did you know that you guys are the only ones that stock that shit in this area?"

"Really? My mom actually likes that stuff too. So my dad always tries to keep it in stock for her. You know what they say happy wife, happy life, and al-" Robie cut himself off with a faked cough and looked down at the ground as he nervously scratched at the back of his head.

I caught myself cringing slightly at his statement. It was known by more than a slight few, that Forrest's mother had walked out of his and his father's life, when Forrest was just a child. And truth be told the only reason I even knew about this fact, was because teenage boys were unable to grasp the concept of what a whisper was supposed to be, and their conversations would carry over the aisles.

I spared a glance at Forrest. He stood next to Robie, an unreadable look on his face as he responded back in a flat tone, a very simple. "Sure."

He then patted Robie's back, once again sending him awkwardly forward, before Forrest began to stroll away towards our refrigerated section.

Robie's eyes followed Forrest until he made the turn at the end of the aisle, before quietly rushing over to the front register, where I was still standing. "Are you gonna be ok?" he whispered to me, worry clearly marking the features of his face.

I pinched my lips together for a second before I let out a defeated groan. "Yes. I'll be absolutely fine. I've already told you, I'm ok around Forrest. He hasn't.... Nothing's happened again since that first time."

Robie searched my face for any signs of a lie, before he let out a heavy sigh. "Ok, but I'll be just down this aisle if you need me."

I gave him a slight glare. "I said I'll be fiinne. So go!" I hissed out as I started shoving him away from the front counter.

He gave my face one last glance before he put his hands up in surrender and turned to walk back to his step ladder, still located next to the cereal. I shook my head at him, but deep down I couldn't blame him for his concern. Since my first interaction with Forrest had been rather rough.

It was during my first week on the job, while I was still in training and Robie was showing me the ropes of the place. Robie had just walked away for a brief moment as he helped another customer in the store, when Forrest had walked up to the register, his friends following close behind. They had set some random snacks on the counter, and Forrest motioned to the wall behind me and  asked for a pack of cigarettes.

My eyes traveled to his face taking him in clearly. He looked extremely intimidating and there was no hesitation when he asked for the cigarettes, as well as no awkwardness in his body language. And even with his massive height I still couldn't tell if he was old enough to purchase cigarettes. And not wanting to make any assumptions I asked for his ID, as I was trained to do.

Forrest's eyes zoomed in on me, pining me where I stood, as his eyebrows slightly dipped in confusion. "The fuck are you talking about? Just get me the damn cigarettes already."

I was left at a loss for words and after a second I opened my mouth to speak again. "I'm sorry, I have to check your ID first. It's store policy." I tried to clarify, before Forrest leaned into the counter. The top half of his body coming alarmingly close to me.

"I said. Get. Me. Those. Damn. Cigarettes. Just do your job, and don't piss me off little girl." he warned.

"I-I'm sorry. I can't." I managed to stutter out as he loomed over me.

"Are you fucking kidding me!" he spat out, his voice growing louder with each syllable.

Not a second later Robie came rushing back to the front counter. "Hey Forrest. What's going on?" Robie asked nervously as he brushed his hair out of his flushed face.

Forrest pulled back and squared up his shoulders as his eyes moved over to Robie. "Shit Rob. The fuck are you guys doing with this store man. I know your folks were looking for more help since it's your last year in highschool, but really? Her? Shit. She doesn't even know what the fuck she's doing. Or is it that you guys are deciding to change up the process here?"

"No! It's not that." Robie quickly corrected. "It's actually my fault really, since I hadn't had a chance to mention Hyeongshin to her yet."

Forrest let out a throaty chuckle as he looked at me, making me instinctively take a step back. "Really now. Well... granted she's not too bad to look at." Forrest paused as he scratched at his chin and continued to stare at me. "But she really can't seem to comprehend simple instructions at all. Your old man must be going a bit senile to have hired her, am I right."

I felt my face heat up in both embarrassment and rising anger, as Robie let out a forced chuckle. "Aww come on now Forrest. Don't be like that. Jaz is actually a pretty quick learner." Robie tried to state in my defense.

"Ja... what?" Forrest began to state with raised eyebrows, as he turned and looked at the name tag pinned onto my apron. He suddenly reached out and angled it in his hand as his eyes narrowed in on it. "Jaz! The fuck kind of shit name is that?" he bellowed out with laughter.

By now I was seething. This guy had practically insulted me in every which way he could. I clenched my fist as I tried to contain my anger, before falling short, and smacking his hand away. "I don't have a shit name! It's short for Jazmine!" I exclaimed loudly as I met his eyes with a heated glare of my own.

