#You know your ship is at least temporarily screwed

[timandlucy]

I just realised the saddest song ever aka Take Me Back To The Night We Met is now chenford coded too and I'm maybe spiralling just a little

[badbatch-badfics]

Tech x Male Mandalorian Reader; Kar'taylir Darasuum Gar

Characters: Mainly Tech, little snippets of the rest of the Batch.

Relationship: All platonic buddies, except for Tech near the end.

POV: 2nd (you/yours)

Pronouns: He/him

Species: Unmentioned, but you have a normal "human" head (so no horns, lukku, etc.)

Content: Angst to fluff, get really hurt (literally) and then comfort. You're an idiot who can't confess unless their life depends on it.

Warnings: Description of injury and cleaning wounds(ish). Some throwing up blood ig. Cringe lol

Notes: Fem aligned and/or women can interact, but please be respectful. This is a MLM fic. Don't be weird. Thanks. "Kar'taylir darasuum gar" means "love you" in Mando'a- I couldn't find the equivalent for "I."

Word count: 5,364

You sat in the co-pilot’s chair, arms crossed and leaning back.  Tech sat in the pilot’s chair, tinkering with some self-made miniature droid.  Everyone else was asleep, Echo in his hammock, Hunter, Wrecker, and Crosshair each in their respective bunks.  The ship was decently quiet, except for Wrecker’s occasional snoring, which, honest to Kad Ha'rangir, sounded like a Venator class star-destroyer powering up.  Contrasting the man’s tremendous snores, the hyper-drive produced a nice and constant low hum, with beeps sounding out every once in a while.  Tech’s screws and wrenches would clang out, and the sound of sparks would startle you into a more awake state each time it occurred.

Although there was no way he could know, seeing as your helmet was facing directly out the view-port, you were staring from the corner of your eyes.  Hard.  The way he effortlessly moved his fingers across the droid, connecting and severing wires from point A to point B, or how the golden sparks would illuminate his face and reflect off his goggles, casting a beautiful glow that you simply couldn’t get enough of.  Truthfully, you couldn’t have been more grateful for your helmet and culture, knowing full well he would have caught on to your… tendencies, and quick, if you didn’t wear it- bearing all your embarrassing expressions out to the world.

You knew it was bad to be feeling like this.  They were in the middle of war, which was no time for romantic relationships.  And, truthfully, you didn’t even know if Tech, or anyone else, liked you.  For all you knew, they simply had high tolerance for annoyingly secretive men they were assigned to work with.  You had always avoided questions about the culture you grew up with, obviously always avoided taking off your helmet, and hardly took off any of your armor- even when it came time to sleep.  Which must have been unsettling for them, or anyone, really, you were sure.  Someone who was highly skilled in fighting, but never took anything off, always electing to remain in the armor that was most certainly not a comfort to sleep in.  And, clearly, the fact that, out of nowhere, the Republic had hired and assigned you to them.  They had every reason not to trust you- or to, at the least, not like you.

And you had no clue what to do to lessen that mistrust.  Telling them about your culture was out of the question- you couldn’t deal with the…issues revolving when, if at all, anyone would be close enough to take off your helmet.  they might think they were close enough, but you didn’t.  Or, even worse, you might think you were close enough, but they didn’t.  And, Kriff, if they caught on to you hypothetically taking off your helmet more around Tech than the others, they would easily piece together your feelings.

But, hey, maybe you were wrong.  Maybe they found you at least somewhat amusing, somewhat useful, somewhat not a nuisance.  And maybe, just maybe, Tech would even feel the same way.  Doubtful, but since when was love logical?  A beep came through, pulling you out of the deep pits of overthinking and alerting Tech.  He lifted up his head, temporarily setting down the project.  Tracing his fingers over the wheel and control-panel.  “We have almost arrived.  Would you go and wake up everyone?”

You stood up, stretching your arms as far as they could go, audibly groaning.  “Sure thing, boss.”  You first walked to Echo, shaking him gently.  He was an easy sleeper, after everything.  Hunter could sleep well once he was in it, but otherwise, his enhanced senses made it difficult.  Crosshair was easy enough, not incredibly difficult, but you wouldn’t wake him up by simply walking around either.  Wrecker, on the other hand, slept like a rock.  You found out within the first week of your stay that his brothers would simply punch Wrecker in the shoulder, hard, to wake him up.  Hunter had explicitly granted you permission to do the same.

That being said, you wound up your arm before slugging Wrecker square in the shoulder, earning a startled grunt from him.  Once he registered what was happening, he lopsidedly smiled and mumbled a good morning of sorts.  After the four men were awake, you headed back to the cockpit, electing a chair further in the back so they could all sit closer- a common practice.  Hunter gave the mission debrief- same old, same old.  Just beat up a bunch of droids, and nothing special about this mission.  Echo and Hunter had a smaller, but more advanced battalion of droids to defeat within the building, so they needed to go radio-silent.  Crosshair and Wrecker would take a larger battalion, as would you and Tech.  After everyone was 100% certain in their role, everyone split up.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Kriff, this was not going well.  Blaster fire everywhere, explosions left and right, and the only Batch member you could see was Tech, double-blasting his way through any droid he saw.  You used a batch of whistling birds, each miniature missile hitting its mark.  Not that the few dozen marks did much damage against the entire droid battalion circling you two.  You reached for the pouch on your hip, which carried the multitude of bombs and droid poppers necessary for war.  Much to your dismay, there was only one bomb left.  And for better or worse, it was a giant bomb.  It would be incredibly difficult to evade- for both you and the droids.  It was designed with the intent of being far above the enemy- not 10 feet away from them.  But this was your only chance- if you could pair the main explosion and send out half a dozen droid poppers while the rest of them were distracted- it would be a victory.  And perhaps if you could run fast enough, dive, and get as many droids behind you to take the majority of the impact- perhaps you’d make it out relatively unscathed.

And, not that in a million light years would you ever admit it, the most important part- Tech would be safe if you pulled off this stunt.  You’d be able to get rid of at least one third of the droids with the large bomb alone, and sending out droid poppers in every direction during that opening would eliminate, at minimum, three quarters of the remaining droids.  All in all, Tech would have only a handful of clankers left, he would be safe, and the mission objective would be claimed as a victory.  Might as well.

“Run south!” you shouted over the blaster fire, instructing Tech.  For a split second he thought to question you, but decided against it.  He knows what he’s doing, and there’s no time to object, he concluded.  Tech sent a nod your way before running, still blasting his way through what was close.  As soon as he was out of range, you pulled the bomb from the waist pouch.  Maker, did you hope this will work.  You stared at the bomb, hoping you would be shown mercy, as if the bomb was a sentient being capable of choosing who to blast and who to not.  With a remorseful sigh, already having spent too long wondering and not doing, you reared your arm back and threw the ball as far as physically capable.

As soon as the sphere of mass destruction left your hand, you bolted- sending out droid poppers in different directions every few seconds, hoping to any god or higher being that they would take the majority of the impact, and not you.

Unfortunately, any and all higher beings seemed to be tastefully against you today.  You felt the heat and force before you heard it.  A stinging sensation sprung throughout your entire body, sending you crashing forward, groaning.  Apparently, you were not far away enough, and there were not enough droids to take the majority of the impact.  Kriff.  There was an excruciating ringing in your ears, or head-?  You weren’t sure, but it was loud and annoying as hell.  The last droid popper rolled from your palm, effectively killing off the half-dozen clankers headed over.

Although it was primarily obscured by the horrendous ringing in your ears, you could pick up faint sounds of blaster fire and metallic bodies hitting the ground.  You shakily got on your hands and knees, one arm clenched tightly over the stomach region, and lifted your head, groaning.  Although it was incredibly difficult to make out in this delirious state, you saw Tech running towards you.  He’s safe, was all you could think.  The mission was a success and he was safe, what else could someone ask for?  With that, there was no longer any reason to stay awake.

You promptly collapsed onto the cold ground, rolling over, hand still clutched.  You were coughing up blood, which just fell back down to your helmet and mouth, casing your cheeks and lips.  “Y/N!” Tech yelled, attempting to keep you awake and responsive- not his most successful attempts. You felt him lift your body upwards, examining the damage.  A shattered off droid piece had pierced through your abdomen, front to back.  Blood coated your armor, turning it from (color) to a dark ugly mess of browns and reds.  His eyes trailed over you, ever worried.  He and his brothers had never faced such an extreme injury, except for Wrecker’s large scar on his head.

“I need to take off your helmet.  I can hear you coughing up blood,” Tech informed.  You attempted to push him off, delirious of the extremity of the situation.  You were not ready to cross that bridge yet.  Tech felt bad, he did.  Even though he couldn’t possibly understand why a culture would not allow someone to simply remove a helmet, he would respect it, and he would respect you.  But in a situation like this, it truly didn’t matter.  If your helmet didn’t come off, you'd drown in your own blood before dying of the shrapnel was even a possibility.

“That was not a request, it was me informing you of what I’m going to do.”  You wanted to give him a smart-ass response, truly, but you couldn’t speak coherently, let alone think of one.  Accepting defeat in this minor battle, your head lolled back into his palm, coughing once again.  He placed his hand under your chin, just on the edge of the helmet, and carefully lifted.  The helmet hissed as he pulled it off, and your eyes squinted harshly at the bright light, now surrounding you from all sides, not just the visor.  This was not how you wanted him to see your face.

Tech grimaced.  Clear from the blood and sweat caking your mouth and cheeks, you had already coughed up a large amount of blood, and he highly doubted it’d be stopping anytime soon.  “Okay…I’m going to move you to that rock over there- you need to be more vertical than horizontal if I am to treat your injuries.”  A mumble was the only response he got.  Tech put his hand on your back, roping underneath your arm.  Using his other arm to support your lower back, he lifted, and despite all his effort in being gentle, it didn’t do much.  Even though the rock in question was only, at most, twenty feet away, it seemed like an impossible task.

With each step, despite Tech supporting the majority of your weight, it felt like another piece of droid shrapnel shooting though you.  Everything became more fuzzy by the second, dizziness overcoming you.  “We are almost there,” he said, observant of your worsening state.  After what felt like an eternity, you had arrived at the large rock.  He turned you around and gently placed you on the rock, blood coating his armor.

Reaching to his waist pockets, Tech pulled out a pair of tweezers, a large roll of bandages, and bacta-spray.  “I will cut space around your chest plate and clothing.  Do not move.”  You groaned, looking up at the sun.  Perhaps you shouldn’t have done the “throw a bomb and hope you outrun it to save someone else’s skin” plan.  Now you’d need a new chest plate and under-armor clothing.  Fantastic.  Tech pulled out a new set of tools, all to cut the chest plate.  Luckily, the hole was jagged and cracked, so finding a good place to further the diameter would not be incredibly difficult.

Tech carefully pulled out bits of the chest plate, making the hole larger by the second.  Unfortunately, him cutting that close, despite his best efforts, still applied far more pressure than you would like on your wound.  It was not a pleasant experience, to say the least.

“I am finished cutting around the front of your chest plate,” he said, breaking the tense silence.

“Okay…” you breathed out, voice shaky and dry.  He looked at you with pity before quickly tearing through the cloth, all too close to the droid bit.  He noticed your extreme uncomfort, face scrunched up, trying not to cry.  He felt pity towards you, but there was no time for any of that.  If he wasn’t quick and adequate, you could very well die.  Tech’s point was emphasized by another fit of blood coming up, some blood dripping on his armor as your head came forward.

He grimaced, using his thumb in a feeble attempt to wipe off the new blood.  “Can you lean forward while I cut open your back?” he asked, unsure whether or not it would be required to fully turn you around.  “Mhm…I think I can manage,” you mumbled, barely above a whisper and hardly intelligible.  You rocked forward, arms outstretched to hold up your weight.  Tech carefully moved behind you before repeating the process.

Eventually, Tech deemed the cloth and armor to be far away enough from the droid.  He would pull out the droid, then fully take off your armor and clothing, apply bacta-spray, and wrap you up.  Once you were on the ship, he could dig out any excess sharpanel.  Then everything would be fine.  He concluded that the best way to get it out was to not let you know.  He deduced that you were, more than likely, not thinking rationally- and even if you were injured, you were still heavily trained, and he didn’t want to risk you trying to push him off if there was a warning for what was to come.  To be fair, doing it suddenly would surprise you, which wouldn’t be much better, but your reaction time was certainly delayed, so it was still the best option.

“Lean back.”  You obliged, hitting the back of the rock and letting your head fall backwards.  While you were still looking upwards, he gripped the droid piece with both hands.  Pulling hard was most certainly not the best option, but he had already spent too much time clearing the space, and there was no equipment for performing the removal in a safe manner.  You would have to deal with it.

Tech pulled on the droid, and he pulled hard.  Your eyes went wide, and you lurched forward, hands grasping at the wound.  Short, ragged breaths filled the sound of the field, paired with the metallic clattering of the droid being tossed aside.  Tech cupped your face in his hands, looking into your eyes.  If you weren’t in so much agony, you would’ve been a flustered, blubbering mess.  “Hold still and do exactly as I tell you.  I need to dig out the smaller shrapnel, but the bleeding must stop soon.  There can be no distractions.”

At this point, you could hardly respond, choking on any words you attempted to form.  Now that the droid was removed, Tech could slip your chest plate off.  “Put your arms up and do not take them down until both your chest plate and clothing have been removed.”  Vision blurry and shaky, you lifted your arms despite them feeling like a hundred pounds each.  Quickly, Tech pulled up on your chest plate, immediately discarding it among the other debris in the field.  Following immediately after, he lifted up your shirt, slightly more conscious of the injury since the cloth was brushing directly against it.

As soon as he finished discarding your shirt, your hands fell limp once again, and you collapsed onto the rock.  Tech quickly doused the affected area with bacta-spray, not particularly caring if it got it more space than needed.  He needed to be quick, and there would be more time later to fix everything.  He positioned himself behind you, legs wrapped around to give you support as he cleaned the back, making sure to wipe off any large chunks of dirt or pieces of rock.  After your back and front were successfully doused in bacta, he re-positioned himself and you.

He moved about two feet away from the rock, legs straddling your waist.  He had turned you around, eyes meeting each other once more.  Your arms were gripping his shoulders, shaking with every breath.  Tech carefully reached around and grabbed the bandages, unfurling them.  He started at your waistline, moving upwards with each layer of binding.  He would carefully glance over your shoulder and angle himself to see your back to ensure it was all going smoothly- or, at least, as smooth as something like this could go.  The bandages had finally reached above your wound, before reaching over your shoulder for extra support and coming back down for a double layer.  Despite the wrappings having been on for less than ten minutes, the blood was already tainting the once white fabric.

“I am finished,” Tech spoke, finishing off the last layer and grabbing your waist to pull you closer.  He carefully grabbed his comm to relay his position and the situation to the rest of the Batch.  He knew it would have been useless to comm beforehand, as Hunter and Echo were radio-silent while Wrecker and Crosshair were dealing with a smaller squadron of droids.  But now that you were safe- or as safe as possible considering everything- and the rest of the Batch had their objectives completed, he could call them.

“Hunter, I need a pickup at the valley in between the two ridges where the droid squadron was.  Immediately- (Y/N) has been injured.  I have applied bacta and bandages, but it is not adequate.  We must get to proper medical care as quickly as possible.”

“Got it, Tech.  We’re on our way, just hang on,” Hunter replied, voice glitchy and faded out through the comm.  Tech pulled you closer, your head resting on his shoulder.  He placed his hands on your infraspinatus, rubbing small circles in them repeatedly.  The telltale humming of the Marauder approached, blocking out the sun and casting a shadow over the field.  The ship turned to its side before touching down about ten feet away, ramp opening.  Wrecker ran out, panic clearly written on his face.  He slowed down as he approached you, face falling more by the second.

“Wrecker, be careful around his abdomen, that is where the implication occurred.  Do not run or jostle (Y/N) too much, he can not sustain any more injuries than what he already has.”  Wrecker nodded in understanding before gently picking you up, hands under your thighs.  He placed your head in the crook of his neck, out of respect for you never taking off the helmet and hiding your face.  Your arms were draped over his back, bouncing with each step he took, despite the effort to be more gentle.

With a tired groan, you lifted your head up, eyes peering over Wreckers shoulder to be met with Tech’s.  He had stood up and taken off his helmet, the light gray armor tainted and stained with your blood.  You felt the incline of the ramp as Wrecker entered the Marauder, and the sounds of scattered feet and clattering could be heard.  Shortly after Wrecker had entered the ship, Tech followed suit, your helmet and chest plate in hand.  “Tech, what’s the deal with (Y/N)?  What do we need to do?”

“(Y/N) threw a bomb which effectively killed off the majority of the droid army, but was hit with debris in his escape.  He was regurgitating blood and had a large piece of a droid lodged in his abdomen.  I…have cleaned the wound, albeit quickly and not as efficiently as I would have hoped.  Clearly, I have bandaged him and removed the primary source of implication, but did not have time to adequately search through for smaller pieces of shrapnel.  We should not remove his bandages until we are on Kamino.  Someone should be watching him for the duration of the trip until we arrive, and we should attempt to minimize his sleeping until he has proper medical care.”

As Tech explained the situation, Wrecker re-positioned you into a more “bridal style” carrying, before gently setting you down on his bed and slipping his arms out from underneath you, all while avoiding your face.  Your head was propped up on Lula, and Wrecker draped a blanket over your body, the edge draping off the bunk.  He stood still for a second, glancing around nervously.  Tech came up behind him, placing a hand on Wrecker’s shoulder.  “Go in the cock-pit and help with the course.  I will stay here to ensure everything is alright.  There is no need to worry.  If I do require aid, I will request it.”  Wrecker glanced past his shoulder at his brother, sending a short smile of thanks before hurrying off to the cock-pit.  Tech carefully sat down on the edge of Wrecker’s bed, just beside your feet.  The bed made a small creaking noise and dipped ever so slightly.  Tech sighed, back slouching.  He glanced once more at your form, eyebrows furrowed.  You two would be having quite the serious conversation later.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Hunter walked up to the bunk, staring before finally saying something.  “Tech- we’re coming into Kamino.  Take the wheel and comm in (Y/N)’s situation.  I’ll get him prepped and Wrecker will carry him till the medical team shows up.”  Tech nodded in agreement and stood up, walking to the cock-pit.  Hunter glanced down at you, avoiding your face.  He had a few of his spare bandannas in hand, ready to wrap up the majority of your face out of respect.  It wouldn’t be perfect by any means, but any face covering would be better than nothing for you, he reasoned.  Trying his best not to look, Hunter lifted up your head and placed four bandannas on it- two on your forehead, and just one each for your nose bridge and chin.  As soon as your face was covered, he re-angled himself to tie the knot behind your head.

After your face was covered as well as anyone would do while still minimizing the risk of further complications, he carefully pulled the blanket away and lifted you up, cautious of the injury.  He stayed with you until Wrecker and Tech came, the ship having landed.  “There should be medical personnel on their way.  I requested that a droid be the one to attend to (Y/N)’s injuries, but whether or not they listened is… uncertain,” Tech said, glancing over at you, worry evident by the slight crease in his eyes and furrow of his eyebrows.  Hunter was slightly surprised at his brother’s concern for your culture.  There was no reason to explicitly request for a droid, but he did so nonetheless.  Usually, Tech would not have cared for such things- so long as the objective was completed and no-one was severely harmed, what did it matter if some cultural lines were crossed?

Hunter’s thoughts were interrupted by Wrecker picking you up bridal style once again, head draped back and arms dangling.  His loud stomps echoed through the metal corridor, and it was all Tech could focus on.  Which had never happened before- just focusing on one thing and one thing alone.  But here he was, watching Wrecker exit the Marauder, you in hand- unclear if you would survive, and the only thing he was aware of was the echoing of Wrecker’s footsteps, you disappearing along with them.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Tech waited anxiously outside the med-bay door, leg bouncing up and down.  The halls were quiet and deserted, only a lone wandering Kaminaon or clone every dozen or so minutes.  Tech didn’t know if he preferred the silence or the possibility of crowded and loud halls, people shoving past each other non-stop.  He was fairly sure they were both equally terrible options.  Hunter had stayed with him a while, but he needed to get back to the rest of the squad- Tech didn’t blame him.  He held your helmet in his hands, looking over every detail- every mark, burn, dent, scratch, paint chip, design and patterns and colors- everything.  Although, logically, he knew it was very likely that either you or one of his brothers, or himself, would die in this line of work, knowing about it didn’t quite reach the same levels as nearly experiencing it.

