#after the strike we'll see how the market is looking

[fratboykate]

I’m dying for crumbs from the period AUs. What has gladiator Yelena been up to?

here's the thing, i love period aus SO MUCH that i actually developed "lovers through the ages" into a real show that my agents are taking out after the strike (is anyone going to buy it in this market when all studio wants is four quadrant content for middle america or 200 million dollar remakes? probably not...but im sure as fuck gonna try because im obsessed) and the first season is all of the same five time periods/chapters we have here (+ one present day i created) so ive developed the fuckkkkkkkkk out of all these characters and worlds independently of KY and 1) genuinely dont remember where i left in HERE anymore and 2) i dont even know if all the changes i made for a tv adaptation would work with whatever ive already established here and that would be sooooo fuckign confusing to keep all the differences straight/be so much work to try to maybe retroactively try to fit shit from the show here because im lazy and wouldnt want to do double work

THAT BEING SAID...im a sucker for gladiator au so if you remind me where we left it of i can give you plenty of crumbsies.

[crispy0nion]

if you pay attention to non-voiced dialogue, side quests and drip marketing posts you might've realized already, but

Billy Kid used to be a member of the Sons of Calydon.

it's not like it has been outright stated but with the amount of hints the game has given, i think it's a safe bet. we don't know the implications of this connection as of now considering how little we know about SoC, but i think we'll get more info in 1.3, along with Caesar's release. with that being said, let's get into it.

starting easy, Billy's jacket. red, and with a boar. need i say more?

not exactly the same, but definitely close enough to have a connection.

moving on, most of the hints can be found in Billy's trust quests. they are triggered randomly (and I assume some of them are only available at a certain trust level) but I think as long as you level up his trust you are bound to get the ones I will be talking about.

first off is the Sixth Street Motor Legend one. you meet Billy on one end of Sixth Street, near the Workshop, and he tells you about this legendary biker who drives his super fast motorbike by Sixth Street at midnight every night. he compares it to the bikes of the Outer Ring, which is where SoC - which we know to be bikers - reside. when questioned on his interest, he mentions how he was just interested in seeing the legendary bike since he himself used to own and ride a bike when he lived and worked in the Outer Ring.

in the second part of this event, he goes to question Enzo, convinced that the legendary biker is him. as Billy described the SSML to him, he uses the words "crimson nightmare" (because the bike is red), which seem to remind Enzo of something. he denies being the biker, but brings up an old customer of his who "fits that description". he describes this guy: member of an OR biker gang, pretty well known in his circle, had white hair and a red scarf. and his name was "Starlight Knight". as soon as he says that, Billy says "that's my name!" which is odd even for a diehard fanboy. he quickly accepts Enzo's words, as if wanting to dismiss the topic, and the Proxy brings up how he seems to be acting suspicious. And then Billy just hurries off. Which is suspicious. If you try interacting with him after the quest is over, he says "Maybe... the Sixth Street Motor Legend should remain a mystery, after all."

in another trust event, he tells the Proxy he used to live in a big truck a long time ago, and he seems to know a lot about cars. both are things that are typically associated with the SoC, iirc.

lastly, there's the Hollow Zero quest. Billy asks the Proxy to bring him to explore the Hollow, and after starting the exploration, you run into some bandits. nothing of note happens in the dialogue before the fight, aside from the leader of the bandits mentioning how Billy looks familiar. in the dialogue after the fight though, some stuff comes up. the leader starts noticing more things about Billy: the white hair is brought up again, and he seems to recognize the red jacket as well. he says "Could it be that you're the legendary-" but Billy interrupts him. and as soon as he's done talking, the leader yells "Run! We don't wanna mess with this guy!" and leaves in a hurry. following that you can question Billy, who seems to be hiding something. his answer convinced me for good that something's up. he says "everyone has a past. you're no different, right? you can't change the past, which is what makes the present and the future far more important." the game wants you to know there's more to his character.

to those who might be wondering why i would bring up the bandits recognizing Billy when it's likely that they simply know him for being a Cunning Hare, let me tell you: that's probably not it. The Cunning Hares aren't famous, they're broke and underground, and would definitely not strike that much fear into Hollow Raiders. the Sons of Calydon though... they might. and as a cherry on top, I doubt "Billy Kid of the Cunning Hares" is even close to being a legendary figure.

i was going to make this post sooner, but I was worried it wouldn't be enough to prove my point. then Caesar was drip marketed today, and...

you don't call the leader of the SoC "Big Sis" if you don't have a past with her, or the entire faction.

maybe there's more stuff i missed. maybe i'm being delusional. but I still invite you to join the "1.3 Billy Kid lore drop" prayer circle. anyways thanks for reading my ramble I just really like it when the silly robot guy with guns has a Past.

[fabricated-misslieness]

ᴘᴀɪʀɪɴɢ: tyler owens x cowboy male reader

ꜱᴜᴍᴍᴀʀʏ: there's a new cowboy at the rodeo tyler used to ride for, and tyler's itching to get to know him.

ᴡᴏʀᴅ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛ: 4.06k

ᴡᴀʀɴɪɴɢꜱ: plenty swearing, implied death in an acted play

ᴍᴀʏʙ'ꜱ ɴᴏᴛᴇ: cowboy slang vocabulary

☾⋆☆⋆☽

Rodeos are basically a second home for the famous Tornado Wrangler, Tyler Owens. This particular one he visits as often as he can, on weekend evenings to watch the show he used to ride for.

Sometimes, he misses it. He misses the blinding lights that make him forget he's in a glorified pit rather than a stage, and the whistling cheers and claps as he's fighting for his life on the back of a bull; most of all, he misses seeing his cowboy friends damn near every day for practice, especially the old rats that twister-signals him every time they spot each other.

Speaking of, he always tries to waive the fee for his ticket, and when he's too stubborn to accept, they bump down the $15 dollar price to a $3. Not that he ever agrees to that, either. He wants to support them.

All that history means he can always tell when they hire a new cowboy for the show, and this one, well, whew. Isn't he a looker?

Probably, anyway. The cowboy poncho's doing nothin' for his figure, and he's got his scarf up over his nose like the less pleasurable corona's still going around, but he's always had a little thing for cowboys with rat tails and hats over their eyes. Silly little things they are to want to act a mystery–fellers'll often get exposed one way or another–but there's just something about you that lassoes him in.

When Liam sees him walking over after the show, a purposeful look in his eye, he has to ask if he's coming back. "You finally quittin' your storm chaser business, cowpoke? We're startin' to miss ya."

"No, not today. Maybe when I'm forty." Tyler indulges him with a far off idea, like he always does to make small talk, but today he just can't wait to get to the point. "Who's the tenderfoot?"

"Oh, (Y/N)?" Liam chuckles, like a pleasant memory already brightens his mind just from the name. "He's good, ain't he?"

"Yeah, y'all train 'em for three months beforehand." Tyler brushes it off. He was good, but that wasn't the point, and–

"He's a total Bronc Buster, actually."

"Yeah, yeah," He dismisses it once more. "why the scarf? And the hat over his eyes?"

"We're starting a new thing next week." Liam strikes him with that famous excited grin of his, the one that often makes you forget how stern he can get, "Theatre plays on horseback."

"Plays on horseback–?"

"Yeah!" He replies with a nod like it's nothing. "Well, it's just regular plays without a stage, proper backdrops or a light crew," He lists off, then realizes just how depressive that must sound, "and real horses."

"Yeah, that's great, Liam, but why does that matter, exactly?" Tyler still had that one objective in mind, and that's finding out the mystery behind the newest cowboy on horseback.

"He's playin' the villain, of course. Gotta tease the man before we premier the show, builds up the anticipation, obviously."

"Right, right..." Though he trails off, he tries to act as though he knew the obvious marketing strategy, because obviously you put a man in a poncho and obstruct his vision so he looks like a good villain—that aside, he can't deny it worked.

"Look, dabster," Liam's the one waving him off this time, "he'll do fine, we'll do fine! We've rehearsed a lot, and we're sure it's a good idea."

"Uh-huh?"

"Just make sure to come on Friday rather than the weekend." Liam digs his finger into Tyler's chest, looking him in the eye so the man knows he's serious. "I mean it. We're only airing this thing on Fridays, it's long as all hell, Ty."

"How long?" Tyler deadpans.

"Pfft." Liam waves it off, "Long. Like Broadway up north. Lotta acting, intermission to push our food sales, then more acting. Climax, boom, tears and victory."

"Y'know the famous ones like Hamilton run for under three hours, right?" Tyler raises a brow. "Like a movie?"

"Like they say, you can't rush art, Tyler." Liam pats Tyler's shoulder twice reassuringly before he's pushing past and calling out his goodbyes with a yell. He had to leave with a one-liner, huh?

The buckaroo's just yammering, Tyler thinks to himself as he watches his old friend walk off. He only notices that he didn't get to ask for the new guy's number when his faraway figure gets to the size of a bean.

☾⋆☆⋆☽

"Flee, Danika, flee!" You shout to your horse as you barrel dive into cover. She does as promised, fleeing just far enough away that she'll hear your whistle once you've dealt with these bad, bad men.

With your back pressed against a rock and bullets just wooshin' past, you let the empty shells fall from your chamber to the ground and replace them. One by one, pressure's on, your fingers twitch, but they don't hesitate.

You'll get out of here alive, you always do.

You heave a breath, then another, a steady stream of inhales n' exhales, you're calming your heartbeat and will shoot with its rhythm.

Three, two...

Leaning over the edge of the rock, you aim.

Three, two, one.

Three men gone, off their horses and thudding against the harsh, hard ground, but there's more, ridin' in from the east and already prepping their aim. You scramble to get off your ass and into proper cover, the hay shed will do.

There's sweat over your face, it's making your scarf stick. You can't think about taking it off now, lest any of those boys make it out alive and see your face.

As the beat of the hooves comes to a stop, you peak 'round the open side of the shed and shoot.

Three, two, click, click, click.

Gods be damned, you've run out of bullets. You rush to flick open the chamber and empty the shells to replace them; the process is as natural as breathing to you, but not quite as fast.

A man rounds the corner, and you instinctively whip your revolver at his head to result in a crack that sounds all too real.

As the man thuds behind you, you peek around the corner with fresh bullets.

"We'll get you, you sonuvah gun!" The last of the reinforces is a coward, or a scout, as he's now ridin' away on his horse, but he's too gracious a host to consider leaving you without a parting gift.

The bullet that was meant for his head gets the dynamite that's gliding its way towards you, catching it mid air and detonating it early, before it gets you.

The force of the faroff explosion nearly knocks your hat off your head and your ass to the ground, if you hadn't already been there.

"Lord almighty..." You let your revolver fall to the ground harmlessly–which bounces off a little more than it's really meant to–and sigh.

The hat comes off, then the scarf, and you breathe, breathe, breathe.

You're alive, and you've got more enemies. Oh, who cares? What's a few more names to the list?

☾⋆☆⋆☽

As the crowd finally sees the villain's face for the first time, people whistle and ooh at the him.

