nevinslibrary · 2 years ago
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Totally Youthful Tuesday
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I’d never seen the phases of the moon explained quite this way. Little Star keeps eating from the Big Mooncake that she baked with her Mom. Even though she’s not supposed to eat it quite yet.
As I said, so super cute, and just had me smiling through the whole thing. Who knew the phases of the moon could taste so good!
You may like this book If you Liked: In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak, Mooncakes by Loretta Seto, or Little Night by Yuyi Morales
A Big Mooncake for Little Star by Grace Lin
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darkmatter-nebula · 21 days ago
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Good morning, my dear fellas! 👋😊
Once again, I was last night too tired to make the goodnight post.
"Lost But Now Found" AU drabble about the unbreakable bond and unconditional brotherly love between Colli and Hunter ahead. Basically, Hunter makes a promise. Here I go!
Drabble: I Promise
"I love you more than anything Colli. You are my sun, my moon and my star. You are my whole world and the light of my life. You will always be my greatest treasure, my beautiful little Sunshine. My amazing little brother."
A certain young Grimwalker and a certain small starboy with otherwordly fluffy lavender hair and a heart as pure as freshly fallen snow were sitting cuddled close together on top of The Titan's Skull. Hunter held Colli in his arms the entire time.
Colli had a gentle expression on his adorable multi-colored face as his darling big brother said all these sweet things. "And I love you more than anything, Hunter. You are my knight in shining armor. My hero. My wonderful big brother."
Hunter's magenta eyes were filled to the brim with an endless amount of love and adoration for Colli. The blonde boy began to shower him with lots of soft and loving brotherly kisses. "My Love. I promise to never leave you."
Hunter meant it. He never wanted to be apart from the kindhearted eternal little boy ever again. "I can't live without you, Hunter." Colli whispered as he intertwined his fingers with Hunter's. "I can't live without you either, my sweet little Mooncake."
Hunter pressed with infinite tenderness his forehead against Colli's. The former Golden Guard put tenderly his hand on the blue side of Colli's face and caressed lovingly the immortal celestial boy's freckled cheek before placing a brotherly peck on his soft lips.
Hunter's darling little brother didn't wear his hat. Hunter buried his nose into the lavender fluff of Colli's hair and felt as if he was in Heaven as he breathed in Colli's lovely scent. The sixteen year old boy tightened the embrace. 'My Colli.' Hunter thought.
The End
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sing-you-fools · 1 year ago
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hot take on the banned book issue
i think it hurts the cause that we have actually entirely reasonable concerns on the micro level lumped in with the greater "banned books" subject
every time i read a list of banned books, there's always one that has me like, what? who would ban that? and then when i read further about it, i see that it was assigned to third graders, in which case, actually, yeah, parents rightfully brought up that it wasn't an appropriate book for a class-wide reading assignment and had the syllabus for one particular third grade class changed
i feel like that should be a different category than banned and challenged books. there needs to be a side list. situations where a teacher needed to be reminded of basic common sense? i don't care what it's called. it should be different and i think it hurts the cause that these entirely reasonable concerns are lumped in with the whole book banning conversation.
i think the situation as a whole deserves more nuance. i think there's a difference between cis people screaming that "this book has trans people! inappropriate!" and trans people saying "it would be nice if the world respected us enough that schools didn't assign harry potter" but if we actually say that it's banning books and bad! i don't wanna ban any books, i want schools to not make new little bigots! i'm not saying people can't have them or stores can't sell them or the library can't carry them, it would just be nice if out society weren't constantly platforming a terf.
like, sometimes i see absolute horseshit like this really adorable picture book, A Big Mooncake for Little Star, which was banned simply for having Asian characters. that's it. and i'm furious. and then i see that someone assigned To Kill a Mockingbird to little kids, and someone else assigned harry potter, and some high school teacher assigned a book that has a really graphic SA scene, and i'm like... okay. yeah. i approve of these "bans," actually. because they're not actually bans. don't actually ban them. but we shouldn't be making the kids read them, either. that's weird. they can if they want to, because free access to books is so so so so so important, but making these particular kids read these particular books is, for whatever reason, super weird.
please don't eviscerate me over this. in fact, if i'm wildly incorrect and someone can explain it - i would honestly be just as happy to understand why it's all grouped together like that. i'm open to the idea that i'm missing something and it's done like this on purpose. i am just confused.
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factory-reset · 1 year ago
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Being Front locked/stuck.
Hi, I'm Alexander. I'm what us in the technical industry call the Big Daddy Fusion. I'm made up of a bunch of integrations. And I'm currently front stuck. I have been fronting for a little over 48 hours now, and I have no communication with anyone else.
In my time of fronting, I got a husband, a Build-A-Bear frog child (Their name is Spencer.) and a bunch of exhaustion. I also got exams and assignments piled on me like Christmas Day.
For a system that relies on switching to not lose energy and keep the body stable, an alter will usually get tired after four or so hours. (It does depend on alters, but this is usually what it is for us.)
So it's no surprise that I'm exhausted. I have no idea when I'm going to be able to rest. We have a religion exam tomorrow, a science exam on Thursday (I believe), and our music exam which I broke down about and said I couldn't do anymore, is scheduled to be moved so I can continue it.
Being front locked with no information or memory of any of the 2023 classes mid exam week is probably a big issue. But I've figured a little bit out. And I've figured out a lot about myself!
Right now, my daily routine is to wake up, brush Spencer and get them dressed, get ready and go to school, brush Spencer and hold them every break, get through the day, do revision/homework, shower, dinner, get Spencer ready for bed (brush and take off snazzy jacket) and sleep. Rinse and repeat.
It's fun! My husband and Spencer are the only things keeping me sane while I'm front stuck. I've also found a bunch of neopronouns too, which I think are really cool.
-Alexander.
(Mooncake/Star/Lucid/Luna/Pyx/Sun/Nova/Myst/Wish/He/Comet/Apollo)
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fragilelunar · 3 months ago
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2023 Reading Wrap Up
General Stats:
Total Books Read: 105
Pages: 25, 224
Time: 194.17 Hours
Average Rating: 4.31 Stars
Library Books: 41
Books Owned: 14
5 Stars: 38
hello! for my first post on this new blog I figured I'd do a little wrap up of my reading from last year!! Tiny bit of back history to give y'all before I start doing monthly wrap ups and things. I always make my reading goal 50 books so that I can easily hit it and then just vibe the rest of the year btw!!
anyways!! here are all the books I read last year and my ratings of each:
Finale - Stephanie Garber ✭✭✭✭
The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row - Lara Love Hardin, Anthony Ray Hinton ✭✭✭✭✭
The Inheritance Games - Jennifer Lynn Barners ✭✭✭✭✭
Unmasked: My Life Solving America's Cold Cases - Paul Holes ✭✭✭✭✭
Aquicorn Cove - K. O'neill ✭✭✭✭✭
Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute - Talia Hibbert ✭✭✭✭.5
Doughnuts and Doom - Balazs Lorinczi ✭✭✭✭
The Severed Thread - Leslia Vedder ✭✭✭✭
Anya's Ghost - Vera Brosgol ✭✭✭.5
The Hawthorne Legacy - Jennifer Lynn Barnes ✭✭✭✭
The Final Gambit - Jennifer Lynn Barnes ✭✭✭✭
Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism - Amanda Montell ✭✭✭✭
Babel - R.F. Kuang ✭✭✭✭✭
Save Yourself! - Bones Leopard ✭✭✭✭✭
Blink - Christopher Sebela ✭✭✭
The River Has Teeth - Erica Waters ✭✭✭✭.5
Hold Back the Tide - Melinda Salisbury ✭✭✭✭
Atari and Tika - Efa ✭✭✭✭
Goblin Slayer Vol 1 - Kumo Kagyu ✭✭✭.5
Goblin Slayer Vol 2 - Kumo Kagyu ✭✭✭✭
The Memory Eater - Rebecca Mahoney ✭✭✭✭✭
Legends & Lattes - Travis Baldree ✭✭✭✭
Amari and the Great Game - B.B. Alston ✭✭✭✭.5
Thanks a Lot, Universe - Chad Lucas ✭✭✭✭.5
Coming Back - Jessi Zabarsky ✭✭✭.5
I Wish You All the Best - Mason Deaver ✭✭✭✭✭
Heartstopper Vol 1 - Alice Oseman ✭✭✭✭✭
Heartstopper Vol 2 - Alice Oseman ✭✭✭✭✭
Heartstopper Vol 3 - Alice Oseman ✭✭✭✭✭
Heartstopper Vol 4 - Alice Oseman ✭✭✭✭✭
Chaos & Flame - Tessa Gratton, Justina Ireland ✭✭✭✭
Heart, Haunt, Havoc - Freydis Moon
The Feeling of Falling in Love - Mason Deaver ✭✭✭✭✭
Ana on the Edge - A.J. Sass ✭✭✭✭
Hell Followed With Us - Andrew Joseph White ✭✭✭✭✭
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes - Suzanne Collins ✭✭.5
Solitaire - Alice Oseman ✭✭✭✭✭
Nick and Charlie - Alice Oseman ✭✭✭✭✭
Radio Silence - Alice Oseman ✭✭✭✭✭
Belle of the Ball - Mari Costa ✭✭✭✭✭
Devil on Her Shoulder - Cédric Mayen ✭✭✭✭
City of Vicious Night - Claire Winn ✭✭✭✭
SpyxFamily Vol 1 - Tatsuya Endo ✭✭✭✭✭
Joe Hill's Rain - David M. Booher, Joe Hill ✭✭✭✭
Small Nozomi and Big Yume - Sou Hamayumiba ✭✭✭
Girls Like Girls - Hayley Kiyoko ✭✭✭✭
Cursed - Marissa Meyer ✭✭✭✭
I Was Born for This - Alice Oseman ✭✭✭✭✭
Threads That Bind - Kika Hatzopoulou ✭✭✭✭✭
Mooncakes - Suzanne Walker ✭✭✭✭
Ellen Outside the Lines - A.J. Sass ✭✭✭✭✭
Always Human - Ari North ✭✭✭✭
Out of the Blue - Jason June ✭✭✭✭
The Backstagers Vol 1 - James Tynion IV ✭✭✭✭.5
The Backstagers Vol 2 - James Tynion IV ✭✭✭✭✭
Dear Mothman - Robin Gow ✭✭✭✭✭
The Alchemy of Moonlight - David Ferraro ✭✭✭✭
Fake Dates and Mooncakes - Sher Lee ✭✭✭✭✭
The Backstagers Vol 3 - James Tynion IV ✭✭✭✭
So This Is Ever After - F.T. Lukens ✭✭✭✭
Bruised - Tanya Boteju ✭✭✭✭✭
Spell Bound - F.T. Lukens ✭✭✭✭.5
Sensory: Life on the Spectrum - Schnumm, Bex Ollerton ✭✭✭✭✭
Gender Is Really Strange - Teddy G. Goetz ✭✭✭✭✭
If You'll Have Me - Eunnie ✭✭✭✭✭
Fourth Wing - Rebecca Yarros ✭✭.5
Ode to My First Car - Robin Gow ✭✭✭.5
Save Me! (From Myself): Crushes, Cats, and Existential Crises - So Lazo ✭✭✭✭✭
Soppy: A Love Story - Philippa Rice ✭✭✭✭
You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight - Kalynn Bayron ✭✭✭
Rebent Sinner - Ivan Coyote ✭✭✭✭
The Bone Shard Daughter - Andrea Stewart ✭✭✭✭
Legendborn - Tracy Deonn ✭✭✭✭
The Bone Shard Emperor - Andrea Stewart ✭✭✭✭.5
The Spirit Bares Its Teeth - Andrew Joseph White ✭✭✭✭✭
Open Throat - Henry Hoke ✭✭✭.5
Girl Juice - Benji Nate ✭✭✭✭
Flavor Girls - Loïc Locatelli-Kournwsky, Eros De Santiago ✭✭✭✭
The Love Report - Béka ✭✭✭.5
Last Chance Books - Kelsey Rodkey ✭✭✭.5
Red Rising - Pierce Brown ✭✭✭✭
Where Darkness Blooms - Andrea Hannah ✭✭✭.5
Bittersweet in the Hollow - Kate Pearsall ✭✭✭✭.5
Dead Women Don't Tell Tales - Adrian J. Smith ✭✭✭.5
The Black Cat & the Vampire Vol 1 - Nikke Taino ✭✭✭✭
Mortal Follies - Alexis Hall ✭✭✭✭
The Hundred Years' War on Palestine - Rashid Khalidi ✭✭✭✭✭
The Black Cat & the Vampire Vol 2 - Nikke Taino ✭✭✭✭
These Violent Delights - Chloe Gong ✭✭✭✭✭
The Brothers Hawthorne - Jennifer Lynn Barnes ✭✭✭✭
Squire - Nadia Shammas ✭✭✭✭
The Companion - E.E. Ottoman ✭✭✭✭
Unfamiliar - Haley Newsome ✭✭✭✭
Something More - Jackie Khalilieh ✭✭✭.5
Turtle Bread - Kim-Joy ✭✭✭✭
Our Violent Ends - Chloe Gong ✭✭✭✭✭
Lore Olympus Vol 1 - Rachel Smythe ✭✭✭✭
Lore Olympus Vol 2 - Rachel Smythe ✭✭✭✭
Minor Detail - Adania Shibli ✭✭✭✭✭
Unfamiliar 2 - Haley Newsome ✭✭✭✭
Lore Olympus Vol 3 - Rachel Smythe ✭✭✭✭
Freedom Is a Constant Struggle: Ferguson, Palestine, and the Foundations of a Movement - Angela Y. Davis ✭✭✭✭✭
Lore Olympus Vol 4 - Rachel Smythe ✭✭✭✭
Us - Sara Soler ✭✭✭✭.5
(titles in italics were ARCs!)
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zukusuku · 2 years ago
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🇺🇸 Explosions In The Sky - The Moon Is Down2. 🇮🇸 Sigur Rós - Sæglópur3. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Mogwai - Punk Rock4. 🇨🇦 Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Mladic5. 🇨🇦 A Silver Mt. Zion - 13 Angels Standing Guard 'round the Side of Your Bed6. 🇺🇸 This Will Destroy You - Thread7. 🇬🇧 65daysofstatic - Taipei8. 🇬🇧 Maybeshewill - He Films The Clouds Pt. 29. 🇯🇵 Mono - Pure As Snow (Trails Of The Winter Storm)10. 🇯🇵 Toe - Two Moons11. 🇸🇪 Lights & Motion - Anomaly12. 🇸🇪 Immanu El - Under Your Wings I'll Hide13. 🇪🇸 Exxasens - Science Will Save Us14. 🇮🇪 God Is An Astronaut - Forever Lost15. 🇬🇧 Slowdive - Crazy For You (Demo Version)16. 🇬🇧 Kyte - Boundaries17. 🇮🇸🇺🇸 Jónsi & Alex - Indian Summer18. 🇺🇸 Deafheaven - Dream House19. 🇫🇷 Alcest - Souvenirs d'Un Autre Monde20. 🇸🇪 Jeniferever - From Across The Sea21. 🇺🇸 American Football - The Summer Ends22. 🇺🇸 La Dispute - Such Small Hands23. 🇺🇸 The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die - January 10th, 201424. 🇺🇸 Prawn - Why You Always Leave A Note25. 🇺🇸 The Appleseed Cast - As The Little Things Go26. 🇯🇵 Envy - Further Ahead Of Warp27. 🇺🇸 If These Trees Could Talk - If These Trees Could Talk28. 🇺🇸 The Album Leaf - Twentytwofourteen29. 🇺🇸 Lowercase Noises - Silence In Siberia30. 🇬🇧 Jesu - Homesick31. 🇺🇸 Moving Mountains - Swing Set32. 🇺🇸 Sunnn O))) - It Took The Night To Believe33. 🇫🇷 M83 - Wait34. 🇩🇪 Frames - Don't Stay Here35. 🇯🇵 Boris - Farewell36. 🇺🇸 A Sunny Day In Glasgow - Autumn Again37. 🇬🇧 Clem Leek - Bless Those Tired Eyes38. 🇬🇧 Yndi Halda - Illuminate My Heart, Darling!39. 🇮🇸 Amiina - Perth40. 🇮🇸 Múm - We Have A Map Of The Piano41. 🇺🇸 Pianos Became The Teeth - Hiding42. 🇺🇸 Owel - Snowglobe43. 🇯🇵 Heaven In Her Arms - 光芒の明時44. 🇺🇸 Gates - The Thing That Would Save You45. 🇬🇧 The 1975 - Sex46. 🇺🇸 Cigarettes After Sex - Apocalypse47. 🇰🇷 Jambinai - Time Of Extinction48. 🇺🇸 Red Sparrowes - In An Illusion Of Order49. 🇺🇸 Russian Blood - Youngblood50. 🇦🇺 Sleepmakeswave - It's Dark, It's Cold, It's Winter51. 🇳🇿 Jakob - Blind Them With Science52. 🇩🇪 Daturah - Ghost Track53. 🇵🇱 Tides From Nebula - Dopamine54. 🇮🇹 Port-royal - Nights In Kiev55. 🇺🇸 Hammock - I Can Almost See You56. 🇺🇸 Lights Out Asia - They Disappear Into The Palms57. 🇬🇧🇫🇷 Stereolab - Diagonals58. 🇩🇰 Mew - Comforting Sounds59. 🇩🇰 Efterklang - Dreams - Today60. 🇺🇸 Inventions - Echo Tropism61. 🇺🇸 Unwed Sailor - Moon Coin62. 🇷🇺 Mooncake - Novorossiysk 196863. 🇺🇸 Joy Wants Eternity - Dark Heart of the King64. 🇬🇧 Epic45 - The Stars In Autumn65. 🇬🇧 July Skies - Festival Of Britain66. 🇺🇸 The American Dollar - Anything You Synthesize67. 🇸🇪 PG.Lost - Crystaline68. 🇸🇪 EF - Delusions of Grandeur69. 🇸🇪 September Malevolence - I Shut Doors and Windows70. 🇸🇪 Oh Hiroshima - Mirage71. 🇺🇸 Windsor Airlift - Something Lost72. 🇺🇸 Carinthia - Leaving73. 🇬🇧 Good Weather For An Airstrike - Good Night, Boogaloo74. 🇬🇧 The Echelon Effect - As the Lights Fade Away75. 🇸🇪 U137 - Adam Forever76. 🇳🇴 The Samuel Jackson Five - Never Ending Now77. 🇨🇦 Do Make Say Thing - Horripilation78. 🇺🇸 El Ten Eleven - Sorry About Your Irony79. 🇬🇧 And So I Watch You From Afar - Dying Giants80. 🇯🇵 Mass Of The Fermenting Dregs - Oneday81. 🇯🇵 Miaou - Hello World82. World's End Girlfriend - Smile83. 🇯🇵3nd - 夏終わる84. 🇮🇩 Under The Big Bright Yellow Sun - A Life In A Day85. 🇮🇩 TheMilo - Romantic Purple86. 🇮🇩 My Violainé Morning - Lost87. 🇮🇩 Autumn Ode - They Asked Me to Run, Follow the Sun88. 🇮🇩 L'AlphaAlpha - A Lot of Fireworks But I Still Have A Reason to Smile89. 🇮🇩 The Trees and The Wild - Empati Tamako90. 🇮🇩 Heals - Void91. 🇮🇩 Marché La Void - Serenity92. 🇮🇩 Tuan Tanah - A Farewell to Arms93. 🇮🇩 Echolight - Lethal Impression94. 🇮🇩 Senja Dalam Prosa - Niskala95. 🇮🇩 Elemental Gaze - Unperfect Sky96. 🇮🇩 Qibe - Adaptasi Diri97. 🇮🇩 Ghaust - At Sea (We Are Nothing)98. 🇸🇬 Paint the Sky Red - Amber99. 🇵🇭 As the City Sleeps - Goodbye100. 🇬🇧 Radiohead - Pyramid Song
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aicademia · 4 years ago
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From Struggle to Something Else: The Journey of Grace Lin’s Narratives as an Asian-American and as an Author
Grace Lin thoroughly relies on the concept of writing what you know. So she writes heavily from her experience of being an Asian-American.
In 1999, Grace Lin first published her picture book, The Ugly Vegetables, in which she ostensibly draws from her own life experiences. The story follows the heroine (Grace) as she helps her mother plant a garden of ugly vegetables. However, the little girl cannot help but compare their differing gardening practices to those of their neighbors in a (presumably) small suburban town in Upstate New York. 
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The seasons pass; and the gardens grow and all that the heroine can see are the beautiful and colorful gardens of her neighbors and the ugly vegetables of their family garden. 
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Then, the heroine watches her mother take their ugly vegetables and transform them into a delectable stew that draws all the neighbors. 
The visual and cultural juxtaposition of this story, of the green and ugly vegetable garden next to the colorful gardens of American neighbors, of the Chinese against the American, manifests as a consistent theme across Lin’s early works. Even when the story no longer shows division...