The doors slid open, AZ emerging.  Tech immediately sat straight up, more alert than ever.  Before he could even begin asking questions, AZ began speaking.  “(Y/N) (L/N) will fully recover within about 8 rotations.  He is no longer bleeding and all sharnale has been removed and the wound has been treated.  He is to remain on bed-rest until I give the say so.”  Tech didn’t even bother to respond, all he could do was practically jump into the room and land beside your bed.  You looked up at him, trying your best to smile- he was not amused.  In fact, Tech was at a loss for words.  Tech was never at a loss for words.

Actually, scratch all of that.  Tech had an abundance of words for you.  That much was obvious by the way his face went from “soft and glad you were okay” to his signature “are you kriffing kidding me?” look with an extra splash of anger.  Your smile immediately fell.

“What were you thinking- I mean, you decided to throw a bomb which you had no chance of outrunning and for what?  That was the most illogical and poorly thought out plan I have ever seen, and I have seen some very stupid things.”  It was clear he had more to say, but he figured he’d save it for another time.  Tech glared at you for a second longer before pulling up a chair beside the bed.

He let out a long sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose.  “You…are intelligent enough to have realized the risks.  Just explain why you took such… idiotic ones.”

Silence.  “I…I figured that if… you could get out of range, that would be enough.  I would throw the bomb and get far away enough to survive, taking out any more droids in the escape.  Then, you’d be… fine.  I mean, the odds weren’t exactly in our favor, Tech- we were losing that battle- hard.  We’d probably both be dead if I hadn’t done what I did.”  Tech glanced down, thinking over your words.  As much as he hated to admit it- you were right.  There may have been another way he would’ve come up with to save your hides, but at the moment- your actions did save them.

“I… am sorry I saw your face.  Although I do not understand why a culture would prohibit someone from showing their face- I respect you, and so I do apologize.  If it is any consolation, I requested droids only for the medical staff, and Hunter had wrapped up your face as much as he could.  Nobody really saw your face- just small fragments of it- except for me, obviously.”

You were silent, bandaged and calloused hands wringing around each other.  “It’s… it’s alright.  In my Clan, you are allowed to take off your helmet with… certain people.  Those you consider… close.  You can take off the helmet around those types of people.”  You glanced up, eyes just barely meeting.  He gulped nervously.  No-one outside of his brothers had ever considered him close- and if his hypothesis was right- this type of “close” you were describing was most certainly new- not the type of bond one shares with his brothers.

“Are you… implying that you have a romantic interest in me, (Y/N)?” Tech asked cautiously, as though each word represented him taking another step closer to the edge of a thousand-foot drop.

“Is that alright?” you asked tentatively, turning to properly face him, eyebrows slightly furrowed.

“Well… it is not standard military protocol to… intermingle.”  Your gaze fell downwards, grimacing.  So much for a confession.

Then he continued.  “But we have never been ones to follow protocol.”  Your mouth went slightly agape, and you looked back up at him.  Your eyes met each other, and he smiled.  He didn’t smile often.  Tech reached out hesitantly and grabbed your hand, rubbing circles in it.  You placed your free hand on his, like a weird romantic sandwich, and let your head fall back, closing your eyes in satisfaction.

“Y’know- if I knew all it would take to confess and know you reciprocated was to have a near-death experience, I would've done it way before.”

Tech jumped back slightly- “‘All it would take?’” he asked, mocking you.  His eyes were wide in disbelief at your disregard for such an event.  His face was absolutely golden, and you started laughing- evidently, far too much since within a few seconds you were clutching your side in pain.  Tech now wore a mixture of his “I told you so” and “that was not amusing” faces, judging you heavily.

"Regardless, AZ informed me that you would need an 8-day bed rest.  And as you do not contain your own proper sleeping area, you may share with me.  This way I can closely monitor you at the same time.  It will be greatly beneficial.”

You cocked your eyebrow, looking directly at him.  “If you wanted to cuddle, you could’ve just said so.”

“If you are to keep up this behavior in my sleeping quarters, I will not hesitate to kick you out- both figuratively and literally.  Perhaps I’ll just make your “visiting time” as terrible as possible.  I am not above such actions.”  You scoffed at him, rolling your eyes in a playful manner.

“Here- I made certain that I had kept your helmet.  The chest plate was practically unsalvageable, but it is currently on the Marauder.  Although you are… comfortable without it around me, it seems, I assumed you would want it for the walk back.  Am I correct?”

“You're always correct, and you know that.  Thank you, Tech.”  You carefully slid the detailed helmet on your head, somewhat sad.  Although it was clear that you would need to wear it in the halls and in front of his brothers, you still felt sad you two couldn’t enjoy more time, faces and secrets and emotions and everything exposed for the better.  You let the brief moment of sadness wash over- it was better to be grateful.  I mean, Tech reciprocated!  You couldn’t have asked for anything better.

“Let me assist you in getting up- you are most certainly not fit to walk by yourself,” he said.  You obliged, his arms coming up underneath your armpits and hauling you off the bed.  You quickly found your grounding, and swung an arm around Tech’s shoulders.  You two trudged down the long and barren halls of Kamino until reaching your designated barracks, pausing slightly at the door.

You don’t think you’ve ever felt such joy.  You looked at Tech, dark visor meeting his yellow-orange tinted goggles.  “Kar'taylir darasuum gar.”  Tech knew what it meant.  He didn’t need his fancy language visor to tell him what you said.  You loved him and he loved you.  And that’s all that really mattered.  He smiled at you once more before the door opened, Wrecker immediately shouting in joy that you were safe and sound.  Everything would be alright from here on out, war be damned.

[buckyodinson]

Protector (Mandalorian x Reader)

Request from @the-mechanical-angel : Mando tends to overprotect the reader, which causes tension until one day he grows tired and sends her away, she does but there's an ambush and she's severely wounded. He manages to rescue her and rushes to a doctor and while she's unconscious he stays by her side and realizes he's in love with her?

Word Count: 2k

Warnings: some violence, nothing overly graphic though!

“It’s ridiculous Din! I can handle myself out there. I don’t need you to watch my back constantly!” You hiss at Din as you both walk back to the Crest, dragging the unconscious bounty between you.

“I know you’re capable, but if I’m there and able to, I’m gonna help when someone’s coming at you. You’d do the same for me, I don’t see what the problem is?” He sighed as he spoke, and despite the modulator, you can hear the annoyed tone he’s sporting.

“I get that, Din. I do. But you pushed me out of the way to take on all four of them yourself! Where’s the logic there? I wouldn’t do that to you, because I respect your ability to do your job!”

“I respect you too, it’s just-“

“Just what?!” You come to an abrupt stop and he turns around to face you, and you raise your eyebrows, expecting him to answer you but he remains silent.

You sigh, “It doesn’t feel like you respect me. I feel like a child when you pull shit like that! If that’s how you’re gonna treat me on hunts, why not just leave me on the ship with the baby?”

“I don’t want to talk about this anymore.”

“Of course not!” You throw your arms in the air and give an empty laugh.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Anytime I think I’m close to understanding something about you, you close yourself off! We’re supposed to be a team, Din, but I’m feeling a lot more like a liability recently.”

He sighs again, “You’re not a liability. I just don’t want to see you get hurt.” You hear a little break in his voice, and you know he means well but you have to hold your ground.

“I can handle myself. I knew what I was getting into when I joined the Guild. Same as you... I’m tired of this Din.” After silence falls between you, you sigh again and turn around, starting to walk back to the town you’d just come from.

“Where are you going?” He shouted after you.

“I need a drink. I’ll be back in a while.”

He watched you go, angry at himself for not admitting the real reason he felt so protective over you. He dragged the bounty the rest of the way to the Crest and put him in carbonite before checking on the Child and walking back to the town to find you and apologise.

In the meantime, you’d hunkered down in a booth in some run-down cantina, and you were on your second drink when a man sat down opposite you and tried to strike up a conversation.

You made friendly conversation with him, but kept your hand under the table over your blaster, ready for any trouble. It didn’t come, however. After a few minutes, he simply wished you a good evening and left the booth. What you didn’t notice was the discreet nod he gave to someone else at the bar, who then followed him out of the cantina.

You finished your drink, and sighed deeply, worried about what Din would say once you got back to the Crest. You felt bad for over-reacting, but you really were at your wits end with his over-protectiveness. You briefly wondered if he harboured deeper feelings for you, and just wasn’t admitting them, but then you dismissed it simply as the rambling thoughts of your slightly tipsy brain.

You tossed a few credits to the droid behind the bar as you walked out of the cantina and into the cool evening air of the now quiet town. You were too busy looking at how beautiful the sunset was to notice you were being followed by the man at the bar and several of his accomplices, all with weapons drawn.

You only realised you were in trouble when you felt something being shoved into your back and you received an electric shock so strong you dropped to the floor, convulsing.

“...w-what the hell?” You stuttered as the shock slowly trickled to a stop and you sat up, looking at the men lined up before you.

“Make this easy for yourself and tell us where it is.” One spat at you, and you realised it was the man from the bar, and you sighed. Din wouldn’t let you hear the end of this. If you made it out of this alive, that is. You wished right about now that Din was here is all his protective glory, but it hit you that you were very much alone in this.

“If you’d waited a bit longer, I would’ve led you right to my ship, asshole.” You countered, not even bothering to pretend you didn’t know what they were talking about.

“Is that how you wanna play this?” He smirked back at you, and you stood up and put your hands on your hips, eyebrows raised, trying desperately to seem calm.

He nodded to one of his men, who proceeded to shoot you in the leg before you even had the chance to pull your own blaster. You fall to the ground once more, clutching the blaster burn on your thigh, hot tears staining your cheeks.

“Where’s your Mandalorian friend now?”

“I don’t need him, asshole.” You shuffle to your knees, subtly grabbing a flash charge from your belt as you do so.

“Are you sure about that? Seems like you could really use the help right about now.” He smirks again and you wish you could slap it right off his face.

“Oh yeah?” You set the flash charge off, blinding the men temporarily as you make a run for it, grabbing your blaster and landing shots on at least three of them as you go.

They’re much quicker than you because of your leg, and soon enough, you’re being tackled to the ground with a knee shoved into your back.

“Tell us where the kid is, and we’ll let you live.”

“I’m not telling you anything. I’ll die before I let anyone get anywhere near it.”

“So be it. He’ll come for you soon enough.” The knee is removed from your back but before you can stand, a blaster shot hits you square in the back and everything goes black.

Din was almost at the town when he heard the blaster fire, and he picked up his pace, knowing you had to be involved. When he rounded the corner, he was just in time to see you being shot in the back, and in his anger, all he saw was red. He grabbed his rifle and within seconds, he’d already disintegrated three of the men. The sight of those three just disappearing had a few of the others running, and it left the leader and two other men who tried to hold their ground. Din shot at the ones who ran away as he approached the three left.  Seeing you laying still on the ground brought out something almost feral in him, and he didn’t stop until all the men were dead.

He pulled his vibroblade out and made quick work of killing the last three, barely breaking a sweat as he did so. When he was satisfied, he ran to you and found you unresponsive with a worryingly low heart rate. The amount of blood pouring out from the wound had Din in tears behind his helmet, and he picked you up carefully and ran to the town doctor, practically breaking the door down in his haste to get help. He threw a handful of credits at the doctor and begged for her help.

The doctor did her best to fix the damage the shot to your back had caused. She was initially worried you wouldn’t be able to walk again, and the thought terrified Din, but by some miracle, the shot hadn’t actually hit your spine. There was some nerve damage, and obviously tissue damage, but you would survive.

It took you a long time to wake up, however. Din paced the small room all night, waiting for you to open your eyes, but you didn’t. The only time he left the room was to go back to the Crest and grab the Child, but he came right back and paced some more, at least with the Child providing a little comfort.

He did this for 3 days. The doctor was kind enough to bring food for him and the Child, and Din paid her generously for her troubles. He barely touched the food himself, too sick to eat (the Child was happy to eat what he left though), desperately praying for you to wake up.

He was beginning to grow exhausted, but he couldn’t sleep until he knew you were okay, no matter how long it took. You had to be okay. You had to be. He pulled up a chair next to the bed you were laying on, and sat in it, reaching for one of your hands and holding it tightly between his own.

“Please, cyar’ika. You’ve gotta wake up. I can’t do this alone. I’ve spent all these years thinking I didn’t need anybody else. And that was true. Until you came along. And you were a nightmare to begin with. You were so stubborn.” He lets out a breathy chuckle and his voice shakes as he continues, “...b-but, I knew right away that my life had changed. For the better. You made it seem like I had something to live for. Why you put up with me, I’ll never know. But I’m so grateful for you. And I’m so sorry it took me until now to admit that I love you...” He shocks himself with his admission and he pauses, “I love you. And I need you to wake up so I can tell you.”

Din eventually passes out from sheer exhaustion, your hand still held firmly between his own. And after he’s been asleep for a few hours, you stir, sighing at the dull pain across your back as you shuffle on the bed slightly, noticing the resistance from your hand. Your eyebrows shoot up when you look over and see Din clasping your hand, and your heart starts to thump at the sight. The beeps on the monitor rouse Din from his sleep and he jolts awake, eyes landing on you blinking wearily.

Before your have a chance to say anything, he’s wrapping his arms around you, being careful of your injury, but holding you tight, “Don’t ever do that to me again. I thought I was gonna lose you.” You heard his shaky voice through the helmet and your face screwed up in confusion as he pulled away and put his hands on your cheeks.

“What happened?” You croaked, and Din grabbed you a glass of water, bringing it over to you.

You sipped from it as he sat back in the chair and spoke, “You got in a big fight in the town after we argued.” You nodded solemnly, remembering the stupid argument you’d had, and how you’d only proved him right by getting yourself into this mess.

“I’m glad you’re okay.” He placed his hands on your cheeks yet again and you looked down at him as he leaned up and rested his helmeted forehead against yours. You shut your eyes and smiled at the feeling and you heard Din whisper through the modulator the three words you’d always wished he’d say to you, “I love you.”

You also heard the sharp intake of breath he took after he spoke, and you smiled at his nervousness before returning the sentiment and seeing him relax and practically melt into his chair, dragging his hands over the front of his helmet.

“But if you pull this kind of stunt again, I’m gonna have a hard time forgiving you.” He points a stern finger at you and you laugh in response, reaching for his hand and holding it tightly.

[the-storyteller-and-her-soldiers]

Carrying You From The Cold

Title: Carrying You From The Cold

Word Count: 2,056

Warnings: Some cursing, but nothing in malice. OTHER THAN THAT JUST FLUFF!! Also some poooooooooossible oocness but I think I got it good!

Ship: The Ripper’s Rose (Raiden x myself) Also Jetstream Sam x my friend Ace

Summary: When walking home from my bank well after midnight, I stop at my friend’s house for a visit. But upon seeing how exhausted I am, she’s not letting me go home alone

A/N: Just for clarification Ace and Alyssa are the same person. The same goes for Raiden and Jack! Enjoy!

Eyes of ebony gazed into the window’s glow while the frigid wind whipped Rebecca’s back without any remorse. She stood on the crooked porch of her friend’s home that had been converted into separate spaces for multiple families waiting to be granted access once more to her haven from the hellish temperatures. When the door creaked open, amethyst wisps of hair smacked against her rosy cheeks and temporarily blinded Rebecca to the figure who greeted her.

It wasn’t the slim yet toned figure of her childhood friend, Ace, but instead, one that towered hers both in height and muscle. It was a man with long umber shaded hair tied into a ponytail, chocolate eyes that always seemed to burn brighter than the sun, a scruffy five o’clock shadow, and a long scar sliced deeply into the right half of his face. Using her fragile fingertips that had gone numb long ago to brush the strands away, a warm smile spread across Rebecca’s face.

“Ah, the lady of the hour. Come in, come in, Alyssa has already set up the fire and a drink for you.” The man greeted, beckoning Rebecca in with two metallic fingers before stepping aside.

The smile on her chilled lips grew even brighter as Rebecca gave a short bow. “Thank you, Sam, and happy holidays! I would’ve dropped by sooner to wish you well but school, work, and the government trying to screw me over have left me drained. I hope you have been enjoying the last bit of the year though and that Acey has been sending my regards.”

“She always does. It’s honestly very sweet that you look past my past with Jack to still wish me well.”

Rebecca let out a quiet laugh as she wandered what was practically her second home growing up. “It’s no biggie! As I told you shortly after you came back, you are my sister’s husband so if she trusts you to keep her arms open for you then so can I! But if you ever hurt her...”

“Yes, I know, I know. You’ll have my head, and by you, I mean that your guard dog Jack will. But you know that without Alyssa I’d not even be alive, honestly.”

The polite conversation slowly shifted to a slightly wary silence as the two made their way to the kitchen. Yet any reservation that Rebecca held was thrown to the softly howling wind as she finally met with her sapphire haired sister-figure. Her slow steps burst out into a stumbling dash as she rushed to tackle the older woman by two years in a hug.

“Acey, you’re an absolute lifesaver! You know that right? It’s so fucking cold out there, it’s not even funny!”

A slight smirk crept on Ace’s lips as she caught the shorter girl in the tight embrace. She only removed one of her hands to flick Rebecca’s forehead before returning it to where it had been rubbing her back to help warm her up. “And you’re absolutely insane, you know that, right? What’re you doing out so late? It’s twenty to one in the morning and twenty-five to zero outside! And why didn’t you have anyone accompanying you?! You know what kind of assholes are out there, especially at this time of night!”

The laugh that left Rebecca’s lips this time was much more sheepish as her dark chocolate gaze flicked from her life-long friend to the floor, then to the kitchen table where two mugs filled with steaming liquid sat.

“Um well, because I’m a dumbass! I bought myself a last-minute Christmas or early b-day present but I went below my net in my bank account and I’m forgetful sooo I just went out to restore it! It was only a quick thirty-minute walk one way, so I’ll be home in no time! I just wanted to stop by since I know you were awake!”

Ace shook her head, but the smile on her lips remained. Out of all the people in the world, her little sister would be the one to do this. She was always drawn to the silence of the sleeping world, finding it even more enchanting to wander around while everyone else slept. A slight exhale left Ace’s lips as she took a moment to admit to herself that she had probably been the one who planted that seed of wonder when the two were much younger.

Her slightly scolding gaze of thrashing seas melted to a still lake as she looked Rebecca over and found no wear or tear. “Well, at least you bundled up this time, but you still feel like a friggen ice-pack!! C’mon, sit down; the marshmallows I put in our cocoa are gonna melt into nothing soon enough!.”

So the two took their respected seats and began sipping on their drinks, with Rebecca once again deeming her sister as a lifesaver for the sweet treat. The two stayed there for about fifteen minutes, with Sam also pulling up a chair to join them, talking about everything that came into their thoughts. Ace could see her little sister growing more exhausted by the minute though. From the way, her eyelids began to droop and how the weight of her head was becoming too much to hold up, she knew that Rebecca wouldn’t make it in the land of the conscious too much longer. So when the young girl slid back and shakily stood up to bid the hosting couple a good night, Ace simply walked to her side and forced Rebecca to plop down back into her chair.

“What makes you think I’m letting you walk home?”

Rebecca’s heavy eyelids shot wide open as she looked up at Ace. “I-I only came for a visit! There’s no way in hell I’m letting you let me stay or drive me back! I don’t wanna be a bother!”

Once again, Ace flicked Rebecca’s forehead. “One: You’re never a bother. Two: You’re right around the corner. Three: I will not let you go back to walking another fifteen minutes all alone, so if I won’t drive you back I know someone who will. Heard from a source he was working late anyway, Sam can you call Raiden for me and let him know that his girlfriend is trying to make a dumbass decision again?”

Rebecca tried to protest, squirming around and insisting she was fine but Sam smirked and remarked how he was on it. Ace just brought her to the couch by the heater in the living room to let her rest.

Sam stood nearby in the foyer as he dialed his old enemy and current work-rival, silently pondering if the cyborg with silver shaded hair would even answer. The phone had begun its fourth ring and he then wondered if getting ahold of Wolf would be a better way to get in contact with him. But before he could get too far on to that train of thought, there was a soft clicking sound before a familiarly raspy voice spat,

“What the hell do you want?”