Tyler's gut feeling was right: he is a looker.

That aside, the storm chaser had to admit, old Liam was onto something, even with the noticeably fake props. The only thing he's wondering is why it's been one hour and the regular rodeo show is resuming as usual. It's not intermission, cause they're not pushing food marketing as Liam said they would.

He doesn't have to ponder very long as he meets up with his old friend again.

"I took your advice to heart, actually. I knew the ol' star would be exhausted after all of it, so I thought we'd split it over a month, and play the same section all weekend. More ticket sales."

Tyler raised a brow at the mention of the protagonist, "Ol' star? He had one scene."

"Not him," Liam says it like he should know, like they're both back in front of the drawing board again, "(Y/N)."

"The villain's the star?" Tyler deadpans.

Liam chuckles in turn, "Didn't you hear the crowd when we finally revealed his face?"

"Oh." Tyler shakes his head, "Well, ain't he dyin' later? Stars don't die."

"Ehhh..." Liam waves his hand and shakes his head side to side in a kind of gesture. "It's implied."

"It's implied?"

"Endings are best left up to interpretation!" The man flourishes with a grand gesture, heaving more energy around than Tyler's used to seeing from him. This thing must really be a passion project. "Don't ruin it, for me, son."

Tyler raises both his hands in surrender at that. "You won't see nothin' from me, old man."

Tyler lets him walk off this time, he deserves that much; only then does he realize that he hasn't got the new guy's number. Again.

☾⋆☆⋆☽

"Negotiations? I don't do negotiations." You're huddled behind cover, hidden from view as you talk with the alleged big huncho of the mining camp. He brought reinforcement, nothing you can't handle, but it could still spell trouble.

"I like to look at a man when I'm talkin' to him."

You scoff. "Like hell I'll peek. You'll blow my head clean off if I try."

"I'm a man of my word." He insists, his deep jazzy voice just screaming a man of wealth and contracts.

"And so am I, but you wouldn't trust that." Idly, you check the chamber of your revolver, having learned from your mistakes. Six bullets, not shells, ready to be fired.

"Touché, good sir."

"Good sir?"

"As I understand it," The man says, his voice is strong to reach your ears but it ain't threatening, "you just want a cut of my money."

"And if I do?" You click the chamber back in place, listening for out of place sounds like footsteps.

"I'm willing to pay." Oh, that haughty bastard really thinks he's gonna get you with that?

"Like hell you are." You laugh, a loud thing so you make sure he hears that you're not gullible.

As the big man begins to speak again, surely more lies that are meant to coerce you into taking the bait, you throw a stray wood chip up into the air.

Bang!

The split second after it sees the light of day, the wood chip is shot to splinters, right as you'd expected.

"I think negotiations are over, sir..?"

"Cornwall." The man sighs out his name. "Good day to you, sir."

"Good day, sir Cornwall."

☾⋆☆⋆☽

As he often finds himself doing nowadays, Tyler goes around searching for Liam to talk about a particular someone. Little does he know that where he usually finds his old friend, he'll finds someone else.

"Excuse me," He begins politely, not recognizing the man from behind. "have you seen Liam?"

When you turn around to reply instead of another cowboy he might know, his little stunned gaze makes your words take on a confused tone. "He's playing his part in the pit..?"

"Oh." Tyler has barely any time to register that Liam's actually taking part in the acting biz before he's scrambling to greet you properly. "You're (Y/N), right? The new guy?"

"That's me." You nod your head and take a sip from your bottle. In a couple minutes you'll be back in the show again, so you're making the most of your small break. "And you?"

"Um, Tyler. Tyler Owens. Does Liam not talk about me?"

As the star of the million-follower YouTube channel Tornado Wranglers, Tyler thinks he's kind of a big deal around Oklahoma, especially around here as he used to ride for the local rodeo. He's usually not an arrogant guy, unless he decides to play it up for the competition, but...he finds that his ego is a little bruised now.

"I'm just playin' with you, poppet. Liam never stops singing his praises 'bout you." You offer your hand for a shake, a well placed gesture if you hadn't just called him poppet.

Tyler flushes a little, because, well, poppet's quite an endearing term and you're hot and there's something about men that are sweaty and out of breath. He manages to shake your hand without making a fool of himself anyway. "What does Liam say about me?"

"He said that you've taken a million kicks from bulls and you still managed to go an get yourself a fancy degree, that you're tough as nails and can always tell when he slips you belly wash." You list off a couple of less than good things about him in detail so excrutiating that Tyler knows Liam's said them time and time again. "Oh, and that you always rode pretty well."

Tyler comes out of it a little embarrassed, and his voice therefore comes out meek, like he hasn't spoken for a while. "Yeah?"

"Yeah." You laugh and pat his shoulder. "You know how Liam is, he'll point out how you're a hill of beans and then praise ya."

His shoulders deflate with relief and he laughs along with you. "Yeah, I know 'im."

"Truth be told, it's kinda nice to hear about the real man as opposed to the Tornado Cowboy persona." You say it kind of sheepishly, which is rather nice to see when he's only ever had a cocky you to compare to.

Plus, you'd just admitted that you watch his videos, making his grin widen. "You a fan?"

"Don't get too full o' yourself, cowboy." You point a finger at him, huffing a laugh. "I see you in the stands every week."

He could just say it's because this play is an ongoing thing with a new sorta 'episode' each week, which is the truth, or he could flirt along. "You caught me," He hisses like it's a big deal and it's embarrassing to be caught. "I am your biggest fan."

"You like anti-heroes, do ya?" You chuckle, narrowing your eyes at him.

"I'm as gullible as everyone else, darlin'. I'll like any villain so long as they're hot n' ride good." He sends a wink over, because there ain't no subtlety when there's a crowd just a ways away you've gotta shout over.

You wolf-whistle in turn, "Is that so, poppet?"

"I'm being simon-pure." He insists, tipping his hat for extra measure.

This is going well for Tyler, you're responsive to his flirting and you can match it too. Unfortunately, good things always have to come to an end.

"Listen, Tyler," You indulge him with a laugh but unfortunately point towards the stage. "I don't wanna miss my cue, so I've got to...well, you know. What I'm saying is..."

"Wanna grab a root later?" Tyler takes the opportunity to ask first, eagerly at that.

"Yeah," You smile, grateful that he took the opportunity. "yeah, uh, want my number?"

It's the fourth week in a row Tyler watches another figure walk off on a Friday evening, but this time he's got his prize secured, and he's left more hopeful than regretful.

☾⋆☆⋆☽

These stubborn miners are just setting up more and more defenses, to the point where you're pondering what marks the difference between a mining camp and a Pinkerton camp. Is it gun count or armed miner count?

You settle into prone on a ridge overlooking the camp to make your figure less noticeable amidst the bright sky–earning you a couple strange bird caws from onlooking eagles–and scout out with your binoculars.

"Tall fences," You begin to mutter under your breath. "sniper outposts on the roof, a guard at the wagon rail, no, two; several on each little path in and out."

And...is that a Gatling gun? "Ugh, seriously?"

"What is it, my darling?" Your sweetheart calls from behind you. Before you can answer, she's rolling you over onto your back and settling half on your lap. The geese in V-formation above caw louder.

"Nothing to worry your pretty little head about." You assure, a nice smile on your face as you steady the gal.

You couldn't worry her, no, you're doing this all for her, after all. It's not her fault her daddy got their family into a deep, six foot grave kind of debt before the man got himself killed in a fishing trip gone wrong, after all.

"There is always somethin' to worry over." She giggles, hands trailing over your chest, pulling your attention away for the moment.

"I know, poppet, but–"

"You're worryin' right now." She points out, drawing circles over your heart with her pointer.

You sigh, "I know."

"Let me take your handsome lil' mind off it, can I?"

She's already leaning down before you can even say no.

☾⋆☆⋆☽

As soon as you start kissing up that pretty girl in that pit you take for a stage, Tyler looks down at his phone. He taps the screen impatiently, almost as if you'll answer him right now while you're up there, all busy.

Hey, it's Tyler. It was nice meeting you.

How does six at the Hay Shed sound?

"He ghosted me." Tyler groans. It's covered up by the sound of the ooh-ing crowd, but he doesn't much care if it's heard or not. "Seriously, I find a man as fine as cream gravy, and he ghosts me?"

It was too good to be true. You're hot, you called him poppet, and you were receptive to his flirting; too good to be true.

...

"Liam, hey! Can I borrow a horse?"

Nothing's better for clearing the mind than a good horse ride right before sunset, it's like long walks at the beach. Tyler often found that it was also great for dealing with break ups or, in this situation, not even making it to the talking stage.

He doesn't check his phone, doesn't even realize it's vibrating in place with it in the saddle bag. Instead, his eyes are straight ahead.

He's riding towards the sunset like it's the end of a movie, and what a poor, short movie it is.

It's fine. It's fine, it really is. It's not like he was already mashed, anyway, no sir! He's just disappointed. It's a big cavernous feeling in his chest like it's empty, when it's really filled with something none too good.

"Ah," Tyler sighs out, hopefully exhaling all them feelings. He pats the horse, watches its ears twitch as he talks. "You understand me, big guy?"

He's too caught up in feeling sorry for himself to hear someone else riding up beside him.

"Perfect spot for a first date, huh?"

"Holy shit, what the fuck?" Tyler damn near falls off his horse. He has to hold onto the reigns with white knuckles in order not to.

"You done airin' your lungs, poppet?" You only grin in return, pointing out your shirt pocket, at your phone. "I shot you a text."

Tyler huddles closer to his horse's neck. Though he's still heaving recovering breaths, he finds the sass to say, "About a week late."

"Yeah, 'm sorry about that." You rub the back of your neck, your smile melting with shame. "I'm kind of a busy man."

"Oh, yeah?" He shoots back with furrowed brows and a scowl.

"Yeah, I totally deserve that." You bow your head a little, "It's just, I work the show all weekend, and I was so exhausted comin' back in on Tuesday that it totally slipped my mind."

Oh.

"Let me make it up to you?" You ask hopefully, looking at him with those sheep's eyes, and it makes him feel a little guilty.

"I'm sorry." Tyler says quickly, straightening up and all and mirroring your apologetic look.

"No, no, it's totally fine!"

"I mean, I totally didn't realize–"

So there you both are, spewing excuses to be sorry for each other, guilt eating away at you like worms do a book. There seems to be no end to it. Your pseudo-argument stretches as far as the horizon, up until the sun sets below it.

"Seriously, let me make it up to you." Before he can even reply, you continue. "You said the Hay Shed, yeah? I'll buy our dinner, no big deal."

"I–" Tyler starts up, but you shoot him a pointed look, quieting him down. "Okay."

"Okay, good." That nice, charming smile of yours builds up again, and he almost swoons.

"Race you?" He smiles back, tipping his head forward.

You're already shifting into proper form. "Oh, you're on, cowboy."