Forrest looked down at his hand that was left hanging in the air, before he pulled it back slowly and stuck it in his pocket. "I don't know Rob. This is all actually kinda insulting. Maybe I should have a talk with your pops about the crappy service his store is starting to provide. Maybe he needs to be reminded of all the benefits this place gets from being under the Union's care. Specifically under Hyeongshin's watch."

Robie's face paled as he started stumbling for words. While another set of emotions quickly started surfacing, replacing the anger that I had been feeling. And that was complete panic and fear. I NEEDED this job. It wasn't an option of just wanting some extra pocket change or having spare time on my hands. This job was something I was literally in desperate need of. And I knew enough to realize that even one complaint, let alone one hiding such a thinly veiled threat, could easily get me fired if it reached Mr. Kim's ears. So I swallowed the hard lump in my throat and pushed my anger and pride deep down inside, as I bowed my head, my long black hair pooling on the counter. "I'm sorry! Please forgive my indiscretion. It won't happen again.... I'm sorry.... So please. Forgive that I didn't know."

There was a deafening silence that followed, as my eyes stayed locked on the counter and my head stayed bowed. When suddenly I heard a loud, sharp, clap of a hand while Forrest laughed out loudly. "Now this is the service I expected! Not any of that other bullshit!" he bellowed out between laughs. "Now... Being a good girl really isn't that hard, right?" he asked tauntingly as he patted the back of my bowed head. Making it feel more like the way one would pat a dog and not an actual person. The heavy weight of his hand making my head dip further down, with each pat given.

After he was done, he cleared his throat and spoke again. "Now, like I asked earlier. Get me a box of cigarettes will you darling." he requested mockingly, while I heard his friends snickering loudly in the background.

I started to slowly lift my head, as I heard Robie immediately speak up to try and intercept on my behalf. "It's ok Forrest. I can get those for you."

"NO!" Forrest called out abruptly, making everyone freeze on the spot. "I want her  to get them for me. You wouldn't mind, would you?"

I finished lifting my head only to find Forrest smiling at me, a slight twinkle in his eye, as he waited for my response.

I grit my teeth down as I parted my lips and forced a smile in return. "Of course. That would be no problem at all." I answered turning around to reach for the red pack of cigarettes on the wall.

I steadied my hands as I rung up the pack, along with the rest of the items, and I gave him his total. He reached into his wallet laid the money on the counter, and when I handed him his change he still had the same condescending smirk on his face.

"Thanks Jaz." he responded with a wink, as he lifted up his bag and walked out.

His friends following behind him as they also called out a 'Thanks Jaz'  between chuckles and sneers, each prolonging my name as they spoke it.

As soon as the door closed behind them Robie let out a huge sigh, and then proceeded to apologize and try to explain the situation to me. Something about a Union of delinquents, with Forrest being the new school head of Hyeongshin High. Along with other heads from some other highschools in the area. As well as mentioning something about a Battle of the Underpass, and how Hyeongshin won the rights to come onto this side of the underpass, or maybe they lost and had to stay on this side of the underpass? Either way it explained why I would see a vast majority of Hyeongshin students around the store.

And in the end I wasn't fired, since Forrest never spoke to Mr. Kim about me. But ever since that first day if Robie and I were working, and Forrest happened to come in, Robie would always try to help him in my stead. Maybe it was from some sense of misplaced guilt, or perhaps it was the older brother in him that would want to protect someone that was his junior.

Whatever the case I always had to assure Robie that I was ok. Since technically it wasn't a lie. As much as I detested seeing Forrest, we had yet to bump heads again. And we had even come to some kind of unspoken amicable truce. Where I no longer had to force a smile when he was around, and he stopped mocking my name in return.

It was all completely tolerable now, except maybe for that smile of his. The same condescending smirk that would always appear on his face when he was around me.

I'm sure he'll do it again today, I thought to myself as I watched him turn a corner, and start walking down the aisle towards the register, with multiple drinks in hand. His eyes moving up to meet with mine, and the corners of his lips automatically lifting into that smile.

"Hi Jaz, will you also get me a pack of cigarettes?" he asked. His smile getting bigger as I glanced down towards his mouth. I frowned a little and gave him a small nod before I turned away to grab the red box off the shelf.

[kyber-queen]

Like Real People Do (Rex x Reader) Pt. 6

Summary: Jedi!reader and Rex fall in love but are separated by the war. They meet again two years later, weeks before the Siege of Mandalore. This chapter takes place directly after the Siege of Mandalore, on the Venator. Rex cries. This Does Not End Well. 

Rating: Teen

Word Count: 1k

Warnings: Mentions of blood, mentions of death, Order 66 deserves a warning of its own

Author’s Note: There’s only the epilogue left oh my god--I feel like I’ve been writing this for ages and now that I’m almost done, I’m kinda sad this is ending soon :/ Thank you guys SO MUCH for all your support!!