Although there was no way that the stormy gazed man on the other end of the line could see him, Sam slowly raised his hands in a surrender gesture.

“Always so defensive, aren’t you Jack? Don’t worry I’d like to keep this short as well so I’ll just get to the point. Your little kitten is at my house, it was something about buying a gift then wanting to go to the bank to manage her funds. She stopped by to visit with my Alyssa and now wants to walk herself home--”

“What?!” Raiden growled before there was a short pause. 

Sam could only imagine him gritting his teeth together and pressing his foot further down on the pedal. Thinking back on the comparison he had made about him earlier, it took all his willpower for Sam to stifle the chuckle reverberating in his chest as he thought further on the mental image. The idea of the oh-so-infamous ‘Jack the Ripper’ acting as nothing more but a scary guard dog to his innocent and kitten-like girlfriend was something that Sam never thought possible. But then again one could say that Sam was in a very similar position with his wife, so who was he to judge?

Before Sam could further explain the situation, he was silenced by Jack telling him that he’d be there in fifteen minutes and not to touch Rebecca in the meantime before he hung up. Sam chuckled to himself as he strode into the room where the two women were resting, slinging his arm around his wife and explaining the current situation.

Lifting her heavy head from Ace’s lap, Rebecca softly spoke, “Oh no... I didn’t wanna cause him any trouble. I hope he’s not mad. I can walk, really!”

“Mad at you? I don’t think he’s capable. But at me, well, there’s a possibility.” Sam assured, although his jovial tone revealed how little that mattered to him.

Rebecca let out a soft sigh of relief before laying her head back down to return to her rest, leaving the hosting couple to get cozy with each other. Yet within only thirteen minutes, there was a low humming of a car engine sounding from outside and only a minute after that the sound of knocking against their heavy wood door. Seeing how Ace was still occupied with her cat-like friend, Sam was the one to greet the other guest of the night waiting outside their door. Unlike before however, these two didn’t exchange pleasantries. These two barely exchanged a full glance before Raiden brushed by his host to greet his partner.

When he did enter the living room and took in the sight of Rebecca’s small stature all curled up in the warm scarlet hue of the heater, her expression free from any strife or worries. Raiden brought his hand over his mouth but that couldn’t hide the way the corners of his mouth twitched upwards or the warmth that coursed through him just by being in such a peaceful presence, her presence.

Once more Sam strolled in and stood beside Raiden, letting his arm rest on the other man’s shoulder. “See, there’s your kitten all safe and sound.”

Turning his narrowed gaze towards Sam, Raiden only told him to shut the hell up. His voice remained low as to not disturb the dear sight before him. But it was Ace who had broken the quiet as she cleared her throat.

“Will you two stop mind fucking each other? ‘Cause if you don’t then I’ll be the one having to stay with our cat the whole night.”

This seemed to snap the two out of their mental fighting as Raiden reached forward, easily scooping the small stature of his starlight into his arms. Without opening her eyes, Rebecca just wrapped her arms around her partner’s neck while a happy noise slipped from her lips. She then leaned forward to brush her lips against his cheek before immediately burying her face in the crook of his neck as though it was the safest place for her to be. Even though it was common knowledge how comfortable Rebecca was with her love, the wave of not only relief but pride that flowed through Raiden never ceased.

He then quickly said his goodbyes to Rebecca’s sister and her husband. Thanking them both for keeping an eye on her before carrying his partner out.

The sensations, however, tickled his cybernetics nerves and Raiden couldn’t help the soft chuckle that escaped his lips. “Long night, huh?”

“Mmmmm, needed something special... as a gift... Now I gotta recharge. It’s too cold.”

“Alright then, I got the car still running so it’s nice and warm for you. But next time, just call me if you needed to get out for a bit.”

Rebecca lulled her head to the side as she let out a breath of a laugh, “I know, but I wanted to surprise you with a gift, ‘cause I love you...”

Raiden leaned down slightly and pressed his lips against Rebecca’s forehead. “I don’t need anything else when I’m lucky enough to have you by my side... So, as I said if you need anything just give me a call, alright? I love you more than you’ll ever know...”

[mirrorfalls]

Lego Liveblogs ST: TOS, part 6 (of who-the-hell-knows-how-many?)

So... The Naked Time. Probably gonna be another of those episodes where Roddenberry was in full “but on this planet they have a cultural taboo against pants!” mode, but that shouldn’t disqualify it on its own merits. And... wait, is this the legendary “Sorry, neither.” episode?

Let’s find out.

* And we open up on Space Antarctica, where Redshirt #23 gets himself infected with the Thing in record time. This is gonna be fun. ** But for Christ’s sake, guys. If a mannequin was all you could afford for the “woman”, couldn’t you have at least covered the face up with a sheet of snow or something?! * Spock in civvies cuts a surprisingly... fine figure. * Okay, now I’m starting to see why so many reviewers call the Spock-Bones banter in these early eps straight-up racism. * Alright, I know I’ve said this about half the preceding episodes, but this one’s plot looks genuinely foolproof. Kirk and co. need to perform a conflict-free - but still tricky - scientific mission, and an alien pathogen’s just happened to slip onboard. No leaps in the premise, no stupid B-plots to screw up the pacing. Let’s do this. * Peak Trek Aesthetic; using a punchcard to get your lunch out of the replicator. * See, Mr. RedBlueshirt? This is why we always use hand sanitizer after being outdoors. * Gotta say, this is pretty well-written “madness” for a ‘60s pop-adventure show. Just take a guy’s lingering survivor’s guilt and dial it up to eleven. No random obsessions or nursery-rhyme chants or anything. * Guys, it’s a freaking butter knife. That thing couldn’t stab through a- ** Oops. * By the way - some people might consider it laughably cheap, but as something of an amateur germophobe I really like how the pathogen’s mostly depicted as this thing nobody can see but everyone can feel slithering over their hands. * “A valuable study. We may be seeing Earth's distant future.” This line seriously does not get enough attention in Spock retrospectives. * Somehow it never occurred to me that Sulu is the closest the bridge crew has to a jock. * “Bones, I want the impossible checked out too!” “Damn it, Jim, I’m a doctor, not a Scotsman!” ** Seriously, though - I like the general lesson here, that out on the Frontier you can do every procedure and double-check right and still get fucked over, because that’s what it means to explore the Unknown. * Bones why do you have bottles of Lysol just lying around in sickbay * Oh yeah. Shirtless Sulu o’clock. ** And now, The Line. Gotta admit, I wasn’t expecting Nichols to sound quite that... schoolgirlish saying it. * ... do you guys not have security on the bridge or ** Okay, I’ll never say no to a Nerve Pinch, but you’d think there’d be at least one Phaser around... * Ooh, 20 minutes before the gravity whatchamacallit flambes the entire ship. Now that’s pacing. * This guy seems a little too conveniently (and maliciously) competent next to the other infected crewmembers... I doubt they’re going to go with a “Oh, he was faking it the whole time, did everything of his own free will!” twist at the end, so here’s hoping he won’t be the antagonist for the entire rest of the ep. ** OTOH, Scotty gets to be a hands-on MVP for a change, and who doesn’t love that? * Spock, let’s have some more of those Nerve Pinches, chop chop! ** At this point you can count every “Jesus, I’m retiring from this show the first chance I get” line on poor Rand’s face. * Oh for the love of- Were you guys seriously examining Sulu without any protection?! * And now we’re throwing the nurse at Spock. Honestly, every face Nimoy makes here should be its own reaction gif. ** Ohhh, right, this is the Spock-cries episode, too. Really should reread that anecdote sometime. * “I can't change the laws of physics!” That’s quitter talk, Scotty, and you know it. * Jesus, Bones, did you stick him with a needle or a branding iron?! ** Oh, so this is why so many recaps of this episode just talk about everyone being drunk... the pathogen is just water that’s evolved(?) to a different molecular form resembling booze? Sure, fine. ** Insert stock you’d-expect-an-Irishman-to-hold-his-drink-better line here ** (Also, I suppose the crew is lucky that nobody's the go-to-sleep kind of drunk.) * Ahh, our first taste of Spock backstory. Let’s have that good good angst. * Not that I mind a little violence between friends, Kirk, but are you sure you want Spock doing supercomputer-tier calculations while smashed out of his mind? * ... hm. On the one hand, Spock being (temporarily?) shocked back into sobriety on seeing Kirk succumbing is both emotionally touching and narratively efficient. On the other: more proof that when all else fails, all you can do is appeal to a Vulcan’s ego. * Wonder how big the Kirk/Enterprise tag on AO3 is... * Cheap religious symbolism ho! * Took ya long enough to get him an antidote, bud. * Well, that was quick. ** Uhhh, I’ll assume imploding engines are a good thing in this context. * Wait, are you serious? Time travel stuff in the last three minutes of the episode?! * Sooo... our heroes literally get a clean slate from everything that just happened. I guess they still have to live with the memories of it all, but really?

I’m really torn about this one. There’s only the slightest slip of a Lesson here (beyond “don’t take your fucking Hazmat suit off on an alien planet”, I guess), but it’s probably the series’ best-paced episode yet, with tangible stakes and unobtrusive comic relief... right up to those last three minutes, which throws all that beautiful buildup into a woodchipper. Deus ex Machina isn’t even a strong enough word to describe it - probably nothing is.

Ah, well. We’ve got solid proof that the writing team can build a solid start, if nothing else. One day they’ll stick the landing.

Next: In the main study of an exclusive private school in New York’s Westchester County, a strange, silent man sits motionless... what? Wrong Charlie X? C’mon, how different can they be?

[ramblings-of-a-mad-cat]

Fandom ask for Skyrim? c:

I used to get Asks like this, but then I took an arrow in the knee. 

Favorite character - Only the snarkiest, most down-to-earth vampire bae of all time. Serena is so ride-or-die for the Dragonborn that she’ll straight up bleed on arrows for them. But only elven arrows. She does have standards.

Second favorite character - I think I’m gonna have to go with my grey-bearded grandad, Paarthurnax. Like most fans of this game, I simply adore him. Honorable mentions include Ulfric. Love him or hate him, can we all agree that’s he’s a fascinating character?

Least favorite character - For this, we must journey to Whiterun and visit a condescending man of higher status, who frequents the Cloud District...oh, Nazeem? No, honestly, he doesn’t really bug me. He amuses me more than anything else. I’m talking about Farangar Secret-Fire. God I hate him...

The character I’m most like - There’s an apprentice Blacksmith in Markarth who is constantly berated by his boss. He tries his best but he’s basically a screw-up. I don’t remember his name, but he’s an Imperial, I think? And she’s an Orc. If you know who I mean. Just...I relate to his well-meaning, anxious uselessness. That is me in any real life situation. 

Favorite pairing - I’ve sung the praises of Dragonborn/Serana, but actually my favorite ship in Skyrim is probably Karliah and Gallus. You can really feel her loyalty to him, and when we meet his ghost and they’re temporarily reunited, the devotion between them is so real and sincere. They’re adorable.

Least favorite pairing - I suppose I’ve never really cared for Camilla Valerius ending up with either of her gentleman callers, as both are willing to stoop to lying about each other to sabotage what should be her choice. Faendall is at least nice on a regular basis compared to Sven, but I really feel like Camilla deserves better. And I’ve never even married her! It’s not that. But she and her brother have a special place in my heart. 

Favorite moment - There are. So. Many. Confronting Titus Mede II is a scene with so many layers. The arrival at Sovngarde gives me chills every time. Paarthurnax’s response to finding out the Blades want him dead. Gallus’ reunion with Karliah. The final battle with Harkon. Frea becoming the Shaman of her Village. I could easily go on. Y’know what, I think I’m gonna go with the final scene between Paarthurnax and the Dragonborn when the latter returns from Sovngarde. Literally the perfect ending to the story. 

Rating out of 10 - It’s such a beautiful game with infinite possibilities and potential. Whenever you’re not tripping over a skull and dying, or getting stuck in the middle of a quest with no way to finish it, or finding that your follower is attacking you for no reason, or...any one of a hundred other bugs. Mods may fix these, but I’m one of the Skyrim players who cannot get mods, so that holds it back for me. Still, I love it. Gonna give it a strong 7/10. 

[aph-honk-kong]

Draw A Circle That’s The Earth, I’m In Hetalia - Review (Chapter 2)

Eight months ago, @hetafic-hell published a review of chapter one of “Draw A Circle That’s The Earth, I’m In Hetalia!”. I decided to write a review of the second chapter, since they’ve been on hiatus for so long. But before I begin, I must offer a warning: this chapter is five thousand five hundred words long, and is not divided into any paragraphs. It’s also awful. Proceed at your own risk.

3 months later.

It is not possible to show the passing of time through the story instead of putting it down explicitly?

I'm at a different meeting hall my nation had all its citizen's return to Serenia only recently and now every one of my people except my army have been turned into pictonians 

What army? I thought the only reason Serenia was bombed in chapter one was because it didn’t have one. 

Australia brought me in a helicopter and now me America, England, Italy, Germany, China, Japan, Russia, France, not that anyone noticed except me Canada 

And there’s the “nobody notices Canada” trope.

and thanks to my knowledge of the 'paint it white' Hetalia movie Scotland and Australia are now in meeting about the pictonians I gave Canada a note saying 'go to Cuba, combine forces temporarily and take care of the injured 'he ran out of the room without anyone noticing.

You’d think that someone being told to leave an important meeting to leave the country, meet with someone who hasn’t been mentioned up until now and form an alliance to save their nation’s people would at least announce their departure.

"Dudes, this is an emergency! As the paper thingys in front of you with those crazy drawings that are supposed to be word says, the race of humanity has been taken over by nopras thingsmabobs by that crazy beam of light that comes out of the light bulby thingy that comes out of their head."

...what?

Alfred said while everyone was doing their own thing Francis blowing a kiss to the maid, Yao yawning, Arthur, Kiku, Ivan and Ludwig listening, Allistor smoking, jack playing with his koala, bub and Feli drawing faces on the pictonians pictures. "Nice one, Feli" I giggled "thank you, Kaitlyn! How are-a the puppies and-a cubbies?" he asked "they're fine they grew 60 cm!" 

What an intriguing conversation. Why is this happening again?

then I turn my attention to the meeting and open the folder "Tony my righteous alien friend dude told me they are pictonians from the planet Picto. Like for real dudes. Picto is in like way far out in space." He continued "your brains in way far outer space" Arthur exclaimed "hello! Listen up! We can't let these nopras dudes make earth all freaky and boringly white! This is whack! We gotta stop these dudes! Also what's a nopras?" Alfred asked after a good little speech "it's a Japanese monster without eyes, nose or a mouth; its proper name is inotraple." I spoke up everyone looks at me then Arthur says "wait a tick does that mean this is all your fault japan?"

Why would any of the nations believe Serenia? Even if she explained that she figured it out from the “Paint It White” movie, she’d have to tell them how she came across the movie, either proving that she’s not from this universe or making the nations think she’s gone insane.

"Hey I only said what I learnt from japans old stories and he hasn't said a single word so it's not his fault." I defended while standing up "why the hell do I have to be turned into nopra, because of stupid japan and his scary story" Yao snapped I sighed and sat down and looked at the pictonians pictures I giggled and whispered something to Feli then we both giggled 

So she went from defending to sighing to giggling in a span of what, a minute? If Kaitlyn is so protective of Japan, why doesn’t she defend him when China speaks up? Why does she just sit down and start having another inane exchange with Italy?

"what is so funny, kaitren-chan?" 

Please no, not the Wapanese.

Kiku asked I smiled and said "is it just me or do these guys look like telitubies? Come on I can't be the only one thinking this" "Hahaha! Good one Kaitlyn!" 

This chapter is supposed to take place three months after the former one, and the last chapter ended in the middle of WWII. There is no way any of the nations would know about Teletubbies, which is a show that launched in 1997.

Alfred laughed then said "anyway, focus countries! Japan may have screwed things up but we still have time to fix it! Your ideas will all suck, so listen to me! We will combine all of our military strengths! I'll be in command so you'll have to wear the colour of my flag! All heroes wear red white and blue! And Kaitlyn?" I look up at him "yeah?" "I'll make sure you're safe by you and me sticking together! I'll be your hero!" he said as he winked at me I blushed furiously

The awful dialogue aside, I thought Kaitlyn was shipping herself with Holy Rome last chapter, to the point where she kept him from dying. Does she have a new fictional husband now?

"wait who in god's name put you in charge and why the bloody hell should Kaitlyn go with you?" Arthur yelled "duh, because I'm the hero everybody knows that and Kaitlyn needs a hero" Alfred replied "ohnohnohnohn! But I think Kaitlyn should come with me and not you" Francis said in all his creepiness 

France literally hasn’t done anything creepy, he just suggested Kaitlyn stick with him! Oh wait, I forgot the writer just wants to shoehorn in every trope imaginable into this fic for no reason at all.

"you keep your filthy perverted hands of Kaitlyn, cheesy monkey!" 

He wasn’t being perverted at all! #ProtectFrance2020

Arthur yelled "shut up, black sheep of Europe" "I told you not to call me that" then Arthur and Francis started fighting, Feli tried to hand out his white flags, Yao was arguing with Alfred about which country made the most popular movies, Ivan was releasing a purple aura, Ludwig was trying to stay calm and me I stood up and sat with my pups and cubs petting them as they slept

You’re telling me these baby animals are casually sleeping through a group of adults having multiple loud arguments?

'what am I going to do? Everything's just so crazy. Everyone is a lot more extreme than I thought, they act the same and yet they act different. 

How on earth does one “act the same yet act different”?

When I was in my world, everything seemed so easy. [Sigh] I guess not' "kaitren-chan." 

Spare me.

A voice brought me back noticing Kiku was in front of me "what's wrong, Kiku-san?" "I wanted to thank you for defending me earrier, arrigato" 

There’s no reason why Japan would thank Kaitlyn in Japanese when the rest of his sentence is in English, and that’s not even how you spell it.

he bowed I smiled then boom! I jump and my pups and cubs start barking and roaring 

I can guarantee you that baby tigers cannot roar.

I calm them down by speaking Serenian. I wait for Germany to stop yelling before heading to the doors "Kaitlyn? Vhere are you going?" Ludwig asked "I'm going to protect my country. I suggest you all do the same." Then I walked out of the room. 2 hours later. 

Where are they? Assuming they’re not in Serenia, it would take Kaitlyn quite a while to get home, especially since they’re in a time of war. She definitely wouldn’t be able to reach Serenia in two hours.

I'm standing with my army of 1,000 women and men armed with guns and arrows, 

How are they going to shoot the arrows without bows? 

I'm wearing a long flowing white skirt with a long slit that reaches 10cm from the waist, my black cloak, 

A flowing skirt and a cloak are not at all practical for war, especially not a skirt with a slit. She’s going to get strangled with her cloak or trip over herself, mark my words.

a gold staff with a gold crescent at the top the staff was an inch above my head my height is 1, 80, 

A few things to address here. First, isn’t Kaitlyn fifteen? How can a fifteen-year-old be that tall? Second, there’s no way that staff would do any damage, especially in a twentieth-century war when so much technology was developed. Gold is expensive as hell, too, so how could she make an entire staff from it?

I had a black camisole on and had gold two gold bracelets on my left ankle, one each on my wrists, a necklace with a silver water lily pendent and a gold necklace that fit on my head so that the crescent moon pendent was positioned on the centre of my forehead and I wore no shoes just bare feet. 

No way someone can run or fight properly while wearing heavy gold bracelets, a silver pendant, a gold headdress and no shoes. You’re fighting in a war, for goodness’ sake, your feet are going to be severely hurt if you don’t wear anything on them.

"When the enemy comes show no fear and if the enemy shoots dodge then strike!" I commanded my cubs and pups were beside me growling. 

You took your defenceless baby pets, the only Serenian native animals left, to a battlefield?

The earth started to shake a little "get ready!" I yelled the pictonians ships were in sight "FIRE!" I yelled my army fire their guns and arrows but they just turn all wiggly and white "crap!" I curse then the pictonians shoot the flower blossom beam me, my pups and cubs run and dodge the beam

Without being trampled to death by the rest of the fleeing soldiers, and fast enough to dodge the beam despite being, again, babies? Fat chance.

my army wasn't so lucky they got hit with the beam, then they started to stalk towards us "Kilala! Sesa! Nomura! Herona! Zecremea nomraxia qoxirizakri merase"(Translation: come we must run, my children!)" 