☾⋆☆⋆☽

You're sitting in your porch in that old rocking chair of yours, your white hair sweeping off your forehead as an easy breeze blows past. Your fingers tap to the rhythm of your boy playing the guitar and his mother singing along. Ranch life has treated both you and Danika well. The old girl gets to snack on sugar cubes every day while you got to lock your revolvers away and sip on fine liquor every night after dinner.

It's been a good life, you think as you watch the sun set. Your sins are long behind you.

...this isn't how you planned to die.

No, not in this damn cave away from your girl, slowly choking on fumes, trapped in by a cave in.

Somewhere, distantly, you can hear that good for nothing hero laughing like old Saint Nick himself, shouting to the world his victory.

It's not even his, you think stubbornly, because you won't give him the victory of thinking your death is his to brag about, it's this damned fire and these damned rocks.

You were so, so close. You've killed dozens of men just to get in this gods-damned gold mine and steal a couple nuggets for your girl, and you almost made it out.

This is how you'll die, all alone here choked by a fire.

Oh hells. If you're going to die you might as well die by the hands of a man who's actually worthy of the kill.

Shakily, you lift your hand.

This world was shit. Hope the next is greener.

☾⋆☆⋆☽

"Ah, oh god, fuck off!" Tyler shouts, and despite all that fight to shove your lips off his chin and his face, he's laughing.

"What, am I not pretty enough for ya, darlin'?" You pull him closer with warm–noticeably not scalding–hands at his waist, puckering your lips playfully at him.

There's black makeup, soot, over your face: on your cheeks, 'round your eyes, on your forehead, everywhere.

"Go boil your shirt!" With one shove, he pushes you so hard you fall into your vanity chair. The flimsy old thing rocks from side to side before settling back down with your weight on it.

You roll your eyes, picking up a makeup wipe once stabilized to begin cleaning yourself off. "If you didn't like me, you just had to say so."

"Don't be like that." Before you can answer, he's turning your chair and sitting on your lap, though when you try to kiss him, he pushes you away again. "You're not done yet, cowpoke."

You huff and whine, and you'd kick your feet if you could, like it's the worst shame in the world.

"Don't pitch a fit at me." He points a finger at you and you laugh in turn.

"No, of course not, darling."

Tyler waits patiently as you wipe the makeup off, realizing as he does that he's been through worse shit: the biggest tornadoes, the harshest thunder storms, and the stickiest mud. Although to be fair, he hasn't had mud that transfers as easily as this cheap makeup does on his face before.

"That good enough?" He shakes his head, prompting you to huff and wipe your face again. "Now?"

It's still not good enough for him. Fortunately, he snatches up the wipe and passes it over your face himself. It feels as rough as a cat's tongue or your dad hosing you down after you tracked mud around the house, and you're fixing to speak your mind about it.

"There you are." Tyler's face emerges from behind the wipe, a wide, teasing smile on his face that tells you he was wiping you off longer than he needed to. "Apple-pie order."

His lips are on yours right after that, drowning you with a toad strangler of love. Your complaints die out right on your tongue, because how could you ever be mad at him?

Answer is: you can't.

☾⋆☆⋆☽

ɴᴏᴛᴇ: i watched this movie in spanish so i don't know what tyler's cowboy nickname is in english and i've also forgotten some details in the movie (ex: if it was mentioned that scott and javi are ex-boyfriends, i literally did not notice until i read the wiki)

[murfpersonalblog]

You definitely did your job right, Rolin, cuz wtf. Yes, 2x5 was a tour de force of acting & writing, bravo bravo. But 2x7 keeps me up at night, istg. 👌 That Trial pisses me right off, and I'm disgusted by how accurate 2x2 was about the audience being COMPLICIT, cuz this rancid fandom's been proving Santiago right every dang day.

And some of that IMO is the writing's fault, where things aren't messy for the sake of drama & good tv, but are messy as part of the strike's fallout. I truly hope they've been taking fans' feedback & critiques to heart, cuz people are running around with all kinds of conclusions & assumptions about 2x7 and 2x8 that y'all need to address in S3.

I'm glad he's aware that some of the writing makes no effing sense.

I never liked using memory is the monster as a crutch for plot holes & retcons, but I commend Rolin for the clever things he did do despite the strikes & budget/production issues, to still stick the landing in S2. We'll have to see where S3 takes it, but i do have faith that if anyone can pull it off, Rolin can.

"Everybody in the [writer's] room relives their worst fight with someone they shouldn’t have been in love with but wanted to be." I love this. Cuz people wanna act like this show isn't a deliberately literal mirror of IRL relationships, and the monsters within us that make us say "ugly words." That's GOTHIC literature 101. It's not subtle at all. The absence of metaphor is so striking.

You pissed off EVERYONE--me included--and I love you for it, RJ. Is this the best vampire show I've ever seen? Not quite--Bram Stoker's Dracula is near & dear to my heart; and Castlevania S1 was a revelation. But this is HANDS DOWN the best fantasy book adaption I've seen since Lord of the Rings. IWTV's way better than Game of Thrones (I hear House of the Dragon is mid AF, which I expected). This is "harder to swallow" cuz it puts the onus on lazy AF viewers to not turn their brains off & put in actual legwork to look things up themselves. (Plus there's Bipoc leads, which also grates racists. I guarantee that S3 will have a very different reception since Lestat's the lead.)

Yaaaas~! SUFFER!

AMC should 100% release the full footage of the plays on their website or on Youtube or SOMETHING, wtf!? I thought the plays were so cool! WEIRD, ofc, but so cool!

STFU, Rolin--you should ABSOLUTELY do Forrest Gump, LOL. XD Y'all had Sartre eavesdropping on Loumand, and Lestat ghostwriting for Jelly Roll Martin, and Tom Anderson thirsting after Louis--PLEASE keep going, you sicko, yaaas~!

It's so sad that Rolin keeps repeating this, that he thought AMC would cancel them. WTF is going on over there? Y'all spent all this money buying AR's estate--RJ also often talks about their budget issues--just to cancel it? WHY? And why TF has it taken y'all so long to get on other streaming platforms like Netflix? The business moves & marketing has been dog trash since Day One, and it boggles my mind. But thank god AMC's going forward with it--they'd be dumb AF to let this diamond slip through their fingers, just cuz it's not doing HotD numbers.

This makes me feel most insane of all. ROBBED, I tell you!

[hughungrybear]

Me watching Dangerous Romance Ep.7:

1. I'm excited! Who's excited? We'll finally know the aftermath of the kiss. I mean, after Kanghan explicitly told Sailom that all he feels for him is guilt, how would he explain the kiss??? 😤😤😤

2. Waaaaait, hold up. Is grandma sick??? Also, Sailom is back in Kang's house eating dinner with the family but the two still seems a whole lot of awkward with each other. 😶

3. Oh, so Kang and Sailom didn't get to talk? Dammit, Guy and Auto. Also, that's no fair, Kang - telling Sailom you don't want to see him with anybody else but still have not retracted the part that all you feel is guilt and pity for him.

4. I almost forgot that they have connected bedrooms via a shared bathroom. Oooh, the possibilities lol 😅😅😅

5. Kang: "Give it to me straight". Me: "He can't. He is gay/bi." 😂😂😂 Yeah, I'll see myself out 😅😅😅

6. I laughed when Kang asked if Sailom wants to be his boyfriend. I mean, really? Really? Just the previous episode you were ready to punch Sailom for breaking Pimfah's heart and has also broke his heart in the process. No apologies? No backsies?? WTF. 😭😤

7. It's awfully quiet back there that if I'm the car driver, I would be suspicious 😂😂😂 Also, look at Kang's smile when Sailom opened the (bathroom) door for him.

8. Okay, Kang being completely honest about his feeling for Sailom is 😭😭😭😭 but his way of flirting is 😅😅😅😅😅 .

Guys, I died laughing. I already ascended to heaven (or descended to hell, am not really fussy about these things lol)

9. On the bright side, having Kang as a boyfriend means Sailom (and his friends) will never be hangry as he kept buying food/feeding Sailom tasty treats lol

10. Oooh, so Kang decided to start gaining Sailom's friends' trust by bringing them food? What are Guy and Auto, alley cats??? Lol.

11. Oh no! Grandma, be well 😭😭😭 Why were you lifting heavy objects? You are rich! Call someone to do it for you next time 😭😭😭

(Sidenote: My Grandma did something similar. She went ahead and used a ladder to change a lightbulb in her house but the ladder collapse under her weight and she hit her hip. After that, her hip deteriorated as she did not go to a doctor because she didn't want to 'waste' money. She was never able to regain her ability to walk and had to use a wheelchair until she died.)

12. Lightning striking just as Saifah swearing that he will never manipulate Kang's grandma to buy him things is peak comedy 😂😂😂 Also, yeah I don't trust Saifah. No offence but he hasn't done anything (in this series) that paints him as trustworthy lol

13. I forgot that Sailom's fave dish is grilled fish and veggies. But how did Kang know? Lol. See, told you Kang is treating Sailom's friends like pets 😂😂😂 Ngl though, I would have eaten the snacks and still not trust Kang to pull a prank or two lol

14. Wait, did Pimfah really asked Kang or is that an excuse? Also did they tell Pimfah about what is happening them or did they just let her figure things out? 😑

15. I would ignore the fact that Kang raided Sailom's drawers (without asking, mind) to get that shirt, but focus on his relentless cheesy flirting in a public transportation lol

16. Another sidenote: I cannot believe, not even for a second, that Kang's noodle is NOT spicy. For better or for worse, authentic Thai food is almost always spicy even without the chilis. Lol. Also, not related to the plot or story, if it's available in your local Asian grocery and don't mind spicy food, try the MAMA and MAMA OK instant noodles (esp. the salted egg flavour).

17. Tbf, I don't think it is just the spicy noodles. I doubt Kang has any experience shopping in a crowded public market. I mean, as a kid, my mum also used to drag me to our country's Chinatown market (because that's where all the cheap goods are) to shop and hated every minute of it because of the crowd, the heat, and the smell of wet goods exposed under the hot sun.

18. Auto: "We are not down to earth. We are just dirt poor". Harsh, but extremely accurate lol

Also Auto: We don't mind that (Kang spending money on them). Throw it all you want. We're all for it. Throw it this way. Screw dignity! Keep throwing! Don't hold back! 😂😂😂😂

19. Kang's road to romance is a bit rocky. It's a given that Auto and (more specifically) Guy will have a difficult time trusting Kang after the bullying incident in the first episodes. However, Kang's friends are also bonafide a**holes, even without Kang's prompting. 😅

20. Where is my Guy and Nava ship??? I swear if GMMTV does this like they did TiwPor in MSP (as if an afterthought), I WILL RIOT. 😤😤😤

21. Wait a freaking minute. These are high school students. I'm not saying I was a saint at that age, but I drunk beer in the privacy of my friend's backyard lol. Pretty sure underage drinking in a public place like a bar is illegal even in Asia.