Previous | Next

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The Siege of Mandalore was a victory for the Republic, after days of fighting tooth and nail. You fought at Rex’s side for most of the battle, working in tandem to slice through the enemy forces. Your reluctance to separate from him earned a knowing look or two from Ahsoka. When you questioned Rex about it, he had explained that she knew he had loved and left someone, but she didn’t know it was you. After a day or two of observing Rex’s interactions with you, she had most likely connected the dots.

As you sat in the medical wing of the Venator, the battle finally over, this knowledge that Ahsoka was aware of your relationship brought you a sense of serenity. The battle was won, the war was all but over, and you and Rex had the world at your fingertips. You wouldn’t have to hide anymore. The second you were back on Coruscant, you would book two one-way tickets on a transport to Naboo. 

Rex was on the bridge of the ship—you had told him you would be in the medical wing, watching over the wounded. Rex assured you he would stop by as soon as his debriefing was over. He had kissed you softly before leaving for the bridge, right in front of his men. For anyone else, that moment would have passed without a thought. For you, it meant the world. It was your very first taste of a life outside of the Jedi order, outside of the GAR. It was your very first taste of a life lived unhidden. You smiled at the recollection. Both of you knew that after today, your lives would change forever. You would be free. 

It was quiet. Only the beeping of the various machines attached to the republic’s most critically injured kept you company.

The silence was shattered.

What began as a low buzz in the base of your skull crescendoed to a wretched scream that seemed to echo throughout the room, bouncing off the walls and your brain mercilessly. You heard voices, so many voices, all of them in agony. You tried to isolate them, to find out what was wrong. Something was terribly wrong. You felt your friend, Aayla Secura, in pain. You felt her presence fade.

As quickly as the disturbace came, it faded into blackness. Nothing.

Your heart pounded against the walls of your chest. Your eyes darted about the room nervously. The wounded remained unconscious, entirely unresponsive to the disturbance you had felt. What had happened? You knew Aayla was dead, but there was so much more to the disturbance than that. Half the light in the galaxy had just been snuffed out, and you had no idea why or how.

You stood from your seat, and drew your lightsaber. The weapon buzzed familiarly in your palm.

You made up your mind to stay in the medical wing. Whatever you felt, Ahsoka must have felt, too. Rex knew where you were, and the two of them would come and find you if something was urgently wrong. Or were they hurt, too? You shook your head to rid yourself of the thought. If Rex was hurt, you would have felt it. You spent the next few minutes nervously thumbing the grip of your lightsaber, deep in thought.

The opening of the doors to the medical wing drew you from your ruminations.

You swung your saber into a defensive position, before shutting it off once you recognized the man at the door. Rex. You breathed a sigh of relief and stepped to embrace him. You noticed moments too late that his blasters were pointed at your chest. His hands trembled.

“Rex, wha—”

He fired three shots. He never misses.

You collapsed in on yourself, crumpling to the ground. Your head hit the floor hard, your left cheek pressed against the durasteel. Your chest burned.

You saw his boots approach.

The force moved in waves around you, undulating through the air, through your body. It felt warm. It felt calm. You were struck with a single thought: It wasn’t his fault.

Rex was shaking. He didn’t know why he was shaking. Good soldiers follow orders. The Jedi were the enemy. You were the enemy. Why did he feel compelled to touch you? He should be disgusted.

Rex knelt at your side. He pressed the pads of his index and middle fingers into your neck. The touch set his body on fire. He burned. Your pulse met his fingertips weakly—you were dying. He heard your voice. It sounded distant, yet so, so close. It was like gravel, rough and unsteady.

“I forgive you, Rex. I—” You coughed, and a mixture of blood and saliva bubbled at your lips. “I forgive you. This isn’t your fault, Rex. I love you,”. You sucked in a breath, but the air escaped your lungs with a sickly wheeze. Your words came slower now, quieter, more strained. You told him you loved him again and again. You told him you loved him until your words were unintelligible, until you finally fell silent.

Rex knelt there, with his fingertips at your pulse, unable to move. His silence matched yours. Your eyes had a glassy look to them, Rex noticed. Your gaze was fixed on his face, but you seemed to be looking right through him. Your pulse was even weaker now, more irregular. Rex’s stomach turned. He was going to be sick.

Jesse entered the medbay.

“Sir, Ahsoka Tano has yet to be captured,”.

Rex motioned to your prone form with a shaking hand, not bothering to look away from your ashen face.

“They’re not dead, yet. I’m going to wait,”. Rex’s voice broke. He felt hot tears roll freely down his cheeks. Why was he crying? His fingertips trembled against your neck.

“Understood, sir,”. Jesse scrutinized the scene laid out before him. Appearing satisfied, he turned to leave. The medbay doors closed with a slam.