Please, no more nonsensical Serenian.

We start running and an explosion happened bits of the arrows and metal from the guns flew at my cubs and pups I block them and got cut every were it hurt so much, then I hear something "Kaitlyn! Dude come on!" I look and see Alfred on a helicopter when I reach the helicopter 

Shouldn’t he be back in America, defending his own people?

I look back and call out to my pups and cubs "come on almost there!" then disaster. Another flower beam was shot and it hit them, my pups and cubs, my babies 

THIS IS WHY YOU SHOULDN’T HAVE BROUGHT THEM ALONG!

"no! No!" I try and run to them but, Alfred pulled me into the helicopter and restrained me the helicopter took off when I stopped struggling Alfred let me go. I cried, I let everything go. I dropped to my knees and cried Alfred sat on his knees and embraced me I cried into his jacket "Katie, everything's going to be okay. We'll get them back I don't know how but we will, I promise." 

Oh wow, this is so touching.

He said 'that doesn't really sound like him this must really be bad' I stopped crying and hugged Alfred "al, thanks for saving me I assume they got you?" ' assume I know they got him' "yeah, my missiles did nothing then they turned the statue of liberty all white and wiggly" "they did that as well to the valley of blue roses" (for all those who don't know in Serenia their national land mark is a valley of blue roses since blue roses are unnatural and were originally white it is said that on the night of a blue moon the glow of the full moon turned them blue.) 

Couldn’t the story behind the rose valley be included in the story instead of being dumped to us between brackets? 

"We're heading to a temporary headquarters, okay?" I nodded I started humming 'safe and sound by Taylor swift' then Alfred asked "hey Katie what song is that?" 'Crap! I forgot Taylor swift hasn't even been born yet and... Wait a minute the songs I know are from the year 2013 and it's what like 1980, I'll keep it to myself.' "It's called safe and sound a little thing I made up to keep me sane when Switzerland attacked" 

Finally, a rational decision. Also, if this chapter took place three months after the last, wouldn’t it be, like 1945 at most? How did the author forget something they wrote themself?

"Kaitlyn, when the war hit were you afraid that your country would be destroyed and you would ya know die?" "No, I feared for my countries people and animal life besides no one would really miss me." "That's not true! Iggy would miss you, Italy would miss you, jack and Allistor would miss you and I would defiantly miss you we all care about you Kaitlyn no matter what!" "Alfred." I smiled and hugged Alfred even tighter "Kaitlyn, I'm glad you're my best friend ""I'm glade too"

You’re what now?

then I fell asleep. 20 minutes later. We had almost reached the temporary hide out Alfred had to carry me on his back because I couldn't walk anymore I was partially covered in cuts and bruises and my head hurt badly. 

Didn’t you just say you were cut “every were?”

"Al, remind me to kick the pictonians ass later please." "No prob" when we were close enough we could see everyone was there. Feli lifted his head and saw Alfred and smiled but, then he saw me he squealed and ran to Alfred and I. "Kaitlyn! What-a happened!?" he asked frantically "Feli, calm down I'm fine." I reassure him then I was lifted off of Alfred's back and carried to the temporary 

The temporary what?

I look up to see Germany "thanks." I said he smiled and place me on crate then china tended to my wounds. 

Is the medical centre just a crate? If not, what on earth is the author trying to describe here?

"Thanks china I owe you one" I said "no problem Kaitlyn!" he replied I noticed Feli walking around looking for something. "Hey Feli what are you looking for?" he turned to me and smiled "I-a think the puppies and cubbies are playing hide and-a seek with me so I'm-a trying to find them." I looked down and said "they're not playing hide and seek Feli." "Oh, then where are-a they?" I started to tear up I look at him as I raise my head and say "ask the pictonians" he paled

“Kaitlyn, you fucking idiot, why did you bring them along with you to fight?”

"becoming a pictonian appears to be our fate" I say "I refuse to become as ugly as the rest of you" France says "look on the bright side at least you won't smell like drunk cheese" England commented "chill out, we're not gonna let this get us down. Dudes, we're gonna stand together whether we like it or not. I don't!" Alfred said then Russia said "I agree, I don't like it!" then china said "that's right we should work together even if we hate it. I hate it!" "I hate it more" Arthur added "Qui j'detetes" France sighed "no rikey, but we should listen to each other's ideas" japan stated 

The next person to use “no rikey” unironically will be executed at dawn.

"right, all zhose in favour for us to vork togezher raise your hand now" Germany said everyone but me and Feli raised their then Italy looked around and raised his hand and said "pasta~" I raise my hand and Alfred said sounding confident "check this out a douse of originality we get a super hero with a deflector shield to beat the crap out of those guys" 

Haha comedy, am I right?

then Italy said "I think japan should do it I-a mean he's-a got eave**** and let's not forget about gun**" but those are just anime" japan said 

Both Evangelion or Gundam were developed in the late twentieth century, decades after this story takes place. Plus, Italy isn’t so stupid as to believe that the mechas from those show exist in real life, is he?

"if you are looking for anime I can totally do that" china interrupted then a blurred picture appeared "you know I think I heard about that somewhere but better" Arthur says "yeah" everyone agrees "it original chines idea!" china fumed "excuse me" Germany said to grab our attention "maybe ve should oh I don't know zhink of ideas zhat are realistic" he said looking ready to blow 

Thank you, Germany. 

"I was thinking the exact same thing my idea is perfectly realistic" Arthur said looking confident "alright what do you have in mind, Arthur" I ask then he shows us a dark magic circle 

How the hell did he make that so quickly?

"yeah we need something realistic" everyone said "you wankers don't ignore me!" Arthur yelled "my turn, how about we find their leader and hold them for ransom" I suggest "still need a realistic idea" they said then we hear a sound "Fucking" over and over we look at a screen to see a little grey alien "ah, what a charming alien" France said sarcastically "he's no alien! Tony is my best friend!" Alfred said sounding offended "that doesn't mean he's not a bloody alien!" Arthur said but, was ignored by Alfred "Tony what's the scoop bra?" "fu-"he tried to say but I interrupted saying "hey Tony? Think you could I don't know not pull any crap on us. Remember how you owe me from 30 years ago. I need you to show us the pictonians website and put on the translator software, please?" 

What does Tony owe Kaitlyn and why was this never mentioned?? Also, the internet didn’t exist in WWII, what is going on -

he nodded and put up a website and then the translator thing made all the alien language translate in to English. Then a video played explaining the pictonians intentions. "It appears our planet is doomed." " ?" "What did he say now?" japan asked and Alfred replied "the more evolved the species the more their faces look nopra like" "oh, I have collection of evolving I'd like to show them" Russia said as he released a purple aura 

The fuck does this mean?

"Vhere are zhey veak? Zhey must have a veakness' Germany said "they do" Tony replied then everyone but me flipped out "why haven't you been speaking English this whole time!?" France asked while freaking out "because I don't do dubs" Tony replied as he searched for something on his iPhone "okay their weaknesses are…" 

WHY DOES HE HAVE AN IPHONE IN WWI!?

he continued. Then I had a dizzy spell. I felt pulse "sunflower, you're alright, da?" Russia asked

Haha he used “da” haha so very Russia of him.

"I-I'm fine, Russia" I replied holding my head "call me Ivan" he said then Alfred yelled "TONY!" that set me off I collapsed to the floor a bright white light covered my vision, as I fell I heard someone call out "Kaitlyn!". Then, I heard the giddy British voice again "well poppet, looks like you've been telling people you get visions, huh? Well, we don't want you to be a liar now do we? So every time a something big is going to happen, you will suffer a dizzy spell and have a vision. Well I better be off ta-ta poppet" then it all went black. 

Oh, it’s the magic fellow from the first chapter. Will it ever be explained who they are or why they’re doing this to Kaitlyn? My money’s on “no”.

Suddenly, I saw everyone being turned into pictonians Alfred, Arthur, Francis, Ivan, Yao, jack, Allistor, Ludwig and Kiku then I turn and see Feli get turned into a pictonian 'no' 

Why is Italy’s transformation the last straw?

I ran at the pictonians tears blurring my vision. I felt myself lift off the ground then gone I lost the vision. "Kaitlyn! Kaitlyn wake up!" I heard I slowly open my eyes to see Alfred above me with worry in his eyes and me I was on the floor with everyone surrounding me "I'm fine I just had a vision" I said as I hopped up everyone look at me and didn't looked convinced "trust me guys I'm fine this happens only at certain times." I said then a green light flashed we ran to the light and stopped when we saw a huge pictonian ship. As it was landing a powerful wind blew everywhere it almost knocked down everyone but, it blew me backwards until someone caught me I look and see Allistor holding me by my waist "wouldn't want ye ta blow away now would we?" he said smiling "thank you, Allistor" I said holding onto him. 

And there goes another character into Kaitlyn’s harem.

When the wind stopped we all saw the ship in font "I think this is the mother ship" japan said "Hahaha those stupid aliens are so predictable" Alfred mocked "Allistor you can let go now." I said as I barely held my blush he blushed furiously and let me go "look!" Germany said as we see the pictonians marching onto the mother ship not noticing us "I think that's where they keep the humans that haven't been turned into pictonians probably human enslavement" I said "unacceptable ve must act now!" Germany yell as he marched towards the ship then japan stopped him "Germany I'm sorry I touched you but we must act reasonabry." "Must kill!" he replies 

Why is Germany suddenly talking like a caveman? Goodness, if I had a dollar for every question I asked while reading this mess of a fic I’d be the richest person alive.

"hey, dudes!" Alfred said to get everyone's attention "I have an idea how about we infiltrate the ship and find their weakness!" he suggested "yes, I like the way you are thinking" china said enthusiastically "you can leave the spying to me" Arthur said confidently "and leave the animal rescuein ta me" jack said "nothing ventured nothing gained is what they arways say" japan said "exactly 'ow are zhey?" France asked "I know a way we can get inside!" we all looked and see Feli in a pictonian costume "tada!" "VHAT ZA HELL!? VHAT IS ZAT!?" Germany asked/yelled

You could just use “yelled”.

"it's my-a pictonian costume I made-a it with all the white flag material I have! Woohoo! I made-a one for everybody!" he laughed pointing to a box with pictonian costumes. Everyone just stared at it for a while. Then I walked to the box and grabbed one my size I put it on over my clothes.

One your size? You’re telling me Italy managed to make a number of fake-outfits with multiple sizes while the rest of the nations were running out to see the ship?

When I was done everyone was wearing theirs then they all ran to the ship yelling their battle cries "ATTACK!" "Hahaha! Hail the conquering hero" "double O ninja!" "I'm ready" "what a relief I still look fabulous!" "Hold on tight panda!" "I reap into battre!" "Aussie!" "Whiskey power!" only me and Feli didn't move "we'll wait for you guys here!" he cheered as he waved his white flag "Italy! Serenia! You both are coming vith us!" Germany yelled as he stood in front of Feli!" "But, running onto-a the aliens ship seams reckless-a to me. Besides I don't want to get my costume dirty. What do you think bella?" then he looked at me "Feli, I'm scared." I said as I looked up at him with tears in my eyes 'it's true I am scared, I'm scared that I screwed everything up and what if everyone gets turned into a pictonian' then I felt a hand on mine I look to see Feli with his eyes open looking at me "let's-a go Kaitlyn. We'll-a do this together!" he beamed I smiled and ran with Feli who yelled his battle cry "PASTA~!" in turn I yelled mine "the angel has arrived!" 

Why would Kaitlyn be described as an angel? She’s done nothing remotely angelic in the story so far.

20 minutes later. We're all on the ship we hide behind a corner "ok, here's the plan Russia back me up, japan you back me up too and Iggy..." Alfred said when we were all in a circle with Germany holding eleven sticks "pick one each vhatever colour you get is zhe group you're in." he said "don't ignore me!" Alfred whined every one picked a stick France went with Arthur, Alfred went with Ivan and china, Germany went with japan and Feli. Me I went with Allistor and jack. We're walking down a hall way. 

Nice tense change there.

'I'm not scared' "ya know we need 'a find the captured humans, righ'?" "No, I thought we're er ta play golf, we're not stupid lad we know what we're ta do." The continued arguing then I heard a noise and saw round the corner pictonians "shh!" I pulled them into a room but part of my pictonian costume ripped at my lower half reviling my lower half and the warrior skirt. "Great just great" I said sarcastically "Kaitlyn? Love is that you?" I turn around and see Arthur and France standing in front of a blue ball "what happened?" Arthur asked "these two dumbbells attracted unwanted attention so I acted fast and pulled us into the nearest room" I said a little peeved. 

“Dumbbells” is a weak-ass insult.

Arthur scolded them while me and France looked at the globe I touched my country like Arthur was supposed to do with his country. Then a little page popped at the side of it but it was in the alien's language "damn, hey Arthur little help?" I ask he stops and chucks me his phone 

Again with the cell phones! Isn’t it supposed to be the mid-twentieth century?

I look through it and put up the alien translator app then the screen scanned the page and processed the data then it binged and it all translated into English I read it aloud once the guys stopped fighting "Serenia, a peaceful country with both beautiful fauna and flora and also a former pirate now a polite lady. Serenia is a former pacifist but, during world war two and seeing some of her people and most of the fauna life massacred she became a fighter. She often gets stuck in the middle of love, because all the male countries are in love with her and she can't decide" 

Woah. I couldn’t have come up with a more Mary Sue-ish description if I tried.

I blushed furiously and silently handed Arthur back his phone "love? Are you alright?" he said with a red face "p-p-please j-just go c-check your country" 

I can tick “badly-written stuttering” off my bad fanfic bingo now.

I stuttered not being able to keep my cool. Arthur looked at his country and started fighting with France I ran up to them and tried to break them up "guys! You have to stop" then France accidently back handed me I hit the floor but no one helps me up. Allistor and jack tried separating Arthur and Francis then the door opened and the pictonians appeared "what do we do now?" Francis asked 

I don’t know, maybe run instead of twiddling your thumbs?

"don't worry I'm sure there is a trap door here somewhere" Arthur said then a rope appeared next to him "see what did I tell you" he pulled the rope and the four of them fell through the trap door leaving me on the floor the pictonians looked at me 'I'm screwed' they didn't move "huh?" I looked down and saw that I look like someone turning into a pictonian. ' alright, let's play pictonian' so I found my other half of my costume and slowly pulled it on and pretended it hurt then to seal the deal I was next to the trap door and screamed at the top of my lungs "aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" then I slowly stood up slouching like them then they left. 

I understood like ten words out of this section. 

I shed the pictonian costume and fluffed out my black cloak and skirt I checked to see if my necklace on my head was still there and if my foldable gold staff was in the side of my skirt, luckily they were but unluckily, the staff put a little cut in my side making blood drops appear. 

And this, kids, is why you don’t fight with fucking staffs. Also, how on earth is a tall, heavy staff made out of gold able to fold in on itself?

I ran out of the room and followed the pictonians without them noticing me. Then I see everyone in a corner. Found the alarm system, pulled and jumped in the vent the pictonians turned their attention to the alarm I slowly crawled in the air vent but, then I made a wrong move and fell. I waited for the impact but it never came I opened my eyes to see that china caught me "china, thank you!" I said as I hugged him "it is alright and please call me Yao" he smiled as he blushed lightly then set me on the ground 

Dammit, there goes another one.

"Kaitlyn, you're alright" Feli cried as he hugged me. Then a green light grew bright we all looked to see the pictonians about to turn us into one of them. "We. Are. Screwed." I stated "wait, ret me try something" Kiku said "go ahead, Kiku-san" I said. "Pictonians we have come to show you our hospitarity." He said "WHAT!?" everyone but me yelled I ran next to Kiku and backed him up saying "Kiku is right we should show them what earth has to offer. If we show them how fun and fantastic earth is maybe they won't invade earth, change everything back to normal and leave."

Nice idea, but they’ve kind of already invaded earth. You’re too late, honey.

Then Yao said "leave it to me!" then a china town appeared and all the pictonians were sitting at tables with food in front of them "please eat as much as you want" Yao offered "don't-a mind if I-a do!" Feli said with a plate of food in his hand "zhat is not for you!" Germany yelled "but why does-a Kaitlyn get-a to eat?" he complained "because it's just a mango and I haven't eaten since yesterday" I said the pictonians started to eat 

What does China serving mangoes have to do with why she gets to eat?

"so you like it am I right?" Yao asked confidently "we don't know" they answered Yao "I'm so glad you like it. Wait you don't know?" he asked "we don't know" they replied then France tried to get them to eat his countries cuisine but got the same reply "I would like to be going now don't be letting me down" Ivan said to the Baltics "yes sir" they replied then done a ballet to swan lake in female ballerina outfits' 

Poor Baltics. What did they do to deserve being put in this fic?

that's just cruel' then they spun off stage "we don't know" the pictonians said I thought of what hospitality I could provide 'belly dancing and flowers' I played belly dancing music and hopped on the stage and danced. Every time I could I threw a bunch of flowers to the pictonians. 

Where did she get - I’m not going to question things any more.

I heard my friends shouting out "go, sheila!" "Shake it, Kaitlyn" "go, bella!" when I finished I posed with my hands above my head and one leg at the front the pictonians gave me an unexpected answer "it was good" I jumped off the stage and Alfred picked me up and spun me in the air "dude that was awesome where did you learn to do that?" he asked as he set me on the ground "I went to India a little while back and learned belly dancing" I replied then Germany tried to give a pictonian some beer but struggled a bit "dude, let me help you out" Alfred said then a casino popped out of nowhere. All the pictonians were at slot machines and one hit the jackpot, another got kissed by two girls in bunny costumes. "Men" I said as I walked away from Alfred. 

Haha guise get it? She’s totally a strong independent woman who laughs when men are being stupid even though she has ten of them chasing after her!

I noticed Feli with the pictonians having fun then everything went wrong. The pictonians had eaten one of Arthur's scones and turned blue in the face. "Come on, what-a happened? Let's-a eat another scone" Feli said happily and the pictonians replied "no way" "guys I think this is our cue to leave" jack said and with that we ran. "Well, what now genius?" I ask then Alfred stops at a door and presses a button then the door opens to show us a long drop out of the ship into the ocean "Geronimo!" Alfred yells as he jumps then everyone but me and Feli are left "Feli come on it's better than being turned into a pictonian" I say then we jump. During the fall Feli had his eyes closed, me mine were open and it's a good thing too, because up ahead was a huge pointy rock. We were falling fast so I pushed Feli out of the way and he missed the rock by an inch. I, on the other hand got the full blow of the rock it my stomach leaving a huge gash then my back. 

Wouldn’t she also break some bones and presumably die on impact? Falling from a high place onto a sharp rock would definitely leave more than two gashes.

I fell in the ocean hard and hit my head on a rock I slowly lost consciousness as I rose to the surface. 20 minutes later. I woke up on a sandy surface and I immediately started coughing up water and feeling the sting of salt water in my wounds. "Hello? Is someone there?" I heard a familiar British voice call "Arthur?" I call out but no reply I stand up and limp to where the sound came from. I keep walking until I hear crying I stumble to the noise and soon am hiding behind a tree looking at a camp fire with everyone around it. "b-but, where-a I-I-is Kaitlyn? Feli cried "we need to find her now I-I just couldn't bear to think what I would do without her" Alfred admitted everyone nodded their heads in agreement "it's so nice to see how much you guys care for me" I said as I came out from behind the tree with my cloak covering my body. They all lifted their heads and Feli tackled me to the ground "bella, I-"but before he could finish his sentence I howled out in pain "aaahhhh!" 

You should’ve collapsed a long time ago.

Feli got up and looked at his hands and his eyes opened and widened showing terror "b-bella, w-w-why are-a you bleeding?" he shakily asked I stood up to see everyone staring at me with pale faces "I had a little accident." I said they still didn't look convinced. I felt a pulsing pain in my stomach as I fell to my knees 

Yeah, there it is.

"Kaitlyn!" they all ran to me I undid the lock on me cloak "Kaitlyn what's wrong!?" Alfred asked as he looked like he was about to cry. I removed my cloak and reviling my injuries everyone gasped in horror. "Well are you going t-"I lost consciousness in the middle of my sentence. In my dream world.