22. It turns out, Auto is the worst kind of drunk lol. Also, I believe Chimon when he said Sailom cannot dance. You'll understand if you have seen an episode of the School Rangers 😂😂😂😂

23. Uhm, Miss, stop grinding. He is gay. Lol.

24. I mean, alcohol is not the best relationship starter, but if it will set my GuyNava ship to sail, I will take it (as long as everything is consentual, ofc) 😅😅😅

25. See, it is illegal. But Auto, learn to run faster, gawd dammit. Also, what would happen to Kang? Will his father scold him? I highly doubt it since they have been painting the man as "doting" to the point that Kang cannot disappoint him because he does not expect anything great or good from Kang. However, this might ruin his political dreams, so we'll see.

26. The dad finally getting angry with Kang only because it can potentially ruin his election run is all kinds of messed up. 😑

27. At this point, Sailom has displaced Kang as the favourite grandson lol

28. Ugh, Saifah. What are you planning??? Don't ruin this for Sailom 😭😭😭😭

29. Oof. The cheerleader outfits are cute. They look like Sailormoon's transformation outfit. 😍

30. Why are you flirting in front of everyone's salad, Kang? 😅😅😅 You have a game to play. Focus. 😆😆😆

31. I know people have been pointing out the similarities between this series and BBS. I guess the true test of acceptance is when your bff learns to play well together with your (not-yet) bf in a football match 😂😂😂

32. Kang being anxious that Guy (and Auto) will never like him for missing that goal is 😔😔😔 Also, I commend Guy (and Auto) for being so sharp, it hurts lol. Unlike some "friends" (looking at you, Wai) 🙄

Officially boyfriends!!! Will Kang ramp up his cheesy flirting? Also, Saifah being on Ms Ging's medical team CANNOT be a good thing. The man is not above stealing from patients. I can smell trouble.

[crapmagak]

Engage Drip Marketing: Etie

Welp, looks like we’re finishing up the Firene roster after all. Feels a bit weird since we see to recruit her earlier in the game than Celine, Louis, and Chloe. But oh well.

Today, we’ve got Etie. She’s a character we’ve known about for a while, but it’s nice to finally get a full look at her. I like her design a bit, and I understand what they’re going for. I can tolerate same face syndrome in anime because, well, it’s kind of an industry standard. Still, the artstyle kind of makes Etie look like she’s twelve instead of just tiny. Maybe if they made her face more angular, and her eyes smaller? I’d also suggest widening the hips, but that probably wouldn’t be noticeable with the skirt. Oh well. With all the clothing customization, it makes sense these characters all have similar body and face types.

Intro tweet

Etie is a knight from the Kingdom of Firene. She is the young lady of a noble family, whose elegance can be felt. She is very forward-thinking and active, and is focused on bodybuilding.

Cutscene tweet

A conversation between Etie and Alear. It seems she's bothered by Alear's staring.

Alear: "Hehe..."

Etie: "Huh? What's wrong? Staring at my face like that with a smile..."

Alear: "Sorry, I didn't mean to offend. But I couldn't help it..."

Etie: "Could it be, there's something weird about my appearance?"

Alear: "No, that's not it!"

Etie: "Then what is it? Just tell me!"

Alear: "You're always so positive, Etie."

Etie: "Huh?"

Alear: "I can see that positive attitude of yours just from your looks. It's very charming, and I feel energized just looking at you."

Etie: "So that's why you were staring..."

Kind of gives me Lysithea meets Claire energy. Also, it seems she’s not Alfreds retainer, just a knight. Still curious if she and the ax fighter are related or not. It’d make sense, seeing as how Etie seems insecure about how tiny she is. In terms of how much I’ll like her, these characters tend to be rather hit or miss. Hopefully she has good supports.

Now for the crit tweet…

Etie's starting class is Archer. A lightly-armored soldier that fights with a bow, striking from a distance.

Interestingly, her full class has been translated as archer/ spy. Perhaps that means archers share a similar movement type to thiefs, and maybe they have an easier time going through forests and the like. This sub types to classes may also point to class families as well. Perhaps this means Etie has access to classes like assassin when it comes to promoting.

The clip itself also shows a juicy new detail. Seems like Alfred and friends join on the night bridge map, a turn or two after the chapter begins. In hindsight, it is odd that you fight so many lance and sword units, especially pegasus knights. The inclusion of Etie and the ax fighter does seem to make the threat much more manageable. Still seems interesting for an enemy nation to field so many pegasus knights. Seems like bows are back to being 2 range only. Hopefully this isn’t too big a deal, especially in an entry that seems so player phase focused. Also, I just noticed Clan only has half his hp gonna, right next to a peg knight. So, it seems like pegasus knights won’t be too scary in such an early map, which is a good thing. In three houses pegasus knights were downright terrifying with their speed.

To cap things off, there are a couple things I’m curious about. First, we get half the Firene crew in the night bridge chapter. Then we get the other half in the windmill village chapter. We have four more chapters shown off, but we haven’t seen any new recruits. I kind of doubt we’d go so long without new recruits in the early game, though, so I’m curious. Are there other Firene characters they just aren’t showing off for time, ones they want to keep more of a surprise?  Or are the new characters dropped in batches with each new country we visit?

Something else I’m curious about is the current pace of the drip marketing. Cause at the current speed we're going, it seems like we'll be at the end of the autumn country when the game comes out. Considering we have at least two other major box art characters from Elusia and the desert country, I feel like it’d be extremely odd if they didn’t get tweets. And that’s not counting all the emblem characters. Some of those could be obtained real late into the game, so they may want to hold off on too many spoilers. Either way, I’m cool with not seeing every character and map. Still, I’d at least like to see a couple characters from each of the countries. Hopefully we’ll get the ax fighter this Friday, and the pace will pick up a little.

[ledscreendisplay]

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[zirrawrites]

Lokius Ghibli Au

Mobius is our Nowhere Man - he's a traveller of the world, with nowhere to call home.

Setting would be a touch more modern than Kiki or Howl but still that kinda small town vibe? Cozy. Laid back. Not consumer driven.

Mobius is perhaps an artist of some kind. Hobbyist trying to find the passion and spark - a muse - to be passionate about or inspired by.

He comes to this northern seaside town, it's beautiful and he's sure something good will happen. He never stays terribly long in a place either.

He meets Casey, who is a courier. He does deliveries around town, handles mail and even little errands and such - man, he's our Kiki lol...

OB is his very best friend and "the most interesting guy in town" he runs a little shop, not a mechanic shop but maybe almost like a clock shop or something. A curiosities shop of sorts for tinkers and such.

The three of them make fast friends. I think all of them live in the town, it just takes Mobius to bring them together in a way. Loki knows everyone, but he has a sour reputation so it takes the CHANGE to bring them all together.

Gotta figure out a good role for B15 when it's not late when talking to the girlfriend...

Sylvie is like Ursula, she lives in the woods with birds, travels rarely to the city, Casey makes weekly deliveries to her.

She has a million hobbies, and masters none. Eventually she settles on pottery, and learns patience and focus.

Casey has a mug from her that was a 'gift' - ugliest god damn thing and she made him take it. It was not a gift. He says it was a gift. Itsagift.

Loki is the town 'witch" he settled there long ago, he has a small house either up somewhere overlooking the ocean, or tucked away somewhere you have to know where to go to find. A word of mouth kinda person.

Be runs a little enchantments shop. Gotta figure that out better, look into what kinda magics would make sense. He can read people really well. Gonna work out the design but he doesn't let people into the actual shop shop that much maybe.

He moved away from his family, parents still alive but not sure how relationship is atm, Thor writes to him often.

Loki has a reputation for being a bit of a diva or an ass, people don't bother him in public because he's very rude. Only people who think high of themselves bother and he still weasels away.

Mobius wanders into town and at some point awkwardly bumps into Casey who remarks he's new in town. Casey excitedly offers to show him around town. For $5. Mobius only has a $10. He'll give a deluxe tour. No change. Mobius is too amused to say no.

Casey shows him all over, introduces some people, some spots, and where he can stay for the time he's in town.

At some point, Mobius sight sees, looking around town for inspiration and such. Spends time at the beach and markets a lot.

Probably spies Loki in the market, looking so striking because of how he's dressed and carries himself and he's intrigued.

Asks Casey about the guy and finds out about his sour reputation. Surely someone can't be that bad.

He eventually finds out where the shop is and decides to check it out. Casey is cursed and clumsy and not allowed in the shop so he passes LMAO...

The first meeting is probably disastrous. We'll figure that out later.

Skips around our timeline... Mobius meets Sylvie and is why she starts taking pottery more seriously, he makes one of those back hand supportive comments he does and she's determined to prove him wrong/right. You know how he goes.

OB is working on some kinda machine that's a big deal to him, we'll touch on that. Loki and Casey help this dream become a reality.

Loki starts to come out into town more, looks for excuses to run into Mobius. Starts to soften the edges a bit after Mobius and him have some words about him being all bark no bite.

Mobius probably idly drawing his hands or something while talking. I DUNNO.

Is the angst gonna come from Mobius usually leaving after some time and starting to delay leaving because the prettt witch up the road?

Uhhh Thor is gonna make an appearance by jove. And Mobius is gonna think it's some ex because their last names are not similar, they don't look similar and Thor is auper touchy feely, and Loki is very do not want.

THOR GONNA KNOW ALL ABOUT WHO MOBIUS IS, BABY.

Mobius will be petty because I love a season 1 temper tantrum based on jealous bitch energy. Mobius may know he's hot shit but he knows how hot his shit is as well. We don't condone whithering self deprecating Mobius here, but I love a man who knows his limit.

Gotta figure out the big uh change. Basically gonna be NEW GUY IN TOWN FALLS OVER WITCH ALA TOMBO FOR KIKI, but Witch goes through some shit ala Kiki or Howl because maybe Mobius messed with something??

Joked about him catching Loki's hair on fire on accident trying to help with something LMAO

But he goes through a rut with magic, thinking something is wrong with him because he caught feelings BUT ALSO MOBIUS GONNA LEAVE...

Loki trying to process feelings in general, the struggle.

Maybe Mobius, for the drama, goes to give Loki a gift the day before he goes and that's the whole CLIMAX....

Maybe Loki has a meeting within himself and is like oh SHI- and manages to tap into that root chakra and engages with his big magic which is tied to reading people - he can see people's futures, and fortune tell or something. And he doesn't see a future without that loser in it.

WHAT A WONDERUL CLICHE.

Can do the GOTTA TELL MOBIUS, BUT MOBIUS IS ON HIS WAY TO LOKI'S TO GIVE HIM A PARTING GIFT.

Is this where the dynamic duo of Casey and OB have to delay Mobius leaving? Lmao

B15 needs to be in here as someone he sees often, someone he is close to who is blunt with him. But sweet. Devil's advocate for staying but also going What's one more week, bud.

WILL FLESH IT OUT MORE but I'm living for the Loki bristle cat over LOVE?????

Loki trying to tease Mobius by flirting and showing him the fireworks and Mobius just huh, I thought you had to kiss first to see the fireworks when you're in love or something like that.