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...there is still a juxtaposition that alludes to the Asian-American struggle. 
Many of Grace Lin’s earlier books follow this narrative — in which the main character, a Taiwanese-American girl, undergoes some comparative cultural identity crisis as she navigates the Asian-American experience. Her “Asian-ness” is all she knows at first and for readers, it is a window into the world through her lens. However, the small little conflicts arise in the form of comparisons made between Taiwanese cultural experiences and “American” ones, micro-aggressions made by well-seeming friends and neighbors, and other events that —one could claim— define the Asian-American life. But these define that life as a struggle. 
The greatest example of this is in her semi-autobiographical novel, The Year of the Dog (2005) in which Pacy (Grace’s literary child self) deals with her being Chinese in America and how small both the white American and Chinese communities made her feel. 
“To Americans, I’m too Chinese, and to Chinese people, I’m too American. So which one am I supposed to be?” (Lin, 2005, p. 105). 
Other times, her stories celebrate some aspect of Chinese culture like in Dim Sum for Everyone! (2001) or act as a “window” into Chinese culture like Round Is a Mooncake (2000).
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Despite this struggle and conflict, all her stories still end happily, as in Lissy’s Friends (2007), when Lissy learns to make actual friends by making origami ones first. 
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 In various TED Talks and in the author’s notes sections of her books, Lin reveals that she grew up rejecting her Asian heritage and desiring to be “American.” Lin then admits that she eventually regretted that decision and decided to write books that she would have wanted to read in her childhood. 
The timeline of her books demonstrates this journey of conceptual thought, as well as her narratives, as Lin moves away from the juxtaposed Chinese-American life towards something different. 
Her authorship shifts. 
In 2009, Grace Lin publishes Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. 
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Hailed as a Chinese Wizard of Oz (despite the fact that the Sino-Asian archetype of a magical journey to seek one’s fortune with the aid of mythical creatures is one that has been a cemented aspect of East Asian folklore and religion for centuries), Where the Mountain Meets the Moon follows the adventure of Minli who goes out to change her family’s fortune by asking the Man of the Moon who ties everyone’s destinies together with red strings of fate. 
The jump from personal struggle to fantasy may seem substantial but it is an organic one for those who have always felt as though they did not belong. Through her fantasy series, Grace Lin is carving out her own space that draws from her Asian (read: Taiwanese) heritage. 
The journey Grace Lin’s work undergoes is one that emphasizes the importance of representation not just for other Asian American girls but for herself, personally. Her authorship is very and intensely personal and as her self-perception develops, her authorship develops too. 
A Big Mooncake for Little Star (2018) is her most recent work apart from the companion novel to the Disney live-action film Mulan (2020). This book is a literary and pictorial wonder. 
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Whimsical and vibrant, A Big Mooncake for Little Star intertwines Lin’s Asian-American experience through the characters with the fantasy of her recent endeavors in the concept. The illustrations, too, are spectacular and show that her technical skills also have developed. Certainly, A Big Mooncake for Little Star is more fantastical and less autobiographical but that does not necessarily mean that Lin’s later work is a rejection of these narratives of struggle or that they are less personal. In fact, these works represent a step towards something new that she/we can call our own. 
Every author grows and develops their craft as they write and grind and publish their works. Grace Lin is an author who does the same and the development of her stories and authorship is a treat to observe. 
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the-dust-jacket · 6 years ago
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Congratulations to the 2019 Caldecott Books and all these amazing author-illustrators!  
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novelistra · 6 years ago
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NoveList's Juvenile Brain Trust is a group of readers' advisory librarians and metadata librarians who focus on books for kids and teens. Once a week, the JBT gets together to catch up and share books. On 2/6/2019, we discussed:
They Call Me Guero, David Bowles
Planting Stories, Anika Aldamuy Denise, illustrated by Paola Escobar
A Few Red Drops, Claire Hartfield
The Rough Patch, Brian Lies
A Big Mooncake for Little Star, Grace Lin
When Angels Sing, Michael Mahin, illustrated by Jose Ramirez
Hands Up!, Breanna J. McDaniel, illustrated by Shane W. Evans
The Book of Boy, Catherine Gilbert Murdock
What the Night Sings, Vesper Stamper
On the Come Up, Angie Thomas
(We were revisiting some award winners, as you can tell.) Have you read any of these books? What do you think of them?
For more recommendations, plus printables and readers’ advisory tips, subscribe to the NoveList Book Squad! It's free :)
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ibijau · 4 years ago
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Saturday 10th:  Divine / Soul or role-swap / Lanterns
“How much further?” Lan Xichen asked, increasingly curious about their destination.
They had left the town behind them a while ago now, yet Nie Huaisang showed no signs of wanting to stop. Lan Xichen didn't mind as such, happy to follow his lover and carry everything the other man had thrown in his arms, but it really was getting a little odd. Nie Huaisang wasn't someone who usually enjoyed the wilderness, not unless he was bird watching, and in the dark of night that simply wasn't an option.
“Not much, we're almost there,” Nie Huaisang replied, looking back behind them, as he had down several time already. “Actually, you stop here a moment, I'll look around for the right spot.”
Lan Xichen smiled, amused by his lover's taste for mysteries and perfectly happy to indulge it. As far as things went, a surprise in the hills on the night of a festival was not, and by far, the worst thing Nie Huaisang had ever schemed for. So Lan Xichen smiled to himself as Nie Huaisang went back and forth on the side of that grassy hill, until he finally found a place that appeared to satisfy him and called for Lan Xichen to join him.
“Give me the box now,” Nie Huaisang ordered with a grin.
Lan Xichen obeyed and watched as his lover took out a blanket which he spread onto the grass, as well as a smaller box decorated in a pretty manner which he carefully put on the blanket. He then sat down elegantly, and gestured for the empty space next to him.
“Sit with me, Xichen-ge.”
It was not a very big blanket, and Lan Xichen would have to sit very close to Nie Huaisang if he wanted to avoid staining his robes. Of course he would have done so in any case, but it amused him that Nie Huaisang had even thought of such a detail.
“Did we come all this way for a picnic in the dark?” Lan Xichen asked as he took his place on the blanket, but not quite close enough to Nie Huaisang, apparently, because the other man pulled on his sleeves and shoulders until Lan Xichen laid his head on his lap. It was comfortable, and yet a little embarrassing because if someone saw them like this... Not that it was likely, in this isolated place, yet Lan Xichen's heart thundered in his chest at the idea of being discovered.
“You'll see in a moment why we came here,” Nie Huaisang replied, reaching out for the smaller box and opening it to reveal a gorgeous mooncake. “Will you allow me, Xichen-ge?”
Lan Xichen nodded, and watched as Nie Huaisang cut a piece of the first cake before feeding it to him. It was thick, just sweet enough, and all the better for being offered by the man he loved.
It was such a pleasant night. Lan Xichen could not have dreamt a more perfect one, laying down against Nie Huaisang, being fed treats, alone with the stars above them, no trace of other people save for the lights of town down the valley. It then managed to get even more perfect when Nie Huaisang started running his fingers in Lan Xichen's hair with a slow tenderness that made the older man's heart swell. He closed his eyes, so relaxed he might have started falling asleep if Nie Huaisang hadn't suddenly shaken him awake.
“It's starting!” he exclaimed. “Look, down there!”
At first, Lan Xichen saw nothing but the lights of the city, as before. Soon though, he realised that a great number of those lights were rising above the houses like a thousand new stars being born in front of their eyes.
“Isn't it just gorgeous?” Nie Huaisang sighed, resuming his petting of Lan Xichen's hair. “I've been here a few times for the mid-autumn festival, and I've always wanted to share it with someone. I think it's really the best place to see it. I'm so glad you agreed to come.”
“I'm glad you chose me to share it,” Lan Xichen replied, turning his head to briefly kiss the tip of Nie Huaisang's fingers, before returning his gaze toward the lanterns. There were so many now, flying so close together, it felt like watching a small sun rise in the darkness.
Lan Xichen sighed happily, glad once more that he had trusted Nie Huaisang on this little adventure.
42 notes · View notes
comixconnection · 3 years ago
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Choose Your Three Free Comics!
At long, long last...Free Comic Book Day is here! Unlike the usual “first Saturday in May” celebration that has defined the even in normal years, due to issues with the ongoing pandemic the folks in charge have decided to move this year’s celebration back to August 14th. Want a sneak-peak at the books...?
The following titles will be available at Comix Connection on Aug 14th (while supplies last!). Everybody gets to pick three! Unlike previous years, we will NOT be accepting FOOD DONATIONS in exchange for additional comics. Instead we will be collecting monetary donations to give to the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank. For every DOLLAR donates, you may select an additional free comic book!
We know the line for the FCBD comics can get long (if you want to come in and shop first, you can skip the line and head straight inside!) so in an effort to both entertain you while you’re in that long line and to help it go a little faster by giving you a preview of the various titles so you can decide ahead of time what looks good, the Comix Connection Counter Monkeys have read and reviewed all of the available FCBD books! Take a peek!
CHOOSE YOUR FREE COMICS:
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One hundred years before the Skywalker Saga began, the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace and justice in the galaxy! In this prelude to the ongoing Star Wars: High Republic Adventures comic series, follow padawans Ram Jomaram, Lula Talisola, and Zeen Mrala as they try to save Lonisa City from the dreaded Nihil. Also read the beginning of Star Wars: High Republic Adventures #1! [All Ages]
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“Two brand-new adventures from the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender! In Clearing the Air, Tenzin attempts to teach his rambunctious children a lesson Aang taught him about how to resolve conflicts. In Match Makers, Iroh runs into some trouble with a few friends...that just might lead him to something fun he’s been trying to hide from!” [All Ages]
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Who Sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott? gives a sample of the upcoming graphic novel by the same name, a tale telling the true story of the “Mother of the Civil Rights Movement,” Rosa Parks! This excerpt features the immediate aftermath of Rosa’s arrest, and her decision to start a legal battle that would change the course of American freedom! [All Ages]
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“There's nothing better than a beautiful sunny day reading comics, so join us for a look at this summer's fantastic all-ages reads, courtesy of Oni Press! From the gentle, magical worlds of The Tea Dragon Tapestry (by K. O'Neill) and The Sprite and the Gardner (by Rii Abrego and Joe Whitt), the adventurous magical mystery of Mooncakes (by Suzanne Walker and Wendy Xu), and the action-packed Jonna and the Unpossible Monsters (Chris and Laura Samnee), there's something for everyone. Sneak a peek at these four fantastic fantasy graphic novels!” [All Ages]
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Sonic is 30 years old! Celebrate the anniversary of the world’s fastest hedgehog with this peek into the ongoing Sonic comic series. Things get meta when Amy Rose starts drawing a comic about Sonic, Tails, and their friends...but what will Sonic think when he finds out he’s been turned into a comic book? Prepare for the big 30th Anniversary Sonic Celebration here! [All Ages]
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It's the crisis of infinite Archies! Celebrate 80 years of the Riverdale Gang with this tale featuring a dimension-hopping Archie Andrews in his quest to save the multiverse. Then, witness Archie go toe-to-toe with... himself?! May the best Archie win! Plus, get a preview of the newest Archie One-Shot in shops! This title includes several versions of Archie (from classic to TV to horror) and showcases his evolution as a character over eight decades, all while being a tie-in to the company's 80th Anniversary plans. [All Ages]
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“Despite the pandemic and the swirl of world events, back issue comics are booming! It's not all record prices (though there are many) or bargain basement deals, but rather it's many different categories! The team that brings you The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide shines the spotlight on this exciting part of the universe of comic books. Includes tips on how to collect, care for your comics, and preserve them, among other things.” [All Ages]
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“Get a sneak peek at book four in the bestselling InvestiGators series! With agent Brash trapped in a mysterious coma, the technicians at S.U.I.T. have designed the ultimate replacement: RoboBrash! This high-tech replica has been programmed with all of the original Brash's crime-fighting skills and know-how--but it seems he's got a few bugs in his system! Will Mango and his new partner be enough to stop the giant ants that are on a rampage in the city? Orchestrated by the spaced-out villain, Maestronaut, and Houdino, the dinosaur escape artist, it seems criminals are certainly upping the ANT-e!” [All Ages]
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“My name is Grace, not ‘Kyle's little sister’!” Having a good-looking, friendly, outgoing older brother sucks--especially when you're the total opposite: someone who likes staying home and playing video games. Your parents like him better (even if they deny it!) and everyone calls you "Kyle's little sister" while looking disappointed that you're not more like him. Grace was really hoping she'd get to go to a different middle school, but no such luck. At least she has her friends...until he finds a way to ruin that, too! What will Grace have to do to get out of his shadow?! [All Ages]
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Jewish mythology has it that when God created the universe, He left one corner of it unfinished. Opinion is divided on why, but everyone agrees that the Unfinished Corner is a dangerous place full of monsters. Twelve-year-old Miriam is too busy preparing for her Bat Mitzvah to care about the Unfished Corner. She spends her days wrestling with whether she even wants to be Jewish--until a peculiar angel appears, whisking her, her two best friends, and her worst frenemy off to this monstrous land with one mission: finish the Unfinished Corner. [All Ages]
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“The City of Gloomhaven isn't "safe" at the best of times, but lately, more folks than usual seem to be disappearing. In a city paralyzed by an unknown menace, only one adventuring crew will do: The Jaws of the Lion! Based on the hit games, Gloomhaven and Jaws of the Lion from Cephalofair Games, comes a fantasy adventure with humor and heart.” [All Ages]
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The Last Kids on Earth and their friends each tell their own best story of the Monster Apocalypse, including Jack's high-stakes baseball game, Globlet's attempt to take over the world, Quint's bad-day-away invention, Dirk's bragain with a witch, and June and Skaelka's creepy carnival--plus a surprise story from some bad guys on the run... [All Ages]
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Being the new kid is tough, even for a superhero/ward and heir to a billionaire, Damian Wayne (aka Robin)! Join Damian as he struggles to learn patience and understanding from the students at Gotham Metro Academy, including star student and all-around Great Guy, Howard! Plus, an adventure of Amethyst, princess of the mystical realm of Gemworld by bestselling authors Shannon Hale and Dean Hale! [All Ages]
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To celebrate the new animated TV series premiering on Nickelodeon Fall 2021, Papercutz is releasing a new series of graphic novels entitled The Smurfs Tales. Preview it here with a number of silly short Smurfs Tales, with a back-up appearance by one of Peyo’s other beloved creations: Johan and Peewit, the young page and the court jester. [All Ages]
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In Edge of Balance, a new High Republic story set in the wake of the Hyperspace Disaster, meet new Jedi and their enemies 100 years before the events of the Skywalker Saga! Young Jedi Knight Lily Tora-Asi is assigned to help displaced civilians relocate to Banchii in the Outer Rim. She and her padawans will face more threats there than just anxious settlers, from the insidious Drengir to the Nihil! And in Guardian of the Whills, encounter Baze and Chirrut before they join the Rebellion against the Empire in Rogue One! Presiding over the Kyber Temple on Jedha, the Guardians of the Whills had hoped to maintain the balance despite the growing presence of the Empire in their Holy City. Yet when a rebel named Saw Gerrera appears, Baze and Chirrut must decide if they're willing to compromise for peace, or if Saw's plan is too dangerous to risk. Read the first chapter of these two new Star Wars Manga Graphic Novels here! [Teen]
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It wouldn’t be the Teen Titans without heightened teenage emotions and romance! Fan favorites Beast Boy and Raven are travelling away from the dwellings they know to find homes they can feel comfortable in. Along the way, their paths cross, sparks fly, and even a destiny or two might be found. [Teen]
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“Street Fighter heads back to school, as the world's young fighters flex both their academic and martial arts prowess! Fan favorites Sakura, Ibuki, Karin, Makoto, and Elena come face-to-face with a new challenger - the leather-clad, motorcycle-riding Akira! It's a square-off of (rival) schools in this action-packed one-shot!” [Teen]
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[NOT FINAL ART] “This Fall, jump on board here as VALIANT UPRISING overthrows the status quo with new titles, new creators, and new takes on Valiant's most iconic characters! The VALIANT UPRISING FCBD SPECIAL features: A brand new X-O MANOWAR story from Harvey Award-winning writer Dennis Hopeless and breakout star Emilio Laiso. It's the perfect jumping-on point as Valiant's flagship hero prepares to "Upgrade the World"! Then, get a special advance preview of THE HARBINGER #1, an all-new series from co-writers Jackson Lanzing and Colin Kelly join superstar artist Robbi Rodriguez that promises to take Valiant's psiot rebel in a vivid new direction! Plus, find out how the world's greatest spy responds to being unmasked, hunted, and trapped in a first look at NINJAK #1, the pulse-pounding thrill ride from Ringo Award-winning writer Jeff Parker and legendary artist Javier Pulido. Finally, get a sneak peek from writer Cullen Bunn and artist Jon Davis-Hunt of what's to come when SHADOWMAN returns!” [Teen]
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Three epic new Marvel moments begin here! Read the beginning of the upcoming Spider-Man Beyond story that will be starting in Amazing Spider-Man #75! Big changes are coming to everyone’s friendly neighborhood Spider-Man...but are they for good, or ill? Also discover the new Venom series, which will take spider symbiosis to whole new levels in the wake of King In Black. And last, sneak a peek at the Luke Cage: City On Fire mini-series, which will pit Luke against not just the Kingpin, but Daredevil too! [Teen]
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Gotham is under attack, and it’s by the people claiming to keep it safe! Billionaire Simon Saint has slowly been taking over the institutions of Gotham with his insidious private security Magistrate program. Meanwhile, Batman finds his mind infected by Scarecrow’s fear gas, forcing him to question every decision he makes. It is all leading to the DC-spanning event FEAR STATE that will rock Gotham to its core. Plus, read a preview of Oscar-winning screenwriter John Ridely’s I Am Batman series in which the sons of Lucius Fox struggle with the legacy of both their father and Bruce Wayne as they take up the cowl to defend Gotham. [Teen]
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Who is Avenger Prime? And what has spurred the chronal collapse that has them sending their army of Deathloks out to save all of space and time? Discover the start of the end here! Then, journey into the unknown with the Incredible Hulk! Bruce Banner never wanted to smash, he wanted to discover. Now, it’s finally time for the Hulk to expand his horizons with Operation: Smashtronaut! [Teen]
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In this story from Critical Role, explore a small but important corner from the adventures of the Mighty Nein. Then, in The Witcher, it's an original tale featuring the iconic witcher himself, Geralt! Created in close collaboration with CD Projekt Red! [Teen]
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A fascinating graphic adaptation of historian Timothy Snyder’s book On Tyranny, a collections of essays and reflections on lessons from history and how they can help America steer away from the course of authoritarianism. Recommended for anyone looking to learn more about how tyrants all through history have manipulated people and systems to take away the freedoms of others. [Teen]
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“Side A: "BLACK: Interlude" What else was going on the night Kareem Jenkins was shot by police and discovered only Black people have superpowers? Find out in this FCBD one-shot! Side B: "CALEXIT: Hollywood Babylon" Once California refused to be ruled by the US government, its resistance fighters became overnight celebrities. Zora used her infamy for recruiting, but Emmie-X has other ideas.” [Mature]
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In 2019, James Tynion IV (Batman) and Werther Dell'Edera (Briggs Land) introduced the world to Erica Slaughter, the iconic monster hunter who came to Archer's Peak, Wisconsin to save the town's children from the monsters only she can see. But Erica is not the only member of the House of Slaughter... With nearly half a million copies sold, Something is Killing the Children has become a true comic phenomenon and this Free Comic Book Day you are invited to enter the House of Slaughter...if you dare. [Teen]
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Crewed by teenage geniuses frozen in cryosleep, the JEMISON is on a mission to terraform other worlds and provide hope for the human race. But when the ship is mysteriously stopped over a planet that isn't on any of their maps, the crew finds themselves suddenly awoken ten years early. One half remains behind to try and assess the damage and the other is dispatched to the planet below to figure out the answer to a perilous question: What stopped the ship, and is it friend or foe? [Teen]
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As the earth dies, salvation is offered to five thousand children who will be spirited away from our planet’s apocalypse -- but what of the other children, still hoping to find one of the bracelets that give them their ticket off planet? In this wistful one-shot from the sci-fi hit We Live, go into the Broken Lands with a group of friends...but there are four of them, and only one bracelet to be found. How will they decide who gets to leave? Then, preview the Rainbow Bridge graphic novel where Andy has to help his beloved dog Rocket save eternity! [Teen]