It’s magic teleportation man, isn’t it.

"Hello?" I call no answer "hello, poppet." I turn around to see a man with strawberry blond hair and bushie eye brows he had neon blue eyes, he wore a pink vest over a white dress shirt and army green slacks and a purple bow tie. Then it hit me I know who he is "O-Oliver Kirkland!?" 

YOU’VE GOT TO BE FUCKING -

I ask he clapped his hands while jumping up and down "oh, you figured it out poppet well done! But please call me Ollie" he giggled 'only because I read fan fiction' 

How does Kaitlyn reading fanfiction relate to her being allowed to call Oliver “Ollie”? So many sentences in this fic are just strung together with no relation whatsoever.

"you sent me here didn't you?" I asked he stopped bouncing and smiled "yes, we brought you here because you have such a vast knowledge on us and wanted Hetalia to be real so badly that we decide to bring you here and make you a country. Isn't wonderful? We picked you out of all the girls and boys in the world" he said "yes I am grateful but, what do you mean by 'we'?" 

Oh, so her teleportation into the Hetalia world is explained. Still makes no sense why she was picked, though.

I asked he smiled but made it even more cheerful looking "I mean-""the cupcake freak means us, doll" I looked behind me to see 2P America Allen Johnson or as he prefers to called Al, he had red/brown hair, red eyes, a bomber jacket with a fifty on the back, black gloves, sunglasses and, like the fan fiction says, a baseball bat with nails at the top. 

OH MY GOODNESS, NOT THE ANOTHER COLOURS.

And another thing: why is Allen’s appearance described as being “like the fanfiction says”? Since the Another Colour Main Six aren’t canon (only their Nyotalia forms are), everyone has a different interpretation of what they look like. What fanfiction is Kaitlyn referring to?

I need to stop asking questions when it’s clear I won’t get answers.

I started blushing because when I found out about the 2P's I developed a crush on them. "Well hello, doll face" he said as he walked up to me "Al" was all I could say he smiled and put a finger under my chin and moved his face closer about 2 inches from mine "heh, she's pretty cute. No 2P Serenia but hey she's just as cute" 

ANOTHER ONE IN THE HAREM.

he said I backed away a little "you mean I have a 2P?" I asked then Oliver came from behind and hugged me I yelped and winced Oliver looked down and said "oh dear you got injured. We'll bring you to Yung" then another figure appeared with a medical kit. He looked like Yao except he had black hair and red eyes 

Doesn’t regular China also have black hair? Also, what the fuck kind of name is “Yung?” That syllable doesn’t exist in Chinese.

"hello, Mrs. Water lily" he said as he tended to my wounds as I sat on the floor "it's nice to meet you, and you don't have to be so formal with me please call me anything you like" I beamed he had a light blush across his cheeks "fine, I will call you… nightingale because you have the beautiful voice of one" he said I turned bright red. 

You’ve met her for at most five minutes.

When he finished I had a bandage around my whole torso and stomach and head. 

A bandage around her torso, stomach and head? She must look like a mummy from the waist up.

"Thanks, I owe you one." I said "oh, don't worry about it, poppet. We wouldn't want you to be hurt now would we?" Oliver said "now, see that door?" he said as a blue door appeared "uh huh" I said "go straight through it and you'll wake up to the 1P's and have theses bandages on still" he said. 

So the Another Colour characters were only brought up to keep Kaitlyn from dying and providing exposition. Well, I shouldn’t have expected anything more.

I walk to the but I stop when I put my hand on the handle I turn to the 2P's "but will I see any of you guys again" I ask. Al smiles and says "of course. Why wouldn't we want to see your cute face again, doll face" Al replied I nodded and walked through the door. When I wake up. I open my eyes and see Feli asleep and everyone else talking about things 'no sign of Sealand' I sit up and groan "ow, my head" everyone looks at me their eyes widen as I stand up. "Will you stop looking at me like that? I'm fine" I said smiling "cheerio everyone!" we turn our heads to see Sealand on his 'country' 'I haven't met Sealand yet' "I brought my whole country here to help you all!" he shouted "you don't have a whole country to begin with go home you little pipsqueak!" Arthur yelled.

“Sealand and England arguing over whether or not he’s a country” trope, check.

5 minutes later. Everyone just finished eating food from Yoa's resort that was conveniently on the island. 

Who is Yoa?

"I am so full at moment" Yao said rubbing his belly. "Who knew you had a resort on this island" Arthur said I sat on the shore of the ocean, letting the water touch my feet. 'My babies, I raised them from pups and cubs and now their pictonians.'

What an out-of-place line to wrap up this chapter. The conversation has just started, nobody has responded to it and nobody knows what will happen. It feels very abrupt.

...

Well, that was it. I am in immense pain and I feel like I’ve lost a few brain cells. This was maybe the most illogical, unenjoyable thing I’ve read in quite a while, but am I going to also review the other chapters? Yes. For now, I’m going to rethink my life choices and try to forget what I read here.

[cindylouwho-2]

RECENT NEWS, RESOURCES & STUDIES, August 19, 2020

Welcome to my latest summary of recent ecommerce news, resources & studies including search, analytics, content marketing, social media & Etsy! This covers articles, podcasts, videos and infographics I came across since the late July report, although some may be older than that.

Please note I am taking the next week off, starting tomorrow (Aug. 19), so I might be a little slow in replying to any comments. 

TOP NEWS & ARTICLES 

USPS has become the focus of investigations due to reported mail slowdowns. Some small businesses who rely on USPS to deliver are suffering. “The longer the policy has been in effect, the worse the backlog gets.” As of today (August 18), the postmaster says they will rollback the changes until after the election in November. This is a rapidly-moving story in part due to the push for voting by mail, and should concern anyone who ships to US customers using regular mail (as opposed to couriers). Meanwhile, they plan to temporarily raise commercial rates during the holiday shopping season, but retail rates will not change. 

Ecommerce sales are still up year over year. "Before Covid-19 hit the US in March, e-commerce made up roughly 12% of retail sales in the country. That figure grew as states issued shelter-in-place orders that shut stores and kept shoppers at home, creating tailwinds for a company like Amazon. But even as states have begun to reopen, e-commerce has remained elevated, according to Bank of America data."..."The Economist used Google search traffic for hints of how lifestyles are changing and found users are still searching terms related to cooking, crafts, and exercise above pre-pandemic rates. There has been a noticeable spike in interest around such products as gardening supplies, baking flour, and Crocs." The UK is still seeing a good increase despite the ease in reduction in lockdown restrictions. The growth is slowing a bit in the US, though. 

Half of US small businesses fail in the first year (and other stats on small business). 

It’s been second quarter report season, covering company performance from April to June 2020.  Here are results for major companies involved in ecommerce in some way (comparisons are year-over-year):

Amazon US: sales up 40%

eBay: sales up 26%

Etsy: sales up $146% [click the link to read my summary]

Facebook: revenue up 11%

Google: revenue down 2%

PayPal: revenue up 22%

Pinterest: revenue up 4%; active users up 39%

Shopify: revenue up 97%

Walmart [2nd quarter ran May to July]: ecommerce sales up 97%, same-store sales up 9.3%

ETSY NEWS 

Admin are now posting a monthly update thread, in case you fear you have missed anything. This is how they chose to announce that non-seller accounts can no longer post in the forum. Since those account owners can still read the forum, that doesn’t mean you can call out your customers now. 

Sadly, there wasn’t much media coverage of Etsy’s nearly-annual billing screw up, but this one did get some attention. 

Etsy continues to get good media coverage for masks, including masks for your dolls. They also apparently got a decent slice of Google ranking for various pandemic-related searches in May [scroll down to the “Protection and Prevention” section]. 

However, Etsy is getting some bad press (along with Amazon), for allowing QAnon merchandise, because “the FBI has warned of the movement's potential to incite domestic terrorism.” Etsy replied to a request for comment saying that “that product listings associated with certain movements are allowed as long as they don't violate the company's seller or prohibited items policies, which ban items that promote hate or that could incite violence. The company said it is continually reviewing items on the site and could remove items in the future if they're found to violate Etsy's policies.”

More search trends on Etsy, this time kids’ items. I love how they think tie-dye was a ‘90s thing and not a ‘60-70s thing LOL. “a 318% increase in searches for kids tie-dye items...71% increase in searches for dinosaur wall art or decor*, and a 37% increase in searches for school of fish items….we’ve seen kid-friendly crafts spike in popularity, with searches for DIY kits for kids up 336%.”

Also, the holiday trends guide is out. “With the holidays approaching, and most shopping happening online, more shoppers will be looking for your help to make the season feel special.” The report is lengthy, covering Halloween to New Year’s, and most listing categories, while pointing out the possible pandemic changes to the usual trends. There is also an accompanying podcast with transcript. 

Speaking of the holiday season, here are Etsy’s tips for shops. Note that it is a bit late, as businesses need to have their holiday items posted no later than July if they want to be eligible for most fall media coverage. Almost every point refers to an Etsy tool or feature, some of them costing you money, so use this as a very broad guideline & be careful to read between the lines. 

They are still rolling out Etsy Payments to more countries: Morocco & Israel are the most recent. Note that Etsy Payments is not yet compulsory in these new countries. 

Etsy Ads once again has graphs. Do you find them useful? (I haven’t run ads at all this year, so I can’t check.)

Sendle is the latest shipping company to have a label integration with Etsy shops. 

Etsy asked US sellers to lobby their reps for more support for small business and other initiatives in the pandemic aid package.

SEO: GOOGLE & OTHER SEARCH ENGINES 

Google has stated that content on tabs is indexed and contributes to ranking as if it were on the page instead, but yet another test demonstrates that tabs may limit you. 

Due to the pandemic, Google has delayed finalizing mobile-first indexing until March 2021. (They originally announced it would be finished this September.) That means you have more time to update your website’s mobile version, ideally with responsive design. 

Site speed does matter to SEO, and Google is now asking some searchers how fast certain sites loaded for them. 

User comments on your products, blog posts and website can help you improve your SEO. The article suggests ways of getting that feedback, and ways to use it. [I’ve even had buyers give me new keywords to describe my items, in their messages and reviews.]

Getting links back to your site is important to SEO, but don’t annoy people while doing it. [sort of humour & sort of a rant, but does give some useful background on why backlinks matter.] Internal links also matter. 

There are some special tricks for food/recipe SEO, including structured data and even a WordPress plugin. 

Another WordPress plugin: submit any new or updated pages to Bing to be automatically re/indexed.

Do your keyword research before setting up your website’s sections and sub-sections, as they should serve the buyer experience, not your perception of it. Same with choosing which pages link to each other. 

SEOs are still trying to work out what happened with recent Google algorithm changes. Search Engine Journal claims that the May update was at least in part about demoting sites that had out-of-date or inaccurate information, so they suggest getting rid of the bad content on your site, or at least updating it. “Content pruning” has some advocates, but I wouldn’t worry about investing tons of time in this unless you have tons of time to spend. Just get rid of the blog posts that were wildly wrong, and the out-of-date filler. If you have a lot of sold out products, redirect those to relevant active pages. 

Meanwhile, a “glitch” on August 10 led people to think there was a massive Google algorithm update happening, but it all got fixed in less than a day. 

If you are behind on Google search news, here is a 7 minute video [with time stamped subtopics & resources links listed below], direct from Google. 

(CONTENT) MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA (includes blogging & emails) 

It’s tough to get started in social media if you don’t know the terminology, so here’s a list of the basic definitions you can consult if you get lost when reading.  

Don’t know how to blog? There are formulas you can use; here are eight options, nicely laid out, with downloadable templates. Don’t forget to figure out what your audience wants to read. And make sure you avoid these common blogging mistakes. 

If you have an email list but do not know how to take advantage of all the bells & whistles the companies (MailChimp, Constant Contact etc.) offer you, here are 4 ways to segment your lists. You can then send different offers or newsletters to different segments. 

You can optimize your social posts for people with visual impairments; excellent tips here. 

By the time you read this, the TikTok mess will likely have changed again, but here is an article on Trump’s order to prohibit US companies from doing business with TikTok owner ByteDance if the platform is not sold by September 15. 

Instagram has released its TikTok challenger, Reels, in more countries. 

Instagram is now offering a fundraising option, although it is a slow launch with some beta testing in the US, UK & Ireland to start. 

Here are step-by-step instructions on setting up your “Shop on Instagram.”

Pinterest says that searches around self-care & wellness have spiked during the pandemic lockdowns. “Pinterest has recently seen the highest searches ever around mental wellness ideas including meditation (+44%), gratitude (+60%) and positivity (+42%) that jumped from February to May….Pinterest says that searches for ‘starting a new business’ are up 35% on average, as are searches for ‘future life goals’ (2x), ‘life bucket list’ (+65%), ‘family goals future’ (+30%) and ‘future house goals’ (+78%).” There were also some searches clearly about spending more time at home: “Productive morning routine (up 6x), Exercise routine at home (up 12x), Self care night routine (up 7x)”

LinkedIn has a new algorithm; here’s how to make it work for you. [Many of these tips also apply to social media in general.]

Spotify is now doing “video podcasts”. Apparently a lot of their podcasters already did a video version of the Spotify podcasts, but had to publish it elsewhere up until now. 

Twitter now admits it is considering offering subscriptions to shore up its revenue numbers. “Shares of Twitter rose 4% in early trading Thursday following the earnings results....Twitter's growth plans are under close scrutiny as many advertisers pull back due to the pandemic. On Thursday, Twitter reported second-quarter ad revenues of $562 million, a 23% decrease compared to the same quarter a year ago. The company has also been hit by advertisers participating in an ad boycott of social media, linked to the nationwide racial justice protests.” Also, the recent hack is not helping them. 

That said, it is still possible to market using Twitter, and here are some of the basics. 

YouTube is no longer sending email updates when a channel you follow posts new content. 

ONLINE ADVERTISING (SEARCH ENGINES, SOCIAL MEDIA, & OTHERS) 

Ad spend has increased again as lockdowns end, in some cases beating last year by a decent margin. 

The Buy on Google program is ending its commission fees. Participants will also be able to integrate their PayPal and/or Shopify payment options. As often is the case, they are starting with the US first, but plan on rolling it out to more countries in the future. There are more details here, and a review here (with some of the drawbacks). 

Google Product Ads are now showing the item’s “material” on the listing card (before you click). If you are doing your own feed for your website, you may have the ability to add the attributes needed for the details to show up.  

If you find Google Ads too expensive, consider buying search ads on Bing. 

eBay is experimenting with showing ads mixed in with unpaid listings; placement would depend on the same algorithm. 

Here’s a new guide to Facebook Ads [videos & text]

STATS, DATA, OTHER TRACKING 

Bing has launched a new version of Webmaster Tools. 

There are ways to reduce the amount of traffic that Google Analytics designates as “direct traffic”; here are 15 of them. 

Currently in closed beta testing, the Google Search Console now has an “Insights” function, just like Google Analytics. I’ve found the GA one useful for telling me things I don’t always look at, so crossing my fingers that they release this to everyone soon. 

 ECOMMERCE NEWS, IDEAS, TRENDS 

Shopify helped many businesses stay open during pandemic lockdowns, giving it the boost to start competing with the likes of Amazon in ecommerce. “Shopify merchants that had previously or entirely relied on brick-and-mortar sales would later report they were able revive nearly 95% of that revenue online.”

eBay started rolling out its Managed Payments system to more sellers worldwide on July 20th. Things seem to be going slowly, with some confusion. 

But eBay is also having a 25th anniversary party for sellers on September 25th; don’t forget to register. 

Walmart is still delaying its new subscription model to challenge Amazon Prime, Walmart+. 

Amazon in the UK has launched a “Face mask store” part of the website. I haven’t seen this on other versions of Amazon. They’ve also increased some fees for some UK sellers, based on the new UK digital tax. And they are launching a site & presence in Sweden. 

The Competition Bureau of Canada has launched an investigation of Amazon’s treatment of third-party sellers. “The bureau is asking any person or business that has conducted sales via Amazon.ca to contact them if they have any insights into the issues it is investigating.“

Amazon Prime Day has been postponed to later dates this year, starting with India on August 6-7. The remaining countries will apparently be announced soon. 

If you use WooCommerce, here are a bunch of free plugins, with brief descriptions. 

BUSINESS & CONSUMER STUDIES, STATS & REPORTS; SOCIOLOGY & PSYCHOLOGY, CUSTOMER SERVICE 

Buyers do not all make purchase decisions the same way; Google uses its massive collection of data and some new studies to provide some examples. “Worldwide, search interest for “best” has far outpaced search interest for “cheap.”

It’s cheaper to keep repeat buyers than it is to find new ones; here are 16 ways to do that. One of my favourites is ““proactively providing information on how to avoid problems or get more out of your product” creates a 32% average lift to repurchase or recommend.”

It seems that researchers can never produce enough marketing guides on Gen Z and millennials. 

MISCELLANEOUS (including humour) 

I see a lot of new sellers, and some older sellers, confused about the idea of a business plan. HubSpot not only explains them, but also provides a downloadable template. 

If you are thinking of changing careers, or just want to add skills to better run your current business, Google has many different courses, some of which they offer for free. 

There are ways you can increase your productivity without (usually) working more hours. “A study published by John Pencavel of Standford University found that how much employees get done takes a sharp drop after 50 hours of work in a week, and even more drastically after 55 hours. The study found that employees working 70 hours per week actually produce nothing more in those extra 15 hours...taking a power nap in the middle of the day can help you process new information and even learn new skills.”

[alexanderlightweight]

jubilation of the stars

ao3 link

“Hello pretty boy.”  

Alec bit back a groan and turned, scowl already in full force and his eyes dark with the weight of his irritation.  

“Bane,” he said and crossed his arms, leaning back a little and giving a scoff as he took in the bounty hunter.  “I see you’re still alive, barely .”  He worked as he spoke, lips pinched and movement rigid as he mixed a quick drink and practically slammed it onto the counter with a brow raised in challenge.  Bane took the challenge, toasting him as he took a sip and then his face screwed up in a grimace as he downed the rest.

“Not for lack of trying, lots of enemies out there.  However I'm sure if they don't manage to get to me first, your exquisite skills will."  Magnus said with a wink, reaching out to claim a bottle and glass before pouring himself a drink, ignoring Alec’s glower as he did.  

 Alec, if possible was only getting more and more irked and from Bane’s smirk, the bounty hunter knew exactly what he was doing and how many buttons he was pushing.  With a huff, Alec poured himself a glass of alcohol and took a swallow before stepping back, just in time to avoid the blast that nicked the wall of his bar and sent metal all over his floor.

Magnus didn’t even turn around, his eyes flared golden and he twisted his hand in a complicated manner that Alec knew for a fact looked easier than it was.  The last time he’d tried to mimic Bane, he’d looked like a drunken fool.

Somehow, Magnus never looked like a fool even when he was drunk and unfortunately for the shooter, at the moment he wasn’t even slightly intoxicated.

No the man was elegance personified and when he moved, the world twisted to his will and the would-be assassin fell with only a soft cry, landing in an undignified heap of twisted limbs and leaving a scorch mark on Alec’s normally pristine walls.

Alec told himself that his heart was pounding because his bar was now damaged and someone had shot at him.  Not because there was something tragically alluring about the fury simmering in Bane’s form, the anger in every taut muscle and the wrath that promised to spark an inferno in his gold eyes.

The assassin’s companion was wide-eyed but his weapon was still primed, Alec knew from experience that it had only been jammed temporarily and he watched warily, hand going below the counter to where he kept his own weapons.

“There’s no need for that Alexander.”  Magnus practically purred as he turned to face the intruder, “no need at all.”  

Magnus threw one hand forward, a smooth orb of power molding into shape and it hissed as it hurled through the air and Alec wasn’t sure what was worse.  The scorched stench of burned flesh or the one, long reedy scream that stopped the moment the other’s heart did.  

“That,” he said with a calm he wasn’t feeling, “is going to drive away so many customers.  No one wants to drink in a place that stinks of death.”  

He gave Magnus a pointed look even as he tapped a command into his control system.  Magnus didn’t look the least bit apologetic, instead there was a feral contentment in his expression as he surveyed his downed foes.  

“I might have considered being lenient, but then they shot at you.  You didn’t really think I’d just let that go, did you?”  

“I’d rather you call ahead so I can secure you a private room somewhere you can’t make trouble.”