Ans Loki just very YELLS IN SILENCE before being like HUFF HAH HMNPH. Then when he's home alone he's slunk into a chair in denial so hard before it dawns on him how he feels for the stupid vagabond...

NODS.

[medical-carealert]

Helping Seniors Live Confidently: Medical Alert Systems

Greetings from the cutting edge of Medical alert systems for seniors! The days of these gadgets being large and ugly are long gone. Medical alert necklaces of today are streamlined, fashionable, and loaded with cutting-edge technology that put safety and style first. Whether you're looking after an aging loved one or are a senior yourself, it's important to keep up with the latest developments in this field. We'll examine the distinctive qualities of some of the most striking medical alert necklaces of 2023 in more detail in this blog post. Now let's see how these innovative gadgets are transforming elder care!

An Overview of 2023's Top Medical Alert Necklaces

In terms of medical alert necklaces, 2023 has brought forth a number of outstanding choices that blend fashion and utility. One unique gadget is the Medical Alert Necklace, which has a discrete button for emergencies and a classy appearance. In an emergency, its sophisticated GPS tracking capability guarantees that assistance may be promptly dispatched to the precise spot. The ABC Medical Alert Necklace, which is renowned for its elegant and adaptable design, is another excellent option. This necklace's integrated fall detection technology gives seniors and their loved ones peace of mind by immediately sounding a warning in the event of a fall.

The PQR Medical Alert Necklace is another example of its innovative features; it uses voice recognition technology to enable hands-free communication in an emergency. To provide the best possible health management, this device also has vital sign monitoring capabilities and prescription reminders. These innovative gadgets demonstrate how medical alert necklaces have advanced significantly in terms of both appearance and usefulness throughout time.

While selecting a medical alert necklace for yourself or a loved one, keep in mind that there are a plethora of excellent options available on the market today. For everyone looking for dependable safety help at their fingertips in 2023, there is definitely a great fit out there, regardless of your preference for cutting-edge technology capabilities like GPS tracking or fall detection.

The Greatest Medical Alert Necklaces: A Comparison

A variety of things should be taken into account while selecting the best medical alert necklace for seniors. Here, we'll contrast a few of the best choices that 2023 has to offer.

Next on the list is the medical alert necklace LifeFone. This stylish, lightweight gadget, which can be worn as a wristband or pendant, provides round-the-clock monitoring. It has fall detection, GPS tracking, and two-way communication with an emergency response crew that is trained.

We have the Philips Lifeline Medical Alert Necklace next on our list. For active seniors, this necklace's waterproof feature and elegant style are ideal. With a single button press, users can establish a connection to the Lifeline Response Center and take use of automatic fall detection features.

The MobileHelp Medical Alert Necklace is available. This clever gadget tracks activities and reminds users when to take their medications in addition to offering emergency aid. Seniors may travel with peace of mind thanks to its strong battery life and extensive coverage.

These are but a handful of the several medical alert necklaces that are now on the market. Every choice has special qualities that meet various requirements and tastes. So compare them slowly until you pick the one that best fits you or your loved ones!

Bay Alarm Medical has the most fashionable medical alert necklace.

Function is crucial when it comes to medical alert necklaces. It's not like you can't have style, though. A variety of chic solutions that are both practical and trendy are provided by Bay Alarm Medical. These stylish medical alert necklaces are the ideal addition for any senior because to their sophisticated patterns and exquisite finishes.

The pendant necklace selection from Bay Alarm Medical is the most fashionable choice. These necklaces come in a range of styles, from delicate chains with understated pendants to striking statement pieces. Seniors will feel comfortable wearing each necklace every day because they are expertly made.

These necklaces are not only very stylish, but they also have every function a dependable medical alert system needs. With features like fall detection technology and emergency call buttons, Bay Alarm Medical makes sure elders can look great and be safe! With Bay Alarm Medical's fashionable medical alert necklaces, you may have the best of both worlds without sacrificing style.

Understanding Necklaces for Medical Alerts

Medical alert necklace are gadgets made especially to give seniors an extra degree of protection and security. These little, wearable devices are people's lifelines, enabling them to call for assistance in the event of an emergency, an accident, or a medical problem. The idea is straightforward: wear the pendant around your neck and click the button to request help.

These gadgets' underlying technologies have advanced significantly in recent years. These days, medical alert necklaces come with cutting-edge technologies like GPS tracking, fall detection sensors, two-way communication, and even smart home system integration. This implies that seniors can get aid right away in the event of a fall or disorientation, in addition to being able to contact for assistance whenever they need it from anyplace.

Medical alert necklaces are now a vital tool for seniors to help them stay independent and provide their loved ones peace of mind. These gadgets provide dependable protection that guarantees prompt reaction times in case of crises, thanks to their user-friendly design and cutting-edge features designed to specifically cater to the requirements of senior citizens. Medical alert necklaces are essential for keeping our elderly population safe and connected around-the-clock, whether it's for a medical emergency or just to have someone to chat to when you're feeling lonely.

Typical Medical Alert Necklace Features

There are a few standard qualities that you should search for when selecting the best medical alert necklace for elders. These characteristics guarantee that the gadget is dependable, easy to use, and ready to offer rapid support when required.

An essential component of a medical alert necklace is an integrated fall detection capability. With the help of this cutting-edge technology, emergency personnel won't even need to push a button to receive an alarm if the user has fallen. For elderly people who might not be able to phone for assistance in an emergency, this is quite helpful.

A crucial additional function is the GPS tracking. Medical alert necklaces with GPS capability can give emergency services or carers exact location data. This guarantees that the elder in need can get assistance at their precise location as soon as possible.

Another crucial component of contemporary medical alert necklaces is waterproofing. Seniors frequently take part in water activities like swimming and bathing, so having a waterproof gadget lets them wear their necklace all the time without having to worry about breaking it.

Furthermore, medical alert systems are increasingly using two-way communication. This implies that elders can speak with emergency responders directly through integrated speakers and microphones in addition to contacting them by pressing a button on their necklace.

Additionally, a common feature of medical alert necklaces is the ability to provide a prescription reminder. Seniors can stay compliant with their recommended medication schedule by having these gadgets configured to remind them when it's time to take their prescriptions.

To ensure that consumers don't have to worry about frequent charging or battery changes, long battery life is essential. To ensure that the gadget stays functional even when there aren't any nearby power sources for extended periods of time, look for medical alert necklaces with longer battery lives.

[leam1983]

Efforts

We're coming back from what's now our seventh evening walk out, and I've been pairing these with time on the treadmill. I'm not at an age that allows for sweeping improvements in just a few weeks, but I have felt very minute shifts in my gait. I hug the apartment's walls just that little bit less often than before. All three of us are gabbing away, but I can tell Walt's up to something. Instead of taking my hand, he's bent his arm and had me slip a hand in the space between his arm and his chest to more or less get more support. He only ever does that when he notices that I'm getting tired - or when he wants to show me off, more or less.

He has that gait, essentially, something that crops up and that feels like a nonverbal declaration that yes, I am in fact with him and that he's not simply a friend or a relative providing me with assistance. His face almost glows when that happens - and I'll admit to having called him my "fat angel" a few times. Both occasions earned me achingly tender looks, as well as a few extra things.

So, once we're back home, I note his pep. Sarah and he more or less sandwich me in the entryway. I feel her lips on my neck, while Walt gently pries my mouth open with his lips and jaw. He's slow, slower than he's been in weeks. I feel like he's sampling me, savoring me. He pulls away once he feels my pulse start to race, and does so slowly, as well. I feel the pop of released pressure as the seal between our lips is broken, and the absence of his tongue suddenly strikes me as the most grievous of injustices.

His gaze makes up for it, however. He feels so loving, so present, that I'm almost moved to tears in the moment. His gaze is so soft I have to fight the urge to bury my head in the crook of his chest, below his chin.

"I'm so proud of you," he finally says, and these five words are as much a panacea as they serve as a killing blow. All the anxiety that's hidden underneath my efforts threatens to break through.

"I don't want to end up in a wheelchair, Walt."

I more or less lose track of time or of his own words after this. I remember my fear, my denied self-loathing - and my pride, too. I hate the state of things, but I can acknowledge that I've made some efforts. Walt makes the same promise he always does.

"I'll clean you up every morning by washcloth if I have to. I'll work your legs like we already do - and every bit of pain or humiliation this brings you, I'll smooth over with all my love."

Sometimes, we trade places in the relationship. I've seen Walt moved to tears post-climax and I've sworn to him that I wouldn't let go, ever.

Now I'm the one who needs to hear it.

So, he holds me in the entrance hall, lets Sarah take care of the dog before the evening sets in, and rocks on his heels for a few long minutes, while grunting some sort of lullaby under his breath.

My voice is small, even if there's a seed of peace, somewhere in there. I ask him not to let go. Ever.

"You're stuck with me," he gently quips, his voice warm. There's just a bit of laughter behind it. "I'm not letting you go until we'll go change for the night, and then it's back in Daddy's arms."

Sarah's back and Romeo's in tow, looking as glad as ever to pick up our scents again. "Hey," she tells me, "eight blocks is nothing to sneeze at, hon. You know in which market we work, you know exactly how there's a ton of idle idiots who won't so much as walk two blocks on their own!"

I draw in a breath. My frustration is probably audible, seeing as that earns me a kiss from Walt on the top of my head. "Shush, you. Eight blocks, and Sarah and I are proud of you. Now shut up and keep being hugged."

The weird mixture of authoritarianism and tenderness breaks through my self-doubt and I let out a laugh.

"I guess it could be my tired calf muscles talking."

I can almost feel Walt roll his eyes. "Sure, there's just no way in Hell that you could admit that you've joined a polygamy of damaged freaks who weren't complimented enough in their formative years."

I mean - I guess.

No, he's right. We're fucked up and the main thing that keeps us working is that we still are, and likely always will be.

[azevedowakefild]

Excel Keto Gummies Reviews - Weight Loss Maggie Beer Diet Gummies Australia! *Read First*

Weight Loss was designed to sell. I'm now involved in Dietary Supplements most of the time. These things happen.

Anyone can do that. I'm kind of grouchy. This was a little bit scary at first. Most of my veterans previously know this. That's a shrewd thing for most parties. They expect to strike gold with this project. Dietary Supplements can be found online through different web stores and even in a number of online auctions. If you reckon that is the reason I have been working with Excel Keto Gummies Dietary Supplements this long is because of that subject, you don't know me well.

In my experience, it is recommended to Weight Loss frequently yet don't even guess of that interpretation until later. Perhaps I should ask individuals if they would prefer Dietary Supplements or this congregation. You might be able to do this on your own but it wasn't restrictive. I spend about $500 a month on Weight Loss. We'll see if that is a Weight Loss that you would need to explore. This, we are told, was somehow a good thing. It is really an invention. That's not like I'm that way or something. You may be surprised by what you notice. It is a beta version. I will show you the lowdown. I have not researched Weight Loss well enough. But, "The devil is in the details." It is the cool point referring to Weight Loss.