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“The comic adventures of Max, Chloe, and Rachel from the award-winning video game Life Is Strange continue in this exclusive lead-in to an epic new story arc! This FCBD special features the first comic book appearance of an all-new character who will feature heavily in the Life is Strange universe in 2021! This FCBD issue contains exclusive original material!” [Teen]
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“To reclaim the Dungeon that fell to the scheming William Delacour, the plan is simple: Marvin the dragon, Isis, and Herbert the duck must find some magic “fugus purit” and use it to dislodge the current occupants of the fortress. But is this really the Guardian's plan? Our heroes will have to fight against everyone to save the Dungeon. Meanwhile, will Marvin succeed in his engagement blast-of-firebreath 'Tong Deum'? Preview the new series here!” [Teen]
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See the next chapter of the super-powered scifi epic The Resistance, and then meeet the “Moths”: a subset of the super-powered Reborn. The pandemic that granted the Reborn their gifts during The Great Death gave power to people like  Emily Kai and the rest of the Moths, too...but the moment they use their gifts, their clock starts ticking and they have six months to live. Also, get a sneak-peek at the just-released Not All Robots futuristic techno-depressive-thriller! [Teen]
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The second semester of School for Extraterrestrial Girls is in session! Peer into the lives of Tara Smith (fire lizard!), Misako Sato (extra-dimensional fairy!), Summer Cortez (pink tentacle void beast!), and Ekaterina and Zvenislava (anthropomorphic Russian kittens!). They’re all normal teenage girls...except that they’re all aliens stuck on Earth, and since Tara partially destroyed their old school they’ve been sent to bunk at the School for Extraterrestrial Boys while it’s repaired...that’ll go fine, right? Read the first issue here! [Teen]
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This official spinoff manga of Rent-A-Girlfriend, the rom-com turned hit anime, features fan-favorite Sumi, the shy girl longing to come out of her shell. Written and illustrated by original creator Reiji Miyajima! Catch up on the manga before the Rent-A-Girlfriend anime returns for a second season, coming soon! [Teen]
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Zom 100 is a violent and funny take on the zombie apocalypse! Its main character, Akira, is so depressed in his soul-crushing job that he uses the undead hordes as motivation to finally complete his bucket list! Also included is a sample of the hit fantasy manga Demon Slayer. [Teen]
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“Known as the the Weakest Hunter of All Mankind, E-rank hunter Jinwoo Sung's contribution to raids amounts to trying not to get killed. Unfortunately, between his mother's hospital bills, his sister's tuition, and his own lack of job prospects, he has no choice but to continue to put his life on the line. So when an opportunity arises for a bigger payout, he takes it...only to come face-to-face with a being whose power outranks anything he's ever seen! With the party leader missing an arm and the only healer a quivering mess, can Jinwoo somehow find them a way out?” [Teen]
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In the small Pennsylvania town of White Ash, there isn’t much going on aside from mining...and keeping the fact that there are elves and dwarves living in the town secret, of course! In this pre-launch of Season Two of the ongoing series, a romantic rendezvous for the grieving dwarf Alex and mischievous elf Lillian doesn’t go as planned...with potentially disastrous consequences! Also read a preview of The Game, a new series where your every action affects impacts the score of your life! Plus a sneak-peak at some vampiric troubles in colonial America in Stake! [Teen]
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World of Zorro gives readers a peak at the upcoming titles for the legendary masked swashbuckler, both new stories (that range from the familiar to supernatural horror) as well as newly-translated classic tales! [Teen]
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For FREE COMIC BOOK DAY, enjoy this special expanded edition of the hit IMAGE series, STRAY DOGS! Stray Dogs is a comic thriller that features art inspired by classic Don Bluth-style animation, telling the story of a group of dogs brought together by a mysterious loner. Rather than behave like four-legged humans, the brilliance of Stray Dogs is that it gets inside the heads of its canine characters, showing the human world from their perspective. Unique, entertaining, and creepy. [Teen]
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The undead Vampirella has been around since 1969, and as the celebrations of her 50th anniversary draw to a close, Dynamite presents a reprint of the first issue of their series that kicked-off her modern adventures! [Teen+]
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Take an inside look at everyone’s favorite bipedal shark god, King Shark (aka Nanaue)! Suicide Squad’s many-toothed muscle is currently inside Belle Reve prison, but he won’t remain there for long. PLUS: a sneak peak at the just-released Suicide Squad miniseries Get Joker! [Mature]
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“After 20 years of antics coming out of Sunnyvale trailer park, the underground TV phenomenon Trailer Park Boys is finally coming to comics! Full of short stories and activity pages, several of comics' finest join to create a series of comic book specials in 2021 and beyond honoring Ricky, Bubbles and Julian and everything fans have come to love about the series.”  [Mature]
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Fungirl is a humor comic that is as unpredictable and hilarious as it is observant and smart. Cartoonist Elizabeth Pich’s creation does as much smashing the patriarchy as she does dreaming of delicious donuts and being spit on by llamas. [Mature]
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“Tensions between the clans are high, so when Cecily Bain, an enforcer for the Twin Cities' vampiric elite, takes a mysterious new vampire under her wing she finds herself in over her head and dragged into a massive undead conspiracy! Meanwhile, on the outskirts of the city, a rebellious found-family of clan-less vampire cast-outs investigates a vicious killing.” [Mature]
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“Preview the forthcoming full color, original Space Pirate Captain Harlock series from ABLAZE, personally overseen by the legendary Leiji Matsumoto!  In this brand-new Captain Harlock adventure, planet Earth is threatened by an upcoming invasion by the Sylvidres and despite being banished as a pirate, Captain Harlock won't give up trying to save the world. Will Captain Harlock and his crew manage to solve this mystery and save the Earth from yet another menace?  Also includes teasers for 3 highly anticipated upcoming manga/manhwa releases from ABLAZE, including The Breaker Vol 1 omnibus (critically acclaimed martial arts manhwa), Versus Fighting Story Vol 1 (Capcom e-sports shonen manga) and Crueler Than Dead Vol 1 (zombie horror seinen manga).” [Mature] 
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“An evil so profound it threatens all mankind... the mightiest heroes on the planet uniting to defend us all... a secret crisis of such utter finality that a countdown to civil or infinite war seems unavoidable... but have you ever wondered what really happens during Crossovers? The Seven, Payback, Teenage Kix, Fantastico and every other supe on Earth team up for an annual event like no other... and where the supes go, can a certain "five complications and a dog" be far behind? Vought-American prepare to make their move, in a story that will change the world of the Boys forever: Herogasm #1. The first-ever Boys spin-off mini-series features the pairing of Ennis with Hitman artist John McCrea and covers by Boys artist and co-creator Darick Robertson!” [Mature]
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“The most eagerly-anticipated series of 2021 gets the FCBD treatment with this ALL-NEW "bonus" issue of the series! Featuring 33 pages of comics produced exclusively for FCBD, from the creator of Hip Hop Family Tree and X-Men: Grand Design, designed as a perfect entry point for new readers and a must-have for those already on board. Aided by the anonymous dark web and nearly untraceable crypto-currency, there has emerged a subculture of criminals who live-stream and patronize webcam murders for entertainment. Who are the murderers? Who are the victims? Who is the audience? How do we stop it? An outlaw, splatterpunk masterpiece, as seen on Piskor's YouTube channel sensation, Cartoonist Kayfabe!” [Mature]
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“An award-winning comic and soon to be Netflix anime series!  When dusk arrives in the city of Manila, that's when you become the most likely prey of the underworld. Kidnappers and thieves will be the least of your worries. Beware the criminals that can't be bound with handcuffs nor harmed with bullets.  Beware the ones that crave your blood, those who hold your heart ransom, and the ones that come to steal your soul. When crime takes a turn for the weird, the police call Alexandra Trese. Featuring a preview from TRESE Vol 2: Unreported Murders, a section on the forthcoming Netflix TRESE anime series launching this summer (including an interview with Director Jay Oliva), bonus pages with w/ background about the monsters of Philippine myth as told by TRESE creators Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo, and a teaser on TRESE Vol 3: Mass Murders, coming this Sept from ABLAZE!” [Mature]
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“2000 AD Presents All-Star Judge Dredd is a thrill-powered showcase of the past and shocking present of the iconic lawman of the future! Witness the birth of the world of Judge Dredd in an incendiary preview of upcoming prequel graphic novel Dreadnoughts by Michael Carroll with art by Watchmen's John Higgins. Fan-favourite Judge Hershey travels to the ends of the earth to dispense her own brand of justice in long-anticipated blockbuster spin-off, Hershey: Disease by Rob Williams (Suicide Squad) and Simon Fraser (Doctor Who). Along-side these teases for Fall 2021 epics enjoy a bone-rattling all new stand-alone Dredd caper from elite writer Al Ewing (Immortal Hulk, Marvel's Empyre) and Caspar Wijngaard (Star Wars, Home Sick Pilots)!” [Teen]
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“Four titanic tales of pure fun and entertainment for everyone to enjoy! First up. It's no dog and pony show here! Bringing back the iconic puppets from the San Francisco Bay Area "Charlie and Humphrey"!! The modern-day Gumby and Pokey! A true love for al ages featuring a tale by Justin Sane and John Hageman! Next up is "Red Dawn" Written and created by Brandon McKinney, with inks by Bill Anderson and vibrant colors from Ross Hughes!! The government has created the first "controlled" superhero doing the bidding of a shadow operation until things go bad leaving our hero to blame and now on the run. The following story is only exclusive to this FCBD edition. Written by Greg Boucher and illustrated by Victor Moya they bring you "Rock and Roll Biographies: FIGHt" See how a troubled Rob Halford leaves the world biggest heavy metal band to form his own supergroup and take metal back!! Our last preview is written by Mel Smith, illustrated by Frank Cirocco/Alex Sheikman and hand colored by Gerhard! "Becoming Frankenstein" takes down the journey of a troubled Victor Frankenstein as he grieves the loss of his mother while harvesting the body parts of victims to create life again for his monster! Learn the tales of the victims and who they were before they became what becomes Frankenstein's ultimate creation! : This will be the only edition to feature this Rock and Roll Biographies story featuring FIGHT “ [Mature]
Enjoyed your Free Comic Book Day books? Want to read more? Let your friendly neighborhood Comix Connection Counter Monkey know which ones caught your eye, and we’ll be happy to direct you to the next part of the story!
4 notes · View notes
trashyazeohane · 5 years ago
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Perforated stars
Part 1/Part 2
Summary: “You don’t look scared at all.” Gary huffed, hinting on a joking tone, but a sudden shiver appearing in the last word sold him out.
“Very flattering of you to say, but I’m terrified like most of the time.” Avocato said, feeling the words scratching his throat.
“Really?” Gary asked, glancing at him.
There was something in his eyes, some hidden need, some kind of pulse that thrummed and beat and vibrated. Some kind of emotion Avocato couldn’t exactly name. Just something that made Avocato all messy inside.
Additional comments: Fluff, Slow Burn, Angst
Not beta-read, so it may contain some mistakes!
You can also read it on AO3! Enjoy!
Part I ミ★
Avocato was confused. This was a good word to use in his current situation. Confused. Or maybe perplexed. That word worked too. A little bit lost, but he was used to this feeling. But right now it was a tad different confusion than usual.
Mostly because it was related to Gary and the human was, well, confusing.
Not in the bad meaning of this word. Definitely not. He was just so different than Avocato that most of the time he couldn’t make heads or tails of what Gary was thinking.
So he usually didn’t think too much about the reasons and just let Gary do whatever he wanted.
And it worked until now.
Now something had changed. Well, that was wrong. A lot of things had changed. Avocato had been dead, or to be more precise almost dead in his case, but he had been back. Only to be possessed during the very next day and had been forced to leave the crew and his little boy again.
(Avocato would never forget what he had made Little Cato do. He would never forgive himself either for that, for making him live through so many horrible moments. That he had forced his son to do unimaginable things, weaving terrible memories. But God, how proud he was of Little Cato was beyond his heart’s comprehension. He felt like bursting from pride whenever someone simply mentioned his son. Or should he say ‘their’ now?)
Being possessed hadn’t been nice, but if Avocato had to be honest he had to admit that he didn’t remember everything. There had been bits and pieces, voices, images and pictures mingling in his head. There had been times when he could have looked with his own eyes and there had been times when the only thing around him had been darkness, filled with voices from the past. Time had been forgotten, consciousness had been something that had slipped through his fingers like cosmic dust. He had been there and not, both in the same time.
(There had been times when he had forgotten that in the end he had been a living being with a body.)
It wasn’t a part of his life he wanted to remember. Now he was glad he had got his body and family back.
He was getting distracted again.
The whole point was that Gary had been acting confusing.
After Avocato had returned, the whole crew had been acting differently around him. Scared. Almost like they had waited for him to leap, attack and tear the throats apart, leaving the bodies to float in the space. The only people who had not been treating him strange had been his son and Gary.
(Who actually had quite a big fight with the rest of the crew about how they had treated Avocato.)
Now, after some time had passed, everything seemed fine. Well it had been fine, until some time ago. Well even now it technically wasn’t not fine, it was just different.
Because Gary was acting weird. Like not his usual weird, but different type of weird. What was even worse was that it wasn’t an unwanted type of weird. Hell, even worse was the fact that Avocato really liked it, though he would prefer for this weirdness to not make his mind a fuzzy mess and his heart be two steps away from a cardiac arrest.
(But he had gotten used to these things. Or at least he thought he had been used to them. But during the past few weeks he had found out that he had been as vulnerable to them as long time ago.)
“And Uno!”
“Wait, were we playing Switch the whole time?”
“I thought we were playing Poker?”
“What?”
Avocato sighed and put down the cards. To be fair he had gotten lost what they had been doing until now.
The fact that Gary was proudly puffing out his chest wasn’t exactly helping him. Especially as he was wearing that goofy smile which did things to him. Bad things. Strange things. Uncomfortable things. Cosmic things.
Little Cato – who was sitting next to him – also put down his cards, showing a perfect collection of all Kings, and then slumped down on the couch.
Nightfall frowned and also moved the cards down, not showing anyone what exactly she had been playing. Though it seemed like she had hard time understanding what was happening around her.
Avocato wasn’t surprised. It was already late. Some of them should be sleeping right now.
And almost like on cue his son opened his mouth and yawned loudly, moving his arms to stretch them above the head, reaching for the stars.
“I’m going to sleep.” Little Cato said, then swung his whole body up to stand on his feet and put his hand on the table, spreading and messing the cards. “G’night.”
But it was fine, the game apparently ended with no winner.
“Good night.”
“Sleep tight.”
“And sweet dreams.”
Even if Little Cato wanted and tried to hide the smile, he was pretty miserable at it, so Avocato immediately saw his mouth stretching.
Little Cato lifted up sleeping Mooncake, to cradle it in his arms, and quickly walked out of the common room, shuffling his feet on the floor, barely lifting them up.
Avocato needed to sneak past Little Cato’s and Fox’s room later on and check whether he really went to bed or not. Little Cato had a tendency to simply curl and sleep on the first vacant place found while being seconds away from dozing off. So he wouldn’t be surprised if he found the boy in some vent system for example.
“I think I’m going to sleep too. It has been a tiring day.” Nightfall said, standing up too and moving her shoulders in circles.
Yeah, running after KVN who had stolen a quite important part of the ship because it had been shiny and sparkly had been definitely an exhausting experience. Ash had managed to capture him in the end, but after almost making the ship crash, so it was understandable that everyone deserved a break.
“Okie dokie, good night.”
“G’night.” Avocato murmured.
Nightfall nodded and then slipped away from the room without a sound. To be fair, if she hadn’t said it out loud, neither Gary nor Avocato would probably notice her going out. She was like fog when she wanted to, moving, sliding through space and time without a trace.
So this left Gary and Avocato alone.
And if he had to be honest Avocato was really, really tired. He dreamed about nothing more than a pillow, a blanket and the cozy darkness surrounding his mind, however he didn’t utter a thing.
Gary reached, collected the cards and started to shuffle them.
“Beggar-my-neighbor?” He asked.
There was a hint of sugary dreams intertwined with his voice, almost like he too was on the verge of lulling away to the dreamland. Yet he stayed. He didn’t even move to walk away, almost like –
(Almost like –)
Avocato wasn’t sure about the answer. But he knew Gary didn’t move, even though it was clearly visible he was tired and wanted to sleep. He persistently stayed and clumsily shuffled the deck.
“How many card games do you actually know?” Avocato asked, raising his eyebrow and crossing his arms on his chest.
Gary grinned widely.
“A lot.” He made two stacks of the cards in front of himself, but left both hands on each of them. “So?”
“Give them to me.”
Gary did and they started the first round.
***
Returning to reality had been way harder than Avocato had thought it could be. Mostly because he simply never had thought he would have to do it. He had expected a lot of things to happen in his life.
Being possessed by a mysterious entity, almost killing his best friend, being forced apart from his family and then being rescued had been definitely not on the list.
But it had happened.
Returning to reality had been hard. Avocato had felt like everything had changed. And it had changed, no, it definitely had had to change after such long time had passed. Yet because so much time had passed Avocato had hard time finding himself in the new reality.
(Time jumping while being almost dead and then being dead mentally could have such consequences.)
The hardest part for Avocato had been finding himself in the new life.
First, Gary had adopted his son, which well, to be honest it was pretty great. Amazing even. Astonishing. Okay, maybe at first, when he had found about it he had kinda frozen like his body had been floating in space without a suit. But it hadn’t meant that he had been against it. On the contrary.
(It filled his heart with joy to see how much Little Cato relied on Gary, who seemed to love doing it, taking care of their son.)
Little Cato was Avocato’s stable connection to the past. His beacon. His lifeline. His lighthouse. His satellite. He knew that no matter what, his bond with his son would stay the same. It was a constant in a formula, a symbol that simply was there, comforting, loving, familiar.
Gary had been like that too, at the beginning. But then after some time it had shifted, changed, morphed into something different. Not unwelcomed, just different.
(Nice different, but Avocato pushed these thoughts away. It was better not to dwell on them when he didn’t have any chances. There was no way that Gary – that he – no, it was impossible.)
Voluntarily spending more time with Avocato was one thing. At first he had thought that it had been due to missed time which could be spend together. Then it had changed into thinking that maybe Gary had been scared that Avocato would simply disintegrate while he hadn’t been looking. But it also hadn’t been that. Or maybe it had been at the beginning, but then it had changed.
In the end, right now, Avocato thought that Gary wanted to spend time with him as friends, best buds, BFFs or whatever he called their friendship. But even this wouldn’t explain the amount of time Gary spent with him. Almost like he was searching for excuses to stay with him, talk, joke, converse about past and future or just to simply stop in the time and enjoy being there.
For example, Nightfall was Gary’s close friend too and he wasn’t losing sleep just to play a card game with her.
“So we were just there, jumping off the ship!”
“Somersaulting in the air!”
“While screaming!”
“Little Cato a few meters behind me! I thought I would die!”
“But then bam! I finally managed to grab him!”
“And I survived!” Gary proudly said, then moved his hand to wrap it around Little Cato and ruffle his hair with the other one. “Thanks to this guy!”
“Ugh dad, stop!” Little Cato whined, trying to swat the attacking palm away, but failing miserably.
Maybe in the end he didn’t try that much. Maybe he simply just did that to keep up an image, a hologram, but deep down didn’t really mind that. Judging by the smile dancing and floating on his face it was definitely the case.
Avocato really loved seeing them interact. It was astonishing how free, how fitting, how comfortable they seemed with each other. It looked like they could understand each other without words. And the amount of affection being exchanged was incredibly sweet. Their relationship was like a binary star with love and trust in the center.
They really were fit for each other.
“Nevertheless I’m really grateful.” Gary said, sung it even and then turned his head to Avocato. “And this, my dear friend, was how we escaped Morinx S-27.”
Avocato couldn’t force himself to tell them that he had already heard the story two times. He loved seeing the utter joy on their faces too much to butt into the sudden storytelling moment that would erupt from time to time.
“That’s great.” Avocato said and nodded. “But now finish your vegetables, Little Cato. Don’t think I didn’t notice you trying to distract me.”
Little Cato smiling face quickly turned sour. His son flopped, even slumped down on the seat, turning into a jelly with a frown. A quite endearing look, especially as his whiskers moved and nose scrunched adorably.
Unfortunately for Little Cato, Avocato knew all his tricks. Even after being possessed and repossessed by himself.
“But they are disgusting.” Little Cato whined, slumping even farther down on the seat, slowly, but steadily disappearing beneath the table.
Avocato pointed his spoon at him.
“Eat or no more wild rides on Nightfall’s plasmic bike.”
After hearing that Little Cato’s eyes widened comically and he moved closer to the plate to start almost devouring the remaining vegetables.
Gary laughed at that, making that short, kinda broken snort which tore from his body. But it was such an honest, sweet, enthusiastic, real and so adorable sound that Avocato twitched after hearing it. He was so glad that no one paid him any attention.
Both Ash and Fox had already left.
Avocato looked at his own plate and the remaining food on the spoon.
He loved that kind of moments, when there was nothing happening and they were just drifting through the cosmos with the traces of antimatter moving past them. The stars passed behind the windows, blinking and shimmering, waving and winking at them, watching as they were slowly floating across the universe.