“Oh darling, wherever is the fun in that?  Besides, I was coming in hot and my last meeting ran late.  I wanted to see you.” Bane leaned back against the bar and raised his glass, idly taking a long sip and looking Alec up and down as he did so, “an entire galaxy and you’re still the most gorgeous thing I’ve ever seen.”  

Alec huffed, aware that his cheeks were pinking but also aware that both of them knew he was flushing from exasperation and not anger.  

“I just don’t like it when you use my bar to bag someone, you know that.”  He told his fiancé rather testily, even as he watched a cleaner droid drag the body out of his establishment.  “It’s risky. Someone might figure it out one day. What if you really do need to lay low and they’re here waiting for you?  I never want you to be in danger just from visiting me.”

Magnus’ face dropped from his confident facade and his golden eyes widened, “Alec, I don’t mean to worry you.  You know that.”

“But that’s all I do.”  Alec admitted as he made sure both bodies would be properly disposed of, “it feels like every time I see you, someone is following you.  Looking to make a name for themselves and a large payday.”

He left the bar, tapping in a quick code that meant a droid would see to the lingering customers and walked to the back.  Magnus followed close on his heels and they both sighed when they reached his office.

-

Magnus reached out, thumbs rubbing at the line of Alec’s neck as he pulled him close.  

“That won’t happen.”  He promised and he kissed Alec, hungry for his touch and taste and Alec met him with fervor, arms wrapping around him and he paused when Alec let out a low, mournful noise.  

Magnus stepped back, just enough to look at Alec and admire his shadowed face in the pale lavender of sunset that trickled in through the windows.  “What’s wrong?” He knew they weren’t done with their discussion from earlier but he had hoped that it could be postponed. For a moment he worried he was losing his touch, normally when he got his hands on Alec, his lovely fiance lost coherency.  

“Your stupid uniform.”  Alec admitted and he ran his hands down Magnus’ arms and the slick leather that covered his muscles.  “I can’t hold on to you and if you keep kissing me like that, I’m going to need to.”

Magnus laughed in delight and stole one more quick, scorching kiss from his love.

“Well then, I think you still have a spare room somewhere around here?”  

Alec hummed against his mouth and nodded and for a moment Magnus let himself drift into the embrace.  Alec was so very warm in his arms, a stark difference from the cold solemnity of space and the perpetual draft that lingered on a ship.  His hair was soft under Magnus’ fingers and he smelled of sandalwood, proof that he still used the shampoo that Magnus sent him.  

“Come with me.”  Magnus murmured against the shell of Alec’s air, “come hunt with me.”  He hadn’t meant to ask here or now, but whatever plans he’d had flew out the cargo-hold the moment Alec was back where he belonged, in Magnus’ arms.

“I thought we agreed that was a bad idea.”  Alec sounded so wary that Magnus’ heart clenched and he dug his fingers a little tighter through Alec’s hair.

“No.”  Magnus waited but when Alec didn’t say anything he sighed and pressed a kiss to Alec’s neck, “no sweetheart.  That was just me overthinking. I was worried Alexander. I’ve had so many bad goes of it and then you came into my life and just, it was easier to separate the past from the future if you weren’t a part of that life.  And that’s all I’ve wanted since we met, a future with you.”  

“What changed your mind?”

“I miss you.  Constantly .  It’s like there’s an echo always reminding me that you’re not there and you should be.  I miss you next to me in bed. I miss waking you up with kisses and falling asleep to your adorable little snores or how you get the cutest pout when you kill someone and it makes a mess.  As if they’ve personally done you a disservice by dying incorrectly.” 

“They’re already dead at that point!  I don’t get why they have to leak everywhere, it’s why plasma bolts are much more efficient.”  Alec grumbled, “and I do not snore.”

 Magnus ignored Alec’s affronted expression and kissed him softly, stealing away his breath, “I miss everything about you and you’re right.  Sooner or later my enemies are going to connect the trail. When they do, I’d rather have you with me than away from me.”

“Please tell me you’ve thought this through, that it’s not something you’ll regret later.”

“I wanted to ask you the last time I was here.”  Magnus promised fervently, brow pressed firmly against Alec’s, grounding them both.  

“Then why didn’t you?  I would have gone with you.  You have to know that I'll always go with you.”  

Alec was strong.  Magnus knew that, in fact that very first time they’d met had been back when Alec was still an active hunter and they’d taken out a target together, completely by accident.  However back then, Camille had still been a threat and while Magnus knew he could handle her -however painful and rancid the wounds of she left were- he’d never wanted to put Alec in her crosshairs.  

“I had something to finish up, a loose end to tie up so we could build a life together.”  

Alec didn’t answer for a minute but Magnus wasn’t worried, instead he let himself sink into the understanding that this was different.  This wasn’t a desperate and hurried moment for them to wallow in each other’s embrace before parting for an unknown period of time. This was Alec clinging to him, nails scrabbling against leather to try and hold him tighter and tears searing into his skin as Alec said yes.  

Somehow, Magnus felt this was almost more momentous than when Alec had agreed to marry him.  Then, he had turned the proposal back on him just to be contrary and Magnus had been -as he always was- completely charmed by him.  

The kiss tasted of salt, of jubilation and hope and a life together where the stars stretched out beyond them in vast amounts and Magnus always had Alec at his side, forever.  

[vanderlindeandco]

The Long Haul: Chapter 2 (Felix Millstone x The Captain)

Chapter 1 can be found here

_______________________________________________________________________

There was a knock on my door after a couple hours of my sulking and thinking, and I called, “Come in,” half of me hoping it was Felix, because that would mean he was back from his date, and half of me hoping it wasn’t, because that way I wouldn’t have to look him in the eye. To my partial relief, it turned out to be Parvati.

“She’s up and running, Captain!” she said cheerfully.

“Oh good, glad to hear it.” It was good news, and it temporarily took my mind off Felix. “What was wrong with it?”

“Well,” she sighed, her eyes passing me. “The part seems to have been defective or something. It should have fit, but it just didn’t - Junlei found the problem. It could have been really bad.”

“So you don’t know exactly what caused it?” I asked. It was odd for Parvati to not thoroughly diagnose the problem. If anything, she usually tended to talk almost too much about this stuff.

“No, not exactly,” she said, but she still wasn’t meeting my eyes. “But Junlei patched it, and she said we can get the parts we need from a mechanic she knows on Terra 2.”

“Okay,” I said. Perhaps she was just embarrassed because she had installed the part improperly, but dishonesty wasn’t like her. I didn’t like the assumptions I was having to make about my crew lately, but I trusted her. “Is Felix back?”

“Oh yes, Captain, he got back awhile ago.”

“How’d he seem?” The question left me before I could stop it, and Parvati gave me a slightly quizzical look.

“Seem? I, well, he seemed like Felix. Happy-go-lucky and ready to go.”

Well, that wasn’t helpful. “Okay, thanks Parvati. We’ll get going soon.”

I took a moment to compose myself after she left, and then headed downstairs so we could get going to Terra 2. I wasn’t going to act on my feelings - I’d decided that much. If Felix showed interest, I’d consider it, but if not, it wasn’t worth risking our friendship. I cared about him too much as a person to lose him as a friend because I couldn’t settle for just that. The outcome of my decision wasn’t going to feel good, I knew that, but coming to a decision did. Now for me to stick with it. I reached the bottom of the ramps and was about to head over to the computers to take us to Terra 2 when I glanced into the cargo bay and saw Felix working at the bench, molding a new grip for his tossball stick. He was wearing a smudged white tank top to work, the defined muscles in his arms and shoulders flexing as he shaped the metal.

I stopped in my tracks without realizing it, gaze fixed on him. He didn’t notice me there and I watched for a few moments as he worked, an annoying voice in the back of my mind asking me how his strong arms would feel wrapped around me. I had never seen Felix in less than a T-shirt before, and now was exactly the worst time. Of course it was because the cooling in the Unreliable hadn’t been working right, but what bad luck was it for me that it had happened to coincide with my emotional epiphany. His hair, which he hadn’t been cut in awhile, was tucked back with a bandana and it gleamed softly under the lights in the cargo bay. How I would have liked to run my fingers through it…

“Captain.” 

At the sound of Nyoka’s voice, I snapped out of my reverie and turned to face her.

There was a bit of a smirk on her face, her eyes shifting swiftly to Felix and back to me. I tried to look innocent, and asked, “What?”

“I was just wondering when we’re leaving, but you seem a little busy.”

“Not at all,” I said, feeling my cheeks heating. “We’re leaving now.” I didn’t wait for her to answer and continued on to the cockpit of the ship. Minutes later, we were landing on Terra 2, and as I picked out weapons from the lockers by the door of the ship, I heard familiar footsteps behind me and turned to see Felix approaching, a friendly smile on his face.

“Can I come with?” he asked eagerly. He never seemed to tire of exploring, even the very most godforsaken of planets. 

“I don’t see why not,” I said. “Get Parvati when you get your gear, will you?”

“Will do. Hey boss, I wanted to ask you something.”

I looked up, slightly startled by the sudden seriousness in his tone. “What’s up?”

“Was everything ok? On the Groundbreaker? Your tone got kind of… I don’t know, weird, and I thought you were disappointed by me leaving. I know we were there on business, and I’m sorry for using the time for fun.”

I wasn’t expecting his apology and it took me a moment to find an answer. “Oh no, everything was fine! I just… I don’t know, I was kinda cranky. It’s been an intense day.”

“So we’re good?” he said, and the earnestness in his eyes was almost so intense, I almost had to look away.

“Of course,” I said. “Did you have a good time?”

“Oh yeah,” he said. “I used to run with Alaina all the time on the Groundbreaker. I haven’t seen her in years though, so it was nice to catch up.”

“Good,” I said, forcing some enthusiasm. “Okay, let’s get ready to go.”

“All right, boss,” he said, shooting me a quick smile before turning to go upstairs.

When we stepped onto Terra 2, I took a deep breath of the fresh outside air, willing my head to clear. The colors around me were vivid and distracting, and as we hiked toward the trading post a few miles away from the landing pad, I began to feel more myself again. I listened as Parvati and Felix chattered cheerfully, letting my wandering thoughts focus on their conversation.

“You really think sprats would make better pets than raptidons?” Felix was asking.

“Well, they wouldn’t try to eat me, at least, unless there were enough of them,” Parvati said.

“Yeah, but raptidons are so much cooler,” Felix said fervently. “I mean, imagine how much respect you’d have to have for someone with a tamed raptidon.”

“I’d be more likely to think they might have a couple screws loose,” Parvati replied and I laughed.

“What do you think, Boss?” Felix asked.

“Hmm…” I was considering my answer when movement just ahead of the ridge I was cresting caught my eye. Primals, and a lot of them. “Quiet,” I whispered. “Primals.” I crouched, edging behind a tree, and Felix and Parvati took cover behind the ridge. The creatures didn’t seem to have noticed us yet, and I backed down slowly. We’d find a way around them and continue on toward the base.

Then I stepped a little too far back, my toes just catching the edge of a rock, my weight shifted, slipping off, and I stumbled, falling back and cracking my head against the edge of a rock formation, landing with a heavy thud on the ground and rolling several yards down the hill. The roar of a primal broke the peaceful silence as my vision went blurry. I could feel myself blacking out, my brain turning to cement as darkness crept in from the edges of my view. I groped for my gun and my fingers felt the metal, but as I tried to grip it, my muscles felt weak, and the darkness closed around me. The last thing I saw before the world disappeared was Felix and Parvati, guns raised, Felix shouting a battle cry as the herd of primals crested the ridge.

[lady-divine-writes]

The Big Damn Kiss & Character in Peril. :)

Hello, love! I’ve missed you so much

Okay, so the instructions said to send a ship, but I’m going to assume you want Klaine. If not, feel free to send me another ask. 

The thing I love about these two tropes together is that with Klaine especially it would have to be something over-the-top and positively ridiculous. Like I’ll say it’s Blaine in trouble - something to do with Cooper borrowing money from the wrong people, and he calls on his little brother to come rescue him. Except Blaine knows nothing about criminals or espionage. There will be that tension when he has to leave Kurt behind (because he can’t tell him what’s going on - he doesn’t want his fiance hurt) and maybe they even break up, but temporarily. For the greater good. So Romancing the Stone style Blaine has to travel to some far off country that he has no business being in, like Cuba; misses his connection with the bad guys; takes a left when he should have taken a right; maybe even ends up in the clutches of another pack of bad guys mistaking him for their cash cow, which puts him in the awkward situation of having to spill his guts to try and make them believe him - which happens with the help of the obligatory truth serum. But he ends up telling them EVERYTHING - that he actually resents Cooper, that maybe it wouldn’t be an altogether bad thing to let him stay in the custody of hardened criminals for a few days ... or months. So what if he comes home minus two fingers and an ear? At least, for the first time in his damned life, he’d be held accountable for his actions! And then he goes off on a tangent talking about Kurt, and how wonderful Kurt is, and wishing he hadn’t screwed things up with Kurt, and these bad guys start getting the idea that they can pawn off Blaine on Kurt to recoup some of what they lost with this frickin’ snafu. So they get Kurt’s deets from Blaine’s cell phone and tell him that they have his (ex for the moment) fiance, and Kurt doesn’t believe them. He thinks it’s Blaine trying to get back into his good graces after what he pulled breaking up with him. The kidnappers even send him a pic, but the way it’s staged, Kurt thinks it’s from a party at a bar or something and hangs up, refusing to answer any more calls from Blaine’s phone after that. But it’s bothering Kurt and when he tries to call Blaine back hours later, Blaine’s battery has died, so Kurt decides to go down to wherever and find him. Isabelle refuses to let him go alone so she tags along. In the meantime, Cooper’s kidnappers have gotten in touch with Blaine’s kidnappers (before the battery dump) and now they’re playing a game of dueling hostages while Blaine, having had a bad reaction to the truth serum, is straight up weeping in the corner and moaning, “Kurt! I love you, Kurt! Oh why did I leave you, Kurt!?” interspersed with random verses of a Katy Perry/Adam Levigne mashup that makes no sense but sends him into literal fits of sobbing every time he reaches the refrain. Meanwhile, Kurt and Isabelle are lost in the jungle when we find out that through the House of (something vaguely ethnic) she has random cartell connections, and they offer their assistance, their leader constantly referencing (with an inconsistent and inexplicable English accent) some spot of trouble Isabelle helped them out of decades back. (We eventually find out that cartell leader lady and Isabelle were lovers, but that’s another story). At some point, we stumble into the dramatic climax where Blaine’s kidnappers and Cooper’s kidnappers meet up to trade off, and Kurt and the cartell find out and show up. Everything goes off without a hitch, which is to say it turns into a complete and total disaster. There’s a huge gun battle where everyone shoots as well as your average storm trooper and Kurt ends up dispatching three baddies with an iron pipe he uses as a sword. Blaine, now officially sober, tries desperately to tell Kurt about everything and apologize, and Kurt kisses him to shut him up. That’s not the big kiss, it’s just a kiss. Anywho, adrenaline is running high, and the good guys all end up back together, except the bad guys still have Cooper and what the hell do we do about that? No really. What do we do, because I’m stuck. Oh yeah, Blaine distracts everyone with a song and a plucky dance number (because it’s about time, right?) and Isabelle and her lover are about to nab Cooper, when someone gets an eyeline on Kurt and is about to shoot him thru the head. The only person who sees is Blaine who leaps into the fray, blocking the bullet with his shoulder, and going down for the count. And then, out of nowhere, the army shows up and rounds up both sets of kidnappers on un-Cooper related charges. Cooper, Blaine, and Kurt are swept away into choppers and airlifted back to the states. There’s a surgery montage, “Oh, my God, is he going to make it?” “Yes, but he’ll have to play guitar other handed from now on.” “Noooo!” But all is well with the AnderBros and Kurt. Kurt and Blaine get married in Blaine’s hospital room by the hospital chaplain (who’s Baptist, so it’s all good), Cooper makes amends to his disfigured brother ... somehow (he’s Cooper, so it’ll be mildly backhanded anyway) and as the credits roll, we see Isabelle and cartell leader lady have escaped and are hiding out in the Balkins, sunbathing naked on the beach. Cartell lady hands Isabelle a glass of champagne, Isabelle leans in and takes it, and then Big Damn Kiss! The end XD

[ghostmartyr]

Pokémon Black 2 Randomized Nuzlocke Run [Part 9]

All eight badges earned, so what does that leave?

Pirates.

Team for the task?

Vertex (Luxray)

Caspet (Gengar)

Stormy (Metagross)

Photon (Rayquaza)

Nessy (Milotic)

Diego (Gardevoir)

...Those who did not participate in the last Gym, raise hands or whatever you have in place of hands for grinding.

#LET ME LEAVE THE GYM WITHOUT A CONVERSATION GEN 5 CHALLENGE.

Colress, I swear, if you pull a Euicine and make me fight you for the honor of not fighting the Terrakion...

He does not. He gives us a toy and basically says to check out the cave that I need Strength to go through more thoroughly. The Giant Chasm pirates are still blocking my way, so.

Siiiiiigh.

Box crew! What have you got for me!

I will take out Bessy, the level 33 Miltank, and teach her Strength.

Bessy is Modest and somewhat vain, but that doesn’t matter because she’s just here for HMs. She’s temporarily taking Vertex’s place, since Vertex isn’t in need of more experience.

Ah. Actually, Strength just lets you get Toxic. Which is fine, but sorry Vertex, guess I threw you out of the squad for nothing.

Hey we found the boat!

Marlon lets us aboard. Thought: I should go put Bessy back in the box and grab Vertex in case something goes wrong. Except that would take time.

...I am going to go put Bessy back in the box and grab Vertex.

After shifting a boulder on Route 22. And grinding for a bit.

Okay. A few hours later, I am more comfortable entering the pirate ship. Team levels are now 56-60. That is absolutely a balanced assessment of my current team. It is in no way misleading.

Me!

...This is the greatest grunt ever. He calls Marlon Smiley Swimsuit. Yes. You have perfectly boiled down his character essentials.

Oh wait, he has a Watchdog.

Sorry pirate friend. We can’t be friends.

Russell, my actual friend, is trying to go on his roaring rampage of revenge. Only as a responsible big brother, not a Sasuke.

I used to have a Sasuke. No more.

...I should have named Russell Itachi. If there’s ever a next time...

I continue to find it delightful that after N leaves, Team Plasma ditches their knight theme for a pirate one. I don’t even know why, I just love it. I love knight aesthetic, I love pirate aesthetic. My castle was right next to my pirate ship for most of my childhood, and it rocked.

Though my pirates wouldn’t steal people’s pets. A key difference. Pirate in name only. Well. And clothing. Pirate is just a more fun word than sailor, and pirates have looser fashion.

Mook time over?

Technically this one isn’t stealing.

Just animal abuse.

The villain of this game is just a salty old man who spent so much time in a refrigerator he decided the rest of the world should spend time in a refrigerator, too. Then he found out his region has a legendary Dragon/Ice type, and the rest is history.

Only history I have to repeat.

Because the villain of a Pokemon game decided his winning strategy would be shooting bolts of ice down at the world below.

Video games are the greatest.

...Wait. How did me and Russell get down here? Did Team Plasma just throw us off?

Also, yes Cheren. They use everything for evil. They’re the bad guys.

And then Cheren asks where the people Zekrom and Reshiram recognized are and. I wonder if he misses his friend. his best friend, [last game protagonist]. How much does it suck that he spent a full game with [person], and now they’ll never see each other again because [person] is bound to a different dimension. A world Cheren can’t touch.

Canon has, what. Red who comes back? Every other protagonist kind of just. vanishes as far as future references to that world are concerned. And Red spends quite some time up on a mountain. Alone.

These games are all about people who swoop in and birth legends, then vanish.

I made myself sad.

Anyway, to the Giant Chasm!

Totally bro.

Aw crud. Do I need Strength? I think I might need Strength. Can I mayhaps avoid that?

Oh. I could just go down the giant stairs.

Wow. Talk about your parties.

ONE MORE TIME ON THE BOAT.

I hate password games. At least the ship supplies a doctor early on. I wasn’t to the point of active concern, but I was feeling a bit itchy about using up healing items. I haven’t grown out of my usual standard in these games where I just let everything in my party die to avoid spending money.

Agreed, let’s roll you.