Your pulse met Rex’s fingertips one last fluttering time before falling silent forever. He should have stood up. He should have been proud. He had exterminated an enemy of the Republic. Instead, Rex’s mind was shattered. He let out a sob that turned his gut inside out. What had he done?

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Like Real People Do Taglist: @pinkiemme @callme-eds @porgnugget @obi-robi-kenobi

[elderflowerchampagne]

144

Well. Well. My soul. Norma Desmond returns to Paramount. Evita on the balcony of the Casa Rosada. I don't know how to express emotion in ways that don't involve Patti LuPone. Spoilers will follow under the cut, so don't open if you don't want to know what's new and what isn't, but suffice it to say I'm so happy, so grateful, so touched and amazed at all the love and care and effort that has gone into bringing our beloved old building back to us.

When this mess, this awful, sorrowful, mess began, I told myself that the day I could return here I would know it was Over, and we were safe, and life could go on as it always had. Well. It's not Over. The sorrow and destruction continue. But in this place, this wonderful sturdy place that has sheltered and nurtured me for 10 years, as always, I can put that down for three hours.

I'm so happy that so many of my old favorites have stuck around - Camara, Stephanie JL, Andy, Kelly - and thrilled to bits that Miguel and Robi have come back to us.

I have many rituals that I've developed over the past 10 years, things that have to happen every visit, and one of which is the way I say goodbye to the building. Some time in the third loop I creep somewhere empty and quiet and whisper, "Thank you. I love you. I'll be back as soon as I can." And of course the last time I said that I didn't know it would be two years, but I kept my promise.

Practical stuff: yes, 1:1s are (for the most part) gone. This is not surprising, but now the adventure becomes learning what each character does to fill that time. Yes, you now have to either check your phone or put it in the little purse they give you. A phurse. A phussy. Yes, the masks are different. Yes, entry is different, which I knew was happening, but it didn't stop the heart attack when the people at check-in handed me a jack. I got a JACK. Like some kind of ANIMAL.

Once I was inside, I was surprised at how little it felt any different, and how quickly my body remembered how to do its thing. As if no time passed at all.

One of the things I love most is knowing I'm seen. And yeah, 1:1s were great for that, but without them there are other ways to connect. While I watched Lady Macduff's new stuff, which is brilliant and makes the pregnancy physical in ways I haven't seen before, I happened to catch her eye, and she smiled. And smiled. And I smiled, and smiled, and it meant so much to me to know, and know she knew I knew, that each of us was as relieved and happy to be back as the other.

The matron has a pet potato now. I remember at my very first visit the bed in the infirmary was filled with potatoes, not rocks, and I can't explain why that's so much more disturbing, but it is.

Hecate's dinner is gone, which surprised me, although obviously I figured the ring interaction wouldn't remain. My God, Hecate used to pull a ring out of her mouth and GIVE IT TO AN AUDIENCE MEMBER. And we WANTED THAT TO HAPPEN TO US. Insane.

That time is now filled with a visit to the apothecary, where she pulls a mandrake out of the dirt. It seems like they've made a concerted effort to make use of spaces which had few or no scenes in the Before Time, and I'm so glad about that!

Speaking of the apothecary, Bald still asks an audience member to dry her back, which is nice, because it would be annoying to learn she could have done it herself for the past 10 years.

Zina is a beautiful, wonderful, unhinged Lady Macbeth.

There's a new fact sheet in the nurse's office that says a woman will go insane if she washes her hair on the first day of her period. So.

I'm surprised that Paisley Sweets remains selling its wares! They're all wrapped now, which means no more of my beloved gum drops. One of the thing quarantine made me realize was that it's a real bitch not to be able to just eat, pee, and drink whenever you want. Green gum drops were my go-to for whenever I got hungry. Guess now I'll just eat butterscotch with the rest of the sluts.

Living in Connecticut means I won't be able to be around as much as I'd like, at least until the semester ends, but it also means that when I am here I'll go on my mad binging sprees like it's 2014. Which is to say I'm back tonight, because I have not had an original thought in 10 years.

At last, at last, at last. I'm so grateful.

xoxox

K

[jungwoniics]

hi bestieee,,, im soRRY FOR THE SPAM BUT DANDELIONS IS SO CUTE SJSJSJJSNSNZ LOVE IT LOVE IT SNSJSJ I HAVE NO WORDS IM SORRY,,, IM SORRY FOR SPAMMING AGAIN ILY

OMG ROBI BFFIE IM SO SORRY FOR REPLYING SO LATE OMG BUT AHHHH ITS OK OMG FR I CANT BELIEVE YOU LOVE DANDELIONS??%(*#&(*$#

‼️EVERYONE ONE OF MY IDOL LOVES MY SMAU :(((‼️

ITS OK I LOVE THE SPAM AHHH ILYT BFFIE WE SHLD RLY INTERACT MORE <33