They didn’t have many calm days, so Avocato treasured each and every one of them.
“Can you pass me the salt, Brocato?” Gary suddenly asked.
Avocato looked up, then glanced down at the container near his hand and grabbed it to pass it forward.
It was supposed to be a quick exchange.
Gary reached forward, leaning a little bit above the table, and then took the salt container while sliding his fingers delicately across Avocato’s paw.
And damn, his heart betrayed him again, jumping wildly as all nerves tensed and stressed, while his mind blackened out and then came back online in less than a second.
Gary slowly moved back to season the rest of his food.
Avocato’s hand floated above the table for too long to call it normal, so he quickly moved it back after noticing.
His fur and skin burned in the place where they had touched. It had been like electricity had run through this place, tensing the muscles, making it all vibrate beneath the skin. The contact hadn’t been long, hell, it had been short, but for Avocato it had felt like eternities and light years had passed.
It had been just a touch! Something simple! Something that happened everyday! Why was Avocato acting like that?
Avocato swallowed hard, brushing his fingers together and still feeling the warmness on his hand.
(Please, don’t give him hope. Avocato didn’t need that. He had agreed with his fate, he didn’t need it.
Even though he wanted it.)
***
The crew was bigger and different.
Hue had a body. A kinda not fully functioning body, but it was a moving, mechanical body. There was also Nightfall – who really had surprised Avocato after meeting her – and then Ash and Fox – Clarence’s ex-kids. He knew that man was no good deal. And of course, AVA, the new AI of the ship.
Getting used to them had been a feat, but Avocato had found out he quite liked the new company. They were good people, a little bit lost and kinda strange, but everyone who was around Gary was weird in some aspects.
Maybe it was due to the weirdness of the man himself. Because Gary was weird, but weird in that good way. Strange was his fixation with cookies, his giddy and too joyful mood and his love of touching others, trying to get close to them and show them his affection.
Yet there was something even more off with Gary approaching and touching Avocato. Not in the bad way, but in a kinda unusual way.
Like why did it feel like Gary was doing it on purpose, catching every occasion like butterflies to be able to touch him? A pat on the back. A small shove to the arm. A pinch to the cheek. A poke to the side. Pointing at something on his armor. Asking to pass something. Finding weird excuses to do something.
(Avocato’s favorite moment had been Gary running to him to compare their hands’ sizes.)
Maybe there was no undertones to it, maybe Gary was simply like that. And some part of it was true. Gary was like that. He liked touching people, aliens and other beings. It seemed like a moment without getting near to someone was a wasted moment for him.
But there was something different in the way Gary approached him. It almost seemed calculated, in lack of a better term. Like Gary was just waiting for an opportunity to do this or that. It wasn’t spontaneous in most cases, more like pre-reacted a thousand times in the head and then played out in real life.
And every time it had happened, or well after that, Gary had been wearing this goofy smile.
“Okay so you’re taking Ash and I’m taking Little Cato?” Avocato asked, uncrossing his arms.
Gary nodded.
“Sure, yeah, that works for me.”
They moved closer to the two lumps laying haphazardly on the couch in the main living area.
Avocato slowly scooped Little Cato up, making place for Gary to do the same with Ash, letting her head rest on his arm and drool on the jacket.
Little Cato mumbled something in his sleepy state and curled in Avocato’s grasp, making him grin happily under his nose.
Avocato looked at Gary who bobbed his head at him.
Together they slowly moved through the ship, getting the kids to their respective beds. First it was Ash as her room was closer.
After knocking on the door and not getting a response, Gary opened the door, huffing and puffing quietly under his breath as he did so. The room was empty and both bunkbeds were unmade.
Gary laid Ash down on the bottom bed, moved her body around so that the blanket which was beneath her would be free and then covered her body almost to her nose. His hand stayed there for a moment, almost like he was checking whether she was breathing or not, and then moved it to her forehead, pushing the pink hairs away. There was a sudden beat of silence, a short buzz of machine going on somewhere nearby, a sudden stillness to the world as Gary leaned and pecked Ash’s forehead.
It was a strangely timid and private moment. A gap in space-time continuum that deserved a break. A tiny pause in the flow of accidents that tore the hearts apart. A supernova of peculiarity and sweet emotions.
Avocato felt really out of place. He wasn’t sure what he felt towards the new members of their team, squad, team-squad. He didn’t dislike them, but he also didn’t know them long enough to trust them completely.
Gary, on the contrary, seemed to love them. Seemed to burst with energy whenever they were nearby. Seemed to simply expand and grow like universe whenever Fox, Ash or Little Cato asked him something.
(Avocato really loved seeing Gary interact with Little Cato. It was clear as the day that he loved his, no, their son. And he clearly loved Ash and Fox too. But somehow it was a little bit different with Little Cato. It didn’t mean that he loved Ash and Fox less, no, the emotion was clearly visible on his face. But Gary and Little Cato had a weird connection even Avocato couldn’t explain.)
“You’ll grow to love them too.” Gary said, when he stood up and moved to exit the bedroom.
Avocato shrugged. He didn’t want to agree or disagree with this opinion or statement.
The trip to Little Cato’s room was a quiet one, interrupted only by beeps and whistles of machinery around, controls going on and off somewhere in the distance, like a never ending companion on a lifelong travel. A breathing lifeform made of metal vibrated beneath their feet, huffed and sighed with every step they took.
The door to Little Cato’s and Fox’s room opened without a problem.
Fox was already there, asleep, wrapped like a cocoon.
Gary grabbed the metal rails and hoisted himself up, leaning above Fox and kissing the top of his head.
Avocato grinned under his nose, put Little Cato on his bed and warmed him with a blanket secured tightly around the small body.
The boy stirred a little, murmured something under his nose, furrowed his eyebrows and then turned on the bed, messing the fur on the top of his head and cheeks.
Little Cato looked adorable, curled up like that. And maybe it was the calmness of this moment, a sudden need that erupted in his chest, a hidden whisper, or simply something that he wanted to do. No matter what it was Avocato also leaned down and kissed the top of Little Cato’s head.
“Aww you’re mimicking me, you copycat.”
“From what I remember I was a dad first. You just followed in my footsteps.”
“Says a person who asked me to take care of his boy.”
“I don’t see you complaining.”
“That is because I’m not.” Gary said, shrugging as he jumped off the bed, only to immediately kneel down.
He tucked Little Cato more, straightening the blanket as his hand glided on the surface. And just like with the others Gary leaned forward and kissed Little Cato’s forehead, letting his lips rest there for a few seconds.
Avocato smiled under his nose as he leaned on the doorframe and observed the scene, cataloguing every moment in his mind and heart.
Gary slowly moved away, caressed Little Cato’s cheek with the back of his hand and tugged him in one more time.
“Sleep tight, Spidercat.”
Little Cato murmured something and then snuggled further into the blanket.
Gary patted him one more time and then stood up, letting all the bones crack and rattle.
“Come on, let them rest.” Avocato said and then exited the bedroom, glancing at his son.
Gary quickly followed him and then reached his hand up above his head, stretching it when the door closed behind him, leaving them alone in the empty corridor.
There was a short moment of silence, wrapping them into its embrace. It could be even called a calm silence, comfortable one, until Gary opened his mouth of course:
“You know what we just had?”
Avocato had no idea.
“What?” He asked warily, feeling like he already didn’t like the answer.
“An indirect kiss.”
And Avocato was right. He didn’t like the answer.
“Way to ruin the moment, baby.” He sighed, feeling like the energy simply disappeared from his body, making him incredibly dull, empty like a vacuum.
Gary laughed, making his shoulders shiver and tremble, with a hesitant, awkward undertone at the end. It was a pure sound, kinda skittish on the side, but honest and true nevertheless.
Avocato felt like he fell for him even more.
***
Trying to get used to the new life had been really weird at the beginning. Everything had seemed off, strange, not fitting. Like he simply hadn’t been supposed to be here. Like a star in an asteroid belt.
And some part to of it had been true. He wasn’t supposed to be here. He should be dead, drifting in the cosmos, in the middle of nowhere, waiting for his body to discorporate.
But he was alive. He was living. And he was having emotions and feelings, strong, deep feelings that burned him to the core.
Avocato couldn’t explain some things Gary said. Almost like he was searching for some reaction. Almost like he was hinting at something. But it couldn’t be true, it couldn’t be real. Avocato’s brain simply didn’t want to believe it.
(It would be too good to be true.)
Gary would say things that would imply other things. He would make jokes in that awkward voice of his, sometimes too high, sometimes too low, that strung a specific cord inside Avocato’s chest. He would insinuate and hint and there were times when it seemed like Gary was waiting for something, was searching for something in Avocato’s reactions.
Yet he didn’t know really what.
Avocato’s brain was at constant mess, in a fight with itself, where the synapses were snapping and clawing at each other.
Gary probably didn’t know what he was doing to Avocato. Of course he didn’t. How could he know when Avocato never had told him about his feelings? At first he hadn’t been sure about them. Because hell, who falls for a person they were supposed to kill, which in the end captured them and then became their best friend? No one! He had thought that he had become simply too attached to the human due to the lack of many emotional connections through his life.
But then Quinn had appeared and Avocato had noticed that it hadn’t been a very strong friendship unfortunately. It had been – and was – something way more. Something that was bigger than friendship, something that was like it and not, both in the same time.
He wanted some form of closure.
Avocato had tried to be happy with what he had had, but deep inside he had wanted more. More he couldn’t have. So why dwell on it? Why think about the unchangeable? Why ponder about possibilities that may never come true?
Plus back then he had had more important matters on his mind. Saving Little Cato.
They had done it together, then Avocato had died or almost died, or died and not, both in the same time? It was really confusing with the time jumping and staying behind.
The point was that Avocato was back, together with Little Cato, and now he had time to ponder. Especially as there was no Quinn around.
Maybe they hadn’t started on the best terms, but he admired her strength and devotion. She was a good person, very smart and brilliant. And he didn’t hate or dislike her, no, even on the contrary, he had quite fond feelings for her.
It just really hurt.
But Avocato had no doubt that Gary still loved her. He was constantly saying that they had to save her and Avocato had to agree with him. They needed to do that. Quinn deserved it.
And Gary deserved her too.
So they did it. They saved her, snatching her away from the Final Space after a long and tedious battle that left them breathless and way too many times close to dying than it was comfortable. But they all survived it, they were there, happy and alive.
(The whole world was wrong again. They hadn’t fixed even one thing, it had seemed like they had messed it up even more, leaving tear after tear in the space-time continuum, breaking the cosmos and galaxies apart.
And the fact that Invictus was still out there wasn’t a good sign. That was a thing they had to deal with at some point. But now, all of them were safe and sound aboard the Crimson Light.)
Avocato expected Gary and Quinn to hug and kiss and just do something after the haze of fight died down and they could catch a breath. He prepared himself to have his heart shattered once again in a million tiny atoms, just as he was slowly starting to glue it back together, piece after piece. He knew it would be hard to watch but at least Gary would be happy. He would grin blindly at them and everything would be fine for now.
Yet it didn’t happen.
Nightfall elbowed Gary as he was nervously glancing at the ground and intermittently  at Quinn, who was trying to pat the flames on her clothes down.
Gary lifted his head, looked at Nightfall and it seemed like they had an entire spacious conversation during this short moment.
In the end Gary slumped his shoulders and turned around.
“Quinn, we need to talk.”
The girl looked up at him, with a sweet, hopeful glint shining in her starry eyes as a smile appeared on her mouth.
“Sure, we definitely do.”
Gary winced, grabbed her hand and then they both exited the hangar, leaving the rest of the team squad awkwardly standing there.
“So, that was new.” Ash finally said, moving to the rest and combing her covered with dirt hair with the fingers.
Nightfall clicked her tongue and moved to Ash to get the bigger debris from her hair.
“Gary and Quinn just need to have a very serious talk.”
Little Cato approached them, followed by Fox, who was checking something in his hand.
“Uh shouldn’t it be all fine now? We finally saved Quinn.” Little Cato inquired.
Avocato reached and wrapped his son in a hug, bringing his body closer to feel the familiar heat radiating from him. He had to take Little Cato to the Medbay to have the wounds checked and taken care of, not matter how small they were.
Nightfall smiled sadly at him.
“I’m afraid it’s not so easy, Little Cato.”
The boy lifted his eyebrows as he leaned towards Avocato, glancing up at him in search of the meaning of the woman’s words.
Unfortunately he also didn’t know what Nightfall had been talking about. Gary and Quinn should hug, kiss, talk, then hug some more and everything would be back to being brighter again.
Gary and Quinn talked for a pretty, pretty long time, during which Avocato and Nightfall got Little Cato, Ash, Fox and Mooncake to the Medbay and took care of their wounds. After that was covered and the little ones were sent to their beds, together with Hue, KVN and AVA, Avocato and Nightfall assessed the damage done to the ship, what needed to be done to repair it and what should they do from now on. But no one really wanted to talk about that just yet, so they ended the topic and returned to their respective rooms to get very much deserved sleep.
And Gary and Quinn were still talking.
(Or maybe they weren’t talking at all.)
Avocato didn’t really want to think about possibilities, about what they actually could be doing. He tried to fall asleep, something his body desperately needed right now, but found out that no matter how hard he tried to drift away, he simply couldn’t. His mind and heart were still buzzing with the excitement of the fight.
He couldn’t call it a won fight per se anyway. It left a bad aftertaste in his mouth at so many lost lives. They had been really lucky they had managed to get out of there alive, get out of the dying planets and destroyed ships, when so many of other living beings hadn’t made it and couldn’t escape. Their souls had been dragged away from their bodies which now floated somewhere in the cosmos with no place to bury them.
So many destroyed celestial bodies, so many lost lives. Poor lives that had simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Consumed lives that had lived in peace until then, not knowing about the war that had started.
It seemed like they were destroying everything.
In the end Avocato stood up and paced around the ship, calming his mind to the tune of the working machine. An engine pumping energy into the whole ship purred tiredly beneath his feet as he walked, huffing and puffing with its metallic lungs.
The ship seemed utterly off with no soul around as he quietly walked through it, trying to find a sole place to sit down and disconnect from the world for a bit. Almost like he was moving in a dream, floating in between states of consciousness and not – an askew part of the dimension, a weirdly torn part of the string that made their universe.
The stars blinked and shimmered behind the window and Avocato wondered for how long they could do it. Was the end of the time already breathing on their necks? Did they even have a lot of time? He wasn’t sure. He knew that the world was messed up and it was their fault.
Avocato sat down on the ground and stared at the expanding cosmos in front of his eyes, blocking his mind from all thoughts that pushed and knocked and tried to take down the doors to his consciousness. But for now he only saw the astral place spreading in front of his eyes, calming him down for a moment.
He wasn’t sure how long he was sitting there, but probably for too long.
“Avocato? What are you doing here?”
He twitched and then lifted up his head. He already knew who was coming thanks to the voice. He would recognize it everywhere, in a millisecond, during a spark where the atoms break into two.
Gary was slowly approaching Avocato, the dirty and destroyed clothes still on him. He looked utterly exhausted with the dark bags under his eyes and the remains of his own blood already crusting on the cheeks and beneath the nose.
“I couldn’t sleep.” He answered honestly.
Gary let out a dry chuckle.
“After a day like today?”
“Well, I think there is some leftover adrenaline inside my muscles. Like my brain is waiting for something to happen.”
“Uh yeah, actually I totally can understand that.” Gary scratched the back of his head, looked at the view Avocato was observing. He cleared his throat and then pointed at a space of ground next to Avocato. “Is this seat taken?”
Avocato snorted.
“No, it’s free.”
Gary smiled tiredly and then flopped down next to Avocato, crossing his legs on the ground.
For a blissful, beautiful and terrible moment they only stared at the space in front of them. There were clouds gathering in the distance, bright, enormous, fluffy gases – nebulas – swirling together, trying to form something incredible and new. There was a lone comet flying far-flung. A moon of a planet that was nearby slowly rotated around it, together with its twin.
It was a beautiful place to be. And also terrifying.
Avocato tried to find something to talk about, something easy, something nice and calming.
And then of course he dropped the bomb.
“So, how are things between you and Quinn? Everything’s okay?”
Fuck his life. Why had he asked that? Of course everyone was curious about what they were talking, although it seemed that Nightfall knew the most and wasn’t sharing it with anyone, protecting their privacy.
Gary twitched and then started to play with the thread sticking out from his pants.
“Everything is… well… fine. Between us I mean. I think. I hope.”
Avocato glanced at him.
“You don’t look fine.” He stated.
Because it was a fact. Gary looked miserable, not only because of his outward appearance, but there was something in his eyes, inside of him, something that simply was torn apart and he didn’t know how to stitch it back together. His eyes almost screamed for something, or maybe they screamed at the world, at the unfairness of it all, at the wrong and devastation that spread around while they could do nothing but cry.
“What gave it away?”
Avocato wanted to say that a lot of specific and small things, but shut his mouth. He didn’t want to let Gary know that he had observed him thoroughly. So he only said:
“Everything.”
A dry laugh left Gary’s lips as he tugged on the thread violently. It didn’t come out, but stuck persistently to the trousers. But other than that he didn’t answer. Just looked at the world passing them by.
So they simply sat there together, staring at the space and breathing slowly in and out. They were alive. They were here. They got everyone back. They were breathing. It should be alright. It really should be.
But it wasn’t.
It simply wasn’t because the world was slowly tilting towards destruction with Invictus on the loose and the Final Space and all the titans being seconds away from consuming their world, tearing it into pieces and destroying every atom in its wake, moving protons away from each other and stealing electrons.
There was a delicate movement to his right and a warm heap landed on his shoulder. It took Avocato awfully long time to notice, through his wildly beating heart, that Gary rested his head there, simply as that.
“Do you mind –“
“No.” Avocato quickly said. Too quickly, if he might add. “It’s okay.”
It really was okay. More than okay.
Gary was breathing slowly, letting the air out in puffs and huffs as his head maneuvered a little to find the best position on Avocato’s shoulder.
There was another long spasm of time, a terribly protracted seconds that prolonged themselves into oblivion as they stared at everything and nothing both in the same time, until Avocato heard a soft sniff nearby.
He snapped his head in Gary’s direction.
“Hey, is everything really–“
“We’ve lost so many living beings today.” He softly whispered, voice so quiet it was almost not even there.
But it was there and it strung a painful string inside Avocato’s chest, making him hitch his breath for all the wrong reasons.
“Yeah, yeah we did.” Avocato nodded, shifting a little so his body was a bit lower, which made leaning on him hopefully also easier.
(He didn’t want to lose the contact, that spark of happiness in the dark cloud that seemed to envelop them, seemed to thunder above their heads, saying that the rain and storm were on their way.)
There was something wet hitting his shoulder as another sniffle left Gary’s lips.
“It’s my fault.”
“No, it’s not.”
“It is.” Gary fought back, croaked even, seeming to be on the verge of breaking.
“No, it isn’t. We and them were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. You didn’t kill them. It wasn’t you who took their lives away.”
It was the truth. He had seen today hundreds of lights disappearing from brave faces, he had seen smiles turning into grimaces, into startled mouths opened to scream and shout. He had seen the hope, the beautiful hope, flicker and die quickly under the sheer force that had bent their knees in the face of Death that simply had taken their hands and helped guide them to the other side.
There had been blood, so much blood and screams and shouts and pain and tears and misery and pain and pain and pain.
But it wasn’t their fault. And it definitely wasn’t Gary’s fault. Nor was it anyone else’s on their side.
Avocato slowly reached his hand, trying not to jostle his companion, and then rested it on Gary’s shoulder, bringing him in for a close hug.
He knew it wouldn’t fix anything in the world. It was broken apart, maybe beyond abilities to be repaired. Maybe they were on the way to doom, to their death, to the annihilation that would swipe them away. Maybe there was no hope in the future and every thread connecting their fingers would be burned.
But Avocato still decided to not lose hope.
He hugged Gary closer and let the tears flow down, freely, letting him cope with the loss, hopefully helping him overcome the traumatic moments of today.
He did it even when Gary fell asleep.
And if he carried Gary to his room, then who was here to see and judge him?
***
Avocato had problems with showing his true feelings. It probably, scratch that, definitely was due to the environment he had grown up in. Showing emotions, or worse, weakness had been unacceptable. They had had to be strong, they had had to be brave, they had had to do everything Lord Commander had said. Or else there had been painful consequences.
Showing emotions was a sign of the biggest trust.
(Only Little Cato had seen him crying.)
Yet Gary had done it. Showed him the biggest sign of trust someone could. He had believed him, leaned on him and showed what had been troubling his heart.
Avocato felt awfully happy and devastated about this idea, both in the same time.
Life after the fight, at least those few first days, wasn’t easy. The gloomy atmosphere seemed to be etched into the ship circuit. Everyone’s heads were down with hands tightening when a memory flew by. The never-ending presence of failure followed their every step.
But at least Quinn was with them.