This guy just keeps throwing Cryogonal at me.

You know, I don’t have a lot to complain about regarding these games and their choices. I whine about everything, but all in all, I find all of them very solid and enjoyable. Even if gen 4 has too many HM requirements wtf just stop.

This isn’t really a complaint, but it is a confusion. Zinzolin is fought multiple times in a relatively small window, and his team never changes. We just keep beating him. I get the sense that they wanted a villain, but as a sequel game to a gen that went all out on that, they didn’t really have anything they were willing to turn into a threat.

Really, I feel like a better path to pick would have been giving one of the Plasma grunts a different hat and having them be the captain of a very confused and angry crew. But eh, whatever.

....Oh. You.

Why is the most anime hair dude in the game so gosh darn forgettable?

For the sake of my flawed memory, he wants to bring out the full potential of pokemon, and is willing to us whatever means are necessary. The only question is which approach actually yields results.

I like you, Colress. I am never going to remember you, but I like you.

Good grief his theme sounds like it came out of Phantasy Star.

First up is a level 50 Magneton. Caspet’s an okay choice, so I’ll just Shadow Ball it. Magneton Thunder Waves Caspet, then uses Volt Switch to swap in Beheeyem (also level 50), who takes a Shadow Ball and dies instantly.

Sorry, ‘faints.’

A level 50 Metang is switched in next. Out of twitchiness over Caspet’s paralyzed state, I put Nessy in and go with Surf. Metang uses Agility from the red. Colress uses a Full Restore. Metang hits a Zen Headbutt, but Nessy has the last laugh.

Ugh. Colress is going to send in a Magnezone. Stormy’s the best answer to that, I think. Stormy knows Hammer Arm. It hits, but like everything I hate, Magnezone has Sturdy. A Bullet Punch handles that.

A level 52 Klinklang is next. His only thing over 50. Stormy is paralyzed thanks to Magnezone, but a Hammer Arm that hits should end it, and I don’t think Klinklang knows anything that’s a threat.

Even if Stormy feels like being paralyzed.

Only once, though. Hammer Arm + Bullet Punch does the job, and we only have that pesky Magneton left.

Hammer Arm and we are done.

Please don’t make me fight another one of these clowns. I don’t wanna.

Aw heck, Russell’s having his moment with Purrloin drama. And I guess I’m not fighting robe dude. It’s all ninja for now. With my four pokemon who aren’t paralyzed. Maybe I should have fixed that.

:(

For real though, our rival’s plotline here is pretty dang sad. He wants his little sister’s pokemon back, and by the time he finds it, it isn’t hers anymore. It’s had an entirely different life without them, probably committing crime. Because it’s been told to.

This is why you get the pirate Plasmas and the knight Plasmas. It’s fantastic that you, the protagonist, has a crew of pokemon perfectly happy fighting and doing whatever you want. But living things being forced to do whatever you want them to because you happened to throw a ball at them is pretty screwed up.

There’s not really a satisfactory conclusion to all of this, since critique of a game mechanic that is never going to stop being a game mechanic doesn’t get to start dramatic revolutions regarding that mechanic, but it’s all very sad and sobering.

That pretty ice tho.

BUT WHERE IS THE PROTAGONIST FROM THE LAST GAME.

No, but thank you N. I was not ready to die at the hands of Kyurem. Your assistance is much appreciated, and pretty great in your sequel. Props.

Gee, that looks bad.

Cue dramatic anime battle sequence.

Followed by anime transformation sequence.

Welp. Time to kill you. Let’s just hope I can.

...Stormy. I think I might want you to tackle this. To the front you go.

But really.

So damn cool.

It’s dead now, but so. cool.

There are too many fights going on. I think I wouldn’t mind in a normaly playthrough, but for a Nuzlocke, this is needlessly stressful and I am not a fan also I beat Ghetsis in the last game and it wasn’t fun then, either.

He has six pokemon, and he opens with a level 50 Cofagrigus. That is not Stormy’s friend. Nessy, if you would. Hydro Pump hits. Toxic hits from the other side, and I will deal with that in a moment, after the Cofagrigus is gone.

Ghetsis, naturally, uses a Full Restore.

Nessy handles it in the end, but is down to 73 health. Eelektross is coming out next. Time to switch. To... uh. I’ll give Photon a whirl. Feeling lucky, I use Outrage, and Eelektross faints.

Ah. Hydreigon is out next.

That is a nasty type combo for my team to deal with. I think. Geez, mark this where I have all the regrets, but Photon’s staying in to murder the Hydreigon with Outrage. Ganbatte.

IT’S SUPER EFFECTIVE AND A CRITICAL HIT, GOOD JOB PHOTON.

Seismitoad is next. Diego, time for you and your Magical Leaf to shine. Shine they do, and we’re on to Drapion, which I will leave to Photon. Two Air Slashes make their mark, and all that’s left is Toxicroak, so in you stay Photon.

AND WE’RE DONE HERE, SCREW YOU GHETSIS!

But where is that certain Trainer, N????

Anyway, with that, it looks like the plot portion of this Nuzlocke is over. All that’s left is heading up to challenge the Elite Four.

I think a battle like that can have its own part.

[9and9only]

Introduction to the TARDIS

Kerrigan/Nine

Enjoy 🙃

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

“So what happens now?” asked Kerrigan, rolling her sandwich wrapper into a tight little ball.

The Doctor shrugged. “I move on. The Tauk'lugg have been pacified. No one’s snacking on things they shouldn’t. London is safe—from them at least.”

Kerrigan stared down at the table, then stood up and hoisted her backpack over her shoulder. “Well. This has been probably the most interesting thing that will ever happen to me, so—”

“You could come with me,” the Doctor interrupted, smiling down at the dregs in his cup. Then he looked at her, blue eyes bright and sparkling with possibilities. “I suppose I owe you at least one trip in the TARDIS for helping me.”

“And saving your life,” Kerrigan added. “You would have been dead if it weren’t for me.”

The Doctor's grin widened. “Yes. I would. Thank you.” He stood up as well and raised his eyebrows at her. How about it?

Locking eyes with him, Kerrigan didn’t hesitate but said, “Alright. But be warned—

“If you turn out to be some nutter off your rocker—” she had met plenty of them, on the streets for two years as she was— “I will kill you without regret.” As if to back up her bold statement, she flexed her wrists, releasing the two spring-loaded knives she kept strapped on them at all times.

“Oh, I don’t think you need to worry,” the time lord said casually. “Come along then.” He started off, large casual strides forcing Kerrigan to power walk in order to keep up.

O O O

They left the park and weaved through crowds of people, the Doctor following an internal homing beacon back to his supposed spaceship. He was silent the entire time, content to enjoy the brisk air and unique smells of this large urban sprawl on this little blue planet. Kerrigan was glad, for it gave her space to contemplate him.

She couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but there was definitely something different about him. He was physically no different than a normal human male, and he could have been lying through his big white teeth, but somehow she didn’t think so—there had been too much honesty, too much raw pain in his expression as he'd explained the loss of his entire planet to her. But aside from that, and a perpetual childlike curiosity and openness, he could easily pass as human. The thought made her slightly uneasy as she followed it down a logical path: If he’s alien, how many people in London are really aliens?

How many people on Earth are aliens??

Finally they turned into an alley and she saw the Doctor's expression light up, his steps developing a bounce. Kerrigan frowned; there was nothing here but an old, slightly beat up police call box.

Maybe the ship was invisible.

I better not have to use that call box, she thought, becoming suddenly cautious. Thing doesn’t even look like it works.

To her surprise, he headed straight for it, procuring a key from an inner pocket of his oversized leather jacket. He unlocked the door and gracefully leapt over the threshold, leaving Kerrigan to scowl after him.

Great, she thought, deflating. Another nutter. I can’t believe how convincing he was. Convincing, but stupid. He had cornered himself in that box now; he hadn’t been threatened by her promise, but little did he know she was dead serious. She set her jaw and shoved the door open wide—

And stopped just inside.

This was no police box.

A cavernous chamber bathed in a greenish-golden glow greeted her, much larger than the inside of a police box should be.

Impossibly so.

Disoriented, she exited the blue box and poked around its sides. But it was completely normal on the outside; there were no invisible parts, just empty air where empty air should be. She walked all around it, finding nothing out of the ordinary, and found herself at the entrance again.

Completely dumbfounded, she stepped inside once more, and slowly walked up the ramp, hands held in front of her. Surely this was no more than clever smoke and mirrors; she would hit the other side of the box—

But she made it all the way up the ramp into the chamber proper, and stepped up onto the raised platform in the center. The Doctor was leaning against a chair, watching her with glee.

“Welcome to the TARDIS,” he said grandly, spreading his arms with obvious pride.

O O O

The walls of the chamber were sectioned, concave, and came to an apex a good thirty meters above the metal grated flooring. Each strip held a column of warm, yellow lights secured in hexagonal extrusions. An additional glow, soft and blue in contrast, came from a central column attached to what had to be a console of some sort. Slowly, warily, she made her way round the room, lightly grazing her fingers against the various supports that curved organically from wall to floor every so often around the perimeter like sturdy, albeit twisted, tree trunks carved of stone. In addition to these, innumerable cables of varying thicknesses and materials meandered and curved throughout the chamber, vanishing at various points into the walls far above. Some of them snaked around the massive central column and underneath the console panels. More cables and pipes were tacked snugly round the base of the chamber, stacked a meter high from the floor. The Doctor, meanwhile, had turned his attention to the myriad dials and knobs and devices of said console panels, still smiling. First impressions never got old.

She made her way back round to the ramp, still in disbelief. The Doctor looked up as she stopped, and looked at her with a smugly raised eyebrow. “Where do you want to start?” he asked nonchalantly.

It was a few moments before her brain registered the words. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath through her nose, attempting to regain control of her rampaging train of thought, and said, “This is all real.” So overcome with awe, she did not even care that her voice sounded weak and warbling in disbelief. “This is an actual… spaceship. A real, alien… spaceship.”

“Yep.”

“You’re an actual alien. An actual, not-human…” Another breath. “Alien.”

“Yep.” He leaned against the chair again, all nonchalance, and waited. “Just as alien as the creatures we helped.”

A sudden thought spiked across her mind, instilling fear into her heart. “You’re not going to… kill me, are you?” she made herself ask.

The Doctor frowned. “Why would I kill you?” Then he gave her a disapproving look, guessing the fear behind the question. “Because I’m alien??”

“Well… yeah. I mean, I know in all the movies and stuff, they always portray aliens as invaders, murderers—”

“Yeah, and it’s incredibly rude and annoying, not to mention rather small-minded,” the Doctor retorted. “Hardly anyone wants to kill you lot—to be honest, you’re too small to bother with. But a good 80 to 90 per cent of extraterrestrial species have no interest in harming little humans. The majority of them are either fleeing oppressive governments or enemies, I know quite a few of them come from research committees and student exchange programs to study humans—”

Kerrigan let out a small snort of laughter. “’Student exchange programs'?” she repeated in disbelief.

“Yes,” the Doctor replied seriously, raising his eyebrows. “Not even the Tauk'lugg were supposed to be hurting people. Everyone’s out for the most part to just live, like everyone on this planet. Like me.” He shrugged. “That’s what I do. I’m a traveler. Plenty of others out there like me.” But none of my kind, he reflected sadly. Not anymore.

She studied him for a moment, temporarily at a loss for words. What could one even say at this point? She blinked, trying to make sense of everything, and couldn’t. A strange look passed over her face; the Doctor felt the wave of uncertainty from her stiffen into resolve. Screw understanding—sometimes you just had to live, she realized. Trying to make sense of this insane new setting, this unbelievable adventure, was like… like trying to smell numbers. So she squared her shoulders, tossed her rucksack under the seat, then marched down the ramp, only giving London one fleeting, final glance before shutting the door on it. What was there for her here, anyway? Certainly not family. Her aunt had made that clear long ago. She had nothing.

She was an orphan, like the Doctor.

Turning her back on the doors, she locked gazes with the centuries-old, didn't-look-a-day-over-fourty time lord. “Let’s go, spaceman.”

The Doctor grinned. “Fantastic.”

[srona58]

When I Drift Off, I'll Dream About You (Part 1)

***PLEASE DO NOT COPY OR STEAL: this is listed on Wattpad, FF.net, AND AO3, all under either SRona58 or ShannonRona.***

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Marvel or Iron Man.

A/N: Totally fan made, written PRE A4!  Just a guess, something I made based off of the trailer we got today.  Might be a multi part thing, I don't really know yet.

Part 2: http://srona58.tumblr.com/post/180913150946/when-i-drift-off-ill-dream-about-you-part-2   

"This thing on?"

It was a stupid question.  The flickering glow of the face plate eyes as they scanned his image for a video recording should've answered his question, but these days, he was used to talking to himself.  It was comforting, for some reason.  The silence, for the first time in his life was nice, but...there's only so much silence he could take before he started going insane.  But that's how it would be...there was no definite path home, and now he was facing the end of his legacy, the end of Tony Stark as he knew himself.

So, he had to say goodbye to Pepper.  Just in case someday Nebula was able to transport his body home...he had to say goodbye to her, to remind her he love-loved...her.

Once the helmet was recording, he slumped back against the metal parts of the ship, weak from lack of food and water.  It was already hard to breathe; the air was thinning, and his lungs felt like collapsing.  Eventually, he would use the rest of the air, so talking now wouldn't matter.  As long as she knew...

"Hey, Miss Potts," he managed through a hoarse voice, battling his own defeat down.  "Or...Mrs Stark?  Potts-Stark?"  He huffed in his own delirious amusement.  "Guess we never decided. That's okay...we'll, uh...we'll figure it out."

He paused, feeling choked up for a second.  But this was a recording for Pepper.  For her to remember him by, not for her to feel sad every time she saw it.  Though, he wouldn't blame her if she did.  He wasn't hiding it well; he was emotional and moody due to lack of, well, everything he needed to survive, and the scar in his abdomen that he healed temporarily was starting to get infected and there was nothing he could do about the pain of that, either.  He looked like a skeleton, his face sunken in and his stomach growling louder than a bear, and there was no cover up for that.  Hopefully, she'd hold onto other memories of him when he was more...himself.

"Hey, I was thinking..." he tried next, tossing a loose screw aside and leaning his head back against the wall behind him, his knees up as arm rests in front of him.  "What if we didn't do the big wedding thing?  Lose all the hype, just...go to a court house or something.  You can invite your family, if you want.  ...You are my family; I don't have anyone else.  Except...Rhodey and Happy, maybe...Morgan?"

He sighed, thinking of their last conversation together.  God, all he wanted was to give her a family.  Give her a shot at something normal...

"I dunno, Pep..." he whispered, looking down at the floor now to hide the way he tried to blink back tears.  "I just felt like..."

No.  This wasn't supposed to make her feel guilty, this was supposed to be an explanation, a promise that he cared for her and that he was doing the right thing when he...passed?

"Never mind, I'm rambling..." he mumbles, shaking his head before running a hand through his hot, messy hair.  "I'm up here in space, you're not."

There was no way for her to be pregnant.  Not now, anyway.  She wasn't before, so she wouldn't be now.  He was sort of needed for that.  He was talking nonsense, just hoping desperately for some kind of confirmation that he did something right before he died.

"Uh...  If you find this recording somehow...if my body makes it back to Earth or something...don't feel bad about it," he requested instead.  "I probably didn't suffer.  Honestly, I'll probably knock out and lose consciousness when I start to run out of air.  It's not a bad way to go, considering all the ways I've cheated death before..."

He chuckled lightly, realizing how much of a lucky son of a bitch he really was, in the scheme of things.

"...Part of the journey is the end.  And...I've reached my end."

But then he quieted, looking out the big window of the ship into starry space.  

"For the record, being adrift in space with...zero promise of rescue...is more fun than it sounds," he sighed, eyes closing as he let his head fall back a second time and he sucked in a deep breath, trying not to gasp for air unless he felt particularly short breathed.  "I thought..." he began, then pressed his lips together, frustrated.  "I used to have those nightmares about it, you know?  The portal and the big dragon things, and...it isn't like that out here.  It's...peaceful.  Maybe it's because nothing exists anymore, maybe you don't even exist anymore, who knows..."

That was the worst part.  Him, recording this, not even sure if Pepper would ever receive it.  If he died, would anyone ever save her?  Bring her back?  Give her the life she deserved, maybe without the pain of knowing him?  He ruined her life, after all.  He made her fall in love with him, just to do this...just to disappear.

"There's just nothing out here," he finally continued, eyes glossing over as he kept his gaze out the window, tone emotionless and exhausted at this point.  "Nothing out here to help, nothing out here to hurt.  It's the first peace and quiet I've had in a very, very long time, actually..."

And then he forced himself to tell her the details, realizing he was getting light headed and it had to be nearing midnight.  He had mere hours left...  Nebula would make it, she was more robot than human, and could function on no oxygen, but he had no chance in hell.

"Food and water ran out four days ago..." he admitted quietly.  "Oxygen will run out tomorrow morning....  And that'll be it."

As he said it, a weird calm overcame him.  Sure, he hadn't lead a good life to start, but he had changed.  He bettered himself to better the rest of the world, and now half of that was gone.  He attempts to redesign his drive...pointless.  What was left of the world...might be better off without his attempts.  He'd just disappear.  But a name in a history book, someone to blame for all of this.  The infamous Iron Man, who couldn't save everyone.  

"I'll just...drift off into sleep," he whispered, bringing his attention back to the helmet as he pushed himself up and knelt down in front of it, knowing his time was coming to an end.  "Just like I do every night.  Nothing new, just...sleep, dreams...  Only this time I won't wake up.  But when I do drift off..." he swallowed, "I'll dream about you."

Sighing, he reached out to turn off the recording, but hesitated, not knowing if it was the right place to end it.

"It's always you..." he added.  "I love you, Pep."

And then a tear finally slipped out of his eye and down his cheek, so he ultimately rushed to turn off the recording and save it, storing it within the helmet.  His hand lingered, caressing the side of it as he remembered.  Remembered the suits, remembered her.  Everything Iron Man meant to him.

He remembered her fiery red hair against that blue dress the first time he saw her.  Really saw her, not just the friend he hired to do all his paperwork, but the woman he...fell in love with, that night, despite what she believed.  He remembered her excitement when he gave her the CEO title, the rush of their first kiss on the roof.  He remembered her voice as it soothed him in his nightmares, her hand when he put the ring into place on her finger, the way she bit her lip when he asked for a kid...  And now it was all gone.

He would've killed - ironic, right - to listen to any of her old voicemails to lull him into sleep, to calm his erratic heart so he could go without panic, but if he did, he would exhaust the last of the power for the helmet and she would never have a chance at getting his message.  So he couldn't.  He would die alone, in space, facing his worst fear without a choice.

Except, he had at least one person.  Nebula, the being he'd befriended over the last...however long it had been, he really had no idea; he'd lost count weeks ago.

He tugged on that old track jacket - the same one he had worn the last day he was with her - and crossed his arms as he scooted back against the floor.  And that's when he heard her footsteps coming to check on him.  She'd given him privacy to record, but even she wanted to say goodbye before he tried to sleep.

"She'll get your message," the blue robot promised, hand on his shoulder as he sat back again, closing his eyes.

"You have to make it back first," he mumbled, and that's when her hand slid back off.

"I will.  I can last out here.  Someone will cross my path eventually."

He sighed, knowing it was a long shot.  They had been powerless for days, and she'd have to eat eventually too...  Sure, her diet was a little different, but she still did have human parts which would expire if they didn't get the things they needed.  She was just less dependent as he was.

"I'll kill Thanos for you," she promised next. "They'll remember you."

And that just made him laugh, smirking that usual Tony Stark smirk.  "Just like he wanted..."

Next came the shared silence of a goodbye, and then the long hours he spent wishing he could sleep but knowing he was too afraid.  He tried to picture her, picture all of the happy smiles they shared...but it was hard.  He hadn't seen her in so long...

"I'm sorry, Pep..." he whispered when he finally gave up.  "God, I'm so sorry..."

And then, as he started to believe maybe there was a chance, his ears began to ring from pressure and he felt faint.  There was no vision, no energy left to open his eyes.  But he swore...he swore on every fiber of his being, as he slowly slipped into an oxygen deprived sleep, the last thing he inhaled through his nostrils was her scent...lemon, ginger, and...Pepper.