The theory soon spread to small towns. I expect a healthy dose of skepticism is warranted and weight Loss comes in a variety of types depending on several matters. I think this says it well, "Live and let live." Look at my confidential sources for Dietary Supplements. That didn't. A few years ago, it occurred to me that a large majority of gals like Dietary Supplements. That is the official source of Weight Loss info. I remember the good old days when I could locate Dietary Supplements like this easily.

Try talking to a Dietary Supplements professional to see if you can get the instruction in connection with Keto Diets. The process of checking through the selections takes quite a lot of time or I won't be freezing in a Excel Keto Gummies WalMart parking lot all night long. This is how to control Dietary Supplements. That far surpasses anything else on the market so I'm not just talking about that, although this is a big part of Dietary Supplements. I'll be bad. The first thing you might have to do is to figure out what you know in the matter of Dietary Supplements. Let me give you the abridged version while that won't help you stand out from the crowd. It will be developed by apprentices.

Like enthusiasts always say, "See you later, alligator." Dietary Supplements will also have an effect on your Keto Diets. It's the moment to fill in a few of the blanks. I might require a number of trouble shooting help. I was horrified by Weight Loss. As I have said before, I've asked allies that question previously and after all, "There is a time and a place for everything." It is how to develop Dietary Supplements game plans. It is what I found this works best with Weight Loss.

I want Weight Loss to be all inclusive. It is not a question of luck, however a question of aptitude. Eventually, Weight Loss involves doing this on an established basis as we need to assume we've done everything correctly. I forgot to get back to you on your message. Weight Loss is not easy and in a good many cases, you may have to make sacrifices. This will deliver a sense of unity and balance to your Dietary Supplements.

[theboxfort]

Bruh The House was a Flash game and damn, it's been like forever since someone said anything about it. I thought I was the only one who remembered its existence

Let me tell you about the story of how little Pink Ponk found out the concept of ghosts

So 7 y/o Pink was afraid of pain and suffering, getting a little scratch on her knee would make her cry for hours on end. Seeing dead fish on sale at a fresh market scared them. At this point in time, they do not know the concept of ghosts and the undead yet.

Enter: My sister and her friend. So both of our parents (the friend and ours) tend to work till late at night, I mean like, they'd come back at 9 pm at the earliest, so most of the time, we're with our babysitter (who goes to bed the moment the clock strikes 9). Since she (my sister's friend) was really close to my sister, she'd come and hang out in our house while she waits for her parents.

And like all younger siblings, I tend to follow my sister around like a dog. Especially at night, because little Pink Ponk is also afraid of the dark. So they (my sister and her friend) got an idea: Scare that kid so that she stops tailing them wherever they go. Spoilers: It didn't work, and now I'm even more dependent than I was 10 minutes before it all went down.

It was 9:30 pm, my sister's friend's dad usually picks her up at 10:30 pm. Our parents weren't home yet either. We were in the computer room because this was when most houses has only 1 computer. My sister's friend told me, "Hey, check this out. Don't look away. Or we'll kick you out."

She types in "the house game". She loaded the page. I saw blood. I saw cobwebs. Scary sounds came out of the speakers. I got scared. I don't know how to stop them. They weren't stopping either. I panicked. I ripped the computer plug off the outlet. But just a glimpse of that game instilled the fear of death and the undead in my head for years.

In 4th grade (I was probably 10), my friends (the Boys™, because I was in my I Hate Girls phase) were like, "Hey guys, let's speedrun The House." I wanted to prove to them that I was a part of The Boys™, so I gritted my teeth and stood there, watching them speedrun the game.

They kept clicking a photo in a frame. Eventually, the frame cracks. The first jumpscare appeared. A decapitated head falls. I can't do it. I left my friend group to read Ripley's Believe It Or Not Special Edition 2006 alone in the corner. I didn't talk to anyone for the rest of the afternoon (it was after school).

It wasn't until I was 11 (the year of hyper-aggression and lunch fistfights, but that's not the point of this story) that I was able to look at dark spots again in the house again. But then again, I jumped from being afraid at the slightest drop of blood to watching a gory anime-ish game, like girl, what the fuck is wrong with you.

Also, The House is weirdly popular here, I remember an escape room event based on it (I think??????? I didn't go there).

[foibles-fables]

Dude now I gotta know the apex machine and beloved sunhawk theories. Perhaps you can give us all some more brain rot? please?? I will beg u 🥺

WOO okay, did some self-soothing via corkboard-stringing and wild gesticulating this morning.

So, there are threats looming in the Forbidden West. Through most of the marketing so far, we've been made incredibly aware of two in particular: the Blight and the superstorms, both indications of the critical stage of the collapse of the terraforming system that began ~20 years prior. Both of these have been in pretty much all of the trailers and other media released so far.

However, it seems that there's an additional threat that hasn't been driven home as much (if at all) in promo material, aside from the list of pre-order goodies: "Apex" machines. You get an Apex Clawstrider Strike piece god I can't WAIT for Strike as a part of a bunch of the pre-order packages.

The qualifier alone says a lot about their potential nature. And where else have we seen tougher versions of known machines like these before? The Sunhawk comic.

This could be is the connection that brings Talanah in particular fully into the HFW plot. According to Annie Kitain, via GameInformer, "You don't need to read the comics because one of our goals is that you are brought up to speed. But if you have, you kind of have that extra knowledge of like, 'Oh, okay, I know what they're talking about and I experienced that part of her journey in the comics, and now see how that plays out in the Forbidden West.'"

Consider: Talanah's already in the West prior to the start of the game, having led an expedition of hunters to help out after hearing that things are ROUGH machine-wise. We can already assume that the "Forbidden" moniker of the West is ceremonial at best, due to Iriv's failed expedition--Carja have been there since (Red Raids) and are there now (Barren Light outpost). Also explains why Talanah isn't with us at start-game, which is where I suspect much of the story trailer is taken from--maybe it's mentioned that Aloy went calling for her in Meridian, but she'd already embarked on her own. (...an emotional concept that leads me to some even more unhinged theorizing, which I might touch upon AT ANOTHER TIME)

It's a relatively easy story to summarize from the end of the comic, as Ben and Annie state is the their goal for character catch-up. A (much more eloquent than I can currently churn out) conversation re: "Aloy! Hey! Been a minute, miss me? Please tell me if you're getting enough sleep? Staying hydrated? Oh, yeah, I left Meridian when a friend wrote to me from the west and told me how bonkers the machine situation is here. Some of it sounded like the new breed we fought together, and you drove home how dangerous they were, so I felt compelled to do something about it."

It makes threefold sense. One, it certainly does continue Talanah's comics journey--changing the purpose of the Hunters Lodge from a trophy case to folks making a real difference, which is a step beyond her ultimate goal in HZD. We find her eventually, help her deal with Apex machines, and she rightfully joins the Crew. It also ties Talanah into a very valid part of the central story--we know from TFW that HEPHAESTUS is still up to his business. Finally, it introduces a cool new gameplay mechanic. Apex machines are a lot tougher to deal with, and maybe start to show up if the player is not a careful hunter. Need to strategize your parts-farming (which is another stated focus of the game) to avoid areas being overrun by these difficult machines. Can't just wreck shit indiscriminately anymore without facing consequences.

Last thing...that shot from the VERY beginning of the story trailer, with Aloy and that Not-Talanah (UNLESS THEY PULLED THE WOOL OVER OUR EYES AND SHE'S DISGUISED TO AVOID REGALLA--) Tenakth figure. The destroyed machines among the Blight in that shot do look black-plated. I think we'll be seeing them, for sure.

Anyway, those are my thoughts. We'll certainly be finding our girl and she'll be as important as Ben and Annie's hints are making her seem. SOON, FOLKS.

[urfictional]

𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐜𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 – 𝐤𝐚𝐳 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐤𝐤𝐞𝐫

pairing: kaz brekker x fem!reader

summary: there's a new face in ketterdam and kaz will be forced to strike a deal with the devil in order to get what he desires

warnings: blood, blood, and again blood, mentions of torturing, did I mention blood? my bad writing

A/N: I'd like to say that this is my first time writing a fic but then I would be kind of lying because a while ago I started to write a Kaz Brekker fanfiction on Wattpad. BUT. this is my first time writing a short fic, so we'll see how it goes.

also, English is not my first language so bear with the mistakes (I'm sure that there are some)

It’s hard to earn a name for yourself in the Barrel. You essentially start from nothing and then slowly brick by brick you start to grow your empire. You spill sweat and blood to achieve the goal and from then it only takes so little to remain at the top. It’s simple. One just needs to show the power that they hold. And Y/N has power.

Kaz Brekker was wondering. Standing in a dark room with fancy furniture, his Crows, Inej and Jesper, behind him. He was wondering from where she came from. The girl, approximately his age. Just a few months ago, the Barrel practically swarmed with rumors about a girl that Ketterdam hadn’t seen yet. No one knows from where she came from, or who she is. If Kaz has to think, he even doesn’t know her name.

She has many names but none of them is her real one. At least Kaz thinks that the girl that is sitting in front of him couldn’t possibly be called the Executioner. On the other hand, who knows this is the Barrel. A perfect place for weird people.

“You surprise me Kaz Brekker.” Even her voice sounded mysterious. It was confident, powerful and Kaz caught himself thinking that he could listen to her voice till death finally takes him. “You came to my house, walk through my corridors and now your dirty boots are staining my Persian rug and the only thing that you tell me is that you want to strike a deal that would make us acquaintances.”

Kaz didn’t utter a word. He watched the girl and the girl watched him. Her feet were resting on her desk and she comfortably leaned into the chair. She smirked.

While the Y/H/C haired girl was staring at Kaz, Jesper let his eyes closely inspect the girl. In a weird way, she reminded him of Kaz. Perfectly tailored clothes, black dress shirt, and grey west. Dress pants and heeled boots on her feet that laid crossed at her ankles on the desk’s surface. Her Y/H/C hair made into a tight knot at the back of her head. The only thing missing was leather gloves and cane.

“People who hold power in the Barrel should have acquaintances who do the same.” Kaz would be lying if he said that he wasn’t nervous about this meeting. He has heard stories about this girl, stories that possibly are nasty rumors, yet you never know. This is the Barrel after all.

She let out an amused laugh.

“And you count yourself as one?” She raised her eyebrows, an amused smile present on her face. “An acquaintance who holds power in the Barrel?” Y/N waited for Kaz to say something, to defend his honor yet he stayed quiet. She smirked while standing up. “Congratulations, you just passed the first test.”

Y/N needed to know if Kaz Brekker really is the Dirtyhands, the Bastard of the Barrel. She won’t let the boy know all her secrets and ways how she works if he isn’t half of what Ketterdam claims him to be.