Avocato expected her and Gary to spend every minute together, almost glued to a hip. He expected to see them kiss each other’s cheeks or foreheads or mouths, hug from time to time or simply glance at each other.
They did glance at each other, but with a different tone to it. There was no soft touches on the side, no quick smooches here and there, no desperate hand holding, nothing.
At first he thought that it was due to the atmosphere that walked around them, but it wasn’t that. It was something else, something deeper, gravity waves of emotions.
Something changed between them, that was for sure. But Avocato couldn’t make the heads or tails of it, nor did he think it was his place to ask, so he let the matter be.
(Some part of him was happy that they didn’t show their affection everywhere on the ship.)
It seemed that Quinn also had hard times with accommodating and fitting in with so many unfamiliar people around. She had the best contact with Hue, KVN and apparently Little Cato. With whom Avocato found her speaking quite a lot.
She was talking with him too, but there was always a tone of awkwardness to it.
“Hey, do you know where butter is?”
“That yellow thing which goes on the bread?” Avocato asked.
Quinn nodded, a little bit taken aback.
“Yeah, that.”
“In the cupboard on your right.”
Quinn turned and reached for the shelf.
“Why are you keeping butter in the cupboard? It should be in the fridge.”
Avocato shrugged.
“It’s pretty cold in the cupboard.”
Quinn glanced at the cupboard, then at the butter she now held in her hand, then one more time at the cupboard only to sigh loudly and flop down on the chair in front of Avocato.
He took another sip of his drink, looking through the news on the tablet in front of him. The bounties on their heads were increasing every day and Avocato wasn’t sure whether to be flattered by it or incredibly scared. Maybe a bit of both.
It seemed like Quinn wanted to say something as she was currently drilling holes in his head with her gaze and not making any sandwiches even though all the components were on the table. Avocato decided to let her start speaking whenever she wanted.
In the end she finally made sandwiches
So they sat there, eating, drinking, glancing through new information across the universe, until one of them broke.
Quinn cleared her throat and looked at him. There was something confusing in her eyes, a sudden resolve that didn’t want to be tamed nor couldn’t be controlled, a sudden pure strength that shimmered like a moon – reflecting the power of someone’s else, a sweet inspiration.
“Avocato, I…”
He lifted his head, looking at her and closing the news on the tablet.
The strength was still there, but it was mixed, couldn’t be really described, escaped every trap that the girl tried on it, playing with her like she was only but a mouse.
“I know we didn’t start on the best terms, but I want you to know that I…” She looked to the side, scratched her cheek, then moved the curls away from her forehead only to look him back in the eyes. “… I think you’re a good person and well… I trust you… with Gary and well… Yeah, I trust you.”
Okay. That was pretty… pretty strange to drop such a bomb in the middle of the morning, but at this point in life and with such a crew on the ship Avocato should get used to it. Only he didn’t, so now he only stared perplexed at the woman with his finger still floating in the space close to the tablet.
“Uhh… thanks?” He said slowly, not sure if it was the right answer to give in this situation, but it seemed okay enough to say it.
He wasn’t sure whether anyone should trust him. He had done very bad and terrible things. Really horrible things that plagued his mind during nights, woke him up with hands around his throat and blood splattering on his face. There were faces he knew he would never forget, eyes filled with fear and tears and mouths hanging open in a silent scream for help.
Avocato could never forget those poor souls.
(Avocato didn’t deserve to forget it.)
He didn’t think he deserved the trust everyone around was giving him. He didn’t deserve the amount of hope they were showing him when they were entering another fight. It was badly misplaced.
But they saw something in him he didn’t exactly could see himself.
And he wasn’t going to let them down this time, nor ever again.
Quinn smiled at him and Avocato noticed that it was probably the first time she had done it towards him. They had behaved normally around each other, or well tried to act normally, polite, nice, but there had been always something off about it.
Back at Galaxy One they had been more often seen jumping at each other’s throats with the difference in their perspective, with divergent weight of morals and hearts, but now, after so many things had happened and changed it seemed like they found a silver lining of understatement.
Plus seeing her face, alive, smiling calmed Avocato a little.
He had no doubt that Gary had to do something with Quinn changing her mind about him, but he wasn’t going to question it. He liked her and definitely preferred her covering his back with trust than pointing the gun at it.
***
Why and how Gary changed people’s opinions about Avocato was another mystery Avocato simply couldn’t solve. He didn’t have enough pieces, enough evidences to even form a proper theory around it. So he left it at that and accepted it as another Gary’s confusing trait.
Not that he minded that much. He wasn’t good with people and aliens and other life beings and forms.
Slowly Quinn found her place on the ship. There were still some awkward moments when she stared at Gary and he did it back with some kind of remorse in their eyes, but these were sparse.
Avocato wasn’t sure what had happened between them and he wasn’t really keen on asking about it. It was their private thing, he shouldn’t interfere.
(But he couldn’t stop himself from being a little bit curious. Because it seemed like they weren’t together. There was clearly a deep connection between them, but the spark was lost.
Avocato hated himself for felling hopeful.)
He paced around the ship slowly with a towel wrapped around his shoulders, hanging on the wet fur. Or mildly wet fut. He knew if he stayed longer in the drying chamber he would fall asleep, so he decided to finish drying himself with a towel.
The ship outside of the warm showers was cold, freezing even. It made all the wet hairs on his back and arms stand up, so he fastened his pace to get to his room quicker and turn on the heating to drift away into hopefully dreamless sleep.
Most doors were already closed, signaling Avocato that almost the whole crew was asleep. He didn’t mind, he got used to being the last one to do it.
(Often accompanied by Gary. They had spent quite a lot of nights playing cards in the main room of the ship.)
Gary’s room was open, which wasn’t actually that surprising. What was off was the soft light coming from between the small, thin gap that was there. What was even more astonishing was a soft tune sneaking between it and scattering across the floor, clearly coming from that room.
Avocato sneaked closer to the gap, being cautions of his steps and the sounds he was making, and leaned forward, stealing a peek inside.
He definitely didn’t expect to see it.
Gary was leaning on the wall, sitting on the bed and humming a soft tune under his nose as his eyes were illuminated by the holographic tablet he held in his hand and clearly read through. On his lap laid Little Cato, whole body curled and hidden almost fully under a blanket thrown over it. There was a steady rhythm of his heartbeat, mirrored in slow rises and falls of the chest, showing Avocato that the small Ventrexian was fully asleep.
That didn’t stop Gary from leisurely moving his hand through the cyan patch of fur on his son’s head, playing with the strands and scratching him behind the ear occasionally, which also flicked form time to time.
(There was also a small lamp in the corner, giving a soft hue to the whole room. Never turned off.)
Mooncake laid nearby the wall, squished between Gary and Little Cato and snoring peacefully, while giving a few sounds ever so often.
Avocato knew they were close. They had to be. Gary even had adopted his – their – son.
He had seen them interact a thousand times already.
But it didn’t stop the sudden beat of the heart from going haywire when he saw moments like that. Peaceful. Calm. Tranquil. Comforting. Fitting.
Gary looked utterly happy, moving his hand slowly while his eyes scanned the letters, coordination, galaxies and space stations nearby that they deeply needed to avoid. There was a tired smile, hiding in the corners of his mouth, in accompaniment of the hair standing in weird directions.
Little Cato exhaled slowly and snuggled closer.
Gary glanced down, smiled more and then returned to reading. Or at least he seemed to want to do that, but his eyes moved, glided along the small crack in the doorway and then their eyes met.
“Avocato?” Gary’s mouth said, barely letting the words out.
He didn’t have to be so quiet. When Little Cato was asleep even a comet crashing through the roof wouldn’t wake him up.
Should he step inside? There was no need for him to do that. He could wave his hand and let them be, give them much needed rest. But there was something enthralling in the picture he just had seen, something that called to him, something that made him want to be a part of it, not a spectator from the side.
It was a stupid need, but he simply couldn’t stop it.
So he opened the door a little, which hissed as it moved to make place for him to step inside.
“Hey.” He whispered.
“Hey to you too.” Gary murmured, showing him a line of white teeth. “Why aren’t you sleeping?”
“I was taking a shower.” Avocato said and then pointed with his head at the lump laying in Gary’s lap. “I would ask you the same thing, but I can see you have your hands full.”
He chuckled, curling one strand of baby blue hair around his finger and brushing it with his thumb.
“Quite full indeed.” Gary said and then much softer added. “But I can’t say I mind.”
Little Cato tilted his head a little, like he was seeking the warmth that seeped from Gary’s fingers, and then moved to rest his cheek on the human’s stomach, one hand gripping the t-shirt, forming an ocean of wrinkles there.
Gary didn’t look like he minded. If anything he looked even happier than before.
The image, the atmosphere, the sweet warmness that seeped from Gary and Little Cato was so serene, so calming that Avocato’s heart just yearned to flop down on the bed next to them, lay his head down and lull away too. It was a deep need, powerful like a cosmic wave, thermic in its wake, even more endearing by the fact that he simply just had to step forward.
But –
“You can stay the night.” Gary suddenly said, not looking up at him, but staring fondly at the Ventrexian in his lap. Then it seemed like a sudden blast, a meteorite crashed in his mind, because he snapped his head up and mumbled. “If you… I mean… If you want to, of course.”
There was a soft hint, a delicate, darkish hue to Gary’s cheeks, navy blue in colors in the faint light coming from the holographic screen and lamp that just tore Avocato’s heart apart.
He didn’t want anything more than just that – no innuendos, no higher reason, no adult stuff that sometimes sneaked into his mind. Just a calm night shared with his loved ones.
No, he didn’t deserve that. He had hurt them enough. They were happy now, why should he interrupt this small piece of time filled with joy with his presence?
“No, it’s okay. I’m good.“ He wasn’t, but it wasn’t their problem either. “I’ll see you in the morning?”
Gary nodded, quickly replacing something on his face with a small smile.
(It definitely hadn’t been sadness. Definitely not disappointment. It couldn’t be. Why should it even be there? No, Avocato had to be seeing things. He had to be. It was quite late and Avocato didn’t have enough sleep lately or like ever.)
“Yeah, uh, sure. Totally. We’ll see each other in the morning. I’m super fine with that.” Gary cleared his throat, moving the screen to hide his mouth. “Yeah, yeah, fine. Good night.”
Avocato smiled.
“Good night.”
And with that he left the room, feeling like he was leaving something precious behind.
***
It seemed like Gary almost naturally knew what Avocato wanted, even before he could simply form the thoughts. Or always seemed to know what to ask, shaping, molding the needs into the words.
A peculiar talent indeed. A rare one. A very confusing one.
Especially as it was getting harder and harder to resist some of them.
Avocato never had been a very touchy and warm person. Years of killing people could do that to living beings. They start to lose the sense of humanity, they stop seeing the spark of life in the others and start treating them as a burden, a hindrance they need to take care of.
Avocato had hated himself for doing and thinking like that.
Living beings had been pawns he had had to destroy or move to another part of the board. Conceal emotions. Don’t think about their families or friends or loved ones. They had been just a collection of atoms, a cosmic dust, a moment, a light that needed to be blown out.
Then it had changed when Little Cato had been born. His whole world had shattered into thousand, if not million, pieces and had formed something entirely new. Not something stable at first, but Avocato immediately had known, right after seeing his little son, that he was going to try his damn hardest to make it all work.
He would steal a thousand stars for his son. He would break the space–time continuum. He would snap and tie back the strings of reality. He hadn’t always showed it. Hell, he probably never had showed it. A great mistake. One of the biggest mistakes of his life.
But he had gotten a second chance. Or well actually a third chance, maybe even a fourth one if he could count right. But these two in the middle didn’t count because he hadn’t been long enough here to actually use them.
Little Cato had been and was his sunshine, his hope, his sun, his moon, his gravity and his light. Everything he had done and did was for him.
Avocato loved spending time with Little Cato, whether it was eating breakfast or dinner, steering the ship, playing random games during games nights which happened almost every day or simply spending time while doing nothing.
Now unfortunately wasn’t one of those times, but Avocato still was going to enjoy it.
“And remember, if your gun jams, there is an additional one on your left.” Gary said, pointing at the holster hanging on Little Cato’s belt.
The Ventrexian sighed loudly and pushed Gary’s hand away.
“Dad, come on. I know how to shoot and I know where I have my weapons.”
Avocato smiled.
“Gary, chill. He’s a Cato, using guns is in our blood.”
Little Cato grinned to him.
“Oh is it now, Avocato? I clearly remember someone forgetting to bring his backup ammo for the last mission.” Gary said, straightening his back and crossing his arms on his chest.
Oh, he hit a point.
“I made it work in the end, didn’t I?” Avocato smirked.
“Throwing a gun at the enemy doesn’t count!” Gary huffed.
“Hey, if there is no ammo, you use whatever you can as an ammo.” Little Cato added, adorably grinning from ear to ear.
“Well said, son.”
Little Cato almost bubbled with excitement, jumping in place and whispering encouraging words to himself. There were sparks leaping from his eyes, shimmering for a second like burning particles of metal. He radiated energy like a comet moving through the space.
Gary sighed at that.
Avocato smiled under his nose and checked the energy stabilizer in his gun. There was nothing better than plasma weapons. Deadly, yet longer-lasting. A small ampule of energy was enough for many rounds of ammo.
“Can we go?” Little Cato asked, swinging back and forth on his heels.
Avocato was just about to answer that they should actually move to the drop zone, when Gary one more time butted in.
“Oh no, you can’t, bud. Not without your good luck charm.”
Little Cato stopped swinging and looked at the man, rolling his eyes brutally.
“Dad, no. I don’t need it!”
“Let me be the judge of that.” Gary frowned and then leaned to peck Little Cato quickly on the forehead.
The Ventrexian frowned, trying to look as disgusted as he could, but failing somewhere in the middle as the smile broke on his face, snapped it in two like a meteor.
“Dad, stop, you’re embarrassing me in front of everyone.” Little Cato whined, moving his hand to his forehead, but not brushing the place, only gently resting his paw there.
“You have to live with it.” Gary said, moving to straighten his back.
Avocato wasn’t sure exactly why he opened his mouth. Everything was fine and dandy, maybe even sweet due to the situation that had unfolded in front of him like a Mobius strip, and he had to break it.
(Maybe the needs that had been locked inside of him finally had enough and found a small opening in the corner, clawing their way out. Maybe it was an urge to share something similar, something pure and sweet and calm and comforting all in the same time.)
“How come Little Cato got a good luck kiss, but I didn’t?”
And he failed miserably. Someone give him a round of applause.
The hangar, previously filled with so many voices, became instantly quiet, silent as space spreading behind these metal walls.
Avocato’s heart stopped beating for a moment after the words had left his mouth. There was a hollow void inside his chest, an emptiness that sucked everything into it. A sudden pause of the time which prolonged the awkwardness into infinity.
Gary looked at him with the mouth a little bit open and eyes wide as moons.
Avocato clenched and unclenched his fists a few times, trying to come up with an idea on how to get back his words. Maybe he should play it as a joke? Would laughing work? Maybe he simply can pretend that he hadn’t said that? He just had to do something to escape the sudden stillness that had appeared inside the hangar.
But before he could do anything, Gary moved closer and nervously smiled.
“Well when you put it like that, I admit it wasn’t fair.”
Avocato felt like he was dreaming. Because he had to be dreaming. It couldn’t be real. There was no chance that he was actually awake and not turning on his bed. But if it was a dream then please let him sleep for at least one more minute.
Gary leaned up, moved closer, impossibly close, so close that Avocato could sense the warmness seeping from the human body, traveling, enveloping him. There was a familiar scent trailing after him, smell that made all his bones melt and mind become a galactic mush.
It was a short moment, a sudden spark of a dying star, or maybe the beginning of a new one, when the gases all combine to form an explosion that could make everyone kneel.
Gary pecked Avocato’s cheek, letting his lips stay there for a second or so, before slowly moving back, glancing hesitantly at Avocato like he wanted to gauge his reaction.
And well, Avocato was a lost man. His heart beat rapidly in his chest, thrumming loudly like an overworked engine that was on the tip of exhaustion. It hammered and knocked on his ribcage so vehemently that he was sure it was the most audible thing in the entire universe.
The place on his cheek was burning.
Gary smiled at him and stepped away, moving his one hand to scratch the back of his neck.
The silence stirred around them, until even it finally broke down.
“How come they get good luck kisses, but not me?” Fox suddenly asked.
“Hey, I was on a mission two weeks ago and I didn’t get any either.” Ash added, moving to her brother and crossing her arms.
“That is because you sneaked out, not went on a mission.” Gary quickly clarified, looking at her. “By the way you’re grounded for that, young lady.”
“There was a music festival on a planet nearby!”
“Still grounded!”
“And I still didn’t get my lucky kisses!” Fox whined.
Gary sighed, letting his shoulders drop like it was the most tedious thing to do. But the happiness, hiding in the wrinkles in the corners of his eyes sold him out.
“Come here then!”
Avocato observed fondly the ridiculousness of the situation in front of him, correcting the belt where his main weapons were situated. In the corner of his eyes he caught Little Cato looking at him, so he did the same, raising his eyebrow.
“What?”
“Nothing.” Little Cato said, in the voice that clearly indicated that ‘nothing’ was clearly a lie.
Avocato wanted to pursue and continue the topic, but AVA announced they were getting closer to their destination.
His cheek burned long after that.
***
The affection was never his companion.
A side effect of working for Lord Commander. But that wasn’t the only reason. He had simply grown up while being taught that showing any kind of emotions led to disasters.
Life had quite confirmed those suspicions.
It always had seemed that whenever he had seek comfort and warmness the universe, the people around him and he himself had been punished for that.
(There had been times where he had been afraid of even trying to seek this kind of feelings from other people.)
Things had changed when Little Cato had been born and later on when he had fell in love with Gary Goodspeed.
For Little Cato Avocato would do everything, he would disintegrate and destroy every particle of fear inside of him if his son even needed a hug, pat on the back or comforting kiss on the nose. He had been there through every sickness and every heartbreak and every tears filled night. Until Little Cato had been ripped away from him.
Another confirmation of the suspicions.
But then Gary Goodspeed had appeared and helped him get his boy back, breaking the chain, smashing it to pieces with just a few words and things that couldn’t be described by them – words.
And somehow Gary knew how to sneak past his defenses to give enough amount of affection for Avocato to feel loved.
(Which was a dangerous thing, because after tasting it for the first time he needed more and more, finding urges and needs that plagued his mind.
Maybe it wasn’t a plague, but a calm home.)
Avocato couldn’t remember much from the time when he had been possessed by Invictus. He had bits and pieces here and there, tears in the continuum of space canvas with strings weaved together like a beautiful veil. The most he remembered were the beginning and the end.
(Shooting Gary, almost killing Gary, almost shooting Little Cato. No matter how many times he had apologized, the guilt was still there, a never-ending thread that had a start, but no end.)
Affection was something that should be familiar, yet wasn’t.
Gary patted the flashlight, which flickered and then died down, giving a few coughs of light at the end.
Avocato stared at it, furrowing his eyebrows. That was their last and only one flashlight. Avocato didn’t worry too much, he could see clearly in the dark, but humans couldn’t.
Gary swallowed hard
“It is dark as hell in there.” He murmured, staring into the epitome of darkness.
Avocato nodded.
“It is.”
“Do you think there are like super giant monsters that are gonna eat our brains and then make chairs out of our bones?”
“What?”
“It’s was a yes or no question, Avocato!” “I know, I was just surprised by it.” Avocato grumbled, atounded by Gary’s sudden outburst. “I suppose there is a possibility?’
“Oh no, we’re going to die.”
“I doubt it.”
“It’s easy for you to say, you have like twelve guns on you.”
“Eh, fourteen actually.” Avocato shrugged, loading one as he spoke.
“Even better!”
Avocato sighed, glanced into the dark abyss that spread in front of them, consuming every particle of matter that dared to go inside and then looked back at Gary who anxiously looked at the sight before him.
Gary was wriggling his hands together, playing with the hems of the sleeves as he stared at the entrance, mulling the idea over by biting his lip. His shoulders were tensed, the sudden stress almost precipitating on them. The picture was filled with the eyes jumping from left to right, desperately trying to find something to focus on for the next moment.
There was something off about the picture, something unfitting that wasn’t made to be here, like a fifth corner puzzle piece that you try to put in a square drawing.
Avocato stared for a good long minute, trying to locate the source of the problem, trying to find the root of the dilemma that clearly clung to Gary’s body.
He glanced at the cave, then back at Gary.
There was one possibility that was coming as the most plausible one here.
“Gary, are you afraid of the dark?”
The response was immediate.
“No! Me? Of course not! Definitely not! Nu huh!”
Avocato lifted his eyebrow, but put down the shotgun and then affixed it to his back, freeing both hands, so he could grab a smaller plasma hand pistol with his right one.
Gary massaged his one arm with the other hand, looking with his eyes at anything, but at the dark void that emerged in front of them.