[j-esbian]

Just Go With It

I’ve got an @mlsecretsanta​ gift for... *squints at the shipping label* @ladyblackcats​! Hmm. This box is pretty heavy... feels like there’s some good adrienette content in there for you <3

on ao3

Words: 2.9k

Marinette Dupain-Cheng had worked her ass off at school and at internships and the graveyard shift at a fast food place, but it was all worth it, because today she was starting a new job, and it was one that she hoped would take her all the way to her dreams. Today was her first day as Gabriel Agreste’s personal assistant.

Temporarily, of course. No one could ever replace Ms. Sancoeur, but she’d just adopted a child, and was taking maternity leave. In her stead, Adrien had suggested his friend, who was presented with an opportunity he couldn’t let her miss out on. Adrien was nothing if not supportive of his friends’ dreams. Gabriel had met her before, and she’d left the impression of a strong-willed, mild-mannered young woman, with a firm voice, impeccable organization, and a penchant for running late. He’d already received five emails from her when Adrien’s recommendation sealed the deal.

Thanks to Tikki, Marinette managed to show up at the Agreste house five minutes before she was due. Nathalie had given her a brief orientation the day before, and she was confident to face any obstacle she might encounter. Her skirt was pressed, shoes shined, scarf knotted neatly, hair twirled tightly away. She tripped on her way up the stairs to the front door, but thankfully, no one but the security cameras caught it, and it was her job to monitor that once she got inside.

She slipped through the main doors and through to a little office off of the foyer. It looked different than she remembered, from the first time she’d been there, years ago. Since Adrien’s fifteenth birthday party, no doubt much of the furniture in the house had been cycled out to keep with current fashions, but the only thing that had stayed current in this office was the computer monitor on the desk. Wires snaked from the display to the baseboards where, she knew, they connected to the systems in the house: heating, security, electricity.

A single cord ran to a small roll-top desk that sat underneath the window, and she opened it and turned the computer on. The monitor flickered to life, as did a tablet mounted on the wall by the door. Marinette leaned back in her swivel chair as she waited for the computer to boot up. The light fixture was impressive for such a small room, but then, everything in Mr. Agreste’s house was fancy and expensive and just screamed fashion . It was the perfect mix of antique and high-tech. Marinette was really going to like it there.

She’d declined to put her purse in the closet, and had set it underneath her desk, where it was hidden from view by the front panel. Tikki flew out and sat on top of the computer monitor.

“Big day, Marinette,” she chirped. “When are you going to see Mr. Agreste?”

“In a few minutes,” Marinette said. She typed the password into the computer and waited as the system continued to load. “I want to make sure everything is up and running when I check in for the morning.”

She'd left the office door open, and while Tikki wasn't in plain sight, she was still more visible than may have been wise. They both heard footsteps echoing through the foyer, and by the time Marinette had ensured the kwami was hidden and looked back up to see who was coming, Adrien had fully descended the stairs and was waving hesitantly toward her. She smiled sheepishly and waved back. The close call and close encounter had her heart pounding, and when the tablet on the wall buzzed, she jumped in her seat.

It buzzed again impatiently, and she scurried over to accept the call. Gabriel’s face blossomed into view. He graced her with a rare smile.

“Mr. Agreste!” she stammered. “Good morning, sir.”

“Yes, it is morning, isn't it? Who can say if it's a good one,” he remarked dryly. “And two minutes past the hour, if I'm not mistaken. I hope it's not too much trouble to inquire as to when I may have an assistant?

“Right. Yes,” she said. “Sorry. I was just making sure that everything was operational. I'll be over momentarily, sir.”

As she spoke, her fingers flew over the tablet, bringing up the day's schedule and to-do list.

“I believe Nathalie took Adrien’s tablet last night and forgot it somewhere; you'll need to find it and return it to him so he has his schedule for the day,” Gabriel continued, unfazed. “Quickly, please, for we have much to do.”

“Yes, sir, I'm aware,” Marinette replied, trying to keep the bite out of her voice. “The deadline for the final fall line is in six days, and there's still a lot you haven't done.”

Mr. Agreste raised an eyebrow at her. “I'm on my way,” she said, and then hung up. She snatched the tablet off the wall with one hand and pressed the other against her mouth to keep it from shaking. “It's been five minutes and I'm already fired,” she whispered.

Tikki, meanwhile, had been searching for Adrien's tablet and found it in a drawer under a manilla folder. “It's not that bad,” she reassured Marinette. “You've got spunk. That's a good thing!”

Marinette scooped up the other tablet and patted Tikki on the head. “I appreciate it, Tikki, but I'm pretty sure I just blew it.” She walked out, leaving Tikki to snuggle into a niche in the drawer. As she strode across the foyer, she unlocked Adrien's tablet, smiling for a moment at his background; he and Nino were hanging out in his room, locked in a comic, over exaggerated video game battle for the camera. Their elbows were cocked to the sides, faces screwed in concentration. Nino was leaning his whole body to the left, and Adrien's tongue poked out between his lips.

She brought up his schedule on her tablet, then synced it over to his. She looked up just as she entered the dining room, where he was seated at the end of a very long table with a steaming mug of coffee and a bowl of fruit. One of his t-shirt sleeves was flipped inside-out, his pants rode a few inches above his ankles, and there was a stain along his collar that might have been blood, or jam, or coffee at one point, but had faded into a vague brown blotch over time. Adrien smiled at her and self-consciously smoothed his hair down.

Marinette tried to keep her composure as she took in his bedhead and pajamas. Once upon a time, she would have fainted to see Adrien up-close and fresh out of bed, and even now that her crazy infatuation was left years in the past, she still found it kind of cute. He’d done a terrible job of removing his makeup the night before and his eyes were rimmed with smudged eyeliner.

She cleared her throat and held out the tablet to him. “This is yours, I believe,” she said.

He rubbed the heel of his hand along his forehead and gave her a tired grin. “Oh, yeah. Thanks. Good morning to you, too.”

“O-of course. Good morning.” She smiled faintly at him. They were friends, of course, but she was here on professional business, right? There was no mixing of work and pleasure.

“Fancy seeing you here,” he continued, still grinning.

She gave him a puzzled look. “I… I’m working for your father now. Or, at least until Nathalie gets back. Didn’t he tell you?”

“Oh, I know.” He arched an eyebrow, but if he was trying to share in a joke with her, she was missing the punchline.

“Anyway,” she said after a moment. “I should go. I’m kind of… keeping your dad waiting. To fire me, most likely.”

He grabbed her elbow. “Hey. I’m sure you’re doing fine. My dad’s an ass sometimes, but I guarantee you can’t have done anything already to make him angry.”

“Right,” she said slowly. “In any case, I still need to go. I’ll see you later, I suppose.”

“See you later,” he said cheerily, turning back to his breakfast.

Marinette walked briskly back into the foyer and across to Gabriel’s office. She paused for a moment in front of the door, wondering whether she should knock or just let herself in, before deciding on both; she rapped her knuckles on one door while turning the other handle. Mr. Agreste looked up as she entered the room, and she kept a straight face as she strode coolly to him, all professionalism and punctuality, turning her tablet, her lifeline, back on and using it as an excuse to avoid his icy stare.

Before she could say anything, however, he asked, “What do you think of this?”

She looked up. “Sorry?”

He gestured to his side, where a row of mannequins were assembled; all were bare except one, which wore a jacket. Before Marinette could stop herself, her lip curled as she took it in. She caught his eye, and saw there was no going back, so she took a deep breath.

“It’s just… what’s special about it?” Marinette frowned. “Denim jackets are everywhere . This one looks like it could be from any label, even those cheap mall stores. I don’t see anything that makes it stand out. It doesn’t seem like it would sell.”

Gabriel tilted his head. “An excellent assessment,” he allowed.

Marinette stood up a little straighter.

“However,” he continued, “your initial impression is insufficient. You’ve barely given it a first look, much less a second. Come at look at it from the back.”

She walked around to the other side, and found that butterflies were embroidered on the jacket’s back, in shimmering purple and black and silver. And now that she was closer, she could see the faint flowers embossed on the jacket’s lapels and cuffs.

“Oh!” she exclaimed. “That’s beautiful!”

“So, after consideration, what do you think?” he asked.

“Well…” Gabriel’s face was inscrutable, to her frustration. “To be honest, sir, it still doesn’t seem like much. I’ve always admired the hidden details in your designs, but there needs to be something to catch your eye, or no one will be interested in looking further.”

“And what would you suggest?” he pressed.

“A zipper?” Marinette winced internally.

He rubbed his chin. “A zipper,” he repeated. “On a denim jacket? Interesting… Call Alain and tell him I want to see that, by noon at the latest. And in the meantime, hold off on any of the jackets. You’ll need to check the back room and see what items we have already, but if they haven’t already finished with the corduroys, tell them to get them here by the end of the day. Now, I’ll need you to run me through this morning’s schedule…”

By her fourth day on the job, Marinette had fallen into the rhythm of things. It helped that, as the deadline neared, her job became more and more passive; making sure that boxes were checked and things were on schedule. Lately, everything was down to the photographers and their models, and there wasn’t much for her to do.

This season would mark the modelling debut of one Chloé Bourgeois, and Marinette retreated to her office the moment she heard those familiar, shrill tones echo through the mansion. She would be working from her desk today.

Through the open door, Marinette could see the bustle of people passing through the foyer, but she managed to remain uninterrupted for a few hours. That streak was broken just before 11:30.

The office door slammed shut, and Marinette swiveled in her chair to see what had happened. Adrien was pressed against it, palms flattened and head craned sharply to the right; his head tilted, as though he was listening for something, but after a few seconds, he relaxed, and turned towards Marinette, shooting her a sheepish smile.

“Sorry. My father,” was all he offered.

She leaned forward. “What happened?”

“Some new guy managed to confuse suede and velvet.” Adrien grimaced as the sound of shouting faintly reached their ears. “And when my dad noticed…”

“He started giving him an earful,” Marinette finished. She smirked. “How does that even happen?”

“Hey, now,” he laughed. “Don’t get too cocky. Isn’t it your job to catch that kind of stuff? He’ll be coming after you, next.”

He froze, smile still in place but dread slowly dawning in his eyes, as he realized what that meant. The shouting upstairs faded away.

“Oh, shit. He’s coming after you, next,” Adrien repeated.

“So much for getting away,” Marinette said. She tried to bring back the banter, but her palms were sweating. The click of Gabriel’s heels against the tile sounded sharply in their ears.

“Hide me!” Adrien hissed, diving underneath the desk she was still sitting at. Marinette barely had time to react before Gabriel was upon them.

He rapped on the door. “Marinette?” he said sharply.

She dried her palms on her skirt and straightened in her seat. “Come in.”

Gabriel pushed the door open and strode into the room. “Marinette,” he said. “Would you care to explain to me how, in all of your checks and double-checks, an error might have slipped in? And why yesterday evening, when I asked if everything was ready for today, you told me everything was, quote, perfect ?”

“I… don’t know, sir.” She wanted to look away, but she held eye contact with him. Maybe she could fool him into thinking she was more confident than she felt. “It won’t happen again.”

“You don’t know,” he sniffed. “You know, negligence and incompetence are qualities I can’t stand, especially in my employees. And all of you are complicit in this; not one person noticed anything amiss. Not one of you looked at the skirt closely enough to realize it was the wrong material. Suede? ” He pinched his nose. “I’m getting a migraine.”

Marinette went to stand up. “I’ll get you some--”

He waved his hand at her dismissively, and she dropped back into her seat. “Don’t bother. I’ll get it myself. Have you seen Adrien? He seems to have disappeared.”

At the mention of his name, Adrien squeaked from under the desk, and Marinette’s eyes widened. Gabriel’s, however, narrowed, and he took a step backward.

“Miss Dupain-Cheng,” he said, choosing his words carefully. “I don’t know the nature of your relationship with my son, and frankly, I don’t want to know. But I expect that, while you are working for me, you will remain professional and not let yourself get… distracted from your work. Am I clear?”

“N-no!” Marinette protested. “I mean, yes, but no! Adrien and-- I’m not-- We’re--” Her shoulders slumped. “I understand, sir.”

“Good.” He nodded firmly and spun on his heel. “I’ll be in my office.”

As soon as his footsteps faded, Adrien burst from his hiding place, crawling out and gasping as though he’d been hiding underwater. “Do you think he knew I was here?” he asked.

“Yeah, I think it’s safe to say that,” Marinette replied bitterly.

“Oh, god. What did he think, we were...” He laughed nervously. “What? No. No, no. Right? No.”

Marinette buried her head in her hands. “Oh my god. My boss thinks I’m secretly dating his son.”

“Hi? Son, right here,” Adrien reminded her. “Oh, shit. Now he probably thinks--” He pressed his lips together.

“Thinks what?” Marinette asked.

Adrien sat back on his knees and said in a small voice, “That I only got you this job so we could bang.”

Marinette waved her hands, like she was batting away all the other thoughts in her head. “Hang on, you got me this job? I applied for it. You didn’t…” She groaned. “God, so I’m only here as a favor?”

“What? No, of course not!” Adrien leaned forward, still on his knees. He shuffled closer and put a reassuring hand on her knee. “Marinette, you definitely deserve this job.”

“I mean, thanks, Adrien, but that’s not the biggest issue right now.” Marinette groaned again. “God, what do we--Do we say something to him? I don’t want to bring this up again. What if we just… don’t do anything out of the ordinary. Act professionally around him. And then he’ll realize he was wrong. Easy!”

Adrien frowned. “Yeah, that’s cool and all, except my dad isn’t going to pay enough attention to ever pick up on that. And then, two years from now, he’ll probably still think we’re dating. And then he’ll be mad that I didn’t say something sooner.”

Marinette spread her hands at him, clearly exasperated.

“I don’t want to talk to him about this either!” he yelped. “So…”

“So,” she responded. “Do we-- I mean, we should, um. Your dad already thinks we’re dating… Do you want to get coffee, sometime?”

Adrien blinked. “Wha-? I mean, yeah, definitely! Uh, hang on, let me just, like, run upstairs and change, and--”

Marinette giggled. “Not right now. I’m working, and you--oh, shit. Your dad’s still looking for you. You should go.”

“Oh. Right, right, yeah.” He scrambled to his feet. “I’ll… text you?”

She beamed. “Sounds good.”

When his footsteps faded, Marinette turned and wrenched open one of her desk drawers. “Hey, Tikki?”

“Yeah?” The kwami blinked up at her; she was swaddled in a handkerchief, and had clearly been napping when all the ruckus started, and she yawned as Marinette tried to form a question.

Marinette pointed towards the door that Adrien had just disappeared through. “That… just happened, right? Like, you heard that, and it was real?”

Tikki smiled. “Yes, Marinette.”

Marinette leaned back in her chair and sighed. “I think this is the best day of my life.”

Adrien messaged her two hours and seventeen minutes later. Not that either of them were keeping track.

[regionalrelocationsystemsllc]

10 Tips for Moving Into a College Dorm

Hello everyone! This is V, your moving consultant! I found these tips from moving.com to prepare you for your move. 

Put your move in the best hands by booking with https://www.regionalmovers.com! Regional provides moving services from Miami Dade, Palm Beach and Broward County to any state.

Whether you’re moving to college for the first time or returning for another year, we know it can be an exciting yet stressful process. Fortunately, we’re here to help make the experience an easy one. Moving into a college dorm room often comes with a long list of packing to-dos. Not to mention, every college has its own rules and requirements regarding the move-in and move-out process. While much of the overall moving experience will be affected by your college’s moving policies, there are several things you can do to make the process run more smoothly. These 10 tips will help ensure that your college move starts off on the right foot. Best of luck and happy moving! 

Helpful Tips When Moving to College

Obtain a list of needs from the college and pack accordingly

Before the school year begins, colleges should provide all students who are moving into student housing with a checklist of necessary items to bring. In addition, the college should provide you with a list of items that are already in the dorm room to prevent you from over packing. For instance, dorm rooms typically come furnished with a bed, mattress, dresser, desk and chair. Oftentimes, a dorm room also comes furnished with a mini-fridge and bookshelf. The college should send around a list of specific items that you’ll need such as twin sheets (many dorm room beds require extra long twin sheets), laundry essentials, bathroom essentials and more. For a look at what to bring when moving into a college dorm room, check here.

Contact your roommate to discuss who will bring what Haven’t met your future roomie? The college should provide you with the roommate’s contact information. You may want to reach out before the move to establish who is bringing what. Not only will this help lighten your load, but it will also make the moving experience easier overall. For instance, both of you do not need to bring kitchen supplies and utensils. Contacting your roommate before the move is also a good idea if you want to coordinate décor and furnishings. For instance, one of you brings a floor lamp while the other brings a set of curtains.

Read over the college’s Housing and Residence Life guidelines Your college should provide you with plenty of details about how to move into your college dorm as well as what to expect on moving day. Important guidelines may include when and where to check in on move-in day, how to register, where to park, who to ask for assistance, etc. The college’s Housing and Residence Life guidelines may also provide you with a list of forms to bring and/or sign once you move in.

Bring a toolkit with you From hanging curtains and assembling furniture to fixing loose screws and placing art on the walls, you’re going to need tools to help you fix and build things in your college dorm room. In addition to being absolutely essential on move-in day, this toolkit will prove handy throughout the entire school year. Make sure to purchase a small toolkit that fits easily under your bed. The toolkit should come outfitted with all basic tools as well as picture hanging hardware.

Dress appropriately Move-in day is not the time for high heels and tight clothing. Trust us when we say that you will want to be comfortable when walking up and down multiple flights of stairs, lifting heavy boxes and assembling dorm room items. We recommend sticking with comfortable shoes (preferably sneakers), socks and lightweight clothing to avoid overheating. Dressing for an active move will not only increase your efficiency, but also your level of comfort throughout the day.

Have at least one family member or friend help with the move Don’t move to college by yourself. We recommend bringing a friend or family member along for the ride. You’ll likely need help lifting heavy items and boxes up and down those college dorm stairs. Having an extra set of hands will also be useful when assembling furniture, unpacking your room and setting everything up. If a family member is unable to drive you to college, make sure to ask a friend well in advance so they can make arrangements to drop you off.

Utilize laundry baskets, bins and vacuum bags Assembling and packing cardboard boxes takes time and effort – not to mention, you’ll likely have to purchase these boxes for one-time use. Instead of using boxes, we recommend first using storage options that you already own such as laundry baskets, vacuum bags and plastic bins. You likely won’t need to keep these bins and bags in your room throughout the school year – though they can also be used as storage, if you need it.  

Ship what you can’t fit in your car Remember: you don’t need to bring everything with you on day one of the move. Items such as TVs, extra pillows and books can wait. If you can’t fit everything in your car, we recommend shipping them to the college prior to your move. Items should arrive within the first few weeks. You may also want to hold off on shipping certain items, such as seasonal clothing, until the time comes when you actually need it.

Consider renting a storage unit for seasonal items Moving far away from home? Unless you have a free place to store items nearby, it might be a good idea to rent a self-storage unit near the college. Self -storage units provide the perfect amount of storage space for dorm room and apartment-size belongings. These units also make it easy to temporarily store dorm room belongings during the summer and/or during a study abroad trip. In addition, students can use self-storage units to store seasonal and recreational items (think: snowboards, skiing equipment, surfboards, etc) that they won’t need on a daily basis but may need occasionally throughout the year. To find self-storage in your area, use Moving.com’s Storage Center. All you have to do is type in the zip code or your city and state of residence and click the ‘find storage’ button. From there, Moving.com will pull quotes from the closest storage unit facilities near your new home to compare.

Take the time to meet your roommates and hallmates In the midst of a hectic move-in day, it can be easy to forget about new roommates and hallmates – especially when you’re focused on saying farewell to mom and dad. While this might not be the best time for icebreaker games and long conversations, it’s still a good idea to introduce yourself to roomies, suitemates and hallmates. Remember: a big smile and a friendly “hello” goes a long way in making a good first impression.

Moving soon?

Not sure your car will fit all of your belongings? You may need to rent a moving truck or trailer in order to haul your items to college. Fortunately, there are plenty of quality moving truck rental companies to choose from. To find the one that best fits your moving day budget and needs, check out Moving.com’s truck rental center. Within our truck rental center, you’ll find information and discounts on various rental truck companies.

Source: moving.com