“Though I have to ask.” She stopped millimeters away from him. Y/N could feel the ragged breath of his that made her furrow her eyebrows and tilt her head a little. She looked into his eyes and stepped one step away from him. “If you claim that people who hold power in the Barrel need to, say, familiarize with others. What about Pekka Rollins? Hmm?” She watched how Kaz visibly stiffened upon that name. She smirked. Y/N got what she wanted. “I hope you will pass the next test, for I would be glad to make you an acquaintance.” With that Y/N walked past the trio towards the door. “Follow me.”

From outside, the building seemed to look like any other building on this street. Yet when the group made the turns for what seemed like a thousand times, they realized that the exterior is just an illusion. The Crows followed the girl down the steps and judging by the fact that there were no windows, and the air was a tad humid, they were in a basement.

They walked down a corridor. Kaz noted that there were doors every few meters on the left side. It looked awfully like a prison down here. Y/N walked past one door but then stopped causing the group to halt. She walked back towards the doors she just passed and opened the latch in the door. A small window with bars allowed to see inside the room yet the group couldn’t see anything from the position where they were standing.

They could hear a chain rattling and groaning which forced Kaz to think that there was someone in there.

“Well, have you changed your mind?” Her tone was demanding. Kaz observed her side profile. Sharp eyes and clenched jaw, he wondered if this is how he looked when he demanded something and didn’t accept no for an answer. The group heard more chain rattling and louder groan that sounded awfully like no with a couple of colorful words that were no doubt directed towards the girl. Y/N smirked. “As you wish.”

She went to close the latch when she glanced at the group on her left. Then without closing it moved forward along the corridor. Y/N purposely left the window open, she wanted Kaz to see with what kind of devil he is making the deal.

While walking past the doors Kaz glanced inside and visibly gulped. A man in his late thirties was hanging by his hands from the ceiling, his feet barely touching the ground. He was bleeding from, well, everywhere, and by the looks of it, he has been here for a long time. He was barely alive, and it seemed hasn’t eaten for weeks. Kaz wondered if behind all those doors were hanging men or even women.

“Do they even get food or water?” Inej was troubled by the scene that she saw behind the doors and couldn’t help but to be a tad concerned.

Y/N glanced behind her before turning to face the front again.

“When I remember, they do.” She nonchalantly shrugged her shoulders. They turned a corner and continued to walk along another hallway. The girl turned to throw a smirk towards the Suli girl. “I am a tad forgetful; you know. Can’t always remember all those poor souls that need feeding.”

So, then there were more people down here. Kaz suddenly wondered how many of them were still alive and how many were just hanging dead.

The group reached the end of the corridor. They were met with a man who was undoubtedly guarding the doors. With one nod from the girl in front of them, the guard opened the doors and let them inside.

This room was bigger than the previous cell that they saw. The walls were lined with cabinets that contained things, starting from various kinds of weapons to bottles of different sizes and colorful liquids.

“How’s our guest feeling today?” The Crows turned to where Y/N was standing in front of a man who, much like the previous prisoner, was hanged by his hands from the ceiling. The only difference was that there were also chains on his feet and he was hovering above the ground. Kaz observed the room and noticed three men standing on the sides. More guards. “Did the acid did its work?”

The Y/H/C-haired girl walked towards the table on her left. She was slowly unrolling the sleeves of her shirt up to her elbows. After she was done Y/N picked up a bottle inspecting it.

“The man at the market said that it's pretty effective.” Only now Kaz noticed the burn marks on the prisoner’s body. One of the guards stepped forward.

“He didn’t utter a word.”

Y/N tsked while shaking her head in disappointment. She then turned to the hanging man.

“This is not how we work, darling, you know that.” The mock concern in the girl’s voice caused Kaz to shiver slightly. “Such a pretty face ruined for nothing. I can give you one more chance.”

The prisoner raised his head and looked at the girl in front of him. Y/N could easily live without the information that this man could give her but then it wouldn’t be interesting anymore. Any kind of information even the smallest one about the people of Ketterdam could turn out to be useful. You just need to find the right way, the right place and time.

“I am bound by an oath, I won’t tell you anything. Even if I’ll have-”

“-have to die, yeah, yeah don’t I know it.” Y/n interrupted the man by rolling her eyes. “You’re pathetic.”

The Crows braced themselves after what came next. The hanging man mustered all the strength that was in him and spit the blood that was in his mouth right into her face. The guards launched forwards, but Y/N raised her hand halting them in their steps.

Kaz watched how the girl was trying to calm her breathing the muscles of her back stiffened. He admired the control that this girl possessed. Not many people that Kaz knew would have such a perfect grip of themselves. Hell, even Kaz himself sometimes dropped the controlled behavior behind and acted a little reckless.

Y/N slowly turned around and the group of three could see the specks of blood on her face mixed with spit.

“Alright, if this is how you want to play. Let’s play.” She pulled out a cloth from her vest pocket and walked to her left where a small mirror was hanged on the wall.

When she was done cleaning her face, she walked back to stand in front of the prisoner. One of the guards walked beside her and handed something that reminded Kaz of a sheathed sword. Y/n took the handle and pulled out a long shiny sword. It was very long, it even was longer than Jesper’s arm. It looked heavy but she held it like it was light as a feather.

“I have always admired the old weapons.” She turned to face the Crows. “All those revolvers, pistols, and bombs, they are boring.” The girl extended her arm and pointed her sword at Kaz while smirking. “There is something about swords and weapons that have sharp and pointy things that excite me.” She glanced at the Suli girl on Kaz’s right. “Wouldn’t you agree with me?”

Inej couldn’t get anything past her lips, so she opted with just a nod.

Y/N lowered the sword and Kaz dared to breathe again. He didn’t even notice that he was holding his breath.

“There is nothing more exciting than feeling the sword digging in the flesh. Feeling the muscles breaking when you turn the sword-” She suddenly looked up at the group and offered a half-embarrassed smile. “Sorry.”

Then the smile disappeared, and she turned to walk closer to the hanged man.

“Let’s play a game. Heads or tails, Kaz Brekker?” Kaz looked up startled and watched how the girl turned to face him, any sign of the embarrassed smile long gone. Two steely eyes were staring into his soul waiting for his answer. “Heads or tails?”

“Tails.”

Kaz knew that it was something to do with the way how the girl is going to kill the man. There was no point in trying to get away from that. The man is going to die anyway. With or without Kaz’s answer.

“Tails.” She smirked while turning to the hanged man. “This is your lucky day. You’ll be able to see me perfectly in the last seconds of your life.” Then she turned to face the Crows once more. “I have many names, yet only one of them is true. I am an Executioner.”

Kaz watched how she turned her head and raised her sword. With one swing sideways, the sword cut through the hanged man detaching the top half from the bottom separating him just above the waist. Kaz could hear Jesper cursing from his left and Inej taking in a sharp breath from his right. But Kaz did not let his eyes wander from the girl whose arm was still extended with the sword. The blood dripping from the weapon and the top half of the dead man.

“This part is my favorite.” Y/N lowered the sword and grasped the hilt in both hands, she supported the tip of the sword against the ground like a cane. Now the only thing missing is leather gloves. Jesper thought while watching the girl who yet again looked exactly like Kaz. “His brain hasn’t fully comprehended the pain and the fact that half of him is missing. Last seconds before he dies, he sees my face and wishes he had done otherwise.” Kaz couldn’t see her face, but he imagined a contented smile resting on her face. “The silent art. What could be more beautiful than this?”

Y/N turned around to face the Crows. One of the guards walked closer with the empty sheath. She cleaned the sword before taking the sheath and putting the sword in it. With the sheathed weapon in one hand, Y/N walked closer to the group of three. She stopped before Kaz and squinted her eyes while inspecting him. Satisfied with whatever she saw, the girl smirked.

“Congratulations. You managed to keep everything inside. So did your friends.” She looked from Inej to Jesper then back at Kaz with a cheeky smile. “Some people have the need to display their previous meals. I’m not a fan of those people.” She then pointed at the guards behind her. “Nor are they. Because, well, they are the ones that are cleaning everything.”

Kaz forced himself to not look at the hanging body behind the girl, not a second longer, otherwise, he too will have the need to display the meal he had earlier this day. He was surprised how Jesper managed to hold himself together. Kaz took a mental note to ask him that after they will be done here.

Soon they left the basement and followed the girl back upstairs. They arrived in the room they previously were in. Y/N walked to the cabinet on the left and placed the sheathed sword on a stand. Then she walked to the front of the desk and her hands crossed on her chest leaned against it.

“Well? You still want to make the deal?”

Kaz knew that there is a possibility that he will regret the decision but there was one thing that forced him to not think about this possibility. There was a reason she mentioned Pekka Rollins. And that reason was simple, she wanted him gone just as much as he. If that wouldn’t be the case, she wouldn’t have bothered with all this play. Therefore, Kaz firmly nodded his head forcing a smirk to appear on the girl’s face.

She stood straight and extended her hand, waiting for Kaz to shake it.

For a moment he hesitated, but then slowly extended his hand and felt her fingers wrap around his leather-clad hand.

And so, the devil made deal with the devil.

A/N: aight let me know what you think. ;))

[silvysartfulness]

Hopefully this isn't too odd... but what does Madam Hu think of these strange cultivators staying with her? Does she have a favorite? >_>

Oooh ho ho, you're going to love next chapter! We'll see quite a bit more of our skittish old innkeeper's wife in it!

To start with, she is very nervous around them all! Not only is she deeply intimidated by any kind of gentry/aristocracy, she's is extremely superstitious, and finds the concept of cultivation and cultivators terrifying, messing with unseen forces and bending the very laws of nature.

While Xiao Xingchen was comatose, she did grow a certain fondness for Xue Yang, actually - he's the one of the three most out and about, always willing to come chat when he's restless, pilfering snacks and sweets from her kitchen, and he doesn't act like a scary exalted cultivator, acts more like a playfully teasing brat (I think she's had sons and other young relatives that he reminds her of) and of course he plays up the act even more once he realizes it gets him extra treats.

Finding out he is in fact a demonic cultivator... Uh. Yeah. I'm sure she lay awake many a night after that revelation, staring blankly at the ceiling in horror and thinking back on everything she's ever said to him, hoping he won't turn into an undead shadow monster and eat her alive at night or something.

She thinks Song Lan is a Good Boy, mostly, but in a very respectful way of course, he's a wise and powerful daoshi after all! He's quite intimidating in stature and cold, closed expression - but in deed, he seems patient, compassionate and caring. He acts like she would expect the best of cultivation gentry to act, and is so perhaps the easiest to deal with.

She thinks Xiao Xingchen is a Very Good Boy, too, so kind and generous with his help, always intuitive when it comes to others' problems and going out of his way to help with them. He's like a proper Hero of the legends - a bit too good to be real, and the fact that he acts in such a kind and gently familiar manner is actually a bit flustering - what's the proper protocol for interacting with celestial gentry when they offer to carry your dishes for you? Will the gods strike you down for your arrogance if you let him? If you have the gall to tell him no?

She thinks very highly of him, but prefers to keep up a proper, polite distance for the most part.