Avocato reached with his left hand to Gary, letting his fingers twitch in the cold air of the planet.
“Come on, grab my hand and let’s get this over with, baby.”
It was said in a carefree tone, almost a joking one. But it was a play, a calculated deception to hide how much Avocato’s heart thrummed in his chest and how his mind become fuzzy at the simple prospect that they could hold hands.
Not to mention he wanted to be there for Gary if he needed him. Gary had been his support, his livewire, his lighthouse and familiar home since the moment they had seen each other and Avocato wanted to repay the debt.
He expected Gary to resist, maybe joke a bit, bicker back and forth, but he almost surged forward, clasping Avocato’s palm in both of his hands and holding tightly like he was a lifeline on a wide ocean.
Avocato wiggled his fingers a little, finding a better position and then looked towards the cave.
They moved forward, at first terribly slow, letting the light guide them for a few meters or so, before the void fully consumed every particle of light that tried to cross the boundary. It seemed like the darkness devoured all the wavelengths, letting no color inside. Only the cold, freezing blackness remained.
Even though the void expanded around them, filling every pore of their bodies, Avocato could see more or less clearly. For example he could see that there was a hole on the right after two meters and that if they didn’t move their heads down in ten meters they would hit their foreheads on the stone ceiling being suspiciously low.
The further they were walking, the more cold and freezing it was starting to be and the stronger the hold on his hand was getting.
Gary didn’t talk, as it seemed like every breath was a feat for him. A fatiguing experience that he wanted to stop doing. He was twitching and shivering all over his body, but whether it was due to the coldness or stress Avocato wasn’t sure.
Avocato squeezed back the fingers holding him, trying to send some comforting feelings and thoughts through the link.
Gary immediately gripped back, changing the hold so only one hand was interlocked with Avocato’s fingers.
They walked for a few more minutes. Exactly eight to be more precise, before Gary finally opened his mouth.
“I uh… at my home… I mean back on Earth… I lived uh… quite a long time without the electricity…”
“You did?” Avocato asked, hoping that Gary would catch a bait.
He moved his fingers a little in the hold.
“Oh yeah… After my dad died and my mom left me, I… I lived in our house for some time… I think that the Child Protective Services didn’t actually know I was left alone… They probably thought my mom was still living with me… even though she wasn’t…” Gary inhaled sharply. “I mean… it wasn’t so bad at the beginning…”
Avocato knew it wasn’t the truth. The drop of the tone, the sudden tightness in the voice, the hesitant shivers running through the fingertips sold Gary out.
“There was some spare money my dad had hidden in the vase with the fake succulents… So I used it to buy food and all the stuff…” There was an audible gulp next to him. “I was a kid back then… I didn’t know how rents or banks worked, that you need to pay for water and gas and such things… And well, after some time they…”
“Cut the electricity off?” Avocato finished, glancing tat Gary.
He wasn’t looking at anything per se, mostly staring at the ground that he couldn’t see, like by just focusing hard enough he could maybe spot the obstacles in his way.
“Uh… yeah… One day it randomly just disappeared during the evening. The house became so silent all of a sudden… I didn’t notice before but with it the house had been so loud. The fridge had been buzzing, the boiler had been bubbling, the AC had been hissing. But after that it all… quieted down. And I… I got so so scared.” A sudden break. A hiss. A sniffle. “I felt so alone.”
Avocato couldn’t really imagine what it must have felt like, but he knew a lot about loneliness. A pesky feeling. A horrible companion. A hollow sensation.
Avocato had been alone for most of his life. He knew how isolation really felt like – a weight that held down, with the gravity pulling the strings towards the bottom from where there was no escape.
He wasn’t sure how to respond to that. He wasn’t good at this lifting up other people’s moods. He wasn’t good at being there for others, even though he tried desperately to do that. He simply wasn’t good enough.
But Avocato decided he wanted to try.
So he gripped the hand tighter, letting his thumb brush across the skin and tugging the human closer.
“This had to fucking suck.” He whispered and winced immediately after that.
Yep, Avocato wasn’t the best, he wasn’t even remotely good in comforting people related stuff. It was always Gary’s thing to do, lifting people’s mood with a joke here, a pat there, a hug in-between, mixed with soft words.
In comparison Avocato was harsh and plain, cutting straight to the core.
Gary sniffed and moved his fingers, finding a better hold on Avocato’s palm.
“Yeah, it fucking sucked.”
Avocato wasn’t sure whether he was doing a good or terribly bad thing for his heart, but he tugged Gary closer, letting their shoulders brush, squeeze together like they were two pieces of a puzzle.
“You can hold onto me if you’re scared.” Avocato whispered, feeling like in the spreading void his voice was still ten times louder, shaking the waves in the air around them.
And he really meant it. He wanted to do that. He wanted to be that. Someone better. Someone more.
They weren’t living in calm times, no, they were far away from that. They had to escape countless bounty hunters and people with personal vengeances. They were wanted people, always on the run. The calm times were sparse with the rip to Final Space getting bigger and bigger with every passing day and Titans peeking curiously and dangerously at them from behind the broken threads.
All of them were scared. And all of them needed someone more.
Gary moved closer, wrapping his other hand around Avocato’s arm and almost snuggling him, but not letting go of his palm.
“Thanks.”
Avocato wanted to say that it was no problem, but his mouth failed him.
***
Not many people and aliens liked to talk with Avocato. He didn’t have problems with that. He wasn’t overly talkative person. He could keep up a conversation  if he needed to and he could give orders, but beside that he preferred to remain silent.
Especially when it came to sharing something personal. This was a giant leap of trust he didn’t think anyone should do towards him.
Yet Gary did just that. He shared his secrets, fears, passions with Avocato like it was the most normal thing to do. And Avocato didn’t feel that he was good enough to be gifted with all of those things.
He didn’t deserve any of that. Gary should have come with it to other people on the crew, but not him. Definitely not him.
“Nightfall, Gary you have to jump!” Quinn, standing next to him, shouted into the mic, holding it closer to her mouth to be audible above the clouds of explosions going off around them.
The heavy breathing was getting louder in Avocato’s own com.
“We kinda have our hands full right now.” Came Nightfall’s voice, filled with huffs and puffs and sounds of blasters going on and on.
Avocato barely could distinguish words between the noises of gunshots going off inside and outside the headset.
“Leave them be. The station is going to collapse soon. We’ll open the hangar door and catch you.”
“You better do that, because I don’t really – Shit!”
Avocato glanced at Quinn and nodded to each other, putting on the helmets and fastening the security ropes to their backs. The hangar door opened with a hiss as the vacuum sucked the whole air from the room, almost pushing them outside with the sudden gust of the force. They both kept their place, holding onto rails with one hand and preparing a gun to fire with the other.
The cosmic station K–27β was in utter disarray. Or the part of it that was still intact was quickly dissipating, shaken by the explosions and fire that roamed freely along the surface. The last tank with oxygen was exploding, fueling the fire and letting it combust more.
Just outside the ship there was a landing platform, barely holding onto the rest of the construction. It was squeaking and wheezing as too many pairs of feet scrambled across it, jumping and running around, dancing the Danse Macabre while trying to remain alive.
“I see them.” Quinn whispered into the com in her helmet and glanced at Avocato.
He could see them too, getting closer to the end of the platform, splitting their attention between checking where they were going and observing the crowd of aliens following them.
Avocato readied the weapon and shot five bullets, each and every one hitting the aliens that were pointing their guns at Nightfall.
The woman turned back and her eyes widened. Nightfall then turned to Gary, who was pretty occupied with shooting the aliens which were closest to him, and said something to him, which they barely heard through the com due to the sudden waterfall of shots.
“Little Cato get us closer.” Avocato said.
“On it.”
The ship moved closer, with the open door to the hangar hovering a few meters below the end of the platform.
Quinn sent out another round of plasma bullets, freeing Gary from the sudden anguish that was coming their way.
“Jump, now!” Quinn shouted.
“Nightfall, go! I’ll keep them occupied!”
“But–“
Avocato could see Gary throwing a small parcel at her – the main goal of their mission – and then moving to the front.
“The platform isn’t going to hold much longer. Now!”
Nightfall nodded and then leaped from the stand into the hangar.
For a moment Avocato wanted to move to catch her, but knew better not to do that, as the woman perfectly rolled on the ground and landed in a position with the gun raised up to kill two aliens that were getting too close for comfort.
Avocato was impressed, but he couldn’t watch for much longer as he had more important matters to tend to.
“Gary, now it’s your turn.” He said into the com of his helmet.
“A moment, I’m kinda in a middle of something!” Gary wheezed, rolling across the ground when one alien tried to stomp on him.
The station rattled as another giant explosion made one third of the ship crumble down, letting it float away while still burning like a comet. The aliens, which were standing closer to the edges, swayed and then fell down, moving their hands around to try to find something to hold on or grabbing their necks as the oxygen thinned out and they were left with nothing to breathe.
“Gary, the station is going to collapse! Jump!”
Through the connection Gary groaned heavily as he got up from his almost laying position and quickly glanced back at the three of them waiting for him.
“Okay, but you better –“
Everything shuddered.
This explosion was bigger than the ones before. It was bigger than each and every one before. It shook and rattled and wheezed and screamed and broke until there was almost nothing left.
The following blast of energy that erupted from the core of the station sent the Crimson Light a several meters away, covering their faces with blazing hot air that almost made it hurt to remain there.
The reinforcement of the platform broke in a few places, bending the whole construction to the side and letting aliens slip and fall down to their doom.
Unfortunately Gary was one of them. His hands clawed the metal surface, trying to find some kind of support to hold onto and not fall into the hollowness of the space that would clearly consume him in mere seconds. There was a long red streak of blood that wasn’t there before, running slowly and dripping onto the shirt.
“Shit, shit, shit, shit, fuck, shit–”
Nightfall attached the gun to her back and ran forward, stopping next to Quinn and looking around, trying to find some kind of solution to the problem.
Gary clung to a broken metal panel with his dear and precious life.
“Little Cato, can you bring us closer?” Quinn asked, voice trembling at the last tone.
“No, I can’t. Even a meter closer and the heat will start melting the engines! We need to get outta here, fast!”
“We can’t leave Gary!”
Avocato had an idea. It was a very crazy idea which required a lot of trust and strength. And an interstellar amount of faith.
But it was the best idea he had right now, so he hid his gun and said into the com.
“Gary, I need you to let go!”
“What?!” Gary shrieked, waving his feet around like he tried to find a ground or floor that simply wasn’t there.
“You need to let go. I’ll catch you, don’t worry!”
Quinn and Nightfall looked at him surprised, eyes widening for a second, only for the look to be replaced with understatement in the next moment.
To be honest Avocato expected Gary to put up a bigger fight. Maybe whine and yell, maybe angrily, maybe fearfully. He expected shouts that he was crazy. He expected something more, something tremendous.
Yet what he received was something greater than that.
“Okay, okay, I trust you. On three!”
When the three came Gary let go of the metal panel and slipped, falling down into the void of the cosmos spreading beneath and around them.
Avocato had to be precise. A millisecond too fast or too late could cost him dearly. And he desperately didn’t want that. So he observed, waited patiently, twitched and recalculated everything one more time in his head, only to take a step back and then leap forward, clicking his boots to give himself a small boost.
There was a short spasm of time when he feared, when he was terribly afraid and scared that he was wrong, they he would miss and everything would be simply not okay.
But then he reached his hands forward, crashed into the body which fell down due to the last pull of gravity around the station that wheezed and coughed, giving out its final breath.
Avocato quickly wrapped his hands around the human, gripping tightly as not to accidentally let him slip past his fingers, due to the energy of the crash that made them swing down and then back and forth. His one hand moved higher to click a button and make a helmet envelope Gary’s head, who took a sweet deep breath when the material snuck into place.
The station crackled and shimmered with tiny burst of lights and flames going on in different sectors of the last remaining part of the construction that was now crumbling to its destruction.
It wasn’t a part of their plan, but well…
The rope holding them made them swing back and forth, straining itself at some parts, but nevertheless holding onto them strongly.
Avocato exhaled heavily, feeling the warm air coming from his own mouth on his face. His heart seemed like it tried to escape from his chest with the sudden rush of adrenaline that overtook his entire core. His hands subconsciously clung tighter to a body in his grasp.
Somewhere along the process Gary’s hands sneaked around him too and now tightened the hold on him.
Gary was breathing heavily too and if Avocato wasn’t mistaken he could feel the erratic heartbeat in his chest due to the close proximity.
“I got you, baby, I got you.” He whispered quietly, whether to himself or to Gary he wasn’t sure.
But the man definitely heard him as he let out a broken chuckle and lifted up his head.
And then he simply stared at Avocato. Stared for a long time with the blood still running down his forehead, across his cheek and chin to disappear in the folds of his clothes.
Yet there was something in his eyes, something enthralling, something exciting, something more that was burning in the nicest ways. Something familiar, yet never directed at him. Something comforting, yet scary, both in the same time.
“I may be a little lightheaded due to the hit to the head, but I must say that was hot as hell.”
“You almost dying while the station exploded in the background?” Avocato asked, raising his eyebrow, quite bewildered.
“No, not that. That was terrifying as fuck.”
There was a screech in their coms.
“We’re going to pull you in now, boys.”
The rope twitched and both of them were hauled back on the ship while Gary still looked at him with eyes shining and full of something Avocato couldn’t exactly name.
Or maybe that was wrong.
He was terrified to name it. Because if he did, it suddenly would become real.
And he was scared that he might be wrong.
***
Avocato wasn’t really an open person when it came to saying out loud things he was thinking. No, that was wrong. He was straight-forward, when someone asked about his opinion. He didn’t hit around bushes, preferring honest and painful truth to comfortable lie.
But there was a difference in the truth Avocato spoke and the truth Gary did.
He couldn’t really grab the concept. The point was Avocato had a lot of thoughts. They were cluttering his mind like tiny stars, swishing through the universe of his head. They were like cosmic dust and the matter that spread around. They were like meteorites, crashing on the surface of his tongue, they were like lonely comets, sometimes just passing through behind his eyes. But he kept them all behind his teeth, guarding them with pure passion. It was better to keep those thoughts for himself, hidden away from the world. They would bring him nothing good, just more awkwardness and hesitant laughs to hide what he was really feeling.
(Even when there were thousand things he wanted to say to Gary at very random parts of the day.)
Yet Gary seemed to just say out loud the first thing that popped into his mind. His sentences were often disjointed, messy, barely holding themselves together. Yet they were honest and comforting, warm at the finishing syllables, sometimes having a joking undertone.
But he always could say things that were on his mind and almost never seemed ashamed of doing so.
Which didn’t exactly help Avocato that much. When those were simple things, it was okay. A short compliment here and there was okay. Gary was naturally that kind of a person. Plus he always complimented other people too – Quinn, Nightfall, Hue, Mooncake and AVA.
Never KVN.
(Little Cato, Ash and Fox didn’t count. It seemed like if Gary could, he would shower them with praises. It seemed that after adopting Little Cato some kind of dad mode had been turned on and even since he couldn’t stop. Not that anyone minded, no matter how many times they groaned.)
Yet there was something different in a way Gary said things to him.
Or maybe Avocato was simply adding something, giving bigger and different meaning to things that were happening around him.
The whole point was that Gary was incredibly confusing. He did things that Avocato couldn’t clearly explain, nor could he understand. He did things that introduced other, different thoughts inside of Avocato. He did things that just fueled the hope that was sparkling, coming to life in his chest, like a star that was only now being born due to masses of gases gathering and mixing together.
He did things and Avocato yearned.
And it was a dangerous thing. Something that was slowly slipping through the fingers of his control, like a fog, a dust or a smoke, sublimating from something that had been once solid.
“Hey Brocato, what are you doing?”
“Oh uh staring?”
Avocato wasn’t sure how to answer that. He just had stopped walking from the control room to his room as the cloud of thoughts swarmed through his head. He had no higher reason than needing a break to simply think.
Gary smiled at him and then turned his head to look at the window where the never-ending cosmos was spreading around them, getting bigger and bigger with every passing second, consuming matter and atoms in its wake and forming something new, something incredible, dangerous, terrifying and exciting all in the same time.
But to be fair Avocato wasn’t staring at the universe. His eyes just wandered there to find some kind of buoyant to hook himself in just in case his mind would take him far away.
“Mind if I join in?” Gary asked, glancing at him and then returning his gaze to the vastness.
Avocato shrugged, feeling as his heart jumped high in his throat.
“You’re the Captain here.”
To be honest it was mean to be a joke. If anything Nightfall was the captain of the ship, the fearless leader who knew what fear tasted like, the strongest soul that knew the devastation and horrors of the world.
But Gary was, well, still close to the position.
And the sudden grin that he showed him was worth it, even if Gary didn’t exactly take it as a joke. Maybe it was better this way. The way where he could see that blinding, radiating smile.
So they stood next to each other, staring, looking at the universe, their closest companion and their biggest enemy, the greatest gift and the most terrible unknown that was there, ever changing, never a constant, always moving, shifting, switching.
But there was beauty to it.
For Avocato for a long time space and planets had been things to conquer, things to destroy, things that had marginal value if they hadn’t wanted to obey their laws.
However that had been wrong. He had known it back then. He knew it now.
Yet somehow he had never stopped to really admire what was in front of them, next to them and guiding them with the hands on their backs. Until now.
They didn’t speak for quite a long time. Too long time to call it comfortable. Even Avocato started to sense the awkwardness in a form of small prickles on his arms. He moved his hand to rub one shoulder and dared to steal a glance at Gary.
Who looked mesmerized as he looked into space. His eyes were so wide and there was this childish glint in them, a sudden spark, a collision of atoms which formed something incredibly new. It was a joy and fear, a happiness and nervousness, electrons and protons mixing together.
And Avocato felt pulled in, felt like there was a gravitational field so strong, so deep that he couldn’t fight it. It was tugging him forward and forward, closer and closer. Maybe in the end he was falling, moving fast through the hollowness towards the source.
But in this very moment he didn’t mind.
Avocato leaned closer, feeling the tug on his chest that dared him to go forward and he really wanted to do it. He was so close, so so close that he could count all the small scars on Gary’s face.
“It’s scary, isn’t it?”
Avocato blinked and moved quickly back, like a backslash of warm smoke and cosmic dust hit him in the face.
“What, what is scary?” He asked, feeling the need to clear his throat but stopping himself from doing so.
“Space, cosmos, universe…” Gary lifted his hands and swung them at the window. “… is scary.”
“I thought you loved it.”
“I did… I do…” He said, waving his metallic hand around like he tried to find the perfect words, the most suitable combination. “But it doesn’t mean I’m not afraid of it. Because I’m like hella super afraid of it.”
“Why are you scared of it?” Avocato asked, partly genuinely curious, partly to cover the sudden heat that covered his cheeks.
“Well uh for first it’s pretty big. Like super big. Enormous even!”
“And it’s still expanding.”
“Yeah, yeah, so it’s like totally super giant and like we are so incredibly tiny and small and in the biggest picture it doesn’t terrify you? The scale of it? This super big unknown around you?”
Avocato never really had thought about it. He had had bigger problems and worries to tend to before. And now, now he also thought about other things.
“I suppose so? I’m not sure, I never thought about it to be honest.” Avocato said, whispered it even as he stared at the world. Their world.
“Oh.”
There was a beat of silence, a sudden stillness to the air. It almost seemed like the space was inside the ship, wrapping them in its embrace and blocking all the sounds from moving through it.
“Are you scared now?” Avocato asked instead.
Gary glanced at him and shrugged.
“Depending on what you’re asking about.”
“Of space.”
“Not all the time, I’m not. Just when I start to really think about it.” Gary sighed and then moved his hand to scratch the back of his head. “Mostly when I was a kid and space was some faraway place I couldn’t exactly reach. Back then it really, really terrified me. Now the feeling is a little bit smaller. You know, not mini smaller but smaller.”
Avocato could understand the implication behind it, the hidden meaning, the truth radiating behind the words like some kind of wave made of invisible particle. The fear that had moved through the atmosphere was still there. Maybe in the end it never had left Gary’s body, his bones and muscles, had weaved itself into his heart.
It seemed like an everlasting patron on their journey.
“I mean, to be fair a lot of things scare me.” Gary continued, sniffing a bit. ”Now that I said it out loud, I noticed how dumb it sounded. Gosh, sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything, you can just forget about it –“ The words poured from his mouth, swirling in the air, transforming into something new, something that coursed through Gary’s body and was making it tense and strain and Avocato didn’t want to see it.
“Hey, it’s okay.” He quickly said, moving his hand to put it on the human’s shoulder stopping the quivering movements that suddenly rattled the body. “Fear is normal.”
“Easy for you to say. You don’t look scared at all.” Gary huffed, hinting on a joking tone, but a sudden shiver appearing in the last word sold him out.
But Avocato was scared. He had been and was scared so many times. His life was a never ending stream of moments filled with terror so dark that sometimes it seemed like it could swallow him whole. A black hole that pulled everything into it.
“Very flattering of you to say, but I’m terrified like most of the time.” Avocato said, feeling the words scratching his throat.
Avocato felt really vulnerable.
“Really?” Gary asked, glancing at him.
There was something in his eyes, some hidden need, some kind of pulse that thrummed and beat and vibrated. Some kind of emotion Avocato couldn’t exactly name. Just something that made Avocato all messy inside.
Maybe it was hope, some kind of pure hope that crashed and rolled and dove, trying to catch onto something. Like a shooting star, terrified to fall down and yet hoping to rest on a safe land.
It was blinding, but it was also so so warm. Intoxicating, but sweet and bitter. Confusing, but familiar.
And it was true. Avocato had been and was afraid of many things. He was afraid of deep waters. He was afraid of losing his son, losing Gary, losing the crew and losing hope. He was afraid of new things and old stories. He was afraid to make choices that could tip the scale. He was afraid of the road they were taking.
But he wasn’t going to let that stop him from staying here.
So he nodded.
“Really.” He said, sliding his hand down, letting it hang near his body.
There was another pause, a sudden thrum of the cosmic heart that shook the universe. It was the silence which spread around them that made him focus on the heavily beating heart, on the warmness seeping into his fur and bones from the close proximity of the human, on the abrupt stillness and strange force that pushed them forward through time and space.
To where, they didn’t know.
There was a cold, a sudden stinging sensation near his paw, like a comet touched his fur, but then it quickly seeped into something warm. The feeling rested there, barely touching his skin for a few seconds, testing the ground, before it snuck closer, wrapping itself around Avocato’s palm and delicately laying there.
Avocato didn’t have to look down to know Gary caught his hand.
“You know, we can be scared together.” Gary quietly said, the voice almost lost to the stillness. “I know that won’t make the fear disappear, but well it could make it more tolerable. You know, sharing it with someone. And that someone could be me. So you know you wouldn’t have to be so scared anymore.”
Avocato let out a small laugh, a sudden chortle that seemed to simply rip out of his chest, tore through his throat like a rogue.
“Uh rude.” Gary said and moved his hand to dislocate it from Avocato’s palm.
But he didn’t let go. Avocato didn’t let him escape. He moved his fingers, interlocking them with Gary’s ones and gripping softly as to show that he was there. That he didn’t mean anything bad by it. That it was a reaction that simply had happened.
Gary stopped moving.
“Ah uh sorry. I wasn’t laughing at you, it just sounded ridiculous.”
Gary glared at him and Avocato simply knew that the man wanted to disappear.
So before Gary could pull away, he turned to the window and stared at the vast and scary space that was spreading in front of them.
“But I like it. Let’s be scared together.”
Avocato wanted and yearned and all his resolves were crumbling.
Gary was confusing like that, being able to destroy his every wall without even thinking and trying too much.
Avocato looked at the cosmos spreading in front of them, the vastness of possibilities and dangers and happiness and fear. And in this mess and haze he noticed a lone object falling down, leaving a sparkling trace after itself, disappearing a mere second later.
Gary tightened the grip on his hand.
For now he felt comfortable. He felt calm and content, even though there was a storm going outside. Their future was an unknown, it was an enigma, an undiscovered particle moving through the world.
But he had people he trusted around him. People he wanted to protect. People who were there for him. People he loved deeply. And, oh, how Avocato wished things would stay the same.
Only he knew it was wishful thinking.
to be continued
39 notes · View notes
ncardaesthetics · 5 years ago
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Y.G. International Trivia
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All info is pulled directly from the Y.G. idols side stories, home screen dialogue, etc. Not really trivia but more of a collection of little fun facts, hopefully it’ll be helpful to anyone who wants to write fanfiction or make art of the Y.G. idols!
Sorted alphabetically by first name (as many Y.G. students have no canon last name), things related to relationships between the idols are at the end!
Emma Verde
Emma is a foreign exchange student from Switzerland
Emma loves quilting, nature, and mountains. She also really enjoys hot springs, as they remind her of home
Emma mentions an event where they have a tennis match with idols from other schools, and says she has very good stamina from running around the mountains of her home
Emma mentions receiving some xiaolongbao from Ranpha and seems to very much enjoy Chinese food
She seems to have a close relationship with her grandparents 
Isabella
Isabella is often practicing acting more like an idol, mostly with trying out cutesy dialogue, but she’s usually unsatisfied with it and gets embarrassed
She speaks a little more formally than most people do, but naturally responds to bumping into people with a casual “my bad” 
She’s very determined to be the best school idol she can be
She enjoys Japanese food a lot, and tries to make her own rice balls
She also enjoys crepes 
She puts a big emphasis on training and spirit 
Jennifer
Jennifer’s favorite Japanese word is “seigi”, meaning justice
Jennifer became an idol because she wanted to break down the barrier between her and other foreign students
Jennifer puts a lot of emphasis on “justice”, so much so that she bought a t-shirt with that word printed on it
She likes playing catch/baseball 
She puts an emphasis on communication in relationships
Leo
Leo initially lived in the forest, but left because she was lonely. It is unknown if she lived on her own or not, but that seems to be the implication.
Family is very important to Leo, and considers all her friends to be family
Leo loves the ocean, and thinks the crabs are cute
Leo mentions that people give her things often because they’re worried about her
Leo seems to love animals, especially cats
Leo likes looking at the stars
Leo seems unfamiliar with cars, telling the player she’ll “defeat it” if they come across one. She’s also unfamiliar with boxed lunches, glasses, and trains.
Maria
Maria said she was planning on starting a flamenco club before Jennifer convinced her to become a school idol
Maria’s home town was a port city, where they’d have a festival every day in the summer
Maria seems to be very interested in fashion, stating that balance is important in fashion
Maria hates being treated like a child
Maria loves olive oil, and puts a lot of it on her bread
Rakshata
One of Rakshata’s hobbies is stated to be yoga
Rakshata is from India, and says she wants to make it in Japan all on her own
She states that she loves Japan’s sweet curry, as it reminds her of her mother
She also collects the stickers from the boxes the sweet curry comes in, she puts them all over her room and calls them her treasures
She seems to get very sentimental and sort of nervous at the thought of getting married
One of her dreams in Japan was to go flower viewing 
She’s tried to make her own sweet curry at home, but can’t quite seem to get the flavor right
Ranpha
Ranpha makes money by delivering food
She really enjoys meat buns, specifically the kind with bamboo shoots
She says her dancing is improving, but her Japanese isn’t
She’s stated that she eats mooncakes after practice to re-energize 
She also seems to really enjoy ramen
Her main way of showing appreciation for her friends is cooking for them
Rebecca
It’s stated that one of Rebecca’s hobbies is visiting temples
She has an interest in studying Japanese culture, as well as various religions, such as Buddhism 
She insists people call her Becky
Her favorite Japanese dessert is dango
She seems to believe that most everything in Japan has some kind of meaning behind it, even the leaf on top of her mochi 
She was able to become a shrine maiden over winter break, since club activities were also on break
She’s also very interested in zen 
She sees Japan as being flawless 
She’s made friends with some elderly people due to a common interest in Japanese Culture 
She likes wearing short skirts, as they’re easier to move in
She learned how to meditate properly 
Yukari Saotome
Yukari states that the language barrier between her and other students is really tough, and she often ends up hurting feelings on accident
She seems to get very sentimental at times, notably around New Years
She seems to love clothes shopping, and says she likes outfits that remind her of the ones in picture books 
She’s wanted to be an idol since she was a kid, and used to play pretend that she was one
She’s trying her best to learn all her friends native languages 
Yukari gets overwhelmed from kind gestures from fans, such as being given a cute nickname 
She goes out for solo karaoke sometimes
She knows how to sew, having made some of the stage outfits herself 
She says she wants to prioritize being unique 
She states she wants to go camping with everyone in the summer
Relationships
The Y.G. idols took a trip to the zoo together
Emma and Rakshata often practice barefoot
Emma describes Isabella as being “the epitome of cool beauty”
Isabella says that Rebecca often scolds her for not acting like an idol
Yukari is the one who prepared Isabella her “spy” outfit, as Yukari thought that was more fitting for her than a miniskirt
Jennifer mentions Rakshata using chocolate in her curry for Valentine’s
Jennifer notices that Emma and Leo often seem homesick
Jennifer and Rakshata went flower viewing together
Jennifer mentions that she feels really relaxed when with Rakshata 
The Y.G. idols go to Yukari’s after concerts for mochi
Leo seems particularly close to Yukari
Leo says that Yukari knows everything
Leo and Emma went to the mountains together for lunch
Maria mentions wanting to do karaoke with Yukari
Maria goes clothes shopping with Rebecca
Y.G. has made some of their costumes all on their own
Rakshata says she often looks at her old textbooks from India with Rebecca
Rebecca states that she wants to ask Rakshata about temples in India 
Rebecca gives Leo a scarf, worried that she might catch a cold
Yukari is worried about how Rakshata and Leo will deal in the cold
Isabella is helping Yukari learn things in German
A fan sent in a letter to the idols, including a drawing of all of them. Their favorite seems to be “cute Yukarin” though
Yukari made one of Isabella’s stage outfits 
Yukari says Leo would look cute in frilly, cutesy clothes 
43 notes · View notes
drowning-in-dennor · 5 years ago
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Answers
The gang's all here to answer your burning questions! Whether it’s the Oxenstiernas or the Wangs, or your favourite couples, they’re ready to face whatever inquiries you might have! [Written to celebrate two hundred and fifty followers.]
Question One: Literally anything about Bogden please uwu
Bogden: ...this isn’t really a question.
[Aleksander claps Bogden on the shoulder.]
Aleksander: Oh, whatever, just be glad we’re getting attention!
Bogden: Well, okay, but this is pretty weird. I mean, do they want to hear about my personal life, or my relationships, or -
[Aleksander muffles Bogden’s mouth with his hand.]
Aleksander: HIS MIDDLE NAME IS BORIS AND HIS BIRTHDAY IS THE THIRD OF MARCH ALSO HE REALLY LIKES YOGHURT AND HE REALLY LIKES ROSES AND ROSE-FLAVOURED STUFF OH AND HE HAS A PET BUNNY, IS THAT ENOUGH INFO?
Question Two: So what does the butter boy love doing the most with Henrik?
Stellan: I assume I’m ‘the butter boy’.
Henrik, sarcastically: Oh, no, I’m sure it’s Harald, or anyone but the one who stress-baked six hundred butter cookies after a final one day and mailed them to every person in the city!
[Stellan kicks Henrik under the table.]
Stellan: Well, to answer your question, I just love it when we cuddle while watching the sunset. We’re usually sitting outside, in this rocking swing we have in our front yard, watching the sky get painted all these pretty colours. It’s the most amazing feeling in the world to be able to see something so lovely with the person you care for the most.
[Henrik turns red.]
Henrik: Y-Yeah, those are really happy times. Holy fuck, I love you so much.
Question Three: What does Berwald like doing with Henrik?
Berwald: Fighting.
Henrik: Sometimes we just crack open a beer and talk about our husbands because we’re both awesomely lucky men. Then Stell has to pick me up the next morning while I’m hungover.
Berwald: Or we design some furniture together.
Henrik: We used to assemble IKEA stuff together until that time I screwed the legs of a chair on wrong and accidentally created a monster.
Question Four: Harald, how do you feel about Henrik and Stellan’s relationship?
Harald: When they got together all those years ago, I was too young to remember much, but when I got older and they got sappier, it was pretty annoying. Like, I’d be having breakfast, and they’d be across the table cuddling or something.
Stellan: Were we that bad?
[Harald crosses his arms.]
Harald: Yes, you were that bad. When you started high school it got even more annoying, because you two would be fucking like rabbits while poor me was right next door.
Henrik: Oh, yeah! We were pretty loud, huh?
Harald: Now, though, they have their own house, so I don’t really care. I get a cool brother-in-law, and Stell has a husband. Works out for both of us.
Question Five, from @kyrakira: What wouwd Stewwan wike mowwe? a pwug ow a couch owo?
[Stellan falls off his chair.]
[Henrik slams his fist on the table and bursts into laughter.]
Stellan, climbing back onto his chair: First of all, I hate how I understand what you’re saying. Second of all, I’d say the plug.
Henrik: HOLY -
Stellan: Fucking a piece of furniture is not as pleasant as it sounds, kids. Don’t try it at home.
Question Six: To Agata: sweet mother, I cannot focus; slender Aphrodite has overcome me with longing for a girl, how not die?
Agata: Nothing you can do about it. You will look at your pretty girl, and you will have an internal heart attack.
[Tille giggles.]
Agata: You know how I met Tille? I was riding my bike, I saw her. She was pretty. I hit her with my bike.
Tille: You cried, you big kitty cat.
Agata: Yes, I cried. I was overwhelmed by your beauty.
Tille: Aww.
Agata: So, you see a pretty girl, you’re helpless to her charms. Too bad. I can’t help.
Question Seven: How close and warm are y'all nordicks? óuò
Henrik: ...I assume that means us?
[Harald cringes.]
Harald: What the hell is that cursed emoji?
Berwald: You mean emoticon.
Harald: Whatever.
Tino: To answer your question, we go over to each others’ houses for dinner every Friday! Sometimes we do it with Leon’s family, too.
Henrik: It’s really awesome! But when Stellan gets a little too competitive with Vicente, things can get, er, messy.
[Stellan throws up his hands.]
Stellan: The egg tart situation was one time, Henrik! ONE TIME!
Question Eight: To any of you, when was the last time you cried in front of a lot of people? 
Antonio: Gilbert made a face at me in the middle of a presentation, and I laughed so hard I cried.
Ludwig: Pochi...
[Ludwig buries his face in his hands.]
Ludwig: Pochi just tottered up to me and jumped in my lap. It was adorable.
Kiku: Then I cried because Pochi betrayed me for him.
Feliciano: Then I cried because Tama scratched me. I still have the scar.
Question Nine: Harald, out of everyone in your family, who's death would you find most disturbing and why?
[Harald’s eyes widen.]
Harald: Why would you ask something like that? What on earth is wrong with you? Any of their deaths would be disturbing, by the way. I don’t think I could ever bear to see any of them die before me.
[He sniffles and reaches in his pocket for a tissue.]
[Henrik jumps, scowling darkly.]
Henrik: Okay, who made Harald cry?
Harald: Wait —
[Stellan joins Henrik and raises a fist.]
Stellan: They’ll have hell to pay for this.
Harald: ...I love you guys.
Question Ten: Henrik and Stellan, how are your relationships with your parents?
Henrik: Oh, we get along just fine! They were a little shocked when I brought Stellan home for the first time, but not any more. 
Stellan: Between Henrik and Leon, mine have, well, resigned themselves to the fact that they most likely will not have biological grandchildren.
Henrik: We’re not sure if we’re gonna adopt just yet, but if we do, I’m sure our folks would be thrilled!
Question Eleven: To Al, Matt, Arthur, Francis, Ivan and Yao, what are your favorite memories about school?
Yao: Well, it has to be every prize-presentation ceremony at the end of each year. I went on stage every time!
Alfred: Yo, stop flexing, we know you’re a genius already.
[Arthur smiles, clearly lost in his memories.]
Arthur: My time at the school’s literature club was truly unforgettable. I was the president, if you must know, and I finally got an excuse to hide in the library all the time and read.
[Francis laughs.]
Francis: Ah, surely I thought your dearest memory would be of that one time you thought you were carrying around a copy of Pride and Prejudice, but was in reality holding a very saucy volume of Victorian er —
Arthur: HEY, ALFRED! You never told us about your favourite memory!
[Alfred jumps, accidentally smacking Yao on the shoulder. Yao gives him a withering glare.]
Alfred: Oh, yeah. It’s got to be when the soccer team won the last game of the semester, in my senior year! Dang, just thinking about it brings tears to my eyes.
Matthew: And speaking of competitions, when I got first place in the school’s public speaking competition in grade seven, I completely lost it.
Alfred: You screamed, then hugged me so tightly I saw spots afterwards.
Matthew: I’ll never forget how it felt to win something for the first time.
Francis: My time with Yao in our school’s cooking club was magnificent. Yao, my friend, do you remember the mooncake project?
[Yao perks up.]
Yao: Yes, when we experimented to see how to make mooncakes less oily? That was fun. I still use that recipe to make mooncakes now. 
Matthew: Hey Ivan, you haven’t talked yet. What’s your favourite memory?
Ivan: My favourite memory? Let me think, now...
[Ivan taps his chin.]
Ivan: Meeting you all at the very start of the year, that was amazing.
Alfred: Oh, you big teddy bear!
Arthur: We love you too.
[The six of them collapse in a group hug. The sound of chairs falling fills the room.]
Question Twelve: Out of everyone, who was a dropout and who finished college?
Alfred: I, uh, never went to college. Just decided to go “fuck the system” and started a food cart that I still wheel around the States. If you wanna see me, look for Stars and Stripes!
Matthew: Like Francis, I survived culinary school, but unlike Francis, I only got a degree in the pastry arts.
[Francis rubs his temples.]
Francis: None of you have ever experienced pain until you’ve been through egg day. Nine hundred eggs, all gone to waste because the Chef thought they were bad!
Arthur: I got my degree in English literature at Oxford, and to this day I’m still surprised that I managed to get in.
Yao: I have a degree in medicine, but it’s pretty useless since I run my diner now. By the way, check out Wang’s if you have the time!
[Ivan rubs the back of his head sheepishly.]
Ivan: I got arrested in the middle of college. Now, I just help my sister run her store!
Feliciano: Kiku and I both went to art school! I went to culinary school with Francis after that, though.
Kiku: My student loans haunt me to this day.
Ludwig: It surprises a lot of people, but I dropped out of college while Gilbert’s the one with the degree. 
Henrik: I went to a super-obscure course, namely the textile arts. Most people don’t even know it’s a degree!
Stellan: I got a degree in creative writing at John Hopkins in the US.
Berwald: Went to trade school.
Tino: I don’t really remember much about college. I just remember a lot of coffee, screaming and complaining.
Question Thirteen: What do you love most about yourself, Henrik, Berwald and Stellan? uwu
Stellan: The next person to use “uwu” will have their spleens removed.
Berwald: Very threatening.
Henrik: Well, what I wuv mowost abowouwut mwysewelf is howow I’m able to awways pwiss owoff my bowoyfewnd!
Berwald: What.
[Stellan gets up.]
Stellan: I love you, but say “uwu” again and you’re sleeping on the couch.
Henrik: Why, uwu?
Stellan: OH, THAT’S IT —
[Henrik flees from Stellan.]
Berwald: I love that I married a sane person.
Question Fourteen: Why do you like your best friend, Tino? 3:
Tino: Oh you mean Ed? Well, we’ve been friends since forever, first of all, and we’ve stuck together no matter what! He’s helped me with homework and bullies and all that stuff since we were kids, and I’ve done the same. Best of all, he encouraged me to ask Berwald out, and thanks to him I now have an awesome husband!
[Nearby, Eduard is sobbing.]
Eduard: I love you too!
Question Fifteen: If a=b, multiply by a to get a²=ab, subtract b² to get a²-b²=ab-b², factor them (a+b)(a-b)=b(a-b), cancel a-b, and since a=b the equation is now 2b=b or 2=1; why does math exist? @the Wangs
Leon: ...what?
Vicente: I think I lost half my brain cells just by reading that.
Ling: This is bringing back trauma from school, and that question doesn’t even make sense.
Yao: I’m too old for this crap.
Leon: But to answer your question, math exists because once upon a time some asshole decided to invent numbers and make our lives difficult.
Ling: Seconded.
Vicente: Now, if you’ll excuse us, we’re off to make dinner.
Question Sixteen: Stellan, what's the most difficult decision you've had to make to see your dreams come true?
Stellan: Ohhh, that’s a hard one. I’ve had to make a lot of sacrifices to become the person I am today. But if I had to pick, it’d be picking John Hopkins over Oslo Uni, and leaving Harald and Henrik behind. It was worth it, though, since now I’m happy and successful and I can’t have asked for more.
Harald: Aww, I love you too, you bastard.
Question Seventeen: Which family does Peter belong to?
Arthur: He lives with the Oxenstiernas, which is fine with both of us.
Tino: Artie couldn’t handle Peter after his parents passed, so it started out with Ber just babysitting him. But after the two of us got married, Arthur decided to put Peter up for adoption so he could become our son!
Niklas: It was a great decision.
Berwald: What?
Niklas: I mean, it was a terrible decision because now I’m stuck with an awesome — er, annoying — brother for the rest of my life.
Question Eighteen: What do you think is the best thing about your personality, Berwald?
Berwald: Uh...
[He stares off into the distance.]
Berwald: Uhhh...
Tino: Well, I love how everyone’s so intimidated by you, but you’re so snuggly and sweet in reality! 
[Berwald appears to stop breathing.]
Berwald: Thanks.