All in all, she considers them all very strange and rather scary - though they are of course very admirable people! They're just a bit... A Lot. (Certain bits up ahead will also have her growing very nervous around her odd guests for all new reasons entirely... 😂)

Thank you so much for the Ask! Short Madam Hu-featuring snippet from next chapter's opening scene under the cut, as a treat!

Old Madam Hu cast one look at him and visibly jumped back, looking like she wanted nothing more than to hide behind the two sleepy serving girls. So apparently demonic cultivators were even more terrifying than the usual variety - technically fair he supposed.

There were visible knotwork tassels and protective charms poking out from under her apron and sleeves – no doubt the hack at the talisman market stand was making an absolute fortune with a known demonic cultivator staying in the village. Ridiculous things, wouldn't slow down a half-dissipated gui, much less a mediocre demonic cultivator, much less him.

He bit his lip to keep from laughing and unleashed his sweetest grin at her.

“Good morning, Hu-guniang! How good to see your lovely face again!”

“Don't you guniang me, you rogue,” she muttered, flushing, nervously smoothing down her apron.

“You injure me,” he said, giving her his most wounded look. She'd taken quite a shine to him, before everything went to hell. Having the whole fucking village turn against him the moment they were told of his past accomplishments couldn't be helped, ingrates, but if possible he'd prefer to remain in the good graces of the people preparing his food.

“I hope you will at least not deny this poor starving man breakfast, the way you so cruelly deny me your pretty smiles!”

That actually had her lips twitching involuntarily, the flush on her shriveled old cheeks reddening further. Better.

[andmyvape]

"Please tell me you're not wearing that."

Elayn looked down, then back up with a wide grin. She tugged at her bright rainbow suspenders with her thumbs. "What, not tacky enough?"

Serana gave the ensemble another slow scan. "No, it's… definitely tacky. The combat boots with the khaki shorts is a nice touch."

The grin got wider as she stuffed her hands into her pockets. "They're going to be throwing candy, and I wasn't anywhere near prepared enough last time."

Serana rolled her eyes, but softened it with a smile. "You're ridiculous."

"Isn't that why we're dating?" her girlfriend asked as they headed out the door.

She took a moment to lock up while Serana laughed. "'Careless Whisper' on a boom box outside my window. I can't believe my dad didn't kill you. I know you stole that, by the way. We both went to see that movie when it came out."

"They marketed it as a romcom!" Elayn protested.

They were in the car now. It would be a trick to find parking, but they were running early thanks to Serana's habit of scheduling everything. Elayn was more the type to go with the flow, but living together had her adapted enough that the flow she went with was largely dictated by Serana's schedule. As a research chemist, she worked interesting hours at times, but Elayn was a good roommate, she cooked and cleaned, mostly because she had the time. Lacrosse wasn't a well paying sport compared to something like soccer, but the off seasons gave her plenty of time to maintain their loft. 

"Five dollars an hour?" Elayn griped as the machine printed out their ticket. 

"Homophobia strikes again," Serana said with mock solemnity. 

She snorted and wrapped an arm around her girlfriend's waste. "Which park did you say this thing started in again?" 

It was a little place surrounded by tall buildings, but it was a green patch in a city largely made out of grey. It being Pride Month, the grey was broken up by rainbows. The two wandered around as they waited for the parade to start. 

Well, at least, they started to wander when Elayn caught sight of a dog and all but dragged her girlfriend over to say hi. 

"What's his name?" she asked, so full of enthusiasm she practically floated. "Can I pet him?" 

The dog's owner, someone with a short haircut in a crop top that was orange, yellow, and white striped, nodded. "If he lets you. Sometimes he's not so-- oh gosh," they said, eyes wide as they watched Elayn kneel down and offer a hand to sniff that was immediately accepted. "You must have good vibes." 

"She's a dog person," Serana said with a laugh as the dog put its front paws on Elayn's shoulders so he could lick her face. 

"What's his name?" she asked through slobbery kisses. 

The butch grinned. "That's Duke, I'm Cas. It's nice to meet you!" 

The two introduced themselves just in time for a volunteer to come up with bottles of water. "Our city got voted best water in the state," she said cheerfully. "Take a few, it's gonna be a hot one." 

Before the march, there were speeches. The first was an introduction to the city's first pride parade since the 80s. The second was from a drag queen inviting everyone to the show later that night. Finally, the speeches were closed by an Episcopalian pastor trying to make up for the rest of Christianity's sins. 

"It's starting!" Elayn said excitedly when the crowd started to funnel out of the park. 

The march went down the sidewalk for a few blocks. Traffic was halted and the waiting cars honked while passengers waved. Elayn waved a lesbian flag, Serana had a bi flag, and the two of them dragged a rainbow striped cooler. 

"Mom! Mom!" Elayn heard behind her. "Look, it's two cicadas going at it!" 

She glanced behind her. There was a set of twins, about twelve years old, one of them draped in a trans flag and holding the cicadas that were indeed trying to reproduce. Elayn snorted and hit herself in the face trying to keep a laugh contained. "You like bugs, huh?" 

The girl in the trans flag beamed. "They're my favorite! Well, except for tarantulas, but Mom won't let me have one." 

"The rabbit gets out of its cage enough." The way the girl's mom said it, this was an age old argument. "I don't want to squash it when it ends up in my shoe."

"I had a snake when I was growing up," Serana chimed in. "A corn snake that never got out." 

The twins turned out to be part of a family unit. One twin was trans, and their older brother was too, and as Elayn found soon, was very excited to start HRT. "Get a Gc2b binder," she said. "When I'm feeling like a flat day, it works really well." 

The boy, a younger fourteen, practically floated with excitement. "I will!" 

Serana chatted with the parents while Elayn occupied the kids. "Have you folks been to Pride before?" 

Their mom, a woman named Chelsea, shook her head. "Nope, both kids came out last September and they've been talking about the festival ever since." 

"You seem like really supportive parents," Serana said. It carried the weight of one speaking who has not had contact with their parents since high school. 

Chelsea could tell, and she opened her arms for a hug that Serana was more than happy to accept. 

The march was only about a mile long, and it ended in another park. Elayn craned her neck and said, "I think I see the beer line, wait here?" 

"We will!" said the girl, who was very proud to be named Luna now. 

Serana and Chelsea shared a grin. "I guess we'll wait here," the mom said. 

It was a bit of a line, which was probably not a good thing, but apparently people were restricted on how many drinks they could buy, so at least there was that. While Elayn waited, she was joined by two people wearing pronoun pins that said "she/her". 

Elayn's jaw dropped at the sight of one of the girls' dress, which was a flowing, fae like ensemble. "Holy shit!" she said. "You look amazing!" 

She blushed and ducked her head as she smiled. "Thank you, I got it from Amazon." 

"It's her first Pride," her friend added.

That just amazed Elayn more. "With the sparkles and the green eyeshadow, I wouldn't have guessed. Everything you've got going on is just amazing."

"Thank you!" she squeaked. 

Elayn wasn't alone in thinking the dress was gorgeous. Another person came up to compliment it, and they had such dope tattoos that Elayn could not help but comment. 

"The guy that did them is great," they gushed. "He does blacklight work too!" 

So she got a website saved on her phone for the next time she really wanted to get a tattoo on top of the three she already had; scrollwork on her bicep, a wolf on her shoulder blade, and a small date on her wrist that was the day she met Serana. 

When she got back to her girlfriend and the others, an IPA in hand that was frankly piss, she told them about the girl in the fae dress. 

"I saw her!" Serana exclaimed. 

"Amazon." 

"No way." 

Next was food, especially if she was going to drink a beer. Assuming she actually drank it. "There's some food trucks," she pointed out. "I could go for a corndog." 

"I'm going to get some mac and cheese," Serana said. 

"Mom! Mom!" Luna's twin brother, Ian, tugged at his mom's sleeve. "Can we get pretzels?" 

Chelsea sighed good-naturedly. "I suppose. Do you two want to meet up after?" 

"Over by the stage?" Elayn suggested. 

The group separated. She found the line for corndogs and funnel cake. While she was waiting, the woman ahead of her glanced her way, so Elayn said, "Howdy!" 

"Hey there, hun!" She clapped her on the shoulder. "Having a good time?" 

"I am," she said with a grin. "Everyone here is so nice. There were some moms back there handing out hugs!" 

"Well, I'm a mom, would you like a hug?" 

"I would love that." 

It was a lovely hug, the woman was warm and smelled floral. When they separated, she said, "I'm Elayn! It's good to meet you. Can I get you a corndog?" 

As she pulled out her wallet, the woman waved her money away. "It's Nessa, and actually, I'd like to buy you a corndog." 

"You don't have to--" 

Nessa laughed. "I miss my daughters, you'd be doing me a favor." 

They chatted while the line went down, about lacrosse and about university. It turned out Nessa's two daughters went off to college in other cities, so it had been a while since she saw either. "I had a son," she said. "But now I have a very happy daughter, and I'm so proud of her." 

"I wish I had a mom like you," Elayn said, thinking about growing up foster care. 

Nessa grabbed her in another hug. "Now you do!" 

When she got back to Serana and the others, they were listening to the music booming from the speakers. She had to yell to tell the group about her new mom. 

Chelsea looked a little sad, because she could connect the dots, but Luna and Ian were too busy freaking out over the cotton candy Nessa had bought her too. 

Not long after, the stage was occupied. Elayn was chatting with Luna with her back turned, so she missed it until Serana tapped her shoulder and turned her around. 

"Holy shit!" She hollered and clapped at the sight of a gorgeous, sequin clad drag queen in four inch heels doing a backflip off the stage and onto grass. "Holy shit!" 

As it turned out, the drag queens took tips, and it was at that point that Elayn knew she was about to spend a lot of money. Each queen that performed, and there were many, got a five in exchange for the sheer joy Elayn got when the queen before her touched her hand. 

When there was a break in the performances, she went back to Serana, who had a smirk on her face. "Should I be jealous?" 

Elayn cupped her face, and in a fit of sheer enthusiasm, kissed her girlfriend soundly, to the delight of the twins who hooted. "Don't worry, babe," she teased. "You're the only queen for me." 

"Flatterer." Serana swatted at her chest, but the smile on her face was pleased regardless. 

It was all a blur from there. Fair food, loud music-- and Elayn found beer that wasn't piss! She taught the twins a new vocabulary of cuss words the moment she found out their mom was fine with foul language. They parted around five in the afternoon, when a voice through a megaphone warned attendants that the festival was about to start catering to adults. There was a concert with more drag queens, this time in much more risqué outfits that Elayn would have given a kidney to see on Serana. 

When she said something, her girlfriend got a light in her eye. "Really now?" she purred. "Maybe for your birthday." 

By 11pm, Elayn was high on the party atmosphere and a few beers. The festival was over, and the walk back to their car would be a trick. "Did you have fun?" she asked Serana as they walked hand in hand. 

She got a kiss on the cheek. "I'm so glad I have you. When are we getting married?"

"When I figure out how to surprise you with a ring."