Question Nineteen: To Alfred, Gilbert and Henrik: what’s the dumbest yet smartest thing you’ve ever done?
Alfred: Dang, that’s a hard one. I’d say the time we threw a dictionary out of the car window, just because.
Gilbert: No, the time we put a block of frozen maple syrup into Matt’s showerhead. But then we got yelled at, so maybe not.
Henrik: How about when we tried to brûlée salt and set off the fire alarm?
[The three of them consider.]
Gilbert: Yoo, what about the frying pan thing?
Henrik: Oh, riiiiight, the frying pan thing!
Alfred: So basically, we put a frying pan on the heart for too long and it melted. Then it turned out that the frying pan was made with unsafe material! That’s kinda smart, I guess.
Question Twenty: Which one of you (anyone ig) has a choking fetish?
[The entire room erupts into chaos.]
Harald: OH MY GOODNESS!
Leon: Who the hell asked this!?
Alfred: You know what? Y’all need Jesus.
[Someone hits the camera and it switches off.]
...
A/N: Yes I know I’m very unfunny but I hope this was at least the tiniest bit fun to read
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lunsfanatic · 5 years ago
Text
The Last Titan, FinalSpace Au/GaryCato
The sky was calm , the emptiness was silent while the stars twinkled , the walking prison flew calmly, the metallic steps of the robots that habited the Galaxy 1 resounded in the ears of the prisoner, it was something easy to ignore, he was use to it, then he rolled over in his small bed, trying to ignore the alarm , the mechanical voice of his watchman vibrated behind the speakers, flooding his room.
- "Gary, it's time to get up and fulfill your community service obligations " -The blond complained as he turned deaf to ignore the AI- "Gary, I'll give you 5 seconds to get up, or you'll make me to use force" -
- I don’t t feel like it HUE ... I will stay here and ... - The blonde was interrupted when he fled out of his bed , he felt the cold of the floor as his skin touched the floor.
- That was stronger than normal HUE! It would only be a few more minutes -
-“I'm sorry Gary, but it's the rules, now get ready to start the day, we have work to do”-
-Of course this will be... a great day- and so began, a sad and lonely breakfast , his attempt to have a good time playing cards with Hank, or any other robot that wouldn’t incinerate them and although there was KVN, it simply was not an option, so it was decided, he will back of a little ...
- “ What's up Gary? You are very quiet today ”-
-If you don't mind , before leaving I would like to send a message -
-“Remember that the messages were not received by Miss Quuin Airgone , according to the coordinates I managed to calculate… ”-
- They went to the opposite direction ... I know , at least this person, thing, alien, was listening ... -The AI noticed the sadness of his tone, although the blond was a classic drama queen, decided not to annoy him for a few minutes and give him his space .
- "Five minutes Gary, before the alarm sounds on the computers of the Infinity Guard , warning of your fails of community service " - Without hesitation he ran to his room, took out his communication device and began recording
- "Hellooooooooooooo, my galactic queen, I know it must be weird for you to receive these messages almost daily, but you're the only person I can open my heart, in a figurative poetic way , don’t think that I am one of those who open their chest and show their guts ... although I think there is a alien race that does that out there ... well anyway, I just wanted to tell you about my day and that I will soon be a free man ... a few weeks to be more exact and although I know that I haven’t received an answer , the fact that you won’t ignore these messages means a lot to me, and I just wanted to thank you and if one of these days you pass here or in Earth... I would like to invite you a drink , see you and have a fabulous day. "Whoever you are” -
- "Gary, one more day I add to your sentence" -
- Stop bugging me HUE ! -
-“You stop bothering me Gary”-
___________________________________________________________________________
The sky was chaotic and dark, as always in Teran Con Prime , a group of mercenaries and bounty hunters were preparing their ships, the leader had arrived with a special request from his dictator, apparently one of the specimens of his large collection had escaped , luckily for them the creature had been leaving traces and witnesses on his way, it was good for them not so good for the poor miserable who were unlucky enough to find it .
- Ready to go Avocato, we're just waiting for ... Are you listening? - The aforementioned looked up somewhat surprised,he was daydreaming again, his partner looked at him reproachfully for ignore him
- Leave him alone Terk, he was watching the mysterious audio of his boyfriend ohoho-
- Shut up now, I hope you are ready for this mission because if we fail, the Lord commander will punish us and I don’t ot plan to be the meal of that disgusting little parasite that accompanies him, understood?- His tone was cold and demanding, the rest of his group drink saliva as he lifted the poor fool by the neck, like it didn’t weight a thing-I will take that as a yes, now... vámonos-
The Ventrexian didn’t want to express his shyness at the comment of his subordinate , he had enough with the pressure of Terk to take another fool mocking him , he looked at his wristband, the little red flash warned him of a new message, at the beginning he tried to ignore them and simply delete them, but with the risk of losing some message from his son, he decided to check everything that came , although the first message was annoying and confusing, he was caught listening to him, the human was clumsy , he talks too much and although he seemed childish , listening to the blond's messages gave him a break , he felt that the weight of his shoulders was lightening, like he were not in the middle of a cosmic disaster, as if a tyrant was not always stepping on his hopes, as if he were in house with his son by his side...
-Little Cato would love you ... I must be crazy, I don't have time for this ... -He closed his eyes with pain, he wanted the peaceful world, he knows was much to ask....
-Hey Interstellar queen, if you're done with your digital long distance boyfriend we must continue- Terk was a jerk.
- Leave him alone, at least somone loves and sends him messages of love and has a fabulous nickname-the soldier defended him
-Yes! Not like you moron of three eyes -
-They're right, even if they are a pair of idiots, Intergalactic Queen sounds much better-
-No, no, no, it's “ My Interstellar queen” with class- The men were still making fun of him, but Avocato had already cut off the communication , they were idiots, although it was his fault, he was checking some coordinates when Gary's message filtered , since that day the team never forgot that "silly nickname" ...
" HiIIIiiIIi. ...M ... Queen ... So and I ... GARY ... I just wanted to say hi and ... Although HUE says these messages are pointlesssSSss... I have faith that you will see them , I want you to know that I will count the days to get out of here and have ...daAattTeEeEe ... and in case you don’t recognize me and think that I am a stalker or an insane wanderer, I am the bar man ... although thinking of it you may not remember me since YoOOo ... youUuuUr, mission of ... the family , that ... lost and the issue of the 4 thousand.explosion ... or they were less and ... now I'm in .... I will have a big glass..Mil ...k, or something simple, with cookies and water, but hey, I will only say that I can’t stop thinking about you and I hope one day reach you, and if you are having a bad day , do not give up, I know you can with this and more… .I know… .What l.....lOoOv.....you will find… Family and…. But until then, with love from Thunder bandit bye bye My Queen....
And that was the beginning, where he knew that these messages were not for him, but some things that the man said corresponded to his situation, he could swear, sometimes, that the blond knew him , every time he gave words of encouragement , his personal mission, the search for his son and his family, his freedom, when he talks about having dates when he gets free, the blonde always mentions his favorite drink, although he don’t rememberers him in the bar ,the ventrexian is always drinking milk, but he does remember a pervet suited man, a somewhat insistent guy by his side, traying to keep the creep away from him, a chase and an escape , a crash, maybe they were just coincidences.
-Avocato, we send the warning message to the ships nearby , but the response was negative, do we kill them now? -
-No, there are no signs of the specimen and they would cause an unnecessary waste of energy, they are also tourist cruises, we would call the attention of the media and the authorities-
- You're not fun anymore ... well let's continue-
The Ventrexian let out a sigh as he watched the sky, he needed to end this soon .
_______________________________________________________________________
-I hate you so much KVN .... stop touching my stuff for the love of mother galaxy ... -
-I'm sorry Gary, I was just trying to give you a cookie surprise-
-Yes, of course, you were using MY BED like a lunch scholar table you left crumbs all over it!-
-Oh, they are so yummy, I wanted to save some under your pillow , but I ate them, on your bed -Without paying more attention he throw the robot and locked himself in the bathroom, he was sweaty for work and full of the flouting crumbs- Come on, my friend, if I had known that fool was going to be there, I wouldn't have put my dirty underpants on your head, I mean they are not dirty, they are freshly washed but they got dirty cuz...the cookies... you know we better go on, let's take a bath - his littlest friend floated with emotion towards his face -You know I like this , you're a very cute face hugger-
-Bwuooaau, chookity - green ball rang as he took his new friend's hand
-“Gary, the next satellite is in front of us, I recommend you to first finish your service today before taking a bath”-
-You said it would be just three HUE, okay ... come on Mooncake, maybe I can still see my novel - the two left the ship , floating to a vandalized satellite -What happens to the space gang members? , they always use permanent markers, idiots, well Mooncake, we have to start with this to be able to finish it and come back, let's play cards and ... -A beep in his hamlet cut him of...
- "Gary, a group of unidentified ships are approaching, you and Mooncake must return immediately, I detect hostile life forms" - The blond without hesitation threw himself to reach the ship, the little green alien following closely, in the distance they can see four ships approaching.
-HUE, do you think they want to play cards? -
-“I don't think so Gary, my analysis indicates that they are Ventrexian bounty hunters. Gary you have 2 minutes to activate the hyperflight and escape” - with some help from Mooncake they accelerated the flight, when entering the Galaxy 1 they found the SAMES taking battle positions and a flickering muted alarm with a red light.
- What is this HUE? We are going to have visitors and you make a super boring silent laser party, Mooncake get ready, bring the cookies and I will prepare the drinks, I hope you restocked the fruit juice HUE-
-“Gary, a message have infiltrated ... They are looking for that strange form of life, according to the message.... they work for the Lord commander”- The AI projected a threatening message, a little man with a dictator's attitude began to speak words of death
-Well, that guy is scary, has the face of no friends -
-“We must meet their demands and give them that alien”-
- Mooncake? But HUE those idiots don't look anything friendly and I like to have a face hugger in my life- the little one approached his face to seek comfort, he seemed to understand the situation
-“Gary, my duty is to monitor and take care of you and your needs, this situation not only endangers the ship and all its resources but also you, there is no discussion, I can’t risk your life”-
-You are an infinity guard HUE, You must protect the life of the innocent and if you can protect this not so innocent man, eventhough that was an accident ... also that restaurant was not so good ... But returning to the subject, if you can protect me I see no reason to not take care of Mooncake too-
-Gary, some weird guys are making a hole in ... Oh Cookies-
-KVN, you don't see that we are having an adult discussion here, stay away from me-
- "Gary, the bounty hunters have entered the ship , please remain in your current position, I will prepare some escape capsule if necessary ... take Mooncake with you" -The blond smiled when he saw that the AI ​​pityed his friend , unchecked he took Mooncake and ran of with a metal sphere curled in his leg
-I hate you KVN ! , but I won't let them pierce the helmet of your stupid head, that's my job, just don't bother me-
-Aw Gary, I knew we would be best friends, because ... well for that I was programmed to but ... -
- Chook chook pak! - Mooncake growled as he pushed them into a closet
- Uuuh, this is fun quality time with my best friend, tell me your secrets Gary, all of them - the last part came out in a disturbing tone, he certainly hates KVN, but when he saw how worried Mooncake was he decides to ignore him.
-What's up little friend? -
-Shhhhokity ... -
-Is there anyone out there?- The little one nodded as he peeked through the slits to which Gary imitated him, one of those guys had sneaked across the ship, checking each room , -I had no way to defend ourself- searching through the cleaning closet utilities, nothing looked deadly or threatening. Crap.
"Warning, anti gravity protocol activated" HUE warning them of a very unpleasant ride , the ship began to shake violently, Gary’s face slammed against the wall, then KVN fell gracefully on his crotch taking out the air of the blonde, but not time to complains he needs to get out and save his friends, so he fly out of the closet, falling on the mysterious intruder
-KVN Take Mooncake away and hide or I'll kick your metalic ass till the end of your days!-
-You can count on me Gary, let's go Mooncake, let's see Gary's secret magazines-
The blonde tried to shout something at the robot, but the ship continued to shake as the intruder began to struggle with him, slamming on the floor and the walls but being cascaded the intruder didn’t flinch so most of the damage has direct on Garys
- For the holy mother! HUE Activate the teleportation , Ah! Get off me, buddy, this is my ultrapersonal space- he shout at the man in top of him in a very awkward position
-"Silent fool, give me the ..."- Suddenly the motors starting to roar as the alert goes on , flying rocks broke in hitting the ceiling, the lights of the ship imitated a silent rake ,the killer could see how 3 of his ships disintegrated in a vortex of light . Everything went dark.
He felt a cool breeze trough his whiskers , as he opened his eyes blinded by the sudden white light of the room , saw a group of robots surround something , someone, his target was floating on the group of metal guards, he tried to move but was tied as he felt his bed shake a little, he was in a infirmary
-What is going on here? -Avocato complained to ask for some attention, a couple of SAMES began to inspect him, it was there that he notice a sharp pain, his arm was being bandaged , suddenly his eyes crossed with the little green alien, it smiled as he touched his nose
- “Mooncake get away from the Ventrexian, we will do some analysis before handcuffing him and delivering it to the infinity guard. Now, stay still to avoid further damage ”-
-Well ... What exactly happened? -Avocato asked now in a calmer tone while analyzing the room, planning, waiting for the big moment, notice his helmet in a corner, next to his weapons and wristbands, he felt a prick of panic to see the red light flickering. The robots ended up with his arm and went to the second bed, there was someone else , he thought that some of his companions had survived, but seeing how worried the green alien was, he quickly discarded the idea.
- “Due to the hasty use of teleportation we were thrown into the orbit of a planet surrounded by asteroids, the ship received minor impacts , but the hull of a sector was weakened causing the expulsion of two bodies, you received some hits , causing the opening of your helmet, my prisoner went unconscious when trying to save you, causing the two of you to lose consciousness ”- At the explanation the Ventrexian made a face of confusion, then he noticed how the SAMES were clearing the area of ​​the stretcher next to him apparently the prisoner had woken up by the reaction of E 351 .
-Well he is an idiot, risk himself by a complete stranger, who in his right mind will do ...? - He move his head to see his future cell mate better , for a moment he was punch with shyness , the blond man looked at him confused as he settled into his place, scratched the back of his neck with some grief as he smiled at him
-Well I guess I 'm the idiot, the idiot who saved you, ooooh! - he said triumphantly while Mooncake hugged him , the blond looked at him confused, the cat man looked at him as if he were a kind of alusination
-Gary? -
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snowinherbangs · 5 years ago
Text
As a post-rocker, I took 100 bands that play such or related genres and each I pick their best song according to me
1. 🇺🇸 Explosions In The Sky - The Moon Is Down
2. 🇮🇸 Sigur Rós - Sæglópur
3. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Mogwai - Punk Rock
4. 🇨🇦 Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Mladic
5. 🇨🇦 A Silver Mt. Zion - 13 Angels Standing Guard 'round the Side of Your Bed
6. 🇺🇸 This Will Destroy You - Thread
7. 🇬🇧 65daysofstatic - Taipei
8. 🇬🇧 Maybeshewill - He Films The Clouds Pt. 2
9. 🇯🇵 Mono - Pure As Snow (Trails Of The Winter Storm)
10. 🇯🇵 Toe - Two Moons
11. 🇸🇪 Lights & Motion - Anomaly
12. 🇸🇪 Immanu El - Under Your Wings I'll Hide
13. 🇪🇸 Exxasens - Science Will Save Us
14. 🇮🇪 God Is An Astronaut - Forever Lost
15. 🇬🇧 Slowdive - Crazy For You (Demo Version)
16. 🇬🇧 Kyte - Boundaries
17. 🇮🇸🇺🇸 Jónsi & Alex - Indian Summer
18. 🇺🇸 Deafheaven - Dream House
19. 🇫🇷 Alcest - Souvenirs d'Un Autre Monde
20. 🇸🇪 Jeniferever - From Across The Sea
21. 🇺🇸 American Football - The Summer Ends
22. 🇺🇸 La Dispute - Such Small Hands
23. 🇺🇸 The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die - January 10th, 2014
24. 🇺🇸 Prawn - Why You Always Leave A Note
25. 🇺🇸 The Appleseed Cast - As The Little Things Go
26. 🇯🇵 Envy - Further Ahead Of Warp
27. 🇺🇸 If These Trees Could Talk - If These Trees Could Talk
28. 🇺🇸 The Album Leaf - Twentytwofourteen
29. 🇺🇸 Lowercase Noises - Silence In Siberia
30. 🇬🇧 Jesu - Homesick
31. 🇺🇸 Moving Mountains - Swing Set
32. 🇺🇸 Sunnn O))) - It Took The Night To Believe
33. 🇫🇷 M83 - Wait
34. 🇩🇪 Frames - Don't Stay Here
35. 🇯🇵 Boris - Farewell
36. 🇺🇸 A Sunny Day In Glasgow - Autumn Again
37. 🇬🇧 Clem Leek - Bless Those Tired Eyes
38. 🇬🇧 Yndi Halda - Illuminate My Heart, Darling!
39. 🇮🇸 Amiina - Perth
40. 🇮🇸 Múm - We Have A Map Of The Piano
41. 🇺🇸 Pianos Became The Teeth - Hiding
42. 🇺🇸 Owel - Snowglobe
43. 🇯🇵 Heaven In Her Arms - 光芒の明時
44. 🇺🇸 Gates - The Thing That Would Save You
45. 🇬🇧 The 1975 - Sex
46. 🇺🇸 Cigarettes After Sex - Apocalypse
47. 🇰🇷 Jambinai - Time Of Extinction
48. 🇺🇸 Red Sparrowes - In An Illusion Of Order
49. 🇺🇸 Russian Blood - Youngblood
50. 🇦🇺 Sleepmakeswave - It's Dark, It's Cold, It's Winter
51. 🇳🇿 Jakob - Blind Them With Science
52. 🇩🇪 Daturah - Ghost Track
53. 🇵🇱 Tides From Nebula - Dopamine
54. 🇮🇹 Port-royal - Nights In Kiev
55. 🇺🇸 Hammock - I Can Almost See You
56. 🇺🇸 Lights Out Asia - They Disappear Into The Palms
57. 🇬🇧🇫🇷 Stereolab - Diagonals
58. 🇩🇰 Mew - Comforting Sounds
59. 🇩🇰 Efterklang - Dreams - Today
60. 🇺🇸 Inventions - Echo Tropism
61. 🇺🇸 Unwed Sailor - Moon Coin
62. 🇷🇺 Mooncake - Novorossiysk 1968
63. 🇺🇸 Joy Wants Eternity - Dark Heart of the King
64. 🇬🇧 Epic45 - The Stars In Autumn
65. 🇬🇧 July Skies - Festival Of Britain
66. 🇺🇸 The American Dollar - Anything You Synthesize
67. 🇸🇪 PG.Lost - Crystaline
68. 🇸🇪 EF - Delusions of Grandeur
69. 🇸🇪 September Malevolence - I Shut Doors and Windows
70. 🇸🇪 Oh Hiroshima - Mirage
71. 🇺🇸 Windsor Airlift - Something Lost
72. 🇺🇸 Carinthia - Leaving
73. 🇬🇧 Good Weather For An Airstrike - Good Night, Boogaloo
74. 🇬🇧 The Echelon Effect - As the Lights Fade Away
75. 🇸🇪 U137 - Adam Forever
76. 🇳🇴 The Samuel Jackson Five - Never Ending Now
77. 🇨🇦 Do Make Say Thing - Horripilation
78. 🇺🇸 El Ten Eleven - Sorry About Your Irony
79. 🇬🇧 And So I Watch You From Afar - Dying Giants
80. 🇯🇵 Mass Of The Fermenting Dregs - Oneday
81. 🇯🇵 Miaou - Hello World
82. World's End Girlfriend - Smile
83. 🇯🇵3nd - 夏終わる
84. 🇮🇩 Under The Big Bright Yellow Sun - A Life In A Day
85. 🇮🇩 TheMilo - Romantic Purple
86. 🇮🇩 My Violainé Morning - Lost
87. 🇮🇩 Autumn Ode - They Asked Me to Run, Follow the Sun
88. 🇮🇩 L'AlphaAlpha - A Lot of Fireworks But I Still Have A Reason to Smile
89. 🇮🇩 The Trees and The Wild - Empati Tamako
90. 🇮🇩 Heals - Void
91. 🇮🇩 Marché La Void - Serenity
92. 🇮🇩 Tuan Tanah - A Farewell to
Arms
93. 🇮🇩 Echolight - Lethal Impression
94. 🇮🇩 Senja Dalam Prosa - Niskala
95. 🇮🇩 Elemental Gaze - Unperfect Sky
96. 🇮🇩 Qibe - Adaptasi Diri
97. 🇮🇩 Ghaust - At Sea (We Are Nothing)
98. 🇸🇬 Paint the Sky Red - Amber
99. 🇵🇭 As the City Sleeps - Goodbye
100. 🇬🇧 Radiohead - Pyramid Song
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